Trump – Page 3 – bendingtheneedle

Dinner with my Friend

I have four college friends with whom I meet every few months for dinner and drinks. It’s always a great evening. We relax, catch up, and laugh.

We’ve had two get-togethers since the 2024 presidential election.

Because one of our friends is a staunch Republican, we don’t talk politics at these dinners. It’s strange because if that one friend was not sitting with us, we’d be talking politics – not the entire evening, mind you, but at some point. How could we not? Look at what’s happening to our country – not talking politics in this day and age feels like a dereliction of civic duty – at least to me, it does.

Since Donald Trump won the presidency, we’ve seen firsthand the harm a dictatorial know-nothing president can inflict on Americans and citizens across the globe – every one of our allies hates us (even Canada!) now, and rightfully so – fuck, I hate us – we’ve become the nation-state version of the ugly American – taking on the personality of our intellectually vapid, bloviating, bigoted, bully of a president.

On one level, I think we feel that talking politics might reveal something about our Trump-voting friend that contradicts the deeply held values the rest of us have about truth, honesty, the rule of law, Democracy, and the country we live in. We don’t want to deal with all that on a casual night out, where the primary goal has always been to enjoy each other’s company.

And so, in this unprecedented era of political upheaval, we choose to bite our tongues. We keep our views on Trump to ourselves – sticking to familiar and comfortable topics like family, work, retirement, sports – everything and anything under the sun – except the fall of America’s Democracy at the hands of a deranged and narcissistic demagogue.

We sipped wine and whisky at our most recent get-together and indulged in expensive appetizers, never speaking about America’s seismic political shift and disastrous effects on our friends and allies worldwide. It’s a strange dichotomy—like we sense the orange elephant at the table and simply talk around it.

Sometimes silence (whether for fear of retribution by a government or to avoid feeling uncomfortable with a friend) isn’t the best approach. Fascist movements grow when citizens bow to fear and go silent. Silence can also damage friendships differently. When we hold our tongues to avoid being uncomfortable around a friend, we subconsciously fill the quiet with preconceptions. When that happens, we attribute characteristics and hardened views about that friend, which may or may not be true. Over time, these views can weaken the friendship.

Maybe it’s better to discuss everything openly so we truly know what each other thinks about America’s current situation.

I’ve had conversations with 3 of my friends who, like me, are appalled at the shitshow that is Donald Trump – and none of us can understand how an educated person capable of critical thought would ever consider voting for Donald Trump, especially after what played out before our eyes on January 6th, the stolen documents case, and Trump’s 34 felony convictions. I always thought that even for diehard Republicans, all of Trump’s negative baggage would be enough to say, “I’m done with this guy.” That doesn’t necessarily mean they would vote Democrat — just that they would not / COULD NOT cast a vote that would hand America’s policy keys to a malevolent malcontent who is drunk and hellbent on retribution and indebted to Russian mobsters and oligarchs.

POLITICS FEEL DIFFERENT TODAY BECAUSE IT IS DIFFERENT—In the past if a Republican won the presidency, I was disappointed for a few weeks, and then I moved on. I wasn’t worried about American Democracy crumbling when Reagan or George Bush was president. I understood that even though my politics didn’t align with theirs, we believed in the same core principles that define America.

Recently, I saw a post on social media categorizing Trump voters into nine groups. It’s less complicated than that. In my view, Trump voters fall into three (sometimes overlapping) groups:

The ignorant/uneducated
The misinformed
The selfish

The 2024 election taught us that when combined, these three groups—the ignorant, the misinformed, and the selfish—outnumber voters who think critically, and we’re seeing chaotic and tragic results on the national and international stage.

By the way, I know how I come across when I lump people into three negative categories—I come off as a judgmental elitist / absolutist. But here’s the thing: I had never categorized voters like this before Donald Trump became president.

Before Trump, the difference between Democrat and Republican voters wasn’t perplexing. Elections before Trump didn’t cause me to look for a deeper understanding of “what went wrong” by digging into the cult-like psychology of Republican voters. Before Trump, voters differed on policies and social issues but not on truth, integrity, and what it meant to be an American — that is not the case with Trump Republicans. Honestly, I hesitate to call Trump supporters republicans, because they are askew of traditional Republican values, such as free-market capitalism and a more internationalist approach to foreign policy.

I don’t associate my friend (who I admire on many levels) with any of these groups. I began to think that I was oversimplifying or over-generalizing people who voted for Trump.

The Ignorant/Uneducated

Voters in this group see a candidate holding a bible and humping the American flag while saying over and over Make America Great Again, and that’s enough for them. They either don’t care much for thinking critically or are incapable of doing so. They go with their gut because their gut is all that they got. These voters represent low-hanging fruit for populist demagogues like Donald Trump.

My friend is well-read, educated, and not a piece of fruit; he does not fall into the Ignorant and Uneducated group.

The Misinformed

The misinformed consist of the conspiratorial deep-state fear mongers who live on an intellectually unhealthy diet of Reddit communities, YouTube channels, and Joe Rogan podcasts and who believe that by consuming copious amounts of content, they somehow become experts in climate, health, immunology, geopolitics, the Kennedy assassination, and fake moon landing or whatever the fuck they happen to be watching while eating Cheetos and drinking beer – they gravitate to content that confirms their conspiratorial beliefs and hunker down in those polluted ecosystems. I include the Fox News audience in this group because Fox News is not a news channel – they are a rightwing opinion and entertainment platform. While trying to defend themselves in an 800-million-dollar lawsuit in which they admitted to lying about a rigged 20/20 election, part of their defense was, “We are not a news channel, so don’t hold us to that standard; we’re an entertainment channel.”

Fox News is largely a Trump propaganda machine that is on its way to becoming the equivalent of RT (Russia Today), the Russian state-controlled international news television network funded by the Russian government.

I don’t know which cable news station my friend has on at his house. But I know if it’s Fox News, he’s not getting a fair and balanced view (despite their tagline) of Donald Trump as a person or as a president.

I don’t think we can underestimate the negative impact Fox News has had on our nation and our family and friends who rely on Fox as their primary source for news.

The Selfish

Here is where things get tricky.

If we’re honest with ourselves, we’d say all humans are selfish to a certain degree. We get behind a presidential candidate or a set of ideas when we believe that candidate or those ideas will help us prosper and take care of our family.

Voters who fall into the “Selfish” group know in their hearts that Donald Trump is an intellectually lazy criminal thug and a liar. If they looked more deeply at Trump’s history, they would probably be open to the likelihood that Trump’s been compromised by Russian mob bosses or Putin himself. Still, even all that is not an impediment to them supporting an administration that they believe benefits them financially.

What matters most is taking care of their family and (if they own a small business) their employees. Never mind the fact that historically, America’s economy does better when Democrats are in charge or that Trump is a horrible person. If you honestly feel that Trump is better for your business and your family, I can see how that might override all the other shit for some people. I am not one of them.

At dinner, my friend broke the unspoken rule and brought up Donald Trump by saying his business had gotten better in the four months of his presidency. He couldn’t say for sure that Trump was a cause, but to him, there was at least a correlation, and he said multiple times that “facts are facts” and that his business was doing better. I’m glad my friend’s business is doing better—truly, I am.

But the country is not doing better; the world is not doing better; our Democracy is not doing better; the markets are not doing better; people’s retirement accounts are not doing better – legal residents are being snatched from the streets by masked agents of the government and whisked away without due process – there’s a measles outbreak in Texas where two kids have died. The leader of our country is demonstrably incompetent and cruel daily. America’s president has been credibly charged and civilly convicted of sexual assault and fraud; he pardoned dangerous and violent criminals who assaulted the capital. Trump is demonstrably a shitty human being – and I don’t think my friend would dispute that (because really, how can you?) and when I kept saying over and over that Trump is a shitty human being, he never disagreed. Things got heated for a bit, but we were able to transition to normal non-political talk seamlessly, which I took as a credit to the strength of our friendship.

On the walk back to our cars, we talked a little bit more — and we agreed that we look at Trump from different perspectives — him on a micro-level where a Trump presidency seems to favor his business and his ability to take care of his employees — where I look at the macro impact of a Trump presidency on Democracy, individual freedoms, social safety nets for the most vulnerable of us and adherence to western democratic principles.

My friend and I are in our sixties—we’ve got 20 years left if we’re lucky—and my question to him the next time we sit down is, what kind of country do you want for your kids or grandkids—a democratic and free country (like the one we grew up in) or an authoritarian oligarchy that cracks down on individual freedoms and forces political, social, and religious beliefs on its citizens?

He Saw Vlad Standing There

Sing to the tune of “I Saw Her Standing There” by the Beatles

Well, he is just cruel and mean

in his fake orange sheen

his dictatorship has put us in despair

He demonizes the other, oohh

in his fake-ass golden hair

Deporter in Chief

Felonious thief

a piggish fool, with greed beyond compare

He loves Vlady P like no other, oooh

From his cozy White House lair

Collective hearts go boom with a sense of doom

Autocracy is brewiiing!

People snatched from the street

Every word dipped in deceit

And the courts are trying hard to rein him in

Don will not dance with another

Oh, since he saw Vlad standing there

Collective hearts go boom with a sense of doom

401Ks are crashiiing!

Free speech gets denied

and the US courts defied

while oligarchs get rich beyond compare

Don will not dance with another,

Oh, since he saw Vlad standing there

Sympathy for the President

Sing to the tune of “Sympathy for the Devil” by the Rolling Stones

Please allow me to introduce myself
I’m a man of greed and girth
Been around since 1946
Learned from father that wealth is worth

Remember the Republicans
had their moment before I came
cowered, caved, and complied
and forever changed the game

Pleased to meet you
Hope you guess my name
Spreading hatred all ‘round
Is the nature of my game

Stuck around New York City
When I saw it was a time for a change
Called Vlad and his ministers
Melania screamed in vain

I rode that dark
birtherism train
to kill hope and change
on the open range

Pleased to meet you
Hope you guess my name, oh yeah
Spreading hatred all ‘round
Is the nature of my game, ah yeah

I watched with glee
as the MAGA crowd
beat and tazed their way
to our darkest day

I shouted out
“Who killed democracy?”
when after all
it was you and me

Let me please introduce myself
I’m the god to whom you pray
I laid the trap for Ukrainians
and dashed their hope on election day

Pleased to meet you
Hope you guess my name, oh yeah
And spreading hate all ‘round
Is the nature of my game

Pleased to meet you
Hope you guess my name, oh yeah
But what’s confounding you
Is just the nature of my game, mm yeah

Just as every pol is a criminal
and all the sinners’ saints
my lies are truth, just call me President
one that’s dipped in orange paint

So, if you meet me, show some courtesy
have some sympathy, and some fear
use all your well-learned politeness
or I’ll make you disappear, mm yeah

Pleased to meet you
Hope you guess my name, oh yeah
But what’s confounding’ you
Is the nature of my game

Let’s Ask Arty about the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)

Let’s Ask Arty uses existing Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology to query LLMs about politics in these troubled times.

Query 1: Do DOGE employees have access to classified information, and do they have access to the social security data of private citizens? Who oversees DOGE to make sure they are not breaking laws or violating privacy rights of US citizens?

DOGE (Department of Government Efficiency) employees have reportedly gained access to classified information and sensitive data, including Social Security records, through various federal systems. Concerns have been raised about the lack of transparency regarding how DOGE staff are vetted and monitored before being granted such access.

Regarding Social Security data, DOGE has been accused of accessing sensitive information, such as names, birth dates, and earnings, as part of an anti-fraud initiative. This has sparked legal challenges and privacy concerns, with unions and advocacy groups seeking court intervention to block DOGE’s access.

Oversight of DOGE appears to be limited, as it operates under the Trump administration’s directives to streamline government operations. However, lawsuits and congressional inquiries have been initiated to address potential violations of privacy rights and ensure compliance with laws like the Privacy Act of 1974.

The situation has prompted calls for greater transparency and accountability in DOGE’s operations.

Query 2: Please provide a detailed list of the erroneous information posted on the DOGE wall of receipts.

The “wall of receipts” from the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has been criticized for containing numerous inaccuracies and misleading claims.

Here’s a detailed breakdown of some of the errors:

Overstated Contract Values:
- A contract listed as an $8 billion savings for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) was actually worth only $8 million.
- A $232 million savings claim for the Social Security Administration turned out to be a much smaller $560,000 project.
Duplicate Listings:
- A $650 million USAID contract was listed three times, inflating the savings.
- A single $25 million Department of Agriculture contract was quadruple-counted, resulting in a false claim of $100 million in savings.
Misrepresentation of Blanket Purchase Agreements (BPAs):
- DOGE included BPAs, which are catalogs of potential purchases rather than actual spending, as canceled contracts. This exaggerated the savings by at least $1 billion.
Credit Lines Misrepresented as Savings:
- Some contracts, like the ICE contract mentioned earlier, were credit lines that might never have been fully utilized.
Savings from Previous Administrations:
- Certain cuts, such as a $1.9 billion reduction at the Treasury Department, occurred under President Biden’s administration but were claimed by DOGE.
Errors in Real Estate Savings:
- DOGE attributed $144.6 million to real estate savings without providing supporting details, making independent verification difficult.
Deleted Claims:
- After scrutiny, DOGE removed its top five savings claims, including the ICE and USAID contracts, but did not adjust the total savings figure, which continued to grow without explanation.

These errors have raised significant questions about the credibility of DOGE’s claims and the methodology behind their calculations.

Query 3: Please list the “mistake firings” that DOGE made and the potential impact those firings had on America’s national security.

DOGE (Department of Government Efficiency) has faced significant criticism for its mistake firings, which have had serious implications for America’s national security. Here are some notable examples:

Mistake Firings

National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA):
- DOGE mistakenly fired hundreds of employees working on nuclear weapons programs, including those responsible for reassembling warheads. These roles require the highest levels of clearance and expertise.
- Many of these firings were later rescinded, but the disruption caused confusion and delays.
Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA):
- DOGE laid off 130 employees from CISA, which plays a critical role in defending against cyber threats. This move weakened the agency’s ability to counter malicious cyber activities, particularly from adversaries like China.
Department of Agriculture:
- Employees working on combating bird flu were mistakenly terminated. This error jeopardized efforts to control the outbreak and ensure food safety.
Veterans Affairs (VA):
- DOGE planned to cut contracts and lay off workers essential for veterans’ healthcare, including those involved in sterility certification and air quality testing. These cuts risked compromising patient safety and care quality.

Potential Impact on National Security

Nuclear Security: The firings at NNSA undermined the systems securing the nation’s nuclear arsenal, raising concerns about the safety and readiness of these critical assets.
Cybersecurity: The loss of skilled personnel at CISA weakened the U.S.’s ability to defend against cyberattacks, leaving vulnerabilities that adversaries could exploit.
Public Health: The termination of experts working on bird flu and food safety posed risks to public health and the agricultural sector.
Veterans’ Care: Cuts at the VA threatened the well-being of veterans and the operational integrity of healthcare facilities.

Query 4: Compare the dollar amount of savings from the cuts made by DOGE to the deficit increase expected from the proposed budget from the Republican Congress.

The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) claims to have saved $105 billion through various measures like asset sales, contract cancellations, and fraud detection. Meanwhile, the proposed budget from the Republican Congress is expected to increase the deficit by $3 trillion over the next decade, primarily due to $4.5 trillion in tax cuts offset by $1.5 trillion in spending cuts.

In comparison, DOGE’s savings amount to just 3.5% of the projected deficit increase from the Republican budget. This stark contrast highlights the scale of the deficit challenge and the relatively modest impact of DOGE’s savings in addressing it.

My Input

Imagine the collective apoplectic outrage from MAGA morons had a democrat President hired a private citizen (like George Soros) with deep partisan ties to the democratic party and no expertise in government to go on a slash-and-burn operation, with no concern about the impact on individual privacy rights, national security, and the health and wellbeing of American citizens. That is happening today with Elon Musk’s inexperienced, incompetent, unaccountable, and callous DOGE team.

There is a right way to audit government agencies for waste, fraud, and abuse, and then there’s the DOGE way.

The right way is to rely on non-partisan Inspectors General (IGs), which serve as watchdogs investigating waste, fraud, and abuse within federal government agencies. Trump undermined the independence of IGs when he fired (without cause) 17 of them early in his presidency and replaced them with loyalists. Trump’s claim that it is standard practice for an incoming president to fire and replace IGs is a lie (shocking, I know).

IGs are meant to transcend political transitions.

DOGE is supposed to collaborate with IGs in their federal agency audits. The Treasury Department’s office of the IG has already raised concerns about the collaboration. It recently launched an audit to investigate DOGE’s access to federal systems and handling of sensitive data. This audit of DOGE by the Treasury Department IG was fueled by concerns about DOGE’s potential misuse of government resources and the lack of transparency in DOGE operations (as mentioned by Arty).

The anti-government sentiment that propels DOGE is so prevalent and infective with MAGA that millions of MAGA followers don’t seem to care about the truthfulness of DOGE claims, the damage to America’s national security, the human cost to our fellow citizens, or that DOGE has no oversight or accountability for their actions.

And finally, the cartoonish display from Elon Musk at CPAC with his chainsaw encapsulates the lack of empathy and the dangerous and Social Darwinistic direction America is heading.

When it comes to DOGE, let’s be courageous and call out the outrageous.

Let’s Ask Arty about the Measles

Let’s Ask Arty uses existing Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology to query LLMs about politics in these troubled times.

Query 1: Is the measles virus dangerous?

Yes, measles can be quite dangerous. It’s a highly contagious viral disease that can lead to serious complications, especially for young children, pregnant women, and individuals with weakened immune systems. Some of the complications include pneumonia, encephalitis (swelling of the brain), and even death.

In the U.S., measles was declared eliminated in 2000, but outbreaks still occur, often due to unvaccinated individuals. Vaccination is the best way to protect against measles and prevent its spread.

Query 2: Robert Kennedy Jr (the head of HHS) says that the measles outbreak in Texas is not unusual. Is that true?

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. did indeed say that the measles outbreak in Texas is “not unusual”. However, health experts disagree with his assessment. The outbreak has resulted in the first measles death in the U.S. since 2015, and the number of cases is significant, with 124 confirmed cases since late January.

The outbreak is primarily affecting unvaccinated individuals, particularly in the Mennonite community in Gaines County. While measles outbreaks do occur, the severity and spread of this particular outbreak make it more concerning than Kennedy’s statement suggests. Vaccination remains the best way to prevent measles and its complications.

Query 3: Is Robert F Kennedy Jr a doctor or scientist? Does he have expertise in the field of health and medicine?

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is not a doctor or scientist. He has a background in law, with degrees from Harvard University, the University of Virginia School of Law, and Pace University. His expertise lies in environmental law and policy, and he has worked extensively as an environmental lawyer and activist.

While he has been a prominent voice in public health debates, particularly regarding vaccines, his educational background and professional experience are not in the medical or scientific fields.

Kennedy has been a controversial figure due to his promotion of vaccine misinformation and public-health conspiracy theories. Despite his lack of medical or scientific qualifications, he was confirmed as the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services in February 2025.

Query 4: Tell me about Robert Kennedy Junior’s involvement in the Soma Measles outbreak several years ago

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. played a controversial role during the measles outbreak in Samoa several years ago. In 2019, Samoa was facing a crisis due to a significant drop in vaccination rates after an improperly prepared vaccine led to the deaths of two infants. This incident caused widespread fear and skepticism about vaccines among parents, leaving many children unprotected against measles.

Kennedy, who was then the chairman of the anti-vaccine group Children’s Health Defense, visited Samoa in June 2019. He saw an opportunity to promote his anti-vaccine agenda and proposed a system to track the health outcomes of unvaccinated children. Despite the resumption of vaccinations, Kennedy’s influence and the spread of misinformation contributed to the hesitancy among parents.

Months after Kennedy’s visit, a deadly measles outbreak swept through Samoa, resulting in thousands of infections and 83 deaths, mostly among small children. Kennedy continued to stay connected with the island, providing medical guidance to local anti-vaccine activists and raising concerns about the vaccination campaign.

My Input

Robert F Kennedy Junior is just one example of the dangerous weaponization of ignorance and stupidity by the Trump administration.

In the past, Donald Trump has bragged about having “the best people” in his cabinet and administration. In the first Trump administration, there were some bright and accomplished people in cabinet positions and in the administration. They were experts in their fields. Many of those experts have since spoken out against their boss, warning Americans of his incompetence and fascist tendencies.

In the first administration, these experts provided guardrails for our democracy and government institutions by pushing back against an increasingly autocratic President who often drifted outside his extremely narrow lane of expertise.

This time around, Donald Trump is not concerned with appointing experts with deep experience to cabinet positions — instead, he appoints loyalists with little to no experience who will toe the line and disregard the rule of law, facts, and truth when Trump asks them to.

Trump’s disastrous pick for HHS will prove dangerous for the health and well-being of Americans, especially in cases of outbreaks like the Measles outbreak in Lubbock, Texas. His appointees to the FBI, Intelligence Service, and Justice Department will also prove dangerous to the health and well-being of our Democracy.

This time around, the purpose of Trump’s appointments is to appease the conspiratorial nature of his base voters – the anti-science, deep-state fearmongers, and Qanoon cultists, as well as Christian Nationalists and Trump’s Pro-Russian puppet handlers.

America is in dire straits.

Dinner in Blue State America

Bright light behind the slightly ajar door. Abstract background

The glow from the television gathers in the doorway at the end of the hall.

“I can’t believe what he just said.”

“Honey! Come listen to what the asshole just said.”

“Jesus Fucking Christ.”

“Can someone please just get rid of this motherfucker already?”

His words crash through the door into the hallway, bouncing off the walls like a whisky-soaked drunk double-dipped in anger.

“What the fuck is wrong with this country? We fought a goddamn world war to prevent this crap from spreading. Now we’ve got this mother fucker proselytizing fascist propaganda from the goddamn motherfucking White House.”

“Honey!!!”

She grabs a beer from the fridge and takes a long, hard swig before retrieving a half-smoked pack of Winstons from the junk drawer. She started smoking again after the election.

“Yeah, I heard,” she yells towards the hall.

“But what can we do?” she whispers surrenderingly and takes a drag.

Let’s Ask Arty!

Let’s Ask Arty uses existing Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology to query LLMs about politics in these troubled times.

Query1: What strategies are used to turn a democracy to an autocracy and how many of those strategies has Donald Trump used in his second campaign for the US presidency?

Turning a democracy into an autocracy typically involves several strategies, often used in combination. Here are some common tactics:

Extending Executive Power: Strengthening the executive branch’s power while weakening checks and balances, such as parliaments and judiciaries.
Suppressing Dissent: Restricting freedom of speech, assembly, and press to silence opposition and criticism.
Controlling Information: Manipulating media and spreading misinformation to shape public opinion and maintain power.
Capturing Elite Support: Gaining the backing of influential groups and individuals by offering political favors and economic benefits.
Undermining Democratic Institutions: Weakening institutions that uphold democratic principles, such as electoral commissions and courts.
Exploiting Populism: Appealing to nationalistic and populist sentiments to rally support and create divisions.
Crippling Opposition: Discrediting, intimidating, or legally targeting political opponents to reduce their influence.

Regarding Donald Trump’s second campaign for the US presidency, he has been accused of employing some of these strategies. For example, he has been known to challenge democratic norms, criticize the media, and promote conspiracy theories. However, it’s important to note that the US political system has strong institutions and checks and balances that make it difficult for one individual to transform the system into an autocracy completely.

My input

You’d have to be pretty dense not to see that Donald Trump is following the autocracy playbook pretty closely.

In terms of the following statement from Arty, I have some thoughts:

However, it’s important to note that the US political system has strong institutions and checks and balances that make it difficult for any one individual to completely transform the system into an autocracy.

In theory, this is correct. The US political system is indeed set up with checks (judicial and legislative) that are designed to prevent a malevolent person in the executive branch from dismantling democracy and instituting an autocratic dictatorship. But these systems are only as effective as the people in them. When members of the judicial and legislative branches lack the courage to check the executive branch — or if they support the autocratic goals and objectives of the executive, the system does not work.

Is This the End?

MAGA the psyop Vlad velvet confection, no missiles exploding, just bloodless dissection

Pitting and plotting while spinning a web, get rid of sad pols like low energy Jeb

Replace them with barkers who grift for a living, wrap Christ in the flag and become less forgiving

FOX propaganda a new-age religion, the bread of brain dead, blood suckers, and pigeons

Populist fodder, cultural crack, farmed in the foul breath of Trump’s loyalist hacks

News is now tribal, with no true reporting, FOX is the bible, a church for consorting

Where lies lead to lust for the ignorant masses, gaping and raping in their Eva Braun glasses

Troubadour tribesmen of white patriarchy, pied-piping pitchmen for the new oligarchy

Putin has puppets, Elon and Don, a triad of fuck-wads running a con

As we sit on the sidelines and watch it unfold, blind to the history and too dumb to be told

We’re becoming the fascists we used to despise, and the good becomes evil, right in front of our eyes.

The new Jackboots are black suits with boatloads of money, they carve up the landscape and horde all the honey

The rest will subsist on crackers and crumbs, treated like losers, vagrants and bums

Authentic Assholism

When someone is true to themselves, it doesn’t automatically mean they’re a good person. You can be authentic and an asshole – just look at Donald Trump.

There’s a strange phenomenon in the MAGA world where authenticity trumps character, where how Trump talks is more important than what he’s saying.

That’s why we see Trump supporters laugh and applaud at all the crass crap spewing from that moron’s mouth – to them, it’s like sitting next to their racist buddy at their favorite bar. It speaks to how shallow and lazy a large portion of the American electorate has become – that a simplistic view of Trump’s authenticity resonates more than his utter lack of substance and character.

I can hear the twang of a Trump supporter now: “That Arnold Palmer schlong story was hilarious; that guy has my vote.”

Fourteen days until the election.

The Stench of JD Vance’s “No”

Since the 2024 VP debate, we’ve all watched JD Vance sidestep whether Trump lost the 2020 election. Most recently, Vance was asked five separate times in the same interview but refused a yes or no answer.

Anyone with an iota of intelligence understands that JD Vance knows Trump lost but was instructed never to say it. Trump won’t allow any of his people to utter the word “loser” when talking about him—he’s too fragile. So, like the good soldier, JD refused to answer, sidestepping more than Al Jolson and Fred Astaire in a game of dodgeball.

Yesterday, Vance got a message from his boss that sidestepping wasn’t cutting it and to fall in line with the election denial. So, when asked AGAIN if Trump lost the 2020 election, he said “No,” which we all know is complete bullshit.

How do we know it’s complete bullshit? Because it’s been almost 4 years since the votes for the 2020 election were tabulated, litigated, and re-tabulated, yielding the same result – an overwhelming victory in the popular vote and electoral college by Joe Biden, with no evidence of vote rigging or cheating, in what the lead Trump election official called the fairest election in a generation and in which Trump’s attorney general called Trump’s assertions of a stolen election “total bullshit.”

Zero evidence that Trump won.

If I were a reporter, I’d follow up with JD Vance and ask why he has refused to answer the question for the last several weeks. Why didn’t he say “No” the first time he was asked? Now that JD Vance has officially joined the Election Deniers club, I would press him to explain precisely why he thinks Trump won. What evidence does he have to come to his conclusion?

It was almost comical watching JD Vance refusing to answer the question about Trump’s 2020 loss because we all understood (to an extent) the Vance Dance – He didn’t want to piss off his boss by being honest, so, sidestep shuffle-shuffle, sidestep, no answer.”

Embracing the lie is anything but comical because it shows us that JD Vance cannot be trusted with the most basic of things: facts, math, counting, and recounting.

If he denies something so clear and definitive, how can he be trusted to be truthful to the American people?

Everyone knows Donald Trump can’t be trusted—that if he loses AGAIN, he’ll refuse to accept the result. Some of us might have had an inkling of hope for Vance—that when faced with basic math that proved he and Trump came out on the short end of the election, he would man up and say, “We lost.” That hope is now gone with his one-word answer, “No,” and it’s the biggest reason to vote against this ticket.

Vance’s election denial is the latest example of the public humiliation by association that anyone close to Trump goes through. The cowardice of simply going along to get along will stick to Vance long after the stench of Trump fades.

Vote blue in 2024.