We Are All Portland

Hello friends,

What do you call the leader of a country who, for no reason at all, puts the military on the country’s streets and uses that military against the country’s citizens? A fascist. That’s what you would call that leader. And yes, that’s what I’m calling Donald Trump, who wrote in yet another deranged post on Truth Social this week:

At the request of Secretary of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem, I am directing Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth, to provide all necessary Troops to protect War ravaged Portland, and any of our ICE Facilities under siege from attack by Antifa, and other domestic terrorists. I am also authorizing Full Force, if necessary.

That’s a fascist. Textbook. So thank you, Portland, for protesting peacefully. Thank you, Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek, for standing your ground. And thank you, Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield, for suing his fascist ass.

Joe

P.S. If you listen to my daily podcast, you know that I’ve been encouraging folks to check out and even subscribe to “The Big Middle” for the past few weeks. It’s a new interactive website designed to get people to engage on various policy issues. I’m all about having conversations with people you disagree with, and The Big Middle is all about turning those conversations into consensus on the most important issues of the day. Please give them a follow here on Substack!

In Today's Issue

• The Social Briefing: Heroes of the Week

• Good Reads for This Week

• The Social Share

• The Social Soundboard

This Past Week

SUBSTACK LIVE: Open to all subscribers, unless noted. Don’t miss it!

• Tuesday with Nick Paro (click if you missed it!)

• Friday with Edwin Eisendrath (click if you missed it!)

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Amid all the bad, awful, dumb, stupid, absurd, insane, sickening, despicable, cruel, sad, pathetic, embarrassing, irresponsible, demoralizing, deplorable, infuriating, outrageous, terrible, horrible, Constitution-defying, fascist news of the past week, we have to acknowledge the TOP FIVE HEROES among us. The list is growing, as more and more of us are standing up to the tyrant. Courage is infectious. Be brave!

1. ARIZONA’S 7TH DISTRICT. In a special election this week, voters there elected Democrat Adelita Grijalva, who will deliver the decisive signature to push for a vote to release the Jeffrey Epstein case files.

2. HALEY STEVENS. The U.S. Congresswoman from Michigan announced this week: “Health care chaos. Reckless cuts. Rising costs. Michiganders and families across the country are paying the price for RFK Jr.’s agenda. Enough is enough, which is why I’m drafting articles of impeachment against @SecKennedy.”

3. CHARLES TILLMAN. The former NFL football player-turned-FBI agent resigned this week, claiming he refused orders from superiors over the agency’s immigration crackdown. Tillman says he wants to be “on the right side of history.”

4. TY COBB. No, not that Ty Cobb. Trump’s former lawyer Ty Cobb. Calling the indictment of Jim Comey “wholly unconstitutional [and] authoritarian,” he said, “Trump wants to rewrite history so that the next generation may not know that he incited a violent insurrection, refused to peacefully transfer the power of the presidency after losing an election, stole classified documents and showed them to friends and guests at Mar-a-Lago, and that he was a criminal.”

5. BOWZER FROM SHA NA NA. Also known as Jon Bauman, the former “greaser” is traveling throughout California to advocate for Prop 50—the ballot initiative that will allow the state to counter Texas’ redistricting scheme.

Did we miss anyone? Send your heroes our way!

Good Reads for This Week

• The Boredom of Writing in the Trump Era —The Dispatch

• As Our Generals and Admirals Fly Home, Our Adversaries Watch and Wait —The xxxxxx

• I Debated a Trump Supporter—Here’s How It Went —Let’s Address This with Qasim Rashid

• James and the Giant Orange —Steve’s Substack

• Trump’s Shell Game Threatens American Security —dekleptocracy

• Don’t Stop Laughing at the Fool in the White House —The Warning with Steve Schmidt

• She’s a Democrat, He’s Republican. Here’s How These Longtime Friends Debate Politics —NJ.com

• Bread and Circuses —Tom Joad

• The Biggest Tent —The Dispatch

• LISTEN: How States Can Fight Back Against Censorship —Katie Brennan

I continue to believe the cruelty of the Trump Administration will ultimately help defeat MAGA. Most Americans are not cruel. Keep spreading the word. And share the stories and videos you find with us.

Qasim Rashid, Esq. 3d This horror will get worse. This is Trump’s fascism on steroids. Horrific and indefensible. “I was back at 26 Federal Plaza today, where an ICE agent violently threw this bereft woman to the ground in front of her kids,” New York City Comptroller and former mayoral candidate Brad Lander wrote. “She had not touched him. She did not pose any threat. She had to be taken to the hospital.” 2.7K 1.2K

Lincoln Square 1d 🚨 Federal ICE THUGS on top of the Broadview, IL federal building ROOF are SHOOTING non-lethal rounds, including pepper balls and tear gas, at protesters AND the media who pose no threat behind a locked fence. Americans are being shot at for exercising their rights. #BroadviewIL #ICE #Protest 3.2K 2.1K

• Just an hour ago at Bread Garden Market in the heart of downtown lowa City, ICE Gestapo freaks kidnapped one of our community members at his place of work. This seemed to be a targeting of an individual, not a raid. —Don Lemon

• A man was just arrested outside of the Broadview ICE facility in Chicago. When legal observers from the National Lawyers Guild asked why, an agent threatened to arrest them too. —Amanda Moore

• ICE Arrests Leader of Iowa’s Largest Public School District —TwinCities.com

• ICE Agent Drops Gun and Levels It at Shocked Rush-Hour Crowd —The Daily Beast

• ICE Seizes Community Leader at CT Court Check-in, Immigrant Groups Say —Hartford Courant

• Deadly Neglect in ICE Custody —The Marshall Project

FIGHTING BACK

• 79-Year-Old U.S. Citizen Files $50 Million Civil Rights Claim After Van Nuys Car Wash ICE Raid —Dingo Dave

• Gov. Newsom Signs ‘Safe Schools Act’ Taking Unprecedented Action Against ICE in Schools —The Mercury News

• ICE Officer Seen Pushing Woman to the Floor at Immigration Courthouse Is Relieved of His Current Duties, Agency Says —CNN

Here’s what some of you are thinking about this week…

I am a 71-year-old centrist Democrat. I watch you every day on YouTube. I agree with everything you say, although I don’t always agree with your policy positions. But as you say, policy does not really matter much now with the situation our country is going through. Thank you for everything you have sacrificed and for speaking the truth. I love you, man. —Randy G.

I totally agree with you. It’s very discouraging though, because who’s going to take ownership of it? And how are we going to move this forward?

I’m sure there’s many others that agree; we just have to find ways to connect. The challenge is, how do we get everyday people to be leaders? We’re all waiting for someone else to do it. Or, we’re waiting for the time to pass, as if everything will go away.

Thanks again. Your message matters. —Andrea P.

Hey, I want to hear from you! Want to send us a 600-word op-ed or video clip on how we can mend our frayed social contract and rebuild an America that works? Want to appear with Joe on Substack Live? Just need to vent? Send it our way!

Tell us your story and share your feedback about our Substack community by emailing our editor at [email protected]. We look forward to hearing from you!