Is that all there is?
Watching the whole world go up in flames
Like many of you, hopefully all of you, I’m trying to comprehend the latest depths of irresponsibility of Republicans/MAGA - tomato, tomato.
Like many of you, hopefully all of you, I’ve tried to read and listen to as much as I can stomach to keep my mind open and consider the many plausibilities, but none of their excuses.
As a Navy veteran, I may hear a few things others might not, and as a former Navy physician, I do definitely see a related issue that always seems to be with us, is extremely current, and though unpleasant to consider, necessary. But I’m gonna save that bit for later.
With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility
As many pundits and congresspersons attempt to summarize this catastrophe, I am happy to hear many mention that the leaders - those in charge and responsible, must face consequences, not those they lead. There has also been appropriate mention of the culture of the Trump administration, and this demonstration of trickle-down, from the top.
But I have yet to hear, at least since I’ve been mentioning it following the election, that the military does NOT allow felons to be in the military.
So, how is that we can have a Commander in Chief, who is himself, a felon? Everywhere I have posted that, crickets. Just because there’s not an easy answer does not mean we should not address this glaring inconsistency and simultaneous travesty.
Let’s start at the very beginning - it’s a very good place to start…
I have heard some prior military congresspersons mention that the first thing every military member hears about is Operation Security (OpSec).
Well, except there’s one much bigger thing every military member does first. We take an oath, as did I:
The Oath of Enlistment:
“I, _____, Do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice.”
The Oath of Office:
“I, _____ , having been appointed an officer in the _____ (Military Branch) of the United States, as indicated above in the grade of _____ do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign or domestic, that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservations or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office upon which I am about to enter.”
Is It Rude to Order Something Not On The Menu?
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I am concerned that I hear so many congresspersons attempt to explain this most recent catastrophe putting our servicemembers’ lives at risk as either
1.) Ineptitude
2.) apathy
And as it turns out, there at least a third option that bears mentioning:
3.) Intention.
Many of the activities of the Trump administration have been written off as either ineptitude or apathy. Of far greater consequence to our nation’s safety, and longevity, is the extent of malfeasance that is intentional. Yes, please ponder that for as long as you need. Beyond the obvious problem with this, consider that both ineptitude and apathy are passive, which intention is active. That is the really criminal aspect of intention.
Similarly, the legacy media is loath to say Trump and Co. “lie”, purportedly because it implies intent they cannot prove. Though there are innumerable instances where the intent to lie is clear, recent testimony from the people involved in this crisis will show that intent in no uncertain terms. Lies, after lies, after lies.
One of the biggest missed opportunities from our sane congresspersons, both Democrat and Republican, concerned for the servicemembers’ lives put at unnecessary risk, seems to be about concern for their possible death. Yes, that is absolutely huge, but what of our veterans who have been injured, who then cannot get care or support once back in society from our Veterans Administration - while the Republicans continue to gut it????
Come on Democrats, you can do better. This is the time to scream what is happening to our veterans after they have served our country.12 3456789
This isn’t exactly the best recruiting commercial, by the way.
An Ounce of Prevention vs Pounding The Cure
One of the more deserving criticisms of the practice of medicine is the emphasis on treatment at the expense of prevention. Let’s face it, prevention is boring. You don’t have any symptoms, so how do you know anything was done? You can’t breathe? You can tell if the treatment works. You hurt? Same idea. Pharmaceuticals for treatment are exciting! and dangerous! and have lots of commercials! And the last time you saw a preventative medication advertised? Well, true, the specter of shingles makes the shingles vaccine a cool commercial. But, yeah.
We really should be preventing disasters, not just planning to investigate them later. Ostensibly, that’s why they’re called war “plans,” yes?
En Français, ‘cata’
Finally, a HUGE Shout Out to The Atlantic.
When I had so little reason to give any regard to the media establishment, this shining light appeared. In my hope of hopes, they will be rewarded by The People, all the while Trump & Co continue to bear false witness against them. You know, like the good Christians they say they are. For those saying the courts or the attorneys or the laws or Congress will save us? Seems more and more likely that a magazine might have a better chance. I subscribed to The Atlantic today, and I hope you will consider it. No, I don’t get any kickbacks.
Spend your previously wasted WaPO and NYT money here, I did: https://accounts.theatlantic.com/products/
https://apnews.com/article/veterans-affairs-cuts-doge-musk-trump
https://nypost.com/2025/03/22/us-news/va-secretary-doug-collins-vows-more-cuts/
https://www.urban.org/urban-wire/workforce-cuts-federal-agencies-will-affect-communities-around-country
https://www.npr.org/sections/shots-health-news/2025/03/25/g-s1-55645/veterans-mental-health-trump-telehealth-privacy-va
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/veterans-becoming-face-of-trumps-government-cuts-and-democrats-resistance
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/doge/helped-veterans-crisis-doge-cuts-eliminated-job-rcna196803
https://vadisabilitygroup.com/how-will-newly-proposed-va-budget-cuts-affect-you/
https://federalnewsnetwork.com/it-modernization/2025/03/va-cuts-support-work-for-new-ehr-after-canceling-hundreds-of-contracts/
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/09/us/politics/veterans-affairs-doge-cuts.html
Excellent point, Johnny, as to the U.S. military not allowing felons to serve.
We know why Trump makes an exception of himself. His felonious history isn't just history, but an ongoing project, which he undertakes in alliance with Putin, Netanyahu, every criminal dictator and despot alive and in murderous power.
The sociopath Elon Musk exhibits this intentional criminality by his theatricality posing with the chainsaw he's figuratively taking to destroy our republic.
They're all dead souls, all the incompetents who took places in the orange felon administration -- took places there because they like the sheer vulgarity and complicity of being mob lieutenants. They hate the America rich with our many fine novels, memoirs, essay collections, biographies, and histories. The human therein is all just too complicated for their preferred vulgarity. Human truths -- also complicated -- are just all so much harder than the ease of constantly lying as they thus follow their orange felon.
Our schools have colossally failed, Johnny. The death trip of standardized testing which destroyed them yet sucks too much of what's left of America into the spiral by which that orange felon assiduously pulls, poisons all that's left.
I’m getting a subscription to the Atlantic today. Thank you for encouraging me. Really excellent article Johnny and it mirrors how I’ve been feeling. I personally am getting sick of investigations. They go nowhere and they just fade away like aging Cowboys. My husband had non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma When I met him. He also was a Vietnam veteran who had been heavily exposed to Agent Orange. In looking at one of the brochures that the VA puts out, I noted that his cancer was eligible for an automatic disability from the VA. It took us almost 11 years of writing letters, getting our congressman involved, etc. etc. etc. before the VA finally granted him The money I remember looking at him when he got the letter he sat on the couch, heavily, and stared at the letter and then began to cry. He never thought he would ever receive any acknowledgment much less any compensation from the VA. And it wasn’t the compensation that made him cry. It was the acknowledgment that he had put his life on the line and been seriously affected as a result.This is never ever talked about. Thank you, Johnny. I so much appreciate you.