Drip, drip, drip, the TRUTH about January 6th, 2021 keeps coming out and will continue coming out until we find the CONSPIRACY goes right into the Oval Office. What is becoming clearer and clearer is there WAS massive FRAUD involved in the 2020 election. And, surprise, surprise, the FRAUD came from individual 1 and his thoughtless sycophants! So, now, he’s actually ADMITTED his role in the CONSPIRACY via his attack on the Congress’ plan to “fix” the “Electoral Count Act of 1887.” I’ve reluctantly used the term “STUPID” in describing some members of individual 1’s CULT following, but the same characterization can be given to our TWICE IMPEACHED two time popular vote LOSING (ex) president virtually EVERY time he opens his mouth!

In the most recent instance he said: “If the Vice President (Mike Pence) had ‘absolutely no right’ to change the Presidential Election results in the Senate, despite fraud and many other irregularities, how come the Democrats and RINO Republicans, like Wacky Susan Collins, are desperately trying to pass legislation that will not allow the Vice President to change the results of the election? Actually, what they are saying, is that Mike Pence did have the right to change the outcome, and they now want to take that right away. Unfortunately, he didn’t exercise that power, he could have overturned the Election!”

I’m not kidding, he actually said that! IN WRITING! no less. Are you listening Merrick Garland? This guy is so brazen, and has been so since his father started funneling MILLIONS into his bank account, that he believes he’s “untouchable” by the authorities – even though they are closing ranks around him every day. He’s got potential CRIMINAL (and Civic) accountability coming from MULTIPLE directions – most prominently New York, Washington D.C., and Georgia. So NOW he’s admitted to his role in the SEDITIOUS CONSPIRACY which was intended to OVERTHROW our government. (he said Pense could have “overthrown the election”)

There is one positive we can take from that statement, actually. When he points out Mike Pense “could have overthrown the election” in effect he’s FINALLY admitting publicly that he LOST! Because it’s necessary for his narcissistic and pathological LIAR persona to continue the façade that “the election was stolen.”

Here’s what the Justice Department should be most alarmed about. This past weekend, in a rally in some white stronghold of Texas, individual 1 “hinted” he’s planning to run for president again in 2024 (surprise, surprise), and should he “win” he’ll pardon the January 6th INSURRECTIONISTS (which SHOULD include him). He suggested ALL the investigations of his CRIMINAL activity are being run by “African Americans” and they are “these radical, vicious, racist prosecutors” and if they “do anything wrong or illegal, I hope we are going to have in this country the biggest protest we have ever had in Washington D.C., in New York, in Atlanta and elsewhere, because our country and our elections are corrupt. They’re corrupt.”

So, he’s suggesting more “January 6th” type “protests” for when he’s ultimately INDICTED – which, as I stated above, he’s admitted to participating in the SEDITIOUS CONSPIRACY resulting in the INSURRECTION of January 6th, 2021 – so, now he’s ginning up his ARMED mob once again to support mob violence against those who are investigating him. (He’s suggesting these alleged prosecutions are “illegal” – talk about projection) Let’s keep in mind, there was NO discernable FRAUD in the 2020 election – save for a few republicans who voted twice for individual 1 – that is, the election was NOT rigged! Here’s the deal, the RIGGING of elections is what republicans are working overtime on in one state after another across the country.

I’ve long said republicans have no interest in having battles in the “marketplace” of ideas and they support CHEATING in order to “win” elections. This started back in the 1970’s with Richard Nixon and the “Watergate” scandal and it hit new LOWS when the Supreme Court anointed the administration of George W Bush/Dick Cheney – although neither of these “deplorable” results holds a “candle” to the CHEATING of individual 1. (For example, look up why I refer to our TWICE IMPEACHED so-called two time popular vote LOSING (ex) president as “individual 1)

Individual 1 has been CHEATING his entire adult life. If you’re not sure what I’m talking about read David Kay Johnston’s “The Big Cheat.” I’ve read numerous books on individual 1’s CHEATING during his FAILED business life – when he went through SIX bankruptcies. In almost every one of those BANKRUPTCIES he came out on the other side “whole” due to his willingness to LIE and to intimidate just like a “mob boss” which I started referring to him in that vein over three years ago. Johnston lays out the CHEATING from back in the 1980’s all the way through his reign on “we the people” during his four years in office.

His CHEATING got him IMPEACHED twice – and, should have been THREE times – and he’s encouraging MORE CHEATING in the days ahead – because he KNOWS he’s in a “world of hurt” regarding his legal exposure. When I try to process how “far gone” our nation has become I have to wonder how his promise to pardon the INSURRECTIONISTS should he regain the “White House” once again. Will this spur one anyone beyond the total White Nationalists who are the core of his base? Will this encourage the right wing armed “militia” members who are frothing at the bit to begin a violent INSURRECTION – where the last one failed. What we’re dealing with here is America’s version of ISIS!

As an eternal optimist I still believe America’s problems can be solved at the ballot box. It will require the “unholy” alliance of disaffected republicans with the wide spectrum of those in the democratic party and a significant portion of “independents” (like me). Essentially, I’m talking about Americans who believe “we’re all created equal” and we all should have the right to vote without obstacles put in our way. And, people who don’t believe it’s OK for members of ANY state legislature to be able to overturn the “will of their people” if they don’t like the results of a state election. Both Georgia and Arizona (maybe Texas?) have given themselves this “right.”

So, we’ve got two serious “routes” our nation is traveling right now – the investigations into the INSURRECTION of 2021 AND the “slow moving coup d’etat” which is traveling through states with republican legislatures. (Fortunately, some of them have democratic governors with the veto pen) These two issues seem to be headed for a “collision” and, as I pointed out above, individual 1 is “grooming” his CULT to REVOLT once he’s been INDICTED! (Calling for the “biggest protest we’ve ever seen”) Merrick Garland, I ask again, are you listening? Stay tuned, the TRUTH will continue to “drip, drip, drip.”

Final Thought: There’s SO much evidence of individual 1’s CORRUPTION and CRIMINAL behavior it’s almost as if officials can’t keep up – so, they just don’t. I’ve listed here, for years now, evidence of his ILLEGAL actions and, as I always say, there’s ALWAYS more. A little refresher – individual 1, Mark Meadows, Jared Kushner, and others in the “White House” staff were using personal communication devices – sometimes devices which are encrypted – hiding whatever the communication is – think back to the investigation of Hillary Clinton and her personal email server. Do you remember, “Russia, if you’re listening, I hope you can find the 30,000 emails that are missing?” and how that investigation helped him “win” in 2016?

Well, as always, there’s more: Now it’s being reported (actually, it was reported back in 2018 this was going on) about how individual 1 was tearing up documents and throwing them into the trash – documents which are REQUIRED to be sent to the National Archives to be saved for the History books – there were people working in the “White House” who understood the importance of every document so they put these documents back together with scotch tape. Some of them were torn into very small pieces – obviously, individual 1 tries to make sure there’s no “paper trail” of his ILLEGAL and CORRUPT activity. I would remind you to read David Kay Johnston’s “The Big Cheat.”

“The Big Cheat” is not the best written book I’ve read, but it meticulously works its way through individual 1’s CORRUPT actions over the past 40+ years. In addition, it goes over the CORRUPT actions of several of his cabinet appointments (do you remember he said “I will drain the swamp?”). A couple members of his cabinet I can remember what was in the book off the top of my head. Elaine Choa, the wife of Moscow Mitch, was Secretary of Transportation and, during her four years in office her father’s shipping business (which she has a financial interest in) increased in value almost exponentially. Wilbur Ross, the Secretary of Commerce, was up to his ears in financial “stuff” directly involving the Russians – and, some really shady business. I point this out because not only is individual 1 CORRUPT up to his ears, but so were some of his associates. Of course, they were ALL LIARS – that seems to be a requirement of being a republican in today’s America! (OK, LIARS or COWARDS or BOTH) Yikes!!!

Drip, drip, drip. That’s what I said would eventually happen with the “truth” about what happened in the aftermath of the 2020 election – “stuff” which actually began well before individual 1 was soundly DEFEATED at the polls in 2020. (You can count the 2018 election as another repudiation of our TWICE IMPEACHED so-called two time popular vote LOSING (ex) president as well) OK, now the “truth” is flowing out in “streams.” And, I believe, when all is said and done the CONSPIRACY to overturn a “free and fair” election will include an enormous number of republicans.

I pointed out how STUPID republicans are back when Moscow Mitch declared the so-called “HEROES Act” “dead on arrival” – a bill which very likely would have resulted in individual 1 pulling out an actual “victory” in the 2020 election – and, that bill was put together solely by Nancy Pelosi and the democrats – with the idea of “crushing the virus” and helping working class Americans along with state and local governments. “Dead on arrival” = STUPID!

Well, republicans aren’t just STUPID some of the time – ie Kevin McCarthy appointed a republican member of the House to help put together a “9/11 type Commission” to study what happened on January 6th, 2021 and then – in FULL STUPID – McCarthy whipped a “NO” vote when it came up in the House and, of course, Moscow Mitch did the same in the Senate and the end result was the “Select Committee on January 6th” – with Liz Cheney as the Vice Chair. Well, this Committee is actually a SERIOUS Congressional Committee and the widespread CONSPIRACY to overthrow our government is “inching” its way toward the Oval Office.

Keep in mind, the results of the January 6th Committee will unfold during the middle of the upcoming campaigning for the midterm election. Did i say republican = STUPID? Oh yes, I used a different “equivalency.” The bottom line is the information is FLOWING out in droves now and it’s NOT going to stop. Now, the January 6th Committee has its hands on something like 750 pages of “White House” records which individual 1 claimed he could block via his made up “universal privilege.” Keep in mind, the Supreme Court, in effect, rejected not only the claims for the “White House” documents, but also the decision will cover the claims of many of those refusing to testify due to this made up “privilege.”

So, how incredibly STUPID are all these republicans? Well, let’s start with the “lawyers” individual 1 allowed himself to be surrounded by – of course, I have to add, he’s been quoted as asking, “Where’s my Roy Cohn?” – the famous MOB lawyer who represented Joseph McCarthy back in the 1950’s – and, apparently, Rudy Giuliani, Sidney Powell, and Jenna Ellis were falling all over themselves to fill that “void” in the life of individual 1. More and more is emerging regarding their participation in the CONSPIRACY to overthrow our government.

Then there’s the group of members of Congress who “hitched” their wagon to our TWICE IMPEACHED so-called two time popular vote LOSING (ex) president’s scheme – including Paul Gosar, Andy Biggs, Jim Jordan, Scott Perry, Matt Gaetz, Mo Brooks, MTG, Josh Hawley, Ted Cruz, and others. In fact, over 140 members of the republican caucus voted to overturn the election right AFTER the Capitol had been breeched! Here’s the deal, some of these people KNEW what was going to happen and very well might be part of the CONSPIRACY. Any of them who were “privy” to the “plan” might very well be in “up to their necks” right now. Will the January 6th Committee subpoena Jordan, Perry, Brooks, Gosar, Biggs, and minority leader Kevin McCarthy? I certainly hope so – but, nevertheless, Merrick Garland may well be “lurking.”

Speaking of Merrick Garland – who I’ve challenged on this site to INVESTIGATE this ENTIRE CONSPIRACY – as we all know now he recently INDICTED 11 members of the (poorly named) “Oathkeepers” for one of the most serious crimes on the books, “Seditious Conspiracy.” Here’s the deal, anyone who was in communication with them where the subject was “broached” is NOW part of that same CONSPIRACY. I’m one who believes they didn’t do this on their own – I believe they were involved in planning with some degree of the “White House” and with the above members of Congress. Remember, it’s “against the rules” for members of Congress and/or the “White House” to commit TREASON!

Do you believe all 11 members of the “Oathkeepers” are going to put tape over their mouths and simply agree to go to PRISON for 20 years with no chance of parole – because that’s the penalty for SEDITION? I’m guessing at least one of them is going to do what individual 1 called “ratting” (That’s a term used by organized crime bosses) out those “up the food chain.” We’re already seeing evidence of how widespread this CONSPIRACY was. (Unless there were multiple CONSPIRACIES)

For example, if you’ve had your head anywhere besides in the “sand,” you know several states sent in a FRAUDULENT slate of “electors” naming individual 1 and Mike Pense as the “winners” in (I believe 7) states where Joe Biden was actually the victor. Well, those who signed those fraudulent documents claiming they were the authentic electors appear to have violated both state election law and federal election law. The Michigan Attorney General was able to list several potential state crimes violated in Michigan and likewise in, now, several other states. They very well might ALSO be part of the SEDEITIOUS Conspiracy.

So, why did these people do such a STUPID thing? (There’s that word again) Well, it stands to reason this was all part of the CONSPIRACY coming right out of the Oval Office to get Mike Pense to reject the REAL electors and substitute the FAKE ones – thus overturning the “will of the people” and, therefore, leaving individual 1 in POWER. These people believe “we the people” are STUPID! Can you imagine what would have happened had they pulled this off? Remember the Electoral College votes had already been officially “counted” on December 14th and January 6th was nothing more than a ceremonious act of confirming the count. There’s even a script for the Vice President to read which had to be changed due to the FAKE electors.

Well, many of the people who stormed the Capitol, including the “Oathkeepers,” the “Proud Boys,” the “3 Percenters,” and several others (including the so-called “Boogaloo bois”) have been calling, online, for a 2nd “civil war.” They envision it as a race war, but they’re all “anti-government militias.” Well, maybe January 6th could have been the incident which incited that kind of unrest in America? Who knows at this point in time? Here’s what I believe: As I said above, I believe the SEDITIOUS conspiracy goes well beyond the 11 “Oathkeepers.” (I keep wondering, who/what is their “oath” to?) The government may have to construct another PRISON to accommodate all the CONSPIRATORS!

Individual 1 spent four years abusing our system of laws with impunity – doing it right out in the open – as if ALL of us are STUPID enough to go along with his antics. Obviously, 81 MILLION Americans said “NO” and, true to form, right out in the open – more or less – he attempted to say “NO” back to those of us who voted AGAINST him. For heaven’s sake, he spent an HOUR on the phone with the Secretary of State in Georgia where he said, “Just find me 11,780 votes which is one more than we have” – a clear violation of Georgia and U.S. law – a true example of VOTER FRAUD right out in the open. Just like “Russia, if you’re listening………….” I guess it’s only STUPID if he’s finally held accountable – which, it appears, may finally happen: “the walls are closing in.”

In summary, here’s an “off the top of my head” accounting of the ILLEGAL conspiracy of the “former guy” – not knowing who all is involved. Prior to the November election individual 1 began “grooming” his followers the “election will be rigged if I lose.” (That seems to be the new republican M.O.) On election night, in a pre-planned move, he declared “victory” when the total number of votes wouldn’t be counted for days. He encouraged his supporters to “vote in person” to set up this very scenario. And, he tried to get them to pressure various states to STOP counting the “mail in” ballots.

After Joe Biden was declared the victor individual 1 started spreading the so-called “Big Lie” with the help of his surrogates on right wing media outlets. Despite the fact he was told by several sources (in his own administration) there was no FRAUD (Again, the ONLY people committing FRAUD were him and some of his supporters) he continued repeating the “Big Lie” over and over. (He likely makes Joseph Goebbels proud) This led to individual 1 LOSING over 60 Court challenges to the election (with several of his “lawyers” subsequently being sanctioned by various state bars for LYING in court) There are credible reports he rejected those lawyers who didn’t fall for his LIE and brought in Giuliani, Powell, and Ellis as his “replacement lawyers” helping come up with the ultimate SCAM he planned to inflict on “we the people.”

I believe members of Congress such as Jim Jordan, Paul Gosar, Andy Biggs, Mo Brooks, and ???? were encouraging the plan which culminated in the attempted INSURRECTION on January 6th, 2021. This had to be brewing well before that date. For example, the FRAUDULENT slates of “electors” were submitted on December 14th – the date when the actual ones were certified. It’s now being reported Rudy Giuliani was the “point person” getting these right wing wingnuts to agree to do this – apparently them not KNOWING the serious charges they were eventually likely to be facing. This scheme came right out of the “White House” and was devised in early December.

That would go along with individual 1 attempting to get the interim Attorney General to agree to say there was widespread voter FRAUD in the election and “leave the rest to me and the ‘R’s.'” This plan was schemed for a couple of months before January 6th, 2021 – there was Jeffrey Clark attempting to send letters to several swing states which would coincide with the scheme to get Pense to choose the FRAUDULENT electors. And, when others in the Justice Department refused to go along, individual 1 threatened to fire them. (The only thing stopping that was the threat of mass resignations at Justice) Then, along comes attorney John Eastman who created an absurd legal argument supporting individual 1’s scheme and, thankfully, Mike Pense refused to go along.

Who were all of these people talking to as they planned the January 6th, 2021 rally? Remember, there was a “trial balloon” right before the Electoral College voted to certify Joe Biden’s “landslide” victory (using individual 1’s own characterization based on 2016) in a December 12, 2020 so-called “Stop the Steal” rally with many of the CONSPIRATORS who stormed the Capitol a few weeks later. This CONSPIRACY of SEDITION was widespread and included a plethora of people who were willing to overturn the “will” of the American people. When you listen to the podcasts of Steve Bannon on January 5th – him part of the so-called “War Room” at the Willard Hotel – you can see the attack was pre-meditated. Was this Bannon’s way to get a pardon for his previous sins? And, individual 1’s tweets: Come to the Capital on January sixth, it’s going to be “wild.” The storming of the Capitol Building appears to have been planned all along!

I look forward to the day I see individual 1 and his closest supporters INDICTED for this TREASONOUS behavior. (TREASON is another word for SEDITION) However, as anyone paying attention can see, the republicans are in the process of implementing a more sophisticated “coup d’etat” as they’re passing some egregious voter suppression laws in a number of states controlled by republican legislatures. To me, this is the ultimate part of this CONSPIRACY – made possible by our Supreme Court and their attack on the Voting Rights Act of 1965. John Roberts has long been an opponent of “voting rights” and he wrote the majority opinion which, in effect, has allowed all the voter suppression bills we’re seeing as I’m writing this.

So, to me, that gets us back to the word “stupid.” (I really don’t like that word, but……..) Most pundits are proclaiming Control of the Congress will return to republicans in the midterm election. I say, not so fast. Not only will all this “stuff” coming out about the INSURRECTION be boiling over likely around next summer – that is right in the middle of the run-up to the election but that’s also the time many Supreme Court decisions become published. Do you think overturning Roe v Wade, for example, will be met with approval by a majority of Americans – I’m especially thinking about women?

I shared my thoughts on abortion a while back, but here’s the deal: overturning Roe will not prevent abortions – with the exception of low income women who live in “red states.” However, I believe it will be offensive enough to MILLIONS of other women – women who will NEVER choose to have an abortion – to motivate them to vote in November. Do you really believe MOST of them will vote for the republicans who got Roe overturned? If so, I’ve got a bridge……….. You know the rest! My point: republicans have no agenda, except POWER and as 2022 rolls on their ability to be STUPID will, in my view, become clearer and clearer. Will Americans show up to vote many of them out of office? We’ll see! Stay tuned……….

Final Thought: Of course, republicans don’t have a monopoly on STUPID! I’ve pointed out for years democrats are afraid to campaign on their own successes and beliefs. We’re seeing polls now where democrats are BLAMING Joe Biden for the reality his 50/50 Senate “majority” includes Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema. They’ve successfully, along with ALL 50 republicans blocked Biden’s “Build Back Better” agenda – sorely needed legislation and both Manchin and Sinema will go down in history as torpedoing the voting rights legislation – no matter what happens in the future. Here’s the deal, I believe it’s possible enough “progressives” are STUPID enough to believe all the media accounts of how joe Biden is failing.

Just a reminder: The Covid Relief Bill was, in my view, the best legislation aimed DIRECTLY at the middle class in my lifetime. On top of that there’s the so-called “bi-partisan infrastructure bill” (which was passed, by the way, based on Manchin’s promise to agree to the “Build Back Better” legislation) so a total of $3+ TRILLION in spending over the next several years aimed directly at the MIDDLE CLASS. In addition, President Biden EXTRACTED America from a futile 20 year “war” which ended how it was going to end, no matter when that occurred. He was blasted by the so-called “liberal media” because it didn’t happen “smoothly.” (Talk about STUPID – does anyone in the media remember Viet Nam? You simply can’t EXIT a “war” you’ve LOST “smoothly”)

Are democrats STUPID enough to fail to vote in November when they have the opportunity to “fix” the problem in the Senate? Yes, neither Manchin nor Sinema are up for re-election until 2024, but there are SEVERAL opportunities for democrats to flock to the polls and elect enough more democratic Senators to make Manchin and Sinema’s votes irrelevant. I seriously won’t be surprised if one of them decides to change their allegiance totally to the republicans by switching parties – I hope that doesn’t happen because I still have hope for the “Build Back Better” legislation somehow passing – but, to me it would be STUPID for democrats to be discouraged and fail to vote. In my view, they SHOULD be “fired up” and doing everything they can to make sure they’re properly registered and help to vote out as many republicans as possible. Stay tuned………………

One final thing: It’s in the interest of democrats to continue attempting to persuade both Manchin and Sinema to support Joe Biden’s and the VAST majority of democrats’ agenda items. The last thing they need to do is cause one or both of them to defect to the republicans. (Trust me, the republicans are “courting” Sinema and her campaign “coffers” are filling up with donations from republican “donors”) That would be an even larger disaster – especially with a Supreme Court Seat opening up. Maybe there’s still a chance to get the so-called “Build Back Better” legislation passed. I got the feeling what really set Manchin off was when the House stuck provisions in the bill he felt had been negotiated our of it. Democrats have passed a massive amount of legislation to this point in Biden’s first year (OK, now it’s the second year), but “Build Back Better” would spur on the economy for several years going forward.

The way democrats should “solve” their issues with Manchin and Sinema is to VOTE in MORE democrats come November, clear and simple! In the words of individual 1 himself, “It’s time to fight like Hell or we’re not going to have a country anymore!”

Today is the day Stewart Rhodes, leader of the racist, white nationalist, anti-government group “The Oathkeepers,” was charged along with, apparently, ten others with “Seditious Conspiracy.” That is SERIOUS if you’re not aware of what “Sedition” is. A little help: A revolt or an incitement to revolt against established authority, usually in the form of Treason or Defamation against government. Sedition is the crime of revolting or inciting revolt against government. However, because of the broad protection of free speech under the First Amendment, prosecutions for sedition are rare.

OK, prosecutions for sedition are “rare” – in fact, this is the first time in my lifetime I’m aware of someone being charged with sedition – although, I’m sure it’s happened before. That being said, I’ve been very critical of Merrick Garland for “inaction” in the Justice Department, but these charges of “Seditious Conspiracy” are so serious that you have to believe the Justice Department has meticulous details before bringing them. My first thought: “They’re working their way ‘up the ladder.'”

I believe there are a few members of Congress who should be sitting on the edge of their seats right now – like Paul Gosar, Andy Biggs, Mo Brooks, Jim Jordan, Scott Perry, and maybe others. The reports of House members leading “tours” of the Capitol when it was “closed to visitors” right before the INSURRECTION is going to come out – who were they? Who were they leading around the building and showing where the different offices are located? It appears to me the charges against Rhodes and the others won’t be the end.

Here’s how you determine something is a conspiracy: “a secret plan made by two or more people to do something that is harmful or illegal.” The conspirators don’t even have to succeed in the conspiracy, but if only ONE of them does an “overt act,” the entire group is liable. Now, think about this rationally – do you really believe the “Oathkeepers” (makes you wonder who their “oath” was to?) were the ONLY ones involved in this conspiracy? There is so much in the public domain which would suggest otherwise – I think the nervousness probably is working its way all the way to “Mar a Lago.”

For example, individual 1 was “grooming” his CULT about a “rigged election” for months prior to the actual election day. He was encouraging his CULT to NOT vote by mail but to show up and vote on election day (despite the pandemic) – votes which are the FIRST to be counted. He had planned to “declare victory” despite KNOWING he was LIKELY to LOSE prior to the FINAL votes being counted and KNOWING “his” votes would be the first ones counted. In other words, the scheme to claim “The election was stolen” was planned out well in advance of November 3rd. In fact, the phrase “Stope the Steal” was “coined” by Roger Stone back in 2016.

In fact, Mr. Stone has been reported to have been “protected” by members of the “Oathkeepers” and was reportedly in communication with them prior to the INSURRECTION. Do you think Stone KNEW what was planned? I believe there can be reasonable assumptions this communication went far up the “chain of command.” We KNOW individual 1 was pushing for EXACTLY what the “Oathkeepers” were attempting to accomplish. We also KNOW – from multiple sources – individual 1 watched the INSURRECTION on TV and was “enjoying it.” According to people with first hand information, the TWICE IMPEACHED so-called two time popular vote LOSING (ex) president was “Tvoing” (recording) segments of the INSURRECTION and then replaying them, and enjoying what he was seeing.

As all of this is going through my mind I have to point out another word for “sedition” is TREASON. I was suggesting for AT LEAST the final two years of the reign of individual 1 that his place in history will be right next to Benedict Arnold. And, there will be a significant number of his sycophants on the same line of History. The members of Congress who were mentioned above (did I include Matt Gaetz and Marjorie Taylor Green?), Steve Bannon, Mark Meadows, Roger Stone, and many others are cementing there place in the darkest corner of America’s history books. I’m always reminded of the book I read early in individual 1’s assault on our nation which said, “Everything individual 1 (his surname was used, I can’t bring myself to write it) touches ‘dies.'”

While those remaining in the republican party continue to believe ALL the lies coming from individual 1 and they remain a devoted CULT – a significant MAJORITY of Americans see our TWICE IMPEACHED so-called two time popular vote LOSING (ex) president for what he is – a narcissistic pathological LIAR who should NEVER again get anywhere near an office of honor in this United States of America. These republicans along with Vladimir Putin and, likely, others continue their attempts to fracture the rest of America – because the ONLY chance they (republicans) have to regain POWER – which is their ultimate goal – is by causing disaffected democrats to lose heart and refuse to vote in November. That is, by CHEATING!

Today I was watching Rachel Maddow on MSNBC where she, for the second time I’ve seen, SHOWED the actual FORGED copies of documents claiming to be the “ELECTORS” from (at least) 5 states. There were groups of PHONY “electors” – republicans, surprise, surprise – from Michigan, Wisconsin, Nevada, Arizona, and Pennsylvania (and, I believe, two more) which were actually sent to the Senate and the National Archivist claiming to be the “actual” electors from those states and, of course, claiming individual 1 and Mike Pense “won” the electors in their states. Of course, those who signed those documents are facing SERIOUS charges – there seems to be a plethora of charging options (all SERIOUS felonies) – and, it also appears the Justice Department has the documents as they piece together the “Seditious Conspiracy.”

How many people were involved in this conspiracy? Might all of those who chose to call themselves an “elector” for individual 1 in states where he LOST be subject to this charge? Remember, the penalty for Sedition (Treason) is 20 years with NO possibility for parole. I will be surprised if a bunch of these “elector forgerers” don’t start “singing” to the Feds. We can only hope the Justice Department is spending its days “connecting the dots.”

When you think about the significance of states sending FORGED electors to the Senate prior to January 6th and you consider how intently individual 1 and his minions were working to PRESSURE VP Pence to throw out the ELECTORS from the various states which had sent in these FORGED documents – apparently with a plan to accept the FORGED electors to replace the actual ones. I’ve heard some indication Mark Meadows was part of this scheme. Can anyone say the word Sedition? Oh yes, I’ve already been there done that! And, if Meadows was “connected” to these FORGED electors do you really believe individual 1 had no idea what was going on?

Reading as much as I’ve been able to regarding the “Seditious Conspiracy” charges against Stewart Rhodes and the others, it will be surprising to me if he wasn’t in “communication” with people inside the “White House.” Putting two and two together it all appears to add up – the CONSPIRACY went all the way to the top. It’s true, individual 1 has been able to bully his way out of legal trouble for, well, his entire adult life. However, if there are enough people facing 20 years with no parole, I believe there will be some people “flipping.” (individual 1, in true organized crime form, calls it “ratting.”) Between the Justice Department, the January 6th Committee, the Fulton County DA, and the Manhattan DA, individual 1 should be bracing for some serious court time.

I can’t help it, but my focus is on wanting to live long enough to see individual 1 in court answering for an attempt to overthrow our elected government. There can be no doubt that was his objective. What is likely more serious is how close they came to succeeding and, what about the next “go round.” So far, I believe there are at least two “battleground states” where the legislature has given itself the “power” to do officially what these FORGED electors were attempting to do after individual 1 LOST the 2020 election. So, the white nationalist base of the republican party may have to find another “mob boss” – but, they appear OK with doing that and the list of republicans applying for the job appears to be a long one.

Final Thought: I’ve pointed out here that I believe I (a non- lawyer) could bring a case against individual 1 of OBSTRUCTING an official act of Congress simply based on the available public evidence. It appears ALL of those investigating our TWICE IMPEACHED so-called two time popular vote LOSING (ex) president are making sure they have all “their ducks in order” so he will be unable to squirm away. The January 6th Committee has interviewed OVER 400 witnesses – including William Barr (more on that shortly) – Merrick Garland seems to be building the most serious case, the Manhattan DA could have an indictment by summer, the Fulton Co. Georgia DA has paneled a “Special Grand Jury” (and, she’s got the phone call to Brad Raffensperger among other incriminating pieces of evidence supporting multiple state crimes – and Oh, by the way, I believe the Raffensperger phone call is (should be) a federal crime – irony: election fraud), the New York AG is virtually threatening the existence of the individual 1 organization, and, I believe, individual 1 could/should be indicted for inciting the INSURRECTION along with SEDITION.

I’ve heard numerous legal “minds” suggest individual 1 will attempt to escape accountability by claiming he “didn’t know any better.” He’ll say in Georgia “I believed the election was stolen.” He’ll say in the Manhattan DA’s investigation, “Everyone does it.” (CHEATING on taxes, defrauding banks and insurance companies, etc.), he’ll say to the New York DA “F you,” he’ll refuse to be questioned by the 1/6 Committee and the Justice Department. So, here’s the deal, I believe William Barr’s testimony will be critical in all of this because of individual 1’s KNOWN penchant for LYING (ie, the “final nail in the coffin”). Within a couple of weeks after the election Barr was telling individual 1 the election WASN’T stolen – that he LOST. On December 1st he publicly announced the Justice Department found no evidence of significant fraud which could alter the outcome of the election. Individual 1 KNEW he lost prior to all the court cases, which simply confirmed it.

Barr’s public announcement made individual 1 FURIOUS – by multiple accounts in books I’ve read – books based on interviews with the “White House” insiders who were there. So, this would be one account of individual 1 KNOWING he LOST and, of course, it’s what led to Barr resigning a few weeks later. He made an agreement with our TWICE IMPEACHED (only impeached once at that point in time) so-called two time popular vote LOSING (ex) president to give a “kind” (my choice of word) resignation letter dated a few weeks later so that their private disagreement didn’t become public. But, the reality is Barr made it clear to individual 1 in late November there was NO fraud in the election and he had LOST, period, full stop. Individual 1 chose to ignore Barr’s advice (information) and proceed on the path which I believe was originally concocted by some of the members of the so-called “Freedom Caucus” in the House (Jordan, Gosar, Biggs, Brooks, etc.) and furthered by a series of others in their CONSPIRACY to overthrow a “free and fair election” and keep individual 1 in POWER.

That is the definition of SEDITION (ie TREASON) and whether there were two SEDITIOUS Conspiracies or just the one remains to be seen. Lawyers often refer to INTENT as the most difficult piece to PROVE in the kind of organized crime like actions of these republicans leading up to January 6th, 2021 – but I believe that is becoming clearer by the day. We know individual 1 KNEW he lost and we KNOW he watched the INSURRECTION on TV and enjoyed it. I believe those are the main ingredients of INTENT! We also KNOW the republicans involved are going to LIE about everything – when their lips are moving they’re LYING – so it makes sense the investigators are collecting OVERWHELMING evidence of the CRIMINAL activity. To me, when you’ve taken an oath to “defend the Constitution against all enemies foreign and domestic” you should get a LONGER sentence when you choose to participate in a CONSPIRACY which makes you a “domestic enemy” of that Constitution! Stay tuned……………………

I began my teaching career in my mid 40’s after what I often refer to as “my previous 5 lives.” One thing which was always apparent to me was how many of my teaching peers had spent their entire “lives” in school. In other words, they graduated high school, went to college, and got their first teaching assignment right out of college. One vivid memory I have from my 23 years in the classroom was a large conference I attended shortly after I began this last phase of my working life. The topic of the conference was the importance of integrating “real life” into our teaching plans – something I was a strong proponent of.

Well, as I listened to all the commentary during this conference it became apparent to me virtually NONE of those doing the speaking actually HAD “real life experience.” I was fairly new to the profession so I resisted the urge to speak out and suggest the expertise for this “plan” maybe should come from experts outside the classroom being invited into the classroom to share their experiences. For a few years I managed to actually invite some “experts” into my sixth grade classroom to share their experience with my students. I worked in a highly “at risk” school – meaning a large segment of our student population were “at risk” of not completing high school. The poverty level was above 90% the year I retired.

Often times it was a challenge to keep my students motivated to learn, but NEVER when one of these outside experts shared their valuable time with them – they were ALWAYS attentive and respectful and curious and these episodes led to some very interesting class discussions. I point this out because I’m a very “consistent” reader, observer, listener of “news” reports along with having a voracious apatite for reading non fiction books. Mostly, I read books written by “legitimate” sources – ie investigative journalists, academic experts, and sometimes simply books written by people who are providing information of interest to me. The books I DON’T read – I’ve tried – are the books ghost written by right wing operatives who place the names of, for example, Fox “news” personalities on the covers in order to FOOL people to actually buy and read them. Like I said, I’ve tried and it doesn’t take long to realize I’m reading pure propaganda. No thanks!

That all being said, last night as I was listening to someone (I can’t remember who) who was speaking on MSNBC – the supposed “liberal alternative to Fox” – it just galled me, as is often the case, that nonsense was spewed out without ANY pushback. It’s almost as if many in our so-called “mainstream media” got sucked in to what many call both sidesism – the result of the infamous Fox “fair and balanced” LIE they propagated years ago (not sure if they still do because I can’t stomach watching their channel anymore) Even on MSNBC you have pundits predicting individual 1 will be the nominee for the republicans in 2024 – as if, he’s a legitimate politicians as opposed to an alleged CRIMINAL.

My point, to a degree, as I relate this back to my experience as a teacher, is I have to wonder what actual “real life” experience many of those who are reporters on the so-called “news” channels actually have. I get that reporters are supposed to ask “real” questions when investigating public policy, but they SHOULD have some experience beyond going directly from school into their journalistic careers.

Please don’t get me wrong – I don’t consider the “media” as the “enemy of the people” – in fact, I’m one who is thankful for those investigative journalists who are constantly digging into the reality of what is happening with our government. Here’s the deal though, in our present political climate, if you’re a supporter of Joe Biden’s “Build Back Better” initiative – while it’s fair to acknowledge two democrats have undermined the president (which is the difference between the republicans and democrats, the democrats have a “big tent” party, the republicans are part of individual 1’s CULT) – it’s also FAIR to constantly point out with a 50/50 split in the Senate it’s extremely difficult to “get (any) things done” – you need EVERY democrat – period, full stop! The fact two initiatives have been blocked by Manchin and Sinema is just reality. So far, in essence, not a single republican vote on anything other than the “infrastructure” bill.

That, by a long shot, doesn’t mean the CHANGE from the TWICE IMPEACHED so-called two time popular vote LOSING (ex) president isn’t significant. Joe Biden was nominated because “we the people” felt he had the BEST chance of ending the reign of the so-called “former guy.” On top of that, his administration got an historic pandemic relief bill passed in the first couple of months along with the so-called “bipartisan infrastructure” bill which will further expand our economy in the next few years making NECESSARY changes to our infrastructure going forward. Sadly, Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema have dug in their “heels” stopping the voting rights legislation AND the “Build Back Better” plan of Biden – further historic (proposed) legislation.

The reason all this is significant is because things aren’t nearly as “dark” as our “mainstream media” is making it – although, I must admit, some of the voter suppression stuff is, well, ALARMING. The reality is there are “more of us (progressives and sympathetic independents along with disaffected republicans) than there are of them.” There’s NO reason, in my view, to simply concede the 2022 midterms to the republicans, as many on MSNBC have seemed to do. The challenge for those of us who DON’T want individual 1 or his white nationalist “flock” anywhere near control of our government is simply to get a HUGE number of voters to show up this November.

And, here’s what I believe about all of that. While it’s easy to look at everything as if the “glass is half empty” I’m choosing the viewpoint of the “glass is half full.” As I’ve said here many times I’m 74 years old which makes me a “Baby Boomer” and I’m pretty much disgusted in all my peers who’ve taken all they can from this nation over the previous six decades and are choosing to support authoritarianism for our children because they don’t like that African Americans, Latinos, Asians, Native Americans, and other marginalized groups are GROWING in power. As opposed to all of them who identify as republicans, it seems the idea of engaging in the battle of ideas is something for democrats only. Their solution to their THIRST for POWER is finding ways to PREVENT democratically inclined Americans from voting.

Well, there’s a group of Americans who I don’t believe are buying into this strategy and that’s ALL the YOUNG people who are becoming politically active. For heaven’s sake, put yourself in their shoes and consider just one of the parts of the “Build Back Better” legislation – “Climate Change” – which republicans oppose 100%. Funding for education, which was affordable for ALL of us “Baby Boomers” is prohibitive for MILLIONS of young Americans, Child care expenses, early pre-K, affordable housing, affordable health insurance, etc. etc. are things America’s young adults MUST be wondering “What the hell is wrong in Washington D.C.?” Of course, for those who are paying close attention they understand the answer in one word: republicans!

The focus of democrats and those who support the FIGHT to stop individual 1 must now turn to fighting to elect democrats in the 2022 midterms. As I said above, if democrats (and their sympathizers) show up en masse they can turn the democratic majority in the Senate to at least 52 seats (there are a couple democratic Senators who might be victims of the voter suppression tactics, but there are twice as many republican seats up in 2022 than democratic. Occasionally, (like in the 2020 presidential election) the American people come through. Of course, they also would need to help democrats hold their majority in the House. (Can you imagine Kevin McCarthy as the Speaker? Yuck! He might be more disgusting than individual 1) Full disclosure: I’m an (apparently liberal) independent!

“We the people” can control, to a degree, how the legislative and executive branches are constituted, but, sadly, the Supreme Court is going to be a problem well past what I envision as my remaining lifetime – whatever that might be. This entire century – up to this point in time – has been disproportionately affected by decisions coming from the court beginning with Bush V. Gore – where the court, in essence laid the groundwork for the invasion of Iraq and the 20 years of futility in Afghanistan. I’ll go to my grave believing, had the court allowed the recount in Florida back then (2000) Al Gore would have been president and things would be MUCH different today.

Of course, as I always say, “there’s more.” In around 2010 (I’m going on memory) the Supreme Court showed their full “legislating from the bench” in the “Citizens’ United” decisions which launched the floodgates of “dark” money – coming from “who knows where” – into the political process – overturning “100 years of attempts to control the effect of MONEY in politics.” That was bad – if you remember – it led to Mitt Romney’s famous quote – “Corporations are people my friends.” But, there’s still more. (And, oh, by the way, you can be assured much of this “dark money” is coming from foreign sources)

In 2013 (again, going by memory – too lazy to “Google” it) the Court took their attack on working class people one more egregious step. Led, once again, by chief justice John Roberts, section five of the Voting Rights Act was “gutted” and, subsequently, they undermined Section two of the Act. The practical end result is what we’ve seen over and over again this year – all the voter SUPPRESSION bills being pushed through one state after another – targeting “persons of color,” young people. students, poor people, and, in essence, people who tend to vote democratic. Worse, state legislators are giving themselves the power to overturn outcomes they don’t like – along with installing partisan hacks as “overseers” of their election process. (Check out the FALSE “electors” which were submitted in the 2020 election)

Right now, MILLIONS of Americans are directing their “ire” at Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema, and rightfully so, but, in essence the PROBLEM started with the Court and, keep in mind, as has become the American custom, not a SINGLE republican chooses to stand up for voting rights. Many of these state laws (seemingly unconstitutional) will end up in court, but, once again, “we the people” will be depending on a more EXTREME Supreme Court to defend the rights of “minorities” than the one which originated the PROBLEM. Yikes!!!

So, the practical solution to all this will happen at the ballot box in November, but, as I’ve stated above, I don’t trust the “mainstream media” to lose their constant refrain democrats will lose both houses of Congress in November, as if they want “we the people” to be falling into the hands of individual 1 once again. I’ve said over the past two elections I viewed them as the most important elections in my lifetime and now, once again, I’m suggesting the same for 2022. Of course, had Americans not put democrats in charge of the House in 2018 individual 1 likely would have won in 2020. Had he won in 2020 we’d already be in “deep doo doo.” It will be incumbent on President Biden and his surrogates to get the message to the American people. That makes it up to “us” to go to the polls and, once again, make it clear we don’t support individual 1 and we DON’T want a “white nationalist” led government.

Tonight I listened to a reporter from the New York Times who reminded me of why I canceled my subscription. His name: Peter Baker!

Final Thought: Today President Biden gave the longest presidential news conference in history and did a good job of being upbeat about what’s been accomplished in his first year in office (unless you’re one of the reporters asking questions). I believe Biden will be going around the country campaigning on the necessity of giving him at least 52 democratic senators along with control of the House. There’s not much Biden can do about the reality of Manchin and Sinema – who can’t even agree on what’s in the so-called “Build Back Better” bill, so the solution is for “we the people” to get to the polls, once again, in record numbers. Neither Manchin or Sinema are up for re-election in 2022 and, I believe, there’s outside motivation for each of them in their votes opposing the president.

To me, it’s just a matter of time, for example, that the source of campaign funds collected by Ms. Sinema become public. I, personally, believe republicans – as soon as it became apparent there would be a 50/50 split in the Senate immediately targeted the Senator they felt was most susceptible to their manipulation – and, of course, that would be Kyrsten Sinema. Along with a flood of money coming from republican donors – I’m speculating – likely is what has caused her to make decisions 180 degrees from what she stated prior to her election. Maybe someone like the abovementioned Baker could do some research. I’ve seen numerous photos of Ms. Sinema surrounded by republicans, including right after she voted against the rule change which would have allowed the voting rights bill to pass! – go figure.

As far as Manchin is concerned his excuse of being from West Virginia bears no weight to me. I was conceived in Wheeling West Virginia and I’ve still got family who live there. West Virginia is one of the poorest states in the union and it would benefit disproportionately (for the better) from the “Build Back Better” agenda. The sad bottom line is Manchin has interests outside of his “day job” which, it appears, are tending to help him feel comfortable in “torpedoing” the agenda of his own president. This is not the first time we’ve seen something like this – ie John McCain prevented the destruction of “Obamacare” – (which, by the way, republicans were attempting to do with only 51 votes) I would agree “bipartisanship” should be the goal, but when republicans refuse to even participate in the process, the filibuster becomes like a HUGE
“weight” on the ability of our Congress to function.

I’ll say it once more – before “we the people” start blaming President Biden lets keep the focus on his obstacles in the Senate, all the issues he’s dealing with, and of course, what has been accomplished. For example, the issue with COVID would be exponentially worse had he not been elected and over 200 MILLION Americans been fully vaccinated. The economy has expanded in record fashion and, for the first time I can remember. workers in America are receiving an increase in their wages. The damage caused by our TWICE IMPEACHED so-called two time popular vote LOSING (ex) president was DEEP and “fixing” it will take many years.

Here’s the good news from my perspective: As I’ve been saying, I believe individual 1 is destined to be defending himself from CRIMINAL charges when most pundits are suggesting he’ll be campaigning for president in the 2024 election cycle. It appears to me there’s plenty in the “hands” of the Select January 6th Committee for a CRIMINAL referral, or should I say referrals?, the DA in Fulton County Georgia has impaneled a “Special Grand Jury” in her investigation into individual 1’s election FRAUD (OK, attempted FRAUD), the Manhattan DA has a Special Grand Jury in the CRIMINAL investigation of individual 1 and his children, and, it appears, Merrick Garland is working his way to the “White House” as he “connects the dots” of all the people involved in the “Seditious Conspiracy.” (Not sure why the Justice Department isn’t following through on Mueller’s evidence of OBSTRUCTION of Justice or why they aren’t prosecuting individual 1 for the ILLEGAL payments to the two women in 2016 where he was referred to as “individual 1?”)

Individual 1 is a CORRUPT organized CRIMINAL from every thing I’ve been able to read and he just wasn’t able to avoid the temptation once in the “White House” to become “presidential.” I know people who got sucked into the CULT and it’s impossible to even talk to them. I had a friend who I would meet for breakfast periodically and we’d talk “politics” – he claims to be a “conservative” and believes me to be a “flaming liberal.” (He may be correct on that one) But, when he started spewing the conspiracy crap from the deepest part of the internet – including stuff coming out of the white nationalist community – that was a “bridge too far” for me. As time passed during individual 1’s reign he said stuff I didn’t understand the significance of until after our TWICE IMPEACHED so-called two time popular vote LOSING (ex) president had been thoroughly defeated in the election. I started putting two and two together and realized I couldn’t associate myself with someone who was aligning himself with white nationalists. Individual 1’s “Christian” base has made the classic “deal with the devil!” It will be interesting to see the reaction of those people once individual 1 has been indicted (which, I believe, will either happen more than once or charges will be combined). You read it here!

I’ve been wandering through the stocks I follow on “Yahoo Finance” – I don’t own stocks and don’t intend to own stocks (although, I’m tempted to by Ford stock, just sayin) but there’s a lot to learn by following the news regarding corporate interests via websites like the one mentioned above. So, today, I decided to “get into the weeds” of some of the more “robust” stocks – Microsoft and Tesla, for example (also a quick look at Amazon) and the results make a great case in support of Elizabeth Warren’s “wealth tax.” I have to wonder how much time – or money spent to others – does the corporate “bigwigs” spend trying to avoid taxes? When you look at their compensation, it’s really a bit, well, sad – for lack of a better word.

Take for example the CEO of Microsoft: in the past week he’s “unloaded” half his stock holdings which has raised him a quarter BILLION dollars in the space of two days. What on earth do you think may have motivated such a significant sale – when you consider he’s already received something in the neighborhood of $200 MILLION this year? Could it be the impending Capital Gains tax set to begin on January 1 in the state of Washington? (Both Microsoft and Amazon are based in Seattle) Or maybe the threat of the new tax laws regarding Joe Biden’s domestic agenda? Of course, Jeff Bezos did him one better – or, maybe well more than one. He unloaded $3.3 BILLION worth of his stock in the past week or two.

Maybe Bezos was simply planning to buy another gazillion foot Yacht. Paying taxes, of course, seems to be something he really doesn’t like despite the FACT his holdings are around $200 BILLION the last time I looked. These people really are a bit disgusting. Then there’s Elon Musk, another “jewel” when it comes to tax avoidance – but, well, for whatever reason he’s unloaded $10.2 BILLION in Tesla shares recently. Apparently, he’s said he’s going to sell HALF his “stake” in Tesla – do you think it might be because of the impending tax hikes?

Here’s a bit of the little I know about Musk and Bezos. They routinely have “squeezed” local governments in order to put their businesses in “tax friendly environments” – and, Tesla managed to “get off the ground” thanks to the generous $7500 tax credits they received from the federal government – OK, purchasers of their cars got the tax credits, but it works out the same. (Full disclosure: I’ve received federal tax credits to buy electric cars and to install solar panels on my home – in my case, it couldn’t have happened otherwise and, I’m sure, many people who’ve purchased Tesla’s wouldn’t have done so without the credit.)

And, here’s the deal regarding Tesla: the new Biden agenda includes a reintroduction of those tax breaks for Tesla and GM for which they have expired. These people want it on both ends. And, in the case of Bezos, he’s famously paid ZERO taxes in multiple years despite being the richest man in the world (I believe that “honor” may now fall to Musk – not including Putin in this, of course – we don’t put amateurs in the same category as professionals) yet, for Amazon to agree to build distribution centers, they first need a “pound of flesh” from the local taxpayers. They expect communities to PAY THEM to open a center in a particular place. It was so bad in New York, the community (Queens?) rejected their offer to place “HQ 2” there.

Here’s what happens when companies like Amazon and Microsoft move into your “neighborhood.” The long term residents slowly get pushed out. Seattle is a great example of what I’m suggesting. The price of housing in Seattle is outrageous – my niece lives in a home built in the 1920’s, remodeled in the 40’s, and, to me, ready for another “face lift.” It’s present value is somewhere between $1.2 MILLION and $1.5 MILLION. There is a HUGE homeless crisis in Seattle and, apparently, leaders are struggling with how to deal with it. It doesn’t take much of a “jolt” to a families income to put them out on the street – and, “getting back on your feet” when it requires a couple minimum wage jobs (in Seattle, the minimum wage is $15 per hour, just to afford an apartment.

Of course, that is a scenario being repeated all across America which is why progressive democrats are so desperate to pass President Biden’s “Build Back Better” agenda. They call it the “bottom up and middle out” approach to the economy. Heck, where I live, across the Columbia River from Portland, Oregon things seem to be headed in the same direction. There are apartments “popping” up virtually everywhere you look, but young people and those working for the minimum wage can’t afford to rent them.

I started this a month ago: It seems my brain runs faster than my ability to type our my thoughts. Since then, just as progressives in the House feared, Joe Biden turned on their “pet” agenda, the “Build Back Better” plan of Joe Biden’s which is designed to provide those Americans who are struggling to improve their “place” and is now either “on hold” or, well…………… I don’t want to consider the alternative. Ironically, Joe Manchin comes from the state with possibly the HIGHEST need which would come from this legislation, but it appears his connection to the fossil fuel industry is just too great for him to support anything with the “Climate Crisis” parts of Biden’s plan. Manchin has been reported to believe families receiving the Child Tax Credit will be spending the money on drugs. How disgusting can one man who lives on a Yacht while in D.C. and drives a Maserati to work be? To me, the worst part is the going back on his word to see the “Build Back Better” plan to completion. He broke a promise!

I have to add, I have no problem with Manchin playing a moderating role in formulating this legislation, but he already had extracted a “pound of flesh” trimming the bill from $350 BILLION per year, less than HALF the Defense Departments’ budget, to around $180 BILLION per year – over the next 10 years. This is money which is aimed at the “least of these,” in the words of Jesus Christ, and, to me, our “rich” society has a moral obligation to those who are suffering and struggling. For some reason “conservatives” don’t believe in helping those at the bottom.

Remember, there are 50 Republicans in the Senate as well and not a SINGLE one of them is showing any willingness to help formulate legislative policy – they did help get the “infrastructure” bill – meaning physical infrastructure – through as the so-called “bi-partisan infrastructure bill” – but, apparently, they don’t believe in “human infrastructure.” I was reading an article today about the reality there are an untold number of women who want to be in the workforce but can’t be due to the issue of child care – which is a key component of the “Build Back Better” plan being blocked by Manchin (and, also, maybe Kyrsten Sinema) in the Senate. Are there not a couple republicans who believe in “bottom up” government?

I was born right after WW II and I’ve seen the contrast between “bottom up” government (ie the “New Deal” and the “Great Society”) and it has proven to be the best thing the “Middle Class” in America has ever known. The “New Deal” was preceded by the “Gilded Age” – where there was a HUGE disparity in income inequality, kind of like, well, you can guess where I’m going with this can’t you? Ronald Reagan’s “Trickle Down” economy has led to a 40+ year SCAM where the wealthy in America have been pilfering tax dollars to the point where we’re in another “Gilded Age” – or teetering there. I’ve always called Reagan’s “plan” “Trickle Up” economics and I believe the FACTUAL data would support that contention.

Joe Biden’s “Covid Rescue Plan” has led to the fastest job growth, wage growth, and growth of our economy in GDP (which I don’t fully understand) in something like 50 years – that is back to the days of the “Great Society” fueled growth from LBJ’s “war on poverty.” Republicans HATE the thought of this type of economic policy because it threatens to put them into the History Books OR cause them to actually participate in the process. Right now, republicans will be taking credit for the policy which has fueled this GROWTH while forgetting to point out NOT a SINGLE one of them voted for the policy. (The same thing happened back at the beginning of Bill Clinton’s administration)

I’m not one to base by belief in the economy via the ups or downs of the Stock Market – but, it is a reality and it does reflect, to a degree, the health of the economy. (Obviously, we’ve seen a lot of days where the stock market is up and Main Street is down) However, if you’ve forgotten, let me remind you – individual 1 predicted if Joe Biden won the election the stock market would “tank,” “your 401-K’s would tank,” and “Biden’s policies will cause a depression.” Does anyone ever hold these republicans (and QAnon wack jobs and other conspiracy theorists) to account when their predictions are PROVED to be, well, for lack of a better word, HUEY? I mean when is JFK REALLY going to “return?” I’ve reluctantly used this word for republican “rank and file,” STUPID – and, I hate that word, but, well, what other term describes this nonsense? If you’re a republican – the ELECTION wasn’t “stolen” (individual 1 continues his attempt to STEAL it) and neither JFK or his son are coming back! So get your heads our of your…………. (fill in the blank)

Final Thought: What I wanted to talk about today – before I decided I needed to finish this post, was the so-called “Omicron” variant of the coronavirus. I’ve read numerous articles suggesting “Omicron” isn’t as “deadly” as the “Delta” variant although it’s much more transmissible. The second part of that statement is easy for me to believe as I know of MANY people who’ve contracted COVID in the past month or so. And, fortunately, MOST of the people I know are vaccinated and BOOSTED so, with one exception, they’re getting very mild symptoms.

However, when you watch the statistics on Worldometer.info you can see the numbers of “Serious/Critical” patients in America are going up rapidly. As of Yesterday there were almost 24,000 people in that category across the nation. As a comparison, prior to the “Delta” variant that number was around 6,000 and going down – prior to “Omicron” it was around 16,000 and has spiked up about 50% in just this past week or so – and, likely going higher from the statistics I’m seeing – which suggests to me, if you’re unvaccinated, it’s as “deadly” as the original version of this terrible virus. Experts have always said, deaths will follow the “spike in cases” by about two to three weeks. It appears that is what is happening, and again, the great majority of those who perish will be unvaccinated.

I don’t believe there’s much more can be said to encourage those who have refused the vaccinations so, in essence, our country faces, likely, at least a couple more years of this pandemic until it subsides to where it can be referred to as “endemic.” Hopefully, at that point, the “spikes” will be fewer and less severe. My daughter is a RN and my niece works in a COVID ICU at one of the University of Washington Hospitals in Seattle – and, they’re tired of dealing with this – especially when so many severe cases could have been avoided. I daily pray for those who are working in our Health Care Industry because so many are being pushed to the “brink.” Even the “Primary Care Physicians” are being “stretched” and, as an old person who holds his PCP dear – it worries me. What happens when ENOUGH of these people say “ENOUGH?” To me, that is the “nightmare scenario.”

I’ll finish with my thoughts about all the “anti-vaxx” conspiracy theories I’ve read about, all the articles I’ve read and videos I’ve seen of right wing wack jobs harassing Health Care professionals, those who make malleable decisions based on the changing circumstances of the pandemic. along with the disturbing reality around 50 – 60 MILLION Americans who refuse to get the FREE vaccination – while in many cases participating in the aforementioned GARBAGE – and REFUSE to “mask up” while in public. Where’s the FIRST place they go after they’re having trouble BREATHING once they’ve contracted the virus? Of course it is! The local Hospital!

And, I know this from first hand reports – some of them, even while in the Hospital – continue in their HARASSING ways – toward the people attempting to, in many cases, save their lives. And, there continue to be Nurses and other Health Care professionals who want to keep their jobs but don’t want to take the “jab.” My daughter works as a “Hospice” Nurse and has shared with me virtually every one of her patients (this would be in nursing homes) who has contracted the virus got it from one of the caretakers who refused to get vaccinated. I can totally understand why our governor (Washington State) imposed a Vaccine mandate on health care professionals. The curious part to me is, why was that necessary? Stay tuned……………..

Today is the one year anniversary of the INSURRECTION which occurred at our nation’s Capitol Building on January 6th, 2021. It’s true many of those who breached the Capitol Building that day actually believed they were acting as “patriots” answering the “call” from individual 1 who they were unable to force themselves to believe/understand he is a PATHOLOGICAL LIAR who’d been LYING to their faces for the previous 5 years. However, the reality is there was a strong presence at the Capitol that day by organized groups of RACISTS (White Nationalists) who were taking advantage of individual 1’s willingness to give them a platform in America’s “mainstream” of politics.

These are the people who were marching at Charlottesville chanting “Jews will not replace us,” people associated with the KKK like David Duke and Don Black and groups like the so-called “Proud Boys,” the so-called “Oathkeepers,” the “3 percenters,” etc. etc. and a wide swath of the “evangelical Christian” community which either doesn’t understand history or, if they do, well, that’s even worse. It was a similar group of “Christians” who formed the “base” of the Third Reich. Just sayin……….

Today, there wasn’t a single republican, save for Liz Cheney and her father Dick, standing in the chamber of the House of Representatives when they recited a prayer and gave a moment of silence for the Capitol Police members who, many, are still suffering the after effects of the siege of the Capitol that infamous day. So much for the party of “law and order.” (Sadly, I believe MANY of the members of the police across this nation are sympathetic to individual 1 and the INSURRECTIONISTS!)

I’m a Christian and I can barely stand to broach the subject with any of those who attend my church – or people I have considered friends previously. The bottom line is those who invaded the Capitol with the intention of stopping the lawful certification of the Electoral College vote (simply a formality) were committing SEDITION. There is no doubt the “low hanging fruit” will not face any kind of charges of that magnitude – but some of the conspiratorial ringleaders? That SHOULD be another story altogether.

And, what about individual 1 and those who worked with him to stop the counting of the votes that day, January 6th, 2021? The evidence of CRIMINAL activity by our TWICE IMPEACHED so-called two time popular vote LOSING (ex) president is MOUNTING by the day. Trust me, Liz Cheney and Bennie Thompson, the co-chairs of the January 6th Select Committee would NOT be citing words that mirror federal statutes if they didn’t have the “goods” on individual 1 ALREADY. I believe he’s going to receive a CRIMINAL referral for AT LEAST obstruction of Congress and likely other charges. (Sedition???)

That would suggest people like Rudy Giuliani, Jeffrey Clark, John Eastman, Steve Bannon, Scott Peters, Jim Jordan, Matt Gaetz, Louie Gohmert, Paul Gosar, Andy Biggs, and, presumably, others, need to be checking in with their lawyers. Will the select Committee subpoena members of Congress? I certainly hope so, if they refuse to testify voluntarily. Sean Hannity may well get a subpoena if he chooses to “blow off” the committee’s request for voluntary testimony – not as a journalist, but as a “fact witness.” They’ve even requested the testimony of Mike Pense – which I assumed would happen eventually – and, I hope he won’t force them to subpoena him – but……… (Will they subpoena individual 1???)

The bottom line is it’s obvious there was an attempt to OBSTRUCT a lawful function of the Congress and anyone who participated may be liable for a serious FELONY. It’s true members of Congress have “leeway” in their “speech” – but, I don’t believe that includes the commission of a CRIME. It appears there was a group of sycophants to our TWICE IMPEACHED so-called two time popular vote LOSING (ex) president who were willing to participate in his attempt to prevent Joe Biden’s lawful ascent to the presidency. To me, that would be TREASON (ie SEDITION) which is among the MOST serious of all crimes according to our constitution.

I’ve stated here for the past MANY months there will be NO “healing” in this nation without ACCOUNTABILITY for those who would tear our government apart for their own ends. It’s as if they believe the only election which they would agree with the outcome would be one where their candidate happened to be the winner. And, they apparently don’t believe in the idea of getting the most votes via the result of a “battle” of ideas but via partisan election officials, voter suppression tactics, partisan gerrymandering and the ability to overturn results legislatures don’t like. I’ve been pointing out for a few years now – individual 1 is a fascist – as a mob boss along the lines of his idol Vladimir Putin – and republicans are “all in.” It’s win at all cost – including the cost of our constitution.

Can you just imagine how the right wing militia’s are going to respond when individual 1 is indicted? And, keep in mind, there are several options for the first indictment. There’s the Manhattan DA, there’s the Fulton County Georgia DA, and there’s the Justice Department. I’ve stated my concern regarding the latter, led by Merrick Garland, on several previous posts. Yesterday he gave a speech at the Justice Department and I, for one, was not overly “mollified.” My FEAR doesn’t come from individual 1’s “base,” my FEAR is that AG Garland FEAR’S individual 1’s base. We’ll get a better idea on where he’s coming from when we find out if he’s going to INDICT Mark Meadows for CONTEMPT of Congress.

To me, the indictment of Mr. Meadows will mean there will be fewer potential witnesses to individual 1’s OBSTRUCTION of Congress on January 6th, 2021 choosing to ignore Congressional subpoenas. To me, it’s a requirement EVERYONE understands – refusing to answer a subpoena of Congress (or a Court) is a “non starter.” For example, should Jim Jordan and Scott Perry choose to refuse to answer a subpoena their careers would be on the line. Contempt of Congress is a FELONY. Can you imagine Sean Hannity refusing to answer a subpoena?

No matter how all these people respond – and, I’m sure, some of them are prepared to use their fifth amendment rights, due to the FACT CRIMINAL charges are beginning to come into focus, in their testimony – I believe the Select Committee KNOWS enough to recommend CHARGES already – they’re (the committee) “dotting the ‘i’s’ and crossing the ‘t’s'” at this point in the investigation. I believe they already know the answers to the questions they want to ask strategic insiders of individual 1’s scheme. The question (hopefully) will become, do you want to answer our questions or face CRIMINAL contempt charges – again, a FELONY?

Today, for example, Stephanie Grisham – former communications director for individual 1 said she gave her testimony to the Committee yesterday and it appears it was VERY damning. On CNN she shared she witnessed individual 1 “gleefully” watching the INSURRECTION on TV – constantly rewinding and replaying segments of the breaching of the Capitol. Emphasis on the word “gleefully” – should anyone (are you paying attention Mr. Garland?) have any misunderstanding about the INTENT of our TWICE IMPEACHED so-called two time popular vote LOSING (ex) president. This testimony very well could be the final “nail” in individual 1’s “coffin.”

Of course, there were others in the White House that day who witnessed what individual 1 was doing – and, MORE importantly, NOT doing – so, I believe there would be several others who would confirm what Ms. Grisham testified. In addition, there were many people calling him that day and, I believe, once he FINALLY loses in his attempt to block Congress from getting his papers from the National Archive – those phone calls will be exposed (are you listening Jim Jordan? Did you LIE to Congress?)

I pointed out right from the start after individual 1 stared fomenting the so-called “Big Lie” the “truth will come out – bit by bit.” Well, that’s exactly what is happening and, I believe, the ultimate CRIMINAL prosecutions from what happened on January 6th, 2021 will make Watergate PALE in contrast. If you remember, virtually everyone around Richard Nixon who participated in his ASSAULT on our republic ended up in JAIL. (Well, if you’re not as old as me, you might not “remember”) I can see the same result here, despite the lack of WILL coming from the republican party in helping to uncover the TRUTH. Stay tuned………….

Final Thought: My previous post gave my thoughts on Facebook after reading “An Ugly Truth” Inside Facebook’s Battle for Domination by Sheera Frenkel and Cecilia Kang. As I’ve followed the day today, one year after the ASSAULT on our Capitol INCITED by individual 1, it’s just crystal clear in my mind Mark Zuckerberg owns MUCH of the responsibility for what happened that day and for the reality so many Americans continue to believe individual 1’s LIE “the election was stolen.”

I’ve suggested numerous times here republicans who allow themselves to believe the so-called “Big Lie” – and, for that matter virtually anything individual 1 claims (if his mouth is moving, he’s LYING) – are, sadly, STUPID. It’s true they watch outlets like Fox “news,” “Newsmax,” “OANN,” and other right wing propaganda websites – but the evidence of their use of FACEBOOK is overwhelming. Absurd “conspiracy theories” are shared and they go viral.

Here’s how bad it is in the republican party. Today, in Washington DC, the spokespeople for the republicans were Matt Gaetz and Marjorie Taylor Green (Both alleged by some to have been part of the January 6th plot) and, well, to no one’s surprise (no one rational that is) they were once again blaming the INSURRECTION on the FBI – calling it an “inside job.” Yikes! Yet republicans all over the country are falling for this absurd nonsense – and, much of it is because they read it on Facebook, see it on Fox (especially via Tucker Carlson) or the other outlets – or even more extreme places on the internet.

Here’s the part which bugs me – and, now I’m referring to the so-called “mainstream media.” The republicans, long ago, adopted the “Big Lie” theory of the Nazi’s – “coined” by Hitler himself in “Mein Kampf,” and perpetrated by the head of Nazi propaganda, Joseph Goebbels. The theory goes like this: “If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it. The lie can be maintained only for such time as the State can shield the people from the political, economic and/or military consequences of the lie. It thus becomes vitally important for the State to use all of its powers to repress dissent, for the truth is the mortal enemy of the lie, and thus by extension, the truth is the greatest enemy of the State.”

Virtually every person involved in the “mainstream media” refers to individual 1’s claims the “election was stolen,” as the “big lie.” However, I’ve yet to hear ONE of them give the historical significance of the “theory” behind the “big Lie.” This is EXACTLY why I believe individual 1 has become dominant in the republican party – he’s a PATHOLOGICAL LIAR so he fits perfectly as the leader. Most republican insiders (Mitch McConnell, Lindsey Graham, Marco Rubio, yes, even Ted Cruz) fully understand their fuhrer is a LIAR – but, they also believe they can manipulate him to get what they want when is “power” and they believe he’s the “ticket” to their return to the majority. I just wish our media would expose the “root” of the big LIES to the American public – and that democrats would expose it to people who have been sucked in via adds, public events, whatever. Oh yes, they have adopted “The Big Lie Theory” because it works! Yikes!!!

(Disclaimer: I’ve NEVER signed up for ANY of the so-called “social media” apps, like Facebook, Twitter, etc. etc. – unless this is “social media”) I’m presently almost finished reading “An Ugly Truth” Inside Facebook’s Battle for Domination by Sheera Frendel and Cecilia Kang. For years, based on what I’d “heard” I’ve been suggesting Mark Zuckerberg is “evil,” Facebook is “evil,” Twitter is “evil” and I’ve not mentioned the others because I don’t know what they’re doing (although both “Instagram” and “What’s App” are part of Facebook).

When I was still teaching, about something like 10 to 12 years ago I was asked to attend a district technology meeting. The focus of the meeting was an introduction to “Twitter” and it didn’t come across to me as something positive despite the enthusiasm from the (young) members of our district’s technology department. Back then we were just beginning to get computers into classrooms. Most students had access to computers in the computer labs. “Twitter” didn’t come across to me as a responsible way to teach students to “write.” I went back to our administration and suggested they choose someone else for this “project” and that was the closest I’ve come to becoming part of “social media.”

That all being said, everything I ever thought about Zuckerberg has been reinforced and then some reading this book. I’ve written in the past it appears to me the downward spiral which is engulfing America found a mechanism to replicate itself with the advent of Facebook. Zuckerberg, despite his supposed “liberal” leanings, has absorbed the advice of “libertarian” members of his board who seem to support his apparent goal to “rule the world” – at least that’s how it’s coming across to me. Zuckerberg seems to have no concern about the DAMAGE his platform is fueling around the world due to his FOCUS on sucking in users to spend as much time on the platform as possible – sucking them in with algorithms which glorify “sensational” conspiracy theories which are “planted” on their platform by people using Facebook’s system to attack the fundamentals of one democracy after another across the globe.

To me, this is far more SERIOUS than even I had imagined – prior to my reading this book. Zuckerberg’s goal is to have 5 BILLION users! He is determined to “steamroll” anything which appears to be reasonable competition. He paid $19 BILLION for “What’s App” because it was outperforming Facebook “messenger.” I understand neither – although I’ve read where “What’s App” is a way to send encrypted messages so that you leave no trace in case you’re doing something – well, wrong. This was the “app” which, I believe, Jared Kushner was using to communicate with MBS of Saudi Arabia. (Just another example of a member of individual 1’s administration using communications devices which were unauthorized – see the ASSAULTS on Hillary Clinton for using a private email server, even though she turned over relevant communications to the State Department, leading to individual 1 and his minions leading chants of “lock her up.”)

As an aside – both individual 1 AND Mark Meadows, his final chief of staff, were using their personal cell phones during the reign of our TWICE IMPEACHED so-called two time popular vote LOSING (ex) president. Just one more reason I’m wondering “where is Merrick Garland?” If you remember the FBI spending MONTHS investigating Ms. Clinton’s use of a private email server and the FBI’s director, James Comey in essence putting the final “nail” in the “coffin” of Ms. Clinton’s campaign for president? I was watching the polls after Comey “re-opened” the “investigation” of the Clinton emails and it became clear, at least to me, that Comey’s announcement was as much a reason as the Russian interference or the Cambridge Analytica use of Facebook’s “data” in determining the outcome of the 2016 election. (And, keep in mind, individual 1 was planning to contest that election too had, as most suspected, he would lose. Roger Stone had already “coined” the phrase “Stop the Steal”)

So, back to Facebook, and I might as well get right into the data breach which was the result of Cambridge Analytica gathering the “data” of around 90 MILLION American Facebook users. First I’ve got to add Cambridge Analytica was funded by Robert Mercer (and other right wingers) and, at the time, attracting Steve Bannon as a client – two of the original “alt right” Americans – at least they seemed to have “coined” that term. Cambridge “stole” data from MILLIONS of Americans back in 2014 via Facebook’s “open” platform which, essentially, encouraged it via their “openness.” They weaponized this data for use during the 2016 campaign for the benefit of individual 1. (They also played a role in the “Brexit” campaign – pushing for “Brexit.”)

It was actually a professor at Cambridge University named Aleksandr Kogan who discovered the way to collect massive amounts of data from Facebook without the consent of the Facebook users and this “discovery” managed to become the focal point of Cambridge Analytica, a business in Great Britain, which was seemingly focused on being able to “swing” elections one way or the other. who gained the data from professor Kogan. Mr. Kogan used a scheme which took advantage of Facebook’s “Open Graph” program which was set up to, like pretty much everything Facebook does/did, increase the number of users on Facebook and the amount of time they spent on the platform.

I believe it’s credible to believe Cambridge Analytica did swing the Brexit election AND the American election of 2016. Eventually, Cambridge was exposed and shut down, but, I believe, despite their servers being compounded by British authorities, the data collected on Americans using Facebook remained in the possession of sycophants of individual 1 – meaning it may have been weaponized once again in 2020. Regardless, individual 1’s sycophants KNOW how to use Facebook to spread whatever misinformation they wish to spread – with, in essence, Facebook’s blessing!

That being said, Bannon worked with Cambridge Analytica to put the data into “neighborhoods” (or something of the like) – it’s been a couple years since I read “Mind F*cked” by Christopher Wylie who was integral in the dissemination of the Facebook data for Cambridge Analytica (CA). If I remember correctly, he was a student of professor Kogan and ended up working for CA – “Mind F*cked” was his “memoir.” Anyway, the the people whose data was stolen were put into “groups” which were like minded and whose “likes and dislikes” were such they could be “fed” disinformation and, presumably, “falling for it.” What’s more, with the way Facebook was set up to spread information it was estimated the results of Cambridge’s data theft affected around 157 MILLION American households. (That’s a lot) It’s reasonable to surmise CA may have swung not only the American election of 2016 but also the Brexit vote which also took place in the same year.

If you remember, shortly after assuming the “White House,” individual 1 began complaining about “fake news” – which, of course, that means he was promoting “fake news.” Actually, “fake news” was originally the work of the Russians in the “active measures” campaign – of Vladimir Putin – to undermine “Western democracies.” It seemed to me, at the time, that’s where individual 1 got the term, but, in reality, his campaign was weaponizing “fake news” via the CA data throughout the 2016 election cycle. But, as I always say, there’s more:

It was no surprise to me when, as I read “Mind F*cked” (that’s the actual title of the book), that the Russians ended up at the “door” of CA. Sure enough, they got their hands on the same data individual 1’s campaign was using to TARGET groups of American voters and, apparently, the Russians used the same data for their “active measures” campaign against “we the people.” And, of course, it all worked. Combined with Ms. Clinton’s poorly planned out campaign, Comey’s late announcement about Clinton’s emails, the use of CA’s data by both individual 1’s campaign and the Russians it proved enough to make the impossible possible – and, thus the four LONG years of individual 1 laying waste to American “norms” from the “White House.”

At various times Facebook has been “called on the carpet” for the consequences of their “profit over country” approach to business and over and over again the response of Zuckerberg – and his “number two” Sheryl Sandberg – “sorry, we’ll try to do better.” And, of course, they NEVER seem to do “better” and often times it appears to me, as I read the above mentioned book, they don’t really even try to do “better.” Zuckerberg seems to have a singular focus on causing BILLIONS of users to spend more time on the platform so he can monetize their use – by, in essence, doing what CA did in the recent elections – targeting users with advertisements in a plan devised by Ms. Sandberg.

When Zuckerberg is “called on the carpet” and forced to testify before Congress he uses right wing supporters to help him come up with a set of “talking points” which fail to address ANY of the issues Congressional leaders want to address. Facebook executives rely on the reality our Congress is made up with a bunch of “senior citizens” who have no idea of even the questions to ask – and, for questions submitted by their staffs, they have no idea what these question are referencing – allowing Zuckerberg (or, at times, Sandberg) to “spin” his/her way right off of Capitol hill. Employees of Facebook watch the hearings on TV and cheer everytime Zuckerberg or Sandberg “pull the wool over the eyes” of those asking the questions. And, when they can’t reasonably spin their way out of “trouble,” it’s “sorry, we’ll try to do better.”

Zuckerberg and Facebook executives remind me of the republican party I’ve been lamenting about for the past 20+ years. (Prior to that I was CHOOSING to “look the other way”) While reasonable people continue pointing out the THREAT they are to democracies around the world they forge ahead with their plan to, eventually, have 5 BILLION users around the world. There continue to be credible reports Facebook is being used by autocrats to, in some instances, to exterminate their “enemies” aside from the DAMAGE it’s doing to America – where their “algorithms” simply encourage the spreading of mis/disinformation. Conspiracy theorists openly have used Facebook to spread outright LIES and Zuckerberg simply states that’s “freedom of speech.” Even Alex Jones was allowed to spew the LIES about Sandy Hook without consequence for years. To me, it’s sickening!

And, the more you read about Zuckerberg the worse it gets. He’s the epitome of the “geek” who sees the world through the tunnel vision of his platform which was developed while he was in college at Harvard. He’s the classic example of “privilege” who seems to be unable to comprehend the DAMAGE he’s doing to MILLIONS around the world because of his obsession with his “vision.” It reminds me of the movie (I can’t remember the name) where the evil antagonist proclaims “I want to rule the world.” Yikes!!! There seem to me ONLY a few solutions to this problem – and, they come from our Congress which has trouble acting for just about ANYTHING! And, it’s “republicans” who are spreading the bulk of the mis/disinformation so do you actually think Moscow Mitch will allow Congress to act?

There are laws in place which seem to protect these social media apps from liability for the DAMAGE caused by the spread of this GARBAGE on their platforms. Personally, I believe the Facebook problem could be solved by allowing lawsuits when their inaction results in ILLEGAL activity, slander, or defamation! And, when politicians commit offenses – AKA Marjorie Taylor Greene, etc. – they should be able to be held accountable – LEGALLY, as well! As the old saying goes “Freedom isn’t free” – and “free speech” does not allow one person to defame another or cause another to be injured or libeled. If Facebook (and other social media platforms) aren’t “reeled” in, America’s demise will continue!

Final Thought: The reason my focus here is Facebook doesn’t mean I don’t think the other social media platforms are innocent. For Heaven’s sake, Facebook buys out their competition which is why Instagram and What’s App are part of their plethora of smaller “businesses.” And, of course, they get the same Zuckerberg “treatment” – which, in essence says, you can post just about anything you like and it’s considered “free speech.” There are exceptions – I’m thinking of Matt Gaetz – if you get my drift.

Twitter certainly doesn’t get a “pass” from me. From the little I know about “Twitter” there’s a lot of GARBAGE spread around that platform as well. It was good individual 1 was BANNED and recently Taylor Greene’s (personal) account was permanently shut down. However, she still has her official “.gov” account and, I suspect, the same kind of GARBAGE will be sent out to her 400,000 “followers.” It’s been reported republicans have become the masters at “grifting” off of these Facebook and Twitter accounts so Ms. Greene probably will use Twitter’s action against her personal account to cause her to raise a boatload of $$$ from her government account. Stay tuned……………….