Shut down? Maybe...

"Here is my plan going forward. No more summer vacations for Congress until the GFY spending silos are agreed to and signed into law by the president. Why such a draconian measure? Because the kids can't seem to get their homework done. And - actions (or lack thereof), have consequences." 

One thing I have never understood is why Republicans shrug off a federal government shutdown, and the Democrats put it right up there with an extinction level event. Has an actual or projected federal government shutdown ever happened before? Only about a million times. People get furloughed, get called back to work, and then paid for doing nothing during the furlough. Make sense to you? Certainly not to me.

Gosh, is it possible that the 12 funding silos could have been agreed to by today if Congress did not spend half the year on vacation? Even when Congress is in session, many actions they take are performative in nature. What do I mean? Congress (especially the blue side) do a lot of things which are all sound and fury and signify nothing. And with that, we are where we are.

The "ask" by Schumer and Jefferies is huge this time around. They will agree to keep the government open if the Republicans agree to a bill which would restore all of Obamacare type funding. Including insuring illegals. I can tell you right now, that will only happen in the land of NEVER HAPPEN. The Republicans, on the other hand, want to keep plugging away at getting the funding silos agreed to. Do a short term (oh, how we hate those things) CR until the end of November. Of course, history has taught us that come the end of November, we will be in the same pickle we are in right now.

If the shutdown happens, the howling and gnashing of teeth will immediately start on the left. "No pay for our military. No funding for our vets. No social security. Blah, blah, blah." And in reality, maybe only some national parks will be shuttered for a while. Everybody will get paid, even the furloughed workers. But in the eyes and the vernacular of the panic merchants, it will be the end of the world as we know it.

Here is my plan going forward. No more summer vacations for Congress until the GFY spending silos are agreed to and signed into law by the president. Why such a draconian measure? Because the kids can't seem to get their homework done. And - actions (or lack thereof), have consequences. 

 

COEXIST? - Fuhgeddaboudit!

 

"Time to wake up America. There is a difference between immigration (legal) and an invasion. Another decade of ignoring this problem will take us down a slippery slope which we may not be able to climb out of." 

This one might sting a bit. But it is the truth as I see it. By now, most of us have seen cars being driven with Biden or Sanders bumper stickers on them, and on the bottom of the bumper itself, is a "COEXIST" sticker. Every time I see one in traffic, and if I am able, I will peek at the driver to see who believes such nonsense. It is usually a grey-haired lady, all grown up and a refugee from the later day hippie movement. Guess who it NEVER is? One of our "newcomers" who came over when Obama opened the floodgates. Why don't they have one on their car? Simple answer - they don't believe in coexisting with Christians. Never have, never will. It really boils down to that.

Sorry - I know that one might leave a bruise. But while we were wallowing in DEI, and figuring out new pronouns, the newcomers have gone to town in both Dearborn, Michigan and Cedar Riverside in Minneapolis. Dearborn is now up to 55% newcomers. The mayor is one of them. The city council has authorized a call to prayer blaring all over the city. Wait - what? This is still America, is it not? Maybe. 

For those who live in south Minneapolis, know we have almost 80,000 newcomers living here. Oh - by the way - our city council in the City of Lakes has also authorized the five times daily call to prayer. The newcomers are not yet a majority like they are in Dearborn, but it is coming. And - after the next election, we might have one as mayor of Minneapolis. Get the drift? They do not want to assimilate. They do not want to coexist (only the later day hippies do) - they want to take over. Doubt me? Go on You Tube and listen to some of the verbiage THEY are telling the masses. 

America is a melting pot. Always has been. But the newcomers do not want to assimilate in our culture. That is a plain fact. They are clannish, and they know how to take advantage of the infidels. Right now, the fraud is so deep in Minnesota, the Federal Attorney does not even know where the bottom is. Rumor has it that Dearborn is now on the verge of enacting sharia law. Is that what America is all about? Are we just wandering around fat, dumb and happy while our cities become nationalized for another country? 

Time to wake up America. There is a difference between immigration (legal) and an invasion. Another decade of ignoring this problem will take us down a slippery slope which we may not be able to climb out of. 

Not protests - riots!

"As some of us have said, the killing (assassination) of Charlie Kirk really was a turning point for many of us. Enough is enough. As Donald Trump has said many times, we will not surrender our cities to thugs. It is time to restore law and order. Sometimes you need to take and unruly child over your knee and spank him or her. Why? Spare the rod, spoil the child. And the rioters have been very, very spoiled." 

It is hard to watch the news as of late without seeing some big blue city having a melee when ICE comes to enforce the law. But Bird - this is America! Don't we have a First Amendment right to protest? Sure do - but there is nothing in that amendment which states we have the right to riot. Or burn. Or destroy. Or harm.

To say these anti-ICE raids have gotten out of hand is a huge understatement. They are out and out riots, not just be ordinary citizens, put paid protesters (funded by you know who). Forgive me for saying this, but it is time to crack heads. Police the old fashion way from decades ago. Back when people feared and respected cops. These mutts today, shout things like "Shoot ICE" or "Kill ICE". It is time for our law enforcement to quit being on defense and go on offense.

If this continues (and it seems to be getting worse every week), somebody is going to get killed - and it might be a LEO. The person who shot into that ICE van and killed an illegal was trying to kill ICE officers. Instead, he shot three illegals. Soon, the ICE forces might have to start using real ammo instead of the non-lethal stuff. Why? Because more and more of the rioters have real guns with real ammo. If it is riots in the streets that GS wanted with his funding, that is what he is now getting.

Pam Bondi has about had it with these mutts. As has the president. All ICE is doing is cleaning up the mess that Joe Biden and Mayorkas left. And clean it up they will, as that is what the country voted for. By the way - did you see how Trump called out the Mayor of London during his UN address? He really laced him - called him a "horrible, horrible mayor". Not just for the rising crime in London, but his unfettered illegal immigration. London is so bad right now, that some countries have put traveling to London on the "caution list".

As some of us have said, the killing (assassination) of Charlie Kirk really was a turning point for many of us. Enough is enough. As Donald Trump has said many times, we will not surrender our cities to thugs. It is time to restore law and order. Sometimes you need to take an unruly child over your knee and spank him or her. Why? Spare the rod, spoil the child. And the rioters have been very, very spoiled. 

 

What is going on at Quantico next week?

 

"One final idea is maybe Trump and Hegseth have a list of higher ups who have been DEI brainwashed beyond redemption. If that is true, I get back to culling of the herd. Get rid of the old Biden/Austin followers. Clean house. In any event, with how leaky Washington is, we might find out by Wednesday of next week what the deal is. Or not." 

All of a sudden, out of the clear blue sky, came the beckoning call. It came from our Secretary of War and was for not some of his general grade officers - it was for all of them. From far and wide, it was a muster call for all generals and admirals to travel to Virginia to meet at Quantico for a "meeting". About what? Some think it might be for the axe to fall on some of the more senior grades. Culling the herd, so to speak. It is no secret that Pete thinks our services are way too top heavy. Or - it could be something much more sinister.

ICYMI - NATO is now closer to war with Russia than it has been for many a year - maybe forever. He might be discussing strategy for any potential or forecasted call to arms. In other words, Pete might be sharing some intel with his most senior folks of a sensitive nature. I could think of things that are more farfetched than this one. If these are war talks, it might be time to "bunker up" and "hunker down".

Now to go down a rabbit hole. As some know, a "something" is speeding towards Earth right now which has peaked some astronomer's interests. Why? It does not act like anything natural. Some think it might be our first experience at "first contact". And if so, is who or what is coming friendly? And if they are not, what is our defense? I know, I know - this might be a step into the wild side.

If nothing else, this had added more intrigue and suspicion into a month which has already had a ton of it so far. Will some of the talk at Quantico involve revisiting Posse Comitatus? In today's lawless environment, does this 1878 law need to be updated? The last time Hegseth called up some Marines to help out some unrest, the libs were squealing like pigs. Pete might want to feel out his generals and admirals to get their opinions first.

One final idea is maybe Trump and Hegseth have a list of higher ups who have been DEI brainwashed beyond redemption. If that is true, I get back to culling of the herd. Get rid of the old Biden/Austin followers. Clean house. In any event, with how leaky Washington is, we might find out by Wednesday of next week what the deal is. Or not. 

  

Itching for a fight?

"Picking a fight with NATO might be the slippery slope which ends poorly for everyone. There is no good outcome. Not for Putin, not for us. And the elephant in the room continues to be the nuclear genie. And that genie can end all of us."    

Did anybody hear the news flash out of Germany about what their intelligence network had recently picked up? Hint: It concerned Russia, and their ambitions. It seems that Ukraine was only a ruse - a warmup act for Putin. True, Ukraine has proven to be more of a problem than Putin had figured. Taken much longer, and cost too much. All that being said, his eyes are still on the prize. And the prize is NATO. Russia wants the war which never happened during the Cold War. He wants war with NATO.

We have been hearing (almost daily) about incursions over sovereign borders by Russia. First Putin's drones, and now Putin's Air Force. Why in the world would he do that? For what purpose? To what end? NATO is being probed. Find out where the "red line" is. In Putin's mind, it will not take much for NATO to shoot at one of his aircraft. That would be the provocation that he needs. Then the border between Ukraine and Poland might become invisible to Putin. Or maybe Putin would take a run at the Balkans. 

Yesterday, it was Demark's turn to put up with Putin's incursions. My advice it not to try this with France, as Macron has had it with Putin. As it is, Marcon is inches away from sending troops into Ukraine to help the cause. If Putin starts buzzing France with MIGs or SUs, it might just be "Katy bar the door". And if France goes into Ukraine to help with the fight, you can bet your bottom dollar that Germany and Poland will be right behind Marcon. And then, the all-Europe war many have feared - will be upon us.

What is it with Putin? Why is he such a modern-day megalomaniac? Is he trying to channel Adolph Hitler? Can he not remember the carnage which was visited upon Russia during World War II? It is also estimated that Putin is putting together a shadow army, outside the throwaway troops he is using in Ukraine. Why? To prepare for a much larger battle with NATO. NATO is proud they are finally spending 5% of their GDP on defense, however, Russia is now spending twice that much. German intel figures that before the end of the decade, Russia will be locked and loaded, and ready for more war. 

One word of caution for Mr. Putin. As much as Trump wants peace, and to be a broker of such, Donald Trump would have no compunction about jumping into this fray with both feet. Peace through strength might be our first order of battle but fight to win! is the close second. My advice to Putin would be not to test us. Not to test Poland. Not to test France.

Picking a fight with NATO might be the slippery slope which ends poorly for everyone. There is no good outcome. Not for Putin, not for us. And the elephant in the room continues to be the nuclear genie. And that genie can end all of us.    

UN-fit for any purpose!

"The UN, and everything inside it is a waste of space. They do nothing good or worthwhile. Lots of sound and fury, signifying nothing. It really does take a guy like Trump to be a truthteller to this group of ideologues and pencil pushers. Well done sir! And please keep it up. I know that Ambassador Waltz will do a wonderful job also, of being a truth teller." 

Forgive me for a moment of "cut and pasting" but the article at the bottom is important, and I did not feel like typing it out. It is from the United Nations Charter, Article One, Paragraph One.

As you can see (I highlighted a few things), this document, which is for this worldwide organization to keep the peace, was promulgated shortly after World War II. Why? Because the League of Nations, which was promulgated after World War I - was a failure. The United Nations was going to be the be all, end all document to keep the world at peace.

What Donald Trump did yesterday at the UN was masterful. Did the globalists like being called out by the President of the United States? Nope. Did the saboteurs on the UN maintenance staff like being called out by the President of the United States for the escalator mishap as well as the teleprompter issue? Nope. Why is Donald Trump so hated by the UN in general? Because Trump calls a spade a spade. It is as simple as that.

By the way, we pony up billions to support this POS every year. Donated very expensive land for the worthless building to sit upon. When Trump explained the different wars that he was trying to solve as peacemaker, he was not shy about reminding the UN one simple fact - THIS IS THEIR JOB! I guess most of the UN lifers have forgotten to read their own charter.

One thing that Trump did not say yesterday (which I wish he had addressed), was Russia and China. Russia should be kicked out of the organization. They do not follow the charter, and act as a stopper to peace while on the Security Council. Giving Russia veto power on the Security Council is an abomination. Same with China. They should be told if they continue to stir things up in the Indo-Pacific, they too, will be booted out of the UN. 

The UN, and everything inside it is a waste of space. They do nothing good or worthwhile. Lots of sound and fury, signifying nothing. It really does take a guy like Trump to be a truthteller to this group of ideologues and pencil pushers. Well done sir! And please keep it up. I know that Ambassador Waltz will do a wonderful job also, of being a truth teller. 

To maintain international peace and security, and to that end: to take effective collective measures for the prevention and removal of threats to the peace, and for the suppression of acts of aggression or other breaches of the peace, and to bring about by peaceful means, and in conformity with the principles of justice and international law, adjustment or settlement of international disputes or situations which might lead to a breach of the peace;

The greatest mystery of Democrats

"We need more people like Charlie Kirk to go on today's campus' and try to unwind all the nonsense these kids have been taught in government schools. Either that or hire people like David Barton to teach the truth about our founding and how it made us what we are today." 

Okay. I am going to get this off my chest. It has bugged me for years and continues to bug me to this day. Of all the odd things that Democrats like to do (like booing God at a national convention), the one thing they do which is "nails on the chalkboard" to me (and many others I know), is to continue to refer to our great country as a democracy. Many of the older Democrats must have fallen asleep in Civics class, as it was well taught back then. The younger ones never took Civics (not DEI enough), so I will cut them a bit of slack.

I have tried to explain this many times to many Democrats, but it is like water off a duck's back. If we truly lived in a democracy, we would not need representation (like - Congress). Everybody would vote on every issue. Majority rules. Simple as that. If you think our current system is slow in getting stuff done, a democracy would be like being stuck in tar. Very little (if anything) would get done. And probably have more fraud too boot!

The framers were very aware of this trap. They created our system to be a constitutional republic for a reason. As Ben Franklin said in the early days, "It is a republic, if you can keep it". He must have known we would have bozos running around the country trying to make it into a democracy. Don't think so? Just listen to the news almost every day. There will be at least one Democrat referring to our republic as a democracy. SMH.

For sure, democrats say other insipid things which make my head spin. But with the majority of educators being democrats, is this what they are teaching our kids? Holy Moley Batman! That is a HUGE problem if it is so! 

We need more people like Charlie Kirk to go on today's campus' and try to unwind all the nonsense these kids have been taught in government schools. Either that or hire people like David Barton to teach the truth about our founding and how it made us what we are today. News flash - our founders leaned heavily on Judeo-Christian principles. What some Democrats interpret as "Christian Nationalism", is simply our historic roots.

If we cannot fix our misguided youth on the garbage they have been taught in government schools, soon we will all be thinking like AOC and talking like Jasmine Crockett. Now put that in your pipe and smoke it! 

 

Ode to a very flawed man

"Minnesota is a mess right now. We might be past the point of no return. We keep putting up good candidates, and they keep getting beat. But don't voters understand just how flawed Tim Walz is? Some do, and some just don't care. Power means more than anything to them. That is a sad but true fact."    

Yesterday, we witnessed a memorial service for a very fine young man. Charlie Kirk was one of the good guys - maybe the best of us. As the thoughts of watching that memorial was still marinating in my memory, I am also aware of some troubles we have here on the home front in Minnesota. Who would that be I am talking about? The governor who let part of Minneapolis burn down during the Floyd riots. And now, we are getting the aroma of something even worse. Maybe some of the worst fraud ever in Minnesota, all under the watchful eyes of Tim Walz.

I guess the question which begs to be asked it this one - how in the world did Minnesota elect this guy not once, but twice? And now he has announced he is running for a third term. To be kind, I would have to say Walz is a mile wide and an inch deep. Please don't make me say anything unkind about Walz. After seeing how he performed during the failed run of the Harris/Walz ticket, I could not have been more embarrassed. Tim Walz was the laughingstock of the nation. Many were wondering, including some coastal elites, how in the world Minnesota could have elected this guy - twice.

The acting US Attorney who is investigating some of the massive fraud we have had in Minnesota, had a jaw dropping statement the other day. He said (in so many words), he is aghast at the amount of fraud which is still yet to be uncovered. In other words, there is no bottom to this hole. Or if there is a bottom, it is very, very deep. And all this happened under the watchful eye of Governor Tim Walz.

I know, I know - some are still pounding on Walz for his stolen valor issue. As a retired vet, I find that disgusting but compared to how he let this state be raped and plundered, it is small potatoes. If not for the inner core of the Twin Cities, especially the Cedar Riverside area, we would not only have Governor Jeff Johnson right now, we would also have AG Doug Barlow. But we don't. Instead, we have the biggest purveyor of "looking the other way" while the third world took advantage of Minnesota Nice and Minnesota Morons, in the history of this state. And who is cut in the same image as Tim Walz? The Minnesota DFL.

Minnesota is a mess right now. We might be past the point of no return. We keep putting up good candidates, and they keep getting beat. But don't voters understand just how flawed Tim Walz is? Some do, and some just don't care. Power means more than anything to them. That is a sad but true fact.    

A sad, yet joyful goodbye to Charlie

"Charlie Kirk was an ordinary guy who came from an ordinary background who went on to do some extraordinary things."

Today will be the memorial service for Charlie Kirk. There will be maybe 100,000 people attending at the football stadium in Arizona. It will be filled with friends, dignitaries, as well as just plain folks. It will be a sad, yet a joyous event. Wait - how can something be sad and joyful at the same time? It will be sad, because Charlie Kirk was taken from us way, way too soon. It will be sad, as he leaves behind a wife, two young kids, and many, many friends. But it will also be joyful. We are honoring a young man who changed so many things during his young life - and will change even more things by his untimely death.

What will the world miss about Charlie Kirk? Plenty, in a short answer. But the thing most followers of Jesus will miss was his unflinching faith. How he proudly and unashamedly proclaimed his love for his Lord and Savior. He loved his country, he loved the youth who live here, he loved his wife, his kids, and his friends. But it was his love for Jesus which really was his salt and his light. He was a beacon for all to hear and all to see.

Even though Charlie has been gone for only a short while, Turning Point is literally on fire with new applications for chapter affiliations. The news reports the number is up to 62,000 and still growing. Why in the world would that be so? Because Charlie Kirk attracted young people like moths to a light. He was kind, he was respectful, yet he was unwavering in his now famous college debates. I believe in the back of his mind he always knew there might be some kind of risk be doing these debate events. But I believe that Charlie lived his life by that short verse in Phillipians 1:21, "For me to live is Christ and to die is gain." 

Charlie Kirk was an ordinary guy who came from an ordinary background who went on to do some extraordinary things. Donald Trump told Charlie that someday he could be president - and he meant it. Truthfully, Charlie did have all the "right stuff" to be a fine leader, maybe even the leader of this great nation. But Charlie was taken from us. Not be some lingering disease or car accident. He was taken from us by an assassin's bullet. Fired by a young man, the age of whom Charlie was trying to reach.

Today we say goodbye to a remarkable young man who made the biggest impact possible on so many young people. Today will be sad, yet joyful goodbye to Charlie. Your watch is over Charlie, and now that mantle, your cause will be picked up by your wife, Erika. And Erika will have help in doing so. By whom? By how many? Legions, upon legions, upon legions.

Go bravely...and gently forward

"My words of wisdom to the coming generation, who have some trepidation about this adulting thing, is simple this - go bravely into each day, and treat others as gently as you would like to be treated. Everything else will fall into place. Have a heart for God and a love for people, and you will be well on your way. That is, until it is your time too, to turn over the keys." 

For many of those in my generation (that would be the "Boomers"), a realization has set in. After seeing some of our contemporaries pass on before us, we realize our yesterdays far outnumber our tomorrows. Some things we once could do with ease, are now not as easy. In fact, some things just can't be done anymore. But to be truthful, one thing which haunts many of us, is turning over the keys to this world to the next generation. Just like it concerned our parents when it was their time to go, we worry about what kind of world we are turning over at the end of our watch.

Have we prepared them enough? Taught them enough? Warned them about the danger of foolish things and where the traps are? But then it dawned on me. Our parents taught us as much as they thought was necessary to us to survive. The other stuff we were to figure out for ourselves. 

I have seen the red flags already with some of our young folks. Not all, but some. Failure to launch. Failure to move out of the basement. Failure to find the right person to marry, settle down with, and have kids of their own. In other words, failure to adult. Some of that is our fault, for not setting the bar high enough. How so? 

I was raised in an Ozzie and Harriet type of house. Two loving parents, I was provided for, cared for. But that was when I was growing up. In my teenage years, both my sister and I got "the talk". The nest was going to tip. "When you two are 19 years old, your father and I want you out on your own. It will be our time then, just to be together, the two of us." That was a shocker for sure. 19 was only a few years away, and I had no clue on how to be self-sufficient.

Long story short, both my sister and I made the gate. At 19, my sister married a pastor. At 19, I was in the Navy. The nest was tipped, and I never looked back. Always close to my parents, they became my friends as well as my parents. Both of my kids came close to the age 19 exit, and then our nest was tipped also. Life goes on.

My words of wisdom to the coming generation, who have some trepidation about this adulting thing, is simple this - go bravely into each day, and treat others as gently as you would like to be treated. Everything else will fall into place. Have a heart for God and a love for people, and you will be well on your way. That is, until it is your time too, to turn over the keys. 

Maybe the best question ever

"Bottom line is this - the US and the UK are still joined at the hip. They are some of our oldest and staunchest allies. I only hope that the UK can come to understand that Israel is also a close ally of ours. They deserve the same loyalty from us that Britian gets. It really is that simple." 

What a week of pomp and circumstance this past week! Donald Trump and company made a second state visit to the UK to discuss all kinds of different things. Tariffs, peace deals, business opportunities - and energy. For the most part, everybody got along like long lost cousins. For the most part. But like every family, there are always some uncomfortable moments.

One question came up from the British press about Trump putting more pressure on Putin to stop the fighting. That was the perfect opening for Trump. "I can put more tariffs on India and China, since they continue to buy Russian oil and gas. But what I don't understand is why NATO members from Europe also are buying Russian gas and oil." A hush fell over the room as the reporter then launched into what might have been the best question ever.

"President Trump, during your campaign you had the motto of 'Drill, baby, drill'. Once elected, you seem to be carrying through on that promise. Why can't the UK do likewise? We have oil in the North Sea, why can't we drill more?" Trump could not resist - "Well, you should. The UK has lots of oil left in the North Sea and using it would be better than buying oil and gas from Russia." 

Then it came time for Starmer to respond. " We plan to use more of our resources in the North Sea, but we are also committed to renewable resources. A good mix is what we are after." I could see the thoughts in Trump's head - "Oh no! Not the Green New Scam again!" But all Trump said was that we had tried wind, and it did not work well. But the bottom line was there for all to see and hear. America is trying to ruin Russia's oil economy by drilling more, and the UK is not. 

As many things as the two countries agreed upon, Gaza and how to pressure Russia were not two of them. Other than that, the time spent at Chequers (PM's residence) seemed to be worthwhile. More progress was made on a trade agreement, except Trump (who does not drink), was bothered that Scotch Whisky was still tariffed at 25%. Trump wanted the tariff on Scotch to be zero (and I agree!).

Bottom line is this - the US and the UK are still joined at the hip. They are some of our oldest and staunchest allies. I only hope that the UK can come to understand that Israel is also a close ally of ours. They deserve the same loyalty from us that Britian gets. It really is that simple. 

Which way to normal?

"The question now begs to be asked - which way to normal? Is our former normal possible, or have we entered an era of a new normal. One of my friends thinks our differences have been exasperated by spiritual warfare. Maybe so. Maybe it is just as simple as good versus evil. Whatever it is which divides us, seems to be winning right now. And that is not good, not good at all."

A few days ago, one of friends sent me a graphic showing an eagle flying. The script on the graphic was interesting. It said something like "It does not matter if you are the left wing or the right wing, we are all part of the same eagle." Good point. But that only lasted so long. The past few days, there have been a multitude of different people on the internet (some from Congress) saying the Charlie Kirk killing was the last straw. We can't live with each other. We need a national divorce.

One person said, "Please don't tell me we need to talk together more. We tried that using Charlie Kirk, and you shot him". Truthfully - I was astonished by the number of people on the right who are ready to throw in the towel when it comes to getting along. Then there was the Kash Patel hearings this week with both the House and Senate. I watched (or listened) to as much of that as I could stand. To say there was an odor of hatred in the room while the hearings were going on would be an understatement. We are long past ungovernable - now we are in the land of antipathy, or worse.

Years ago, a friend of mine whose marriage was falling apart, decided to still live with his wife, even though there was no relationship left to salvage. In fact, they were not even on speaking terms. I asked him once how he could do it. He said they were two people, living in the same house. Period. They did not eat together. They did not talk together. They did not sleep together. Their home became like a boarding house. No more, no less.

That sums up our nation, at this point in time. The shirts and the skins. The Ying and the Yang. Pluses and minuses. Oil and water. Who broke the bond? The agreement that we would always be "out of many, one"? It does not matter at this point in time. All that matters is the only love we have for our fellow countrymen depends upon the color of the shirt.

The question now begs to be asked - which way to normal? Is our former normal possible, or have we entered an era of a new normal. One of my friends thinks our differences have been exasperated by spiritual warfare. Maybe so. Maybe it is just as simple as good versus evil. Whatever it is which divides us, seems to be winning right now. And that is not good, not good at all. 

Soft targets

"This special session will once again be a lot of sound and fury, signifying nothing. The real problem is never addressed. Until we find out what snapped in our society, where a school shooting is now possible instead of being almost impossible as it was in the last century, this problem will persist. I am in agreement that we have a problem here, but continuing to punish law abiding legal gun owners will not solve it."   

In the near future, this state will have yet another special session for our legislature. For what purpose? Gun control (again). The age-old question will once again be debated, do guns kill people, or do people with a hateful heart kill people - often times using a gun. Could having stricter gun laws have prevented what happened at that Catholic school in Minneapolis? Or could have better school security have helped? Both of these questions are unknown right now. So, that sets the stage for the debate. As with most things that matter, it will again be the shirts and the skins. In other words, all Democrats will vote for more gun laws, and all Republicans will vote for better school security and better mental health screening.

I tend to look at things a bit deeper. Why kids in school? Why people in church? Why folks when they are out shopping? In other words - why soft targets if a deranged person is looking to kill somebody? If somebody thinks they are all that tough carrying either a side arm or a long gun, and want to get in a gun fight, go after somebody else who is armed. Who can fight back. But a little kid? This is a sick-o to the 10th degree. Anybody sick enough to kill a kid with a gun is also sick enough to kill a kid with a knife. Or pick your weapon.

Did I ever mention the active shooter drills we had when I was in school? No? That is because there were none. People did not go into schools to kill kids. When my kids were in school, there were no active shooter drills. We never worried about some nut ball coming into our kid's school and start shooting. 

What happened? How did we go from Andy of Mayberry to Dog Day Afternoon in just a few decades? At what point did things snap? When did we go from good to evil? And by the way, in Minnesota we have over 300,000 permits issued for open or concealed carry. And that does include all the hunting rifles that some folks have. My point? Guns are everywhere, and those are just the legal ones. Most gang bangers have illegal guns, which can be obtained from many different places. 

This special session will once again be a lot of sound and fury, signifying nothing. The real problem is never addressed. Until we find out what snapped in our society, where a school shooting is possible instead of being almost impossible as it was in the last century, this problem will persist. I am in agreement that we have a problem here, but continuing to punish law abiding legal gun owners will not solve it.   

The evil tongue

 

"I am still a work in progress. I, like most of us, am not immune to an evil tongue. Even though I am getting better at controlling my tongue, sometimes I slip up and it controls me."  

Most Bible believing Christians are familiar with the Book of James, Chapter 3, verse 8.

 "But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison."

In fact, a good part of Chapter 3 in James is devoted to explaining how destructive the tongue can be. Some might say, "That was so yesterday - not the same today." Really? Have you noticed some of the vile things which have been said or written about Charlie Kirk? Things his family and friends could read, or see?

I remember a teacher I had telling the class I was in that words matter. Hurtful word(s), once leaving your mouth cannot be recalled. There is no delete key in your mouth. A word (or words) can cut a person down. Word(s) can destroy a relationship - forever. When I was younger, I said some things which were regrettable. Words I would love to take back. But I can't. It is too late. One of the people I said some horrible things to has passed on. 

The Bible also tells us in Ephesians, Chapter 4, verse 29 it is good and right to edify others. Say kind words. Words of comfort. Build people up. Whereas most of us could rip a person to shreds in about a minute using the power of an evil tongue, building a person up could be a blessing which could last a long time. 

I remember being asked years ago in a small group I was in, what are some ways to evangelize which are not too "risky". Great question. The answer is there are many. Some subtle and some not as subtle. One real good way to start is the least intrusive - letting an unkind word go unsaid. Taming your tongue before it speaks evil. 

That is one of those building blocks to let others know that we are not the same as we once were. If we can't show the world we are different, if we are still the same as we were, any message, said or unsaid, falls flat.

I know, I know. I have said some things in my blog posts which have not been kind. I try to temper my words and still get my point across, but many times I fall short. I am still a work in progress. I, like most of us, am not immune to an evil tongue. Even though I am getting better at controlling my tongue, sometimes I slip, and it controls me.  

 

  

And just who is responsible for ICE?

 

"Is Donald Trump responsible for ICE? No more than Obama or GW Bush was. How about Biden? He is responsible for the massive workload that ICE has right now. But Donald Trump will fix this mess. Even with the constant headwinds he receives, he, along with ICE, will fix this mess."

Quiz for the day. What is a four-letter word which is spelled out in three letters? ICE. My oh my, has that word (acronym) become like an invective. Here is the irony. Right now, ICE is now equated with Donald Trump. Donald Trump is responsible for ICE. No, not really. G.W. Bush and his Congress at the time is responsible for ICE. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) was brough into existence in 2002 as part of the Homeland Security Act. After 9/11, the nation knew it needed this organization to help keep the nation secure.

Now, I am a simple man, and I understand simple things. If you live in this country in a legal status, ICE will never ever bother you. However, if you are a border jumper, or have overstayed your visa, or have fraudulent documents, it is within the charter of ICE to have you detained and removed. If you are an asylum seeker, there are correct ways to do that also. All ICE ever does, is act within its charter. If Congress does not like that charter anymore, they can pass a law to have ICE eliminated. But they won't.

Since ICE has been around for almost a quarter of a century now, why is ICE such a trip wire today? What's up? Not to get too political, but Joe Biden made the need for a strong ICE group very evident when he opened our borders wide to come one, come all. Suddenly, we had no clue as to who was in our country and for what purpose they came. Almost overnight, we were becoming like Europe, and that was not good. Not good at all.

Then came the election of 2024. Donald Trump promised to clean things up. Put Kristi Noem in as Homeland Security Secretary. Tom Homan as her chief enforcer. But now ICE, which was created to be a band of good guys, is vilified by the left. They are the bad guys for following their charter. Huh? But wait - if Joe Biden had kept our borders secure for four years, would ICE need to be so ubiquitous as it is today? Maybe, or maybe not.

Like I said earlier, I am a simple man. Fact one - ICE members carry law enforcement badges. They are cops (of sorts). Fact two - If you punch, kick, spit on, or interfere with a LEO, you will be in trouble. Go to jail trouble. Fact three - if you punch, kick, spit on, or interfere with and ICE agent, you will go to jail. It really is as simple as that.

Is Donald Trump responsible for ICE? No more than Obama or GW Bush was. How about Biden? He is responsible for the massive workload that ICE has right now. But Donald Trump will fix this mess. Even with the constant headwinds he receives, he, along with ICE, will fix this mess.

   

Deformation and reformation

"For young people who are a bit lost or disconnected, Turning Point, and all it stands for, is a great place to get grounded. It is time to make a stand. It is time to be counted, as well as counted on. What is Charlie Kirk's legacy? Look around. It is happening right now, all over."        

When George Floyd died on Memorial Day weekend in 2020, the country tilted over to a time of deformation. In Minneapolis at that time, our interstates were filled with just about every leftist in the country, who wanted to come here and protest. And riot. And burn. And destroy. It was a horrible time in our country. It was a horrible time in Minnesota. It was a horrible time in Minneapolis. And what was the legacy of George Floyd? Ashes. Without looking too hard, they still exist in parts of Minneapolis.

Charlie Kirk died of a single gunshot wound on the day before 9/11/2025. He died speaking to throngs of young people about living in this great republic, having free speech, loving God and country, and so forth. Charlie attracted young people - a lot of young people. Some came to listen, some came to debate, some were changed when they left. Maybe that needs correction. Many were changed when they left. But when the gunshot rang out, and Charlie fell, something else happened. A reformation. A real turning point. 

Anyone who heard Charlie's widow Erica speak about Charlie the other day, heard something which many will never forget. This is a woman who was robbed of her husband she loved so much. The two young children of Charlie were robbed of a father who will never come to their soccer games, never see them going to prom, going to college, or get married. But the passion that Erica used when she spoke, was also about Charlie's passion. It was about Turning Point. As said by Admiral Yamamoto after Pearl Harbor, "I fear we have awakened a sleeping giant and filled it with an angry resolve."

When Floyd died, many of the misplaced youth wondered what they could burn or destroy to honor (dishonor) him. In some cities, it is still going on. It was, and still is, a blot on our country. Last weekend when Charlie died, the organization which he co-founded - exploded in membership. Thousands joined a Turning Point chapter. More young people made a decision to go to church. To listen more. To love more. Was it a revolution? Maybe. Or was it a reformation for many of our young people. I believe that to be true.

For young people who are a bit lost or disconnected, Turning Point, and all it stands for, is a great place to get grounded. It is time to make a stand. It is time to be counted, and counted on. What is Charlie Kirk's legacy? Look around. It is happening right now, all over.        

Where is John Donne when we really need him?

"We can cut people up with words, just using the power of our tongue or typewriter. But that in not the path I choose to take. That is not the path that Charlie took. He chose to convince, not conquer."

For those who might not remember English Lit from the 11th grade (when they still taught the real English Lit), some of the course language and heartless discourse coming out of the left reminds me of one of my favorite poems. Even though it is not long, I will only repeat a small part of it. They were poignant words in the 1600's and should ring true as such today. 

No Man is an Island

by John Donne

...Each man's death diminishes me,

For I am involved in mankind.

Therefore, send not to know

For whom the bells toll

It tolls for thee

I am reminded of this poem from time to time for very different reasons. Today, when I have read some of the most unbelievable and vile garbage, aimed at poor Charlie Kirk, by blood started to boil. Charlie Kirk was not a hater. Not ever. He was a truth teller, as he saw the truth. Did he have the right to do so? In America - yes. Did anyone have the right to shoot him dead while speaking? Not in this country. Not in the world that John Donne wanted to live in.

The vitriol in some of our language today is beyond the pale. It is beyond the norm. Even if Charlie had been a total jerk (which he was anything but that), saying such cruel and inhuman things where his friends and family could see them, makes me check myself, not once, but twice. Why? If I were to be of the world instead of in the world, that would bring out my most carnal and basic instincts. Not violence, but I know words. I know what James 3 in the Bible teaches us. We can cut people up with words, just using the power of our tongue or typewriter. But that is not the path I choose to take. That is not the path that Charlie took. He chose to convince, not conquer.

How would John Donne react if he saw the world today? With the hate and malice? He might have wondered why things have not changed much since he wrote this now famous poem in the 1600's. I do think however, that Mr. Donne would not be pleased with what he hears today. My take? No matter what you might feel in a damaged heart of compassion, check your words at the door. Why? Because no man is an island.  

With malice towards none?

 

"For our Great Experiment in this country to keep on working, we need to practice having malice for none. In fact, having malice for one, is one too many. When in doubt, we all need to consult the book. Which book? The Holy Bible, which may sit dusty in the corner of the bookshelf."

"We have a bunch of sick, twisted people in our country right now, and we need to fix that", said Donald Trump yesterday when he was asked about the recent killing of Charlie Kirk. How does Trump know this? Because recently, he has had two of those "sick, twisted" people try and kill him. Unfortunately, another one of those "sick, twisted" people was able to get a lucky shot off at Charlie, killing him. What ever happened to what Abraham Lincoln said that we were to have "malice towards none"? Good question.

By the way, and just to be fair, these "sick, twisted people" are not just trying to kill our conservatives - they are all over the big cities. In Chicago for example, over the past ten years, thousands of citizens have died from gunshots from other citizens. Maybe I should be more clear - thousands in Chicago have died from other gang bangers (mostly). Is it the gun? Do we have a gun problem?

That would be a no. As much as Democrats try and assign blame to guns and law-abiding gun owners for this mayhem, they are looking in the wrong direction. As someone said yesterday on a news program, know this for what it is - it is spiritual warfare. Good vs. evil. The prince of darkness. If guns were illegal, we would still have a "sick, twisted" person stab an innocent girl to death on a subway train in New York. Why? Was he sick in the head, or did he just have malice towards everyone? 

Here's the deal folks (not to sound like Biden) - this is how it is supposed to work. As one of our founders said at the beginning, "We can swing our fist as hard and wide, as we choose - until it touches somebody else's nose. That is where our freedom ends." Meaning - if you don't like Donald Trump, don't vote for him. You have no right to shoot him. If you didn't like Charlie Kirk, don't go to his events. You had no right to shoot him. Our First Amendment gives us the God given right to free speech. No matter how much you might disagree with what somebody says or writes, free speech is protected by our Constitution. Period. Full stop.

For our Great Experiment in this country to keep on working, we need to practice having malice towards none. In fact, having malice for one, is one too many. When in doubt, we all need to consult the book. Which book? The Holy Bible, which may sit dusty in the corner of the bookshelf. Our founders consulted the Bible quite a bit when they first set things up. Maybe we need to do the same to keep this great country going. 

And the beat goes on...

 

"I never met Charlie Kirk. The closest I got to him was watching him on Fox News. I would have loved to have met him face to face. I would have been enriched by that experience. We all would have been enriched by meeting Charlie Kirk. Now we have just his legacy, and it is ours to protect and grow." 

I remember not too long ago, when Melissa Hortman, her husband, John Hoffman, and his wife, were gunned down by some nut case, the reaction from the conservatives was mostly shock. No dancing in the streets, no cheering - the most callous thing I remember hearing was something like, "I disagree with their politics, but I am sad this happened." Why bring this up? Contrast. When 31-year-old Charlie Kirk was killed yesterday, many on the left were acting like it was a Super Bowl victory. One nut ball leftie was seen carrying a handmade sign which said, "Burn in hell Charlie Kirk." And here once again, we have the great divide.

I, like many, thought this very mature 31-year-old conservative activist was going to be presidential timber someday. Wise beyond his years, a lover of God and country, a family man, and the co-founder of Turning Point - Charlie Kirk had all the right stuff. So then, why shoot him? What possible motive? Charlie was not harmful to anybody. He had an infectious personality, a quick wit, and a stalwart love for America and her people. 

The great divide that Obama started in this country, I did not think could get any wider. But yesterday, with the cowardly killing of this most innocent man - it did. You may not have liked Charlie's politics (I can't understand why anyone would not), but Charlie was a good, good man. He was brave. He quite often would go into the lion's den to find people of a different ilk and have a robust debate with them. Never got angry, always kept his eyes on the prize. Show young people, who have been brainwashed by college, a different path. A better path. 

There are similarities between Charlie and President Trump (who loved Charlie). If that bullet which hit Donald Trump was an inch or two over, Trump would now be dead. But the MAGA force would live on. Why? Donald Trump taught many of us a better way. I believe the same will be true with Charlie Kirk. He may now be gone but never forgotten. His gentle yet effective way of spreading the conservative message will be with us always. As for some of the left, who are still celebrating Charlie's death, the dishonor of doing such is on them. The shoddy and gross behavior by some malcontents will forever be a blot on their lives.

I never met Charlie Kirk. The closest I got to him was watching him on Fox News. I would have loved to have met him face to face. I would have been enriched by that experience. We all would have been enriched by meeting Charlie Kirk. Now we have just his legacy, and it is ours to protect and grow. 

Goodbye Charlie Kirk. Thanks for everything you have done for this great country. You will not be forgotten.   

Is it all for naught?

"I am reminded of some old sayings. 'Getting into a war is easy, getting out of a war is very hard'. Or, 'Waging war is easy, waging peace is not.' Both seem to be true for Israel and Ukraine. Once again, we seem to find ourselves between a rock and a hard place. And where are the peacemakers? Not here. Not even close to being here." 

Looking for the peacemakers? They might all be on vacation right now. If I were asked which war was a bigger mess right now, I would be at a loss to answer. Is there an end in sight for either war? Nope. Not even close. In fact, Israel has about given up on Hamas releasing any more hostages. There was a terror attack inside of Israel the other day, killing six innocent Israelis. So, Israel did what it knows how to do the best - it bombed the homes of senior Hamas leaders. One minor problem however - they needed to bomb them in Doha, Qatar. Whoops.

Netanyahu was asked the other day how much fighting was left to do in Gaza. Then he said something amazing - he figures there are 20,000 more Hamas fighters left to kill in Gaza. With a population of about one million left in Gaza City, this is going to get messy. But in the eyes of Israel, if they leave some of the rot in Gaza City, Hamas will strike again. And again. For the IDF, it is "go time". Try not to kill too many innocents, but you know - war is war. Trump is fearing that when this is all said and done, so will be the future for the Abraham Accords also be done.

And then Putin, this modern-day Hitler. What a heartless man this is! His latest act of cowardness, is bombing a post office where civilians went to get their pension checks. That killed 24 innocent people. With Putin, the killing never stops. He actually seems to enjoy it - that is, except for his own killing. He just wants others to die - not him. But the news gets worse.

Seven of Russia's drones went over established borders and landed or were shot down in Poland. This is huge. To be technical, that by itself could have resulted in an Article 5 response. Then we would have a real mess. Maybe the start to World War III. Poland, who is armed to the teeth with the latest and greatest stuff, is pondering a response to Russia. All the negotiating in the world with Putin has been for naught. He does not want peace - he wants war, and more of it. His real fantasy is war with NATO. And Poland might just be the doorstep to that prize.

Where does all this leave the USA? With the War on Hamas, we appear to be locked at the hip with Israel. If Israel gets dirty in a response to Hamas, the United States will get some soot on their shoes. We want to protect Israel, but by the same token, we want peace with our Arab allies. Bottom line? The longer this war goes on, we might not be able to have good relations with Israel AND the Arab Nation. This too, could get really messy in the future.

I am reminded of a couple of old sayings. "Getting into a war is easy, getting out of a war is very hard". Or "Waging war is easy, waging peace is not". Both seem to be true for Israel and Ukraine. Once again, we seem to find ourselves between a rock and a hard place. And where are the peacemakers? Not here. Not even close to being here. 

As the good guys gather...

"The bellicose actions of China towards the PI and to a lesser extent towards Australia, have done the trick. Both the PI and Australia want to be bigger players in the area, so if push comes to shove - they are ready. Even Viet Nam is armed to the teeth."

What is happening right now in the world, kind of reminds me of the West Side Story. We are divided into the Sharks and the Jets. Two groups, getting ready to go to battle with each other. The one side is made up of the baddies - the usual suspects. Russia, China, (hopefully not India) North Korea, and Iran. On the other side of the ball are the good guys. Both in Europe and now in the Indo-Pacific. And this list is looking better all the time.

First Europe. I have addressed this before. NATO, which was showing its age and lack of resolve, has awakened from its slumber (except for Canada). We can thank Putin that due to his invasion of Ukraine, it was a wake-up call. Now all of a sudden, most Euro countries have ponied up close to the 5% of GDP goal. Plus, we have Finland, Norway and Sweden to cover the north. Poland has evolved as the new heavyweight, and Germany wants to contend. All in all, with our help supplying some weaponry, NATO is once again a great stopper to Euro aggression by the bad guys. 

Now to the other side of the world. China is the big bully with the big Navy and lots and lots of missiles. The good guys over there continue to be South Korea, Japan, Australia, Philippine Islands (PI), Viet Nam, and of course - us. I have to say, I have been quite impressed with how serious Japan is taking China's adventuresome prowling in the entire Indo-Pacific area. They are locked and loaded, and ready to fight at the drop of a hat. But that is not all.

The bellicose actions of China towards the PI and to a lesser extent towards Australia, have done the trick. Both the PI and Australia want to be bigger players in the area, so if push comes to shove - they are ready. Even Viet Nam is armed to the teeth. For a small country who recently endured decades of war, their Navy is quite impressive. It consists of 50,000 officers and sailors and almost 130 ships. Going against China, every ship who fights for the good guys is helpful.

I keep hearing that China is looking at 2027 as their "go time" to invade Taiwan. If that is true, time is not our friend. But with Trump and Hegseth involved, we will make the most out of the time we have left until 2027. My feeling remains that if we can show enough resolve and backbone in both Europe and the Indo-Pacific, the bad guys will think twice about any more aggressions. It is the whole "Peace through strength" thing.

But in any event, it is nice to have former enemies like Germany, Japan and Viet Nam on our side as good guys. If things get nasty, former enemies, now friends, will help all of us prevail. And that is a very good thing.  

Putin's unforced act of hara-kiri

"Trump is now going to lay down the hammer to Putin on more primary and secondary sanctions. Putin said our sanctions are meaningless to him, but his Oligarchs might have a differing opinion. War is costly, and most civilized nations eschew war at all costs."

Did you hear what Putin did to the civilians in Ukraine over the weekend? He sent in over 800 suicide drones and a few missiles to boot. Does this sound like a guy who wants to smoke the peace pipe? Not in my book. People who suspected that Putin was just playing the peacemakers, are starting to look much smarter today. Putin has all but lost his entire tank inventory, and over a million troops. But who cares? I have said this before, if not for Putin's nukes, he would be gone. But he does have nukes, and he continues to threaten to use them.

This is for sure the best example of somebody attempting to achieve a pyrrhic victory that I have ever seen. Russia is now the scourge of the Earth. Putin is a world class war criminal. Putin's once fear army is laying in tatters now, over much of the landscape in Ukraine. The freedom fighters of Ukraine have figured out how to get munitions over the border into Russia to do great damage to their energy resources. Bottom line? Russia is a mess right now. All this, because of some demented idea in Putin's head that Russia could be like the Czars of yesteryear. What a fool.

One might wonder where this will all end up. Will it end with Putin committing actual or political hara-kiri? I can't image him staying in power once this over. There needs to be a price to be paid for laying waste not only to a neighboring sovereign state, but also his own country. And should Ukraine fall, what is the victory? A destroyed country? The cost of this damaged prize is incalculable. All this, just to identify with Adolph Hitler.

Trump is now going to lay down the hammer to Putin on more primary and secondary sanctions. Putin said our sanctions are meaningless to him, but his Oligarchs might have a differing opinion. War is costly, and most civilized nations eschew war at all costs. However, if war comes, then most countries fight to vanquish the aggressor. That is exactly what Ukraine is doing right now. Ukraine is not just killing Russian troops - they are slaughtering them. And to what end, if you are a Russian parent. 

How bad of a man is Putin? World class bad. As time goes on, every now and again, a real baddy shows up. But this guy Putin, he might be in a class by himself. Hopefully, enough good people in Russia remain to fix their own problem. That would be the best solution. 

The battle for Chicago

"America the beautiful has a black eye. It is called crime. Unfettered crime. And the biggest crime of this crime, is that we let it go on and on and on. Trump won't let it go on, but he is facing strong headwinds. Why? Search me. Normal folks don't understand this. Not a bit. This is a national disgrace."    

It is hard to believe what is going on in Chicago these days. It is really hard to believe what is going on this weekend. People are protesting in the street. "F" Trump, "F" ICE, "F" the troops, "F" everything. What are they protesting? Law and order. Wait - what? Why in the world, would any city on Earth, where just last weekend there were more shootings and killings in most cities in the world, be against more law enforcement? Why Governor Pritsker? Why Mayor Johnson? Are you supporting criminals and illegal aliens over law enforcement? Huh? 

In the past five years, there have been over 3,000 people killed in Chicago. That is more than the total of KIA in the Afghanistan War. That was more than were killed in the Iraq War. In the eyes of the President of these United States, that is unacceptable. It may be business as usual for the Illinois Governor, or the Mayor of Chicago, but not for President Trump. As usual, Trump's feeling is either you fix it, or he will. 

But hold on. As bad as Chicago is, New Orleans is also bad. It needs some additional boots on the ground to enforce the law. Because the Governor of Louisiana is friendly to Trump, and would welcome some help, Trump might send the National Guard to New Orleans first. But Chicago remains bright on Trump's radar. So does New York. Even though in New York, Trump will be met by a recalcitrant Governor and Mayor of NYC, that city also needs to be brought under law-and-order control.

By the way, not to let the hometown of Minneapolis off the hook, we also have a screwed-up Governor and an idiot Mayor of Minneapolis. They too, will fight Trump tooth and nail to keep our crime rate high. Heck, we still have scars in town from the Floyd riots. We still have feral youth carjacking at gunpoint. We just had a tranny with mental health issues shoot up a Catholic school. The mayor's solution to crime? Confiscate guns from law abiding citizens, by going door to door. That will teach them Jacob! Fine job! 

Back to Chicago for a minute. Many think that since most of the killing is black on black or brown on brown, it is easy to ignore. That is blatantly racist. Yet, there is no other explanation on why it is allowed by city and state leaders. Think about that for a minute - as of June of last year, 95% of all murders were either black or brown people. And most murders of those people were committed by black or brown people. Is that acceptable to leadership? It sure is not to most of us. It definitely is not acceptable to Donald Trump. This needs to stop now, with or without the help of the governor or mayor.

America the beautiful has a black eye. It is called crime. Unfettered crime. And the biggest crime of this crime, is that we let it go on and on and on. Trump won't let it go on, but he is facing strong headwinds. Why? Search me. Normal folks don't understand this. Not a bit. This is a national disgrace.