A Gathering of Power: Hegseth Mimics Hitler

Then.

On March 30, 1939, Hitler summoned 250 of his senior military commanders to hear a secret speech about the upcoming invasion of the Soviet Union (Operation Barbarossa).

 He stressed that this was to be a "war of extermination." He made it abundantly clear that the military disregard traditional laws of war and that he expected millions of deaths.

Now.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth (doing Trump's bidding) has ordered a secret meeting of every general and admiral in the U.S. military from their duty stations and in the states to go to Virginia on Oct. 1st. 

Rumors for this historical meeting - it's never happened before in American history - range from a 30-minute speech on "warrior ethos" to an indoctrination oath of fealty to Trump who will more than likely be there. 

Like Hitler Hegseth is going to talk about disregarding traditional military laws and the need for "everyone to row in the same direction," or face career consequences. Translated that means follow the glorious leader regardless of how you feel about him, or you're gone.

The secretive meeting will be a pep rally in true Nazi fashion where loyalty goes to the great leader and not to the rule of law. It heralds a new world where fascism will be promoted even more vigorously with military propaganda films flooding the American landscape.

Trump has taken his first big step to being a dictator by following the dictator's manual for taking over the entire military to enforce his will upon the American people and other countries. 

I never thought this would happen. I guess I was naive. As a military veteran I'm disgusted and disappointed at how many people are capitulating to this corrupt regime.

There's some concern among the attendees about the possibility of getting fired from their jobs as it's common knowledge Trump wants to reduce the entire military by at least 20%.

This is where we see Hegseth, an extremist Fox News host and notorious alcoholic elevated to this unimaginable position that is going to destroy whatever credibility America has left in the world. 

America was once a Beacon of Liberty to the rest of the world... now it's dimmed thanks to Trump and his venomous minions.

As it Stands, both America and the rest of the world are standing by to see what new hell Trump has unleased on us all.

Yes, we're having a Constitutional Crisis Right Now

There are costs for standing up to Trump.

Former FBI Director James Comey knows that.

For years Comey has lived rent free in Trump's little brain, burrowing in deeper with each day. Trump has tried to indict Comey, but it failed because the Trump-appointed U.S. Attorney Eric Siebert could find no evidence of a crime.

So, Trump fired him and got former Miss Colorado finalist, Lindsey Halligan, (a personal lawyer who has never prosecuted a case in her life) to go after Comey.

Democratic Rep. Jamie Raskin responded to the blatant attack, "As if by magic, within mere days of being appointed, Ms. Halligan delivered for the president by filing the extra baseless charges against Mr. Comey that her predecessor had rejected."

Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy tweeted on X, "We aren't on a slippery slope to a constitutional crisis. We are IN the crisis. Time for political leaders, business leaders, civic leaders - to pick a side: democracy or autocracy?"

One fact remains; there is no evidence.

So, Halligan is going to try to lie her way through the courts. If it turns out to be a neutral judge and Comey isn't railroaded, Trump will still get the satisfaction of having a show trial to demean his enemy. And, of course, another great distraction from the Epstein Files.

This malicious prosecution against Comey has no apparent basis in law or fact, and lawyers of good conscience in the department know it. The question is how many are left with a conscience in the Justice Department?

As long as Trump can get away with fixing the system to work for him against his enemies, he's causing a Constitutional crisis every day. Americans are helplessly caught up in the maelstrom that threatens the very foundation of their Democratic republic. 

As it Stands, it only took Trump nine months to create a Constitutional crisis. What lies ahead in the next three years? 

GOP Panicking Over Imminent Release of Epstein Files

Regardless of everything else that's been happening around the country in the last two weeks there's one sore subject Trump can't make go away.

Yes. The Epstein Files. Remember them?

The most recent GOP attempt to stop the release of the Epstein Files is just another example of how far Trump's minions are willing to go to protect him from being exposed as a pedophile partner with Epstein. Here's what's happening.

Republican congressman Thomas Massie and Democrat Ro Khanna needed 218 signatures for a discharge petition to force a vote on the House on releasing the Epstein files. Democrats only needed one more signature to force the vote on Monday. That signature is coming from a recent special election in Arizona where Democrat Adelita Grijalva won.

But there's a small snag. GOP leaders are in full panic mode trying to stop the discharge petition. We know what that means. Obstruct in any way possible. The current plan is a two-pronged attack.

The first attack is threatening those four GOP House members that have signed the petition; Thomas Massie, Marjorie Taylor Greene, Lauren Boebert, and Nancy Mace with political retribution. In a related aside in Democratic circles pundits are opining that Nancy Mace will back out in the last minute. I wouldn't be surprised. One can only guess at what threats were directed her way.  

The second attack is a nuclear option of a sorts where the Republicans have canceled votes for Sept. 29/30 and now are even talking about delaying the swearing in of Grijalva, the 218th signature. By law she is supposed to be sworn in on her first day. Again, don't be surprised if House Leader MAGA Mike comes up with another stalling tactic in a last-ditch effort to stop the vote.

You have to wonder what Trump did to go to the extremes he has gone to bury his past relationship with Epstein. What damning information has Trump soiling his diapers at an accelerated rate?

As this political drama goes on Americans are facing a government shutdown. If that happens Trump plans on firing hundreds of federal workers. Not laid off, but arbitrarily firing federal employees. Something Musk's DOGE wasn't able to make happen in the courts.

As Trump sees it, he's going to win whatever happens. Staying open or closing. It really doesn't matter to our orange-faced first felon. If it stays open that means he's won the battle of the bill, and no Democratic changes will be included.

Meanwhile the Epstein Files are getting closer to being revealed. Political pressure isn't going to go away soon. Those files will be a storm cloud above Donny's head for the near future. How long we don't know. It depends upon too many variables. The wild card being his Orangeness.

As it Stands, I'm cautiously predicting that more information means we'll finally know even more about Trump's role in the scandal. What happens after that is anyone's guess.

The Fight for Free Speech is Far from Over - 'Savant' Suspended

While everyone is celebrating the big win for Free Speech when Kimmel was allowed to return to TV, there are numerous First Amendment challenges that are ongoing.

Here's another example of TV censorship where Apple TV+ decided to postpone the debut of "The Savant," a streaming series about an investigator who infiltrates online hate groups.

The first two episodes of "The Savant" were scheduled to premiere Friday but then something happened. An Apple TV+ spokesperson said the platform decided to postpone the show's rollout after "careful consideration," adding "We appreciate your understanding and look forward to releasing the series at a future date."

If the term careful consideration sounds familiar it's what the executives said in the Kimmel case. The bottom line is that once again a cabal of studio executives don't want the show to happen because it may make Trump look bad with his extremist connections.

To be clear Apple TV+ did not give any reason for postponing the show. One has to look between the lines to understand why the show was suspended despite promoting it for weeks.

What we do know is the decision came two weeks after conservative activist Charlie Kirk was assassinated. Up to that point "The Savant" was full systems go. Then every Trump minion in the country immediately blamed "the leftists" for Kirk's death... with no evidence at all. 

Which leads us back to the suspension of "The Savant."

Here's a brief summary of the show that was adapted from a 2019 article published in Cosmopolitan titled "Is it Possible to Stop a Mass Shooting Before it Happens?"

The miniseries stars Oscar-winning actor Jessica Chastain who infiltrates online hate groups. It's topical because we know lies and disinformation are a huge online problem today. For the record, Chastain said she isn't "aligned" with Apple's decision.

The decision to postpone comes at an especially tense moment for American media companies as they navigate political pressure, regulatory scrutiny and a polarized viewing public.

Its apparent CEO Tim Cook is walking a fine line with the Trump administration because he'd pledged to invest $600 billion in the U.S. over the next four years as it works to avoid tariffs on items used in iPhones and other key products.

In other words, Cook is being blackmailed by Trump. Hence, he doesn't want to upset the first felon with a show on extremists... who by the way are Trump's most loyal supporters.

This is just one current example. There are dozens more out there threatening our Free Speech every day. 

As it Stands, while it's been nice to celebrate Kimmel's win, we must not lose sight that the fight continues every day as long as Trump is in office.

Does Anyone Believe RFK Came Up with a Cure for Autism?

There is no cure for autism despite Trump's recent brag.

While speaking at Charlie Kirk's funeral Trump teased the audience with a promise of curing autism despite the fact that he was supposed to be eulogizing Kirk. It had to be the vilest eulogy ever given as Trump ranted about hating his enemies and other grievances he has.

It was Trump latest example of squirrel! Get people talking about autism and maybe they'll forget he's hiding the bulk of the Epstein Files.

U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy has a myopic view about the cause of autism that threatens to destroy years of scientific research on the subject.

Kennedy's view of autism - basically the person is a vegetable who has to be cared for throughout their life - doesn't take into account that the criteria for autism has broadened, producing a spectrum ranging from severe impacts to more modest ones.

Today's definition encompasses individuals with milder symptoms, stronger language skills, and higher IQs. But Kennedy has chosen to ignore years of scientific study and to brand every autistic child as an unbearable burden for the parents.

Kennedy's bleak assessment for the future of all kids with autism is inaccurate. The total amount of people on the spectrum with severe limitations was 26.7% of 8-year-olds with "profound autism" a newly framed (and not universally accepted) definition that included children who were nonverbal, minimally verbal, or had an I.Q. below 50. 

Zoe Gross, the director of advocacy at the Autistic Self Advocacy Network, said limited available data suggests that Kennedy's characterization is exaggerated.

What's particularly galling to me is that Kennedy is a science denier who has recommended horse medicine for worms to cure Covid and now he's spewing false information about autism. 

Fact: there's no proof that Acetaminophens (Tylenol) cause autism. The rest of the world is laughing at how stupid Trump and RFK are and how they ignore science.

How could anyone in their right mind recommend anything without facts to back it up? Kennedy's disability is his credibility which is a big fat zero.

Recommended reading: We're Not Broken: Changing the Autism Conversation by Eric M. Garcia who is on the autistic spectrum.

As it Stands, RFK's stance against science is frightening, putting millions of Americans at risk of diseases that were irradicated years ago.

Free Speech Prevails! Jimmy Kimmel is Back Today!

                            Victory!

Trump got thumped by a quick reversal of events that saw the First Amendment hold up and Trump's revenge revoked.

I can't tell you how relieved I am to see that Jimmy Kimmel Live is coming back tonight.

Let's take a quick look at what happened after ABC took Kimmel off of the air. 

Trump was bragging about Jimmy Kimmel losing his job on Truth Social before FCC Chair Brendan Carr pressured Disney and ABC to cancel his show. Network executives initially responded by making up a reason why he was really being fired. He somehow insulted Charlie Kirk. But it was a too blatant of a move threatening Kimmel's free speech.

While MAGA minions were celebrating Trump's growing power over everything studio executives had a rude awakening. The protests against Kimmel being cancelled were widespread as Disneyland saw its entertainment parks boycotted and people getting rid of their Disney subscriptions online. ABC studios went for days with protestors demanding Kimmel's restoration back to the lineup of late-night comedy shows.

Why did the studio executives suddenly have a change of heart today? Did their consciences tell them they were being bad? I doubt it. The reason they came back to the table and reinstated Kimmel was because his lawyers threatened a First Amendment t lawsuit which they would more than likely lose.

Let's put it this way; if the case were to go to The Supreme Court the last time they voted on Free Speech rights, they ALL agreed (9-0) that it's protected under the Constitution. Realizing it was a lost cause the executives called up Kimmel and made nice.

Studio executives revealed they were bringing Jimmy back after "thoughtful conversations" with parent company Disney. I'll bet they were "thoughtful."

The scene:

Kimmel's Lawyer: "We're going to sue your asses off and guess what? We're going to win because we have the Supreme Courts affirmation of Free Speech. Oh yeah... Republicans and Democrats have been denouncing you daily since your stupid decision."

ABC Executive: Listen, it was just a moment of madness (I think the full moon was out that night) and we regret it bigly.

Disney Executive: Because we had this little misunderstanding I'm going to give you - and your whole family - free passes to Disneyland for life. Can we be friends again?

In closing. The country desperately needed this affirmation of our right to free speech during Trump's authoritarian regime. It was heartening to finally see someone stop the lunatic in the Oval Office from further destruction of our democratic rights.

As it Stands, I'm proud of all the Americans that put pressure on Disney and ABC. I'm especially delighted to see Trump taken down a notch.

Busted: GOP Officials Caught Lying (and worse) Don't Face Consequences

I've got a real interesting lineup for you today.

Prepare to be shocked. Disgusted. Embarrassed. Disappointed. Horrified.

I'm starting the lineup with Republican Markwayne Mullin who made up a story about having a recording of CDC Director Manarez saying something incriminating. Despite his faux attempts to intimidate her, she stayed with her story refusing to be bullied with lies.

Guess what? It turns out Mullin was exposed as a damn liar the same day when he had to admit not having the incriminating recording to his fellow Republicans who wanted to listen to it. What was the consequence of being exposed fraudulently accusing someone you ask? Absolutely nothing. As long as MAGA has the majority we can expect this kind of conduct to be routine.

Next in the corrupt lineup is the so-called Immigration Czar Tom Homan. Last year he took a $50,000 cash bribe from two FBI agents posing as businessman. But the FBI didn't make a move to indict him, preferring to continue the investigation to get more evidence. That was a mistake. Trump named Homan to a key government position, despite knowing about the criminal investigation. He gave him that position because it didn't require confirmation in Congress, knowing he would be exposed as a criminal.

Next in the corrupt lineup is FBI Director Kash Patel who is personally leading Trump's ongoing purge of FBI officials who aren't loyal to the first felon. In a speech on the Senate floor Senator Dick Durbin said, according to his sources, "Mr. Patel is receiving information from within the FBI from the Director's Advisory Team. Mr. Patel then provides direction to Stephen Miller, who relays it to the Acting Deputy Attorney General Bove."  

Durbin then explained how, if the allegations are true, Mr. Patel's desire for FBI officials to be fired more quickly goes in complete contrast with what he said while being confirmed. Sen. Cory Booker asked Patel, "Are you aware of any plans or discussions to punish in any way, including termination, FBI agents or personnel associated with Trumps investigations?"

Patel, staying true to form, lied and said "No," after disrespecting Durbin and acting like an entitled ass. Which is of course is the Way of the MAGA.

Last in the corrupt lineup is the Secretary of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem, a prolific liar. I'll just pick one example of her lying due to space considerations.

Senator Alex Padilla was forcibly removed from Kristi Noem's press conference after she claimed he didn't identify himself.

But the lie was quickly debunked when reporters recorded Padilla saying who he was numerous times. He was still thrown down and handcuffed before people came to their senses and released him...with no apologies. 

Noem has written a book about herself that is a good place to look for her historical lies. My favorite lie in it was when the French government said Noem lied about cancelling meeting with Macron. See how many lies you can find in her bio.

As it Stands, if I tried to document the lies of all MAGA officials from county, state, to the federal government it would be a book longer than War and Peace.

Who Lost and Who Won Today in America?

The following vignettes have been snatched from today's headlines to give you a broad view of a day in the life of Americans.

- Americans are facing a government shut down, as Democrats Jeffries and Schumer are demanding to meet with Trump to avoid a shut down on Oct.1. If Trump doesn't come out of his gilded Oval Office to negotiate the American public will get the short end of the stick...again. 

- In a rare bipartisan moment, the House of Representatives voted 215-207 to table a censure motion against Rep. LaMonica Mclver (D-NJ). All but five Republicans went full MAGA in their attempt at political retribution.

- An armed man was arrested at in Glendale, Arizona stadium ahead of Charlie Kirk's memorial. The far-right influencer is being treated like a white Martin Luther King among conservatives... and most of our government from Trump, Vance, Hegseth, Miller, Rubio, Pirro, and every MAGA minion in the Trump Party plan on attending the event. The stadium holds 63,000 which I'm pretty sure will show up.

- In a disgusting display of right-wing servitude, the House and the Senate passed a "National Day of Remembrance" for Charlie Kirk. You know, like the Nazi Party did when one of their influencers - Horst Wessel - got shot and martyred with his own Day of Remembrance. Just saying. History sometimes repeats itself.

- Dictators will be dictators. Trump ordered the third lethal attack against boats coming from Venezuela in his undeclared war against a country that is now on full war standing waiting for his next move. I can't blame them. If no one stops these early attacks Trump will get bolder. By the way, Congress has been bypassed, and the spineless Republicans are sitting back and letting Trump trample all over his enemies - domestic and foreign.

- Chicago protestors clashed with ICE agents who got their tear gas out while "pacifying" those civilians exercising their First Amendment rights.

- Disney Civil War! Marvel stars betray the Mouse and lead mass boycott after Jimmy Kimmel was suspended by Disney and ABC. Protestors are gathering outside Disneyland and ABC studios daily since they censored Kimmel.

- A mysterious giant gold statue of Trump on the National Mall suddenly appeared. He was holding a giant bitcoin and smiling stupidly. The plaque read In Honor of the First Bitcoin President. At first some thought it was a protest against Trump, but actually it was just the opposite. Some young Christian college group were really honoring their glorious leader. I wonder how long that will stay there?

As it Stands, these slices of life in the USA are pretty much the same every day.

Will Fighting for Free Speech Unite Americans? I'm Not Sure

FREE SPEECH has become a major issue in America today as Trump gets bolder every day going after his many enemies. The media was always on top of the first-felon's revenge list when he got back in power.

Our thin-skinned president particularly wanted to get rid of late-night comedians who made fun of him for years. Trump bullied networks and got Stephan Colbert's show canceled (effective May 2026) for starters.

Then he bragged Jimmy Kimmel would be next. And so, it was. Kimmel was canceled. The purge isn't going to end there, however. Trump's talking about Jimmy Fallon and Seth Meyers being his next targets.

Who officially made the decision to cancel Kimmel? 

Disney CEO Bob Iger and Disney Entertainment Co-Chair Dana Walden made the decision to preempt the show indefinitely. It really helped that Trump had given them their marching orders to eliminate Kimmel's show weeks ago. It should be interesting to see if Kimmel comes back (with no apology) or if he sues their asses off.

Kimmel's suspension comes alongside wider efforts by Trump and other conservatives to police speech following Charlie Kirk's killing.

Will defending the First Amendment unite the majority of Americans? We're at a crossroad right now - today - where our freedom of speech is withering away beneath this newly formed authoritarian regime.  

Former President Barack Obama wrote in a social media post recently that the current administration had reached a "new and dangerous level by routinely threatening regulatory action against media companies unless they muzzle or fire reporters and commentators it doesn't like" and that media companies needed to stand up to the "government coercion" rather than capitulate to it.

Well said. 

Free speech is under siege by a corrupt regime that seeks to dominate every area of our lives. Books are being censored at a rate that the Nazi party would have been proud of. Libraries are under siege from far-right Christian groups who want to install alternate realities in their version of the nation's history.

Senate Democrats yesterday accused the Trump regime of using Charlie Kirk's murder to silence critics. They pointed out it was a blatant case of censorship and state-controlled speech. The Republican reaction was an extended yawn before changing the subject.

Because they are minority in Congress, the Democrats can only bring up the violations of free speech which occur on a regular basis. Republicans have stifled every effort to bring resolutions to the floor to investigate the numerous crimes the Trump regime has - and is - committing. 

As it Stands, sadly, I'm not even sure if free speech rights are something the majority of Americans are capable of rallying around. I say this because the polarized society we currently exist in has two versions of the Constitution and the truth.

Patsy Patel Plays Stupid - It Was Easy - At Congressional Hearings

If you haven't seen the recent Senate and House hearings featuring FBI Director Kash Patel you're missing out on some great entertainment.

Patel proved he was a puppet for Trump by gaslighting Congress with his pop-eyed denials of reality. 

He was like a caged honey-badger every time he was asked a question by a Democrat. Republicans made it clear, they were giving Kash a pass because their glorious leader told them to.

What we know about one of Trump's principal puppets 

- During Patel's time with the first Trump administration, he was involved in several notable controversies, largely related to his work as an aide for the House Intelligence Committee and his later roles in national security. He cemented his loyalty to Trump by being his mole and ferreting out Don the Con's enemies.

- After Trump's first term, Patel remained a vocal supporter, appearing frequently on right-wing media and serving on the board of the Trump Media & Technology Group.

- In his children's book Government Gangsters, Patel created a list of over 50 current and former government officials, including some of Trump's own appointees, whom he accused of being part of the "Deep State," aka Democrats and liberals. 

He also wrote a three-part series of kids' books called The Plot Against the King.

- Establishing himself as a MAGA combatant who fiercely advocated Trump's lie that the 2020 election was stolen from Trump, Patel championed January 6 rioters as patriots and unfairly persecuted political prisoners.

- At the end of Trump's first presidency, when he was still a Pentagon official, he spread the crazy idea that Italian military satellites had been employed to turn Trump voters to Joe Biden votes in the 2020 election. 

- Patel has been supportive of the looniest conspiracy theory in MAGA land: QAnon. To be clear, QAnon ideology has fueled attacks on democracy, inspired insurrectionists, and perpetrated some of the most dangerous falsehoods in modern politics.

- A lawsuit was filed on September 10, 2025, by three former senior FBI officials - Brian Driscoll, Steven Jensen, and Spencer Evans - against Patel and US Attorney General Pam Bondi, alleging wrongful termination based upon political motivations.

In Patel's distorted reality, Trump is a messianic figure, waging a covert war against unseen enemies. Patel has gladly played the patsy and has no intentions of carrying out his oath of office as long as Trump lives.

The fact that Patel is the head of the FBI shows what a dire state our government is in right now. Trump's MAGA minions have affected every branch in Congress...and beyond. 

Seen today on social media: GOP Politics 101: Make shit up...make it scary...believe your own made-up story...scare other people with those stories...when called out...look a squirrel!

As it Stands, despite rumors Patel may be in some hot water with some Republicans, you can bet he will not be fired. One caveat: If he is fired, Trump will just give him a job somewhere else in the government...or he'll make up a new position for him.

Now MAGA Has CANCELED Jimmy Kimmel... Who is Next in the Purge?

               It's no laughing matter.

Right-wing cancel culture is even going after comedians. Remember what Paramount did? They canceled Stephen Colbert whose show will shut down next May.

Now the cowards - specifically Disney's ABC - have canceled Jimmy Kimmel Live by pre-empting the show indefinitely. That's MAGA coward speak for "your fired."

What horrible thing did Jimmy do?

During his monologue Monday night Kimmel raised the possibility that the alleged assassin Tyler Robinson, might have been a pro-Trump Republican.

But that was not all... Oh horrors!

He also said (cover your children's eyes and ears) that, "The MAGA Gang (is) desperately trying to characterize the kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them and doing everything they can to score political points from it."

It's the truth. Kimmel was using his First Amendment right to speak on any topic he wanted without fear of an authoritarian regime retaliating. The culprit who was so butt-hurt that he threatened to take legal action against Disney and ABC, was Federal Communications Commission Chair, Brendan Carr...who by the way was originally appointed by Trump in 2017 and then reappointed by Trump in 2024.

What we have here is a chapter out of Orwell's 1984 where the glorious leader shuts down any talk against his regime. You can't even joke about the snowflake bastards without them suing you. And even if Kimmel wasn't joking, he still had every right to say what he did.

Americans better get used to Big Brother reprograming everything they see on TV because it's open season on our freedoms. Freedom of speech has suddenly become a thing since Trump slunk back into the Oval Office eight months ago.

And what will happen to Stephan Colbert if he brings up what happened to his friend Jimmy Kimmel? Will he get canceled indefinitely if he says something about it tonight?

And what about Seth Meyers? Or Treavor Noah? Or Jon Stewart? Or John Oliver? Or Jimmy Fallon? Or Chelsea Handler?

It's painfully obvious that this regime intends to purge late night comedians that don't kiss Trump's fat butt. That's because he's an orange snowflake.

As it Stands, it's no laughing matter what Trump and his minions are doing to our freedoms.