So, It Begins...

 Yesterday, I avoided any kind of news at any cost. I turned off notifications on my phone, checked my email sparingly, watched only DVDs and was able to avoid any reports about what was currently going on in Washington D. C.

On that day, a man convicted of a felony, a man who was indicted for three others, a man who was found guilty of sexual assault, a man who incited an insurrection against the government of the United States of America took the oath of the office of President of the United States.

Of course, I’m referring to Donald Trump. I am filled with dread about all of the terrible things he and his cohorts will enact. Already, in slightly over one day, he has done the following (among others):

Pardoning January 6 Rioters: Trump pardoned about 1,500 individuals charged in the January 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol.

National Border Emergency: Declared a national border emergency and ordered the U.S. armed forces to repel illegal migration and drug trafficking at the U.S.-Mexico border.

Rescinding Biden’s Executive Orders: Rescinded 78 executive orders approved by Joe Biden, including efforts to curb greenhouse gas emissions and protect federal lands from oil drilling.

Halting TikTok Ban: Halted the enforcement of a ban on TikTok in the U.S. for 75 days.

Renaming Gulf of Mexico: Officially renamed the Gulf of Mexico to the “Gulf of America”.

Federal employees required to return to work in-person

Executive order aims to end birthright citizenship

rump ended an Environmental Protection Agency rule that required auto manufacturers to cut greenhouse gas emissions by half in new light- and medium-duty vehicles beginning in 2027.

Alaska’s Mount Denali back to Mount McKinley, reversing the name change by President Obama

Rescinded the Biden administration orders that put many of the DEI apparatus in place.

Executive order that begins the process of withdrawing the United States from the Paris Climate Agreement

He also announced that the US will be withdrawing from the World Health Organization (WHO)

Reality Check

 Today the congress of the United States of America met in joint session to certify the results of the 2024 presidential election. This was accomplished without incident and is a routine occurrence after a presidential election. There was nothing extraordinary about it.

This went off without a hitch because the losing candidate, the current Vice President, acknowledged and accepted the results of the election. She did her sworn duty, as all vice presidents have previously done.

There is nothing notable about the event but it contrasts sharply with the same event exactly 4 years ago today. Then, the loser of the election, the then President, refused to accept the results and encouraged his followers to protest the outcome of the election. Many of them then violently broke into the capitol and proceeded to disrupt the proceedings. Several of them threatened the individual members of Congress, destroyed public property and injured, and even killed some of the police personnel who were there. Thankfully, the Congress was eventually able to reconvene and the then Vice-President did carry out his sworn duty and the election was duly certified.

The losing candidate continued did nothing, for several hours to stop his supporters and stop the violence. For the next 3 weeks (and beyond), he continued to not accept reality and insisted that he had, indeed won the election, but it was rigged. Later, when the new President was inaugurated, he refused to attend the ceremony as other presidents had.

What I have just stated is factual. This is reality. If you disagree with these facts, then I ask you to do us both a favor. Please unfriend me and have no further contact with me. I don’t hate you, but I have no desire to waste your time or my time. If you disagree what I’ve said, there can no good outcome of our further contact with one another.

Thank you for reading this. I wish you all well.