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