Category: Ethics

Things That Make Me Cry

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Things That Make Me Cry

Things That Make Me Cry

D. S. Mitchell

No Smiles

My regular monthly post, “Things That Make Me Smile” has been replaced this month with the “Things That Make Me Cry.” The egregious activities of dictator Trump have brought me to tears more than once this last 10 months. “Trump’s egregious infractions range from unfair to the unconstitutional to the unconscionable,” according to Ruben Navarrette. Its not just Trump, but his cronies in congress who are allowing Trump to bulldoze our government. Navarrette continues that Trump has “defaced, defiled, and destroyed the institutions and traditions that make America great.”

Spot On

Sadly, Navarrette is spot on, and that’s why I can’t stop crying. I am watching the death of our democracy, one executive order at a time. How about you? Is this president breaking your heart too? We are together in this thing. Grab my hand and let’s commit to do everything within our power to elect a blue House and a blue Senate. Stop the oligarchs. Stop the madness. Protest and demonstrate. Donate as much as you can, as often as you can. It takes a lot of money and a lot of noise to defeat the billionaire boy’s club.

Self-Interest Above All

Trump will go down in history as a morally corrupt conman, carnival barker, bigot, and 35 count convicted felon who only asked what the presidency could do for him, not what he could do for the presidency or the country.

15 Things That Trump Has Done That Made Me Cry 

No. 1: The bulldozing And Complete Destruction Of The Historic East Wing Of The White House: A woman on the tellie called it a “gut punch,” and I feel the same. When I saw the pictures of the demolished East Wing on the Rachael Maddow show it took my breath away. Literally. I was gasping for air, it ‘effin looked like we’d just been bombed. And I guess we were, but it was a domestic terrorist, and his name is  Donald Trump. No one asked the American people if they wanted a gaudy skid road carney show at the White House. How in the ‘eff is Trump getting away with this. Private donations? Ahhh….nothing about this is sounding okay.

No. 2: Trump’s Illegal Dumb-Ass Tariffs: Weaponizing trade policy by imposing punitively high tariffs on imports from more than 180 countries, even on an island inhabited only by penguins. Boy, DJT, you look so stupid and ignorant, you leave us in breathless shock. Trump has recklessly added more fucking taxes on the already overwhelmed  U.S. citizenry. Great messaging. Another gold toilet for Trump. I think George III was sent the message, “No Kings Here,” back in 1776, now it appears you, Mr. Trump need a history lesson. Making matters worse he’s paused the tariffs, schizophrenically changed the tariff rate multiple times to the same country, then for no reasonable rationale restarted them, before in some panicked moment paused them again.

No. 4: Intentional Suppression Of The Epstein Files: Trump has used the power of his lawless government to stop the release of the Epstein files and distract from that suppression in every imaginable way. Trump and the most infamous sex trafficker of the 20th century was according to Trump, “his best buddy” for over a decade. My mom always said, “you’ll be judged by those you associate with.”  So, using that old time truism, you are who you run with. Trump like former Prince Andrew was running around with a sex trafficker extraordinaire Jeffrey Epstein which says to me, he was participating in the abuses right along with dozens of other rich and powerful men. How many trips to Epstein Island, Donald? I say, release the files and let the American people judge how involved Trump was in Epstein’s crimes.

No. 5: Abandoning Ukraine: Who could forget that February meeting at the WH between Trump and Zelenskyy that ended in an ugly rant by Trump. Zelenskyy was invited back to the White House a week ago when Trump dangled the possibility of providing Ukraine with long range Tomahawk  missiles, giving Ukraine the ability to launch offensive attacks on Russia. After luring him to the WH with false promises Trump told Z just to give Putin the land and it would all be over. Unimaginable. Since when does a president of the United States humiliate and demonize an ally and hook their panties to a dictator.

No. 6: War Against Birthright Citizenship: Trump’s on going assault against the Constitution is on full display on this one. The 14th Amendment  spelled out by the Founding Fathers, states unequivocally if you are born in the United States you are entitled to full citizenship, by right of being born here, no questions asked.  Trump wants to turn 250 years of law on its head without going through the amendment process, just do it because Trump tells us to. The argument being that only children of citizens born here are entitled to US citizenship the-children of undocumented immigrants would not be given such privilege.

No. 7:  The Loss Of Due Process: Unleashing, without due process, a flurry of legally dubious deportations, not just of the undocumented but also green card holders, legal residents, AND even U.S. citizens. Blowing up boats in the open ocean without arrest or warning, based on some “belief” the targeted craft could be smuggling drugs is unbelievable. Here’s that pesky Constitution again, The 5th Amendment to the Constitution explicitly states “no person shall … be deprived of life, liberty or property, without due process of law.”  Quite simply, due process guarantees that no one will be arbitrarily fined, arrested, deported or killed by the state-unless they are told the accusations against them, and then be allowed to contest those allegations before a judge (neutral 3rd party).The loss of due process is a scary prospect.

No. 8: Taking A Big Jet From Qatar: What the hell? Since when do we take used equipment, I’m talking about the the Boeing 747 Trump wants to use as Air Force One, that requires billions of dollars to refit? Just B.S. We’ve got airplane manufacturers here in the United States. How about building something that the government gets to keep, not one that Trump plans on using until his death when supposedly his estate will turn it over to the Trump Library. Some say that Qatar bankrolls Hamas terrorists, but oh, well, fearless leader wants it- so-of course the Congress said, “yes, sir, yes, sir, yes, sir.”

No. 9: Trump Demanding $230 Million Dollars From DOJ: Trump himself said it seemed ridiculous that he had the ability to okay the transfer of $230 million dollars from the DOJ to himself. Why would the DOJ pay this con man anything, I ask. Trump claims wrongful prosecution by Jack Smith and others. Oh, really. According to the emoluments clause Trump has no such ability. He cannot pay himself more than his salary. The corruption is so blatant and so in your face I a left speechless. Every day something new, and more corrupt. Take for instance the Trump family crypto scam.

No. 10: Cyrpto Contest Shenanigan’s: Back in May Trump offered to the highest paying customers of his personal cryptocurrency a dinner and tour of the WH by Trump himself. Sounded like Trump was selling access to himself and the White House for personal profit. Seems like a logical conclusion. Trump began selling his new tokens three days before his inauguration. The coin, which has zero intrinsic value, soared to $75 each, allowing  60 of the earliest buyers to profit over $10 million each before the $TRUMP coins plummeted in value. When Trump announced his contest in late April to award a “gala” dinner at his golf resort in Sterling, Virginia, to the top 220 Trump coin purchasers, based on how much they held on average from Jan. 17, 2024 through May 15, 2025. At that time the coin was a depressed $8 each. The top 25 coin holders would also be invited to a “VIP” reception with Trump before the dinner and then a tour the following day. The contest website originally had said a White House tour was part of the package, but subsequently changed the webpage to delete the White House reference. Sometimes when it looks like in your face corruption, it is. As part of the crypto corruption Trump just pardoned Changpeng Zhao, commonly called CZ, for admitted money laundering. Mr Zhao just happens to be in the crypto business with the Trump family. Nothing to see here folks, just move along.

No. 11: Trump Claims Immunity From Judicial Review: The Supreme Court under  John Robert’s is a sickening collection of outlaws and revisionists. Historically this court will be viewed as a shameful period for the law. It seems that this pathetic court has underwritten just about anything Trump dreams up. Recently the Mango Mussolini claimed there could be no judicial review of his administration’s actions. Trump stated the president didn’t have to answer to the federal courts, and even threatened sitting judges that strike down his policies as unlawful and need to be impeached and replaced with those that are blind MAGA supporters.

No. 12: The Weaponization Of The Department of Justice: The takeover of the DOJ and the FBI, by Donnie Dearest is becoming increasingly alarming. Daddy Trump is now directing who should be indicted and prosecuted. Revenge and retribution for anyone who stepped on the fat one’s swollen toes or someone who may have angered him, or got ahead of him at the buffet line is in danger of having their lives turned upside down. John Bolton, Leticia James, James Comey are just the beginning of a boatload of politically targeted prosecutions. Watch out Chris Wray, Miles Taylor, Chris Krebs, John Brennan, Chris Christie, Adam Schiff, and even special prosecutor, Jack Smith.

No. 13: Pardoning The January 6th Rioters:  Trump on his second Inauguration Day distinguished himself by pardoning nearly 1600 people who participated in the January 6th, 2020 riot. Many of these offenders beat up cops, damaged, defaced, or stole government property, and threatened the lives of legislators. Since the pardon at least a dozen of these folks have been rearrested for new crimes.  Recently, a 1/6 pardon recipient was subsequently arrested for threatening to kill Hakeem Jeffries, the Democratic Leader of the House.

No. 14: Tax Cuts For Oligarchs, Insurance Cuts For Americans: On July 4, 2025, Trump signed “The Big Ugly Bill” leading to the largest cuts to health care into law. The entirely Republicans back reckless legislation cuts more than $1 trillion from Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act, destabilizing the health care system and making health care more expensive and harder to access for all Americans. The latest estimates from the nonpartisan, independent congressional Budget Office (CBO), Republicans’ health care cuts will terminate health insurance for roughly 15 million Americans. Some reports mistakenly suggest that Americans will not feel the harms of this legislation in the near term. Republicans are saying that select cuts could be stopped or delayed, while others are lying and saying there are no cuts to Medicaid. Month by month, hospitals are shutting down, clinics are closing, staff are being laid off, services are being cancelled, and families are paying more out of pocket, unable to access the care they need.

No. 15: Targeting Marginalized Groups: Trump and associates have instituted a campaign of anti-LGBTQ+ policies. Human rights groups note that Trump has stripped legal protections for transgender people and restricted access to gender affirming care. Trump has been openly hostile to the LGBTQ community and vehemently opposed the Equality Act, which would have ensured that existing civil rights protections cover sexual orientation and gender identity in the way that they already do for race, disability, veteran status, and more. The Dumpster also blocked basic job protections for LGBTQ people, insisting that employers should be free to fire workers for their sexual orientation or gender identity. The Department of Health and Human Services under the Trump administration also eliminated nondiscrimination protections for LGBTQ people established under the Affordable Care Act.

 

Every Morning

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Every Morning

Every Morning

 

By D.S. Mitchell

 

With Morning

Every morning I wake up, praying it’s not true….but, it is; Donald Trump is president, and the nightmare continues. Day after day, Trump continues his consolidation of power. Any restrictions that limited his accumulation of power during his first term have been removed. He has surrounded himself with yes people; and as such, Trump has, since the 2024 election, been on a single minded pursuit of supreme authority.

No Limits

Donald Trump has for years made no secret of his total disregard for limits on his power and during his 2024 campaign said more than once that he was going “to be a dictator on day one,” following up with, “a lot of Americans want a dictator.” No one seemed to be listening, pretending Trump was “joking” around. From what I’ve seen this last nearly 10 months, supports the idea that he was as serious as a nuclear meltdown.

It Was Predicted

During Trump term 1, officials surrounding him suggested, not so quietly, that he wanted to politicize the military, using it to target Americans, and potentially using those troops to hold onto office. Currently, Trump is going well beyond what looks like any legal authority to militarize the streets of America by declaring imagined emergencies.

For Example

In recent days alone, Trump has taken major steps on this front. He federalized the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department and has deployed the National Guard to the nation’s capitol to deal with his fabricated, “out of control crime.” The federalization of the D.C. police department has been called “unprecedented” and the deployment of the National Guard is “extraordinary,” because the NG is usually called up for widespread, violent rioting, not some agitated president trying to distract from a building sex scandal. After sending the Guard into Chicago, Los Angeles, D.C. and Memphis, now has set his sites on the “Little Beirut” of the Pacific Northwest, my beautiful, beloved hometown, Portland, Oregon.

I Better Like What You Say

Whether you’re Jimmy Kimmel or the Commissioner of Bureau of Labor Statistics, if Donnie Dumb-Ass doesn’t like what you are saying, expect to get fired. As a further politicization of federal information and data he fired BLS Commissioner, Erika McEntarfer, calling her reported July jobs report, politically “rigged.” Rather than reassure financial markets that they would be able to trust data he replaced McEntarfer with a presumed MAGA loyalist, William Wiatrowski.

Demanding Investigations 

It’s been a long summer of Trump demanding one investigation after another of all his political opponents-and his demands keep growing louder screaming that everyone from Hillary Clinton to John Bolton will be investigated and jailed. First of the big opponents to be dragged into court is, holy crap, James Comey, former FBI Director. Mr. Comey has been indicted and charged with making false statements and obstruction of justice. I personally believe it’s more about Comey posting on his Instagram account the now infamous image of “8647” made of sea shells on a beach somewhere.

An Authoritarian Turn 

With all this going on, it’s as good a time as any, to explore the most recent significant and consequential power grabs by Trump and his inner circle. With the help of dozens of media outlets I’ve put together a list of 7 actions that Trump is using to expand his authoritarian control of our government. Is this how we, after nearly 250 years of sovereignty, lose our democracy; to a fat, demented psycho, signing illegal executive orders? Is this our crossing of the Rubicon, that moment that can’t be reversed? I guess only time will tell. But the kamikaze attack Trump is carrying out against our institutions is alarming. This is looking, scary, folks. So, here is my 7 point list:

1. US Military On US Streets

I guess in Trump’s shriveled mind, all you need to do is declare an emergency and then call in the military. Wahoo! Not so fast, it looks like he wants to militarize the county, at least all those cities and states with duly elected Democratic officials. J.B. Pritzger, (D) Governor of Illinois said he thinks Trump wants to make it common place seeing soldiers on the streets of our great cities, so when elections begin in 2026 Trump’s storm troopers will be available to  intimidate, harass, and even arrest citizens  as they attempt to vote.

The primary legal reason that the U.S. military generally is not allowed to occupy American cities is the Posse Comitatus Act of 1878. This federal law prohibits the use of armed military forces for domestic law enforcement purposes, based on a long standing belief that military interference in civilian affairs is a threat to democracy. Furthermore, the 10th Amendment to the Constitution is the pillar to state independence and the foundation for state sovereign immunity, which declares that powers not delegated to the United States are reserved to the states or the people. Reinforcing the federalist principle, ensuring the federal government’s powers are limited; and that states retain significant autonomy over their own affairs.

2. Tariffs

Now this whole ‘effin tariff game is just another Trump power play. He is, of course, far exceeding any presidential authority. The U.S. Court of International Trade has said so, but we haven’t gotten to the Supreme Court and he seems to have neutered them, right along with the Congress, and is currently running around like a dictator, changing the terms and tariff amounts willy-nilly in some schizophrenia bargaining strategy. The end result, is an ever shifting and changing level of taxation on American citizens and businesses.

It may not seem like it now, but the Congress does have the power to slow this wanna be tyrant down, but the GOP controlled Congress has no interest in stopping or even slowing down their party’s standard bearer. What a sad display of weak kneed cowardice for the world to see.

3. The “Enemy Within” Investigations

I’m sure you have heard Trump say, at multiple rallies, “I am your retribution.” Well, he was not talking about “your retribution,” he was talking about going after his own enemies. He’s pushing for investigations against key figures that headed four high profile efforts to scrutinize Trump in his first term; the Russian investigation, his first impeachment, the January 6, 2021 riot investigations, and those leading his personal criminal and civil cases. The retributive nature of using the Justice Department to bring charges against his perceived enemies, is to say the least, a break with historical practice. At the beginning of Trump term 2 he signed an executive order explicitly demanding the investigation of Miles Taylor (a Homeland Security official in Trump 1) and Christopher Krebs (a top cyber security official in Trump 1) both well-known and vocal Trump critics.

Even if the investigations fail to produce indictments, they subject the targets to large legal fees, politically motivated threats against their health and welfare, and public embarrassment; sending a clear message to anyone else who may be thinking of blowing the whistle on Trump’s actions, that they better not. If you question him, he and his political attack dogs will come after you. That’s a powerful recipe for keeping people quiet.

4. Loss Of Independent Functions

Trump’s actions with the Bureau of Labor Statistics could have big time implications. Here again, its all about the message it sends to others who might deliver bad news for Trump. And although his nomination of E.J. Antoni, to replace fired BLS commissioner, Erika McEntarfer,  was withdrawn due to sharp bipartisan criticism, the nomination was an obvious effort to undermine the expectation of independence from such officials.

Trump has a long history of trying to fire nonpartisan government officials and watchdogs. Just look at his continued attacks against Federal Reserve Chairman, Jerome Powell, attempting to force him to lower interest rates, by repeatedly threatening to fire or investigate him. President’s aren’t supposed to do this kind of shit. Well, until Trump that is. Trump’s active and very public, often by tweet, threats against the Chairman should be alarming. Such political pressure in apolitical government functions is reprehensible.

5. The Disregard of Due Process

In order to ramp up those lawless deportations, Trump and his advisor, the ever shrinking, “4’10” Stephen Miller”, have made some serious power grabs. Most notably; by just ignoring the due process clause of the Constitution and the rule of law.  Trump invoked a wartime authority-the Alien Enemies Act-to quickly deport undocumented immigrants, which in itself is quite a stretch of authority.

In the heated rush to deport the undocumented there have been numerous wrongful deportations and attempted deportations. These actions in some cases have been blocked by the lower courts. In one case, in total defiance of court order, the Trump administration ignored the court order to turn around planes carrying migrants headed to prison in El Salvador. It seems the lower courts have stepped up to check Trump, while the Supreme Court continues to bend over backwards to indulge whatever perverted whim strikes our demented leader. The power struggle continues with dire prospects for democracy.

6. Ignoring Congress/Tik Tok

Trump has no intention of heeding the will of the Congress; and his acquiescence to his every demand is growing dangerous and increasingly alarming. A great example is the legislation regarding Tik Tok. The legislative branch passed a bipartisan bill requiring the social media giant to divest from its parent company ByteDance or be banned, with lawmakers citing urgent national security concerns. The bill was later unanimously upheld by the Supreme Court. But Trump, until last week, seemed to be intentionally ignoring the legislation, giving ByteDance (Tik Tok) multiple extensions, despite him having no authority under law to take such action.

On 9/25/2025, Donald Trump, by executive order, of course, approved the deal to sell Tik Tok to American investors, Oracle Chairman, Larry Ellison, Fox Corp Chairman Emeritus, Rupert Murdoch, and Dell Technologies CEO, Michael Dell. With concerns for free speech and privacy in the forefront these names should light a fire under all of us. In case you didn’t notice, these men are all close Trump allies.  Per the agreement, ByteDance will retain 20% ownership. Furthermore, under the agreement, Americans will hold six of the seven seats of the US Tik Tok Board of Directors. The takeover of the U.S. media by a few MAGA individuals leaves me and a whole lot of others deeply worried. There was good reasons that the Founding Fathers protected free speech and a free press in the Constitution as essentials to a free functioning country. Pretty soon these rich guys will own all the media outlets in the country. A real time for thoughts and prayers.

7. Dominate Media, Colleges, and Law Firms

The media, the universities, and many of the most high powered law firms in the country have made unexpected and quite remarkable concessions to Trump’s demands. It seems that many have made the calculation that it is better to stay on the fat guy’s good side, than to resist. New precedents are being set and those precedents could negatively impact other institutions and further embolden Trump and his supporters.

A gleeful Trump during an interview at the White House in March of 2025, said, “You see what we’re doing with the colleges, and they’re all bending (the knee) and saying, ‘Sir, thank you so much. We appreciate it. Nobody can believe it, including law firms that have been so horrible, law firms that, nobody would believe this, just saying, ‘Where do I sign? Where do I sign?'” I don’t believe a word that this delusional guy says, except in this case, I do believe he has humbled the mighty and just as with every other move he has made the intent is to silence those who would oppose him and his authoritarian actions.

 

***Mark  October 18, 2025 on your calendar and commit to join the growing army of anti-Trumpers and hit the streets with sturdy shoes and inspirational signs. The NO Kings event is revving up as we get closer to 10/18/25. Please come out and visibly display your hatred for kings and oligarchs. My sign says: NO CROWNS for CLOWNS with a big crown and below it a clown riding a unicycle. I know you guys are smarter than me and can come up with something better, just do it!

References: Union and Labor Standards, Wages, Incomes, and Wealth, the Perkins Project, the New York Times, Mother Jones, The New Republic.

Trump’s Travesties

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Trump’s Travesties

Trump’s Travesties

By Cate Rees-Hessel with D.S. Mitchell

Since taking office less than a year ago, “The Donald” has made quite the mess of our nation…. again. I feel like sending him right along with his policies to the nearest dump site. Here are just a few of his deliberate faux pas:

  1. The Epstein cover up – resist! Too many “secrets,” that Donnie wants hidden.
  2. Tariffs – he needs to be impeached now…take back the House & take back the Senate!
  3. Racist ICE raids – resist! Take off the masks!
  4. Said the day after the Perry High school shootings, “We have to get over it” – he needs to be impeached now…he’ll “get over it”!
  5. Said at the Bedminster Gala that smart people don’t like him; stop the presses – he finally said something truthful…resist! That’s because smart people see past culture wars and listen to policy.
  6. Seeking to silence the progressive left regarding the shooting death of Charlie Kirk – he needs to be impeached now…well, of course he needs to be impeached.
  7. Cozying up to Elon Musk – resist! Such a short and damaging love affair for our country.
  8. Denying climate change – he needs to be impeached now…I guess we’re gonna find out just how hot it can get. *Iran July 2025; 127 degrees F.
  9. Cozying up to the gun lobby – resist! As of 9/25/25 there have been 317 mass shootings in the US-!
  10. Project 2025 – he needs to be impeached now…right along with this corrupt and rogue Supreme Court.
  11. Claiming he is king – resist! No crowns for clowns is my motto.
  12. Denying COVID-19’s severity, restricting vaccines, and inciting the anti-vax fringe – he needs to be impeached now…and Bobby Jr. and allies should be sent off planet.
  13. Attacking Social Security – resist! Social Security has been paying Americans faithfully for 90 years I’d say it should be strengthened not ‘effed up.
  14. Attacking SNAP so children go hungry – he needs to be impeached now…SNAP helps the farmer as well as the hungry. 60% of Americans are barely scraping by; protect SNAP.
  15. Tax breaks for billionaires – resist! Spreading the wealth makes for healthier and happier citizens.
  16. Brown nosing other dictators – he needs to be impeached now…and the ass-kissing goes on…and on….and on.
  17. His undermining the post office causing major mail delivery problems, which is occurring because of his first term installation of Louis DeJoy – resist! They’re getting ready to auction off our constitutionally guaranteed post office to buyers like Fed-Ex and UPS-resist.
  18. His constant attacks on freedom of the press – he needs to be impeached now…Americans are about to lose their freedom of speech, we’ll all be listening to one channel, no need for the remote control.
  19. Just being a multiple convicted felon – resist! When you’ve got the thugs in charge, expect to find a lot of dead bodies and jailed enemies.
  20. He incited the January 6th 2021 insurrection – he needs to be impeached now…and now he’s pardoned his co-conspirators.
  21. He threatened officials to rig the 2020 election and his victory in 2024 is in severe question – resist! This is a story hiding in plain sight, we should be saying, “Madam President.”
  22. Being an accused and convicted rapist – he needs to be impeached now…I certainly think we need  better, but when are we going to demand better?
  23. Calling President Biden and VP Harris vicious names and lies – resist! Small minds produce a lot of four letter words.
  24. Trying to force out of office a federal reserve governor that he does not like – he needs to be impeached now…he seems to enjoy accusing people of crimes he has committed, in this case mortgage fraud.
  25. Threatening our democracy and anyone that disagrees with him-resist! Ask Miles Taylor, Chris Krebs, James Comey, or how about Rosie O’Donnell how it feels when the president starts publicly accusing you of wrongdoing and threatens Justice Department charges.

Mark 10/18/2025 on your Protest Calendar and hit the streets and tell Trump we’ll have ‘No Kings Here.’

Murder in Auburn, Alabama

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Murder in Auburn

Murder in Auburn

By D.S. Mitchell

 

How far does the pain of murder travel?

Auburn, Alabama is a town of about 83,000 in the northeastern section of the state. A tight knit community built around Auburn University. Kiesel Park is a sprawling green space, about four miles from the University campus. With its fields and woodlands and 2 plus miles of walking trails the park is a magnet for runners, bikers, and dog walkers, a place of peace and tranquility.

On September 6th, 2025, a beautiful fall morning in Auburn, Dr. Julie Gard Schnuelle took her dog for a walk in Kiesel Park. A few minutes past 10:00, Julie a petite 5’2″ woman, was dragged off the walking path into a wooded area of the park where she was stabbed multiple times. After killing Julie, the man robbed her and stole her Ford F-150 truck.

Dr. Julie Gard Schnuelle, 59, was a retired Auburn University professor. A large animal vet, Dr. Schnuelle was a 1996 graduate of the veterinary school and a faculty member from 2003 until her retirement in 2021. She recently served as Area Veterinarian in Charge with the U.S. Department of Agriculture for Alabama and Mississippi. She was according to past students, “a fabulous teacher,” “always an example- forever an inspiration.”

2,598 miles across the country, in Vancouver, WA, the pain of the murder hit just as hard as in Auburn, Alabama. Shocked, horrified, and broken hearted Julie’s father and stepmother are valiantly trying to come to terms with the  violence of her death. Friends, family, anyone hearing this story is devastated.  I’m devastated, as a friend of the family for more than 50 years the pain of Julie’s murder far exceeds miles.

Despite her many important life achievements, “her greatest legacy will be the love she gave so freely to any person or animal that came into her life.”  Julie is survived by her beloved husband Archie Schnuelle; her children, Michael and Natalie Waldrop; her stepchildren, Megan Schnuelle, Tyler (Brandee) Schnuelle, and Sarah Jo (Garret) Truett; parents, Gary (Christina) Gard, and Elizabeth Moody; her siblings, Tim (Lisa) Gard, Dolores (John) Reuther, Jason (Amy) Gard, and stepsister Karla (Shawn) McQuade; along with nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles, additional family, and numerous friends who were dear to her.

The Julie Gard Schnuelle Annual Scholarship Fund has been established at Auburn University’s College of Veterinary Medicine in her honor.

****A suspect, Harold Rashad Dabney III, 28 years old is in custody charged with capital murder. He is being held without bond.

 

12 Things That Make Me Smile

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12 Things That Make Me Smile

12 Things That Make Me Smile

By D. S. Mitchell

Welcome to Calamity News and Politics. Calamity is currently based in Southern Oregon, in beautiful Grants Pass.  CNP attempts to present relevant and engaging political commentary, opinion, argument, speculation, and prediction regarding the political news in the United States. CNP also comments on health, wellness, fitness, silliness, games, and just about anything that tickles our panties. Once a month, or so, I do a post entitled “Things That Make Me Smile.” The number of items that make me smile usually change with each individual post.  No reason, just because I can, I guess.

So, take your mind off of politics and policies, including your grandmother losing her Medicaid, you losing your SNAP benefits, the Russian attack on NATO ally, Poland, the total and complete destruction of Gaza by Israel. the attacks by Israel on our ally, Qatar, and try if possible, to focus on the good things in your life.

Today I’m going to keep it short, here are 12 Things That Make Me Smile, how about you?

1.) Being on time.

2.) Daddy’s old work bench.

3.) Blackened hot dogs. Yum, yum.

4.) Talking to my plants.

5.) Living in a vacation town, during the off season.

6.) Slow dancing with him.

7.)  Pizza with a crispy paper thin crust.

8.) Wild strawberries peeking up in the flowerbeds.

9.) Fish On!

10.) Following estate sale signs.

11.) Putting pennies in a jar and watching them grow into dollars.

12.) Watching couples walk hand in hand.

The corruption and scandal in the Trump Administration is going to be around for a longer time than I would ever want, so think of your own 12 things that make you smile, because its gonna be a rough next three years plus years.

Call your congress person, write letters to the editor commenting on Trump policies, start a blog or a podcast, and hit the streets and protest. The next big rally is supposed to be on October 18, 2025. Watch for more information. Come out and protest, ‘No Kings,’ and let’s give our Dictator in Waiting, 10 million middle fingers. Join the New Resistance.

**If anyone is curious the picture accompanying this post is not me, but rather a lovely AI rendering of an imaginary woman.

Shredding Documents

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Shredding Documents

Does It Really Matter?

Does It Really Matter? 

D. S. Mitchell

 

I was sitting in the doctor’s office reading an old Reader’s Digest article that offered advice on when and what to shred.  According to the 6 year old article our greatest danger is through ‘mass hackings’ of our credit information. No matter how cautious we are our greatest danger is as victims of other people’s carelessness, or bad intent.  Despite that, supposedly we should still take every precaution when dealing with the disposal of sensitive documents in an effort to keep our private information private.

Does any of this really make a difference? I don’t know. I feel like my entire life has already been reduced to 0’s and 1’s; especially since DOGE scoured the federal computers for every snippet of my life story. I think I’m like a lot of Americans. Not only am I feeling vulnerable, but I feel totally betrayed by Elon Musk, Donald Trump, the Supreme Court, in other words, by own government. Will the results of such personal intrusions just mean my spam increases or will it be more serious, leading to fraudulent bank loans and other nefarious activities.

With those opposing thoughts in mind here are the suggestions from the Reader’s Digest article:

Receipts: If you aren’t saving the receipt for taxes or other purposes and you made your purchase with a credit or debit card shred it. The receipt shows the last 4 digits of the card number and possibly your signature. Those clever crooks can use receipts for fraudulent returns and benefit from your store credit.

Prescription Labels: Sometimes they are stapled to the prescription bag or on the bottle. Labels frequently list your name, date of dispensing, name and strength of the drug and dispensing pharmacy.  Crooks can use the information to refill prescriptions or steal your identity.

Pet Medical Documents: Keep records of major events for the pets health history, but shred the rest.  The paperwork will show your name, address, phone and the pet’s name, which according to many studies to be the most common computer password choices.

Airline Boarding Passes: Shred after landing. The boarding pass will show your name, your itinerary, and a bar code that in some cases will show your frequent flier number, which would allow thieves to “log in to airline accounts to view upcoming travel plans, check in to flights, and even cancel trips.”

Return Labels: Shred free return labels that come in the mail and any envelopes showing your name and address. When writing a return address on an envelope omit your name. Identity thieves will use that information to collect more information from social media and piece together your identity.

 

Self-Care for Trump’s Terrible Tariffs

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Self-care for Trump’s Terrible Tariffs

Self-care for Trump’s Terrible Tariffs

By Cate Rees-Hessel

These tariffs are taxes on the American people! Do not bend the knee to Donnie Dictator.  These tariffs are fucking illegal. The tariffs game is nothing more than an arm twisting exercise by Donald Trump to bring corporate America to heel. Sadly his tactics are costing the average American big time. The most needy are as usual hit the hardest,  but that’s nothing new with this  president.

Walmart CEO Doug McMillon has in public statements said that tariffs are raising prices here in the United States and is negatively affecting consumers. Economic strife is stressful and many of us are facing uncertainty in the our futures, the threat of losing many hard earned benefits, especially seniors, the disabled, and families with children is terrifying. It’s even worse than I imagined when I heard Trump was re-elected. He has approved of drastic cuts to many vital programs like SNAP, Medicaid, and Medicare. A Democratic Senate and House can heal our economy, so vote in every election. Remember that Social Security is our money that we worked for and we are entitled to – use it wisely in these crazy economic times. This too shall pass, hopefully sooner than later.

During these times self care is more important than ever but how do we afford to take care our selves, our families and also remain healthy and sane. Here are some suggestions and helpful tips to weather the storm:

  1. Grocery prices are outrageous; try eggless recipes and vegetarian dishes – both healthy and economical. Resist the current administration – they are destroying our economy.
  2. Use outdated yogurt and past their prime fruits for face masks and cuticle treatments.
  3. Join rewards programs, and look for coupons and deals online.
  4. Look for free shipping.
  5. Join a warehouse club to purchase in bulk. Purchasing family or jumbo sizes are often cheaper by the ounce or count (though not always, so double-check), when you can afford the initial cash outlay. Resist the current administration – they are destroying our economy.
  6. Consider split payment programs – some even offer a debit type card to use in store as well as online. Often fees are minimal and most are interest free. Some of these services even offer monthly installment options – down payments are usually low, and minimum purchases vary from very low to mid ranges.
  7. Invite a multi level marketing representative to do a spa day at your home. Tutorials are available online to learn to do your own mani-pedi, facial, and haircuts. There are also many good at-home hair colors available.
  8. Shop local to save on gas.
  9. Look for special discounts on pharmaceuticals and the like. Many places offer AARP, student, and/or military discounts. Seek out scholarships, as well, for education.
  10. Consider clothes swaps, reselling on eBay, Poshmark, Marcari, Facebook Marketplace or local consignment-type shops that buy used goods. Try bartering to save on funds, and use your creativity to make money. Resist the current administration – they are destroying our economy.
  11. Seek out free library and park district/recreation department programs.
  12. Look for no annual fee, cash back, and lower interest credit cards.
  13. Pay off balances when you can to avoid interest.
  14. Opt for fee-free checking accounts.
  15. Try a side gig – there are many opportunities online, but double-check online ratings and with friends for legitimacy. Resist the current administration – they are destroying our economy.
  16. Consider a private mechanic versus a chain shop.
  17. Consider a vocational school for car repairs – instructors oversee the work to keep it safe.
  18. Teachers also oversee at beauty school clinics and work is done by senior students.
  19. Offer to be a haircut, hair color, or manicure model.
  20. Ask for samples prior to buying anything. Resist the current administration – they are destroying our economy.
  21. Drugstore cosmetics are often as good as department store but be very wary of any thing made in China, sometime labeled as PRC. Even items that have U.S., Canada, Korea, Mexico, Turkey, or the like components that are assembled in China, I personally still avoid. Be extra careful when shopping in dollar stores. Make sure pet products are safe and nutritionally complete. Read labels on anything you purchase.
  22. Sign up to be a cosmetic, jewelry, or other merchandise company rep to get discounts on products and access to samples.
  23. Take advantage of streaming services – many offer new subscriber and returning subscriber specials, as well as access to new movies being shown in theaters or released recently.
  24. Prime Days, Walmart Days and Black Friday-type specials are often worth the time and effort, especially non-large purchases. Our local Fred Meyer’s has a first Tuesday of the month 10% senior discount.
  25. Clearance items that are not outdated can save a lot of money, especially after season discounted items. Resist the current administration – they are destroying our economy.
  26. Many restaurants of all levels are offering special pricing or deals these days. If you are a veteran, or an ARRP member remember to ask for your discount. It’s usually enough to give pay your tip.
  27. Going out of business sales can offer up to 75-90% off deals.
  28. Homemade beauty items are often excellent, effective, and safe – the same goes for home created cleaning products.
  29. Consider thrifting or purchasing pre-owned. It’s okay to re-gift, but be discreet.
  30. Local theaters often need volunteer ushers which allows free access to their productions.

Remember, if we stick together and resist the current administration, we can get through this. So add a scarf or costume jewelry to last year’s ensemble to change up your look; show up for local rallies and sign those email petitions to make your voice known. Impeachment should be a given but Trumpty Dumpty still owns his Republican congress. Remember, keep well groomed and steadfast in faith as we all pray, hope, and wish for the day we are rid of the Trump-Vance dictatorship.

Trump and his henchmen are going to do everything possible to tinker, I mean ‘eff with the 2026 election. The higher the turnout the harder it is to skew the results. So, damn it, VOTE! Deciding to consciously not vote just plays into Trump’s hands. Don’t let cynicism keep you from the polls.

Why We Were Better Ridin’ With Biden

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Why We Were Better Ridin’ With Biden

Why We Were Better Ridin’ With Biden

Editor: Well, if we wanted chaos, stupidity, and cruelty we’ve got it, in spades. All those folks who didn’t get enough of Trump the first time around and couldn’t wait to get his sick, narcissistic ass back in the White House are paying the price now, right along with the rest of us. And the folks who didn’t vote because they were taking some effin’ high road, shame on you. In a democracy there isn’t a lot to do, other than look at candidates and choose those candidates whose philosophy and policies come closest to match your individual hopes and desires; and that magic happens at the ballot box.   Cate and I agree about a lot of things and her thoughts on Joe Biden coincide with mine.  No one is perfect, but some are a lot more perfect than others; and yes I am comparing Joe Biden at his worst to Donald Trump at his best.  DSM

 

By Cate Rees-Hessel and D.S. Mitchell

  1. Joe Biden is a man of integrity, whose life long career of public service is still in effect – he’s still an advocate for the American people, despite dealing with cancer. Donald Trump has never advocated for anyone but himself.
  2. President Biden is a dedicated husband and father, not a cheating adulterer that once claimed he’d like to date his own daughter.
  3. Joe had, despite COVID-19 chauffeured the economy, to a place that perhaps still needed a bit of tweeking but was showing tremendous growth and high employment.  There were no insane, unnecessary, ill-advised tariffs that are in fact a direct tax on the American consumer.
  4. Joe Biden nor any other Democrat would never have even suggested such devastation, trauma, and cruelty as Trump’s Big Bad Bill. That bill is going to deliver big cuts to the social safety net, add trillions to the deficit and just incidentally give the richest 1% a huge tax cut.
  5. Joe capped insulin at $35 monthly, a real blessing for seniors; which Trump is talking about rescinding Joe’s policy so Donald can “help” the drug companies.
  6. Joe supported health insurance for all, while Trump policies are cutting Obama Care, Medicaid and Medicare. A healthy populace is a good thing for a country, and pays back in so many unimagined ways.
  7. Joe gave us a beautiful, progressive black woman of dignity and intelligence as our VP; Trump’s VP pick spends time courting White Supremacists & Neo-Nazi’s in Germany and other European capitals.
  8. Joe and the Democrats gave this country its first significant infrastructure bill in 70 years. Fixing roads, and bridges, bringing Wi-Wi to rural America while Trump tries to claw back promised federal money for many promised projects and offering nothing more than putrid pork in return.
  9. Joe Biden and his team gave us all time low unemployment, while Donnie Doodle’s employment reports are so bad he has to fire the civil servant giving the information; because of course like everything else he doesn’t like, “it’s a hoax or fake news.”
  10. Joe Biden was the savvy and supportive VP to our first black President, Barack Obama – they worked together beautifully. Donald Trump on the other hand is trying to intimidate and fight with duly elected black mayors and governors across the country. Racism is alive and well under Daddy Don.
  11. Joe gave us a classy First Lady, Dr. Jill Biden – not Donald’s immigrant wife with questionable legal status and a staple in her navel and a naked centerfold archived somewhere.
  12. Joe Biden treasures the privacy of the American people while Donnie Felon thought having Elon Musk chainsaw through the government was a good idea. What is the plan for all that information? Whatever it is, Joe Biden would never have been part of it.
  13. Joe Biden doesn’t intentionally go looking for a fight, while Trump is fighting with someone all the time. Sometimes just because he’s an ass and stupid as a trout and other times because he needs some nonsense vibrating the airways so he can hide, distract and deceive.
  14. Joe Biden used his time to get work done, not ride around in a golf cart demanding we change the  Gulf of Mexico, to the “Gulf of America,” “annex Canada as our 51st state,” or demand the “takeover of Greenland.”
  15. Joe Biden was not touring the world on Jeffrey Epstein’s airplane or visiting Epstein Island. However, Donald Trump was flying around acting the big shot with old buddy  Jeff, but now he ‘barely knew him.’
  16. President Biden was an attorney who has a head for public administration and business, not a seven-time bankrupt reality show idiot who threatened his former school with big lawsuits if his grades were ever released.
  17. Joe Biden is a Democrat. Trump is head of some coalition faction that used to  proclaim to be Republicans but are now full MAGA and are likely to fall apart as a movement when Trump’s leaves center stage.
  18. Ketanji Brown Jackson was appointed by Joe Biden, Trump appointed Brett Kavanaugh
  19. Joe Biden is pro-labor, he was the first president to ever stand on a picket line, while Trump surrounds himself with extremist minority political fringe advocates and greedy 2 percenters running the country.
  20.  With Joe and Jill Biden, class and dignity returned to the White House – for a brief four year period, we had a break from the insanity of “The Donald” and his thug routine.
  21. Joe Biden followed the law when it came to immigrants and immigration. With Trump we now have the world’s best financed national police force (who wear masks, no name badges, and snatch people off the streets) arresting cooks, seamstresses and gardeners. The outlaws and criminals that Trump promised to arrest and deport have vanished right along with his promises of lower food prices.
  22. Joe Biden believes in science and he believes in funding research, Donald Trump hates science and wants us to be as dumb as an illiterate peasant in Medieval England.
  23. No one ever accused Joe of using the office of the presidency to fill his bank account, but that’s what we have going on now more than during Trump’s first term. Emoluments? Who cares about a word that most people have never heard of.
  24. Joe Biden would never have rolled out a red carpet welcome for War Criminal, Vlad Putin, but Trump did. Since when do we celebrate killers? Now, I guess.

Instead of changing the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America for purely racist reasons, wanting to change names of sports teams back to racist ones, wasting money on a military parade for his birthday, or wanting to be a king, President Biden was concerned with healthcare, infrastructure, and real world problems. Joe always had America’s best interest at heart, always thinking about the little guy in our society, a true patriot that took care of actual issues that we as Americans face. God bless President Joe Biden for his service.

Most Dangerous Group in Human History

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OPINION:

The Most Dangerous Group in Human History

OPINION:

The Most Dangerous Group in Human History

By Karen Tate

Not Since Eisenhower Has There Been an Ethical Republican President

I’ve often written in my published books and essays that knowledge is power.  Of course, I didn’t know that growing up in the South where our public school books barely scratched the surface on the evils of the Civil War, patriarchy, sexism, racism, or social justice.  Neither were we encouraged to be good citizens with a firm handle on civics and how the government worked.  Men and religious institutions were in charge and vital subjects like sex, power, religion and money were not talked about.  Taking a back seat and having babies was a woman’s role in life.  I had to move to California to begin to get an education and discover how stunted so many of our educations actually are depending on where we grow up and what our socio-economic  background might be.  Then I had to care enough to educate myself and leave my racist culture behind and become a feminist, or I think the more accurate word today is a womanist.

I’m reminded of all that in these last few years as I rub shoulders with those who would rather not know anything, critically think or choose instead to be apolitical and take a back seat and let someone else do their thinking for them.  I have to remember we don’t know what we don’t know.  Had I not left the South I doubt I’d ever have discovered the eminent scholar Noam Chomsky nor would I have taken the rare opportunity to interview him on my podcast.  I wouldn’t have known he considered the Republican Party the most dangerous organization in human history and though he was primarily talking about climate change at the time, he also said, “Has there ever been an organization in human history that is dedicated, with such commitment, to the destruction of organized human life on Earth?” And he had not yet experienced Donald Trump’s presidency, nor was Project 2025 fully fleshed out as we understand it today.

I believe Prof. Chomsky assessed the GOP as he does for more than their position on climate change by reminding readers we have not had a lawful and ethical Republican president since Dwight D. Eisenhower.  Knowledge is power and it’s important to be armed with truthful information.  How many of us don’t know or were never taught the following facts about past Republican presidents and their administrations?   As my historical account below will attest, Republican Presidents have been guilty of war crimes, election interference, committing treason, sometimes  by conspiring with foreign governments, and much more, to acquire or hold power  for decades since Eisenhower.  Yes, there have been Republican traitors in the White House before Donald Trump even if you didn’t learn about it in school, discover it buried in the news or followed the headlines.

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NO KINGS PROTEST

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NO KINGS PROTEST

NO KINGS Protest

“The people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world are the ones who do.”

                                                                                                                              Steve Jobs