The Mistake We Make When Trying to Communicate with Political Extremists

First off... you're never going to convince a MAGA minion that Trump isn't the son of God, and his holy mission is to get rid of the Deep State.

It's best to smile at extremists and not engage them in conversation. Just keep walking.

Trying to communicate with political extremists is a losing proposition no matter what you do to draw them into reality.

Understand, extremists have profound convictions that oppose the fundamental values of society, the laws of democracy and universal human rights while advocating their supremacy.

We have MAGA morons in Congress that gleefully deviate from the norm and show contempt for life, freedom, and human rights. You can't reason with people like them because they exist in an alternate universe.

We need to keep that in mind when dealing with them.

It really becomes awkward when you have family members or old friends that slipped off the apple cart and follow crap like QAnon and Trump. That's where the smile comes in and you try to change the conversation.

The pandemic has enabled extremism to go to greater heights than ever before as science and facts became political footballs in our society and government.

Crazy COVID myths threatened lives as people swallowed bleach and put lights up their bums for protection from COVID-19. Don't even think about trying to talk sense with them. Again. Just walk away.

The average person sees compromise as a reasonable alternative to solving problems, but political extremists see it as a sign of weakness.

But the biggest mistake we make is when we start letting the loons have free rent in our heads. Thereon lies the road to misery.

As it stands, it helps to know that political extremists are a loud minority in America.

A Great 'Laughing Gas' Adventure in America

I'm ready to launch the Great Laughing Gas experiment and you're invited to participate.

The genesis of this adventure had a humble start. I received an early Father's Day gift from one of my three sons yesterday. It came in a brightly decorated self-sealing bag. 

The slick bag announced that the folks at Laughing Gas were offering the highest THC level weed on the market. My strain was White Truffle - total THC: 35.92%. All top-of-the-line marijuana.

I'm inviting hip Americans to share laughter via toking up top-notch ganja (edibles work just as well) with a stranger. It's a great icebreaker and mood enhancer. 

It's a better way of spreading laughter than my original Rube Goldberg idea of pumping laughing gas into homes and the halls of Congress. There were just too many logistical hurdles to overcome.

Listen. Laughter is the best medicine. (I read that in Reader's Digest decades ago). Americans need to avoid letting our chaotic culture stress us out on a daily basis by laughing at something. We all need a break today.

It was E.E. Cumings who said, "The most wasted of all days is one without laughter."

Mark Twain informed us, "The human race has one really effective weapon, and that is laughter."

But my favorite quote comes from John Cleese; "A wonderful thing about true laughter is that it just destroys any kind of system of dividing people."

As it stands, Americans really need something that brings them together during these challenging times.

Now That We Don't Have to Worry About the Debt Ceiling We Can Get Back To Saving Democracy

Economic Armageddon has been avoided.

-----------------------------

The debt ceiling bill is going to President Biden's desk.

--------------------------------------

Now we can move on to the rest of the coming catastrophes like preserving democracy and stopping Trump from dragging the republic into a fascist state.

Midway through 2023 there is a growing sense that our corrupt former president is going to be indicted by the DOJ and the state of Georgia for his attempts to overthrow the last presidential election. Oh, yeah. And for Espionage and Obstruction of Justice. 

When these indictments are finally announced I expect there will be upheavals by Trump's cult members in and out of Congress.

With a dozen (or so) GOP candidates running for the presidency between now and the Republican primary voting it's going to be a circus like never seen before.

Unlike 2016 Trump is going to become the target of ridicule by his emboldened opponents.  They're going to wave those indictments in every political commercial they run.

From today onward the clock is going to be ticking. Trump is getting more maniac as he sees the signs of accountability gathering around him like a convocation of eagles cornering their prey.

By extension Trump's followers in Congress are going to greater lengths to protect him by abusing their power with phony investigations designed to take heat off their supreme leader.

The crazy caucus in the House almost pushed the country over the cliff by defaulting on our debts for the first time in history. Make no mistake. They're willing to go to any lengths to save Trump and get him re-elected. Nothing is off-the-table as they've already shown. Nothing.

All the political gurus agree Trump will be charged with more felonies in several cases this year, with trials set for next year. 

One trial date has already been scheduled by the New York courts next March for 34 felony counts of falsifying his business records in the Stormy Daniels' case. 

As it stands, be prepared for the most violent and outrageous presidential election in our nation's history. And I don't think that's hyperbole.

Debt Ceiling Crisis Over? Not So Fast!

After months of holding Americans economic futures hostage Republicans and Democrats came up with an 11th hour deal to raise the debt ceiling.

Kind of.

The deal hasn't been sealed yet. There's grumbling in the ranks of both parties as rebellious lawmakers balk at signing off on it.

Congressional leaders are hurriedly holding aggressive whip operations to assure the bill safe passage through the House and Senate.

From all reports leaders McCarthy and Schumer are encountering late resistance to the bill's passage.

The crazy caucus in the House say the deal is betrayal of the Republicans debt passage passed by the House last month. Whispers of a secret deal by McCarthy to appease the crazies injected more drama into the whole situation.

Unhappy Democrats are grumbling about Biden "selling out" to a GOP agenda that will harm millions of Americans.

Rumblings of a revolt are still going on today as the two Congressional leaders try to shepherd their party to the finish line.

It's all a deadly game and the American people are unwilling spectators to the whole debacle. 

The tentative compromise between the two parties isn't going to leave either side totally satisfied but hopefully the bill will reach Biden's desk before the clock strikes twelve.

As it stands, America stands at the cusp of the biggest economic disaster in history and time is running out.

May You Have a Great Memorial Day Weekend

Thanks for stopping by on this Memorial Day weekend. 

May it be a day of peace.

A Brief History of this Holiday 

* The day was originally set aside to remember Union soldiers who died during the Civil War, but following World War I, its scope expanded to include those who died in any war or military action.

* The idea for a specific holiday came in 1868 from Illinois Senator John Alexander Logan, a former Union general and keynote speaker for the fraternal organization of Union soldiers. He called it "Decoration Day" to be observed on May 30. 

*The name "Memorial Day," started cropping up from time to time. The new name became more common after WW II, and in 1967 when it was declared the official name by Federal law.

Most people nowadays aren't familiar with the history of this holiday. Granted, there are still small parades in some cities and flag-plantings at veteran cemeteries.

The holiday is more well known for being a national three-day social event where bar-b-que enthusiasts proudly grill hamburgers and all-American hot dogs while beer flows like rivers through the heartland.   

My memories of fallen comrades in Vietnam still haunt me at times. But on this day, I celebrate their lives and share their stories with loved ones and friends.

As it stands, this is a day for all Americans to remember those who gave their lives in our military to preserve the freedoms we all enjoy today.

Today's Crap is Cancelled

To my regular readers and newcomers...

I'm canceling the day.

It's the thing to do now in America.

Everything is subject to being cancelled in our chaotic society. 

From brand names subject to political cancelling for sending out the wrong message, to Gov. Ron DeSantis's attack against Disneyland, America's theme park.

Dr. Martin Luther King's true messages have been cancelled by white supremist lawmakers and turned into a version of a fake history figure more pleasing to racists. Quotes without context are used to prove they're not really racist in an ironic twist that goes unappreciated by most.

Trump is cancelled.

MAGA is cancelled.

The House seditionist caucus is cancelled.

The gun lobby is cancelled. 

The Supreme Court is canceled.

Hate is cancelled.

Stupidity has been cancelled.

All conspiracies are cancelled.

Instead...

I'm declaring today is Peace of Mind Day, where we overcome our many worries and challenges by focusing on the positives in our lives. 

We all have something good in our lives even though it might not feel like it at times. 

As it stands, you deserve a break today!

How Did We End Up Having a Minority Rule in America?

It just doesn't make sense.

How have we allowed the majority of Americans to lose their voices in the cultural wars and laws?

How could Floridians allow one person the power to ban books in the state's education system? That happened this week in the latest attack on school agendas by its corrupt governor.

How did we come to the place where businesses and corporations are being pelted by political activists who are dictating what they can and can't sell.

Look at what happened with Target this week. The company is pulling its LGBTQ merchandise ahead of Pride month in June because they're facing "threats" and backlash from homophobic customers backing the MAGA hate cult agenda.

In a pathetic Mea Culpa, a company spokesperson admitted, "Given these volatile circumstances, we are making adjustments to our plans (as in chickening out), including removing items that have been at the center of the most significant confrontational behavior."

On Twitter, California Gov. Gavin Newsom accused Target chief executive Brian Cornell of "selling out the LGBTQ+ community to extremists."

Target is not alone in buckling to culture war extremists as we've witnessed MAGA's war against everything from M&Ms to Bud Light.

Florida Gov. DeSantis is currently waging war against Disney because they've stood up for the LGBTQ+ community.

All of the above incidents show how the majority of Americans are being canceled by conservatives and disenfranchised by Republican lawmakers in Congress.

School districts are bowing to minority views on education because key players in state governments are waging war against the so-called "Woke" parents who are trying to preserve real history in classrooms and not let authoritarian propaganda rewrite it.

In 1991, author James Davison wrote a book that summarized what was happening in America: "Cultural Wars." 

I highly recommend reading it for a comprehensive look on why we're in an era where minority/extremists are wielding so much power. 

The author explained how this came about in the latter half of the 20th century when cultural wars were just waged within the white middle class before spilling over to all Americans.

In summary Davison called our new reality a class-culture conflict that ends in justifications for violence.

As it stands, historically cultures evolve and devolve depending on the era.

What a Difference 20 Years Make: Life Before Social Media

Two decades ago, there was no Facebook. 

Twitter didn't exist.

Truth Social and Breitbart were parasites growing in extremists fevered minds.

There was actually a time before Trump spread the "birthism" conspiracy to millions of Americans thanks to social media making it go viral in the heartland.

It was a bad time for cowardly bullies because they weren't able to anonymously threaten millions of people from their basements and caves.

It was the time before racist militias, anarchists, and hate groups could gather on Facebook and threaten democracy with impunity.

The arrival of social media has divided this country like nothing else in our history. It's provided platforms for traitors and haters of every stripe.

Please don't tell me about the good things social media does because its chafe in the wind compared to the harm it inflicts.

A recent CDC Advisory warned that 60% of teenage girls become depressed and suicidal after following online sites that had body shaming and bullying. All of our youth are at risk, according to the research.

It's a problem that can't be resolved overnight, or even in the near future for that matter. Parents strive to protect their children from the social media culture, but it's been a losing effort.

No one seems to have a coordinated national plan to stop the spread of misinformation that threatens our children and adults. Our society has been scorched by something that didn't exist a mere 20-years ago.

The rise of social media coincides with the advancement of hate groups and anarchists giving them the biggest platforms they've ever experienced in our history.

As it stands, as we all know there would have been no Trump without social media and right-wing platforms bolstered by online lies.

She's Back! Republicans Look at Restoring Hillary Clinton to #1 Boogeyman Status

Things aren't going too well for MAGA Republicans and they're getting desperate.

Despite their best efforts to make President Biden the main boogeyman he still beats Trump in polls for the 2024 presidential election.

After Special Counsel John Durham released his report one week ago MAGA world went wild with excitement...over a nothing burger.

The conclusion was the FBI should not have investigated the Trump campaign. Period. That was it. Without citing any real evidence MAGA world still took it as a victory and have praised the Durham report on right-wing media.

Then, in an unreal moment MAGA moron Gym Jordan went on Fox and told extremist Maria Bartiromo his committee is considering investigating Hillary Clinton.

Why bring back the GOP's biggest Congressional circus back after all these years?

The answer lies in MAGA's inability to produce any dirt on President Biden and desire to hold up a shining new object for the rabid MAGA base. They need fresh meat right now.

We're talking about 300 emails (none of them classified) that Clinton had on her computer. Compare that with hundreds of classified and top-secret files that Trump stole and kept at his beach resort in Florida.

Gym Jordan became a MAGA star when he conducted numerous "Benghazi" investigations against Clinton, wasting millions of taxpayer's dollars.  

Nothing came of the bogus investigations other than to give right-wing media fodder for years to come.

Now she's back!

This pitiful attempt to besmirch democrats is just another last-ditch effort to demonize their opponents and charge up their loathsome base.

As it stands, meanwhile real investigations against Trump are blooming like flowers in the spring.

Something Wicked This Way Comes: MAGA House Members Take a Dark Path

The three witches in Shakespeare's Macbeth were having a conversation about Macbeth when one of them saw him approaching. 

She turned to her two evil sisters and said, "By the pricking of my thumbs, something wicked this way comes."

Now that MAGA cult members are in charge of the House they are busy doing the bidding of a former president and convicted sex abuser who wants to be king.

Some non-MAGA Republicans in the House can see what will happen if the country defaults on its debts, but they are too afraid of Trump's hold over their party to do anything about it.

Like the witches in Macbeth who created a monster and were cackling in glee when Macbeth murdered the King and many others in a ruthless power grab, Trump's minions slavishly follow the monster they helped create.

Shakespeare gets it just right with the line "Something wicked this way comes." He invented a special kind of language to set the witches apart from the human characters in the text. The witches spoke with a hypnotic rhythm that enticed cooperation.

Much like Trump's special kind of language (boorish, hateful, and full of lies) his minions follow his rants in a hypnotic state that suspends their brains from reality.

That's why we're facing a debt crisis today. It's a deadly reality play that has descended into pure evil. 

As it stands, we can only hope that this whole debt crisis thing doesn't turn into a Shakespearean tragedy, and enough people with sense are able to solve the stalemate prevails. 

Editor's note. Ray Bradbury wrote a dark fantasy called 'Something Evil This Way Come's.' Reader's today are probably more familiar with his story of evil. For the record Bradbury borrowed the term from the bard.

The Sky was Falling in MAGA World! Then the Real Story Surfaced and Exposed the Fraud

A week ago, the sky was falling in conservative circles and Republicans blamed Biden for it.

Right-wing media responded to a story about "20 struggling homeless veterans" being displaced by migrants.

MAGA world exploded at the news and everyone from Fox News to Newsmax went into a frenzy expressing their outrage at the treatment of the poor 20 veterans by the hotel that kicked them out.

The story was sensational and MAGA morons nationally ate it up for days. 

They used it as justification to demonize migrants for political reasons. 

In reality the explosive story was bull puckey. A lie. A fraud. Fake news.

The perpetrator was a woman named Sharon Toney-Finch, the CEO of a veteran's advocacy organization. She went full out in concocting the stunt by paying homeless men in shelters to pose as the alleged "displaced veterans."

While Republican lawmakers (like New York state assemblyman, Brian Mather, who seized on the story as proof liberals were mistreating veterans) were expressing their patriotic outrage the truth surfaced like a Stinger missile in the New York Times Friday.

Give credit for initially exposing the lie to local reporters in Newburgh, New York. They were unable to find evidence at the Crossroads Hotel where the incident was said to have happened. The hotel said there were no records of veterans' staying there or anyone being kicked out.

In an article yesterday that appeared in the Hudson News the reporter quoted a group of homeless men who said they had been recruited by the YIT Foundation and its CEO Toney-Finch who asked them to pose as the ousted veterans.

Toney-Finch wined and dined the homeless men recruited from a shelter in Poughkeepsie and propped them up for the news media. The men were especially angry afterwards because Toney-Finch stiffed them and didn't give them the $200 she promised for cooperating.

I've always been partial to hometown newspapers like the Mid-Hudson News that hold their own in investigative reporting.

I especially like their motto: "We're the news source where other reporters get their news."

As it stands, this was a much-needed reality slap in the grill to MAGA morons who are shameless liars who follow the biggest liar in the world Donald J. Trump.