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It’s Ben Meiselas… Don’t let up today!!By Ben Meiselas Hello everyone. It’s Ben Meiselas, co-founder of the MeidasTouch Network. I will be brief with this post. I have a simple message: Don’t let up today. This was a tough weekend. That’s an understatement. But this regime wants us to feel so exhausted that we will give up. It’s natural and normal to feel exhausted, and pained, and distressed, and angry, and a myriad of other emotions. I received tens of thousands of your messages this weekend, and I know how you feel. Many people came up to me at the park on Sunday and let me know how sad they are after the events that unfolded. It is devastating what Trump has done to this country. There’s no way around that. But here’s the thing. We have to keep the resistance going and growing. We have to keep the momentum from the end of 2025 into this year and expand our efforts. The Trump regime is intentionally trying to hit us with a shock-and-awe campaign of psychological warfare and torture, and we must resist at all costs. The cracks in the regime are growing bigger. Beneath the faux bravado is weakness and panic in the regime. They’ve never been less popular, and cultural icons like NBA players, music artists, and business leaders are finally starting to speak. I made a video on YouTube about it this morning. Here at MeidasTouch, we will keep growing this network. We currently have on-the-ground reporters in Washington, D.C., Minneapolis, Nuuk (Greenland), Canada, and in other locations. We have expanded our reach to make sure we bring you and the world the reporting needed to get out the truth and expose the Trump regime. Most importantly, we’ve been focusing on making sure the voices of this community are leading the conversations on Capitol Hill. You’ve built this network and community into a force that is defeating and neutralizing the Trump propaganda machine and encouraging other independent news outlets to start and expand. Now is the time we fight with all we’ve got. We are grateful to all our subscribers here who helped grow this network, and we hope that you feel you can lean on the MeidasTouch Network during these dark days so we can all pull together, fight back, and help each other through this. The expansion of the MeidasTouch Network you’ve been witnessing has been made possible by all our subscribers here. Please consider becoming a subscriber if you aren’t yet. We are grateful for everyone here. We got this. You got this. Let’s keep fighting. |
A FEW COMMENTS AMONG MANY:
Pam Bondi demanding Minnesota’s voter rolls while federal agents murder protesters in the streets is textbook authoritarian playbook. I’ve been tracking this exact pattern from Argentina’s Dirty War, and the parallels are chilling.
The sequence is deliberate:
Deploy paramilitary forces (ICE with promised federal immunity).
Commit extrajudicial killings (Renee Good, Alex Pretti).
Blame victims as “domestic terrorists.”
Use the “chaos” to justify escalation.
Demand state compliance or face more violence.
Bondi’s demand for voter rolls isn’t about election integrity. It’s about identifying who to target. Argentina’s dictatorship did the same…used state records to build lists of “subversives” for detention and disappearance.
The Minneapolis resistance we are all documenting: the legal observers, the Signal networks, the trained protesters; is exactly what prevented Argentina’s body count from being even higher. The Mothers of Plaza de Mayo did this. They made the invisible visible. They documented every disappearance. They created international pressure.
But here’s what Argentina’s neighbors didn’t do: apply meaningful external pressure while it was still stoppable.
Europe is making the same mistake right now. Mark Carney stood at Davos and spoke truth about building alternatives to American power. Got a standing ovation. Then what? Where’s Macron’s follow-through? Where’s Scholz? Where’s the FIFA World Cup boycott? Where are the sanctions on regime officials operating death squads?
The regime is telling you what comes next. Stephen Miller: “You have federal immunity.” NSPM-7: protesters are domestic terrorists. Secret ICE memos: no judicial warrants needed. Bondi: give us your voter rolls or we escalate.
They’re not hiding it. They’re announcing it. Building the legal fiction. Establishing precedent. Creating permission for what comes after the midterms if they lose them.
This is Argentina 1976, not Argentina 1983. The difference between those years is what happens now. Whether Americans resist (and Minneapolis is showing how). Whether allies apply pressure (and Europe is failing this test).
The body count is rising. The infrastructure is operational. The normalization is happening.
Believe them when they tell you what comes next.
— Johan
Former Foreign Service Officer
Sacrifice is not easy
The following excerpt is from a Washington Post Op-ed from 2020 regarding the Pandemic, but the lessons apply perfectly to opposing the current fascist takeover.
“Sacrifice is not easy and natural, but it can happen. And yet, the language of sacrifice faded in the aftermath of a more popular, more total and more demanding conflict for Americans. Following World War II, the “good war,” politicians, business leaders, unions and many Americans embraced the idea that mass consumption would drive economic prosperity. Even in the midst of the burgeoning Cold War, such a notion supplanted more collectivist notions of community and sacrifice, in part because those were increasingly stigmatized as “socialist” or “communist.” This offered an individualist reaffirmation of the nation’s democratic values and became central to American identity. Mass consumption and participation in the economy, not sacrifice, increasingly came to signal one’s patriotism.
The last military draft in the United States ended in 1973, and since then, service and sacrifice have been voluntary and borne unevenly. The fractures of national unity that came at the end of the Vietnam War and the distrust of government in the wake of Watergate helped to propel these changes. In their wake, collective sacrifice has been extolled by politicians but never urged, much less required. Instead, market logics and consumer-citizenship has been the default setting for how to practice engaged models of citizenship.
Shopping, traveling and showing confidence in the economy have come to define American citizenship and even responses to collective existential threats such as terrorism and emergencies, including deadly viral outbreaks.
The challenges the nation now faces are dire and require sacrifice, not consumption. The problem is that Americans have been actively discouraged by their leaders from making sacrifices in support of larger efforts — including wars, fossil fuel consumption, global warming, the Great Recession and the current pandemic. Confronting the looming public health, economic and climate challenges today requires a wholesale change in how citizens and the state conceive and construct a rhetoric as well as a practice of collective sacrifice.”
Christopher McKnight Nichols is professor of history and Woody Hayes Chair in national security studies at The Ohio State University. He is author of "Promise and Peril: America at the Dawn of a Global Age" and editor and author of "Rethinking American Grand Strategy" and "Ideology in U.S. Foreign Relations: New Histories” (Columbia UP, 2022).
Sacrifice is Necessary
Defeating the fascists in WWII did not happen without sacrifice from the citizens of the Allied countries. We will have to sacrifice to stop and reverse the fascist takeover of our country. We can sacrifice a little now or a much greater amount later. What kind of world will our children and grandchildren live in if we allow this to continue?
How much do you want to stop His Royal Heinous and the fascist takeover of the country?
Enough that you’re willing to make a small sacrifice? Like altering your spending habits for a month or two or three? That could be all it would take to get the attention of the oligarchs (formerly known as The Robber Barons in the first Gilded Age, also The Fat Cats, The Greedy Bastards).
A brief demonstration of We, the People’s, power of the purse could persuade them to quit supporting HRH and the politicians who enable him.
We quit spending, except on essentials, businesses lose money, stock market goes down, Greedy Bastards pay attention to our demands.
Greedy Bastards own most of the politicians of both major parties. GBs start losing money, then they tell the politicians to change course and do what We, the People want.
Spending Strike, Spending Freeze, Spending Suspension, Spending Pause, Economic Disengagement, Economic Warfare, Stop Spending!, even Boycott. Choose your favorite but Do It, and Spread the Word!
If a single dollar doubles every day for 30 days, it reaches a total of over $536 million ($536,870,912) at the end of the 30th day.
So, would it follow, that a single voice that doubled everyday would become 536 million voices after 30 days? That seems doable.
From Mark Mansour:
Sacrifice has always been the price of renewal. Democracy, if it is to survive, cannot be the cheap luxury item of a populace too comfortable to fight for it. The Trump regime can be resisted through civic courage, legal challenge, and organization. But it can also be starved—one deliberate, withheld dollar at a time.
Don't get discouraged! The effective PRO-DEMOCRACY FOLKS are active, involved & busy!
You don't see it in the CORPORATE CORRUPTED MEDIA because they don't want you to know how effective you are.
You have been so effective, MAGA REPUBLICANS are not running for re-election.
Some are caving & supporting DEMOCRATS. Keep sending emails.
STAY LOUD & DON'T STOP!
As a consequence of TRUMP'S DAVOS DISASTER, other nations are dumping U.S. TREASURIES that caused markets to drop - TRUMP brags about the markets - he KNOWS!
ANTI-TRUMP RALLIES are happening around the WORLD!
TRUMP is booed when he attends stadium games.
Lots of organizations are filing lawsuits.
SCOTT DWORKIN maintains a list of contacts as well as post you can send:
For all contact Congress links, or to volunteer, you can go here: https://actionnetwork.org/forms/sign-up-for-the-watchdog-coalition
Our two main actions today:
New: Tell Congress to Defund ICE: https://tinyurl.com/4dtkmn47
Impeach DHS Secretary Kristi Noem: https://tinyurl.com/253mfne4
My interview with Rep. Robin Kelly on impeaching Noem: https://tinyurl.com/y3fx5pt2
Here are three other actions for today:
Demand AG Bondi release ALL of the Epstein files now: https://tinyurl.com/yzm32ams
Pass bill on unmasking ICE and displaying clear ID: https://tinyurl.com/bp8cau82
Demand answers about Trump’s visibly deteriorating health: https://tinyurl.com/sk9xm38v
Also, sign up to volunteer for our Watchdog Coalition: https://tinyurl.com/4afyy2bs
I also encourage everyone to join CIVIC SHOUT or the JUGGERNAUT PROJECT to send single click petitions.
Read DEMOCRACY LABS that posts -
There was a recent updated list of 107 -
DEMOCRACY LABS published a list of 100 Free Resources
December 15, 2025
DEMOCRACY LABS published a list of 100 Free Resources - Lots of other resources included. Democracy Labs ( TheDemLabs.org ) free resources for social justice https://newsletters.glide.page/dl/a400f7
JAN 6 SEARCH:
Jack Smith testifies: How To Instantly Search Hundreds Of Jan 6th Documents for Free
Jan. 6 attack ‘does not happen’ without Trump, Jack Smith told Congress
“The Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol “does not happen” without Donald Trump, former special counsel Jack Smith told lawmakers earlier this month in characterizing the Republican president as the “most culpable and most responsible person” in the criminal conspiracy to overturn the results of the 2020 election.
“The evidence here made clear that President Trump was by a large measure the most culpable and most responsible person in this conspiracy. These crimes were committed for his benefit. The attack that happened at the Capitol, part of this case, does not happen without him. The other co-conspirators were doing this for his benefit,” said Smith” — PBS
Read Jack Smith’s full deposition on the decision to indict Trump
Get ready for Jack Smith’s testimony. Use our free app to search through hundreds of January 6th insurrection documents in seconds. Uncover the facts for yourself today.
Fact-Check the Evidence in Seconds
Go to the Democracy Labs Archives and enter the term you want to search for. e.g. “Jan 6″. This yields 120 matching reports.
Narrow your search by adding more search terms separated by a comma. e.g. “Jan 6, Jack Smith”. This yields 12 reports
Refine the search further with more terms e.g. “Jan 6, Jack Smith, fake electors”. This yields 3 matching reports.
Click on the report for details. This could be an infographic for instance which shows the people involved with the Jan 6th insurrection.
Click on an individual for details on their involvement. e.g. Jim Jordan
Or get details on a group of people like the Megadonors who helped fund the insurrection.
The results may also include a report of the indictment here or a podcast.
TakeAway: Hold insurrectionists accountable for their criminal attempt to overthrow American democracy for Trump.
https://thedemlabs.org/blog/
THIS EXPLAINS A LOT:
Gaslighting Detector: How To Spot Republican Lies About ICE Killings
Lies and Lawlessness: The Camps, the Executions, and the Future Believe Our Own Eyes And Counter Their Lies. As the White House smear and spreads disinformation, it’s up to us to set things right. — Status Kuo The lies continue as provocative inversions. “dangerous words”: these are, precisely, “terrorist” and “extremist.” These two words are known to us from history as those used by tyrants. And these are the words used by the Trump people to defame those killed by their polices. — On Tyranny “The gaslighting is off the charts…” — JD Vance who blamed Renee Nicole Good for her fatal shooting by an ICE agent in Minneapolis — CNBC
Gaslighting is mental manipulation that makes you doubt your decisions, mistrust your judgment and question reality. — Cleveland Clinic
How do Republicans use gaslighting to justify ICE killing an unarmed mother? Use this infographic.
Learn to recognize Republican gaslighting tactics 10 top Republican GASLIGHTING TACTICS Read more Violence as a tool to impose “order”
Do not waste energy trying to convince anyone on the MAGA Right with facts. Don’t engage with the vile regime propaganda as if it was advanced in good faith. It was never meant to stand up to scrutiny, only to muddy the waters, give the rightwing media machine its marching orders, and tell the MAGA faithful what to believe. Trump, Noem, and Vance are not making factual contentions at all. They are presenting purely ideological assertions about how they want the world to work.
For years, all strands of the Right – elected officials, the media machine, the intellectual sphere, the base – have been openly embracing and clamoring for state and vigilante violence if it is directed against anything and anyone associated with “the Left.” — Democracy Americana
Masked goons roaming the streets
The Right is defined by a political and social culture of white grievance, ethno-religious nationalism, gun fundamentalism, desire for male domination, glorified militancy, and paranoid conspiratorialism. It is bound to produce people who believe it is their patriotic duty to use violence. — Democracy Americana
TakeAway: Don’t fall for Republican gaslighting. Hold them accountable for the ICE murder of Renee Good and.......................
https://thedemlabs.org/2026/01/25/gaslighting-detector-ice-killings/
THE COALITION ON HUMAN NEEDS is soliciting donations to work to fund issues that take care of Americans.
Massachusetts Senator Ed Markey is soliciting citizen co-sponsors for his bill:
I was introducing a bill to end Qualified Immunity for ICE and federal law enforcement, so that victims of ICE’s brutality and civil rights abuses can sue for justice.
this bill is so important because we are watching in real time as ICE and DHS tear the Constitution to shreds.
Whether it’s arresting people for free speech, detaining people based on their race or their accent, entering cars and homes without a proper warrant, or detaining US citizens without even allowing them to prove their citizenship, our civil rights have been thrown to the wind by Trump’s administration.
And right now, it’s almost impossible to hold these ICE officers accountable when they violate your rights, especially as the administration does everything they can to shield them from facing scrutiny and justice.
My bill would strip ICE of their immunity to civil suits, meaning those who experience any of these blatant civil rights violations could take the offending officers to court and seek justice and restitution. It would send a powerful message to federal agents: You are not above the law.
Did you read it?
MEDIA CONSOLIDATION DESTROYED THE FREE PRESS!
DAVID BROCK WROTE in 2004:
The Republican Noise Machine: Right-Wing Media and How It Corrupts Democracy
In The Republican Noise Machine, David Brock skillfully documents perhaps the most important but least understood political development of the last thirty years: how the Republican Right has won political power and hijacked public discourse in the United States.
Brock, a former right-wing insider and the author of the New York Times bestseller Blinded by the Right, uses his keen understanding of the strategies, tactics, financing, and personalities of the American right wing to demonstrate how the once-fringe phenomenon of right-wing media has all but subsumed the regular media conversation, shaped the national consciousness, and turned American politics sharply to the right.
Brock documents how in the last several decades the GOP built a powerful media machine--newspapers and magazines, think tanks, talk radio networks, op-ed columnists, the FOX News Channel, Christian Right broadcasting, book publishers, and high-traffic internet sites--to sell conservatism to the public and discredit its opponents. This unabashedly biased multibillion-dollar communications empire disregards journalistic ethics and universal standards of fairness and accuracy, manufacturing "news" that is often bought and paid for by a tight network of corporate-backed foundations and old family fortunes. By dissecting the appeal, techniques, and reach of the booming right-wing media market, Brock demonstrates that it is largely based on bigotry, ignorance, and emotional manipulation closely tied to America’s longstanding cultural divisions and the buying power of anti-intellectual traditionalists.
From the disputed 2000 presidential election to the war with Iraq to the political battles of 2004, Brock's penetrating analysis of right-wing media theories and methodology reveals that the Republican Right views the media as an extension of a broader struggle for political power. By tracing the political impact of right-wing media, Brock shows how disproportionate conservative influence in the media is integrally linked to the Republican Right’s current domination of all three branches of government, to the propping up of the Bush administration, and to the inability of Democrats to voice their opposition to this political sea change or to compete on an even playing field.
As only an ex-conservative intimately familiar with the imperatives of the American right wing could, David Brock suggests ways in which concerned Americans can begin to redress the conservative ascendancy and cut through the propagandistic fog. Writing with verve and deep insight, he reaches far beyond typical bromides about media bias to produce an invaluable account of the rise of right-wing media and its political consequences. Promising to be the political book of the year, The Republican Noise Machine will transform the raging yet heretofore unsatisfying debate over the politics of the media for years to come.
(AMAZON's synopsis included - WE DON'T BUY FROM AMAZON)
Although out of print, this book is likely available from your public library.
DON'T BE DISCOURAGED! YOUR ACTIONS HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFUL!
Your actions have forced REPUBLICANS to THINK & SPEAK OUT!
Worried about being re-elected!
THIS FROM THE NEW REPUBLIC:
Republicans Push Back on Party Line on ICE and Minneapolis Shooting
The shooting of 37-year-old Alex Pretti has caused even some of President Trump’s biggest allies to speak out.
The shooting of 37-year-old Alex Pretti has caused even some of President Trump’s biggest allies to speak out.
By Hafiz Rashid
“ICE agents do not have carte blanche in carrying out their duties,” Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski said Sunday. “Lawfully carrying a firearm does not justify federal agents killing an American—especially, as video footage appears to show, after the victim had been disarmed.“
Senators Murkowski, Thom Tillis, and Bill Cassidy are all calling for independent investigations into the shooting. In a post on X Saturday night, Cassidy said, “The events in Minneapolis are incredibly disturbing.”
“The credibility of ICE and DHS are at stake. There must be a full joint federal and state investigation. We can trust the American people with the truth,” Cassidy posted.
Representative James Comer, chairman of the House Oversight Committee, went so far as to suggest that President Trump remove ICE agents from Minneapolis..
“If I were President Trump, I would almost think about, OK, if the mayor and governor are going put our ICE officials in harm’s way and there’s a chance of losing more innocent lives, or whatever, then maybe go to another city and let the people of Minneapolis decide: Do we want to continue to have all of these illegals?” Comer said Sunday on Fox News, adding that he expected Minnesotans to “rebel against their leadership.”
On Sunday, Representative Andrew Garabino, chair of the House Homeland Security Committee, called on DHS, ICE, and Border Patrol leaders to testify before his committee, drawing praise from his GOP colleague Representative Michael Baumgartner, who said it was important “the American people and Congress be given a better understanding of how immigration enforcement is being handled.”
Many Republicans are concerned that ICE’s violence, coupled with the rest of the Trump administration’s heavy-handed policies, will hurt them in midterm elections this year. Representative Dusty Johnson, who is running for governor in North Dakota, called for deescalation, in an X post Sunday.
“Politicians, protesters, and law enforcement all have an obligation to deescalate the situation in Minnesota. As with any officer-involved shooting, this demands a thorough investigation,” Johnson posted.
One House Republican told Politico anonymously, “Many of us wonder if the administration has any clue as to how much this will hurt us legislatively and electorally this year.”
It may be a small fraction of Republicans right now, but cracks are beginning to form as Trump’s actions are going too far even for members of his own party. The resistance from Minnesota is working. Will the Trump administration back down, or make things worse?
