As much as we try to ignore the Epstein drama and saga, the curiosity about the files is inescapable. Trump said today that Bondi should release whatever she feels is appropriate. And because we can surmise that that means she should redact any mention of Donald Trump the idea that some earth shattering information will be forthcoming is like expecting your local casino to feel sorry for you when you lose your house.

The hue and cry from the magalytes is all about finding dirt on the liberals. There is a nagging suspicion that the liberal left is trafficking young girls for prostitution and that surely there must be some reference to Hillary and Barack.

The saddest thing about being an American these days is watching what it means to be American disappear. To live in America and hate your government requires that you hate yourself. The government is us. The government serves us. But now in rapid fashion we are expected to serve the government. Nowhere is that more evident than in the Congress and Supreme Court. Engaging in a complete abdication of their duties they allow the president and all the president’s men to dictate a new form of lawlessness.

When only one side of the aisle is sounding the alarms about the destruction of our democracy, it reinforces the sense of martyrdom that Trump can capitalize on. He can control the flow of information by merely demonizing the news sources he doesn’t like. Fake news, only a bad person would ask a question like that all serve to feed the fear and loathing on which his supporters thrive and depend. Remember, the magalytes believe Trump will save them from the evil , corrupt government.

No one knows how this will all play out. But there is a lot of shape shifting going on in the halls of government and as much as Trump denies knowing anything about anything there is more than a sneaking suspicion that he thinks he can control everything.

When they started referring to Trump as daddy, that became the moment of gut wrenching disgust. Not that he wasn’t disgusting before, this just completely cemented the depravity.

And not just a daddy, but the “daddy” in the pimp definition. A sexual predator by any other name. If you are unfamiliar with the type, good for you. So here’s the rundown.

The predator always recognizes a weakness and capitalizes on it. He will at once reassure you while at the same time reinforcing your weakness. The easiest to take advantage of are those women with a poor self image. Women who are downtrodden or in desperate straights. In other words, those who require external validation. And pimps are expert at taking advantage of those opportunities. Much like the idiot savant who can count the toothpicks before they hit the floor, the pimp can spot a mark a mile away.

The process is one of standard operating procedure. Take the woman out of her environment as a means of isolation. Offer special gifts and lavish attention. Give her a sense of self worth. Disallow any outside contact whether it be friends or family. Once the process is complete, he then begins to require certain acts of gratitude as a way to repay his generosity. Often an element of addiction may be introduced. All this is meant to alter the woman’s sense of reality. Once the transformation is complete the woman becomes locked into a cycle of exploitation. Extricating becomes both dangerous and seemingly impossible.

Now extrapolate this scenario being played out in countless communities and the realization becomes crystallized that the numbers are both alarming and depressing.

Consider what is happening politically. Trump has taken advantage of opportunities to exploit weaknesses. He is systematically isolating us from our friends both north and south. He demands loyalty. He convinces his targets that he alone can be trusted to protect them. He makes more demands of repayment for his generosity. He expands the reach of isolation to include all friends. It is all the more insidious because it doesn’t seem personal but it does seem comforting in a most dysfunctional way.

If you are a magalyte, then Trump is your daddy. Everything is a choice until it isn’t your choice. Denial is a powerful force which keeps you in line. Every day in every way, Trump is following a plan of destruction which will affect every American. And if you think he cares about you, that’s the hook he’s depending upon to maintain your loyalty.

In Vegas we like the house to have the advantage. So we understand when the odds are against the rube who walks through the door. And we unabashedly take the opportunity to make a buck without remorse or guilt.

In Trump world, everything is about the word of God. Right? The evangelicals are enraptured by him. Now I think I know why.

Listening to his lengthy news conference today one can sense the religious elements. He speaks in tongues. He rose from the dead. He hears voices.

It is such a blessing to hear such inspirational lessons. Trump teaches us every day how he alone can fix all our problems. He just doesn’t bother to say how. But that’s the beauty of faith. True believers hear the word and never question. To question is blasphemy.

It makes perfect sense in a way. People see Jesus in a biscuit. So it’s not a stretch to see him in a fat orange blob.

But of course there are descending tiers. Like Dante’s Inferno, and the descending rings into hell. The high class believers never imagine being licked by the flames. They’re above all that. Chosen by birth and Dow Jones. It’s the believers further down already at a disadvantage, but bolstered by their belief, that keeps them waiting for more, their blind devotion bringing them ever closer to disaster.

It’s a horrible feeling to realize you’ve been swindled. It keeps the believers from second guessing the choice to buy it all hook line and sinker.

It is somewhat understandable the Democrats reluctance to change the government, fearing retaliation from Republicans when the majority shifts. Understandable but misguided. If you subscribe to the idea that democracy is now hanging by the slimmest of threads, then you might agree that the time for drastic measures is not only here but running dangerously short.

The Supreme Court has demonstrated a willingness to participate in the law the way Trump participates in politics. They shift in the wind when it suits them with no other legal reason than “we should cool down the rhetoric.” The historical precedent for this argument lies at the feet of Gerald Ford who pardoned Richard Nixon fearing prosecuting the former president would irrevocably harm the country. On that long and winding road we now end up here.

Packing the court is not just a passing fancy. It is now imperative to secure democracy. This wait and see attitude regarding this Supreme Court is wasted time. The conservatives are demonstrably in the bag for Trump and his deadly dangerous rhetoric and intentions.

The running joke in Vegas is the Constitution stops at the door. Casinos are notoriously favored here by politicians and judges who know a good bank account when they see it. We are beyond corrupted here; if a transaction appears fair and equitable it is immediately suspect.

Trump and his ilk are very invested in carrying this philosophy to the country as a whole. Once unleashed there will be no remedy. It will be like drinking the Kool-Aid, thinking well this doesn’t taste so bad.

Open letter to President Biden: Pack the Court now. It will be the greatest gift a President has done for the country and your legacy will be secured. Diplomacy is not working. Reaching across the aisle is not working…and you are the best at it. Stop hesitating and take this last bold step. Pack the Court.

1. Las Vegas

2. FOX News

3. MAGA

It’s not that Vegas isn’t real. It is. It’s what people think it is or could be that defies reality. And by the way, that’s exactly what we’re selling here. We may or may not be hosting the Super Bowl. Stay tuned.

FOX News is unabashedly not a news network. It’s a propaganda tool mostly beholden to the Republican extreme right. This of course is the purview of Trump who the network has proven to be their ratings leader. There is no devotion to or belief in anything Trump is selling. It is all about the money which after all fits well with the Trump worldview.

Which brings us back to MAGA. There is no place on the planet more removed from reality than space occupied by MAGA acolytes. This is a choice, not an affliction. There is no fact, no poll, no time, no legal issue or court case immune from the Trump Twist. And they lap it up like a kitty at the milk bowl.

We might add the judicial system to our list of reality averse things. The reality is that Trump is manipulating the system to buy time, so much time that he is figuring to be President before he gets sent to prison. And the courts seem oblivious to the pressure to make timely decisions. And then of course there remains the possibility that the courts will ignore the realities of legal precedent or constitutional law and lose their way.

In any case the odds are in the hands of the bookies and here’s some stark reality… the house always wins.

Vegas has a unique history of mob involvement. It was always present but somehow unspoken. The very early days were rife with overt mob activity. As time passed the idea of legitimacy became woven into the fabric and the mob drifted into otherworldly invisibility. Not until the early 80s did the mob finally relinquish control due to both political and legal considerations.

To this day many involved in the gambling industry think the city ran better when the mob was in control. Now that’s just crazy talk. Which brings us to present day.

Lots of crazy talk. Mob mentality applies to the state of political unrest and strife in this country. The Teflon Don is running the show and it is a show. The hold on the family by the boss is dependent upon the family agreeing that the boss is the boss, no question. Loyalty is expected and paramount to the success of the organization. Loyalty is engendered through fear, intimidation and the promise of being included and cared for.

Of course much of this behavior is generational. The sales pitch is geared to bring in new family members. None of this is surprising or new. What is baffling is the Don’s ability to gather in an entire diverse segment of society all attracted by the same song over and over. Each faction is convinced that his message is meant for them.

Listening to the Appellate court proceedings today it is unnervingly apparent that the Don is successfully rendering the perception of law as a political maneuver. The argument presented by his counsel suggests that the Don is somehow other, perhaps not above the law, but perhaps not covered by it. What?….

There are a select few, once bitten, now in recovery, who offer some insights into the operation. But no clear treatment or antidote.

The clear and present danger cannot be overstated. Vegas has survived and thrived not by obeisance to the mob but by divorcing from it. The same applies to the country and to governance as we know it. We are beyond a good slap to snap out of it. Crime families persist and the regular folks subjected to their rule keep quiet or risk an accident. We are all at risk of an accident.

So many machinations are afoot to break the system in order to enshrine the Don as the anointed head of the organization. Voting rights act is gutted in seven states. The Don is vowing to eradicate the vermin. He is also plotting the remaking of the DOJ into a consigliere. He is accusing General Milley of treason. It is always the case with the Don that allegations he’s tossing at someone else are actually his own admissions. If none of this gives you pause your next step is picking your flavor of Kool-Aid.

We will vote in 2024, not for our favorite candidate but for our right to vote for our favorite candidate. The stakes have never been higher. As mercenary as Vegas books are, it is likely that odds will be posted. But this is a wager that no one can win.

Here’s about what you should be concerned . The former has been busy. Very busy. He is obsessed with poisoning the voting system. How do we know that? Because he is accusing the liberals of doing it. And as we know, the former telegraphs all his misdeeds by projecting onto others. At least he makes it easier to anticipate his next move.

So since we should be wary of some form of vote tampering, what should we do about it. Remember that he is encouraging his base voters to vote by mail. This was something he railed about as being corrupt. We should worry that there will be manipulation regarding voting machines. The interference may come from China where the daughter has many business ties. Or perhaps from Russia where the former covets developing business ties. So vote by mail in ballot.

The eve of the anniversary of 9/11 should give us pause. The former has no ties or interests in democracy. He would tear it all apart in an instant if given the chance. Therefore, the only antidote to this threat is to charge the former with treason. I am still stunned that this has not entered the public debate.

We must remember that the Republicans will do nothing to stop him. In fact they have fully embraced his crazy rhetoric. In Vegas we call that hedging your bets. The problem is none of them have actually thought it through to the hideous end. They are simply willing to ride the coattails.

We as Americans must make a terrible but necessary decision …either we vote to preserve democracy or vote to destroy it. Please be clear… this is not hyperbole. The threat is real and is being embraced by 40+% of the American public. We cannot be apathetic nor can we be dismissive of some crazy element. This could happen.

Be strong. Be focused. Vote.

Looking at the J6 insurrection under a different lens, we might conclude the former’s role qualifies as an act of treason. If we can agree that the rioters were actually enemies of the state spurred on by the former’s incitement to violence to keep him in power, that meets the definition of treason. The intent was to overthrow the government and illegally install the former as the rightful and only true leader. The crowd sought to disrupt the peaceful transfer of power by violence which by any stretch of credulity is the attempt to overthrow the government.

While we can take comfort in the indictment of the former, the charges even if resulting in conviction are not sufficient to prevent the former from not only seeking office but serving if elected. There is a growing fervor in the country to dismantle our democracy. With little regard for what type of country might emerge, the aim is to completely overthrow the existing form of government.

The former has given aid and comfort to the enemy by promising pardons, by declaring that he will pay their legal fees, by embracing them as true and loyal patriots.

The former has established himself as an enemy of democracy. He has established himself as being determined to undermine all institutions which protect and preserve our democracy. He is undeterred by social mores and legal constraints expecting that his reelection to the presidency will allow him a free pass and immunity from any and all prosecutable offenses.

Remember that all his protestations regarding bad acts by his rivals are actually roadmaps to what he is doing or planning to do. While it is incomprehensible the hold that the former has over his devotees it is nonetheless a reality impenetrable by any bad acts by the former.

Should he be re-elected to the presidency there are no constraints on his actions. He will be free to not only wreak havoc but to allow our enemies a foothold into our freedoms. He has no allegiance to anyone or anything. His only goal is to make money and if you believe that he cares about your well-being consider that if you are not white and wealthy you have no value in the new universe.

Olivia Troye was so close to discovering Mike Pence. It came right down to “I wish he would do the right thing and stop defending”and excusing the former Not going to happen. And here’s why.

Anyone and everyone who has a working, business or personal connection to the former becomes tainted, sullied, and complicit. After looking at Mommy and reaching the conclusion that he cannot be that person, he made a decision.

He decided to defend to the death his relationship to the former. To do anything less would be to admit that not only is his judgment faulty but that he is just as amoral. And that cannot stand. One thing Pence is sure of is his devotion to his religion. And his religious indignation. And it is so painfully obvious that the former is antithetical to everything that Pence embraces.

So the Christian side of him is recoiling and regurgitating while the political side of him is looking for a way out. And a way in. He will be unsuccessful at both. But he will be successful at divorcing himself from any semblance of reality and whatever he might think is his road to salvation.

In the meantime the former will need a bigger bus for all the folks he wants to run over And the wild ride will continue until the legal system finally acts as it should and brings the bus to a stop.

To quote Bugs Bunny: “what a maroon”.

So it begins with a whimper, not a bang. Although it seems the bang already happened. The former has begun his media campaign and we should remember that the media is the enemy. I enjoy hearing Michael Cohen try to remain humble in what can only be perceived by him as vindication. When Cohen speaks he refers to the former as Donald. It seems to me to be a message to the former that the chains that bind have been broken. Because I can’t imagine anyone who works for Trump being allowed to address him as anything other than Mr. Trump.

It’s becoming a bit boring to show images of the Trump jet sitting, not flying. I will say that the image of the former in his mugshot will not be boring.

It is too bad that the mentor to all this madness, Richard Nixon, is not around to see this. It would have been interesting to hear his opinion on such an unprecedented development. After all he showed us how it could be done to unravel democracy and then demonstrated how one could get away with it. Clearly no good deed goes unassisted.

What former might do now is a matter for speculation and intense planning by his soldiers but I suspect that once it becomes clear that his ability to make or accumulate money is severely diminished, he will move out in the middle of the night like a guy behind in his rent. And where might he go. Well he seems to have a great appreciation for all things Russian. It’s always fun to plan and anticipate a trip.

I say bon voyage and happy trails to you.