No matter what you do or say, someone will see you as an idiot. That applies to everyone. Even human gods like trump, musk and gates are seen as idiots. There is no escape as no amount of money, prestige, or smarts can exempt you. But that also allows everyone to see things different. In that, we have it all over those A/i creeps.
Why should we care about Trump or the idiots in the DC Cesspool? All of it is about as corrupt as things can get. It cannot be changed. Only destroyed and rebuilt. To some you may be an idiot, but to others you are a hero. I see very few heroes anymore other than the person that no one knows about that might live in your own community.
As someone who posts very frequently on social media platforms, I get some hateful comments for sure. I was speaking to my husband after reading your newsletter this morning, mentioning the passage about it’s “the media itself that manufactures division because it needs us to be angry at each other.” My husband added that the media wants us to be scared all the time. I think he is right. Thoughts?
I thoroughly enjoy your daily emails and the articles you post in the “Other things worth knowing …” section.
I never post comments, but I felt an urge to comment today.
If someone complained about you “never giving Trump a break”, then they must be living under a rock (so to speak).
Unless someone is completely disengaged from current events, or an “idiot” as you say was meant in Ancient Greek terms, it is IMPOSSIBLE not to think about Trump and his significant impact and disruption on daily life, not only in the United States of America, but around the world.
Never in the last few decades has someone caused so much divisiveness among people as Donald J Trump! Thanks to him terms such as “fake news” and “alternative facts” are in our lexicon.
Trump never takes a break, so why should you or the media give him “a break”?
This man has been the reason for the greatest divide in modern times, he creates even a strong amongst our own families. His “shock and awe” approach to everything- in politics and every day life- is exhausting!!! I truly wish we could take a break, but certainly neither you nor anyone can give him “a break” as long as he continues to disrupt daily life for humanity.
If the Axios assertion that we’re more similar than different is accurate, than how did a bully, narcissist, liar and megalomaniac get voted into the White House?
never said you shouldn't post the negatives about Trump. He's doing all kinds of awful, stupid stuff. Both sides of Congress, too. But you don't post the 'other' side. Are you posting anything about the mayor of NYC & the governor of NY? They don't seem to be seeing eye-to-eye.
Have you distinguished between Republicans/conservatives vs MAGA? If not, perhaps it's ok to say all liberals believe all abortions are ok up to the 9th month of pregnancy. Not all Republicans hate blacks/latinos/gays/fill in the blank w/ whatever other identity you want, ok?
thru the yrs, the left has generated as much distrust that is now generated. Why do you think Trump was elected??? I can't believe it happened. I had a bet Harris would win. I lost.
There's a focus-group that tests terminology from time to time, the general idea is attributed to…some left-affiliated linguist whose name I can’t recall…
The gist: “public education” sounds like butterflies and puppydogs, whereas “state-run schools” or “government education” sounds more like an impacted molar or an impromptu colorectal exam.
Mayor Brandon Johnson sparks outrage after saying “law enforcement is a sickness.” (3 min)
both historically and recently, Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) leaders and many Chicago Public Schools (CPS) teachers have sent their own children to private schools.
🔹 Most notable recent example: CTU President Stacy Davis Gates (2023–2024)
Multiple reputable news outlets confirmed that CTU President Stacy Davis Gates enrolled her eldest child in a private Catholic high school despite her public opposition to private school vouchers and school‑choice programs.
NBC Chicago confirmed the enrollment and noted her past statements opposing private schools.
The Chicago Sun‑Times reported she defended the decision as a response to limited opportunities in CPS for Black youth, especially on the South and West Sides.
ABC7 Chicago and FOX32 also reported her explanation that CPS lacked adequate academic and extracurricular options—particularly soccer—for her son
another: black man/white woman attacks downtown Chicago where such attacks are common. I’ve read of white women punched out, spit on, stabbed, beat over the head with a metal pipe and a young white woman on a train downtown was doused with gasoline and set on fire by a black man who then said “Burn alive bitch.” Democrats constantly claim that America is permeated with white racism, “systemic racism” which is always everywhere oppressing blacks. This could possibly incite these racial attacks on white people, often white women. And this occurred at 1:00 pm when men intervened to stop the attack. Had this occurred after dark, when few people are around, she could have been killed.
ABC7’s Leah Hope relives terrifying moment man attacked her in Loop: ‘I was fighting for my life.’ (3 min)
Trump may actually not be the biggest threat to democracy because he's so easily manipulated. I think it's Russell Vought, Stephen Miller and Pete Hegseth who are the scariest.
I don't think the vast majority of this country are as "right" or "left" as the people who write Letters to the Editor are and it is undeniably true that the extremes get the press coverage. I do feel sympathy for the anti- Trumpers because he is the President that talks to everyone, has daily press statements and you cannot get away from it. He is the antithesis of Biden who hid from the press and was only allowed to have press conferences with designated reporters with pre fed questions. If you were not a Biden fan he wasn't in your face on a daily ( or weekly sometimes) basis unlike Trump who is ever present and a big annoyance to his detractors.
The notion that the media has created societal divisions is pure lunacy. However I recently hosted a Celebration of Life for my wife who died at age 75 and approximately 200 people came. (my wife was a force of nature.) All of these people took time out on a Saturday to comfort me and my daughters and to grieve and celebrate. It was simply an extraordinary moment of a unified community coming together for a common kind purpose. Any division was pushed aside in service of our better angels.
However I will be joining our community’s No Kings rally and shouting my resistance to a despot. The media is not making me do that. The fate of my grandchildren is making me do that.
I appreciate your short “other things”. I think we have the most volatile and impulsive president in history that is making huge policy swings, attempting to control the media, and allowing corruption to run rampant in his administration. In my opinion this administration has not honored our constitutional rights. Heck, my European friends are refusing to come and visit us while he is in office.
Wow ! I'm reading this article earlier than I usually do and already there are 11 comments!?!?
Bill, I read your newsletter almost every day. I talk about at least one article every week. Heck, my son was learning about the invention of the telephone and one of the questions was "how does your family use a telephone today?" and my son answered "watching videos, doing the budget, and reading a newsletter." He also asked me at dinner last night, "what was your newsletter about today, mom?" He's 9.
I don't usually comment. I'm just not the kind of person who interacts with strangers online. Call me an internet introvert, if you will. I love starting my day with turning on my thinking and having some direction to my thoughts. -Even if it feels "Trump heavy" sometimes! Because, let's face it, the world is Trump heavy right now!! 🤣 I skip the Trump-related "other things" often. I also skipped all the Epstein points. And any of the War points. That's the beauty of reading: you can skim or skip entirely! It's hard to do that when listening to audio media.
So, Bill, you're right - 99.9% of your readers don't comment. And this .01 (?) percent thinks you're doing great!!
We all would rather spend out time thinking about and interacting with our family and our neighbors. However, the majority of Americans have had trump and his minions thrust upon us, who are unqualified to serve in the offices they hold and as a result on a continuing daily basis make wrong and foolish decisions that harm our economy and quality of life and the future of our children and grandchildren. The Constitution and Rule of Law in our country is being attacked on a daily basis. The Justice Department has been turned into a "roy cohn" mob boss gaggle of idiots and fools with a law degree. We would not have to focus on this if it were not so important to rally around efforts to stop this insanity. I won't go further except to say that hegseth is an incompetant coward and reached his "Peter Principle" achievements at Fox news.
As has been said several times Americans have a very short memory. This crap about the news media dividing the country is just that, crap! Newt Gingrich started the mantra of them va us and it gained an audience. Fox News expounded upon it. I watch I listen and I see my young kids just hoping to is get better, almost putting the heads in the sand. I keep reminding them what is shopper is dangerous. More them and their kids than me. They will have to live in the out comes of this. I have never in my life seen such a bunch of spineless, toddler men afraid of someone who is a bully. He has silenced musicians, actors, athletes, corporate america is sucking up to him in such a disgusting form that big buck. If for just two, three days if most Americans stopped buying anything these guys would get a clue that without the average American this economy would not move or work. We don’t need crazy in our government or media and without people like you and others trying to keep things ground we are going to be in big trouble. I worry about th is daily!
No matter what you do or say, someone will see you as an idiot. That applies to everyone. Even human gods like trump, musk and gates are seen as idiots. There is no escape as no amount of money, prestige, or smarts can exempt you. But that also allows everyone to see things different. In that, we have it all over those A/i creeps.
Why should we care about Trump or the idiots in the DC Cesspool? All of it is about as corrupt as things can get. It cannot be changed. Only destroyed and rebuilt. To some you may be an idiot, but to others you are a hero. I see very few heroes anymore other than the person that no one knows about that might live in your own community.
The big time actors? All bumbling fools.
As someone who posts very frequently on social media platforms, I get some hateful comments for sure. I was speaking to my husband after reading your newsletter this morning, mentioning the passage about it’s “the media itself that manufactures division because it needs us to be angry at each other.” My husband added that the media wants us to be scared all the time. I think he is right. Thoughts?
Every expression produced for our consumption is vying for our attention and support.
I thoroughly enjoy your daily emails and the articles you post in the “Other things worth knowing …” section.
I never post comments, but I felt an urge to comment today.
If someone complained about you “never giving Trump a break”, then they must be living under a rock (so to speak).
Unless someone is completely disengaged from current events, or an “idiot” as you say was meant in Ancient Greek terms, it is IMPOSSIBLE not to think about Trump and his significant impact and disruption on daily life, not only in the United States of America, but around the world.
Never in the last few decades has someone caused so much divisiveness among people as Donald J Trump! Thanks to him terms such as “fake news” and “alternative facts” are in our lexicon.
Trump never takes a break, so why should you or the media give him “a break”?
This man has been the reason for the greatest divide in modern times, he creates even a strong amongst our own families. His “shock and awe” approach to everything- in politics and every day life- is exhausting!!! I truly wish we could take a break, but certainly neither you nor anyone can give him “a break” as long as he continues to disrupt daily life for humanity.
Well said!
You're forgetting the original "Divider in Chief" Barack Obama. The most racist modern day president we've had.
Saved me from commenting. Well said.
If the Axios assertion that we’re more similar than different is accurate, than how did a bully, narcissist, liar and megalomaniac get voted into the White House?
The Truman show was only a 103 minute movie that you could choose not to watch.
The Trump show has been a continuous 11 year reality “show” that we can’t switch off (unless one is able to retreat “off the grid”).
never said you shouldn't post the negatives about Trump. He's doing all kinds of awful, stupid stuff. Both sides of Congress, too. But you don't post the 'other' side. Are you posting anything about the mayor of NYC & the governor of NY? They don't seem to be seeing eye-to-eye.
Have you distinguished between Republicans/conservatives vs MAGA? If not, perhaps it's ok to say all liberals believe all abortions are ok up to the 9th month of pregnancy. Not all Republicans hate blacks/latinos/gays/fill in the blank w/ whatever other identity you want, ok?
thru the yrs, the left has generated as much distrust that is now generated. Why do you think Trump was elected??? I can't believe it happened. I had a bet Harris would win. I lost.
There's a focus-group that tests terminology from time to time, the general idea is attributed to…some left-affiliated linguist whose name I can’t recall…
The gist: “public education” sounds like butterflies and puppydogs, whereas “state-run schools” or “government education” sounds more like an impacted molar or an impromptu colorectal exam.
Mayor Brandon Johnson sparks outrage after saying “law enforcement is a sickness.” (3 min)
CBS Chicago. Sept 19, 2025
https://youtu.be/roMm2sn2MfI?si=N4S9XWI7aA_UJ7Xa
Bill Maher on Kamala Harris and Chicago public schools.
“Chicago Teachers Union: Tests are racist.” (2 min)
Illinois Policy. Oct 28, 2024
https://youtu.be/xp1DsUDCj1Q?si=cNST9rE_WvM_5qRw
both historically and recently, Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) leaders and many Chicago Public Schools (CPS) teachers have sent their own children to private schools.
🔹 Most notable recent example: CTU President Stacy Davis Gates (2023–2024)
Multiple reputable news outlets confirmed that CTU President Stacy Davis Gates enrolled her eldest child in a private Catholic high school despite her public opposition to private school vouchers and school‑choice programs.
NBC Chicago confirmed the enrollment and noted her past statements opposing private schools.
The Chicago Sun‑Times reported she defended the decision as a response to limited opportunities in CPS for Black youth, especially on the South and West Sides.
ABC7 Chicago and FOX32 also reported her explanation that CPS lacked adequate academic and extracurricular options—particularly soccer—for her son
another: black man/white woman attacks downtown Chicago where such attacks are common. I’ve read of white women punched out, spit on, stabbed, beat over the head with a metal pipe and a young white woman on a train downtown was doused with gasoline and set on fire by a black man who then said “Burn alive bitch.” Democrats constantly claim that America is permeated with white racism, “systemic racism” which is always everywhere oppressing blacks. This could possibly incite these racial attacks on white people, often white women. And this occurred at 1:00 pm when men intervened to stop the attack. Had this occurred after dark, when few people are around, she could have been killed.
ABC7’s Leah Hope relives terrifying moment man attacked her in Loop: ‘I was fighting for my life.’ (3 min)
ABC 7 Chicago. Feb 16, 2026
https://youtu.be/KTriqT7IQqg?si=O3gOzC86kFXGprr5
have you, Bill, covered these stories in your 7 additional things?
Trump may actually not be the biggest threat to democracy because he's so easily manipulated. I think it's Russell Vought, Stephen Miller and Pete Hegseth who are the scariest.
I don't think the vast majority of this country are as "right" or "left" as the people who write Letters to the Editor are and it is undeniably true that the extremes get the press coverage. I do feel sympathy for the anti- Trumpers because he is the President that talks to everyone, has daily press statements and you cannot get away from it. He is the antithesis of Biden who hid from the press and was only allowed to have press conferences with designated reporters with pre fed questions. If you were not a Biden fan he wasn't in your face on a daily ( or weekly sometimes) basis unlike Trump who is ever present and a big annoyance to his detractors.
Stay the course Bill
The notion that the media has created societal divisions is pure lunacy. However I recently hosted a Celebration of Life for my wife who died at age 75 and approximately 200 people came. (my wife was a force of nature.) All of these people took time out on a Saturday to comfort me and my daughters and to grieve and celebrate. It was simply an extraordinary moment of a unified community coming together for a common kind purpose. Any division was pushed aside in service of our better angels.
However I will be joining our community’s No Kings rally and shouting my resistance to a despot. The media is not making me do that. The fate of my grandchildren is making me do that.
“I try to pay attention without letting it consume me”
I’m struggling with the later part of that quote these days.
I appreciate your short “other things”. I think we have the most volatile and impulsive president in history that is making huge policy swings, attempting to control the media, and allowing corruption to run rampant in his administration. In my opinion this administration has not honored our constitutional rights. Heck, my European friends are refusing to come and visit us while he is in office.
Wow ! I'm reading this article earlier than I usually do and already there are 11 comments!?!?
Bill, I read your newsletter almost every day. I talk about at least one article every week. Heck, my son was learning about the invention of the telephone and one of the questions was "how does your family use a telephone today?" and my son answered "watching videos, doing the budget, and reading a newsletter." He also asked me at dinner last night, "what was your newsletter about today, mom?" He's 9.
I don't usually comment. I'm just not the kind of person who interacts with strangers online. Call me an internet introvert, if you will. I love starting my day with turning on my thinking and having some direction to my thoughts. -Even if it feels "Trump heavy" sometimes! Because, let's face it, the world is Trump heavy right now!! 🤣 I skip the Trump-related "other things" often. I also skipped all the Epstein points. And any of the War points. That's the beauty of reading: you can skim or skip entirely! It's hard to do that when listening to audio media.
So, Bill, you're right - 99.9% of your readers don't comment. And this .01 (?) percent thinks you're doing great!!
Hey,Bill... keep doing what you do.....it.matters, it really matters
I like to think, once.in a.while, and Understanably provides many valid thought prompts
We all would rather spend out time thinking about and interacting with our family and our neighbors. However, the majority of Americans have had trump and his minions thrust upon us, who are unqualified to serve in the offices they hold and as a result on a continuing daily basis make wrong and foolish decisions that harm our economy and quality of life and the future of our children and grandchildren. The Constitution and Rule of Law in our country is being attacked on a daily basis. The Justice Department has been turned into a "roy cohn" mob boss gaggle of idiots and fools with a law degree. We would not have to focus on this if it were not so important to rally around efforts to stop this insanity. I won't go further except to say that hegseth is an incompetant coward and reached his "Peter Principle" achievements at Fox news.
As has been said several times Americans have a very short memory. This crap about the news media dividing the country is just that, crap! Newt Gingrich started the mantra of them va us and it gained an audience. Fox News expounded upon it. I watch I listen and I see my young kids just hoping to is get better, almost putting the heads in the sand. I keep reminding them what is shopper is dangerous. More them and their kids than me. They will have to live in the out comes of this. I have never in my life seen such a bunch of spineless, toddler men afraid of someone who is a bully. He has silenced musicians, actors, athletes, corporate america is sucking up to him in such a disgusting form that big buck. If for just two, three days if most Americans stopped buying anything these guys would get a clue that without the average American this economy would not move or work. We don’t need crazy in our government or media and without people like you and others trying to keep things ground we are going to be in big trouble. I worry about th is daily!