Sue's Daily Stack, Friday, 3 October, 2025

Your daily homework - links to everything discussed on today's show

Friday’s Daily Stack

Hour One: Twelve Steps to National Collapse: A Blueprint for How Democracies Die
Article: “Twelve Steps to National Collapse: A Blueprint for How Democracies Die“ by Thom Hartmann.
Article: “In a room full of men, Hegseth called for a military culture shift from ‘woke’ to ‘warrior“ by Mariel Padilla.
Article: “Macedonians Resume ‘Colourful Revolution’ Protests“ by Sinisa Jakov Marusic.
Article: “Moldova Faces New Turmoil After ex-Leader Leaves“ by Madalin Necsutu.
Post: “We’ve had fuckups in the White House before, but never a president who seemed so deliberately intent on being a fuckup.
It’s been said before, but if these people were actual agents of an enemy power seeking to divide, dismantle and destroy the USA they wouldn’t be doing anything different.“ by Kevin M. Kruse.
Article: “Guatemala electoral authorities suspend president-elect Bernardo Arévalo’s Seed Movement“ by Wilfredo Miranda Aburto.
Article: “Freedom in the World 2017: The Gambia“ by Freedom House.
Article: “The four countries successfully reversing democratic decline“ by Victoria Heath.
Article: “Is America Sleepwalking Into The Dictator’s Playbook?“ by Thom Hartmann.
Article: “Sri Lankan Democratic Crisis 2022: Would It Become A Case Of Huntington’s Fourth Wave Of Democratisation?“ by Bawa Singh et al.
Substack: “Kevin M. Kruse“.
Article: “The Lost Democracies of the 21st Century“ by Lyn Miller-Lachmann.
Article: “Protests over corruption rock South Africa prior to Zuma’s departure in February“ by CIVICUS.
Article: “Everything to Know About Romania’s Anti-Corruption Protests“ by Tara John.
Article: “The Top 1% of Americans Have Taken $50 Trillion From the Bottom 90%—And That’s Made the U.S. Less Secure“ by Nick Hanauer.
Article: “Protesters padlock Malawi electoral commission offices“ by News Agencies.
Article: “Peru Elections 2000“ by NDI.
Article: “Revolution by Candlelight: How South Koreans Toppled a Government“ by Alexis Dudden.
Article: “Restoring the Rule of Law in Poland: An Assessment of the New Government’s Progress“ by Anna Wójcik.
Article: “Brazil: Global State of Democracy 2023 Report“ by Maria Santillana.
Article: “Understanding Ukraine’s Euromaidan Protests“ by Open Society Foundations.
Quote: ““We are a people whose strength flows from the unity molded from that diversity.”“ by Ronald Reagan.
Article: “Freedom in the World 1999 - Slovakia“ by UNHCR.

Book: “The Last American President“ by Thom Hartmann.
Event: Sold out: Wed Oct. 15 at 7:00 p.m., Northbrook, Ill.: Thom Hartmann at Max & Benny’s.
Event: Oct 18 5pm: L.A. : A Conversation with Thom Hartmann: Democracy, Justice, and the American Dream. With Greg Palast.
Event: Oct 17, 5-9pm: San Diego: Thom Hartmann In San Diego Book Tour And Knsj Fundraiser. With Greg Palast.
Movie: “The Milagro Beanfield War“.
Article: “Pete Hegseth Just Did America a Big Favor“ by David Korten.
Article: “Democratic US Senator Padilla forced to ground, handcuffed by federal agents“ by Omar Younis, Bo Erickson, David Morgan and Richard Cowan.
Movie: “Django Unchained“.
Article: “Just before shutdown, most Americans wanted health insurance tax credits extended, KFF poll finds“ by Ali Swenson.
Article: “KFF Health Tracking Poll: Public Weighs Political Consequences of Health Policy Legislation“ by Grace Sparks, Alex Montero, Julian Montalvo III, Mardet Mulugeta, Ashley Kirzinger, Lunna Lopes, and Liz Hamel.

Europe may be on the verge of a nuclear disaster: https://open.substack.com/pub/levremembers/p/breaking-nuclear-crisis-europes-largest?r=nl8r&utm_medium=ios
Article: “Breaking Nuclear Crisis: Europe’s Largest Nuclear Plant in Blackout — Meltdown Risk Rising“ by Lev Parnas.

Apparently Stephen Miller dreams since childhood has been for torture and pain
Post: “The year is 2003.
17-year-old Stephen Miller is sitting in the back of a school bus talking about torture, as in “Torture is a celebration of human life and dignity.”
Miller looks directly into the camera and describes the torturing Iraqis in gruesome detail, as his peers laugh uncomfortably. [video]” by nullifie.

Article: “‘Surreal Moment for America’: ICE Agents in Chicago Drag Children Out of Their Homes, Ransack Building“ by Brad Reed.
Law: “4th Amendment“. “The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.“.
Article: “Trump revives family separations amid drive to deport millions: ‘A tactic to punish’“ by Maanvi Singh.
Article: “Trump Tells Generals the Military Will Be Used to Fight ‘Enemy Within’“ by Michael R. Gordon, Shelby Holliday.
Article: “Treason laws in the United States“ by Wikipedia.
Article: “A Mexican man is the second victim to die after shooting at Dallas ICE facility“ by Jamie Stengle.
Article: “The Paperclip Was Used As a Symbol of Resistance During World War II“ by Emily Upton.
Article: “‘Dangerous as hell’: Cruz blasts FCC’s Jimmy Kimmel takedown“ by Cassandra Dumay.
Article: “Rand Paul slams FCC chair’s Kimmel comments as ‘absolutely inappropriate’“ by Sarah Fortinsky.
Article: “Epstein victims join House members pushing for release of files at news conference“ by Washington Post.
Article: “Susie Wiles“ by Wikipedia.
Article: “Sherrill Falling in Polls Despite Tens of Millions in Funding From National Democrats“ by Shore News Network.
Article: “Johnny One Note“ by Wikipedia.
Article: “The Rain in Spain“ by Wikipedia.
Article: “Map reveals nuclear fallout that would happen if Europe’s biggest plant explodes“ by Gergana Krasteva and Ben Ashton.

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Hour Two: Mom would’ve kicked Pete Hegseth’s A**
- Greg Palast, Investigative reporter-Guardian & New York Times / Author - “The Best Democracy Money Can Buy“ / His latest film about the latest attacks on the right to vote, Vigilantes Inc: America’s New Vote Suppression Hitmen, (narrated by Rosario Dawson and produced by Martin Sheen). @gregpalast.bsky.social Substack
Article: “Mom would’ve kicked Pete Hegseth’s a**“ by Greg Palast.
Article: “Donald Trump Tells Military Officials US Faces ‘War From Within’ in Major Cities“ by Asianet Newsable English.
Article: “Pete Hegseth Just Did America a Big Favor“ by David Korten.
Article: “Trump Begins Purge of 1,000 Biden Appointees by Firing General Milley“ by David Zimmermann.
Article: “Milley acted to prevent Trump from misusing nuclear weapons, war with China, book says“ by Dareh Gregorian and Jesse Rodriguez.
Article: “Pentagon strips Gen Mark Milley of US security detail and clearance“ by Ana Faguy.
Article: “Trump removes US Coast Guard chief, official cites DEI focus“ by Idrees Ali, Phil Stewart and David Shepardson.
Article: “Trump fires chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and two other military officers“ by Tara Copp, Lolita C. Baldor.
Article: “Supreme Court allows Virginia to purge individuals from voter rolls“ by Nina Totenberg, Ilana Dutton.
Article: “Upcoming election dates“ by Ballotpedia.
Article: “Pennsylvania elections, 2025“ by Ballotpedia.
Article: “New Jersey elections, 2025“ by Ballotpedia.
Article: “Virginia elections, 2025“ by Ballotpedia.
Article: “Gov. Youngkin’s Executive Order 53 is the latest in a pattern of discriminatory voter roll purges“ (Virginia) by ACLU.
Article: “How Will a Government Shutdown Affect WIC Benefits?“ by Susan Beaudoin, Kate Scully.
Article: “The Cost of Baby Formula“ by Javier Simon.

Finally there was an arrest in war torn Portland. And it was a MAGA influencer for fighting. Apparently MAGA is struggling and how peaceful Portland has been....
Article: “‘Loser’: MAGA influencer taunted by onlookers after arrest for street fight in Portland“ by Tom Boggioni.

Article: “Sturmabteilung“(brown shirts) by Wikipedia.
Article: “How a Fugitive Florida Deputy Sheriff Became a Kremlin Disinformation Impresario“ by McKenzie Sadeghi with Eva Maitland.

Was is the legal basis for the Venezuela boat strikes?
Article: “Trump ‘Determined’ the U.S. Is Now in a War With Drug Cartels, Congress Is Told“ by Charlie Savage and Eric Schmitt.
Article: “Trump says US is in ‘armed conflict’ with drug cartels after ordering strikes in the Caribbean“ by Aamer Madhani, Lisa Mascaro.
Article: “Lawmakers From Both Sides Pressed Pentagon on Legal Basis for Drug Boat Strikes“ by Lara Seligman, Alexander Ward and Siobhan Hughes.
Article: “Venezuela Slams ‘Illegal Incursion’ By US Fighter Jets“ by AFP.

Article: “Undocumented Immigrants in US Pay Nearly $100 Billion in Taxes“ by Nic Querolo.
Article: “Broadview ICE facility protest draws hundreds, several arrested“ by Asal Rezaei, Dave Savini, Marissa Perlman, Lauren Victory, Kris Habermehl, Sara Tenenbaum.
Article: “Bill Maher“ by Wikipedia.
Bible: “Then the Lord God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being“ - Genesis 2:7.
Bible: “If people are fighting and hit a pregnant woman and she gives birth prematurely[a] but there is no serious injury, the offender must be fined whatever the woman’s husband demands and the court allows. But if there is serious injury, you are to take life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, bruise for bruise.“ - Exodus 21:22-25.
Article: “Trump posts racist, AI-generated video of Schumer and Jeffries ahead of looming government shutdown“ by Kit Maher.
Article: “Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour“ by Wikipedia.
Law: “25th Amendment Section 4“ (presidential succession). “Whenever the Vice President and a majority of either the principal officers of the executive departments or of such other body as Congress may by law provide, transmit to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives their written declaration that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, the Vice President shall immediately assume the powers and duties of the office as Acting President.“

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Hour Three: Geeky Science. Say What!? Almost 30% of all Americans have had a romantic AI relationship. Have you?
Article: “Artificial Romance: A Study of AI and Human Relationships“ by Michael Salas.

Are we surprised that the wealth of the 1% reaches a record of 52 trillion as the social “floor” is being ripped up?
Article: “The wealth of the top 1% reaches a record $52 trillion“ by Robert Frank.

As Trump calls Democrats the party of hate and satan, he and his cult followers are silent on the “ultra MAGA” Mormon shooter...cat got your tongue?
Article: “Mormon church shooting suspect had Trump sign outside home, records show“ by Ed Pilkington.
Article: “Trump Deems Democrats ‘The Party of Hate, Evil, and Satan’“ by Michael Luciano.

Article: “BLS will not be releasing jobs numbers. So who has the answers?“ by Kathryn Moody.
Article: “‘I hate my opponents and I don’t want the best for them’, Trump says after Charlie Kirk’s widow ‘forgives’ killer“ by Josef Al Shemary and Henry Moore.
Article: “Trump calls Democrats ‘the party of hate, evil, and Satan’ in late-night Truth Social rant“ by Joe Sommerlad.
Article: “Teen charged with murder in hit-and-run that killed two friends on e-bike: Official“ by Meredith Deliso.
Article: “Fact check: Was the recent jersey stalker that ran down 2 teenage girls with a jeep because of the fact that they made comments about charlie kirk“ by factually.
Article: “Thomas Jacob Sanford’s chilling confession a week before Michigan Mormon church shooting“ by Emma Richter.
Video: [OFFICIAL] Volkswagen: Eyes On The Road - VW AD.
Article: “NLP Fast Phobia Cure“ by NLP Techniques.
Article: “BREAKING: ICE Hunts Children in Twisted ‘Freaky Friday’ Operation“ by Pablo Manríquez.
Video: Lawrence: We are clearly seeing madness pouring from the darkness of Donald Trump’s mind.
Video: Hillary Clinton says half of Trump’s supporters are in a “basket of deplorables”.
Article: “Why Trump’s authoritarian language about ‘vermin’ matters“ by Danielle Kurtzleben.
Article: “Millionaire CEO infuses himself with blood from 17-year-old son to stay young forever“ by Anugraha Sundaravelu.
Article: “Trump says immigrants are ‘poisoning the blood of our country.’ Biden campaign likens comments to Hitler.“ by Ginger Gibson.
Article: “Blood and soil“ (Blut und Boden) by Wikipedia.
Article: “Leon Panetta“ by Wikipedia.
Podcast: “Trump & Hegseth Blew It with Leon Panetta“ by Politics War Room with James Carville & Al Hunt.
Video: Eric Burdon & The Animals - Sky Pilot - Long Version.
Article: “Small-Body Database Lookup: 23238 Ocasio-Cortez (2000 WU111)“.
Article: “Trump Posts Bizarre AI Video of Project 2025 Architect as the Grim Reaper“ by Matt Novak.
Video: Don’t Fear the Reaper - Blue Oyster Cult.