Football is a violent game. Duh. Yesterday, I watched a player for Iowa State take a huge hit, stand up for a couple seconds, then collapse on the field. I’ve never heard a quieter stadium.

That’s what gets me—both teams, and the fans in the stands, keep vigil for the fallen gladiator, feel relieved when they see any sign indicating that the player is conscious and maybe paralysis has been avoided. Then the sanctioned mayhem that sometimes approaches art form must resume.

I’ve always been amazed that so many people at so many levels still want to participate in this… sport? Gotta prove oneself somehow, I guess, join the fray, risk it all for a chance to get laid, for a shot at fame, and opportunities to hit people.

This isn’t serious governance. It’s slash and burn, in-your-face idiocy. It’s distraction and cover-up, 24/7. It’s so bad and so negligent that it sometimes feels like a sick joke, like it can’t possibly be happening. Like who could be this ignorant, and so willing to carry through on the next cold-hearted, ill-advised thing?

Half the country has given permission, though, apparently deceived into thinking that Trump was actually capable, or some sort of miracle worker sent from God.

What brand of Christianity cultivates such gullibility and blindness?

What a useless prick. While many indicators trend poorly, he’s worried about his image, he’s pissed at someone about a picture or a magazine cover or a derogatory comment. He’s such a weakling, his priorities are so skewed that he worries more about his damned ballroom than about any relevant indicator of health or sickness in this country. A robust DJIA will only get him so far.

He’s got an administration full of whack jobs and lightweights, all beholden to him (imagine that—this time around, the main quality he looked for in filling positions was loyalty to him!). Nobody offers reality checks or speaks truth to him. They just burrow further up his ass.

Looking at the headlines this morning, it’s apparent that a storm is coming, and it’s coming for every sector of our economy, every aspect of our life together. Nothing is going to be left unscathed by the total failure of the Trump administration to take its job seriously.

The sham passing as strategy is obviously to portray the current shutdown as the Democrats’ fault, which is the furthest thing from the truth. No doubt, it’s a political hot potato, but the reality is that Republicans have lost their minds. They insist on draconian cuts to programs that millions of people depend on. Sure, they can offer up drivel, like those people are lazy, or most of them are illegal immigrants, or “This is America. Everyone strives and makes their own way!” But in reality, they are all out to lunch, intentionally clueless.

They can cast aspersions and throw numbers around until the cows come home, but most of us don’t need numbers anymore. We’re totally familiar with cold-hearted incompetence when we see it, and Trump has been the poster child for it since 2016. Actually, well before that.

And one more thing: he’s losin’ it.

2200

How best to summarize…

Enough is enough. No more amateur hour. No more bruised egos and handicapped, emotional lightweights who carry lifelong grudges. No more unconscionable neglect. No more flakes and pretty boys who are only good at ignoring science, talking in cliches, and spouting the party line. No more ass kissers showering the Supreme Leader with contrived, smarmy compliments at every Cabinet meeting. No more shadow elites running the show from behind a curtain somewhere, who wield power because they’re filthy rich and not because they have anything important to say.

It’s time to deep-six the hijackers, send them packing, make it plain that we will not swallow what they’re trying to force feed us. The damage is being done, and we can’t let it fester any longer.

Laziness, incompetence, and hate cannot prevail. May the voting booth still be a viable solution.

If the Blue Jays win the World Series, which seems unlikely but not beyond the realm of possibility, will Donald Trump take it personally and raise tariffs on Canada?