Category: Opinion

OPINION: What About Charlie?

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OPINION: What About Charlie?

OPINION: What About Charlie?

** “Canonization is the declaration of a deceased person as an officially recognized SAINT specifically, the official act of public veneration.”

**The White House announced that Charlie Kirk will be posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

By Kelli Mathison

 

Charlie? Charlie? Hmmm….Charlie. Charlie Kirk? Mmmm, Charlie Kirk. Who? I don’t know who this guy was but apparently his death beat out Jesus Christ for the top political murder in history.  On September 10, 2025, Charlie Kirk, an American right-wing political activist, was shot and killed while making a  speech at the Utah Valley University campus in Orem, Utah.

So-o-o-o this guy, Charlie Kirk, that more than three quarters of the country never heard of, is getting more fevered press than the crucifixion of  Jesus Christ. Certainly more histrionics than we got when then Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi’s 82 year old husband, Paul Pelosi, was attacked in their home and nearly beaten to death with a hammer by a pissed off MAGA guy. Or on Jun 14, 2025 — House Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman (D) Minnesota lawmaker and her husband, Mark, were fatally shot in their home by a right wing extremist with little more than a ripple on the political airwaves.

The screaming, red-faced hysteria over Charlie Kirk’s killing is difficult for me to process, much less comprehend. So before writing this little piece for Calamity Politics I decided to do a bit of research. The most obvious question you probably have is, what did I find out about MAGA’s newly canonized martyr when I looked him up online. Charles James Kirk was 31 years old.  He was born and raised in the wealthy Chicago suburb of Arlington Heights. His father Robert Kirk was a recognized local architect who had the distinction of working on Trump Tower. So, Charlie had the benefit of money and great contacts and he used them without hesitation or restraint.

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Worker’s Over Billionaires Protest

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Worker’s Over Billionaires Protest

Worker’s Over Billionaires Protest

“All tyranny needs to gain a foothold is for people of good conscience to remain silent.”                                                                                                                                                  

By David L. Shadrick

This was our fourth protest in a season of protests. As usual Darlene, Vajra, John, and myself parked ourselves on our favorite bench under our favorite shade tree on 6th Street, Grants Pass, Oregon, kitty corner from the county courthouse. The turnout for the Worker’s over Billionaires rally was good, but not great.

I can also report that the opposition turnout, in deep red southern Oregon, was close to microscopic. I counted two rabid Trumpers in the crowd; one flipped me off and the other one, a jogger, stopped in front of my wheelchair and called me a “horrible person” and then accelerated his pace and headed to the safety of 7th street. Other than than those two events things were cool. We got lots of positive comments on our signs, in fact several folks stopped to take a selfie with me.

INDIVISIBLE came through with a new stereo system for our rally. It was cool being able to actually hear the speakers and some great music.  John and Vajra wandered through the crowd checking things out; they told us about a group way up on the other side of the street out of our field of vision that were causing a ruckus. It seems they wanted to protest FOR pedophilia. Holy smokes, I can see why that might cause a fight or two. I suspect they were just a bunch of Trump supporters being A-holes, trying to stir up some shit.

Despite the smaller size of the Labor Day protest in our little town, I will admit that in Grants Pass it was very hot and there were a lot of folks out of town for the last week-end get-away before school started.  With that said, we need to increase the pressure on Trump and his allies. We need to tell ‘ol Donnie Boy we are not going to stand for his masked thugs disappearing people from American streets, putting billionaires on the government dole when poor Americans are having health care and even food benefits snatched away. This isn’t ‘effin Russia, yet.

If these protests are going to have the intended impact they need to be getting bigger and bigger not smaller.  In my mind, turnout is imperative to keeping Trump’s attention. We can’t weaken or tire now; we have another 3 and a 1/2 years of  the Trump despot show. We can’t give in, give up or surrender to this lawless president and his corrupt allies; our freedom is literally at stake.

**Quote by Edmund Burke

Politics, A Dirty Affair

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Politics, a Dirty Affair

Politics, a Dirty Affair

D. S. Mitchell

The Bloggisphere

Writing for Calamity News and Politics gives me a platform to discuss headline events and political policy. It also provides me a place to vent,  fume, and stomp my feet. If somebody doesn’t like the drum I’m beating, they are fully able, and encouraged to move on; to a site that better satisfies their social view of the world.

My Son

“Don’t get so wound up, it’s just politics”, my son recently told me.  Well, whether I’m saying it to my son, or to a potential reader, or to a neighbor, that is the wrong attitude. In the end, politics is policy, and policy effects everything in our lives. The schools, the hospitals, the parks, the highways, the airports, the waterways, international trade, health care, military defense and social justice.  Nearly every part of our daily life is effected in someway by the policies that our elected officials enact in Washington, D.C., or our state capitols. Got it?

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What We Could Have Had

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We Could Have Had The Bright, Beautiful Black Lady

Kamala Harris, fulfillment of the American dream. Vote Blue 2024 Biden/Harris

What We Could Have Had

We Could Have Had The Bright, Beautiful Black Lady

 

By Cate Rees-Hessel

 

Regrets?

I wonder if anyone that voted for “The Donald” is finally tired of the insanity and has regrets. I recall years ago the Dream Date game – you could get a handsome male or the dud; we sure got The dud. A popular game show allows contestants the opportunity to choose curtains number one, two, or three but beware, a booby prize is behind one of those curtains. We got zonked big time, but unlike that game of chance, the deal those who voted for the orange monster was a deal made with the Devil.

We Had Our Chance

We had the golden opportunity to elect the most accomplished, the most beautiful,  the most gracious, and the most compassionate, and highly intelligent attorney-prosecutor to ever seek the presidency, but those who are ruled by racism and sexism chose the weak wizard behind the ugly curtain. Now we’ve been zonked and I don’t know if I can last another 1270 days. Below are some prevailing truths because we regretfully did not elect the smart, beautiful Black lady to run our nation:

  1. When the tariffs prevent you from getting what you need or want, remember, we could have had the bright, beautiful Black lady…
  2. When I.C.E. takes your loved ones away, remember, we could have had the bright, beautiful Black lady…
  3. When you can’t afford groceries, remember, we could have had the bright, beautiful Black lady…
  4. When your wife, sister, or daughter can’t get medical care, remember, we could have had the bright, beautiful Black lady…
  5. When none of us have health care, remember, we could have had the bright, beautiful Black lady…
  6. When the Social Security money we all worked for goes to pay Elon Musk’s debts, remember, we could have had the bright, beautiful Black lady…
  7. When the war in the Ukraine rages on with no hope in sight, remember, we could have had the bright, beautiful Black lady…
  8. When we are at war with Iran, including the likely terrorist attacks here, remember, we could have had the bright, beautiful Black lady…
  9. When children have empty plates to fund a want-to-be dictator’s military birthday parade, remember, we could have had the bright, beautiful Black lady…
  10. Even though he and “The Donald” have parted ways, the unfettered power given to Elon Musk has already strongly contributed to running our nation into the ground and his new political party as dangerous as he is, remember, we could have had the bright, beautiful Black lady…
  11. When eggs remain at five dollars a carton, remember, we could have had the bright, beautiful Black lady…
  12. Biden capped inulin at $35.00; Trump dropped the cap so insulin is now unaffordable for seniors, remember, we could have had the bright, beautiful Black lady…
  13. When school lunches are cancelled and children go hungry, remember, we could have had the bright, beautiful Black lady…
  14. When shootings continue to rise, remember, we could have had the bright, beautiful Black lady…
  15. When Medicaid and Medicare are no more, remember, we could have had the bright, beautiful Black lady…
  16. When veterans benefits are no more, remember, we could have had the bright, beautiful Black lady…
  17. When the National Guard is sent into a peaceful protest, remember January 6th; and that we could have had the bright, beautiful Black lady…
  18. When the Gulf of Mexico is referred to as the Gulf of America, we could have had the bright, beautiful Black lady…
  19. When only billionaires get tax breaks, remember, we could have had the bright, beautiful Black lady…
  20. When you wake up drenched in sweat from a nightmare because you voted for Trump, remember…we could have had the bright, beautiful Black lady. We could have had Kamala Harris.

Deranged and Demented

Shame on the racist sexists who voted a mentally deranged narcissist with dementia back into the Oval Office, along with his slimy new sidekick JD Vance; instead we could have had the bright, beautiful Black lady, as our President. Kamala Harris and the delightful, down-to-earth schoolteacher/coach/governor Tim Walz at her side. This was a pair that I proudly voted for.

A Long Wait

I have been waiting for our first female President since Shirley Chisholm, Geraldine Ferraro, and Hilary Clinton. Richard Nixon predicted in 1970 that within the next 50 years we would certainly elect a woman president. Well, according to Nixon we are past the time to elect a woman president of the United States.

Thank You, Joe

Thank you, President Joe Biden for helping us smash the glass ceiling; making Kamala Harris the first woman Vice President of the United States. Please join me in wearing something pearl white in the honor of the early suffragettes who demanded the right of women to vote, and our recent presidential candidate Kamala Harris.

Let’s Get Off the Couch

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Let’s Get Off the Couch

Let’s Get Off the Couch

By D. S. Mitchell 

 

One to the Solar Plexus

Trump’s 2024 election victory hit me like a Mac truck. I wasn’t just physically devastated; I was psychologically traumatized. All those rallies, all those meetings, all those phone calls, all those yard signs, all those donations; all for nothing. Quite truthfully, that first week after the election I huddled on the couch with my Teddy, a soft blankie, and a fifth of Johnnie Walker within easy reach. What now? I worried.

BS and Bluster

I didn’t have to wait long for my answer. It’s clear, Trump’s solution to high meat and egg prices is to seize Greenland, annex Canada, institute tariffs on our two biggest trading partners Mexico and Canada, send American troops to secure the Panama Canal, from what we are not sure of, and then Trump’s desire to take over Gaza from Israel. With billions in investment capital and an army of bulldozers Trump states he will turn the rubble of Gaza into the “Riviera of the Middle East”. Of course the displacement of the 2.14 million Palestinians is illegal and Trump himself admits that  U.S. military intervention may be required. Before the uproar over that absurdity quieted down, Trump told Ukrainians that they needed to be ready to guarantee the supply of more rare earth metals in exchange for our continued support in their fight against Putin.

Google On

Until this week, lawmakers, even Democrats, have been telling us to please just relax, Trump won’t be able to do any of these things; it’s just the old guy hyping the unpredictable and outrageous to keep us all off balance and unsure of what to do in response to his reckless disregard for our laws and our institutions. Well, Google took him seriously, and so have the oligarchs in waiting. Google announced it will change the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America. The richest people in the country are lining up to give financial support to the Orange One. Talk about bending the knee and kissing the ring. What I’d say, we have here is bending of the knee and kissing the ass. I don’t think we have time to sit back and wait, they are moving through the government departments with a wrecking ball.

Critical Action

Get up off the couch, drop the Teddy, put the bottle of Johnnie Walker down and start calling your friends and neighbors. It’s up to us to form an effective response to Trump’s lawless approach to government. Let’s get moving, we have a democracy to save.

Trump’s Torturous Tribulations

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Trump’s Torturous Tribulations

Trump’s Torturous Tribulations

By Cate Rees-Hessel w/ D.S.Mitchell

 

Disaster Impending

As we draw closer to the dreaded day of January 20th, Donald Trump’s second inauguration, something I thought I would never hear or say, allow me to point out more insane things he has done prior to his taking office again this month. We absolutely must resist this devastating excuse for a president…

Cold Day in Hell?

But it should be noted first, even his inauguration itself demonstrates his all-consuming self-interest: the ceremony has been moved indoors because the temperature is predicted to be in the low twenties. At least two prior Presidents in the last 60 years or so were inaugurated outside in similar cold, and the last time an inauguration was moved indoors, the temp at noon was 7 above zero. Even more telling is the official statement that the most of the quarter-million tickets sold for the event when it was set for outside won’t be honored for indoor seats, but are now “commemorative”. In other words, worthless – but wait a minute, they were already. All the more reason we absolutely must continue to resist this coming travesty.

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Resolve to Resist the Trump Machine in 2025

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25 Ways I Resolve to Resist in 2025

Today's word is Resist

25 Ways I Resolve to Resist in 2025

Editor: I’ve been told that a majority of voters elected Trump in 2024, but that doesn’t mean I agree with the results; and I know there are millions more just like Cate and Calamity who will continue the Resistance campaign against Trump and the big money funding until this abomination to our constitution can be brought under control.  Fuck the oligarchs. Fuck Citizen’s United. Fuck the Project 2025 agenda.

By Cate Rees-Hessel

Resolute in Resolution

This year my New Year’s resolutions involve resisting the threat to our democracy because, “when we fight, we win.” We can still wish one another a happy New Year, despite the impending doom. I will not watch the inauguration – instead I will scrub my toilet and scoop my cat’s litter box. I pray a fervent prayer for peace and a miracle to occur to prevent “The Donald” from taking office. President Biden has promised to not pardon the orange-haired monster. Will VP Harris refuse to certify the convicted felon’s election because of January 6th? I hope so; but I know she will do what she is supposed to do, perform the ceremony.

Do the Right Thing, Not Right Wing…

First, starting from within, I resolve to eat more fresh fruit and vegetables, as well as exercise more often; I never make a resolution to lose weight. I will continue to be kind hearted but set boundaries. I resolve to adopt a resilient attitude and not let malicious words hurt me. I will keep a stiff upper lip while remaining compassionate. I resolve to practice forgiveness and hope to be forgiven in return. I will concentrate on my loved ones and furbabies, not those that I barely tolerate. I will strive to be a ray of sunshine, but I shall scream when faced with adversity because a good loud yell is sometimes the answer to challenges. I intend to pray even more and trust God’s promises.

Resolve to Resist

I resolve to prioritize self care in the coming months because self care is not selfish, it is imperative as we face the stressful and frightening times ahead with a second term of Trump. I have not forgot his first term and the problems that are still arising four years later due to his mismanagement of the COVID-19 pandemic and building of the border wall, just to name a couple of his horrific faux pas. We must move forward, soldier on, difficult though it may seem. Here are my resolutions for 2025:

  1. I resolve again to never call Donald Trump, “President”.
  2. I resolve again to never call Melania Trump, “First Lady” because she is no lady.
  3. I resolve to resist at every opportunity.
  4. I resolve to wear pearls daily, and Chucks for Kamala Harris often, not just on “Inauguration Day”.
  5. I resolve to take a stand for human rights, because, “when we fight, we win”…
  6. I resolve to stand against racism.
  7. I resolve to take a stand for women’s rights.
  8. I resolve to take a stand for LGBTQ rights.
  9. I resolve to take a stand for dreamers’ rights.
  10. I resolve to take a stand for immigrants rights, because, “when we fight, we win”…
  11. I resolve to take a stand for our democracy.
  12. I resolve to take a stand against dictators.
  13. I resolve to take a strong stand against Donald Trump and JD Vance.
  14. I resolve that I will post and write against the Republican extremist regime.
  15. I resolve to join in peaceful protests against Trump and his minions, because, “when we fight, we win”…
  16. I resolve to be a light in the darkness that threatens our freedom.
  17. I resolve to put my faith in God, not in an anti-Christ like Donald Trump.
  18. I resolve to stop doing business with those supporting MAGA conservatives.
  19. I resolve to resist Elon Musk and all the others that are pulling Trump’s strings.
  20. I resolve to continue to question the election results, because, “when we fight, we win”…
  21. I resolve to also continue to question the alleged “assassination” attempts on Donald Trump in Butler PA and the golf course.
  22. I resolve to vote for Democrats to take back the house and Senate in 2026.
  23. I resolve to say, “I told you so”, to those that voted for Trump when food prices don’t go down and tariffs make prices unaffordable.
  24. I resolve to take a stand against Putin and all the dictators worldwide.
  25. My new years resolutions for 2025 must include resisting Project 2025, because, “when we fight, we win”…

Stay Strong and Positive

Let’s face the coming days ahead with optimism, building each other up, not tearing each other down. I will face the year embracing self love and trusting my heavenly Father.

I dedicate this article to a true man of God and a sincere humanitarian, President Jimmy Carter.  I had the extreme pleasure of seeing him in person twice, and the humble honor of him being the first person I ever voted for. Rest in peace to a real servant of the people…

 

Some are Saying it Was an Inside Job

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OPINION:

Some are Saying it was an Inside Job

Some are saying it was an inside job

OPINION:

Some are Saying it was an Inside Job

 **Editors note. This is an opinion piece and Calamity News and Politics is neutral on this topic.

By Anonymous II

It seems like more and more often I find my writing fueled by outrage. My current outrage centers on the bedwetters in the Democratic Party and the hysterics in the media; instead of focusing on the dangers of a second Trump administration, the Republican 2025 Plan, and now the assassination melodrama.

For the last two weeks the only news filling the airwaves has been dump demented old Joe. This is in spite of old Joe having had the most significant presidency in the last 90 years. No one said the transition would be complete in four years. There is still much to do.

The news of an assassination attempt against Trump has finally changed the focus of the news. Unfortunately, the incident has only amped up Trump’s message of hate and violence instead of tamping it down. As a conspiracy theorist friend of mine said, ‘it’s a plot by Trump to solidify his position as targeted and persecuted.’ You know kinda like Jesus Christ.

As my friend noted, Trump doesn’t care that people were killed. He hadn’t given a fuck on January 6th when people were getting wounded and killed; so why would he give a fuck now? My friend’s thought was that Trump would have a small device tucked behind his ear and when Trump’s paid shooter started firing Trump would detonate the device which would ignite behind his ear making it appear he was shot.

My friend is convinced it was an inside job.

Trump’s a Convicted Felon-Now What?

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OPINION:

Trump’s a Convicted Felon-Now What?

Trump faces numerous civil lawsuits and DOJ criminal indictments.

OPINION:

Trump’s Finally a Convicted Felon – Now What?

By Cate Rees-Hessel

 

Time to Serve? Just like my previous article pointed out Mr. Trump has done many things no other “president” in history has done, now we can add being a convicted criminal to his list of sins. Finally, “the Donald” is a convicted felon – thirty-four counts – but what does it mean for the presidential election in November? Some legal experts feel Trump will not get jail time – if he does not do a stint at Club Fed, that’s totally unfair. Other celebrities such as Martha Stewart and Lori Laughlin did their time for far lesser crimes than the orange haired monster. No one is above the law, including a former “president”. He has not been pardoned as former president Nixon was by his Vice President Gerald Ford when he took office after Watergate.

Check A Mirror…

Trump has already rudely commented on Hunter Biden’s conviction, but allow me to point out, Hunter is the son of our president and not running for office himself, not to mention he was convicted on three charges, not thirty-four. The only time a previous president did not attend the inauguration of their successor – no peaceful transfer of power – and then he incited the January 6th insurrection. The Donald promises if the horrific should happen and he is elected into the Oval Office, he will be a dictator from day one. A democracy has no room for a dictator. The United States is the land of the free and the home of the brave, dictatorship has no place here.

All the King’s Horsing…

Unfortunately, the Republican party and Trumpy Dumpty’s followers still want him to run again for the presidency. Ironically, convicted felons lose their rights to vote, so how in the world can one be president? We all learned the basics in civics classes that in order to be elected president, one must be at least 35 years old and born in the United States but what about felonies? I suppose it never came up before because the Donald is the only individual with enough nerve to seek the presidency when he is in the midst of being on trial for 91 felony charges.

Doesn’t Know Which Way is Up

He had the audacity to claim President Obama was not born in the United States. Apparently, old Grumpy Trumpy is also as inept at geography as he is at American History or Biblical knowledge. The imbecile that told the American public to drink bleach as a way to prevent COVID, and that windmills cause cancer, wants once again to soil the Oval Office with his hatred and chaos, this time as a convicted felon. A slap on the wrist is not good enough here. Trump belongs behind bars for a very extended period of time. Lock him up and throw away the key. Lock him up. Lock him up.

Got to Run…

Will he flee the country to avoid jail time? Perhaps his good buddy Putin will give him a place to stay. The orange haired cult leader had to surrender his passport to the court, however his brain washed followers will consider it an honor to help him escape. Would these deluded folks try to break him out of jail, also? Many questions to ponder, but most important is the issue of his being on the ballot for president of the United States as a convicted felon. Will individual states remove him from the slate? A couple have tried and failed due to our MAGA Supreme Court.

Same Song, Second Verse (And Third…)

And what is going on with the Donald’s other trials? What is actually happening in Georgia? Putting off the hearing until the last day of the session for this term seems like Donald is getting preferential treatment, now doesn’t it? Will he face the music in other states? Who will follow in New York’s footsteps and get him on trial for his many crimes? We need to see more convictions, not just for hush money to pay off porn starlets, but for election fraud and his part in the insurrection of January 6th, 2021. An insurrection verdict would allow the Fourteenth Amendment to be invoked. Will right wing “evangelical Christians” the ilk of Robert Morris still canonize the man that is convicted of election fraud and paying off a porn star?  They supported his “locker room talk” when he “grabbed ‘em by the p—-“. My prediction is that they will.

Book ‘Em…

I am a very devout left wing Christian with a Jewish heritage and I see no fruits of the Spirit in Mr. Trump, especially not humility or compassion, and my spouse agrees, and so do most of my friends, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.” (Galatians 5:22-23 NIV) “Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving.” (Ephesians 5:4 NIV) “Do not be misled: ‘Bad company corrupts good character.’” (1 Corinthians 15:33 NIV)

Support This?

This is more than bad morals – Donald Trump is a 34-count convicted felon, completely corrupt, with many more charges against him, yet his followers are still going to vote for him. Claiming he is hated by liberals and loved by his country, the latter is simply not true. If America loved this evil man, President Joe Biden would not have beat him with a record number of votes. Trump is losing favor finally, held in contempt of court, convicted, and recently booed at the Libertarian convention.  Sometime soon might Scott Baio, Roseanne Barr, and Kelsey Grammar may be his only followers? Doubtful but some of his former fans are wising up to his manipulative narcissistic ways.

Let Justice Roll Down

Of course, the gun lobby through the NRA endorsed him shortly before his conviction. His meeting with big oil had Donald making promises to support them should he be elected – nothing has changed. Trump is worse than ever – he is in no way a better man. Will Trump have to pack up his “My Pillow” for a staying in federal prison? It seems only time will tell. The truth has not set him free, but will his freedom be taken from him for his criminal behavior? The questions remain which way the scales of justice will swing. I applaud the jury of his peers that found him guilty, the presiding judge that held him in content for violating the gag order, and the prosecuting counsel. Will the man be in handcuffs, shackled, and incarcerated, we ask ourselves these questions? His conviction is a step in the right direction, but how can we assure he never sees the oval office again? There is only one way: pray, vote, and take political action by volunteering for the Democrats – www.democrats.org.  What can we do? Vote blue…