Enter the Fray
If you want to be fearful,
be fearful.
If you want to be scared,
be scared.
But do not freeze.
And if you drop to your knees,
make it to pray—
instead of obey.
Trump's banner now waves
where once the banner of freedom stood.
Freedoms are lost by the day.
Be fearful, indeed,
but know—you must enter the fray.
Fist Fights Become Street Fights
Fist fights become more deadly
when they no longer belong to kids.
Punches pack more power
when grown men blow their lids.
The playground gives way
to life on the streets—
hanging out in bars
and sitting on motorcycle seats.
The fights become more deadly,
the fists pack more power,
and there’s a trip to the hospital
when a friendship goes sour.
Fist fights become street fights,
and life becomes death.
And the hooligan is soon breathing
a criminal’s breath.
The Democrat Lifer
Start your campaign early.
Don't start it too late.
Hit with a surprise blow,
As you come out of the gate.
Here's my call to Democrats,
Whether it be Harris
Or those wearing top hats.
Start with a bang,
Send a surprise—
Shockwaves and tremors
Of the highest size.
You, as a Democrat,
Are against abortion?
Come on, let's do it!
This is as big as the ocean.
You've got to do it early
And must be sincere.
Don't deal falsely,
Just to appear.
Then, give the voters
Time to adjust.
Give them time
To learn they can trust.
A Demo, a Demo
Is divided from many
Just by abortion.
For most people, that's plenty.
Just this one issue
Separates the Democrats.
Because of this issue,
People think they're dingbats.
So, raise me your hand
If you're the person we need.
We'll run you for president
If you're a lifer—a lifer indeed.
Suicide
Suicide– the suicide of our nationWe Should Care
We should care—do we care?
For civilians who die in war?
We honor our own soldiers,
Who die on foreign shores.
We should care also for the civilians,
Though they be in foreign lands.
They are the victims,
Of war on those foreign sands.
Though they might not be our brother,
And don't even fly our flag,
We should love as brother, sister—
Anyone with a human tag.
We should care for everyone.
Their blood spilled is also our loss.
We should add them to our soldiers,
When we total up the cost.
We Go to Sinaloa
We go to Sinaloa,
Down in Mexico,
Home to the hombre,
Home to the amigo.
We rest on its golden beaches—
Mazatlán is known for them.
We ride upon our surfboards;
On the waves, we skim.
We gasp at the Baluarte Bridge,
One of the highest on Earth,
And at the rock carvings—
They, of such worth.
We join in the festivals,
Dance with the people.
On Sunday, it's church,
And the beauty is the steeple.
We learn of the farmers
And how advanced they are.
Some of the world's best
Are in Sinaloa, by far.
But against everything great,
There is much that is not.
Drug cartels are entrenched,
And bloody battles are fought.
The people of Sinaloa
Also face the tariffs of Trump,
And that could put the farmers
Deep in a slump.
All the way down
To Sinaloa, we go.
We learn of their challenges
Along with things worthy of show.
Bless the Sinaloans
Bless the people of that land
Bless and protect them
Under God's hand
Musicians Coming, Going Are Facing New Music With Visas
Musicians—the heart and soul of American entertainment—are being forced to cancel concerts and are facing the threat of deportation.
Yes, as with much of what is going on, even when they are completely legal, the Trump administration is going after them. Shall we point out the situations we are aware of?
Let's start with Julion Alvarez, from Mexico, who had a large, sold-out concert in Arlington Stadium in Dallas (where the Cowboys play) set for May 24. But no -- ICE would have none of it: Just the day before the concert was to take place, Alvarez was notified his work visa was being revoked. Since his work is singing, sans the visa, he would be working in violation of the law.
Then, how about Yamil Said, drummer for the band Lord Buffalo? As the band went to board a flight to Europe, Said was detained by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport for alleged violation of a restraining order. He continues to be held in jail in Tarrant County, Texas.
Next up, Bells Larsen. Though we might not agree with transgender identity, should that be used to discriminate against him? When restrictions on gender markers were placed on applications to come to enter the U.S., the complications prompted Larsen to cancel his U.S. tour. New policies require gender markers to match the sex of the person at birth.
Trupa, Trupa, a Polish post-punk band, is reconsidering a U.S. tour due to processing delays, increased costs, and the risk of being detained while here.
Then, the case of Knitting, a Montreal-based band. Knitting faced obstacles in scheduling a U.S. tour. Processing times have increased, with some applications now taking up to eight months. And the cost? Visa fees for international musicians increased from $460 to $1,615 per application.
British singer FKA Twigs canceled a U.S. tour due to visa complications.
Shred Kelly, a Canadian band, canceled its U.S. tour due to rising costs and uncertainty. Reports of international travelers being detained despite have proper documentation dissuaded the group. Members of the band became fearful they could be separated or held up at the border, disrupting their tour schedule.
The Mexican band Los Alegres del Barranco had its visas revoked after performing music dedicated to a drug cartel leader. The U.S. State Department cited concerns over glorifying criminal figures. While it is disconcerting that the band glorified a cartel leader, one wonders if the American principle of free speech should not be upheld, allowing them to perform in the U.S. just the same.
Whether it is the threat of being deported, or just the obstacles now in place discouraging visiting musicians, Donald Trump's immigration policies are impacting musicians going out of the U.S. and coming into the country from performing.
Go No Further than This for Your News
Go no further than this. Today I offer you a lightning synopsis of the day's most pressing news stories. Turn the TV off, skip the 9 o’clock news, and sit down with me as I share all the riveting developments.
1.) The Springsteen-Trump feud. After Bruce Springsteen opened a concert in England by calling Trump "corrupt, incompetent, and treasonous," Trump suggested that Springsteen had best keep his mouth shut until he was back in the U.S. Then, should the rocker say something like that, Trump said, "we'll see how it goes for him." Later in the day, Trump called for a "major investigation" into Springsteen, Beyoncé, and Bono for having performed at Kamala Harris rallies during the campaign. Trump alleged that they were paid for their appearances and that this constituted illegal endorsements, as candidates are not allowed to pay for endorsements.
2.) The Supreme Court's TPS decision. TPS stands for Temporary Protected Status, which allows immigrants already in the U.S. to stay if there is danger in their home country. It is separate from the standard refugee program. Anyway, the High Court ruled that the Trump administration can deport Venezuelans who are on the program — about 350,000 people — a sizable portion of whom live in Florida's Miami-Dade County, where they make up a reasonable share of the labor market in service industries (a rough estimate would be around 10 percent). How will this affect Miami-Dade's economy? How will it affect the Republican-Democratic balance? Miami-Dade County historically leaned Democratic but recently flipped to Republican control. Will businesses reliant on Venezuelan workers push the county back toward the Democratic Party?
3.) The "Big, Beautiful Bill" advances. A House committee approved the measure late Sunday, and there is hope it will finish winding its way through Congress before Memorial Day. Though too complex to fully unpack here, among other things, the bill provides tax cuts for wealthy Americans and others. It eliminates taxes on tips, overtime pay, and Social Security benefits. The bill also removes incentives for purchasing electric vehicles. The Big, Beautiful Bill will also open federal land in Utah and Nevada, allowing private developers to buy the land for housing and fossil fuel development.
4.) CBS News President and CEO Wendy McMahon resigned under pressure from Paramount Global, which in turn is being pressured by the Trump administration to soften coverage of Trump. McMahon's forced resignation comes weeks after the executive producer of the network's "60 Minutes" program resigned, citing concerns over editorial control being dictated from above.
5.) Peace talks reopening in the Russia-Ukraine war. Following a two-hour conversation with Putin, Trump announced that talks would begin immediately.
6.) Israel escalates operations in Gaza. The Israeli military launched "Operation Gideon's Chariots" and ordered the evacuation of Khan Younis, Gaza's second-largest city.
7.) The S&P 500 posted its sixth consecutive winning session as the stock market rally continues.
'Dried Out Prune' Refuses to Back Down to Trump
Donald Trump is coming after Bruce Springsteen. Springsteen called Trump "corrupt, incompetent and treasonous" as he took the stage to open his European tour May 14 in Manchester, England.
Infuriated, Trump responded that Springsteen had best keep his mouth shut until he is back in the U.S. Then should the rocker say something like that, "we'll see how it goes for him."
Sounds like a threat.
“I see that Highly Overrated Bruce Springsteen goes to a Foreign Country to speak badly about the President of the United States," Trump posted. "... This dried out ‘prune’ of a rocker (his skin is all atrophied!) ought to KEEP HIS MOUTH SHUT until he gets back into the Country, that’s just ‘standard fare. Then we’ll all see how it goes for him!”
Wonder what the president will do — throw him in jail, fine him — what?
Under Attack
Under attack from Donald Trump, America's premier TV news magazine is on the brink of fading into irrelevancy.
And with it goes one of the grandest, most noble chapters in American journalism history. With it goes a portion of the free press—you know, that institution so honored by our founding fathers that they warned that without it, all other freedoms could be lost.
As 60 Minutes aired the final episode of its 57th season tonight, it whimpered away a more obedient child to Donald Trump, its critical coverage of him having been silenced. For a dozen weeks after Trump's inauguration—every single week for a dozen weeks—60 Minutes held Trump's feet to the fire with stories critical of him and his policies.
Until April 20. Nothing that day. The episode failed to cover the president in that episode. After a string of 12 straight weeks, it went silent.
Two days later, the executive producer, Bill Owens resigned, suggesting his journalistic independence was being ripped away by the owner of CBS, Paramount Global. That's just two days later, and you have to believe the string of coverage of the president closed out because Owens was no longer allowed to speak freely, to report things critical of the state.
April 27 and May 4 witnessed a return to stories about Trump's policies, then silence again. Nothing on May 11, and nothing today, May 18.
Trump has long feuded with CBS. In 2024, he opened a lawsuit alleging that the network edited a Kamala Harris interview to purposely make her look better than she was. His language and demeanor toward the network exploded in April following embarrassing 60 Minutes stories on April 6 and 13. He lashed out, calling CBS "out of control," and guilty of "unlawful and illegal behavior." He warned that CBS should "pay a big price," and called for "maximum fines and punishment."
He turned to the Federal Communications Commision, urging it to revoke the network's broadcast license. Kick it off the air. Silence the scoundrels once and for all.
The FCC's chairman, Brendan Carr, says the matter is still under consideration, so the threat hangs over CBS's head. Carr, though, declines to call it a threat, suggesting it is just a legal penalty.
The FCC is also taking its time on a proposed merger involving CBS. Fodder to get CBS to be submissive and comply? Perhaps. It is wrong for government to wield its power this way. Its decision should not rest on whether the news coverage is favorable towards the government.
If the merger matter borders on blackmail, withholding the merger is a bit of a bribe.
You expect that of Donald Trump, and you get it. It's called corruption, and this administration is full of it.
Tesla, just Tesla
Tesla. Alone. Just Tesla — the only car maker exempted from tariffs.
Let it not go unnoticed that Elon Musk headed DOGE, that he was given keys to chop and cut, chop and cut, while not chopping himself. A businessman doing business with the government who took a chainsaw to others and left his own government contracts unscathed.
But I speak not of that. I speak of car manufacturing. In America. And of tariffs. I speak of every car making facing some kind of tariff — except one.
You will argue that Trump simply rewarded those whose products were mostly made in America. As far as how much of the work is done in this country, Tesla is the most American of American cars. Right?
Look a little closer ...
You judge if it is corruption, for you can surely tell. Trump set a cutoff mark. A threshold. He exempted vehicles with 85 percent or more domestic content. Keep saying that sounds fair, but you won't be able to justify that position when you learn that just below the line were a good number of other vehicles: the Kia EVG is 80 percent American-made, the Ford F-150 is 82 percent American, and the Chevrolet Silverado EV is 81 percent American.
Trump drew the line right where it needed to be to cut everyone out but his friend. You, the reader can decide if that is corruption.
I'd say if it isn't corruption, corruption doesn't exist.
Seething, I Am
Seething, then, if not angry.Really Need a Ballroom
What's a mansion without a ballroom?
Tell me, all you folks out there
I mean, we really need a ballroom
And I'm telling you, just to clear the air
Fancy banquets
Fancy-fancy shows
You know we need a ballroom
A place to wear our fancy clothes
Just one-hundred million bucks
Is all it's going to cost
But don't worry about the money
The Don will bear the cost
This'll be the first expansion
Since 1952
And it'll be a wonderful addition
When it all is through
Opulent and lavish
All the things a king could want
–Oh, excuse me
I didn't mean to taunt
I meant just a president
For there are no kings 'round here
At least there never were
But now there is, I fear
First, he wants a jumbo jet
A palace in the sky
And now he wants a ballroom
It's a pleasure we shan't deny
Build an Extravagant Ballroom
Did you know the White House is being expanded – marking the first time in almost 75 years? And this is no small addition we are speaking of: The total campus will be almost 30 percent larger.
President Trump wants a ballroom, so he is creating one of the largest ballrooms in America, 20,000 square feet of lavishness that will fill about a half-acre. The price? Say, $100 million – but not to worry. He says he will pay for it.
Currently, the largest room in the White House accommodates about 300. The Trump ballroom, by contrast, will allow for about 1,500.
Here's the trick: It won't be completed until late 2026 or early 2027. Trump's presidency will be half over by that time. Some of us are wondering, then, does he really plan on leaving in 2028?
From Lions to Jewelry, Emoluments Are not New
The Constitution prohibits the president receiving the $400-million "flying palace" unless Congress approves of it. ... And we are hardly hearing of anyone in Congress (not even a Repub) venturing forward to sponsor a bill making it legal.
The Battle of Delaney Hall
In the War Against Tyranny,
We have the Battle of Delaney Hall.
Immigrants accused of the highest crimes—
The State arrests them all.
They disappear from our streets.
No one hears of them again.
We don't even know who they are,
For no one is allowed to talk to them.
Their jailers ignore fire codes, safety codes,
And refuse to let inspectors in.
All of this is vile.
All of this is grim.
The mayor goes down to Delaney.
He wants to look about.
He brings three Congress members with him,
Hoping they have some clout.
The mayor gets arrested—
Trespassing, you know.
Even though he left the restricted area
When they told him to go.
But the three members of Congress
Could not be arrested.
Seems there's some silly law
Saying their oversight could not be contested.
Well, ICE wasn't through.
It threatened more arrests—
Assaulting officers
By laying hands on their chests.
One ICE officer was body-slammed,
At least, that's what they claim.
Well then, I guess ICE agents
Are not fair game.
It's a private prison.
Now, a little about that:
They've faced multiple lawsuits—
Treating prisoners wrong, with them is old hat.
Why the government allows such contractors,
We all would like to know.
But the government itself is just as bad,
And that, you need to know.
Money in, Money Out
Money in, money out—
Waste it while you can.
You'll only be president once,
So spend all the cash in hand.
Fly here and there—
It's only $200,000 per hour.
Come and go to Mar-a-Lago—
You've got that spending power.
Every trip to Florida
Alone is millions of bucks.
Go ahead and spend the dough,
Then just say, "Ah, shucks."
The Unbelievable Text Message
I stared at the text message: "News is also breaking that Trump is 'looking into suspending habeas corpus (our right to challenge detention by government), meaning that if you are arrested, you could be imprisoned indefinitely without trial. The Trump administration is moving fast. We are witnessing the opening stages of a fascist coup.'"
It was a surreal moment, and I sat there staring at the text in disbelief and horror. Is it to be that this is happening in America? Then, I grew angry—not at Trump, but at my Democrat messenger for feeding me a lie just to loosen money from my pocket.
I considered firing a missive back conveying my displeasure with their fundraising tactic. But first: Was it true? I asked AI if the report was true.
It was. The Reuters news story confirmed: "White House Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy Stephen Miller said Friday that the Trump administration is 'actively looking at' suspending the writ of habeas corpus—the constitutional right to challenge in court the legality of a person’s detention by the government—for migrants."
Migrants first, then Pelosi and Hillary, and then perhaps me and others who voice opposition. It is wrong, in and of itself, to take away habeas corpus for migrants, but the slippery slope of tyranny will reach out and take the rest of us as well.
I burst from my room to discuss the news with a roommate, an avowed Trumpist—one of the millions of apologists for all things Trump. He explained that criminals know they are wrong. They milk the system, appealing their decisions and running up gargantuan bills when they know they are guilty. Such a waste of money; good governance should not tolerate such abuse.
What? Are we to be required to have "a million or two million or three million trials" in order to deport "very bad people—killers, murderers, drug dealers—real bad people"?
Trump's words. And people swallow them. "We are going to have a very dangerous country if we are not allowed to do what we are entitled to do," he says.
And so, turning to fear-mongering, the president weans us away from the very freedoms our nation was founded on.
