Just a small reminder as we celebrate our existence as a democracy that such existence is seriously threatened by leadership that is totally focused on robbing us blind while at the same time suppressing our rights and impoverishing all but the very elite while turning us into an autocracy. In this mission they are being aided by extreme right wing congress members and extremists on the nation’s supreme court.
The list of crimes and breaches by the administration and the president is long. Senator Chris Murphy detailed a list earlier this month that Trish Nelson posted on this site. I shall repost it here to emphasize how bad it is:
This past week America was assaulted with more bribery and scandal as more and more “emoluments” to the president were revealed. Here is MSNOW’s Ali Velshi discussing some of the recent grift that is making the president vastly wealthy with our money:
That plane should be dubbed “The Flying Bribe.”
Manipulating stock markets; soliciting and accepting bribes; cutting government aid to the poor; cutting health care. Folks, the number one issue in the in this campaign must be the corruption of the president, the executive branch and the Supreme Court that is carving out avenues for the prsident to rob us blind.
This may be our last chance to vote in a free election, if it is. Expect Trump to do all he can to sabotage this election. So when you vote this year, vote as if YOU are the one whose vote will save the Republic. You may not get another chance.
The holiday wherein we celebrate our independence from what was seen as an oppressive government that suppressed the rights of those living in the American colonies. Yet, even as Americans opposed tyranny for themselves, they in turn imposed tyranny on others through slavery.
An even more celebration of liberty for all should be held on Juneteenth. On that day even the most remote of slaves learned that they had been freed from the shackles of slavery. But this declaration of universal freedom would also be illusory for people of color in the US as Jim Crow laws limited freedom for them.
While great strides were made in the 1950s to the early 2000s we have never seen the full equality that the Declaration of Independence promised. Now with avowed supemacists holding power in our nations capitol and in many states we see a retrenchment of liberties not only for people of color but also for women and immigrants.
With that beief synopsis, let us once again view the Fourth of July speech by Frederick Douglass in 1852 to the Rochester, New York Ladies anti-Slavery society. 1852 was nearly a decade before the Civil War to help give some context to Douglass’ speech. This version is introduced by Amy Goodman and Howard Zinn:
As an added bit for July Fourth here is a short visit to Frederick Douglass’ home in Washington DC. (7.5 minutes)
We all jumped last night when an explosion went off somewhere nearby in our neighorhood. Oh joy, 4th of July celebratory blasts right outside our front door! Or so it seemed. We couldn’t tell where it came from but it was close. I wouldn’t mind so much for myself, but the suffering these high grade fireworks cause many dogs and veterans with PTSD seems senseless, even cruel. And for what?
Blowing things up in neighborhoods at any hour of the day disturbing everyone in a 1-mile radius just so you personally can enjoy making something go boom? And why should everyone’s holiday have to be ruined by the desire of some to shoot off random explosions. Even if I knew where it was coming from I can’t ask them to stop. They apparently have more rights than I do.
All you have to do is go on Facebook for the horror stories. Next door neighbors launching fireworks that sound like cannons, terrified, shaking dogs hiding in closets, people leaving town to get away from the noise, families unable to put the kids to bed, pillows stuffed in windows, “duds” and debris from explosives on sidewalks, in parks, on your roof. Shut the doors and windows, close yourself in the house, don’t take your dog for a walk. 4th of July week has changed in Iowa from a pleasant family holiday with a few fireworks, to a pseudo-war zone..”
It seems like everyone has forgotten how to enjoy a nice, quiet day of fun on the 4th of July. Really, wouldn’t most of us be content enjoying the holiday without all of that? Wasn’t it fun enough before all of this? What was wrong with attending the community municipal fireworks show to celebrate? You at least know when the booms are going to start and when they are going to stop. Have you ever stayed up late waiting for the noise to stop and just when you give a sigh of relief because you haven’t heard one in the last 15-20 minutes, and you think it’s over, it starts up again and that happens over and over until 3 am?
I don’t think most people were begging and pleading for the situation we have now. I don’t think anyone was suffering because they had no personal fireworks or because they had to drive to Missouri to get them. And what about the annual reports of kids with fireworks injuries?
As a nation, we seem to have lost our ability to say no to stupid.
How about we put this one on the un-do list for when Democrats have some say in what happens.
As long as we’re on the topic of Be Kind to Animals, here is some happy news. A good thing came out of the Iowa legislature. If you get a chance, thank Rep. Dave Jacoby for this.
Iowans should be aware. Laura Belin over at Bleeding Heartland posted on Blue Sky,
“This decision doesn’t affect Iowa, because Republicans changed state law to prohibit counting any ballots that arrive after 8 pm on election day.
(For decades Iowa did count late-arriving ballots, if postmarked by the day before election day).”
So Iowa voters if you plan to vote by mail send in your ballot as early as the law allows.
“… a related federal statute—the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA)—confirms that while federal law dictates when ballots must be cast, state law governs when they must be received.” – SCOTUS, Watson, Mississippi Secretary of State v. Republican National Committee et al., June 29, 2026
Our busy lives and the way our mainstream news is structured makes it very hard for most of us to just keep up with the day-to-day news let alone dig deeper into the story behind story. As we all know, the Trump Administration is a violent and extreme far right wing turn in our history.
But this administration did not just pop up out of nowhere. It has been built on decades of pushing the country to their goal.
I found this interview fascinating. I hope you will also.
We have a great opportunity to change the course that the extreme right has set us on. This election will be the great opportunity to throw the bums who support the extremism by their silence – people like Hinson, Miller-Meeks and all those who support Trump with their silence from the courthouse on up – out on their ears.
Have you noticed that so many of the Republican Party problems are tied up with water right now? The Strait of Hormuz, nitrogen in the drinking water in Iowa, the Lincoln Reflecting Pool, the push to give AI compnies all our collectively owned water for them to cool their plants without regard to consequences.
The newest Republican problem with water is that they are pissing themselves when they look at polls. Especially now that Trump is being exposed as a clown and a loser by his own party. (Brilliant idea to primary sitting congress members there DJT!)
Of course they have no solutions for their problems. They never have answers. They start problems and eventually Democrats must come in and bail the country out. The best solution is to never put them in office again so when can make progress and keep it.
Happy 250th next week, America. Since Republicans are currently in charge, I think we can expect a celebration muted by hate and extremism. But try to enjoy anyway. (7 minutes):
A) SCOTUS going out with a bang! Tuesday they decided what company could not be sued for one of their herbicides possibly causing cancer?
B) My annual question. What formerly close ally celebrates its Independence Day next Wednesday, July 1st?
C) What country suffered two major earthquakes within minutes Wednesday killing hundreds so far?
D) It is that time of year. Revolutionary War questions. Who led the Green Mountain Boys during our Revolution?
E) What Iowa city has had to evacuate buildings in its downtown due to structural problems in those buildings?
F) Trump refused to sign a bill designed to do what in order to leverage a bill that would throw the midterm election into chaos?
G) Trump is having an on-going party in DC starting last Wednesday and going through July 10. What is this party called?
H) What former head of the Fed died last week at the age of 100?
I) What were the German mercenary soldiers who fought for the British in the Revolutionary known as?
J) British PM Keir Starmer’s resignation last week coincided with the 10th anniversary of what ill begotten referendum to leave the EU?
K) Who was the German officer who trained the American forces at Valley Forge?
L) Jimmie Kimmel announced fill in hosts for his show while he takes his summer vacation. What former View host, now living in Ireland, caught particular attention because of Trump’s hate for her?
M) Among all the mess in the Reflecting pool, what animal deaths have been linked to the incompetence surrounding the pool?
N) Francis Marion was a particular thorn in the Britsh sides. Known as the Swamp Fox, what colony did he operate in?
O) Europe is experiencing what climate change induced weather currently?
P) What former Trump advisor pleaded guilty to mishandling documents Thursday?
Q) In a meeting behind closed doors Wednesday what MAGA senator reportedly ripped into Donald Trump?
R) In a break with past behavior, Australia signed an agreement to buy defense weapons from what entity rather than the US?
S) Who was America’s major ally during the Revolution?
T) What two Revolutionary War figures and Presidents both died 200 years ago on July 4th, 1825?
REPUBLICAN SEN. TILLIS: “What Freakin’ parallel universe did I wake up in? You’re telling me — if it’s true — damaging the reflecting pool lining is something Pirro wants to prosecute… yet they’re releasing people who pled guilty to assaulting officers?”
tip of the hat to all-hat-no-cattle.com
Answers:
A) Monsanto or Bayer for lawsuits against Roundup herbicide
B) Canada July 1, 1867
C) Venezuella – may be thousands dead when fully counted
D) Ethan Allen
E) Muscatine
F) ease housing prices
G) The Great American State Fair.
H) Alan Greenspan
I) Hessians
J) Brexit
K) Baron Von Steuben
L) Rosie O’Donnell
M) ducks
N) South Carolina
O) extreme heat (France recorded 111 degrees last week)
P) John Bolton
Q) Bill Cassidy of Louisiana who Trump had primaried this year
After dissecting Miller-Meeks bogus attempt to paint herself as a healthcare advocate, my thoughts turned to a story I read earlier this week concerning Josh Turek’s contrasting his views with those of his opponent Ashley Hinson.
2 minutes:
Much as Rep. Miller-Meeks is trying to fool Iowans on her record on elderly issues, so too is Republican senate candidate Ashley Hinson. But Democratic senate candidate Josh Turek is not sitting idly by allowing Hinson’s misrepresentations go unchallenged. And as noted in the video above, Turek has a better plan to cover ALL Iowans.
As reported on Iowa Capitol Dispatch Monday, Hinson supported the “big, beautiful (really ugly) bill” a year ago that slashed Medicaid in Iowa and also voted to slash the ACA subsidies in another vote.
But Turek and others also brought up laws passed by Republicans and President Donald Trump in the past year they believe would need to be reversed by Congress in order to avoid further healthcare provider closures and increased costs. They cited Medicaid cuts and changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) made through the 2025 “Big, Beautiful” law.
Turek said Hinson, who currently represents Iowa’s 2nd Congressional District, “voted for the largest Medicaid cut ever” when she supported the tax and spending law last year. He said the law will hurt Iowans most who are already facing difficulties obtaining healthcare.
“Two in five Iowans who rely on Medicaid in rural communities are already seeing the impact of these cuts, with rural healthcare and hospitals closing,” Turek told reporters. ” Just since the passage of the ‘Big Beautiful’ bill, five Iowa healthcare centers have announced closures, elimination of units, significant reduction in services, to both rural and urban communities. Many of these clinics seek cuts coming their way, and know they just can’t survive.”
Turek also brought up Hinson’s vote against extending Affordable Care Act (ACA) tax subsidies. U.S. Rep. Zach Nunn was the only member of Iowa’s all-GOP federal delegation to vote in favor of extending the enhanced ACA tax credits, which expired at the 2025, and led to higher premium costs for people receiving healthcare coverage from ACA Marketplace plans.
“When you’re looking at a state with a legitimate healthcare crisis — only state with a growing cancer rate, closed 250 more healthcare clinics than we opened — then what has she done?” Turek said. “She has voted to see 110,000 Iowans lose their health care, thousands more lose their basic food assistance, just to give tax breaks to billionaires. Voted against the ACA subsidies, as you heard out here, what that has done to Iowans, seeing their healthcare premiums double, triple, quadruple.
“She’s not looked out for Iowans, she has just looked out for billionaires, large corporations, lobbyists, and donors … that’s not what Iowans are, and that’s not what we stand for, that’s not what I’m going to be up there. I’m not taking a nickel of corporate PAC money, I’m going up there to fight for Iowa and Iowans, and that’s going to be certainly fighting for their healthcare,” Turek said.
Don’t be fooled by Republicans in populist’s rhetoric. When given a chance to support the common Iowan, Iowa Republican politicians always opt to help the billionaire.
As you can see here, Josh Turek will fight FOR you, me and Iowans like us.
Governor Kim Keynolds: (515) 281-5211 U.S. Capitol Switchboard: (202) 224-3121 Iowa Members of Congress - Rep. Randy Feenstra (R) - Rep. Ashley Hinson (R) - Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R) - Rep. Zach Nunn (R) Iowa US Senators - Senator Joni Ernst (R) - Senator Charles Grassley (R)
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