Youth Advocacy
"Tyranny does not always arrive with a roar; often, it creeps in through quiet compliance. We must discard the dangerous illusion that Donald Trump is an isolated aberration. He is merely the figurehead of an entrenched, calculated apparatus. To protect our youth from this rising authoritarianism—and the silent reach of corporate AI oversight—we must build human-centered systems built to outlast a single election cycle. Our struggle is not for a season; it is the work of decades."
📝 Part 1:
Review and Announcements
The Long War Against the Machine
In this week’s brief, we dissect the absolute depth of this regime’s institutional graft and expose the loyal sycophants sustaining it.
We must discard the dangerous illusion that Donald Trump is an isolated aberration. He is merely the figurehead of a deeply entrenched, calculated apparatus. This machine thrives on a terrifying coalition: compromised congressional leaders, a captured Supreme Court majority, and Christian Nationalist extremists who cloak raw political greed in divine mandate.
Dismantling this architecture will not happen at a single ballot box. It is the work of decades. As we confront the dual threats of authoritarian governance and automated, corporate AI oversight, our charge is clear: we must engineer durable, human-centered systems capable of shielding our youth and defending democracy against the rise of the new plutocracy.
Stay connected to the frontlines. Subscribe to the deep-dives on Substack and join the daily resistance on Bluesky and Facebook.*
🎨 Part 2: Visual Stories
Exposing "The Banality of Evil"
Our featured multimedia piece this week takes aim at the psychological floor of modern authoritarianism.
Inspired by Hannah Arendt's profound concepts, “The Banality of Evil” examines the terrifying cognitive laziness of those who actively enable this regime. It uncovers a grim truth: there is virtually no level of cruelty, graft, or systemic degradation these followers will not tolerate—so long as their own biases are coddled and their grievances are weaponized. Tyranny does not always arrive with a roar; often, it creeps in through quiet compliance.
Watch the Visual Story: Experience the stark, urgent music video directly on YouTube.
Support Independent Protest Art: Own the track by purchasing it directly from the Communities of Trust Digital Store. Your purchases directly fund independent youth advocacy and anti-authoritarian research.
👤
Dr. Jerry Goebel (He/Him/His)
Youth Advocate, Author, & Engagement Consultant
Communities of Trust
Central Hub: linktr.ee/docjerr
Web: communitiesoftrust-jerrygoebel.com
Video: YouTube Channel
Connect: goebeljerry@me.com | (52) 999 645 8105
🏳️🌈 Love is an awful thing to hate.
Articles and Commentary
28.07.2026 | Source: Reason
How Trump's Tariffs Undermine US Trustworthiness and Credibility—and What Can Be Done to Stop it
Ilya Somin, a Professor of Law at George Mason University, quotes from an article by economist David Hebert examining the long-lasting damage of this President’s tariffs on the United States and the global economy. There is no doubt these tariffs are as illegal as the first ones that Trump arbitrarily implemented, but there is an additional insult accompanying this batch of policies. Here’s how Hebert puts it in his article: “So in the span of a week, the White House effectively told Canada, our closest trading partner and ally, that America's word means nothing and then told them that they are complicit in forced labor.”
It is not just our closest allies that have experienced Trump’s malignant ignorance, but also Mexico, the United Kingdom, and the European Union. The Supreme Court could do something about this, Somin points out, as could Congress, but their solutions are long-term, months away, and do not address the immediate damage done to international relations from a rogue regime that these partners find deceitful. There are also internal consequences from businesses unable to plan strategies with a president that changes policies on a capricious whim.
There’s no doubt this administration is in panic mode. Midterms are coming and the economy is in terrible shape. The President’s war-of-choice in Iran continues to appear unresolvable—and indeed—seems to be escalating. Even the GOP is doubting this President’s credibility—and thus, their electability.
Project 2025 may not have seen what a failure their policies (and their pet orange troll) would be. And yet, clearly, their goal was not to improve the U.S. economy, but to 1) create a plutocracy that would favor the wealthy and 2) an autocracy that would lock out opponents.
We must remember, Trump is not in this alone. He is surrounded and protected by his MAGA faithful, his administration, by a Republican Congress, and at the voting booths. Pointing the finger at one man is easy, but deceptive. The sickness is much deeper; therefore, the surgery to rid ourselves of this cancer must be more significant. Democracy has been threatened to the core, and therefore, core changes must be made. Just like the fix to restore trust after these tariffs may be decades in coming—so will the fix to restore our democracy. It must involve concretizing protections for democracy’s future, for freedom of the press, for the protection of Americans when a hostile administration creates its own police force, and for the public’s ability to demand change when a president goes rogue and takes a Congress and Supreme Court with him (or, hopefully, in the future, her). Make no doubt about it, this is regime change. The depth of this evil is deep, its depravity widespread. The roots lie in millions of banal minions who prefer authority to democracy. The solution lies in laying bare the cost of giving up freedom for the comfort of an authoritarian to take over decision-making.
27.07.2026 | Source: Huffington Post
‘Vertical Morality’ Might Describe Why MAGA Christians Seem So Unchristian
I have a very hard time understanding why anyone would vote for Donald Trump and an even harder time understanding why so many “Christians” support him—to the point that some have said that he was “sent by God” to lead the United States. This article by Caroline Bologna is very helpful in that understanding. She describes what author Tia Levings calls “Vertical Morality.” A deep-seated belief that being a good Christian comes from the top-down (authority figure to earthly recipient) as opposed to “Horizontal Morality” where goodness comes from the way we treat each other.
Vertical Morality not only describes how these people view their religion, but also their politics. In essence, it is better to be compliant than it is to be moral and morality is based upon doing what the authority says instead of how we treat the people and the world around us. It goes farther than that; even defining those who seek social justice as immoral because they distract from compliance with authority. Thus, “those people” are woke, they are communists, they are evil.
This helps me understand a little more (not accept, but understand) how some people around me can profess a faith in Christ, who said in Matthew 25:35-40:
"For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me."
"Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'"
"The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’”
They can justify the inhumane treatment of human beings in ICE prisons, the bombing of children in Iran, and the shooting of people in the U.S., because the authority figure (Donald—Appointed-by-God—Trump) commanded it.
While this theory aids in my understanding of such lunacy, it doesn’t lead me to be more lenient. Their beliefs have allowed an authoritarian to break the law, to steal from the globe, rob the nation, and even to rape children. Forgiveness of beliefs does not extend to excusing behavioral consequences.
Our hope right now lies in enough Republicans listening to Donald Trump and staying home from the election (because “why vote?”) and enough Democrats showing up to resoundingly defeat Republicans across the nation.
24.07.2026 | Source: Heather Cox Richardson, Letters from an American
Once again, Heather Cox Richardson gives us an important historical viewpoint; this time into funding wars. She begins by reflecting on a speech given by Dwight Eisenhower, shortly after he took office in 1953. Eisenhower reminded people of the real costs of war to the citizens of the country: “Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired signifies, in the final sense, a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and are not clothed.”
This is a preamble for Cox Richardson, who goes on to discuss the request this week by Pete Hegseth to approve an additional $67 billion to fund the President’s war in Iran. There still is no congressional support for this war. This is primarily on Trump, but now also supported by a Republican-led Senate that refuses to vote to stop it.
It is quite obvious this administration is lying both about the casualties and the costs of the war. As the historian points out: “While Hegseth told Congress the war has cost $37.5 billion so far, Gordon Lubold, Mosheh Gains, and Courtney Kube of NBC News reported on July 14 that the internal Pentagon estimate of the cost is about $100 billion.”
But Cox Richardson also looks at the wider cost of this administration’s budgeting to the people of the USA, quoting Steve Rattner of MSNOW who said, “[u]nder Trump, the debt held by the federal government has surpassed 100% of GDP. By 2030, it’ll shoot past its all-time record from WWII.”
Are we nearing an end to this incursion (or whatever it is called)? According to the author, we can’t be sure. We surely can’t rely on the president to clarify what is occurring in this war of choice. Some inside sources say he is preparing to commit troops to a ground war (where costs and body counts will escalate exponentially). The blogger quotes Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, who said, “Iranian policy is ‘an eye for an eye’ and added: ‘The president’s policy is a head for an eye. I mean, honestly, that’s what it’s going to be. I mean, they will pay a very heavy price for the things they do.’” (This administration likes to riff on Bible quotes with their own take thrown in—as if that somehow justifies their current criminal policy of attacking civilian targets.)
Cox Richardson closes by quoting Representative Jason Crow (D-CO), a former paratrooper and Army Ranger who serves on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence and the House Armed Services Committee: “The impulse to resort to war as the only answer to threats led to ‘twenty-plus years’ of war in Iraq and Afghanistan, trillions of dollars, and thousands of American lives lost for wars that ended poorly. Americans are done with an endless cycle of conflict in the Middle East. When I was in Afghanistan, our adversaries, the enemies that we fought, would often say, ‘Americans have all the clocks, but we have all the time.’ They simply want to wait us out, knowing that we’ll just spend more money, have more combat deployments, and will just continue to do it, year after year, until we wear out.’”
Senate Republicans still refuse to pass a joint resolution to oppose this undeclared war by a margin of 47 - 49. That’s right, two votes! One of which was turncoat John Fetterman, who seems comfortably ensconced in Trump’s back pocket.
Are you tired of watching our debt skyrocket under this administration while gas and grocery prices become unsustainable? Then, vote them out! Come November, tell this Republican, Trump-led party goodbye. Show up and vote; it could well be our last opportunity to freely decide if we will have a democracy in 2027 and beyond.
23.07.2026 | Source: NPR
'New York Times' alleges White House abuses legal system to intimidate reporters
This article by NPR reporter, David Fokenflik, highlights this administration’s attempt to harass journalists who write reports that Trump and his cronies find unfavorable (essentially any article reporting the truth). It has been the tendency since the beginning of Trump’s second term to subpoena (or sue) any journalist (or media outlet) that writes an article that might highlight this regime in a negative light. But now, this regime has gone a step further, and the FBI (personally overseen by minion-in-chief, Kash Patel) is sending agents to the homes of reporters and serving subpoenas not just to journalists, but to their family members as well.
Fokenflik points to a filing by David A. O'Neil of Debevoise & Plimpton, in which they stated: “The Government's actions violate the most basic First Amendment protections for newsgathering activity. They represent the latest salvo in an escalating series of attacks on journalists to intimidate them from engaging in reporting that the Trump Administration openly detests."
The cases will be heard by U.S. District Court Judge Arun Subramanian, and the attorneys representing journalists hope to “quash the subpoenas at the hearing, which will be in his Manhattan federal courthouse.”
Freedom of the press is a key to democracy, and one of the first things authoritarian regimes seek is to silence the press.
It is not unusual for the press to have an adversarial relationship with politicians; one might even say it is necessary. But silencing the press is different than disagreeing with the press. We need a press that is relentless in seeking the truth; even when that upsets or inconveniences an administration.
There has been no doubt that the press’s freedom has been a target of the Trump regime since Project 2025 began creating its plans to undermine democracy in the United States. We can stop these endeavors by voting overwhelmingly to end this regime in November.
22.07.2026 | Source: The Guardian
Opinion | Three speeches on a single day signaled a dying American democracy
https://apple.news/A28oPGnMgQsKnrPCwFlwpMg
This article by Robert B. Shpiner looks at the prognosis for a cancer currently eating the United States. He is uniquely qualified to diagnose it as he is a clinical professor of medicine in pulmonary and critical care at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. Geffen’s major point is that we’re being distracted. The major news outlets focused on the degrading, rambling speech of the president on July 16th, 2026. But that wasn’t the real warning about the death of constitutional democracy. While Trump used that speech to discuss anything but his war in Iran or the economy. The real nails in democracy’s coffin were the speeches of underlings: Marco Rubio and Stephen Miller.
Shpiner’s family left Russia in 1917 (and other relatives left Germany) when they heard similar rhetoric spouted by their governments at the time, giving him additional gravitas in his diagnosis.
Shpiner’s diagnosis is dramatic: “I have watched teams run to the dramatic patient while the quiet one, the one not crying out, exsanguinates behind a curtain. The most dangerous words spoken in Washington on Thursday were not spoken in primetime. They were spoken before lunch, to more than 60 countries. The official transcript records the applause.”
Both Rubio and Miller seek to distract from the November election; they seek to “Pre-Distract.” They seek to undermine confidence in the election results before the election occurs. There’s only one reason why they would do that: they know they are going to be trounced. Eventually, both of these men may face criminal charges: Rubio for war crimes and Miller for his role in the death of U.S. citizens while acting as the driving force in Trump’s white, Christian, nationalistic cleansing of U.S. soil. Both of them have a lot to lose by letting democracy take its course. Here is how Dr. Shpiner puts it: “The move is old and reliable: discredit the second opinion in advance.”
Will you let this bait-and-switch stop you from showing up at the polls? It is apparent that this administration will pull out every stop to prevent you from 1) voting, and 2) trusting the vote once they’ve lost. Do not let them continue to undermine democracy; Vote Them Out!
21.07.2026 | Source: Common Dreams
In New Corruption Report, Senate Democrats Shine Light on ‘Eye-Popping’ Trump Profiteering
In this article, Common Dreams journalist Brad Reed examines a new report released by Democratic senators examining the corruption in the Trump administration. Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY) sums up the report with this statement: “Trump is without question the most corrupt president in American history. Trump has betrayed the American people by using our highest office not for the good of the country, but to pad his own bank account, at the expense of working families.”
Reed points out that “The report is part of a broader initiative by Senate Democrats to hold the Trump White House accountable, which will include an anti-corruption working group composed of Schumer along with Sens. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), and Andy Kim (D-NJ).”
These are the fundamental findings necessary to lay the groundwork for legal proceedings against Trump and his family. It is my hope that he lives long enough to be subjected to these hearings and to see everything—everything—that he has created be dismantled. That he is able to see his supporters jailed and that he spends time in jail himself. This report is a necessary foundation required for those legal proceedings.
In a previous administration, President Gerald Ford was deeply wrong in pardoning Richard Nixon; consequences are a necessary part of healing. To allow this administration to experience no ramifications for their illegal and immoral behavior would be to support and encourage it in the future. When Ford pardoned Nixon (September 8, 1974), he said it was to “heal the nation.” Every child should learn that part of seeking forgiveness is accepting the consequences of your behavior. I doubt that we will ever see regret from anyone in this administration and will continue their behavior if there are no punishments for their crimes. But they are no doubt too steeped in their ideology to see the damage they have done. Our national healing can begin at the upcoming November elections when we tell congressional supporters of this administration they are no longer trusted. Let’s replace them with public servants, not Trump vassals. Let’s demand Congress begin the prosecutions that these findings inevitably lead to.
Youth Advocacy
"Hands Off Our Votes" is a direct grassroots rally against authoritarian overreach. From executive threats aimed at silencing independent journalism to the systemic intimidation of election officials, this briefing exposes the modern mechanics of voter suppression—and how we must organize to protect the upcoming midterms. Features the new protest anthem video, "Hands Off Our Vote."
Blogs 14.07.2026-21.07.2026
📣 Review and Announcements
Welcome to this week's briefing. As we march closer to the high-stakes mid-term elections, the cracks in the current administration are turning into craters. From frantic threats against independent journalists to desperate attempts to intimidate election officials, a terrified executive branch is pulling out every authoritarian trick in the book to suppress your voice.
But we are not backing down. This week, we launch a unified front against this systemic intimidation. Our theme is loud, clear, and unyielding: "Hands Off Our Votes!"
Now Live on YouTube: The official video presentation for my new protest anthem, "Hands Off Our Vote," is officially live. It is a raw, gritty, front-porch rock rally against the rise of authoritarianism. Watch the video, absorb the lyrics, and share it with your local activist networks: 📺 Watch "Hands Off Our Vote" on YouTube
Take the Anthem With You: Want to blast this track at your local rallies or upcoming march? You can download the high-quality single directly from my store right now: 🎵 Get the Track on My Website
Join the Resistance Hub: Access all our latest organizing tools, articles, and quick-action links in one single place: 🔗 Visit the Linktree Hub
Substack Deep-Dive: For a breakdown of how this administration is trying to use DHS oversight to scare voters of color, read my latest newsletter analysis: ✍️ Subscribe to Substack
Daily Mobilization Updates: Follow my daily commentary on the fight for fair elections and the oversight of weaponized AI tech: 🦋 Follow on Bluesky | 👥 Connect on Facebook
🎬 Visual Stories: The Countdown to the Midterms
Here is your essential reading and viewing map for the week, tracking the systemic threats to our democracy and economy—and how we fight back.
⚖️ Story 1: The Cornered Narcissist and the Threat to Free Press
The Focus: An unprecedented, authoritarian push by the administration to strip broadcasting licenses from independent news organizations that refuse to air the President's propaganda. Harvard political scientist Ryan Enos warns that a panicked administration is trying to manipulate the election course by weaponizing federal agencies [1.1].
The Reality: The President is running scared because losing the House and Senate means certain impeachment. Scared narcissists resort to bullying and fear [1.1].
The Action: Don't let them isolate independent journalism. Share this analysis directly from The New Republic.
📉 Story 2: The "Broligarchy" Crushing the US Economy
The Focus: Journalist Idrees Kahloon exposes how the administration's anti-immigration, anti-science, and anti-education stances are causing a massive decline in American economic growth [1.2].
The Reality: The economy is being treated like a personal piggy bank—handing tax breaks, contracts, and pardons to sycophants who fund executive pet projects [1.2].
The Action: Read the full economic breakdown at The Atlantic and demand a rollback of these disastrous Executive Orders.
🗳️ Story 3: Desperation Speeches and Voter Intimidation Tactics
The Focus: The Department of Homeland Security is actively threatening election officials with fines and prison time if they do not participate in voter suppression tactics [1.4].
The Reality: Analysts Jonathan Capehart and David Brooks note that the administration is terrified of impending midterm losses [1.3]. They are attempting to sow social media chaos by claiming the country is under a "communist attack" to panic their base [1.5].
The Action: Turn this rhetoric against them. Let their conspiracy theories convince their own followers to stay home, while we overwhelm the ballot boxes in a historic landslide victory [1.3]. Review the source reports at The Hill, WhoWhatWhy, and PBS Newshour.
🕯️ Story 4: A War Without Reason
The Focus: American lives are being lost globally and domestically in a chaotic, unprovoked "war-of-choice" with Iran [1.2]. Former Naval War College professor Tom Nichols highlights that the President has refused to give a single address to Congress explaining why young Americans are being put in harm's way [1.2].
The Reality: There is no strategy. The administration is guided entirely by age-incapacitated impulses and sycophants terrified of losing their status [1.2].
The Action: Stand up for our youth and our troops. Read the scathing commentary at The Atlantic.
21.07.2026 | Source: TNR (The New Republic)
Transcript: Trump’s Rage at Journos Boils Over—and Even Fox Is Rattled
This commentary is from an interview of Harvard Political Scientist, Ryan Enos, by TNR host, Greg Sargent. Together they look at the unprecedented statements of President Trump and DHS Director Markwayne Mullin about taking away the licenses of news organizations that don’t cover the president’s speeches. Here’s how Enos puts it: “And it’s important to emphasize just how unprecedented this is, right? I mean, this is a clearly authoritarian move, and there’s never been a president in American history that’s done this—has said, if you don’t broadcast what I want, I’m going to essentially put you out of business. And that’s the reason we have things like an independent licensing commission, which at least we did until Trump came along and the Supreme Court sided with his unilateral authority to take away its independence.”
What Sargent and Enos warn us about is that Trump is willing to use the full power of the U.S. government to both alter the course of the upcoming election and to sow doubt in the results of that election before they occur.
This president does not want to lose this election; he knows what it would cost him. Losing the House would mean the blockage of many of his pet projects; losing the House and the Senate would mean certain impeachment. The president is running scared, and scared narcissists don’t respond well to fear. They fight. Trump is fighting. Not just to alter the election, but to undermine the election system. This has been his desire ever since he lost the 2020 election to Joseph Biden. His life is a reflection of failures, failed businesses, and failed marriages; his only wins have come from his mafioso-type behavior: bullying and fear tactics. Now he wants to move from bullying the Republicans to bullying the U.S. electorate. Enos extrapolates on that fear by pointing out: “And so here you have an agency where it’s threatening news organizations, threatening the independence of elections—if you listen to more of what was said in that news conference about how they’re going to examine the voter rolls and things like that. And people have this real fear, which is probably still low probability, but there’s a real fear that you’re going to have things like ICE agents and these other sorts of shock troops of Donald Trump showing up at polling places trying to intimidate people from casting their ballots.”
This administration is counting on one thing: the ignorance of voters. He’s counting on the same ignorance and blind faithfulness that won him the election in 2024. Once again, Enos speaks to this point: “Trump thinks that the American people are a lot dumber than they actually are, which is sort of one of the tragedies of his whole administration: is how stupid he actually thinks the American people are. But the American people aren’t buying this. You can see this in the polls. Like, even only about half of Republicans actually say they believe this, right? And I’m not sure even that half actually believes what they’re saying they believe.”
This administration from top to bottom wants to steal this election and undermine the next, and the Republicans are on board. It is time that we all stand firmly and tell them “Hands off our elections!”
20.07.2026 | Source: The Atlantic
Trump’s Anti-Growth Agenda
According to Idrees Kahloon—and many other economists—Trump’s policies are bringing about the demise of the U.S. economy. He compares this unraveling to the fall of Britain’s empire post-Industrial Age. The primary difference was that Britain was aware of its demise and worked to prevent it, while this administration remains stubbornly continuing the very policies that are undermining it.
When you read Kahloon’s article, you will see that our major roadblock to economic growth is this administration’s anti-immigration stance, preventing the very innovations that made the U.S. grow in the past. Of course, that’s not all; there is also the Trump attack on education, science, free trade, on our allies, and the internal graft as this administration tries to make the economy into his personal “broligarchy” (giving tax breaks and contracts, even pardons, to those who pay him or put money in his pet projects).
The very thin hope the author leaves us is that most of Trump’s idiotic policies are based
on Executive Orders and can be quickly undone, also that the lower courts are blocking a lot of his more dangerous policies. But the long-term damage caused by the Republicans’ One Big Beautiful Bill will be much harder to undo.
We need to make sure the mid-terms tell this administration that the MAGA era is done and those who supported it are going to face harsh consequences.
17.07.2026 | Source: The Hill
Five takeaways from Trump’s big elections speech
Despite the decision of many networks not to carry the meandering, self-serving, all-about-me speech of Donald J. Trump last night, we can only hope it has an impact. Anyone who thought they might tune in and hear the president address concerns about the broken economy, the Iran war, or the Epstein files, heard instead the president repeat his endless, baseless lies about losing the 2020 election. Blaming China for tampering with votes and undermining voter confidence, Trump went on to… undermine voter confidence. Hopefully, a lot of Trump’s followers listened to his speech and did what they did in Georgia in 2020, not show up to vote.
For those who remember, the Republicans were set to win the elections in Georgia until Trump began whining about the same issues as he whined about last night, and Georgia Republicans decided it was hopeless to show up because their vote wouldn’t be counted anyway. Trump told us last night that the same is going to happen at midterms.
Is this his way of reading current polls and pre-explaining the losses he is about to experience in midterms?
What can we do? Give him that trouncing. Encourage Republicans to stay home because of Trump’s “rigged system” but turn out to vote yourself. Make sure a landslide occurs so we can clean out this murderous, scandal-ridden, economy-destroying administration. Take back the House and take the Senate.
16.07.2026 | Source: WhoWhatWhy
Trump Admin Threatens Election Officials With Prison for Not Suppressing Votes
Journalist Klaus Marre unveils the truth behind Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Markwayne Mullin threats to fine or imprison election officials who refuse to help the Trump administration suppress votes. First, he reveals that if the administration had any evidence of such instances they should have already issued subpoenas. Secondly, he points out that this is obviously another scare tactic by this administration to frighten any voters who are not white from voting in the upcoming election.
Through efforts such as these and gerrymandering, Republicans are revealing that “if you are not white, we don’t want you to vote…”
I want to applaud those election officials (and states) that have bravely refused to comply with the racist agenda of the Republicans and this regime. Let’s all turn out and boldly tell this regime; “Hands Off Our Votes!”
15.07.2026 | Source: The Atlantic
Trump Owes Americans a Better Explanation About Iran
American citizens are dying around the world. Iran, Jordan, and throughout the Middle East, yes; but also Texas, Maine, and Minneapolis. This article by former Naval War College professor, Tom Nichols, states that we deserve a reason for these deaths. But for the deaths related to the Trump war-of-choice, Nichols points out that we have none. As Nichols says: “But the president has not seen fit, in all this time, to give one address to the American people or to Congress about why he plunged the United States into war, the global economy into chaos, and young Americans into danger.”
What we have is a buffet of reasons that changes as rapidly as Trump’s mood. But for the deaths on U.S. soil, we are similarly left without a viable reason. That’s what I would call the modus operandi of this regime; it is “without reason.” None of us know. The terrifying truth is that if we did a deep dive into the cavernous darkness that should be Trump’s soul, we would still not know. Because… well, he doesn’t know. And his aides don’t know. And the Republicans who continue to faithfully (blindly) support him do not know. Nope, no one knows. We can’t know because Trump doesn’t know. He is a man without reason. He has no guiding value except to enrich himself and his ability to reason is incapacitated by age and guided by sycophants who are afraid of losing their positions if they tell him he is wrong.
How many more people will senselessly die under this unreasonable man? Under this unable-to-reason man?
14.07.2026 | Source: PBS
Brooks and Capehart on what Trump is trying to accomplish with his election claims
“He’s very scared…” that’s Jonathon Capehart’s overview of Trump’s meandering speech to the nation (or the small group of MAGA faithful who actually listened to his meandering lies). As Capehart state: “He's very scared about what could happen if Democrats retake the House and retake the Senate. He has said as much on the record. If they take over, I will be investigated.”
David Brooks (and others) say this was a desperation speech by a president quickly running out of options. In her Substack, “Letters from an American,” Heather Cox Richardson tells us that last night, Trump gathered with his top sycophants (Rubio and Miller) to plan a course to sow chaos and doubt by spreading social media falsehoods that say the United States is under attack by communists. Hopefully, the results of his tirades will be (as we looked at yesterday) to send the MAGA hopeful home to the smartphone screens and Fox News, where they can grumble about how the election is already too fixed to vote anyway. Meanwhile, the rest of us need to turn out in droves. We need to overwhelm our voting booths; it could be the last opportunity we have to participate in actual elections (this is not hyperbole, with gerrymandering, the Republicans have shown they do not want fair elections in the future—or even in the upcoming cycle). Tell the Republicans soundly: “Keep your hands off our votes!”
Youth Advocacy
Good day, truth-seekers and advocates. This week, our deep dive into the political landscape exposes a recurring theme: an autocratic, corporate, and right-wing apparatus using fear, historical revisionism, and legal manipulation to hold our democracy hostage. From the weaponization of the judicial system to the scapegoating of progressive economic models, the "barbarians are inside the gates"—and they are driving the rise of authoritarianism in both government and corporate AI oversight.
Youth Advocacy
08.07.2026-14.07.2026
The Week in Review:
Unmasking the Rulers Who Refuse to Lead
By Dr. Jerry Goebel
Good day, truth-seekers and advocates. This week, our deep dive into the political landscape exposes a recurring theme: an autocratic, corporate, and right-wing apparatus using fear, historical revisionism, and legal manipulation to hold our democracy hostage. From the weaponization of the judicial system to the scapegoating of progressive economic models, the "barbarians are inside the gates"—and they are driving the rise of authoritarianism in both government and corporate AI oversight.
Here is what we analyzed this week on the frontline of youth advocacy and systemic reform:
The Red Scare Redux (13.07.2026): We dissected how Trump, Mike Johnson, and their allies are reviving McCarthy-era tactics, painting Democratic Socialists as "godless communists." As Eduardo Cuevas clarified in USA Today, Democratic Socialism is simply about a public-benefit economy, fair taxation, and basic human rights—not authoritarianism.
The War on Individual Rights (11.07.2026): Drawing insight from Heather Cox Richardson, we looked at the structural threat to the 14th Amendment posed by a right-wing SCOTUS supermajority. Originalism is being wielded as a tool to strip away equal protection under the law, echoing the dangerous dark ages of Robert Bork’s vision for America.
A Failure of Leadership (11.07.2026): Analyzing Tom Nichols’ insights in The Atlantic, we exposed Trump’s war of choice with Iran. Trapped in a cycle of wartime grief and transactional ego, this administration is depleting resources while leaving Congress to pick up the pieces of an incoherent foreign policy.
Theology vs. Transaction (10.07.2026): We contrasted the transactional, white nationalist "religion" of Donald Trump with the genuine gospel scholarship of Pope Leo XIV, who starkly reminded the nation that a flourishing society must protect the marginalized and reject the "globalization of indifference."
The True Villains of Society (09.07.2026):Data for Progress polling via Common Dreams revealed that voters rank billionaires, corporate landlords, and unchecked AI companies as the true bad actors destroying our economic fabric. We must demand that candidates present actual strategies to dismantle this corporate-monarchy alliance.
The History of Christian Nationalism (08.07.2026): David Mislin’s piece in Salon reminded us that evangelical drives to claim the state always peak during times of public fear and confusion. Today's Republican platform relies on this exact playbook: gerrymandering, name-calling, and manufactured terror.
✊ The Call to Action: Rulers, Not Leaders
When leaders run out of ideas, they turn to fear-mongering and authoritarian control. This is the exact cultural landscape that inspired my song, "Rulers, Not Leaders." It serves as an auditory anthem against the very autocracy we are fighting today. Listen to the track, absorb the message, and let it fuel your determination as we march toward the midterms.
Watch the Presentation on YouTube: "Rulers, Not Leaders" Video Essay
Support the Movement & Purchase the Track: Communities of Trust Music Store
Join the Daily Fight: Connect on Bluesky at @docjerr.bsky.social, Substack at @drjerrygoebel, and Facebook at Doc Jerr Profile. Find all access points on my Linktree.
For inquiries regarding youth advocacy workshops, juvenile justice consultations, or keynote speaking arrangements, reach out directly at goebeljerry@me.com.
Weekly Blogs
13.07.2026 | USA Today
GOP calls them 'communists.' Here's what democratic socialists believe
Eduardo Cuevas assists in clearing the air for those who do not understand what defines Democratic Socialism. Here’s his brief description: “Democratic socialists and academic experts say the ideology isn't communism, but rather a belief that the economy should be run for the public’s benefit through democratic decision-making. The government should have an active role in expanding public services to address certain basic needs such as housing or health care, they say.”
Trump, Mike Johnson and their Republican friends are trying to paint Democratic Socialists as communists. With Trump saying, ““These are hardcore, godless communists. This is the most serious threat to our country since its existence.” And Johnson expounding, “Now the barbarians are inside the gate. So this election is for all the marbles."
Yes, the barbarians are inside the gate, the traitors are within, but they don’t look like AOC, Bernie Sanders, or Zohran Mamdani. They look like Donald Trump, John Roberts, and Mike Johnson. As typical for this administration, they are accusing others of the very tactics of which they are guilty. If this smells suspiciously of McCarthyism, that’s because it is. As Joseph Welch, chief legal counsel for the U.S. Army, said to McCarthy in 1954, “Have you no shame?” But isn’t that the point, haven’t these people already proved that “no,” they have no shame…”
Like McCarthy, these political hacks have to use fear to retain their power and there will be those who take the bait. There will be those who walk into the voting booth with enough doubt, to vote again for the people now holding our government hostage. And that is what makes Cuevas’ article all the more imperative. We need to get the word out. We need to help people understand the truth behind the lies that Trump and his minions are attempting to spread. Democratic Socialism is about giving tax payers the economy that they are paying for. Making the wealthiest of the wealthy pay their fair share. Providing health care to Americans, lowering the price of housing and groceries. Taking back the reins of government so demented megalomaniacs can’t wage war on anyone that happens to irk them at any particular moment or use U.S. funding and troops to attack (and kill) our own citizens.
11.07.2026 | Letters from An American, Heather Cox Richardson
July 9, 2026
Let me begin with what Ms. Cox Richardson ends her Substack with this morning: “And yet in 2026, here we are.”
If ever you are looking for articles that reveal the inner back story of some of the United States’ most important decisions, Heather Cox Richardson is the person you want to follow. In this segment, she looks at the back story of the 14th Amendment, contrasting it with the Dred Scott decision.
It is this very decision that Supreme Court jurists barely upheld recently, with Justices Alito and Thomas arguing against it. This is the amendment that the Trump administration is so keen to undermine. Originalists (Ms. Cox Richardson explains that term in her column) want to restrict the application of the 14th Amendment, and six of the current SCOTUS are originalists. Project 2025, Stephen Miller, and Donald Trump just want the 14th Amendment to be removed from the Constitution.
This brings us to the final phrase of this morning’s Substack review. When Reagan appointed Originalist Robert Bork to the court in 1987, Cox Richardson points out that then Senator Ted Kennedy made the following pronouncement: “Robert Bork’s America is a land in which women would be forced into back-alley abortions, Blacks would sit at segregated lunch counters, rogue police could break down citizens’ doors in midnight raids, schoolchildren could not be taught about evolution, writers and artists could be censored at the whim of the Government, and the doors of the Federal courts would be shut on the fingers of millions of citizens for whom the judiciary is—and is often the only—protector of the individual rights that are the heart of our democracy….”
So, as Ms. Cox Richardson says, “And yet, here we are…”
What can you do? Make sure to turn out for the vote at midterms and make sure that those you elect have a platform for realigning the racist Supreme Court of John Roberts and the other Originalists.
11.07.2026 | Source: The Atlantic
Tom Nichols is a staff writer at The Atlantic, but he was also an instructor at the Naval War College. He has unique and time-tested insights into international military matters, which is why it is so important when he shares his reflections on Trump, Netanyahu, and Hegseth’s war with Iran. Nichols tells us that it is Iran, not Trump, who is dictating the terms of this war. To quote Nichols, “The Iranians have made clear that they don’t care about the MOU or, for that matter, what Trump thinks or wants. They are willing to inflict more damage on the Gulf states, and they’re willing to accept damage in return. These are signs of a state directing a war rather than reacting to one.”
This is Trump’s war of choice, but it is being fought with U.S. funds, U.S. lives, and global resources (as in access to fuel and fertilizer). This president has no clue how to end it. He has no power to end it. It is time for Congress to end it, because Trump won’t.
This president is perfectly content depleting all of the military’s weaponry, then giving out personal contracts to have them rebuilt.
Currently, this president is battling dementia and is gobsmacked by the situation in Iran; his comments become more incoherent daily. Here is how Nichols closes his commentary:
“Trump is now going through something like the stages of wartime grief: Denial that America failed; anger, which has led to renewed attacks; and then bargaining, as if the Iranians could somehow be bought off like a gang of recalcitrant construction workers in New York. None of it has worked.
Depression and acceptance await.”
10.07.2026 | Source: The Atlantic
Pope Leo’s July 4 Message to America Was Unmistakable
Francis S. Rocca is a contributing writer at The Atlantic and the Vatican editor at EWTN News. Rocca juxtaposes two distinct theologies from two “sons of the U.S.” President Donald J. Trump and Pope Leo XIV. They couldn’t be more dissimilar. Trump is a convicted felon and rapist who has used his position to graft the United States out of more money than any president in history. His theology is one of transactional convenience; he wears his religion like the game show host that he is, it’s a veneer, a show, used only to capture votes and—even then—it is steeped in white racist nationalism. Pope Leo is a gospel scholar steeped in the Augustinian tradition, an order that crafted the Just War Doctrine that this administration so often quotes and then ignores. Leo builds on the insights of his predecessor, Pope Francis, who accused the world of the “globalization of indifference” regarding immigration. Leo goes a step further, saying, “…dead migrants were victims of economic inequality, political corruption, an ‘indifference to the common good,’ and the failure by countries in the region to coordinate their immigration policies.”
Pope Leo also tells people, “In order for a nation to flourish, it must be truly united; united not by goals bound to momentary endeavors, but by ideals that do not fade with the passing of time.”
I don’t think that anyone could find the “ideals that do not fade with the passing of time” in the murky communiques of this administration. If there is a goal, it is rarely beyond the enrichment of one man, Donald J. Trump. He operates on a whim, whatever feeds his narcissistic ego at the moment. He is a moral vacuum. If we want to know how Trump will act (based upon his belief), we need simply ask the question, “What’s in it for Donald?”
09.07.2026 | Source: Common Dreams
Voters Rank Billionaires, Then Corporate Landlords as Top Villains to US Society and Economy
https://www.commondreams.org/news/billionaires-in-the-us?utm_source=flipboard&utm_content=other
This article by Jessica Corbett of Common Dreams looks at data from “Data for Progress” that specifically examines the primary dislikes of voters in the United States. This polling company says that those identified in this poll are named by voters as the “Bad Actors,” who are “most responsible for the country’s concerning conditions.” Here is a summary of the list laid out in Corbett’s article: “The top villains, according to respondents, are the nation’s nearly 1,000 billionaires, then corporate landlords. Rounding out the top 10 were sports gambling marketplaces, artificial intelligence companies, cryptocurrency firms, payday lenders, the Republican Party, social media giants, the Democratic Party, and for-profit universities.”
Common Dreams uses their research to also inform us as to whom voters are applauding as we enter the last few months before the midterms occur. The executive director of Common Dreams, Ryan O’Donnell, identifies AI Companies and Tech Billionaires as the next big villains on the U.S. voting landscape, and Corbett warns us with recent important events, saying: ‘Earlier this week, as the US Supreme Court’s right-wing supermajority “gave their blessing for billionaires to buy even more influence over the politicians who represent us,” the watchdog Public Citizen released a report about soaring corporate political spending since the 2010 Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission ruling, including $517 million in this cycle so far.”
What is important for us is the voting trends that this information is likely to produce and how we can garner it in preventing an autocracy from further destroying our democracy. It is important to see that the Democratic Party doesn’t get a pass in this polling. We need to demand that those asking for our votes not only tell us what they are against, but also their strategies for addressing the growing powers of the “Bad Actors” named in the US Supreme Court’s right-wing supermajority’s infatuation with a monarchy.
08.07.2026 | Source: Salon
This isn’t the first time Christians have tried to claim the United States as their own
This article by David Mislin reminds us of the many times that Evangelical Christians have stepped forward to undermine the “Establishment Clause” of the First Amendment. Mislin takes us on a historic journey of when this has occurred in the country’s past. He seems able to link this drive to when citizens feel weakest and most afraid. Here are a couple of Mislin’s examples:
“As the U.S. plunged into Civil War in 1861, both the Union and Confederacy sought to link their side to God. The preamble of the Confederate constitution noted a desire for “the favor and guidance of Almighty God” for their new government.
“In the North, the Pennsylvania clergyman M.R. Watkinson successfully lobbied for a reference to God to be added to coins. Watkinson believed the nation was guilty of “disowning God” and urged the treasury secretary to make declarations of religiosity. This would “place us openly under the divine protection,” he noted.”
It is interesting to note that fear and confusion are the ideal state of citizens for today’s Republicans, such as Mike Johnson. All of whom ply deeply in social media, along with Donald Trump, to purposefully try to concretize distrust and instill fear in the public in order to garner support and votes. It should come as no surprise that this is coming to the fore just prior to what could be a catastrophic mid-term for the Republican party. Rather than standing on a platform (which has largely been, “Do whatever Donald Trump tells us…”) they are demonizing those who don’t believe the same way they do. We looked, in yesterday’s blog, at how Trump is trying to call Democratic Socialism candidates, like Zohran Mamdani, “Commies.” As we move closer to this November’s mid-terms, we can expect more name-calling and fear-mongering. Sadly, many will fall for it, as they did in both of Trump’s previous elections and during Biden’s mid-terms. When you run out of feasible ideas for true political leadership, what do you turn to? Gerrymandering and fear-mongering. That is the true platform of the Republican party right now. Be aware of it and don’t fall for it. Expect it and talk about it.
Youth Advocacy
Whether it is an executive office steeped in malignant narcissism, a rogue legislative agenda stripping healthcare from the dying, or a nation tolerating modern-day concentration camps on its soil—this week's news brings us straight to the brink.
As advocates for youth, we cannot afford the luxury of exhaustion or the safety of moderation. Authoritarianism does not ask for permission; it builds its architecture quietly while the public is distracted. If we are to protect the next generation, we must confront the systems trying to commodify their attention, demonize their communities, and erode their democracy. Silence is the fuel of tyranny. It is time to speak, stand, and push back.de
Youth Advocacy
Year 5, Week 15
Briefing Period: 01.07.2026—07.07.2026
By Dr. Jerry Goebel
Website: communitiesoftrust-jerrygoebel.com
Facebook: facebook.com
Bluesky: @docjerr.bsky.social
Substack: @drjerrygoebel
Linktree: linktr.ee/docjerr
REVIEW AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
Weekly Review: Standing at the Brink
Whether it is an executive office steeped in malignant narcissism, a rogue legislative agenda stripping healthcare from the dying, or a nation tolerating modern-day concentration camps on its soil—this week's news brings us straight to the brink.
As advocates for youth, we cannot afford the luxury of exhaustion or the safety of moderation. Authoritarianism does not ask for permission; it builds its architecture quietly while the public is distracted. If we are to protect the next generation, we must confront the systems trying to commodify their attention, demonize their communities, and erode their democracy. Silence is the fuel of tyranny. It is time to speak, stand, and push back.
VISUAL STORIES
The Power of Creative Resistance
Music bypasses traditional cognitive walls. It punches through apathy and speaks direct truth straight to institutional power. In this section, I translate our weekly macro-political, economic, and systemic critiques into original visual stories and lyrical compositions developed via Canva and Suno. Art is not merely decoration for the movement—it is a weapon for our collective survival.
Featured Single: "Take Our Country Back"
While we bear witness to the trauma of our current systems, we must also feed the spirit that allows us to fight back. This week, we are highlighting my featured single, "Take Our Country Back."
This track serves as a fierce musical rallying cry against the rise of authoritarianism and the erosion of our fundamental liberties. It is a reminder that the soul of this nation belongs to the people, not the autocrats or the bigoted systems they construct.
Watch the Visual Presentation on YouTube: youtu.be
Support Independent Artistry at my Squarespace Store: communitiesoftrust-jerrygoebel.com
All Media Platforms: linktr.ee/docjerr
Archive Spotlight: "The Trauma and the Terror"
If you missed last week's briefing, you can still catch our deep-dive single, "The Trauma and the Terror." This track serves as a chilling, visceral reflection on the everyday human costs of systemic state cruelty—from modern concentration camps to the calculated stripping of healthcare from our most vulnerable citizens.
Watch on YouTube: youtube.com
Explore the Archive Playlists: youtube.com
TOP LINKS OF THE WEEK
07.07.2026 | Source: The Atlantic
The Nicest Man in Economics
Article Link: theatlantic.com
Annie Lowrey takes us on a deep dive with Stanford Professor Erik Brynjolfsson, co-author of “Rage Against the Machine” (2012) and “The Second Machine Age” (2014). Brynjolfsson warns: “In time, AI will do to white-collar work what machines did to blue-collar work: make people more productive, and push millions of them into new roles.” Technological advances are combinatorial, digital, and exponential—meaning progress moves slowly until it suddenly explodes.
While Brynjolfsson leans toward moderation, he heavily warns against AI becoming an exclusive tool of the top 0.0001 percent. This is the critical point: we won’t notice the true creep of AI until it is pervasive and too late to reverse. No technocrat or autocrat will openly announce their intent to use AI to control us; they will simply weave a silken web until we are entirely caught within it.
We saw this playbook with Project 2025, which laid out blueprints for a White Christian Nationalist autocracy before the election, yet was widely ignored by voters seeking authoritarian leadership. Moderates will not define the direction of AI—the passionate will. My voice is not moderate. I may be moderate about the technology itself, but I am fiercely radical about who controls it. We must raise our voices and democratize this technology immediately, or watch it be weaponized to dismantle our democracy.
06.07.2026 | Source: The Hill
The Automation Safety Belt
John Mac Ghlionn presents a powerful metaphor drawn from an interview with Nvidia Chief Jensen Huang, who notes that AI demands rapidly updated social norms to prevent millions from being left behind. Huang points to the automobile: early cars were lethal, speeding into cities built for horses where children played in streets. The technology arrived instantly, but the rules for surviving it took decades to catch up. Eventually, society built sidewalks, traffic lights, and driving tests. Play moved off the asphalt because the cost of leaving it there was measured in body bags.
Preparing the next generation to survive and navigate AI is one of our primary obligations as youth advocates. We cannot allow technocrats—who are currently investing millions to buy the politicians shaping AI policies—to dictate our children's future.
To confront this, Communities of Trust is actively booking and offering workshops on “Navigating AI in Youth Advocacy & Education.” This presentation features our three-question values probe on AI to help educators and advocates take back control of the narrative. You can find more information or book an event by visiting our website at communitiesoftrust-jerrygoebel.com or reaching out via email at goebeljerry@me.com. Will we accept our role in building this infrastructure, or cede it to corporations?
04.07.2026 | Source: The New Republic (TNR)
The Supreme Court Backs Gutter Racism
Article Link: newrepublic.com
It feels hollow to write this briefing on the Independence Day Semiquincentennial—a celebration of a country allegedly founded on “liberty and justice for all”—while an administration and a capture-court systematically undermine those values. Author Matt Ford reveals the depths of Justice Samuel Alito’s Trump-supporting, bigoted opinions. In a horrific betrayal, the conservative majority shrugged off overtly white nationalist rhetoric directed at Haitian immigrants.
In her opposing opinion, Justice Kagan laid bare the raw vitriol, quoting the administration's claims that Haitians are "poisoning the blood" of our country and immigration is "like a death wish." The majority casually replied that these remarks were not “overtly racial.” It is a transparent farce: Haitians are Black; the countries the administration prefers (Norway, Sweden) are white. Alito and the Roberts Court will continue their legal quest for a white, conservative Christian nation until they are outnumbered by non-racist Justices. Under this judicial autocracy, the law is being reshaped into a weapon of exclusion.
02.07.2026 | Source: Axios
Trump's America Gets Global Side-Eye
Article Link: axios.com
This Administration has made no bones about pursuing isolationist policies. It demands complete control over the Western Hemisphere from Greenland to Chile, treats European democracies as encumbrances, and aligns more with Russia than NATO. It views the entire Southern Hemisphere as a permanent threat to its white, Christian hegemony.
Josephine Walker of Axios translates this loss of global standing into hard data via the Pew Research Center. Confidence in the reliability of the United States has completely plummeted. Our allies do not trust us, and following the catastrophic Iran War, our adversaries neither fear nor respect us. The next administration will inherit a devastating plate, including a losing, domestic "Algae War-of-Choice" in our own backyard.
Trusting America means trusting the electorate that voted this incurious, narcissistic autocrat into office twice. Restoring global faith requires demolishing this administration and dismantling the system that birthed it. We must look deep into our 250-year-old constitutional heart. Does democracy still beat there? Can we build a progressive, human-rights coalition strong enough to replicate the historic resistance we saw earlier this year in Hungary?
01.07.2026 | Source: Letters from an American (Substack)
The Architecture of Engorgement
The release of a massive 927-page Personal Financial Disclosure (PFD) proves that no president in U.S. history has ever used the Oval Office to enrich themselves more aggressively than Donald J. Trump. This isn't due to cleverness; it is due to a profound lack of morality driven by malignant narcissism.
Professor Heather Cox Richardson examines the jaw-dropping details, starting with a Boeing 747 "gifted" to Trump by Qatar. While the Foreign Emoluments Clause (Article I, Section 9) strictly prohibits federal officials from accepting foreign gifts without congressional consent, this administration bypassed constitutional law by routing the jet through the Pentagon—with the explicitly corrupt caveat that it transfers to the Trump Presidential Library post-presidency.
From unapproved, no-bid contracts doled out to loyalists for massive capital projects to a family-run cryptocurrency that netted an estimated $600 million in his first few months (now valued at $1.4 billion), the corruption is systemic. As Senator Chris Murphy warned on the Senate floor: “He’s betting that the corruption will be so constant that we stop hearing it... once corruption becomes normal, it becomes permanent.” Backed by a Supreme Court that just broke a 90-year precedent to grant the executive unchecked power to fire government employees without cause, this oligarchy is attempting to entrench itself permanently while everyday Americans struggle to pay their bills. We cannot allow it.
01.07.2026 | Source: The New Republic (TNR)
Vandalism at the Reflecting Pool? Yes—It Was Committed by Donald Trump
Article Link: newrepublic.com
Michael Tomasky, editor of The New Republic, exposes the psychological rot at the center of this administration. You would think a leader who just lost a war would have structural crises on his mind. Instead, Trump’s focus remains locked onto the Reflecting Pool and the Kennedy Center—monuments to a porcelain-fragile ego. While a citizen faces a July 9th hearing for merely lifting a floating section of the pool's lining, the real vandal in Washington is Donald Trump.
Like an animal marking territory, this president is desperate to spray-paint his name onto the capital, transforming it into "Trumpland." This egocentric circus is a calculated distraction to keep the public from focusing on his catastrophic military loss in Iran and the impending release of the dreaded Epstein files.
While the ultimate litmus test for future progressive candidates is breaking the stranglehold of billionaires over our politics, how they respond to this literal and figurative vandalism of our public spaces is a vital test of character. The next administration must completely sanitize our capital from the institutional stench of this man and his lackeys.
Youth Advocacy
Weekly Review: Standing at the Brink
Whether it is a quiet weaponization of the DOJ targeting the civil rights of disabled children, an administrative power grab illegally choking off foreign humanitarian aid, or a nation bowing to the spiteful whims of unaccountable billionaires—this week's news brings us straight to the brink.
My blogs don’t focus on the immediacy of each day (which are often intentionally designed by this administration to be a distraction), but on longer-term trends that examine the direction of the U.S., the globe, and particularly our role as responsible adults in protecting our children’s future.
The erosion of institutional guardrails we are witnessing right now isn't just a political crisis; it is a direct theft of the stable democracy, safety net, and global reputation that belong to our youth. As responsible adults, we cannot look away from these trends. We must build Communities of Trust to insulate our children from this top-down cruelty.
Youth Advocacy
Year 5, Week 14
Briefing Period: 24.06.2026—30.06.2026
By Dr. Jerry Goebel
📣 REVIEW and ANNOUNCEMENTS
Weekly Review: Standing at the Brink
Whether it is a quiet weaponization of the DOJ targeting the civil rights of disabled children, an administrative power grab illegally choking off foreign humanitarian aid, or a nation bowing to the spiteful whims of unaccountable billionaires—this week's news brings us straight to the brink.
My blogs don’t focus on the immediacy of each day (which are often intentionally designed by this administration to be a distraction), but on longer-term trends that examine the direction of the U.S., the globe, and particularly our role as responsible adults in protecting our children’s future.
The erosion of institutional guardrails we are witnessing right now isn't just a political crisis; it is a direct theft of the stable democracy, safety net, and global reputation that belong to our youth. As responsible adults, we cannot look away from these trends. We must build Communities of Trust to insulate our children from this top-down cruelty.
🖼️ Visual Stories
The Power of Creative Resistance
Music bypasses traditional cognitive walls and speaks direct truth to institutional power. In this section, I translate our weekly macro-political and economic critiques into original visual stories and lyrical compositions developed via Canva and Suno.
✊ Featured Single: "Resistance, Resilience"
While we bear witness to the trauma of our current systems—from the threats of mass re-institutionalization to the systemic defunding of global health—we must also feed the spirit that allows us to fight back.
This week, we are highlighting "Resistance, Resilience." It serves as a powerful musical reminder that our survival depends on community, collective strength, and an absolute refusal to break under institutional pressure. It is available to watch, stream, and share right now on our main page. Please consider purchasing the track in our store to directly fund our ongoing youth advocacy work.
Listen & Support: Communities of Trust Music Store
📺 Archive Spotlight: "The Trauma and the Terror"
If you missed last week's briefing, you can still catch our deep-dive single, "The Trauma and the Terror."This track serves as a chilling, visceral reflection on the everyday human costs of systemic state cruelty—from the calculated stripping of healthcare from our most vulnerable citizens to the psychological warfare played out on the global stage.
Watch on YouTube: "The Trauma and the Terror" Music Video
Join my Official YouTube Channel to explore my fully categorized playlists, splitting my catalog into Social Justice & Reform and Relationships & Personal Growth.
Top Links of the Week
30.06.2026
Source: ProPublica
“A Huge Grab of Power”: Trump Is Defying Congress on Foreign Aid
In yet further proof that this administration, with direction from Project 2025, is determined to create a mudsill economy where people exist to serve a class of billionaires and trillionaires, or die of malnutrition or disease. It has cut, as Anna Maria Barry-Jester informs us, under Jeremy Lewin, a 29-year-old lawyer who came into government via Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) with no prior humanitarian experience and who is in charge of foreign aid, “…upended the world’s largest foreign aid provider last year, terminating thousands of programs and firing nearly all of its staff. Its plan for the agency was clear: Eliminate it entirely.” But because USAID is a program under the purview of Congress, it had to seek congressional approval to cut the program. According to Barry-Jester, Congress refused their request and, “…detailed precisely how much the State Department should spend on foreign aid and for what, including $9.4 billion on global health to treat and prevent maladies like HIV, tuberculosis, and malaria, and more than $5 billion on emergency humanitarian aid. They also insisted on regular, detailed reports about how the administration was spending the money.”
This administration has not even attempted to follow these directives in a manner similar to a petulant child refusing to share toys with others. It remains sequestered in the White House, screaming, “Mine, mine, mine!” According to David Super, a professor of law and economics at Georgetown University and a leading scholar on administrative and constitutional law, “this is a huge power grab by the Presidential Branch of the Government and expressly illegal.” To date, the Office of Management and Budget, run by Russell Vought, has refused to allocate money to be spent on foreign aid despite bipartisan support from seemingly every member of Congress, save for Trump boot-licker, Lindsay Graham. The damage being done to the U.S.’s reputation and respect globally is immeasurable, but that is nothing compared to the legacy of deaths that will occur from disease and malnutrition. Trillionaire Musk apparently can’t stomach that anyone else would receive money from U.S. taxpayers, and this administration is “all in.” In its effort to keep every dime for the extremely wealthy, people are dying, and the cycle of disease will remain in effect for generations.
29.06.2026
Source: Salon
America abdicates as global superpower — and it’s about time
The Executive Editor of Salon, Andrew O’Hiher, helps us reflect on some positive points to this administration’s multiple failed adventures abroad. These points are somewhat hard-to-find and only visible in a much larger context and with a much longer view. They certainly won’t be promoted by the MAGA/GOP cult surrounding this president, but let’s dive into some of O’Hiher’s important notes. Here’s how he opens: “Trump returned to the White House last year determined to wreak revenge on a long list of real or imagined enemies and to leave his mark on the world. He has undeniably done both, and has caused almost unimaginable damage in many directions. It seemed implausible (and still does) that such a small-minded, ignorant, and incurious person could become a world-historical figure, but at least in that respect, we have misjudged him. He has changed the world, but done so in exactly the opposite direction from his expressed intentions.”
This description of the president is one of the best I’ve seen; the word, “Incurious” certainly describes the approach an egotistical narcissist takes to the world around him. I think it is safe to say we have had incurious presidents before, but likely none as mentally stagnant as the current occupant of the UFC Circus/Algae Infested/White House.
O’Hiher points out the failure in Iran may have finally resulted in a long-term rupture of the U.S.’s relationship with Benjamin Netanyahu. It certainly has resulted in the U.S. being seen as weak by multiple nations around the globe, including European allies, Russia, and especially China. O’Hiher quotes China analyst Ryan Hass’ essay for Brookings: ‘The United States and Israel fought Iran, and China won.’ In his analysis, the U.S. once again squandered its resources and its global credibility in a counterproductive and pointless struggle for military hegemony, while the Chinese remained focused on this century’s ‘defining geopolitical contest: the battle for technological leadership.’”
China is painting the U.S. as a reckless aggressor in the world with itself as a “reliable steward of the international order.” Who would have thought that would be plausible before this president undermined this United States’ credibility worldwide?
In the long run, O’Hiher suggests we see this administration as helping the world become less reliant on fossil fuels and fossil fuel energy, less reliant on standard industrial military tactics, and certainly less reliant on the U.S. The most honorable thing this President could do at this time is resign. But the likelihood of T.R.U.M.P. doing something honorable is close to nil. Perhaps, given his growing dementia and physical decline, the fact that being the Bully of the World is not working, and being booed at nearly every venue where he shows his face, will begin to wear on him. Perhaps, if mid-terms reveal the depth of the GOP crises in the U.S., his avid supporters will begin to count the cost of supporting an incurious, malignant narcissist nearing his demise. Perhaps, perhaps, perhaps… but we have to do more than hope and wish. We have to raise our voices, show up to vote, and keep calling out evil when it reveals itself.
26.06.2026
Source: NPR
DOJ memo stokes fear among disability advocates of a return to institutionalization
Thank you to both NPR and Cory Turner (editor for NPR’s Ed Team) for bringing attention to this easily overlooked, but critically important issue of the civil rights of those disabled in the United States. According to Turner, a new memo released this week by the Justice Department and prepared by Lanora Pettit, principal deputy assistant attorney general in the Office of Legal Counsel, “quietly calls into question decades of civil rights protections for Americans with disabilities and stirred fear and anger among advocates and families.”
One might question why, until we examine the devious direction of Project 2025 and this administration to ensure they are “unburdened” by those who are not contributing to the tax system funding the wealthy in this country. As Turner reports, Trump’s own campaign promises make this clear: In a 2023 campaign video, President Trump himself pledged: “For those who are severely mentally ill and deeply disturbed, we will bring them back to mental institutions, where they belong.”
If you voted for this president, you own this. If you stayed home, your silence allowed this to happen, and you better hope that no one you know—or you, yourself—ever has need of support (or even community) if you should become disabled. The question we should also ask at this time is, does this law apply to the President himself? He is quite obviously a danger to society and quite obviously mentally ill. Does this law allow us to step in and institutionalize him? We could only hope so.
25.06.2026
Source: Current Affairs
A Trillion Dollars Isn’t Worth It If You Have to Be Elon Musk
Alex Scopic and Nathan J. Robinson open this cautionary tale about Elon Musk with a quote from one they call “some homeless Palestinian.” “What shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? And, indeed, this is a cautionary tale about a man who has everything (at least more financial wealth than anyone else in the world) and yet, seems to feel like he has nothing. They divide the article into five important sections: You can’t buy human connection. You can’t buy cool. You can’t buy peace of mind. The money is kind of fake anyway. You’d feel sorry for him, if not for the body count. The authors compare Musk’s urges with another oligarch, Jeffrey Epstein, saying, “…like Musk, Epstein reportedly hoped to ‘seed the human race with his DNA by impregnating women’ on a large scale, and had a compound of his own at Zorro Ranch in New Mexico for that purpose. Like Musk, much of his harassment took place on a private plane, where the women in question were a captive audience.” And, “The common denominator between the two men is treating women as things to acquire and collect, rather than people. It’s a form of perversity that’s really only available to the super-rich.”
Towards the end of the article, the authors identify why, despite being such a pitiable character, one can’t feel sorry for Musk. In their words, “…Musk isn’t just stingy with his own fortune. When he took a role in the federal government he deliberately used his position to take food and medicine from the world’s poorest people, gleefully destroying the agency that provided U.S. medical aid to needy countries, resulting in hundreds of thousands of deaths. Musk is a supporter of brutal imperialism (‘we will coup whoever we want’), and even flirts with outright neo-Nazism. He is a booster of some of the most hateful and dangerous politicians around the world, and even said that the serial sexual abuser Andrew Tate would make a good U.K. prime minister. Musk bears a significant responsibility for the second Trump presidency. He vowedthat even though “I can’t be President… I can help Trump defeat Biden and I will.” And he did, by spending hundreds of millions of dollars on the election. Every horror we are now experiencing, from killings by ICE agents and the building of huge immigrant concentration camps to the brazen attempts to loot the public treasury, are squarely the responsibility of Elon Musk. So there are about 8 billion people on Earth we should feel sorry for before we feel even an ounce of sympathy for Musk, as pathetic a figure as he may be.
Scopic and Robinson close with this insightful summary, “And yet his entire existence is a cautionary tale, a living moral fable. Yes, our primary focus should be on how capitalism affects the lives of the global poor and the working class, because they are the vast majority of humanity. But Musk shows us that capitalism isn’t good for the rich, either. Like a black hole or a neutron star, the gravitational pull of all that money warps their lives into shapes they would never otherwise have taken. It turns them grotesque, sucks away their joy and humanity, and kills their ability to relate normally to others. Removing Musk’s outlandish wealth and power is not just necessary for the preservation of democracy. It’s a favor to him, and offers the only hope for his redemption.”
Are those we will support in the next election up to the challenge ahead of all of us? Biden, who was an obvious enemy of Musk, was undermined largely by Musk’s money and social media machine. No one should underestimate the reach of his wealth accompanied by the internal void that makes him both dangerous and spiteful. The current president was made in Musk’s image and through Musk’s dollars. Establishing guardrails on billionaires—and trillionaires—must be a major priority of the 2027 congress. Will Musk, Bezos, and others have enough money to prevent this? They have in the past and no doubt will continue to make the U.S. into their personal oligarchy. This is a crucial time for our children and generations to come. Your vote and resistance was never more important.
24.06.2026
Source: The Atlantic
The Price of Defeat in Iran
There is no other way to describe the proposed conclusion to Trump’s war-of-choice with Iran as anything less than a surrender. Indeed, this president is high-tailing it back to battles he’s losing in the American hemisphere with his tail between his legs and egg upon his face; except the U.S. elected him, so it is egg upon the face of the United States. In this article, Thomas Wright of The Atlantic compares the settlement reached by this Administration to a Marshall Plan for the Middle East, only costing twice as much in real dollars as the original with no foreseeable benefits for the world. As most of you know, the Marshall Plan was vital for the political stabilization and psychological renewal of Western Europe. This “Memorandum of Understanding” or really, “document of surrender” will have the opposite effect in the Middle East than the Marshall Plan in Europe. Most likely, it will create a power vacuum that future U.S. administrations will fear filling. Israel will play heavily in determining the future of the Middle East, and its war with Iran will continue unabated. Israel will also be at odds with Turkey, and the Middle East leadership gap will be filled by China and Russia. Here’s how Wright summarizes the deal: “The deal is a bad one. But Washington has no good choices at this point. Judged by the administration’s own objectives, the outcome is difficult to describe as anything other than a defeat.” The United States entered the conflict seeking to eliminate Iran’s leverage, constrain its regional influence, and force it to accept strict limits on its nuclear program. Instead, Iran emerged with sanctions relief, a pathway to generous reconstruction financing, continuing ambiguity over key nuclear issues, and new leverage over the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran was contained by Obama’s Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). Trump’s plan rewards Iran for engaging in a war with the U.S., closing the Strait of Hormuz, and firing on its neighbors. Whether we will ever know the economic costs of this war is difficult to tell, but we do know the cost in human lives, in infrastructure, and we are watching the cost at our gas pumps around the world. The actions that Iran made post-Israel and the U.S.’s initial strikes were predicted, but this war was the “brainchild” of Bibi Netanyahu and Donald J. Trump, which is a scary thought by itself, given the dangerous brains that were involved.
Youth Advocacy
Whether it is a presidency teetering on malignant narcissism, a rogue legislative agenda stripping healthcare from the dying, or a nation tolerating modern-day concentration camps on its soil—this week's news brings us straight to the brink.
We are no longer just fighting a political party; we are fighting a fused system of unchecked wealth and state authority designed to protect the billionaire class at the expense of our youth. The T.R.U.M.P. administration's policies are not accidental missteps. They are a systemic transfer of public resources away from the vulnerable and into the hands of global oligarchs. To protect the future of our children, we must look past the daily media distractions, recognize these macro-trends, and actively build the infrastructure of resistance.
Youth Advocacy
Year 5, Week 13
Briefing Period: 17.06.2026—23.06.2026
By Dr. Jerry Goebel
📣 REVIEW and ANNOUNCEMENTS
Weekly Review: Standing at the Brink of Oligarchy
Whether it is a presidency teetering on malignant narcissism, a rogue legislative agenda stripping healthcare from the dying, or a nation tolerating modern-day concentration camps on its soil—this week's news brings us straight to the brink.
We are no longer just fighting a political party; we are fighting a fused system of unchecked wealth and state authority designed to protect the billionaire class at the expense of our youth. The T.R.U.M.P. administration's policies are not accidental missteps. They are a systemic transfer of public resources away from the vulnerable and into the hands of global oligarchs. To protect the future of our children, we must look past the daily media distractions, recognize these macro-trends, and actively build the infrastructure of resistance.
🖼️ Visual Stories
The Power of Creative Resistance
Music bypasses traditional cognitive walls and speaks direct truth to institutional power. In this section, I translate our weekly macro-political and economic critiques into original visual stories and lyrical compositions developed via Canva and Suno.
✊ Featured Single: "Resistance, Resilience"
While we bear witness to the trauma of our current systems, we must also feed the spirit that allows us to fight back. This week, we are highlighting "Resistance, Resilience." It serves as a powerful musical reminder that our survival depends on community, collective strength, and refusing to break under institutional pressure. It is available to watch, stream, and share right now on the Communities of Trust Main Page.📺 Archive Spotlight: "The Trauma and the Terror"
If you missed last week's briefing, you can still catch our deep-dive single, "The Trauma and the Terror."This track serves as a chilling, visceral reflection on the everyday human costs of systemic state cruelty—from the modern concentration camps in Florida to the calculated stripping of healthcare from our most vulnerable citizens.🎥 Watch the Movement: Watch "The Trauma and the Terror" Music Video on YouTube. Join my Official YouTube Channel to explore fully categorized playlists splitting my catalog into Social Justice & Reform and Relationships & Personal Growth.
📰 Top Links of the Week
🗓️ 23.06.2026 | Source: The Atlantic
Article: The Democratic Base Is Angry
The Trend: Elaine Godfrey has been listening to grassroots groups supporting Democrats in the upcoming mid-term elections. The pulse she is experiencing is impatience and anger. As Yasmin Radjy, executive director of Swing Left, notes: “Impatience is growing among volunteers and donors ‘about the cultural sclerosis’ inside Democratic organizations... ‘What are Democrats doing differently than in 2024 to make sure we win?’”
The Blueprint: Victory is expected mainly because the alternative is worse, but that is not enough. This needs to be a generational win focusing on a long-term ground game. In a recent Radio Atlanticpodcast, Speaker Emeritus Nancy Pelosi stated that the first action of a Democratic House under Hakeem Jeffries would be to "build consensus." That is a commitment to form a plan—not an actual plan. The base demands a concrete legislative platform that prevents another groundswell authoritarian response in eight years.
🗓️ 22.06.2026 | Source: ProPublica
Article: More Than 770,000 Children Are No Longer Receiving SNAP Benefits After Trump Changes Federal Food Program
The Trend: They lied. Republicans claimed their "One Big Beautiful Bill" (OBBB) would "restore integrity" to the food stamp program. Instead, a ProPublica analysis reveals that the number of children receiving food assistance has plummeted by at least 776,000 across data-tracking states (representing 46% of total dropouts).
The Systemic Cost: This is a direct attack on children and the vulnerable to fund the military, enrich the wealthy, and finance the President's revenge agenda and egomaniacal building projects—all while the Epstein files remain hidden. The Republican government has accepted its "thirty pieces of silver" to sell out our country's future. We must trounce them at the midterms and destroy the backbone of this movement.
🗓️ 19.06.2026 | Source: Washington Monthly
Article: How to Contain the Oligarchs
The Trend: David Lingelbach and Valentina Rodríguez Guerra present an in-depth, historical look at how to confront the takeover of the U.S. government by oligarchs. They define an oligarch as “a person in whom substantial wealth and substantial power are fused, such that wealth helps make power possible and power helps protect, extend, or reorganize the position of wealth.”
The Resistance: Drawing lessons from Ancient Greece, the Colonial U.S., post-WWII Japan, and modern Hungary, the authors map out a localized defense. States can enforce their own antitrust laws, tax great fortunes aggressively, rewrite procurement rules to stop subsidizing oligarch-owned firms, and stop public pension funds from feeding the asset base of companies converting wealth into political power. Universities must also set harder rules for donations...
🗓️ 18.06.2026 | Source: Current Affairs
Article: You Can’t Have Both Democracy and Billionaires
The Trend: Nathan J. Robinson and Rob Larson dissect law professor John O. McGinnis’s book, “Why Democracy Needs the Rich.” The book reads like propaganda commissioned by the 0.1%, defending tax breaks and obscene fortune accumulation while the working class struggles to survive. McGinnis claims the rich are inherently independent and open-minded, completely ignoring the fact that about 300 billionaires made 19% of all federal political contributions in 2024—with a staggering 5/6th of those millions flowing directly to Republican candidates.
The Systemic Cost: As the reviewers brilliantly state: “The ruling class helps democracy like smoking helps your lungs.” A fair tax structure is just the first step. We must dismantle corporate giving and dark money that weaponize politics for the ultra-wealthy. Allowing a single trillionaire to exist while millions of children starve is a failure of democracy. "We the People" must vociferously dictate the next congressional agenda.
🗓️ 17.06.2026 | Source: Raw Story
Article: US 'in for a frightening two years' as expert flags what's making Trump 'more dangerous'
The Trend: While attending a recent Democrats Abroad rally here in Yucatan, I overheard a fellow advocate express a desire for the president's immediate demise. While I empathize with the underlying panic, history tells us his father Fred lived to 93 despite years of Alzheimer's and dementia. Following an egomaniacal 80th birthday display that desecrated the dignity of the White House and the Lincoln Memorial, our focus must not be on his mortality, but on stripping away his power as Commander-in-Chief.
The Systemic Cost: Alexander Willis highlights the acute danger of a president in obvious mental and physical decline. Political expert Larry Jacobs warns: “The recklessness of decisions, the failure to think in a logical evidence-based way... losing track of reality versus talking points – all these things are being accelerated by Trump’s age.” We must completely trounce this administration and its GOP enablers in the midterms. The incoming Congress must take swift action to undo the damage of this MAGA cult.
Youth Advocacy
Whether it is a presidency teetering on malignant narcissism, a rogue legislative agenda stripping healthcare from the dying, or a nation tolerating modern-day concentration camps on its soil—this week's news brings us straight to the brink...
Youth Advocacy: Year 5, Week 11
Briefing Period: 10.06.2026 - 16.06.2026
By Dr. Jerry Goebel
📣 REVIEW and ANNOUNCEMENTS
Weekly Review: Standing at the Brink
Whether it is a presidency teetering on malignant narcissism, a rogue legislative agenda stripping healthcare from the dying, or a nation tolerating modern-day concentration camps on its soil—this week's news brings us straight to the brink...
🖼️ Visual Stories
The Power of Creative Resistance
Music bypasses traditional cognitive walls and speaks direct truth to institutional power. In this section, I translate our weekly macro-political and economic critiques into original visual stories and lyrical compositions developed via Canva and Suno.
✊ Featured Category: Music for the Movement
While we bear witness to the trauma of our current systems, we must also feed the spirit that allows us to fight back. This weekend, I launched a brand-new song category on our storefront specifically dedicated to fueling this resistance.
We are highlighting our featured single, "Resistance, Resilience," sitting right at the top of the new section. It serves as a powerful musical reminder that our survival depends on community, collective strength, and refusing to break under institutional pressure. You can explore the full collection, watch, stream, and share right now on our main page.
📺 Archive Spotlight: "The Trauma and the Terror"
If you missed last week's briefing, you can still catch our deep-dive single, "The Trauma and the Terror." This track serves as a chilling, visceral reflection on the everyday human costs of systemic state cruelty—from the modern concentration camps in Florida to the calculated stripping of healthcare from our most vulnerable citizens.
📺 Watch on YouTube: "The Trauma and the Terror" Music Video
Join my Official YouTube Channel to explore my fully categorized playlists, splitting my catalog into Social Justice & Reform and Relationships & Personal Growth.
Top Links of the Week
16.06.2026
Source: The Atlantic
The Kennedy Center Is a Metaphor for De-Trumpification
[Insert Link]
It feels like a win, but David Graham of The Atlantic reminds us that there will be few easy fixes after this administration is finally gone. Of course, he is talking about the removal of Trump’s name from all things related to the Kennedy Center. As Graham succinctly points out, “You can remove Trump’s name, but not the damage he’s done.” Here’s a broader view that Graham reminds us about: “Even a hypothetical future president who has respect for the rule of law and the separation of powers will have a difficult time fixing what is broken... More important, that president will need to fix what happens inside the White House... That damage is less visible and less easily reversed.” The journalist goes on to talk about the long-term damage done to the military by cosplay imposter, Pete Hegseth. It feels satisfying to watch Trump’s name removed, but it is a short and shallow satisfaction. There is long and tedious work ahead, and the United States will remain in a precarious position while we sort out the extent of the damage. Removing this president will be far easier than repairing the damage his administration and his supporters have done. In many ways, it has only revealed a dark and terrible hole in the soul of the United States. A fearful and widespread racism that never healed after the Civil War.
15.06.2026
Source: Defender Network
Slavery 2.0 could be the next U.S. status quo
[Insert Link]
This is a very intriguing examination of civil rights by Pastor and Adjunct Professor, Aswad Walker. He looks beyond the facade of the human warehouses being built by this administration around the globe and invites us to ask if this is the introduction to Slavery 2.0 by a multi-billionaire class in conjunction with the government they own. Of prime importance to his query is this statement: “When chattel slavery was abolished by the 13th Amendment, it deliberately left a loophole wide open: ‘except as a punishment for crime.’ The South immediately capitalized on this via the Black Codes and convict leasing, effectively re-enslaving Black people overnight by criminalizing everyday existence.” Given what we’ve seen of this administration and the billionaire class that has been at the heart of such travesties as revealed by the Epstein files, we know that this small group of extremely wealthy people see the rest of the world as their chattel... Are we ready for Slavery 2.0 or are we ready to start dismantling this rising system by taxing the rich and wealthy? The Musks, Zuckerberg, and Bezos of the world do not have our interests at heart... Walker is just asking us to peel the layers back on this evil and see where it inevitably leads. At the end of Pastor Walker’s column, he presents us with four action steps we could take to immediately fight back against this new ICE State. They are well worth examination and action.
11.06.2026
Source: The Guardian
US inflation jumped to 4.2% in May, the third consecutive increase since start of Iran war
[Insert Link]
If you had the sense that Donald T.R.U.M.P. doesn’t know what he is doing, you would be right. If you had a sense Donald doesn’t care what he was doing, you would also be right. According to this president, U.S. fuel prices “aren’t very high.” This is from a man who has probably not filled his tank with gas in decades... No one really knows what is going on with the war in Iran, certainly not the President, his staff, or the Republicans who seem all too willing to rubber-stamp anything this “Clueless Clown from Mar-a-Lago” says... If you, unlike these fat cats, actually fill your own tank and buy your own groceries, then you do care. You care where this economy is going. You care that people are being tortured in U.S.-funded concentration camps, you care that people are dying overseas in a war that has “no purpose,” under an administration that “doesn’t care.” You care…
10.06.2026
Source: Yahoo Health
You May Be Experiencing This 1 Type Of Trauma Because Of Trump
[Insert Link]
In this article by Jillian Wilson on Yahoo Health, we are invited to examine a type of trauma rapidly growing and being seen across the United States. Psychologists are calling it, “Betrayal Trauma.” In her article, Wilson quotes Sandra Maurer, a licensed professional clinical counselor in Minnesota, who says, "Betrayal trauma is a term that psychologists came up with for a particular kind of trauma when you have a reasonable expectation that you can trust someone, so a partner or a doctor or a person in a position of authority." Some also refer to this as “Institutional Betrayal” which results in a sense of feeling both betrayed and unsafe because of “chaos and unaccountability.” The reporter describes how this growing wave of trauma not only affects those who did not vote for this administration, but also a growing number of people who did vote for T.R.U.M.P. and now feel betrayed as he reveals the unimpeded depth of his malignant narcissism. Fortunately, Wilson goes on to discuss potential paths to healing for the many who are feeling betrayed. The development of a supportive community is always a top option for supporting mental health. And, of course, seeking counsel is always an intelligent choice... One of the fundamental pieces of advice that Psychologist Maurer suggests is, "I would say it is important to not gaslight yourself, so connecting with other people, and also reminding yourself, validating for yourself that it makes sense to feel this distressed." For those unfamiliar with the term, gaslighting is a form of psychological abuse where a person manipulates someone into questioning their own sanity, memory, or perception of reality. In reference to this article, gaslighting yourself would imply doubting that you are experiencing verifiable trauma because of the betrayal of this administration. Betrayal is real and this administration is betraying their oath of office and commitment to democracy.
Youth Advocacy
Dr. Jerry Goebel
Whether it is a presidency teetering on malignant narcissism, a rogue legislative agenda stripping healthcare from the dying, or a nation tolerating modern-day concentration camps on its soil—this week's news brings us straight to the brink. Drawing from 40 years on the frontlines of youth development and systemic justice reform, this briefing serves as an uncompromised audit of our current socio-political crisis. Inside, we confront Project 2025’s quiet war on Medicaid, the astronomical financial and moral graft of Florida's immigration camps, and the authoritarian effort to dismantle presidential accountability. We cannot afford the luxury of disengagement or neutrality. Read the reports, listen to the music of creative resistance below, and let’s dig deep to demand a just, accountable future. communitiesoftrust-jerrygoebel.com
Youth Advocacy
Welcome to Year 5, Week 10
09.06.2026 - 03.06.2026
📣 REVIEW and ANNOUNCEMENTS
Weekly Review: Standing at the Brink
Dr. Jerry Goebel
Whether it is a presidency teetering on malignant narcissism, a rogue legislative agenda stripping healthcare from the dying, or a nation tolerating modern-day concentration camps on its soil—this week's news brings us straight to the brink. Drawing from 40 years on the frontlines of youth development and systemic justice reform, this briefing serves as an uncompromised audit of our current socio-political crisis. Inside, we confront Project 2025’s quiet war on Medicaid, the astronomical financial and moral graft of Florida's immigration camps, and the authoritarian effort to dismantle presidential accountability. We cannot afford the luxury of disengagement or neutrality. Read the reports, listen to the music of creative resistance below, and let’s dig deep to demand a just, accountable future. communitiesoftrust-jerrygoebel.com
🖼️ Visual Stories
The Power of Creative Resistance: Music bypasses traditional cognitive walls and speaks direct truth to institutional power. In this section, I translate our weekly macro-political and economic critiques into original visual stories and lyrical compositions developed via Canva and Suno.
✊ Featured Single: "The Trauma and the Terror"
This track serves as a chilling, visceral reflection on the everyday human costs of systemic state cruelty—from the modern concentration camps in Florida to the calculated stripping of healthcare from our most vulnerable citizens. It is a sonic witness to the emotional and physical warfare being waged on our democracy. Listen, reflect, and share it with someone who refuses to remain silent. https://youtu.be/H9wR4GoT2QA?si=tIzRBc5OQAvpe2Ws
📺 Subscribe on YouTube
Join my Official YouTube Channel to explore my fully categorized playlists, splitting my catalog into Social Justice & Reform and Relationships & Personal Growth.
🔗 Top Links of the Week
📅 09.06.2026 | The Alligator Alcatraz Boondoggle
Source: The Atlantic
If one wanted to examine the extent of the cruelty of the current white Christian nationalist administration and its lackeys, this report by Eric Schlosser of The Atlantic would be a good starting point. Schlosser examines the inhumane treatment taking place in one of this regime’s prison camps. OK, let’s just be honest and call it a Concentration Camp for people who are not white. The cruelties are too large to list, but covered deftly in this article. The cost is astronomical.
Here is one comparison by the journalist: “It would have been less expensive to buy each of the men detained at Alligator Alcatraz his own one-bedroom condo in Orlando and pay for a personal, full-time guard to keep an eye on him.” The accountability is completely absent from a human rights, financial, and environmental viewpoint. In short, Alligator Alley is a prime example of the way anything Donald Trump touches turns into a model of graft and bankruptcy. Apparently, a substantial percentage of U.S. citizens want concentration camps because they voted for these monsters—or stayed home and allowed these racists free rein over their government.
But we can still say, “NO!” We can still demand that the U.S. examine its moral and political groundings. Although deep damage has already been done to our international reputation—and certainly to the human beings whose rights this administration has trampled—that doesn’t mean we continue to shut our eyes and bury our heads while this inhuman travesty continues. As said by Bishop Desmond Tutu, “If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor."
📅 08.06.2026 | People with cancer or HIV could lose Medicaid
Source: NPR News
While the president pouts about losing congressional funding for his ballroom, builds a UFC arena in front of the White House, and continues funding a war in Iran and blockading Cuba. While Congress cuts taxes for the indecently wealthy and lines their own pockets on stock trades announced by this administration, the middle-income and poorer people of the United States are informed that they must continue working following a cancer diagnosis (or in the early stages of HIV) or risk losing their Medicaid coverage.
Changes made by the One Big Beautiful Bill designed by Project 2025 and passed by a Republican Congress will deepen the mudsill intentions of this bought-and-paid-for white, Christian, conservative Congress. They seem intent on getting away with as much as they possibly can and then entrenching themselves with gerrymandering so they will not experience the consequences of turning against their own constituents. Vote them out! Tax the rich and wealthy. Create a just system that protects the vulnerable instead of the elite.
📅 05.06.2026 | Donald Trump’s Superficiality Is Bone-Deep
Source: The Atlantic
In examining this presidency, Jonathon Chait of The Atlantic tells us the primary word we should keep in mind is “Superficiality.” He describes his cabinet members, not based upon their character or ability, but upon their appeal to “Central Casting,” or how they would look on stage. Chait uses Pete Hegseth and RFK, Jr. as cases in point. Both often appear in their own taxpayer-funded semi-clad workout videos showing off their pectorals while their departments visibly deteriorate.
Chait also points to this president’s constant need for optics that resonate with his questionable taste. It appears much more important to him that he have a ballroom than the war in Iran ends. Superficiality is not uncommon among the malignant narcissist—and the White House has frequently been home to self-centered megalomaniacs. But, as Chait identifies, superficiality is a defining thread of this president’s raison d’être. His “reason for being.” Indeed, this reporter tells us, “Future historians looking for a set piece to embody the Trump era might linger on the forthcoming UFC cage fight at the White House.” This president is still living out his “glory days,” from “The Apprentice,” but the whole world is his audience. When we ask, “What will Donny do next?” The answer will inevitably be, “What looks good on the surface?”
📅 04.06.2026 | Another Chance for Trump to Cash Out
Source: The Atlantic
The Atlantic’s David Frum identifies an urgent issue that may lie beneath the radar of all but the most astute government observers. This administration is making every effort to disregard the Presidential Records Act, which was so fundamental in the resignation of Richard Nixon. As Frum illustrates, “A new Congress will ask questions about President Trump’s actions. The Trump administration will refuse to answer. The administration will argue that the Constitution grants Congress little power to order the executive to do much of anything. The executive, this administration insists, can do whatever isn’t explicitly forbidden; Congress can do only what is explicitly permitted.”
This administration is no doubt emboldened by a Supreme Court that seems intent on deferring to the president’s whims and wishes. That is, if it is a white, conservative, racist president that will hold authoritarian power without checks and balances. This should be alarming to every democratic voter, and Frum has done an outstanding job focusing our attention on this dilemma. This president (and his cultic supporters) know they have disregarded the law, undermined the Constitution, and stolen from the people of the United States. Now, it is doing all it can to make sure they cannot be held accountable for their high crimes and misdemeanors. They want to be impeachment-proof, they want to be trial-proof, they want to be consequence-proof.
📅 03.06.2026 | How Megalomaniac Leaders Establish Their Grip on a Group — and How They Lose It
Source: The Conversation
This article by Jean Poitras of “The Conversation” is as timely as it is informative. We are watching the real-time implosion of Donald Trump as the Republican faithful slowly begin to realize the cost they are about to pay for their cultic worship of this megalomaniac monster. He won’t be awarded his lawsuit against himself, his $1.776 billion revenge fund, his billion-dollar ballroom funding, his name and likeness must be taken down from the Kennedy Center, entertainers are not flocking to his birthday party, and the Iran War is not going as he planned.
This article describes both how megalomaniacs come to power as well as how they lose power. Donald is faltering, but he is not done. It is no time to lighten the pressure against him. As recent Republican primaries show, there are still many brainwashed worshippers willing to hide from the truth and do his bidding. As also evident from the ruling by the Roberts Court, there are still plenty of White Conservative Racists left in the halls of power, and with gerrymandering, apt to be more.
We have no opportunity to rest yet; if anything, we must intensify our pressure for complete change. This administration—and its supporters—must be left with no doubt that this is not the United States that we will accept. That this has been a shameful anomaly in history and that we won’t forget and repeat it.
Youth Advocacy
Dr. Jerry Goebel
Whether it is a presidency teetering on insanity, an economy facing bankruptcy, or a nation dealing with systemic democratic erosion—this week's news brings us straight to the brink. Drawing from 40 years on the frontlines of youth development and alternative justice systems, this week's briefing serves as an uncompromised audit of our modern socio-political landscape. Inside, we confront the deliberate degradation of the Free Press, the corporate billionaire push for a predatory "mudsill economy," and the structural corruption of our military infrastructure. We cannot afford the luxury of disengagement. Read the reports, listen to the music of resistance below, and let’s dig deep to organize for a accountable future.
Youth Advocacy
Welcome to Year 5, Week 09. This weekly report is built on a simple premise: we cannot afford the luxury of disengagement while our democracy teetered on the brink. To ensure our community of resistance stays connected across all digital spaces, you can now join my daily advocacy conversations and political updates on social media.
🦋 Connect on Bluesky: Follow my micro-essays, breaking news threads, and real-time commentary Direct Link on Word or Phrase
📘 Connect on Facebook: Join our community page for deep-dive discussions, essays, and updates Direct Link on Word or Phrase
27.05.2026-02.06.2026
REVIEW and ANNOUNCEMENTS
Weekly Review: Standing at the Brink
Dr. Jerry Goebel
Whether it is a presidency teetering on insanity, an economy facing bankruptcy, or a nation dealing with systemic democratic erosion—this week's news brings us straight to the brink. Drawing from 40 years on the frontlines of youth development and alternative justice systems, this week's briefing serves as an uncompromised audit of our modern socio-political landscape. Inside, we confront the deliberate degradation of the Free Press, the corporate billionaire push for a predatory "mudsill economy," and the structural corruption of our military infrastructure. We cannot afford the luxury of disengagement. Read the reports, listen to the music of resistance below, and let’s dig deep to organize for a accountable future.
Visual Stories!
The Power of Creative Resistance: Music bypasses traditional cognitive walls and speaks direct truth to institutional power. In this section, I translate our weekly macro-political and economic critiques into original visual stories and lyrical compositions developed via Canva and Suno.
✊ Featured Single: "Tax the Rich and The Wealthy"
This track is a direct, uncompromising musical anthem demanding a structural rebalance of power against the corporate elite building a "mudsill economy." Listen, reflect, and share it with someone who refuses to look away. https://youtu.be/mV-Pnu7hfL0?si=3fb9JEMkVN7C8UCD
📺 Subscribe on YouTube: Join my channel to explore my fully categorized playlists, splitting my catalog into Social Justice & Reform and Relationships & Personal Growth Direct Link on Word or Phrase
Top Links of the Week
02.06.2026
Use It or Lose It
Adrienne LaFrance, of The Atlantic, gives us an important cautionary warning about our diminishing rights under this administration. Specifically, the right of Free Speech. Those kind few who have read my meanderings over time, might recall that I believe in two sides to any right; there is the right itself, but the flip side is the responsibility. LaFrance points to this when she says, “One requirement of self-governance is the relentless pursuit of truth, which necessarily involves questioning people in positions of power in order to prevent tyranny.” She points out this administration’s tendencies to evict or degrade those reporters that ask the “hard questions.” Turning press pools into herds of sycophants. LaFrance calls out responses from this president to those who have challenged him, she illustrates, “When one woman asked him when the Iran war would end, he called her a ‘disgrace.’ When another woman asked him why he’s focused on beautifying the Reflecting Pool in front of the Lincoln Memorial during wartime, especially as gas prices soar, he snapped that it was a ‘stupid question.’ When a woman asked the president about his administration’s handling of Afghan refugees, he interrupted her, saying, ‘Are you stupid? Are you a stupid person?’ To yet another woman, who’d asked him about Jeffrey Epstein, the president responded, ‘Quiet! Quiet, piggy.’ He has told other Americans that they are ‘horrible,’ ‘obnoxious,’ ‘terrible,’ ‘stupid and nasty,’ simply for asking him serious questions on behalf of the public.” In essence, LaFrance reminds us, “No truth, no freedom.” She also reminds us how important it is for citizens to bear the “responsibilities” of “rights.” Will we pursue truth? Will we listen to it? Will we stand up and even face intimidation for it? These are question each of us must ask to pass on the right of free speech to a new generation.
01.06.2026
How Elon Musk Killed Hundreds of Thousands of People
It was difficult this morning to decide which article was more disgusting; reviewing the work of Elon Musk while he officially worked for Donald T.R.U.M.P. in the White House, or the treatment of prisoners being held in I.C.E. Facilities sponsored by the United States. I’m going with Elon Musk, but they both point to the type of economy the Republicans want to create using the tax dollars of middle and low-income U.S. taxpayers. They want a “mudsill economy,” one in which the “authorized poor” support the billionaire class. If you are not part of the economy that supports them, the rich and wealthy don’t want to support you; they want you to die—and have no problem if you die a torturous death from treatable disease, starvation, or tortured and beaten in a detention center. Apparently, this is the type of United States that a significant portion of the United States wanted because they voted for it… TWICE! The cruelty was evident in the release of Project 2025’s workbook; “Mandate for Leadership: The Conservative Promise.” Those who didn’t read the mandate or read it and voted for this Conservative Party anyway deserve the blame for these deaths and this treatment. This is your U.S.! This is your responsibility! The only way to change this is to shake off any sense of disengagement you might be selfishly feeling and to call attention to this cruelty so as to promote an overwhelming response at the mid-term elections. There is much you can do before that: keep aware of the news (though I know how depressing and disabling—even traumatic—it can be to continue reading about these acts of inhumanity). Share what you learn with others. Write about it, sing about it, talk about it. Support local endeavors to call attention to it. Be resilient, be resistant! The dark vision of the future the people have for your children and you is worse than even the most dystopian writers could have imagined—and this isn’t fiction. This is happening right now, this is happening right away, this is happening all around the world and all across the United States. Raise your voice. Speak your mind. Tell this story!
29.05.2026
Has Trump Corrupted the Military? (Part II)
https://www.theatlantic.com/podcasts/2026/05/has-trump-corrupted-the-military/687329/
I didn’t have the room yesterday in my blog to cover the interview section of David Frum’s podcast, so I thought I would add that today. Frum interviews Jason Crow, who represents the Sixth District of Colorado in the United States House of Representatives. As Frum points out, “Crow was first elected in 2018. He serves on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence and the House Armed Services Committee. Also, “Crow is a veteran of both Iraq and Afghanistan. He fought with the 82nd Airborne Division and the 75th Ranger Regiment. He completed three tours of duty and rose to the rank of captain. He was awarded the Bronze Star.” Crow is often seen these days sparring with Pete Hegseth, the madman/sycophant that T.R.U.M.P. appointed to oversee the Department of Defense. This interview analyzes how deeply political and morally corrupt military leadership has become under Hegseth. Indeed, Crow says Hegseth is “M.I.A.” But one might think that it would actually be better if Hegseth were “missing.” Less damage would be done in his absence than in his presence. Like the presidency, this cabinet appointment no longer cares about defending the United States; it only cares about defending Donald J. T.R.U.M.P..
28.05.2026
Has Trump Corrupted the Military?
https://www.theatlantic.com/podcasts/2026/05/has-trump-corrupted-the-military/687329/
David Frum does it again. His commentaries are always a wealth of insight, leaving me often nodding my head in agreement and sometimes stopping his podcast midstream to consider what he articulated. But he always gives me plenty to talk about with those in my circle. This week, Frum looks at this administration’s murmurings of a peace plan in the Iranian War-of-Choice. He points out this is entirely Trump’s war. He decided he wanted to go it alone because he didn’t want to explain it, he didn’t want to be questioned about it, and he certainly didn’t want anyone to block it. Now, he owns it—entirely, and he’s losing it—miserably. But, as Frum leads us to analyze, he is responsible for the job. Not just the mess he started in Iran, but the mess he’s made of the United States (indeed, the world). T.R.U.M.P. was never presidential material. He never sought to serve the hopes of the citizens, only the support of his radical cultic followers. Now, in his second term, he cares even less about being a “President for the Country,” and even—apparently—a President of his party. Frum points out how the President—in responding to a recent CNN report—remarked (when questioned about his failing poll numbers) that he has, “100% support of the Republicans. Whoever told him that news (probably in one of his “Cabinet Adoration Gatherings”), was lying to him and the President—not amenable to checking his own sources once he has formed an opinion—latched on to it. No one in this President’s inner circle will tell him the truth, or perhaps they are all duped too. This administration is under attack on the left and the right. His grift and war have left him isolated, a laughing stock internationally and an embarrassment nationally. Thank you, David Frum, for your insights again and for “telling truth to power.”
27.05.2026
36 Republicans vote against law banning child marriages. Some cited the Bible as justification.https://apple.news/ACcvvlga8SROHq4thDAHsHQ
Oklahoma is a bellwether state for radical white conservative ideology. From her loins sprang the mandate forcing schools to post the Ten Commandments in all classrooms. Now, its legislature is legalizing child marriage on Biblical and Constitutional grounds. According to journalist Daniel Villarreal of LGBTQ Nation, one of the rhetorical questions asked, in a recent legislative session where child marriage was sanctioned, was by Rep. Jim Olsen (R), “How old was Mary when she married Joseph?” Also, reported by Villarreal, was this doozy of a quote, by state Rep. Justin Humphrey (R) who asked, ‘This bill has nothing to do with pedophilia. Do you know what socialism looks like? It’s when the government comes in and tells you what you’re going to do.’” Clearly, underage sex is rape—even if President T.R.U.M.P. wants us to believe it is not. What Oklahoma legislators want us to embrace is aligned with the beliefs of the world’s greatest pedophiles, like Epstein, Maxwell, and the current president. If these Republicans have their way, the U.S. will become another country where sexual slavery is not only legal, but legally ratified.
Youth Advocacy
Dr. Jerry Goebel
From Trump’s Iran blunders to the Pope’s warning on AI oligarchy, the U.S. is teetering on the brink. The world is moving on, and we cannot afford to look away. Read my full weekly advocacy briefing on why we must dig deep and fix our broken democracy for the next generation.
Youth Advocacy
Year 5, Week 08 (310 total reports)
20.05.2026-26.05.2026
REVIEW and ANNOUNCEMENTS
Dr. Jerry Goebel
From Trump’s Iran blunders to the Pope’s warning on AI oligarchy, the U.S. is teetering on the brink. The world is moving on, and we cannot afford to look away. Read my full weekly advocacy briefing on why we must dig deep and fix our broken democracy for the next generation:
Visual Stories!
Systemic injustice relies on quiet, everyday compliance. Drawing from 40 years in juvenile justice and social reform, I wrote "This Banality of Evil" to confront the bureaucratic systems that compromise our humanity. Watch the video, reflect, and refuse to look away: youtu.be/njQcZglwRmc?...
Top Links of the Week
26.05.2026
Do You Trust Trump to Make a Deal?
The diplomatic dance with Iran drags on.
https://apple.news/ASFkoeDdjQW2OsTL7GLKQeQ
The National Review is a pretty conservative magazine, and Jeffrey Blehar is a regular contributor with a podcast (Political Beats) under the magazine’s cover. Despite his conservative leanings, even he can’t figure out where the president is this week in reference to Iran. Here’s what Blehar has to say: “So what to make of the situation? Nothing, except to fall back on common sense and all prior experience with Trump: He blundered, he’s in a jam, and he is desperate to at least pretend that he has wriggled his way out of it.” In a separate article by another conservative-leaning magazine, Michael Doran of “The Free Press” quotes Lindsay Graham as saying the following about Trump’s negotiations with Iran: “If a deal is struck to end the Iranian conflict because it is believed that the Strait of Hormuz cannot be protected from Iranian terrorism,” Graham warned on X over the weekend, “then Iran will be perceived as being a dominate [sic] force requiring a diplomatic solution.” Graham is a hawk whose opinions make one wonder if he is actually in the employ of Netanyahu. What Graham gets desperately wrong is a perception bias. Iran will not be perceived as a dominant force. Instead, the U.S. will be seen (is being seen) as a significantly subordinate force. Such is the way of Donald T.R.U.M.P.; his legacy is to break things: businesses, relationships, and now countries. Plus, we need to keep in mind that this president wants his armed forces in the Pacific blockading and threatening Cuba. He’s bored with Iran and wants the problem to go away. Or, as Blehar said, “He blundered, he’s in a jam, and he is desperate to at least pretend that he has wriggled his way out of it.” The Epstein Files and habitual blundering will be the legacy of this president. He wants to be remembered as “A Great Man”; he won’t be. He’ll be remembered as a blunderer who took his country to near ruin and left us all with the generational debt. He is a “bankruptor,” not a negotiator. He ruins what he touches; he is malignant. He is a living cancer.
25.05.2026
Pope calls for robust regulation of AI in manifesto that ponders the future of humanity
Pope Leo XIV has called for robust regulation of artificial intelligence and for its developers to work for the common good rather than profit.
https://apple.news/APVNbs5ZTRf-XYmA5_cPBpg
AP News’ Nicole Winfield, Kaitlyn Houmani, and Paolo Santalucia present us with an important and timely article about Pope Leo XIV’s first Encyclical, “Magnifica Humanitas” (Magnificent Humanity). The primary essence of my own blog has always been to advocate for young people, and my review today is at the top of that focus. Most of my time over the last three years has focused on the impact of losing the democracy in the United States to the T.R.U.M.P. administration. As Pope Leo points out in this encyclical, the humanities’ oversight of AI development will determine whether the future of our young people will be controlled by an oligarchical billionaire few focused on using the most powerful technology available in modern human history for increasing their wealth, power, and position, or whether that technology will be used for human development. The article also points out that the Vatican’s stance will undoubtedly put it at odds once again with the current U.S. Administration as it has fought to free AI and use it to unfetter capitalism and wage war against enemies, both abroad and internally. This is a timely missive our world needed, and I believe (along with the reporters) that it will become a framework for analyzing the use of AI well into the future.
22.05.2026
Your Neighbour Canada
https://open.substack.com/pub/americanpulse/p/special-report-your-neighbour-canada
A friend sent me this Substack by George Froehlich, Editor of the American Pulse, and it reminds all of us of a critical event in this world. It is the “World Outside of Donald.” It reminds me personally that I can’t afford to lose focus (or let you). The world is not moping about mourning the presidency of the U.S. and the loss of its democracy. The world is moving on, forging new ties, building new relationships! It’s not that Donald T.R.U.M.P. has betrayed the world; the people of the U.S. have. We voted this abomination into office… (twice!). He was the worst president in history, once! Then, we returned him to power. There may be all sorts of excuses for that (but not really). The MAGA cult may have been duped. But this doesn’t explain this loss completely. There are also those who stayed home. There are also those who said to their neighbors, family, and friends that they were voting for the Democrats, then, at the last moment, betrayed those sensibilities and pulled the lever for a heinous, malignant narcissist. The Democrats fell asleep while the Republicans plotted. We became the liberal elite and forgot the responsibilities incumbent upon our short-term victories. We empowered a pedophile and convicted rapist. We tolerated Mitch McConnell, John Roberts, Stephen Miller, Steven Bannon, and Project 2025. The world will not trust us again… and they are rightfully moving on. Meanwhile, in the U.S., we can’t afford to move on. Unlike Donald T.R.U.M.P., who focuses on breaking things (like the Strait of Hormuz) and then leaving others to fix them, it will be up to the U.S. to fix the system under Donald J. T.R.U.M.P., under the GOP, under Epstein, and under the billionaires. We can’t walk away. Walking away means leaving our children and their children to watch over the demise of a once-great democracy—not a perfect democracy—but at times a “light on the hill.” No, we must dig deeply into our resolution and ask how we became so broken. What fears and systems led to such a divided country, a distrusting, and angry population? The world does not trust that the U.S. won’t do this again. That we’ll elect another Obama, and then the pendulum will swing again, and the haters, the racists, and the Christian nationalists will use the minority protections of the Constitution to steal back the government.
21.05.2026
With Castro indictment, Trump bets his Venezuela playbook will work in Cuba
Washington is trying to pressure Havana into submission, but there are differences between that government and Caracas. https://apple.news/AB1UB4zCQSfWkCuOfXUuqbw
José de Córdoba and Santiago Pérez of “The Wall Street Journal” offer insights into the next war-of-choice this president is leading the United States into. Preparation for this invasion has been ongoing for months—even years. T.R.U.M.P. has wanted to invade Cuba since his first term, and Marco Rubio has wanted to take over Cuba apparently since he was a child. The murder indictment of Raúl Castro made by the U.S. Department of Justice (D.O.J.) pits two senile old men against each other with their civilians as economic weapons and military pawns. Here are the words this president is using to justify his attack: “The indictment and removal of Maduro sent a clear message to his socialist allies in Havana: this is our hemisphere, and those that destabilize it and threaten the United States will face consequences.” If the rhetoric sounds familiar, it’s because this is from the same playbook as the Venezuelan invasion. That, according to these reporters, is where the comparison ends. Does any of this make sense to sane people? Of course not, but how often are wars started by sane people? A number of weeks ago, we looked at an article from The Atlantic* examining the “Great Man Theory,” of Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel. This president has taken himself to be among the “Great Disrupters” of history; the “Great Men.” According to this theory, these men were all misunderstood in their time, with their greatness only becoming apparent in the centuries following their rule. In short, T.R.U.M.P. wants himself compared to Caesar, Alexander the Great, and Napoleon, rather than Caligula, Hitler, and Benito Mussolini (personally I’d throw in Marie Antoinette, not because she was a great ruler or male, but because she was so clueless of the people she ruled, as Melania’s coat said, “I don’t really care, do you?”). This is Donald’s fantasy, and the GOP is allowing him to play it out. We are the chess pieces. I have a suggestion for pursuing this invasion. Let’s have Donald and Raúl battle this out in an MMA ring on the front of the White House lawn to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.
* 30.04.2026, The YOLO Presidency, The Atlantic, Ashley Parker and Mike Scherer
20.05.2026
Takeaways from primaries where Trump demonstrated power over GOP
It was a big night for the president as his favorites swept Republican foes in Georgia, Pennsylvania and Kentucky.
https://apple.news/A-SYwNachQaW3pgKe-W7TPg
Washington Post reporters, Hannah Knowles, Dan Merica, and Patrick Marley reveal that T.R.U.M.P. still rules the Republican party as his faithful won strong at primaries across the United States. In short, for the primaries, the Republicans are circling up their deck chairs on the T.R.U.M.P. Titanic. Sadly, perhaps the most tragic loss (for those hoping to keep the Pedophile Protector Party in check) was that of Thomas Massie in Kentucky. Perhaps the sliver of sunshine in this ominous cloud of derangement is that the ever-Trumpers are digging themselves deeper into the murky, nauseating pockets of a man who is a clear loser in popular polls. If you had any hopes of this MAGA disease decomposing like their demi-god prior to the midterms, let this be your warning bell. The Orange One is going to loom large among his constituents. All the more reason to turn up at the polls in record numbers and make sure your vote counts this year. If we want to impact the fascist direction of this nation, the clock is ticking. Make your voice irrepressible and your spirit unbreakable. On the wings of the Roberts Racist Supreme Court and fueled by gerrymander victories throughout the South, your stand has never been more imperative.
Youth Advocacy
Dr. Jerry Goebel
Whether it is a president teetering on insanity, an economy teetering on bankruptcy, a nation teetering on all-out racism, or a country teetering on fascism; this week has brought us to the brink.
Youth Advocacy
Year 5, Week 07 (309 total reports)
13.05.2026-19.05.2026
REVIEW and ANNOUNCEMENTS
Dr. Jerry Goebel
Whether it is a president teetering on insanity, an economy teetering on bankruptcy, a nation teetering on all-out racism, or a country teetering on fascism; this week has brought us to the brink.
Visual Stories!
The Robert’s court has revealed the Chrisitan white supremacist leanings of this administration for everyone to see. This decision does more than undermine the Voting Rights Act, it cripples fair elections for decades to come and draws battle lines that must be fought if the United States is going to be a representative government. This Techno-Rock ballad looks at the this court and says, “This Is What Evil Looks Like.”
Top Links of the Week
19.05.2026
A Different Kind of Fading President
Jonathon Lemire of The Atlantic is spot on in this article examining why T.R.U.M.P. seems to get a pass regarding his obvious senility while Joe Biden was constantly held to the fire (one could even argue that Biden was forced to resign because of his age and that Kamala Harris lost the election because of his delay in retiring). In this article, Lemire reminds us that Donald was the oldest president in history when he took the oath of office the second time. Many would also claim that he was unfit for president then (due to being a malignant narcissist, a convicted rapist, and a pedophile). Recently though, as Lemire points out, things have gone steeply downhill—both mentally and physically for the soon-to-be octogenarian. The signs of Trump’s physical frailty are constantly before us—despite attempts at make-up (not just for his hair and tan) but for the growing bruises on his hands and swelling edema on his “cankles” (meaning calves and ankles). This president cannot focus on a single topic in a sentence nor walk a straight line on a tarmac. He is the butt of jokes internationally and was literally a laughing stock in China where Xi Jinping verbally reprimanded the president while Donald sat with his made-up hands trembling in front of him. His sickly repeated attempts at playing “hardball” with Iran reveal him as the whipping boy of the Iranian leadership and would make him a laughingstock if he had not undermined the world economy through his demented war of choice. Is there anyone—Republican or Democrat—who does not wake each morning wondering if this will FINALLY be the day that the world is freed from this madman’s delusions? We can wish all we want to, but Donald is obviously a symptom of a problem of white Christian nationalism in the United States. When he is gone, it will be a relief, but it will not be a remedy—especially with recent Republican gerrymandering taking hold in the South. This president was not elected by a majority; indeed, no Republican president since Ronald “Supply Side” Reagan has been elected by a majority. They’ve been elected by fixed elections, and the racist Roberts’ court has made that situation worse. The only thing we can do is overwhelm them. Overwhelm them on the streets, overwhelm them with our voices, overwhelm them in the elections. We have to show up, folks! It is not just our civic duty, but our generational duty. Showing up at this election is as important as when service members showed up on Omaha Beach to fight Hitler (only not as dangerous). This is win-or-lose democracy.
18.05.2026
Supreme Court voting rights ruling fuels a new push to defend Black representation
This morning’s article is by Bill Barrow and Matt Brown of AP. They review responses immediately forming across the United States to respond to the racist decision by Chief Justice Roberts of the Supreme Court of Donald T.R.U.M.P. They quote Jared Evans of the Louisiana-based Power Coalition for Equity and Justice, motivating us to a “Second Reconstruction period.” The article discusses the potential of the new “John Lewis Voting Rights Act,” to replace the previous act the Supreme Court struck down. Barrow and Brown also warn us of future attempts by the Republicans to take the electoral fight to the states. Indeed, a major battle is being fought there now as Democrats across the nation are trying to encourage states to abandon the Electoral College and move to a system that is One Person / One Vote. Indeed, the fight is not just about the House and the Senate, but about Governors as well. Inevitably, one person/one vote is the only real long-term solution. Then, using those votes to restructure the racist Supreme Court that this president, the GOP, and Project 2025 have created. To do this, your vote is needed. It may feel useless, indeed, that is the desire of this administration. To undermine trust in every social institution possible. This pressure will only increase as Republicans realize how tenuous their Christian right, white-supremacist hold on the United States has become. They’re desperate, and desperate people will become bolder in their attempts to undermine your confidence—and your vote. Don’t be fooled! Remain resilient.
15.05.2026
What Happens if the U.S. Defaults?
David Frum begins his commentary (podcast) discussing how the new T.R.U.M.P. phone debacle adds another layer of distrust in U.S. institutions, this time in business and entrepreneurialism. For those unaware of this new level of graft, it is worth delving into, but this is not the central point of my review today. Later in his podcast, Frum interviews Lloyd Blankfein, the former CEO of Goldman Sachs, to examine the solvency of the United States and to post a warning about the potential default on U.S. debt. When Congress passed its One Big Beautiful Bill, it added trillions in debt to the economy. This is not unusual; the tricky part comes from “who will pay” and at what point foreign investors see the U.S. as insolvent because it is not servicing its debt. Part of this, of course, is making sure the country pays on the servicing (interest) of that debt, and both sides of Congress have become pretty innovative (irresponsible) at helping their clientele dodge the tax bullet. Here’s how Frum puts it: “All right, so the current crop of politicians—Republicans, as you would expect; Democrats too—have decided that what the situation calls for is more tax relief—that is the big idea stalking both parties. But not the general kind of tax relief that Ronald Reagan proposed or George W. Bush or even Paul Ryan and Donald Trump in 2017, but highly targeted, highly specific forms of relief for very specific groups. And that’s obviously not very popular, but politically, that’s super efficient because it doesn’t cost so much fiscally to give a remit or a respite to a particular, targeted group of people. They really appreciate it. But you end up with a tax code that makes decreasing sense, and it makes it harder and harder to pay the bills.” Frum goes on to say that this affects trust in the U.S. as a smaller group of people (low to middle-income wage earners) truly pay taxes while the wealthy pay less or even make money servicing the debt. It also doesn’t help when you have a president that says, "I don't think about Americans' financial situation. I don't think about anybody.” At least he is finally being honest! Let’s do a reboot of this government and demand that the next one establish a fair tax system as a condition of receiving the honor of your vote.
14.05.2026
Psst: What No One Will Tell You About the National Debt (But I Will)
I have a great deal of respect for Robert Reich, the writer of this commentary. He has been at the heights of political power and understands the inner workings of the global economy better than most of the economic gurus I also read. So, when he warns us about the nation’s debt, I take special interest. There are a lot of people warning us about the growing national debt. David Frum of The Atlantic is similarly concerned about the U.S. defaulting on its ever-burgeoning financial responsibilities. The only ones who seem not to worry are the people in this current administration and the GOP Congress that blindly supports them (One Big Irresponsible Bill). Reich’s major point in this article is that the structure of who owns the debt has dramatically shifted under this administration (and under Republicans in general). The richest of the rich used to pay taxes that would go towards servicing the debt. Now, they own the debt and receive income from loaning money to the country. In other words, the more that the U.S. borrows, the more these small groups of people earn, and the more that they earn, the less taxes that they pay. It is like giving themselves a free loan every time this country borrows. This is an economic feedback loop that benefits only the wealthiest of the wealthy, as many, like Elon Musk (who is in China today “representing” the United States with Donald T.R.U.M.P.), whose personal fortunes are greater than the national domestic income of many nations. These people (who literally own the T.R.U.M.P. administration) have a substantial personal interest in growing national debt. Reich (and others) are raising alarm bells because there are no internal monitors on this feeding frenzy of spiraling debt—especially now that this administration has installed its own patsy at the Federal Reserve. Will the Reserve remain its role as an independent agency or become another example of previous guardrails gone MAGA like the DOJ, the FBI, and SCOTUS? Like Reich, we should be alarmed. Alarmed enough to make our voices heard and get out an undeniable majority at the polls in November.
13.05.2026
What's a bored Donald Trump to do? Apparently, target Cuba.
Heather Digby Parton of Salon informs us that the President is bored of Iran and wants to move on to cause other chaos in the world. Not that the problem is resolved—if anything, it is much worse than it ever was prior to this administration’s involvement. But “solving” problems has never been a priority of this President; “causing” them is his bailiwick. In fact, he considers it one of his primary “negotiating strategies,” to be unpredictable. T.R.U.M.P. is not the first world “leader” to use that strategy; Nixon did it, as did Kruschev; they wanted to look crazy enough that others would not cross them. But, as The Atlantic writer, Vivian Salama states, T.R.U.M.P. has moved from “unpredictable to unreliable.” World leaders know they cannot rely on this President to keep his word and are choosing to move on without him. U.S. voters need to recognize the same thing. This President is unreliable; he is not sane; if he had marbles to lose, he’s lost the very last one. And, he has no cabinet members or GOP leaders to act as guardrails. Indeed, according to Parton, in-house discussions are that Trump would install Marco Rubio as the pseudo-president of Cuba after the regime change, which will occur, according to the White House, merely because they anchor an “aircraft carrier off their coast.” This President is the two-year-old that gets attention breaking things in the toy aisle and just when someone responsible moves in to clean up the mess, he’s moved on to smash another shiny object. This will continue as long as this madman is allowed by the GOP to run rampant in his current role. We need to overwhelmingly show the Republicans that we won’t take it anymore. Gerrymandering, wars, bullying, the attack on our own population; all of it must stop. And it will only stop if we show up and overwhelm them; we need to “Minneapolis” them, we need to “Hungary” them.
Youth Advocacy
Dr. Jerry Goebel
The conservative Christian far-right MAGA cult has revealed the type of U.S. they want to enforce on everyone. It is deeply rooted in bullying, hatred, and racism. It’s time to “Minneapolis” and “Hungary” this administration!
Youth Advocacy
Year 5, Week 06 (308 total reports)
06.05.2026-12.05.2026
REVIEW and ANNOUNCEMENTS
Dr. Jerry Goebel
The conservative Christian far-right MAGA cult has revealed the type of U.S. they want to enforce on everyone. It is deeply rooted in bullying, hatred, and racism. It’s time to “Minneapolis” and “Hungary” this administration!
Visual Stories!
This acoustic rap song demands that it is time to “Tax the Rich and Wealthy.” Republicans like Eisenhower made sure that the wealthiest in the U.S. paid their fair share of taxes (91% in his administration). These extremely wealthy, extremely few no longer pay for their privilege. In fact, under this administration, they are the new bankers of the debt. https://youtu.be/mV-Pnu7hfL0?si=5nxERGL5-qNwXyjb
Top Links of the Week
12.05.2026
Trump Is ‘Bored’ With the War He Started
According to Jonathon Lemire of The Atlantic, Donald is bored with the Iran War (did I hear a collective sigh, “Poor Donnie?”). The great negotiator, deal-maker, game show host has gotten himself into quite a bind with what he calls his “detour, little excursion, and mini war.” That’s odd; I don’t think that any of those who have lost loved ones in this war-of-choice would identify it by any of those nom de plumes. This administration has continued to say it doesn’t need Congress’s approval because there is a cease-fire and all the daily incursions that happen are merely “love taps.” Disgustingly, the MAGA Cult GOP seems to accept this new Orwellian gobbledygook and won’t do anything to deter their beloved orange Demi-God. The problem is, the U.S. is running drastically low on global weapon stockpiles, while Iran supposedly still has half of its stockpiles still intact. According to Lemire, experts believe that Iran can continue this blockade for months, not days or weeks. This complicates a number of things for Poor Donnie (again a collective sigh). Midterms for one, but also rising global prices and U.S. gas prices; then there is a high-stakes meeting with China in this week, and well… Donny’s boredom and desire to attack Cuba. There are also any number of internal issues that this revenge-focused president is swamped by. Poor bored Donny (final collective sigh). He thought this non-war, war would last only a few days and a couple of weeks at the worst. Now, he’s mired in a Middle Eastern quagmire and unable to extract himself.
11.05.2026
Israel-Firsters Won’t Let Trump Get an Iran Deal
This article by Andrew Day of “The American Conservative” (yes, I do read conservative viewpoints frequently) examines—from a conservative perspective—why this president isn’t making a deal with Iran. It’s not that he doesn’t want to stop this fiasco; it’s that the people who control him won’t let him. According to Day, those people are “The Marks.” They are, according to Day, “Mark Levin of Fox News, Mark Dubowitz of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD), and Marc Thiessen of the Washington Post.” Again, according to Day, they “…are getting nervous that Trump might give peace a chance.” These three Marks are Netanyahu’s U.S. thumbscrews on this president and his administration, and every time Donald comes close to an agreement, the Israeli prime minister—and these three Marks—threw a wrench into the works. It is hard to tell what Netanyahu and Putin have on this president, but one can guess that it has to do with a master manipulator named, “Jeffrey Epstein.” What is Donald hiding that these people would release if he didn’t do as they bid? The bottom line is this: this president is controlled by foreign interests, malevolent foreign interests, and it is not in their interest to end this war. Their interest (and fortunes/political futures) lie in keeping Donald in line. If you don’t want Putin and Netanyahu to control the future of this country, then we need your vote at the upcoming election. Yes, T.R.U.M.P. is manipulating the election, and yes, the GOP and Supreme Court have revealed what evil looks like. But no, we still must resist. Stronger now than ever before. Make your plan, recruit others, spread the word, and do not be silent!
08.05.2026
A Dangerous New Attack on Press Freedom
David A. Graham of The Atlantic covers this ongoing story of the administration’s attacks on the free press. It is standard for T.R.U.M.P. and his lackeys to use lawsuits to attempt to intimidate and bankrupt opponents—or at least keep them tied up in court. Graham notes that the lawsuit filed by incompetent and dangerously alcoholic Kash Patel is a new low—even for an administration that has set the bar for “lowlessness.” It appears that Patel is not just trying to intimidate journalist Sarah Fitzpatrick, but he is trying to use her personal files and research to identify internal leaks so Patel can hunt them down and prevent himself from being fired. Fitzpatrick cited two dozen sources in developing her story about Patel’s abuses of alcohol and his position. Once published, more sources came forward, some apparently “very high in the chain of command.” These are the people that Patel is after, along with intimidating reporters and anyone who dares honestly reveal the level of his incompetence. Using the bureau to intimidate reporters is—as Graham points out—a new level of positional abuse. Meanwhile, Rubio is traveling to Rome to meet with Pope Leo XIV, in what Rubio denies is an attempt to reset the relationship between this administration and the pontiff (after blistering responses from, even the MAGA right, to the President’s verbal abuse of the pope—and T.R.U.M.P. posting himself as Jesus Christ). Additionally, Hegseth, having fired almost all those competent on his staff, is now bringing his wife to classified briefings; does she have classified clearance? That doesn’t matter to someone who leaked highly sensitive military plans on a public social platform. The incompetence keeps compounding and putting the U.S. in danger. We can do something about this… continue to reveal it and resist. Make plans to be sure your vote counts in the midterms. This president is running the country like he’s run six of his businesses; into bankruptcy. Let’s make sure it stops!
07.05.2026
The Pope They Didn't Want You to Notice: Race, Moral Authority, and the Audacity of JD Vance
John Kendall Hawkins of Counterpunch does an excellent job of identifying the Dunning-Kruger Effect (a cognitive bias where people with low ability or knowledge in a specific area overestimate their competence) displayed by J.D. Vance in his attempt to sermonize to Pope Leo XIV. Kendall begins by pointing out that Pope Leo is a priest of the Augustinian order and a scholar of the theologian’s writings. J.D. Vance, on the other hand, is at best obviously an amateur reader of the subject who believes that consuming a few books on the topic qualifies him to lecture and “pontificate”—even to the pontiff himself. Not only is Pope Leo an Augustinian scholar, he is also Creole, which (according to the US’s “One Drop” standard) means he is African American. Here is how Hawkins puts it, “One drop of African blood — one ancestor, one grandparent, one great-grandparent removed from the plantation — and you were Black. Fully, legally, consequentially Black, with all the social and mortal weight that word carried.” The sentence in Hawkins’s writing that touched me most deeply was this analysis of that slave trade in the United States, “…this is not our house, and the people who built this house used our great-grandparents as the lumber.” Vance, arguing Just War theory with the pope is akin to a jackass arguing race track strategy with a thoroughbred. Hawkins points out the response of the U.S. Bishops to Vance’s lecture on Just War; “The US bishops, responding to Vance without naming him, put it plainly: just war requires defense against one who ‘actively wages war.’ Aggression disqualifies itself. Preemption disqualifies itself. Resource acquisition dressed in the language of freedom disqualifies itself.” The only way the sycophantic cretins of the current administration will finally shut up is when they are finally booted out. Let’s give them that final boot by voting them out in November. There is no room for doubt here—in fact, that is what this administration is hoping (they know they are going to lose and hope they can make us question the results). This election must resemble the mandate made evident in Hungary, when Viktor Orbán was resoundingly evicted by a 79% majority.
06.05.2026
Judicial Supremacy Has Arrived
Judicial Desecration, that’s what Duncan Hosie of The Atlantic calls the Supreme Court decision to undermine the VRA (Voting Rights Act). And, the way that “injustice” Alito wrote this decision will mean that not only will it enable racial voting discrimination in the present; it will also make it extremely difficult for Congress to change it in the future. Once again, we are reminded that the only way to defeat this White Christian Nationalist scourge upon the United States is an overwhelming defeat at the midterm election. If we want a nation that provides “liberty and justice for all,” we have to show up to vote and get others to do so as well. The stakes have never been higher in our lifetime. Hosie provides insights into how Congress can address this racist decision in the future, but only if a resounding Democratic majority is elected in the next election.
Youth Advocacy
Dr. Jerry Goebel
SCOTUS (The Supreme Court of TRUMP—US) undermined voting rights for minorities, making racism the political law of the land. To fix the country, we have to overwhelmingly vote for a new Congress that will stand up to billionaires, the GOP, and MAGA.
Youth Advocacy
Year 5, Week 05 (307 total reports)
29.04.2026-05.05.2026
REVIEW and ANNOUNCEMENTS
Dr. Jerry Goebel
SCOTUS (The Supreme Court of TRUMP—US) undermined voting rights for minorities, making racism the political law of the land. To fix the country, we have to overwhelmingly vote for a new Congress that will stand up to billionaires, the GOP, and MAGA.
Visual Stories!
This week, SCOTUS (The Supreme Court of TRUMP—U.S.) institutionalized racism by destroying the VRA (Voting Rights Act). All hail Mitch McConnell and John Roberts; this is on you. This 50’s Doo Wop style song focuses on the result of the Supreme Court’s racist decision, Gerrymander: https://youtu.be/hGLcLzZSIBo?si=iJ5LauwuOwdEtAqj
Top Links of the Week
05.05.2026
Pentagon Firings Have Nothing to Do With ‘Culture’
Today, I’m focusing on this article from The Bulwark, written by Mark Hertling, because it is not only timely but also telling. It reveals how deeply the cult of this president is affecting global relationships but also the damage being done by appointing incompetent sycophants to positions like the Department of Defense, Homeland Security, the FBI, Justice, and well… just about every department around this decaying madman and mockery of a Commander in Chief (or Predator in Chief to be more accurate). Retired Lieutenant General Hertling is obviously uniquely well-positioned and trained to write this examination of Hegseth’s terrible betrayal of this country and the military. He is a traitor-by-incompetence, but also by intemperance. Hertling examines the word “culture” and how a culture is formed—both in the military, but also the private sector—and this article would be an important read for anyone who sees the importance and criticality of building a culture of trust, diversity, and competence; all of which Hegseth is undermining.
04.05.2026
The Venture-Capital Populist
Once again, The Atlantic nails a difficult issue directly on its head. With this insightful (and inciting) article by George Packer. This article chronicles the takeover of Washington, DC., by tech giants during this administration. It identifies and names the “PayPal Mafia,” run primarily by Peter Thiel and a small cadre of others (including David Sacks, Elon Musk, Chamath Palihapitiya, and Marc Andreessen) who consider themselves the demigods of this generation or, in their own words, “the aristocrats of a new gilded age.” If you want to understand the fortification of the Tech-Billionaire class and how it has solidified its hold on the government of the United States, this article is a watershed opportunity. The article examines the graft of this administration, the role of cryptocurrency, and how AI is becoming a factor in who will control the outcome of “who rules the world.” Packer tracks the mindset and growth of these elite-school wunderboys through private schools, into private colleges, then on to private parties and organizations that only billionaires have access to. Of course, the most elite of which is the cadre of T.R.U.M.P. sycophants and the GOP now controlling Congress and our courts. Freedom for our nation must not just focus on changing our government but on changing our tax structure and lobbying institutions (the kind of work that Senator Elizabeth Warren consistently pursues). Who gets to buy which politicians or justices is at the heart of this change; the dark money and dark dealings that lie behind the power of semi-elected (semi-appointed) officials. This article is essential for understanding the role of this administration’s emoluments and the current issue of appointing real estate developers (friends/relatives) to act as U.S. diplomats abroad. Only a fool would think that Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are acting in the best interests of the United States and the world. I’m thankful for people like Mr. Packer who are faithfully tracking the detestable graft of this administration, its lackeys, and… its owners.
01.05.2026
The Best Way to Fix the Supreme Court’s Attack on Voting Rights
Matt Ford of The New Republic quotes Rick Hasen, a UCLA law professor, who described Wednesday’s court’s ruling in Louisiana v. Callais as “one of the most pernicious and damaging Supreme Court decisions of the last century.” Ford goes on to tell us what the next Congress (should we survive the midterms) must do when newly elected to both limit the destruction of rights by this court, but also to address right-wing gerrymandering. I admit to having a difficult time understanding the intentionally convoluted legalities behind this archaic practice of having representatives pick their voters rather than having voters pick their representatives. But Ford has an intimate knowledge which he shares in this article. The key is winning the midterms, and the key to winning the midterms is voter turnout akin to Hungary’s in their last election. We need everyone at the polls; no one can afford to give up and not show up. This is an election for our children’s children, and that’s not hyperbole.
31.04.2026
Voters Can Be Disenfranchised Now
John Roberts’ Supreme Court has just revealed their white nationalist, racist agenda for all to see. They are undermining the VRA (Voting Rights Act), established by the 1964 Civil Rights Act. This article, by Adam Serwer of The Atlantic, traces the history of voting rights and the intentional dismantling of those rights by Roberts’ court. As said by Trump’s former campaign manager, Brad Parscale, “If states are aggressive, we could see a healthy majority in the House perpetually.” It would be hard for me to be alarmist about how deeply this ruling undermines the rights of minority voters in the United States. It is court-sanctioned Jim Crowism dressed up and looking like a petulant Clarence Thomas touring white voting districts in a $267,000 RV purchased by his benefactor, Anthony Welters. There’s only one possible solution to all this: a new administration and new rules for the Supreme Court that overwhelm these openly bigoted justices. Hungary has broken its authoritarian hold with a 79.5% voter turnout. We simply can’t do less in the midterms and the elections to come. Roberts’nationalist,Act),Roberts’manager,this:overwhelmmidtermsVoter indifference is unforgivable. It elected this administration twice! Meanwhile, we need to let Democratic representatives know that they must be bold in reform, bold in impeachment, and bold in restructuring the court. They can’t dally and hope to appease the Republicans who have proven themselves traitors to this nation and our democracy.
30.04.2026
The YOLO Presidency
The president doesn’t care anymore. He doesn’t care about mid-term elections. He doesn’t care about re-election. He doesn’t care what the media says about him. He doesn’t even seem to care what MAGA says about him. He’s left them all behind for something grander. In this insightful The Atlantic article, Ashley Parker and Michael Scherer explain to us the demented workings of the president’s narcissistic collapse. Someone in Trump’s inner circle put Hegel on his mind, the German philosopher, Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel, that is. As the journalists point out, in his early 1800s treatise, “Lectures on the Philosophy of World History,” Hegel wrote about “world-historical individuals,” primarily Alexander the Great, Julius Caesar, and Napoleon Bonaparte. Acknowledging that the president is not an adept reader, many insiders believe the president heard a speaker at one of his golf club gatherings who compared Donald to these three. Well, T.R.U.M.P. being T.R.U.M.P., he took a liking to it. He wants to be among (as Parker and Scherer say) the “heroes of an Epoch.” He wants a legacy, not as the greatest president, but as a world disruptor, the greatest world disruptor of all time… The journalists quote a White House source as saying, “He’s been talking recently about how he is the most powerful person to ever live,” the confidant told us. “He wants to be remembered as the one who did things that other people couldn’t do, because of his sheer power and force of will.” At the same time that we reflect on the horror that this realization presents, my son reminds me that we need to encourage each other to “communitize.” Our hope lies in encouraging each other. Remember Hungary, remember Minneapolis, grassroots and resilience. Let’s keep on standing firm.
29.04.2026
The American Pope vs. the American President
This excellent article by Peter Wehner of The Atlantic poses the national emergency in the United States in proportionate terms, not just a political crisis, but a moral one. The feud that this president has decided to start against Pope Leo XIV. Wehner’s point is summed up in this sentence, “But what has made the confrontation most electrifying is the way in which the pontiff is not just standing up to the president but transcending him.” Laughably, T.R.U.M.P. has called Leo, “…weak on crime.” (what next? “Weak on the economy?”). Wehner also points out the complicity of the Nationalist Christian Right, saying, “That so many people of the Christian faith, especially white evangelicals and prominent figures within that movement, have weaponized their faith to win the favor of an American president is among the most grievous things to have occurred during the Trump era. And they have sought the favor of not just any American president but one who is mendacious, lawless, cruel, and thoroughly corrupt. These courtiers have defamed Jesus while pretending they are acting in his name. The damage they have inflicted on the Christian faith is incalculable.” A moral battle for the U.S.’s future is being fought before our eyes, what will we tell our children about our involvement in this internal war of the utmost consequence?
Youth Advocacy
Dr. Jerry Goebel
Don’t be distracted; this president has dug himself a hole with Epstein and Iran, and the only way he can see his way out of it are distractions.
https://www.communitiesoftrust-jerrygoebel.com/youthadvocacy
Youth Advocacy
Year 5, Week 04 (306 total reports)
22.04.2026-28.04.2026
REVIEW and ANNOUNCEMENTS
Dr. Jerry Goebel
Don’t be distracted; this president has dug himself a hole with Epstein and Iran, and the only way he can see his way out of it are distractions.
https://www.communitiesoftrust-jerrygoebel.com/youthadvocacy
Visual Stories!
This acoustical reggae tune examines the qualities of a bully—particularly the one in the White House. He is manipulating his base (still) with a series of distractions, but stay the course. This song says, “Stand Up, Push Back, and Push Back Hard.” https://youtu.be/0DuvWGtK1x4?si=XhBUra1jPIt8A2Jb
Top Links of the Week
28.04.2026
Why Bullies Always Fail — as Trump Is Failing
https://robertreich.substack.com/p/why-bullies-always-fail-as-is-trump
Robert Reich is a prolific writer helping us gain a deeper understanding of the political and historical perspective into the T.R.U.M.P. administration. He points out, “Trump believes that might makes right — that the stronger are entitled to attack and exploit the weaker.” Reich points to Stephen Miller telling CNN correspondent, Jake Tapper, “We live in a world, in the real world, Jake, that is governed by strength, that is governed by force, that is governed by power,” then Reich goes on to describe that this mindset is no longer true in our current world. This is how he puts it, “If the United States stays on this course, it will find itself bereft of allies and friends, a lonely superpower in a lawless international system it has helped to create.” This administration’s mindset is a self-defeating deception that will (according to Reich) bring this president down—and the country if we don’t continue to stand up to him. This president is a bully, and like other bullies, he is a coward at heart. In example after example, he backs down when people push back against him. Use your voice, use your creativity, gather your connections, and stand up to this bully. Our children’s future depends upon it.
27.04.2026
Proving the GOP is a Cult
This article by John B. Alexander of “Daily Kos” looks at all the GOP has done to become cult followers of a president with NPD (Narcissistic Personality Disorder). Alexander lays out a litany of decisions this body of congressional men and women have made that have undermined the nation they serve and instead serve the demigod of their cult. Here’s how Alexander puts it: “To prove that the GOP has become a cult, one has but to look at their unconscionable behavior. Knowingly, they function to the detriment of America and often in contravention to their oath of office. The examples of their cult behavior are legion.” The rest of his article goes on to identify examples of bills passed and appointments approved that have caused damage, not just to the U.S., but to the world. On Saturday, the 25th, there was an alleged assassination attempt on this president (again). It is difficult to believe this is not another staged event given that it has been done before, and this president is obviously willing to do anything to distract from his past behavior and gain back points in his rapidly sinking poll numbers. MAGA cult members are already using the event to say, “This is why the president needs his new ballroom.” It’s hard to believe that he would willingly attend the White House Correspondents Dinner in the first place, after refusing to do so throughout his entire presidency and having been humiliated by Obama at the same dinner on April 30, 2011. Whatever comes of this event, please do not let it distract you from the important resistance we must continue pursuing to prevent this administration from destroying democracy in the United States. RELEASE THE EPSTEIN FILES!
24.04.2026
What Makes Bullies Like Trump Cave?
In this article by editor Win McCormack of The New Republic, we receive additional insight into the true nature of this president. McCormack says, “Trump is a bloated, pretentious, cowardly bully, and like all bullies, he can be made to stand down…” The journalist then presents case after case to verify his assertion. T.R.U.M.P. is not just a cowardly narcissist; he is also a sadist. A sadist gets pleasure from exploiting the pain of the weak. The weaker their prey, the more pleasure they feel. That is why this president was so enamored with Epstein’s exploitation of girls. There was a good meme today that stated, “Every single member of what is left of the GOP should be forced in front of the camera every single day and made to read Trump’s latest posts out loud and then look right down the barrel of the camera and say, ‘I still support this man as president.’”—Stephens_Ben of The Resistance. Thank you, Mr. Stephens_Ben, for articulating what so many of us feel. Let’s make sure that we can tell our children and children’s children that we did all we could to end this lunacy
23.04.2026
On the Brink of Global Recession
David Frum always provides an in-depth assessment of current political issues from a historical perspective. In this article (podcast), he interviews Adam Posen, president of the Peterson Institute for International Economics, for a conversation about the state of the world’s economy. They discuss the economic effect of the war in Iran, the United States’ reputational hit caused by Trump’s tariffs, and the chance of a global recession. There are multiple important points in this article, but the primary insights were how the U.S. (under this administration) has gone from a stable insurer of the world markets to a hated profiteering and racketeering piracy threatening the world market. Here is the observation that Frum makes while likening this administration to the Habsburgs of Spain and Austria from the late 1200s to the early 1900s. From states, “But the No. 1 power, while stronger than any other power, was never stronger than all the other powers. And what would happen was anyone who emerged as the strongest power, all the other powers would combine to tear down the strongest power because they perceived it as a threat to each of them in turn.” Project 2025, T.R.U.M.P., and the GOP have turned the US economy into that hated “strongest power.” The coalition being built against the U.S., because of their undependable behavior, strengthens daily. We are fast becoming “The Hated Economy,” if not the least dependable. And, it isn’t this administration, it’s the fickleness of the U.S. people swinging from liberalism to illiberalism. From Obama to T.R.U.M.P. From a system of fairly reliable laws to a system of elites raping (literally and figuratively) their people.
22.04.2026
April 21, 2026
Donald is losing on multiple fronts. In her commentary this morning, Heather Cox Richardson takes a deep dive into all sides of this story. There is no discernible strategy (or off-ramp) for his war of choice in Iran, and the president keeps undermining the peace process with his own midnight tweets and manic ravings. His cabinet continues to disintegrate with continued examples of chronic character flaws and public displays of incompetence. The president continues to start new wars of choice by posting pictures of himself as Jesus Christ and attacking Pope Leo XIV. Then, when you think it couldn’t get worse for him, he loses an important vote on gerrymandering in Virginia (although a judge could reverse that win in the near future). All told, this president has shot so many holes in his bone-spurred feet that one wonders if he has any shoe leather left to make the trek to golf courses this spring.
Youth Advocacy
Dr. Jerry Goebel
Don’t let the Epstein Files fall off your radar. This week we look at news that reminds us of the elites who believe the globe—its resources and its people—are their playthings.
Youth Advocacy
Year 5, Week 03 (305 total reports)
15.04.2026-21.04.2026
REVIEW and ANNOUNCEMENTS
Dr. Jerry Goebel
Don’t let the Epstein Files fall off your radar. This week we look at news that reminds us of the elites who believe the globe—its resources and its people—are their playthings.
Visual Stories!
I’ve never been one for drawing hard lines in the sand around politics or religion; thinking that both are variations of opinions more than facts. However, this administration has changed that. Now, I believe the future of democracy and the world in which our children will grow up is at stake. This song with a 2000’s pop-punk energy states we are either actively resisting this administration and the elites that rule our world or we are “Compliant.” https://youtu.be/Mfqp4IQ6HL4
Top Links of the Week
21.04.2026
April 20, 2026
Aides to President T.R.U.M.P. are doing their best to keep him out of briefings about the Iran War in real time because he is too impatient. As a result, the “Mum Effect” (advising a leader with only the information that he WANTS to hear and fearing the disclosure of information that a leader NEEDS to hear to make informed decisions) is rampant in this administration. This president has never wanted to hear facts that are counter to his opinion. He is an “Opinion First, Information Second” person (confirmation bias). As a result, he has an entire cabinet of pandering sycophants that only have an audience of one. Ms. Cox Richardson points this out in the number of aides that are now beginning to reveal all the character flaws of their leader. We recently saw the ouster of Kristi Noem and Pam Bondi; yesterday, we witnessed the resignation of the Secretary of Labor, Lori Chavez-DeRemer; and we are currently watching Kash Patel sue The Atlantic over accusations of public drunkenness and using taxpayer funds for personal use: flights, security details, and more. This is a result incurred when the first priority of hiring is 1) loyalty to the president, followed by priorities 2, 3, 4, and 5) loyalty to the president, while somewhere way down the list is a vague, working knowledge of something related to the job you will be doing… It is hard to think of a cabinet member that wasn’t hired according to these priorities. This administration is proving itself unsustainable primarily because there is never enough air in the room for anyone except Donald T.R.U.M.P. Keep an eye on this as the Iran War progresses and others need to be “thrown under the bus.” The emperor indeed has no clothes, nor substance, nor sustainability. That does not mean we can relax and wait for his failure; for the sake of our global future, we must do all we can to bring to light just how dangerous this man is. What can you do to overcome the lethargy of those overwhelmed by the rapidity and preponderance of the daily dramas of this White House? What can you do to remind people of the crises behind the news this administration seeks to bury. The rape of children by this president and the elites that surround him? We are all tired, but we must all be resilient.
20.04.2026
What I Learned About Billionaires at Jeff Bezos’s Private Retreat
This article by Noah Hawley of The Atlantic is an excellent explanation of the moral danger we are in by allowing an elite class to control the world. He begins by comparing the protagonist of the movie in the movie, “There Will Be Blood,” with Jeff Bezos. In the movie, Hawley points out, the oil-baron protagonist, Daniel Plainview, beats a man to death in a bowling alley and then declares to his chauffeur, “I’m finished.” Hawley’s point is that Plainview is not saying he is finished as a person, but finished feeling moral consequences for his actions. It is this sense of “finished” that Hawley says he saw revealed at a Bezos’ retreat for the ultra-influencers of the world. The elite of the elite—Bezos, Musk, Zuckerberg, and now, T.R.U.M.P.— are declaring to the world that they are done with empathy, they are done with consequences, they are freed from the ramifications that give most of us a guiding morality. Hawley points to the response the current billionaire president made to the question, “Is there any check on your power?” He stated, “Yeah, there is one thing. My own morality. My own mind. It’s the only thing that can stop me.” As evidenced by the powerful elite named in the Epstein files, all of humanity is the plaything of these elite megalomaniacs. They have no repercussions, they have no boundaries, there is no such thing as failure, and no such thing as cost. Everything and everyone else exists solely for their pleasure and convenience. One could hear Bezos declare with Marie Antoinette, “Let them eat cake (and let them order it from Amazon…).” How will your actions influence the end of this oligarchy? Not just your vote, but your daily voice? What can you do on a daily basis to call attention to this gross injustice?
17.04.2026
Pope James David Vance the First
David Frum’s tongue-in-cheek take in The Atlantic highlights the arrogance and audacity of this administration. Frum begins with this thought: “The Trump administration doesn’t seem to have many rules, but one of them is that once the president picks a fight, his posse must show up to support him, no matter how ill-advised the conflict. And few senior officials are more eager to back up the boss in every embarrassing beef than Vice President Vance, who recently seems to have decided that he, and not Pope Leo XIV, is the true arbiter of Catholic doctrine.” In their desperate attempt to justify this unjustifiable war of choice, this entire administration has gone to great lengths to win over White Nationalist, Far-Right, conservative Christians. Hegseth tried to pull off a theological coup yesterday when he thought he was quoting scripture, but instead was quoting director Quentin Tarantino, from the movie, Pulp Fiction. Alternatively, insulting the pope and depicting himself as Jesus Christ hasn’t been a win for the mentally deranged man who frequently tweets at 0400 in the morning. It would be a kindness to the president and a gift to the world to take the president to a prison room that specializes in caring for the deranged elderly.
16.04.2026
Is Anybody Actually Winning Trump’s Iran War?
In this David Frum podcast from The Atlantic, it should come as no surprise that the current beneficiaries of T.R.U.M.P.’s Iran expedition (war) are Russia (who is making about $1 billion per day in oil revenues) and China (who is learning how to win a war against the United States). Neither of these countries (and also Iran) could have a better defense than to let this president continue his subversion of the United States. And, as if this administration didn’t have enough battles to fight, he is picking more battles; against the pope, against the Fed, and against his own cult followers (MAGA and the GOP). Yesterday, I posted Jim Acosta’s piece that this president just doesn’t care anymore. He doesn’t care about his party, he doesn’t care about his supporters, he doesn’t care about his cabinet; he has gone full rogue. He is, as one article in The Daily Beast stated, “The most powerful idiot in history.” We too should be taking lessons from Iran and others who are teaching us how to fight back against this bully. T.R.U.M.P. backs down when his prey is not easy to defeat. When they are not as helpless as the children that Epstein fed to him. He is, after all, the TACO president (T.R.U.M.P. always chickens out). Iran has stood up to him, the people of Hungary stood up to him, the people of Minneapolis stood up to him, Pope Leo is standing up to him, and Iran is standing up to him. He has no longevity. He bores easily. He doesn’t have the mental acuity to sustain a chess game or a strategic encounter. Many have shown that; Kimmel, Harvard University, Mamdani. It’s time for the voters of the United States to show the same resilient courage. Stand up to him, push back against him—and push back hard. He will lose, he has no long-term support. He doesn’t build coalitions. He’s just in it for himself (and largely by himself). He is like a black hole imploding. He will suck in who he can suck in, but don’t let him suck you in. Stand up, push back, be resilient.
15.04.2026
The Great Betrayer
https://jimacosta.substack.com/p/the-great-betrayer?utm_source=flipboard&utm_content=user%2FSubstack
Jim Acosta’s commentary this weekend matched up with many others citing the dangerous meltdown of this senile president. I would venture to say that he is in the final stages of narcissistic collapse. If he were an elderly man in a nursing facility, no doubt the staff would be concerned about his mental state. In a similar article, David Frum of The Atlantic chronicles the social media tweets the night that Donald went after the pope and posted a meme of himself as Jesus Christ. The posts began rolling out at about 22:00 and continued until 04:50 in the morning, just before dawn. Acosta and Heather Cox Richardson both point out that this is especially alarming behavior for a man who has access to the nuclear codes. In this commentary, Acosta calls T.R.U.M.P. the “Great Betrayer” because he has taken on another dangerous quality (evident in those experiencing narcissistic collapse) he doesn’t appear to care what his own supporters think of him, meaning… he is bound by no one. We have witnessed what happens when this man doesn’t get his way; now imagine that behavior with no limitations. The world is in imminent danger because of this man, now more than ever.
Youth Advocacy
Dr. Jerry Goebel
Let us focus on the defeat of the illiberal hero, Viktor Orbán, by Peter Magyar. This was a victory of the people and shows that they can be soundly defeated if people turn out to vote.
Youth Advocacy
Year 5, Week 02 (304 total reports)
06.03.2026-14.04.2026
REVIEW and ANNOUNCEMENTS
Dr. Jerry Goebel
Let us focus on the defeat of the illiberal hero, Viktor Orbán, by Peter Magyar. This was a victory of the people and shows that they can be soundly defeated if people turn out to vote.
Visual Stories!
T.R.U.M.P. has gone off the rails, and the scarier fact is, he has given up caring what people think about him. He doesn’t care about the backlash from MAGA or the GOP. He’s out to build his monuments and attack his enemies wherever or whoever they are. As his own cabinet is beginning to learn, he has no loyalties; all of his relationships are transactional, and the only question he asks is, “What have you done for me lately?” This jazz tune examines the truth about his followers; they are, “Just Pawns to Him.” https://youtu.be/cXtMbXjRS2Q?si=iOUgiQb1kAVuACGR
Top Links of the Week
14.04.2026
Hegseth’s Unholy War
There’s a great line that Peter Wehner uses in this The Atlantic article that sums up the theology of Pete Hegseth and this White House. He says, “The defense secretary seems less interested in being on the side of God than in insisting that God is on his side.” This has been a full week of deceptions—even by this administration’s standards. Melania started by saying she had no involvement with Jeffrey Epstein, then the president took on Pope Leo, and posted a meme to his social media depicting himself as Jesus Christ, the healer. Shortly thereafter, he took it down and said he thought it was a picture of him as a doctor working for the Red Cross (by the way, the president is not a doctor nor Jesus Christ). Interestingly enough, of all the things that MAGA has witnessed—that their president is a pedophiliac rapist and has used his powers to grift copious amounts of money for his family and himself—this is the one thing they are most upset about. This is one of the worst parts about MAGA and social media, people start out with their own “truth,” and then look for whatever will affirm what they already believe. On the other hand, this administration went “all in” on Viktor Orban and lost “biggly” in Hungary. The key this week remains that illiberalism can be defeated. Voter turnout and maintaining resistance are the keys. We need to keep resisting. Orban had sixteen years to fortify his voting machine, but couldn’t deal with overwhelming voter turnout. The key is in our hands—and on our feet. Get your ballot in. We need to overwhelm the GOP, MAGA, and Project 2025, as this president would say, “We need to send them back to the dark ages.”
13.04.2026
Hungary Just Ousted the Unoustable
Viktor Orban served as an authoritarian road map for Project 2025’s design to overthrow U.S. democracy. Now, he can serve as a democratic road map for ousting illiberalism. Péter Magyar, who defeated Orban, celebrated what many believed only months ago could not be done. Magyar’s promises should empower candidates hoping for a similar uprooting of this administration and far-right agendas worldwide. Magyar promised he would “impose a wealth tax and imprison Fidesz officials (Fidesz is the name of Orban’s party) he accused of pilfering public coffers.” He also declared, “We will not be a country of no consequences.” Magyar’s win is a huge loss for Putin, T.R.U.M.P., Vance, and many other authoritarian players in Europe and worldwide. Vance flew to Orban’s aid at the last minute (but wound up causing a 3% drop in Orban’s ratings). While this is a clear win for global democracy, we need to take heed: it required a voter turnout of 79%. We cannot defeat this regime by staying home; in fact, that is how we lost last time. Make plans to vote and make plans to make sure your vote counts. Be redundant. It truly is the most important issue of this generation: will our children grow up in a democracy or an oligarchy? Your turnout will make the difference.
10.04.2026
There's growing disquiet in the military. The Iran war made it worse
If you’re wondering why this administration is shifting to automatic registration for the draft and increasing the age limit from 35 to 42, one needs look no further than the number of service members who are 1) not reenlisting, and 2) seeking discharge. Hegseth and T.R.U.M.P. are repeatedly asking the military to take illegal actions that conflict with the Constitution and international law. According to this NPR article by Kat Lonsdorf and Tom Bowman, retention is the number one means of maintaining a functioning military, and this administration is driving out existing service members from the rank and file, but also from the highest, longest-service ranks. Major issues being reported in career-counseling centers include the bombing of a school in Iran, the use of the National Guard in U.S. cities, and Hegseth’s major restructuring of the Pentagon, including firing Gen. Randy George, the Army Chief of Staff, in the midst of the Iran War. According to Lansdorf and Bowman, “The Army career counselor said that in 2025, they had the highest number of retirees come to see them for guidance on getting ready to leave than in any previous year in their experience, approximating nearly a doubling of such retirees from 2024.” Personally, I want to thank those of the military for serving the Constitution, not this administration. They are being asked to make extremely difficult, life-altering decisions, and many are deeply disappointed that it has reached this point, but they can’t work for an immoral and dysfunctional leadership. It is time we, as a country, also start making life-altering decisions to say we can’t support an immoral and dysfunctional leadership either. Neither this administration nor the GOP Congress that has sheltered it. What can you do today?
09.04.2026
Trump Is Wishcasting Victory in Iran
Wishcasting is when a person makes up a wish for what they want to happen, then hope it comes true. This panel of experts from The Atlantic, hosted by Adam Harris and including Nancy Youssef and Tom Nichols, tells us that this is the primary strategy of Donald T.R.U.M.P. in Iran. And the president wants us all to call upon Tinkerbell and wish for the same thing. T.R.U.M.P. also wishes the Epstein files would go away and that the Strait of Hormuz would go back to the way it was before he attacked Iran. To date, the GOP MAGA cult seems content to join him in searching for falling stars and calling out empty fantasies. Unfortunately, no one besides his cabinet sycophants and the GOP seem to join the president in his wishcasting strategy. They are more prone to the reality of the situation. The 3-4 billion dollars the president is spending daily on this “incursion,” the 1.5 trillion he is asking Congress to approve for continued funding in a budget that abandons health care for children and seniors at home. If you voted for him or stayed home in the last election, this is your guy, and you are just pawns to his wishcasting.
06.04.2026
Trump's Defeat in Iran
Robert Reich’s commentary this morning gives us an insider’s handbook into defeating T.R.U.M.P. He analyzes the behavior of those who have turned the conman’s threats against him and won. He doesn’t just provide insight into how this administration caved into Iran, but also diverse groups such as China, Russia, Canada, Minneapolis, Harvard, law firms, and individuals like Jimmy Kimmel and E. Jean Carroll. Reich also covers those who caved into T.R.U.M.P. and wound up losing “Biggly.” The bottom line is, “give in to T.R.U.M.P. and you lose your dignity, plus whatever else he wants to steal from you.” Those who caved into this president, according to Reich, include Europe, ABC, Columbia University, The National Museum of American History, and a number of law firms. The fact remains, we have a lunatic in the White House who is like the proverbial “loose cannon” flailing about on the deck of a wooden ship. Congress, who has become this president’s pawn, needs to step up to its responsibility and administer the 25th Amendment against both his cabinet and him.
05.04.2026
Congress Can End Trump’s Unconstitutional War in Iran
I’m pulling an article this morning from a conservative source because I want to show how widespread the alarm over the President’s sanity has become. This article examines the constitutional reasons that James Madison and the other writers of the Constitution decided to separate the powers of the congressional purse from the powers of a wartime president. Congress can—and must—stop this president from carrying out his illegal actions in Iran. Even threatening to bomb civilian targets can be considered a “war crime,” and that is exactly what this president and his “Secretary of War” are doing. There can only be a few reasons why so many respected military leaders are being fired or deciding to quit; they are being asked to make their troops do something illegal. Whether this is bombing civilian targets with tactical nuclear weapons or starting a ground war without congressional approval, the reasons are dire, and this president must be stopped. More than stopped, his powers must be taken away from him, and his cabinet dissolved. His propensity for violence and retribution will not go away just because his actions are curtailed in Iran. He has already shown that he is willing to continue his wars against other targets—both internally and externally. Replacing Pam Bondi with Todd Blanche is merely painting over the deeper issues at the Department of Justice (will they rename that to the “Department of Presidential Retribution”?) Blanche will simply continue doing the bidding of the Madman-in-the-White-House. Bondi was let go because she wasn’t corrupt enough—and she will be remembered as a model of corruption. Stopping the war in Iran isn’t enough. It’s just the immediate issue. It needs to be done, but it’s only treating a symptom, not the cause. The cause is T.R.U.M.P. He must be removed, and his sycophants with him. Unless Congress acts, they are complicit. They are as much responsible for this president’s actions as the madman himself.
04.04.2026
The War in Iran Is a Failure of Intelligence
It is reported that many of the MAGA far right are increasingly open to using the 25th Amendment after this week’s Easter tirade by the president. Nothing else is working in Iran, so T.R.U.M.P. decided an expletive-laced post on his Truth Social was the best method for getting the Iranian leaders to surrender and open the Strait of Hormuz. The result is that it undermines the credence of articles like this that look at the lack of rational intelligence within the walls of the White House at this time. This article compares the intelligence provided to George Bush in the Iraq War compared to the intelligence provided to this administration. The point of the author, Shane Harris, is that Bush 43 had horrible intelligence leading him to war, while this president had excellent intelligence that he ignored. I see that as less a failure of intelligence, than an example of stupidity, perhaps (given Sunday’s post) an example of insanity.
03.04.2026
Trump Is the Most Dangerous Man in the World | Common Dreams
Reading foreign journalism is very important. It gives us a broader perspective of how the world views the United States and often without the bias of the increasingly small panoply of billionaires that own the media in the U.S. This article, written by two foreign experts, C. J. Polychroniou (a political economist/political scientist), is interviewed by Alexandra Boutri, reminds us of how dimly others see—not only this president—but those who elected him. In one paragraph, discussing Trump’s free-ranging, emperor-like tendencies, Polychroniou reminds us, “What else can one expect from people who believe that explosive conflict in the Middle East will trigger Christ’s return and see Trump as the man God has chosen to defeat the satanic forces in the United States and Christianize it?” The world outside the U.S. sees it as a country that swings on a whim, and that—if elections are allowed—the country might vote liberally again in 2028 for a president whose viewpoints and intellect are similar to Barack Obama, only to be followed by a newer version of T.R.U.M.P. and a renewed, angrier Project 2025. After what this administration—and those who supported it—have done to the global reputation of the U.S., it may never again be able to gain the trust of the foreign nations it needs to thrive.
02.04.2026
Five takeaways from President Trump’s address on Iran
If it was the president’s goal to reassure the U.S. public and stock markets that the war in Iran was going well, then this journalist and others think he should’ve not said anything. The top takeaways that most are pulling from this speech are that this administration has nothing new to say and no new insights to offer as to why Iran was invaded and what the end goals are. If anything, the president looked tired and old (probably because he is both). This commentator, Neall Stanage, from “The Hill,” said that the speech was notable for its lack of relevance. T.R.U.M.P. let us know that the precipitous rise in gas prices is “Iran’s fault.” That if Iran doesn’t do what he wants (whatever that is), he is going to “hit them very hard,” and, “Bring them back to the stone ages, where they belong.” Once again, if this speech was meant to answer questions or ease concerns about this invasion, it backfired. Stock market prices dropped sharply after the speech, declining—according to Stanage—by 1 percent and Brent Crude oil jumped another $6 per barrel.
01.04.2026
Lions Led by Donkeys
This evening, Donald T.R.U.M.P. is holding a press conference at which he will likely announce that 1) he will tell us he is going to decimate Iran for not doing what he wants or 2) the U.S. has accomplished its objectives and declare victory in Operation Midnight Hammer (for those of you unfamiliar with this administration’s Orwellian double-speak, this is the non-war, war that was declared arbitrarily on the country of Iran by Netanyahu and T.R.U.M.P.). We won’t know which objectives were accomplished (or need to be accomplished) because they change on almost an hourly basis and depending upon whom is standing in front of the mic at any given time. The truth is, this president is getting bored of this adventure and has been watching his ratings take a shellacking at the polls. This The Atlantic article, by Eliot A. Cohen, examines how no leadership in U.S. history has been more poorly prepared to lead the military forces of the country. It has been a complete waste of lives and other resources. MAGA cult followers and Republicans, this is on you, this is your guy, and your guy is bored with Iran because he has too many battles back on U.S. soil to fight and he still wants to invade Cuba. T.R.U.M.P. is at war, not just with foreign governments, but domestic powers as well. He is at war within his own cabinet, with MAGA, with the Supreme Court, with voters, with the media, with higher education, with lines at airports, a crashing economy and stock market, and with the price of well, almost everything in the U.S. economy… he also has to make sure the Epstein files aren’t closer to being revealed and continue with his retribution campaign (now expanded to judges that don’t rule in his favor) to make matters worse, all of this is cutting into his golf time, his new ballroom, his Nobel Peace Prize, and parties at Mar-a-Lago.
Youth Advocacy
Dr. Jerry Goebel
This president verified his insanity this week, and Congress must use the 25th Amendment to impeach both him and his cabinet; otherwise, they are complicit in whatever actions he takes.
Youth Advocacy
Year 5, Week 01 (303 total reports)
31.03.2026-05.04.2026
REVIEW and ANNOUNCEMENTS
Dr. Jerry Goebel
This president verified his insanity this week, and Congress must use the 25th Amendment to impeach both him and his cabinet; otherwise, they are complicit in whatever actions he takes.
Visual Stories!
This melodic rap song focuses on those who supported putting MAGA in control of the U.S. The world has lost trust in this country. You are complicit whether you actually voted for him or stayed home and let others do your dirty work. This song says, “This is Your Guy.” https://youtu.be/KIWkHMVHc8I?si=9EpKLoSTKKLp-b-1
Top Links of the Week
05.04.2026
Congress Can End Trump’s Unconstitutional War in Iran
I’m pulling an article this morning from a conservative source because I want to show how widespread the alarm over the President’s sanity has become. This article examines the constitutional reasons that James Madison and the other writers of the Constitution decided to separate the powers of the congressional purse from the powers of a wartime president. Congress can—and must—stop this president from carrying out his illegal actions in Iran. Even threatening to bomb civilian targets can be considered a “war crime,” and that is exactly what this president and his “Secretary of War” are doing. There can only be a few reasons why so many respected military leaders are being fired or deciding to quit; they are being asked to make their troops do something illegal. Whether this is bombing civilian targets with tactical nuclear weapons or starting a ground war without congressional approval, the reasons are dire, and this president must be stopped. More than stopped, his powers must be taken away from him, and his cabinet dissolved. His propensity for violence and retribution will not go away just because his actions are curtailed in Iran. He has already shown that he is willing to continue his wars against other targets—both internally and externally. Replacing Pam Bondi with Todd Blanche is merely painting over the deeper issues at the Department of Justice (will they rename that to the “Department of Presidential Retribution”?) Blanche will simply continue doing the bidding of the Madman-in-the-White-House. Bondi was let go because she wasn’t corrupt enough—and she will be remembered as a model of corruption. Stopping the war in Iran isn’t enough. It’s just the immediate issue. It needs to be done, but it’s only treating a symptom, not the cause. The cause is T.R.U.M.P. He must be removed, and his sycophants with him. Unless Congress acts, they are complicit. They are as much responsible for this president’s actions as the madman himself.
04.04.2026
The War in Iran Is a Failure of Intelligence
It is reported that many of the MAGA far right are increasingly open to using the 25th Amendment after this week’s Easter tirade by the president. Nothing else is working in Iran, so T.R.U.M.P. decided an expletive-laced post on his Truth Social was the best method for getting the Iranian leaders to surrender and open the Strait of Hormuz. The result is that it undermines the credence of articles like this that look at the lack of rational intelligence within the walls of the White House at this time. This article compares the intelligence provided to George Bush in the Iraq War compared to the intelligence provided to this administration. The point of the author, Shane Harris, is that Bush 43 had horrible intelligence leading him to war, while this president had excellent intelligence that he ignored. I see that as less a failure of intelligence, than an example of stupidity, perhaps (given Sunday’s post) an example of insanity.
03.04.2026
Trump Is the Most Dangerous Man in the World | Common Dreams
Reading foreign journalism is very important. It gives us a broader perspective of how the world views the United States and often without the bias of the increasingly small panoply of billionaires that own the media in the U.S. This article, written by two foreign experts, C. J. Polychroniou (a political economist/political scientist), is interviewed by Alexandra Boutri, reminds us of how dimly others see—not only this president—but those who elected him. In one paragraph, discussing Trump’s free-ranging, emperor-like tendencies, Polychroniou reminds us, “What else can one expect from people who believe that explosive conflict in the Middle East will trigger Christ’s return and see Trump as the man God has chosen to defeat the satanic forces in the United States and Christianize it?” The world outside the U.S. sees it as a country that swings on a whim, and that—if elections are allowed—the country might vote liberally again in 2028 for a president whose viewpoints and intellect are similar to Barack Obama, only to be followed by a newer version of T.R.U.M.P. and a renewed, angrier Project 2025. After what this administration—and those who supported it—have done to the global reputation of the U.S., it may never again be able to gain the trust of the foreign nations it needs to thrive.
02.04.2026
Five takeaways from President Trump’s address on Iran
If it was the president’s goal to reassure the U.S. public and stock markets that the war in Iran was going well, then this journalist and others think he should’ve not said anything. The top takeaways that most are pulling from this speech are that this administration has nothing new to say and no new insights to offer as to why Iran was invaded and what the end goals are. If anything, the president looked tired and old (probably because he is both). This commentator, Neall Stanage, from “The Hill,” said that the speech was notable for its lack of relevance. T.R.U.M.P. let us know that the precipitous rise in gas prices is “Iran’s fault.” That if Iran doesn’t do what he wants (whatever that is), he is going to “hit them very hard,” and, “Bring them back to the stone ages, where they belong.” Once again, if this speech was meant to answer questions or ease concerns about this invasion, it backfired. Stock market prices dropped sharply after the speech, declining—according to Stanage—by 1 percent and Brent Crude oil jumped another $6 per barrel.
01.04.2026
Lions Led by Donkeys
This evening, Donald T.R.U.M.P. is holding a press conference at which he will likely announce that 1) he will tell us he is going to decimate Iran for not doing what he wants or 2) the U.S. has accomplished its objectives and declare victory in Operation Midnight Hammer (for those of you unfamiliar with this administration’s Orwellian double-speak, this is the non-war, war that was declared arbitrarily on the country of Iran by Netanyahu and T.R.U.M.P.). We won’t know which objectives were accomplished (or need to be accomplished) because they change on almost an hourly basis and depending upon whom is standing in front of the mic at any given time. The truth is, this president is getting bored of this adventure and has been watching his ratings take a shellacking at the polls. This The Atlantic article, by Eliot A. Cohen, examines how no leadership in U.S. history has been more poorly prepared to lead the military forces of the country. It has been a complete waste of lives and other resources. MAGA cult followers and Republicans, this is on you, this is your guy, and your guy is bored with Iran because he has too many battles back on U.S. soil to fight and he still wants to invade Cuba. T.R.U.M.P. is at war, not just with foreign governments, but domestic powers as well. He is at war within his own cabinet, with MAGA, with the Supreme Court, with voters, with the media, with higher education, with lines at airports, a crashing economy and stock market, and with the price of well, almost everything in the U.S. economy… he also has to make sure the Epstein files aren’t closer to being revealed and continue with his retribution campaign (now expanded to judges that don’t rule in his favor) to make matters worse, all of this is cutting into his golf time, his new ballroom, his Nobel Peace Prize, and parties at Mar-a-Lago.
Youth Advocacy
Dr. Jerry Goebel
The power of the people was on display this week with “No Kings” protests taking shape in small and big towns throughout the United States, and indeed, the world.
Youth Advocacy
Year 4, Week 52 (302 total reports)
18.03.2026-31.03.2026
REVIEW and ANNOUNCEMENTS
Dr. Jerry Goebel
The power of the people was on display this week with “No Kings” protests taking shape in small and big towns throughout the United States, and indeed, the world.
Visual Stories!
My heart told me this week that many of us needed a hopeful song that looked forward to the end of this madness. We’re seeing cracks in the MAGA facade, and we need to put a chisel in those cracks and drive it deeper. This happy-go-lucky tune channels the hit song, “Always Look on the Bright Side of Life.” I hope you enjoy it and find it both uplifting and empowering. “What a Joy,” https://youtu.be/KSCZPNJMAGk
Top Links of the Week
31.03.2026
Trump’s Executive Order Diverting Border Security Funds to TSA Is a Blatantly Criminal Act
Do I like airport lines backed up for literally blocks? Of course not. Do I like that TSA is not being paid? Of course not. But like Andy Craig, this journalist from The Unpopulist, I also don’t like this president breaking the law to use discretionary funds at his whim and fancy. Craig compares T.R.U.M.P. to King Charles, I, who attempted to bypass the Parliament from 1629 to 1640, resulting in the “Glorious Revolution,” of 1688; a civil war, and the King’s execution. Despite Congress giving this president a 10-billion dollar slush fund, it is not his to do with as he will. It is allocated by Congress and overseen by Congress. Though his Republican lackeys have consistently let this president do whatever he wants, his choice to personally determine what to do with this unheard-of, enormous sum of money (from the One, Big, Beautiful Bill) crosses a constitutional line. The Constitution was designed to give Congress, not the president, spending and allocation powers. As Craig points out, this is not a “flaw” in the system, it is the bedrock of the system. It is what separates an autocrat from a democratic president. Pleased as I would be to see TSA employees paid and lines flowing at the normal snail’s pace, I am not in favor of an autocratic government. Similarly to posting ICE in airports (a ploy that even Steve Bannon admits is designed to make us feel more comfortable with their public presence ahead of the mid-term elections), this is a sign of a deeper and more sinister plot to undermine our Democratic government.
30.03.2026
Photos From the Third Nationwide ‘No Kings’ Protest
The biggest news this weekend is the people (over 8 million) who showed up in large and small towns around the globe to put U.S. politicians on the alert. No more wars, no more distractions, no more T.R.U.M.P., and no more kings. Atlantic captures photos from around the U.S. (small towns and large) of people who will not be intimidated—or distracted—by this administration. The countdown to invoking the 25th Amendment has begun!
27.03.2026
March 26, 2026
Heather Cox Richardson arguably offers the best-researched political commentary available today. In this article, she examines how the United States has gone rogue and become untrustworthy as a global partner. She examines the graft of this White House under this president, not just by his family but among insiders in the cabinet and among Republican representatives. T.R.U.M.P. has worked to align himself with global dictators and authoritarians, including supporting Putin at a moment when he is openly offering military information to Iran in a war this president started. In my own opinion, one cannot blame just this president without pointing an admonishing finger at the 35% of voters who put him into office and those who stayed home and let others vote for him in their stead. What other countries have learned from this is that even if the U.S. swings back to a saner leadership after this election, there is no telling what it will do when it swings back again in following elections. Other countries are forming partnerships that don’t include such a feckless population so easily swayed almost daily by conspiracy theories.
26.03.2026
What we know and don't know about Iran war negotiations
It seems awkward to be asking whom to trust: the demented would-be king in the White House or the fanatical religious fundamentalist Ayatollah in Iran. But here we are, an extremely awkward time when lying is part and parcel of a politician’s tool kit. It almost boils down to, “Whose lie seems less untrue?” It is particularly difficult with this president and his administration, who seem to prefer lying to truth-telling. The reality they have to sell—especially in regard to this war—is particularly undigestible. But… so is the reality about the economy, so is the reality about climate change, so is the reality about graft and traitorous behavior, and… of course, so is the reality about the Epstein files.
25.03.2026
March 24, 2026
Heather Cox Richardson quotes economist Paul Krugman as saying, “People close to Trump are trading based on national secrets.” These are not just the acts of profiteers; these are the acts of traitors. Someone, in the inner circles of this White House, tipped off investors about actions that were going to take place on a battlefield, and those people—including representatives of Congress—used that information to invest over a half billion dollars. This should not surprise us from an administration that revealed military secrets on public social media to journalists (without consequence). Keep this information on your files so we can remind lawmakers when (if) we can vote again.
24.03.2026
America's wealth gap is growing, and Trump's policies are making it bigger
There is an economic term called Mudsilling. It refers to a powerful upper class that intentionally creates a permanent underclass to serve their economic needs, and it comes from a construction term whereby a mudsill is the lowest threshold that supports the foundation for a building. Nothing could describe the Project 2025 economy better. In my article review yesterday, we examined who is profiting off the aggressions of this administration. The presidency, Congress, and our Supreme Court have demonstrated they are doing all they can to rob the poor and give money to their ultra-wealthy benefactors. Relying on the midterms is not enough. Our current president has already indicated that he does not want voting to occur, and the recent action of sending his private shock troops (ICE) to airports is but one indication that he will also take over polling places. We need to be more assertive if we want to save our democracy for our children. We need to show our elected officials that we will not tolerate a mudsill economy.
23.03.2026
Who Is Profiting from the War in Iran - and What We Can Do About It
This brief article by the editors at Daily Kos is important if you want to know 1) why war is so profitable, 2) who profits from it, and 3) what you can do to resist this cycle of blatant racketeering. Among those who are profiting the most from this war in Iran is the president himself, his family, Netanyahu, Putin, China, petroleum companies, and even Iran itself! The editors go on to reflect upon a piece by James Carville about how we can respond and what Democrats can do to target such exploitation in the future.
20.03.2026
Trump Had No Plan B for Iran
If Tom Nichols of The Atlantic wrote it or has it in his podcast, I want to understand the commentary. This article takes a deep dive into the behind-the-scene thinking (or lack thereof) of this administration’s decision to join Netanyahu in bombing Iran. Despite being told by military and intelligence experts who are familiar with the region, T.R.U.M.P. ordered this invasion thinking it would be a one-bomb-run ordeal and the regime would collapse. So confident were they of their own “brilliance” that there was no Plan B. As Mr. Nichols puts it, “Trump’s Plan A was to hit Iran hard, watch the theocrats flee, and then hand power to a government of his own choosing. Should such things not come to pass, Plan B was … well, apparently, there was no Plan B.” Nichols goes on to squarely lay the blame for this invasion on those responsible. Here are his words: “Some observers have criticized American planners for failing to anticipate such a move. This is unfair: The intelligence community and the U.S. military have analyzed, planned, and exercised for this scenario for decades. The failure came not from the national-security community, but from the civilians, and specifically the commander in chief, who evidently refused to heed warnings from his senior military advisers that the Iranians would do exactly what anyone paying attention suspected they would do.” Once again, Nichols points out, “T.R.U.M.P.’s arrogance,” is putting the United States—and the world—at extreme risk. This presidency is the worst presidency since, well, since his last presidency. Let’s just hope the globe can recover from what the people of the United States (voters and stay-at-homers alike) have unleashed.
19.03.2026
The Iran War’s Next Threat Is to Food and Water
The Atlantic’s Vivian Salama looks behind the scenes and into the near future to analyze the global implications of T.R.U.M.P.’s grandiose encroachment into Iran. Salama does a deep dive into the story behind and beyond simply the effect of this “invasion” on food and water in the region, not just gas and oil for the United States. According the this administration, they didn’t think that their invasion would cause this many problems, which begs to remind us how imbecilic this President can be and how intentionally blind he has become cocooned by his sycophantic followers. Let us not also become victims of myopic vision looking at only how this incursion affects us nationally or locally. It’s not just about gas and oil prices, it is about access to food and water, which is becoming a far greater menace to the world.
18.03.2026
Nobody Wants To Clean Up Trump's Mess In The Strait Of Hormuz
Ryan Grenoble and Marita Vlachou of HuffPost aptly name this post-Iran, non-war invasion as a “no-alition of the willing.” Turns out this administration is learning you can’t invade a country with only Israel’s support, insult all of your allies, then expect them—or the population of the United States—to be supportive. And it drives this administration more insane (if that’s possible). Adam Serwer of The Atlantic posts a similar headline and discusses T.R.U.M.P.’s unreadiness for the chaos he has caused. He quotes the president as saying, “On Monday, Trump told reporters that Iran wasn’t ‘supposed to go after all these other countries in the Middle East.’ He said, ‘They hit Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait,’ and “nobody expected that. We were shocked.’” This is just another illustration of how obtuse this administration is and how it will not listen to anyone who doesn’t praise, “The Dear Leader.” The world will pay the price for this incompetence. Rising oil prices affect everyone and nearly everything from shipping to fertilizer. In the United States, this is further complicated by all the internal battles this administration has started from the nonpayment of TSA employees to ICE running rampant on city streets. It almost seems trite to say (and too ubiquitous) elect a clown, expect a circus. What can we do? Keep the focus on the Epstein files, keep demanding their release. All of this is a distraction from sending this president where he belongs, not in the White House, but in an orange suit.
Youth Advocacy
Dr. Jerry Goebel
Mudsilling is a political term defining when a ruling economic class intentionally designs a political structure to keep others enslaved in poverty. The U.S. is a mudsill economy.
Youth Advocacy
Year 4, Week 51 (301 total reports)
18.03.2026-24.03.2026
REVIEW and ANNOUNCEMENTS
Dr. Jerry Goebel
Mudsilling is a political term defining when a ruling economic class intentionally designs a political structure to keep others enslaved in poverty. The U.S. is a mudsill economy.
Visual Stories!
This week’s Blues/Rap song focuses on the Pedo-in-Chief and reminds him, “We Will Not Forget.” https://youtu.be/Z0Xt8Ch4aaI?si=okNFBWjRDIlcFb5i
Top Links of the Week
24.03.2026
America's wealth gap is growing, and Trump's policies are making it bigger
There is an economic term called Mudsilling. It refers to a powerful upper class that intentionally creates a permanent underclass to serve their economic needs, and it comes from a construction term whereby a mudsill is the lowest threshold that supports the foundation for a building. Nothing could describe the Project 2025 economy better. In my article review yesterday, we examined who is profiting off the aggressions of this administration. The presidency, Congress, and our Supreme Court have demonstrated they are doing all they can to rob the poor and give money to their ultra-wealthy benefactors. Relying on the midterms is not enough. Our current president has already indicated that he does not want voting to occur, and the recent action of sending his private shock troops (ICE) to airports is but one indication that he will also take over polling places. We need to be more assertive if we want to save our democracy for our children. We need to show our elected officials that we will not tolerate a mudsill economy.
23.03.2026
Who Is Profiting from the War in Iran - and What We Can Do About It
This brief article by the editors at Daily Kos is important if you want to know 1) why war is so profitable, 2) who profits from it, and 3) what you can do to resist this cycle of blatant racketeering. Among those who are profiting the most from this war in Iran is the president himself, his family, Netanyahu, Putin, China, petroleum companies, and even Iran itself! The editors go on to reflect upon a piece by James Carville about how we can respond and what Democrats can do to target such exploitation in the future.
20.03.2026
Trump Had No Plan B for Iran
If Tom Nichols of The Atlantic wrote it or has it in his podcast, I want to understand the commentary. This article takes a deep dive into the behind-the-scene thinking (or lack thereof) of this administration’s decision to join Netanyahu in bombing Iran. Despite being told by military and intelligence experts who are familiar with the region, T.R.U.M.P. ordered this invasion thinking it would be a one-bomb-run ordeal and the regime would collapse. So confident were they of their own “brilliance” that there was no Plan B. As Mr. Nichols puts it, “Trump’s Plan A was to hit Iran hard, watch the theocrats flee, and then hand power to a government of his own choosing. Should such things not come to pass, Plan B was … well, apparently, there was no Plan B.” Nichols goes on to squarely lay the blame for this invasion on those responsible. Here are his words: “Some observers have criticized American planners for failing to anticipate such a move. This is unfair: The intelligence community and the U.S. military have analyzed, planned, and exercised for this scenario for decades. The failure came not from the national-security community, but from the civilians, and specifically the commander in chief, who evidently refused to heed warnings from his senior military advisers that the Iranians would do exactly what anyone paying attention suspected they would do.” Once again, Nichols points out, “T.R.U.M.P.’s arrogance,” is putting the United States—and the world—at extreme risk. This presidency is the worst presidency since, well, since his last presidency. Let’s just hope the globe can recover from what the people of the United States (voters and stay-at-homers alike) have unleashed.
19.03.2026
The Iran War’s Next Threat Is to Food and Water
The Atlantic’s Vivian Salama looks behind the scenes and into the near future to analyze the global implications of T.R.U.M.P.’s grandiose encroachment into Iran. Salama does a deep dive into the story behind and beyond simply the effect of this “invasion” on food and water in the region, not just gas and oil for the United States. According the this administration, they didn’t think that their invasion would cause this many problems, which begs to remind us how imbecilic this President can be and how intentionally blind he has become cocooned by his sycophantic followers. Let us not also become victims of myopic vision looking at only how this incursion affects us nationally or locally. It’s not just about gas and oil prices, it is about access to food and water, which is becoming a far greater menace to the world.
18.03.2026
Nobody Wants To Clean Up Trump's Mess In The Strait Of Hormuz
Ryan Grenoble and Marita Vlachou of HuffPost aptly name this post-Iran, non-war invasion as a “no-alition of the willing.” Turns out this administration is learning you can’t invade a country with only Israel’s support, insult all of your allies, then expect them—or the population of the United States—to be supportive. And it drives this administration more insane (if that’s possible). Adam Serwer of The Atlantic posts a similar headline and discusses T.R.U.M.P.’s unreadiness for the chaos he has caused. He quotes the president as saying, “On Monday, Trump told reporters that Iran wasn’t ‘supposed to go after all these other countries in the Middle East.’ He said, ‘They hit Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait,’ and “nobody expected that. We were shocked.’” This is just another illustration of how obtuse this administration is and how it will not listen to anyone who doesn’t praise, “The Dear Leader.” The world will pay the price for this incompetence. Rising oil prices affect everyone and nearly everything from shipping to fertilizer. In the United States, this is further complicated by all the internal battles this administration has started from the nonpayment of TSA employees to ICE running rampant on city streets. It almost seems trite to say (and too ubiquitous) elect a clown, expect a circus. What can we do? Keep the focus on the Epstein files, keep demanding their release. All of this is a distraction from sending this president where he belongs, not in the White House, but in an orange suit.
Youth Advocacy
Dr. Jerry Goebel
Let’s keep our eye on the ball. The release of the Epstein files will bring this administration and those Pedophile Protectors surrounding him down. That’s why they (not just ‘he’) are working so hard to distract us. Release the files!Peace
Youth Advocacy
Year 4, Week 50 (300 total reports)
11.03.2026-17.03.2026
REVIEW and ANNOUNCEMENTS
Dr. Jerry Goebel
Let’s keep our eye on the ball. The release of the Epstein files will bring this administration and those Pedophile Protectors surrounding him down. That’s why they (not just ‘he’) are working so hard to distract us. Release the files!
Visual Stories!
This week’s Blues/Rap song focuses on the Pedo-in-Chief and reminds him, “We Will Not Forget.” https://youtu.be/Z0Xt8Ch4aaI?si=okNFBWjRDIlcFb5i
Top Links of the Week
17.03.2026
How Trump's Treasury is shifting sanctions to punish his critics and reward friends
This NPR article by staff writers, Chiara Eisner and Robert Benincasa, reminds us, once again, how small a human, Donald T.R.U.M.P., is.There seems to be no tool too sacred for him to not turn into a weapon of revenge, and just as he is using the Department of Justice to seek revenge on those who annoyed him, the Department of “War” to attack those who stood in his way, he is now using the Department of Treasury to attack those who have stood against him. That includes people internationally as well as companies internally. This president will get his revenge. Sadly, the more decrepit he becomes (and closer to his physical or political demise), the more revenge is important to him. This administration has been chastised by the ICC (International Criminal Court), by the U.N. and even by the Nobel Prize committee, but it only seems to add fuel to his fire. One can only imagine those surrounding him at Cabinet meetings seeking his favor by telling him what a great human being he is, all the while enabling him to commit continually worse atrocities.
16.03.2026
Trump Has Replaced International Law With the Rule That Might Makes Right
https://www.commondreams.org/opinion/trump-might-makes-right?utm_source=flipboard&utm_content=other
Walden Bello received the Right Livelihood Award, also known as the Alternative Nobel Prize, in 2003, and was named Outstanding Public Scholar of the International Studies Association in 2008. He is well-positioned to write and speak to this subject of how world politics has disintegrated under Donald T.R.U.M.P.’s administration and with the onset of practices designed by Project 2025. Citing Prime Minister Mark Carney, Bello tells us that T.R.U.M.P. has foregone the United Nations and supplanted it with a “Might Makes Right” strategy. Also, like Carney, the professor and author reminds us that our only hopeful path lies in resistance. That is true globally as well as individually. What can you do today that will resist the continued power-grabbing of the madman in the Mar-a-Lago? Intentional actions, big and small, make a difference. Writing your senator to protest the SAVE ACT, or supporting someone you know who is assertively protesting this administration, all make a difference. As the Obamas like to remind us, “Don’t just boo, do something!”
Trump keeps asking Americans to sacrifice — for things they don’t want
Aaron Blake of CNN Politics asks us if we are feeling a bit of déjà vu this week, with this administration’s admonishment that we should all expect to embrace short-term pain for long-term gain. He suggests that we might have heard this before, like during COVID, like during the tariffs, and like now during the Iran War (er… Operation Fury, er… “Short-Term Excursion”, er... “Massive and Ongoing Operation,” er… “Campaign for Iran Liberation,” apparently, we haven’t settled on a name yet, because we haven’t settled on a mission). When this “action” started, oil was around $60 per barrel; now it is just over $100, and some analysts say it could go as high as $200. So, we are being asked to “tighten our belts.” Meanwhile, the “Department of War” is certainly not tightening its belts. Over the last month, Daily Kos writer, Oliver Willis, tells us that, “Hegseth has also presided over an internal spending spree at the Pentagon. Newly released reports of expenditures showed the purchase of a $98,329 Steinway & Sons grand piano, $60,000 for Herman Miller recliner chairs, $124,000 for ice cream machines, and $139,224 on 272 orders of doughnuts.” This weekend, the president is flying down to his Pedo-Castle on the sea, Mar-a-Lago, for another round of golf with his billionaire supporters. If you weren’t invited, just think of it as another opportunity to experience “short-term pain.”
12.03.2026
Dario Amodei’s Oppenheimer Moment
Ross Anderson of The Atlantic compares this moment in our history to the precipice the world faced when Julius Robert Oppenheimer completed his work on the atomic bomb in 1945. Anderson points out the ethical dilemma Oppenheimer faced as he proverbially “turned over the keys” of the bomb to the Truman Administration. The columnist discusses the 15,000-word manifesto developed by Anthropic CEO, Dario Amodei, entitled, “Machines of Loving Grace.” He also reviews the (what now might be considered naiveté) of the scientists of Oppenheimer’s time as they dreamt about the positive applications of atomic energy for world peace and economic development. Few of those many ideas saw any relevant development, while the destructive force of atomic energy was deployed twice against Japan. Now, instead of Truman, we have world leaders like Putin, Netanyahu, and T.R.U.M.P. vying to decide how AI and nuclear energy will be used—for or against humanity. I agree with Mr. Anderson that we are teetering on a critical “Oppenheimer Moment,” and need to make our voices heard in this debate. Use your choices to support Anthropic. I know many are against the use of AI, for multiple reasons, but that is similar to being against the use of atomic energy in the time of Oppenheimer. Ceding your opinion is allowing others to use it. Others like those named above. Others like Pete Hegseth and this administration. Like Tom Homan and the MAGA Republicans already supplying Meta Ray-Ban Display glasses to ICE for use in facial recognition and unlawful civilian surveillance.
11.03.2026
Trump Can’t Decide Whether the Iran War Is Still Going On
This article by David A. Graham of The Atlantic takes us to a very dangerous place: the mind of this President as he tries to explain the Iran war to the press. Graham points out, “Reporters at the press conference, perplexed, asked Trump about the gap. ‘You said the war is ‘very complete,’ but your defense secretary says this is just the beginning, so which is it?’” T.R.U.M.P.’s response? “Well, I think you could say both.” With oil prices skyrocketing and tankers jammed in the Persian Gulf, T.R.U.M.P. appeared to blame price hikes on oil companies. As Graham points out, he “… even called on oil-tanker captains to ‘show some guts’ and sail through the contested Strait of Hormuz, according to Fox News’s Brian Kilmeade, though he hasn’t volunteered to personally dodge Iranian missiles aboard a floating makeshift bomb.” As frequently the case with this administration, chaos and confusion reign. Graham cites reporting by his others at The Atlantic: “As my colleagues Marie-Rose Sheinerman and Isabel Ruehl reported last week, Trump offered 10 different rationales for the war in its first six days alone.” The bottom line is that every day brings new lies by this administration. Graham explains the rationale (although I hesitate to ever use any word relating to “rational” with this circus of miscreants): “The problem is that Trump wants to operate with complete freedom from any restrictions and without waiting for advisers’ input. Asked when the war would completely end, T.R.U.M.P. told CBS, ‘Wrapping up is all in my mind, nobody else’s.’ That’s not very reassuring, for stock markets or anyone else.”
