THE MIDWEEK FOLLIES

There are 125 days to the mid terms.

The NYT reportsw that the Trump corruption isn’t as bad as we think; in reality, it’s far worse: According to the report, he reaped a stunning windfall in his first year back in the White House, including about $1.4 billion from his family’s cryptocurrency businesses, a new filing shows. All told, he made at least $2.2 billion, including other parts of his vast holdings, such as his real estate assets. That compares to a minimum of $622 million he pulled in for all of 2024, before he returned to the presidency. Trump received over $500 million from World Liberty Financial selling new crypto products, including “governance tokens.” He also took in millions from selling Trump-branded Bibles, sneakers and other small items. The sale of Trump-branded watches alone brought in $4.7 million. The Trump family cash grab included tens of millions of dollars in “fees” for new hotels, condos, and resorts - many in “countries who were negotiating with the U.S. over tariffs, military aid and other important matters while the family business was striking the deals.” A property in the United Arab Emirates generated $10.4 million. One in Saudi Arabia being built by a real estate developer close to the ruling family sent the Trump Organization $9 million, while on one in Bucharest, Romania, and another in Qatar, provided $5 million each. When asked later about this report, Trump claimed all his funds are in a “blind trust” (They aren’t; his sons run the “trust” under Daddy’s supervision.) and that the reason he has had so much income is because “the stock market is up... your 401k is up 85%. Thank you President Trump.” (FACT CHECK: like everything else that oozes out of that aqnus beneath his nose, everything he said is a LIE.)

The Atlantic reported that Trump is planning a pardon-palooza for July 4, 2026 - our 250th Birthday - for which he is selling 250 presidential pardons for 250 years. According to five current and former administration officials and nine private-sector lawyers, lobbyists, and other individuals with ties to Trump’s orbit, the jockeying among those seeking clemency for past crimes has been intense. One criminal-defense attorney called it “a three-ring circus,” and a former administration official said it was “batshit crazy.” one prominent white-collar defense attorney said, “It is general knowledge in our practice that for $2 million, you can have a pardon. The clients come to us and tell us, ‘I’ve been told I need to go hire this specific person, and I will get a pardon.’”

The Wall Street Journal Editorial Board pointed out yesterday that a key consequence of the ruling affirming birthright citizebnship is that “today’s ‘Dreamers’ will give birth to citizens, rather than a second generation living in limbo”- which the board argued is for the better: “The ability to assimilate newcomers has always been an American strength, while falling birthrates will soon make that an even greater American advantage.” That a decision that should have been 9-0 using testualizing, originalism, or any other theory of constitutional law came out - depending on how you count - 6–3 on the question of whether the executive order could stand, or 5–4 on the question of whether the Fourteenth Amendment requires a broad understanding of birthright citizenship shows just how corrupt and worthless the Trump Supreme Court and the entire “‘con’servative (il)legal movement” and (bowel) movement “con”servatism is.

Tuesday, the House Democratic leadership urged members to vote their conscience on an amendment to cut U.S. funding for Israel, underscoring deep divisions over relations with the Jewish state. Rep. Thomas Massie sponsored the amendment, seeking to add it to a national security and State Department spending bill that is expected to come up for a vote this week. The text of Massie’s amendment says none of the funds of the act will be made available for Israel and lowers overall spending in the bill by $3.3 billion. Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.) expressed shock at the fraught conversations around Israel, saying conversations centered around Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, noting deeply negative views of him among young, Democratic voters, many of whom have adopted the view that Israel’s war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip amounts to a campaign of genocide against Palestinians. Congressional Democrats have also raised urgent concern over Israel’s policies towards Palestinians in the West Bank, pointing to the fact the Israeli “security” minister Itamar Ben Gvir, is a former terrorist who has been convicted of crimes against Palestinians. Thompson said arguments centered around, “Do you cut off resources for Israel at this point,” or take a more diplomatic approach and “continue with some conversation.” Increasing negative views of Israel among Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents recorded in a Pew survey conducted in March, taken shortly after the U.S. and Israel launched a joint war against Iran showed Israel was viewe3d unfavorably by 80%, up from 69% in 2025 and 53% in 2022. The Massie amendment is expected to fail, as there likely won’t be much GOP support, with Christian Zionism coming right behind Christian Nationalism with these TrumpNazis. Progressive Reps. Greg Casar (D-Texas) and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) have both come out in support of the Massie bill.

The usual fascist suspects in MAGA were as usual upset by the Supreme Court decision upholding Birthright Citizenship 6-3. According to the mouthbreathers: “This decision that John Roberts authored is bad on the level of Dred Scott, or Roe v. Wade,” Fox News propagandist Mollie Hemingway said. Better-employed-as-a-plumber Markwayne Mullet said, “I adamantly disagree with the spirit of the Fourteenth Amendment.” Miniature Confederate Traitor MAGA Mike said: “I’m very disappointed in the outcome.” Better-pickled-in-a-bottle-of-Old-Overcoat Fux Snoozer “Judge” Napolitano said, “This is one quiver in the president’s group of arrows removed from him.” Better-publicly-hanged Steve Bannon said: “You’ve got the ultimate conclusion of the Bush Era, was this John Roberts decision. He gave it to you, baby, right between the eyes. How do you like it? Suck on that.” Heritage Foundation president Kevin Roberts called the ruling “a tremendous betrayal of the republic” and contended it “inflamed the all-out assault on our sovereignty and cheapened the sacred value of American citizenship.” Noted MAGA full-on Nazi “Sen.” Eric Schmitt blasted the ruling as “wrong, dangerous, and disastrous for American sovereignty and the American people” saying it represented “a sad day in the history of our republic.” He was joined by Proof-you-understand-Mormons-by-removing-the second’”m” Noted Konztitooshinul Skolur “Sen.” Mike Lee, and Run-away-to-Cancun-when-the-blizzard-arrives “Sen.” Ted Cruz in saying a constitutional amendment was necessary to remedy the situation. Federalist co-founder and enthusiastic plaigiarist Sean Davis proposed that the U.S. “require sterilization of all foreign visitors prior to entry.” What would be my reaction to any of these fascist scum being found face down in a dark alley? “A good start.” All further proof that Truman was right back in 1948 when he observed that “The only ‘good Republicans’ are pushing up daisies.”

Texas goatroper and failed deputy sheriff Troy Nehls has proposed solving the problem of birthright citizenship by banning all immigration to the U.S. for ten years. He aid: ““Let’s double up the attorney general’s office in the states and go after and look with a fine-tooth comb, look at all the people that are here on visas and how many of them have overstayed. And if you have overstayed your visa, you’re out of here. You’re out of here. A big bed sheet over the Statue of Liberty for ten years. Moratorium. Ten years. Until we can figure out what the hell is going on in this country. Who’s even here? How many are here? hey are abusing the freedoms and liberties that we have. They come over here, they say they’re trying to escape oppression and all that other stuff, but then they come over here, and you get a lot of them; they don’t even like us. They don’t respect the culture. They don’t respect the President of the United States. You’ve even got some Democrats, a majority of Democrats, saying they’re not even proud to be an American - then what the hell are you doing here? So the birthright citizenship, the idea that women from China can come over, have a baby, and now that little baby is an American citizen and affect our elections in the future, that’s what the Democrats want.” One would think that being a Southern Cop would be a sufficient demonstration of moron stupidity to be a MAGAt, but one would be wrong. Yes, even in Texass, the MAGAts have to have certification of their pre-frontal lobotomies to join MAGA. The TrumpDOJ vowed it’s “committed to tackling illegal birth tourism schemes by working diligently with U.S. Attorneys across the country to uphold the law.” They went on: “Actors seeking to exploit loopholes to obtain automatic citizenship for their children pose a national security threat and will be brought to justice.” It’s going to be really funny to see Winebox Jeannine climb out and try to prosecute a case like that.

The Reflecting Pool is lined with a toxic epoxy that will have “long-lasting effects,” according to a new report. MeidasTouch News found safety data sheets that revealed the Reflecting Pool is lined with a material that is “toxic to aquatic life with long-lasting effects.” The lining was put in as part of Trump’s $14 million renovations. Several dead ducks have been found in the Reflecting Pool, leading to calls for investigations and the enforcement of federal environmental protections, according to a report by the Center for Biological Diversity. MeidasTouch News reported that RHINO 405 was seen in a large barrel at the Reflecting Pool; it is considered “a thixotropic high viscosity epoxy resin.” The resin was used as part of the multi-layer coating for the Reflecting Pool. PatriotTakes, a right-wing extremism watchdog, noted that an OSHA Safety Data Sheet marked the material as “toxic to aquatic life with long lasting effects” and an irritant that can cause allergic skin reactions. In polling averages maintained by RealClearPolitics, a majority of the public now disapproves of Trump’s actions on immigration, 51-45. Immigration had generally been his strongest issue during the 2024 election..

Yesterday, the House wingnut morons led by Anna Paulina (“I didn’t even know what a conservative was till I ran for office”) Lunatic blocked a procedural rule that would have teed up debate and final votes on a slate of legislation, dealing a blow to Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) as he aimed to advance the annual defense authorization bill and stymying further business to the point MAGA Mike wasforced to send members home for the rest of the week while he and the rest of the Republican clods “leading” the Huse try to come up with Plan Z. The lower chamber voted 198-224 to reject the rule, with 14 Republicans joining Democrats in opposing the measure due to objections about MAGA Mike’s lame attempt to tie the SAVE Act to the NDAA. MAGA Mike dismissed a reporter’s question about whether he has lost control of the House GOP, saying: “We have full control of the conference. We have the smallest margin in U.S. history, People get very emotional about things, and sometimes they make irrational decisions.” The Senate would still be able to remove any SAVE Act provision even if it was in the base text of the NDAA the House passed.

Yesterday, Dilbert announced a midterm MAGAt convention slated for Dallas, Texas, ahead of the highly anticipated November election. He posted on Lies Anti-Social: “BIG NEWS! For the first time ever, the Republican Party will hold a MIDTERM CONVENTION. It will be in Dallas, Texas - One of my favorite places in the World. It will be fantastic! It has never been done before, and will be a truly Historic Event. We are going to celebrate the GREAT AMERICAN COMEBACK, and the incredible successes of the American People who transformed our Country through the America First Agenda - NO TAX ON TIPS, NO TAX ON OVERTIME, NO TAX ON SOCIAL SECURITY, STRONGER BORDERS, SAFEST EVER COMMUNITIES, LOWER COSTS AND REAL AFFORDABILITY, MORE JOBS, AMERICAN ENERGY DOMINANCE, AND SO MUCH MORE! Oil Prices are dropping sharply, even as we Denuclearize Iran” It’s set for September 9-10. You’re a genius, Dilbert - only you could come up with such a excellent way to remind everyone what a Kollection of Krazee Kooks you treasonous fascist scum are, just before an election.

The lead research and author of a report that finds women finish Ranger School in better physiological condition than men concluded: “An elite war fighter is an elite war fighter. It doesn’t matter what your sex is.” Men who went through the Army’s grueling Ranger School at Fort Benning, Georgia, experienced greater hormonal changes than women who took part in the course. The findings are from the U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine, whose researchers looked at men and women who participated in the 61-day leadership course. The study focused on how stressors impact the body’s physiological responses, like metabolic and sex hormones, iron levels and inflammation markers. The results could be used to “identify potential interventions to mitigate disruptions to soldier health, performance, and recovery,” according to the study, which was published in the Journal of Applied Physiology. Ranger School is one of the toughest training programs that soldiers can attend, with nearly half of candidates getting cut in the first week. Soldiers get limited sleep and burn more calories than they consume - two Meals-Rejected-by-Ethiopians (MRE) per day - while completing demanding challenges in field training, mountain and swamp environments for eight weeks straight. According to the research, military training that exposes troops to “severe energy deficits and inadequate recovery” can put them at risk for Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (REDs) and overtraining syndromes. Holly McClung, the lead researcher on the Army study, told Task & Purpose that there “hasn’t been much” research on both men and women going through the school since it was opened to women in 2015. She also said that leaders at Ranger School had questions about the health impacts of limited sleep and food that soldiers endure. For the latest study, researchers gathered blood and urine samples, took surveys, and measured body composition throughout the three different phases. The study evaluated Ranger School students between 2022 and 2023, she said, and the final paper included data from 27 men and 10 women. The research specifically found that “male physiological markers were susceptible to disruption” while female bodies “exhibited limited alterations.” Women showed more changes during the middle mountain phase, while men “experienced changes across many markers throughout all phases.” The findings validate other research on endurance training, like a 2016 study that found women are “usually less fatigable than men.”

Remember, you are not the crazy ones, and we were made for these times. Regardless of what you may feel right now, act as if you believe that and redouble your efforts.

“Neither let us be slandered froim our duty by false accusations against us, nor frightened from it by menaces of destruction to the Government, nor of dungeons to ourselves. Let us have faith that right makes might; and in that faith, let us, to the end, dare to do our duty, as we understand it.” - Abraham Lincoln

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