You Pick The Color Of The Sky: It's Optional in America Today

Fact and fiction are being redefined as our society sinks deeper into a rabbit hole of hate.

There is no longer room for compromise among the red and the blue. White and black realities are more stark than ever.

The chaos from the Trump regime continues nearly a year after his loss to Joe Biden. If anything, things are getting worse as voter suppression has become mission number one for Trumpy Republicans.

The Mike Lindell's and Sydney Powell's of the far-right openly lie and laugh at the fools who believe their fever dreams. Reality is no longer recognized by right-wing extremists and their sheep-like followers.

That's the reason QAnon is spreading like noxious mushrooms through rural areas and cities. Followers prefer to be divorced from the real world where their reality sucks.

Anti-vaxxers disavow science and common sense in favor of off-the-wall remedies that often prove fatal.

The color of the sky, or grass, has become questionable as Republican's ask people to not always believe what they see...or hear. Denying facts gets easier every day.

Apparently we've reached a point in our society where questioning reality has become commonplace. Nothing is too far out.

The ramifications of this willing brain drain will become part and parcel of our republic's demise from within. 

There's consequences for denying reality. One of the biggest that comes to mind is denying that climate change is ravaging the planet. 

The forces of nature get deadlier every year with massive droughts, "super-wildfires," monster storms, increased tornados, huge hurricanes, flooding, and rising temperatures across the globe.

If you believe in the real world, in facts, and what you see and hear, stay strong. There's a good chance the odds will catch up (it probably won't be pretty) to those who live with alternative realities.

Insurrection in Brazil? President Bolsonaro is Following Trump's Roadmap for a Coup

Latin America's "Trump" Jair Bolsonaro, must have liked what he saw during the USA's Jan. 6 coup attempt at the Capitol.

Today may see Brazil's coup attempt akin to our insurrection when Bolsonaro's supporters flood the country with mass marchers who want to overturn the country's constitution.

Bolsonaro has been priming his followers with rants about Brazil's congress and supreme court after it allowed an investigation into his unsubstantiated claim that Brazil's electronic voting system is vulnerable to fraud.

Sound familiar? It should. Trump's minions claimed Smartmatic and Dominion computers were hacked. We now know that they weren't.

Another Trump Deja vu moment; Bolsonaro is claiming fraud before the general election set for October 2022. This false claim comes as he's up for re-election. 

Back to Today

Twenty former world leaders are warning that Bolsonaro is backing a coup attempt on Tuesday.

If his followers are anything like Trump's - and I suspect they are - expect chaos at the very minimum.

The people of Brazil have struggled for decades to secure democracy from military rule.

It would be a crime to see a Trump wanabee take over the country and take away people's freedoms.

Texas 'Snitch Website' Back: New Home is Provider for Neo-Nazi and Extremist Sites

The controversial Texas abortion "whistleblower" website that was kicked off of GoDaddy's platform is back.

The new host for ProLifeWhistle.com is a far- right platform - Epik - an infamous provider for offering safe harbor to neo-Nazis and other nuts.

Critics have gone online calling the website the "snitch hotline." 

It was created by the anti-abortion evangelical group Texas Right To Life.

From the day the snitch line was created it was flooded with bogus tips and Shrek porn which crashed the site numerous times.

The Catalyst For The Snitch Line

Texas Gov. Abbott passed a near-total abortion ban last week. The Supreme Court did a disservice to women throughout the country by refusing to block the measure.

A good barometer for how extreme the snitch site is the decision to go to a platform of last resort for extremist websites that other domain hosting companies have deemed too toxic is an example of how unpopular the site is.

Epik's infamous sites include the QAnon home base, Alex Jone's conspiracy theory network InfoWars, as well as right-wing social media sites Parler and Gab.

To my utter surprise, there's apparently limits according to the founder Robert Monster (no, I didn't make the last name up), who disabled the snitch site's anonymous tip submission form!

It's ironic that a platform that deals in conspiracies and lies about everything from COVID vaccines to a stolen 2020 election, had to put limits on the Texas Right To Life snitch site for "violating Epik's Terms of Use."

Apparently even the crazies have a problem with Abbott's attempts to pay people a bounty ($10,000) to take away a woman's rights to her body through underhanded means.

Insurrection Inquiry Will Burst The Bubble of 'The Big Lie'

No wonder Republicans are panicking.

Not only is Trump's Big Lie going to be exposed, but Republican Congressmen and other right-wing politicians are facing retribution for their traitorous attempt to steal the 2020 election.

The House Select Committee on Jan. 6 poses such a threat to right-wing politicians that they are now doubling down on their lies and are spreading more myths to muddy the investigative waters.

Trump enabler, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, is busy trying to impede the investigation.

His latest tactic looks like something out of The Sopranos, where McCarthy is the mob boss threatening telecommunications and social media giants with harsh retribution if they cooperate with the inquiry.

Ten other House Republicans have joined him and assert they "will not forget" the companies who comply with the request when they take over the House in 2021 during the midterms.

That threat is bullshit.

In the first place there's no guarantee the Republicans will get the House back, and if they do there's no way they can carry out their threat to strong-arm private companies.

Basically McCarthy's toothless threat is a desperate effort to impede the investigation. Those same companies have always responded to Congressional subpoenas, as Republicans are fully aware of having used them their selves.

It just goes to show the lengths Trump's disciples will go to change the narrative on their coup attempt.

It's important to keep in mind that Trump's assault on democracy is a multi-front attack that also involves rigging state election systems to favor GOP voters.

The insurrection inquiry will expose the Big Lie and those who were involved. What happens after it's finished is the big question.

COVID-19 Madness: Our Prolonged Pandemic is Poisoning People's Minds

After two years of an invisible killer stalking the nation, the terrible mental toll has taken its effect on millions of people.

If there's one thing ALL Americans have in common right now it's experiencing the effects of a fourth virus surge.

Instead of embracing the knowledge our scientists have gained to fight the virus (by developing a vaccine in record time), millions of Americans have turned on science... and sane solutions to staying safe.

Polarized by politics, and massive disinformation campaigns in all medias, there doesn't seem to be an antidote for this crisis.

Initially, people listened to advise and hunkered down everywhere in an attempt to stop the spread of the most deadly virus to hit the country in over 100-years. 

That patience is disappearing.

What little unity to fight the virus has slowly evaporated as the months passed and turned into a year... and beyond. Now, two years later most people's patience has disappeared.

We've gone from fear to anger

Overworked doctor's and healthcare officials are angry and exhausted with the unvaccinated who are filling the hospitals to capacity. That's because they know it doesn't have to be this way.

We have the vaccines to save people. But you can't save someone who doesn't want to be saved.

Angry parents in school board meetings over masking are physically assaulting board members, doctors, and other parents. 

Weaponized words are turning into violent actions as anti-vaxxers and right-wing pundits claim the virus is a hoax, and face masks are a violation of their kid's rights.

The only answer to defeating COVID-19's latest mutation the Delta variant, is through universal vaccinations and safety measures like using face masks inside schools and other public places.

The longer it takes to get this pandemic under control so we can return to our {normal} lives, the more the poison will spread.

Ironically, truth deniers and science advocates have a common goal...both sides want the dying to stop.

Personal Freedoms Are Being Used As A Cudgel Against Science

The Republican party's current war about personal freedoms being challenged is the descendent of the 20th century Moral Majority who were always whining about perceived threats to their freedoms.

Writer B.J. Rudell, whose article on The Hill today discusses how "Freedom is good policy and good politics," details how the GOP is luring sane people into it's folds.  

The article, Republicans Cornering the Market on Freedom and Oppression addresses how selling the public on a policy - right or wrong - is key for a corrupt political party's chances of successful indoctrinating voters.

Rudell points out;

"Today's "personal freedom" movement is code for 'Make America Great Again.' Advocates seek to restore America's revolutionary spirit. If you oppose freedom, you support tyranny. There is no wiggle room for nuance or differing opinions. American and God-given rights are intertwined and inalienable."

The Republican party has hardened in it's views of what personal freedoms mean. Rudell explains:

"Personal freedom fighters in the COVID era believe individual opinions - regardless of their truth - matter more than those of experts, of politicians, or of the dying lying in hospital beds. 

All levels of government constitute "the swamp." "Don't tread on me" has devolved into "No more rules." It is the antithesis of the state control sought by family values. It is instead a battle against society - against the essential frameworks on which civilizations are built.

 This is a point of anarchical pride for the personal freedom brigade, because it doesn't matter who gets hurt, as long as it's not them."

Rudell's summary conclusion:

The GOP has decided it's better to be on the wrong side with millions who adore you, than to be on the right side with millions who don't."

Baby Trump Wannabee Cawthorn Threatens Americans With 'Bloodshed' Remarks

The fight to see who can go the lowest among far right-wing politicians has reached new levels of insanity lately.

The youngest person in Congress, Madison Cawthorn, wants to be just like his idol Trump and is going to great lengths to prove it.

He continues to preach the Big Lie and is threatening Americans who don't agree Trump is still the president.

Despite the fact that the federal intelligence warnings have been coming out warning against rhetoric that could spark another riot, "Baby Trump wannabee" is throwing fuel on the fire.

"Anybody who tells you that Joe Biden was dutifully elected is lying to you," Cawthorn said in a video the party posted on its Facebook page before deleting it yesterday following blowback.

Meanwhile Cawthorn is bragging that he would be willing to take up arms against the government to defend "election security." 

This open admission of treason has become fashionable among the far-right set who are willing to destroy democracy to stay in power.

Cawthorn's little speech came after a joint intelligence assessment that warned "narratives of fraud in the recent general election" and "the emboldening impact of the violent breach of the US Capitol" would "almost certainly" spark domestic terror attacks."

After his spiel an audience member asked Cawthorn "When are you going to call us to Washington again?"

His reply, "We are actively working on that one. We have a few plans in motion I can't make public right now."

As proof of what a hypocrite and liar he is,  look no farther than when he admitted the election was not fraudulent, and that Joseph R. Biden was our president in January.

When Cawthorn warned that there could be bloodshed in future elections, he was setting the stage for that to happen.

One War Too Late: Jane "Red" Fonda Joins Campaign To Deny Taliban Recognition

 

Before you go any further you should know that I'm a Vietnam veteran who hasn't forgiven Jane "Red" Fonda for her support of the North Vietnamese.

In July of 1972, Fonda earned the enmity of untold thousands of Vietnam veterans and their families (as well as service members for generations to come) when she arrived in Hanoi, North Vietnam and began a two-week propaganda tour there.

It's ironic that the last time the U.S. had to cut and run from a war, Jane Fonda was all over our enemies, but this time she's suddenly not in love with them.

Fonda was given the well-earned moniker of "Hanoi Jane," at the time.

The kicker - for me - was hearing about her latest campaign to deny the Taliban recognition. Why couldn't she have done that with our mortal enemies, the NVA and the VC?

There's a whole new generation who are unaware of her traitorous past. They have been watching her on cable sitcoms for years and think she's a moral person who would never turn on her country for nothing more than the publicity.

They may re-think that opinion if they Google her name and expose her dark past. Some crimes can never be forgotten.

Memories: My Wife and I Have Been Married 47-years Today

 

           Dave and Shirley Stancliff - Married on Aug. 31st, 1974

Despite the chaos we all live in, there's still golden moments in our lives that are worth celebrating.

A wedding anniversary is one of those moments.

Family and friends often ask us how we managed to stay together for so long. In many ways we're polar opposites.

The answer is relatively simple; we respect one another's views, and we both love to joke around. Our sense of humor has gotten us through many iffy situations in life.

We continue to bond regardless of the outside pressures in the world. We both believe in living for the moment and that every day is a precious gift.

Our past is an album of victories and defeats. Challenges met, and accepted. Aware that there are no re-runs in this life, we try to stay true to our values every day.

The fact is we love each other every moment, whether apart or together. 

We're thankful for our three sons, five grandchildren, and the rest of our families and friends.

Enough said.

School Boards Have Become Fertile Ground For Conspiracy Loons and Corrupt Politicians

In the ongoing American tragedy of the dumbing down of students (education has been a low priority for decades) politicians, parents and school boards are fighting over science and safety at schools.

Nothing has been more contentious than taking precautions against the surging COVID-19 virus in school districts.

Governors are threatening school superintendents, and teachers, if they enforce mask mandates to protect students who are too young for the vaccine.

Republican politicians running for office are burnishing their crazy creds on resisting masking in the schools. 

One GOP loon - Steve Lynch (some irony in the last name here) is running for a public office in Pennsylvania, and is threatening to use physical force against school officials upholding the CDC guidelines.

Parents who don't believe in science, vaccines, and the CDC, are showing up - and disrupting - school board meetings all over the country.

School board members lives are being threatened by these crazy conspiracy-driven parents that show up in meetings turning them into chaos. 

School board meetings have always had controversies. That's nothing new. But now the meeting places have turned into battlegrounds of science versus fiction.

After surviving four years of the Trump administration's encouragement to conspiracy nuts, they're now as prolific as weeds in the garden of democracy.

The bottom line is students have become political footballs in the fight against the surging Delta variant. 

American politicians have treated education like a poor relative for far too long. School agendas have been watered down. There's less emphasis on a well-rounded education. And teachers are poorly paid.

It looks like this vicious fighting between politicians, school board members, and parents is going to be around for a long time.

It's just not fair for the next generation to have to deal with a lasting legacy of conspiracy theorists and corrupt politicians.

Right-Wing Armchair Quarterbacks Waste Our Time With Ill-informed Opinions

I'm tired of hearing about right-wing TV hosts, podcasters, and assorted minions of Trump opinionate on subjects they know nothing about.

When Fox news host Sean Hannity opinionates about our military actions it's important to understand he has no military background (rumors are he was kicked out of the boy scouts for lying) or even an average understanding of Afghanistan's war-torn history.

The only experience Hannity has is in riling people up with conspiracies and blatant lies about what liberals are doing.

The fact is there's a lot of Americans who follow armchair quarterbacks like they're experts on the subject they're bloviating on in a given day.

Instead of backing Biden's administrations efforts to battle the Delta variant and keep people safe for the common cause, there are people who actively resist the science and become armchair doctors prescribing bleach and animal de-wormer medicine as an alternative cure.

Too many Americans listen to media types who claim to know everything. Just look around at the Bill O'Reilly's, and Tucker Carlson's. They're airheads who know how to get your blood boiling by picking at your fears.

Sadly, talk show hosts have replaced real journalists in millions of households. They tell people what to think. How to react. Where to cause trouble. Who to attack. Not to believe their ears, or eyes.

I like to keep in mind the old adage, "Opinions are like assholes. Everyone has one."

All too often opinions get taken for facts. Like author Harlan Ellison once said, "You are not entitled to your opinion. You are entitled to your informed opinion. No one is entitled to be ignorant."