Friday, July 3, 2026
Wednesday, July 3, 1946. Breaking the meat famine in Denver.
Well, I guess you could more easily get meat.
An odd illigal immigration story was reported on.
Last edition:
Tuesday, July 2, 1946. They were Nazis, but maybe they didn't know what they were doing?
Monday, July 3, 1911. Panther arrives.
The SMS Panther arrived off of the coast of Agaidir.
A British merchant marine strike with the strikers largely prevailing in their demands.
Lightning struck the south-west comer of the Anglican Christ Church Cathedral in Fredericton, New Brunswick, rusling in a major fire doing damaged to the structure and causing its bells to fall.
It was restored.
William Howard Taft visited Marion, Indiana.
Gen. José González Salas, who had served in Diaz's army, was appointed Secretary of War and Navy of Mexico.
Last edition:
Sunday, July 2, 1911. Krazy Kat debuts.
Wednesday, July 3, 1901. Last train robbery of the Wild Bunch.
It is unclear if Butch Cassidy was present or not. The Sundance Kid was not.
1901 First automobile appears to appear in Calgary, Alberta.
Last edition:
Labels: 1900s, 1901, boats and ships, Conscription, Finland, Imperial Russian Army, Royal Navy, Russia
The 2026 Election, 14th Edition. The “If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor" edition.
If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor.
Desmond Tutu
June 26, 2026
The candidate running against Bob Ide:
Lisa Engebretsen: Protect Wyoming’s Public Lands and Reject the Seminoe Dam Project
Getting rid of Bob Ide should be an absolute priority for anyone who cares about: 1) Wyoming's wildlands, and 2) anyone who is not a multimillionaire. A diehard MAGA/WFC who was in Washington D.C. at the time of the January 6 insurrection (he did not take part in it), his "less government, more freedom" is an absolute joke. He's a major Natrona County landlord whose very livelihood depends on the government protecting his rental lands property rights, which only exist due to the government. He is apparently unaware of the hypocrisy.
He's been amongst the most extreme members of the WFC.
June 30, 2026
The carpetbaggers of the WFC immediately resorted to name calling, of course. Everyone who opposes them is "left wing", even if they aren't.
In Alaska there will be two Dan Sullivans on the ballot, one an incumbent and some other guy.
July 1, 2026
They sow the wind and reap the whirlwind.
Hosea 8:7*
Well, everyone should have known this was coming.
For decades I've warned, in a somewhat different context, about self confident far right views being a mere fuze to ignite a left wing reaction. In my case, the warning came in the context of local politics, both in ranching and oil and gas, where people confidently boast some local view not realizing there's a lot more of them, then us.
As some people have been warning, maps don't vote.
And now MAGA has poked the bear.
From the primary in Colorado, yesterday:
Democratic socialist Melat Kiros poised to become the first Gen Z woman in Congress
Now what's going to happen is some in Trump's orbit will attempt to make hay on this. It's already happening. Donald Trump is warning everyone that there are Communists hiding in your Wheaties. Little Mike Johnson is acting like a crying twat waffle. Johnson is warning that people will go to jail.
People need to go to jail.
Now, I'm not a Socialist of any kind (I'm a distributist). But this reaction is a real one, and running around doing the classic "when in trouble, or in doubt, run in circles, scream and shout" isn't going to do anything. And on top of it, a lot of pundits who are arguing the Democrats better not turn far left are going to be proven to be way out to sea.
Now, by and large, most of the Democrats aren't far left. But the fact that the GOP has become outright Francoist and doesn't stand for conservatism means that for those who are, there's no argument here. And, moreover, some of the same demographic that voted for right wing populist will vote for left wing ones. This is well established. Quite a few Nazis had been Communists. Lots of former Nazis became East German Communists. One plate of fanaticism tastes a lot like another, and for that matter, people who are drawn to fanatic policies will be 1) drawn to ones that seem like they might work, and 2) recoil from attacks on themselves.
Trump's policies aren't working. The poor sots who voted for MAGA are worse off than they were before. Hispanics have been targeted by MAGA racism. Palestinians and other Arab Americans watched their votes translate into support for more egregious Israeli attacks in Gaza and a full scale war, that we can't win, against Iran. Those votes are gone, as the recent election in New York has shown.
And now Melat Kiros, a 29 year old Notre Dame educated lawyer who was born in Ethiopia has beat a sitting Democrat for Colorado's 1st Congressional District. That's Denver proper. She has the courage of her convictions, having lost a job with a New York City law firm for criticizing law firms for being opposed to pro Palestinian protestors.
She's going to win in the general election.
This will not mean that the seat she'll be taking, like her fellow Democratic Socialist from New York, will go to a Democrat where they had been occupied by a Republican. What it means is that there will be voices in the Democratic party that are much younger, and have a much different view, on some issues than the Democratic mainstream. And her election makes the election of old geezer MAGA's like Harriet Hageman of Wyoming look absolutely absurd in comparison.
This will end up tilting the meter on some things a bit to the left in the 120th Congress, and that's going to matter, for instance, when the next Speaker of the House is chosen and Mike Johnson goes into the dustbin of history.
Trump can and will yell about it. But on the eve of the 250th anniversary of American independence, his big fete, the big "state fair". Nobody is going. That's pretty telling.
Well, again, sow the wind, reap the whirlwind.
July 2, 2026
July 3, 2026
The Secretary of State's office faces two other election related legal actions at the presen ttime.
With this, we'll close out this edition.
Footnotes:
The full quote is:
“They sow the wind
and reap the whirlwind.
The stalk has no head;
it will produce no flour.
Were it to yield grain,
foreigners would swallow it up.
Last edition:
The 2026 Election, 13th Edition. The choosing lanes edition.
Court Watch Part VII. When the last law was down.
Lawyer, St. Thomas More, who was executed for his adherence to his faith.
William Roper: So, now you give the Devil the benefit of law!
Sir Thomas More: Yes! What would you do? Cut a great road through the law to get after the Devil?
William Roper: Yes, I'd cut down every law in England to do that!
Sir Thomas More: Oh? And when the last law was down, and the Devil turned 'round on you, where would you hide, Roper, the laws all being flat? This country is planted thick with laws, from coast to coast, Man's laws, not God's! And if you cut them down, and you're just the man to do it, do you really think you could stand upright in the winds that would blow then? Yes, I'd give the Devil benefit of law, for my own safety's sake!
Robert Bolt, A Man for All Seasons: A Play in Two Acts
The Justice Department is going after James Comey for posting a photo of seashells arranged to spell "8647" on a beach somewhere, asserting it was a death threat on President Trump. Apparently this is due to the old use of the term "86" to do away with and "47" for Donald Trump's completely illegitimate but widely accepted illegal claim to be President.
It wasn't.
This prosecution will go nowhere whatsoever, but it is more evidence that everyone in the Trump Administration is essentially a fascist with no regard for reality or the rule of law right now. We are in monumentally dangerous territory. It's 1534 in the United States with Donald Trump our King Henry VIII.
And the spirt of the age has spread:
What Gray did was flat out illegal. Gray is relying, in essence, on the advice of the Attorney General and when that's a defense, the attorney client privilege is waived. The AG's office knows that, but it has to defend the privilege It's being pretty assertive about it.
Gray needs to suffer the penalty of the law here.
Nobody is more opposed to abortion than I am. I wouldn't allow for the largely bogus "rape and incest" exceptions that many people will. But this is really beyond the Pale. Powell should be ashamed of itself for even appoint this guy to its city council.
Elsewhere, in a nation where we brought a modern justice system, it's still functioning.
South Korean court extends prison sentence for wife of ousted president
May 5, 2026
Headline in the CST:
Judges reject Trump push to obtain state voter rolls
But of course our Secretary of State, Chuck "If you disagree with me you are a radical communist, fascist, monarchist, podiatrist" Gray just handed Wyoming's over.
May 16, 2026
Smith hasn't been confirmed as US Attorney for Wyoming yet.
May 21, 2026
It appears that Trump's settlement deal in his IRS suit may actually prove to be a bridge too far for Senate Republicans.
The deal, which frankly is the epitome of corruption, would create a slush fund to pay pardoned January 6 criminals for their inconvenience in being prosecuted as traitors to their country. That's what they are, and they should not have been pardoned, but Trump sought to go one step beyond that and reward the pack of Horst Wessels. Frankly, as soon as possible, the pardons should be unrung as illegitimate (Trump isn't a legitimate President and can't pardon anyone). Anyhow, Republicans are openly balking on the slush fund, amazingly. It must be really angering constituents, or just too much to stomach.
Indeed, they not only are balking, they sidetracked the ICE funding bill, showing that they're actually willing to do something that is guaranteed to send the Orange Mussolini into a screaming fit, but the fit will pit Trump's ICE demands up against his now open and obvious corruption and the hemorrhaging of the US budget. It'll be interesting to see where this goes, as once they break with Trump, their relationship with Trump is broken, and if he doesn't come to heel, they can't.
By way of an analogous example, Massie wouldn't come to heel on the Epstein files, but he was one man. Once it's a pack, it tends to grow.
So, a match is on.
May 29, 2026
A court ruled that Trump's adding his name to the Kennedy Center was illegal and ordered it removed within two weeks.
A different judge enjoined the IRS settlement slush fund from going forward.
June 2, 2026
Trump's insurrectionist slush fund seemed to be getting questioned by the court and now the Attorney General is saying it won't occur.
While Wyoming's Congressional delegation didn't protest it, a lot of Republicans in Congress were finding it to be a bridge too far.
June 3, 2026
Lawyers ask Wyoming Supreme Court to intervene in Gray voter data complaint
June 4, 2026
A Wyoming district court held that the whiney fascist crybabies leading the GOP have to follow state law and seat elected Republican precinct members, something another court did two years ago. The state central committee didn't want to do so as that keeps it from picking fascists.
It argues that its a private entity and doesn't have to follow state law. . . except of course when it comes to getting preferential places on ballots, having the state run party elections for it, and getting to pick members of certain offices when they become vacant. It's fine with all of that.
Satire aside, this would have been an opportunity for the Court to wipe all of that out, and it should have.
June 5, 2026
Wyoming GOP sues state, challenges constitutionality of ban on pre-primary candidate endorsements
All they really have to do is to quit having state funded primaries.
June 15, 2026
Last Friday retired Judge Campbell struck down a series of provisions regarding abortion. There was some chance that these would survive challenge, as they did not directly restrict abortion, such as there being a time delay after seeking one, an ultrasound, etc., but he ruled that the Wyoming Supreme Court's earlier decision meant that these were in the nature of health care and could not stand.
I disagree with him on that, but given the absurd Wyoming constitutional provision on health care I've addressed here before, and the S.Ct. decision, it's an understandable result. It'll go on to be challenged at the Wyoming Supreme Court level, probably.
I keep wondering if anyone has argued the true existential aspect of the questions. I don't know if that's been done or not.
On the nature of things, one of the local news outlets has had photos of a woman protesting holding a sign that says "Forced Birth = Violence".
Almost all abortions in the US are due to people who just had sex, and then sex resulted in what it results in. That's not forced birth, that's nature. The common "well what about ten year olds" and the like brings up a case scenario that's exceedingly rare. The reply to that would be to ask that person if they're opposed to all other abortions, which they are not.
Even at that, however, killing is killing. It would be just as logical to go out and determine every living American who came about due to rape or tike and shoot them dead now. Yes, rape and incest are horrible. Murder is probably the ultimate horrible, however.
Apparently the S.Ct asked, in its opinion, why those challenging abortion in Wyoming don't seek to amend the constitution. It was a constitutional amendment that got us here, so that makes sense. So far nobody's lifted a finger to do that. The likely reason is that they know that amending the provision to allow for making abortions illegal won't pass in the state. Instead, they feel their odds are better litigating about it, or complaining about it.
On other matters, the case challenging the primary system filed by Skovgaard is a pro se case, as I suspected, meaning it has about zero chance of actually succeeding.
June 18, 2026
Gordon sues Board of Equalization, asks court to enforce property tax cap
In other news, some members of the WFC are criticizing Wyoming courts as "activist", an absolutely absurd accusation, for not upholding the most recent abortion laws when the legislature itself is completely responsible for the constitutional amendment that causes those laws to do down in defeat.
The legislature could forward a repeal of that amendment, but it won't, as it's afraid that would go down in defeat. The whole thing is an example of playing a stupid game and winning a stupid prize.
June 19, 2026
Court sides with challenger to law banning drug users from possessing guns
What could go wrong?
On the topic mentioned above, we'll note that that you heard it here first, but now the drumbeat pointing out the hypocrisy is getting pretty loud:
Tom Lubnau: Sure, Pass Unconstitutional Bills And Blame 'Activist Judges'
Lubnau really throws the gauntlet down, stating:
The fix is simple. Pass a proposed constitutional amendment. I'll draft it for them: Article I, §38 is amended to add subsection (e): Abortion is not healthcare for purposes of this Article.
Come on Sanchez-Williams. Come on Bear. But your legislating where you claimed values are.
June 29, 2026
A good result:
Court prevents Trump from firing Fed governor
A 5 to 4 decision, with Thomas writing the dissent.
A bad result:
Court allows Trump to fire FTC commissioner and overturns major restraint on presidential power
A great result, but again 5 to 4:
Justices uphold state law allowing for late-arriving mail-in ballots
Trump's already bitching about this one, complaining that this provides why the SAVE Act needs to be passed.
And another good result:
Supreme Court will not consider $5 million verdict against Trump
Cont:
Supreme Court strikes down Trump’s order ending birthright citizenship
Yikes, that was the right result, but razor thin.
Cont:
And a bad one:
Justices strike down campaign finance law
Cont:
And a correct one:
Court rules that states can exclude transgender athletes from girls’ and women’s sports teams
July 3, 2025
A former Olympian has been falsely charged with vandalizing Donald Trump's Rhino Lined Algae pond as Trump is a baby and can't handle the truth.
These charges will fail, will result in a civil suit against the government which the government will ultimately settle for millions.
We've crossed the edge into the early stages of a fascist police state.
Gabriel Green has sued the State over residency requirements. A long time Wyoming resident, he recently resided in Arizona so the Secretary of State, properly in my view, found he did not meet the residency requirements.
The Secretary of State's office faces two other election related legal actions at the presen ttime.
With this, we'll close out this edition.
Last edition:
Ballroom Batshit. A demented president goes full bonkers. The 25th Amendment Watch List Fifteenth Edition and Court Watch Part VI.
Thursday, July 2, 2026
Sometime over the last 24 hours this blog went over the 4,000,000 viewers mark.
It went over the 3,000,000 mark just six months ago.
Thanks go out to all who stop in here. I'm sure this blog aggravates quite a few who stop in and read it. I appreciate your visiting.
Random Camera Blog: The Summer of ’76
Random Camera Blog: The Summer of ’76: The official logo for the 1976 bicentennial I’ve seen this a lot in recent social media - “Was the American Bicentennial a big deal in 197...
Friday, July 2, 1976. Repent.
In a move surprising noone, the Provisional Revolutionary Government of the Republic of South Vietnam was dissolved and the former Republic of South Vietnam was united with the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (North Vietnam).
The united Communist state changed its name to the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.
Regarding Vietnam, the News ran a story on a US raid to free POWs, but with a twist I've never seen before.
The News also reported on an example of actual judicial activism in the instance of abortion.
And the 1976 election was having some interesting twists and turns.
A coup failed in Sudan, but resulted in 800 deaths.
The National Catholic Register went to press with birthday wishes for the United States. Dorothy Day's message was "Repent", a message a valid now as it was then.
Last edition:
Thursday, July 1, 1976. The Smithsonian Air and Space Museum opens.
Tuesday, July 2, 1946. They were Nazis, but maybe they didn't know what they were doing?
The Luce–Celler Act of 1946 was signed into law giving all Philippines citizens living in the United States the right to become naturalized U.S. citizens.
Lucius Clay
Deputy Military Governor of the American Zone of Occupation in Germany Lt. Gen. Lucius D. Clay pardoned all Nazis under 27 years old, except for those accused of war crimes, and restored one million men to German citizenship.
His act was based on the presumption that men of that age had largely not appreciated what they were doing.
The great postwar accomodation of the Nazis in West Germany had begun.
The News discussed the first OPA free day.
Of note, the Pappy O'Daniel was the Senator from Texas, for which he'd previously been Governor. Hh also hosted a radio show. He'd become Senator O'Daniel in the controversial 1941 special election following the death of Morris Sheppard by defeating defeated Lyndon Johnson by 1,311 votes. He as a Southern, anti Roosevelt, Democrat. He ran again for governor in 1956 and 1958 during which he claimed Brown v. Board of Education was part of a Communist conspiracy. He finished third in the Democratic primaries both times. After his 1958 loss he accepted the nomination of the Constitution Party, but did not appear on the general election ballot due to the state's "sore loser" law. That nomination is somewhat interesting in context in that far right wing wackadoodle Rebecca Bextel, who is from the well funded Teton County carpetbagger wing of the GOP, is running on their ticket this year due to moronic thesis that cross over Democrats are going to get Barlow nominated for the GOP Governor slot and then she can come in and save the day by all the real Republicans voting for her in the general, something that shows a real deficit in mathematical understanding.
Orson Wells released The Stranger, his first film noir.
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Last edition:
Monday, July 1, 1946 Crossroads Able.
Friday, July 2, 1926. Air Corps established.
Mexican President Plutarco Elías Calles published the vile Calles Law, effective July 31, which banned religious education, foreign priests and political commentary in religious publications, seizing church property and holding that worship could only be conducted inside of churches and under the supervision of local officials
I've written on Calles before, who in some ways got his just deserts, but the damage he did is still felt to this day.
The United States Army Air Corps was established as an expansion of the United States Army Air Service that had been created on May 24, 1918. It was not, however, an independent service, nor did it enjoy the level of autonomy of the Navy's Marine Corps. Nor should it have. . . even to the present day.
Canadian Governor General Julian Byng dissolved Parliament.and scheduled new elections for the House of Commons and Senate to take place on September 14, which seems like a rather long delay.
Silent Cal addressed the Press:
People were calling Aimee Sample McPherson's disappearance story into question.
Last edition:
Thursday, July 1, 1926. Sweden creates an air arm, Safeway and Skaggs merge, Canada goes back on the gold standard.
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