Saturday, More than 3,000 "No Kings" Rallies Will Draw Out the Largest Protest in American History

And what will be accomplished?  

I certainly don't think this is a waste of time and effort, since I'll be joining in myself.  I think it is important to show support by showing up, one more of millions of Americans who see that Trump is trying to destroy this country's long standing democratic republic by subverting its constitution with his own will, while a do-nothing Congress lets him.  

The question in the opening paragraph is not merely rhetorical.  We've had fifteen months of a President ignoring the Constitution, doing as he pleases and a Congress that isn't exercising the balance of power they have to hold him in check.  We also have had a Supreme Court that, with a totally unconstitutional immunity ruling, perpetuated this insanity.  These marches and rallies need to do more than just get big turnouts, and give prominent and entitled politicians a speaking platform.  They need to make themselves felt among Republican members of Congress and the conservative members of the Supreme Court, in a way that robs them of their political security and puts them on edge as the mid-term elections approach. 

Oh, and About the Mid-Terms

The Republicans already know, they are going to lose big.  And so they are working as hard as they can on ways to prevent votes being counted for Democratic candidates.  We know this.  It happened in 2024, when they deliberately targeted the swing states and there is massive evidence they cheated to cost Harris an election she would have won otherwise.  It wasn't just voter suppression, there were multiple precincts in which voting machines were programmed to reduce her vote total.  We know this because those seven states were the only places where down ballot Democrats outperformed Harris.  

There were plenty of warnings and plenty of pleas to challenge the results, but all of the "no mass voter fraud" rhetoric spin by Democrsts had  them backed into a corner.  So no one did anything about it.  

It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out they are going to try and steal this election in every way they can.  Anyone who follows this knows that's a fact.  They are even telling us how they are going to do it.  The response I see is, "Tsk, Tsk, Tsk, they're going to cheat."  And no one doing anything to prepare, prevent or put a stop to it.  If we lose, it will be our fault for letting it happen.  

We can turn out millions for a march or protest, but we can't find enough people willing to make sure the Republicans can't cheat?  And maybe there are people keepng an eye on this, and if so, and it appears to be something effective, please let me know because I need reassurance and I am not seeing anything reassuring.  

What Will Change After Saturday? 

Nothing.  

We are 0 for seven or eight now in terms of success versus the number of rallies and marches and protests that have been held.  I'm sure Trump notices, as do those around him, but it has no effect at all.  In fact, I think he gets mad and plans to do something outrageous as a result, just to get back in the face of the protesters.  

I'm not sure that the political principle of percentate of the population it takes to engage in protest to bring about change works in this case.  When the founding fathers, and succeeding government leaders, put the means in the Constitution to remove ineffective, corrupt demagogues from office, they depended on everyone having common sense and they couldn't imagine the amount of money used to bribe members of Congress to do nothing about it.  

What we need is to put enough serious public pressure on a minority of Republican members of Congress to see this for what it is and impeach and remove Trump from office.  They need to see that if they don't, they are going to lose their perky job.  They need to know that the American people mean business.  The rhetoric needs to go beyond lauding the virtues of Democracy to what's going to happen electorially in November to Republicans in marginal districts who are going to be fired.  

When looking at what kind of turnouts it takes to make political change occur, I think action speaks louder than words.  These rallies need to show up at the doorsteps of Congressional offices everywhere, conduct impromptu town halls and they need to focus on registering every eligible voter in some of these districts where Republicans get less than 25% of the support, but win because of apathy.  

I go because I want to see change, and I'm involved because I believe my voice counts.  So collectively, let's find the most effective way to apply the necessary pressure to make the necessary changes.

In the Middle of Chaos, America Needs Sensible Leaders, and the Democratic Party has Several

One of the biggest personal disappointments I am experiencing as the primaries unfold for the 2026 midterms is that my party, the Democratic party, does not seem to be departing from the "politics as usual" approach to the issues at hand that has cost them the White House and control of Congress more than once in recent years.  The emails and texts I get appealing for contributions are taking on a tone and appearance of self-interest, not focused on the danger at hand.  It makes me want to ask these people, "Do you really believe that Trump is an existential threat to American Democracy, or is this just a game you play to acquire money and keep your seat?"  

Of course, I want to do everything one person, one voter, can do to help the chances of Democrats in the mid-term elections.  My contribution is a sacrificial one for me, so I want it to go where it will count the most.  

Election season is when eyes focus on flashy candidates, those who have elevated themselves to the higher level of recognition in party politics mainly because they have excellent PR people who get the media to cover their every move.  I look past the flash, and I look at the words and actions of those who are fighting against this Presidential administration in real ways that are cutting deep and having an effect, and are, in every way possible, defeating Trump at every turn.  I've lached on to several leaders in our party who are speaking the truth, fighting and resisting in effective ways, and whose words resonate with me regarding what is at the very core of what's wrong, and how to fix it.  

Arizona Senator Mark Kelly

Attacked directly by this incompetent President, Senator Kelly was given a platform and he fought back, and won.  He did not look to PACs or big donors to finance his legal battle, he let his campaign fund raisers do that for him.  He was on solid ground, both with regard to military regulations and the Constitution, he knew it, and he used it to get the win.  Beyond the issue of his warning to miitary personnel not to follow illegal orders, he has provided insights and plans as to how to keep protecting American Democracy, and to stop Trump. 

Listen to this man.  He knows, and desires to protect, the Constitution, and is an advocate for the people who elected him.  I'm amazed that my home state that has been politically backward for so long was finally able to put two Senators in office who are provding intelligent, effective leadership like Ruben Gallego and Mark Kelly, but they've finally got enough support to get it done.  They are both the kind of leaders we need, and at this particular point, following his victory, Senator Kelly is speaking out, speaking the truth and providing leadership out of the miasma of chaos that we are experiencing.  There is no conciliation here, no compromise, no backing down.  

Hs wife, former Representative Gabby Giffords, was one of the first outspoken, intelligent, effective elected officials ever to represent Arizona in the House, which is why there was an assassination attempt on her.  And her support is another reason why Senator Kelly is so effective.  We really need to consider ussing party resources to put this man in position to run for President, because he needs to be in elective office, not some cabinet position.  And he would ignore standard protocol and push past the cumbersome delays and dawdles of political movement to get things done.  

Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders

Senator Sanders tells the truth about why America  is in the fix that it is now in.  And the reason why some Democrats turn him off or dismiss him is because they are wealthy, and he is a threat to their personal financial status which is why they are weak concilators when it comes to their politics.  

We really made a mistake when we failed to nominate him for President in 2016.  Hindsight has showed us clearly that America wasn't ready for a woman President, and that the equally high disapproval that Hillary shared with Trump wasn't going to be overcome enough to put her in the White House.  Bernie doesn't deviate from his theme, because it rests on facts that the middle class in this country is being bankrupted by the accumulation of wealth among the one percenters.  His solutions are workable and would be highly effective.  His understanding of basic human rights enumerated in the Constitution can't be challenged.  

I can't help but think how different things would be now if Senator Bernie Sanders had been the Democratic party's Senate leaader during most of the time Schumer has occupied that position.  We would have ended a lot of the nonsense we now must endure.

Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg 

We need to take advantage of this man's leadership and put him in position to serve in elected office, and I wouldn't mind seeing him in the Presidency.  Set aside his personal life, including his sexuality, like the whole Evangelical right does with Trump, and pay attention to this man's words and his plans.  He's probably one of the best spokespersons for the left that we have.  

He's the kind of guy who brings people with divergent opinions together and gets them to understand how to work with each other instead of against each other.  He's the kind of person who can see the flaws in bad plans and can find solutions to make things work.  Check out the stats about the effectiveness of his direction of the Department of Transportation, though his articulate manner of laying out the facts is the biggest favor he is doing for the opposition to Trump right now.  

Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear

A left-leaning governor in a deep red state is a statement.  Mainly it's a statement about how to use voter turnout to win elections.  And it's also a statement about the difference between those who are conservative politically, and those who are Trumpers.  

Being a governor involves serving the people and that's why Beshear has been so successful.  He has accomplished something more Democrats need to learn how to accomplish, and that is how to stay in power and get things done on  their behalf that the other party wouldn't do.  The bottom line is that Beshear has managed to put in place a lot of programs and services that a Republican run state would never do because there's been a connection with a majority of the population that transcends the political labels.  And he uses his high profile popularity to pressure Republicans who are afraid of losing their own seats if they cross him.  

I would be very comfortable with Beshear moving into a bigger role in the national spotlight of the Democratic party, perhaps even as a Pesidential or Vice-Presidential candidate. 

Illinois Governor J. B. Pritzker

Illinois has resisted so many attempts by this administration to vent the President's anger over the fact that he is not only not popular here, but that he is ignored and the state does exactly the opposite of what he wants.  His ICE brigade was ousted, defeated, and sent packing, along with the national guard he tried to call out based on a lie about crime rates in Chicago.  He's been called out as a liar and exposed time after time by a governor who calls his bluff because he knows when Trump is confronted, he backs down.   

It may be quite a contest to see, between Governors Pritzker and Newsom, who gets Trump to back down more often, but these two definitely need to get together and do some coordination of effort.  This is a governor who listens to advice from experts and works for the benefit of the people.  His opponents keep bringing up the tax rates in Illinois and claim Pritzker has done nothing about it and they'll never listen to the facts which prove otherwise.  Taxes are down for most Illinoisans as a result of this governor's policies.  Look it up.  

Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro

Pennsylvania's legislature has finally emerged from a nightmare with a Democratic majority in both houses and under the leadership of Governor Shapiro.  He is an example of the kind of courage and bold risk-taking that Democrats have sorely missed in Washington since 2016.  

When the people are served by their government, they tend to vote to keep it that way, and since 2024, it's become clear that Democrats, largely as a result of Shapiro's leadership, are moving ahead from an electoral perspective.  Pennsylvania  appears to be one of several states poised to elect a majority Democrat delegation to the House of Representatives because of Shapiro's handling of the state legislature.  

Democrats Who Don't Fold

These are the best examples right now of the kind of leadership the Democratic party will need in order to repair the damage being done to this country by Trump.  They draw lines and don't budge, there's no compromise.  I have no doubt that, if given the chance, any of these people would have taken every step possible to make sure that Trump never had a second chance at the White House.  They're the kind of politicians who would break that stupid filibuster in a second and then pack the court with judges who know, love, respect and are willing to enforce the Constitution.  

Any one of these individuals is capable of serving as an effective President of the United States.  

Fixing What's Broken Will Take Time, Political Risks, Bold and Courageous Politicians and Popular Support

The best opportunity we had to make sure that a demagogue like Trump couldn't get to the White House and cause all of the havoc we are seeing now was frittered away by the Justice Department between 2020 and 2024, and by a Democratic controlled Congress between 2021 and 2023.  It does no good to soft-pedal crititicm of those who did not do what they could have done during that period of time.  It needs to be acknowledged, or we are kidding ourselves and we won't save American Democracy from the danger that it is in.  

I've been listening to the rhetoric for years now, telling me that Trump is the greatest threat to American Democracy that we have ever seen.  He proved that to be true every single day.  But the words of those who say this do not match their actions.  And that's not a "right wing talking point," because there is nothing right wing about me at all.  It's a simple observation.  They had four years, four years, to prosecute the crimes Trump committed while President, especially the insurrection and the theft of classified documents, and I'm not one who buys the bunk about the process being slowed down by all of the legal maneuvers Trump's attorneys made.  

Democrats controlled the Justice Department.  And some of the most respected and knowledgeable attorneys we have in this country have outlined exactly how the DOJ could have cut through all of that nonsense and expidited the trials.  Frankly, knowing how the legal system works in this country on behalf of the wealthy, and against the rest of us, I was shocked that they even got indictments.  The only explanation for why this did not happen is either incompetence of the attorney general--and I buy that one right away--combined with the fact that President Biden, fearing that this might look "political" never put the weight of the Presidency behind it.  

Well, in hindsight, that's a black mark on his administration.  I saw the men he surrounded himself with, and whose advice he sought, and the relationships he valued and they were not among those Democrats who saw this as a genuine threat to Democracy.  They looked at it like politics as usual, and so did the President.  Look at what they did, and it's abvious.  They slow walked it, allowing the cumbersome delays and interminable motion filings to go unchallenged, failing to use the power they had to expidite the process.  They criticized those who pointed out that a threat like Trump deserved pulling out all of the stops and using the power they had to stop him, and the end result was exactly what we are dealing with now.  

What Could They Have Done? 

I consider myself a progressive Democrat, and I was listening to progressive Democrats who have had a solid handle on the Trump threat from even before he took his ride down the escalator to announce his candidacy.  They've known, and pointed out, his intellectual inadequacy, moral bankruptcy, lack of integrity, the fact that every word that comes out of his mouth is a lie, his cheating in business, lawbreaking and insanity for decades.  

These Democrats, without whom President Biden could not have been elected, laid it out.  Launch the investigation with a special counsel on day one.  Start a Congressional investigation, which happened, not really in a timely manner.  Break the Senate filibuster in order to pack the Supreme Court and nullify the conservative majority to start the process of overturning their ridiculous rulings, including Citizens United and Presidential immunity.  Have the DOJ expidite the trials by putting a judge in charge of the cases who would have handled nothing else, and made quick rulings on the objections.  

Watergate was resolved in lesss than two years.  The fact that these much worse, and much more dangerous scandals did not get resolved in four years is a political failure, and there's nothing else to say.  

Even without a packed Supreme Court, legal experts from Jill Wine-Banks to Barbara McQuade, to Joyce Vance to Eric Holder all say that the DOJ could have pushed this through to verdicts long before Trump had a chance to officially announce for 2024, and even if he had, they could still continue to prosecute.  There are already multiple books out on the market about it, including The Jack Smith Report that supports these claims.  

Had this been done, Trump would be in prison, not the White House. So I'll leave the question open, then.  Why wasn't it done, if those involved believed that Trump really was an existential threat to American Democracy? 

If American Democracy is to be Saved, Then There Can Be No More Old School Politics, Also Known as Backing Down

Most of what needs to be done will have to wait until Democrats win the 2028 Presidential election.  I think that may be in the cards, as long as the Democrats nominate someone who is a progressive with some distance from the old school.  We need smart moves, not conciliation or compromise, if and when we get a Congressional majority.  The filibuster must go, and the first move that a Democratic President needs to make in 2029, on DAY ONE is to be given the ability to pack that damn Supreme Court.  

And as a progressive court overturns every ruling the conservative court made, Congress needs to pass legislation replacing all of those things.  First on the list is campaign finance reform, and the elimination of PACs, going back to strict limits on dollar amounts that can be made by individuals, and eliminating business contributions altogether.  Nothing less than that will solve the problem.  

No more Citizens United.  In fact, I'd cap campaign contributions at $5,000 per individual taxpayer, and restrict candidates to that same limit on contributing to their own campaign.  That's it.  No corporate or business contributions, no PACs, every candidate including the President must campaign on grass roots contributions of $5,000 or less.  

We need to change the qualifications for those who run for public office or serve in the cabinet, which would require amending the Constitution.  It needs to be done.  Along with this, legislation needs to be passed which strengthens the enforcement of the rights of states to conduct their own elections as they see fit.  This is already a constitutional requirement, but sometimes people need to be reminded of what the Constitution says.  And politicians sometimes have to be forced to follow the law.

And I think, at the top of the list would be the requirement that members of congress, the cabinet, and the President cannot be convicted felons and serve in office.  

An educated electorate is essential for the preservation of Democracy, according to Thomas Jefferson.  This Jeffersonian principle must be carried out in a nationalized public education system.  Local control of schools means that local ignorance prevents education.  And that's the observation of a veteran educator with 40 years of experience in the business.  Education must take place in this country in an environment in which the government supports and provides what a country as prosperous as the United States should provide, and it must be on the state's side of the wall that separates it from the church. 

A free press is also essential to the preservation of Democracy.  What that means is that corporate ownership of media outlets, including all radio, television, internet and newspaper sources should be ended.  We used to have regulations limiting the ownership of multiple newspapers, radio stations and television stations in any specific market.  We need a free press and the government must facilitate that with regulation that evens the playing field and removes the corporate media bias.  

There are a whole lot of other laws we must consider as well, such as expanding affordable health care into a nationalized healthcare and removal of profit making finance systems, or putting in a $20 per hour federal minimum wage, and taxing windfall profits.  But that's a different agenda.  We need this in order to stop the potential of a bought and paid for dictator running the US from the Presidency.  It's time to reign the orange headed monster in, and put a stop to this clown show.    

  

Oh, But For the Wisdom of James Madison and Thomas Jefferson on the Separation of Church and State

The United States would not have survived as a nation, had it not been for the wisdom of these two founding fathers when it came to understanding the need for the complete separation of church and state, and for the absolute necessity of making it a constitutional principle directly related to the freedom of conscience and of placing religious practice in a separate category from politics where, even though Christianity would excercise considerable influence, it would not have the power to drag the nation into disaster.  

This is one of the reasons why America is a great nation, and does not need to be made great "again."  

Christianity, when it was accorded the political power of the state under Constantine, became the cause around which some of the bloodiest and deadly events in human history was centered.  Most instruction in world history in the United States is too biased to acknowledge this fact, or teach the truth about it.  It is soft-peddaled, passed over, ignored and in many cases, what is taught is an outright lie.  It is, in  fact, almost impossinle to name a war or a season of war that did not have Christianity as the catalyst behind it.  

Ignorance ravaged the European continent, ignorance caused by the church's perpetuation of a society based on an aristocratic order of human beings, an anti-Biblical philosophy that denies one of the core truths claimed by Christians found in Genesis 1:27.  It's difficult to compare the damage done to human existence by religion, it is by far the main cause of the violence and war that the culture has witnessed over the 2,000 years since Jesus introduced the gospel.  But compared to other world religions, Christianity is certainly no less violent, cruel, misguided or contrary to its own principles that Islam or Hunduism or Buddhism.  

People Came to America to Escape Religious Persecution, and Then, They Persecuted Each Other on the Basis of Religion

Jefferson, Madison and the other founding fathers had a front seat from which to observe religious persecution in America, perpetrated by those who belonged to the dominant religious majority on the minority.  The Puritans in Massachusetts did not tolerate any divergent beliefs, eliminating their perceived enemies by controlling the magistrates and making doctrinal differences and preaching without the state's permission a crime.  As a result, dissenters were driven out of the colony, the most notable being the Baptists who established Rhode Island for their own religious liberty.   

Catholics persecuted in Protestant England came to Maryland to escape the torment, only to be subject to Protestants who were just as cruel as those in England had been.  And it was Madison's observation of the treatment of Baptists in Virginia at the hands of the state Anglican church, that prompted him to write the establishment clause into the first amerndment.  Even with these things written into the law, Baptists were concerned that the denominations and churches with the biggest influence would dominate and control the government.  In his Letter to the Danbury Baptist Association of Connecticut,Thomas Jefferson used the phrase "wall of separation" to assure the Baptists that their religious consciences were protected by the first amendment establishment clause. 

The history of Christianity in America is also rife with violence, conflict and hatred.  The walls between denominations and churches in this country are based on everything from which Bible translation in English is the "preserved word of God in English" to whether sprinkling, dunking or pouring is the right way to baptize someone.  Baptists and Catholics experienced persecution.  So did the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, some of whose leadership was martyred defending the beliefs of their conscience.  

And when given the opportunity to do so, those peaceful, pioneering Latter Day Saints, or Mormons, turned on the United States and rebelled against the authority of the federal government, dressing as Native Americans and attacking wagon trains travelling across Utah to California.  One particularly brutal massacre involve the murder, by axe, of over 125 settlers in a wagon train, known as the Mountain Meadow Massacre.  

The Christian nationalist country envisioned by the Heritage Foundation and conservative Evangelicalism would be as violent and deadly as the Hundred Years War.  Their interpretation of the Bible is skewed beyond recognition when it comes to the practice of the values of the Christian gospel.  They prefer an Old Testament perspective where a vengeful god orders the murder of his enemies.  That's anti-Christian, demonic and evil, but it's the doctrine in which they have wrapped themselves.  And even with church-state separation that most Americans do not understand, or of which they are just ignorant, it's hard enough to hold the line.  How bad would it be if we didn't have that very clear Constitutional principle they can do nothing about.  

It's not hard to see at all where we would be if we did not have this constitutional protection.  Just listen to the rherotic spewed from conservative Evangelical pulpits.  They seethe with hate.  Everyone is their enemy.  They would justify not only murder, but cruel, painful, violent murder, claiming it was done on God's instruction.  

Hopefully we can outlast this push to nullify the Constition and bow down to an idol.  

Eye-Rolling Rhetoric From the Pseudo-Christian Evangelical Cult on the Iran War

Salon: The Ancient Prophecy About the Iran War is a Modern Invention 

Let's make one thing crystal clear at the beginning of this discussion.  Trump is not God's chosen instrument for anything.  He is the Antichrist, the epitome of evil, doing the work of Satan.  That is the only Biblically supported conclusion that can be discerned from the scripture that is consistent with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  Even for those who don't really express a belief in the spiritual side of Christianity, an academic study of the Bible would lead to this conclusion.  There are no parallels that can be drawn, becausee the culture of the times in which the Old Testament was written no longer exists, and cannot be made applicable in a culture that is four thousand years distant.  

Trump is not just an unrepentant sinner, or a "baby Christian" as some call him.  He's not a Christian at all, having publicly denied any accepted  Christian conversion experience in favor of believing in his own god, according to his own words.  His narcissism, at any rate, would never allow him to submit to  the Holy Spirit in the way that Christians teach conversion, and he has happily and openly denied any such submission, or, even that he has committed sin.  

If one accepts that the Biblical record is accurate in its representation and revelation of the nature of God, then  it is not possible to make the claim that "God sometimes uses fallen people to achieve his will" in the way that it is applied by those who try to make it fit Trump.  The culture and society in which the Old Testament was written, and to which it applied, is long, long gone, and under the new covenant, established under Jesus the Christ, faith is an influence likened to salt and light, not to the power wielded by a single leader.  That was only for the protection of Ancient Israel, which no longer exists.  It's a theocratic rule that God hasn't offered to anyone else since then.  

So in spite of claims to the contrary, there is no Biblical evidence or  reason for Trump to bear a title of "God's annointed."  He doesn't qualify anyway, since repentance is a requirement, and he openly denies ever having felt the need to do that.  The only god he believes in is the idol he's made out of himself, and his worship of money.  

Christian Dispensational Pre-Millenialism is False Doctrine

One of the first differences I discovered between the academic study of the Bible in a Christian Doctrines class in college, and what I had been taught in the church in which I grew up was that the "end times," as described by my Sunday School teachers and pastor was not consistent with what the gospel writers in the New Testament, or the Book of Revelation for that matter, said about "the end of the age."  Other than a few general allusions, there is no specific "Armageddon calendar" that can be discerned from anywhere in the New Testament, or the book of Daniel, which often accompanies this kind of pretend prophecy.  

It takes changing the standards for interpreting the Bible to come to a dispensationalist interpretation that includes end times calendars and events that are "signs of the times."  None of the events pointed to as signs by dispensationalists fits the specific circumstances written in the New Testament.  It's all sheer projection.  The prophetic predictions of the New Testament come to an abrupt end in 70 CE, with the Roman destruction of Jerusalem.  In fact, it really ends with John's writing of Revelation prior to that time, because the evidence is clear that he wrote it before then.  

If Revelation had been written after 70 CE, by John the Apostle, then he would not have failed to include a narrative of the destroyed Temple, which Jesus predicted, in his presence, just thirty years before.  I do not think John would have missed recording the evidence of the accuracy of Jesus' prophecy.  We do not have the complete historical record of events that occurred between Jesus' resurrection and the destruction of the Temple, so there is no way to confirm or deny that all of those events leading up to 70 CE didn't happen.  My guess is that they did. 

Most conservative Evangelicals will tell you that the "rapture," which is an event in which Christians are supposed to be physically lifted into heaven, is recorded as prophecy in the book of Revelation.  The word doesn't apprear anywhere in the Bible,  and it would be extremely difficult to draw the conclusion that this is some kind of future event from what few references there are to anything similar, because the verses that are used, in Thessalonians, are a historical reference, not a prophecy.  This is actually a doctrine that did not appear in Christianity until the 1800's, and its proclaimer, James Darby, has no credibility, nor any accurate Biblical interpretation to use as evidence to support his claim.  

But American Christians seem to be prone to believing false prophets when it comes to "end times" doctrine.  There'a a long history of believing frauds when it comes to the "rapture" and the second coming and the end times.  And the whole modern doctrine of premillenial dispensationalism is a colossal fraud perpetrated mostly on conservative Evangelicals who don't know how to interpret the Bible or understand its history and context.  

So Let's Set the Record Straight 

You will not find anything in the Bible that is prophetic, or which indicates in any way the inevitability of the current war in Iran, or that it has anything to do at all with the return of Christ or anyone's end times Armageddon calendar.  The last Biblical prophecy, which is found in the book of Revelation, was fulfilled in history shortly after the establishment of the Christian church in Jerusalem.  There are no future events left to be fulfilled, and what we have in the Bible is a historical reference to the founding of the Christian church, and the principles of theology and doctrine which define its practice.  

Even for those who take the Bible seriously as an inspired, self-revelation give by God's inspiration, there can't be any literal application of a text that was not written to be more than inspiration, information and a word of caution to those who were its original audience.  Yes, it does define Christian doctrine, reveals the core teaching of the Christian gospel and establishes the parameters for the existence and ministry of the Christian church.  But it does not provide a list of events leading up to the end of the world, or the second coming of Christ.  Jesus himself declared that such was not available. 

More than anything else I could say, this is an absolute proof of why the separation of Church and statte is an absolute necessity in a democratic constitutional republic.  And that is to protect the American people and their nation from the destruction its enemies, including these pseudo-Christian cults of conservative Evangelicals, are trying to achieve.   

It's Primary Season, and Candidates Are Asking Me For My Money, and My Vote. Here's How to Get Both.

When it comes to both voting, and contributing, as an American citizen, lifelong Democrat, and a college history and secondary education major, with a minor in English to teach, and a Master's that includes plenty of what was called "Civics" and Constitutional principles coursework, I'm an easy mark. I've voted in every Presidential election, midterm, and off-year election since 1976, when I became eligible to vote exactly two days before the registration deadline.  

I probably made some people mad by taking my sweet time in the voting booth on election day.  No computers back then, the "machine" was a small blue table with a place to insert the ballot and mark with the pencil provided, which was a standard #2 lead on the same kind of scantron form schools use for tests.  I made sure I voted for everything on the ballot.  I'd have voted "straight ticket Democrat" if that had been provided but rules in that state at the time didn't allow it.  

I can't tell you how much I have contributed to campaigns, a lot of it on the local level, or to the party itself, over the years.  It's not a large amount, about a fourth of what I give to charitable causes.  But I take satisfaction in the fact that all of those contributions added together--well, you know how that works.  

Well, that's who I am.  I'm still a Democrat, and I still contribute, though after 2024, I stopped the party contribution, and I am being far more selective about the candidates to whose campaigns I contribute.  Having a [D] next to the name, even in a general election does not always mean I will mark the ballot on that line, like I once felt obligated to do, but I may choose to leave it blank for various reasons.  In fact, I did this during the last general election in which I voted, and felt good about it.  Keep that in mind. 

So, A Candidate Wants My Vote, Huh?  Let Me Provide Some Insights

The most disappointing election, for me, in terms of what I thought I got out of it from the Democrats I supported, was 2020.  We got rid of Trump, though it wasn't easy, and his attempts to subvert the Constitution, which should have triggered an immediate response and instantaneous work by Congress, with a sitting Democratic President, to not only undo the damage, but to put safeguards and precautions in place that the pervious four years, and the few months between the election and the inauguration, proved to be absolutely necessary.  

And I'll answer the inevitable question, "So what could we have done?"  

A bold, forward looking Senate Majority Leader would have begun taking steps to change the Senate rules, including destruction of the undemocratic, archaic, idiotic filibuster, to pave the way for amending the Judiciary act to create five, six,, seven, new seats on the Supreme Court.  This is what a majority of Democrats clearly wanted, there had been plenty of conversation  about it and five new Biden-appointed judges could have made quick work of any future Trump problems. 

They could have overturned Citizens United and the stupid Presidential Immuity rules they created specifically for Trump.  They could have expidited his trials for all of the indictments that were eventually handed down and they could have simply swept corrupt federal judges like Aileen Cannon out of the way, taking the cases themselves and nullifying the delaying tactics.  Once Jack Smith finished his investigation, a quick trial and boom, Trump is in prison and ineligible to run.  

The objection to that, from the old liner, old school, old heads was, "But that would look too political!"

And take a poll and find out who cares.  I don't. 

The good ole boys love their filibuster and the objection to ending it, the one that mattered most, came from President Biden himself.  That does not diminish his record or reputation, as far as I am concerned, but it's old line, old fashioned thinking.  And old line politics has proven disastrously inadequate in protecting American Democracy.  

So my vote, and my money, will not support a candidate who can't see the future, and is more interested in preserving some kind of non-existent status quo in government than in taking steps by which they might risk their ability to be re-elected in some cases.  If getting re-elected takes priority over doing what's right, or over bold moves to keep up with the changes in politics, then do not expect my vote, or my campaign contribution.  

When it became clear that nothing was going to be done beyond the painstakingly slow, cumbersome way that our juestice and legal system has developed, and that the incompetent and inept attorney general we had at the time was just going to sit and collect salary while doing less than zero about it, I began making changes in my support and where my vote was going.  I narrowed my priorities, atopped every monthly contribution, including what I had been giving for decades to the DNC, and narrowed my focus.  

Endorsements That I Value

If Bernie Sanders or Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez put their label of approval on someone in my state or district, they get my vote.  They are consistent, realistic, and their politics hits at the very heart of what has gone wrong with American Democracy.  If either one of them says something that doesn't sound like it's in the ballpark, at least in my perception, I check it out and discover why, and there's always a good reason, or something that I didn't consider.  The fact that neither of them just blanket endorses anything gives them credibility.  They get it.  

My former monthly DNC gift now goes to Leaders We Deserve.  This is the organization led by David Hogg, and he is impressive.  I can't say enough about his leadership, his bold risk-taking, because he says things that are true and doesn't hold back when it comes to whom it may offend, including Democratic Party leaders.  He's going to get a nice, strong slate of young leaders elected in November, and they may very well be the people who are the bold risk takers we've needed for a couple of generations now.

Right now, I'm contributing to one political candidate for office, and he's not running in my state, so sadly, I can't vote for him.  Zach Shrewsbury is the best choice to replace long time do-nothing, ineffective, inept Shelly Moore-Capito, in West Virginia, if she manages to get re-nominated, since there appears to be opposition to that.  No wonder.  She's never represented or taken any interest in the people of West Virginia, beyond what she and her husband can get out of them.  This one may not be as much of a long shot as some people might think.  In all the time she has spent in the Senate, Capito-Moore is a zero when it comes to putting forth legislation, period, much less to help the people of her state.  She is not one of those people.  She lives there, off of them, not in any kind of helpful way.  

He, on the other hand, is a real West Virginian who understands he is running to represent a state where economic hard times have gotten more desperate than ever, because of the Republicans who have represented it.  The last time anyone from West Virginia in Congress did anything for their state, it was a cooperative effort between President Biden and Senator Manchin to save the only emergency room and hospital in one of the poorer, coal-minisg counties.  Shrewsbury is from deep in the heart of coal country, a Marine Veteran who has made providing flood and poverty relief his career.  

My governor, J. D. Pritzker, uses his endorsements sparingly, to help team-build effective political service, and he is the best in the nation at doing so.  Fund raising appeals from him are virtually non existent, though he does ask for my vote, and he's getting it, along with anyone else he thinks would do a good job in Congress.  Governor Pritzker is the kind of person who gets things done.  Some Democrats seem to be kind of timid about moiving forward without bipartisan support, and perhaps there was a day and time when that was necessary, or politically prudent, but I'm of the opinion now that if the GOP just dissolved, it would not be missed.  

So It's Not Hard to Get my Vote and My Contribution

As a teacher and school administrator, I appreciate people who use their education, not who set it aside and chase conspiracy theories.  And I do not see the endless cycle of running for congress, raising money, running for congress, raising money as being productive.  Some of the most successful members of Congress, the cabinet, the Presidency, in this country's history chose to serve a single term and did not consider their office as personal family property or an entitlement, because it belongs to we, the people, not to the office holder.  Career politicians don't impress me.  A career politician couldn't ever do what I do and succeed at it.. 

I must confess to a little bit of religious bigotry.  Having been raised in a conservative, Evangelical church and denomination, and seeing where the influence of most of these people have led us, I have trouble casting a ballot for a conservative Evangelical, or a Mormon or a Catholic who doesn't move in progressive Democratic party circles.  Generally, this is not a problem because even the Democrats who are Evangelical--and there are some--are genuinely Christian, not the pseudo-Christian variety like the Heritage Foundation clowns who run the GOP.   

I'm open to campaign persuasion.  Let the election season come and may it produce a Democratuc majority.  

No One Is Really Going to Try and Stop This

At this point in my life, I need to start putting some real thought and energy into what these last years will look like, and into how to try and get through the days and survive what's coming.  It doesn't appear that anyone has either the ability, the knowledge of how, or the willingness to try and stop Trump from destroying the American Democracy.  

There's certainly an awareness of what's going on and how he's doing it, and there are plenty of Americans who, drowining in their own ignorance and prejudice, support what Trump does.  The opposition has marched, held rallies, "No Kings" parades, with increasing fervor and participation and there are some politicians, a few in Congress, mostly in the states, who are speaking out and keeping it in front of the people as best they can in the face of a controlled, bought and paid for press that is no longer free.  A few have offered suggestions as to what can be done, with excuses of why there's not much that can be done.  

But no one is making a real effort to put a stop to it, even with the power that is at hand.  

I really hate sounding cynical, but I've resigned myself to the fact that, just a few years short of my 70th birthday, I will probably never see America be the Democracy that it was when I was growing up, and into my adult years.  Those who control 99% of the wealth in this country have been enabled to slowly but surely suffocate "we, the people," with their money and the influence it has bought them, and it doesn't really seem like there is a way back.  There is a lot of talk, but there is no real action at all.  

If there is, please point it out.  

Every mention I see or hear from Democrats who are once again hollering about the threat that Trump poses to "our democracy" is wrapped up in a fundraising appeal.  That''s the real focus, convincing voters that they have to get back in power, not on actually doing something themselves.  I gave what was to me a small fortune prior to 2020 and 2024, and I'm not sure what I got for it.  We had a huge opportunity when the Democratic party controlled both Houses of Congress and the Presidency from 2021 to 2023, and  business as usual and the old status quo shut down whatever chance we had.  And now here we are, and it's too late.  

We've had some pretty savvy, intelligent, expert individuals outline exactly how Trump plans to interfere in the mid-term elections.  He's announcing his plans publicly, which says something about what he thinks of his opposition in Congress.  He knows how bad the numbers are, and he knows that if the elections go on as usual, his side loses in a landslide, including in deep red states where public opinion has shifted, or at least where it appears that the couch sitters from 2024 are going to actually vote.  Everything he has said he will do is unconstitutional and illegal, and so far, that's all I'm hearing and seeing.  

Are people so blatantly and inexcusably ignorant of the Constitution that they do not know elections are under the control of the state and there is nothing Trump can do to change that without completely altering the Constitution?  But what it looks like is the same excuse we've been hearing for over a year now, "Give money, help us get elected, because he's a threat to our Democracy."  

Why not take the necessary steps to make sure the law is enforced and he can't interfere in the business of any state when it comes to running elections?  

And for those who may need to find some inspiration for standing up to the bully and actually doing something more than march or protest, let Senator Mark Kelly be an example for you.  He can't do it alone, but he took on Trump and his crony Hegseth, and he beat them.  

And so at this point, the question, "Well, what do you suggest?" is inevitable.  Well, suggestion one is to find the weak spots among Republicans in Congress and go on the attack, relentlessly, until there are enough to commit to getting Mike Johnson out of the Speaker's chair.  The Republicans have frequently used various forms of chaos around the rules and stonewalled things to death when they were the minority.  Surely there's enough money lying around in the hands of Democrats to create havoc and keep it going in order to put a stop to this madness.  

Here's the bottom line for me.  I've spent a lot of time in my life teaching civics and history to students who are increasingly lacking in critical thinking skills because the education they are receiving doesn't seem to be teaching those any more.  A free press, which has been bought out from under us by billionaries, and a strong educational system existing to provide an educated and informed electorate in this country were once the cornerstones of our Democracy, and we don't have either of those things in place any more.  That's why an amoral, unethical demagogue like Trump got elected, that and the votes he stole in swing states in both 2016 and 2024, a fact that went completely unchallenged in the face of massive evidence.  We need both of those things to sustain it once we get our Democracy back.  And we don't have them.  

We can talk on message boards and write blog poists and wear ourselves out doing it.  Nothing is going to change unlesss those who can change it are willing to do so.  

 

Some Conclusions Following the State of the Union

I didn't watch it.  The clips that have been played today have provided conformation to me that I made the right choice.  A rambling, hour and fifty minute pointless and boring speech that means nothing except the man has lost his mind wasn't worth the waste of time it took to watch it.  

But there are some conclusions that can be drawn after that absolute disaster.  

If you did watch it, you have patience and endurance beyond human expectations.  Most of Trump's speeches can be used for the purpose of torturing people and this was no exception.  

If, today, you are still a Trump supporter, then you are an idiot.  There's no getting around that, because he is an idiot which he made clear, and there you are.  

Those who are still supporters of Trump are anti-American in every way.  Consider yourselves lucky that this country is generous, kind, and at this particular point, doesn't really enforce laws like that, or you'd be headed to prison.  It is impossible to support Trump and call yourself a patriot.  That's not patriotism, that's stupidity.  

The man is destroying the democratic republic established by the constitution.  If you can't see that, then you are bottomlessly naive and hopelessly stupid.  

You are also lacking in any sense of decent, human morality.  The evidence certainly points to this man having participated in behavior that is as bad as anything in which a human being can participate.  The disrespect for the sanctity of life fills the air anywhere near this guy with its stench.  Support him and you cannot have a conscience of any kind as a result.  And if you can't see it, then you are genuinely hopeless.  

It's also clear evidence that those who support Trump are not Christian.  The Christian gospel and its theology, doctrine and practice are incompatible in every way with Trump support for everything.  The two ideologies are mutually excusive.  The speech confirmed two things.  One, that Trump is a publicly self-declared non-believer, and two, that there is nothing Trump supporters have in common with Christians.  

Democrats are going to owe Mr. Trump a debt of gratitide for all of the support he is pushing to help Democrats win elections.   

Silence, Collusion and Support Condemn Conservative Evangelical Trump Supporters

Well, here we are.  

Though the Epstein files haven't been completely released, they are full of redactions which the Justice department inserted to make sure there is no transparency, and we are  just beginning to discover the scope of what they reveal, the current sitting President has not only not been exonerated, he has been implicated as one of the worst participants in a crime of unfathomable immorality, something most Americans consider to be a sign of the worst possible corruption of the human spirit, and that is the sexual violation and molestation of children.  

Oh, yes, I understand innocent until proven guilty and all of that.  This President is already under indictment for causing an insurrection, and for stealing classified documents.  He's an adjudicated rapist.  He admitted to some of his worst immorality, short of what's been uncovered in the Epstein files, long before he descended the golden escalator and ran for President in 2016.  So the only explanation, really, for the support he has received from conservative Evangelicals is that they are a cult, in the truest sense of the term, which has completely abandoned the core principles of the Christian gospel they claim to proclaim.  

They are pseudo-Christian, using familiar terms and practices, but they are empty of conviction, as the Apostle Paul wrote to Timothy, "holding to the outward form of godliness but denying it's power." [2 Timothy 3:5.]  What is preached from their pulpits is hypocritical, for the most part, especially if they can continue to separate their own conscience from their support for Trump and claim that they are two different and separate things.  But, they're not.  

I was raised in an Evangelical church, and I can tell you that the methods of indoctrination into a particular political perspective are much more refined and developed than their methods of teaching the children and youth in Biblical principles.  These churches are now finding it next to impossible to keep the youth raised in them faithful by the time they graduate from college, or reach a level of adulthood where they are able to identify the blatant inconsistencies between the political support they provide, and their faithfulness to the Christian gospel which their actions indicate that they despise.  

Evangelicals, as a matter of principal, avoided politics altogetther, even as late as the 1960's, while their Mainline Protestant counterparts considered political involvement as a way to be a Christian influence.  But that all changed when the megachurch began to develop, and megachurch leaders became intoxicated by the political power that they received as politicians saw them as a way to deliver votes.  Not all Evangelicals believe their pastors and church leaders speak directly for God, but there are some who are convinced that they do, and they don't have the discernment or the education to know they are being duped.  

Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson, among others, have made political power the engine behind obtaining what they are after, which was never the gospel of Jesus.   They've found that they can make and preserve their fortunes with political power, since spiritual power didn't really provide the worldly influence they wanted.  And most of the rest of Evangelicalism followed their example.  

And while everyone they criticize and claim to be faithless condemns everything and everyone involved with Jeffrey Epstein, including Donald Trump, they are silent.  And that lets us see them for exactly who they are, and it has nothing to do with Jesus, the Christian gospel or the Christian faith.  

The Epstein Files Are Providing a Reality Check for Americans About the State of the Republic and For Conservative Evangelical Christians About the State of Their Church

The last time a scandal of the magnitude of the Epstein files rocked Washington, D.C., it was following the revelation of the break in at the Democratic headquarters in the Watergate Hotel.  I was in high school when that happened, and it provided a lot of current events material for us.  What I recall about it was the genuine sense of disgust and horror over the implications of having a corrupt President holding to the powers of the executive branch.  To me, things seemed to move glacially, with the televised hearings, but there was a sense of urgency and once the investigation got rolling, things actually moved pretty fast.  

Much has changed since then, including the length of time between knowledge of the extent of Epstein's crimes being revealed, along with who was directly involved, and the launching of investigations producing the documentation we now call the "Epstein Files."  Gone is the sense of urgency to complete an investigation and resolve the issues that surround it.  These are people with a lot of money and this is America in the 21st century.  The enforcement of laws and the power of investigations can be altered by enough money and influence.  These people can pay to make sure justice never happens, and we are seeing that unfold right before our very eyes.  

Will any of the perpetrators and conspirators involved in Epstein's highly illegal, despicable, and morally bankrupt enterprise ever be brought to justice?  I doubt it.  Epstein himself is dead and if there is a hell, I hope he is roasting in it.  No one else directly involved seems to be getting what they deserve.  

There Are Americans Seeking Justice for the Victims

I'm not sure that the attention this thing is getting is attracting the outrage it deserves.  Since we no longer have a free press in this country, it's hard to get accurate information anymore, especially not mixed with sensationalism or partisan tampering.  Compared to Watergate, if we were back in the 1970's, we'd already have seen the resignations of a good chunk of the cabinet, particularly Bondi, over the way the Justice Department has botched, and botched again, the handling of the files.  Howard Lutnik, who is apparently involved in a compromising manner, would also be gone.  The Speaker of the House, because of his attempts to shove everything under the rug, would have been ousted and Republican members of Congress would be pressuring the President to resign and leave the country.  

Kash Patel, the FBI director, would also be gone, and the list of associates at both the FBI and in the Justice Department who knowingly abetted the incompetence would already have been given their last check and sent on their way.  

The fact that none of this has happened,  these people, along with a long list of Epstein's other billionaire friends who happily posed for photos with him and engaged in his "business enterprise," are still walking around free, is a sign of the complete moral decay of the United States.  And while there is plenty of outrage, and there are people demanding accountability, there is too much apathy and way too much deliberate ignorance preventing these matters from being brought to justice.  Conservative partisanship is causing the rapid erosion of historic American values.  And what is happening with the Epstein files is an egregious example of the accuracy of this statement.. 

The Moment of Reckoning for Conservative Evangelicalism Has Arrived

We have seen the hypocrisy, the chase after worldly wealth and power, and the collapse of any claims to being a faithful, "Bible-believing, gospel preaching" church that has occurred among a good chunk of those who self-identify as conservative Evangelicals.  Leaders like Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson promoted monumental hypocrisy when they saw the beginning of decline set in to their movement, and so they abandoned their belief in the power of God's Holy Spirit to chase after political power and the power that comes with wealth while trying to disguise that as some kind of Christian "revival."  

In order to get what they are after, they have had to embrace a long, long,  long list of anti-Christian beliefs and practices and they've had to suck up to political leaders who didn't have a clue about the Christian gospel, or Christian doctrine and practice.  They have yet to embrace and support one of their own as a candidate for the Presidency, supporting Reagan, a new age cultist, over Jimmy Carter, a genuine conservative Evangelical and sincere believer and practicer of the gospel preached by Jesus.  They embraced George H. W. Bush, a liberal Episcopalian, over Bill Clinton, a card carrying, choir and orchestra member of a Southern Baptist church.  And they took Mitt Romney, a Mormon, whose church they believe is a cult, over Barack Obama, a member of a historically black congregation.  

And now, they've gone all out for a convicted rapist, misogynyst, morally bankrupt, accused child molester who is the most frequently mentioned name in all aspects of the Epstein files and who has openly rejected conservative Evangelical theology, doctrine and practice.  They are apparently going to continue to remain silent in the face of what will slowly be revealed as one of the most despicable, horrifically satanic things that has ever happened in the United States as it swallows up the President and everyone else mentioned as participants in Epstein's abuse, because they can't seem to come to grips with the fact that their endorsement and support was a gigantic mistake. 

I've known for a long time that the theology, doctrine and practice that falls under self-described conservative Evangelicalism is false.  We've had our attention focused on the long running Catholic scandals of clergy sexual abuse of children while several conservative Evangelical denominations, along with numerous non-denominational megachurches, have been going to great lengths to try and hide massive sexual abuse scandals by their own clergy.  Their ranks are riddled by financial scandals, tax cheating and money-grabbing schemes that have reached right inside many of the empires of televangelists and megachurch television stars.  And they have kept their silence when it comes to their involvement with right wing politicians who have dubios morals at best.  

This one is already having a long term effect.  People are walking away from many of these churches and denominations in droves, leaving behind a shrinking base of the deluded and deceived.  

I don't want to paint with a broad brush.  There are many pastors, ministers and church leaders among the Evangelical churches and denominations in the United States who are calling out the evil that has crept inside.  There are those who understand that the Constitution's principles of freedom of conscience and separation of church and state are core American values, and they are joining with the significant majority of mainline "woke, liberal" Protestants, and many Catholics, in resisting and opposing this attack on their values and on their churches.  

Defending Epstein and those who went along with him is something that undermines American values and speaks directly to who this country is.  Conservative Evangelicals love to criticize mainline Protestants for being woke and liberal, but look at where most of them stand by comparison.  They may be woke and liberal, but they are standing up for what is right, and against this President and his MAGA constituency and calling it out for the evil cult that it is.  Political conservatives, Republicans mostly, love to tout their "family values" perspective, and criticize their liberal counterparts, mainly Democrats, with slurs like "socialist," and claiming they are not for "law and Order, but it is the liberal Democrats who are standing up for Democracy and who are demanding that everything in the Epstein files be brought to light.  

Those liberal, "godless", Europeans are observing what's going on here with a much different perspective than they once did.  They were affected by Epstein's scandal too.  Look what they're doing about it.  When there's evidence of someone's involvement, they're gone. Out.  Justice seems to be moving a lot faster over there than it is here, because of their liberal perspective.  We're being held back by our conservatives, who are trying to change the definition of law and order, and right and wrong.

 

Democrats May Owe a Debt of Gratitude to Pam Bondi and Kristi Noem

After this weeks congressional hearings featuring Attorney General Pam Bondi, Democrats may find themselves in the unusual position of having to thank her for all of the help she is providing to them as the midterm elections approach.  Her appearance, in front of the cameras, was a disgusting display of political ugliness that clearly helped the chances of Democrats in gaining control of Congress in November.  Millions of dollars worth of flashy television ads and months of campaigning can not do, for Democratic candidates' election chances, what those few hours in front of the camera in Congressional hearings by Bondi did.  

Starting with the obvious, Bondi just looked bad.  Her face seems to be contorted into a perpetual scowl, tense, furrowed eyebrows, beady eyes sliding to the left and right, wrinkle lines that seem to push her lips together and while I'm sure they get a professional makeup job for the cameras, in her case that didn't help.  Her posture is defensive, hunched, and if it is possible for the combination of facial expressions and posture to send non-verbal messages, she's telling us that she's lying.  

Beyond that, her testimony is a mother lode of sound bytes that will be used in campaign ads by multiple Democrats running for office who are trying to convince voters that Republicans are corrupt, not keeping their promises, and more interested in what they can get out of their billionaire supprorters than in doing anything beneficial for the American people.  She made some critical errors, including showing up with information about research done by members of Congress into her botched handling of the Epstein files.  

But the critical mistake she made was her refusal to acknowledge the victims of Epstein, not even looking at them, never mentioning them and essentially behaving like a cold, heartless bitch.  That's clearly something that will have some far reaching political effects ultimately benefitting Democrats in the midterms.  

So, when the midterms are over, and Democrats have reclaimed Congress, will Democrats turn to the attorney general and say, "Thanks, Pam, for your help!"  

Democrats will also wind up getting a lot of help from Kristi Noem.  Thrust from the relative obscurity of being an ineffective governor of a tiny state to the spotlight of the Department of Homeland Security, this poor, unfortunate, hopelessly ignorant, and apparently corrupt woman has been helping Democrats gain support for their midterm blue wave from the first day she ever stepped into the department.   

Appearances are important, and Noem doesn't help herself in this regard, especially not in her parroting of conspiracy theories devoid of any factual proof, to defend indefensible actions.  Her handling of events which transpire in Minnesota directly corresponds with the recent free-falling approval ratings of Trump, and of the growing gap between those planning to vote Democratic in the midterms, and backing away from the Republicans.  Noem's name is a big part of the reason for the recent Democratic surge.  

She, too, provides Democratic campaigns with a lot of sound bytes and video clips which proclaim inept handling of her job, and which underlines the kind of incompetence that comes out of her political inexperience and lack of Constitutional knowledge.  She has a blank, unfocused stare as she recites falsehood after falsehood, without any corroborating evidence.  And she is also a coldblooded, heartless bitch, evidence by her calloused and false characterizations of Renee Good and Alex Pretti, and her indifference to their deaths which she helped cause.

So, will we hear, on election night, a Democratic winner actually give heartfelt thanks to Bondi and Noem for their election?  Probably not.  But it is clear that both of these women are major contributors to the surge of support for Democratic candidates from independents, and even from a few Republicans.  

We should feel good about seeing Republicans become their own worst enemy, though, whether we admit it or not. 

If We're Honest, There's Plenty of Evidence We've Been an "Oligarchy of the Rich" for a Long Time

Are we really all that surprised that the slowly releasing Epstein files contains so many recognizeable names of politicians and millionaires and billionaires who all apparently thought that the law doesn't apply to them and that they could buy their way out of difficulty with contributions to just the right politicians or judges or influence peddlers?  Some of it did make its way into the media, though increasingly, it seems that the price paid by the wealthy in America to enjoy flaunting the law and indulging in personal debauchery also includes owning pieces of the media for control and editing purposes.  

This has been a gradual process.  The origination point came somewhere during the Reagan Administration.  It was more of an enforcement issue back then, in the justice department, when it seemed that regulations designed to protect Americans from what I call exploitation were relaxes in favor of profit margins and unrestrained business practices.  But of course, money flows into politics when that becomes the primary means of keeping the flow going.  During the Dubya Bush Administration, the invitation was laid out for the rich to buy the government's favor and its been downhill ever since then.  

The deceptive ways of keeping the cash flow moving through politics, like the unconstitutional Citizens United ruling which came from a bought-and-paid-for Supreme Court, the PACs, the lack of supervision or prosecution of violations when it comes to corrupt campaign contributions aren't signs that we are moving in this direction, they are signs that it has been achieved and is already here.  And I doubt whether a Democratic party sweep in the mid-terms, or a Democratic presidency with both houses under party control after 2028 will change it.  

 A Justice System Built to Sustain an Oligarchy of the Rich

We have layers of a legal system that is designed to perpetuate this oligarchy of the rich.  Money moves its wheels.  Lawyers, courts, judges, the training they get seems almost specifically directed at how to make the machine operate in a desired manner by using cash flow to achieve that purpose.  Those who have money get what they want out of the system.  They can delay, obfuscate, postpone, and make it go away.  It has not always been this way.  There have been times in our history when the best interests of justice drove the courts, even in the federal government.  But, money and influence have, over time, been able to buy the rules they want and fix the system to the benefit of the rich.  

The quality of legal services available to those who are working class and even middle class is poor.  The system makes it so.  Frankly, even high priced lawyers can be lazy and ineffective, since it's not really a profession that has any real moral guidelines.  Even though it is money driven, there are no guarantees.  As a result, there are ways to pay one's way through the system.  

The Effects of This Oligarchy Can Be Seen on Both Political Parties

Let's be honest here.  There is no such thing as a party of the people.  The reaction and response of Democrats to the worst abuses of Trump's Presidency is moderated by cash flow in campaign contributions to Democratic members of Congress.  There have been several periods of time in recent Democratic political administrations, Clinton, Obama, Biden, when we had control of the White House and both houses of Congress and the difference between what was accomplished and what should have been accomplished by Democrats is sitting in the White House right now.  It occupies the Speaker's chair and the Vice-Presidency.  

It's the dividing line between what is truly the political partisanship of America, the line between those who have and those who have not.  Liberal politics, as progressive as they may have been, will never be progressive enough to succeed in delivering on its promises as long as money is allowed to flow so freely into the bank accounts of those who are running for office.  Even now, as it has become clear that Trump, in the words of just about every Democrat sitting in public office, is the greatest threat to American Democracy that we have ever faced, the lengths most politicians are willing to go to stop him are limited by their need to act in a way that pleases their donors, rather than a way that protects the American people.  

Can we be honest, and say this out loud?  

The Failure of Cultural Institutions That Once Protected Us 

There were those, even prior to the Second World War, who had doubts about this country's ability to take on facist dictatorships because of its bowing of the knee to the dollar.  The circumstances of having weathered the worst financial depression in the country's history allowed the election of a progressive Democrat to the White House, and his policy, to fight against depression, and then change circumstances to prevent another one, along with having to marshall the commercial resources of the nation to win a major world war reversed the trends of big money interests buying the government piece by piece.  

But the prosperity that followed allowed the rich to become richer, and that accellerated the switch from being influenced by American idealism to being influenced by whoever could pay to buy the interest. 

Protestant Christianity, including conservative Evangelicalism, is the first institution to fall victim to the takeover of the wealthy.  They haven't even hidden how obvious it has become that the values of the Christian gospel have been completely underminded and totally distorted by the billionaire class.  There's one group that has simply allowed money interests to distort the Christian gospel, ignoring the parts of it that don't support their perspective, and turning money into the only kind of blessing provided by God.  The end result of successful prayer in conservative Evangelicalism is how many dollars it generates.  Dollars translate in to God's blessings.  Values, like humility, integrity and peace, are thrown out the window with Jesus. 

The kind of Christianity that is visible in America, especially that which self describes as Fundamentalist, Conservative, Evangelical, Charismatic or Pentecostal, isn't Christian, and, in fact, has underlined its lack of faith by placing it in an adulterous, lying, immoral, worldly man who has openly declared himself to be antichrist by his denial of his own sinful nature.  Their worldly worship of money and the lust for the power that comes with it has turned them away from Jesus, and toward Trump, who they proclaim as savior, if not openly and literally, by virtually everything they do.  

And if the kind of Christianity that has been created by these abberations of the Christian gospel were true, then they would work like the salt and light which Jesus used as an example, in resolving those problems of humanity which hold us back from true enlightenment, free of bigotry, bias and prejudice, and the hatred that accompanies it, and would have resolved war and violence, economic inequity and poverty.  The fact that these human problems seem to be worse in areas where this kind of Christianity is predominant is a testimony to its ineffectiveness and its false nature.   

Our education system may be the most egregious victim of money interests.  Conservatives have tried, at every opportunity they get, to cut the budgets and destroy the public education system.  As a result, what we have is no longer an asset in the preservation of the democratic principles that created the Constitution.  Public education, in many places in the United States, is woefully underfunded, and the ability it once may have had to attract the brightest and best professionals to teach in its classrooms has long since disappeared.  Colleges and universities are becoming victims of bribes and threats of funding cuts, rather than institutions that stand on their principles.  Money is the reason.  

And money has caused the free press to be a thing of the past.  For profit, corporate-owned media is not a free press.  It promotes its own self interest.  Not only that, but like cash strapped public education, it cannot attract the brightest and the best when it comes to those who have the kind of mind and independent thinking ability necessary to keep government accountable.  Most journalists today can't even read a script without mispronouncing words and not having enough understanding about what they are reading to make it sound like something not being read.  

What Can Be Done About It? 

At the risk of sounding cynical, I don't think there is anything that can be done about it.  The Roman Empire lasted a thousand years, before interior rot caused its demise.  The United States of America may not last 250 years.  And when it comes to being a people capable of defending our principles, well, I don't think the will is there.  We've been spoiled by prosperity, and the nagging problems of humanity, which seems to always act on its worst instincts and the lowest part of human nature, are hard to overcome. 

Even the most progressive elements of liberal democracy do not seem to be able to bring about the kind of reform that will be neccessary to keep this country together, and able to sustain itself in an uncertain future.  We seem to be using wealth to perpetuate the wealthy, and to build technological tools capable of utter destruction for a profit.  For all it has created, our democratic republic and its idealism has lasted for just a tiny slice of world history.  If it is no longer sustainable, then what, really, have we achieved?  

 

Remnants of America's Free Press: Stephanie Miller, Thom Hartmann, Late Night Comedy and the Pacifica Network

Freedom of the press, along with an educated and informed electorate, is the cornerstone of the American Republic.  With newspapers, radio, television and internet outlets being the domain of corporations whose financial insterests make them enemies of the people's interests, rather than keeping government honest, those who tell the truth based on the facts have become rare.  It's kind of ironic, with Trump having turned the government into a circus of chaos, that the most honest and up front people in media, the remnants of a true "free press," are largely comedians who deliver what has become a daily budget of disaster with a nice comedic edge.  That may be the only way we can even stand to hear it.  

Getting Through the Day Because of the Stephanie Miller Show

I listen to Stephanie Miller every morning on the way to work, because I know that what I hear there will be factual.  I don't know anyone who has been able to develop a vocabulary that mocks Trump's grandiose bragging and over use of the same extreme terms like she does/   Every time I hear the word, "eleventy-billion", it cracks me up and that has a way of calming me down.  I think one of the best strategies Trump opposition and Democrats could have would be to make this program go viral and keep the same tone, format and approach.  

Everyone who comes to the mic on that show brings facts and reason and sanity to the discussion.  I trust their political judgment, and the laughs are natural, not forced.  The level of frustration, incedulity, shock and amazement at the absolute disaster we are seeing unfold every single day resonates with me, and has a way of giving me a sense of vindication and justification for the anger and frustration.  They make me feel like we are all watching an incredible disasater unfold together, experiencing and expressing common feelings, and getting a sense of hope that together, we can beat this thing.  

I finish listening to her on my way home after work, followed up by Thom Hartmann, who does an outstanding job of just letting people vent their frustrations and point out corruption.  I think it is important to hear what Americans are saying and be encouraged that as this moment has come when we are going to get a chance to make a difference, people will turn out and do what they've had bottled up inside for a while now.  And I think a lot of Thom's callers are helping leaders who are genuinely committed to resisting Trumpism be encouraged that they are not standing alone, not for a minute.  

For Me, and Millions of Others, Late Night Comedy is our Late Night News

I'm sure Trump and his cronies regret their decisions to attempt to use their power and influence totry t get Jimmy Kimmel and Stephen Colbert off of late night television.  The ham-fisted way they do these things backfired big time, giving Kimmel an audience four times the size of his normal audience, and he used the attention to fire off a directed, devastating and honest look at just what is going on that still resonates across late night television.  

We trust these guys because they are still telling the truth, and the humor that is woven into the whole narrative makes the message resonate.  It's honest and straightforward and that is what we need.  I really sleep much better at night because I'm not going to bed angry and frustrated over the way our local and network television reporters are handling the news, failing to report things that are important and letting the senastionalism of falsehood dominate the ten minutes they spend on headline news.  

I guess they don't teach real journalism in colleges and universities any more.  I can't believe some of these people who are calling themselves journalists are willing to simply be mouthpieces of manupulation, reading off what someone has told them to say and that they don't have an opinion of their own, or any integrity.  How can someone know what is going on, and yet sit at a news desk and completely ignore it?  

No wonder no one is watching.  

A True Free Press Isn't Controlled by Corporate Dollars

I'm sure it is difficult in media these days to avoid the pitfalls of profit.  But that's the only way we will ever have a free press again.  People have to make a living, but if they must sacrifice integrity to do so, what's been achieved?  

One of the last radio networks left that can still be considered independent and free is the Pacifica network.  There are five anchor stations, and I got introduced to this format about twenty years ago through one of those affiliates, KPFT-FM in Houston, Texas.  Broadcasting independent news, locally-originating shows mainly operated by volunteers, the drive time program in the morning through which I was introduced to the network was Democracy Now! with Amy Goodman and Juan Gonzalez.  They carried independent news, which is nothing more than old fashioned American free press journalism.  Report the fact and let the listeners make up their mind.  

I wish there was a way to help all of these news sources, whether it's Stephanie Miller's comedy, Thom Hartmann's discussion and talk, or the Pacifica Network's journalism and news, go viral and become the primary source of information to inform Americans.  I also wish we had a strong public broadcasting system, because I would take absolute neutrality over the corporate network bias any day. 

And in conversations I still have with friends who have trouble seeing the light, it is a distinct advantage when I challenge them to prove something Miller or Hartmann or Goodman or Pacifica said wrong.  I rarely get responses back directly, if they bother to check it out.  Silence from my MAGA supporting friends has been comforting affirmation that they know I am right.  

I encourage everyone who reads this to find ways to give support to these independent media voices that are telling the truth.  Help them broaden and expand their reach.  

Learning From the Past, What is Being Done to Prevent Fraud in the 2026 Midterm Elections?

It's pretty easy to tell, from the narrative of Trump tweets and posts on Truth Social, if not a mountain of other evidence, that there will be multiple attempts to alter the results of the upcoming midterm elections, especially if the news for Republican chances continues to be as bad as it now has become.  The pollsters and political analysts who are always very cautious about making big shifts or show big movements in their numbers are still being cautious, but even some of the more conservative ones are hinting that the House will be a lost cause for Republicans.  It's also looking like the Democrats may also win back the majority in the Senate, by enough seats to negate the VP's tie breaker.  

The possibility of some kind of fraud being initiated by Trump and his cronies is more than just speculation.  It's a certainty.  

So what is being done about it? 

Learning From History Avoids Repeating It 

Ever since Trump became the GOP front-runner for the 2016 election, Democrats have been claiming that he is the biggest threat to American democracy we have faced since the Civil War.  They haven't done as much to prevent that as I think has been necessary to prove their belief in that claim, and that's a personal evaluation based on observation.  So I am concerned, as an American who sees this exactly that way, and would like those I help elect to take effective action in ending the threat, and not make subsequent actions to do so necessary.  

When Democrats had control of Congress and the White House, for two years between 2021 and 2023, there were those who had the vision and the boldness and were willing to take the risk to pack the Supreme Court, seeing that this particular court was much more partisan and much less constitutional in its rulings.  In fact, it would have been possible to prevent a second Trump term, and in fact, to bring him to justice for his crimes, if the advice of the progressive Democrats had been followed, and the Senate had disposed of the filibuster to amend the judiciary act and give President Biden the ability to appoint six justices to the court.  

Had that happened, we would have lost the filibuster, but we could figure out how to compensate for that.  What would have been gained was the overturning of Citizens United and the Presidential Immunity rulings that prevented Trump from being tried and convicted for his crimes while in office.  All of those obfuscations and delays in getting the insurrection and documents indictments to court would have disappeared when the Supreme Court made them go away and brought it to a quick and speedy end long before the election campaign season started. 

But the old school prevailed.  We're in a political age when those who have the power must use it to preserve American democracy in any way they can.  The days of celebrating bi-partisan deals ended when the Republicans abandoned that strategy, back during the Dubya Bush administration.  We had the power and we didn't use it.  

Lesson learned.  Maybe. 

But no.  Democrats tolerated the foot dragging and obfuscation and delaying tactics which let Trump off the hook for his crimes.  They knew there was an election approaching which would change the circumstances by which the criminals crimes could be considered. There was a lot of talk, but almost nothing in the way of legislation to correct some of the abuses of power we are now seeing, but there was no effort at all to use the power of the Presidency to move those trials along, cut through the red tape and make it happen.  Were they afraid of Trump or afraid of losing because of the damned Supreme Court?  So, we have Garland going down in history as one of the weakest, most ineffective Attorney Generals in American History.  

Then, in the wake of the 2024 election, with evidence of enough vote counting irregularities, delays, messing with mail-in ballots and other kinds of fraud, no one did anything at all.  There was talk, talk, talk, about the tactics, what they were going to do and how it would effect the outcome of the election for months prior to the ballots being counted.  But, standing on protocol, after being so critical of the Republicans for screaming about voter fraud, Democrats did nothing at all, and lost because of it.  

More lessons learned.  Perhaps.  

We have seen actual examples of ways to suppress voters right out in the open now.  There are two years between the election cycles, which seems to be plenty of time to do something about potential voter fraud.  The other side is not just admitting to it but they are taking steps to do it.  And it seems like through all of the talking that is happening, Democrats do not appear to be doing anything about the anticipated voter fraud.  

I hear a lot of talk about what to do about potential voter fraud in this election.  I don't see much being done.  I see a lot of fund raising and nest-feathering, but not a lot of action to find out what kind of fraud is going to be perpetrated and how that will work.  The FBI just raided election offices in Georgia, which is a clear tactic aimed at committing voter fraud, and we have reported it and given our tsk-tsk-tsk but I am not aware of anything being done to stop it.  

Bold Risks Are Being Taken by the American People 

In record numbers everywhere, Americans are turning out to show their disgust with Trump's failed presidency, and with the way he and his administration are handling their responsibility.  They ignore the Constitution, they violate the law with impunity and they keep on getting away with it because the standard excuse of "we're not the party in power" keeps being brought up.  Don't tell me that!  We've seen all of the tactics the Republicans use when Democrats are in power, to keep progress from being made.  So far, our record of using the filibuster in the Senate that was saved when Democrats backed away from packing the court is less than 50-50.  

It's time for the nest-feathering and campaign fundraising to stop, and for this party to stand on the strength the people in the streets are providing for them, and be as bold in taking risks to stop Trump as the people are telling them they want them to be.  Earn the mantle of the party of opposition.  

And step up, call out and do something about the attempts to cheat in the election that are a matter of course for the GOP.  

Silence from Southern Baptists and Other Conservative Evangelicals Condemns Them

As Christian Leaders Decry Pretti's Murder, the Southern Baptist Convention President is Silent 

In 1845, the Northern Baptist Missionary Society of the Triennial Baptist Convention refused to ordain James Reeve, of Georgia, as a missionary because he owned slaves.  As a result, Baptists from churches in the southern states where slavery was legal gathered in Augusta, Georgia that same year to withdraw from the Triennial Convention, which, in spite of attempts to remain neutral on the issue of slavery, took action that increasingly favored its abolition.  

So it was that the Southern Baptist Convention, the nation's largest Protestant denomination, was founded as a result of theological error and doctrine formed from a grave, serious misinterpretation of the Christian gospel that rested on racist bigotry.  That's not unusual in American Christianity, where the combination of a lack of seminary trained ministers with the emotionalism of frontier revivals led to the formation of many denominations, including cults that departed completely from the teaching of the Christian gospel.  But there's more to this story that characterizes Southern Baptists as a denomination and explains their insensitivity to human equality and social justice that is at the core foundation of the Christian gospel. 

The rest of this story is that the Southern Baptist denomination, as a whole, did not apologize for their promoting and supporting of slavery in the south until 1995, one hundred and fifty years after their founding, based on the approval of the practice of slavery.  One hundred fifty years of history, during which most of its affiliated congregations practiced segregation and discrimination in their membership requirements, and during which most of their churches opposed the Civil Rights movement and took an active role in attempts to stop it.  

That says a lot about why, in the face of racial bigotry, injustice and the struggle for equality, Southern Baptists are either silent, or they come out on the side that is contrary to the principles and teachings of the Christian gospel.  They are blind to the fact that MAGA Trumpism and the faithful and truthful practice of the Christian gospel are mutually exclusive.  

God's Last and Only Hope

Dr. Bill Leonard, current dean of the Wake Forest University School of Divinity, and a long time Baptist history professor at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky, says that Southern Baptists have a "scandalous past and an uncertain future," which is the subtitle of his book, The Challenge of Being Baptist.  Leonard is one of a relatively large group of seminary and university professors at Southern Baptist affiliated schools who, after years of attempting to bring reform based on the principles of the Christian gospel into the denomination, were forced out when fundamentalists used political manipulation to take over the denomination for the purpose of using it to advance right wing Republican politics.  

Dr. Leonard writes with impeccable honesty about the denomination's history, including the use of power and influence in the provincial manner in which the denomination is structured to keep reform from occurring.  This not only included the continued influence of white supremacy and active resistance of the denomination and its prominent leaders to the civil rights movement and integration of public schools in the south, but also the altering of the Baptist Faith and Message, the denomination's doctrinal statement, to include stronger wording that restricts women from ordination or vocational ministry in the church.  Controversy has been specifically sharp in recent years over calling women to serve in positions considered to be a "pastor," or in pastoral type leadership.  The denomination had no qualms and gave little consideration before removing its largest and most evangelistic congregation, Saddleback Valley Community Church in Mission Viejo, California, because it listed three women among its pastoral staff.  

I grew up in a small, Southern Baptist church where I was taught, among other things, that Southern Baptists were "closer" to the truth of the gospel than other denominations because we were the only ones who really believed and took the Bible seriously.  That included the other Baptist congregation in town, affiliated with the American Baptist Churches in the USA, labelled as "liberal."  No one ever said anything about being founded to support the owning of slaves, or why our church had no black people or latinos as members.  

Dr. Leonard traces the history of the fundamentalist takeover of the Southern Baptist Convention, which also includes hijacking its loyalty to the Christian gospel by far right wing politics, in a book he titled, God's Last and Only Hope.  It's ironic that a group which thinks of itself this way is silent in the face of some of the greatest injustice we've seen in this country since the Civil War and post-Reconstruction while those they have branded "Liberals," the Episcopalians, Presbyterian Church USA, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, the United Methodist Church, the Disciples of Christ, the United Church of Christ, the Quakers and the Unitarians have become the loudest voices for loving one's neighbor and bringing about social justice.  

To be fair, there are churches that were once affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention that have rejected past history in favor of welcoming everyone, without exclusion, into their churches and are working to support justice and freedom for those who are now being oppressed.  Leaders of a couple of these Baptist groups--The Alliance of Baptists and the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship--have complained to the justice department about ICE raids during their worship service to sieze people they are attempting to arrest.  Two Southern Baptist seminary professors made hypocrites out of themselves last week when they hollered about Cities Church in St. Paul being the subject of an anti-ICE protest, because one of their pastors works for ICE, but they were silent on ICE disturbing church services to arrest people.  

Silence is a Loud Statement

Conservative Evangelicals, Southern Baptists among them, are separating themselves from the mainline Protestant clergy and churches who are showing their love for their neighbors by standing against the injustice being done to them.  The American people can see who the real Christians are by their love and their actions.  Silence is condemning those who are complicit.