A 21st Century Tale: The Con Man and the IRS

While Trump has been marshaling his minions at Mar-a-Lago (and nursing his enormous ego) in an attempt to be a king-maker for the Republican Party, the wheels of justice have been turning.

A judge has ruled against him. His lawyers have to turn over all the records and paperwork they've been trying to hide about one of his properties.

They have until Feb. 3rd to hand over the records and communications from Trump's real estate company, under penalty of law.

New York Attorney General Letitia James has issued six subpoenas since August. All were stonewalled by Trump lawyers.

The siege ended when a New York state Supreme Court Justice, Arthur Engoron, ruled that Trump's claims of attorney-client privilege were hogwash, and it was time to move on.

The focus of James' investigation is an appraisal of property on 212 acres outside New York City. The probe is looking at a suspicious $21 million dollar tax deduction the Trump company claimed in 2015.

But that's not all that's being investigated regarding the Trump Organization.

Investigators have been going over his banking records for more than a year. Records that may reveal big time fraud and money laundering.

I like to remind people how the infamous gangster Al Capone - who murdered countless people - went to prison for cheating on his taxes. 

So Don the Con's political future is more clouded than many believe at this time. The tax man cometh and when he does... 

One thing is for sure, it's going to be difficult to run for POTUS again in 2024 when Trump's an inmate in a federal prison.

To keep himself busy behind bars, the disgraced ex-president could start a 3rd Party. I suggest calling it the BAD LOSER COALITION. 

US Space Force Rolls Out New Motto: 'Going Where Everyone Else Has Gone Before'

The US Air Force never liked the idea.

When Trump created another military branch - the US Space Force - eyeballs in the Pentagon rolled.

What the hell do we need a space force for members throughout the military and Congress wondered? 

There was never a satisfactory explanation other than Diaper Don likes military uniforms and he wanted to see new one's made up under his supervision.

The draft dodging cretin wanted to create his own military for reasons psychiatrists are still puzzling over.

Breaking News

The Space Force unveiled a rank structure Friday for it's officers and enlisted personnel, and guess what?

The rank structure is the same as the Air Force rank structure. Raise your hand if you're surprised.

The Mission

The Space Force's stated mission is to defend machinery and commerce in the vastness of space.

It's also reasonable to suggest that the newly minted space force will be our first line of defense in the case of an alien invasion. 

It's a nice thought, but in reality any advanced species that decides to visit our planet - for whatever reasons - is sure to vaporize our fledgling star fleet.

I'm just going to come out and say it...the idea of a Space Force is ridiculous and everyone but Trump knew it and knows it today.

I'd be embarrassed walking around with a uniform that had a patch that was ripped off from Star Trek uniforms.

The Space Force also recently revealed their latest motto; "Going Where Everyone Else Has Gone Before."

It's back-up motto is "Semper Supra," which means "Always Above."

Prior to that, under Trump, the motto was "Oderint dum metuant," which means "Let them hate so long as they fear."

I guess we're stuck with this new useless appendage to our military structure.

The new space force will be so busy dodging tons of space trash that I doubt they'll have much time to protect satellites.

The Fight To Be Civil To One Another Loses Ground Every Day

Congress is a battleground where truth versus lies is being fought daily.

When you have lawmakers still pushing The Big Lie that the election was stolen, it encourages every extremist in the country to pursue the falsehood, and add other conspiracy theories to the national conversation.

The Democrats are pushing back and calling out their GOP colleagues for perpetuating conspiracy theories - some of which are threatening the lives of top Democrats.  

The result is all efforts to be civil - Biden's call for unity - Republican and Democrat - are doomed to failure. Compromise is a choose-off in Congress these days.

There's no longer an assumption of lawmakers agreeing to serve the country first, and their political aspirations second. 

It's a pity. Civility goes a long way towards problem solving. With it comes compromise, the first step to successfully passing laws that benefit all Americans.

I'm not saying there's no hope. There's always hope as long as there's people who are willing to do the right thing for our country. 

They're out there. We just need to elect lawmakers who really care about democracy, and who won't spend their time trying to divide the country with conspiracy theories.

It all starts at the grass roots level where truth matters, along with civility and respect. In other words America, political candidates should be vetted before entering the arena.

Congress Must Deal With 'The Enemy Within'

How would you like to work with someone who hates you so much that they've publicly stated it and called for your death?

Members of Congress are now faced with that very threat.

House Minority Leader, Kevin McCarthy, is trying to walk a fine line between allowing one of his members to get away with threatening other members, and the House Speaker, and not taking too drastic measures against Marjorie Taylor Greene - a newcomer to the House.

There's also a sense of fear among many House members who are against other members bringing guns onto the House Floor. They are also concerned for their safety when they leave the Capitol.

Homeland Security and the FBI have issued a rare threat notice to the public, warning against domestic terrorists who follow Trump and are ready to kill for him.

What's the chance that McCarthy will do the right thing and censor (at the very least) Greene? I'd say it's a mute point today as McCarthy is visiting ex-tyrant Trump at his palace in Florida.

McCarthy is at Mar-a-Lago kissing the ring and asking forgiveness for daring to say Trump was responsible days after the coup attempt at the Capitol. 

How crazy is Greene? Check this viral video out as she stalks and harasses a student who was at the Parkland School massacre.

If Trump tells him to leave Greene alone, McCarthy will comply like a sheared sheep.

So where does that leave the rest of the members in the House?

If the Republicans are going to shield fanatic's like Green, Democrats are going to have to take more preventive measures to protect themselves.

There's one more reason why I find Green's shocking rhetoric contemptable - she was elected DESPITE her hate-filled rants and association with QAnon. Neither was a secret. 

What the hell is the matter with people who support someone whose obviously crazy?

QAnon Finds a Safe Harbor With Fox News

Fox News has been embracing conspiracy theories even before Trump slunk into office in 2016.

But the far right TV station has doubled down on fake news and conspiracies' and is now fully endorsing QAnon.

That's right. Full-on crazy is the new Fox motto coined after Trump was kicked out of the White House. 

Leading the way in defending the cult are Tucker Carlson and Laura Ingraham who have taken it upon themselves to promote the extremist agenda and make excuses for QAnon members who stormed the nation's capitol in a failed coup attempt.

In a display of sheer stupidity and Trump worship, Carlson denounced QAnon critics as a "mob of censors, hysterics and Jacobin destroyers, all working on behalf of entrenched power to take control of everything."

Not to be out done, Ingraham tried to spin a web of lies after Biden's PR person Jen Psaki announced that the National Security Council (NSC) is going to determine "how the government can share information" on efforts to "prevent radicalization" and "disrupt domestic terrorism.

Ingraham, in one of her patented rants, claimed the NSC was going to crack down on conservatives in general. 

Both Ingraham and Carlson claim there's no way to target threats from violent extremist ideologies like QAnon without targeting conservatives.

What the two lying hosts don't seem to realize is that they're lumping domestic terrorists with conservatives - all in the same room. Equal partners in crime. 

I don't think that's the message the Republican Party wants to send out right now - but I could be wrong.

I'm Already Missing The Dog and Pony Show at WH Briefings

Let's be honest.

One of the best entertainment acts in Washington DC for the last four years is gone.

Press briefings during the Trump Administration were more than just simple Dog and Pony show - they were full-fledged circus's with four ringmasters who served up lies, and who were all allergic to facts.

Everyone has a favorite ringmaster. Mine was  Sean Spicer. He was the first. I loved watching him get red in the face and turn on the press like a rabid hyena. 

His opening act became a classic when he claimed Trump had the largest audience to witness an inauguration of any president, and then doctored a photo to make it appear like there was a massive crowd. He lasted 182 days.

Act two was Sarah Huckabee Sanders, the daughter of Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee. 

She quickly earned a reputation for lying and snarling at the same time.

She's  best remembered for not holding daily press briefings, setting three records for the longest streak between formal briefings: 41, 42 and 94 days. The latter ended when she left office. She lasted 340 days on the job.

Who can forget Stephanie Grisham? (I almost did here)

She followed Sanders and took the WH podium in July 2019. 

Her moment of infamy came when she was criticized for describing the botched execution of Joseph Rudolph Wood III as "peaceful" after other witnesses said he was gasping for air.

"There was no gasping of air," she told the assembled media, "There was snoring." It was shortly after this that she quit giving briefings and Trump took over.

 
She still retained her title up until April 7, 2020 when Kayleigh McEnany assumed the role.

It soon became apparent McEnany was the best gaslighter and liar of all the circus acts that went before her. 

She enthusiastically backed Trump's conspiracy theories. The worst one was when she said that voting by mail had a "high propensity for voter fraud," furthering Trump's attempts to steal the election.

             Side Acts Worth Mentioning

When Sean Spicer resigned in July 2017, Trump appointed Anthony Scaramucci as the new communications director. Less than two weeks later he was removed from the office.

Kellyanne Conway - who coined the infamous phrase "alternate facts" was Trump's Senior Counselor who often appeared on TV talk shows defending his every action and word. 

Midway through 2020, Conway suddenly resigned from her job.

It turned out that her vigorous defense of Trump and her husband George's loathing of him was breaking up the family.

George was heavily involved with The Lincoln Project, a group dedicated to getting Trump out of office. Kellyanne and he declared a truce for their 16-year old daughter's sake.

For a while there, I admit a guilty pleasure watching the clowns Trump had speaking on his behalf. They each had a flair, but the one thing they were united on was that Trump was the Main Ringmaster.

I wish Joe Biden's selection, Jen Psaki, good luck restoring the WH Press Secretary job's reputation. Give me boring, as long as the truth is being told.

The Supremes Are Back With a List of Hot Cases Today

Judge Dave is here...

Order in the court!

Order in the court!

The wheels of justice are rolling again in the aftermath of a coup attempt by Trump and his minions, and a hotly contested presidential election.

Today's Big News 

The Supremes are BACK TODAY, and they have a list of cases to adjudicate, but the one I find the most interesting is the one on Trump's tax returns.

I'm guessing it's in the top three cases to immediately try. The other two are abortion and immigration. 

UPDATE 7:00 PST 1/25

Supreme Court dismisses emolument cases against Trump

There's another case coming down the road that involves Trump breaking emoluments laws.

Also, on the calendar are cases dealing with affirmative action and voting rights.

One thing to keep in mind, the composition of the Supreme Court is now split 6-3 along ideological lines and the conservatives are sure to unite on key cases.

Justice for all? Or, Justice tainted with partisanship? We'll just have to see what the future holds.

COURT DISMISSED! 

Hopefully Biden Doesn't Make The Same Mistake As Obama

The last thing I want to see is Biden's agenda derailed in the first 100 days of his administration like Obama's was.

Like Obama, Biden wants to see partisan legislation so that Congress can get things done.

The problem is, Obama was stonewalled at every turn by Mitch McConnell, until he had to resort to executive actions to get any legislation through.

Despite losing his majority in the Senate, McConnell still has enough power to thwart Biden's efforts at passing bills.

The 50-50 situation in the Senate has settled into a boycott where McConnell is demanding the Democrats agree not to do away with the filibuster rule.

As of this post the Senate is in an ugly limbo, where Republicans are still heading some committee chairs until the new Congress comes up with a plan to work together.

McConnell held Obama hostage, and he's trying to do the same with Biden. 

So what's the answer?

If McConnell continues to insist on getting his way - despite being the minority leader - Schumer should move to invoke the Nuclear Option (a parliamentary procedure) that allows the majority to overturn a standing rule of the Senate, such as the 60-vote rule to close debate, by a simple majority of 51 votes.

And, of course, there's always the last ditch option of doing away with the filibuster rule entirely.

Biden inherited a nation in chaos and the only way out of the many challenges is to pass meaningful legislation.

If McConnell and the Republicans want to play power games, then the Democrats should push back harder.

Unity is a great thing, but when you have a party of obstructionism action has to be taken in order for progress to be made.

Goodbye Hammering Hank Aaron - America Will Miss You

In a time when civil rights are still contested America has lost one of the greatest players in baseball history who used his platform to champion civil rights.

Hammering Hank Aaron broke Babe Ruth's all-time home run record and he lived life as an ambassador to the game. He was 86 years-old.

Aaron's incredible achievement came in the shadow of hate and death threats from people who did not want a black man to claim such an important record.

Long before Black Lives Matter came on the scene Henry Louis "Hank" Aaron was advocating for equal rights for all.

He went through hell after breaking the record and was taunted daily at ballparks. He received death threats on his life and was sent thousands of racist hate mail.

Hank once said he didn't read them, but saved some for posterity.

As Black Americans continue to fight for their place in society, it's important to remember a man  like Hank. He had little or no support for taking his brave stance on equality.

That didn't matter. He kept on with his advocacy long after he retired. As a matter of fact, right up until his last day on earth. 

Goodbye Hammering Hank - America will miss you. 

Day One: Time To Save America From Flat Earthers

President Biden began his first hour in office yesterday by targeting COVID-19 with a mask mandate for federal properties.

It was followed by a slew of executive orders overturning Trump's years of damage.

It was a start.

Many battles lie ahead to make Americans safe from the deadliest pandemic in over a 100 years. Challenges from anti-vaxxers, aka flat earthers, will make it a harder fight.

Today the Biden administration is preparing to invoke the Defense Production Act to fast track vaccine production. 

Biden's newly assembled medical advisory team is busy unraveling the mess left behind by Operation Warp Speed. 

The Biden team has their work cut out for them overcoming the lies spread by Trump minions that were attached to real scientists on the team.

Trump's flat earthers - are gone but the damage lingers.

Americans have to become reacquainted with reality. Science needs to become respected again - not mocked by political morons in positions of power.

Health experts worldwide state that face masks must be worn to in order to fight the spread of COVID-19, and it's evolving variants (up to five now).

The good news is we have a president and administration that understands how important face masks are in combating the spread of the coronavirus.

From Biden on down, they'll be modeling the wearing of face masks as a patriotic thing to do. Leading by example is the best form of leadership.

As for the other flat earthers Trump embedded into government agencies - like the EPA - they'll need to be weeded out and replaced with scientists - not political cronies who thrive on conspiracies.

America Renewed: Joe Biden Sworn In As 46th President

The day is finally here.

After four years of chaos and corruption America is turning over a new leaf. 

Trump is history now.

His presidency challenged our democracy at every turn. 

His policies were acts of carnage designed to benefit his wealthy friends. He's already become a dark footnote in the America story.

It's exciting having a president whose not the biggest liar on the planet. Our allies are rejoicing today. Normalcy will be restored as Biden reconnects the connections Trump severed during his ruinous reign.

Biden faces more challenges than any other president - with the exception of Abraham Lincoln. He's inherited a pandemic, a weak economy, and a country nearly as divided as Lincoln faced.

It's not going to be easy, but if anyone can start uniting Americans again, it's Joe. 

Our democracy is now on the road to healing.