Come Heller high water …
- Four well-known Republicans strategists – George Conway, Steve Schmidt, John Weaver and Rick Wilson – have created the Lincoln Project to defeat the
orange Cheeto and restore the rule of law, even if that means helping Democrats take the Senate and White House. In a New York Times column, they said this: “Patriotism and the survival of our nation in the face of the crimes, corruption and corrosive nature of Donald Trump are a higher calling than mere politics. As Americans, we must stem the damage he and his followers are doing to the rule of law, the Constitution and the American character.” I couldn’t agree more. They also made this excellent point: “The American presidency transcends the individuals who occupy the Oval Office. Their personalities become part of our national character. Their actions become our actions, for which we all share responsibility.” Think about that. People across the globe are thinking we are like him. Brr. - No, I don’t give a damn about us killing Iranian General Qasem Soleimani but I do care about the rule of law, and what Trump did broke international law. And that matters. The Iranians aren’t wrong to say, “Wouldn’t you be pissed if we droned your top general without a declaration of war?” Answer: Yes, we would.
- A 45-foot, 250-pound steel rod, dropped by Enbridge, was pushed onto the Line 5 pipeline recently by currents in the Straits. Another great reminder that an oil and gas pipeline doesn’t belong there. The risk of damage is too great. The cost of a puncture is way too high. Enbridge, so you don’t forget, is the company behind the 2010 spill of a million gallons of tar sand into the Kalamazoo River, which ranks among the biggest inland oil spills in U.S. history. Why we trust them with the health of the Great Lakes is beyond my comprehension.
- Pope Francis has apologized for slapping the hand of a woman on New Year’s Eve who wouldn’t let go of his hand. He didn’t have to say sorry. He did what most would have done. He’s the pope but still human. I liked that he did apologize, though, because others will follow his lead. I especially liked it that he used his apology to say this: “Women are sources of life. Yet they are continually insulted, beaten, raped, forced to prostitute themselves and to suppress the life they bear in the womb. Every form of violence inflicted upon a woman is a blasphemy against God, who was born of a woman.” I’m not sure what he meant by suppress the life in the womb – assume he’s referencing abortion. But I agree with most of what he said.
- I didn’t make a New Year’s resolution this year, but if I had it would have been: “I resolve to stop nagging myself all year long, every day, to incessantly improve at this or that.” The older I get, the more I’ve learned the value of telling that voice in my head to shut the hell up occasionally.
- The reviews were wrong. “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker” was pretty darned good, I thought. Sure, it seemed like every other Star Wars movie. The emperor is still the center of all evil (dude simply refuses to stay dead), Darth Vader (in the form of Kylo Ren) is still the main muscle, the stormtroopers still can’t shoot straight (have they ever hit anybody?), the ghosts of dead good people are there for the living at critical moments (how come bad guy ghosts never appear?), and CP30 is as pointless as ever. But the story was decent, the acting was good, the special effects were great, we got to see some old friends like Billy Dee Williams, and, best of all, no Jar Jar Binks. That’s worth $10 bucks, right?
- I got into a discussion recently about, of all things, favorite childhood breakfast cereals and was amazed how passionate people were about it. For the record, my faves were Cap’n Crunch with Crunch Berries, whatever the heck those are; Apple Jacks; and Cocoa Krispies, which were, basically, chocolate-flavored Rice Krispies. Don’t judge my choices and I won’t judge yours.
- Kudos to Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson for promising to provide a third gender option on Michigan licenses by next year. And if you’re one of those people who gets her, his or their shorts in a bunch about things like this, what are you so afraid of?
- I like to think that I’d make lots of money on Jeopardy if it weren’t for that silly “answer in the form of a question” gimmick. That throws me off even when I’m watching at home. Damn you, Alex Trebek!
- I may not stand for much but I do stand for this: I never have and never will ask for a “tall” cup of coffee at Starbucks when their tall is really a small. That way lies madness. They shall not win.
- “Let me give you a wonderful Zen practice. Wake up in the morning, look in the mirror, and laugh at yourself.” – Bernie Glassman
I must have been in the mood for this article. Loved, loved, loved it ❤️
And that is why Trump must lose by a landslide in November. We have to show that he was a fluke and not who we are.
Most Trump supporters are uneducated white males who feel threatened by people of color and women rising up the ladder to equality and they can no longer get away with abusing and demeaning them. They don’t see it as equality, they see it as them losing their status of superiority. This scares them to the core. They are snowflakes.
Do not confuse Trump supporters for conservatives. They are not conservatives, they are idiots.
Killing Iran’s top general, who was considered the second most powerful person in Iran, is bigger than if they had assassinated our Vice President. I highly doubt tossing a few missiles at a base of enlisted personnel that apparently resulted in zero casualties is all they had in mind. Trump is a fool for thinking they are backing down.
Very well said! Yes…we must vote this buffoon out by a LANDSLIDE!!!!!
Fruity Pebbles is the best.
My son, who is most definitely not a Trump lover, posted this on his FB today:
“A non-partisan observation. In 1979, the U.S. Embassy in Tehran was overrun by militants when Marines inside were told not to fight back. Resulting hostage crisis lasted over a year. In 2012, militants attacked U.S. Govt facilities in Benghazi. Requested help was not sent, resulting in the deaths of 4 Americans. In Dec 2019 militants again attack U.S. military facilities. U.S. responds by killing known terrorist leader and sending in military. Result (so far) Iran finally realizes U.S. is not lying down. Even Obama once remarked (in reference to Cuba) “if what you’ve been doing for 50 years isn’t working, try something different.” The U.S. is finally speaking to Iran Brass in the only language they really understand. Messy? Yes. Inconvenient? Yes. Pain in the neck? Absolutely. Dealing with vermin always is.”
In my family and extended family we have many college educated, a doctor and some lawyers who are for Trump. So Fred, your over generalized statement is untrue. That is what the liberal snowflakes like to think though. For myself, I don’t think I have enough information on this drone bombing to come down for sure on one side or the other.
Mitch McConnell has done all but ensure that trump will be president until the election.
The American people and the people of the world will be forced to watch in disbelief as the party of trump continues onward thier unruly behavior.
The only solution we have is to put an end to this madness and vote him out in November.
Nah, you wouldn’t last long on Jeopardy. Imagine a biology category, and the answer being ‘XX and XY’. You’d ring your buzzer and with a tone of certainty blurt out “what are the three genders?”
You know the elimination of Soleimani was a violation of international law. There are conditions that allow for this action, but YOU know all the military/CIA details? I’m impressed you’re such an ‘insider’. Perhaps just more sour grapes directed at your president? By the way, how was this different than obozo taking out bin laden? When that happened did you publicly call it a violation of international law? Hmm? You probably dropped cyber rose petals at your messiah’s feet.
In terms of Iran’s fake retaliation missle attack, it was delicious hearing Trump say those same weapons were paid for with the $150 billion in cash given to the ayatollah by the PREVIOUS ADMINISTATION. You folks remember that guy… bend-over Barack? Now that he’s no longer president , it seems likely he’d own a Prius.
Nothing will ever totally eliminate terrorists, but the phony Iran retaliation is proof that some big shots in that country might be looking over their shoulders. Hellfire missles and Tomahawk missles can go in any window or door, anywhere in the world, and Iran learned that little lesson the hard way. No more $150 billion bribesb to the mullahs hoping they will play nice.
It’s hilarious watching you, other socialists/leftists and celebrities in a position of DEFENDING Iran and a thug with American blood on his hands. Some folks vote left, some right, many in the center. In my view, most care about their country ( other than the afore mentioned leftist/socialist/ Hollywood crowd) and it seems misguided presidential campaign strategy to defend Iran and it’s despots. Hey, that’s just me but……… I think I finally understand why slogans like ‘America First’ and ‘ Make America Great Again’ are so offensive to you liberals.
You want Iran first.
Brad,
You are a complete idiot and not just because you would make a false equivalence between Bin Laden and Soleimani. All I hear in your words is that you hate Democrats so much and you hate the man who took out the terrorist behind 9/11. You are the among the least patriotic people in the country. Nobody on the left has defended Iran or Soleimani. You made that up.
Educate yourself, moron. The main difference you are missing in these two operations is that Congress had officially declared war on Al Qaeda of which Bin Laden was the leader. We were not at war with Iran. There was not any kind of congressional authorization for what Trump ordered. Reports have already been made that his order was not the recommended approach. Trump simply does not listen to the experts. Nothing you heard on your favorite far-right conspiracy network is going to change these facts.
There is nothing in your heart but hatred and bigotry. Spare us your false patriotism. You are nothing but an easily triggered Trump cultist.
DITTO!!!!!!!!!!! Very well said and….ACCURATE!
Fred is right. You are so full of hate. And I bet you’re an Evangelical Christian. So full of love on Sunday, shaking hands with all your old, white friends and church and singing, ” Jesus loves the little children ALL the children of the world, red and yellow, black and white….ya you get my point. You and you Christian Trump loving friends are hypocrites! The 1.5 billion you and Trump refer to was THEIR money that the US froze in various banks….we gave them THEIR money back to reach the nuclear deal….I don’t mind someone disagreeing with the deal but I do mind when the infer it was hard earned American tax payer money that we gave to them. WRONG!
Sorry, this is so long I know you have to get back to your propaganda machine Fox News…you might miss Trump’s advisor Mr. Hannity. The hatred you are sowing will be reaped. It won’t be pretty for this great country. God bless you.
Oh, Brad, I for one was “not impressed” that you personally know that Andy, or anyone else, is a Socialist, nor that you personally know that anyone is “DEFENDING Iran”. I am most definitely “not impressed” that you found it “Delicious hearing Trump say that these same weapons were paid for with the $150 Billion in cash by the previous administration”. Trump knows, and I’m sure that you do also, that the money was Iranian assets frozen by the International Courts until certain conditions had been met, at which time the courts instructed us to return the money. But it’s a much better sound-bite to just keep saying the previous administration gave taxpayer money to them. I also see that you neglected to mention the Nuclear Treaty that Trump tore up? The one that Iran was honoring? I find it hilarious that you mention “America First”, which was a campaign slogan that we were no longer responsible for policing the world, when we are now taking actions “to protect the world”, and yet have not paid our fair share in International agencies. Now that he’s insulted all of our allies, broken treaties, and pulled out of mutual agreements, who does he think is going to stand behind us?
Loved the column, Andy, as ALWAYS! Also, are you aware you were part of a question within the NYTimes daily crossword puzzle Wednesday? #15 across! How awesome!!
Now, Brad, you were completely rude with your comments to Andy about Jeopardy! Smart ASS & rude. But, then, your are following the unintelligent verbiage of your Trumpet leader. He, also being quite childlike in his distasteful comments of others, and you, both have a need to put others down to make yourself feel superior. Only you are not, nor is Trumpet. Fred pegged you correctly in his first sentence. So did Mama Bear! Just get a life, stop watching Fox idiots who are not real journalists! And by the way, being Liberal is not a dirty word. It means we are open to new ideas and listen to intelligent suggestions of ways to compromise and don’t judge others beliefs. Read up on history. We didnt “give” Iran US money. Mama Bear explained it to you correctly. Gosh, you really need to stop believing Trumpet as he is a chronic liar. Additionally, Bigots and racists like you make me sick. You know full well what MAGA stands for! We don’t wish to return to the old days of slavery and of the women not being allowed to work where they wanted nor to return to the 1960s, when no high school in Flint allowed their female students to participate in any sports! Womanizers like you and Trump are, simply put, Losers in life. And, he is not much of a businessman if his casino, of
all businesses, files for bankruptcy. Think about it!
Very well put! Ditto, ditto, ditto!!! I too, am tired of being called a loser while being very much a Liberal or Progressive. It is sad to see what seems like a “propaganda machine” from the likes of Limbaugh, Hannity etc. etc. etc.
Marylou,
I stand by what I said. Most Trump supporters are uneducated white males. Those who are educated or female who continue to support him usually harbor racist and xenophobic feelings. Feeling that way despite being educated makes them even worse. There is no excuse for supporting Trump. None.
I think the only reason educated and level headed citizens support trump is because he is the GOP candidate.
They are devout republicans and they tow and support the party line, no matter who the person/candidate is.
I believe you are correct however, I believe it is time we all, Dems & GOP alike, look at the person, their philosophy, leadership ability and above all…DIGNITY!
When anyone from any political party or otherwise, supports control of the media or calls the media the “enemy”, we should do all we can to make sure that person NEVER has or gains any control!!