Wednesday, June 18, 2025

Chump and the sewer rats who glorify him


Donald Chump is disgusting and so are his fans. They really are sewer rats.  Daniel Orton (NEWSWEEK) reports:

President Donald Trump said he would not call "whacked out" Minnesota Governor Tim Walz following the assassination of state Representative Melissa Hortman and the attempted assassination of state Senator John Hoffman over the weekend, calling a condolence call a "waste of time."
Trump made the remarks to reporters aboard Air Force One on Tuesday as he returned from an international summit in Canada.

It is the second time since Saturday's shootings that the president has publicly attacked Walz's character.

That his fans/cult tolerates this sort of nonsense goes to the reality that they are sewer rats, scum of the earth.

The president of the United States is not supposed to be insulting governors.  At a time when the state is dealing with a tragedy?  Even more of a problem.

A condolence call is a waste of time?

No doubt, it's that attitude that explains why it was a Chump groupie who killed the couple and wounded another.  As C.I. has repeatedly noted, the killers remarks echo those of Donald Chump.

You are garbage if you accept or normalize Chump's remarks.  This is out of bounds.  It is not what we expect from any kind of a leader.  Shame on you.



Tanks roll in Washington D.C. while federal troops battle immigration advocates in Los Angeles. An assassin in the nation’s heartland — reportedly a Trump supporter — kills one Minnesota Democratic legislator and severely wounds another.

Sounds like a Hollywood political thriller. But this was real life last weekend. Our nation is at war domestically, and democracy is in peril in our great republic.  
Trump’s political career started ten years ago this week, when he glided down the polished golden escalator at Trump Tower to announce his candidacy for president. His first major act as a candidate was to deliver a speech demonizing Mexican immigrants. For ten years now, he has sowed chaos and confusion, keeping the passionate issues of race and immigration at a high boil to distract Americans from his abject inability to fix major systemic problems such as the spread of COVID-19 and the rise in prices for consumer goods. 

Trump is like a kid who wants to play with toy soldiers and acts like a bully. He is a poor president, but a great showman. He has taken Shakespeare’s words to heart, knowing that “all the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players.” 

Saturday was a big day, on which capital area residents sat out the military parade but millions across our great nation stood up for democracy in “No Kings” rallies. Meanwhile, the tinpot dictator orchestrated a Soviet-style parade of military hardware as he bullied immigrants and stood idly by as prices soared.  


He thought that parade was going to put him on Mount Rushmore.  Instead, it just left him a tired, old joke.


"Media: If MSNBC could just clone Rachel Maddow . . ." (Ava and C.I., THE THIRD ESTATE SUNDAY REVIEW):

But one thing she needs to do is book better guests.

 

Last week, our mouths dropped in horror as she did a segment on artificial information and digital data and blah blah.

 

Our mouths dropped because of the freak show guest.

 

One of us (C.I.) has known Ronan Farrow his whole life.  


WHAT THE F**K HAS HE DONE TO HIS FACE?

 

That's all caps because the whole world should be yelling it.  His face looks like an overstuffed pillow and his addiction to altering his looks now surpasses that of Michael Jackson -- and don't get us started on those eyebrows.  Not since serial plagiarist Gerald Posner have we seen someone associated with the news industry work so hard to destroy their face with so much bad plastic surgery. 

 

TV is a visual medium.  That alone should prevent Ronan Farrow from ever being brought on as a guest again.  

 

But there are other reasons as well including that Ronan already bombed with MSNBC viewers a long, long time ago.

 

Did no one learn from 2014?  That's when Ronan bombed on MSNBC -- when more people were watching THE GOLDEN GIRLS repeats on HALLMARK than watching RONAN FARROW DAILY -- and awful, awful show -- see our  "TV: Another idiot for the idiot box" from March 2014.  A ton of money was spent promoting that show and no one could stand to watch it.  That was due to Ronan and we explained that and his personal habits/problems/ticks that resulted from his childhood (and his mother) and rendered him too odd for TV.  

 

Maybe if he'd stayed with Jon Lovett, he could have addressed those problems.  But Ronan didn't want to deal and screwed up the only real thing he ever had in his personal life just like he screwed up his chance at TV fame.

 

Keep the weirdo away.  People don't need to look at that face before bedtime -- no one wants nightmares.


Ava and C.I. did a great job dissecting MSNBC, read their piece in full. 


"The Snapshot" (THE COMMON ILLS):

Tuesday, June 17, 2025.  Donald Chump spreads hate and killings ensue -- that is the pattern and it must be the plan or he would stop spreading hate.  The tourism industry in the US continues to tank.  You might be able to ignore it right now but by end of summer the money lost will not be something the country can ignore.  Randi and other idiots who think this is the time to attack Democrats need to leave the party immediately, and much more.


What does it say about the presidency and our country when the occupant of the Oval Office sounds just like a crazed killer?   Donald Chump sounds like killer Vance Boelter who sounded like Chump because the two are intertwined in mind.  Klaus Marre (WHO WHAT WHY) notes Chump's social media posts from Sunday: 

“These Radical Left Democrats are sick of mind, hate our Country, and actually want to destroy our Inner Cities — And they are doing a good job of it! There is something wrong with them,” Trump added about 48 hours after a man who, according to his friend, is a staunch supporter of the president, assassinated one Democrat (and her husband), wounded another, and had a target list of many more. 

Posting this is the height of irresponsibility. It is essentially an incitement to violence. 

For good measure, the president also explains to his followers what is at stake by stating that Democrats want “open borders, transgender for everybody, and men playing in women’s sports” – just so they understand that it is more important to take over Democratic cities than deporting the undocumented immigrants in the communities where Trump voters actually live. 

They’ll believe him, of course. 

And that brings us back to those GOP lawmakers who will have to answer questions tomorrow like “Do you agree with President Trump when he says that Democrats are sick and hate our country, and do you think that this was the right moment to tweet something like this in light of the events of this weekend?”

What do you say to that? How do you defend the rantings of a nutjob who can end your career (and possibly endanger your family) with a social media post?


You can't.  He sounds exactly like the Minnesota shooter Vance Boelter. AP's Jim Mustian and Michael Biesecker note:



Friends and former colleagues interviewed by AP described Boelter as a devout Christian who attended an evangelical church and went to campaign rallies for President Donald Trump. Records show Boelter registered to vote as a Republican while living in Oklahoma in 2004 before moving to Minnesota where voters don’t list party affiliation.
Near the scene at Hortman’s home, authorities say they found an SUV made to look like those used by law enforcement. Inside they found fliers for a local anti-Trump “No Kings” rally scheduled for Saturday and a notebook with names of other lawmakers. The list also included the names of abortion rights advocates and health care officials, according to two law enforcement officials who could not discuss details of the ongoing investigation and spoke to AP on condition of anonymity.
Both Hortman and Hoffman were defenders of abortion rights at the state legislature.



Boelter is a Christian who voted for President Donald Trump and opposes abortion and LGBTQ rights, according to interviews with his childhood friend and videos of his sermons posted online. A list of potential targets — including Hoffman and Hortman — included abortion providers and other Democratic elected officials from Minnesota and Wisconsin.

The attack, which has shocked Minnesotans and the nation, comes amid rising political violence since the emergence of President Donald Trump, who has made repeated threats of violence against his political enemies and praised his supporters who, for instance, attacked officers while storming the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. He later pardoned all of them. He survived two assassination attempts in 2024.


How is that any different from what Chump posted on social media Sunday night or from the hate he spews nonstop?  It's not different at all.  It is exactly the same.  And that's why so many of us have been so bothered by Chump's violent rhetoric.  And we realized when he got shot last July that he'd brought it on himself with violent remarks.  You get what you put out and that's always been known better as "you reap what you sow."



 Until he was named the suspect in the shootings last Saturday morning, Vance Boelter seemed like just another member of the MAGA universe. He was a registered Republican and a Trump supporter. He was also an evangelical minister who ran a security business.
Boelter is alleged to have shown up at the home of Minnesota state Rep. Melissa Hortman (D) and her husband Mark Hortman early Saturday morning, impersonating a police officer. He shot and killed both. He used the same ruse at the home of Minnesota state Sen. John Hoffman (D) and his wife, Yvette Hoffman, critically injuring both. Boelter was arrested yesterday.

Both Hortman and Hoffman were supporters of the LGBTQ community. As speaker of the House in 2023, Hortman was instrumental in shepherding through trans rights protections, including a “trans refugee” bill that prohibits other states from interfering with gender-affirming health care in Minnesota.

Following a shootout with police, Boelter escaped. Police found in his car a list of 70 people that Boelter allegedly marked for assassination. The list included politicians and abortion rights activists.

According to a friend, Boelter was rabidly anti-abortion. But it turns out he was equally anti-LGBTQ+. Boelter traveled abroad to preach, and a video of a sermon he gave in the Democratic Republic of Congo in 2023 is a diatribe against the community. African nations have been a target for American evangelicals looking to spread homophobia.

 “There’s people, especially in America, they don’t know what sex they are. They don’t know their sexual orientation. They’re confused,” he said. “The enemy has gotten so far into their mind and their soul.” (Not surprisingly, the anti-LGBTQ+ legal group Alliance Defending Freedom was among the groups “liked” by Boelter on social media.)


 This is the hate that they have sewn.  Do not mistake it for anything else.  Chump gives permission to attack LGBTQ+ members, he encourages it.  There is no difference between his incitement and the actions of the shooter.  Daniel Villarreal (LGBTQ NATION) reports:

A federal judge has ruled against President Donald Trump’s decision to freeze $2.4 billion in National Institutes of Health (NIH) grants allocated to research on gender identity and other fields tied to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. The judge said the Trump administration must immediately restore the grants, but he didn’t officially rule on whether Trump’s anti-DEI orders are illegal — the case under the judge remains ongoing and could eventually result in an important ruling against Trump’s anti-DEI crusade.

“This [freezing of NIH grants] represents racial discrimination and discrimination against America’s LGBTQ community,” said Judge William Young of the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts, an appointee of President Ronald Reagan. “Any discrimination by our government is so wrong that it requires the court to enjoin it and at an appropriate time, I’m going to do it,” he added, promising a possibly more sweeping future ruling on the grants and Trump’s orders, NBC News reported.

[. . .]

Ports read an NIH statement which said DEI-related studies “are often used to support unlawful discrimination.” However, in response, Young said, “I see no evidence of that.”

“I’ve sat on this bench now for 40 years. I’ve never seen government racial discrimination like this,” Young said during oral arguments, referring to Trump’s anti-DEI orders. “Is it true of our society as a whole? Have we fallen so low? Have we no shame?”


The shooter didn't have any shame.

Chump doesn't have any shame.

This hate speech is not just words.  It puts people at risk.  There's no defense of it.  People need to stop pretending and acting like this is just opinion.  People are getting killed from this 'opinion.'  It is hate speech and there is no place for it in the United States, certainly not in the White House. 


But Chump uses it, He spreads the hate.  He uses it to target veterans.  He uses it to scapegoat.  MB Mack (LATIN TIMES) reports:

 
New guidelines implemented under an executive order by President Donald Trump now allow VA hospital staff to refuse healthcare to veterans based on political affiliation and marital status, prompting concerns that Democratic and unmarried veterans may be denied treatment.

On January 30, Trump signed an executive order titled "Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government." While its primary aim was to curtail federal protections for transgender individuals, the order also triggered sweeping changes within the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), according to the Guardian.

The VA, which serves over 9 million veterans across more than 170 hospitals and 1,000 clinics, revised its internal bylaws to strip longstanding protections against discrimination based on political party, marital status, sexual orientation and national origin.

The updated policies allow doctors, psychologists, dentists and other healthcare workers at VA hospitals to refuse treatment to veterans based on characteristics not explicitly protected by federal law. While veterans are still legally entitled to care, there is now no rule preventing staff from declining service to individuals based on their political beliefs or whether they are unmarried.

Internal documents reviewed by the outlet confirm that the changes are already in effect at some VA centers. The VA's press secretary confirmed the revisions were made to align with Trump's executive order but did not clarify what federal law required such shifts.


He's attacking veterans care.  I hope we grasp that.  He attempted to use the military on Saturday.  He even saluted a group of veterans of the Vietnam War -- this despite his getting five deferments that Daddy bought so Chump wouldn't have to serve in that war.  He has no respect for veterans and he makes that clear with his latest attack o them.  Anna Carlson (THE MIRROR) adds:


Meanwhile, VA press secretary Peter Kasperowicz maintained that the updated guidelines are aligned with an executive order issued by Trump, yet he fell short of clarifying which federal statutes necessitated such revisions.

"All eligible veterans will always be welcome at VA and will always receive the benefits and services they've earned under the law," he claimed, emphasizing that the shift is merely procedural.



In interviews, veterans said the impact of the new policy would probably fall hardest on female veterans, LGBTQ+ veterans and those who live in rural areas where there are fewer doctors overall. “I’m lucky. I have my choice of three clinics,” said Tia Christopher, a navy veteran who reported being raped in service in 2000.

Based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Christopher advocates on behalf of military sexual trauma survivors throughout the country. Under the new policy, some may have to register at a hospital in another region and travel more than a hundred miles to see a doctor. It “could have a huge ripple effect”, she said.

As concerned as they were about the new policies themselves, medical experts were equally worried about the way they came about. Sources at multiple VA hospitals, speaking on condition of anonymity because of fear of retaliation, told the Guardian that the rule changes were imposed without consultation with the system’s doctors – a characterization the VA’s Kasperowicz did not dispute.

Such a move would run counter to standards established by the Joint Commission, a non-profit organization that accredits hospitals. Kasperowicz said the agency worked with the Joint Commission “to ensure these changes would have no impact on VA’s accreditation”.

At its annual convention in Chicago this week, the American Medical Association’s 733-member policymaking body passed a resolution reaffirming “its commitment to medical staff self-governance … and urges all healthcare institutions, including the US Department of Veterans Affairs, to ensure that any amendments to medical staff bylaws are subject to approval by medical staff in accordance with Joint Commission standards”.


If you watch THE 11TH HOUR WITH STEPHANIE RUHLE on MSNBC regularly you know that Leigh Ann Caldwell is now with PUCK.  Leigh Ann is often a panelist on Stephanie's show.  So for KPFA listeners, Aaron's now with THE GUARDIAN and Leigh Ann is now with PUCK. 

Senator Patty Murray's office issued the following on Chump's latest attack on veterans:

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), a senior member and former chair of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, released the following statement on new U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) hospital guidelines from the Trump administration explicitly eliminating language requiring healthcare professionals to care for veterans regardless of their politics and marital status, and allowing doctors and other medical staff to be barred from working at VA hospitals based on their marital status, political party affiliation or union activity:

“Health care isn’t just a special privilege Trump gets to dole out to veterans who agree with the President—it’s a moral obligation our country owes to every single man and woman who serves in uniform. Anyone who doesn’t understand that has no business leading our armed forces in any way.

“It’s outrageous that President Trump and Secretary Collins are effectively green-lighting discrimination against wide swaths of our veteran population and the doctors who serve them. Under Trump’s new rules, veterans can be blocked from getting care, and doctors can be barred from working at VA hospitals for the sole reason that they may be unmarried, belong to a union, are registered Democrats, or identify as gay or trans—it’s appalling and un-American. Servicemembers defend our country in uniform whether they’re Democrat or Republican, married or unmarried, they have already proven they are worthy of VA care.  They shouldn’t have to fight again when they’re home to get benefits they have earned.

“President Trump is going out of his way to discriminate against veterans and ripping up the sacred contract we make with our veterans that we will take care of them when they come home, and that they are entitled to the best health care our nation has to offer. This is bigotry, plain and simple, and it cannot be allowed to stand—and I sincerely hope my Republican colleagues would agree.

“It’s disgusting that this policy was ever allowed to go into effect, and I will not let it fly under the radar. This policy must be rescinded immediately—this administration is not immune to public pressure and now is the time for everyone to speak out.” 

Senator Murray was the first woman to join the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee and the first woman to chair the Committee—as the daughter of a World War II veteran, supporting veterans and their families has always been an important priority for her. Senator Murray has been a leading voice in the Senate speaking out forcefully against President Trump and Elon Musk’s mass firing of VA employees and VA researchers across the country and Elon Musk and DOGE’s infiltration of the VA, including accessing veterans’ sensitive personal information.

Last week at a hearing on veterans’ mental health, Senator Murray pressed administration officials on the importance of transparency and communication with Congress and how the Trump administration’s mass firings might undermine care for veterans who have dealt with sexual trauma. In February, Murray grilled Trump’s then-nominee for VA Deputy Secretary, Dr. Paul Lawrence, on the mass firings of VA employees and VA researchers. After pressing Doug Collins on EHR and protecting women’s access to VA health care, including lifesaving abortion care, at his nomination hearing, Senator Murray voted against Doug Collins’s nomination to be VA Secretary in early February, sounding the alarm over Elon Musk and DOGE’s activities at the VA and making clear that the Trump administration’s lawlessness is putting our national security and our veterans at risk.

Recently, Senator Murray released a report on how Trump’s mass firings at VA are already hurting veterans’ services and health care in Washington state and across the country. Senator Murray and her colleagues have demanded that VA swiftly reverse moves to cut VA researchers, and have sent multiple letters pressing Secretary Collins to sever Elon Musk and DOGE’s access to any VA or other government system with information about veterans, and protect veterans, their families, and VA staff from unprecedented access to sensitive information.

Last month, Senator Murray grilled Secretary Collins on how the Trump administration’s mass firing of VA employes is hurting veterans’ ability to get the health care they need—from jeopardizing VA research, to creating new risks around the deployment of the Electronic Health Record (EHR) system to additional VA Medical Centers, which the Trump administration is insisting on moving ahead with despite persistent and unresolved issues at the sites where it is currently deployed. Murray also pressed Secretary Collins on new policies the Trump administration recently rolled out that severely limit Congressional engagement with veterans and VA for no legitimate reason.

###



Chump's destroyed the economy and it's only getting worse.  B Wellington (STYLE ON MAIN) reports:

You’ve probably heard whispers that tourism is “down a bit” in America this year, but the reality is far more dramatic than most are willing to admit. While industry leaders cautiously mention “temporary adjustments” and “market corrections,” the numbers tell a harsher truth: the United States is losing international visitors at an unprecedented rate. 

According to the World Travel & Tourism Council, America is the only major destination among 184 global economies projected to see a decline in international tourism revenue in 2025, with a $12.5 billion shortfall already expected.

As the world turns away from the U.S., it’s not just vacations being canceled. The very idea of America as a welcoming destination is slipping, and the consequences are adding up fast.
Canada’s quiet boycott of American travel has turned into a full-blown economic rupture. Between February and March 2025, Canadian visits to the U.S. fell 23% by land and 4% by air. Flights? Down by as much as 76%. The reasons go beyond politics or tariffs. 

A growing number of Canadians now view the U.S. not as a friendly backyard escape, but as unwelcoming territory. Travel agencies report U.S. bookings are down 40%, with that $20.5 billion in spending heading to Europe, Mexico, or closer to home. A once-effortless relationship between two nations has chilled, and the emotional distance may prove harder to fix than any policy dispute.

European travelers are backing away too, and fast. March 2025 saw visits from Western Europe drop 17%, with Germany, Spain, and Ireland leading the retreat. These are Visa Waiver Program countries, but the real issue isn’t bureaucracy, it’s perception. Stories of tourists being detained, professors canceling trips, and travelers denied entry over political views have flooded European media. 

Official travel warnings from countries like Germany and the UK have only added weight. For many Europeans, America now feels risky, unpredictable, and unwelcome. When lifelong dream vacations are being scrapped over conscience, the U.S. isn’t just losing tourism. It’s losing hearts and minds.
Khaby Lame’s detention at a Las Vegas airport was more than a celebrity mishap, it was a global turning point. With 160 million TikTok followers, his forced removal lit up social media and stoked fears worldwide. The alleged tip from a pro-Trump influencer made it even more volatile. 

Platforms turned one moment into a viral storm, and soon every visa denial, every airport horror story was gaining traction. Algorithms fed the fear, and perception became reality. If a mega-celebrity isn’t safe in America, what about everyday travelers? Social media didn’t just echo the problem,it magnified it into a worldwide warning.


People don't want to grasp how important tourism is to the US economy.  Take Florida.  In 2024, it was responsible for over 2 million jobs and, in 2023, brought in $127,700,000,000 to the Florida economy -- that's 127 billion dollars.  But Chump has destroyed the tourist industry.  People don't want to come to a country where they might be arrested and sent off to El Salvador or Guantanamo.  People don't want to come to a country run by a hate monger.  



And our economy's being harmed as a result.  Jen Rose Smith (CNN) explains:       

             

Like maple syrup and lakeside lounging, an annual influx of Canadians tourists has long been a part of life for the border-hugging New York region known as “North Country.”

“I don’t ever remember a summer where I wasn’t at the beach, hearing the French language and seeing Quebec license plates,” said Kristy Kennedy, who grew up in the area.

But Kennedy, now vice president of marketing and business development for the North Country Chamber of Commerce, has seen (and heard) far fewer Canadian visitors in recent months, as travel has dipped amid international tensions.     

Reservations are down at hotels and campgrounds, she said; local marinas, which depend on Canadian boaters, have watched bookings slow.

“There’s definitely a decline,” she said. For the rural area, such losses could mean economic pain. “Our leisure travel market is about 70% Canadians — it’s a very large part of what we do.”

Business is down 30% this spring, said Paul Dame, owner of Bluff Point Golf Resort in Plattsburg, New York, in a recent interview with CBC, and pinned the “disheartening” decline on the political situation.     


That's just New York.   

This is the year the US hosts the World Cup.  It's not a time to scare people from traveling to this country.  But that is what Chump is doing.  Suzanne Rowan Kelleher (FORBES) notes:

FIFA’s projections that World Cup 2026 will drive $30.5 billion in economic output in the U.S., according to an analysis from FIFA and OpenEconomics (OE), is predicated on the assumption the U.S. will see an “influx of visitors” from foreign countries to fill stadiums and hotels. Philadelphia projects the six matches it hosts next summer will draw 500,000 visitors who will fill more than 100,000 hotel rooms and drive $305 million in direct tourism spending and $770 million in total economic impact, Meg Kane, chief executive of Philadelphia’s World Cup organizing committee, told Forbes. Kansas City is also hosting six matches—four group stage matches, a round of 32, and then a quarter final, “which is really important from both a tourism standpoint and a global visibility standpoint,” Pam Kramer, chief executive officer of KC2026, the nonprofit organization leading the city’s World Cup planning, told Forbes. Kramer said Kansas City is expecting to draw 650,000 visitors over the course of the tournament and an estimated $653 million in direct event impact. The other nine U.S.-based World Cup host cities are: Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York/New Jersey, San Francisco Bay Area and Seattle.


Jade Wilson (SKIFT) observes, "The tourism industry argues that international visitors are crucial to the U.S. economy, typically spending more per trip than domestic travelers. Before the pandemic, international visitors contributed roughly $240 billion a year to the U.S. economy."

Donald Chump is destroying the US economy. 

Let's talk polls.  Khaleda Rahman (NEWSWEEK) notes:

The number of Republicans who "strongly" approve of President Donald Trump has declined in recent months, according to a new poll.

Republicans were 5 percentage points less likely to say that they strongly approve of the president compared to April, according to the latest poll from NBC News Decision Desk and SurveyMonkey.


There's a lot of talk about polling and mainly from people who honestly shouldn't be writing about polling.  If you haven't taken a research & methodology course, for example, you shouldn't write about polling -- especially not political polling.   Rahman, for example, misses the point.  As a general rule, when you lose a section of your supporters, you have lost them.  They are not coming back.  You can lose more -- and usually will -- but you do not gain.  Chump is a known quantity.  If he's losing support that is how the polling should trend over the next months and years.

Some presidents could do a temporary reversal.  How?  Declaring a war.  But that really won't work for Chump because he's billed himself as the anti-war candidate.  He's already having spit fights with Mother Tucker Carlson over that issue and he will lose even more if he actually sends the US to war.  


There is a YOU GOV-CBS NEWS poll that's been reduced in headlines to say that the majority of Americans approve of Chump's deportations:


Views of the Trump administration's deportation program headed into this weekend with positive net approval from Americans, including continued strong backing from the Republican base — but also heavily shaped by contrasting views about which people, and how many, are being targeted for deportation.

A slight majority feel the administration's deportation efforts are prioritizing people they believe are dangerous criminals. Those who say this are very supportive of the program, and feel the program is making people in the U.S. safer. 

But if people don't think it is dangerous criminals who are the focus of the deportation effort, support drops dramatically. 

The survey was completed just prior to Saturday's protests and events in Los Angeles.

In terms of how many people the administration is trying to deport, more is not necessarily better in the public mind. 


I'd argue that's not what it says and would do so as someone who (a) holds degrees in poli sci and (b) grasps polls and what they actually mean.  I would further point out that in our 21 year history here, when we're talking about polling on issues, I've called it ahead of the so-called experts starting with when the country turned on the Iraq War. 

The margin of error renders the two sides very close in the YOU GOV-CBS NEWS poll.  

Most important with regards to this issue there is the messaging.  



Barack Obama Tweeted the following yesterday:



Thirteen years ago, my administration acted to protect young people who were American in every single way but one: on paper. 

DACA was an example of how we can be a nation of immigrants and a nation of laws. And it’s an example worth remembering today, when families with similar backgrounds who just want to live, work, and support their communities, are being demonized and treated as enemies. 

We can fix our broken immigration system while still recognizing our common humanity and treating each other with dignity and respect. In fact, it’s the only way we ever will.


Joe Biden has health issues to deal with.  The Democratic Party has a large number of useless people in office.  There is no Barack in office championing immigrants.  Barack may start leading on this and it would be great if he did.  But, in 2025, Democrats have been cowardly as a collective group on the issue of immigration.   Yes, there is Senator Alex Padilla and Senator Patty Murray to name two.  There is US House Rep Dan Goldman.  But as a group they don't want to touch immigration because some have labeled it a "losing issue."  It is not a losing issue. Not if you fight on it.  And, by the way, that's what the poll actually finds.  

With no real national leadership on this issue, it's not polling poorly.  But if this was a real national dialogue, it would be polling much better.  And the thing there is?  It's becoming a national issue because of the people.  We The People are seeing the reality of what's going on and we are speaking out and we'll continue to do so.  This is not a static issue and anyone with a poli sci background would grasp that.  At US NEWS & WORLD REPORTS, Oliver Knox writes:



It’s one thing to send someone who murdered an American to El Salvador, which the U.S. is paying to lock up hundreds of immigrants in a prison notorious for alleged human rights abuses.
It’s quite another to ambush a teacher’s aide and try to force her to self-deport.

Or to go after elementary schoolchildren. (The Department of Homeland Security says its agents were conducting a wellness check. The local school superintendent says the agents lied about having been given permission to speak to the kids by the parents.)

Or to detain a U.S. citizen who is nine months pregnant, allegedly because she obstructed the detention of her husband, who did not have the proper immigration documents.

Or send heavily armed agents to arrest a father with no criminal record who had been doing regular required check-ins with Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Or send what The Wall Street Journal called “a phalanx of military vehicles” to arrest someone not for violating immigration law but for posting “fliers alerting neighbors to the presence of ICE agents.” (One local news version of this is here.)

Or detain a man in the final stages of obtaining his permanent legal resident status.



Members of Congress, like news outlets, are stuck responding to so much and still can't do everything.  No one can.  But if Barack or someone else would come out as the designated heavy hitter on this issue, it would help tremendously.  And we shouldn't forget the DNC.

We've had to endure weeks of whiny Hogglette.  Now that he's finally shut up we've got whiner Randi Weingarten  taking up oxygen.  FOX "NEWS" couldn't shut up about her  yesterday and how she'd just left the DNC and how Ken Martin, DNC chair, is out of step and --

Shut up, Randi, just shut up.

Ken Martin is from Minnesota and he was the chair of that state's Democratic Party before, at the start of this year, becoming head of the DNC.  

I'm not understanding how Randi thinks she's helping anyone.  Ken's not only dealing with the DNC issues, he's also got a personal stake in the tragic shootings on Saturday.  He knew the people who got shot.  I really don't know how a selfish fat ass like Randi thinks she's helping as she grumbles  (and is then quoted as "unnamed sources" in media reports)?  I also don't know who she thought she was helping before this past week because I didn't hear her out there defending immigrants or any targeted population.

I don't like Randi and never have.  But I did defend her in December when MTG was carrying out her homophobic attacks on Randi.

And I'm sure she appreciated being defended by so many people but it's equally true that she herself defends no one.  (That includes the Palestinian people.)  So let's stop acting like she had anything of value to give and let's just tell her to shut her fat lip because we don't need to hear her.


And that's honestly my attitude to anyone who's working to divide the party.

You want to criticize the party?  Do so.  I just did.  I called them out on their collective silence when it comes to immigrants.  And someone will step forward. I believe that.  But right now, nope and I called them out.

I am not, however, trashing them and offering some ridiculous statement such as, "And this is why we must vote Green!"  To save our country, we must vote Democrat in the mid-terms.  That's reality and if you can't grasp that, your name just might be Rashida Tlaib.  But the rest of us do grasp reality. 

And realize how important this moment is.

I also realize, again, that the violence on Saturday has hit Ken Martin hard and I question anyone who knows him that choose this moment in time to stab him in the back.

 Let's wind down with this from Senator Elizabeth Warren's office:

Warren calls on Republicans to join Democrats in demanding investigation into the incident

“If this is how federal agents treat a United States senator who peacefully asks questions of this administration, then we all have to ask: how far will they go? How violent will they get?” 

Video of Floor Speech (YouTube)

Washington, D.C. — Following the violent assault on U.S. Senator Alex Padilla, U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) spoke out on the Senate Floor.

“This is a horrifying moment in our nation’s history,” said Senator Warren. 

During Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem’s press conference, Senator Padilla identified himself, saying, “I am Senator Padilla. I have questions for the Secretary.” In response, he was shoved to the ground and eventually pinned down and handcuffed. 

Senator Warren called out ICE’s recent excessive use of force and aggressive detention tactics, saying “what happened to Senator Padilla, today, is happening every day all across this country, every day. DHS agents are throwing people to the ground and violently handcuffing them while they are not resisting, detaining them for exercising their First Amendment rights of free speech.” 

“Every day Donald Trump is making this nation look more and more like a fascist state,” Senator Warren continued. 

Senator Warren called for Republicans to join Democrats in demanding a bipartisan investigation into the incident. 

Transcript: Floor Speech on Assault on Senator Alex Padilla
U.S. Senate Floor
June 12, 2025

As Delivered

Senator Elizabeth Warren: This a horrifying moment in our nation's history. Today, United States Senator Alex Padilla was violently removed from a public briefing for asking questions on behalf of the people he represents. People in California who deserve answers about the brutal crackdown on protesters. 

I've watched the video, as many of you have as well. Let me just describe what it shows. 

Officers pushed Senator Padilla backwards out of the room as he said the words, “I am Senator Padilla. I have questions for the Secretary.” He was then shoved to the ground. When the Senator complied with the officers and went on his knees, he was forcibly pinned onto his stomach. He was ordered to put his hands behind his back. He can be heard on the video saying he is trying to comply with their orders. Officers then put handcuffs on the senator while he was lying on the ground. His staff was then told to stop recording the handcuffing. 

He was put in handcuffs for asking a simple question. 

He was put in handcuffs for doing his job as a United States Senator. 

He was put in handcuffs for standing up for the Constitution of the United States. 

He was put in handcuffs for representing the people of California. 

Now, if you're not yet convinced that President Trump and his administration are trying to suppress free speech, then just watch the video. Watch the video. 

If you are not yet convinced that President Trump and his administration are trying to undermine the foundations of our democracy. Watch the video. 

If you are not yet convinced that President Trump and his administration are hell bent on punishing people with differing opinions than those of the President, then watch the video. 

And here is the really chilling part. 

Make no mistake, what happened to Senator Padilla, today, is happening every day all across this country, every day. 

DHS agents are throwing people to the ground and violently handcuffing them while they are not resisting, detaining them for exercising their First Amendment rights of free speech. 

Every day Donald Trump is making this nation look more and more like a fascist state. 

If this is how federal agents treat a United States senator who peacefully asks questions of this administration, then we all have to ask: How far will they go? How violent will they get? 

I know my Republican colleagues can see what happened today was wrong. But will any Republican senator speak up for our democracy? 

They know Senator Padilla's character. 

They know that Senator Padilla is a kind man. A man who is concerned for his children. A man who is concerned for his home. A man who has dedicated his life to public service. A man who is a patriot. 

Where are our Republican colleagues? 

Where is the Republican Senate? 

Where are you? Stand up and speak out. 

This is a continuation of what we've been seeing, intimidate every other check on presidential power in this country. 

Fire the civil service. 

Get rid of those people. 

Threaten to imprison judges. 

Criminally charge House members who try to visit an ICE facility. 

Arrest senators who ask questions. 

This is not a drill. This is an assault on our democracy. 

I am calling on my Republican colleagues to join us in demanding a bipartisan investigation into this incident. 

What happened at this press conference was disgraceful. It was un-American. And every member of the United States Senate should condemn it and condemn it now. 

Mr. President, I yield the floor. 

###



The following sites updated:




Posted by at

Tuesday, June 17, 2025

Senator Mike Lee belongs in prison

Molly Sprayregan (LGBTQ NATION) reports on the Minnesota tragedy from the weekend:


On Sunday night, police arrested 57-year-old anti-LGBTQ+ evangelical Christian Vance Boelter for killing Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman (D) and her husband, Mark, and for allegedly shooting state Sen. John Hoffman (D) and his wife on Saturday morning.

[. . .]

Boelter’s arrest followed an intense manhunt. Police arrested him in the woods of Sibley County using surveillance drones and infrared technology to detect him, CNN reported. They found at least three AK-47 assault rifles, a 9-millimeter handgun in the suspect’s vehicle, along with a suspected hit list of 70 individuals, including Democratic lawmakers and supporters of reproductive choice and other liberal causes, The Washington Post reported.

Hortman’s final post on Facebook recognized Pride Month and said, “Republicans spent all session trying to erase LGBTQ+ equality laws. Democrats stopped them.” 

The post is of particular significance since Boelter recently delivered an anti-LGBTQ+ sermon in Africa, where he said, “There’s people, especially in America, they don’t know what sex they are — they don’t know their sexual orientation, they’re confused. The enemy has gotten so far into their mind and their soul.” He then proclaimed that God and the Bible can remove such “sin.”

Lee also has an anti-LGBTQ+ track record, with a score of nine out of 100 on the Human Rights Campaign’s Congressional Scorecard for LGBTQ+ support. In 2018, he fought the confirmation of Chai Feldblum, a gay woman, to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) because he claimed she wanted to “use the might of government to stamp out traditional marriage supporters.”

In a statement at the time, Lee said that Feldblum had “radical views on marriage“ because she signed a document in 2006 calling for the government to protect non-marital relationships like caregivers, domestic partners, and close friends and siblings who live together. Few states recognized marriage equality in 2006.

“Don’t think for a second that you, your family, and your neighbors will be left alone if Feldblum gets her way,” Lee wrote, saying that Feldblum will side with LGBTQ+ people even if someone who discriminates claims that they were motivated by their religion.


Senator Mike Lee and the killer are one and the same.  You can't draw a line between them.  Hate merchent Lee preached hate and violence towards LGBTQ+ people and did so in an environment where unbalanced people like Boelter pick up on the cues and act on them.


The senator is as responsible as the killer for Saturday's shootings.  

If you doubt it, grasp that when he could have shown leadership and called for peace and understanding, he instead doubled down and served up more hated.  He belongs in prison besides the killer. 



"The Snapshot" (THE COMMON ILLS):

Monday, June 16, 2025.  The fright wing shoots politicians, shoots and aims cars at protesters and nver forgt who has egged the mon from the start: Sourpuss whose birthday celebration bombed.



A little nobody in Utah wants to be somebody on the national stage and just knew a lie was the way to garner applause.  Isabel van Brugen (NEWSWEEK) reports:


Senator Mike Lee, a Utah Republican, is facing widespread backlash following posts about the targeted shooting of two Democratic lawmakers and their spouses in Minnesota.

The suspect, 57-year-old Vance Boelter, was arrested late Sunday following a nearly two-day statewide search. The Saturday morning shootings left State Representative Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, dead, and wounded State Senator John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette.

"This is what happens...When Marxists don't get their way," Lee posted on X (formerly Twitter), sharing a photo of Boelter wearing what appears to be a latex face mask.


Mike Lee is a liar.  On Saturday, a Chump supporter went beyond the constant talk of violence to go  on a shooting spree targeting Democratic Party officials in Minnesota.  Governor Tim Walz issued the following:

“Today Minnesota lost a great leader, and I lost a friend. A formidable public servant and a fixture of the state Capitol, Melissa Hortman woke up every day determined to make our state a better place. She served the people of Minnesota with grace, compassion, and tirelessness. Minnesota’s thoughts are with her loved ones, and my prayers are with Senator John Hoffman and his wife Yvette, who were shot and wounded and are being treated.

“We are not a country that settles our differences at gunpoint. We have demonstrated again and again in our state that it is possible to peacefully disagree, that our state is strengthened by civil public debate. We must stand united against all forms of violence – and I call on everyone to join me in that commitment.

“To the responding officers, thank you for your bravery and your swift action. A state Bureau of Criminal Apprehension investigation is underway, and we will spare no resource in bringing those responsible to justice. We will not let fear win.”


The shooter, identified as Vance Boelter, shot dead Democratic politician Melissa Hortman and Mark Hortman her husband and  Vance Boelter also shot Democratic state Senator John Hoffman and his wife Yvette on Saturday who appear to hopefully have survived.  Following the arrest of the shooter, Governor Walz issued another statement which included:

“As a country we cannot become numb to this violence. We are a deeply divided nation. That has become even more clear over the last two days. The way we move forward and solve the problems facing our nation is not through hate. It is not through violence. It is through humility, and grace, and civility.

“To Melissa and Mark’s family: I cannot fathom your pain, your grief. Let us take solace in their memory, in Melissa’s legacy of selfless, pragmatic, gentle public service. The state of Minnesota grieves with you.

“To John and Yvette: we’re excited to see you at the Capitol, and the bravery you and your daughter Hope showed saved countless lives and will not be forgotten.

“To our law enforcement officers: thank you for your courage, your service, and your professionalism. You have saved lives.

“As we heal, we will not let fear win. We must now move forward in Melissa’s honor with understanding, service, and above all, a sense of one other’s humanity.”


As Utah trash Mike Lee made clear, he's too busy lying to help anyone heal.  The shooter is MAGA.  And this MAGA member was egged on by the violent statements of Chump and others.  Trina covered this Saturday night and noted the report from Religious News Service:

Boelter identified himself on LinkedIn and other websites as the CEO and president of two security services companies, Praetorian Guard Security Services and Red Lion Group, the latter based in Congo, in western Africa. On his LinkedIn page, which shows that he worked as a general manager at 7-11 in Minneapolis until 2021, he lists himself as open to work.

But in a video dated February 2023, Boelter is seen preaching at La Borne Matadi, an evangelical church in Matadi, near the southern border in Congo. In one sermon he tells the audience that “people don’t know what sex they are” because the devil “has gotten so far into their mind and their soul.”

In another sermon at the church, one of three he gave from 2021 to 2023, according to Wired, Boelter said, “They don’t know abortion is wrong, many churches,” he told the audience. “They don’t have the gifts flowing. God gives the body gifts. To keep balance. Because when the body starts moving in the wrong direction, when they’re one, and accepting the gifts, God will raise an apostle or prophet to correct their course.


He was a hate merchant spewing hate and people like Chump and Vance and the entire administration has been spewing and sewing this hate.  They're responsible and they need to be held accountable for their statements.  To try to avoid that happening, Mike Lee shows up to lie and distract.  

Nut jobs abound and they love to lie and distract.   Josh Marcus (INDEPENDENT) reports on the crazy liars:


It didn’t take long for the conjecture to begin after the fatal shootings of state Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark, as well as the non-fatal shootings of state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, hit the headlines.

In regards to Hortman, right-wing conspiracy theorist Mike Cernovich wondered aloud on X, “Did [Minnesota Governor] Tim Walz have her executed to send a message?”

Fellow fabulist Alex Jones, meanwhile, used a Saturday broadcast to make a variety of unfounded implications, including that Hortman was killed because she was considering switching parties and joining Republicans, and that suspect Boelter was a “high-level” Walz appointee and “No Kings” protest organizer.

Jones capped off the a misinformation session by reading from a social media post from a seemingly random, pseudonymous account that called the shooting a “professional hit.”

 Such claims reached thousands of people, even as they defied common sense and all evidence that eventually became available about the shootings.


It's never about what actually happened with these losers.  It's about them trying to put into some sort of propaganda model that pushes their lies and justifies their ugly behavior.  

They're liars, idiots and damn fools.  Don't try to spare their egos.  We've given these nut jobs far too many participation trophies for the nonsense they've added to the public discourse.  Reality and facts are beyond their comprehension so they need to go back to dealing with nothing more important than Saturday morning cartoons.


Instead of advancing hatred and lies, Utah's Mike Lee might try observing the death of 39 year old Arthur Folasa Ah Loo who was shot dead in Salt Lake City on Saturday.  You can check his Twitter feed, you can check is press releases, you will find that while Mike Lee made time to spread lies about Minnesota, he never once took a moment to note his own constituent Arthur Folasa Ah Loo who was shot dead Saturday.  That tells you everything you need to know about Mike Lee's priorities.

The nation made clear their priorities on Saturday.  You could attend Chump's Oh-come-let-us-adore-me military birthday celebration in DC or you could gather around the country at one of the many No Kings protests.

A few thousands showed up for Chump's birthday.  Dementia Donald saw about 10,000 people show up for his parade and b-day celebration.  "This was probably the most humiliating day in Donald Trump's whole life," Ben Meidas observes in the video below.


 

The elderly man, even with his dementia getting worse, was able to grasp that the country turned their back on him and he was left looking like he was about to break out in tears.  



No Kings was so popular that it's now said to be the largest single day protest in the United States ever.  James Powel (USA TODAY) notes:


The American Civil Liberties Union, a part of the coalition that put on the demonstrations, said in a late Saturday, June 14 statement that more than five million people participated in over 2,100 rallies and protests.

Political organizing group Move On, who was a partner in the "No Kings" rallies, echoed the 5 million person estimate in a fundraising email.


Will Neal (DAILY BEAST) also notes the four to six million turnout for the No Kings protests across the country.  It was hugely successful.  

 

A day where America turned out.  Marc Levy, Claudia Lauer and Jim Vertuno (AP) report, "Masses of demonstrators packed into streets, parks and plazas across the U.S. on Saturday to protest President Donald Trump, marching through downtowns and small towns, blaring anti-authoritarian chants mixed with support for protecting democracy and immigrant rights."  And Pride.  Ben Thorp and Jill Sheridan (Indianapolis' WFYI) note:


  Thousands of people took to the streets of Indianapolis Saturday as protests and pride collided.  The annual Indy Pride celebration and the ‘No Kings’ protest were held back to back and people showed up.

Attendees with signs, costumes, and megaphones at both events chanted “This is what democracy looks like”.

Indy Pride is celebrating 30 years in Indianapolis. The city was also one of roughly 2,000 across the country to mark ‘No Kings Day’ day with protests planned in response to the Trump administration’s military parade in Washington, D.C. 

But Indiana 50501 Organizer Scott Johnson said the movement is bigger than that. “This is a generalized protest that is around the idea that what is going on in America today is wrong,” he said.

Johnson, who started by marching in Indy Pride before heading to the statehouse, said the combination of both was important. 

"Pride is celebrating this particular avenue of American rights," he said. "50501 is about all the rest of it."


PBS' THE NEWSHOUR reported on the millions turning out today across the nation.



AP offers a photo essay here and NPR has a photo essay here.


They turned out in Nashville. Cynthia Abrams (WPLN) explains, "Thousands gathered at Bicentennial Mall before dispersing to Jefferson Street and Rosa Parks Boulevard, holding signs and chanting call-and-response phrases like 'What do we want? Democracy! When do we want it? Now!'" Sara Streigel tells Abrams, "I came out today because I am just terrified for our country.  Seeing the way that ICE is being used to oppress our immigrants and the way that it’s not safe to be a person of color. As a brown woman and a child of immigrants, it’s terrifying to think that the rule of law is no longer in place."


That's Tennessee.   Idaho was present.  Clark Corbin (IDAHO CAPITAL SUN) notes:


Waving American flags and carrying homemade signs, thousands of people took part in a “No Kings Day” protest Saturday afternoon at the Idaho State Capitol in Boise. 

The crowd covered the Capitol steps, filled the section of Jefferson Street in front of the building and stretched deep and wide throughout nearby Cecil D. Andrus Park as people chanted “No more kings” and “Love, not hate, makes Idaho great.”

Tammie Baker was one of thousands who attended the protest. She carried a homemade sign that read “I prefer my ICE crushed” and said her concern over the Trump administration’s policies motivated her to attend her first political protest since the 1970s.

“There is only one reason,” Baker said. “ Enough is enough of everything. This is out of control.”

 

Texas showed up.   Berenice Garcia, Carlos Nogueras Ramos and Ayden Runnels (TEXAS TRIBUNE) report of McAllen:


Hundreds of people lined up near this border city’s federal courthouse Saturday, waving American flags and holding signs criticizing President Donald Trump and Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

It was a loud scene as anti-Trump chants were often drowned out by drivers honking to show support for the protesters’ cause. Protests, marches and rallies are happening across Texas and the country Saturday in condemnation of the Trump administration’s policies, including its aggressive immigration enforcement, and what many participants consider to be authoritarian actions.

Angeline Garza, a 36-year-old elementary school teacher from Mission, said the protest was a way for her to advocate for the undocumented children and the kids of undocumented parents.

“Now more than ever, [deportations] are affecting a lot of people and they are seeing what the Trump administration wanted to do from the beginning, that it was not just about deporting criminals,” she said.


Michelle Choi (KHOU) reports from Houston:

Thousands of people packed downtown Houston Saturday as part of nationwide ‘"No Kings" protests.

Houston City Hall transformed into a sea of signs and chants.  From immigration fears to cuts in federal aid and Medicare and SNAP, protesters rallied against policies they say are hurting working families.

The chants echoed through downtown Houston as a massive, peaceful show of resistance.

Organizers say 26,000 people filled the steps and streets around City Hall.

“So my sign says ‘El pueblo unido jamás será vencido’” said protestor Jacob Torres. “It means if we’re all united, we won’t get defeated.”

Torres came to speak for someone who couldn’t.

“Most of my family is undocumented, especially my mom, and that’s who I’m here for,” he said. “People who can’t stand up for themselves.”


KXAN reports from  Austin:



Kate Lincoln-Goldfinch, CEO of immigration law firm Lincoln-Goldfinch Law, gave the crowd an update on deportations in Texas.

“State troopers are pulling over immigrants and colluding with ICE to disappear people from their families,” the attorney said. “They want to drive immigrants further underground.”

The children of one of her clients joined her at the podium.

“Their father was taken in a surprise attack,” she said. “They will spend tomorrow (Father’s Day) missing him.”

A chant of “F— ICE” rose from the crowd in response.

Nichole, one of the children, spoke next. She gave a message to the crowd and another message in Spanish, directed to her father.

Melody Tremallo, transgender woman and HOCTX lead organizer, spoke. She referred to herself as “a canary in a coal mine” who is “actively dying.”

“When they came after immigrants and trans kids, there was hardly any push back,” she said. “Fascism withers when we stand up together. We should have stopped them when they were at their weakest, before they could eat the least among us.”

She asked if the crowd would stand up for transgender rights. The crowd cheered back “Yes!”

Tremallo estimated the crowd at 20,000 in her speech.

Austin Mayor Pro Tem Vanessa Fuentes spoke. Austin Council Members Jose “Chito” Vela & José Velásquez were with her as she gave her remarks. She noted that the three of them represent the Austin City Council’s Latino caucus.

“This response is the most patriotic thing we can do,” Fuentes said. “In America, we don’t believe in dictators, we don’t believe in authoritarianism.”

After Fuentes, Vela and Velásquez both spoke.

A UT Austin student spoke, followed by a veteran involved with grassroots group Common Defense.

“Marines are being used as political tools while our leaders cut funding for Veterans’ Affairs,” the veteran said. A veteran and Native American spoke next.


They turned out in Dallas.




Kelly O'Brien (WMUR) notes Concord, New Hampshire:

Organizers estimated there were between 5,000 and 8,000 in Concord for the peaceful protest.

"I'm hoping that they understand throughout the nation. None of us want this, but none of us wants the chaos," said Elly Henderson. 

For hours, up and down Main Street in Concord and on the state house lawn, signs were up in the air, flags were waved and chants echoed in the air, "enough is enough."

People said they are against mass deportations, against attacks on civil rights and don't want to see the military being used against its own people. 


In San Francisco?



We were out at Civic Center Plaza by City Hall in the afternoon while earlier we were on the beach. Sam Mauhay-Moore (SAN FRANCISCO GATE) reports:


Hundreds of people gathered at Ocean Beach in San Francisco on Saturday morning to protest the Trump administration by forming a massive human banner. 

The banner read, “NO KING!” in reference to the “No Kings” protests taking place on Saturday across the country. The protests coincide with both President Donald Trump’s birthday and his approximately $45 million military parade taking place in Washington, D.C. The parade has been billed as part of a 250th birthday celebration for the Army, though it also fulfills a desire Trump has had since his first term to parade American military might through city streets.

 

In Los Angeles, Lily Dallow and Vivian Chow (KTLA) report:

A day of peaceful protests in downtown Los Angeles took a turn late Saturday afternoon when law enforcement began ordering the thousands of demonstrators to disperse from the area surrounding the L.A. Federal Building complex.

Officers deployed flashbangs and tear gas, and Sky5 captured the moment officers on foot and horseback moved into the large crowd. The L.A. Police Department reported that some protesters were “becoming increasingly unruly” and that people were throwing rocks, bricks, bottles, and other objects.

The dispersal order covered Alameda Street between Aliso and Temple, and Los Angeles Street between Aliso and Temple. Additionally, the LAPD stated that all on- and off-ramps of the 101 Freeway would remain closed between Alameda Street and the 110 Freeway. 


NBC Los Angeles' Tracey Leong and Karla Rendon report on Long Beach:


As thousands of demonstrators descended upon Long Beach on Saturday to denounce President Donald Trump’s policies as part of a nationwide movement dubbed the “No Kings” protests, a local family is left reeling after being directly impacted by the president’s administration.

Loved ones of Rosario Gonzalez, 50, say they’re heartbroken after the family patriarch was detained by immigration officers during a raid outside a Home Depot in Whittier. Going against his family’s wishes, Gonzalez went to the Home Depot in search of work since he is the main provider for his family. He was one of several individuals who were detained during the raid.

“I just want to say I love him, and I hope he comes back,” Yamilet Gonzalez, Rosario’s 18-year-old daughter, said. “I know he will, and that we are all waiting for him to be here.”

A tearful Yamilet said if she could, she would reassure her father of the family’s resilience and wellbeing as they navigate through his absence.

“I would tell him I am fine, and that I know once he’ll come back, I will tell him about how my day went and about how my graduation was,” the man’s daughter said. “And I’ll tell him I took a lot of videos so he could feel like he was there, even though he couldn’t be.”


Georgia turned out:


    • Protests labeled "No Kings" rallies are taking place across metro Atlanta as part of a national day of action against the Trump administration.
    • Other Georgia cities participating include Tucker, McDonough, Fayetteville, Athens, Valdosta, and Woodstock, with events organized by Indivisible, 50501 Movement, and Stand Up America.
    • Most rallies were peaceful around the metro, according to FOX 5 crews, but police used tear gas to break up one protest in Doraville. 8 people were arrested there after an "unlawful assembly" was declared by police.


 Ross Williams (GEORGIA RECORDER) adds:


Minutes after Atlanta’s “No Kings” protest began Saturday outside the state Capitol, organizers announced that the venue’s 5,000-person capacity had been reached.

[, , ,]

“It fills my heart. I’m so glad that people are here,” said Adam Zarett, an IT professional from Atlanta. “I’m glad to see so many people here standing up for our constitutional rights, making our voices heard. Like John Lewis, good trouble.”

Zarett said he wasn’t much for protests until recently.

“I didn’t even care about politics before Trump came into office the first time, and it stung then, and it is so much worse now,” he said. “It has just ignited a fire inside me that says you can’t just sit behind a keyboard and complain on Facebook all day. That just doesn’t do much. Sometimes it feels good, but it doesn’t do much.”

Now, Zarett says he’ll be back.

“I absolutely will. As many protests as there are, as many gatherings as there are, the people need to be heard,” he said.


Alaska?  Elizabeth Harball, Zaz Hollander, Lizzy Hahn (ANCHORAGE DAILY NEWS) report:


Thousands of demonstrators jammed sidewalks Saturday in downtown Anchorage, chanting and waving signs in protest of President Donald Trump.

The “No Kings” protest was one of many taking place across the U.S. on Saturday, coalescing around frustration and anger with the Trump administration. The demonstrations were planned the same day as the president’s military parade in Washington, D.C., to mark the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army. June 14 is also Trump’s birthday.

Peaceful protests — and counterprotests — were held in a number of other Alaska communities Saturday, including Homer, Sitka, Seward, Fairbanks, Nome and Palmer.


What about Maryland?  Tori Yorgey (WBALTV) answers that question:

Thousands of Marylanders joined protesters across the country on Saturday, taking part in "No Kings Day."

Demonstrators converged across Maryland, from the Patterson Park Observatory in Baltimore, to Annapolis, Columbia, Catonsville, Bel Air and more, all in opposition to President Donald Trump's administration.

"We're here specifically today to deliver a message to our congressman, Andy Harris, that we tolerate no Kings in this country," said DeLane Lewis, who is president of Together We Will, a Harford County organization that led the protest in Bel Air. "This country does not tolerate kings, our individual voice matters, and that's why we are here today, because every voice here matters."

The No Kings Protest in Patterson Park saw nearly 5,000 people, according to organizers. 


Amy-Xiaoshi DePaola and Celine Stevens (KGW8) cover Oregon and Washington:


Across the U.S., including in the Portland metro area, thousands crowded to peacefully protest President Donald Trump's administration in a nationwide "No Kings" movement Saturday. "No Kings" organizers said millions participated in hundreds of events. 

What appeared to be the largest Portland area demonstration at Tom McCall Waterfront Park highlighted recent detainments of asylum seekers and undocumented immigrants; women's and LGBTQ+ rights; the Ukraine-Russia War; Palestine; and Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security cuts as key issues. 

Many who attended the Portland and Vancouver rallies spoke out against the administration's treatment of immigrants. Carmen Solorio, who moved from Los Angeles to Oregon, referenced the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids and protests happening back in Southern California, with Trump deploying the National Guard and U.S. Marines in response.

"It just hurt so much to see my hometown community going through that struggle, and that’s why I knew I had to be here today," Solorio told KGW at the Portland rally. 

Pam Maldonado, who was visiting her kids from Florida and decided to join the Vancouver rally, had similar reasons. 

“I know somebody personally who has been picked up and is about to be deported there; he’s in a jail in a correction facility now in Arizona and probably will be shipped out pretty soon," Maldonado said. "It’s just the cruelty, the inhumanity... I mean, this is not who we are. I am afraid it is who we’re becoming, but this is not the United States I know.”


Iowa?  KCII notes:


On Saturday, thousands of Iowans across several communities joined in on the nationwide "No Kings" protests.

Organizers of the "No Kings" demonstrations, in opposition of President Donald Trump, said millions had marched in hundreds of events nationwide. Governors across the U.S. had urged calm and vowed no tolerance for violence, while some mobilized the National Guard ahead of marchers gathering. Confrontations were isolated.

[. . .]

Thousands of protestors gathered on the steps of the Iowa State Capitol in downtown Des Moines. The crowd chanted and gave speeches to express their dissatisfaction with the Trump administration. Some people tell KCCI they specifically came out for those who could not.

"We're here supporting our families that can't be here; that don't have a voice," said Grace, a protester. "Mainly for my mother because I am a proud daughter of immigrant parents. That's why I'm here today." 



Peaceful protests apparently anger MAGA trash which is why one hate merchant attempted to run over and kill in Virginia. 



THE USA TODAY's Jonathan Limehouse reports:


Authorities in Virginia arrested a 21-year-old man they said intentionally drove an SUV through the crowd at the town's "No Kings" day event.

Culpeper police officers arrested Joseph R. Checklick Jr., of Culpeper, on June 14, at the conclusion of the demonstration. Participants were leaving the area and crossing through a business's parking lot when an SUV drove "recklessly through the crowd of pedestrians," the department said in a news release.

Culpeper Police charged Checklick with reckless driving, according to the release. He appeared before a magistrate and was ordered to be held without bond at the Culpeper County Jail.


Click here to read FOX NEWS 5 DC's  Elissa Salamy's report on Checklick Jr.'s assault on protesters.  


Sunday in Los Angeles, a woman has been hospitalized after being run over while she was protesting -- at this point, no one knows if it was intentional or an accident.  But we know Checklick Jr. ran his car into people intentionally. 


No one wants to point out that Florida's governor was talking on TV about running over protesters mere days ago.  Ron DeSantis was saying it was okay.  Friday, NBC Miami noted:


Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said on a podcast this week that drivers in Florida who encounter protesters and feel threatened have a right to hit them with their cars.

“If you are driving on one of those streets and a mob comes and surrounds your vehicle and threatens you, you have a right to flee for your safety, and so if you drive off and you hit one of these people, that’s their fault for impinging on you," DeSantis said on an episode of the Rubin Report podcast that aired on Wednesday night.


These statements got a lot of attention   Charles Rabin (MIAMI HERALD) wrote Friday:


Gov. Ron DeSantis said that drivers will not be at fault if they hit protesters that block roadways in a clip that took social media by storm. Interviewed on a Reuben Report podcast episode released Wednesday, he said “you have a right to defend yourself in Florida.”

[. . .]

As for Jones’ concern about drivers being able to legally mow down protesters, that’s not the case, said Alana Greer, director of the Community Justice Project. What the Legislature did was enable a driver who hits someone during a riot to basically claim Stand Your Ground in a civil lawsuit only.


People need to start being held accountable when they promote violence.  That would include Chump and MAGA's inflammatory rhetoric that led a Chump supporter in Minnesota to go on a shooting spree. 


But I had to laugh darkly Saturday evening as I saw many conservatives on social media, prominent and not, try to locate an aha! moment in the fact that Vance Boelter, the Minnesota suspect, was appointed to a state advisory board by two Democratic governors. Please. He was targeting abortion providers. His neighbor said he was a Trump voter.

As for violence at the No Kings marches—there was a little. But the most notable instance was the man driving his car into a group of anti-Trump protesters in Culpeper, Virginia. Gee, I seem to remember another man in Virginia who drove his car into a phalanx of protesters, killing one of them. Which side was he on again?

“The left,” very broadly defined, engages in some acts of violence. Sure. But America’s culture of violence is driven by the right. And here’s the important point. This broadly defined “left” includes people and groups that despise the Democratic Party as much as or even more than they do Republicans. Antifa activists weren’t racing to the polls to vote for Kamala Harris, I assure you. Whereas on the right, the extremists worship Trump. He is their avenger. No Democratic presidential candidate would welcome the support of violent extremist groups (not that they would even offer it). Trump has. Repeatedly. They were at the U.S. Capitol for him on January 6, 2021, ready to administer a little street justice to his vice president in his name and in order to keep him in office illegally.



Kat's "Kat's Korner: Garbage shines, Joe Jonas deepens" went up Sunday.  The following sites updated:





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