Update no.1248

 Update from the Heartland

No.1248

8.12.25 – 14.12.25

Blog version:  http://heartlandupdate.blogspot.com/

 

To all,

 

From a protracted debate about United States support of Ukraine in the defense of their national sovereignty in a different forum, I offer the following excerpt [contributor: red; mine: blue]: 

Wow! That is quite the list of queries. I shall endeavor to respond with my opinions (and that is all that they are). I had to find a work-around to deal with the quirks of my eMail system. My opinions inserted below.

“Let's push back: Why when our own country's infrastructure including our own economy is in a rapid failure mode (except for the super wealthy and Silicon Valley TECH monsters) do we need to be giving Ukraine the tens if not hundreds of billions of dollars to them, if our conditions are so dire?”

We did not instigate the Russian invasion of Ukraine. That source is the Kremlin alone and Putin specifically. He dictated the timing and the action. Yes, I would rather be spending that treasure on American poor who need our help. I do not agree with an assessment that our conditions are ‘dire.’

“Why reignite a new Cold War (version 3.3 the new and improved model) with a failed USSR now we call the Russian Federation?”

We did NOT reignite the Cold War. If anyone deserves that blame, it is Putin alone. He chose to invade Ukraine and kill Ukrainians willy-nilly.

“Why are we not helping our own Afghan and Iraq war VETS living on the streets, some addicted to alcohol & drugs, PTSD'd, and unable to afford their own housing?”

The current administration is making those decisions. The orange one is the singular source of those decisions.

“Why are we pushing Russia towards a more regional and widespread war with Europe (NATO)?”

We did not push Russia to invade Ukraine. We are not pushing Russia to do anything other than stop killing Ukrainians.

“Why is our so called leader calling on wars on Venezuela, Columbia and Mexico?”

The ego and eccentricities of [the person who shall no longer be named] must be fed, such is the nature of his malignant narcissism affliction. He needs an enemy. His cowardice wants an enemy he can manage. Russia and China are too big in his mind.

“Since Nancy Reagan's so called "Just Say No!" campaign on drugs, why does our country not focus more on the demand side than supply side?”

An excellent and applicable query. Since Nixon opened this ridiculous “war on drugs,” the USG has spent billions, if not trillions, of our money in the Treasury on the wrong part of the equation. Demand has been and always will be the primary factor in the equation—demand. IMHO, the USG ignores demand because it would mean spending money on helping people. It also means recognizing that freedom of choice is a fundamental unalienable right. Proper capitalism would say, there is demand, let’s get legal products to satisfy that demand. No, we chose to ignore the lessons of the alcohol prohibition era. I wrote a novel about this very issue—Indulgence. You should read it.

“What we have in America, is the DIS^ease of DISPAIR.” [emphasis original contributor]

I will disagree because I do not feel despair. I certainly understand why you would say that. After the orange one and his MAGAts have unleashed a police state in the name of immigration control. Unfortunately, they have scooped up U.S. citizens, legal immigrants, and a large number of undocumented potential immigrants; none with due process of law. There are lots of MAGAt things to despair about. The nationwide effort to make voting far more difficult and discourage general voting. I could go on and on. So, I understand despair, but this too shall pass. We shall move on (eventually) to brighter, sunlit uplands. I just hope the orange has not done too much damage.

“Can we afford a nuke conflict at this juncture of humanity?”

NO! No one can. And, the more we alienate our allies and isolate ourselves, the more we invite others to take that step. No one wins in a nuclear exchange.

“Are we truthfully trying to contain Russia, excite Russia, or destroy Russia???”

None of the above! We want Russia to be a peaceful, non-aggressive, member of economic nations. The Russian people must change their government. It is not up to us.

A few afterthoughts if you will permit me. There are some simple facts in this whole mess. Ukraine did not attack Russia. Russia attacked Ukraine twice. The first time in 2014 when there “Little Green Men” invaded the Eastern Ukraine province of Donbass and carried out an illegal plebiscite in Crimea, so that Russia could annex the peninsula. That did not satisfy Putin. Then, with no more effort at subterfuge in 2022, Russia invaded Ukraine in full measure, attempting to take Kviv outright. The protracted assault has exposed the genocidal methods of the Russian military, undoubtedly under orders from Putin and his ultra-right-wing cronies and supporters. Russia should never get and definitely does not deserve any gains from Ukraine. Can anyone imagine giving up 20% of our country to an invader for just a promise of peace . . . as Britain and France did to Czechoslovakia in 1938?

 

Comments and contributions from Update no.1247:

“Thanks Cap-a very strong and meaning message- thanks, we all feel that way too.”

My reply:

Thx mate. I try to call ‘em like I see ‘em. I do not proclaim that I always have it correct, but I try. It is comforting that I am not a lone voice in the wind. This too shall pass.

 

Comment to the Blog:

“I see no reason not to believe Agent Orange is taking orders from Putin through sheer stupidity, extortion, or both. The legalities you mention are not part of anyone’s calculations, but Ukraine’s situation in relation to Europe isn’t what Czechoslovakia’s was.

“The claim of pursuing drug traffickers has disguised many politicians’ devious motives. As many others have pointed out, Venezuela has the largest proven petroleum reserves in the world. Agent Orange is fascinated with oil. Drugs, if any, aren’t his real concern.”

My response to the Blog:

Oh, I do not know that it goes that far, but it sure does look that way. There is no question that the USG 28-point plan for peace in Ukraine is most of Russia’s demands. Ukraine is being asked to give up a lot, 20% of their sovereign territory and most of their operable coastline (ports). I think the orange one wants to curry favor. Ukraine is not the same as 1938 Czechoslovakia, but there quite a few similarities.

Interesting observation. Perhaps so. I would agree that the real issue is not illegal drugs; he does not care a twit about other people. His real concern may well be oil, but that is hard to see yet prove. I remain quite disturbed that the USG refuses to recognize demand in the smuggling equation.

 . . . Round two:

“Historians (or possibly the legal system) will determine why Agent Orange does as Putin says, but he does.

“We need not prove Agent Orange's Venezuela motivation to a court. It's enough to have a working assumption so that we can base our actions on it.”

 . . . my response to round two:

Yes, he does, and that is a genuine tragedy for Ukraine. The beleaguered nation has done its best to defend its territory against an unprovoked, unjustified aggressor. The West tried its best to support Ukraine in their effort. But, as you say, history will have to judge.

I can support that position. I just hope he keeps his current illegal actions at a low level. The legality of the high seas executions is debatable. Invading another country is not. I suspect he is trying to provoke Maduro to take an instigating action. We need to pay attention.

 

My very best wishes to all.  Take care of yourselves and each other.

Cheers,

Cap                  :-)

Update no.1247

Update from the Heartland

No.1247

1.12.25 – 7.12.25

Blog version:  http://heartlandupdate.blogspot.com/

 

To all,

 

The loose rhetoric and outright evidence-less conspiracy theories about President Volodymyr Oleksandrovych Zelenskyy of Ukraine, the Ukrainian nation, and their efforts to defend their nation against the blatant aggression of their neighbor—Russia—have not helped the peace process. Unfortunately, we have a president and his sycophant minions who believe that drivel and pass it on as facts. Despite the efforts of previous administrations, the current government of [the person who shall no longer be named] appears bound and determine to align the United States with the aggressor. The U.S. government presented a 28-point plan. Two stipulations of that USG plan were:

“6. The size of the Armed Forces of Ukraine will be limited to 600,000 personnel.

“7. Ukraine agrees to enshrine in its constitution that it will not join NATO, and NATO agrees to include in its statutes a provision that Ukraine will not be admitted in the future.”

The audacity of just these two of 28 conditions is striking. Apparently, the negotiators and We, the People, must be reminded that Ukraine has been a free and independent nation since 1991 with the dissolution of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR). The Ukrainians suffered and endured a series of Russian surrogate puppets like Belarus does to this day. In 2014, they shook off that shackle and freely elected their first truly Ukrainian president. Putin and his ultra-right-wing cronies were not happy and decided to punish Ukraine for their drive to be truly free of Russian domination. The Ukraine government made advances toward European Union membership and the umbrella protection of full NATO participation. Putin and his buddies did not like that, so they rattled their saber to intimidate and cower Ukraine and the former Warsaw Pact countries for that matter. The Russian army invaded Donbass with “Little Green Men,” i.e., Russian soldiers without identification, and they conduct an illegitimate plebiscite in Crimea; both actions in 2014. That deed did not accomplish what Putin wanted, so he initiated an outright invasion in 2022. To this day, Russians occupy around 20% of Ukraine. They continue to bombard schools, residential buildings, shopping centers, hospitals, and innocent Ukrainian women and children. Putin is not fighting a war of any kind or sort. Putin is attempting to destroy Ukraine—their brutal form of scorched earth . . . to punish them for daring to be free. What is distinctly and starkly missing from the Russian peace plan under a United States title is, there is no mention of prosecution of Russian war crimes. These are largely Russia’s conditions, not Ukrainian; they are not even American. They are Russian plain and simple.

I do not want war. I do not want Ukrainians, or Russians for that matter, to die because of a hegemonic dictator in Moscow. I want the Russian war on Ukraine to end. I also want Ukraine to be free . . . to be free, to choose their course in international relations. I support their efforts to join the EU and NATO. From my perspective, the orange one’s 28-point plan ‘for’ Ukraine is quite akin to the Munich Accord signed by Chamberlain and Daladier in 1938, when they unilaterally dissected Czechoslovakia, another independent, sovereign nation, to satisfy another hegemonic dictator. How did that work out? History will record the same judgment.

Just a sidenote of sorts, NATO has been, from its inception, a solely defensive organization. Russian claims of feeling threatened by NATO at its border is bogus, nonsensical, and verging upon irrational. They have had NATO on their border since 2004. Why did the former Warsaw Pact nations join NATO? Simple answer—protection . . . from Russia. No one has attacked Russia, but Russia sure as hell attacked other sovereign countries—Georgia (2008), Ukraine (2014). Russians love to point to the 27 million people they lost in fighting the Germans in World War II as rationale for their actions today. What they conveniently ignore or refuse to acknowledge are the million plus Russians killed by Stalin and his NKVD / NKGB agents to satisfy Uncle Joe’s paranoia. Punishing Ukraine for Stalin’s / Putin’s paranoia is wrong and absolutely unacceptable.

 

During my contemplation of Ukraine’s situation with the United States advocating for the Russian demands, a number of relevant questions came to mind.

1. Is Ukraine a free, independent, sovereign nation?

2. Does Ukraine have the rights of sovereign nations to decide its path to peace and prosperity?

3. Is Ukraine just a contemporary version of 1938 Czechoslovakia?

4. What right does Russia have to take territory from Ukraine by force of arms?

5. What authority does any nation have to dictate to Ukraine (or Czechoslovakia) how they should choose to live?

6. What is the difference between Putin’s claims on the Donbass region and Hitler’s claims on Sudetenland in Czechoslovakia?

I would genuinely like to hear how others answer the above questions, and how they see the Ukrainian situation? Or even, their opinion on the orange one’s 28-point plan. Let’s hear it—good, bad, or ugly.

 

Yet another MAGAt fallacy becomes clear. The orange one likes the term ‘narco-terrorism’ in his warped rationalization for the deployment of massive military force to interdict narco-traffickers in the Caribbean Sea. This administration joins previous administrations—Nixon, Reagan, and now the orange administration. No name wants us to believe there is an active program to contaminate our society with illegal drugs. The fallacy in the whole process is, they ignore demand. If there was no demand for those substances, there would be no smuggling. Case in point from history, the massive smuggling and criminal operations that existed during the prohibition era (1919-1933) brought significant direct and collateral crime to feed demand. No demand, no supply. Worse, no name has initiated extra-judicial executions in the name of stopping narco-terrorism without due process of law. At least one of those attack videos showed what appeared to be an empty boat. Just another necessary reminder, only Congress has the authority to declare war, or short of that, to authorize the use of military force. None of those actions have occurred. Congress has remained impotent and immobile. These are the times in which we live.

 

Comments and contributions from Update no.1246:

Comment to the Blog:

“Those of us who have consumed too much fiction expect the villains in this situation to be brilliant, but evil. Someone pointed out recently that in reality, most of them are barely competent. They’ve stumbled upon circumstances they can exploit. Here we are. Bondi’s and Halligan’s attempted persecutions of James Comey and Leticia James are outstanding examples of this. In other situations, individuals just like these don’t thrive.

“On the same note, while I hope Mark Kelly remains impervious to this nonsense, Agent Orange has drawn much more attention to the duty to refuse illegal orders. That could set up prosecutions.

“I agree that Agent Orange committed sedition on January 6, 2021. He might not live long enough to receive sentencing for that.

“The people making the decisions about health insurance and other issues at the Federal level have so much money that they needn’t worry about paying for healthcare. They are the goats. The MAGAts are the sheep.

“I await the release of the Epstein files (not redacted other than victims’ identities), and I support the calls to listen to the victims who continue trying to get Americans’ attention.”

My response to the Blog:

I cannot argue with your assessment. The orange one’s penchant for choosing bootlickers for important jobs is pervasive, demonstrable, and well-known. Most intelligent citizens see them exactly for what they are—bootlicker sycophants. Any individual who cozies up to the orange one like a moth to the flame should always remember loyalty is a one-way street with that con-man. He will use you and throw you away; easy come, easy go.

I am not sure I see the “drawn . . . to” assessment. I think he knows he is guilty and is screaming to obfuscate and deflect. Now, they are throwing the CinC South Command, Admiral Bradley, under the bus.

Whether the orange one lives long enough is not what I am concerned about. I want history to record his malfeasance.

Interesting observation about health insurance agents.

I am with you on the Epstein files. I want the consumers of Epstein’s services to face the public humiliation, and if possible, the prosecution they deserve.

 . . . Round two:

“I never said Agent Orange intended to draw attention to military law. That's the result, though.

“I didn't say anything about any insurance agents. They are not the ones making policy decisions. The wealthy people who operate the party Central Committees make the decisions.”

 . . . my response to round two:

OK. Noted. ‘Nuf said.

It is unfortunate that you apparently took my comments as a direct statement about you. When Congress grappled with the PPACA legislation, they struggled with who would pay. A portion sought a universal health care system similar to numerous other countries. We are part way toward that objective, e.g., Medicaid, Medicare, and to a certain extent, the original PPACA. From my perspective, Congress buckled under the enormous pressure from the health insurance companies to utilize the existing payor system, i.e., their companies. It was a compromise that created numerous deficiencies thus making PPACA an easy target for conservatives, who do not care a twit about people.

We have long agreed that money corrupts our political systems. We like to claim purity, but we are a very long way from democracy. It is no wonder so many citizens are and become disheartened by the political process. We must continue the struggle to achieve true democracy.

 . . . Round three:

“I think I know where I went off track in the discussion about health insurance. I didn't say or read anything personal to me. ‘The people making the decisions’ about health insurance that I referred to aren't me, you, or the politicians enacting the decisions. They are insurance executives and Wall Street players.”

 . . . my response to round three:

I am not so sure it is that simple. One of the many flaws in the PPACA is the ceding of payer authority to the for-profit insurance companies. I am running into those insurance decisions in my medical treatment. So far, we have been successful, but the request for approval, rejection, and appeal process takes time that I do not have much of it these days. I’m not sure I want Congress making those decisions either. I feel the total rejection day coming as my treatments get more complex and my capacity to tolerate those treatments decreases. Sooner or later, an ‘enough’ decision must be made. Money is not in limitless supply for anyone, including me. That’s the difficult part.

Just some thoughts of first-hand observations.

 . . . Round four:

“I support your personal observation, and it generalizes to all of us. I hope one day we'll emulate countries with better health outcomes, which have single-payer systems. The problem about that is how we can push those who are making personal and corporate fortunes out of the way.”

 . . . my response to round four:

Thank you for your support.

I would suggest in the same way Roosevelt pushed for the massive reform during the Great Depression era. Health care is a very complex matter. Yet, there are simple axioms, e.g., early detection improves outcomes. We will continue to advocate for universal health care (of some form).

 

My very best wishes to all.  Take care of yourselves and each other.

Cheers,

Cap                  :-)

Update no.1246

 Update from the Heartland

No.1246

24.11.25 – 30.11.25

Blog version:  http://heartlandupdate.blogspot.com/

 

To all,

 

The no name criminal retribution indictments against former FBI director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letticia James were dismissed without prejudice by from U.S. District Judge Cameron McGowan Currie. The judge concluded, “The appointment of Ms. Halligan as Interim U.S. Attorney violated 28 U.S.C. §546 and the Appointments Clause of the U.S. Constitution.” [Article II, § 2, clause 2.] She also decided, “I will invalidate the ultra vires acts performed by Ms. Halligan and dismiss the indictment without prejudice, returning [Comey and James] to the status [they] occupied before being indicted.”

After no name dismissed the experience and lawful U.S. attorney, AG Bondi appointed Lindsey Halligan, a former White House aide with no prior prosecutorial experience, to replace him as U.S. Attorney, Eastern District of Virginia. The judge decided Bondi did not possess the authority to make such an appointment, thus any action taken by Halligan was therefore invalid. The ‘without prejudice’ means the government can still proceed against Comey and James with a properly nominated and confirmed U.S. attorney.

The judge did not pass judgment on the legal worthiness of the indictment or cases against Comey and James. Given the juvenile vindictiveness of [the person who shall no longer be named], I suspect Bondi, being a devoted bootlicker, will pursue the cases once she has a proper and legal U.S. attorney to prosecute the cases. It is truly unfortunate that the cases were not dismissed outright with prejudice since they are clearly retribution actions based on political animus toward both Comey and James. No name is a very small, petty man, and I hesitate to refer to him as a man, since he is a juvenile, verging on infantile, boy . . . certainly not a mature man.

 

On 18.November.2025, six members of Congress released a video urging the U.S. military to obey the law. The video was notionally titled: ‘Don’t Give Up the Ship.’ For those who may not have seen the video and wish to do so, here is the URL: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/Fk9Gh3qwW4I.

Of course, you know who was offended. Also as usual, the guilty parties scream the loudest. 

No name wrote:

SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR, punishable by DEATH!

10:21 AM Nov 20, 2025

The so-called Secretary of Defense Hegseth indicated he intended to recall Mark Kelly to active duty so that he could be court-martialed for his participation in the ‘Don’t Give Up the Ship’ video. Why Kelly? They were all former military officers. Perhaps, it was because he was the senior officer among those in the video. Or perhaps, it was because he is the most prominent as a former Navy combat pilot, astronaut, and husband of Gabrielle Dee ‘Gabby’ Giffords. No, it was because he is the only retired officer, which by law makes him subject to recall. 

Once again, there was absolutely nothing wrong, inaccurate, false, or even remotely critical. They only pointed out the law. As everyone will note, none the member of Congress made any reference to no name, the current administration or any other hint about current affairs—only the law. To all the MAGAts out there, what was wrong in that video?

Just a note for clarity: What no name did inciting the insurrection in violation of the Constitution on 6.January.2021 was seditious, by any and every definition of the term. He should have been tried, convicted and sent to prison for what he did directly in that sordid affair. Thanks to the Supremes, they declared the president had qualified immunity; and then, the MAGAts elected a convicted Felon to be president. Now, to be clear, the MAGAts are a minority. Unfortunately, a goodly portion of the majority chose not to vote in the last presidential election (2024). Thus, we have what we have, and we must suffer the consequences. Such are the ways of life.

 

The fallacy in the MAGAt / Republican position on medical insurance is, you do not need it until you do. It is no different from automobile or home insurance. You never need it until you do. They are playing games with health care insurance as if it is some wonton expense.

I have had health care ‘insurance’ to cover my family and myself since I entered the U.S. Naval Academy after graduating high school at age 17 years. I have had an annual physical every year since then. To do just that preventative action without insurance coverage, I would have needed to be wealthy (which I am not and never have been) or I would forego those preventative examinations, exposing me to diseases that might progress beyond the point of no return.

 

Comments and contributions from Update no.1245:

Comment to the Blog:

“Don’t lose hope for prosecution in the Epstein cases. The relevant statutes of limitations for sexual assault on children would be those for New York and Florida, with New York the most likely state to prosecute in these cases. New York’s criminal statute of limitations for child sexual assault goes until the victim is age 55; Florida has no time limit. https://www.sokolovelaw.com/personal-injury/sexual-abuse/statute-of-limitations/ In civil law, the same limitations apply. https://www.findlaw.com/injury/torts-and-personal-injuries/sexual-assault-civil-statutes-of-limitations-by-state.html The only remaining hangup is the loopholes in the Epstein Files Transparency Act. Dozens of victims are available to fill in the gaps.

“My picture of the Felon is of a schoolyard bully with big money behind him who’s gone unchecked for his entire sick life. Of course he calls people names, and his base laps up that hatred. I agree that the silence of the ‘professional’ press is worse. It’s inhumane, unprofessional, and fails to guard their field.

“The attack on the veteran Members of Congress won’t be forgiven. Like any bully from the back yard to the White House, the Felon demands absolute obedience due to his fear of losing control (which will happen). I suspect the message got out all the same.

“The Republican Party has openly catered to the high and mighty dating back to Reagan. The Democrats serve them more quietly, although some of them object nowadays.”

My response to the Blog:

I hope your assessment is correct. If so, I shall retain my hope. The victims are showing signs of mobilizing, which is a good thing. There is strength in numbers and unity.

I absolutely agree with your assessment of the Felon and the professional Press.

I also share your view of the retribution against those members of Congress who did the ‘Don’t Give Up the Ship’ video. The vengeance of no name is in direct violation of the U.S. Constitution [Article I, Section 6, the ‘Speech or Debate’ protection]. What those who support no name’s retribution actions are doing is abandoning the U.S. Constitution. Perhaps that is their intent, i.e., abandon the Constitution in favor of a dictatorship (as long as he is their dictator). I shall remain standing with those who opposed no name.

Oh my, Republican embrace of the wealthy goes back well before Reagan. I would peg that transition from people to wealthy at least back to Harding. I would also add that the work of Ayn Rand [AKA Alisa Zinovyevna Rosenbaum] has been and remains a major influence on MAGAt / Republican thinking and unchecked/unregulated capitalism. Money is all that is important. Morality is irrelevant (contrary to the teachings of Jesus of Nazareth, I must add).

 

Another contribution:

“Thanks again Cap. When are we going to hear what the hell these Epstein files say? Or maybe we never will.”

My reply:

It will take time. The professional Press has far more resources than citizens possess. We shall have to wait for their digestion of the material. I am fairly certain the Felon and his subservient Department of (so-called) Justice will flood the zone to buy as much time as possible for the Felon-in-chief. I am confident we will eventually know who and what they did. Patience, my brother.

 

My very best wishes to all.  Take care of yourselves and each other.

Cheers,

Cap                  :-)