Why QOP pols lied after the fake Smirnov allegations

One of the huge stories that came out in the last couple of weeks was about the indictment of  Alexander Smirnov for peddling his cock-and-bull story to the FBI about the supposed-corruption of Joe and Hunter Biden while Joe was our VP. All tied in with Hunter's time on the Board-of-Directors of Burisma, blah, blah, blah...

Many folks have been wondering how and why Representatives James Comer and Jim Jordan could have embraced the easily-disproven lies that Smirnov vomited up in his statements to the FBI and then run, so enthusiastically, with them. 

Let me begin by saying that in today’s QOP, a primary objective is to constantly spew disinformation and do it while screaming at the top of your lungs. You may or may not be “right” or have the facts on your side, but it doesn’t matter. It’s easily provable that they’ve been lying frequently but that’s never an issue with them. Well, it hasn’t been an issue at least since the election of Obama and the hateful and mostly-fact free rise of the Tea Party.

They know how to “flood the zone with shit” as Steve Bannon once famously said, and it’s a big help for your point to be fake, to be made up, so as to be as spectacular and attention-grabbing as possible. Being right, having the facts on your side, is optional. It worked for Hitler and the Nazis as they were working to consolidate their power in Germany and it’s working for Rethuglicans today.

Yes, Christopher Wray—a trump appointee—and DOJ staff warned them on more than one occasion that nothing Smirnov told them could be verified, but that didn’t stop them. Not at all. Didn’t even slow them down. They were on those bogus, unsubstantiated allegations like a dog on a bone and then doubled down and said that the charges against Smirnov didn’t change the underlying facts—which were, of course, based on Smirnov's lies from day one—and that Biden was still involved in bribes and corruption in concert with Hunter when he was the Vice President. It’s a stunning example of deceptive, fact-free, circular reasoning and it’s exactly what we’ve come to expect from today’s QOP in the trumpian, post-truth era of our Nation’s history.

They’re not going to stop until we stop them. If we don’t vote out a whole lot of the insurrection-loving, wanna-be Fascists in the 2024 elections, we will slide into Fascism within 2 to 3 years after the last ballot has been counted.

This is no time to sit on the sidelines. It’s no time to say that both major party candidates suck. Democracy is hanging in the balance as we get closer to the November 5th elections.

Make your voice and your ballot count this time. It's democracy's last chance. 

"Bulldog Ben” Basile

© 2024 Ben Lawrence Basile

Ignorance, Bad Grammar and Life

Here's what was going through my mind when I first saw the disgusting and absurd sign you can see in the banner photograph: I hate, loathe and despise people who keep others locked into a life of religious extremism. I have first-hand knowledge and a ton of life experience on that. I'm here to tell you, it's cult stuff.

And I'll confess that I absolutely judge people who seem to have slept through High School grammar class and talk--or write, in this case--on a sixth-grade level. And with sign dude, how about all those unnecessary apostrophes in plural nouns that don't denote possession? In addition to that, there are no missing letters in any of those nouns appearing on that sign, denoting a contraction where an apostrophe would be called for.

The old school slur Homo's might be an exception where the apostrophe could be appropriate, as it's short for homosexuals. I'll ignore for the moment what a pejorative term that is... But as in the case of pros for "professionals", it's so common that the abridged word need not have one.

I know this posting is 100% pedantic, but that stuff really sets me off. And here's why: people who care so little for education that they fracture the English language like that often show complete carelessness and ignorance in practically every area of life.

It can be a tell about a contempt for education in general and the importance of learning and expertise in any/all areas of life. The sign-maker's ignorance and prejudice here are on full display and clearly illustrate what I'm "talking" about in this post.

Here endeth the lesson rant.

"Bulldog Ben” Basile

© 2024 Ben Lawrence Basile

Yes, the Chiefs are an NFL Dynasty

The "D word" came out repeatedly last night after the Kansas City Chiefs bested the 49'er in Super Bowl LVIII. It was an overtime thriller with Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs coming away with the 25-22 victory.

Can you say "Dynasty", boys and girls? Is it hyperbole to put that tag on the Reid and Mahomes-led team now that they've got three Super Bowls in the bag? That's 3 out of the last 5, including back-to-back wins for the last two Super contests. 

Well, I think it's not. Not hyperbole. What the Chiefs have done is remarkable. It's more than that. It's extraordinary and it's elevated Mahomes into the Stratosphere of NFL quarterbacks.

There was no shortage of post-game articles and broadcasts where Mr. Mahomes was mentioned along with Brady and Montana. And while it's justified based on what he's been able to do in the last five years, he's going to have to continue to perform at that Herculean level to justify a lot of the talk I've heard in the 24 hours since he tossed that last TD pass to Mecole Hardman to put the Chiefs' third NFL title in the bag. 

It's good to remember in this context that Brady retired with seven Super Bowl wins under his belt and Joe Montana and Terry Bradshaw each had four. And Montana was 4 for 4, something I'm 100% sure will never happen again. Yeah, the Dynasty tag surely fit the 49'ers in the Joe Montana-Jerry Rice era.

I think it's worth mentioning another salient fact in the context of this back-to-back and 3 out of 5 talk: the Chiefs played in 4 of the last 5 Super Bowls and the only team to beat them in that remarkable stretch was the Buccaneers. Brady and the Bucs spanked 'em, 31-9 in Super Bowl LV, a feat no other team had been able to pull off against the Chiefs in that illustrious five-year span. And that gave TB 12 his seventh and final Super Bowl ring. 

Mahomes is only 28 and there's no doubt that--barring serious injury--he will continue gathering trophies and accolades as he continues on with his Hall of Fame career. 

And that Dynasty stuff? Yeah, it fits. It's not just hype or happy hour chatter from Chiefs fans. And to what lofty heights will Patrick, Andy Reid and Kansas City's remarkable team ascend as we go forward?

Well, we're about to find out...

"Bulldog Ben” Basile

© 2024 Ben Lawrence Basile