He never attended the amazing Kennedy Award ceremonies, there was no poet laureate at his inauguration, he fellated a microphone. He has no class and neither does half of America.
I agree with the theme of this post but I do not think the intentions and motivations of those who voted for Trump are that monolithic. Trump's campaign effectively used fear, disinformation, and propaganda that was specifically targeted to a vulnerable population. Elon Musk spent $20.5 million dollars on ONE ad demonizing Kamala Harris that was targeted to rural populations. They were made promises about their future that could never be realized. Then there were all the gerrymandered districts that Republicans have been working on for decades to control the electoral college. The billionaires that literally bought this election. Corporate media that sanewashed his behaviors and tried to equalize coverage with Kamala's. Don't get me wrong there are millions of Trump voters who are intelligent and were intentional in their vote for Trump. They did so for their personal business and monetary gains and employed willful ignorance of the negative impact of his immoral and unethical behaviors on those most vulnerable and our democracy. They have a right to vote in that way. However, we have to hold them accountable for the moral incompatibility with American values. Even with all of this, Trump could not have won this election without the huge disinformation and fear machine. Our job now is to be the guardrails for the most vulnerable. To start now to overturn the house and senate in 2026, hold corporate media accountable. There is much we can do. Enough of us together can carry all of us forward.
I disagree that anyone who voted for Orange Jesus is intelligent. If they were they wouldn't have voted for him. They were in a right wing news bubble.
I’ll never know how people with a brain could have believed the lying promises! My anger at them persists! They are responsible for what we ALL must face!
We must hold those really accountable for thievery and lies. Send the slimy evil
Thugs to prison now. They are not my President or my leaders. They are my embarrassment in front of the whole world. If you voted for that bunch you are immoral and stupid. We all heard the lies, we all knew they do nothing but cheat and lie… if I knew it, so you could too. Are you ( those who voted for this group of turds) truly so viciously angry about not having a brain that you would take it out on all of this country?
CEO’s, Republicans without morals, , rich people who think that means anything, get a real life and take your hands off my country! What boors, what creeps. If you do not get that the whole world knows that….. you really are uglier than your own mirror reflects.
As a former pastor (retired a few years now) I have made a journey similar to yours John. A journey that has involved speaking and standing against Christian Nationalism, White Supremacy, anti-queer rhetoric, hate inducing misinformation about immigrants, the repression of women, and the idolizing of a tyrannical, classless, adolescent (on his best days!), misogynist, racist, pathological lying (my lord this list could go on...) human being who is nothing like Jesus Christ. I have gone from disappointed with to embarrassed by, to ashamed of, to enraged at the church in America today. A church that seems to be either actively encouraging the anger and violence, to trying to pretend it isn't real thereby placing a bushel over the light of the gospel.
I met you a few years back at a Wild Goose festival just before you began to noticed nationally. After that meeting I said to my wife, "That guy has a voice the church needs!" I was right then and now. Courageous, insightful, honest voices like yours are in desperate short supply. You remind me of Frank Schaeffer (who I was also lucky enough to have met at Wild Goose).
I will continue to do my little part here in Erie PA by preaching and podcasting (BTW - you should come on our pod - we do good work in a part of the country that is considered a battle ground area) and I hope you will continue to do inspiring work nationally.
Stay safe - stay strong - stay beautiful - stay faithful to the gospel that Jesus shared - "Love God, love others, love yourself."
Can they actually take Social Security away from the elderly who are currently dependent upon it? If that’s the case then it’s basically murder by starvation and homelessness! I don’t understand how they can stop SS on people who completely depend upon it to live?
Yes, they can. They want to privatize it - make it like our health insurance system, where you have to QUALIFY to get it when you need it. And yes, that means people will die. It's deeply saddening but hardly surprising. These people come from the same side that got Roe v. Wade repealed. And women died as the result. And they don't care.
They will simply criminalize the opposition party, remove everyone from the opposition party from political office, replace them with Trump loyalists, and make America a one-party state.
The Dear Leader even said if he wins this election, people will never need to vote again.
Dear Leader indeed. What an AH ! I am sure there must be some buyers regret! The poor idiots that voted for him probably didn’t think he was serious. Of course he knew he wouldn’t be running again because as he said he would be a dictator! So he doesn’t have to worry about whether his voters like him or not anymore. He needs to be IMPEACHED the minute he steps off of the stage. He’s dangerous.
If they are stupid enough to vote for this and wreak this havoc on Elderly Americans their careers are GONE! The cruelty is nearly matched by how the Nazis starved people in death camps! We will all remember who voted for taking Social Security Away and in 2026 these people will have ZERO chance of being Re-Elected! The Republicans are doing the most evil thing to the elderly American People and no one is likely to forget how they want to give this money to the WEALTHY! What do they need this money for? It’s BLOOD money because thousands will die. Trump is incredibly evil.
If bush had been successful in privatizing social security it would be long gone now. I still have hope that some republican legislators will stand up for their constituents instead of their big donors.
Do they actually think anyone effected by this hateful action would ever vote for them again? Well of course since Trump is planning to be a Dictator I suppose they don’t expect another election! The TRAITORS should all go to Prison! Trump especially! I thought he was bad but never realized how truly EVIL!
They'll suck SS dry with various "fees" and astronomical salaries. I can't think of one successful (for the voters) privatized government project. They think anything that's good for the voters as the "Nanny State," and have demonized the word "entitlement."
The current GOP doesn't care if voters die. In the case of those they deem "unfit*," they want them to die.
*Elderly, sick, "unapproved lifestyles," etc. Read The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich. It's almost a blueprint for Project 2025.
I read parts of that years ago that’s how I learned about the Nazi death camps. I have a copy somewhere in my house. I never thought that Americans would ever be stupid enough to fall for a person as evil as Hitler, well I see I was wrong, terribly wrong and in fact there’s an entire political party full of greedy, corrupt politicians who only care about how much money they have in their bank accounts and not one bit about the lives of the people who mistakenly elected them because of their LIES, most especially Trump who is as bad as Putin or even possibly the Fuhrer, I am so disgusted by his selfish, evil plans! He fooled all those people who came to his rallies, he’s going to take everything from them and turn his back on them. He’s no better than any other dictator. He doesn’t deserve the presidency and should be in prison where anyone else would be with his criminal record.
We paid for our SS every working hour. It is not the evil’s to take away. We are also paying for everything the billionaires greedy thugs pretend they own. We pay because we believe in paying back into our country through our taxes…. And yes, we believe in paying back. Why? Because we are secure with the pensions and promises administrations who were led by intelligent and moral leaders put together in moral and smart policies.
If this immoral group of maggots want to live in their own ugliness, let them buy up a country that they can go live in and do each other in!
Yes, of course willing to fight for love and all that comes with it. He won by a slim margin- we need to remember that. Daily grassroots work and stay awake! Thank you John.
The monster’s disease is prevalent throughout America as demonstrated by 71 million voters. His lack of empathy is as contagious as Covid. People are hardened by Trump. Just as he cares only for himself, his followers only care for themselves. The other day I was shopping in a busy big box store - that I rarely enter - to buy gifts I give to our town’s public works staff. (Unfortunately no local store carries the large jars of peanuts in the quantity I need.) Of course, the nuts were on the bottom shelf which required me to kneel on the floor to reach the containers I needed. I am a pretty fit 73 year old but do have a replaced knee so my down and up on the floor was not graceful. Do you think any of no less than 10 people stopped to ask if I was ok and needed help? Just like Trump, the master monster, they had no regard for anyone but themselves.
Totally agree with you Ann! I am also 73 & cannot believe the amount of angry, mean, self-centered people that we see on our roads & in our shopping areas. When we are out & about we've made a bigger effort to engage with others: Eye contact, smiling, lending a helping hand, thanking workers, etc. Fortunately, most people are receptive & friendly, but we have had some glare @ us in a check-out line as we engage w/the checker and person bagging. I enjoy smiling @ their angry face & saying "your turn":) Hubby gets concerned because we live in Texas & they could be a "packing" miserable "maga monster." What we can begin to feel for certain is that the "resistance" side is growing, planning & ready to "fight" for our democracy...We'll see if our representatives will do the same. Peace!
He is Constitutionally prohibited from being president. As Laurence Tribe said:
"It might be good to remember that, as an adjudicated oath-breaking insurrectionist, Mr.Trump is constitutionally disqualified under Sec. 3 of 14th Am from taking the oath as president on 1/20/25 unless 2/3 of both houses lift the disqualification."
Also, we should contact Mitt Romney and tell him what a heroic last act this would be for him. Trump can't constitutionally be sworn in without amnesty, so urge him to please introduce the bill. After all, would 2/3 of this Congress grant amnesty to insurrectionist Trump? Surely not! https://www.romney.senate.gov/contact-senator-romney/
Unfortunately, I think the US is now on a path for real violence and bloodshed. I don't want that, but I don't see how we avoid it once desperate, fearful people realize what they voted for. Too many Americans took our democracy for granted. They shrugged and said, "Oh, that won't ever happen here" or "He won't really do that." Once they get everything they voted for, I think things will get really ugly. That's my take.
I can remember in the dark ages when Richard Nixon won by a landslide …. And when the Watergate tapes were released and the nation decided that Nixon really was as bad as he was …. I was the only one who was willing to admit that I had voted for him .. and that at the time he was, for me, the better choice. Fortunately I learned from my mistake and this time will not have to confess publicly or in my heart that I voted for the monster.
There were also Nixon Supporters who denied that it was his voice on the tapes. In their world Nixon did not swear. Same as today when Trump supporters do not believe the clear evidence of his words on tape.
I also want to say that it's the pastoral direction people like John Pavlovitz and Nadia Bolz-Weber provide which have kept me from chucking Christianity into the toilet -- and flushing.
More and more, I dislike using the word "Christian" to describe myself, because of the way Christianity has been co-opted by MAGA and the Christian Nationalists. I refuse to have anything to do with MAGA and the Christian Nationalists. I have been using the term "Follower of Christ" or "Episcopalian" (the particular denomination to which I belong) to describe my religious beliefs.
John and Nadia are badly-needed voices of sanity in a VERY insane time.
His two election "wins" sicken me to the core, but this one! I'm not sure at 71 I have enough fight left in me. A father, two brothers and my husband, all Vets. My father is gone and glad he is not seeing this mess. One brother is, well, bigoted enough that he voted for him twice I suspect. We have not spoken during this election season. My husband and other brother are not happy at all with this monster and his minions coming to roost in January. I'm sad for us all, but still can't believe that half this country voted this piece of crap, known by anyone willing to hear him, back in the highest office in this land. I have been political all my life and now find myself just wanting to hide. Too embarrassed to travel internationally, which I love interacting with other cultures. Too angry to even interact with my neighbors at the moment as I know they are still believing these tariffs will make "things even for us and bring jobs back". I just had to walk away from that conversation to avoid having a moment of rage. So, in that respect, I guess I'm not ready to make nice!!
No because the pain and suffering will, as usual, fall on the least powerful. No when he crashes the economy the MAGA monsters will blame it on Biden and the Democrats and the mainstream press will promote the lie.
As goes the American church (many are distinguished by a top-down male-only hierarchy of teaching- "Do what I say, not as I do"-rather than spiritual formation of a community of believers), so goes the culture of "righteousness by exclusion" that is so prevalent across the country. Blind obedience to this type of exclusionary thinking and calling it biblical is an affront to those who are simply looking to be apprentices of Jesus. It's, unfortunately, woven deeply into many churches.
He never attended the amazing Kennedy Award ceremonies, there was no poet laureate at his inauguration, he fellated a microphone. He has no class and neither does half of America.
Amen!!!!!!!!
I agree with the theme of this post but I do not think the intentions and motivations of those who voted for Trump are that monolithic. Trump's campaign effectively used fear, disinformation, and propaganda that was specifically targeted to a vulnerable population. Elon Musk spent $20.5 million dollars on ONE ad demonizing Kamala Harris that was targeted to rural populations. They were made promises about their future that could never be realized. Then there were all the gerrymandered districts that Republicans have been working on for decades to control the electoral college. The billionaires that literally bought this election. Corporate media that sanewashed his behaviors and tried to equalize coverage with Kamala's. Don't get me wrong there are millions of Trump voters who are intelligent and were intentional in their vote for Trump. They did so for their personal business and monetary gains and employed willful ignorance of the negative impact of his immoral and unethical behaviors on those most vulnerable and our democracy. They have a right to vote in that way. However, we have to hold them accountable for the moral incompatibility with American values. Even with all of this, Trump could not have won this election without the huge disinformation and fear machine. Our job now is to be the guardrails for the most vulnerable. To start now to overturn the house and senate in 2026, hold corporate media accountable. There is much we can do. Enough of us together can carry all of us forward.
I disagree that anyone who voted for Orange Jesus is intelligent. If they were they wouldn't have voted for him. They were in a right wing news bubble.
I’ll never know how people with a brain could have believed the lying promises! My anger at them persists! They are responsible for what we ALL must face!
All of that is true Deborah.
We must hold those really accountable for thievery and lies. Send the slimy evil
Thugs to prison now. They are not my President or my leaders. They are my embarrassment in front of the whole world. If you voted for that bunch you are immoral and stupid. We all heard the lies, we all knew they do nothing but cheat and lie… if I knew it, so you could too. Are you ( those who voted for this group of turds) truly so viciously angry about not having a brain that you would take it out on all of this country?
CEO’s, Republicans without morals, , rich people who think that means anything, get a real life and take your hands off my country! What boors, what creeps. If you do not get that the whole world knows that….. you really are uglier than your own mirror reflects.
Yes and as Coach Waltz said "Mind your own god*** business!"
Exactly!
As a former pastor (retired a few years now) I have made a journey similar to yours John. A journey that has involved speaking and standing against Christian Nationalism, White Supremacy, anti-queer rhetoric, hate inducing misinformation about immigrants, the repression of women, and the idolizing of a tyrannical, classless, adolescent (on his best days!), misogynist, racist, pathological lying (my lord this list could go on...) human being who is nothing like Jesus Christ. I have gone from disappointed with to embarrassed by, to ashamed of, to enraged at the church in America today. A church that seems to be either actively encouraging the anger and violence, to trying to pretend it isn't real thereby placing a bushel over the light of the gospel.
I met you a few years back at a Wild Goose festival just before you began to noticed nationally. After that meeting I said to my wife, "That guy has a voice the church needs!" I was right then and now. Courageous, insightful, honest voices like yours are in desperate short supply. You remind me of Frank Schaeffer (who I was also lucky enough to have met at Wild Goose).
I will continue to do my little part here in Erie PA by preaching and podcasting (BTW - you should come on our pod - we do good work in a part of the country that is considered a battle ground area) and I hope you will continue to do inspiring work nationally.
Stay safe - stay strong - stay beautiful - stay faithful to the gospel that Jesus shared - "Love God, love others, love yourself."
Chuck Cammarata
I’ll work on fighting on tomorrow, but today I’m just gutted by, well, everything.
Me too!😱
Can they actually take Social Security away from the elderly who are currently dependent upon it? If that’s the case then it’s basically murder by starvation and homelessness! I don’t understand how they can stop SS on people who completely depend upon it to live?
Yes, they can. They want to privatize it - make it like our health insurance system, where you have to QUALIFY to get it when you need it. And yes, that means people will die. It's deeply saddening but hardly surprising. These people come from the same side that got Roe v. Wade repealed. And women died as the result. And they don't care.
If those people in congress ever want to get re-elected they will NOT let this happen!
They will simply criminalize the opposition party, remove everyone from the opposition party from political office, replace them with Trump loyalists, and make America a one-party state.
The Dear Leader even said if he wins this election, people will never need to vote again.
Dear Leader indeed. What an AH ! I am sure there must be some buyers regret! The poor idiots that voted for him probably didn’t think he was serious. Of course he knew he wouldn’t be running again because as he said he would be a dictator! So he doesn’t have to worry about whether his voters like him or not anymore. He needs to be IMPEACHED the minute he steps off of the stage. He’s dangerous.
If they are stupid enough to vote for this and wreak this havoc on Elderly Americans their careers are GONE! The cruelty is nearly matched by how the Nazis starved people in death camps! We will all remember who voted for taking Social Security Away and in 2026 these people will have ZERO chance of being Re-Elected! The Republicans are doing the most evil thing to the elderly American People and no one is likely to forget how they want to give this money to the WEALTHY! What do they need this money for? It’s BLOOD money because thousands will die. Trump is incredibly evil.
If bush had been successful in privatizing social security it would be long gone now. I still have hope that some republican legislators will stand up for their constituents instead of their big donors.
Wish in one hand and shit in the other and see which one fills up first.
Do they actually think anyone effected by this hateful action would ever vote for them again? Well of course since Trump is planning to be a Dictator I suppose they don’t expect another election! The TRAITORS should all go to Prison! Trump especially! I thought he was bad but never realized how truly EVIL!
They'll suck SS dry with various "fees" and astronomical salaries. I can't think of one successful (for the voters) privatized government project. They think anything that's good for the voters as the "Nanny State," and have demonized the word "entitlement."
The current GOP doesn't care if voters die. In the case of those they deem "unfit*," they want them to die.
*Elderly, sick, "unapproved lifestyles," etc. Read The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich. It's almost a blueprint for Project 2025.
Couldn't agree more.
I read parts of that years ago that’s how I learned about the Nazi death camps. I have a copy somewhere in my house. I never thought that Americans would ever be stupid enough to fall for a person as evil as Hitler, well I see I was wrong, terribly wrong and in fact there’s an entire political party full of greedy, corrupt politicians who only care about how much money they have in their bank accounts and not one bit about the lives of the people who mistakenly elected them because of their LIES, most especially Trump who is as bad as Putin or even possibly the Fuhrer, I am so disgusted by his selfish, evil plans! He fooled all those people who came to his rallies, he’s going to take everything from them and turn his back on them. He’s no better than any other dictator. He doesn’t deserve the presidency and should be in prison where anyone else would be with his criminal record.
Trump is a monster and just about every Republican is too! They are TRAITORS and traitors belong in prison!
We paid for our SS every working hour. It is not the evil’s to take away. We are also paying for everything the billionaires greedy thugs pretend they own. We pay because we believe in paying back into our country through our taxes…. And yes, we believe in paying back. Why? Because we are secure with the pensions and promises administrations who were led by intelligent and moral leaders put together in moral and smart policies.
If this immoral group of maggots want to live in their own ugliness, let them buy up a country that they can go live in and do each other in!
Revolution or get them out!!!!!
WE can NOT let that happen! He is out numbered!
Yes, of course willing to fight for love and all that comes with it. He won by a slim margin- we need to remember that. Daily grassroots work and stay awake! Thank you John.
The monster’s disease is prevalent throughout America as demonstrated by 71 million voters. His lack of empathy is as contagious as Covid. People are hardened by Trump. Just as he cares only for himself, his followers only care for themselves. The other day I was shopping in a busy big box store - that I rarely enter - to buy gifts I give to our town’s public works staff. (Unfortunately no local store carries the large jars of peanuts in the quantity I need.) Of course, the nuts were on the bottom shelf which required me to kneel on the floor to reach the containers I needed. I am a pretty fit 73 year old but do have a replaced knee so my down and up on the floor was not graceful. Do you think any of no less than 10 people stopped to ask if I was ok and needed help? Just like Trump, the master monster, they had no regard for anyone but themselves.
Totally agree with you Ann! I am also 73 & cannot believe the amount of angry, mean, self-centered people that we see on our roads & in our shopping areas. When we are out & about we've made a bigger effort to engage with others: Eye contact, smiling, lending a helping hand, thanking workers, etc. Fortunately, most people are receptive & friendly, but we have had some glare @ us in a check-out line as we engage w/the checker and person bagging. I enjoy smiling @ their angry face & saying "your turn":) Hubby gets concerned because we live in Texas & they could be a "packing" miserable "maga monster." What we can begin to feel for certain is that the "resistance" side is growing, planning & ready to "fight" for our democracy...We'll see if our representatives will do the same. Peace!
He is Constitutionally prohibited from being president. As Laurence Tribe said:
"It might be good to remember that, as an adjudicated oath-breaking insurrectionist, Mr.Trump is constitutionally disqualified under Sec. 3 of 14th Am from taking the oath as president on 1/20/25 unless 2/3 of both houses lift the disqualification."
https://bsky.app/profile/tribelaw.bsky.social/post/3lbrh5vrdw22a
Let's do something about this! Contact your senators and representatives and demand they bring an amnesty bill re Trump's disqualification.
https://www.usa.gov/elected-officials
Also, we should contact Mitt Romney and tell him what a heroic last act this would be for him. Trump can't constitutionally be sworn in without amnesty, so urge him to please introduce the bill. After all, would 2/3 of this Congress grant amnesty to insurrectionist Trump? Surely not! https://www.romney.senate.gov/contact-senator-romney/
Yes!!!!! Yes!!!! Yes!!!!
Unfortunately, I think the US is now on a path for real violence and bloodshed. I don't want that, but I don't see how we avoid it once desperate, fearful people realize what they voted for. Too many Americans took our democracy for granted. They shrugged and said, "Oh, that won't ever happen here" or "He won't really do that." Once they get everything they voted for, I think things will get really ugly. That's my take.
We will be fighting.
I can remember in the dark ages when Richard Nixon won by a landslide …. And when the Watergate tapes were released and the nation decided that Nixon really was as bad as he was …. I was the only one who was willing to admit that I had voted for him .. and that at the time he was, for me, the better choice. Fortunately I learned from my mistake and this time will not have to confess publicly or in my heart that I voted for the monster.
There were also Nixon Supporters who denied that it was his voice on the tapes. In their world Nixon did not swear. Same as today when Trump supporters do not believe the clear evidence of his words on tape.
He did not win.
America needs an official forensic audit into the US presidential election to save its democracy
https://www.thecanary.co/global/world-analysis/2024/11/19/forensic-audit-us-presidential-election/#google_vignette
I also want to say that it's the pastoral direction people like John Pavlovitz and Nadia Bolz-Weber provide which have kept me from chucking Christianity into the toilet -- and flushing.
More and more, I dislike using the word "Christian" to describe myself, because of the way Christianity has been co-opted by MAGA and the Christian Nationalists. I refuse to have anything to do with MAGA and the Christian Nationalists. I have been using the term "Follower of Christ" or "Episcopalian" (the particular denomination to which I belong) to describe my religious beliefs.
John and Nadia are badly-needed voices of sanity in a VERY insane time.
I’m with you Mark
His two election "wins" sicken me to the core, but this one! I'm not sure at 71 I have enough fight left in me. A father, two brothers and my husband, all Vets. My father is gone and glad he is not seeing this mess. One brother is, well, bigoted enough that he voted for him twice I suspect. We have not spoken during this election season. My husband and other brother are not happy at all with this monster and his minions coming to roost in January. I'm sad for us all, but still can't believe that half this country voted this piece of crap, known by anyone willing to hear him, back in the highest office in this land. I have been political all my life and now find myself just wanting to hide. Too embarrassed to travel internationally, which I love interacting with other cultures. Too angry to even interact with my neighbors at the moment as I know they are still believing these tariffs will make "things even for us and bring jobs back". I just had to walk away from that conversation to avoid having a moment of rage. So, in that respect, I guess I'm not ready to make nice!!
I hope he crashes the economy so all of the knuckle dragggers who voted for him will feel the financial pain.
No because the pain and suffering will, as usual, fall on the least powerful. No when he crashes the economy the MAGA monsters will blame it on Biden and the Democrats and the mainstream press will promote the lie.
For the non trump supporters it is mourning in America.
As goes the American church (many are distinguished by a top-down male-only hierarchy of teaching- "Do what I say, not as I do"-rather than spiritual formation of a community of believers), so goes the culture of "righteousness by exclusion" that is so prevalent across the country. Blind obedience to this type of exclusionary thinking and calling it biblical is an affront to those who are simply looking to be apprentices of Jesus. It's, unfortunately, woven deeply into many churches.