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We Are the Experts!

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It’s been great fun since Trump took office, to read local letters to the editors in our local paper. Our city and county are relatively small, but we seem to have an inordinate number of experts and know-it-alls. Is it the same where you live? (I just started reading the local paper last year, when I moved to Trump Country.)

As a natural troublemaker and aspiring (since birth) Devil’s Advocate, parrying with local wits is enjoyable, entertaining, and often enlightening. My only responses are to those who write and profess, or hint at the fact they are smarter than everyone else. The local author who “knows how to solve the immigration crisis”, for example. Or the modest intellect who tries to support an idea using phrases and verbiage “copied” from what ever information silo they inhabit.

Intellectual Curiosity (IC) has been discussed here, before, and it is the root of all the merriment. Anyone who believes in Trump is an idiot. Don’t blow a gasket, yet, because anyone who believes in Biden was/is an idiot, too. Or Obama, Or Bush, Or Clinton. Or the elder Bush. Sadly, I can strike up a spirited and eventually personal debate about any one of them with certain letter writers. You can support them, but you shouldn’t adore them. They’re humans. And don’t give up your IC.

We need to start with the definition, the urban definition, of what politicians are: they are people who want you to hire them for a job. The “job” is not lawn maintenance, but a job where complicated, personal, and impactful decisions about the direction of the city, county, state, and nation (and world?) are decided. And the politicians are asking you to send them to an institution where it takes more than one person’s will to get something done. More on that in a later post.

We vote almost every year for one sort of politician or another and a majority of Americans just don’t vote. In the last election 77 million voted for Trump, and 75 million voted against Trump. According to internet sources, most of the “Voting Eligible Population (VEP)” of the United States, about 89 million people, did not vote. (Note: VEP 244,666,890** per US News. Do your own math.) More people DID NOT VOTE, than voted for either candidate.

A smart person can see neither party presented a candidate that appealed to at least half the population. So, what does it mean when we say we “hate Joe Biden” or we “hate Donald Trump”? Is it a rational hate or a tribal hate?

Got way off track, but the point is most politicians (if not all) spend most of their time trying to convince YOU to vote for them. And once you do, they tend to start looking ahead to the next election. It’s a mistake if anything ever gets down. When IC kicks in, you begin to question the whole system, and not in a good way. Maybe those 89 million people know something.

The solution? Outlaw “homogenous” voting. The two-Party system demands you vote with (or against) one party or the other…no matter the issue! Ever hear of “Majority and Minority Whips? Guess what they’re supposed to do. It really is a wonder the government has survived for 200 and some years.

Mixed in with all this nonsense are the experts and arm-chair quarterbacks who know all about everything. In a local locker room one time, two guys were commiserating about how bad America looks to other counties. “We aren’t respected anymore.” When I asked if either had ever been to another country, or had friends in another country, or could even name another country…silence.

While it is great fun to poke and prod the local geniuses, I’ve been fortunate to never have to express my own opinions. Sounds like a cop-out, right? But my own opinions are not party-oriented or any particular color. And I don’t truly know half of what I say about issues since I’m not personally in the middle of them. I just know what I think I know. I’m not sure, for example, why SignalGate happened, but know we’ll learn more from the fuss after an issue than we knew before, so pay attention. IC.

I am afraid to state my own beliefs, too, because they are too naïve. Too Jimmy Stewart, too “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington.” They are easy to make fun of in a world full of experts and internet snipers.

So, I’ll continue trying to pop other’s balloons and wait for the world to get its act together. It’s only been about 55 years, so far, but what else is there to do?

** Numbers for 2024. VEP includes all legal American citizen over the legal voting age. Note that only 160 million are “registered” to vote. A few VEPs might be way beyond that legal age, so…

Music. Jackson Browne. The Brothers Comatose. Serendipity.

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The last post about waking up in the middle of the night? Anxious? Distraught? Possibly even in despair? A lead-in to depression?

Ha.

A fortuitous click/flick on a Samsung phone yielded a Youtube video of The Brothers Comatose performing Jackson Browne’s “These Days”.

If you are at all unhappy with life, politics, a cruel ex-girlfriend, or calamities of any kind…find this video. As a strong, modern American, internally fortitudely (sic, for the entire sentence) secure man, I cried. After 10 plays, still crying.

Music has the power, seemingly the duty to save us from…everything. A good poem helps us. A good tune helps us. But a great song? It heals. Alters the mind. Makes life better. Not just better, but wonderfully okay, euphorically livable. Especially in old age.

I’ve written about Jackson Browne (JB) before, and how many males my age grew up with his music, his fantastically, emotionally pertinent music. You can hear almost his entire, 60 year, lifetime catalogue—done by him—performed differently in every decade since 1970. You can also hear most of his catalogue covered by DIFFERENT artists in every decade since 1970. A lot of the great 60’s and 70’s acts have such an emotional power for us, The Aging Man and Woman. For you, it might be someone else. Definitely someone else for you younger readers.

The power of this type of music is amazing, whoever it is, whenever you hear it. God’s gift to us.

“These Days” was written by JB when he was 16 and recorded by Nico in 1967. AI says the song deals with “loss and regret”. I’ve listened every decade, since.

The Brothers Comatose have covered “These Days” more than perfectly, more than respectfully. They turned it into a divine version so singularly apt for the time I accidentally found it, when it was needed most, as if their version was meant for me, alone, at this time in my life. Serendipity. Karma. Providence. (The Brothers Comatose did the same thing to Neil Young’s “Harvest Moon”, a performance I rely on, frequently, for mood settling and the overall restoration of good feelings.)

It is a hope that you, the individual, unique, one-of-a-kind reader, has something similar in your life.

One of the problems, however, is remembering you have this power to turn to in time of need. If I’d have listened to “Harvest Moon”  last night, for example, instead of memorializing my angst in writing, well…

Now I have JB, The Brothers Comatose, and the rest for comfort. How fortunate is that? Bring it on, Trusk…and the rest of life.

JB can be watched from the early days, when he was a young, handsome man, all the way up to now, age 76 in 2025. While interesting to view, does it make JB, himself, sad/happy/unsure to see himself age?

JB’s voice is gruffly pleasant to some, but not to others. It is intriguing, then to hear his songs covered by females like Bonnie Raittt, Linda Ronstadt, Nico, Allison Krause, and AJ Lee. They all—and others—have the power to add emotional depth to every JB song they perform. See Bonnie’s version of JB’s “My Opening Farewell”.

An interesting video, too, is JB and Gregg Allmann “outgruffing” each other on a live version of The Allmans Brothers’ “Melissa” from ten years ago. It is a spectacular live performance.

It’s 3 am and it has taken three hours to type this short post. Damn music videos. It appears there are many things in my life to be thankful for, many blessings to appreciate.

Calamities, Trump, deceitful girlfriend, and every single problem Old Age can throw at me, be damned. Oh, and death. Screw ‘em all.

My new motto? Devour Feculance. (Thank you, Mr. Milchick.)

And thanks to all the great artists who have accepted their gifts and shared them with us, the rest of the world.

America, the beautiful? The Great?

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I awoke in the middle of the night, alarmed, then saddened, then in a panic about America. It’s a place I’ve inhabited and loved and criticized, demonstrated against and then accepted, but always a country with the historic ability to survive the worst impulses of each new generation. We will survive.

But this time? I no longer see the Trump presidency as a 4-year pandemic we will recover from when the political system resets itself and heals its wounds.

In 12 months, or less, our democratic (Small “d”) political system will no longer exist. The Republican Party, historically a dedicated and patriotic foe of the Democratic Party, is already extinct.

Trump is putting in place Billionaire yes-men/women who will do whatever he wants. (If they aren’t billionaires when Trump appointed them, they may be soon.)  At the same time, he is destroying, neutering, and obliterating any person, department, or institution standing in his way. And he’s doing it at record speed, getting everything in place to defy the 2026 midterms.

His press secretary reveals the plan with every statement she makes: obscure, deny, deflect and counter attack every, single truth. Her job description? Truth will be what she is told to say it is. Trump put her in place to render the free press ineffective. That “free press” cannot handle someone who lies, distorts, and fabricates so much the press cannot keep pace. As the free press spins in circles over here, Trump does what he wants over there.

The Trump Plan involves a massive amount of snookery and public-facing deception. The sheer volume of lies and atrocious behavior will overwhelm the 260 million people who did not vote for him in 2024, and they will wear down, look away, and allow him to do what he wants. It’s a form of public, Chinese Water Torture.

Most Americans do not realize the extent of the changes already made. DOGE is not a government efficiency finder, but a money finder and re-applier. Stop spending money on Voice of America and spend that “saved” money on bribes to foreign countries to take back immigrants. Spend formerly legally appropriated money on illegal activities like flying “terrorists” back to any country receiving the Trump Bribes. (Why else would El Salvador accept hundreds of Venezuelan gang members?  And will these “terrorists” be released back into the world if Trump’s bribes stop? Is it possible our newly-muscled border watchers will see these terrorists, again? Are the deportees even terrorists/gang members? Do you know?

And the March 21, 2025 $20 Billion Trump just gave Boeing for the new F-47 Fighter? Here’s a transparent description of the total cost from Trump, himself: “We’ve given an order for a lot. We can’t tell you the price.”

DOGE? Attack!

Billionaires are buying into the Trump Agenda because they see lower taxes, less regulation, and ultimately the ability to do whatever they want, when ever they want to do it.

And this will go on for at least four years, or until The King dies of natural causes. Then, the fight for the crown will lead to more Un-American activities until a new king is crowned.

Is this what 77 million voters wanted?

Even today, after 2 months of the expedited plan, the average, Fox-informed American will say “Yes.”

So be it. As they like to say, “Elections have consequences.”

Recently, Stephen Miller was on Fox News calling one of his critics a “moron”,  a “degenerate”, and “stupid”. The lame stream, mainstream, legacy media Fox News presenter just giggled. Yes, Fox is lame-steam, mainstream media.

On the comedy side of things: as Trump, Miller, Musk, and related antagonists invent new monikers for all who disagree with them, Musk threatens lawsuits for someone calling him names. And Trump settles old grudges with the unlimited, emperor-like powers Trump says voters granted him. And the Supremes** will back him up.

Make America Grate Again.

Believe this if you can: I hope I’m wrong. Really, really, wrong. I fervently hope this post is just more of the Trump Derangement Syndrome, the mental condition a Minnesota Republican lawmaker wants to write into law.

Bet I’d be happier about things if I was deranged. For fun, look up the “Oxford Languages” definition for deranged. It will sound familiar…like someone we all know…

** Apologies to Diana Ross and the rest.

Is it Really what we’re told it is?

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Trump and DOGGIE(sic) seem inordinately concerned with staging events, showing off fraud and waste. Wonder why?

A recent event was Musk Trumpeting the Social Security Administration (SSA) has over 18,000 listed citizens over 110 years old. Several over 150 years old.

“Maybe Twilight is real and there are a lot of vampires collecting social security,” he joked, reports the New York Post and Fox News.

Huh. Must be a real, true fraud if Fox is repeating it, right?

First, the database Musk was displaying as proof of fraud, is a list of all SSA numbers ever given out. It is NOT a list of everyone receiving SSA benefits. And numbers are only removed when SSA gets a certified death certificate. SSA knew about missing death certificates in 2015, by the way, and still has not cleaned the data base after Obama, Trump, and Biden presidencies. See? Republican tax cuts and attempts to hinder SSA activities worked!

Second, Musk used the standard “no-news” trick of not actually SAYING they were receiving benefits, but “suggesting” and then joking about it. Neat, right? Great Public relations trick.

But why do they need to do it?

Insecurity is the driving force in the MAGA movement. They are worried about EVERYTHING and lies help them cope. Since there are so many lies from the Insecure-In-Chief, it has to be made apparent to the rest of us that the lies are not lies. (See The Big Election Lie and how hard MAGA worked to support it. Specifically, Google “2000 Mules” and its legal history for an education in how far you need to bend over to support a Big Lie.) Oval Office events, with pomp and a captive press corps, are the best ways to look truthful when you lie, so we’ll see more of them.

But, again, why? The 77 million who voted for Trump are 22% of the American Population. That means Conservatives are a minority of Americans. The 75 million who voted for Harris are 21% of the population, another minority. My long-stated belief is that America is 30% Conservative, 30% Liberal, and 40% Independent. Both of our political parties represent a minority of the population. Independents have historically skewed to a liberal bias in presidential elections, however. That bias led to conservative crying and hand-wringing after Obama won a second term conservatives were sure he would lose decisively. The conservative lack of message and backbone was noticed by Trump and he seized the opening to become the Messiah of The Right.

But conservative insecurity still existed and they saw conspiracy everywhere, cranking up Q-anon, and building the Modern Republican Party Grievance Machine (MRPGM).

Trump and the MRPGM leaned into the heavy message of insecurity, and its partner, mistrust. Both Trump and MRPGM realized a message filled with anger and resentment has a greater impact than truth. Fox News got on board and the rest is history.

But conservatives are still insecure. Why does every employee in American government who does not kiss Trump’s large buttocks have to be fired? Even kitchen table psychiatrists know why. Same with MAGA. Their talk is about A Great America, but building it involves destruction, chaos, and pain. A true American Carnage, as Trump called it in his First Term Inauguration speech. Why?

The old, white American Male is threatened. I have never understood why males are so frantically against homosexuality, for example. One can guess.

And same sex marriage hurts who? And transgender life? You’d think those people were carrying monkeypox. So much was made of NCAA sports, when the truth is 40, 40, athletes out of 500,000, 500,000 were “estimated” to be trans athletes. 0.008 percent. But what a story for MRPGM, Trump, and Fox. And Nancy Mace. Wonder if there are any transgender MAGAns? If there are 77 million MAGA voters, times 0.008 equals 616,000 transgender Republicans.

Few American presidents worked well with the opposition party. But most American presidents have done the best they could for ALL Americans, while staying as true as they could to their own party ideals.

Except Number 47. Chaos and uncertainty for all!

The rush to action is another bow to insecurity. MAGA needs to get a lot done before the midterms when people (may) come to their senses. If Trump was so sure of 2026 Republican re-elections, he and Musk would take things slower, thinks things out, and install their new regime in phases instead of firing people willy-nilly. (Google “willy-nilly” for a laugh.)

2025 is proof insecurity does not lead to good decisions. AI says: “Insecurity and fear are the culprits behind five of the most common workplace missteps and missed opportunities.”

That AI is so smart. Must have been the Chinese one.

Good Governing Advice

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I knew about Democrats and Republicans from a young age. Kennedy, Nixon, Eisenhower, et.al.

It was college, however, when I learned about progressives and conservatives. It was 1970-71 and there were people in my university dressed way better than me with cars costing more than a year’s tuition. In the all-night, dorm-hall debates inspired by the one Freshman Year Course we all had to take, “Philosophy, Religion, and Drama”, not only were a lot of the well-dressed people (not all) Republicans, but Conservatives, as well. And some Democrats (not all) called themselves Progressives. What the hell? How many more subsets are there?

I honestly believed it was normal, almost required to switch from one to the other, and not just because of the sex appeal of the opponent, but on the issues, as well. Bright, intelligent young people could think both ways, right? Even multiple ways, threesomes, maybe?

Sadly, life revealed you had to pick one or the other, or half one and half the other, or just move to an isolated cabin in the woods. So, I picked one and got on with life, ignorant of what I’d done, but unable to be monogamous in my choice. The other choice often looked better.

I eventually learned an easy way to understand the problem. A debating poster on the web site “Quora” described it this way: “America is like a car with Progressives being the gas pedal and Conservatives being the brakes.” Wow. AI found this for me when I asked it (Him? Her? Them? It?) to tell me what significant legislation was ever passed by the Republican Party. Every Republican Bill AI located seemed to be negative, about reversing something our keeping something from happening. Or lowering taxes. There was no Great Society Program, No Civil Rights Act, Social Security Act, No Affordable Care Act. No Apollo Program. So what is the deal, Republicans?

The definition of conservative: “averse to change or innovation and holding traditional values.” (Oxford)

Progressive: “happening or developing gradually, or in stages, proceeding step by step.” (Oxford)

These two “base” adjectives grew into political nouns that ideologically oppose each other.  When we look at legislative history, it is Progressives (represented by Democrats), taking 2 steps forward, and then Conservatives (represented by Republicans) taking as many steps back as they can. If that sounds bad, it is not. It is the perfect government formula. Progressive step on the gas, Conservatives hit the brakes. Have you EVER driven a car without using both pedals? Might be interesting, but apply the same principle to governing. Progressives fight for same sex marriage, and conservatives try to pass laws to restrict it. What happens next?

I have always thought of Conservatives as “stick in the mud, hold us back, rigid, get in the way” ideologues. I still believe that but now view Conservatives as an equal, important part of the “good governance formula”. Imagine if we pressed the gas pedal all the time? Of course, we won’t get anywhere if we don’t get off the brakes. Perfect, yes?

Sadly, our new administration is not just pumping the brakes but trying to throw us into reverse and drive us to the scrapyard. It is awfully hard to see the future when you’re driving in reverse. Please, don’t try it.

Maybe that IS what we need to do, now, drive as fast as possible in reverse. We don’t need no stinking brakes, do we.

Why MAGA gets a bad rap

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It’s hard for non-MAGA citizens to understand how MAGA citizens think. Here are some reasons why.

The new MAGA government bans Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion programs, and strives for a “merit based” approach to hiring and promotions. So, Donald Trump’s daughter in-law becomes head of the Republican Party. Trump’s largest donor becomes Co-President Musk. A Fox News Host becomes Secretary Of Defense. All government departments and agencies are ordered to find and remove any employees who will not be favorable to Trump. And Trump fires anyone who did their jobs and investigated him. Who will be the replacements for these employees? Merit, my ass.

Trump was a Democrat until he realized his style was better suited to the whiny Republican Party. All establishment Republicans naturally took offense and whined about Trump as inexperienced, and ill-suited for the Presidency. Until he won. Then they got on the gravy train.

Trump felt he was going to lose in 2016, so he pre-emptively campaigned about election integrity as an excuse for losing. When he won with the electoral the college trick, he had no choice but to continue the election lie and set up a commission, The Presidential Advisory Committee on Election Integrity. It met for 11 months and disbanded with no report or findings. In 2020, Trump ran again, and resumed his claims of voter fraud, amplified to crescendo when he actually lost. In over 60 court cases looking for voter fraud, brought to court by Trump’s legal team, the courts found none. But it had now become “The Big Lie”, and its repetition led to the insurrection of January 6, 2021. In 2024, however, MAGA supporters brought Trump back for another election and Trump won. With very few reports or claims of election fraud. It’s a miracle, right? Must be they found all that invisible voter fraud. Oh, and no insurrection.

Co-President Musk and his DOGGIE (sic) unilaterally tear apart departments funding medical research. The Republican Senator from Alabama, a staunch Trump supporter, complains: her state is losing funding and now whines the cuts should be more discriminatory. The Co-President and President don’t respond. Or did they?

In the last 20 years, and more so in the last 12, MAGA and Trump attacked the “liberal bias” of Main/Lame Stream Media. Meanwhile, the media specifically set up to spread CONSERVATIVE bias is never mentioned. One bias is better than another? In fact, being a member of Faux News appears to be a sure-fire way to get a job in the new MAGA government. Merit?

Last, my most often repeated bugaboo: The Mandate. Trump brought it up in 2016 when he lost the general election. He loves to repeat it. America’s population was 341 million people as of December 30, 2024. 77 million of those citizens voted for Trump. Mandate? Another Big Lie. Less than one quarter (22%) of the population voted for Trump/MAGA. And nearly as many (75 million) voted AGAINST it. The message? Screw everyone but MAGA.

Last one: Why do MAGA and The Modern Republican Party complain so much? Trump has never made a positive, uplifting speech about ALL of America. It’s always doom, gloom, and Biden/Obama’s fault. Who wants to live with a man constantly complaining about others? MAGA does.

And don’t forget the “grab ‘em by the pussy” remark from 2016. It’s mentioned because it is exactly what Trump is doing to America.

Quanda what?

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Quandary: “a state of perplexity, or uncertainty over what to do in a difficult situation, a dilemma.” So says the Oxford Dictionary.

Ever been in a quandary? Near one? Seen one from afar? Picture a mime trying to get out of a real box.

We all probably know what a quandary is, just never knew what to call it. If it helps, picture our modern world: one, big quandary. Dilemma. Perplexity.

Our country mired in a quandary is not new. The Civil War, Viet Nam. Nixon. September 11, 2001. The Spanish Flu. WWI. WWII. The Great Depression. The last, final, episode of “Friends”. To prevent depression, I’ll stop.

Quandary. The Oxford people say it comes from the late 16th century Latin word “quando”, which means “when”. So “when” became “quandary”? Thanks, Oxford, for a new perplexity. They do add an interesting chart showing how popular “quandary” has become over the centuries, with a plateau of usage in 2000. What did educated people use before quandary came along? Mess? Dilemma? Pile of crap? And why plateau at year 2000? Has the quantity of qualified quandaries declined in the last 20 years?

That fact proves there isn’t as much “perplexity” now as there used to be. Early days were probably nothing but quandaries. Imagine the first sunset? Did early man/woman know the sun would be back in a few hours or was he/she in a quandary, wondering where it went? What about when he/she had their first bowel movement? Did they think their insides were falling out? Talk about a dilemma. “Should we push it back in?”

Perfect segue into Donald Trump. He is a Master Quandary Maker. How perplexed must Republican voters and politicians have been to support him in the first election, let alone the second. Did any 2016 voters face the “dilemma” of voting for the felonious Trump in 2024? Were they perplexed? Dilemmed(sic)? Quandrasized(sic)? Uncertain?

It doesn’t appear they were. In fact, a feature of Trump support is the CERTAIN, unwavering, unperplexed knowledge that Trump is…something. What? What is Trump outside of politics? Is he a fabulously wealthy man, born with a silver spoon, who has never worked an honest day in his life? The Second Coming? A taller, hairier Napolean? A spray-tanned Mussolini? Putin’s long-lost brother?

Let’s go back to the original: he is quandary. Unperplexed American voters have ceded so much power to Trump, why is he not using it to remove all quandaries from our lives? Or at least his voters lives? Why isn’t he un-perplexing our perplexities? Why is he doing what he is doing? Does he need more money? Power? Maybe he just wants a good pizza. Or is it Melania, the new Nancy Reagan?

I surrender. It’s usually years before we can accurately assess the damage/benefit an American President effects over his/her (Sarcasm.) term in office.  It appears Trump is trying to write that assessment, now, after one month. Or at least keep anyone else from writing it, ever.

It’s hard to know what to make of it all. It’s a quandary. For those of us without any power over rich, selfish people, it’s more than a quandary: it is a disaster.

Happily, yes, happily, I’m old, almost out of it all, another benefit of old age.

Hallelujah.

America Great, Again? No. America Gone.

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In 2024, 77 million people voted for Trump. 75 million voted for Harris. 90 million did not vote. 2024 might have been the last chance for those 90 million to vote in a presidential election.

The long game of Trump and the Modern Republican Party (MRP) is to turn America into Russia, with Trump the New Putin and MRP members lining up–and butt kissing– to be Trump’s/Putin’s successor.

From the early 1800’s on, America’s Federal Government—our government–has been designed and built to protect the American Citizen. The normal, AVERAGE American citizen. It’s easy to see this defense in terms of war: The United States, for example saved the world during a war fought an foreign ground in the 1940s.

But the biggest government “wars” have been fought against American Businesses. Once America settled on Capitalism as our new religion, innovative intelligent entrepreneurs began to find ways to make money. Lots of money. Slavery was an important part of many entrepreneurs business plans. The “free” and “low-priced” labor of slaves, immigrants, and poor whites made many an American Businessman rich.

And the lack of regulation or rules benefited new American companies, as well. The leather industry, for example, dumped used tanning chemicals into the nearest river since there was no cost and the free water carried the chemicals away, to be someone else’s problem. The Acid rain of the 1970’s is a perfect example of unregulated pollution from a specific industry. (Young people, you’ll have to research that since I’ve little space, here.)

It became apparent to intelligent people unregulated commerce and industry was not beneficial for America—or it’s citizen–in the long run. The newly forming financial institutions needed to be monitored, as well, as most Americans were completely ignorant of loans, mortgages, and banking “stuff”. Think Henry Potter in “It’s A Wonderful Life.” (Again, google it.)

At the prodding of angry citizens, the Government of the United States proceeded to design and implement regulatory systems to protect the citizens from capitalist profit seeking. Regulations eventually banned slavery, 7-day work weeks, 20 hour work days, and other unfair labor practices. In addition, regulations enforced pollution controls to stop, for instance, a chemical plant from disposing of its waste in the clean rivers, lakes, and streams of America.

And the Government funded the armies, navies, and air forces to defend America.

It’s easy to see why the Capitalist Businesses of America began to see government as a “problem”, while the “Government” began to see Businesses as problem creators. A natural adversarial relationship developed and a “balance” blossomed, a symbiotic relationship between Government and Business lasting for hundreds of years. I’m not sure what “Make America Great Again” means but modern actions by Trump indicate MAGA wants to go back to the era of NO REGULATION. Republicans have historically been anti-government/probusiness in the last two centuries, so the sentiment is not new. Democrats assumed the roll of pro-government, understanding government regulations mainly benefitted the poor, average, and middle class sections of America as citizens needed a powerful entity to protect them against the rich, powerful businesses. The relationship has never been perfect, but it worked.

Until the last 20-30 years. When Republicans get political power, they dismantle regulations as fast as they can. Why? To increase business profits. And once a regulation is gone, it takes a convoluted process to get it back. The Reagan and both Bush Presidents were regulatory purge-fests, orchestrated and instituted within the framework of a constitutional government…mostly..

But now we have Trump. And two other problems.

  1. Fox News. In their zeal to be Number 1 in cable news in the 1990s, they broadcast their version of the truth. We now have two generations raised on Fox News.
  2. The Internet. In the days before the internet, a crazy conspiracy or nut-job character, were isolated to their region or community. Now, a flat earther in Iowa (no Offense) can connect with a flat earther in China. (again, no offense.)

If we mix in Trump’s ego, we end up with the volatile mix threatening our nation. Trump was born into money and has no concept of anything remotely “normal” about America. He is a billionaire with the usual hunger for more billions and regulations get in his way. His response is Shakespearean: “Out, out damn regulations.”

In our modern world millionaires grow on trees, and all the millionaires want to BE billionaires, so there is a large segment of American Business caring about nothing but profits.

Trump now sees the opportunity to dismantle the “regulatory state” and guarantee unfettered profit-seeking for all millionaires, billionaires, and soon to be trillionaires. Screw the environment. And screw the people.

Even worse, Trump is following the Putin Model (google it) for tearing down a democracy and setting himself up, Trump, to be America’s Putin. He is purging the remaining parts of the government of anyone who doesn’t support him, and if we let it happen, 2022 may be the last time we ever have free and fair elections.

America will finally be great, again?

PS Trump wants to dismantle the Education Department? A statement attributed to Thomas Jefferson explains why: “An educated citizenry is a vital requisite for our survival as a free people.”

Trump? Maduro? Putin? Conspiracy?

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A recent news article has prompted and entire shift in my view of the Trump world. And it is not a good view.

Trump sent a personal envoy to Venezuelan President Nicholas Maduro, a man hanging on to power by force, simply saying he did not lose in the last Venezuelan election. Besides the obvious similarities to January 6, 2021, Maduro adds to the Big Lie by actually controlling the mechanism of the elections in Venezuela. Maduro can prove he “won”, unlike 2020 Trump.

Maduro released 6 American hostages after “several hours” talking with Richard Grennell. (Google him for some interesting reading.) Why did Maduro release the hostages? What was he offered in return? Trump says he is cracking down on Venezuelan immigrants but–revealing a tell–Trump does not insult Maduro or have a pet nickname for him. What is going on? And how is returning American hostages a benefit to Venezuelan illegal immigration policy?

Trump in one month has taken over the government. He has directed any one who investigated him, in any department, to be fired. Musk has been busy, too, taking over the payroll operations of the entire government. Musk may now control the paying of all his own government contracts. And a billionaire supporter of RFK/Trump has warned Republican Politicians to toe the Trump line, or she will personally bankroll primary action against Republicans.

In 2020 Trump denied the election results, but there was too much proof he was not only wrong, but purposefully wrong. He lied, and he lied profusely and publicly even when the courts of the United States rebuffed his claims over 60 times. How was this man allowed to become president, again? The answer adds fuel to the conspiracy fire.

So. Trump sends Grennell to Venezuela to learn how Maduro kept control through force? Trump’s man praises and flatters Maduro, offers Maduro “something”, the hostages get released? Remember when Trump blamed “Venezuelan Communists” for his 2020 loss? More fuel. If you can’t beat them, join them.

Trump is taking over the entire government and will never relinquish it. It is not even a secret, anymore, since so many people blindly support Trump. In 2028 there will be no need to vote as Trump and his election denier cronies, with Elon Musk and the billionaires’ help, will have control of the entire election process and systems. Lessons learned from Maduro? Trump will not need the Constitutional Amendment proposed by the Honorable Representative from Tennessee.

Trump does have to hurry so he can get control in time for the 2026 midterms. A blue wave would be a disaster for his plans and midterm election corrections are the norm.

In the meantime we will all have to do what Trump wants…no matter what it is. It won’t be lower egg prices. Thanks, voters. A Great America is almost here. Wonder if we’ll still call it America.

Maybe the “whiny” Democrats are right…

Interesting Things I’ve heard, lately

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There are so many sporting events these days, there is a dearth of announcing talent. In a recent game I heard an announcer say this with all the confidence of a man who knows everything: “You can bet (this player) won’t miss this foul shot. He’s a great free throw shooter. Made 52 percent of his shots so far this year.” For non-sports people 52% is NOT a good number and the shooter did miss the shot. In the same game: “You have to be impressed by their fight the first ten minutes of this second half. They’ve clawed their way back to within 8 points after being down by 8 at the end of the first half.” Most modern announcers not only speak to fill time, but also work hard to make you see how smart they are. Like this former football coach turned announcer: “If it were me, I’d never pass the (football) again. The (other team) is ready for it.” The “other team” wasn’t, probably thinking the same as the old coach? The first team passed and scored a long touchdown.

Its okay, but no one ever acknowledges being wrong. Or gets fired. Or turns down the check. Modern American values, these days.

Speaking of American Values, for some really interesting answers ask any MAGA/Trump supporter when was the last time America Was Great. If they answer, that is. Most babble and bash Biden. Or Obama.

Here’s an easy one. I’m looking at my wall of windows and all I see is white. I look at my weather app and see sunshine. No snow in the next ten days. Yes, I did double check to make sure the app was set to the right location. By the way, if I hadn’t and learned I hadn’t, an apology would be here, trust me. Truthfully, I would have just deleted this paragraph. No need for you to know how stupid I might be, is there?

Back to politics, and apologies for picking on Republicans, but they are the most egregious when it comes to memory loss, forcing them to give interesting answers. Dems do it too, but…so many Republicans have learned to not say a bad word about Trump they have lost all recollection of the January 6, 2021 riots…especially the ones who were actually there. When asked about The Pardons, the usual response has been: “I don’t know anything about that. But Biden was wrong.”

A recent politician brought up a Republican named Trey Gowdy. If you don’t remember him, he was mainly responsible for the $8 million spent on 52 congressional hearings into The Benghazi/Hilary Clinton fiasco. Mr. Gowdy was the usual lead attack dog during the hearings and now works for Fox, criticizing Democrats for wasting time and money on things like impeachment. He said this sometime in the past, probably during a Democratic President’s term: “Process matters. We are not a country where the ends justifies the means.” The Modern Republican Party thinks otherwise. J6 is the perfect, interesting example. Hope this subject appears on Fox News, soon.

Aw, I spent so much time researching Mr. Gowdy I’ve lost my interest in writing. The real lesson learned from Mr. Gowdy and others like him is “The Squeaky Wheel Gets Greased”. MSNBC and Fox, and others are now populated with “talky” politicians who never really did much but talk.

So be it, football is on. Hope I get good announcers….