That's Right

 I recently watched an episode of Family Feud. During the fast money round at the end of the show Steve Harvey asked the answer to the following question: We asked 100 married men what percentage of the time their wife was right? Both of the contestants answered 100%. However, when the results were revealed, this answer got very few responses. Everyone was shocked, including myself, and wondered who these men were. The #1 answer was 50%. Now my brain tells me that is probably the correct answer, as married man I would be intimidated to not give that answer. I wondered if these men had to give their answer out loud and within earshot of their spouses, or by secret ballot.

After 27 years of marriage I am still getting use to wife speak. I also have discovered when to back out of differences where either one of us could be right. If my wife is wrong, it is better to let her discover it on her own, versus me saying that I was right. I realize that when she says that I loaded the dishwasher wrong, she is basically saying I didn't load it the way she does. There is really no real right or wrong way to load the dishwasher if the dishes get cleaned. Most right or wrong issues in a marriage revolve around each person's perspective on an issue. Husbands of the world chose your battles wisely.

In Plain Sight

 Usually, political corruption and white-collar crime is done in the shadows. Bigotry and racism were once covert and masked in systems and policies, along with outright denials. However, right now in America I am watching all these things happening publicly and in plain sight by none other than our President. Over the past decade I have watched this conman take control of our nation and bullied his way, using the courts and his money, to the most powerful position in the world. Roy Cohn would be proud. 

Trump has used the office of President to enrich himself and his family in ways that no one would have imagined. How is it that he can justify receiving a $400 million dollar tricked out airplane from the Qatar government as a gift while in office. In his first middle eastern trip he didn't do anything to help American interest, but did make deals for his company worth billions of dollars. Investments into his crypto currency business, licensing deals for hotels, and investments in the Trump organization projects run by his sons. This is clearly him profiting from his position with foreign governments. He has even suggested that Isreal take The Gaza strip, killing thousands of Palestinas, and turn it into a joint Riveria with the US, with Trump hotels no less.

His war against immigration has been hyped to use an old white supremacy tactic of fear mongering. The American public has bought into it, but it is only a visible display of his disdain for people of color and anyone who is not white in America. He has used the power of the Presidency to develop what will soon become a Desopo state, with masked ICE agents arresting immigrants, even those here legally or seeking asylum, and placing them in detention center, or worst. I believe in cracking down of immigrant criminal gangs, but his operations are far from just that. 

Every American citizen should be concerned by the power to arrest without due process or recourse. They will come for those who disagree with their agenda next. The ability to protest will be lost. In plain sight Trump welcomed white South Afrikaan immigrants suggesting that they are being persecuted by the majority black South African government. It is no coincidence that three of the wealthiest men in the world are from South Africa and funded his rise to power.

His tariffs are a disaster for the economy and will cause hardship for years to both the poor and the middle class. His allies say he is using them as a negotiation tool, but it appears he is just using them as a means to fund his tax breaks for the wealthy, including himself, and his white supremacy agenda at the end of the day. 

I have watched other countries democracies fall, but usually through a coup or an uprising from protesters. But also, through the promise of making things great by autocratic figures. First by taking party control of the government, then the judges, while making it hard for others to vote or hold free elections. Then the media is silenced to presenting opposition points of view. Those who voice counter points of view are labeled traitors and/or prosecuted. The Supreme court which was stacked by Trump provided him with the power of not being faced with any criminal penalties and he has taken full advantage of it, using executive orders to get his agenda accomplished, whether they are constitutional or not.

WE are currently looking at the dismantling of our Constitution in plain sight, with no one having the power or internal fortitude to stem the tide. They have made it illegal to teach or promote diversity, inclusion, and equality in our current world. We have four years of a man who would be king leading us to who know what. Make America Great again only means take us back to the patriarchy society where white rich men ruled over the people of color and poor people. I'm a baby boomer, so I have seen post war growth, Vietnam war, assignations, the civil rights era, the technological revolution, 911 terrorist attack, decades of foreign wars, the first black President, the Covid pandemic, and now the rise of an autocrat in the "White" House. 

Scandal Episode 2025

 As I watch the Trump second term in office it reminds me of the TV school Scandal that ran between 2012 and 2018. For years Trump and his minions have been pushing the narrative on the American people that there is a deep state operation in Washington, with nefarious players in control of the government. This idea has grown and grown and eventually led up to the January 6th uprising by Trump supporters to overturn the 2020 election. The peaceful transfer of power was no more. While they were not successful the Trump marketing campaign of disinformation, judicial delays, and claims of his persecution by the deep state and the Democrats have led to him becoming President again. 

While I disagreed with some of the far-right policies of the left, I am a moderate Democrat who believes in fiscal conservatism by our government. I believe we can do better to reduce spending while still supporting and helping those in need. Trump has promised a smaller government, but his methods are suspect and are being implemented by an Olivia type fixer, Elon Musk.

In the tv series Pope runs a crisis management company in Washington, DC for high profile clients like politicians, celebrities and public figures, and as an aside she is sleeping with the President, who she helped get elected. Elon is not Olivia (while there is a bromance going on with Trump) he is playing the crisis management role for Trump after having helped get him elected using his millions of dollars. Musk is basically the head of B613 in this scenario.  In the tv show B613 was a secret CIA subdivision that's involved in fixing elections, terrorism and more. While Musk is not that deadly, his title of leading the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) is in plain sight and is setting up Trump for control of the executive branch and the other arms of government. 

While Trump labeled the Biden family a criminal organization, he is actually running the government more like that, with his placement of loyalist on the Supreme Court, House of Representatives, Justice Dept., Senators, FBI, and the Military Dept. of Defense. People like JD Vance, Mike Johnson and Kash Patel operate as consiglieres for B613 and the Republican party.

Immigration acts as a rival gang in the way of Trumps power. All the people from black and brown country coming to take his power as the leader of a supremely powerful white nation. They are taking over.... Yes, the Biden policies were too far right and liberal when it came to immigration, but it was based on compassion. The problem is not the people, but the policies we have to review the immigrants and allow those who are valuable contributors to work and become citizens within a reasonable period of time. A bipartisan proposal was put forward to help, but Trump had his minions vote it down, because it would have been a win for the government in place and hurt his election chances. Now he can move forward with just deporting all this people indiscriminately. 

The next four years or episodes of this will be very hard on the people outside the Presidents circle, and even some supporters who though they would be safe. I think the rural voters and the poor who supported Trump with thoughts of improved lives will bear the brunt of his policies. The upper class and oligarchs will do fine as they continue to reap the benefits of loyalty to their leader. Morals, and empathy for the concept of all men are created equal in this country, have been replaced by misinformation and open lying. Perhaps somewhere in the future someone will be able to step forward and return life where the truth matters, and the government did work for the good of the people.

Left,Right,Uppercut

 Well, the 2024 election is over, and the country has decided that they want to make America great again and that means bringing back Donald Trump as President. His agenda against the progressive left Democrats and drive forward with an army of followers who claim to be right wing ideologist has been successful. I still find it hard to believe that the average American who is suffering, through no fault of their own, can believe that Donald Trump represents the common man and their needs. As a Democrat I do not dislike Donald Trump because he is a Republican and we must defeat them politically. I dislike him because I believe he is a morally corrupt individual and a conman. I agree with fiscal conservatism and human liberalism. When he talks about making America great again, what he actually means is an America "ruled" by white males in control. There is no room for any African American, immigrants of color, LGBTQ individuals, or opposition ideas. 

He riled on illegal immigration, which I agree was out of control. However, both parties have been pushing this problem down the road for years. The system is broken and was never fixed to allow people to enter the country legally, obtain a work visa, and then become a citizen in a reasonable period of time. Instead, they cross illegally and are allowed to work and establish families under the threat of deportation daily. Who will take on the jobs that Americans don't or won't do in farming, construction, and service industries. The drug trade fueled by the insatiable demand from Americans has made criminal gangs and empires prosper here. Now we are looking at mass deportation, which only be a catastrophe of human suffering and a hugh expense for the public.

Trump has always wanted to be accepted into the "billionaires" club and now he has galvanized these people around him because of the power he has obtained. They laughed at him in his private life for his wanna be attitude and will use him now to their own ends. He immediately has gone about dismantling the checks and balances and controls put into place to protect our democracy. The Supreme Court has given him immunity for acts that he performs in office whether they are against the law or not. He is removing anyone or any policy that were against him during and after his first term in office. He is filling positions not based on qualifications, but on loyalty to him.

Our constitution was based at least on the promise that all men are created equal. This has never been the case in America and that's when Trump felt that America was great. The elimination of diversity, equality, and inclusion programs in the government and the corporate world sets back the achievement of this promise to pre 1960s. This decision will not only hurt minorities but also women, poor whites, and a whole generation of our children. This is one of the ways tyrants and dictators take over countries. Misinformation is rampant, dissenters are prosecuted, silence the media, and those with money control public policy to their advantage. 

It is hard not to be a person with pantophobia, but I still believe that God is on the throne and that some good will come from those that do things for evil. Perhaps the tariffs will work, and the economy will improve, and hopefully for everyone. Perhaps Trump's threatening manner will result in some ceasefires around the world and cause for pause by the dictators already in place. My job is to manage my life and my family during a period of unrest, both internally and externally. Hopefully climate change won"t take us out first.