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Gary Simpson's avatar

Thank you Jim for putting that entire chain of events so clearly and succinctly before us readers. I’m sorry there are some amongst us who fail to see reality. Talks of an “authoritarian state” are ill founded and fruitless in light of staggeringly positive accomplishments such as yesterday’s release of the hostages. Was that an authoritarian act? I think NOT with the entire Middle East aligning with President Trump in what was a long overdue first step towards peace in the east

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Calla Corner's avatar

Gary, I join you in appreciating Jim's clear explanation. Here in France, no one knows---or cares--about the embarrassing absurdities of U.S. Left‼️CJC

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elce's avatar
1dEdited

Thank you for this excellent recap. A concise rebuttal, when partisan TDS Democrats keep screaming Trump is a "convicted felon" with 90 zillion proven counts against him.

So sad, this is all they have to offer the necessary political debate; required in this country to keep it healthy, vigorous and strong . Happy 250th Anniversary America in 2026.

Happy two year anniversary to Santa Barbara Current for the most informed, stable and valued contribution to our own local political debates. Shout out to all the regular feature writers, who keep topics fresh, informed and stimulating. A local gem, which remains still too much undercover for too many within our local community.

Compared to the often rancid, one-note leftist domination found in the SB Independent, eHat, and Next Door. And now to include the recently purchased former Santa Barbara News Press trademark, which leads with congratulatory feedback from rabid leftist bête noir Jerry Roberts.

Long live Santa Barbra Current. God bless America.

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elce's avatar
2dEdited

Local outcry did defeat the draconian city "rent control" ordinance end run by Democrat city council operatives Wendy Santa Maria and Kristen Sneddon.

The local tide is finally turning against these unilateral Democrat party power grabs and their threats of retribution.

Now let's see what the current SCOTUS case in Louisiana does to these Democrat ginned up majority-minority voting districts in this state. This created thousands of Democrat-dominated, low voter registration, low voter turn-out rotten-borough voting districts, skewing state and local voting patterns only in their own favor for far too long.

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elce's avatar

Democrat logic makes my head implode. But it will never take me down.

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Burton H Voorhees's avatar

The evidence against Trump was solid. Trump had to go fishing to find a prosecutor who would charge his enemies. Garland was an exemplary attorney general, Bondi is a.. well, I'll just leave it to imagination, she's basically Trump's lap dog. You can gloat all you want, but take a deep look at what you're cheering for--the rise of an authoritarian state with an all powerful president who can do as he wishes, just the thing conservatives supposedly are against. If nothing else, imagine the precedents being set should a Democrat ever get back in power. Is your response to say that it would be great if no Democrat ever gained power again? Think about it...

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Jim Buckley's avatar

Burton,

Wow, a new voice from far left field! Well, Democrats have already shown us the damage they will and can do if they regain power. I suppose they are already drawing up plans to allow another 10 million unvetted "newcomers" and figuring out how to make felonies out of misdemeanours (and vice versa for run-of-the-mill violent lawbreakers). I hope they stay out in left field for at least a decade, but one never knows how willing a subservient public can be.

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Gary Simpson's avatar

How ‘bout keeping them out of the ballgame/ballpark altogether until they can offer anything positive and of substantial benefit for our great nation, America. One becomes completely exhausted with all the constant demeaning and tearing down without any substance when we have seen more positives having been achieved in President Trump’s first 9 months than entire recent prior democrat administrations could have ever dreamt of.

Looking forward to seeing what other amazing things are in store over the next 3 years plus…!!

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Al X G's avatar

Quite a stretch referring to Garland as “exemplary,” considering what he allowed Mayorkas and DHS to get away with at our border.

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DLDawson's avatar

twisted logic will come around to smack some sheeple in the face…you ok with living in a Banana Republic?

People actually believe those responsible for the attempted COUP of a Duly Elected sitting US President will go unpunished?

[Mueller failed]

[Impeachment failed]

[Election Rig failed]

>Why was it critically important impeachment be rushed in the House?

[MSM[D party]/Hollywood narrative(s) failed]

[THE COUP FAILED]

Occam's razor simply states that of any given set of explanations for an event occurring, the simplest one is most likely the correct one.

BIGGEST POLITICAL SCANDAL IN AMERICAN HISTORY [A NEW WORD FOR 'TREASON' WILL NEED TO BE INVENTED].

End to our Constitutional Republic?

No equal justice under the law?

No accountability?

Banana Republic?

Do you believe nothing will happen?

Do you believe no one will be prosecuted?

Thanks for the early morning laugh…

PS…gonna be lit when we begin to see some of their secret comms (nothing is ever deleted)

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TVW's avatar

Sorry...cannot take you seriously and assume you are trolling. Your comment about Garland completely jumped the shark and surprised your failure to celebrate the high moral character and integrity of Adam Schiff. I confess to be entertained however, while concurrently baffled why others would walk down that road. Enjoy yourself...I know I do.

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Burton H Voorhees's avatar

Well, you can assume what you like. What I am exploring here is the way that radical right mindsets operate (elsewhere I can study radical left mindsets--they are very similar). I see both (as well as other fixated belief systems) as mental prisons. Many here may see me as far left, but I'm actually a fairly conservative independent (in a traditional, non-MAGA way) and from 1964 - 2000 voted equally for Republicans and Democrats. I suggest as an exercise making a list of personal values and then writing a paragraph or so of how the people you support in politics exemplify or advance these values.

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elce's avatar

Since Newsom had to reduce himself to using TRANSLUCENT ballot envelopes so his armies of ballot harvesters can cull out the votes he does not want on Prop 50, what makes you think Democrats anywhere will ever get back into power.

Check you own Prop 50 ballot with a flashlight back light and read what you voted on your "secret ballots" is as clear as day.

Your our ballot too may be tossed out if falls into the wrong hands, along its very leaky chain of custody trip to the "official" SEIU member-run county elections offices.

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elce's avatar
2dEdited

Burton, Goodness, all the Democrat TDS scurrilous talking points one sees all across the blogs, all in one post in our own little town of Santa Barbara. Thanks for sharing.

As always, they get zero traction from anyone not already milking the system for themselves. BTW: Democrats are never getting back into power. Their 16 years of damage to this country was too complete.

And it they ever do get back in power, then we deserve what we get. If all they stand for if/when back in power, is what they claim they stand against now. Can't you do better than just threats and extortion?

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Burton H Voorhees's avatar

No threats or extortion. I'm just pointing out that there was solid evidence of Trump's infractions while the current cases are based on flimsy evidence and may be thrown out of court. And no, I'm not milking the system for myself. And thanks for your assertion that Democrats will never get back into power. That seems to indicate that you're ok with a one party authoritarian state. Fine, you'll have to live in it, of course you'll no longer have the vote....

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elce's avatar

Burton, you are always welcome to join the Trump Train if you want to retain a place in the ongoing discussions with those elected this time to be in charge.

https://redstate.com/rusty-weiss/2025/10/15/democrats-odds-of-gaining-control-of-the-house-are-sinking-fast-new-numbers-show-n2195087

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Jeff barton's avatar

Voorhees is a Canadian academic

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elce's avatar
1dEdited

You mean that country that found out they would be totally bankrupt if they were required to pay their "fair share" to NATO, because they destroyed their industrial base being "green", and handed out too many social benefits for free? I would say their academics have been asleep at the wheel. We don't need Canada as a 51st state, any more than we need debt-riddled Puerto Rico. Eh?

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Burton H Voorhees's avatar

Whatever.

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elce's avatar
1dEdited

Two known Trump-hating, and highly unreliable "witnesses - Michael Cohen and E. Jean Carroll is hardly "solid proof" of anything.

Versus, a bank who was begging to do even more business with the "Trump whale" is your idea of solid proof, when the loan documents themselves included solid and repeated due diligence demands?

Multiple signed documents by Ms James, a pattern occurring over years on multiple properties and even now proof she has been harboring a fugitive relative in one of her misrepresented real estate mortgage properties is going to be a lot harder to overcome.

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Burton H Voorhees's avatar

We shall see. How much cold cash are you willing to bet on the outcome?

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elce's avatar
6hEdited

How much will the Canadian dollar be worth, when I win?

Sure hope Petit Bourgeois Mini-me Trudeau is not smooching local gal Katy Perry, just for her money.

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LT's avatar
2dEdited

As Julius Caesar famously said, “Let the games begin!” Yes, that’s right, have MULTIPLE indictments on speed dial. After all, justice delayed is justice denied!

High time for “Big” Tish James, Alvin Bragg, Fani “Grey Goose” Willis, Nathan “Player” Wade, James Comey, James Clapper, Jack Smith, Merrick Garland, John Brennen, Andrew McCabe, Adam “Shifty” Schiff and even the “Big Guy”himself, Joe Biden to Lawyer up and face the music!

Time is way overdue for Lady Justice to unsheathe her terrible Swiss sword and dole out justice and retribution.

In the meantime, we see Democrats and the liberal left in meltdown mode, literally setting their own hair on fire. They have closed down our government and taken to the streets just like the common thugs they are! The latest? The “resistance” had a “No Kings” Portland demonstration in the NUDE! Ya, I guess nothing else makes a statement like riding a bicycle with your SHLONG flapping in the wind!

Don’t look now but the Dems are going to their bench for leadership, digging deep into the bottom of the barrel and turning to certifiable commies and nut jobs like AOC, Zohran Mamdani, Karen Bass, Ilan Omar, Rashida Tlaib and Omar Fateh as assuming leadership roles within their ongoing 3 ring circus and freak show! You simply can’t make this stuff up. PT Barnum would love it, trans women with beards!

Yes, while the rage and smoldering dumpster fire continues, the shit show known as “No Kings” protests continue this weekend, even here in SB. All egged on by part time, local make believe “journalist” and full time village idiot, Jerry Roberts with his daily pack of lies and calls to take to the streets and resist the King! How truly pathetic.

Folks, the only way to put out this fire is to call them out (even if they’re nude) and defeat them at the ballot box, starting with a “Oh, Hell NO” on Prop 50!

BTW, will someone PLEASE put an apple in Katie Porter’s mouth, she’s done!

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Thomas John's avatar

Hall monitor here - Julius Caesar isn't famous for that at all. "“I came, I saw, I conquered" sure. Or "the die is cast". I think you're thinking of the Olympics, which are Greek in origin.

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DLDawson's avatar

maybe LT was thinking of Hillary v Gaddafi…seems dead bodies follow in her wake…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6DXDU48RHLU

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LT's avatar
2dEdited

AKA…Thomas “Wet blanket” John

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Thomas John's avatar

It's your lead sentence. Just edit it...... Maybe with "let them eat cake" ;)

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Monica Bond's avatar

Read the same A1 as you , Thomas John, but I have to imagine that at one point in Caesar's life he must have said it. There is a time to make corrections to statements when they affect the integrity of the the points being made but I don't believe it was the case here, hall monitor or not.

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Thomas John's avatar

If you can't lead off with something accurate.... I expect the rest to follow suit. That's what you get in an unedited word soup social media platform. I'm sure Caesar said 'dressing' once too in his life.

And you don't need A1 or AI even to know some basic historical quotes if you used to read.

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Monica Bond's avatar

As you seemed, in your comment, to find only fault in the quote your reasoning doesn't hold much water.

I hope you hold yourself up to the standards that you profess.

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LT's avatar

Enough with the Caesar word salad TJ, it gets old Bruh.

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Jeff barton's avatar

Ode to Thomas John:

Bad surf days bring me down

Just sit home and post like a clown

But AI gives strength to my rap

For without it I have nothing but crap

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Thomas John's avatar

Very nice rhyme, full-time post doc Barton. Could you make sure the experiment is set up for the researchers when they come in later? My favorite 2/3ths of a childless cat lady. You pick which two.

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elce's avatar

Hope King Newsom can explain why he needed to resort to using translucent Prop 50 ballot envelopes, in order to "win" his mandate against Trump. King Newsom on his own destroyed the constitutional right to a secret ballot in this state with this latest stunt.

Anyone with even a cell phone camera can read your ballot markings along with your printed name, address and signature away were along the leaky ballot chain of custody. Is this okay, people?

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Lou Segal's avatar

This might be the longest piece Jim has ever written. :) Let me sum it up in one word for the Democrats. SCHADENFREUDE

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Brent's Journal's avatar

Thanks Jim for a reminder of the attacks on not only President Trump but also on his family. Length restrictions only permit listing a few of them, such as having his wife's underwear handled by others. An example that resonated with me, as a father who wants to protect his children, was having his son Eric Trump receive 122 subpoenas. How many subpoenas have the families of Comey or James received? How many others could have spent the $00 million Trump spent defending himself?

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Brent's Journal's avatar

Make that $400 million.

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elce's avatar

(The three small dots in the upper right hand corner of you post allows you to edit typos.)

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Elaine's avatar

It’s astonishing that there is no recognition at all of the criminal, illegal, self-serving, cruel…back to criminal and illegal acts of the CURRENT President and his ass-kissing minions. It’s a head scratcher for sure.

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TVW's avatar

......zzzzzzzz.....

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Elaine's avatar

It’s a known psychological condition….WIllful Blindness!

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Howard Walther's avatar

I read this "Retribution Article titled "Some Call it “Retribution”; We Call it Justice

By Jim Buckley I have a new title "Domestic 911 Assassinate Your Opponent"

and I provide you with Scott Bessent this morning on WHO is behind all of this.

https://x.com/SecScottBessent/status/1978181513251344429

They that is WHO will "Take-You-Out" if you uncover the WHO.

So ANYWHO in ANYWHERE Santa Barbara?

As Bessent says FOLLOW THE MONEY.

Howard Walther, Member of a Military Family

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Julia Gonzales's avatar

Congratulations on your upcoming upgrades.

IMO: Call it revenge or retribution, same thing, and that’s exactly what it is. trump told us that that would be a priority for him. I believe Schiff is next. If the majority of government officials, no matter at what level, had a deep dive into their backgrounds, I’m sure almost every single one would have committed some sort of infraction, something they wouldn’t even think did not adhere to the law. The thing is trump has made the DOJ, his own private hit squad. The White House and the DOJ are supposed to operate independently, as past administrations did, but as his own DM shows, he gives Pam Bondi direct orders.

trump, his family and friends, brag about their underhanded schemes because they think they’re above the law. You’re right when you say he’s his own worst enemy. He constantly lies and it’s a proven fact you’ll see him In a press conference he’ll say one thing and then his next press conference he’ll say something completely different. He can’t keep his lies straight.

Remember when he called Brad Raffensperger in Georgia to find him 11,780 votes. Did he think they just appear out of thin air? So it seems he knows about stolen elections. It just didn’t work for him that time. You mentioned Stacey Abrams, that she didn’t concede her loss in 2018. How does that compare to the way trump handled the transfer of power to Biden in 2020? How honorable was that?

FYI, Nevertrumpers have a great sense of humor. The trump administration keeps us laughing at them with the biggest clowns being, trump himself, hegseth, kennedy, miller, noem, etc.. Although, when we’re not laughing we’re saying “is he serious”?

Since when have the Republicans become such whiners and crybabies, probably since they became magas, especially when they’re in full power at the moment. Now it’s one excuse after another, election was stolen, they’re getting picked on and maligned. Republicans lose sometimes.

trump is salivating over the Nobel peace prize. The only way trump would truly earn the Nobel peace prize is to bring the citizens of the United States of America together, but he is very decisive, only caters to his base, so I doubt he’ll ever earn or deserve a peace prize. This peace in the middle east is a pipe dream. Not even a day went by that hamas was back to killing people.

VOTE YES ON 50! RELEASE THE EPSTEIN FILES! OPEN THE GOVERNMENT, REPUBLICANS ARE IN POWER!

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Earl Brown's avatar

Retribution, justice, I call it what it is . . . and should be - _revenge_.

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