The Felon Will Overplay His Hand … Be Ready

This was shared on Robert Reich’s site but the removal of The Felon's name was done by me:

Friends,

I sometimes share with you perspectives about what we’re up against from non-American writers and journalists. Asli Aydintasbas, a visiting fellow at the Brookings Institution in Washington D.C., and a former journalist, published this short essay recently in Politico Magazine. As we prepare for [the new] regime, I thought you’d find her views useful.

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American democracy is about to undergo a serious stress test. I know how it feels, in part because I lived through the slow and steady march of state capture as a journalist working in Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s Turkey.

Over a decade as a high-profile journalist, I covered Turkey’s descent into illiberalism, having to engage in the daily push and pull with the government. I know how self-censorship starts in small ways but then creeps into operations on a daily basis. I am familiar with the rhythms of the battle to reshape the media, state institutions and the judiciary.

Having lived through it, and having gathered some lessons in hindsight, I believe that there are strategies that can help Democrats and [The Felon] critics not only survive the coming four years, but come out stronger. Here are six of them.

1. Don’t Panic — Autocracy Takes Time

[The] President-elect’s … return to power is unnerving but America will not turn into a dictatorship overnight — or in four years. Even the most determined strongmen face internal hurdles, from the bureaucracy to the media and the courts. It took Erdoğan well over a decade to fully consolidate his power. Hungary’s Viktor Orbán and Poland’s Law and Justice Party needed years to erode democratic norms and fortify their grip on state institutions.

I am not suggesting that the United States is immune to these patterns, but it’s important to remember that its decentralized system of governance—the network of state and local governments—offers enormous resilience. Federal judges serve lifetime appointments, states and governors have specific powers separate from those granted federally, there are local legislatures, and the media has the First Amendment as a shield, reinforced by over a century of legal precedents.

Sure, there are dangers, including by a Supreme Court that might grant great deference to the president. But in the end, [The Felon] really only has two years to try to execute state capture. Legal battles, congressional pushback, market forces, midterm elections in 2026 and internal Republican dissent will slow him down and restrain him. The bottom line is that the U.S. is too decentralized in its governance system for a complete takeover. The Orbanization of America is not an imminent threat.

2. Don’t Disengage — Stay Connected

After a stunning electoral loss like this, there’s a natural impulse to shut off the news, log off social media and withdraw from public life. I’ve seen this with friends in Turkey and Hungary with opposition supporters retreating in disillusionment after Erdogan’s or Orbam’s victories. Understandably, people want to turn inwards.

Dancing, travel, meditation, book clubs—it’s all fine. But eventually, in Poland, Hungary and Turkey, opponents of autocracy have returned to the fight, driven by a belief in the possibility of change. So will Americans.

Nothing is more meaningful than being part of a struggle for democracy. That’s why millions of Turks turned out to the polls and gave the opposition a historic victory in local governments across Turkey earlier this year. That’s how the Poles organized a winning coalition to vote out the conservative Law and Justice Party last year. It can happen here, too.

The answer to political defeat is not to disconnect, but to organize. You can take a couple of days or weeks off, commiserate with friends and mute Elon Musk on X—or erase the app altogether. But in the end, the best way to develop emotional resilience is greater engagement.

3. Don’t Fear the Infighting

 [The Felon]’s victory has understandably triggered infighting inside the Democratic Party and it looks ugly. But fear not. These recriminations and finger-pointing are necessary to move forward. In Turkey, Hungary and Poland, it was only after the opposition parties faced their strategic and ideological misalignment with society that they were able to begin to effectively fight back.

[The Felon] has tapped into the widespread belief that the economic order, labor-capital relations, housing and the immigration system are broken. You may think he is a hypocrite, but there is no doubt that he has convinced a large cross-section of American society that he is actually the agent of change — a spokesman for their interests as opposed to “Democratic elites.” This is exactly what strongmen like Erdoğan and Orban have achieved.

For the Democratic Party to redefine itself as a force for change, and not just as the custodian of the status quo, it needs fundamental shifts in how it relates to working people in the U.S. There is time to do so before the midterms of 2026.

4. Charismatic Leadership Is a Non-Negotiable

One lesson from Turkey and Hungary is clear: You will lose if you don’t find a captivating leader, as was the case in 2023 general elections in Turkey and in 2022 in Hungary. Coalition-building or economic messaging is necessary and good. But it is not enough. You need charisma to mobilize social dissent.

[The Felon] was beatable in this election, but only with a more captivating candidate. For Democrats, the mistake after smartly pushing aside President Joe Biden was bypassing the primaries and handpicking a candidate. Future success for the party will hinge on identifying a candidate who can better connect with voters and channel their aspirations. It should not be too hard in a country of 350 million.

Last year’s elections in Poland and Turkey showcased how incumbents can be defeated (or not defeated, as in general elections in Turkey in 2023) depending on the opposition’s ability to unite around compelling candidates who resonate with voters. Voters seek authenticity and a connection — give it to them.

5. Skip the Protests and Identity Politics

Soon, [The Felon]’s opponents will shake off the doldrums and start organizing an opposition campaign. But how they do it matters. For the longest time in Turkey, the opposition made the mistake of relying too much on holding street demonstrations and promoting secularism, Turkey’s version of identity politics, which speaks to the urban professional and middle class but not beyond. When Erdoğan finally lost his absolute predominance in Turkish politics in 2024, it was largely because of his mismanagement of the economy and the opposition’s growing competence in that area.

[The Felon]’s appeal transcends traditional divides of race, gender and class. He has formed a new Republican coalition and to counteract this. Democrats too, must broaden their tent, even if means trying to appeal to conservatives on some issues. Opposition over the next four years must be strategic and broad-based.

Street protests and calls to defend democracy may be inspirational, but they repel conservatives and suburban America. Any grassroots action must be coupled with a clear, relatable economic message and showcase the leadership potential of Democratic mayors and governors. Identity politics alone won’t do it.

6. Have Hope

Nothing lasts forever and the U.S. is not the only part of the world that faces threats to democracy—and Americans are no different than the French, the Turks or Hungarians when it comes to the appeal of the far right. But in a country with a strong, decentralized system of government and with a long-standing tradition of free speech, the rule of law should be far more resilient than anywhere in the world.

[The Felon]’s return to power certainly poses challenges to U.S. democracy. But he will make mistakes and overplay his hand—at home and abroad. America will survive the next four years if Democrats pick themselves up and start learning from the successes of opponents of autocracy across the globe.

Have faith.

Stay active.

Soldier on.

Resist and …

CAST A GODDAMNED VOTE

The Funny Papers

Gary Huck, Pedro X Molina, Ted Littleford, Clay Bennett, Bill Bramhall, Nick Anderson, Joe Dator, Matt Wuerker, Deb Milbrath, Michael Ramirez, Michael de Adder, Lalo Alcaraz, Dennis Goris,

I Loathe February: Dad

It has been a year since my father passed away and while I mourn that loss, I want to once again share three of my favorite Dad Tales …

When I came out to my family, my father’s first words to me were, “You’re my son and I love you.”

When I decided to move 3000 miles away from family because I’d met Carlos and knew that was where I belonged, he said “Be happy, I love you.”

And when he spoke his last words to me, the night before he passed, he said, “Take care of yourself, I love you.”

That’s all I needed to know.

I Didn't Say It ...

Jim Acosta, longtime CNN anchor, giving his final thoughts after the “news” network opted to move his show to the dead of night:

“You may have seen some reports about me and the show, and after giving all of this some careful consideration and weighing in alternative timeslots CNN offered me, I’ve decided to move on. I am grateful to CNN for the nearly 18 years I’ve spent here doing the news. People often ask me if the highlight of my career at CNN was at the White House covering [The Felon]. Actually, no. That moment came … when I covered former President Barack Obama’s trip to Cuba in 2016 and had the chance to question the dictator there, Raul Castro, about the island’s political prisoners. As the son of a Cuban refugee, I took home this lesson: It is never a good time to bow down to a tyrant. I have always believed it’s the job of the press to hold power to account. I’ve always tried to do that here at CNN, and I plan on doing all of that in the future. One final message. Don’t give in to the lies. Don’t give in to the fear. Hold on to the truth and to hope. Even if you have to get out your phone, record that message. I will not give in to the lies. I will not give in to the fear! Post it on your social media so people can hear from you, too. I’ll have more to say about my plans in the coming days. But until then, I want to thank all of you for tuning in. It has been an honor to be welcomed into your home for all these years. That’s the news. Reporting from Washington, I’m Jim Acosta.”

This is what CNN did to one of its few credible journalists to appease the Nazi in the White House. When the press falls, are we far behind?

Stand up; speak up; resist.

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Caroline Kennedy, to US Senators, calling RFK Jr.  a "predator" who cannot be trusted to serve as Health Secretary.

"Dear senators, throughout the past year people have asked for my thoughts on my cousin Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and his presidential campaign. I did not comment, not only because I was serving in a government position as United States Ambassador to Australia but because I have never wanted to speak publicly about my family members and their challengers. Now that Bobby has been nominated by [The Felon] to be secretary of Health and Human Services, a position that would put him in charge of the health of the American people, I feel an obligation to speak out. I have known Bobby my whole life. We grew up together. It’s no surprise that he keeps birds of prey as pets because he himself is a predator. I watched his younger brothers and cousins follow him down the path of drug addiction. His basement, his garage, his dorm room were always the center of the action where drugs were available and he enjoyed showing off how he put baby chickens and mice in a blender to feed to his hawks. It was often a perverse scene of despair and violence. He’s always been charismatic, able to attract others through the strength of his personality, his willingness to take risks and break the rules. While he may encourage a younger generation to attend AA meetings, Bobby is addicted to attention and power. Bobby preys on the desperation of parents of sick children, vaccinating his own kids while building a following hypocritically discouraging other parents from vaccinating theirs. It also wasn’t easy to remain silent last year when Bobby expropriated my father’s image and distracted President Kennedy’s legacy to advance his own failed presidential campaign and then grovel to Donald Trump for a job. Bobby continues to grandstand off my father’s assassination and that of his own father. It’s incomprehensible to me that someone who is willing to exploit their own painful family tragedies for publicity would be put in charge of America’s life and death situations.”

I had wondered why she didn’t speak up earlier, and now we know, though I hope it’s not too late to keep this dangerously stupid man out of public office.

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Andrzej Stękała, Polish ski jumper, coming out through a moving tribute to his partner of eight years, Damian, who passed away in November.:

"I wondered for a long time if I would ever find the strength to write these words. For years, I lived in the shadow of fear, in hiding, afraid that who I really am could destroy me. Today, however, I don't want to run away anymore. I want you to really know me. I'm gay. For years, I hid it from the world—from you, from the media, and sometimes even from myself. [But Damian] changed my life. He was my mainstay, support, my biggest supporter. Together we shared life, passions, joys and difficult moments. He was everything to me—my home, my heart. We made love in silence, hiding our love from the world to protect what was most important to us. I can't describe the pain that overwhelmed me [when Damian died.] The world we were building together fell to pieces. Every day without him is a struggle, but at the same time a reminder of how infinitely I loved and how much I was loved. I don't want to hide who I am anymore. I am myself—a man who loved and still loves. And I know that he would like me to continue to live in harmony with myself. Until the end of my days, I will carry his name in my heart."

So sad he couldn’t be himself, and show himself to the world, while his love was still alive.

But perhaps he will have a second chance.

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Jamie Raskin, Maryland Democratic Congressman, giving an epic takedown of The Felon's lawless mass pardon of violent January 6th insurrectionists:

"The chairman began by saying that the point here is to restore the rule of law ... restore the rule of law ... Can you even pretend to do that if you stand by and support [The Felon] who on day one—as the chairman of the committee just said—day one of his presidency, pardoned fifteen hundred insurrectionists including hundreds of people who violently assaulted and attacked American police officers? Let's just take one person who is free today, Julian Khater, who had been convicted after having every due process protection, the right to counsel, the right to cross-examine witnesses, the right to introduce evidence, but they had him completely. They knew exactly what happened. Most of this was videotaped so the whole world could see it. Well, Julian Khater repeatedly violently assaulted our officer protecting us in Congress, Officer Brian Sicknick, who then proceeded to have several strokes and died on January the 7th, 2021, the next day. The family of Officer Sicknick is absolutely devastated and demolished by what's just happened. I invite any of my colleagues, including the members new to this committee who maybe weren't here on January 6th and didn't experience the trauma of that violent insurrection when we saw a mob marauding through here yelling 'Hang Mike Pence! Hang Mike Pence!' and looking to assassinate Nancy Pelosi. And now you have the temerity to come forward and say this is about public safety? How much safer are we now with these fifteen hundred criminals at large in Washington D.C. and going out into the country? Are you vouching that these people are not going to be attacking any other police officers? Are you vouching that they're no longer a threat to public safety? What an outrage! What a scandal!"

The truth is that there is no defending Trump's pardons on anything other than purely partisan grounds. He released these criminals because they support him. He doesn't care that they attacked police officers. He doesn't care that they might do it again. All that matters is that they're in his MAGA cult.

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Bowen Yang, out SNL cast member, on auditioning for the show and not being pigeonholed by his identity:

“The fact that there hadn’t been an East Asian person who couldn’t pass as anyone else and be on camera here, that scared the shit out of me. But I think that attitude served me well coming in ‘cause I’m like, ‘I’m never gonna get this, so fuck it. I’m just gonna do what I want.’ I think that’s the right thing to come in here with, just to feel some liberated sense of ‘This is who I am. Take it or leave it, like, literally take it or leave it.’ My point of view will be maybe that of an Asian person or that of a queer person, but also there are just as many things outside of that that have nothing to do with those things. There would be conversations I would have with writers who I felt like were maybe pigeonholing certain things about me, and thankfully that was never met with any toxicity or pushback. It was always, ‘Thank you for telling me. I’m sorry that happened. It won’t happen again.’ What I think has been a nice turning point is being able to joke about those things in a meta way. That’s been the nice 360, full circle thing on it where, after an earned amount of time, I’ve been able to sort of expand that scope a bit.”

It's funny how times change … a decade ago Yang might have been seen only as “the gay one” or “the Asian one,” and yet now he’s seen as one of the funny ones.

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Tim Kaine, Democrat Senator from Virginia, speaking to the Senate about a grifter in the White House:

“The president has no authority to make that offer. There’s no budget line item to pay people who are not showing up for work. This is a guy who made this promise to contractors again and again and again when he was a private business guy. ‘Oh, come work for me on my casino.’ ‘Come work for me in a hotel.’ ‘We’re going to do a handshake. We’re going to do a contract.’ The contractor does the work and then finds out they get stiffed. So my message to federal employees who receive this is, yeah, the president has tried to terrorize you for about a week and then gives you a little sweetheart offer: ‘If you resign in the next week, we’re just going to pay you for doing nothing for the next seven months.’ Don’t be fooled. He’s tricked hundreds of people with that offer. If you accept that offer and resign, he’ll stiff you just like he stiffed the contractors. He doesn’t have any authority to do this. Do not be fooled by this guy. You were here before he was here, and you’ll be here after he was here. Show up for work. Be diligent. Serve Americans every day. Make their life better. Answer their phone call. Give them an answer. Track down their constituent call. Don’t be fooled by a fake offer because he’s terrorized you in the last week, it would be easy to just resign now and get a check for seven months. Because I can tell you, that promise is worth nothing.”

I remember a story of The Felon buying 300 grand pianos for a casino and then refusing to pay the guy who sold him the instruments, The Felon told the guy to sue him and he’d drag him through court for so long that no monetary reward would be enough to pay his legal bills.

Grifter; fucking lying hypocritical traitorous rapist racist grifter.

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Bobservation

Really just a singular Bobservation about the madness that can be me and my thoughts and how Carlos helps save me from myself.

Ooooh, dark, eh?

During Christmas, Carlos suggested a vacation, just the two of us, for some time in January. He said it was for my birthday and “other stuff,” and I knew what that meant.

You see, we’re coming up on a year since my father died and I have had this feeling that I might not live past that date; I said it was dark. I don’t dwell on it, but the fact that so many of my close family have died in February makes my mind go there, so Carlos planned a vacation.

In the last four years or so our “vacations” were just me, or sometimes the two of us, going to Oregon because my father had a health issue and needed help at home; and I was always glad to go and help, but it became a depressing thought … flights, airports, cars were not for fun trips but for family responsibility and that became a drag as much as I wanted to help and was only too happy to help, so Carlos planned a trip.

New York was a first choice because he knows how much I love it but the cold snap, with 30s during the day and below freezing at night kinda put a damper on exploring the city outdoors as we like to do, so he switched gears … Savannah.

All the years we’ve lived here we never visited so he thought a new place would be just the thing, and it was, except while we got a hair over an inch of snow, Savannah got nearly half a foot, so it was cold down there and icy down there and, yeah.

But it was just the trip we ... I ... needed. Just the two of us lounging in the hotel room in early mornings, and then going on walkabouts through the waterfront and down into the Historic District, the City Market, art galleries, coffee shops, hole-in-the-wall pubs and some upscale eateries. We wandered and ate and drank and drank some more, and then ate again, and laughed and talked and just had a good time.

It really was the getaway we both needed, me especially at this time. While I am generally a positive person, I can get dark and very introspective and a little nutty at times and while this trip didn’t change that ... I am still dreading the next few weeks ... it did give me, both of us, a much-needed break.

I joke about Carlos, pick on his eyesight, and his horrid hearing, his forgetfulness, his love of Nerd News, the disasters he leaves in the kitchen … that’s all. I kid; I joke about all of that but there is no one who gets me more and knows what I need and how to make me feel better on those Blue Days that come up, or maybe even the Blue Months. He understands that this first year will be difficult as my mind wanders into the abyss, but I really am very lucky that I found him, and he found me.

Now … that’s all … other than a few photos of Savannah.

Architecture Wednesday: Charles Gwathmey’s Connecticut Barn

Now y’all know I love a good barn conversion and, for me, this one isn’t it because they’ve removed all of the old barn except for the outside structure and turned it into some sort of Seussical barn home.

No offense to architecture Charles Gwathney but it’s not for me.

The home is five bedrooms and eight bathrooms, spread overt four floors and nearly 7,000 square feet of neon walls and once trendy, now outdated fixtures.

The main floor features the Great Room with built-in wall divider that also contains a dining room table; the small, for a home this size kitchen, three bedrooms and two-and-one-half bathrooms and what I have dubbed the Homework Hallway.

The Lower Level has the Family Room, a Guest Room, Laundry, Wine Room, two-and-one-half bathrooms and access to the pool and outdoor areas.

The Not Quite Top floor features the Primary Suite, with private balcony, two full bathrooms, two walk-in closets and a Gym/Study with Fireplace. Finally, up another spiral staircase, and I cannot reiterate how much I loathe a spiral staircase, is another office.

Head all the way down the stairs again to the basement and you c an make your way to the outdoor kitchen, living and dining areas, alongside the pool and the lush grounds—clearly the best part of the property.

The current owners renovated and expanded the home to further Gwathmey's dream adding many striking elements to the multi-level residence including glass block walls, corrugated metal cladding and interior silo encircling a :::gasp::: spiral staircase.

The property was listed at $4.8M and has apparently been sold.

As always click to emBIGGERate ...

Dwell