I wrote the title to this post before I started typing. I don’t know if Zelensky should get the “peace prize” but he should get something. Some kind of “prize” because, to me, he demonstrates the kind of leader we’ve needed in America for – certainly – the years where Trump has created DAMAGE to our nation that will take at least a generation to overcome. And, it keeps getting worse. But, Zelensky is leading a nation that is fighting for it’s existence – a fledgling democracy willing to put it all on the line against one of the world’s worst tyrants. And, make no mistake, Trump wants to be like Putin and he wants America to be like Russia. He hates our constitutional form of democracy, he hates over half of our people (those like me who are “liberals”), and he hates that he can’t just do whatever the hell he wants like Putin in Russia.

So, while Trump is lifting sanctions on Russia (likely illegally) the Ukrainians were busy attacking Russian data centers. Here’s what is extremely interesting about that. Once these data centers were offline all of a sudden right wing misinformation (dribble) suddenly dropped almost in half from platforms like Xwitter (Musk’s Nazi propaganda site) and on platforms across the EU and UK. For example, the garbage in Germany pushing the AfD (Alternative for Deutchland – a Neo-Nazi movement) and the United Kingdom (this is lies from the same place as the “stuff” which blasted England’s Social Media sites with propaganda lifting up the vote on Brexit) misinformation campaign uplifting Nigel Farage dropped nearly in half once these data centers were hit by Ukrainian drones. Just made it clear for anyone who was a skeptic that the Social Media platforms in the “West” have been infiltrated and infected by Russian troles (bots) for the past decade or more. Russia’s “active measure” campaign.

The Russian active measures campaign is a doctrine of political warfare employed by the Soviet Union and continued by the Russian Federation. This strategy encompasses various covert operations aimed at influencing global events and undermining adversaries. Not only was it actively involved in convincing the British voters to vote in favor of leaving the EU but it was critically involved in helping Trump win the 2016 election – as reported by Robert Mueller in the investagtion of the Trump administration’s connection to the Russians in his first campaign. And, of course, one would have to be on the stupid side to think that help hasn’t been ongoing since – including the upcoming midterm elections where republicans are fearing a shellacking from a so-called “blue wave.”

Now (f)Elon Musk is complaining about the Ukrainians because these Russian “bots” (or whatever the hell you call them) have, in his words, “gone to far.” (It’s the Ukrainians who’ve gone to far in Musk’s words) His right wing toilet of a social media site has lost a third or more of it’s traffic. Now, remember – and I keep reminding anyone who might happen upon one of my posts that this is the same (f)Elon Musk who threw three Sieg Hiels at Trump’s inaugural party – to the apparent notice of no one in the Mainstream Media (MSM). I’m about to begin reading “The Nerd Reich” which is a book that, based on my preliminary scanning, is focused on the reality that our “tech bros” who are arm and arm with Trump hate democracy – they are, in essence, (and, by definition) fascists. And, anyone who doesn’t understand Trump and the Project 2025 “bros” are fascists I would submit have not read the Project 2025 “manifesto.”

As, by now anyone who might have read this far would know, Trump over the weekend simply unilaterally removed sanctions on Russia, made a deal with Putin to purchase 300,000 “tons” of diesel for the U.S. and the world markets in a desperate attempt to bring down the hugely expensive diesel prices which fuels the nations trucking industry and the equipment farmers use to both harvest their crops and plant the future crops. As a former small farmer I have a fairly good understanding of how this impacts not only our farmers, but essentially the cost of groceries for “we the people.” Between Trump’s war and his tariffs on places like Canada the cost of fertilizer has skyrocketed to the point where many farmers are going to be going out of business. I experienced this back in the early to mid 1980’s when policies of the Reagan administration made it impossible for my farm to survive. And, I can tell you it was, at the time, devastating! (For anyone who watches Rachel Maddow on MSNOW you already understand the difference between the way “we” (Americans) measure fuel and the way the Russians measure fuel. “We the people” measure it in “barrels” and the Russians measure it in “tons.” Therefore, when you see Trump trumpeting buying “300,000 tons” of diesel from Russia, well, you know he got that “straight from the horses mouth.” (ie Putin) Suggesting it was Putin who initiated the “deal.” I’d sure like to know what it is that Putin “has” on Trump. Enough said!)

So, while Trump and his cowardly sycophants in the republican controlled Congress are making life miserable for America’s farmers, small business owners. and – in general – working class people they SHOULD be pulling America’s troups out of the Middle East – and, if they must declare victory do so knowing that MOST Americans and people around the world know they are full of BS – as the actual way to get the prices of diesel (and gasoline) to come down not by publicly claiming the Ukrainians should get a new president. When I heard Trump say that all I could think of was “projection” – only in this instance maybe he understands “we the people” need to get a new president.

I’ve said here over and over if Trump serves another two and a half years the DAMAGE will be extremely difficult to overcome. The American voters MUST understand they can’t vote into office another republican president for at least a generation. Plus, once the democrats take control of Congress “we the people” must make it clear to them we don’t expect “business as usual.” Hopefully there will be enough new voices in Congress to begin planning how to implement “Medicare for all.” (Although, I believe it SHOULD be 100% Medicare instead of 80% as it is now. I have Medicare with a supplemental plan to cover the 20% Medicare doesn’t cover. People need to understand it’s time to stop falling for all the scare tactics of the republicans and realize “we the people” SHOULD invest in our own people which, to me, would be the real “America first.” The actions of the Urainians – led by Zelensky – are uncovering much of the plans of right wing neo-Nazi’s not only in America but across Europe and he (and, of course, they) should be thanked for being the leader(s) we don’t have in our own country. I’m not sure there’s another leader in the world I admire as mush as I admire Volodymyr Zelensky and I want to openly thank him! Stay tuned…….

Final Thought: Speaking of “data centers.” One advantage I have as someone nearing the ripe old age of 80 (next fall) is a small bit of wisdom from years of experiencing different aspects of American life. I ended my career as a Middle School teacher (23 years) but I had what I often call as four other lives – based on my working life of around 55 years. I have NEVER had as negative a feeling about anything in the American economy as I have about “data centers” and “artificial intelligence.” It just feels as if “we the people” are being force fed a MONEY making scam by a bunch of “tech bros” who know more about computers than us peons. Every morning when I open my computer I check the financial page and keep reading reports that the SP 500 is being propped up by three or four tech stocks and the market itself is being propped up by the so-called “magnificent 7.”

The companies behind these stocks are being run by a bunch of right wing GREEDY “tech bros” who can’t seem to get rich enough and who could care less about the damage their “discovery” of artificial intelligence will do to our country (and, of course by extension, the world). I’m already seeing examples of what I feared when I first learned of this “deplorable” invention. It is being abused by bad actors – including our own president and his support group and, obviously the Russians – which we can see from the result of their data centers being taken off line. These people have no moral compass regarding what they will do to make MORE MONEY! (and retain power) It’s up to “we the people” to put a stop to this by rooting republicans out of leadership in Congress.

If you’ve followed my rants at all – I started writing on this “blog” in 2008 – you know I’ve been lamenting about the importance of the American people voting the republican party into the History books from “day one.” It’s getting to the point that if we don’t do so in this upcoming election it may not happen. Should democrats prevail in November here’s a few things I expect: First, I expect SOME impeachments – starting with Trump and Hegseth in whatever order makes the most sense. And, the American people should make it clear to republicans in the Senate we expect convictions. (I should also include JD Vance) Next they MUST begin laying out a plan to implement “Medicare for all.” I believe this would provide BETTER health care for Americans at a much lower cost. The last thing I’ll say here – although there are obviously more issues – would be making sure that the EPSTEIN files are published WITHOUT all the redactions protecting Trump and the “Epstein class” from accountability. These SHOULD be the type of things on the tops of the democrats “to do” list if they take control of Congress. As I said above “business as usual” is not acceptable. (I forgot to add this – they MUST begin “clawing back” the taxes America’s BILLIONAIRE class have pilfered over the past 40+ years via the Reaganesque taxcuts “for the rich.” I’ll add more on that next time!)