spring

 I said to nature, 

"I want to be you, quiet and slow. 

I'm tired of the world of men. 

How can I become a part of you?"

Nature answered: "you die." 

Nonsense

We went skinny dipping in the murky lake. 
The cops chased us through the graves.
I got burrs in my hair, you were stung by a bee, 
Running naked on calloused feet. 
Over the wall where flowers crowded out the crumbs of concrete.  
Too long a tale for the barren screen. 
Painless, safe and dressed in the air conditioning
They choose to be gods 
Without memory.  

Big House (song)

 

Trump vs. Nature

Empty marshes sit
Waiting for humans to fill 
The pit with buildings. 

In response to Trump's State of the Union Address when he said that great Americans "filled the empty marshes". 

A Bold Willingness to Knock it all Down

 

Trump’s state of the union address was full of lies and vitriol. Though he stuck to the script more than usual, his anger and divisiveness came through, almost as much as his obsession with gore and death. He gave as many awards as he did misleading statistics. He congratulated himself for unsubstantiated victories. He framed Democrats and undocumented immigrants for everything that is wrong in the world.

After watching, I experienced an exaggerated feeling of what I feel every day since Trump took power: a sense that our country has been taken hostage by a madman. Nobody seems to be able to stop him as he steers us abruptly towards a future determined less by democratic principles and more by authoritarianism and unrestrained crony capitalism.  Everything I value is under attack and losing big.

Though I should have just gone to bed after it was over, I instead decided to listen to Abigail Spanberger’s  Democratic response. I told myself that this might soothe me. I didn’t know much about her. Perhaps, I thought, she was a Democrat who could effectively slay the mean ugly king. I wanted her to assure me, convincingly, that the things I love are not going away.

But as the speech unfolded, it soon became clear that neither my tall order for her, nor the giant pit in my stomach, were going to be filled. This was the best Democrats had to offer? A wooden, unrelatable bureaucrat? Where was the passion? The fighting spirit? The vision? Her words were like the icicles hanging over my front door, sharp, perhaps, but ultimately cold, and due to melt away as soon as the weather warms.

After it was over, I had to watch an episode of Star Trek, the Original Series, just so I could get off this forsaken planet for a little while. 

I’m not a campaign strategist, but what are the Democrats thinking?. Trump is creating a gaping, pus-filled wound, yet somehow the suggested remedy seems to be expired paste.  It is centrism, masquerading as pragmatism, which means that after all that has happened, the Democrats are still allowing their identity to be molded by the republican agenda. Instead of grabbing the wheel, they offer us no more than a soft steer back to business as usual and sell us false economic promises that they will not be able to deliver upon. 

And when they don’t deliver? The old reliable American pendulum will swing back right again. The price of eggs will go up and down and so will the stock market. There will be no houses, then there will be too many houses. The rich will do whatever they want and the poor will endure whatever they must. Inflation will keep going up, and we’ll argue over who is to blame. The GDP will keep climbing and well argue over who should take credit.

I’ve lived in America all my life, though I’m not sure if I can find my social security card and two forms of original identification to prove it. I am one of those people who could go broke after one major emergency. For what my opinion is worth, the economy is not very different than it has ever been. It’s not great, but it’s not that bad, either. I have my basic needs met, for which I am grateful. But, as much as politicians try to take credit or deal out blame, the economy has a life of its own that is not affected much by the policies in Washington D.C.

Meanwhile, there are a few things happening right now that our politicians can address. Our planet is in deep trouble, nature is in steep decline, and chemical pollution is killing us. Habitat destruction from unsustainable farming and development continues unabated. Trash from our ultra-consumer society keeps piling up. If we continue to burn fossil fuels, many places on the planet will become uninhabitable. If we don’t do something, we will soon face resource scarcity, unprecedented migration and conflict. These are urgent matters that require bold leadership, good policy, and powerful, visionary messaging.

What the Democrats need, I think, is their own Trump. I’m  not referring to the lies, corruption, lawbreaking and nastiness. I’m referring to the unwillingness to accept defeat and the courage to buck the status quo. They need someone who can deliver the simple message that we can’t keep wrecking our earth, and we can live better. The left needs somebody who will unapologetically move us forward to a nature positive, green energy future.

Trump has already torn everything apart and is building it back in his image. Let’s seize the opportunity to build it back in ours.

The Hole

There is a hole where now you see the sky
But a tree was once there, a giant tree that knew and grew
So sturdy and giving and sprawling, shaping, 
And now it's a hole that's gaping
The capricious air flows 
And leaves no ghosts. 

Christmas 2025

 The machine has big tires, the poem, the page. 

The machine is a riot, the poem is quiet. 

The machine roars, "It's either progress or rot." 

The poem says, "yes", if the mind is a lot and the brush the thoughts unseamed, 

The machine rules the world

The poem resists, and sighs and dreams. 

A Modest Disposal

Step right up, folks, it is time for our program on Adversity, Inequity, and Exclusion. The purpose of this program is to weed out any living thing that is in the way of progress, a burden, or a threat to our new social order. The notion that living things have “intrinsic value” is no longer an acceptable defense. Each individual must prove to be essential to the economy. If you are not essential, you will be sent down the chute.

First up? The chronically ill. By being chronically ill, you understand, you are a net drain on the economy. You can’t really contribute anything so why should perfectly healthy people, complete strangers in fact, care anything about you? If you have the means to care for yourself, you can stay. Otherwise, down the chute!

Next? The working person. While it is true that you were worth something in the past, when you offered you blood, sweat and tears to make deserving people wealthier, in the new economy you have become obsolete. Pretty much anything you did in the past can be accomplished by machines.  The new economy is for entrepreneurs only, not for dummies who work for a paycheck. Thank you for your service, but we don’t need you now. Down the chute!

Oh, yes, and here we have the artist. Don’t even bother. We now have artificial intelligence that can crank out hundreds of units per minute and provide us with decorations for our giant homes and music to pump us up. That is what art and music are for, after all. Why should we wait for you to feel “inspired” or the need to “express yourself”. That can take months! Who needs you? Rejected!

Next up: Nature. This is an easy one! Nature, you can eke out an existence if you want to, but only in places where we can’t build resorts. The new economy will require lots of these places, you see, because our entrepreneurizens will need plenty of rest and relaxation and they get bored easily. They’ll need places to go. They also need palaces and yachts, because the bigger your stuff, the more powerful you are. You do understand, don’t  you? I mean, once you have reached the point of being so scarce that you are in demand, we’ll set up some zoos, how does that sound? That could be profitable. Watch your wings on the way down.

Women, come on down. You know what the story is here. A few of you may have what it takes to make it as an entrepreneur, but it will be very competitive out there! And, as you know, your tendency for compassion and nurturing makes you unsuitable for such pursuits. However, we do like to have you around for two reasons. First, to bear children (at least until we can develop a robot that does that) and second, as entertainment. As long as you are ripe and fertile you can stay. Otherwise, what purpose do you really serve? You know where to go. Watch your step, ladies.

Educators. Oh, now you are preapproved for rejection. Don’t even bother pleading your case. All the basic skills one will need in the new economy are easily learned through AI.  Beyond that, if you are not teaching a useful skill like marketing or the art of deception, what is really the purpose of anything else? History? Please. Philosophy? There is only one philosophy: the unaffluent life is not worth living. Any other ideas might lead to critical thinking: a threat to the new social order.

Journalists. Oh, good heavens. This entire field rests on the backwards assumption that there is objective truth.  All our entrepreneur-izens need to know is where the best resorts are and how the stocks are doing. People may want to know what their opponents are up to. In that case, they can hire a spy. Now that’s a job that is in demand! You know where to go. Don’t try anything sneaky.   

Oh, here we go, this is just sort of the catch-all category: anyone “different”. What do we mean by different? Well, that could be a lot of things, but conformity is essential to efficiency.  If you can somehow make your “difference” profitable, then you can stay. If you have any other ideas like insisting on having rights, fighting for justice, having compassion for others, being your authentic selves, sharing, creating community, or any nonsense like that, we can’t use you. So, some of you can stick around if you follow the rules. But because you are “different’, you are suspect. We’ll be watching you to make sure you don’t step out of line.   

Alright, and last on our list: the failed entrepreneur. You know, of course, that in the casino economy there will always be some losers. It’s just the nature of the beast. However, if you’ve lost, it is necessary to also remember that this is entirely your fault. Maybe you weren’t manipulative enough. Maybe you didn’t tell your lies convincingly. Maybe you didn’t schmooze enough with people above you. Maybe you are too much of a slob. Whatever the reason, failure is a fault of the failed. Second chances are for snowflakes. Take a ride.

Here’s the deal, folks. We, the super wealthy, have decided that life would run much more efficiently if robots and artificial intelligence produced all the goods and services that we need to live. That way, our brave entrepreneurs can focus on what really matters: gambling and acquiring as much stuff and status as possible! Adapt or die.

Wait, That's Not an Arc...

I used to believe that the arc of the universe was long, but that it bent towards justice. Now, following the election of Donald Trump and the chaos that has followed, I have stopped believing that. I now believe that without some major catastrophe, real progress is not possible. The arc has been exposed as a sine wave.

After the brutal murder of Charlie Kirk, many people are calling for calm. Bernie Sanders and others point out that the foundation of democracy is ability to disagree in a civil fashion. I hear very sensible voices speak of finding common ground and shared values. We are neighbors, after all, and ultimately we all want the same thing.

In my arc of the universe phase, I, too, would have made similar proclamations. But with my new sine wave mindset something keeps needling me: we’ve been talking for a long time, now, and there really hasn’t been any meaningful progress. So, what’s the point?

I see this play out especially when it comes to the environment. I remember, just a few years ago, feeling hopeful that society was waking up to the fact that our current oil-fueled over consumptive lifestyle is unsustainable: the massive loss of nature, the pollution, the endless trucks of trash, the warming of the planet. But now, after decades of careful hard work by environmentalists, scientists and activists, the modicum of progress that was made is being rapidly undone. Like constructing a sand mandala and watching it disappear in a hurricane, and then a flood.

In a rational world we would be well on our way to a better world. We would have eliminated poisons, adopted local organic farming as the primary infrastructure of our food system, found ways to make nature flourish, changed our development practices, and implemented a clean energy economy. Instead, we are moving backwards with fresh new battles to fight. Meanwhile, the trees keep coming down, the pesticides keep flowing, the earth keeps warming, the trash keeps burning, the species counts keep going down.

I want to live in a place where leaders are serious people working for the public interest, not a bunch of performative sociopaths backslapping their way to the next big development project. I want to live in a place where wealth makes concessions to nature and human health, not the other way around.

What is going to spark real change? Sitting down and having conversations with people who either don’t think the destruction of the planet is an issue, or don’t care as long as they can buy plenty of mansions and jet skis? Personally, I’m tired of trying to persuade them and we are running out of time.

I don’t hate the opposition and I don’t want violence. However, I do know this: when it comes to the environment no common ground path seems possible. I’m tired of compromise and I’m tired of talking. Only something drastic will truly knock us out of the sine wave and into the arc.

Another Op-Ed That Went Nowhere

 

Well, it's spring again and time to beg people not to have their yards sprayed for mosquitoes. You know what would be nice? If the people in charge of protecting our wildlife took real action on the subject, but, of course, we live in a world where the almighty dollar and a pathological desire for convenience reigns supreme. So, pest control companies grow larger, our wildlife populations grow smaller, and concerned citizens grow increasingly gloomy about the future of nature. 

In fact, I think it is fair to say that at this point, nature is endangered. Humans have pushed it to the brink, since we have occupied most of the land, and are leaving the rest of the creatures on this planet with fewer places to go. Ironically, encounters with wildlife may increase in this situation, creating the illusion of wildlife abundance when, in fact, the numbers indicate otherwise.

As only a part of this complex problem, here come the residential mosquito control companies, making the outdoors “fun” again. They say that what they use is “natural” and “Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) approved” and that they are careful about application, but these are dubious claims that any amateur entomologist could refute.

Let me give it a whirl.

First, these companies use pyrethroids, broad spectrum and deadly poisons. No matter how careful one is, pyrethroids will end up killing butterflies, dragonflies, damselflies, crickets, beetles, fireflies and many more innocuous and beneficial species. It is a synthetic version of a natural substance, with additives to make it persist longer in the environment than its Chrysanthemum derived counterpart. It is approved by the EPA but this is a meaningless claim, since the EPA (in its previous incarnation) has determined that pyrethroids are indeed “bad”, but that the economic pros outweigh the effects on human health and the environment. Yup, the almighty dollar again. Who knows what our present EPA will decide. Maybe they’ll encourage us to drink it twice a day to prevent measles.

Second, the use of these substances will create even worse problems over time as the wildly prolific mosquito develops resistance while less hardy natural enemies do not adapt quite so efficiently. Furthermore, the prevalence of arthropod borne diseases is rising due to climate change, so our urge to spray our troubles away will intensify. Are we having “fun” yet?  I hear there are no mosquitoes on Mars.

Third, it is not necessary to resort to hiring these companies at all. There are inexpensive, non-toxic methods of mosquito control if people would just do a little homework. By the way, this long list of solutions does not include a bug zapper, which kills many more beneficial insects than it does mosquitoes. These, too, should be discontinued for the sake of our struggling insects. I’m partial to nature-based solutions: building habitat for our mosquito eating friends like bats and dragonflies. But if that sounds like too much work, get a fan.

I should point out that even if you don’t like insects at all, many other groups of animals (that perhaps you do like) depend on them directly or indirectly. I could make the argument that one beloved group of animals in particular: humans, also depends on insects. However, this argument is not one I tend to utilize since I maintain that animals do not exist for us, they exist with us. It is our obligation as thinking, compassionate beings, to share this planet equitably. This should be argument enough.

Please, neighbor, don’t use pesticides. They are poisons and will have deleterious effects on human health and the environment no matter how careful you are. In fact, let’s take it even further. Let’s support nature by winding down our wildlife damaging behaviors and treating our fellow animals with the respect they deserve. Restore habitat, promote biodiversity and coexist, people, or we will be living in a world where the animals we regard as “pests” will be all that remains. 

The Livable Planet

 

While perhaps a small crime in comparison to his much more flagrant offenses, Trump’s decision to pave over the White House rose garden stood out to me as a massive symbol of his worldview. If Trump had it his way, he’d pave over all living things to build golf courses, resorts and casinos. He’d wipe out The Everglades to build prisons. He’d cut down all our forests to make a few people rich. Since his followers agree, and they have the power and resources to act, this anti-nature agenda is coming hard and fast, and the window of opportunity to change direction is closing.

Though I’m not convinced that he fully understands it, Trump sold his followers on a vision. He called it a “Golden Age” of prosperity. But as his policies play out, and as his smarter enablers scheme, it is increasingly clear that he is steering us towards a techno-capitalist dystopia. In this world, wealth accumulation comes first, so there are few winners and many losers, necessitating the perpetuation of war and harsh punishment: keeping people always on edge, in a state of paranoia.  The intrinsic value of living things is not recognized in this world, so one must “prove” to be useful or worthy. With automation looming, the working person would have no such value in this scenario, and nature is merely an impediment to progress.

Trump’s daily misdeeds keep his adversaries in perpetual panic, tenaciously pursuing each new indiscretion before there is even time to process the last. The result? He is distracting us and wearing us out. Suppressing at least some of our oppositional tendencies to reallocate energy towards developing our own version of the future is not just a smart move politically, it will inspire us. Allow me to give this version of the future a name: the livable planet.

In this vision, nature is not in the way of progress but is placed at the very center of all decision making. Nature is not in conflict with humanity but is instead woven into the very fabric of society. From this, all good things follow. Quality of life is elevated over the accumulation of material goods. Health is elevated over wealth. Compassion for others leads to diplomacy and restorative justice. Meeting basic needs like housing, food, and energy is paramount, but nature and human health are not regularly sacrificed to achieve it. Creativity and innovation are encouraged to build the livable planet. So, while it is cooperative and nurturing, it is also bold: a different interpretation of peace through strength.

The economy is changing. Whether we like it or not, business as usual cannot continue. The urgency to choose the direction our society takes is being magnified by the rise of AI and the Trumpian vision on one end, and by the time-sensitive acceleration of the climate and biodiversity crises on the other.  I urge my fellow progressives to promote the livable planet wherever we go. That way, when the MAGA’s path of destruction comes to an end, and it will, we’ll be there with a plan to repair it.  

I wrote a couple of Haiku's while reading Waste Wars by Alexander Clapp. The first I wrote, the second is his words rearranged to fit into the format. 

Six were killed, six maimed
Busting apart the remains 
Of the old love boat.

Trash layered their shores
Piles rise high as houses 
Children played in it. 

 

Frog

 
When life becomes scarier than death
The mind slips below the surface like a winter frog
For whom spring has been cancelled.
The buds have been arrested
The seeds shrivel and dissolve.

Guilt

On my steps I found a wooly bear
Its guts were strewn out everywhere
So I put it in a glass,
And filled it full of leaves and grass
It gathered dust for twenty years
I never looked inside.
And maybe it was me.
This tale, an autobiography.

Where are the Leaders?

 Before the election it was crystal clear to me that Donald Trump plans to become an authoritarian president and to follow the Project 2025 playbook to usher in a right-wing takeover of America. After the election, this is still clear to me.

Why is it, then, that leadership on the left, who warned us so passionately that Donald Trump is a danger to America, is now rolling over: running scared, clamming up, agreeing to compromise, or even complimenting the Trump administration? I thought this was called “anticipatory obedience”, the first ingredient to ensure an authoritarian victory.

As a voiceless, powerless person, I am so angry at the pathetic leadership on the left. First, were they exaggerating the threat before the election or they downplaying the threat now? Second, by being passive they are throwing average people who don’t want to live under an authoritarian president to the dogs, further proving that they really don’t care about us. As rich people, they know they will be fine.

  
Those in positions of power have an obligation not to be cowards and to lead us in a resistance. This is not a “wait and see” moment, we must resist now. I am not tired, I am not depressed, I am not afraid. I am ready to fight for the soul of this country with everything I have.

Where are the leaders that will take us there?  

Letters to a Friend: The RWTA

Hello, Screams,
It's been a while since I've written to you because things have been relatively stable and I only write to you when I've started to plunge into the abyss. But I was remiss in my duty to call on your council since the slow fall into the abyss started some time ago. It is now too late for you to help me. I wanted to tell you what is happening never-the-less. 

I am now trapped in an Owellian novel that I believe is reality, though I am leaving my mind open to the possibility that it is not. When DT was elected one month ago I thought, for sure, that there would be collective outrage among my fellow progressives. Instead, what I'm witnessing is a massive capitulation. Our leaders are withdrawing. The media is self censoring. Our heros are saying things like, "well, you know, we'll just wait it out" or "Actually, I agree with DT (the autocratic sociopath who is about to destroy America) on some things." They want to abandon our best ideas to become more like the "other side". 

I'll tell you what this is. It is anticipatory obedience. It is the first ingredient in the recipe for autocracy. Unity sounds nice until you call it something else: one party rule. 

Jon Stewart said in the days after the election, "Welcome to the resistance" and then,  in so many words, "I'm only kidding."  I knew then that we were in trouble. Though he is a comedian, not an activist, this hardened satirist's immediate surrender is indicative of the position of all wealthy progressives: "We will  climb aboard the Trump train to save our own skin. We'll be fine. We have money." They are leaving the rest of us poor slobs to fend for ourselves. 

As a person without money or power, I don't know how to stop it. I know that the resistance must come from the bottom, but my fellow activists are too tired, in denial, turning inward, etc. We need leaders to emerge from the swamp, but I haven't seen any to date. People just continue to post selfies, buy useless crap, and watch vapid T.V. 

I know it is up to me. I just don't know what to do, Screams. I don't know how to proceed. I used to believe that the arc of the moral universe bends towatds justice. It is something I no longer accept. We are caught in a battle between good and evil. So far, Screams, Evil is ahead. 

Love, 
Lara 

New Years Predictions

Prologue: 

Instead of resolutions this year, I've decided to make some predictions. I mean, why make resolutions when the future is so uncertain?  It seems pointless.
 
These predictions will unfold over the next four years in steps leading to an ultimate goal: the right-wing take over of America (RWTA). Since the purveyors of the RWTA were elected, it is hard to call it a coup, though that is ostensibly what it amounts to. Without Donald Trump (DT), this would not be a coup. It would just be just a normal swing to the right that would soon swing back to the left ad infinitum. But the DT factor is what makes this different. 

All predictions are based on things that DT has said. They are not just assumptions. To add some scientific credence to my predictions, I've included some carefully calculated probabilities. Ha, just kidding, I pulled the numbers out of thin air. DT taught me that.
 
Okay, let's roll.

Phase I predictions: Jan-Nov 2025

 
My first prediction is this: I think DT will attempt to take over before inauguration day. I mean, why wait? He has a mandate, after all, and Joe Biden is the lamest of lame ducks. This step is not really necessary to achieve the RWTA, but it just seems like something DT would do. Doesn't it?
 
DT attempts to take over before inauguration day. Probability: 0.40
 
Whenever he takes power, DT will try and sow as much chaos as possible on day one. Rounding up recent immigrants and throwing them in camps will be a good way to get this done, but he may have other ideas in his pants. Since the majority of the opposition is basically in a coma, it is unclear how much they will object. They may just lie around on their yoga mats with a distant look in their eyes as innocent people are dragged away. They will sit in their newly renovated kitchens drinking mushroom coffee from mugs that read: "the only thing necessary for evil to prevail is for good people to do nothing" in fuzzy pajama tops that read, "First they came for the immigrants.,." They’ll be wondering how they will get by without Maria.

Serious people who believe in the rule of law will attempt to stop DT using the court system, but DT won't care. He knows how to handle the courts.

There will be enough angry, thinking people to achieve an impressive presence in the streets, but this will not matter. In fact, it  will play right into DT's hands by exacerbating the sense of chaos. The right will recognize these people as the "lunatic left" and "the enemy from within". They will support their suppression by any means necessary. The remaining people on the left will be annoyed by the dissenters since they are disturbing their self-soothing and inner peace. Some people will just numb themselves by watching stupid TV and buying stupid stuff. Rich people will flee the country.
 
The true dissenters will not have anyone backing them up. 
 
Chaos begins on day 1. Probability: 0.80.
 
Next step is the Insurrection Act. The chaos gives DT an excuse to use it. He'll suppress any overt dissent by jailing people who dare to speak out. He'll deputize the various right wing militia groups that exist all over this country to get the job done. This will pit Americans against Americans, make it easier to label dissenters as "terrorists", sow further chaos, and silence anyone thinking about objecting. With the right-wing militias empowered, there is no telling how much violence will erupt. This is what I will call Chaos I (yes, there is a Chaos II, read on!) Chaos I won't last long. DT will easily win. Once the main troublemakers are dealt with, the rest of the population will be easily subdued since the extreme selfishness that has been nurtured over the last few decades by our consumer culture has produced a mostly compliant, complacent society. They’ll be sucking their thumbs.
 
DT invokes Insurrection Act. Probability: 0.90
 
In the meantime, DT's plan to dismantle the deep state will be in full swing. Ethical federal employees will quit in protest, and those that remain will pledge their loyalty to DT to save their jobs. All the agencies are now willing to do DT's bidding. His justice department will take care of any major internal threats. Liberal politicians will stand on the sidelines with their hands on their hips scolding, "you can't do this", as he bulldozes his way through the power structure, the constution, and the rule of law. He has immunity, remember? 
 
DT dismantles the "Deep State": Probability 0.90
 
In the aftermath of the insurrection, and along with the "get rid of non-profits you don't like" act, which will pass the Senate by this time, it will be very easy for DT to label whomever he wants as a "terrorist organization" and ban activities that violate the right wing agenda: climate groups, Black Lives Matter, LGBTQ groups, animal rights organizations, etc. He will make the argument that the very act of questioning DT's vision for America is unpatriotic, unamerican, and a threat to society. Those who he doesn't manage to jail on bogus charges will be taken care of, one way or another, by the militias, which are still operating with DT's blessing. Meanwhile, rich progressives are still fleeing the country, and everyone else either supports what is being done or looks away. They'll think: "Why make a fuss? The lunatic left is merely overreacting." They'll think: "Why make a fuss? I deserve that vacation I had planned! This chaos has got to end one way or another. I just want things to go back to normal." 
 
DT destroys free speech. Probability: 0.90
 
It will be unnecessary to silence the free press, since they will silence themselves. The corporate media structure that we presently have is not in the business of comforting the afflicted and afflicting the comfortable, they are in the business of being too comfortable to be afflicted. They will kiss up to the power structure without a fight. Anyone who wants to know what's really going on (WRGO) will not be able to find out. However, most of the people who care about WRGO will be jailed or otherwise silenced. People who don't care about WRGO will continue to spread misinformation and conspiracy theories and will occupy themselves with vacuous entertainment. AI will make this even easier. It will not be clear what the truth is unless you see it with your own eyes or hear it from a trusted friend. If the truth is unknowable, why even bother to find out WRGO?
 
A self-imposed media blackout. Probability: 0.90
 
It is unclear what will happen to the economy during this period. It seems like it will be in a tailspin. Now, this problem could really damage DT's plans. He'll have to do something to keep the rabble pacified during these turbulent times while he consolidates his power. Perhaps Elon will cut every loyalist a check. They'll be promised future prosperity. He'll explain that he needs some time to get the problematic people out of the way. They'll be patient and understanding. "Pull yourself up by your bootstraps, folks, and trust DT! A little austerity will build character."
 
Some form of cash assistance will be handed out to keep the "rabble" pacified. Probability: 0.50
 
The proposal to replace the income tax with all tariff system to raise government revenue will be implemented quickly. It will enjoy wide support from the American people. It is unclear how the economy will respond. I have a feeling, however, that the worst-case scenarios that have been presented by economists will not occur. The hand-outs will ease the pain while the conversion is in process. Deals will be made.
 
The all-tariff system will be launched early. Probability 0.90
 
It works better than people predicted. Probability: 0.40
 
In the meantime, the tech sector, led by Vice President Vance, co-president Musk and co-dependent Zuckerburg (and perhaps Bezos and others), will be enjoying a moment. All their wildest dreams will be coming true. Government contracts will be flowing like hot honey. Full automation of the military will be at the top of the agenda since an unquestioning military will help to keep DT in power. Second on the agenda will be helping big corporations automate their operations. This will also be embraced by most Americans since it will be presented as America ingenuity and innovation at work. It will be sold as "efficiency". It will be said that all this great stuff will be "made in America", and maybe some of it will be. Everyone will benefit! There may be a short manufacturing boom. DT's supporters will be shouting, "See? We told you so. This is what happens when you get all the mother hens out to the way and let the real men take over."
 
Of course, all of this is temporary. The long-term objective is to make the average person obsolete.
 
A major uptick in manufacturing and automation occurs due to massive investment by the government. Probability: 0.60
 
The evangelicals, at this time will not have any real power. DT will continue to stroke them and promise them things. They will be asked to handle any charity that will be required to keep people calm. They will play a bigger role later.  Read on!
 
DT pats evangelicals on the head. Probability: 0.60.
 
Since I'm feeling very gloomy at this point, I need to introduce some potential stumbling blocks for the RWTA. These may arise during the early phase and derail all the plans enumerated above:
 
1. Infighting: RWTA will not happen if the people in power simply cannot get along. This is very likely to happen since most of DT's appointees are power hungry egoists like him. While incompetence is beneficial to the centralization of power in the executive branch, in-fighting is not. When it comes to the failure of the plan, this is our best hope.
 
2. Global events: While DT's rise will not be stopped by the rule of law, it may be thwarted by unpredictable events. Globally, DT will be busy pissing off our allies and aligning himself with our adversaries.  The global trajectory away from democracy and towards oligarchy will continue and DT will be in full support. Still, there are too many moving parts to make any predictions. A wider war in the middle east, for example, could completely change things depending on how we respond.
 
3. Mother Nature: Another factor could seriously undermine DT's plans: climate change. Since anyone who is not a denier has been silenced by this time, and all the real scientists at NOAA have quit or been dismissed, the explanation for increasing climate related catastrophes will need to be carefully crafted.  Even so, too many disasters could seriously disrupt a smooth trajectory. With oil production in full swing, the consequences of climate change will only get worse.  
 
4.  The human spirit. Sometimes, it surprises us.
 
Now, let's get back to the business of predictions. It is late 2025.
 

Phase II Predictions: Nov 2025- Nov 2026

I'm going to make a prediction that nobody saw coming: DT drops dead. Whether he dies naturally from too much McDonalds food or he is assassinated by insiders or outsiders is an open question. One thing is certain: his death will give him even more power. In fact, he will have more power in death than he did in life. The phenomenon of "not speaking ill of the dead" will be magnified 100-fold. He will be a legend, a hero, a savior. The greatest man who ever lived. Now, anyone who utters a bad word about DT will not be tolerated. 
 
DT will die sometime in late 2025. Probability 0.50.
 
DT dies as some point. Probability: 1.00
 
DT is irreplaceable. But, although his death may seem like a problem, it will be a net positive for the RWTA. It will be ideal, in fact. Unpredictable and erractic DT is a liability to those with more meticulous minds. Now, they can have their cake and eat it too! They can ride the allure of Trump without having to tolerate his insanity. JD Vance, who has been groomed by the techno-monarchists and who thinks women should have babies for the state, will now be in power. While DT has basically ignored the evangelicals up until this point, Vance will embrace them in order to help spread his message of a society built on the traditional family. He'll have other jobs for them,  too. Read on!
 
Following Trump's death, Vance will start to promote traditional family values with the help of evangelicals. Probability: 0.70
 
At this time, schools will be a major target for "reform". There won't be much need for a top down approach to this other than retiring the Department of Education (which has already been done). This will mostly be a grassroots effort led by local zealots and cheered on by the Vance administration. This project will be heavily influenced if not led by the evangelicals. Gradually, the school curriculum will be converted over to the right-wing agenda. There will be local opposition, but it will mostly fail.
 
School "reform" will be a major campaign at this time conducted mainly at the grassroots level. Probability: 0.70
 
By now we may be approaching the midterms. The economy is more stable as the chaos has subsided. Democrats have not managed to forge an identity and have nothing to offer. A combination of poor messaging, splintering, violent suppression, and right-wing propaganda have defeated them. All their best ideas have been discredited. Narrowing the wealth gap and forging a future where all people have their basic needs met? That's communism! Building community instead of nurturing selfishness? That's communism! Producing a sustainable, nature-based future? That's overregulation! Compassion? That's impractical! Human rights? That's what creates disorder, destroys families and ultimately leads to crime!
 
The left becomes a shell of its former self. Probability 0.80
 
The right, in the meantime, has gained massive strength.  The media organizations are doling out propaganda like a piñata.  Any truly abominable activities are not exposed because nobody knows WRGO.  People are generally pleased with the results thus far. Any economic hardship will be dismissed as growing pains. Gaining even more power, the churches will step in to ease the suffering.
 
Right wing support continues to be strong and even grows. Probability 0.90
 
It is now the midterms. There will be a non-blue wave, or a great red wave, however you want to look at it.  After the midterms, the Vance administration will continue to be relatively free of congressional oversight.
 
The left will lose even more power at the midterms. Probability 0.60.
 

Phase III Predictions: Nov 2026 - Nov 2028

Safe for two years, it is now time for some serious action. Everything that happened up until now was simply clearing the land so that the real construction can begin. The social programs that keep people from feeling too much pain, so far, have not been touched. Now is the time. Social programs will be dramatically cut in the name of "government efficiency". People will be advised to seek help from the churches who will gladly lap them up.

 
The attack on social programs won't really occur until after the midterms. Probability: 0.50
 
The great suffering caused by gutting social programs will be a sucker punch to average Americans. They will be angry. However, at this point, who cares? In fact, the pissing off the average American is part of the plan.  They won't be able to touch the greedy cabal that has taken the reins of power and is now just fully intent on keeping it. Since the public has no sense of WRGO, the power structure will easily avoid blame. Americans will take their anger out on one another. Now it is time for Chaos II. The reaction to Chaos II will be this: Let the games begin!
 
Chaos II ensues sometime after the midterms and the administration will do nothing. Probability 0.6
 
The second half of the ghost of DT's administration will be a readjustment of the economy. It is important to note that this would have eventually occurred even without the RWTA. The RWTA will just bring it about faster.
 
Here is the situation: the gradual loss of jobs to massive automation cannot coexist with capitalism. How can a society that relies on consumers to buy goods continue if people don't have jobs? True progressives would've had a good answer to this problem: the basic minimum income (BMI). However, since progressivism is dead there is nobody around to sell this idea to the public and the DT camp would never consider such a "communist" idea. Besides, they do not care about the livelihoods of average people. Deep down, they believe in the Atlas Shrugged philosophy. Workers are now obsolete, why keep them around? May the strongest survive. Who the strongest are will be is anyone's guess. I suppose it will consist of the current one percent and anyone that can prove themselves useful to the one percent. Oh, and people with lots of guns.
 
Eventually, they will have children, of course (it will be their duty). Naturally, these will be the best, most beautiful people in society. No euthanasia necessary to produce a master race. No concentration camps. Americans will kill one another and the rich will be insulated from it.  And there you have it:
 
Pigs (check): The uber rich led by Vance and co.
 
Dogs (check): The automated military and the deputized militias.
 
Sheep (check): The compliant public.
 
The readjustment of the economy begins somewhere in late 2027. It will continue for as long as it takes. Probability: 0.90.
 
So, by the time 2028 rolls around, there may be an election, but it won't be a real one. As DT promised: nobody will have to vote again.
 
No real election in 2028. Probability: 0.50
 

Epilogue: 

After the RWTA is complete, there is no telling how long it will last. It would be  incorrect to say that the right has won. Social experiments come and go and there is always a backlash. However, they will have succeeded in completely destroying America as we know it.

My more cynical self thinks that maybe it is just what we needed. Maybe the government had become too large and dysfunctional. 

It's too bad, however, that the people who are bringing on this change are doing it for themselves and not for the greater good of the country. I wanted change, too. But I would have preferred a more compassionate approach. I would have preferred working towards a sustainable future with nature and human health at the center. Nature and human health will be the biggest losers in this story. Truth and justice will also lose. So will authenticity. The main winners will be greed, destruction and illusion. 

 
So, there you have it, my predictions for the next four years. This is what happens when you grant greedy billionaire sociopaths unchecked power.

 
Oh, one last prediction. Since I plan to resist during Chaos I, I will be either dead or jailed by the end of 2025. Probability: 0.99.  So, somebody else will have to check these predictions and see if they come to pass. 

Unrenowned Artist Interviewed by Phony Magazine

 

Kurtz, an imaginary journalist who has never been employed by Repent Harlequin, a contemporary art magazine that doesn't exist, sat down with Lara Samuels, a junk artist who does exist but nobody has ever heard of, to discuss her work. 

Run-on sentences are fine, now, by the way.

 

Kurtz: Good morning, Lara. Since you are completely unknown, why don't you take a moment to introduce yourself?

Lara: Okay. First, I want to thank the thoroughly fake magazine Repent Harlequin for providing me with the contrived opportunity to discuss my work, which I never get to do because nobody cares.

Kurtz: It's our pleasure.

Lara: Artistically, I would say I work in the world of assemblage and essence. I like to make things with shapes and colors, in other words. I also like to juxtapose nature with trash that I pick up on the road. For example, I build terrariums that contain actual plants, but also junk, like lightbulbs and scissors. My sculptures gather dust and cobwebs which may or may not be a feature of the art. It may just reflect my poor housekeeping skills. I'm up to date on my tetanus shots, in case you're worried.

Kurtz: It does sound dangerous. Lots of potential sharp edges and dirt.

Lara: Yes, also I burn myself with hot glue a lot.

Kurtz: Sharp edges and hot glue seem like the perfect description of your latest work "Wasps' Nest Hot-glued to Chicken Feet."  Could you enlighten us as to the origin of this piece?

 Lara: Yes, of course. Thank you for your kind words. The piece began when my clumsy boyfriend knocked a ceramic chicken sculpture that we both cherished onto the floor and broke it. My world has not been the same ever since.

Kurtz: I see. So, as tragic as this event appears to have been for you, you have channeled these emotions positively into art.

Lara: Not really, Kurtz. It was more about the serendipitous unity of the shapes. I had found this wasps' nest that was almost the same shape as the broken part of the chicken sculpture and so I glued them together. It has not made me feel any better about my loss.

Kurtz: You say that you were inspired by Comedian, a piece created by the artist Maurizio Cattelan. It features a banana taped to a wall.

Lara: Inspired? Well, in a way, I guess. I just thought his sculpture really sucked and I could do better.

Kurtz: Oh, I see. It is pure competition that drove you.

Lara: Yes. You know how competitive artists are. It's basically a throw down.  Now, let's just do an item to item comparison, shall we? His organic feature is a banana, mine is a wasps' nest. Mine won't rot, his will. Also, wasps' nests are not cultivated at the expense of natural habitat and bananas are. On the other hand, hot glue is just as bad for the environment as duct tape, so we are equal there, but chicken feet are much more interesting than a wall. There you have it. Three wins for me and one tie.

Kurtz: But bananas are nutritionally superior.

Lara: That's what you claim.

Kurtz: Okay, here's another win for him: his sold for 6.2 million at auction.

Lara: I'm going to get 6.3 million for mine.

Kurtz: Really? That seems far fetched considering you are completely unknown. 

Lara: I won't be after this interview. 

Kurtz: Okay, here's another comparison. Cattelan has said that his piece is not a joke. It is a "sincere commentary and a reflection on what we value." Could you comment as to the significance of your piece?

Lara: He said that?

Kurtz: Yes.

Lara. Well, I thought my piece was a satire of a satire, but what you say, here, changes everything. I'm just going to take your word for it that he said that. In that case, my piece is also a sincere commentary and reflection on what we value.

Kurtz: Could you elaborate?

Lara: Sure. We are wrecking nature, the purest form of art there is, by raping the earth in the interest of making a few people super rich.

Kurtz: That may be true, but how does the sculpture speak to that theme?

Lara: It's chickens vs. wasps, dummy. Chickens are not nature, they are livestock. Wasps are extremely important ecologically, but we like to kill them. Chickens are damaging to the environment, and we worship them. Well, now that I think about it, we like to kill them, too. Anyway, they are certainly an extension of humanity's greed. In my sculpture, greed and nature are equally balanced. They appear to be tangled in a ferocious battle. But the choices we make over the next few years could tilt us either direction. That's why the sculpture is unstable. Just like the banana sculpture. Duct tape doesn't hold up forever, you know. Mine will last longer, that much is clear.

Kurtz: Since you are so obviously concerned about the biodiversity crisis and opposed to greed, as reflected in your sculpture, will the 6.3 million dollars go to a good cause? Perhaps conservation?

Lara: Well, I thought about that, Kurtz, but then I realized that it might be a turn off for people. You know, what we think of as a "good cause" has totally changed.  Selfishness is totally in, environmental stewardship? BORING. So, instead the 6.3 million I am going to get for this sculpture will go directly into my pocket and I will become disgustingly rich!

Kurtz: I see. What will you do with the money?

Lara: I'll do what all disgustingly rich people do! I'll destroy lots of habitat by building several ostentatious and ridiculously huge houses, increase my consumption of fossil fuels, make myself incredibly attractive by slathering poisons all over my body, and buy stupid art work. Stuff like that.

Kurtz: What about drugs?

Lara: Of course. How could I forget the drugs? That's where most of it will go. How else will I cope with the guilt resulting from my flagrant usurpation of my values? I mean when I guess I could use my totally unearned wealth to make the world a better place. It'll be hard. I'll need drugs. 

Kurtz: Finally, your sculpture is absurd. Do you agree?

Lara: Well, Kurtz, we live in absurd times.

Kurtz: Thank you, Lara. To see more of Lara Samuels's junk sculptures go to her house. She'll dust them off for you. Or maybe she won't.

We, With Nothing to Lose

 Like many people, I recently took a short vacation from the news. I wasn’t crying, at least not all the time. I simply needed a break after a long and tumultuous fight.  I was writing in my journal, listening to music, enjoying nature, and doing art. I entertained the notion of extending the vacation for the next four years, but I knew my curiosity and desire to connect with the world would overwhelm me. It was time to go back.

I opened my laptop. In the search bar I typed resistance to Trump.  

The initial results at the top of the page baffled me. “The resistance is not coming to save you” proclaimed one headline, “the resistance is flaccid” asserted another. And, finally, “the resistance is dead”

“Wow”, I thought, “the resistance was pronounced dead almost as fast as America elected a demented, sociopathic liar to serve in the highest office of the land."

I decided this couldn’t possibly be true.  I scrolled further down in search of something more satisfying.   I read through one article on the new Democrat resistance strategy; It was called “playing nice”.  I read another that explained how the editor of Scientific American dared to call Trump voters nasty names. Then, she apologized and resigned. I was incredulous.

“Haven’t you people learned anything from this election cycle?” I hollered, as the effects of ten days of relaxation medicine quickly dissipated. “If you say something offensive and cruel, double down. Apologies are for the weak. Niceness is for losers.”

I was unraveling. I needed a remedy fast: something tried and true that never fails to soothe me. Trump is unhinged I typed. I found a few articles, but the results were two weeks old. I slammed my laptop shut.

“Strap in, America” I thought, “Now everyone is just riding the Trump express train to hell.”

 I sat for a while drumming my fingers on the table. The doom curtain descended like it was the end of the show. Then, a meek but reassuring thought peaked out from underneath it.

The thought went something like this: maybe the resistance is only dead for the rich and powerful: the corporate media and liberal aristocrats who benefit from the status quo. It’s possible that the resistance is not dead for those of us at the bottom: those of us with nothing to lose. After all, not every broke person voted for a fascist menace just to save a few bucks. In fact, there are quite a few of us who didn't. We can run a resistance.

I whipped out some scrap paper and started to plan.  What seemed nice is that the corporate elites, too busy using their tongues to lick jackboots, couldn’t tell me how to go about it. I felt I had permission to think out side of the box. Let’s build the resistance by being ourselves, I wrote: radical, I know. 

Let me explain. In my frequent encounters with Trumpers during the weeks leading up to the election, I heard many excuses for why he was the man. But here is something I heard often: Harris is phony. Trump is real.  What came out of his mouth seemed to matter less than his willingness to say it.

But, you see, we can do that, too. If it’s not what we say, but how we say it, then let’s say the things that we truly believe. Let’s say them forcefully. Let’s say them crassly, even. We’re the mommy party, folks, let’s embrace it. A mommy can be bold and indelicate. A mommy is not always polite.

Look, we tried to be like the republicans, and we lost. We tried to show them how macho we are, and they saw right through it. We adopted their issues: guns, law and order, the border, the price of bacon. We did trot out a few of our favorite topics this election cycle, but the republicans overwhelmingly set the agenda.

So, let’s use this opportunity to launch the resistance around our core values: compassion, human health and the environment. Our planet is in deep trouble. Climate change is not being addressed. Nature is disappearing. Cancer rates are soaring. Plastics are filling up the oceans. We are poisoning ourselves. Our death care system is a mess. Anxiety, depression and loneliness are afflicting our youth.  We are selfish and disconnected from our communities. Corporate greed is rife. The rich are getting richer, and the poor are getting poorer.

Harris called us the “party of the future”, but she only had it half right. We are the party of one possible future: a sustainable future with nature, health, and compassion at its core. A future where selfishness and greed are not the organizing principles of our society. Call the republicans out for what they are: a party that wants to keep destroying our life support system and our communities to make a few people disgustingly rich.

But our current leaders, I’m sorry to say, are not going to get us there. First, they are benefiting from the status quo. They have no incentive to change it.  Second, even if we keep them, they will only join the resistance if they feel their power dwindling. Only we can make them change.

We, with nothing to lose.