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

The Pardoning Of Hunter Biden

 Tuesday December 3rd  2024

My Dear America:

Let me say right away that as a Democrat and as a United States Citizen I completely  support the Right and, indeed, I believe the Responsibility, of Joe Biden to pardon his son, Hunter Biden for any and all crimes that he may have committed during the past several years.

I find that the Outrage that seems to be coming from Right Wing Republicans to be Extremely Hypocritical.

Republicans are bending over backwards to prop up Donald Trump's disastrous nominees for Cabinet and other Leadership roles in the Pending Trump Administration.  Those being tapped for important roles in the Trump Administration from what I can gather are pretty much the worst of the worst, for the most part.  The only qualification that I can see most of them having is total fealty to Donald Trump.  Clearly, in the Trump Cabinet only Yes Men and Yes Women are qualified to participate in important Government Jobs.

It remains to be seen if Republicans in Congress will stand up to Trump and his reckless and unqualified nominees.  My guess is that if any Republicans insist on the nomination of only qualified candidates that their days will be numbered in their party and in some cases in Congress.

Donald Trump's reaction to the Hunter Biden Pardon was certainly predictable. He tweeted today complaining about the Biden Pardon and asking whether President Biden will be pardoning the "J-6 Hostages".  

No Donald, Joe Biden will not be pardoning the January Sixth Insurrectionists who broke into and damaged the Capitol and threatened and injured many Police officers.  He will be leaving that up to you.

First of all, there is no equivalency regarding what the Trump Insurrectionists did and what Hunter Biden did.  

And while we are at it, Donald, you have a hell of a lot of nerve bitching about pardons when you were handing out pardons to some of the worst people ever during your administration.  Steve Bannon, Mike Flynn, Paul Manafort and Roger Stone actually committed serious crimes.

Democratic Representative Daniel Goldman was asked on CNN about the Hunter Biden Pardon and pointed out that in a sane world Hunter Biden never would have been charged with a crime if his name was other than Biden.  I am convinced that Daniel Goldman was right.  Hunter tried to work out a plea deal for his chickenshit charges with the Special Prosecutor and the judges but Congressional investigators were not satisfied and pushed the issue with the Justice Department and the Special Prosecutor and Hunter Biden went to trial in what even one of the Jury members who convicted Hunter determined that the trial was a waste of Government time and money.

Maybe Joe Biden made a mistake in stating more than once that he was not going to pardon his son.  But President Biden has seen the continuing parade of misfits being nominated by Donald Trump for top positions in the Justice Department including Kash Patel for FBI Director and Pam Bondi for Attorney General.  

These people, like many other Trump appointees, are not the cream of the crop.  They are not even the cream of the crap and I don't blame Joe Biden in the least for his decision to save his son from the incoming "Justice" Department.  

Bravo Joe.  I know that you know that you have done the right thing. If I was in your shoes I would have done the same thing you did.  You know that if your son was Hunter Smith and not Hunter Biden he never would have been charged with filling out a form incorrectly or tax charges in which Hunter already paid his correct taxes long before the tax charges were filed.   

Donald Trump and his band of misfits are about to take over the Government of the United States.

"God Bless us and Save us" my Irish mother would have said if she was alive to see this political madness.

At least Hunter Biden will hopefully be saved from the reckless revenge of the Trump regime.

Not only should you have saved Hunter's hide from reckless Justice, Joe but I think it might be a good idea for you to pardon yourself and  every member of your Administration Team to prevent Donald Trump and his merry band of misfits from following through on Trump's promise to unleash revenge on those of you who Governed responsibly during the past Four Years.

God Bless you, Joe.  You are a Great Father and you have also been a Great President.  

We Love You and We will surely miss you.

Sincerely Yours

Jerry Gallagher      

The Almost But Not Quite Forgotten Assassination Of President John Fitzgerald Kennedy - 61 Years Down The Line

Tuesday - November 26th  2024 

My Dear America:

2024 has certainly been a Strange and Powerful Year for America.

We have had The Election Of a Lifetime and we are waiting to see what awaits us in the coming year as Donald Trump prepares to move back into the White House, where many of us hoped that he would never again darken its doors.

It is understandable that in this place and this time that it could happen that November 22nd could have rolled around without so much as a thought about what had occurred on November 22nd 61 years ago.  

I understand that probably many Americans might have little or no recollections of that Friday on November 22nd of 1963 when it seemed to me and to many other Americans of my generation as though our lives had suddenly come crashing in on us when we found out from Radio and Television that our Beloved American President and Hero, John Fitzgerald Kennedy had been shot to death on the Streets of Dallas, Texas.  It was an extremely Frightening and Disturbing Realization to think that the President of the United States of America could be taken away from us so Quickly and Violently.  

In some ways it seems to me to be somewhat similar to how I am feeling today, which is completely let down by the fact that Enough Americans were willing to choose God Knows What over Democracy when they voted in the 2024 Election for President, Senators and Congresspeople.

As I have watched the continuing announcements by Donald Trump of people he has chosen to join his Cabinet I have found it almost funny if it wasn't so incredibly disturbing. 

Although Matt Gaetz has been taken out of consideration for Attorney General many other truly disturbing choices remain including Pete Hegseth, a Fox News Host who served in the military who has bragged on air that he hasn't washed his hands in 10 years, causing his Fox and Friends Weekend Female Co Host to quickly move down the couch away from him.  Hegseth is known to have paid off a woman who accused him of Sexual Assault.  He also does not believe that woman belong in combat.  Hegseth is apparently on deck to be the Secretary of Defense.

Another Disturbing Trump Pick for Secretary of Health is Robert F. Kennedy Junior, who was financed by Trump backers as a stalking horse for Trump in order to strip away some Democratic votes from Biden or later on Harris.  Kennedy is well known as an opponent of vaccines and also has an annoying habit of picking up dead creatures for God knows what reasons.  He also has accusations of sexual assault in his background.  Kennedy has apparently stated that when he was younger he used Heroin and claimed that it made him a better student.

Matt Gaetz, Pete Hegseth and Robert Kennedy Jr., along with Donald Trump all have Sexual Assault allegations in their backgrounds.  Not exactly the kinds of people who are normally chosen for these vitally important jobs.

These previous Cabinet Picks are disturbing enough but to my mind the most disturbing Cabinet choice so far is Tulsi Gabbard.  She has been chosen by Donald Trump to be - Get this - The Director of National Intelligence.

 WHAT?

Her qualification for this position apparently is the fact that she is constantly parroting Russian Disinformation in the American and Russian media.  She is practically a Certified Russian Spy who will be at the top of the American Spycraft Food Chain.  She won't even have to search for American Intelligence Information.  It will be delivered to her desk everyday, just like it was being delivered by Door Dash.  

With characters like these, along with Donald Trump's other leadership choices what could possibly go wrong?

PLENTY.

Getting back to the JFK Assassination I guess it is understandable that in today's news it is fairly easy to see how Kennedy's Assassination was not on the top tier of every American's thoughts these days.

In other years there was usually at least some increasingly meager attention that was paid each year to the Kennedy Assassination.

Usually there was a TV News mention, A Newspaper Mention, A New Book, a magazine article,  Possibly a documentary, a movie - something about the JFK Assassination.  No more apparently.

To be honest, I probably would not have paid much attention to November 22nd myself if it wasn't for the fact that I was already in the process of reading a book called "The Passage Of Power" by Robert Caro, which is the last volume in a series called "The Years Of Lyndon Johnson" written by Caro about Lyndon Baines Johnson, who was Kennedy's Vice President and became President following the Assassination.

On November 22nd I just happened to be reading the section of the book about the Assassination.

I have written about the Kennedy Assassination before during previous Anniversaries of November 22nd but there is something far more intense for me this year as we appear to face the Second Inauguration of Donald Trump with something less than enthusiasm and in my case a tremendous fear about where we are headed in the coming months and years.

God Help Us.

We are Certainly going to need God's Help to get through this nightmare intact.

Sincerely Yours

Jerry Gallagher      

Happy Birthday President Biden - We Didn't Realize How Lucky We were to Have You and Vice President Harris In The White House For Four Years - Now We Do

Wednesday, November 20th, 2024

My Dear President:

Today is your Birthday, President Biden and I know that you will be getting a lot of Birthday wishes today.  I would just like to take the opportunity to add my birthday greeting to those others that you will receive today.

I want to take the opportunity today to say thank you for running for President in 2020.  You took the opportunity in 2020 to push back against the awful Presidency of your predecessor, Donald Trump.  

You were moved enough by the disturbing conduct of President Trump after his shameful comments after Neo Nazis and Klansmen demonstrated their hateful Anti Jewish Rhetoric to get in the Presidential Race and win a four year term as President.

I'm sorry that you had to begin your Presidency under the reckless cloud of suspicion That President Trump falsely created prior to your Inauguration when he lied to his followers about the results of the 2020 election.  Although his shock troops eventually left the Capitol they left the capitol building in disarray with broken windows and with shit of the floor of the Capitol Rotunda.  In the end Trump reluctantly left the White House taking with him countless Top Secret Files that he had no right to take with him.  For a time Trump stopped commenting on how he won the election in 2020 and appeared to be reacting to those Republicans who were in just as much danger as their Democratic counterparts during the MAGA Siege of the  Capitol Building.  But in the end those Republicans who had criticized Trump, with few exceptions, fell in line with the Republican Party Propaganda  and even your former friends in the Senate like Lindsey Graham and Mitch McConnell fell in line with the MAGA Party Line and opposed almost every thing that you tried to accomplish.

But as you have done all your life, President Biden, you marched into the White House on January 20th, 2021 and started to undo the damage that Donald Trump had done in his four years in the oval Office.  In addition, to that you also began to get done what you were legally allowed to do constitutionally to improve the lives of Americans and you have continued to do that for the four years that you were our President.  To your credit, you continue even today to do what is needed for the citizens of our country regardless of their political persuasion.

Due to the leadership of Vice President, Mike Pence being put in charge of Covid Relief, when you arrived in the White House as President you hit the ground running in terms of making Covid Vaccines available to all Americans for Free.  You also worked hard to get an infrastructure program passed and in operation and time after time you continued to make responsible decisions over and over again.

Consequently, Mr. President, you have accomplished a tremendous amount of Progress for Americans each and every day of your presidency.  You have a lot to be proud of and due to your responsible decision making I think that you have made the best decisions that could have been made when it came to Afghanistan, Ukraine and Israel, as well as the United States of America.  

In every way you have shown those Presidents who would come after you just what a successful presidency should look like.

But then came the Debate with Donald Trump and it did not go well.  Many in your party were quick to abandon you and although I was not one of them as I look back on it now I am glad that you chose to pass the torch to Vice President Harris.  You passed that torch with complete support for her in every way possible and I have to say that she not only did a remarkable job as your vice President but she also ran a remarkable and I believe a successful campaign.  In the end there were too many Low Information Voters for her to be successful.

What I want to tell you on this Birthday is that although you might think that the best of your life is over ( And in some ways it might be ) You are still in relatively good or at least acceptable shape.  When I was Unceremoniously "Retired" from my job in 2011 I was very unhappy.  I loved my job and did not feel that I wanted to leave it.  But leave it I did and now that I have been retired for over ten years I realize that the people that put me out to pasture did me a big favor.  Although I sometimes miss my job as a Family Therapist I realize that I am better off now and I promise you, Joe, you will be too.  

It is a tough thing to admit when we realize that we are no longer able to do what used to come so easy to us.  You did a Great Job as Senator, Vice President and President.

Jesus, you live in Rehoboth Beach, for God's sake.  I know that i have seen pictures of you and Jill hanging out on the beach enjoying the beautiful weather.  Now, in a short time you will be able to do that every day.

Do what I did, Joe.  Start a Podcast on Spotify.  They would love to have you, I'm sure.  Write your memoirs and kick Back every day on the beach.  

Your Legacy is safe.  Nobody can blame you for the Furor that is to come.  You did your job and you don't owe anybody anything.  Except for your son, Hunter.  I think you owe him a pardon as you walk out the door of the White House for the last time.  Don't leave him unprotected in Trumpland.

God Bless You, Joe Biden and Happy Birthday to You

Sincerely Yours

Jerry Gallagher