Breaking Fake News Update (v12)

 Fake News Broke on August 20, 2025!

This fake news broke after a video of President Zelenskyy's reactions to the FOTUS, who babbled on and on about his federal occupation of our nation's capital, went viral.

Only an idiot would sit next to a commander-in-chief whose country is actively engaged in an over three-year battle with an aggressor nation and pretend that there's no place on earth more dangerous than Washington, DC. 

Sadly - and I sure wish this was fake news - that idiot is our idiot, much to our embarrassment.

We'll cover more fake news as it breaks - and you can be sure it will.

Breaking Fake News Update (v11)

 Fake News Broke on August 19, 2025!

This was fun fake news to cook up, for sure: toss in a little bit of DOGE (remember DOGE? Where are our DOGE checks, by the way?), a teaspoon or so of crime (who doesn't love to talk about crime?), a cup or two of election fraud (every MAGA Republican has lived through a fraudulent election - just ask one), a heaping tablespoon of a geriatric Democratic demon, a dash of American warfighters (!!!), and a pinch of accounting, and you've got a blue-ribbon recipe, for sure!

And yes, FOTUS did say when *he* votes, he gets asked for his license plate - that part is not a figment of my imagination.

As always, when fake news is breaking, we'll be shaking things up and keeping you informed.

Breaking Fake News Update (v10)

 Fake News Broke on August 17, 2025!

This news broke after what looked to be a 'summit about nothing,' when Vladimir Putin and FOTUS appeared after their shortened meetings at what was thought to be a press conference, but turned out to be the two of them talking about how they didn't accomplish anything and how much of nothing was accomplished (and maybe they'll meet in Moscow next time, said the English-speaking dictator!). 

After the summit, it was announced that Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Ukraine's president, would be returning to the Goldoval Office to meet with FOTUS. We soon learned several European leaders would be joining him, in a show of solidarity after the American dropped his demand for a ceasefire in the war, something he had long said was necessary. 

It was also a show of solidarity after the Ukrainian's last meeting deteriorated when the children in the room took control. FOTUS barked about who was holding the cards, JD Vance demanded to know why Zelenskyy had never said 'thank you' to his boss (a man he said could be America's Hitler), and a moronic reporter chastised him for not wearing a suit. 

Well, he came prepared this time, Zelenskyy did. He showed them! He had the suit, he had the cards, and he gave FOTUS a medal - that's a foreign policy trifecta right there!

There'll be more fake news, and we'll have it for you. 

Breaking Fake News Update (v9)

 Fake News Broke on August 15, 2025!

This fake news came after the Alaska (or was it Russia?) summit, where FOTUS met with his idol, Vladimir Putin. He stood on the red carpet, grinning and clapping like a schoolgirl at a Hanson concert as Putin walked towards him (MMMbop). 

Like most world leaders, Putin understands that flattery will get him everywhere; like us, I'm sure he's seen others traipse to the once-dignified Oval Office, bringing copies of the letters to the Nobel Prize guys, hoping to curry favor on tariffs, or to get oodles of US dollars for housing "the worst of the worst" undocumented farmworkers and Chinese restuarant owners who are ruining America. 

Anyway, this one pretty much wrote itself.  And we'll continue to share fake news as it happens. 

Breaking Fake News Update (v8)

Fake News Broke on August 13, 2025!  

This fake news stemmed from an Executive Order titled 'Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History,' which targeted not only the Smithsonian Institution's museums and education centers, but also the National Zoo, which was a curious addition, I thought. VP JD Vance was tasked with leading the charge on this, um, critically important initiative.

This month, the reviews were to begin in earnest, to make sure exhibits were aligned with the FOTUS vision of our history. Eight of the Smithsonian's museums were targeted for the first phase of review, including the American Indian Museum. It was a short hop to find a way to present this particular bad period of our history in a more Trumpian light.

We'll continue to present fake news as it breaks. 

Breaking Fake News Update (v7)

Fake News Broke on August 12, 2025! 

This fake news broke as FOTUS made a deal - a great deal, he's the greatest deal maker in the history of deals, after all - without any announced plans of where the money will go or how it will be used. This follows a similar deal where "he" says he controls a 'golden share' of US Steel, as part of the company's sale to Japan's Nippon Steel. 

And of course, it allows for some Mamdani fun, as FOTUS is greatly disturbed by New Yorkers rejecting Andrew Cuomo. You remember him, right? The COVID-era nursing home scandal, the sexual harassment scandal, and the biggest scandal of all, the Mario Cuomo Bridge?  While Cuomo and FOTUS have butted heads over the years, the devil you know is better than the one you don't, or something like that.

The full weight of the weaponizers in the administration will be brought down on Mandami - DOJ, Homeland Security, and more - including a potential citizenship revocation. That last part? That's not my fake news, that's the real deal, they say. This is one we'll keep an eye on, the Democrats will keep an eye on, the MAGAs will keep an eye on - and you should, too.

We will post more fake news as it breaks.

Breaking Fake News Update (v6)

Fake News Broke (Again) on August 11, 2025! 

This fake news broke as FOTUS's efforts to gain more control over the House of His Personal Representatives struggled in Texas as pesky Democrats left the Lone-Star-reviewed state and headed north to blue states to avoid having to participate in the mid-cycle redistricting shenanigans. This one pretty much wrote itself.

The Dems eventually returned to Austin, where they had to get permission (and a police escort) to leave the legislative chamber, for God's sake, and voted against the power grab. Needless to say, the MAGA Republicans had their way, the maps were approved, and Gov. Gregg Abbott signed the bill. 

We will continue to share fake news as it breaks.

Breaking Fake News Update (v5)

   Fake News Broke on August 11, 2025!

This news broke as preparations for the Alaska (or is it Russia?) summit with Vladimir Putin were being fleshed out. FOTUS was offering up ideas on how to end the war in his usual, um, straightforward manner, including possibly giving up some of America's riches buried in Alaska, or Ukraine's riches, without having discussed that with anyone before doing 'the weave.'  

At the same time, he was attacking two of his favorite women of color, both of whom live rent-free in his head, especially since they're from two of his favorite blue states. The combination made this silly post a piece of cake.

We will continue to share fake news as it breaks.  

Breaking Fake News Update (v4)

  Fake News Broke on August 10, 2025!

This news broke after FOTUS finally issued his long-promised new tariffs; some were negotiated, others were just directed via 'dear Country' letters. Tariffs as high as 125% were imposed on tea imports from China, and it was believed that tariffs would also apply to British tea imports, many of which previously fell below the 'de minimis' price. 

We don't produce a ton of tea - well, we probably produce more than a ton, but not a shit-ton, if you know what I mean - which made this ridiculous post about re-enacting the Boston Tea Party using homegrown tea as part of our 250th birthday celebration possible.

We will continue to share fake news as it breaks.

Breaking Fake News Update (v3)

 Fake News Broke on August 9, 2025!

This news broke as president Trump, aka FOTUS (Felon of the United States), was putting new tariffs on many countries - but not on Russia. It also came right before the summit in Alaska, or as FOTUS suggested at least three times, the summit in... Russia.

We'll cotinue to share fake news as it breaks.

Breaking Fake News Update (v2)

 Fake News Broke on August 8, 2025!

This news broke after MAGA Reps. Elise Stefanik and Nick Langworthy wrote a letter to Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on August 6th, telling him to do something about the wildfires burning in his country and causing smoke issues for New Yorkers. The letter stated

The scale and severity of these fires continue to raise concerns about forest mismanagement and lack of effective deterrence of human-caused fire.

No word on Carney's response, but the fake news response was quick, and we're grateful to Rawanda for taking these two pesky representatives on with the next planeload of undocumented immigrants the US is shipping there.

We'll continue to share fake news as it breaks.

Breaking Fake News Update (v1)

Fake News broke on August 7, 2025!

This news came shortly after Comer subpoenaed Bill and Hillary Clinton, James Comey, Loretta Lynch, Eric Holder, Merrick Garland, Robert Mueller, William Barr, Jeff Sessions, and Alberto Gonzales in his "investigation" of the Epstein files. 

We will continue to share fake news as it breaks. 

Wondering on Wednesday 1/15/25

Ready... Set... Wonder!

The Once and Future President (OAFP) wants to make our government smaller. And that's just one reason why I can't help wondering whether we really need a new External Revenue Service to collect tariffs from foreign countries. Separate from the fact that tariffs aren't paid by foreign governments, they're paid by the importers of goods from foreign countries, who typically will pass them on to customers, we already have the good folks at Customs and Border Protection who are responsible for collecting money from foreign governments. Why do we need another team to do the same thing?

You might wonder, as I did, whether the creation of the new department is a suggestion that they're not doing a good job. That doesn't appear to be the case. Rather, the ERS is a way to help us all - even the donor class! Take a look at these comments from MAGAist Steve Bannon, speaking with Dasha Burns of Politico.

Tariffs paid for everything up until the early 20th century. But you wouldn't just look at tariffs, you look at everything about how you can charge fees essentially, whether that's on investment, whether that's on other things of access to this country. America's behind the golden door, OK? And this market is the most robust, lucrative market in the world, and we shouldn't just let people have access, we shouldn't let foreigners have access to this market and to the American people and American citizens for free.

And he said, the ERS, which he envisions fitting under the Treasury Department,  

should eventually take the “burden off people on Internal Revenue Services — no reason the American people, American corporations, even the donor class has to pay for everything.” (emphasis added)

I have to wonder how many Americans woke up this morning worried about the donor class?  

We know who they are, right? The tech billionaires, media billionaires, pharma billionaires, think tank billionaires, and so on. My first thought? Most of us regular folks are pretty sick of hearing about - and from - 'the donor class.' And it seems no one's more sick of one of them -Elon Musk, the First Buddy - than Bannon himself. 

What could be going wrong between these two, you're wondering? Bannon and other MAGA 'originalists' have been publicly bickering with Musk over the coveted H1-B visas, which give foreigners up to six years to work in the US in mostly high-paying jobs that could go to Americans, thinking that supporting those visas goes against the MAGA goal of reducing all immigration, and against America First principles.

Speaking with an Italian newspaper, Bannon proclaimed

I will get Elon Musk kicked out by the time (Trump's) inaugurated. He won’t have a blue pass with full access to the White House. He’ll be like everyone else.

He’s a truly evil person. Stopping him has become a personal issue for me. Before, since he’s put in so much money, I was prepared to tolerate it. Not anymore.

With only a handful of days til the inauguration, is anyone else wondering who'll be the last man standing? I'm guessing it's Musk, with whom the OAFP has sided on the visa issue, but we'll see... that 'co-president' stuff will get to Trump sooner than later, I think.

Sticking with the monied people a bit longer, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Trump's nominee to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, has submitted revised financial disclosure documents. It seems he was unaware that, when asked to state his income, the correct number to submit is the gross amount, not the net amount. And, I think he's also learned that any positive gross amount would be greater than zero. 

Now, you may be wondering why this matters. After all, there are many concerns with RFK's nomination and his positions on a whole host of issues, from the healthiest way to travel with and dispose of dead animals, to whether having part of his brain eaten by a worm is still detrimental to his mental function, or if it was only an issue during a divorce proceeding, to his wide-ranging controversial comments on vaccines and fluoridated water, to whether he would have been chosen by Trump at all if he weren't a Kennedy and a former Democrat, to why his family is so adamantly against him getting any government job... 

But here's the thing I'm wondering: now that we know he not only didn't work for free, as he has stated in interviews, but he was paid a whole lotta money from his anti-vax stuff, has anyone checked his tax returns? Did he report gross income then, or net? 

Speaking of health and stuff, the FDA today banned red dye 3 from food and beverages by January 2027, and from the medications we ingest by January 2028, due to its cancer risk. It's important to note that it was removed from cosmetics over thirty years ago. Think about that for a minute: we haven't been able to put it on our faces for almost half my lifetime, but we can continue eating, drinking, and ingesting it for at least another two years? I can't help wondering the logic of all of that, and I also have to wonder why Big Pharma gets a whole year longer than the food industry to protect us. 

And news is officially breaking today that there's a ceasefire deal between Hamas and Israel, which if all goes well should get at least some of the American hostages released soon. President Biden noted in his remarks that members of the OAFP's administration were engaged in the talks that led to the agreement, which is what would normally be expected in a well-functioning government in transition between administrations. I wonder, as we wait for word of Israel's formal acceptance, if this will be the deal that finally brings this nightmare to an end. 

There was no wondering at all on whether the OAFP would take credit for the deal; of course, he did. Similarly, I didn't wonder for a second whether the reporters covering the White House would throw a 'credit' question into the mix; of course, they did. Why? Because they simply can't help making fools of themselves at times like this. 

And they wonder why people don't trust them. 

There's always more to wonder about than I can ever fit in a single post... drop a comment if there's something on your mind.

TGIF 1/3/25

Here's my attempt at a good week/bad week list, the first of the new year. As was often the case with this theme, it seems a week can meander around a bit. 

Rep. Mike Johnson (R-Trump), was re-elected House Speaker on a long-held-open first vote. A few Freedom Caucus folks skipped their votes the first time through the roll call, and three voted for others, but in the end, Johnson prevailed without having to undergo a second vote. 

It may take a while before we know what concessions were made to secure the votes, or if it was simply the unqualified support (and pressure?) of the Once and Future President (OAFP) who offered Johnson his full endorsement ahead of today's vote. 

It might also take a while before we fully understand how this vote impacts the Artful DOGEr, Elon Musk, who both echoed and questioned Trump's endorsement of Johnson, within less than an hour. Will the OAFP stand by his First Buddy, or will he start to pull back?

It feels like Border Czar Tom Homan struck out with his comments after the terrorist attack in New Orleans, which was committed by an American-born, GI Bill-educated Army veteran, who ended his service as a Staff Sergeant in the Reserves a few years ago, and the exploding Cybertruck outside a Trump property in Las Vegas, committed by an active-duty, highly decorated Green Beret. Homan, like others in the MAGA Camp, has pointed to the current administration's border policies as contributors. 

We're not out of the woods. This country is in grave danger. We need to secure that border, and despite what's happened in the last two days in Las Vegas and in New Orleans, this administration is not stopping. They're still releasing thousands of people every week... without proper vetting.

He also talked about the need to ramp up 'insider threat analysis', saying the Biden administration had put that "on the back burner," and warning

We've got two people who served in the military that (allegedly) committed these terrorist acts. We really need to dig down into insider threats in our military and our federal service. 

I don't want to be the bearer of bad news for the incoming administration, but I would be remiss if I didn't remind them that Pete Hegseth, the OAFP's pick to run the Defense Department, was once identified as a potential  "insider threat" because of his apparent affinity for white supremacist groups.

Hegseth, who has downplayed the role of military members and veterans in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack and railed against the Pentagon’s subsequent efforts to address extremism in the ranks, has said he was pulled by his District of Columbia National Guard unit from guarding Joe Biden’s January 2021 inauguration. He’s said he was unfairly identified as an extremist due to a cross tattoo on his chest.

It wasn't that tattoo that got him in trouble - it was another one, reported by a fellow Guard member.  

Sticking with New Orleans for a moment, media reports  say that the New Orleans terrorist left coolers containing IEDs on Bourbon Street, and that "security cameras showed multiple people stopping and looking at the coolers before walking away." I have to say that we all, collectively, deserve a bad week mention for that. 

Have we forgotten all the reporting on the importance of speaking up, of "if you see something, say something?" All the signage at airports and other transportation hubs about reporting unattended bags? Have we forgotten the Boston Marathon bombing? What to do when we see a suspicious package? 

It's a miracle the terrorist didn't have time to detonate the devices - the carnage, the death toll, the societal toll could have been so much worse if that had happened. We have to do better, for ourselves and others.

TGIF, everyone.

One Last Phase of Goodbye

The ancient lockbox always sat under the old slant-top schoolmaster's desk. The desk was a Christmas gift from Mom to Dad. She was a teacher when they met, and a couple years after he became a teacher too, she gave it to him, the desk lovingly stripped and refinished by her patient hands.

I've spent so much time in that lockbox over the past 20 months, going through their papers - SO many papers! Pictures from their childhoods, family birth and death certificates, taxes, scribbled genealogy notes, pension papers, pay stubs from the 60s, homeowners' insurance, car insurance, investments, taxes, wills, medical stuff, assorted licenses - and the deed to a house I've never lived in, but have lived with, for over 40 years. 

That house became mine when Mom passed in March 2023, and it's now been three weeks since I finalized the sale of what was called, on the 1981 survey, "The Drummond Estate."

Built in 1824, it was a little farmhouse with an outbuilding or two, and perennial gardens which, if memory serves, were a huge selling point. Mom and Dad had always admired the flowers on their daily trips to and from the schools where they taught. 

Over the years, the gardens changed; bulbs gave up after many years of bloom; raised beds replaced ground-level ones; herbs replaced flowers; flowering trees and shrubs, roses, more perennials, and more bulbs were planted, expanding the garden from its original spot in the east lawn to vantage points from windows in almost every room. 

Over the years, the house expanded from its original footprint, just as the garden had, as family members' lives and needs changed. With none of us in a position to take it over, for a variety of reasons, I've sold it to someone who will bring it up to date, allowing a family to move in and enjoy the gifts the Estate has to offer.

For a long time, even before Mom passed last year, it's been hard for me to see and feel the memories I had of the house. There are many reasons for that, including me putting up a protective shield to purposefully keep them out, and later to keep them from getting in the way of handling the estate (the lower-case 'e' is intentional), and spare me the pain of her loss, and Dad's 18 years ago next month. 

But as I walked the buyer and his team through the house, those memories started to sneak back in:

• staying in the tiny room at the top of the steep and narrow original stairs, as I described where the original house ended and additions began;
• the dogs having to be collected from the old house and driven back home (more than once, the silly pups) as I walked him around the yard;
• standing in the dining room, remembering running my fingers over the indentations in the old dining room table, where Dad marked papers for years with a heavy hand;
• looking out where Dad's little pumpkin patch (a fun field trip for Mom's elementary school kids) used to be; before that, the asparagus patch, and at some point, the Christmas trees, only a couple of which were ever harvested;
• the half-removed sidewalk leading to where the chickens made their home in one of the long-since-gone outbuildings that appeared on the survey;
• the surprise 50th-anniversary shade garden My Sweet Baboo and I planted where they'd see it every morning at breakfast; 
• the hours spent in the living room, packing little bags of herbs and spices for the booth at the Jordan Fall Festival, and singing 'Oh-ree-gano' to the tune of Handel's 'Hallelujah', leaving us giggling the rest of the night; and more.

I was surprised how much the house, emptied of Mom and Dad's worldly possessions, spoke to me. Moreover, I felt encouraged for the first time in a long time. Obviously, getting the house sold and all of the associated 'stuff' settled was a huge relief that I'd been looking forward to for over a year and a half. But it was more than that. 

If I could smile, misty-eyed, as I walked through the empty rooms for the last time, remembering where Dad's blue recliner used to be, where the stairs used to rise, where the schoolmaster's desk sat, looking out the kitchen window where I could see the moon rise, spots in each room where specific pictures used to hang, where laughing grandchildren used to open presents... there's hope. 

If the empty house, primed walls hiding the familiar colors, could awaken my memories with more smiles than tears, then maybe I can finally start putting all of the sadness, anger, frustration, pain, and guilt that have taken up so much space in my head and my heart behind me.

And maybe I can tackle the boxes of 'stuff' that came here that I've been avoiding, and the rest of the 'stuff' sitting in a storage unit that I've been avoiding even more. And maybe I can empty out that darn lockbox for the last time. 

Dad's schoolmaster's desk, the gift from Mom back in 1966? Yeah, that's here, and it will stay here until it comes time for someone to figure out what to do with my stuff. I may just keep the empty lockbox under it, for old times' sake. 

Quick Takes (v73): The Trump Economy

When folks talk about the reasons they were voting, the economy was high on most lists.

For example, 81% of registered voters said the economy would be 'very important' to their vote, according to a Pew Research poll from September.

According to another September poll, this time from Gallup, the economy was the only issue where a majority said a candidate's positions were an 'extremely important' influencer on how they were going to vote.

A post-election survey from AARP found that more than half of aged 50+ voters 'prioritized economic issues.'

Many other pre- and post-election surveys, and a few boatloads of TV hosts and other pundits (perhaps I should refer to them as potential cabinet members?) have said the same thing, using many more words to explain it than James Carville gave us back in 1992.

There's one part of the economy that may have defied expectations: the 'support your favorite billionaire' part. You know, the political Name, Image, and Likeness, or NIL, sector. And nobody does NIL better than Donald Trump, the Once and Future President (OAFP).

If you ask me, the person who shouted the loudest about our horrible economy and how it contributes to our becoming a failing nation is doing pretty darn well with his followers. On his Bibles alone, he made $300,000, for heaven's sake.

Don't believe me? Take a look at all these things you can get with his political brand - and remember that this is separate from all the stuff emblazoned with the Trump name sold by the Trump Organization. And that merch is separate, of course, from all of the buildings, golf courses (with and without burial plots near the first tee), the winery, and so on.

Hats

Ties

Pins

Pens

Flags

Elves

Coins

Shirts

Access

Bibles

Knives

Decals

Scarves

Wallets

Watches

Magnets

Stickers

Jewelry

Pardons

Banners

Sneakers

Troll dolls

Tote bags

Yard signs

Keychains

Backpacks

Sunglasses

Ornaments

Corkscrews

Dish towels

Shot glasses

Medallions

Wristbands

Golf towels

Cigar boxes

Money clips

Tee holders

Beer glasses

Cigar cutters

Beach towels

Garbage bags

Playing cards

Rubber ducks

Laptop covers

Ear maxi pads

Trading cards

Bottle openers

Books for kids

Cutting boards

Pieces of a suit

Greeting cards

Stuffed animals

Digital 'artwork'

Framed pictures

Bumper stickers

Books for adults

Beer can koozies

Funny eyeglasses

Cabinet positions

Cartoon drawings

Zippered pouches

Government secrets

License plate covers

Orange-haired visors

Talking Trumpinators

White privilege cards

Masks (oh, the irony!)

Mugs (beer and coffee)

Commemorative cigars

Oddly-crafted figurines

Pet attire and accessories

Framed newspaper articles

French fry counter trinkets

Bronze busts (made of resin)

Signed mug shot photo pictures

Decanters (with/without glasses)

Bobbleheads (too many to count)

Two-dollar bills (several versions)

Bronze bust (on sale - save a penny!)

Wine glasses (stemmed and stemless)

Personalized artwork (your name here!)

Personalized merchandise (your religion here!)

Glasses (golf ball- and bullet-impaled versions)

Imagine how much money people are spending on this stuff, in this 'horrible' economy, and imagine how much money he's making off them.

If you're interested, here's a fun bit I found on Quora where someone valiantly tries to figure out if there's a way to figure out how much money the OAFP makes on all of this nonsense.

Wondering on Wednesday 11/13/24

 

Ready... Set... Wonder!

It's been a while since I've published my mid-week Wonderings, but today seems like as good a time as any to get back in the saddle. Let's dive in!

Our once and future president (OAFP) visited the White House today to shake hands with President Joe Biden. Current presidents welcoming incoming presidents is all about putting our best feet forward and letting the country know there'll be a smooth transition between administrations. 

I don't wonder, at all, why Biden invited the guy to stop by, even though he was denied the same courtesy four years ago. After all, one of these men is a decent human being, and the other threw paper towels to hurricane victims he didn't even know were Americans. 

Why the OAFP showed up is open to question. I doubt he cares about the transition; I'm sure it was for the cameras, and nothing else. I wonder if we'll see him selling trading cards of him standing over Biden during their handshake. 

Speaking of a smooth transition, Congress passed The Presidential Transition Enhancement Act a while back; the law requires the Democrat and Republican nominees to submit, no later than October 1st of a presidential election year, Memorandums of Understanding with the government related to transition activities, including 

(1) ...an agreement that the eligible candidate will implement and enforce an ethics plan to guide the conduct of the transition beginning on the date on which the eligible candidate becomes the President-elect.

47's team has yet to sign the overdue documents, so while the OAFP is busy lining up his minions, no official transition stuff can happen. If you're wondering what the holdup is, reports point to the ethics requirements. Shocked? I didn't think so. 

Speaking of minions, the joke is he doesn't have a Cabinet, he has a junk drawer, so there's no wonder it's shaping up to be a doozy:

• NY Congresswoman Elise Stefanik has been tapped to be the next Ambassador to the United Nations.  She's not known for her reasonable, even-tempered demeanor, and she's made a name for herself in two ways: her unwavering attacks on anyone who speaks ill of Israel and/or supports Palestinians, and for sucking up to Trump. 

• Another New Yorker, former Congressman Lee Zeldin, has been tapped to head the Environmental Protection Agency. His most notable qualification for this role, it seems, is his 14% approval rating from the League of Conservation Voters. 

• Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee is Trump's pick for Ambassador to Isreal. The first non-Jew to be chosen for this role, he believes that there's no such thing as 'the West Bank' and said that "of course" the annexation of that land is a possibility under the new administration.

• Fox News host (and husband of another Fox News host) Pete Hegseth has been picked to be the new Secretary of Defense. Now, he's not completely without qualification for the role - he is a veteran, after all. And he's got more than a passing familiarity with weapons of war, like these aromatic grenades.  How much of a shock was this, you might be wondering? Well, even his cohost was stunned. 

• Ethically challenged Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz has just been picked to be the Attorney General. This is so absurd, the only thing I'm wondering is if Rep. Jim Jordan turned it down first. 

• Also joining the administration from Florida are Secretary of State pick Sen. Marco Rubio and Rep. Mike Waltz, who's been chosen to be National Security Advisor.

• And moments ago, former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, who's also a former Democrat and a big friend of Russia, was tapped to be the Director of National Security.  

Honestly, you can't make this stuff up.  If this first round of appointments is indicative of what's to come, I can't help wondering whether our allies are laughing or crying right now.

On the plus side? Most of these appointments will require the advice and consent of the Senate. But there's a catch here, that the OAFP is already lobbying for: recess appointments. Given the Rs are now in control of the Senate,  it seems unnecessary - and contrary to the principle of the Legislative branch being separate from but equal to the Executive.

Other presidents have used this mechanism to get stalled appointments through, but the OAFP seems to be plotting to have this be the rule, not the exception, even demanding that whoever became the new Senate Majority Leader had to agree to this foolishness.  I wonder if all the voters who thought they were electing someone who 'believed in the Constitution' had any idea who they really voted for? 

Speaking of the Senate Majority Leader, say hello to Sen. John Thune, the gentleman from South Dakota. He might be the most reasonable announcement of the day.

What's got you wondering these days?

The 2024 Election Eve Post

 It's that time again, folks. It's Election Eve, and time for me to do my absolute best to encourage you to vote. 

Every election is 'consequential' in some way, and everyone likes to say that 'this' election - the current one - is the most consequential vote we've ever had.  I don't know for sure if that's true; I'd love to ask my Dad, who was an American History teacher, but he's not here to help me with that. He did, however, teach me the importance of voting, and that I keep with me always.   

This is the first year I've heard a candidate say that if a certain subset of voters cast their ballots for him, they'd never have to vote again. I think that's an extremely poor message to send, and I hope all registered voters, regardless of demographic cohort, plan on voting in every election for as long as they live - that's a small price to pay to support our country, I think, and it's a pretty easy commitment to meet if you think about it.

Oh, I get it - sometimes people have a hard time making a choice. I'd love it if that happened because the candidates were all so good the choice was difficult; sadly, too often we're faced with choosing the lesser of however many evils are in the race, and for many, that might be the case again this year. 

I also get that some people think that politicians don't give a hoot about them and their issues, and so they don't vote as a protest. I wish that weren't the case, because I believe one thing that's going to get candidates to pay attention to you is to vote, especially when we're talking about the people who want to represent you at the local and state level. Your voice is never more important than in those races - but it's also important to vote at the top of the ticket in presidential years; you never know how your protest will impact the race. 

And I get that it's hard to separate the wheat from the chaff, as the song goes, when we're bombarded with mailers and phone calls and texts and ads and folks knocking on our doors and the signs we see all over the place. But the truth is out there, if you're willing to look for it. 

We can find it in our own echo chambers, comfortably enjoying the validation of our own views, but we'll be better prepared to vote if we look outside our comfort zone to learn what's really happening. We owe it to ourselves, at least, and really to our country, to do that. 

And I hope that, at some point, that's going to be the norm, not the exception. 

Anyway, as one recent former presidential candidate so often says - anyway, I offer below my annual motivational message, in case you're still on the fence about voting.

After some thought, “I have come to the conclusion that politics are too serious a matter to be left to the politicians." (1)  Actually, “The idea of an election is much more interesting to me than the election itself…the act of voting is in itself the defining moment.”(2) And why is it that “When the political columnists say ‘every thinking man’ they mean themselves, and when candidates appeal to ‘every intelligent voter’ they mean everyone who is going to vote for them”?(3) 

We know it’s true that “Bad officials are elected by good citizens who didn’t vote”(4), and that “A citizen of America will cross the ocean to fight for democracy, but won’t cross the street to vote in a national election.”(5) Do we still not realize, after all these years, that “lower voter participation is a silent threat to our democracy… it under-represents young people, the poor, the disabled, those with little education, minorities and you and me”? (6) 

After all, “the vote is the most powerful instrument ever devised for breaking down injustice and destroying the terrible walls which imprison men because they are different from other men” (7) and “to make democracy work, we must be a nation of participants, not just observers. One who does not vote has no right to complain.” (8) 

And complain we do, after every election when 'the wrong guy' wins. If the only people who complained were the ones who voted, it’d likely be a lot less noisy, don't you think? 

Some folks may not vote because they don't know how to decide who to vote for, or they're afraid they'll vote 'wrong.' There are a couple different schools of thought on that. On the one hand, some might think that

“Politics is the art of the possible” (9) while others may subscribe to the thinking that “politics is not the art of the possible, it consists in choosing between the disastrous and the unpalatable. And it is true that the great thing about democracy is that it gives every voter the chance to do something stupid.” (10) 

Said another way, a “Vote (is) the instrument and symbol of a freeman’s power to make a fool of himself and a wreck of his country.” (11) But that’s OK – “personally, I believe that our American system works as long as you participate in it. You must vote and make your voice heard; otherwise you will be left out.” (12) 

I like that part, about our system working as long as people participate. If enough people vote - and vote every time they have the chance to - sooner or later, the people running for office will have to pay attention to us, not just to their donors.

It’s generally true that if you “ask a man which way he’s going to vote and he’ll probably tell you. Ask him, however, why – and vagueness is all.” (13) But voting’s really easy; and “all voting is a sort of gaming, like checkers or backgammon, with a slight moral tinge to it, a playing with right and wrong.” (14) And just about everyone likes to play a game every now and then, right? 

The bottom line is, “voting is simply a way of determining which side is the stronger without putting it to the test of fighting;”(15) “voting is a civic sacrament;”(16) and “the future of this republic is in the hands of the American voter.”(17) 

And remember, if all of that seems like too much pressure, you have an out. 

“Vote for the man who promises least. He’ll be the least disappointing.” (18) 

Please, vote. It really does matter, this year and every year. Honestly, "there is no such thing as a vote that doesn't matter."(19) Besides, "not voting is not a protest. It is a surrender." (20)  

My final pitch?  "Talk is cheap, voting is free; take it to the polls." (21)

If you need information on where to vote, help on 

your ballot, or any other assistance,  

contact your local Board of Elections. 

Lots of people are out there, ready and willing to help. 

If you're an early voter and have already done your civic duty, thank you. 

If you're not going to be around on Election Day and voted by absentee ballot, thank you. Be sure to get your ballot in before the deadline! 

And if you're planning on voting the old-fashioned way, by showing up at your polling place on Election Day like I do, thank you. 

(Thanks to these folks for their words of wisdom: 1 - Charles De Gaulle; 2 – Jeff Melvoin; 3 – Franklin P Adams; 4 and 13 – Andrew Lack; 5 - Bill Vaughan; 6 - Nancy Neuman; 7 - Lyndon B Johnson; 8 - Louis L’Amour; 9 – Otto Von Bismarck; 10 – Art Spander; 11 – Ambrose Bierce; 12 - Mari-Luci Jaramillo; 14 – Henry David Thoreau; 15 – H.L. Mencken; 16—Theodore Hesburgh; 17 – Dwight D. Eisenhower; 18 – Bernard Baruch); 19 - Barack Obama; 20 - Keith Ellison; 21 - Nanette L. Avery

Random Thoughts 6/4/24: Hunting Hunter

Drinking my coffee, listening to the birds chirp, and trying to corral random thoughts.

• Should Hunter Biden be given the same "It's lawfare, targeting a political opponent, it's rigged, it's a scam prosecution, no one else has ever been prosecuted for this, if his name wasn't Biden this would never be happening, a Trump judge tossed his plea deal because House MAGA Campers made her, the special prosecutor was appointed because Republicans demanded it (and then bitched about it when they got what they wanted and it wasn't what they wanted), the judge is biased, Biden can't get a fair trial because of the publicity, everybody does what he did, wah wah wah wah wah wah wah" treatment as Donald Trump was given?

• Should the judge, her family, the prosecutors, witnesses, and jury members be hounded? Doxed? Plastered all over TV?

• Should Hunter have a media perch outside the courtroom so he can cry a river every day to salivating media figures?

• Should prosecutors pursue cases without fear or favor? Or should they base their prosecutorial decisions on the name/fame of the defendant?

• Someone found that data for fiscal year 2019 - which includes October 2018, when Hunter checked a box saying he wasn't a drug addict on his ATF form - 478 people were referred to the FBI for lying on their forms; 298 of them were prosecuted. I didn't find details on what lies the folks who were prosecuted told, if they ever used their gun (Hunter didn't) or if they owned it for two weeks or more (Hunter didn't).

• The judge, on a vaguely similar case, sentenced the defendant to a year in jail, double what the prosecution asked for. Some info I've seen suggests that probation is the typical sentence. If Hunter's found guilty, will he be given the usual sentence, or will he be sent to jail, to make an example of him to damage Joe Biden's re-election bid?

• Biden could have just pleaded guilty to the charge (oh wait, he did that) and negotiated a deal (oh wait, he did that, too). Which is likely what most of the other folks did. Will he wake up and do that now, instead of trying to fight it?

• Since the prosecution plans on using text messages and Hunter's laptop as part of their evidence, what's the over/under on whether any of his nude shots will be entered into evidence?

• Can the members of the jury who have experience with drug addiction, gun ownership, or both, be fair?

• Why wasn't the woman who found Hunter's gun and tossed it in a trash can at a grocery store charged with something?

Stay tuned - maybe I'll get answers to my questions.

Wondering on Wednesday 5/8/24

Ready... Set... Wonder!

I wonder what would happen if former president Donald Trump showed up to entertain the media before his trial in NYC, and there weren't any reporters to greet him? Would he just keep on walking into the courtroom? Would he get a minion to find a reporter who could stick a microphone in his face? Would the world come to an end, I wonder? 

There is no duty for the media to stand behind the fences waiting for him. After all, he won't say anything that he hasn't already pushed out as an alleged 'Truth' sometime in the wee hours of the morning. And I find myself wondering whether any assignment editors are willing to 'forget' to assign someone to wait for him. And of course, I wonder about the job security of anyone who did that.

I've long wondered what my sleep number is, and what it says about me... or about my husband, who would have a very different sleep number, I'm sure.

I posted recaps of interviews with three possible Trump VP candidates: Gov. Doug Burgum, Senator Tim Scott, and Gov. Kristi Noem.  There's so much wondering about the interviews, the subjects, and the hosts it's hard to get my thoughts in order. But this much is clear: I have to wonder why any network would bring on any of these folks, or any of the others in the VP mix if these interviews are indicative of what we can expect. I'll have more on this tomorrow.

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Burning Down the House) has been meeting with House Speaker Mike Johnson this week; the two have spent hours together, I guess talking about Greene's demands, which included Johnson agreeing to consider defunding the DOJ's special prosecutors, and maybe even the DOJ itself. 

Earlier today, she posted on X that Trump was happy she'd gotten Johnson to consider her defunding proposal.  And Fox News was happy about that, too. And then, to show how happy she was, she submitted her motion to vacate the chair. 

And it was quickly shot down by the House, with only 11 MAGATs voting to boot Johnson. So, you might be wondering, what am I wondering about here?  Only this: has she now done enough to have her constituents vote her out? I sure hope so. 

Finally, in case you've been wondering, there truly are two systems of justice in America: one for slugs like you and me, and one for slugs like the former president. Why do I say this? Well, today in court, Judge Juan Merchan said Trump was "cursing audibly" and "shaking his head visibly," calling those behaviors contemptuous. 

I don't wonder for even a second that if I acted out like that, after having already been fined $10,000 for multiple contemptuous violations of a gag order, I'd be watching my own trial from a different room. But when you're the former president and presumptive nominee of the MAGA Campers, I guess the rules just don't apply. 

That's it for me - what's on your wondering minds tonight? Drop a comment if you like.