Iran is Rope-a-doping the U.S. Thoughts for the Day: July 22, 2026
Heather Cox Richardson hits a home run
Heather Cox Richardson Hits a Home Run
Excerpts from Heather Cox Richardson Today: The front page of yesterday’s New York Times featured some of the 440,000 Americans from Arizona alone who have lost Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits since the Republicans’ One Big Beautiful Bill Act made the deepest cuts to SNAP in its history, expanded work rules, and shifted costs to the states even as cuts to federal grant programs have forced Arizona to lay off a third of its caseworkers.
Those Arizona residents include Dee McDonald, a 65-year-old cancer survivor who weighs 69 pounds and skips meals to feed her three teenaged grandsons.
In the Denver Post today, Executive Director of the Association of National Park Rangers Bill Wade wrote that during his years as the son of a park ranger, and then as a park ranger himself, “I learned that these extraordinary parks belong to every American and that the people entrusted to care for them carry a sacred responsibility to protect our country’s breathtaking natural resources and key elements of our nation’s history.”
“But never—not once in decades—have I witnessed such systematic degradation, disrespect and dismantling of the National Park Service as I see today under the thumb of the President Donald Trump and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum,” Wade continued. Budgets go up and down and policies change as administrations turn over, but “what is happening now is an assault on the people, the mission and the values that have made the National Park Service one of America’s most valued institutions.”
The Trump administration has slashed staff, starved the service of funds, and imposed a political narrative on historical interpretation. “Recovery from these losses is likely to take years, if not decades,” Wade wrote.
While administration officials are slashing government programs that protect ordinary Americans, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Caine appeared on Capitol Hill today before the Senate Appropriations Committee to explain why the Pentagon is urgently in need of an injection of $67 billion to tide it over until the end of the fiscal year on September 30. The Pentagon has sunk billions into the war in Iran. Hegseth told senators the war had cost $37.5 billion, but independent analysts estimate the true number is significantly higher.
Two congressional aides told Noah Robertson, Riley Beggin, and Jarrell Dillard of the Washington Post that both the Navy and the Air Force will run out of money provided for ongoing military operations in 2026 at the end of this month. The Pentagon is already moving money around to bridge the gap, diverting money budgeted for equipment and maintenance and limiting or canceling military exercises and training.
Yesterday Rose L. Thayer of Stars and Stripes reported on one such diversion: The Army is reducing the legal resources available to soldiers being evaluated for disability “as review boards determine whether they are fit to serve or should receive medical retirement benefits.” In the past, the Office of Soldiers’ Counsel has provided those services, but dramatic cuts have left personnel available only for an initial evaluation, rather than throughout the three-stage process. After the initial evaluation, soldiers must either represent themselves or hire private attorneys.
At today’s hearing, Senator Jon Ossoff (D-GA) grilled Hegseth. “Mr. Secretary, early in the conflict, day three, you said one of those core objectives was to, quote, destroy the missile threat, and as you restated it on day five to, quote, obliterate Iran’s missiles and drones. Those were clearly and repeatedly stated core objectives of the campaign, which four months ago you declared had been completed victoriously with every single objective achieved. Were those objectives achieved four months ago?”
Hegseth answered: “No one ever stated that every single missile was gone. Ultimately, combat ineffective means they’re not able to dig them out of their UGFs [underground facilities] and shoot at us.”
Ossoff: “Had the missile threat been defeated four months ago?”
Hegseth continued over Ossoff: “It doesn’t mean they don’t have underground facilities where they put missiles in them and hold onto them because they’re the world’s largest state sponsor of terrorism. So we never expected they would stop having capabilities to shoot. The question is, at scale, against an opponent like the United States of America, which went toe to toe with them in Iran, couldn’t….”
Ossoff continued: “You stated on March 8th, day nine of the war, on 60 Minutes, you assured the American people of Iranian surrender. Does that remain your prediction?”
Hegseth: “Ultimately, Iran will never have a nuclear weapon to threaten the United States of America. That has been the objective, and it remains so.”
Ossoff: “So, just to review, you will not answer whether your statement made on the fourteenth day of the war that Iran’s military had been, quote, destroyed and made combat ineffective was a truthful statement to the American people, as you sit here and ask for tens of billions more for the conflict.”
The second Trump administration is forcing the American people to define how they think the United States government should spend their tax dollars.
Quick Thoughts:
The departure of Warde Manuel as Michigan’s athletic director at the end of the year was overdue. The national championships and B1G championships were great, but they could not offset the ongoing scandals that plagued Manuel’s time as AD. If the scandals were limited to just one sport he might have survived. For me, he needed to be fired when he did not fire Juwan Howard when Howard slapped a Wisconsin assistant coach following a game in Wisconsin. U of M’s policy is clear on physical abuse and Manual did not follow the policy.
The World Cup was a great success. By all accounts the USA as well as Canada and Mexico were great host. Nearly everything I read about the USA as hosts was extremely positive. It is a credit to the people of this country. Hopefully, the fans will spread the word that the USA remains a great country.
I understand the emotions that go along with competitive athletics. Losing is tough especially after a grueling competition like the World Cup. However, it is not an excuse for the behavior of a few of the Argentina soccer players immediately following the championship game against Spain. Those Argentina players get my Onion of the Day
The Iran war continues. The U.S. continues to punch and Iran counter punches. No matter how much Trump threatens Iran, Iran does not give in. It appears we are close to a stalemate, and the thing Trump campaigned against is becoming a reality. The U.S. is getting into another “Forever War”. Will we ever learn? I highly recommend that Trump rewatch the Foreman/Ali fight from the 70’s when the power of Foreman could not outlast the defense and patience of Ali.
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River Rouge High School Class of 1969 75th Birthday Party
I attended the River Rouge High School Class of 1969 75th Birthday party on Saturday July 18 at Crystal Gardens in Southgate. Thirty classmates, friends and family members attended the event. The event was the brainchild of fellow classmate Diana Minor Wilkerson who decided we were getting too old to wait for our 60th reunion in 2029. She was right. We had classmates come from all over the country to attend. Although I stay in touch with some of my classmates on a weekly basis, it was great to catch up with other classmates who were close friends in high school. I hope to reestablish those relationships.
For me, this class was special. Despite the racial tension that existed at the time throughout the country, our class never let it get in the way of how we interacted with each other. We won the Class B state championship in boys’ basketball; we were undefeated and top-ranked in football, we had all state football players and all-state basketball players, as well as the Willie Heston award winner as the best scholar-athlete in SE Michigan. We had a very large national honor society membership with many classmates having outstanding professional careers. Most of all we had good people.
I had the privilege of working with nine other classmates to plan the event. We started 15 months ago with everyone doing their part. The way we worked together on the event and the way the event took place was reminiscent of how we worked together in 1969. I was fortunate that Diana asked me to be on the planning committee. It was time well spent. The event gets my Orchid of the Day.
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Quote of the Day: “I learned that these extraordinary parks belong to every American and that the people entrusted to care for them carry a sacred responsibility to protect our country’s breathtaking natural resources and key elements of our nation’s history.,,“But never—not once in decades—have I witnessed such systematic degradation, disrespect and dismantling of the National Park Service as I see today under the thumb of the President Donald Trump and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum,” Executive Director of the Association of National Park Rangers Bill Wade
Orchid of the Day: The River Rouge Class of 1969 75th Birthday Party at Crystal Gardens in Southgate, Michigan. Thirty classmates, their friends and family had a great night of reminiscing, good food, great music, and fun. It was an honor to be the MC for the event.
Onion of the Day: The few players on the Argentina soccer team for their unsportsmanlike behavior following their loss to Spain in the World Cup championship game.
Question of the Day: Will we ever learn about conducting war on foreign lands?
Lyrics of the Day: Hemingway, Eichmann, Stranger in a Strange Land
Dylan, Berlin, Bay of Pigs invasion
Lawrence of Arabia, British Beatlemania
Ole Miss, John Glenn, Liston beats Patterson
Pope Paul, Malcolm X, British politician sex
JFK, blown away, what else do I have to say?
Lyrics of the Day for July 15, 2026. Love the One You’re With by Stephen Stills
Video of the Day: Try not to laugh too hard. Think about the gold medal hockey game in February vs the World Cup
We Didn’t Start The Fire by Billy Joel