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    In Grift We Trust

    Collapse Economics Marxism Politics
    In several posts (particularly here and here), I pointed out that the Trump Administration has failed to establish its authority; or, looking at it from a different angle, the President has been unable to seize the power of the presidency.

    At this juncture, seizing the power of the presidency might be a nearly insurmountable task. One major reason: too many people are in on the grift that Mr. Trump was elected to dismantle. How can you battle the Leftist Establishment, and eliminate waste, fraud, and abuse, when such an enormous segment of the population is dependent on it; nay, thrives on it?

    Let’s face it: America is becoming a Third World country, complete with crumbling infrastructure, banana-republic levels of debt, low trust, and rampant corruption. In years past, when considering the plague of shady dealings in most areas of the globe, I thought: Can’t anything be done about this? Couldn’t a few people be arrested, as an example? Later, as I sojourned in some of these places, it didn’t take long to realize that the corruption was endemic. Everyone was doing it. In many cases, they didn’t have a choice. If bribery is the only way to get things done, you bribe. If using false weights and measures is the only way for your business to survive, you falsify. And so on.

    In America, the vast majority depend on the “gubmint” gravy train, financed by ever-escalating debt. This applies to almost every sector and social class. Welfare, food stamps, and other direct transfers are just the tip of the iceberg. What appears to be a functioning economy, with real people doing real jobs, is mostly just an enormous charade in which government money is sloshing from trough to trough. Even Bitcoin is now dependent on Uncle Sam. Ditto for the stock market and the banks.

    Leviathan produces almost nothing of value. In fact, much of its activity involves placing obstacles in the way of value creation. You could chop every single component of the machine in half, and it would make no difference to the production of anything that people actually need.

    Is it any wonder that so many are apoplectic as DOGE turns over one rock after another, exposing the unbelievable fraud that permeates the system? As Elon Musk and his merry band of detectives must surely have realized, the fraud is the system. They found a house infested with termites, to such an extent that there is almost no wood remaining; the structure has become a stack of termites.

    Aided by this equivalency (system = fraud), various “empires” have developed within Leviathan. These are independent fiefdoms of grift that sometimes clash, but more often, it’s one hand washes the other. You let me develop an entire charity industry to “help” illegal aliens, and I let you launder billions through Ukraine. I let you expand student loans to finance your neo-Marxist woke university brainwashing factories, and you let me siphon billions from the public purse for my wind-power scam. All the while, the mainstream propaganda outlets grease the wheels.

    No single entity is in charge of this monstrosity. All the lines are blurred. Function ceases to coincide with offices and titles. Thus we have judges appointing themselves president, and Lindsay Graham appointing himself secretary of state. And they do so with impunity.

    I have lamented, on several occasions, that none of the Establishment criminals from the Biden regime, or those who currently are engaged in the slow-motion coup d’état, have been arrested or prosecuted. Now I am beginning to understand the dilemma: When everyone is crooked, law enforcement is well-nigh impossible. In our case, we’re talking about the entire Establishment. If you incarcerate a handful of the chief troublemakers, the rest of them will respond with even more sabotage and treason.

    I am not justifying the limp response of the White House. Rather, I would say that the people and methods employed during Trump 2.0, impressive though they be, have been inadequate to the task. And considering the ball of fire in which the Administration launched its campaign to clean the Augean stables, we may conclude that success would require an even greater force, activated by personnel (and circumstances) that have yet to appear on the scene.

    This mismatch of task and personnel reminds me of the scene in The Godfather, in which Michael Corleone (Al Pacino) explains to Tom Hagen (Robert Duvall) the decision to replace him as top advisor (“consigliere”): “You're not a wartime consigliere, Tom. Things may get rough with the move we're trying.” Our current president also, despite his many talents, is not a wartime consigliere.

    Nevertheless, Mr. Trump at some point is going to have to put his foot down, and start taking chances. Otherwise, he may find himself impeached, incarcerated, and possibly worse. The brazen usurpation of executive power by the judges and Mr. Graham is bad enough, but the open rebellion by the state and local authorities in California, challenging the legitimacy of American sovereignty in their jurisdictions, crosses all boundaries of tolerance. It is certainly the equivalent of any act that was considered sedition in the runup to the Civil War. The leader of a country cannot allow this type of precedent to stand, and expect longevity, either political or personal.

    Nothing will change in this country until we see seditious state and local government officials led away in handcuffs. Otherwise, they have no incentive to desist from their subversive activities. They are seen by their supporters as heroes, and championed as such by the propaganda outlets. It’s all fine and good to send in the National Guard and Marines to quell the riots. But the madness will continue, in one form or another, until the Administration gets serious about ending the ongoing insurrection, of which the Los Angeles intifadah is only the most recent and brutal stage. A key part of the needed strategy is the imposition of consequences on the ringleaders. Real, personal, painful consequences.

    Our national edifice of corruption is not the most evil in the history of the world, but it is certainly in the running for the largest. Is it impossible to fix? I don’t know. Perhaps the termites must complete their job, so that the house can be rebuilt from the ground up, with a wartime consigliere at the helm.
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    Make Elephants Visible Again

    Artificial Intelligence Covid Politics Science
    About a week ago, the presidential “Make America Healthy Again” (MAHA) Commission released its final report, which focused on the crisis of childhood illness, analyzing the problem and recommending a number of countermeasures. There is much to be praised in the Commission’s work, but there is a huge, glaring omission; an elephant in the room, that everyone is endeavoring to ignore.

    The MAHA Report identified four causes of the childhood health crisis:

    —Poor diet
    —Chemicals in the environment
    —Lack of physical activity; chronic stress
    —Overmedicalization

    I agree that all of these contribute to the problem. But there was no mention of that big, beautiful elephant—the biggest single threat to the health of all Americans, the worst episode of corruption in the history of the medical profession, the direct cause of death and disability for millions of people, the ticking time bomb in the bodies of everyone else—yes, I’m talking about that most taboo of taboo subjects: the mRNA poison injections, known in popular jargon as the “Covid vaccine.” This toxic brew is still being handed out like candy, and this great and awesome presidential commission can’t bring itself to even consider the issue.

    There is only one mention of Covid in the entire document, and that was to protest government pressure on social media to “suppress content questioning pediatric vaccine-risk profiles or school-closure policies.” It wasn’t until page 54 that they threw us this pathetic bone.

    No mention whatsoever of the lethal mRNA genetic alteration technology. In fact, the report indirectly endorses a looming threat in this arena, when it notes that “the Great American Comeback of energy dominance [will] power AI technology” to “develop new tools and push the frontiers of science to help us better understand how to measure and reverse chronic disease.” This is a shout-out to the insidious “Stargate” AI initiative, which includes development of a new round of mRNA concoctions. (See my post of 3/10/2025, “All Quiet on the Scamdemic Front.”)

    After glancing at the MAHA report’s table of contents, I thought that perhaps the “overmedicalization” heading included the death jabs. No such luck. The closest it comes is on page 64, in the context of the childhood vaccine schedule: “Our understanding of vaccine safety and any links to chronic diseases would benefit from more rigorous clinical trial designs.” Ya think?

    In my post of 12/9/24 (“I’ll Believe It When I See It”), I mentioned the work of Edward Dowd, the financial guru who conducted painstaking statistical analysis of the highly irregular excess mortality occurring in 2021 and 2022, which enabled him to measure the lethality of the poison injections. Shortly after the presidential election, Dowd asserted that if all mRNA “vaccines” are not recalled from the market within six months of the inauguration, we may conclude that Big Pharma is too big to touch, and/or that the country cannot handle the truth, and life will go on as if nothing happened.

    Well, we still have two months to go, but it seems that the MAHA report has laid to rest any doubt as to the approach the Administration is taking. They are burying their heads in the sand, plain and simple. Not only have none of the criminals been held accountable; on the contrary, the pharmaceutical venom that killed, injured, or rendered infertile millions of Americans (and others worldwide) is still being distributed, and the underlying technology slated for further development.

    [Check out this excellent recent discussion on the Scamdemic, featuring Edward Dowd and Neil Oliver. They summarize the whole scandal, including the aspects of mass hysteria and elephant-in-the-room. Dowd explains his work on excess mortality starting at around 13:45 into the video.]

    UPDATE, 5/30/2025, 5:00pm ET: U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has announced that “the Covid vaccine for healthy children and healthy pregnant women has been removed from the CDC recommended immunization schedule.” So we will continue to poison unhealthy children and unhealthy pregnant women, and everyone else?

    Better than nothing, I suppose, but it’s still pathetic.
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    Legitimacy

    American History Media Politics
    The Left has been ruling America for so long that everyone pretty much takes it for granted. Their grip on the country’s institutions is so ingrained and so extensive that it is almost impossible to escape its clutches. Trump 1.0 couldn’t pry loose even one finger. Trump 2.0 is undoubtedly an improvement, but the stranglehold remains largely in place.

    When a particular ideology and set of behavioral patterns are entrenched over the course of multiple generations, it becomes the norm, the default setting. No one alive today was around when America was a constitutional republic. During the first few decades of the twentieth century (some would argue earlier), the original republic was replaced with a cantankerous democracy that at least purported to operate under the rule of law, and with an overall sense that adults were in charge. This was, however, an increasingly flimsy arrangement that drew its last breath around the 1990s. The younger generation today cannot even conceive of what that society looked like; their entire lives have been lived in a steadily ratcheting tyranny based on Progressive ideology, as normal to them as the sun rising in the east.

    One reason why Trump 2.0 has been unable to break the mold is that it cannot attain legitimacy. Admittedly, any challenge to the rule of the Deep State would lack this quality from the get-go. If you presume to govern in place of whom everyone—consciously or unconsciously—assumes to be the default rulers, then ipso facto you are an upstart. The current Administration has not been able to transcend this perception. The reason is simple: If one fails to knock the Left decisively off its pedestal, and to crush their inevitable attempts at usurpation of power, legitimacy can never be attained.

    Right out of the gate, it looked as though Trump 2.0 would comfortably settle into the White House, and finally bring sanity to America. A prime example: the closing of the border, and the dramatic ICE raids around the country. But it was never a complete and thorough assertion of power. Witness the arrogant boasting by several governors that they are defying the federal government, continuing to give shelter to illegals, thus aiding and abetting the commission of felony crimes.

    Equally threatening is the scandalous episode of the rogue judges. The fact that this power grab continues unabated, and that the authority of these traitors to seize control of the executive functions of the president is acknowledged by those in government, is a huge blow to the Trump Administration’s legitimacy, prestige, and ability to govern. It has emboldened the Left, and demoralized the supporters of reform. Thus we have the visits to El Salvador, a direct outcome of this weakness.

    Another blow is the failure to prosecute anyone involved in the crimes of the Biden regime: the stolen election, the poison-jab mandates, the January 6th witch hunt, Mueller, the Russiagate hoax, etc. Remember all that? The perpetrators are walking around free, awaiting the return to their desks. If the new Administration cannot avenge that orgy of criminality, why should anyone take them seriously?

    Legitimacy is also lost by kowtowing to the propaganda organs of the Deep State. One self-inflicted wound to the presidency is the spectacle of the never-ending press conference. This ritual drags the President down to the level of the omnipresent Leftist hacks (the “media”) who represent the Deep State. Whatever Trump says or does, they are right there to state their opinion. It doesn’t matter that he responds well to their infantile blather; they have the opportunity, almost every day, to spit in the President’s face. And the spitting is rebroadcast and regurgitated endlessly by the propaganda organs. Once again, they are emboldened.

    Trump and his associates believe that they are overwhelming the gaggle of Leftist scribes (and their supporters at home) with stories of “winning,” of great victories for America. But the little woke slimebags couldn’t care less whether America is coming out ahead; all they care about is the next opportunity to get Trump. The whole spectacle resembles Louis XVI being dragged out to the guillotine, every single day all over again. Their goal is to destroy him by any means necessary, and restore The Party to its rightful place as the legitimate and permanent ruler of the United States. They call this “saving our democracy.” (On the topic of relations between the federal government and the Deep State’s propaganda organs, see my Feb. 24 post Banish the Apparatchiks.)

    What is needed is distance, not proximity. When the sovereign holds court, the only ones present should be the decision makers themselves, along with guests whose input is needed. Governing should be conducted behind closed doors. After policy is determined, an announcement can be made through a variety of channels, an easy task in the Age of the Internet. If necessary, a lower-level functionary, such as the press secretary, can deliver the news in person. From time to time, the President can make a speech, or conduct a fireside chat. The propaganda organs should never be present.

    ​If you are going to stage a revolution, then you better go all the way, and fully replace and discredit the tyrannical regime and its lackeys. Especially when that regime has the unquestioned support of half the country’s population, and of the lion’s share of the chattering classes.
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    Memorable Quotes (no. 14)

    Memorable Quotes Politics
    "Just as the observance of divine worship is the cause of the greatness of republics, so the disregard of divine worship is the cause of their ruin, because where fear of God is lacking, that kingdom must either come to ruin or be sustained through fear of a prince who makes up for the shortcomings in its religion. Since princes are short-lived, such a kingdom must quickly fail when it loses its exceptional ability....The salvation of a republic or a kingdom is not, therefore, merely to have a prince who governs prudently while he lives, but rather one who organizes the government in such a way that after his death it can be maintained."

    —Machiavelli
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    The Ideological Face of Chaos

    Culture Marxism Politics
    There are three maxims, or "laws" of politics attributed to the British historian Robert Conquest. One of them is,

    Any organization that is not explicitly right-wing, sooner or later becomes left-wing.

    We see it occurring time and again. Why is this so?

    The default state of mankind is entropy, decay, and chaos. If there is no force to guide society into a beneficial mold, and to maintain the required level of energy, then entropy takes over. Leftism is the ideological face of chaos; it provides the justification, putting lipstick on the pig.

    It is futile to search for logic or consistency in any substantive Leftist program. Their “platform” is merely whatever coat of paint is needed at that particular moment to enable the entropy to flourish. For example, when the working class can be used as a catalyst for chaos, it is seen as good; when the working class is an impetus to stability, it is condemned.

    One might be tempted to believe that the Left is clever and quick on its feet. They always seem to have us reeling from their attacks, like a boxer on the ropes. After we expend huge amounts of time and money to neutralize one of their insane campaigns, there is no time to catch our breath before multiple new salvos are launched. Are they really that clever?

    I don’t think so. The apparent cleverness is largely an optical illusion, because the Left always starts from an advantageous position.     It is easier to be glib when you have the wind at your back. Society’s ingrained entropic tendencies provide a permanent fertile ground for the rapid growth of Leftism’s core characteristics: envy, parasitism, manipulation, projection, and decadence.

    This is analagous to the advantageous position of the petulant child vis-à-vis his parents and other adults. The parent invests an enormous amount of time and energy to turn the little savage into a respectable member of society, whereas the child can destroy the work of years by committing any number of simple acts that are fully within his power, and that can be accomplished in a matter of minutes.

    To be “right-wing” means to resist the torrent of entropy, the tantrums of the misbehaving child. It is the task of building and maintaining civilization, which requires that common sense and tradition be respected, and that high culture prevail. Otherwise, society cannot suppress the ideologies that correspond to envy, manipulation, parasitism, etc. Wherever high culture retreats, even to the slightest degree, Leftism automatically flows into the space, like a gaseous substance filling a vacuum.

    ​And thus, “any organization that is not explicitly right-wing, sooner or later becomes left-wing.”
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    Moses, But Not Joshua

    Culture Marxism Politics
    In my post of 3/10/2025 on the Scamdemic, I wrote that “so far, [there have been] no investigations, no indictments, no fines, no prison.” Unfortunately, the same can be said of numerous crimes committed in other domains, all in the name of the government.

    As far as I know, the steps taken by the Trump Administration to right the wrongs of the Biden regime have been exclusively remedial; that is, fix the damage and stop the bleeding. For example, pardons for the victims of malicious prosecutions; cutting off the flow of money; gutting the institutional bases of Leftist corruption; and closing the border. These are all excellent and necessary moves. But they are not sufficient.

    In his speech of March 14, President Trump declared that during the Biden regime, “a corrupt group of hacks and radicals within the ranks of the American government….weaponized the vast powers of our intelligence and law enforcement agencies to try and thwart the will of the American people….They spied on my campaign, launched one hoax and disinformation operation after another, broke the law on a colossal scale, persecuted my family, staff, and supporters, raided my home….”

    Well? What are you going to do about it?

    When it comes to this “corrupt group of hacks and radicals” responsible for the incalculable damage done to the nation in recent years, as well as those causing damage right now, the most severe personal punishments have been loss of employment and the revoking of security clearances. And I see nothing more severe on the horizon, despite the bluster, and the hoo-hah over the appointment of Kash Patel and Dan Bongino at the FBI.

    There is still no fear of consequences. Governors, mayors, and other state and local officials can publicly proclaim that they support and defend illegal aliens. This means that these officials are bragging to us that they are committing a felony crime. Has a single one of them been arrested? No; all we get is threats, heated rhetoric, withholding of funds, “lawsuits,” etc.

    The same dynamic applies to the mini coup d’état being rolled out by the judiciary. Numerous Leftist judges in the Federal courts, low-level apparatchiks of the Deep State, are taking over the policymaking functions of the Executive branch, casually nullifying the actions of the President. They do this because nothing is done to stop them; they have no fear of personal consequences. Some commentators have called this behavior “judicial overreach.” I would use much stronger language.

    The reaction of the Trump Administration: Dag nabbit, by gum, by golly, we’ll appeal all the way to the Supreme Court. That’ll show ‘em! Well, guess what? The Supreme Court ruled in favor of the Deep State.

    Some observers have expressed shock that two “conservative” justices joined the Leftist clown-car contingent in ruling against the President. But I am not surprised in the least. We are not living in the 1950s, when one could debate the fine points of constitutional law over a glass of bourbon and a pipeful of Cavendish tobacco. If the tortured years of the Biden regime demonstrated anything, it’s that we have descended to the level of pure power relations. The Left peeled away any remaining veneer of civility and rule of law, and mobilized the full brunt of the law-enforcement apparatus to lower the boom on anyone standing in its way—from the president on down. Thousands of innocent people went to prison, or worse.

    The unwillingness of “our team” to use this same apparatus to suppress actual criminality could easily lead a wishy-washy Supreme Court justice (and others in the same situation of confronting the Deep State) to make the following calculation: The Deep State might return to full, formal power within a few years. And Trump could be neutralized even before then. If I rule against the Leftist Establishment, they will eat me for breakfast, and throw my carcass to the dogs. If I rule against Trump, nothing will happen to me, other than a few strongly-worded letters to the editor. Hmmm….whatever shall I do?

    The bottom line: The President must seize the power of the presidency. We need to see handcuffs and perp walks, immediately. There is no reason for further delay. And for goodness sake, stop obeying the illegal orders handed down by the black-robed priests of the Progressive cult.

    ​Perhaps Donald Trump is not the person who will take us into the Promised Land. He is our Moses, leading us out of Egypt, across the desert, to within view of our destination. Now we are waiting for our Joshua, a warrior who can raise the standard, and rally the troops to conquer the territory that is held by our latter-day Philistines, the Leftist Establishment.