Conspicuous Corruption
Amid the Ashes
Donald John Trump is a simple wonder. Each of 220 people (willingly and freely) converted an obscene amount of real money into an imaginary currency for a chance to eat dry steak and rubber chicken in his presence on 23 May 25.
He blessed the assembly with 15 minutes of self-serving remarks delivered behind a podium bearing the seal of the President of the United States of America.
It was a private affair. His conduct in arranging and attending the event is protected under Trump v United States. He is just a guy doing his day job of promoting his brand, with an eye to cornering his part of an emerging market.
It is inescapably true that his lucrative side hustle as Mad King of the barely United States of America advantages his private business strategies. He is not bound by the ethical standards constraining the conduct of every person (other than himself and his vice-president) serving within the Article Two executive branch. He lays bold claim to businessman status while taxpayers affford him the level of personal security on the ground and convenience in the air appropriate to a sitting president.
Elsewhere
After accepting a $400M airplane from Qatar and before holding a private $394M crypto investment dinner, Donny the Devious moved forward with his vision of a $831B Golden Dome missile defense system.
The system would protect the nation from incoming ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, hypersonic missiles, and drones.
David Corn of Our Land reported on 24 May 25 that, in March, the American Physical Society (APS) released a report that concluded:
“Creating a reliable and cost effective defense against the threat posd by even the small number of relatively unsophisticated nuclear-armed ICBMs…remains a daunting challenge. The difficulties are numerous, ranging from the unresolved countermeasures problem for midcourse intercept to the severe reach-versus-time challenge of boost-phase intercept. Few of the main challenges have been solved, and many of the hard problems are likely to remain formidable over the 15-year time horizon the study considered.”
APS issued this sour assessment AFTER executive orders which directed DOGE and various cabinet-level departments to gut the security and intelligence agencies which would attempt to create a Golden Dome.
And, really, who is going to attack us?
And, for Goodness’ sake, why bother?
Meidas+ reports that “Before heading off for a 3-day weekend of golf…Trump created more economic chaos and sent markets into another panic with 7:34 AM posts that he was looking to impose a 25% tariff on Apple’s iPhones and a 50% (tariff on) all products from the EU.”
The Real Deal
While our Dear Leader was distracting attention, the House of Representatives passed a 1000+ page fiscal death wish in the dark of night and sent it to a partisan Senate for a round of political kabuki.
And a Supreme Court no longer constrained by considerations of precedent threw off the shackles placed by lower courts on select injustices occasioned by implementation of the 2025 playbook.
Manifesto
Most sensitive persons avert their eyes from pending death or evidences of its occurrence.
We the People unhappy with the results and consequences of Election 2024 do not have that luxury.
Resistance to Trump 2.0 is not optional.
Outrage is appropriate.
Action is required.
Anthem
The early strengthening of Resistance 2.0 was a precious and fragile early spring flower. It needs constant care and close attention to survive and thrive. The summer of confrontation approaches. Peaceful protests are planned for 14 June 25 and 04 July 25. Meidas+ believes some reason exists to anticipate that the administration will resort to strong repression measures.
Hats off to those who are planning, supporting, and attending visible signs of a growing resistance to Trump 2.0. And all honor and glory to the educational institutions, lower court justices, politicians, lawyers, journalists, and media spokespersons defying implementation of the illegal aspects of the Project 2025 playbook.
And praise all gods great and small for the reporters and editors at The Washington Post for trailing the smoke back to the trigger finger on the hot Trump 2.0 gun.
Do not let the 04 May 25 Washington Post reporting disappear.
It is important to remember that Donald John Trump believes “only the weak will fail.”
Let us continue to be faithful, strategic, and strong in our resistance to the fact and effects of his Reign of Terror and Tour of Revenge.
Let us continue to pull up our socks and step into the breach now, every Power of One person dissatisfied with the results and consequences of Election 2024.
Let us continue to put into play our persons and our purses every day in every peaceful way everywhere all at once to demand:
A return to positions of principle those persons, institutions, and organizations betraying a public trust in their integrity when bending a knee, kissing the ring, funding the personal wealth, or furthering the ambitions of Donald John Trump.
The bringing of criminal charges against Musk and articles of impeachment against Trump.
Resumption of support of Ukraine, NATO, WHO, IMF and related international organizations and accords dedicated to the proposition of global peace, health, and prosperity.
The bringing of articles of impeachment against corrupt justices now contaminating the opinions of the high court.
Referendum and recall of congressional representatives not faithful to their oath of office and/or unresponsive to the concerns and wishes of their constituents.
Creation of a Shadow Cabinet charged with daily briefings of administrative assaults upon the rule of law, the health, safety, and welfare of We the People, and simple decency.
Course correction on the conduct of matters related to national security.
Open, timely, and impartial consideration of and rulings on pleadings regarding the constitutionality of executive and administrative actions taken by Trump 2.0 and its implementation of the Project 2025 playbook.
Scrap the Big Beautiful Bill. Draft a reasonable and sustainable budget that maintains the social network and personal rights put into law and custom in the last 80 years.
Our statue of liberty has broken chains at her feet.
This administration does not have our leave to reinstall ancient constraints on her or us.
I truly believe that right is might.
Resist. Persist. Prevail.
In a world where “only the weak will fail,” let us continue to be strong.
We cannot, we will not, fail.
Go, team, go.
When we feel moral outrage, that means our moral conscience is still intact. Lori Corbet Mann, Managing Director at The Anxiety Clinic in Scotland provides practical, effective measures for moving forward, even while the moral body blows continue daily. Her list is long and practical about what we can do every day through all of this. My top four favorites from her list: Speak honestly in trusted circles. Protect your information ecology. Stop arguing with people who’ve outsourced their conscience. Let your body tell you when enough is enough.
We the People, are standing up everywhere...
Anthem
The early strengthening of Resistance 2.0 was a precious and fragile early spring flower. It needs constant care and close attention to survive and thrive. The summer of confrontation approaches. Peaceful protests are planned for 14 June 25 and 04 July 25. Meidas+ believes some reason exists to anticipate that the administration will resort to strong repression measures.
Hats off to those who are planning, supporting, and attending visible signs of a growing resistance to Trump 2.0. And all honor and glory to the educational institutions, lower court justices, politicians, lawyers, journalists, and media spokespersons defying implementation of the illegal aspects of the Project 2025 playbook.