Maybe you have heard about, or seen videos of, the start of construction in the Big Bend National Park in Texas. This was originally going to be part of Trump’s border wall, but was scaled back due to opposition to the damage this would cause to the natural environment of the park.
It was heartening to see bi-partisan opposition to this construction by the Trump administration. I hope that it is halted completely. As many people have pointed out, this area does not see a large influx of immigrants. It is a rather hostile place to try to cross, making it a waste of taxpayer dollars to construct barriers there.
The other story is regarding the Boundary Waters Canoe area in Minnesota. A few months ago Congress lifted the ban on mining in the Boundary Waters. This is a beautiful, natural area which has been touched by man as little as possible.
What will we leave our children?
Changing subjects for the time being…
ReplyDelete"KYIV, Aug 20 (Reuters) - A bid by ousted Ukrainian defence
minister Mykhailo Fedorov to broaden a political fight with
President Volodymyr Zelenskiy by calling for wartime elections
appears to have backfired, failing to win over protesters who
had demanded his return.
"Zelenskiy's decision to sack the tech-savvy and reform-
minded minister in a government reshuffle in July triggered
protests in Kyiv and other cities.
***
"'When we came out to protest, we did not come with the
idea that elections should be held,' 22-year-old Iryna
Vasyliaka told Reuters late on Wednesday. 'That is not what
we were here for.'
"Fedorov, who warned late on Tuesday that Ukraine was
facing a crisis of governance, is widely seen as one of a
handful of potential challengers to Zelenskiy's hold on power
in the fifth year of the war triggered by Russia's 2022 invasion.
"But opinion polls show little public appetite for elections in
wartime…"
It sounds like the Ukrainians still have loyalty to Zenenskiy. He has led well in this war and while they liked Fedorov they are not willing to rock the boat now. I can understand that.
ReplyDeleteCloser to the topic of "what will we leave our children"…
ReplyDeleteThe Federalist Society contingent on the Supreme Court (that's six of the nine) has taken steps to encourage Trump's contemplated interference in state control of the upcoming mid-term elections. They haven't openly sanctioned his attempt to set aside those elections as of yet (of course, he hasn't openly tried to set them aside as of yet), but they're very encouraging of the idea. Politico They don't wanna see him back off that plan just yet.
Just back from my annual visit to the Great Minnesota Get Together, or the Minnesota State Fair.
ReplyDeleteI thought there would be fewer people due to early rain. But judging by the early crowds and long lines everyone else thought the same thing.
This year I saw a number of rebel loon t-shirts and one regarding banning books. The rebel loon t-shirts are obviously new this year as they arrived after the Metro Surge. I made a point of telling the wearers that I liked their shirts.
My friend's sister who went with us is an avid Trumper. We didn't talk politics and cheerfully glossed over our differences. She did stop at the Republican Party booth to get a Trump shirt. I asked her if it was orange. I also said she left me sitting a long time out front wearing my "When injustice becomes law, resistance becomes duty" shirt. I fit in with the small group of protesters out front with their Affordability t-shirts.
I kinda wish we had a local version of your "rebel loon" insignia. This is hard-core Trump country. I'd enjoy the show.
ReplyDeleteYou could always get a rebel loon t-shirt. We wouldn't mind if you borrowed our resistance symbol. It might be rather amusing, as people there might not know what it represents.
ReplyDeleteEven my friend's Trumper sister didn't.
An article in my paper the other day talked about the scientists that are leaving the US and moving to Canada because of the Trump administration cutting funding and targeting universities. There are 48 leaving so far.
ReplyDeleteOne wonders if the Republicans will notice when we fall behind Canada in scientific endeavors due to the brain drain.
"…people there might not know what it represents."
ReplyDeleteAnd that would mean there'd be no "show" to amuse me, which kinda loses the point of waving the insignia in front of the local dedicated Trumpkins.
I read a headline a few days ago that said we were losing university professors to Canada. There might be some overlap here between them and the "scientists" you mentioned.
________________________________
I was surprised to see that the Supreme Court has allowed Trump to go ahead with the construction of his ballroom. I had thought that was so clearly illegal that they'd not have the gall to approve it. I was obviously wrong. This ‛win’ for Trump came on the court's emergency, ‛shadow’ docket, where Trump's been racking up the wins since his return to office. (They did, however, lose Chief Justice Roberts from their legal rogue ranks on this one.)
I would anticipate a legal challenge coming from the Congress if the Democrats can gain a sufficient majority in both Houses come November. There will almost certainly be an investigation of the names and amounts of the Trump's donors for the ballroom. And Trump will lawyer up and resist all disclosure, and that one will probably get Justice Roberts back into the ranks of the legal rogues.
Meantime, the Trump administration is using its ability to overwhelm the law by putting ICE in charge of investigating "voter fraud" in the upcoming mid-term elections. CNN That's right; that's what it says. ICE, known for its practiced thuggery, in charge of investigating domestic elections.
The Treasury Department announced that they had $1 "Trump" coins for sale, with Trump's face on the front (full face, the glowering Trump picture) and a faux gold finish. Minimum price $1.55 each, when bought in bulk. They sold out within hours, or so said the mint. (I don't know how many they actually made.)
ReplyDelete"They haven't openly sanctioned his attempt to set aside
ReplyDelete[the mid-term] elections as of yet…but they're very encour-
aging of the idea."
Lee C. @ ↑ August 25, 2026 5:19 am ↑
Turns out the Trump administration noticed that as well. They've just today filed another "emergency" appeal for the Supreme Court's "shadow docket". This one attempts to preëmpt any rulings by inferior courts which might slow Trump's efforts to get his say in on the question of which ballots can be counted. He's got a plan and he wants his Federalist Society majority to approve it right now, before any lower federal courts manage to put a kibosh on his plan. And they very well might do it.
Test
ReplyDeleteIt's alive!!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations.
ReplyDeleteWhat was the fix?
Trump suggested he would cut off trade with our largest trading partners if the Fed doesn't cut interest rates. When are they going to realize this guy has a serious screw loose?
ReplyDeleteWhat was the fix?
ReplyDeleteDon't know. I tried all sorts of things. Either something I did finally worked or Blogger had an issue that they finally noticed and fixed. Anyway, it's good to be back!
While the comments' section was closed, the Trump administration updated its "emergency" appeal on its "shadow docket" trying to get the Federalist Society Justices to grant it a roll in deciding who could vote by mail.
ReplyDelete(And I notice a change in the structure of the comments' section. The typing area is now much smaller, horizontally. Whether that's because of something Blogger did, or whether it's a result of that "embedded" setting I do not know.)
Yes, I left it as embedded. Not sure if that was the issue or not, but didn't want to rock the boat by changing it back to pop up.
ReplyDeleteYes, he is trying desperately to rig the elections.
ReplyDelete