TODAY'S RAMBLINGS
(Editor's Note:  from now until the end of the war, each blog post will lead with the Ukrainian flag, a reminder that there is an active war in Europe, due to an unprovoked, unwarranted and inhuman attack by Russia.  Russia must stop the war crimes and withdraw immediately.  Putin should be tried in The Hague and executed as a war criminal.)

So much exciting news for the Republicans!  Today was going to be a deep dive into the tyrant Ron DeSantis and his abuse of state power against a private company with whom he disagrees.

But that abuse of power and dereliction of duty is Mickey Mouse compared to those defenders of The Real America, today's Republicans in Congress.

Before going further, please ask yourself:  is there anything?  Anything at all that would result in you not voting Republican, if you're so inclined? 

Because there are text messages documenting the wife of a Supreme Court justice pitching ideas to Trump's chief of staff Mark Meadows on how to keep Trump in power.  Trump himself is on tape asking the secretary of state of Georgia "to just find 11,780 votes" to swing the state to him.  Then, there's the insurrection itself, which obviously was not encouraged by the Democratic party or its members.

And now there's this.

By now, I hope you've heard Representative Kevin McCarthy, the top Republican in the House, talk about the need for Donald Trump to resign from the presidency, after his attempted coup.  If not, here it is.  This was on January 10, 2021 - I sincerely believe every American should and must hear this.

Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy:  "My Recommendation is He Resign"

(And just for shits and giggles, you might want to watch Senator Mitch McConnell, the top Republican in the Senate, talk about Trump and his role in the insurrection.  Oh, heck, and here is Ted Cruz also getting real!)

So, that's it right?  No one would have the mendacity to speak the truth about Trump, have it be recorded and now released, and then somehow still lie about having said it in the first place?  No, no one could go that low, could they?

Well, yes, today's Republican party - in their COMPLETELY FUCKING MINDLESS loyalty to Trump - can.  Here was McCarthy's statement immediately before the recording of his voice was released on Thursday night:

Is there literally nothing that can break this fever?  A leader recorded doing the right thing, but then is such an amazing and total coward, that he lies about doing so?  I love how they released the audio tape of him after he issued the statement denying the story.   

And always remember:  we're talking about protecting Donald Trump.

Consider how different it would be for America if these leaders (LOL) came out and were honest about Trump and their feelings about him?  Or better still, if they had voted to impeach and convict Trump when they had the chance (twice)?

What is wrong with these people (and others)?  Weren't you raised to understand that lying is amongst the worst things one can do as a person?  I know I was.  And wouldn't lying as an elected US congressman about an attempted coup against the United States be about the worst thing to lie about?

Tell me again why the Republicans are going to sweep the midterm elections?   These are the people we want as examples for our children?

Lastly:  if anyone is sitting there thinking "well, all politicians lie", please do a Google search on the word "nuance", and then perhaps "degree".  Nancy Pelosi lies.  Charles Schumer lies.  Kamala Harris lies.  Joe Biden lies.  Absolutely, positively.  No doubt.  100% agree.  They've all lied in the past, are probably lying right now, and will certainly lie again in the future.

But not like this.  Not on things that matter this much.  Because this is everything:  I ask you again to envision an America where the Republicans weren't lying about January 6 (or vaccines or climate change or guns or etc.).  It would literally re-establish faith in our country overnight.  And isn't stitching us back together again as one nation more important than anything?

Instead, we have Kevin McCarthy and far too many like him.  What on Earth would a "liberal agenda" do to America that's worse than a coup?  Yet half the country is ready to look the other way at sedition and treason:  as long as we don't get THE LIBERAL AGENDA!   

But what is this "liberal agenda" in the first place, and if you think one exists, how does it differ from your own beliefs?  And how could it be worse than a party that encourages Donald Trump and the divisions he sows?

I will publish without comment anyone that would care to explain this to me.  Any of it.  But especially why America is now going to sweep Republicans into power in Congress this November. 

(OH, BUT HILLARY'S EMAILS!  BENGHAZI!  KNEELING DURING THE NATIONAL ANTHEM!  OBAMA WORE A KHAKI SUIT!  BIDEN'S GAS PRICES!  GAY TEACHERS ARE COMING FOR YOUR KIDS!  CRITICAL RACE THEORY!  CRITICAL RACE THEORY!  CRITICAL RACE THEORY!)

FROM THE UNWASHED MASSES
It was gratifying to see my cousin, the famed artist Charles Clough, take some time to go deep on last week's blog on toxic masculinity:

 An amazing artist and thinker.  I am excited that it looks like Charlie's going to get on fairchain.art, which seems promising as a focused and quality market for his digital works.

But it's not all serious.  Hunter Deuce and I exchanged some fun photos on the topic of toxic masculinity.  The last one - well, I don't know if it's "toxic masculinity" per se, but it's definitely toxic.

(Be sure to zoom in on this Dodge Ram driver's dietary habits, which he's helpfully displaying with the decal on the right!  Idiocy knows no boundaries, BTW:  this was at a posh supermarket in Pacific Heights here in SF.)

The flag with the assault weapon overlayed on a Confederate flag is a particularly nice touch!   But do try to zoom in on all of this individual's astute political commentary - this guy's a real charmer.

(Fun fact:  the house above is in Tupper Lake, and when I drove by it recently with the avowed Republican Dr. Shelly Murphy, she called it "disgusting" and said it should be "bulldozed".  So at least there's that.)

And the tequila must have gone sour for the perpetually vacationing Max "Madras" Ryder, who took time out to be mean and cruel from another country:

Maybe you and Hunter Deuce could team up on something.  You both clearly have blog envy.

 
Thank you to any one that is reading this newsletter.

KLUF
Still quite bummed about Taylor Hawkins.  Here, on a turn-of-the-century gem from Foo Fighters, is "One by One", this time in a downloadable and uncompressed WAV format.

Taking You as Low as You Go?  Sounds like the Republican Party's fight song.