Posse Incitatus

Let's Check the Scorecard

It's been a crazy few days with the execution of a retired Wisconsin judge and the arrest of a California man outside of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh's home who had threatened to kill the justice.

Meanwhile, Ryan Kelley, the frontrunner in the Michigan Republican gubernatorial primary, was arrested by the FBI Thursday and charged with committing violent acts in the Jan. 6 Capitol riot. And later on Thursday, the Jan. 6 committee conducted the first installment of its dog-and-pony show on national television, squeezing every possible drop out of it to demonize Donald Trump and his 75 million supporters.

Where to begin...

First of all, let's be clear: Just like Bernie Sanders, Hillary, and Joe Biden, Donald Trump also has some deranged supporters. One of them is an odd duck named Douglas Uhde, the Wisconsin man who on June 3 killed retired Circuit Court Judge Roemer in New Lisbon, Wisconsin. (Roemer had sentenced Uhde to prison several years ago.) Uhde shot himself in the head and died several days later in a hospital. He reportedly had a list of other public figures he intended to kill, including Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell.

Uhde had posted lots of MAGA memes and messages in support of Trump on his Facebook page, but he was an ex-con, a troubled loner who had crossed the law on many occasions. In the warped minds of the media and Democrat Party, Uhde is representative of most Trump supporters. But again, these are the folks who say when a leftist like James Hodgkinson shoots Republicans on a baseball diamond, or when a Muslim terrorist blows himself up and kills others, it's due to mental illness and we should not paint with a broad brush. But if it's a conservative Republican, he's representative of all conservatives.

In Chevy Chase, Maryland, Nicholas Roske, 26, of Simi Valley, California, showed up on Kavanaugh's street a few days ago and called emergency authorities, saying he was having suicidal thoughts and had a firearm in his suitcase. He admitted he had intended to kill Kavanaugh, and is being charged with attempted murder. He had in his possession a Glock handgun and knife, along with tactical gear, pepper spray and zip ties.

Lest we forget, Sen. Majority Leader Chuck Schumer stood on the steps of the Supreme Court in March 2020 and threatened Justices Kavanaugh and Neil Gorsuch. SCOTUS had heard oral arguments about the constitutionality of a Louisiana law regulating abortion clinics.

Schumer ranted: "I want to tell you, Gorsuch, I want to tell you, Kavanaugh, you have released the whirlwind and you will pay the price! You won’t know what hit you if you go forward with these awful decisions!"

The high horse Democrats and their media stooges refused (and still refuse) to denounce Schumer's incendiary rhetoric. President Biden has not spoken out against the left-wing activist organization that publicly posted the home addresses of several conservative justices, or the pro-abortion rabble-rousers marching in front of the justices' homes (in clear violation of federal law). Nor has Biden issued a statement about the California nut job arrested outside Kavanaugh's home.

The Jan. 6 committee is sensationalizing an ugly incident in our nation's history -- trying to demonize half the population by the irresponsible actions of a few hundred people. I have said before, and I still maintain, that those who engaged in violence at the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, and those who damaged government property, should be dealt with harshly. But I firmly believe that the vast majority of the Jan. 6 Capitol protesters were guilty of committing misdemeanors.

Yet many of them have languished in jail for 18 months without even knowing what they will be charged with or when they will have their day in court. This is a flagrant violation of the constitution, but we have two systems of justice in this country, and Trump supporters often get the short end of the stick.

Contrast this with the summer of 2020, when Black Lives Matter and Antifa burned buildings to the ground, attacked federal buildings, assaulted police officers and Trump supporters, and in some cases committed murder. There has not been much accountability, and there certainly won't be nationally televised kangaroo courts to convict the perpetrators.

When the Nancy Pelosi Democrats put together their panel, they refused the Republicans' appointees -- bulldogs Jim Jordan and Jim Banks -- and instead chose the RINO hacks Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger.

Oh, and let's not forget that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi had access to intelligence information that unrest was likely to occur on Jan. 6, but declined to request beefed up security. Could it be that she wanted the mayhem of Jan. 6 to occur, simply to further her party's agenda? Also, the committee and Department of Justice refuse to release thousands of hours of video, ostensibly because it will compromise investigations and prosecutions that are underway. Reality check: Much of it would fly in the face of the Democrat narrative. The authoritarian left is in love with censorship when it aids their cause.

Our corrupt and contemptible Department of Justice and FBI bend over backwards to demonize parents who speak out against left-wing propaganda at school board meetings, and to cast Second Amendment supporters as terrorists, but look the other way when it comes to left-wing terrorists who burn down cities, assault police officers and tweet vile threats on social media.

This is where we are in June 2022. Stay vigilant, because our liberty is fragile, and those who would love to crush us proliferate like cockroaches. 

Blockbuster Movie Lives Up to Expectations

On Tuesday I went to the theater and watched "Top Gun: Maverick," and found it to be as awesome as I had hoped for. A great movie, like an excellent concert, can lift your spirits and keep you firm in the knowledge your time and money were well-spent.

The special effects were incredible; one's appreciation for military technology and the sacrifices of those who serve is bolstered by this film. Indeed, the G-forces of flying a fighter jet at thousands of mph take a ravaging toll on the human body. 

There were many stellar character portrayals, led by, of course, Tom Cruise as Capt. Pete "Maverick" Mitchell. Miles Teller was also impressive as Lt. Bradley "Rooster" Bradshaw, the son of Maverick's deceased friend Nick "Goose" Bradshaw, who died during flight training several decades earlier.

Two other actors who may be overshadowed come awards time are John Hamm (of "Madmen" fame), who played the stern, no-nonsense Vice Admiral Beau "Cyclone" Simpson and Bashir Salahuddin, who played Warrant Officer Bernie Coleman, a respected, steady hand who kept the young pilots in line.

Maverick's memories and occasional insecurities take the form of flashbacks, featuring black-and-white still shots of him and other characters from the original "Top Gun." His relationship with Rooster is fraught because he still feels some guilt for the death of his former wingman Goose even though an investigation cleared him of any wrongdoing. Painful memories and a lack of confidence in a new and unfamiliar situation are certainly emotions most of us can relate to.

I did not serve in the military, but I am well aware of the severe penalties for those who engage in insubordination. Maverick already had a reputation for bending, if not breaking, the rules while he was in flight school (hence his nickname), and this made Adm. Simpson leery of appointing him to a teaching position. Yes, Maverick had disobeyed orders on more than one occasion, but he also boasted impressive results to justify his headstrong ways.

As an instructor, Maverick continued to push the envelope on defying authority and, as one would expect in a Hollywood movie, it paid off (SPOILER ALERT!) with Maverick becoming a hero after leading a successful mission with no casualties.

In real life, there have been examples of enlisted service people disobeying orders, yet their subsequent actions resulted in positive results. Perhaps the most famous involved Maj. Gen. Daniel Sickles at Gettysburg in 1863. Union Gen. George Meade had ordered Sickles to move his men to Little Round Top, but instead Sickles moved them to Peach Orchard. Confederate Gen. James Longstreet attacked Peach Orchard, but after doing so, Union forces were able to flank the Rebels in a counteroffensive, routing them, winning Gettysburg for the Union and ending Gen. Robert E. Lee's invasion of the north.

Something to keep in mind: Troops take an oath to "support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic..." I would imagine that court martial judges may exercise a certain amount of discretion, but I digress. "Top Gun: Maverick" never delved into details of what, if any military discipline Maverick received during his career.

As I mentioned the other day, I believe this movie is just what the doctor ordered to boost the spirits of discouraged, demoralized Americans. I certainly hope it does boost morale, because Lord knows we need it. Badly.

On an unrelated note, I didn't know until recently that two Michigan natives and alumni of my alma mater, Michigan State University, wrote the screenplay for the original Top Gun. Professor Jim Cash and a student, Jack Epps Jr., teamed up to write the script, which was based on a magazine article titled "Top Guns" and published several years earlier in California magazine.

I know that Hollywood's legions of secular progressives aren't crazy about Cruise because of his membership in the Church of Scientology. It's also possible they resent him for starring in patriotic movies. So we shall see what kind of recognition he and this movie receive from the nihilists in La La Land.

QUICK BITES - A year ago, I chastised the Biden administration for not acknowledging D-Day -- not even with a simple tweet. I believe it was another "spit in your face" action taken against everyday Americans. This year, Biden sent out a tweet acknowledging the sacrifices of D-Day veterans at 8:45 p.m. Monday. Better late than never, but I suspect he wasn't planning on sending out anything at all until fierce pressure on the White House brought about a face-saving change of heart. (That is, perhaps they realized there's been enough bad publicity already; why invite more?)

On another note, Michigan's egregious Sen. Debbie Stabenow did her best Marie Antoinette during a recent Senate Finance Committee meeting. She boasted how she had driven her electric vehicle to Washington, D.C., from Michigan and breezed past many a gas station with outrageously high prices and "it didn't matter how high it was." Elitist. Tone deaf. Arrogant. Just downright sickening. This type of garbage is why voters will clean house in a few months (I only wish the clown Stabenow would be one of the cretins to be given the heave-ho.). Keep it up, Democrats. The more you run your mouths, the more of you we'll jettison.

Digital Vs. Print -- Thoughts on the Daily M.O.

The other day I enjoyed a lighthearted exchange of text messages with my siblings about the dark ages of technology and how vastly things have improved.

In no particular order, we covered my parents' black-and-white TV sans remote control; a wall-mounted telephone with rotary dial shared by my parents and all the children; and a rooftop antenna (remember those ubiquitous monstrosities?), followed by rabbit ears occasionally adorned with aluminum foil. We didn't even get into typewriters, turntables or the early computers we used in high school or college (i.e.,, the "dumb terminal" without a hard drive that was connected to a mainframe programmed by computer punch cards and featuring reels of magnetic tape spinning around).

Incredible that there was a time when we had to get up off the couch, walk to the TV and manually turn a dial to change channels. I texted (off the top of my head) that I thought the TV remote control had been around since the late 1960s but they were uncommon and somewhat expensive at the time. I may have been right about cost -- the technology had not evolved into today's high-tech, mass produced models. However, I was way off on the timeline. It seems they've been around since the mid-1950s, and the earliest versions actually had a wire connecting the unit to the TV.

If this had been an in-person conversation, I probably would have delved into personal preferences for reading, record keeping and bill paying. I did not, but will elaborate in this forum.

In some ways, I've been quick to embrace technology, but in other respects, I've been a bit stubborn with my old tried-and-true ways. It's been a little over 20 years since I began paying utility bills online, learned to use eBay and discovered the existence of PayPal. Back about 2001, I conducted numerous sales and purchases over eBay, but haven't used it much in recent years due to the excessive fees of this platform, PayPal and other e-commerce services.

I remember telling a friend about the convenience of paying the gas/electric bill to Consumers Energy just with a few clicks of the mouse. No more writing a paper check, sealing/stamping an envelope and dropping it in the mailbox. He seemed leery of the financial information getting out on the Internet. I explained that PayPal was legitimate, and reminded him that our data is encrypted. In retrospect, he was probably wise to be skeptical, as cyber-theft and ID theft have since become rampant.

Computer experts devise all sorts of anti-malware, anti-virus and encryption regimens. Their opponents, aka "black hats" put their equally formidable brainpower to work on cracking the security protocols so as to enrich themselves and others. But I digress. Back to the day-to-day M.O....

On the rare occasion that I get to have a conversation with a younger millennial or member of Generation Z, I like to ask: When you read books, do you prefer e-readers like Kindle, or would you rather read a printed, hard copy? I get mixed results. My son and his wife, in their late 20s, both prefer printed books.

When it comes to music, I think I can safely say that the vast majority of young people would much rather work with MP4 music file on their smartphones and automobile stereos than deal with CDs or, at home, vinyl and turntables. Even I agree with them on that. But unless you grew up in the vinyl era, you may not realize what you're missing with those classic old albums -- posters, stickers, lyrics, lots of cool photos both on the album and coming separately inside the record sleeve.

Buying and owning an album was a comprehensive experience that went way beyond just the music. It was a part of the culture. Many a 1970s kid had a Pink Floyd "Dark Side of the Moon" pyramids poster on his bedroom wall, or perhaps "Frampton Comes Alive," or something from Kiss or Led Zeppelin proudly displayed for all to see.

When I started this commentary, I was thinking mainly about my own record keeping and reading habits, but quickly realized this topic is much broader. I still receive a printed copy of the Wall Street Journal delivered to my home, and also can access the paper digitally.

It costs a pretty penny, but the paper is loaded with excellent editorials, opinion columns and in-depth news articles. Its reporting puts to shame most other newspapers' efforts, and the WSJ keeps me informed of new trends and technology. Its book and movie reviews are also top-notch, and even its sports coverage ain't too shabby. Some people like spending discretionary income on a new boat, fancy vacations, or expensive home decor. I choose to shell out some shekels on a quality newspaper, because I love to read, learn and be informed. I regard it as money well-spent.

As for other things, I only occasionally listen to CDs, still read printed magazines and books, and still keep a paper list of errand reminders / appointments / phone numbers / needed groceries in my pocket. Reading stuff online can strain my eyes and give me a headache. I'd rather see it on paper. (It's also better to have dead trees on the beach or in a park rather than a tablet or smartphone, IMO.)

I've limited the number of apps on my phone because I believe they can clutter up your life. My social media presence is pretty much non-existent (Streamline your life!), although I did dabble in Facebook up until 2013 and Twitter up until about 18 months ago.

When it comes to financial statements and other paperwork, I still prefer to have manila folders of printed versions. Digital files in cyber folders are too often "out of sight and out of mind" the way I process things. Something about my noggin desires a tangible copy in my hand.

I'm sure the scientists would have something to say about generational differences in the way our brains process information, and how that affects the neuro pathways and synapses inside the gray matter. That's a topic for another day. For now, I'm content to be a fence straddler, cautiously edging into the future.

A Shot in the Arm For Demoralized Americans

It has been 36 years since Tom Cruise starred in the original "Top Gun," a blockbuster film that highlighted the young Cruise when he was at the height of his sex appeal and superstardom.

In general, making a sequel movie several decades later sounds like a bad idea. But when the original was a huge success, and the sequel features a star-studded cast, prospects are improved.

"Top Gun: Maverick" smashed box office records for a Memorial Day weekend debut, grossing over $160 million. Other than Cruise, there are only a few others from the original who appear in the sequel: Val Kilmer, as Lt. Tom Kazansky, Miles Teller (Bradley Bradshaw), and Meg Ryan (Carole).

Whereas in the original Cruise played student Maverick Mitchell, a daredevil Navy pilot enrolled in an elite fighter school, the sequel has him training other fighter pilots for a mission against an unidentified enemy.

I thoroughly enjoyed the original "Top Gun," and have not yet seen the sequel, but intend to. From reading reviews, everything was top-notch: The plot, script, acting, camera work, special effects and other elements come together for an action-packed, dramatic presentation that also includes doses of humor, poignancy, and pain.

There's no doubt in my mind that viewers are feeling patriotic and taking pride in our military -- its power, technological prowess and capabilities, but most of all, the people who serve their nation with distinction, honor and dedication.

Millions of Americans are fed up with the left's efforts to tear down our nation, to denigrate its greatness and demonize it for past mistakes. We're sick and tired of the woke culture, kowtowing to perverted pied pipers in our school systems, and enduring double standards in accountability, whether it applies to smash-and-grab thugs in Chicago, Wall Street shysters or nasty swamp creatures in the Beltway cesspool.

The laws often only apply to the "little people" -- I think the late Leona Helmsley was excoriated for saying something like that -- but those with the right connections, fat wallets and a free pass due to being part of some precious grievance group can commit crimes and lie under oath with impunity.

This movie helps us step back and remember what a marvelous country the United States is, and that ours is a nation with millions of moral, magnanimous and virtuous people who sincerely try to do the right thing -- including serving their country in the armed forces. 

There's definitely something special about this production. Normally, Hollywood kisses the asses of the Chinese totalitarians, the communists who torture, murder and oppress 24/7. The obsequious behavior is simply because that's what Hollywood must do to rake in the mega-bucks of Chinese audiences.

Hollywood is just like the NBA, NFL, many corporations, and untold other shameless virtue-signalers. They'll wag their finger at average Joe Americans in flyover country about the cause du jour. Oh, but when it comes to consistency in their concern for the downtrodden and oppressed, or making sacrifices on behalf of the climate, these go out the window. Especially if it means millions of dollars flowing into the coffers of La La Land.

China was none-too-pleased with this movie's pro-American message, and attempted to force the producers to remove Taiwanese and Japanese flags from Maverick's bomber jacket. Believe it or not, the producers balked at that idea. As a result, one Chinese investor backed out of the production.

I read one review from a guy who was bitterly disappointed that the synth-heavy love song, "Take My Breath Away" by Los Angeles band Berlin was not a part of the sequel. It was an awesome tune -- in it original context. But sometimes trying to recreate the past just by repeating certain elements simply doesn't work. Kind of like being middle-aged, getting together with childhood friends and trying to revive the fun and innocence of childhood by playing tag or "Capture the flag" in the old neighborhood. It would be a ridiculous exercise in futility.

A movie sequel or reunion (e.g., rock band, extended family, graduating class) needs to be in its natural state in the present. No one can remove or deny what really happened all those years ago, and there's nothing wrong with reveling in old memories, but let's acknowledge and celebrate today.

I have long preached about the importance of maintaining an attitude of gratitude. We have much for which to be thankful. But the news has been so overwhelmingly negative for so long, I'm one of many who feel beaten down. We need inspiration, excitement, expectations and hope. I think this movie might deliver a little pick-me-up, and can't wait to check it out.

Biden Catastrophe Careens Onward

Tonight, in the wake of two terrible mass shootings occurring over the past few weeks, Sleepy Joe Biden is delivering a typical left-wing speech on gun control. You couldn't pay me to watch it, because it will be the same old crap, full of disingenuous virtue signaling and piss-poor ideas.

His speech is all about politics and firing up Democrat campaign contributors. Substance-wise, it will be the same tired tripe Democrats have repeated ad nauseam: The naive belief that throwing more roadblocks into gun purchases and ownership will reduce violent crime and school shootings. If you ever need solid facts to eviscerate liberals who spout gun control nonsense, John Lott is your man.

Wall Street Journal columnist Daniel Henninger today wrote a cogent piece on how the urge to "DO SOMETHING" often results in what he called a "morass of laws, follow-on laws, rules, administrative procedures, court decisions and revisions of revisions that have produced both unresponsive sludge and, increasingly, disasters." 

This hodge-podge of unintended consequences branches out like a fast-growing honeysuckle tree cluttering up your back yard. He cites many examples of bad consequences resulting from naive good intentions, including the out-of-control uber bureaucratic EPA (yes, air and water pollution was severe before the EPA was created, but the agency has had a stifling effect on business and industry, and regularly tramples on private property rights). 

Other examples include defund the police (how's that working out?), laws that hamstring law enforcement with strict rules of engagement (a green light for criminals) and de-institutionalizing of mentally ill people (see homeless encampments in any big city).

Sleepy Joe's bromides are dead on arrival, and he'll be as effective in reducing crime as he has been in helping ensure new mothers can purchase baby formula.

Even liberal reporters have been grilling the not-ready-for-prime-time press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre about the timeline regarding the shutdown of Abbott Laboratories' Sturgis, Michigan baby formula plant and actions the administration recently took to boost formula supplies.

The plant was temporarily shuttered by the FDA in FEBRUARY because of alleged contamination of formula. Biden recently said he found out in APRIL that there could be supply shortages. Stunning incompetence and lack of communication/coordination among the administration bureaucrats.

Yet it wasn't until late MAY that Biden evoked the Defense Production Act and began using the military to fly in formula from other countries. Appalling and unacceptable. This fiasco is far more serious than the inflation problem, which in itself is causing a lot of pain to millions of Americans.

Last summer, the administration engaged in a shabby, shameful and haphazard withdrawal from Afghanistan that cost the lives of 13 service members, left Americans and Afghan allies behind enemy lines, and left behind $100 billion of weapons, equipment and ammunition for the Islamofascists to carry out their cruelty. Few of us dreamed the administration could continue to suck so badly. Alas, we were wrong.

There is literally no bottom for this reprehensible regime's criminal incompetence and stupidity. I truly fear for our future. 

Score One More For the Swamp

Just as I suspected, a hyper-partisan liberal jury acquitted Hillary Clinton attorney Michael Sussmann of lying to the FBI in the shenanigans leading up to the Russian collusion hoax that swamped the Trump administration for years.

This despite overwhelming evidence that Sussmann misled the FBI when he provided the agency with now debunked data linking Trump Tower to Russia's Alfa Bank. When Sussmann set up a meeting with FBI counsel James Baker, he texted Baker that "I'm coming on my own - not on behalf of a client or company." Sussmann lied again in person when he met with Baker in order to get the agency to open an investigation.

But this is D.C., where 92 percent of those voting for president chose Biden. Several jurors acknowledged their animus for Trump and /or that they had contributed to the Hillary Clinton campaign. By comparison, when political consultant Roger Stone was convicted by a D.C. jury in 2019, let's recall that the judge allowed one person onto the jury despite the fact she clearly lied during jury selection. 

Those of us who appreciate how entrenched the swamp is, and how thoroughly the deep state creatures cover for each other, did not hold high hopes Durham would obtain a conviction here. But there are still other fish to fry. For instance, the indictment of Igor Denchenko, charged with five counts of making false statements to FBI officials about the sources of the information he helped compile for Christopher Steele's bogus dossier.

More indictments will follow, and it's possible there may be some convictions or plea bargains if defendants fear for their futures and decide to "sing like a canary" regarding the massive fraud foisted upon the American public by the Clinton campaign and deep state. It's possible (although I'm not getting my hopes up) that the sheer enormity of the lies, deception and duplicity will build momentum for accountability.

The Russian collusion hoax was apparently concocted by the Hillary campaign to divert attention away from her home server, compromised classified emails, 33,000 email deletions and destruction of government devices to wipe out data. The Comey FBI also wanted to give what in football or basketball is referred to as a "makeup call" (a referee's gift call to benefit one team to make up for a bad call that went against that team few minutes earlier) to the Hillary campaign. Comey felt guilty that he was being blamed for reopening the Hillary email probe just a few days before the 2016 election, and may well have cost her the election. So piling on against Trump was a way to demonstrate his supposed even-handed intentions.

It's tough to get accountability inside the D.C. cesspool when swamp creatures are in a massive incestuous relationship with each other, the garbage media and the Democrat Party. But at least Durham will help shed some light on the stinkin' rot, and maybe a few gullible and ignorant people will see the light. It's a start.

Remembering Our Fallen and Recognizing Freedom's Cost

Many serious problems confront our nation on this Memorial Day 2022, and some may wonder if we are living in the last days of the United States. Today, let's pause to remember those who gave the ultimate sacrifice to protect our freedom and help this nation survive for so many years. We're down, but as long as we have freedom and the will to make things better, we're definitely not out.

In the midst of all of our difficulties, let us never forget our tremendous resilience as a people; our strength, boundless opportunities, and vast potential. Let us remember that freedom is the vital component makes it all possible -- freedom to be entrepreneurial, to learn, invent, build, worship, express ourselves, collaborate and be productive -- in short, to live up to our God-given potential. 

Contingent upon recognizing freedom's crucial role is appreciating the high price paid for that freedom since our nation was founded 246 years ago.  Also, to realize that our freedom is, in the history of the world, something of a rare entity.  Totalitarian rule, oppression and aristocracies have been far  more commonplace through the ages. Indeed, the more one studies history and learns of the suffering and calamities that have been widespread for millennia, the greater will be that person's appreciation for how blessed we Americans are.

Hundreds of thousands of brave men and women in our armed forces have made the ultimate sacrifice so that you and I could remain free.  As I type and as you read, others are on duty now in godforsaken outposts across the globe. There are also many thousands of vets whose lives have been shattered by debilitating injuries and/or psychological trauma.  If you're a believer, keep please them in your prayers.

On this Memorial Day, let us at least take a few moments to contemplate the suffering and sacrifice so many have endured for our freedom, and resolve not to squander our hard-won liberty and opportunity.

More Unanswered Questions in Texas

Your humble correspondent has tested positive for COVID-19 -- the first time since the pandemic began in March 2020. Earlier this week, I noticed a low level sore throat and occasional dry cough, plus some sniffles and sneezes. I thought the high pollen count resulting from recent heavy rains had aggravated my sinuses.

A self-administered antigen test I took several days ago turned out negative, but this morning, suffering those symptoms plus body aches and chills, I decided to take another test, and it resulted in a positive reading. I also have a fever, and slept for several hours this afternoon. So there will be no church Sunday, nor will there be a visit with my son, daughter-in-law and new grandson. Fortunately, my wife makes excellent chicken soup and has been stepping up to tend to my needs. A good nurse is invaluable.

I'll need to keep this post short; just wanted to address some recent developments in the horrendous Robb Elementary School killings in Uvalde, Texas.

An investigation has revealed that it was over 40 minutes after officers arrived on the scene before police actually engaged the shooter. The head police officer for the school district, Pete Arredondo, believed the situation had changed into a hostage / barricaded gunman scenario, and ordered responding police not to confront him. Eventually, federal officers disobeyed Arredondo's order, got a janitor's key to unlock the classroom door and shot the perpetrator dead. No one knows for sure, but several of the seriously injured students may have survived had they received rapid medical attention. Instead, they bled out, a devastating conclusion.

During a Friday news conference, Steven McCraw, head of the Texas Department of Public Safety, called out Arredondo. “It was the wrong decision,” McCraw said.

We've also learned that, although the school doors are normally locked, a teacher had propped open the rear door just minutes before the shooter entered the building through that door. Why? I am just speculating, but I wonder if someone inside the building had to haul garbage out to the dumpster and didn't want the inconvenience of repeatedly unlocking the door to re-enter the building?

Many of us have illegally propped open a work or hotel door for our convenience or to help out someone else. But rest assured, we never pondered the thought of a crazed gunman walking in and slaughtering people. How would you like to have that on your conscience?

Another crucial question -- something I haven't heard the media address -- is how does a loser 18-year-old with little or no money afford two AR-15 semi-automatic rifles, which can cost over $1,000 apiece? Somebody needs to dig into this.

As a side note, the NRA is holding a convention in Houston this weekend, and rabid protesters have been raising a ruckus outside the convention center. Other anti- Second Amendment, anti-NRA demonstrations are scheduled from coast to coast.

I watched some of Donald Trump's keynote address to the convention Friday night, and it was excellent. He was measured and disciplined rather than bombastic, as he's been so often during his rallies. He definitely sounded the right tone, first by giving a tribute to the deceased and injured, and offering condolence to their families. Then he ran down the many flaws in our system that allow sick and crazed gunmen to engage in their unspeakable carnage, and reiterated the importance of law abiding citizens having the right to defend themselves and their families.. He touched on factors like missed red flags by those in contact with alienated, angry young males who post threatening messages on social media; the breakdown in the family structure; the toxic effects of troubled youth marinating in violent video games and on chat forums populated by similarly dysfunctional and troubled youth.

Many lawsuits will undoubtedly be filed, but governmental immunity laws in Texas may make it difficult for families of victims to be compensated for their devastating losses.

One last thought, and I'm going to sip some Thera-Flu and conk out on the couch: How thoroughly do police agencies, local and state governments include social media postings in their background checks? I honestly do not know the answer. But it sure wouldn't hurt. The Uvalde shooter had an appalling digital track record that should have shaken acquaintances, family members the the entire Uvalde school system to the core.

I will continue to pray for the victims and their families. There's not much else I can do while this catastrophe gets sorted out.

Ugly Uvalde Fallout; Chaos in Michigan

At the time I wrote Tuesday's blog. the total death count had not been tallied up in the horrendous Uvalde, Texas elementary school shooting. Turns out, it was 19 students and two teachers killed. The resulting media shit-storm and cheap political shots being launched by Democrats were entirely predictable.

Second guessing abounds, especially about the time it took for law enforcement agencies to enter the school and engage the shooter in a confrontation. I am not even going to publish the time estimates I've heard so far, because the information, anecdotes and eyewitness accounts are all over the map. It may take months to unravel. But one thing I do believe will stand out like a sore thumb is the severity of mental illness in our society (especially among the young) and how social media and alienation exacerbate its dangerous and tragic effects.

The shamelessness of Democrats will also be on full display. Sure as clockwork, progressive Democrats are already acting like two-year-olds. Current Texas gubernatorial candidate Robert Francis O'Rourke, (the failed 2018 Senate and  2020 presidential candidate), made an ass out of himself at a news conference Wednesday.

Gov. Greg Abbott and Uvalde officials were updating local residents about the tragedy when O'Rourke decided to step up front from his seat in the crowd and begin badgering the governor, blaming his policies for the bloodshed. "This is on you!" said the fraudulent grandstander, who was eventually ushered out of the building by security officials.

O'Rourke, a man of Irish descent who gave himself the nickname "Beto" to appeal to Hispanics, is as phony as they come. He knows he's way behind Abbott, and probably felt like he had to be machismo and go for broke to light a fire under his campaign.

His stunt is bound to be featured on O'Rourke campaign commercials, but I do believe it will backfire big-time. People are still grieving, and to crassly politicize this sad moment for personal gain is just plain gauche, something the Democrats are good at. 

Also on the classless front, Rep. Ruben Gallego of Arizona tweeted to Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas, "F*** your prayers!" Twitter, which the late Rush Limbaugh referred to as a "sewer," has certainly not failed to live down to its wretched "standards."

Unfortunately for the National Rifle Association, the organization's convention is scheduled for Friday through Sunday in Houston. Expect plenty of social justice warriors ranting out on the streets, and possibly even riots.

MICHIGAN FOLLIES -- Those of us who are fed up with Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and hoping a Republican can unseat her come November have been underwhelmed by the huge collection of so-so or even bad GOP candidates.

For many months, approximately 10 people have been running for the GOP nomination. As of Monday, five of them have been disqualified due to improper or fraudulent petition signatures. Among the disqualified, former Detroit Police Chief James Craig, who was the frontrunner. 

The State Board of Canvassers is preparing a recommendation for Attorney General Dana Nessel to prosecute the 36 petition circulators suspected of providing fraudulent signatures and charging money for them (petition seekers were paid $15 per hour, but multiplied times hundreds of people and hours, the money really adds up).

The AG also promises to prosecute the firm blamed for the fraudulent signatures, First Choice Consulting, and its owner, Shawn Wilmoth. Wilmouth already was convicted of election fraud a decade ago in Virginia. The Democrats have probably played an active role in multiplying the number of false signatures out there (it wouldn't be the first time), but getting to the bottom of this is going to be challenging -- especially with partisans in charge of the Michigan AG's Office and Secretary of State's office.

Meanwhile, the billionaire DeVos family has come out in support of heretofore long shot gubernatorial candidate Tudor Dixon. Dixon is a businesswoman, TV host and cancer survivor with no previous political experience. A staunch conservative, she is the married mother of four and quite well-spoken. We shall see where this leads; there's still a long way to go, and  some of the disqualified candidates may not go down without a fierce fight.

Another Horrible Shooting -- This One Involving Children

An 18-year-old male shot and killed 14 children and one teacher at a Texas elementary school today. All mass shootings are terrible, but those involving children are particularly heartbreaking. Our prayers and heartfelt sympathy go out to the families of those killed.

Police shot and killed the perpetrator, who was a student at nearby Uvalde High School, and the shooter is believed to have shot dead his grandmother prior to opening fire at the school. A domestic dispute may have preceded the school shooting, authorities have stated. The community is just southwest of San Antonio, near the Mexican border. The shooter has a Hispanic name, which I am sure is a major disappointment to our garbage media.

I started a post Monday, but didn't have time to finish it, regarding the ideological ramblings of recent mass murderers, including the 18-year-old Buffalo, N.Y. shooter a couple weeks ago. My premise was that the media invariably portray these shooters as right wing, white racists when often the screeds these sick people have written and posted online include elements of environmental fanaticism and other left-wing beliefs.

But clearly the more significant common thread among mass murderers is mental illness. Going back several decades, the "experts" have opposed institutionalizing mentally ill people in favor of halfway houses and/or a combination of counseling and psychotropic medications. How's that working out? Indeed, it can be accurately said that the explosion of homelessness in many cities (as well as the spike in crime that results) is a direct consequence of not institutionalizing mentally ill people.

There are literally millions of mentally unstable people walking around in our nation. The stresses of the pandemic and how it has warped our way of life have exacerbated an already serious situation. Many of these people may die of drug overdoses, commit suicide, or physically abuse a spouse or other family member. Many others will not be able to hold down a job or function normally in society. Alas, a few will take their rage and confusion out on innocent people.

Just as security at airports and on aircraft were hardened significantly after 9/11, maybe it's time to beef up school security and allow some teachers to carry concealed weapons. But the mental health aspect is perhaps more urgent. Better policies must be put in place to keep close tabs on the mentally ill -- especially those who have threatened others and/or threatened to commit suicide.

The Buffalo shooter had threatened classmates a year ago, and although he underwent a psychiatric examination, he was not institutionalized and still managed to purchase a gun in a state with supposedly strict gun control laws. We must not miss warning signs, and must emphasize the seriousness of making threats against others.

President Biden is scheduled to address the nation regarding today's shooting at 8:15 p.m. EST. I know what he will do: Reiterate his concocted narrative that the United States is teeming with violent white racists armed to the teeth, and awash in "assault weapons" (a vague term tossed about by ignorant reporters who don't know the difference between a machine gun and a semi-automatic rifle).

Biden will call for sweeping gun control legislation, and is bound to be divisive as he usually is. For this reason, as well as because of my utter distaste for the man, I will not watch his speech.

This is a sad, critical juncture in our country. I fear for the future, but will continue to pray as if my life depended on it.