One week ago Donald Trump v2.0 was sworn in as President. Policies that help people are being destroyed with a wrecking ball. Hate driven policies are driving mass deportations. American citizens and US Military veterans have been unconstitutionally detained in the sweeps. It’s also the first time in 25 years of using YouTube, that blatantly racist KKK content was recommended in my feed. Coincidence? I doubt it!!
Meanwhile…
Meanwhile grocery prices are not going down. The roads aren’t getting better. Health care and health insurance is not improving. A trade war is coming with tariffs. And all of us will regret this past election whether we voted for this felon or not.
I am not deleting friends and acquaintances. Am I disheartened and saddened by the stance some of you have taken? Absolutely yes!!! If you want to delete me, that is your dilemma. On social media if we have connected as friends and followers, the same is true. I’m really only still on Facebook for the communities I’ve built or are a part of. We connected because we have something in common. Let that be what we share. So let us also look for common ground in this currently crazy ass world.
Their Sacrifices Are Not Forgotten
On December 13, 1941, my maternal grandfather at the age of 17 enlisted in the US Navy. He was stationed at Pearl Harbor and deployed across the Pacific theater. As a Seabee, he was on the beaches at Saipan shortly after it was secured from the Japanese. How do I know? I have the grim photos.

He went on to be an engineer and traveled the world with his work. He was tortured from his time in the war. I have his writings and poetry. Very dark, often with themes of death. Ultimately he drank himself to death.

My Paternal grandfather was a medic in the US Army. He received a bronze star for his actions during the battle of Manila. I have his Bronze star, the accompanying order and citation, and his dress uniform. He died in 1996 from COPD. His actions in running into a burning artillery ammunition trailer to secure the ammunition and put out the fire probably contributed along with smoking to his respiratory issues in later life.
These two men and hundreds of more I’ve been privileged to meet in my lifetime stood up to the evil of fascism as it reared its ugly head in the world then.
In these current times, the same tactics and patterns of fear mongering and hate have arisen in American political culture. I will not sit and watch idly as they dismantle our republic from the inside. So I speak out and resist. I will not forget their sacrifices.
May Gia Tene, Goddess of Necks Bless the Oligarchy
Many of us are simply in survival mode. I know someone who works in a grocery store, but can’t afford to eat there. We all know people who are talented, but have little support, so they struggle. I have been working through the disability process for three years.
We have AI and technology taking jobs. Infrastructure and health care are failing systems. Roads and infrastructure in bad shape. Climate change is fueling progressively worse disasters.
I know that you know in your heart and soul that much of what is happening with Trump v2 is wrong. And when current policies affect you, we will be here to welcome you back to sanity and help you deprogram.
The misinformation and hate is especially appalling to me. I don’t blame you completely. The education and labor systems in this country leave us vulnerable to fear and misinformation. We functionally have minimal mental health care.
Most of the blame rests with the Trump v2.0 kleptocracy that has the means and funding to baffle you with bullshit, and dazzle you with brilliance all at the same time. They own the means of production, the media, and are currently buying up all of the real estate they can. Sounds like digital feudalism to me.
We Are Where We Are
Ultimately we still nominally live in a democratic republic. The design of this system is to provide the means for people of different thought and ideology to discuss ideas and come to some agreement on leading us into the future. It’s this or the continuous war, exploitation, and misery. Our institutions are battered. But the republic is not dead yet.
In this past election, one party ran on the status quo. They rolled out the same old tired talking points and people. There was no differentiation in policy or tactic after significant feedback from the American people. They raised billions of dollars from companies and people who have no understanding of the lives of main street Americans. The “Trump Bad” messaging might resonate better if they actively listen and show movement on the priorities of the people.

The other party ran on the fuck em all in the ass platform. And again here we are, Trump v2.0


Trump v2.0 Going Forward
As we traverse this shit show that is and will be the second term of Felon 47, let’s find that common ground that allows us to be truly great. We can have good government, but we have to be real about policies on both sides, and quit fighting millennia old battles based on ideology and religion, and just take care of people.
So if you follow along, thank you for sharing this path of life for a ways. If you feel the need to walk on another path, I will miss you, but I understand that your journey is yours.
We’re friends or acquaintances because we share something in common. Rocks, dogs, nature, photography, etc. There is still that, but I cannot sit idly by.
We don’t have to agree on everything, but in my 50+ years on this wet rock, we all still want the same things in life. Food, shelter, clothing, peace, and community. Oh and shiny rocks.
Thanks for following along. You can find all of my links here if you want to support my content or you can shop here.

BlueJay Way Archive images used courtesy of Jay Branscomb.