You Picked a Fine Time to Leave Me, Healthcare

The fatalism and self-pity of the country music crowd will translate to the losses they're about to suffer at the hands of Republicans. They'll suck it up, not to say Democrats can't win some of them over. But they'll go fish'n and hunt'n and carry on. Mostly they are responsible citizens -- except when they vote.

The same perverse individualism that makes them think getting shit on is normal means they'll vote for fuckheads forever. And don't tell them they're fatalistic and self-pitying. They don't know what fatalism is but it'll sound bad to them and 'pity' won't ring right in any context so they'll try to beat you up. 

I, Bacterium

I didn't choose to be a bacterium, I tried to live a good life. And individual bacteria are innocent. But my colony has gone nuts. The medium was the message -- the growing medium, I mean. I guess it was our niche on the earth. We were told we could choose our fate, handle the responsibility. 

Or we were called to do that, I should say, given the opportunity, as we were, and able to use our capabilities to advantage. To be sensible and humane. We didn't listen. I'm exhausted. We're worn out, and we did it to ourselves. Needlessly, I choose to believe, with what limited choice I still have.

I think we had a choice. Exponential growth is a bitch. We chose compulsion. So we're no different to bacteria, hurtling toward annihilation. But we're aware. Some of us. We see the insanity of it and it's enough to make you mad. This wasn't meant to happen to beings who could foresee it. 

Support Your Local Tariff

Trump's tariffs are taking a bite out of consumers, as we knew they would. Further pain and suffering await. Trump is going to destroy everything. He's a fuckup and a compulsive criminal. Those supporting him and in line to succeed him are worse. Vance is honing his savior persona, which can be used to justify anything. Because, like all of them, he doesn't give a shit about anyone but himself. Extreme individualism and the drive to win have destroyed us. 

Make Your Bed. Don't Beat Off. All Will Be Well.

Jordan Peterson's formula for saving young men doesn't seem to be working. I think because it's within the Calvinist model of life. Calvinism strips all the meaning out of life and gives you back just enough to stand it or maybe a little less. If so, sorry about that but it was God's will. 

Or, tough shit. Calvinists are His holy representatives and apply the same model to money, not to go soft on the needy. They exploit the shit out of people then mete back just enough to keep you alive, if you're lucky, and expect gratitude. That's empire and authoritarianism for you.

God Loves Hungry Kids More

Evangelicals, through the divine agency of Donald Trump, just took food out of the mouths of kids and gave the savings to rich people so they can be richer. This is so those kids can receive the outpouring of love they deserve from God because God loves hungry kids more in their suffering and need. 

If God had wanted them to have food they would have had it. The government has no business messing with the will of God in the matter. This has nothing to do with the Civil War, slavery, desegregation and hating the federal government for kicking their asses, by the way, evangelicals want you to know. 

Trump Steals Lunch Money

With SNAP cuts going into effect evangelicals are celebrating. Those undeserving little shits won't be wasting our money anymore as is the will of God  and the savings will stoke the economy supply-side style in the hands of billionaires where it always does the most good. WASTE, FRAUD AND ABUSE uprooted again! Let's hear it for the new evangelical age ...

Paulson Shorts Accountability

John Paulson succumbed to Epstein's temptations, it seems. Maybe he sought it out. Either way, if it happened, and I suspect it did, it's bad. Accountability is going down. 

David Brooks is a Bigot

David Brooks is a bigot. Racists are supremacists. Brooks is a Brooks supremacist. A race of one and a Brooks bigot. He thinks he's better not as a white guy or whatever but as David Brooks. He's a social Darwinist and an authoritarian. And he's too proud or prejudiced to own it but wonder after the debacle of the Bush years which he supported and now Trump who he reviles but it's too late ...

American Carnage

Trump needed American carnage so he found it. He invented it. Nothing was wrong only the usual problems any society has and tries to deal with though ours were worse. Still not that bad but worse.

Worse because of Republicans. The problems were largely created by Republicans. They were made worse by Republicans. And they were lied about where they didn't exist and made up by Republicans. 

Republicans use carnage to justify their violent impulses and authoritarianism. Republicans love crime. They are criminals who want to win. They distract you from their theft and direct attention elsewhere. 

Onto the petty stuff, so they can steal you blind while you're looking at some smash and grab at a convenience store, probably perpetrated by someone whose life was destroyed by Republicans. 

No good job because of Republicans. No healthcare because of Republicans. No security because of Republicans. Our problems were created or worsened by Republicans. Then they used them to take over. 

Interview with an Umpire

Interviewer: Many people, including legal scholars, have accused you of overseeing the obliteration of the rule of law in America in favor of a totalitarian, authoritarian state. How do you respond to that?

John Roberts: I don't give a shit.

I: Could you expand on that?

JR: I had to pretend I cared about the law and the Constitution and endure years of humoring liberals and legal academics but I despise them, especially liberals, and think they're idiots and unworthy of having any say in how we're governed. I have enormous contempt for average citizens. I think they're sheep. Wouldn't you say I've been proven right? 

I: I'm asking the questions here. Do you not care at all about the law? 

JR: Fuck you. Don't ever talk to me like that again or you'll wake up in the worst jail ever and be waterboarded for the hell of it. That's legal now, if you didn't notice. I don't have to answer to you or to anybody. Why do you think I wanted this job? I helped steal the 2000 election for a moron but he could be managed to advantage by the real power. Reagan was another prop and tool for those same forces. Nixon was a loose cannon by our standards and went soft on the commies and you saw what happened to him. We kept Obama from accomplishing anything. He had to hang his hat on a fucking healthcare bill. Mitch McConnell, who actually thinks he has some power, was useful in curtailing Obama but he's not an insider. I mean, look at the guy. And Trump? My God, what a piece of shit. 

I: More, please ...

JR: Look at what we did to Clinton. He governed like a moderate Republican but we still had to teach him and the liberal establishment a lesson. Do you think it was legal the way we pursued him, fueled by Mellon money and boundless determination? How do you get from Whitewater to Monica Lewinsky? Not legally, I'll tell you that. We made it open-season on Clinton. That's not legal. Now it's open season on anybody we disagree with so I say again, mind your manners. We know where you live. You have a family, don't you? 

I: I don't appreciate that. 

JR: You're not supposed to. Get a clue. This is pure authoritarianism. This is what it looks like. You have no rights at all. Nobody ever did, really. It was always a ruse that served the interests of the wealthy. We were playing the game as it best suited us and for the long run. But everything has changed. When we needed cheap labor we got it. Unlimited cheap energy, we got it. Unions were a joke. Sure, we couldn't treat workers like slaves anymore and have them die in droves from black lung or whatever but we still made out like bandits. Trump thinks he's a deal-maker. What a joke. We perfected it ages ago. Start out at twice what you want and fall back by 20% or so and say the other side, representing the rabble, drove a hard bargain and walk away with an unimaginable win. It was pure exploitation. Do you think it makes sense to burn through the world's irreplaceable oil reserves like there's no tomorrow? 

I: Aren't you a Christian of at least a Catholic? Don't you care about anything? 

JR: My God, you're dense. Religion was part of the thing. Part of the scam. It helped us, enormously, to keep the 'common people' in check and happy and grateful to have the bones we threw them. Opiate and all. Do you think we're close-minded or ideological? We have no ideology, at all. We use whatever works. Pure power lust, because we deserve it. That's what it's about. And it's all changed now, because of technology. We don't need to humor anybody anymore. That's why I can talk to you like this, because I have all the power and you have none. You live at my tolerance and pleasure. Don't forget it. We will mostly let average people live -- we're not totally without scruples -- but they better behave. We have unimaginable power. Surveillance tech. Killing whoever we want like in a video game. Send in a little drone and blow your house up. With your whole family in it. It's fantastic. 

I can't tell you how wonderful it is to be able to quit playing this game and pretend we care about anything but ourselves. I'll give you time to digest this. It's been fun. Feel free to contact me again. I can't believe how great it is to not have to pretend anymore and exercise unlimited power without restraint. Go in peace and be thankful I don't feel threatened by you because I could kill your ass but I'm a softy by the standards of my peers.