POLITICAL: I had an interesting email thread with my good “old friend” CORRESPONDENT

Friday, April 24, 2026

FROM A LONG EAMIL EXCHANGE WITH MY CORRESPONDENTOLD FRIEND
—  ​edited for spelling, brevity, and format.

REINKE — Fri, Apr 17, 2026 at 2:36 PM:

The clown show continues……..

 “Don’t ascribe to evil what can be attributed to well-intentioned stupidity.” ― James A. Owen, The Shadow Dragons

“Life is tough, but it’s tougher if you’re stupid.” “Sands of Iwo Jima” (1949), John Wayne’s character, Sergeant Stryker

———- Forwarded message ———

From: John Leake from FOCAL POINTS (Courageous Discourse)
Date: Fri, Apr 17, 2026 at 2:36 PM
Subject: Hegseth “Prayer” a Movie Mafia Hitman’s Monologue

CORRESPONDENT — Fri, Apr 17, 2026 at 9:51 PM 

What should go down in history as our greatest presidency, and you call it a clown show?

REINKE — Apr 17, 2026, at 10:13 PM

Wow, “greatest”? Not IMHO (In My Humble Opinion) by a long shot. DJT47 is a long way from “worst” and “best’. At “best”, DJT47 had a chance to be “transformative”, but blew it big time with terrible picks and betraying the MAGA voters by getting us into Israel’s war and not doing mass deportations of illegals. By doing “stuff” by “executive orders” and not slugging it out with a corrupt and indolent Congress, he has left thr country wide open to return to the errors of the past (Bushes, Obama, and Biden) when the D’s take their turn at the helm. We clearly have different view of the world.

CORRESPONDENT — Fri, Apr 17, 2026 at 10:19 PM:

Apparently we do, I disagree with most of your political opinions these days. Have you been influenced by a Trump hater?

REINKE —  Apr 17, 2026, at 10:29 PM:

I don’t think so. I listen to a lot of little L libertarian podcasts — @ComicDaveSmith, @ThomasEWoods, and such, read a lot of “stuff”. I think that we are really royally screwed and our posterity as well.

I think that I’m seeing just how bad it is very clearly and there’s nothing I can do to “fix” it. Frustrating.

CORRESPONDENT — Apr 17, 2026, 11:08 PM:

I think some of the recent emails to the “usual suspects” are better intended for your blog, where one can choose to read it or not. But when you send an email to that “usual suspects” group they feel an obligation to read it, as it came from “Uncle John” and therefore it carries weight. For example, “the clown show continues” is pure opinion and is not an opinion that is shared by everyone in that group, and could mistakenly be taken for the way things are. Which in my opinion, is clearly not the case.

REINKE — Sat, Apr 18, 2026 2:47 AM:

Ok. Point taken. Thanks.

But the DJT47 as Jesus and Pete Hegseth quoting a movie as scripture is really really “tone deaf” and not “reading the room”.

CORRESPONDENT — Sat, Apr 18, 2026 at 9:40 AM:

I totally agree that the man is an egotistical jerk, no argument with me. A big however though, he is what this country needed, a blast of castor oil! I get it that most “L”s are not hawkish, but I would rather be the hawk then the dove that gets eaten by the hawk! Once Rubio or Vance takes over (prayerfully), they will have a much easier job thanks to the Donald.

REINKE — 1 Sat, Apr 18, 1:10 AM

Please don’t misunderstand me and my fellow little L libertarians. We are not Quakers or pacifists at all costs (1). In a “Red Dawn” scenario, bring it on. You start the fight and we will finish it. We don’t forget that the United States Gooferment is the enemy of the We, the People and is up to its neck in “foreign entanglements”, “regime change”, “nation building”, and murder.

DJT47 may, emphasize MAY, have woken up some of the sleeping “We, The Sheeple”, BUT, (and there is always a BIG butt), he didn’t live up to what he promised (i.e., no new foreign adventures; deport illegals; drain the swamp).

For whatever reason, — I suspect blackmail over Epstein connections — he has taken Israel’s contributions and gotten involved in their regional mess.

In addition to keeping the Ukraine conflict on life support with renounces. Again, I suspect that many things — Biden’s corruption, high level involvement of politicians and bureaucrats in Hunter’s grift, and someone wanting to hide the CIA’s 33 bio labs in Ukraine — have kept enriching the Military Industrial Complex with the complicity of the Congress grifters.

So, don’t be surprised if I suspect that there are ALWAYS ulterior motives, conspiracy theories, crimes, and murder in EVERY SINGLE thing the US Gooferment does.

I , along with all the “beauty queen contestants”, want “world peace”.

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God” (Matthew 5:9, NIV).

{Extraneous Deleted}

In doing a final read, I thought I should mention that there is some moral “high ground” for a non-violence position

(Note 1). Bob Murphy https://consultingbyrpm.com/blog/2016/04/a-reader-note-about-pacifist-strategy.html on the @ThomasEWoods podcast makes some excellent points about non-violence like the Quakers’ advocate. It certainly tempers the little L libertarian’s philosophy.

# – # – # – # – #

At the risk of “misinforming” <<is that even a word>> or encouraging / enraging the reader, I thought this was a good example of a discussion between friends on something they disagreed about.  Yet, still remain good friends. 

So can we agree to disagree agreeably?

Why can’t we all?

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God” (Matthew 5:9, NIV).

— 30 —


RANT: Venezuela’s Oil Fantasy?

Saturday, February 14, 2026

https://internationalman.com/articles/venezuelas-oil-fantasy-meets-physical-reality/

Venezuela’s Oil Fantasy Meets Physical Reality
by Chris MacIntosh

My friend Tracy Schuchart makes the point well:

“Canada exports 4.3M bpd to the US. Venezuela’s entire production is 23% of what Canada already ships.

The rebuild timeline is a decade minimum, likely longer. Rice University’s Monaldi says at least 10 years and $100+ billion in investment to get back to 4 million bpd. PDVSA itself says $58 billion just for pipelines that haven’t been updated in 50 years. That’s before you drill a single new well.

Here’s the part markets are missing: Trump doesn’t control the oil. The VP who hates the US is in charge. No stable pro-Western government means no foreign investment. Nobody’s pouring $100 billion into a country run by someone hostile to them. The whole supply increase story requires political stability that doesn’t exist.

Canadian infrastructure is already built and connected. Alberta to US Gulf Coast and Midwest refineries through established pipelines. Those refineries are configured for Canadian heavy crude after decades of optimization.

Even if Venezuela eventually gets production up in the 2030s, it’s the same heavy sour crude Canada produces. More heavy crude globally just validates continued investment in heavy crude refining infrastructure, which benefits Canada.”

# – # – # – # – #

So all this posturing about “Venezuela’s Oil” is decades away from benefitting JoeSixPacK.  So why are we even involved.  

DJT47 is distracted from the real problems of the USA — debt, deficits, fraud, and the deep state.

I remember when James Carville and Bill Clinton papered the White House offices with: “It’s the ECONOMY, stupid”.  And low and behold, with a Republican controlled House and Senate, the economy improved.

Maybe there’s a lesson for DJT47, politicians, and bureaucrats!

“ … … debt, deficits, fraud, and the deep state … … “

— 30 —


POLICY: We need to “correct” “birth tourism” and “anchor babies” for “tourists” AND illegal immigrants!

Monday, February 9, 2026

https://nypost.com/2026/01/29/opinion/how-china-supercharged-birth-tourism-and-scammed-american-citizenship-for-up-to-1-5-million-babies/

How China supercharged ‘birth tourism’ and scammed American citizenship for up to 1.5 million babies
By Peter Schweizer
Published Jan. 29, 2026, 6:30 a.m. ET

*** begin quote ***

“Birth tourism” — where pregnant women have their child on America soil to become citizens — has been happening for decades. But Chinese elites have “weaponized” the practice, says author Peter Schweizer, raising a generation of legal citizens who have no loyalty to the US. In this excerpt from his new book, “The Invisible Coup: How American Elites and Foreign Powers Use Immigration as a Weapon,” he explains how.

*** and ***

Since the US government does not directly track birth tourism, we must rely on estimates. In 2012, one nonprofit calculated that about 36,000 foreign-born women gave birth in the United States and then left the country.

*** end quote ***

Without a doubt, DJT47 needs to eliminate these loopholes.

We need to “correct” this for tourists AND illegal immigrants!

It seems OBVIOUS to me!

— 30 —


POLICY: No “entangling alliances”; No NATO; No UN

Tuesday, December 24, 2024

https://www.lewrockwell.com/political-theatre/trump-to-leave-nato-as-brussels-attacks-musk/

Trump to leave NATO as Brussels attacks Musk?
By Llewellyn H. Rockwell, Jr.
November 11, 2024

*** begin quote ***

America first, no foreign wars, protect America’s borders.

US out of NATO and the UN. Put the troops on the Mexican border.

NATO threatened Elon not to have the twitter space with Trump, we should leave NATO.

I want to stop Ukraine and Russia war and NATO should indeed need to reevaluate

There is no NATO, there is the United States. We shoulder pretty much all the burden.

Leaving NATO and threatening to leave NATO is a bargaining chip for negotiations.

Good. Kick out the UN next.

*** end quote ***

No “alliances”.  Period!  Full Stop!

NATO is an idea who’d time has passed.  Let Europe defend itself.

The UN was a Wilson pipe-dream.  It has failed to bring peace and, in fact, their “peacekeepers” are a problem.

—30—


GOVEROTRAGEOUS: Shutdown the Drug Enforcement Administration; end the “(pseudo) War on (some) Drugs”

Monday, December 16, 2024

https://www.lewrockwell.com/2024/12/laurence-m-vance/one-agency-that-trump-shouldnt-nominate-anyone-to-lead/

One Agency That Trump Shouldn’t Nominate Anyone To Lead
By Laurence M. Vance
December 11, 2024

*** begin quote ***

President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee to be the administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has withdrawn. This is one agency that Trump shouldn’t nominate anyone to lead.

*** and ***

It is not the business of the government to concern itself with the personal eating, drinking, or smoking habits of Americans; with the nature and quantity of any substance Americans inhale or otherwise take into their body; with restricting or monitoring any harmful or mood-altering substances that any American wants to consume; or with regulating the consumption, medical, or recreational habits of Americans.

Since the DEA is the main federal agency responsible for the drug war, it needs neither an administrator nor agents. The agency should be shuttered, completely and permanently.

*** end quote ***

Clearly there is no Federal authorization in the Constitution for this continued intrusion into the Rights of ordinary Americans and usurpation of individual States’ Rights.

Argh!

The “(pseudo) War on (some) Drugs” has been a total disaster in so many dimensions.

It’s a good thing to stop.  Period!

(And confirm the point that Libertarians have been making for a long long time.)

—30—


POLITICAL: Time to repeaal the 17th Amendment

Wednesday, December 11, 2024

https://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2024/12/trump_should_bring_a_constitutional_gun_to_the_senate_swamp_knife_fight.html

Trump Should Bring a Constitutional Gun to the Senate / Swamp Knife Fight
By Vince Coyner

<< EDITOR ADDED DATE 2024-12-04>>

*** begin quote ***

But of course, the leftists eviscerated the Founders’ original intentions about the Senate with the 17th Amendment. As a result, the Senate has become simply a more entrenched version of the House. Therefore, if a cabal of geriatric swamp-loving RINOs wants to try to shanghai the president’s mandate because the close balance of party power in the chamber allows them to do so, to paraphrase Sean Connery in The Untouchables, Trump should bring a constitutional gun to their knife fight and keep them from doing so.

*** end quote ***

Once upon a time, in a place far away, the Dead Old White Guys tried to ensure that “these United States” would have a strong voice in the Federal Gooferment.  Unfortunately, a befuddled “We, The Sheeple” agreed to strip the “these United States” this power.

Talk about getting money out of politics, Senate “campaigns” funded by rich donors create a “dark money” swamp of conflicted interests.  Maybe today’s “Senators” should be like race car drivers and wear the logos of those that “own” them.

Repealing the 17th Amendment would go a long way towards restoring Federalism that the Dead Old White Guys want to restrain tyranny.

Hard to do?  Not so much now as “We, The Sheeple” seem to be fed up with the current system.

“Would you tell me please, Mr. Howard, why should I trade one tyrant three thousand miles away for three thousand tyrants one mile away? An elected legislature can trample a man’s rights as easily as a king can.” Mel Gibson as the character Benjamin Martin in the movie The Patriot http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0187393/quotes

Well, at least, you can have the petty tyrants close enough to “influence” them or tar ’n’ feather them.  Bringing the selection of Senators back to the local legislature makes more sense than having something that duplicates the House of Representatives.

And, now that we have Zoom meetings, why not keep all the Senators and Representatives “locked up” in the home States?  No need for them to go an conspire with these other drones and parasites.

Argh!

—30—