Federal Trade Commission Discovers Collusion Between Big Oil and OPEC!

 In recent research while considering the merger of Pioneer Oil and ExxonMobil (itself a merger), the Federal Trade Commission has discovered evidence of collusion between AMERICAN oil companies, and OPEC, the middle eastern oil cooperative. The investigation was able to show that the general rise in prices after Covid was tied to the rise in oil prices.  While I am not completely surprised, I am, nevertheless, aghast at the brazenness of this scheme of American companies to work with as opposed to competing against Middle Eastern countries.  If this does not border on treason, I don’t know what does.  Watch the report here .  

“New Apostolic Reformation” Not

As the son of a Presbyterian minister, I feel comfortable in saying  categorically that this new “Christian Dominionist“ movement is far from apostolic. To be apostolic means to be descended directly from the original apostles through the laying on of hands. Additionally, not everyone gets to be ordained an apostle in this fashion. Yet anyone can claim so.

 That appears to be what has happened with this so-called new apostolic reformation, a movement which seeks to enshrine Christianity as the law of the land.  This very dangerous movement threatens the lives of Jewish people, Muslims, Hindus, and anyone who does not profess their kind of authoritarian Christianity.  More at the link below. 

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/new-apostolic-reformation-splc-hate-report-christian-nationalism_n_665f6fdae4b08e32183f25a8

Psychologists Warn of Trump’s Mental Condition

 *The psychologists in the video link to below, have said that Trump is a man with dementia sitting on top of a malignant narcissism.  Although these are clinical terms, they do have an important meaning for now.  By looking at Trump’s actual spoken words, they are able to make scientific observations which can be helpful.

Their warning is that not only does Trump have deep, psychological problems, but he is also very talented at getting a large group of people to follow him – – just as with a cult leader.

They are also practically begging Democratic leaders to speak up with the kind of passionate energy which Trump apologists are displaying. I agree. At the very least, I agree.

Emergency:  Shrinking Trump —  

https://www.youtube.com/live/e1D7HvPOPPw?si=0KRJHyx49Pmzzlpj

Polls continue to show drop in support for Our Former Leader

 Quick post —

Our Former Leader continues to see a drop in support after his guilty verdict in a New York court room last week. It seems that the American people do care, after all.  Patriots who make up this country do not want to see a collapse of the rule of law. This is great good news, not only for the United States, but for the world.

https://www.newsweek.com/donald-trump-more-bad-news-fourth-post-verdict-poll-1907209

Trump and Biden in Dead Heat, Says Poll

 But wait!  This poll from the non–partisan Civitas organization, is from 2020.  In that poll, Trump had a small, statistically insignificant lead. Biden went on to achieve a convincing win.

This gives us pause. There are going to be many polls.   Some will be more legitimate than others. We must be patient, but at the same time we need to get busy and do our part to make sure America does not fall into authoritarian hands.  This is most important.

See more here:  <  https://www.nccivitas.org/polling/trump-biden-dead-heat  >.

Dementia Expert and Geriatrician Summarizes Mental State of Presidential Candidates

Another expert on dementia has appeared on television, analyzing the mental state, or states, of the best known presidential candidates in 2024. Her talk is very interesting, and quite helpful.The situation with the mental functioning of our candidates is definitely concerning, especially with Trump, and now also with RFK, Junior.

I especially like this expert’s criticism of the media. I will let her speak for herself. But I certainly share the criticism of the media which stems from ignorance, and which tries to equate President Biden and Trump.  It is time to call this matter for what it is: ignorance, laziness, and even arrogance.

Dementia expert weighs in on candidates’ mental fitness:

 https://youtu.be/rCV2hZc76R0?si=lTrH8nxkuTjqmjy1

Psychiatrist and former medical school professor says 95% of professionals in the psychiatric field agree on Trump diagnosis

Psychiatrist and former professor of medicine explains cognitive differences between presidential candidates, Biden, and trump

 https://youtu.be/vuZw_8mM6xE?si=X8zwqMgDSLSD5nea

OFL Held in contempt of court for violating “gag” order

 Donald Trump was today held in contempt of court in New York City, for violating the so-called gag order of Judge Merchant in the Trump case currently being heard in his court. At the link below Glenn Kirschner, former prosecutor, shows the historic importance of the first former or sitting president to be held in criminal contempt of a court.

More on this later

https://youtu.be/YX9EaW3_dOg?si=MM_qmAJoKgB1c4ru

The Supremes Prepare the Red Carpet for the Would-be King

 I am just old enough to remember the satirical pictures of King Richard I of the House of Nixon of California.  Oh, how history repeats itself.

The six Right-wing Supremes on Thursday did their best to smooth the way for an authoritarian monarch. For, a president who cannot be held accountable, becomes a dictator. No one in his right mind would wish for this. You may draw your own conclusion about the state of mind of certain Justices.

From 1981: A Socialist elected in Vermont!

 

The election of socialist Bernard Sanders as mayor of Burlington, Vermont, stunned the country in 1981.  

In this interview with Phil Donahue, on the Today show, Mr. Sanders appears as one of the most refreshing and most sane new politicians of America. What could have been if Mr. Sanders had been elected president in 2016?  Yet such was not to be.

However, we still have Bernard Sanders with us in 2024, thank the Lord.  His message is still pertinent, even more so.  

Bernie Sanders Is Elected Mayor

Urgently Needed: More Oversight of Supreme Court

Second edition —

Ethical questions are continuing to be raised over various Supreme Court ethics issues. As confidence in the court continues to erode, the question of the integrity of the court continues. 

Several issues in recent years have raised alarms. Both justices Thomas and Alito have come under scrutiny for questionable dealings. Following on was the controversial Dobbs decision repealing the Roe v. Wade decision of some five decades ago.

In today’s news comes analysis of the decision of the Supreme Court to take up the matter of whether the insurrectionists of January 6, engaged in obstruction of an official government activity. Legal experts are asking why the Supreme Court has even taken up this matter at all. Today’s report heard over SiriusXM satellite radio includes commentary and analysis from legal experts, indicating that this decision is highly dubious.

I am also informed that the national Supreme Court has fewer ethical standards and methods of oversight than practically any state Supreme Court in the nation. The reality of the situation is that the Supreme Court has begun to move into the role of the superior branch of government in what is supposed to be an equal separation of powers.

In light of all this it is past time for the country, through its Congress, to exercise appropriate oversight. The alternative is a Court currently dominated by justices appointed by Republican rightists.  The Court seems, at best, not up to the job, and at worst, a threat to our democracy.

 https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2022/12/supreme-court-ginni-thomas-january-6-ethics-oversight/672357/

Legal Noose Tightens Around D. J. Trump

 Legal teams around Mr. Trump have their hands full, keeping up with all the machinations of the several court cases underway.   In fact, one wonders how they do keep up.

Now come reports that Mr. Trump himself may be reaching the limits of what he can orchestrate in order to pay, not only lawyers bills, but now fines and even payments required in order to advance appeals.  One could quite easily predict that the political end of Mr. Trump is coming. But not being a believer in prognostications of this sort, I shall refrain for now, Howevrr, it doesn’t take a tremendous amount of foresight to see that Mr. Trump is in serious legal, and perhaps even political, trouble.

G.O.P.: A lack of quality control

 I have just watched a video on the YouTube channel called Blanco Lirio on the crash of the Pakistani International Airlines plane in Karachi in 2020. The host of the channel, Juan Brown, goes through the entire sequence of events which led to a crash which killed 91 people.  He reports on the written analysis of the causes of the crash, which was made by the authorities.

There were a number of cascading events which were recorded. These eventually led to what is called an unstabilized approach, damage to both engines resulting in loss of power, which then caused the plane to descend and crash into a building.

There are people now who believe that one of the two major parties in the United States is on a dangerous glide path to disaster. One of the causes for the situation is – – to borrow from airline safety jargon — a lack of quality control. We have had another example of this today, according to the New York Times.  It seems that the Senate GOP leader, Mitch McConnell, will not continue in his role after the end of 2024. The New York Times says that a part of the reasoning of McConnell is that he knows he is out of step in his foreign-policy views with the presumed Presidential nominee, Donald Trump.  Putting aside for a moment the major questions about the ability of Trump to run for office under the 14th amendment, this demonstrates that the GOP is putting the needs of one man ahead of all other considerations, including the needs of the American people. What do I mean by this?  This indicates, in effect, that the grand old party cares more about power than it does ethics, or even the safety of the country.

How this plays out, is yet to be seen. But it is clear that the party, and thus the country is in danger of putting into the leadership role of President a man who has openly declared his opposition to the constitution.  This opposition would lead to autocratic government under Trump very soon.  I will have one or two recommendations about actions which can be taken based on many years of following American politics, plus considerable study, reading, and thought. You are cordially invited to return here and check out these recommendations in the near future . 

1932: Year of Decision Has Important Lessons for Today

 

The rise of Hitler was so different from the rise of Franklin Roosevelt as to call into question the very title of this book.  And yet the juxtaposing of these two figures from World War II in their year of ascendancy is taking.

The book alternates chapters between Hitler and Roosevelt.  In this way both figures exist together, yet separately. The choice two different countries made is apparent.  But in America, the United States already had a long history of democracy, whereas Germany's democratic history was short indeed.  Thus, Germany was susceptible to fascism in a way American fascists could only dream of.  

Now, in 2024, we have an ill-informed American public, most persons of which are insufficiently schooled in the the history of the rise of Hitler.  This book helps remedy that lack.  

But even with books like 1932, the right-leaning capitalist media of America with its emphasis on the trivial and superficial, presents American patriots with the task of overcoming the intellectual torpor, and simple ignorance of a very wide swath of the public.  We can only hope and pray that the ground-level efforts of the people will overcome the propaganda front of smoke, and clouds, and mirrors. 

Journal Suspects AI Used to Generate Post

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Republican victory in 2024 depends on their being able to do this. <a href="https://t.co/uyiyVKsHzK">pic.twitter.com/uyiyVKsHzK</a></p>&mdash; Patrick Ruffini (@PatrickRuffini) <a href="https://twitter.com/PatrickRuffini/status/1752773165044891904?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 31, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>