The Epstein Class Carries On

Posted: August 9, 2026 | Author: | Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Once again Donald J. Trump disparages our military by putting himself in the same category as those that won World War II. Remember that President “Bone Spurs” got numerous mysterious medical waivers to avoid the draft during the Viet Nam War. He is using borrowed valor to try and make himself seem like a great leader which is directly out of the Dictator’s Handbook (see Stalin, Kim Jong Un, Mussolini, Franco, Pinochet, etc.). He could not even get the details correct, probably out of ignorance. The uniforms are incorrect, the ranks are incorrect, the covers (headgear) are incorrect, just about everything about the image is historically incorrect. Note, however, that he gives himself more stars (higher rank) than either of those next to him that actually earned them. Somehow he also ends up with better hair and no headgear — doesn’t want to mess up his “do”. To say nothing about the fact that one would think the president could better spend his time doing something other than posting AI memes. (Image courtesy of @realDonaldTrump, accessed via Truth Social)

“Found an imaginary problem, said only they could fix it, didn’t listen to experts, hired buddies who grifted millions, failed miserably, bragged how great it went. The entire Trump presidency in a nutshell.” — Minnesota Governor Tim Walz on 18 June 2026 via an “X” post commenting on the fiasco at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool in Washington D.C.

We live in scary and exhausting times. It is hard enough to live ones own life but knowing at the same time that the Trump regime, along with his buddies in the Epstein Class, are trying daily to enhance their own power and wealth makes it down right discouraging. Nothing seems to be going well for the country, unless you are a billionaire or a Trump insider. The war in Iran is a total debacle at the expense of our fine military men and women. Jobs are being lost in record numbers. Inflation is increasing. Food is not safe as diseases spread. Measles, once thought statistically eliminated in the U.S. is roaring back as the number of cases soars. Federal aid for disasters is tied to how your state’s Electoral College votes were assigned. Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP — colloquially called food stamps) funds are being drastically cut and children are going hungry. Health care funds are being slashed. One of the most successful programs in the history of the federal government — Head Start which helps get kids off to a good start in their lives and in school — is changing the criteria for regulating what is taught and who can go with the loss of nearly two billion dollars from the program.

The list goes on and on. Meanwhile, Trump and his family get richer and richer. This is the same man that cheated on his wife with an adult film star, bragged on tape about sexually assaulting women, was adjudicated to be held civilly liable for sexual assault, was convicted on thirty-four felony counts, attempted to overthrow a free and fair election, is the only man to be impeached twice as president, and who was best friends with Jeffrey Epstein, to just name a few highlights. I know life isn’t fair, but really?

His administration is using the Department of Justice (DOJ) to go after everyone on Trump’s “enemies list.” Primarily people that tried to hold him accountable or criticized him. The spineless United States Senate, once the embodiment of collegial work for the good of our country, is a laughing stock. They just confirmed Todd “Carte” Blanche as the Attorney General. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) said that “Well, there’s nothing we can do to rein in the president.” Umm, here’s an idea. How about voting “no” on the nomination of a guy that is going to end up creating a nearly two billion dollar slush fund to pay convicted criminals and who gave the president and his family the promise that they would never be audited for their tax shenanigans in perpetuity. A provision that is estimated to mean a profit to Trump of anywhere from 100 million to one billion dollars in taxes he will never have to pay. Other Republican Senators opined that they voted for him because Trump might nominate someone worse. I doubt it, but could one not still vote “no” on all unqualified or corrupt nominees? Why is the architect of the Epstein Files cover up the best choice for Attorney General?

The worst part? Trump is so embarrassed by his Reflecting Pool screw up — and to prove he can never be wrong — he ordered the arrest of innocent bystanders to have them charged with felonies for “vandalizing” his decrepit pool. This should be a five alarm warning bell to all of us. Essentially, Trump and his goons picked up people at random off the street to charge them with crimes that could result in ten years in prison. Our fellow citizens were rounded up for no reason other than merely to please Trump. Incredibly, the cooler head that prevailed was the Attorney General of the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro of Fox News fame. She dismissed the charges based on evidence that the contractor totally botched the entire job. Still, Trump will not leave it alone and is threatening to arrest more people for “cutting” the liner on his vanity project. That the members of the regime do not honor their oaths to the Constitution does not surprise me anymore. What concerns me is that rank and file prosecutors, law enforcement officers, National Guardsmen and others at the working levels are doing whatever they are told to do in violation of their oaths. “Just obeying orders” is not a legal nor a moral excuse.

The total incompetence of this Administration can best be seen in the total disaster unfolding in the war of choice against Iran. All is not well as Iran currently holds all the cards — to put it in Trumpian terms. It turns out that this not the “little excursion” that he claimed it to be. Trump and his minion Hegseth do not know how to honorably end the war. Both are searching frantically for a way out while still declaring “victory.” According to multiple media reports, Trump is looking for something, anything, that he can declare proves that he won the war. The latest scheme is to find a way to get the Strait of Hormuz open and then go home. Recall that the Strait was open to ships of all nations under international law and freedom of navigation. Trump will not care if the Iranians charge a “service fee” or a “tax” or an “environmental fee” as long as they do not use the word “toll.” Iran and Oman are reported to be negotiating the terms for re-opening the Strait without U.S. involvement, even as Trump keeps saying he has solved the issue. Gone is any talk of a nuclear deal.

Evidence of Trump’s and Hegseth’s total lack of understanding of warfare, strategy or the consequences of armed conflict is the widely reported lack of long range precision offensive and defensive munitions. As we used to say “prior proper planning prevents piss poor performance.” Reports indicate that the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Caine briefed the president and Secretary of Defense on the dangers of this type of operation in terms of geo-political consequences and the impact it would have on the future readiness of the Armed Forces. He was ignored and here we are. It turns out that “lethality” — Hegseth’s favorite word — is insufficient to win wars. On a small scale — in the greater scheme of things but not small to those involved — one can see the lack of logistical or operational planning in the plight of the USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72). Family members of those aboard are raising holy hell about the reported conditions on board. No soap. Very little food. “Care packages” from home take months to be delivered, if at all, by which time cakes, cookies, the little day-to-day brighteners from home are ruined. Broken equipment. Falling morale. A total nightmare for a front line asset conducting combat operations every day and night. They have been deployed for over nine months. They set a record with over 200 consecutive days at sea. That is unsustainable. Equipment breaks, people get exhausted, mistakes start to happen. The flight deck on a carrier is inherently dangerous. It is an accident waiting to happen. When people are tired their concentration lapses. It is a miracle that no major accident has yet to occur. But, here is what is telling. Why is it there for so long? Why was there no rotation plan for ships and other units to come in and out of theater at specified times? Where are the supply ships to deliver the soap, the mail, the little things that keep the Sailors and Marines going day and night? None of that is happening because of their piss poor planning. Hegseth said it would be over in four weeks, six at the most. We are now approaching six months. There was no long range plan. I still have no idea what the original strategic goal was. It was never explained or articulated. Trump and Hegseth attacked because they thought it would be easy and fun.

This weekend Aramco, the Saudi Arabian Oil Company, had a facility hit in Jubail, in eastern Saudi Arabia. The war continues whether or not Trump wants it to. Meanwhile, even though seemingly everyday Trump tells us there will be a “deal” in a day or two, Iran’s Supreme National Security Council laid out six conditions for reopening the Strait, which realistically is about all Trump can expect to get out of any “deal.” The terms specify that the U.S. must cease all threats against Iran, permanently end all military operations against Iran and its allies, end the U.S. blockade of Iranian ports, provide compensation for damage inflicted during the war, remove all sanctions and release all frozen Iranian assets. All of which was not part of the Joint Comprehensive Plan Of Action (JCPOA), the agreement reached with the Iranians during the Obama Administration that limited Iran’s capability to produce enriched uranium. Trump tore it up because he could do better. He absolutely did not do better. And here we are.

Meanwhile this weekend, Trump’s other signature deal, the so-called “Board of Peace” plan for Gaza that Trump claims has solved all of the problems in the Middle East and that he boasted was agreed to by Israel and Hamas just got blown up. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu publicly rejected the entire fifteen point plan.

Stand by for Trump to act out in some way. Or maybe he will not care because he is too busy with his vanity projects and shaking down corporations and ordinary citizens for yet more money. He even has a staffer that he calls “The Princess of Darkness” that calls CEOs of company’s and corporations and tells them how much protection money they must ante up to do business that “the boss” would like a contribution of certain millions of dollars for his political campaign fund, presidential library or a D.C. monument, thank you very much. They pay. He has 800 million dollars in his campaign fund, which in an interview yesterday Trump said he may or may not use to help re-elect Republicans because it is “his” money to do with it as he sees fit. We still do not know where the billions in Venezuelan oil money is going. But, for 100,000 dollars a month, you can sign up to get Truth Social posts before the rest of the public gets them so that you can conduct insider trading sound business deals before anyone else knows what is happening.

Have a nice day.

All Men Are Created Equal — Aren’t They?

Posted: July 4, 2026 | Author: | Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Mount Rushmore National Memorial in South Dakota depicting Presidents Washington, Jefferson, Roosevelt, and Lincoln. Trump gave a speech there on 3 July 2026 that laid out a playbook for his autocratic regime to remain in place for “one hundred years.” More on that below. Despite Trump’s desire to be added to the memorial, park officials explain that geologically, it is not possible. (Picture courtesy of the National Park Service)

This weekend we celebrated the 250th anniversary of the signing of our Declaration of Independence and we mark it as the founding of the United States of America. I hope that you were able to celebrate in your own way given that much of the eastern part of the country was suffering from temperatures in triple digits. I went to an early morning neighborhood parade of mostly young kids on their decorated bicycles. It was fun. I also enjoyed watching the Sail4th 250 parade of tall ships and the military aircraft flyover of the New York City harbor. Despite the heat it looked like participants and spectators alike thoroughly enjoyed the proceedings. It was a celebration in the fullest meaning of the word. I sensed joy, unity, pride and fun.

Sail4th 250 was a distinct contrast to the Trump arranged Freedom 250 that hijacked the national mall and celebrated Trump. Using Park Service money — money dearly needed to maintain and run our national parks — and money from the Congressionally approved non-partisan America250 celebration, Trump turned the event into an unpleasant, disagreeable, poorly attended disappointment. Congressional Democrats are investigating the entire operation, but as they put the story together, it appears that Trump entities and cronies may have received a lot of taxpayer money for a poorly executed public embarrassment.

The United States of America is founded on an idea. We should take seriously the words of the Preamble that read, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of happiness.” Our nation is not based on a common religion, or ethnicity or allegiance to one person. We know that the Founding Fathers meant that “all men” were white men that owned property. However, those words have driven our country forward, sometimes with agonizing events and grinding slow speed, but forward to an ever inclusive society. As Princeton Professor Eddie Glaude, Jr explains in his most recent book America, USA: How Race Shadows the Nation’s Anniversaries, our “storybook” history of our search for “a more perfect Union” has a major contradiction. We cannot be both a beacon of freedom to all the world and a white nationalist country run by rich white males.

Trump cannot or will not accept the fundamental ideals upon which our nation rests. In his Mount Rushmore speech he laid out a totally different vision of America. Our Founding Fathers, whatever their flaws, and there were many, were patriots. The people Trump reveres are nationalists. Patriotism and nationalism are not the same thing.

This is not a new position for Trump. In a wide ranging interview on Wolf Blitzer’s CNN show Late Edition in March 2004 Trump said, “But the phrase that ‘all men are created equal’ is a wonderful phrase, but unfortunately it doesn’t work that way. All men are not created equal. Some are born with a genius and some are born without. Now, you need that. If you don’t have that, you can forget it.” (In the same interview he also claimed “And it just seems that the economy does better under the Democrats than the Republicans. Now, it shouldn’t be that way. But if you go back, I mean it just seems that the economy does better under the Democrats.”)

Before the speech, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt promised that Trump would describe what it means to be an American. Instead, Trump announced that he was going to “exile” Americans that did not agree with his vision of America. He used the playbook of Authoritarianism 101. Roughly the first third of the speech was the usual politician’s speech on a national occasion, although he can never leave out his grievances and personal victimhood, Then he starts to build the case. He defines who belongs in America. He reflects on the divine power of God and the blessings bestowed on our country by God above all others. He emphasizes western European heritage without mentioning the contributions to our country from citizens from Africa or Latin America. He uses the words “breed,” “character” and “culture” countless times and always in the context of those that belong in America and have the right qualities as opposed to all of those that are in our country that do not.

Then he really got down to business. Using the same fear tactic that every fascist leader from around the globe has used since the beginning of the twentieth century, he went after “the communists.” Let him tell you in his own words:

“Yet, as we approach this magnificent anniversary, we see our American identity under a renewed attack. A generation after we fought and won the Cold War against the menace of communism, there is now a resurgence of the communist menace in our land, including from newcomers to our country who embrace ideas totally opposed to our way of life and our great success. These are not mere political disagreements like differences over taxes or regulations. Communism is a mortal threat to American liberty. It is the greatest threat to our country, including World War I, World War II, Pearl Harbor, or even 9-11. We’re not going to let this happen to us. Believe me, we’re not letting it happen. Because communism is the enemy of free people everywhere, everywhere in the world. Never works. It’s the enemy of the Constitution. Above all, it’s the enemy of July 4th, 1776. It is the enemy indeed.“

Who are these godless communists you may ask? Over the last few weeks, Trump has been building the case that the Democrat Party is really the Communist Party. Accordingly, Trump must think that roughly half of America’s citizens are communists and are a threat to our nation. Or more specifically according to Trump, “The Communist Party is made up of illegal immigrants, criminals, and everybody that doesn’t want to work. Communism is a loser. It always was, and it is right now. It’s a big loser. Look at the people that are promoting it.“

The solution? “We’re not going to let them take too long or too much of our time as they play their games and send them into exile. We will send them quickly away…” His vision of America on the eve of our 250th birthday — round up those that do not go along with the MAGA philosophy of a white male Christian nationalist country.

But just to make sure, Trump is going to arrange for his supporters to win every election for the next one hundred years. He declared, “We can only lose the midterms if we allow ourselves to lose the midterms if we are foolish, stupid, and unwise. But if we terminate the filibuster as we should do and immediately vote for the Save America Act, then we will not lose an election for 100 years. We do that. We’re not going to lose an election for 100 years.” If you can’t win it, rig it.

I fear for our country. This man, a convicted felon and adjudicated sexual abuser (the Supreme Court would not hear his appeal) who already tried to steal an election is not going to let a little thing like the will of the people get in his way. He will do whatever it takes. I am not putting my hope in the judicial system either. While district and appellate courts have been firm in stopping the wildest notions of the Trump regime, the Supreme Court seems ready to continue to give him as much power as he wants. Their decisions over the last two weeks confirms that in my mind. I take no solace in the fact that they voted 6-3 (!!! and if you look closely it was really 5-4) that the Constitution is constitutional. The idea that a president, through an Executive Order no less, can undo a key component of the Fourteenth Amendment and four of the Justices essentially agree with that is not very calming. (The case was Trump v Barbara and involved birthright citizenship, one of the key foundational ideals of our country. “All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside.“)

Trump made over two billion dollars in profit in his first year in office. His cronies are also getting unbelievably rich. Elon Musk cut aid to dying people around the world through DOGE and he is now a trillionaire. Trump does not plan to go anywhere and those around him as advisers and friends don’t want him to go anywhere either. We are in for some tough times over the coming year.

At the same time our country has been through tough times before. I still have the belief that more and more people are going to catch on to what is happening to our country and they will not settle for it. Not everyone, but enough.

Happy birthday America!

All Hail Emperor Donnie

Posted: June 13, 2026 | Author: | Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The “Claw” and “Octagon” on the South White House lawn in preparation for a UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship) event on Sunday 14 June. (Bloomberg/via Getty Images)

This is where we are in Trump’s America. While a war of choice continues with Iran, and the president for the 39th time — according to multiple media sources that track such things — promises that a “deal” to stop the war will happen in a day or two, the nation is subjected to a spectacle on the White House lawn. A cage fight. Ostensibly this is in celebration of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, but do not be fooled. This is a money making project staged in front of the People’s House that Trump thinks he owns. It is happening tomorrow because it is Trump’s 80th birthday Flag Day. What a coincidence!

First, let’s get our nomenclature correct. This is part of the Freedom 250 celebration — the one commemorating the anniversary, right? Wrong. Freedom 250 is the “official” Trump public-private organization putting together events surrounding the 250th anniversary. (Trump has trademarked the “Trump 250” logo because of course if there is money to be made, he wants in.) The actual, bipartisan, official celebration is America 250 which is a congressionally chartered, non-profit foundation created in 2016 to plan for the semiquincentennial. Unfortunately, under the current administration, about 103 million taxpayer dollars have been diverted to support Freedom 250 from the original 126 million allocated to support America 250. In other words, about 80 percent of the money intended for celebrations commemorating our founding was diverted to Trump’s pet projects honoring him. This includes a campaign-style rally on the national mall for his MAGA supporters on 24 June after the slate of singers scheduled to perform backed out after they realized that the event was for Freedom 250 rather than the bipartisan America 250.

Trump thinks that the celebration of our nation’s founding is really all about him. A great branding opportunity for his burgeoning autocracy. Corporate and individual donations have been collected for Freedom 250. To name a few, they include Amazon, Boeing, Palantir, Deloitte, Lockheed Martin, and United Airlines. Oh yeah. They also coincidentally have large contracts with the U.S. government. Additionally, for donations of a million or more, individuals can buy “VIP” access to Trump, federal buildings and exclusive events. For the UFC fight, special access tickets are going between 1 and 1.5 million dollars. Plastered around the White House lawn and the Lincoln Memorial (where the official weigh-ins were held today because I am sure that President Lincoln was a great UFC fan) are signs for Crypto.com (Trump is a partner), Bud Lite (America!) Polymarket, Monster Energy, a nicotine pouch brand, a blockchain company, a grill manufacturer, a personal-injury law firm and more. All to honor the Founding Fathers, or something. Of course the taxpayers are on the hook for supporting the massive logistics needed to pull off the event including security, law enforcement, first responders, traffic control and all the other requirements to support what has officially been designated as a Special Event Assessment Rating 1 (SEAR-1). This is the same level of security as the Super Bowl and is only exceeded by a Presidential Inauguration. This requires extensive intelligence coordination, security screening and multi-agency planning. All at taxpayer expense. But at least attendees will get a good look at the hole in the ground that used to be the East Wing.

But wait, there’s more! Trump owns stock in UFC’s parent company TKO which he purchased just before the event was announced. The “free” event for the American people has exclusive licensing from Paramount, which is broadcasting the entire thing. All real Americans can watch it on pay-per-view for the low, low price of $8.99 (the price to stream Paramount + for one month because this is not traditional pay-per-view) or for $27.49 to watch it on the big screen in an AMC theater. Public land for private profit — the new definition of public-private partnership?

I will not be watching but I am curious to hear how the entire extravaganza unfolds under the forecasted heat, humidity and thunder storms. Nothing says safety like a 600 ton steel monument reaching 92 feet into the sky with lightning in the air. And the bugs. That stage will be a beacon for all of the flies, mosquitos, no-see-ums and other denizens of the night from miles around. A veritable insect smorgasbord.

It is unclear to me whether Trump and his billionaire “bros” somehow think that they are in ancient Rome and in need of spectacles to keep the masses happy or if they prefer to liken themselves to some 20th century European leaders that used national exhibitions to underline their grip on power. Or is this the advent of a new business model where Trump and his billionaire friends profit off of taxpayer dollars? Note that according to the good government group Public Citizen, fourteen known contributors to Trump’s ballroom won over 50 billion dollars in government contracts over the last six months. Sixteen of the donors faced federal enforcement initiatives that have been dropped or suspended by this administration. This is taking corruption to an entirely new level.

There were some bright spots — in a grotesque kind of way — this week. The 14 million dollar rework of the Reflecting Pool between the Lincoln and Washington monuments reopened and immediately hosted an algae bloom of large proportions. Trump blamed it on Biden. Finally, this morning, Trump’s name came down off the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. It was done behind a tarp and in the cover of darkness because that is what most of Trump’s dealings entail.

With all of these shenanigans, I can only think of what all of that money could buy for kids who are hungry or for healthcare for those that need it.

The Grifter-In-Chief: A Sampling

Posted: May 10, 2026 | Author: | Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The official poster unveiled in the Oval Office on 11 April 2026 announcing the UFC Freedom 250, an upcoming mixed martial arts event from the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). It is scheduled to take place on June 14, 2026, (Trump’s birthday) on the South Lawn of the White House in “honor” of our country’s 250th celebration of the Declaration of Independence. There will be 5,000 seats on the White House grounds of which most will allegedly go to members of the military. There will also be “High Roller VIP” tickets for the grounds that can be had for a bribe of 1.5 million dollars. The plans include space for 80,000 more spectators to watch the fights on big screens on the Ellipse. Nothing says “America!” like a cage fight in the eight sided fenced enclosure known as the Octagon.

True to his reputation as the Grifter-in-Chief, Trump is putting his name on sesquicentennial celebrations and commemorative souvenirs meant to celebrate our nation’s historic celebration. However, it only goes along with all of the other attempts he made or is working on to leave his brand on much of the federal government. If you consider yourself an Emperor, then you deserve to have great monuments built in your honor. It doesn’t matter if you have what some might describe as grotesque taste — certainly tacky comes up short — because you are the knower of all things. For those that may have not been keeping track, here in no particular order, are some of the things Trump has “branded” without our consent, and usually using taxpayer dollars.

  • Passports. The State Department will begin issuing passports with Trump’s face filling the inside page and sporting his signature in gold. Alas, it will only be available to those renewing their passports in person in Washington D.C.
  • National Park Passes. George Washington now shares his image with a picture of Trump on The National Park Service’s annual America the Beautiful park pass. The Park Service had to amend its rules to prohibit the many pass holders from “defacing” the cards by putting wildlife pictures, smiley faces or other types of additions to cover Trump’s face.
  • Commemorative Coins. A 24-karat coin featuring Trump was approved by the Department of the Treasury and will celebrate our 250th birthday. I suppose it is because he was so instrumental in the founding of our country.
  • U.S. Currency. Trump’s signature will appear on paper currency, as announced by the Department of the Treasury to honor the “historic achievements” he has made. It will be the first time in American history that a sitting president’s name appears on actual money. There are also plans for a Trump one dollar coin to be minted with his face on it.
  • Giant Portraits. There are multi-story sized banners on multiple U.S. federal buildings featuring Trump including the Department of Labor, Department of Agriculture and the Department of Justice.
  • Renamed Buildings. Trump added his name to the Kennedy Center (his comes first, of course) and put his name (first) on the Institute of Peace. The Palm Beach International Airport is renamed for Trump, with his companies having exclusive control over many aspects of the commercial enterprises there, copyrighted use of his initials, and exclusive merchandising rights for airport items sold outside the terminal.
  • Immigration. Trump Gold Cards, Trump Corporate Gold Cards and Trump Platinum Cards are available to wealthy individuals and organizations that allows them privileges in the U.S. not available to other immigrants if they pay a bribe large fee to attain them.
  • Trump Class Battleships. This spring Trump announced a new class of ships for the U.S. Navy that will be named for Trump. The cost for one ship is estimated at 17 billion dollars. Rumors indicate that the recently fired Secretary of the Navy was let go because the program was moving too slowly for Trump’s liking. (I seriously doubt this particular ship will ever be built.)
  • Prescription Drugs. TrumpRx is a new website meant to help lower the cost of prescription drugs. Drugs are not directly sold on the website but rather directly from the supplier. Insurance cannot be used to buy them.
  • Investment Accounts. Beginning on 4 July, 2026 newborns can receive one thousand dollars from the U.S. Treasury to invest. The investments are known as Trump Accounts and parents can match the deposit up to five thousand dollars per year. The newborn must be a U.S. citizen and the program ends on 31 December, 2028. Some experts worry this is the beginning of privatizing Social Security.
  • East Potomac Golf Course. The busiest and most affordable public golf course in the District of Columbia is being taken over by Trump to make it “a world class course.” What this means to the average citizen is still unclear. It is the most popular course in the District for the public. The National Links Trust — a non-profit — signed a fifty year lease to run the park in 2020. Trump cancelled it. Currently, 37,000 cubic yards of toxic waste from the destruction of the East Wing is being dumped on the grounds in piles that golfers must navigate around.
  • The Garden of Heroes. Trump intends to take over significant areas of public parks along the District waterfront to build his park that will contain 250 statues of great Americans. This will mean taking over areas traditionally used by families and communities for recreation, picnics and other normal uses for a park such as pickup soccer games.
  • The Arc de Trump. The proposed 250 foot high triumphal arch would be built at the end of the Memorial Bridge and block the view between Arlington National Cemetery and the Lincoln Memorial. It was to be completed in time for the 250th celebration but construction is now uncertain.
  • Lincoln Monument Reflecting Pool. Trump issued a no-bid contract to his golf course “pool guys” to refurbish the reflecting pool between the Washington and Lincoln Memorials. He says it cost about two million dollars but numerous reports indicate it may be as high as 6.9 million dollars. He had it painted “American Flag Blue” so that now it looks like a giant swimming pool. Oh. Yeah. He drove his motorcade through the pool. Not to it. Not around it. Through it. To “inspect.” His limousine — the Beast — alone weighs 8-10 tons. He had a full motorcade. One wonders what all that weight did to the joints between slabs that were just repaired.
  • Air Force One. The Qatari luxury 747 given to Trump — apparently not to the U.S. — to use as his new Air Force One has been upgraded to meet security standards at a cost of 400 million dollars. Trump plans to keep it after he leaves the presidency.

Now for the pink elephant sucking all of the oxygen out of the room — Trump’s desecration of the People’s House which he thinks he owns. His “maximalist” style of decorating means gold trim all over the inside and outside of the White House. Everywhere. It was not enough to destroy the Rose Garden (the area is now called the “Rose Garden Club”) and making it look like a patio at most nice motels. He has put up gold graphics to name rooms and the doors are now decorated with medallions depicting his face. The dignified Oval Office looks like a gussied up New Orleans brothel (with no intent to insult New Orleans or brothels). He has placed life sized statues around the White House grounds, perhaps a preview of his Garden of Heroes. He created a “Presidential Walk of Fame” with biographies that praise his favorite presidents and denigrates and defames those he does not like.

Of course we need to talk about the ballroom designated to take the place of the already demolished East Wing. Originally it would cost 200 million dollars all paid for by “donors.” Then it went to 400 million dollars with no taxpayer money needed. Now Congress is preparing a bill that will allocate one BILLION dollars for the ballroom. Possibly in addition to the previously mentioned 400 million. They try to justify it based on national security claiming it will be a secure space for all presidents into the future to use without concern. One might ask why, if Trump is that worried about his safety that he has to have a fort separating himself from the public, does he go outside to play golf at one of his resorts nearly every weekend? (At taxpayer expense.) This may be the biggest boondoggle in the history of these United States. It is clearly meant to be monument to himself that will make future generations think that he was one great man. His actual legacy is in danger so he must create his own. At our expense. One billion dollars. But no money for starving kids, healthcare, helping the needy or making sure our schools are the best.

If you need any further proof of what he thinks of himself, take a look at this.

The 22 foot tall statue of Trump at his golf course in Florida. He claims via Truth Social that it is “The Real Deal — GOLD — At Doral In Miami” when in fact it is bronze with a gold coating. Last week a group of evangelical pastors blessed it and dedicated it. There is another such statue at Mar-A-Lago. (Photo: Adam Schupak/Golfweek)

Can I get an Amen?

Our Alleged “Stable Genius”

Posted: April 29, 2026 | Author: | Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

A Truth Social meme posted, when most of us were asleep, by the President. Of the United States. When I first saw it I thought it was a joke put up by a fake account. Sadly, it is real.

With all of the talk about ballrooms and sea shells on North Carolina beaches and the continued stonewalling about the Epstein files, one may forget that we are still at war with Iran. The Strait of Hormuz remains closed, gas is now averaging $4.23 a gallon nationally, farmers are having trouble finding fertilizer for the planting season and our Commander-in-Chief knows only how to use AI to try and make himself look tough. Emphasis on “try.” Trump thinks that he can bully Iran into giving up its “nuclear dust” (as he calls it, and I’m not really sure what he means but probably he means enriched uranium). This is the very same guy that claimed it was “obliterated” last summer. I could fill several pages in this space recounting all of the lies that he and his administration have told about this war of choice, but since most of them are preposterous and easily debunked, I won’t waste your time. Simply ask yourself if you, and indeed the world, are better off, safer and more financially secure as a result of this war than you were two months ago.

We still do not know what the reason for the attacks on Iran are all about. Our service men and women have performed professionally and with skill. They are tremendous. But what are they risking their lives to do? Tactical brilliance does not translate to strategic success without a well thought out rationale for war with clear goals set at the beginning. Trump and his man servant Hegseth continue to change their story with each passing day and cannot articulate any strategic goals, only tactical successes. Military planning is based on, and in this order, delineating the ends (strategic goal — when do you know you won?), ways (the operational use of force — attack from the air, the sea, direct assault, hit command and control?) and the means (tactical application of force — what armaments and forces are available?). All three must be in alignment.

Currently, we are in a stalemate with Iran. Both the Iranians and the Trump Administration think that they can wait out the other side and that they can force the other guy to give up. Among the many factors that this administration overlooked or underestimated is the steadfast will of the Iranian culture. Couple that with a government that does not answer to the population but is only interested in its own survival, and it gives the Iranians an advantage. They are suffering, without a doubt, but most regional experts assess that they can hold out much longer than expected. The rest of the world is already beginning to suffer and will be experiencing real economic and quality of life hardships in the very near future. It is unclear whether or not our friends and allies (a different topic as Trump works overtime to alienate every single one of them — except his best buddy Putin) can bring pressure to bear for Trump to settle with the Iranians.

As it stands now, and Trump could change it all in the next five minutes with a Truth Social post, the Iranians have offered to reopen the Strait and then come to the negotiating table to discuss other issues, such as what to do about their enriched uranium. In exchange, the U.S. must lift its blockade of Iran. Trump refuses to discuss it and is increasing the strength of the blockade and ordering the seizure of Iranian ships worldwide.

In recent days it became clear that the U.S. and our regional supporters suffered more damage than previously understood. It is estimated that the U.S. suffered about five billion dollars in damages to equipment such as missile defense radars in Qatar, Jordan and UAE, the Navy’s Fifth Fleet headquarters in Bahrain, air bases in Jordan, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia and numerous high end aircraft and drones, to name a few. All of the Gulf state countries plus Jordan suffered damage to their infrastructure and some oil and natural gas facilities. Of course most importantly, human beings were killed and injured including thirteen U.S. service members killed and around three hundred and fifty wounded.

Trump is in a bind. He has lost interest in the war but cannot look weak. If he withdraws U.S. forces without some concessions from the Iranians the world will consider it a defeat. If he stays indefinitely he looks weak because Iran gets stronger everyday and will have survived our best shot and lived to fight another day. Continuing direct combat operations weakens our ability to defend our interests in other hotspots around the world. The U.S. has already used up thousands of cruise missiles and air defense missiles that could take three to five years to replenish. According to the Department of Defense, the war cost us 25 billion dollars to date. Most analysts put the total costs at a much higher level, as much as 65 billion dollars. Today Hegseth testified before Congress that the DOD requested budget for the next fiscal year is 1.5 trillion dollars, a forty-four percent increase over the current budget.

To settle his war of choice, Trump must get serious about the negotiations. Sending two real estate tycoons to negotiate a meaningful settlement is ridiculous, not to mention that the last two times the Iranians met with these same individuals — thinking that they were making meaningful progress — their country was attacked. There can be no “take it or leave it” agreement forced on the Iranians. Bullying will not work — it only makes them more determined. It will take a team of experts and seasoned negotiators to spend a lot of time with great patience to reach a negotiated settlement. Trump should set the process in motion, shut up, and see what happens over time. Pakistan showed that it can be a helpful and effective mediator. Let them try.

In the end, Trump is likely to end up with an agreement that is barely as good as the one that the U.S. negotiated during the Obama Administration that Trump tore up. The 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) between Iran and the “P-5+1” (the five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council US, UK, France, China, Russia, plus Germany along with the EU) limited Iran’s capability to enrich uranium. The agreement limited the number of Iranian centrifuges, the level of enrichment and the size of their stockpiles. As part of the agreement, intrusive monitoring was conducted by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). In exchange, Iran got some sanctions relief, some frozen assets were released and a timetable for other future provisions. Sanctions remained in place for Iran’s missile program, support for terrorist groups and efforts to improve Iran’s human rights record. It was not perfect but it was working, it was building trust for future agreements, and it kept Iran in relative check. Israel opposed the deal. It took twenty months of detailed negotiations using technical experts as well as diplomatic experts. The negotiations were slow going with ups and downs as each side sounded out the other and built trust. No such expertise accompanied Trump’s recent negotiating teams. I suppose that as a very stable genius he did not need any other experts working on the issues.

Trump is likely to declare victory once the Strait of Hormuz is reopened. The very Strait that was open to free flowing ship traffic before the war. He will continue to make noises about the Iranian nuclear program but will not seriously negotiate a settlement. The wild card in ending the war is Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel. He is determined to turn southern Lebanon into another Gaza strip by destroying it in his fight with Hezbollah. He is also not satisfied with the status quo in Iran. The next step may not be Trump’s to take. Remember that initially Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that the U.S. attacked Iran because Israel was about to do so and since Iran would retaliate, the U.S. decided to strike first. One wonders who has their hand on the wheel driving us to who knows where.

Mad King Donnie Disrupts The World

Posted: April 9, 2026 | Author: | Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

On Tuesday, Trump claimed that in accordance with an announced cease-fire with Iran that the Strait of Hormuz is open. On Thursday, officials from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) stated that “the Strait of Hormuz is not open. Access is being restricted, conditioned and controlled” by Iran. The map shows how Iran is rerouting shipping so that it can pass within the firing range of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards so that they can shake down the shippers for cash. From CNBC (AFP/Getty Images)

On one level, all of us should be thankful that Trump pulled his TACO routine (Trump Always Chickens Out) after posting on social media Tuesday morning, directed at Iran and its population of 93 million men, women and children that “A whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again.” That is what scholars, pundits and most of the public call genocide. From the President of the United States. Speaking to the world in our name. The reaction from his fellow Republicans? Nothing. No accountability. No responsibility. No consequences. This is not okay. This is beyond shameful and is sufficient cause for getting rid of the whole lot of them. Our Constitution is soiled and our system of government is broken. Clearly the president is deranged. It is no longer a slogan or an exaggeration or any other mitigating definition. He is just plain crazy and he controls nuclear weapons. Two things are clear from his statement. First and foremost he has no moral compass, code of ethics or empathy for any human besides himself. Second, he clearly thinks he can do whatever he wants without restraint from anybody or any organization. If he wants it, he will order it, and expect it to be carried out. This should scare all of us right to our core. Thank goodness he chickened out. But let’s look deeper.

One hour before his stated deadline for Iran to end the war and open the Strait of Hormuz, Pakistani Prime Minister Sharif offered up a fig leaf to provide an exit ramp from doomsday. Both Trump and Iran accepted a two week ceasefire to allow diplomatic efforts to continue towards a more lasting settlement. In doing so, Trump said that the Iranian ten point plan for a negotiated settlement was a “workable basis on which to negotiate.” Iran took that literally, always dangerous when dealing with Trump. It appears that Trump probably did not know what was in the Iranian proposal. Here are the points in the plan:

  1. Cessation of the war on Iraq, Lebanon, and Yemen.
  2. Cessation of the war in Iran with no time limit.
  3. Ending all conflicts in the region.
  4. Reopening the Strait of Hormuz.
  5. Establishing a protocol and conditions to ensure freedom and security of navigation in the Strait.
  6. Full payment of war reparations to Iran.
  7. Lifting sanctions on Iran.
  8. Release of the Iranian frozen assets held by the United States.
  9. Iran commits to not seeking possession of any nuclear weapons.
  10. Immediate ceasefire on all fronts upon the ceasefire announcement.

Looks a lot like Iran got nearly everything that they wanted. After scathing criticism stating that fact, Trump retreated. Now the administration is claiming that this is not the plan, instead there is a “secret” plan that they cannot reveal. If you believe that, you probably have a degree from Trump University.

For forty-seven years Iran has been the leading exporter of terrorism. There are no tears shed for the regime, its military or any of the other suppressors of the Iranian people. Iranians — Persians — have a long and storied history and culture. We will all rejoice when they rejoin the nations of the world as a stable, productive and welcomed member of society. This assault did not achieve that but it did make life worse for the average citizen of the country.

Israel, of course, is not honoring the ceasefire, whatever form it may be in. They continue to bomb Lebanon claiming that that war is different than the one on Iran. Iran refuses to fully open the the Strait until the Israelis stop their bombing. In short, it is a very confusing situation as I write. We do know, that for now, the United States has ceased attacking targets in Iran. That is about the only thing that is for sure. Oh, and Trump and his minions are claiming a “historic and overwhelming victory on the battlefield. A capital V military victory” as the former Fox News weekend host and current Secretary of Defense describes it.

The U.S. military did what they were asked to do. They significantly degraded the Iranian military in an overwhelming tactical win. But, strategically? Iran won big time. There is a famous conversation between adversaries in Viet Nam some years after the war. Harry Summers, an American colonel allegedly told a North Vietnamese counterpart, “You know, you never defeated us on the battlefield,” to which the Vietnamese colonel replied, “That may be so, but it is also irrelevant.” History is replete with examples of similar tactical losses leading to strategic victory. One can argue our most recent example was the U.S. involvement in Afghanistan.

Here is some of what Trump expected from Iran for our war of choice to cease and the assault on Iran to end. First, he called on the Iranian people to rise up and take control of their government. Then he simplified that to “regime change.” Then he called for “the complete and unconditional surrender” of the nation. Then it was to destroy Iranian stockpiles of enriched uranium. Then it was to prevent Iran from building a nuclear weapon. Then it was to keep their proxies (Hezbollah and the Houthis) from participating in the war. Then I lost track, but they ended with opening the Strait of Hormuz — which I will gently remind everyone was open to free navigation prior to the war. None of these objectives were achieved. In fact, in some ways, Iran is in better shape now. They have an even more entrenched and radical regime in control of the country. Sanctions have been lifted so Iran is making lots of money with oil prices so high. Iran is charging tolls for the use of the Strait of Hormuz — more money to the regime to rearm and rebuild, especially as Russia has openly supported Iran and reports indicate that China has been helping them as well.

(Distracting Note: Were I conspiracy theorist, I might opine that the entire reason for Operation Epic Fury was to help Vladimir Putin and Russia. Sanctions against Russia are lifted, allowing for them to purchase more weapons for use against Ukraine. Weapons and ammunition destined for Ukraine was diverted to the U.S. attack on Iran. Russia supplied targeting information on U.S. forces to Iran. Trump has all but broken NATO. He viciously denigrates our closest allies and even said this week that “I was never swayed by NATO. I always knew they were a paper tiger, and Putin knows that too, by the way.”)

The war claimed thirteen American lives, with close to four hundred wounded. The cost — to date — is roughly 40 billion dollars. We have depleted stocks of weapons and ammunition that will take years to replace, especially high cost missiles and aircraft. (We know the U.S. has lost four F-15E [fighters], 1 A-10 [ground attack], 1 E-3 [AWACS], 2 KC-135 [tankers], 2 C-130 [special operations configured transports], 17 MQ-9 [sophisticated drones], 1 MH-6 [specialized little helicopter] and there are rumors of additional helicopters lost.) Thousands of civilians killed in Iran, Lebanon, Israel and around the Persian Gulf. Oil prices soaring impacting the world’s economy. And more. For what?

Are we better off than we were six weeks ago? Strategically, Iran is. We look weak, chaotic, unhinged and untrustworthy as the world wonders where Trump will next declare “the end of civilization” is at hand. Trump is attempting to end this war in the same manner he ends everything. Create a crisis, claim to be fixing it, and then walk away when it gets too hard and pronounce that its not his problem, someone else will have to clean it up.

This is not the end of our nightmare. It is only the beginning.

A War Without Leaders, Only Zealots

Posted: April 5, 2026 | Author: | Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

One of the pictures released by the government of Iran showing the remains of U.S. aircraft destroyed on the ground during rescue operations to recover a second crewmember from a USAF F-15E shot down by Iranian forces on Friday. A massive operation successfully recovered the missing crew member but the recovery force had to destroy two specialized C-130 aircraft and at least two Black Hawk helicopters on the ground. Thankfully, all participants reportedly were recovered without casualties.

This morning we received the following Easter greeting from the President of the United States who believes, as do others in our country, that he was chosen by God to lead our country and who some Evangelical pastors compare to Jesus Christ. (I apologize for the language, but I see no reason to clean up Trump’s preferred presidential language.)

“Tuesday will be Power Plant Day, and Bridge Day, all wrapped up in one, in Iran. There will be nothing like it!!! Open the Fuckin’ Strait, you crazy bastards, or you’ll be living in Hell – JUST WATCH! Praise be to Allah. President DONALD J TRUMP.”

This is not a joke or a hoax. These are the deranged postings of a sick man on his way to play golf at one of his courses in Northern Virginia. You know, the traditional way many Christians celebrate the holiest day of the liturgical year. It came on the heels of the previous day’s post.

“Remember when I gave Iran ten days to MAKE A DEAL or OPEN UP THE HORMUZ STRAIT. Time is running out — 48 hours before all Hell will reign (sic) down on them. Glory be to GOD! President DONALD J TRUMP”

If you ever thought that Iran might cave, those social media posts nearly guarantee that Iran will never give in and will work as hard as possible to make life hell for us, Israel and the Gulf states. Trump thinks he can bully anyone. To me, he sounds desperate. He is in over his head and does not know how to get out. Please note that the Iranians have yet to deploy one of their most deadly weapons — terrorist sleeper cells.

Oh, by the way, what he is threatening to do is, by the standards of international law, a war crime. But then he has been threatening Iran with promises to commit war crimes for quite some time now. His Secretary of Defense has also been promising that our troops will commit war crimes when he pledged at one of his “tough guy” press speeches on 15 March that there will be “no quarter, no mercy for our enemies.” Since our Civil War, our military has been taught that “no quarter” which means there will be no prisoners, everyone is to be massacred, is a war crime. It is also enshrined in the Hague and Geneva conventions. The U.S. Pentagon’s own war manual clearly states that it is a war crime. But then this is the same guy that vowed on 2 March that there would be “no stupid rules of engagement” and “no politically correct wars.” I do not know who is copying who with their blasphemous invocations of God and Jesus Christ, but at a recent prayer service in the Pentagon, Hegseth invoked both in his lust for killing. He is on record as saying that our troops need to continue dispensing death and violence in God’s name. It is a religious duty, according to his sick reasoning, in order to “save” western civilization, a belief he shares with many in Trump’s orbit. (Project 2025 anyone?) He actually pronounced a prayer that said in part, “let every round find its mark against the enemies of righteousness and our nation” and produce “overwhelming violence of action against those who deserve no mercy.” In their own words, both Trump and Hegseth think that they are on some kind of Crusade against Islam. Shoot, Hegseth even has tattoos all over his body referencing the Crusades. To name a few, his arm has a tattoo reading “Deus Vult” which is Latin for “God will it” and is linked to the First Crusade as a battle cry. On his chest he has a large Jerusalem Cross, also a link to the Crusades and a popular symbol for today’s white Christian nationalists. Another tattoo on his arm is a cross with a sword referencing the New Testament verse Mathew 10:34 which reads “Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword!” I have no problem with anyone’s private beliefs. I have a huge problem when our Secretary of Defense is trying to turn our military into an arm of his and Trump’s efforts to create a white Christian nationalist country of which they are in charge. An exaggeration? I think not when you look at the record. Hegseth has fired over twenty senior Admirals and Generals in order to put in place officers more “loyal” to Trump and Hegseth. Not to the Constitution. To them. Most recently it was the Chief of Staff of the Army. In the middle of a war. Rumor has it that he was fired because he argued against putting U.S. troops into Iran. Hegseth has tampered with the promotion process destroying an apolitical system based on merit and instead is promoting people ideologically and politically aligned with his beliefs. Most recently he pulled four officers off of the Army’s promotion list to Brigadier General (a one star rank) — something previously unheard of by a Secretary of Defense. Two of the officers were black and two were women.

Just as an aside, if one ever wanted to make sure that no one in the Middle East will give you the time of day, start talking about Crusades against Islam. It is the one thing that will unite Arabs and Persians.

I was out of the country for most of March which gave me a chance to reflect on events in our country and to look at things through the eyes of our (former) allies and friends. It scares me deeply. I have been of the opinion that we could recover from the rampaging MAGA crowd that are out to destroy everything that traditionally makes us Americans. Now I am not so sure. When I think about the fact that this guy is the person that the plurality of Americans wanted as their president despite all that he has done, I know that there are no limits to his depravity and willingness to do anything to stay in power. Trump is a convicted felon and an adjudicated sexual predator that is on tape saying that he can abuse women because “when you’re a star, they let you do it. You can do anything…” This is the same guy that worked for months to overturn a free and fair election and when he failed, he unleashed a mob that attacked our seat of government and that was hell bent on killing the Vice President and the Speaker of the House. Why would anyone think that he would stop at anything, repeat, anything to get what he wants? Obviously I am not a physician, but anyone with half a brain can watch him speak and realize that he is ill — both physically and mentally. How desperate will he be to cement his legacy as the first autocrat to rule America and change our way of life? He is already busy slapping his name on anything around the District of Columbia that he can find and is planning to build monuments to himself all around the city. I am sure he knows more about the details of his proposed ballroom than he knows about the details of the war that he started. Meanwhile, his Cabinet, advisers and Republican (?) members of Congress let him do whatever pops into his sick mind.

Trump is only interested in his personal aggrandizement and wealth. Not in actually governing. Here are two examples of what he is doing with your tax dollars. The Department of State recently cut multiple programs to raise 1.2 billion dollars for Trump’s Board of Peace. All current members ante up one billion dollars each to join. Allegedly, the Board is formed to oversee the restoration of the Gaza Strip but let’s cut to the chase. The Chairman is Trump. For Life. Yes. The Chairman can override any vote of the rest of the Board. The Chairman controls the funds, exclusively. The Chairman decides who can or cannot be on the Board. Can you say slush fund?

Or how about this gambit? Trump is suing his Department of Justice for ten billion dollars. Ten billion of your tax dollars. He claims irreparable harm from the release of his tax returns by a contractor and from the lawful investigation into his theft of classified documents stored at Mar-a-Lago. Gee. Let’s think about who controls the Department. As Trump said, “But isn’t that a strange position to be in? I’ve gotta make a deal. I negotiate with myself.” He might as well. Our paper money is now going to be signed by him rather than the Treasurer of the United States. Another “historic” moment (it’s never happened in our history) and a sure sign of an entrenched autocrat.

Everything that is happening in the war with Iran was predictable. Indeed, even I predicted it in this space on 25 February before the war began. Trump and Hegseth either ignored the warnings from their experts or were bound and determined to attack regardless. Now the world is in a mess and no one trusts us at all. Not our friends, not our Allies, not our enemies. No one is likely to trust us for a generation, if then. One “Trump” can be explained away. Two “Trumps” and the rest of the world has to understand that another “Trump” could come along at any time. Our country asked for this and from the rest of the world’s view point, there is nothing to stop it from happening again. I will also point out, that we still have not heard Trump or anyone in his cabinet articulate the strategic objectives for our assault on Iran. Mostly they talk in tactical terms (all Hegseth knows how to do) and even then, they change everything based on which way the wind is blowing. There is a huge leadership void at the top of the government. Very dangerous.

Life is hard but it is harder when you’re stupid. Unfortunately, their stupidity is leading to the needless deaths of thousands of civilians. And now they are advocating for war crimes against civilians by attacking infrastructure that has no real military value. Our military men and women deserve better.

The Assault on Democracy Is Underway

Posted: February 1, 2026 | Author: | Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Demonstrators protest Immigration and Customs (ICE) and Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) agent actions in Minneapolis. (picture by Jaida Grey Eagle for NPR)

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.–That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, –That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.” An excerpt from the Declaration of Independence.

It is ironic that as we approach the 250th anniversary of our independence from Great Britain that our foundational beliefs are under attack from the government and its millions of supporters. The key members of the Trump regime, including the president himself, do not believe that it is “self-evident” that all of us are “created equal” just because we are all human beings and should be treated with respect. They do not believe that anyone other than themselves has “unalienable Rights.” Most certainly they do not believe that their power comes from the “consent of the governed.” Trump and his key supporters believe that they are in power because they deserve to be in power. It is not unlike white plantation owners in the period leading up to the civil war believing that they had a right to own slaves. They believed that humankind is naturally divided into classes. Some people are destined to be rich and powerful and others are destined to be workers, minions, slaves, tools of the powerful. This thinking is also a basic premise of the Project 2025 playbook which envisions a country run by white, rich, Christian men. Everyone else should know their place and that place is to serve and preserve the powerful. In that context, what is happening to our democracy right now should not be a surprise. They keep telling us what they are going to do and put into writing. This is their chance to “save” our country and their belief in a history of white heritage. Believe them.

Basic rights delineated in our Constitution are under ever increasing attacks. It is time to wake up. This is not a fever dream or a political statement or a scare tactic. Wishing it isn’t so is not going to stop what is happening.

In Minnesota and around the country, ICE and CBP agents continue to attack citizens and non-citizens alike. Peaceful demonstrators whose only “crime” is filming the agents attacking people are themselves being attacked with chemical weapons, beaten, arrested and, in two cases, murdered. Last week Tom “CAVA Man” Homan declared at a news conference that he planned to de-escalate the contentious interactions between the federal agents and citizens and to begin a drawdown of the 3,000 paramilitary forces in the state. At the time I wrote that it was a lie. His statements were a change in demeanor but not in policy, and it turns out he did lie. But don’t take my word for it. When asked by a reporter last Thursday if he was going to order a drawdown Trump responded “No, no, not at all.” Our civil rights will continue to be violated. If citizens are being treated like “domestic terrorists” I can only imagine what happens to the people taken into custody and placed in detention centers. From July 2025 to the end of January 2026 thirty-five people are known to have died in immigration centers. Those are the ones that the government reported.

The recent arrests of journalists in Los Angeles and Minnesota — all black, all independent — is meant to put a damper on reporting about the federal government. All were covering a protest at a church where an ICE agent was thought to be a leader. Whatever you say about the incursion, and in no way do I condone the interruption, religion is off limits under the Constitution, they were honestly covering it, not fomenting it. The Department of Justice (DOJ) went to two different judges, one at the appellate level, to get warrants. The judges refused. The DOJ then convened a grand jury to deliver an indictment. This is clearly a test case to see how far DOJ can go in prosecuting citizens for exercising their rights. Taken in conjunction with CBS and ABC paying Trump to stop lawsuits, Trump expressing his desire to get Jimmy Kimmel off the air (and he was for awhile), suing the New York Times and other media outlets and on and on, there is clearly an attempt to stifle reporters and to keep them from reporting what Trump does not want reported.

So much chaos all the time. It is easy to get overwhelmed or to give up. However, let’s not forget the Epstein files. Last Friday the DOJ released millions of documents and thousands of images. They admit that it is only half of it. Besides breaking the law, a law signed by Trump himself, purposely or carelessly the documents released identify some of the victims of the sexual abuse, but not the perpetrators. A multitude of reasons were given as to why the rest of the documents would not be released — can you spell cover up — but the most curious was that they would not release images depicting “death, physical abuse, or injury.” Well, that sounds reasonable, doesn’t it? For about half a second. Just saying that they would not release them in fact proves that such images exist. That raises a lot of questions. Who is in the pictures? What happened to them? Who killed, abused or injured the people in the pictures or videos? That such images are not released to the general public is not unreasonable, but who is investigating the circumstances surrounding them? We already know that we cannot trust the Trump DOJ to do a credible investigation that may implicate Trump or any of his well-heeled friends. Where is a credible third party to investigate them? The most recent release does not put the issue to rest. On top of all that, not only was Epstein running a child sex trafficking ring, there are plenty of hints in the documents released that he was probably also running a blackmail scheme. How can we trust that a convicted felon, adjudicated sex offender, instigator of an insurrection who is on tape bragging about groping and kissing women without their consent and saying “when you’re a star, they let you do it.” I for one, do not see how anything so far “exonerates” Trump.

Most disturbing of all, perhaps, is the FBI raid on the election headquarters in Fulton County Georgia. Fulton County is where most of Atlanta is located and where many Democrat voters live. As we all remember, it was the scene of many false, even ludicrous accusations about rigged elections. Is this part of Trump’s campaign to “prove” that he did not lose the 2020 election? Maybe. I see something worse at work.

This is clearly an effort to rig the mid-term elections this year and in 2028. It is both a trial run, and an attempt to keep Democrats from winning elections in Georgia. Most likely, the federal government will declare that they found illegalities perpetrated by the local election board and poll workers. This will cause the state-wide election board — packed with Republican supporters of Trump — to step in to ensure a “fair” election. Doubtless they will change the voting rules such as no mail-in ballots or early voting or whatever else they can come up with to disenfranchise as many potential voters as possible. An election interference wolf disguised as a free and fair election sheep. In my view, this is also a trial run for other Democrat heavy cities and states. Combine those actions with ever growing ICE and CBP agents in more blue cities and states near or around polling places acting like they currently are in Minneapolis. Intimidation leading to lower turnout. Maybe even using them to confiscate ballot boxes. The possibilities are endless. We now know the intricate, detailed and long standing plan for him to void the 2020 election that culminated in an attempt to overturn the government and planned to hang the Vice President and murder the Speaker of the House. He’s already done it once. Why would anyone think he won’t do it again? No one, including me, thought that he would try to overturn an election through violence. We were wrong. We cannot be wrong again. Last month in a wide-ranging interview with the New York Times Trump said that “I should have” had the National Guard seize ballot boxes in 2020. This is a direct assault on all of us as a nation.

To make matters ever more unsettling, Tulsi Gabbard, the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) was there during the FBI raid in Fulton County. The DNI is responsible for all intelligence from throughout the government agencies and has no direct connection to the FBI. She is not empowered to oversee domestic law enforcement. She is, however, a known conspiracy theorist who believes all sorts of incredible falsehoods. She is also known to be a Russian sympathizer. Was she investigating Trump’s recent claim that Italian military satellites changed votes from Trump to Biden? Apparently, “China reportedly coordinated the whole operation,” one of his Truth Social posts reads. “The CIA oversaw it, the FBI covered it up, all to install Biden as a puppet.“? (I cannot make this up. This is where we are as a country.)

I am sick of politicians, political analysts and talking heads saying that Trump’s actions are very politically damaging to the Republican Party and to Trump. They opine that the Republicans will lose in a landslide to Democrats in the mid-term elections. The pundits wonder, therefore, as to why do the Trumpists keep doing unpopular things? Because, repeat after me, THEY DON’T CARE. They are in power, control the levers of power, and they do not plan to give up anything. Perhaps ever. Recall that 147 Republicans voted against certifying the 2020 election — even after the attack on the capital on 6 January when many of them ran for their lives. Now there are even more Trumpists in Congress. These folks are serious about taking over and holding all power in the country. We should not be limited in our imagination. If you can think of it, they already have. Autocracy rarely springs into being overnight. The institutions that hold up individual rights slowly erode until they are gone. They do not evaporate in one big push, but rather in lots of smaller, more manageable pushes until such actions are normalized and then its on to the next one. We are seeing it happen now.

These are dark days. More and more people are beginning to realize how serious the threat can be. Thankfully, we are also seeing more nationwide demonstrations as people begin to push back. I hope that they continue to grow. It isn’t too late, but we can all see big trouble on the horizon.

Show Me Your Papers!

Posted: January 14, 2026 | Author: | Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

A 1938 German poster used throughout the country but especially in Austria after the Anschluss or the German annexation of Austria. It translates to “One People, One Nation, One Leader!” Last Saturday the United States Department of Labor posted a video that projected the slogans “One Homeland! One People! One Heritage! Remember Who You Are, American!“

A poster placed on “X” by the Department of Homeland Security. The caption read “Protect. Serve. Deport.” This is one of a series of such posters, all depicting white men in heroic and patriotic settings, as part of their “wartime recruitment” effort.

As events in Minnesota continue to spiral out of control, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents and Border Patrol (BP) agents are escalating their response to the peaceful demonstrations protesting the occupation of Minneapolis and St. Paul. Rather than de-escalating the situation and attempting to restore calm, they are using ever stronger tactics that are clearly meant to intimidate and abuse American citizens. There are believed to now be more than 3,000 federal agents in the area. That is more than the entire police departments of the two cities combined. Technically, there are two federal operations under way. One is Operation PARRIS (Post-Admission Refugee Reverification and Integrity Strengthening) aimed at eliminating refugee fraud — in other words, directed at the Somali population in the region. (One might ask why there is not an army of accountants deployed to the city vice ICE.) The other is Operation Metro Surge aimed at combatting “illegal immigration and crime.” As a result, many American citizens are increasingly being assaulted (choke holds, knees to the back or neck, cars broken into and the occupants drug across the ground, not to mention the unprovoked killing of Renee Nicole Good). Yesterday, Trump posted on social media at the end of a long screed aimed at the citizens of Minnesota and the denunciation of President Joe Biden, “FEAR NOT, GREAT PEOPLE OF MINNESOTA, THE DAY OF RECKONING & RETRIBUTION IS COMING!” (All caps in the original. Because, of course….) In fact, the post was meant to intimidate American citizens, not to calm their fears.

The 1930’s style posters I displayed above are only a fraction of those in use by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Department of Labor. They have also taken famous paintings by Norman Rockwell, Thomas Kinkade, Morgan Weistling and other artists and used them, without permission, in posters with words and slogans not intended in the originals, despite protests and condemnation by the families and estates of the artists. It is pure propaganda promoting a vision of America that never existed except in the minds of those yearning for something they never experienced. The images and phrases clearly leave no room for the diverse society we now have in the United States. It subtly, or not so subtly, promotes a “pure” nation of white Christian nationalists with men clearly in charge. All “others” are not welcome. The message to those that protest the deportations and thug like tactics of federal agents is that such people are not true Americans and are in fact, enemies to be defeated, humiliated and brutalized — maybe even rounded up and imprisoned. It is no accident that Renee Good was immediately branded a “domestic terrorist.” There will be no investigation into the shooting by the Department of Justice (DOJ), only into the background of Renee Good and her widow who are accused of being part of a vast left-wing conspiracy to create an insurrection. As a result, at least six federal prosecutors in DOJ resigned in protest.

Wake up America! This is no accident or series of accidental events. This is a concerted effort to display the uninhibited power of the federal government to crush dissent. Support Trump and his policies or be trampled. In my view, the events in Minnesota are a dress rehearsal for ever greater repression leading up to the mid-term elections. Trump’s private para-military force on our streets is getting larger and larger everyday as they grow ever less inhibited in trying to intimidate all of us who do not support them. When they say that there will be no investigation of the shooting, when they pardon all of the January 6th insurrectionists, and they repeatedly tell the thugs in tactical gear that the administration “has their back” they are telling those agents that anything goes and that there will be no accountability. That should scare the bejesus out of all of us.

Recall that shortly after his second inauguration Trump posted on social media that “He who serves his Country does not violate any Law.” He also claimed that he would be a dictator, but “only for one day.” Last week in an interview with the New York Times he explained that he is not bound by international law or anything else. The only thing limiting his power is “my own mind.” Trump is asserting that he has unlimited authority which completely rejects the Constitution and our long political and legal traditions.

There is no law that requires U.S. citizens to always have some form of identification on them to prove that they are citizens. However, that is not stopping ICE and BP agents from demanding proof of citizenship. There are increasing numbers of videos and eyewitness accounts documenting that it is happening. If someone does not look “American” they are likely to be detained, questioned and told to provide proof of citizenship. If they do not have it in their possession at the time, they are arrested and taken away. It is happening with increasing frequency.

The “f word” has been overused in recent years — that is fascism. However, there are several examples in history that are eerily similar to what is happening in our country. Fascism is not some theoretical idea that academics debate. It is a specific political movement that prioritizes the nation over the individual and manifests through nationalism, militarism and the suppression of enemies of the state. Those enemies are particular ethnic groups, religious groups or opponents of the ruling regime. Fascism is a governing structure, it is more than just an idea. A self-declared small group of people claims ultimate authority to run the country. It disavows democratic norms and rejects equal rights under the law. Then the powerful leader fuses the power of the state with the power of big businesses and the military to run the country. The virtue of brute strength is idolized. It includes disdain for the role of women in positions of leadership and fears non-traditional sexual identities. By inventing enemies, declaring national emergencies or acting in the name of national security, their power is used to control the population. Elections are rigged and therefore of little meaning. The media is controlled to feed the population only the propaganda that serves those in power. Other “elites” — academics, journalists, opposition political parties, intellectuals and the rest — are used as targets to enrage the population by claiming that the average person has been tricked out of their share of the wealth and power by those elites.

“You’ll never take back our country with weakness, you have to show strength and you have to be strong.” “We fight like hell. And if you don’t fight like hell, you’re not going to have a country anymore.” From Trump’s speech to his supporters on 6 January 2021.

I do not think it is inevitable that we will fall into the depths of a fascist society, but the Trump regime is sure trying to get there. Increasingly, everyday people are pushing back. I think that pushback will only grow, but it is not going to be easy to unseat the regime in power. Most importantly, that pushback must be peaceful, calm, but unyielding. The Trump regime is looking for an opportunity to crack down even more and in more areas. As the DHS army grows, more cities will be targeted. Do not be fooled by the propaganda. Thank goodness for cell phones — a statement I did not think I would make — because the videos and pictures are the easiest and best way to counter the propaganda. Stay safe out there.

“The party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command.” George Orwell in the novel 1984.

Don’t Believe Your Lying Eyes

Posted: January 10, 2026 | Author: | Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

An “X” post by Katie Miller, White House staffer and wife of Stephen Miller Deputy Chief of Staff, regarding questions about the U.S. taking over Greenland.

The new year is only ten days old and already I am exhausted by all of the shenanigans pulled by the Trump regime. Trump and his advisers are dropping any pretense of trying to persuade us, as citizens, that their actions are in our best interests. From Venezuela to Minnesota we now know that they have only their own best interests guiding them. International, national or local laws are only guidelines. If the law is not convenient to get what they want, then damn the law, they will do it anyway. Am I exaggerating? No. Let Stephen Miller, the power behind Trump’s throne explain the world view of Trump and his advisers. In an interview earlier this week with Jake Tapper of CNN he explained (actually he shouted, as he does in every interview I have seen) how they will act towards Greenland.

“The United States should have Greenland as part of the United States. There’s no need to even think or talk about this in the context that you’re asking, of a military operation. Nobody’s going to fight the United States militarily over the future of Greenland.” Then he added more.“We live in a world in which you can talk all you want about international niceties and everything else, but we live in a world, in the real world, Jake, that is governed by strength, that is governed by force, that is governed by power. These are the iron laws of the world that have existed since the beginning of time.”

Will we really invade Greenland? I have no idea. There is no strategic reason to do so, despite the lies coming from the administration. Greenland is a semi-independent Danish territory. The Danes are, perhaps, our strongest and most supportive ally in NATO. There are treaties and agreements that go back to the early 1950’s about the use of Greenland for military activity. If the U.S. wanted to build another base there (we have one already called Pituffik Space Base formerly known as Thule Air Force Base) we could and the Danes and Greenlanders would welcome it. Greenland is on the western flank of the Greenland, Iceland, U.K. Gap (GIUK Gap). That gap is the avenue used by Russian naval forces, especially their ballistic missile submarines, to get from the ice free year-round port in Murmansk to the open waters of the Atlantic Ocean. NATO has significant anti-submarine warfare (ASW) assets monitoring the gap. There is no military reason for the U.S. to occupy Greenland or to take it away from Denmark.

There is only one real reason and it is the same as for our incursion into Venezuela. Trump wants it. He wants to dominate the Western Hemisphere and he wants to demonstrate his domination. He also wants to make money off any endeavor that the U.S, undertakes, but that is almost a given after nearly a year of watching his policy decisions from tariffs to oil to the rare earth elements believed to be in large deposits in Greenland. Trump has no desire to be a part of, or abide by any international treaty. Last week he withdrew the U.S. from sixty-six international organizations.

Everything that Trump and his minions said about Venezuela were lies. Many of us knew it at the time, but now the whole world knows it. It was never about drugs, or democracy or giving Venezuelans a better life, it was simply another grab for money in the form of oil. We sent our sons and daughters and husbands and wives into full-fledged combat so that Trump can look tough and steal oil. Does that make our military forces mercenaries? Fighting for money? Of course, as usual, he did not know what he was talking about because either none of his Cabinet members did their homework, or because Trump did not listen, but the truth remains, U.S. oil companies have mostly moved on from Venezuela and have no intention of going back.

As usual, as multiple oil executives explained to him yesterday as to why they were not interested, Trump waved his hand and promised to make the real world problems go away. As one of my favorite sayings goes, “nothing is impossible for the person that doesn’t have to do it.” (I am no geologist or oil industry expert, but even I know that Venezuelan oil is hard to extract, hard to refine, the infrastructure would have to be rebuilt costing at least 100 billion dollars and the government and internal unrest are not conducive to safe operations any time in the near future. Not to mention that the cost of oil right now is low and therefore barely profitable and U.S. producers use a lot of U.S. and Canadian shale oil.)

Here is the real “tell.” At last count we have already seized five “ghost” tankers that are headed to the U.S. worth hundreds of millions of dollars. Trump announced that Venezuela will “give” us the oil now in storage in Venezuela because of the embargo. All together, that oil could be worth several billion dollars. Earlier he announced on Truth Social, “this oil will be sold at its market price, and that money will be controlled by me, as President of the United States of America, to ensure it is used to benefit the people of Venezuela and the United States!” CNN reports that the money will not go into the U.S. Treasury. Instead it will “utilize a collection of international oil traders and offshore bank accounts to sell the oil and manage the resulting cash.” A billion dollar slush fund for Trump! What could go wrong? Does anyone still doubt what the real purpose of the incursion into Venezuela was all about? Does Congress remember that we have a Constitution? Article I gives control of the purse strings to Congress, but I have little hope of anything coming from them to check his power.

This same lawless exercise of raw power is evident in our domestic policies as well. One example is ignoring the law — not a request, not a subpoena, not a committee hearing — to turn over the Epstein files. They were to be turned over by 19 December and now the Department of Justice (DOJ) is saying that they have released less than one percent of the documents in the file. We should not expect to see any real progress on that front anytime soon, if at all. Stonewall. Deflect. Ignore. We know the routine by now.

More tragically are the efforts to remove immigrants from our country. Many, not all, that are being rounded up and hunted down are here legally, either through the Temporary Protective Status (TPS) program or because they followed the rules and officially applied for asylum. A mere fraction are “the worst of the worst.” As reported in the New Republic, on New Year’s Eve the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Agency announced a new 100 million dollar recruitment effort that ICE called “a wartime recruitment” strategy that will target people “who have attended UFC fights, listened to patriotic podcasts, or shown an interest in guns and tactical gear.” Starting last summer, they used social media to advertise the hiring of more agents as a chance to “Serve your country! Defend your culture! No undergraduate degree required!” Since then they have reportedly hired 12,000 new agents, more than doubling the size of the agency. I will not speculate on the quality of the hires, or the extremely shortened training they receive, but when it is all put together, there is a troubling theme to the recruitment effort. Think about the term “defend your culture.” Do you honestly believe that they are appealing to Jews, Muslims, Latinos or any other minority group in our country? There is a very specific type of person they are hiring and while the horrific killing of Renee Nicole Good in Minneapolis has sparked protests around the country, we can probably expect more killing. Our highest government officials lied about the situation before her body was removed from the scene. The ICE agent that shot her is on tape after he shot her and as she crashed saying “f***ing b*itch.” As if she deserved to get shot in the face three times for trying to help her neighbors. There is a sense for those within this administration that they are untouchable. No one is held accountable. If there was any doubt that a cover-up would ensue, that doubt was erased when the FBI announced that no Minnesota or Minneapolis law enforcement agencies would be included in the investigation of the murder of Renee or be allowed access to evidence.

We need to protest, peacefully but clearly. This is not the America I love and served for twenty eight years. It is important to remain calm but resolute. My gut tells me that Trump is hoping that these various confrontations result in a major escalation of violence so that he can declare martial law and cancel the upcoming elections, or at least severely inhibit them, under the guise of national security, their go to explanation for everything illegal that they do. But, don’t take my word for it. Here is Trump talking to a gathering of Republicans. “You gotta win the midterms ’cause, if we don’t win the midterms, it’s just gonna be – I mean, they’ll find a reason to impeach me, I’ll get impeached.”

He is weaponizing the government and his supporters. When his administration tells ICE and other instruments of repression that “we’ve got your backs” he is telling them that anything goes. For proof, look no further than pardoning all of those that tried to overthrow our government. Then, last week on 6 January, the fifth anniversary of the coup, an official website of the United States of America went up that repeated every lie ever told about that day. (You can find it here. Be ready to be disgusted.) According to the official government website, “peaceful patriots” were framed that day. The attempted coup was really staged by Democrats with the help of the law enforcement officers at the capitol.

There are no limits. Trump believes that he can do whatever he wants and take whatever he wants. Or as he said in response to a New York Times question about obeying international laws and treaties, “I don’t need international law, I’m not looking to hurt people.” He was asked if there were limits to what he could do and he replied, “Yeah, there is one thing. My own morality. My own mind. It’s the only thing that can stop me.”

Stay vigilant.

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