A BIT OF UPDATING…

Many of our readers wonder why we have minimized our humorous lead off comments. Well, it appears inappropriate to smile at what America is all about these days. With Trump Administration antics, it’s tough to smile at the killing of American citizens in Minneapolis, a threatened attack on Greenland, forsaking our NATO allies, kidnapping the Venezuelan President and stealing their oil–with no oversight on where that money is going, etc. We’re sure you see our dilemma. For the foreseeable future we plan to focus on what’s wrong, why it’s wrong and how it might be fixed. We have a very small voice but we intend to use it forcefully. We hope you find our observations and comments worthy enough to return for the next postings. A wise man once said “Evil wins when good men do nothing”. We won’t crown ourselves as “good men” but we won’t stand by and let a few very bad actors ruin our democracy.

NEVER FORGET THE EPSTEIN FILES

It might honestly be said that all the Trump antics are designed to distract us from the legal requirement that the Department of Justice release ALL files immediately. Their legal deadline was December 19th and they have as of today released less than 1%. It is obvious that Trump is hiding information that would damage himself, his orbit or his donors. You’ve all heard Kash Patel say “Put on your big boy pants and tell us who the pedophiles are”. You’ve heard Pam Bondi say that she has the files on her desk–but somehow they grew exponentially to 2 million documents when their release was legally demanded. Now there is a movement to impeach Bondi for failure to comply–in other words–the top cop in the country is clearly breaking a law that Congress passed unanimously except for one vote. WHATEVER TRUMP SAYS OR DOES SHOULD BE VIEWED AS A DISTRACTION FROM THE RELEASE OF THE EPSTEIN FILES. DON’T KID YOURSELF–HE’S GETTING MORE DESPERATE DAILY.

THE MINNEAPOLIS TRAGEDY

Speaking of desperate acts, we can easily argue that ICE/Border Patrol personnel in Minneapolis is a desperate attempt by Trump to shift focus from Epstein. He hopes to provoke violence–even if it means shooting and killing an unarmed ICU nurse and a Mother of 3 in the gutter of a downtown street. If violent reactions occur, he can use the 1807 Insurrection Act, declare martial law and cancel the November elections for alleged safety reasons. History note: as Adolph Hitler rose to power in 1930’s Germany, he used “brown shirts”, a Gestapo/Secret Police force, to intimidate any citizens who opposed him. When one of his brown shirt Generals was assassinated in Czechoslovakia he executed all the men in the village where that occurred and sent all the women and children to concentration camps–never to be heard from again. Couldn’t happen here? ICE is now the largest police force on the planet and your tariff money makes it possible for Trump to grow their numbers large enough so that he will be able to rule every city in the US. Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti, the two martyred souls in Minneapolis were tests to see how far he could go without encountering blowback. So far he’s winning because no legal response will prevail. The two Border Patrol personnel who shot Mr. Pretti nine times as he lay in the gutter have been fired. It’s obvious that their firing is meant to soften the Minnesotans demonstrations and indicate a cooling of emotions. The real reason for the firings is to allow these two murderers to hide from prosecution. Murder is against the law in Minnesota and if they are charged they will find themselves in court. Imagine this question on the witness stand “did anyone tell you that you could act with impunity?” If they say “yes”, the follow up is “who told you you could act with impunity?” And if they say “No”, they take the responsibility for their actions as unauthorized excessive use of force and face maximum jail sentences. Our question is “why isn’t Minnesota charging these individuals?” Even if they don’t have access to all the evidence they can still ask that “impunity” question in a court of law and follow the trail back to Bovino, Homan, the DOJ, or even Trump. But, as it stands now, we may never see those two killers again. THIS IS ANOTHER CASE WHERE EVERYONE SAW WITH THEIR OWN EYES WHAT HAPPENED AND CRIMES WERE COMMITTED IN FULL VIEW WITH NO PUNISHMENT METED OUT. WHERE IS THE LAW WHEN AMERICAN CITIZENS- a Mother of 3 and an ICU nurse-CAN BE CLASSED AS “TERRORISTS” AND MURDERED IN FRONT OF THE WHOLE COUNTRY AS WITNESSES?

YES, THE GOVERNMENT WILL SHUT DOWN NEXT FRIDAY (1/30/26)

Bet on it!!! The Dems were incensed before the last shutdown and now they are not only outraged but they are now joined by several GOP members of Congress. Don’t think those GOP members have grown a spine–that’s not the case. They simply have good memories. They remember how last year’s townhall meetings turned into near riots. And now they face a rocky campaign trail where they will have to defend the Trump policies in Minnesota, Greenland, Venezuela, etc. They see primary election challengers with no dependence on Trump and they see staunch GOP voters switching away from incumbents because they opposed the Trump methods. This uneasy shutdown coalition will not budge until ICE and the Border Patrol are removed from Minneapolis and a promise that they will not be used in any other city in America. Public sentiment will back that pledge, GOP members will see it and eventually the shutdown will be resolved. Trump will become an invisible voice because he knows that every day more GOP members of Congress are jumping off his sled. And Trump fears Dem control of Congress.

GOP CAMPAIGNERS WITH A TARGET ON THEIR BACKS

We alluded to it before but we want you to imagine what life will be like for an incumbent GOP member of Congress on the campaign trail. He/she must decide whether to support the Trumpian policies and face an increasingly hostile crowd or separate from Trump while explaining why he/she didn’t oppose any of the criminal actions Trump authored. In their Primary elections, Trump is backing GOP incumbents unless they–like Thomas Massie of Kentucky–oppose him. So, if they back Trump they have problems and if they don’t back Trump they have problems. Understand that these GOP people have amassed campaign funds donated by GOP-leaning individuals or organizations. And their entire orbit–both in DC and in their home territory–is all GOP. Some of these backers want the Trump plan of action and some do not want his antics to prevail. So you see the GOP campaign effort will be extremely difficult especially when polling is showing a 36% (and dropping) approval rating for Trump. Which way do they go? Many have already decided not to go at all. Several GOP incumbents up for re-election have called it quits. This only makes it more certain that the Dems will not only control Congress they may well have a super majority–and that will surely lead to a Trump impeachment. We’re predicting that the news media will be showing chaotic debates at every GOP campaign stop. Hang on–this will get ugly.

QUICKIES…

• The European Union has just signed a mega trade deal with India that will result in losses for American company’s profits. The decision to shift focus away from American produced goods will reduce our manufacturing sector, its employment and probably result if business failures. The chilling effect from the Trump White House is that the move was a surprise. Because India has a far lower standard of living than America they can produce goods much more cheaply than we could here. The EU-as a stable US trade partner for years and in deference to our military support past and present–has always forsaken the savings that they could have garnered from India. But now Trump has given them more than enough reason to seek other sources and abandon the US. Count that as just another “it’s easy to win a trade war” Trump attitude.
• Three sports world stories are worth mentioning: (1) The Los Angeles Dodgers are signing more of the best players during this off-season. One of their latest is Kyle Tucker. Kyle signed for the second highest annual contract amount in baseball, $60 million/year for four years. Only Shohei Ohtani’s $700 million 10 year contract is more. Kyle hasn’t played a game yet but the Dodgers are so flush with cash from their Fox broadcast deal that they are able and willing to roll the dice. Kyle’s salary is nearly equal to the full team salary of many “competitors”. Does that sound like a level playing field? Where are you, Commissioner? (2) Carlos Beltran of the sign-stealing Houston Astros was voted into the Major League Hall of Fame last week. Breaking the rules is no longer a basis for excluding players from recognition as one of the best who ever played. A-Rod (Alex Rodriguez) was on the ballot too but even the sports writers who cast Fame votes couldn’t stomach his Performance enhancing drug cheating. Only Pete Rose was shunned again. Pete did nothing worse than affect the outcome of games like both Beltran and A-Rod. But Pete comes from a small market town–Cincinnati–so the HOF Committee was OK with ignoring the man who holds almost every hitting record in the books…and he did nothing worse than Beltran and A-Rod. Go figure. (3) Our third sports note is the return of Brooks Koepka. Brooks is returning from his Saudi tour years to the US PGA golf tour. Big whoop!! He has pocketed millions more on the Saudi tour than he could have here. His reason for returning seems to be to spend more family time and less travel time. The US Professional Golf Association welcomes him back and hopes that many Saudi tour defectors return to America—for whatever reasons.

MORE ON SAVING EMPLOYEE BENEFIT COSTS

If you’ve followed us for a while you know that we have been suggesting ways to save on benefit costs. The following comments are sure to enrage some people but consider the tidbits of wisdom they contain. Remember that benefit plans are partnerships between employees and their employers. They are not welfare plans–although many times they are referred to as “welfare plans”. That said, let’s begin.

• MEDICAL PLANS- Medical plans have something in common with the practice of smoking. We all know that smoking is harmful to your health (everyone knows that excepts maybe RFK Jr.). The secondary smoke generated can be equally harmful to those around us. And so it is with Medical Plans. In any group Medical Plan there are health-conscious individuals and less-health-conscious individuals. The latter harm themselves by being more prone to disease, accidents and early disability and death. When these poor lifestyle people hurt themselves, they use Medical Plan benefits and raise the cost of the Medical Plan for ALL MEMBERS OF THE PLAN. So we recommend; (1) all employees take a physical exam at company cost. If you score well, you get a lower contribution cost to participate in the Medical Plan. If you score poorly, you pay more to participate. Every year you can try to qualify for a better score and qualify for a lower contribution. If you have a documented health condition that precludes you from attaining a better score an exception can be made and you will be assigned a special health care coordinator to work with your situation. All of this is done in total privacy and respecting the confidentiality and legal tenets of HIPAA. (2) A panel of dietitians, therapists and counselors will be made available as part of the Medical Plan to help plan members as needed. (3) An exclusion will be added to the Medical Plan. It will state that any medical expenses that occur during the commission of any criminal act will be excluded from plan re-imbursement. If a plan member drinks too much and drives into a car accident–he/she bears the full cost of the medical expenses. (4) Another exclusion: anyone who injures himself/herself while engaging in dangerous hobbies will bear the full cost of those injuries. The Medical Plan will exclude them. Specific hobbies will be listed. Your co-workers are not expected to pay for your recklessness. (5) Anyone injured in a car accident who is documented as not wearing a seat belt will receive no re-imbursement from the Medical Plan. If you want to disregard obvious safety protocols, you take the responsibility for those expenses. (6) You are expected to avail yourself of any vaccines unless you can show some health/medical/impairment reason for avoiding the vaccine. Illnesses that result from failure to get an available vaccination are not covered..(7) Anyone with a score above a very high level for 3 years in a row–without extenuating circumstances–will be terminated. This seems harsh but remember, this individual continues to live a very poor lifestyle and is making all his/her co-workers pay for their lack of responsibility.
• DISABILITY PLANS Short term and Long term Plans)–The same exclusions apply here as in the Medical Plan. In addition, you must agree to submit to a periodic independent medical exam to measure the extent of injury and the change in your condition as therapy/medication/?? continue.
• DENTAL PLANS-All above mentioned exclusions apply. In addition, you must receive preventive care (exam and cleaning) at least once a year and follow the dentist’s care recommendations in order to receive any benefits from the Dental Plan.
• GROUP LIFE INSURANCE-Group life insurance plan participation is provided/made available to employees so that–in the event of premature and unexpected death–adequate financial resources become available for funeral expenses and possibly family budget support. However, if you engage in criminal activity, participate in hazardous hobbies, or in any way contribute to your own death, the beneficiary will be denied death benefits. If you ignore safety rules–not wearing a seat belt, etc.–and die as a result, no life insurance benefits will be paid.

THE EMPLOYEE BENEFITS PLAN WHERE YOU WORK IS A PARTNERSHIP. AND LIKE ALL PARTNERSHIPS THERE ARE RESPONSIBILITIES ON BOTH SIDES OF THE AGREEMENT. EMPLOYERS PROVIDE THE MOST GENEROUS BENEFIT PROGRAMS THEY CAN AFFORD TO ATTRACT AND RETAIN QUALIFIED EMPLOYEES WHO WILL SUPPORT THE SHORT TERM PROFITABILITY AND LONG TERM CONTINUED EXISTENCE OF THE COMPANY. EMPLOYEES OWE THE COMPANY AND THEIR FELLOW EMPLOYEES THE DUTY TO MAINTAIN A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE THAT WILL ALLOW THEM TO DO THEIR JOBS AND NOT RAISE THE COSTS OF THE PLANS THEY SHARE WITH THEIR CO-WORKERS. RESPECT FOR OTHERS IS THE KEY AND ANYONE WHO ABANDONS THAT ATTITUDE WILL PAY THE PRICE.

MESSAGE TO FOREIGN VISITORS

We end this posting session with a word to our foreign visitors. Please understand that the vast majority of Americans do not support the actions of our president. His treatment of both domestic US citizens and foreign countries is abominable. His lies are numerous and we have learned that he is totally untrustworthy. This blog started out with the intention over 6 years ago to cover a wide range of topics. But Mr. Trump has piled lies and crimes up so fast that we have focused for the most part on his violations of law, reasoning and common sense and decency. In November (2026) God-willing we will conduct what we call mid-term elections. We think the results will ultimately allow us to rid the country of this unwanted fraud. Please do not give up on America. We apologize for his actions as he continues to embarrass us and lead us down the wrong paths. If allowed to operate, democracy will flush him and his ilk from the positions of authority they have disgraced. Please keep your faith in America as we fight our way out of this chaos.