So here we are, facing war, economic distress and an inner turmoil that pits us against each other. This at the machinations of people who do not deserve to be called American. Using Victor Orban’s blueprint to run a country does not make you American. It makes you something else entirely. We are seeing the results of their policies in the fear in our immigrant communities and the pain Americans are experiencing in their lives. We are seeing loathing as people lash out at those they feel responsible.
Sometimes chickens come home to roost:
The truth will not be silenced:
As we celebrate our 250th birthday, take a moment to consider:
Resistance comes in many forms:
Sometimes you can actually find some wise words in a comments section.
“The forest was shrinking, but the trees kept voting for the axe. The axe was clever and convinced the trees that since his handle was made of wood, he was one of them.”
31 comments:
The Supreme Court is clearly doing its damnedest to encourage and enable mid-census partisan redistricting in the "red states" of America. They've seen the collapse of political support for Trump and are trying to head off a mid-term Democratic wave this coming November. They may have managed to backstop and hold on to the Trumpkan/Republican majority in Congress--at least one chamber, maybe both; but then again, maybe not.
In fact, the potential for failure of their efforts so far is liable to drive them to even more extreme measures. (As if the recent rulings from the Supreme Court don't qualify as extreme measures--which I would judge they do so qualify.) But, they can't tell if that'll be necessary until after the votes are counted.
So, I would expect a renewed charge by the Trump administration to pass his "Save America" act through the Senate before November. (It's already passed the Trumpkan/Republican House more than once.)
The purpose of the "Save America" act is to provide a new (so far unadjudicated) pretext for the assertion of a new federal power to intervene in the states' vote counting duties. (As a matter of first impression Trump can probably count on the Supreme Trumpkans to seize immediate, exclusive jurisdiction of any attempt to legally prevent him from seizing the ballots.)
If the "Save America" legislation, fails we can probably still look forward to Trump declaring some sort of extraordinary national emergency to try to justify his seizure of November's ballots. Either way, we should anticipate an extraordinary effort by Trump's government to stop the counting and certification of the November vote. They're not going to all this trouble just to give up quietly.
"If the "Save America" legislation, fails…"
Comma in the wrong spot; I see it.
Well now: The Iranians didn't send Trump a peace proposal by Friday night like he said they would. They're makin' him wait.
They're not going to all this trouble just to give up quietly.
No, they are not. I fear that the peaceful revolution we have every 4 years may no longer be so.
I see that Trump has received the Iranian response to his last written demands for further extension of the shaky ceasefire. And he's reverted to threats (implicit rather than explicit this time). But he's not directly addressed their response. He's still caught in his own dilemma.
The Supreme Trumpkins have given Trump yet another loyal Trumpkan/Republican electoral vote for the 2028 decision to overstay his term (and a loyal Trumpkan/Republican vote in the House of Representatives beginning in January of 2027). This one's in Alabama.
They're not even trying to pretend it's not partisan anymore. (They'll make the bald claim that it's not partisan, but they don't try to convince anybody anymore.)
It would appear that Trump has made it back on his plane without giving away Taiwan to Chinese President Xi. (Although, I don't expect he'd have made mention of it had he surreptitiously done that.) There have in fact been no announcements of any significance from either side (other than that fairly clear threat to get nasty over our impeding Xi's goal of seizing Taiwan.)
There was an announcement, however, regarding halting the deployment of 4,000 troops to Europe, and cutting troops from Germany.
No doubt Putin is very happy.
The Chinese are "very happy" as well. Trump clearly went soft on American support for Taiwan, and he got shit for it in return. (More promises of increased Chinese economic coöperation in the future--this is I think the 3rd or 4th time they've strung him along with that line; I don't expect we'll see any Chinese 'investments' this time either.)
It looks like they may set up a $1.7 billion fund to reimburse those Trump followers who were "targeted" by the Biden DOJ for recompense of pain and suffering, with Trump dropping his $10 billion lawsuit for his "pain and suffering" from having his tax returns exposed to the public.
I gotta tell you the guy is creative with his grift.
It is perhaps not coincidental that the Trump administration has floated this new corruption the next day after he took out Louisiana Republican Senator Bill Cassidy. He has to continually prove his dominance over the Trumpkan/Republican majority so that the Congress does not challenge his moves to openly tap the public till.
Well, Trump and his dedicated Trumpkins have now managed to take out Thomas Massey in Kentucky, to go along with the weekend besting of Senator Bill Cassidy in Louisiana. They're nailing them in the primaries where Trump's Trumpkins are strongest. (And Trump just went a little bit out on a limb and endorsed against sitting Senator John Cornyn of Texas for his upcoming primary.) He's cutting down the "non-MAGA" Republicans as fast as he can--which means quite fast in fact.
He's made himself virtually unchallengeable in the Congress--the Trumpkan/Republican majorities have neither the inclination nor the power to rein him in. And, of course, the Democratic minorities have no power over him at all. Free hand for Trump from here to November.
Probably be one Hell of a show to watch.
There is speculation afoot to the effect that, eager for new headlines to replace the ones he's seeing about his war against Iran, Trump may be on brink of starting a war against Cuba.
(The recent indictments against Raul Castro have seemingly raised the confidence levels of some journalists who are already writing about the "Cuban War" that's not even started yet. Gotta wonder who's the more eager for the new headlines--the journalists or Trump?)
Yes, it has looked for some time that Cuba was next on the list. Although it sounds like Greenland hasn't been forgotten. Although, in that case, he will steal them blind via negotiations.
Oh my, did Trump just trip on Senate Republicans? It seems there are actually those in the Senate that are having problems swallowing that $1.8 billion slush fund for his cronies. They have left for the holiday without passing anything. The vote was canceled.
"It seems there are actually those in the Senate that are
having problems swallowing that $1.8 billion slush fund…"
It's run into headwinds in the House as well.
Trump thought he had ‛em all buffaloed after his take downs of Cassidy and Massey, but he figured that wrong; he's waited until too close to the general elections; the troops are spooked by their own election prospects, afraid they'll be compromised. (Trump's beginning to get the look of a lame duck gathering about him. He still had power in the Trumpkan/Republican primaries, but those are over now. He has much less power in the general election.)
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"…he will steal them blind via negotiations."
I don't think so. They have options and he's been "winning" via coercive negotiations inflicted on allies who weren't ready for the change he represented. They're not going to be taken by surprise now…and…they have options. One of which options is to simply wait him out; the Iranians are showing that to be an effective tactic against Trump, when it's available.
I think he's talking about Greenland again just because he needs more distraction from his quandary in the Strait of Hormuz. (That and his image remains important to him. He blusters again on Greenland partially to prove he hasn't been backed down, but, in reality, even he doesn't think he's got the cards for that one now. He doesn't have enough time before the mid-term elections, and after that…. And, I would note in passing, Putin has just offered "full solidarity" and "active support" for Cuba's resistance to American aggression. Politico.eu)
I've been watching the rumor mill spin furiously over a possible "deal" between Iran and the United States. Reading between the lines, I gather that Trump is wrangling for a for a ceasefire agreement. We've already got a ceasefire in effect, so that shouldn't be too difficult. (Although Israel and Lebanon seem to have a bit of a side war going on that will probably continue.)
Current rumors are that the Iranians will not give up their current stockpile of "nuclear dust" nor on their right to conduct further enrichment. Nor will they agree to free passage through the Strait of Hormuz. They still insist that they will control that access; they will decide who gets to pass and who doesn't; and they will charge a "toll" for it. If Trump's gonna give up on those elements then an agreement to continue the ceasefire is probably doable. (Although that would be a major and very public set of capitulations on Trump's part.)
As for me… I don't think Trump's got a deal, not even a deal to continue the current ceasefire he unilaterally declared into existence some weeks ago. He's got a need to see his name in headlines is what he's got, and that's why he's making pronouncements, to get his name in the headlines.
Well… Our professional political punditry has continued their spin of Trump's war over the weekend, and my analysis, written out yesterday morning has been somewhat overtaken by time and the ink of media. It seems the pro's now expect Trump to declare an "interim deal", i.e. a ceasefire.
And he's now "negotiating" furiously with himself to try to achieve a ceasefire agreement. (Notwithstanding that we already have a ceasefire in place.)
For the third time in a row, the United States has attacked Iran while Iran was at the negotiating table. (One suspects this conduct no longer comes as a surprise to the Iranians.) This may be the end of the de facto ceasefire that existed between Iran and America and her allies in the region.
The Israeli, not to be left behind, have announced that they will "intensify" their attacks on southern Lebanon.
Meanwhile, the Ebola outbreak in Africa seems to be getting worse. There are critical pieces missing in this fight. Trump pulled the US out of WHO stiffing them $300 million, leaving them rather short. And USAID, which would have been involved in the response, was dismantled by Trump. He is also preventing our scientists from participating in the world response.
The bugs will get us yet. Thanks to Trump.
Trump was at Walter Reed again. I am thinking if Trump dies naturally, leaving us with the mess he has created, there is no justice.
I've been worried that one of those shooters is eventually gonna take him down. I really, really don't wanna see that happen. Them playin' Trump as martyr is more than I'm ready to look at.
Meantime: Trump's pretty much run the table on his calls for acolytes and Trumpkins to replace the old line Republican officeholders who've managed to attract his attention.
Polls were barely closed when the Associated Press called the Texas contest in Paxton's favor. It wasn't even close. And Cornyn was considered a ‛big shot’ in the party hierarchy.
So, now it's clearly Trump's fascist party, no longer Reagan's conservative party.
But, now he's gotta bring 'em across the finish line in the general election, or it don't really count as a clear win for Trump.
In fact, this would have been my preferred outcome (other than having Trump lose to Harris back in '24, which didn't happen to happen). But: Trump now takes clear control of the remnants of the old Republican Party. And if he promptly loses them their majority in both the House and the Senate then that's my next most favorite outcome. Then they'll have to settle out amongst themselves how to recover from their days as Trumpkins.
Could get ugly.
Changing topics:
I'm not quite sure what to make of Trump's Camp David confab (scheduled to start up this morning) to brainstorm on how to sell his "deal" with Iran to the Trumpkin public. He doesn't seem to have a "deal" to sell. And I'm not sure he's come to grips with that reality. Rather, he seems to be negotiating furiously with his own earlier press releases. Like that was gonna somehow help his situation.
New info:
Trump's Camp David confab has been rescheduled as a White House PR meeting--with the press in attendance. Looks like Trump needs reassurance. So he's scheduled a public stroking ceremony for his Cabinet members to offer him public praise, put a little stroking on his needy self. Okay, this I understand.
So, now it's clearly Trump's fascist party, no longer Reagan's conservative party.
Yes, it has been distilled down to the ugly mess of authoritarianism and corruption that has always lurked beneath the surface of some elected officials and voters. Americans have a stark choice in the mid-terms if they are paying attention. I am hoping the economic downfall will make it clear to them what is at stake. But there are no guarantees on that.
And if he promptly loses them their majority in both the House and the Senate then that's my next most favorite outcome.
Mine as well.
The DOJ is now investigating E. Jean Carroll in their further pursuit of Trump's vengeance. The waste of taxpayer dollars goes on under Trump.
Word is that Trump is trying to insulate himself from any criminal prosecution after he leaves office. I wonder if we the taxpayers could pursue civil charges against him for mismanagement of our tax dollars?
"I wonder if we the taxpayers could pursue civil charges
against him for mismanagement…"
Have you forgotten the sweeping expansion of Presidential immunity those Federalist Society Justices bestowed upon Trump?
They're still there. Ready and eager and waiting to grant him further protections against Constitutional restraints as the opportunities to do so arise.
No doubt there are constitutional lawyers already studying up on ways to try to hold Trump accountable as soon as his term ends. And, I must admit, I've done some pondering on that problem as well. But we have to acknowledge that Trump has an openly partisan Supreme Court backing him up. (They still deny the partisan lean, just for the record, but even they don't expect anybody to believe their protests on that subject anymore.)
The morning headlines seem to suggest that Trump's plan to "enforce" his declared "ceasefire" by firing on the Iranians has resulted in the Iranians firing back. (More 'enforcement' of the ceasefire will, no doubt, become necessary.)
So our Dear Leader has threatened to blow up Oman. Apparently if Oman seeks to control the Strait. Dementia, much?
Another morning of sorting through the headlines and reading between the lines…. I've developed a suspicion that there's dissent in the ranks at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.
The rumors and innuendos are inconsistent. And I suspect I'm seeing unauthorized leaks from parties who want to nudge Trump towards their preferred outcome. Trump's White House always leaks like a sieve, but usually it's "approved" leaks, released to float ideas Trump doesn't yet want to touch publicly.
The current crop of leaks, disorganized, inconsistent, and not quite logical, indicates to me that there may be a significant divergence of opinion among Trump's advisors as to the preferred path forward against Iran. And I don't think Trump knows what he wants to do now that Iraq has declined to surrender. He can't seem to get past the idea that Iraq will surrender.
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