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Yesterday’s news reports included an item about Canyon County, Idaho, officials who are providing lists of foreign-born residents to ICE.  Placing someone’s name on a list based on their place of birth would seem to be either meaningless or intentionally discriminatory.  What legitimate purpose is served by such a list?  Of the three persons in my household, two are foreign-born. One is a naturalized citizen and the other born a citizen while I was working and living in Japan on a Department of Defense assignment.  Neither has a reason to be on a list provided to ICE unless it is for some illegal, bigoted reason. How many persons on the Canyon County lists are in the same situation?

At a recent Republican rally Mr. Trump accused those opposed to his MAGA agenda of being Communists and not supporting “law and order.”  This from a man who pardoned hundreds of rioters who stormed the Capitol, attacked police and destroyed our seat of Government.  He has sworn to uphold the Constitution (the supreme law of our country) and then tries of ignore provisions of that law governing birthright citizenship, state’s rights to conduct elections and the rights of persons arrested by the Department of Homeland Security.  He has turned the Justice Department into a bastion for retribution rather than institution for equal justice.  Mr. Trump supports “order” which satisfies his whims and the wishes of the wealthy donors who “pay to play.”  His support for equal and honest application of established law is sadly lacking.

I read this morning that the palace ballroom that Mr. Trump is trying to add to the White House will cost nearly a billion dollars.  A high price to pay for a few privileged to dine in luxury on Big Macs.  It is doubtful that the promise that no public funds will be used will be kept since the Trump track record is the opposite.  The Reflective Pool disaster and like projects have been on the taxpayer’s dime.  Predictably, the current administration has shown interest only in projects that enhance the Trump ego or his bank account.  A billion dollars could provide much help to citizens suffering from the effects of floods, tornadoes and fires.  Will we ever give priority to the governed?

As we view the mid-term election results and the comments from the leadership of the two major pollical parties, I note that Republicans call Democrats “communists” and Democrats call Republicans “fascists” with increasing frequency.  As a nonpartisan voter I have viewed the mainstream of each political party in a different light.  Republicans have emphasized free trade, fiscal conservancy and strong defense while Democrats concentrate more on social and kitchen table issues.  As a social liberal and fiscal conservative, I support fully the two-party solutions that we enjoyed for years.  In recent years the positions of the parties have often drifted further to the extremes and away from the center and the compromises that have kept our country great. We need a reset in Congress from extreme to moderation for the good of the country not some isolated pollical objectives.  Compromises are necessary at all levels of government. Think about it when you vote this fall.

I read recently that the Trump Education Department is reducing funds given to the states for programs such as Head Start.  The announcement indicated that student nutrition programs would probably suffer in some states because they are not a standard priority throughout the nation. This is a travesty. Hungry, malnourished students do not perform to their natural ability.  Schools should be providing free breakfast and lunch as a part of every curriculum. This policy would not only be positive for students but would help America’s agriculture industry specifically local farmers near rural schools who could provide many of the menu items

The cyclosporiasis outbreak and the massive recall could have been prevented if the United States producers would universally implement irradiation for all produce before it goes to market. Irradiation will kill nearly all pathogens without discernable change to taste, texture, appearance, or nutritional quality. With the current administration’s reduced monitoring, the public should demand this from producers.

Karl Marx famously claimed that religion was the “opiate of the masses” and used by those in charge to control the population in general. The fanaticism of the Irani leadership and the obsequious following of the Trump sycophants show that the Trump war in Iran is a collision of the narcissistic and fanatic opiates. Demented Don was persuaded by Bibi that he could further self-aggrandize by joining Isreal in the quick defeat of Iran and show the world that he was cheated out of the Nobel Peace Prize.  Bibi could stay out of jail as long has he had a war in progress. Don saw a quick strike, capitulation, regime change or buying off the leadership.  For Trump, self-aggrandizement and/or personal enrichment are the primary motivating factors in any relationship.  Our foreign policy has been reduced to personal whim often based of what our President perceives as a personal insult that he must avenge, an action which demonstrates that he is in charge, or an opportunity for self-enrichment.  Results are less important than his personal satisfaction.  He imagines success and blames others for failure; usually Joe Biden. Fanatics such as the group ruling Iran are rarely persuaded by bravado or money. They are willing to sacrifice the country and their lives for a cause that most of us do not understand. They are fanatical. Before we escalate this war further, we need an honest assessment of the blood and treasure it will take to invade and occupy a country as large as Iran for the purpose of amusing a manchild in the Presidency.

Although not unexpected, it is truly saddening to see the President strive so diligently to discredit election procedures.  Human nature tells us that a few mistakes are predictable in endeavors as large as national elections but these mistakes are seldom significant.  Results which have been challenged in court are rarely proved to be in error.  Whether ballots are cast in person or by mail, whether machine or paper, there is no evidence of widespread fraud or malfeasance. The President and his supporters are undermining the integrity of the elections system for a purpose other than good governance. Is their objective to discourage the average voter from exercising a Constitutional right or are they laying the groundwork for direct military or DHS interference to skew the results to favored candidates? You need to be actively involved by supporting your preferred candidates.

I have been watching the hearings for Todd Blanche’s nomination to become Attorney General and cannot help but feel that the Ringling Brothers are jealous.  Demented Don’s cabinet now consists of the greatest group of clowns ever assembled and he now wants to add a new king to replace Pete Hegseth, Kristi Noem and J.D, Vance each of whom has had a turn in that position. Even the likes of Marco Rubio (who at one time seemed principled) has joined the cast. No matter which idiotic statement comes from the President, they each click their heels, salute and defend.  Does anyone in this administration have the fortitude to tell the emperor that he has no cause before the country goes completely to pot?  We are the laughingstock of most of our allies and directly/indirectly supporting the Putins, Xis and Kims of this world.  Wake up America!

Another day another change in the war strategy of ‘Demented Don’ and his entanglement at the behest of his buddy Bibi.  The reasons for the war vary from a nuclear bomb, to shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, to the ‘scum’ of Iranian leadership.  We are draining our munitions stockpiles, endangering, wounding, and killing troops without clear objectives or strategies. Our ‘Secretary of War’ is incapable of meaningful planning preferring to concentrate on beards, babes and blacks all of which he is trying to eliminate from the military. The ‘Department’ is being remade into a white male Christian Nationalist force committed to the whims of the President not to the Constitution for which members are sworn to uphold. In true authoritarianism ‘Demented Don’ is suggesting that the US will take control of and begin a toll system for ships that transit the Strait of Hormuz.  Said action would directly contradict statements by the Secretary of State when Iran was imposing such tolls.  What’s next?