Winter in the Tree II

Washington, DC: The main Congressional switchboard phone number is (202) 224-3121.

Moon 2026. Come with me.

Washington, DC: The main Congressional switchboard phone number is (202) 224-3121.

Moon 2026. Come with me.

Just found an interesting echo if not a through-line—with which Plato might have agreed: “History is a nightmare from which I am trying to awake” -James Joyce, _Ulysses_ (Episode 2, “Nestor,” Stephen Deadulus speaking)

"As masked agents dragged the woman from her car, wrestled her to the ground and forced handcuffs on her, she yelled, 'I’m a US citizen. Please help me! This is unfair. Why are you doing this to me?' She was wearing scrubs and appeared to be on her way to work." www.miamiherald.com/news/local/i...

Just released. Steven B. Katz. Twenty+ years-in-the-making, the Ulysses of rhetoric: parlorpress.com/products/pla... @drsbk.bsky.social

Here it is, a modern masterpiece by my friend and colleague @drsbk.bsky.social, parlorpress.com/products/pla..., hot off the press.

Yesterday, a Republican tried to give me holy water and Trump perfume because I’m “demonic.” Extremely normal stuff coming from an extremely normal party.

The Supremacist Court in their "shadow docket" helps end American democracy--overrule lower courts on "emergency basis" without reasoning cases of grave national crises and import on a "temporary" basis while the actual cases make their way through normal procedures. But the damage is already done.

Kimmel wasn’t fired for his remarks on Kirk—he was fired for using his platform to expose and critique our government. Enough! We especially need large corporations, with the money and influence they have, to fight back. sign.moveon.org/petitions/ki...

Post 2 Modication For instance (examples are made up), someone might read/write: “Epstein is kryptonite to Trump. He was convicted and committed suicide in prison.” Here the pronoun is a problem.

Post 2 Modification For instance (these examples are made up), someone might read/write: “Epstein is kryptonite to Trump. He was convicted and committed suicide in prison.” Here the pronoun is a problem.

Post 5: Modification My examples are insignificant. But in complex political material, is this inattention to style—in this case the order of ideas and words—simply carelessness, or something more? A craze? A political tactic? Or rhetorical insanity on my part? Words matter; so does word order.

Post 4: Modification This problem is endemic, particularly in the so-called “legacy media”— newspapers, written and reviewed, and television news, much on teleprompters, and thus written. Oral speech is excusable, but not written text, which can be reviewed and revised. It’s driving me nuts!

Post 3 Modification Or: “She was interviewed in prison, talking for two days.” This is a more classical dangling modifier.

Post 2: Modification For instance (examples are made up), someone might read/write: “Epstein is kryptonite to Trump. He was convicted and committed suicide in prison.” Here the pronoun is a problem.

Post 1: Modification Is there some connection between the political situation, esp. re media, and misplaced or ambiguous modifiers

Why does the real goal seem to be to make the US sicker, weaker, and poorer?

English is a dominant language in most of the Western world. Many people in Europe speak English. The USA is moving the other way. But in a better, ideal world, US students and citizens should need to learn Spanish and French… the language if our neighbors

The American version is a little different, but the only upside to the current circumstances is that we can finally understand how this occurs, how it has happened in other countries in the past. We have not learned.

A “slow moving coup” is clearly in the works. Trump is normalizing the police state he is creating in our nation’s capital to prevent Democrats from taking power even if they win the midterms! youtube.com/watch?v=VdPD...

He’s trying to get her killed…

Assuming it still exists in reasonable form, how will history review this period of American and world history?

Judge rules Trump administration can not withhold funding from Harvard An important step (if so many dances) in restoring American democracy 🇺🇸

the two americas

Today’s post is from guest Michael Wood, a patriot and veteran who bled for this country and now wrestles with a question: Will America remain only an idea? His words are raw, honest, and urgent—reminder of what’s at stake in this moment adamkinzinger.substack.com/p/saving-the...

Donald Trump is an aspiring despot intent on destroying American democracy. The people with the power—and the constitutional obligation—to stop him are the Republicans in Congress. Their failure to act is a constitutional crisis and a stain on their legacy that will never be removed.

Mohsen Mahdawi is free!!! 👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏

🚨BREAKING: Full Fourth Circuit DENIES Trump admin motion to stay order blocking Musk/DOGE access to personal data at Social Security Admin. Data will remain out of Musk/ DOGE’s hands. A BIG win for @democracyforward.org and its clients! Follow Democracy Docket for details. www.democracydocket.com

Walz: I do want to give a huge shout out to our Canadian neighbors, they know that this is wrong. They stood up to it

Here's a great little book that everyone (every "person") in the United States should read. constitutioncenter.org/media/files/...

“In contrast to Trump, Americans say they personally sympathize more with Ukraine than Russia by a 56 to 3 margin…” www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...

Since Doge activities involving private data of individuals is illegal, can Elon and Doge can be sued (civilly, for they would be pardoned otherwise)? If so, are any attorneys out there who would be willing and able to bring a class-action suit on behalf of the American people?

Well said!

Donald Trump, hard at work honoring America's veterans by cracking down on waste, like for example the **sterilization of medical instruments** at the VA: www.nbcnews.com/politics/dog...

Reminder: March 7-14

NEW: A foundation dedicated to developing democratic institutions around the world sued the Trump administration Wednesday for withholding $200 million in funding that was approved by congress. www.democracydocket.com/news-alerts/...

Couple of questions about current state of dismal affairs: 1) Is he Trying to run the US into the ground? Revenge on entire population, including his supporters? 2) Is he going to allow Russia to "takeover" the US (cyber, for instance) 3) Is he going to sell the US out to build rivieras and towers?

Just read this graf. Share it with people you know who don’t pay attention to politics or news.

Reminder

This says it all

It is becoming increasingly clear (at least to me) that we are moving (slowly) from whatever this thing we're in now is, to a kind of messy class warfare.

This. Also. @aoc.bsky.social @ericswalwell.bsky.social et al , can you do what ever you guys do in the House to let Musk, Trump and everyone know that the UCFE, which funds unemployment benefits , is in the Dept of Labor. If these funds are cut, the cost will fall on the states.

Musk has wielded the power of an official who would need to be formally appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate, but he hasn’t gone through that constitutionally required process, the states argued. www.democracydocket.com/news-alerts/...