More recent posts have been consolidated at Molovinsky On Allentown. Your readership is most welcome there.

Principles First Comes Up Short

The Principles First recent convention was far from standing room only. Supposedly even the reduced amount of chairs put out weren't filled. This group was started by Republicans who did not support Trump, or Never Trumpers, if you will. Does this mean that these people have seen the light and are again in the Trump fold? Not at all.

I think that Republicans opposed to Trump have only increased, but Trump and his minions are exhausting. Take the tariff ruling. Does Trump consider his illegal tariffs illegal, no way....He just will impose them under a different code, until that then is successfully challenged.

What his minions don't get is that he doesn't care about long term damage inflicted upon Republicans. Short of being impeached, he could care less about what happens to Republicans, including those sycophants in his administration.

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Trump's Constitutional Ignorance

When a giant portrait of a sitting president is unfurled over the Justice Department, our democracy has a problem. When a sitting president says "I'm ashamed of certain members of the (Supreme) court. Absolutely ashamed for not having the courage to do what's right for our country," our democracy has a problem. When a sitting president claims that the Supreme Court is “very unpatriotic and disloyal to our Constitution." we have a problem.

As Trump berated the Supreme Court, it became indisputably clear that he is unfit for the Presidency. He doesn't know and understand the difference between the branches of our government. The sycophants that surround him, many of whom are lawyers, have compromised themselves for their careers.

The only tool we have to defend our system of government is the ballot box. None of the Republicans running, even for special elections, have repudiated Trump.

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FCC Courting Women

The FCC is investigating whether The View violated the equal time doctrine with a segment featuring JamesTalarico, an anti-administration senate candidate from Texas. Their premise is that liberal politicians and liberal media are using entertainment shows to bypass long established equal time rules by conventional news sources. The Talarico controversy also recently surfaced on the Stephen Colbert show.

I question whether conventional news sources still exist. All the stations now-a-days seem to have a slant, one way or another. What is new is weaponizing these agencies, such as the FCC.

Not to reveal my sexism, but isn't there an old expression about a woman's scorn? Attacking The View before the midterms must have James Carville snickering. Talk about snickering, The Morning Call just gave Ryan Mackenzie promotion to announce that he doesn't know about any ICE detention centers planned for Lehigh Valley. Considering they're planning one next door in Berks County, why would they build one here? They're not McDonalds, not yet anyway.

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The Awakening Congress

Recently I posted that Senator John Fetterman is his own man. Brian Fitzpatrick, 1st District/Bucks County, also votes independently. He joined five other Republican Congressmen to vote against Trump's tariff policy on Canada. Trump has promised to primary them as punishment. 

Not needing to worry about a Trump sponsored primary is our own Ryan Mackenzie. Mackenzie is independent with his Facebook memes, but not so much on the floor of Congress. He's a good Republican Party puppy.

The bill against the Canadian tariffs will now go to the Senate. I'll be watching how Fetterman and McCormick vote, because Trump's aggression toward Canada has been nothing less than absurd.

Peace Bridge between Canada and United States

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Trump Not Entitled To Express Every Opinion

The other day a Republican steward explained about the Super Bowl that Trump is entitled to have an opinion. Karoline Leavitt would say that people elected Trump because of his frankness. The excuses are wearing thin. Could you imagine Trump calming a nation, as Roosevelt and Churchill did during WW2.

The bad news for the Republican Party is that their president isn't a Republican. If he cared about the party he would say much less, and not tweet at all. Already his Super Bowl rant will cost them the 7th Congressional District in Pa., and it's only year one for the coming damage. In a couple more years Republicans could be reduced to proverbial dog catchers.

The annual bi-partisan Governors meeting will not be at the White House...Trump only invited Republicans, and some of them wouldn't come in protest. There are Republicans all over this country serving their constituents well, they don't deserve the backlash coming their way. Hopefully they will start speaking out.

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Mackenzie Loses Election At Super Bowl

Ryan Mackenzie has already lost the election, there's not enough money to save his seat. He and the local Republican sycophants were too indoctrinated to calculate that Trump's Bad Bunny rant wouldn't play well in the 7th Congressional District. Hope they enjoyed the Kid Rock show, because it will end up being a very costly ticket. There's an old saying that if you're going to be dumb, you better be tough. Before the Super Bowl controversy, I already decided that anyone that partisan was too dumb for my vote.

Lately, I haven't been printing many comments. Mention TDS and I don't print it. Some unprinted ones claim that the local Puerto Ricans don't vote anyway. I don't know what their turnout is, but I do know that with Mackenzie winning 2024 with just 1%, he can't afford to leave any votes on the table.

I think from the Democratic viewpoint, with Mackenzie shooting himself, who wins the primary isn't as relevant as it was...they will still win. From my independent perspective, I'm supporting Ryan Crosswell. He's not as polished slick as some in Washington, but his sincerity and work ethic sold me.

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Trump Wins, Republicans Lose

This past weekend Trump managed to offend both Latinos and many Olympic watchers in just a couple of tweets. Just last November both he and the party bragged about making so much headway with minority voters. 

Here in Allentown we have taken to referring to a minority majority. We have a mayor who promoted his Latino background and makes sure to make all his proclamations in both English and Spanish. Trump in his bubble, it's certainly no ivory tower, thinks that the country is still MAGA.

Those Trump flags on the pickup trucks are getting tattered. While he is worried that a blue wave might result in an impeachment vote, he's not worried beyond his family's bottom line. Beyond the midterms, current young voters will see how little the 47th actually did for them, and how much for his family. The Republicans richly deserve the future that they are currently standing silent about. Nobody will ever accuse Trump of being a great uniter.

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Fetterman, A Non-Partisan Politician

So far Fetterman is shaping up to be an independent voice in the Senate, despite being a Democrat. He refuses to vote for a government shutdown, but speaks out against what he considers abuses by whomever.  

He wants to fund Homeland Security, including ICE, but has sent a protest letter to Kristi Noem about purchasing two warehouses in eastern Pennsylvania for detention centers.

Although he proclaims that he wants to reach across the isle and work with Dave McCormick, he might also want to remember that no good deed goes unpunished. The Democrats will resent whenever he votes against the party policy, and the Republicans will still resent him as a Democrat. However, there are independents, such as myself who appreciate his issue by issue deliberations, as opposed to party rubber stamping. At any rate, he has four more years to please and offend both partys and their voters.

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The Dumb And The Desperate

On Friday I posted about Trump's FBI trying to prove that he won the 2020 election. For what purpose? Only the dumbest would think that Trump is concerned with election integrity. The skeptical think that the real motivation is to discredit the upcoming midterms, where Republicans will likely be decimated.

The Trump coalition is composed of the dumb and the desperate. We know what the dumb look like. The desperate are partisan Republicans, who are setting themselves up to lose for the next decade. Nobody inclined to be a Democrat will make the same mistake they made in 2024. I believe that minorities will be back home with the Democrats. The Hispanics saw the prison in El Salvador, and the rush to build Alcatraz in the Everglades. The blacks saw the eagerness of the ICE Troopers.

The dumb is self-explanatory, but I'm surprised at the stubbornness of the Republican Party. Do they care that much about Trump, and do they think that he cares about them? I've been urging Republicans to stand up and speak out. So far that's a short list, containing no locally elected. While a Mackenzie could not earn back my vote, there is still time for them to assert themselves, but that time is waning. The consequences of Trump's arrogance and unqualified advisors are coming home to roost.

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ICE PRISON FOR WEST OF LEHIGH VALLEY

ICE has purchased a large warehouse west of  Lehigh County for use as a prison. The 500,000 sq. ft. prison purchased for $85million shows that we're getting our share of federal attention. I wonder if Ryan Mackenzie will be bragging about this with his messaging? 

Being in Berks, near the Amazon warehouse, sort of takes some of the shine off the recent Lilly announcement. Will Kristi Noem be coming to look over the new inmates? Who knew that our corner of Pennsytucky would be making the news twice in one week?

Between Allentown and Reading there is a large Hispanic population. I would suggest that our Spanish speaking residents carry their ID with them at all times.

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Moby Dick, McCormick and Mackenzie

With the FBI now searching voting machines in Georgia looking for those votes Trump claims were stolen from him in 2020, Kash Patel and the agency are acting like private police for the administration. Trump appointed him, but we voted for you guys.

Trump cannot appoint Mackenzie to a second term, but the voters can turn him out. As a senator McCormick has four more years, but the voters then will be reminded of his complacency now.

Trump and his obsession about the 2020 election being stolen makes Moby Dick look like a passing thought. It is one thing for him to be obsessed, but it is another for him to exploit the federal government. It is only Congress that can rein him in.

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The Crassness Of The Trump Deal

Decades ago the book about Trump, The Art Of The Deal, helped propel him into the national spotlight. People now refer to his presidency as transactional, referring to his deals on national and foreign policy.

I for one, along with many others, am finding that style of governance distasteful. I'm also souring on the peripheral characters who float in and out of Trump's orbit. We learned this weekend that Elon Musk is back. With SpaceX going public, and NASA'S ARTEMIS 2 not a SpaceX project, Elon wants to insure his position at Cape Canaveral. He will be dispensing $millions to the likes of Ryan Mackenzie to keep Trump's favor. While the Palestinians in Gaza are living in tents this winter, Jared Kushner is showing upscale skyscraper sketches for its waterfront...how's that for a disconnect from the harsh realities there!

This blog started about two decades ago to fight against the corruption in a mayoral administration. Although I feel the same revulsion against the current administration in Washington, I'm encouraged about Trump's shift in attitude in Minneapolis. I'm hoping it is more than just reacting to a newscast.

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Who Told Trump To Apologize To The British?

Last week was bigly bad for Donald. He would have been much better off skipping Davos. His Greenland threats went flat, and his Peace Club was reduced to foreign aid recipients. Worse for his battered ego, he had to apologize to Britain for his remark about their NATO troops. 

The reason of course he had such a bad week was that he has no advisors, at least on his cabinet. But the apology does indicate that he does listen to someone, because I cannot imagine that he realized that an apology was necessary on his own. If it is Stephen Miller or Steve Witkoff, or someone else, my staff has not determined. There does however seem to be some definite advice toward moderation. Tom Homan is replacing Gregory Bovino in Minneapolis, suggesting Trump knows that ICE has gone too far.

We do know that a victim of Trumpism is our homegrown Ryan Mackenzie. His press release yesterday on the ICE shooting was better thought out than his one last week praising Trump. On this recent shooting he struck a conciliatory tone, although staying to the right. There was no mention that Kristi Noem defending the shooting, and other immediate knee-jerk reactions from the administration.

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The Toll Of Trump's Arrogance

For Trump's second term, he wasn't going to put up with any pesky advisors. No expertise need apply. He assembled a cast of sycophants, yes men and women, whose requirements were no deeper than their appearance.

Last week Trump put the last nail in our coffin with Europe. He undid alliances going back to the First World War. Europe knew Trump was deficient  before last week, but then Britain actually wanted an apology about NATO losses in Afghanistan. Trump apologized to the British, but not to other NATO members. Our next president is going to have a job on his hands just restoring trust with our former allies.

Most consequential to American health is Kennedy, whose anti-vaccine ignorance is reviving dormant diseases. Most consequential to American defense is Hegseth, who has turned our Navy into pirates. Most consequential to our democracy are Noem and Bondi, who defend Americans being killed for protest. Although this recent shooting by ICE is under investigation, with mixed reports about the sequence of events, it is clear that ICE is doing the country more harm than good at this point. Republicans will have to decide if they put party or country first.

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Mackenzie Doubles Down On Trump

I was surprised to see the Trump meme on Mackenzie's Facebook feed. While I have been recommending that the Congressman speak out against Trump, I figured that he would just quietly promote himself, with little to no mention of Trump. 

Could Trump be more popular here in the Valley and Poconos than I realize? I don't think so. Is it possible that Mackenzie thinks that the President's agenda is wonderful?

While Mackenzie's Democratic opponent is yet unknown, it is known that it will be a very expensive election. In addition to maintaining a majority in the house, Trump is concerned about impeachment. I'll speculate that Ryan is going for the campaign money, and likely Trump himself campaigning for him.

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Jarrett Coleman Speaks Out

Jarrett Coleman has been taking some flak for calling Philadelphia a sh-t hole. He accused their progressive DA of being too soft on crime. 

Just a few years ago the DA and the former police chief decided to turn their backs on shop lifting. Finally the merchants cried uncle loud enough to be heard.  Larry Krasner the DA has responded to Coleman that the homicide rate is lower than it has been in a decade. Credit poor aim and good ER hospitals.

Coleman is my favorite pol in Harrisburg, he actually wants an accounting by Allentown's NIZ. Although his choice of words about the City Of Brotherly Love may have been better chosen, he's correct about safety in Philadelphia. There are neighborhoods there, like Kensington, that most cities would not tolerate.

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Trump The Tariff Man

Trump's threat to use tariffs against countries which do not support his grab for Greenland is a threat too far. In a recent post I wrote that his political support in the country is crumbling fast. This latest threat will likewise erode his international influence. He, and consequently we, are being taken less seriously everyday. 

Thank goodness for the midterms. By November any member of Congress wanting to be re-elected will have to speak out against this would be king. For my vote they would have to have spoken out much sooner.

I don't know what kind of psychiatric department Walter Reed has, but it will be in the news soon, because their Commander and Chief is quickly losing it. Yesterday he told the world that because he didn't get the Nobel Peace Prize, he doesn't have to behave.

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Ryan Mackenzie Has Two Opponents

Congressman Ryan Mackenzie is facing two opponents in November. One is a Democrat, as of yet unnamed. The other is Donald Trump, and his declining popularity. Although Mackenzie will not face the dreaded Trump primary challenge, he's trying to ride the fence between these two opponents. 

At this recent press conference, Mackenzie said he supports the separation of authority with the Federal Reserve, yet, if Chairman Powells did indeed something wrong, that he should be prosecuted. He defends the ICE officer in the Minneapolis shooting, but Trump wants to defend the protesters in Tehran.  

Mackenzie's tightrope walking will become more difficult as the election nears. By spring he will have a real Democrat hurling accusations, and a President who is more taken with his powers. By that time the first term congressman will have to take an absolute position on the issues as they arise, if he hopes to return to Washington.

ADDENDUM:Local mainstream is reporting about Mackenzie's support for ICE, so now he has three opponents...the Democrat, Trump and himself.

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Mary Ann Donuts and Donald Trump

Amanda Seyfried gave Allentown another plug on national TV, and in gratitude MaryAnn Donuts delivered their goods to the Stephen Colbert Show. That concludes the good part of this post.

Maria Machado wanted to share her Nobel Peace Prize with Donald Trump, and told him that the people of Venezuela are counting on him for their freedom. Well, that's more faith in him than the people of Minneapolis have. They're counting on him to get his ICE Cadets out of there.

Apparently, the people in Tehran might have also overestimated our help. So many of our assets were moved from the Mediterranean to the Caribbean to pilfer Venezuela's oil. Apparently we're going to use mercenaries to protect the snatched oil wells.

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Trump's Crumble Will Be Swift

The Trump crumple with the public is starting, and it will be swift. Joe Rogan, podcast influencer of the young, is becoming disillusioned more with Trump every day. Giving the finger to a Ford factory worker isn't exactly courting the blue collar MAGA base.

Telling prosecutors and Pam Bondi that they're weak isn't winning points with the Department of Justice and other government workers. We know from Trump's first term that people working for him have a short shelf life. His current staff and appointments were based on loyalty, but that's a two way street.

When the public turns enough, so will the congress. Although Trump is consumed with his legacy, congress is consumed with getting re-elected.

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Help Is On The Way

Trump told the people of Tehran that help is on the way. There are plenty of people in American cities who would say no thank you.  Trump promised to end forever wars, but apparently that doesn't apply to wars forever. 

We have the most ill informed president in the history of the country, with the most unqualified cabinet ever assembled, what could go wrong? We have a president who has no understanding or appreciation of the constitution. We have a congress scared of him, who so far, has failed to stand up for the people. We have a polarized country, with a president encouraging the discourse. 

The only hope I see on the horizon is the mid-terms. Here in my district, I see a freshman Republican congressman waffling between the options. He supports Powell, unless he has done something wrong. He supports protest, but you have to be careful not to step over any line. To complicate his predicament, he is in a purple district. His time to get my vote is getting short. I no longer have a problem sitting out elections.

photocredit:TomShortell/LehighValleyNews.com

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The Aftermath Of The ICY Hand

On Friday, I elaborated in both the post and comments, that I feel that the fatal ICE shooting in Minneapolis was a wrongful death. Many readers feel differently, and expressed their views in the comments. This post is not to rehash those videos and conclusions, but rather examine the aftermath.

While initial reactions to the shooting mirrored left/right, Democratic/Republican perspectives, the vigils occurring around the country are another dimension. I believe that this death is another George Floyd type moment, which likewise will have wide sweeping political ramifications.

While Trump and Vance are immune to the repercussions, Kristi Noem may pay the price for her zealousness. Republicans up for mid-terms will have to buck the front office. Trump is powerful, but shooting protesters in the head has no longer been permitted since Kent State.

Kent State 1970

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Disgrace In Minneapolis

Kristi Noem defended the fatal shooting in Minneapolis, despite videos showing that it was an overreaction by the ICE officer. We have cowboy policies being defended by cowgirls. That victim might as well. have been living in Caracas under Maduro. Trump helped cut his Venezuelan victory lap short by blaming the shooting on the radical left.

Elsewhere, we have another Trump cowboy denigrating an American hero and astronaut. In reality, Hegseth is making Mark Kelly viable for 2028

Locally, I'm watching the 7th District race. Unless Mackenzie stands up against the Administration's recklessness very soon, it will matter little who wins the heated Democratic primary.

ADDENDUM: I keep hearing that the officer had the "right" to fire, but was shooting her the right thing to do?... Not by a country mile.

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Plunderer In-Chief Trump

The consequences of the 2024 election are coming home and abroad to roost much harder and faster than Trump's critics could have imagined.

Trump is warning the Republicans that if they don't win the mid-terms, he will be impeached. He doesn't realize that unless they speak out against his recklessness, they won't be re-elected. His threat against Greenland is an invasion too far. Even though Rubio tried to soften the language, NATO is beginning to realize that they are threatened from both the east and west.

Trump's support was based on MAGA and partisan sycophants. MAGA is beginning to realize that Trump cares more about golf courses than grocery prices. Even that January 6th revisionist demonstration didn't play well.The partisan sycophants read the poll numbers. As much as they liked a winner, they like winning more than any person.

We would all be better off if Trump played more golf.

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United States Becomes United Fruit

In the early 1900's, the United Fruit Company installed a president in Honduras, and the phrase Banana Republic came into fruition. We now have a president in the United States who is telling the Western Hemisphere what the new rules are.

Apparently, all natural resources are ours for the taking. Considering Trump thinks that climate change is a hoax, those indigenous people in the Amazon better move out of the way. The new White House ballroom wants a mahogany ceiling.

My pro Trump readers at Molovinsky On Allentown are in an uproar. They tell me that my sources are leftist propaganda, while they have a direct line to the truth. Their Trump is the best thing that has happened to America since baseball and hot dogs.

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General Trump

From the photos released from the Situation Room at Mar-a-Lago, you would have thought that Trump was directing the invasion of Normandy in 1944. At any rate, he's quite taken with his new chops as Commander-In-Chief.

Less than a day later, he's talking that we need Greenland, and Cuba was told that they're next. He is braying about a Don-roe Doctrine. Here's a man who already had four star delusions of grandeur, being toasted by his appointed and anointed sycophants.

Although we will certainly profit from pilfering Venezuela's oil, his aggression will not play well on the world stage. Although we may have the most powerful military in the world, our long term economy is dependent on international stability. 

the SOON meme shown above was posted by the wife of Trump Homeland Security advisor Stephen Miller.

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A Congressional Test

Trump just came off a big weekend with the Venezuela snatching of Maduro. MAGA and the Republican hierarchy are basking in a perceived accomplishment. While momentous for the American oil industry, time will weight the real results for everyone else, including the Venezuelans.

Meanwhile, last week Trump had vetoed a Colorado clean water bill for political reasons. Trump claimed people are leaving Colorado anyway, because one politician is bad and another is scum. Only in Trump's mind is that relevant to a veto. The bill had passed both houses of Congress unanimously.

When the Venezuelan chest beating subsides, and the slur against congressional leaks is considered along with the Colorado veto, we'll see what Congress is made of. If there was ever a veto which demanded an override, it is the Colorado Clean Water Act. With Republican incumbents facing the midterms, and the veto so egregious, I think that the Republicans will have to finally assert themselves.

Colorado National Monument Park

Trading Bananas For Oil

A century ago we managed Central and South America for bananas and rubber. Trump has now decided that he and the oil industry can have Venezuela. For months we heard pretenses about drugs, but at Saturday's press conference Trump wasn't hiding his cards, we're there for the oil.

When Trump and Hegseth bragged on about the military operation, you might have thought that they had extracted Putin from the Kremlin. Caracas isn't Moscow or Peking, but China has invested in Venezuelan oil production, over a $billion. While Hegseth and Rubio fell over each other praising their boss, they would be better serving their country gauging world reaction, which doesn't share their pride.

We also heard that Congress couldn't be trusted to be in the loop, they leak too much. If congress has been passive about Trump's unilateral decisions, now is the time to speak out. Perhaps Fetterman is correct wearing sweatshirts, at least you can't call him an empty suit.

In 1912 we were satisfied with bananas

A Change Of Name

This blog started out as Rainy Morning Chronicle. Recently, I rebranded it as The Morning Chronicle.Net, with its own domain. I have now decided to return to Rainy Morning, again using a blogspot address. Although the title has varied, the content has remained the same.

Posts on this blog also appear at Molovinsky On Allentown. While this blog does not host comments, your opinions are welcome on the Allentown page.

Warnings Of A Bad President Dominating Washington

Earlier this year when it became apparent that Trump's amateur cabinet was becoming detrimental to the nation's welfare, this blog began speaking up. As the damage added up, I felt compelled to call out our silent, local Washington representatives, first as compliant, then complicit with veering away from our nation's moral compass.

My conservative readership, Republican first and foremost, started accusing me of TDS, which is a poor excuse for deteriorating leadership. Partisans slowed down commenting in protest. When Mackenzie signed the Democratic petition, explanations mentioned that we're in a purple area.

We're in more than a purple area, we're in a condition red. I had posted that unless Mackenzie stood up, he wouldn't be re-elected. It is now becoming apparent that unless the Republicans forcibly act out, Trump  will be using our military on personal whims. Whether they can restrain him, remains to be seen.

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Bill O'Reilly Drinks Trump Potion

As a blogger, I'm constantly accused of watching and listening to the wrong fake news, depending upon the persuasion of the reader I'm offending at the time.  I never reveal which news sources I read/watch, and never presume that any of those sources knows the whole story.

I hadn't heard of Bill O'Reilly in a long time. I always found his demeanor annoying. Recently, I heard him on a news type show, and it was alarming. Trump had given Bill a tour of the White House, and the old pontificator was very impressed. He raved about Trump's decorations, and said that it would give Trump an advantage with any visiting world leader.

Trump showed him his new presidential gallery, where he has replaced history with his uninformed opinions about previous presidents. O'Reilly should be restricted to hosting bingo parties in senior living faculties.

The American Dictatorship

With 60 Minutes killing its exposé on Venezuelans in the El Salvador prison, we have effectively entered an era of censorship. Between Trump privately filing lawsuits, and government approval needed for mergers, the price of speaking up is currently very expensive for corporate America.

A small time pizza blogger like myself can still speak the truth, but for how long? We have turned the Navy into pirates, and are going to build new Trump Class battleships. Trump campaigned against forever wars, but now we throw threats around the Western Hemisphere.

I do sense an awaking. I believe that the incumbent Republicans facing midterms are beginning to appreciate how out of control Trump has become. MAGA itself is starting to splinter on several issues. Between his ego and truth bending, each speech strains his credibility more and more.

Another Shift For Jared Isaacman

Isaacman's second appointment to lead NASA took, unlike the first. He obviously has whatever administrative skills are necessary to run an organization, having started and turned Shift4 payroll into a national success.

Jared, in conjunction with Elon Musk's SpaceX, was the first civilian to do a spacewalk. Isaacman is a local, living in Northampton County.

Although I'm pleased with Isaacman's appointment, and it is the only Trump appointment I can say that about, I have issues with the space industry at Cape Canaveral. As previously reported on this blog, the industry is the growth engine for Brevard County Florida, and questions about environmental pollution there are heresy.

However, there is an old snowbird blogger in a small office inland from Canaveral, concerned with both the frequency of the launches, which are about every ten minutes, and the environmental consequences.

Trump's Speech, Vanity Squared

I believe that Trump's address to the nation was conceived by Susan Wiles, to show that she is still in the co-pilot seat, despite her confessions to Vanity Fair Magazine. It was probably also intended as damage control in regard to Trump's crude remarks concerning the Reiner tragedy. It was very ill timed, considering that Trump had nothing substantial to say, and that he will have to repeat himself soon enough, for the State of the Union speech.

While none of his sycophants clued Trump in about why he was giving a speech, the media will inform him, again soon enough. His speech was a ramble of factual errors and promises. Nothing you can put under the tree next week.

Wiles generally made the best of a hard case, an impulsive ego-maniac, her replacement won't fare as well. She had Trump's confidence, while her replacement will have Trump's doubt. I could care less about Trump, I do care about the country. If there was ever a president who needed a good manager, it is him. Let's hope that he picks this next apprentice well.

Ryan Mackenzie Stands Up

Ryan Mackenzie has stood up and signed on to a petition intended to extend the ACA subsidies. Although the petition was sponsored by Democrats, he joined several Republicans who joined the effort...The petition now has enough signatures to force a vote on the measure.

In the recent past, Trump and Company has referred to those who cross party lines as traitors, and has threatened to primary them. On that score, I can see no primary challenge coming Mackenzie's way.

I do believe, however, that his willingness to put his constituents ahead of a party agenda will help him come November. He has pretty much assured the vote of this old blogger.

Vance On The Midterm Caravan

It's no  surprise that Trump and Company is campaigning for the midterms with the polls predicting a blue tidal wave. As I peck away on this typewriter, Vance came today to give the valley another dose of the affordability tonic. Of course that would mean more if he handed out coupons at the supermarket. At the Uline warehouse, he fluently blamed any current problems on Biden, and future successes on Trump. After the speech, he and  freshman congressman Mackenzie served gruel at the Rescue Mission. I doubt that those homeless guys buy many groceries or vote, but it's a good photo op.

I know a little about affordability at the supermarket. My family ran a meat market between the tracks and the river. Nobody lived around that industrial area, but you drove there if you wanted three pounds of hamburger or sausage for a buck, and people did.

While little markets are pretty much a thing of the past, people still drive a distance to save a dollar. Food is competitive, with markups in the 5% or less range. Throw in the fact that the commodity is perishable, and there are no vocations from the grind. Maybe that's why I publish this blog (Molovinsky On Allentown) every weekday, including holidays.

photocredit:Monica Cabrera/TheMorningCall

KTA Is Worse Than TDS

Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social: “A very sad thing happened last night in Hollywood. Rob Reiner, a tortured and struggling, but once very talented movie director and comedy star, has passed away, together with his wife, Michele, reportedly due to the anger he caused others through his massive, unyielding, and incurable affliction with a mind crippling disease known as TRUMP DERANGEMENT SYNDROME, sometimes referred to as TDS.”

It's hard to know where to begin analyzing that statement, I suspect psychology students will be studying it for years to come. To a layman, it shows a complete lack of empathy, and being totally self-absorbed with himself. While I'm not surprised by his callousness, I'm interested to see the reaction of his supporters. Trump went on to say...

“He was known to have driven people CRAZY by his raging obsession of President Donald J. Trump, with his obvious paranoia reaching new heights as the Trump Administration surpassed all goals and expectations of greatness,”

As my disillusionment with Trump began appearing on my blogs, my partisan Republican readers have been using the TDS slur against me. I'm sorry to tell them that their blind support of Trump may well be the real pathology...KTA, Kissing Trump's A--

Comments are something new for this blog. Although I allow them on my Pennsylvania centric blog, the option was only installed here this morning (12/15/25) Readers are welcome to submit their opinions.

Hispanics Speak Out In Miami

Post graduates students of this blog know that in addition to my Allentown base, I rent a small, low rent office inland from Cape Canaveral. While my desk shakes when the Brightline Death Train roars by, I can see the endless rockets take off from the Cape.

For Florida news, I have secured the services of a retiree on the west coast, and a college student in Miami. The Miami intern reports about the message sent Trump and the Republicans with the recent mayoral election there.

A Democrat won for the first time in thirty years, and with a large majority. While the Hispanic community is mostly Republican, and advocates for legal immigration, it is alarmed by the gestapo actions of ICE. The other issue propelling the Democrat's win was affordability. Trump can tell those geniuses with the red hats at his rallies that affordability is a Democratic myth, but that won't help any Republican get re-elected. Keep in mind that Miami was Trump country, where he plans on building his presidential library.

Blogger near Cape Canaveral

Comments are something new for this blog. Although I allow them on my Pennsylvania centric blog, the option was only installed here this morning (12/15/25) Readers are welcome to submit their opinions.

A Place For The Unaffiliated

There are a number of groups, Principles First among others, that don't relate to the current administration and certainly not the MAGA element. Some are quite organized, with seminars and conventions. Then there are the non-joining discontents like myself. This is a place for us non-joiners. No membership, no donations, no meetings.

This is not a new blog, nor am I a new blogger. Previously the blog was titled Rainy Morning Chronicle, but I have always been Michael Molovinsky:)  I also publish Molovinsky On Allentown, since 2007. This blog will retain the posts published under the old heading.

I am an independent conservative, registered to vote in Pennsylvania. Like many other northerners long in the tooth, I spend some time in Florida, on the Space Coast, which was Trump country. Like the beach after a bad storm, I'm starting to see erosion with his support.

Trump In Israel

Trump's efforts were certainly appreciated by a large segment of Israel's population, I hope enough of a majority to put Netanyahu out to pasture, but that remains to be seen.

It is disappointing, but not surprising, to see Israel and Hamas at odds again right away. Israel is slowing aid, wanting more bodies back, and Hamas is executing their competition for power in the enclave.

Although Trump rightly gets credit for the return of the living hostages, the EU's recognition of Palestine will have a greater impact on the future. While a two-state solution isn't in the near future, the Palestinians may end up with more autonomy. Unfortunately, the domicide in Gaza will take decades to rebuild.

Insult At Quantico

My military experience is limited to having ridden past Quantico a few times on the train. However, the President addressing all the assembled generals has no more experience than me. He didn't even understand why they didn't laugh at his jokes. He doesn't understand that they are supposed to be apolitical. When he suggests that they practice warfare on civilians in our cities, he demonstrates a dangerous kindergarten comprehension of our government.

I doubt that even many Republican veterans could appreciate the reason for the conclave assembled at Quantico. It could not have been more ill advised from any viewpoint.

Fortunately for us, we have a very disciplined military. I expect the fallout will be limited to eye rolling. They knew Trump is a moron, and now they know the same about Hegseth. Hegseth said that generals who do not agree with his agenda should resign. Most of those generals earned their stripes the hard, long way, and know that the constitution will hopefully improve the current situation in another three and a half years.

Witnessing History

On Monday afternoon, President Trump said I got to witness the greatest accomplishment in civilization. Well maybe, if Hamas accepts the deal, it is an accomplishment. Greatest in history? That statement is one for psychology, not history. 

Netanyahu said that if they didn't do it the easy way, they would have to do it the hard way. What was hard was watching them say so little, with so much pomp. I hope that for the hostages and the Palestinians, Hamas accepts the proposal, but my regard for both Trump and Netanyahu won't improve.

I think that Trump should say nothing without a teleprompter, not even hello or goodbye.

No False Modesty For Trump At UN

Nobody will ever accuse Donald Trump of false modesty. In his typical kingly fashion, he let the United Nations know about all the wars he stopped. He was subdued about the wars he would supposedly end on day one, Gaza and Ukraine. There, he has emboldened Netanyahu and Putin to ratchet things up.

While he and MAGA continue their self congratulator interplay, the rest of the world is forced to be silent and polite. After all, the United States remains the wealthiest and most powerful country in the world, even if our current leadership is very quirky.

While we have had issues with the UN for decades, previous presidents had met the situation with attempts to gain better value for our investment, as opposed to Trump's dismissive and disruptive posturing.

Trump As Biff In Back To The Future

We're in a dangerous time. We have a bully in the White House, who isn't anywhere near bright as he thinks. Back from England, he said of broadcast media,"They're 97 percent against(me); they give me only bad press. I mean, they're getting a license...I would think maybe their license should be taken away." 

Ted Cruz was critical of FCC Chairman Brendan Carr's statement to networks "We can do this the easy way, or we can do this the hard way", but not exactly for the right reason. Cruz is afraid that such heavy handedness by the FCC will hurt conservatives when the Democrats come back into power. 

After eight months of Trumpism, it's encouraging when somebody even suggests that the emperor has no clothes. There will be more of Cruz speaking up, because Trump will say something about the Texas senator being out of line...Trump can't help himself. Because Trump's mouth runneth over, eventually, more Republicans will put on their big boy pants...hopefully in time to repair some of the damage.

While late night comedy thrived on making fun of Biff/Trump, Trump did Jimmy Kimmel a favor. Kimmel will emerge somewhere as the official spokesman against the naked emperor. Who knows, he might even run for congress.

In the meantime, the Trump machine had a revival yesterday at Charlie Kirk's memorial service. Vance was front and center, hoping to be the heir apparent for 2028.

Birthday Doodle Distraction

The amount of news coverage and analysis of a doodle from one womanizer to another is distressing. With all the disruption of government service in the name of efficiency, how can the doodle matter, and if Trump drew and sent it or not? Talk about fiddling while the city burns!

On the topic of burning cities, it's distressing to see ICE recruiting from our undermanned local police forces. An adult administration would be working toward more police officers for our communities, not offering them sign on bonuses to arrest workers at car plants and outside Home Depot.

This is not an adult administration. It has reduced previously respectful institutions to divining nonsense, because substance is no longer on the table. We'll get past it, and there will even be a presidential library, but with comic books and doodles.

Weaponizing The White House

Over the years John Bolton has been called many things, mostly a hawk, but never disloyal to the country. He did however write and say that Trump was incredibly uninformed and unqualified as President. No good deed goes unpunished, and the FBI gave him a good housecleaning on Friday. Trump's response to news of the search... “He’s not a smart guy. But he could be a very unpatriotic guy and we’re going to find out".

I don't expect anybody in the cabinet to speak out, they're sycophants who are there for their loyalty, not their expertise or integrity. But I must wonder about the long term workers and agents assigned with such distasteful tasks. They know that they're harassing or firing or penalizing people who deserve better.

As I have written before, I think that Republicans are going to have a hard sell come mid-terms. I don't think that they need to worry about Trump promoting a primary challenger, but rather being ousted in the general for their compliance to him.  J.D. Vance apparently thinks that he is the heir apparent of the newly gilded Oval Office, parroting Trump's Blame Biden Blatter. After the Democrats retake the White House in 28, Vance can always write another book. For the former MAGA non-readers, he can record some podcasts.

Beyond Disillusioned With Netanyahu

Oct. 7th was atrocious, and Israel of course had the right to defend itself. The attack by Hamas was very low tech and a complete failure of Israeli security. The prolonged counterattack has been very disproportional. 

Between Trump talking about turning Gaza into a resort, and Netanyahu's government looking for other countries to take Palestinians, no wonder G-7 will recognize a Palestinian State this fall. I understand that with planned Jewish construction on the West Bank, such a State will be virtually landless for now, but world attitude favoring a state has turned strongly toward it. Netanyahu and his obsessions have done for the Palestinians what they wouldn't and couldn't do for themselves. 

More consequential is that Israel has squandered its reputation. It has depreciated the Jewish reality of the holocaust. The disservice that Netanyahu and his coalition inflicted on Israel and world Jewry will be a long term burden.

shown above the Tomb of Aaron

Trump Price Is Wrong

Trump will be costly, very bigly, very soonly.  He misthinks that he can weaponize tariffs to control the foreign policy of our allies, as in regard to Palestinian recognition.  His pal in arrogance, Netanyahu, has undone years of good will building by Israel, by weaponizing food in Gaza.

The monetary price for Trump's vacillations will be borne by USA consumers. What he accomplishes on a Monday, he squanders by Thursday. The political price, while slower to show up, will be coming. Biden didn't become incompetent until the end of his term, Trump's already showing his shortcomings.

When Republicans will stand up and speak out remains to be seen. Only partisans can still accept the silence... support from independents has already been lost. I don't see Trump really caring about the Republican Party and reining himself in. Incumbents will have to distance themselves from His Highness to secure their political future.

I'm a fan of the old Drew Carey Show reruns, it is difficult for me to accept that he became a game show host.

Pennsylvania's Odd Couple

Both were elected by partisan purists at the time, but world events have brought them closer together than foreseen.  Granted, the D is a very odd duck from the beginning. John Fetterman's support of Israel, while a traditional Democratic position, has stood out because of Netanyahu's extremism.

On Saturday night, both Pa. senators, Fetterman and McCormick, praised Trump's military action against Iran. while most Democrats were complaining about lack of congressional approval. Those congressional approvals might take some of the S out of any surprise.

I'm wondering if Fetterman will become his party's whipping boy, he already wasn't their favorite. I'm hoping that with BiBi's existential threat reduced, he will take the stranglehold off Gaza. If the bombing ends up a one off, as Trump claims it was, or an entrapment as feared by many, remains to be seen.