… what I’ve been occupied with.
Well, my American friends would be interested, and so would my friend Hev. But the rest of you couldn’t care less, I suspect, when told. And that’s not good, because what’s currently driving my rage is going to affect all of us.
I wish I could flood the Internet with it ! Obama became my all-life political hero when first I started reading about his candidature for the Presidency – that’s a fair span of years (even though a fraction in comparison with my total). He is readily acknowledged by everyone who is not a tRumper to be by far the best President in living memory. And the mad bad man, surrounded by lickspittles and followers-only-for-a-purpose (looking at you, JD) can simply remove the portrait because he hates Obama more than anyone, and not a soul in the White House raises an eyebrow.
I’m following two Substacks: one is by American historian of note Heather Cox Richardson and the other by Robert Reich, who has so many titles and past occupations – “Robert Bernard Reich is an American professor, author, lawyer, and political commentator. He worked in the administrations of presidents Gerald Ford and Jimmy Carter, and he served as secretary of labor in the cabinet of President Bill Clinton” – as to almost defy listing ’em. The former’s Substack lays out exactly what’s happening on a daily basis in terms that make you understand her being an historian; and the latter— well, his latest post is this. He posts all manner of things, all in some way positive.
And I’m commenting fairly often on both. (Yes, there have indeed been some blokes who decided they wanted to ‘befriend’ me; but they were easily put off and just went away. They all, btw, protested that my being 82 did not affect their desire to chat. I think there are lots of lonely people …) When I shut down the laptop to go to bed, I wonder how many likes and return comments there will be in the morning: that’s sort of fun.
tRump’s insane tariffs have already started affecting Oz, and they’re not going to improve trade any time soon.
But in truth, it’s America that’s breaking my heart: country of Obama’s 16-year stint as the President whose employment as such was mostly joyful. It was certainly filled with intelligence, grace, charm, humour, music and deep thinking. For that, so recent and so memorable (in spite of Mitch McConnell) to be now replaced with the police state that’s almost there … the anger, the cruelty, the carelessness of everything except power and money … I don’t have the words.
DOWNUNDER WITH BOODZ 
I was in tears watching the results the night Obama was elected. I couldn’t believe America had come so far, had done the unimaginable. He and Michelle in the White House made me so proud. It’s no wonder Trump doesn’t want to hang his portrait. It would remind everyone of how great we once were and how far we’ve fallen.
(I’m sure Obama being black has nothing to do with it … )
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Me too, Colorado.
Maybe this isn’t a good time to look back on halcyon days …
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But without them we wouldn’t know or believe what’s possible.
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Because right now who can believe life has become what it is ? – it’s simply too horrible …
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I get Heather Cox Richardson in my daily email. She’s great.
I miss the Obamas.
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Michele my little love, I just saw an alarming thing flash by me and cannot re-find it: it was a latest newsflash about some ghastly thing happening in the actual PDX … Have you heard anything ?
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All is fine here in PDX. The heat has broken, too! We’ve been going through extreme heat, so I’ve been camped inside with my knitting.
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Oh thank-you, darlin ! – I always seem to be over-reacting to things in your neck of the woods, eh ?
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There are no words, although Caligula comes to mind
America is living a horrendously superficial reality TV show plot with a badly written script. But it is not mindless tripe that when turned off triggers a resumption of normality. Its goddawfully real.
His minions do his bidding and any inane idea that pops into his head is acted upon conscientiously. Ugh.
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You summarize it excellently, Amanda !! He HAS reached a medical stage where you can actually see him … erhmm … depreciating; but when JD Vance takes over, things will get worse. My heart bleeds for every ordinary, normal American.
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Nobody wants to imagine that scenario.
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I don’t have words either, M-R, and I cannot believe Trump still has supporters that are either terribly brainwashed or just as hateful as he. I have known about the Obama portrait non-hanging for awhile and it doesn’t surprise me since Trump is a petty, vile, vengeful narcissist, as are many in his administration. And he is diverting his cult away from the fact that he is probably in the Epstein files while Mike Johnson is claiming Trump was undercover with the FBI, trying to bring Epstein down. Yeah, and if you believe that, the Pope has some waterfront property in the Sahara desert he wants to sell you. We (those that still believe in a democracy, the constitution and due process) are in a pickle times a million and I do not know how we will get out of it as Trump is trying to mess with fair elections and we may not have any in 2026. Protests are building, but I don’t think Trump cares if us lefties don’t like him. Keep commenting, think positive thoughts, pray for us…anything might help.
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I keep up through Vox, The Hill et al and some Substacks, M-J, and the NYT because Ezra Klein writes for it and I’m a big fan. One day, far in the future, it’ll be this kind of source that will make people wonder with big eyes about how it all came about …
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