Expect less, settle for less, while paying more

"Speaking of the Inflation Reduction Act, Joe Manchin is spitting mad over how this came down. He and Joe Biden had an agreement. Should Manchin vote for it, many good things would come Manchin's way. All lies."

"Man oh man. Everything is so dad blamed expensive today!" Or, "A dollar does not stretch as far as it did a couple years ago. Heck, Ten dollars does not stretch very far either!" So say the huddled masses in the still frozen tundra.

As I gaze out on the windy, cold May 1st day, I am thinking about the summer season ahead. It is the season we have been waiting for, and hoping for. We suffered through months of whiteness (no racial slur intended), and slightly over 90 inches of snow. Spring has been slow a coming, and the grim reality of what Washington and St. Paul have done to us is starting to sink in. Not just my thoughts - I am hearing this from all corners as of late. What is it? We can expect less, settle for less, while paying more.

What cost $5 a couple years ago, now costs $10. Filling up your car or truck, now constitutes a major expense. Heating and cooling your house at one time was a manageable expense. Now that expense manages how you will spend the little money you have left. Another bank went belly up, and the Fed has told us to get ready for a recession. Our munitions are at a critical low level, and should war break out over Taiwan, we would be in trouble. Our entire non-critical Army chopper fleet has been grounded due to some recent major accidents. Why? Not enough money for training. 

Our tax servitude is gaining us little joy and not much satisfaction. We have been lied to, and we are used as financial pinatas by dishonest politicians in both Washington and St. Paul. We have recently been told that should we have a good credit rating, and need to make a major purchase, we will get a financial penalty. Why? It is only fair, we are told. You know, that equity thing. Expect less, settle for less, while paying more. 

Our $31T national debt is going to get bigger. Fact. Please don't dispute me on that one. Penn Warton recently looked at the misnamed Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). They thought it was a loser the first time they looked at it. Now, when more facts have been known to them, it is a huge loser. Another trillion or so on our bill. But who cares? AOC, the brain of the House, said to fully implement the Green New Deal, it would cost us over $70T. Where is that money going to come from? Who cares?

Speaking of the Inflation Reduction Act, Joe Manchin is spitting mad over how this came down. He and Joe Biden had an agreement. Should Manchin vote for it, many good things would come Manchin's way. All lies. What is a ray of hope? Manchin will never believe Biden again. I would love for Manchin to flip parties right now. That would help stop the madness before 2024.

Minnesota is not so lucky. We have ceded Minneapolis to the Muslim community. With the five daily calls to prayer (Muslims only), Minneapolis sounds more like Mogadishu. Bottom line? The Twin Cities will ensure that this state remains secular and blue for just about forever. We have become a midwestern New York, California, or Oregon.

This is all sad but true. It is time for the Dakotas to invited most of the normals in our state to join them. I would be all in for that one.

  

 

Ministers hiding Bibles?

"I have said this before. If everyone lived by the standards set forth in the Holy Bible, and followed our Constitution as written - we would have only one political party. There would be very little, if anything to debate."

What in the world is this all about???? Just when you think we have seen it all coming out of the Democrat Party, a Democrat Representative in Arizona, who claims to be a minister of some sorts, was caught on video hiding Bibles in the Arizona chamber. Yes, she is a member of the party who booed God a few years back. She is a member of the party which worships at the shrine of abortion. But for a minister to hide Bibles, so others can't read them?  I would have loved to have asked this woman how that fits into the Great Commission. 

When she was outed for being the one hiding the Bibles, the good reverend said she was protesting the separation of church and state. Huh? Obviously, she skipped history when she was going through some kind of seminary. We have separation of church and state. We do not however, have a government mandated religion in this country. Heck, in Minneapolis, they even allow Muslims to broadcast come to prayer alerts five times a day (and how does that fit into the Great Commission?). So loud, the City Council had to amend city noise ordnances. No, for Democrats, every religion is fine except for Christianity. Why? I have no idea.

Why have Democrats become so secular? This secular trend is also affecting many of our more liberal churches. In the county next to ours, sits a Methodist church with five or six colored doors in front of it. "We are open to all", like other churches are not? And just this week, the kiosk in front of that church was changed to say "Trans rights are human rights." Not quoting scripture - rather quoting the social morays of today's confusing culture.

Here are the facts. By the way, listen to David Barton some time from Wall Builders if you really want a dive deep in these truths. This country, our country, was founded on Judeo-Christian principals. Many of the founders were men of deep faith. They were not secularists. They were Godly men trying to bind together a Godly nation. And if worked pretty good up until the 1960's. And now look at us. A Democrat ministers hiding Bibles, so others can't read them. 

Here is the real bad news for the Democrats. No matter what kind of shenanigans you pull and however much you try to besmirch the Almighty - God is in control. One day, we will all meet God, face to face. You may not think there is a God, nor a Heaven - but there is. You can count on it.  

I have said this before. If everyone lived by the standards set forth in the Holy Bible, and followed our Constitution as written - we would have only one political party. There would be very little, if anything to debate. It is possible you know. Both the Bible and the Constitution are there for all to read and follow. Maybe it is time to try that, before it is too late. Time is not our friend. It might be too late already.   

 

Learning the hard way

"Space the hard way. Expensive and dirty. But - once Starship lifts off, with all Raptors burning, and the launch pad intact - it will all be worth it. If I were a betting man, I would still bet the house on Elon."

Wow! That first launch of Starship was a lallapaloosa! It lifted off for sure, but just about ripped Texas a new one! Kind of reminded me when the Soviets detonated the Tsar bomb over the Artic Sea in 1961. It was almost 4,000 times as powerful as the Hiroshima bomb. And the power of the Tsar explosion shocked even the Soviets who built it. Some thought it could have destroyed part of Russia, it was so powerful. So that was the end of the 50 Megaton bomb development in the Soviet Union.

Back to Starship. In those agonizing seconds, after the Raptor engines lit off, and before the Starship started moving upwards, all hell was breaking loose (literally) on the launchpad. The very stout launchpad for Starship seems was not that stout at all. And - eight of the thirty-three powerful Raptor engines, failed either on launch, of shortly thereafter. 

The post mortem has already started. Much more to come. But right now, some theories are being put forward. One is very troubling. The heat generated by the Raptors is so intense, it might be stressing the metal on other Raptors which are close by. Or - smaller chunks of the concrete from the launch pad might have compromised some of the engines. In any event, Elon has a big problem to fix in a very short time.

But the aftermath of the launch area, is simply awesome. It looks like it had been bombed. In fact, one commentator said it looked like the surface of Mars. Nearby storage tanks took a beating, there is a crater in the Earth, and dirt, sand and dust spread for miles around the area.

Elon thinks he can rebuild the launch site in a month or two, and be ready for another launch. Some NASA experts are thinking we need to learn much more from what happened last week, and take some time in rebuilding. Like maybe a year. We will see. The way Elon thinks and works, a year is like an eternity.

Space the hard way. Expensive and dirty. But - once Starship lifts off, with all Raptors burning, and the launch pad intact - it will all be worth it. If I were a betting man, I would still bet the house on Elon. Within a few years, we will see Starships on the Moon as well as Mars. And what happened last week - will just be a blimp on the radar. 

    

Minnesota's Pagans

"Now please don't get me wrong. I love our planet. This very unique planet (study it sometimes, to find out just how unique it is), was created for us. That being said, I love the Creator of this planet, more than the planet itself."

I remember years ago, when I was on the Board of Management for a large YMCA camp located close to the city, one young lady who worked there told me something interesting. She was a pagan. She told me she believed in Gaia, and not God. In other words, she believed in the creation, and not the Creator. Interesting. I had never met a pagan before.

For those who have never met a true pagan, here is some good news. Most large cities are full of them. Including Minneapolis. Earth Day is a good example. Many urban people have almost a Druidry fascination with the Earth we live on. Not to use it as a gift from God - rather to worship all facets of nature. Earth Day is almost a holy day to them.

Now please don't get me wrong. I love our planet. This very unique planet (study it sometimes, to find out just how unique it is), was created for us. That being said, I love the Creator of this planet, more than the planet itself. I love nature, flora and fauna. I love the stars, and everything we can see in the heavens. 

Speaking of the heavens, years ago my wife and I saw an evangelist and author named Louie Giglio. He did mention once in a while he would talk with an atheist who used the stars as proof that God does not exist. All those wonderful stars and planets were created by happenstance. And the fact the universe goes on just about forever, was their closing argument.

To that argument, Louie had a simple response. God is proud His creation. "You want to see some more?", God might ask, "then build a bigger telescope. I will show you more of my creation."

My neighbor who lived across the ally from us when I was growing up, was a Astronomy Prof at the U of M. He loved the stars. He built a huge telescope in his back yard. He allowed me to view the planets many times through his telescope. But he was a hard core atheist. This was all there is. When you die, you just go into the Earth, to become worm food. No God. No Heaven, Nothing. Sad.

Many eschatologists think we might be in the end times. That Jesus might be coming back sooner rather than later. What is the message? Time might be running out. If you do not have a relationship with God, now is the time to change that. Pagans will not do well when the Day of the Lord comes. Just saying...

 

 

  

The Fox and the hen house

"Sorry Fox. I am trying to feel sorry for you right now. But I am reminded of that old saying. You can't fix stupid. And what you did this past week, was way beyond stupid." 

We sure have seen some dumb things as of late. One at Anheuser-Busch. The other(s) were at Fox News. At Budweiser, some glassy eyed liberal who had been schooled in Woke economics (and somehow got into management), convinced upper management that having a transvestite as the spokesperson for Bud Lite would be a smart thing to do. The rest of the story is now history. Budweiser lost a boatload of customers and money. But who cares? Woke is still the name of the game!

But what happening in the world of beer, was NOTHING compared to what happened at Fox News. Ever since BlackRock took Fox on as a client, Fox became vulnerable to the wacky world of woke. And without Roger Ailes at the helm anymore, and the two Murdock kids running Fox News right now, Fox News was ripe for the picking. 

First came Dan Bongino. A very popular weekend host. That sent shockwaves throughout the conservative community. But that was only the tremor before the earthquake. Tucker Carlson. The person with the highest rated show. Gone. Just like that. Why in the world would Fox let two superstars like Bongino and Carlson go? Woke. Murdock's woke kids did it. BlackRock and ESG were the catalyst. The once stalwart beacon of conservative news, Fox News became vulnerable to leftism attack. 

Where does that leave Fox? According to Brian Kilmeade, who was filling Tucker's slot last night, Fox is looking for a replacement host. Good luck on that one! Tucker and Bongino will end up working somewhere else, and guess what? They will take many of their fans with them. Fox will have to fill the slot with a squish, or continue to have rotating hosts. No conservative in his or her right mind would walk into that booby trap right now. 

BTW - Don Lemon also got the axe yesterday. But who cares? He should have been gone a long time ago. Unlike Carlson and Bongino, Lemon was indeed a lemon. Whereas Carlson and Bongino will land on their feet somewhere else, if MSNBC is full up, Lemon will probably end up on the shelf. Boo-hoo to that one!

Sorry Fox. I am trying to feel sorry for you right now. But I am reminded of that old saying. You can't fix stupid. And what you did this past week, was way beyond stupid. 

  

Gaslighting Natural Gas - Again!

"The upcoming energy crisis we are headed for is totally a self inflicted wound. It is all Brandon who has done this to us. We can change our outlook and future, but we need someone who is not senile nor compromised sitting in the Oval Office. Until then, buckle up. We are headed for the stone ages, and it will be a cold and dark ride."    

The President who 70% of all American adults (NBC poll) don't want to run again, is going to announce big news tomorrow - if the rumor mill is correct. One would think that would be the only news that Brandon has this week. But no way. His unfettered war on our fossil fuels continues. It seems that brown outs will not be enough for this 80 year old tyrant - he now wants black outs also. But how? Slap further restrictions on natural gas power plants. You know - the plants which are much cleaner than the older coal powered plants.

Here is the deal with natural gas. At current consumption, the United States has 90 years of provable supplies remaining. But more and more natural gas keeps being discovered. Plus - the scrubbing technology for natural gas effluents is the best on the globe. That being the case, why in the world does Biden want to go to war with natural gas? Is was not that long ago, the grennies were clamoring to have coal plants transitioned over to natural gas. Now what? Bird killing windmills?

By the way, if we ever get Brandon and the grennies out of power again, where we can use ALL of our fossil fuels, do you know how much coal we have left in this country? Try about 350 years worth. That is the most in the world. Plus, our scrubbing technology has improved every year. One scientist said the United States is now insignificant in carbon effluents, as compared to China and India. Our carbon footprint keeps going down, and China's and India's keep going up. And yet, Brandon wants us back in the stone ages with unproven green technologies.

Even with this much remaining, the United States will eventually run out of fossil fuels. However, but that time, there will be other sources. Better, greener, and more sustainable. But that time is not now. Somebody needs to wake Brandon up and tell him the truth. AND TELL HIM TO STOP CONTAINTLY LYING AND GASSLIGHTING US!

The upcoming energy crisis we are headed for is totally a self inflicted wound. It is all Brandon who has done this to us. We can change our outlook and future, but we need someone who is not senile nor compromised sitting in the Oval Office. Until then, buckle up. We are headed for the stone ages, and it will be a cold and dark ride.    

 

In the land of dumb, this takes the cake!

"So long America. You were good while you lasted. You could survive two world wars, a depression, and more. But you could not survive Joe Biden. He set out to ruin you, and his job is almost complete." 

This was a mic drop. A jaw dropping event. An "I can't believe my ears and eyes" moment. Joe Biden, who never disappoints in surprising (or worse) us, came up with a whopper last week. For all of you saps who have worked so hard to obtain a good credit score, so when you make a large purchase you could get a better rate - you have been played. Played? By whom? Slo Joe.

Starting May 1st, for the sake of equity and unfairness, people with excellent credit will take an additional 1% penalty on interest financed for any major purchase. People who have been credit deadbeats, will get a 1% reduction in their interest rate on a major purchase. Black is white and up is down. Welcome to the twisted thinking of Joe Biden. 

In case you have missed it, the real villains in our society (according to Slo Joe), are white, conservative, Evangelical Christian males, who are responsible. They just ooze with "white privilege". With all the venom that Biden would like to spew at this class of Americans, he has finally found a way. Punish them for their success. Redistribution. Socialism. Communism. Welcome to Biden's America.

What is next after this disruption? Maybe a wealth tax. I mean, that big house of yours, do you really need one that big? Maybe the feds could tax you on the excess, and they see fit. And your retirement money. Do you really need that much? Maybe the feds could help you out with that problem also. And you snowbirds (Dave). Do you really need two houses? The feds don't think so. Pick one - Arizona or Minnesota. If you want two, you will be taxed accordingly.

When I first heard this story, I thought it was a joke. Something out of the Onion or Babylon Bee. But no - it was true. In the land of dumb, this was the dumbest yet. It takes the cake. How bad has Biden become? Robert Kennedy Jr. is actually looking pretty good as compared to Biden. And Kennedy is a kook. 

So long America. You were good while you lasted. You could survive two world wars, a depression, and more. But you could not survive Joe Biden. He set out to ruin you, and his job is almost complete. 

 

Hey Earthlings! It's Earth Day!!!

"Earth Day, mirth day. A day full of hypocrisy. It has been phony baloney since day one, and it still is. As far as I am concerned, they can shove this virtue signaling day. Shove it where the sun don't shine. That is, unless the greenies think we are killing the sun also."    

I have some bad news for Joe Biden and his ilk, who think we are wrecking the Earth by not having almost total "green energy". We are not wrecking the Earth. In fact, here is the facts of life. Even if Russia and the United States emptied their nuclear arsenals on each other, the Earth would still be here. We would not, but the Earth would be. In fact, there is nothing we could do which would "destroy" this planet. Even an asteroid can't destroy it. All we could do is cause and ELE (extension level event). Then at some time, should it be the will of God, life would reappear. 

What then, should I celebrate today? The fact that Al Gore said by this time, all our mountains would be without snowcaps, and all our glaciers would be melted? Sorry - never happened. In fact, this "drought of the century" in California ended this winter, with a buttload of rain and snow. And the "not as serious drought" in Minnesota, ended with lots of rain and over 90 inches of snow this winter. Life goes on, even on Mother Earth.

Should we celebrate our coming brown-outs and black-outs? Brought to us by the freak show in Washington? Keep in mind, we have hundreds of years of fossil fuels remaining. We are going to get rid of our fossil fuel and ICE cars, and then we will all drive EVs starting in the next 10 to 15 years. But wait - where are we going to get the material to make the EV batteries? China, of course. They will get the Lithium from Afghanistan (the stuff we surrendered when we retreated). And, let's not forget about the poor underage children in the Congo. They are forced to mine Cobalt in the most dire of conditions. But who cares? Now instead of "blood diamonds" coming out of Africa, we have "blood batteries." Does Biden know about this? Sure does. But care, he does not.

And you do-gooders, who love to show off your environmentalism (virtue signaling), please remember where the batteries in your Tesla came from. And remember where the power to charge your EV batteries comes from (hint: it ain't windmills!). And you might feel pious that Biden put the Duluth Shield off limits for copper/nickel mining. The largest untapped deposit on Earth, will remain untapped. The number of union jobs (right, Joe?) that could have been created to safely mine up north, would have been legions. But who cares? We have plenty of impoverished kids in Africa to do our dirty work for us. How is that for your "equity", Brandon?

Earth Day, mirth day. A day full of hypocrisy. It has been phony baloney since day one, and it still is. As far as I am concerned, they can shove this virtue signaling day. Shove it where the sun don't shine. That is, unless the greenies think we are killing the sun also.    

 

The twists and turns of Title IX

"Twists and turns. That is what Biden is doing right now to appeal to any and every one-off constituency. Who is Biden against? China? Russia? Nope. MAGA Republicans. Go figure..." 

In June of 1972, a bill was signed into law. It was to correct some of the inequities of men's sports to woman's sports. Prior to that bill being signed into law, if a female wanted to try out for a sport in the high school I went to, it was cheerleading or dance line. Period. Now, woman's athletics are as vast in most schools, and one could imagine. No woman's football as yet, but who knows? That might be in the future.

When the bill passed, it had strong bipartisan support (remember that term - bipartisan?). 135 Democrats voted in favor of it in the House. With Republican support, it passed the House with a veto proof majority. It was signed into law, and woman's sport began the big journey into sports participation and recognition. The rest is history - that is, until Biden became President.

For some reason, Biden has a soft spot in his heart for transgenders. So much so, he is ready to upset the applecart of woman's sports. How is that? Biology. Biden believes that should a guy feel like he is a gal, it is alright to compete in woman's sports. Take Lia Thomas for example. An average swimmer when he/she was a guy, Thomas decided to become a gal. Then boom! He/she was the best swimmer on the woman's team! Still a guy, but thinks like a gal. And all of a sudden, Title IX started to bend under the strain of anti-biology.

Biden, has spread his passion for transgender sports to the entire Democrat party. Recently, a bill passed the Republican controlled House which would have protected woman's sports against transgender males. It passed, but did not have ONE Democrat vote in favor of it. The same party which helped shepherd Title IX over the finish line in 1972.

Even though the House passed it, the Democrat controlled Senate will not. And Biden would veto it should the bill reach his desk. Where does that leave woman's sports? Unknown. Where does that leave the Democrat Party? Lost and confused. Out of touch. 

Twists and turns. That is what Biden is doing right now to appeal to any and every one-off constituency. Who is Biden against? China? Russia? Nope. MAGA Republicans. Go figure... 

Stupid spending by sleepy bureaucrats

"Watching the 'negotiations' between the Speaker and Biden recently has been a knee slapper. Will the outcome slow or reduce our national debt? Probably not. Then why are we doing it? What is the plan, man?"

Ever wonder why our spending in this state is so out of control? Why our national debt is going up over a trillion dollars a year (sometimes multiple trillions)? Because (please forgive me for using a cruel word) - out federal, our state governments, do stupid spending. How do I know? When I was on Jeff Johnson's team when he was running for governor, my eyes were opened to how much waste and fraud there is in government. Jeff wanted to take every government program, and then dissect it. Find out 1) If it was still useful, and then 2) If it was efficient and effective. That was too much analysis for the average Minnesota voter. They wanted to be gaslighted by Tim Walz instead. So the stupidity continues.

This morning on the news, was another perfect example of stupid federal spending. Afghanistan. We are sending taxpayer money to Afghanistan, to help the poor, impoverished Afghan civilians. And guess who is getting the money in Afghanistan? The Taliban. We are sending it directly to them. How stupid is that? And guess who is getting the money meant for the impoverished Afghans? Terrorists. ISIS-K. Al-Qaeda.

And, I will not even go into the Wuhan Lab in China. The fact our government sent money to partially fund the Wuhan Lab, when that lab might be the source of the deadly Covid-19 virus, is stupid beyond stupid. 

By the way, did you hear that our Central Command is now projecting that Afghanistan is producing resurgent terror groups. And ISIS-K is less than 6 months from being equipped to attack America? Yet another dividend from our retreat from Afghanistan.

BTW - did you hear all the lithium that Afghanistan has? The stuff EV batteries are made from? China is working on a deal to buy that stuff from Afghanistan. Gosh, we sure could have used some of that lithium for Biden's EV plans. Oh well...

Stupid spending. Any more examples? Oh, heck yes! Way too many for this article. Smart spending by government on the other hand, would be a very short list, and could fit in this short article nicely. When government bureaucrats feel that OUR taxpayer money is nothing more than monopoly money, that is when the stupidity begins. And nobody, on this planet, spends our hard earned money with more stupid abandonment, than Brandon does. Even asleep, he can spend more of our money than most of us do, when wide awake.

Watching the "negotiations" between the Speaker and Biden recently has been a knee slapper. Will the outcome slow or reduce our national debt? Probably not. Then why are we doing it? What is the plan, man? How about we start with cancelling the misnamed Inflation Reduction Act? Never happen. Instead, we will continue to pour good money after bad, and then blame the other side for our debt.

I penned an article yesterday about the post-Boomer generation. How they need to get fired up about this mess. I know, I know - the Boomers made this mess. We are guilty as charged. But for the love of Mike, somebody needs to clean up the mess in our aisle. Why? Because this mess will soon become the cleanup in your aisle. And that is the truth,      

Hello? Gen X? Millennials? Gen Z? Join the fight!

"Soon, this will be your country, your world, kiddos. You can blame us for mucking some of it up. That will be fair. It is also true the Greatest Generation left us a much better world than yesterday's hippies (us), are leaving you."

Hello? Anybody home in the post Baby Boom generation? This world, with all the warts and bruises, will soon be yours to control. The Greatest Generation are now all but gone, and the Baby Boomers are on their way out. What does that mean? Gen X, you are in the on deck circle. Time to pay attention. Time to get involved. Stay off your dang phones, and start watching the real news! 

Recently, I quit going to political events. Why? Looking around, especially at state conventions, I saw a whole lot of old white guys. Also some not as old gals, and very few young folks. I quit going because I have had my ride at the park. It was time for the young folks to take over. Why? Most every issue will affect them, more so that us old codgers.

For example - this session, the trifecta of socialists running (ruining) Minnesota have fundamentally changed everything good, to everything bad. ALL OF WHICH will affect the youngins much more than the Baby Boomers. Besides all of which, if things get too bad, Baby Boomers can pull up stakes and move. Move to a better state.

And Social Security. Please pay attention to this one. The Baby Boomers are probably okay on this issue. But this "Ponzi Scheme" retirement fund is going belly up. Gen X, Millennials, and Gen Z, are paying into a fund of which they might not get much back from. Hundreds of thousands of YOUR dollars - might be gone before you can collect. And yet, when someone in Congress (usually a Conservative) suggests replacing Social Security with a better, more sustainable fund, fools like Biden come out and gaslight the issue. Meanwhile, every year the fund gets thinner, and thinner and thinner. 

There is so much right now that young people need to be aware of (and fight for), I won't even go into much more. Baby Boomers know of which I am talking about. The challenge for our future, is to get the post Baby Boomer generation to start taking the red pill instead of the blue pill. I mean, closing you eyes and ignoring the problems will not make them go away. 

Soon, this will be your country, your world, kiddos. You can blame us for mucking some of it up. That will be fair. It is also true the Greatest Generation left us a much better world than yesterday's hippies (us), are leaving you. For this, I apologize. Your deserve better. All I can tell you is to grab the wheel and stay out of the ditch. Or, keep driving into the ditch, and watch America become just like Europe or Canada.   

 

Urban Deserts

"Here is the irony. The Yellow Dog Democrats, who suffer the most under this mismanagement in the cities, end up voting for the same chumps over and over and over again. Is that not insanity?"

Back during the Floyd riots, when criminals burned down part of Minneapolis, they torched over 1,000 businesses. One of the stores they destroyed, was the Target Store in Uptown. That really hurt, as many of the local residents used that store. Who did this destructive protest really hurt? The people. It created another urban desert. And that practice continues today. Welcome to mayhem.

On the news as of late, are stories of more and more stores calling it quits in urban areas. Why? Here is an example. When I worked in manufacturing, we had a metric called "scrap and attrition". That number was baked into the price of a good. Over time, should you operate better than that scrap and attrition number, good on you. However, if you did not, your realized profit was smaller. Sometimes, you operated at a loss. The same is true for a retail store.

If a retail store has a loss percentage of 5% (loss being theft or pilferage), and over time that loss percentage goes up to 10%, the store has a difficult decision to make. Raise prices, eat the loss, or leave. Recently, in some cities (like Chicago and Portland), stores have lost so much money, they are throwing in the towel and leaving. Not just mom and pop stores - big stores like WalMart. And grocery stores. And drug stores.

Last weekend in Chicago, there was another example of feral youth, out at night way too late, destroying property, and harassing innocent people. A couple of folks were shot, and some were beaten. It was like a scene out of a dystopian movie. Since many Soros funded DAs have decided to look the other way to crime (except Donald Trump), the mayhem continues with little if any, arrest and prosecution.

What is happening to many big blue cities is this. Stores are leaving, and cops are resigning. Many cities are way below their authorized policing numbers, because fewer and fewer people want to take this once noble profession on as a career. Too much down side, and too little up side. Even if you risk your life to arrest a punk doing wrong, the DA will let that punk slide. And it becomes deja vu over and over and over again.

Here is the irony. The Yellow Dog Democrats, who suffer the most under this mismanagement in the cities, end up voting for the same chumps over and over and over again. Is that not insanity? Just asking. Meanwhile, the cities have become "no go" zones for those who do not want to get robbed, beaten or carjacked. 

Meanwhile, urban deserts will continue to grow. Why? We get the government we deserve. Just look at Minneapolis as Exhibit "A" for that axiom.     

Elon, Google and AI

"Stay tuned on this one folks. This will be a hot topic for years to come. In the meantime, be nice to your Alexa or Siri. Why? Some day we might be answering to them, instead of them answering to us!"   

I know I have recently addressed this AI issue. But holy smokes, is this ever front and center in the news as of late! Tucker Carlson has a special with Elon Musk to discuss status and future of AI, and then Sundar Pichai (the head of Google), was on 60 Minutes to discuss the same subject. It is like, all of a sudden, AI is the topic de jour to discuss with the AI Captains of Industry.

Not only that, but all of a sudden, my You Tube feed, and tech sites I follow, are full of recent articles concerning AI. All kind of new lingo is being thrown about. ChatGPT, GPT-3.5, GPT-4, and the soon to be announced, GPT-5. And examples of each are free to watch on different sites. It is unique and sometimes downright scary. Especially GPT-4, where all you need to do is say something (such as pink taxies on a downtown street), and poof!. All of a sudden the computer generates an image of pink taxies on a busy downtown street.

But GPT-5 will take this even further. It not only constructs an image based on some words you put in text, it will make those words into a video! I saw an example of this also, and it was simply amazing! All I could think about was if things are this advanced with GPT-5, what will GPT-6 hold? It boggles my mind just to think about it.

But the mic drop moment came from Sundar Pichai of Google, when asked an exact question on how this entire AI thing works. With a moment of true honesty, he relied, "We don't really understand how it works." All I could think about when I heard that, is Frankenstein's Monster. Once the monster was created, and was unleashed on the world, Dr. Frankenstein had no idea on how to control it. Why not? He did not really understand what he had just created. The rest of that story is history.

I have said this in my last article I wrote on this subject, and heard it again last night from an AI analyst - the horse is out of the barn on AI. Too much development is going on, my too many companies, in too many countries. The development of AI is not going to stop - it will continue. Too many future inventions and devices will be dependent on it. One expert said we need to put government "curbs" on the development, as to slow it down a bit. Good luck with that one! How can you "curb" something you don't really understand? 

Are we creating a Skynet, or a HAL from 2001, A Space Odyssey? Or will this be a tool for mankind which will allow us to create and invent the stuff that fantastic and fantasy are made of? Items with will allow us to take that next big, big leap in technology. Heck, maybe it will only just make gaming more fun. We simply don't know at this point in time. But the caution flags are out there. Put down by more than one technology expert.

Stay tuned on this one folks. This will be a hot topic for years to come. In the meantime, be nice to your Alexa or Siri. Why? Some day we might be answering to them, instead of them answering to us!   

    

"I've got a secret!"

"I am anxious to learn what happened in our security controls which would allow a 21 year old gamer to gain access to material so sensitive, in my time as a LCDR with a high level clearance, I would have never been 'read in' to have access to it."

Not to show my age, but when I was a lad, there was a family show my folks and I would watch every week. It was called "I've got a secret". It was on from the early 50's to 1967. That was quite a run for back then. So why bring this up? When watching this show as a boy, never did I think that I would be the one keeping secrets shortly after getting out of high school. But I was. And I did.

When I was 20, I was granted a high level clearance. One of the highest the government had. Even at that tender age, the significance of that did no escape me. I was entrusted with some of the highest secrets the Navy, and the country, had. I was proud of the fact my life's path had led me to this honor. Truthfully, I think my folks were as much shocked as they were proud!

Why bring up this ancient history? Because I still know a thing or two about guarding classified material. Earlier this year, I was shocked at the revelation that not only President Trump had classified information at his Mar-a-lago residence, but also Joe Biden had it stashed all over the place. Going back to when he was a senator (which would be a huge no-no). And then finding out the squeaky clean Mike Pence had some classified info at his residence. Regardless of who had highly classified information outside of a certified SCIF, it blew my mind. It violated everything I was trained to do in safeguarding classified information.

This young 21 year Airman, who is accused of taking and then revealing numerous documents of the highest classification, really was a jaw dropper for me. First off, when I was 21 and had a high level clearance, I had access to very little, if any, documents which I had the clearance to view. Why? Need to know. And if I had the need to know, protocols were in place to protect those documents. Even if someone with a clearance wanted to take a classified document, it would have been next to impossible. 

My last active duty, as a LCDR with a high level clearance, involved being at NSA doing a "lessons learned" from intel gathered during Desert Storm. My desk was out in the open, visible to many. Every time I needed to check out a classified document to use as reference, there were iron clad controls. How could I get access to the documents I needed? First off, I had the need to know. Next, NSA had iron clad security procedures. Finally, I had my own integrity. I finished the job, turned it in, and then checked out and left for home. Shortly thereafter, I was debriefed at the reserve center, surrendered by clearance, and then retired. My 21 year Navy career was then complete.

I am anxious to learn what happened in our security controls which would allow a 21 year old gamer to gain access to material so sensitive, in my time as a LCDR with a high level clearance, I would have never been "read in" to have access to it. But this E-3 did. And he might have upset the apple cart with our friends and foes alike. 

For him to disclose that NATO special forces (including ours), were on the ground in Ukraine, possibly engaging Russian troops, was a show stopper. That one piece of information, is so sensitive, it could have (or still might) trigger a much broader war. Plus - the fact that we disclosed what allies were doing, might have done immeasurable damage to their trust in us. All because of some gaming site? This young man has no clue how many years he will be imprisoned for this thoughtless act. He will be a pariah in this country for the rest of his natural life.

"I've got a secret". Really? If so, then keep it. Secrets are shared due to trust and integrity. Obviously, this young man had neither.  

The Great Reset, is starting to reset

"We are being played folks. Only the (dare I say this now?), the red pill folks realize it. The minions of blue pill folks have put their blinders on and have taken a huge swig of denial. When they wake up to what is really happening, it will be too late. Meanwhile, our great nation will be slipping into the dust bin of history."

My wife and I recently finished watching "The Chosen". All three seasons. It was a wonderful experience. Two of the memorable lines from the series were, "Normal is not coming back", and "Get used to different". Those lines referred to Jesus and His ministry of hope. Amen to that! But those lines also make me think of what is happening today.

When I first heard about the Great Reset, I thought it might have been another way for Glenn Beck to sell a book based on fear. I was dead wrong. The Great Reset is real, and might be happening right now, right in front of our eyes. Here are some thoughts/examples of the recently arrived Great Reset:

• What is happening to our food production? Last June in Wright County, we lost 200,000 hens to a fire. That egg factory was one of the largest in the country. And just recently, we lost 18,000 milk producing cows in Texas, also to a fire. Both received very little press coverage. And there has been others...
• Our land (big chunks of it), is being bought up by billionaires (like Bill Gates) and the Chinese government. Why? For spying? To idle the land so it can't be used for food production? What then? 
• Ever since the start of the year, we have had over 70 attacks on Christian houses of faith. Mostly evangelical Christians. And our President does not miss an opportunity to take a shot at other Christians. Especially the ones who are anti-abortion - like Evangelicals. Never mind what the Bible says...
• Another item which is getting very little coverage, is the diminution of our dollar, worldwide. Why? Our debt for one thing. Many countries who at one time saw our dollar as the rock to hold on to, are starting to look for other currency. Our dollar looks faux to many. How bad would it be for our country to lose the dollar as the world's standard? Unknown, but many financial experts think it would make us a much poorer country.
• War. We are very close to war with nuclear advisories. Anyone who thinks we are not, might be smoking some bad weed. With the massive disclosure of classified material recently, it appears that we are in more danger than we ever imagined. If you can believe anything you read or hear these days, Ukraine is losing, Egypt and China are helping the Russians, and NATO has special forces on the ground in Ukraine. Our government has lied to us, over and over again. If you have not prepped yet, now would be the time to start.
• And by the way, how in the world did a 21 year old, E-3 reservist get access to the most secret stuff from the CIA, NSA and DOD? Have things changed that much under Joe Biden? Or was this all a ruse? Like I say, you can't trust anything anymore.  
• Joe Biden's EPA has decided without asking any of us, we will have strict new emission standards for our internal combustion engines by early in 2030. So strict, that most internal combustion engines will not be able to qualify. But the EV's will be. The EPA's goal is to have over 60% EV in the 2030s. Never mind most will not be able to afford an EV. Never mind we won't have enough charging stations. Never mind that even if we did have enough charging stations, we don't have enough power to charge the stations. And never mind the batteries don't work well is colder climates.
• Yesterday, Joe Biden announced he will be giving all "Dreamers" access to state funded Medicare. Many border states are already bending under the strain of millions of illegals. The AG of Texas said this latest dictate of Biden will cause some states to go bankrupt.
• Our children in government schools are being sexualized. Some of the books they have access to have appeared online. It is pornography for kids. Many also want kids to witness drag queen events. Story time by drags. When parents have protested this debauchery, the DOJ has unleashed their goons on the parents.
• Transvestites, who are a minute minority in this country, are now being given enormous rights. The government is telling us it is okay for boys who dress as girls, to compete in girls sporting events. It is ruining women's sports. We are also being told that men can mensurate and also have babies.

There are more to this sordid list, but I think you get the picture. We are being played folks. Only the (dare I say this now?), the red pill folks realize it. The minions of blue pill folks have put their blinders on and have taken a huge swig of denial. When they wake up to what is really happening, it will be too late. Meanwhile, our great nation will be slipping into the dust bin of history.

The Great Reset. Many on the left think this is hogwash. Okay, I will bite. Then explain to me what in the world is going on? How in a bit over two years, we have gone from MAGA to a shit show.        

 

Tyranny, Inc.

"With only 6% of our population showing interest in buying an EV, Biden using his tyrannical powers, is going to force over half of us to buy and EV - in the next 10 year! But most don't want an EV. Tough toenails."

When I was a lad, studying history in school (back when schools taught real history), I remember learning about why our country fought its war of independence. Quite frankly, the early settlers did not want to live under tyranny from England. They wanted freedom. Liberty. After we won our war of independence, that all worked very well for many years. The "American Experiment" worked nicely. That is - up until recently.

I would hope now that our President is on his "busman's holiday" in the British Isles, he could get caught up on some of our history. Seems he forgot the part about freedom and liberty. Joe Biden, thinks he is channeling King George from yesteryear. Only King George seemed to understand a whole lot more about freedom and liberty than Slo Joe does. 

This dictate which came our earlier this week from the EPA is yet another example. With only 6% of our population showing interest in buying an EV, Biden using his tyrannical powers, is going to force over half of us to buy and EV - in the next 10 year! But most don't want an EV. Tough toenails.

The EPA will make emission standards so severe on regular cars and trucks, they will not be able to pass muster. EVs will be the only solution for many. Thus, when King Joe says jump, your response is how high and how far. Buy the EV you don't want and can't afford, and shut up.

Rumors are swirling that the EPA also has designs on our air conditions. And the push to get rid of gas stoves is still being kicked around. We have plenty of untapped energy in our country. Hundreds of years of it. It belongs to all of us. Who made Biden king of the hill, that he could mandate not using our own energy? Why can't we mine the Duluth Shield for much needed copper and nickel? And by the way, our own dictator Walz is the same way. Democrats are tyrants. From my viewpoint, they are all of them, petty dictators. And people who keep voting for them, are nothing more than fools.

One more thing about this EV nonsense. Did you know that if you drive though some deep water, and the battery gets wet, it could short out, and overheat to an extent where it would catch fire? How about that for a carbon footprint! Also, in northern states, during extreme winter weather, the EV batteries lose 40% of their charge. But who cares?

Biden has brought us sky high inflation, a looming recession (per the Fed), hyper dependence on China, inches from nuclear war, men who think they can have babies, and alienation from many of our friends and allies. Did I mention he is also corrupt to the core? He is a tyrant, a petty dictator, and a fraud.

The only reason the people are not clamoring for Biden's impeachment, is "Kackles" is in the on deck circle. Yes, things could actually get worse. Much worse. 

 

Hiding Biden, strikes again!

"The Democrats can try to make Trump into a boogie man as much as possible, but the real traitor is in Ireland right now, searching for his family roots. Let that thought marinate for a while."

Where is the world is Slo Joe now? Just in case you are wondering or interested, Rome (that would be us), is burning. And after yesterday, the burn went from only some hot embers, to a five alarm conflagration. But not to worry. With our country, and most of the world on fire right now, Slo Joe went to the world's most dangerous hot spot. Where is that? Ireland. Ireland? What the Sam Hill for? He and Hunter went over there (on Air Force One, paid by us), to search out their roots. Rumor has it Biden's great, great grandfather supplied the bricks to a castle, made to protect everyone from the great, great grandfather of Corn Pop.

Meanwhile, the greatest leak of highly classified information in the history of classified information, is now available for all to see. Classified information, ranging all the way from Confidential, to Super Fantastic. Some of the information is so damning, that it just might have put us one step closer to a boots on the ground to fight Russia.

For those of us who have handled mucho classified information in our military career, the question begs to be asked - how in the world could this have happened? What ever happened to chain of custody? SCIF protocol and safeguards? Anything? Or are things in the Biden circus that willy nilly? The chilling part of this story is not only do the wizards of smart in this administration not know how it happened, but they don't know if this is the end of it. There could be a lot more. Biden's crew simply does not know the answer as yet.

If Biden was only just inept, that would be bad enough. If Biden was only just corrupt, that would be bad enough. But to be corrupt and inept, is a nation wrecker. How bad are things right now? I don't know if Donald Trump became President again in 2024, and had 75% majorities in the House and Senate, if he could put Humpty Dumpty back together. Yes, things are broken that bad right now.

Plus the lies. The constant bald face lies. We now have empirical evidence that Biden and Hunter worked together on overseas business dealings when Slo Joe was Veep. Even though Joe swears he did not. And to find out now we have boots on the ground in Ukraine (albeit not many), when Biden swore we never would, is another lie.

Plus, we found out this week that Egypt and France have stabbed us in the back. France is a NATO ally. But Egypt is now working with the Russians (after we have given them billions), because as soon as Slo Joe took over from Trump, Joe walked away from the Abraham Accords. Why in the world would Joe doe that? Over something that historic and peace making? Because Trump did it. He crafted the agreements. And the visceral, seething HATE that Biden has for Trump, has guided much of Biden's misguided policies. 

As the putrid aroma of these intelligence leaks start to sink in all levels of Washington, expect to see dozens, maybe hundreds of Congressional investigations. The Democrats can try to make Trump into a boogie man as much as possible, but the real traitor is in Ireland right now, searching for his family roots. Let that thought marinate for a while.      

Biden's Tic Toc Brigade

"Good luck going forward folks. We will need luck for sure. Unless the Republicans learn how to fight this dark strategy of the Dems, we are finished. Not just my words - I have heard this from informed conservative pundits also. We either get smart and win, or we are finished. It is as simple as that."      

Well, the cat is now out of the bag. We know the strategy the Dems will be using in 2024. The scary thing is this - it might actually work. Is this a cogent strategy? Not really. But because of the lameness in many of today's voters, it might work. Heck, it worked in Arizona and Wisconsin.

Tic Toc. The evil software plant the ChiComs have unleashed on us. It has ability to send scads of information back to Mother China. Information about all who use Tic Toc. Wait - aren't we wise to this one? That we are thinking about banning Tic Toc? Think again. Our misguided youth will continue to use Tic Toc. It has become their "go to" program on their ubiquitous phones. And because it will be a tool of the DNC, there is no way on Planet Earth that Biden would sign up to get rid of Tic Toc. 

So what happened in Arizona and Wisconsin? How in the world did Arizona get a clunker like Katie Hobbs when Kari Lake was running against her? And how in the world did Wisconsin lose the Supreme Court seat? By a lot? Answer - "influencers" using Tic Toc. The Dems flooded the zone (so to speak) on college campuses in both Arizona and Wisconsin. One simple message went out on Tic Toc to the uninformed masses. "Republicans bad, Democrats good." That is all it took. The rest is history.

Biden's handlers are all over this right now. They are pulling together an army of misguided youth who are very adept at Tic Toc and sophism. Plus, they must be 30 or younger, and total robots. They are products of years of government propaganda, courtesy of our public school system. In any event, it is rumored that a special room will be supplied to them in the West Wing of the WH. The room will be used by the "influencers" and (hang on) - the son of George Soros.

What then is the strategy for 2024? More of the same. Flood the zones of all the cities which contain institutions of brainwashing (colleges and universities). Using Tic Toc, the Dems will construct an army of voters so vast, they will swamp any numbers the Republicans could muster. Our own kids, will aid in the destruction of this fine country. How could they be so cowed to do so? The "boiling frog" system. Start them early in Pre-K. Have the brainwashing begin small and innocuous. By the time they are in college, they will be full blown converts to the dark side.

Now we know. We know what we are up against. All of a sudden it hit me. This old man, the worst president in American history, could actually win again. And our country will end up looking like France - or worse. China will rule the world, Russia will continue to cause war and turmoil in Europe, and the United States will struggle to keep the lights on. All because of Tic Toc and hundreds of thousands of uninformed minions. 

Good luck going forward folks. We will need luck for sure. Unless the Republicans learn how to fight this dark strategy of the Dems, we are finished. Not just my words - I have heard this from informed conservative pundits also. We either get smart and win, or we are finished. It is as simple as that.      

Clamoring for war

"Here is my advice to the homeland. The days of 'walking softly, but carry a big stick' are long over. Now our 'woke' government have made us a joke. We are a paper tiger, compared how we used to be. Our shameful retreat from Afghanistan proved that out."

It was a blessed Easter! Lots of joy and celebration! However, in the midst of all that joy celebrating our Risen Savior, something very sinister and dangerous is going on in the South China Sea. The war drums are beating. Communist China, who has zero stake in Taiwan, is getting ready to envelope and absorb this tiny island into the land mass of China. By force. If it costs millions of lives, who cares? If it destroys this vibrant economy, again, who cares. Red China is clamoring for war, and that is all we need to know.

Communist China is playing war games, right off the coast of Taiwan. They are within inches of having a seaborne embargo of the island. But don't worry, we have sent in one (1) destroyer into the fray to "show the flag". And here we have the rub.

The analogy I like to use, is the United States military is like a championship pro sports team (a few years past). Since that championship season, the United States has lost key players to free agency, and have spent little to gain back our greatness. Bottom line? Right now, our military is undermanned, outgunned, and stuck in a morass of "woke" leadership.

Red China on the other hand, has gone from a JV military to one which wants to "compete for the crown". They are big, they are outfitted, they are bad. A non-nuclear "dust-up" between China and the United States, makes me shudder. I worry that we could lose thousands of our young men and women, many of our ships, and ultimately - the war. 

Here are the facts. Ukraine has bled us dry. Biden has no clue, no clue what-so-ever, how to jump start our industrial base. I keep reading reports we have only weeks left in stock of 155 mm "arty" shells and certain types of missiles. We have promised many weapon systems to Taiwan, and delivered little so far. And yet, we have Chairman McCaul over in Taiwan right now, telling China they better "watch it", or they will have us to deal with. Our boots on the ground. Huh?

Here is my advice to the homeland. The days of "walking softly, but carry a big stick" are long over. Now our "woke" government have made us a joke. We are a paper tiger, compared how we used to be. Our shameful retreat from Afghanistan proved that out.

Time to either buff up our military, or time to stand down. Spilling our blood and treasure over lost causes is in nobody's interest. 

 

Is your church charismatic, apostolic and/or evangelistic?

"For those who have a busy Easter weekend coming up, with faith, family, and fellowship - enjoy this season! On Sunday, our most holiest of days, only one thing needs to be said. 'He is Risen! He is Risen indeed!'"   

Today is Maundy Thursday. It is the start of Holy Weekend in the Christian Church. It is when Jesus and his disciples gathered together for their last supper. Really, it was the first communion. That is where Jesus gave us the words of institution for communion, which are still used today.

Some churches worship on Maundy Thursday. Some do not. Some of the newer non-denomination churches, may worship only on Easter Sunday. Some may also have worship services on Good Friday, for a Tenebrae Service. Our church is doing something different this year. No Thursday service, but a Good Friday experience service. Holy Communion, with worship at stations of the cross. And - it will be for the entire family. Kids are encouraged to sit with mom and dad.

For years after we got married, my wife and I went to churches and were "back benchers". We attended on most Sundays, had our kids baptized as infants, and were involved in very little. Then when our kids were of high school and middle school age, they discovered a church in Ramsey which they loved to go to. My wife and I soon followed, and for the first time, we attended a church which was charismatic in nature. We loved it. It changed us. It woke up our faith.

To make a long story short, our current church is absolute perfect for us. It is charismatic. No, we don't have people wandering around speaking in tongues. But we do recognize the gifts of the Holy Spirit. After learning about the gifts of the Spirit while in the Alpha Program years ago, it is a journey we have been on, of which we will never go back. 

Our church is also apostolic. We have learned how important it is to be "Ambassadors of Christ". Paul talks about this in the New Testament. To further the faith, living a Christ-like life is of the highest importance. 

Finally, our church is evangelistic. Spread the word. Practice the Great Commission as spelled out in Matthew 28,16-20. With most outer suburbs of the Twin Cities only having 15% or so attending a church, inviting people to the church you go to is a must. With many churches shrinking in number, this trend must be reversed. Invite, invite, invite. We might not have much time.

If you attend a church which feeds your hunger and thirst for the Gospel, you are blessed! If however, you do not have a church, there are many in this area to choose from. Our current church, as well as our last church we attended, had a similar motto - "We are not a cruise ship, we are a row boat." What does that mean? A church is not a building. It is the people who attend. And in order for a church to grow, to be a healthy church, serving, as well as attending is important. 

For those who have a busy Easter weekend coming up, with faith, family, and fellowship - enjoy this season! On Sunday, our most holiest of days, only one thing needs to be said. "He is Risen! He is Risen indeed!"   

  

That visceral thing...

 

"Donald Trump thought he knew the swamp in 2016, but he only knew a part of it. Now that the swamp has been wrapped around Trump's feet for eight plus years, Donald Trump's knowledge of the swamp has gone up by an order of magnitude from what he knew before."

I had one of those moments of clarity yesterday. I was watching the news, and they showed some of the responses to the Donald Trump "legal" issue. Many on the left were very harsh. So here is my clarity: Under Joe Biden, half the country hates him and what he has done to the country. And most of the other half, tolerate him. There is a small sliver of people who love him (for reasons unknown). Under Donald Trump, half the country has a visceral hatred for him. And the other half love him, for what he did for our country.

Will we ever have a President who may divide the country politically, but not viscerally? I asked my wife this morning, and she doubted it. She thinks we are way too divided now as a country to ever even think of mending. She might be right. 

I do find it interesting that some on the hard core left have seen the red flag. The red flag with what is happening right now to Donald Trump. To many, this looks like a persecution instead of a prosecution. As such, whomever is in power, can do the same thing to the other side. That being said, Joe Biden should be wetting his pants right now. What Hunter's laptop contains is a treasure trove of goodies, for any honest prosecutor to wade through. What is good for the goose is also good for the gander. And Biden's gander is very fowl indeed! (Sorry- I could not resist that one!)

With many in the country, what has happened recently to Donald Trump, as well as what has happened during his Presidency, has lionized him. Almost martyred him. Right now, his approval numbers are more than respectable. If the loony left is torqued at those numbers, here is a news flash - you helped Donald Trump get those numbers. In other words, visceral hatred and a pluralistic system of justice, has made those numbers possible. Might even ensure that 45 will soon be 47.

As much as I like DeSantis, having Trump in 2024 would have this advantage. Donald Trump thought he knew the swamp in 2016, but he only knew a part of it. Now that the swamp has been wrapped around Trump's feet for eight plus years, Donald Trump's knowledge of the swamp has gone up by an order of magnitude from what he knew before. With a friendly Congress, Trump could cut out the cancer, and put this country back on the right track.

Dave and Gary - don't even bother to respond to this. I know your feelings. Donald Trump is not a perfect man, but he certainly is not imperfect like the President we have now. But Trump can fix this country. On that, I would bet the house.