After I settled on the title for today’s blog post, I realized you might think this is going to be about cosmetics and shades of makeup. That’s not where this is going.

Saturday’s parade

I think we all know what Saturday’s parade in Washington, DC was about, and it wasn’t for the US Army’s 250th birthday. The reason for the parade was to stroke President Trump’s fragile ego. He wanted a North Korean-style military parade and he was finally about to finagle a parade of sorts under the guise of celebrating the US Army. Oh, and it was also Flag Day. And, by the way, it was his birthday.

The adoring crowd was not what he expected. It turned out that the patriotic and enthusiastic crowds were too buy participating in the “No Kings” protests all across the country to be bothered by Trump’s birthday parade.

I understand from a former US Army NCO that the lack of crispness and precision in the soldiers’ marching in the parade was a sign of low morale and their way to have a silent protest against Trump. It was quite noticeable in the photos I saw. I did not watch the parade.

That gives me hope that at least some members of the US military remember that they do not have to follow an order if it is for them to do something illegal. I don’t think their commander-in-chief understands that or cares.

I couldn’t help but wonder why the soldiers representing the Revolutionary War were wearing red jackets and white wigs. I thought the British were the “redcoats,” and I really don’t think our soldiers were issued white wigs! It just looked odd.

We can all hope that’s Trump’s last attempt at a grand military parade. That kind of thing really rubs Americans the wrong way. He didn’t know, even though his military advisors during his first term in office tried to explain it to him.

Why the “About Face!” on US Steel-Nippon Steel Merger?

In case you wondered why President Trump was against the merger of US Steel and Nippon Steel until he was suddenly in favor of it, the truth came out last Thursday. According to The Associated Press, “President Donald Trump announced Thursday that he will gain control of U.S. Steel as part of a merger deal with Japan’s largest steelmaker.”

The report quoted Trump as saying, “We have a golden share, which I control.” He went on to say he was “‘a little concerned’ about what future presidents would do with their golden share, ‘but that gives you total control.'”

The New York Times reported the so-called “golden share” “would effectively allow Washington to inject itself into the fabric of a foreign-owned, yet strategically critical, American enterprise.”

I have not read the agreement, but what jumps out at me is how The New York Times is reporting “Washington” will have some say so in how the new company is run, but Donald Trump said he will control the company.

That’s cringe-worthy, especially considering how many businesses Trump has bankrupted. It is cringe-worthy since doing the merger talks Trumps referred to Nippon Steel as Nissan three times. Does he think Nippon Steel makes steel, or does he think it makes cars? It’s also cringe-worthy if by “Washington” The New York Times means the US Government will control it. That sounds like the nationalization of a company.

What happened to the Republican Party’s support of private enterprise? The Biden Administration opposed the merger due to national security concerns. Did those concerns magically disappear on January 20?

It is a done deal, so it remains to be seen how it plays out.

Trump’s true colors

We saw two political assassinations and two attempted political assassinations in the United States in the wee small hours on Saturday morning.

President Trump and the White House were silent about the events for hours. And hours. Would Trump and his spokespeople have been silent for so long if the Minnesota elected officials had not been Democrats? Or maybe Trump would have picked up the phone to call the Minnesota governor if that governor were a Republican?

Trump showed his true colors on Sunday morning when ABC News correspondent Rachel Scott reached him by telephone more than 24 hours after the assassination. Scott reported on ABC’s Sunday morning news commentary show that when she asked him if he would call Minnesota Governor Tim Walz regarding the tragedy, he responded by saying he “might call him” and then immediately said that Governor Walz is a “terrible governor” and “grossly incompetent.”

Those were Trump’s personal, political opinions and they had nothing to do with the truth or Saturday’s horrific assassinations. His words were tacky and small-minded.

Trump’s reckless rhetoric fuels political violence.

As of yesterday, Trump still had not called Governor Walz. Former President Joe Biden called Walz early Saturday morning.

The assassin was apprehended on Sunday night.

Until my next blog post

I hope you have a good book to read.

Take care and stay informed. As I write this on Monday night, June 16, it appears that the United States is gearing up to get directly involved in the war between Israel and Iran. Israel started the war, and we’re being told “the United States will have to finish it.” Thanks a lot, Netanyahu! The US Government supports Israel, no matter what it does. Trump is suddenly leaving the G7 Summit in Kananaskis, Alberta tonight to return to Washington, DC without meeting with Ukrainian President Zelenskyy.

Don’t forget the people of Ukraine and western North Carolina.

Janet