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lees1975
lees1975's Journal
lees1975's Journal
March 28, 2025
An Easter gift for those who have absolutely lost their minds.
https://signalpress.blogspot.com/2025/03/an-easter-gift-for-those-who-have.htmlThe object of worship in Trump's far right wing politics is money. Everything is measured by its financial value, and everything he does is to increase the amount of it that he has. Any labor not devoted to generating a profit is, in his mind, futile.
There are thousands of Evangelical pastors and church leaders Trump could have chosen to run the White House faith office, and be his "spiritual advisor." If he believed in and followed the Christian gospel, he would join a local church and that pastor would become his spiritual advisor. But, other than getting the votes of those Christians who have been duped and deceived into following him, Trump despises Christianity and denies any personal need for it. He has chosen, instead of a Christian who expresses belief in Biblical doctrine, a prosperity gospel heretic who sees American Evangelicalism as a chance to make a buck off of the ignorance and superstition of the prosperity gospel she preaches.
Every prayer she utters, every "blessing" she gives has a financial value attached to it. It's not hard to see why Trump is attracted to her and rejects traditional Christian practice. She worships money, too, and has developed a system for making a profit off religion. Blessings have a financial cost to them, in her world. And that's what resonates with Trump.
There are thousands of Evangelical pastors and church leaders Trump could have chosen to run the White House faith office, and be his "spiritual advisor." If he believed in and followed the Christian gospel, he would join a local church and that pastor would become his spiritual advisor. But, other than getting the votes of those Christians who have been duped and deceived into following him, Trump despises Christianity and denies any personal need for it. He has chosen, instead of a Christian who expresses belief in Biblical doctrine, a prosperity gospel heretic who sees American Evangelicalism as a chance to make a buck off of the ignorance and superstition of the prosperity gospel she preaches.
Every prayer she utters, every "blessing" she gives has a financial value attached to it. It's not hard to see why Trump is attracted to her and rejects traditional Christian practice. She worships money, too, and has developed a system for making a profit off religion. Blessings have a financial cost to them, in her world. And that's what resonates with Trump.
March 27, 2025
There's a segment of this country that has absolutely lost its mind.
You had to know this was coming.
https://baptistnews.com/article/trumps-faith-adviser-selling-seven-easter-blessings-for-1000-gift/President Donald Trump’s chief faith adviser is selling seven “supernatural blessings” for Easter season gifts of $1,000 or more.
On her website and social media, televangelist Paula White has a special offer for what she calls the “Passover season” when “your obedience to align yourself with the desires of God” can “release seven specific supernatural blessings for your body, your family, your finances and your future.”
White leads the White House Faith Office and recently assembled a group of 17 evangelical pastors to pray over Trump in the Oval Office.
She bases her promise of seven blessings (for the gift of $1,000) on Exodus 23, which ironically begins with these words: “You shall not spread a false report. You shall not join hands with the wicked to act as a malicious witness. You shall not follow a majority in wrongdoing; when you bear witness in a lawsuit, you shall not side with the majority so as to pervert justice.”
On her website and social media, televangelist Paula White has a special offer for what she calls the “Passover season” when “your obedience to align yourself with the desires of God” can “release seven specific supernatural blessings for your body, your family, your finances and your future.”
White leads the White House Faith Office and recently assembled a group of 17 evangelical pastors to pray over Trump in the Oval Office.
She bases her promise of seven blessings (for the gift of $1,000) on Exodus 23, which ironically begins with these words: “You shall not spread a false report. You shall not join hands with the wicked to act as a malicious witness. You shall not follow a majority in wrongdoing; when you bear witness in a lawsuit, you shall not side with the majority so as to pervert justice.”
There's a segment of this country that has absolutely lost its mind.
March 25, 2025
The security breach regarding the war plans attack on Yemen is a gigantic mistake and a huge hole in national security.
Just a few things---
The use of communications other than secured, government operated sites is mentioned in Project 2025 as a means of avoiding investigations and subpoenas.
This is the kind of thing that ends the careers of executive cabinet bureaucrats. No one in that cabinet is anywhere close to competent or experienced enough to be doing the job they are doing, least of all Michael Waltz, Tulsi Gabbard and Pete Hegseth. It should have been expected that this kind of catastrophe was coming soon and there WILL be more if these people are allowed to continue.
As I see it, within the boundaries of Constitutional law, with a legislative body that won't exercise accountability here and with a commander in chief who is mentally insane and out of it, what kind of public pressure can be exerted, and where, to force reluctant Republicans to take action?
Because if this is allowed to go on, someone is going to get careless with nukes.
March 24, 2025
The leader of the stop Trump movement is clearly Bernie Sanders.
https://signalpress.blogspot.com/2025/03/how-much-time-do-we-have.htmlThe hero of the moment, for the Stop Trump movement, is the 83 year old independent Senator from Vermont, Bernie Sanders. Senator Sanders ran for the Democratic party nomination for President twice, and his message hasn't changed. A year after Trump was elected the first time, he was addressing the opioid crisis in front of packed houses in deep red counties. He's a truthful populist, and his resilience and the fact that the people of his state have repeatedly placed their trust in him is affirmation of his belief in the American people and his desire, as a politician, to benefit them, not himself.
I'm going to say something that will make a lot of people angry, but it needs to be said. If Bernie Sanders had been the Democratic nominee in 2020, and had been in the White House, Donald Trump would now be in prison for the crimes he committed during his first term, especially for inciting an insurrection against the United States.
That's why he's the one who, along with Congresswoman Ocasio-Cortez, are drawing the kind of crowds and interest that are surpassing the size of campaign rallies, and is building the kind of popular support, and pressure, that it will take to stop Trump. That is a big job, given the failure of the GOP to stand up for itself, and their spineless support, which is based on what they are getting out of it. Democrats in Congress, especially in the Senate, are stuck in their old way of thinking, and a few of them have sold themselves out. So there's no credibility for a resistance there. Sanders isn't a Democrat, and AOC is on the House side, where there appears to be a bit more in the way of unity.
I'm almost convinced that if Bernie had been the nominee in 2016, Trump would never have been elected. He brings working class support and credibility in his message that, united with moderate to liberal Democrats, would have swamped Trump and maybe even picked up a couple of red states, in addition to solidifying the blue wall.
I'm going to say something that will make a lot of people angry, but it needs to be said. If Bernie Sanders had been the Democratic nominee in 2020, and had been in the White House, Donald Trump would now be in prison for the crimes he committed during his first term, especially for inciting an insurrection against the United States.
That's why he's the one who, along with Congresswoman Ocasio-Cortez, are drawing the kind of crowds and interest that are surpassing the size of campaign rallies, and is building the kind of popular support, and pressure, that it will take to stop Trump. That is a big job, given the failure of the GOP to stand up for itself, and their spineless support, which is based on what they are getting out of it. Democrats in Congress, especially in the Senate, are stuck in their old way of thinking, and a few of them have sold themselves out. So there's no credibility for a resistance there. Sanders isn't a Democrat, and AOC is on the House side, where there appears to be a bit more in the way of unity.
I'm almost convinced that if Bernie had been the nominee in 2016, Trump would never have been elected. He brings working class support and credibility in his message that, united with moderate to liberal Democrats, would have swamped Trump and maybe even picked up a couple of red states, in addition to solidifying the blue wall.
March 24, 2025
How much time does democracy have left?
https://signalpress.blogspot.com/2025/03/how-much-time-do-we-have.htmlThe hero of the moment, for the Stop Trump movement, is the 83 year old independent Senator from Vermont, Bernie Sanders. Senator Sanders ran for the Democratic party nomination for President twice, and his message hasn't changed. A year after Trump was elected the first time, he was addressing the opioid crisis in front of packed houses in deep red counties. He's a truthful populist, and his resilience and the fact that the people of his state have repeatedly placed their trust in him is affirmation of his belief in the American people and his desire, as a politician, to benefit them, not himself.
I'm going to say something that will make a lot of people angry, but it needs to be said. If Bernie Sanders had been the Democratic nominee in 2020, and had been in the White House, Donald Trump would now be in prison for the crimes he committed during his first term, especially for inciting an insurrection against the United States.
That's why he's the one who, along with Congresswoman Ocasio-Cortez, are drawing the kind of crowds and interest that are surpassing the size of campaign rallies, and is building the kind of popular support, and pressure, that it will take to stop Trump. That is a big job, given the failure of the GOP to stand up for itself, and their spineless support, which is based on what they are getting out of it. Democrats in Congress, especially in the Senate, are stuck in their old way of thinking, and a few of them have sold themselves out. So there's no credibility for a resistance there. Sanders isn't a Democrat, and AOC is on the House side, where there appears to be a bit more in the way of unity.
I'm almost convinced that if Bernie had been the nominee in 2016, Trump would never have been elected. He brings working class support and credibility in his message that, united with moderate to liberal Democrats, would have swamped Trump and maybe even picked up a couple of red states, in addition to solidifying the blue wall.
I'm going to say something that will make a lot of people angry, but it needs to be said. If Bernie Sanders had been the Democratic nominee in 2020, and had been in the White House, Donald Trump would now be in prison for the crimes he committed during his first term, especially for inciting an insurrection against the United States.
That's why he's the one who, along with Congresswoman Ocasio-Cortez, are drawing the kind of crowds and interest that are surpassing the size of campaign rallies, and is building the kind of popular support, and pressure, that it will take to stop Trump. That is a big job, given the failure of the GOP to stand up for itself, and their spineless support, which is based on what they are getting out of it. Democrats in Congress, especially in the Senate, are stuck in their old way of thinking, and a few of them have sold themselves out. So there's no credibility for a resistance there. Sanders isn't a Democrat, and AOC is on the House side, where there appears to be a bit more in the way of unity.
I'm almost convinced that if Bernie had been the nominee in 2016, Trump would never have been elected. He brings working class support and credibility in his message that, united with moderate to liberal Democrats, would have swamped Trump and maybe even picked up a couple of red states, in addition to solidifying the blue wall.
March 24, 2025
Risk and boldness, not politics as usual, are necessary to stop Trump.
https://signalpress.blogspot.com/2025/03/if-trump-is-existential-threat-to.htmlThere were voices, among younger, more aggressive Democrats, who exhibited an extensive knowledge of the Constitution, in providing a course of action for the Democratic party to take to end this charade, and prove they really believed Trump was an existential threat to democracy. Though we had narrow majorities in both houses, the ability existed to break the Senate filibuster, a huge obstacle to democratic action in a republic, and then amend the judiciary act to allow President Biden to appoint enough justices to the Supreme Court to over-ride the conservative majority, neutralize the pig-headed Roberts, and prevent the ridiculous immunity ruling they issued on Trump's behalf.
That would have been a bold move, but looking at where Trump is headed and what is happening, it was a necessary move. But Biden didn't want to give up the filibuster, on long standing tradition and principle. And in hindsight, a majority leader like Schumer wouldn't have gone along with doing it. They were right in claiming that Trump was an existential threat to American democracy, but they were wrong, dead wrong, in the manner that they chose to deal with that. I wonder if they really cared. They have the resources to protect their own interests and cover their rear. The rest of us are the ones who will suffer under this.
And that might explain why there wasn't a whole lot of enthusiastic support from voters in November of 2024. They might have seen Trump as a threat to democracy, but they didn't see Democrats as the best way to deal with it.
That would have been a bold move, but looking at where Trump is headed and what is happening, it was a necessary move. But Biden didn't want to give up the filibuster, on long standing tradition and principle. And in hindsight, a majority leader like Schumer wouldn't have gone along with doing it. They were right in claiming that Trump was an existential threat to American democracy, but they were wrong, dead wrong, in the manner that they chose to deal with that. I wonder if they really cared. They have the resources to protect their own interests and cover their rear. The rest of us are the ones who will suffer under this.
And that might explain why there wasn't a whole lot of enthusiastic support from voters in November of 2024. They might have seen Trump as a threat to democracy, but they didn't see Democrats as the best way to deal with it.
"The hard truth is that the Democratic party, in its current form, cannot lead the opposition that is required."
That's the evaluation of Ben Rhodes, a former deputy national security advisor under the Obama Administration, and a contributing editor to the New York Times. I've read some of his work before, and he's in a position to know, and be honest about it. Simple observation shows him to be correct. Our senate minority didn't have the stomach to do the right thing about the CR. How in the world are they going to confront the big stuff we know is coming?
That's the evaluation of Ben Rhodes, a former deputy national security advisor under the Obama Administration, and a contributing editor to the New York Times. I've read some of his work before, and he's in a position to know, and be honest about it. Simple observation shows him to be correct. Our senate minority didn't have the stomach to do the right thing about the CR. How in the world are they going to confront the big stuff we know is coming?
March 23, 2025
Christian nationalism is all over the Trump agenda, separating Christianity from Evangelical political right wingers.
https://signalpress.blogspot.com/2025/03/how-can-you-maintain-your-christian.htmlEvangelicalism, a more recent development, dating back to the revival movements of the mid to late 1800's mostly in the United States, has developed a system of measuring true Christianity by intellectual assent to a set of specific theological interpretations based on a literal rendering of the biblical text, rather than any consideration of its historical, cultural and social context. The emphasis is placed on gettting people to engage in a specific theological confession as a means of entering through a spiritual portal into conversion or salvation, and then learning the list of doctrinal acknowledgements that one must believe in order to be Christian. It's a very legalistic approach, almost completely backward from what Jesus preached and taught. There is no accountability beyond the local church, and it places a huge amount of authority in the hands of each church pastor.
These examples, along with the words of Jesus, are quite different, intentionally, than the examples and practices of the Israelites, recorded in the Old Testament, who believed themselves to be ritually unclean if they came into direct physical contact with a gentile. And it's one of the grave doctrinal errors made by Evangelicals, who claim belief in the sixty-six books of the Old and New Testament Protestant Canon as "inerrant and infallible." The fact of the matter is that Jesus clearly replaced the much lower view of humanity found especially in the Old Testament historical record with a much higher one. And yet, much of what is found in Christian nationalist philosophy is a reference to Old Testament genocide and practice against the pagan populations who lived around Israel.
It is on this particular point, in fact, where American Evangelicalism parts company from orthodox Christian faith and practice. Christian nationalists have used "It was God's will" as justification for the annihilation of the native populations of North America, who they condemn because they were "godless heathens" as well as justification for the enslavement of African Americans, claiming that black skin was the mark God put on Cain, Adam's son who murdered his own brother, a story from myth, not history.
Evangelicals, as Christian nationalists, believe that whatever was necessary to allow white people to take over North American land, and consider it a gift from God for their Christian faithfulness, to be able to exploit the resources of a virgin planet. is justified because it is being done for God, whether that's displacement of the rightful owners of the land, or conquest and destruction of those who get in their way, including eliminating political enemies.
This is the way that they are leading America. So if you haven't caught on, and aren't awake to this yet, you need to get there quickly.
It is on this particular point, in fact, where American Evangelicalism parts company from orthodox Christian faith and practice. Christian nationalists have used "It was God's will" as justification for the annihilation of the native populations of North America, who they condemn because they were "godless heathens" as well as justification for the enslavement of African Americans, claiming that black skin was the mark God put on Cain, Adam's son who murdered his own brother, a story from myth, not history.
Evangelicals, as Christian nationalists, believe that whatever was necessary to allow white people to take over North American land, and consider it a gift from God for their Christian faithfulness, to be able to exploit the resources of a virgin planet. is justified because it is being done for God, whether that's displacement of the rightful owners of the land, or conquest and destruction of those who get in their way, including eliminating political enemies.
This is the way that they are leading America. So if you haven't caught on, and aren't awake to this yet, you need to get there quickly.
March 22, 2025
Why aren't Americans out in the streets over what Trump is doing?
I had an interesting conversation with a friend of mine, European, over what Trump is doing. He noted that Americans seem to be flatly apathetic for two reasons, one, that the bulk of those opposed to a second Trump Presidency were not registered to vote and didn't participate, and two, that in his country, such government actions that are so far out of line as to be outside the boundaries of democracy, public pressure would be so intense that the government would back down. And that Americans are just passively clicking their tongues and letting it all go by, especially the Democrats, who should be orchestrating and conducting protests that, while they don't cross the Jan 6th line, make it hard for members of Congress to move from home to work without having to face opposition.
We live in a free country, and if politicians are unable to respect that to the point where what they do makes people mad enough to want to confront them about it, then they should deal with the consequences, including protests in front of their house keeping them and their neighbors up all night, and having to face shouting, angry people on their way to and from the capitol. It doesn't have to get violent, they just have to see that it might cost them an election and they are going to have to face opposition on it.
March 20, 2025
Observations about the Democratic Senate minority: Do they have what it takes to beat Trump now?
https://signalpress.blogspot.com/2025/03/observations-about-democrats-in-senate.htmlThe political playbook that was once the standard modus operandi for making bi-partisan legislation happen in the Senate is still the political "bible" for some Democrats who are part of the Senate minority. The Republicans threw that playbook out a long time ago, after McConnell's years of majority leadership where it got used when it benefitted Republicans and ignored when it didn't. But after Schumer came into the Senate leadership and the Republicans were already working to undermine government and make it fail, he somehow thought that he could bring back the "give and take" compromise methodology that hasn't really worked effectively since before Bush was in the White House.
But I sense there's a new factor involved that is finding its way into the Democratic minority during this Trump administration, and that's self-preservation. It seems there are a few Senators who, after winning their seat on the backs of moderate to liberal Democratic party supporters with strong rhetoric and appealing characteristics, have now decided to preserve their power and their seat, not by compromise, but by being conciliatory. There were several of those who didn't have to run for re-election in 2024 with Trump on the ballot, who won a decisive race in the 2022 mid-terms, and who are now sitting back thinking that they may somehow achieve the "king's" favor by kissing his ass or his ring.
But I sense there's a new factor involved that is finding its way into the Democratic minority during this Trump administration, and that's self-preservation. It seems there are a few Senators who, after winning their seat on the backs of moderate to liberal Democratic party supporters with strong rhetoric and appealing characteristics, have now decided to preserve their power and their seat, not by compromise, but by being conciliatory. There were several of those who didn't have to run for re-election in 2024 with Trump on the ballot, who won a decisive race in the 2022 mid-terms, and who are now sitting back thinking that they may somehow achieve the "king's" favor by kissing his ass or his ring.
The Democrats had a chance, with control of both houses of Congress and the White House, to protect the country from having this happen to us once again. And yet, here we are, because when that chance presented itself, the Democratic party leadership was unwilling to step outside of the boundaries they set for themselves, because they were still thinking that the old rules of bi-partisan give and take compromise, were somehow still in effect. So, in the old line partisan thinking, they gave away their Democratic party majoity and sold us out to the GOP. And yet, everything we would have done would have been within the law.
Granted, it would have taken some really politically risky moves. But anything worth achieving is worth the risk. There were Democrats who were farsighted and visionary enough to see what needed to occur in order to prevent Trump from being the existential threat to democracy that Democrats said he was. And if we really believed he was such a threat, real action could have accompanied the rhetoric, and we would have succeeded in making sure Trump was never able to walk the halls of the White House again.
Granted, it would have taken some really politically risky moves. But anything worth achieving is worth the risk. There were Democrats who were farsighted and visionary enough to see what needed to occur in order to prevent Trump from being the existential threat to democracy that Democrats said he was. And if we really believed he was such a threat, real action could have accompanied the rhetoric, and we would have succeeded in making sure Trump was never able to walk the halls of the White House again.
March 19, 2025
The only peace deal America should accept in the Ukraine War is complete restoration of territory and reparations.
https://signalpress.blogspot.com/2025/03/the-only-peace-deal-america-should.htmlI don't see any reason why a fair and equitable peace, in a war Russia started and for which they are responsible, would include anything but the restoration of all sovereign Ukrainian territory to Ukraine, including the Crimea and the Donbas. It should also include reparations for all of the property the Russians destroyed.
NATO is a defensively postured organization. Ukraine's belonging to it should not be considered a threat to Russian security.
The Ukrainian government, elected before the war, should remain in power until there are elections. And the Ukrainian military should be armed and trained by NATO.
Anything less than that, and Putin will succeed in demonstrating to the world that Trump is, indeed, both a sucker, and a Russian asset.
NATO is a defensively postured organization. Ukraine's belonging to it should not be considered a threat to Russian security.
The Ukrainian government, elected before the war, should remain in power until there are elections. And the Ukrainian military should be armed and trained by NATO.
Anything less than that, and Putin will succeed in demonstrating to the world that Trump is, indeed, both a sucker, and a Russian asset.
Profile Information
Gender: MaleHometown: Tucson, Arizona
Current location: Chicago, Illinois
Member since: Wed Dec 25, 2019, 01:02 AM
Number of posts: 6,534