I would like to make a public apology to many DU members

[William769]

Last week I did an OP railing against many who said the sky was falling. I believed there were many safeguards in place to contain this administration. I was wrong.

The sky isn't falling, the sky has fallen.

Please forgive me.

[GreenWave]

1. You may have to flip again soon enough.

[no_hypocrisy]

2. I give you credit for being open to incorporating facts that ran

counter to your premise. Keep doing it.

[William769]

5. Thank you.

I will do my best.

[LiberalLoner]

9. 💙💪. We are all just trying to figure this out as best we can. We are all stronger together.

[William769]

10. Agreed.

[Prairie_Seagull]

29. +1

[True Dough]

3. Please, quit apologizing

Last edited Wed Feb 5, 2025, 06:00 AM - Edit history (1)

And lift the sky back into its rightful place. That isn't too much to ask, is it, William?

[William769]

6. I will try to do my part.

[Native]

4. Apology accepted.

[samnsara]

7. i agree. at this point just make sure your passport is up to date

..Im also thinking of stashing some cash into a bank safety deposit box. We have a few grand under the mattress. Im re reading the Anarchist Cookbook and Mark Brays book. We are armed with a good amount of ammo ( from target shooting YEARS ago.....is it still good?)

Im basically preparing the same way I do EVERY summer for fire season. The grab and go boxes with all our documents. I HOPE I dont need it but its ready if I do.

Im working on hubby cleaning out the hoarder garage he has so we can be light and mobile for when trump closes the borders.

We are in Wash State so close to the Canadian border. My dtr is married to a British citizen so they can leave pretty easily.Just trying to secure a way out for the two adult grand kids in college. Our Senator Patti Murray just pulled the fire alarm in Congress.So far shes got my back but shes facing the Hellmouth...as we all are.

[William769]

8. agreed.

After the great depression, my father did not trust the banks & would hide money in our home & yes her even buried it in the back yard. Living in South Florida though, I'm not sure about burying it in the back yard and with what is happening in real time, I'm not to sure about banks anymore.

[Evolve Dammit]

24. Sucks we have to think along these lines but we do. Loved "hoarder garage" and ammo should be fine if its been kept

in a dry place. Sounds like you have good options.

[liberalgunwilltravel]

44. If your ammo was stored...

In a dry place, not subject to huge temperature changes, it should still be fine. But it would be a good idea to continue to work on marksmanship.

[Lonestarblue]

61. Mine needs to be renewed and now I'm afraid to send it in because I do not trust this State Department.

It’s still good for a year and I have one trip I’ll need it for this summer. If I wait until after that trip, we may not have a functioning government left to do anything, including renewing or issuing passports. I wish I qualified for a second passport from another country.

[TommyT139]

74. You can renew online

...up to five years after it's expired (I don't know how early, but check the site)That way you don't need to send anything in. They deactivate the old one, so do it when you have time. You'll need photos that are in electronic format (and compliant with other guidelines) -- AAA can do them for like $6.

If you're trans, things are very dicey at this point, but I gather that's not a concern.

[Think. Again.]

11. We need a syrong, united, solid wall of resistance...

...and yes, each one of us can do our part.

[William769]

12. Agreed.

[japple]

13. This has never happened before in our nation's history. We are all trying to figure

it out. There is so much going on behind the scene that we don't even know about thanks to a media that has totally abandoned its mission. 47 said he "wanted to restore transparency to our government..." and look how he did that. His idea of transparency is for everyone to read whatever he vomits from truth social every morning at 2:00 am. These ain't normal times.

[CaptainTruth]

28. I feel like we're in 1776 territory.

We either fight or surrender, that's up to us, up to We the People.

[PatrickforB]

54. Oh no, the media is exactly on mission. Reference the 1919 MI Supreme Court ruling that made shareholder primacy

the legal doctrine for C-Suite officers of publicly traded corporations.

NBC is owned by Comcast. ABC by Disney. CBS by Paramount. CNN by Warner Brothers Discovery. Of course Rupert Murdoch owns Fox, which is also publicly owned. Also the WSJ. The NYT is also publicly traded on the NYSE. And of course Jeff Bezos owns the WaPo. USA Today by Gannett. All publicly traded.

You know what the senior executives of these media companies all have in common:

Their ONLY fiduciary responsibility is to generate PROFITS for shareholders. That's IT. Nothing, and I repeat nothing about truth in News.

We've been going down this trail for a long time. Other milestones on our road to fascism (control of economy by the rich with a theocratic party keeping the populace in check through fear):

1971 - Lewis Powell writes 'An Attack on American Free Enterprise'. This came to be known as the 'Powell Manifesto' and lays out the plan for the corporate takeover of this republic.

1986 and 1994 - deregulation of cable TV, which reduced local news coverage.

1987 - Reagan kills the Fairness Doctrine, which insisted on balanced news coverage and held news sacrosanct from the profit motive.

2000 - Supreme Court halts vote counts in FL. Bush wins by a nose because votes were not counted.

2004 - Bush tries to privatize Social Security, fails, but wins because of skullduggery in Ohio.

2010 - Citizens United allows corporate corruption full reign in campaign financing.

2016 - Democrats nominate Clinton. She loses because Russian hacker arm Cozy Bear interfered in our election.

2017-2020 - McConnell packs Supreme Court with right-wing 'justices' who had been carefully cultivated by billionaire parasite Leonard Leo's Federalist Society.

2021 - Trump incites insurrection to keep power, fails.

2022 - Roe overturned with Dobbs decision.

2024 - Biden decides to run, does horribly in debate. Tosses keys to Harris who has all of four months to mount a successful campaign.

2024 - In spite of taking in over $1 billion in donations which was like a full trough for corporate media advertising revenue, Harris loses. Reports are made of hundreds of thousands of 'bullet ballots' in swing states. Nothing comes of it because of institutionalist Democrats.

2025 - Elon Musk now has control of the US Treasury payment system. Roundups have begun. Trump is starting trade wars. Prices will spike. And the administration is no longer allowing reports to come out to the general public from executive departments. Abortion is against the law, Social Security and Medicare are in danger of privatization, and God knows how much money off the top Musk and his billionaire cronies will be scimming off the top from the treasury. Little Marco has worked with El Salvadore to house 'violent US prisoners.' In the south, states like Mississippi are resurrecting the old Jim Crow laws, and we have plenty of private prisons to provide slave labor in the fields after the immigrants are gone.

So....................the sky's falling......................

Nope.

It already has. Because we might not be able to EVER get our republic back. It is looking more every day like we will be crushed economically under the iron boot of billionaires and Wall Street financiers, and socially under the reign of terror authored by Bannon and Miller. You know I called my representative today - a well-known right wingnut, and her representative in her local office was smarmy nice but refused to convey my concerns to her unless I revealed my telephone number.

I wonder how many of us will end up encamped? I do not think we are living in a free country any more.

On edit, corrected a typo - known, not knows in ref to Powell Manifesto.

[yellow dahlia]

63. Thank you for your chronicle.

[Orrex]

14. Classy

Can hardly fault you for voicing what we're all wishing was the case.

[Scrivener7]

15. Defaulting to the assumption that we're all screwed is foreign to most of us.

But, I think it needs to be all of our default assumption now.

As we all accept it, our voices will get louder. That's good.

Now we need to push our leaders to respond realistically to the fact that this is an actual coup.

(I called my rep yesterday and was told he's putting out a press release. I politely almost blew a gasket.)

[Timeflyer]

16. We're all disoriented now, as TRump, Musk, Bannon, the whole fascist storm trooper gang, wants us to be.

No apologies needed, DUers get it.

[madaboutharry]

17. You don't need to apologize.

Two days ago,, it did seem like the sky had fallen. I will confess that optimism has always eluded me. But after yesterday, seeing how Canada and Mexico stood up to Trump, how democrats in Washington came out committing to fight these monsters with everything they have, with the courts holding the line, and with the American getting extremely pissed off and determined to defend democracy....I am feeling slightly better about the outcome of this.
I actually now think they are not going to get away with this.

[pazzyanne]

21. What you said.

Yesterday brought a little light back to my world for the same reasons you listed.

[summer_in_TX]

73. We have a chance. Heather Cox Richardson says we have about 3-4 weeks to turn things around.

She gave us homework in her video from Sunday night.

Heather Cox Richardson
Politics Chat: February 22, 2025

She said we need to call our members of Congress every single day, demanding to know WTAF. Also we should do likewise with our state reps, including the Republicans. AND we need to make ordinary Republicans throughout the country aware of what Musk is doing. Their media IS NOT TELLING THEM. They don't know. Once they do know, they should be calling their Republican reps and demand to know WTAF.

[TommyT139]

75. Worth its own post if not up already

[bronxiteforever]

18. We need to give each other wide berths

We are stronger together. We are dealing with an existential crisis unlike anything we have been through.

You were responding with reason and logic. Totally understandable and what I believed. We used to do that. No more. We are against the worlds richest man who is an overt Nazi and a criminal cabal.

How the heck can anyone really know what is happening. Right now we are existing day to day,
Peace, Bronx

[orangecrush]

20. Forgiven

Hang together or hang separately.

[Bengus81]

22. Seriously?? The sky is falling. When the DOJ now states they will arrest anyone blocking

a NAZI from doing "his work" which is criminal in nature then yeah.........

[Kaleva]

58. I think he means it's too late. The fascists are in total control now.

[yellow dahlia]

64. Up is down...down is up.

[niyad]

25. Apology accepted. As I posted on another thread, even I, as cynical and

suspicious as we all know me to be, am still stunned by the speed with which they are destroying everything, with nary a peep from our electeds. Instead we hear, STILL, about "reaching out" and "working across the aisle". I want to smack them.

We are all doing the best we can under horrific conditions, and I am so very thankful for ourr wonderful community here.

huggs

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

26. Glad you saw the light... welcome to a NOT so exclusive club.

[Bluethroughu]

27. Nobody wants to believe we are dealing with this,

I've been screaming the sky is falling for 20 years, and I don't want to believe it has.

[CaptainTruth]

30. I think about it differently.

You say "The sky isn't falling, the sky has fallen."

I say "War isn't coming, war is here, NOW."

We're being attacked by domestic terrorists, we are at war, & we've only begun to fight.

Pearl Harbor has been attacked & we've taken damage but that doesn't mean the war is over, it means the war has just begun.

[dlk]

31. That's the great thing about Democrats

They are open to new information and possibly changing their minds.

[markie]

40. spot on...

overall D's understand facts and are open to learning truths... even when it hurts

[Prairie_Seagull]

32. What we all think is subject to change.

Your apology is some proof of your mettle.

Well done.

Edit: If I had a nickle.

[defacto7]

33. You're good, William.

These unprecedented times are almost impossible to interpret and everyone deals with that sinking unknowing in different ways; some run in circles, some lash out, some make up stuff, some deny, some just stand with their mouths hanging open. But finally when there's something to focus on, I think most of us dig in and fight.

It's a credit to your character that your able to change your point of view and admit it. That's a hell of a lot more than most people can do. Has the sky has fallen? I think it has, or at least the ground under our feet has exploded.

[bluesbassman]

34. A little hair on fire is warranted theses days as every new one brings a new outrage.

Today we are likely to see a double whammy of a traitorous double agent being installed as the National Security Advisor and brain fried totally unqualified conspiracy theorist put in charge of the nation health care.

None of this is even remotely normal and we are all navigating it as best we can. There is strength in numbers though, and I’m glad to be a part of this community where we can share our ideas and fears. Appreciate you William!

[usaf-vet]

35. I had a post blocked based on "Supporting Democrats" I appealed and the post has been reinstated. Here is the link.

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100219983074

I tried to answer this question with my opinion, but the post was removed for breaking the following rule: Support Democrats.

MY APPEAL REASON

It is a story from the UK The Guardian asking a question I am trying to answer my view of
"Why are democrats so spineless?"

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/feb/03/democrats-opposition-trump "Why are democrats so spineless?"

So, are we AT DU ready and WILLING TO LET THE Republicans steal our DEMOCRACY? BY STOPPING US FROM CALLING THE DEMOCRATS OUT? Funny, I get emails asking me for donations every day, but none of the donation requests allow me to tell them what I think. Now it appears my only platform to speak out from up here in Northern Wisconsin which is now a red state. The one Senator knows my feelings because she has heard it from me. Tammy Baldwin The other Senator, Ron Johnson, is incommunicado, and his office will not take calls.

I am saddened by the fact the DU won't let us call the Democrats out. While Trump, Elon, and the republican party are stealing our Social Security data...name, address, ss# complete database capture AS I AM WRITE THIS.

In summary, it is a news article from a news source that others and I have used HERE. It asks a question, and I try to offer my perception, but I'm told no, no, not here.

At 77, I'm not going to be here much longer. But now it appears my one voice to fight back against TRUMP to save what can be saved for my kids is being muted.

[yardwork]

36. A couple of thoughts...

First, you weren't the only one to ask DUers to tone down the rhetoric. You're just the first to apologize and acknowledge that things were even worse than they seemed. I did the same, and now I'll apologize. Thanks for leading the way!

Second, even though things are definitely worse than I thought they could be, it's still always good advice to stay calm in order to protect ourselves and fight back strategically. Hysteria doesn't help anybody.

Third, I've learned that it's important to call my two senators and my representative every day. Make six calls: one to each of their Washington offices and one to their local state office. Emails aren't effective. We must call and identify 1-2 issues. I just finished my six calls and expressed concern about Elon Musk's anonymous hackers having access to sensitive federal data.

A tip I learned is to put all six phone numbers in my contacts list on my phone under "Politician Washington name" and Politician state name." That way I can bring up all six numbers and call from the list. (I had to google some to get their office numbers. They want to email. Don't email them. Call.)

Call every day. Be polite. Be persistent. We can fight back.

[William769]

37. I've known you for a lot of years here and have always found you to be thoughtful & insightful

Thank you for all you do & you have some very good tips.

We are in this together & together we will do what needs to be done.

[yardwork]

38. And I feel the same about you, Bill!

You are a survivor and we will fight back together!

[Arazi]

39. So lovely. What really irked about the scolding is everyone has their own trigger point

*The trans bans
*The racism and sexism masquerading as “DEI” purges
*Mass deportations
*The seizure of our data by Musk and his boys
*The fall of USAID
*The firing of DOJ and FBI officials
*The nominees to head the various departments are truly horrific and scary.
*The looming loss of Medicaid,Medicare, Social Security, Disability

Etc etc etc

It is terrifying for everyone in their own way on whatever issue or just in general that our democracy is failing. We need to respect everyone’s personal freak out.

[TBF]

41. I was absolutely numb on election night -

My main concern is women's autonomy (not just reproductive issues, but right to have jobs, own property etc); and specifically worried about my daughter (who happens to be gay). We all have our own areas of concern, but overall, we are so screwed right now.

We really need democrats as a whole to decide to fight. The latest I heard was confirmation of Marco Rubio as Secretary of State with NO opposition. Granted, even Rubio is looking good compared to some of the other ones, but unopposed? I expect our representatives to oppose each and every bad candidate, rather than normalizing in any way.

[Dem4life1234]

42. Had the justice system done its job

And stopped the orange menace.

This would have all been avoided.

It's not even so much his voters, we know they are dumb as hell, it's the justice system. Had he been in prison, they wouldn't be able to vote for him.

[patphil]

43. I agree, the sky has definitely fallen.

[DENVERPOPS]

45. A LOT of the damage that has been done since 2016

(or 1980 for that matter), will take forever to reverse, IF EVER............

But, thank you for your apology...

All that have not been watching since 1980 are finally seeing what the Republicans, Corporations and Oligarchs have been orchestrating for over 45+ years, playing the long game..........going for CHECKMATE.......

[Demovictory9]

48. They definitely played the long game and won

[SidDithers]

46. ...

Sid

[William769]

59. I feel so much better, knowing your around again.

Bill

[rzemanfl]

47. We are the subjects of an unprecedented psyop that has been

underway a long time.

[sfdennis1]

49. One team

As others have noted, we’ve all had a variety of responses to the aftermath of the Nov 5th debacle…and we’re all allowed our individual perspective. It is to your credit that you’re able to issue a “mea culpa” and rejoin the conversation. We need everyone engaged and working on the same team as we build up the resistance.

[Trailrider1951]

50. No problem, William

We all make mistakes.

[amuse bouche]

51. Everyone knows the sky fell Day 1

[AllyCat]

52. It's okay. But thank you.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

53. No need to apologize

[ecstatic]

55. After years of concern about democracy ending

It really seems to be ending right now. What do we do?

[ZDU]

56. Chaos

The sitting President is King Chaos. I don't know how y'all do it. I cannot keep up. It's exhausting. It's maddening. It's insanity. I wish y'all the best yet it is impossible for me to comprehend what is happening. (And increasingly I believe that this is part of their plan. Reign of Chaos.).

[Skittles]

57. thank you

and may I add it sucks to be right

[William769]

60. No, thank you.

[yellow dahlia]

65. Oh yes. I so often say - I really do want to be wrong.

[William769]

62. Thank you all for the overwhelming responses.

I never thought this OP would be like this.

To many responses to respond to but know this I did read all of the posts.

[yellow dahlia]

66. I commend you for your grace, and honesty, and integrity, and dignity in making this post.

Don't we wish we could see more of that coming out of D.C.

[Maru Kitteh]

67. I'd hope everyone knew your heart is in the right place. It was.

[CoopersDad]

68. Good post. Now, how many have rethought the so-called "assassination attempt"?

Unlimited wealth can make anything happen.

Rising up with a bloody fist was not what that coward would have done were the threat real.

This is a coup. A few in the media are starting to call it what it is, so should we.

[Akakoji]

69. Just Make Loud Trouble Now

and we will forgive you. Cuz we are quickly getting buried!

[Meowmee]

70. No problem

This is a horrible place to be. I can hardly believe what has become of this country. Only 6 years ago or so my father was alive and there was no pandemic. 3 years before that there was no os. He said if os is elected again in 2020 we are leaving, which I agreed to, I was sure B would win.

I wish so much we had just left then and long ago. Starting with him and my brother going back and getting things set up and me joining them later.

In a few short years fascism and awful criminals destroyed this country and now they are back finishing it off for good it seems.

[Clouds Passing]

71. Forgiven

[GP6971]

72. No worries from me.

[Heftylefty]

76. Understandable

None of us want to be in this horror show, and we're all trying to either deny it, hide from it, or make everything turn out all right.