TheFightBack

Ellison and Perez (common dreams.org)

Donald Trump is president and Republicans control just about everything.

Meanwhile Democratic Party leaders who paved the way for this Republican resurgence seem to view themselves as natural leaders in the fight against Trump, known as the “Resistance.”

But are they up to the challenge?

Recall how badly they screwed up in 2016.

In capturing the Republican nomination, Trump became the most disliked presidential nominee in recent times.

This presented Democrats with an opportunity to not only keep the White House, but also make big gains in the House and Senate.

Instead Democrats rigged their own primaries, allowing Trump to face the second most-disliked nominee in recent times, Hillary Clinton.

Now the folks who helped pull this off want to lead the Resistance.

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RFK Jr. at the National Press Club

News that President Trump may tap Robert Kennedy Jr. to head a commission on vaccine safety has not been well-received by the media.

Kennedy is a “conspiracy theorist” wrote the Washington Post; he’s an “Anti-Vaccine Activist” blared the New York Times, which condemned “Kennedy and his fellow travelers”; and on it went.

Kennedy is a leading environmentalist. He’s also the son of the former attorney general and senator, Robert Kennedy; and nephew of former President John F. Kennedy.

Having followed his work for years, I had a difficult time believing he could be on point on so many issues, and completely off-base about vaccines, as media reports suggest. Continue reading →

Netanyahu and Trump at a joint news conference Wednesday

The bullying and boasting that brought electoral success to Donald Trump may prove disastrous for the Middle East.

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Credit: commondream.org

“Senators, your duty is clear.” Heads and cell phones turned as James Burch, an organizer from San Francisco, interrupted the confirmation hearing for Trump’s pick for secretary of state. “You must reject Rex Tillerson,” Burch said as he was forcefully removed from the Senate hearing. “The people do not want an oil man as secretary of state.”

Burch was one of many who interrupted the confirmation hearings of both Tillerson and Jeff Sessions, Trump’s choice for attorney general. Many of these activists were arraigned in D.C. Superior Court Wednesday.

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With homemade signs, banners and even locks and chains, thousands of protesters descended on Friday’s inauguration of Donald Trump. In modern times, no one so disliked has ascended to the nation’s highest office. Tens of thousands more are expected to rally today.

During the campaign, Trump played footsie with white supremacists, called for a ban on Muslims and described Latinos as criminals and rapists. Since Trump’s upset victory in November – in which he received nearly 3 million fewer votes than his opponent, Hillary Clinton – he’s tweeted and attacked, but done little to bring the country together.

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Jane Mayer; David and Charles Koch. Photo: democracynow.org

Pundits have plenty of reasons for Republicans’ 2016 electoral success, but none may be as explanatory as a book published in January, before a single ballot was cast.

In Dark Money: The Hidden History of the Billionaires Behind the Rise of the Radical Right, Jane Mayer zeroes in on brothers Charles and David Koch and the secret network they’ve created to push their anti-government zealotry. Their decades of work and billions of dollars help explain the rise of the far Right today.

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Obama & Wasserman Schultz (USA Today)

When President Obama named the chair of the Democratic National Committee in 2011, he didn’t foresee that his selection could lead to the undoing of his signature achievements.

For Obama, the DNC wasn’t a top priority.

And his choice for chair, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, seemed solid. She was a rising star within the party, and a proven fundraiser.

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