Thoughts for the Day, May 19, 2025: When the "Boss" speaks, I listen

When the “Boss” speaks, I listen

For 50 years I have admired and respected the work of Bruce Springsteen, the “Boss”. His love of country, of life in America, of the hard-working people of the country, and of grit and hard work is what his music is about. His touring for 50 years and putting on concerts that are second to none is legendary. No place is too big, and no venue is too small. He just wants to rock and roll with the E Street Band and interact with the crowds that come to his concerts. It is not unusual for Bruce and the E Street Band to perform 80-100 concerts per year lasting over 3 hours a piece.

Bruce songs always tell a story. Whether it is the “Streets of Philadelphia”, “Glory Days”, “Born in the USA”, “Tenth Avenue Freeze Out” or “Dancing in the Dark”. He is telling a story, and he wants us to listen. Bruce Springsteen has never been one to mince words.

Thursday night in Manchester, England, was signature Springsteen. At a concert on his “Land of Hopes and Dreams” tour, he diverged from his usual song set to speak directly and forcefully about the state of our country. He articulated the anger and frustration many of us have been feeling while issuing a call to action.

As you watch the video, pay attention to the passion in his face and voice. He is speaking from his heart. He is speaking because of his love for his country, our country, the United States of America. He has a message, and he wants us to hear it. It is a call to action.

I share it with you as my Video of the Day.

Land of Hope and Dreams

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Just another reason why Michigan needs to tighten up its transparency laws

A former Michigan legislative aide was charged Wednesday with criminal enterprise and embezzlement related to a $25 million legislative earmark awarded through the 2022 state budget.

The charges, first reported by Bridge Michigan, stem from a $25 million earmark sponsored by Wentworth, a Republican, in the fiscal year 2022-23 state budget. The budget included more than $1 billion in rushed earmark spending added hours before a final vote, while Wentworth was the House's top leader.

The Michigan House is attempting to reform the process this year with rules that require lawmakers to publicly disclose earmark requests months before budget votes — and explain why projects deserve public funding.

In a Wednesday statement, House Speaker Matt Hall said the new earmark rules are part of a bid to end "corruption" in state government and stop "shady deals" that "were the norm in Lansing for far too long."

A big thank you to the Detroit News and Bridge Michigan for reporting on this deal immediately after it was announced in 2022. It was their digging behind the scenes that uncovered this fraud. Without transparency rules in state government, these types of transactions will continue to be a norm in our state government, and we will be dependent upon the media to uncover and inform us.

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I couldn’t have said it any better

From Nolan Finley of the Detroit News.

Every president should have a cabinet level advisor called the Bad Idea Secretary. The job would be to stand next to the president and whisper in his ear, "bad idea" when totally absurd, bizarre and inappropriate comments start coming out of his mouth, such as, "I may run for a third term." Or "I want a big, beautiful military parade for my birthday." Or "Gosh, Canada would be a great 51st state." Or "yes, Mr. Sheik, I'd love to accept your gift of a $400 million luxury jet. How very thoughtful of you."

Donald Trump obviously has no Bad Idea guy. In his first term, his daughter, Ivanka, came the closest to being able to pinch his arm fat and say, "stop that!" But she decided in the new world of lawfare hanging around the Oval Office is too risky.

White House Chief of Staff Suzie Wiles is supposed to be the disciplinarian. So where is she when Trump says of the winged present form Qatar's royal family, "I appreciate it very much. I would never be one to turn down that kind of an offer. I mean, I could be a stupid person saying: 'No, we don't want a free, very expensive airplane.'"

As Forrest Gump's mama said, "Stupid is as stupid does."

Even if the gift were coming from the leader of a beloved and trusted ally…it would still be a very bad idea. Qatar has played host to leaders of Hamas, the terror outfit raining death on the Palestinian people. Its banks have been accused of funneling money to terrorists. And it has strong economic and diplomatic ties to Iran.

Is it outlandish to worry that …the jet might also be equipped with explosive or espionage devices to be used should the relationship with Qatar go sour?

While Trump's pledge to give the jet to his future presidential library when it's no longer in service as Air Force One may allow it to slip under the Constitution's Emoluments Clause, there's still nothing kosher about this gift. It's yet another distraction to the vital agenda Trump promised: to cut the debt and deficit and grow America's economy.

…Trump is too taken with the trappings of the office. He's lusting for potentate status. I wouldn't be shocked at any moment to see him walk into the Rose Garden wearing a custom designed uniform with rows of fake medals pinned to his chest, ala Idi Amin or Josef Stalin.

And there will be no one at the door to tell him, "It would be a bad idea for you to go out of this house looking like that."

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The rule of law at risk

Excerpts from J. Michael Luttig of The Atlantic.

For the almost 250 years since the founding of this nation, America has been the beacon of freedom to the world because of its democracy and rule of law. Our system of checks and balances has been strained before, but democracy—government by the people—and the rule of law have always won the day. Until now, that is. America will never again be that same beacon to the world, because the president of the United States has subverted America’s democracy and corrupted its rule of law.

The president of the United States appears to have long ago forgotten that Americans fought the Revolutionary War not merely to secure their independence from the British monarchy but to establish a government of laws, not of men, so that they and future generations of Americans would never again be subject to the whims of a tyrannical king. As Thomas Paine wrote in Common Sense in 1776, “For as in absolute governments the king is law, so in free countries the law ought to be king; and there ought to be no other.”

Donald Trump seems also not to understand John Adams’s fundamental observation about the new nation that came into the world that same year. Just last month, an interviewer from Time magazine asked the president in the Oval Office, “Mr. President, you were showing us the new paintings you have behind us. You put all these new portraits. One of them includes John Adams. John Adams said we’re a government ruled by laws, not by men. Do you agree with that?” To which the president replied: “John Adams said that? Where was the painting?”

When the interviewer pointed to the portrait, Trump asked: “We’re a government ruled by laws, not by men? Well, I think we’re a government ruled by law, but you know, somebody has to administer the law. So therefore men, certainly, men and women, certainly play a role in it. I wouldn’t agree with it 100 percent. We are a government where men are involved in the process of law, and ideally, you’re going to have honest men like me.”

And earlier this month, a television journalist asked Trump the simple question “Don’t you need to uphold the Constitution of the United States as president?” Astonishingly, the president answered, “I don’t know.” The interviewer then asked, “Don’t you agree that every person in the United States is entitled to due process?” The president again replied, “I don’t know.”

This is not a man who respects the rule of law, nor one who seeks to understand it. Trump has proudly wielded the powers of the office and the federal government to persecute his enemies, while at the same time pardoning, glorifying, and favoring his political allies and friends—among them those who attacked the U.S. Capitol during the insurrection that Trump fomented on January 6, 2021. The president’s utter contempt for the Constitution and laws of the United States has been on spectacular display since Inauguration Day.

Trump has spoiled for this war against the federal judiciary, the Constitution, and the rule of law since January 6, 2021. He has repeatedly vowed to exact retribution against America’s justice system for what he falsely maintains was the partisan “weaponization” of the federal government against him…With the world as witness, Trump attempted to thwart the peaceful transfer of power—committing perhaps the gravest constitutional crime that a president could ever commit.

Speak up and Speak out.

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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Quotes of the Day: “The last check on power, when the checks and balances of government fail, are the people, you and me. The union of people upon the common set of values is all that stands between Democracy and Authoritarianism. At the end of the day, all we got is each other… A majority of our elected representatives have failed to protect the American people from the abuses of an unfit president and a rogue government.” Bruce Springsteen.

Orchid of the Day: Akil Baddoo of the Detroit Tigers. Baddoo was brought up from the minors on Wednesday as replacement outfielder and he immediately had an impact for the Tigers with his glove. On Wednesday against the Red Sox, he saved a run early in the game with a diving catch in right field. The Tigers won the game by one run.

On Sunday, in the first inning Baddoo robbed a Toronto player of a three-run home run by catching the ball above the wall and then doubling the runner off of second base. The next hitter hit a sinking line drive and Baddoo made a diving catch to end the inning. Baddoo, not known for his defense, saved the Tigers three runs with those two catches. The Tigers went on to win the game by one run.

Onion of the Day: James Comey. The former FBI Director posted a photo on Thursday of seashells on a beach forming the numbers “86 47,” a phrase used by Mr. Trump’s critics at protests, and on signs and clothing. “Eighty-six,” according to Merriam-Webster, is an old slang term meaning to dismiss or remove. I have no use for Comey.

Lyrics of the Day: Messages keep getting clearer. Radio's on and I'm moving 'round my place. I check my look in the mirror. I wanna change my clothes, my hair, my face

Man, I ain't getting nowhere. I'm just living in a dump like this. There's something happening somewhere. Baby, I just know that there is.

If you think you know the answer, send me your response in the comments section of the blog.

Answer to Lyrics of the Day for May 14, 2025: You Keep me Hangin’ On by the Supremes

Question of the Day: Will Bruce Springsteen face repercussions when he tries to re-enter the country after his return from his concert tour in England and Europe?

Video of the Day: See above Land of Hope and Dreams by Bruce Springsteen

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