Mel Robbins advises that I "let them" do whatever they are going to do, to "let me" do whatever is on my path. There is wisdom here, but also some worrying laissez-faire. Some things being done by our government are going to hurt everyone; taking a position of "let them" carries a pretty high cost.

Chief Justice John Roberts on Tuesday temporarily kept in place the Trump administration’s decision to freeze nearly $5 billion in foreign aid. (from AP) Apparently he thinks it's fine for Trump to be king of the U.S.

For most of my life I held the members of the Supreme Court in high esteem, believing that they were faithful to our Constitution and the rule of law. I still respect the 3 minority women, but I hold the rest in contempt. I don't believe they care one snip about the Constitution and stare decisis.

Yesterday we drove by one of those yard signs that makes me growl: Jesus is My God, Trump is My President.
The president just posted: "I love the smell of deportation in the morning"? Jesus said "whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.'”

It's incredible that neither the president nor VP was here. The politicization of all facets of American life is coming from the White House. No other American president would have failed to pay their respects. www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2025/...

Trust and Respect: The MAGA regime underestimates the importance of it. There isn't one person in power whose word I respect (excluding some senators and representatives from the democratic party). Anything they say is catalogued in my head as very likely a lie. This is not healthy.

Some good news! In Minnesota, Xcel Energy has restored prairies, installed solar panels, and is using sheep to keep the vegetation trimmed. Benefits: to bees, farm fields, reduced need for pesticides, more sustainable energy production, and more!! Photo from MPR.

Brad Finstad, our representative, was not listed as voting against the bill. I looked it up.
Yesterday I communicated with his office, asking him NOT to vote to take away needed benefits from his constituents. Apparently, that isn't a problem for him.

he did this just *after* going to the funeral of an 8 year old girl.

he walks away from where the hearse is idling and immediately starts hyping this stuff again.

www.washingtonpost.com/health/2025/...

Deeply disappointed by the cancellation of Joy Reid show, loss of other shows hosted by minorities, and layoffs of many staff at MSNBC. We are watching cruelty in DC. Didn’t expect it by station that has stood for values, inclusion, and democracy.

I am a fan of Chris Hayes' new book. In Nia (a wonderful combination of dance, martial arts, & healing arts), we always begin with a focus and and an intention. (e.g. Focus on core with Intent to strengthen it.) Being clear about our intent is a profoundly important help to maintaining focus.

In one month, undercutting restored ties with NATO, (from Heather Cox Richardson's letter): “We now have an alliance between a Russian president who wants to destroy Europe and an American president who also wants to destroy Europe,” a European diplomat said. “The transatlantic alliance is over.”

A reminder from Psych classes and Kohlberg's theory of Morality Development. Everyone starts at ME then travels up the ladder, including more and more people. The MAGA gang wants to keep it low... maybe about #2 or 3?

From Heather Cox Richardson, a brilliant summary:
"Musk and the technology billionaires want to smash the government to enable their futuristic visions, and Christian Nationalists like Russell Vought want to smash it to replace it with religious rule. Trump wants to smash it for money and power."

autisticadvocacy.org/2024/11/asan...

I hate to see bullies win. I grew up around some and witnessed and experienced the pain and destruction they leave in their wake. Our new Bully-in-Chief president just bullied the president of Colombia into accepting deportation flights with fear of severe sanctions. The deportees were handcuffed.

Mitch McConnell? I never imagined saying anything positive. Still, he, Collins, and Murkowski voted NO against Pete Hegseth. Then JD gave a tie-breaking vote to confirm this profoundly unqualified person for Secretary of Defense. The rest of the Republicans folded. It is not a hopeful portent.

NO MORE FEMA? I wonder what the folks in North Carolina and California are feeling about Trump's winsome idea to dismantle FEMA. Neighbors often come together and help after tragic events, but neighbors can't pay to rebuild homes, schools, churches, and infrastructure. This is not acceptable.

While my intention is to light a candle in these dark times, Charles Schulz also depicts the way I feel some days!