Wednesday's Dr. Fauci hearing: "Content Production."

 

Dr. Fauci went into the hearing knowing Rand Paul had publicly stated that he wants Dr. Fauci in prison.

Dr. Fauci was right to follow his lawyer's advice to take the 5th, and Rand Paul is a disgrace for saying Dr. Fauci will face "repercussions" for invoking his Constitutionally guaranteed rights.

Today's hearing was a debacle.

"...show trials are bad for democracy and do nothing to get us closer to either truth or consensus. Hanging over every conversation about what happened during the pandemic of the recent past is anxiety about what might happen should we face a pandemic in the near future. In projecting all of a difficult era’s conflicts onto Dr. Fauci, Republicans evade the harder work of figuring out what we actually should learn from his, and our, mistakes." --Rachel Bedard, MD, New York Times

What hat happened Wednesday in the Senate was a content production meeting for MAGA political consultants. All comments and questions were carefully scripted to produce commercials for the upcoming elections. In the end, nothing will come from this -- no indictments, but maybe a contempt charge from Congress, that will go to the FBI for another show trial to be held later. But this was a just another cheap political performance for the all-important audience of one, and to give the right-wing media more content to distract their viewers from the war in Iran, high gas prices, and, of course, Jeffery Epstein.

Trump's "Make America Great Again" Failure

 

The MAGA  cultists wear their red hats saying "Make America Great Again."

They refuse to see the truth:

Trump has done the EXACT opposite.

China is viewed more favorably than is the US, thanks to Trump's anti-democracy, authoritarian policies.

Also, his obvious stupidity and malignant narcissism combined with his horrible personal morality.

I'm not surprised.

Is anyone? 

People in Many Countries Now View China More Positively Than the U.S. 

More also have confidence in Xi than Trump, according to a survey in three dozen countries

For the first time in nearly 2 decades, a new Pew Research survey—based on interviews with more than 42,000 people across 36 countries—shows China is viewed more favorably than the United States in most nations surveyed. 

 "This is a story driven more by an American decline in soft power than by a Chinese surge," writes expert Yanzhong Huang. 

[skip]

 "President Trump’s authoritarian tendencies have badly damaged the United States’ image, but so long as American institutions and rule of law endure, respect for U.S. democracy and diplomacy could plausibly recover under a more conventional future administration."

The text below was sent to me in an email. It's an answer on social media to a MAGA who was bragging about Trump making America great again.

An awkward moment at the WH Correspondence Dinner and Awards Ceremony

 

By now, you've seen the White House Correspondence Awards dinner and the video below.

Look at the despicable man-child laughing off the fact that he doxxed and endangered the life of Wall Street Journal journalist, Khadeeja Safdar. Her home address was included in public court filings during a $20 billion lawsuit filed by Donald Trump against the publication, forcing her and her family to relocate over safety concerns. Safdar was the only reporter whose address was published in Trump's law suit filings.

In accepting the award, she refused to pretend she was pleased to shake the hand of the monster who endangered her and her family's lives. 

Trump's reaction? A shrug of his shoulders and a goofy smile -- total lack of human understanding for what he did.

 

This is the birthday card Trump sent to his BFF, Jeffrey Epstein, (the notorious pedophile), which he claimed he did not send. IOW, Trump lied about it.

YOUR SUNDAY MOMENT OF ZEN

 

SATURDAY NIGHT MUSIC

 

\

Arrogance!

 

A disgusting display of MAGA wealth and arrogance:

Hundreds of people in Venice, Italy, protested U.S. Ambassador Tilman Fertitta and his massive luxury superyacht. The 117-meter (384-foot) vessel, estimated to be worth around $450 million, drew intense local backlash during the city's historic Redentore festival. 

The Protest and Clash

Around 300 demonstrators marched to the Riva dei Sette Martiri waterfront where the six-story yacht, named Boardwalk, was moored. 
Protesters carried inflatable beach toys, a yacht-length banner, and signs with slogans like "Make America Go Away" and "Venice is not to be used" (Venezia non si USA). 
Minor scuffles broke out and demonstrators briefly clashed with riot police guarding the access points before shouting "Shame!" at the ambassador, police, and local officials. 

Reasons for the Outrage

Display of Wealth: Activists criticized the massive vessel—which loomed taller than nearby historic buildings—as an arrogant and gross display of extreme wealth. 
Security and Disruption: Locals and Italian politicians expressed anger that public police resources were diverted to act as a free private security detail for a billionaire's vessel. 
Political Tensions: Protesters voiced anger over U.S. policies under President Donald Trump and local frustrations regarding mass tourism and the economic struggles of everyday Venetians.