The Power of Ambition: Who’s Leading Our Future?

It Starts With You and Me

In a land where the lights flicker, voices clash,

Three figures rise with cruel ambition and a dash,

From towers to rockets, they’re making their mark,

But let’s peel back the layers and spark a real talk.

Donald’s got the spotlight, like a TV showman,

Promises like confetti, flipping pages of rage.

He built an empire on the backs of the brave,

But what’s left in the wake of the paths that he stole?

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The Rise of Authoritarianism: Insights from Ruth Ben-Ghiat

The first two weeks of felon Trump’s term has been horrendous. If you haven’t read any thing by Ruth Ben-Ghiat, I hope this article by her will give you some solace. Her work is crucial for understanding autocratic and fascist dynamics in the United States. Her Substack site, Lucid, and her recent book, Strongmen, are especially valuable. What follows is today’s Substack post.

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Seeking Mercy: A Call from Bishop Budde to President Trump

I don’t know about you. Washington Episcopal Bishop Mariann Budde’s sermon moved me. It was delivered at the Washington National Cathedral’s Service of Prayer for the Nation.

She directed the words spoken at the end of her sermon to Donald Trump. We call it the “Seeking Mercy Semon.”

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2025 LA Fires: Understanding Causes and Consequences

The post that follows was written 4 years ago. That year, wildfires ravaged Australia and the western United States, especially California. On January 7th, 2025, at least 23 catastrophic fires broke out in Los Angeles County. These fires were intense due to low humidity. There were arid conditions. Powerful Santa Ana winds reached hurricane force, exceeding 80-100 miles per hour. Two fires, the Palisades Fire in Pacific Palisades and the Eaton Fire in Altadena, have caused the most damage. The map shown here is an overview of the significant fires in the Greater Los Angeles area.

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Examining Trump’s Authoritarian Strategies in 2020: His Attempted Coup

I wrote this post in on December 10, 2020 from my home office. From here, I can see wetlands formed from Mud Creek. Mud Creek is a small stream about 100 meters from my backyard. It runs for a few miles until it merges with Noses Creek. Eventually, it meets with Sweetwater Creek, a tributary of the Chattahoochee River, Georgia’s largest river.

I have been writing from this office since 1993. I will share more in the future as The Mud Creek Chronicles.

Visiting the past can help us navigate the future. This is especially true now. We have a wannabe dictator and a known authoritarian. They prefer meeting with leaders of authoritarian nations rather than democratic leaders.

Donald Trump and his sycophants were trying to steal the 2020 election. I wrote this nearly a month before he incited thousands to attack the United States Capitol Building. It was obvious. Or it should have been obvious. Autocrat Trump was showing the world that he was determined to stay in office, no matter what.
What did we learn from this attempted coup?

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Senator Rubio’s Ideas on Science: Should we be concerned?

I wrote this post in 2012, about Senator Rubio’s answer to question that’s interesting to consider 22 years later. Trump picked Senator Rubio as the Secretary of State. He might become a very good Secretary of State. I hope he is in terms of working with other nations to solve problems. Nonetheless, the post that follows explores the implications of the senator’s reply when asked about the age of the earth.

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Stephen Miller: A Trump Pick You May Not Know About

Stephen Miller. Would you happen to know who he is?  Or what position he’ll have in the Trump administration?  He won’t hold a cabinet spot. But he will have an office in the White House.

Miller crafted Trump’s rally speeches and designed immigration policies that banned Muslims and separated families. He will be at the center of the threat to deport millions of undocumented immigrants. The danger to American immigrant families is real.

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