A Impending Crisis in Alabama

I do not often call upon the deity, but the current political landscape in the state of Alabama dictates urgent and desperate intervention and action.  Those of you who receive this blog and live in Alabama are aware that the Republican candidate for governor is the inept, despicable and dumb, Tommy Tuberville.  As you also know, he has been one of the senators from Alabama and has regularly made a fool of himself.  An example of his ineptness was when he won the senate seat, he identified the three branches of government being the house, senate, and presidency and made no reference to the Supreme Court.  Furthermore, he (like his mentor Trump) lies with regularity and an example of this was his promise upon his election to give his salary to veterans who had served the country.  To this date not a dime has been given.  During his brief tenure in the senate, he has given unbridled loyalty to his mentor and in his words, Trump can do no wrong.  Afterall, according to Tuberville, God put his beloved mentor into the presidency to save American—nothing could be further from the truth. 

Now that Tuberville is running to be governor of a state that is not his home state, given that he is a resident of Florida the lies and misinformation continue.  He, like Trump, have become cheerleaders for the construction of data centers, especially in rural America.  Indeed, there is going to be an ongoing demand for these centers as the artificial intelligence industry grows, but construction needs to be a thoughtful process supported by local communities, not the whim of politicians.  It is most interesting that he has back peddled since there has been a significant amount of local criticism focused on the construction of data centers.  He now states that the decision rests with the specific communities.  It is highly unlikely that he will follow through on this if he is elected.  It is my belief that it is nothing more than a transient lie to try and minimize my critical concerns.  It needs to be understood that Tuberville has been a very significant investor in data centers as reflected in his published investment portfolio.  Also, even though it is argued that America is in a race with China to have the upper hand in the artificial intelligence and data center industry, Tuberville has been an inventor in a major Chinese company in this industry. 

As the strategy to promote Tuberville at the expense of his opponent continues with earnest gusto, the misrepresentations and lies continue.  An example of this is in one of his ads, he states that the Democratic opponent, Doug Jones, voted to allow known criminals back into the country through immigration.  This is certainly not consistent with his background or professional positions.  Tuberville also talks about crimes in Montgomery, Mobile, and Birmingham and that he is going to personally recruit a new generation of law enforcement personnel to combat the criminal activity even though violent crime is down in the urban areas.  What a slap at current law enforcement personnel who are busting their collective butts to control criminal behavior throughout the state.  He also has stated in the same ad that he is going to develop the toughest child abuse legislation in the country.  Do keep in mind that he cannot do any of this without the support of the legislature.  Nor can he claim to personally hold judges and district attorneys accountable for their actions.  He has no authority over this branch of the government that he is ignorant of.  His final boast in this ad is that he will bring the National Guard in “on day one”—to do what?  For what reason?  He is trying to pander to the Republican base to support him.  Yes, he is their candidate, but don’t keep the obvious mistake from going further.

The Democratic candidate, Doug Jones, is an attorney by profession.  He served as the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of the Federal Court for several years and was responsible for bringing to justice those members of the Ku Klux Klan that bomb the 16th Street Baptist church in Birmingham, killing four young girls.  He served in the U.S. Senate for six years and gained the reputation as being willing and able to work across the aisle in the creation of legislation.  His bipartisan background would serve him and the state extremely well if chosen as the governor.  Unlike his opponent, he is a resident of the state, and his legal residence is in the state.  Unlike his opponent he does not put forth lies nor misrepresent the facts of a given situation.  He would be a formidable governor of whom all Alabamians could be proud.  Not so about his opponent who would continue to be an embarrassment beyond belief.  Let us hope that there will be enough of those who vote to recognize the dramatic difference between the two candidates.  Let us hope that reason will prevail and what is best for the entire state will be the result.

A final note.  Even though there remain a couple of weeks until the election, the Executive Director of the Alabama Retirement System (RSA) Bronner, included a foregone conclusion in his article of the current Advisor.  He mentioned that, “Yellowhammernews.com stated: the ETF Chairman is already in budget talks with the incoming Tuberville team…”  This was wrong and irresponsible.  The election has not yet occurred and it is likely that Tuberville will be elected, but stranger outcomes have happened.  The Director of the RSA should not be taking sides at this point.  Let us continue to hope there will be reason prevailing by the voters.

Etc... Etc... Etc...

It has been an interesting, challenging, and soul-searching time since I last wrote for my blog, Flying with the Crow.  As many of you know, back in April I fell and broke my left hip.  This break required a partial hip replacement, so I went to surgery the next day.  I had also hit my head and my left shoulder, the former requiring some stiches and the latter having had a couple of cortisone injections.  I spent 8 days in the hospital and then was transferred to what was described as a rehabilitation unit in a local nursing home.    Referring to it as a rehab unit is a bit of a stretch.  I was amongst some elderly folks who would make a racquet during the night and isolate themselves during the day.  I was there for 2 weeks.  I did receive some therapy from a physical therapist and an occupational therapist.  They were quite helpful in getting me to where I could walk a little bit with a walker. When I returned home, I could not drive and started out with a walker, graduated to a cane and am now able to get around without any aides.  I do still take my cane when I am somewhere unfamiliar, and it helps with my balance.  I depended on my wife Carolyn, for a lot of transportation and visits to doctors.  She has been phenomenal with her patience and support.  Could not be where I am without her encouragement and assistance.

I am still not back normal and probably never will be, but much better than I was for several months. Upon my return home I went to physical therapy a couple of days a week and did this for a couple of months.  It was very helpful and the staff at the facility were great.  As getting older has its challenges, it also provides the opportunity to continue to interact with family and friends.  Recently, both Carolyn and I have had hearing tests and both of us now have hearing aids.   We have not had them for long and are not impressed, yet.  We have a great ENT Physician and a very responsive Audiologist.  We are hopeful when we go for follow-ups that adjustments can be made to improve the results.  We’ll see!

In addition to what has happened, personally, there have also been developments throughout the country and world.  Astronauts circled the moon and went further into space than any previous missions.  There continue to be major issues between Trump and the Irian leaders.  A war that was to be over in a matter of weeks has now dragged on for over 6 months.  Eighteen American service members have lost their lives in a war that has little meaning and no plan for bringing it to an end.  Trump avoids referring to it as a war, but semantics do not mean crap when we are taking the lives of countless Iranians and the service members.  As a country we have Dumb and Dumber making the decisions.  Neith Trump nor the ass he put in as Defense Secretary have any clue what to do.  To note that they are over their heads is a gross understatement.  They brag about the destruction that has been the result of the American assaults.  Recently, in response to a reporter’s question about the end of the war, our dumb-ass president compared it to the length or time we were in Viet Nam.  Here we go.

Let me share some figures that are appalling and are attributed to Trump’s lone decision to attack Iran.  Consider the following:

Pentagon Tally: Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth reported a $37.5 Billion figure to the Senate Appropriations Committee, noting it accounts for operations, military pay, and heavy use of munitions through the first five months of the war (Do keep in mind that we need to add at least another month of expenses based on the current length of the war.)

Independent Tally: Independent defense analysists and think tanks suggest the true upfront and short-term operational cost is higher-ranging, between $80 Billion and $100 Billion, when factoring in unacknowledged base repairs, damaged aircraft, and immediate resupply of depleted high-end interceptor missiles. 

Wider Economic Impact: including broader tracking, which includes domestic spikes in fuel and energy prices for U.S, households, places total economic costs well past $120 Billion to $130 Billion.

The Trump’s administration war in Iran is weighing heavily on American households.  Up to this time, the cost of war per household is $1,200 with no end in sight. These costs together with Trump’s inane tariffs continue to be impacting the middle class with impunity.  He and his minions have no empathic understanding of what individual households are confronted with day-after-day.  Decisions are being made to cover basic costs such as food, shelter, health care, and clothing for those who have lost any semblance of a safety net provided by the federal government.  Program after program have been cut or eliminated, yet Trump and his allies have realized record earnings.  Recently. it has been revealed that Trump earned a $2.2 Billion windfall.  Further, it has been reported that Donald, Jr., has net worth more than $300 Million.  It is certainly a mystery that those who are suffering the most continue to support this fool as president.

Previously, I noted that the decision by the Supreme Court in the Trump v. the United States, the court gave unbridled immunity to the president.  This decision will forever haunt the country because it gives license to the president to do whatever he considers presidential business.  We have seen result after result of this president making inane, illegal and innocuous decisions that cannot be challenged.  The ridiculous ballroom at the White House, the farcical redoing of the Reflection Pool, the granite driveway and heliport at the White House, and the myriads of Executive Orders that he has passed are examples of a president going berserk and out of control.  During this term in office, he has signed 281 of these Executive Orders.  It is his way of avoiding going through the proper channels to enact various actions.

The national debt has reached a milestone of $40 Tillion under this Trump Administration.  Consider that this is equal to $2.08 Billion per day.  These are numbers that I have no understanding of but reflect the out-of-control actions of Trump.  In the past few weeks, he has stated that Canada has used the United States as its piggy bank.  What hypocrisy.  As president he continues to spend taxpayer dollars for frivolous, unnecessary and often illegal purposes.  Members of his party make no effort to control his actions, and the immunity decision allows him to continue.  About a week ago the Republicans held a convention in Dallas, and the minions were front and center in their adulation for this dumb ass.  I will not bore you with all that took place, but the speech by Kennedy and included in Dana Milbank’s article in the Washington Sun, is ever so telling.  Let me share that nonsense with you: “Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. might have topped them all (previous speakers) by calling Trump a ‘self-effacing man of superior intelligence, of empathy and compassion, with an encyclopedic grasp of issues in molecular detail.’  gushed Kennedy.  ‘I’m so grateful to God for giving us a leader like this.”  So, so much crap.  Empathy and compassion are foreign to Trump as evident by the number of citizens who are truly suffering.  Note that Trump bragged over-and-over about the large crowd in the arena and the thousands who were outside the building.  Milbank sat through five hours of this mess and during that time counted at least 5000 empty seats in the main floor of the arena and no people in the upper areas.  We are all too familiar with Trump’s affinity to lie and make up information and people believe it as truth.  Such a blatant pity that he is in the office.

Let me take a bit of a different direction.  The decision by the NCAA to allow former NFL players who still have some eligibility left at the college level, to return to play for college teams.  How ridiculous is this decision coupled with the NIL actions that are making kids multi-millionaires?  An example is the quarterback at Auburn who followed his coach from the University of South Florida for a tidy sum of $3 Million.  Similarly, the quarterback for the undefeated national champions last year making $2 Million as the quarterback for the Indiana Hoosiers.  There is virtually no control over these out-of-control decisions, but they are making a mockery out of the amateur concept of college sports?  Where will all this end or when will some common sense begin to prevail?

Hopefully I will get back on track with sharing some of my thoughts with you through Flying with the Crow.

Murder in the streets...

Over the past couple of months, I have gone to the computer with the best of intentions to write my next blog.  I stare at the blank screen on the monitor and try to talk myself into getting started, but to no avail.  I did write a little, but nothing complete.  Well, here I go.  I am unwaveringly committed to getting this done.  Whether the extended wait proves to have any substantive meaning will be left to each of the readers.

I, like many others, watch the nightly news and am amazed with what is seen.  Is what I am watching coming from what might be happening in some third world country?  Are these the actions of coups or groups of rebels?  Just who is perpetuating such atrocities against a fellow human being?  The tragedy is that these are Trump’s thugs who are carrying out his perverse and self-serving agenda.  Ostensibly, these ICE agents are looking for those criminals that Trump keeps talking about.  When they barge into someone’s home, drag the individual out of the house and throw them to the ground, often surrounded by numerous agents. Where is the criminality?  It seems obvious that anyone who is dark skin or speaks in some foreign tongues are the enemy although many are here legally and carry the proper paperwork.  These thugs are being directed by the person sitting in the Oval Office who is a deranged, demented, inhumane individual who has absolutely zero empathy or concern for other humans.  He is convinced that he, and only he, has the answers to create a world ruled by an authoritarian dictator.  It is interesting to listen to him and observe his behavior and lay this beside the words and actions of Hitler back during the time leading up to the second world war.  For example, an interesting parallel is associated with Trump’s obsession with acquiring Greenland.  This mirrors Hitler’s actions in taking other countries regardless of how it was done or if there was any interest in it happening amongst those living in the respective countries. It is very apparent that Trump is enamored with authoritarian dictators and many of his decisions during this second term follow such an unwavering commitment.

Another outcome of Trump’s inhumanity and disregard for the lives of others, revolves around the killing of over 100 Venezuelan fishermen.  Trump argues, with no proof to support his claim, that these boats are carrying drugs to the shores of the U.S.  They may very well be doing this, but this has not been proven or investigated. Yet as we have become accustomed to Trump has little to no interest in the facts of a situation and makes up his own.  The number of fatalities from this operation are indefensible.  Then there was the situation where two individuals were clinging to their boat after the first shot and Trump’s Gestapo saw fit to violate the rules of war and take a second fatal shot.  Trump defended this action and, again, facts were inconsequential. The kidnapping of Madaro, the president of VrnVenezula, and his wife is another example of Trump dictating the facts as he sees them and acts, accordingly.  Perhaps Madaro’s were realizing payoffs from the drug trade, but this is not known for certain. 

We have seen individuals walk for miles on end to reach the border and follow the proper protocol to enter the country.  They have repeatedly been subjected to inhumane conditions and actions by ICE Thugs, dressed in their black clothing and hiding behind black masks.  Once in the country these migrants are treated in a manner like what they thought they were escaping.  They have arrived in the land of the free, but freedom is a vague and unknown concept.  We have witnessed individuals being dragged from their home with minimal clothing and thrust to the ground in subzero weather, beaten, kicked and left weeping in a fetal position.   These inhumane behaviors came to a head with the murders of Renee Good and Alex Pretti.  Ms. Good was shot in the head as she drove away from a confrontation with ICE agents.  Pretti was shot 10 times while he lay on the ground.  His crime was that he confronted these agents and they took their revenge.  These deaths have led to a recognition that something needs to and must change.  We are not in a third world country where there are no liberties.  We have a constitution and a Bill of Rights.   Trump and his allies need to recognize this and accept what these documents include, like it or not. 

Right from the beginning of Trump’s second term, he has acted in a way that flaunts the law and has not had to answer for any of his actions.  His insulation from prosecution goes back to the Supreme Court’s decision in Trump v the US.  The decision of the court was that a sitting president has immunity when carrying out the duties associated with being president.  This can, and has, in Trump’s case. meant most all his actions fall within this definition.  The court used as precedent cases involving Nixon and Clinton, but those were civil cases and Trumps are criminal.  Do not lose sight of the 34 convictions he has from actions taken before this term took place  The decision by the court to blanketly give license to a derange president will go down in history as one of the failings of the conservative composition of the court. 

As the president, he along with Musk, forced a significant number of federal employees to retire or run the risk of being fired.  No consideration was given to what these people did or what would not get done in their absence.  This was illegal according to federal personnel law, but that did not matter.  The role that Musk had in the early days of the present administration has always been questionable.  He and his companies have billions of dollars of federal contracts which would suggest a blatant conflict of interest, but this does not concern Trump.  Even though they have had a falling out, there continues to be selected contact between the two of them. Trump enacted 225 Executive Orders in 2025 and many undercut the essence of the constitution.  Democracy was being threatened by these Executive Orders, but that did not seem to matter.  Granted some of what he did was a bit on the questionable side—renaming the Defense Department to the War Department. Tearing down the East Wing of the White House to build a 89,000 square foot ballroom, renaming and closing the Kennedy Center and on it goes.

As all of this takes place, and there is much that has not been noted, Republicans in positions of influence sit idly by and do nothing. There is unquestionable evidence of a depravity of morality amongst Republicans in both the House and the Senate.  How they can refuse to question the words and actions of Trump is indefensible.  Where is their commitment to the rightness of how others are treated and held accountable.  On 60 Minutes this past Sunday, Senator Rand Paul, Republican from Kentucky and Chair of the Committee holding hearings on the actions of ICE in Minneapolis, did express his concern for what has been going on in that city.  It is obvious that those in Congress are intimidated and fearful of Trump.  They have a limited amount of conviction and seldom speak out to challenge Trump. 

The only people we hear from are those who lie and make up the facts, as Trump does.  Kristi Noem, Kash Patel, Pam Bondi are some that speak out, but not with the truth.  RFK, Jr, is one hell of a piece of work who is tearing apart the Department of Health and Human Services as is Pete Hegseth with Defense.  Inept does not adequately describe the collection that Trump has put together.  Problem is we are living with these fools. The answer to getting some control over this mess is for us, the people, to get out and vote and bring some saneness to the Oval Office and the Congress.  Failing to do so leads to a continuation of what we are currently experiencing.

Democracy on the brink . . . .

I challenge anyone who reads this article to stop and reflect on the many ways the current president is undermining and destroying democracy in our country. There is no debate, nor can there be, that supports the myriads of inane executive orders that he has invoked in the country. He has demonstrated no concern for how or whom these orders will impact individuals, organizations, and communities throughout the country. It is my belief that he is incapable of human emotion that gives any thought to the ramifications of his actions. In the information that follows, I will attempt to identify where I see some of his behaviors manifested. My original intent was to author this article at the time of Trump’s 100 days in office, but I was torn with how best to address multiple issues and concerns. Hopefully, what I have concluded will make sense and lead to legitimate challenges to his everyday decisions.

In a recent Commentary, “Dangerous cracks in US democracy pillars,” written for the Brookings Institute by Jonathan Katz and Eric Urby, seven pillars are identified. The commentary is a summary version of a Brookings publication, the 2025 Democracy Playbook. The seven pillars include the following:

1. Protect elections

2. Defend rule of law

3. Fight corruption

4. Reinforce civic and media space

5. Protect pluralistic governance

6. Counter disinformation

7. Make democracy deliver

They limit their discussion to the first three pillars. Further, they conclude that the wide range of executive orders challenge the checks and balances and separation of powers that are imbedded as salient aspects of the country’s constitutional governance.

The first pillar that the authors discuss is protecting elections. Protecting elections is critical in maintaining a democratic form of government that includes representation for its citizens. The country has a long history of maintaining free and fair elections, yet the current administration is hell-bent on continuing the unsupported claims they espouse about the 2020 election. Their actions erode voter access, hinder free and fair elections, and create distrust in the election system. The integrity of future elections is in question. Early executive orders dealt with rescinding the previous administration’s executive orders that protected voting access as well as providing accurate information to the public. Trump’s actions beg the question... to what extent will the federal government protect fundamental voting rights. Failure to protect these laws would undoubtedly lead to an erosion of voter protection.

Defending the rule of law is the anthesis of how Trump has behaved since returning to office. On his first day he pardoned or commuted close to 1500 insurrectionists’ who on January 6, 2021, stormed the capitol, brutalized police officers, defaced the building and created an atmosphere of disbelief amongst law abiding Americans. Trump watch all this unfolding from the White House and took around an hour and a half before he instructed the criminals to leave. He referred to these lawless individuals as hostages and victims of the actions of the Biden administration. If he is going to take such action what faith does the American people have in protections being provided by their federal government. His illegal actions continued with his decision to freeze trillions of dollars that Congress had allocated. The constitution that he swore to uphold means nothing to Trump. Birthright citizenship is protected by the constitution, yet Trump does not accept or recognize this protection. An overly critical issue with Trump and his loyalists is how they will deal with court decisions that do not go their way. Will they choose to ignore the decisions of the court? If this is the action taken it would be catastrophic and would foster an autocratic, undemocratic government.

Katz and Urby move to the third pillar - fight corruption - and it is their position that there is an inordinate amount of conflict of interest that abounds in the administration. The most glaring of these conflicts is Elon Musk. Musk has trillions of dollars of federal contracts, yet he was brought in by Trump to improve government efficiency. While this might be a noble expectation, Musk took it to a level that was blatantly illegal and inhumane. To conduct this assignment he was granted unaccountable, unelectable, and non-transparent power. He and his minions fired thousands of employees and provided others with the opportunity to resign. The problem that was ever so apparent was that decisions were made as to who would go without consideration to expertise or years of service. The entire action was illegal because it did not follow federal personnel provisions. Additionally, the firing of Inspector Generals undermined transparency and accountability in the actions of Trump. The role and purpose of the Inspector Generals was to be overseers of the expenditure of federal dollars. Each Inspector General was assigned to an agency and were independent of any intrusion by government employees, including the president. Trump could not control what they did so his answer was to fire them.

It is ever so apparent that there are obvious cracks in each of the three pillars that were discussed. Will those cracks become more pronounced? Will they become more frequent? Will they become the standard of the prevailing administration? Will there be any attempt by law abiding citizens to address the obvious set of problems inherent in today’s federal government?

Recently, Senator Chris Murphy, a Democratic Senator from Connecticut, made a compelling case for declaring that Trump was destroying America’s democracy. He laid out, in a speech in the senate, his claim by identifying the four areas in a democracy that are attacked as a democracy becomes an autocratic form of government. Those four areas are attacks on journalists, higher education, lawyers, and the business community. He identifies how these areas have been undermined by countries such as Turkey, Hungary, the Philippines, Venezuela, just to name a few. The press is an essential institution in a free and open democracy. In those countries that loathe the press, journalists are constantly harassed and either stop journalism or stop telling the full truth. In Turkey President Erdogan locked up eleven journalists who wrote about protests led by opposition leaders to Erdogan.   Trump has not begun to jail journalists who write in opposition to his positions, but he has taken measures that are alarming. He has denied access to certain journalists to government buildings, including the White House, for not following the approved part line language prepared by the White House. His FCC has begun to deliberately harass media companies that are owned by those opposed to Trump.

Trump’s attacks on universities provide ongoing evidence of his intent to destroy democracy in this country. Historically, universities have been bastions of unrest and protest and to gain control they must be brought in line with the policies of the administration. A glaring example of this is what Columbia did so that it would not lose its federal funding. They had to agree to turn over to the Trump administration a specific academic department. The department in questions is Columbia’s Middle East, South Asian and African Studies as well as the Center for Palestine Studies. Trump picked the person who will oversee the department. This is unheard of, the president of the country micromanaging an academic department of major universities. What he has done at Harvard is equally problematic. He has virtually frozen the federal funds that Harvard receives because they have not given in to his demands to rid the curriculum of specific content, primarily the DEI courses. The president of Harvard has refused to buckle to the troubling demands of Trump and has sued the Trump administration. With this Supreme Court it is undoubtedly going to be a decision that favors the president’s ability to take this action. Their decision on presidential immunity would seem to support this position. As reported in The Guardian, over 150 university presidents signed a letter decrying the Trump administration, including Harvard, Princeton, and Brown led the way: however, the signatories of the letter include other Ivy League universities, public institutions of higher education, small colleges, and representatives from scholarly societies.  It is the intrusion of the administration that causes grave concern and, if unchecked, moves the county closer to an authoritarian government. Promoting an environment that controls free speech on university campuses is a hallmark of Trump’s intrusion. He has the pretense of supporting antisemitic but is nothing more than a shadowy attempt at placating a segment of the higher education community. It should not be lost in this discussion that free speech is a guarantee contained in the first amendment of the Bill of Rights of our constitution. It is becoming increasingly evident that this president fails to recognize the inherent provisions and guarantees in the constitution.

Attacking the legal profession was also included in Murphy’s speech. There are several examples in authoritarian countries where lawyers have been harassed into silence. Putin in Russia and Maduro in Venezuela have routinely gone after lawyers who criticize or take opposition positions than what is promulgated by the government. Trump has, likewise, shamelessly gone after law firms that have represented those who have been in opposition to him or his interests. He has been successful in having some of these prestigious law firms buckle into submission to his demands. The threat of cutting off their access to federal buildings, having access to staff, and other restraints has characterized Trump’s attack on the legal profession. The outcome of his attacks will lead to these firms avoiding cases that stir the ire of Trump. The firms have signed agreements with Trump that curtail their participation in such suits. Having control of the press, colleges and universities, and successful law firms does not satisfy the full fulcrum of Trump’s need for influencing, attacking, harassing, and controlling a larger swath of institutions in the country. It is the private sector that comes into view to fulfilling this need.  The use of tariffs to deal with this void that exists and must be filled. Trump has issued a myriad of executive orders placing various percentages of tariffs on specific countries. It is his belief that tariffs can be used to “whip” other countries into submission. There is ample evidence that the United States is the “bell cow” of the world’s economy. As the US goes sogdoes the world. Trump is aware of this and uses tariffs as a mechanism to maintain this level of superiority and control of other economies. While he has not been consistent in the application of the process of the use of tariffs and has rescinded some: further, he has been “willy-nilly” in his argument and subsequent action with the application of specific tariffs. Although there has been a measure of uncertainty and inconsistency, it does appear that with specific countries he is being successful. Japan, South Korea, Italy, and others have come to economically kneel before the emperor in negotiations with him. The institutional control of the private sector is certainly evident through the application of tariffs. It is this control that has completed the reality of moving closer and closer to the authoritarian government that Trump seeks to impose.

In addition to what has been stated above, there are additional specific actions by Trump that have the potential of leading the country to the brink of democratic destruction. His attack on freedom of speech raises profoundly serious concerns. He has invoked the use of campus police at Columbia to enforce his mandate of controlling the use of anti-Semitic language by students and faculty. This action has the feeling of a police state rather than one that promotes freedom and the absence of fear and intimidation. Controlling speech on university campuses and using university police to enforce the use of proper language is simply another example of Trump’s need to control.

The New Republic had a very chilling article entitled, “Trump’s latest executive order lays bare his authoritarian ambitions,” glaring abuse of freedom of speech is evident in two of his recent executive orders. One directs the justice department to investigate Chris Krebs and Miles Taylor. Krebs was the director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency who had the audacity of stating that the 2020 election had the highest level of integrity of any election. This statement debunked the claims of Trump and his baseless lies. Miles Taylor was the chief of staff at the Department of Homeland Security and authored a book about the reckless policies of the Trump administration. Trump had his own level of audacity to refer to Taylor as a Traitor who should be tried for treason. Each of these men did nothing more than to follow the truth and their only crime was that such truth was in opposition to the lies and fraudulent charges of Trump.

His actions regarding the attack on inherent freedoms has created a “chilling effect.”  In such an environment individuals are fearful of speaking out if it is in opposition to the administration or is questioning a policy. It is the fear of being identified as Miles Taylor has been, as treasonous. The intimidation and fear of vengeance and retribution permeate, and Trump moves the county closer and closer to an autocracy. The sixth amendment in the constitution provides for the right to legal representation. “When the government intimidates law firms into submission, it erodes the adversarial system that is essential for justice.”    The author continues, “The implications are dire. If attorneys fear retribution for taking on cases that oppose the administration, who will hold the government accountable? Who will defend people like Chris Krebs and Miles Taylor?”  Continuing, “This orchestrated campaign of intimidation is designed to create a chilling effect, deterring legal professionals from defending those who dare to speak truth to power.”  The law becomes a “tool of oppression rather than justice.”  Democracy is certainly on the brink and is constantly assaulted by decisions coming from Trump. We must be vigilant in our actions in protecting and sustaining a democratic form of government before it is too late.

Trump’s latest questionable action, calling in the California National Guard and the Marines to quell the rioting in Los Angles is simply another attack on the rule of law and failing to follow the mandates of the federal constitution. That discussion is for another day as is his egotistical decision to have the parade in Washington, alleging it to be in honor of the 250th anniversary of the Army. Do not lose sight of the fact that most despots parade their military wares before the people. Putin, “Rocket Man” from North Korea, China and other totalitarian governments have annual military-oriented parades. I realize that the current article is long, but I am compelled to raise the behavior of the president to the scrutiny of the American people.

One more time...

I was prepared to get this posted a week ago, but unfortunately took a wrong turn right into DCH where I was kept until this past Friday. Was released earlier for displaying good behavior. Here is the latest.

Well, we all have lived through the first few weeks of Trump’s chaos, confusion, brutality, indifference, insensitivity, and just plain ignorance. None of the actions that he has taken come as a surprise, but, I guess, the flurry of his creation of one Executive Order after another as if they were not going to be enacted fast enough. Obviously, what we have experienced is just the beginning of his assault on democracy and the republic’s revered principle of checks and balances which is embedded in the constitution. There was a reason that the Founding Fathers included a mechanism embodied in the constitution that provided for maintaining a government that prevented one person from gaining unabashed control. We’re getting close to that with Trump and all freedom loving Americans need to be aware that the person in the White House is hell bent on being that one person. His authoritarian approach these past weeks is evidence of his inclinations.

The Republicans had a resounding set of outcomes from the recent election. In addition to putting Trump back in the Presidency, they also have a majority in the senate and a slim majority in the House. This has been referred to as a successful trifecta. Indeed, the slim majority of those who voted were significantly dissatisfied with where the country was and where it seemed to be headed. What these individuals may not fully realize is that they have put into motion a dramatic set of changes in how the federal government operates. America, as we have come to know it, will undoubtably no longer exist. With Trump in control there are no parameters or guardrails. He will do whatever he damn well wants to do. Additionally, he will have the support of every component of the federal government. Not just the presidency and legislature, but also the Supreme Court. We have seen how this court has been inclined to be supportive of Trump. This was particularly the case in their decision dealing with presidential immunity. The rationale and line of thinking in this decision was absurd, but it is now the law of the land. The only way there could be changes to rein him in would be through the legislative process and that is not going to happen in the current climate. One glimmer of sanity was evident in the senate’s choice of majority leader. John Thune of North Dakota was chosen over Rick Scott of Florida who was Trump’s choice. Perhaps this provides some modest degree of sanity.

Where the country is headed can be seen in Trump’s early cabinet selections. Selecting Gaetz as Attorney General was the most egregious of those decisions thus far. Here is a person who was under scrutiny by the House Ethics Committee on drug and sex trafficking charges. Who better to be the chief law enforcement officer of the country? What a travesty this would have been, but fortunately Gaetz withdraw his nomination. Another questionable nomination is for the Secretary of the Department of Defense, Pete Hegseth. No one has any idea where this guy came from. He has no background that prepares him to take on this massive job. Appropriate and defensible qualifications are not a factor in Trump’s selection decisions. I can assure you that the craziness is not over and there will be others plucked from obscurity to be included in Trump’s inner circle. Nominating Robert Kennedy, Jr, for Secretary of Health and Human Services is equally indefensible. He has no background in either health or human services. He has been a purveyor of conspiratory theories about vaccines, autism, and fluoride, but has no basis for his positions. He is a recovering addict who has difficulty speaking and explaining his positions. His cousin, Caroling Kennedy, has come out, publicly, sharing her concerns and encouraging senators to turn down his nomination. She referred to him as a predator who has led others into drugs and abusive behavior and provided incorrect information to parents of sick children. There are others, including Tulsi Gabbard, who has been nominated for the intelligence agency and Kash Patel to head the FBI. Each of these individuals have questionable backgrounds that should raise some degree of concern amongst the senators. It was encouraging that Kash Patel parted with Trump on the pardons for those who assaulted police officers during the January 6th insurrection on the capital. Patel did not support this decision. Although Patel parted with Trump on this questionable decision, that does not make him a friend to democracy and individual freedoms. He is a devotee of Steve Bannon’s and that raises its own set of questions and concerns.

As we consider the next four years, there must be concern about what this country will look like. The results of Trump’s brazen, faulty, conspiratorial, indifferent, insensitive, and mean approach to governing and decision making will be fraught with erroneous, misguided, and just plain stupid outcomes. The authoritarian, dictatorial mentality that characterizes Trump will lead to changes that alienate our allies and embrace our enemies. I feel certain that China, Russia, North Korea, and Iran are just sitting back waiting for the craziness in this country to unfold.

Trump has been able to get his way and not be held accountable for his illegal and errant behavior. Even though he was found guilty by a jury on 34 felonies, he received virtually no punishment. I realize that he has a criminal record, but that seems of minimal consequence to him as he continues to flaunt the rule of law. The case dealing with how he handled classified documents as he left the office was dismissed by a judge that he had appointed. In addition, the case that involved his role in the January 6th insurrection was also dismissed. Of all the legal issues that confronted him, he has been able to skirt the law without being held accountable. The supreme court rests solely in his grasp and will continue to do his bidding. Their decision dealing with presidential immunity gives the occupant of that office a carte blanch to do whatever they choose to do. The confusion surrounding the court’s decision on immunity, deals with when specific actions deemed illegal occurred, For example, many of Trump’s actions among the 34 acts, did not occur while he was president so how does immunity come into play?

Trump’s influence with his billionaire buddies was evident at his inauguration where they were given front-row seats leaving his cabinet nominations sitting behind them. How these men of immense wealth can be so controlled by Trump will remain a bit of a mystery. Why are they so beholden to him? Indeed, he is intimidating and blustery in his interactions with others. But he lies, cheats, and has no qualms about what he says or does. What do these men find in him? What can he do to them? A senator or representative has to be concerned about constituents and Trump’s influence on them, but that is not an issue with these individuals. He has virtually no opposition in the republican party. Those in the senate and the house are nothing more than “yes men and women”. The alleged leadership in the two houses seems nonexistent. Will there be any challenges to his flawed leadership. He continues to lie and misrepresent the truth. He loathes those who support him and has referred to them as “basement dwellers”. He has a tendency and is quite adept at taking current events and wrapping them around his pet issues, whether it be immigration, DEI, or something else. An example of this was earlier today at a press conference, he blamed DEI and the Democrats for the tragic plane crash in Washing last night. How perverse can one be? As grieving families gather, he turns the situation into a political statement. Additionally, how can the pardons for those who engaged in illegal, destructive, and lethal behavior on January 6th at his direction be absolved of all that they did? How can those who assaulted law enforcement officers that fateful day be cleared of any wrongdoing, regardless of the 5 deaths among these officers? It is shameful and wrong, but he did it and nothing can be done about it. Trump has the sensitivity of a rock and people will come to realize this more and more as the years come and go.

If there is going to be any challenges to all of this, the Democrats must get their act together. As many stated after the recent election. They need to listen rather than lecture. They need to back away from constantly preaching about various societal ills and listen to what people are saying are their concerns. They need to be looking for those areas where they can come together and join forces to act as a unified party that can effectively and proficiently point to what is wrong with the direction that the country is going. It is my belief that Trump will take some of his actions too far and this will alienate a significant group in the country. If this occurs the Democrats need to be there to take advantage and bring those who are disillusioned into the democratic fold. We’ll see where it goes.