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The Justice League: A band of fictional superheroes. The Shadow Cabinet: A team of very real progressives. (Image: Warner Bros.)
Progressive 'Justice League' to Serve as Alt-Cabinet for Fact-Challenged Trump
"Please follow us," the group wrote, "unless you think our democracy is working just fine."
Feb 27, 2017
Dubbing itself an "online Justice League" of sorts, a progressive "Shadow Cabinet" launched Monday, filled with "citizen secretaries" tasked with debunking President Donald Trump's lies and putting forth substantive, democratic, and justice-based alternatives to his administration's right-wing agenda.
"Of course President Trump has legal legitimacy due to the Electoral College," the group wrote in a statement posted Monday morning on Twitter. "But he lacks moral legitimacy when he incessantly distorts, denounces, misdirects, cherry picks, and self-enriches in an almost Orwellian long con. Those engaging in daily disinformation deserve daily responses."
"Starting today," the statement continues, "we'll be a comprehensive, one-portal stop of 'citizen secretaries'--officials and scholars who will comment agency-by-agency not just on small 'lies' but especially on false narratives in the service of political ends."
A press statement identified the following "secretaries":
- Laurence Tribe, "Attorney General"--Constitutional law professor at Harvard Law School;
- Marielena Hincapie, "Immigration and Naturalization Services/Immigration and Customs Enforcement/Immigration"--Executive director, National Immigration Law Center;
- DeRay McKesson, "Justice Issues"--Civil rights activist and Black Lives Matter member;
- Robert Reich, "Labor/Commerce"--Former Labor Secretary and best-selling author;
- Laura Tyson, "Treasury/Trade"--American economist and former chair of the U.S. President's Council of Economic Advisers during the Clinton Administration; professor at Berkeley's Hass Business School;
- David Cay Johnston, "IRS"--Pulitzer prize-winning journalist and author; founder of the new DCReport;
- Diane Ravitch, "Education"--New York University professor and author/editor of 24 books on education;
- Joan Claybrook, "Transportation"--Ex-head of National Highway Traffic Safety Administration;
- Robert Weissman, "Consumer Agencies"--President of watchdog group Public Citizen;
- S. David Freeman, "Energy & EPA"--Ex-head of Tennessee Valley Authority under President Jimmy Carter and senior advisor to Friends of the Earth;
- David Himmelstein and Steffie Woolhandler, "Health and Human Services"--co-founders Physicians for National Health Program and distinguished professors at CUNY/Hunter's Shchool of Public Health;
- Colin Kahl, "National Security/Terrorism"--Former Vice President Joe Biden's National Security advisor;
- Rosa Brooks, "State Department"--Former Department of Defense counselor and State Department advisor; Foreign Policy columnist;
- Andrew Bacevich, "Defense Department"--Author and historian; Boston University Pardee School Global Affairs professor.
The group lists former New York City public advocate Mark Green as its "chief of staff," and Axios reports that it was Green who assembled the cabinet "in six weeks of frantic phoning, emailing, and fundraising."
Several of the secretaries tweeted about the effort upon its launch:
And the group itself is tweeting as @ShadowingTrump. "Please follow us," the group wrote, "unless you think our democracy is working just fine."
We are at a crossroads
This country and this world are at a monumental crossroads. US voters have an opportunity to beat back the forces of fascism and confront the billionaires who are rigging the economy, our media system, and our democracy, making it increasingly impossible for ordinary people to get by. We’re not just talking about the election. We’re talking about what must be done once these fascist elements are vanquished from power. We need a bolder set of solutions than what either major party has so far been willing to offer and a working-class movement ready to fight like hell for it. Trump didn't emerge from nowhere. The conditions that fueled MAGA authoritarianism were created by decades of radical neoliberal economic policies and a corrupt political system dominated by corporate interests. They slashed taxes on the super-rich, promising that the benefits would trickle down. They said giveaways to the corporate titans would make life more affordable for the rest of us. It was all bullshit. And when a bitter, betrayed populace searches for someone to blame, right-wing demagogues have little trouble finding scapegoats. People know when they're being lied to, but you won't hear any of this from the corporate media. Only independent journalism—powered and funded by people who believe in building a better world—can deliver truly trustworthy daily news. If you share our vision, please contribute whatever you can to sustain our work. |
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Deirdre Fulton
Deirdre Fulton is a former Common Dreams senior editor and staff writer. Previously she worked as an editor and writer for the Portland Phoenix and the Boston Phoenix, where she was honored by the New England Press Association and the Association of Alternative Newsweeklies. A Boston University graduate, Deirdre is a co-founder of the Maine-based Lorem Ipsum Theater Collective and the PortFringe theater festival. She writes young adult fiction in her spare time.
healthcareblack lives matterandrew bacevichjimmy carterrobert reichpublic citizenphysicians for a national health program (pnhp)trump resistanceenvironmentpentagonfriends of the earthdiane ravitchconstitutional rights
Dubbing itself an "online Justice League" of sorts, a progressive "Shadow Cabinet" launched Monday, filled with "citizen secretaries" tasked with debunking President Donald Trump's lies and putting forth substantive, democratic, and justice-based alternatives to his administration's right-wing agenda.
"Of course President Trump has legal legitimacy due to the Electoral College," the group wrote in a statement posted Monday morning on Twitter. "But he lacks moral legitimacy when he incessantly distorts, denounces, misdirects, cherry picks, and self-enriches in an almost Orwellian long con. Those engaging in daily disinformation deserve daily responses."
"Starting today," the statement continues, "we'll be a comprehensive, one-portal stop of 'citizen secretaries'--officials and scholars who will comment agency-by-agency not just on small 'lies' but especially on false narratives in the service of political ends."
A press statement identified the following "secretaries":
- Laurence Tribe, "Attorney General"--Constitutional law professor at Harvard Law School;
- Marielena Hincapie, "Immigration and Naturalization Services/Immigration and Customs Enforcement/Immigration"--Executive director, National Immigration Law Center;
- DeRay McKesson, "Justice Issues"--Civil rights activist and Black Lives Matter member;
- Robert Reich, "Labor/Commerce"--Former Labor Secretary and best-selling author;
- Laura Tyson, "Treasury/Trade"--American economist and former chair of the U.S. President's Council of Economic Advisers during the Clinton Administration; professor at Berkeley's Hass Business School;
- David Cay Johnston, "IRS"--Pulitzer prize-winning journalist and author; founder of the new DCReport;
- Diane Ravitch, "Education"--New York University professor and author/editor of 24 books on education;
- Joan Claybrook, "Transportation"--Ex-head of National Highway Traffic Safety Administration;
- Robert Weissman, "Consumer Agencies"--President of watchdog group Public Citizen;
- S. David Freeman, "Energy & EPA"--Ex-head of Tennessee Valley Authority under President Jimmy Carter and senior advisor to Friends of the Earth;
- David Himmelstein and Steffie Woolhandler, "Health and Human Services"--co-founders Physicians for National Health Program and distinguished professors at CUNY/Hunter's Shchool of Public Health;
- Colin Kahl, "National Security/Terrorism"--Former Vice President Joe Biden's National Security advisor;
- Rosa Brooks, "State Department"--Former Department of Defense counselor and State Department advisor; Foreign Policy columnist;
- Andrew Bacevich, "Defense Department"--Author and historian; Boston University Pardee School Global Affairs professor.
The group lists former New York City public advocate Mark Green as its "chief of staff," and Axios reports that it was Green who assembled the cabinet "in six weeks of frantic phoning, emailing, and fundraising."
Several of the secretaries tweeted about the effort upon its launch:
And the group itself is tweeting as @ShadowingTrump. "Please follow us," the group wrote, "unless you think our democracy is working just fine."
Deirdre Fulton
Deirdre Fulton is a former Common Dreams senior editor and staff writer. Previously she worked as an editor and writer for the Portland Phoenix and the Boston Phoenix, where she was honored by the New England Press Association and the Association of Alternative Newsweeklies. A Boston University graduate, Deirdre is a co-founder of the Maine-based Lorem Ipsum Theater Collective and the PortFringe theater festival. She writes young adult fiction in her spare time.
Dubbing itself an "online Justice League" of sorts, a progressive "Shadow Cabinet" launched Monday, filled with "citizen secretaries" tasked with debunking President Donald Trump's lies and putting forth substantive, democratic, and justice-based alternatives to his administration's right-wing agenda.
"Of course President Trump has legal legitimacy due to the Electoral College," the group wrote in a statement posted Monday morning on Twitter. "But he lacks moral legitimacy when he incessantly distorts, denounces, misdirects, cherry picks, and self-enriches in an almost Orwellian long con. Those engaging in daily disinformation deserve daily responses."
"Starting today," the statement continues, "we'll be a comprehensive, one-portal stop of 'citizen secretaries'--officials and scholars who will comment agency-by-agency not just on small 'lies' but especially on false narratives in the service of political ends."
A press statement identified the following "secretaries":
- Laurence Tribe, "Attorney General"--Constitutional law professor at Harvard Law School;
- Marielena Hincapie, "Immigration and Naturalization Services/Immigration and Customs Enforcement/Immigration"--Executive director, National Immigration Law Center;
- DeRay McKesson, "Justice Issues"--Civil rights activist and Black Lives Matter member;
- Robert Reich, "Labor/Commerce"--Former Labor Secretary and best-selling author;
- Laura Tyson, "Treasury/Trade"--American economist and former chair of the U.S. President's Council of Economic Advisers during the Clinton Administration; professor at Berkeley's Hass Business School;
- David Cay Johnston, "IRS"--Pulitzer prize-winning journalist and author; founder of the new DCReport;
- Diane Ravitch, "Education"--New York University professor and author/editor of 24 books on education;
- Joan Claybrook, "Transportation"--Ex-head of National Highway Traffic Safety Administration;
- Robert Weissman, "Consumer Agencies"--President of watchdog group Public Citizen;
- S. David Freeman, "Energy & EPA"--Ex-head of Tennessee Valley Authority under President Jimmy Carter and senior advisor to Friends of the Earth;
- David Himmelstein and Steffie Woolhandler, "Health and Human Services"--co-founders Physicians for National Health Program and distinguished professors at CUNY/Hunter's Shchool of Public Health;
- Colin Kahl, "National Security/Terrorism"--Former Vice President Joe Biden's National Security advisor;
- Rosa Brooks, "State Department"--Former Department of Defense counselor and State Department advisor; Foreign Policy columnist;
- Andrew Bacevich, "Defense Department"--Author and historian; Boston University Pardee School Global Affairs professor.
The group lists former New York City public advocate Mark Green as its "chief of staff," and Axios reports that it was Green who assembled the cabinet "in six weeks of frantic phoning, emailing, and fundraising."
Several of the secretaries tweeted about the effort upon its launch:
And the group itself is tweeting as @ShadowingTrump. "Please follow us," the group wrote, "unless you think our democracy is working just fine."
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