The Gangs of Lake Arcadia Redux

 On May 3rd of this year a promotion company, of sorts, called crowd Control Entertainment sponsored a get together it called, Sunday Funday. The site of the event was Edmond, OK's Arcadia Lake, specifically the Scissortail campground, which features a large wooden pavilion. The host of the shindig, which according to the online ads would feature, "food, drinks, music, and good vibes," was a guy going by the stage name, DJ Drop It.

The city of Edmond's Park Department which in theory is in charge of the lake didn't know Sunday Funday was going to happen. Apparently, they weren't as in tune with the world of social media like the impresarios of Crowd Control Entertainment were. Because they had no clue the party was about to happen there weren't any restrictions on crowd size, alcohol consumption, and most importantly, there weren't any requirements for Crowd Control Entertainment to provide security personnel. So, seeing a way to improve the bottom line, they didn't.        

While it is unknown what the food, drink, and music were like the good vibes never made an appearance. As the media has reported, Sunday Funday quickly turned into the Oklahoma City metro's version of the Gunfight at the OK Corral. Over 20 people were injured, although the number may have been higher since some were reluctant to report injuries. One of those injured, Avianna Smith-Gray died on May 5th.  

This week, the local CBS affiliate, KWTV reported Edmond Police had arrested three more suspects in connection with the Arcadia Lake shootout. Makhi Magness, 19, Hezekiah Ricks, 20, and Omarion Gabriel, 20 were all charged. Magness was hit with, shooting with intent to kill, possession of a firearm during a violent felony incident, and other gang related charges--whatever that means. Ricks and Gabriel were both slapped with, accessory to first degree murder. That brings the total number of people charged in the shooting to nine. 

From the very start of their coverage OKC media outlets have been reporting the Arcadia Lake violence was gang related. However, after witnesses claimed the whole nightmare began when two young women in the crowd got into a fistfight, to some, including myself. felt a gang vs gang battle seemed a bit of a convenient stretch--just an easy way to categorize a spur of the moment drunken brawl turned deadly shootout at an unsupervised event. 

Now though, things are starting to lean away from spontaneous combustion to something darker. According to KWTV Edmond police did some searching of Makhi Magness' social media accounts. Among other things investigators are saying they found a post from Magness time stamped hours before the shootings began. It read, "Let's bump guns today, it's gone be nkaps at Lake Hefner an I got ride."  Someone unidentified responded, "okk hefner or arcadia." Magness, who uses the street moniker, M7, responded, "Arcadia." (For those thinking I had a small stroke right then, all the spelling and syntax are theirs.) 

While I'm not completely sure of the literal translation of that, it does sound as if Makhi Magness was planning for trouble at Scissortail Campground. Edmond police certainly believe it.  They say exactly that in the written affidavit included with the criminal charges. 

It didn't take long after the shooting for Hezekiah Ricks to prove that like M7 he isn't exactly a Professor Moriarty either. A mere 20 minutes after the smoke began to clear, he posted a message on a group chat thread claiming he had the gun used by Daviion Wycoff that night. He also said he had Wycoff's blood on him. (Wycoff is also one of the nine charged in the shooting.) To prove it police say Ricks posted a photo of his hand with blood on it and later images of the weapon. On May 8th police say Ricks and Gabriel had a little online chat about moving the weapon from one spot to another. 

In addition to Magness, Ricks, Gabriel, and Wycoff--who is charged with first degree murder, the list of those popped by the Edmond Police includes one unnamed juvenile. Then there is Jaylan Davis, first degree murder, Breeon Mortonn, accessory to a felony, Trinity Brown, assault with a deadly weapon, and Marcus Jones, accessory to murder. 

The entity known as Crowd Management Entertainment has, for obvious reasons, disappeared. The headliner that night, DJ Drop It has a Facebook account which maintains he was, "a victim too." It is unclear if he was being literal or speaking strictly in the metaphorical sense. 

Meanwhile the authorities say they believe even more people were involved. They are still soliciting help from the public for additional information.  Although, to be honest, given the level of criminal sophistication being displayed around here lately, all they really need to do is visit different social media sites every so often. I mean, for God's sake, these gruesome clowns not only can't keep their mouths shut, but it looks like they don't even understand that when you commit a crime, any crime, one of the goals is not to get fucking caught.  

Indeed. Makhi Magness also wrote in one post to his mother, "...at least Yk your raised a shooter..." Unfortunately for us all, especially Avianna Smith-Gray, is that what M7's mother didn't do is raise a genius.   

7-12-26

The Massacre in Seattle, Folarin Balogun Makes Trump's Short List, and How the President's Brain Works

It was a disaster of epic proportions. Within a few minutes of the opening kickoff last night, the U.S..-Belgium soccer match went from the Battle in Seattle to the World Cup's version of Custer at the Little Big Horn. The onslaught was immediate and overwhelming. Even when the U.S. managed to briefly tie the game 1-1 (the tie lasted for about two minutes of playing time) it felt like the ceiling was giving way. 

The final was 4-1, which is pretty much the American football equivalent to getting your ass kicked 42-7. 

Analysts, almost exclusively American, blamed the loss on a series of costly mistakes made by the U.S. team. The reality however, is that the Belgians, at least light night, had a vastly superior team. The U.S. could have trotted David fucking Beckham in his prime out there and they would have still lost. 

Actually, they did put someone unexpected onto the pitch. The best U.S. player in the tournament, Folarin Balogun had been suspended for last night's match after he received a red card during the U.S. win over Bosnia-Herzegovina. Then President Donald J. Trump made a phone call to FIFA head honcho, Gianni Infantino.

What happened next depended on who was talking. Infantino hasn't commented at all. United States Senator, Ted Cruz (R-TX) publicly thanked Trump for getting Balogun's red card removed so he could play last night. Trump himself claimed he only asked Infantino to review the play involved since in his opinion, "It wasn't a foul." (He knew this because Trump is such an accomplished student of the game and FIFA rules, just ask him.) The Belgians and others screamed the fix was in. Despite Trump's claim, the affair did feel a little sketchy, especially when the media reminded everyone FIFA had just rented space for offices in Trump Tower. 

In truth, yes, the red card call was questionable, and the foul, if there was one, did appear accidental not intentional. But no, the President of the United States should not have called the head of FIFA to complain about it. Sometimes bad calls are just part of the breaks in sports. Besides, doesn't the supposed leader of the free world have more important things to do?     

In order to put a lid on the controversy Infantino did say the decision could not be appealed, no matter how loudly Belgium protested. The result was two-fold. First, Balogun played. Second, it really, really, pissed off the Belgian team. One former U.S. player said the Belgians came out mad with something to prove.  

And they did. Even 67,000 American fans and their relentless renditions of that quasi fascist chant, USA, USA, USA couldn't stem the tide. The U.S. team was doomed. 

Now comes the weird part. In 2001, Folarin Balogun's parents, who were both born in Nigeria, but living in the UK, came to visit the good old US of A. When they tried to return to the U.K. after their trip, she was so far along in her pregnancy the airline was afraid she would deliver the baby somewhere over the Atlantic. They refused to let her board the plane. The child, future U.S. soccer star, Folarin was born in Brooklyn a little later. Thanks to the 14th amendment to the Constitution, because he was born on American soil, he automatically became an American citizen. Yes, just as much of one as Stephen Miller.

It's called--the term has been in the news a lot lately--Birthright Citizenship. After mom and child were deemed healthy enough, some reports say seven weeks later, they flew back to the U.K. where they have lived ever since. However, because he has never formally renounced his U.S. birthright citizenship, Folarin Balogun remains an American citizen and was eligible to play on team U.S.A. 

That's right, Donald Trump just intervened, one way or another, on behalf of a guy who is here only because of a Constitutional amendment the President desperately wants to get rid of says he can. 

It is unclear which word, irony or hypocrisy, is more applicable at this moment. However, if Trump does manage to void the 14th amendment, now that the U.S. has been unceremoniously eliminated, there can be little doubt Folarin Balogun's name will be on the short list of the people Trump wants to, let's say de-citizeniize. You can almost hear him saying something like, I did the guy a favor and look how he repaid me.

Knowing Donald Trump as we do it is easy to speculate he was interested in the outcome of the World Cup for only one reason. In his own twisted mind, a United States win in a men's World Cup tournament, America's first, would somehow enhance his own greatness. That's right baby, when I was President the United State men were the best in the world and I helped. The odds are better than 50-50 he even envisioned that trophy sitting in his gilded Oval Office somewhere, then later at home on the mantle. Hells bells, it wouldn't be surprising if even now he didn't try to con the winning team into giving it to him. 

It is, after all, how his brain works.

7-7-26

July 3rd, 2026: Happy, Happy, Happy Donald and Busting Notorious Nuns

 Thanks to the fans of various World Cup teams the United States has been in party mode for weeks now. Most notably, the Scots roared into Boston and drank the town out of beer--a feat which many considered impossible. While the Tartan Army is gone now, others remain and will contribute to the mood of the nation tomorrow when the republic celebrates the 250th anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence. (Just a side note here: despite all the paintings, musicals, and weird evangelical fantasies, no, not everyone who signed it did so that day and no, Jesus did not make an appearance, spectral or otherwise to bless the event.)

Mythology aside, the American Declaration of Independence was then and is now the most revolutionary document ever written and endorsed. Every man in that Continental Congress was, if you were British, committing high treason and faced a death sentence. Luckily for them the Americans, with more help from the French than we will ever admit to, won. Ever since then on the 4th of July, Americans have been, as the Duck Dynasty dude says, "Happy, happy, happy." 

The happiest of us all during all the festivities should be the President himself, Donald John Trump. (Oh come on, you knew I would get to him eventually.) Recent reports indicate Mr. Trump's wealth has increased by $3 billion since his second inauguration. When asked about it the other day, Trump replied that yes, he was getting richer thanks to the stock market where he has millions invested. He claimed everyone is. He went so far as to tell the journalist to check her 401K account, then said it had gone up by 85% thanks to the robust stock market his policies have created. His parting shot was a sarcastic, "Thank you, Mr. Trump." 

Now, while I don't have a 401K and never had one, my wife does. When she heard Trump's statement her first comment was something along the lines of, "Bullshit. If mine had gone up that much, I'd retire right now." 

Others were quick to point out, Donald Trump was flat out lying. The dramatic increase in his wealth had little to do with the stock market. It was almost exclusively due to investments by a murky band of super rich Americans and foreign Pooh-bahs in his crypto business dealings. (All of which feel distinctly like a grift of such profoundly epic proportions it makes Bernie Madoff look like some two-bit street hustler.) 

No other President in the history of the United States has ever pulled something like this. Some of them might have wanted to--Dick Nixon comes to mind--but all of them actually knew what the Constitution of the United States has to say about shit like this.  Article 1, Section 9, Clause 7 of the Constitution limits the President's income to his fixed salary of $400,000 a year. It strictly prohibits the President from receiving any other emolument (payments from the federal or state governments. Article 1, Section 9, Clause 8, prohibits the President from "any gift, payment, or title from a foreign state without the consent of Congress."  Foreign states are further defined as, "national governments, government owned companies, sovereign wealth funds, and regional authorities."  Later Congress passed the Foreign Gifts and Decorations Act which limits the value of gifts to a President from foreign governments to $525 or less. 

Oops. How much did that Boeing 747-8 gifted to Trump by Qatar cost again? You know, the one he insists he will keep after he leaves office. 

The out for our boy, Don, and there always is one, is that the Constitution didn't make violations of the emolument's acts crimes. And even though the online site, Copilot Search notes violations can lead to, "legal challenges, political fallout, and possible impeachment, we know Donald Trump doesn't give a rat's ass about the first two consequences and considers himself immune from the third. Although it might help explain why he is so obsessed with keeping everybody he can away from voting booths this fall. 

Meanwhile, in its never-ending campaign to make America safe (not to mention whiter) Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agents busted one of the worst of the worst last Sunday. ICE detained the notorious Nigerian born, Sister Letticia Ugboaja while she was walking to Sunday Mass, dressed in her religious habit. Sister Letty, as she is called, is a registered nurse who not only serves in her McAllen, TX church, Our Lady of Sorrows, but is also works for South Texas Health System. 

After her church published the news of her detention--handcuffs and all--on social media, members of Congress from both sides of the aisle intervened to get her released. So far as anyone knows ICE hasn't offered an excuse, or apology for the nun's arrest. Hey, who says America is getting soft?

So here we are America. On the eve of the nation's 250th birthday. The President and his pals, both domestic and foreign are getting richer and our law enforcement is busting nuns. You have to think the guys who signed the Declaration of Independence didn't quite envision the nation this way. You can never know for sure though. After all, the same guy who wrote the words, "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal..." bought and sold human beings like they were nothing more than farm tools. 

Well, we've never been perfect, or even close to it. However, it does feel like Donald Trump and his crowd have now pushed us dangerously close to something irreversible--the belief that arrogant corruption and brutality are not only normal, but the ideal--The Real American Way.      

7-3-26

Eating and Being Eaten by the Bear

 Sometimes you eat the bear, sometimes the bear eats you.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

According to the online site, Quote Investigator, that isn't exactly what Emerson wrote in an 1870 essay about early man hunting with a sharpened stick. However, that's what the transcendentalist's words have morphed into in the modern vernacular. And they pretty much describe what happened yesterday and this morning when it came to Donald J. Trump and the Supreme Court of the United States.

Yes, in many ways the last 36 hours, or so have been weird, almost schizoid even by the standards of this court. How else do you describe a decision that gives the President unpreceded power to fire members of governmental regulatory boards simply because they make rulings he doesn't like. The very purpose of these boards, like the Federal Trade Commission and others are to be able make rulings free of political pressure and threats. Now, a President, like Trump, can replace board members with any political hack he likes. One analyst put it this way, "It's like the umpire is an employee of one team playing and can be fired anytime that team doesn't like the call."  Donald Trump called the decision a restoration of exertive power, which is, of course absolute bullshit. Over the years, as these different boards and commissions created by Congress, no President has ever had the power to fire members without cause. 

Which brings us to the weird part, At the same time the court ruled the Federal Reserve Board of Governors is the one exception to the rule. Specifically, Trump couldn't fire Federal Reserve Governor, Lisa Cook, who didn't agree with Trump about lowering interest rates--and happened to be a black woman. The Director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, Bill Pulte had pulled an accusation of mortgage fraud against Cook out of a hat--a move which impressed Trump so much he made Pulte the temporary Director of National Intelligence just in time for the midterms. The unproven accusation gave Trump the excuse he wanted to fire Cook. But now, the Supremes say, Cook wasn't afforded due process, so she can't be touched.

The major blow to Trump, however, came when SCOTUS upheld a Mississippi law that allows mail-in ballots that are delivered after election day to be counted. According to our man in the Oval Office this allows those evil democrats to not only delay the results but rig the outcomes. He doesn't have any proof of that happening--ever--but he is convinced of it. (How else could I ever lose?)  It also throws a wrench into his plan to foul up the midterms through the postal service's delivery process.

Of course, my favorite Supreme Court ruling yesterday wasn't a ruling at all, it was their refusal to even consider Trump's appeal of the E. Jean Carroll lawsuit. Carroll had taken El Donald to court twice, once receiving a $5 million settlement. The second time around she hooked him for $85 plus million. This case involved the $5 million judgement. By refusing to hear it, Donald Trump is now out of options and appeals. He owes the writer five big ones, no ifs ands or buts. Get out the old checkbook, Donnie and please, no crypto currency. This is a cash only transaction. 

This morning started well for Trump. The court ruled the states--not the feds, as Trump ultimately wants--can ban men and boys who have transitioned to women from playing women's sports. The issue has become a major MAGA rallying cry, mainly because everything else they're doing so is so reprehensible they'd rather not talk about any of it. This little slice of culture war feels like a winner to them. Although lately Trump has also decided New York democratic socialists are another. ("They are really communists and they are a greater danger to our country than the attack on Pearl Harbor.") 

Meanwhile, for many of us old time democrats the whole transgender/sports thing is a non-issue. No, women, who were born men, should not be playing against biological women. And honestly, any democrat who is willing to defend that particular hill is politically suicidal and not worth serious consideration.           

Seemingly within minutes of the whole biologically born men in women sports ruling, the president found out at last that one of his executive orders cannot change what the Constitution says or means. No matter what fanciful the interpretations might be, no matter how the times have changed, the words in the Constitution cannot be rendered void by Presidential decree. The 14th amendment remains sacrosanct.  If you are born in the United States, you are a citizen of the United States. The only way to change it is to amend the Constitution or by passing some tortuously worded bill through Congress.

It didn't take long for Donald Trump to advocate just that. Not long after the decision was announced he wrote, in part, on social media, "Congress should start TODAY to work on ending expensive and unfair to our Country, Birthright Citizenship. They will have my complete and total Support!"

We bet they do, Brother Don. However, you'd better get Big Bill Pulte to work in a hurry. November is edging closer and then, trust me, you are going to run into another bear. 

6-30-26

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