The past couple of posts, I’ve referred to people I read or listen to as navigational aids, or sources of power to charge myself from. Enough with the mixed metaphors! Let’s go with “guiding lights” for these choppy American waters.
The Contrarian is a biggie. Do you know these folks?
In January 2025, Norm Eisen–CNN analyst, former ambassador to the Czech Republic, the list of roles goes on & on, click here for more–joined forces with a Washington Post journalist, Jennifer Rubin, who had quit the WaPo following its Trumpian purge by owner Jeff Bezos. Together, Norm and Jen created The Contrarian, on Substack. Meet Jen:
Since I’ve never been a WaPo reader, I didn’t know that Jen Rubin had started life as a conservative Republican. By the time I started listening to her, following Trump’s second inauguration, she sounded just like me: alarmed, pissed off, and raring to fight fascism. Does that sound like you too? You’ll love Jen. With a journalist’s razor-sharp vision, she not only distills what’s at stake, she lets readers know how to help fight for our democracy.
The Contrarian boasts other frequent contributors, like Joyce Vance, whose Civil Discourse Substack I’ve written about before (and will again). But the other regular “talking head” these days is April Ryan, MSNOW contributor and longtime member of the White House Press Corps. Compared to the rather staid, pearl-wearing Jen Rubin April’s a trip:
Together, these folks keep me updated and full of juice to stay involved. They bring humor and joy (“Contrarian Pet of the Week”); they bring hope –especially “Norm & Katie’s Legal Fight Club” with former prosecutor and current independent journalist Katie Phang. They even offer merch!
BEST OF ALL (notice I saved this for last): all paid subscriptions to The Contrarian (you CAN read & listen for free…but should you??) go to fund Lawyer Norm as he takes on the Trump Regime in case after case after case (all Ws so far, by the way). It brings me special pride to know that I am helping the fight in such a LITERAL way.
Join me?