The Great LA Fires: Woke Inner-City Posses, Geoengineering, Conspiracies, and a Befuddled Lara Trump

 As the greater Los Angeles area continues to burn republican politicians and right-wing types everywhere have filled the media with all sorts of comments. Most of them are laced with the type of compassion shown by Alabama GOP Senator, Tommy Tuberville. Speaking on the ultra-right propaganda outlet, News Max the Senator, in part, said, "California has many republicans" who are good people and I hate it for them. They are just overwhelmed by these inner city woke posses with the people that vote for them. I don't mind sending them some money, but unless they show they're going to change their ways and get back to building dams and storing water, doing the maintenance with brush and trees--everything that everybody else does in the country and they don't do it--they don't deserve anything, to be honest with you, unless they show they're going to make some changes."

It is unclear who makes up those massive woke inner-city posses, but the, Tuberville was a little light on those details. However, The Senator's message was clear, start voting for republicans, or rebuild all on your own. 

Georgia Congresswoman, Marjorie Taylor Greene, ever obsessed with the notion the government controls everything, wrote, "Why don't they use geoengineering like cloud seeding to bring down rain on the wildfires in California? They know how to do it." 

Cloud seeding has been on Greene's radar before. She blamed the Biden administration for using it to cause massive floods in western North Carolina back in late October. At the time Greene claimed it was an attempt to prevent Trump voters from casting their ballots. 

On the bright side, Ms. Greene has made progress of a sort though. Before she was in Congress Greene accused Jews of starting wildfires in northern California with satellite controlled lasers. According to the future Congresswoman those crafty Jews wanted to build a high speed rail system along with accompanying stations and needed to clear the forests out of the way.

Conspiracy theories aside, Ms. Greene's understanding of, "geoengineering," is a tad suspect. In order for cloud seeding to work there has to be moisture present in the atmosphere--you know, clouds. In the last six plus months LA has received 0.8 inches of rainfall. All of that fell before October 1st. In short, you can't seed what isn't there.

Speaking of conspiracies, actor Mel Gibson went on Fox News to say, "In the events like this you sort of think , well is it on purpose? It's an insane thing to think. But one begins to ponder whether or not there is a purpose in mind." Salon reports Gibson also speculated the state's movers and shakers wanted to empty out the state, comparing them to the, "old cattle barons," who wanted to clear people off the land. Mr. Gibson apparently didn't offer up a reason why these unnamed few wanted to empty out the state, or if Tommy Tuberville's woke, inner-city posses would be included in this Golden State diaspora. 

Finally, we have Lara Trump, former RNC chair and daughter in law to Big Don. She was on Sean Hannity's show and said, "I would really love for somebody out there to explain to me how climate change is the reason the reservoirs are dry, that there was no water in the hydrants." 

Her comment moved one social media user to post, "These are the people who want to scrap the Department of Education." 

Other than Marjorie Taylor Greene's cloud free cloud seeding idea no one on the right has proposed any solution to the problems in Southern California--although Donald Trump recently said, "Canadian water," could help. Meanwhile, at least one Fox wag celebrated the disaster, saying the state's voters would now turn on democrats with a vengeance.  

There can be no doubt that somewhere out there someone is saying the Los Angeles fires are God's retribution on a sinful place. Those who are and the others looking for political gain thanks to this nightmare need to keep something in mind though. The Lord doesn't really discriminate when it comes to disasters. At the moment California is burning, but that doesn't mean somewhere down the line Florida and other ruby red states won't get slammed by a massive hurricane, or tornado. 

When it happens--and it will--just remember what all you MAGA wankers are saying to Californians right now. Because sooner than any of us can imagine some of you are also going to need help and answers, not politics and, in more than a few instances, unabashed glee. 

1-15-25

Los Angeles is Burning and Donald Trump Tells Us Why

 As large portions of Los Angeles County burned to the ground, President-elect, Donald Trump had this to say. "Governor Gavin Newscum refused to sign the water restoration declaration put before him that would have allowed millions of gallons of water, from excess rain and snow melt from the North, to flow daily into many parts of California including the areas that are currently burning in a virtually apocalyptic way." 

Trump even tells us why, California Governor Newsom would do such a thing, "because he wanted to protect an essentially worthless fish called the smelt. Now there is no water for the fire hydrants." Later the man who will become President once again posted, "One of the best and most beautiful parts of the United States of America is burning down to the ground. It's ashes, and Gavin Newscum should resign. This is all his fault!!!"

Ah, yes. It was vintage Trump, all the way down to the juvenile, derogatory, nickname. But why? What has Gavin Newsom ever done to Donald Trump, besides being a democrat? Does the Trumper see him as a potential opponent in 2028? (Hey, I don't care what the 22nd amendment to the Constitution says. If Donald Trump is alive in any way, shape, or form in 2028 he is going to want a third term. Fuck what the Constitution says now. The Supreme Court is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Trump Org. and somehow, someway they'll get around it. Trust me.) 

Maybe, but probably not. For one thing it is doubtful Donald Trump thinks that far ahead. He has always been more of a, "what's in it for me right now," sort of guy. Actually, this most recent torrent of bile is the opening act of, "Donald's Great and Glorious Revenge and Retribution Tour."

That's right, the President-elect is pissed off at the California Governor because Newsom opposed Trump's plan during his first administration to redistribute water to farmers in the state's Central Valley. Newsom was successful and even collaborated with Joe Biden during his term to, in effect, erase what Trump had thought he'd accomplished. 

But wait, wasn't Trump trying to help farmers irrigate their fields and fill fire hydrants in Los Angeles? Well, yes and no, First, we aren't talking Ma and Pa Kettle farmers. We are talking about huge corporate growing operations owned by the sort of people who contribute scads of money to Donald Trump. Second, the water that would have headed to LA would have been minimal at best.

As Ryan Teague Beckwith stated online, "Well remember that Trump wanted more of that water to go to nut and fruit farmers in areas most of whom support him and not to the residents of Los Angeles, most of whom don't." And, as Beckwith also pointed out. right now, Los Angeles has enough water to fight the fires, what it doesn't have is the infrastructure to get it to all those hydrants. 

In this case Trump's lust for retribution led him to post outright fiction. According to Newsom, that "water restoration declaration," El Don mentioned is not a real thing. It never has been. He simply made it up, probably to make it sound like the ongoing disaster in LA is directly linked to Newsom's environmentalism. You know, "See there, if he had just signed this non-existent paper, Pacific Palisades would have been saved instead of those damned fish."  

For those wondering, shit like this is going to get worse. Think not? The guy wants to invade Greenland for God's sake. Saying Donald Trump is erratic is like saying Norman Bates had some bothersome Mommy issues. 

You elected the crazy son of a bitch, America. Here is hoping enough of you are left by the time he is finished to regret it.

1-9-25

Shamsud-Din Jabbar, A Home Grown, Old Fashioned, All-American Homicidal Maniac

Timothy McVeigh was born and raised in western New York. He was of Irish descent. He joined the U.S. Army and served honorably. After he was turned down for Special Forces Training, he left the service and meandered around the country picking up a few bucks here and there at gun shows and down in Waco, TX during the infamous, Branch Davidian standoff. (He sold anti government bumper stickers out of his car.) In April, 1995 McVeigh, with help from his pal, Terry Nichols, blew up the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City with a huge home-made bomb he had stashed in a rental truck. The explosion killed 168 people, including 19 young children who were attending a day care center in the building. 

Shamsud-Din Jabbar was born and raised in east Texas. Although he is not of Irish descent, like McVeigh he is an Army veteran who served honorably. After he spent nearly ten years active duty and another couple in the reserves Jabbar's career, which remains a tad fuzzy, is reported to have been in real estate. Unlike McVeigh, Jabbar was married. In fact he was married twice, both of them ending in divorce. He was paying child support to one of the ex-wives, while the other had hit him with a restraining order. 

At some point in his life he apparently started to buy into the hate filled rhetoric of the organization known as ISIS. There is no proof, at least at this point, he ever had any contact with ISIS leadership--if there actually is such a thing--or if any of them even knew he existed. As we all know, Jabbar acted on his new found philosophy of disenfranchised reality in New Orleans. Early New Years morning he plowed his rented truck through the crowds on Bourbon Street, killing at least 14, although that number may rise. New Orleans police killed him after he came to a stop and opened fire on them.

On the other hand, the U.S. Government killed Tim McVeigh after a trial, a short stint in a federal prison, and a last meal which included chocolate chip mint, ice cream. 

There are a few other differences in these two cases of heinous terrorism. The main one being after McVeigh was identified prominent politicians didn't start howling open borders were allowing Irish white guys to enter the country to perpetrate savage crimes.     

The gruesome fact McVeigh had actually killed a lot more people didn't matter. As soon as Shamsud-Din Jabbar had been ID'd and the news about his ISIS flag had been reported, President Elect Donald Trump posted on social media, "When I said the criminals coming in are far worse than the criminals that we have in our country, that statement was constantly refuted by Democrats and the Fake News Media, but it turned out to be true. The crime rate in our country is at a level that nobody has ever seen before. Our hearts are with all the innocent victims and their loved ones, including the brave officers of the New Orleans Police Department." 

Never one not to take a hint from Donald Trump, or to create a conspiracy, Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene posted in part, "Terrorist attack in NOLA similar to the one in the German Christmas market. What did we expect would happen with wide open borders and millions of gotaways?" 

Thursday morning Trump doubled down. He wrote, "With the Biden Open Border Policy, I said many times during rallies and elsewhere that Radical Islamic Terrorism and other forms of violent crime will become so bad in America that it will become hard to even imagine or believe."

Again, Shamsud-Din Jabbar was born in Beaumont, TX and up until the moment of the attack he lived and worked in Houston. Before he drove the truck down Bourbon Street, he had posted on social media he had planned to kill his family, but changed his mind. All of which begs the question, which open border does Trump and Greene want to shut down? That one between Texas and Louisiana? It is a known crossing point for criminals--the most notorious one being Lee Harvey Oswald who used it to get to Dallas from New Orleans before he assassinated President John F. Kennedy. 

Jabbar might have had an ISIS flag on his rented truck, but in truth he was one of us: a home grown, old fashioned, All-American homicidal maniac. ISIS and their twisted interpretation of Islam was simply an excuse to explain his rage and madness. Things weren't working out the way he wanted, or had hoped, so like McVeigh and even Oswald he chose not to blame himself, but rather the country he once defended. 

To paraphrase Marjorie Taylor Greene, what did we expect would happen when these fascist wannabes found out Jabbar's name? Well, we can expect, as one wag on CNN put it, "No matter what happens politicians will always politic." 

Amen to that, brother.   

1-3-25

The Last Christian President Dies

 In 1972 Richard M. Nixon won re-election over democratic challenger, George McGovern in an epic landslide victory. The magnitude of Nixon's win really can't be understated. He won 49 states while McGovern carried just one, Massachusetts. (Nixon, being a vindictive bastard, immediately shut down the Boston Navy Yard in retaliation.) It appeared the mandate was in place and Richard Nixon would have smooth sailing for the next four years.

Oops. Actually, what came next was division and chaos.

Within a year of that victory, Nixon's heir apparent, Vice President, Spiro Agnew resigned after pleading no contest to tax evasion charges. Then Nixon also quit rather than face impeachment by the House and probable conviction by the Senate for scores of heinous crimes. (Back in those quaint times both parties put country above partisanship, and everyone knew the man called, Tricky Dick was, as Garry Trudeau wrote, guilty, guilty, guilty.) 

By the time the 1976 election rolled around Gerald Ford, who Nixon had named as his new VP, was the incumbent and he was challenged by a nationally unknown Georgia Governor, Jimmy Carter. Carter won in 1976 by the hair of his chinny, chin, chin, possibly because Ford, in the days before Presidential Immunity, had pardoned Nixon for any and all crimes committed while he was in and out of office.

To say this republic was different in 1976 is a gross understatement. When Carter was interviewed by, "Playboy," magazine during the campaign it caused a stir. When the interview came out and people read the married candidate's admission he had sometimes lusted for "other women," in his heart the press went wild with faux outrage. No, he didn't say he had actually committed adultery and he certainly didn't say he, "grabbed women by their pussies.' He simply said he had thought about it--which even psychiatrists of the day were forced to concede was normal. The scandal was such, "Playboy," commented it was obvious the mainstream media was more obsessed with sex than a magazine which featured photos of nude women and bawdy cartoons. A derogatory comment made by Carter about fellow democrat, Lyndon Johnson's ethics in the same interview, which should have been the real news, was largely ignored.

That's right, Jimmy Carter nearly lost the White House due in large part because he said he had thought about having sex with women other than his wife. Donald Trump has been elected twice after not only bragging about being a sexual predator, but getting nailed for it in both criminal and civil court.

In addition, Jimmy Carter was the first true evangelical Christian--and the last--to be elected President. In 1976 the general public was so unfamiliar with evangelicals, not to mention uncomfortable with them, at least one major news service had to reassure readers that when Jimmy Carter sought the advice of God, he wasn't actually hearing voices in his head answering him.

 Despite the misgivings, especially among the democrats left wing Carter won in a way we will probably never see again. The democratic nominee lost the entire west coast, including California. He lost Colorado, New Mexico, Michigan, and Illinois. However, he carried, New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Massachusetts, and every former slave state in the nation except Virginia. 

Now, thanks to the passage of time, we now know, James Earl Carter could well be the most, "Christian," President the nation has ever elected. His Christian faith not only drove his philosophy and personal behavior, but his policies as well. He brokered a peace treaty between Egypt and Israel and a nuclear weapons deal with the Soviets. In addition, he gave up America's imperialist control of the Panama Canal. Name the last, "Christian," President who actually believed in spreading peace on earth without any strings attached.

Of course, in the end, that belief in a non-nationalist Christianity helped cost him the job. Four years later, in 1980 he was trounced by Ronald Reagan. He lost because OPEC decided to fuck him and us by creating an acute oil shortage. He also couldn't find a solution to runaway inflation, and then the final blow was delivered by the Iranians. When the former Shah of Iran came to the U.S. for cancer treatment, the new regime demanded the Carter administration extradite him back home so they could execute him. Carter refused and Iranian, "students," overran the U.S. embassy in Tehran, taking the staff hostage. As the crisis continued over months, a rescue attempt was made, but it failed horribly.  

Evangelical Christians began turning more and more to what we now call Christian Nationalism. They declared Reagan--a guy who refused to attend church and occasionally sought advice from astrologists, the Annointed One, a practice they continue to this day--thanks in part to their grotesquely twisted belief Jesus Christ was a right-wing republican.  

Less than eight years after Reagan took office he came down with dementia and his wife Nancy was secretly calling the shots. Jimmy Carter, on the other hand, was literally building homes for the poor and helping fund medical care for the sick in undeveloped countries. He was doing the same and more while Bill Clinton was inserting imported cigars into the Monica Lewinski's private parts and Donald Trump was cornering E. Jean Carroll in a department store dressing room. He was still doing it when George W. and Dick Cheney were invading Iraq. He was still actively practicing his Christian faith as Donald Trump was attempting to extort the Ukrainian President into lying about Joe Bidens son. He was, no doubt, practicing his faith, however he could, right up until the moment he died yesterday. 

This nation lost a decent and honest man yesterday--one who not only said he was a Christian, but through his charity demonstrated he was. In some ways he was a great President and in some ways his Presidency failed miserably. The right wing and some on the left have vilified him over the years. He didn't deserve it, but then, given what we condone and applaud these days, in truth, we didn't deserve him. 

sic vita est

12-30-24 

Elon Musk: A Power Play That Worked Too Quickly and Too Well

 Elon Reeve Musk was born in Pretoria, South Africa back in 1971. His mother was born in Saskatchewan, Canada, but raised in South Africa. His father was a native born South African. The family was well to do, although not worth nearly as much as Elon is now--but then no one else on the planet is either, so that's no big deal. 

Wikipedia says Elon Musk is a legal citizen of South Africa, Canada, and since 2002, the United States of America. That means he can contribute money to Presidential candidates and vote for them, but he can't be the President of the United States. The Constitution says you can't hold the highest office in the land if you aren't born here--unless you're Ted Cruz, John McCain, or George Romney. All three of those republican candidates for President claimed exceptions to the native born rule. As we know, none of them won, In fact Cruz and Romney couldn't even get nominated. (McCain's argument was probably legitimate. He was born in the Panama Canal Zone, which was considered U.S. territory at the time. Cruz was born in Canada, although his mother was American, while Romney was born in Mexico to American ex-pat citizens.)

Oddly though, thanks to a quirky House of Representatives rule, Brother Musk can become the United States Speaker of the House. He doesn't even need to be an elected Congressman to do it either. House MAGA savants have talked about pulling this sort of move before. A couple of years ago they floated the idea of nominating Donald Trump himself for the spot. Now a couple have mentioned Musk's name. It is a far fetched idea, but these days a lot of far fetched ideas are now playing out right in front of us. You know, like a former heroine junkie/brain diseased/anti-vaxxer being named head of Health and Human Services. So you can never say never in the 21st century. 

If, by some twisted moment of unlikely fate that were to happen, Elon Musk, U.S. House Speaker would become third in line for the office of President. That's right, if something were to happen to both Donald Trump and J.D. Vance  the Speaker assumes the Presidency--an office Elon Musk constitutionally, can't be elected to.

Such a scenario will never happen though. Donald Trump might not be the brightest bulb in the chandelier, but he will never let Musk that close to real political power. We were guaranteed that last week.

The moment came when the South African billionaire single handedly killed a bi-partisan budget bill, apparently for no reason other than he could. The bill was one of those stop gap things the nation has grown so used to over the years meant to avert a Christmas season shut down of the government. Current Speaker, Mike Johnson was in on it, as was a majority of republicans and democrats. Trump even seemed ready to let it slide. Then Elon Musk took to social media with a blizzard of over 100 posts. According to media reports meany of them were mis-leading and false--which is how the press describes outright lies these days. Many also threatened GOP lawmakers with election doom if they voted for the measure.

Musk's millions of followers were enraged. Phones began to ring in Congressional offices. Then, a few hours later, both Vance and Trump announced they wanted the bill killed also. Chaos ensued. Johnson and others cobbled together another budget deal and it passed in the nick of time. Meanwhile democrats and left leaning media members began talking about, a President Musk, a co-Presidency shared between Trump and the billionaire puppet master, and Trump's total dependence on his sugar daddy. 

With those insults to Donald Trump's massive yet fragile ego, any ambitions Elon Musk might have had for true political power went down the drain. Yes, Trump may take his advice and he will certainly continue to take his money, but the Musk Man will never be anything more than the MAGA banker from this second forward.

On Sunday the President-elect spoke about Elon Musk to a Turning Point USA crowd, "...no, he's not going to the President that much I can tell you. And I'm safe. You know why? He can't be. He wasn't born in this country." In other words, There is only room at the top of this Kleptocracy for one person and that guy is me. 

Trump will, no doubt, keep Musk around running the newly minted Department of Government Efficiency. After all, the man did kick in a reported $250 million to the campaign. Besides Musk has a vested interest in how the feds spend taxpayer money. Tesla is heavily subsidized by the government and Space X is making millions, if not billions through NASA contracts. Someone has to make sure those spigots keep flowing. And, if we have to gut agencies like the FDIC in order to do it, then someone with millions of social media followers is best suited to lead the charge. 

That's it though. Donald Trump isn't going to stand for any more talk of puppet masters and shadow Presidents. Not only is he emotionally incapable of it, but he knows this is the last and greatest grift of his life and by God he isn't going to share it with anyone.

Ultimately Elon Musk's power play worked too quickly and too well. He may have fucked Congress, but by doing so he proved himself a threat to Donald Trump's chemistry with the MAGA base. And that, as everyone knows, is a threat he cannot tolerate.  

Elon, my boy, you screwed the pooch, you peaked too soon--a full month before the real Big Grab even begins. 

Sic Vita Est

12-23-24

Autism on the Rise, Polio Waiting in the Wings, and Our Next Stop is Leech Therapy

 I fully believe vaccines cause autism. It's another example of crimes against humanity. And innocent babies, children, and their families are the victims. 

Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-GA

Of course Ms Taylor Greene believes a lot of things. In the past she has blamed wildfires in California on Zionist controlled space lasers. More recently she told anyone who would listen that unknown persons were spying on her through her television set. She knew this she said, because a momentary glitch in her TV allowed her to see one of them at his lap top peering in at her. 

Despite the Congresswoman's vast scientific, technical, and medical knowledge there are many who disagree with her assessments.

An article in Scientific American also addresses autism and why the number of cases world wide, not just the United States is on the rise. First off, the publication notes, "There is no blood test, brain scan, or any other objective test that can diagnose autism---although researchers are actively trying to develop such tests.  Clinicians rely on observations of a person's behavior to diagnose the condition. In other words whether your kid has autism, or not is completely up to the doctor who sees him, or her. You know--the same sort of people MTG and others say are lying to us about the connection between vaccines and autism. 

Then Scientific American tells us what that diagnosis is based on. "The criteria are problems with social communication and interactions and restricted interests or repetitive behaviors. Both of these core features must be present in early development." 

Excuse me, but by those standards practically every kid in the world who hits puberty has it. I mean I'm no more of a medical expert than our little Marjie, or RFK Jr, but that sure sounds like what happens during that weird and awkward time when the hormones kick in.   

In conclusion, the magazine notes, "The rise in the rates (of autism) have sparked fear of an autism epidemic. But experts agree the bulk of that increase stems from a growing awareness of autism and changes to the condition's diagnostic criteria."

That's right you silly sons of bitches, it isn't the vaccines, it's the people diagnosing the fucking condition.  

In the previous century children were considered simply slow, or a little strange, or, more cruelly, just plain dumb. Now parents can tell friends and relatives, "No, it's not my child's fault he isn't doing well in school and he acts withdrawn and odd, he has autism. And it is because of those damn vaccines. That's what Marjorie Taylor Greene says anyway."

Unfortunately for the nation loons like MTG aren't the only ones out there going after vaccines.  Robert Kennedy Jr. will be in charge of the nation's healthcare in a shade over a month. To say he is a vaccine skeptic is to put it mildly. One of his advisors is a guy name Aaron Siri. He isn't a doctor either (none of these hacks are), but rather a lawyer. A while back he petitioned the federal government in an attempt to get rid of the polio vaccine.

Now, there is a reason there are scads of people born after the 1950's have never heard of polio. However, in post WWII America it was perhaps the most feared disease in the land. By the late 1940's and early 1950's it had reached pandemic proportions. Polio had spread so much that those of us who are a certain age can tell you we all knew someone who had it. In fact, practically every school had at least two, or three students roaming the halls on crutches, or in wheelchairs because of it. They were the lucky ones, the survivors.

A man named Jonas Salk developed the earliest vaccine for polio. It not only worked, it worked so well public school districts mandated their students must get inoculated in order to attend classes. In less than a decade a disease which had killed tens of thousands of children and adults and crippled an equal number was for all practical purposes eradicated.   

The other day when the news hit that Siri was RFK Jr's pal people went what can best be described as, ape shit. This was and is insanity taken to the nth degree. Even many republicans were appalled. So much so Bobby Jr had to tell the public not to worry, he was all for the polio vaccine. A statement which is akin to saying he is in favor of people breathing while they're alive. 

And that America is how far down the rabbit hole we have gone. The guy who is going to be in charge of the nation's health just had to reassure people he won't throw out a vaccine which has been effective for nearly three quarters of a century.

Welcome to the 21st century United States. We have freely elected a bunch of carnival barkers who are determined to convince us it isn't science; it's the deep state trying to kill us all. 

Ladies and gentlemen, at this rate our next stop will be the application of leeches.

`12-17-24

Luigi Mangione, America's Latest Celebrity Du Jour

 It appears America has a new folk here. Of course, we are a weird and violent lot. Which partially explains why we elected a convicted felon and known sexual predator as President. So, one can suppose it's understandable why the nation's newest celebrity du jour is currently sitting in a Pennsylvania prison awaiting extradition to New York on charges of murder. 

At first glance, or maybe several, Luigi Mangione hardly seems like the type of guy who morphs into a champion of the lower and middle classes. He is the son of privilege, Baltimore, MD royalty as it were. He attended a prestigious, private, all boys prep school before attending Donald Trump's alma mater, the University of Pennsylvania. He graduated from both institutions with honors and received a degree in computer engineering from Penn. Since then he held a job, or two, but has lived in places like Honolulu and San Francisco, presumably on his parent's dime. Some time in there, or maybe even before, he started having back problems which reputedly put him in a lot of pain almost constantly.

Although the pain didn't deter him from spending time surfing in Hawaii, it apparently really pissed young Mr. Mangione off. Unlike normal people, he didn't start eating opioids like M&Ms on a daily basis. Instead, on the morning of December 4th Luigi Mangione opened fire on UnitedHealthcare CEO, Brian Thompson who was entering a mid-town Manhattan hotel. When Mangione pulled the trigger of his 3-D printed weapon, Thompson was walking away from him. In other words, he shot the CEO--a husband and father of two--in the back.

Ah yes, quite the hero. 

At the scene police found three shell casings, each bearing a one-word message. Reports differ some, but most say the words were, "delay, depose, deny."  Even before his name became public it was clear had a cause and a message to send.  That message was equally clear. Fuck big heath care providers!

Indeed, Luigi Mangione might not be a Joe the plumber type, but he certainly hit one of Joe's exposed and raw nerves. No one, except health care provider employees, and perhaps their stockholders, like the corporations in control of American's health insurance. The commonly held opinion, which too many times is correct, being if it comes down to either your health care, or their bottom line, you will become expendable.  So, while Brian Thompson might have personally been a decent man the business he was running is not. For many, no matter if their grievances are real, or imagined, his murder was not a heinous crime, but rather cold-blooded payback, pure and simple.

As of yesterday, a web site collecting donations to help pay for Mangione's legal defense team had collected right at $50,000. Most of the contributions are under $100. Some are accompanied by messages, such as, "As someone who has lost abilities and opportunities due to medical issues I support Luigi 100%. People are stripped of voices and failed by systems that are meant to support us. From the bottom of my heart, thank you." Another read in part, "Karma comes in different ways, sometimes you have to speed up the process. You are not a villain. Keep your head up, kid." The same sort of stories and comments are currently popping up all over social media.   

Since this is the United States it didn't take long for any number of people to figure out there was and is a buck to be made off of the murder of Brian Thompson. All over the internet different sites and companies have begun hawking hoodies, tee-shirts, car decals, coffee mugs and other items which read things like, "Deny, Defend, Depose." Not an exact quote from the shell casings, but then you never know if someone already owns the rights to them--hey, stuff happens fast in this country. Some of the goods have a knockoff of the UnitedHealthcare logo and some of it has the words, "Free Luigi." Amazon had a variety of the merchandise for a while, but has since suspended their sales of it. Other sites are, presumably, doing a brisk business selling frustration, rage, and murderous hatred.

Reports today are that Luigi Mangione never had health insurance through UnitedHealthcare. Brian Thompson's company never, "delayed, deposed, or denied," him anything. The corporate CEO was assassinated because, well, United is really big and the odds are they actually have screwed somebody over lately. Or, as a WWII movie character once said, "There are no good Germans."

That's what someone will say. Right now there is ample evidence there are plenty of volunteer witnesses willing to testify just that.

CBS reports that when Mangione was taken into a Pennsylvania courthouse for his first appearance he shouted to the cameras that his arrest was, "an insult to the intelligence of the American people." 

Sorry pal, but you can't insult something that doesn't exist. As soon as one of those coffee mugs, or hoodies sold we proved it. 

sic vita est

12-13-24