NO MORE

NO MORE will we listen to your lies, those infamies that breed faster than fruit flies and spew from your mouth like the overflow stench from a flooded septic system.  

NO MORE will we afford respect or dignity to those scabrous Republicans who traded their self-respect and integrity for a seat at your table, to nibble on rancid scraps from your leftovers, and pretend they adore you so that their clueless followers will adore them. Theirs is the more disgraceful behavior since you were born the way you are, and they willingly bargained away their souls to become little more than your echo.

NO MORE will we watch you gobble like a pig from the public trough. No more will we watch you—like a squealing pig hunting for truffles—sniff out odious and nefarious ways to turn the people’s presidency into a money-making operation. 

NO MORE will we allow you to denigrate the soldiers who made the ultimate sacrifice to keep our country safe and free so that sons of millionaires like yourself could stay home safely with their non-existent bone spurs.

NO MORE will we allow you to sow hatred and division in a country that was built on the belief that all of us are equal, and equally deserving of opportunity, security and happiness no matter our religion or skin color.

NO MORE will we allow you to defame and belittle immigrants, nor brutally tear families apart—children wrenched from their mothers’ breasts, or placed in cages—to deter others from seeking out the American Dream.

NO MORE will we watch helplessly as you turn every day of the week into a crisis of Trumpian proportions. No more will we watch—helplessly again—as the self-serving and criminally-inclined sycophants you install in government positions get called out for breaking the public trust, as well as breaking the nation’s laws.

NO MORE will we watch as you make a fool of yourself on the world stage, pushing leaders aside to get to the front of the group, disgracefully sniffing Putin’s fingers for a scent of the power you so envy, threatening to disassemble NATO, the greatest force for peace and stability on the planet.

NO MORE will we watch as you heedlessly destroy the norms, practices and rituals that define our sense of America as protector of our rights and leader of the free world. Nor will you continue to upend the values we share as Americans every day. No longer will selfishness, treachery, dishonesty, cruelty and avarice reign supreme in the corridors of power, nor will you ever again play both jester and king for your sole benefit and delight.   

NO MORE will we accept with stoic silence your description of America as no longer great. We will agree that for the four years of your virulent presidency America’s greatness was darkly dimmed and placed on life support. But in November we will shout “NO MORE” so loudly at the ballot box it will echo around the world, and you will no longer be able to escape your fate as an insurrectionist and betrayer of America’s secrets.

And then, at long last, our national nightmare will come to an end. And you, Donald J. Trump, rapist, business fraud, convicted felon, congenital liar and con man extraordinaire  will threaten our democracy, our constitution, our institutions, our traditions and my fucking peace of mind NO MORE.

And that’s how we’ll Make America Great Again.

A BULLET DODGED

Two fateful bullets were fired this week. 

One bullet slightly grazed Donald Trump, the traitor, the insurrectionist and the GOP’s presidential nominee. Resulting damage appears to be slight, while providing a sympathy bump in the candidate’s poll numbers and a bandage Trump can wear all week to remind us of his heroic stance as a victim of a thwarted assassination attempt.

The other bullet was more metaphorical in nature. Fired after weeks of protracted teasing and coyness by Republican candidate Trump, the bullet struck J.D. Vance, making him the GOP candidate for Vice President on the Trump ticket.  

More salient to the point of this discussion is… who was lucky enough to dodge the bullet…?

 Closer inspection of the event reveals the bullet came close to hitting—but missed, in its deadly trajectory—Doug Burgum, governor of North Dakota, multi-millionaire, Trump sycophant and runner-up to be Trump’s VP selection. Some might call Burgum unlucky to come in second to J.D. Vance but I regard him as supremely fortunate. 

As Jesus famously asked, “What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world but loses his soul?”

Yes, Doug Burgum or, more accurately, Burgum’s soul dodged a bullet when the serial liar, convicted business fraud, lifelong grifter and GOP presidential nominee set his sights on J.D. Vance.

Burgum had already seriously wounded his soul by swallowing whole his earlier comments about Trump—all pejorative and belittling—and offered when the riches of the world were not being dangled in front of his hungry eyes. Suddenly, lies not only replaced Burgum’s honest opinions and personal insights, but they were waved around like flags of honor, and held high enough for his capo de Capos to see.

By adopting the entire slate of lies and offended righteous air of Trump defenders, as have hundreds of Republican lawmakers, Burgum had already parted ways with his soul which, in the nature of souls, clings faithfully to the path of honesty and decency, but had not yet committed himself to the level of dishonesty and soul damage that accepting a vice presidency under Trump would clearly entail.

That level of dishonesty colors one’s entire life. It undermines every honest relationship, every attempt to guide one’s children by example, every attempt to prove to your spouse or business associates that you are worthy of your place in their lives. Such dishonesty trumpets itself in every word and action you take, because nothing will obscure the fact that every word and deed undertaken under fealty to Trump is unprincipled and self-serving.

Most likely, Doug Burgum was disappointed by Trump’s decision to anoint J.D. Vance. But if you could press Burgum’s soul for a reaction, all you would get, I bet, is a soulful sigh of relief. 

NEW VACCINE PROTECTS AGAINST DONALD TRUMP

Introducing “VERACITY” By Paul Steven Stone Labs. The only vaccination proven up to 95% EFFECTIVE against Donald Trump’s copious lies and dishonest behavior.

Studies have shown that almost 45 percent of America’s adult population is at risk of succumbing to Donald Trump’s outright lies and empty promises. Twice yearly injections of VERACITY should prevent or totally eliminate normal MAGA reactions to Donald Trump’s deceit-permeated behavior.  

VERACITY IS TOTALLY EFFECTIVE IN COUNTERACTING:

DONALD’S LIES: Whether he’s claiming to have uplifted more Afro Americans than Abraham Lincoln, insisting the January 6th insurrection was a patriotic field trip or trying to sell a condo with only 1/3 the actual square footage listed on the contract, Donald Trump’s lies are virtually unstoppable. Worse still, they come at you so fast and furious, you are quickly numbed to their audacity and obvious mendacity. Chances are, by the time you realize Trump is telling a lie, he has already buried the original lie under half a dozen new ones. 

Now, with our new VERACITY vaccination, Donald’s lies are no longer audible. Through the wonders of modern pharmacology, VERACITY renders its users impervious to Donald’s lies, from the largest honkers to the smallest and whitest of lies. With VERACITY your hearing will suddenly drop out from both ears at the first detection of a Donald Trump falsehood. Gone are all promises of a border wall paid for by Mexico. Never again will you have to listen to Trump’s indignant cries of witch hunts, political persecutions and rigged elections. 

During these welcome periods of silence, VERACITY users will have their choice of peaceful classical compositions, courtesy of Amazon Music, to transform Trump’s typically mendacious rants into melodious musical interludes.

DONALD’S GRIFTS AND SWINDLES: Whether it’s a cheap, repurposed naugahyde-covered bible, or gold-foiled basketball sneakers, Donald Trump always has something to sell you. Maybe you’d spend your money on Trump campaign donations which will go straight into attorneys fees, or perhaps a set of digital NFT cards, which are mere comic book illustrations that show Donald as Cowboy, Superman, Rambo or, more true to life, as an accused felon getting his mug shot.

With VERACITY, you will no longer be susceptible to Donald Trump’s vulgar and tasteless sales pitches. Similar to how all sound disappears at the first whisper of a Trump lie, VERACITY shuts off both your eyesight and hearing upon encountering one of Donald’s sales pitches, leaving you impregnable and unreachable as a victim or sales prospect. Unfortunately, it also leaves you totally vulnerable to the dangers of automobile traffic and various other human activities.

For protection at such moments, VERACITY purchasers will receive a placard to hang around their necks declaring, “HELP, DONALD TRUMP LEFT ME DEAF AND BLIND!” 

That’s VERACITY from Paul Steven Stone Labs. Two shots in the arm annually and you can live your life in peace once again.

And that’s the truth!

FORGET-ME-NOTS

by Paul Steven Stone

FORGET-ME-NOTS

(a poem of remembrance)

Some critical facts to memorize

When Truth is mired ‘neath muck and lies,

While all around, cult fever runs wild

Threatening the Future like an unprotected child.

FORGET-ME-NOT, FORGET ME NOT,

Who tried to steal a second term,

Counting lies instead of votes.

And remember who did not.

Recall as well whose sordid deeds

Echoed daily in the news…

Sexual assault, slander, business fraud

All charged, tried and proved.

And remember who did not.

FORGET-ME-NOT, FORGET ME NOT,

Who lacks integrity, kindness or shame,

The morals a president is lost without.

And remember who does not.

FORGET-ME-NOT, FORGET ME NOT,

Who sent a mob to sack the capitol,

Trashing 250 years of American democracy.

And remember who did not.

Forget-Me-Not, Forget-Me-Not

Whose epic Covid malfeasance

Sent thousands to unnecessary deaths.

And remember who did not.

Forget-Me-Not, Forget-Me-Not

Don’t vote for anyone who tried to steal an election,

And remember who did not.

50 WAYS TO STEAL AN ELECTION

(With humble gratitude to the brilliance of Paul Simon)

“THE PROBLEM IS ALL INSIDE YOUR HEAD,” HE SAID TO ME.

“The answer is easy if you take it logically

“Just sing these words and pretend that you’re guilt-free

“There must be fifty ways to steal an election”

JUST ERASE THE VOTES, JACK

Don’t let blacks vote, Mac

Get Putin to help, Don

Mess up the count, Tom

Sabotage the mail, Bill

Reject the results, Phil

Question Joe’s ballots, Lee

No need to be coy, Roy

Just tear down the House, 

And claim sweet Victory.

I SAID “IT GRIEVES ME TO SEE YOU IN SUCH PAIN.

“Is there something I can do to make your smile come back again?”

He said, “Thank you very much, just let me sing my sweet refrain

“About the fifty ways to steal an election.”

JUST LIE UNTIL THEY CRY, STAN

Then accuse and deny, Man

Bring in fake electors, Gus

And Rudy’s traveling circus bus

Threaten poll workers, Dick

Menace voters thin and thick

Go before the Supremes, Lee

Where Justice is too blind to ever see, 

Just cheat till you’re home free.

And claim your Victory

HE SAID, “I WON’T LET MYSELF LOSE TO JOE AGAIN.

“It grieves Melania so to see me in such pain

“You see there’s something I can do to make Maga World smile again

“It all depends on those 50 ways to steal an election.

“Count ‘em, 50 ways to steal an election.”

JUST ERASE THE VOTES, JACK

Don’t let blacks vote, Mac

Get Putin to help, Don

Mess up the count, Tom

Sabotage the mail, Bill

Reject the results, Phil

Question Joe’s ballots, Lee

No need to be coy, Roy

Just tear down the House, 

And claim sweet Victory.

Make no mistake, if Donald Trump tried once to steal the presidency; he will do so again. Realistically, he has no incentive to play fair now, especially when a return to the Oval office could negate all federal crimes for which he stands accused. It’s fatuous to think Trump will suddenly reform his ways and realize that the country he is attempting to lead again is far more important than the fate of a single individual.

I WILL BET—EVEN GUARANTEE—THAT DONALD TRUMP AND HIS GANG HAVE ALREADY MADE PLANS TO STEAL THE 2024 ELECTION. WE MUST BE ON OUR GUARD.