All goes back to the Las Vegas shooting and they were trying to kill the Saudi Leader,who in turn owa his life to Trump.
That is why Trump received the sword dance during his first term.
The use of non Caucasians has started after BLM and DEI programs and has extended into movies and TV shows
Anyway they aren't even producing movies in Hollywood or the US as it's too expensive. They mostly film in Europe now.
Anyway the Somalias TPS has ended as of yesterday.
and Omar is not happy.
BO is a Muslim and that's why Christians were targeted during his term.
And moving on to Sports programs,they have all gone to paid Subscriptions via streaming. Which started years ago during the World Cup. FIFA has to make money somehow.
Find someone you can share their password with. That's how it's done.
Sounds like a RINO. "I support President Trump but" let me tell you about the things I think he's doing wrong. I can get this on the major news networks, CNN and CNBC.
Yup. That's what happened after his 2016 term,the propaganda machine said that he was mean the way he talked and they all fell in line and we got Joe Biden for 4 years,I mean the Auto Pen,who destroyed our country economically and by allowing millions of unvetted criminals in our country.
GM: Yet, they blame Trump for the chaos they relentlessly inflict every single day. Gird our loins. We are on to them this time. No more selling a "Return to Decency" by voting for the four perfectly awful Biden/Harris years. Once burned, twice shy this time Democrats.
We know you desperately want your hands back on the taxpayer checkbook again. Not gonna happen. So sorry. Income tax did not come around until the early 1900's. We survived as a nation for over a century without it. We shall survive again - tariffs were good enough for government work and shall be again.
Thank you President Trump for returning us to our founding fiscal sensibilities. Onwards, there is a lot of damage to still clean up on Aisles #43, 44, and 46.
You know it's possible to say you support someone and yet also disagree with their stances on specific issues. As for "being a RINO", If I *did* for some reason support Trump, but condemned his lax position on abortion bans, perhaps it may constitute a "RINO" to you for being a pragmatism who disregards principle for political achievements, but for any other person with conviction they simply value something greater.
Truly, why are you so upset that Trump isn't being showered with praise here? Is he God? Does he deserve worship?
I always try to support the president and will be keen to point out policies which I believe are not in our country’s best interests. I am a registered independent voter.
GL: Many of these now obvious "Trump Whinge" posts revealed to be foreign bots. Probably mad because Trump cut off their USAID crack. Or is it just Samatha Powers on an all-night caffeine buzz.
It certainly is time to rethink our relationships with digital communications. They warned us early on we could be communicating with a dog wearing pajamas, for all we really know. The gut still knows. But who knows, maybe Wegovy et al, are programmed in fact to wipe out even the intuitive gut check.
Interesting article, lots of happenings and chaos swirling in the fog of war.
Qatar, like many other nations in the past, is receiving direct military training on how to operate and maintain the weapon systems purchased from the US government. While Qatar has a sketchy past with the terrorist groups that have been running amok across the mid east for the past decades, they have begun to change their ways, as Trump is melding a coalition of countries together to bring peace to Israel & the region via The Abraham Accors. He’s got Bibi boxed in.
Yes, Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa was welcomed at the White House…Yes, the former leader of ISIS, has also pivoted to the get along to go along coalition in the mideast plan for peace. PS…ISIS, AL-SHABAAB, Al-Nusra, Al-Qaeda , et al, are the many head of the same Muslim Brotherhood snake.
And, Jamal Khashoggi wrote 19 opinion columns for The Washington Post’s Global Opinions…biweekly pieces critiquing Saudi policies, regional politics, and press freedom in the Arab world. He was not a staff writer, instead, a contributing columnist (guest), began contributing in 2017 after fleeing Saudi Arabia due to fears of arrest. The guy comes from a gun running family…his uncle, Adnan Khashoggi, was a notorious international arms dealer…Network of Contacts: his Rolodex included CIA operatives, Swiss bankers, and “gun runners,” highlighting his deep ties to shadowy figures in global arms circle…
PS…while fighting the DS on many fronts, Trump is working to eradicate the terrorist organizations here at home & abroad…the silent war on terror continues…
I think our President has many of us uneasy with some of our new ‘friends’ as he is making deals faster than Monty Hall. I think he has learned half of the motto on my coffee cup “trust” we are all hoping that he will apply the remainder of this motto, “but verify”. He in under a year has changed the global dialogue on most geo political issues, and domestically is enforcing our immigration laws and overhauling our tax code. My fear is his eyes are bigger than our budget.
Opening dialogues with the larger parts of the world, in both wealth and population, is to be shunned? Obama shoveling pallets of cash to Iran on top of blatant sweetheart deals was far more troubling.
Noticed a recent "After Visit Summary" sent to MyChart after a routine annual exam included the disclaimer (not verbatim, but close enough) : This follow-up summary may include topics that may or may not have been discussed with you by your physician.
AI offers the new CYA.
But the other sign of changing times was registering with my new Medicare Part C advantage plan with a major insurer. The threshold question was: Are you Hispanic or Non-Hispanic? No more "Por español, por favor marquez number ocho". Nope, right off the top we are sliced and diced now as Hispanic or non-Hispanic. Politics follows culture, so the cultural shift is now made manifest. Hola!
Best option to understand the "Islamic" middle east is to actually visit it. Travel to most of these countries today is no longer an unreasonable option. Nor particularly threatening. Start with visiting Turkey, then move on to Jordan and Egypt.
Then visit all the Emirates and Oman. Travel across North Africa to include Tunisia and Morocco. For an even fuller understanding of global "Islam" be sure to include Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia and even Pakistan. And as long as you are in this part of the world, be sure to travel India from stem to stern. (Don't assume this sort of travel is beyond a reasonable travel budget, as there are value travel ways to have most of these experiences, without breaking a modest travel budget.)
Then judge where America needs to or should go regarding any of these now global issues. Of note today, colleges are now including a "disagreement question"in their college application essays - when did you have a disagreement with someone with a different point of view and how did you handle it.
Cruising in the Middle East - 7 days starting as low as few hundred dollars. The rest of the world is now visiting this part of the world and making up their own minds. (Not including airfare, but best to go look first and then comment later.)
Excellent travel suggestions. Haven't been in the Middle East since ever, but spent two years in Iran in the early 70s and will be visiting Egypt and Morocco next spring. My feeling about Iran is that its support of radical Islamists is geopolitical rather than religious. They don't really have any great love for Arabs. Everyday Persians are very friendly, and very proud of their ancient history. I once teased a friend there about drinking alcohol as a Muslim and he replied that the Persian empire was 2500 years old while Islam was only 1400 so perhaps it was only a passing fad.
I'm not really concerned about Muslims infiltrating and taking over, imposing Sharia law, and so on. That's a radical fringe, I'm more concerned about Christian Nationalists who want to impose their particular beliefs on the rest of us. There's an effect noted by sociologists, that when a group feels threatened by other more powerful groups its response is a reversion to a rigid fundamentalism. In both cases, it's Western secular culture that is seen as the oppressive enemy.
BV: How exactly do "Christian Nationalists" try to impose their beliefs on you? I am a lapsed Unitarinan and feel no threat, so not sure how you think this is happening. I worry far more about the teachers union and SEIU imposing their will on us, as we see virtually daily.
Indeed Persia is very distinct and has noble ancient history, with a great deal of technical accomplishment and engineering. They do bristle when they get mindlessly included in the "Arab" world. They speak Farsi; the others speak Arabic. You were lucky to have this experience.
Thank you for underscoring the value of travel, when as Americans in our "island nation" are asked to make decisions about different parts of the world. This current mindless "ganging up on Islam" is but one of them, considering there are billion 1.7 adherents scattered across the globe with many iterations of the faith. Including the Pakistani rug merchants offering shots of vodka in the back room.
The Christian Nationalist don't try to impose beliefs on me, yet. But a good example is the recent Hegseth inspired withdrawal of support from the Boy Scouts.
That too was part of its downfall and financial extremis, but the alleged remedies also failed its core mission. Maybe these types of youth organizations no longer have a role to play.
But the skills, the process, and the discipline of earning those merit badges were priceless. Where else do young people today find this sort of structured accomplishment outside of moving almost automatically through the grades of K-12.
BV: I started traveling here in the 1960's and have returned many times. I also visited Dubai when it first starting making itself known and then several years later when it was almost overnight dominating this formerly obscure corner of the world.
Many return trips back to Egypt since the 1960's, which still offers some timely vignettes from my very first visit but today can be equally overshadowed by some first world dazzle they now have also grown into.
Your impressions about the change you see from your own first experiences in this part of the world from the early 1970's when Iran was still well within the western sphere will be very enlightening. Most countries moved forward, others moved backwards.
But they all have endured thousands of years of major civilizational shifts, compared to our own puny 250 years as an organized government by mutual compact. . May we also be around as the United States of America 5000 years hence too.
Indeed. In my take, what happened in Iran was that the corruption got so bad that the Shah lost support of the people. He was trying to Westernize the country, but couldn't control the corruption.
I used to be a Peace and Freedom Party kind of gal, not playing on either wing of the political bird. Then to my astonishment I switched to Republican so I could vote in the primary that saw Trump elected the first time. And being staunchly America First I have stuck with Trump because the alternative was so abysmal. But now, I have switched my party registration preference to the American Independent. Apparently this does NOT mean you are an "independent" voter, it is an actual 3rd party, the one that endorsed RFK Jr in California so that he could get on the ballot. If you want to state that you are an "independent' thinker you have to list "no party preference" as your party. Sigh. I'm sending a message to the Republican Party that I'm done with rhinos, feel betrayed by so many of Trump's recent priorities, and can no longer say that I support the actions of a Government that increasingly seems off the rails.
Pat, What current Trump priorities give you the most trouble?
I see so much media misinformation/distortions pounding Trump as part of the partisan cabal against him, with pretty much total disregard for what he has still been accomplishing. I personally don't see any major wrong turns myself. Perfect no, more than adequate yes.
Help me see what I am now missing. I have always respected your input here. Thanks.
I view continued support of the pharmaceutical industry instead of calling them out with prosecutions for creating the mRNA bioweapon as evidence of him being incapable of admitting that he has ever made a mistake. Continuing the mandatory childhood vaccination schedule that forces participation in substances that in some children may be causing tragic regression. Continuing sending weapons and support to Ukraine, long known as the most corrupt country in Europe, and not insisting on accountability for past expenditures there. Funding the genocide in Gaza as part of a national Israel First policy. Ignoring the scandal of the Child Protective Services that is profiting off a broken and tragic foster care and adoption system that funnels children into abuse and traffics them into sex slavery. Calm down Pat, slow down. How about not closing Guantanamo, that exists to our eternal shame. And the Epstein videos as well as the "files" that were all seized. Hell, I could go on. Maybe I will at the upcoming SB Current party if you introduce yourself to me. I'll be the one with the service dog. No pseudonyms for me.
Your list is reasonable. Thanks for sharing it. But I do agree with the the little Pat angel ( or devil?) sitting on your shoulder, telling you maybe this cannot all be done within the first year.
Not this first year, when this forum-shopped weaponized judiciary appears to have no checks or balances and is also equally infected with TDS. (Judges are government employees too).
So I too am frustrated but mainly by the bratty Democrat obstructionists, who have dramatically slowed down and continue to slow down the 2024 RNC platform. Ironically, it is now the Democrats who are committing 2024 election denialism. Everyday of the week.
When visiting the US Supreme Court building in Wash DC, our guide spent a good deal of time speculating why the lamp posts in front of the Supreme Court building were installed on the backs of stone turtles. Her conclusion was this was a reminder (set in stone) that justice often comes slowly, very slowly. That humbles my own sense of frustration to wait for the final scoreboard, not just the first quarter numbers.
The House being designed for the quickie stuff, the Senate for more mature deliberation of what the House proposes. And finally, the Judiciary for deeper, more comprehensive contemplation within the framework of our written covenants.
The Executive calls many, but not all, of the shots. Setting in motion the process to face either enactment or restraint. Messy for sure. Frustrating however is what they call a feature, not a flaw. Keeping the unelected deep state and the over-paid lobbyists out of our hair now remains all of our jobs these days.
As I believe Churchill once said, "democracy" is the worst system possible, until you compare it to all the others. Happy Thanksgiving. And if the little angel on your other shoulder tells me to STFU, that is okay too. I appreciate your input. These are really important dialogues to have.
Trump talks to EVERYBODY & treats them all with respect, knowing that he will squeeze each & all for the betterment of the country…I expect taxpayers will receive 5-figure dividend checks from USG via the Sovereign Wealth Fund, once the economy gets back on its feet & then booms…
Some groups who will now be paying fewer taxes - (tips/ SS) already got their dividend checks. This saved money is fungible - either reducing expenses, taxes, costs of government and/or a "refund check" back to individuals. Thank God I don't have to figure out how this all shakes out.
But I do have a lot of confidence in this Trump #47 team who are trying to sort out - in two directions: cleaning up Obama/Biden mess and reaching into our near and distant future obligations. We are all in this together. And we all got into these prior messes together too. One way or another.
AI X.Griz: If you think a $2000 check with "solve our country's economic woes", shall I also assume you haven't clue how deep those woes have become? Not a joke.
We are in agreement. The answer is no. It is only a band-aid, in response to Democrats attempt to control the 2026 campaign issues: easing the "inflation" they primarily caused.
Big Pharma and the insurance companies are a national tragedy, the threat of medical debt hangs over every citizen and the shameful insult of giving free medical to alien immigrant illegals is a slap in the face of every taxpayer. I'll wager that it will be the rare recipient of the $2,000 check that doesn't immediately slap it into credit card debt to try to escape the endless usury of their paying for essentials with debt. Like the Nation is.
I have noticed every "increase in Social Security matches almost exactly that years' annual increase in Medicare supplemental insurance payments. We can no longer tweak Obamacare. It is an insurance company slush fund.
Mainly because Obama defined "health care" as everyone having an insurance policy paid for by "someone". Strategic error, and this original "health care plan did get zero GOP votes. He refused to define what "health care" would be paid for ...by someone else.
I suspect we now must consider to tiers of insurance for at least three different care levels, rather than dump everyone (including now illegals) into the same ruinous scheme. (1. Accidents, trauma, disability. 2. Life situations - birth death, disease. 3. Optional for lifestyle ailments. I still want to play tennis at age 82; I want to eat as much as I want, be sedentary and have someone else pay for my own self-inflicted chronic ailments.)
Yes, rationing and futility of treatment must be built into any new model of third party health insurance. Like all the other countries already have.
Tough being the proverbial "canary in a coal mine", Al. (We all know what happens to them) Thanks for taking the plunge on this asphyxiating list of challenges. I know that it really is a partial compilation.
Did Democrats make you a better offer you regret not taking? We did start taking wrong turn when "progressives" replaced individualism with Big Government - apparently starting in the early 1900's. It has been a slow erosion.
We do need a new relationship with the role any government should be playing in our personal lives today. Indeed, why are we allowing any of this, as if we have no choices any longer? I hope the chance for national renewal throughout the entire 250th national anniversary this coming year is not lost to the current, take no prisoners, partisan din.
The day before thanksgiving and the article is Islamophobic hateful trash telling us we should hate and distrust Muslims. Sorry, but I call bullshit on this sentence "Through learned distrust via Christian teachings and study of history, I tend to keep my distance from Muslims." Christian teachings are not to "distrust Muslims" and I'd love to know which so-called Christian church taught him this. I am doubtful that he had Christian upbringing at all. What an inspiring Thanksgiving message for us, thanks.
Does it make sense..... one can ride a chairlift and ski downhill indoors in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and have penguin encounters too? This is what one country does with their "unlimited energy resources". Good to get to know this part of the world. Yes I did ski in Dubai and I have the tee-shirt to prove it. https://www.malloftheemirates.com/en/ski-dubai
This is no longer your grand-father's middle east, nor even Lawrence of Arabia's middle east. No value judgement here, good bad or indifferent. Just to note what it is, and as many in the rest of the world are also finding the Islamic Middle East to be today.
Keep your Friends close but your enemies closer.
All goes back to the Las Vegas shooting and they were trying to kill the Saudi Leader,who in turn owa his life to Trump.
That is why Trump received the sword dance during his first term.
The use of non Caucasians has started after BLM and DEI programs and has extended into movies and TV shows
Anyway they aren't even producing movies in Hollywood or the US as it's too expensive. They mostly film in Europe now.
Anyway the Somalias TPS has ended as of yesterday.
and Omar is not happy.
BO is a Muslim and that's why Christians were targeted during his term.
And moving on to Sports programs,they have all gone to paid Subscriptions via streaming. Which started years ago during the World Cup. FIFA has to make money somehow.
Find someone you can share their password with. That's how it's done.
Sounds like a RINO. "I support President Trump but" let me tell you about the things I think he's doing wrong. I can get this on the major news networks, CNN and CNBC.
Yup. That's what happened after his 2016 term,the propaganda machine said that he was mean the way he talked and they all fell in line and we got Joe Biden for 4 years,I mean the Auto Pen,who destroyed our country economically and by allowing millions of unvetted criminals in our country.
GM: Yet, they blame Trump for the chaos they relentlessly inflict every single day. Gird our loins. We are on to them this time. No more selling a "Return to Decency" by voting for the four perfectly awful Biden/Harris years. Once burned, twice shy this time Democrats.
We know you desperately want your hands back on the taxpayer checkbook again. Not gonna happen. So sorry. Income tax did not come around until the early 1900's. We survived as a nation for over a century without it. We shall survive again - tariffs were good enough for government work and shall be again.
Thank you President Trump for returning us to our founding fiscal sensibilities. Onwards, there is a lot of damage to still clean up on Aisles #43, 44, and 46.
You know it's possible to say you support someone and yet also disagree with their stances on specific issues. As for "being a RINO", If I *did* for some reason support Trump, but condemned his lax position on abortion bans, perhaps it may constitute a "RINO" to you for being a pragmatism who disregards principle for political achievements, but for any other person with conviction they simply value something greater.
Truly, why are you so upset that Trump isn't being showered with praise here? Is he God? Does he deserve worship?
I always try to support the president and will be keen to point out policies which I believe are not in our country’s best interests. I am a registered independent voter.
GL: Many of these now obvious "Trump Whinge" posts revealed to be foreign bots. Probably mad because Trump cut off their USAID crack. Or is it just Samatha Powers on an all-night caffeine buzz.
It certainly is time to rethink our relationships with digital communications. They warned us early on we could be communicating with a dog wearing pajamas, for all we really know. The gut still knows. But who knows, maybe Wegovy et al, are programmed in fact to wipe out even the intuitive gut check.
Interesting article, lots of happenings and chaos swirling in the fog of war.
Qatar, like many other nations in the past, is receiving direct military training on how to operate and maintain the weapon systems purchased from the US government. While Qatar has a sketchy past with the terrorist groups that have been running amok across the mid east for the past decades, they have begun to change their ways, as Trump is melding a coalition of countries together to bring peace to Israel & the region via The Abraham Accors. He’s got Bibi boxed in.
Yes, Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa was welcomed at the White House…Yes, the former leader of ISIS, has also pivoted to the get along to go along coalition in the mideast plan for peace. PS…ISIS, AL-SHABAAB, Al-Nusra, Al-Qaeda , et al, are the many head of the same Muslim Brotherhood snake.
And, Jamal Khashoggi wrote 19 opinion columns for The Washington Post’s Global Opinions…biweekly pieces critiquing Saudi policies, regional politics, and press freedom in the Arab world. He was not a staff writer, instead, a contributing columnist (guest), began contributing in 2017 after fleeing Saudi Arabia due to fears of arrest. The guy comes from a gun running family…his uncle, Adnan Khashoggi, was a notorious international arms dealer…Network of Contacts: his Rolodex included CIA operatives, Swiss bankers, and “gun runners,” highlighting his deep ties to shadowy figures in global arms circle…
PS…while fighting the DS on many fronts, Trump is working to eradicate the terrorist organizations here at home & abroad…the silent war on terror continues…
https://www.whitehouse.gov/fact-sheets/2025/11/fact-sheet-president-donald-j-trump-begins-process-to-designate-certain-muslim-brotherhood-chapters-as-foreign-terrorist-organizations-and-specially-designated-global-terrorists/
Adnan Khashoggi built the mansion on "eyelash hill" that dominates the skyline above Las Positas with the palm trees.
can see it from my deck…😎
__Sunday - attack Trump
__Monday - attack Trump
__Tuesday - attack Trump
__Wednesday - attack Trump
__Thursday - attack Trump
__Friday - attack Trump
__Saturday - attack Trump
It is what Democrats do. Democrats creep us out.
We are better than that.
I think our President has many of us uneasy with some of our new ‘friends’ as he is making deals faster than Monty Hall. I think he has learned half of the motto on my coffee cup “trust” we are all hoping that he will apply the remainder of this motto, “but verify”. He in under a year has changed the global dialogue on most geo political issues, and domestically is enforcing our immigration laws and overhauling our tax code. My fear is his eyes are bigger than our budget.
Do you not remember the Sword Dance during his First term. You all don't understand that he is the true leader of the world.
Did he not make peace with Israel?? Is a peace deal in the making with Ukraine and Russia?
Don't listen to the propaganda or the polls. That is a psychological way they are manipulating people.The only way they can win and have won
Opening dialogues with the larger parts of the world, in both wealth and population, is to be shunned? Obama shoveling pallets of cash to Iran on top of blatant sweetheart deals was far more troubling.
Noticed a recent "After Visit Summary" sent to MyChart after a routine annual exam included the disclaimer (not verbatim, but close enough) : This follow-up summary may include topics that may or may not have been discussed with you by your physician.
AI offers the new CYA.
But the other sign of changing times was registering with my new Medicare Part C advantage plan with a major insurer. The threshold question was: Are you Hispanic or Non-Hispanic? No more "Por español, por favor marquez number ocho". Nope, right off the top we are sliced and diced now as Hispanic or non-Hispanic. Politics follows culture, so the cultural shift is now made manifest. Hola!
Best option to understand the "Islamic" middle east is to actually visit it. Travel to most of these countries today is no longer an unreasonable option. Nor particularly threatening. Start with visiting Turkey, then move on to Jordan and Egypt.
Then visit all the Emirates and Oman. Travel across North Africa to include Tunisia and Morocco. For an even fuller understanding of global "Islam" be sure to include Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia and even Pakistan. And as long as you are in this part of the world, be sure to travel India from stem to stern. (Don't assume this sort of travel is beyond a reasonable travel budget, as there are value travel ways to have most of these experiences, without breaking a modest travel budget.)
Then judge where America needs to or should go regarding any of these now global issues. Of note today, colleges are now including a "disagreement question"in their college application essays - when did you have a disagreement with someone with a different point of view and how did you handle it.
Cruising in the Middle East - 7 days starting as low as few hundred dollars. The rest of the world is now visiting this part of the world and making up their own minds. (Not including airfare, but best to go look first and then comment later.)
https://www.vacationstogo.com/ticker.cfm?incCT=y&sm=202512&tm=202612&r=33&l=0&s=0&n=0&d=0&v=0
Excellent travel suggestions. Haven't been in the Middle East since ever, but spent two years in Iran in the early 70s and will be visiting Egypt and Morocco next spring. My feeling about Iran is that its support of radical Islamists is geopolitical rather than religious. They don't really have any great love for Arabs. Everyday Persians are very friendly, and very proud of their ancient history. I once teased a friend there about drinking alcohol as a Muslim and he replied that the Persian empire was 2500 years old while Islam was only 1400 so perhaps it was only a passing fad.
I'm not really concerned about Muslims infiltrating and taking over, imposing Sharia law, and so on. That's a radical fringe, I'm more concerned about Christian Nationalists who want to impose their particular beliefs on the rest of us. There's an effect noted by sociologists, that when a group feels threatened by other more powerful groups its response is a reversion to a rigid fundamentalism. In both cases, it's Western secular culture that is seen as the oppressive enemy.
BV: How exactly do "Christian Nationalists" try to impose their beliefs on you? I am a lapsed Unitarinan and feel no threat, so not sure how you think this is happening. I worry far more about the teachers union and SEIU imposing their will on us, as we see virtually daily.
Indeed Persia is very distinct and has noble ancient history, with a great deal of technical accomplishment and engineering. They do bristle when they get mindlessly included in the "Arab" world. They speak Farsi; the others speak Arabic. You were lucky to have this experience.
Thank you for underscoring the value of travel, when as Americans in our "island nation" are asked to make decisions about different parts of the world. This current mindless "ganging up on Islam" is but one of them, considering there are billion 1.7 adherents scattered across the globe with many iterations of the faith. Including the Pakistani rug merchants offering shots of vodka in the back room.
The Christian Nationalist don't try to impose beliefs on me, yet. But a good example is the recent Hegseth inspired withdrawal of support from the Boy Scouts.
DH was an Eagle Scout, he agrees with Hegseth. The Boy Scouts he knew and revered, went woke and got broken.
Not my view, they got hit with sexual predation and had to update. I was a scout, but never made it to Eagle.
That too was part of its downfall and financial extremis, but the alleged remedies also failed its core mission. Maybe these types of youth organizations no longer have a role to play.
But the skills, the process, and the discipline of earning those merit badges were priceless. Where else do young people today find this sort of structured accomplishment outside of moving almost automatically through the grades of K-12.
BV: I started traveling here in the 1960's and have returned many times. I also visited Dubai when it first starting making itself known and then several years later when it was almost overnight dominating this formerly obscure corner of the world.
Many return trips back to Egypt since the 1960's, which still offers some timely vignettes from my very first visit but today can be equally overshadowed by some first world dazzle they now have also grown into.
Your impressions about the change you see from your own first experiences in this part of the world from the early 1970's when Iran was still well within the western sphere will be very enlightening. Most countries moved forward, others moved backwards.
But they all have endured thousands of years of major civilizational shifts, compared to our own puny 250 years as an organized government by mutual compact. . May we also be around as the United States of America 5000 years hence too.
Indeed. In my take, what happened in Iran was that the corruption got so bad that the Shah lost support of the people. He was trying to Westernize the country, but couldn't control the corruption.
I used to be a Peace and Freedom Party kind of gal, not playing on either wing of the political bird. Then to my astonishment I switched to Republican so I could vote in the primary that saw Trump elected the first time. And being staunchly America First I have stuck with Trump because the alternative was so abysmal. But now, I have switched my party registration preference to the American Independent. Apparently this does NOT mean you are an "independent" voter, it is an actual 3rd party, the one that endorsed RFK Jr in California so that he could get on the ballot. If you want to state that you are an "independent' thinker you have to list "no party preference" as your party. Sigh. I'm sending a message to the Republican Party that I'm done with rhinos, feel betrayed by so many of Trump's recent priorities, and can no longer say that I support the actions of a Government that increasingly seems off the rails.
Pat, What current Trump priorities give you the most trouble?
I see so much media misinformation/distortions pounding Trump as part of the partisan cabal against him, with pretty much total disregard for what he has still been accomplishing. I personally don't see any major wrong turns myself. Perfect no, more than adequate yes.
Help me see what I am now missing. I have always respected your input here. Thanks.
I view continued support of the pharmaceutical industry instead of calling them out with prosecutions for creating the mRNA bioweapon as evidence of him being incapable of admitting that he has ever made a mistake. Continuing the mandatory childhood vaccination schedule that forces participation in substances that in some children may be causing tragic regression. Continuing sending weapons and support to Ukraine, long known as the most corrupt country in Europe, and not insisting on accountability for past expenditures there. Funding the genocide in Gaza as part of a national Israel First policy. Ignoring the scandal of the Child Protective Services that is profiting off a broken and tragic foster care and adoption system that funnels children into abuse and traffics them into sex slavery. Calm down Pat, slow down. How about not closing Guantanamo, that exists to our eternal shame. And the Epstein videos as well as the "files" that were all seized. Hell, I could go on. Maybe I will at the upcoming SB Current party if you introduce yourself to me. I'll be the one with the service dog. No pseudonyms for me.
Trump knows all about your listed concerns, and accountability is coming…timing is everything…
Your list is reasonable. Thanks for sharing it. But I do agree with the the little Pat angel ( or devil?) sitting on your shoulder, telling you maybe this cannot all be done within the first year.
Not this first year, when this forum-shopped weaponized judiciary appears to have no checks or balances and is also equally infected with TDS. (Judges are government employees too).
So I too am frustrated but mainly by the bratty Democrat obstructionists, who have dramatically slowed down and continue to slow down the 2024 RNC platform. Ironically, it is now the Democrats who are committing 2024 election denialism. Everyday of the week.
When visiting the US Supreme Court building in Wash DC, our guide spent a good deal of time speculating why the lamp posts in front of the Supreme Court building were installed on the backs of stone turtles. Her conclusion was this was a reminder (set in stone) that justice often comes slowly, very slowly. That humbles my own sense of frustration to wait for the final scoreboard, not just the first quarter numbers.
The House being designed for the quickie stuff, the Senate for more mature deliberation of what the House proposes. And finally, the Judiciary for deeper, more comprehensive contemplation within the framework of our written covenants.
The Executive calls many, but not all, of the shots. Setting in motion the process to face either enactment or restraint. Messy for sure. Frustrating however is what they call a feature, not a flaw. Keeping the unelected deep state and the over-paid lobbyists out of our hair now remains all of our jobs these days.
As I believe Churchill once said, "democracy" is the worst system possible, until you compare it to all the others. Happy Thanksgiving. And if the little angel on your other shoulder tells me to STFU, that is okay too. I appreciate your input. These are really important dialogues to have.
I find Trump’s unabashed love for Big Pharma and AI (tech bros) to be quite concerning.
Will dishing out $2K checks to folks solve any of the country’s economic woes?
Trump talks to EVERYBODY & treats them all with respect, knowing that he will squeeze each & all for the betterment of the country…I expect taxpayers will receive 5-figure dividend checks from USG via the Sovereign Wealth Fund, once the economy gets back on its feet & then booms…
Some groups who will now be paying fewer taxes - (tips/ SS) already got their dividend checks. This saved money is fungible - either reducing expenses, taxes, costs of government and/or a "refund check" back to individuals. Thank God I don't have to figure out how this all shakes out.
But I do have a lot of confidence in this Trump #47 team who are trying to sort out - in two directions: cleaning up Obama/Biden mess and reaching into our near and distant future obligations. We are all in this together. And we all got into these prior messes together too. One way or another.
AI X.Griz: If you think a $2000 check with "solve our country's economic woes", shall I also assume you haven't clue how deep those woes have become? Not a joke.
You might want to re-read my reply. I think we agree.
We are in agreement. The answer is no. It is only a band-aid, in response to Democrats attempt to control the 2026 campaign issues: easing the "inflation" they primarily caused.
Big Pharma and the insurance companies are a national tragedy, the threat of medical debt hangs over every citizen and the shameful insult of giving free medical to alien immigrant illegals is a slap in the face of every taxpayer. I'll wager that it will be the rare recipient of the $2,000 check that doesn't immediately slap it into credit card debt to try to escape the endless usury of their paying for essentials with debt. Like the Nation is.
I have noticed every "increase in Social Security matches almost exactly that years' annual increase in Medicare supplemental insurance payments. We can no longer tweak Obamacare. It is an insurance company slush fund.
Mainly because Obama defined "health care" as everyone having an insurance policy paid for by "someone". Strategic error, and this original "health care plan did get zero GOP votes. He refused to define what "health care" would be paid for ...by someone else.
I suspect we now must consider to tiers of insurance for at least three different care levels, rather than dump everyone (including now illegals) into the same ruinous scheme. (1. Accidents, trauma, disability. 2. Life situations - birth death, disease. 3. Optional for lifestyle ailments. I still want to play tennis at age 82; I want to eat as much as I want, be sedentary and have someone else pay for my own self-inflicted chronic ailments.)
Yes, rationing and futility of treatment must be built into any new model of third party health insurance. Like all the other countries already have.
Interesting article.
While it brings to mind contradictions, where is the comparison of the minority party and that game of selling by presidents O & B?
And where is the issue in the late now tarnished State of Calif. where more has been done to sell the top offices for just over a decade.
And the game goes on.
That deflection doesn't make it any less troublesome, though, does it?
Tough being the proverbial "canary in a coal mine", Al. (We all know what happens to them) Thanks for taking the plunge on this asphyxiating list of challenges. I know that it really is a partial compilation.
I dont even know where to start. Why are we allowing this? I voted for Trump but I am wondering why in the world id this good for America????
Did Democrats make you a better offer you regret not taking? We did start taking wrong turn when "progressives" replaced individualism with Big Government - apparently starting in the early 1900's. It has been a slow erosion.
We do need a new relationship with the role any government should be playing in our personal lives today. Indeed, why are we allowing any of this, as if we have no choices any longer? I hope the chance for national renewal throughout the entire 250th national anniversary this coming year is not lost to the current, take no prisoners, partisan din.
The day before thanksgiving and the article is Islamophobic hateful trash telling us we should hate and distrust Muslims. Sorry, but I call bullshit on this sentence "Through learned distrust via Christian teachings and study of history, I tend to keep my distance from Muslims." Christian teachings are not to "distrust Muslims" and I'd love to know which so-called Christian church taught him this. I am doubtful that he had Christian upbringing at all. What an inspiring Thanksgiving message for us, thanks.
Does it make sense..... one can ride a chairlift and ski downhill indoors in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and have penguin encounters too? This is what one country does with their "unlimited energy resources". Good to get to know this part of the world. Yes I did ski in Dubai and I have the tee-shirt to prove it. https://www.malloftheemirates.com/en/ski-dubai
Then grab a bite to eat afterwards with no need to go outdoors in their 114 heat: https://www.malloftheemirates.com/en/dining-directory/all-dining
This is no longer your grand-father's middle east, nor even Lawrence of Arabia's middle east. No value judgement here, good bad or indifferent. Just to note what it is, and as many in the rest of the world are also finding the Islamic Middle East to be today.