BLUE LETTER

Picture credit: Joe Simon

From MAGAs Torching GOPers in Town Halls to Dems’ Embracing the Fight—You Can Feel The Zeitgeist Changing

There’s a storm brewing—and for once, it’s not being led by guys in “Camp Auschwitz” sweatshirts leading a January 6th blitzkrieg of tantrum-prone, truculent traitors on the Capitol rotunda. No, this squall is out in the towns, in the streets, in the soul of a country sick to death of dictator cosplay, cruelty-as-policy, amateur doofus-ry and stuff-your-pants-with-dollar-bills shady.

When a fossil like Chuck Grassley looks like he might yank out his rotary phone to call the cops because he’s heckled—cursed out, tbh—by MAGA Republicans at his own town hall, there’s something happening here, as Buffalo Springfield might say. Especially when it’s as MAGA a crowd one can find outside a Klan-bake.

Even more heartening, they weren’t yelling about their own losses—jobs, farms, 401Ks—but Trump’s illegal deportation of a Latino man to a torture prison in El Salvador. They were “pissed” at “dictator” Trump and at Grassley, for not doing squat to help Kilmar Abrego Garcia and other victims of the fascist deportation pact Trump cooked up with El Salvador's Bukele.

Oh, but there’s more. From Rep. Jasmine Crockett calling Trump a criminal in broad daylight:

As far as I’m concerned, he’s a lot less criminal than the person that’s sitting in the White House ’cause last time I checked, he doesn’t have any criminal convictions. I don’t even think he has any outstanding cases, versus the guy that still had cases pending when he was sworn in on January 20th and also has 34 felony convictions.

So listen, I don’t want to hear anything from the Republican Party about how they trying to keep us safe when their fearless leader is actually the biggest criminal thus far that we have seen because I haven’t seen anybody with a rap sheet that looks like the president’s.

(Again, fellow Democrats: Every time Trump calls someone innocent a criminal, not making him pay by reminding everyone he’s a convicted felon, is criminally-negligent messaging) to Americans protesting in over 700 acts of defiance—across the country—April 19th. It’s clear: We’re done playing nice with criminal wannabe-dictators, and the cloying, cut-rate collops who carry their luggage. It’s time for another bloodless revolution, like the one that vastly improved America nearly 100 yrs ago, under FDR.

Democrats, finally, are no longer limited to just a few voices speaking out harshly, but as an entity are starting to act like they’ve read the script of history—and realize extras, due to their lack of importance, are eventually eliminated from the film. They’re calling out our own, including leadership, which led to Chuck Schumer’s apologizing and postponing a book tour.

Meanwhile, Democrats jump into primaries to run against incumbents not able or willing to fight. And they’re being helped by Parkland mass-shooting survivor, David Hogg’s PAC, which is supporting primaries while he serves in party leadership as DNC Vice Chair. An unprecedented act making clear the times we’re in. Also, though, it’s raison d’etre is unprecedented: It’s not about ideology. Be progressive, center-left or moderate, but be willing to fight, or David’s group will support a challenger who is.

Meanwhile, courage is doing its thing and being contagious. Chris Van Hollen put boots on the ground in El Salvador, risking his own safety to spotlight the depravity of Trump's death-by-deportation pipeline. And he’s calling out Democrats dismissing its importance as an issue. Cory Booker made history to create enough spectacle to get the media’s attention with his record-breaking filibuster.

This isn’t the "look forward, not back" Democratic Party of yesteryear. There’s a new wave of lawmakers and candidates that punch back—or first—,hold the line and get the stakes. And they’ll pressure those without the stomach for the fight to find it, or go away. Either way, the party gets stronger, and we end the criminal tyranny hiding in the corpus of a flatulent, fatuous, flaccid, bone-spurred, moron-American who sees rage, insecurity and stupidity as staples of a healthy daily regimen.

PS: See the huge April 19th turnout below! While it’s great to have MAGA faithful screaming for justice at town halls and Democratic elites in this fight, it’s those who cared from the beginning—and take to the streets—who are the top of the spear.

…Yo, Check This Out!

• Remember to check out my new Substack show—Amped Up w/ Cliff Schecter—every Thursday at 2pm et!

• Only two weeks since the last huge national protest, and we have more amazing pics & videos from the millions who turned out Saturday to say ENOUGH!

  Check out this scene, with Michiganders and Ontarians, on both sides of the Detroit River, protesting Trump in unison!

  

• Another OVERWHELMING crowd turned out to protest in New York City!

  

• A sampling of pics from pro photographer and friend, Joe Simon, who was at the Cincinnati 4/19 rally. We’ll have the rest of them in our paid newsletter on Weds!

• Pope Francis has died. The news only broke this morning, so not enough time to fully digest his legacy. In many ways he was a breath of fresh air, as the most progressive pope ever. Yet, he has a complicated legacy, as he refused to reevaluate some of his more traditional—see harmful—beliefs.

  • Blue Amp’s a simple idea: Insiders turned fearless outsiders telling you what others won’t. We’re un-bought; We Need Your Support. Please become a paid subscriber!

    Upgrade to paid

  ---

  Quick Kitty Break! Torchy, The Dream Weaver

TENTATIVE SCHEDULING & VIDEO ON DEMAND!

• Below: Our content schedule which will evolve based on opportunities & your preferences:

  • Monday: Blue Letter (Free)

  • Tuesday: Guest column by a name you know (TBD; Paid; Free 72 hrs later)

  • Wednesday: David Shuster Video of the Week; Cliff Humor Column; NYT Pitchbot; Funny Trumper responses; More Being Developed (Paid)

  • Thursday - My Substack Show “Amped Up w/ Cliff Schecter” kicks off this week! First guest: Former GOP Rep/presidential candidate, turned scold of Trump/MAGA, Joe Walsh! Adding 2nd surprise guest (Free live; Paid later)

  • Friday: Blue Letter (Free)

  • Saturday: Guest Column (TBD; Paid, Free 72 hrs later).

  • Sunday: Video Letter: Videos we created that week (Free); Special video just for our newsletter—a surprise + a contest w/ a big winner (Paid/after Paywall)

• VIDEO ON DEMAND: Fox News is a democratic Chernobyl. Yet, Jessica Tarlov, who goes in every day and flat-out embarrasses the air-headed autocrats who try to taker her on, provides a whole lotta schadenfreude. Watch David Shuster’s great video showing you what you just HAVE TO SEE:

  

• Thank you for considering a Paid Subscription to support our work! The Blue Letter will be back Friday!