What Doesn't Make Sense is Mind Boggling, but What Does Make Sense Makes a Hell of A Lot of Sense
War, elections, generations...
Last Sunday, the United States declared war on Iran, not formally, but in practice, which in this case translates to the US bombed Iran. Iran retaliated with a missile strike on a US base. The Iranians knew that the US was going to bomb their nuclear research sites, because, though the plan was supposed to be top secret, nothing is secret when the “Commander in Chief” can’t keep his mouth shut. The US knew that the Iranian attack was coming because the Iranians actually cleared it with the US, not only sharing the time and place, but getting Trump’s okay.
Iran’s kabuki strike was followed by Trump yelling CEASE FIRE at Israel and Iran for a few days. Trump told us there was a cease fire (thanks to him). Israel and Iran replied, “We have no idea what the hell you are talking about!” Then Trump dropped a “fuck” and the mainstream media chased that one, debating whether a fascist, racist, misogynistic, anti-gay, xenophobic president who endorses political violence saying” “fuck” is a good message to “the children.”
Trump followed his “fuck” with telling Iran that they would stop violence immediate, while Israel was given 12-hours to halt their attacks – a timeline that didn’t go over in Iran. Still, we were told that we had a cease fire, until we were told it was off, and then on, and then off, and I guess as of today it is on…but who the fuck knows if we are at war with EastAsia or if EastAsia even exists.
Dear Leader didn’t like it that the news media was reporting that Trump’s claim of “complete obliteration” of Iran’s nuclear capability was bunk and that US intelligence stated that the attacks set Iran back a few weeks, at best. So, Trump did what Trump does, he threatened to sue his least favorite news orgs, CNN and the New York Times, a newspaper that Trump says is “failing” (and has repeated for at least a decade!). Trump also sent the Dept of Defense Drunk out to defend him. Secretary Tipsy took to the podium and yelled at the press. Trump posted his compliments to Tipsy…and we started to see some cowardice in the mainstream press.
Meanwhile, our 22-year-old counterterrorism czar/intern got very, very lucky that Iran didn’t activate its 1,200 to 1,000,000 “sleeper cells” – this number from “Border Czar” Tom Homan, a man as useless as the title “border czar,” which is not an official position. It doesn’t seem like anyone knows much of anything about the “sleeper cells,” other than it is a scary word that if said over and over makes Americans want to support Donald Trump, or so these folks seem to think, despite polling numbers that show that last Sunday’s WhateverTheFuckItWas was not very popular.
Given that immediately after the Big Beautiful Bombing, ICE started rounding up Iranian immigrants, I’d say that the attack was as much a justification for punishing brown people than it was over nuclear whatever. The administration, backed by the right-wing press, is claiming that there are over 6,000 “dangerous” Iranians set to be rounded up and deported. Reporting on the ground shows that this is “just another ICE operation,” i.e. ICE is snatching easy targets such as Iranian Christians who fled Iran for their safety and a woman who has lived in the US since 1979’s Iranian Revolution. I don’t think it’s a stretch anti-Ayatollah Iranians are getting rounded up for one reason: They are not white.
More immigration: Trump, Miller, and the gang continue to try to grind down Kilmar Abrego Garcia for the crime of the courts telling Trump and Miller to lay off the man. After Abrego Garcia was first deported to El Salvador we were told it was because he was in a violent gang. The only “evidence” of his gang activity was presented by Trump, who tried to pass off a doctored photograph as proof that Abrego Garcia was guilty…of something.
A public campaign for Abrego Garcia’s return, backed by court orders, led to his return to the US, where he is now on trial for a speeding ticket and human trafficking. No one in the administration seems to have a handle on which is worse, so we will go with the speeding charge because there’s evidence that Abrego Garcia wasn’t driving 55.
Trump is so desperate to “win” this fight that his people are freeing a guy convicted of being in the country illegally, entering the country three times without authorization, and being involved with “violent confrontations” with law enforcement. Dude was supposed to be deported but seems like Mr. Violent Confrontations has all the makings of a good citizen under Stephen Miller’s “snitch on your neighbor” policy.
The lesson here is not that Trump et al are hypocrites or that they are going back or forth or back and forth or side to side or all the way to the moon on their word. Their “word” means nothing and its way past time we acknowledge that. The lesson is that Trump et al will do whatever it deems necessary to win. Simple as that.
Over in New York City, it looks like some Democratic Party officials are making peace with Zohran Mamdani’s mayoral primary win. Congressman Jerry Nadler endorsed Mamdani and two unions who backed Andrew Cuomo are now stumping for Mamdani. Cuomo tried to silence talk of him running as an independent, though others such as the useless James Carville wants him, too.
Carville also opined that the Dems should ignore Mamdani and campaign on a winning issue – affordability (code word: abundance). Given that Mamdani’s campaign is rooted in making NYC more affordable for all, I'd say that Carville is not just out of touch but he’s being led by his ideology, an ideology that defines centrism as “pragmatic.” Mind boggling.
Mamdani won with an old school Democratic bread & butter campaign. He talked civil and gay rights because it’s a mayor’s job to protect the rights of all their city’s inhabitants; but he did not center his campaign on “identity politics” or “the trans issue.” While Mamdani has been involved in pro-Palestinian politics, he did not make that part of his campaign. The issue of Israel/Palestine was brought up by his opponents, to use against him, slandering him as an antisemite. Kudos to New Yorkers – especially a lot of Jewish New Yorkers – for seeing through the sleaze and electing what seems to be a very good candidate.
I'm also happy that Nadler immediately backed Mamdani. Nadler is not exactly progressive, but he’s also not a centrist, though he is part of the Democratic establishment. He is also Jewish and a Boomer. He sees a good politician in Mamdani. He also sees that the time of the Cuomos, Clintons, and even Obamas is coming to an end. The party needs to move on from the 1990s, from Oprah and celebrity politics, from Silicon Valley and its billionaires, etc. It needs to support younger, vibrant candidates, people who actually understand “middle America” because, as young people, they are going through the same things that a Iowa farmer and Pontiac factory worker are dealing with: The high cost of living, no safety net, and a pretty dire future if nothing changes. No one wants what the Democratic old guard is selling, which is to maintain the economic status quo and do nothing about everything else. Hopefully, the Dem Establishment gets a clue.
Also, kudos to Millennials and Gen Z for ignoring Boomers and Gen Xers who keep telling them to “wait your turn.” I heard those words coming from the “Greatest Generation” and Boomers for decades, and, unfortunately too many of my brethren were content to wait and wait and wait until they were buried under broken promises and stubborn egos. I’m trying to think of a prominent Gen X Democrat with a national profile and the only two I can fix on are Kamala Harris and Amy Klobuchar. Sure, there are a few more than that but Oof.
That the Millennials and Gen Zers are not waiting for anyone or anything and are running for office…and winning…is great. If Gen X couldn’t loosen the Greatest Gen/Boomer death grip on politics, let the youngsters get a shot. And let them run the damn country. They can only do better than what we have now.
On Monday, I will be in hospital spending far more money than I should have to. No overnight, but I will be a bit “uncomfortable” for a few days. Whether I hit you with some Soriano’s Circus during the week will depend on “comfort.” Meanwhile, if you want to sign up for a paid subscription, now is the time to help me pay my medical bill! Thanks!