Tag: Hold Them Accountable

by Rob C.

Donald Trump has declared an “invasion” at the southern border—again. Not because there’s an actual military threat, but because he needs a legal excuse to set the Constitution on fire and call it law and order. If immigrants are “invaders,” then he thinks he can skip over that pesky part of the Constitution that says people have rights. You know, habeas corpus—the rule that says the government can’t just toss you in a cell without a trial. It’s kind of the cornerstone of democracy. But Trump’s take? “Too much paperwork.”

He says we don’t have enough judges to process asylum claims, so his solution is simple: abolish due process altogether. Just round up millions of people and deport them without a trial. Boom. Dictator checklist… Done .

But he’s not stopping with undocumented immigrants. Now it’s legal residents in the crosshairs. Green card holders. Refugees. People who’ve lived here for decades. And what makes them dangerous? Not crimes—opinions. If your politics lean left, if you criticize Trump, if you once said “Black Lives Matter” out loud, suddenly you’re a threat to national security.

This is ideological cleansing, wrapped in red, white, and blue. The First Amendment is now conditional on how many flags you fly in your Twitter bio.

And behind it all? Stephen Miller, the man who makes Dracula look like a golden retriever. A lifelong white nationalist with a law degree and a grudge. He’s spent his career crafting policies that make cruelty a feature, not a bug. He’s the guy behind family separations, Muslim bans, and now, mass raids and detentions with no trials. Because when Stephen Miller looks at the Constitution, he sees a to-do list of things to destroy.

Meanwhile, Trump suddenly discovers his big, beautiful heart when it comes to white South African farmers—the same Afrikaners who enforced apartheid. They’re granted asylum, no questions asked. Because in Trump’s America, if you’re white and scared, you get a green light. If you’re brown and desperate, you get a cage.

Let’s be clear: this isn’t immigration policy. It’s the authoritarian playbook. Invent a crisis. Declare an emergency. Strip rights from “the others.” Call dissent unpatriotic. Burn the rules and claim it’s for safety. And watch the crowd cheer.

But here’s the part they forget: once rights become optional, no one really has them. Once the president gets to decide who deserves a trial and who doesn’t, that power doesn’t stay limited to immigrants. Today it’s asylum seekers. Tomorrow it’s protesters. Journalists. You.

Authoritarians don’t stop with “them.” They just start there.

And if we let them rewrite the Constitution one racist lie at a time, we won’t need to worry about a border crisis. We’ll be living in one giant detention camp, run by billionaires in red hats, telling us we’re free because we can still shop on Amazon.

Please support this work.

Get the book – “Democracy for Sale – How Corporate Greed is Corrupting Democracy and Endangering the Planet.”

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Art by Bagley

The Saltlake Tribune

Donald Trump was never a successful businessman. He was a walking bankruptcy with a spray tan, creating failed companies such as, a fake university, airlines, steaks, vodka, and even a casino (how do you bankrupt a casino?). But thanks to a reality show, a complicit media, and a desperate political class, he conned America into making him president—and now, in 2025, he’s back, not to lead, but to cash out. Again.

Today, the Trump family grift machine is in full swing, using the presidency like a shopping mall for influence peddling. Trump’s adult children—aka the Trust Fund Avengers—are running a giant Crypto scam and raking in big dollars from foreign governments, while magically avoiding regulations and oversight. Jared is back, fresh from collecting $2 billion in Saudi money, and Ivanka is reportedly “advising” American diplomacy from her branded jewelry showroom.

Trump’s campaign and PACs are funneling donor money directly into Trump properties, paying himself inflated rates for “security,” “event space,” and “lodging” at his own golf clubs. Secret Service agents are once again being billed thousands to stay at Mar-a-Lago and Bedminster—on our dime. It’s not a presidency. It’s an ATM.

Meanwhile, Trump sells digital trading cards of himself as a cowboy, peddles Bible knockoffs with his name on them, and hawks Trump-branded sneakers for $399 a pair—because nothing says “Christian populism” like limited-edition gold high-tops made in China.

He’s still pretending to be a businessman, but this is pure, unapologetic fraud. His policies are designed to help one person: Donald J. Trump. Deregulation? Good for his real estate. Tax breaks? Great for his donors. Legal immunity? Perfect for a guy currently dodging multiple indictments and civil fraud judgments.

And let’s not forget: his tariffs are back, slamming small businesses and raising prices across the board. His “economic plan” is a mix of revenge, vibes, and MAGA merch sales. It’s not leadership—it’s loot-and-scoot authoritarianism.

He gaslit America once, turning failure into branding. Now he’s doing it again—older, angrier, and with a family of grifters in tow. And the real tragedy? Millions are still buying the act, while the country gets dismantled piece by piece like a Cyber truck hitting a speed bump.

The lesson? If you treat democracy like a business, don’t be shocked when a Con -Artist CEO burns it down and bills you for the ashes.

America. Land of the free, home of the brave… unless you’re a protester, a journalist, an immigrant, a whistleblower, or someone who thought the Constitution was more than just a napkin sketch at a Federalist Society happy hour.

Peaceful protest — a core constitutional right — has become an excuse for deportation. Remember when federal officers tear-gassed American citizens so Trump could hold a Bible upside-down like he was casting a spell? Yeah, that was just a trial run for what he plans to do with the military.

Under Trump, the Department of Justice has morphed into a personal attack dog, labeling protesters and activists as domestic threats while ignoring violent threats to judges.

Welcome to Trump’s Imperial Presidency —where due process is “for losers,” court orders are “suggestions,” and the Constitution is basically just that thing you wipe your feet on before storming the Capitol in cosplay.

Trump’s idea of civil rights? Pardoning war criminals and tweeting support for hate groups. He called neo-Nazis in Charlottesville “very fine people,” encouraged police to “not be too nice,” and defended Confederate monuments like they were part of the Founding Fathers’ group chat.

Let’s be clear: if you thought the first season of this political reality show was wild, the reboot is being written by people who watched The Handmaid’s Tale and thought it was a how-to manual.

Due Process? Rights for them – None for you.

Let’s talk prisons—because nothing says “freedom” like mass incarceration without trial. Trump has openly praised El Salvador’s Bukele for his “very nice” prisons. You know, the ones where thousands of men are swept off the streets and tossed into overcrowded hellholes without a single hearing.

Rule of Law? Ha! That’s just legal red tape for strongmen with a tight schedule.

And guess what? Trump wants in on the action. He’s floated ideas about rounding up “gang members” (read: anyone brown, tattooed, or insufficiently enthusiastic at his rallies), and suspending rights in the name of law and order. Because what could possibly go wrong when you give unchecked power to a man who gets his policy ideas from TV crime dramas and lunch with Stephen Miller?

Court Orders? Mere Suggestions for Orange Julius Cesar

Trump’s first term already gave us a preview: ignore subpoenas, defy congressional oversight, and tell the courts to go pound sand. His allies now openly float ideas like invoking the Insurrection Act to deploy the military on U.S. soil—not to protect you, but to control you.

Refusing to accept judicial rulings? Already happening. Pardoning cronies who defied the law? Done. Declaring that presidents should be immune from prosecution, even if they assassinate political enemies? That’s not hyperbole—his lawyers literally argued that in court.

In Trump 2.0, the rule of law is whatever he tweeted at 3 a.m. between Diet Cokes.

Here’s the Greatest Hits of Historical Parallels.

Let’s take a little trip down Fascism Lane, shall we?

Germany, 1933: A populist leader exploits fear, bypasses checks and balances, criminalizes dissent, and calls the press “the enemy of the people.” Sound familiar?

Chile, 1973: Dismantling democratic institutions while promising “order” and “patriotism.” All at the behest of the C.I.A. and our corporate overlords.

El Salvador, 2023: “Lock them all up first, sort out the law stuff later.” Said the self-discribed “Coolest Dictator”.

Authoritarianism doesn’t arrive wearing jackboots. It shows up in a red tie, that says “I alone can fix it,” and tweets through the destruction of democracy.

Things Trump Actually Says

This isn’t speculation. Trump has promised:

To be a “dictator for one day” (but only on “day one”—so generous!). To prosecute political opponents.

To purge the civil service and replace experts with loyalists.

To use the National Guard in American cities like a personal security force.

His allies drafted “Project 2025”—a plan to consolidate executive power and dismantle the “deep state” (translation: workers doing their job keeping you safe or anyone who won’t lick his boots on command).

So yeah, they’re not just violating the Constitution, they’re setting it on fire.

But Don’t Worry—You’ll Might Still Have Rights!

As long as you’re rich, white, male, straight, Christian, own at least two flags, and end every sentence with “Trump 2024,” you’re probably fine. For everyone else? Well, better read the fine print on the Bill of Rights—it’s getting trashed faster than the facts in a Fox News segment.

And even if you’re in the “protected” category, remember: authoritarian regimes don’t stay in their lane. Today it’s immigrants and protesters. Tomorrow it’s you. Ask the Germans in 1934, or the Russians in 2022, or the Venezuelans in 2010.

Warning: This Is not a Drill!

Look, we joke because it’s ridiculous—but this is how rights die: not all at once, but in a thousand ignored court orders, in the whimpers when news organizations cave to rediculous law suits, in the silence when people stop protesting because they’re afraid.

The Constitution is only as strong as our willingness to defend it. Trump 2.0 isn’t about making America great—it’s about making autocracy normal.

Don’t wait for tanks in the streets. The real coup happens in broad daylight, while we’re all laughing, scrolling, or shrugging it off as “just politics.”

NO, we didn’t vote for this!

by Rob C.

Art by Joe Heller

Let’s get this out of the way: Abraham Lincoln doesn’t count. He wouldn’t be allowed within 500 feet of today’s Republican National Convention unless he promised to shave the beard, burn the Emancipation Proclamation, and swear fealty to a golden statue of a twice-impeached, criminally convicted, carnival barker.

The modern GOP? It’s been on a lifelong losing streak against progress. Not just the occasional whiff—we’re talking hall-of-fame level, record-breaking failure on every major issue of justice, equality, and good old-fashioned common sense.

Voting Rights? Nope.

Remember when Republicans supported voting rights? No? That’s because they never did. From poll taxes to modern-day voter ID laws, they’ve treated democracy like a nightclub bouncer: “Sorry, sir, your skin tone doesn’t meet the dress code.”

They screamed about election fraud while running election fraud schemes. They gerrymander neighborhoods with surgical precision, not to protect democracy, but to protect their jobs. Because nothing says “patriotism” like being deathly afraid of people voting.

Civil Rights? Not if they can help it.

They filibustered the Civil Rights Act. They dog-whistled their way through the Southern Strategy. They called Martin Luther King Jr. a troublemaker back then, and now they try to co-opt his words out of context like he would’ve been cool with “All Lives Matter” memes and assault rifles at school board meetings.

Women’s Rights? Laughable.

They’ve spent decades trying to shrink government — except when it comes to your uterus. Then, suddenly, they want mandatory ultrasounds, forced births, and medieval control over women’s bodies.

The Equal Rights Amendment? Still waiting. �

In fact, the Republican congress recently passed a “voter ID” bill that would disenfranchise millions of married women who take their husband’s name.

Paid maternity leave? Too socialist.�

Every other major nation provides support for pregnant women well beyond just time off, including, paid leave, nursing assistance, and free child care.

Childcare support? Maybe ask your church, or Elon Musk.�They weild the “pro-life” mantra like a sledge hammer, but after the child is born, you know when life really happens, they want nothing to do with that.

Separation of Church and State?

Not if Jesus votes Republican. They claim to love the Constitution until it gets in the way of turning the U.S. into a theocratic frat house. You want to teach science in schools? Not if it contradicts the Book of Genesis or makes Tucker Carlson feel nervous.

Prayer in schools, creationism in textbooks, Ten Commandments on courthouse walls — if you’re white, Christian, and angry, the constitution doesn’t apply. BUT, if you dare follow Jesus’ teachings and want our government to actually feed the poor, welcome the stranger, or work for a more just and fair society then your S.O.L.

Environment? They can’t even spell that.

Republicans look at a smokestack spewing toxic waste and see stock dividends. They believe climate change is a liberal hoax, but somehow every solution involves more drilling, fewer regulations, and a billionaire getting a tax break to bulldoze a wetland.

Remember when Reagan ripped the solar panels off the White House roof? That was basically their opening shot in their war against planet earth.

The Economy? Welfare for the rich.

Trickle-down economics (Neo-Liberalism) has been the biggest con since “The check is in the mail.” Their plan is simple: Give the rich more, pretend it helps the poor, and act surprised when it doesn’t.

Corporate tax breaks? Yes. Minimum wage increase? God, no.

They’ll call you a socialist for wanting healthcare but hand billions to oil companies without blinking. And when the economy tanks? It’s suddenly your fault for not working hard enough. Or just blame Joe Biden.

Who’s Protected?

Polluters, fraudsters, price-gouging pharmaceutical companies, payday lenders, tax-dodging billionaires. If you poison a river, they’ll write you a check. If you need insulin, better hope GoFundMe pulls through.

They scream about law and order while pardoning White-Collar criminals and Capitol rioters. They wail about cancel culture while banning books and firing teachers.

They’re like the killer in a horror movie: “The call is coming from inside the house.”

Final Thought — The Moral Arc

History has a funny way of remembering who stood on the right side of it. Spoiler alert: it’s not the folks banning Rosa Parks from classrooms or insisting gay marriage leads to communism.

Progress is the whole purpose of our governement. And while Republicans keep hitting “control-alt-delete,” the rest of us are busy coping withthe fall-out from their moral bankruptsy.

They’ve been wrong. They’re still wrong. And if we let them, they’ll keep dragging us backward.

But we don’t have to follow. We can speak, vote, organize, and push forward.

Because the arc of the moral universe only bends toward justice if we push it.

by Rob C.

Image Courtesy – Rogers @ Pittsburgh gazette

You’ve heard the story a thousand times: the mythical “welfare queen” — some made-up caricature of a poor person living large on government benefits. Ronald Reagan practically turned her into a bedtime monster for conservatives. But while the GOP fixates on the supposed $80 someone might misuse on an EBT card, real fraud is happening in broad daylight, and it’s being committed by their rich friends in tailored suits.

Let’s talk about actual fraud. The kind that steals billions — not from the government, but from you. From the nurses working 12-hour shifts, the retirees scraping by on fixed incomes, and the sick waiting on lifesaving treatments denied by a for-profit bureaucracy.

Enter: Paul Walczak — Trump’s Kind of Guy

Yesterday, Trump pardoned Paul Walczak, a Florida healthcare executive convicted of stealing nearly $11 million in payroll taxes from the paychecks of doctors and nurses. That’s right — the guy didn’t just defraud Medicare. He looted the people saving your life. And in return? Trump gave him a get-out-of-jail-free card. Because if there’s one thing the Trump administration stands for, it’s loyalty to criminal friends.

Rick Scott: From Felon to Senator

Need more? Let’s talk Rick Scott. Before he was Florida’s governor and then senator, he was the CEO of Columbia/HCA, a healthcare company that paid a record $1.7 billion in fines for defrauding Medicare. That’s billion with a B. And what did that little escapade earn him? A political career. Because apparently, in the Republican Party, stealing from the government is only a problem if you’re poor.

UnitedHealth: The Corporate Vampire of Medicare

Then there’s UnitedHealth Group, one of the largest healthcare companies in the country. Every year, they rake in billions from Medicare Part D — the prescription drug program for seniors. And what do they do with that money? Well, besides throwing cash at shareholders, they’ve been accused of:

Overbilling taxpayers by gaming risk adjustment formulas.

Denying legitimate claims to pad profits.

Funneling dark money to political action committees that keep the system rigged.

But hey — it’s not like seniors need those meds anyway, right?

And the Hits Keep Coming…

Purdue Pharma: Creators of the opioid crisis. Lied, marketed, and killed. Now “restructuring” in bankruptcy court so the rich Sackler family never faces real consequences.

Theranos: Elizabeth Holmes defrauded investors and endangered patients with fake blood testing technology. Her punishment? A slap on the wrist compared to what happens to someone who shoplifts from CVS.

Centene Corporation: Paid out over $215 million in settlements for allegedly overcharging Medicaid programs in multiple states.

Are you seeing a pattern here?

The Real Drain on the System

It’s not the immigrant working two jobs who doesn’t get benefits. It’s not the single mom trying to get SNAP so her kid can eat lunch. It’s not your grandma using Medicare to get her blood pressure pills.

It’s the giant corporations, the politically connected fraudsters, and the grifters in suits who are robbing you blind — and getting pardons from the President while they do it.

The Deadly Price of Greed

Innocent people are dying. People are going bankrupt trying to pay for insulin. Clinics are closing. Nurses are walking off the job because they’re exhausted, underpaid, and betrayed. And instead of fixing it, Trump is using the power of the presidency to reward the looters.

This isn’t just fraud. It’s sanctioned economic violence.

And guess what? You’re paying for it — with your tax dollars, your health, and your life.

The next time you hear a Republican talk about “entitlement reform” or “wasteful spending,” just remember: they’re not coming for the crooks. They are the crooks.

So don’t fall for the scam. Call it what it is: a massive heist, with a presidential pardon at the getaway car.

Wake up. Speak up. And fight back.

by Rob C.

Image – Andy Marlette

What Social Security Really Is

Let’s get one thing straight: Social Security is not welfare. It’s not a “handout.” It’s money you earned. Every paycheck, every week, you contributed to it. It’s a contract between generations—an agreement that says if you work hard and contribute, you won’t be left to starve in old age or disability. That’s called responsibility. Or, as Trump might call it: “for suckers.”

How the Trump Administration (and Friends) Are Gutting It

Trump 2.0 and his DOGE (Department of Government Elimination) bros have been gunning for your Social Security like a bunch of Wall Street interns at an open bar. They want to:

• Slash benefits under the guise of “budget concerns,” right after handing billion-dollar corporations massive tax breaks.
• Raise the retirement age so high you’ll need a walker and a miracle to ever see a dime.
• Privatize the system, turning your guaranteed benefits into Wall Street casino chips, racking up fat fees for their rich buddies.

And if you’re disabled? Good luck. Trump’s policies have already made it harder for disabled Americans to access their benefits—sentencing thousands to homelessness, bankruptcy, and early death. But hey, at least the billionaires got another yachts.

How the Rich Really See You

Here’s how the wealthy elite really view Social Security:

• Elon Musk calls it a “Ponzi scheme,” which is rich (pun intended) coming from a guy whose companies float on federal subsidies.
• Howard Lutnick said people wouldn’t care if Social Security checks were delayed, “unless they were scammers.” Because, obviously, your 85-year-old grandmother struggling to afford insulin is running a criminal enterprise from her kitchen table.

The Lie About Immigrants and Social Security

Contrary to the xenophobic talking points, undocumented immigrants are not draining Social Security. They are, in fact, saving it. Undocumented workers contribute around $25 billion every year into the system—money they’ll never claim.

That’s right. They’re footing the bill for benefits they’re not even eligible to receive. Imagine buying dinner for a table full of billionaires… and still being called a “freeloader.”

Why Social Security Matters

For everyday Americans — the real workers, not the yachting class — Social Security is a lifeline. It keeps:

• 22 million seniors out of poverty.
• Disabled workers off the streets.
• Widows and orphans from falling into destitution.

It’s not charity. It’s a promise. One that a greedy, silk-suited class is trying desperately to break while distracting you with shiny culture wars and shouting about “wokeness.”

Final Thought — And a Call to Action

They want you to believe Social Security is doomed. But the truth? It’s only doomed if we let them destroy it.

If billionaires paid even half the taxes you do on your first paycheck, Social Security would be solvent for another hundred years.

It’s not a money problem. It’s a greed problem.

So don’t buy the lies. Don’t let the predators win. Demand that Congress protect and expand Social Security—for you, for your parents, for your kids, for everyone who actually built this country.

Your future isn’t a charity case. It’s yours.

Fight for it.

Please support this work.

Get the book – “Democracy for Sale – How Corporate Greed is Corrupting Democracy and Endangering the Planet.”

Available @ AMAZON and Booksellers everywhere