Smart or Stupid?

 Which are you? Your rationale?

One possibility

Why Trump and Carlson Support Putin

Because they ALL want the POWER to CONTROL Personal Morality and Limit Personal Freedoms of Citizens.  Even if it means undermining democracy.

I mean Putin did not like having a neighboring country where the citizens were free to choose to join the EU, join NATO, grant LGBT rights, help the needy, etc.  Therefore he invaded the country.

Trump, Carlson, etc did not like that American citizens were free to elect Biden, run their local elections, make personal decisions with their doctor, be openly LGBTQ, etc. Therefore they lie to undermine faith in our American democracy.

Trump, Carlson, etc would happily march this country into civil war and a dictatorship if it would help them to gain power, celebrity and wealth.  And they have found some perfect suckers to manipulate to this end.  

• The religious right folk who fear personal freedom, and want to legislate morality.
• The folk who fear and/or look down on black / brown citizens.
• The folk who fear immigrants who may have different ideas / beliefs.
• The folk who fear facing our country's very checkered past and the consequences of that with eyes wide open.
• The folks who fear free trade because they are scared that they are not capable enough.
• The folks who have gotten wealthy in large part because of luck and our country's laws, support systems, etc, are terrified that they may need to pay more back to keep this country solvent and stable.

No wonder Carlson and Trump support Putin.  They are SO JEALOUS !!!  I am mean Putin does not have to answer to his citizens or the law...  That was like Trump's dream when he was President...  Thankfully the USA is NOT the USSR!!!

Bill Barr Describes Trump

"as constantly distracted by his own self-interest." This trait was exploited by Mike Pompeo, the secretary of state at the time:

"We had this running joke that, whenever the president was chewing out Mike about something in a private Oval Office meeting, all Mike had to do was mention Russiagate or something like that," he said. "And the president would, you know, take it and run for quite a while, he'd rant and ... he wouldn't remember what he was angry at Pompeo about."

"At one point, I said to the president: 'You know, Mr. President, you're like a bull in a bull ring and your adversaries have your number. They know how to get under your skin, and all they have to do is wave a red flag over here and you go charging and attack it.' And I said, 'At the end of the day, you're going to be in the middle of the ring sweating and someone's going to come and put a sword through your head,' " said Barr. "He didn't think much of that metaphor.""

I like the comparison to a bull, but I imagine Trump more as a cat chasing a laser pointer.

Well here is Trump's response letter... I have to wonder if Trump even knows how to tell the truth.  Or if he is so delusional, that he thinks he is telling the truth?

Smoking vs Masks / Vaccines

 and government guidance.

"We have been informed by South Washington County that:  Face coverings are strongly recommended on school buses but are NOT required starting March 1st. "

A conservative friend of mine expressed his frustration on FB regarding the above position.

"I am not arguing about the mask. I just think that we should be able to tell our kids either wear the mask or don’t. We try to be so politically correct that nobody wants to make a decision and stand behind it."

To which I responded.

"Well the CDC has been very consistent regarding masks, vaccines, boosters, etc and yet a large portion of Americans demand the right to believe and do as they wish. They deny the reality and more people have died than should have.

I get it... People are tired of COVID and want to go back to normal... Being my pragmatic analytical boosted self, I am fine with people not getting vaccinated or wearing masks if it mostly increases "their" risks of sickness and death. Just as I am fine with people smoking cigarettes. To me it is just the Darwin Theory in action.

However, I do not support the government approving of those behaviors. Especially if it puts other citizens at risk. The mandates are dropping off, the anti-vaxxers and anti-maskers should be happy.🙂 Now the choices are down to the people... Isn't that what Conservatives wanted?

Just a reminder though. The daily COVID deaths is still near 2,000..."

What has me puzzled is... What do these folks want from the government and scientists?  We know that COVID is a virus...

• that kills some older, immuno-compromised and unlucky people.
• that can be spread by people who are exhibiting no symptoms themselves
• that needs people to spread, since it has NO LEGS :-)
• that kills vaccinated / boosted people at a MUCH LOWER rate
• that masks can block the transmission of.

It reminds me of people who smoke cigarettes.  I mean the government and scientists have made it clear for decades how people can avoid dying from smoking. "Don't Smoke or Spend Time in Smoke Filled Environments"

 Now the government and scientists have made it clear how to avoid dying from COVID. "Wear Masks in High Risk Environment and Stay Vaccinated"

I can only assume that my friend did not like that advice, so he wants guidance that says "Take Off Your Masks...  This is a Strange Virus That will Stop Spreading and Killing. You were right all along..."

Even though we know that ~950,000 friends and neighbors died of COVID.  And ~2,000 per day last week alone.  I also am tired of COVID, that does not mean I am ready to deny our current reality.

I Have Morons on My Team !!!

 Romney's comment say it all.  I love that guy !!!

MTG Fact Check And people still take her seriously?

Trump Praises Putin?

What is the Traitor Thinking?  And will Conservatives continue to support this nut case?

Now are we going to let Putin run rough shod over Ukraine?  What should we have learned from WWII?

And will the USA back down from it's commitment to protect the Ukraine?

I do not have the answers, but ANYONE attacking our sitting PRESIDENT, and PRAISING a ruthless DICTATOR is definitely in the WRONG.

What Changed?

 

Why LGBTQ Kids Depressed?

SD Gov Noem Clueless as Usual...  I mean SD is one backwards states that does not protect the rights of LGBTQ people, and Noem has no clue why that would make a person sad, frustrated, depressed, etc?

In fact she signed a law to protect bigots who refuse to serve LGBTQ individuals.

Now if she was honest, she should have said "they are probably depressed because they are unfortunate to live in a state with a bunch of religious right bigots like myself."

Clinton Spying on Trump?

 It seems Trump and FOX are making a mountain out of a mole hill. Here is further discussion.  Here is the actual 13 Page Filing.

This seems like a little smoke and no fire so far...  I sure hope this terrible waste of tax payer money ends sooner than later.  It is making the Mueller investigation look SHORT...  Though I am certain the GOPers will insist on spending more time and money chasing them witches...

Maybe it will be worth discussing if Durham ever finds something significant and actually indicts someone...  Until then it is just politics in the USA as always.

I mean if investigations and prosecutor opinions proved guilt...  Trump would be in prison for life...

Trump Accountants Fire Him

Saying "no longer rely upon those financial statements"

I keep wondering who would really trust Trump's financial statements enough to do business with the organization? They must have been really greedy...  I mean if Trump came to me asking for a loan or investment funding...  Really?

I hope Mazar's had Trump sign a REALLY GOOD limited liability agreement... "We are only Responsible for Filling Out the Forms... You are responsible for the Financial Details / Proof" when the Prosecutors show up"

What to Do about Inflation

 From the Folks at Heritage.

Summary of Recommendations

Housing

• Sever the special status given to the GSEs (Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac).
• Raise the GSEs’ mortgage guarantee fees immediately while they remain in conservatorship.
• Eliminate the geographic price differentials for conforming loan limits for loans purchased by the GSEs.
• Narrow the GSEs’ focus to the financing of the purchase of primary homes.
• Avoid eviction moratoria at the federal, state, and local levels.
• Consider the impact of local regulations on housing affordability, in particular land-use laws and rent control.
• Forbid the GSEs from offering amortization options beyond the traditional 30-year repayment term.
• Terminate the Federal Reserve’s monthly purchases of MBSs and begin diminishing the size of its MBS portfolio.

Labor

• Limit taxes and reduce regulations on businesses.
• Enable wage increases via skills and education using apprenticeship programs, reforms to higher education financing and accreditation, and elimination of double taxation of productivity-boosting investment.
• Enable more flexible contract work by using a common law basis for independent contractor status.
• Abandon legislation and regulations that restrict work such as
• California’s AB5 law and the similar federal PRO Act.
• Do not implement OSHA’s unauthorized vaccine mandate.
• Remove welfare work disincentives such as monthly child payments detached from work.
• Do not force workers into unions.
• End detrimental COVID-19 benefits policies.
• Repeal the Davis–Bacon Act.

Tariffs

• Eliminate Section 232 tariffs on steel and aluminum imports.
• Eliminate tariffs on manufactured goods imports including cars, trucks, and parts.
• Remove Section 201 tariffs on washers to help families.
• Repeal the Jones Act or at least develop a broad-based waiver until the end of the pandemic.
• Eliminate Section 301 tariffs and antidumping and countervailing duties on chassis from China.

Food

• Recognize and address the policies that are hurting sectors across the economy, including the food sector, such as the attack on affordable energy, harmful labor and employment regulation, and numerous tariffs.
• Reject attempts to attack America’s food system and centrally plan it, such as efforts to plan the food system around ideological goals such as climate change. Instead, get out of the way and allow the nation’s farmers, ranchers, truckers, and individuals throughout the food supply to do what they do best: produce and distribute food at low cost for Americans.
• Block the Biden Administration’s efforts to expand the definition of waters of the United States under the Clean Water Act or, at a minimum, ensure that these efforts do not go beyond the definition within the Trump Administration’s Navigable Waters Protection Rule.
• Repeal the federal sugar program.
• Repeal or at least develop a broad-based waiver of the Jones Act until the end of the pandemic.
• Eliminate the “fertilizer tax.”

Energy

• Reject symbolic non-solutions such as sales from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, prohibiting energy exports, renewable energy mandates, and the multi-agency regulatory war on conventional energy.
• Restore oversight on energy regulations and federal management plans.
• Improve access to energy resources via fracking, strengthened private property rights, and improved access to energy on federal lands.
• Streamline permitting and eliminate policies that inhibit energy delivery such as NEPA and “social cost” or climate mandates.
• Repeal or amend the Foreign Dredge Act to improve American port capacity.
• Repeal the Renewable Fuel Standard.
• Eliminate energy subsidies in federal and state tax codes.
• Expand competitive electricity markets in states and regions.
• Delegate management of federal lands to states.

Personally I think we should just raise taxes and cut spending so the budget is balanced...  That would probably do wonders for inflation... And the National Debt.

McConnell Is Excellent

 At least when compared to the nut case Trump!!!

So are people going to support an effective GOP or Trump?

Apparently now the National Archives wants a piece of Trump also.

The Missing Trump Documents?

Do you think he would hide documents?  Of course he would, this is the same guy who: 

• fought to keep them secret
• fought against testifying under oath

Definitely not what I expect from a public servant.

GOP Supports Book Burning?

 And here is a list and details.  Really 850 books.

Here is the list books that the Far Right is apparently scared of...

GOPs Small Tent Kicks Out The Truthful

By censuring Moderate Politicians.  It is definitely a sad day for the party.  Thankfully at least a few GOPers still are sane and have a back bone.  Hopefully the moderate, truthful, sane people of good character start to gain control.

Unfortunately that is not looking very promising.  

"We've had two members engage in a Democrat-led persecution of ordinary citizens who engaged in legitimate political discourse. This has gone beyond their original intent. They are not sticking up for hard-working Republicans," McDaniel said.

Police injured and killed, citizens injured and killed, the US Capitol invaded, etc and that should not be investigated?   And worse yet, Trump wants to pardon the law breakers.

During a rally last weekend, Trump said he would pardon people charged with crimes related to the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol if he becomes president again. "If I run and if I win, we will treat those people from Jan. 6 fairly. And if it requires pardons, we will give them pardons because they are being treated so unfairly," Trump said. Doing so would likely require a massive number of pardons. The Justice Department has already charged more than 700 people in connection with the riots, a group that now includes the founder of the far-right Oath Keepers, who is facing weighty seditious conspiracy charges.

Where is my GOP party that valued law, order, honesty, truth, transparency, etc?