Trial Begins: What Are the Chances of Convicting a Former President of a Felony?

Once again, Don the Con is making history for all the wrong reasons.

No former president has ever been indicted for a felony and forced to go to trial.

Add eighty-eight felony charges in four jurisdictions and you have the most corrupt former president and current GOP candidate for the presidency in American history.

Trump's hush money trial is here. Jury selection has begun with a dour Trump listening to prospective jurors who may decide to throw him in jail with a guilty verdict.

The whole thing is a political spectacle like the public has never seen before. Legions of reporters from all over the world clustered around the courthouse like moths around a flame as the drama unfolded inside.

There are 6,000 prospective jurists who have been called up by the court and the long process of vetting them as begun under Trump's baleful gaze.

Publicity for this potentially weeks long trial has reached a fever pitch with the legacy media and right-wing outlets competing to flood American households. It'll be a war on truth. Facts versus lies. Reality versus an alternative universe.

The feeling I'm getting is there's a good chance Trump may elude justice. I've carefully followed what legal experts have been talking about in this trial of the century, and it looks like the prosecution is going to have a rough road to hoe.

There's always the possibility of a MAGA mole worming his/hers way on to the jury. Keep in mind that Trump's followers are a cult and there's no extremes that they won't take to defend him. One determined follower can stop justice from happening.

As it Stands, this is just one of four criminal trials Trump faces this year. The stakes couldn't be higher. It's Democracy versus Autocracy.

GOP House Members Plan on Protecting Home Appliances Instead Giving Ukraine Aid

The GOP House's never-ending saga to stall passing a Ukraine aid bill gets more ridiculous by the week.

Their latest tactic is pure MAGA-inspired bullshit with the usual heavy dose of hypocrisy with a side of stupidity.

MAGA Mike Johnson came back from paying Trump homage Friday at Mar-a-Lago with a brilliant plan to introduce a series of six bills, each relating to government regulations and standards on household appliances.

They just got to save those dishwashers, clothes, stoves and refrigerators that are under fire from the evil liberal Democrats. 

Right now, MAGA Mike has bought himself some time against Marjorie Taylor Greene's efforts to oust him as speaker of the house.

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The bills to be reviewed are the following:

* Hands Off Our Home Appliances Act

* Liberty in Laundry Act (??? Set those t-shirts free!)

*Clothes Dryers Reliability Act

* Refrigerator Freedom Act (who knew they were being held hostage?)

* Affordable Air Conditioning Act

* Stop Unaffordable Dishwater Standards Act

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These bills are more important than giving aid to Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan according to the House MAGA morons shilling for Trump.

Who doesn't think this whole idea wasn't driven by Trump and his numerous phobias about low water flow and stoves?

The waste of time on cultural wars is always a good way to keep his minions happy, but Trump is going to have to yank MTG's leash back a bit before she actually bites MAGA Mike's skinny leg!

As it Stands, the House is on shaky ground with warring Republicans and Trump in the driver's seat.

It's Time the Mainstream Media Admits This is not a Normal Election

The mainstream media is sending signals that they don't know what to do about the most corrupt presidential candidate in history.

Trump gets away with horrendous threats against the majority of Americans daily. You just don't see it consistently covered in the mainstream media which hasn't figured out how to deal with Trump's daily attacks against his perceived enemies.

It's really sad that the industry which enshrines objectivity is at a loss on how to cover an election where one candidate is a normal politician, and the other is a convicted rapist who tried to steal the 2020 election. 

Publishers and editors are afraid to accurately portray events for fear of being biased. Instead, they would rather stumble into a dictatorship rather than to take a side.

In their efforts to be neutral the press can't seem to handle the fact that this is not just a regular election between a Republican and a Democrat. 

It must be understood that ignoring or avoiding Trump's dangerous behavior is a mistake. An error of the first order. We're talking about Democracy versus Autocracy. The most meaningful election in America's history is upon us.

It's not too late for American media to fulfill its basic obligation to report on Trump's escalating threats in a consistent and accurate fashion.

The press needs to stop pretending that Trump rallies calling for the death of Democrats are just politics as usual.

Trump's cult uses a variety of tactics meant to train and socialize the public, including media and cultural elites, into compliance and submission. He uses the threat of violence, coupled with the promise of positive rewards for loyalty and "patriotism."

In essence, sociopath Trump is authorizing his MAGA followers to do whatever it takes to get him re-elected.

None of this is normal. It's the mainstream media's duty to inform Americans of the threats Trump presents to their freedoms on a daily basis. 

As it Stands, worrying about appearing biased (even when you have the receipts) is not serving anyone but Trump.

Mike Johnson and Trump to Make 'Major' Announcement About Election Integrity (!)

House Speaker MAGA Mike is in trouble with some of the far-right members of the House so he's going to make a pilgrimage to Mar-a-Lago to do a walk-of-shame to save himself.

The supposed reason he's going to the House of Trump is to make a "major" announcement on election integrity. The irony of election deniers talking about voting integrity shouldn't be ignored.

The spineless House Speaker is under attack from ultra-MAGA star Marjorie Taylor Greene who wants to oust the jellyfish behind the podium. Johnson is hoping his master Donald Trump will get him out of the mess Greene's causing.

I think Johnson is in for a surprise if he thinks Trump will solve his dilemma. He's just going to be Trump's useful idiot in a crazed rant Friday to the press about election integrity... of all things!

The two traitors are going to talk about preventing non-citizens from voting. Never mind that there's already a ban on non-citizens in federal elections from voting and it's not a common occurrence.

The event is simply a dog whistle for white supremacists and racists across the country. It'll be like watching Adolf Hitler and Joseph Goebbels talk about world peace. 

The real reason for Johnson's walk-of-shame is how he can help Trump's campaign for president. 

Johnson knows that while groveling for relief from Greene's attacks that he's going to have to ramp up his efforts to enable Trump's corrupt campaign... and that doesn't bother him a bit.

As far as Greene goes, she's a Trumpie trying to outdo the master with crazy stunts and rants designed to get herself attention. It's a 50-50 chance that Trump will call off his bitch because she does cause so much chaos in the House - a situation Trump enjoys.

As it Stands, to be clear, Trump is counting on the ignorance of his followers who more than likely don't know there's already a ban on non-citizen voting. 

An Open Season to Kill: New York Politician Plans on Having a 'Personal Militia'

    A protest outside the Nassau County Legislature. Photo by Zoe Hussain.

A Nassau County politician is pushing a plan to create a list of deputized, armed civilians, to step in during local emergencies.

This despite Nassau County being called the safest community in America by US News and Report.

The county already has roughly 2,500 police officers and the National Guard to assist during emergencies and enjoys an exceedingly low crime rate.

So why the need of an additional armed group? The answer is simple and also a reflection of our times.

Nassau Executive Bruce Blakeman is a Trump cult member. As such he believes he needs a personal army answerable to him and MAGA supporter Sheriff Anthony LaRocco who is part of the plot.

The plan has been deemed dangerous by Nassau County residents and legislators who rallied against Blakeman outside of the Nassau County Legislature on Tuesday in Mineola, New York.

"This is an open season to kill" Barbara Powell, the president of Hempstead's NAACP branch at a protest.

Detractors of this goon force fear the plan will protect some while endangering others - namely residents of color in Nassau County.

Among the concerns raised it remains unclear how they would work with the already sizeable Nassau County Police Department.

There also remains some open questions like who does this new armed group answer too?

How will they be held accountable?

How will the county bear the liability of this special force?

Historically, arming and deputizing large groups of people has always been a form of fascist violence - like the Brownshirts in Nazi Germany. 

What's happening in Nassau County is just a reflection of the culture war we've all been unwillingly dragged into by Trump the traitor.

Texas MAGA Republicans are pushing for legislation that would allow civilians to be deputized to arrest suspected (!) undocumented immigrants.

The Republican party, now referred to as Trump's cult, promotes violence to achieve their ends. Misinformation and flat-out lies are the coin of the new rising Reich under Herr Trump.

As it Stands, the only way to stop the Trump cult's march to tyranny is at the ballot box. Vote blue in November and save our Constitutional Democracy and republic.

Trump's Hush Money Trial: Is it Even Possible to Find 12 Neutral Jurors?

On April 15th more than 500 Manhattanites will be responding to notices to appear for jury selection at what could be the trial of the century.

A former president has been indicted on 34 felony counts of falsification of business records, which stems from alleged efforts to hide "hush money" payments to an adult film star Stormy Daniels. 

Potential jurors will be given a questionnaire with 42 questions, ranging from the mundane and common ("What do you do for a living?" "Have you ever served on a jury before?") to the more pointed ("Have you ever attended a rally or campaign event for any anti-Trump group or organization?").

During the potentially dayslong process of jury selection some potential jurors will be singled out for individualized questioning by Trump's lawyers and prosecutors.

{Go here to read all of the questions}

Despite all of the cautions being taken above I can still see how a Trump minion might get selected.

For starters they are going to lie. That's Trump 101. With no morale guidelines to hinder them a Trump mole can be effective at convincing an attorney of their sincerity.

Just think about it. That mole would become famous beyond their wildest dreams. The MAGA cult would nominate him/her to be a saint in the Nationalist Christian hierarchy.

Let's not be naive. It could happen. More than one mole has sabotaged a trial before in judicial history.

Which leads me to the bigger picture. There are three more felony jury trials ahead. Three more juries to be selected. The odds keep going up for a snake in the jury pool to slither past the questions and into the court room.

Everyone knows Trump. He's the biggest con man in American history... and some people love him for that and others loath and mock him. There's not an in-between in our polarized society.

So how can we expect a neutral juror in any of Trump's trials? It nearly defies logic. But that's how it's done in our increasingly chaotic judicial system.

As it Stands, maybe Orson Wells was right when he said, "Nobody gets justice. People only get good luck or bad luck."

The Rapture Didn't Happen to the Dismay of Trump-Loving Evangelicals

Thirty-two Million Americans turned out to see their last total solar eclipse until August 23, 2044.

The path of the eclipse provided wily marketers with a financial opportunity in Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Illinois. Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, New Hampshire and Maine.

It was like an unexpected holiday as delighted Americans loaded up on merchandise associated with the Great Northern American Eclipse.

But there were some Americans who were disappointed. Very disappointed.

Trump-loving Evangelicals were expecting to be "raptured" during the celestial event. Some other Trump cult subsidiary groups were expecting God to climb down off his throne and to anoint Trump as the next savior.

It got scary for many Trump cultists who were wearing Trump-branded safety glasses (made in China). 

Thousands of them were seen at public gatherings in parks and other outside venues with arms stretched out in front of them and walking into trees and other inanimate objects.

Casuality counts haven't been totaled yet for Trump followers who went blind using his special safety glasses.

The good news about the eclipse is it brought families together across the nation to experience a once-in-lifetime event during what has turned out to be a very stressful year. It was like the country took a deep breath and exhaled slowly.

As it Stands, for a brief moment in time the majority of Americans agreed on one common thing - how cool the total eclipse was.

An 'Ice Age of the Heart': Kindness Becoming a Casualty in our Chaotic Society

I was reading a book review on The Power of Kindness by Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat the other day and was motivated by its message.

The author, Piero Ferrucci, is a psychotherapist and philosopher who was a student and collaborator with Robert Assagioli, the founder of psychosynthesis. 

The following particularly struck a note with me.

Ferrucci says that we are going through "an Ice Age of the Heart" where people are often chilly and indifferent to each other.

Does this sound familiar to you? Are we less likely to talk or help out strangers now than ever before? I fear the answer is yes.

"The single-minded pursuit of money and power knocks aside the values that have animated religions for years, Ferrucci warned. "Kindness is the one trait that can save us," he asserts in his book.

Ferrucci notes that being kind is a way of life that can bring happiness to others as well as to those who practice it.

What a concept in 2024! With all the hate and fear circulating around the country we are just getting further away from being a civilized race and a workable republic.

I've read about the benefits of kindness in many books and other publications how kindness gives meaning and value to our life. As Ferrucci explains,"... kindness raisers us above our troubles and our battles and makes us feel good about ourselves."

Sometimes it's not easy being kind and forgiving in life. It can be a challenge with all the jerks running around in public, but it's not impossible.

I try my best when I go out and circulate not to be a problem, and to help others by being encouraging and understanding. It's not easy because I have PTSD. But when I do a kind act it becomes a healing experience for me and someone else.

As it Stands, kindness can become a superpower in this dark age if we all practice it. If you don't already, give it a try. It's worth it.

Existing in Pre-Apocalyptic America

How are you doing?

What drives you to keep going on in this polarized society?

What gets you out of bed each morning?

Some people say defending our republic motivates them to get up in the morning to fight for our freedoms.

Some people roll out of bed, pull on a red MAGA cap each morning and gladly donate their last dollar to pay a former twice-impeached president and billionaire's legal bills.

Families are finding themselves stranded in red and blue ideological battles that all seem inevitably pointed towards another civil war. 

Americans live with the understanding that we have more mass shootings than any other industrialized country in the world. Most say despite that they wouldn't live in any other country.

If one thing is true about Americans, we are resilient and somehow overcome what sometimes seems to be insurmountable challenges. We've managed to overcome wars and pandemics, always moving bravely forward.

To many, me included, this year is full of challenges like we've never seen before. A rogue former president who failed in a coup attempt to regain office is now the Republican candidate for president in November.

Like it or not we're teetering on a pre-apocalyptic moment in American history where the future of the nation is at stake. 

Trump has openly declared his fascist agenda and millions of his followers are already practicing their "goose stepping" for political rallies and a future dictatorship.

Political pundits say President Biden and Trump are neck-and-neck in the polls... but I don't believe that. It's just too early in the race to make that claim. Media organizations are feasting on election data and opinions for the nightly news.

What if Trump is convicted for felonies prior to the election? 

What happens if he doesn't satisfy the court in New York and post bond in 10 days? 

What about the other court cases in three different jurisdictions?

No one knows what's going to happen between now and when we make a trip to cast our ballots. Instead, we just need to push forward with our lives and follow our hearts.

As it Stands, for a brighter future Vote Blue in November.

Total Solar Eclipse is a Marketer's Dream

Capitalism is alive and thriving in America.

With some 31.6 million Americans expected to be in the path of Monday's total solar eclipse, businesses are booming.

Eclipse enthusiasts are more than willing to pay big bucks to get a prized vantage point for the rare event.

The next total solar eclipse will be in 2026, but it will mostly pass over the Arctic Ocean, with some visibility in Greenland, Iceland, Portugal and northern Spain. In other words, Americans are NOT going to have a front row seat to the celestial event.

Eclipse promoters are fully aware of this and that's one of many reasons they're hawking this total solar eclipse so vigorously.

The last time a total solar eclipse struck merchandizing gold for promoters was in 2017 when savvy marketers profited from an estimated 88% of U.S. adults craning their necks skyward.

Today the digital marketplace is abuzz with memorabilia that captures the local essence of the phenomenon.

* In Six Flags Fiesta Texas in San Antonio they are mixing a traditional event with an event that combines drones and fireworks, complete with eclipse safety glasses and themed souvenirs.

* Cleveland Metroparks has rolled out a special eclipse capsule collection, featuring glow-in-the dark t-shirts and hoodies that capture the event's magic.

*Sonic introduced a limited-edition Blackout Slush Float, turning a simple drink into a collector's item with free eclipse glasses.

* The editors of Astronomy and Discover magazines are offering a solar eclipse store online at My Science Shop. You can get glasses, books and maps, and fun accessories like shirts, pins, stickers, and more.

I'm waiting for America's top grifter, Donald Trump, to roll out some ridiculous memorabilia like Trump branded gold-rimmed eclipse glasses made in third world countries that use child labor. 

They'll be fake of course and will end up blinding his rabid followers.

As it Stands, hucksters have a special place in America society as demonstrated by a convicted rapist and fraud running for the presidency.

Book Review: 'The Butterfly Tree' Offers Hope in a Challenging World

If you love reading a good book pull up a comfortable chair and open up The Butterfly Tree and enjoy.

It's an Extraordinary Saga of Seven Generations by author Woody Woodburn.

The story weaves the history of a family and a giant Black Walnut tree into a tapestry depicting both of their intwined legacies full of learned knowledge of nature and humanity.

The scion of the family line "Doc" Lemuel Jamison sets the standard for healing the sick and accepting everyone regardless of their race, gender, national origin, or crimes they committed in the heat of passion.

The reader is gently guided from one generation to another in a series of challenging vignettes filled with action from the American Civil War to that un-named war in Vietnam where soldiers were sent to die for political reasons.

The characters are so real that you feel like you've known them all of your life. The shy kid who needs encouragement. The kid(s) who were kind to the shy or shunned kids passing on the lessons the Jamison family learned from one generation to another.

The Butterfly Tree is a message of hope regardless of the challenges in life. The main mission pursued by the remarkable Jamison family is to love one another, be understanding, and respect others. It sends a powerful message we could all use today in these chaotic times.

It's a story of hope blended with prose so fluid that you'll flow from one page to another effortlessly, swimming in the vivid imagery Woody has created with his insights into the human soul.

I highly recommend the Butterfly Tree and ask that you tell your friends about it and also share this tour de force on social media. It's available at Amazon and while your there write a 5-star review. You'll feel good and so will others when they read The Butterfly Tree.

About the author

Woody Woodburn was born in Columbus, Ohio in 1960. He graduated from UC Santa Barbara; and for the past four decades has been a national award-winning newspaper columnist - sports originally and general interest for the past 15 years for The Ventura County Star.