By Bob Gaydos

Melania Trump

    OK, I was writing something else when a headline caught my eye this morning. It seems Trump had negotiated a temporary ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine. 

    Wow. Well, it’s not the same as ending the war on day one of his term, as promised, but it’s something, I thought. Then I read the story. It turns out the temporary ceasefire applies to only one city in Ukraine, Oleshky, which is described as “war ravaged.“ The Russian-occupied city was the scene of the first Russian attack on Ukraine. It is without water, electricity, heat, food, medicine or anything else basically needed for human survival. Unlivable. The temporary ceasefire is described as “humanitarian,“ to bring desperately needed aid to residents of the area and allow those who wish to leave the opportunity to do so safely.

   OK, still a positive. Then I read further. The White House said that the Trump who negotiated the ceasefire was Melania.

   They really do think we’re that stupid. 

   The absentee First Lady brokered a deal with Russia and Ukraine, presumably because her Russian is much better than her English. Oh, and she heard some terrible stories about children suffering in the region at a recent meeting at the United Nations.

   And that bridge in Brooklyn is still for sale if you’re interested.

   What do I think? In a nutshell, Trump and the Republicans are in deep trouble with the midterm elections approaching and are desperate to find anything that sounds like a positive story coming out of the White House. The situation in Oleshky sounds like a perfect scenario for war crimes accusations against Putin and Russia. He could use a little good ink back home for all the suffering the war has caused in Russia. Trump, the one who is president, also desperately needs good ink to stave off a Democratic takeover of Congress. But Putin, who controls Trump, likely came up with the idea with some of Trump‘s close advisors. They are well aware that the number of Americans who believe Trump could actually come up with such a proposal is rapidly dwindling. He’s not bright enough. He doesn’t care enough. People have heard him speak in public. But he knows it will play well in certain places, maybe convince some voters, and so he is willing to take whatever goodwill comes out of it by attaching Melania‘s name to the deal. Makes it seem more believable. At least that’s the operating theory.

   The ceasefire is scheduled to begin at 4 A.M. Tuesday, Moscow time. A Russian spokesperson declined to say how long the cease-fire/evacuation will last or whether  those who choose to leave will be evacuated to Russian- or Ukrainian-held territory. Seems important.

   This, of course, is wonderful news for the suffering residents of the region. It might also be a reflection of Putin and Trump being aware of how unpopular the war has become with Americans and Russians and how that might affect their ability to continue to lead their countries. I seriously doubt it’s because of any sincere concern for the residents of Oleshky.

     As for what’s in it for Melania, the new peacemaker and old friend of Jeffrey Epstein, that’s probably spelled out in her non-disclosure agreement.

By Bob Gaydos

      The weekly reminder.

Mitch McConnell
… still missing and presumed dead

      The lowest price I saw today for gasoline in our mid-Hudson region of New York was $4:16 per gallon. The Food and Drug Administration, its rank of inspectors sharply reduced by the Trump administration, announced that organic frozen blueberries are being recalled in several states because of the risk of e-coli infection, which has caused vomiting, diarrhea and, well, death. Measles cases are multiplying. The U.S. resumed military action in the illegal war with Iran by attacking a wedding, killing several people including a child. Trump proposed renaming the Strait of Hormuz after himself. He also had a sculpture in front of the Kennedy Center removed and said he still wants to put his name on it if he doesn’t just tear it down and build a better one. Trump also announced a quarter of a million dollar fix up of the White House bowling alley and the U.S. mint released a one dollar gold coin with Trump’s face on it, despite a law prohibiting likenesses of living presidents being placed on U.S. currency. The U.S. debt recently reached $40 trillion, a record. The 50 percent tariffs Trump placed on Canadian goods in his infantile war with our neighboring ally are set to take place next week and will be met dollar for dollar by Canada, sharply increasing the cost of automobiles and steel among other other things. The trade deficit shot up again reaching $88.6 billion in July and the energy secretary blamed Ukraine for high energy prices, ignoring the war in Iran. The secretary of the Army resigned, citing constant conflict with Pete Hegseth over military strategy and the firing of top generals and admirals. The deputy secretary also resigned. Credible reports say that Trump has increased his net worth by $4 billion since taking office last year through a variety of grifts, insider trading and other illicit activity while inflation continues to rise. Trump again tried to do away with birthright citizenship, but another judge rejected it. The Justice Department still has not released the Epstein files as required by Congress. Meanwhile, Mitch McConnell has not been seen in person by any living person for more than 80 days, but still remains a member of the U.S. Senate where Republicans have set a tentative session of three weeks of work between now and November. In the House, Speaker Mike Johnson said his body would be in session this week and the week of September 14 and that’s it until after the November election. The House has been in recess since August 11 and Johnson is clearly in no mood to hang around and answer questions about Trump, much less pass legislation to help average Americans.

    Yes, sadly, that’s what has become a typical week in the Trump administration. But that’s Trump — a new bottom every day. I do not blame him for being who he is; I simply detest him. In truth, I’m sick of him. I do, however, blame the Republican Party for infecting American society (not just politics) with this utterly despicable human being. I mean every elected Republican official, from the House Speaker, Senate Majority Leader, the entire cabinet, to every governor, senator, congressperson, state legislator, attorney general, county executive, county legislator, sheriff, mayor, supervisor, councilman, or candidate who has stood silently by, day after day, and let Trump make a mockery of our laws, our democratic system of government and lay waste to any sense of decency or decorum befitting the office of president of the most powerful nation on the planet. Ladies and gentlemen, you are him. You could stop this. Instead, you own this.

       This message will repeat as necessary. Vote for every Democrat in November.

By Bob Gaydos

     This is traditionally the time for resolutions, predictions or wishes for the new year. In the interest of time and uncluttering my mind, I’m going to attempt to do all three in one sitting.

      Number one resolution for me: Take care of myself. Do better at taking my vitamin supplements. Walk more regularly. Stay in touch with friends. Read more. Try not to sweat the small stuff.

      I wish and hope I can manage to do that basic minimum of self care because I know it will make life easier for me and those around me and — big and — it will make it much easier for me to enjoy it when my number one wish comes true.

      Namely, goodbye Trump. No, not a surprise. I’m not even going to express a preference for how the Donald exits the scene, whether because of failing health or constitutional disqualification. The sooner the better is the only qualifier. The nation, heck, the world needs a mental health break from the anger, deceit, bitterness and cruelty the man has left at every turn.

      I wish the millions of Americans who voted for him and still support him have their individual moments of clarity and surrender to the fact they have been duped. Admitting it is the first step to recovery.

     I wish the Republican Party would just go away. Disappear. Cowards all. At least those in Congress. Be done with disgracing the legacy of Lincoln, Teddy Roosevelt, Eisenhower. Heck, I’ll even give them Reagan.

    I wish only the worst for the handpicked team of sycophants and worse who have done Trump’s bidding — Bondi, Hegseth, Kennedy, Patel, Rubio, Noem, et al. They deserve to pay the price for the pain they have aggressively inflicted.

    I wish, I wish, I wish. I wish that leaders of all religions in this country could join together in a moment of healing, that gambling can be removed from sports at the professional and college levels, that owners of newspapers and electronic media honor their First Amendment privilege and duty to report the news honestly and courageously, regardless of their bottom lines and that Americans insist on it, that Elon Musk be deported, that Democrats sweep the midterm elections, that younger Americans save themselves and the rest of us from the greedy insanity of MAGA. That last I wish most all.

   I predict … gingerly, that Trump will be removed from office, not just because of his obviously failing health and deteriorating mental condition, but because the people behind him, J.D. Vance et al, want it. Republicans see the failing poll numbers and the anger in the streets. They think they can save their Project 25 with a new face. But Vance is not the right face. The cult has one leader. The underlings are there to do his bidding. Also, they don’t have the protection Trump has to keep on riding roughshod over anyone and anything in his way — he doesn’t care about anyone else and he doesn’t care, much less know, how stupid he can sound.

    So, I predict the Democrats will indeed sweep the midterms and, with the help of disaffected Republicans (especially women), begin moving America back to being the land of the free. Make America sane again. I predict this will be very good for my well-being and allow me to go back to sweating (and writing about) the small stuff.

     I wish the same for you. Thanks for sticking with me. Happy New Year.