The GOP is dead. If you think that’s hyperbole or you think I am making that up we should heed the words of Donald Trump Jr. Obviously the name still exists. People will carry the title in the halls of Congress, state legislatures, school boards, and city councils. Still, make no mistake. It is very much dead.

Listen long enough to the kid’s thoughts you get the idea that they think this is a good thing. In addition to the takeover of the RNC, there have been whispers that he wants to drive all non-MAGA Republicans out of the party. I’m not sure what that makes the Republican party because the platform has become the man. I’m not exactly certain what that means because he doesn’t know what it means.

This is not really new ground, but should be the backdrop of where we should go from here. Yes, he absolutely needs to be defeated and possibly thrown in jail. I say possibly because I just don’t see it happening. Some people have the knack for avoiding responsibility. Maybe everything catches up with him if he loses in November.

The question is what to do after that. What have we learned? Can the GOP be rebuilt or will a new center-right party emerge in its ashes? Either way, all of us should reckon with how an evil and unfit man could advance that far in American politics. Sure, Democrats can call this a Republican problem but it is really an American one. If a similar charismatic leader that promised victory and power emerged on the left could the Democrats resist them if he or she were unfit?

We must contend with a few inconvenient facts. The main one is that the last eight or nine years has made us collectively worse. There can be no denying this. We have become a more hateful people. Whether we hate him or the people that he hates, we are a more hateful people. A large part of this is owning our own role in this cycle of hate.

I see it on social media as I offer my opinion on my public wall and see it devolve into a pissing match between liberals and conservatives. I am either wittingly or unwittingly egging this on by commenting in the first place. Even though my words haven’t been hateful, a small part of me responds in glee when I see my friends roast someone I don’t agree with.

Are they really horrible people or do we just have a difference of opinion? The answer is not so simple. I think the words, deeds, and aura of this man has brought the worst out in people. Those feelings were always there. Those opinions were always there. He just made it okay. People that do and say horrible things are at least on the road to being horrible . There is always redemption and there is always forgiveness, but we also have to be very honest about what we are dealing with.

Yet, there are also folks that are good and decent people that simply hold conservative viewpoints. There are good and decent people that hold liberal or progressive viewpoints. The way through the fog is identifying the difference. Can we identify decency in those we disagree with? In some cases that decency simply is not there. We cannot allow indecent people anywhere near leadership. It is not fair to say that conservative people are all indecent, but it seems like a majority of indecent people are conservative. It will take all of us to get this ship back in order. We have to realize that decency is more important than party.

As we expected, Judge McAfee, the judge overseeing the Georgia Racketeering case, ruled today that the romantic relationship between DA Fani Willis and her chief prosecutor Nathan Wade did not avoid the appearance of conflict while not technically violating the law.  He gave her the choice that either she or Wade had to go.  He talked extensively about Willis’ poor judgement in a case this important and her unprofessional behavior during testimony.  Wade resigned a few hours later.  Legal experts are saying that this debacle almost assures that the case will unlikely go to trial before the election.

As I said before, this is 100% Willis’ fault.  What she did was stupid, but exceptionally stupid when she was going after a former president of the US.  The carelessness is breathtaking.  In another slow moving disaster, the NY hush money case was delayed today for at least 30 days because, after a YEAR of waiting, the SDNY US attorney’s office dumped 150,000 pages of evidence that DA Bragg had requested.  TFG’s lawyer asked for a 90 day delay but the judge delayed for 30, but that will surely be appealed.

So, with a big assist from the Trump-Thomas SCOTUS when they rewrote the 14th Amendment of the Constitution, it looks like TFG’s going to win by running out the clock.  Add that to TFG’s handpicked judge in Florida slow walking the documents case and that’s almost a certainty.  What’s infuriating is that Garland, the NY DA, and Fani Willis dragged their feet so long that we’re now up against the election and it’s almost certain that no trial, much less a verdict, will happen before the election.  Garland sat on his ass for almost two years before he was shamed into prosecuting Trump only after the Select Committee on January 6th produced a warehouse full of damning evidence of insurrection.  He also KNEW TFG was sitting on thousands of government documents, 800 of which were classified TOP SECRET, but waited 21 months to finally do something.  Because of that negligence and the stupidity on Willis’ part, we’re not going to get any justice before Election Day.

There’s a good chance TFG’s going to win the election, and if he does, the documents case and the election interference cases will certainly be dropped by his new AG.  The NY hush money case and Georgia case will continue, but prosecuting a sitting president will be almost impossible, and the Trump-Thomas SCOTUS will make sure nothing happens.  Fani Willis will probably lose her re-election bid and the new DA could just drop the Georgia case. But those aren’t the biggest problems – the biggest problem is that TFG will gut the DOJ and FBI, pardon the almost 1,000 charged or convicted insurrectionists, and undo all the progress we’ve made while Biden has been in office.   He’ll pack the WH and his cabinet with criminals, white supremacists, and authoritarians, and it could easily be game over for the US as we know it.  If by chance he loses the election, he most certainly won’t accept it and will call for civil war.  There’s no good result here, and you can thank the Trump-Thomas Court, Merrick Garland, and Fani Willis.  Thanks for nothing.

Don Lemon of prior CNN fame, did a deal with Elon Musk in January to stream “The Don Lemon Show” on Twitter X doing basically what he did on cable Teevee before getting canned last year.  Well, it’s the shortest run ever, as Lemon reports that he’s already been fired for asking questions of Musk during an interview on his first episode.  No explanation was given and Musk hasn’t said anything so far about what happened.

Musk describes himself as a “free speech absolutist”, but anyone paying attention knows that’s complete bullshit.  After taking over Twitter and working 24/7 to wreck it, he started allowing back thousands of new-Nazis, white supremacists, propagandists, and insurrectionists back on the platform turning it into one gigantic open sewer of lies, hate, threats, and all-around insanity.  He even allowed the Insurrectionist in Chief back on, but he’s too busy vomiting his own bile on Truth Social.

I’ve always found Don Lemon to be mildly annoying myself and never found him interesting so it’s not surprising to me that he’s having trouble finding a new broadcast home.  Having said that, though, a total series run of only a few hours has to be a new world record for rapid failure.  He announced on X that Musk, apparently pissed about the interview, abruptly fired Lemon today with no explanation.  Lemon announced it on X:

https://x.com/donlemon/status/1767948372999299549?s=20

Despite what he says, Musk is not actually a “free speech absolutist”.  Far from it.  Musk is all about free speech as long as he agrees with it.  He’s well known for banning reporters, social media posters who are negative about him, and others.  He even falsely labeled NPR as “state affiliated media” like it’s Pravda or something.

One can only hope that Twitter X continues to drain Musk’s wallet and relegated to the dustbin of digital history with past stars like Betamax and 8 track tapes.

Juanita Jean Herownself promised all y’all an update on Alex Jones.  When she shared her treasure trove of Toons with me, she asked me to share this news. Also to let you know that she’s recovering well from her latest excursion to the medical establishment, but it’s hard for her to do a lot of computer work from the comfort of her new recliner. Plus, there’s spring season baseball to keep up with in preparation for the 2024 season. You know her and baseball, so we’ll all cut her some slack. I’m inserting some photos to enhance your experience and share her joy (and immense pride).

Here’s where it stands.  After a prolonged and fairly serious medical event, JJ luckily recovered enough to go see the premiere of Dan Reed’s HBO documentary about the Alex Jones trials at SXSW (South By Southwest).  Since bluebonnets are in bloom early this year, it was an enchanting drive to Austin and the weather was perfect. Special thanks to Thelma for hauling her and all her ‘stuff’ safely to Austin and back.

“We were given VIP tickets and that was so much fun.” 

As could be expected from Alex Jones fans, there was a bomb threat called in right before the event but that did not curb anyone’s enthusiasm. Mark and Judge Maya Guerra Gamble got a standing ovation!  

Here’s the documentary A team: Attorney Bill Ogden, Maggie (Director of photography for the film), Mark (aka Little Bubba), and Dan Reed, Director.

The documentary  is amazing.  You can read a review here.

Those in the know say it will be shown on HBO MAX before the end of the month.  You MUST watch the trailer!

After the event, Mark and his partner Bill Ogden enjoy a picnic lunch with close friends.

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JJ wants you all to know “I am feeling well, but I take life a little slower. More baseball and movies than CNN.  It’s good and Ben is one inch shorter than I am.  I told him he could quit eating because he’s plenty big.”

And finally : “The high-class chair was a gift from Mark because if I’m a VIP, I deserve to watch my baseball games in style.”   Indeed you do. Let’s fill the comments with good wishes! We all love you

Yesterday at SXSW in Austin, the much-anticipated documentary film on Alex Jones’ infamous defamation of Sandy Hook victims premiered. Aptly named, “The Truth vs. Alex Jones“, by filmmaker Dan Reed, the film tells the story of Jones’ wanton portrayal of the victims of the Sandy Hook massacre, the slaughter of 20 6- and 7-year old children and 6 of their teachers, as “a false flag” attack and the victims as “child actors”. It tells the story of the subsequent defamation trials that, together, forced Jones into bankruptcy.

Here’s the trailer.  

I personally saw news snippets from the first trial, one of which included the gobsmacking revelation that Jones’ lawyer had inadvertently forwarded years of Jones’ texts and emails to the plaintiffs’ lawyers, which prefaced the question “Do you know what perjury is”?

Anyway, I can safely assume that patrons of The World’s Most Dangerous Beauty Salon, Inc. will mark their calendars (if they haven’t already) for March 26 when it premiers on HBO.

TFG just can’t help himself.  Tonight he lashed out on Truth Social at Jimmy Kimmel who was hosting the Oscars on ABC.  In part he said,

“Has there EVER been a WORSE HOST than Jimmy Kimmel at The Oscars. His opening was that of a less than average person trying too hard to be something which he is not, and never can be…Get rid of Kimmel and perhaps replace him with another washed up, but cheap, ABC ‘talent,’ George Slopanopoulos.  He would make everybody on stage look bigger, stronger, and more glamorous.  Also a really bad politically correct show tonight, and for years – Disjointed, boring, and very unfair.  Why don’t they just give the Oscars to those that deserve them. Maybe that way their audience and TV ratings will come back from the depths. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”

Kimmel read it live on the air asking the audience if they could guess which former president had posted it, then responded:

“I’m surprised you’re watching; isn’t it past your jail time?”

Best comeback ever.