Who ever thought that on the 4th of July, the main emotion evoked in millions of Americans would be shame. Shame that our fellow citizens voted to elect the worst leader in the history of our country. I have used every negative adjective I know to describe this awful man. It hasn't changed a single mind. But, he is now losing his grip on voters at a rate that should be alarming to him. Instead of listening to voters, I believe he will ratchet up his tyrannical behavior until the United States is just a blip in the ocean, which some in Russia will claim to see from their bedroom window. 250 years is not old for a nation, and while Anderson Cooper may think we'll be back to normal in 50 years, I don't. I know we won't get there in my lifetime.

But instead of bellowing at the moon, I think we should all look forward, not 50 years, but to 2028. What traits should the leader of this country possess? On the last day of 2016, I wrote:

What feelings should an incoming President invoke in us? My answer is pride in our country, a sense of security, so that when we go to sleep at night we know the world will be there when we wake up, and feelings of trust that our nation's leader will steer the country along the right path, embracing principles of freedom, tolerance and opportunity for all, and act in ways that confirm to the world that the United States is a beacon of liberty, not authoritarianism.

Your turn. What traits should our next leader possess? And for another day, how do we protect ourselves from the clutches of future felonistic fraudsters clawing their way to the pinnacle of power?

Happy Father's Day to all. A day of tribute and for many, remembrances. My dad passed away at age 81 in 2001. Something reminds me of him every day. His memory is a blessing, and I am grateful that I feel his presence every time one of his little life lessons pops into my head.

On another topic, I am still moving. I honestly don't understand how it could take five days to move from one floor to another but it did. The furniture was done in one day, and then came the rest. I haven't begun to unpack, and I still have to clear out the stuff I left behind in the old apartment. But I'm really happy with the new apartment. I hope I don't have to do this again for another two years, at least. [More]

With gratitude to those who served and died, to our veterans still with us, and to those currently enlisted who are protecting our nation and allies and everyone in them.

This is an open thread, all topics welcome.

Our last open thread is about to hit 200 comments and close. Here is a new one all topics welcome.
I'll add some content here when I'm done with work for the day. In the meantime, it's your turn.

Finally, a new open thread, all topics welcome.

It's good to know you are never too old to work for DOJ, even in a position which requires the use of your brain, if you have the right connections. Uber-conservative former prosecutor and former Trump attorney Joseph di Genova, age 82, is back -- Trump just appointed him Counselor to the Attorney General:

Today, Joseph E. diGenova was sworn in as Counselor to the Attorney General, assuming a senior advisory role within the U.S. Department of Justice.

In this capacity, diGenova will advise the Attorney General on significant legal, policy, and enforcement matters, drawing on decades of experience in federal prosecution, complex investigations, and national legal practice.

Trump says it's unlikely Iran will get an extension on his ultimatum. More...]

Our last open thread is full. Here's a new one, all topics welcome.

The "war" in Iran continues. Israel is picking off Iranian leaders, one by one. Iran continues its drone attacks, and the number of wounded American service people grows.

Social security is going to run out of funds at least a year ahead of schedule. Why? I think it's because of the mass immigrant detentions, and the voluntary and forced deportations. Immigrants, whether here lawfully or not, work using a real or fake social security number. Their employers pay into social security for each one of them on the payroll. The reduction in the immigrant labor force means the amount paid into Social Security is less.

In less than a year, the second Trump Administration stripped 1.6 million immigrants of their legal status, upending the lives of immigrants who came into the United States “the right way,” severely damaging our economy and national security, and only growing the undocumented population in pursuit of its anti-immigrant agenda.

[More...]

It's hard to believe only four weeks ago the U.S., at the whim of Donald Trump, invaded Venezuela to snatch its leader Nicolas Maduro. The New York Times (free link) reports he thinks his strategy was a big success and intends to duplicate it in Iran:

Mr. Trump’s decision to snatch Mr. Maduro from his bed, but keep the rest of the Venezuelan leadership in place, is an experiment in remote-control occupation. After the Delta team landed by helicopter that early January night, killed Mr. Maduro’s Cuban and Venezuelan guards, and seized him seconds before he could lock himself in that safe room, Mr. Trump blessed the installation of Vice President Delcy Rodríguez as acting president. She will stay there, he has said, as long as she follows Washington’s instructions.

...In a brief conversation with The New York Times on Sunday, on the second day of the American and Israeli attack on Iran, he cited the Venezuela experience as a model for what he was trying to accomplish in Iran. “What we did in Venezuela, I think, is the perfect, the perfect scenario,” Mr. Trump insisted. “Everybody’s kept their job except for two people.”

This is an open thread, all topics welcome.

A Minnesota judge has issued a temporary restraining order against the Department of Homeland Security prohibiting it from destroying evidence pertaining to the killing of Alex Pretti.

U.S. District Court Judge Eric Tostrud granted a temporary restraining order against the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Saturday, barring the department from altering or destroying evidence connected to Pretti's killing.

How about a restraining order banning ICE from conducting enforcement operations in Minnesota?

The Wall St. Journal (free link here) says the videos don't support the claims of law enforcement. I'm not surprised, are you?

This is an open thread, all topics welcome.

There's a lot to break down, from the Golden Globes to Venezuela and its Oil to Minnesota, ICE, Iran, Colombia, Greenland, and the Trump family's unstoppable (so far) greed, sticking its dirty, small fingers in every pie it can get a slice of.

And all the Trump aider and abettors.

Have at it, this is an open thread, all topics welcome.

P.S. "Dead Flowers" is from the Stones album "Sticky Fingers". One of my top three favorite Rolling Stones song ever.

Happy New Year to all! Photos of the celebrations around the world are pretty awesome.

Still, the world is not a happy place today. America has watched in disbelief as Donald Trump has chipped away bit by bit at the very core of our democracy. Even prominent hard-core MAGA supporters are scratching their heads at his latest actions, and refusing to stay silent.

Trump's primary game plan has always been deflection. Change the subject, provide false facts, promote conspiracy theories and juxtapose the victim and aggressor.

Since it worked for him the first time around, he's been back at it every day during his second term. How do we encourage more of his MAGA supporters to jump ship, and also remain engaged and vote for Democrats in the mid-term elections?

How do we turn Trump's deflection game on its head? Democrats Abroad has some ideas. I'll just quote one section: [More...]

Christmas Eve is the single, quietest night of the year. The world seems to shut down, from stores to movie theaters to restaurants and even food delivery services.

I've tuned out Trump and the Epstein files drama and already started cooking tomorrow's lasagna.

Wishing all of you a very Merry Christmas Eve, this is an open thread for everyone, celebrating or not.

Donald Trump was not invited to Dick Cheney's funeral.

He did, however, sign the Epstein bill.

This is an open thread, all topics welcome.