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

Judge Jeb Boasberg Becomes a Radical Left Lunatic

 James Emanuel Boasberg (his friends call him Jeb) was named to the Superior Court of the District of Columbia in 2002 by President George W. Bush. While he was there he presided over criminal cases, domestic abuse cases, and even some civil actions. He was considered a no nonsense guy. In other words, someone you didn't want to play legal games with. 

His reputation was such, that in 2010 Barack Obama nominated him to serve on the Federal District Court for the District. Nine months later, because these things take time, the United States Senate confirmed his nomination by a vote of 96-0. (Presumably there were some republicans included in those 96 yea votes) In May of 2014 U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice, John Roberts--that's right, the same guy who is there now--appointed him to the United States Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court. It is the place people like the FBI go to get warrants that allow them to spy on suspected foreign spies.

In 2012 Boasberg ruled the public had no right to see photos of a quite dead Osama Bin Laden. In 2016 he ruled the public did have a right to take a gander at 14,000 plus emails sent and received by Hillary Clinton. A year later, in 2017 he said Donald J. Trump was under no obligation to release any of his tax returns unless ordered to do so by Congress, which, as we know, never happened.

So, how did a judge who was originally appointed to the bench by a republican, then to a highly sensitive position by the sitting  Chief Justice of the most conservative Supreme Court in memory--a jurist who arguably helped get Trump elected in 2016, become a, "lunatic, radical left, political activist, who, according to everyone from the President, the US. Attorney General, and Stephen by God Miller, should be impeached?

Well, it turns out all it took is for Jeb Boasberg to tell Donald Trump, "Whoa, wait a minute."

Yes, these days it is incredibly easy to become an, "enemy of the people," since Donald Trump considers himself, "the people." 

Obviously, Trump feels he is on the right side of this whole Enemy Alien Act thing with the public. It doesn't matter to him we aren't at war with anyone, and the act itself has until now been reserved for use during times of war. In fact, one of the arguments his toadies have been using to justify the deportations is that Trump was elected because voters wanted people like those Venezuelans kicked out of the country. That's right, baby I can do what I want, when I want because I am but a mere servant of the masses.  

Of course, Boasberg isn't saying Trump can't deport people, even though that's what El Don wants you to believe.  What the judge is questioning is how he is doing it. Let's face it, those planes didn't take the deportees back to Venezuela. They were shipped to El Salvador and chucked into a maximum security prison, where their room and board, as it might be described, is being paid for by American taxpayers. All of it without even the hint of due process, despite a couple of administration officials sheepishly admitting some of those "gang members," haven't actually committed any felonies, violent, or otherwise, unless you count entering the U.S. illegally. 

And, according to El Salvador's President, Nayib Bukele--a former businessman himself-- prison is where they'll stay, without trial, so long as America keeps footing the bill. At this time it's unknown how much of a personal bonus Bekele is getting for this service, although we can be certain it is substantial.    

All the screeching about impeaching Jeb Boasberg prompted John Robers to remind the President that it isn't such a great idea to impeach a judge just because he rules against you. After all, we aren't to the point, yet anyway, where the majority of Americans will accept a full blown autocrat. We need to ease into a dictatorship. Roberts' memo to Trump has liberals all giddy about a possible rift between the two. As pleasantly exciting as that might sound, the reality is that Roberts was simply telling Trump not to go too far too fast. In short, don't impeach, just appeal unfavorable rulings to the Supreme Court and we'll legitimize everything you're doing in a way no one can possibly challenge. 

Indeed, at this stage, at least keep the illusion of a constitutional democracy and the separation of powers.

The only question is whether Trump has the patience to do it. That ego is spinning further and further out of control on what feels like a daily basis and the family history of dementia might have begun to factor in even as these words are typed. 

In the meantime, Judge Boasberg needs to keep his head on a swivel. All those Oath Keepers and Proud Boys that Trump sprung from the joint are somewhere out there. And unlike some of the Venezuelans now residing in El Salvador, we know for a fact they are capable of violent crimes. We all watched them do it live on TV early in 2021.

sic vita est

3-20-25  

The Tovarishch Trump Conspiracy Theory

How to say Comrade in Russian: Tovarishch

Wordhippo.com

Now that QAnon has gone the way of the T-Rex, at least in the eyes of the media, maybe we should come up with a new conspiracy theory. After all, Donald Trump doesn't embrace them like he used to   unless you count the ones about federal employees. (The ones we are firing don't show up for work or are incompetent.) and our newly minted arch enemies, Canada and Denmark. None of those, however, have the glorious lunacy of Barack Obama's missing long form birth certificate--well, unless you are Canadian, Danish, or just got thrown out of an office you've been accused of never going to.

So, in lieu of wondering where JFK Jr. is hiding out, here is one to mull over. Look at it as a way of killing time while we wait for the 82nd Airborne's combat drop into Ottawa.   

 A long time ago a guy named Arthur Mussayev worked for the Soviet Union's KGB. The agency was a sometimes deadly combination of the American CIA, FBI, Secret Service, and NSA. Specifically Mussayev worked for the 6th Directorate of the KGB. Part of their job at the time, according to Mussayev anyway, was to recruit businessmen from capitalist countries to become Soviet assets. In 1987 one of those potential recruits was an American named, Donald John Trump.

In 1987, Trump visited Moscow supposedly to scout out locations for a luxury hotel he was thinking about building. While he was there , in an attempt to win him over, the Soviets showered him with flattery and, if you believe the notorious Steele Dossier hookers who showered him with, let's say, other things. 

The Soviets weren't asking Trump to hand over nuclear secrets, or find out troop movements, or even report what the Americans were really doing at their bases in, yes, Greenland. They simply wanted him to rag on the United State and its government, then spread disinformation about Soviet ambitions and motives. You know, nothing that would get anyone killed, but just tweak things a tad. Become an influencer of sorts sowing a few seeds of doubt in the U.S. electorate about its government and what they were being told. In short, make Americans a little suspicious of America and its institutions.

Does any of that sound familiar? Like maybe Donald Trump's campaign strategy twice and what he did after he lost in 2020. 

Alas, there are a couple of problems with this perfect scenario though. The website Snopes did some research on Mussayev's allegation, which originally appeared in that completely reliable corner of the internet, Facebook. It turns out Trump was in Moscow in 1987, but Mussayev wasn't. He had left the KGB by then and was working for the Ministery of Internal Affairs in Kazakhstan. In addition the main job of the  6th Directorate was enforcing trade laws and guarding against industrial espionage. The recruiting of foreign assets was the domain of the 1st Directorate. 

Not only is the timeline wrong, but while Mussayev claims the KGB actively recruited young Donald--even giving him the code name, Krasnov--he never said he was personally involved. More importantly, Mussayev's post didn't say whether Trump actually accepted the offer, or not. Throw in the collapse of the Soviet Union a little over a year later and no matter how tempting it might be to believe the former KGB man it appears we've arrived in Pizzagate territory.  

Yesterday, Trump told the media that the U.S. Canadian border was just an imaginary line drawn ages ago. He also said Canada will make such a great 51st state that he will even let them keep their national anthem, "O Canada," but only as the official state song--like the Broadway tune, "Oklahoma" is for the state of Oklahoma. And while that might seem mighty decent of him, it's highly doubtful it will cause any Canadians to suddenly change their minds about surrendering their sovereignty. He also hinted at taking Greenland by military force if need be. For national and world security reasons only of course.

Yeah, just like all those football parlay cards you get in the back rooms of barber shops and gas stations say, "For entertainment purposes only." 

Obviously believing Arthur Mussayev is a deep dive down the rabbit hole--or maybe into some heavy duty blotter acid. However, in all honesty, his claim sure would explain a lot of things many of us find unexplainable.  

Besides, Tovarishch Trump has a catchy ring to it. 

3-14-25

Canada Said No and Don Got Really Mad

There are a lot of things about the American character that puzzles the rest of the world. Some of it is not justified, but there are some things which are completely understandable. One of the most obvious and perplexing quirks Americans have--and it has been around for a long time--is the steadfast belief that everybody in the world wants to become an American. This notion is so ingrained, it is nearly genetic in nature. It is also the reason why we get so unreasonably irritated when we run into someone, or someplace who has absolutely no desire to participate in, The Great American Experiment.

Which brings us to a couple of places, primarily, Canada. Donald Trump first brought up the subject of Canada becoming the 51st American state in a White House meeting with Canadian representatives. They took it as some odd joke and had a quiet chuckle about it. Trump, however, took the, "joke," public and it went from humorous to downright bizare. Then, during a phone call with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Trump said he wanted to, "revisit," Canadian American border agreements.

It was at that point the Canadians realized Donald Trump wasn't joking at all. The crazy fucker actually had designs on Canadian territory and sovereignty. 

Of course, this isn't the first time the United States has lusted for Canadian turf. In the War of 1812 America waged a campaign to not only gain control of the Great Lakes, but Montreal and the St. Lawrence River. During that campaign American forces attacked the Canadian city of York, located on the north side of Lake Ontario. American ground forces were led by Zebulon Pike. He's the same guy who explored Colorado and then wandered into New Mexico.

During the expedition Pike and his men tried to climb the tallest mountain outside of what is now, Colorado Springs. Unfortunately, the attempt was made in February and between the waist deep snow and a little starvation they didn't make it to the top. Even though Pike didn't get there, the mountain, Pike's Peak was named for him and that is just about all U.S. high school students learn about the man.

But I digress.  Let's get back to York.  Before Pike's Americans could take full possession of the fort outside of town British troops blew up all their unused powder and ammunition so it wouldn't fall into American hands. Pike and a number of American soldiers were killed in the explosion by flying debris and shrapnel. The remainder of the U.S. force, now minus their commander, thoroughly looted York, then burned it and its docks to the ground. After the war, in 1838, York was renamed Toronto.  Before the fighting ended, however, the British, citing the looting and burning of York did the same thing to an American village, named Washington, D.C.

The Americans won a naval battle on Lake Erie, but the rest of the Canadian campaign was a disaster. Montreal and the St. Lawrence remained firmly in British and Canadian control. 

In the 1840's the U.S. wanted to move the western border with Canada north and there was talk of war if the Canadians and British didn't agree to it. It never came about because we went to war against Mexico instead about the same time. A two front war, one involving the British Empire, seemed like a bit much for even manifest destiny to handle. The argument with Canada was dropped and the border remained where it was and still is to this day.

There are currently five open border disputes between Canada and the United States. Four of them involve imaginary lines drawn in the water. One is about a 20 acre barren rock off the coast of Maine called Machias Seal Island. Its population is, as you can guess, made up entirely of seals, unless you count the Canadian Coast Guard crew who maintain a lighthouse there. 

It's doubtful Donald Trump is aware of these five disputes, or past American misadventures regarding Canada. He isn't much for either details, or history. No, one has the feeling he is simply pissed off because the Canadian government initially laughed off his offer to become the 51st state. Then when he appealed directly to Canadian citizens (I'll cut your taxes by 50% if you vote to become Americans) his offer was met with derision and disgust. You could almost hear him saying to himself, "What the hell is wrong with those people? Don't they understand what I'm offering? Are they fucking communists?"

In his rage he began slapping tariffs on everything without any understanding of what nightmares they might cause. He dragged out the old, "They're cheating us," excuse to justify it all. Then he put a temporary stop to some of them when America's big three automakers sat him down and explained to him the tariffs would collapse their entire manufacturing process. 

So far the net result of Donald John' Trump's astonished outrage over Canadians wanting to remain Canadian is that they boo the U.S. national anthem at sporting events. In Ontario American spirits, beer, and wine have been banned from stores. And, more importantly, Americans in places like New York, Michigan, and Minnesota are paying more for the electrical power they import from Canada. 

We are still less than two months into his second term. Given what Donald Trump has said, what he has done, and what he has attempted to do, we have to ask ourselves what is he actually trying to accomplish? Is he really just a bat shit crazy nativist? Or, is he the Russian asset, code named Krasnov, the conspiracy theory says he is?

Why don't we take a poll in Toronto and see what the Canadians think?

3-10-25

Bushwhacking Volodymyr as the United States Becomes a Heel

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

3-3-25