Arise
Fight Smart
Donald John Trump is an “unusual and extraordinary threat.”
He is a predatory businessman taking full advantage of his lucrative side hustle as the 47th president of these barely United States of America. He is a colossal failure masquerading as a redemptive political option.
He is an oath breaker.
He is addicted to risky conduct.
He is no one from whom to purchase a used car or to allow to babysit children below the age of consent.
Reality Check
Foreign nations and representatives are through acting like the chaotic conduct of our Mad King requires accommodation. They are openly ignoring, mocking, and/or working around the pattern of threats and intimidation which Donny the Deluded favors in lieu of diplomacy.
26 of 27 member states of the European Union (EU) this week approved a $150 billion armaments package (Hungary abstaining). This measure establishes the SAFE (Security Arrangements for Europe) program to use common EU borrowing protocols to provide loans to member states for joint defense projects. The measure arose in response to concerns about possible Russian attacks in the face of uncertainty over U.S. security guarantees for Europe. This is a quietly necessary way to notice and respond to the fact and consequences of our Mad King withholding aid to Ukraine while Putin plays him for a toothless fool.
Russia is rattling its nuclear sabre. This is a dangerous play. It is a bad habit arising like a terrible phoenix from the ashes of the demented days of MAD (mutually assured destruction) policies. Our Guy has made sure there is no adult in the room to constrain his urge to assert dominance. His fragile ego and poor impulse control make him a clear and present existential threat to the safety of our precious planet and every living thing dependent on its health.
The only brake on his braggadocio is his innate and reflexive retreat from humiliation or harm. He is a calcuating and cowardly bully. His weak character may be our best hope for survival of his Time of Terror and Tour of Revenge.
Contempt for Ding Dong Donny is not limited to foreign actors. At home Wall Street analysts refer to his failed international trade strategy as TACO (Trump Always Chickens Out).
Worth Mention
1. DOGE is so Day One. Elon Musk has excused himself from service to, and withdrawn his support for, the Teflon Don. Best Bro has problems of his own.
· The Financial Times reports that most recent SpaceX Starship rocket failed to deploy its satellites and exploded on re-enty.
· Newsweek noticed that Tesla sales in Europe were down 49% in April 25 compared to one year earlier.
2. The Mad King’s Emergency Declaration Habit is under attack.
· Reuters reports that, on 28 May 25, the U.S. Court of International Trade (CIT) ruled that Donny the Devious overstepped his statutory authority by using the International Emergency Powers Act (IEEPA) to impose tariffs on imports from nearly all U.S. trading partners. The court’s decision vacated all tariffs imposed since Day One. It effectively halted existing tariffs and prevented any further increases, including those threatened on imports from China and the EU. The ruling made it clear that a claim of a threat to national security must be legitimate, not called into service of a policy agenda or, as claimed by the adminstration, a “political question” escaping judical oversight.
The Liberty Justice Center filed the complaint to the CIT on 14 Apr 25 on behalf of five owner-operated businessess claiming severe harm as a result of tariffs proposed by the Mad King on his Liberation Day, 02 Apr 25. VOS Selections, FishUSA, Genova Pipe, MicroKits LLC, and Terry Precision Cycling protested the human and economic toll caused by unchecked executive power. Twelve states joined the suit. The case was decided unanimously by a panel of three judges appointed by Regan, Obama, and Trump.
Wendy at The Crew at Wendy the Druid and Robert Hubbell at Today’s Edition Newsletter provide helpful, albeit partisan, additional comment on the matter in Substack postings of 28 and 29 May 25 respectively.
· Politico counts more than 100 lawsuits and 50 restraing orders from dozens of federal judges challenging the penchant of the Mad King to declare national security at risk in order to pursue one or another of his self-serving whims or wishes.
Manifesto
In the first four months of his second term in office, Donny the Deluded has not fulfilled a single campaign promise that improves the health, safety, security, and/or welfare of those he purports to represent and govern. And while he indulges his preference for performance over substance, attention is distracted from other the critical issues, such as global climate change
His careless ignorance of empirical fact and statistically likely consequences is more that appalling. It a dereliction of sworn duty. On 28 May 25, Russell Smith of The New Normal rightly noted the Climate Crisis is “an ongoing reality touching every life on the planet…to debate this fact is like debating…if the wind will push the clouds across the sky…Reinvention of…doing and being has become a necessity.”
His abuse of power is relentless and brazenly self-serving.
The casual cruelty and constant corruption of Mr. Big defy attempts at accurate quantification or comparison.
On 28 May 25, Jay Kuo of The Status Kuo noted that the Mad King deploys the “power of the pardon to signal support for political violence…conducted on his behalf.”
Before our nation stretches an immensely consequential Summer of Confrontation.
There may be good people on both sides of the issue of the American dream. Until such time as our rule of law fails, where we are is not the issue. Who we are is the relevant question.
The opposite of love is not hate. It is indifference.
We the People unhappy with the results and consequences of Election 2024 love the myth, the fact, and the history of America the Beautiful Land of Opportunity. We are not indifferent to the existential and intrisic evil embedded in the implementation of the 2025 playbook.
Resistance to the manifest cruelty, chaos, and corruption of Trump 2.0 is a deeply personal matter. It involves risk and sacrifice. It transcends convenient labels of party lines, gender, race, age, and/or religious background.
It's a matter of right and wrong.
Ignoring or demeaning human dignity is not right.
The question is—what are you trying to keep alive? Yourself or your principle?
You may lose your life. The principle will survive. And prevail.
Dignity, hope, and faith are not a battle plan. But they are a dandy battle cry.
While it is not possible to forget how badly Michael Cohen betrayed himself in 2017 in service to the illegal and immoral actions of the Teflon Don, he now seeks redemption with an eloquent pen. On 28 May 25, the Mediastouch Network posted:
“We’ve got work to do—not to just resist, but to rebuiild. To teach our kids that truth matters. That character counts. That no man—no mater how rich or loud or cruel—is above the law.
“The journey contines.”
Anthem
The time is ripe for Resistance 2.0 to become even more bold.
Increase the volume and instances of resistance.
Be thoughtful. On 28 May 25 Lori Corbet Mann of Your Time Starts Now posted an excellent article on “How to Resist Strategically on 14 June.”
Consider making more “good trouble.” Go on the offensive. Enough willful and clearly self-serving damage has been done to justify a pleading against The Guy in equity for restitution of funds unjustly gained for personal use. The Trump v United States decision leaves him open to prosecution for objectionable private acts. His public stock investment advice is suspect. His crypto investor dinner is on shaky ground. The Qatar jet as a library acquisition is weak. The very filing of such complaints, in any applicable jurisdiction, would distract and seriously disturb the Trump 2.0 Magic Show.
Hats off to those who are planning, supporting, and attending visible signs of a growing resistance to Trump 2.0. And all honor and glory to the educational institutions, lower court justices, politicians, lawyers, journalists, and media spokespersons defying implementation of the illegal aspects of the Project 2025 playbook.
And praise all gods great and small for the reporters and editors at The Washington Post for trailing the smoke back to the trigger finger on the hot Trump 2.0 gun.
The early strengthening of Resistance 2.0 is a precious and fragile early spring flower. It needs constant care and close attention to survive and thrive. Do not let the 04 May 25 Washington Post reporting disappear.
It is important to remember that Donald John Trump believes “only the weak will fail.”
Let us continue to be faithful, strategic, and strong in our resistance to the fact and effects of his Reign of Terror and Tour of Revenge.
Let us continue to pull up our socks and step into the breach now, every Power of One person dissatisfied with the results and consequences of Election 2024.
Let us continue to put into play our persons and our purses every day in every peaceful way everywhere all at once to demand:
The elimination of the Big Beautiful Bill. Draft a reasonable and sustainable budget that maintains the social network and personal rights put into law and custom in the last 80 years.
A return to positions of principle those persons, institutions, and organizations betraying a public trust in their integrity when bending a knee, kissing the ring, funding the personal wealth, or furthering the ambitions of Donald John Trump.
The bringing of criminal charges against Musk and articles of impeachment against Trump.
Resumption of support of Ukraine, NATO, WHO, IMF and related international organizations and accords dedicated to the proposition of global peace, health, and prosperity.
The bringing of articles of impeachment against corrupt justices now contaminating the opinions of the high court.
Referendum and recall of congressional representatives not faithful to their oath of office and/or unresponsive to the concerns and wishes of their constituents.
Creation of a Shadow Cabinet charged with daily briefings of administrative assaults upon the rule of law, the health, safety, and welfare of We the People, and simple decency.
Course correction on the conduct of matters related to national security.
Open, timely, and impartial consideration of and rulings on pleadings regarding the constitutionality of executive and administrative actions taken by Trump 2.0 and its implementation of the Project 2025 playbook.
Our statue of liberty has broken chains at her feet.
This administration does not have our leave to reinstall ancient constraints on her or us.
I truly believe that right is might.
Resist. Persist. Prevail.
In a world where “only the weak will fail,” let us continue to be strong.
We cannot, we will not, fail.
Go, team, go.
Never felt so strongly about a fat asshole before. Never seen one before either. They didn't talk or anything. This one puts clothes on. This one could bring the world down. Why doesn't it do what they usually do: shit and shut up except for the occasional fart/..
Trump's focus on one thing only--to take everything that is yours and make it his personal wealth, that makes him a clear and present existential threat to the safety of our precious planet and every living thing dependent on its health. He has one focus with thousands of diversions and lies to distract us from the one thing that ties it together. His main strategy is that you give up. That's why fear cannot be our one focus, and it takes great emotional and physical energy to keep strategic, keep safe.