You are a smart young man to figure this out. The system has always been rigged. Humans - why are we even here on earth? What do we learn from history? Not a damn thing. It keeps repeating itself. The wealthy have always wanted more for themselves rather than pay the workers a decent wage. They wanted the surfs to stay in their place, under the landowner's thumb. No different today than it was back 2,000 years ago. Jesus Christ had his own issues with the vendors and turned their tables over in the temple. At almost 72 years of living, I'm coming to the conclusion, most of the wealthy people in general are selfish and self-centered. The so called Christians are hypocrites who act nothing like the Bible preaches. It's a sad world we have always lived in. However, our circles are not all like that. My circle is filled will good people. I've weeded out the users, gossips, back stabbers, etc, over the years. We all get a few in our day. We must hold onto the good people in our circle of family and friends, live the best we can, and let those who don't deserve us go.
I find this administration absolutely horrifying. I've been a registered republican for 40 plus years but have always voted for who I thought was the best candidate. Both side are imperfect, but the evil and hate that is within the maga world is scary. We mustn't give into it or it will consume us. There are still good people out there. WE have to beat them at their own game. Don't ask me how, but we can't give up.
Linda, thank you for sharing that. Reading your words... it feels like hearing from someone who's been watching this whole damn machine get built, piece by rusty piece, for decades.
You're absolutely right. "The system has always been rigged". That's the core of the Vertical War we're fighting – the wealthy wanting more while the workers get squeezed. That's the Gears vs. The Rust. Your point about hypocritical leaders using faith as a shield is a perfect description of how they corrupt the systems meant to give us hope.
And this part: "hold onto the good people... weeded out the users, gossips, back stabbers" – that's exactly what we're trying to build. A high-trust community, a Phalanx, where the good folks can finally link shields without fear. What you've built in your own circle is the blueprint.
Hearing you say you're a 40+ year Republican who sees the "evil and hate" in the MAGA world but knows "both sides are imperfect"... that makes you exactly the kind of "Frustrated Partisan" this whole rebellion is for. You see past the horizontal puppet show (Layer 2) they use to distract us.
Most importantly, that fire – "WE have to beat them at their own game. Don't ask me how, BUT we can't give up" – that's the absolute rejection of the Learned Helplessness (Layer 3) they try to drill into us. That's the spirit that wins.
We're trying to figure out the "how." Trying to build the playbook you mentioned. You've clearly got decades of wisdom on this fight. If you're ever interested, we'd be honored to have your voice in our community (Substack comments or the Discord server linked in articles). We need anchors like you.
Thank you again for your incredible insight. Stay strong, and never give up that fight.
I post so much on FB but the "friends" I have on there are afraid to speak out. Me, I'm too old and seasoned to care what anyone thinks so I post away. I'm not afraid to speak out! I stand up to bullies. Took my Catholic upbringing to damage and stifle me until the lion in me came out roaring somewhere in my twenties. I got more educated with experience and getting involved with my community and kids school with each passing year. Life has handed me some tough blows but I'm strong 💪 and know how to take those lemons and make lemonade!
I'd be happy to contribute to your journey to educate others.
I didn't say "all" Christians are hypocrites. The Christian Nationalists are though. They are extremists who give Christians a bad name. They are the ones who hate, they are behind Project 2025. They want to control and manipulate everyone to believe what they believe. No freedom of choice with them.
We are seeing a lot of new American residents in their 20s down here in Baja California because, like you, they just can’t make it anymore up there so they’re giving up and coming down here. Hang in there, you’re far from being alone…
Peter, thank you. Seriously. It means a lot to hear that.
Part of the 'heist' is the isolation they enforce—making you feel like you're the only one drowning. Knowing that what I'm living through is part of a bigger story, one that you're seeing firsthand in Baja, confirms everything.
It's the entire reason for this fight. Glad to know you're out there.
Ethan... I will subscribe. And maybe I can help with the research. First, let me recommend a couple of books. They are excellent in telling the story of how we got here. It took several years and a lot of people directing a lot of money to get us to this point. You are not alone. You matter, maybe more than you realize. I am glad you have decided to wake up. We need more like you. Because the opposition, Wall Street, has the money, people, media, and time to put in on their little project.
I feel the same about the guys listening to Rightwing radio and cheering for the very same people who are enslaving them. And they are completely hypnotized by the Rightwing propaganda machine. They may never get it, but we have to try. In the meantime, here are the names of some books that would give you the background story you need to understand what is going on here, in no particular order:
* "Giant: the Hundred Years War Between Monopolies and Society" by Big Matt Stoller ( also on Substack!).
* "Treasure Islands" by
* "Dark Money"
* "This Is Not Propaganda" by Peter Pomerantsev
* "Hoax: Donald Trump, Fox News, and the Dangerous Distortion of Truth" by Brian Stelter
* "Finish What We Started" by Issac Arbsdorf
* "The Book of Meme Law" by ???
* "1984" and "Animal Farm" both by George Orwell. Written in the late 1940s, he understood the game and where it was leading us, who will end up in charge, and why they are doing it. You are right, it isn't just about the money. Imagine an iron boot, stamping on a human face... forever.
You might consider some magazine subscriptions to supplement the books: * Mother Jones, *The Nation, "The New Yorker".
This is just a smattering of the material out there. The information you seek is widely available. All it takes is the will and ability and time to read it. Then to somehow spread the info to the masses. The masses have it in their means to change all of this stuff. They always did. But that would mean they would have to put down the ultra-partisanship to work together on things that would vastly outweigh whatever keeps us at each others throats and teetering on the brink of civil war.
I hope you'll message me back and we build some kind of working relationship. The country is in extreme danger. The Republicans built a political machine that is a wonder to behold. And it is all geared to doing wrong.
All of these resources are available FOR FREE at your local library. Make friends with librarians. If they don’t have the book you want, ask them to get it for you through Interlibrary Loan.
Totally agree with you guys and thank the universe for all the younger folks coming up who get it. They hide the news they don’t want us to see - via purchases by billionaires of most news outlets and placement of people like Bari Weiss - and many of us don’t know what’s going on or what to believe! Clever but obvious moves (like Trump and Patel’s “investigation” into the NBA - what, are they looking for ideas?), and thankfully there are places like Substack (well, a couple) where we can find out something approaching the truth!
Yeah, I was in CA for abt 6 months working for temp agencies hard labor homeless on the wheel polar bear swimmer in South Ponto and other Carlsbad beaches while being tortured with DEWs daily before I crossed the San Diego border to BCS Mex where the electronic torture continued. Nevertheless I am still a Trump supporter hoping he will turn around someday and close the SAP International Electronic Torture with DEWs Program. I feel and share your pain young man and you are in the right track of awakening.
One thing I know for sure- God is in control and plz give you cares and frustrations to him.
The Bible contains the invitation, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest," which is found in Matthew 11:28.
Ethan, I’m praying for you🙏. It seems your talent as a prolific writer of the TRUTH has found you! God bless you and know those reading your writings are most appreciative for the hope they exude! 🤗
I’m sure not gonna call you a conspirator - and I am exhausted but I attend rallies, making calls and sending emails. I follow politics very closely, and I do know that Democratic lawmakers have repeatedly proposed legislation to reduce the influence of big money in politics, but these efforts have been consistently blocked by partisan division, Supreme Court rulings, and institutional obstacles. As of late 2025, the system remains dominated by unlimited and undisclosed spending, frustrating We the People and Democratic efforts to advance campaign finance reform.
Trish, I hear that exhaustion in your words, loud and clear. Rallies, calls, emails... it's draining because, like you said, the system is dominated by undisclosed spending and institutional blocks. You're right that Democratic efforts often get blocked.
But here's the hard truth we focus on: the real obstacle isn't just partisan division. It's that the underlying "machine," The Rust 🦠, benefits immensely from this current, broken campaign finance system – regardless of which party is nominally in charge. Both sides ultimately answer to the same moneyed interests. That's why true reform within the existing structure always seems to fail.
The fight isn't just about getting better laws passed within the rigged game; it's about exposing the game itself as rigged and building something new outside of it. It's a vertical fight against the oligarchs, not just a horizontal one between parties. Your frustration is valid – it's the feeling of pushing against a locked door when the real problem is the entire building.
I think the generation your age will play a big part in what comes next. You are the ones who have the hardest journey ahead. I’m glad that you’re awake and learning about our government works and doesn’t work. Be the change you want to see in the world. Communication is your gift and calling.
Marian, thank you so much for this message. Reading that truly hit home.
You're right, the journey ahead for our generation is incredibly hard, maybe the hardest yet. It means a lot that you see the effort to wake up and figure out how this machine actually works (and doesn't).
Hearing you say communication is my gift and calling... honestly, that's fuel for the fire. That's the core of this whole rebellion – trying to forge that communication into a weapon, a tool to build that change you mentioned.
Thank you for the encouragement and for seeing the fight for what it is. We will keep learning and fighting. Hope to see you around the forge.
I hear you - in my minds eye and at this stage of global and technological interdependence, I just can’t see that we can effectively rebuild America by breaking it apart. The viable path forward as I see it is inside-out reform. Meaning-cleaning the corrosion from within the structure, not pretending we can start over on a blank slate. Getting big money out of government is undoubtedly the cornerstone. Every dysfunction , corruption, polarization, gridlock, disinformation - all of it and more grows from this one root.
There are already things underway like: publicly financed elections (matching small donations with public funds like New York City model). Mandatory disclosure of all campaign spending - no dark PACS, no shell donors. We need a constitutional amendment to overturn Citizens United (with clarity that money is not speech and corporations are not people). We need an independent enforcement agency that has the power to prosecute violations (today’s FEC agency is often ineffective and lacks the power to properly enforce campaign finance laws.). I don’t see this as a fallacy because some states are already experimenting with these models, such as Maine, Arizona, Connecticut, and New York City.
An immediate key action is - a constitutional right to vote amendment. It would set our national standards and contain the essential safeguards that keep a democracy healthy and functioning.
And of course, early, we would also need a constitutional amendment to modernize SCOTUS from lifetime tenure to term limits. Legislation for future appointments. Some kind of ethical oversight and laws they must abide by..
And so much more, but just building something off to the side and trying to create something brand new from scratch I just don’t see it. But you can try to convince me.
Trish, thank you for that thoughtful follow-up. Seriously. It shows you're not just venting; you're actively thinking about how to fight back, and that's everything.
And you're spot on – getting big money out, overturning Citizens United, securing voting rights, reforming SCOTUS – those are absolutely vital goals. Every dysfunction does grow from that root of corruption.
Here's the hard part we wrestle with, though, and it connects back to the exhaustion you first mentioned: How do we achieve those vital "inside-out" reforms when the very system we're trying to reform is designed, at its core, to protect the money and power already entrenched? You said it yourself – efforts get consistently blocked by partisan division, court rulings, institutional obstacles. That blockage isn't an accident; it's the system functioning as intended.
That's why our focus isn't just on fighting those necessary battles inside the current structure. It's also on building outside leverage. We believe the only way to create enough pressure to force those internal reforms (or make the old system irrelevant) is by building a parallel power structure – high-trust community networks (The Phalanx 🔱), resilient local economies, independent media (The Rebuttal) – controlled by the producers (Gears ⚙️), not the oligarchs (The Rust 🦠).
It's not about starting "from scratch" in the sense of ignoring the current reality. It's about building the alternative alongside the old, broken model. We build our own house so we have somewhere to live, and the leverage to either fundamentally renovate or condemn the rotten one next door.
You said "try to convince me". Fair enough.
Challenge accepted.
Consider this the start of that conversation. The full argument is what we're building out, piece by piece, in the articles and the community. It's a long-term project, but like you said about your goals, we believe it's doable. Thanks again for engaging so deeply.
I see Charlie in you. Majority are lost in the forest and counting the trees from the ground, lacking top to bottom perspective. We need to look the forests and mountains from above to determine the conditions of the trees below. As soon you get the right perspective all the unexplained dots are connected showing a clear picture to see and how all dominos fall in its place.
Wilma, that's the million-dollar question, isn't it? "Replace it or redesign it, to what?". You've hit the heart of our entire mission.
Our answer is: We redesign it by building its replacement alongside it.
Trying to fix the current system head-on often feels impossible because, as Trish pointed out, it's designed to resist meaningful change. So, our focus isn't just on tearing down the old, corrupt machine. It's on forging a new one – decentralized, focused on local power, and controlled by the producers ("The Gears" ⚙️), not the parasites ("The Rust" 🦠).
Think less about national political battles and more about building resilient local economies, high-trust community networks (like the Phalanx we're building here), and systems that prioritize human needs over extractive profit. We call it building the Common-Wealth of Producers, or The Rebuttal.
It's a huge project, the work of a generation, maybe more. But it starts small, with communities organizing, supporting local producers, and sharing the tools and knowledge needed to become sovereign again. The full blueprint is something we're actively building together in the community (Discord/Substack). Your question goes right to the heart of that work.
I am quite taken with this message. I am 70, and grew up with lots of protesting, Women’s Rights, Civil Rights, Ending the Vietnam War. I have been a member of the Democratic Party and worked on Obama’s campaign and to fight for healthcare. I worked on Biden and Kamala’s campaigns too. To see this guy who is a monster be reelected and put the worst people possible in charge has caused my brain to hurt. I hear what MAGA says and on “Christian Nationalism“ use hate and superiority. They feed off it. I’m afraid I’m getting just as hateful and mad at them and I don’t want to be like that. These huge corporation conglomerates and Oligarchs firing thousands of people, etc… treating people of color like they are garbage, taking children away from their parents. I’m having a bit of a meltdown.
My Mother is 95 and we want to give her a death at home because she wants it. We can’t be there 24/7. So we have home healthcare for her and it costs $1,000 per day. It’s insane.
I would love to use this energy I have to find another way instead of moving to Canada, or Italy.
Thank you for letting me rant. I know exactly what you are talking about Ethan. Thank you for being so honest!! You are terrific
Thank you for sharing all of that. Seriously. Reading about your decades of fighting – protesting, working campaigns, battling for healthcare – it's humbling. You've been on the front lines longer than I've been alive.
That pain and fear you're feeling now, seeing the hate and the "Christian Nationalism," and worrying about becoming hateful yourself... I feel that too. It's the poison they pump into the system (Layer 2) to keep us exhausted and fighting shadows.
But you also see the real monsters behind the curtain – the "huge corporation conglomerates and Oligarchs" treating people like garbage. That's the Vertical War. That's The Rust 🦠 that profits while MAGA and the mainstream fight.
And your situation with your mother... $1,000 a day for basic care? That's not just healthcare costs; that's Economic Terror (Layer 1 🧪). That's the system designed to bleed us dry, break our families, and make us feel powerless. Your "meltdown" is the sane response to an insane, predatory system.
You said you want to use your energy to "find another way" instead of just leaving. That is the mission here. We're trying to build that "another way" – a community (The Rebuttal/Phalanx 🔱) and a strategy that fights the real enemy, the oligarchs, instead of getting lost in their puppet show.
Thank you for your honesty, truly. It means everything. If you're looking for that "another way," we'd be honored to have your wisdom and your fire in the forge (Substack comments, or the Discord linked in articles). You're not alone in this fight.
I certainly would if- I could Ethan. But can’t donate at this moment in time. Your posts go to the very core of issues that we need to grab by the neck, and choke out of D.C! We must! Or - be the very generation that failed America..
I appreciate your attention, kind words and proof that I am not alone in these understandings. I won't let you down! You being here means more than you know.
Great narrative. Cogent insights. Very happy that you're making your voice heard and you're educating yourself on the current realities. But I have to add the caveat, and caution you to avoid the "All Sides Are Equally Bad" when that isn't always true. Such a view often leads others to adopt MORE myopia, confusion or worse, resignation and cynicism.
If "the system" is seen as wholly rotten and irredeemable, hopelessness, apathy and surrender almost always follow. Or worse, some become convinced that only violence will make any sort of a difference.
I support and admire your genuine search for truth and your commitment to share your insights and knowledge with others. But I urge you dig deeper into the behavior, legislative and voting records and the specific policy proposals being offered by both of the major American political parties. If you do that, you'll find one party that has been seized by an ideological cult, using Trump as the vehicle to seduce, confuse and mislead a certain segment of voters. Ultimately, this party is dedicated to not just continuing the awful status quo we're all living with, but fiercely committed to making things even worse, from giving even MORE tax breaks to the wealthiest of the wealthy---specifically the top .010 OF the wealthiest 1% of Americans---while they cut back SNAP, Medicaid, Health Care Subsidies, Education, Clean Energy, and much more while they intentionally and GLEEFULLY smash and destroy any and all parts of our government that protect the environment, assure product safety, fight racist voting laws, fight against monopolies and financial manipulation, protection of consumers, and fight for a system of fair taxation for all and against the continuing concentration of wealth.
The Democratic Party has its issues, problems, failings and YES, often its hypocrites within. But there is a clear difference between sometimes having to do the pragmatic thing to survive at any given moment versus being part and parcel of the effort to further concentrate wealth in fewer and fewer hands, break unions, reduce wages, and turn one group of struggling people against another on the basis of race, ethnicity, education level, region, religion, gender, sexuality or anything else. One party deliberately stokes the flames of hatred, fear and suspicion, using ethnicity, language, religion, and cultural differences to engender division and the other---while far from perfect---is trying to bring people together around issues of economic justice, shared interests, respect and tolerance for all and a dedication to making life better for everyone; not just those who can give millions or billions to their campaigns.
Show me even ONE Republican who supports Universal Health Care for ALL citizens. Show me one member of the GOP who is committed to protecting our enviroment, the food we eat, the water we drink and protecting the earth from practices that will surely destroy us all in the long run. Show me a Republican that supports a substantial increase in the minimum wage, a mandatory paid time off policy for ALL workers as Every Single Country in the world has---except for the US. Show me one Republican who supports taxing multi millionaires and billionaires at a substantially higher rate than average working people. They don't exist.
I could go on and on. And while I wholeheartedly agree that ALL public servants have to be watched and evaluated carefully---watch what they DO, not just what they say---be aware of the fine distinctions that may escape casual observation. And look for patterns that predominate in both parties. You'll see a clear difference between them.
And today's GOP is increasingly worse. People like John McCain are gone from the Republicans. Today's MAGA infested Republican Party is a cult of personality similar to the Fascist regimes we've seen elsewhere around the planet and in previous decades. And they are openly corrupt and increasingly hostile to the fundamental freedoms of speech, the freedom of the press, the freedom of reproductive rights, the freedom to love another consenting adult, the freedom of educators and schools to teach and research what they see as the truth, the freedom to enter a business without One BIG Monopoly dominating the entire market and shutting any and all competitors out and SO MUCH MORE.
Continue to call out and criticize both parties and ALL public office holders as you see fit. But I urge you to be conscious and aware of sweeping generalizations that ultimately only help the evil doers among us. When people get exhausted, resigned, confused, angry and see "THE ENTIRE SYSTEM" as totally and ineluctably corrupt and impossible to improve, they give up, surrender, become detached, cynical and thus powerless to change anything; and that's EXACTLY what Trump and his ultra-wealthy, vicious, and often sociopathic funders want. Resigned and bitter people can't change anything. And they won't even try. That's how we got here and that only reinforces the worst things in our current social and economic order.
When people give up, they become convinced, as your parents have and my parents did, that "Making More Money For Me" is "the ONLY solution." That mentality keeps us from communicating effectively with each other and joining TOGETHER to make a real, substantive difference for the better for all Americans.
The ONLY power working folks like us have is by joining together to demand a better country and world for all. And it's the ONLY thing that The Powerful Ruling Elite causing our misery truly fears. They have almost all the money. They have almost all the power. But WE THE MAJORITY have the numbers. Now we need the clarity, the education, the passion, the organization and the DETERMINATION to bring about the nation that we know is possible if we join together, spell out specifically what we want, and DEMAND it of those in power.
And that begins with understanding that there IS, most definitely, a clear difference between the Republicans who are making things even WORSE for we working folks and the Democrats who are trying---with very few exceptions---to genuinely make things better for ALL citizens with specific proposals to improve income, education, health care, reproductive rights, child care, paid time off, a decent retirement, job security, a clean and safe environment, consumer protection, workplace safety, and a dedication to the Constitution and the bedrock principles of freedom of speech, the press, assembly, and the right to love whom you choose, learn, teach and research what you choose and much more. Godspeed to you!
Debra, thank you for this incredibly thoughtful and passionate analysis. Your rejection of apathy and your call for working people to unite resonates deeply – it's the very heart of this mission.
Your detailed indictment of policy failures across both parties is spot-on. You see the rot clearly. Where our analysis adds a layer is understanding the systemic reason why both parties ultimately fail the majority. We call it the Vertical War: The People ("Gears" ⚙️) vs. the unelected corporate state ("The Rust" 🦠).
The "cult" on one side and the "hypocrisies" on the other are different tactics serving the same master: maintaining a system that benefits the few at the expense of the many. The "Great Distraction" keeps us focused on their differences, while the real power operates vertically.
Your call to "join together" is precisely our strategy: forging a Phalanx 🔱, a cross-partisan coalition armed with clarity and determination. We'd be honored to have a strategic mind like yours in the forge.
A sad sorry but one all to common now days. If you look back at history, the same issues were present. When tractors replaced the horse, many lost their jobs. We are going into a major turn in the economy and you are at the fore front of the turn. No one knows what the full impact will be but many are predicting what many can expect. If there is on consolation, it is life, your chance to make the best of your chance. There is no guarantees in life and some are luckier than others. Look for ways you alone can do to make your life better and try hard to not bring yourself and others down because you are down.
I'm an old grandma when God revealed all this to me & I cried for weeks. I felt His great sadness for what was coming & the intensity of sin and realizing the degree I'd been lied to. God bless you in your journey. So sorry for your loss of your dear grandfather.
I too work at a gas station and my son and I are living with my dad. I’m 39 and it’s just too expensive to live anywhere else. Thank you for sharing and putting yourself up to task with helping others like ourselves in these dark times.
Another stellar writing. I look so forward to seeing where all of this takes you (and us!) it’s a journey filled with insight, inspiration and heart. I’m here for it! So sorry to hear about your grandfather. Death is hard, but made harder by struggle. My heart goes out to you and your family ❤️
Ethan, thank you for sharing some very intimate, personal parts of your life, your reality, your strong emotions!
You obviously have a strong, passionate determination to speak up, speak very intelligently; you’re highly educated, and skilled in computer technology!
You impress me, and all who read your creative, informative posts!
Again, thank you for sharing your feelings with us readers, we understand your frustrations & anger at what’s happening around us!
We can all continue to stand strong together, and continue to fight the good fight, with faith🙏🏻
You are a smart young man to figure this out. The system has always been rigged. Humans - why are we even here on earth? What do we learn from history? Not a damn thing. It keeps repeating itself. The wealthy have always wanted more for themselves rather than pay the workers a decent wage. They wanted the surfs to stay in their place, under the landowner's thumb. No different today than it was back 2,000 years ago. Jesus Christ had his own issues with the vendors and turned their tables over in the temple. At almost 72 years of living, I'm coming to the conclusion, most of the wealthy people in general are selfish and self-centered. The so called Christians are hypocrites who act nothing like the Bible preaches. It's a sad world we have always lived in. However, our circles are not all like that. My circle is filled will good people. I've weeded out the users, gossips, back stabbers, etc, over the years. We all get a few in our day. We must hold onto the good people in our circle of family and friends, live the best we can, and let those who don't deserve us go.
I find this administration absolutely horrifying. I've been a registered republican for 40 plus years but have always voted for who I thought was the best candidate. Both side are imperfect, but the evil and hate that is within the maga world is scary. We mustn't give into it or it will consume us. There are still good people out there. WE have to beat them at their own game. Don't ask me how, but we can't give up.
Linda, thank you for sharing that. Reading your words... it feels like hearing from someone who's been watching this whole damn machine get built, piece by rusty piece, for decades.
You're absolutely right. "The system has always been rigged". That's the core of the Vertical War we're fighting – the wealthy wanting more while the workers get squeezed. That's the Gears vs. The Rust. Your point about hypocritical leaders using faith as a shield is a perfect description of how they corrupt the systems meant to give us hope.
And this part: "hold onto the good people... weeded out the users, gossips, back stabbers" – that's exactly what we're trying to build. A high-trust community, a Phalanx, where the good folks can finally link shields without fear. What you've built in your own circle is the blueprint.
Hearing you say you're a 40+ year Republican who sees the "evil and hate" in the MAGA world but knows "both sides are imperfect"... that makes you exactly the kind of "Frustrated Partisan" this whole rebellion is for. You see past the horizontal puppet show (Layer 2) they use to distract us.
Most importantly, that fire – "WE have to beat them at their own game. Don't ask me how, BUT we can't give up" – that's the absolute rejection of the Learned Helplessness (Layer 3) they try to drill into us. That's the spirit that wins.
We're trying to figure out the "how." Trying to build the playbook you mentioned. You've clearly got decades of wisdom on this fight. If you're ever interested, we'd be honored to have your voice in our community (Substack comments or the Discord server linked in articles). We need anchors like you.
Thank you again for your incredible insight. Stay strong, and never give up that fight.
I post so much on FB but the "friends" I have on there are afraid to speak out. Me, I'm too old and seasoned to care what anyone thinks so I post away. I'm not afraid to speak out! I stand up to bullies. Took my Catholic upbringing to damage and stifle me until the lion in me came out roaring somewhere in my twenties. I got more educated with experience and getting involved with my community and kids school with each passing year. Life has handed me some tough blows but I'm strong 💪 and know how to take those lemons and make lemonade!
I'd be happy to contribute to your journey to educate others.
https://substack.com/@precariousillusiuon/note/c-169257143?r=4at2vt&utm_medium=ios&utm_source=notes-share-action
This is an excellent speech this man gave, only to be deleted from the official records in NC! Republicans at work .... evil and corrupt.
Wow. I am adding this to my bookmarks to review later. At a glance I see what you mean
I didn't say "all" Christians are hypocrites. The Christian Nationalists are though. They are extremists who give Christians a bad name. They are the ones who hate, they are behind Project 2025. They want to control and manipulate everyone to believe what they believe. No freedom of choice with them.
We are seeing a lot of new American residents in their 20s down here in Baja California because, like you, they just can’t make it anymore up there so they’re giving up and coming down here. Hang in there, you’re far from being alone…
Peter, thank you. Seriously. It means a lot to hear that.
Part of the 'heist' is the isolation they enforce—making you feel like you're the only one drowning. Knowing that what I'm living through is part of a bigger story, one that you're seeing firsthand in Baja, confirms everything.
It's the entire reason for this fight. Glad to know you're out there.
Ethan... I will subscribe. And maybe I can help with the research. First, let me recommend a couple of books. They are excellent in telling the story of how we got here. It took several years and a lot of people directing a lot of money to get us to this point. You are not alone. You matter, maybe more than you realize. I am glad you have decided to wake up. We need more like you. Because the opposition, Wall Street, has the money, people, media, and time to put in on their little project.
I feel the same about the guys listening to Rightwing radio and cheering for the very same people who are enslaving them. And they are completely hypnotized by the Rightwing propaganda machine. They may never get it, but we have to try. In the meantime, here are the names of some books that would give you the background story you need to understand what is going on here, in no particular order:
* "Giant: the Hundred Years War Between Monopolies and Society" by Big Matt Stoller ( also on Substack!).
* "Treasure Islands" by
* "Dark Money"
* "This Is Not Propaganda" by Peter Pomerantsev
* "Hoax: Donald Trump, Fox News, and the Dangerous Distortion of Truth" by Brian Stelter
* "Finish What We Started" by Issac Arbsdorf
* "The Book of Meme Law" by ???
* "1984" and "Animal Farm" both by George Orwell. Written in the late 1940s, he understood the game and where it was leading us, who will end up in charge, and why they are doing it. You are right, it isn't just about the money. Imagine an iron boot, stamping on a human face... forever.
You might consider some magazine subscriptions to supplement the books: * Mother Jones, *The Nation, "The New Yorker".
This is just a smattering of the material out there. The information you seek is widely available. All it takes is the will and ability and time to read it. Then to somehow spread the info to the masses. The masses have it in their means to change all of this stuff. They always did. But that would mean they would have to put down the ultra-partisanship to work together on things that would vastly outweigh whatever keeps us at each others throats and teetering on the brink of civil war.
I hope you'll message me back and we build some kind of working relationship. The country is in extreme danger. The Republicans built a political machine that is a wonder to behold. And it is all geared to doing wrong.
All of these resources are available FOR FREE at your local library. Make friends with librarians. If they don’t have the book you want, ask them to get it for you through Interlibrary Loan.
Totally agree with you guys and thank the universe for all the younger folks coming up who get it. They hide the news they don’t want us to see - via purchases by billionaires of most news outlets and placement of people like Bari Weiss - and many of us don’t know what’s going on or what to believe! Clever but obvious moves (like Trump and Patel’s “investigation” into the NBA - what, are they looking for ideas?), and thankfully there are places like Substack (well, a couple) where we can find out something approaching the truth!
Yeah, I was in CA for abt 6 months working for temp agencies hard labor homeless on the wheel polar bear swimmer in South Ponto and other Carlsbad beaches while being tortured with DEWs daily before I crossed the San Diego border to BCS Mex where the electronic torture continued. Nevertheless I am still a Trump supporter hoping he will turn around someday and close the SAP International Electronic Torture with DEWs Program. I feel and share your pain young man and you are in the right track of awakening.
One thing I know for sure- God is in control and plz give you cares and frustrations to him.
The Bible contains the invitation, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest," which is found in Matthew 11:28.
Plz check
https://stopworldcontrol.com/nuclear/
https://safechat.com/u/dimitar.835
https://tulsitgabbard.substack.com/p/even-this-fox-news-host-was-stunned/comments#comment-152661669
https://stopthecrime.net/docs/SILENT%20WEAPONS%20for%20QUIET%20WARS.pdf
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wXpX1rPVWJ8 Eustace Mullins video
https://rumble.com/c/JulieGreenMinistries?e9s=src_v1_cbl
It’s been there all along, welcome to the team. They’ll say you’re a conspiracy theorist but you have just awakened.
I appreciate you. Let's spearhead this into the mainstream.
Absolutely!
Ethan, I’m praying for you🙏. It seems your talent as a prolific writer of the TRUTH has found you! God bless you and know those reading your writings are most appreciative for the hope they exude! 🤗
This community strengthens the resolve I had already promised to keep! I won't let you down.
I’m sure not gonna call you a conspirator - and I am exhausted but I attend rallies, making calls and sending emails. I follow politics very closely, and I do know that Democratic lawmakers have repeatedly proposed legislation to reduce the influence of big money in politics, but these efforts have been consistently blocked by partisan division, Supreme Court rulings, and institutional obstacles. As of late 2025, the system remains dominated by unlimited and undisclosed spending, frustrating We the People and Democratic efforts to advance campaign finance reform.
Trish, I hear that exhaustion in your words, loud and clear. Rallies, calls, emails... it's draining because, like you said, the system is dominated by undisclosed spending and institutional blocks. You're right that Democratic efforts often get blocked.
But here's the hard truth we focus on: the real obstacle isn't just partisan division. It's that the underlying "machine," The Rust 🦠, benefits immensely from this current, broken campaign finance system – regardless of which party is nominally in charge. Both sides ultimately answer to the same moneyed interests. That's why true reform within the existing structure always seems to fail.
The fight isn't just about getting better laws passed within the rigged game; it's about exposing the game itself as rigged and building something new outside of it. It's a vertical fight against the oligarchs, not just a horizontal one between parties. Your frustration is valid – it's the feeling of pushing against a locked door when the real problem is the entire building.
I think the generation your age will play a big part in what comes next. You are the ones who have the hardest journey ahead. I’m glad that you’re awake and learning about our government works and doesn’t work. Be the change you want to see in the world. Communication is your gift and calling.
Marian, thank you so much for this message. Reading that truly hit home.
You're right, the journey ahead for our generation is incredibly hard, maybe the hardest yet. It means a lot that you see the effort to wake up and figure out how this machine actually works (and doesn't).
Hearing you say communication is my gift and calling... honestly, that's fuel for the fire. That's the core of this whole rebellion – trying to forge that communication into a weapon, a tool to build that change you mentioned.
Thank you for the encouragement and for seeing the fight for what it is. We will keep learning and fighting. Hope to see you around the forge.
Stay sovereign,
Ethan
I hear you - in my minds eye and at this stage of global and technological interdependence, I just can’t see that we can effectively rebuild America by breaking it apart. The viable path forward as I see it is inside-out reform. Meaning-cleaning the corrosion from within the structure, not pretending we can start over on a blank slate. Getting big money out of government is undoubtedly the cornerstone. Every dysfunction , corruption, polarization, gridlock, disinformation - all of it and more grows from this one root.
There are already things underway like: publicly financed elections (matching small donations with public funds like New York City model). Mandatory disclosure of all campaign spending - no dark PACS, no shell donors. We need a constitutional amendment to overturn Citizens United (with clarity that money is not speech and corporations are not people). We need an independent enforcement agency that has the power to prosecute violations (today’s FEC agency is often ineffective and lacks the power to properly enforce campaign finance laws.). I don’t see this as a fallacy because some states are already experimenting with these models, such as Maine, Arizona, Connecticut, and New York City.
An immediate key action is - a constitutional right to vote amendment. It would set our national standards and contain the essential safeguards that keep a democracy healthy and functioning.
And of course, early, we would also need a constitutional amendment to modernize SCOTUS from lifetime tenure to term limits. Legislation for future appointments. Some kind of ethical oversight and laws they must abide by..
And so much more, but just building something off to the side and trying to create something brand new from scratch I just don’t see it. But you can try to convince me.
Trish, thank you for that thoughtful follow-up. Seriously. It shows you're not just venting; you're actively thinking about how to fight back, and that's everything.
And you're spot on – getting big money out, overturning Citizens United, securing voting rights, reforming SCOTUS – those are absolutely vital goals. Every dysfunction does grow from that root of corruption.
Here's the hard part we wrestle with, though, and it connects back to the exhaustion you first mentioned: How do we achieve those vital "inside-out" reforms when the very system we're trying to reform is designed, at its core, to protect the money and power already entrenched? You said it yourself – efforts get consistently blocked by partisan division, court rulings, institutional obstacles. That blockage isn't an accident; it's the system functioning as intended.
That's why our focus isn't just on fighting those necessary battles inside the current structure. It's also on building outside leverage. We believe the only way to create enough pressure to force those internal reforms (or make the old system irrelevant) is by building a parallel power structure – high-trust community networks (The Phalanx 🔱), resilient local economies, independent media (The Rebuttal) – controlled by the producers (Gears ⚙️), not the oligarchs (The Rust 🦠).
It's not about starting "from scratch" in the sense of ignoring the current reality. It's about building the alternative alongside the old, broken model. We build our own house so we have somewhere to live, and the leverage to either fundamentally renovate or condemn the rotten one next door.
You said "try to convince me". Fair enough.
Challenge accepted.
Consider this the start of that conversation. The full argument is what we're building out, piece by piece, in the articles and the community. It's a long-term project, but like you said about your goals, we believe it's doable. Thanks again for engaging so deeply.
I see Charlie in you. Majority are lost in the forest and counting the trees from the ground, lacking top to bottom perspective. We need to look the forests and mountains from above to determine the conditions of the trees below. As soon you get the right perspective all the unexplained dots are connected showing a clear picture to see and how all dominos fall in its place.
Plz check
https://stopworldcontrol.com/nuclear/
https://safechat.com/u/dimitar.835
https://tulsitgabbard.substack.com/p/even-this-fox-news-host-was-stunned/comments#comment-152661669
https://stopthecrime.net/docs/SILENT%20WEAPONS%20for%20QUIET%20WARS.pdf
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wXpX1rPVWJ8 Eustace Mullins video
https://rumble.com/c/JulieGreenMinistries?e9s=src_v1_cbl
Having stated the problem, what should the system look like in your estimation? Have to replace it or redesign it, to what?
Wilma, that's the million-dollar question, isn't it? "Replace it or redesign it, to what?". You've hit the heart of our entire mission.
Our answer is: We redesign it by building its replacement alongside it.
Trying to fix the current system head-on often feels impossible because, as Trish pointed out, it's designed to resist meaningful change. So, our focus isn't just on tearing down the old, corrupt machine. It's on forging a new one – decentralized, focused on local power, and controlled by the producers ("The Gears" ⚙️), not the parasites ("The Rust" 🦠).
Think less about national political battles and more about building resilient local economies, high-trust community networks (like the Phalanx we're building here), and systems that prioritize human needs over extractive profit. We call it building the Common-Wealth of Producers, or The Rebuttal.
It's a huge project, the work of a generation, maybe more. But it starts small, with communities organizing, supporting local producers, and sharing the tools and knowledge needed to become sovereign again. The full blueprint is something we're actively building together in the community (Discord/Substack). Your question goes right to the heart of that work.
I’m that at least sounds doable, long term, not easy but DOABLE
Two things. Decentralization and less government. Second the Christians being bystanders need to get involved actively in the government. See
https://rumble.com/v6ztilg-respect-the-msm-narrative-and-saving-israel-for-last.html with David Sorensen
stopworldcontrol.com/nuclear/
https://www.jgminternational.org/
I am quite taken with this message. I am 70, and grew up with lots of protesting, Women’s Rights, Civil Rights, Ending the Vietnam War. I have been a member of the Democratic Party and worked on Obama’s campaign and to fight for healthcare. I worked on Biden and Kamala’s campaigns too. To see this guy who is a monster be reelected and put the worst people possible in charge has caused my brain to hurt. I hear what MAGA says and on “Christian Nationalism“ use hate and superiority. They feed off it. I’m afraid I’m getting just as hateful and mad at them and I don’t want to be like that. These huge corporation conglomerates and Oligarchs firing thousands of people, etc… treating people of color like they are garbage, taking children away from their parents. I’m having a bit of a meltdown.
My Mother is 95 and we want to give her a death at home because she wants it. We can’t be there 24/7. So we have home healthcare for her and it costs $1,000 per day. It’s insane.
I would love to use this energy I have to find another way instead of moving to Canada, or Italy.
Thank you for letting me rant. I know exactly what you are talking about Ethan. Thank you for being so honest!! You are terrific
Melanie,
Thank you for sharing all of that. Seriously. Reading about your decades of fighting – protesting, working campaigns, battling for healthcare – it's humbling. You've been on the front lines longer than I've been alive.
That pain and fear you're feeling now, seeing the hate and the "Christian Nationalism," and worrying about becoming hateful yourself... I feel that too. It's the poison they pump into the system (Layer 2) to keep us exhausted and fighting shadows.
But you also see the real monsters behind the curtain – the "huge corporation conglomerates and Oligarchs" treating people like garbage. That's the Vertical War. That's The Rust 🦠 that profits while MAGA and the mainstream fight.
And your situation with your mother... $1,000 a day for basic care? That's not just healthcare costs; that's Economic Terror (Layer 1 🧪). That's the system designed to bleed us dry, break our families, and make us feel powerless. Your "meltdown" is the sane response to an insane, predatory system.
You said you want to use your energy to "find another way" instead of just leaving. That is the mission here. We're trying to build that "another way" – a community (The Rebuttal/Phalanx 🔱) and a strategy that fights the real enemy, the oligarchs, instead of getting lost in their puppet show.
Thank you for your honesty, truly. It means everything. If you're looking for that "another way," we'd be honored to have your wisdom and your fire in the forge (Substack comments, or the Discord linked in articles). You're not alone in this fight.
Stay strong, stay sovereign.
Ethan
Thank you for your kind comments.
I certainly would if- I could Ethan. But can’t donate at this moment in time. Your posts go to the very core of issues that we need to grab by the neck, and choke out of D.C! We must! Or - be the very generation that failed America..
I appreciate your attention, kind words and proof that I am not alone in these understandings. I won't let you down! You being here means more than you know.
You definitely have talent in writing the facts of truth, and best way to move forward to beat the monsters, that are out to destroy America and US.
Great narrative. Cogent insights. Very happy that you're making your voice heard and you're educating yourself on the current realities. But I have to add the caveat, and caution you to avoid the "All Sides Are Equally Bad" when that isn't always true. Such a view often leads others to adopt MORE myopia, confusion or worse, resignation and cynicism.
If "the system" is seen as wholly rotten and irredeemable, hopelessness, apathy and surrender almost always follow. Or worse, some become convinced that only violence will make any sort of a difference.
I support and admire your genuine search for truth and your commitment to share your insights and knowledge with others. But I urge you dig deeper into the behavior, legislative and voting records and the specific policy proposals being offered by both of the major American political parties. If you do that, you'll find one party that has been seized by an ideological cult, using Trump as the vehicle to seduce, confuse and mislead a certain segment of voters. Ultimately, this party is dedicated to not just continuing the awful status quo we're all living with, but fiercely committed to making things even worse, from giving even MORE tax breaks to the wealthiest of the wealthy---specifically the top .010 OF the wealthiest 1% of Americans---while they cut back SNAP, Medicaid, Health Care Subsidies, Education, Clean Energy, and much more while they intentionally and GLEEFULLY smash and destroy any and all parts of our government that protect the environment, assure product safety, fight racist voting laws, fight against monopolies and financial manipulation, protection of consumers, and fight for a system of fair taxation for all and against the continuing concentration of wealth.
The Democratic Party has its issues, problems, failings and YES, often its hypocrites within. But there is a clear difference between sometimes having to do the pragmatic thing to survive at any given moment versus being part and parcel of the effort to further concentrate wealth in fewer and fewer hands, break unions, reduce wages, and turn one group of struggling people against another on the basis of race, ethnicity, education level, region, religion, gender, sexuality or anything else. One party deliberately stokes the flames of hatred, fear and suspicion, using ethnicity, language, religion, and cultural differences to engender division and the other---while far from perfect---is trying to bring people together around issues of economic justice, shared interests, respect and tolerance for all and a dedication to making life better for everyone; not just those who can give millions or billions to their campaigns.
Show me even ONE Republican who supports Universal Health Care for ALL citizens. Show me one member of the GOP who is committed to protecting our enviroment, the food we eat, the water we drink and protecting the earth from practices that will surely destroy us all in the long run. Show me a Republican that supports a substantial increase in the minimum wage, a mandatory paid time off policy for ALL workers as Every Single Country in the world has---except for the US. Show me one Republican who supports taxing multi millionaires and billionaires at a substantially higher rate than average working people. They don't exist.
I could go on and on. And while I wholeheartedly agree that ALL public servants have to be watched and evaluated carefully---watch what they DO, not just what they say---be aware of the fine distinctions that may escape casual observation. And look for patterns that predominate in both parties. You'll see a clear difference between them.
And today's GOP is increasingly worse. People like John McCain are gone from the Republicans. Today's MAGA infested Republican Party is a cult of personality similar to the Fascist regimes we've seen elsewhere around the planet and in previous decades. And they are openly corrupt and increasingly hostile to the fundamental freedoms of speech, the freedom of the press, the freedom of reproductive rights, the freedom to love another consenting adult, the freedom of educators and schools to teach and research what they see as the truth, the freedom to enter a business without One BIG Monopoly dominating the entire market and shutting any and all competitors out and SO MUCH MORE.
Continue to call out and criticize both parties and ALL public office holders as you see fit. But I urge you to be conscious and aware of sweeping generalizations that ultimately only help the evil doers among us. When people get exhausted, resigned, confused, angry and see "THE ENTIRE SYSTEM" as totally and ineluctably corrupt and impossible to improve, they give up, surrender, become detached, cynical and thus powerless to change anything; and that's EXACTLY what Trump and his ultra-wealthy, vicious, and often sociopathic funders want. Resigned and bitter people can't change anything. And they won't even try. That's how we got here and that only reinforces the worst things in our current social and economic order.
When people give up, they become convinced, as your parents have and my parents did, that "Making More Money For Me" is "the ONLY solution." That mentality keeps us from communicating effectively with each other and joining TOGETHER to make a real, substantive difference for the better for all Americans.
The ONLY power working folks like us have is by joining together to demand a better country and world for all. And it's the ONLY thing that The Powerful Ruling Elite causing our misery truly fears. They have almost all the money. They have almost all the power. But WE THE MAJORITY have the numbers. Now we need the clarity, the education, the passion, the organization and the DETERMINATION to bring about the nation that we know is possible if we join together, spell out specifically what we want, and DEMAND it of those in power.
And that begins with understanding that there IS, most definitely, a clear difference between the Republicans who are making things even WORSE for we working folks and the Democrats who are trying---with very few exceptions---to genuinely make things better for ALL citizens with specific proposals to improve income, education, health care, reproductive rights, child care, paid time off, a decent retirement, job security, a clean and safe environment, consumer protection, workplace safety, and a dedication to the Constitution and the bedrock principles of freedom of speech, the press, assembly, and the right to love whom you choose, learn, teach and research what you choose and much more. Godspeed to you!
Debra, thank you for this incredibly thoughtful and passionate analysis. Your rejection of apathy and your call for working people to unite resonates deeply – it's the very heart of this mission.
Your detailed indictment of policy failures across both parties is spot-on. You see the rot clearly. Where our analysis adds a layer is understanding the systemic reason why both parties ultimately fail the majority. We call it the Vertical War: The People ("Gears" ⚙️) vs. the unelected corporate state ("The Rust" 🦠).
The "cult" on one side and the "hypocrisies" on the other are different tactics serving the same master: maintaining a system that benefits the few at the expense of the many. The "Great Distraction" keeps us focused on their differences, while the real power operates vertically.
Your call to "join together" is precisely our strategy: forging a Phalanx 🔱, a cross-partisan coalition armed with clarity and determination. We'd be honored to have a strategic mind like yours in the forge.
A sad sorry but one all to common now days. If you look back at history, the same issues were present. When tractors replaced the horse, many lost their jobs. We are going into a major turn in the economy and you are at the fore front of the turn. No one knows what the full impact will be but many are predicting what many can expect. If there is on consolation, it is life, your chance to make the best of your chance. There is no guarantees in life and some are luckier than others. Look for ways you alone can do to make your life better and try hard to not bring yourself and others down because you are down.
I'm an old grandma when God revealed all this to me & I cried for weeks. I felt His great sadness for what was coming & the intensity of sin and realizing the degree I'd been lied to. God bless you in your journey. So sorry for your loss of your dear grandfather.
It is rigged. And people maintaining the system lie.
And I’m sorry about your grandpa.
Hi, I just looked in here, out of interest and see you’ve got your eyes open!
Can I suggest you read The Truth Matters- he’s on your page, but with more hope Xx
I too work at a gas station and my son and I are living with my dad. I’m 39 and it’s just too expensive to live anywhere else. Thank you for sharing and putting yourself up to task with helping others like ourselves in these dark times.
Another stellar writing. I look so forward to seeing where all of this takes you (and us!) it’s a journey filled with insight, inspiration and heart. I’m here for it! So sorry to hear about your grandfather. Death is hard, but made harder by struggle. My heart goes out to you and your family ❤️
Ethan, thank you for sharing some very intimate, personal parts of your life, your reality, your strong emotions!
You obviously have a strong, passionate determination to speak up, speak very intelligently; you’re highly educated, and skilled in computer technology!
You impress me, and all who read your creative, informative posts!
Again, thank you for sharing your feelings with us readers, we understand your frustrations & anger at what’s happening around us!
We can all continue to stand strong together, and continue to fight the good fight, with faith🙏🏻