Donald Gets What He Wants Before Americans Get What They Need

 Earlier this week the House of Representatives and U.S. Senate did something that many, in this age of hyper-partisanship, thought had become impossible. Both major U.S. political parties got together to sponsor a bill, then passed it. The bill, titled, the 21st Century Road to Housing Act was sponsored in the House by Maxine Waters, D-CA, Mike Flood, R-NE, and Emmanuel Cleaver, D-MO. It was introduced by French Hill, R-AR. On the Senate side Tim Scott, R-SC and Elizabeth Warren, D-MA were key contributors. The bill, designed to help Americans find and maintain affordable housing, passed the House 358 to 32. Over in the Senate it won, 85 to 5. 

So, break out the bubbly, streamers, and ballons, right? Congress finally got together to work for the good of the American people! What could possibly go wrong?

Well, how about that aging pile of Cheez Whiz named Donald John Trump?

Yes, the man who promised the republic he would lower the cost of everything almost immediately--then did everything he could to raise them--refused to sign the bill. (He couldn't veto it, the votes were there to override a veto which his ego could never take. Not to mention his absolute contempt for average Americans would have been fully exposed. Trump always prefers his cruelty to come with an excuse the rubes will buy.)

After the bill passed the President took to social media--where else--and announced, "Today's Housing News Conference and Signing is hereby cancelled until such time as we pass the desperately needed SAVE AMERICA ACT, which I consider to be a National Emergency. Thank you for your attention to this matter! President DJT"

That's right, unless I get what I want--in this case virtually no mail in voting, photo id's at polls, and a dark labyrinth of voter registration regulations--everyone gets screwed. When one GOP hack was asked about Trump's petulant snit fit with consequences on CNN his response was, "This is the President's way of negotiating." 

Luckily for us, Trump's way of negotiating doesn't have the best track record. (Check out what the Iranians are saying and doing today.) According to law, a bill passed by both houses becomes law in 10 days--not counting Sundays--with, or without the President's signature. However, as we all know, Donald Trump considers laws more suggestions and guidelines which really don't apply to him. Hell, some of his shysters even went to the Supreme Court to argue the Constitution doesn't really mean what it says right there in black and white, because it inconveniences their boss. Given this attitude, there can be little doubt he has a cadre of lawyers, probably DOJ types, already working to somehow get around this one., or at least hang it up in the courts for as long as possible.

Meanwhile the U.S. Postal Service is moving to comply with a Trump executive order signed earlier this year. It commands the post office not to deliver ballots in states which have refused to hand over voter rolls to the Trump administration. It isn't just a coincidence that most of the states who haven't are controlled by democrats and many rely heavily on mail in voting. Despite his own preference to mail his voles in, Donald Trump is insistent democratic controlled states use mail in ballots in order to commit fraud--to rig the elections against him and his hand-picked toadies. He has said more than once, the only way democrats can win elections is by cheating. 

All of this tends to confirm what Maggie Haberman and Johnathan Swan wrote in their book, "Regime Change." In it, they contend Donald Trump no longer pays attention to polls, or cares about them. One CNN analyst put it another way: Donald Trump isn't trying to expand his base, because he doesn't think he has to. He believes he can win through manipulating the voting laws. 

Today a CNN poll says the American electorate's most pressing concerns are 1, rising healthcare costs and 2, the rising costs of housing. (Gas prices, even though easiest to see, are fourth or fifth on the list.) In nearly six years of attacking and chipping away at the Affordable Care Act the Trump bunch has yet to propose anything remotely workable, let alone affordable to replace it. Now, thanks to his obsession with altering the outcome of the midterm elections, he is willing to jam up cost of housing relief.  According to that poll, Trump's approval ratings on both healthcare and housing are so far underwater the man is in desperate need of SCUBA gear.  

Haberman and Swan are right.

And we can all see what is coming down the road in November. If Donald Trump's voting schemes fail and there is in fact a Blue Wave this fall, he is going to scream fraud to high heaven. The problem we all face when that happens is, what will he actually do about it? After all, the man is fucking nuts and now no one around him has the guts to tell him no.   

Just ask the people who have tried.

6-26-26

Searching for Immortality, Gold, and Glory in Stone and History

 According to the new book by Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan top Trump administration and DOJ officials met in White House situation room at least twice in order to come up with a damage control plan in the Jeffrey Epstein scandal. Titled, "Regime Change; Inside the Imperial Presidency of Donald Trump," the expose' reveals the President, while the topic of the discussion, wasn't in the room either time. When asked why, last night, Haberman explained, "Because he doesn't like talking about it." 

 Actually, there a a few things Donald Trump doesn't like talking about these days. It's why Swan said, "If you don't pin him down, no matter what the question he will give you 20 minutes on the reflecting pond. Everything is geared to deflect and divert." When asked how Trump gets away with it, they both said, in effect, because the White House press corps has been whittled down and is now manned, almost exclusively, by reporters who are sympathetic to, that's right, Donald J. Trump. 

No doubt, the current President finds life much easier and more convenient that way. Unfortunately, that isn't how this democracy is supposed to operate. Although, as stated last night, right now Trump is obsessed not with democracy and how it works, but rather leaving his distinctive mark on the nation and world. 

Both Haberman and Swan painted a disturbing picture of a man steeped in delusion and ego who seeks raw power without any sense of morality. The prime example being, when they last met him a couple of months ago for a fact checking interview. He produced a two-page paper, "written by a historian." It described him as the most powerful man in the history of the world. More powerful than a list of ruthless dictators and conquerors ranging from Stalin and Mao to Hitler and from Genghis Khan to Napolean among others. Trump didn't care what they did. All he was interested in was their acquisition and use of power. 

Trump told the pair he had met the historian at an event honoring hall of fame pro golfer, Gary Player. Since neither of them had ever heard of the guy, Swan did some research on him. He found the, "historian's," academic credentials were a tad questionable. It turned out the man was Player's long time golf caddy.  

When Benjiman Netanyahu came to Washington to pitch his idea for a war with Iran, according to Swan and Haberman most the people in the situation room weren't buying it. It's unclear how strongly they objected though, since the reporters maintain, Trump has an almost, "mystical hold," over his staff and cabinet. (They've seen him get away Scot free so many times--he tried to overthrow the government for God's sake--then watched him easily win the 2024 election. By now they believe he can pull off anything.) Despite this, the reporters say the consensus in the room was Netanyahu's hard sell was full of holes and bullshit. Trump, however, emboldened by the success of the adventure in Venezuela, "had a hunch," that after a massive first strike, the government in Iran would crumble. 

Yes, according to the two New York Times reporters, the United States went to war in Iran because Donald J. Trump had a fucking hunch it would be over quickly. 

That certainly worked out well, didn't it?  Thousands of Iranians and 13 U.S. service members are dead and only God knows how many are wounded. Vice President J.D. Vance, who apparently opposed the start of the war to begin with, has been sent overseas multiple times to try to clean up the mess. Some reports say it is Trump's way of punishing Vance for his opposition.  The truth is probably closer to the reason Trump wasn't in the room during the Epstein strategy meetings--he doesn't like talking about it.

The original memorandum of understanding, which Trump broke within 24 hours--both sides had agreed not to threaten each other with military force--appears to have granted Iran pretty much everything Trump said he'd never allow. It includes proposals that allow Iran access to scads of cash and leaves what remains of their ballistic missile arsenal intact. It also allows Iran to keep some of their nuclear material for peaceful purposes with the caveat of international inspections.  Does that sound familiar? It should, it is exactly the same deal Obama got during his Presidency, only without all the war and death shit. For those with selective memories, Trump had torn up that agreement during his first term. As late as last week he claimed the Iranians laughed at Obama and called him, "stupid son of a bitch," for making the deal that included a massive cash payout. 

To say American negotiating strategy felt like a Second City improve bit is understating things.  The Vice President told the media the U.S. delegation had tried to reach the nuclear inspectors by phone, but because it was 2AM when the calls were made none of them picked up. In addition, Vance assured the press that much of the cash handed over to the Iranians would be used to buy various grains and soy products grown by American farmers. The VP made sure everyone knew a very Trumpian deal was taking shape.    

None of this surreal nonsense has pleased republican hawks in congress and elsewhere. Louisiana GOP Senator, John Kenedy put it this way, "Unless you were homeschooled by a day drinker no one's confident that Iran is going to do anything."  At least one Fox talking head urged Trump to get personally involved in the talks. He also fumed about Vance's performance, at one point saying he should be fired. Of course, the only problem with that is the Vice President of the United States can't be fired, not by the President, or even Rupert by God Murdoch. Once elected the VP can only be impeached or politically exiled to the Senate, or by being sent on trips to places like, Burgenstock, Switzerland for increasingly incomprehensible diplomatic meetings.          

Haberman and Swan both insist that unlike in his first term, Donald Trump no longer reacts to or even cares about polls. He is that far gone in his search for immortality, gold, and glory, in stone, his bank account, and a well-crafted history--even if that history is written by a golf caddy.  

And just think, there are two and a half more years of this growing madness to go. Sleep well tonight, America. 

6-23-26

Temporarily Embarrassed in Oklahoma

 Socialism never took root in Ameriica because the poor see themselves not as an exploited proletariat but as temporarily embarrassed millionaires.

Ronald Wright

And so it was yesterday here in Oklahoma. Yesterday the state held its primary elections. Oklahoma has a closed primary, meaning when it comes state offices and Congressional seats democrats can only vote for democratic hopefuls, republicans can only vote for republicans, and independents can stay home until November. That was the case yesterday with one exception. 

State Question 832 was on a sperate ballot handed to both democrats and republicans. In addition, if independents wanted, they could vote on this single issue. Unless you are Elon Musk or the ghost of John D. Rockefeller SQ 832 cannot be considered a prime slice of socialism. It didn't guarantee medical care, and it certainly wasn't designed to provide state sponsored affordable housing. If passed the question would have raised the state's minimum wage from $7.25 an hour to $15 an hour. Not all at once, but through smaller increases spread out over three years. 

It was rejected 55.4% to 44.6%, proving Ronald Wright's assessment is still dead-on target. Further proof is provided by looking at county by county results. State Question 832 passed in the states three most populous counties and arguably richest. The measure carried in Oklahoma, Cleveland, and Tulsa counties. It came reasonably close in Commanche County, home to Lawton, the state's largest town not in either the Tulsa or OKC metro areas. In the 74 remaining counties, the losses were staggering. From McCurtain County in the southeastern corner--72.6% no, to Beaver County in the panhandle--85.3% no. In Garfield County up north--70.2% no, and in Bryan County in the south--62.2% no.  

Such is the fate of any idea, or candidate considered even faintly progressive in a statewide election in Oklahoma. 

Meanwhile, on the GOP side of things were only slightly less depressing. The republican gubernatorial primary saw five different candidates spending wads of cash and getting a lot of help from sources unknown. Gertner Drummond, brother-in-law to the Food Network celebrity, Ree Drummond (aka the Pioneer Woman) barely edged out Mike Mazzei, who was endorsed by Donald by God Trump himself. Both candidates had been frequently and savagely attacked in TV ads paid for by dark money groups. Mazzei, especially despite the endorsement, was accused by anonymous people of being some sort of democratic mole who was a secret supporter of Hillary Clinton. (Yes, the mere mention of her name still drives MAGA types into fits of uncontrollable rage.) 

Mazzei and Drummond each received a little over 26% of the votes cast, forcing a runoff later this year. Chip Keating, the son of former Governor, Frank Keating, who had promised to build a world class multi bazillion dollar energy research center named after Trump, won a little over 18%.    

In the end, all five of these clowns repeatedly pledged allegiance to the Holy Fat Man, although interestingly, it was the two candidates who were the most restrained about it who will face each other in the runoffs. The other three, who used dark money in repeated character and political attack ads are going home to figure out what went wrong. 

Finally, in Oklahoma's 5th Congressional District, iron worker and union man, Trey Martin faced off against educator, Jena Nelson in the democratic primary. Martin apparently had some semi-serious labor money backing him. His TV spots were more frequent and every time I opened my mailbox there was one of his mailers. He even had what identified itself as the League of Labor Voters manning phone banks, calling registered democrats in the district. Actually, the guy had me at the first mailer I saw. I mean any politician in Oklahoma who has the incredible audacity to boast about his union activism and an endorsement by Senator Bernie Sandders, is my kind of crazy.  

Unfortunately, my kind of crazy hardly ever wins. Nelson, who ran a low-key campaign in comparison won with 56.7% of the vote. She will now face the republican incumbent, Stephanie Bice in November. The Oklahoma 5th District is the last congressional district that was won by a democrat, however thanks to some, let's say, creative boundary drawing by republicans it is still a tough nut to crack. 

The truth is, while there might be a blue wave in other locales this November, Oklahoma will remain a bright red rock with no signs of erosion. That's because in Oklahoma, even though not all of the nearly two and a half million voters consider themselves, "temporarily embarrassed millionaires," far too many do and always will. 

6-17-26

All-Day, All-Night Donnie John

 We will probably never learn what is contained in the witches' brew of pharmaceuticals Donald Trump uses to keep himself up all night. It's probably safe to assume meth amphetamines aren't included since one of the chief side effects of meth is weight loss, something our man in the White House has never been afflicted with. If yesterday and early today proved anything, whatever the unholy concoction is, it works. 

After last night's gladiatorial festival held at the White House, within two hours of the last fight, Trump hit the road to Geneva. He arrived there this morning to attend the G-7 conference and possibly personally sign a peace deal with Iran which is scheduled for Friday. The bloodletting on the south lawn didn't end until a little after one am. However, the President, still pumped from all the violence held in honor of Flag Day and not coincidently his 80th birthday--and no doubt those mysterious drugs--continued posting on social media all through the early morning hours.  

Most had to do with the fight itself. One read, "The weather was supposed to be horrendous, and it turned out PERFECT! So much for weather predicting." Of course, El Don can't tell the whole truth to save his life. One of the reasons the fights ran well past midnight was because bad weather delayed their start for 45 minutes. When it came to the combat itself, the President wrote, "Most people have never seen anything like that kind of human power and speed before. The White House never looked more beautiful." 

One supposes a huge industrial steel arc of lighting, tiers of temporary seating, and a canvas covered stage surrounded by cyclone fencing can be considered beautiful. Others, however, might think the entire scene a crudely offensive affront to both Presidential and national dignity. But hey, as the saying goes, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. 

Meanwhile, Trump's long awaited peace deal was announced. At least that it is being billed as. No one is quite sure what is in it because the details haven't been released to the media. In fact, the President and Vice President made sperate statements which differed on details just enough it made the situation a tad murky. 

The morning Mr. Trump told everyone ships were beginning to move through the Strait of Hormuz, although it isn't clear if it has been completely swept clean of Iranian mines. The Donald made the announcement with all the pride of a conquering hero. This didn't deter some cynics from pointing out the strait was closed only because of Trump and Netanyahu's war in the first place. Others were quick to remark on rumors that the agreement included freeing up around $300 million in Iranian cash assets which had been frozen. If true, it put the administration in the position of having to send all that cash back to Iran, just like the Obama administration did over a decade ago--something Trump has repeatedly condemned Obama for doing.  

While irony is certainly not Donald Trump's strong suit, he is quite accomplished at hypocrisy. Both tend to go hand in hand when he is involved. 

Yes, we will simply have to wait until Friday to actually see what is exactly on paper. Or not. By then the whole thing might fall apart thanks to Netanyahu's continued attacks in Lebanon. Israeli politicians on both his left and right are all over him because of the agreement and he desperately needs the war to continue in order to keep him out of a courtroom and quite possibly jail. 

Indeed, it would seem both he and Donald Trump made major errors months ago when the war began. Trump trusted the Israeli Prime Minister and Netanyahu never dreamed Trump would call it quits so quickly. Not to mention neither man even considered the Iranians might close the Strait. (Even if Netanyahu did, he'd never let Trump in on it.)

But back to Trump's late night posting adventures. Recently a person on YouTube with a channel titled, Ask AI loaded over 32,000 of Trump's social media posts into Anthropic's AI program, Claude. It was asked to analyze the President's language, behavior, and personality. Claude wasn't told anything about Trump's job, politics, or personality. What Claude found was that no matter what the topic, Donald Trump most frequently put himself at the center of events, no matter what. Also, roughly one in 11 of all those posts were filled with self-praise. Additionally, Claude found El Donald frequently described himself as both the victim of unfair treatment and a triumphant winner at the same time. 

Which might explain a post early this morning which had nothing to do with fight night at the White House. It read, "Dumocrats want FISA (the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act) because that's what they used to go after me for three years during my First Term. I'm against FISA if it doesn't come with The Save America Act (FULL version) firmly attached to it. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!" He then highlighted the provisions of the Save America Act, which, among other things, forces voters to present photo ID's and proof of citizenship, plus severely restricts mail in ballots.   In other words, despite his, "victimhood," Donald Trump is willing to fund FISA in order to make it harder for Americans to vote.  

Who says Donald Trump doesn't understand self-sacrifice? His Truth Social account didn't go quiet until around 4am. He arrived in Switzerland between 9 am and 10am EDT. 

That's right, baby. Better living through chemistry.

6-15-26

Donald Trump: An Interview, a Basketball Game and Finally Back to His Sort of People

 Even though it is only Wednesday it has already been quite a week for our man in the White House, Donald J. Trump. On Sunday he appeared on NBC's "Meet the Press," for an interview with journalist, Kristen Welker. They sat down together somewhere in Wisconsin on a farm. The building had a solid roof without any leaks but also had very little insulation. When heavy rain came and went both Welker and Trump had to raise their voices considerably to be heard over the noise. Whether that was a factor in what happened during the interview is up for speculation. 

What we do know is that in the long history of Donald Trump's unhinged rants what we saw Sunday was quite possibly his most off the rails performance to date. In fact, off the rails doesn't really do it justice. Maybe we should go with off a cliff. How else can you describe it when the President of the United States tells the journalist interviewing him, "You're either crooked or stupid." 

That's our Donald alright. When challenged, especially by a female, he comes back hard. The extended rant and abrupt end of the interview--Trump stormed out--led at least one wag to say that while Trump still likes the title of President, he no longer wants the duties of the office. He'd prefer to attend sporting events and plan grand memorials to himself. While we can't be sure of that, Sunday's interview showed us he is a man who has run completely out of patience. Out of patience with a war he started but can't finish. There wasn't a plan B because he couldn't conceive he would need one. Now, because the Iranians didn't cave in, every time he opens another door to end it, he finds a crouching tiger. Out of patience with an increasingly disillusioned electorate. Out of patience with the rising costs of everything. (It's tough to gaslight people when they are the ones buying groceries every week.) And certainly, out of patience with all these fucking questions. (Why won't these people just believe me anymore?)

It has been my personal belief Donald Trump's somewhat tenuous grip on reality truly started to slide away on election night, 2020. By early January 2021 we saw the first real manifestation of the insanity. A lot of people had told him no. His brain simply couldn't handle it. The lie about the election results became an all-consuming obsession. So much so, you could probably strap the old coot into a lie detector right now and he would pass it. Indeed, after all the questions about the war that isn't a war and the economy, the brakes on the crazy train didn't completely fail until Kristen Welker kept insisting there was no proof any election, including the most recent one in California, had been rigged. 

when reminded no evidence had ever been presented in court, the President of the United States responded, "You have more evidence, there's more evidence than ever presented." To quote the TV character, Amy Farah Fowler, "It's hard to argue with street smarts like that." 

Moments later, after a few more insults ("Your elections are crooked and you're crooked and Meet the Press is crooked.) Donald Trump stormed off the set as Kristen Welker whined, "But I flew all the way to Wisconsin to interview you."

Not to worry though. Donald Trump resurfaced on Monday in New York City. He was there to watch the New York Knicks play the San Antonio Spurs in the NBA finals. 

To put this in a little historical perspective, the Knicks haven't appeared so therefore haven't hosted a finals game since 1999. The last time they won a championship since 1973. To say tickets to the game on Monday were the hottest thing in town was an understatement of epic proportions. Now, in comes Donald Trump, who moved out of New York years ago and quite honestly hasn't had anything nice to say about it since. In addition, unlike Barack Obama he has rarely if ever shown any interest in the sport.  

Because of security concerns a Knick's street/watch party outside of Madison Square Garden was cancelled, denying fans without tickets a chance to get in on the action even if from the periphery. Then Garden officials announced security to get in the building would be so tight, fans should arrive two hours prior to the tipoff. Finally, thanks to Trump's caravan, traffic in Manhattan, especially around Madison Square Garden was snarled for hours. 

When Trump and his party showed up in a private box, the whole bunch was roundly booed. The general consensus was the boos were equally divided between those who don't like Trump's politics and others who were simply pissed off at the inconvenience his presence caused. Long time Knicks super fan and film director, Spike Lee arrived wearing a Knicks jersey with the name, Pope Leo, across the back. ESPN personality, Stephen A. Smith, who is normally friendlier to Trump than many on the network said his attendance was, "Selfish and narcissistic."

Proving Smith was right, multiple reports say Donald Trump, while attending the biggest New York Knicks game in 27 years fell asleep during the middle of it. The game itself was a barn burner 115-111 loss for New York, their first since April. The next day, Knicks fans everywhere demanded Trump be banned from the Garden and all future Knicks playoff games. As one pointed out, "we won the first two. The only thing that changed was he was there." Game four is tonight. As far as anyone knows, Donald Trump won't be in the Garden.

Yes, the Master of Madness and Chaos has moved on. He is, no doubt, back in Washington preparing to appear at the super-duper display of muscle, sweat and violence the UFC fights promise to deliver on Sunday. One assumes this crowd won't boo him since it is restricted to military guests, donors, and fans of, not the New York Knicks, but Donald John Trump. 

You know, the sort of crowd he likes best. People who won't try his patience with any questions. 

(For those interested in double talk, half-truths, outright lies, and insanity, the entire transcript of the Kristen Welker-Donald Trump interview is available online thanks to the NBC News website.) 

6-10-26

Bill Pulte is the Man Who Will Figure it Out

 The office of the Director of National Intelligence didn't exist until after the horrors of 9/11, 2001. When the pre-attack intelligence was finally analyzed, it was found there were clues something was up well before the disaster. The most glaring of which was a report that a handful of Saudi nationals were learning how to fly commercial sized jets but showed no interest in being taught how to land them. 

The problem was that this ominous indicator, and others were spread out over various U. S. intel services and at the time there was no single person, or department who saw them all in detail. In other words, there wasn't anybody in charge of piecing together the puzzle. The answer was to create a clearing house, as it were, for all the different departments and agencies to send their findings to for analysis. The Director of National Intelligence and his, or her staff boils it all down, then through meetings and daily reports tells the President on what is going on and advises him what actions he might take or consider taking. 

As one can imagine, with all this different information flooding into one office the Director, whoever he, or she is, needs to have a good deal of intelligence and security experience. In fact, it says just that in the job description that was written by the Congress which authorized the office. In short, anyone who wants the position has to know the business. 

Well, at least until Bill Pulte came along. 

Brother Pulte graduated from Northwestern University with a degree in broadcast journalism. After graduating, he interned with Huron Capital Partners and later worked for Penske Capital Partners. He then started his own company--with a lot of help from his grandfather--Pulte Capital. It became wildly successful within a couple of years. So much so, Forbes Magazine named to their 30 under 30 list.     

Despite the success the rest of the board of directors considered him a pain in the ass ego maniac. Not long after Pulte's grandfather died, the board gave him the heave ho. In 2019 he became chums with Donald J. Trump. By 2024 he was what you would call a big-time donor to the Republican National Committee, the Trump campaign, and other republican causes. In 2025 he became Director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency. 

While it isn't a job that normally grabs headlines Bill Pulte managed to do so. When Trump began looking for reasons to prosecute his political enemies it turned out Pulte was just the man for the job. It was Pulte who, "referred," NY Attorney Gomersal, Letticia James, Senator Adam Schiff and others to the DOJ for federal prosecution--the charges being, Mortgage Fraud. It didn't matter all the indictments either fell through, or failed to get out of grand juries, that was all Pam Bondi's fault. (And probably one of the reasons she got fired.) What mattered was that in Uncle Donald's time of need, Bill Pulte came through for him. 

Which brings us back to the Director of National Intelligence job. The other day, Donald Trump named Bill Pulte the Acting Director. He will now be in charge of analyzing intel data received from 18 different agencies, then deciding which parts of it should be acted on by the President of the United States. To put it mildly when the announcement was made, people from all corners and sides of politics and the media went what is commonly referred to as ape shit crazy. The appointment was so spectacularly insane (Hell, no one could even confirm the guy had any security clearance at all.) it led one talking head to speculate it was a diversion to keep the attention away from Todd Blanche's nomination as Attorney General. 

When asked about Pulte's complete lack of experience, Donald Trump initially said something along the lines of, "he's a smart guy, he'll figure it out." When the outrage and disbelief persisted--one GOP Senator said there was absolutely no chance the upper house would approve Pulte's nomination--the president reassured everyone the appointment was strictly, "temporary," He insisted interviews of permanent candidates were ongoing.  To prove it, Pulte remains in his capacity as Director of the FHFA. 

Ah yes that's quite reassuring. The guy in charge of the President's daily intel briefing, during a war, is not only a raw rookie, but splitting his time between two completely different jobs. 

The brutal truth is there is probably a reason for this madness. Donald Trump needs someone in the intel community to do two things. First, finally come up with some sort of proof the 2020 election was stolen, even if there is none. Second, he needs a person who can somehow, someway throw a wrench into the 2026 midterm elections. Thanks to the mortgage fraud nonsense he figures Bill Pulte might be his boy. He is a complete loyalist who finds out of the box excuses, no matter how flimsy, to go after Trump's enemies, which right now includes an ever-increasing number of pissed off voters. Trump wants a a man who will scare the bejesus out of people. Somebody capable of accusing everyone from polling station volunteers to county employees, and even Ma and Pa Kettle of criminal election fraud. You know, make all those fuckers never want to participate in democracy again--which is the ultimate Trump endgame. 

Yes, Bill Pulte might not know diddly squat about intelligence, but that sort of thing seems right in his wheelhouse. 

Call me paranoid if you want, but the fact is, Bill Pulte's appointment as Acting Director of National Intelligence by law can last 210 days, or nearly seven months. Right now, the 2026 midterm elections are five months out. And for a man of his loyalty and zeal, that might just be all the time he needs.  

6-7-26

President Donald J. Trump and a King Named Ozymandias

 Congress gave the Kennedy Center its name and only Congress can change it.

Federal Judge, Christopher Cooper in his decision which ordered Donald Trump's administration to remove Trump's name from the Kennedy Center for Performing Arts.

Judge Cooper's ruling did not go over well with the Narcissist in Chief, Donald Trump. Trump had named himself to the Board of Trustees of the Kennedy Center months ago, then packed it with loyal toadies who made him Chairman. The new board's first significant act was to arbitrarily rename the place, The Donald J. Trump John F Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts. Seemingly within days after the board's, "unanimous," decision Trump's name was slapped onto the building's facade for all to see. After artists who were scheduled to appear at the center began cancelling in droves and others flat out refused to perform, the Trump chaired board decided to close the place for two years in order to renovate it. (And possibly let everyone cool off and accept the new name--as we know, in this country what outrages today is normal tomorrow.)

In addition to removing Trump's name from the center--his name has to come down from the facade within two weeks--Cooper ruled that while repairs can continue the center must re-open. He did, however, leave open a way around the it by saying if the board decided the re-opening isn't feasible, given the renovation work the center could be closed again.  

Predictably, the President threw a snit fit the likes of which are usually associated with five-year-old spoiled brats. On social media, one of his many posts read, "Unless I am free to do what I do better than anyone else, bring this institution back, physically, financially, and artistically, I have no interest in continuing what could only be a hopeless journey into NEVER NEVER LAND. In other words, If I can't do what I want, how I want all by myself, I'll shut the fucking joint down.  

Along with that post came the inevitable personal attacks on Cooper and his wife. He called the jurist, "a Trump hating Judge," and a "Radical Left Democrat," although in the President's defense, he pretty much considers all democrats, "radical left." He accused Cooper's wife as also being, "an, "anti Trump Hater," a claim which actually might have some validity. Cooper's wife, Amy Jeffrees is an attorney who worked on the Jan. 6th committee and has represented former President Joe Biden and fired FBI lawyer, Lisa Page, who Trump once called, "a dirty cop." 

Unfortunately for the board and their chairman, no matter what his politics, Cooper's logic in the ruling seems pretty unassailable, Congress, by statue, named the Kennedy Center and only Congress can change it. In short, no matter what he thinks, Donald Trump's ego alone can't change a law.

Meanwhile, the White House south lawn is now dominated by a giant arched lighting grid set to illuminate the June 14th UFC mixed martial arts fights. The fight is supposed to be part of the 250th celebration of the nation's founding--because, you know, noting says America quite like two half naked guys kicking the living shit out of each other. The date is also Donal Trump's 80th birthday which might have something to do with it. Crowd estimates are hovering around 90,000 which seems a bit optimistic for an event that isn't selling any public tickets. Large numbers of the U.S. military will be invited but allowed in only if they meet the official height and weight requirements and are clad in short sleeved, dress uniforms. Just to make sure the nation's dignity is completely debased, the televised fighter weigh-ins will be held at the Lincoln Memorial. 

The event is supposedly being paid for by the fight organizers and various sponsors, although there have been reports that the budgets of a couple of different government departments have been dipped into to help pay for it. The organizers will split the profits if there are any, so one has to suspect the birthday boy himself, Donald J. Trump will get a cut. because, as we all know, that's the way he rolls. 

When it comes to the days long music festival/fair set for the mall so many acts have cancelled Trump has scheduled himself as a headliner one night. He says it will be a balls to the wall MAGA rally, which the whole thing was to begin with, even if no one was admitting it. The only, "big name," music act remaining on the card is Vanilla Ice. He is a white rapper who had a single hit a few decades ago, then watched his street cred tank when he showed up in the movie "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles." Apparently Kid Rock and Ted Nugent weren't available for the festivities, although late negotiations might be feverishly underway as these words ate being typed. 

It isn't clear right now if Trump is aware of his sinking poll numbers, or if he is, he believes them. Maybe he just doesn't care. What is clear is that instead of trying to help the people of the republic like he promised to do, he is frantically trying to remake it in his own graven image. 

It's enough to make you think of a poem written by Percy Bysshe Shelley.  It is called, "Ozymandias." Maybe Donald Trump could add his name to that piece of work's title too. 

6-1-26