The latest episode of Legal AF is now available ad-free exclusively for Meidas+ Substack subscribers. To support ad-free episodes like this, please consider joining as a paid subscriber today!
Michael Popok and Karen Friedman Agnifilo are back on the Top 10-rated Legal AF podcast to debate: Trump flinching and slamming the emergency brake on his half-baked tariff plan—while simultaneously finding a new way to commit stock manipulation crimes; the Supreme Court using "technicalities" to support Trump in three separate cases; and the high court now on the verge of deciding whether we still live in America—or in a country where an innocent man can rot in a foreign jail without due process because of a “screw-up.” Plus: the ACLU files new lawsuits on immigration, the DOJ fires lawyers for telling the truth to judges, senior attorneys continue heading for the exits, and so much more at the intersection of law and politics.
P.S. We want to make these episodes as easy as possible for you to share with your friends and family, so we are providing easy to share links to play the Legal AF podcast below! Feel free to let everyone know about the show!
Why is this not illegal?
Market Manipulation…insider trading. Illegal.
I used to think I would suffer from brain fog for the rest of my life..."𝐛𝐮𝐭" this changed everything.... https://t.co/FX3cozzAD4
Clearly it is. As Karen says - DOJ is controlled by 47. No federal prosecutions will be forthcoming. Manhattan DA may have different plans.
It is. But he weaponized the DOJ. So who is gonna stop him. Barbie AG?
Hands off marches till the Supreme Court responds to our discontent…Maybe they will see that we mean business
Title: The First Amendment Wasn't Meant to Protect Fascism
Let’s stop pretending that we are still living in a functioning democracy where rules and norms apply evenly. Donald Trump, a criminal sociopath with an army of enablers, has demonstrated over and over again that he and his movement do not care about the law, the Constitution, or basic human decency. They care only about power and profit. The Republican Party, along with its media mouthpieces like Fox News, have corrupted everything they touch—and they’ve done it with the full protection of the very constitutional amendment they’ve turned into a weapon.
This is not alarmism. This is reality. Trump and his cultists have already shown that they will ignore judicial orders. The playbook is ancient: when courts rule against them, they simply shrug and say, “Let the courts enforce it.” We’ve seen this before—from Andrew Jackson to segregationists. It’s authoritarian contempt dressed up as defiant patriotism.
And it’s enabled by an ecosystem of disinformation that was never intended to be protected by the First Amendment. We didn’t defend the amendment from abuse—we sanctified it blindly. Fox News, Newsmax, and the right-wing digital empire have taken the idea of a “free press” and turned it into a weaponized misinformation machine, brainwashing 25 to 30 million Americans. Some are lost in delusion. Others are emotionally unstable, willfully ignorant, or ideologically radicalized. It doesn’t matter. The effect is the same: we are living in a society torn apart by lies.
Other countries saw this coming. Germany, for example, has strict laws against Nazi propaganda. Many modern democracies regulate hate speech and disinformation because they know how it ends. We didn’t. We fetishized “free speech” until we couldn’t tell the difference between an investigative journalist and a fascist influencer.
Obama was warned—repeatedly. But instead of using executive authority to curtail propaganda platforms masquerading as news, he played the long game of bipartisan respectability politics. He failed us. Biden, for all his decency, has failed too. These are not normal times, and they cannot be met with normal responses.
We’re not dealing with political disagreements—we’re dealing with a cult. With a movement that worships force, rejects truth, and seeks vengeance over justice. The time to debate is over. The time to act with clarity and courage is now.
This isn’t about censorship. This is about survival. A democracy cannot survive if it cannot tell the truth from a lie. The First Amendment was never meant to shield a machine built to destroy democracy from within. We need new laws, new vigilance, and new courage to call this what it is: an abuse of freedom, not an expression of it.
Criminals don't care that it's illegal, they're saying, lol, let's see you enforce it. I sure never realized how much we depend on our country running on the rule of law & making sure it's executed properly & enforced. I hope we can stop the corruption & make sure it never goes so far again. It's un-f-ing believable that most of us go our whole lives playing by the rules, working, & paying taxes for these people to get away with this.
Title: The First Amendment Wasn't Meant to Protect Fascism
Let’s stop pretending that we are still living in a functioning democracy where rules and norms apply evenly. Donald Trump, a criminal sociopath with an army of enablers, has demonstrated over and over again that he and his movement do not care about the law, the Constitution, or basic human decency. They care only about power and profit. The Republican Party, along with its media mouthpieces like Fox News, have corrupted everything they touch—and they’ve done it with the full protection of the very constitutional amendment they’ve turned into a weapon.
This is not alarmism. This is reality. Trump and his cultists have already shown that they will ignore judicial orders. The playbook is ancient: when courts rule against them, they simply shrug and say, “Let the courts enforce it.” We’ve seen this before—from Andrew Jackson to segregationists. It’s authoritarian contempt dressed up as defiant patriotism.
And it’s enabled by an ecosystem of disinformation that was never intended to be protected by the First Amendment. We didn’t defend the amendment from abuse—we sanctified it blindly. Fox News, Newsmax, and the right-wing digital empire have taken the idea of a “free press” and turned it into a weaponized misinformation machine, brainwashing 25 to 30 million Americans. Some are lost in delusion. Others are emotionally unstable, willfully ignorant, or ideologically radicalized. It doesn’t matter. The effect is the same: we are living in a society torn apart by lies.
Other countries saw this coming. Germany, for example, has strict laws against Nazi propaganda. Many modern democracies regulate hate speech and disinformation because they know how it ends. We didn’t. We fetishized “free speech” until we couldn’t tell the difference between an investigative journalist and a fascist influencer.
Obama was warned—repeatedly. But instead of using executive authority to curtail propaganda platforms masquerading as news, he played the long game of bipartisan respectability politics. He failed us. Biden, for all his decency, has failed too. These are not normal times, and they cannot be met with normal responses.
We’re not dealing with political disagreements—we’re dealing with a cult. With a movement that worships force, rejects truth, and seeks vengeance over justice. The time to debate is over. The time to act with clarity and courage is now.
This isn’t about censorship. This is about survival. A democracy cannot survive if it cannot tell the truth from a lie. The First Amendment was never meant to shield a machine built to destroy democracy from within. We need new laws, new vigilance, and new courage to call this what it is: an abuse of freedom, not an expression of it.
I second the comment saying I have not seen this said so well & clearly. Everything is not subjective, we can define, distinguish, & reject lies. We can say no to unethical influence & abuse of power. I find it VERY interesting that other countries successfully deal what has caused so much damage here. We've had a lot stronger fascist element in the U.S. than has been acknowledged. We have to face this clearly for what it is. Seeing it laid out so clearly helps us do that.
Michael, That was great. I have not read a better summary of this mess... ever. ANYWHERE. I feel we are in deep trouble. We must resist fascism. ✌️ before it's too late
The Trump Cult Crisis: A Psychiatric, Social, and Strategic Response
Trumpism is not a political movement. It is a mass psychosis—an organized cult phenomenon that has infected the minds of tens of millions of Americans. It bypasses reason, ignores fact, and elevates a single authoritarian figure to unquestionable status. No matter how outrageous, illegal, immoral, or absurd Donald Trump's behavior becomes, his loyal followers excuse it, explain it away, or attack anyone who questions it. This is not democracy. It is delusion—and it is dangerous.
Understanding Trumpism Through Psychiatry: A Cult, Not a Campaign
Leading psychiatrists, psychologists, and cult recovery experts have identified that Trumpism closely mirrors the behavior of religious or political cults. It follows a familiar structure:
A charismatic leader who claims exclusive insight or truth.
Followers who accept lies as truth and reject any contradictory evidence.
A manipulative media ecosystem (Fox News, OAN, Newsmax) that isolates members and reinforces doctrine 24/7.
Demonization of outsiders, opposition, or the "deep state."
Psychiatric Strategies for Deprogramming Cult Members
Psychiatry doesn't recommend shouting facts or engaging in confrontation. That only strengthens resistance. The following methods are evidence-based and endorsed by cult recovery experts:
Establish non-confrontational, empathic communication. Avoid direct attacks. Instead, show care and curiosity.
Ask open-ended questions that encourage critical thinking: “What makes you trust this person so completely?” or “Have you considered where that information came from?”
Build self-esteem and autonomy through supportive relationships. Cult followers often have emotional vulnerabilities exploited by the leader.
These approaches are based on work by renowned experts like Steven Hassan, Dr. Michael Langone, and Dr. Gillie Jenkinson.
📚 Top Books and Resources to Help Recover from Cult Influence
Here are 20 of the most respected resources on cult dynamics, mind control, and recovery:
Books by Experts
Combating Cult Mind Control – Steven Hassan
The Cult of Trump – Steven Hassan
Recovery from Cults – Michael Langone
Cult Recovery: A Clinician’s Guide – Lorna Goldberg et al.
Leaving the Fold – Marlene Winell
Walking Free from the Trauma of Coercive, Cultic and Spiritual Abuse – Gillie Jenkinson
Take Back Your Life – Janja Lalich
Terror, Love and Brainwashing – Alexandra Stein
Cults in Our Midst – Margaret Thaler Singer
The End of the World As We Know It – Robert Jay Lifton
Websites & Networks
https://icsahome.com
https://freedomofmind.com
https://thetherapistsbookshelf.com
https://www.psychologytoday.com
https://cultnews101.com
Medium.com Cult Recovery Tag
https://hds.harvard.edu
Goodreads Lists: Cult Psychology
https://www.routledge.com
https://www.amazon.com
📺 How to Dismantle Propaganda Networks Like Fox News
Fox News is not a news outlet. It is a 24/7 propaganda machine. It functions as the central voice of the Trump cult, delivering conspiracy, fear, and rage straight into American homes.
Steps to Boycott and Defund Fox News:
Identify their key advertisers and publicly call them out. Major advertisers include:
GlaxoSmithKline
Liberty Mutual
General Motors
Procter & Gamble
Intuit
Kraft Heinz
Progressive Insurance
Toyota
Charles Schwab
Nestlé
Use platforms to track and boycott these brands:
https://www.trueusa.org
https://progressiveshopper.com
https://actionnetwork.org
Write to companies. Demand they stop funding hate.
💰 Economic Boycotts Against Trump Properties and Affiliates
Going after the money works. Trump’s empire thrives on brand loyalty and passive consumerism. Cutting this off damages his power.
What You Can Do:
Avoid all Trump properties, such as:
Trump International Hotel & Tower
Trump National Golf Clubs
Trump-branded products
Use boycott apps and guides:
https://www.grabyourwallet.org
Boycott Trump App (TeenVogue)
Support ethical alternatives and businesses that support democracy, diversity, and human rights.
🧠 The Deeper Problem: Propaganda, Brainwashing, and the Brain
Decades of research show that the human brain—especially the amygdala—is highly susceptible to fear-based messaging. Fox News and similar outlets exploit this by constantly activating the fear and anger centers of the brain. Over time, this weakens reasoning, erodes empathy, and entrenches authoritarian thinking.
This is not about intelligence. It is about exposure, repetition, isolation, and identity. Trump followers have been systematically trained to:
Trust no one but their leader
Reject all outside information as “fake”
Respond to emotional manipulation, not logic
🤝 Final Thoughts: We Can Win This
This is a crisis of the mind, of democracy, and of truth itself. The solutions are not easy—but they are possible:
Help people leave the cult through empathy and education.
Disempower propaganda machines by cutting off their funding.
Reclaim the public square through truth, transparency, and resilience.
Let’s take back our country—not just from a man, but from a mass delusion.
To: President Nayib Bukele
Republic of El Salvador
c/o Embassy of El Salvador in Washington, D.C.
Subject: Immediate Return of U.S. Citizens and Unlawfully Deported Individuals to the United States
Dear President Bukele,
This letter is to express, in the clearest possible terms, the grave and unlawful nature of your government’s cooperation with the administration of Donald J. Trump regarding the extrajudicial detention and imprisonment of individuals—particularly U.S. residents and citizens—within the CECOT facility in El Salvador.
We demand the immediate and unconditional return of Kilmar Abrego Garcia and any other individuals deported outside lawful judicial process from the United States to El Salvador. These removals have occurred in direct violation of standing U.S. court orders and established principles of international law.
The rule of law is not optional. You are not simply acting as a sovereign government—you are now actively collaborating in what amounts to a foreign detention scheme designed to evade the United States Constitution and shield an authoritarian leader from domestic judicial oversight.
We are currently pursuing every legal avenue to impeach Donald Trump, and let this serve as your notice that your government will be held accountable—diplomatically, politically, and legally—for your role in this ongoing human rights violation. Any harm that comes to individuals detained under these unlawful agreements will be viewed as the responsibility of your administration.
This is not a request. This is a formal warning: If El Salvador continues to act as a holding ground for political targets and unlawful removals from the United States, you will face significant international consequences, including possible sanctions, asset freezes, legal prosecution under international law, and total diplomatic isolation.
You must act now to return these individuals and terminate all cooperation with the illegal elements of the Trump administration. Failure to do so will escalate this matter on all available fronts.
We are watching. And we will act.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
[Your City, State, USA]
[Date]
Para: Presidente Nayib Bukele
República de El Salvador
A través de la Embajada de El Salvador en Washington, D.C.
Asunto: Retorno inmediato de ciudadanos estadounidenses y personas deportadas ilegalmente
Estimado Presidente Bukele,
Por medio de la presente, deseo expresarle en los términos más claros la gravedad y la ilegalidad de la cooperación de su gobierno con la administración de Donald J. Trump en relación con la detención extrajudicial de personas—en particular residentes y ciudadanos estadounidenses—en las instalaciones del CECOT en El Salvador.
Exigimos el retorno inmediato e incondicional de Kilmar Abrego Garcia y de todas las personas deportadas sin el debido proceso judicial de los Estados Unidos a El Salvador. Estas deportaciones han ocurrido en violación directa de órdenes judiciales federales vigentes y principios fundamentales del derecho internacional.
El estado de derecho no es negociable. Usted no está actuando simplemente como un gobierno soberano—usted ahora está colaborando activamente en un esquema de detención extraterritorial diseñado para evadir la Constitución de los Estados Unidos y proteger a un líder autoritario del control judicial interno.
Actualmente estamos utilizando todos los mecanismos legales disponibles para procesar e inhabilitar políticamente a Donald Trump, y esta carta sirve como advertencia formal: Su gobierno será considerado responsable—diplomática, política y jurídicamente—por su rol en esta violación en curso de los derechos humanos. Cualquier daño que sufran las personas detenidas será atribuido directamente a su administración.
No es una solicitud. Es una advertencia. Si El Salvador continúa funcionando como centro de detención para objetivos políticos y deportaciones ilegales de los Estados Unidos, su país enfrentará consecuencias internacionales graves, incluyendo sanciones, congelamiento de activos, procesos legales bajo derecho internacional, y aislamiento diplomático total.
Debe actuar de inmediato para retornar a estas personas y cancelar toda cooperación con los elementos ilegales de la administración Trump. De no hacerlo, esta situación se escalará por todos los medios disponibles.
Estamos observando. Y actuaremos.
Atentamente,
The King (DJT) stacked The Supreme Court, so he could get away with everything.
The Supreme Court has been compromised - period bowing to a King that we got rid of over 200 yrs ago. They are despicable.
We HAVE to vote and to assist those who are being disenfranchised to be able to vote. Only when we get an majority in House and Senate can we begin to unravel this travesty.
Trusk & Mump regime are bad enough, but we really MUST impeach some of SCOTUS. They were not appointed to be legislators, that is not within their scope of duties. They are required to INTERPRET the law, the constitution, but they have assumed that same self-adulation of godlike beings that cannot be second-guessed. We'll see ...
King George III was not defeated at the polls 🥁❗️
On April 9th, the world’s wealthiest people added $304 billion to their combined net worth, all orchestrated by one man.
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-04-09/billionaires-score-best-ever-day-as-tariff-pause-jolts-market
They bent over backwards again and supported leaving the U.S. citizen in El Salvador. The Supreme Court is not working for the people
Protests Protests Protests…Just might make a difference when the Supreme Court sees us near their door cross the street….
5 Major Themes of Fascist (Trumpian-GOP)Education
1- National greatness
2-National purity
3-National innocence
4-Strict gender code
5-Vilification of the Left
Protest Protest Protest Protest Massive Protests
Tomorrow may be to late..
NOW is the Time
Look at the market today why the fuck are we allowing this to happen …..
My woefully insufficient Roth IRA (I'm 3 months from retirement at age 68) tanked $15K last week. For many of you that may not seem like much, and I realize it's chump change for the billionaires who tell people like me not to worry, but for my "paycheck-to-paycheck" life, it's huge. I was devastated. I closed it out to stop the hemorrhage and put it in my Credit Union's CD. I'm so done with these shenanigans. I'm sure a lot of them just got richer with their pump and dump.... at the expense of people like me who can't afford those kind of down-turns and don't have the years to see them rise again.
Trump should be impeached for his illegal inside trading…He is poison to the average American…
Maga Nazis in action.
NEVER FORGET how we got here - 50 years of corporatist, establishment politicians in BOTH PARTIES pillaging the middle class and poor to further enrich themselves, their big business donors who exploit the working class, and to fund the pathological military-industrial complex. The neoliberal experiment has failed, and as in declining civilizations before us, greed and the lust for power have rotted us from within.
Now that the GOP has died and the MAGAts have risen with their cruel and lawless dictator, it is up to the Dems alone to realize the incredible harm they've done, change course, and fight like hell. The MAGAts already control Congress, so they are now threatening the judicial branch and going hard after voting rights. Watch as they attempt to suppress the vote in every sneaky, subversive, and illegal way possible.
This means we've got to work even harder to make sure we get every citizen to vote, since that is our only peaceful way back to power. A mass of people phone banking for a progressive candidate even one hour a week, for example, can make the difference in an election, and I can tell you from experience that it will give you a real sense of hope and personal empowerment. And it's something you can do for any candidate no matter where you live.
Complaining does nothing, and there is no one to save us. It is up to WE, THE PEOPLE to save ourselves. Have courage, resist tyranny, and please get involved and take some kind of real action. We need you!
So do those Magats know that they don’t get the benefit of insider trading with their Hero…Leaves them out in the cold…Awww
The Supreme Court seems to be only for tRump, not the law. It's so sad what has happened to the law and politics today. I believe that a felon should never be allowed to run for any office.
I am done investing in anything for life. I will only buy used items and get my food from the pantries. Time to hurt the rich.
SCOTUS will NEVER prevent trump from any action, however egregiously illegal. They are as corrupt as trump.
DONALD CHUMP
A 4 trillion dollar scam. Is this OK with you, Justice Roberts. It's coming your way again. You gonna let him get away with this as well. Joker
He banned AP bc their photo of blood dripping down his face in PA was not touched up with bigger more dramatic rivulets.
Thank you for explaining these cases in "plain English." I'm learning a lot, and realizing that many of my suspicions about corruption in 🍊's courts are true. Not that any 🍊 voter will believe you, but it's reassuring to know that I'm not completely losing my mind!
If it were not for the not-so-supreme court pandering to Trump for years, breaking laws and inciting an insurrection with impunity, etc., we wouldn't be where we are today.
This from America’s First Felon tweeter in the WH yesterday “DO NOT RETALIATE AND YOU WILL BE REWARDED!!!! “ The all caps makes it sound emphatically like like some threat you’d get in an email from some crypto scammer …oh wait… Anyway I’m sure all our frenemies are quivering and paralyzed with fear by a tweet from the unstable genius . Feel free to use this gem in any situation like giving your dog a bath, a time out for the over active child or grounding your kids for a week, be creative. Why do we expect the world to take us seriously with a clown tweeting shit like this
Hello to All. Did anyone else hear about Ice Agents trying to Kidnap Elementry school students from Los Angeles schools?
Have we have absolutely nothing we can do?
Didn’t you ALL wanted Trump back? Now take or take it because if you open your mouth and say something… there is trouble. USA right behind Russia, China and USA Democracy went to hell.
No. WE. Didn't. The cult did..
Maggots will just sit in their trailers.....watch Fox 24/7/365 .....and drink the Orange Kool-Aid when Donable( the Joker) Lector gives the "final"order.
I will support AZ soon as I'm able to do so. Thank you for all you're doing.
Right now I am very worried the r's just got passed the votes to send to senate... ugh ugh ugh
I keep hearing the term, "conservative," as if the Religious Right was ever. Conservatism is something to which they are diametrically opposed. Conservatism entails conserving rights and laws.
Hey, Karen. Do you think the five right wing justices on the Supreme Court can remember anything they learned in first year law School? It seems like they've spent most of their career twisting and turning the terms to mean whatever they want them to mean.
The democrats needed to do message better on the importance of voting like you mentioned in this podcast. Hopefully, the democrats do a better job for the midterms! It's critical!
Thanks so much for your legal analysis!💙💙
Any traders with inside information that tRump was going to walk back his tariffs today - Some of them presumably tRumps family members and cronies - just made a fortune. It all feels like chaos until you look more closely at who is winning
I understand and agree with known gang members and criminals be “rounded up” and incarcerated, but what about Trump’s pardon of J6 known criminals and others that were convicted and released? How is this okay? How about the students here on education Visas? How are they incarcerated as criminals?
So statute of limitations is 5 years from date of commission of the crime? Sounds like 2030 to me… who will we make sure is NOT in office then? We will get them then…
I love Substack and its content Mainstream media(MSM) had its place but evolving journalism needs more of and in depth voice And the comment section invites people to share opinions and views that often viewers of the journalistic efforts on MSM are divorced from Lastly this media invites creators of the content the opportunity to delve into issues that are too complex for MSM to address For example the significance of the bond market deterioration is not well understood The danger of course is addressed but why is it happening and why is gold on the rise Alasdair Macleod has the reason and is on Substack An interview?
Let us all remember, This is just the very beginning of DT’s. Raping our Country.
Do you expect trump to care . Only can operate when right so never will being admitting a error or someone is doubting the presence of his Power.
Always top flight!
I think of due process as more of a feature than a bug. 🤔 🌎🗽⚖️💎🥁
Always enjoy your show. Sorry that you have to report on such bad news.
I really enjoy watching and listening to you. Always very informative. Thanks!
When you said, "we've reached the end of our show...," the Carol Burnette end of show tune came to mind.
Green Bay Packers.
Yes! And I bet you are an owner, like myself!!!
Ooooooo, hey der!! I'd take dat bet any day, der!!! Go, VIKES!!!
Do we think that Mr Garcia will ever come back? Or we will ever see him again.
So we can add insider trading to the corrupt and illegal things he's been doing, along with defying the constitution and judges' orders.
Wonder if part of the agreement w El Salvador was giving up Garcia
Too much to bear at the moment. All this hell and chaos and worry has brought on my AFib again so I’m stepping back completely and totally until I improve , or don’t. Good luck all.
The US got the horrible human traffickers,rapists,misogynistic Tate Brothers released from prison in Romania, who appears be far arose then Abragio.
Worse, not arose. AND our taxpayers weren’t paying Romania.
What about the state securites regulators at the direction of state AG's?
They were celebrating in the WH https://substack.com/@aaliam/note/c-107637058?r=5axfcy&utm_medium=ios&utm_source=notes-share-action
Keep being loud!
Use this spreadsheet to call/email/write any of our representatives as often as possible. Not just your own state reps, reach out to those in other states. Be as loud as you can and share this. Use your voice and make some “good trouble.”
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/13lYafj0P-6owAJcH-5_xcpcRvMUZI7rkBPW-Ma9e7hw/edit
https://youtube.com/shorts/vZQ24xe2nNo?si=c52PlIT2UiFfYat3
You give Trump too much credit. He's not smart enough to have thought up - on his own - to tariff the entire globe and then, before lifting a little, to announce that it's a good time to buy. Some trader in Project 2025 dreamed this up for their oligarch buddies. And they knew just how to manipulate Trump into doing it.
Federal lawyers can't join the American Bar Association? Another Project 2025 control ploy.
Lying Press Sec'y Leavitt said US taxpayers are not paying for disappeared to El Salvador.
Title: The First Amendment Wasn't Meant to Protect Fascism
Let’s stop pretending that we are still living in a functioning democracy where rules and norms apply evenly. Donald Trump, a criminal sociopath with an army of enablers, has demonstrated over and over again that he and his movement do not care about the law, the Constitution, or basic human decency. They care only about power and profit. The Republican Party, along with its media mouthpieces like Fox News, have corrupted everything they touch—and they’ve done it with the full protection of the very constitutional amendment they’ve turned into a weapon.
This is not alarmism. This is reality. Trump and his cultists have already shown that they will ignore judicial orders. The playbook is ancient: when courts rule against them, they simply shrug and say, “Let the courts enforce it.” We’ve seen this before—from Andrew Jackson to segregationists. It’s authoritarian contempt dressed up as defiant patriotism.
And it’s enabled by an ecosystem of disinformation that was never intended to be protected by the First Amendment. We didn’t defend the amendment from abuse—we sanctified it blindly. Fox News, Newsmax, and the right-wing digital empire have taken the idea of a “free press” and turned it into a weaponized misinformation machine, brainwashing 25 to 30 million Americans. Some are lost in delusion. Others are emotionally unstable, willfully ignorant, or ideologically radicalized. It doesn’t matter. The effect is the same: we are living in a society torn apart by lies.
Other countries saw this coming. Germany, for example, has strict laws against Nazi propaganda. Many modern democracies regulate hate speech and disinformation because they know how it ends. We didn’t. We fetishized “free speech” until we couldn’t tell the difference between an investigative journalist and a fascist influencer.
Obama was warned—repeatedly. But instead of using executive authority to curtail propaganda platforms masquerading as news, he played the long game of bipartisan respectability politics. He failed us. Biden, for all his decency, has failed too. These are not normal times, and they cannot be met with normal responses.
We’re not dealing with political disagreements—we’re dealing with a cult. With a movement that worships force, rejects truth, and seeks vengeance over justice. The time to debate is over. The time to act with clarity and courage is now.
This isn’t about censorship. This is about survival. A democracy cannot survive if it cannot tell the truth from a lie. The First Amendment was never meant to shield a machine built to destroy democracy from within. We need new laws, new vigilance, and new courage to call this what it is: an abuse of freedom, not an expression of it.
Why can’t congress investigate this?
How do tariffs make Americans rich???
Qui bono?
The copy function for Apple Podcasts is not working?