For those of us who thought last week’s speech at the UN General Assembly was the dernier cri of batshit lunacy, Tuesday at Quantico showed us that we have far to go before we hit bottom. First SECDEF Hogsbreath (“I’m not a cabinet officer but I play one on right-wing TV”) lectured 800 generals, admirals and senior NCOs on manliness, White supremacy and grooming for an hour. He was followed by Cadet Bonespurs (the guy who evaded the Vietnam-era draft five times and who comes from a long line of military service dodgers) delivering 70 minutes of spittle-flecked invective against Democrats, democracy and constitutional rights, and instructed military leaders to ignore international law, the Posse Comitatus Act and common decency.
He also whined about not getting the Nobel Peace Prize
(which—he claimed—he doesn’t want for himself, but for the country) and was this
close to begging the audience to applaud, cheer and laugh.
It was, at once, cringeworthy and terrifying. In the most
disordered way conceivable, he was publicly telling the leaders that he
expected them to go anywhere he tells them, and kill anyone he tells them,
including Americans here in America. Every uniform in that room was filled with
a person who’s served more than 20 years in the military, and is quite familiar
with both the Constitutional limitations on use of the armed forces and with
the Uniform Code of Military Justice. Most of them take those things seriously
and they know that issuing and following illegal orders are crimes.
(Remember—there are whackjobs in uniform. E.g., Mike
Flynn. But I think they’re in the minority.)
When Whiskey Pete finished—on what he obviously felt was a
high note—there was deadly silence for a few beats; then the assembly was
called to attention to mask the lack of positive response. When the Kleptocrat
finished, there was tepid applause for a few beats; then a Souza march was
blared to drown that out.
It was a shameful performance by both of them, at the cost
of millions of dollars to bring the audience to Quantico. But they’re all about
the performance and not the substance, so they’re taking it as a win.
Meanwhile, our government shut down as of 0001 Wednesday
and the administration is violating the Hatch Act all over the place as
official communications channels blame the Democrats. (Republicans control the
House, the Senate and the Presidency. They put forward a budget that slashes
social support and demolishes ACA subsidies, which doubles or triples what
people have to pay in healthcare premiums—and that’s what Democrats wanted as
the price of passing the bill.)
Klepto has also announced that—due to the shutdown—he’s
going to dismantle “Democrat” agencies. They’re also withholding all manner of
funds to states that have Democratic governors.
So—given all this, today’s earworm is Spike Jones’ immortal “Der Fuehrer’s Face”. We're getting there.
©2025 Bas Bleu
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