The MAGA Tide in Congress Ebbs

 On Saturday Speaker of the House, Mike Johnson and 100 of his fellow republicans finally grew a pair. It was a long time coming. In fact, given recent Congressional history, some observers weren't sure it would ever happen, at least not with this gaggle of fascist performance artists, publicity hungry assholes, and groveling cowards.

Indeed, the MAGA reign of terror appeared to have a death grip on republicans serving in the House, despite their lack of numbers. That ended about 48 hours ago when a Ukraine aid bill passed 311-112. The yeas included 101 republicans. The package passed despite MAGA objections, threats, and bullying that included everything up to and including the removal of Johnson from the speakership, ala Kevin McCarthy. 

The MAGA reaction to the House vote was swift and predictably over the top. Democrats helped fuel the fire by waving small Ukrainian flags after the results were announced. Georgia Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene led the charge by booing the flag wavers, Colorado Representative, Lauren Boebert yelled at them angrily and Florida Congresswoman Anna Paulina Luna grabbed the microphone, despite not being recognized to speak, and yelled, "Put those damn flags away!"

It is unknown if Vladimir Putin was on the phone with any of them at the time. 

Greene later posted on social media a video of the pro Ukrainian demonstration and wrote, "Mike Johnson's House of Representatives so proud to work for Ukraine. Not the American people!!!" Boebert wrote, "Such an embarrassing and disgusting show of America LAST politicians." She later added, "You love Ukraine so much get your ass over there and leave America's governing to those who love THIS country!"

Republican Congressman Clay Higgins posted his own video of the democrats waving Ukrainian flags and wrote, "All Democrats waving Ukrainian flags on your house floor when the bill passed sending another 60B of your treasure to fund the war machine. 100% deficit money. Borrowed on the backs of your children. Wake up America." 

This sudden concern about deficit spending appeared right after the MAGA Big Kahuna Donald Trump--who didn't give a rat's ass about the deficit and could spend money like a drunken sailor on shore leave--vacated the White House. However, it at least makes a little more sense than what Marjorie Taylor Greene told the media after the vote. She was quoted saying, "This is the sellout of America today. When we had members of Congress in there waving Ukrainian flags on the United States House of Representatives floor while we're doing nothing to secure our border." 

The hypocrisy of the statement is breathtaking. It wasn't that long ago Greene, along with other republicans in the House, voted to kill a bill which clamped down hard on immigration. It was authored by conservative republican Senators and Joe Biden had vowed to sign it. Herr Trump wanted it defeated only because it would have robbed him of his most potent campaign issue. In other words when you had a chance to, "do something," to secure the border, Congresswoman you chose to do nothing because pleasing your boss was more important than helping solve the problem.

Yes, at least for now the MAGA tide in Congress seems to be ebbing. Think not? Texas republican Congressman Tony Gonzales appeared on CNN yesterday. When asked if Speaker Mike Johnson will survive after supporting the aid to Ukraine he said simply, "He will survive." That sounds like a man who knows a deal has been struck and Greene will never get the votes to unseat another Speaker. Gonzales, who voted for the bill, then went on to tell the network's Dana Bash, "I serve with some real scumbags." 

And that, ladies and gentlemen, also sounds like a man who is tired of being pushed around by Marjorie Taylor Greene, Matt Gaetz, and the rest of Don Trump's cadre of legislative brown shirts. 

4-22-24

God's Misfits and Good Old American Family Values

 Tifany Adams and Tad Cullum lived together on a piece of land n Cimarron County Oklahoma. Their friends, Cole and Cora Twombly lived nearby, or at least as nearby as you can get in the breathtaking emptiness that is the Oklahoma panhandle. All four friends were members of a group going by the name of God's Misfits. According to reports they consider themselves both religious and anti government. 

Given the history of rural, quasi-religious/anti government cults over the last few decades authorities weren't taking any chances last Saturday. When law enforcement moved in to serve arrest warrants the News Nation video of the raid showed an overwhelming force converging on the four. Indeed, it looked like everyone, up to and including Seal Team 6, was involved. Listen, you can't take any chances with people like that, especially when the chargers are murder in the first degree and kidnapping.  

Yes, Tifany Adams, the grandmother of two young children, her boyfriend, and two acquaintances were arrested and charged with murdering Veronica Butler, Adams' ex daughter in law. They are also charged with murdering Jilian Kelley, because--well--she was there. The two Kansas women went missing on March 30 while on their way to pick up Butler's children for a birthday party. Police say the motive was a child custody battle between Adams and Butler, The children's father, Wrangler Rickman wasn't part of the fight because he is busy serving out a court ordered stint in a drug rehab center in Oklahoma City.

News Nation, the only cable news network covering this nightmare, is reporting Adams has claimed Veronica Butler's brother, or half brother, or step brother, or some kind of brother, has been sexually abusing the two children who are 8 and 6 years old. She hasn't provided any proof of the accusation and in fact was facing a court hearing tomorrow when Butler was expected to ask for expanded visitation rights without court approved supervision. Ms. Kelley, was that supervision the weekend she and Butler disappeared. Apparently she was a last minute replacement. The woman who normally served in that capacity was told by Adams she didn't need to be there, Adams then told her former daughter in law the woman wasn't available. At this point it isn't known if Jilian Kelley's presence in the car was a surprise to the killers, or not.   

On Sunday, one day after the arrests, two bodies were recovered from a shallow grave on property rented by Tad Cullum. Police are saying Cullum dug the grave the day before the disappearance. It's unclear at this time if the authorities found the burial site on their own, or one of the four alleged killers gave it up. What is clear, however is law enforcement investigators found blood inside and outside Butler's abandoned car, Kelley's purse inside it, with a loaded semi automatic pistol magazine, but no weapon, and Veronica Butler's glasses nearby on the road.

In addition the OSBI has found dear old grandma had recently bought five tasers, been Googling pages explaining the effects of taser hits, and had purchased a number of what is known as, burner phones. 

As further proof of how twisted this shit is, it looks like the key witness and the person who broke the case is the Twombly's 16 year old daughter. Court records say she told police her parents had left their home the morning of the crime because according to them, they were going on, "a mission." When they returned they told her to clean up the cab of their pick up. News Nation is reporting that after word of the abductions had spread the girl asked her parents why Kelley was killed also. They told her because, "she was evil for helping Veronica Butler." Jilian Kelley was the wife of a pastor who worked as her church's secretary. She was the mother of four.

So, as of right now here is where things stand out in the panhandle. Two women are dead. Two children no longer have a mother, their father is in drug rehab after doing hard time in prison, and their grandmother, at the very least could be going away for the rest of her life. Four additional children are now without a mother. And, a 16 year old girl is in the position of having to testify against her parents in a trial which could see both of them get the death penalty. 

Hey, thank God for good old American family values, not to mention child psychologists.

4-16-24

Moscow Marjorie Turns a Couple of Tricks

 The first thing one must understand about Georgia republican Congresswoman, Marjorie Taylor Greene is that she is bat shit crazy. Not crazy in the funny way either. You know, like the eccentric old aunt in the movie, "Christmas Vacation," who mistakenly brings her cat over in a gift-wrapped box as a present, then recites the Pledge of Allegiance when she is asked to say grace before dinner. No, Ms. Greene is crazy more along the lines of Aileen Wuornos, the Florida street hooker who murdered seven of her, let's say, clients.  

Of course, MTG, as she's known in the trade, doesn't sell her body along stretches of lonely highways like Wuornos did. However, sometimes one can't help but feel Vlad Putin has paid her cash, somewhere, somehow, to perform unnatural acts that even the most hardcore pros would be revolted by. And all of it wrapped in flag and a brand of Christianity completely alien to most Christians and to the, as we say, Word of the Lord.

Last week, after an earthquake, centered in New Jersey, and prior to Monday's eclipse she posted on social media this quasi piece of prophecy, "God is sending America strong signs to tell us to repent. Earthquakes and eclipses and many more things to come. I pray that our country listens." 

The translation to that being, America must do what Donald Trump and I say, while applauding as Russia runs completely amok in Ukraine, or God Almighty will punish us all. She failed to mention the quake's epicenter was located only a couple of miles away from the 12th hole of Trump's Bedminster National Golf Club, a fact which some mystics might consider a major part of, The Sign.

Well, irony is lost on many, especially when it conflicts with their message.

Recently during an online interview Greene said this about the war in Ukraine, "This is a war on Christianity. The Ukrainian government is attacking Christians. The Ukrainian government is executing priests, Russia is not doing that. They're not attacking Christianity. They seem to be protecting it, so that's something else that's clear and obvious to many people that are looking closely to what's going on." 

When I saw that statement my first thought was ask myself how much Vladimir Putin had to pay her for that particular blow job. It was such a blatant and ham handed propaganda moment, recently retired republican Congressman, Ken Buck began referring to MTG as, "Moscow Marjorie." 

"...Moscow Marjorie is focused now on this Ukraine issue and getting her talking points from the Kremlin and making sure that she is popular and she is getting a lot of coverage," Buck told CNN.  

Greene is so determined to abet Putin's rape of Ukraine she is currently threatening to bring down a second republican Speaker of the House to get her way. Her current excuse, other than being in bed with Vlad, is that Ukrainian aid isn't contingent on beefing up security at the U.S. southern border. 

That she had it once, thanks to republicans in the Senate doesn't phase her. Donald Trump didn't want to lose the chaos on the border during the campaign so Greene opposed a bill drafted by conservatives which gave the GOP everything they had asked for, short of gunning down anyone trying to get across the river. 

Yes, the Congresswoman from Georgia is as nuts as they come. That isn't the real problem though. Not even her willingness to suck off Vlad Putin, or do whatever, Don Trump wants is the real problem. The real problem with Marjorie Taylor Greene is, just like her Russian john and her American pimp, she thinks democracy is a complete waste of time and has no use for it. 

And tragically for the nation and world, because of this contempt, she is more than happy to fuck it over, no matter where it is. 

4-10-24

Veronica Butler and Jilian Kelley Drive into the Void

 The panhandle of Oklahoma is a strip of land that is 166 miles long and 34 miles wide. It is comprised of three counties, moving east to west, Beaver, Texas, and Cimarron. The 2020, U.S. census found that a little fewer than 29,000 souls live in the panhandle, not quite half of them in Guymon, the seat of Texas County. These statistics are mentioned only to illustrate one point. In the panhandle of Oklahoma there is a whole lot of empty fucking space. It is, in fact, the very definition of the phrase, "the middle of no where."

At some point a week ago today two women, Veronica Butler, and Jilian Kelley drove into this void and then disappeared. Both women lived on the Kansas side of the state line, although Butler graduated from high school in, Oklahoma. (Hey, when you live in a place that is only 34 miles wide you don't have to go very far to move into another state.)

According to various reports the pair were either friends, or simply acquaintances who were headed to Eva, Oklahoma to pick up, "children," for a birthday party. One source reported the children were Butler's son and daughter. The Amarillo ABC outlet is saying the two kids were living with Butler's ex-mother in law. News Nation added that Kelley was along to help Butler with, "a custody issue." It is unknown at this time what that issue is, but according to both the Amarillo outlet and News Nation the ex mother in law alerted local authorities when they didn't show up.

Within a short time the car Butler and Kelley were driving in was found abandoned three, or four miles north of Eva. A few hours after the discovery of the car the Texas County Sheriff's Department realized it was in over its head and called in the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation. 

The OSBI immediately cut off the flow of information regarding the investigation. As one reporter said about them years ago, "They are notoriously tight lipped." Their reputation for crime solving is also, let's say, mixed. The organization was eviscerated by author John Grisham in his non fiction book, "The Innocent Man." It later became a Netflix documentary which featured the famous writer.  

After releasing a statement that the OSBI's analysis of evidence found in the abandoned auto leads them believe the women were victims of foul play, bureau Public Information Manager, Hunter Mckee told the Amarillo ABC outlet, "We have every reason to believe they could be in danger."

You think, Hunter?

Meanwhile the media accounts of Butler and Kelley keep shifting subtly. Jilian Kelley, also a mother who has four children herself, has been described as being married to the pastor of Hugoton's First Christian Church. It is being reported she serves as the church secretary and a youth leader. Another report says her husband, Heath recently resigned and moved to Nebraska to be the minister at another Christian church. An early release said Butler attended another church and was active in it, while later reports say she attended the same church as the Kelleys and made no mention of any involvement except as a member of the congregation.

Other reports have said the ex mother in law called her son--whether before, or after she called the sheriff's department is unclear--and he and Heath Kelley drove to where the car was found together. Of course if Pastor Kelley really was in Nebraska that would be impossible. If the account is true, the only possible explanation is he also received a call from someone and rushed straight down from his new home. 

Both missing victims were described as having visible tats which is highly unusual for evangelical women, unless they led completely different lives before being, "born again." Whether that is the case, or it is okay for the women of the First Christian Church of Hugoton to decorate their bodily temples is not known. In addition, the nearest school to the car, the one Butler graduated from, went into an unexplained lockdown on Tuesday as the investigation proceeded.  

In other words, the whole picture of what happened, who is responsible, and who these women are, or were is garbled to the point of incoherence right now. And, thanks to the presence of the OSBI it will remain that way until they are convinced they've solved the mystery. If they ever do.

And, even then, if we are to believe John Grisham, we might not find out what really happened. 

4-6-24

Enid's Oberfuhrer is Kaput

 After losing a recall election yesterday in Enid, Oklahoma out going City Commissioner, Judd Blevins issued a statement which in part read, "It took a coalition of leftists and moderates, an all out media blitz from local, state, and national outlets and scare tactics about the future of Vance AFB, unfounded in any truth, or reality, yet shamefully endorsed by the establishment to remove a true conservative from office." 

What Herr Blevins didn't say was yesterday's election would have never been held if it hadn't been for his absolute refusal to apologize for his past connections to a white nationalist group and his participation the 2017 Neo Nazi parade on the University of Virginia campus. In addition, he steadfastly refused to renounce the hateful politics of white nationalism and white supremacy. The people who circulated the recall petition, the Enid Social Justice Committee, had told him that if he did those things they would drop the recall and he could go his merry way as a city commissioner.

Blevins' response had been to go on a local radio show and say, among other things, "I have nothing to apologize for." At a candidate's forum last week when asked about his membership in Identity Evropa--he was the group's Oklahoma state coordinator and recruiter--he said, "Well those organizations no longer exist and I think this election is really about the next three years of this city, not of organizations that disbanded five years ago. Now if speaking out against what is being done to this country, what is continuing to be done to this country is a crime, then I would gladly plead guilty to that." Then he threw in a line about the media's continuing bias against white people.

Brother Blevins also failed to mention the online support his recall campaign received from out of state white nationalist groups. One of them went as far as to publish a photo of the daughter of the social justice committee chair while labeling her a, "terrorist."

It's over and done with now though. When the Enid Ward 1 votes were counted last night--it didn't take long, only 1,390 of the 5,000 registered voters went to the polls--Blevins had lost to republican, Cheryl Patterson, 829 votes to 561. For those into percentages rather than raw numbers that means Ms. Patterson won just under 60% of the ballots cast. And yes, for those pessimists among us it meant a little over four out of every 10 voters in Enid, OK supported a known white supremacist who once marched around at night carrying a torch while chanting, "The Jews will not replace us." 

Not to mention Judd Blevins was right about at least one thing. It did take a coalition of democrats and moderate republicans working in conjunction with Enid business leaders to get rid of his fascist ass.

Indeed, Enid's Oberfuhrer might be kaput, but it took an all hands on deck effort to beat him and that should worry us all. Well, that and the 40% who actually liked the Nazi son of a bitch.   

4-3-24

Private Winger Was Right: The Baltimore Blame Game and the Great Replacement in Michigan

 We're mutants. There's something wrong with us, something very, very wrong with us. Something seriously wrong with us...

Private John Winger, from the movie, "Stripes."

Well, a large portion of us anyway. 

Late Tuesday night, early Wednesday morning the container ship, Dali suffered a series of power outages as it was leaving Baltimore Harbor bound for Sri Lanka. As a result the ship lost all of its steering capabilities. At 1:39AM it struck the Francis Scott Key Bridge, collapsing the entire 1.6 mile span.

Faster than you can say conspiracy, Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene posted, "Accident, or terrorist attack?" on social media. She followed up with a second post demanding a complete investigation into the incident to find out if it was indeed an act of terrorism. While many, including myself, find it hard to believe, Ms. Greene's posts were the closest thing to sanity many right wing screechers were saying.

Utah state legislator and candidate for governor, Phil Lyman posted, "This is what happens when you have Governors who prioritize diversity over the wellbeing and security of citizens." He later posted, "DEI =DIE." It is unclear when and where Representative Lyman became an expert on maritime safety, or the commission which oversees the Port of Baltimore. However, it's obvious he is convinced that somehow, some way, gays and, or people of color are to blame for the Dali taking down that bridge.

Others, not quite as informed, blamed the black Mayor of Baltimore, because he is , "a DEI mayor." Not only that he is just another example of a liberal leading, "a failed city." At least the guy in Utah knows the municipal government in Baltimore has absolutely nothing to do with running the port. 

Pete Buttigieg was blamed apparently because he is a gay man who has kids. One post read, "Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg to address Baltimore Bridge collapse as soon as he is done chestfeeding." Others said Buttigieg was trying to avoid responsibility for the crash by saying the bridge was built for racist reasons.  

Still another post blamed the state of Israel for the accident. He, or she--it's hard to tell when the poster is remaining anonymous--believes Israeli intelligence disabled the ship's steering system in retaliation for the U.S. failing to fully support Israel in the war against Hamas. It wasn't specified whether it was a hands on job,, or those Jewish space lasers Marjorie Taylor Greene used to talk about were responsible. 

South Carolina Congresswoman Nancy Mace posted it was all the Biden Administration's fault. She pointed out the President's, "weaponization," of the DOJ has caused people not to believe anything the government says. In addition, too much of Biden's infrastructure bill is going into, "green," industries. The implication being not enough money was dedicated to building bridges that can withstand a hit by a 200 million pound ship traveling at eight knots. 

Ah, but it wasn't all about the Francis Scott Key Bridge. In Michigan, republican state legislator, Mark Maddock posted a long shot photo of some busses loading passengers from a plane on the tarmac at Detroit Metro Airport. Accompanying the photo was a desperate message which read, "Happening right now. Three busses just loaded up with illegal invaders at Detroit Metro. Anyone have any idea where they're headed with their police escorts?"  

Maddock's post seemed to be ta rock solid confirmation of all those MAGA accusations that Joe Biden is flying in plane loads of illegal aliens who will vote for him in November. That's right, baby, The Great Replacement has begun.

Or not.

The people deplaning and boarding the busses weren't being flown in from Central America, or even the planet Tralfamadore. No, they came from that far away place, Spokane, WA. The, "illegal invaders," were the Gonzaga University' men's basketball team along with coaches, staff, and university officials. They were arriving to play in the NCAA men's basketball tournament. 

We have to give it up to Maddock though. When someone pointed out the truth to him on social media he stuck by his guns. His answer was, "Sure kommie. Good talking point," thus proving without a doubt, once these fuckers go crazy, they stay crazy.

The fictional Private, Winger was right. We just didn't know how right until the Year of Our Lord, 2024.

3-29-24  

Donald Trump Slips the Noose Again--At Least for Now

 Today is March 25, 2024. The media has led us to believe that this date for Donald J. Trump is Judgement Day, an Apocalypse that sweeps the Trump Organization off the face of the financial world. Indeed, today is the moment of the former President's, Reckoning.   

Even Trump himself fed the frenzy. As late as last night Orange Jesus, went into yet another post-midnight manic rage, posting on social media, "Why should a Crooked, highly political New York Judge, Arthur Engoron, in concert and coordination with an even more Corrupt Attorney General, Lettica 'Peekaboo,' James, his Puppet Master, and the White House be allowed to take away and sell off, very successful properties and assets that took me years to zone and nurture into some of the best of their kind in the World--WHEN I HAVE DONE NOTHING WRONG! These Radical Left Lunatics and Communists ask me to pay a ridiculous and completely unheard of fine of over $450,000,000 only because they saw a similar amount in my bank account. I had intended to use much of that hard earned money on running for President. They don't want me to do that--ELECTION INTERFERENCE!"

If we've learned anything about Trump since 2016 it is that when it comes to financing political campaigns he is loathe to use his own cash, both hard earned and ill gotten. He would much prefer those crazed starch fed, rubes attending his rallies pay the political tab $20 and $50 bucks at a time. When they do it proves to him and them, he is a true man of the people. Not to mention, when the investment is high risk it's always best to use someone else's money.  

Now, even as these words are being typed, media outlets have said the New York State Appellate Court has lowered his fraud case bond from the $450 plus million to $175 million and given Trump another 10 days to come up with the cash. 

Yes, the oily fucker just slipped the noose once again--at least for now. Shortly after the decision became known Trump announced he would post the bond within the allotted 10 days. 

Fortunately, for those of us who still believe in the rule of law, there was another breaking story. Today wasn't all peaches an cream for Big Don. When the bond news aired Trump was otherwise occupied in another New York courtroom. He was attending what turned out to be the final pre-trial hearing in what is known as the Stormy Daniels hush money case.

The criminal charges faced by Trump allege that during the 2016 Presidential campaign he paid off a porn star/dancer/high end hooker, who goes by the name of Stormy Daniels for her silence about a one night stand she had with while his wife was home caring for their newborn son, Barron. Actually the hush money payment itself isn't illegal in New York. However, covering it up as payments to your lawyer and as campaign expenditures is--which is what Trump is accused of doing.

Judge Juan Merchan had already delayed the start of the trial once. Today Trump's lawyers, with him looking on, argued the trial should be delayed again. According to them the feds and the state colluded to delay the discovery process by intentionally withholding evidence regarding Michael Cohen who is expected to be the state's key witness in the case. Cohen was Trump's former lawyer and damage control officer. He is the alleged conduit who got the cash from either Trump, or the campaign to buy Daniels' silence.

Merchan wasn't buying any of the collusion nonsense. He told the Trump team they hadn't proven any of it, which must have come as a shock to the defendant, because in Trumpworld, if Donnie says it, it becomes the truth.

Jury selection is now set to begin on April 15th. If it does, for the first time in American history a former President will be tried on criminal charges. Whether the Trump legal team can appeal their way out of that date remains to be seen. 

However, as we know all too well, Donald Trump is the greatest escape artist since Harry Houdini. He has proven time and time again, with very few exceptions, he can get out of anything. 

It is, to paraphrase a lyric, the nature of his game.

3-25-24