TheWiseOldFart

Op-ed by TheWiseOldFart If you ask 90 percent of voters what the most important issue in any election is, the answer is always, “the economy.” Being an American is not easy in the 21 st century. The solution to any problem, and at the root of most crimes is money. If you want the “American dream,” you must have money, and lots of it.. As an original baby boomer, I grew up in a country struggling to move from a wartime economy to something more normal. As a boy in the 1950s and 1960s my dreams were not very lofty. Most of my friends had more “things” than me, but that was never important. Most of the kids in my school had two parents. I and my brother were raised by a single mother. All she did was work. She considered raising two sons her entire reason for existing. I worked lots of jobs, but never became rich. My wife and I finally achieved the American dream in 1999 when I was 53 and my wife 49: we purchased our own home. Statistics prove that most Americans 35 years of age and youn...

Op-ed by TheWiseOldFart Gossip. When I was a teenager attending high school, the world was a far, far different place. My freshman and sophomore years were spent in a Catholic high school. Boys and girls were separated by the primary entrance to the school. We could only communicate with members of the opposite sex before and after school, or at rallies for the football team. The only time we saw each other was when we passed each other on the lobby stairway. Notes were passed and hidden, to be read later. Some of the notes contained “gossip” about other students and the teachers. When I left St. Bernard High School, I attended Venice High School. Public schools were far different. Dress codes were very lenient, and with the exception of gym classes, everything was co-ed. We didn’t need to pass notes, and the amount of gossip was plentiful. My brother and I were raised by a single mother and her parents. Many of the principles and beliefs I have today came from them. My grandmother was...

Op-ed by TheWiseOldFart In January of 2017, an entire political party, which was once known as “the Grand Old Party,” abandoned its morals, its self-respect, its principles, and its dignity, and surrendered its free thought and free will to an old, obese, and mentally deficient failed businessman who had renently been illegitimately sworn in as their president. The Party of Lincoln had taken its last breath. MOST “REPUBLICANS” KNOW BETTER I have no doubt that the majority of the men and women who call themselves “Republicans” in Washington have at least average intelligence and are fully aware that Trump has become a dictator. They know that his policies are wrong for America, but with a shrinking voter base, they are desperate to receive the votes of his ignorant supporters. His failure to keep his promises, most notably ending inflation, ending the invasion of Ukraine, and keeping our nation out of another unwinnable war in the Middle East, are adding to the possibility of Democrats ...

  Op-ed by TheWiseOldFart This story is confusing, sad, and almost unbelievable. At the center of this tale is Senator Lindsey Graham, Rep., South Carolina. Arizona Senator John McCain lost his battle for life on August 25, 2018. He and Lindsey Graham were close friends, almost inseparable. Although my beliefs and those of Senator McCain were often in direct opposition, I admired him for the only reason which mattered: Mr. McCain always acted in a manner focused on doing what he believed was the right for the American people. I believed that he and Graham shared the same principles and morals. However, after Senator McCain passed, Graham became hypocrite number one. During the 2016 campaign Graham constantly criticized Trump: a couple of examples. In 2016, Lindsey Graham wrote, "If we nominate Trump, we will get destroyed … and we will deserve it." "The bottom line is I believe Donald Trump would be an absolute, utter disaster for the Republican Party, destroy conservati...

Op-ed by TheWiseOldFart Your government is the most corrupt in the world. It is also the most incompetent in history, refusing to perform the jobs for which they were elected. That said, a watchdog group claims that the Washington Mafia is hiding the truth about our national debt. Although it is reported as 39 trillion dollars, this group claims that the actual number is 170.3 trillion dollars. TRUTH IN ACCOUNTING CLAIMS THAT YOUR GOVERNMENT FAILS TO INCLUDE ALL OF THE COSTS INCLUDED IN THE DEFICIT [As of Sept. 30, 2025, the U.S. government had only $6.1 trillion on hand to pay for $176.3 trillion worth of incurred and promised liabilities, Truth in Accounting reports.] The following are a few of the debts unreported by your corrupt government. [Within that number, projected Social Security benefits for all Americans who have entered the workforce amount to $54 trillion, total Medicare benefits will cost $74.5 trillion, and military and civilian retirement benefits will be $15.5 trilli...

Op-ed by TheWiseOldFart I am a proud, lifelong pacifist. There are no “winners” in a war or any form of physical combat. Everyone loses, and no one can prove me wrong. However, two mentally deranged white men are eagerly murdering thousands of innocent men, women, and children in what is being called “Trump’s Iran War.” THE VIOLENCE BEGAN ON THE COAST OF VENEZUELA Trump and his brother from another mother, Defense Secretary, Pete Hegseth, supported by an incompetent and fascist Pentagon, began murdering passengers on power boats racing along the shores of Venezuela. They claimed justification based on an unproven assertion that these boats were transporting illegal drugs. Nothing has ever confirmed this old adage more accurately: “when you assume, you make an ass out of you and me.” Trump is not intelligent enough to gaslight our nation’s people as he nears the age of 80. The mainstream media will not report the exact number of those murdered by missiles fired from a U.S. Navy ship, bu...

Op-ed by TheWiseOldFart Fox News began broadcasting in 1996. The story claims that billionaire newspaper magnate, Rupert Murdoch and former Republican strategist, Roger Ailes, decided to create a television news network devoted to the conservative side of politics. Some of this may be true, but I believe the inspiration began in the 1980’s. Rupert Murdoch is all about the money, and the original idea came from the most popular television broadcasts of that decade. TRASH TV In the 1980’s, daytime talk shows dominated the ratings on weekdays. The phenomenon likely began with Phil Donahue. He was the first to put a microphone in an audience member’s face. He was followed by Sally Jessy Raphael, Rikki Lake, Montel Williams, Geraldo Rivera, Maury Povich, Jerry Springer, Jenny Jones, Oprah Winfrey, and others. No longer were the men and women on stage celebrities, they were guests who fit into the “topic of the day.” Those topics ranged from overeating disorders, to more salacious situations...

Op-ed by TheWiseOldFart “If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it’s a duck.” If you see something with your own eyes, it is reality, and cannot be questioned or denied. Trump is an idiot, and nothing proves this fact more than when he attempts to convince the American people that what they see is not real, and what he tells them is the only reality. The term is “gaslighting.” ["Gaslighting" (often misspelled "gaslighting") is a manipulative tactic where someone makes a victim question their own reality, memory, or sanity, creating self-doubt, confusion, and dependence, often to gain power, by denying events, trivializing feelings, or twisting facts. It's a form of psychological abuse, making the victim feel "crazy" or like they are "overreacting".] Trump’s biggest problem is that he thinks all Americans are as dumb as he and his followers choose to be. With our birthdays just three weeks apart, I would challenge the orange buffoon t...

Op-ed by TheWiseOldFart Immediately, without an investigation, without discussing the tragedy with any member of a legitimate law enforcement agency, Kristi Noem stood before the television cameras and claimed that the victim who had just been shot and killed by a member of ICE was a “domestic terrorist who had attempted to run over the agents with her vehicle.” Two videos and statements by eyewitnesses rebuked her rash and unverified statement, calling the death of 37-year-old Renee Niclole Good a murder. NO ONE IN POWER CAN BE TRUSTED IN THE 21 ST CENTURY Personally, because I have learned not to trust anyone in our government, and all law enforcement agencies, while placing my trust in regular Americans, like me, I immediately called “bullshit.” Noem is another paid liar whose only true function is to protect her Fuhrer. Here’s what I know from what I read, not from watching the ‘boob tube.’ Trump, his Nazi Party, six members of the Supreme Court, the Pentagon, and 902 oligarchs ar...

Op-ed by TheWiseOldFart First, a reminder for our government: “this is our country. It belongs to us. You work for us and hiding the truth proves that you are lying about everything.” It is totally fair to judge your government by its own words and actions. When the men and women we elect lie to us, all trust is gone, forever. TRUMP LIES CONSTANTLY Since June 15, 2015, Trump told more than 100,000 lies in front of the television cameras, at his hate rallies, and on social media, likely while sitting on the toilet in the middle of the night. His biggest lie, a lie he knew was entirely false, claiming victory in the 2020 election continues. I find it unbelievable that anyone, any voter, in America is so weak-minded they ignore the decisions of more than 60 state courts, and his own, stacked Supreme Court. 2026: MORE LIES AND THE LEAST QUALIFIED ADMINISTRATION IN HISTORY There is no possible way Trump could have chosen a less qualified staff for his second, illegitimate administration. Ma...

Op-ed by TheWiseOldFart Donald Trump never has been and never will be an American President. He is a fascist dictator. The truth is, he never wanted to have a ‘real job.’ He knows nothing about leadership or government, and has never shown any indication that he is willing to learn how to work, and never for the benefit of others. However, after his rigged victory on November 8, 2016, he saw an opportunity to increase his personal wealth, and he did, by 3.7 billion dollars over four, long years. Vladimir Putin recognized the reality that he would have his greatest asset in a position of power. His lifelong dream of destroying America would be sitting behind the Resolute desk. In 2026, Trump is moving full speed ahead in his efforts to create chaos and end the dream of our Founding Fathers. I will say it again: Trump remains an immature, spoiled child, who is and always was the schoolyard bully. Unfortunately, Trump doesn’t read; or maybe he can’t. If he had read “Being a President for ...

Op-ed by TheWiseOldFart First, the big lie about Social Security. Republicans call the program an entitlement. Social Security was originally funded entirely by employers and employees, no taxpayer money was used. However, corrupt politicians have attached additional programs to this retirement fund, and the only reason it may become bankrupt in the near future. [A fter its 1935 origin, the Social Security Act expanded significantly, adding critical programs like Medicare and Medicaid (health insurance for elderly/poor), the federalized Supplemental Security Income (SSI) for needy aged, blind, and disabled, and expanding child welfare and public health grants to states, forming a broader social safety net beyond just retirement. Key additions also included Unemployment Insurance, Disability benefits (within OASDI), and Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC). Key Expansions & Additions: 1930s-1940s (Original Act & Early Amendments): Unemployment Insurance: A national pro...

Op-ed by TheWiseOldFart We’re a little slow, but when the situation becomes unbearable, the American people eventually stand up and say, “I’m mad as hell and I’m not gonna take it anymore.” It’s time for ICE to be disbanded. Trump’s personal Gestapo is composed of villains and thugs. The level of violence from this group of less than humans, is escalating rapidly. When Renee Nicole Good was murdered by ICE agents in Minneapolis, the Trump administration began telling outrageous lies in an effort to cover-up the truth. However, eyewitness accounts combined with two videos don’t lie. This was an act of first-degree murder committed by a group of Nazis. On Thursday, two additional innocent American citizens were shot by Trump’s Gestapo in Portland. After the man and woman were rushed to a hospital, their condition unknown, Portland city council member, Sameer Kanal, had this to say.  “You are hearing and you are seeing attempts to justify the unjustifiable, to completely defend the in...

Op-ed by TheWiseOldFart Thugs, villains, criminals, racists, bigots, Nazis: these terms clearly define the men who compose Trump’s personal Gestapo known as ICE. What happened in Minneapolis to 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good was bound to happen. ICE has been escalating its acts of violence over the last 12 months. As a group, they continue to demonstrate a total lack of respect for human life. Like all schoolyard bullies, Trump is using ICE to commit crimes against humanity in his name. Trump and his woefully unqualified Director of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem, are lying to cover-up what is clearly an act of murder. They claim that this mother of three was attempting to drive her vehicle into members of Trump’s Gestapo. This vile event happened in a residential neighborhood, and the following is an eyewitness account. [A witness to the shooting told CNN her "life is forever changed" after what happened. Emily Heller recounted how she was in the middle of making breakfast wh...

Op-ed by TheWiseOldFart Two television broadcasts I never missed were “60 Minutes,” and “CBS Sunday Morning.” The Sunday morning broadcast is composed of positive stories about real people and a perfect way to begin a Sunday morning. “60 Minutes” was the only news show I watched because it was a hard-hitting broadcast which exposed the truth about people and things happening in our country and around the world. However, Mike Wallace is turning over in his grave today. My mother, brother, and I watched the CBS evening news every evening in the 1950s and 1960s. Walter Cronkinte informed us of the most important events in just 30 minutes. He was rightfully known as the “most trusted man in America.” The new editor-in-chief of CBS News is a woman by the name of Bari Weiss. She constantly reveals her position as a Trump sycophant as she heavily edits every major production from her network. Most recently, she removed a story scheduled to be broadcast on 60 Minutes the following Sunday. A st...

Op-ed by TheWiseOldFart The Constitutional Convention, 1787-1789, was contentious, conflicted, and at times, filled with loud and angry voices. However, intense and honest deliberation resulted in compromise and the creation of the Constitution of the United States of America. The only part of the Law of the Land agreed upon unanimously was the First Amendment. Contained in just 45 words are five rights which are the core of what it means to be an American: Freedom of Religion, Freedom of Speech, Freedom of the Press, Freedom to Assemble, and Freedom to Petition. Within the text are voting rights, free thought, and the right to individual action which does not infringe upon the rights of the majority. One of these five rights is an effort to protect the press from retaliatory action from the federal government when illegal or immoral actions were discovered and revealed to the American people. This was an effort to make all Americans aware of any and all corruption and collusion on Cap...

Op-ed by TheWiseOldFart Any American with common sense is aware that Trump is far from the sharpest tool in the shed. He actually believes that he can hide the truth from the American people forever. History proves that the truth will always find its way into the light of day, and for villains and scoundrels, this is their greatest fear. To hide the fact that he is a soon-to-be confirmed pedophile, Trump will wage war against a nation which offers no threat to the United States. If this sounds familiar, other presidents have taken the same actions in the past. Vietnam, Afghanistan, and Iraq were illegal and immoral wars. However, government officials who were heavily invested in the military industrial complex became super-rich while those forced to fight their wars lost their lives and limbs. Venezuela, like most other South American countries, has a major problem with the illicit drug trade. However, fentanyl is not one of those drugs. Trump, who pardoned the biggest drug lord in Sou...

Op-ed by TheWiseOldFart The first report revealed a conversation between Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth, and Admiral Mitch Bradley. After a missile struck a Venezuelan speed boat, two survivors were seen in the water. Hegseth’s response was: “kill them all.” It was never confirmed that the boat was indeed transporting illegal drugs. Here are the facts, and whether or not the boat was carrying drugs, the action was illegal and immoral. The action after the first missile severely damaged the boat was murder. The individuals in the water were defenseless and offered no threat to the American vessel or anyone else. Hegseth simply added murder to his other crimes of being drunk and disorderly, assaulting women, and embezzling money from a military charity. As for Admiral Bradley, he clearly violated the Uniform Code of Military Justice, UCMJ, by killing a defenseless adversary. These ongoing acts are a choice by Trump unconfirmed by military intelligence. As of today, Hegseth continues ...

Op-ed by TheWiseOldFart Between the year of my birth and today, I have moved all the way from a devoted and loyal patriot to someone who despises his country as it exists today. Why?  Because today’s America is not my America: it’s Donald Trump’s dark and hate-filled nation, composed of malcontents who hate the nation of our Founding Fathers. With Trump as your illegitimate leader, the Pledge of Allegiance, the Declaration of Independence, and the First, Fourth, Fifth, and 14 th Amendments have no meaning. Trump is not a leader, qualified, intelligent, or a patriot. He is not and never will be an American president. How has it come to be a reality that one ignorant, arrogant old, white man has destroyed America’s image? His actions have become so vile that our once revered nation will never achieve its former status as long as time exists. My America was hanging on by a thread in 2016. Ronald Reagan, George W. Bush, Moscow Mitch McConnell, Rush Limbaugh, and Fox News are all guil...