A Cult Leader for the Ages: Trump Transformed a Segment of American Society into 'Useful Idiots'

        In the pantheon of cult leaders from around the world Trump has emerged as the gold standard for cults in the last nine years.

His ascension (or dissent) by brainwashing Americans on a massive scale is unparalleled by any other current cult in the country.

I just read an alarming article in The Atlantic titled "What's Left to Restrain Donald Trump?"

The author Peter Wehner, raised the question if Trump ordered political assassinations would he get away with it? And if he did, would the Republican Party stand with him?

Trump's lawyers believe he should have complete immunity regardless of if he performs criminal acts as a president. The question of presidential immunity is now before a Conservative Supreme Court with three Trump-appointed justices.

"So why would we assume that Trump - a man of sociopathic tendencies, who appears unable to even think in moral terms, who inflamed a violent mob to try to hang his vice president - would automatically recoil from having a political opponent assassinated if the opportunity presented itself?" Wehner wrote.

Wehner's assertion that much of the Republican Party, including white evangelicals and fundamentalists, would line up in support of Trump even if he did order the assassination of a political opponent is a chilling (but probably accurate) reality.

In Trump's worldview everyone around him is a useful idiot to be exploited and pandered to depending on the circumstances. In a nutshell MAGA world will stand with Trump regardless of his criminality.

In fact, his cult's support has deepened in the last two years, despite his civil and criminal indictments that have led to felony trials in four jurisdictions. 

As Wehner pointed out, "The identity of MAGA world has fused with Trump's; to turn on him would be to turn on themselves. They won't admit to themselves, and they certainly won't admit to others, the sheer expanse of Trump's degeneracy."

To be clear, we're only six months away from a presidential election that will determine the fate of our Constitutional Democracy and the rule of law in America.

As it Stands, if you want to see our republic continue to stand Vote Blue in November. There's never been a starker choice in our history.

He's Back! This Time in Drag

While Donald Trump has inspired thousands of grifters from across the country few have reached the heights that disgraced former Congressman George Santos has.

Since being booted out of the House for ethic violations Santos has been scrambling to make money in any way possible. Nothing is too demeaning for this man with no shame.

His latest cash grab is a modified attempt at something he tried a few months ago. His first attempt to make money on the video platform Cameo, where users can commission messages from public figures, did pretty well.

In an interview with comedian Ziwe, Santos claimed he was netting $80,000 per day. Which makes one wonder why he stopped doing it for months and has suddenly returned with his shelved drag queen persona, Kiutara Ravache.

Videos starring Ravache run prospective buyers $275 for an averaging-53-seconds-long greeting. In a post on X, Santos promised to share 20% of proceeds with pro-veteran and Zionist charities Tunnels to Towers and the International Fellowship for Christians and Jews.

Fat chance of that happening.

The Back Story

George Santos is facing a September trial where he's charged with stealing people's identities and making charges on his own donors' credit cards. 

Despite his criminal history, including an incident where he stole $3,000 from a fund for a disabled veteran's dog, Santos is back looking for another 15-minutes of fame (more like infamy) while raising money for his defense in his upcoming criminal trial.

In a gleeful post Santos wrote, "Hey, you messy bitches! Kitara is coming out of the closet after 18 years, thanks to all of you."

However, by all reports Kitara's debut has been somewhat of a flop thus far and only netted a little over a thousand dollars. But outwardly Santos is portraying this happy go- lucky freak - "I hear you're a bunch of freaks out there, and you love to dance all night long!" - he posted on April 29th.

A Few Thoughts

1. George Santos is enjoying Trump's golden age of lies and massive grifts along with a lot of other con men in America today.

2. How did Santos even get elected in the first place?

3. There must be more gullible people in this country than I ever dreamed. The dumbing down of America appears to have succeeded.

As it Stands, if anything, this is a sign of the times - from congressman to drag queen - welcome to America.

Lies Versus Reality: Who's Winning the War of Words?

Lies and unverified rumors course through the right-wing narrative universe daily. Reality is constantly trying to catch up to the poisonous MAGA universe's barrage of blatant lies. 

It's a war being waged throughout the United States by the two major political parties, the Democrats, and the Party of Trump (let's be realistic, it certainly isn't the Republican party).

After each day Trump spends in court with one of his four criminal trials he comes out and spins a web of lies about what happened that day.

At one point Trump, seeking sympathy as usual, claimed the judge wouldn't let him go to his son Barron's graduation. Fox News and Newsmax leapt upon that hot story about what a bastard judge Merchan was in another attempt to disparage the trial and the judge overseeing it.

The right-wing spin machine got 48 hours of sharing this hot take before reality slapped them down when the judge said Trump could get the day off to attend Barron's graduation.

To be clear, Judge Merchan originally said he'd consider Trump's request for that day off. He did not turn him down. He said he'd consider it. That's all the right-wing media needed to hear to spread their rumors.

Daily fact-checking has become a cottage industry among podcasters and the legacy media. The White House devotes staff to checking out Trump and his minions daily lie output.

One estimate of the amount of lies that Trump has told since he started campaigning for president is 20,000 lies... and growing daily.

So, who is winning this war of words?

It's hard to tell right now. A lot depends on where Americans get their news from. 

Because Trump's lies are so spectacular they grab headlines throughout the mass media market and that gives them an advantage in advancing their false narratives.

The reality, or truth, only goes to the legacy media because the far-right media totally ignores rebuttals to the trash they spread. In essence, this MAGA blackout means less people will hear the truth.

As it Stands, I guess we won't know who won the war on words until November when a very divided nation goes to the polls.

Humanity Test: Would You Kill Your Puppy if You Were Mad at It?

A top contender to be Trump's running mate in this year's election is bragging about killing a stubborn puppy.

South Dakota GOP Gov. Kristi Noem released her new book "No Going Back: The Truth on What's Wrong with Politics and How We Move America Forward," triggering a controversy she didn't count on.

South Dakota GOP Gov. Kristi Noem released her new book "No Going Back: The Truth on What's Wrong with Politics and How We Move America Forward," triggering a controversy she didn't count on.

If Noem's intention was to impress Trump who famously hates dogs it was a gambol gone too far. Perhaps she should have looked at a 2023 poll that found that 97% of people with pets view them as a member of the family.

There are an estimated 65 million households that own a dog. How many do you think condone murdering a member of the "family" and then bragging about it? 

Liberals and conservatives love their dogs and killing a puppy is something both sides agree is a brutal and cruel act for just being a puppy. She could have just given the dog - a female named Cricket - away to someone or taken her to the dog pound.

Instead, she chose to take Cricket to a gravel pit and shoot her according to Noem's book. In subsequent passages she talks about taking a "nasty and mean goat" to the same gravel pit and shooting the poor animal twice because the first shot didn't do the job.

The whole murder your pet thing was proof that she was willing to do the "difficult, messy and ugly" tasks of life - and presumably politics as well. That's what she told her daughter and what she proudly shared in gory detail with readers of her new book.

Keep in mind, this is the woman who gave then President Trump a model of Mt. Rushmore with his head alongside the other presidents. There's nothing she won't do in order to gain more power.

Given the opportunity, Noem would call for Biden's dog Commander to be executed for biting secret service agents (they probably deserved it). Thus far, after biting at least two dozen Secret Service agents over the years, no one has suggested that he deserves capital punishment for that misbehavior. Relocating Commander has been brought up numerous times.

Fun fact: Trump was the first president in 120 years to not bring a dog to the White House.

It's no secret Trump hates dogs. It's no secret Noem would do anything to be his VP. By telling her story Noem thought it would endear her to a certain breed of heartless Republicans and convince them of her toughness. Especially Trump.

Noem's plan to impress the MAGA cult has been a bust as most Americans are appalled by killing a puppy because she hated her and didn't have a heart.

As it Stands, people of all political persuasions are rightly disgusted by cruelty to animals, even if they don't always treat their fellow humans with the respect and dignity they deserve.

A Pox on Polls! Who Really Needs Them?

It's time to expose the dark secret about political polls.

We, the people, don't need them.

However, the media market needs them to make a profit by making us puppets.

Yeah. Puppets. The polls are meant to get the public stirred up over fleeting issues that will attract viewers (the sound of cash accumulating) by presenting constantly changing narratives about candidates in an election.

Polls mean nothing to most Americans. The general public doesn't wake up each day wondering what the polls have to say. Polls are for political geeks and media types desperately trying to attract listeners and viewers by serving up controversial subjects.

The absurdity of polls is intrinsic. The pollsters take a small sampling of people and based upon their reaction predict percentages like seers in Harry Potter. 

I took an Empirical Reseach class while attending Humboldt State University (now Cal Poly Humbolt) in 1979. It was an eye-opener. After researching all the variables in conducting polls I came to the conclusion that they are dust in the wind. They are easily manipulated and often have partisan leanings.

Yet pollsters continue to conduct surveys that only serve a select audience willing to suspend their common sense and to get worked up if their candidate is winning or losing.

It's like throwing chum to a school of sharks. Poll watchers are easily distressed, especially if they think something bad is happening to their candidate.

To be sure, polls are nothing more than twisted entertainment for the masses. The goal of a poll is to manipulate numbers in a way that appears scientifically based and credible. That doesn't change the fact that polls are easily polluted.

Poll Quotes

** "Journalists should denounce government by public opinion polls." - Dan Rather

** "Polls? Nah... they're for strippers and cross-country skiers." Sarah Palin

** "Leaders are responsible not for running public opinion polls but for the consequences of their actions." Henry Kissinger

** "Public opinion polls are rather like children in a garden, digging things up all the time to see how they're growing." J.B. Priestley

** "Don't worry about polls, but if you do, don't admit it." Rosalynn Carter

As it Stands, for the record I once participated in a poll in the early 80s. I lied on every question just to prove a point. Polls suck.

Pure Americana: College Student Protests

    American College students have a long history of protesting societal grievances. 

From riots over butter to protests against tuition increases, student activists have spoken out for centuries.

There's been a renaissance of American student activism in the last decade. College students are more active than ever before.

With every new crisis threatening higher education, what lessons does the history of student activism hold for the future?

In a nutshell, student activism has brought about major changes in society like pushing for anti-discriminating policies and more.

I remember when San Francisco State University students (I was a senior in high school then) successfully pressured the administration to establish the country's first African American studies department in 1968.

I clearly remember the student protests about the Vietnam War being a major factor of getting out of the mess we created in Southeast Asia.

Moving forward college students around the country are protesting the treatment of Palestinians during the Hama/Israeli war that has resulted in a massive toll of innocent lives.

The students intense focus on what's happening in Gaza has forced the president and Congress to re-examine America's role in helping Israel while standing up and protecting the Palestinian people who are caught up in the crossfire.

One of the lessons from the history of student activism is clear: student activists are most often successful when they bring concrete, specific demands to the administration and to Americans at large.

Demanding an end to the war and release of hostages isn't just coming from college students - countries from around the world are also making the same demands.

As it Stands, time and time again, college students have proved that when they are at the forefront of confronting institutional oppression and societal wrongs, effective change can happen.

The Day a Journalistic Icon Resigned in Disgrace: Dan Rather Interview Set for Sunday

It's been nearly two decades since journalistic icon Dan Rather resigned from CBS after reporting a discredited story about then-President George W. Bush.

He's back. Watch for him on an upcoming episode of CBS Sunday Morning where the 92-year-old former anchor will talk about his work at CBS and his life in news. I'm looking forward to watching this interview.

He's going to be interviewed about the film "Rather," a documentary about his rise to prominence in media and his swift fall from grace.

For those who are unaware of what took down Rather it was about an incident when he cited forged memos disparaging Bush's behavior while he served in the National Guard in the 1970s allegedly written by his commanding officer at the time. 

It was fake news. Apparently Rather and his team did a poor job of vetting the memos and ran the story on "60 Minutes." What really made it bad was it appeared to be a naked attempt to make Bush look bad two months before the 2004 election.

With all of the misinformation we're currently seeing this election year Rather's ethical crime doesn't seem that egregious when you compare it to what's in the news today.

The important distinction between Rather and Fox News is that Rather didn't lie on purpose. His crime was not fully investigating the story. But he resigned and admitted he fouled up in that one incident.

Fox News however turns out fake news daily and when sued for lying the owners still continued to lie with impunity despite hefty fines.

The disgraced anchor's downfall was the subject of the 2015 film "Truth" staring Cate Blachett and Robert Redford, who played Rather.

In 2021, Rather spoke about "misinformation" on PBS NewsHour Weekend, warning on-air how "misinformation, outright lies, propaganda are rampant on the internet."

Despite his controversial exit, Rather has still been a fixture in the media, making regular appearances on CNN and MSNBC during the Trump presidency and is a prolific anti-Trump tweeter.

As it Stands, the upcoming CBS interview should be fascinating with the contrast of journalism today and in Rather's heyday.

A Life Changer: Living With an Awareness of Mortality

     Since my father died last August, there's been other deaths in my family and among good friends. During this tough stretch I've had an epiphany. Several in fact.

1. Life is too short. Death is lurking behind every challenge in our lives. Naturally and accidently. It can come like a thief in the night. 

2. I've become aware of my own mortality, and it calls for changes in my life. I'm re-evaluating my priorities and unmasking the frivolous, empty pursuits that our culture often validates.

3. Time is the most precious of all commodities. It can't be bought. Period.

Fully embracing the fact that I'm not going to live forever is bringing my values into a sharper focus.

Material things have little, or no, sway with me these days. I don't feel like I need a new house or wardrobe to be happy. 

The subject of social justice is foremost in my thoughts as I watch with some trepidation as Trump tries to tear our Constitutional Democracy apart. 

I've always believed all men/women are equal. That belief is stronger now than ever before.

As a combat veteran with PTSD, I've been struggling with death since I left Vietnam in 1970. I couldn't resolve what I did and saw in the Nam. At times I even embraced death as a solution to my misery.

After 54 years of intrusive thoughts, I think I've come to a peaceful place in this last year as my loved ones passed away. Thanks to Shirley, my wife of 49 years, my priorities are more meaningful now. 

As it Stands, coming to terms with mortality late in life is not all that unusual. Perhaps the saying about old age making us wiser has some merit.

Here's a Collection of Cartoons Because You Need to Laugh

It's time for a laugh break.

With all the chaos and hatred engulfing our country we need to divert our attention toward something positive. Laughing.

After combing through the web, I've selected the following cartoons for your viewing pleasure. 

An interesting sidenote... I've never done this before and am curious how well it does with readers. Let me know what you think.

 

As it Stands

Have a great day and don't forget how to laugh when you feel like crying!

What Options Do Republicans Have if Trump Implodes Tomorrow?

"Well, here's another fine mess you've gotten me into!"

-Oliver Hardy: Sons of the Desert

Republicans have gotten themselves in a fine mess, politically, and morally.

They've staked their future to a former twice impeached president who is facing criminal trials in four different jurisdictions and is a convicted rapist. Not exactly the perfect presidential candidate in anyone's book.

Trump is a walking time bomb. He's already cracking during the first week of his first of four trials. Between falling asleep and farting in court he's been the picture of an old man giving way to his dementia. 

Because Trump has permanent Tourette's syndrome and no self-control he's already at odds with the judge and has violated gag orders with impudence in at least ten examples. The judge really doesn't want to put Trump in jail for the violations and is bending over backward by just giving him financial fines and second and third chances.

A court clash is inevitable. It's such a tough call because the judge wants him in the courtroom. If Judge Merchan decides he has no other choice but to put him in jail accommodations could be made. 

The Manhattan Correctional Center, where Jeffery Epstein ended his life, is only about 100 or so yards away from the courthouse in Manhattan where his trial is taking place. Trump could be confined there and participate in the trial through a video link.

It's also possible Trump could be put in a gilded cage, like Trump Tower or Mar-a-Lago because the Secret Service does have an obligation to protect him.

If jailed - regardless of where he's confined - Trump will play the martyr card and go to new heights as the victim of the century.

However, he could snap and lose whatever tiny bit of sanity he processed and go full looney and be confined to a padded room. With a full-on gibbering idiot Republicans would have to turn to... who?

Exactly. If the day comes and Trump implodes, he's going to guarantee the Republican's will be a minority party for at least the next decade.

There is no plan B. As unimaginable as that may seem to be it's true. Trump hasn't even named his VP pick yet, who could at least be a possible alternative.

Nikki Haley? I don't think so. I have an idea though. They could name Tucker Carlson as their candidate as most of the MAGA cult (once called the Republican Party) currently follows him religiously.

As it Stands, Carlson would also go a long way in keeping Republicans a minority for more than a decade.

It's a Mystery: Why Did Speaker Johnson Suddenly Flip on Ukraine?

A while back, GOP House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Christian, said that he felt like Moses with God parting the sea and elevating him to the speakership.

That dubious blessing turned out to be somewhat of a curse as Johnson has been caught up in a maelstrom of MAGA morons who are enabling Putin and threatening to vacate his seat if he helped Ukraine out.

At first it appeared Johnson was sympatico with the far-right fire starters in the House and a good soldier for Trump who summoned him to Mar-a-Lago to kiss the ring two weeks ago.

But something happened. No one is sure why Johnson opened the floor to vote on aid legislation for America's allies. It was a sure thing Marjorie Taylor Greene and other ultra-right morons would go after him if he did. He knew it but ignored their threats.

Why? Johnson hasn't been a profile in courage in his entire career and now people are suddenly impressed with something he did - Republicans and Democrats alike.

Was it another biblical moment for him like Paul's journey on the Road to Damascus moment when he totally changed his beliefs and acknowledged God's presence in his life?

I'm going to go out on a limb here... but I doubt it. I'm not a particularly religious guy and I tend to look at hard cold facts over miracles. The fact is - despite his big move - Johnson is still Trump's creature.

My guess is it was a convergence of events that convinced him not to hang our allies out to dry. 

His son just graduated from the Naval Academy. Meeting with two GOP house chairs and our intelligence community was a turning point when they laid out the carnage that would follow if a bill wasn't passed. 

Pressure from conservative Republicans who wanted to keep their seats in prominently Democratic areas also played a part in his decision. 

Perhaps he realized he didn't want to be known as the man who turned over our democratic ally to Russia.

The important message is Johnson did the right thing. The bill passed and he seems confident that he'll withstand MTG's lame assault against him. Maybe because - believe it or not - Democrats have told him they would support him in an ouster vote.

As it Stands, we may never know all the reasons that motivated Johnson to do the right thing. Let's just be thankful he did.

The Realization That You Can't Always Get What You Want

"And I went down to the demonstration

To get my fair share of abuse

Singing "We're going vent our frustration

If we don't, we're going blow a fifty-amp fuse"

Sing it to me, honey...

You can't always get what you want"

The Rolling Stones

Generally, when we reach a certain age, we come to the conclusion we're not always going to get what we want in life. Reality intrudes with practicality in most cases.

However, there's a lot of wealthy families whose children get most of what they want like their parents do. It's called entitlement. But that doesn't mean they get EVERYTHING they want.

I desperately want the LA Lakers to beat the Denver Nuggets in the playoffs despite sports guru's not giving them a chance in hell. 

Okay. They lost game one. It doesn't mean the series is over... at least not in my mind. I'm prepared to back them to the bitter end. It's called being a fan.

The odds are I'm not going to get what I want, and I'll have to wait until next season.

Americans are tired of the constant political warfare being waged over the airways and social media. Most people just want some civility restored where it's safe to debate without going nuclear.

I say to those exhausted people you won't get what you want unless you vote for change and fight for truth and defend facts. Even then you may not get what you want...but at least you gave it a shot.

Being human we don't all react nicely when we don't get what we want. Some people, like rapist and former president Donald Trump throw tantrums and threaten people with harm when their will is thwarted.

There's no such thing as a good loser in 2024. The fact that there's going to be millions of sore losers - regardless of the results - is scary. 

I've come to the conclusion that people are strange. Me included. I can go all day without eating with very little discomfort, but I can barely contain my uncertainty before each Laker game.

Part of me suspects we suffer whether we get what we want or not. If I don't get it, I suffer the loss. If I do get it, I still suffer because my team may lose next time.

As it Stands, there's nothing wrong in going after what you want - it's how you deal with the results that determines the difference between being happy or sad.

'Sleepy Joe' or 'Dozing Donny?' Whose Your Favorite Old Guy?

Ring Announcer: Ladies and gentleman...

welcome to fight night in America!

Tonight's pugilists and presidential candidates are, "Dozing Donny" in the red corner representing the MAGA cult, and in the blue corner we have "Sleepy Joe" representing the majority of average Americans.

Referee: Okay gentleman I expect a clean fight (Trump breaks out in laughter) and no low blows! 

Round 1

Reporter: "The two men are slowly circling the ring uttering curses.

Two minutes later..."The two antagonists continue to circle the ring uttering curses.

"Just before the bell rang Sleepy Joe suddenly unleashed a combination of punches while Dozing Donny was ranting about windmills and whales. As he plodded back to his corner "Dozing Donny" complained the fight was fixed.

Round 2

Reporter: "Tired from circling around in the first round the two aging opponents stood to-to-toe and tried to keep their balance while throwing awkward punches at each other.

"At one point Dozing Donny threw a sloth like punch to Sleepy Joe's groin area causing him to take a step back and look at the referee for a call. When none came Sleepy Joe delivered his famous left-handed "Scranton Strike" to Dozing Donny's jaw.

It was enough to make Dozing Donny stumble over to his corner and cry to his trainer who was trying not to look disgusted."

Round 3

Reporter: Dozing Donny has refused to come out of his corner until Sleepy Joe agrees not to hit him in the face again. The referee went over to the judges, and they all are conferring about what to do.

"Meanwhile Dozing Donny has his IPad out and his calling his MAGA minions to save him from further punishment.

"Okay. Here comes the referee. He's going to the center of the ring and calling for the fighters to come over to him.

Referee: "It's legal to punch your opponent in the face. You should have known that before getting into the ring in the first place. Either keep fighting or slink off to your lair as a loser."

As Dozing Donny was being helped out of the ring he shouted, "You're going to hear from my lawyers." 

Post Fight Interview

Reporter: "So how do you feel about sending Dozing Donny back to his lair?"

Sleepy Joe: "What?"

Reporter: "How does it feel to win?"

Sleepy Joe: "It reminds me of that time I had to lay down the law on CornPop and threaten to drag him off the 3m diving board."

As it Stands, an injection of humor in these dire times is the best medicine.

Confused and Abused: Average Americans Don't Know What or Who to Believe In

The last decade has been a turning point in American society where traditional norms and truth have fallen alongside the wayside and chaos reigns supreme.

Factual information has been overwhelmed with misinformation and lies streaming from right-wing politicians and activists. 

The result is most Americans are confused, scared, and plain sick of the rampant hate spreading around the nation like a deadly cancer.

The country is facing fascist threats from Donald Trump's cult who want him to be a dictator. Right-wing extremist agendas are busy taking away women's rights and the rights of minorities and LGBTQ communities. 

The MAGA movement is a direct threat to our Constitutional Democracy and the freedoms it enshrines. Facts are clouded by conspiracies embraced by what use to be the Republican Party.

It's no wonder Americans are confused about what America really stands for these days. There are two competing narratives that have divided the country - one based in facts and history, and the other where neither applies to the alternate universe being created by Trump and his minions.

Demonstrating how confused people are right now you have two presidential candidates - one a former twice-impeached president, who has been charged with 88 felonies in four jurisdictions and is a convicted rapist who is currently in court for bribing a porn star days before the 2016 election - and the other a current president (Biden) who has no criminal history and has helped the economy make a huge comeback after a terrible pandemic.

Easy choice, right? Not so fast.

Believe it or not polls keep showing the two candidates tied and all predictions are it's going to be a close race. I don't understand how any sane person could pick Trump.

MAGA morons are abusing our judicial system and Congress with impunity. Trump gets away with fleecing his own followers and cheating at business and golfing. He loves Putin and is modeling himself after him. He's a traitor.

In this atmosphere the average American's rights are being abused daily at the state and federal levels by the orange faced domestic terrorist who is running for the presidency in November. 

Here's a terrifying thought. How many people won't even vote because they don't like either candidate? That is how Democracy dies. When a majority of Americans don't vote, bad things can happen.

As it Stands, do yourself a solid and thoroughly research articles and what people are claiming in real time to dispel any confusion you may have. 

From Russia with Love: Marjorie Taylor Greene and GOP Right-Wingers Praised for Not Funding Ukraine

Russian State media can't get enough of Marjorie Taylor Greene. 

She's proven to be a superstar for actively stopping aid to Ukraine.

Her horsey-faced mug has become a regular feature on Russian TV. And the rest of the right-wing Putin-loving GOP members have willingly joined her in becoming traitors for Trump.

Some people in Congress on the Republican side realize what a cancer she is for the party and have retired early to avoid being associated with her toxic lies. 

House Republican Ken Buck, who recently retired from the House after being disgusted with how chaotic things in the House were went on CNN yesterday and called her "Moscow Marge" who is willingly helping the Russian's propaganda machine.

Two senior Republican lawmakers, the chairs of the House Intelligence and Foreign Affairs committees, said their colleagues are echoing Russian state propaganda against Ukraine.

Republican Rep. Michael McCaul, the chair for the Foreign Affairs committee acknowledged what has been clear for some time: "Russian propaganda has made its way into the United States, unfortunately, and it's infected a good chunk of the party's base." 

Republican Rep. Mike Turner, chair for the House Intelligence Committee, told CNN that anti-Ukraine messages from Russia are "Being uttered on the House floor."

The Good News and the Bad News

The good news is that some Republicans are admitting there's a traitorous connection between Russia and some Republican congressman.

The bad news is that they are not going to do a damn thing about it! It's still business as usual in the nut house where anti-American squirrels are sharing lies at an amazing rate.

What would have Republican saint Ronald Reagan have thought about that? His beloved party infiltrated by communists and their sympathizers.

As it Stands, I've quoted this before, and I'll probably quote it again, "We have met the enemy, and he is us." -POGO

GOP Governors Unite in Fight to Stop Unions in their States

Six Republican Governors have gathered to warn their residents against the evils of unionization which they claim would threaten their jobs and values.

The governors high-profile attempt to head off unionization in their states was spurred by The United Auto Workers (UAW) voting to unionize a Volkswagen factory in Chattanooga, Tennesse later this week.

The UAW is also targeting more than a dozen factories in the south as it attempts to break out of its Midwestern stronghold.

What the Republican governors are trying to do is to preserve their economic models built on relatively low pay and minimal worker voice according to Stephen Silva, a professor at America University.

So far Tennessee Republicans have thwarted two UAW attempts to unionize the VW factory in 2014 and 2019. They've been ramping up their opposition recently with news conferences and public statements.

Like everything these days, the whole issue is a political battle between Democrats and Republicans. In their joint statement the six governors wrote, 

"We have serious reservations that the UAW leadership can represent our values. They proudly call themselves democratic socialists and seem more focused on helping President Biden get reelected than on the autoworker jobs being cut at plants they already represent."

The governors of Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, South Carolina and Texas are united in their opposition to the UAW.

Democratic state senators in Tennessee criticized the Republican governors on social media this week.

"Autoworkers in the South are ready to make history this week. #StandUp, Chattanooga!" Sen. London Lamar posted. 

To put the six governor's action into prospective Silva, who has closely studied unionization in the South, called their statement "unprecedented and shocking" and it discouraged workers from exercising their legal right to organize.

As it Stands, the wealthy's war against the common man is still very much part of our chaotic society.

Truth Social: Betting on Ideology is Risky... Especially if it Involves Trump

Step right up folks and buy Trump's meme stock if you love the former president and rapist.

Don the Con's stock market debut with Truth Social is a blast from the past. Gullible people buying into another Trump scheme to fleece the masses. Remember Trump University? Not only did it fail but Trump was forced to pay $25 million to the victims.

At first the initial offering price of Truth Social (DJT) was about $50 dollars to a peak of $80 in late March. Since then, the share price has plummeted a staggering 68% to Tuesday's price at $25. 

Stock experts have warned people all along that DJT stock is nothing more than an illusion. A fairy tale story that isn't going to happen in the real world.

Trump's latest con is meeting financial reality according to Tyler Richey, an analyst at Sevens Report Research, during an interview with ABC. 

The only hope Trump has is if enough of his cult followers buy into his scam and the very real possibility their doing it to support him financially and don't care if they end up losing their investments.

However, "Truth Social is not attracting and holding users and it's not attracting significant advertising revenue," Jay Ritter, a professor of finance at the University of Florida told ABC news recently.

"Its current business model is a colossal failure," he concluded.

Investors just have to look at Trump's past business ventures where he ended up filing bankruptcy seven times.

Canny investors don't bet on ideology because it's too risky. But these are crazy times where a former president and insurrectionist indicted in four jurisdictions is the GOP nominee for president.

Anything could happen.

As it Stands, it remains to be seen if Trump supporters have any more money left to invest/donate in Trump's latest rip-off after being constantly dunned for over a year to pay his legal bills.

Trial Begins: What Are the Chances of Convicting a Former President of a Felony?

Once again, Don the Con is making history for all the wrong reasons.

No former president has ever been indicted for a felony and forced to go to trial.

Add eighty-eight felony charges in four jurisdictions and you have the most corrupt former president and current GOP candidate for the presidency in American history.

Trump's hush money trial is here. Jury selection has begun with a dour Trump listening to prospective jurors who may decide to throw him in jail with a guilty verdict.

The whole thing is a political spectacle like the public has never seen before. Legions of reporters from all over the world clustered around the courthouse like moths around a flame as the drama unfolded inside.

There are 6,000 prospective jurists who have been called up by the court and the long process of vetting them as begun under Trump's baleful gaze.

Publicity for this potentially weeks long trial has reached a fever pitch with the legacy media and right-wing outlets competing to flood American households. It'll be a war on truth. Facts versus lies. Reality versus an alternative universe.

The feeling I'm getting is there's a good chance Trump may elude justice. I've carefully followed what legal experts have been talking about in this trial of the century, and it looks like the prosecution is going to have a rough road to hoe.

There's always the possibility of a MAGA mole worming his/hers way on to the jury. Keep in mind that Trump's followers are a cult and there's no extremes that they won't take to defend him. One determined follower can stop justice from happening.

As it Stands, this is just one of four criminal trials Trump faces this year. The stakes couldn't be higher. It's Democracy versus Autocracy.

GOP House Members Plan on Protecting Home Appliances Instead Giving Ukraine Aid

The GOP House's never-ending saga to stall passing a Ukraine aid bill gets more ridiculous by the week.

Their latest tactic is pure MAGA-inspired bullshit with the usual heavy dose of hypocrisy with a side of stupidity.

MAGA Mike Johnson came back from paying Trump homage Friday at Mar-a-Lago with a brilliant plan to introduce a series of six bills, each relating to government regulations and standards on household appliances.

They just got to save those dishwashers, clothes, stoves and refrigerators that are under fire from the evil liberal Democrats. 

Right now, MAGA Mike has bought himself some time against Marjorie Taylor Greene's efforts to oust him as speaker of the house.

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The bills to be reviewed are the following:

* Hands Off Our Home Appliances Act

* Liberty in Laundry Act (??? Set those t-shirts free!)

*Clothes Dryers Reliability Act

* Refrigerator Freedom Act (who knew they were being held hostage?)

* Affordable Air Conditioning Act

* Stop Unaffordable Dishwater Standards Act

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These bills are more important than giving aid to Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan according to the House MAGA morons shilling for Trump.

Who doesn't think this whole idea wasn't driven by Trump and his numerous phobias about low water flow and stoves?

The waste of time on cultural wars is always a good way to keep his minions happy, but Trump is going to have to yank MTG's leash back a bit before she actually bites MAGA Mike's skinny leg!

As it Stands, the House is on shaky ground with warring Republicans and Trump in the driver's seat.

It's Time the Mainstream Media Admits This is not a Normal Election

The mainstream media is sending signals that they don't know what to do about the most corrupt presidential candidate in history.

Trump gets away with horrendous threats against the majority of Americans daily. You just don't see it consistently covered in the mainstream media which hasn't figured out how to deal with Trump's daily attacks against his perceived enemies.

It's really sad that the industry which enshrines objectivity is at a loss on how to cover an election where one candidate is a normal politician, and the other is a convicted rapist who tried to steal the 2020 election. 

Publishers and editors are afraid to accurately portray events for fear of being biased. Instead, they would rather stumble into a dictatorship rather than to take a side.

In their efforts to be neutral the press can't seem to handle the fact that this is not just a regular election between a Republican and a Democrat. 

It must be understood that ignoring or avoiding Trump's dangerous behavior is a mistake. An error of the first order. We're talking about Democracy versus Autocracy. The most meaningful election in America's history is upon us.

It's not too late for American media to fulfill its basic obligation to report on Trump's escalating threats in a consistent and accurate fashion.

The press needs to stop pretending that Trump rallies calling for the death of Democrats are just politics as usual.

Trump's cult uses a variety of tactics meant to train and socialize the public, including media and cultural elites, into compliance and submission. He uses the threat of violence, coupled with the promise of positive rewards for loyalty and "patriotism."

In essence, sociopath Trump is authorizing his MAGA followers to do whatever it takes to get him re-elected.

None of this is normal. It's the mainstream media's duty to inform Americans of the threats Trump presents to their freedoms on a daily basis. 

As it Stands, worrying about appearing biased (even when you have the receipts) is not serving anyone but Trump.

Mike Johnson and Trump to Make 'Major' Announcement About Election Integrity (!)

House Speaker MAGA Mike is in trouble with some of the far-right members of the House so he's going to make a pilgrimage to Mar-a-Lago to do a walk-of-shame to save himself.

The supposed reason he's going to the House of Trump is to make a "major" announcement on election integrity. The irony of election deniers talking about voting integrity shouldn't be ignored.

The spineless House Speaker is under attack from ultra-MAGA star Marjorie Taylor Greene who wants to oust the jellyfish behind the podium. Johnson is hoping his master Donald Trump will get him out of the mess Greene's causing.

I think Johnson is in for a surprise if he thinks Trump will solve his dilemma. He's just going to be Trump's useful idiot in a crazed rant Friday to the press about election integrity... of all things!

The two traitors are going to talk about preventing non-citizens from voting. Never mind that there's already a ban on non-citizens in federal elections from voting and it's not a common occurrence.

The event is simply a dog whistle for white supremacists and racists across the country. It'll be like watching Adolf Hitler and Joseph Goebbels talk about world peace. 

The real reason for Johnson's walk-of-shame is how he can help Trump's campaign for president. 

Johnson knows that while groveling for relief from Greene's attacks that he's going to have to ramp up his efforts to enable Trump's corrupt campaign... and that doesn't bother him a bit.

As far as Greene goes, she's a Trumpie trying to outdo the master with crazy stunts and rants designed to get herself attention. It's a 50-50 chance that Trump will call off his bitch because she does cause so much chaos in the House - a situation Trump enjoys.

As it Stands, to be clear, Trump is counting on the ignorance of his followers who more than likely don't know there's already a ban on non-citizen voting.