144 Comments
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Bob Howe's avatar

I love every word you wrote, Earl. Keep up the great work!

D. Earl Stephens ✍️'s avatar

Thanks, Bob.

Appreciate that.

Wm Dawg's avatar

Amen! Every word !!

Lori Knox's avatar

I hope to God that this is his Waterloo moment and he will finally get the” comeuppance” he’s so deserves, which will be him going down! But his followers are just narcissistic as he is! He’s a megalomaniac they all are and they can’t accept defeat!! Let’s just hope that cooler heads do prevail and he goes down!!!

JennSH from NC's avatar

What might the orange felon do if there is a blue tsunami that takes over the House and Senate? Any previous rules do NOT apply.

Sandra Diesel's avatar

From the Guardian:

Without the funds, [Hegseth] warned, the department faced “critical shortfalls” that threaten its ability to pay troops and replenish munitions, and he cautioned that failing to fund the Pentagon at $1.5tn was “the greatest threat that our nation faces”.

Hegseth said the $21bn readiness portion of the request would cover military pay, replace equipment used in recent operations and stabilize fuel shortfalls, while the $46bn capability portion would expand production of “solid rocket motors, JDAMs [joint direct attack munitions], hypersonics and counter-drone capabilities”.

He’s so mismanaged & squandered the military budget that he’s at risk of failing to meet payroll! (bankruptcy in civilian life) He also stated that claims the US has lost the war are DISHONORING the soldiers in the field. If anyone is doing any dishonoring it’s Hegseth & Trump.

D. Earl Stephens ✍️'s avatar

"If anyone is doing any dishonoring it’s Hegseth & Trump."

Well said. Been beating on this drum for years, Sandra.

Bill John's avatar

I'm all for the DOD getting one and a half trill as long as it ALL comes from the corporations and billionaires and filthy rich who don't fight in our wars and make sure their sons and daughters don't either ( see Donald Trump and family ). To the contrary, they mostly MAKE money off the wars we get ourselves into. Which makes me think, does the Buffoon in chief or his sons or his business org have any investments in munitions development or manufacture, or anything at all that they are profiting from because of Trumps stupid shitbrained war?

Sue Munda's avatar

Summary

Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump have significant financial ties to various defense contracts, with their investments linked to over $6.3 billion in Pentagon contracts. Their involvement includes stakes in companies that have received substantial government funding, raising ethical concerns about potential conflicts of interest.

Pentagon Contracts Linked to Trump Sons

The Trump sons have been involved in multiple defense contracts, including:

Investment Portfolio — Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump have invested in over a dozen defense contractors that collectively benefit from Pentagon contracts worth billions

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Major Contracts — Companies associated with the Trump sons have secured contracts such as a $620 million Pentagon award and drone contracts from Powerus

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Defense Tech Focus — Their investments are primarily in defense technology startups, aligning with new Pentagon spending priorities

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Financial Gains — Reports indicate that their financial management companies have earned approximately $6.3 billion from these defense-sector investments

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Ed's avatar

Thanks for the info Sue. Don Jr & Eric are chips off the old block huh.

Sue Munda's avatar

I found this by asking whatever my iphone’s version of google is

Susan Rose's avatar

I want to correct Hegseth in that 'the greatest threat this nation faces is trump and hegseth' - not lack of money!

Ann Werner's avatar

Not to mention Trump has gone through nearly half of our arms capability. That alone poses a serious threat to our country if bad actors decide it’s time to take us down. Also not to mention that our oil reserves are dangerously low and every day this conflict goes on only makes it worse. Everything Trump touches dies. We have to get his hands off the reins of power in this country, and we have to do it in November or we truly will be lost.

D. Earl Stephens ✍️'s avatar

Can't add a thing to this, Ann.

Megan Ross's avatar

Putin is very pleased with his asset, TRump. 😡

Kris's avatar

Wasn’t this the REAL plan all along ?

Ann Werner's avatar

That thought has crossed my mind more than once.

Patty The Packer Fan's avatar

This was a great read, Earl. Your description of Hegseth is spot on. Hopefully, Maine will listen and rid the country of the fake "concern" from Collins. We all know she must be paid.

Lazlo's avatar

Fingers crossed that the end will come sooner rather than later!! Thank you for all you do!!

Constance Tavares's avatar

We Americans are being held hostage and holding our breath until the midterms. Let’s hope the orange Napoleon meets the same fate as the original.

D. Earl Stephens ✍️'s avatar

He's heading in that direction, C.

Ilene Winn-Lederer's avatar

Yes, only this time their island of Elba should be one of their own detention camps, no human comforts, plumbing, digital device access, medical treatment, or due process with legal aid. What I cannot wrap my head around is why we keep holding our breath until those damn midterm elections!

Bill John's avatar

Right! No country club prison for the orange baboon buffoon. No golfing, Donny boy! Just an 8x10 jail cell, all by yourself ( for your own safety, of course ) where you can mutter that you are great, the greatest ever! But no one hears, and NO ONE ever comes to visit you and pay homage. When you die, it is not even front page news, and virtually nobody shows up for your funeral. The world says good riddance to the biggest asshole that ever walked the face of the earth!

Susan Rose's avatar

Sadly and tragically because we don't really have much choice until we take over the majority.

Ronald R Thompson's avatar

Yea and thanks! You are our HONORABLECOMMONDEFENCE, and our Military Leaders know exactly what they are doing, Hegeseth and trump, are outlaws/cult/assholes, who have never heard of Waterloo and never took an oath they could remember. Our Constitution will PREVAIL Vote!

Carol Christ's avatar

Here is a bright note from AZ. Yesterday was the primary. The Democratic candidate for the State Senate in Legislative District 19 was challenged by the Republican candidate re the number of signatures he had in order to be placed on the ballot. He did have a cushion of over 50 votes. A recount was scheduled and he was short one vote. In AZ if a signature on a petition goes into the next line (eg. g or y) both signatures can be eliminated. The only way Dems could have a candidate was to have voters do a write in on ballot. A new candidate got out there and everyone spread the word. 469 votes were needed, Last night he received 1945 votes! Go Dems!!

D. Earl Stephens ✍️'s avatar

And THAT is how it's done, Carol!

Thanks for sharing.

Ed's avatar

Thanks for that Carol.

Megan Ross's avatar

I awaken every morning hoping to hear of TRump's demise. Every. Damned. Morning. I don't care how it happens. He's destroying our country from within and the reckless RepubliCons in Congress are letting him. It's infuriating! 🤬

Bill John's avatar

I'd rather see him in prison, but I'll settle for dead.

Ed's avatar

I'd like to watch him die in prison

Susan Rose's avatar

This is beautiful!!!

Love this comment!

Mercedes's avatar

I wake every morning and check AP News before I even get out of bed. Every day he's still alive, I'm disappointed.

Karen Wicks's avatar

My champagne is ready

US Blues's avatar

It’s incredibly outrageous that these assholes are asking for even MORE money while we all drown in gas, groceries, and healthcare costs. Something’s got to give and I don’t think it will be the Epstein class. Anyone who thinks they won’t fight tooth and nail to stay out of jail and keep our money is delusional. They will stop at NOTHING to prevent that. I weep for the future.

Great piece Earl as usual.

DeeAnn Butler's avatar

They’re trying to claw back E Jean Carroll’s court ordered payment - unbelievable

Sharon Bjork's avatar

Last week's speech Trump complained that it was China that interfered with the 2020 election. He won't even bring it up with China now...because...that was then and this is now. What an effing buffoon. As far as Iran goes...Trump backed the US into a corner...there is not going to be a deal better than the one Obama made. Iran and Epstein already have Marge screaming foul...time for MAGA to follow.

D. Earl Stephens ✍️'s avatar

Just can't be emphasized enough that Trump is a proven enemy of America, Sharon.

Sue Munda's avatar

I’m terrified that trump, putin, & bebe are ALL megalomaniacs & psychopaths with nuclear weapons at their disposal!!

D. Earl Stephens ✍️'s avatar

Not to be would be foolish and ignorant, Sue.

Ed's avatar

Thanks Sue, I too fear a mushroom cloud.

Diane Lee's avatar

As do I.... don't forget, it's been revealed recently that Israel has been discussing using nuclear weapons in the recent past, multiple times. The United States has requested the details of Israel's basically hidden nuclear weapons and to date has received NOTHING back from them. I think Netanyahu is itching to deploy nuclear weapons to obliterate the Arab countries. It's terrifying. 😞. If we're supplying them with military armaments, plus money, then they should have to comply with revealing their nuclear capabilities. It's like they're calling the shots now.

Lynn's avatar

Isn't it interesting how Hegseth never shows up with actual amounts of money that has been spent, how many bombs were dropped, which bombs, and how much money it costs to replace each one? How about our bases that have been destroyed? Is the plan to build new bases in Israel? Oh, no. That's when Hegseth starts attacking Biden. Everything I just wrote means nothing because the most diabolical lie is about the deaths of our troops, the injuries to our troops, and the cavalier way this is discussed. My anger is through the roof.

D. Earl Stephens ✍️'s avatar

It should be, Lynn. Everybody's should be ...

Dawna Stromsoe's avatar

I look forward to the PedoPoopgateFelon aka Emperor/King/Napoleon being declared persona non grata everywhere and banished to his Sainte-Helena…with its family and devotees HagueSeth, FratBoyIdiot director & the miller crypt dweller. No phones, internet, satellite service or MacDonalds. We will jubilantly cheer, sing & dance in the streets, towns & cities.

D. Earl Stephens ✍️'s avatar

I'm ready to party.

Dawna Stromsoe's avatar

Me too!!! Sooner the better.

Al Bellenchia's avatar

As this scenario becomes ever more likely, he will become ever more dangerous. But he will not become smarter nor surrounded by anything other than sycophants.

Thus, we win. As flawed as the national dems may be.

D. Earl Stephens ✍️'s avatar

Flawed, yes. Enemies of America?

Never.