Charlie Kirk started a group called Turning Point USA (TPUSA). It, or he, became very popular among a certain conservative crowd. TPtheUSA started an annual convention called ‘AmericaFest.’ This year, for obvious reasons, Charlie isn’t the host. His widow, Erika, has the honors. ALSO, this year, there seems to have been much infighting.

Ben Shapiro, co-founder of the conservative media outlet ‘Daily Wire,’ came out swinging and insulted conservative mouthpieces Candace Owens, Megyn Kelly, and Tucker Carlson. Owens, Kelly, and Carlson then each took turns insulting Shapiro back. Steve Bannon jumped on the “Smack Shapiro Back” train, too.

Bannon’s complaint seemed to revolve around Israel. Israel was another area of contention. Some MAGA wonder if US involvement violates 47’s ‘America First’ policy. So, on the one hand, MAGA stands staunchly against antisemitism and on the other hand, they dismiss Shapiro as a Jew with a narrow focus on Israel. Of course, by now, the idea of MAGA holding two conflicting opinions most of the time is just normal day-to-day stuff.

JD Vance said anybody could be part of MAGA so long as they “love America.” Be advised, though, you have to hate the US Constitution and all of the beliefs and institutions that define America AS America. Every time they claim to love America most, I find myself wondering just what in the hell they’re talking about, the landscape?

It was nice to read about the infighting. It looks like there are cracks forming throughout MAGA as individuals split off into their own special interests and splinter groups. I’m not sure Erika Kirk is the dynamic leader Charlie was. At one point, she was presenting an award to a Utah Valley University student named Caleb Chilcutt and she said, “Despite the devastating loss of Charlie Kirk, my incredible husband at UVU, Caleb has persisted with the same grift.”

She quickly shifted to “gift” before settling on “grit,” but her accidental truth was a moment of unintentional humor. It clearly was not a smooth, easy event and the public disputes suggest trouble roiling just beneath the surface in MAGA. Stay tuned…

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Sure, 47 will keep murdering people in speedboats. He thinks he has a cover story. But it’s pretty obvious he wants Venezuela’s oil. I mean, he DID say so. Because of his dementia, he actually said that Venezuela was sitting on our oil. He was less clear about how and why the US put it’s oil under Venezuela. So now he has seized a second tanker.

Here’s a question: How long do you suppose China is going to stay quiet about all of this? The reason I ask is, 80% of Venezuelan oil goes to China. Donny ordering the seizing of tankers seems like it could be a problem. Right now, Donny thinks he’s seizing Venezuela’s oil but it seems he actually seizing China’s oil. I suspect Venezuela is going to show up for Donny’s war with quite a strong ally…

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I find it telling that the (in)Justice Department is dragging it’s feet releasing photos 47 is in because they have to be super-de-duper careful about making sure he’s not in a photo with one of his victims, and, apparently, that’s a very difficult thing for them to do. It suggests there are a LOT of photos depicting Donny with his victims…

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Tax season is fast approaching and I’ve been concerned. I suspect Donny will do everything he can to milk the working class dry. My suspicion is based on the observation that, so far, all he’s done is work to milk the working class dry. So I was surprised when White House spokesliar Kevin Hassett suggested we, the people, are just about to receive the largest refunds in history.

Then I remembered: he’s a spokesliar. Everything this White House says turns out to be the opposite of the truth. If we’re being told we’re just about to receive the biggest refund in history, be afraid. Be very afraid…

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We’re getting to the fun part of the season. You’re going to read more about the NFL, here, in the next few weeks. Like the fact that the Niners clinched a playoff spot this weekend before they even played a game. I think stuff like this is fun. The Seattle Seahawks beat the LA Rams and the Niners clinched a spot. Not only that, there’s a path for the Niners to end up winning their division AND taking the number one overall seed, giving them a first round Bye in the playoffs.

That’s wild, in view of the injuries the team has suffered this season. It’s important to note that the Niners have to win the next three games in order to achieve that goal, and winning all three is NOT going to be an easy task. The last three games are all against teams with winning records. The attempt starts tonight as the Niners take on the 8-6 Indianapolis Colts.

Indy got to where they are behind a Quarterback who got injured and is out for the season. So, the team went out and signed 44-year old veteran Philip Rivers. He’s a good player but he hasn’t been playing for a couple of years. He seems a bit rusty. Besides, in football terms, 44 years makes you Methuselah.

After that, the Niners face the 10-4 Bears, then the 12-3 Seahawks but to embrace an old Football cliche, they have to take them one game at a time. If they lose any one of those games, the attempt fails and they play the Wild Card round. Based on the injuries the team has suffered all season, just making the playoffs is a huge success. Claiming the top seed in the NFC seems almost greedy. I mean, I’m okay with it, but just making the playoffs was a hell of an accomplishment, if you ask me…