My website is dianeravitch.com. I write about two interconnected topics: education and democracy. I am a historian of education.
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Diane Ravitch's blog 
TODAY ran a piece that included clips from the cut 60 Minutes CECOT piece that aired in Canada.
ttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rIRm7JDnY9Y
Using pull quotes from TV news is generally legal under the doctrine of fair use in U.S. copyright law, provided the use is for purposes such as commentary, criticism, news reporting, or education, and the portion used is brief and attributed.
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Now Trump is going to build a “golden fleet” of “Trump class” battleships for the Navy, the first of which will be called ‘The Defiant’. He’s flexing his big bully muscles and seems to be itching to go to war –as long as he can stay safely at home to nurse his (fake) bone spurs.
But who does he plan to go to war against? Battle ships would be overkill for fighting “drug lords” in fishing boats from Venezuela. And it sounds very expensive –especially for something that’s for show and not really needed –except to feed his ego. I fear there is a bigger war plan that he’s not mentioning yet –like the way Hitler simultaneously built up his military and signed peace pacts with the UK and Russia before he started World War II… OMG https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/u-field-trump-class-warships-224701178.html
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He’s so impulsive and stupid that it’s impossible to figure out what he intends to do. His obsession is renaming everything for himself.
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That naming stuff is the terrible 2 year old in him who wants everything he sees, says “mine” repeatedly and grabs it all, taking ownership without regard to anyone else or how they feel.
That explains his internal drive for expansionism, like his claim yesterday that the “US ‘has to have’ Greenland” (See: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ckgmd132ge4o) It sounds like he plans to attack the native people who live in Greenland, as well as Denmark, in order to get it. Does he know that Greenland is the country which is vastly covered with snow and ice and that it’s Iceland which is the country that’s green? So why does he want it –to give it as a gift to Putin? Doesn’t he realize that Putin only wants it so that he can have easy access to us and then he can take over our country –because he’s got expansionist goals as well? Yes, “stupid” is right on target!
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I can’t say for sure, but I think Greenland has a lot of “rare earth minerals” underneath all that ice. Wanting it is old-fashioned colonialism.
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It’s true that there are rare earth minerals, as well as the possibility of opening a previously frozen ocean transit route as climate change melts the tundra. But don’t lose sight of the ambitions of the techbros to establish one of their Network States, free from governmental interference. Seems impossible, but the billionaires backing Trump don’t inhabit the same reality as the rest of us.
https://www.thenerdreich.com/tech-billionaires-want-to-build-a-network-state-in-greenland/
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Wow.
What was the South American city-state you wrote about?
Or was it Honduras?
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Yes, it was Honduras, where techbros established the city of Próspera, on the island of Roatan, under the corrupt president Juan Orlando Hernández. The current government of Honduras is trying to oust the billionaires. Trump’s flagrant pardon of drug lord Hernández is thought to be tied to those billionaire interests.
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/08/28/magazine/prospera-honduras-crypto.html?unlocked_article_code=1.408.berh.DF1EFaX4tj0c&smid=url-share
Sadly, it was under Hilary Clinton’s watch as Secretary of State that the Hernández coup of Manuel Zelaya occured.
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Denmark is a member of both NATO (since 1949) and the European Union (since 1973), playing an active role in both security and economic integration, making it a key Nordic nation in Western alliances. It is a founding member of NATO and is involved in many international efforts through these organizations, focusing on peace, security, and global challenges.
If Trump and his fascist MAGA KKK regime stays in power long enough to attempt grabbing Greenland by force using the US military, that means the US may end up in a war with NATO and the EU, which includes Canada.
Also, if that happens, I think many if not all of the blue states might break away from Trump and the red states he controls and join Canada, NATO and the EU to fight Trump’s regime.
WWIII
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He said it’s not about natural resources, and that it’s due to the need for national security –as protection from RUSSIA and China! As if we are all as dumb as he is and would fall for that nonsense!!! It sounds like a bad joke… (“Stupid is as stupid does.”
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Turmp revealed his goals when he let us know he wants Canada and Greenland, which are both NATO nations. If he starts a war to take them, he will be going to war against NATO and the EU because Greenland is a Denmark territory and Denmark is a member of both NATIO and the EU.
I think Trump and his extreme right billionaire allies do not want NATO and the EU military alliance to be able to use Canada and Greenland for military staging areas once they start the next World War.
What’s happening in Venezuela, the $40 billion to Argentina, the prison in San Salvadore deal, and Trump’s threats to take back Panama and attack Mexico fit into that plan. Trump and his regime are planning to go to war if needed to dominate all of the Americas and build an empire for the Trump Dynasty to rule over.
“President Trump’s administration has formally articulated a goal to reassert U.S. “preeminence” and “dominance” within the Western Hemisphere, a strategy framed as a modern interpretation of the Monroe Doctrine.
“A primary objective is to counter the influence of “adversarial powers” like China and Russia that have increased their trade, investment, and military presence in the region.
“The administration emphasizes that a secure Western Hemisphere is essential for securing the U.S. homeland.
“The strategy calls for a larger U.S. military presence, including “targeted deployments” and the potential use of lethal force, to combat migration, drug trafficking, and criminal organizations (such as cartels).
“The “Trump Corollary” to the Monroe Doctrine specifically highlights the importance of guaranteeing U.S. access to key hemispheric locations like the Panama Canal and Greenland for national security and economic reasons.
“The overall approach is driven by an “America First” foreign policy that aims to ensure every action makes America “safer, stronger, and more prosperous,” which has led to critiques from allies and foreign policy analysts.”
All while destroying the US alliances with the other NATIO nations and moving closer to Putin’s Russisa.
If the Toxic T stays in power as he plans for the rest of his life long past 2028, I expect the United States will get a name change to TRUMP.
England
France
Poland
Germany
Canada
TRUMP
Russia
Ukraine
Sweden
Finland
Iceland
Mexico
Brazil
et al.
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Important points, Lloyd! We are being led to believe that both Russia and China are our enemies though, and yet our countries have many of the same goals and we are even working towards achieving some of them together. Weird stuff!
Maybe it’s a matter of “Keep your friends close and keep your enemies even closer”? That can be rather confusing though, and those involved are so self-centered that I highly doubt what they are doing is to the world’s advantage…
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I do not believe for one second that Trump and Putin are adversaries. I think whatever Putin wants, he will get from Trump and vise versa, probably because Putin’s got something on Trump (Why else would their relationship look so much like a bro-mance?) See: “Putin nods to Trump plans to seize Greenland” “https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c7432451el7o“
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Of course Putin would approve of Trump seizing Greenland, destroying trust between allies. Serves Putin’s interest in sowing discord.
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Lloyd, Wow, there are so many ways we need to shore up our Constitution, as suggested by all that has been noted here, because the Founding Fathers never envisioned the two party system, let alone where one of them goes rogue and is led by a greedy billionaire class that can never satisfy their desire for more money, land, natural resources and power.
“I think many if not all of the blue states might break away from Trump and the red states he controls and join Canada, NATO and the EU to fight Trump’s regime.”
I live in a blue state and I’d hate to see another Civil War, let alone WWIII, but I would vote to secede from the union and join Canada/the UK in a New York minute if it was possible to do. So I think we need to consider how we can add a legal way for individual states to secede, without having to go to war and physically fight against our own country.
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I researched this and there may be no legal way to leave the union.
Still, without a working US Constitution, I don’t think there would be anything to stop states from leaving. After all, it is the US Constitution many (like me) swore an oath to defend against enemies like Putin and Trump and Trump’s loyalist MAGA KKK hate cult.
If it takes leaving the union, Turmp controls as a dictator, to save the US Constitution from Trump’s autocratic, greed and hate based Project 2025, I think the states that leave would be justified in leaving, taking the US Constitution with them. Then adding amendments to get rid of the Electoral College and strengthen voting rights, the first amendment and correcting the 2nd amendment.
“The U.S. Constitution doesn’t explicitly mention secession, but it implies a perpetual union, forbidding actions necessary for separation (treaties, alliances, etc.) and the Supreme Court ruled in Texas v. White (1869) that states can’t unilaterally leave, calling the Union “indissoluble” except through revolution or consent.
“While the Declaration of Independence speaks of a people’s right to alter government, the Constitution established a more permanent federal structure where secession is generally considered unlawful, with the Civil War settling the matter militarily and legally.”
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From what I have researched, the states that might leave hold about half the population of the current United States.
About one hundred and seventy million people.
If that US stays in NATO, then they’d still led by the US Constitution and would be more than able to defend itself because of Canada with another almost 42 million people. Most of those states also share borders with Canada or are connected to states that do.
Who knows, Mexico might join that United States. Especially after Trump renames the United States he controls as TRUMP.
The following pull quote comes from Gregory Waleed Kavalec on Quora.
In the end, the blue states combined like that would still be able call themselves the United States vs TRUMP, after he renames the red states after himself.
Trump would probably try to start a war over that split, but I don’t think he’d be able to get it off the ground. His billionaire supporters would lose too much wealth if the blue and red states split and ended in a bloody Civil War.
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Lloyd, you wrote: “the Supreme Court ruled in Texas v. White (1869) that states can’t unilaterally leave, calling the Union “indissoluble” except through revolution or consent.”
I looked but couldn’t find the answer to this: Who may provide “consent” for a state to leave the union? SCOTUS or Congress??
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I lost my first reply. WordPress does that all the time. I type very fast and often lose what I type without knowing why it’s happening, which is why I can’t stand WordPress anymore. Before the Block Editor the site was much easier to use.
Anyway, I think the states will decide what that means when the time comes. The Constitutional oath my play a significant role in those decisions.
Just happened to me again. Lost another paragraph.
Trump is dismantling the US Constitution while getting rid of the separation of powers between the three branches. I don’t think the states will need the permission to leave when the separation of powers doesn’t exist anymore and Trump rules through Executive orders for every branch.
The US is already moving in that direction. Recently I read that Trump has ignored about a third of the lower court rulings against him and nothing seems to happen to his regime. If they have to pay a fine, they don’t pay. The taxpayers do. The DOJ, which is not Trump’s Department of Revenge is supported by taxpayers. ICE agents acting like they are working for Hitler are also support by taxpayers.
How that money is supposed to be spent, should be up to Congress, which Trump is also ignoring.
I think the states that keep the US Constitution and support it be breaking up with Trump’s regime will have the support of a vast majority of their citizens.
Trump on the other hand, keeps losing support as he continued to erode the division of powers and implement Project 2025.
If it comes to a violent Civil War to break up with Trump, I think Trump’s loyalist MAGA KKK fascist army will get slaughtered since they will be outnumbered, outspent, and outfought on all fronts.
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Virtually everything pointed out in this thread by people blogging here and by Diane is very possible and, I think, cuts into the meat and the very heart of what’s going on in the world right now!
Of course Trump et al would deny current billionaire and national interests in exploiting natural resources, as well as opportunities to colonize and profit from that without government interference –regardless of how they try to obscure their intentions and actions. Great job everyone! Stay alert because it doesn’t end in Antarctica.
https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/china-condemned-trump-venezuela-blockade-101142469.html
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“Zombie Ship Shows US Targeting Darkest Corner of Oil Fleet” https://www.yahoo.com/news/finance/news/zombie-ship-shows-trump-targeting-071930230.html
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Whatever they can get away with in the Arctic, they”re going to try elsewhere as well, regardless of environmental protections, since exploiting natural resources for free $$$ and colonial powers are their primary objectives –and they’ve already been trying. See: Antarctica: What’s the big deal over resource exploitation?: https://www.dw.com/en/antarctica-whats-the-big-deal-over-resource-exploitation/a-67131242
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As Llyod mentioned, the people running our government, in this Administration as well as other government workers such as the military, took an oath and swore to uphold the Constitution. The president swore to “preserve, protect and defend” it, however, as a dictator-wannabe. he and his posse have been allowed to ride roughshod over the separation of powers and other important aspects of our Constitution –and it’s those very things that distinguish our nation as a democratic republic. But that is being torn asunder now, so it sounds like if states want to secede from the union, not having a Constitution in force anymore might be a justifiable reason for doing so, but then again, maybe not.
Probably most Americans don’t want to see blood shed and lives lost over this, so I think there has got to be a better way than revolution to resolve this issue, such as the 2026 vote. If Trump does not let it occur, that will be because he does not want to lose control of either house in Congress, as typically occurs after the election of a president, especially since he currently controls both houses. Then that will be another matter, so I think we should wait to see how this plays out.
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Meanwhile, we need to do what we can to make sure that citizens are able to and do vote in 2026.
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See this: https://substack.com/@borowitzreport/note/c-192037004
Rendition of a renamed battleship consistent with the current zeitgeist, but including a fitting twist from Andy Borowitz.
So who is going to pay for all the self-flattering glitz, when taxes for the poor billionaires (who just can’t get enough money) are being cut? YOU are, my friends!
And meanwhile, people like me, who get poverty level Social Security Retirement Income, just got a cut in SNAP benefits because of the annual Cost of Living Adjustment that comes each January. This has happened to me every year, but makes absolutely no sense, especially in this economy when the cost of groceries remain high. Gotta hope voters remember it all come November…
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“Donald Trump‘s proposed “Trump-class” battleships would be large surface combatants, displacing 30,000 to 40,000 tons, up to 880 feet long, making them bigger than current U.S. destroyers but smaller than historical Iowa-class battleships, yet equipped with advanced weapons like hypersonic missiles, railguns, and lasers. While described as the largest surface combatants since WWII, they’re smaller than older battleships but aim to be far more powerful, featuring nuclear-armed cruise missiles, and potentially 20-25 ships built, according to recent announcements in late 2025.”
Considering how long it takes to build ships like these, they may never be completed or even launched during what’s left of Trump’s life, and even if they are completed, I suspect there will be a name change, with Trump’s name deleted just like it will vanish from the Kennedy Center.
Construction on the new “Trump-class” battleships is projected to begin in the early 2030s, with estimates suggesting the first ship could be commissioned in the early to mid-2030s, taking around a decade from design to completion due to the novelty, scale, and complexity, despite promises of faster timelines (around 2.5 years) made by President Trump. The lengthy process involves years of design, systems engineering, and then several years for construction, far exceeding the 30-month figure mentioned, as even smaller destroyers take years to build.
If Trump rushes the launch dates to get them built before 2028, they will not function and will probably sink the same day they are launched.
It think it is guaranteed that the cost overruns and fraud will be enormous, all with Trump’s blessing.
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Lloyd,
I look forward to the day when Trump’s name is deleted from every place he has attached it. Maybe his grand gilded ballroom will be torn down and the East Wing will be restored.
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BTW, my monthly SNAP benefit now amounts to $4.74 per day for food. Do the billionaires who believe that people like me (retired indigent seniors) shouldn’t be getting SNAP (at all) think THEY could ever live on that? People can’t even buy a sandwich for that in my neck of the woods!
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I don’t want to bash all billionaires, but for sure, those that support the Toxic T. don’t think about the working class in terms of being human, or care if they have a place to live, medical care, or food.
They see the other 99% as tools (as numbers without names) to father their power and wealth.
Those billionaires, like the Toxic T, only care about themselves, their mansions, private jets and yachts, their power to control the lives of the working class, and that their wealth keeps growing no matter what happens to the middle class and people living in poverty.
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Well, a lot of those billionaires, like Jeff Bezos, can thank people like me for a huge amount of their online food sales. That’s because when the Pandemic was raging and we were all stuck at home, NO companies had permission to sell food to SNAP recipients online, so a very large number of us had no way to buy groceries! I immediately contacted both federal and state representatives and begged them to approve online SNAP sales –and they did do it! Amazon was the first to be given permission and gradually other places were approved as well, such as grocers I buy from through Instacart.
So: “You’re welcome, billionaires! I bet you didn’t think there were any highly educated, intelligent problem-solvers who depend on SNAP!” (I signed my notes to all the government representatives I contacted with my professor title and real name so they would take me seriously and get right on it –which they did do and they let me know it in their replies to me!)
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It never occurred to me before that someone had to be uneducated to apply to SNAP, so curious I just asked Google and here’s the reply.
“While exact recent figures vary, around 1.1 million college students relied on SNAP (food stamps) nationally as of late 2025, with data suggesting millions more are eligible but don’t receive it, showing a significant portion of higher-ed students facing food insecurity, despite many having some college education or degrees. Recent data from 2020 found 3.8 million college students experienced food insecurity, with significant percentages of those with higher education levels (like some college or even Bachelor’s degrees) also participating in the program.”
A college education doesn’t come with a guarantee that when they retire or have to stop working due to health issues, they will automatically have a living retirement wage.
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Lloyd, Your last paragraph is exactly right!!!
I didn’t just have a bachelor’s degree though, I earned an associates, masters and doctorate, too, and I spent the last 25 years of my career training people to get all of those degrees at several different colleges.
Also, eligibility for SNAP is based on income, not educational level, but I don’t think a lot of people know how underpaid teachers are when they’ve never had an opportunity to belong to a union (like me –for all 52 years of my teaching career!)
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I should warn people what happens when I’m triggered. What follows is the result.
For sure, “a lot of people (do not) know how underpaid teachers are when they’ve never had an opportunity to belong to a union (like me –for all 52 years of my teaching career!)”
Labor unions make a big difference when they have teeth, but they are dying.
The psychopaths who happen to be billionaires, just like Trump, hate anyone, who dares to challenge their power and threaten the unlimited, never ending growth of their bloated wealth, which explains why Jesus Christ said this about the wealthy:
Matthew 19:23-26 American Standard Version (ASV) And Jesus said unto his disciples, Verily I say unto you, It is hard for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of heaven. And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through a needle’s eye, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.
The Bible has a lot to say about the super greedy like Trump and his billionaire allies.
“The Bible presents a nuanced view of rich people, acknowledging that wealth isn’t inherently evil and God blesses some, like Abraham and Job, but warns sternly that riches often lead to pride, idolatry (loving money over God), and spiritual danger, making it difficult for the wealthy to enter heaven (Matthew 19:23-24). Key themes include using wealth for good, being generous, avoiding arrogance, trusting God instead of riches, and serving God rather than money, with scriptures emphasizing stewardship and warning the rich to care for the poor.”
What about the Quran?
“The Quran teaches that wealth is a trial from God, a blessing to be used for good, not a sign of His favor; the wealthy are expected to be grateful by spending in His path (charity, helping relatives/poor) and avoiding greed, extravagance, and hoarding, as it can lead to arrogance and distraction from faith, with true richness being contentment in the heart and good deeds.”
Buddhism?
“Buddhism views wealth neutrally, seeing it as a tool that can either foster suffering through greed or bring happiness when used wisely and ethically, emphasizing that true wealth lies in spiritual qualities like faith, virtue, generosity, and wisdom. Wealthy individuals are encouraged to acquire it honorably, use it to support themselves, their families, and the less fortunate (monks, the poor), and avoid attachment, greed, or misuse, understanding its limitations and focusing on spiritual growth.”
Confucius?
“Confucius taught that wealth and honor are desirable only if obtained through virtuous means; gaining them in an unjust or corrupt society is a disgrace, as true honor comes from integrity, not riches. He believed wealth gained improperly is fleeting, like “floating clouds,” and true fulfillment comes from living according to the Dao (the Way), even in poverty, like his devoted disciple Yan Hui. For Confucius, moral character and right conduct were paramount, not material gain.”
Daoism?
Daoism views great wealth with caution, not inherently evil, but warns against the attachment, greed, and ego it fosters, which lead away from the natural flow of the Tao (the Way) and true inner richness found in contentment, simplicity, and generosity. The focus shifts from possessing things to possessing peace of heart; the wealthy should use their resources to benefit others without attachment, acting with humility and moderation to avoid corruption and societal imbalance, seeing true wealth as inner well-being, not accumulation.
Since Christianity didn’t exist as an organized religion until a few centuries after Jesus Christ’s death, and the fact that Jesus was a Jew from birth to death, what he said reflects the Old Testament.
Jesus explicitly stated in Matthew 5:17, “Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets; I have come not to abolish them but to fulfill them,” indicating his teaching was meant to complete, not contradict, Old Testament law, though he often deepened its meaning and revealed its true spiritual intent, even while upholding its authority until “heaven and earth pass away”.
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Thanks, Lloyd, for all the detailed info about different religious perspectives on greed etc. –a lot of which I did not know! Jews are supposed to give a tithe of their income (among other things) as mercy, especially to those who are unfortunate.
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When I entered the workforce in the late 60s and early 70s, I saw how lots of union jobs with pensions were disappearing in America. I went to Europe a few times then and was amazed that they had flourished over there so much that, in England, seniors were called “pensioners.” They are still called that there, but the number of union jobs have since declined over there as well.
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Very funny, ECE!
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Lloyd, FYI, I just asked the Search Assistant (AI) in Duck Duck Go, “What are the educational levels of people on SNAP?” and it gave the following reply:
Many participants in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) have varying educational backgrounds, with a significant number being adults without education beyond high school. However, data shows that about 1 in 7 recipients are college graduates, indicating that individuals with some form of post secondary education also rely on SNAP benefits.
nasfaa.org Wikipedia Educational Levels of SNAP Participants
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) serves a diverse group of individuals with varying educational backgrounds. Here’s a breakdown of the educational levels among SNAP participants:
General Educational Attainment
Educational Level Percentage of Participants
High School Graduates Majority of participants
Some College Experience Significant portion
College Graduates About 1 in 7 recipients
Less than High School Not specified
Key Insights
This data highlights the broad socioeconomic range of individuals who depend on SNAP, reflecting the program’s role in supporting those facing food insecurity, regardless of their educational background.
Wikipedia nasfaa.org
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Impressive details. Duck Duck Go! I’ve used them before. I may start using them more often. Thanks for sharing.
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Sorry, Lloyd, I see now that the formatting in my above post got lost after I clicked the Reply button here, but two key points are that:
1 in 7 (or 14% of) people who get SNAP completed their bachelor’s degree. (It didn’t say anything about people who have earned graduate degrees –either masters or doctorates.)
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Still, it proves that SNAP is meant for everyone who qualifies, regardless of education level.
“The average SNAP participant receives around $188-$192 in monthly food assistance, though this varies by household size, income, and location, with higher amounts for families and seniors; benefits are calculated to supplement, not replace, income, meaning higher earnings generally lead to lower SNAP amounts, but deductions for expenses like rent or medical costs can increase benefits.”
So, Trump and his billionaire butt buddies, who are all psychopaths, like Trump, resent even this small sum, which isn’t enough to eat all month, going to someone who needs it if that money could help increase their wealth and power.
“The average cost to feed one person for a month in the U.S. varies, but generally falls between $300 and $500+, depending heavily on budget (Thrifty to Liberal), location, and eating habits, with USDA data suggesting around $392-$465 for moderate home-cooked diets and broader figures including dining out reaching $572 or more. For a thrifty approach (mostly cooking at home), expect closer to $300-$375, while a moderate plan might be $400-$500, and liberal/dining out can push costs much higher, notes Instacart, Ramsey Solutions, and the USDA, via {Link: PocketGuard, SoFi, and Move.org, respectively.” I’m still using Google. I want to try Duck Duck Go.
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I get $147 per month in Snap –which does not go very far (and even though my income is considered to be below the poverty level.)
Also, in Reform Judaism, as I was raised, we believe very strongly that we are responsible for Tikum Olam –which means healing the world, including ameliorating the human condition.
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cx: s/b Tikun not Tikum.
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I tend to agree with Bernie Sanders’s view that good actions by Trump should be acknowledged, while bad ones should be firmly opposed. Trump’s proposal to stop corporations from buying single-family homes addresses a real problem and is worth supporting in principle. That said, as always, the devil is in the details.
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Just saw this story. https://edsource.org/2026/state-superintendent-governor-shift/748516?fbclid=IwY2xjawPNN8pleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEe9FXUrzXeolGEmM7-i5MA8kRaODqTmZTv0BL2XQ0_o8auK14aXwk_Tjd7GWg_aem_iNRA0KLKW-TNcmkWredbnQ
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Be sure to see this: “Fearing Midterm Loss, Trump Once Again Says ‘We Shouldn’t Even Have an Election’” located here: https://www.commondreams.org/news/trump-says-cancel-2026-election
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I just watched a video of an interview with Jake Lang — the guy who gave the Nazi salute in Minneapolis. In the video, Lang tells Nick Shirley that his mother is Jewish and confirms that photos of him in Jerusalem, wearing a yarmulke and kissing the Wailing Wall with his family, are real.
Very strange!
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Jake Lang is either crazy or a liar.
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Here’s the video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-yA0LJ9PAc&t=381s
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That kind of intense hatred towards people of another religion leads right back to their dear sick leader, who doesn’t have so much as an ounce of heart to be able to encourage people to try to get along with those who differ from them. So disgusting. As long as he looks the other way, he is encouraging intolerance and disrespect. And that is one more reason why he will never win the Nobel Peace Prize.
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A Black man shielded Jake Lang from counter protestors in MN and two Black women, one of them a transwoman, gave him a ride away from City Hall. Good people!
https://www.startribune.com/man-reveals-why-he-rescued-right-wing-influencer-jake-lang-from-mob-outside-minneapolis-city-hall/601566873
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The following info should be spread widely amongst working class MAGATS and any independents who are living under the delusion that the GOP and their leader want to help regular people who are struggling in this economy, since they plan to slash taxes even more on the richest 1%: “Top 15 US Billionaires Gained Nearly $1 Trillion in Wealth in Trump’s First Year”
https://truthout.org/articles/top-15-us-billionaires-gained-nearly-1-trillion-in-wealth-in-trumps-first-year/
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Lloyd, I have been losing paragraphs on this blog a lot, too, which I know is incredibly frustrating. So, I wanted to let you know that the work-around I’ve found for that issue is to always copy what I’ve written before I submit my posts. Then, if it gets lost again, I can just paste it and try again. I wanted to suggest that to you just in case that problem is the reason why I haven’t been seeing posts from you lately. (You are missed!)
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Nice to know it’s not just me, ECE!
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Thank you for the tip. I’ve been moving in that direction and am in the process of programing myself to remember that step.
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Good to see you here again and glad I could help! (Rest assured, after awhile, remembering to copy does become routine.)
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2025 was a really “terrible, horrible, no good, very bad” year economically for a lot of Americans. Here’s the info: “State-by-State Cost Data: Families Spent Over $1600 More in 2025 Due to Inflation Under Trump.” https://www.jec.senate.gov/public/_cache/files/c5ca6804-f0a0-427d-b163-567a42484942/jec-state-inflation-costs-fact-sheet.pdf
It was even worse for some of us. For example, My rent increased $70 per month, which comes to $840 per year, but I don’t see even one state listed which comes anywhere near that high as the average increase for housing (and my rent does not include heat or central AC –both of which I pay separately myself and are each hundreds of dollars!) This month, I got a Cost of Living Allowance (COLA) on my Social Security Retirement Income, which was only $35 per month, but because of that increase, they cut my SNAP benefits! And the cost of groceries are very high around here…
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BTW, I have dyscalculia and numbers don’t usually stick in my head, but I’m 73, have been paying rent for all my adult life and I recall when, if I got a rent increase, (which didn’t happen every year) it was like just $5 or $10 per month –and $25 was considered to be high. I’ve lived in this place for 6 years and I think a $70 rent increase is outrageous –and unsustainable in this economy– thanks to DJT and his fellow price gouging landlords!!!
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And I think that making a lord of the land President was bound to come back and smack tenants in the face, so thanks a lot thoughtless MAGAT voters for promoting him to king –TWICE!!
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My former school district is being sued for discriminating against whites.
https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2026-01-20/lausd-help-for-non-white-students-hurts-white-students-suit-alleges?fbclid=IwY2xjawPe-SFleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBicmlkETFtTFptVDQ0ZmR1dXJ4U04yc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHnOgKeDocYIw_CJKdR4rpHdqFQeGI5r9w7Eg8xzbxBYYFRK6sRwY41omAlIE_aem_zm4LrhhrUqNEfWI7X8RKxA
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I just posted this in LinkedIn…
A Case for the Public Schools
Why Are We Doing This?
I have been writing posts advocating for the public schools on LinkedIn for years now. I not only believe in the institution but have good evidence that our country will not survive without well-funded community schools.
As bad as the conditions are in Minnesota today, this is a culmination of an economic, media driven, and ideological enterprise that has brought us here. The reality in our communities over the past four decades have left many in our electorate grasping for something to make their circumstances better while those with power and wealth have acted in self-interest.
Yes, there are forces in this country that want to end the public schools. They take this position for many reasons. In the guise of libertarianism or conservatism they seem to believe that everyone gets what they deserve through their action or inaction. Therefore, it should be up to “good and industrious” citizens to educate and prepare their progeny for adulthood. Tough luck to those who do not. The existence of generational poverty is a direct challenge to this perspective.
The Founders coming out of the Enlightenment, which was a good thing by the way, knew that the success of our revolutionary republic required an educated populous that could form “a more perfect union, provide for the common defence, and promote the GENERAL welfare.” They believed that we could not reach our potential as a nation if we did not invest in common schools.
In my lifetime we have experienced Vietnam, Watergate, neoliberalism, drug fueled crime in the eighties and nineties, high stakes testing,(Yes, it has been that significant), Nine/ eleven, forever wars, a Great Recession, the Tea Party, Occupy Wallstreet, social media run amok, January 6th, and now our government shooting boats out of the water and citizens on the streets.
Meanwhile, we have gradually defunded public education, funded private schools through vouchers, and given money carte Blanche to charter interests. We have misrepresented reading proficiency and math for academic rigor and declared public schools a failure because we refuse to put appropriate funding in underprivileged communities believing they get what they deserve.
Public education is a necessary adhesion to keep varied interests pursuing happiness. Such a goal cannot be attained without an understanding that we are dependent on one another to achieve such ends.
Yes, our government is terribly inefficient and misguided now. We will struggle to regain any form of equilibrium, thus a threat to our country, if we do not invest in our children by funding their education from the womb. The reality that we continue to educate the few at the expense of the many puts our future in doubt.
Anyone that thinks we benefit from killing one another shows little regard for the good of all.
©Paul Bonner
Paulabonnerwrites.com
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Why are “THEY” doing this?
Not why we are …
https://www.nea.org/nea-today/all-news-articles/who-behind-attacks-educators-and-public-schools
https://edpolitics.org/the-rights-long-game-to-end-public-education
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I consider myself a progressive and, with no options, a Democrat. I guess the “we” is that I have to find a more effective and forceful way to engage. I refuse to be run over.
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I may interpret what “forceful” means differently than most. For me it means what I think Jefferson meant…
https://www.monticello.org/encyclopedia/tree-liberty-quotation
The blood shed in the MAGA-ICE Murders in Minnesota won’t be enough until the Toxic T’s MAGA KKK hate cult and regime bleeds a lot more than “us”.
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“A kite to keep the hen yard in order.” The Democrats need to enlist such a raptor.
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There is nor shortage of registered Democrat who are “raptors.”
Joining the military and being sent to fight in a war is not exclusive to Republicans.
“Studies, including data from Pew Research Center, indicate that 63% of veteran voters lean Republican, compared to 35% for Democrats.”
Still, The Military Times annual polls during Trump 1.0. showed that the Toxic T. never had a majority of active duty troops support him, and 70% of officers didn’t.
The Marines had the highest ratio of troops who supported Trump, which still didn’t break 50% (not counting the officers who, even in the Marines, were 70% against.
The Air Force had the smallest level of support.
The Military Times conducts an annual poll.
I can’t find that poll for 2025. Maybe the Toxic T’s regime blocked it.
But I did find this from another site, not the Military Times, which may be a controlled puff piece. I didn’t do a close reading but a scan made me suspicious.
https://www.military.com/daily-news/2025/12/27/praise-and-concern-military-veterans-get-candid-trump-pentagon.html
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I wonder if the momentum shifts from Trump since he declares and insurrection. There may be military who are appalled by all of this, but Republicans seem unwilling to challenge Trump. The Dems need to get unified and aggressive.
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Adam Kinzinger is a Republican who speaks out against Trump almost daily. I follow him.
Adam Kinzinger
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Here’s what I suspect is happening in the military.
The Toxic T’s stooge running the DOD is creating (hidden from the media and public) MAGA military units loyal to the mastermind behind the failed violent bloody coup attempt on January 6, 2021, with handpicked troops and officers who will also murder innocent people like some ICE agents are doing for the fascist MAGA KKK hate cult and regime.
Those are the active duty militia units the convicted rapist, fraud and felon’s regime will send when (not if) he invokes the Insurrection Act and invade a blue state or city.
Even if Congress acts to stop those MAGA thugs in uniform from spreading chaos, wreck and ruin in blue states and cities, it takes time and with the courts it takes even longer.
By then the damage will be done.
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Well, I may be right and wrong. I changed the question and got this from earlier this month. Maybe the Military Times was blocked from the active duty annual military poll but published one about what all American’s think.
https://www.militarytimes.com/news/pentagon-congress/2026/01/14/what-americans-think-about-trumps-military-intervention-abroad-poll/
“Military Times has maintained dedicated, full-time correspondents at the Pentagon to cover defense policies and leadership. Recent and past Pentagon bureau chiefs and correspondents for Military Times include Meghann Myers and Andrew Tilghman. Other reporters, such as Tara Copp, previously served as the Pentagon Bureau Chief for the publication.”
The Military Times correspondents may have walked out with the rest, which means they may not have anyone covering the pentagon on site anymore.
“On October 15, 2025, approximately 40 to 50 journalists, representing major outlets like The Associated Press, The New York Times, and Fox News, walked out of the Pentagon after refusing to accept new, restrictive media policies imposed by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. This collective walkout was a protest against requirements that restricted reporting to only approved information. “
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Recently (in mid December) the GOP Congress and their self-appointed (soon to be) King of the World (via his supposed “Board of Peace”) gave $1776 checks to US Veterans, ostensibly in honor of our country’s upcoming 250 year anniversary. That was a bit premature though, so really, I think, it was done to buy their ratings (and future votes), since he keeps up with the polls daily and he’s been behind but can’t stand it when he’s losing…
So did all Vets get that check, including those here? And what do people think are the chances of him doing the same thing for ALL US citizens this summer, to honor July 4th 1776 at a more appropriate time, in 2026 –much like he did during COVID?
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Weren’t those $1,776 checks only for active duty military, not inactive veterans? I read a piece about that meager bribe and what that amount could buy.
Most of the active duty troops are not that stupid. The Toxic T increases his fortune by more than a billion in 2025 and the orange diarrhea of the mouth sends them that paltry sum which might feed an average family for half a month or pay the winter heating bill for a month or two.
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IDK, but I thought the checks were for VETS and that VET means your were in the service previously, not currently. But I can see him honoring just people who are serving now for his own purposes, such as to tap into them for his killing machine…
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The mastermind behind the January 6, 2021, failed violent bloody coop attempt doesn’t think ahead. He lives in the moment and lets his malignant emotions decide just about everything for him, which is why he handpicks people who support him without question in his regime to do the long range planning, which most of them are not good at either.
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If you get a check from Trump, you will be paying for it, not him.
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They also may have to pay income tax on that money the tax payers paid for, eventually.
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The COVID checks were not taxed.
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In honor of Holocaust Remembrance Day today, January 27, 2026, I want to wish peace and love to all here who highly value having a heart and empathy, and who truly care about not repeating the horrific antisemitism, hatred and murder of 6 million Jews, as well as others who experienced such atrocities, such as the Roma, Slavs, homosexuals, the disabled, etc.
This means my hat is off to those who value people that are different from them, including folks with black and brown skin, Muslims, Catholics, Asians etc., because All human beings who honestly have compassion for others and aim to do the right thing deserve to be honored –as opposed to the haters and killers who love only themselves, power and money that the fascist administration promotes and supports…
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“To soften the blow of his insults” at Davos, the malignant narcissist “reminded his audience: “I am derived from Scotland and Germany – 100% Scotland, my mother, 100% German, my father – and we believe deeply in the bonds we share with Europe and I want to see it do great.” See: https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/trump-launches-fresh-attack-on-european-losers_uk_6970dbb7e4b084d7018307d8
Funny he didn’t mention that 2 of his 3 wives were Slavs and 4 of his 5 children are 1/2 Slav –which Hitler saw as being “subhuman” and targeted during World War II…
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Also, per the article cited above, was another HUGE lie from the malignant narcissist when “He said China sells windmills to the “stupid people” but they don’t use them themselves.” See: “Trump falsely claims China does not produce wind energy”
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/trump-falsely-claims-china-does-not-produce-wind-energy/ar-AA1UdlL0
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Look under the Toxic T’s hood, everything in there is built on lies and cheating. Don’t believe anything the convicted rapist, fraud and felon says. It’s all BS!
The grandfather on his father’s side built the family fortune on prostitution and gambling during the Alaskan gold rush. He owned a saloon that made money off all the prospectors flooding into Alaska. With that money, he started buying property in New York, which his father inherited and grew larger.
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Thanks for all the info, Lloyd! I never heard anything about that before now!! Wow! So the shady family dealings go a long way back… We should not be surprised!!!
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After the orange constipation of the brain came down that escalator, I decide to find who he was by focusing on his life before 2015. Before the 2016 election, I knew if he won, the US was in serious trouble and nothing he’s does surprises me. I think he’s more t he capable of starting WWIII and not losing sleep if he killed of most of the human race and live on earth as we know it.
If the devil walks among us, it’s him.
What baffled me was how he kept getting away with all the unconstitutional, illegal BS he’s pulled off and keeps getting away with. It’s no secret.
The convicted rapist, fraud and felon is a walking talking crime Tsunami.
He should be in prison. Not in the White House.
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Yes, Lloyd, talk about needing to “speak truth to power…”
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And the grift just keeps carrying on. See: “Senator demands answers after Trump accepted Rolex and gold bar before slashing tariffs on Switzerland”
https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/senator-demands-answers-trump-accepted-180742735.html
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Another violation of the Emoluments clause of the Constitution.
No one cares.
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And, tragically for the rest of us, as long as “no one cares” enough to hold him accountable, he’ll just keep ignoring the Constitution at every turn, and he will continue to personally profit from doing so Big Time, since he adheres to the creed, “give me an inch and I will take a mile”…
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It isn’t as if no one cares.
If the Republicans didn’t hold the majority of seats in both houses of congress and six conservative votes in the U.S. Supreme Court, the convicted rapist, fraud and felon wouldn’t be where he is now. He would have fled the country to live out his life in Russia or be in prison.
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You’re right, Lloyd. It’s that no with power cares, because they are MAGATs who prefer to personally have all power themselves –and a lot more than they want to maintain a Constitutional Democractic Republic that serves and protects every citizen.
Its just so sad to have to be celebrating our nation’s upcoming 250 year anniversary when it’s demise is actually impending, because of those self-centered people and their leaders who don’t give a hoot about about anyone else…
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There is a possibility, the US will survive with fewer states. We started with 13. I have no complaints dropping back to about 25.
About half the states will be renamed TRUMP and the rest may stay United States with a similar Constitution, which also stays in NATO; hopefully without the Electrical College and immunity for thugs like the Toxic T.
The convicted rapist, fraud and felon will move his capital to Florida, and maybe what’s left of the United States will keep DC.
The country of Trump will soon become a shit-hole country.
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Lloyd,
Either prospect sounds good. Instead, he will be rolling in dough, enjoying his mob boss tactics.
Do you think Scott Bessent will deny his demand for $10 billion?
How could he suffer reputational damage when he has such a bad reputation?
D
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His MAGA KKK hate cult loyalists know about his reputation and don’t care. I read that they like his lies. From what I read in Quora, there are a lot more people who can’t stand the toxic turd.
Do you mean the $10 billion the convicted rapist, fraud, and felon is suing the BBC for?
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Lloyd,
I was referring to the $10 billion he is suing the IRS and Treasury Dept for, because a contractor had released the fact that he paid almost no taxes in 2026 and 2017.
Will Scott Bessent fight him in court?
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The alleged pedophile, convicted rapist, fraud, felon, and the mastermind behind the failed, violent, bloody coup attempt in Washington DC on January 6,2021, Donald (the porn star’s) John Trump appointed Scott Bassent to lead the Treasury Department and temporarily oversea the IRS.
That’s why I do not think Bassent will fight the lifelong cheater and Gish Gallop master of lies.
The dictator lover and family crime lord also filed in a Florida federal court in late January 2026, this suit is being brought by Trump as a private citizen. I have no doubts, that the toxic orange turd handpicked the judge.
Still, the suit may face hurdles, including the two-year statute of limitations for such disclosures, although the plaintiffs claim they only learned of the specific breach later.
I failed to find out if someone else can fight Trump in court of that $10 billinop claiml.
The good new is that the BBC is going to fight leader of the MAGA KKK hate cult’s $10 billion dollar suit against them.
https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/international/global-trends/bbc-seeks-to-have-trumps-10-billion-lawsuit-dismissed/articleshow/126501814.cms?from=mdr
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Lloyd, I think Diane is referring to the billions he and his sons are suing the IRS for because they leaked to the NY Times that the Trumps paid only $750 in taxes for 2016 and 2017. See: https://dianeravitch.net/2026/01/30/trump-and-his-sons-sue-irs-treasury-for-10-billion-for-leak-about-his-taxes/
(If it means holding on to our democracy, I could live with having fewer states, too.)
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I don’t’ think I heard that one. How many federal agencies has the convicted rapist, fraud and felon sued, now that he controls them?
The sadistic malignant narcissistic socio-psychopaths is a glutted grifter on Diet Coke and Chicken Wings.
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I don’t’ think I heard that one. How many federal agencies has the convicted rapist, fraud and felon sued, now that he controls them?
The sadistic malignant narcissistic socio-psychopaths is a glutted grifter on Diet Coke and Chicken Wings.
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Thanks, ECE!
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Border issues could be a nightmare though. I don’t know that much about the Parliamentary system, but maybe joining Canada and the UK would work best.
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I wouldn’t mind becoming The Blue States of America (or Canada) but I don’t know how it could be done without having another Civil War…
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Maybe we could dissolve the union and each state could choose the nation they want to be part of. I like Finland.
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Dissolving the union is a very compelling notion, as is letting each state choose the country they want to join. (If we are thinking broadly, then I like Finland as well!) But unfortunately, I can’t imagine the self-appointed King of the World giving up any states without a huge fight.
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You’d think a guy so hell-bent on winning the Nobel Peace Prize would realize that the way national leaders treat their own citizens and what they do to unite people from diverse groups within their countries are just as important as settling wars between other countries –if not more so (“charity begins at home”).
No nation’s divisive dictator has ever won the Peace prize and none ever will. That’s because model leaders who’ve deserved to win the award were able to show compassion and respect for the rights of all kinds of people, not just for those who are in groups that happen to be their personal favorites (like the super rich, those in red states, just people who voted for him, etc.)
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There may be a way to avoid Trump using force to keep those states under his control.
The states that leave claim they represent the real United States and are leaving the union to preserve the U.S. Constitution and the U.S. alliance with NATO and continue to honor the agreements the (real) United States made to fight climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Trump will claim he leads the United States.
The states that split from Trump’s leaders claim the are the real United States.
I think Canada and the EU will recognize the states that split from Trump, meaning the smaller United States ends up with militarily allies on day one.
Will Trump and his MAGA KKK hate cult regime start a nuclear world war III with Europe to hold on to the states the want to leave?
China may also join the EU and Canada in recognizing the smaller US. China is already making moves to fill the void the US created under Trump in Europe.
That would cement China’s place as a growing world leader.
While it will take time for the smaller United States to build up it’s military, Canada is next door and as a NATO member, too, would be able to help faster than the EU would if it came to a fight.
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Yes, Lloyd, I was thinking about how NATO and Canada (and the rest if the UK) could help as well!
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During the 12 years that I was a Kindergarten teacher, I developed a program where I taught the young children in my class to be Peacekeepers, so that they could learn how to get along well with others at our diverse school, help their peers verbally to resolve social disputes, and so they wouldn’t become bullies who easily resorted to fighting. They engaged in it both in our classroom and on the playground, where they helped children in Preschool classes as well. It was a very successful program and I did not have to give anyone a prize for participating in it, because it was inherently rewarding, so kids really enjoyed doing it. I regularly recognized their efforts, but tangible rewards were unnecessary.
I don’t think our current president will ever get the Peace prize because he wants the award but makes no effort to get along with diverse people in his own country, many of whom have been the least advantaged historically, and whose life circumstances have differed greatly from his own. Those are the people who are in need of compassion, empathy and support the most, but he does nothing to help them and instead denies the significance of their struggles. He should know that the peace prize is not for someone who prides himself in being a bully and a fighter –as my 4, 5 and 6 year old students were able to learn…
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He’s a troll, a bully and a lot worse but he is not a fighter. The Toxic Troll is a coward.
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Lloyd, For those of us who have been bullied, fighting with words can be awful, too, especially when there’s a group of bullies –not just fighting like gangbusters with fists. But you are right –he usually uses words and then backs off when confronted…
Also, I had forgotten about the EU and you are right about them as well! (Thank goodness our European allies are smart, have good sense and they did not join the self-appointed King of the World’s fake Peace Board…)
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Maybe provocateur would be a better word than fighter, because he is confrontational and he intentionally antagonizes people, but the only place he actually follows through with fighting is in those fake wrestling matches (WWE) –where he found the most inappropriate woman to lead the Department of Education today.
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Does anyone he appointed to run his regime know what they are doing?
Their only qualification is blind obedience and loyalty to him. He calls all the shots. They accept all the blame.
And he’s been faking it all is life, spending most of his time covering up the truth about his crimes and failures more than anything.
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Lloyd,
Exactly right.
He was a total failure in business. He filed for bankruptcy multiple times.
He made his mark as a performer, who played the role of a successful businessman.
He also plays the role of a President. That’s the one that made him a billionaire. Selling pardons. Selling access to him at private dinner. Selling crypto. Selling meme coins, watches, caps, every other kind of merch. Not to mention the real estate deals with Middle Eastern potentates. Suing corporations for millions.
Now he’s a real billionaire!
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I read that Putin is worth about $200 billion and he earned his money illegally, too.
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Sorry, Lloyd, I forgot to include the links. See: Trump fighting Vince McMahon at WWE (who established WWE): https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=trump+wwe+fight
Wife Linda McMahon, who helped him get WWE off the ground, now Secretary of the Department of Education: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linda_McMahon
And we thought his Secretary of the Department of Education last time was awful, Betsy DeVos, billionaire from the xtian right: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Betsy_DeVos
So yes, he has a history of picking the least qualified people that aim to do more damage than good, in these cases, such as sending public funds to religious, private, charter and home schools, not serving children with disabilities, determining curriculum and getting rid of the DoE as well as public education altogether.
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At this point, I think the only way to end this MAGA BS is a total all out Civil War ending in the country splitting into two.
One country called MAGA-Trump-land (or something else with Trump in it) and the other country what’s left of the real United States fighting to keep the US Constitution, which at least gets rid of the Electoral College.
Still, even if Trump died tomorrow of natural causes, that isn’t going to end the threat, with roots going back to the 1970s or earlier.
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Lloyd, When you wrote this, “Still, even if Trump died tomorrow of natural causes, that isn’t going to end the threat, with roots going back to the 1970s or earlier” were you referring to the Powel Memo from 1971? If so, you are exactly right, because that is precisely what inspired Project 2025 and all that we are contending with today.
See: “From the Powell Memo to Project 2025: How a 1971 Blueprint Shaped America’s Conservative Revolution” below, because it explains a lot about what we’ve been witnessing, including how and why it all occurred: https://legalbeaglejackharding.substack.com/p/from-the-powell-memo-to-project-2025
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That Blueprint was the racist reaction to the Civil Right Act, which also led to the Republican Party’s Southern Strategy.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southern_strategy
The United Daughters of the Confederacy were also involved in the cultural and historical groundwork that paved the way for Nixons Southern Strategy.
In 2016, The Republican Establishment Has Lost Control Of The GOP To The Racist Alt-Right Rank And File
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I have trouble keeping up with this feed but here it goes…We are in a Civil War declared by those in power against our citizenry. The problem is that many of the major cities targeted by Trump are in red states. A delineation of territory is impossible. The threat is from many not one. Has anyone noticed that Russ Vought has been very quiet lately? He isn’t sitting in a corner. He is poisoning all parts of the federal government with his Cheshire grin. It is being reported that Proud Boys et al are a big part of the ICE contingent. While Trump bloviates in every direction, the schemers are infiltrating every part of the country. The Director f National Intelligence is taking ballots from GA. Two journalists have been arrested. Meanwhile, Schumer continues to “negotiate” with people who have no intention of enforcing any agreement. Epstein, anyone? The revolution should be within the Democratic Party, but alas, corporate America has kept any rabble rousers on a leash.
It’s cold even here in Atlanta (0 degree windchill). I can only imagine what Minnesotans are going through at minus 20 degrees. I worry about the forces Hegseth is assembling while waiting for orders resulting from the Insurrection Act. Today in the Times, David French wrote “This Is Not A Drill” https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/01/opinion/midterms-election-influence-trump.html. He’s right.
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Months ago, I don’t remember exactly when, there was an email that arrived along with the morning flood of other email SLOP, they call SPAM, that caught my attention so I opened it, saw enough to want to click, and read what someone was reporting about one of the MAGA KKK leaders had said in a comment thread on their blog/site (maybe on Instagram or X), whatever, that to clean up the United States, to get the country the way “they” want, they’d have to execute at at least 60-million living in the United States.
Later, I went back to read more and read that whoever wrote that on their site had deleted it. I forget the name. I didn’t take notes. I was overwhelmed with the morning flood of in-box slop, as usual, and moved on but couldn’t forget. It usually takes me about an hour to clean up the slop from my Gmail account every morning, and even with that effort, the numbers of unopened emails, which I save because I plan to open them later, but later never comes, number in the thousands at the end of each month when I delete them in mass.
Also, between 2021 and 2024, a comment was left on my blog offering to send me 20 pounds of evidence proving there was voter fraud. They wanted my address so they could mail the evidence to me. I declined. Told them to give that 20 pounds to Trump’s lawyers. They needed it more than me.
A week later an unsigned letter printed on paper, without a return address, but postmarked from Florida, arrived in my USPS mail box telling me “they” found my address anyway and “they” knew where I lived. I slipped it in a large plastic bag and stored it away in my weapons safe.
Then there are the one-star reviews for the military thriller The Patriot Oath I wrote, letting me know in their reviews that I earned that for lying about Trump in one paragraph near the end of the book in a minor character’s mind thinking about something she read in the Irish Times, which was based on an actual onion piece where she even mentioned the real-life Irish writer who wrote it with a byline, about Trump putting children in cages. One of those one-star reviews mentioned it was Obama who did that, not Trump. That review is still on Amazon for that book.
Then there was the comment on one of my blogs or on Quora right after the results of the 2024 election, from an obvious sock puppet, warning me to “leave the country or sleep,” which I interpreted as “die”. Just one of many (I’ve lost count) attacking me for not being blindly loyal to the lifelong cheater, liar, convicted rapist, fraud, and felon, since the election of 2016.
There have been so many insults and trolls with s ock puppet names supporting Trump, I’ve lost count.
I’m still here. Waiting.
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Lloyd,
It’s not pleasant to be in the MAGA crosshairs. 99% of their threats are empty. Watch out for the 1% crazies.
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Thank you.
I know and I’m aware, which is why my PTSD is keeping me on high alert. It isn’t easy managing PTSD with these perceived threats going on.
My body can’t handle being hypervigilant 24/7 with a constant flood of cortisone, like I’m in combat all the time, so I meditate and exercise daily to tone that down. I think that’s why I ended up in the ER in December 2023 for a full day. I still don’t know what triggered that extreme PTSD event.
Something must have been going on in the US in late November or early December to triggered that extreme episode. Maybe something the Toxic T said that was reported in the news.
The 24/7 VA nurse on call thought I might be having a stroke when I called that toll free number. After all the tests at the ER, they determined it wasn’t a stroke but was caused by stress.
There’s no reason to be on high alert like that all the time. When fight or flight is triggered by a real threat, instead of an imagined one, it happens very fast triggering the mind and body so time seems to slow down (they call it splitting seconds) and you have super fast reflexes and strength for a short period of time, which comes with a price later when the threat is dealt with … if you survive.
This happened to me several times when I was in Vietnam in 1966. Saved my life more than once have those faster reaction times and strength.
Still, I was in my early twenties and didn’t know what was going on with my mind and body then. Now I know.
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Pabonner, Glad you took the plunge here despite your concerns! Thanks for sharing the NY Times article. I don’t have a subscription but I found it for free here: https://dnyuz.com/2026/02/01/this-is-not-a-drill/ Ugh, so much scary stuff!
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Pabonner, I knew that managing borders would be a nightmare if blue and red states became different countries, but something you wrote made me realize that it would be even worse than I thought, primarily because of all the blue cities that are in red states. So I looked it up and this is what I found:
Ice that’s in Blue Cities that are in Red States
Charlotte North Carolina
Jacksonville Florida
Atlanta Georgia
Fort Worth Texas
Oklahoma City Oklahoma
Phoenix Arizona
Memphis Tennessee
Other Blue Cities in Red States
Austin Texas
Nashville Tennessee
Salt Lake City Utah
(Red cities in blue states were not so easy for me to find.)
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Cities seem to be generally blue.
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Right again, Lloyd!
My mom was a very dedicated civil rights activist and protesting racism is the story of my childhood –including in the Jim Crow South. Though I was born and raised in the North, my grandparents retired in the South when I was an infant and we went there so much that my parents sent my sister and me to schools there. My mom did not see racism that she could not confront, so I learned early on how dreadful Jim Crow laws were and how dangerous it was to fight for the rights of black people –especially in the South. When JFK was shot, I was only 11 years old but I decided that it happened because he supported Civil Rights legislation and that subsequently Lyndon Johnson made sure they had the votes to finally get that passed, in order to honor Kennedy.
Yes, Nixon’s Southern Strategy was key to securing the racist vote for Republicans, since previously people in the South had refused to vote for GOP candidates merely because that had been the party of Lincoln. I think the smartest move though was their use of the Powell Memo as a way of soliciting support from wealthy racists and companies, since that enabled the GOP to get lucrative businesses on board with them, which could do a lot of damage by virtue of their money, power and influence.
The GOP alliance with the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) has also been very effective, because they write conservative legislation that has aided the GOP in passing laws that support their racist agenda and has helped them to take over and control red states.
It’s not just about supporting racism though. It has become very much about the GOP being the party of the wealthy, who want power and don’t want to pay taxes, so they don’t support social programs (including schools and health care) that help less prosperous citizens.
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I know about ALEC and the damage the Koch brothers and their extreme right allies have caused.
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I know what you mean, Lloyd. I’ve boycotted Koch products for many years due to their extreme, self-centered politics…
What a shame that most billionaires not only can’t ever get enough money to be satisfied personally, but they also like to put up obstacles for people who are much less fortunate to be able to find financial success. Selfishness abounds amongst conservatives and there are way too many of them like that today!
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Culling is the solution. They are already doing it to people who do not think like or support them.
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The Koch’s want to dismantle government.
Trump earns an A on that front.
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Hi Diane You email threads are so dominated by Lloyd and ECE professional that I find it just delete them all, Its like 10+ emails per day. Im afraid those 2 are wrecking your very valuable contribution.
Doug Little Toronto
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Sorry, Diane, I won’t post anything on this blog anymore.
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Don’t be silly. You can post whatever you want whenever you want.
Those who don’t want to read what you write don’t have to.
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Thank you, Diane. I really appreciate it!
As it happens, coincidentally, I’ve got a whole lot going on in my life right now though, so I’m going to have to take a break to deal with it all, but I hope to return here in the future.
Thanks again and all the best to you and yours!
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I read something today indicating that Republicans think they’d be fine if they could just get rid of 60 million people, presumably Democrats. However, I read a lot of things today and due to browser issues, I can’t locate where I read that now. Did anyone else ever read something like that –and if so where?
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Never mind. Lloyd wrote about this above: “one of the MAGA KKK leaders had said in a comment thread on their blog/site (maybe on Instagram or X), whatever, that to clean up the United States, to get the country the way “they” want, they’d have to execute at at least 60-million living in the United States.” I must have seen the same thing, but I’ve looked all over and it’s gone now.
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Just so folks know, 60 million people is often given as the number of those who died in the world’s largest conflict in history, World War II –and over half of them were civilians. See: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_War_II_casualties
So the KKK was talking about American deaths on a HUGE scale, and I’m guessing civilians would be the most likely to die then, too –all of which I think should be very alarming to us.
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This is especially disconcerting when it’s readily apparent to their leader, the guy who is in charge of the military, knows full well that most of the people they hate are concentrated in blue cities… And he claimed that his “own morality” is the only thing that limits him –when we’ve seen no evidence of him having a moral compass whatsoever…
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I’m sorry about the grammatical errors I made in my last post. My PTSD has been flaring up over these very serious national issues, as well as personal matters –neither of which I have much, if any, control over. But I need to attend to the latter as best I can, so I’ll be staying away from the national concerns for awhile now.
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Since all his Cabinet cowers in his presence, he will probably find a pretext to sue them all. Who will say NO to him?
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If they don’t want to get fired, no one working for the convicted rapist, fraud, felon, and the mastermind behind the failed, violent, bloody coup attempt on January 6, 2021.
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Lloyd, some of us will never forget what happened on January 6, 2021.
I had seen his tweet inviting his followers to be in DC on Jan 6. He said “It will be wild.”
So of course I was glued to my TV that day.
Trump encouraged the violence. He promised to march with his followers. Of course, he lied. He’s a coward.
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He is a dangerous coward. If it took burning the world to get his way, he do it.
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As a low income senior with physical disorders, such as arthritis, what I’m able to do independently has become increasingly more challenging, (for example, I can’t take out my garbage because I’m unable to lift the dumpster lids). Previously I had roommates who helped me but I’ve been unable to find replacements, so I decided to look into whether I might qualify for getting free homemaker services to help. I just landed on a web page called “Elder Care”, which turned out to be an HHS website and at the top it says: “This site is being reviewed and updated as needed to comply with President Trump’s executive orders.” https://eldercare.acl.gov/resources?
OMG! If I didn’t know before that we are currently living under a dictatorship, I certainly know it now. Do you believe that?? Have others run across this elsewhere, too?
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Trump is an extreme micromanager. He has to be involved in all decision making. So, yes, I have no problem believing the US federal government is no longer what the US Constitution and Congress created.
The convicted rapist, fraud, felon, mastermind behind the January 6, 2021, failed violent, bloody coup attempt in DC, and his MAGA KKK hate cult allies/regime have already pulled off a hostile takeover of the federal government and the Trump era US government is described in detailed in Project 2025 and the newer, even worse nightmare Project 2026.
The US MAGA KKK controlled government will be and do whatever Trump wants, which is why I’m still in the process of pulling my accounts out of a national bank and moving to a California state credit union.
Eventually, the Toxic T will nationalize the banks, the oil companies, and any other industry he wants to control.
And at the pace they are moving, all TT has to do is live another three to five years (brain dead qualifies as long as the heart is beating) to complete the hostile take over which will include states if there isn’t a civil war to stop that take over. Wanting to nationalize the elections fits TT’s lifelong management style. That’s how TT runs his family crime empire. His children are totally controlled by him and were raised to do what daddy says.
I’m pretty sure TT also started sexually molesting his daughter when she was 12 or earlier. She does what he wants, too, whatever that is.
Maybe now, she’s free of that abuse now since she aged out of what he likes, which is young.
That’s why he bought Miss Universe, Miss USA, and Miss Teen USA pageants s and owned them from 1996 to 2015, and attended so many of Epstein’s underage rape parties.
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So the GOP claim that they want less government and would provide that really means less for the wealthy and advantaged, but more for the poor and disadvantaged.
I’m in the latter groups and am just trying to get help removing garbage because I also can’t go outside when there’s ice and snow since my arthritic ankles collapse –so I fall and can’t get up. I need to be able to show my place to a potential roommate, because if I don’t find one ASAP, I’m going to be homeless again very soon. All of which probably means I will die in the ice, snow and cold. I’m guessing the very people who made homelessness illegal are actually hoping for that to happen to people like me, too. Say hello the hell of 2026 for those who are less fortunate…
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The Republican Party of Trump is not the same Republican Party, which existed before 2015. And it also wasn’t the working class champion it claimed it was back then with help from FOX fake NEWS
Trump’s a allies, the MAGA KKK hate cult, worked with the convicted rapist, fraud, felon, and mastermind behind the failed, violent, bloody coup in DC on January 6, 2021, over several years orchestrating a hostile takeover of the party using the primaries like a weapon.
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Thanks, Lloyd. All very informative, as usual!
The issue I’m dealing with now is that my brother has been helping me with my rent but it’s costly so he doesn’t want to do it anymore. That means I absolutely have to get a roommate, but I’ve now got a room full of regular and recyclable garbage and although I’ve tried to stack it neatly, there’s a lot of it so it really HAS to go if I want to show my place to any more potential roommates. Also, all of the programs I’ve looked into that provide free homemaker services to poor people want to see a lease, but now I don’t have one. That means I’d have to pay a service to remove the garbage, which I’ve looked into and that would be prohibitively costly for me –like then I can forget about being able to eat…
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I follow a blog out of the UK. In a couple of her posts she talked about how she had to simply decluttering the house she lives in with her husband.
The last post on this topic she got it down to removing five single “thing’s” a day instead of boxes or rooms all at once. I thought that sounded great. How simple it sounded.
Still, I’m. having challenges setting time aside to do even something that simple. Five items. Not a room or box. Just five items a day.
suzie81speaks.com
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ECE, what city are you living in?
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Diane, For issues around safety, I don’t typically share that info online, but I also didn’t come here to lie. So here’s clues. I was born in, raised in and still reside in the same place as your friend, Lewis –who sadly died prematurely from a brain tumor not all that long ago, leaving thousands of sad, admiring mourners behind…
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P.S. In case you didn’t catch my drift, Lewis had been a teacher but was known primarily for playing a leadership role in education. I know you came here & met together at an NPE conference because I recall wanting to attend that myself. I couldn’t go though because I was too busy then trying to fend off becoming homeless (which did occur not long after that).
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What kind of leadership role did “Lewis” demonstrate with his actions, not his words?
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When the mayor, who was in charge of the schools, promised teacher pay raises but then didn’t give them, Lewis inspired residents to hang banners from their windows, wear red t-shirts, honk their horns and march in support of teachers –which was done all across the city. I was teaching college then but lived across the street from a local high school so I marched for/with the teachers there.
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We went through stuff like that in the district where I taught in Southern California.
Rowland Unified. A small district with about a 1,000 teachers and 20k students.
California has more than a 1,000 school districts. I remember teaching all day and then going out to walk the picket line, which include teachers, parents, support staff, students, et al.
Lots of horn honking for support. that how we eventually got a planning period and ended up teaching five period instead of s ix a day.
Admin said we didn’t need a planning period. If we knew what we were doing, we could get all our work done before we left for the day soon after school ended.
Really, my work weeks were 60 to 100 hours a week to keep up with teaching, planning, correcting, grading, parent contact, meetings, et al.
When I retired after teaching thirty years, I promised myself I’d never go back into a classroom to teach again. If i had to earn a living for some reason, like Trumpish billionaire types finding a way to steal the funds in the CalSTRS retirement plan and drain it dry to add to their wealth, I’d volunteer to blow myself up in a war zone to kill enemy combatants … or, on second thought, maybe some of those greedy billionaires that never have enough.
To get past their bodyguards, I’d strap bombs on me, pay to skydive (I’d lie to the pilot) out of a plane and plummet into their golf courses without a parachute and blow up taking as many of them as possible with me.
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I was just about to say that I’m sorry about what you’ve been going through but glad you feel prepared to defend yourself and deal with it all. Now I have to wonder though if you are OVER prepared. Take care of yourself, Lloyd. We don’t need killers and self sacrifices today. We need voters!
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As long as the CalSTRS retirement fund keeps depositing each month what I paid into and earned. I’ll be find.
Still, public pension funds in several U.S. states are experiencing significant, long-term funding crises, although no state has officially gone bankrupt. The issues are primarily driven by chronic underfunding, investment losses, economic downturns, and, in some cases, mismanagement or high-risk, fee-heavy investments with private equity firms.
https://www.pew.org/en/research-and-analysis/articles/2025/07/30/an-increase-in-pension-obligations-adds-to-states-unfunded-liabilities
As of late 2025, over 45 states reported public pension debt, with the most severe crises concentrated in a few states, including Illinois, New Jersey, Kentucky, and Connecticut.
California: While having a large, diversified economy, California holds the highest total dollar value of unfunded pension liabilities ($265 billion) as of late 2024.
CalSTRS (California State Teachers’ Retirement System) is considered well-funded and on track for long-term sustainability, with a funded status of 76.7% as of June 30, 2024. The system is projected to reach full funding by 2046, driven by a seven-year streak of increasing funding levels and solid investment returns, including a 8.5% net return in the 2024–25 fiscal year.
Crossed fingers and knock on wood!
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OK, Lloyd, it’s not easy to knock on wood with my fingers crossed but I’ll try…
I’m glad you got such terrific results from your strike! We didn’t have an elected school board ’til recently, and we’d only ever had ONE strike before the one I previously described, which I readily recalled because it occurred when I was in high school. I remember wondering then why no one had asked for our support –which really surprised me, as someone who had been in many marches throughout my childhood with my civil rights activist mom. Live and learn. Sounds like people in your town planned ahead very well!
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Teachers and students had more of a bond than students and administration. Rowland had a split school district with, literarily railroads tracks and a freeway separating poverty from wealth. I taught on the poverty side with child poverty rates at 70% and climbing depending on the schools location.
Many of the teachers did a lot to support the students we worked with, often paying out of pocket for materials the students and their parents couldn’t afford and the district wouldn’t pay for.
When I was the journalism advisor for the high school newspaper, I’d use my credit card to buy rebuilt Apple computers, because all of the tech we inherited was dying and none of us could afford new computers.
So, I ran up debt, while the students sold Ads for the monthly high school newspaper to help buy new or rebuilt stuff, too.
Teachers started and funded student clubs like hiking, chess, et al.
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Also, having died in February of 2021, the five year Yahrzeit for Lewis (who was Jewish) was last week. RIP
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Lloyd, Thanks for the reference and info about decluttering. I found the article here: https://suzie81speaks.com/2026/01/05/how-to-do-a-slow-declutter-of-your-home-and-life/#more-31411
Very interesting! It’s a bit different from what I need to do right now, but I think it might be useful if I end up becoming homeless again and/or if I have to pare down my stuff and move to a smaller place, as my brother suggested –but which I don’t want to do since I invested a lot in my apartment and love it. (Plus I checked and smaller places around here are not more affordable than where I currently live).
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Wow! Your students may have been disadvantaged but they were very fortunate to have had you as their devoted teacher! Wonderful job, Lloyd!
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Diane, I’m sorry to have been so cryptic. When I first went online decades ago, I always used my own name, did not conceal my location and I met a lot of really great colleagues, often in my area, usually in chats on listservs. (Remember those?) I had roommates at the time, but then I lived alone for many years and after a couple experiences with hinky folks, I realized it was dangerous for me to put myself out there like that, so I started using pseudonyms and stopped revealing my location.
That’s an issue for me today, too, except now it’s our government that I’m afraid of most. It’s certainly not a fear of you, so here’s one more clue: Don’t let the gender implied by the name that I provided confuse you…
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I understand your caution since I’m a MAGA target and have been targets of a tribe of trolls before the trump era, known as the Goodreads Bullies about twenty years ago.
When they know your real name, they will find out where you live. They’ve done it to me. They spread lies about their targets, too. They’ve also threatened me. Told me to leave the country or sleep, which I took to mean die. That MAGA threat arrived soon after Trump cheated and lied to win in 2024. I will never believe that he won that election honestly.
I didn’t leave. I’m still waiting for some lunatic to show up. I figure I have a 50-50 change to get them before they get me. Maybe the odds are better than that since the Marines trained us to be killers and combat vets used what they learned turning that training into reality, which almost has its own auto pilot switch when you live with PTSD gained from combat.
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https://couriertexas.com/dfw/2026/02/10/how-public-education-secured-democrats-win-tarrant-county-senate/
Very encouraged after reading this article. People are waking up! Hopefully more positive change is coming in November.
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