Thoughts for the Day, February 18, 2026: I voted for him and I am proud of it.
It is the economy. It’s the deficit.
Per The Guardian: Washington is at war over immigration policy. Foreign policy. Tech policy. Even Kennedy Center policy. Shockingly, few people are talking about the incredible exploding budget deficit that could swallow everything else.
The Congressional Budget Office (remember them?) last week put out an “are you sitting down?” report that projected the U.S. government will spend $1 trillion on interest payments for its debt this year. One. Trillion. Dollars. To finance its gigantic and growing debt. And it only gets worse.
It also projected that the U.S. government will spend $1.853 trillion more than it brings in through revenue this year (that’s the budget deficit) and have an even wider gap in 2027. Talks of slashing spending and making difficult choices last year have given way to election-year spending-increase promises in 2026. Perhaps complicating matters more, DOGE never really caught on in 2025, and Republicans seem reluctant to repeat that experiment any time soon.
This is Trump’s and the Republicans’ problem. They promised to improve the economy, bring prices down on day one, and reduce the deficit. They are going to own this in 2026 and 2028.
Unfortunately, we are all stuck paying the price. This is just a reminder, that when it comes to reducing the deficit, Trump and his Republican followers are all talk and no action.
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Jesse Jackson
I cannot begin to come close to saying what needs to be said about Reverend Jesse Jackson and his contribution to the United States of America. The best thing I can say is that I voted for him in Michigan’s presidential primaries of 1984 and 1988 and was proud to do it.
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I am not responsible for Trump’s decisions. Wrong!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I have been sitting on this for a few days contemplating how to respond to the following opinion article by Nicole Russell an Opinion writer for the USA Today. Here are excerpts from her article.
Critics from the right and left slammed President Donald Trump for a racist video posted on his social media on Feb. 5. The post was deleted, but it prompted some denouncements from across the political spectrum and put supporters back in the hot seat.
I watched the video…I think Trump should have apologized. The fact that the video exists at all is awful.
I’m a conservative who voted for Trump. I don’t like everything he says and does. I wrestle with why and how Trump chooses to act the way he does. ……Social media is Trump’s playground, and he is the 8-year-old immature bully.
But if the election were held today, I’d vote for him again, and so would millions of other Americans. That doesn’t make us racist, bigots, weird or stupid. I reject the notion that this means we are complicit in his poor choices or mistakes.
Trump is no paragon of virtue. Whether it’s his 2024 conviction on felony charges related to falsifying business records tied to hush money payments, or smearing slain director Rob Reiner on social media, Trump’s character is questionable and off-putting, and at times immoral and unethical.
Of course, I wish Trump’s actions and words were always moral, ethical and wise. ..Still, conservatives like me often feel the need to apologize for him, defend our vote and explain our support of Trump. Although I understand the need to blame voters, it’s frustrating. I don’t think I’m responsible for every choice he makes just because I voted for him to lead the country.
But we aren’t choosing a spouse to marry when we vote. We are choosing a leader for just four years in an essentially binary system... An election is a transactional relationship, not a covenant marriage. We chose Trump, for better or worse. I think it’s ultimately for the better.
I’d vote for Trump again because he was the best choice to implement policies I value that really matter. More than 77 million Americans agreed with me then, and many still do now
As a Christian and conservative,…I have also made peace with the fact that democracy is imperfect and that politicians are flawed. Maybe next cycle we’ll get to choose between two incredible people. But for now, Trump’s improving America more than Harris ever could have. That’s why I’d vote for him again, even if I keep having to defend it.
The above is what happens when people value policy and ideology over moral character in a leader. Once you vote for someone, you own that vote. You cannot say you only voted for this part of the person and not the other part of the person you don’t like. This is why moral character should be the number one characteristic we look for in a leader.
As I said in Thoughts for the Day on February 5, The Gospels are clear: Jesus..standard wasn’t ideology. It was integrity.
Nicole and many like her are embarrassed by the actions of the leader of the free world that they voted for. They are learning that his actions go against most of the Christian values they have been taught. They are looking for ways to justify their poor choice in prioritizing policy over character. Ideology over integrity.
The fact that Nicole says she is a Christian and conservative and yet she will vote for Trump again tells me everything I need to know about how much value she puts on her Christian beliefs when compared to her support of Trump’s policies. She puts ideology over integrity.
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Let’s talk about some sports
Since I have been under the weather the last two days, I have been able to watch more sporting events than I usually watch.
As a lifelong hockey fan, there are very few things better than Olympic hockey. Today was a perfect example as three of the four quarterfinal games went into sudden-death overtime, as the U.S., Canada, Finland and Slovakia advanced to the semifinals. The level of play is exceptional. It is especially fun watching NHL teammates go against each other when there is so much at stake.
In today’s game between the U.S. and Sweden, it was Detroit Redwing players who starred for both teams as Dylan Larkin scored the first goal for the U.S. and Lucas Raymond set up the tying goal with 1:30 left in regulation for Sweden. The winning goal was scored by Quinn Hughes (Canton) and Connor Hellebuyck (Commerce Township) made 28 saves for the U.S
Basketball is king again in Michigan. Going into Thursday’s game against the Knicks, the Pistons have the best winning percentage in the NBA. The Michigan men’s team is ranked number one in the country and has a two-game lead for the B1G title with four games left. The Michigan women are ranked number six in the country. The Spartans men’s and women’s teams are ranked numbers fifteen and eighteen. I do not recall a time when all five teams were ranked this high at the same time.
The Michigan men’s team will be tested on Saturday as it takes on number three Duke in a neutral site game in Washington D.C.
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Onion of the Day, Orchid of the Day, Quote of the Day and Video of the Day are the result of one play that occurred in the UCLA/MSU basketball game.
With 4:26 on the clock in what became a blowout, 82-59 win for No. 15 Michigan State, UCLA forward Steven Jamerson II chased down a breaking Carson Cooper and tried to block a shot. The play sent Cooper sprawling to the foot of the basket in a dangerous sequence, and the two stood toe to toe with each other on the baseline when Cooper got to his feet. Michigan State teammate Coen Carr had to hold back Cooper amid the fracas.
UCLA head coach Mick Cronin ejected Jamerson himself. With a pointed finger and what one can only assume was some choice language, Cronin sent Jamerson up the Breslin Center tunnel. That was before referees gave Jamerson a flagrant 1 foul for the play and added a technical for both Jamerson and Cooper.
Cronin gets my Orchid of the Day for his actions and Steven Jammerson gets my Onion of the Day for his totally unnecessary actions in which a fellow competitor could have been seriously injured. This play also contributes to my Quote of the Day and Video of the Day
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Nationalizing elections
From Joyce Vance: Trump said it as part and parcel of his stab at getting Republicans to take over state elections—Trump said they should be “nationalized.” I don’t know why the federal government doesn’t do them anyway,” he said, adding that it’s a “disgrace” how “horribly” some states run elections. Anyone who has been watching knows what this is about. It’s more of the same from the candidate who asked state officials in Georgia to find him 11,780 votes so he could overturn the result in an election that he lost.
The Election Assistance Commission “invited” election officials from across the country to a briefing on “preparations” for the midterms. The call is being organized for February 25. The email invite is signed off on by Kellie M. Hardiman, who identifies her role as “FBI Election Executive.
Hardiman wrote to state election officials that the FBI and other federal agencies “would like to invite you to a call where we can discuss our preparations for the cycle, as well as updates and resources we can provide to you and your staff.” State officials are concerned.
Following the execution of a search warrant on election officials in Fulton County, Georgia, based on old, disproven claims of elections fraud, a bipartisan group of “more than a dozen election officials” told Politico “they fear Trump is laying the groundwork to undermine results still months away.”
Trump has said that Atlanta and other cities with Democratic strongholds as seeing “horrible corruption on elections.” “The federal government should not allow that,” he said Tuesday. “The federal government should get involved. These are agents of the federal government to count the votes. If they can’t count the votes legally and honestly, then somebody else should take over.”
Presidents do not get to dictate the rules in our elections. But to ensure this election is free and fair, it appears that state election officials, along with federal judges, will have to keep the president in check. They will have to keep him for usurping power that is not properly his, as he has done on so many other occasions. Do you know who your secretary of state (they have different titles in some states) is?
Here is a list of election officials in every state. If you aren’t already, get familiar with yours. And make sure they know you’ll be watching how they handle the meeting on February 25. Call them or send them a letter in the next day or two, letting them know that you know Donald Trump isn’t entitled to “nationalize” our elections and you expect them to uphold the law.
Trump wants us to ignore that the Constitution expresses that states are responsible for elections.
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Contact your Congressperson
Contact your congressman by following these easy steps
This can be done in a few easy steps.
Step 1: find your congressman by clicking on this link, Find Your Representative | house.gov
Step 2: Put your zip code in the proper space.
Step 3: Click the button “find your representative”
Step 4: In the new page that comes up you will see a picture of your congressman. Click on your congressman’s name under the picture.
Step 5: In the new page that comes up, Click on Contact Me at the top of the page and then click on Email me.
Step 6: Fill out the information as required.
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Quote of the Day: “True toughness is how you compete and how you go to work every day. Steve’s a good kid. He made a bad decision. But if you want to be a tough guy, you need to do it during the game. For a block out, for a rebound. ... I know Steve’s trying to block the shot, but the game’s a 25-point game. You don’t do that.” UCLA head coach Mick Cronin
Orchid of the Day: UCLA head coach Mick Cronin- See above
Onion of the Day: UCLA basketball player, Steven Jammerson-See above
Question of the Day: Did you realize the deficit was so out of control? Did you forget about the deficit?
Lyrics of the Day: I am no better and neither are you
We are the same whatever we do
You love me, you hate me, you know me and then
You can’t figure out the bag I’m in.
There is a long hair that doesn’t like the short hair
For bein’ such a rich one, that will not help the poor one
And different strokes for different folks
And so on and so on and Scooby-Dooby-Doo
Hint: The group was never on time for a concert.
If you know the answer, please feel free to use the comment section of the blog to respond.
Lyrics of the Day for February 16, 2026. Under Pressure by David Bowie and Queen
Video of the Day:
I write reflective, opinionated essays on leadership, politics, sports, and life—grounded in experience rather than ideology. If this perspective resonates with you, you can subscribe here for free.
Everyday People by Sly and the Family Stone
The threats to our elections are growing as fast as the deficit!