Trump declares himself as a ‘law and order’ proponent but keeps breaking laws. He also claims to be for peace while ordering attacks on other nations and insists he’s for technology — pushing AI and data centers — while stopping work on wind and solar-energy initiatives.
Likewise, Trump declared he’s for freedom of the press and freedom as speech while trying to shut down both. So ignoring the court’s ruling is totally in line with his general hypocrisy and double standards. I mean, he promised no new wars and then went to war and declared that he never promised no new wars and it’s not a war anyway. LOL. His duplicity and lawlessness are breathtaking.
Ironically, it’s technology that reveals what Trump said, context and all, proving that he said it. We have receipts: video. Transcripts. Records. He can squirm and try to wriggle out of what he said, but as long as we keep paying attention, facts and truths won’t be forgotten.
That circles us back to the Epstein files — again. Trump said that, yeah, I’ll probably release them. Then he insisted the Epstein files are a Democrat hoax.
That’s another of his favorite tactics, calling things a hoax, and blaming it on the Democrats.
Ashland, southern Oregon. Wednesday, September 23, 2026.
66 F, we have blue skies, contrails, and the potential to hit 78 today, a fallish, warmish day.
One contrail fascinated me. Coming in from the southwest, the contrail cut east over Ashland’s airspace before turning due east for a short distance, then veered northeast. Studying the fat contrail, I wondered what air vessel caused those traces and what they were up to.
My wife and I were quietly reading the news this morning when she began railing about something. Engaged in thought, I didn’t play close attention.
Then she started up about Trump’s ballroom — the one he began building to distract us from the Epstein files, the one he said would be paid for by donors and cause taxpayers nothing. We talked about the story about the architect who quit the ballroom project because Trump, safety, and common sense. My wife was practically snarling when she quoted Trump from the story, “I am the code.”
Yes, I honestly get why that pissed her off. Trump loves claiming he knows more than anyone on topics, declaring that he’s an expert. The results say otherwise.
Your Trump Quote(s) of the Day:
My wife then went on about a pet peeve of hers, people parking in front of our house. One car has been there several weeks, which really gets her going. She says things, “I hate it when people do that.” Seems like overdramatic language to me, and unnecessary anger, but it’s a pet peeve. They’re not overly logical.
Anyway, I began chuckling to myself about her outbursts. Something in her tone caused The Neurons to play “Everything About You” in my morning mental music stream. The hard-rock Ugly Kid Joe song came out back in 1992. It’s a playful take on someone with a negative attitude expressing how much they hate things. They hate the rain and sunshine, beach and mountains, country, and city.
Sample Lyrics
I hate the rain and sunny weather And I, I hate the beach and mountains too, boo-hoo And I don’t like a thing about the city, no no And I, I, I hate the countryside too
And I hate everything about you Everything about you
And I don’t like a thing about your mother And I, I hate your daddy’s guts too, boo-hoo And I don’t like a thing about your sister, no no ‘Cause I, I, I think sex is overrated too
And I get sick when I’m around I can’t stand to be around I hate everything about you
As in played in my head, my wife said with a new spurt of anger, “I really hate Trump.” She then added, “And Mitch McConnell.”
So I think the song captures some thoughts very well. Especially when thinking about Trump.
I hope your day is filled with kindness and love, and things you like. May you live long and prosper. *smile*
Trump is right, the midterms are about him, but not for why he thinks it is.
Trump believes he’s doing a fantastic job. He gave a speech at the United Nations this week full of many of the same lies, exaggerations, and misinformation that he claimed before. As before, factcheckers went through it and corrected the record for us.
The midterms are about Trump because many of We the People want control wrested away from him. He’s made many unpopular moves. Biggest ones are probably not lowering prices, not releasing the Epstein files, and starting the war in Iran.
Trump promised no new wars and lower prices when he was campaigning in 2024. Instead, he started a war and raised prices via tariffs, policy decisions, and yes, war. Now, as the midterms play out, an increasing number of Republicans are shying away from appearances with Trump and his endorsements — or that of his surrogates, like JD Vance. In multiple races, Republicans who stood with Trump are trying to pretend they don’t know him.
And MAGA is also slowly abandoning Trump, according to an analysis in a Wall Street Journal article.
MAGA podcasters are tuning out Trump. We tracked what they are talking about now.
To quote the article, “But MAGA podcasters aren’t playing along. Mentions of Trump’s name per hour on conservative podcasts have fallen nearly 70% from their peak in the run-up to the 2024 election.”
The WSJ article noted that the downturn in Trump mentions sharply coincides with when Trump began the Iran war in February, 2026.
Reading Leaving MAGA confessions, many of them slowly realized that Trump and the right-wing media was lying to them. It didn’t automatically drive them toward the Democrats, and I understand that. The Democrats are also far from being the party I desire. My request for term limits, dark money, and PAC participation include Democrats.
Nor does all this mean that Trump is going away soon, nor easily. If the GOP loses the House, Senate or both in the midterms, Trump will ramp up his war on democracy in America. He will be angrier, more bellicose, more erratic, and he will lie more.
We’ve all seen it before. It’s really more about how much do we trust, remember, and believe?
Ashland, southern Oregon. Tuesday, September 22, 2026.
First day of fall today in the northern latitudes. Autumn and summer have been fluttering in and out for the past few weeks. Leaves are rushing to change colors in some parts of the city. Other leaves are like, nah, not yet.
Temperature today will rise to 75 degrees from its current level of 61 F. Rain showers are considered possible though in my view out the window, the clouds aren’t the rain kind. They’re just thin, wispy white paste.
Mom asked my sister Gina to let her move back in with her. Mom insisted, she would never go upstairs and Pat, Gina’s husband, would not be allowed within six feet of Mom.
Of course, Gina said, no. Pat never did anything to Mom; we have video footage proving so. Mom was hallucinating, a combo of pain pills, other medication, and UTIs. But she insists that what Pat did was real. Guess it was, to her.
The White House has announced “Trump TV”. I laughed and shook my head at that.
It’s showing clips of Trump speeches. Trump thinks himself a great orator but he’s a terrible, stumbling speaker who doesn’t stay on topic. The clips will reveal this, reminding people of Trump’s grandiose promises about greatness, lies about his accomplishments, falling prices, refund and dividend checks, and how we won in Iran as the war continues seven months later. Trump is failing and falling in approval and popularity as a result.
I have spent time reading “Leaving MAGA” over the past two days. Started by a former MAGAzen, Rich Logis, a few years ago, this is a place where Trump supporters reveal what finally broke their willingness to support Trump. They’re not monolithic but very individual stories, although they often show common threads. Most stories tell of their slow spiral into anger, disillusionment, and conspiracy theories. They end up supporting Trump because they’re hoping for change. Then they begin to notice his inconsistencies and the scales fall from their eyes.
For example, Erica Roach:
“A doctored video circulated that made it seem as if Gates was saying he could kill more people with better vaccines.
“Then Trump played up Operation Warp Speed, which led to the creation of the COVID vaccine. He called himself the father of the vaccine. He said he had saved millions of lives. That didn’t make sense to me.
“I started doing a bunch of research in the White House archive; I found Trump executive orders, including one setting up a national influenza vaccine task force. I learned that Trump had asked Bill Gates to be the White House science advisor.
“This all upset me terribly; Q had said Trump knew about the 16-year plan to destroy America, so why was he backing what I believed to be a depopulation tool?
Trump often tries to play both sides of the field simultaneously when making claims. For instance, when running for re-election in 2020, Trump claimed that the Democrat’s characterization of the coronavirus as a “hoax”.
Then Trump ran for re-election in 2024 and hammered President Biden’s economy, especially inflation. After Trump returned to the Oval Office, he dismissed affordability as a Democratic hoax.
When Trump ran for office in 2024, he warned that Democrats would begin new wars. Then he promised no new wars, and then attacked Iran — twice, in 2025, and 2026. We remain at war with Iran seven months after Trump initiated the attacks on Iran. He tries to sell the softer term, ‘conflict’, but has also notably referred to it as a war.
Most of the US caught on to Trump’s Double Standards, outright lying, and rhetorical flexibility long ago. I’m happy that some MAGAzens are also waking up.
Today’s music is “Catch Me Now I’m Falling” by the Kinks. When I first heard the song on their live album, I thought, oh, the Kinks have done a “Jumping Jack Flash” cover.
I was wrong. While it often sounds like that Stones song, this song was written about the United States needing help back in 1979. Took me a while to decode the lyrics back then. When I finally did, I was like, whaaat?
Sample Lyrics
Now I’m calling all citizens from all over the world This is captain America calling I bailed you out when you were down on your knees So will you catch me now I’m falling
Help me now I’m calling you Catch me now I’m falling I’m in your hands, it’s up to you Catch me now I’m falling
I remember when you were down You would always come running to me I never denied you and I would guide you Through all of your difficulties
I thought of the song today because of our nation’s fluctuations in fortune. Davis wrote and sang about America needing help in the last century, how America used to reach out and help others. In the Trump era, the US has been withdrawing and reducing help. Instead, Trump uses economic clout and military threat to bludgeon others. Hasn’t been working well, with disastrous results for the US and its allies.
I hope you enjoy the first day of whatever season this day is for you, that it makes you smile now and look back later, and smile again.
Trump continues on his confrontational, authoritarian path.
Trump believes that because he is the current White House occupant, he owns everything and can do anything. Unfortunately for us, Congress and the Roberts Court were eager to abet Trump’s attitude that he is above the law.
Trump thinks he can sign an executive order and change everything. He and his advisors have observed that breaking the law first and then letting others try to stop you through legal means worked for bank robbers, kidnappers, rapists, and murderers, so they’ve decided to govern through the same tactic.
All my fresh Saturday morning contempt for Trump was triggered by this Trump joke.
Your Trump Quote of the Day:
Donald Trump was supposed to be joking. His joke shows that he doesn’t understand how the office is supposed to work, or the limits of his power. No, he can’t do what he claims he can. That wouldn’t stop him from trying. Then, as with other things, like tariffs, voting suppression, freedom of speech, war, We the People and our servants would need to fight Trump in court.
We can tell that this was posed as another Trump joke veiling the truth because the megalomaniac just tried banning reporters from MS Now, CNN, and Politico. Banning reporters for personal reasons from entering the White House has been ruled on several times before.
Trump, though, always thinks himself above the law.
Time again for more Operation Epic LOOK — SQUIRREL!
You can tell things are going bad for Trump because he felt a need to launch distraction after distraction this week. Greenland! Banning fishing!
Trump loves to throw around words like ‘annihilate’. Back in April of this year, Trump declared, “A whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again.” Trump also threatened to bring Iran “back to the Stone Ages” and blast it “into oblivion” by targeting civilian power plants and bridges.
Before Trump started the war in February, 2026, he warned Iran to make a deal “before there is nothing left, and save what was once known as the Iranian Empire.”
In fact, before the beginning of August, 2026, Trump had already warned Iran and the world of the power he was going to unleash and the ensuing destruction seven times.
Ashland, southern Oregon. Tuesday, September 15, 2026.
Going to warm up to 80 here, giving us a warm late summer day. 57 F under blue skies.
I spent time on the phone with Mom the last several days. Or tried. I would call her and she wouldn’t answer. She would call me but I would be out doing things.
Per a text agreement, I called her at 9 AM yesterday. Didn’t get her. She called me hours later. They took her to Forbes Hospital in an ambulance. Another UTI infection. Severe pain. She was given an antibiotic by IV.
She asked me to ask some favors of Gina, my sister who is Mom’s primary helper among the family in the area. Gina agreed but warned that if Mom said anything nasty, Gina would cut her off.
But Gina is helping Mom, visiting her in the hospital, helping her sit up to eat lunch (chef’s salad), sending us a photo of Mom in bed. Mom is getting an IV of Ertapenem now. Gina stayed longer with Mom, telling Mom stories and making her laugh. Peace is at hand for a few hours.
As for Trump and the United States…
Satisfying that the Roberts Court ruled against Trump and the mail-in ballot scam he’d concocted with the USPS. I laughed and shook my head when I read comments on the ruling that ‘the liberal judges had done it again’. Yes, such a VERY liberal Roberts Court, isn’t it?
Clearly, the deep state got to those justices…right? That’s how the Trump and MAGA mind work.
Donald Trump Jr had his wedding paid in part by a Russian oligarch. Many are making a big thing about it. But c’mon, man, you know how expensive weddings are. And Donald Trump Jr barely has a crypto to his name. Sad face. So happy that a Russian oligarch was there to bail those young lovers out. I’m sure there’s no sweet deal going on there, no reciprocity expected, no politics, scheming, and conning involved. No, this was just an oligarch being magnanimous to the billionaire president’s poor son.
Besides, it’s not like the wedding was a lavish affair. Like most Americans, it was a small thing, involving only friends and family, lasting only three days, held on two private islands, with a fireworks show.
I’m sure that Americans struggling with food and gas security, worrying about paying off credit card bills, coping with the rising cost of healthcare, gas, water, and utilities totally understand.
“Simply put,” the board “cannot install memorials for President Trump or anyone or anything else at the Kennedy Center without Congress’s blessing.”
Thank you, Judge Cooper.
Too bad someone couldn’t tell Trump that Congress needs to approve what he does with the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool and the White House east wing.
For the record, Trump’s Iran War continues, driving up inflation, causing death, and costing our nation and world.
With things going so poorly for Donald Trump on multiple fronts, I expect some fresh AI-generated posting featuring Trump as someone else who is more respected and admired than him. Either that, or he’ll launch more military attacks, screw up another monument or Federal building, or complain about how much he’s not appreciated. Operation Epic LOOK — SQUIRREL! never rests.
Busy day ahead for me. Don’t get me wrong — I have a cushy life. ‘Busy’ means medical, dental, and haircut appointments, and I’m always staying busy with writing. Reading, too, as I’m trying to finish reading “John of John” before the library summons me to return the book. And house and yard work.
Thinking about being wrong, as in, “Trump is always so wrong”, as in war, tariffs, economy, manufacturing, grass, AI, history, intelligence…I have Dr John’s 1973 song in mind. “Right Place, Wrong Time” is a fun blend of rock, pop, R&B and funk. He has a lot of fun with the lyrics.
Love the trombone player in this video. She’s enjoying herself.
Sample Lyrics
I been the right place But it must have been the wrong time My head was in a place But I’m having such a good time I been running trying to get hung up in my mind Got to give myself a little talking to this time
Just need a little brain salad surgery Got to cure this insecurity I been in the wrong place But it must have been the right time I been in the right place But it must have been the wrong song
I been in the right vein But it seems like the wrong arm I been in the right world But it seems wrong wrong wrong wrong wrong
Slipping, dodging, sneaking Creeping hiding out down the street See me life shaking with every who I meet Refried confusion is making itself clear Wonder which way do I go to get on out of here
Time to go out and see the world and let the world view me again.
May this day pass for you in comfort and security, perhaps with a little booze.
Seeing and reading about that Trump pledge at Trumpapalooza more since it happened, I think, that is one of the silliest things that I’ve seen in my lifetime, outside of parties where people were drunk.
Those Republicans weren’t drunk, though. As far as I know…
Then I realized, yes, I have seen things like that before, in movies about secret societies, and at children’s parties.
The Trump pledge seems particularly childish to me now. Taking that pledge with Trump showed how the GOP has become a childish party. Led by Trump, they often threaten to withhold money, attack someone, sue someone, or take away FCC licenses. Even Speaker Johnson has been caught lying.
Trump also childishly promised more money to people if Republicans won and keep control of office. Sounds a lot like a kid saying, “If you’re nice to me, I’ll give you a piece of my candy.”
Trump offers the candy even though it’s not actually his candy to give. The candy he’s giving away belongs to We the People.
Like a child, Trump tries blaming everyone else. He’s like a school kid telling the teacher, “The dog ate my homework.” Today he’s blaming the high gas prices plaguing his administration on Ukraine.
Right now, Trump is whining about NATO again. After he started a war with Iran without mentioning it to NATO, he wants NATO, a defense organization to step up and help us with his fight.
Trump says he won that war, so why does he want NATO’s help?
This was from the Dallas 2026 midterm conventions. Trump insisted that the convention be made about him. That way, the midterm will be about Trump, because Trump thinks he’s the greatest.
And those of him applauding and pledging with him must agree. Why else put your hand up and say those things — unless they’re like Trump, willing to say anything?
But here he is, verifying, yes, he thinks of it as a war. He used the word ‘war’ repeatedly this week.
Because it is a war.
“I think the war’s going to end immediately after the election because they can’t hold out any longer,” Trump said. “They’re desperate to affect the election, so that we can get a nice, weak group of people in there and leave them alone and let them have their nuclear weapon. All they want is their nuclear weapon, and if they have a nuclear weapon, the whole world is in deep trouble.”
Which means that he has illegally taken our nation into war over six months ago. The Constitution states only Congress can declare war.
I know Trump apologists – Trumpologists – are hurriedly giving him cover. “He was just talking,” they’ll probably say. “That doesn’t mean that we’re at war.”
That’s what Trumpologists always say about Trump. Trump was just talking, whether it’s about why he ordered the attacks on Iran, when the Iran war will end, declaring he’ll balance the budget, reduce prices, start no new wars, be a unifier and a peacemaker, release the Epstein files, cheat, or lower drug prices by over 100%.
He was just talking.
Trump cannot be trusted to keep his word. And his attitude and policies are too backward and outdated for what’s needed in this century.
Instead of facing this, Trump lies, bullies, cheats, and exaggerates.
I believe we need people in our leadership positions who are willing to face the challenges and rise to them, instead of trying to drag us backwards.
Otherwise, we’ll forever be going backwards as the world goes forward.
Vote Blue in 2026. End the war, stop the lies, and restore trust.
I’m sure there are some voters out there nodding and saying, “Did you hear? Trump promised us money for our vote. I’m going to vote Republican.”
Meaning, they would need to pretend that Trump is going to follow through on this promise after all his other failed promises. It’s so much easier for Trump to promise more instead of fulfilling all the previous promises. Especially those promises Trump made such as, “I will not golf”, “I will deliver a new healthcare plan”, and “I will start no new wars.”
Or this classic Trump promise:
Over two years later, and we’re waiting for Trump to do what he promised.
Trump is calling this a ‘dividend’. He’s not really explaining how it’ll be paid for. It’s hard to believe that a ‘dividend’ is available when the national debt has surged past $40T, a level never seen before, and shows no signs of slowing.
In the past, Trump has cut programs and services which he didn’t like, labeling these fraud and waste. These were mostly from the regulatory side and the social safety net, like SNAP, healthcare premium subsidies, and childcare assistance. Since Trump has already cut those, what else can be cut? Defense?
I can see why people with little future and little hope, desperate just to make it to the next payday in order to buy gas and food might want to take Trump’s deal. But Trump is the one who create the 2026 affordability crisis. His DOGE cuts, tariffs, and bloated defense budget with its plan to build ‘Trump’ class battleships created this crisis. Trump’s Iran War fueled the crisis by disrupting the global supply chain and pushing gas prices to record levels.
Now, instead of addressing those things, he’s offering a bandage when surgery is needed.
I think Trump is falling back on an old favorite.
We’ll need to wait and see if Trump can buy his way out of another mess, as he tried to do when he paid off Stormy Daniels after Trump had an affair with her.
