Updated Kindle ebook on Trump resistance only 99 cents Feb. 25-March 4

Two years ago, the political landscape in the U.S. looked bleak. Yet, the world got through that time without too much major damage, thanks to individual campaigners with the Indivisible Project, officials such as the late U.S. Sen. John McCain, organizations like the ACLU, and many others who exposed and resisted Trump. That extended to media giants like The Washington Post – which rolled out a special “Democracy Dies in Darkness” slogan – and CNN, which more aggressively covered Tricky Don Trump, who had virtually no government checks and balances.

Sure, there were more tax cuts for the super wealthy and renewed nuclear/coal programs. Green energy initiatives and social programs took hits, among others. Medicare and Social Security survive, though Republicans still target them for cuts. Even Obamacare remained for the most part.

The Blue Wave in the 2018 mid-term elections − in which Democrats took back the U.S. House of Representatives, picking up 41 additional seats − lend a better outlook for the next couple years. Special Prosecutor Robert Mueller’s investigation into the Trump campaign’s illegal dealings with Russia and probable conspiracy to influence the 2016 elections continues to dig up new details and make important indictments and convictions.

Purchase the updated 2019 book here.

The 2018 election displayed “a remarkable wave of grassroots activism that swept across the country − with women and people of color leading the way,” noted Derrick Johnson, NAACP president and CEO. Not Our President: The Movement against the Agenda of Tricky Don & Wingman Mike updates this story through early 2019. The roughly 60,000-word book written by progressive journalist Jackson Thoreau is being offered for just $2.99 by Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing here. It will also be only 99 cents between Feb. 25 and March 4.

The book details what people such as former congressional staffer Ezra Levin and librarian Rebecca McCorkindale are doing to oppose the harmful policies of TrumPence, and make a difference to restore confidence and integrity to the U.S. political system. It spins the story forward with recommendations on how readers can aid in this movement, including a list of about 300 resources to check.

“The development of a grassroots movement to oppose the Trump administration is a very important story,” said Thoreau, a journalist, photographer, and activist for more than three decades. “Many people who were not really involved in politics before have become involved, largely through social media. I know I stepped up my involvement again after the Republicans stole another election.”

Backed up with hundreds of footnotes and sources that are linked to Internet pages, Not Our President outlines how Trump and the Republicans employed questionable actions to win key swing states and how the ACLU, activists, and others worked to oppose them through protests, lawsuits, boycotts, media campaigns, products, and more.

The book includes key recent writings and recommendations for further action from the last real president and vice president, Barack Obama and Joe Biden, as well as presidential contenders like Sens. Kamala Harris and Elizabeth Warren and grassroots leaders with Indivisible and other organizations. While the subject matter is serious, Thoreau injects humor throughout the book, such as his suggestion that Saturday Night Live portray Trump as Tinker Bell.

As Obama said in a late 2018 speech, our problems didn't start with Trump. He is a symptom of larger issues, one who takes advantage of people's fears for his own gain. So while we have to rid ourselves of Tricky Don − as we did Tricky Dick in the early 1970s − there is always going to be another Tricky Don or Dick to take their place unless we really figure out how to deal with the root causes of these Tricky Don/Dick symptoms.

“So this is my updated attempt at addressing some of the deeper causes of our problems,” Thoreau said. “I also include updated links to about 300 organizations and other resources working to make a better world. A lot of issues tie together.”

Thoreau’s past books include Born to Cheat: How Bush, Cheney, Rove & Co. Broke the Rules - From the Sandlot to the White House [2007] and We Will Not Get Over It: Restoring a Legitimate White House [2002]. His essays and columns have appeared in numerous ezines and blogs, including Oped News, Daily Kos, American Politics Journal, Online Journal, Buzzflash, AlterNet, BushWatch, Information Clearinghouse, Moderate Independent, and IndyMedia.

Conservative talk show host Rush “Fat Bastard” Limbaugh once called him a “liar” on his show, probably in reference to Thor calling Limbaugh “the biggest lying, Dominican Republic-underaged-girl-screwing sack of shit that ever got on the air.” Trump energy flunky Rick Perry once said he should suffer and initiated an investigation of him after he wrote about his alleged homosexual activity. Thor once debated G. Gordon Liddy about the First Amendment and other issues on the Watergate crook’s radio show while driving his car 80 miles an hour through rural Tennessee.

He was the last writer to interview Margie Schoedinger, a Texas woman who filed a sexual assault lawsuit against George W. Bush and died via a gunshot wound that was ruled a suicide a few months later. His reports on Arnold Schwarznegger – who he has come to actually admire in an odd way − and others were so revealing that the Los Angeles Times, CNN, and others called to follow up.

His name is a pseudonym taken from a combination of a late dog and one of his favorite writers.

“In this way, my dog still lives to do some noble, important deeds,” Thoreau said. “Henry David Thoreau was a writer who did a lot more than just write about problems in society in the 1800s; he worked for solutions. He was active in the anti-slavery, transcendental, environmental, non-corporal punishment, and other movements of his day. If Thoreau was alive today, I think he would have written books and columns like I have. I think he would be on the side of the oppressed, not the oppressors.”

The author's twitter feed is here, and Facebook page is here.

New novel only 99 cents through Amazon Kindle for a week starting Feb. 16

Throughout my four decades in journalism, I have mostly stuck to writing nonfiction. Truth is stranger than most fiction, except for certain novelists. There is satisfaction to holding the powerful accountable in nonfiction in ways you cannot in fiction. You can go after the powerful in mostly subtle ways through fiction, but nonfiction is more direct.

However, I've long enjoyed writing some fictional short stories and recently decided to turn one into a longer novel. The King of the Internet was done mostly for fun, but also to see if I might be able to reach people who aren't all that into politics. I did my best to poke fun at every institution I could, including Hollywood, U.S. politics, marriage, and relationships.

For instance, the Academy Awards are coming up Feb. 24. Most of the speeches are well-meaning-but-boring thankfests. Sure, award winners have raised awareness for important causes, including AIDS, equality, and climate change. But I mostly remember the time in 2003 when director Michael Moore was booed off the stage after calling George W. Bush a "fictitious president" and shaming him for invading Iraq for fictitious reasons. It wasn't the most poignant moment, but it was memorable.

I'd like to see someone relay a petty speech, like Michael Jordan gave before the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2009, in which he noted the people who shunned or disrespected him and drove him to be the best athlete and person he could. But he didn't use profanity, which the protagonist in this novel did in his acceptance speech to open the book. A petty cussfest would be entertaining, and isn't that at least partly what the Academy Awards should be about? Instead, it's mostly about talented, super-wealthy people honoring each other and promoting their films, which I guess is fine but boring.

This contemporary novel contains both humorous and tragic parts as it follows the exploits of a war veteran-writer, who finds some relief from September 11th and Gulf War guilt by becoming a masked dating guru.

While it lampoons institutions at times, the narrative also tackles matters like dealing with loss, guilt, and intense political divisiveness in a more serious vein.

Cam and Greta Williams married young in a New Jersey town. They get divorced but reunite years later by living in the same house with their three teens. Mostly without the kids knowing, they maintain outside relationships, getting into sticky situations in the process.

Cam, a writer who served in the Gulf War, carries guilt for years not only about his war experiences, but from leaving some firefighters who die in the World Trade Center during the 2001 terrorist attacks. He has a recurring nightmare and loses his job, but later writes a novel about the lives of the firefighters that becomes a movie. While that helps him financially and emotionally, he develops a dating system and becomes a masked, underground relationship guru called “The King of the Internet.” The crowd worshiping makes him feel alive and forget his guilt in a way nothing else has.

Greta, an advertising executive, watches after the kids more and gets jealous of Cam being out late. She sometimes brings dates home late when she thinks the kids are sleeping. She meets Cam’s agent and eventually marries him.

Cam falls for a woman, but tragedy strikes. He decides to end the guru gig. While unmasking himself, he learns about a potential plot against the U.S. president, who he finds disgusting. Will he succumb to bitter inertia or risk his life for someone he personally finds repulsive? His decision has far-reaching consequences not just for the soul of the country and the world, but for his own redemption.


The novel is on sale for just 99 cents through the Amazon Kindle here from Feb. 16 through Feb. 23. Enjoy and don't take this too seriously.

Twitter cracks down on First Amendment, suspends writer's account for calling out Lowe insensitive 'joke'

Twitter can really get things wrong at times. It temporarily suspended my account today after I called out #RobLowe for a culturally-insensitive comment about Native Americans and Sen. #ElizabethWarren. Here is my response to #Twitter: Greetings, I am being suspended for "hateful conduct?" I was calling out Rob Lowe for his culturally-insensitive tweet that he deleted about Sen. Elizabeth Warren. His tweet said, "Elizabeth Warren would bring a whole new meaning to Commander in 'Chief."' My response was simple and direct: "@RobLowe You might as well paint yourself in #redface." How is that comment hateful? I am just pointing out that what he said was insensitive and he might as well take it to the full mocking form. If anyone's account should be suspended, it should be Mr. Lowe's. I'm not the one who made the insensitive "joke" about Native Americans. I was simply pointing out that his tweet was insensitive, though I am not calling for Mr. Lowe's account to be suspended. I believe in freedom of speech and the First Amendment. There are limits, of course, such as using actual violent threats. But neither Mr. Lowe's original tweet nor my response can be considered violent or hateful. Regards, Jackson Thoreau This is the email I received from Twitter about this: <<<<Hi JackThor, Your account, @jackthor44 has been locked for violating the Twitter Rules. Specifically for: Violating our rules against hateful conduct. You may not promote violence against, threaten, or harass other people on the basis of race, ethnicity, national origin, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, religious affiliation, age, disability, or serious disease. avatar Jackson Thoreau @jackthor44 @RobLowe You might as well paint yourself in #redface Please note that repeated violations may lead to a permanent suspension of your account. Proceed to Twitter now to fix the issue with your account.

Like I said, there are times when suspensions are warranted, such as when users have actually threatened to track down someone else and harass them or worse. But too many times, the thoughtless police at such social media outlets take actions without really thinking through things.

#FirstAmendment #FreedomofSpeech #socialmedia