People fear putting their bets on newcomers and keep hoping the ones in office will somehow overcome the system to correct problems.
The current gerrymandering competition has blue states rearranging their districts to gain a few more seats in Congress. Will they end up helping or harming Black voters with this?
These are such frightening times and being assaulted daily, even multiple times a day, by the latest Republican fascist proclamations and activities has people seeking comfort.
“ They treat it as a tool, a useful enemy that keeps donations flowing and voters scared.”
This sums up neatly and succinctly what I’ve said about why congressional democrats are not apoplectic about what is happening. Follow the money.
I’ve concluded that we are ruled by a plutocracy rather than an oligarchy. It connotes that the leverage of wealth alone is what animates our elected officials.
The plutocrats’ minions do their work for them so they don’t soil their hands in the dirty business of impoverishing others. Think Chamber of Commerce, lobbyists, policy think tanks and more. These organizations have been given political legitimacy by our judiciary as constitutionally protected free speech and the redress of grievances.
James, I agree with you on much of this. Now you need to answer this question: How and what will YOU do to create this country after the REAL revolution, and what do you want to happen? Who would you want to run it? We are seeing ŧhe destruction; now what will you create?
I hope to comment on these questions in "that" forthcoming essay. However, I can only tell you what I would prefer because for 2025, it is the turn of White people, sick of this shit and much more influential than the traditional marginalized groups, to express their agenda and take the action.
The absolute first consideration is that revolution happens in the mind-first. That is the PRIMARY consideration before anything else is done. The problem in this country is that the spirit of the 1st American Revolution has been distorted.
Malcolm X said, "...what is a revolution? Sometimes I’m inclined to believe that many of our people are using this word “revolution” loosely, without taking careful consideration [of] what this word actually means, and what its historic characteristics are. When you study the historic nature of revolutions, the motive of a revolution, the objective of a revolution, and the result of a revolution, and the methods used in a revolution, you may change words. You may devise another program. You may change your goal and you may change your mind."
I want the People's Revolution. Let us start by updating the constitution and putting guardrails in it. We need assurances that the rights of women, LGBTQ, veterans,disabled and Muslims, race and there is freedom FROM religion as well as of it.
Linda, I am very afraid of a constitutional convention. The right will hijack it the way they do everything and it will be a disaster. We need to enforce the constitution we have. That would go a long way toward correcting things. We also need to get rid of the electoral college and maybe even the way we create congressional districts. We need one person one vote. And no lobbying.
In order to rid ourselves of lobbying, we need first to eliminate corporate personhood. Without the billions of dollars business spends on lobbying as a form of free speech and redress, the industry would dry up.
Corporate personhood was *illegally* established during the Santa Clara v Southern Pacific RR case in CA in 1886. The case was brought to decide whether the railroad must pay taxes on fences it owned, not about corporate civil rights. It was a judicial clerk's headnote (synopsis) of the case that asserted the rights of corporations to Amendment 14 protections. A judicial shrug from the bench allowed the precedent to take legal life.
I also fear that a constitutional convention may go off the rails.
Our constitution was purposefully written with enough ambiguity and loopholes to allow those in power to use it to their advantage—typically elite, white males.
It was Alexander Hamilton who argued successfully that the "necessary and proper" clause gave congress *implied* powers to ensure the continued functioning of government. (He was arguing for the establishment of a national bank.) In nearly every consequential decision since, the court's interpretation has favored that demographic.
I am not a political thinker so have no idea of what a "better" constitution would look like. What we really need is people interpreting the one we have who are empathetic, compassionate, and generous toward all demographics.
Thank you, Paula. My political thinking recently has been interrogating a “system” of government that denies people the basic freedoms and justice guaranteed by our constitution. It has led me to realize that it doesn’t matter how poorly or well a constitution is written. What matters is the kind of people with power to wield it. President 47 has shown us the extreme shortcomings of our constitution and the democratic republic it created. Too many of its enlightened statements remain aspirational ideals for a large demographic in the country.
James Madison was prophetic when he said, “It is in vain to say, that enlightened statesmen will be able to adjust [any] clashing interests, and render them all subservient to the public good. Enlightened statesmen will not always be at the helm.”
NO POLITICIANS or CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTIONS. It will be written by representatives of every walk of life--eg. teachers, librarians,veterans,judges, police, scholars, scientists,immigrants, store owners, farmers, farm workers, ranchers, media workers,
no billionaires. It can be done piece by piece on the internet. It can be voted on by everyone, who will be assigned a secret voting #,
not accessible by anyone else. That's all I have so far.
Thank you. I've been developing things in my head that need to be put out there, because putting it out there is the first step.
I'm nervous, as James is, that if the dems get back in, they'll do the same shit they always do. So now it's time to push what we do want and repeat and repeat it.
I would agree however, like many laws, we really haven't enforced it from the start. All those guys in Philadelphia spent a lot of time crafting it with pretty words but really replaced one dictator with many little dictators (AKA slave holders).
We've had a scorched earth policy & performative cruelty dished out everyday for 8 months by the Pdfile orange Dick-Traitor now Fuherur & his sick regime.
Apartently he's at deaths door.
GOOD! We need a break. But mostly a complete overhaul of Govmt & houses. ONE THAT WORKS FOR THE PEOPLE/99% & inc FREE HEALTH etc
Exactly! When people do not "feel" hostility to the powers that are "actually killing them," we need to change our stances on what we call "freedom." One thing we can do right now is establish our own 'scorched earth policy" of consumer boycotts and changes in our consumer mindset.
Bravo James! The world HAS TO move on and it won't do that by using the old standards. Performative politics isn't helping the people who need it it's only compounding the problem by not recognising it fully! I myself am fed up to the eyeballs of people congratulating themselves for their ability to march, to protest. Or calling trump names. Because it's theatre. They go home thinking "I've done my bit" now let the world return to OUR NORMAL. Which means nothing will ever change substantially. The entire globe is guilty of this misconception that democracy works for all. It doesn't and never has. I don't want a world run by oligarchs either but I don't want a world run by the self same philosophy that just ignores the realities. Great article. You've given words that people need to take into their soul and stop waiting for the coming of what exactly? When was it ever great even with the misnomer of "democracy" in it's title?
Thank you Vee! You have concisely said it all. "Old standards" and standards not even revealed by our "education" system. I hope to put more working elements into a follow-up essay that will help us create and live-with new standards. Maybe make people less scared and more determined.
I'm glad to hear it. It's people like you who've lived the life from both sides that can see what needs fixing. You are right about one thing, "education", making it the norm for all children and young adults have opportunities regardless of race, colour or creed, rich or poor, is an important element. Making education include all peoples history does not have to be a blame game either as trump and his ilk want us to believe. Growing up being angry at the world letting you down won't get you where you want to be. Fear holds people back as well as making them take chances. As you say though having determination, being a positive force for change can do wonders for your own self esteem. Thurgood Marshall didn't take no for an answer he kept pushing ahead until he won over those who wanted to keep to the old standards and he did it by working together with the other side. It needn't be us against them if you don't let it. Will look forward to your future posts. ('-')
Mind opening stuff. That is always good. But some depressing news. Was hard to consider some. I know I never fully trusted Michael Cohen, Trump's fixer, and certainly not Margerie Greene. I know I wondered why Kamala and Dems didn't fight Trumps,"win" more. I know I like Mr. Mamdani's ideas, I know we need more real left ideas, I know we need the wealthy to pay their fair share. I know we need money out of politics. I know we should have free education and healthcare. I know other countries who have those programs are happy countries. I know we need to get these morons out of our government and I know or acknowledge that we need to work on our mindset. I conclude by saying I have been frustrated by the Dems not standing up more too. So I went thru that for myself to say I agree with you. Let's get rid of the clowns and include those that only pay lip service to change.
And after we get rid of the clowns, we need to adopt a serious, serious mindset that truly says, "never again." That is what we hope to contribute-bring out that idea because after all this, we cannot go back.
All of the above Joanne! I don't trust Michael Cohen either. I think he's making some money off his podcasts and Substack, and likes the attention. He still seems to defend DJT a lot. I did always wonder why the Harris campaign did not recount ballots after the election when it was evident something was wrong in the counts of some regions.
I agree about Mr. Mamdani. He has some great ideas, has gone into the communities and actually talked and worked with the people to come up with viable ideas that have great possibility of working. That seems to scare even the Democrats because it upsets their comfort zones. He would make a great leader for New York City, and hopeful beyond, if they only let him.
I’m not finished reading but you had me at Kente cloth. So sick of the talking and inaction, corporations own them all. We need a new country and a communal system. Going abroad for awhile, I may or may not return. Time will tell. Amazing how quickly democracy ended and how silently.
I'm not one to be easily insulted but that Kente cloth show really infuriated me. If you have people abroad that may help, I would consider making that move. I wish I had. If you watch "The Handmaid's Tale" TV series, Americans were fleeing. We are living that concept right now.
One again James, you have hit the nail on the head. It is a continuing circus - one side wins this time, the other the next, but nothing changes. Americans like things peaceful and calm, and as soon as this brew-ha-ha is over they will sit back and ignore the rest of the world until it's hits them again.
Virginia, you pointed out the gerrymandering war, one side moves the boundaries in their favor so the other has to one-up them. It's cheating either way you look at it. The problem is, although I have some thoughts that would make it more fair, it will never change as long as we go along with the current situations - like allowing corporations to donate millions to a campaign; like treating companies as individuals; by not putting a small cap on donations; by not allowing bribes or freebies to influence; by ACTUALLY putting consequences in place and sticking to them. As long as we allow corruption to be normal there will be corruption.
I would love to find a decent person of integrity WILLING to put up with the farce we call government who will LEAD as a leader and not as a puppet.
People fear putting their bets on newcomers and keep hoping the ones in office will somehow overcome the system to correct problems.
The current gerrymandering competition has blue states rearranging their districts to gain a few more seats in Congress. Will they end up helping or harming Black voters with this?
These are such frightening times and being assaulted daily, even multiple times a day, by the latest Republican fascist proclamations and activities has people seeking comfort.
Bingo! People are seeking comfort. That's exactly what's going on and is a large part of the reason nothing is changing.
Preach it!
“ They treat it as a tool, a useful enemy that keeps donations flowing and voters scared.”
This sums up neatly and succinctly what I’ve said about why congressional democrats are not apoplectic about what is happening. Follow the money.
I’ve concluded that we are ruled by a plutocracy rather than an oligarchy. It connotes that the leverage of wealth alone is what animates our elected officials.
The plutocrats’ minions do their work for them so they don’t soil their hands in the dirty business of impoverishing others. Think Chamber of Commerce, lobbyists, policy think tanks and more. These organizations have been given political legitimacy by our judiciary as constitutionally protected free speech and the redress of grievances.
"Follow the money." Exactly! That is the gauge of who has the power and what is really going on.
James, I agree with you on much of this. Now you need to answer this question: How and what will YOU do to create this country after the REAL revolution, and what do you want to happen? Who would you want to run it? We are seeing ŧhe destruction; now what will you create?
Thanks for this.
I hope to comment on these questions in "that" forthcoming essay. However, I can only tell you what I would prefer because for 2025, it is the turn of White people, sick of this shit and much more influential than the traditional marginalized groups, to express their agenda and take the action.
The absolute first consideration is that revolution happens in the mind-first. That is the PRIMARY consideration before anything else is done. The problem in this country is that the spirit of the 1st American Revolution has been distorted.
Malcolm X said, "...what is a revolution? Sometimes I’m inclined to believe that many of our people are using this word “revolution” loosely, without taking careful consideration [of] what this word actually means, and what its historic characteristics are. When you study the historic nature of revolutions, the motive of a revolution, the objective of a revolution, and the result of a revolution, and the methods used in a revolution, you may change words. You may devise another program. You may change your goal and you may change your mind."
I want the People's Revolution. Let us start by updating the constitution and putting guardrails in it. We need assurances that the rights of women, LGBTQ, veterans,disabled and Muslims, race and there is freedom FROM religion as well as of it.
Guardrails inserted.
Linda, I am very afraid of a constitutional convention. The right will hijack it the way they do everything and it will be a disaster. We need to enforce the constitution we have. That would go a long way toward correcting things. We also need to get rid of the electoral college and maybe even the way we create congressional districts. We need one person one vote. And no lobbying.
In order to rid ourselves of lobbying, we need first to eliminate corporate personhood. Without the billions of dollars business spends on lobbying as a form of free speech and redress, the industry would dry up.
Corporate personhood was *illegally* established during the Santa Clara v Southern Pacific RR case in CA in 1886. The case was brought to decide whether the railroad must pay taxes on fences it owned, not about corporate civil rights. It was a judicial clerk's headnote (synopsis) of the case that asserted the rights of corporations to Amendment 14 protections. A judicial shrug from the bench allowed the precedent to take legal life.
https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/118/394/
I vaguely remember hearing about that! Not good.
I also fear that a constitutional convention may go off the rails.
Our constitution was purposefully written with enough ambiguity and loopholes to allow those in power to use it to their advantage—typically elite, white males.
It was Alexander Hamilton who argued successfully that the "necessary and proper" clause gave congress *implied* powers to ensure the continued functioning of government. (He was arguing for the establishment of a national bank.) In nearly every consequential decision since, the court's interpretation has favored that demographic.
I am not a political thinker so have no idea of what a "better" constitution would look like. What we really need is people interpreting the one we have who are empathetic, compassionate, and generous toward all demographics.
And if there is one thing these people are good at is hijacking, loopholes, and telling us that we have lying eyes.👀
You seem like a political thinker to me, Wayne. If only we had more people like you.
Thank you, Paula. My political thinking recently has been interrogating a “system” of government that denies people the basic freedoms and justice guaranteed by our constitution. It has led me to realize that it doesn’t matter how poorly or well a constitution is written. What matters is the kind of people with power to wield it. President 47 has shown us the extreme shortcomings of our constitution and the democratic republic it created. Too many of its enlightened statements remain aspirational ideals for a large demographic in the country.
James Madison was prophetic when he said, “It is in vain to say, that enlightened statesmen will be able to adjust [any] clashing interests, and render them all subservient to the public good. Enlightened statesmen will not always be at the helm.”
Yes to everything you said.
NO POLITICIANS or CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTIONS. It will be written by representatives of every walk of life--eg. teachers, librarians,veterans,judges, police, scholars, scientists,immigrants, store owners, farmers, farm workers, ranchers, media workers,
no billionaires. It can be done piece by piece on the internet. It can be voted on by everyone, who will be assigned a secret voting #,
not accessible by anyone else. That's all I have so far.
I love it! I have no idea how to make it happen but I think it's wonderful.
Thank you. I've been developing things in my head that need to be put out there, because putting it out there is the first step.
I'm nervous, as James is, that if the dems get back in, they'll do the same shit they always do. So now it's time to push what we do want and repeat and repeat it.
My worry is, as Virginia says below, that all most people are looking for is comfort. I don't know how you change that.
I want a NEW constitution.
I would agree however, like many laws, we really haven't enforced it from the start. All those guys in Philadelphia spent a lot of time crafting it with pretty words but really replaced one dictator with many little dictators (AKA slave holders).
We've had a scorched earth policy & performative cruelty dished out everyday for 8 months by the Pdfile orange Dick-Traitor now Fuherur & his sick regime.
Apartently he's at deaths door.
GOOD! We need a break. But mostly a complete overhaul of Govmt & houses. ONE THAT WORKS FOR THE PEOPLE/99% & inc FREE HEALTH etc
TAX THE OLIGARCHY MORE !!!
Exactly! When people do not "feel" hostility to the powers that are "actually killing them," we need to change our stances on what we call "freedom." One thing we can do right now is establish our own 'scorched earth policy" of consumer boycotts and changes in our consumer mindset.
Do you think things will get better when couch-boy Vance takes over?
No. He is more intelligent than Trump and has serious ties to the Silicon Valley fascists. He will just be a prettier face on Empire. 😀
Bravo James! The world HAS TO move on and it won't do that by using the old standards. Performative politics isn't helping the people who need it it's only compounding the problem by not recognising it fully! I myself am fed up to the eyeballs of people congratulating themselves for their ability to march, to protest. Or calling trump names. Because it's theatre. They go home thinking "I've done my bit" now let the world return to OUR NORMAL. Which means nothing will ever change substantially. The entire globe is guilty of this misconception that democracy works for all. It doesn't and never has. I don't want a world run by oligarchs either but I don't want a world run by the self same philosophy that just ignores the realities. Great article. You've given words that people need to take into their soul and stop waiting for the coming of what exactly? When was it ever great even with the misnomer of "democracy" in it's title?
Thank you Vee! You have concisely said it all. "Old standards" and standards not even revealed by our "education" system. I hope to put more working elements into a follow-up essay that will help us create and live-with new standards. Maybe make people less scared and more determined.
I'm glad to hear it. It's people like you who've lived the life from both sides that can see what needs fixing. You are right about one thing, "education", making it the norm for all children and young adults have opportunities regardless of race, colour or creed, rich or poor, is an important element. Making education include all peoples history does not have to be a blame game either as trump and his ilk want us to believe. Growing up being angry at the world letting you down won't get you where you want to be. Fear holds people back as well as making them take chances. As you say though having determination, being a positive force for change can do wonders for your own self esteem. Thurgood Marshall didn't take no for an answer he kept pushing ahead until he won over those who wanted to keep to the old standards and he did it by working together with the other side. It needn't be us against them if you don't let it. Will look forward to your future posts. ('-')
Mind opening stuff. That is always good. But some depressing news. Was hard to consider some. I know I never fully trusted Michael Cohen, Trump's fixer, and certainly not Margerie Greene. I know I wondered why Kamala and Dems didn't fight Trumps,"win" more. I know I like Mr. Mamdani's ideas, I know we need more real left ideas, I know we need the wealthy to pay their fair share. I know we need money out of politics. I know we should have free education and healthcare. I know other countries who have those programs are happy countries. I know we need to get these morons out of our government and I know or acknowledge that we need to work on our mindset. I conclude by saying I have been frustrated by the Dems not standing up more too. So I went thru that for myself to say I agree with you. Let's get rid of the clowns and include those that only pay lip service to change.
And after we get rid of the clowns, we need to adopt a serious, serious mindset that truly says, "never again." That is what we hope to contribute-bring out that idea because after all this, we cannot go back.
Oh, you bet!
All of the above Joanne! I don't trust Michael Cohen either. I think he's making some money off his podcasts and Substack, and likes the attention. He still seems to defend DJT a lot. I did always wonder why the Harris campaign did not recount ballots after the election when it was evident something was wrong in the counts of some regions.
I agree about Mr. Mamdani. He has some great ideas, has gone into the communities and actually talked and worked with the people to come up with viable ideas that have great possibility of working. That seems to scare even the Democrats because it upsets their comfort zones. He would make a great leader for New York City, and hopeful beyond, if they only let him.
I’m not finished reading but you had me at Kente cloth. So sick of the talking and inaction, corporations own them all. We need a new country and a communal system. Going abroad for awhile, I may or may not return. Time will tell. Amazing how quickly democracy ended and how silently.
I'm not one to be easily insulted but that Kente cloth show really infuriated me. If you have people abroad that may help, I would consider making that move. I wish I had. If you watch "The Handmaid's Tale" TV series, Americans were fleeing. We are living that concept right now.
If you don't come back, we miss your voice. Leaving means you can't create what you want.
Excellent piece James. I'll be sharing with my subscribers tomorrow.
Thank you John!
One again James, you have hit the nail on the head. It is a continuing circus - one side wins this time, the other the next, but nothing changes. Americans like things peaceful and calm, and as soon as this brew-ha-ha is over they will sit back and ignore the rest of the world until it's hits them again.
Virginia, you pointed out the gerrymandering war, one side moves the boundaries in their favor so the other has to one-up them. It's cheating either way you look at it. The problem is, although I have some thoughts that would make it more fair, it will never change as long as we go along with the current situations - like allowing corporations to donate millions to a campaign; like treating companies as individuals; by not putting a small cap on donations; by not allowing bribes or freebies to influence; by ACTUALLY putting consequences in place and sticking to them. As long as we allow corruption to be normal there will be corruption.
I would love to find a decent person of integrity WILLING to put up with the farce we call government who will LEAD as a leader and not as a puppet.