Be The Power
by Shelton Bumgarner
@bumgarls
I am really concerned that something tragic is going to happen because of the insane Uranium One rhetoric coming out of places like Gab. It’s simply completely bonkers and there’s nothing we can do about it. It’s all leading us down a slippery slope that could endup with some truly horrible consequences that we can’t anticipate at this point.
by Shelton Bumgarner
@bumgarls
I still don’t think there’s going to be a war with the DPRK anytime soon. But should it happen, for the first few days of it, I will be so angry that people I know in South Korea have been put in physical jeopardy that I will flip out on social media to an astonishing extent.
Probably it will be for the best if I don’t use social media for a few days should such a war start. I will be so tempted to burn every bridge I can get my hands on of anyone I know who supports Trump that the whole thing won’t be very pretty.
But hopefully that won’t happen. Hopefully we won’t have to worry about that.
by Shelton Bumgarner
@bumgarls
I had a nice long conversation with an expat living in South Korea. Here it is. It takes a little while to get started, but it’s worth it.
by Shelton Bumgarner
@bumgarls
I have to agree with Roger Stone that there is a real risk of political violence in the next four to eight years. I suspect what is going to happen is that 2020 will be the most consequential presidential election since 1860 and just as messy. I have a feeling that the two parties are going to split into four for similar reasons. The Trump base of the Republican Party will force the Romney establishment of the Republican Party out of the party altogether. Meanwhile, the Zuckerburg center-left of the Democratic Party will split from the progressive base of that party.
I still think that that someone like Stephen Colbert or Jon Stewart will throw their hat into the ring change everything. But that’s just me daydreaming. The video below goes into great length about what I’m talking about.
by Shelton Bumgarner
@bumgarls
I am feeling creatively restless, so I’m going to try to do some creative things today and tomorrow. But we’ll see. Anything could happen, I guess.
by Sheltonn Bumgarner
@bumgarls
If it weren’t for the fact that I have to go to work today, would be heading to Charlottesville which is just up the road from here in Richmond. But, alas, I have to work, so I’m stuck doing a Talk To Me Internet about what’s going down. I have a feeling that there could be real violence today in Charlottesville as people in the greater Virginia area learn of the right-wing nutjob protest there.
Meanwhile, while I’m nervous, I’m not really all that concerned — yet — about Trump and the DPRK. Right now it’s all talk. But we’ll see as the month progresses what happens.
by Shelton Bumgarner
@bumgarls
The question right now at the forefront of my mind is are we entering a significant new phase in the Trump Administration where its malevolence is no longer tempered by incompetence. Is it possible that by naming Gen. John Kelly as Chief of Staff, Donald Trump will right the ship of state by effectively naming Gen. Kelly the “regent” for the mad king?
This is one of those things that we just won’t know the answer to until Gen. Kelly actually stars the job. It could go either way. Either this fish will continue to rot from its head, or Kelly will crackdown on all the craziness and things will start to get done. I worry that by “start to get done” that will mean “America becomes a fascist state as Trump’s vision becomes reality.”
The really weird thing about Trump’s Administration so far it simply can’t seem to stay focused on what made it so popular with the base in the first place. I mean, if Trump had some focus and really, really pushed for a wall in conjunction with mass amnesty for the 20 million illegal aliens who are already here, then such a massive public works effort is something I might ironically be willing to get behind. Though were all the workers to do such a job would come from remains a mystery.
I do think there is a decent chance that Gen. Kelly could “fix” the Trump Administration to such an extent that though it will continue to be loathsome, at least the trains will run on time. We may all look back on his appointment as the moment when everything turned around for Trump. His administration got focus, and all was well again in realm.
One unnerving thing is this could all be a set up. Maybe Trump knows something we don’t know? Maybe we’re headed toward a major war with North Korea and Trump wants a general effectively in charge by his side to make sure that war is managed properly? Regardless, we’re entering a potentially much more dangerous stage of the Trump Administration for no other reason than they can now actually implement their odious vision for America.
Stay tuned.
by Shelton Bumgarner
@bumgarls
Here is me talking about the state of the zine I’m working on, Cofefe Magazine. It’s interesting and worth your time, at least in my opinion.
by Shelton Bumgarner
@bumgarls
For those of us who were alive and politically active on that Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2001, we remember what was going on when we opened our eyes that morning before the towers were struck. The Bush Administration was coasting on fumes as was the economy. It seemed as though we were about to enter a recession and Bush would get blamed for it.
Then everything changed.
We woke up eight years later and realized we had been in a waking dream, a nightmare we couldn’t escape.
Now, about 20 years later, we find ourselves on the cusp of a horrific war with the DPRK (North Korea.) Estimates are that 500,000 people would die the first month of such a war and who know how many could die if the war became protracted. And that’s working on the assumption that WMD aren’t used at some point. The DPRK has made it clear that they don’t even consider chemical and biological weapons WMD in the first place, so if they felt cornered they probably would use both gratuitously not just on South Korea but on Japan as well.
What makes all of this really scary is the United States has an unhinged president looking for an opportunity to fire Bob Muller, who may finally get to Trump’s tax returns. So, given how batshit insane the political calculus of the Trump Administration is, it wouldn’t take a lot to think they wouldn’t blink an eye at a cost of life and property needed to have the cover to fire Mueller and assure not only keeping Congress Republican, but come within shouting distance of winning re-election in 2020.
But, really, who knows.
It could go either way. But Trump’s behavior is sufficiently unhinged that it’s enough worry about. It’s enough to think seriously about a monumental wag the dog situation that would be a tragedy of unprecedented levels.
by Shelton Bumgarner
@bumgarls
Here I continue to talk about the state of Covfefe Magazine. Things continue to go fairly well. They could be better, but I guess they’re as well as to be expected given the circumstances.
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