HEE HAW!

Trump said “Pretend I’m on the ballot!” We did, took back our country and effectively smothered the Trumpocracy! A resilient small-d democracy turned out to be impossible to kill. Or fool. The Democrats’ resurgence was hoped for in the House but not really expected in the Senate. Turns out our democracy was never really gone, just hibernating for a time.

Trump's a lame duck. Yes, he can still quack. But Democratic control of Congress in both houses will have that particular duck in its sights. A war started unilaterally by Trump pushed up the cost of living very quickly. It is far more than just pain at the pump, which is bad enough. Everything costs more. Political guru James Carville nailed it in the first Clinton campaign: “It’s the economy, stupid”. Always was. Still is. JD Vance says the Iran war, started by Trump goosed by Bibi, is why his party lost the election. He’s right. The war has cost trillions, mostly off the books and still no public reckoning.

The desecration of our environment, the disembowelment of cherished American institutions like the Kennedy Center and the Elon Musk DOGE blood bath that decimated much of the federal government’s top talent in a variety of callings, occupations and professions under Trump is now stopped. We can, we will, rebuild. Meanwhile, DJT, his family and assorted cronies are reported to have stolen at least $3-4 billion. So far.

Likely, much of Trump’s base now gets that a federal government is needed, not simply tolerated. Many have come to realize — slowly at first but a lot faster as Trump ended his second year — that they’ve been systematically screwed over on health care, economic enablement, employment opportunities and access to government services that have been eliminated or heavily curtailed. And so much more.

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JD Vance performed the usual task of attack dog that by custom falls to the vice president. FDR’s first VP, John Nance Garner, supposedly opined, "The Vice Presidency isn't worth a pitcher of warm shit” though it was reported as “spit”. Vance’s inhumanity, callousness and absurd notions of natalism (not to be confused with nationalism) — are to make more babies but deny aid for child care.

He acted the part of the junkyard dog, demonstrating a menacing bark. JD showed us a cold heart with vacuous intellectual pretension. He is unlikely ever to be president unless Trump trips on his necktie between now and January, 2029. Will JD jolly himself into the hearts of the voters? Bet against it.

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What have we wrought? Chuck Schumer will become Majority Leader. It is now churlish to write that he is well past his sell-by date and should move along. That is unlikely; once a pol sniffs power he gives it up only reluctantly. But at least he can look up from the podium by adjusting its height. Hakeem Jeffries, also a Brooklynite, will become Speaker. He is decent and will do fine, though he is no Sam Rayburn. Still, no one but a Polymarket addict should bet against the Dems ability to &%$*# things up. We are Democrats!

Buffoonery, bombast, bullshit, bloviation and plain out lying won’t cut it any longer Donald. That's cold porridge.

Dog and donkey mages AI-generated. Lame duck by Bill Day, Florida Politics.com.