Yesterday the Kitsap Superior Court held a hearing regarding a petition to remove Donald J. Trump from the ballot fro both the Primary and General elections in the State of Washington. This is, of course, based in the now well understood 14th Amendment Section 3 argument, and apparently, a radio show interview that encouraged the petitioners to file as soon as they could under Washington state law which they did… in Kitsap County.

For reasons, I went to the hearing. And I am here today to tell you, we have some issues in this country.

One of which is that people – on both sides – have no clue how to behave in a courtroom…

On January 17, 1920, the United States embarked on a bold and unprecedented social experiment with the enactment of Prohibition via the Volstead Act. This act, named after Congressman Andrew Volstead, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, who managed the legislation, was designed to enforce the 18th Amendment, effectively outlawing the manufacture, sale, and transportation of intoxicating liquors.

Prohibition was not merely a legislative act but a national movement, born out of a growing temperance campaign that had gained considerable momentum in the early 20th century. It marked a significant shift in American social policy, reflecting deep societal divisions and sparking debates around morality, individual rights, and the role of government. The Volstead Act was a cornerstone in this transformative era, heralding a decade that would be marked by drastic changes in the American way of life, law enforcement, and the rise of illicit activities that challenged its very purpose.

I am literally five days into my “college” experience. It’s been… interesting.

I always enjoy learning things. I enjoy seeing things from a different perspective. And at least one of my professors seems to agree with that idea. Others seems unsure of how to conduct a class in an online environment. An, of course, the kids in these classes are panicking over stuff that doesn’t matter. But they don’t have the life experience to know that… yet.

So what have I learned in a week?

I have a photo of myself that is… well.. let’s just say that it is something that I hate. I should have fed it to the shredder years ago, but I can’t. Why not?

Because for as hideous as that photo is, it also tells the truth. As much as I would like to ignore or forget that truth, it was a fact that it was me in that picture. It’s a painful memory but one that I absolutely, for two diametrically opposed reasons, cannot let go. On the one hand, it appalls me. On the other hand, it reminds me of why I cannot ever let that happen again.

So this week over in Seattle, a city which boasts that it is among the most healthy cities on the planet, is hosting something called “FatCon.” This is a celebration of the gravitationally challenged as well as having a mission to “improve the lives of fat humans through art, health, public policy, and community outreach. By improving visibility and uplifting the voices of people of size, we don’t seek acceptance, we seek fat liberation.”

I have no clue what that means. I’m not convinced that anybody does. It’s just a bunch of politically acceptable buzz words and phrases thrown together like a corporate mission statement generator. At the end of the day, it sounds impressive, perhaps it even has gravitas. But it’s just another attemnpt to ignore reality and at the same time force everybody else to accept ignoring reality.

The problem is that telling people that everything is just okay and that they should  ignore reality has a way of killing people.

In case you missed it, the embattled President of Harvard, Claudine Gay, resigned over allegation of plagiarism. we are told, by no less an authority than the Associated press, that this was caused by “conservative attacks.”

Meanwhile, the Chair of a State GOP has refused to resign after being outed for being involved in a ménage à trois, which, according to reports, was “more about here than about him.” So who is it that is leading the calls for him to resign?

That’s right… conservatives.

It’s almost like those crazy whack-a-doodle conservatives just go around attacking everybody for anything.

More to the point, it’s just a manifestation of Dave’s 3rd law…

Georgia’s decision to ratify the U.S. Constitution was influenced by several factors unique to its circumstances. As a smaller and less populous state, Georgia saw the Constitution as a means to gain equal representation in the Senate, thus balancing the power of larger states. Additionally, security was a significant concern for Georgia, which faced threats from Spanish Florida and various Indigenous nations. The promise of a stronger federal military under the Constitution was appealing as a means of protection. Economic interests also played a role, as Georgia’s economy relied on trade, and a stronger central government promised to manage trade disputes and navigation rights more effectively.

Last night as I was dropping Cami off at work, the news broke that the State of Maine had joined Colorado is removing Trump from their ballot. The stated justification for this was, of course, the infamous 14.3.

In so may ways, I feel as if I have been somehow transported back to April of 1861. After Abraham Lincoln was kept off the ballot in numerous slave states and won anyway, there was some hope that rational men could reach reasonable accommodations and have avoided the calamity that so many were calling for anyway. It was the most hot-headed and unthinking of all of those men in those days that decided instead to take the course which they took.

As the first shells arced through the air towards the fort sitting in Charleston Harbor, nobody knew what the next day, weeks, months or years would hold. No one understood the changes that this action would bring about. No one had the vision to see that the old structure of the republic was being blasted away like the bricks and mortar of the fort.

In many way, the actions of Maine and Colorado are the moral equivalent of opening fire on Ft Sumter…

The great Colorado Conundrum has set talking head tongues to wagging all around the country. Is it Judicial activism? Is it a coup attempt? Is it a well considered judicial ruling, based on procedural due process and precedent?

Or… is it all just a matter of interpretation of a few lines of text written a hundred and fifty years ago at a time with the nation was the “most divided its ever been?”

In the aftermath of the “most important midterm election ever,” the President found himself locked in a death struggle with his political opponents, who refused to allow the Presidents presumed allies to even take their seats in the debate.

Like Sherlock Holmes let us pull at one of the threads hanging off the edges of the 14th Amendment and ask a question: What if the 14th amendment, Section 3 IS about a President. Just not the one the State of Colorado thinks it is about?

Born on December 18, 1913, David M. Jones’s journey from a young dreamer to a revered military figure is a tale of bravery, innovation, and unwavering dedication. Today, we delve into the multifaceted life of this remarkable individual, from his early years and pivotal role in the daring Doolittle Raid, through his harrowing experiences in World War II to his post-war service as a test pilot and his invaluable contributions to NASA. Join us as we unfold the chapters of the life of Major General David M. Jones’s, celebrating the legacy of a man who not only witnessed history but helped shape it.