Thoughts for the Day, March 18, 2025: Win the bracket and have $100 donated to the charity of your choice.
Better Late than Never
Suni Willams and Butch Wilmore, two NASA astronauts splashed down off Florida’s Gulf Coast on Tuesday, returning to Earth after a stay on the International Space Station that lasted some nine months longer than they had originally planned.
A SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule carrying those two astronauts set down in calm, azure waters off Florida’s Gulf Coast south of Tallahassee at 5:57 p.m. Eastern time.
Suni and Butch get my Orchid of the Day. See my Video of the Day.
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March Madness
I have set up an ESPN Tournament Challenge group for readers of Thoughts for the Day. The winner will get an Orchid of the Day and a $100 donation to the non-profit charity of their choice. The last place finisher will get an Onion of the Day. There is a limit of one entry per email.
The name of the group is Thoughts for the Day. The password is: thoughts. Updates are available on the ESPN Tournament Challenge following each game. I will provide updates on Mondays. All rules are consistent with the ESPN Tournament Challenge.
Here is the link to sign up for the challenge.
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The Power of the Federal Courts
In my adult life, I have never thought much about the power of the federal courts. I have taken for granted that the rulings of the court will be honored. If the court ruled against someone, the person had the right to appeal to the next highest court, up to and including the supreme court. If anyone was held in contempt of the court, they were punished accordingly as deemed by the judge. Ignoring court orders was not an option. Even Richard Nixon honored court orders when they ruled against him.
It wasn’t until recently that I realized that there is nothing preventing the Musk/Trump presidency from not honoring the court orders.
· The Republican controlled congress will not force him to honor court orders.
· The supreme court has ruled that the president is exempt from criminal prosecution if they are doing the job of president.
· Federal judges do not have personnel who can enforce court orders.
· The president has surrounded himself with loyalists who control all manners of enforcement at the federal level.
· Local law enforcement is not an option because they have no jurisdiction.
The Musk/Trump presidency understands this, and they are pushing the limits of their ability to ignore the rulings of the courts. We are seeing it play out in the courts this week as the president does not feel obligated to respond to a judge’s request for appearance, to respond to direct questions, or to respond to verbal orders in two deportation cases.
In addition to ignoring the judge, Musk and Trump have chosen to attack the judge through social media. The attack was so out of line, that Chief Justice Roberts of the Supreme Court felt obligated to respond in the media to Musk’s and Trump’s attack on a federal judge.
Trump is testing the limits of our democracy, and he is looking for cracks in it that he can exploit. He started it in is his first term when he tried to extort Ukraine’s president Zelensky to investigate dirt on Biden. It continued after the 2020 election with the Big Lie and the insurrection at the Capitol on January 6. With four years of preparation and by following the road map provided by Project 2025, Trump and Musk are working to solidify their power so the transition of power that we expect in 2029, may not take place.
Joyce Vance in Civil Discourse said it best. It is my Quote of the Day.
It’s important to understand that we protect everyone’s rights in this country, not just people we like. And it couldn’t be clearer why. It’s a steep slippery slope from the alleged gang members (no court has confirmed that designation) to a noted surgeon (the Boston case) and then onto others. If the law doesn’t apply, then the government is free to violate people’s rights at will. And when this case gets to the Supreme Court, as it will, if the administration wins, then it’s pretty much open season. Anything goes.
Please call your members of Congress today. The U.S. Capitol switchboard is 202-224-3121. Tell the operator where you’re from and the operator will connect you to your representatives and senators. I tested this out today. It is very simple. They will ask for the congress member you want to contact. They will then switch you to that office.
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My stomach turned this morning
The first thing I read this morning was that Israel attacked Gaza and up to 400 people are dead. Cease fire is close to collapse. Hostages are returned dead. 50,000 dead since October 2023. FUBAR.
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Quote of the Day: See above by Joyce Vance
Orchid of the Day: Astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore for returning to earth nine months later than planned. A second Orchid of the Day to: NASA and Space X for making it happen.
Onion of the Day: Netanyahu. The war monger continues his attack without regard the innocent lives that are lost.
Lyrics of the Day: My friends tell me that I’ve been such a fool. And I have to stand by and take it baby, all for loving you. I drown myself in sorrow as I look what you’ve done. But nothing seems to change. The bad times stay the same and I can’t run.
If you think you know the answer, send me your answer in the comments section of the blog.
Answer to Lyrics of the Day for March 17, 2025: Hotel California by The Eagles
Question of the Day: What changed in Gaza to start the carnage again?
Video of the Day: WATCH: 2 NASA astronauts stuck in space exit SpaceX capsule
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