Tag: gas prices

Predictable Trump

A few predictable stories about Donald Trump and his health and desperation rose through the political news.

One was the story about Trump wandering away. He was supposed to be getting into the Beast. Instead, he passed the open doors and drifted to the limo’s front, vaguely drifting from security. Realizing he was drifting, SS rushed to protect him and herd him back.

Were this President Biden doing that on video in 2024, Trump, 80 — or a surrogate — would have been on X and Trump’s texting app, screaming, “Sleepy Joe Biden” in all caps, piling on to the episode to show that Joe Biden is unfit.

With Trump doing it, there’s mostly crickets.

To no surprise but with the usual Donald Trump fanfare, Trump announced a new program to bribe voters.

Trump announces $8 billion in diesel relief for US farmers

Honestly, this is like those stories about someone starting a fire, showing up to put it out, and then wanting recognition for being a hero.

Without Trump’s support of Russia, enabling Russia to attack Ukraine, and Trump’s war in Iran, diesel fuel prices would be much, much lower.

Republicans, however, are heaping praise on Trump for the move — as expected.

Of course, with extended droughts affecting land, water levels, and cattle herd sizes, this bailout temporarily mitigates the problem. The Super El Niño is coming. We’ll see how much Trump’s policies helped after it’s finished.

Trump Appointees Asked a Federal Cybersecurity Agency to Secretly Acquire a Voting Machine — and Hack It

As with many of Donald Trump’s unhinged directives, it was based on flawed reasoning. More importantly, several people involved with the effort thought that Trump’s people were trying to find ways to skew results or declare them wrong and then show receipts how that would be possible, even if it didn’t happen.

Then we ended up with more Operation Epic LOOK — SQUIRREL! distractions.

Again, it was about the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. Trump took a functional and beautiful historic monument and trashed it. Now he’s raving on about how wrong his US Attorney’s Office is and shoot a scattergun of threats about vandals. Again.

I must say, all this Trumpmania drives me nuts. Please Vote Blue in the 2026 midterms. Help preserve what little sanity remains in me.

0

The Net’s Perspective of Trump & MAGA

It’s all about the danger within now. It begins with rising prices. Keeps us distracted, part of Donald Trump’s Operation Epic LOOK — SQUIRREL! The war does its part to distract us, keep us turning our heads.

Then we have the many competent and capable people Donald Trump has fired. Trump has attacked every institution, and assails and threatens freedom of speech and freedom of the press.

All in the name of greed, power, and stupidity.

Here we go, once more toward November, people.

0

Sunday’s Theme Music — Money in Our Pockets

Ashland, southern Oregon — Sunday, October 18, 2026.

It’s totes autumn today, with rich fall foliage decorating trees with red, gold, orange, and yellow leaves burying the greens. Sun is up, delivering tepid temperatures, putting us at 60 F right now. 72 F is in the future for the valley and its blue sky.

Nothing from Mom today, and I only recall one dream. It was another military-themed dream where my hair was out of reg.

Today’s music is by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis. The song, “Thrift Shop”, was released in 2012. My Neurons released it into the morning mental music stream as I read political news. Donald Trump is running on nothing but fear, trying to convince everyone that absolutely everthing will be much, much worse under Democrats. Republicans are pouring money into the 2026 midterm elections. So is Elon Musk, which should tell you how worried Trump and the GOP are at this point.

Trump has already tried buying votes. Donald Trump has offered seven different dividends or financial incentives for supporting him while crowing about how great everything is. Trump claims we’re in a new golden age in the United States.

But the actual numbers for most Americans show a completely different story. Compared to when Trump took office, most ordinary expense has increased for the majority of Americans.

  • Residential electric rates have steadily outpaced core consumer inflation. National averages climbed from roughly 17.5¢/kWh in 2025 to 18.31¢ – 18.83¢/kWh.
  • Grocery store inflation has significantly dropped down to 1.8% year-over-year. Heavy deflation in specific categories like eggs (-22.2%) has lightened the financial load for food, households are still facing steep localized spikes on beef (+9.4%) and coffee (+6.1%).

    Individuals purchasing coverage via the Affordable Care Act (ACA) Marketplace saw a premium spike of 20% to 30% following the structural expiration of enhanced federal premium tax credits.This increase is directly attributed to Donald Trump’s signature act of 2025, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.

  • Gas prices are way up, as almost every driver can tell you. After averaging around $3.22 to $3.40 per gallon in 2025, national regular fuel prices rose above the $4.00 mark for historic stretches, peaking as high as $4.79 in May 2026 before leveling out to $4.33 – $4.47 per gallon. Most of these increases are tied to the war in Iran which Trump started in February, 2026, and the war in Ukraine, which Trump promised to end on day 1 of his second term.

It’s not surprising after noticing these price increases that “Thrift Shop” is playing in my morning mental music stream. Trump crows about how great things are but most people are worrying about how much money they have. Personal bankruptcies are up. Personal savings are down.

So. Much. Winning. For Donald Trump and his wealthy cohorts, like Elon Musk. They’re much, much wealthier now than they were before Trump took office in 2025.

May money worries leave you alone to enjoy the day, no matter who you’re with or what you’re doing.

Cheers

0

Saturday’s Theme Music — Puzzles

Ashland, southern Oregon — Saturday, October 17, 2026.

It’s a cool morning, 48 F. Dogs are barking outside, and neighbors are warming up motorcycles for a fall Saturday ride.

I asked Alexa the weather. She told me it was a sunny 43 degrees. As I peered out, observing the clouds and looking for sun, she went on, “Today’s high will be 72 degrees and the low will be 45. There is no rain expected.”

My wife and I looked at each other. But, but — if today’s low is going to be 45, and it’s now 43, what does that make 43 in this report? It’s another modern puzzle.

Mom is on the warpath again. We grew up hearing that expression. Mom had several she regularly used: the poor house, insane asylum, and warpath are three prominent examples. She regularly warned us that she was on the warpath, that we were driving her to the poor house, or that she was going to end up in the insane asylum because of us.

It’s about diapers. She’s out of them and weirdly, they’re difficult to find them locally. She wants to order them online but is having trouble doing that. My sister, Gina, recommended Mom ask one of the young women who work in the assisted living home help her. Mom replied that to the effect that she’s the smartest one there. Gina said, “Well, they’re younger and are probably more familiar with the technology.” Mom refused to budge, insisting that they would be no help.

Donald Trump is on the campaign trail. He’s visiting places where he won. Yes, because that’s the sort of ‘fighter’ TACO is. Remember that he was named TACO? ‘Trump Always Chickening Out’.

Holding true to that, TACO is going to Iowa, where Republicans are struggling to win votes in a reliably red state. It’s not a puzzle why: a CNN poll found 70% of likely Iowa voters said current gas prices were a moderate-to-severe hardship, 74% said Trump administration policies had increased the cost of living, and 48% named the economy or cost of living as a top election issue.

Where this is a puzzle is that with the economy the leading issue, why are some Republicans still ready to vote for more of the same?

Do Iowa voters support Trump’s war in Iran? I read that they didn’t.

Are Iowa voters against abortion choice, or do they the absolute bans which Republicans have pursued? Again, I read that most Iowa voters are against strict and absolute bans.

And, like most US voters, those in Iowa are for limiting new AI and data center construction, a position which is 180 degrees from Trump’s position.

As I say, it’s a puzzle.

All this puzzle thought stirred The Neurons. I ended up with a Radiohead song about puzzles in my morning mental music stream. As the song streamed through memory, I couldn’t quite place it. Had to resort to looking it up. Yes, Radiohead. From 2007! Thought it was older than that. Ah, memory. It’s called “Jigsaw Falling Into Place”. Has naught to do with politics; this song is all about a wild night out.

Sample Lyrics

Just as you take my hand
Just as you write my number down
Just as the drinks arrive
Just as they play your favourite song
As your bad day disappears
No longer wound up like a spring
Before you’ve had too much
Come back in focus again

May the month find you happy with you are and sure of where you’re going.

Cheers

0

Friday’s Theme Music — Next chapter

Ashland, southern Oregon — Friday, October 16, 2026.

Another warm autumn day has climbed into the valley. Sunshine brings the trees to bright life, and a warm wind chants with confusion. 79 F now, we’re going to be in the 80 to 90 range, depending on where you are.

Mom’s partner, Frank, passed away a year ago today. I don’t like to linger on anniversaries like these. It just came to me last night. There’s sadness that he’s gone, joy that I knew him, and sympathy that he’s no longer part of Mom’s life.

Frank, though, was 95 and lived an interesting, full life. He raised a family and helped his sisters through their struggles. Widowed thirty years before, he and Mom found one another, enabling them both to enjoy another chapter.

Well, we already turned the page on Trump’s new press secretary.

Katie Zacharia Is Ousted After 5 Days as White House Press Secretary

My wife wondered if Fox News was going to run out of young blondes at the rate that Trump is going through them. Then what will they do?

I told her that I was sure that blonde MAGAts are out there, ready to jump into bed with Trump in whatever role he offers.

Looks like Trump may be moving on from Kristi Noem, too.

Kristi Noem out as special envoy to Shield of the Americas. What’s her new role?

It seems like Kristi Noem has managed to become so toxic, even Trump is distancing himself from her.

Watching Trump campaigning for the 2026 midterms, declaring that people should ‘vote like he’s on the ballot’, it’s apparent that many Republican candidates are distancing themselves from him.

In our area, Republican candidates are trying to even distance themselves from the GOP. They refuse to mention their party affiliation in their ads and commercials. When they talk about party, they often lip sync that they’re trying to bring balance, common sense, and affordability to voters in Oregon. It’s hilarious how they wrap themselves up in knots to avoid Trump and the GOP, promising that they’ll make things more affordable as Trump, in D.C., bellows that affordability is a hoax.

Truly headspinning.

Trump also launched another episode of Operation Epic LOOK — SQUIRREL! This one showed Donald Trump running around, laughing and playing with a tiger. You could tell it was fake because Trump doesn’t laugh or smile. He smirks and growls, trying to project a tough guy persona, using old films as his inspiration.

Trump also said — again — that the war with Iran will end when he “wants it to end”. Rather arrogant, again. Has nothing to do with foreign policy nor military objectives, or rising costs and prices for oil, gas, food, fertilizer, shipping, construction and the many other things growing more expensive. Nor does it have to do with Trump’s concern for Americans and their ability to pay their bills and enjoy food and housing security. No. Trump makes it clear — again — it’s all about him, and nothing else.

Your Trump Quote of the Day:

Gas prices remain much higher under Donald Trump than they were during most of President Biden’s term in office.

Today’s music is “Turn the Page”. Originally performed by Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band, The Neurons unleashed Metallica’s cover in my morning mental music stream.

May your October day begin with happiness and end with joy.

Cheers

4

Trump Accelerates Distractions & Whining

What’s Trump doing today?

We ask that question every day at my house. We ask even though we know he’ll be lying, whining, distracting, and doing things that test the limits of law, ethics, and taste. We ask knowing that with polls showing the GOP and Trump as losers in the upcoming elections, Trump will be triggered and will increase the scale of distractions under Operation Epic LOOK — SQUIRREL! to new heights.

Today, Trump is whining again about not winning the Nobel Peace Prize. It went instead to Navi Pillay. Congratulations to her!

I’m not surprised that Donald Trump didn’t win. In his worldview, killing people and destroying things mean peace. That’s not how the rest of the world tends to view peace. At 80 years old, you would think Trump would have learned by now that he has not. Trump demonstrated long ago that he lacks learning abilities — unless it’s about ways to gain and keep more money for himself.

Donald Trump has also proven to be vindictive. It wasn’t surprising that his administration immediately ordered more sanctions against the ICC after one of those former judges won the Peace Prize.

Trump thinks he’s done ‘far more blah blah Trump weave blah’ than the human rights activist, Navi Pillay, who won. Of course, Donald Trump has also rated himself as the greatest president ever earlier this year, another sign of Trump’s detachment from reality. Over in reality, historians and voters disagree with his assessment.

Polls since Trump released his assessment said that almost half Americans rank Trump as a failure. 65% disapprove of Trump’s handling of the economy.

In other “we-don’t-really-need-this” Trump news, Donald Trump has announced that he wants to make one of his Florida golf resorts into a presidential retreat.

The letter announcing this latest move made my wife and I laugh and laugh. Summaries of the letter’s contents published in newspapers said that Trump International will pay for the improvements.

Sure.

I believe that, dont’ you? I’ll bank that right beside Trump’s promise to not golf if he won the election because he’s too busy.

That promise for Trump International to pay for the improvement carries the same weight of promise for Trump’s gold cell phones. I believe that Trump International will pay for it as much as I believe Trump’s previous claims that he would probably release the Epstein files, that private donors would pay for the new ballroom, and that that Americans would get a DOGE dividend because we’re making so much money as a nation.

I believe the assertion that Trump International will pay for it as much as I believe that Trump has lowered prices on everything since taking office, and that he lowered the price of prescription drugs by hundreds, even thousands of percent.

I believe this declaration as much as I believe that Donald Trump has fixed the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, one — two — three times — no, wait, they’re still working on it.

I believe it as much as I believe that Trump’s tariffs will not raise prices. (Note: they HAVE.)

Assurances that Trump International will pay for it all carries as much water as a pail without a bottom. I believe it as much as Trump’s declaration that as part of his ‘bold agenda’, there would be no new wars.

In short, I don’t believe any of Trump’s promises, or any promises made by any organization or project with Trump’s name attached to it.

The evidence that Trump and his organization will not do what they say they will is overwhelming. Only people in cults or those who have an agenda which Trump serves will believe it.

I’m not part of either of those camps.

5

Big Lies, Broken Promises: Donald Trump

Trump has nothing but desperation and empty words as we count down to the midterm elections at this point.

He’s offered money. He’s tried distractions. Now he’s trying to gaslight people.

Let’s review a few of those promises Donald Trump says he kept!

Your Trump Quote(s) of the Day.

During the interview, which aired on “Meet the Press,” Mr. Trump also claimed he never promised not to get the U.S. into new wars.

“But on the campaign trail, Mr. Trump repeatedly pledged to “expel the warmongers from our government” and strongly hinted there would be no new wars, like was the case in his first term.

“I’m going to keep you out of wars, I kept you out of wars,” the president said in a July 24, 2024, campaign rally. 

“And in his November 2024 victory speech, he said, “We had no wars. Four years, we had no wars. Except we defeated ISIS. We defeated ISIS in record time. But we had no wars. They said, ‘He will start a war.’ I’m not going to start a war, I’m going to stop wars.”“

WATCH: Trump promises to ‘settle’ war in Ukraine if elected

President Donald Trump said in a new interview that he was joking when he promised to end the Russia-Ukraine war in the first 24 hours of his second term.

Trump promised to replace ACA, said he would be too busy to golf, promised to lower the national debt…

Donald Trump warned us, though. Trump and his MAGAzens like to pretend that he’s an outsider.

But Trump is the political establishment in 2026. And to quote him, he’ll say anything to remain in power.

Which circles us back to Trump’s base:

Unfortunately for Trump, many of We the People have wised up to his multiple cons. That’s why Trump is so desperately trying to pretend that everything is really going great — including the war.

And yet, despite Trump’s claim, the Iran war goes on.

Donald Trump will never stop lying, cheating, and conning people. That’s why a strong Congress is needed now more than ever.

Republicans have shown that a few might protest what Trump does or says once in a while — usually to curry favor with voters — but overall, they are quite willing to let Trump continue what he’s done, regardless of what is happening to the nation.

5

Donald Trump’s Multi-Thread Approach

We’ve seen enough of Donald Trump to know his approach. He’s used them in business, interpersonal relations, and in politics. We know what to expect.

  1. Trump begins with lies, misinformation, and exaggeration to establish a position for himself. Facts, data, and history are all distorted or dismissed.
  2. After Trump repeats his position multiple times, Trump claims that only he can fix it, and talks about how great he is. He’ll often claim that he’s never wrong and that only he can see what’s going on. As part of this, he’ll frequently declare himself an expert, even often saying that he ‘probably knows more than anyone in the world’ about the subject. Anecdotes about others coming to him — often with tears in their eyes — will emerge. These thankful people shake his hand and tell him how great he is, that, “nobody else has ever done this before.”
  3. In the next stage, Trump makes dire predictions about how bad everything will be if he doesn’t get his way. Along the way, Trump now begins character assassination and name-calling of anyone who criticizes, questions, or opposes him. Others are dumb, stupid, horrible. They’re rapists, murderers, thugs. They come from shit-hole places.
  4. Trump will then stoke fears with angry tirades — commies, con jobs, hoaxes, woke! They’re taking advantage of you! They’re coming for you! They’re eating your pets, killing your babies, stealing your money, forcing their religion on you, taking your jobs!
  5. Distractions commence. Trump makes broad proclamations, announces a new project, a new trade agreement, new investments, new peace deals, new factories! He’s renaming something, he stopped another war, we’ve made so much money! Prices are going down, everyone is getting rich!
  6. Bribes, wheedling, and begging begin. Donald Trump offers money, often characterizing them as dividends. When the money can be found, the promise is fulfilled, such as the $1776 dividend to the military, where the funds were shifted from military housing. Or the more recent $90 Medicare dividend, where money was drawn from the Medicare improvement fund. More often than not, the money is never seen.

If you’ve been paying attention to US political news, you can see how Trump puts them together in his ‘weave’. Trump’s methodology creates a sort of chaos, like a toddler running through a dinner party.

Donald Trump doesn’t understand that many of We the People are as smart or smarter than him. Trump’s magical weave is nothing new to We the People who track what’s going on. His lies and broken promises were bound to catch up with him.

When his lies and cheating caught up with him in business, Donald Trump stiffed contractors and declared bankruptcy.

Trump can’t do those things in his current situation. Instead, he uses the Oval Office’s power to threaten, cajole, attack, and declare emergencies.

But more of We the People are onto his ‘weave’. They know that despite his claims, promises, and lies, prices are not going down, the war in Iran should never have been started and is not over, and that putting his name on more buildings does nothing to improve freedom, democracy, security, or affordability.

Trump’s weave is frayed and falling apart.

Vote Blue in November. It won’t ‘magically’ change things or automatically lower prices, as Trump likes to claim he will do, but it will help temper the whims and arrogance of the authoritarian now in office, Donald J Trump.

0

Don’t Read That Book

Just finished reading a book. Non-fiction, it’s by Michael Lewis. It’s called “The Premonition”.

The book is about the US government’s efforts to develop a coherent pandemic plan well before COVID-19 struck. A small group of people took deep interest in it and kept things going, even when the various presidents changed requirements. Most strikingly, we gained insight into Trump and his administration’s response to COVID-19.

Oh, I remember what Trump said about COVID-19. His quotes are burned in my mind.

Trump lied about how bad COVID-19 was and refused to commit the US government to any course to mitigate the virus’s spread. Donald Trump then told the states, “You’re on your own,” and finally, took credit for the vaccine’s quick development when he was barely part of the equation. He was a fan in the stand shouting, “We won,” after the game is over.

So, I urge you not to read this book because it will probably piss you off.

By reading that book right now, I see Trump taking the same course of action with the US education system. He’s dismantling the federal system and telling states, you’re on your own.

Donald Trump is pursuing his same ass-backward approach with climate change. He’s denying it’s a problem, deriding it as a con job or a hoax. When it’s finally too late, he’ll walk away and tell everyone, you’re on your own

Trump is already doing his COVID-19 shuffle with affordability and healthcare. When running for election, Trump extravagantly and frequently criticized President Obama’s healthcare plan, claiming, “I’m coming up with a better one.” Trump never did come up with a better healthcare plan.

Likewise, Donald Trump stumped on the affordability crisis in 2024. Oh, how terrible it is to live in President Biden’s economy, Trump screeched over and over. I will make it all better. I will lower prices on day one.

Well, it’s well past day one. Prices are much higher and heading even higher. Trump is already shrugging it off, telling us, “You’re on your own.”

It’s not that bad, Trump says. Prices are already falling.

Just as Trump did with healthcare.

Just as Trump did with COVID-19.

1

The Funny Donald Trump

I had to laugh when I read the complaint.

Here’s the headline that drew me in:

Trump blew his top during his Time interview with a furious curse-filled tirade

Donald Trump blowing his top during an interview is nothing new. Donald Trump ‘blowing his top’ about anything isn’t new, as he seems like a perpetually angry person, swearing, lunging at people, turning red and scowling.

Reading the article, what made Donald Trump angry was that Trump didn’t think he was being asked enough positive questions about all the positive things Trump has done.

Like what?

Eradicating measles? Oh, no, that’s worse under Trump.

Reduce personal bankruptcies, released the Epstein files, apologize for all the things he’s done to others, apologize for his grift, lower prices, better healthcare, cheaper insurance, a better education system, a lower national debt, higher respect among other nations?

No, no, no, no, no, no.

Here’s an excerpt from Tom Boggioni’s article:

After being asked about the status of former Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), the president lost his cool.

“Have you seen the videos of Mitch McConnell back in the Senate? Do you think he should resign because of his health condition?” he was asked.

“It was a disappointment to a lot of Republicans,” Trump began before switching gears and going back to a previous question about handing out pardons.

“So that’s just—well, Sleepy Joe gave pardons to everybody. He gave them to Fauci. He gave them to this. But you mean I’m not allowed to give them, but Sleepy Joe’s allowed to give them?” he argued. “This ain’t gonna be much of a story.”

“Here we are doing this. You haven’t asked me one f—— positive question. All of this. What about this? What about that? What about that? What about this? All negative,” he continued.

“Why are you devoting all this time to the White House? You know how I do, I do that out of my back pocket. I pay for a lot of it, but I fix it because the White House should look like that,” he complained. “It shouldn’t look like—if you would have stood in that balcony and looked at that wall, half the wall was falling. It’s actually dangerous. People are walking under, crap was falling off it all the time. Every time it rained, it was leaking, horrible. Now it’s perfect, and I would say that I should be given credit for fixing the White House because I’m also doing very well with the war.”

I was laughing at this point, because Trump thinks the war he started with Iran is going very well. That’s the war that Trump claimed to have won, the one that was supposed to have been over weeks after it started, which was months ago, the war that’s disrupting the global supply chain, driving up energy costs, and making affordability a major issue for millions of Americans.

This would also be the war with Iran which Trump insists is not a war. *cough cough*

But here is the clincher, the Trump statement that had me rocking with incredulous laughter:

“I’m doing very well with another war that we already won, Venezuela. Do you notice you haven’t asked me a question about Venezuela?”

WTAF?

Trump, who promised to start no new wars, has now admitted to starting two — if you can call a military operation on another nation to abduct its sitting president a ‘war’.

Donald Trump is one warped individual, demanding credit for his lawlessness and failures.

Please, Vote Blue in 2026.

1

Blog at WordPress.com.

Up ↑