No Kings Rally

We were watching some of the coverage of the No Kings rallies, and one of the shots was an aerial view of the Boston rally.  I thought there weren’t all that many people, and then the camera pulled back.  What I thought was the rally was just a small portion of the people.  Holy cow!

And the one of Minneapolis?  Did you ever see one of those ant swarms when thousands of then come pouring out.  From the air, it looked like a gigantic–and I mean gigantic–ant swarm.  And did you ever put your hand into one of those ant swarms?  Individually they aren’t very big, but those suckers can bite.

The demonstration in Jim Thorpe had approximately 250, not bad for Carbon County.  My sign, “Trump makes me nostalgic for Richard Nixon” received some approval.

My friend Bill sent me one that I will use at the next rally, however.  It will say “Flip us off if you voted for a pedophile.”  Perfect.

What's happening in Cuba...and No Kings

Finally the Times had a front page article today about people dying in Cuba because of the U.S. imposed blockade.  Why is my country doing this?  Who approved this?  What is the point?  We have gone so far down the road to authoritarianism that we are there.

Which is why I will be at the No Kings rally tomorrow, along with millions of other Americans.  We have got to turn this around.

My sign will say:  “Trump makes me nostalgic for Richard Nixon.”

Added comment:  In a meme from my friend Bill I saw the suggestion that if Trump adds his name to the dollar bill, you could take a Sharpie and cross it off.  They did that to the Epstein files.  It is called “redacting.”  

That Pete Hegseth is a fighter

Unfortunately, he is fighting the New York Times.  Last Friday a federal judge ordered the Pentagon to allow the press into Pentagon briefings.  Hegseth was angry at what he thought was critical coverage, so he had kicked out reporters from newspapers and tv stations he didn’t like.  He did admit Laura Loomer, the pillow guy, and some right-wing podcasters.  The judge told him he could not do that.  

He then decided to hold press briefings outside the main Pentagon building and all journalists seeking entrance to the Pentagon must have an escort. 

The New York Times is going back into court.  Now if only Hegseth could win the war with Iran.

Two Republican Presidents Speak

When people are dishonorable in private business, they injure only those with whom they deal or their own chances in the next world.  But when there is a lack of honor in government, the morals of the whole people are poisoned.

-Herbert Hoover

In world opinion and in world effectiveness, the United States is measured by the moral firmness of its public officials.

-Dwight D. Eisenhower

Amendments needed

Jill Lepore, a history professor at Harvard, notes that we haven’t amended the Constitution since 1971.  [OK, in 1992 we did add a clause that Congress couldn’t raise its own salaries, but that doesn’t really count since it was proposed on Sept. 25, 1789.  I am not kidding–look it up.]

Lepore says that the Constitution needs to be more flexible that it is.  Or, as Gouverneur Morris, the man who wrote the Preamble to the Constitution, said:  “Nothing human can be perfect.  Surrounded by difficulties, we did the best we could; leaving it with those who should come after us to take counsel from experience, and exercise prudently the power of amendment.”

Here are a few suggestions:

overturn the Citizens United decision

term limits on federal judges

limit the presidential pardon power

include a penalty for violating the emolument clause

allow naturalized citizens to be President

remove presidential immunity for illegal but “official” acts 

strengthen the War Powers Act

insure that 2/3rds of Congress must approve changes to national landmarks

I got more.

Who is telling the truth?

Don’t think about the question I’m about to ask.  Just give your immediate reaction.  

If Trump said the U.S. had started negotiations with Iran, and the Iranian foreign minister said no negotiations were happening, which one would you believe?

I thought so. 

Profiles in Courage

Every year the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation presents Profiles in Courage awards.  This year one award went to Federal Reserve chairman Jerome Powell for standing up to Trump and maintaining the independence of the Federal Reserve Bank.

The other award went to the people of the Twin Cities for their work in protecting their neighbors from the Immigration and Customs Enforcement goons.

Both awards were deserved and so much better than that silly FIFA prize that looked like it came out of a Cracker Jack box.