Oh, yeah. That's got it.

On Tuesday, Trump reacted to news of Iran firing missiles at U.S. forces based in Jordan by telling Fox News correspondent Trey Yingst, “We are going to beat the fucking shit out of them.” Link

Truck this

As I mentioned in my last post, during the Bicentennial, I visited the fantastic Freedom Train, which toured the country as a portable Smithsonian Museum. Unfortunately, we now have a MAGA version.

The Freedom Truck.

In case you were worried, yes, it's full of stupid MAGA revisionist history.

And whitewashing seems to be a consistent theme. On the walls, the display—created by the Hillsdale College’s Matthew Spalding with conservative nonprofit Prager University—made little mention of Native Americans, but did manage to include this passage from the Northwest Ordinance of 1787: “The utmost good faith shall always be observed toward the Indians their lands and property shall never be taken from them without their consent.”

It's really a wonder the vehicle doesn't explode from that level of gaslighting.

Anyway, if you want to read more about this roving tribute to snowflake propaganda, check it out here.

The Bicentennial and Today

I was eleven years old when America celebrated its Bicentennial in 1976. I remember seeing the tour of the tall ships (Operation Sail) on TV and actually visited the American Freedom Train. I remember the Bicentennial quarters. In Northern Indiana we painted our fire hydrants as colonial figures. I remember that at 3PM ET on July 4, millions of people across the country rang bells for a full five minutes. The whole thing made a huge impression on me as I'm sure it did most American kids at the time.

I recognize now that we had many of the same issues then that we still do today. However, we were just past Watergate and the Vietnam War and the Bicentennial Celebration gave some hope that we would move forward from that terrible time. Unfortunately, the Reagan years were ahead.

This year is the Semiquincentennial of the United States and due to partisan interference from the Moron Administration, we've "celebrated" with a bunch of sweaty men beating each other senseless on the White House lawn and the destruction of the Lincoln Memorial reflecting pool by an incompetent lackwit. The "Great American State Fair" on the National Mall has faced cancelled musical concerts and states withdrawing due to Trump's involvement. In short, this is no 1976.

We're also in the middle of a fascist takeover of the U.S., the rolling back of civil rights, concentration camps on American soil, an unnecessary and stupid war in Iran that we lost, and a host of other regressive bullshit that hurts all Americans to the benefit of billionaires.

Not surprisingly, I don't really feel like celebrating July 4 this year.

Special Boy Exempt from Usual Standards

Tonight, Trump disrupted thousands of NY Knicks fans, who had paid a lot of money for tickets, by attending tonight's game at the last minute, delaying entry, creating chaos and causing the cancellation of local watch parties. 

And here's the arrogant, stupid bastard NOT putting his hand over his heart for the National Anthem.

Personally, I don't think I'd feel inclined to put my hand over my heart in our current situation, but I'm not the President. Can you imagine if Biden or Obama had done the same thing? Of course you can, they'd get excoriated by Right Wing Nut Jobs. But Trump gets a pass, as usual.

Hahahahahahahahahahaha!!

Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!!

Brilliant Analysis from the Acting AG

Wow! With insight into the criminal mind like this, it's no wonder Trump fired Pam Bondi to move Todd Blanche into the big chair.

Just amazing.

Punching yourself in the face

As the Trump Administration, and Trump himself, disintegrates before our eyes into chaos, dementia and stupidity, let's look at the latest American business shooting itself in the foot to appease the MAGA hordes.

Philz Coffee is a national chain which started in San Francisco and is known for progressive support, including hanging gay pride flags in its stores. 

Until now.

Philz Coffee, a coffeehouse chain based in San Francisco, is holding firm on its decision to remove all pride flags from its stores nationwide after employees started a petition to reinstate the flags.

In a statement to HuffPost, CEO Mahesh Sadarangani said Thursday Philz “was working toward creating a more consistent, inclusive experience across all our stores, including removing a variety of flags and other decor.”

The pride flag is a symbol of inclusivity and removing it is the OPPOSITE of what they're claiming to do. By "inclusivity" do they mean including MAGA, who don't embrace anything that they consider "woke"? 

Philz should ask Target how bending the knee to right-wing authoritarianism and conservative culture wars worked for them. I haven't been in a Target, previously my go-to store, for over a year and neither have millions of other former customers. Target lost between $12.4 and $20 BILLION dollars in market value due to the boycott.

Usually these decisions are made by some rich right-wing CEO who has been looking for an opportunity to suck up to Trump. It's baffling to me that these businesses would cater to MAGA types, especially now that everything is obviously collapsing,  at the expense of their loyal customers. 

Smells like bad business to me.

Blasphemy ain't what it used to be

Hey, American Christo-fascists, what do you think of this? Your hero posted it last night.

I'm not a believer, but it sure seems to me that this would have been considered blasphemous just a few years ago. I'm also aware that many Christian Trump supporters believe in the "rapture" narrative (not Biblical, it comes from the 19th century). Isn't this exactly the kind of image those same believers used to say belongs to the Anti-Christ?

Of course, I'm not surprised by any of this because Trump is a malignant narcissist with dementia, and his followers are in a cult that worships him. 

There's been a lot of talk about who the guy in the bed is, ranging from Jon Stewart to Jeffrey Epstein. What I want to know is what that hand in the lower right hand corner is up to.

Happy Easter!

Trump's Theory of Governance

At last, his Cabinet picks all become clear.

To clarify one point. NO ONE likes to listen to the boring-ass, meandering, endless screeds of his (imaginary) "success". But he surrounds himself with lickspittles who tolerate it because they are either very stupid or they want power. Usually both.

It's a cult - Example #8,453,280

Not only are Trump's people evil as hell, but they're also really, really dumb.

The Attorney General of the United States, Pam Bondi, recently said this on FOX News:

"Being a citizen in our country is a privilege, not a right. And Donald Trump is going to have everyone in this country who deserves to be here, who is a citizen," Bondi said during a guest appearance on the conservative television network.

JFC. The Pedophile Traitor Donald Fucking Trump does not determine who is a citizen. The Constitution defines who is a citizen and at least 300 million of us are citizens by RIGHT.

I give you the 14th Amendment:

All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside.

It's really that simple.

Now, you could say that Bondi wasn't being stupid here. You could say that she knows the 14th Amendment, but was instead exhibiting her evil side for this particular bit of gaslighting. But I would argue that the dumb part was assuming that any of us would believe her. In fact, even FOX News viewers rejected her statement. (And also, what kind of grammar is she using in this quote?)

It gets said a lot, but particularly in this case, can you imagine MAGA's reaction if someone in the Biden Administration had said that Joe Biden determines who deserves to be a citizen?

These people are just the absolute worst. And also really, really dumb.

Wishy-Washy Goals

I worked for the federal government for 35 years until I retired in December. For federal agencies, one of the issues that comes up every four years is the potential change of priorities a new administration can bring. For most of my career, this wasn't a big problem, as both parties supported my agency's mission. But since Trump 1.0, we suffered from severe policy whiplash every time new people came in, making it difficult to finish any long term projects over my last ten years. We found it frustrating and heartbreaking.

NASA, which especially relies on steady, long term support and firm commitments, is currently undergoing those same wild swings from successive administrations. NASA had finally committed to returning to the moon with the goal of building a permanent manned base and a lunar orbiting station to facilitate moon landings. Unfortunately, that goal has once again shifted.

NASA’s new chief is reshaping the space agency’s goals, unveiling at an event in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday an ambitious vision that includes revamped plans for a moon base.

...

Some other projects announced Tuesday by Isaacman, who took office in December, would have much tighter deadlines, most notably a brand-new nuclear-powered Mars vehicle the agency hopes to launch by 2028 — a lightning-fast timeline in the world of space travel.

This is absolute nonsense. They want to develop, build and launch a Mars vehicle within two years and with their current budget? Ridiculous.

This short-sighted goal changing will just mean more wasted time and money, before someone else in charge decides that those goals are unrealistic and shifts the focus to something else. Without long term vision and commitment to specific achievements, we're going nowhere fast in space.

No one could have foreseen this

Ya know, I'm starting to think it wasn't a good idea to put a demented, ignorant, thin-skinned, sociopath with no impulse control in charge of the world's largest military.

Thanks, MAGA idiots.

The Latest U.S. War (Iran)

Jeff Tiedrich perfectly encapsulates my feelings on the ongoing horror in Iran.

here’s a huge mistake the worthless scribblers of the corporate-controlled press are making right now, as they cover Dear Leader’s Splendid Iran Adventure™: they’re treating Donny as if he were a rational actor who knows what he’s doing.

spoiler alert: he’s not. he’s bugfuck nuts, in steep cognitive decline, and there is no plan. he’s making it all up as he goes along.

I HATE it when people say things like, "I really wish Trump would focus on the economy/healthcare/foreign affairs more than he does immigration." You know what, I don't want him focusing on ANYTHING. He's stupid and crazy and he destroys everything he touches. So no, I don't want him focusing on anything but going to jail/dying/leaving the planet.

Tiedrich lays out his initial reactions to all the insane stuff that's happening, and I agree with it all. Check out his post here:  Captain Crazypants goes to war - by Jeff Tiedrich

Way to go, MAGA! You REALLY nailed supporting the candidate less likely to take us to war. Dipshits.

Hmm. I was not aware of that.

A demented moron, says what?

We'll just put the obligatory "Can you imagine MAGA heads exploding if Presidents Obama or Biden had said that?" right here.

Stock Market Growth in 2025

Since Republicans have been bragging so much about the stock market recently . . .

We're number one! We're number one!

Uh . . . . never mind.

Neediest boy ever needs his binky

This is just an excuse for his warmongering, but clearly demonstrates the broken thinking of the giant diaper baby who squats in the Oval Office.

Trump wants recompense from Denmark for NOT getting the Nobel Peace Prize from the independent Nobel Committee in Norway. And this slight is so big in his eyes that he's quickly moving to destroy NATO because of his infinite, childish need for validation (and Putin's orders). Apparently being gifted a medal he didn't earn isn't enough for him. Nothing ever is for this bloated mass of Big Macs and sociopathy.

In related news, every time I hear or read a story about this, they say that Trump is angry after he was "snubbed" for the prize. This is infuriating.

Trump wasn't SNUBBED. He didn't stop "8 wars PLUS". This warmongering asshole, who has attacked several countries over the past year while his MAGA Gestapo is attacking American citizens and legal immigrants, did not qualify for the prize because of his own sanctioned violence. He deserves the Nobel Peace Prize as much as I deserve an Oscar.

And the idea that he has done more for NATO than any other person is ludicrous.

This is always appropriate: 

How to say you're a fucking moron without actually saying it

The Florida Panthers recently won the top award in whatever sport they play, and so were invited to the White House.

Look at these chuckleheads.

Not a lick of sense among them. They better check to make sure they returned home with the actual Stanley Cup and not a cheap fake.

I'm not sure why, but it reminded me of this, which I'm sure aged really well for these guys, assuming they survived.

Get ready for some stupid shit

Trump is meeting with Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado today. Expect her to give Trump her recently won Nobel Peace Prize in an attempt to flatter him to make her the legitimate President of Venezuela.

Expect Trump to accept it, as if he had really won it, and then do nothing for her.

It's basically a cynical exercise all the way down and should be a humiliation for all concerned.

Happy Veteran's Day

I can't speak of the 19th century Presidents, but there hasn't been one in my lifetime who held those who serve/served their country in the American military in such open disdain.

The Trump administration said Monday that it expects the Department of Veterans Affairs to lose nearly 30,000 employees by October due to a mix of resignations, early retirements and attrition amid a hiring freeze.

The agency said the mass exodus would “eliminat[e] the need for a large-scale reduction-in-force,” or RIF, which was expected to cut the agency’s headcount by as much as 80,000. The administration appears to have recognized that the prospect of a RIF has alarmed many veterans who rely on the VA for their care and raised concerns even among Republican lawmakers.  Link

Lovely. But at least billionaires got a tax cut, right?