A War By Any Other Name...

05/09/26 20:54
Screenshot 2026-09-05 at 8.52.54 PMSeptember 6, 2026 (Vol.20 No. 33) - The United States has been engaged in an armed conflict for six months at the cost of more than 3,000 Iranian deaths, another 27,000 injuries, plus 18 dead American servicemen and women and hundreds more injured. All of this is at a cost some believe is approaching $100 billion. And yet, this week, the folks at the MAGA Puzzle Palace have tried to convince the American people that we are not at war.



First, we heard from Vice President J.D. Vance, who told reporters on Thursday that "I wouldn't call it a war. Right now, there is no active shooting." Of course, that was a lie. Not only have the two sides been shooting at each other in recent days, the shooting has never really stopped since the Trump Administration launched this tragic war of choice in February. Then it was time for Trump, himself, to weigh in by saying this conflict is nothing more than "small potatoes." Last month, Defense Secretary Puffed-Up Petey Hegseth described the conflict as "a"gift to the world." And then during a CNBC interview this week, Commerce Secretary and Jeffrey Epstein play-pal Howard Lutnick stated that U.S. actions against Iran are "really just an economic choke-out" and that "there haven't been American deaths." (He later had to eat those words.)



While it is somewhat satisfying - and truthful - to suggest these verbal gymnastics are the products of arrogant stupidity, there is an even more sinister explanation. The administration doesn't want this "little kerfuffle" called a war because they would then have to comply with the provisions of the War Powers Act. After 60 days, presidents are not allowed to continue military action without the expressed permission of Congress. In fact, the Constitution reserves the power to declare war solely to Congress. You know this. I know this. The President knows this. And even the Congress knows this. But the Congress does not have the cajones to challenge our Dear Precious Leader on this point. In fact, the GOP-controlled Congress has time after time surrendered its prerogatives to President Pinocchio out of a fear of being targeted on the poorly branded Truth Social platform.



However, you and I know the truth: A war by any other name is still a war. And congressional cowardice by any other name is still cowardice. For these reasons alone (among many), there is not a single Republican on the November ballot worthy of your vote. That includes the entire bunch of sycophantic candidates on state and local ballots. They have not proven themselves worthy of your support. Never has doing the right thing been so obvious and satisfying. That's it for now. Fear the Turtle.