January 21, 2026 - Vol. 20, No. 4 - Two words best describe Donald Trump's remarks before the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, today: Ignorant and Arrogant.

In what may be the most embarrassing moment in the history of American foreign policy, Metamucilini stood on the world stage for more than an hour telling blatant lies and hurling insults. He may have thought he was showing strength, but all he demonstrated was his own mental instability. Thanks to the folks at Politifact, here are just some of the tall tales that stretched the limits of credulity:

"I settled eight wars." He may have had a hand in several ceasefires, but he hasn't actually settled anything. Yes, he made notable progress in achieving a Hamas-Israeli ceasefire. But I ask, at what cost? It came only after Trump encouraged Benjamin Netanyahu to wage war on innocent civilians. Hardly Nobel Peace Prize-worthy.

"I lowered gas prices." While it is true that gas prices are lower, he has exaggerated the amount of the decreases and his administration's role in bringing about lower prices.

"China has no wind farms." Wrong on that, buckaroo. China has 44 percent of the world's wind farm capacity.

"The 2020 election was rigged." Enough with that bullshit. Besides, who was President of the United States in 2020?

"We gave Greenland back to Denmark" We never had it. We established bases there during the Second World War and have had a military presence there ever since. But it has been Danish territory since the 1740s and its status as a Danish territory has been reaffirmed by the U.S. and international courts several times since. Frankly, this whole Greenland nonsense is a product of the diseased mind of Stephen Miller, a/k/a "Pee Wee German." It also didn't help Trump's case when he appeared to confuse Greenland with Iceland. Or maybe Graceland?

"The U.S. has gotten nothing from NATO." The only time NATO has invoked Article 5 of the Washington treaty that created the organization occurred on September 11, 2001, when NATO came to the aid of the United States. That doesn't even take into account the value of collective security - unless President Bone Spur would have preferred a Soviet Europe.

"Stopping fraud would balance the budget." Not even close. Losses due to fraud in the United Staes is estimated at $521 billion - considerablly less than the budget deficit of $1.75 trillion. By the way, whose administration added more to the budget than anyone else's? Clue: Every Democrat administration since LBJ has lowered the deficit, while every Republican administration has increased it.

On top of all that horse manure, the Count of Mar-a-Lardo repeatedly cited incorrect - or just made-up - statistics for things such as oil production, gas prices, and drug seizures. Our Fearless Leader seems to think he lives in a world where saying it makes it true. However, worst than that was the constant implied threats. "I could have done this" or "I could have done that" as a means of reminding us how omnipotent he is. Actually, it is a sure sign of his impotence and inability to grasp the complexities of governing in the 21st century.

Several hours after the speech, Trump said he had reached a "framework" for settling the Greenland issue - an issue that was solely the product of his own dementia. But in true Trumpian style, it was nothing but an empty promise. There's no plan. There's nothing on paper. There's only the promise that he will announce something "soon" - right after he announces the comprehensive health care plan he promised in 2016.

I've said it before, and I will say it again: Donald Trump is morally and mentally unfit to be President and should be removed from office. Unfortunately, his protectors, congressional Republicans, have not yet realized that they are merely rats clinging to a sinking ship. However, they certainly will learn that by November. That's it for now. Fear the Turtle.

January 16, 2026 - Vol. 20, No. 3 - Aside from the Bibical reference, an epiphany is defined as a "sudden insight or realization." While that insight may come suddenly, that doesn't mean that the process of achieving that insight did not percolate in one's subconscious for a long time. I had an epiphany just this week that I actually have been ruminating about in the deep recesses of my mind since the time of my high school graduation in June 1970. That was the same month as group calling itself The Chicago Transit Authority released as a single the song that has since held place as my favorite, 26 or 6 to 4. I've always thought I knew the reasons I love that song. But it was this week, I came to the ultimate realization of why.

First, let me tell you about the song, itself. It was written by Robert Lamm and it describes the sometimes agonizing creative process that goes into writing a song. Instead of describing how Lamm created the song, you can hear from the source, himself, by clicking on this link to an interview he had with Dan Rather. If you clicked on this link earlier, recorded live in 1970, you will see (and hear) famed vocalist Peter Cetera playing the famous opening riff on his bass guitar and the late Terry Kath playing the amazing guitar solo. It is an infectuous song, sometimes misunderstood. The authorities in Singapore once banned it because of its alleged drug content. (If you looked at the Rather interview, you'll hear that drugs had little to do with it.) I feel I'm in love with it for a number of reasons, not the least of which was that it was a popular song at the very moment in my life, high school graduation, where I was beginning to leave the nest and launch out on my own. It was a happy, scary, exhilarating and remarkably open-ended moment in my life. The song reflected my mood. But, unlike most popular hits on the radio, this one continued to stick with me through the years. It was never, in at least my mind, relegated to the dustbin of most Top 40 hits.

It is important to understand that folks my age, those who grew up in the 1960s, are practically morally obliged to say "The Beatles" when asked who is their favorite group of all-time. Don't let me wrong: I love the Beatles. But now that I am in my 70s and don't really care what most people think, I'm proud to proclaim Chicago as my favorite. It's not that I really identified with the band members, a long haired and liberal-minded crew out of the urban streets of the Windy City. Hell, I was a rural, Republican clean-cut kid from Maryland's Eastern Shore. The only member I really had a connection with was Jimmy Panko, who successfully mastered the trombone, an instrument I failed miserably at during the eighth grade. Still, I was amazed at their collaboration and amazing string of hit after hit after hit. And, perhaps, there was an aspirational aspect: An Eastern Shore boy wishing he could be like his rock and roll heroes. Fortunately, considering some of the destructive behaviors of the group - including the accidental gunshot death of Kath - I never did become one of the boys in the band.

Beyond that which I described, I never gave a lot of thought as to why I so much admired the group and this particular song - that is, until earlier this week. Because of hip and back problems, I have not slept very well for the better part of year. More nights than not, I have slept in my living room recliner, the only place I could come close to being comfortable. Often, when can't sleep, I'll slip on the ear buds and listen to music to relax me. As you may imagine, Chicago is a frequent group of choice. And, yes, 25 or 6 to 4 is a mandatory selection. On the night in question, as the final chords faded, I turned off the music and glanced at the clock. Not wearing my glasses, it wasn't sure whether it was 3:35 a.m. or 3:34 a.m. And then it struck me: It was, literally, 25 or 6 to 4. I thought about the hundreds of times I have been barely awake and not quite asleep at that hour during the years. Throughout my life, I have always had trouble sleeping. The reasons varied from dealing with loneliness or unrequited love in my youth, career-related issues into adulthood, or tragedy and health-related issues in my later years. Yes, I admit that the Maryland Terrapins and the Baltimore Orioles occasionally disturbed my slumbers, as well. And then came the epiphany: The song isn't about Robert Lamm's creative process, but my own. I have gone through my days reinventing myself and constantly adjusting the trajectory of my life - often at the expense of a good night's sleep. To me, the song is about a sleep-deprived boy from Royal Oak, Maryland, always trying to figure out - to borrow inspiration another from Chicago song - Where Do We Go From Here?

I hope you found this personal journey interesting - although I did say that at my age, I don't really care what others think. I wanted to write it because I am sick and tired about writing about America's dysfunctional politics. At times like these, it is often best to look inside ourselves to define our journey. I certainly will get back to writing about the daily dramas soon. But, for now, I choose to veer down another path while waiting for the break of day. That's it for now. Fear the Turtle. (Photo by David Guth)

January 10, 2026 - Vol. 20, No. 2 - While one tries not to be over-reactive to world events, this past week certainly felt like our nation has reached a tipping point. And what are you going to do about it?

Commodore Bonespur and his minion, Pete "the Pirate" Hegseth, have taken their criminality to the high seas. Under the pretext of an international embargo, the United States is seizing Venezuelan oil tankers and claiming that the oil belongs to America. Even if you accept the interdiction of illegal oil exports, how can you claim American ownership of the oil? Trump's shaky logic is that the oil is reimbursement for when Venezeula nationalized its oil industry. That logic ignores the questionable circumstances under which American oil companies won the "right" to drill, as well as the most pertinent point: It's Venezuela's oil. Plus the optics of the U.S. Navy engaging in high seas piracy are bad. Let's not forget that some of the oil we hijacked was headed to Russia and China. What happens if those nation's decide to escort those tankers? We almost had a confrontation with Russia in the waters north of England this week. Do we really want to play chicken with nations with megalomaniacal leaders? (And do they?) Let's not forget that oil executives, summoned to the White House yesterday, told the President point-blank that his vision for American reinvestment in Venezuela's oil industry is a pipe-dream.

In Minneapolis, Dress-Up Barbie Kristi Noem and her masked and thuggish ICE agents have spent the last few days trying to convince the world that we didn't really see what we saw. They have gone to ridiculous lengths to convince everyone that they did not murder a 37-year-old mother of three in cold blood. I discussed my analysis of the shooting of Renee Good at length in a Substack post earlier this week, so I will not repeat it here. Suffice it to say that I, along with most observers, question the Administration's version of these events. I also condemn Vice President J.D. Vance's assertion that Good was some sort of radical agitator trying to destroy America. (One is tempted to add that it takes one to know one.) My years of expertise in an around law enforcement tells me that this was an excessive use of force by an ICE agent who did not follow his training and escalated the situation into a deadly confrontation. His own words - "That fucking bitch" - caught on his own camera showed us his state of mind. Ask yourself this question: Do you have confidence that the FBI and Department of Justice will engage in an honest, impartial investigation of the shooting? (I thought not)

I say that we are at a tipping point because both domestic and international law are being flaunted and ignored by this nation's most criminal President. He told The New York Times this week that he has only his "own morality" to limit his authority as President. I dare say that comes as news to the overwhelming majority of Americans. It certainly would shock our Founders. And let us once again thank Chief Justice John Roberts and his kangaroo court for the ridiculous and possibly democracy-killing ruling on presidential immunity. I can only hope that we can actually get to the midterm elections this fall when the Republicans will take a historic ass-whipping. But don't be surprised if Trump tries to cancel them. He will use something drastic - perhaps a war of his own making - to justify it.

Yes, I fear that this country has gone that far off the rails. Until we have no choice, patriots who love this country and the values upon which it is based should resist Bonespur, Pete the Pirate, Dress-Up Barbie and the entire Klutsy Klown Kabinet. That means public protests, pressure on our elected representatives, financial contributions to like-minded candidates and committees, and, ultimately, your vote. The United States is still the world's best hope for democracy. At least for now. That's it for now. Fear the Turtle.

January 2, 2026 - Vol. 20, No. 1 - It seems fitting that I begin the 20th year of this blog with an iconic Norman Rockwell illustration and an appeal to civic responsibility. The illustration is entitled "Freedom of Speech," published in 1943 by The Saturday Evening Post as part of a series of paintings based on President Roosevelt's "Four Freedoms" speech. The civic responsibility I am encouraging is implicit in Rockwell's painting, a citizen's responsibility to hold elected officials accountable for both their actions and inactions.

This new year should - and must - be a year in which we hold our elected officials accountable. The year 2026 is a year of inflection. We are at a crossroads in deciding the kind of country our children, their children and their children will live. There are dark forces afoot in our land, ones that undermine the very principles upon which our nation was founded two and one-half centuries ago. Will we continue our steady progress toward the democratic republic our Founders envisioned or will we continue the Trump inspired erosion of equal rights in favor of an oligarchical society? How quickly we have gone from the Great Society to the Great Gatsby. It is a trend that threatens not only our individual economic well-being, but also our national security. America today is a weaker nation, economically, militarily and morally than at any other point in my lifetime. Sure, some of you will say, I plan to vote in November and that's how I will hold our officials accountable. And I certainly hope you will, but we don't have to wait 11 months to begin to hold our elected leaders accountable now.

The first step is to remain informed on the issues. This will involve more than a cursory look at the morning newspaper or watching some television network's nightly 30-minute summary of the news. It involves reading and watching multiple news sources. I don't have to tell you that Fox News and MS-Now have differing perspectives on today's events. Your duty is to triangulate the truth by listening and reading those and other sources. Don't let someone else decided what is "the truth" for you. That's your responsibility.

Second, communicate your concerns to your leaders. How are they supposed to reflect your concerns if you are not willing to let them know what they are? Send letters, write emails, go to their town halls - those who have the courage to conduct them - use social media (such as I am going) and otherwise send politicians signals that you are paying attention.

Next, show up. Go to city council meetings and public hearings. Join and support civic and political organizations that reflect your values. You say you are a champion of education? Then show up at the school board and give the members tangible evidence that you actually care about the issues. Do you think many Republican members of Congress are now talking about restoring Affordable Care Act subsidies out of the goodness of their hearts? Perhaps it has more to do with the millions of Americans who have taken to the streets during the past year to express their dissatisfaction with the status quo.

Demand transparency and ethical standards of our elected officials. Don't let that paralyzing "They are all a bunch of crooks" mentality keep you from calling them out when they fail to meet your values. Frankly, sitting back and doing nothing about evil when you see it is intellectually lazy and morally reprehensible. They need to know that when they veer from an acceptable path that there are consequences.

Your vote is one of democracy's most precious gifts. Don't waste it by automatically voting for a member of "your tribe." I take great pride in the fact that I am a habitual ticket-splitter. I vote for the candidate, not his or her party. I also vote even when I don't necessarily like either candidate. I owe it to those who fought and died for our freedoms to make touch choices when exercising those freedoms. Not voting is the greatest sin of all, although I will admit that the late George Carlin once voiced an interesting and amusing dissent. Carlin's take is funny, but far more cynical than I care to embrace.

Let's make 2026 The Year of Accountability - not just for our elected leaders, but for ourselves. Actions do speak louder than words. That's it for now. Happy New Year and Fear the Turtle.