Here We Go! (Archives)

I don’t think I have to add anything more to this piece. It speaks for itself. Rule of law is nowhere to be seen as far as this president is concerned. We are in a “war” and still he keeps touting his horn. Diplomacy is not what he’s about, “hot air” from both ends is the norm! Where is this going to lead? Wait and see is the approach but it is not doing any good. Peace is not earned through saber rattling and a clear mind with strategic focus is needed to achieve that goal. However, those two components are clearly missing in this scenario and that right there is the problem!

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The 47th President, Donald John Trump was sworn in with pomp and circumstance and the celebrations still continue as Americans celebrate, well some are while others look on with mistrust and even horror at a new era of who knows what. Coming back to the inauguration, it was a peaceful transfer of power and it was for all purposes democracy in action as it should be. Remember what happened 4 years ago when Trump lost and the instigated attack that ensued on the Capitol? This time around there was none of that and you know why.

The new president has promised, “Your head will spin when you see what’s going to happen,” referring to his plans for Day 1 of his administration. Nothing new here because President Trump is known to run before he can walk.

On the agenda are immigration raids in major metropolitan areas to deport undocumented migrants. Following that or perhaps not in that order are the January 6, 2021 defendants waiting for pardons to be handed down which Trump has promised and others across the globe will be awaiting to see what plans he will put in action as far as “tariffs, land grabs and an end to grinding wars.” He has promised to issue more than 100 executive actions during his first week in office.

A new sheriff is in town folks and he’s going to make it be known that he’s the boss. All just hot air? It could be but it could be different this time around according to one of his advisors as told to CNN. “We want to come in and show just how serious we are. Trump is back, it’s go time. Like a shock to the system.”

Hmm….

Yes folks, the spin cycle is on and it will be dizzying to say the least. What about retribution? Remember he promised to “investigate and punish his adversaries, especially those involved in his four prosecutions and the congressional investigation of the Jan 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol. However, President Biden might have made a preemptive strike on that one. Joe Biden has issued last minute pardons to Anthony Fauci, retired Gen. Mark Milley and members of the House Committee that investigated the Jan 6 attack on the Capitol, including former Representative Liz Cheney.

Did this move take the wind out of Trump’s sails? You can bet your bottom dollar it did but who knows what else he has up his sleeve. All will be made clear in time as a new Trump era dawns in Washington. Will we see a kinder, gentler and classier Trump now that he has the tech giants by his side or will it be business as usual. You know the schoolyard bullying antics of throwing temper tantrums when he doesn’t get his way. Will there be more of the same?

I think the real Trump will show up sooner or later. It is just a matter of time before he steps out thumping his nose at rule of law. Donald J. Trump is not known for “grace under pressure” and so I say, don’t hold your breath as far as the person he presented yesterday, the one who wants to Make America Again and his role as a peacemaker and unifier notwithstanding all the promises he rolled out. Many have tried and failed and if it was as easy as that, it would have been done already. The problem is wanting it and getting it are two different concepts altogether. It takes more than a scripted speech to do that and he is fully aware of it or perhaps not.

One thing is for sure, there will be much for the press to talk about, to decipher and shred as he takes office and goes about showing America and the world that he is the “new Messiah” and only he and he alone can right the wrongs and get everyone back on track. A big job for an old man who can’t even keep his thoughts in line, let alone one who has trouble making complete sentences that make sense!

Good luck and may God Bless America and the rest of the world.

Gaggle of Fools (Archives)

I thought it was appropriate to repost this article again at a time when the so called self-proclaimed “Peace President” has both feet firmly planted in a war that will have dire consequences in the long run. He’s not worried about that, he’s worried about how the world will view him. Is he bored?

Do we care? Do the drapes in the White House ballroom look great when 4 servicemen had given up their lives for who knows why? No plans, no objectives, and no goals. Well, goals he has. He wants to be the one to say that he brought whatever it is to the Middle East, he doesn’t know what that is yet. He’ll make up the reasons as he goes along. Big talk, reckless babbling, chest thumping, AND no clear path forward. Do we care if he is bored? Not one iota. Do we care about the number of lives lost and the long-term implications of “poking the bear?” Absolutely. Fools abound and there is a gaggle of them holding court and that right there is the problem.

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“Common sense is a flower that doesn’t grow in everyone’s garden.” Unknown

Trump is calling the Signal breach debacle a ‘witch hunt’ and Defense Secretary, Pete Hegseth, is standing on his head and denying that the Signal chat messages contained any classified materials. However, The Atlantic published those messages on Wednesday and it was clear to everyone whether you’re an expert on operational security or not, that a massive breach of sensitive information had taken place. The Trump regime is sticking to wordplay. More specifically, “Attack plans vs. War plans.” Does it matter? According to them, it does.

Instead of taking accountability and trying to correct a mistake, they are thumping their chests and blowing smoke in every direction. However, the truth remains. One source had this to say, “We don’t provide that level of information on unclassified systems, in order to protect the lives and safety of the servicemembers carrying out these strikes. If we did, it would be wholly irresponsible. My most junior analysts know not to do this.”

The Defence Secretary should have known this if he had been qualified. Therein lies the truth of the matter.

“Sometimes the majority only means that all the fools are on the same side.” Unknown

A Power-Packed Speech

In his February 2025 State of the State address, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker gave an eye-opening and powerful speech that still resonates today. Only problem is that what he predicted back then is happening today and in the most horrible and disgusting fashion. The terror unleashed on the streets of Minneapolis and the killing of two innocent civilians, Renee Good, a 37-year-old U.S. citizen and ICU Nurse Alex Pretti, who was 37 at the time, by ICE agents under the guise of the Trump administration makes for a sickening realization that something else is at work here and it is the rise of what Gov. Pritzker was talking about. It should send tremors down our spines because once that “evil” is awakened again, it is going to take tremendous force and loss of lives to put it back where it came from as history has taught us.

I wrote this piece after Governor Pritzker’s address and it speaks to the sign of the times.

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Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker delivered his ‘State of the State’ address in Springfield Wednesday and although he spoke of many things, it was the last part that made many of us sit up and take notice. He was speaking to the heart of the matter.

Here is an excerpt:

“if you just give Donald Trump everything he wants, he’ll make an exception and spare you some of the harm….I once swallowed my pride to offer him what he values most… public praise on the Sunday news shows…..it turns out his promises were as broken as the BIPAP machines he sent us instead of ventilators.”

He went on to deliver what can only be called a punch to the gut without lifting one finger. It was eloquent, it was persuasive and it was more than powerful.

“The seed that grew into a dictatorship in Europe a lifetime ago didn’t arrive overnight. It started with everyday Germans mad about inflation and looking for someone to blame….I’m watching with a foreboding dread what is happening in our country here…..The authoritarian playbook is laid bare here. They point to a group of people who don’t look like you and tell you to blame them for your problems.”

He further added:

“I just have one question. What comes next? After we’ve discriminated against, deported or disparaged all the immigrants and the gay and lesbian and transgender people, the developmentally disabled, the women and the minorites – once we’ve ostracized our neighbors and betrayed our friends – After that, when the problems we started with are still there staring us in the face – what comes next.

All the atrocities of human history lurk in that answer to that question. And if we don’t want to repeat history – then for God’s sake in this moment we better be strong enough to learn from it.”

Nothing more needs to be said.

RIP Renee Good and Alex Pretti

Loose Lips Sink Ships

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Update: I wrote this during Trump’s first term and nothing has changed it seems. If anything, he is shooting off “bullets” before his mind can catch up with him! The bully is front and center and he is using the office of the presidency to back him up. Talks of taking Greenland by force, talking down to the allies and single-handedly dismantling the “Old World Order” is all within his grasp and he is leaving nothing to chance. This is what I had to say back then.

The 45th President is in hot water again and this just days after the controversial firing of FBI Director, James Comey. The president alleged that the firing was due to Comey “not doing a good job,” and instead of leaving it at that, he went on to tweet a thinly veiled threat suggesting that there was a taped recording of his conversation with Comey further adding, “James Comey better hope that there are no ‘tapes’ of our conversations before he starts leaking to the press.” That threw him into the eye of the hurricane where he has been ever since.

As if that wasn’t enough to throw his presidency into a downward spiral, the president was off and running to his next debacle. This one involves allegations that he divulged classified information to Russian diplomats in the Oval Office. The Washington Post reported that Trump revealed highly classified information on the Islamic State group during his meeting with Russia’s Foreign Minister, Sergei Lavrov and Russian Ambassador, Sergey Kialyak. Yes folks, ignorance is bliss and where the new President is concerned, it’s enough to “sink ships,” or his Presidency.

The latest morsel of “red meat” was just what the press needed to send them scrambling to get the best angle on the developing story as dreams of “impeachment” riddled through the minds of die-hard Trump haters. Not so fast people. There is such a thing as damage control and the White House has been doing just that sending in the “big guns” to take care of business. If Spicer’s “stare down the press” tactics hasn’t worked, well, maybe sending in National Security Advisor HR McMaster might just do the job. In his no-nonsense fashion, he denied that the President had revealed, “Intelligence sources or methods,” but reviewed, “a range of common threats to our two countries including threats to civil aviation.” Was that enough to calm the “storm” and bring it to a screeching halt? Guess again.

Trump’s questionable tweets and actions have put his Presidency in turmoil once again and not even all the President’s men and women can put it back together again. This latest drama is one of his own making and if he doesn’t stop shooting off tweets from the White House during the early morning hours instead of getting some sleep, this situation is only going to get worse. Perhaps, he should take a tip from the 44th President, Barack Obama, when the going gets tough, go golfing. There is no better way to let off some steam than by shooting a small ball into a round hole at the same time cussing under your breath about all the wrongs of the world that needs righting. A surefire way to keep the lid on an explosive situation and you come off looking like a winner.

One last thing, the office of the President deserves a modicum of decorum and spouting off “secrets” at the drop of a coin and shooting off tweets like a teenager is not the way to get it.

 –

LOL!

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This one got a laugh out of me this morning. What can I say but that’s Trump for you!

So DONALD Trump

GOES TO THE VATICAN to

Meet the Pope.

He later said: “I met with Pope Francis today. He’s a really great Pope – great, great Pope. You know he’s the leader of the Catholic Church – big church. I couldn’t believe it when he told me how many Catholics there are. Way more than I thought. They have churches all over the world — Some are very, very close to my hotels and golf courses.

He tells me he’s elected for life, probably copying that Xi guy in China. Fantastic idea, though. Fantastic. It turns out the Pope is a lot like me, you never see him with his wife. He told me he’s infallible. I said that’s great, you’ll never have to worry about breaking a hip.

He told me about a Mary Magdalene, beautiful girl, beautiful. Apparently a hooker. I asked him for her number. Didn’t catch his answer. I’m told he said it in Latin. I give the guy credit because he doesn’t look Latino.

He took me into the Sistine Chapel. Beautiful ceiling. Not the usual white stucco stuff. I don’t think too many people even know about this place. The paintings are great, I’m telling you. Lots of colours. The Pope (great guy, by the way, knows more about the Bible than almost anybody. We got along great, I think he really likes me) told me the whole thing was painted by this young Italian. I think his name is Mike Langelo. At least that’s what Francis (we’re great friends) called him, I think.

Trust me, we’re going to hear more about this guy. He’s really artistic, and everybody tells me I have the greatest eye for the best art. It’s natural, just like my incredible understanding of science. All the renowned scientists say they can’t believe it.

I told Frank I’d like to buy some of Mike’s art. I asked if Mike’s done anything on velvet. He’ll check. I’ll hang his stuff at Mar-a-Lago or Trump Tower. This Mike guy needs more exposure. He’s too much with the churches. He could paint my presidential portrait on the Capitol Dome. Or maybe a mural on my big, beautiful border wall; but just on our side.

When we left, the Pope gave me a bible. Huge book. (Huge.) I told him I have the full set. You get one for free every time you take a porn star to a motel room.

Unbelievable. Just heard. The mainstream media are at it again. Fake news. (Fake news.) I just saw something on TV. They claim Mike the painter died 450 years ago. Sad. I’ve already got people looking into this and you won’t believe what they’re finding

The Nobel Peace Prize Goes to….

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The press release for Nobel Peace Prize 2025 award read like this:

The Nobel Peace Prize for 2025 goes to a brave and committed champion of peace to a woman who keeps the flame of democracy burning amid a growing darkness.

She is receiving the Nobel Peace Prize for her tireless work promoting democratic rights for the people of Venezuela and for her struggle to achieve a just and peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy.

Not the other way around.

Her name is Maria Corina Machado. A worthy recipient, I might add.

According to Times India, there are 10 reasons why Trump didn’t win. I’ll pick a few of the pertinent ones.

His Foreign Policy Was the Opposite of “Peace.”

The Peace Prize honours those who advance fraternity among nations. He did the opposite. He tore up the Paris Climate Accord, withdrew from WHO, shredded arms-control treaties, and waged tariff wars on allies. He mocked NATO, belittled the UN, and reduced diplomacy to branding. Even if some initiatives were genuine, the overall picture was one of disruption, not harmony.

He Made Peace a Performance.

Trump didn’t treat peace as a process …he treated it as a PR stunt. The Abraham Accords, North Korea summits, and Taliban negotiations were often packaged for maximum headlines rather than lasting impact. Oslo prefers sustained, structural contributions over flashy photo-ops. Symbolism matters, but, it cannot replace substance.

He Undermined the Global Order the Nobel Celebrates.

The Peace Prize is as much about supporting international cooperation, as it is about ending conflicts. Trump’s “America First” ethos clashed with that vision. He weakened multilateral institutions, insulted allies, and emboldened autocrats. For a committee that sees itself as the guardian of the post-war order, rewarding the man who tried to dismantle it was unthinkable.

His Style Violated the Nobel’s Unwritten Code.

The Nobel Prize thrives on moral gravitas and understated leadership. Trump thrives on bombast and grievance. His habit of calling the prize “rigged,” attacking past winners, and belittling the process made it politically impossible for the committee to consider him seriously. The Nobel doesn’t bend to tantrums.

Or to bullying tactics!

There are many reasons as to why Trump didn’t get the Nobel Prize. Here is one that speaks to the heart of the matter.

“It’s clear that based on his character, his abuse of power and his collection of crimes – both proven and alleged -Trump’s record is most disqualifying.”

Lest we forget, Trump also became the first American president to take office as a convicted felon by a United States court of law.

Enough said.

Congratulations to Maria Corina Machado on winning the Nobel Peace Prize. It was well-deserved.

The Man to Watch!

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Gavin C. Newsom is doing a marvelous job of getting under Trump’s skin and living rent-free in his head! Furthermore, he has found a way to hit where it hits hard. Taking down a bully is not always easy and one who has sole authority to initiate a nuclear attack is even more so.

His latest tweet speaks to the heart of the matter:

WOW!! PRESIDENT TRUMP SAYS ABOUT ME, GAVIN C. NEWSOM: “HE’S A NICE GUY, LOOKS GOOD.”

THANK YOU FOR THE KIND WORDS, LITTLE HANDS. EVERYONE SEEMS TO BE TALKING ABOUT ME (AMERICA’S FAVORITE GOVERNOR!). – GCN

All caps, exclamations and incomplete sentences, trademarks of you know who. Aside from that, the message is clear, you get as good as you give!

Keep it up America’s favorite governor. Sometimes it takes know-how and thinking to take down a bully and he is doing an expert job of doing just that. On the other hand, the “bad boy” wants to play it nice it seems. That tweet says a lot but as the saying goes, “too little, too late,” perhaps? Gavin C. Newsom is not letting up and that is a good thing.

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.

Trump Jong Un (Archives)

Update:

“We have the greatest missiles in the world. We have the greatest submarines in the world. We have the greatest army tanks in the world. We have the greatest weapons in the world. And we’re going to celebrate it.”

And celebrate he did. It was a show of force, Kim Jong Un style. Tanks rolled through the streets of Washington, D.C. and the petulant president got what he wanted. The cost of $45 million didn’t matter and neither did the additional cost of sending 4,000 National Guard members and 700 U.S. marines to Los Angeles to curb protests which is said to be around $134 million and I might add his deport-them-all policy brought about. Add another $16 million to repair damages caused by the tanks rolling though the streets and you have a whopper as far as costs are concerned.

A “Wannabe Dictator” needs and wants unchecked power to do as he pleases but the millions who took to the streets yesterday not in awe of the parade but to show a united front where “kings” are concerned did a mighty fine job of putting a clamp on his power hungry grab.

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It’s not enough that he has tanked the economy and has blown up the WTO system of global growth and stability. The man who loves jumping at anything he sees as a money making scheme is off and running to another debacle, one which is more to his liking.

Rumor has it that he wants a military parade for his birthday. Nothing new here, he has been hinting at it ever since he attended one in Paris for Bastille Day in 2017. If it takes place at all, it would fall on his birthday which is Saturday, June 14 and coincidentally it just so happens to be the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army. It is rumored that the Trump administration is “reportedly looking to add a parade that would stretch nearly four miles, from the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, across the Potomac River, into D.C. How about Hegseth leading the charge, bare-chested and flaunting his tattoos and wearing the Amerian flag? Patriotic enough? Let’s not forget Musk doing the Nazi salute and Trump grinning from ear to ear.

The cost of such a parade would be phenomenal but didn’t he say they’ve got 2 billion coming in each day from tariffs alone? Should be enough to cover the cost don’t you think?

Global economies are hanging in the balance and a full-blown Trade War is looming and hissing at the fringes so what’s missing? Let’s add a military parade to the mix why don’t we? One that proclaims America’s might as a superpower with a message that says, “Don’t fool with us!” Remind you of anything?

Enough said.