“When buying and selling are controlled by legislation, the first things to be bought and sold are legislators.”

–P.J. O’Rourke, Parliament of Whores.

“In order to become the master, the politician poses as the servant.”

–Charles DeGaulle.

“All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others.”

–George Orwell, Animal Farm.

Well Washington, D.C. is all in a lather over the current criminal prosecutions being pursued against Democrats. It is retribution! Trump is punishing his political enemies! He’s destroying the Constitution, the rule of law, and all political norms! Oh, spare me. That is such hogwash.

But, but, but, . . James Comey, Letitia James, and Adam Schiff! Trump is literally Hitler! He’s a totalitarian, authoritarian, unconstitutional, engaged in retribution, he’s destroying norms they cry. Pundits and politicians are melting down on MSNBC, CNN, and NBC over what?

Former Federal Bureau of Investigation Director James Comey is charged with lying to Congress and obstruction. There is little, if any, doubt that he is guilty of that and much more. But he takes umbrage that he would be subjected to the criminal justice system. It’s not like he is Roger Stone, who was charged with the exact same crimes, and was rousted from his Miami Beach home in the early morning hours by an FBI SWAT team, all being filmed by CNN (tipped off by the FBI). No, James Comey was allowed to self-surrender, and was immediately released. A federal judge imposed a gag order on Roger Stone, lest he influence the jury pool, a gag order that is still in effect years after his conviction and sentencing. There is no gag order against James Comey, and he is out there lecturing us all on his innocence.

What about Peter Navarro? A Trump advisor, Mr. Navarro was taken off a plane at Reagan National Airport, handcuffed, and shackled in front of all present. He was treated like a Mafioso. His crime? He asserted executive privilege in response to a Congressional demand for testimony.

Lt. General Michael Flynn, decorated veteran and former Trump National Security Advisor, went through hell during a criminal prosecution for lying to FBI agents. FBI Director James Comey sent the agents to The White House, acting through unofficial channels, in order to see if he could take out General Flynn. Don’t believe it? James Comey bragged about it on MSNBC. It was a big joke to him, to ruin a man’s life and career. In the end, General Flynn was forced to plead guilty in order to protect his family with promises of retribution from James Comey. He lost his career, his savings, his house, and his reputation. James Comey thought this was funny.

Paul Manafort was confined to his Alexandria, Virginia home (pretrial) after it was thoroughly searched by the FBI, and eventually went to prison for not registering as a foreign lobbyist. The very same law that Hunter Biden violated, but for which he was never arrested or charged. Mr. Manafort went to prison. Hunter Biden hung out in The White House sniffing cocaine.

Letitia James charged Donald Trump with mortgage fraud, claiming he overvalued his properties when seeking loans. Forget about the fact that banks do not take a borrower’s word as to the value of their collateral, always doing their own assessments. Forget about the fact that the banks were all repaid in full, and profited on their business relationship with the Trump Organization. No, no, no. The paperwork was faulty, and therefore Donald Trump and his sons committed crimes. So for Letitia James to be criminally indicted for lying on her mortgage paperwork is just unfair. She’s a Democrat, don’t you know?

Similarly, it boggles the mind to think that Adam Schiff, a Democrat Representative and now Senator from Burbank, California, could claim a Montgomery County, Maryland home as his primary residence. In order to constitutionally qualify to represent California, Mr. Schiff’s primary residence MUST BE IN CALIFORNIA! So to call attention to his obvious mortgage fraud is just petty and mean. It is not as if he will be held accountable for his leaking of classified materials during the Russia! Russia! Russia! hoax, or his lying, or . . . . No, thanks to China Joe’s pardon, Adam Schiff is off scot free!

Finally, there are the federal prosecutions of Donald Trump. Mr. Trump was pursued by an illegally appointed special counsel, Jack Smith. Readers may recall that Jack Smith previously went after Governor Robert McDonnell (R. Va.), bankrupting him and his family. The United States Supreme Court unanimously vacated Governor McDonnell’s conviction, 9-0. But Mr. Smith was back, and he had Donald Trump in his sights. Did you know that Donald Trump took documents with him to Mar-A-Lago when he left The White House? Just like every other President in history took documents with them when they left The White House?

But when Donald Trump did it, well . . . . An FBI SWAT team raided Mar-A-Lago, and ransacked former President Trump’s residence. They made a spectacle of the raid, had it televised, and righteously proclaimed that “no one is above the law!” But apparently former President Trump was beneath the law. It did not matter that the documents at Mar-A-Lago were all declassified–but, but, but, Donald Trump did not follow the bureaucrats’ procedures! He did not have to, he was the President. It did not matter that Mr. Trump held the highest possible security clearance at the time. The Democrats fixed that, by having China Joe revoke Mr. Trump’s security clearance. No, all that mattered was “we have to get Trump!”

Following Mr. Trump’s indictments, James Comey and others were all over television, pontificating about his misdeed, and relishing in his impending convictions and imprisonment. China Joe directed Mr. Trump’s prosecutions, and even stated that it was imperative to “get Trump” so that he could not run for president in 2024. But all this was okay. The Democrats were in charge, and they were on the side of the angels. That is, they would be if they believed in God, which I seriously doubt.

The difference in the treatment of Republicans and Democrats in the media, and in the criminal justice system is stark. Take the example of the “leaking” of Valerie Plame’s identity during the George W. Bush Administration. There was nothing illegal about leaking the identity of a desk jockey from Langley, Virginia. But Deputy Attorney General James Comey insisted that there was a “there” there, and appointed his buddy, Patrick Fitzgerald to investigate and prosecute the offender. AT THE TIME OF MR. FITZGERALD’S APPOINTMENT, both he and James Comey knew that the leaker was Secretary of State Colin Powell’s advisor, Richard Armitage. Richard Armitage was never identified, or charged, or prosecuted by Patrick Fitzgerald.

But people went to jail. News reporter Judith Miller spent 85 days in jail for refusing to reveal her confidential sources. Vice-presidential aide I. Lewis “Scooter” Libby was convicted of perjury, and sentenced to prison, losing his reputation, freedom, and his law license. What was his lie? He did not lie. He testified differently than did NBC reporter Tim Russert. Patrick Fitzgerald decided that since he believed Tim Russert was telling the truth (and Tim Russert wavered on the accuracy of his testimony), then Scooter Libby must be guilty of perjury. AND PLEASE REMEMBER, all of these legal machinations are over an allegation of illegal leaking Valerie Plame’s identity to Washington Post columnist Robert Novak, and the leaker, Richard Armitage, was known to Comey and Fitzgerald before their investigation got underway!  They never pursued Richard Armitage!

The hypocrisy, the intrigue, the backstabbing, and the double standards in Washington, D.C. absolutely are a cancer on our republican form of government. Elected officials, bureaucrats, and news pundits–almost uniformly Democrats, with some squishy, spineless Republicans–will do anything to maintain their power, prestige, comforts, and positions. They are not serving you, the American people. They are serving themselves.

So please spare us all the hand wringing, moaning, groaning, and protestations over the current criminal prosecutions of public officials. Your whining is nauseating, your hypocrisy glaring, and your stupidity knows no bounds.

President Trump is not engaged in retribution, or breaking constitutional norms, or perverting the criminal justice system to punish his political “enemies”. President Trump is holding the previously unaccountable, accountable. Let justice prevail.

GFK

“I love deadlines.  I love the whooshing noise they make as they go by.”
― Douglas Adams.

“There is nothing to writing.  All you do is sit down at a typewriter and bleed.”
― Ernest Hemingway.

“Start writing, no matter what.  The water does not flow until the faucet is turned on.”
― Louis L’Amour.

It has been a process. We do not yet know if this will work, but if you are reading this, we have made significant progress since last week. Hopefully we are on the right path.

Inflation is down, and consumer spending is up. WINNING!

President Trump ordered the deployment of federal law enforcement to Portland, Oregon. Portland has become a Third World country, and is in such bad shape, it may be more than our federal government can do to restore it to a modicum of safety.

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth shut down his predecessor’s efforts to strip the Medal Of Honor from decorated soldiers fighting in the suppression of the Sioux Indians. Under China Joe, and led by Senator Elizabeth “Lieawatha” Warren (D. Ma.), the Democrats attempted to label brave soldiers fighting our enemies to protect American citizens as disgraced “racists”. Thanks to Secretary Hegseth, this disgraceful act will not be carried out.

The United States Supreme Court ruled that the Trump Administration can withhold billions in foreign aid. WINNING!

A federal grand jury in Virginia issued a criminal indictment against former Federal Bureau of Investigation Director James Comey, for lying to Congress and obstruction of justice. Under the law, Mr. Comey is entitled to the presumption of innocence. But outside the judicial process, Mr. Comey has proven himself to be a self-important egomaniac, who lies serially, and has no problem with weaponizing the federal Department of Justice against those with whom he disagrees. This is a career long hallmark of Mr. Comey’s, dating back to the Clinton Administration. Mr. Comey is a bad person. He helped orchestrate the biggest scandal in American political history–the Russia! Russia! Russia! hoax–, covered up for the very corrupt, and quite guilty, Hillary Clinton, and tried to destroy the lives of General Michael Flynn and his family. Karma is a b**ch. And “no one is above the law.”

“Donald Trump and his sycophants in the Department of Justice are completely and totally out of control, and have viciously weaponized the criminal justice system against their perceived adversaries.  The malicious prosecution against James Comey has no apparent basis in law or fact, and lawyers of good conscience in the department know it.  Anyone complicit in this malignant corruption will face accountability.”

–Representative Hakeem Jeffries (D. N.Y.) 

Sounds like a threat to me. A hypocritical threat, but a threat nonetheless.

Senator Bernie Sanders (I. Vt.) decried what he called “political pressure” by the Trump Administration to suspend Jimmy Kimmel Live! So why would Senator Sanders write a letter on his Senate letterhead to Nexstar, demanding that the company put back Jimmy Kimmel Live! at its ABC affiliates? Sigh. No sense of irony. None whatsoever.

Commiela’s book tour is not going well. First, no one is buying her book. Second, a recent appearance was interrupted by protestors screaming “Free Palestine!” Third, the book’s theme, and her talking points make clear that she is not president because of the “racism” and “sexism” of the American people. Nothing could be further from the truth. The American people rejected Commiela because she was, and remains, an incompetent boob. Just like China Joe.

Millions of dollars originally donated to former President Obama’s presidential library have been funneled to a Left wing group to fund anti-Semitic causes, including the protests at college campuses, calling for “Free Palestine”. Sounds like money laundering.

How dire are the funding resources at the Obama library? It has only $1 million in reserve funding. It contracted with the city of Chicago to have $750 million. Illinois and Chicago taxpayers may soon be paying for the Obama library. And paying, and paying, and . . . .

Savannah Antao is a pro-life activist who was peacefully presenting her views on the streets of New York City [Manhattan]. There she was brutally beaten by Brianna Rivers, who is virulently pro-death, and was offended by Savannah Antao’s views. The NYPD charged with Miss Rivers with felony assault and battery. District Attorney Alvin Bragg reduced those charges to a misdemeanor. His office then dismissed the case altogether. Censorhip, Democrat style.

New York City Mayor Eric Adams (I.) is dropping out of the mayoral race. Can Andrew Cuomo overtake the commie? Doubt it.

In Grand Blanc Township, Michigan, a deranged man shot up a church, killing and wounding congregants, and then set the church ablaze, trapping more congregants inside. Pure evil.

At a waterfront restaurant about 30 miles South of Wilmington, North Carolina, a gunman pulled up in a boat, and sprayed the dining crowed with bullets, killing 3 and injuring 8. The evil gunman was quickly arrested by the U.S. Coast Guard.

North Carolina State Senator Marcia Morey (D.) said that “there was no correlation” between the murder of Irnya Zarutska and the release of her murderer from jail. Really? How do you figure? Because if her killer had not been released from pretrial detention, he would not have had the opportunity to murder her.

Ian Roberts, the Des Moines, Iowa Public Schools Superintendent, was arrested by ICE. Mr. Roberts is an illegal alien, subject to a deportation order. He was in possession of a handgun and thousands of dollars in cash. How in the world does this happen?

In Chicago, Illinois, Border Patrol boats are patrolling the city’s rivers and Lake Michigan. There is nothing Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson (D.) can do to stop it.

The usual suspects have come up with yet another plan to ease “climate change”. Now the Chicken Little crowd wants to explode sulfur particles in the atmosphere, in an effort to block the Sun’s rays. That, they say, will stop “global warming”. That will also harm the planet, particularly plant life on which all life depends. These people are Looney Tunes.

In Atlanta, a new coffee and speciality beverages store is opening called Daybright. Daybright is owned by a Chick-Fil-A subsidiary, though it will sell no items found on the Chick-Fil-A menu.

Southern Living magazine named JIF the best peanut butter. Well, they got something right!

Sinclair Broadcasting chose to begin airing Jimmy Live! again on last Friday. So did Nexstar. The companies’ choice. I am already asleep at 11:30 p.m. And I do not watch the Washington, D.C. ABC affiliate unless it is airing college football.

Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy was convicted of criminal conspiracy and sentenced to 5 years in prison. That’s a shame.

Members of the United Nations General Assembly walked out on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s speech to the body. Anti-Semitic cowards!

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told the remaining General Assembly delegates that the creation of a “Palestinian State” would be an act of “suicide” by Israel. Just so. That is undoubtedly a fact.

Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont (D.) is distraught that the State’s WNBA team might move to Boston. Governor Lamont’s solution is to have Connecticut invest a large sum of money in the team, in return for an equity position. He claims that the State government employees pension fund will benefit greatly from such an investment. Ned Lamont is a dolt. Connecticut’s government employees pension fund is already largely underfunded, and sinking more funds into a losing proposition such as the WNBA is a recipe for disaster.

East Carolina waxed Army, 28-6. Dru is finally cheering for a winning team!

The University of Virginia unbelievably beat Florida State. WOW! And now UVA is ranked #24 in the nation; what were the writers drinking when they took that vote?!? Pittsburgh and Wake Forest both gave up 17 point leads, losing to Louisville and Georgia Tech, respectively. Stanford and California won.

Alabama went to Athens and collared the dogs. Ole Miss felled LSU. Mississippi State just fell short against Tennessee. South Carolina beat Kentucky. Texas A&M beat Auburn.

The University of Southern California Trojans decided to end the suspense, and tanked their season early, at Illinois. Oregon beat Penn State. Indiana beat Iowa.

Arizona State beat TCU. Houston just got by pitiful Oregon State. Coach Prime cannot be happy as his Buffaloes lost to the Mormons. Iowa State beat Arizona. Baylor beat Oklahoma State.

New Mexico beat New Mexico State. Hawaii beat Air Force. Washington State beat Colorado State.

Yale beat the Cornell anti-Semites. Harvard beat Brown. Princeton beat Lafayette. Dartmouth and Columbia won.

Congratulations to Team Europe on winning The Ryder Cup at Bethpage Golf Course in New York. All players fought hard, sometimes falling short, always with good sportsmanship, win or lose.

Shame on the patrons at The Ryder Cup, for acting like a bunch of European soccer hooligans. And we are talking about the Americans’ behavior. Heckling abounded, profanity was hurled at the players, before, during, and after their shots. It was a classless, disgraceful way to treat our guests. The behavior was so bad that the starter at the 1st tee was forced to resign after Day 2 when she used her microphone to join the drunken crowd in screaming profanities at Rory McIlroy.

Russell Wilson, oldest ever President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, has died at age 101. R. I. P.

Washington, D.C. attorney Robert Barnett has died at age 79. R. I. P.

Joanne Chesimard, aka Assuta Shakur, who murdered a New Jersey State policeman, escaped from prison, and made her way to Cuba, has died at age 78. May the justice she avoided in this life be meted out to her in the next.

GFK

Yesterday Microsoft cut off all support to my version of Outlook. Therein was all the content, addresses, and research that makes up The Observations. It was a great shock, came with no warning, and I personally am quite unhappy.

Notwithstanding the failures of the commie company founded by Bill Gates (of which I have been a loyal customer since 1999), The Observations will continue. It will likely assume a different form and format, and may require readers to go to it, rather than have The Observations to come to them. For this inconvenience, if it happens, I apologize. We have prided ourselves on providing convenience to our readers, even Dru.

Going forward we are committed to providing a superior product, each day of publication, to our readers. We welcome your readership, your input, comments, praise, and criticism. Free and reasoned debate is a hallmark of Western Civilization, and of the United States in particular (recent events notwithstanding).

The Observations is about what interests me. But what interests me is also what those who disagree with me think. Please do not stop reading if you disagree with what I write. In fact, please continue reading and commenting, especially if you disagree.

Thank you to all our readers over the years. Yesterday marked, not the end, but a new beginning. We will adopt to technological challenges and changes, despite my Luddite leanings.

GFK

Be yourself; Everyone else is already taken.

— Oscar Wilde.

This is the first post on my new blog. I’m just getting this new blog going, so stay tuned for more. Subscribe below to get notified when I post new updates.

This is an example post, originally published as part of Blogging University. Enroll in one of our ten programs, and start your blog right.

You’re going to publish a post today. Don’t worry about how your blog looks. Don’t worry if you haven’t given it a name yet, or you’re feeling overwhelmed. Just click the “New Post” button, and tell us why you’re here.

Why do this?

• Because it gives new readers context. What are you about? Why should they read your blog?
• Because it will help you focus you own ideas about your blog and what you’d like to do with it.

The post can be short or long, a personal intro to your life or a bloggy mission statement, a manifesto for the future or a simple outline of your the types of things you hope to publish.

To help you get started, here are a few questions:

• Why are you blogging publicly, rather than keeping a personal journal?
• What topics do you think you’ll write about?
• Who would you love to connect with via your blog?
• If you blog successfully throughout the next year, what would you hope to have accomplished?

You’re not locked into any of this; one of the wonderful things about blogs is how they constantly evolve as we learn, grow, and interact with one another — but it’s good to know where and why you started, and articulating your goals may just give you a few other post ideas.

Can’t think how to get started? Just write the first thing that pops into your head. Anne Lamott, author of a book on writing we love, says that you need to give yourself permission to write a “crappy first draft”. Anne makes a great point — just start writing, and worry about editing it later.

When you’re ready to publish, give your post three to five tags that describe your blog’s focus — writing, photography, fiction, parenting, food, cars, movies, sports, whatever. These tags will help others who care about your topics find you in the Reader. Make sure one of the tags is “zerotohero,” so other new bloggers can find you, too.