As the USS Gerald Ford and its support ships position off Central and South America, Trump claims he fighting a drug war. In reality, he may well be waging regime change in Venezuela under a false flag. Never known as a moral giant, he's depreciating the Navy, especially those following the orders to blow up civilian boats.
Although I won't mention the Captain's name, I can assume after reading his previous commands and missions, he's not sailing to this assignment with the same pride. Of course, previously, he did not receive his orders from a former Fox News host.
My dwindling readership will take heart that my stats keep going down. It is a small price to pay for some integrity, which is more than we're getting from our local representatives in Washington. Trump, still mad about the Reagan tape on tariffs, has imposed another 10% on Canada. Not a peep from Mackenzie and McCormick. Meanwhile, both Hess Brothers and Horlacher are threatening to cancel their ads on this blog. I refuse to ask for donations, as is the fashion with other digital sites.
I'm not here to be polite or popular
The only word I can think of to describe the demolition of the East Wing at the White House is crass. What Trump has done to the Oval Office was bad enough. I haven't seen that much gold gild and bad taste since Zsa Zsa Gabor.
I have been receiving comments that I have TDS. I don't agree with that diagnosis. Although I didn't vote for the top of the ticket in 2024, I expected Trump to be no worse than in his first term. Trump never knew anything about history. While the gild will be able to be removed by the next president, who knows what a monstrosity the new ballroom will be?
Eventually, and hopefully sooner than later, he will push enough buttons to wake up the other branches of government, to assert themselves against his breaches of convention. Those breaches extend far beyond bad taste, into questionable uses of our military and law enforcement, both in the Caribbean and in our cities.
I'm not here to be polite or popular
A MAGA man was arrested at the Wilkes-Barre No Kings Rally for brandishing a handgun at protesters. MAGA man spent the night in jail. On my post about the rally in Allentown, I referred to hundreds of protesters. I knew from the media coverage that there were thousands, but thought I could spare the dialogue a number counting debate. Regardless, someone sent in multiple comments that there should be permits, and that Cedar Crest Blvd. is too dangerous of a location. I suspect that for a pro Trump rally, they would find it to be safe enough.
I expect today to receive comments that my MAGA Man characterization is derogatory. Truth be told, I find current administration supporters to be in one of two camps. Either they are a MAGA Trump cultist, or a partisan, happy that they are in charge. I'm afraid for the Republicans that the cultists didn't vote before, and won't again. They voted for Trump, not the party.
I'm getting more and more comments about commenting. Either I don't print enough and I'm censoring, or I'm not enforcing previously stated comment guidelines. I confess to having an inconsistent policy, and being affected by the amount of sugar in my breakfast that morning.
I'm not here to be polite or popular
Israel's far right government has cooperated with settlers destroying thousands of olive trees on the West Bank. This is olive picking season, and the pickers have been under attack by the settlers. Olive trees take years to start producing their fruit.
Recognition of Palestine by many EU countries has only emboldened the settlers, who had become more aggressive since the Hamas attack in 2023. The settler block and their agenda hold important posts in Netanyahu's coalition government. To the fundamentalist settlers, the West Bank is biblical Judea and Samaria, and should belong to Israel.
While 3th country(s) mediators may be coming to Gaza, to be between the IDF and Hamas, the West Bank Palestinians, in both land and person, are on their own.
I'm not here to be polite or popular
There was always a large Jewish presence in Jerusalem and other towns in Palestine. Although the Jewish population jumped with survivors of the Holocaust, Jews were there since biblical times. After the UN Partition of 1947/1948, Jews also came from Arab lands. Some came under their own volition, many others were forced out of their Arab homelands, by hostility to the creation of Israel.
Shown above is a $5 donation in 1932 by Schaffer and Max, to a Jewish institution in Jerusalem. They were located on 3th Street, the current Liberty Recycling. During the Depression, $5 was a lot more than it is now. Many Jewish families in Allentown put their spare change in a charity box for Palestine, and then Israel.
October 7th 2023 was a horror for Israel. However, I'm likewise distressed by the Netanyahu government response. Indisputable domicide in Gaza. Many others, with no attachment to Israel, are referring to genocide.
I'm not here to be polite