Maine Writer

Its about people and issues I care about.

My Photo
Name:
Location: Topsham, MAINE, United States

My blogs are dedicated to the issues I care about. Thank you to all who take the time to read something I've written.

Friday, January 31, 2025

Religious leaders who became martyrs, saints and Nobel Prize laureates often spoke truth to power


A stained glass window at the Canterbury Cathedral in England depicting the murder of Saint Thomas Becket, archbishop of Canterbury.

Religion Hub by Joanne M. Pierce, College of the Holy Cross
A scholar of medieval Christianity explores the history of Christians who spoke out, unafraid to risk official censure or even death.
In asking Trump to show mercy, Bishop Budde continues a long tradition of Christian leaders ‘speaking truth to power’
(The Conversation) — A scholar of medieval Christianity explores the history of Christians who spoke out, unafraid to risk official censure or even death.

(The Conversation) Episcopal Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde’s sermon on January 21, 2025, in which she appealed to President Donald Trump to have mercy toward groups frightened by his position on immigrants and LGBTQ+ people – especially children – drew reactions from both sides of the aisle.

In a post on his social networking site, (Fake❗)Truth 😟😖😡Social, Trump called her comments “nasty in tone” and remarked that she “brought her church into the World of politics in a very ungracious way.”

“She and her church owe the public an apology!,” he posted. 


Several (crazy❗😠😰) conservatives criticized her sermon, while many progressives saw her as “speaking truth to power.” 💟✝️☦️


As a specialist in medieval Christianity, I was not surprised by the bishop’s words, as I know that Christian history is full of examples of people who have spoken out, unafraid to risk official censure, or even death.

Early voices: Even in the early centuries of Christianity, followers of Jesus Christ’s teachings could be outspoken toward political leaders.


For example, in the first-century Gospels, John the Baptist, a contemporary of Jesus, confronts the ruler of Galilee, Herod Antipas, for marrying his brother’s wife – a practice forbidden in the Hebrew scriptures. For that, John the Baptist was ultimately beheaded.

In a prayer later called the Magnificat, Mary, the mother of Jesus, praises the glory and power of God who casts down the mighty and raises the lowly. In recent interpretations, these words have been understood as a call for those in authority to act more justly.

In the late fourth century – a time when Christianity had been made the official religion of the Roman Empire – a respected civil official named Ambrose became bishop of the imperial city of Milan in northern Italy. He became well known for his preaching and theological treatises.

However, after imperial troops massacred innocent civilians in the Greek city of Thessaloniki, Ambrose reproached Emperor Theodosius and refused to admit him to church for worship until he did public penance for their deaths.

Ambrose’s writings on scripture and heresy, as well as his hymns, had a profound influence on Western Christian theology; since his death, he has been venerated as a saint.

In the early sixth century, the Christian Roman senator and philosopher Boethius served as an official in the Roman court of the Germanic king of Italy, Theodoric. A respected figure for his learning and personal integrity, Boethius was imprisoned on false charges after defending others from accusations by corrupt court officials acting out of greed or ambition.

During his time in prison, he wrote a philosophical volume about the nature of what is true good – “On the Consolation of Philosophy” – that is studied even today. Boethius, who was executed in 524, is venerated as a saint and martyr in parts of Italy.


Thomas Becket and St. Catherine:  One of the most famous examples of a medieval bishop speaking truth to power is that of Thomas Becket, former chancellor – that is, senior minister – of England in the 12th century*. On becoming archbishop of Canterbury, Becket resigned his secular office and opposed the efforts of King Henry II to bring the church under royal control.


After living in exile in France for a time, Becket returned to England and was assassinated by some of Henry’s knights. The king later did public penance for this at Becket’s tomb in Canterbury. Soon after, Becket was canonized a saint.

Another influential saint was the 14th-century Italian mystic and writer Catherine of Siena. Because of the increasing power of the kings of France, the popes had moved their residence and offices from Rome to Avignon, on the French border. They remained there for most of the century, even though this Avignon papacy increased tensions in western Europe.

Many Christian clerics and secular rulers in western Europe believed that the popes needed to return to Rome, to distance papal authority from French influence. Catherine herself even traveled to Avignon and stayed there for months, writing letters urging Pope Gregory XI to return to Rome and restore peace to Italy and the church – a goal the pope finally fulfilled in 1377.

Leaders speak up across denominations:  The Reformation era of the 16th and early 17th centuries led to the splitting of Western Christianity into several different denominations. However, many Christian leaders across denominations continued to raise their voices for justice.

One important and ongoing voice is that of the Religious Society of Friends, or Quakers. Early leaders, like Margaret Fell and George Fox, wrote letters to King Charles II of England in the mid-17th century, defending their beliefs, including pacifism, in the face of persecution.

In the 18th century, based on their belief in the equality of all human beings, Quaker leaders spoke in favor of the abolition of slavery in both the United Kingdom and the United States.

In fact, it was Bayard Rustin, a Black Quaker, who coined the phrase “to speak truth to power” in the mid-20th century. He adhered to the Quaker commitment to nonviolence in social activism and was active for decades in the American Civil Rights Movement. During the Montgomery bus boycott in the mid-1950s, he met and began working with Martin Luther King Jr., who was an ordained Baptist minister.

In Germany, leaders from various Christian denominations have also united to speak truth to power. During the rise of the Nazis in the 1930s, several pastors and theologians joined forces to resist the influence of Nazi doctrine over German Protestant churches.

Their statement, the Barmen Declaration, emphasized that Christians were answerable to God, not the state


These leaders – the Confessing Church – continued to resist Nazi attempts to create a German Church.

Desmond Tutu and other leaders:  Christians on other continents, too, continued this vocal tradition. Óscar Romero, the Roman Catholic archbishop of San Salvador, preached radio sermons criticizing the government and army for violence and oppression of the poor in El Salvador during a national civil war. As a result, he was assassinated while celebrating Mass in 1980. Romero was canonized a saint by Pope Francis in 2018.

In South Africa, the Anglican bishop Desmond Tutu, archbishop of Cape Town, spent much of his active ministry condemning the violence of apartheid in his native country. After the end of the apartheid regime, Tutu also served as chair of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, which was established to investigate acts of violence committed both by government forces and violent activists. Before his death in 2021, Tutu continued to speak out against other international acts of oppression. He won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1984.

For some (wrong minded right wing zealots❗), Bishop Budde’s words might seem radical, rude, inappropriate or offensive. But she did not speak in isolation; she is surrounded by a cloud of witnesses in the Christian tradition of speaking truth to power.


*Saint Thomas Becket of Canterbury- Thomas Becket was born around 1118 in Cheapside, London and died on December 29, 1170 in Canterbury, Kent. He was the Archbishop of Canterbury from 1162 until his murder, age 52. 

Labels: , , , ,

Trump's outrages outpace the collective ability to keep up with illegalities and eviisms - a 1939 playbood in Project 2025

One Trump outrage after another. Here are just two.
#EvilismTrumpziism 💀❗ 1939 redux.

Two sequential entries in BostonGlobe.com’s live feed of Trump updates on Jan. 22, were like twin canaries in the toxic coal mine of America’s new regime:

9:25 AM: “Trump administration shuts down White House Spanish-language page.” The White House site displayed an “Error 404” message and a “Go To Home Page” button that originally read “Go Home.” The message: If you speak only Spanish, the new president will not help you, and someone on his staff finds it OK to make fun of you.

9:40 AM: “Trump administration cancels travel plans for refugees who have already been cleared to resettle in the US.” What will befall these prospective new Americans who only wish to live, work, and raise families in safety? In letters from Nazi-occupied Vienna in 1940, my ancestors tell of friends whose escape to America was thwarted by politics or bureaucracy. Some went elsewhere, many died in concentration camps. All would have been enthusiastic Americans whose great-grandchild might have been your good neighbor today.


But, by the afternoon, both of those entries were already far down the list of new outrages. They may not grab headlines like the prospect of a Republican-weaponized Justice Department, illegal pardons of January 6, 2021, criminals, or Elon Musk’s meme-coin-themed government agency. But they are deeply symbolic of the inhumane America of Trump 2.0. Drowned out by louder issues, they are the small, death-of-democracy-by-a-thousand-cuts changes that we ignore at our own peril.

From Geoff Kronik in Brookline, Massachusetts

Comment: "Thank you Mr. Kronik. It feels like 1939 sometimes."

Labels: , , ,

Thursday, January 30, 2025

Evilism Trumpziism creating fear among law abiding, legal and faithful Haitian immigrants

Haitian migrants in Springfield, Ohio, turn to faith as deportation fears rise
Echo report by David Crary Religion News Director for the Associated Press

Many migrant communities across the U.S. have been unsettled by (EvilismTrumpziism😈❗❗) Donald Trump’s promised migration crackdown. Among them, with a very specific reason for anxiety, are the 15,000 Haitians in Springfield, Ohio. They are peaceful people who were dragged into the already heated immigration debate last year, after Trump falsely accused them of eating their neighbors' cats and dogs. Now − even though most of them migrated legally − they're fearful the crackdown will target them. The AP Religion Team’s Luis Andres Henao and Jessie Wardarski met with many community members on a recent trip to Springfield and attended a worship service at one of their churches. At the end of the service, the pastor knelt in prayer, flanked by the flags of Haiti and the United States. “I asked God to protect my people,” the Rev. Reginald Silencieux said afterward. “I prayed especially for the Haitian community, and I prayed for U.S.A. too.”
A banner with a headshot of David Crary and text that says, "David Crary, Religion News Director, The Associated Press."

Labels: , ,

Wednesday, January 29, 2025

Protect immigrants from illegal ICE round ups and keep local police separate from Project 2025 evilism Trumpziism

EVILISM Project 2025 is in place and we urge local police to adopt or maintain policies limiting local law enforcement engagement in any federal immigration enforcement. Opinion echo published in the The New Bedford Light newspaper, in Massachusettes. 
Collaborating with federal agencies such as ICE diverts critical resources away from public safety efforts, erodes trust between law enforcement and immigrant communities and creates fear, which prevents immigrant residents from reporting crimes or seeking police assistance.

Although Mattapoisett’s (Massachusettes) immigrant population is likely small, policing should focus on protecting all members of our community regardless of immigration status. 
Engaging in immigration enforcement undermines this goal, fosters distrust and fear among our immigrant residents, making it harder for the police to build partnerships needed to keep our community safe.

When local police participate in federal immigration enforcement efforts, it leads to concerns about racial profiling, violation of constitutional rights and potential costly legal challenges.

Immigration enforcement is the responsibility of the federal government, not the local police.

Police should adopt policies which bar agreements under Section 287(g) of the Immigration and Nationality Act; prohibit inquiries about immigration status or sharing immigration status with federal authorities; and our local police should not honor ICE requests to hold individuals beyond their release date without a 
a warrant.

These acts will strengthen the trust our community places in the police while protecting some of our more vulnerable residents.

We look forward to discussing this issue with our community.

Nicole Demakis is chair of the Mattapoisett Democratic Town Committee.

Labels: , , ,

Tuesday, January 28, 2025

Americans cannot assume the Nazi atrocities will not happen here. Innocent immigrant round ups are frightening to all Americans

AUSCHWITZ-BIRKENAU former German NAZI
Concentrataion and Extermination Camp

Soldiers of the 60th Army of the First Ukrainian Front opened the gates of Auschwitz Concentration Camp on January 27, 1945. The prisoners greeted them as authentic liberators. It was a paradox of history that soldiers formally representing Stalinist totalitarianism brought freedom to the prisoners of Nazi totalitarianism.

The Red Army obtained detailed information about Auschwitz only after the liberation of Cracow, and was therefore unable to reach the gates of Auschwitz before January 27, 1945.

About 7 thousand prisoners awaited liberation in the Main Camp, Birkenau, and Monowitz. Before and soon after January 27, Soviet soldiers liberated about 500 prisoners in the Auschwitz sub-camps in Stara Kuźnia, Blachownia Śląska, Świętochłowice, Wesoła, Libiąż, Jawiszowice, and Jaworzno.

Over 230 Soviet soldiers, including the commander of the 472nd regiment, Col. Siemen Lvovich Besprozvanny, died in combat while liberating the Main Camp, Birkenau, Monowitz, and the city of Oświęcim. The majority of them are buried at the municipal cemetery in Oświęcim.

In the Main Camp and Birkenau, Soviet soldiers discovered the corpses of about 600 prisoners who had been shot by the withdrawing SS or who had succumbed to exhaustion.


Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy” is a quote from the Bible, Matthew 5:7. It is part of a series of blessings known as the Beatitudes.


Labels: , ,

Monday, January 27, 2025

Bishop Mariann Budde spoke to Trump in a soft voice but her pleas for mercy were heard around the world

What Did Bishop Mariann Budde Say To Trump During The Inaugural Prayer Service? Here’s The Full Transcript in Forbes. 
By Siladitya Raym a New Delhi-based Forbes news team reporter.
Watch a video here

Rev. Mariann Budde urged Trump to show mercy
Right Rev. Mariann Budde, the Episcopal Bishop of Washington, urged President Donald Trump to “have mercy” on people who are “scared now” during the inaugural prayer service at Washington's National Cathedral Tuesday, January 21st, including families with LGBTQ+ members and immigrants.

Key Facts

During her 15-minute sermon on Tuesday January 21, Budde addressed Trump—who was seated in the front row—directly, by citing his belief about being saved by God from assassination and said: “In the name of our God, I ask you to have mercy upon the people in our country who are scared now.”

Budde's plea mentioned “gay, lesbian and transgender children in Democratic, Republican, and Independent families,” across the country “who fear for their lives.”

The bishop also spoke up for immigrant workers, including those who may not “have the proper documentation,” saying the vast majority of them are “not criminals” but rather “good neighbors.”

In an inappropriate response, Trump rudely demanded a public apology from the Episcopal Church and Budde, who he called a “Radical Left hard line Trump hater” who “brought her church into the World of politics in a very ungracious way” and was “nasty in tone, and not compelling or smart” on Truth Social.

Speaking at the White House afterwards, Trump said the service was “not too exciting” (but for millions of others the Bishop's service was very exciting❗)  and he added, 😒 “I didn’t think it was a good service…They could do much better.” (As if Donald J. Trump knows what a good church service should be when he could not even put his hand on the Bible during his inauguration.....like a demon, the Holy Scripture might have burned his hand.)

Transcript Of Rev. Budde’s Plea To Trump

“Let me make one final plea, Mr. President. Millions have put their trust in you and, as you told the nation yesterday, you have felt the providential hand of a loving God. In the name of our God, I ask you to have mercy upon the people in our country who are scared now. There are gay, lesbian and transgender children in Democratic, Republican, and Independent families, some who fear for their lives. The people who pick our crops and clean our office buildings; who labor in poultry farms and meat packing plants; who wash the dishes after we eat in restaurants and work the night shifts in hospitals. They…may not be citizens or have the proper documentation. But the vast majority of immigrants are not criminals. They pay taxes and are good neighbors. They are faithful members of our churches and mosques, synagogues, gurudwaras and temples. I ask you to have mercy, Mr. President, on those in our communities whose children fear that their parents will be taken away. And that you help those who are fleeing war zones and persecution in their own lands to find compassion and welcome here. Our God teaches us that we are to be merciful to the stranger, for we were all once strangers in this land. May God grant us the strength and courage to honor the dignity of every human being, to speak the truth to one another in love and walk humbly with each other and our God for the good of all people. Good of all people in this nation and the world. Amen”
Crucial Quote
After the sermon, Budde told the New York Times that she “wasn’t necessarily calling the president out,” but rather making a plea “because of the fear” she has seen among immigrants and LGBTQ+ communities. Budde said she wants Trump to be “mindful of the people who are scared,” and added “I was trying to say: The country has been entrusted to you…And one of the qualities of a leader is mercy.”

Labels: ,

Sunday, January 26, 2025

Americans veterans who fought against German tyranny are heroes for our time while we risk losing our Democracy

Story of 3 war heroes' fight against tyranny 80 years ago echoes today | Opinion Published by Al Cross in the Courier Journal 

Three Americans risked their lives 80 years ago to save Europe from tyranny. They were recognized with the Medal of Honor, including Garlin Conner of Southern Kentucky.

Eighty years ago this week, on successive days a few miles apart in eastern France, three rural Americans risked their lives to help save Europe from tyranny. 

One soon died of his wounds, and another’s heroism was almost unknown until after his death. Their lives and their valor, all recognized with the Medal of Honor, should be remembered as America reflects on its role in the world — past, present and future.

All three soldiers were in the Third Infantry Division, which chased German forces out of the Colmar Pocket, named for a city between the Rhine River and the Vosges Mountains. This 800-square-mile area was the last part of France held by the Germans, and had been German territory before World War I, so they fought hard to keep it.


No matter where you are reading this, you’ve probably heard of the third soldier who earned the Medal of Honor in the Colmar Pocket, on January 26, 1945: Second Lt. Audie Murphy, an East Texan who was hailed as the most decorated American soldier of World War II and became a movie star.
Audie Murphy (20 June 1925 – 28 May 1971) was one of the most decorated United States Army combat soldiers of World War II, serving from 1942 to 1945. He received every American combat award for valor available at the time of his service,[ALM 1] including the Medal of Honor. He also received recognitions from France and Belgium.

Murphy’s postwar life was in sharp contrast to that of the Third Division soldier who earned the Medal of Honor two days earlier, on January 24. He was First Lt. Garlin Murl Conner, who didn’t get the medal until 2018, 20 years after he died, because of the fog of war — and returned to a Southern Kentucky farm that had no electricity or running water.

But Conner was luckier than the other Medal of Honor recipient in the Colmar Pocket. On January 25, 1945, PFC Jose F. Valdez of northwest New Mexico, who had already killed three heavily armed Germans in a firefight, volunteered to cover his patrol’s retreat against heavy fire. Even after he was shot through, he directed artillery fire and held off 200 Germans. He died three weeks later.
Garlin Murl Conner's heroism in WWII

Murphy also directed artillery fire, after ordering his company to retreat. When the Germans knocked out a tank destroyer near his command post, he mounted the flaming vehicle and directed its machine gun at advancing enemy troops, killing or wounding 50. 

He suffered a leg wound, ran out of ammunition and rejoined his company, which forced the Germans back.

Kentuckian Garlin Murl Conner's heroism in WWII:  
Conner’s heroism on January 24, 1945, was also about directing artillery at great risk. He had already earned three Silver Stars and had been assigned to a staff position because he was due to be sent home after 28 months in combat and had suffered a leg wound, but when Germans advanced on the 3rd Battalion of the 7th Infantry Regiment, he volunteered to be a forward observer for artillery. He unrolled telephone wire as he ran more than 400 yards through German artillery fire and slid into a shallow ditch, from which he directed fire for three hours – finally on his own position because enemy troops were 15 feet away. The Germans finally retreated after 50 were killed and more than 100 were wounded.

Conner’s commanding officer was Col. Lloyd Ramsey, who went on to be a major general and have future Gens. Colin Powell and Norman Schwarzkopf under his command. He told his staff to seek the highest possible honor for Conner, but he was injured the next day and detailed eyewitness accounts needed for the Medal of Honor were not gathered. Instead, Conner was given the Distinguished Service Cross after winning his fourth Silver Star.

Like most war heroes, Conner didn’t tell war stories, and his heroism was never publicly reported in Clinton County, Kentucky, where he returned to live and farm. 

Near the end of his life, he was visited by Richard Chilton of Genoa City, Wis., a retired soldier seeking information about his uncle’s service in World War II. 

Conner could talk only a little, but as Chilton left, Conner’s wife Pauline showed Chilton her husband’s box of medals. When he saw the DSC and four Silver Stars, and heard the story about his heroism at Houssen, he started a campaign to get Conner the Medal of Honor — a task made daunting by federal law, Army regulations and the Pentagon bureaucracy.

The road to the Medal of Honor:  The campaign got traction when Byron Crawford, then a columnist for The Courier Journal, wrote about it and Conner’s heroism, which was news to almost all of his neighbors. One of them, Walton Haddix, took charge of the campaign and got lawyers involved. After many twists, turns and apparent dead-ends, the U.S. Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals ordered the Army to mediate the matter, and the end result was that Pauline Conner accepted the Medal of Honor in 2018.



Labels: , , , , , ,

Saturday, January 25, 2025

Donald J. Trump kicks off a terrible second term while his evilism embarrasses all Americans

I won't be celebrating Donald Trump's inauguration because my values as a citizen and humanitarian won't let me. | Opinion
I’ve not been able to shake the sense that I don’t understand my country anymore. The United States has a problem. It's not united.
by Paul Wesslund Opinion Contributor published in he Courier Journal in Louisville, Kentucky:

I amd not among those who are wrongmindedly celebrating Donald Trump’s inauguration.

I’m not happy about my lack of enthusiasm, for one of our nation's major civic events. But I’ve not been able to shake the sense that I don’t understand my country anymore.

I grew up learning that the worst thing you could do to our democracy is try to overthrow it. Last November half our country said with their vote that they don’t care about that.

I’m aware (and still stunned) that some would consider what I just wrote a controversial paragraph. So I’m amazed I’ll need to state clearly that the man elected president called a mob to Washington to overthrow the government on Janary. 6, 2021

In fact, Trump watched on TV as they threatened to kill the vice president and actually beat the living daylights out of law enforcement. 

More than 140 police were injured. More than 900 rioters have been convicted of crimes committed in connection with the January 6 attack on the Capitol. Trump is calling them patriots and, worse, he quickly pardoned them.

Sadly, the United States I grew up in is torn apart:

To me, January 6 disqualified Trump from the presidency. The campaigns last year featured a lot of important issues: The price of eggs, the need for immigration reform, crime, foreign policy. All are topics for legitimate debate. Unapologetic leadership of a violent coup is not.


Clearly, half the country disagrees with me. The scary part about that is that half the country also agrees with me. We’re torn apart.

Yes, I was hoping for a president who campaigned on a promise of being president for everyone. Nevertheless, the winner doesn’t act interested in the half of the country that clearly voted against him.

Trump has vowed to prosecute high-profile people who opposed him. He scoffs at global warming, one of my top issues facing the world. I detect only contempt for immigrants from the incoming officeholders. Yet my Christian faith calls me to have compassion for refugees fleeing war and other violence.

(Question from Maine Writer- Did the Trumpzi Bible, the one printed in China and sold for profit, include the Beatitudes❓ Or, were those verses edited out❓❓ Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy” is a Bible verse from Matthew 5:7. It is part of a series of sayings called the Beatitudes.)

As a lifelong citizen of this country I might expect at least a passing nod to my values. Instead, I feel scorn.

While January 20 will be a joyous occasion for the more than 77 million who voted for Trump, for more than 75 million of us it will be a day where our beliefs and priorities will only be targets of ridicule.

I see the endless stream of post-election analysis headlines about how the Democrats screwed up this way and that. How Republicans got this right and that right. But I don’t read those stories. None of that seems to matter when I seem so out of touch with so many of my neighbors.

Labels: , , , ,

Friday, January 24, 2025

Evilism is not an inevitable outcome of the Trumpzi administration if Americans will wake up and respond!

Echo essay published in Substacks:  Open Letters by Mersault

Dear Regretful Trump Voters, This letter isn’t here to judge you. It’s not about sanctimoniously wagging a finger or berating your choices—whether you voted out of frustration, party loyalty, or the dubious conviction that you were choosing the lesser evil. It’s about confronting a moment of reckoning—a crossroads where we must face the catastrophic consequences of a gamble gone disastrously wrong.

For those who clung to the hope that Trump’s presidency might soften his extremism, or dismissed warnings as partisan hysteria, the past eight weeks have stripped away every illusion. If you thought it couldn’t possibly be worse than before the election—if you dared to hope for moderation or reason—those hopes have been obliterated. His actions since November haven’t just continued down the same perilous path; they’ve accelerated with a fervor that lays bare the authoritarian playbook in stark relief.

The evidence is overwhelming, stacking up faster than lawsuits at Mar-a-Lago. Every word, every policy, every unchecked outrage confirms the grim trajectory ahead. The stakes have never been higher, and the truth has never been clearer: the danger is not hypothetical; it’s here. Your response to this moment won’t just define your own moral compass—it will shape the future of our democracy.

Rhetoric Turned Darker: Since the election, Trump’s rhetoric has spiraled from divisive to downright apocalyptic, a dangerous escalation even beyond his pre-election excesses. His recent Truth Social posts exemplify this unraveling. The day after Christmas, in a message that should have celebrated unity, Trump instead unleashed a tirade—railing against political opponents, the justice system, and even President Biden. What could have been a moment of holiday cheer became another battle cry steeped in paranoia and vengeance.

In just weeks, Trump has gone further than ever before. He’s proposed using the military to suppress domestic dissent, a suggestion so chilling it reads like the rejected plot of a dystopian novel. He’s called for imprisoning journalists who dare to report the truth, sought to sue or jail political opponents, proposed extreme voting restrictions based on fabricated fraud claims, and emboldened violent extremists by casting their threats as justified outrage. These aren’t just inflammatory words—they’re calculated moves to undermine democracy.

For those who hoped his post-election presidency might bring moderation or reason, the evidence couldn’t be clearer: it’s worse. These actions aren’t isolated—they’re part of a deliberate strategy to destabilize democracy and consolidate power. Trump’s chaos is by design: sowing fear, attacking institutions, and presenting himself as the sole savior in a crisis of his own making. The consequences of this path are deliberate, dire, and demand a reckoning.

Pay-for-Play Corruption on Display:  The corruption we’re witnessing under Trump isn’t a deviation from his promises—it’s the realization of them. What was once hinted at in shadowy whispers has now become an unashamed spectacle. Since the election, the already glaring pay-for-play system has grown even more brazen, transforming governance into a grotesque auction where power and influence go to the highest bidder. Corporate leaders are now funneled into closed-door meetings, not to collaborate on policy, but to pledge financial fealty in exchange for favorable treatment. Under the guise of “support,” loyalty isn’t earned—it’s coerced.

Inauguration donations have become open displays of transactional politics, with pharmaceutical giants, tech firms, and Wall Street executives tripping over themselves to secure Trump’s favor. Charter Communications quadrupled its contribution to curry favor for regulatory rulings. Big Pharma pledged over $10 million to stall generic drug approvals, effectively holding affordable medication hostage to protect their profits. Even Uber’s CEO dropped a cool $1 million to the inauguration, seeking an edge in labor and regulatory battles. These aren’t outliers—they’re features of a system unapologetically transactional, corrosive, and profoundly undemocratic.

It’s worse now than ever before. During the campaign, such practices might have been dismissed as exaggerations. Now, they’re undeniable facts of Trump’s governance—a model where public trust is auctioned off to the highest bidder. For voters who believed Trump’s promises to "drain the swamp," the evidence couldn’t be more damning. Far from cleaning house, he’s thrown open the doors and handed over the keys to the vault.

This isn’t governance—it’s an auction block where democracy itself is up for grabs. If this is what we’re seeing before he’s even sworn in, the implications for the future are staggering. For those beginning to regret their choice, it’s not too late to reckon with what’s unfolding and to act before the system, designed for the few at the expense of the many, solidifies. As corruption becomes normalized under Trump, the next logical step in his playbook emerges: surrounding himself with a cabinet engineered not to govern, but to dismantle democratic institutions entirely.
Evilism in a villians cabinet

Cabinet of Cartoon Villains:  If you thought Trump’s pre-election rhetoric was troubling, his post-election appointments should set off sirens. What began as a campaign of divisive bluster has metastasized into a calculated assault on democratic norms, human rights, and public trust. Trump has surrounded himself with a motley crew of extremists, opportunists, and sycophants—each handpicked not for their qualifications, but for their unwavering loyalty to his authoritarian agenda.

This isn’t a team assembled to serve the American people—it’s a coalition designed to consolidate power, dismantle civil rights, and prioritize corporate and ideological interests over the public good. From climate change deniers to anti-science conspiracy theorists, corporate puppets to far-right ideologues, this cabinet isn’t about governance—it’s about demolition. For a detailed account of these appointees and their dangerous track records, see the addendum at the end of this letter. But for now, let it suffice to say: this group makes his first-term cabinet look restrained by comparison—a terrifying escalation that demands your attention and action.

Authoritarian Alignment and Global Isolation: Trump’s alignment with authoritarian regimes and disdain for NATO allies signal a troubling, and now even more blatant, shift in U.S. global standing. Just last week, he hailed China’s violent crackdown on pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong as “strong and decisive,” a chilling endorsement of state-sponsored brutality. Earlier this month, he dismissed NATO partners as “freeloaders,” proposing a reduction in the U.S. military presence in Eastern Europe—a move that weakens global alliances and emboldens adversaries like Russia and China, who have already responded with increased aggression. Recent revelations of attempts to weaken sanctions on Russia further illuminate his administration's disturbing prioritization of authoritarian interests over democratic alliances.

Incredibly, he has gone further, using his post-election platform to float absurd ideas like reclaiming the Panama Canal and annexing Greenland. These proposals, as ludicrous as they sound, are presented as grand strategies rather than the diplomatic embarrassments they so clearly are—an unsettling reminder of how detached from reality his rhetoric has become. Just days ago, reports surfaced that Trump privately dismissed human rights abuses by allied nations as “internal matters,” signaling a retreat from moral leadership with all the subtlety of a sledgehammer against a window. This new posture isn’t merely embarrassing—it’s a gift to despots worldwide, undermining the fragile balance of global stability and diminishing America’s standing as a leader of free nations.

Conspiracy Theories and Public Trust Erosion:  Trump’s penchant for conspiracy theories continues to erode public trust and endanger lives. Recently, he dismissed climate change as a “hoax,” undermining urgent scientific consensus and jeopardizing environmental policy efforts. Two weeks ago, he slashed disaster preparedness funding, dismissing climate disasters as “liberal fantasies,” leaving vulnerable communities at greater risk. His baseless claims of a “deep state” within the FDA have further sown distrust in critical health institutions, igniting fresh waves of vaccine hesitancy that have already disrupted public health initiatives across several states.

Adding fuel to this crisis, Trump’s nomination of vaccine denier Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to lead the Department of Health and Human Services has alarmed experts, who warn it could bolster anti-vaccine sentiments and compromise life-saving vaccination efforts. Meanwhile, his assertion that the Department of Education is “infiltrated by Marxists” has fueled widespread disinformation campaigns about school curricula, further polarizing the public and undermining trust in educational institutions.

Each baseless assertion chips away at the foundation of institutional trust, leaving the public more divided and susceptible to fear-mongering. The ripple effects are already evident: increased polarization, reduced civic engagement, and a nation teetering on the edge of chaos.

The Path Forward: Actions You Can Take:  You’ve seen the consequences of your vote, and now you face a pivotal moment. This is your chance for “TrumPenitence.” This isn’t about switching parties or wallowing in past mistakes—it’s about reclaiming the values that truly define us: honesty, fairness, and democracy. The question now is: What will you do next?

Speak Out:
Summon your courage. Speak with friends, family, and your community about what you’ve learned. These conversations don’t just exchange ideas—they change minds and shift perceptions.

Get Involved Locally: Join civic organizations, community groups, or town halls committed to pushing for change. Grassroots action at the local level creates ripples that grow into waves.

Vote in Every Election: Local and state elections often have as much, if not more, impact than national ones. Use your vote to block harmful policies and elevate leaders who uphold democratic values.

Support Advocacy Groups: Contribute your time, money, or resources to organizations fighting for civil rights, environmental protections, and voter access. Advocacy organizations amplify individual efforts into powerful movements.

Educate Yourself and Others: Stay informed and share reliable, fact-based information about the administration’s actions. Silence is the ally of misinformation; knowledge is its antidote.

History Shows That Collective Action Can Turn the Tide

Think of the Civil Rights Movement, which dismantled systemic oppression through grassroots persistence. Recall Watergate, where public demand for accountability forced even the highest levels of power to reckon with the rule of law. Remember the early labor movements that won workers’ rights, the women’s suffrage campaign that shattered barriers to equality, and the American Revolution itself, where ordinary people refused to bow to tyranny. In every instance, democracy’s survival depended not on passive hope, but on bold, collective action.

The Power to Reclaim Our Country Lies in Your Hands:  This is not about redemption—it’s about responsibility. Apologies won’t rebuild what has been broken; only action can. Your TrumPenitence is not just about rejecting the past—it’s about choosing to build a future rooted in the principles that make democracy worth defending.

History is watching, and it will not be kind to those who stood by. The path forward begins with you. Rise to the occasion. Rise to defend democracy. Prove that taking responsibility is not only possible—it’s necessary. America’s future must be built on courage, not cowardice, and your actions will define it.

If you enjoyed this article, please subscribe (a paid subscription would be incredible!), restack, and tap the Buy Me a Coffee button ☕. Your support keeps me fueled to call out the corrupt and complicit.

Labels: , , ,

Thursday, January 23, 2025

Donald John Trump is already violating his oath to defend and protect the U.S. Constitution

 Letter to the editor of the Bozeman Daily Chronicle, in Montana : Trump inauguration (has already) made a mockery of our Constitution.

Our nation's Constitution will be grossly violated, rendered inconsequential on Inauguration Day, Monday, Jan. 20, which, ironically, is also Martin Luther King, Jr., Day.

Rev. King, in the 1960s, led the fight for Black citizens' constitutional rights. President Trump, in 2021, called for a violent insurrection against the Constitution.

The mandate in the heart of Section Three of the Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution is abundantly clear:


No person shall ... hold any office, civil or military, under the United States, ... who, having previously taken an oath ... as an officer of the United States...to support the Constitution of the United States, shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof."

In 2021, President Trump called together thousands of supporters for a Jan. 6 "Stop the Steal" rally in Washington. We all know what happened. Now, President-elect Trump has said, as again president, he will pardon those he sent to storm the Capitol and "fight like hell."


In 2021, President Trump called together thousands of supporters for a Jan. 6 "Stop the Steal" rally in Washington. We all know what happened. Now, President-elect Trump has said, as again president, he will pardon those he sent to storm the Capitol and "fight like hell."


Trump is an insurrectionist. He may not not "hold any office, civil or military, under the United States" without being in violation of the Constitution, but the Constitution be damned.


At noon on January 20, Donald John Trump, once again, will place his left hand upon a Holy Bible, raise his right hand, and swear before God and the nation to "preserve, protect, and defend" the Constitution of the United States of America, and render the Constitution inconsequential in a ceremony that will make historic mockery of that sacred document.


From Kenneth Allen in Bozeman Montana

Labels: , ,

Donald Trump made a terrible mistake when he pardoned January 6th criminals who assaulted the Capitol police

Federal judges in January 6th cases slam Trump’s pardons
Echo report published in Politico by Kyle Cheney
Riots on January 6th were caught on camera, plain for the world to see. As millions around the world watched in horror, thousands of supporters following calls to action from President Trump stormed the U.S. Capitol. Their aim was to disrupt the joint session of Congress assembled to count electoral votes that would formalize then-President-elect Joe Biden’s victory.


U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly said President Donald Trump’s action could never change the “immutable” record of violence and heroism of law enforcement, which will remain enshrined in court records. | John Minchillo/AP

It’s the judges’ first substantive comments after Trump’s sweeping clemency and dismissals of the more than 1,500 January 6 criminal cases.

A prominent federal judge ripped President Donald Trump’s mass clemency for January 6 rioters, saying the justification he offered in his proclamation — to correct an “injustice” and trigger a “national reconciliation” — was “flatly wrong” and a “revisionist myth.”

“No ‘national injustice’ occurred here, just as no outcome-determinative election fraud occurred in the 2020, presidential election,” U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell wrote in an eight-page order in the case of two January 6th defendants who pleaded guilty to felonies. “No ‘process of national reconciliation’ can begin when poor losers, whose preferred candidate loses an election, are glorified for disrupting a constitutionally mandated proceeding in Congress and doing so with impunity.”


Howell’s remarks are the most pointed yet in response to Trump’s decision to wipe away the nearly 1,600 criminal cases stemming from the attack — including hundreds of charges of assaults on police, as well as seditious conspiracy convictions. She said his decision “merely raises the dangerous specter of future lawless conduct by other poor losers and undermines the rule of law.”

Howell, who presided over several secret proceedings in special counsel Jack Smith’s criminal cases against Trump — issuing key rulings that required some of his top aides to testify to a grand jury — was not the only judge Wednesday to defend the January 6 prosecutions.

U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan — who was slated to preside over Trump’s own criminal prosecution for seeking to subvert the 2020, election before his 2024, victory ended the case — said Trump’s mass pardons “cannot whitewash the blood, feces, and terror that the mob left in its wake.”

“It cannot repair the jagged breach in America’s sacred tradition of peacefully transitioning power,” Chutkan wrote in an order connected to a Jan. 6 felony case. “In hundreds of cases like this one over the past four years, judges in this district have administered justice without fear or favor. The historical record established by those proceedings must stand, unmoved by political winds, as a testament and as a warning.”

U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly said Trump’s action could never change the “immutable” record of violence and heroism of law enforcement, which will remain enshrined in court records.

“Dismissal of charges, pardons after convictions, and commutations of sentences will not change the truth of what happened on January 6, 2021,” Kollar-Kotelly wrote in a six-page order dismissing charges against Dominic Box, whom she had previously convicted of two felony counts for his role in the riot.

“What occurred that day is preserved for the future through thousands of contemporaneous videos, transcripts of trials, jury verdicts, and judicial opinions analyzing and recounting the evidence through a neutral lens,” Kollar-Kotelly wrote. “Those records are immutable and represent the truth, no matter how the events of January 6 are described by those charged or their allies.”

Howell and Chutkan, both Obama appointees, and Kollar-Kotelly, a Clinton appointee, are the first judges to make substantive comments after Trump’s sweeping clemency and dismissals of the more than 1,500 January 6 criminal cases. Judges have been steadily processing the dismissals of hundreds of pending cases since Monday evening, when Trump signed his clemency proclamation.


But none of them had offered any public commentary on the matter yet, despite having warned repeatedly prior to Trump’s inauguration that they were fearful of attempts by the president and his allies to bury the truth about January 6.

Kollar-Kotelly said the “heroism of each officer who responded” could also not be erased.

“Grossly outnumbered, those law enforcement officers acted valiantly to protect the Members of Congress, their staff, the Vice President and his family, the integrity of the Capitol grounds, and the Capitol Building — our symbol of liberty and a symbol of democratic rule around the world,” she wrote.

Howell’s remarks came in the case of Nicholas DeCarlo and Nicholas Ochs, two leaders of the Proud Boys who admitted to throwing smoke bombs at officers at the Capitol. Howell noted that judges are permitted to seek a factual basis for the reasoning behind DOJ’s decision when it abruptly dismisses a case, and she said the Trump administration had offered no such facts.


As a result, Howell opted to dismiss the case “without prejudice,” meaning the charges could be brought again if prosecutors reconsider, despite the Justice Department’s effort to drop them in a way that would prevent them from being lodged in the future. Chutkan, too, dismissed her cases “without prejudice.”

“The prosecutions in this case and others charging defendants for their criminal conduct at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021, present no injustice, but instead reflect the diligent work of conscientious public servants,” Howell wrote, “including prosecutors and law enforcement officials, and dedicated defense attorneys, to defend our democracy and rights and preserve our long tradition of peaceful transfers of power—which, until January 6, 2021, served as a model to the world—all while affording those charged every protection guaranteed by our Constitution and the criminal justice system.”

“Bluntly put,” she continued, “the assertion offered in the presidential pronouncement for the pending motion to dismiss is flatly wrong.”

Labels: , ,

Wednesday, January 22, 2025

Tyranny tragically arrived in America even when prophets tried to warn us about evilism

Timothy David Snyder is an American historian specializing in the history of Central and Eastern Europe, the Soviet Union, and the Holocaust. He is the Richard C. Levin Professor of History at Yale University and a permanent fellow at the Institute for Human Sciences in Vienna. Check his substack blog here.

1. Do not obey in advance. Most of the power of authoritarianism is freely given. In times like these, individuals think ahead about what a more repressive government will want, and then offer themselves without being asked. A citizen who adapts in this way is teaching power what it can do.

2. Defend institutions. It is institutions that help us to preserve decency. They need our help as well. Do not speak of "our institutions" unless you make them yours by acting on their behalf. Institutions do not protect themselves. They fall one after the other unless each is defended from the beginning. So choose an institution you care about -- a court, a newspaper, a law, a labor union -- and take its side.

3. Beware the one-party state. The parties that remade states and suppressed rivals were not omnipotent from the start. They exploited a historic moment to make political life impossible for their opponents. So support the multiple-party system and defend the rules of democratic elections. Vote in local and state elections while you can. Consider running for office.

4. Take responsibility for the face of the world. The symbols of today enable the reality of tomorrow. Notice the swastikas and the other signs of hate. Do not look away, and do not get used to them. Remove them yourself and set an example for others to do so.

5. Remember professional ethics. When political leaders set a negative example, professional commitments to just practice become more important. It is hard to subvert a rule-of-law state without lawyers, or to hold show trials without judges. Authoritarians need obedient civil servants, and concentration camp directors seek businessmen interested in cheap labor.

6. Be wary of paramilitaries. When the men with guns who have always claimed to be against the system start wearing uniforms and marching with torches and pictures of a leader, the end is nigh. When the pro-leader paramilitary and the official police and military intermingle, the end has come.

7. Be reflective if you must be armed. If you carry a weapon in public service, may God bless you and keep you. But know that evils of the past involved policemen and soldiers finding themselves, one day, doing irregular things. Be ready to say no.

8. Stand out. Someone has to. It is easy to follow along. It can feel strange to do or say something different. But without that unease, there is no freedom. Remember Rosa Parks. The moment you set an example, the spell of the status quo is broken, and others will follow.

9. Be kind to our language. Avoid pronouncing the phrases everyone else does. Think up your own way of speaking, even if only to convey that thing you think everyone is saying. Make an effort to separate yourself from the internet. Read books.
10. Believe in truth. To abandon facts is to abandon freedom. 

If nothing is true, then no one can criticize power, because there is no basis upon which to do so. If nothing is true, then all is spectacle. The biggest wallet pays for the most blinding lights.

11. Investigate. Figure things out for yourself. Spend more time with long articles. Subsidize investigative journalism by subscribing to print media. Realize that some of what is on the internet is there to harm you. Learn about sites that investigate propaganda campaigns (some of which come from abroad). Take responsibility for what you communicate with others.

12. Make eye contact and small talk. This is not just polite. It is part of being a citizen and a responsible member of society. It is also a way to stay in touch with your surroundings, break down social barriers, and understand whom you should and should not trust. If we enter a culture of denunciation, you will want to know the psychological landscape of your daily life.

13. Practice corporeal politics. Power wants your body softening in your chair and your emotions dissipating on the screen. Get outside. Put your body in unfamiliar places with unfamiliar people. Make new friends and march with them.

14. Establish a private life. Nastier rulers will use what they know about you to push you around. Scrub your computer of malware on a regular basis. Remember that email is skywriting. 

Consider using alternative forms of the internet, or simply using it less. Have personal exchanges in person. For the same reason, resolve any legal trouble. Tyrants seek the hook on which to hang you. Try not to have hooks.

15. Contribute to good causes. Be active in organizations, political or not, that express your own view of life. Pick a charity or two and set up autopay. Then you will have made a free choice that supports civil society and helps others to do good.

16. Learn from peers in other countries. Keep up your friendships abroad, or make new friends in other countries. The present difficulties in the United States are an element of a larger trend. And no country is going to find a solution by itself. Make sure you and your family have passports.

17. Listen for dangerous words. Be alert to use of the words "extremism" and "terrorism." Be alive to the fatal notions of "emergency" and "exception." Be angry about the treacherous use of patriotic vocabulary.

18. Be calm when the unthinkable arrives. Modern tyranny is terror management. When the terrorist attack comes, remember that authoritarians exploit such events in order to consolidate power. The sudden disaster that requires the end of checks and balances, the dissolution of opposition parties, the suspension of freedom of expression, the right to a fair trial, and so on, is the oldest trick in the Hitlerian book. Do not fall for it.

19. Be a patriot. Set a good example of what America means for the generations to come. They will need it.

20. Be as courageous as you can. If none of us is prepared to die for freedom, then all of us will die under tyranny.

These lessons are the openings of the twenty chapters of my little 2017, book On Tyranny, which has just been lightly edited since in successive printings to account for the Big Lie, the coup attempt, the war in Ukraine, and the risks we face in 2024. The lessons remain the same. On Tyranny has also been published in a beautiful graphic edition, illustrated by Nora Krug. For my positive ideas about liberty, see my new book, On Freedom.

Labels: , ,

Tuesday, January 21, 2025

Michelle Obama is the world's beautiful leading "influencer". An important trend setter even in her absence

Michelle Obama Isn’t Sick — She Just Hates Trump

Echo repoer published in The New York Magazine Intelligencer by Margaret Hartmann
Michelle LaVaughn Robinson Obama is an American attorney and author who served as the first lady of the United States from 2009 to 2017, being married to Barack Obama, the 44th president of the United States. Raised on the South Side of Chicago, Obama is a graduate of Princeton University and Harvard Law School.

The state funeral for President Jimmy Carter was attended by all five living presidents and their spouses — except for Michelle Obama. Although CNN reported that the former First Lady missed the January 9, memorial due to a scheduling conflict, searches for “is Michelle Obama sick” spiked on Google.

And when the Obamas announced last week that Michelle would not attend the second Trump inauguration, people started speculating that they were headed for divorce.


Thankfully, it does not appear that Michelle is ill or having marital troubles. Judging from the available evidence, she just really hates Donald Trump.

The statement from the Obamas’ office on January 14, which was shared with the Associated Press (AP), said: “Former president Barack Obama is confirmed to attend the 60th Inaugural Ceremonies. Former First Lady Michelle Obama will not attend the upcoming inauguration.”

Sure enough, Barack Obama was flying solo at Trump’s swearing in on January 20, 2025.

Meanwhile Michelle posted this message on Instagram — which could be a subtweet aimed at Trump, or just an earnest celebration of MLK Day, which also happened to fall on Monday:

Former President Barack Obama arrived at the U.S. Capitol Rotunda for the second inauguration of President-elect Trump.
Former first lady Michelle Obama is not in attendance
https://t.co/81S7rzN0DZ #InaugurationDay pic.twitter.com/hqIkHuCFPr— ABC News Politics (@ABCPolitics) January 20, 2025


Meanwhile Michelle posted this message on Instagram — which could be a subtweet aimed at Trump, or just an earnest celebration of MLK Day, which also happened to fall on Monday:


Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy of service always inspires me.

This #MLKDay, I hope you’ll join me and @WhenWeAllVote in honoring Dr. King’s life and legacy by getting involved in your community. Whether you’re mentoring students at your local school or volunteering for a cause that matters to you, it all helps make a difference. Tell me how you’re giving back today in the comments.

No reason was given for Michelle’s absence from Trump’s swearing in, nor did the Obamas say why she skipped Carter’s funeral. 

Earlier this month, an Obama spokesperson merely confirmed in a statement to The Hill that she was “not in attendance” adding, “Mrs. Obama sends her thoughts and prayers to the Carter family, and everyone who loved and learned from the remarkable former president.”

Is it possible that something more serious is going on? Sure. But no PR team wants a repeat of last year’s Kate Middleton debacle, and there’s no real reason to think that. There is, however, ample evidence that Michelle Obama has had it with pretending she doesn’t dislike Trump.


Obama explained her exasperated looks in her 2018, memoir, Becoming. “Sitting on the inaugural stage in front of the U.S. Capitol for the third time, I worked to contain my emotions,” she wrote. However, after surveying the crowd of Trumpworld figures that surrounded her, she gave up. Though the “optics” might have been bad, “I stopped even trying to smile,” she said.

She recalled her terrible inauguration experience again during an episode of her podcast in 2023, saying she was “uncontrollably sobbing” by the end of the day. “Many people took pictures of me and they’re like, ‘You weren’t in a good mood?’ No, I was not❗ But you had to hold it together like you do for eight years.”

Eight years later, Obama went after Trump by name while campaigning for Kamala Harris. In her Democratic National Convention speech, she accused Trump of doing “everything in his power to make people fear” her and Barack because he felt “threatened” by “two hardworking, highly educated, successful people who happen to be Black.” Then she dropped the memorable jab, “Who’s going to tell him that the job he’s currently seeking might just be one of those ‘Black jobs’?”

Obviously, the Ex-Presidents Club is full of people who have said terrible things about each other. 

Nevertheless, that did not prevent Barack Obama from yukking it up with Trump at the Carter funeral. But had Michelle attended, the task of chatting with Trump would have fallen to her, as she would have been seated next to him. She is not a professional politician, and it seems her willingness to engage in fake niceties with the Trumps has only waned over the years. Her rumored excuse for skipping the funeral wasn’t even very good. CNN’s Jeff Zeleny reported that she was “still in Hawaii on an extended holiday vacation.”

Several anonymous Michelle Obama “allies” told The Hill that her decision was all about Trump:


“She meant every word she said on the campaign trail with every fiber of her being,” one ally said. “And she’s no hypocrite.”

By not attending the inauguration, Michelle Obama is “saving some credibility,” one longtime aide to her said.

“She campaigned the hardest against him personally, of anyone,” the aide said.

And a “source familiar with her thinking” told People that she “did all the public good that she could for eight years as first lady.” 

Now we’ll see her when she has a project or cause to promote, “but she doesn’t feel the need to be a public figure anymore.”

“There’s no overstating her feelings about [Trump]. She’s not one to plaster on a pleasant face and pretend for protocol’s sake,” the source added. “Michelle doesn’t do anything because it’s expected or it’s protocol or it’s tradition.”

So who was there to supply meme-able looks on Monday with Michelle sitting this one out? Another former First Lady came through: 
"Hilary Clinton reacts to Donald Trump declaring he will rename Gulf of Mexico to Gulf of America."

Hillary Clinton laughs as Trump announces ‘Gulf of America’ order:
“There’s no overstating Mrs. Obama's feelings about [Trump]. She’s not one to plaster on a pleasant face and pretend for protocol’s sake,” the source added. “Michelle doesn’t do anything because it’s expected or it’s protocol or it’s tradition.”

Labels: , , , , ,