The Latest Episode of, Leave it to Donald

 President Trump directed the most complex and secretive military operation in history, and it was a resounding success resulting in a ceasefire agreement and the end of the 12-day war in Iran.

U.S. Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth, speaking about the American attack on three Iranian nuclear facilities.

Really, Pete? The most complex and secretive military operation in all of history? You would think the guy who runs the Department of Defense knows the history of military operations a little bit better than that. The first instance of something a little more complex and secretive which comes to mind is what was known as Operation Overlord during WWII. It was the code name given the allied invasion of France in 1944. It involved troops from the United States, the UK, Canada, along with Free French units and the French resistance behind enemy lines. There was two years of planning and multiple veils of misdirection in order to keep the locations and date of the landings secret. By all accounts it was also a resounding success. 

More recently the Seal Team 6 hit on Osama bin Laden took a lot of planning and secrecy. Then if you want to go back into history once again and consider military operations not conducted by the United States there was that December Sunday on Oahu when the Japanese navy showed up unannounced. 

Well, what do you expect from an administration which has its very foundations in overblown hyperbole. (How many people attended Trump's first inauguration? According to his press secretary at the time, all of them. How many days would it take President Trump to end the war in Ukraine? Just how many cats and dogs were eaten by Haitians in Springfield, OH?)  

The moment Donald Trump walked in front of the cameras in the White House to tell the world all of Iran's nuclear capabilities had been forever, "obliterated," everyone with a brain knew it was absolute bull shit. In fact, the only surprising thing so far is he hasn't shown up on an infomercial saying, "That's right my fellow Americans, obliterated. Coming soon a limited number of miniature gold-plated B-2 stealth bombers with my portrait on the wings. They will be available for true patriots to purchase for a mere $999.99, plus shipping and tax. Make all checks payable to the Trump Organization."

One analyst pointed out the most dangerous thing about Donald Trump. He said, in effect, Donald Trump just doesn't lie. He makes stuff up that he wants to be true, then expects his people to go out and make it true. He considers his administration a TV show and every week the latest episode of, "Leave it to Donald," has to end all neat and tidy. He doesn't get that the real world isn't a television series.

He also gets really pissed off when someone points out that what he wants to be true might not be. The other day he was telling anyone who would listen he not only ended the war by obliterating Iranian nuclear sites, but America didn't even need to sign any sort of deal which would restrict Iran's future development of atomic weapons. Why? Thanks to our strikes they are incapable of it. Then CNN's Natasha Bertrand reported a preliminary U.S. intelligence assessment indicated Iran's nuclear development hadn't been, "obliterated," but had been delayed for only a few months at best. Her story was later verified by the New York Times and--you gotta love it--Fox News. 

When Bertrand's report hit the President of the United States immediately went what is commonly referred to as, ape shit. In his words, Natasha Bertrand should be, "Thrown out like a dog." One presumes he meant her job, because he didn't really specify where she should be thrown out of. His press Secretary, Karoline Leavitt spent two minutes of a press briefing condemning Bertrand. According to Leavitt, "This reporter who has been unfortunately used by people who dislike Donald Trump in this government to push fake and false narratives." She also told the White House press corps that, "She should be ashamed of herself and that's not what reporting is." 

Actually, it turned out exactly what reporting is. Pete Hegseth admitted the assessment did exist, but claimed it was just one of several preliminary estimates of the attack's success. He told the press the damage was severe, which no one seemed to notice is a long way from obliteration. He seemed exasperated when he finally explained to the media the preliminary report of damage was incomplete and added that no one could know the full extent of the destruction unless they dug 300 feet down into the mountain which housed the facility in question. 

Good point, Mr. Secretary. So exactly how did Donald Trump know if the place was fucking obliterated while the bombers were still on their way home? Did he dig 300 feet down? Or, did he, "just make stuff up," and call it the truth?

It doesn't take much to figure that out.

No, the real world isn't a television show. Ending his war isn't up to the script writer in Trump's head. All those trucks moving in and out of that mountain facility in Iran during the days before the air strike proved that. Not to mention Iran's blood lust to destroy Israel and Benjiman Netanyahu's determination to preserve his homeland and job. Israel and Iran may have stopped heaving bombs and missiles at each other for the moment, but one air raid with what we now understand are questionable results, didn't end it. The two nations are, simply, as Donald Trump once urged the Proud Boyts, standing down and standing by.  

Tomorrow is the 106th anniversary of the singing of the Treaty of Versailles which was supposed to be the official ending of WWI. Legend has it that after French General Ferdinand Foch read the document he commented, "This is not a peace. This an armistice for 20 years." It turned out he was right.

Unfortunately for us and Donald Trump's fantasies, we all know things happen at a much quicker pace than they did a century plus ago. We'll be lucky if this, "armistice," lasts 20 days, no matter how many reporters are thrown out like dogs. 

sic vita est

6-27-25

A Long Afternoon, Then a Big Night in Oklahoma City

 It was a long afternoon in Oklahoma City. Even though the tipoff for the NBA finals game seven was set for 7pm, but one local TV station begam its pregame coverage at 1PM. By 2PM, a full five hours before game time, the coverage showed Oklahoma City Thunder fans beginning to line up outside downtown bars and eateries. Obviously, the pros (And not the ones playing the game later) and many talented amateurs had arrived on the scene. 

Their presence in such numbers that early caused some of us to begin speculating. I was asked what I thought would happen if the Thunder won the game. "Burning cars?" I didn't think so. Arson is the result of an overload of pent up frustration. This town and the fans are new to this sort of situation. The team had arrived from Seattle in 2008. 17 years of not winning a championship is a drop in the bucket to places like New York and Detroit. Hell, even the storied Chicago Bulls haven't won a NBA championship for 27 years and at one point it was routine for them. 

I believed if anyone was going to engage in random acts of old-fashioned rioting it would be the Pacer fans. They are an edgy lot, prone to conspiracy theories and their team moved to the NBA from the old ABA in 1976 and they've never won a title.  I was asked if I thought dipsomaniacs would be climbing street light poles. I said it was a distinct possibility. Then finally, "How about people jumping in the Bricktown Canal?" There was no doubt in mind there would be. In my younger years I would have been the first one to take the plunge. 

The crowd began pouring into the Paycom Center as soon as the doors opened two hours before tipoff. Possibly to escape the heat and increasingly out of control drunks who were partying as if there was no tomorrow. Another reason may have been the team was offering half price concessions up to an hour before game time, an offer no one in this burg will turn down. 

The place went mad with noise as the two teams went back and forth. At the end of one quarter the Thunder held a three point lead, but in a NBA game a lead like that isn't safe with anything more than 0.01 seconds left in the game. In the second the Pacers roared back and with just a few precious seconds before half took a one point lead. They had won the battle of the second quarter, but in one excruciating moment might have lost the war.

Indiana's magnificent magician, Tyrese Haliburton went down with a leg injury and stayed down. Haliburton had been favoring the leg the entire series and in truth should have probably sat this one out entirely. As one analyst said though, "In a game seven if you can walk, you play." Tragically it was found he had torn his right Achilles tendon--an injury so devastating, he might be gone all of next year.

In the third quarter OKC hammered the Pacers and the defense, no longer having to worry about Haliburton began to clamp down. A little under half way through the fourth period the lead built to as many as 22. The entire city was building to a crescendo of lunacy. Champaign was being ordered by good ol' boys who wouldn't know Cristal from Ripple with seltzer. 

But.

Proving it's never easy, especially against a great team, no matter if they are short handed, or not the lead began to shrink. When it dwindled to seven with plenty of time left--the fucking time clock seemed frozen at five minutes left to play for hours--desperation, no, flat out panic began to set in. Faces became swollen, eyes bulged, cardiac arrest became a real concern for some. Everyone remembered the nightmare last minute of game one when the Pacers ate into what seemed an insurmountable lead and stole one in Oklahoma City. 

The kids in sky blue responded though. The defense, which had taken a three or four minute coffee break, once again closed the door. As the clock finally wound down and the lead moved back to 12, the noise in the building became a physical force. TV cameras seemed to tremble from it. The deal was done. Hardly anyone left until after the awards ceremony. As the trophy was presented the crowd morphed into an 18,000 plus ecstatic choir singing, "We Are the Champions."

Outside jubilation rolled through the streets. No cars were torched, but there was one shooting in the park next to the arena. (Moving one local TV wag to say, "There is always someone out there trying to ruin the fun for everybody.") A person was wounded and there was a brief stampede of panicked revelers. A suspect was nabbed immediately and things quickly returned to a peaceful, if raucous normal. Just east in the Bricktown entertainment district a number of people did launch themselves into the canal.--an artificial large ditch lined with concrete and filled with about three feet of dyed water which is a tad questionable when it comes to purity. 

You probably had to grow up in this town to understand the magnitude of a NBA title on the citizens. When my family moved us to Oklahoma City in 1959 it didn't have any sort of professional sports franchise. It was a wind blown dusty burg of a little over 325,000 souls. The biggest sports venue in Oklahoma City was a WPA project seating about 10,000 called Taft Stadium. It hosted local high school football games and the occasional mini stock car race on the dirt track surrounding the field. The closest thing to big time sports was down in Norman where the University of Oklahoma played football at a rarely sold out 62,000 seat stadium. It was a town which hung its hat solely on the fact it was and is the state capitol. The place was so obscure many outsiders thought the capitol of Oklahoma was the better known town of Tulsa.

Even after sports teams arrived Oklahoma City dwelled strictly in the minor leagues. A brief flirtation with the National Hockey League died quickly when it was discovered the NHL brass was just using Oklahoma City to extort more money and better facilities out of bigger prospective markets. The fact is for decades Oklahoma City remained nothing more than an overgrown outback village where there was nothing to do.  

Thanks to some movers and shakers, but primarily the Thunder it's not that way any more. In this, the year of our Lord, 2025 we have something places like New York, Boston, Chicago, and Los Angeles doesn't We have--the NBA championship. 

Or, as the crowd sung last night, for the moment anyway, "We are the champions of the world."

6-23-25

Conspiracies, Bus Stop Busts, Pole Erection Gibberish, and the kids in Sky Blue

 Where to begin? Even in an age of madness this week has been an exceptional one. For example, it is the current rage among MAGA circles to claim accused Minnesota assassin, Vance Boelter of being not a right wing savant, but rather another ultra violent Marxist son of a bitch. This all started when the New York Post published a story Boelter had been a political appointee of democratic Governor, Tim Walz, Not only that, but according to the Post report, police found fliers in Boelter's car promoting the, "No Kings Day," protests held nationwide over the weekend.

MAGA Utah Senator Mike Lee immediately picked up on the item, then went on social media to post a security photo of Boelter standing outside one of the victim's homes prepared to wreck carnage. Lee posted the caption, "This is what happens when Marxists don't get their way." He later posted a second message with the same photo side by side Walz which read, 'Nightmare on Walz Street." 

What Lee didn't mention was Boelter's, "appointment," was to an obscure, unpaid, advisory board that, as near as anyone can tell, never met as a complete body and rarely, if ever, made any policy recommendations to the Governor. In addition, it obviously never dawned on Lee that Boelter might have had those fliers so he would know when and where to show up and open fire. It doesn't make any difference that Lee finally deleted the posts (Only after given a version of the, "Sir, have you no decency," speech on the Senate floor.) The word is out. Among the MAGA faithful the evangelical, Trump supporting maniac who was carrying a hit list of progressive leaders and organizations, is a liberal mole. As Elon Musk later wrote, "The left is murderously violent."

Meanwhile, out in Pasadena, CA Ice agents--at least people think they were ICE agents, they were wearing police tactical gear, but no insignia and arrived in unmarked vehicles--descended on a street side bus stop, then hauled off six persons waiting to catch a ride. As far as witnesses could tell, no ID, or warrants were shown as the group was cuffed and whisked away. One bystander filming the, let's say, abduction watched in horror when an, "officer," jumped out of one of the cars and aimed his weapon at him, or her. In certain countries victims of such gruesome scenes are known as, "the disappeared." The local ICE office refused to comment on the incident.  

Back in Pennsylvania an enterprising individual decided to take advantage of ICE's dubious tactics. He walked into a place of business in tactical gear, claimed he was from the agency, then restrained the Dominican born clerk who is here legally. He didn't disappear her though, he simply robbed the place and quickly made a clean getaway.

Finally we have the Israeli-Iranian war which roars to life every night. The main topic of discussion, as it is in the the United States is the possible intervention of American armed forces in the conflict. The issue has divided the MAGA base. The divide was never more obvious than on a pod cast last night featuring Tucker Carlson and Texas republican Senator Ted Cruz. Carlson, representing the isolationist wing of the base and Cruz standing for the interventionist side of things ended up angrily shouting at each other about who was more ignorant about the country of Iran and the definitions of, "we," and "us." It quickly became an absurdist, full volume, version of, "My Dinner with Andre." 

The Mango Mussolini, the master of disaster, the agent of chaos Donald Trump himself didn't clear things up a bit. At a flagpole erection ceremony on the White House lawn (causing Jordan Klepper to     quip Trump had learned he was lacking in polls) he answered a question about his intent in the conflict by saying, "You don't know what I'm going to do. You don't know. I may do it. may not do it. Nobody knows what I'm going to do." Translation: Trump doesn't have a clue what he is going to do. He won't until someone he trusts tells him what will be best for him in the TV ratings and the FOX approval department. Hey, if we know anything about the guy, it is he doesn't give a shit about how many people die or suffer. He won't make a decision until he knows exactly what is in it for him.

Right now, however on the southern plains in Oklahoma City none of the recent lunacy makes a flying fuck. On this night in Oklahoma City and other parts of the state all anyone cares about is OKC's NBA happy band of young guns are 48 minutes away from winning the league championship. Tension has mounted all day. Drunks are already in the streets and the bars are packed. This burg is about to explode with joy and unrestrained celebration. 

Of course, those sharp shooting thugs from Indiana might have something to say about iit. Their backs are to the wall and they've proven there is no quit to them. The game is in Indianapolis and to win it all the Thunder will have to beat them for the third straight time. It is a tough nut to crack and the odds are the series will return to OKC for a game seven. At the moment though, hope abounds. 

So, despite crass political conspiracies, authoritarian police actions, and complete gibberish from the leader of the free world we remain optimistic. Not to mention anxiously, yea desperately, in need of a win tonight by the kids in sky blue. 

Hunker down and Thunder up.

6-19-25

Vance Boelter Becomes Another American Accomplishment

 He wasn't a hateful person. But he needed help.

David Carlson, longtime friend of Vance L. Boelter accused Minnesota political assassin. 

You think, Dave? Yes, it appears America has produced yet another deadly lunatic who for years was able to hide in plain sight before exploding into unrestrained and unexplainable violence. We've become quite accomplished at it.

According to reports Vance Luther Boelter was ardent evangelical Christian who had traveled to Africa on occasion, primarily the Democratic Republic of Congo to preach The Word of Christ to the locals. During these, "sermons," he talked about the evils of homosexuality and the agenda of the LBGTQ community. CNN quoted him once as telling the congregation, "There is people, especially in America, they don't know what sex they are, they don't know their sexual orientation, they are confused. The enemy has gotten so far into their mind and soul." 

While definitely not pro gay, those words aren't exactly over the top anti gay either. Neither were any of his social media posts. While he was firmly a Trump man, his social media presence hardly was that of a fire breathing, MAGA type. His only apparent foray into politics was being named to a Governor's advisory board offering policy recommendations on small business legislation. Another member of the board was state representative, Melissa Hortman. Early Saturday morning Boelter murdered her and her husband at their home. It's unclear whether they even knew each other while serving on the panel.

Actually when it came to Boelter's small business things took a murky turn. He owned a "security," outfit called, Praetorian Guard Security Services. No one seems sure how many employees Praetorian Guard employed besides Vance Boelter and a woman listed as CEO who is presumed to be his wife. In photos, however he certainly looks the part, geared up in law enforcement blue with protective vest and dark visored riot helmet.

Boelter's pal, David Carlson told CNN, the "Director of Patrols,: for Praetorian Guard Security Services was drifting from one job to the other, at one point even taking a spot at a funeral home. It seemed all those evangelical missions to Africa were taking their financial toll. Not only was Boelter paying for them, but he was quitting jobs one after the other to make them. After the last one he found his prospects dim at the very best. CNN quoted Carlson as saying, "He was looking around, but maybe things just didn't work out and he just gave up and decided to go out in a blaze of glory."

Glory in this instance being defined as showing up at Representative Hortman's door in the middle of the night then shooting her and her husband multiple times, killing them both. Boelter then drove over to state Senator, John Hoffman's home. Hoffman and his wife were shot a total of 17 times, but somehow both survived. Local police were either called to the scene, or stumbled across it while on patrol and Boelter fled the scene on foot. Cops found a small arsenal of weapons in his vehicle (Hey, it's America and no matter how broke you are you can always get your hands on guns.) They also found a list of what is reported to be over 70 politicians, pro-choice activists, organizations, and medical clinics. It would seem Vance Boelter's hit list was a long one. How glorious it was remains up for debate. 

Minnesota state police caught up to Vance Boelter last night. He was hiding in a field of tall grass in Green Isle, MN about 50 miles west, southwest of Minneapolis. He was armed but gave up without a fight. He is scheduled to make his first court appearance this afternoon. 

The left is screaming about political violence incited by right wing rhetoric. MAGA Utah Senator, Mike Lee has been on social media with a snide post about Marxists, a favorite MAGA term used to denigrate democrats. 

Obviously it's hard to ignore the political connection. All the names, organizations, and places on the list were and are progressive in nature, spread out over several states. People like Mike Lee, Marjorie Taylor Greene, and other fetid souls who occupy the MAGAverse didn't make the roster. 

The truth though is when that unknown microchip out in the brain of Vance Boelter shorted out, politics didn't cause it, politics simply provided him with the names of potential victims. 

In the end, it was perhaps Boelter's buddy, David Carlson who said it in the best and maybe only way possible. As the interview with CNN drew to a close, Carlson said, "I have no idea what he was thinking."

6-16-25

Chaos in LA, Conspiracies on FOX, and Boners in Washington

 It is unknown at this time if the President, Donald J. Trump is walking around with a grin and an erection. However, despite his age, the odds are he is. If he isn't for some reason--perhaps a defective batch of Viagra--we can be assured his aide, the Director of the Department of Xenophobia, Stephen Miller is. 

Why shouldn't they? When they sent large numbers of ICE agents dressed in paramilitary gear into the Paramount and garment districts of Los Angeles they were hoping and praying for an angry and massive response from the Hispanic community. Then they got it. Indeed, crowds in the streets, objects hurled at members of law enforcement agencies, cars set on fire. It was exactly the media event they had planned. The perfect sort of photo op that would reinforce to white Americans everywhere that hordes of blood thirsty foreigners are out to get US.

FOX News was quick to pick up on that point last night when one of their street reporters ominously told the audience, "The crowd is carrying many foreign flags, but there aren't any American flags." There were many other hints at a broad conspiracy. Other reports on FOX were that unidentified, paid "organizers," were handing out baseball bats, gas masks, and frozen bottles of water to use as projectiles. Still others claimed the leaders were equipped with hand held radios and were in constant communications with roof top spotters who were advising them where and how many police they were facing and which streets to push the mob onto.  

Unfortunately, FOX didn't provide us with any photo evidence of the bats, or the roof top observers with radios, but it was assumed they were there, directing traffic and operations. There was one shot of a single guy waving a Mexican flag, but when to comes to the rest we will just have to take their word on it.

All this, "news," led the perpetually outraged, Sean Hannity and others to declare the protests a well organized and financed plot put together by some secret cabal of--well--someone. In other words, unknown persons paid off the crowd then armed them with the express intent of destroying America as we know it. Hannity and his pals demanded the DOJ track down the sources so they could be identified and prosecuted. That's right, all the anger out there couldn't have been provoked because of a raid on one clothing manufacturer which netted 44, or so arrests of mostly women working at sewing machines. Or when agents started arresting a bunch of guys looking for day labor jobs outside of a Home Depot.  

The whole pretense of going after foreign gang members was by then gone, although the rhetoric about murderers, rapists, and drug pushers remained. However, that line becomes a tougher sell when you haul off a bunch of seamstresses. As MSNBC's Lawernce O'Donnell pointed out last night, "Gang members don't sew." (The raid on the garment factory was so egregious one ICE official said his agents were actually there to shut the business down because of a history of tax evasion and the arrests themselves were simply a side effect. He chose not to explain how, or when Immigration and Customs Enforcement became involved with handling matters of tax law.) 

It doesn't matter. Trump and Miller got exactly what they wanted, chaos on the streets in a democratic controlled city. The howls of the mayor and governor just bolster their claim liberals are selling real Americans and the country as a whole down the river--that the, "lunatic left," wants us to be overrun by people who speak a different language and are a different color. 

One thing can be said of Trump and Miller, they know where to start a new age pogrom. The vast MAGA world ranging from Idaho to the deep south considers California a nightmare of liberalism, filled with Hispanics, Asians, and Hollywood elitists, not to mention scads of run amok drag queens. Most react to the name Gavin Newsom the same way they react to say, Hillary Clinton, or Joe Biden, or Nancy Pelosi. The President is dead on, the only way to reign these crazy fuckers in is to deploy the National Guard and Marines. 

Or, as Hannity said last night in a moment of faux compassion, "I pray for the good citizens of Los Angeles who are having to go through this violence." Left unsaid, but understood, was the violence that was tolerated and even encouraged by the city and state's elected leaders.   

This morning Donald Trump justified his order federalizing the California National Guard over Newsom's objections, saying, "If we weren't there that city would be in flames." In fact, Newsom has become such a pain in the ass to him, yesterday he suggested the head of ICE should arrest the Governor. Newsom told him in effect, come and get me. As of this writing the Governor remains at large.

In truth last night we probably learned more about the three major cable news networks than we did about what was happening in downtown LA last night. FOX, as we've seen went all dark conspiracies and civil war apocalypse while MSNBC shrugged things off to the point their Monday night hosts, Rachel Maddow and O'Donnell barely mentioned what was going on. Meanwhile CNN mixed street coverage of the events with a panel discussion between liberals and conservatives which more than a few times degenerated into all out screaming matches. Before it was over it became incomprehensible yet exquisite madness.

No wonder Trump and Stephen Miller are walking around today with boners. They've got the military in the streets and the rest of us right where they want us.

6-10-25

A Big Weekend for the People at CCLC

 For years the business, Corruption, Cruelty, Lies, and Conspiracy--also known as CCLC--was a local enterprise limited to the New York and New Jersey areas. It slowly expanded up and down the east coast and even expanded in a small way to the UK. It went nationwide sometime in 2015 and quickly became all the rage among Americans of all colors and stripes. (We are after all a nation of fads. (Remember the run on CB car radios in the 1970's?) 

Tragically, we are also a nation of hysterics who are driven into extended spasms of alarm, fear, and borderline panic. Think back to the rumors about the catastrophic melt down that New Years Day, 2000 was supposed to trigger tech disaster, or the whole , end of the Mayan calendar thing. Given these uniquely American, let's say, quirks it really isn't surprising the folks at CCLC have been able to run amok like they have been.

This weekend we saw a few prime examples. A few days ago, Iowa republican Senator, Joni Ernst held a town hall meeting in her state. During the get together she tried to explain to her mostly rural constituents--the people she is supposed to represent--why she is in favor of cutting hundreds of millions of dollars of medical assistance which a lot of them depend on. Ernst decided to lie. She claimed none of them would have their Medicaid and Medicare funding cut. The cuts, she said, were only being made to weed out the fraud committed by millions of illegal immigrants who were unlawfully collecting taxpayer funded medical benefits.

Few in the audience were buying it. She was met with boos and angry voices. In anguished frustration a 33 year old Iowa woman, India May shouted, "People will die." Ernst's instant response was, "People will not." Instantly realizing that bit prima facie bull shit wasn't going to fly either, she quickly added, "Well, we are all going to die. For heaven's sake folks." While it is not clear what the Senator expected after making the statement it obviously wasn't the one she got. 

After it was all over with, Ernst took to social media to tell the voters of Iowa, at least the ones in the Town Hall what that she really thought of them. In part it read, "And I made the incorrect assumption that everyone in the auditorium understood we are all going to perish from this earth. So, I apologize and I'm really, really glad that I didn't have to bring up the subject of the Tooth Fairy as well..." She ended the sentence by saying eternal life can only be achieved by embracing her, "Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ." 

That's the style, Joni. Cut off their medical care while promising them eternal salvation if they believe exactly the way you do.

Speaking of illegal immigrants. The Milford, MA high school Scarlet Hawks boys' volleyball team is currently short a member. Marcelo Gomes da Silva and a few of his teammates were on their way to practice Saturday morning. Marcel is an 18 year old senior to be who, besides being on the volleyball team plays in the school band. His grades are reportedly good to excellent, and he doesn't have a criminal record of any kind. His family moved him to Milford when he was six years old. At the time his father was on a student visa which has since lapsed. 

We all know where this is going, right?

You got it. Marcelo Gomes da Silva was pulled over and arrested by ICE agents on his way to a school sponsored and supervised activity. He is currently being held at an ICE facility in Burlington, MA. When the news hit the school's volleyball coach, administrators, students, townspeople, the mayor, and the Governor of the Commonwealth were outraged. Acting ICE Field Directing Field Director, Patricia Hyde responded by saying, "When we go into the community and find others who are unlawfully here we are going to arrest them. We've been completely transparent with that. (Except for agents wearing ski masks of course.)  He is 18 years old and he's unlawfully in this country."

The agents claim they were actually after the kid's father, Joao Paulo Gomes-Pereira. It turned out Marcelo was driving his old man's car simply by chance, so instead of the agents looking elsewhere, he instantly became one of the, "others" Hyde was talking about. Hyde attempted to make a big deal about the father not turning himself in after the arrest, but who can blame him? There is no evidence that if he does ICE will release his son, they'll just have another head to count.

And lately that's what counts. Last week Stephen Miller along with Kristi Noem told ICE and other agencies in no uncertain terms that when the Boss said he was going after the gangs, the worst of the worst he really meant he wanted to deport every immigrant in the country, except possibly the white ones. Miller let those département head know, if they didn't meet the 3,000 arrests per day quota they would find themselves unemployed.

Finally, over the weekend the founder and CEO of CCLC, Donald Trump, reposted this on social media: There is no #Joe Biden--executed in 2020--#Biden clones, doubles & robotic engineered soulless mindless entities are what you see. >#Democrats don't know the difference. #Steel #ussteel #MAGA #MAHA...

It's unclear if the White House has officially commented on the post. Most of MAGA, but certainly not all consider it just another example of Trump's droll sense of humor, although MSNBC's Lawrence O'Donnell considers it another overt sign the guy is bat shit crazy. While that probably isn't the case here--other signs abound--it can be argued the President of the United States, no matter what time of day, should probably be thinking about things other than poking jokes at a dying old man who served as his predecessor. 

But hey, humor is in the eye of the beholder. 

Yes, CCLC had a hell of a few days. And just think, I didn't even touch on Elon Musk's drug addled last appearance in the Oval Office.

sic vita est

6-4-25

Miller, Noem, and the New Quota

 According to Wikipedia Wolf-Lieb Glotzer and his wife, Bessie arrived in the United States in 1906. They had fled what is now Belarus because during those early years of the 20th century things in the old Russian Empire and Eastern Europe in general were not going well for Jews. When they arrived neither of them could speak English. Back in those days, however, immigration rules were few and simple. Basically, the main one was, if you could get yourself here, you were in. The only restriction was, as it is today, even after you become a naturalized citizen, no matter how successful you were, you could never run for President of the country, although your kids who were born here could and presumably still can.

Wolf-Lieb and Bessie caught a break One of their direct descendants, Stephen Miller has made it his life's work to make sure that people who desperately want and need to get here can't--and to throw out the ones who have made it. Especially the ones who can't speak English, or do wear caps and hoodies, or--and this is really important--have tattoos.

Miller's official title Deputy White House Chief of Staff for Policy. Wikipedia says he became a conservative during his high school years after reading a book written by former National Rifle Association CEO, Wayne LaPierre. (LaPierre would later be thrown out of the NRA after it was found he had nearly emptied their treasury to buy himself things like a yacht.) Apparently, another big influence on the young Stephen Miller was the book, "The Way Things Ought to Be" written by the Godfather of all right wing media, Rush Limbaugh. 

Conservative guru, David Horowitz was also an influence. Especially after he published an essay written by a teenaged Miller on his web site. It was titled, "How I Changed My Left Wing School." Proving he didn't think much of rules and traditions the young Miller invited Horowitz to speak at his high school, then again at Duke University when he was a student there. In both cases he did so without telling the people who actually ran the schools, and sanctioned guest lecturers.   

Last week Miller and Department of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem showed up at the headquarters of the Immigration and Custom Enforcement agency to give them some news. Neither was happy with the number of people being pulled off the streets and out of homes by ICE agents. Miller and Noem told them they had a new quota to fill or there would be hell to pay. From now on, they, said, there should be a minimum of 3,000 arrests made per day. 

That's right. Per day, seven days a week. That's more than triple the previous rate. Apparently Noem and Miller don't care where they find them. Home, work, school, the street, hell, maybe even church. Just arrest them all and stick them, well, somewhere. Don't worry about due process. The boss is working on that right now. To paraphrase the movie line, "We don't need no stinking due process."  

Recently courthouses have been productive locations to make the grab. Migrants who are desperate not to run afoul of the immigration system--unlike those savage gangbangers who are terrorizing the locals--are suckered into courthouses under false pretenses then scooped up by ICE agents. If any judge, like the one in Wisconsin, tries to interfere arrest them too. After all, in America, democracy isn't for everybody. Hey, not even the guy who wrote the words, "All men are created equal," actually believed it.  

None of this should be surprising to any of us. Noem has posed for photos in front of prisoners at an El Salvadoran prison. In ICE body armor, and on horseback at the southern border. She has become so enamored with her own images one Congressman told her all she did was, "fly around the country playing dress up." Miller was the architect of the infamous family separation policy during the first Trump term. It is rumored he was the author of the original letter to Harvard University which demanded the administration have effective control over the school's hiring, and disciplinary policies, plus have a say in the curriculum. He went on record during the first term saying, "The President's will, will not be denied." 

Right now, according to Stephen Miller and Kristi Noem the President's will is to arrest over a million people a year and deport them to places unknown. (Obviously no one gives a shit if it is their country of origin, or not,) And no one with even half a brain believes all those people are here to commit murder and rape. What a lot of us do know, however, if Kristi Noem and Stephen Miller somehow achieve their goal there are a lot things we take for granted right now that won't be around anymore.

Indeed. America get ready to say hello to that $15 Egg McMuffin.

5-30-25

Memorial Day Weekend: Believing the Worst Rarely Disappoints

 Here in the United States of America the last Monday in May is designated as Memorial Day. The entire three day period, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday is referred to as Memorial Day weekend. For most in this country Memorial Day weekend marks the unofficial start to summer. Officially it is the weekend and the specific day we are to honor our war dead. It is an ever increasingly number of people to honor. In fact, according to Wikipedia it is over 1.3 million fellow Americans, although that is just an estimate because the record keeping back in the 18th and 19th centuries especially weren't very good, plus the Wiki stats cut off six years ago. 

Of course, that 1.3 million plus doesn't mean all those souls were lost in combat. In fact, up until World War II the leading cause of U.S. military deaths during wars was disease and accidents. How many service members who died after hostilities due to wounds, or disease after the cessation of hostilities is anyone's guess. In addition, the figure does not include the number of wounded or missing. If you add them in, the total jumps to well over 2.8 million American casualties directly caused by wars both large and small. It's just a shade more than the number of people currently living in the state of Kansas.

This Memorial Day weekend, just as they have over the last tree quarters of a century I've been around the vast majority of Americans will spend their time not thinking about our war dead at all. It is doubtful the President of the United States will be one of those who don't, however that might not mean he wants to. 

After all, he is the guy who early in his first run in for the presidency told an interviewer the only reason John McCain was called a war hero was because he was captured. "I like people who weren't captured," he sniffed. That statement is on tape for everyone to see. There is no denying it.

There are other things though, Donald Trump has denied saying. In 2020, during his second campaign for President, The Atlantic reported that two years before, during a visit to France, Mr. Trump refused to visit a Cemetery which held the graves of 1,800 Americans killed during World War I.  According to the magazine it was raining that day and he didn't want to get his hair wet. And reportedly told a senior advisor, "Why should I visit that cemetery? It's filled with losers." During a separate conversation later, Trump reportedly referred to the 1,800 dead marines as, "suckers for letting themselves get killed." 

The reports say the quotes were confirmed by a senior Defense Department official and a Marine Corps officer who were both unidentified. Trump and his people have repeatedly denied he ever made the remarks. They also pointed out it was highly suspicious that the alleged statements didn't come out until the President was running for re-election two years after he was supposed to have said them. At this point the only thing we know for sure is it was raining that day and a scheduled trip to the cemetery was cancelled. 

Another report stated the President once asked an officer why soldiers volunteered for military service. He explained his puzzlement by asking the man, "What's in it for them?" The exchange allegedly took place during a visit to the grave of General John Kelly's son who was killed during combat in Afghanistan. The report added that Kelly was present at the time but probably didn't hear the question. 

Then there is a report that Trump didn't want wounded, or disabled military men present at a public celebration of patriotism because, "No one (meaning him) wants to see that." A variation on the story has Trump not wanting them there because they would make him look bad. Trump and his people deny it all. And while there is no way to confirm either version with complete certainty, when the, "celebration," took place there wasn't a wheelchair in sight. 

Many have sneered at Donald Trump because he got out of serving in the military during the escalation of the war in Vietnam. It would seem many of those people either weren't around, or if they were they have faulty memories. There were a whole lot of people back in the 1960's and early 70's trying to get out of serving in the armed forces. Exotic and mysterious health issues such as bone spurs are just the tip of that particular iceberg. Many who did serve, returned home in uniform and were treated shamefully by those who hadn't. There was no excuse for it then and there isn't now, especially if one of those spewing insults is the fucking Commander in Chief. 

That being said, there are some, including a couple of members of my own family, who accuse me of thinking the worst of Donald Trump, no matter if news reports of his despicable behavior are verified, or not. My standard response to those accusations is that those of us who do think the worst of this guy are rarely disappointed.

Or, to paraphrase Hunter S. Thompson who dealt with the proto-Trump, Richard M. Nixon, "Dick Nixon never let me down."

5-25-25

America's Newest Reality Television Show--Maybe

Up until a few days ago Rob Worsoff was best known in the United States for his work on what was billed as a reality TV show, called, Duck Dynasty." He worked as a producer and writer on that show--proving that in this country even our reality needs a writer to figure out what we're supposed to do and talk about. According to IMDb he has also been involved with the production of "All or Nothing," a show about the Toronto Maple Leaves hockey team and something called, "Dating Naked." (A group of young adults are thrown together in a South American villa, buck ass naked and expected to find true love, or at least indulge in salacious sex.)

All that is to let you know Rob Worsoff is a player when it comes to what we call, reality TV. In other words he is a 21st century carny midway impresario appealing to the rube in us all. So, what else is simmering in his fertile mind at this point?

Reports are saying Worsoff is currently pitching a show tentatively titled, "The American." It is a game show, sort of, featuring immigrants who desperately want to become U.S. citizens and the grand prize is a swearing in as one of the steps of the capitol building. According to the 35 page proposal the oath will be delivered by a, "high ranking American politician, or judge," as the Air Force's Thunderbirds scream past overhead. Worsoff's pitch claims the ceremony will be so moving, "There won't be a dry eye within ten miles."

The winner will be announced after the contestants have been carted around the country on a train, aptly named, "The American," to places like northern California. Maine, and Wisconsin. The challenges they'll face include digging for gold, digging for clams, and participating in the one sport all American citizens are adept at, log rolling.

No, you haven't been slipped a tab of blotter acid and I'm not making this shit up. No one, except, apparently Rob Worsoff could. In fact, there are some, besides Worsoff, who think reducing American citizenship to a prize handed out for winning some horribly warped game made for TV has merit. The Daily Mail is reporting one of them is the head of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem.

Some sources have actually told the site Noem is all for it, while other go so far as to say Worsoff came up with the proposal with her input. A DHS spokesperson has denied both of those reports and claims that while department staffers are indeed studying the proposal, Noem, so far anyway, has yet to see it.

Either way, a travesty like, "The American" sounds like the exact sort of thing Kristi Noem would buy into. She loves all manner of high profile publicity and according to Worsoff the winner would be escorted from the Washington D.C. train station to the Capitol building by ICE agents. (Presumably to prove just to prove the legitimacy of this absurdity and just in case the winner turns out to be an ungrateful fuck and refuses to be sworn in.)

Worsoff swears, "The American," isn't simply his versions of, "The Hunger Games." The losers won't be killed or even shipped off to Noem's favorite concentration camp in El Salvador--although no one is sure if he's checked with her on that. In his version they'll just go back in line along with everyone else. (Unless they're white South Africans of course.) And those washing out of the auditions won't be carted off to parts unknown, although, again, no one knows if Noem has actually agreed to that part either.

No matter what the details Rob Worsoff promises us during the pitch, "The American will be a commercial hit which lends itself to enormous corporate sponsorship and opportunities." Hey, what's more American than that? Everyone is out to make a buck and perhaps he will seal the deal by giving Kristi Noem and Donald Trump a cut. He's always looking for a quick score and this idea seems right up his alley also.

Meanwhile Worsoff promises the viewing public, "We will join in the laughter, tears, frustration, and joy--hearing their backstories--as we are reminded how amazing it is to be American..." Especially for a guy like Rob Worsoff, who was born and raised in Montreal, Quebec. A place which, at least right now, remains located in the nation of Canada.

5-19-25

The Big Grift Hidden by the Flying Grift

 It is unclear at this time if Donald J. Trump, the President of the United States, knows what Air Force One contains. Actually, other than furnishings, it is unclear if he even cares. Apparently, in his mind anyway--to paraphrase an old Billy Crystal bit--It's better to look good than be good.

Combine Trump's complete lack of security concerns with a seemingly blissful ignorance of how the presidency is supposed to work is it any wonder he considers a refitted, 13 year old jumbo jet a perfect tribute from the royal family of Qatar. The idea that some national crisis might have to be immediately addressed while he is at 30,000 feet somewhere over the fucking Atlantic Ocean is utterly alien to him. As long as the interior of the plane has all the overstated posh glitz he revels in, he's fine with it. 

Besides, it's free, right? Well, no. Some estimates of the cost to get the aircraft thoroughly checked for any listening and tracking devices, then up to spec for a traveling communications center, plus install onboard security measures will cause the American taxpayers to pay more than the plane is worth, gold trim and all. Not to mention that when Trump is finally out of office the reported plan isn't for him to leave it for subsequent Presidents, but to have it become an exhibit at the Trump Presidential Library. (Just where that library will be remains a mystery, but it's doubtful any site will have a runway, or hangar.)

No, the most likely scenario is that when Donald Trump leaves the White House--if he ever does--he will claim the plane, just like those documents down in Mar-A-Lago, is his and his alone. One can hear him howling right now, "But it's mine," when someone says otherwise. Hell, he already has his Attorney General, Pam Bondi in on the deal. She has publicly stated it will be legal if he pulls such a scam. The fact she owes her job to Donald Trump and once was a paid lobbyist for Qatar probably has nothing to do with her decision, although, some cynics might suggest it does.

But wait, as the TV ads say, there is more.

What everyone might be missing here during the last few days is that Donald Trump's gilded flying palace--while certainly the most obvious act of corruption--isn't the most lucrative scam he and his family have been running. Before the President even arrived in the Middle East his sons, Don Jr. and Eric were there warming up the crowd. Greasing the wheels as it were. Yes, nearly ignored thanks to the used plane deal, the Trump Org. (ie. the Trump family) struck deals involving luxury hotels, a Qatari golf course--because you know how much Arabs love to play golf--and most importantly, heavy duty investments in the family's newest, favorite, grift, crypto currency. 

That would be the practice of spending millions of dollars on something that inherently isn't worth anything. It doesn't make anything, sell anything other than itself, or possibly even exist except on a computer screen. (Excuse me if I got that wrong. Like a whole lot of other people when it comes to crypto currency, meme coins, and the like I don't understand any of it, especially the appeal, or value.) However, given the nature of the product, as such, the people profiting off of it and their power, the word, bribery does come to mind. 

Maybe that explains the President's sudden lifting of sanctions against Syria and willingness to cozy up with Iran. It might even explain his gushing description of Syrian President, Ahmed al-Sharaa. The other day Trump called, al-Sharaa a good looking guy, among other compliments. Previously, during his first administration, Trump had called him a terrorist and had slapped his mug on a wanted poster which read, "REWARD, $10 MILLION, DEAD OR ALIVE."

Hey, circumstances change, especially when there are millions and millions involved. And of course, at times like these it's best not to ask too many questions. After all, cash from Qatar spends just as well as cash from Saudi Arabia. So why bring up edgy stuff like the financial support Hamas receives from the same people who just gave our man a pre-owned plane, or the murder and dismemberment of a journalist by the government who is building the new Trump Thousand and One Nights Hotel.  (Souvenir and Coffee Shops in the lobby.)

Indeed, with Donald Trump business is politics and politics is business, they are both intertwined in a weird type of Gordian Knot. And in the end we can be sure of only one thing. No body in the United States of America makes money until Don Trump makes money. Okay, that and one other thing. While Greenland isn't for sale, Donald Trump's power and influence most certainly is.

5-15-25

The Woke Leo Effect

 When I give food to the poor they call me a saint. When I ask why the poor have no food, they call me a communist.

Brazilian archbishop, Helder Camara

Compared to the MAGA crowd, the military junta archbishop Camara was speaking about were a bunch of pussies. All you have to do these days, is offer the poor food and in the dark hearts of MAGA you are a communist son of a bitch. Or, to use their current terminology, "a woke Marxist." Offer the poor shelter and they go absolutely apoplectic. 

It began as soon as the newly elected pope, Leo XIV started to speak from that Vatican balcony. One outraged Newsmax, or OAN  (You can never really tell the difference) personality bitterly complained, "If he is an American pope why isn't he speaking English?"

Yes, that whole not speaking in English thing seemed to rankle more than a few of the MAGA faithful. Especially after a few social media posts written before Leo became pope surfaced. Former crypto CEO, Ryan Selkis wrote, "A new woke pope. BLM. Kids in cages. Suicidal empathy. American who mostly posts en espanol" What Selkis didn't mention was prior to becoming a cardinal, Father and later archbishop,  Robert Prevost spent a couple of decades in Peru where a lot of people speak Spanish. Perhaps it is where he caught that case of, "suicidal empathy."

The infamous purveyor of conspiracy theories and deliverer of Presidential BJ's, Laura Loomer took to social media and in part wrote, "His name is Robert Prevost. He's the first American pope. He is anti-Trump and anti-MAGA, pro-open Borders, and a total Marxist like pope Francis." 

That's right, not just a run of the mill Marxist, but the worse sort, a total Marxist. One who graduated from that well known academy for young communists, Villanova University, located in Philadelphia, PA. The school was founded six years before Marx and Engels wrote the Communist Manifesto by Augustinian priests and is unknown at this time exactly how many Marxist Wildcats are running around the countryside, although the number of them who have become pope is perfectly clear--it is now one.

It hasn't seemed to matter to most of the MAGA crowd that the head of Turning Point America, Charlie Kirk did a little research on Robert Prevost's voting record. kirk found the new pope is a registered republican and has voted in republican primary elections numerous times and at least two Presidential elections in the las 12 years. Kirk also pointed out that Leo's past writings have him solidly in line with Roman Catholic policies on abortion and gay marriage and adoption. 

Indeed, it would seem some "woke Marxist," are also selective Marxists. Or at least socially conservative ones. 

No matter. The man criticized Donald Trump when it comes to forcibly separating immigrant families and mass deportations without recourse. In addition he let it be known that J.D. Vance's rating system for who to love and in what order is not in line with the teachings of Jesus Christ. You know, the guy who beseeched us to clothe the naked, feed the hungry, and love thine enemies. 

Hey, if you are a card carrying MAGA there is no time for that sort of stuff now. There is a new reality that must be faced. As pro Trump social media hot shot, Joey Mannarino (He's famous for--well--being famous) wrote, pope Leo XIV, "...is a liberal piece of shit, we're fucked." 

Ah, that silver tongued devil.  

No wonder MAGA clowns everywhere, to borrow part of a movie line, "enjoy the reputation they have in the world today."

5-10-25

Theories From Canada, More Polls, and Pope Donald

 Canadian writer, Ian Boothby recently put his spin on what we'll call, the Trump problem. Boothby contends that while Donald Trump may currently reside in the White House (at least part time) he really isn't running the country as a President, but rather a celebrity. His theory is that Trump considers his second term, like his first nothing more than reality television--a sort of surrealist update of, "The Apprentice." 

If Boothby is right, Donald Trump is seeing the ratings for his new foray into script free TV begin to slip. The online site, ListWire posted state by state results of the President's, or rather the host's approval ratings.  Some of the results were to be expected. Trump's act plays well in the deep south, where most of the time his approval is in the low to mid 60% range. (The exception being Florida, where it is at 53%.) Predictably he is so far under water on the west coast and in the northeast his ship can be officially declared sunk. The same can be said in Maryland and Virginia, where a lot of recently unemployed federal workers live. In Virginia the approval rating is at 42%, in Maryland ,it's an abysmal 30%.

Out west El Don's approval rating in Nevada is 47% and in Arizona it is at 50%. Due south of where I sit, in Texas he is also at 50%. Up in Ohio, where the Haitian immigrants are feasting on dogs and cats, he is at 50% for a third time. In 2024, just a few months ago, he carried all four of those states, two of them easily.

Then there was more bad news for the Leader. In Pennsylvania only 46% of those polled approve of Donald Trump's job performance. In Michigan it is 47% and in Wisconsin 45%. In Georgia it is 46%. For those with short term memory loss when Donald Trump won those four states, he won the election. 

Perhaps Donald Trump was aware of these numbers when he was interviewed yesterday by Kristen Walker on NBC. It might be why he told her he would only be an "eight year President." It was a statement which seemed to put some people at ease. Personally though, I don't believe him--hey, he has been known to lie at times, like whenever he speaks. I still maintain the only way that son of a bitch will leave the Oval Office is to be carried out, either in cuffs, or a box. 

Or maybe this is all like Ian Boothby says--nothing more than bizarre performance art. After all, what else are you supposed to think when the President of the United States instructs his staff to publish a photo of him dressed as the pope, before the College of Cardinals elects a new one. Or when Kristen Walker asks him if he believes he should uphold the Constitution of the United States and Donald Trump replies, "I don't know." 

Is he just trying to provoke his opposition--troll us like some arrogant little teenaged hacker? Is he on acid? Or has the twisted fuck simply gone completely around the bend?

Boothby feels the only way to successfully take on Donald Trump isn't to attack his presidency. He believes you have to go after his sense of celebrity. Savage not his policies--hell, he doesn't even know what they will be from one day to the next anyway--but his image.  

Easier said than done. How do you bring down an image when currently that image is one of utter and obscene madness?

It is doubtful Donald Trump believes those poll numbers. He might not even care about them. All he knows, is he is in charge and by God, he is going to do whatever he wants. And, in his mind at least, there is no one in the world who can stop him.

5-5-25

Pushing Donald Trump Over the Edge

 After the latest ABC/Washington Post/IPSOS poll was announced, President Donald Trump took to (where else?) social media. He wrote, "They are negative criminals who apologize to their subscribers after I WIN ELECTIONS BIG, much bigger than their polls showed I would win, loose (sic) a lot of credibility, and then go on cheating and lying for the next cycle, only worse."  

Obviously, it doesn't take much to push El Donald over the edge, but what was it about those numbers that drove him into such a rage? Maybe it's because the President's overall approval rating was at, 39% which is a six point drop since the same poll was taken in February. That number is the lowest first 100-day approval rating in the 80 years such polls have been conducted. It might be in the details. Only 21% of respondents said they, "strongly approve," of his job performance, while 41% said they, "strongly disapprove." 

When asked about the administration's claims of activist judges interfering with the President's authority, 62% said no, the judicial is simply enforcing existing limits on Presidential power. 67% said federal judges should have the power to block Mr. Trump's executive orders until a trial is held to determine if those edicts and proclamations will, "harm people, or are illegal."

In addition, 59% said they believe Trump and his pal, Elon Musk will go too far in reducing the size of the federal government.  That's while 52% said health and public safety will be put at risk by Musk's chainsaw and Robert Kennedy's brain worms. 

There was more bad news for Brother Don. By a 49% to 34% margin the people polled said Trump's current foreign policy will weaken America's world leadership capabilities, rather than strengthen it. 

No wonder Trump also posted, in part, "THEY ARE SICK, almost only write stories about me no matter how well I am doing (99.9% at the border, BEST NUMBER EVER) AND ARE TRULY THE ENEMY OF THE PEOPLE."

That's right, someone get me Kristi Noem on the horn. We need to ship all these crazy liberal bastards off to El Salvador.  

Well, it had better be a pretty big plane. 

According to their latest poll results: Rasmussen shows Trump's approval/disapproval rating stands at 47% to 51%, Quantus 47.7% to 49.8%, Economist/YouGov, 43% to 55%, RealClear Polling 46% to 51.%, and finally, the latest Fox News poll showed Donald Trump's approval rating at 44% while 55% disapproved. (On the single issue of border security, the Fox poll did show Trump above water at 55%, although the last time we checked that's nowhere near 99.9%)

Yes, the honeymoon, if there ever was one, is over for Donald Trump. It appears he overestimated the number of Americans who didn't pay any attention during their 8th grade civics class.

The bad news for Trump, however, may mean even worse news for the rest of us. At least one MSNBC contributor, Rachel Maddow, believes the tanking numbers will drive the Mango Mussolini even further down the authoritarian rabbit hole. Any normal President, under these circumstances, would take his foot off the gas. Unfortunately, as we all know far too well, this guy isn't normal--and despite what others say and he might hint at, there isn't going to be a third term.

In other words, for Donald John Trump and the twisted legacy he wants to stick us with, it is now, or never.

4-29-25

Vlad Plays Chess While Don Plays Checkers

 Donald J. Trump has an uncanny ability to slow down time. Days seem to stretch into weeks and even months, while just a few months feels like years. Take what he said about ending the war in Ukraine while on the campaign trail. He repeatedly promised he could end that war within 24 hours. At one point he even declared he would end it before he was even inaugurated. He knew Vladimir Putin well, he told us, he knew Putin wanted peace and once a deal was struck the Russians would abide by it. 

Somehow all that bloviating nonsense seems like it happened decades ago. It almost feels like ancient history. However, it has only been seven, or eight months. At the time, the Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelenskyy told everyone who would listen that Trump's line was hokum. He said, in effect, "It will take me only an hour to explain to him why he won't be able to." Trump, his supporters, and his propaganda machine ignored Zelenskyy completely. Possibly because they believed the Ukrainians shouldn't be involved in stopping a war in Ukraine. You know--this was a job best suited to hot shots like Donald Trump and his close and personal friend, Vladimir Putin.

Indeed, some people simply become unreasonable when they get invaded, their cities are bombed, and their civilians murdered. 

Although he missed that self imposed 24 hour deadline to end the war, last week Trump posted on social media that all parties were, "close to making a deal." When he wrote it he was either on his way to Rome, or already there for Pope Francis' funeral. Zelenskyy was also there, along with scores of other world leaders. Missing was Vlad Putin. It's a little tough for him to travel to Europe these days because there is a warrant out for his arrest. An international court has accused Trump's pal of committing war crimes in Ukraine. 

On the day of the funeral Mr. Putin might have made the prosecutor's case a tad easier. Russian launched a strike carried out by an estimated 150 drones. Reports are saying at least four people were killed by the attack. According to Donald J. Trump the timing couldn't have been worse. Yeah, especially for those who were killed, Mr. President. Then he posted he was beginning to doubt if Vladimir Putin really wants peace.

Well over a half century ago at old Herbert Hoover Jr. High in Oklahoma City such a revelation would have been met with the response, "No shit, Sherlock?"

Yes, it would seem our man, Donald is shocked a guy who he admires for his ruthless accumulation of power and riches, not to mention land grabs, is--well--really ruthless. What did he expect, honor among thieves? That's right, Donnie. Vlad Putin isn't one of your merry band of corporate greed heads who spend their weeks making millions and their weekends on the golf course or the ski slopes. Vladimir Putin is a fully functioning expansionist dictator. The man is out to restore what was once an empire which encompassed not only the former Soviet states, but a big chunk of Eastern Europe. And while you're terrorizing immigrants, legal and otherwise, academics, journalists, fellow republicans, and the judicial, Vlad Putin is doing the same to an entire continent.

The brutal truth is, the only reason Donald Trump gives a rat's ass about peace in Ukraine is he is obsessed with winning the Nobel Peace Prize. He has to have it because Barrack Obama won it. Vladimir knows it and is using it to fulfill his, let's say, darker, ambitions. The longer Trump jabbers on about peace the better. The more he screws with Europe the better. It's a chess match and Trump, thanks to his ego, is playing checkers.     

So, here we are, 100 days in. And while the current President of the United States thinks Americans are suckers and easy marks--and many of us are--the Russian President knows Donald John Trump is one.

4-27-25

April 18th: Three Eves of Three Storms

 On April 18th, 1775, the British military commander in Boston sent out a patrol into the nearby countryside. It was a precursor to a much larger operation scheduled for that night and the next day. The patrol was primarily looking for a couple of the leaders of what was called the Massachusetts Provincial Congress. One was John Hancock (now days most remembered for his bold signature.) The other was Samuel Adams (who has a beer brand named after him.}. The only thing the patrol really accomplished was to alert the colonists and their militias that something was up. Later that evening the suspicions were confirmed when Paul Revere, Samuel Prescott, and others spread the word British troops were departing Boston via the waters of the back bay.

218 years later, on April 18th, FBI agents outside of Waco, Texas made plans to end an armed standoff at a heavily armed Qusai-religious commune known as Mt. Carmel. It was being run by a guy named, Vernon Howell. Since Vernon Howell didn't really have any spiritual snap, crackle, or pop he had previously changed his name to David Koresh. His little corner of theology was known as the Branch Davidians. The name similarity was a happy coincidence. .  

Two years further along, on April 18, 1995, 230 years after British troops launched their boats, Tim McVeigh and his pal Terry Nichols were assembling a bomb in the back of a rental truck in the Kansas outback. It was a big bomb--a really big bomb. Later that day McVeigh and Nichols would drive in tandem to Oklahoma City so he could drop off a getaway car in an alley near the Alfred P. Murrah federal building. Once the escape car was deposited near what was then the central branch of the YMCA both men high tailed it back to Kansas and the truck. 

On the morning of April 19th, 1775, 700 British regulars were on their way toward Concord where they believed the colonial militias had stored weapons, artillery, and ammunition. They were under strict orders from General Thomas Gates to destroy the supplies, but not to loot, burn, or do unnecessary harm to the locals. In today's terms it was an order not to fire, unless fired upon.

Down in Waco, FBI agents were also ordered not to open fire, unless fired upon by members of the Branch Davidians--something the G-Men knew they were quite capable of. Back in February during the initial attempt to search the compound that month four ATF agents were killed and 20 wounded.

Unlike the British, and the FBI, Tim McVeigh was under no such constraints as he drove back to Oklahoma City. It is reasonable to assume that other than successfully getting away afterward the only thing on his mind was, as Big Bill Shakespeare might say, "murder most foul."

Shortly after dawn the British column reached the Lexington town green. They were met there by a small militia force. There was a moment of silent tension as the two groups faced each other. Then a shot was fired. To this day no one knows who pulled the trigger first, or if someone's musket had simply discharged by accident. The battle of Lexington didn't take long. Five American militiaman were killed and one British soldier was wounded. The militia took flight, and all the King's men marched on to Concord. 

By the time they arrived local militia forces were pouring into the area from surrounding towns. As they destroyed what few military supplies they could find the British troops found themselves in a dicey situation. Pissed of colonials seemed to be appearing out of thin air. Both sides began to take casualties. The British were forced to retreat. When they got back to Lexington a relief column of 1000 additional troops was there to greet them., Despite this dramatic show of force, the colonists continued to grow in number and the fight intensified. A tactical retreat was ordered and the British troops withdrew back to Boston, under constant harassing fire the whole way.

In Waco the FBI came under fire from members of the Branch Davidians who, as children of Christ, had armed themselves to the teeth with semi-automatic assault style weapons. Using an armored vehicle the agents launched tear gas into the main building. It didn't take long for multiple fires to break out. The FBI claimed then and still does the members of Koresh's group set the fires themselves in order to go out in a blaze of glory. It was certainly a blaze alright, but there wasn't any glory to it. 70 plus members of the commune, including women and children and ol' Vern himself perished. 

Before he got to the Murrah building Tim Mc Veigh literally lit the fuse to the barrels of ammonium nitrate fertilizer and fuel oil mixture. By his own account he sweated out a traffic light while the fuse burned down. He parked the Ryder rental truck in a loading zone in front of the federal building, only a few feet away from the day care center located inside. He abandoned the truck, ran across the street and walked quickly toward the YMCA not a block away. The bomb blew before he got to his stashed car. 

The blast killed 168 people.(although it might be 169 since they found a single leg that didn't readily fit any of the other bodies) 19 of them were children. 

Within a year of the battles of Lexington and Concord the 13 American colonies declared their independence from Great Britian. A few years later, thanks in large part to the French, the revolution was won and The United States of America came into existence.

The nightmare in Waco remains a source of controversy. What could have been done and what should have been done will be debated for years to come. 

McVeigh was popped by the Oklahoma Highway Patrol the same day of the bombing. He was stopped for not having a license tag on his escape vehicle. (to this day it remains unclear whether the car never had one, or it was stolen overnight parked in that alley.) He was also charged with carrying a concealed weapon during the stop. On April 21, 1995, minutes before he was to be released from a county jail on bond he was arrested by the FBI.As he was being taken away the local Bail bondsman told a reporter, "That boy needs a lawyer worse than anyone I've ever seen."  

He got one, but it didn't help. Tim McVeigh was executed a few years later. His buddy, Terry Nichols is currently doing life in a federal prison. 

So here we are once again, April 18th, by an ongoing act of fate which has stretched out over two centuries, has served as the eve of something monumental, something horribly tragic, and something inhumanly murderous. 

Who says God doesn't have a sense of irony?

4-18-25

The Madness, the Duck, the Strategist, and the Rube

What a way to run a railroad.

Daffy Duck Esq. 

Indeed. The only constant in the last week or so has been chaos and something akin to panic. Well what do you expect when the administrations current geo-economic policy was devised by an ex-con and an imaginary expert. That's right, Trump's fixation on tariffs began around the time he read a book written by economic advisor, Peter Navarro. In the book, Navarro repeatedly cited a mysterious, "expert," named, Ron Vara. Vara was the source Navarro based his, "slap 'em with tariffs until they scream," plan on. He sold the plan to Donald Trump in a big way. It turns out, Ron Vara is nothing but a mish mash of Navarro's last name. In other words the expert who Peter Navarro said was his greatest influence was himself.  

 So now, thanks in large part to some ego driven piece of fiction, the stock market has gone completely bipolar. So much so that last week, during the middle of tanking, all it took to start a rally was for a rumor to hit the floor that tariffs would be postponed for 90 days. A short time later, when the rumor proved to be false, the ship began taking on water once again. 

Trump and his people didn't seem to care about the stock market circling the drain, but when people started to dump their government bonds a real delay arrived almost immediately. Except for the tariffs on Chinese goods--you know practically everything you buy in a Wal-Mart, or Target, not to mention the local phone store. 

This news caused a run on I phones and other electronics. The administration now seemingly, as the movie titles reads, became, "Dazed and Confused." An exemption was granted to things like smart phones, laptop computers, and semi-conductors. The nation took a deep sigh of relief, then Sunday Commerce Secretary, Howard Lutnick announced the exemptions were temporary. Then Trump sent things further into a spin by saying in effect, "Yes, we have no exemptions."

In the accident injury business this is known as, "whiplash." Trump propaganda mills, like Fox, News Max and others declared it was all a real time display of Trump's, "Art of the Deal." However to a lot of us it looks like Trump and his administration simply doesn't know what the fuck they're doing. 

Or maybe they do.

According to some, everything from annexing Canada and Greenland to talking about a third term, and perhaps now the tariff chaos is all an elaborate ruse. Their number includes democratic strategist, James Carville who claims Trump is a master at distraction. That he wants everyone in an uproar over these things so they will ignore that consumer prices--despite the campaign promises--are still going up. That services, vital ones, are being slashed and a bunch of really rich wankers are about to get richer at our expense. Not to mention, for the first time in memory, a President of the United States is defying every federal judge in the land up to and including the Supreme Court.  All of which is setting us on a course toward a Russian style autocratic kleptocracy. 

Whether you call it distraction, or misdirection, Donald Trump is awfully good at it. He had dinner the other night with one of his harshest critics, Bill Maher. Maher came away saying Donald Trump listened to him, laughed at his jokes, and was generally a charming and reasonable guy. "He isn't," Maher said, "the man you see on TV." 

It would seem P.T. Barnum was right. 

A handful of republican Senators have signed on to a measure that will restrict Trump's tariff powers. It's unclear how long the Senators will stick to their guns. As soon as someone tells the Mango Mussolini about them he'll put the screws to the whole bunch and they will cave. Besides, no republican in the House will ever go along with it.

Yes, we're all headed down hill now. We bought the ticket and there is no stopping the ride. The lunacy will continue at breakneck speed for the foreseeable future. And the only real question we have to ask ourselves is, who is right? Is it Daffy Duck and his assertion this is a case of mass incompetence and stupidity? Or is it James Carville and his dark conspiracy? At the moment all we can be sure of is Bill Maher is just another rube who bought into a con hook, line, and sinker. 

4-14-25

Kilmar Abrego-Garcia Disappears

 According to a report by Newsweek, Kilmar Abrego-Garcia was born in San Salvador, El Salvador in 1995. His mother ran a business selling flat bread which was fried on a flat iron griddle. Apparently, the business did well, because it attracted the attention of a gang known as Barrio 18. They went to the Mom and demanded that either she pay them protection money, or let them make her older son Cesar a member. Kilmar's mother paid the gang, but knew they wouldn't leave Cesar alone, so she sent him to the United States to get away from them. As far as anyone knows he is still here.

The gang, however wasn't done with Abrego-Garcia's family. They shifted their focus to Kilmar. When the threats and attempts at intimidation became too great, the family also sent him north--to the land of the free. Sometime around 2011, or 2012 he arrived and, allegedly, crossed the border illegally. At this moment, it is the only law Kilmar Abrego-Garcia has ever been accused of breaking.

Abrego-Garcia met and moved in with a woman named Jennifer Vasquez-Sura. She had two kids by a previous relationship and a third by Abrego-Garcia. They were later married. All three children have special needs. When things began to go sideways in 2019, they were all living in Maryland. 

He and a couple of other guys were popped by local police outside of a Home Depot where they were looking for day labor work. Abrego-Garcia was grilled by the Beltsville, MD cops about any gang ties, which he denied time and time again. (Which he still does.) The police didn't believe him, so they handed him over to Immigration and Custom Enforcement (ICE) agents and into detention he went. 

ICE ran him in front of a judge and accused Abrego-Garcia of being a member of the gang, MS-13. They didn't have any evidence of it themselves, but they cited the Beltsville PD evidence. That evidence was based on the word of a paid confidential informant and--you've gotta love it--the fact that when Abrego-Garcia was picked up he was wearing a hoodie and a Chicago Bulls hat.  

During the hearing Abrego-Garcia made a compelling case not to be sent back to El Salvador because the Barrio 18 wise guys were still out to get him. The judge, perhaps because of the hat and hoodie thing, decided, Kilmar Abrego-Garcia was indeed a member of MS-13 and ruled he could be deported. But, and this is a big but, he also ruled the defendant could not, under any circumstances be deported to El Salvador. In other words the U.S. government could ship him off to anywhere in the world, except El Salvador.  

For reasons known only to ICE and the judge Abrego-Garcia was then released and has been living in Maryland with his wife, kid, and step kids ever since. He hasn't broken any laws and in fact the Newsweek report says he periodically checked in with ICE to let them know where he was and what he was doing.

Well, right now what Kilmar Abrego-Garcia is doing is sweating it out in a massive prison known as CECOT which is located smack dab in the middle of the one place the U.S. government was forbidden to send him to, El Salvador. The current administration says he is there due to a clerical error. They also maintain that since he is now in a foreign jurisdiction they and the all powerful President who ordered this and hundreds of other, let's say, arrests, sans any hint of due process can't get him back. 

Yes, it would seem that when it suits him and others, like Stephen Miller, Donald Trump's executive power is limited. 

A federal judge and appeals court disagree. Both ruled that since the administration not only fucked up, but admitted they did, they must get Abrego-Garcia back. They even set a deadline of midnight last night. The feds went to the Supreme Court yesterday asking for a delay. Chief Justice John Roberts granted it, but ordered both sides to present arguments by 5pm today. The U.S. powers that be, through this entire chaotic merry-go-round ride have maintained Abrego-Garcia is a dangerous criminal gang member. The attitude appears to be, yeah, we screwed up, but the guy looks dirty, so let him rot. 

As tragic as Abrego-Garcia's situation is it is just a small part of what is unfolding on the streets of the United States. The President of this country has ordered people to be arrested, in effect convicted, and sentenced to indefinite incarcerated in a foreign land without any charges being filed, any trial taking place, or any legal representation offered, or allowed. When Augusto Pinochet was running Chile, they used to call this sort of thing, "disappearing."

For those wondering there are reports the President's people are negotiating with other countries to provide prison space. Other reports say Donald Trump has, on occasion, casually joked about someday summarily deporting American citizens to exotic locales such as Africa, Asia, and the Middle East without the fuss of due process--you know, one minute you're here and the next you're, "disappeared."

In 1946, a year after getting out of a Nazi concentration camp, German Lutheran cleric, Martin Niemoller wrote a sermon which included these words:

First they came for the socialists and I did not speak out--because I was not a socialist.

Then they came for the trade unionists and I did not speak out--because I was not a trade unionist. 

Then they came for the Jews and I did not speak out--because I was not a Jew.

Then they came for me--and there was no one left to speak for me.

4-8-25

Elon Musk's Money is No Good in Wisconsin

I'll get you anything my friend

if it makes you feel alright.

Cause I don't care too much for money.

For money can't buy you love.

Paul McCartney/John Lennon 

In the state of Wisconsin, it also can't buy you votes, at least not enough of them. The mad South African, Elon Musk found that out the hard way last night. Over the last few months Musk, through his America PAC, dropped somewhere between $22 and $25 million on, not a key Senate, or House race, but rather a campaign for an open state supreme court seat--proving once again the MAGA party believes if it is to thrive on a national level it must control all aspects of state governments. After all gerrymandering congressional districts and screwing with voter rights begins locally.

Dane County District Judge, Susan Crawford defeated former republican state AG and current circuit court judge, Brad Schimel by about 10 points. In a terse concession speech, Schimel told reporters, "I knew I had to put my all in, but you gotta accept the results." It turns out, Schimel's, "all," included an endorsement by the current President of the United States and Musk's millions. It even featured a personal appearance by Musk himself. He showed up a couple of nights ago, apparently deep in the midst of an ecstasy bender, jumping around on a stage, while wearing a hat which looked like a wedge of cheese. Luckily for all involved he forgot to bring along his chainsaw. 

After performing the raucous dance number from, "Billionaires Gone Wild," Musk handed out two checks for a million bucks a pop to a couple of happy MAGA campers who signed his petition condemning, "activist," judges. Activist being the current code name for liberal, or any jurist, no matter their party affiliation, who might clog up the republican headfirst dash into an utterly corrupt oligarchy. 

This morning MSNBC personalities were absolutely giddy with the outcome. There was speculation the worm had finally turned on republicans in general and the President in particular. The fact that republicans won three out of what they said, were four important races didn't dampen the enthusiasm. In Florida, two congressional seats were up for grabs. One had been occupied by the drug addled pervert, Matt Gaetz. The other by the Signal App aficionado turned National Security Advisor, Mike Waltz. The democratic candidates in both races lost by at least 15 points. 

It didn't matter. Analysts and House Minority Leader, Hakeem Jeffries declared the losses as moral victories. Their reasoning was that back in November Donald Trump carried both districts by 30, or more points. In reality, all the losses proved is that democrats can't carry those rwo districts even when Trump isn't on the ballot, or anywhere around. Back in Wisconsin on the same day Susan Crawford won, a republican backed state constitutional amendment requiring voters to present photo ID at polling stations easily carried. 

The truth is, if losing three out of four elections on a single night is all it takes for democrats to claim the MAGA tide is ebbing, then everybody running for office who is to the left of Mitt fucking Romney is in trouble.

No, what happened last night in Wisconsin wasn't the voters saying no to Donald Trump. It was them rejecting Elon Musk. Not to mention his crass scheme to buy their votes. Indeed, It was the good people of Wisconsin telling this multi-national clown, we aren't as blindly stupid as you think we are. 

The feeling here is Susan Crawford's win last night wasn't the beginning of the end for the Teflon Don. On the other hand, when it comes to his political influence outside of the White House, to paraphrase Joseph Conrad in his novel, Heart of Darkness, "Mr. Musk, he's dead."

4-2-25

A Not So Private Group Chat

 Earlier this month National Security Advisor, Mike Waltz put together a chat group titled, "Houthi PC small group," on the encrypted, but commercial phone app, Signal. Commercial meaning Signal isn't some top secret CIA, or NSA hoo doo phone app. Anyone in the world can buy it and use it on their personal device. In addition, the encryption, while fine if you're a reporter talking to a source, or an adulterous spouse arraigning a hookup with his or her latest online hottie, it isn't really all that sophisticated. In short, it can be hacked by any number of young whizzes from Yemen, or Moscow, to Beijing. 

When the chat group convened, it included Waltz, Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth, VP J..D. Vance, Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, Joe Kent who is the nominee to lead the center for counterterrorism, Tulsi Gabbard Director of National Intelligence, CIA Director, John Ratcliffe, Susie Wiles, White House Chief of Staff, Deputy White House Chief of Staff, Stephen Miller, Steve Witkoff, Special Envoy to Ukraine, Dan Caldwell, DOD Liaison, Mike Needham, State Department official, Andy Baker, an aide to Vance, Dan Katz, Treasury Department official, and--oops--Jeffrey Goldberg, Editor in Chief of Atlantic Magazine. 

The group was spread out all over the place. Gabbard was somewhere in Asia, or over Asia. Witkoff was in Moscow, presumably receiving instructions from Vlad Putin on how to get the Ukrainians to unconditionally surrender. The guy who was invited to the conversation by, "accident," Jeff Goldberg, was sitting in his car located in a Washington D.C. Safeway Grocery store parking lot. 

What happened during the text conversation and what has happened since then has amounted to a fuck up so monumental it feels like a skit straight out of Saturday Night Live. 

First, the CIA Director and everyone else was using a commercial app that just weeks before the CIA--you know--the agency Ratcliff runs, told everyone to avoid because it isn't secure. Second, during the chat, Pete Hegseth announced the weather over a terrorist target was good and that a mission would be launched to take him out. In the post Hegseth detailed exactly what type of aircraft and unmanned weapons would be used.  This post came, 51 minutes before American pilots took off and two hours before the strike occurred.  For whimsey's sake it also included emojis of an American flag, a fire, and a fist in a boxing glove. (Later all that whimsey caused a Congressman to ask if Hegseth was drunk when he sent the post.)

So, two hours before a U.S. military strike happened and American personnel were put in harm's way, the Secretary of Defense announced it on an unsecure app to a bunch of people which included one guy sitting in Moscow, perhaps the Kremlin itself, and another sitting in a Safeway parking lot. A little later Hegseth assured the group everything was going according to plan and gave them the time the bombs would begin to fall. Luckily for the group and especially the crews flying the mission, Jeffrey Goldberg was responsible enough to wait until the attack was over before publishing his story about the online get together. Not to mention that no one in Tehran, Yemen, or Moscow had been tapped into the conversation.   

The reaction of Trump and his administration has run the gamut from, "There wasn't any top secret information discussed," (Hegseth) to, "We will not be lectured to by democrats on matters of national security, (Karoline Leavitt) to "This reporter is a sleaze and the Atlantic is a failing publication, " (predictably, Trump himself.) My personal favorite though are the excuses offered up by Tulsi Gabbard. According to the Director of National Intelligence she can't remember where she was exactly, or what was said during the meeting. 

Well, that's certainly reassuring. 

After Trump threw out the insults and everyone else claimed there weren't any secret, "war plans," discussed, Goldberg released screen shots he took of the text messages. The White House, now desperate, has seized on the difference between, "war plans," (The Atlantic's first headline) and "attack plans," (Its second). All through it, administration officials have been claiming, the focus should be on the attack's success, rather than the group chat about it and what, "might have happened.". For good measure they're now saying, Joe Biden never attacked the Houthis, although he did, and that shipping in the area is now safe from terrorist missiles, which remains unclear at the moment.

What we do know is if a security SNAFU this incredible had happened during either the Biden, or Obama administrations the republicans and their media outlets would be screaming for heads and impeachment. Their outrage that democrats are doing it now that they screwed the pooch falls directly under the heading, hypocrisy. 

As of today, Marco Rubio is the only person involved who has admitted the Signal group chat was a stupid mistake. Walz hasn't gone that far, but has conceded it was his fault Goldberg was present, "by mistake." Rubio's honesty might have put him at risk, although the most obvious candidate for a sacking is Waltz. Right now, Trump has to be asking himself why his National Security Advisor had Jeffrey Goldberg's name and number on his contact list in the first place. 

Actually, this sort of Keystone Kops nonsense shouldn't be surprising. After all, as one analyst put it yesterday, Donald Trump didn't hire any professionals on purpose. He doesn't want pros and experts around him this time. He only wants true loyalists. 

Those loyalists got lucky this time around. Who knows what will happen next time. Maybe we should all sign up on Signal so we don't have to wait for Jeff Goldberg to tell us.   

3-27-25

Justin Eichorn Introduces a Bill, Then Gets Hooked

 Justin Eichorn was born not quite 41 years ago. After he graduated from high school he attended Itasca Community College in his home state of Minnesota. He later graduated from Concordia University in St. Paul, MN. It is a private institution operated by a branch of the Lutheran Church. After graduation he served on the board of the Grand Rapids (MN) Housing and Redevelopment Authority. In addition, he got married--his wife's name is Brittany--and over the years his family grew to include four children. 

At some point in his life young Mr. Eichorn became interested in politics. He registered as a republican and, by the looks of it, embraced the views and politics of one Donald J. Trump. He ran for the Minnesota state house of representatives in 2014, but lost. Two years later, as Trump was defeating Hillary Clinton, he ran for a state senate seat in Minnesota's 5th district. He defeated the incumbent by a mere 533 votes.  He was re-elected in 2020, but, despite the victory, decided to run for the 6th district senate seat in 2022. After the votes were counted it became apparent why he made the change. He carried the district, located in the northeastern part of the state, by 30%.

By 2025 state Senator, Justin Eichorn had to truly believe that for MAGA types like himself it was, as the old Rolling Stones album title said, "High Tide and Green Grass." The radical left lunatics--defined as anyone registered a democrat--were in disarray and on the run. The leader, Donald Trump was running amok, as was his personal hit man, Elon Musk. Indeed, time was ripe for some local provocateur work, MAGA style. 

Eichorn and four other GOP senators authored a bill, which they submitted this past Monday. If passed, it would designate, "Trump Derangement Syndrome," as an officially recognized mental illness. For those unfamiliar with the term, Trump Derangement Syndrome is described as, "the acute onset of paranoia in otherwise normal persons that is a reaction to the policies and presidencies of President Donald j. Trump." In other words, anyone who thinks Donald Trump, is a clear and present danger to democracy, is clinically insane and presumably, liable to be locked up in some state-run hospital.

Ho, ho, ho. What a knee slapper from the same people who tried to violently overthrow the government.  

It's too bad Senator Eichorn couldn't stick around that afternoon to savor the laughs. Unfortunately, he had an appointment clear over in the suburb of Bloomington. It was with a woman he believed was a hooker--a really young hooker. According to reports when they met online the woman told Eichorn up front that she was only 17 years old and hoped that he wouldn't be bothered by her age. Justin Eichorn, married, with three sons and one daughter, assured her that he didn't have any problem with it at all.  In fact, he allegedly told the girl, in his opinion the legal age of consent in Minnesota should be 17.

Obviously when it comes to some, "policies," these MAGA acolytes are a lot more, let's say, liberal than we give them credit for.

As you may have already guessed, the 17-year-old hooker was an undercover cop and the Senator, cash in hand, walked straight into a sting operation. So, within a handful of hours after introducing a bill which would declare democrats mentally incompetent, Justin Eichorn found himself facing a charge of soliciting a minor for prostitution.  Unlike his proposed bill, that's a law which is already on the books.

The Minnesota Senate republican caucus immediately issued a statement which read, "We are shocked by these reports and this alleged conduct demands an immediate resignation. Justin has a difficult road ahead and he needs to focus on his family." 

The resignation wasn't immediate, but it was close. Thursday, as the state senate was preparing to expel him, Eichorn quit. The same day he was charged in federal court with attempted coercion and enticement of a minor, then released on his own recognizance. 

That's right, the now, former Senator, got to go home. To his wife and kids. To explain it all.

Good luck with that, Justin.

We shouldn't be surprised by this sort of behavior. At least two of the January 6th rioters Trump pardoned have been accused of sketchy sexual behavior. David Daniel was released, then re-arrested because of his involvement with child pornography and the sexual exploitation of minors. A second rioter, Andrew Taake is currently wanted in Texas on 2016 charges of online solicitation of a minor. Closer to te top, there remains serious questions about Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth's behavior around women--although none of them involve minors. Elon Musk has kids scattered from here to Cape Town, South Africa. And of course, there is the Trumpster himself. He has been found liable for sexual assault and while he, like Hegseth, hasn't ever been accused of being involved with minors, he did like to hang out with Jeffrey Epstein who most certainly was. 

  Yes, it is starting to look like power and sex are both wrapped up as one for many in the MAGA crew. All that semen backs up in the system and it translates into, the more perverse and raunchier the politics, the more perverse and raunchier the sex. 

So, maybe in the end, for Justin Eichorn, it came down to the old adage. There are some things you do with a hooker that you never do with your wife. Especially since she isn't 17 anymore. 

3-22-25 

A thanks to J.W. for the tip