Author: opinionstogo

Jan. 20, 2025—yet another date that will live in American infamy.

History will not be kind. But that’s of little concern or consolation right now. America now has a criminal, celebrity-felon, autocratic president-predator. Nostradamus couldn’t have foreseen this.

America also has a diminished reputation. It comes with an execrable Capitol insurrection in defiance of Donald Trump’s 2020 defeat. Banana republics are still having the last laugh.

But more importantly, NATO, which considers America indispensable in world affairs, is worried. As are advocates of climate-change initiatives. Vulnerable immigrants are scared. DEI proponents are alarmed. Federal grant recipients are disturbed and distressed by chaotic executive orders. Anyone who equates higher U.S. tariffs with higher prices is anxious. Trump and nuclear codes is still a nightmarish rumination. Love letters from Little Kim won’t help.

In addition, those outside the malignant MAGA bubble are flat-out embarrassed. Trump’s lame cabinet nominations, presidential grifting and discomfiting, ego-driven manifest destiny over Canadian statehood, Greenland purchase or Gulf of Mexico name change have led ineluctably to domestic and international ridicule. Then add expansive immunity, a MAGA-enabling GOPster Congress, a Federalist Society-impacting SCOTUS and no re-election guard rails.

No, history will not be kind. Only kind of haunting. Reflective, no-longer-nostalgic Americans will be glad they weren’t around now when Retribution Republicans took back our country.

Riverwalk expansion is not some misprioritized “vanity project.” It’s an updated acknowledgment to do more to connect neighborhoods with the revitalized city center. It’s more than attractive destination optics; it would prompt investor development of retail and housing opportunities. It’s a logical extension of a vision for a city fortunate enough to have a river running through it. It also creates a welcome tax-base increase for the city.

Much was made, and appropriately so, about Kamala Harris’ historic ascendance to the vice presidency. But there was a predecessor, one that history has largely forgotten. Kansas Republican Sen. Charles Curtis was the first Native American to serve as vice president—to Herbert Hoover. The Kansas native was a member of the Kaw Nation.

In December, U.S. job growth surged and unemployment fell. As a result, the Fed is unlikely to cut borrowing costs for now. Another reminder of what Harry Truman was getting at with his sardonic wish for a “one-armed economist”–one who wouldn’t say “but on the other hand.”

 

Black gang warfare remains a major societal threat. The victims are mostly black. Can’t this be a collateral cause for “Black Lives Matter”? BLM would have more impact and credibility if it took up this part of the cause. Otherwise, the unfiltered, unintentional message is: “Black Lives Selectively Matter.”

* In his last days, President Biden moved to lift the state-sponsor-of-terrorism designation for Cuba. Way too late. And no movement on the U.S. embargo that makes life worse for those not responsible for the corruptly incompetent government they’re stuck with. Now we have Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, a sanctions proponent, in charge.

 

* “To retain respect for sausages and laws, one must not watch them in the making.”–Otto Von Bismarck. But OVB left out the media. No one wants to see editorial compromise or the cutting-room floor.

* (Still) best rock group name: Grateful Dead. (Still) worst rock group name: The Dead Kennedys. Best potential rock group names: Last Call, Polar Vortex, Synapse, Schism, The Frenetics, Flop Sweat, The Crop Dusters, The Stem Cellmates, Toe Jam Session, Butt Holier Than Thou, Blissed Off.

* Aging update: Yet another unsolicited, mortality-reminding mailing from the Neptune Society.

* “I asked God for a bike, but I know God doesn’t work that way. So, I stole a bike, and asked for forgiveness.”–Michael Corleone.

* Moody Reds: Former AG Ashley Moody is serving out Marco Rubio’s senate term. She has Red cred and Fox familiarity, and Gov. Ron DisAstrous, to no one’s surprise, appointed her. She has vowed to “fight for President Trump” as a foremost priority. Her governor-pleasing track record notably includes suing the Biden Administration at least nine times since 2023. Some “Strawberry Queens” are more impactful, alas, than others.

* “There will be a much higher level of collaboration between state and federal government these next four years.”–Florida Republican Congresswoman Laurel Lee.

* “Flailing guy losing relevance.”–State Rep. Randy Fine, R-Melbourne Beach, in referring to the lame duck, immigration-obsessed, special session-enamored, arrogant governor.

* “I believe special sessions should be used sparingly. They should not be stunts designed to generate headlines.”–House Speaker Daniel Perez, R-Miami. Minions have their limits too.

* More of the J6 rioters came from Florida than any other state.

* No state exceeds Florida in the number (30) of wrongly convicted prisoners released from death row.

* Last year 42% of all arrests in Miami Beach were of homeless defendants.

* “The No. 1 ranking is a testament to Tampa General’s commitment to achieve the best possible patient outcomes.”–Tampa General CEO John Couris, on TGH leading the nation in transplant surgeries.

* The FBI confirmed that Shamsud-Din Jabbar, the New Orleans ISIS-inspired terrorist, was in Tampa from Oct. 26-28. But it found no evidence of “criminal intent.” That’s a relief, but the question remains: Why the hell would a terrorist be visiting your city a couple of months before a planned mass murder? Did Gasparilla dodge an ISIS bullet? Trespissers never seemed so benign.

* Miami-esque update: A 39-story, $675 million condo-hotel near Water Street has launched sales. The Hotel Ora+Private Residences is the project of Clearwater developer ARC Realty.

* The Jeff Bezos-Washington Post honeymoon is obviously over. It’s what happens with an owner-order cancellation of a (Harris) presidential editorial endorsement followed by resignations and layoffs. But, no, it’s not yet the Amazon Post.

* Oligarch update: Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg have scaled back and removed content-moderation tools against misinformation on X and Facebook. Trump heartily approves. No coincidence that Reich saluter Musk and Zuckerberg, along with DEI opponent Jeff Bezos, had fealty-embracing, ring-side seats at Trump’s inauguration.

* Jim Acosta is leaving CNN. Trump, if not viewers, will be pleased.

* Hollywood helper: Trump has named “Special ambassadors to a great but very troubled place, Hollywood, California.” Those “ambassadors” are Sylvester Stallone, Jon Voigt and Mel Gibson. Only surprise: Roseanne Barr didn’t make the cut.

* TikTok has 170 million users in the U.S. Trump has more than 14 million followers on the controversial app.