Tag: midterm elections

Friday’s Theme Music — Looking ahead

Ashland, southern Oregon — November 13, 2026.

A rainy day has followed a rainy night. Temperatures were at 58 F when I went to bed last night. I watched them drop from 54 to 50 in the day’s first few hours after dawn. Sunshine is as rare as Trump telling the truth.

We had a mild scare yesterday. When I went out to the store at about 4:30, the air was strange color and looked either foggy or smoky. It all came about very suddenly. Getting out of the car, I instantly knew that this was smoke. I consulted with the Internet. It informed me that the smoke was coming from fires east of the Cascades. The wind carried the smoke in and an inversion trapped it. All of the smoke dissipated within a few hours.

Reading the news and watching Trump and the GOP, I see that Operation Epic LOOK — SQUIRREL! is likely to gain substantial use in the coming year.

Whenever news that disturbs or bothers Donald Trump, Trump responds by trying to distract us. In this week’s case, he’s trying to distract everyone from the terrible, horrible, historic ass-whipping the Republicans experienced in the 2026 midterm elections. Trump desperately wants to convince everyone that it has nothing to do with him or his policies.

Trump is going through quite the spin cycle. Acceptance; contrition; anger; accusations of fraud; lies; now he’s onto hypotheticals.

Trump says he would ‘easily’ beat ‘highly overrated’ Obama

This comparison makes total sense in the fractured world where Trump resides. Trump is extremely jealous of former President Obama’s popularity. Obama is highly and openly regarded as a statesman and speaker while Trump is ridiculed for his word salads, twisted logic, fantasies, and delusions. Polls show President Obama is much more popular with the voters than Donald Trump.

In addition to all of that, people throw other things in Trump’s face: former President Obama won the Nobel Peace Prize.

Former President Obama was never impeached and was POTUS when the US finally ‘got’ Osama bin Laden.

Former President also never lost run for the presidency, and won both the Electoral College and popular vote. Donald Trump ran three times, lost once, and never won over fifty percent of the popular vote.

Former President Obama is slender, friendly, charming, intelligent, and often smiles and jokes, traits which Donald Trump clearly lack.

All Donald Trump can do in response to those being pointed out to him is smirk, brag about being rich and a convicted felon, and appearing in the Epstein files more.

Looking ahead to the end of the year and the beginning of next year, Donald Trump is going to have many, many, many reasons for him to invoke Operation Epic LOOK — SQUIRREL! and try to distract us from the truth.

Today’s theme music is by Bruce Springsteen. “Don’t Look Back” came out in 2001. I was thinking of a friend this morning and wondering what he’s up to. Been a long time since I’ve seen or heard anything of him.

As part of my recollections about him, I remember that he was a big Bruuuuccce fan. We were in Germany together and went to two Springsteen concerts in the late 1980s. Later on, in California, we connected a bit after we’d both left the service. Visiting him in 2001, he was listening to this song a lot.

So the song ended up in my morning mental music stream alongside what I remember about my friend. The lyrics are another interesting Springsteen composition, but the idea of looking forward and looking back suits my mood today.

Hope that you’re looking back with some satisfaction and looking forward with hope. Have the best day you can.

Cheers

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The New Trump Republicans

Republicans are shocked and dismayed that they were pummeled by voters during the midterms.

Yet, they go on being and doing the shit that delivered the results which upset them.

Here we go, your 2026 lame duck Republicans.

Final Thoughts:

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Thursday’s Theme Music — Just watch

Ashland, southern Oregon — Thursday, November 12, 2026.

Balmy and windy here today. 70 F and yet — not much sunshine. Just layers of lurking, casual clouds, gathering to let out on us tomorrow.

We’ve already seeing the Trump and Republican game plan. GOP is out to pass whatever they can in the next sixty days before they’re told to sit down. And they’re going to be devious about it, more devious than usual.

Likewise, Donald Trump is going to be mega MAGA Trump. He’s not out to make America great but that’s his base’s catnip, so he’ll be using it to get them going.

And Trump already doing that crap.

Trump Says He’s Pulling Vance Off Iran Talks to Focus on Fraud Campaign

That’s some deeply misplaced thinking that Trump is exposing. Looking to the past, refusing to let facts get in the way, Trump is trying to paint his loss with the same paint that failed before.

Meanwhile, affordability is an ongoing crisis for Americans in the Trump era. The war in Iran — a war that Trump started as a choice after promising no new wars — is negatively affecting affordability for Americans.

SMFH.

We can derive a few things from Trump’s stated intentions here.

  1. 1. This is another Trump distraction. This time Donald Trump is trying to distract Americans from the promises he broke, his failure to end the war he started, and the crushing midterm losses the Republicans suffered while Donald Trump is leading the party.

    2. Donald Trump has no idea how to end the war. It didn’t go to Trump’s script because he and his Defense Secretary fired or ignored the people who were the experts in how to conduct a war like that. Trump and Hegseth think it’s about being macho and using the biggest hammers. Only fools who ignore recent fail to grasp the nuances of modern warfare. Donald Trump and Pete Hegseth have consistently demonstrated that is exactly the kind of fools they are.

This is the start. More will be coming. Just watch.

Today’s theme music is by Mark Ronson, featuring Bruno Mars. The Neurons tapped into my thoughts and delivered “Uptown Funk” to my morning mental music stream.

Why? Well, it’s that chorus, of course.

“Don’t believe me, just watch.”

Yes, we’re watching you, Trump, and you’re validating every misgiving we’ve ever had about you. You’re proving again to be incompetent, arrogant, thin-skinned, greedy, and a liar.

I hope a terrific day for you and yours, rich with peace, good health, good food, and a joyous life.

Cheers

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The Same Ol’ Trump Song & Dance

Trump is doing his dance once again, singing a weave of lies, blame, and misinformation mesmerized and fooled so many in 2016 and 2024.

That must be qualified. Some were fooled because they weren’t paying attention. They liked Trump’s sound bites about affordability, releasing the Epstein files, and no new wars.

Stalwart MAGAts were not fooled. They knew what Trump was, and they liked it. Trump talks about hating others, and they like that because they hate others, too. Trump also blames the ones he hates for what happens to him, and those stalwarts like that because they like to blame the ones they hate for what has happened to them.

White Evangelicals weren’t (mostly) fooled. They’re interested in a Christian nation, as long as they can re-define Christianity (and American history) in ways that make them feel righteous and justified in hating others and preaching hate.

The wealthy were not fooled, either. They see Trump as a wealthy but useful idiot, cutting regulation, encouraging greed and profiteering as long as they gave him a taste.

Nor were the rock-hard conservatives like the Heritage Foundation fooled. They also saw Donald Trump and his stalwart base as useful tools for breaking the norms and precedents established through 250 years of existence as a nation. They disliked the direction of the country because it was too liberal and progressive, and they really prefer kings and dictators.

Those are the groups who sit in Trump audiences, regurgitating “Lock her up” and “Let’s go, Brandon”, limited in scope about what they’re able or willing to see and accept. Despite the blue wave of the 2026 midterm elections, those are the groups Trump is trying to win over again.

Just watch Donald Trump’s 2026 song and dance.

First: Trump thinks himself very popular. Why, if he was on the ballot, the results would have been very different. Even though all the accepted and respected polls tell Trump that most of the nation dislikes and disapproves of him, he insists otherwise.

Second: the blue wave wasn’t Trump’s fault. Even though Trump campaigned for others and urged Republicans to come out and vote like Trump was on the ballot — REPUBLICANS LOST.

So Donald Trump decides that it’s because all those other Republicans are losers.

Third: Donald Trump is very contrite in an interview. Yes, I went through this yesterday, and some media, as they so frequently did with Trump, tried to humanize and normalize him.

How long did that last? Why, within a few days, Trump was doing his regular dance moves.

Fourth: The midterm elections were stolen!

Gasp! How is that possible! It’s never been claimed before — except, of course, by Trump and MAGAts, people who can’t believe they lost and refuse to accept the evidence right before their eyes.

Fifth: Trump announces, gosh, the Iran war is ‘effectively over’.

Donald Trump has declared the Iran war he started as over, effectively over, or won before, and told the world that it would be over in a few weeks when he started the war over eight months ago.

Donald Trump also said he would not start wars, that he would stop war.

Your Trump Quote of the Day:

Donald Trump also said he never promised he would never start a war.

Next, Trump, said that he believes in freedom of the press, attacks a reporter for asking the questions which freedom of the press demands. Then he’ll blame the ‘fake news’ for the election results.

The next step will be Trump declaring that the economy is doing great! Prices are already coming down! They’re coming down fast! We’re in a golden age. A gaggle of distractions will be released, like this one, trying to change the subject.

Next, we can expect Trump to blame former Presidents Obama and Biden. Why, it’s their fault.

It’s the same ol’ song and dance that Trump was doing in 2015 – lie and blame others. Accept no responsibility. As the blue wave demonstrated in November of 2026, Trump’s song and dance is so yesterday.

A change is needed. The blue wave was the beginning, but a lot of work remains to be done.

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Trump Has Got A Brand New Weave

Gotta love that Donald Trump, don’t you? So very, very predictable, always wanting credit for how great he thinks himself, while shedding responsibility like a rattler shedding its skin.

Appearing on CBS’s revamped “60 Minutes”, Trump was contrite about the ICE raids and his anti-immigration policy. “It was too tough. I think it might be too tough,” Donald Trump said.

Before his contrite admission was even aired, Trump promoted Stephen Miller to be his White House Chief of Staff. Miller, who was the primary architect of the immigration policy which might have been ‘too tough’.

Trump makes it sound like, well, gosh, he had little control over it. Because anyone in charge of something can change it, right? Especially if they don’t like how it’s going. And the way that Trump kept framing it, repeatedly insisting that the midterms were lost due to “bad messaging”, doesn’t show that he didn’t like policy; it was the public’s response which bothered him.

And then, Donald Trump promoted the person in charge of it — Stephen Miller — and gave him more power.

How very contrite.

CNN wrote it up as a ‘striking acknowledgement’. Please, Donald Trump acknowledged nothing. Trump merely gave cover to himself, trying to lull people and get them to lower their guard.

A truly contrite person would have said something like, “We’ve already made changes.” Trump didn’t say that, and won’t, because this is just a PR stunt.

Trump also declared that he has no idea that he’s making money or how much he’s making. He doesn’t know what stocks he has…

Yet, Trump was upset with his lawyer’s husband when he made a chunk of millions, mentioning

Just in, more consistently than the sun’s rising and setting, Trump has spun back. Donald Trump originally said that he accepted the elections results. Less than a week later, he’s gone back on what he said.

Your Trump Quote of the Day:

Donald Trump’s new weave is just like his old weave — misinformation, lies, and fantasies. Diehard MAGAts will eat it up.

The rest of We the People have had our fill. We have learned from watching and listening that Trump makes promises, breaks promises, and goes on, pretending like everything is great as it all falls apart.

Remain on guard. More weave is coming.

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Head Coach Trump

I was reflecting on a Trump quote I shared in an earlier post. It triggered a need for a sports analogy for me.

Ordinarily, I avoid sports analogies when addressing politics. Such analogies are generally lazy, lowering politics and their outcome to the same level as pastimes which have grown into enormous, profitable businesses but are meaningless in the long run. Sports preoccupy many people and divert their attention from real and serious matters. (Some will rebut, that’s exactly why sports are needed, to divert us from all the problems we face but I’ll leave that diversion alone…)

First, the Trump quote:

I want to add context. Trump made his statement on the day on which a blue tsunami took national elections in a stark repudiation of the direction Trump was taking the United States.

Additional context: when Trump took office in 2025 after winning election in 2024, the GOP took control of both chambers of Congress. The Roberts Court already had a right-wing tilt built into it. In essence, conservatives, led by Donald Trump, controlled the Federal government.

Donald Trump won re-election by making many promises, among these, starting no new wars, lowering prices on day one, and ending Russia’s war with Ukraine.

Trump said at his inauguration that he wanted to be remembered as a uniter and a peace president.

Since taking office, he’s broken many promises. While he’s become quite wealthy, many Americans are coping with an affordability crisis. People are struggling with food, housing, insurance, and energy prices, among other things.

Here’s where the sports analogy enters.

First, let’s pretend that Donald Trump is the head coach of a football team.

Trump’s team started aggressively but undisciplined. They stalled their own efforts with penalty after penalty. It was like they didn’t understand the rules and refused to accept the rules.

His team has not scored any touchdowns. They fumbled the ball away multiple times, challenged rulings on the field, and lost, setting them further back.

The offensive side of the ball couldn’t advance the ball down the field, so they kicked it from far away from the goal and scored a few points. The defense is worn down because the offense no longer has anything left.

The other side, meanwhile, has grabbed the momentum. Their defense has been playing strongly, keeping Trump’s offense from advancing, and now the offense has scored multiple times.

And here is Donald Trump, head coach, walking to the locker room at halftime, beyond by over twenty points, saying, “We’ve played the greatest first half in all of football.” It’s a delusional halftime speech from a coach refusing to look at the scoreboard.

As I watch, I think, Trump still refuses to admit how miserable it’s going. He’s going into the locker room and won’t make any adjustments. He’ll just keep trying to do the same miserable, failed plays.

Yes, it’s a labored sports analogy.

Just had to get it out of me.

Cheers

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Wednesday’s Theme Music — Right now

Ashland, southern Oregon — November 4, 2026.

Beautiful day outside. Something in the air. The sky is a fantastic BLUE and the sunshine is sharp and bright.

It’s 49 F degrees outside, rising to 58 F today. We might see 60. Overall, a crispy autumn day.

My sister, Gina, took Mom to vote yesterday as well as taking Mom to her doctor’s appointment. Gina treated us to regular updates about Mom’s awareness of what was going on and what was expected. Gina concluded that Mom needs to be in a nursing home.

The midterm elections were held in the US yesterday. The projected blue tsunami came through even stronger than expected.

Mike Johnson immediately announced a TACO move.

There are many terrific headlines out there today, reflecting the state of things.

Goodbye, Susan Collins

Late at night, a lame duck quacks on Truth Social

2 Native American Women Break Political Barriers This Election

Vance Blames Republican Midterm Losses On Iran War: ‘Everyone Knows Why We Lost’

I’m sure there are many who think as I do, that the midterm election results are in with good results for We the People but the mango maniac still remains in a seat of power. Trump may be contrite today, blaming others for his mistakes, but Donald Trump will come raging back. Don’t let your guard down.

Your Trump Quote of the Day:

Even after the decisive Democratic victories in the midterms, an election specifically about the success and direction of the nation, Donald Trump refuses to accept the failure of his policies and practices.

With all that bubbling in my thinking, The Neurons pulled up “Right Here, Right Now”. This Jesus Jones song reflected exactly what my main body of thought was reporting. Take a pause, right here, right now, to accept the win because we’ve been waiting for it but now that it’s not over.

Right here, right now, it’s a little better.

Cheers

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Monday’s Theme Music — Tuesday morning

Ashland, southern Oregon — Monday, November 11, 2026.

Overcast and wet defines the morning’s view of the sky and land. Still colorful but fading, November is taking over, kicking October’s influences out. It’s 52 F with a chance of 58 F as a high.

My 1440 minutes are consumed with writing and BCG wash number 5. My wife and I were talking about going to a Day of the Dead celebration after my appointment but we both realized how stupid that would be. *smile*

Nothing new from Mom’s negotiations with my sister, Gina. I don’t expect a fast decision. Gina is always suspicious of Mom these days. In Gina’s view, Mom uses pain and problems as tools to manipulate others, so she’s waiting to see how sincere and true Mom’s offer to apologize to Gina’s husbands really is.

I don’t blame Gina at all. I’m extremely leery of Mom’s current entreaties. I want Mom to be happy but I’m not certain she has that capacity any longer.

Tomorrow is election day in America. Trump is escalating his attacks on democracy. Through him and his minions, voting by mail is threatened. Trump is also attacking voter registration and trying to intimidate state voting officials. As usual, Donald Trump is trying to use ’emergency’ as his excuse for what he’s doing, pleading to the Roberts Court for help. Yes, we’ve seen this playbook.

My wife and I talk about the midterm elections a lot at our house. There is a bit of fatigue in our conversations. The GOP’s television commercials are so friggin’ annoying.

Like Brad Hicks, running for state office. Part of the appeal he makes to voters is that ‘one party shouldn’t be in charge of everything.’

Hello, Brad. You’re a Republican. You do realize that Republicans control Congress and the White House, don’t you? You are, in effect, arguing against voting for Republicans because one party shouldn’t be in charge of everything.

Other than that, and attack, attack, these Trump-supporting candidates try to appeal for affordability and common sense. They never elaborate on either and don’t address the Trump-sized elephant who is affecting affordability in America.

So we are really, really, REALLY looking forward to Election Day — ESPECIALLY if We the People manage the blue wave so many are predicting.

With those thoughts in mind, The Neurons have placed “Sweet Tuesday Morning” in my morning mental music stream. This is a Badfinger song which came out in 1971. I had the album and listened to the tune often. I don’t think I’ve heard it on the radio in decades, which is a shame. Other than being about Tuesday, though, the song doesn’t have much to do with election day or the stresses, worries, and frustrations it represents.

I hope your 1440 minutes are stress free and relaxed although I suspect many are like me, hopeful but anxious, angry and weary.

May the blue wave arrive and save us.

Cheers

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Friday’s Theme Music — Take a look ahead

Ashland, southern Oregon — Friday, October 23, 2026.

Rain was yesterday’s major weather theme. Today was a day of sunshine but windy, with a cold wind rushing in from the north, making the trees shiver. We might have turned past 52 F, but it was a short-lived stroll. Now we’re back down to 46 F and dropping.

Many phone calls and texts from Mom. Complaints about Gina in the texts. Gina is my sister, Mom’s medical POA. Phone calls just said, “Michael, you need to call me.” Ten calls.

Gina sent out a lengthy text. Laid out her own schedule next week. Elections, babysitting her grandchildren, work requirements. Then Mom’s appointments. Finally, the big question: “Should I take Mom to her appointments? Will they change her quality of life? Why doesn’t she want to take Access?”

Back and forth from various sisters. Opinions expressed that Mom is toxic. “If she wants to go to the doctor or really needs to, she can take Access,” is mentioned. I refrain from putting in my two cents that not all brains work like that. Especially when you’re 92, tired, and sick. Especially when you’re a mother who feels alone and unloved.

I’ve said these things before. They swoosh by the rest. Maybe I’m wrong and they’re right.

I wonder the same thing about Trump’s MAGA supporters sometimes. Maybe they’re right, and I’m missing some critical element. I spent some time trying to peer into the shadows to see what I’m missing. Mostly I see that they’re angry. Want to tear everything down. Start anew. At the same time, they don’t want the same structure, but they want America, the America they see in the mind’s rearview.

That’s what I think Mom sees, the family that she thought she was raising. It went wildly wrong sometimes.

I had Boston in my morning mental music stream this, um, morning. Yes, that’s redundant. Like IPA ale or ATM machine. Or thinking in my head.

Boston released a song, “Peace of Mind”, back before the Internet caught on, in 1977. Why, we barely had stereo then. Had to use 8 tracks, cassette tapes, vinyl, all forms which are much less in use in 2026. But back in 1977, they were part of the answer when we wanted music. Radio and television helped, too.

Part of the song has lyrics which urge, “Take a look ahead.” I keep trying to look ahead. I feel that Trump — and the GOP — will lose many midterm elections. And if they do, Donald Trump will amp up his crazy weave and become even more of a dictator. “Off with their heads,” he might shout. Minions, not sure if Trump is being serious, will rush out. Heads will roll.

Damnation will follow. Trump will plead, “I never said that.” “That’s not what I meant.” “I was exaggerating for effect.” Or, as likely, he’ll snarl and snap, “You’re an awful person. Why are you saying those things. You’re nasty. Get out of here.”

Could be all of those things. That’s how Trump weaves, like a spider on LSD.

I try looking ahead with Mom, too. Mom’s ID expires on her birthday. “Does she really need an ID?” is asked by a sibling. “She doesn’t go anywhere.”

Yes, hard to argue that. Those are the basic facts. The other fact is that a trip to get a new ID for mom will be challenging for the person taking her. That’s how we see it.

So, I’m only looking forward to tomorrow. Ironically, I’m going to a large birthday bash to celebrate a friend’s 90th birthday. She’s sharp as a tack, as Mom used to say. The birthday will last three hours. I don’t know her well, having only met her three times, but my wife needs me to act as chauffeur.

Sunday, my wife is eager to go to the movies to watch “Wicker”. She’s been looking forward to it for months.

The contractor is arriving at 8 AM tomorrow to paint our fence. He’s made various repairs already, and it looks great.

It’s supposed to be nice tomorrow.

Looking foward to it.

Hope you have day worth looking forward to. Halloween is upon us. Time to get out your holiday decorations and light up the house.

Cheers

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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.

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