Thoughts for the Day, January 21, 2025: God does not like the name change.

Due to an unprecedented winter storm in Gulf Shores, I have been without internet for the last 18 hours. Thus, I was unable to post my blog yesterday. The internet is back on, and I am back in business. Here is yesterday’s blog.

God Responds to Renaming the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America

It didn’t take long for God to express his displeasure of Trump renaming it to the Gulf of America. In less than 24 hours after being renamed, God has sent a blistering winter blast to the top of the gulf. The shorelines of northeast Texas, Mississippi, Alabama, and the Florida panhandle have become a winter wonderland. Over 6 inches of snow has fallen in Gulf Shores.

Residents of the affected areas are pleading for the President to change the name back. The residents feel they are being singled out by God for being a MAGA stronghold and God is taking His wrath out on them. City services are closed. Bridges over the intercoastal are closed because they have turned into snowboarding hills. Snow shovels and window scrapers are non-existent. It is a cluster and FUBAR all into one.

The residents are hoping Trump responds quicker to this crisis than he did the January 6, 2021, insurrection.

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The Pardon of the January 6 participants

I knew it was coming but it stings just the same. I have noted in this blog many times that January 6, 2021, was one of the darkest days in the history of the United States. Yet Monday night when I read about the 1,500 blanket pardons that were issued, it hit me very hard. I had trouble sleeping afterwards.

I feel for the families and friends of the 10 people who died as a result. I feel for the over 140 law enforcement officers who were injured that day. Some of the injuries were physical and will never heal and some were mental that will also never heal.

I feel bad for the members of the Department of Justice who spent four years building and prosecuting cases against the 1,500 who were found guilty of their role in the insurrection.

I feel bad for the federal judges who presided over the cases, many of whom were Trump appointees.

Most of all I feel bad for our country.

Sarah Hines of ABC News and The View said it best, “This is the biggest middle finger he could have given this country.”

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The law-and-order president he is not

For a president who claims he is the law-and-order president and is protecting us from all the criminals that are coming across our borders, I find it ironic that with his pardons yesterday he put over 600 criminals convicted of violent behavior at the Capitol back on the streets.

The following from Harry Littman’s Talking Feds highlights some of the violent criminals that Trump put back on the street with no guardrails when it comes to supporting Trump. In the 2020 presidential debate, Trump told his followers to “stand down”. On January 6, 2021, he told them to act. There is no question in my mind, that those who received pardons think they are free to do whatever they want in support of Trump. Trump has proven he will have their backs. Here are excerpts from Littman.

.. the pardons sweep in some of the most dangerous domestic terrorists in American history, including the two organizing forces behind the operation, Stewart Rhodes, founder and leader of the Oath Keepers, and Enrique Tarrio, former chairman of the Proud Boys, who made their name with political street violence.

Both were convicted of seditious conspiracy, a famously rare and difficult charge and one of the most serious offenses in the books against not just a person but society and the Constitution. Tarrio received the longest sentence—22 years—of any January 6 marauder; Rhodes received 18 years.

A few of Tarrio’s and Rhodes’s words, set out in their indictments for seditious conspiracy:

• Tarrio: “If Biden steals this election [the Proud Boys] will be political prisoners. We won’t go quietly…I promise.”

• Tarrio: “It’s time for fucking war if they steal this shit.”

• Tarrio: “Hopefully the firing squads are for the traitors that are trying to steal the election from the American people.”

• Rhodes: Trump has to involve the Insurrection Act, and if he doesn’t, it would lead to a “much more bloody war.”

• Rhodes: After the insurrection, “We should have brought rifles. We could’ve fixed it right then and there. I’d hang fucking Pelosi from the lamp post.”

And for good measure, there is this gem from Daniel Rodriguez, which Professor Richardson highlighted on her indispensable Substack, Letters From An American. Rodriguez received a 12 ½ year sentence after he pleaded guilty to tasing Metropolitan Police Officer Michael Fanone, causing a heart attack and traumatic brain injury. After the tasing, he boasted to his friends in a group chat: “Omg I did so much fucking shit right now and got away. Tazzzzed the fuck out of the blue.”

All in all, Trump’s blanket pardons include over 600 marauders convicted of crimes of violence, including assault, resisting or impeding law enforcement, or obstructing officers during a civil disorder. 174 of those were charged with using a deadly or dangerous weapon or causing serious bodily injury to an officer. Besides Rhodes and Tarrio, several other high-up members of the Proud Boys or Oath Keepers were convicted of seditious conspiracy.

These were villains to the Constitution who belong in the same infamous company as Timothy McVeigh, the Tsarnaev brothers, and Sheikh Omar Abdel-Rahman.

See my Video of the Day

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Pam Bondi, Trump’s choice for attorney general

"I will look at each case and advise on a case-by-case basis.,,,Let me be very clear in speaking to you, I condemn any violence on a law enforcement officer in this country." AG Bondi in last week’s senate confirmation hearing when questioned about pardons for the January 6 insurrectionists.

With the pardon of the 1,500 participants in the January 6, 2021, insurrection, Trump made it clear how little he was going to listen to Pam Bondi, his choice for Attorney General.

As reported last week by Newsweek and nearly every other media source, Donald Trump’s pick for attorney general, Pam Bondi, said she would advise the president on the potential pardoning of January 6 rioters, if confirmed to the post.

While appearing on Capitol Hill Wednesday for her confirmation hearings, Bondi was asked by Democratic Senator Dick Durbin if she would pardon those who were convicted for their role in the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot.

Bondi told the ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Committee that while pardoning power falls to the president, if asked to help counsel Trump on those cases, "I will look at each case and advise on a case-by-case basis."

When pressed by Durbin about the conviction of those who violently assaulted Capitol police, Bondi told the Illinois Democrat, "Let me be very clear in speaking to you, I condemn any violence on a law enforcement officer in this country."

The tone that Bondi and the incoming administration have taken in recent weeks, deploying the language "case-by-case," has irritated some in the MAGA base that argue that the messaging is a way for Trump to pardon some of his supporters but not others.

In Trump II, there are no guardrails. Within 8 hours of his being sworn in, Trump has shown that he will listen to no one who does not agree with him, including his AG. Trump’s playbook is project 2025.

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Lack of Empathy

One of the things that jumped out at me regarding Trumps remarks yesterday was the lack of empathy.

The Trumps spent time with the Bidens in the morning in the tradition of the White House transition of power (Trump did not offer the same tradition to the Bidens in 2021) The two couples had photoshoots together for the press. Yet, during Trump’s speech, he did not offer one kind word toward the Bidens for hosting them in the morning. Instead, Trump had a long list of what is wrong with the country and what bad shape Biden left the country.

Trump outlined the things he was going to do starting immediately with no recognition of the pain and suffering his actions may cause.

I am not surprised with his lack of empathy. It has been there all along, but yesterday Monday it jumped out at me.

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Quote of the Day: “This is the biggest middle finger he could have given this country.” Sarah Hines of ABC and The View when talking about Trump’s 1,500 pardons.

Second Quote of the Day: "I will look at each case and advise on a case-by-case basis.,,,Let me be very clear in speaking to you, I condemn any violence on a law enforcement officer in this country." Pam Bondi, AG Select in last week’s senate confirmation hearings.

Orchid of the Day: Ohio State Buckeyes for winning the CFP National Championship

Onion of the Day: We the people because of Trump’s 1,500 pardons of those who participated in the January 6 insurrection.

Lyrics of the Day: There's something happening here, But what it is ain't exactly clear. There's a man with a gun over there Telling me I got to beware

I think it's time we stop Children, what's that sound? Everybody look, what's going down?

There's battle lines being drawn. Nobody's right if everybody's wrong
Young people speaking their minds Getting so much resistance from behind

Answer to January 20, Lyrics of the Day: Pride (In the Name of Love) performed by U2.

Question of the Day: When will Pam Bondi resign as attorney general?

Video of the Day: January 6 committee releases new video timeline of Capitol riot | FOX 9 KMSP

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