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Musk's Infamy Is Sinking Tesla Sales - And Its Stock Price

Musk's Infamy Is Sinking Tesla Sales - And Its Stock Price

Stocks for the electric vehicle company Tesla just wrapped its worst month since 2022, and it’s all because of its certifiably insane CEO, Elon Musk.

In February, Tesla shares plummeted 28%, signaling their worst month since a 37% drop in December 2022. The stock fell by an additional 3% on Monday alone.

And after Trump announced he would enact his disastrous tariff policy, it could bottleneck Tesla’s manufacturing, fracturing it even more.

“We note that potential tariffs on Mexico and Canada pose significant risk to our [North American] production estimates and could create a supply shock similar to COVID,” Bank of America analyst John Murphy said to CNBC on Tuesday. He also highlighted that “sentiment on the brand [is] potentially souring.”

This comes after the six weeks of Musk meddling in the federal government via his so-called Department of Government Efficiency, which is gutting federal agencies, firing thousands of federal employees, and generally wreaking havoc on Americans.

In addition to Musk poisoning his brand’s supposed coolness, Bloomberg reported on Tuesday that the company’s sales in China have slowed by a staggering 49% in February compared with the previous year at that time.

“I don’t even want to drive it,” one Tesla owner told the Associated Press. “He’s destroying the brand with his politics.”

Tesla sales are dropping all across Europe. As Daily Kos’ Markos Moulitsas reported in January, the decline in Tesla sales has largely tracked with Musk’s entrance into politics last year.

Americans are angry over Musk’s hand in the government and have taken to protesting nationwide at Tesla dealerships or allegedly setting Tesla charging stations on fire. And those who were thinking about purchasing Teslas have gone on a “buyers strike,” while many of those who have already bought them are communicating their buyer's remorse with bumper stickers, such as one reading, “We bought this car before we knew.”

Meanwhile, Musk is seemingly enriching himself through the government. Earlier this month, he reportedly hid the State Department’s plan to pay out $400 million to Tesla for armored vehicles—a contract the administration says it’s abandoning after it came to light.

Americans are pissed at Musk’s corruption, and they are telling him in the only way he understands: money.

Reprinted with permission from Daily Kos.

'We Can No Longer Serve': Data Scientists And Engineers Quit DOGE In Protest

'We Can No Longer Serve': Data Scientists And Engineers Quit DOGE In Protest

Nearly two dozen federal technology workers just walked out the door rather than bow to billionaire Elon Musk, who they say is set on running the government into the ground with chaos and cronyism.

On Tuesday, 21 engineers, data scientists, and product managers who worked for what was once known as the United States Digital Service submitted a mass resignation letter in response to Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency interloping in federal jobs and agencies.

In the joint letter, obtained by the Associated Press, staffers from the USDS wrote, “We will not use our skills as technologists to compromise core government systems, jeopardize Americans’ sensitive data, or dismantle critical public services. We will not lend our expertise to carry out or legitimize DOGE’s actions.”

They also alluded to nameless DOGE bros wearing White House visitor badges infiltrating their office and grilling the nonpartisan staffers. The staffers told reporters these young men were rife with technological inefficiency, fandom for Musk, and ideological partisanship.

“Several of these interviewers refused to identify themselves, asked questions about political loyalty, attempted to pit colleagues against each other, and demonstrated limited technical ability,” the staffers wrote. “This process created significant security risks.”

This follows the layoffs of 40 USDS staffers earlier in February. After Musk's initial layoffs, 65 USDS employees remained—a third of whom just resigned.

USDS was established by former President Barack Obama in 2014, after his chaotic rollout of the federal health care website, Healthcare.gov, proved to be clunky and slow. Since then, the agency has made the site efficient, helping Americans sign up for health care. It has also worked to improve services for veterans, assisted the government in purchasing updated technology, and created a free tax portal.

Meanwhile, the White House is covering for Musk, claiming that he has nothing to do with the DOGE firings. When he isn’t sending micromanaging emails threatening federal workers to list five things they did that week or be fired, he’s brandishing bedazzled chainsaws at CPAC conference, shouting, “This is the chainsaw for bureaucracy.”

Since being sworn in, Trump has given Musk full reign to use DOGE to illegally access sensitive data on private citizens. He has also dismantled federal agencies like the United States Agency for International Development and laid off thousands of federal employees in the name of “efficiency.”

As federal employees have been the target in Trump’s first month in office, some, joined by congressional Democrats, stood outside in Washington’s wintery streets to protest outside their agencies. Others, like USDS staffers, are taking other means of protest by bowing out of an administration they see as unable to do right by the American people.

“We swore to serve the American people and uphold our oath to the Constitution across presidential administrations,” the USDS employees wrote. “However, it has become clear that we can no longer honor those commitments.”

Reprinted with permission from Daily Kos.

White House Deploys 'Rapid Response' Account To Smear Reporters, Push Fake Polls

White House Deploys 'Rapid Response' Account To Smear Reporters, Push Fake Polls

Donald Trump’s White House is using its state-run “Rapid Response 47” account to push lies, attack reporters, and hype fake poll numbers—blurring the line between official governance and a MAGA propaganda machine.

In a post on X Friday, the “Rapid Response 47” account posted a clip of White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt answering a question by NBC News Chief White House correspondent Peter Alexander on the White House north lawn.

“MUST WATCH: @PressSec smacks down Fake News loser @PeterAlexander as he tries to run cover for the WASTE, FRAUD, and ABUSE in the federal government,” the account posted to its more than 723,00 followers.

But Alexander asked a reasonable question, and it was far from the “smackdown” the page claimed it was.

“We’re now hearing from constituents in some traditionally red districts complaining about what they say is the chainsaw approach, saying that it’s being done very sloppily, the cuts to jobs and spending. How do you respond to that criticism?” asked Alexander.

“I love how the media takes a few critics when the overwhelming response from the American people is support for what this administration is doing,” replied Leavitt.

The account’s tactics mirror Trump’s own. In reality, Trump has been lying about his approval rating, making up fake polls that nobody could corroborate.

A recent Reuters/Ipsos poll released on Wednesday found that 44 percent of voters approve of his administration so far, and 51 percent disapprove. Earlier numbers haven’t been any better. A February 7 Pew Research poll showed his approval rating at 47 percent.

The “Rapid Response 47” X account is not the official White House account but is labeled as another government administrative page and links to the official White House website. It was rolled out by the White House shortly after the inauguration. Its bio states that it’s the “Official Rapid Response account of the Trump 47 White House. Supporting @POTUS's America First agenda and holding the Fake News accountable. MAGA!”

On Wednesday, the official White House X account posted an AI-altered photo of Trump portrayed as a king wearing a crown, stating, “Long live the king.” On Tuesday, the same account drew outrage after it posted a degrading ASMR-style video of undocumented immigrants being detained and transported out of the country.

The attacks on the press haven’t stopped at social media accounts.

The White House has also attacked the First Amendment by banning the Associated Press from the Oval Office and Air Force One over the news organization refusing to call the Gulf of Mexico the “Gulf of America” after Trump’s executive order declaring it so. The administration’s newly appointed Federal Communication Commission chair, Brendan Carr, also filed three new complaints against CBS News, ABC News, and NBC News in January.

With government-run accounts amplifying partisan attacks, AI-generated propaganda, and press restrictions, Trump’s second term is looking more tyrannical by the day.

Reprinted with permission from Daily Kos.

RFK Jr. And Trump Risk Health Of 9/11 Heroes With Callous Staffing Cutbacks

RFK Jr. And Trump Risk Health Of 9/11 Heroes With Callous Staffing Cutbacks

New York Sens. Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand wrote a letter to newly appointed Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Monday, condemning the recent “nonsensical and dangerous” 20% staffing cuts to the World Trade Center Health Program. The cuts jeopardize the ability to deliver health care to those suffering from 9/11-related health conditions, including respiratory ailments and cancers.

The letter urges Kennedy to reverse the staffing cuts and requests a briefing from the HHS and the CDC on the changes made to the WTCHP and their direct impact on the program's capacity to serve enrollees. The letter also called out Kennedy’s hypocrisy, citing a former conversation he had with the senators before his confirmation where he vowed to protect 9/11 access to care.

One of the first responders, John Feal, whose organization FealGood Foundation helps 9/11 responders access financial aid programs and treatment for 9/11-induced illnesses, appeared on New York’s News 12 on Sunday to speak out against the mass firing. Feal called the cuts “inhumane.”

"The World Trade Center Health Program is a lifeline to 137,000 people—9/11 heroes, volunteers, and those who lived, and worked and went to school in Lower Manhattan," Feal said. "And these people now who are dealing with severe respiratory illnesses, severe cancers—there's over 30,000 people with a certified cancer. That means when those people are cut and no longer work for the federal government, they cut 20% of that staff. That staff is responsible for certifying people's illnesses, that staff is responsible to ensure that there’s no fraud, that staff is responsible to ensure that research continues."

Feal added that he and a group of first responders and political leaders will head to Washington, D.C., next week to lobby for the $3 billion needed to fund the WTCHP through 2090.

Schumer took to X on Tuesday to tell his constituents he’s fighting on their behalf.

“The Trump HHS is breaking the sacred promise to always stand by our 9/11 heroes by slashing funding and vital staffing for their healthcare in the World Trade Center Health Program,” he said. “It’s unacceptable. I’m fighting to get Secretary Kennedy to reverse these cuts and firings NOW to provide for those who answered the call of duty on 9/11.”

This comes as Kennedy, under the direction of the White House and Elon Musk’s chaotic Department of Government Efficiency, fired an estimated 3,600 public health employees across the National Institutes of Health, CDC and Food and Drug Administration over the weekend, prompting employees to call it the “Valentine’s Day massacre.”

DOGE has taken it upon itself to gut the federal government. In less than a month, it has conducted mass firings or buyouts of government agency employees at the United States Agency of International Development, the Federal Aviation Administration, the Department of Education, the FBI, and the CIA.

Whether it’s hypocrisy or pathetic fealty to Trump, courageous Americans who risked their lives to save others on 9/11 deserve the care they now need—not to be cast aside by a president and his billionaire ally intent on dismantling human decency.

Reprinted with permission from Daily Kos.

Tina Smith

Smith Retirement Will Open Up Senate Seat In Minnesota

Democratic Sen. Tina Smith of Minnesota announced on Thursday that she won’t seek reelection in 2026.

“This decision is not political, it is entirely personal,” she said in a statement, citing that while she entered the Senate with no grandchildren, she and her husband now have four who live nearby. “But it's not lost upon me that our country is in need of strong, progressive leadership—right now maybe more than ever.”

“We have a deep bench of political talent in Minnesota, a group of leaders that are more than ready to pick up the work and carry us forward,” she added.

Smith, age 66, was appointed to the seat following then-Sen. Al Franken’s resignation in 2017. She subsequently won the seat’s 2018 special election and its 2020 election for a full term.

Shortly after Smith’s announcement, Minnesota Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan jumped into the race.

“I love Minnesota and my intention is to run for United States Senate and continue to serve the people of this state,” she said in a statement. “I’ll make a formal announcement later this month. In the meantime, I’m talking with community and my family and friends. I will have more to say soon.”

Meanwhile, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, who ran as vice president on the 2024 Democratic ticket, is also considering entering the Senate race, according toPolitico.

Minnesota is a blue-leaning state, but it’s not the safest place on the map. Republican candidates have won five of 16 Senate races since 1980, and in 2008, Democrat Al Franken eked out a victory, winning by 0.01 percentage points—just 312 votes—over Republican Norm Coleman. And last year, Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris won the state by just over fourpoints.

The state is a must-win for Democrats in 2026 if they want any shot at retaking the Senate majority. The chamber currently stands at 53 Republicans to 47 Democrats.

Smith is the second Democratic senator to announce they won’t seek reelection, opening up a path for the party to bring in younger, fresher voices.

In January, Sen. Gary Peters of Michigan announced he won’t seek reelection in 2026, after serving two terms. This means that 2026 will be the second election cycle in a row where Democrats must defend an open Senate seat in Michigan, a state Trump took in 2024. Last year, Democrat Elissa Slotkin won her Senate race by just 0.3 points.

The Cook Political Report, a reliable race-rating outlet, considers Peters' Michigan seat to be a toss-up, along with the seat held by Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff of Georgia.

As Daily Kos reported in December, winning back the Senate for Democrats is a long, treacherous road. They must not only defend six seats in 2026 and 2028 that were decided by fewer than 5 points, but they must also gain three to four seats to reach the majority in 2028, depending on whether a Democrat or Republican wins the White House that year.

Now, with Smith and Peters set to exit, there will be many opportunities for new leaders with fresh ideas to introduce themselves.

Reprinted with permission from Daily Kos.

Russian President Vladimir Putin

Trump Call With Putin Signals White House Surrender On Ukraine

President Donald Trump announced Wednesday on Truth Social that he spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin for the first time since being sworn into office. During the 90-minute call and on social media, Trump signaled a shift in U.S. policy that would retreat from the strong support of Ukraine seen during Joe Biden’s administration.

This marks a definite shift in Russia’s war against Ukraine—with a potential deal between the U.S. and Russia that would have lasting benefits for Putin as he’s given the green light to continue the annexation of the sovereign country he invaded in 2022.

“I just had a lengthy and highly productive phone call with President Vladimir Putin of Russia,” Trump said in his post. “As we both agreed, we want to stop the millions of deaths taking place in the War with Russia/Ukraine. President Putin even used my powerful Campaign motto of, ‘COMMON SENSE.’ We both believe very strongly in it. We agreed to work together, very closely, including visiting each other’s Nations. We have also agreed to have our respective teams start negotiations immediately, and we will begin by calling President Zelenskyy, of Ukraine, to inform him of the conversation, something which I will be doing right now.”

According to the state-run account TASS Russian Media, the Kremlin confirmed the phone call with Trump via a Telegram post.Not only did Trump say that he’d begin negotiations “immediately” between the U.S. and Russia, but he also referenced Putin’s use of Trump’s “power campaign motto” of “common sense.”

How does Trump not see that Putin knows how to get what he wants by playing to Trump’s fragile ego and need to be seen as an influential strongman?

An hour later, Trump posted that he had, indeed, spoken with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, saying on Truth Social that Zelensky agreed that Ukraine “wants to make PEACE.”

“It is time to stop this ridiculous War, where there has been massive, and totally unnecessary, DEATH and DESTRUCTION,” Trump added. “God bless the people of Russia and Ukraine!”

Zelensky took to X after the phone call and said in a video statement, “We believe that America’s stretch is sufficient to pressure Russia and Putin into peace.”


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“I had a long and detailed conversation with President Trump,” wrote Zelensky. “I appreciate his genuine interest in our shared opportunities and how we can bring about real peace together.”

Coincidentally, Trump’s announcements came shortly after the Department of Defense announced it would capitulate to Russia in drawing Ukraine’s borders. On Wednesday, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said that Ukraine’s pre-invasion borders were “an unrealistic objective” and an “illusionary goal” during his first trip to meet with NATO in Brussels.

Before being elected to his second term, Trump vowed to end U.S. funding to Ukraine—even though the majority of Americans support it. He picked terrible Cabinet nominees like Tulsi Gabbard and Robert F. Kennedy Jr., both of whom have spouted pro-Russian talking points.

Meanwhile, on Monday, in a move that Daily Kos’ Markos Moulitsas described as truly “morally repugnant,” Trump wasted no time leveraging U.S. foreign aid to Ukraine in exchange for $500 billion of its mineral reserves.

“I told [Ukraine] that I want the equivalent, like $500 billion worth of rare earth,” Trump said in an interview with Fox News. “And they've essentially agreed to do that, so at least we don’t feel stupid. Otherwise, we're stupid. I said to them we have to—we have to get something. We can’t continue to pay this money.”

Global democracy be damned.

On Tuesday, Trump continued wheeling and dealing with the Kremlin. He freed accused Russian money launderer Alexander Vinnik in exchange for wrongfully detained American teacher Marc Fogel. Fogel, draped in an American flag, met Trump outside the White House late Tuesday and called him a “hero.”

Trump’s foreign policy strategy apparently consists of abandoning allies, appeasing adversaries, and profiting off global instability. His reckless moves and chaotic governance not only threaten our national security by emboldening Russia, but also undermine the principles of democracy the U.S. once championed.

Reprinted with permission from Daily Kos

Democrats Smack President For Dropping Promise To Reduce Food Prices

Democrats Smack President For Dropping Promise To Reduce Food Prices

Recent Department of Agriculture data shows that egg prices increased 14.5 percent since President Donald Trump took office, increasing from $6.57 to $7.52 per dozen. And for the week of February 2 through February 7, egg prices have gone up even more, with large eggs costing $7.72 per dozen.

Bird flu has caused egg prices to rise to all-time highs in grocery stores, fast-food chains, and diners, but Trump has yet to address the issue.

In fact, since his second term began, Trump has only uttered the word “food” six times when speaking at a political rally or to reporters. He hasn't said the word “eggs” since he was sworn in.

Instead, Trump has been focused on signing a staggering 84 executive actions—including orders, proclamations, and memos—with not a single one focused explicitly on lowering food costs. After combing through the text of each executive action, Daily Kos found that the words “food” and “eggs” were usedone single time.

A February 1 executive order on tariffs against Mexico, Canada, and China doesn’t only omit food costs, but it would actually raise food prices for Americans.

All of Trump’s sweeping executive orders show his priorities clearly lie elsewhere, like falsely blaming DEI for a tragic plane crash, appointing televangelists to an “anti-Christian bias” taskforce, discriminating against trans people, and unconstitutionally banning birthright citizenship.

Trump is likely banking on Americans having short memories, since it was only a few months ago that he couldn’t stop talking about how he’d fix food prices before being elected.

During the last days of his campaign, from October 12 to November 4, he mentioned “eggs” four times and “food” 23 times. But during his first week in office, he changed his tune, telling reporters that inflation is no longer his No. 1 issue.

“They all said inflation was the No. 1 issue. I said, ‘I disagree,’” Trump said on January 26. “I talked about inflation too, but how many times can you say that an apple has doubled in cost?”

Democrats take to the floor to call out Trump’s ‘eggflation’

“Why did the Senator cross the road?” Sen. Jack Reed, Democrat of Rhode Island asked on Thursday. “To help drive down ‘eggflation.’"

“The Trump Administration has taken zero substantive steps to address the situation,” he said in a letter to USDA pick Brooke Rollins on Thursday, urging her to act on lowering egg prices.

On Tuesday, Sen. Jacky Rosen, Democrat of Nevada, addressed Trump’s inaction on lowering food costs on the Senate floor. She showed photos of her state’s “empty shelves where the eggs are supposed to be” and said that, if people can find them, “they cost an arm and a leg.”

While Democrats are fighting to lower costs and calling out Trump’s tariffs as “taxes on working families,” the GOP is set on supporting Trump’s chaotic and expensive trade war, no matter how much it hurts Americans’ wallets.

“These tariff taxes will affect groceries because the U.S. imports 38 percent of our fresh vegetables, 60 percent of our fresh fruit, and more than 99 percent of the coffee we drink. If we take all these together, Americans could be seeing an extra $200 a year on their grocery bills because of the Trump tariff tax,” Sen. Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire said on Wednesday.

Trump is making it apparent that he has no plans to work on lowering food prices, and he probably never did—he just knew what to say to swindle voters.

Reprinted with permission from Daily Kos.

John Ratcliffe

Hostile Powers Rejoice As CIA Offers Reckless 'Buyout' To Entire Staff

The scorched earth approach of President Donald Trump and billionaire DOGE bro Elon Musk to dismantle the federal government in their image has reached the desks of America’s most-coveted national security operatives.

On Tuesday, the Wall Street Journalbroke the news that the administration sent a buyout offer to the entire workforce of the Central Intelligence Agency, asking employees to leave their jobs and receive eight months' severance. The CIA collects, analyzes, and disseminates information on economic, military, and political developments abroad to protect national security.

The offer was corroborated by a CNN report on Wednesday. Trump’s offer, up until Tuesday, had “not been made available to most national security roles in an apparent cognizance of their critical function to the security of the nation.” This is a stark departure from the other severance offers made to federal workers in January, which had sensibly excluded employees in crucial national security roles.

Later on Wednesday, the CIA sent the White House an unclassified email list of all the CIA employees hired in the past two years. The list, according to reporting by The New York Times, included first names and the first initial of their last name. The list reportedly focused on young analysts and operatives who were hired to hone in on China. It requested that the spy agency comply with Trump’s executive order to shrink the federal government.

The agency is also freezing hiring for potential employees who were already given conditional offers, and CIA aides say some offers to recruits will also be rescinded.

A CIA spokeswoman told the Journal that the buyout was meant to “infuse the agency with renewed energy.” Meanwhile, an aide, who spoke anonymously, said to The New York Times that “the effort was meant to encourage some of the large group of officers who joined in the aftermath of the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks to take an early retirement.”

Sen. Tim Kaine, a Democrat from Virginia, advised his constituents not to accept Trump’s buyout offer. In his Senate floor speech on Tuesday, he said his constituents represent 140,000 government workers in Arlington and Langley, Virginia, where the CIA and Pentagon are located.

“There’s no statutory authority that I can see for the president making this offer,” Kaine said in an interview with the Journal. “You should not raise your hand.”

Director John Ratcliffe of the CIA was appointed by Trump and sworn in to lead the agency on Jan. 23. He has remained radio silent about the gutting so far.

When Sen. Angus King, an Independent from Maine, asked about political “litmus” and “loyalty” tests during his January confirmation hearing, Ratcliffe promised to keep this kind of favor out of the agency he sought to lead.

So much for that.

This comes as foreign adversaries in Russia are rejoicing that unelected co-president Musk took over the United States Agency for International Development, or USAID, infiltrating its offices and locking employees out of their computers. On Monday, Democratic lawmakers sent letters to the judiciary over “alarming reports” of Trump’s FBI pick, Kash Patel, calling for political retribution and for “grave concerns” over Trump’s removal from their posts of FBI and DOJ officials who investigated January 6.

The implications are chilling. Trump’s moves aren’t just reckless, they’re potentially catastrophic for America’s national security at a time when its global security is becoming increasingly more fragile. As the CIA thins out its ranks, U.S. enemies are undoubtedly watching and celebrating.

Reprinted with permission from Daily Kos.

Ken Martin DNC Chair

New DNC Chair: Democrats Are 'Alive And Kicking' And Ready To Fight

Newly elected Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin appeared on MSNBC’s “The Rachel Maddow Show” on Monday to discuss what Democrats can do, as Maddow put it, “to mitigate some of the harm that’s being caused” by Donald Trump and his administration.

Martin pointed to the Democrats’ swift and vocal response earlier Monday to Trump henchman Elon Musk’s power grab and dismantling of the U.S. Agency for International Development, known as USAID, which helps foreign countries battle hunger, poverty, and epidemics. Democratic members of Congress held a press conference at the agency’s headquarters and joined protesters trying to gain access to the building.

Although Democrats don’t currently control any branch of government, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries laid out a 10-point plan to combat Republicans every step of the way.

Martin said similar actions and communications will be a key strategy, pitching a “war room” to combat the tidal wave of misinformation Trump and his minions are unleashing thanks to the right’s growing control over social media platforms.

“I think for the Democratic Party, these first 100 days, we have to do a few things,” he said. “One is, we have to stand up the war room, which is to make sure we’re stamping out the misinformation and disinformation campaign of the Republican Party and that we are also at the same time defining ourselves.”

He stressed that Democrats are not only “not dead” but are principled and ready to fight the MAGA movement.

“I remember in 2016 someone saying that Republicans are shameless, but the Democrats are spineless. And so it’s important for folks to know we have a spine,” Martin said. “We’re not dead as a party; we’re still alive and kicking, and we’re gonna fight for our values, and we’re gonna fight for American values.”


DNC Chair @kenmartin.bsky.social was on MSNBC last night, calling Democrats to stamp out disinformation and show Americans we are fighting for them.

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— The Democrats (@democrats.org) February 4, 2025 at 11:36 AM

Martin, the former chair of the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party, was elected to lead the DNC on Saturday with 246 votes out of 448. He succeeds Jaime Harrison, who served as the party’s leader since 2021.

During his acceptance speech, Martin laid out a three-pronged plan for the party in the Trump 2.0 era.

“First is to unite. We have to rebuild our coalition,” Martin said. “Second, we need to go on offense. Trump's first weeks have shown us what happens when amateur hour meets demolition derby."

The new party leader then aims to get down to brass tacks.

“Third, we’re going to take tonight to enjoy the moment, and we’re gonna build new alliances, but then we’re going to get to work” and “fight for working people again in this party,” he said

Martin isn’t alone in the fight.

Jeffries’ 10-point plan for Democrats includes pushing back against efforts to end Medicaid, preventing unlawful access to the Treasury payment system by Musk and his minions, and highlighting how Trump’s policies are raising costs for Americans, to name a few.

Democratic governors like California’s Gavin Newsom, Colorado’s Jared Polis, Illinois’ J.B. Pritzker, and New Mexico’s Michelle Lujan Grisham have also been vocal about opposing the Trump administration. Before Trump took office, Polis and Pritzker spearheaded Governors Safeguarding Democracy, a new national alliance allowing the leaders to share information and resources across state lines.

Democratic attorneys general are pulling their weight by coming together in a multistate coalition to file numerous lawsuits against Trump’s “reckless, dangerous, illegal, and unconstitutional” executive orders on his federal funding freeze, birthright citizenship ban, and the Justice Department’s directive to prosecute state and city officials who don’t adhere to his mass deportation agenda.

Post-election data from Gallup revealed that the economy was the most crucial issue for voters in 2024—the highest since the Great Recession in 2008. Martin, a Midwesterner from a working-class background, says it’s the “honor of my life” to be tasked with getting Democrats back on their feet after their election disappointment and direct the party back to its working-class, New Deal roots.

“The Democratic Party is the party of working people, and it’s time to roll up our sleeves and outcompete everywhere, in every election, and at every level of government—and I look forward to working with this next generation of leadership to build a Party to unite America,” Martin said.

Reprinted with permission from Daily Kos

Democrats Slam Trump's Tariff As Burdensome Tax On Working Class

Democrats Slam Trump's Tariff As Burdensome Tax On Working Class

Democrats are calling out President Donald Trump’s recent tariffs on imports from Canada, Mexico, and China as exactly what they are: an economic disaster.

Alarmed Democratic lawmakers began releasing forceful statements on Saturday, immediately after Trump signed the executive order that even the right-leaning Wall Street Journaleditorial board criticized for kicking off the “dumbest trade war in history.” Economists and pundits alike agree that the tariffs will increase prices on everything from groceries to gas to car manufacturing.

“Let’s call these tariffs what they are: Trump’s Taxes on Working Families,” Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker said in a statement. “If these tariffs remain in place, it will jack up the price of groceries and goods, make gas more expensive, and raise utility bills. While Donald Trump is making millions off his corrupt crypto schemes and memes, working families will pay the price.”

Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren called for vigilance and action.

“I’m concerned that President Trump will give cover to giant corporations to use his tariffs as an excuse to raise prices on working families while doling out waivers to billionaires and well-connected insiders,” Warren said in a press release. “Congress will conduct rigorous oversight of what the President does and we—and the American people—will hold him accountable.”

Leaders in states whose economies rely heavily on auto manufacturing are worried Trump’s unwieldy tariffs could lead to mass layoffs and shutter production lines. According to the Detroit Regional Chamber of Commerce, Michigan’s auto industry contributes $304 billion to the state’s economy, with nearly one-quarter of all U.S. auto production happening there in 2022.

“A 25 percent tariff will hurt American auto workers and consumers, raise prices on cars, groceries, and energy for working families and put countless jobs at risk,” Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said in a statement. “Trump’s middle-class tax hike will cripple our economy and hit working-class, blue-collar families especially hard.”

On Sunday, Trump admitted on his Truth Social site that Americans should probably prepare for extra misery thanks to his reckless executive order.

“WILL THERE BE SOME PAIN? YES, MAYBE (AND MAYBE NOT!),” Trump screamed in the post. “BUT WE WILL MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN, AND IT WILL ALL BE WORTH THE PRICE THAT MUST BE PAID.”

The U.S. economy is already feeling the consequences of Trump’s tantrum. When the markets opened on Monday, the Dow Jones Industrial Average plummeted, the Nasdaq dropped, and the S&P 500 Index declined in the wake of Trump’s latest ego trip.

The market drop reversed later on Monday when Trump and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum announced a deal that will halt tariffs on Mexico for one month after they had a “friendly” conversation on border security. But the stock market volatility is just one way that these new tariffs are already impacting the U.S. economy. That’s cause for concern for Americans who are already tired of Trump 2.0-–especially those in reliably red states like Kentucky, where Trump’s 2018 tariffs on European steel and aluminum prompted a 25 percent retaliatory tariff on American whiskey that cost the industry $580 million, according to the Kentucky Distillers Association.

Meanwhile, U.S. food prices have not gone down—they’ve gone up. Higher price tags on everything including all-important eggs are a stark reality in grocery stores despite Trump’s central campaign promise to lower prices.

“I won on groceries,” Trump boasted during an interview with NBC’s Meet the Press in December. “Very simple word, groceries.”

Democratic leaders are hammering Trump for not fulfilling his pledge to Americans and only making things worse.

“Republicans have failed to deliver on their central promise of lowering costs,” House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said in a statement on Saturday. “Instead, they have freed violent felons, attempted to end Medicaid as we know it, and plan to enact massive tax cuts for their billionaire donors.”

Jeffries made sure to include Trump’s loyal GOP minions in his scathing rebuke.

“The tariffs imposed by the administration and strongly supported by House Republicans will not lower the high cost of living for everyday Americans,” he said. “Instead, it will likely do the exact opposite and make life more expensive.”

Trump’s latest tantrum is just another distracting move in his scheme to seize more power and rule with reckless abandon, leaving Americans as unwilling passengers while a madman drives the global economy into the ground.

Reprinted with permission from Daily Kos.

As Los Angeles Burns, Trump and Musk Play Politics

As Los Angeles Burns, Trump and Musk Play Politics

While Democrats are focused on safety and federal assistance, Donald Trump and Elon Musk are unsurprisingly making the fires rampaging Los Angeles all about political squabbling.

In an unhinged post on Truth Social, Trump blames California Gov. Gavin Newsom for the fires rapidly spreading across the Pacific Palisades, Malibu, Pasadena, and Sylmar.

“Governor Gavin Newscum refused to sign the water restoration declaration put before him that would have allowed millions of gallons of water, from excess rain and snow melt from the North, to flow daily into many parts of California, including the areas that are currently burning in a virtually apocalyptic way. He wanted to protect an essentially worthless fish called a smelt, by giving it less water (it didn’t work!), but didn’t care about the people of California. Now the ultimate price is being paid. I will demand that this incompetent governor allow beautiful, clean, fresh water to FLOW INTO CALIFORNIA! He is the blame for this. On top of it all, no water for fire hydrants, not firefighting planes. A true disaster!”

Musk also posted on X, saying that the fires “are easily avoidable, but nonsense regulations in California prevent action being taken, so year after year homes burn down and more people die.”

This was in response to reports of fire hydrants in the Palisades drying up due to what officials blame on “tremendous demand.”

Newsom said he was too busy overseeing firefighting and rescue efforts to engage with Trump, but his press office declared that his posts were pure "fiction."


While Democrats are focused on safety and federal assistance, Donald Trump and Elon Musk are unsurprisingly making the fires rampaging Los Angeles all ...

Trump has often abused his power during natural disasters by withholding federal aid to score political points. During his first term, Trump refused to provide California wildfire aid until he was told how many people in the state voted for him, an ex-aide told Politico. He did the same thing to Washington Gov. Jay Inslee, ignoring the Democrat's request for $37 million in federal assistance to contain the wildfires in September 2020.

The three raging fires have consumed more than 5,000 acres, have zero percent containment, and are spreading at unprecedented levels due to winds of up to 100 mph. So far, 85,000 residents have been impacted and five people were killed, and that number is expected to rise.

President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, a California native, announced that they have been briefed on the fires and that FEMA has already approved assistance.

“My team and I are in touch with state and local officials, and I have offered any federal assistance that is needed to help suppress the terrible Pacific Palisades fire,” Biden said in a White House statement. “Earlier tonight, FEMA approved a Fire Management Assistance Grant to support areas that are impacted and help reimburse the state of California for the immediate firefighting costs. My Administration will do everything it can to support the response. I urge the residents of the Pacific Palisades and the surrounding areas of Los Angeles to stay vigilant and listen to local officials.”

Harris added, “Doug and I are praying for our fellow Californians who have evacuated, and we are thinking of the families whose homes, businesses, and schools remain in harm’s way,” said Harris. “As a proud daughter of California, I know the damage that wildfires have on our neighbors and communities. I also know that the impact is often felt long after the fire is contained. As we respond and as Californians recover, I will ensure that our administration is in constant contact with state and local officials.”

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries expressed his support and condolences for “everyone in the path of the horrific wildfires in Los Angeles County.”

“We are grateful to the firefighters and first responders who are putting themselves in danger while working to save lives and communities under extremely difficult conditions … May God watch over Los Angeles and everyone in harm’s way,” he wrote in a statement shared on X.

Meanwhile, Republicans have refused to take any meaningful action to mitigate fires, like addressing climate change. In fact, many of them are outright climate change deniers.

How could anyone deny this?

Reprinted with permission from Daily Kos

Chris Murphy

Progressive Democrats Say 'Big-Tent Populism' Will Renew Party

In a political era defined by economic disparity and class anger, Democrats are reckoning with the political ideas that Donald Trump hitched his ride to and landed him successfully in front of the White House.

Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut is calling for a break from the economic neoliberalism of the past. He joins a growing list of progressives who argue that Democrats must prioritize the needs of working-class Americans to stay relevant in today’s political climate of staggering economic inequality.

Do Murphy’s comments signal a growing divide in the party or does he represent a fresh voice on more significant, bolder steps than the party ever considered before?

Murphy recently sparked attention after making a bold proposal on MSNBC: He suggested breaking up concentrated monopolies, raising the minimum wage, and placing greater emphasis on issues that resonate with the working class.

His comments took aim at the billionaire class and the economic institutions propped up by neoliberalism. He suggested a series of institutional reforms—including health care price caps—and critiqued his own party for failing to fully embrace these populist positions. Murphy argued that the way forward for Democrats lies in what he calls “big-tent populism.”

“Attacking power is not easy for everybody in the Democratic party because we have become a party that is dependent on high-income elites,” said Murphy to anchor Katy Tur.

He also highlighted what he sees as a false choice between unfettered market capitalism and socialism, proposing a middle ground: “common-good capitalism.” This vision, according to Murphy, would ensure that economic rules value workers just as much as shareholders and that certain sectors—such as health care—should not be commoditized for profit. “I think that’s the winning argument for Democrats,” Murphy concluded.

He isn’t the only one embracing a populist, working-class Democratic agenda.

The newly appointed chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, Rep. Greg Casar, a Texas Democrat, echoed similar sentiments in an interview with NBC News. Casar reminded Democrats that they must focus on returning to their roots as the party of the working class “without throwing vulnerable people under the bus.”

Casar said he believes the average voter stands to the left of the Democratic Party on economic issues but admitted that social issues could be a losing issue due to American voters being more “culturally conservative” than his party.

"The members of the Progressive Caucus know how to fight billionaires, grifters, and Republican frauds in Congress," Casar said at a recent press conference. "Our caucus will make sure the Democratic Party stands up to corporate interests for working people."

According to Gallup data, the number of Americans who see economic issues as the most important issue facing the country has been steadily rising since 2020. Meanwhile, the middle class is steadily decreasing.

After President Joe Biden was elected, Republicans pounced on the opportunity to cite the administration’s failures amidst persistent inflation and unlivable wages—although they’ve long been a party that has legislated against raising the minimum wage. At the same time, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre pointed out how “global headwinds because of the COVID-19 pandemic” led to disruptions in supply chains—a phenomenon not only within the U.S. but the sharpest downward economic trend in the global economy since the Great Depression.

At its core, populism claims the system is rigged against the average, working-class citizen in favor of wealthy “elites.” Defining features of populism are a disdain for the ruling class and a focus on the working class, critiques of government and corporate institutions, nationalism and identity politics, and perhaps, most importantly, an overall sense of economic discontent.

Democrats like Murphy are right to assume Americans feel economic discontent. According to the National Bureau of Economic Research, wealth inequality has steadily increased for those at the top, with the wealthiest 5% of Americans owning a staggering two-thirds of the wealth distribution. Meanwhile, wages have remained stagnant, and home ownership is unattainable.

While Democrats were still heeding the twilight of Obama-era neoliberalism, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, were ahead of their time, calling for the party’s focus on an economic agenda that prioritized Medicare for All, livable wages, and breaking up Big Oil, Big Banks, and other monopolies.

Only a month ago, in the days after the Democrats' defeat to MAGA, Warren reminded the party in her TIME op-ed to act urgently to address wealth inequality and a dysfunctional system stacked to benefit the rich if they want to get back in the game.

“Good economic policies do not erase painful underlying truths about our country,” she, a long-time populist, wrote. “For my entire career, I’ve studied how the system is rigged against working-class families. On paper, the U.S. economy is the strongest in the world. But working families are struggling with big expenses like the cost of housing, health care, and childcare.”

According to a New York Times report, some voters who can reasonably be deduced as populists are those upset about the “status quo " who went from voting for Sanders to electing Donald Trump.

However, party leaders like outgoing Democratic National Committee Chair Jaime Harrison, who is Black, believe it’s not wise to veer away from “identity politics,” which draws much of the party's voting bloc from African American or LGBTQ+ voters. He recently rebuffed criticism that the party had become too reliant on “identity politics” or had gone “too woke” instead of focusing on kitchen-table economic issues.

“When I look in the mirror when I step out the door, I can’t rub this off,” he said, pointing to his face. “This is who I am. This is how the world perceives me. “That is my identity,” he said. “And it is not politics. It is my life.”

However, other party leaders, like House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, said in his postmortem press conference after Election Day that Democrats must focus on the “economic challenges” facing Americans.

“Far too many people are struggling to live paycheck to paycheck,” said Jeffries. “And we’re prepared to work with the incoming administration to decisively deal with that issue.”

During that time, New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez used her Instagram platform to reach out to her 8 million followers. She asked them if they backed her during her election and then also voted for Trump in November to explain why. The majority of responses were about the economy. On Nov. 11, Ocasio-Cortez’s Communications Director Sidney D. Johnson, posted some of the answers on X.

"You are focused on the real issues people care about. Similar to Trump populism in some ways,” one responder said.

“It’s really simple … Trump and you care about the working class,” another user wrote.

Democrats like Murphy, Casar, and Ocasio-Cortez are beginning to align more closely with the economic populism that has long been associated with Sanders and Warren. They are increasingly pushing the Democratic Party to tackle wealth inequality, challenge corporate power, and, as Murphy put it, move toward a “common-good capitalism” that values workers as much as shareholders.

As the hindsight conversation about where the Democratic party steers itself evolves, the demand for a political system that works for all Americans—not just the wealthy—will continue to drive political fervor among its constituents. The question is, will Democrats seize on it or not?

Reprinted with permission from Daily Kos.

Gavin Newsom

As Trump's Health Quacks Flock To Washington, Newsom Acts To Stop Bird Flu

The Centers for Disease Control reported the first person hospitalized with a severe illness linked to the H5N1 bird flu in the United States, according to a Wednesday press release. The patient, who is reportedly in critical condition with severe respiratory symptoms, is being treated in Louisiana.

“It has been determined that the patient had exposure to sick and dead birds in backyard flocks,” said the CDC. “This is the first case of H5N1 bird flu in the U.S. that has been linked to exposure to a backyard flock … No person-to-person spread of H5 bird flu has been detected.”

Meanwhile, in Washington, D.C., anti-vaccine advocate and raw milk connoisseur Robert F Kennedy, Jr. met with Capitol Hill lawmakers starting Monday as part of his bid to become Health and Human Services secretary. President-elect Donald Trump, who promoted the disproven link between autism and vaccines at a Monday press conference, also nominated TV personality Dr. Mehmet Oz to oversee the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services—even though Oz notoriously pushed debunked “health” products like weight loss supplements to make a quick buck on his talk show.

“While the current public health risk is low, CDC is watching the situation carefully and working with states to monitor people with animal exposures,” the CDC press release said. Aside from widespread outbreaks among wild birds worldwide, the spread of the virus is so far limited to outbreaks among cattle and in poultry farms.

On the West Coast, Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency in California on Wednesday in the face of an uncertain federal response to a potential bird flu outbreak. Those worries are not unfounded; a vengeful Trump and his goons tried to withhold FEMA aid to California during his first administration in 2018 and 2020.

Newsom acknowledged bird flu’s significant risks to public health and the state’s vital agricultural industry. This comes after 33 dairy herds were reported as sources of exposure in California, with many of the confirmed human bird flu cases linked to farm workers, particularly in the poultry and dairy industries.

To mitigate the risk, Newsom announced that California has launched a collaborative effort with local farms to reduce workers’ exposure to the virus.

“This proclamation is a targeted action to ensure government agencies have the resources and flexibility they need to respond quickly to this outbreak,” Newsom said. “Building on California’s testing and monitoring system—the largest in the nation—we are committed to further protecting public health, supporting our agriculture industry, and ensuring that Californians have access to accurate, up-to-date information.”

Bird flu was first detected in the wild bird population in South Carolina in January 2022, followed by California a few months later. On March 25, 2024, an outbreak of bird flu among dairy cows was first reported in Texas and Kansas. According to CDC estimates, 61 human infections have been reported so far.

However, with federal leadership during Trump’s first administration widely criticized for its lack of preparedness and promotion of disinformation during the COVID-19 pandemic, state-level efforts may be the first—and most reliable—line of defense in the coming months.

Reprinted with permission from Daily Kos.

Trump Touts Polio Shot, Then Falsely Links Vaccines To Autism

Trump Touts Polio Shot, Then Falsely Links Vaccines To Autism

During a Monday press conference, President-elect Donald Trump told reporters that despite concerns over Robert F. Kennedy Jr., his anti-vaccine pick to head the Department of Health and Human Services, the polio vaccine is safe.

“You’re not going to lose the polio vaccine. That’s not going to happen,” Trump said. “I saw what happened with polio. I have friends that were very much affected by that. I have friends from many years ago, and .. they’re still in not such good shape because of it,” the 78-year-old added.

The topic was raised due to reports that Kennedy’s lawyer filed a petition for the Food and Drug Administration to revoke approval of the polio vaccine. The deadly viral disease has impacted 12 million people worldwide, according to the Centers for Disease control, and an estimated 300,000 Americans are still living with mild to severe symptoms including fatigue, muscle weakness, and pain.

Kennedy will be on Capitol Hill this week to meet with senators and shore up support for upcoming confirmation hearings for his proposed role in Trump’s Cabinet. According to The Wall Street Journal, the notorious vaccine skeptic plans to downplay the topic entirely despite his public, controversial, and debunked views on vaccines and their effects. Kennedy will reportedly also promote Trump’s views on abortion and “talk up healthy food preventing chronic disease.”

Trump did express his long-standing skepticism about vaccine mandates during Monday’s press conference and promoted the false claim of a link between vaccines and autism.

“I don’t like mandates. I’m not a big mandate person,” Trump said. “You take a look at autism today versus 20, 25 years ago, it’s like, not even believable. So we’re going to have reports.”

When Time magazine named Trump “Person of the Year” on December 12, the accompanying interview noted that he and Kennedy Jr. would have a “big discussion” about child vaccines, and he claimed that “the autism rate is at a level that nobody even believed possible.”

Scientific research has debunked any association between vaccines and autism numerous times over the years.

Despite the overwhelming scientific consensus, the supposed link between vaccines and autism remains a prominent point of contention for some crunchy to alt-right talking heads, with Trump and Kennedy among the most high-profile proponents of the debunked theory. Trump’s newest comments are likely to fuel the debate further, especially as vaccine hesitancy continues to rise.

This could have lasting implications on future public health policy, especially in the context of emerging diseases and the ongoing fight against COVID-19.

Reprinted with permission from Daily Kos.

Many Such Cases: Fox Host Barred From Holiday Dinner By Democratic Mom

Many Such Cases: Fox Host Barred From Holiday Dinner By Democratic Mom

Many Americans are making it clear that they’re cutting ties with family and friends who voted for President-elect Donald Trump—and don’t count them in for this year’s holiday gatherings either. In the days following Nov. 5, videos on social media, especially TikTok, started flooding in, showing people either devastated, angry, or defiantly speaking out about feeling betrayed by family and friends.

“The family wants to know what I’m doing for the holidays,” TikTok user translovingmama shared. “I’m going to be here with my dogs and my daughter, who’s of childbearing age and now has to get an IUD at 17 years old. And I’m going to be here with my son, who is a political target. And that should really tell you all you need to know about why I’m not going to be hanging out with y’all for the holidays. So, fuck off.”

#happyholidays

@translovingmama

#happyholidays

As Thanksgiving approaches, many Americans are vowing to spend it away from their MAGA family members.

“The threat is real”

Finn, a 27-year-old trans person in Colorado, who asked to remain anonymous for safety reasons, said when his parents asked about his holiday plans he said he wouldn’t be going back to Texas.

Finn said his conversations with his Republican parents, both Trump supporters, have become increasingly strained since 2016. His father claimed he didn’t believe that Trump would actually harm trans people, even though Finn insisted that Trump would and has harmed his community since being elected president—remember the transgender ban, preventing them from serving in the military?

Now, Finn has not only distanced himself from his family, but in 2024, he’s questioning whether he wants a relationship with them at all.

“I just don’t feel like being around my family is something I can safely or comfortably do right now,” he said in an interview with Daily Kos. “The harm is real. The threat is real. With all the anti-trans legislation passed recently, and knowing how this election has emboldened people in Texas to be even more hateful toward the queer community, I don’t feel safe.”

He expressed deep grief over the growing distance between him and his family.

“I feel really angry and sad about how things have shifted,” he said. “The upcoming administration, the media on the far-right—it's all turned my family into people who vote for awful, shitty things. I can’t even recognize them anymore.”

The straw that broke the camel’s back

For Finn and many others, 2024 feels different. Trump being elected again, after years of watching his dangerous rise, was the straw that broke the camel’s back.

Back in 2016, there were still questions about what Trump actually meant or could do. But after years of destruction, including his Supreme Court picks, it’s clear: his intentions are much darker this time. “If you’re voting for him now, after everything that’s happened in the last eight years, you have to know what he’s capable of,” Finn added.

Navigating overwhelming emotions around Trump and how to come to terms with family and friends who support the MAGA movement is something that social worker and JustAnswer.com psychology expert Jennifer Kelman said she sees more frequently now among her patients.

“Some have ended friendships and are struggling with sitting down at a table to celebrate the holidays with those that are part of the MAGA movement or support the agenda. Sometimes these views and agenda feels like a personal attack, and they aren't able to remain in contact with family members that voted in a way that harms them,” Kelman said.

Those who voted for Trump have argued that “politics” shouldn’t come between friendships or family. But those who are choosing to cut ties aren’t buying it.

”The election transcends politics”

“This election transcends politics,” said psychotherapist Renee Zavislak, who specializes in trauma and hosts “Psycho Therapist: The Podcast.”

“The polarization is deeper this year, as the incoming administration presents a real and present danger to marginalized people. For those people who love a queer person, or an undocumented person, or a woman of childbearing age, tolerating MAGA means tolerating abuse and torture—and most of us don't like torture around the Christmas tree.”

TikTok user lazialeinez chimed in: “Now that the election’s over, are we supposed to just go back to being friends? So even if you voted for Trump, I’m still supposed to be your friend? Yeah, in your fucking dreams,” he said. “You voted for a racist. A man who mocks disabled people. A man who took away women’s rights and is taking away gay rights. So no, you’re not my friend.”

life goes on and I travel#italianinelmondo #linguaitaliana #fyp #italians #fy #arizona #myamericaisgreat #readytotravel #LifeIsGood #italianiinamerica #itravel

@lazialeinaz

life goes on and I travel#italianinelmondo #linguaitaliana #fyp #italians #fy #arizona #myamericaisgreat #readytotravel #LifeIsGood #italianiinamerica #itravel

Even Fox News host Jesse Watters shared his own family drama. “Apparently, there wasn’t enough room at my mom’s house for me this year,” he said on his show Jesse Watters Primetime after being disinvited from Thanksgiving by his Democratic mother.

Mayenakpan, another TikTok user, delivered a blunt message for those who may rely on their Democrat-voting relatives or friends for emotional stability.“Those of you who are so upset about people no longer being in your life over political differences, what you do know is happening is that your shock absorbers are leaving in droves,” said Mayenakpan in a post with the caption FAFO, which stands for “f-ck around and find out.”

“Your emotional regulators are saying, ‘You don’t have an invitation anymore.’ All that energy that you were siphoning from them, all that kindness, all that intimacy, all the solutions that they gave to you freely because they made space for you, that’s gone,” she said, erupting in laughter.

Save yourselves! We don’t GAF anymore! 😂 #fafo #fyp #election2024

@mayenakpan

Save yourselves! We don’t GAF anymore! 😂 #fafo #fyp #election2024

“I need space”

And she’s not alone. Take Andrea Tate, for instance. She wrote in an essay for HuffPost after her husband posted “God Bless America. God Bless #45, 47” on social media, she didn’t hold back. “I love you,” she texted, “but out of respect for me and all my liberal writer friends, can you please take that down? Also, tell your family I love them, but I won’t be coming to Thanksgiving, and I won’t be hosting Christmas. I need space.”

Tate’s response reflects what perhaps many Americans are feeling this holiday season: disillusionment. They’re coming to grips with those they once thought cared about their well-being, now swept up in the anti-democratic rhetoric, conspiracies, and draconian policies of Trump and his MAGA ilk.

“I will not give thanks and hold hands with people who voted for a party that wants to take rights away from LGBTQ people,” Tate wrote. “I won’t pass the turkey to someone who supports a party that targets disabled people or takes away reproductive rights. I won’t sit by the Christmas tree celebrating Jesus while so many are at risk of losing their lives because they can’t get the care they need. I won’t unwrap gifts from people who voted for a party that talked about internment camps and mass deportation.”

TikToker maamcrayons added, “They’re trying to gaslight you, telling you not to unfriend them just because they voted for Trump. It’s their own fear and trauma coming through. They’re too scared to stand up for what’s right, so they’re projecting that fear onto you.”

Weak people will tell you to accept others for their lack of courage to stand against the patriachy. Do not enable them. #gaslighting #politics #intuition

@maamcrayons

Weak people will tell you to accept others for their lack of courage to stand against the patriachy. Do not enable them. #gaslighting #politics #intuition

And for those still braving it with their MAGA relatives? Some users are turning the tension into humor. “What am I making for Thanksgiving?” TikTok user Erin Monroe asked. “I’ll be making a commotion, a mess, a scene … using my special recipe of sarcasm, dark humor, and a heaping scoop of female rage.”

#thanksgiving #recipeideas #makeascene #fyp

@erin.monroe_

#thanksgiving #recipeideas #makeascene #fyp

For many this holiday season, it’s not about who’s sitting around the dinner table—it’s about who won’t be there and why.

Reprinted with permission from Daily Kos.

Directors of 'The Apprentice' Delighted As Trump Erupts In Fury

Directors of 'The Apprentice' Delighted As Trump Erupts In Fury

Former President Donald Trump railed against the new movie The Apprentice in a caps-locked tirade in a post on Truth Social, calling it “a politically disgusting hatchet job” that’s trying to hurt “the Greatest Political Movement in the History of our Country.”

He added, “My former wife, Ivana, was a kind and wonderful person, and I had a great relationship with her until the day she died. The writer of this pile of garbage, Gabe Sherman, a lowlife and talentless hack, who has long been widely discredited, knew that, but chose to ignore it. So sad that HUMAN SCUM, like the people involved in this hopefully unsuccessful enterprise, are allowed to say and do whatever they want in order to hurt a Political Movement, which is far bigger than any of us.”

Let’s just say it doesn’t seem like Trump is a fan.

The film’s director, Ali Abbasi, weighed in, extending a conversational olive branch to the Republican nominee. In a post on X, Abbasi said, “Thanks for getting back to us @realDonaldTrump. I am available to talk further if you want. Today is a tight day w a lot of press for #TheApprentice but i might be able to give you a call tomorrow.”

Then the film’s official account responded on X on Monday, “We couldn’t think of a better endorsement @RealDonaldTrump. #TheApprentice is Now Playing in Theaters nationwide!” Then, they posted a link to the film.

The official trailer, released in September, shows a mid-20s Trump as a protégé of big-time lawyer Roy Cohn in New York City in the early ’70s. The film chronicles his rise from slumlord to real estate mogul and his relationship with ex-wife, the late Ivana Trump.

Throughout the trailer, Trump takes pointers, learning “the rules” from his right-wing mentor—and Joseph McCarthy lapdog—as Cohn instructs Trump to “Attack, attack, attack.” Other popular Cohn mantras were to “Admit nothing, deny everything,” and to “Claim victory and never admit defeat.” It’s an ominous map to what we now know has become part of Trump’s political playbook.

The film stars Avengers actor Sebastian Stan as Trump, and Succession actor Jeremy Strong as Cohn.

Due to Trump’s litigious history, including a direct threat of a cease and desist letter, Hollywood studios veered away from making the movie. According to Salon, the producers could not get a distribution deal despite playing to rave reviews at the Cannes Film Festival this year. Briarcliff Entertainment and Open Road Films CEO Tom Ortenberg, who worked on the award-winning journalistic film Spotlight, stepped in and made sure the film would see the light of day.

Now, Trump has raised another potential legal battle for The Apprentice: “Do they even have the right to use that name without approval?” he wrote. Is Trump suggesting he may pursue the film for copyright infringement?

The movie was released on October 11. They say you are the company you keep, and this film shows quite the relationship between Trump and Cohn, who has often been described as “evil.” With only three weeks left until Election Day, here’s hoping the movie makes it even more clear who America should vote to put back into the White House.

Reprinted with permission from Daily Kos.

As Helene Toll Rises, GOP Governor Rebuts Trump's Hurricane Of Lies

As Helene Toll Rises, GOP Governor Rebuts Trump's Hurricane Of Lies

Hurricane Helene made landfall in Florida last Thursday, battering states like North Carolina and Georgia, leaving many areas without power or water, and claiming the lives of more than 120 people. And in the face of this disaster, Donald Trump has chosen to play politics.

Posting on his Truth Social platform Monday, he levied evidence-free attacks against both President Joe Biden’s administration and Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper of North Carolina. “[I] don’t like the reports that I’m getting about the Federal Government, and the Democrat Governor of the State, going out of their way to not help people in Republican areas. MAGA!” he wrote.

Reports by whom? Trump himself?

As the Associated Press reports, “Asheville, which was devastated by the storm, is solidly Democratic, as is much of Buncombe County, which surrounds it.”

But Trump didn’t stop there.

After Vice President Kamala Harris released a statement on X that she had spoken with Cooper and FEMA regarding search-and-rescue efforts, Trump posted a screenshot of the statement and replied in a manner reminiscent of a scorned teenager.

“Another FAKE and STAGED photo from someone who has no clue what she is doing,” Trump wrote, referring to an image of Harris working that accompanied her statement. “Biden and Harris … sacrificed Americans to an Open Border, and now, they have left Americans to drown in North Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee, Alabama, and elsewhere in the South.”

After Vice President Kamala Harris released a statement on X that she had spoken with Cooper and FEMA regarding search-and-rescue efforts, Trump posted a screenshot of the statement and replied in a manner reminiscent of a scorned teenager.

“Another FAKE and STAGED photo from someone who has no clue what she is doing,” Trump wrote, referring to an image of Harris working that accompanied her statement. “Biden and Harris … sacrificed Americans to an Open Border, and now, they have left Americans to drown in North Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee, Alabama, and elsewhere in the South.”

He even trotted his false claims out in person, telling reporters in Valdosta, Georgia, that Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp was “having a hard time getting the president on the phone. I guess they’re not—they’re not being responsive.”

However, that differs significantly from Kemp’s version of events. During a press conference on Monday, Kemp said that he’d spoken to Biden on Sunday. And according to the Georgia governor, Biden asked him, “Hey, what do you need?”

“I told him we got what we need, we’ll work through the federal process,” Kemp told reporters. “He offered that if there‘s other things we need, just to call him directly, which I appreciate that.”

The Biden-Harris administration is putting their heads down, working with government agencies and state governors to save lives and clean up the devastation, as Trump goes on typical social media outbursts, drawing divisive lines in the sand. And it’s the American people who suffer.

Reprinted with permission from Daily Kos.