For Republican politicians, the word "woke" has become the equivalent of Pavlov's bell: it is a

noise they can make to elicit a predictable response from their ignorant "subjects".

Saying the word or ringing Pavlov's bell has no real meaning that either the Trump cultists or the dogs really understand.

When Pavlov rang his bell the dogs had been conditioned to associate the sound with getting food and so they salivated.

When a Trumplican says that an adversary is "woke", the mindless MAGA faithful have been conditioned to grin, smile and mumble nuggets like "Woke BAD!" or "Lock them up!".

Asked to explain what is meant by "woke", the average red cap wearer will hem, haw, mutter and eventually decide to act offended by the question. You'd actually get a better response if you asked one of Pavlov's dogs to explain why they're drooling all over themselves.

Come to think of it, why not ask the Trumplcans why THEY drool all over themselves?

A few thoughts about what I just watched on TV as Judge Jackson was made "Justice Jackson"

by a 53 to 47 vote in the Senate: all 50 Democrats plus Collins, Murkowski and Romney voting "Aye"; 47 Republicans voting "No".

For those unable to watch as it took place, the voting went along at a good pace for 98 of the 100 Senators. The names of Graham and Paul were called in the usual alphabetical order---and passed. They were not present.

Eventually, Lindsey's name was again called and he voted "No"---FROM THE CLOAK ROOM!

We then watched everyone in the chamber mill around for 15 minutes or so as the Clerk waited for His Right Wing Majesty Paul to, I assume, stop screaming and kicking and whining "NO FAIR!" and do his job for a change. From somewhere OUT OF SIGHT, he finally recorded his "No" and the final official 53 to 47 result could be announced.

There is a technical term for grown-ass men who behave as Lindsey and Rand did today: childish punks. On the elementary school playground I grew up on, they'd have both had the---for want of a better word--- "snot" slapped outta them today.

On the other extreme---fair is fair---I saw Senator Romney standing ALONE and applauding with the Democrats while the rest of his "party" fled as the rally was officially announced.

The 50 Democrats, the staff and guests on the floor and the packed galleries were understandably ecstatic.

Could we please just record Rand Paul as "absent" and move on? nt

I'm not saying this is true---just that it could be.

Supposedly---maybe to show how "rough 'n tough" they were---Taylor-Greene, Boebert and others from the Freedom Caucus challenged McConnell, McCarthy and whoever they wished to recruit from the "regular" GOP to a football game! Mc and Mc accepted, a gridiron was marked off on the Mall and the contest began.

Neither side had been able to put any points on the board through the first three quarters and the fourth looked like it would be more of the same. Then, an 18-wheeler in the "convoy" blared its air horn, McCarthy assumed that signaled the end of the game and led his team of "regulars" off the field.

Just three plays later, Marjie's team scored for the win!

That's how I heard it.

About that rabid fox that was biting people at the Capitol---have they yet determined what rabid

animal bit the fox and transmitted the rabies to it?

Has MTG been ruled out?

As Tucker says, "I'm just asking a question."

I once read that a conservative is someone who believes nothing should ever be done for

the first time.

How many times have proposals been shot down with "it's never been done before" or "that's not the way it's done"?

Had anything like 9-11 ever "happened before"?

Has anything like Trump ever "happened before"?

Does it not make sense that atrocities such as these might require NEW responses even if they can't be 100% guaranteed to work?

I am reminded of Emerson's wisdom: "A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds, adored by little statesmen and philosophers and divines. With consistency a great soul has simply nothing to do. He may as well concern himself with his shadow on the wall."

President Zelensky's plea to the UN today was reminiscent of "Officer Moran's" challenge to

Elliot Ness in "The Untouchables".

Can't you just hear Sean Connery's brogue demanding "WHAT ARE YOU PREPARED TO DO?"

If Mike Pence's wife were to organize another ridiculous "convoy", could we

call them "Mother's truckers"?

"Ras" Putin is a malignant dwarf upon whose grave no grass will ever grow.

Too many are waiting to relieve themselves on that blighted plot.

The slaughter in Ukraine has revealed that the "elephant in the room" is actually a

Tyrannosaurus Rex and we understandably recoil at the graphic evidence of just how needlessly cruel and bloodthirsty WE as a species, can be.

This is not a case of one maniac doing unspeakable things to helpless innocents. This is an army of tens of thousands of people like us and our neighbors who, with the blessing and encouragement of their insane leader, are literally slicing off ears, burning people alive and raping three-year-olds.

The Russian people have been trained for decades to regard government-approved "news" as FACT and any who question it as traitors. Accordingly, they now believe that Ukrainian "Nazis" have been ruthlessly abusing the Russian speakers among them and that any "excesses" by their troops are simply "payback".

If there are still any among us who consider Trump "just another politician" and his followers a conventional political party, I would encourage them to read Timothy Snyder's "ON TYRANNY" and understand that OUR "T. Rex in the room" has a MAGA tattoo and wears a red cap.

"Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities."--- Voltaire