Hot, heavy air this early-evening Thursday here in California’s Central Valley — although reportedly we didn’t top 100 again today, the sheer feel of the day created some hot-ass ambiance to the out-of-doors.
Temperatures are sometimes not the only discomfort indicator — summer!

In an afternoon of doomscrolling the InterWebs for news about everything, and as it turned out, seemingly everything sucks through a shitty, small straw. Republicans again showing their cruel, asshole-punch-in-the-face routine on many fronts, especially the sad-ass saga of the 10-year-old rape victim getting an abortion in Ohio (aided by fucking-ass Fox News), and just being loudmouth, and stupid.

One good, straight-up item I discovered came from longtime Republican strategist Steve Schmidt, who seems to be having a hard time the last couple of years adjusting to how awful and shitty are Republicans — main take-away is that T-Rump needs to be indicted, charged and brought to trial:

Arrest Trump: "Donald Trump's ignominy will endure through history, and his name will be etched in granite as the worst President of the United States. Ever."https://t.co/u3c9o5tWXP

— Steve Schmidt (@SteveSchmidtSES) July 13, 2022

And as Schmidt’s newsletter The Warning yesterday relates, beyond the daily criminal bullshit T-Rump performed during four horrible years in office, his last act has the impact:

All of this was disgusting and awful. Much of it was criminal, but there is one great crime that stands alone. It is singular. There is no doubt whatsoever about what happened and how. There was intent, motive, a plan and co-conspirators. Donald Trump attacked the United States on January 6th, 2021, for the purposes of remaining in political power. He led a coup. The facts are clear.

He must be arrested and charged by the Government of the United States. He must face criminal trial. The era of special treatment for the Queens hustler must come to an end. His appalling dispensations have helped shatter trust and confidence in the American justice system at a moment in which the collapse of faith, trust and belief in American institutions has reached such a dangerous low that extremism has been embraced as an answer. The extremism led to the greatest crime against democracy since the firing on Fort Sumter.
…
There are some who say that a trial of Donald Trump may become a catalyst for violence and mayhem. Perhaps. That would be terrible, but in the end, the civil authorities will have to do what is necessary to restore order.
The American people must not live at the point of the militia’s gun. We won’t.

The far worse choice is giving Trump a pass. Attorney General Garland has been clear that the Justice Department doesn’t investigate people; it investigates crimes. That is all well and good, but two years on, it seems a certain person is getting a special deal. This is unacceptable and deeply corrosive in a country where the people at the top have run completely amok with few consequences for a generation.

They say the wheels of justice turn slowly. There is a reason for that. But it is also true that the wheel must turn. It is hard to tell if it is turning at all because the failure to deal with what the entire nation saw play out on live television guarantees it will happen again. T
he decision to move on makes January 6th a dress rehearsal, and the consequence will be terrible.

The failure to enforce the laws of the land against Donald Trump will be a political decision. It will have nothing to do with justice. Immunizing a former President who tried to overthrow the government will be one of the greatest travesties of justice in American history.

What happened on January 6th was a crime. The criminals should all be charged and prosecuted. That includes all of the participants in the conspiracy to attack America. That includes the people at the top.
If the Attorney General of the United States will not enforce the law, the President of the United States should ask for his resignation and find someone to run the Justice Department – someone who is focused on the law, not politics.

Perhaps this is a bit unfair to Merrick Garland. Maybe he will do his duty. Almost two years on though, one has to wonder, is Donald Trump above the law? If he is, then the people who decide that will become his equals in wrecking democracy in this country. That is a high bar to meet.

Pretty much straightforward and directly to the point.

Hot or not, once again here we are…

(Illustration out front: Edvard Munch‘s ‘The Scream,’ lithograph version, found here.)