Today in the USA: Dictators Tete-a-Tete at The White House and Open Pardon Time

                 Another day in infamy. 

Another day in the Trump regime.

Today Trump met with autocratic leader Viktor Orban in what Maga influencers called a "Touching Moment Between Two Strongmen." It was heartwarming moment when they both declared each other "great leaders" and compared toupees.

After praising each other to the point that some onlookers began vomiting, Trump explained his buddy needed a favor. Orban asked Trump to exempt his country from oil sanctions leveled at Russia that are going in to effect on Nov. 21. 

The reason is simple. Orban's country buys Russian oil to survive, and they need a free pass to continue buying oil during the US sanctions against Russian oil.

The consensus is that Trump will take care of his longtime friend and will carve out an exemption for Hungary's dictator. 

It's only fair to point out they spent the rest of their visit touring the White House looking at Trump's golden trophies and crown. Then they had lunch near the demolished East Wing before the asbestos clouds drove them back inside the undamaged sections of the People's House.

The day wouldn't have been complete without issuing at least one pardon to a criminal. 

The criminal(s) for today are a former Tennessee Republican state house speaker Glen Casada and his top aide, who were sentenced to three years in prison for public corruption charges. 

The public corruption part struck a chord in Donny's shriveled heart, and he blamed (who else?) former president Biden for "significantly over-prosecuting" the rogue politicians.

This pardon continues a pattern of Trump using his second term to bestow unlikely pardons on political allies, prominent public figures and others convicted of defrauding the public.

Trump also pardoned Michael Grimm, a New York Republican House member who resigned after a tax fraud conviction (an issue close to Donny's black heart) and made headlines for threatening to throw a reporter off a Capitol balcony over a question he didn't like. 

The pardons have also come amid a continuing Trump regime effort to erode public integrity guardrails - including the firing of the department's pardon attorney and the near-dismantling of a prosecution unit established to hold public officials accountable for abusing the public trust.

As it Stands, it's just another day living under a demented dictator intent on destroying our Democracy.

Another Felonious First For Trump

You got to hand it to our first felon; he's managed to keep up his criminal chops by shutting down the government and demolishing the White House in ten short months.

For the record the longest government shutdown to date was under Trump's first administration. He's exceeded his own dubious record this year. 

The stakes are higher than ever before as the economy falters and Americans face losing healthcare benefits. For the first time in history the SNAP program wasn't able to help hungry Americans until the courts stepped in and forced Trump to fund SNAP at the 11th hour. Another first.

As a horrified public watched helplessly Trump tore down the East Wing of The White House with no input from Congress or anyone else normally involved in historical building projects. Talk about bad optics. It's another first. 

Here's some more felonious firsts in Trump's return to the Oval Office.

- In defiance of the Constitution Trump has been surging active military troops and federalizing national guards into blue cities on missions to intimidate citizens who dare interfere with the illegal ICE arrests across the country.

- He weaponized the Department of Justice, the FBI, and the Department of Homeland Security to go after his perceived enemies and people he just doesn't like.

- He's openly extorting media outlets that he doesn't like by threatening to hurt companies through legislative action that don't bend the knee to him.

- Showing no shame, Trump has been openly grifting foreign nations and getting GIFTS like a presential airplane and a gold crown with the help of his spineless supporters in Congress. 

- From Day One Trump has been attacking the judicial system like a warthog with rabies. He's defied court orders regularly. He threatens judges he doesn't like with impeachment.

All of these assaults on our democracy are firsts for any president. We've never had a more corrupt leader in history. Americans are learning lessons the hard way after electing Trump for a second term. 

Trumps completely unhinged and acting out all of his fantasies from building a massive, gilded age ballroom for his wealthy friends connected to the White House, to a triumphal arch in his name across from the Lincoln Memorial in Washington DC.

The firsts we're experiencing are both stunning and shocking on a daily basis. Americans wake up wondering if Trump is going to start a war in Latin America, or if he's going to declare martial law and cast off any pretense of not being a dictator and assume full control of the United States of America.

I'm willing to bet there's a lot of people who are wishing that they hadn't voted for Trump and are now struggling in our collapsing economy with increasing food lines for middle class Americans out of work.

Before you lose hope for the country, I want to point out the recent special elections across 39 states were almost entirely won by the Democrats. There were record lines at voting booths from New York to California. People have seen enough of Trump's firsts and are organizing for the midterms where I expect there will be a blue wave of retribution.

As it Stands, Americans must continue to resist Trump's felonious firsts agenda and be prepared to turn out in record numbers and vote next November.

Republicans Have the Blues Over Special Election News

Democrats dominated the special elections.

It was plain to see there was a blue wave across the country.

When Trump woke up Wednesday, he was greeted by a defeated GOP. His party minions scrambled about trying to somehow please the lout, but he continued to shout and pout.

The election losses preyed on Trump's tiny brain as he gathered his cabinet to find someone to blame. He called them out for the horrific countrywide loses and then he bragged about winning last year's election and his international fame.

"I wasn't on the ballot, so we lost!" he ranted and raved to his minions who sat quietly by. All they could do was sigh and let him cry.

It didn't help when Trump heard there was skepticism from the Supreme Court over his power to level tariffs internationally, he acted irrationally. 

In a ridiculous claim, Trump called the tariff case a "life or death moment for the country," which was beyond lame. But that's the first felon's game.

Talk about gall, Trump spoke at the American Business Forum and told them his beautiful tariffs would help them all.

Throughout Trump Country Maga lawmakers are hosing their constituents today, claiming Republicans carried the day.

As it Stands, Trump's cult suffered at the polls faring worse than their stated goals.

Trump Voters: 'How Do You Like What America Has Become?'

This post is for you if you voted for Trump in 2024.

So how do you like America today? Is the current chaos what you expected?

Is Trump checking off the list of promises he made you while campaigning last year?

Has the price of food gone down? How about eggs and gas? How about the fact that illegal tariffs have sent retail prices through the roof. 

You may be wondering why the economy is staggering to stay afloat. Maybe you're getting a little concerned about what you see when you go into stores and get sticker-shock.

Remember those wonderful tariffs that Trump said would supercharge the economy? By now, you know those tariffs are part of the reason why your facing rapid inflation and soaring prices on EVERYTHING. 

Did you know that Trump was going to put together a special strike force from our military to occupy every state in the union? What? Trump didn't mention that. Maybe he forgot.

But what do you think of the current use of national guard units who have been sent out to "protect" ICE agents and border patrol cops in major cities? Are you okay with people being kidnapped in their homes, churches, and schools?

I hope you didn't have any silly ideas about having more rights and freedoms under Trump's regime. Another thing. Unless your wealthy Trump doesn't give a damn about you. You know that's true right now as he shut down the government causing millions of Americans to lose their healthcare benefits. 

I wonder what you think about the cruelty Trump has displayed about SNAP benefits disappearing for 42 million Americans because he said he doesn't have enough money - patently false - to fund the national food assistance program?

Did you ever suspect Trump would triple his fortune in the first nine months of his presidency? Have you bought your $100 Trump Bible yet? Are you okay with the flood of gifts from foreign countries essentially paying Trump for favors? How about the whole Trump family grifting their way across the world at taxpayers' expense?

Did you ever hear a hint about Trump demolishing the White House and Rose Garden as he campaigned? Did he tell you that he was going to build a triumphal arch across from the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C. and call it the Arc de Trump? Or that he planned to build a massive ballroom - twice the size of the White House? Do you believe the ballroom is fully funded even though the price goes up every time Trump talks about it?

I hope you aren't a travel agent because there's never been a worse time for tourism in America. Other countries are watching our democracy sink into the sunset as we demonize brown people and round them up like animals nationwide.

The number of foreign visitors has declined this year according to the travel research firm Tourism Economics who say Trump's rhetoric and restrictive policies are the cause. Canadian tourists are going to other countries rather than visit their worrisome neighbors. Add a new $250 "visa integrity fee" that began in October, and you can understand why international tourists don't want to come to our country.

By the way did you celebrate Halloween by taking your kids out to neighborhoods that were being gassed by ICE agents?

I just want you to know that Trump celebrated Halloween with a Great Gatsby gilded-age theme (which they called a little party that never hurt anyone) at Mar-a-Lago with his billionaire buddies as our country remains shut down.

As it Stands, if Trump's regime is making your life hell, then you might consider joining the majority of other Americans in resisting the Maga movement and fighting for democracy.

More Republicans are Caught Between Trump and Their Constituents Every Day

Judgement Day is approaching fast for Republicans in Congress. 

They're faced with supporting a malicious narcissist who misuses the U.S. military here and abroad. 

A president who wants taxpayers to give him $230 because he didn't like being investigated over his coup attempt on Jan.6.

Supporting Trump gets harder daily after he shut down the government and jeopardized support for 42 million Americans that need food assistance programs like SNAP.

Republican senators and house representatives don't dare to hold town halls. They know what their constituents are going to ask.

Why is the president holding gilded age parties while Americans are in danger of losing their health benefits?

Why has Trump and his family tripled their fortunes in 10 months as the economy is collapsing?

Why does Trump keep getting personal gifts from foreign countries like Qatar who presented him with a $400 million dollar jet?

Why didn't you try to stop Trump from illegally tearing down the White House and building a massive ballroom next to it?

Why do you go along with Trump's lies, even as they are being exposed every day in real time?

Why are you joining Trump in his personal revenge tour when you know it's illegal and that he's weaponized the Department of Justice?

Why are you supporting Trump's illegal tariffs when you know that the public is paying the price?

What has Trump done for us in our state to elevate the economic crisis we're experiencing?

Upcoming Special Elections - Nov. 4th

Republicans can read the writing on the wall. Trump has become so toxic it's jeopardizing their careers. Democrats are turning out in record numbers in early voting in Virginia for the governor's spot. Democrat Abigail Spanberger leads Republican Winsome Earl-Sears according to the majority of recent polls.

New Jersey's Governor's race shows Democrat Mikie Sherrill leading her Republican opponent Jack Ciattarelli by 51% versus 43%, according to the most recent Quinnipiac poll.

Side note: Arizona Democrat, Adelita Grijalva, was elected to Congress over a month ago, but House Speak Mike Johnson refuses swear her in. A lawsuit has been filed against Johnson.

California voters will be voting on Prop 50. From all accounts it looks like it's going to pass giving Democrats more seats in Congress.

The signs of a blue wave are everywhere with special elections in Atlanta, Boston, Cleveland, Detroit, Minneapolis, New York City, and Seattle who are choosing new leaders or deciding on incumbents.

Which brings us back to the challenges Republicans are currently facing with an out-of-control leader literally tearing apart the White House and the economy. One has to wonder what the breaking point will be for these Maga minions to turn on dear leader.

As it Stands, I encourage Democratic and Independent voters to exercise their rights to vote today and tomorrow... while they still can.

'Let Democracy Speak' - Epstein Victims Urge Mike Johnson to Stop Playing Politics

No one has gone further out of their way to conceal the Epstein files than House Speaker Mike Johnson. 

He could hold a seminar on how to obstruct justice with all of the experience he's gained in the House as its leader. 

Trump has been counting on Johnson to keep the House closed as long as possible so Rep.-elect Adelita Grijalva (D-AZ) couldn't provide the one needed vote to have a bipartisan discharge petition to compel the Trump regime to release the Epstein case files. 

The thinking behind keeping his Republican charges on a never-ending vacation is that some 11-th hour event will come up and derail it. Like one of the Republicans who are voting for the release suddenly changes their mind and joins the rest of his cowardly colleagues in opposing the release of the Epstein files.

Johnson was confronted today with an open letter from the victims of the late billionaire financier and sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein. In it they asked him to stop obstructing the swearing in of Rep-elect Adelita Grijalva.

They didn't hold back their concerns.

"Grijalva was duly elected and certified to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives," the letter began. "Her constituents have spoken, and their voices deserve representation without further delay. The continued refusal to seat her is an unacceptable breach of democratic norms and a disservice to the American people. Even more concerning to us survivors, this delay appears to be a deliberate attempt to block her participation in the discharge petition that would force a vote to unseal the Epstein/Maxwell files."

In conclusion the letter said, "Speaker Johnson must stop using procedural tactics to protect the powerful and instead uphold the integrity of our democratic institutions. Our trauma is not a pawn in your political games. Every day you stall is another day survivors are denied justice, and the American people are denied the truth. Swear in Representative Grijalva and let democracy speak."

The country is in chaos because Johnson has his head up Trump's ass and doesn't care if the government stays closed throughout his dear leader's term. Without the last-minute intervention from a judge the SNAP program was going to shut down and deprive 42 million Americans of much-needed food. Johnson claimed he couldn't do anything about that. Really?

The third most powerful politician in the government couldn't do anything to help millions of Americans. Think about that. We all know he's lying - and he knows we know - but he still stands in front of microphones and lists of lies like flies.

I wonder what Johnson would think if he heard what Trump reportedly told a GOP house member the other day. He bragged that behind the scenes he's effectively holding the position of president and House speaker.

I'm thinking he'd squint behind his owl glasses and give a big shitty smile to show he has no shame.

As it Stands, as of Saturday the House has been in recess for 30 days as Johnson refuses to reconvene the chamber until the Senate adopts a spending bill that will doom American healthcare.

The Militarization of America is Speeding Up

Any dictator worth his/her salt knows they have to control the military in order to achieve a totalitarian regime.

That lesson hasn't been lost on Trump, who has been studying for years on how to be a proper dictator (dear leader) under the tutelage of Vladimir Putin, Kim Jong-un, and Xi Jinping, and now he feels his time has arrived. 

Trump on his first day of his regime rescinded an executive order (Executive Order 13989) signed by President Joe Biden that guaranteed that the Executive Branch would make ethical decisions. That set the stage for his corrupt regime.

To prove he's been reading the Dictator's for Dummies guidebook, Trump illegally surged active military and federalized national guard units in August, in California. Under a tsunami of lies Trump expanded his attacks against blue cities like Portland, Oregon, Washington DC, and Chicago, Illinois.

The result thus far has been a flood of court cases as Democrats fight back against the seizure of their cities by a military force. It's looking like the tide is slowly turning against Trump in the courts and possibly by the Supreme Court.

But that chaos isn't slowing Trump down in his quest to take over all 50 states with "special military units" by January 1st. He's already ordered the National Guard to train as many as 500 troops per state to serve as a "rapid response" team focused on civil disturbance "missions."

If that doesn't sound ominous, I don't know what is. I went on "missions" in Vietnam. But that was a war. This war is against the American people.

In our undeclared war against South American countries Trump has deployed an aircraft carrier group (the Gerald R. Ford is the biggest aircraft carrier in the world) and Secretary of War Defense Hegseth has authorized illegal strikes on civilian boats in the Caribbean Sea and the eastern Pacific Ocean under the pretext they were all drug smugglers. So far, 61 people have been arbitrarily murdered in what critics are calling "illegal extrajudicial killings."

The U.S. government has been accused of violating Columbian sovereignty, by striking a civilian fishing boat. Venezuela has appealed to the international courts about U.S. operations and openly 'hostile provocation" and a breach of international law. The country has mobilized its armed forces and militia to stop a suspected invasion of their country.

The military is not permitted to target civilians, including suspected criminals, who do not pose an imminent threat of violence. We have the Coast Guard to protect against drug smugglers.

But Congress has been kept in the dark about what's happening with the exception of some Republican Trump loyalists who got a brief meeting with Hegseth a day ago telling them what to say - not the real story.

Hegseth has purged the military of all its top brass in every branch to install Trump loyalists that will obey Trump's every command. Including going to war without authorization from Congress.

As it Stands, the political weaponization of American Armed Forces is progressing rapidly with little resistance - with the exception of the overwhelmed court system trying to protect our rights as free people. 

SNAP Benefits and Health Insurance Extensions Can Be Saved: Here's How

With just over 24 hours left before millions of Americans go hungry there is still a way of saving the biggest food program in the country for the needy.

This morning Senator Schumer, Senator Amy Klobuchar, and Senator Ben Ray Lujan, introduced two bills. The first one will fund the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) before the Nov. 1st deadline. If it isn't passed 42 million Americans will go hungry.

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UPDATE: A coalition of 25 Democratic-run states sued the Trump administration to prevent billions of dollars of cuts to federal food assistance. If the lawsuit is successful SNAP will be funded in time.

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The second bill would preserve the Affordable Care Act by extending health insurance tax credits in exchange for the Democrats support to reopen the government. The Nov. 1st deadline is in sight and there's no time to waste on partisan politics. Though the tax credits are set to sunset at the end of the year, increased premiums are expected to appear during the open enrollment period.

The reality that faces both bills is grim. Trump's hammerlock on the House and Senate is firm. Trump could care less if people go hungry or lose their health insurance. He's demonstrating his disdain for the American people by going on an Asian tour to collect gifts bribes from several countries.

For example, South Korea presented Trump with a gold crown today. I'm not kidding! The irony is as thick as a brick.  

The insidious thing is that during Trump's first regime there was a long shutdown, the longest in history, but he somehow found a way to fund the program back then. Why not do it this time? 

I think you know the answer. Trump has no guardrails and is openly playing the dictator. There is a fund to tap, an annual appropriation, this time, just like the last time. Congress built in a backup fund for just this kind of emergency.

The extended effect of losing the SNAP program goes beyond hungry people. For example, one dollar in SNAP benefits generates $1.50 in economic activity, according to the USDA. 

At this point, I'm afraid the cowardly Republicans in both the House and Senate are going off an economic cliff like lunatic lemmings to please their dear leader.

It would take a miracle to bring MAGA Mike and his puppets back to the House to save Americans that are going to go hungry and lose their health benefits. The Senate will need to move fast - as in today or tomorrow - to save both programs.

As it Stands, the SNAP program is 60 years-old and has never been unfunded... until now.

Supreme Court is Enabling Trump's Control Over the Federal Government

It sure must be nice to have the Supreme Court in your pocket especially if you're a dictator looking to establish complete control of a government.

Once again, the Trump regime is asking the Supreme Court to break rules for the dear leader. This time they want SCOTUS to uphold the illegal firing of the Register of Copyrights Shira Perlmutter from her influential post earlier this year inside the Library of Congress that oversees and enforces the United States' copyright system.

Imagine the fun Trump will have abusing copyright laws to benefit himself. This is just the latest appalling appeal to the justices over the first felon's expansive view of presidential control over the federal government.

Next month, the Supreme Court will consider Trump's ability to fire members of independent federal agencies without cause. Next year the Supreme Court will also examine Trump's control over members of the Federal Reserve.

Under federal law, the Register of Copyrights is appointed by and reports to the Liberian of Congress, who in turn is appointed by the president for a 10-year term after confirmation by the Senate.

Ignoring the fact that Biden appointed Librarian Carla Hayden had years to go in her term, Trump arbitrarily fired her without cause when he came into office. He replaced her with his personal attorney and Deputy Attorney General, Todd Blanche, who has become Trump's enforcer and Epstein File confidant. Blanche then fired Perlmutter and the deed was done.

Trump is brazenly shaking down the justices to overturn the legal questions surrounding his control of the Library of Congress and who leads it.

The Supreme Court made a huge mistake when they granted immunity for the most crooked politician in the modern age. Trump is rampaging through the federal government and the states in order to assert complete control of the United States.

The Supreme Court's so-called shadow docket for emergency motions has played an outsized role in legal challenges against the new Trump regime. Federal trial judges from across the ideological spectrum have repeatedly blocked actions by the regime, only for the Supreme Court to halt those rulings with little or no explanation.

The Court's failure to explain its rulings has also opened the door to the Trump regime embracing a maximalist interpretation of what the Court has authorized.

Without a doubt America is at a precarious moment of backsliding. The courts are being asked to serve as a check on Trump's abuses and a backstop for the rule of law. In case after case, the justices have declined that charge.

As it Stands, with the conservative majority in the Supreme Court, Trump is riding roughshod over all of our laws in his quest to be a dictator.

Is Trump Dying Before Our Eyes?

Trump has always lied about his health. 

So have his handpicked doctors who have described his health in hyperbolic terms like "he's the healthiest President in history."

We know he's the oldest president in history and he's a documented serial liar. Beyond that people can only go by what they see. Like hands with dark red and purple splotches hastily covered up with makeup and ankles so swollen it's a wonder he can walk.

Under pressure from the media, Minister of Propaganda Karoline Leavitt, reluctantly admitted Trump has chronic venous insufficiency which she downplayed as not being unusual. 

Then the media announced that Trump had an MRI during his recent trip to Walter Reed medical center. This new development has raised even more serious questions about Trump's health.

While on his way to Asia Trump told CBS News, "I did. I got an MRI, it was perfect, yep." When asked what the doctors were looking for, Trump shrugged and nonchalantly said "ask the doctors." And surprise, surprise, the doctors were aboard the plane, and they claimed Trump had "some of the best reports they've ever seen." Sound familiar?

But the bullshit didn't stop there. Trump's personal physician, Capt. Sean Barbarella sent out a memo saying that he was in perfect health and his cardiac age "was found to be approximately 14 years younger than his chronological age." Barbarella also didn't say what part of the body was the MRI done on or if it was a whole-body scan. Of particular interest he never said why the MRI was ordered.

The most chilling part of the in-flight interview was when Trump refused to rule out a bid for a third presential term, despite the 22nd Amendment limiting presidents to two terms. "I would love to do it," he responded to reporters' question of running for a third term. "Am I ruling it out? You'll have to tell me," Trump ominously replied. 

Is Trump dying? Does he have even more brain damage than most people have suspected? Does he have a chronic condition that is threatening his life? 

My theory is Trump knows his days are limited so he's going balls out in a grand farewell to the American people and the world. Hence crazy things like tearing down the East Wing of The White House to accommodate a ballroom which I'm sure will be dubbed "The Trump" Ballroom." It gives him a chance to forever proclaim his majestic reign.

Maybe all of Trump's recent comments about going to heaven - and even holding a grift among his minions to give him money to enter heaven - are reflective of him sensing his days are numbered. Because he hides all of the real records about his health one has to wonder how sick he really is.

As it Stands, don't be surprised if Mount Rushmore is partly demolished so that Trump's fat face can go alongside some real presidents.

Why are Ballrooms So Popular Among Dictators, Kings and Queens?

Here's a quick trip down memory lane featuring some famous ballrooms in history.

Two kings are particularly famous for building grand ballrooms: King Louis XIV of France and King Ludwig II of Bavaria. King Louis XIV built The Hall of Mirrors (Galerie des Glaces) which is arguably the most famous example of a grand ballroom in history.

King Luwig II built a Great Hall of Mirrors at Herrenchiemsee, Germany as a tribute to Louis XIV. Of course, being a king meant Ludwig II had to build a larger version featuring 33 grand chandeliers and 25 frescoes depicting the life of Louis XIV.

In 1855 The Buckingham Palace ballroom was completed for Queen Victoria. It measured 120 ft long and 60 feet wide and 45 ft high.

Thus far we've covered old ballrooms built by kings. They were all built for the same purpose of impressing royalty throughout Europe. They were the ultimate statement of power and opulence for the wealthy.

Now it's time to look at grand ballrooms built by moguls to display their wealth and status in society. 

During the Gilded Age Cornelius Vanderbilt II built a mansion on Fifth Avenue with a large ballroom (Pictured in photo above) that could have held four regular middle class two-story homes in its volume. At the time it was the largest ballroom around.

In 1937 Hitler decided he needed a grand ballroom to impress people with and he partly demolished the Old Reich Chancellery in an interesting coincidence since Trump tore down part of The White House to build his ballroom. The new building was built during an economic depression when German citizens were trying to keep up with the rapidly growing inflation on all goods in the country. It also had a bunker like Trump's monstrosity does beneath the bottom of the ballroom.

That brings us to Trump's planned abomination ballroom twice the size of The White House which was partly demolished during the construction. Because Trump loves the Gilden Age buildings and interiors he's copied their ostentatious design.

It's important to point out that Trump didn't have permission to demolish the White House East Wing and went about construction before anyone could do anything about it. This vanity project is going to have a strong resemblance to the gilded ballroom at Mar-a-Lago, Trump's private club and home in Palm Beach, Florida.

Because Trump is overseeing the project and letting very little information out on it, we don't know exactly who is paying for it. 

Right now, it looks like the bulk of the cost is being covered by CEOs and companies seeking favors from Trump, who is the most transactional president we've ever had. But the cost keeps going up. The cost started at $200 million and has ballooned to $350 million. I suspect that cost is going to go up as the project progresses.

As you may have deduced ballrooms have always been a symbol of power and wealth. To see one dwarfing the White House - a symbol of the People's House - is disgusting and demoralizing. 

The whole project is just another grift in Trump's polarizing presidency. It's satisfying Trump's enormous ego despite the optics of a country shut down and struggling with rising inflation. Hitler did the same thing for the same reason.

As it Stands, the struggle to save democracy has never been greater than it is now with a corrupt narcissist president who believes he's above the law. 

Abrego Garcia's Lawyers are Turning the Tables on the DOJ

By now most Americans have heard various stories about what happened to Kilmar Abrego Garcia, an immigrant wrongfully deported to El Salvador in March of 2025 by the Justice Department.

The case has become notorious for exposing the lengths to which the Trump administration has gone to silence him and ship him overseas. The government recently offered to deport Garcia to Liberia, an African country known for its human rights violations, but his lawyers were able to stop them at the last minute.

Some context: Garcia is facing two criminal accounts of human smuggling related to a 2022 traffic stop in Tennessee and has pleaded not guilty. It looks like Garcia is going to get his day in court soon. 

His defense lawyers have been granted permission to proceed with a claim of "vindictive prosecution" arguing that the criminal charges were filed in retaliation for Garcia challenging his initial deportation to El Salvador.

Keep in mind that "vindictive prosecution" is also going to play a part in the criminal charges filed against former FBI chief James Comey and N.Y. Attorney General Leticia James who filed combined motions to disqualify the cases against them too. As Trump continues to pursue his revenge tour it's becoming clear that the courts will be looking at more cases of vindictive prosecution.

Back to Garcia's case. Trump's personal hitman in the courts, Todd Blanche, is getting cornered by the recent ruling where he may be forced to testify. Right now, he's ranting about the court's ruling and claiming he's immune from giving any testimony... anywhere.

The legal saga has attracted national attention, with Garcia's lawyers calling the attempts at deportation "punitive, cruel, and unconstitutional."  A federal judge in Maryland has banned his immediate removal while she reviews claims that the government is retaliating against him for successfully challenging his previous wrongful deportation, according to ABC and CBS News.

Determining the legitimacy of the charges against Abrego Garcia is highly complex, with federal and civil court cases, conflicting evidence, and accusations of political motivation. While he has been indicted by a federal grand jury on human smuggling charges, federal judges have expressed skepticism and concerns about the government's handling of the case. Garcia has maintained he's innocent.

Puppy-killer Kristi Noem has claimed to the media that Garcia is an MS-13 gang member, serial domestic abuser, and child predator. Some of the statements are exaggerated, and others are based on information from dubious informants.

A federal judge in July described the U.S. government's "poor attempts to tie Abrego to MS-13," saying that to conclude Garcia is a member of or affiliated with MS-13, the court "would have to make so many inferences" that the conclusion would border on fanciful." Federal judges in 2025 have agreed he's not an MS-13 gang member.

As it Stands, Kilmar Abrego Garcia has become the poster boy for the DOJ's illegal immigration policies and he's embarrassing Trump and his cronies.

The Trump Report: Fear and Loathing in the Heartland and Overseas

Here's the latest damage report Trump has caused in our government system, some recent examples of him flouting the laws of the land, and incidents where he shows what a creep he really is.

The first felon's creepiness credentials are for refusing to let the children of Venezuela compete in the Little League World Championships in America. He refused their visas in another show of racism and downright meanness.

Recent illegal Trump actions run down:

1. Trump used research and development (R&D) money that the Department of Defense had left over from last fiscal year - an action that was patently illegal according to experts in the field. The move was unnecessary because there's overwhelming support in Congress to enact legislation to pay the military.

Instead of taking the legal, straightforward path to pay the troops (as in the 2013 Obama shutdown, when a law was enacted to pay the troops on the eve of the shutdown) the Trump regime opted for an illegal strategy because Maga Mike Johnson shut down the House on Sept. 19, sending its members home and refusing to open the House for business.

2. Taken together with impoundments - where Trump illegally chooses not to spend money he's legally required to spend - he is now violating spending law on both ends of the spectrum. He is not spending money he doesn't want to spend while also spending money for unauthorized purposes.

3. Trump hasn't let up his attacks against Democratic cities despite numerous judgments against his deployment of the national guard. A Chicago Judge stopped any troops from patrolling the streets again yesterday... following other judgements of the illegality of deploying troops indiscriminately into America's heartland. 

4. Trump is building up a military presence in South American waters and the Caribbean. In a major escalation he's deployed an aircraft carrier group to Latin America. Meanwhile Trump has approved 10 deadly military strikes against civilians in international waters in and around the Caribbean and Latin America. He's even raised the possibility of expanding operations to include additional strikes on land.

The things I mentioned above are just a sampling of how out of control things are under a convicted felon who believes he's been divinely guided to sack the country and to impose authoritarian rule.

Since he was reelected, Trump has pursued his perceived enemies like a crazed bloodhound. He's breaking laws with impunity. Every day brings new horrors from Trump's lair in the Oval Office. He's tearing down the People's House to accommodate a massive vulgar ballroom to entertain his wealthy buddies.

As it Stands, America is staggering under the weight of Trump's lawless regime, and we still have more than three years left to endure.

Is The Government Going to Be Permanently Shut Down?

The one person in America who is enjoying the current shutdown is its instigator Trump who is in no hurry to reopen the government.

That's because the First Felon has a good thing going. He's literally demolished the East Wing of the White House with no resistance and is in the process of grifting the U.S. Treasury for $230 million. 

In a naked display of power Trump has declared that taxpayers owe him money for the past investigations against him involving a coup attempt. This sordid grift has been happening behind closed doors and the only reason we know about it is a whistleblower exposed the scheme. 

All Trump needs is for the Justice Department to sign him a check for the two illegal claims he filed totaling $230 million and he can take it to HIS bank. 

The fix is in because Todd Blanche, his personal lawyer that defended him during the coup investigations, is also now a deputy attorney general capable of giving taxpayer money away. 

In addition, Stanley Woodward the associate attorney general was another of Trump's lawyers and stands ready to support dear leaders' theft.

The Justice Department won't say if they are going to recuse Blanche and Woodward. You can bet their answer will come out after the fact. Kind of like the demolishing of the east wing of the White House when Trump claimed he wouldn't touch it with his tiny fingers and then...whoops! Too late.

The effect of the shutdown thus far has given Trump more time to devote to grifts and personal grievances. In his lizard brain the shutdown has offered all kinds of opportunities to enrich himself and his family.

At this point in time there's little Democrats can do to stop Trump's money grab and violation of laws. Rep. Jamie Raskin, the top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, plans on launching an investigation into what he called " a shakedown" that violates the Constitution.

The DOJ claims it'll follow the guidance of career ethics officials. Of course, Trump has gotten rid of the Ethics Department so that means there will be little - or no - pushback against the big grift.

The bottom line is Trump either gets his way and there's no compromise on the budget bill, or the nation will be paralyzed for the foreseeable future. 

As it Stands, what would have been an obstacle to prior presidents is an opportunity for the corrupt bastard squatting in the Oval Office like a venomous toad.

Organizers of "No Kings" Shares Current and Future Plans to Advocate for Americans

'No Kings" protests aren't going away.

The group plans on calling out Trump's illegal actions and corruption until the wannabe king is kicked out of the White House.

It's time to build on the largest protest in history - 7 million people from all 50 states - according to the organizers of the successful "No Kings" movement.

Event co-founder of Indivisible, Ezra Levin, recently talked with MSNBC and said the group is planning local actions and forming a major organizing infrastructure to sustain the effort. The goal is to transition from large, singular events to a continues rapid-response network.

Expect to see weekly actions which may include targeted boycotts and more local street protests. The group will be encouraging activists to amplify local stories of resistance and participate in community-level organizing.

Among the many missions on Oct. 18th the group held a meeting about engaging in local electoral organizing efforts. A key partner, the ACLU will be announcing training sessions, such as "People Power Training." 

Today the group held a Zoom call entitled, "The Disappeared in America Movement" to organize protests against kidnappings and "disappearances" by vicious and violent ICE agents against immigrants and dissenters from Trump's corrupt agenda.

The alliance between "No Kings" and the ACLU has already put its new rapid-response network into action. 

They are advocating for healthcare by urging supporters to call Senators to restore healthcare cuts made in the recent budget bill. They are also focused on urging people to put pressure on the Democrats to hold fast against Trump's partial government shutdown.

The alliance warned Americans that a massive increase in totalitarian behavior, in addition to the ones that are already underway, can be expected.

What also can be expected is that Trump and his lapdogs are going to portray the alliance as a domestic terror organization. They will weaponize the FBI, DOJ, Department of Homeland Security, and any other agencies to go full bore on the alliance. The last thing they want to see is the truth coming out daily about their illegal activities.

"We're going to have days of action," along with days of "non-violent civil resistance," said Ashlee Woodard-Henderson one of the organizers. 

I'm excited and thankful for this alliance that is using its momentum to give Americans a voice in these chaotic times.

As it Stands, speaking truth to power is an American right. Let your voice be heard today.

Convicted Sex Abuser Rapes Lady Liberty Daily

Fact: Trump has to pay $83.3 million to E. Jean Carroll after being found liable for sexual abuse and defamation in a federal court. Despite numerous appeals he still has to pay the fine.

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Two days ago, the majority of Americans were shocked to see the east side of the White House being actively demolished. But why, many people wondered? What happened? Was it the result of a domestic terrorist attack?

The answers rolled out with the news the last couple of days about the unexpected destruction on the East Wing of the White House in nearly every media outlet in the country.

Why... because our First Felon wants a giant ballroom to entertain his wealthy buddies and he deemed it necessary.

What happened? Without going through the normal process that includes the National Capital Planning Commission review, Trump decided to dismantle the east wing of the White House. 

Was it a domestic terrorist's work? You could say that as Trump has been the very definition of a domestic terrorist on steroids.

I was enraged to see the desecration as an excavator tore into the hollowed building when just the day before Trump told reporters that the White House wouldn't be disturbed because he had too much respect for its history. That didn't last long. Two days later the assault on our history began.

Historians said the construction both struck at the literal edifice of the building and the symbolism the "People's House" represents. The destruction is unprecedented. There's never been nothing on the scale of Trump's ballroom, not even close to that scale, according to a former chief historian for the White House, Ed Langel.

In a sign the administration was sensitive to the vial images of a gutted East Wing, the Treasury Department directed staff NOT TO SHARE PHOTOS of the project, which was visible from its offices. 

You may wonder who is going to pay for the projected $250 million ballroom that will be 90,000 square feet and hold a seated capacity of 650 people for events of Trump's choosing. According to Minister of Propaganda Karoline Leavitt the ballroom would be "substantially separated" from the main building of the White House and donors are going to foot the cost.

Donors who want favors will now have another way to bribe Donny to grant their wishes. We already know that representatives from Microsoft, Google, Palantir, and other companies, as well as wealthy figures such as Blackstone CEO Stephan Schwarzman and Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss got their bribes in. 

As America watches Don the Con raise hell with the biggest grifts in his life, he's also stripping away our freedoms and systematically demolishing laws that protect the public. 

As it Stands, there's nothing pretty in what's happening to our country which is being raped by a convicted sexual abuser.

Trump Wants Taxpayers to Pay for Investigations into His Criminal Activities

In the bizarre world we live in criminals can be compensated for being charged in government investigations. 

The latest example is our First Felon who has demanded that the Department of Justice give him a whopping $230 million in compensation for conducting a perfectly legal search of his Mar-a-Lago lair where he had hidden stolen classified government documents.

Your damn right! That's outrageous. Trump was convicted in federal court in Florida in connection into his retention of classified government documents and interfering in efforts by federal authorities to recover them.

But then Maga Judge Aileen Cannon tossed out that case, and the DOJ ultimately dropped an appeal of her decision and the entire case after Trump won the 2024 election. The fix was formerly in place and Trump got to pursue his perceived enemies and gripes with no pushback from the DOJ, FBI, or any other government agencies.

Trump previewed his intentions last week in an Oval Office event while standing next to Deputy Attorney (and Trump's personal lawyer) Todd Blanche, Attorney General Pam Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel. 

The corrupt trio smiled and gushed over dear leader as he said, "I have a lawsuit that was doing very well, and when I became president, I said, I'm sort of suing myself. I don't know, how do you settle the lawsuit, I'll say give me X dollars, and I don't know what to do with the lawsuit.

If you can decipher exactly what he said there, you're smarter than me. It sounded like the rambling of a demented old man looking to rip off taxpayer money with no justification for doing it. He's doing it because grifting is his gift to the world.

The New York Times reported that any potential lawsuit might have to be approved by people he has appointed. Trump submitted complaints related to the DOJ's probes "through an administrative claim process that is often the precursor to lawsuits," the newspaper reported.

It doesn't take a political expert to know that the deck is stacked and it's just a matter of time before this fraudulent lawsuit(s) will be filed by his cronies.

Watching Trump trample over every law in the land is like watching a continuing series of train wrecks, with each more devasting than the last one.

As it Stands, it's just another case of Trump stealing taxpayer's hard-earned money to enrich himself.

How Long Will Johnson Shut Down the House to Avoid Releasing the Epstein Files?

As millions of Americans face a massive increase in healthcare, Speaker of the House Mike Johnson took his members to lunch at the "Rose Garden" - a concrete slab in the back of the White House - to hear a pep talk from dear leader who wants to make sure they are still backing the shutdown.

What we know for sure is there will be no vote today to fund the government. After Monday's 11th vote failed, the shutdown has now reached 21 days and tied the 1995-1996 standoff during the Bill Clinton presidency as the second longest in U.S, history.

About 750,000 federal workers were placed on furlough and the U.S. Department of Agriculture issued a warning that there will not be enough funding to pay the entirety of Supplemental Nutrition (SNAP) benefits for November if the shutdown doesn't end, according to officials, impacting over 42 million individuals across the country who rely upon it.

Even worse, there is no end in sight. We have no idea how long it will last.

Only Trump knows that. This whole gambit of shutting down the government is clumsy but necessary in Trump's lizard brain to avoid releasing the Epstein Files in the House until he can come up with another major diversion. 

I'm not really big on polls, but I saw one today that 50% of Americans blame Republicans for the shutdown and 43% blame the Democrats.

Because Republicans have the House and the Senate in their pockets along with the presidency, it stands to reason they can end the shutdown whenever they feel like it. They're just waiting for their marching orders from daddy who will probably issue new ones at today's luncheon.

Speaker Johnson's motivation to keep the House shut down partly springs from worrying about his flock interacting with Senate democrats and possibly rebelling against Trump's demands.

As one Senate Republican, who requested anonymity to speak candidly (as reported by MSNBC) on the topic, said the strategy of keeping the House members out is two-fold: "It helps keep the party's message intact, and it prevents "squishier" lawmakers from breaking ranks."

As it Stands, someday I'm going to write a book about how a pedophile froze Congress. Until then I'll keep documenting Trump and his outrageous regime that's staffed with criminals.

Why Trump Isn't Afraid of the 25th Amendment

There's no way the 25th Amendment will ever be used against Trump. 

And he knows it.

In Section 4 of the key provisions of the 25th Amendment it states that there is a process for the Vice President and a majority of the Cabinet to declare the President unable to serve, making the Vice President the acting President. If the President disputes the declaration Congress must decide by a two-thirds vote of both chambers.

The bar is so high that no president has ever been forced to step down permanently using the 25th Amendment.

In Trump's case he's inserted his cult followers in every position of power in the government and Congress. They are all so afraid of the orange-faced lunatic that they wouldn't even consider such a move... no matter what crime he committed.

I sure can't see the couch-loving baby-faced JD Vance making a move against his master. He's content with being a lapdog with no spine. When you look at the Maga morons in both houses it's immediately apparent that they would crawl through broken glass for dear leader.

There are four key provisions in the 25th Amendment clarifying who assumes power when a president dies or is temporarily unable to perform his duties.

The current situation with a demented narcissist acting out all of his fantasy agendas against Democrats and anyone he doesn't like, is a living hell for the majority of Americans. We have a man who would be a monarch befouling The White House and rejecting all laws he doesn't approve of.

Maybe in an alternate reality the possibility of successfully invoking the 25th Amendment would work. But not in the polarized society we live in today.

Let's stop talking about the 25th Amendment like it's a possible cure for stopping Trump's hostile takeover of the country. It's a fantasy that will never be reality.

We can resist the Trump regime by holding massive protests - like No Kings Day - calling out his corruption until it comes time to vote in the midterms next year.

I hope by that time next November Americans who have never voted before register to vote for Democrats to regain the House and the Senate. If that happens Trump will be up against a Congress that can't be bullied into his crazy agenda.

As it Stands, as Teodore Roosevelt once said, "Knowing what's right doesn't mean much unless you do what's right."

It Was That Close to Becoming a Disaster: Gov. Newsome Was Right About the Danger

Trump's tantrums about the national "No Kings Day" protests are getting more dangerous all the time. This time shrapnel from 155mm artillery round in a live fire exercise struck a California Highway Patrol motorcycle and Patrol car (a 2-inch piece of shrapnel) that were part of JD Vance's motorcade.

According to the Marine Corps official report one of its artillery shells prematurely detonated over I-5 and pieces fell to the ground hitting a vehicle and motorcycle.

In a statement, CHP Border Division Chief Tony Coronado called the incident an "unusual and concerning situation" and "It is highly uncommon for any live-fire or explosive training over an active freeway."

It's so uncommon it's never happened before. I think the chief was being discrete to avoid getting caught up in the stupid decision.

How has it come to this?

The first time the "No Kings Day" protest was held in June Trump staged a bigly military parade in Washington DC to counter the event. Five million Americans from every state in the union still showed up to protest and his parade was a humiliating failure that he blamed on HIS generals.

Trump knew even more Americans were going to show up in the second "No Kings Day" protest - he was right there were seven million this time - and he needed a spectacular event to get attention. Having a live fire exercise near the protestors was his way of intimidating people who he knew hated him and his corrupt regime.

 After denying that there would be live rounds going over the I-5 the Trump regime quickly turned around and admitted there would be live fire after all at the last minute.

After a prior warning that it was a dangerous stunt, California Gov. Newsome had to scramble to shut down the I-5 freeway, which carries 80,000 travelers and $94 million in freight daily between San Diego and Orange counties. He also had to cancel the afternoon rail service for the line running parallel to the interstate.

The Marine Corps said it had not requested any closure but appreciated it while conducting "realistic training." Either the commanders involved were stupid or they were blindly following Trump's orders in spite of the risk.

Gov. Newsome wrote on X, "Donald Trump and JD Vance put lives at risk to put on a show." A show indeed. A show of how Trump controls the military and how he uses the armed forces for partisan and personal politics.

What if the shell had exploded a little closer to the ground and caused mass causalities? It's conceivable. It's scary. The Marines say they canceled additional live fire over the freeway inadvertently admitting it was dangerous.

We have a president who posted AI images of himself in a fighter jet dropping shit on the protestors. One thing is for sure Trump is becoming more transparent in his crusade against Democrats and anyone else in the country who opposes him.

As it Stands, Americans must continue holding truth to power and showing their unity against Trump's tyranny.