QOTD -- Under Siege

 

"...And right now in this country we're being lied to every single day.

So here’s the truth, plain and simple: Our state is under siege. Not by protesters, not by immigrants, not by the deep state, not by the press, not by Canada or Mexico or Greenland, not by Antifa or by Jewish space lasers or pride parades. 

No. Our state is under siege by a petty, corrupt man in Washington. A man who ran for president because he wanted to live in a palace and get rich or get richer. 

Our state is under siege by the skilled sycophants who surround that president and use his base desires as cover for their own destructive agendas. 

Our state is under siege by the many, many Republicans who are either too infatuated or too frightened to fight Donald Trump for the people they serve..." -- Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, speaking at a campaign stop in Belleville, IL, on Saturday, speaking the plain, simple truth that seems to be so hard for so many to see.

QOTD -- Dementia Don

 

“This is a man who’s suffering dementia... This is a man who has something stuck in his head. He can’t get it out of his head. He doesn’t read. He doesn’t know anything that’s up to date. It’s just something in the recesses of his brain that is effectuating to have him call out these cities.

“And then, unfortunately, he has the power of the military, the power of the federal government to do his bidding, and that’s what he’s doing.”  -- Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker in an interview today in the Chicago Tribune, commenting of the plain fact that the Malignant Fascist is suffering from dementia -- what stage we'll leave up to the experts.  

In a post on his failing social media this morning, the MF called for the arrest of Pritzker and Chicago mayor Brandon Johnson "for failing to protect ICE officers!" (meaning the lawless thugs who've been terrorizing the city of Chicago and other cities as a dry run for when the MF invokes the Insurrection Act).

Gov. Pritzker On Trump's Militarization Of Chicago

 

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker at his news conference this afternoon denouncing the deployment of Trump's ICE and Border Patrol thugs and National Guard troops from Illinois and Texas to Chicago:

 

He went on to say about the ICE and Border Patrol thugs,

"They have struck fear in our communities, including notably, fear in the hearts of U.S. citizens. Trump and the thuggery his agents have brought have actively made us less safe." 

That, as Gov. Pritzker and other Democratic leaders know, is just what the Malignant Fascist wanted to do, and why it's time to stand up to him.

UPDATE:

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson (D) signed an executive order Monday establishing “ICE-free zones” while slamming enforcement agents as a “rogue” and “reckless group” that were “roaming throughout our city.”

The order, effective immediately, forbids Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) from using “city-owned or controlled parking lots, vacant lots, and garages as staging areas, processing locations, or operations bases.”

In a press conference, Johnson said the directive was needed after agents recently used multiple city sites to coordinate immigration raids.

“Such use of City property undermines community trust and runs counter to Chicago’s Welcoming City Ordinance,” Johnson’s office said.

At a press conference, Johnson accused federal agents of acting without accountability.

“We have a rogue, reckless group of heavily armed, masked individuals roaming throughout our city that are not accountable to the people of Chicago,” he said.

“If Congress won’t check this administration, then Chicago will,” Johnson added.

 It's a start.

Pritzker On Deployment Of Trump's Thugs To Chicago

 

ICYMI yesterday, Illinois Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker spoke about the fear and chaos being visited by the deployment of the Malignant Fascist's legion of "jack booted thugs" upon Chicago.  This is what a Democratic President would look like.

QOTD -- Getting The Arc Where It Needs To Go

 

"... This country has survived darker periods than the one that we are going through right now, and eventually the pendulum will swing back, maybe even next year. Donald Trump has already shown himself to have little regard for the many acolytes that he has encouraged to commit crimes on his behalf.

"You can delay justice for a time, but history shows you cannot prevent it from finding you eventually. If you hurt my people, nothing will stop me, not time or political circumstance, from making sure that you face justice under our constitutional rule of law.

"As Dr. King once said, 'The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.' Humbly I would add, it doesn’t bend on its own. History tells us we often have to apply force needed to make sure that the arc gets where it needs to go. This is one of those times." -- Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker at a news conference in Chicago on Monday.  

Steve M. at No More Mister Nice Blog has a very plausible theory about why Democratic Governors like Pritzker, Newsom, Moore, Hochul, Walz, Mills, and Ferguson (to name a few) are angry and fighting the Malignant Fascist's authoritarian putsch and why Congressional Democrats (Jeffries and Schumer) are responding meekly.  Our true leaders are already stepping up.  It's why we need to stop waiting for the Schumers and the Jeffries of the Democratic Party to respond to the moment.  To dust off an old Dylan quote to apply to the laggards, "Don't stand in the doorway/ don't block up the hall/ for he that gets hurt/ will be he who has stalled..."

Standing Up To Trump

 

We need to recognize and applaud those Democratic leaders (besides California Gov. Newsom) who are standing up to the Malignant Fascist's dictatorial bullying and intimidation tactics.  Here are some of them (notably at the State and local level):

Boston Mayor Michelle Wu

... Wu had her sparring gloves on again on Tuesday when she delivered her response to a letter from Attorney General Pam Bondi sent to her and the mayors of 31 other cities and a handful of governors last week. The letter demanded that they work with Immigration and Customs Enforcement goons to round up undocumented residents and threatened officials with criminal prosecution if they did not comply.

Standing on City Hall Plaza surrounded by dozens of residents, activists, union leaders, members of the City Council, and Sen. Ed Markey, Wu told Bondi what she thought of the letter.

“The U.S. attorney general asked for a response by today, so here it is,” she said, pausing as the crowd began whooping in anticipation of what was to follow. “Here is our response: stop attacking our cities to hide your administration’s failures.  [snip]

“Attorney General Bondi, we are gathered here today to show you who we are in Boston. More than 100 years before your home state [Florida] was founded, Bostonians were across the street in Faneuil Hall, setting the foundation for our democracy and rule of law,” Wu said. “One hundred years before that, Bostonians were founding the first public school and public park in the country.

“This has always been a city of revolution, of innovation, of standing up for the public good and never bowing down to tyranny.… Boston will never back down from being a beacon of freedom and a home for everyone.”...

Gov. Bob Ferguson (D-WA)

...Wu isn’t alone in standing up to the Trump regime. Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson also made public his response to Bondi on Tuesday, saying, she “seeks to have Washington state bend the knee to a Trump administration that, day by day, drags us closer to authoritarianism. That’s not going to happen. I am not intimidated by Pam Bondi or the president.”...

Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha

...Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha also recognized the best approach to take, saying, “This letter does not change my view: it’s the tactic of a bully. And the only way to deal with a bully is to let them know that they’re not going to intimidate you.”...

 

Gov. JB Pritzker (D-IL)

 

The safety of the people of Illinois is always my top priority. There is no emergency that warrants the President of the United States federalizing the Illinois National Guard, deploying the National Guard from other states, or sending active duty military within our own borders.

— Governor JB Pritzker (@govpritzker.illinois.gov) August 23, 2025 at 9:07 PM

 

Donald Trump is attempting to manufacture a crisis, politicize Americans who serve in uniform, and continue abusing his power to distract from the pain he's causing families. We'll continue to follow the law, stand up for the sovereignty of our state, and protect Illinoisans.

— Governor JB Pritzker (@govpritzker.illinois.gov) August 23, 2025 at 9:07 PM

 

Gov. Wes Moore (D-MD)

 

I will not authorize the use of the Maryland National Guard for any mission that isn’t mission critical or mission aligned. Full stop.

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— Governor Wes Moore (@govwesmoore.bsky.social) August 23, 2025 at 10:30 PM

 

Gov. Kathy Hochul (D-NY)

 

"Tonight, Texas Republicans delivered Donald Trump the rigged map he demanded.

"Trump, Greg Abbott and their allies know they can’t win on their record of stripping health care, tanking the economy and making families pay more with less. This is a last gasp of a desperate party clinging to power.

"In New York, we’ll confront Trump’s legal insurrection head on. We’ll meet him on the same field and beat him at his own game.

and,

With the news that lawmakers in the Texas House of Representatives passed a new congressional map at the urging of President Donald Trump, intended to boost Republicans in the 2026 midterm elections, Gov. Kathy Hochul posted on social media: Game on.

It appears she’s wasting no time trying to figure out a game plan with legislative leaders, though there is little New York can do in the short term, given constitutional limitations, which would require an amendment to be passed by two consecutive legislatures before being sent to voters.

“Are we having those discussions? Yes,” Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie told reporters at an event in Schenectady Thursday morning.  [snip]

“In 2014, my predecessor and the good government groups and the legislature decided there should be an independent redistricting commission, take the politics out of politics. You can decide whether that was a good idea or not, but a lot of states were not doing that,” she said. “As a result, we’ve been, by my judgment, disadvantaged.”...

We've all become familiar to one degree or another with Gov. Newsom's aggressive pushback on the Malignant Fascist's authoritarian power grab (and his social media barbs that have taken residence in the empty heads of the Malignant Fascist and his cult members).  We need other Democratic leaders, in addition to the ones above, to fearlessly confront the fascist bullies at every opportunity.  Having the courage of your convictions (which, to begin with, are more broadly popular than those of the Malignant Fascist) will energize and grow opposition to the fascist takeover that's underway. Now's not the time to sit on the sidelines sucking your thumb.

This Is How You Do It

 

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker shows Democrats again how they should be treating the Malignant Fascist, his dangerous clowns, and their dystopian policies:

Responding to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem’s planned visit to Illinois, Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker’s office mocked her and took the Trump administration to task for its immigration posturing.

“We would urge all pet owners in the region to make sure all of your beloved animals are under watchful protection while the secretary is in the region,” Pritzker’s office said in a statement.

In her 2024 memoir, Noem bragged that she murdered her dog Cricket, a 14-month-old wirehair pointer. Noem wrote that the dog was “untrainable” and that she “hated that dog.” After she was unable to train the dog to hunt, she took it to a gravel pit and killed it.

Noem was reportedly in the running to be Donald Trump’s 2024 running mate before the grisly disclosure, but he instead picked then-Sen. JD Vance of Ohio, who has demonstrated his own problems with empathy and human connection.

Pritzker’s office also noted, “Secretary Noem has often been spotted on television cosplaying law enforcement officers, so media are invited to capture her latest costume upon arrival.” 

Since being appointed by Trump, Noem has played dress-up on multiple occasions, wearing clothing emulating the trained professionals under her command in the Department of Homeland Security. The flights of fancy have wasted tax money.

Here you go:

Continuing:

On a more serious note, Pritzker’s office also took Noem and the Trump administration to task for the policy issue at the heart of the visit. Homeland Security said Noem’s visit was to spotlight so-called “sanctuary cities” and to crack down on immigrants.

“Despite the Trump Administration being in office for more than 100 days and falsely accusing Illinois of not following federal and state law, Secretary Noem and her team does not communicate with the State of Illinois and has not asked for support or coordination to enforce immigration laws,” the statement from the governor’s office said.

The Illinois Democrat has been one of the most prominent and outspoken voices against Trump’s actions over the past few months.

In remarks to the Human Rights Campaign in March, Pritzker called out Trump as a “bully” for policies attacking the rights of transgender people. He also criticized Republican plots to rescind same-sex marriage rights.

“Bending to the whims of a bully will not end his cruelty. It will only embolden him,” Pritzker said.

In response to the Supreme Court’s conservative majority upholding Trump’s ban on transgender military service, Pritzker wrote on social media on Tuesday, “Being transgender has no bearing on their dedication to our nation or their commitment to their unit. Decisions like today's aren't just deeply concerning, they set our armed forces back.”

He recently sent out a release inviting Canadians to visit Illinois after Trump has spent months lobbing insults and tariffs at the American ally.

Pritzker plans to sign an executive order protecting the state’s autism data after Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the head of the Department of Health and Human Services, said he would create a federal database of people with autism.

The governor also criticized Trump’s tariff policy, noting in an April 2 statement that Trump’s haphazard actions are a “tax on working families.”

Pritzker will testify before Congress in June to defend his provision of constitutional rights for migrants and other residents of the state...

Gov. Pritzker has been just about pitch perfect both before and since the election.  As you can see, he's fighting the fascists on multiple fronts (see, Dems, you can walk and chew gum at the same time!).  There are plenty of Democrats who are standing up and fighting back against the un-American, fascist coup taking place in the here and now, but we want to see more of this from even more Democrats.  

It's long past time to stop the hugging and start the fighting.

(Photos:  Gov. Pritzker / Erin Hooley, Chicago Tribune;  Noem montage / MSNBC News)

Illinois Bans Sale Of Assault-Style Weapons

In a rare victory over the malign forces of the National Rifle Rampage Association and their coin-operated Republican / Seditionist / Shooters party, Illinois passed legislaation that bans the sale of assault-style weapons like those used in mass shootings. Gov. JB Pritzker signed the legislation into law yesterday, which also includes a ban on high-capacity magazines. The vote on the legislation itself wasn't close: the State's House voted 68-41 and the State Senate voted 34-20 to impose the sales ban:

"Before signing the bill, Gov. Pritzker raised the memory of the July 4th parade massacre in Highland Park last year – which left seven people dead and 36 injured, and left a 2-year-old boy parentless and wandering around.

The shooter used legally-purchased semiautomatic weapon.

Pritzker said the massacre was allowed to happen 'all because our state and our nation have been held hostage by the NRA and their allies time and time again.'

'After nearly every mass shooting, we've seen efforts to ban dangerous weapons thwarted – and then leaders send their thoughts and prayers, while the they throw  their hands up – resigning themselves to the idea that gun violence is a sacrifice that Americans must accept,' Pritzker said. But it doesn't have to be that way.'"  (our emphasis)

The law doesn't affect gun owners currently in possession of those types of weapons, but it does require them to register them with the Illinois State Police and expedites the universal background check process in the State. The gun lobby has already indicated they will challenge the ban in court. 

(photo: Pritzker signs assault rife sales ban/ Getty Images)