TRUMP FOLLIES

Before Trump-time, a bit more about the Los Angeles County wildfire, which is approaching 30,000 acres.  How bad is that in the history of California?  

• Tiny, but, location, location, location!  This fire destroyed an expensive portion of  the state.  Damages have already exceeded anything in the past, so far estimated to exceed $150 billion.  The 2018 Paradise fire was #1 in damages at only $12.5 billion.  
• Over 10,000 structures destroyed, placing the LA fire at #2.  
• The 10 so far killed could well reach and exceed the 2020 #5 North Complex fire with 15 deaths.
• The 2003 Lahaina wildfire on Maui covered 3,453 acres, with 100 deaths., exceeding the #1 85 killed in the 2018 Camp Fire in Butte County, California.
• Note below that most of the worst have occurred in this first quarter period of the 21st century.

The five largest wildfires in California history

1. August Complex fire (2020) in far northwest California: 1,032,648 acres
2. Dixie fire (2021) in northern California: 963,309 acres
3. Mendocino Complex fire (2018) in northern California: 459,123 acres
4. Park fire (2024) in northern California: 429,603 acres
5. SCU Lightning Complex fire (2020): 396,125 acres

The five most destructive wildfires in California history

1. Camp fire (2018) in Butte County: 18,804 structures destroyed
2. Tubbs fire (2017) in Napa and Sonoma counties: 5,636 structures destroyed
3. Tunnel fire (1991) near Oatkland: 2,900 structures destroyed
4. Cedar fire (2003) in San Diego: 2,820 structures destroyed
5. North Complex fire (2020) in northeast California: 2,352 structures destroyed

The five deadliest wildfires in California history

1. Camp fire: 85 deaths
2. Griffith Park fire (1933) in Los Angeles: 29 deaths
3. Tunnel fire: 25 deaths
4. Tubbs fire: 22 deaths
5. North Complex fire: 15 deaths

So on to the Trump follies, which might be too-lighthearted a title, for what has happened, with a lot more to come, will no doubt be dreadful and dangerous in all of U.S. history.

• We have had 45 presidents in history.
• 150 scholars a year ago placed Donald Trump at #45, in last place.
• Knowing this, American voters still picked him to run the country again.  Incredible!  All the more so because he lies all the time with a horrible character bordering on being abominable.
• Oh, Joe Biden came in at #14, with Abraham Lincoln #1, Franklin D. Roosevelt #2, George Washington #3, Teddy Roosevelt #4, Thomas Jefferson #5, Harry Truman #6 and Barrack Obama #7.

Today, Judge Juan Merchan officially announced that Donald Trump was guilty of 34 charges, and will forever remain a felon, but, because the Supreme Court passed a judgement protecting him, will receive no penalty.  On January 20, Trump will become the first U.S. president convicted of a felon.  Can you believe this?  He filed an appeal.

Yesterday, The 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals denied a request by Trump to bar Attorney General Merrick Garland from releasing his two-volume  report covering both the January 6 coup and Florida documents investigations.  Trump's crony, Florida Judge Aileen Cannon then said the report could not be released for three days, which Garland appealed.  No matter, the Department of Justice will publicly release the January 6 report on Monday, while delaying the second volume on the matter of confidential papers because two co-defendants are on trial for being accessories to Trump's crime.  This means the incoming Justice Department will not be able to whitewash the proceedings.  Also, surely there will be a block-buster documentary, and maybe even film, sharing the details, to further embarrass and confine Trump.

From TIME magazine:

• What Trump Told TIME About Elon Musk
• Where Trump 2.0 Might Look Very Different From Trump 1.0
• A Massive Immigration Courts Backlog Could Slow Trump’s Deportation Plans
• How Gender-Affirming Health Care Providers Are Preparing for Trump’s Presidency
• Why U.S. Flags Are Being Flown at Half-Staff on Inauguration Day—And Trump’s Reaction

So on to more Trump follies:

• His relationship with  Elon Musk.
• Musk's companies have received more than $15 billion federal contracts over the past decade, helping him become the richest man in the world.
• Is Musk ruining Trump's presidency before it's even started?
• Is Trump complaining about Elon in private?
• 
  Trump wants to rename the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America.  He likes the ring to that term.
• He has also more recently, in reference to the Western Hemisphere, referred to Canada as the 51st State, not as a joke, but a possible near-term future.

• 
  Demanded that Denmark consider ceding Greenland to the USA.
• Called for Panama to return the Panama Canal.
• So he takes both by military might.  Who will fight America?
• For his MAGA crowd, they probably will love all of this.

• 
  What's happening on the mass deportation front?  Watch this.  13 million?  20 million?  4% of the the U.S. population?  $315 billion cost?  
• Who knows.

• About his cabinet nominees.
• Happens in the U.S. Senate, where there are 54 Republicans and 47 Democrats.
• There are 1300 political appointee positions that require Senate confirmations.  Many, especially in the Department of Defense, go straight to the floor.  

• 
  However, Pete Hegseth's confirmation hearing for secretary of defense will begin on January 14 in the Senate Armed Services Committee.  This could get painful.
• Marco Rubio as Secretary of State.? Hey, these are his people.  Of course he will get through easily.
• Maybe also next week, Tulsi Gabbard could come before the Senate Intelligence Committee.  This also will be difficult.

• 
  Also contentious will be Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for secretary of health and human services, who will face both the Senate Health Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, plus the Senate Finance Committee.  15,000 doctors have already signed a letter of non-confirmation, and Hawaii Governor Josh Green, a doctor, is in DC to plead rejection.

• 
  This list is a mere beginning of Trump's follies.  A lot more will come, like:
• How many media opponents will be jailed in the coming years?  Democrat politicians?
• How will Trump insure for Congressional dominance in the 2026 elections, which will be next year?
• Trump will insure that the Department of Defense will support his next coup attempt to seal a dictatorship.  How will his overall plan proceed?  Could become unnecessary if the 7November2028 presidential election is cancelled.

With that, amen.

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