Donald Trump - Emperor Of The Arts

February 11th, 2025

My Dear America:

 If There was any doubt about the fact that Donald Trump sees himself as The 2025 Fuhrer of the United States of America Trump just destroyed that doubt by firing the board members of the Kennedy Center For the Arts including the Chairman of that board.  In addition to that disturbing development, Trump derangely appointed himself to be the replacement for the Kennedy Center Board Chairman.

Now, Isn't That Special.

Clearly Trump was not in agreement regarding the many Artists of all kinds chosen for the Kennedy Center honors

Where was Kid Rock, for instance, in the winners box at the Kennedy Center Honors.  I'm sure that he will be there in that winners box very soon getting his just due from the Fuhrer.  How could the Kennedy Center have passed over K Rock and The Village People for Kennedy Center Honors.  Jesus, how could it be that these talented Artists have been overlooked  for Kennedy Center acknowledgement of their remarkable talents.

Yes, Friends,  Not only does the Emperor have no clothes on He also has nothing to qualify him as a judge of artistic talent.  Well ,yes he was the judge and jury on his Fake TV Show, "The Apprentice" but everybody knew that this show wasn't real life.  Didn't they?

Well, based on MAGA and the last Presidential Election, apparently not everyone thought that "The Apprentice" was just a Fake TV Show.

The Make America Great Crowd apparently felt and still feel that Donald Trump was a talented businessman who knew much more than how to fire people.  The MAGA crowd still refuses to accept the facts about Donald Trump which include the following:

Donald Trump is a notorious Liar who lies about everything but MAGA seems to want to believe that everything he says is the truth despite the fact that they can often times see with their own eyes that he is not telling the truth.

Donald Trump has been a businessman who has not had a great deal of luck or talent as a businessman.  He was initially financed by his Father. He has lost fortunes in business and has declared bankruptcy in several of his business ventures.

I have made it a habit to watch the Kennedy Center Honors on Television almost every year.  It has been a pleasure to see the honoring of so many truly talented Artists of all kinds getting recognized by the Kennedy Center for their artistic achievements.

I have the feeling that my days of watching The Kennedy Center Honors are over.

I will certainly not be tuning in to watch Artists Fawning all over Trump since that is the only way that anyone calling themselves an Artist is going to receive Kennedy Center Accolades from Donald Trump.

I just hope that Donald Trump does not do to the Kennedy Center what he has done to so many of his failed businesses, namely Bankrupt and Destroy it.

Well, The Kennedy Center was nice while it lasted.

I sincerely hope that the Kennedy Center Outlasts the Trump Administration but I wouldn't bet big money on it.

Sincerely Yours

Jerry Gallagher

Republicans, What In God's Name Have You Done To Our Country

Monday, February 3rd,  2025

My Dear America:

After two Hellish Weeks following Donald Trump's return to the White House all I can think of is "How in the Hell are we going to put up with Four Years of this Reckless Bullshit?"

Certainly no one in their right mind expected Trump's Election and Inauguration to lead to prosperous and wonderful times but these two weeks have been Awful beyond belief and every day seems to lead to something more Stupid and Harmful than the day before.

Good God, How the hell are we expected to last through this.

And speaking of God, one of the first things Donald Trump did as he began his Administration was to attend Christian Services at The District of Columbia Episcopal Cathedral to put on a phony show of how religious he claimed to be.

The Service Trump attended along with his Vice President and their wives was conducted by Bishop Marian Budde, the DC Episcopal Bishop who as a part of her Sermon Pleaded directly to Donald Trump as President to show Mercy to Gay and Transgender Children as well as Immigrants, legal and Illegal and others who were "Scared".

In other words, Bishop Budde in her own Honest, Peaceful and Respectful Approach urged President Trump to show some manner of adherence to the humanistic teachings of Jesus, who Trump Claims to revere.  As the Bishop was gently talking Mercy Donald Trump showed his Angry Face, while Melania Trump and JD Vance were observed to be smiling and possibly chuckling as if what the Bishop was saying was funny. 

Jesus Christ, You would have thought by the reaction of Trump and Vance and other supposedly reputable Republicans that Bishop Budde might have revealed herself to be a Sadistic Pervert instead of a Purveyor of Peace, Love and Mercy.

I have often asked "What is wrong with the Republican Party" but rarely have I seen something that so clearly shows what's wrong with it as the Republican response to this Peaceful Bishop's Gentle and Soft Pedaled Urge to be Merciful to those individuals who are frightened by the prospect of a certified Mentally Unstable Racist Megalomaniac in the White House who has promised to root out Gay, Transgender and Illegal Immigrant Human Beings who Trump has called "Vermin".

Instead of Prominent Republicans calling out Donald Trump's horrible actions over the past couple of weeks many Republicans have instead chosen to focus their anger and attention toward The Bishop who had the Audacity to speak about Actual Christian Values to people who at least claim to be Christians but don't show much evidence of it.

What Republicans have shown, however and continue to show is that those Republicans who are still in office are spineless puppets who never would have made the grade in Ronald Reagan's Republican Party. Those Few Republican Heroes who have shown the courage to speak out against the madness have been largely thrown out of their party.  

Republicans, like the rest of us, can clearly see what Donald Trump is trying to do and so far he is mostly successful in his efforts.  Those efforts include pushing Unfit Candidates to fill Cabinet seats and setting up an outrageous agenda and then forcing Republican Leaders to go along with his reckless policies and awful picks for Cabinet positions and other Government Leadership Positions.

Among Donald Trump's Reckless actions during the past couple of weeks are the following:

Withdrawing America from the World Health Organization.

Pushing Congress to Confirm his terrible Cabinet Picks including Pete Hegseth, who is now in charge of the Pentagon and has followed through on Trump's desire to take away General Mark Milley's Security Detail apparently with the hope that Iran might be successful in assassinating Milley.  Other Terrible Cabinet Picks include Kristi Noem, Robert Kennedy Junior and Tulsi Gabbard.

Establishment of the Department of Government Efficiency with Elon Musk in charge of trimming Government Spending.  What could go wrong there.

Eliminating Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Programs throughout the government. 

Sending The American Military to the border.

Establishing 25 Percent Tariffs on Our long established trading partners Mexico and Canada and a 10 Percent tariff on China with promises of more tariffs to come.

Eliminating Birthright Citizenship even though it is a long established Constitutional Right.

Reversing countless Biden Administration principles apparently because they were Biden's including doing away with the cap on Insulin costs.  

Withdrawing from the Paris Climate Agreement.

Eliminating what The Trump Administration determines are "Burdensome Rules & Regulations" including such things as food inspection regulations.  

Mass Firings of individual Prosecutors and others in the FBI, Justice Department and other Government Agencies such as the Federal Administration Authority (Although the chaos in the FAA may or may not be related, we have had two disastrous Airplane crashes in the past week. One in DC and One in Philadelphia resulting in extensive loss of life and injuries.  

All of these actions are cause for concern but probably the most Outrageous act that Donald Trump was responsible for was the Pardoning of all of the January Sixth Convicted Felons releasing all of those violent offenders from Prison.

One more outrage is the revoking of Security Clearances for at least 50 Long Time Intelligence Professionals.

Trump has also begun the process of taking Thousands and eventually probably Millions of Illegal Immigrants from wherever they can be rounded up and put them on Military flights to their country of origin or to Guantanamo Bay Where they will be housed with the accused Terrorists left from past wars.

And Much, Much More.

Clearly these early and outrageous acts are meant to establish that Trump is in charge in these early days of his Administration and although Trump made a big issue during his campaign of distancing himself from Project 2025 almost every outrageous action he has taken so far is taken from suggested actions featured in Project 2025.  

Surprise.

What is clear to me is that Democrats will largely unite against the outrageous conduct and Cabinet picks but Those Republicans who remain in office largely feel that they are indebted to Donald Trump.

It is time for Republicans to unite around something other than Donald Trump.  They may feel indebted to Trump but they truly owe Trump Nothing.  He has virtually destroyed the Republican Party and it is time for Republicans to stand up and be counted not as Trump Loyalists but to join with their Democratic Colleagues and recognize where we are now and what we are now and what we should do about it.

We are No longer going off a cliff.  We are off the cliff and crashed at the bottom of the Mountain and our Government is racing toward destruction just as disastrous as the planes that crashed over the Potomac this week.  

Republicans need to wake up to Reality.  Donald Trump doesn't need you any more and doesn't care about you any more.  And for that matter he never cared about you.  He led you down the Garden Path to the Eve of Destruction and he is leading you further and further into the Destruction of not only our Country but our Constitution and our Democracy.  Clearly some of you don't give a shit about the Constitution and Democracy.  But i am sure that some of you Republicans who still possess consciences are still capable of saying STOP to Donald Trump.  Now is the time to say STOP to Trump and to recognize where we are going to end up if this Ruthless Dictator is allowed to Ruin our Country as he appears to be poised to do.

Republicans in Congress can and should put the brakes on this Madman before he causes any more rupturing of our Agreements with our Neighbors and Friends around the world.

Donald Trump is shredding the Constitution just because you have been letting him do whatever he pleases.  Once you cave into him on his outrageous Cabinet picks he will own you and he will own this country and bankrupt it like his has bankrupted every Company and person he has ever touched.  If Republicans want to recognize where this is going and how destructive it is going to be please look at what Donald Trump has done to the Reputation and Finances of Rudy Giuliani, who was once a prominent Republican Lawyer, Prosecutor and Mayor and even a Presidential Candidate.  Now he is a Broke Ass Wreck of a man because he believed in serving Donald Trump instead of the Constitution.  Take a Lesson, Republicans.  This can and will happen to you if you count on Donald Trump to be your savior

Wake up Republicans. It may already be too late but it certainly is Very Late in the Game and this Monster needs to be stopped Now.

Sincerely Yours

Jerry Gallagher 

 

Inauguration Day In America - It's a Weird, Weird World Today

Monday, January 20th, 2025

My Dear America:

I have not been looking forward with anticipation to Inauguration Day In America this year.  

Before 2025 I have Often Times had mixed feelings On Inauguration Day.  Usually by Inauguration Day I have either been thrilled by the Elections of people I supported (usually Democrats) or have by late January of Presidential Inauguration Year at least begun to accept, even if I'm not thrilled by those Presidential Candidates that I did not support (Usually Republicans) for President.

This year is totally different for me, however.  I saw very clearly that this past year's Presidential Contest was not only a battle between Political Parties, Democrats Versus Republicans, but also to my mind a battle between Good And Evil and Democracy versus Autocracy.

In 2024 the end result to my mind was not one that I had expected or approved of.  I know that it is easy to look back on 2024 and find fault with Joe Biden, Kamala Harris and other Democrats but I don't find much fault with Biden or Harris.  

There certainly was a problem with Joe Biden's performance in his first 2024 debate with Trump.  From what I recall he had a lot going on at that time including traveling around the world for various functions and also legal issues with regard to his son, Hunter Biden.  Was Joe sluggish and distracted on the debate stage. Yes. But to his credit, Joe Biden tried his best to answer every question truthfully on the debate stage.  While Donald Trump certainly seemed to be a little more quick on the uptake in the debate What stood out to me was the fact that Trump blatantly but skillfully lied on almost every question he was asked.  He also skillfully turned almost every question around to the border, which Biden failed to push back on Trump's outrageous demand that the Congress not pass the border bill that had been worked out between Democrats and Republicans because Trump wanted to run for President on the issue of the border, and he did run on it.

Although I don't know if it would have made much difference in the end election result, I think that Democrats reacted way too quickly in demanding that Biden get out of the race and every time that a Democrat demanded that Joe should Go it reduced his chances of winning and the chances of Democrats to show strength in the upcoming election.  Certainly despite everything Joe Biden had a four year record of astounding success to run on.

When Biden finally faced the fact that he had lost control of the race and bowed out he wisely turned the reins of the Biden Campaign over to Kamala Harris, who ran an absolutely outstanding Campaign with the Biden team and her own team working well together with the Democratic Party.  The Democratic Convention was outstanding with Party Unity seemingly with Kamala Harris, as well as her wisely chosen Vice Presidential pick, Tim Walz appreciated all around.  Everywhere Kamala and Tim went there were Large and Enthusiastic crowds.  Things looked good wherever and whenever the Democratic Candidates spoke.

Trump on the other hand appeared to be Verbally Rambling and "Weaving" everywhere he went and appeared at many points to be losing his mind and his memory.  He lost so badly to Kamala in the only debate that they had that he was forced to tell his followers, many of whom probably didn't watch the debate, that he won the debate and that Harris was begging for another debate (which she probably was) but he was not going to debate her because he didn't have to because he won the debate with her.  This message that Trump gave to his followers was an outright lie.  Clearly anyone who watched the debate saw Kamala Harris Embarrass and Humiliate Donald Trump throughout that debate. But that wasn't the message that Trump voters were getting.

Toward the end of the Campaign Trump had a Campaign Event at Madison Square Garden that had echoes of another American Nazi movement from a bygone era.  I certainly saw that disgusting spectacle as something that hammered the last nail into Donald Trump's Political Coffin.

But in the end Donald Trump's lies and deceits somehow did not apparently keep him from being Re Elected

Despite the fact that it appeared to me as though Donald Trump could not win, I was wrong and on Today's Inauguration Day Donald Trump came back to the Capitol, where he had sent his Shock Troops on January Sixth of 2021, and was once again sworn in as the 47th President of the United States.

I was so determined not to watch today's proceedings that I had set up a Doctor's appointment today to keep me away from a television set.

But today the considerable amount of snow that hit eastern Pennsylvania kept me home from my Doctor's Office and since I was home and had watched many an Inauguration in past years I capitulated and watched this one too.  

It was indoors at the Capitol and as in other years previous Presidents such as George W. Bush, Bill Clinton and Barack Obama were there.  Laura Bush and Hillary Clinton were also there, as Was, of course Melania Trump and Trump's family members.  Michelle Obama was not there. 

The Supreme Court Members were there with Robes on.  Congress members and proposed Trump Cabinet members were also there, as well as several Millionaires and Billionaires.

Donald Trump gave a speech which started out OK but soon weaved into what George Bush might be calling "Some Weird Shit" under his breath.

But clearly this "Weird Shit" is not going to be going away soon.  Certainly not for another Four Years, at least.  

As weird as this shit is going to get it was actually kind of encouraging after what happened four years ago to see that despite the Weirdness of Trump's Return to Power it was not weird to see Trump's predecessor and the other Presidents show up to show that at least on this day we are still a democracy with Rules and Traditions.  At least Maybe we are going to remain a Democracy despite what we are going to see and experience for the Next Four Years.

I think that in the end the best way to deal with what is coming in the next four years is to Hope for the Best but Prepare for the worst.  At least that is what I am going to try to do.  

I am going to try to look forward to every day that I am alive and be grateful for what I have and that I have the Good Fortune to live in the United States of America.

Sincerely Yours

Jerry Gallagher  

 

Unhappy New Year In New Orleans And Las Vegas - Murder And Suicide As Political Statements

 Saturday January 11th, 2025

Back in 2001 Bill Maher lost his Late Night ABC Television Show "Politically Incorrect" for stating that the 9/11 Hijackers who killed themselves along with thousands of Innocent Americans had a lot of guts for being willing to sacrifice their own lives for a purpose that they believed in.

Maher was absolutely correct, of course.  It certainly did take a lot of guts for the Islamic Terrorists to sacrifice their own lives in what they considered as Jihad.

Once again in the early hours of New Years Day we have seen Terrorists, this time Homegrown American Terrorists, willing to sacrifice their own lives in the New Orleans Case for the apparent alligiance to the Islamic State or as it is better known, ISIS.  

The New Orleans Terrorist had left social media posts indicating that prior to his despicable act on Bourbon Street in which he ran down New Years Revelers he had pledged his commitment to ISIS.  He also had an ISIS Flag on the rented truck which he rammed into the Bourbon Street Partiers in New Orleans.  When the truck stopped the driver jumped out of the truck and started shooting.  New Orleans Police who were nearby returned fire and killed the Terrorist.  Certainly the man driving the truck down Bourbon Street in the early hours of New Years Day would have known that this particular street at this particular time would have been loaded with people celebrating the arrival of New Years Day.  It certainly looks as though the individual who committed this crime was looking for maximum damage to people and he certainly got it and got new publicity for ISIS, which had been starving for publicity these days.

We had not heard much about ISIS lately.  Our Once and Future President, Donald Trump had claimed responsibility for wiping ISIS off the map during his prior Administration.  Could it possibly be that Donald Trump was not telling us the truth about that?  

Yes, that is certainly possible.

Not only has Donald Trump lied about the elimination of ISIS.  In this terribly unstable period of time as he prepares to return to the Presidency he has also taken the tragic situations in New Orleans and Las Vegas and lied about the perpetrators of these criminal acts.  Prior to much being known about the New Orleans and Las Vegas Terrorists Donald Trump was quick to claim that these people were "Illegal Aliens".  Following investigations by the FBI and Regional Police forces it was learned that not only were the New Orleans and Las Vegas Terrorists American Citizens but, like many members of the January Sixth Mob that attacked the Capitol, they were American Citizens and either current or Former Military Personnel. We still don't know much about why these men did what they did early on New Years Day.  Since both of the Terrorists are dead in what appears to be in New Orleans Suicide by Cop and in Las Vegas Suicide by shooting himself and blowing himself up in a Tesla Truck outside of a Trump Hotel, it is doubtful that we will ever truly know how and why both of these men who had Relatively Positive Military Service Histories went Rogue on New Years Day in 2025.

There are clues, of course, regarding the motives of these two men who ended up killing themselves and in New Orleans many others also.  But the clues are confusing and in many cases contradictory regarding why these men did what they did on New Years Day.

Although it certainly appears as though the New Orleans killer was looking to promote the fear that ISIS likes to promote, the motives of the Las Vegas man who blew up a Tesla Truck with himself in it outside of a Trump Hotel is a bit more difficult to fathom.  

Supposedly this Military man was a Trumper. So What in the hell was he doing committing suicide by shooting himself and blowing up a Tesla Truck outside a Trump Hotel in Las Vegas.  What kind of message was his desperate act sending to Donald Trump and/or Tesla Founder and Trump Buddy, Elon Musk.  Or was he sending a message to America and if he was, What in the hell was it?

It wasn't that long ago when a well educated University Of Pennsylvania graduate named Luigi Mangione was identified as the killer of the CEO of United Healthcare outside a hotel in New York city.  After a tip by a McDonalds employee in Altoona, Pennsylvania, Mangione was caught and with much publicity he was brought back to New York to be indicted.  

Although Television Network News programs have shown the murder of the United Healthcare CEO over and over, Mangione, who is a handsome guy seems to be well on his way to being somewhat of a Folk Hero to some, rather than a villain as a result of his murdering the Healthcare Executive.

What the hell is going on Here?  Have we gone Completely mad as we watch the mention of Mangione's name being cheered like a Rock Star on Saturday Night Live recently.  Are we really going to become a country in which Killers and Terrorists are cheered and revered rather than reviled.  Are ISIS and Al Quida being welcomed back as if Their terrible legacies do not exist.

We witness daily the frightening situation in Ukraine, as the brave patriots of that country fight to keep their Freedom as the Russians (Who have no right to be in Ukraine in the first place) keep fighting to annex that presently Democratic country.  We wait nervously as we hope that Donald Trump will not sacrifice Democracy in Ukraine to satisfy his Puppet Master, Vladimir Putin.

We watch with Horror as Israel wipes out not only Hamas, but also the Palestinian People, most of whom were not responsible for the Hamas Terror Squad who killed and kidnapped so many Israelis back on October 7th of last year.

We see that the world, which has always been a dangerous place seems to be getting more and more dangerous by the day not only in our country but all over the world where the warning lights are flashing multiple Red alerts.  

Not only are Americans worried about keeping their freedom in the Second Coming of Trump but England, France, Germany, Taiwan are all concerned about keeping their own Governments from falling into the wrong hands.

We are living in an astonishing age where Responsible Political behavior seems out of style and only insane behavior seems to be worthy of being rewarded.

Thank you once again, Joe Biden for not only telling us the truth but for improving all aspects of our lives and keeping us from what we are now headed into in just a few days.  I don't know why or how there were enough voters to give Donald Trump a Political victory in November.  We have seen him appoint many of the worst people possible for his cabinet members and we have seen Republicans become nothing but Insensitive Lap Dogs for Donald Trump.  You and Kamala have done your best Joe but apparently it wasn't good enough to keep the Democracy going.  Maybe miracles will happen and we will get through the next four years without our country descending into complete insanity.

Maybe Pigs will fly.  But then Maybe not.

God help us, Joe.  You have done what you could and we certainly appreciate it.  At least some of us do.  Unfortunately you were not a Miracle Worker.  You were just a Good Man doing a Good Job and Not enough Americans appreciated that.

There's not much more to say to you, Joe Except.

Happy New Year.  

Enjoy your time at Rehoboth Beach.      

     

Sincerely Yours

Jerry Gallagher

Jimmy Carter Is Dead - Long Live Jimmy Carter

Tuesday December 31st  2024

My Dear America:

I was planning to simply let my February of 2023 Blog Post and Podcast be my only Commentary on former President Jimmy Carter.  Essentially I thought that in that blog post and Podcast that I pretty much nailed it and said almost everything that I wanted to say about my Democratic Presidential Hero, Jimmy Carter.

But after some reflection and observing the mainly positive reaction to the Passing and Legacy of Jimmy Carter I realize that there is still much to say about this incredible American Statesman and as Folksinger Phil Ochs sang many years ago "I'm Gonna Say It Now"

First of all, It goes without saying that I wish the Family of President Carter all the best in their time of Incredible Loss and Grief.  It wasn't as if family members were surprised at Jimmy's passing.  What was surprising to me and I am sure to many of them is that Jimmy hung on as long as he did.  He made it clear to his close family members and friends that he wanted to live long enough to vote for Kamala Harris and he did vote in November's Election.  

I certainly think that it is fitting at this time that American Flags will be flying at half mast for President Carter as we prepare for four years of chaotic madness as Donald Trump returns to the Presidency.  Jimmy Carter made it very clear over the years how he felt about Donald Trump.  Lets just say he was not a fan of a man who was not exactly a Paragon of Virtue who narrowly defeated Hillary Clinton in the Electoral College but lost to her in the tabulation of all legitimate votes.  When asked about it Jimmy Carter indicated that he felt that Trump's victory owed much to Russian interference in the American Presidential Election.  Jimmy Carter knew about and cared about legitimate elections all over the world and he and the Carter Center were asked and responded to many countries who trusted him to supervise their elections.

Although there is a lot wrong with America these days one of the worst things that I have seen are some of the bad taste comments made by some Republicans about President Carter.  Scott Jennings is one and a Colorado Republican is another.  These sick and disturbing comments about a Good President and a Good Man are undeserved and despicable.

In a world in which Money and Power seem to be the main driving forces in the Current Republican Party and Despite his many serious deficits, Donald Trump's continuing stranglehold on the Republican party seems to be stronger than ever.  The legitimate comparisons of Donald Trump to Hitler do not seem to move Republicans to return to a Republican Party that valued Decency and Stood against Corruption and against Communism.

Whatever else Jimmy Carter was he was a thoroughly Decent Man and proud of it.  In my previous Post and Podcast I listed the many positive things Jimmy did in his life.  I would ask those who may be interested to check out that post and Podcast.

It is most encouraging to me to observe the Great Majority of comments on the passing of President Carter from every corner of the World.  Even Donald Trump, unlike most of his comments regarding other politicians, had some nice things to say about Carter.  I have a suspicion that perhaps someone in Trump's orbit other than Trump really made the comments for him but I hope I am wrong about that.

I am very glad that at this odd and perilous time in our history that we will be celebrating Jimmy Carter in a way that is deserving of his contributions to our country and our world.  Jimmy Carter was one of a kind and we will miss him but at least he will not be around to suffer through the brutal reality of what might be coming in the next four years.  

I thank Joe Biden, another Extremely Decent and Highly Unappreciated Democratic President, for agreeing in advance to Carter's request for President Biden to Eulogize Jimmy Carter.  

It makes sense to me that President Biden should be the person to celebrate Jimmy Carter's legacy.  They were two of a kind.  They were two Decent Dudes who loved America with all their heart and all their soul and did a good job in their Elected Positions as Presidents of the United States of America.  We will miss them both in the coming Dark Days in America.

Sincerely Yours

Jerry Gallagher

  

Please Check Out "Thank You and God Bless You President Jimmy Carter" which was published initially on February 23rd, 2023

These Are The Good Old Days - Enjoy Them While You Can

 Saturday, December 14th, 2024

My Dear America:

Carly Simon said it back in the day in her song, "Anticipation".

"These Are The Good Old Days" she sang, or something close to it.

I've said it before and I'll say it again.  We didn't know how good we had it during the Biden years.  

Joe Biden saved us in 2020 from dealing with what we are now going to have to deal with in just a few weeks.  And we are finding out right now that the Gutless Republicans in Congress seem to be ready to  rubber stamp Donald Trump's Awful Cabinet picks.  Donald Trump is pushing hard for Kash Patel to take over the FBI where he has promised to hunt down such hardened criminals as Journalists who have written that Trump did not win the 2020 Election (Never mind the fact that the Journalists are telling the truth).  Patel also has on his wish list of criminals to track down the Congressional members of the January Sixth Congressional Investigative Committee as well as those mainly Republicans who testified to the January Sixth committee. (Never Mind the fact that the January Sixth Committee and their brave Republican Witnesses were telling the truth about Donald Trump's Organized Insurrection and uncalled for invasion of the Capitol).  

Although initially it looked as though Senator Joni Ernst might have some problems with Trump's pick of Pete Hegseth for Secretary of Defense because, among other things, he had stated that he did not want Women in Combat.  But somehow now the Republican pressure program seems to have Turned Senator Ernst around to a more acceptable MAGA Perspective.

Tulsi Gabbard's Questionable loyalty to Syria's Assad and to Vladimir Putin should by all rights prevent her from being considered for appointment to Director of National Intelligence.  Time will tell, however how that all turns out.  

In the meantime as we continue to reel from the inappropriateness of Trump's Cabinet and Leadership picks we just found out that FBI Director Christopher Wray resigned.  Although Trump appointed him FBI Director for a 10 year term apparently Wray got a little tired of hearing about his impending doom as Kash Patel was obviously going to be Trump's choice for FBI Director.  I am disappointed that Wray didn't force Trump to fire him but I can't blame him for wanting to leave his FBI Post with more dignity than James Comey got when Trump gave him the Ax.

I am personally finding it harder and harder to watch TV and read newspapers lately.  The news which was uncertain for awhile ever since the election has been very hard to take.  

I continue to appreciate the fact that we still have a few more weeks of governmental sanity prior to Joe Biden and Kamala Harris going off into that Land of peace and quiet for them but insanity and horror for the rest of us.

I am trying to keep my spirits up by writing and playing music.  I have a few more writing projects in mind for right now and I am sincerely looking forward to the new movie about Bob Dylan called "A Complete Unknown".  It has been a long time since I was willing to shell out money to go to a movie theater but I am very excited about the Dylan movie.  The reviews seem to be very positive and I am desirous of anything positive right now.

I just finished reading "The Passage of Power" the last volume of Robert Caro's 4 Volume Series "The Years Of Lyndon Johnson".  (I read the last 3 volumes during the past year) These books have helped me to focus on politics but not necessarily on Donald Trump.  But that buffer zone is gone now although I have several other good books to read in the coming difficult years including Hillary Clinton's latest book, "Something Lost, Something Gained", which my wife just read and recommends highly.

I have heard it said recently that apparently Bill Maher may be considering giving up his HBO Show, "Real Time With Bill Maher".  I became a fan of that show some time ago and I probably would miss it if it goes off the air.  He always seemed to have interesting guests and commentators.  Apparently Bill Maher has stated that he is tired of talking about Donald Trump.  I completely understand his frustration.  Clearly Maher never appeared to be a fan of Trump but on the other hand he was brutally cruel in his criticism of Joe Biden often and Kamala Harris sometimes.  Perhaps Mr. Maher is beginning to recognize that perhaps his constant criticism of Democrats might have had something to do with the fact that Donald Trump is on his way back to Washington shortly.  

To be sure I feel sick about the fact that Donald Trump is going to be back in power.  I would love to say that I am also sick of writing about Donald Trump because I am but everything I see tells me that whether I like it or not I need to continue to write about the bastard.   I can see by his Cabinet picks and his imminent plans to start picking up immigrants from even churches, schools and Hospitals (which had been off limits to Ice) that it will be hard to avoid writing about him.

I have been giving a lot of thought lately about how I and my Democratic Friends are going to be able to survive the upcoming four years.  

I am dusting off a lot of books that I have bought over the years and I have more than a few writing projects that I am going to try and finish, as well as some that I plan to begin.

I've got a number of streaming services to provide TV and movies to keep my mind occupied.

My wife and I are going to try and get serious about getting and staying in shape in the coming years.

But all in all it is going to be very hard to get through the next four years.  I found that out the hard way just a few days ago.   

I hadn't been to see my Podiatrist since 2019 and since my feet were getting increasingly numb I thought that it might be a good Idea to get them checked out so I set up an appointment.  Since I have had some good conversations with my Family Doctor about politics and Donald Trump in particular I just assumed that talking to my Foot Doctor about my political concerns would be very similar.

As we discussed the holidays and the upcoming new year I told my Foot Doctor that I was "Not Happy" to see Donald Trump returning to the White House.

As he stood by the door ready to leave the Exam Room the Foot Doc looked at me with a wide smile on his face and told me that he was "Very Happy" to see Donald Trump returning to the White House, just prior to practically slamming the Exam Room Door in my face.

This was an experience that probably shouldn't have been unexpected but it was.  

Ever since this happened I have had this movie scene in my head from a Fifties Movie called "Invasion of the Body Snatchers". In this movie Kevin McCarthy (The Actor, not the Politician) plays a doctor who returns to his Hometown only to find that residents of the town are being replaced by Pod People (New bodies that rob the old bodies of their minds and emotions)

At the end of the movie The doctor is trying to escape from the town and jumps onto a truck only to find that the truck is carrying hundreds of the Pods that came from space that have been sucking the lives and emotions out of the Doctors Friends and Relatives and he realizes that the truck is carrying the overwhelming number of pods to the rest of the world and there is probably nothing he can do about it.

I feel kind of like that Fictional Doctor right now.  I can see that although there are some of us left who are not Pod People That "The Invasion of the Mind Snatchers" is not only underway but it looks like it has been completed to the point where there are enough of the Pod People to have voted in Donald Trump, a man whose faults are too numerous to mention over Kamala Harris, An intelligent and talented politician whose excellent characteristics and accomplishments are also too numerous to mention.  

Like Kevin McCarthy, overwhelmed in the back of the Pod Truck I am also finding it harder and harder to find people today who have not been taken over by the MAGA Crowd.  I continue to value my friends and neighbors who still value Democrats over Republicans, Truth over Lies and Kindness over Cruelty.

I'm not sure how we are going to be able to suffer through the upcoming four years but for right now before the MAGA Fat Lady sings on January 20th I am going to continue to try and have a good time and be grateful to Joe Biden and Kamala Harris for the fact that they have made our lives a lot better than they will be coming next year.

I know that I am going to have a hell of a hard time this New Years Day saying "Happy New Year" but I continue to hope for many good things happening in the coming years.  I still live with hope that America and the world have many fine years ahead of us.

Sincerely Yours

Jerry Gallagher