16 Comments

A coalition of *Americans* prepared to protect our precious democracy and drive the MAGAs out of power is critically important! Right now, it’s that American coalition vs. MAGA. We are in for a bumpy ride for the rest of this year! Let’s hope we can win this! We can debate policy differences later, when this is done. Let’s hope there’s a plan for organizing a new conservative party when the MAGAs are thoroughly defeated and drummed out of town.

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Beautifully said Reed. I wish all my Republican family members and those still on the fence could read this. I left the Party in '08 and have never looked back. It's Trump's and Putin's Party now. We just have to do everything in our power to get out the Vote and stop them. Thank you for another wonderful essay!! Keep up the great work!! ❤️🇺🇸💙

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Thank you for this. I am a former republican and will be sending this to my Reagan republican dad who seems to be flailing after Hayley’s loss. He knows deep inside Trump is dangerous but has almost a physical resistance for voting democrat. It’s beyond frustrating but you laid it out perfectly

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Reed Galen is terrific. If you care about our democracy, follow him, follow “The Lincoln Project.” I grew up in a Republican family, became a Democrat in the 1960’s, against the Vietnam war, and a supporter of Bobby Kennedy. As a journalist, I registered as an independent, and tried to keep politics, or personal bias, out of my reporting—of course, that’s not really possible.

As I became concerned about the environment, and human rights, I realized I was far more in tune with Democrats; and thinking of myself as a “moderate Democrat.” I think I still would be, except politics swung so far to the right! The political stance of Reed Galen and the others who formed “The Lincoln Project” including Rick Wilson and Joe Trippi, is not that far away—at this point, he’s changed too, and there’s little space between my stance and that of “The Lincoln Project.” It is informative, points out a lot that “the mainstream media” leave out. I never miss a podcast!

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As pretty much a lifelong moderate Democrat, I told a friend just today this: the choice is a guy who will destroy America and a guy who won’t. She immediately grasped that equation. Reed, your writing has helped simplify that argument enough for me to share without rancor or indignation.

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Reed wrote:

*****There is a growing pro-democracy movement in this country - not Republican or Democrat, but American, that is prepared to welcome you with open arms. As I tell the Democrats we work with, we don’t have to agree on every thing. We just have to agree on one thing.

That one thing? That Donald Trump should never again occupy the Oval Office or any position of power in the United States.*****

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I heartily agree. An alliance of the decent and sensible, of all political leanings and none at all, can and must make common cause to overcome the authoritarian threat represented by the 45th president and his adherents and enablers.

This is the theme of nearly all my own essays.

Of recent vintage, see particularly:

2023-12-31: https://decencyandsense.substack.com/p/resolution-and-action-in-the-new

2024-01-06: https://decencyandsense.substack.com/p/we-have-to-make-our-choice

2024-02-13: https://decencyandsense.substack.com/p/cynics-and-cowards-in-the-united

2024-03-04: https://decencyandsense.substack.com/p/a-principle-of-three

2024-03-07: https://decencyandsense.substack.com/p/mcconnell-has-again-betrayed-the

In today's essay and the one earlier this week, I wrote of the need to confront not just the 45th president but those who enable or (worse!) avidly support him.

As Reed suggests, blocking the 45th president from becoming the 47th president is the urgent priority.

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Advocate for and support President Biden! Take the next step. Say it! We must vote FOR President Biden - the best candidate for the job. Don't leave your ballot blank or stay home. VOTE FOR PRESIDENT BIDEN!

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You're joking 🤣🤣 what Fake republican site did I stumble upon. The people on here hate America. Look at the state its in. Do you want any of the families who lost a loved one to an illegal immigrant to vote for Biden? What if they like Trump instead? Guess they should suck it up and vote blue right?

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Man you people are embarrassing 🤣🤣 Keep bowing down to the government overlords and be the squishy republican punching bags you've become

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Watching Mike Johnson’s childish behavior showed me he is an uber-weenie.

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Here here

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Reed, when you move to paid subscribers, please, let me know; and, I'll sign up.

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Atta boy Reed 👍

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Finally an appeal to the Republicans that I KNOW are out there!

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I recommend Reed’s column on why Trump can’t win in November at Project Syndicate. The link is at the end of “To Be A Republican, Look What They Make…”

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Well said Reed! Another way of looking at this, from a typically American way of thinking:

Americans are generous. We give the other guy the "benefit of the doubt". A second chance. A third chance. A fourth chance.

But this Trump guy. We, the citizens and voters, and the Press, and honorable elected officials, and public servants at all levels of society, we give and we give and we give! And the guy says, "Give me more!"

After we buy his phony college degree, after we buy his bad meat and trading cards and pieces of blue cloth. After all this, to prove our loyalty we have to buy ugly sneakers for $400?

After we accept his pussy grabbing raping and his leering at our daughters at his beauty pageants. After we give him tax payer funded tax abatements and low cost loans (from lying, false loan applications). After we let him lie to us about "rigged elections" in 2016, 2020 and 2024. After he insults our military heroes. After he breaks state and federal laws and demands we let him go free!

We citizens take the smacks in the face by this guy, over and over. How many "benefits of the doubt" are we willing to keep giving? When do we say, as Cassidy Hutchinson said, ENOUGH!

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