Is It Really What It Is?

 As a general rule, we all like to pretend (or pretend to believe) that the Supreme Court justices are above and beyond politics.  We know that is a lie and we know that everyone else knows it is a lie but we do like pretending.

Normally, we like to assign the absence of politics to the specific rulings that they make.  I wonder though, if recently we have not seen another aspect of politicization of the Supremes.  Inside Congress, sometimes a representative that is in a seat that could be vulnerable in an upcoming election will wait to see if their vote will actually change anything before casting it.  They might even vote against the stated desire of their party once they know for sure their vote is meaningless.  In that way, they get to claim they did not support a position that is unpopular with their constituency.  

I hate that that is a thing.  I hate that the polity continues to fall for it.  It is an ongoing source of irritation for me.  I wonder if it isn't about to get worse.

Specifically, I wonder if Alito and Thomas were not simply polishing Felon47's knob once they were sure nothing would come of it.  I have not read the dissent(s) (or the decision for that matter) but, I am aware of the Felon's predilection for revenge against those who politically oppose him.  I wonder if they were just playing politics as the court continues to move away from the original intent (as I understand it).

In truth, the fact that it might be a reasonable suspicion is almost as bad for the court as would be proof that is what happened.  I doubt we will ever know for sure but, I have not observed a reason to believe it could not have happened that way.

Chains Of Command

 I am a citizen of the USA.  I was born in the USA as were my parents, grandparents and most, if not all, of my great-grandparents (I could look but I don’t want to).  I am a veteran of the USN but I did not stay long enough to earn a military retirement.  I am retired but I am not retired from anything that might be considered a government job.

As a private citizen of the USA, I am a subject of The Constitution.  I am not a subject of ANY elected official, especially POTUS. Let me make this more clear for all of you who might be reading this.  I AM NOT REQUIRED TO FOLLOW “ORDERS” HANDED DOWN FROM POTUS.

Executive orders are NOT law and I will not pretend that they are. I do not currently have what might be seen as a “Chain Of Command”.  I am NOT being paid by the military.  I am NOT employed by corporate America.  I will not be referring to the Gulf of Mexico as anything other than the Gulf of Mexico.  I will not be referring to Lake Ontario as anything other than Lake Ontario.  I could not possibly care less what the preferences of Felon47 are.  I am quite comfortable with Felon47 dealing with the consequences of his own idiocy even if that ends up with him embarrassed to the point of physical distress.

I am not going to harp on the irony of alleged “fiscal conservatives” acting as though there was no potential negative fiscal element to making the changes he has demanded.  As though maps and websites and manuals and textbooks all would update themselves with no input from us.  I am not going to harp on the irony of those who go on and on about “freedom” being willing to submit to the whims of an overweight, largely uneducated, failure of a businessman. I refuse to participate in that level of hypocrisy.  I refuse to even act as though I might have any respect for any of his ill-considered opinions.

I am not required by law or tradition to take orders from any ersatz king.  And frankly, I am more than a little embarrassed for those toadies who do consider his mental/verbal diarrhea to be orders worthy of acquiescence.  His commands hold no chains for me.

Up is Down - Wet is Dry

 I guess Melania has officially flipped the script. I mean, she is an immigrant who has hired a natural born citizen to do a job she finds disgusting.

She probably would give Natalie a raise. With Natalie around, Melanoma no longer has to touch Felon47 or even be seen with him.

OTOH, WTF do we need Melanoma for now???

LIAR

Now, given the title of this piece, you would not be considered unreasonable if you were to assume it was a piece about Felon47 and his criminal cabal.  You'd be wrong but not unreasonable.

In this case, I am talking about me.  I'm the liar.  In my defense, the lies to which I refer are not malicious.  They will not be of financial benefit to me nor will they increase my social status.

The lies specifically reference experiences I had during my time in the USN ('73-'83).  As a routine part of my duties, I served on several different ships.  I was assigned to the USS Mitscher DDG-35 as a PCS transfer after my first tour of duty in Rota Spain.  However, that first tour of duty and my last tour which happened to be the same place/command, involved temporary duty on a variety of vessels.  Troop carriers, aircraft carriers, cruisers, destroyers and whatever I have forgotten.  I was ferried about on helicopters, and fixed wing cargo planes.  On at least two occasions I was on a plane that "trapped" on an aircraft carrier.

While I was trained as a Cryptologic Technician - Operator, I had several ancillary duties.  I supervised the loading of a 5" gun.  I donned a purple vest and participated in vertical replenishment operations(VERTREP).  I hung onto a line while green water crashed down on me and my shipmates during underway replenishment (UNREP).  I cleaned, I drove, I trained others.  

When I lie about my USN experiences, whether I am discussing official duties or stupid stuff done on liberty, it is generally because the truth is not believable for folks that were not there.  I do not exaggerate anything, instead I tone it down.  The things I actually saw or participated in or heard about would be rejected by Hollywood for being too over the top.  

I strongly suspect that I am not the only one that lied to make things believable.  As a matter of fact, I would be amazed to find out that the conditions aboard the USS Lincoln were not significantly worse than what has been reported so far.  I served on ships that had a malfunctioning desalination unit and as such, had to go inport or pipe the water over during an UNREP.  I have seen days when every meal was hotdogs - breakfast, lunch, dinner and midrats (meal for those on an overnight shift).  I have tied ropes to my dungarees (work clothes) to wash them by towing them behind the ship because fresh water was too important to use for laundry.  I never mentioned any of that stuff to my family.  As far as I knew, no one else did either.  We just put up with it, bitched about it, and continued to perform our duties.

I'm not here to tell you that Sailors don't complain.  Complaining was as common as cussing.  The thing about complaining though, is that its effect on readiness is minimal.  OTOH, the issues being described by those aboard ships and stations in the Middle East, will absolutely affect readiness whether anyone complains or not.

If you are not there and have not been there then your best bet is to listen to those who are there or have been there.  The top of the chain of command knows what is reported to them and those who would like to be promoted (READ: everyone) are likely to at least try to soften the truth so as to minimize negative repercussions.

I believe the Sailors.  The experiences that I had or observed are the reason I believe the Sailors.  The fact that I have been places and done things in the USN that I still tone down when I tell the stories will not let me doubt those Sailors.  I can't tell you how to feel but I feel sympathy for the Sailors and disgust for Felon47 and his miserable band of incompetents.  I feel intense anger for the spineless republicans that continue to enable the worst POTUS in history. 

FW&FS

 Yesterday I heard from one of the veterans that used to post here that another one of us had shuffled off this mortal coil.  A hearty and well meant Fair Winds & Following Seas to an old Grunt.

Gordon, you are relieved.  Until my turn comes, I have the watch.

Some Of You May Die

 On several occasions, I have pointed out that if you do not look out of the mirror at Felon47, he does not give a shit about you.  The reich-wing simply dismisses such claims and those on the left that think I am being hyperbolic generally do so quietly.

Take a look at who was left on the plane that was effectively used as a decoy target when the Felon was leaving Turkey.  No amount of slurping on the Orange Shit Gibbon's ass was sufficient to guarantee a seat on the plane the Secret Service considered safe enough for POTUS to be on.

Seriously, go research who was left on the plane that was credibly threatened by a nation we are at war with and whose children we have killed.  With certain people, loyalty is a one way street.  It was true when I first started making the claim but now there is no reason for anyone to not know it.

"Some of you may die, but it's a sacrifice I am willing to make." 

Consequences Don't Care

 Okay, y'all need to watch this video from Belle Of The Ranch.  Then you need to extrapolate widely.  I'd say show it to your reich-wing family and friends but, apparently once they get a taste for Felon47's ass, that is all they are willing to get their heads around.

We are notoriously short-sighted in our thinking in this nation, especially the last 20 years or so.  At least the sane(ish) among us need to put some effort into changing that.

https://youtu.be/yFWzpamq9MU?si=XN4a4YwDtBdaarm_