The (Daily) Vent 2

(Those Close To The President) President Trump convened his first full Cabinet meeting but the "Chair," so to speak. was DOGE Director, Elon Musk. As he was standing before the assembled Secretaries and other explaining to the audience and Agency heads, as well as President Trump and Vice President Vance, that each Department would need to "cut the fat," so to speak. Musk's role in the government is unique. He is a personal assistant to Trump and his is the specific role  Harry Hopkins had a specific role with the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Administration. He was the most visible member of a Presidency and a close advisor that President Roosevelt used as a special envoy when British Prime Minister Churchill opened discussions in the wake of Pearl Harbor and American entry into the War. However, in constructing the New Dea, there were a series of left-wing technocrats like Alger Hiss and Harry Dexter White who were in fact Soviet agents. Elon Musk is no Soviet or ...

(A Close-Run Thing) By the skin of its teeth, the size of its Majority, House Republicans passed their version of President Trump's "Big Beautiful Bill." Included are the extension of the 2017 tax cuts so that will not be an issue later. Four trillion has been added to the debt ceiling another two trillion in cuts are anticipated, The Bill is a reflection of Trump's priorities, a framework to be sent to the House Committees, in addition to tax writing, also Defense, Energy, and the Border. While all the heavy lifting remains, the first exertion has been accomplished. It is not surprising that President Trump had to personally intervene with some Members to switch their vote to "Yea." Equally not surprising was every Democrat also voted "No." And, with this House vote, as action translates to the Senate, they will be forced in a sense to include the House frame-work , and the tax cuts. The Senate first track that had been proposed by Majority Leader...

(Guns Of February) Today, February 24th, 2025, the Ukraine War has been in progress for three years. It could end this week. How it got this far, in a Russian excursion that made Afghanistan a debacle long before President Biden and his catastrophe. Fron the beginning, it was a question of Russian leadership. The campaign should have been brief as the Russian Army presented such an overwhelming correlation of force that the issue should have never been in doubt. The role of Kiev and President Zelenski in initiating the conflict can be in doubt. Senior leadership, might mount "stars." but that is not necessarily a reflection of ability. Russian and Soviet History is littered with Generals and Marshals that either failed or fell to Stalin's Purges. When World War II, the "Great Patriotic War as the Russians call it, the ability to perform in intense combat that had been the German invasion in June, 1941. Secretary of Defense Hegseth, with the assent of President Trump,...

(Cyphers & Codes) One can begin this morning with offering a word for Pope Francis who is having raspatory issue. In any study of cryptology, there is the "cypher," or the alphabet of information to be en-cyphered, and there are "codes," words derived from that cypher. A famous example would be Enigma used by German Armed Forces in the Second World War. Enigma was first broken by Polish cryptologists before being developed by British cryptographers at Bletchley Park. By the end of the War, Bletchley was reading Enigma regularly. President Trump is a cypher. His is the "alphabet" in his Administration and the "codes" are the things and people Trump has set in motion. Kash Patel was just confirmed as FBI Director and that is all but a sweep of the President's Nominees. The "codes," therefore, are those leading the departments and while Trump has ultimate authority, how each director or secretary would have a certain independenc...

(Great Expectations) February 22nd is the birthday for George Washington. Revolutionary War Hero, first President of the United States. The current President of the United States, Donald Trump, could be "going postal." Not the events of a deranged mail man shooting up an office, but President Trump, could be looking to incorporate the Postal Service into perhaps the Commerce Department. The Service has been losing money for decades and when people used e-mail more than regular postage, the need for stamps necessarily decreased. But as long as letters to Santa or to gramma who sadly broke her hip. That is what one expects from President Trump. Are the same standards being applied to Congressional Republicans ? To borrow a line from Star Wars, "I grow tired of asking this, this is going to be the last time. Where is the Rebel Base ?" Or, where is the vote on the Reconciliation Package ? Doubts about the final go ahead are accumulating. On the rumor that GOP progress o...

(Banking On A Windfall ?) The term is "profit." Each commercial or government concern spends money. In a private corporation, at the end of the year, or quarter as might be measured, if the company made more than it discharged, that is the money made. The question is what to do with it ?  Usually, the profit gets re-applied back into the fiduciary structure of the company. Another option is to pay a dividend to share-holders. There can be advantages to both courses. Dewey's has the best Seafood in Destin, Florida. Dewey's is a small business. It is family owned. A small business in other words. But it is very popular. The restaurant makes money. As Dewey's is on the water, improvements are continually being made like expanding parking, seating arrangements and so on.  On the other hand, larger companies do need share-holders. They make money but that would be in measure to those who bought the original stock. The largess from DOGE has the same methods, either its ...

(Looking For Mr. Goodbar ?) Nominally, one is talking about the Hershey chocolate confection with peanuts. It is also a 1977 film with Diane Keaton where a schoolteacher wants to live the wild life until it kills her. The candy-bar is more appealing, In any event, who is looking for a "Mr. Goodbar" themselves ? The Democrat Party is looking for who could be called Party Leader. President Trump has endorsed the House process for his Big Beautiful Bill to which the Senate still needs to acclimate. Who is the head of the Democratic Party ? When the Civil War erupted, the only viable senior officer was General Winfield Scott. In time, General Robert E. Lee took command of the Army of Northern Virginia whereas President Lincoln went through a series of Union commanders before deciding on Ulysses Grant. There is no shortage of senior Democrats going back to Bill Clinton and Barack Obama. President Biden can be dis-counted. Nancy Pelosi ? Surly not former Vice President Harris. Jimn...

(Cross Purposes) On February 19th, 1945, the Battle of Iwo Jima began when some 110,000 Naval and Marines assaulted the Japanese bastion. And the famous images of Marines storming Mount Suribachi to raise two American Flags on the summit, the Rosenthal picture was the second. But, like the struggle for the Island, there is conflict across all spectra. Trump and Musk are charging ahead with DOGE reductions and Democrats opposing things, attempting to make use of the Courts. Democrats are the pro-waste fraud and abuse party. Case in point. One can believe that in a bureaucracy as large as the Social Security Administration some fraud is likely to be discovered. That billions in benefits are sent to dead people. SSA rolls have dozens of individuals that could not possibly still be alive. If those people can be purged, the savings from the Administration alone could be substantial. Maybe they're vampires ? Or aliens ? That would explain a lot.   It was just reported that a Jewish mothe...

(Seats At The Table) It's President's Day. Naming a day after Donald Trump is just the thing to encourage his ego. The ancient Chinese had legions of civil servants to run the Imperial bureaucracy. To attain such a positing one took an examination that had to be thorough. The exam, however, did not innovate. The bureaucracy did not learn and kept Chinese affairs stagnant and as threats from the West expanded to the point of foreign occupation of the Middle Kingdom became a reality, the Qing Dynasty, China's last, internal control was not maintained. The Chinese example is relevant in several respects. One can day that the ancient Chinese bureaucracy as antiquated and archaic as it proved to be, in many respects that is the current situation in the American government, the type that President Trump and DOGE, the very situations that Democrats are intent on defending. Like the Chinese ? Knowing how that came out in the end ? When the Chinese lost Hong Kong and other "col...

(Executive Position. . .) The Daytona 500 runs today. If President Trump was at his estate in Mar-A-Lago, it would be a short dive up north to attend. However, the President is in the White House so, if he is planning an appearance and even "start your engines," NASCAR is Trump country and Daytona the pinnacle. So, if Trump does show before a thrilled crowd, enjoy a hot dog Mr. President. One knows he does not drink beer. While the President is in Daytona, the slew of newly minted Cabinet Secretaries is early in their postings. and how will the first day of work go ? Attorney General Pam Bondi has previous experience in that role but what about HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy ? Or Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ? Hegseth with his combat history made his role as Defense Secretary but the head of the Pentagon was a Fox News host only weeks previously. Sean Duffy, once a Wisconsin Congressman was also a host on Fox Business. Department Secretaries are the public face of the Trum...

(Tag Team Talk) Of all the legions of political consultants that advise of any number of issues, a unified message is one of the most important. Previous so-called messages when Democrats try to use them against President Trump have all failed. Russia collusion.? What was that ? The Stormy Danials pay-off ? What happened there ? The 34 charges of book-keeping charges of which President Trump was found guilty on al counts. In addition, Trump is Hitler. The President is a threat to Democracy.  And yet, the President is back in Office, defeating every attempt against him. A new talking point was needed. Trump recruited a co-conspirator in DOGE, Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk who needed a hobby, Trump put in charge of Department of Government Efficiency, a contradiction in terms in the first place. In other words, Musk is in charge of finding government waste and force its elimination. What would be the Democrat response ? Again, speaking collectively, the new catch phrase is the Musk-...

(Mights & Wills. . .) Happy Vallentine's Day (who loves ya baby ?) There is a dichotomy between what might happen and what will happen. Things that are only a possibility will have varying consequences but things that are more certain can be severe in the end. A couple of things come to mind in describing this relationship, the Trump tariffs and Congressional Republicans passing the President's Agenda. The proposed tariffs and their reciprocal nature might cause inflation, at least in the short term. However, those countries that would be subject of these levies would be motivated to adjust their own trading relationship with the U.S. to be perhaps a leveler. President Trump had India's Prime Minister Modi to the White House and, in a news conference with the Indian leader there, claimed that India itself has large tariffs on American goods and Trump's response was that India would be a target of Trump's reciprocity. A more serious situation is the mismatch o...

Rasputitsa . . . It is still very cold in Russia. The frozen ground in the Ukrainians Theater of operations remain conducive to mobile operations, both Russian and for the Ukraine. In a few weeks, however, the Rasputitsa will set in. That is the yearly thaw where temperatures warm and winter snows become spring rain. With rain comes mud and mud, as any driver who might take an ill-advised trip across a field after a rainstorm could attest, mud renders tanks, trucks and other transport largely immobile. When the rasputitsa arrives, that could be the opportunity for serious negotiations for ending the Ukraine War. The most recent action was a Russian drone strike. Of the 85 vehicles launched, some 52 had failed. This attack took place after President Putin had his long conversation with President Trump and while kinetic actions continue, the broader parameters of a cease fire are being discussed. It is clear that both sides need the war to end as the costs of the last three years have ...

(All Wet. . .) In a bit of good news, American teacher Marc Fogel who had been incarcerated in Rusia the last three years was just released and was welcomed at a snowy White House last night. Some bad news, however, is that inflation remains persistent with the CPI now at 3%, worse than expected. This news precludes any new rate cut and could even presage a rate increase. This will be the last report from the Biden Years and the last gasp of Bidenomics. With the exit of President Biden also means the exit of the excessive regulations especially with regards water usage. Full flush toilets are okay. Massaging shower heads are now acceptable. How about clean dishes, after one cycle. And who invented the paper straw ? One can be environmentally friendly but keeping the plastic straw would be a necessary pre-requisite. This goes beyond appliances, however. How was Fogel retrieved ? Vladmir Putin was obviously consulted as the American teacher was in Russian custody. Was it only the so-call...

(Wrong At The Top Of A Voice) It has been easy to see Democrats screaming at the top of their lungs, going hoarse in most cases, as various Democrat politicians protest losses of the various fiefdoms. As a consequence, ICE raids that would have secured dangerous gangs like Tren de Aragua to escape the dragnet. In the efforts to curb the federal workforce, the buyouts with golden parachutes also placed on hold by federal judges. And the universal disdain for DOGE.  All this is well known. Which in turns begs the question. What is the basic objection by Democrats ? Are really pro-foreign gangs ? Is every federal employee an essential worker ? Is shrinking the size of government such anathema ? Democrats have no choice but to defend these policies regardless of how ridiculous and counter-intuitive it might be. In the end, however, they can only complain. They can attempt to frustrate the President, slow walking his Nominees to confirmation as an example. But what might not be clear is...

(Handled. . .) A lament to the Kansas City Chiefs . Not only did the team not Three-Peat, but the loss to the Eagles was one of the broadest in Super Bowl history. I other words, the Chiefs were "handled." Going forward, Kansas City will grow through its own stages of grief. President Trump made his own appearance in New Orleans (possibly left at half time). Trump had to be elsewhere. He just imposed a 25% tariff on aluminum and steel imports and is also contemplating "reciprocal" levies on countries that have their own tariffs on American goods. As mentioned, Canada and Mexico have already been sanctioned with effect and sanctions are anticipated with the Eurozone. In short, the President is looking in the application of tariffs as an equalizing influence.  The prime trading relationship of course is China as the largest. China produces a lot of steel and aluminum and hence the ten percent. In the mind of President Trump, the U.S. is being handled by these other co...

(Ins & Outs ?) Keeping up ? So many things are happening at the same time that the dance card at this stage has to be full. Like a stay tuned announcement to see what is next ? Will Congress get its work done ? Will Maxine Waters ever gain access to the Education Department building ? Will China ever leave the Panama Canal ? Evictions are being served throughout the District. Here it is again, Super Bowl Sunday between Philadelphia Eagles and the Kansas City Chiefs . But the Washington Redskins had to be re-named the Commanders . Lame. Aside from both teams, President Trump will be there for the Half Time show and Taylor Swift in the stands cheering for her boyfriend. Or maybe it is the reverse. Today might be a day to talk offense and defense. Offensively, President Trump and Elon Musk are giving Maxine Waters heartburn. At the same time however, members of the Judiciary are interfering with Trump's plans for the President's buy-out of federal workers or Musk plans to vie...

(Money Shots) One of the more eminent historians of the Normandy Landings is Stephen E. Ambrose in his classic D-Day. In his conclusions concerning the so-called Atlantic Wall on which the Allies stormed ashore on June 6th, 1944 on five beaches, west to east were Utah , Omaha , Gold , Juno , and Sword . As Ambrose described the outcome, the Atlantic Wall held the U.S. 4th Division at Utah for half an hour. It held the British Second Army and Canadian Corps at Gold , Juno , and Sword beaches for about an hour. It held the US 1st and 29th Divisions on Omaha Beach for half a day. According to the author, the Atlantic Wall has to be considered one of the worst failures in military history, The landings at Omaha were the linchpin of the whole operation. Flanks might have been secured but if German opposition proved in-surmountable in the middle, at Omaha , and that portion of the invasion failed, it was possible that the Invasion could have collapsed. The linchpin for the Trump agenda i...

(Teachers' Pests. . .) President Trump can be the most reviled person in America today, A close second would DOGE "Director," Elon Musk. And that is a good thing as he has been adhering to his own mandate, to radically curb government spending. One such Department slated for possible elimination is the Department of Education. The Education Department, however, has proven as durable as the cockroach. There have been previous efforts to zone it out, but none came to fruition. Could Musk's initiative be more fruitful ? That remains to be seen. However, the term "Department of Education" can be misleading. The goal of the institution is not necessarily the education of American school children, the three "R's" in other words, have not been the Department's priority. As was mentioned, the Education Department was to instruct school children how to be politically correct. Billions of dollars are spent in the education arena every year but Americ...

(Maximum Pressure Campaigns) One thing that is true of the Trump Administration is that there is never a dull moment. And the President is entertaining. Who else would see the devasted Gaza Strip and return to developer roots and sees the real estate potential. Trump has a point. He is calling Gaza the "Riviera of the Near East." As a consequence, Trump announced in the presence of Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu that the U.S. would take over the territory.  What in the end happens to Hamas ? How might the terror group re-constitute and continue the struggle against the Jewish state. Does that all stop as Trump has all the rubble cleared, Gaza Palestinians are placed in neighboring countries at the President's insistence. Like when a house gets renovated, the residents invariably have to re-locate. Think of this as a reverse Babylonian Exile At some point, an American Flag will be planted on Gazan territory. Such an action will preclude any action from Hamas , Hezbollah...

(Casualty List. . .) There has been blood. Since President Trump assumed Office, the list of his "victims" have accumulating. The Democratic National Committee might have elected a new Chairman, but the Party has yet to settle on a new direction. Of all the federal buildings in Washington D.C. that currently sit empty or idle, the building that houses the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) that has been slated for closure, perhaps making one more building empty. As for the tariff story, it would appear that a threat of a levy is worse than applying the tariff itself. Both Canada and Mexico have complied to a point to Trump's requirements. As a consequence, such penalties have been deferred for 30 days. What is the definition of a Democrat in 2025 ? In 2021, when then President Trump was forced into exile, when Democrats ran the table in the House Senate and of course, Joe Biden was Elected President. Since then, there has been a steady erosion and ...

(Screen Clutter) Most people know what a traditional radar screen looks like. An operator sits at a station and watches return. On the screen are the symbols for air traffic in the area, including airline, flight number, altitude and speed. Other contacts are other airplanes, and the same data is displayed. If one wanted an ideal picture, look at the Alex Haley novel/movie Airport , where air traffic control and flight operations were able to operate despite a once every ten years snowstorm and a bomb going off on a Rome-bound flight. However, that ideal is not necessarily the case. Airport was re-leased in 1970. In the years since, the development of air travel proceeded apace. The government agency most involved in this process has been the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The Agency has a dual role in promoting Amercian air transport but also to regulate it after an accident would require a design change to an aircraft. That being said, the FAA, like every other federal agenc...

(One Meet Brawl. . .) From the repertoire of "Grover" the Groundhog: " A groundhog and his shadow are a very famous pair . They forecast the weather , together , a trick that is rare . One little thing that bothers me , when out of doors I go , will be like springtime , or sixteen feet of snow . Never know which . I just can ' t remember . Will it be warm or made like December ? The whole just confuses me and that is why I sing : A groundhog ' s shadow doesn ' t mean a thing ! Happy Groundhog Day, As of now, Punxsutawney Phil emerged from his lair at Gobbler's Knob and predicted six more weeks of the cold stuff. However, Phil is not the object of this exercise. In a classic Porky Pig animated feature, "One Meat Brawl" it was Porky, hunting dog Mandrake and Grover the groundhog. The idea is to get Grover stuffed to add to Porky's collection. In the end, all three end up fighting but against a light so it looked like a drag out fight until P...

(Un-Equal Treaties) The so-called Un-equal Treaties were a series of "Agreements" that over a period of about a hundred years, where Western Powers imposed terms on Asian nations, especially China. The Qing Dynasty, China's last imperial authority, had been weakened over the Nineteenth Century with internal revolts, like the Taiping rebellion that killed twenty million Chinese. Nations like Britain, France, the U.S. and others, exploited the situation. Then Secretary of State, John Hay for then President William McKinley and then Thedore Roosevelt, crafted the "Open Door" Treaty where all claimants to China would abide by a no one nation would seek to monopolize their Sino positions. The 25% tariffs that President Trump has imposed on Canada and Mexico could be seen as un-equal treaties in their own right. The American economy is orders of magnitude larger than that of Canada and Mexico combined. Another 10% is being levied at China. However, this is less about ...