Use The Fourth

What would summer be without reruns? 

Here's one from Paying Attention™’s Fourth of Julys past. No ghosts. Just gasps. Sit back and enjoy this thrilling story of yesteryear, brought to you without commercial interruption…

Independence Day Extravaganza

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
July 4, 2018

On this 242^nd anniversary of the great experiment in democracy that is the United States, I am reminded of a day back in 1976, during our nation’s Bicentennial Brouhaha, when the man who pardoned the criminal Richard Nixon – unelected president Gerald R. Ford – dared to show his face in Philadelphia – the birthplace of American democracy (Anyone remember that?), and right outside Independence Hall of all places. 

Despite the city’s attempts to relegate protesters to a remote location, far away from Ford, a ragtag file of demonstrators – the Philadelphia Painted Faces Brigade – flouted the anti-First Amendment attempt to countermand the right of “people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances,” and braved a phalanx of constabularies and angry “patriots,” to be near Independence Hall, the Liberty Bell and Nixon’s handpicked successor/enabler.  Members of the PPFB were told to “love it or leave it,” caused to dodge projectiles, threats and epithets, but this tiny but determined group, eventually joined by more aggressive agitators from New York, stood their ground and made their voices heard.  It was a big story (actually, a tiny one) in all the papers (well, one of them), and the lads were photographed extensively by several men in very nice suits.  All members eventually showed up on America’s Most Ignored list.

Philadelphia Bulletin, circa July 5, 1976
(Thanks to BtB for archival material)
inset below

Two founding members of the PPFB – July 4, 1976
The Punishment Brothers, Cruel and Unusual 

Zappa/Beefheart – 200 Years Old

Incendiary signage was waved.  Anti-authoritarian chants filled the air.  And yes, a flag may have been set ablaze, either to signify the rockets’ red glare, or perhaps the bombs bursting in air, or possibly to express outrage at the presence of the man – himself unelected to the highest office in the land – who pardoned a criminal president, the lingering resentment of the recently ended Vietnam War, and the long history of genocide, slavery, government sponsored corporate malfeasance, international tomfoolery, and all the other intolerable acts carried out in the name of the American people.

Gil Scott Heron – Bicentennial Blues

That Was Then, This Is Then-er

Forty-two years later, members of the PPFB remain committed to the ideals of a nation that values gender, economic and social equality, a government of, by and for the people, a healthy environment, and what some have referred to as life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.  Some people never learn.

As we celebrate the Fourth of July in 2018, we have a president more criminal than any other.  We anxiously await the report and/or further arrests pursuant to the investigation of the 45^th – and most fascist – president by Special Counsel Robert Mueller, who is looking into connections between said president and a panoply of Russian oligarchs, spies, lawyers and other friends of this president’s idol, Vladimir Putin.  Countless members of 45’s inner circle have Russian connections.  An unknown number of Russians attended his inauguration, including various attendees at exclusive, invitation-only inauguration events. 

One cannot help but wonder how many Russians have attended other inaugurations.  I wonder how many Russians attended Barack Obama’s inauguration.  I wonder when, if ever, Republican’ts in Congress might start to question the relationship between their party’s leader – who was unquestionably helped, if not catapulted, into office by Vladimir Putin (who despised and feared Hillary Clinton) – and the Russian government.  I will not be holding my breath…or my tongue.

Der Furor has also announced his plan to meet privately with his Russian benefactor – so there will be no actual record of their conversation.  This is usually an indication that El Dummo is sharing state secrets.  If this meet turns out half as well as the recent punking by Kim Jong Un, the next Fourth of July might feature real rockets’ red glare/bombs bursting in air, if not proof through the night that our flag is still there.  I say, if it walks like a schmuck, and it quacks like a schmuck, and it has the world’s most ridiculous “hair,” it will hopefully end up in prison, or at the very least impeached, ostracized, and a pariah for all time.

What is that pile of shit on top of its head?
(undoctored photo, I swear)

It is ironic that on our nation’s anniversary there has been a leak of plans to change the very nature of our Constitution.  Once again, Paying Attention has exclusive reporting thanks to our new intern, Willie Nilly who spoke to a highly placed, anonymous, non-existent source, who gave the alias Creep Bloat.  “Get ready for some serious Constitutional rewrites.  These guys are not backing down and they have some very big, very stupid ideas.  What the hell do you think is going to happen once the Court is stacked, and loaded for the Middle Ages?  This is only the tip of the shitstorm we can expect from now on, unless the Tumor-in-chief is excised once and for all.  Me, I’m moving to Greenland.  Like NOW!”

Here are some of the proposed changes Jared Kushner, who (among all the other jobs he always was, and has since proven he is absolutely, without a shadow of a doubt, unqualified, incapable, and not-the-least-bit-interested in doing) was made responsible for restructuring the federal government, is “working” on:

Amendment I: Congress shall not interfere with any law demanding an establishment of religion, or more accurately Christianity as law of the land.  The president (as long as it is a white, male Republican) shall be free to abridge the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, or to petition the Government for a redress of grievances as he sees fit, or simply throws a fit.

Amendment II: An uneducated electorate, being necessary to the security of a Republican-controlled State, the right of the people to remain purposefully and aggressively ignorant, shall not be infringed. Oh, and more guns please, mainly for white people.

Amendment III: Any Soldier shall, even in time of peace be quartered in any house, without the consent of the Owner, and in time of war, can do whatever they want, such as grab them by the pussy, regardless of any law that may appear to be contrary.

Amendment IV: The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, is quaint and obsolete, and no Warrants shall be necessary, nor probable cause, nor Oath nor affirmation, and any place shall be searched, and any persons or things shall be seized at the whim of the Executive or his agents, especially his daughter Ivanka, whom he covets above all else (and not in a good way).

Amendment V: All persons shall be caused to answer for capital, or otherwise infamous crimes (unless having anything whatsoever to do with Russians), despite any danger to themselves; do not think for a moment that you cannot be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; or be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against yourself, or possibly be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law if you dare to even speak against the president; private property shall be taken for public use, without just compensation if it please the Executive or his agents (see Amendment IV).

Hopefully, this project will either never get anywhere, like all of Kushner’s other projects, or will have to be completed from the comfort of a federal prison.

I. Mangrey.  Bad craziness.  Panic first, ask questions later.                                                                                                                                                     

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