“The greatest country on Earth!”™
“The strongest economy on the planet!”™
“The richest country on Earth!”™

Slogans, with very little meaning and even less truth.

“We should measure the prosperity of a nation not by the number of millionaires but by the absence of poverty, the prevalence of health, the efficiency of public schools, and the number of people who can and do read worthwhile books.” W.E.B Du Bois

Truth, with very clear meaning.

Judging by the homeless encampment I drove past yesterday, America is NONE of her slogans anymore. Before so-called “Free Market Capitalism,” we were a FAR better country. I hope we can find a way to rein in the Capitalists and return to New Deal Capitalism before we have to resort to the guillotines…

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It’s worth noting that state after state that was once criminally controlled by the GOP via gerrymandering have seen their rigged districts fall. The GOP has fought tooth and nail to keep their ill-gotten advantages, of course. What choice do they have? They’re certainly NOT going to win any elections based on their ideas and/or policy positions.

Wisconsin is the latest state to do away with the anti-democratic behavior of the GOP. Now their state legislature is competitive. It’s no lock for either party. That’s the way it should be. Now the race can be measured as rational (blue, some red, and purple) vs irrational (DEEP red). MAGA has been fooled into believing they’re secretly with the majority. They’re not, and they never have been. I suspect they’ll be finding out soon. At least, I hope they’ll be finding out soon.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Donny went to CPAC (Conservatives Planning the After-Coup) and told his mesmerized, fawning crowd of dangerous dunderheads that he mixes people’s names up on purpose. It’s some kind of clever, clever ploy he pulls to draw parallels between people he doesn’t like. (No, he did NOT use a phrase like “draw parallels.” Who, in that room, might understand the phrase, “draw parallels?”) See that? Isn’t it brilliant? He called out Nikki Haley for not better defending the Capitol on J6 (against HIS attack, by the way) because he doesn’t like Nancy Pelosi! Yeah, clear as mud.

He goes on verbal walk-abouts and wanders freely – and often aimlessly – but assured his devoted followers that’s all intentional. He even told them it’s a sign of true genius, being able to toddle so far off topic and then come back to the main point. I’m not sure I agree with the premise but he would have to come back to the main point from time to time for anybody to find out.

He did NOT address the aphasia, in which he simply can not say the word he wants and either wanders around it until he CAN say it, or finds a replacement word, then acts like that’s what he meant to say all along.

Here’s a thing I think. When you’re truly a genius? You don’t have to tell people. I’ve known some. It shows up right away. You know what else is fairly easy to spot? Stupidity. That, too, shows up right away. Remember when Alina Habba said she’d rather be pretty because she can fake being smart? The whole world laughed at her – including the people in that room – because, no you can’t. Smart people can tell when someone is trying to fake smart. They’re usually just too polite to say so – and the faker is usually just too stupid to see that.

His acolytes already think he’s a genius, so who’s he trying to convince? If his devoted loyalists already believe it based on their preferences, and actual intelligent people will NEVER believe it based on their own observations, who is he trying to convince? Himself? He can say it and say it and say it some more. NOBODY on the planet knows what a giant, useless, waste of human flesh Donald is more than Donald, himself.

I’m not sure I’ve ever seen a more deeply insecure person than Donny and that kind of insecurity comes from some personal knowledge of one’s self – something the person knows or thinks about themselves that most people don’t know. Trump has never been anything more than an empty vessel with an image. HE knows that. And now even the image is becoming far too tarnished to protect his many personal weaknesses from exposure…

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A bay area bakery received an order from Tesla for thousands of pies. It’s a small bakery and such an order was possible for them to fill but difficult – and expensive. At the last minute, AFTER the efforts had been made to make the pies, Tesla cancelled the order. The small bakery was devastated.

I don’t like Elon but I have to say, he has suggested he’s going to make it right for the bakery. I hope he does. He did NOT specify he was going to pay for the pies, just that he was going to “make things good” with the bakery. Tesla tried offering the owner a tour of the facility to “make things good” before he got involved though so, one can’t be sure she’ll be made financially whole until she is.

Tesla won’t miss $6,000 but it’s a huge amount for the bakery. Here’s a chance for Elon to do a good thing by making it right. He said he was going to. I’m going to believe him. Good on you, Elon…