Those Damn Libs…

[Editorial]

The Republicans blame everything on the Democrats from immigration to the price of electricity!

Here in Connecticut the Republicans blame it on the Public Benefits Charge which adds about $40 to $80 per month to the bill. But the real thing that is hurting Connecticut electric rate is Millstone! You see at the Republicans urging the state entered into an agreement to buy Millstone power at a fixed rate! That adds another $40 to $70 per month to the bill!

Then we have the price of energy, especially to the price of natural gas! The national average residential electricity rate has hit roughly 18.05 cents per kWh, a 5.4% increase over last year!

How are the Republicans going to stop the price of natural gas from going up?

Then we have Trump’s tariffs! Yup, as a result of Trump’s tariffs on Canada some of the Providences imposed a 25% tariff on energy exports!

The future doesn't look much better because of the war on renewables. The Trump’s moves to block offshore wind projects—including projects like Revolution Wind that Connecticut was counting on—will have a massive impact on our future rates. By killing off the very projects meant to provide cheap, local power and reduce our dependence on expensive natural gas, Trump wants us to be locking us into higher prices for years to come.

But the Connecticut Republicans have been hamming away at the Democrats for the price of electricity! When it is really beyond anything one state can do!

In the late ‘90s the buzz word was "Deregulation!" They forced the utilities to sell off their only income producing power plants and now we are at the whim of the suppliers! And as we add more regulations like how long an outage can be is added expenses to the utilities! They have to bring in extra crews at outrageous hourly costs to just sit around just in case of an outage!

So the next time you hear Republicans harping on the cost of electricity as them how? The Public Benefits Charge is only a small fraction of the increases in the price of electricity!

[/Editorial]

Mini-Post: A New Low

As more and more cities and towns ban the Pride flag. The feds are right behind them!

NYC officials plan to reraise pride flag at Manhattan’s Stonewall monument after Trump administration removed it

The Trump administration in January issued guidance drastically limiting the types of flags that could be displayed at NPS-managed sites.

Politico

By Gregory Svirnovskiy

02/10/2026

New York City officials plan to reraise a pride flag at the federal monument at Stonewall in Manhattan, setting up a potential fight with the White House at the birthplace of the modern gay rights movement nearly 60 years ago.

Federal officials quietly took the flag down after the Trump administration in January issued guidance drastically limiting the types of flags that could be displayed at sites managed by the National Park Service. But Manhattan Borough President Brad Hoylman-Sigal said in an interview Tuesday that he and other New York City-area politicians would reraise the flag at the federal monument Thursday.

“I think it’s important that we speak out and stand up for the community, frankly, just as our forebearers, who exhibited much more courage back in 1969,” he said. “This is not a moment for our community to stand by idly as attempts to undermine our history are put forward by Trump and the federal administration.”

Mark my words... marriage is next on their radar.

Stop The Presses!

Whoa this is big! Trump banned the Democratic governors from the annual governors meeting at the White House.

Annual governors’ gathering with White House unraveling after Trump excludes Democrats

AP News

By  JOEY CAPPELLETTI, STEVE PEOPLES and STEVEN SLOAN

February 10, 2026

An annual meeting of the nation’s governors that has long served as a rare bipartisan gathering is unraveling after President Donald Trump excluded Democratic governors from White House events.

The National Governors Association said it will no longer hold a formal meeting with Trump when governors are scheduled to convene in Washington later this month, after the White House planned to invite only Republican governors. On Tuesday, 18 Democratic governors also announced they would boycott a traditional dinner at the White House.

[...]

Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt, a Republican who chairs the NGA, told fellow governors in a letter on Monday that the White House intended to limit invitations to the association’s annual business meeting, scheduled for Feb. 20, to Republican governors only.

“Because NGA’s mission is to represent all 55 governors, the Association is no longer serving as the facilitator for that event, and it is no longer included in our official program,” Stitt wrote in the letter, which was obtained by The Associated Press.

Is that going to piss off Trump, just remember that the Trickster" has a long memory.

It Won’t Work!

[Editorial]

Been there, done that!

With the internet, it’s now easier than ever to get pills—whether it's abortion pills or puberty blockers.

I’m old enough to remember the stories of backroom abortions; back when the rich took “vacations” to Switzerland while Black folks had to find "someone who knew someone." Today, it’s just a few taps on a keyboard and the hormones are on their way.

Back in the 2000s, I got my own hormones from Canada because my insurance wouldn't cover them. I’d send the prescription to a pharmacy there, and a few days later, they’d arrive in the mail. I figured the drug dogs were only looking for the hard stuff. The worst I expected was that the male dogs might have a—shall we say—unusual reaction to the scent.

If it was that easy twenty-five years ago, I can only imagine how much easier it is now. But then again, Trump is paranoid about us.

In the end, all he has done is handed organized crime a brand-new revenue source.

[/Editorial]

Well It Happened!

Pride has been canceled down in Florida. In Orlando.

Gay Days Orlando canceled, citing sponsor losses and mounting pressures on LGBTQ+ gatherings

It was supposed to be the event's 35th anniversary in June.

The Advocate

Christopher Wiggins

Feb 10, 2026

For more than three decades, Gay Days Orlando has functioned as both pilgrimage and proof of concept: a rolling, red-shirted demonstration that queer visibility could be festive, that tourism could be political, and that a loosely organized day at the theme parks could grow into one of the largest LGBTQ+ travel events in the country. This week, its organizers said they are pressing pause.

In a statement posted online Sunday, Gay Days announced it would not hold its June 4-7, 2026 event. The annual event usually sees thousands of queer people gather in Orlando to enjoy the city's many theme parks and attractions. Organizers cited the current political climate. They specified that changes to its host hotel agreement, the loss of key sponsorship support, and what they described as broader challenges facing LGBTQ+ events nationwide led them to cancel the 35th anniversary event. The group said the decision made it “impossible to deliver the experience our community deserves.”

I really am proud of those who have stayed in Florida.

Pride events and Pride centers are on the ropes; they are hurting from cooperate donations drying up.

Phoenix Pride faces $350,000 shortfall as sponsors cave to Trump’s anti-DEI attacks

KJZZ

By Lauren Gilger

December 4, 2025

Phoenix Pride is facing a major budget deficit — to the tune of $350,000. This comes after they saw pretty significant losses at this year’s annual Pride festival in attendance and sponsorships, and as they’re seeing donor support drop significantly.

And they’re not the only Pride organization across the country that’s facing these challenges. In August, Boise Pride had a $250,000 deficit a month before their festival. And in May, NYC Pride saw a $750,000 shortfall because of corporate sponsors pulling back.

It comes as the Trump administration has attacked diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives across the country; many companies have dropped their programs in response.

And Gay Sonoma writes,

Pride organizers say sponsors are pulling back amid DEI rollbacks, economic fears

Jo Yurcaba

April 15, 2025

The organizers of several of the country’s premier Pride celebrations told NBC News they have also lost funding from corporate sponsors this year, to the tune of $200,000 to $350,000 each. For some larger organizations — like those in New York City and San Francisco — the shortage makes up about 10% of their total Pride event budget, while for others, like St. Pete Pride in Florida, it could be about half.

Some organizers said past sponsors that are not returning or are reducing their sponsorship amounts this year have cited the political climate and the Trump administration’s hostility toward DEI and the LGBTQ community, while others have cited fear of an economic recession. Some didn’t provide any reasons at all, organizers said.

Bob Witeck, president of Witeck Communications, a firm specializing in LGBTQ marketing, said he isn’t surprised that corporations are reducing or withdrawing Pride sponsorships this year, because many of them are feeling vulnerable to “unfair and uninvited attacks.” He said publicly regulated businesses and those that work directly with federal agencies and under contracts “are more vulnerable to possible litigation as well as facing potential losses.”

They are running scared! The corporations are scared of Trump & Company giving them the "Target" treatment of boycotts!

I have always said about getting back to our pride roots, once you take corporate funding you are beholding to them, but being cut off cold turkey is going to force many centers to close and Pride events canceled. How does that saying go about lying down with dogs and getting fleas?

Corporations only care about one thing... their bottom line. They give to LGBT centers because they believed it would help their bottom line... but now they think that it will their shareholders. They gave not because they believe in us but they thought that they could make a buck off of us.

Connecticut Pride Centers are hurting, not as bad as in Red states but still they are feeling the pinch. And the CT legislature gave funding to help them:

• Bridgeport Pride Center, Inc.
• Hartford Gay and Lesbian Health Collective, Inc.
• New Haven Gay and Lesbian Community Center, Inc.
• OutCT, Inc.
• PFLAG Enfield, Inc.
• Queer Youth Program of Connecticut, Inc.
• Triangle Community Center, Inc.
• New Haven Gay and Lesbian Community Center, Inc.

Hmm... I wonder if any Republican states gave funding to Pride centers?

I guess we have to get back to our roots when Pride was a rally, a statement that "We are here, we are queer, and we are in your face" 

Back to when Pride was a protest, not just a party!

Back to when Pride was powered by people, not corporations

Character Counts

How many times have you heard that in employment? When you are in business, your character is important; your word is everything. This seems to be true for everything except politics.

Trump has shown he has no character at all… I take that back — he has the character of a conniving leech.

He cares more about having his name plastered over everything.

Trump’s quest to name things after himself takes an even more desperate turn

Yahoo News
Analysis by Aaron Blake, CNN

Fri, February 6, 2026

Donald Trump’s insatiable desire to name things after himself has been clear for a very long time. And as president, he’s rapidly pushed the envelope in that regard, naming things after himself in ways it appears no previous president ever has.

But even by his standards, this quest has taken a desperate — and seemingly politically unwise — turn.

Trump last month sought to have Congress rename Dulles International Airport near DC and New York City’s Penn Station after himself.

CNN’s Manu Raju and Adam Cancryn report that Trump pitched the renamings to Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer as a condition for releasing billions of dollars in frozen funds for a major New York infrastructure project. Schumer, a New York Democrat, turned it down. The news was first reportedby Punchbowl.

You know there’s a word for that. It’s called extortion.

While things are named after presidents, experts have said there is simply no precedent for naming things after a sitting president like this. The New York Times recently dug into the data, backing up that other presidents have almost always had to wait until after leaving office.

But what did you expect from Trump? Look at his list of failed businesses!

• Trump Steaks
• Trump Vodka
• Trump Ice
• Trump University
• Trump Shuttle
• Trump: The Game
• Trump Taj Mahal
• Trump Castle
• Plaza Hotel (NYC)
• Trump Hotels & Casinos
• Trump Entertainment

Does this foretell failures ahead for other named properties, like,

• The Donald J. Trump United States Institute of Peace
• The Trump-Kennedy Center
• Trump Accounts
• TrumpR_x
• The Trump-Class Navy Warships
• The Trump Gold Coin
• The Trump Ballroom
• The Trump Arch

And now Dulles Airport and Penn Station? Is the government going to share the same fate as his businesses?

Politico reports that TrumpR_x is a scam!

Trump’s drug-pricing deals won’t benefit most Americans today. They could over time.

Most Americans likely will not benefit immediately from efforts to lower prescription prices. Administration officials expect effects to spread as markets are reshaped.

But will most Americans feel like the deals make their lives more affordable?

The answer is likely “No” — at least not in the near future — according to some health policy analysts and drug-pricing experts.

The confidential agreements lack some critical details and largely don’t help the roughly two-thirds of Americans who use private health insurance, they say. It’s also unclear whether the deals — which are voluntary on the part of drugmakers — will last beyond the current administration.

“The vast majority of consumers are not going to see any benefit in their pocketbook,” said Chris Meekins, a Raymond James health care analyst, and a former health official in the first Trump administration.

Rachel Sachs, a senior adviser in the Office of the General Counsel at the Department of Health and Human Services during the Biden administration, said the deals’ confidential nature makes them harder to judge.

Trump loves secrecy! But you know what? The voters are beginning to see the smoke and mirrors!

Confidence in Trump Dips, and Fewer Now Say They Support His Policies and Plans

Rising share of Democrats want their party’s congressional leaders to stand up to Trump

Pew Reserach

By Hannah Hartig and Jocelyn Kiley

January 29, 2026

A year into his second administration, Americans’ views of President Donald Trump – already more negative than positive – have continued to slip.

• Trump’s approval rating stands at 37%, down from 40% in the fall.
• By more than two-to-one, Americans say the administration’s actions have been worse than they expected (50%) rather than better (21%).
• Only about a quarter of Americans today (27%) say they support all or most of Trump’s policies and plans, down from 35% when he returned to office last year. That change has come entirely among Republicans.

A new Pew Research Center survey of 8,512 U.S. adults, conducted Jan. 20-26, also finds that – across six key qualities and abilities needed to serve as president – more Americans express little or no confidence in Trump than say they are extremely or very confident in him.

Confidence is down on all six measures since last year, particularly among Republicans.

The romance is over!

Trump’s quest to name things after himself takes an even more desperate turn

CNN

Analysis by Aaron Blake

Donald Trump’s insatiable desire to name things after himself has been clear for a very long time. And as president, he’s rapidly pushed the envelope in that regard, naming things after himself in ways it appears no previous president ever has.

But even by his standards, this quest has taken a desperate — and seemingly politically unwise — turn.

Trump last month sought to have Congress rename Dulles International Airport near DC and New York City’s Penn Station after himself.

CNN’s Manu Raju and Adam Cancryn report that Trump pitched the renamings to Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer as a condition for releasing billions of dollars in frozen funds for a major New York infrastructure project. Schumer, a New York Democrat, turned it down. The news was first reported by Punchbowl.

Trump knows this is extortion! But he doesn't care and you know what else, he knows once he leaves  - his name will come down! So... is he thinking that he will stay in power longer 2028?

But usually his efforts to leverage his authority for personal glorification are a little more subtle like that — with the quid pro quo a little less direct. His proposition to Schumer practically slaps you across the face in its degree of blatant self-dealing.

Republicans should probably start asking themselves how much they’re willing to entertain this level of self service.

But the Republicans are spineless and will not stand up to Trump, yes some Republicans are starting to stand up to Trump. Why now? They see cracks.

The survey also found Trump hitting a record low on the percentage of Americans who said he “cares about people like you.” Just 33% said that applied to Trump. A whopping 77% of independents disagreed.

And Americans said 63%-37% that they disagreed with the idea that Trump “puts the good of the country above his personal gain.”

To put a fine point on that: Nearly two-thirds of Americans said Trump is mostly out for himself.

Trump & Company is all about Me! Me! They know that their coattails are tied to Trump.

Support for Trump’s policies

• There has also been a significant decline over the last year in the share of adults who say they agree with Trump’s plans and policies.
• Last year, 35% said they supported all or most of his plans, 17% supported some of them and 47% supported only a few or none.
• Today, 27% say they support all or most, 20% support some and 52% support few or none.

The decline in support has come exclusively among Republicans. Last year, 67% said they supported all or most of Trump’s plans and policies. Today, 56% do.

Very small shares of Democrats say they support his policies. Most (87%) support only a few or none.

CNN went on to write.

That may be fueled, in part, by perceptions Trump is enriching himself financially in office. (The White House has repeatedly maintained it’s committed to ethics and transparency.) But potential conflicts of interest are a lot more difficult to explain than PLASTERS HIS OWN NAME ACROSS A BUILDING.

And Trump’s quest to name things after himself seems especially ill-timed given the state of the economy. We’re currently in the midst of what the vast majority of Americans regard as bad economic times, and about three-quarters of Americans don’t think he’s done enough to lower prices.

The Daily Beast writes...

The erosion extends beyond Trump himself and into broader Republican electoral prospects. In the 2024 congressional elections, Republicans won non-college voters by 13 points. Looking ahead to 2026, that advantage has narrowed sharply to just 4 points, based on CNN polling and Enten’s aggregate.

“A four-point lead among non-college voters is not anywhere close to being good enough,” Enten warned, pointing out that Democrats are “dominating among voters with a college degree, up by 20 points.”

The voters are waking up to realize that Trump is in this for:

1. Himself
2. His families
3. His billionaire friends

We The People are not on the list.

It Was The Best of Halftimes, It was the Worst of Halftimes,

It was the best of halftimes, it was the worst of halftimes, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Love, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of hate, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to jails, we were all going direct the other way—in short, the period was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only.

Dickerson was writing about another era but it is just as fitting now

---

Review: Bad Bunny brought Puerto Rico’s history and culture to a revolutionary Super Bowl show

AP News

By  MARIA SHERMAN

February 8, 2026

The sun hung low when Bad Bunny emerged in Puerto Rico’s sugar cane fields during his halftime show, surrounded by jíbaros in pavas (rural farmers in traditional straw hats), viejitos playing dominos (an affectionate term for older men) and a piragua stand (shaved ice) — undeniable symbols of Puerto Rico.

From a small Caribbean island with a complicated colonial history, to the world: The artist born Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio brought Puerto Rican culture to the Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California, for his 2026 Super Bowl halftime show in what was always going to be a landmark moment for Latinos.

[...]

In English: “My name is Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, and if I’m here today at Super Bowl 60 it’s because I never, ever stopped believing in myself and you should also believe in yourself, you’re worth more than you think.”

[...]

Behind him, a screen read “The only thing more powerful than hate is love” in English text, a direct reference to one of his recent speeches at the 2026 Grammys.

It was all about love, unity, and embracing our difference.

So what did Trump think of the show, for the turn to WUSA 9,

“Nobody understands a word this guy is saying, and the dancing is disgusting, especially for young children that are watching from throughout the U.S.A., and all over the World,” Trump said on social media. “This ‘Show’ is just a ‘slap in the face’ to our Country,” which Trump claimed is “setting new standards and records” daily.

“There is nothing inspirational about this mess of a Halftime Show and watch, it will get great reviews from the Fake News Media, because they haven’t got a clue of what is going on in the REAL WORLD,” he added before again urging the NFL to immediately replace its new kickoff rule. Trump said it’s “ridiculous.”

And then we had...

We Watched Turning Point’s “All-American” Show So You Don’t Have To A mess.

Dallas Observer

By Carly May Gravley

February 8, 2026

Turning Point USA’s “All-American” Halftime Show will probably go down in history as the most painful thing I experienced this week, and that will include the root canal I have scheduled on Thursday.

While millions of Americans tuned into Bad Bunny’s much-anticipated performance during the real halftime show during the actual Super Bowl, I was tasked with watching and recapping the “All-American” alternative thrown by Erika Kirk (widow of the late conservative podcaster Charlie Kirk) and led by Kid Rock. There were also a handful of country music Z-listers I’d never heard of until this week. I can only assume this was some sort of karmic punishment for taking French instead of Spanish in high school.

[...]

“Yeah, but Turning Point probably doesn’t have their shit together,” my husband replied. And he had a point. At 7:41 p.m., a 15-minute countdown began on the livestream, as did a series of creepy, conservative ads for things such as the TPUSA “Make Heaven Crowded” tour and the United States Department of War, as well as vague concepts like “saving our civilization.”

But the best part was, when Kid Rock took the to the stage the Hindustan Times writes,

Kid Rock, known for songs like All Summer Long and Born Free, was heavily criticized after his performance. “Wow! Kid Rock may be the worst Lip syncer I have ever seen. If you're just going to lip sync it, why not have Mike Lindell or Dr. Phil do it for you?,” Republican Jack Kimble wrote.

[...]

Another added, “Kid Rock showed up for one minute and lip sync’d every third bar from the first verse of Bawitdabawkbawkchickenhead while tweaking in jorts and playing with his fedora and then it awkwardly cut to a classical performance.”

To me it seems like the “All-American” was a big flop! Who would have expected it? 

Mini-Post: Why’s Everybody Always Pickin’ On Me?

Let me count the ways!

Dr. Oz Sparks Outrage With His Solution For Lack Of Doctors In Rural Healthcare

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz spoke on Monday about the doctor shortage in rural communities—and his solution isn't going over well with critics.

Comic Sands

By Amelia Mavis Christnot

Feb 05, 2026

Former television presenter and author Mehmet Oz, MAGA Republican President Donald Trump's choice to head the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, spoke at a "fireside chat" for the "Action for Progress" initiative in Washington, D.C. on Monday.

During his remarks, Oz stated that rural communities would benefit from having AI avatars stand in for doctors. The Trump administration passed a law dramatically reducing funding for rural hospitals, which are already understaffed.

Gee... I think I can think of a better way... restore the cuts!

The multimillionaire has also said healthcare is a privilege, not a right, and suggested more people go to work immediately out of high school and retire later to eliminate the national debt.

Hey folks that what happened when you vote for a con artist! Some say the TrumpR_x is scam

HEADLINES: Trump’s Drug Pricing Scam Is a Slap in the Face to the Millions of Working Families Agonized by GOP Health Care Cuts

Protect Our Health Care

February 6, 2026

The American people know that Trump’s new “TrumpRx” website is nothing but a dressed-up window shopping page where Americans can peruse jacked-up prices for medications they can no longer afford thanks to the GOP war on health care. Most Americans won’t save any money by using the site, and experts warn that families could waste hundreds of dollars purchasing brand-name drugs on the site that are available for cheaper in generic form or through insurance. This latest Trump scheme is a slap in the face to the 22 million hard-working Americans who just saw their health insurance premiums double, triple, and even quadruple due to the Trump-GOP health care cuts — not to mention the millions losing coverage entirely. The vast majority of Americans wanted Trump to extend the Affordable Care Act (ACA) tax credits that kept health coverage affordable for millions. Instead, they got another election-year vanity project from a president who uses his power to make life easier for billionaires and big corporations while selling out working families every chance he gets. 

Politico reported...

The drug-pricing deals can undoubtedly be seen as political wins at a time when Democrats are pounding the White House over high prices. They will save Medicaid money in the short run, allow Americans to buy discounted drugs with cash directly from drug companies and boost domestic pharmaceutical manufacturing.

But will most Americans feel like the deals make their lives more affordable?

The answer is likely “No” — at least not in the near future — according to some health policy analysts and drug-pricing experts.

The confidential agreements lack some critical details and largely don’t help the roughly two-thirds of Americans who use private health insurance, they say. It’s also unclear whether the deals — which are voluntary on the part of drugmakers — will last beyond the current administration.

“The vast majority of consumers are not going to see any benefit in their pocketbook,” said Chris Meekins, a Raymond James health care analyst, and a former health official in the first Trump administration.

Once again... Trump's healthcare is all smoke and mirrors!

It Is Doing What Trump Wants It To Do.

[Editorial]

I am at a crossroads with my blog. It is taking an emotional toll on me.

It is hard writing about all the injustices. I don’t just write about them—I read many articles on the topic, and that’s the part that is really getting to me.

There are so many people out there encouraging ICE to bash more heads. There are so many cheering the killing. They see ICE as heroes defending the nation. I can’t understand it.

I read comments to get a sense of how people are thinking (I used to be on the Family Institute of Connecticut email list to keep up with what they were saying), and the tone is starting to change over what ICE is doing. The polls are showing it.

I think Trump is on a downward spiral, and I also think that is when he is most dangerous. I have seen one judge’s order after another ignored. There are executive orders being shot down by the courts one after another. As his poll numbers tank, I worry that he is going to do something crazy on election day.

He lashes out at one group one day and praises them the next. He slaps a huge tariff on a country, then rolls it back. He singles out states that didn’t vote for him and makes personal demands of them, like naming railroad stations after him. He’s vindictive.

I worry that he is going to do something reckless along the lines of January 6 if Congress flips.

So I don’t know where my blog is heading. My daily hits are around 2,000 to 10,000 per day, and that weighs on my thoughts. Some days I just want to walk away; the next day I publish five blogs.

I don’t want to publish negative stories all the time, but there is so much bad out there that I just can’t leave it unchallenged.

[/Editorial]