Bushwhacking Volodymyr as the United States Becomes a Heel

 What happened last Friday in the White House Oval Office might be, actually probably is, the single most shameful event ever perpetrated by a President and Vice President of these United States of Ameria. There have been past Presidents who have fucked over people and nations, but none have ever gone out of their way to insult, lecture and berate them to their faces while doing it. 

Despite the despicable behavior, Donald Trump, J.D. Vance, Fox News and others closely linked to the sellout of Ukraine, are demanding Volodymyr Zelenskyy apologize for his responses to the vile horseshit he suffered through at their hands. The only thing even remotely comparable that comes to mind happened back in 2006. In February that year then Vice-President, Dick Cheney accidently shot Henry Whittington in the face and chest. As he was being released from the hospital days later, Whittington apologized to Cheney for ruining his day by getting shot--well--by Dick Cheney.  

Of course, everyone connected to that south Texas incident claimed what happened was an accident. The same cannot be said of what transpired last Friday in the Oval Office. In fact the entire ugly affair reeked of a deliberate bushwhacking staged to please Donald Trump's love buddy, Vladimir Putin. 

That might explain why Trump's people allowed Russian state media into the White House to cover the incident. It also might explain why a guy named Brian Glenn was allowed in so he could accuse Zelenskyy of disrespecting America itself by not wearing a suit and tie in the Oval Office--you know like Elon Musk does. Glenn works for an ultra-right wing platform called, Real America's Voice. In his spare time he is Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene's main squeeze. Less than three days after he questioned Zelenskyy's fashion choice, Greene's boytoy claims he has received, "thousands," of death threats. 

While such threats, if true, are regrettable, it's tough to feel sorry for Brian Glenn when the man he insulted, Volodymyr Zelenskyy has had the entire Russian army actively trying to kill him for the last three plus years. 

One Fox News commentator told her audience that it was obvious Donald Trump wants peace no matter what. (So did Neville Chamberlain and all it got him was World War II.) She also declared that Trump deserved the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts. She added that if he doesn't get it, they should stop awarding it altogether.

Who needs to read George Orwell anymore? The age of Newspeak has arrived.

If the rest of the world hadn't figured it out before, Friday's shameful betrayal of democracy proved the United States has turned into what the pro wrestling business refers to as a heel--one of the bad guys in the ring that the fans boo because they cheat and use dirty tactics to win. The sort of person you never turn your back on. 

Indeed, from Europe to Australia and all points in between, thanks to Donald Trump, the world now knows the United States is not their friend and cannot be, under any circumstances, trusted. If that is Donald Trump's idea of strength and respect, then last Friday he nailed it.

Congratulations America, you got what you voted for--full-fledged membership in what Ronald Reagan called, "The Evil Empire." Enjoy your new global role.

3-3-25

Selling Out Ukraine is a Historical Re-Make and Pure Nonsense is Reality

 A quick history lesson for those MAGA faithful and members of the current generation who either skipped class or were too busy on Tik Tok to pay attention. In 1938 Germany was run by a guy named Adolf Hitler. He had his eyes on a part of what was then, Czechoslovakia known as Sudetenland. His excuse for wanting to take the area was that there was a sizable ethnic German minority living there who wanted to be part of the German Reich. 

Adolf was a bit of a loose cannon and the two largest western European powers; the UK and France didn't want to tangle with him over someplace that really didn't have anything to do with them. In the fall of 1938, the Prime Ministers of Britain and France met with Herr Hitler and basically said, go ahead, take it. The Czechoslovakian government hadn't been invited to the meeting, but realized they were fucked, so signed on to the agreement. British Prime Minister, Neville Chamberlain went back to the UK and told everyone the agreement guaranteed, "Peace in our time." Hitler made a speech during which he claimed he had and Germany had no more territorial claims in Europe.

Chamberlain was wrong and Adolf Hitler lied. 

In March of 1939 Germany annexed the Czech portion of Czechoslovakia while the Slovak part be--came a subservient German satellite state. In September of that same year Germany invaded Poland and--hopefully you've heard of it--something history calls World War II began. 

Reports from the time indicate Hitler was genuinely shocked Britain and France declared war after Germany marched into Poland. Why wouldn't he be? They had backed down over the Sudetenland. He was convinced they'd do the same when it came to Poland.

Fast forward to the 21st century. The real start of the war in Ukraine began way back when Barack Obama was President. The pretext used by Putin to invade the Crimean Península was it was full of ethnic Russians and it had traditionally been Russian territory. The whole ethnic thing was also the excuse he used to finance and arm separatists in easter Ukraine. Mr. Obama slapped some ineffectual sanctions on Russia, then everyone, except the Ukrainians, stopped thinking about it. 

If you are thinking what has happened in Ukraine is starting to look like some weird and awful re-make of history, don't worry, it isn't just you.      

When Russian tanks began rolling down the highway to Kyiv one of Putin's field officers predicted the war would be over in five days. That was three years ago. They were initially stopped cold by Ukrainian grit and determination, terrible logistical planning--like forgetting to bring along enough gasoline to get them to Kyiv--and massive amounts of military aid from Europe and the United States.  

Now, thanks to Donald J. Trump, the U.S. is, "negotiating," a peace deal with the Russians to end the war. And guess who isn't there during the talks? Why it would be the Ukrainians, of course. Although in all honesty, if we've learned anything about the Ukrainian government it's that they won't go quietly like the Czechoslovakians did. Tragically, now they'll have to fight without American help. 

The President of the United States has spent the last few weeks trying to drum up domestic support for this sell out. He has called the Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelenskyy a dictator and claimed Ukraine started the war. In his never ending campaign to isolate Ukraine and dismantle NATO he has also told us the European powers are getting paid back for their aid while we aren't. He has even said the war in Ukraine is Europe's problem, because, "we are protected by a big, beautiful, ocean."    

There are some out there who say, without any proof, Trump's fanboy worship of Putin is because the Russian has something on him. Others think Donald Trump is just too stupid to figure out once the Russians finish off Ukraine they'll turn west into Latvia, Estonia, and Lithuania, then finally Poland. 

Concerning the first thought, one has to wonder what could Putin have on Donald Trump that is so devastating? Let's face it, the guy shrugged off a public act of treason when he tried to overthrow the 2020 election. He has been convicted of fraud and found to have committed sexual assault in different courts. When his wife was home caring for their newborn son he was fucking a porn star. And he as survived it all. Shaming Donald Trump might well be an impossibility. 

Saying he is the ultimate naive isolationist doesn't really wash either. Having designs on Greenland and Canada, not to mention at least the middle third of Panama doesn't feel very isolationist. In fact it sounds downright imperialistic. 

Others might even suggest his apparent hatred of Zelenskyy is directly linked to the Ukranian President's refusal to cave into extortion by framing Hunter Biden. Given Trump's petty vindictiveness it certainly sounds like the sort of unnecessarily cruel and brutish behavior we've come to expect from him.

It could even be a combination of all those things. Let's face it, the man's mind goes all over the place at 900 miles an hour, 24/7. However, none of them, on their own anyway, feel grandiose enough for our man Donald. Like prophets and serial killers, he is a true dreamer of elaborate megalomaniacal dreams. 

It could be Donald Trump is thinking of a 21st century Triumvirate which will rule the world, or at least the desirable parts of it. In this fantasy of strongmen and their global power, Russia gets Europe, China gets Asia, and the United States gets the Americas, plus Greenland. The middle east and Africa is negotiable, well, except for the beach front property in Gaza.

Trump probably hasn't even told Putin and Xi about this vision, but once the Russians take Ukraine and the Baltic States, China plants the flag in Taiwan, and we do the same in Greenland everything will begin to fall into shape. At that point the Russians and Chinese will figure it out on their own. Sure a few wars will break out, but it won't be anything the three of us can't handle. Besides it will give everyone here something to think about other than runaway inflation and absolutely no affordable medical care. 

Hey, all it will take for it to work is a triumph of the will. And, by the time it is done, just like in Orwell's novel, "1984" the world will have a manageable number of governments--three. 

Pure nonsense you say? God, I hope so. But then when was the last time we saw a President of the United States firing military leaders because he deems them politically disloyal? Or is in the middle of an attempt to not just circumvent the Constitution of the United States, but to nullify it without due process? And when was the last time you saw the United States vote with Russia, North Korea, Vietnam and others against a U.N. resolution condemning unprovoked aggression?

See there, these days, pure nonsense isn't just paranoid fantasy. It is pretty much our reality.

2-27-25

One Month and a Day In: Lies, Fantasy Polls, and the Roswell Incident

 We are one month and one day into the second Donald Trump administration, but for many it already feels like a lifetime. Perhaps it's because of the utter confusion and chaos. After all, name another modern American President who has fired everybody in charge of overseeing the nation's nuclear stockpile by mistake, then in the mad scramble to re-hire them, couldn't find their phone numbers. Or, in the name of cutting government spending, cans a bunch of IRS agents who are out there hunting for tax fraud. You know--the very people who are trying to make sure there is more money coming into the federal treasury rather than less.  

Yes, there are many things unclear and uncertain at the moment. 

Like it is unclear why the President thinks insulting every Mexican and Canadian in the world is a good idea. Has renaming the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America made our southern border any safer, or more secure? Has pissing off the Canadians so much they now boo the U.S. national anthem at sporting events done anything to improve international trade? 

Maybe the President believes convincing our allies to hate us is the same as having them respect us. Maybe he has come to the conclusion inciting fear in others is a sign of strength. In the end, it might be simply his management style. Or, of course, it could be the guy is just fucking cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs.

Let's face it, there is ample evidence to support that last possibility. The other day, Donald Trump spoke to a gathering of republican governors and told them one poll shows his approval rating at over 70% while another has it at 69%. "I've never seen numbers like that," he said. Neither has anyone else, including the people who take those polls. While many recent results have been mixed--some showing Trump above water, some showing him under--none show his approval rating anywhere near those percentages. In other words, the polls Donald Trump cited were ones conducted only in his own head.

Bizarre, right? Yeah, but it might help explain why, after he promised to insert the federal government into a local New York City issue--regulations attempting to limit traffic congestion--he posted a photo of himself on social media wearing a crown with the line, "Long Live the King." This, after he hinted he was above the law by quoting Napoleon Bonaparte on the same site.  

The President has been and still is abetted since his inauguration by the right wing propaganda mills, led by Fox News. When Trump's hatchet man, Elon Musk eviscerated USAID, CNN and MSNBC focused on the agency's humanitarian work, Fox however immediately fixated on a couple of ill-advised culture issues USAID was involved with. 

If one's only source of news is Fox, it would be easy to believe the agency spent its entire budget of taxpayer funds on comic books in South America with gay characters and an African version of Sesame Street promoting transgenderism. The notion of cutting the offending programs and leaving the ones that include eradicating malaria and treating AIDS patients, not to mention feeding a whole lot of really hungry people, escapes them. 

There are small signs though that all this cutting, slashing, and remaking might not be going as swimmingly well as Donld Trump thinks. Republican Congressman, Rich McCormick held a town hall meeting the other night in his Georgia district. The meeting could well be described as the Roswell Incident, because of the town it occurred in. McCormick was there to explain and promote the administration's current rampage when he ran into buzz saw of angry constituents who just figured out all those government cuts are going to affect them, not a bunch of Africans they don't know, or care about. 

Stunned by the crowd's hostility, McCormick asked them, "You don't think I'm going to stand up for you?" The question was answered with a thundering cascade of boos. The vociferous outrage was such, later he was reduced to telling Georgia voters, "No one can hear when you are yelling."  

Oops. But hey, don't fret, MAGAVERSE, McCormick, Fox and Trump will write it off to, "outside agitators."  Listen, if using that excuse was good enough for Lester Maddox it's good enough for Rich McCormick, et al. Besides, give this administration some time and they'll make the ugly little episode disappear, like they did with the January 6th insurrection.  

And just think, I haven't even touched on the whole horror show of bullshit Trump spewed about Ukraine and Volodymyr Zelenskyy earlier this week. Not to mention what he said on Fox about circumventing the constitution so he can rule for a third term.

Indeed, the month has seemed endless. 

Tragically it is just the beginning. We have three years and 11 months to go. And, if it is up to him, even more. But, not to worry America. Those voices in Donald Trump's brain only speak to him at night--well, most of the time anyway.  

2-21-25

Saving the Country and Not Violating Any Law

 He who saves his Country does not violate any law.

Donald John Trump, 47th President of the Unted States of America

Our Leader, Donald posted that tidbit of political philosophy Saturday on social media. He didn't come up with himself. The saying is commonly attributed to the man who crowned himself Emperor of France, Napoleon Bonaparte, although no one really knows for sure. Ultimately, like many famous quotes, it falls under the heading of, "it sounds like something he would have said."  No matter the source, we do know for a fact Trump repeated it, therefore we can assume he believes it.

The response from the anti-Trump crowd was swift, with one wag calling it, "the most un-American thing she has ever heard." Obviously, the woman is living in the past. Since America voted the son of a bitch into office, you can justifiably argue such a sentiment is completely American--that it perfectly reflects the will of the majority, not to mention their idol and his henchmen.

Of course, that doesn't mean the majority is always right. A lynch mobs, in its own, quaintly repulsive way, is also a majority.  But let's not stray into a debate over morality. Here in 21st century America it is a subject which has come to resemble the proverbial Mobius Strip. 

As he was writing those words, Elon Musk, Trump's toned-down version of Levrentiy Beria, ordered his social media platform, "X" to disable all links to what is described as a "messaging service" called, Signal. A report states that clicking on the link will get you a couple of different messages, the gist of which claim X and its, "partners," have identified the site as, "unsafe and spammy."  

It turns out Signal, which is described as an encrypted, truly secure way of messaging, is a favorite tool of reporters messaging sources. Now, it is also being used by government employees and officials to communicate with each other privately, unseen by the prying eyes of Musk's spies at DOGE. It turns out killing the links is just Elon's way of limiting messages between opponents of his ongoing purge, while the warnings are all a cheap excuse to cover up his real motive. 

Elon Musk also wants to kill government sponsored media, which is not really a new right wing wet dream. However, Trump's nominee to head the Voice of America, Kari Lake--a former TV personality and failed MAGA political candidate--wants to keep it around. One suspects her primary reason is she needs the job. Her stated rationale, however, is she wants to reshape the VOA, Radio Free Europe, and the other entities into sources of, "pro American," news. She denies it, but everyone with a brain understands that when Kari Lake says pro American she means, pro Trump. Although the U.S already has private sector Trump propaganda mills, Lake is pushing for an international version. You know--to convince the world invading Greenland and Panama, plus annexing Canada are great ideas that will benefit everyone from, Cuba to Pakistan and beyond.

Over the weekend one of MSNBC's talking heads said the problem with Donald Trump is he doesn't understand how a democracy works. He thinks a leader should lead without restraint. That might have been the case in his first term. In this one though he knows exactly how it works. It's just that he and the fuckers he has around him hate it. And now, as any good dictator does, he is moving to castrate the courts and to control the flow of information and communications. 

That's the ticket. Throw those bastards at CBS in prison and yank MSNBC's broadcasting license. Then make sure no one hears or reads anything one of the boys doesn't approve of. Why not? After all, a dead French Emperor who was thrown into exile on a small island in the middle of nowhere and was probably poisoned by the guards, might have said, no matter what we do, we don't violate any laws.      

It is almost as if Donald Trump is aware of another quote he hasn't shared with us yet. It reads:

Propaganda works best when those who are being manipulated are confident, they are acting on their own free will.

There isn't any confusion over who said that. It was Naxi party media whiz, Joesph Goebbels.

2-17-25 

The Bell Begins to Toll for Ryan Walters

 For the last two plus years, ever since he took office, Oklahoma's state superintendent of public education, Ryan Walters has made sure, 1: the state board members go along with whatever he wants and 2: his name is constantly in the media. During this time, he has plowed on through lawsuits (right now 18 and counting) brought by parents, teachers, local school districts, and superintendents. He has spent thousands of taxpayer dollars, not for stuff like science textbooks, but rather to PR firms who worked to get him booked on national cable news outlets. His pursuit of headlines is so all consuming, when he found out he was under investigation by the state ethics commission he made a big show of arriving at the door of the Oklahoma House of Representatives so he could dare them to impeach him. 

In every instance Walters has adopted the language and attitude of the Ultra MAGA right. All opposition is met with terms such as, "radical leftist," and "promoter of woke agendas," or the latest, "pleasing the swamp." He also loves to invoke the name of his Lord and Inspiration, Donald J. Trump. 

In fact when he demanded students, no matter what the age, and their parents provide not only proof of their immigration status, but also their addresses and phone numbers--raising the specter of ICE raids at places like Grover Cleveland Elementary School--he claimed he was doing so because he supported the policies of Donald Trump. The not-so-subtle hint being anyone not in favor of dragging second graders off of school playgrounds is betraying the President. 

The truth is, everyone who lives in this state realizes Ryan Walters' primary goal isn't improving Oklahoma's schools, (And God knows our kids have the standardized test scores to prove it) but to become the Sooner State Donald Trump. Unfortunately for the Superintendent, during this process he has managed to become not, a mini-Trump, but our version of Matt Gaetz. 

Indeed, Ryan Walters' taste for bellicose, self-righteous bull shit, his relentless self-promotion, and his firm belief that he and he alone should decide what goes on around here, has pissed off everyone. And that's not just we, happy few, band of democrats, but almost every republican in state politics. 

Earlier this week, lame duck Governor, Kevin Stitt decided to act. He replaced three sitting board members who had rubber stamped all of Walters' decisions. He let the two most recent arrivals to the board stay, while the remaining seat was left open. Ryan Walters was, let's say, miffed. He fired off  a post on social media, which in part read, "Governor Stitt has joined the swampy political establishment that President Trump is fighting against."

Walters' mood worsened when Oklahoma Attorney General and current gubernatorial candidate, Gentner Drummond jumped into the argument. Drummond sent letters to Stitt's three nominees (they have to be approved by the state senate) basically telling them not to pay any attention to Walters, but to vote for things that might actually improve Oklahoma's schools. Drummond, who isn't a fan of Stitt either, went on to condemn the Governor for putting up with Walters this long. Walters' response was, "Liberal Gentner Drummond needs to stop pretending to be Governor and start doing his job." Later he added, "Teacher's unions have a new ally in Drummond to support their corruption and undermining of our schools." There was more, but you get the drift.

Needless to say, even though he hasn't announced it yet, there is little doubt Ryan Walters is going to run against Drummond during the 2026 GOP gubernatorial primary. Let's face it, his run amok quest for power and fame isn't going to stop at the state board of education. The Governor's office is the next logical step since he won't have to challenge an incumbent for the seat.

The question though is, has Walters' complete fealty to all things Trumpy gone too far? In January he showed up at a demonstration of the state capitol steps which was protesting against wind driven power turbines. Trump's public opposition to them is based on the number of birds they kill. Since this compassion for wildlife seems a tad fraudulent, we really don't know why Trump doesn't like those giant windmills spinning in the western skies. But, hey, if Trump doesn't want them then Ryan Walters doesn't either. Kevin Stitt, on the other hand does and more importantly, so do a lot of big dollar Oklahoma investors and business types. 

Those same business leaders love to recruit new corporate investment into the state. A poor public education infrastructure--which Ryan Walters is delivering--is a detriment to their efforts. A while back, the City's daily paper, The Oklahoman, sponsored a meeting of these movers and shakers. They rose to their feet in applause when one speakers told the room, "This guy (Walters) has to go" 

And despite all of his slavish adoration of Donald Trump, it remains unclear at this time if the Mango Mussolini has even heard of Ryan Walters. In other words, a Presidential endorsement in 2026 isn't a sure bet. Trump may like devotees, but if push comes to shove and the payoff is right, he'll sell them out every time.

Yes, it now feels like the bell has begun to toll for Ryan Walters. He may well have pushed his act too far. And, as ee all know, these days there is only one guy who gets away with pushing things too far--and he currently resides in Washington D.C.

2-14-25

Ellen Weintraub Says She Won't Go, but the Polls Say She Will

 Late last week the chairperson of the Federal Election Commission went on social media to let the public know Donald Trump had fired her. Ellen Weintraub posted a terse email which was dated, January 21. It read, "You are hereby removed as a Member of the Federal Election Commission." 

A little gruff, but perfectly clear, right? According to Ms. Weintraub it is also perfectly illegal. Her written response to the note was: "There is a legal way to replace a FEC commissioner--this isn't it. I've been lucky to serve the American people & stir up good trouble along the way. That's not changing anytime soon." In other words, "Dear Mr. President, Fuck you, I'm not leaving."

FEC commissioners serve six year terms, although if no one replaces them they can stay longer. The Commission, by law, is comprised of three democrats and three republicans. They are nominated by the President and confirmed by the Senate, just like cabinet members. Unlike members of the cabinet they are not, "at will employees," of the President. In theory they can only be removed, "for cause."

Apparently, Donald Trump's only cause is that Ellen Weintraub is a democrat and he doesn't like her. 

That's where we get to one of those gray areas Trump and his mob of fixers exploit so well. The President can name a new FEC Commissioner whenever he wants. The existing precedent is he does so, then, only after that person is confirmed by the Senate, the sitting commissioner steps down. Unfortunately, we know what Donald Trump thinks of precedent and there is no written rule which states a President has to do it that way. 

So Ellen Weintraub's only viable legal argument is that Trump hasn't given a legitimate cause for her termination. She may say she is staying, but she has been locked out of her Commission computer and phone. In addition, the FEC website now lists her as a former commissioner. Knowing the efficiency recently displayed by the President's hit men we can also assume the locks on her office door have been changed.

Ms. Weintraub says she is exploring all her legal options which really can mean only one thing--a lawsuit and the accompanying judicial morass that we've come to know so well. 

Meanwhile, if the soon to be former commissioner is hoping for some sort of public outcry over the President's actions she is going to be sorely disappointed. 

. A recent CBS/YourGov poll shows Trump's current approval rating at 53% among voters. The survey shows Trump's strongest approval rating, 59%, comes from his bellicose deportation policy. The biggest number, however, was more of a neutral one. 70% said Trump, is, "Doing what he promised," during the campaign. To be honest, the question was an absolute no brainer. We all knew he would keep his campaign promises. That's why so many of us didn't vote for the son of a bitch in the first place. 

His one semi-weak spot so far is named Elon Musk. According to the poll 23% of Americans think that band of happy hackers and juvenile delinquents at DOGE should have, "a lot," of influence over government spending. while 28% said it should have, "some," influence. 18% thought it should have only a, "little." 31% of those asked thought DOFE should have, "no," influence and presumably believe Elon Musk should take a hit of his favorite brand of amphetamines and fuck off.

If we believe in this poll's numbers Donald Trump is winning, although a lot of it has to do with his high profile deportation policy--a policy which has actually deported fewer illegals on a daily basis than Barack Obama ever did and roughly at the same rate as Joe Biden, although at a much higher cost to taxpayers.  

You don't see Elon and his boys all over that one though. It's because they know what Ellen Weintraub doesn't. Not only does Donald Trump carry grudges forever, but, for years, with only a precious few exceptions, he has owned the court system. And now, according to that CBS poll, he has the United States of America in his big ol' fat wallet.

sic vita est

2-10-25

Donald Trump and Two Weeks of Chaos

 It has been two weeks and a day since Donald J. Trump--or, as author John Wooley likes to refer to him, the Mango Mussolini--returned to the White House. During this fortnight of chaos, as promised, Trump and his henchman, Elon Musk, has launched an all out blitzkrieg against not only agencies who might get in his way (nearly all of them) but the constitution itself. 

During this brief time frame, thanks to a republican party full of fascists and cowards, he managed to get a second string Fox News host, Pete Hegseth named as head of the Department of Defense. Hegseth, is by many accounts, a raging alcoholic and serial abuser of women. His main qualification for the job seems to be his unflinching willingness to do whatever Donald Trump wants him to do. That includes gutting the military of all women and people of color who are in positions of responsibility and leadership. This purge comes to us under the guise of ridding the nation of the dreaded DEI rules which addresses hiring and promoting qualified candidates no matter what their gender and race. 

Trump and his supporters consider these rules unfair to hard working white guys, not to mention dangerous to our military might and national safety. They are firmly convinced only these types are qualified to run the armed forces. You know, because white dudes like Walt Short and Ed Kimmel did such great jobs at Pearl Harbor and the name George Custer is synonymous with tactical wizardry.  

Then there is Kristi Noem, the newly minted head of Homeland Security. She is a former Governor who managed to get banned from Tribal Lands in her home state, gained fame for killing her dog, and most recently toured the southern border on horseback while dressed as a rodeo barrel racer. 

There are others, of course, Robert Kennedy Jr. who, according to his first cousin used to dump baby chickens and mice into a blender so he could use the remains to feed his hogs. In the past he gave kids a little scholastic tip by telling everyone his grades in school improved dramatically after he started using heroin. Then there is Tulsi Gabbard who has blamed Europe and NATO for the Russian invasion of Ukraine. While in Congress she also cozied up to Syrian dictator Bashar Assad--a man so ruthless and corrupt even the Russians refused to save him from being forcibly ousted. 

Then there is South African, turned Canadian, turned American, Elon Musk. Musk's office was created by Executive Order. He has never been elected to anything and is, if you believe him and Trump above Congressional oversite and approval. He is head of the Department of Government Efficiency which was created by Donald Trump to purge any department, or personnel who won't do exactly what he wants. Musk's latest attack was on the United States Agency for International Development. It was established by John F. Kennedy during the middle of the cold war with the Soviet Union. Its mission was and has been to not only deliver medical and infrastructure aid to developing countries, but to prove to them the U.S. was the model to emulate rather than a totalitarian state. 

Kennedy came up with the idea, but the department was created and funded by Congress. In theory only Congress can eliminate it. In a social media post Musk called USAID a criminal enterprise and ordered all assistance to developing countries to cease immediately. In support of the move Donald Trump said his pal Elon wasn't doing anything he didn't approve of, as if that made the action legal. The new Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, sensing a potential constitutional problem, quickly announced the agency would now become part of the State Department. How long it lasts once the noise dies down is anyone's guess.

All of which brings us back to the Mango Mussolini. His weapon of choice the last two weeks has become the Executive Order. He hasn't the time, or the taste for Congressional approval. In the first fourteen days of his second term he has only signed one bill approved by both houses. Everything else he has done, or tried to do, with the exception of cabinet secretaries, has been thanks to Executive Orders and Presidential Pardons. He and Musk are, in effect, saying to the nation, "Congress, we don't need no stinkin' Congress." 

And it's working. Despite the outrage displayed by the ever shrinking number of left leaning media outlets (who are owned by corporations, or billionaires who don't want to cross him) Donald Trump is getting away with this mad dash into authoritarianism. He has the full backing of the right wing propaganda machine and online, "celebrities and influencers."

Tragically, that means more than you might think. We now live in an age when most members of Gen Z and a huge chunk of the Millennials get their news, not from TV, or print sources, but rather social media sites. Those would be sites owned and operated by the same bunch of robber barons who were sitting in box seats during Trump's inauguration. 

Indeed, Trump's power grab is working, at least in part, because he and his allies now control the flow of information to millions of people--people, who, either through ignorance, or prejudice, are increasingly convinced a dictatorship sounds like a pretty good idea. Or, at least one which couldn't hurt and is worth a try.

To many of those clods it is time to move on to a new paradigm--or as Kellyanne Conway might put it, "an alternate democracy." Yeah, that's right baby, fuck the Danes and everyone else. First Greenland and Panama. Then, by God and Donald, onward to Ottawa!

The ghost of Herr Hitler is proud. 

2-4-25