#democracy now

[tbsdca]

FRAN LEBOWITZ ON TRUMP AND FLU SHOTS

Interviewer:

Trump is 4 years older than you. Are you intense on outliving him?

Lebowitz:

Um, you know, I don't really think about it that way. 
Like, I don't think of myself in relation to him. I don't think it's the way that I went to get a flu shot, and they have a special extra one for all people. So I was wondering sure I get that. 
So I kept saying to the person who knew this, like, This is the old people's one, right? Then one extra old people's one, and she said, We don't call it that. I said, Well, you know what I mean, right? 
She said, Yes, but don't call it that. I said, What do you call it? She said, We call it the wise people's. 
I said, Not every old person is wise. I said, Donald Trump is old. And she said, But he's not a person.

[saywhat-politics]

DHS Assault Victim Aliya Rahman Arrested at State of the Union Address

We speak with Minneapolis resident Aliya Rahman, who attended Tuesday's State of the Union address as a guest of Congressmember Ilhan Omar. Rahman was removed from the chamber Tuesday and spent several hours in jail following what she describes as an aggressive arrest by Capitol Police — all for silently challenging Trump during the speech. "There are only two things you can do at the State of the Union, and they are sit down and stand up," says Rahman. "I was arrested for standing up." Rahman, a U.S. citizen, was violently dragged out of her car and detained by federal immigration officers last month and later released without charge.

[shereeluvssinners]

Democracy Now! 30th Anniversary Event

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MARCH 23: Angela Davis (L) and Delroy Lindo attend Democracy Now! 30th Anniversary Event at Riverside Church on March 23, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Rob Kim/Getty Images)

[contemplatingoutlander]

Inside the Heritage Foundation’s Plan to Crush the U.S. Palestinian Movement

Even before President Trump was re-elected, the Heritage Foundation, best known for Project 2025, set out to destroy pro-Palestinian activis

This excellent report by Katie J. M. Baker is about the Heritage Foundation's Project Esther, which is being implemented by the Trump administration. It is the reason that foreign graduate students who protested or expressed opinions against the war = in Gaza are being arrested and threatened with deportation, and one of the reasons that federal grants to universities are being cut. This is a gift🎁link, so there is no paywall. Below is an excerpt from the NY Times report, as well as a video about Project Esther.

In late April, the Heritage Foundation dispatched a team to Israel to meet with power players in Israeli politics, including the country’s foreign and defense secretaries and the U.S. ambassador, Mike Huckabee. The conservative Washington-based think tank is best known for spearheading Project 2025, a proposed blueprint for President Trump’s second term that called for reshaping the federal government and an extreme expansion of presidential power. Now the Heritage contingent was in Israel, in part, to discuss another contentious policy paper: Project Esther, the foundation’s proposal to rapidly dismantle the pro-Palestinian movement in the United States, along with its support at schools and universities, at progressive organizations and in Congress.

Project Esther: NYT Details Right-Wing Plan to "Rebrand All Critics of Israel" as Hamas Supporters | Democracy Now! | May 19, 2025

[beaulofsoup]

I feel insane. I am currently listening to Sam Reich’s dad, Robert Reich, on today’s Democracy Now! broadcast and I only know that Robert likely popularized the term “American Fascist Party” because I was prompted to look up the term at 7am this morning when I liked the post below during my wake up doom scroll. Papa Bob Reich used the term in an opinion article from 2023 and now it’s being used virally throughout the world. All before knowing he would be on Democracy Now! this morning.

During the broadcast, Robert also talks about being bullied for his height but then goes on to talk about bullies in our American society and how he understands American inequality. And how Trump is the largest bully today. He also refers to the Mississippi Murders of Chauncey, Goodman, and Schwerner who were murdered 60 years ago this week. Robert KNEW SCHWERNER who protected him from bullies??? I am so moved. This man is an outright anti-capitalist and has shaped our country’s Department of Labor. He is extremely important person.

And it’s just fucking funny that Sam gets endearingly teased for his height on Dropout. Little mayor of a town full of people who sings.

The way Dropout is structured and how it pays and treats its employees makes so much sense to me knowing where Sam comes from. Both his parents just seem like great people. Claire seems wonderful and as a Buddhist and Spiritualist I was DELIGHTED when she was introduced on Game Changer.

To further add to this, I only recently became obsessed with Dropout and its beloved cast members. I have been watching Dropout unendingly for the last couple weeks. All things Dropout has truly become pure inspirational escapism for me right now.

I feel insane. Our country is dying yet this coincidence was quite wonderful. Very much in love with the Reich family and very grateful for both Robert’s and Sam’s contributions.

[jasondamien93]

Democracy now ✊🏻

[joe-england]

[zeepatomicarts]

Need an evil corporation to fight? Because I’ve surely got one for you..

As of recent, Paramount Skydance has officially released the long awaited Among Us cartoon with zero fanfare, screwing Infinity Train creator Owen Dennis over yet again.

This isn’t the worst the company’s CEO is doing right now, believe it or not! David Ellison is also:

- Trying to merge with Warner Bros Discovery (an already suffering corporation) so he can take CNN and warp it into yet another propaganda factory

- Screwing the Avatar: The Last Airbender franchise over

- Manipulating other higher-ups into believing that his clearly disastrous merger will “save Hollywood”

- Having his merger backed by the Trump Administration due to his father Larry Ellison having ties with them, which of course connects to the Epstein Files

Plenty of US states are banding together to stop this Hollywood apocalypse from taking place, and you should too! Call your state representative and tell them to block the Warner Bros and Paramount merger, and don’t be afraid to spread the word!