Gavin Newsom Gets His Goat!

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Donald “TACO” Trump is getting as good as he has been giving if not much more. If you’re wondering what the acronym stands for, it means, Trump Always Chickens Out, a term first coined by Financial Times commentator, Robert Armstrong, referring to Trump’s trade war tactics. If the shoe fits…..

The new kid on the block, or rather the man who has found a way to “punch” where it hurts the most is giving Trump a run for the money as far as bullying goes and many will say, it is well-deserved.

The California governor, Gavin Newsom, is trying something new and he is taking mockery to new heights. Add trolling, Trump fashion, to it and you’ve got something hilarious if not “pure jujitsu” as someone else called it.

“THE BIG, BEAUTIFUL TARIFFS ARE MAKING INFLATION GREAT AGAIN! THE GREATEST INCREASE IN INFLATION SINCE THE PANDEMIC (MANY ARE SAYING). HERBERT HOOVER (LIL HOOVER, THEY CALL HIM) HAD THE GREAT DEPRESSION BUT NO ONE REMEMBERS HIM. SAD! UNDER TRUMP AMERICA WILL HAVE THE GREATEST DEPRESSION IN AMERICAN HISTORY.”

And just like that, it was time to sit up and take notice. Writing posts in President Trump’s signature style, California Gov. Gavin Newsom told reporters on Thursday, “If you have issues with what I’m putting out, you sure as hell should have concerns with what he’s putting out as president.”

Here’s another one.

“DONALD TRUMP, THE LOWEST POLLING PRESIDENT IN RECENT HISTORY, THIS IS YOUR SECOND-TO-LAST WARNING!!! (THE NEXT ONE IS THE LAST ONE!). STAND DOWN OR CALIFORNIA WILL COUNTER-STRIKE (LEGALLY!) TO DESTROY YOUR ILLEGAL CROOKED MAPS IN RED STATES. PRESS CONFERENCE COMING -HOSTED BY AMERICA’S FAVORITE GOVERNOR, GAVIN NEWSON. FINAL WARNING NEXT. YOU WON’T LIKE IT!!! THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER.”

I’m liking this guy a WHOLE LOT! More please and it looks like Gavin Newsom has found a way to get under Donald “TACO” Trump’s skin. It seems to be working because rumor has it that Orange Jesus has stopped posting in ALL CAPS!

It takes guts, cunning, and Savoir-faire to stand up to a bully and Gavin Newsom seems to have it all under his belt.

Gavin Newsom for President?!!!

The Dust Up!

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Unfortunately, it’s more than a dust up. The headlines read: “US Bombs Iran.”

What?!!

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez had this to say:

“The President’s disastrous decision to bomb Iran without authorization is a grave violation of the Constitution and Congressional War Powers.

He has impulsively risked launching a war that may ensnare us for generations. It is absolutely and clearly grounds for impeachment.”

Sen. Bernie Sanders was just as quick to blast Trump’s decision to bomb Iran. He had this to say when the crowd at a rally in Oklahoma started chanting, “no more war.”

“I agree,” he said. “Not only is this news that I’ve just heard alarming…..but is so grossly unconstitutional. All of you know, that the only entity that can take this country to war is the U.S. Congress. The president does not have the right.”

The U.N. Chief Secretary-General Antonio Guterres described the bombing of three nuclear sites in Iran as “dangerous escalation” on Saturday.

“I am gravely alarmed by the use of force by the United States against Iran today. This is a dangerous escalation in a region already on the edge – and a direct threat to international peace and security.

There is a growing risk that this conflict could rapidly get out of control – with catastrophic consequences for civilians, the region, and the world.”

Furthermore, he added:

There is no military solution.

The only path forward is diplomacy.

The only hope is peace.

World leaders have spoken out and strongly condemned the U.S. bombing. One particularly chilling message from Chilean President, Gabriel Boric stands out for its content.

He said, “Chile condemns this US attack. Having power does not authorise you to use it in violation of the rules that we as humanity have given ourselves. Even if you are the United States.”

What is Trump Jong Un saying? He is calling for the Iran regime to come to the negotiating table after obliterating the Iranian facilities in Fordow, Isfahan and Natanz and after threatening more strikes. He has called the US strikes a ‘spetacular military success.’

Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu had this to say:

“President Trump and I often say: ‘Peace through strength! First comes strength, then comes peace.’ And tonight, President Trump and the United States acted with a lot of strength.”

Right…….

Iran’s foreign minister, Seyed Abbas Araghchi had this to say: “The events this morning are outrageous and will have everlasting consequences. Each and every member of the UN must be alarmed over this extremely dangerous, lawless and criminal behavior.” He further added, “the US has committed a grave violation” as a member of the UN Security Council.

In the US, the bombing was met with mixed reaction along party lines. Republicans commended Trump while Democrats warned that America is being dragged into an “open-ended war.”

The schoolyard bully who is used to throwing temper tantrums has stepped into the big leagues. There will be consequences and it will come in one form or another, it is just a matter of time.

Iran State TV: Every American citizen or military in the region is now a target.

Chilling? It is.

The man who claimed that America had fought “no wars” during his first presidency is right smack dap in the middle of one.

This time, it’s Trump’s war.

Heroes Deserve Better (Archives)

In Memory of Someone Very Special.

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“Being a soldier is more than courage, it’s sacrificing yourself for something greater than yourself.” Unknown

A hero is defined as “a person who is admired for their courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities.” Soldiers are heroes in every sense of the word. They risk their lives to keep us safe. They fight against those who want to take away our freedoms and rights, many lose their lives in the process and some come home injured beyond repair both physically and mentality. These men and women are heroes and they deserve better.

How many of them come home and become an afterthought? I know of one who did not lose his life in battle, he survived those, but the inner demons or rather the aftermath of war were the battles he still had to fight even when his service in the military was over. A veteran is defined as “a person who served in the active military, naval or air service, and was discharged or released under conditions other than dishonorable,” or as I see it, it goes something like this:

A soldier is someone who “wrote a blank check payable to the United States of America for an amount up to and including one’s life.” Unknown

My friend, the soldier, came home intact. However, the demons he carried within him, would take its toll on his inner psyche. He used alcohol to drown out the voices but his mind and his heart wouldn’t let him forget. To make a long story short, he fell very ill and his organs started shutting down one by one. He was overseas at the time with no family and one friend to see him through his ordeal. He thought he was safe because the military would take care of its own but he thought wrong. He was just an afterthought in the grand scheme of things. He had done his duty for his country and he expected that his country would take care of him for services rendered but he was yet to find out that was far from the truth. As one person I spoke to told me, “Soldiers think they can run to us when they find themselves in dire circumstances but there is nothing we can do, he will have to find his own way out of it.” The “it” meaning his sickness notwithstanding his few months of life left to live..

I reached out to the powers to be in Germany but was told in no uncertain terms that there was nothing they could do. I asked if they could fly him home in one of their planes and that was met with a no. I spoke to the Embassy but was told that it would take months to get an approval and when I pointed out he didn’t have that, they said they were very sorry. The Germans saw him as a liability because he was an American and there was no help forthcoming from them. Flying him home on a commercial flight meant he would need an escort and it would cost an arm and a leg to do that. He spent the last month or so in and out of the hospital and towards the end was transferred to a hospice, only after I went to do battle for a dying man. He died there a week later. 

“I stand ready not for politics or for leaders, but for my brothers next to me, my children at home, and for a country I protect.” Unknown

How often have we heard this phrase when referring soldiers who had served their country, “We are so grateful for your service.” It is a superficial phrase at best because there is no substance behind it. Heroes deserve better. They deserve to know that their unparalleled service to the country they love will be met with gratefulness not in words alone but with actions as well. It wasn’t the case for my friend. I am sure there are many out there who feel the same way. If you are in a foreign country, make sure you know what your options are if you find yourself in the same circumstances as my friend. The truth is you are on your own and you will have to fend for yourself as my friend did but the only problem was he wasn’t capable of doing that. He was too ill. Luckily for him, he had me to fall back on. 

When I die and go to heaven to St. Peter I will tell, “One more soldier reporting for duty sir, I’ve served my time in hell.” Hal Popplewll CUSMG 1971-1979

Rest in peace soldier

President Elect Trump

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Grinning Orange Jesus and convicted felon Trump has managed to walk on water and has made it to the other side powered on by the help of his followers and the “hot air” promises” that he made.

Here are some of those promises:

His first order as President on Day 1 would be “to begin the largest deportation operation in America history.”

How he plans to do that is all up in the air as America is a democracy and not a dictatorship, but hey who cares right?!!

On the very same day, he will “terminate every single open border policy of the Biden-Harris administration, and we will seal the border.”

It didn’t work the first time he tried that by banning people coming in from Muslim countries, because of legal and human rights issues so why should it now? Just lots more hot air and big talk from the grinning MAGA giant and now, President Elect.

“We will end inflation and make America affordable again.”

No specifics as to how he plans to do that and since inflation has been down, the man knows not what he is talking about!

“I will revoke China’s most favored nation status.”

Hmm….another “no go” zone not without repercussions anyway. Just more “hot air” from an aging and not all there man of the hour!

“I will not cut one penny from Social Security or Medicare.”

This promise has no plan backing it so no plan and no action equates to cutting benefits!

Just some of Trump’s empty promises made to impress and to bag the presidency and unbelievably “people” bought into it. Just goes to show intelligence is not based on IQ, not the dumb kind anyway. Truth and integrity doesn’t always win out BUT rage, revenge and ME! ME! ME! sure DOES!

GO FIGURE!

Heroes Deserve Better

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“Being a soldier is more than courage, it’s sacrificing yourself for something greater than yourself.” Unknown

A hero is defined as “a person who is admired for their courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities.” Soldiers are heroes in every sense of the word. They risk their lives to keep us safe. They fight against those who want to take away our freedoms and rights, many lose their lives in the process and some come home injured beyond repair both physically and mentality. These men and women are heroes and they deserve better.

How many of them come home and become an afterthought? I know of one who did not lose his life in battle, he survived those, but the inner demons or rather the aftermath of war were the battles he still had to fight even when his service in the military was over. A veteran is defined as “a person who served in the active military, naval or air service, and was discharged or released under conditions other than dishonorable,” or as I see it, it goes something like this. A soldier is someone who “wrote a blank check payable to the United States of America for an amount up to and including one’s life.” Unknown

My friend, the soldier, came home intact. However, the demons he carried within him, would take its toll on his inner psyche. He used alcohol to drown out the voices but his mind and his heart wouldn’t let him forget. To make a long story short, he fell very sick and his organs started shutting down one by one. He was overseas at the time with no family and one friend to see him through his ordeal. He thought he was safe because the military would take care of its own but he thought wrong. He was just an afterthought in the grand scheme of things. He had done his duty for his country and he expected that his country would take care of him for services rendered but he was yet to find out that was far from the truth. As one person I spoke to told me, “Soldiers think they can run to us when they find themselves in dire circumstances but there is nothing we can do, he will have to find his own way out of it.” The “it” meaning his sickness notwithstanding his few months of life left to live..

I reached out to the powers to be in Germany but was told in no uncertain terms that there was nothing they could do. I asked if they could fly him home in one of their planes and that was met with a no. I spoke to the Embassy but was told that it would take months to get an approval and when I pointed out he didn’t have that, they said they were very sorry. The Germans saw him as a liability because he was an American and there was no help forthcoming from them. Flying him home on a commercial flight meant he would need an escort and it would cost an arm and a leg to do that. He spent the last month or so in and out of the hospital and towards the end was transferred to a hospice, only after I went to do battle for a dying man. He died there a week later. 

“I stand ready not for politics or for leaders, but for my brothers next to me, my children at home, and for a country I protect.” Unknown

How often have we heard this phrase when referring soldiers who had served their country, “We are so grateful for your service.” It is a superficial phrase at best because there is no substance behind it. Heroes deserve better. They deserve to know that their unparalleled service to the country they love will be met with gratefulness not in words alone but with actions as well. It wasn’t the case for my friend. I am sure there are many out there who feel the same way. If you are in a foreign country, make sure you know what your options are if you find yourself in the same circumstances as my friend. The truth is you are on your own and you will have to fend for yourself as my friend did but the only problem was he wasn’t capable of doing that. He was too ill. Luckily for him, he had me to fall back on. 

When I die and go to heaven to St. Peter I will tell, “One more soldier reporting for duty sir, I’ve served my time in hell.” Hal Popplewll CUSMG 1971-1979

Rest in peace soldier