What I see in myself and others is a strong hardening of positions. It's like the Rubicon has been crossed ands there is no going back:
We want the Epstein files and we will not relent, EVER.
We want due process, and we will not relent, EVER.
We want the Democratic Party to stop sitting on the scale to anoint their favorites:
Support all those who have won their primary without any exception: Acknowledge and support Mamdani and other winners or you won't get donations from me. Call them, email them and make it clear: they will not get donations unless they allow Progressives to have a chance at winning: They have great ideas.
We will never accept the military on our streets and we will not relent, EVER.
Hey, Ken . . . Thank you for getting out there and sharing with us what people are thinking and doing. It's fine to read about it but actually seeing and hearing makes it all the more gratifying.
"The increasingly nonpartisan skepticism of the feds isn’t just anecdote: poll after poll this year shows cratering approval especially among Democrats for institutions like ICE, the FBI, CIA, the police and even the military. The glib take would be that they just hate these agencies because Trump is in office; but during his first term, Democratic approval for agencies like the FBI soared. Remember Robert Mueller (or Daddy Mueller as many liberals called him?)
Mueller Time has long since passed. Gone is the liberal undercurrent that the FBI or uniformed military was going to save the country from Trump. Today they’re seen as tools of repression and enemies of free speech."
True it's different than Trump's first term when those institutions were perceived as pushing back against him. However, this reminds me of George W. Bush's presidency when Democrats were skeptical of the powers that were given to him under the PATRIOT Act and then immediately that changed when Obama was elected.
There was no roll back of the war on terror under Obama. It was ratified instead.
Some of the pithy signs at the protests put it well:
Thanks for always being in the trenches and being an amazing trailblazer for Independent Media. The work you do is always amazing. Thanks for digging up the dirt that sooo many others aren't even looking for, nor even know exists !!!
I hosted the No Kings rally in Antigo Wisconsin, because most everyone in the local Democratic Party is afraid of MAGA after they took over the school and library board, and briefly the mayor's office (that guy quit after eleven months). We hoped to get thirty people and got two hundred. And they gave no f**ks about the instructions suggesting what to say or wear. They were eager for a community of people who could see what's happening in this country, and most of the elderly people in the local Democratic Party were reluctant to have the rally or show up but keep complaining that they can't get young people to join. When a couple of us went door knocking in June the state party seemed uninterested in what people were saying-they just wanted email addresses. When one woman made a sign saying we're not Antifa, another older woman said no, don't buy into that-antifa is antifascist and there's nothing wrong with it, so she changed it. What's the opposite of antifascist? Pro fascist? Protofascist? The Democratic Party is bringing up the rear
If you have not done so, you need to call for the demise of the current leaders of the Democratic party in Congress and in a number of state legislators along with state party leaders like my own in Florida.
We *do* have an Enemy Within -- two, in fact. The first is the natsec state and its backers. The second is every GOP politician, voter and donor. Until both are destroyed root and branch, the flower of fascism will grow back again and again like a tenacious weed.
I wish you didn't throw in local police. I agree the spying on citizens from the Patriot act has gotta go (CIA, NSA, FBI) well FBI is a good theory, work across state lines,, every year they reauthorize the Patriot act, now this horrible palintir has infested everywhere. 90% of Congress and Senate need to go. Except Thomas massie, Rand Paul. Trump about to start a war with Iran now that israhell is mopping up Gaza, yahoo will refocus.
I love it when you go out to protests and give first person coverage. That used be what reporters did.
I have this crazy idea that the best way to cover people is by talking to them!
who'da thunk it
Great perspective, Ken. The national security apparatus is the king we need to overthrow.✌️
What I see in myself and others is a strong hardening of positions. It's like the Rubicon has been crossed ands there is no going back:
We want the Epstein files and we will not relent, EVER.
We want due process, and we will not relent, EVER.
We want the Democratic Party to stop sitting on the scale to anoint their favorites:
Support all those who have won their primary without any exception: Acknowledge and support Mamdani and other winners or you won't get donations from me. Call them, email them and make it clear: they will not get donations unless they allow Progressives to have a chance at winning: They have great ideas.
We will never accept the military on our streets and we will not relent, EVER.
I still won't vote for anyone who votes to invade Iraq.
If you are dumber than I am (not a high bar to clear) you should not be in office.
I just wanna say that I love your work. Keep it up!
well done, Ken! i love your interviews.
Hey, Ken . . . Thank you for getting out there and sharing with us what people are thinking and doing. It's fine to read about it but actually seeing and hearing makes it all the more gratifying.
It's nice when the news doesn't leave me crushingly depressed about the present and future. Thank you for covering this!
"The increasingly nonpartisan skepticism of the feds isn’t just anecdote: poll after poll this year shows cratering approval especially among Democrats for institutions like ICE, the FBI, CIA, the police and even the military. The glib take would be that they just hate these agencies because Trump is in office; but during his first term, Democratic approval for agencies like the FBI soared. Remember Robert Mueller (or Daddy Mueller as many liberals called him?)
Mueller Time has long since passed. Gone is the liberal undercurrent that the FBI or uniformed military was going to save the country from Trump. Today they’re seen as tools of repression and enemies of free speech."
True it's different than Trump's first term when those institutions were perceived as pushing back against him. However, this reminds me of George W. Bush's presidency when Democrats were skeptical of the powers that were given to him under the PATRIOT Act and then immediately that changed when Obama was elected.
There was no roll back of the war on terror under Obama. It was ratified instead.
Some of the pithy signs at the protests put it well:
“If Kamala Were President, We’d All be At Brunch”
https://medium.com/fourth-wave/if-kamala-were-president-wed-all-be-at-brunch-d7065557d606
Precisely.
We also need "Miller Time" to be over. (Steven Miller)
Thanks for always being in the trenches and being an amazing trailblazer for Independent Media. The work you do is always amazing. Thanks for digging up the dirt that sooo many others aren't even looking for, nor even know exists !!!
:)
I hosted the No Kings rally in Antigo Wisconsin, because most everyone in the local Democratic Party is afraid of MAGA after they took over the school and library board, and briefly the mayor's office (that guy quit after eleven months). We hoped to get thirty people and got two hundred. And they gave no f**ks about the instructions suggesting what to say or wear. They were eager for a community of people who could see what's happening in this country, and most of the elderly people in the local Democratic Party were reluctant to have the rally or show up but keep complaining that they can't get young people to join. When a couple of us went door knocking in June the state party seemed uninterested in what people were saying-they just wanted email addresses. When one woman made a sign saying we're not Antifa, another older woman said no, don't buy into that-antifa is antifascist and there's nothing wrong with it, so she changed it. What's the opposite of antifascist? Pro fascist? Protofascist? The Democratic Party is bringing up the rear
Thanks for capturing the deeper spirit of the day! Love those antifa bees, whatever that means.
Nicely done Ken.
If you have not done so, you need to call for the demise of the current leaders of the Democratic party in Congress and in a number of state legislators along with state party leaders like my own in Florida.
Ken, maybe you were asleep from 2020-24?
We *do* have an Enemy Within -- two, in fact. The first is the natsec state and its backers. The second is every GOP politician, voter and donor. Until both are destroyed root and branch, the flower of fascism will grow back again and again like a tenacious weed.
I wish you didn't throw in local police. I agree the spying on citizens from the Patriot act has gotta go (CIA, NSA, FBI) well FBI is a good theory, work across state lines,, every year they reauthorize the Patriot act, now this horrible palintir has infested everywhere. 90% of Congress and Senate need to go. Except Thomas massie, Rand Paul. Trump about to start a war with Iran now that israhell is mopping up Gaza, yahoo will refocus.
Your comments on Israhell made everyone on Substack dumber. Zero relation to the topic. May God have mercy on your soul.