So this morning I got up early, walked the dog. It was cold in New York City for May -- in the 30s.
But maybe better as it kept people in. I went to the West Side Market. I've been getting groceries delivered, haven't gone out to the store in a while. I buy fruits and vegetables from the stand on the corner -- that man is a hero to the neighborhood, out there every day. But I figured it was early, the market would be slow. And it was, which was good, very few people and everyone practicing social distancing. The staff were terrific too. Everyone was in masks and respecting one another.
Came home, baked a carrot bread loaf with raisins. It was amazing. I got the recipe online (below), but switched out the walnuts for raisins. David doesn't like walnuts.
Then I exercised a bit and re-organized my work/broadcast space. I should take a photo of it. Amazing we can do the show from home, and I'm so glad.
Then I began writing a piece which I'll probably post tomorrow. Tonight we'll watch TV. We've been watching The Politician -- I know, we're late to it.
I’m in Tucson and it’s been business as usual here except you have to do delivery or curbside pickup for restaurants! People still not social distancing and not wearing masks but we’re a state run by repugnant govenor Doug “Douchey” Ducey and he’s towing the dear leaders party line. McSally who will not be elected in November (I say that because she didn’t win her seat so no re-election for her) was at the hospital my husband works at yesterday and she was “touring” the covid floors. He had to leave before he got fired by yelling obscenities her way! This whole state is bat crap crazy and thankfully tucson is a little more progressive than the rest of the state. Thanks for your voice during this time! Love listening everyday!
Thanks for the recipes! (But where is Onion Pie?). Things here in California are slowly reopening. But in a very restricted way, e.g. clothing stores, book stores and the like can do curbside pickup only. By far the BEST news all week is California is going to do all mail in voting (with some open polling places under restrictions) for the November election. Where are the other states on this?? The last thing we need is another Wisconsin.
Keep up the good work, love your show! Long time listener
I'm in W Chelsea NYC. After dealing w the reality of total job loss, acquaintances and co workers passed away, I've run the gamut from *shocked * denial * depressed* over sleeping * angry * really really angry over the past 2 plus months. I've finally landed in a routine of acceptance-balance-activism & thankfulness. I naturally wake early again 5 am snuggling w my pooch (thank god for her!) I scroll thru the latest travesty in the NYT's & Huff Post. making sure to read the non covid19 stories as well if you can find them. The pooch and I then take an early am stroll around the hood and I observe the louder than ever birdies as well as the sullen sadness in the air. Also its impossible to miss stunning beauty of the undistracted spring before me. I see others just like me out of work, wandering, life on hold and most looking like they want human connection but many refusing to make eye contact like the old days in NYC lol. strange since thats all you can see now are eyes bearing over a mask. Then there are the asshole wannabe olympic runner millennial trainees-sweating & headed right towards you on the damn side walk w NO MASK no less! UGH! don't get started. SO selfish. We NYC dog people tend to talk thru our dogs & not so much the actual person..its a thing here. So that I find interesting in the time of Corona. When I return home I actively try to keep my pro life alive (chef) being creative and staying in contact w clients and trying to be of limited help where I can. The last few weeks I have started volunteering as I am able w my local state Senators volunteer office as well as a local food delivery service to the elderly at the Hudson Guild on west side. It was heartbreaking delivering meals to these folks one week and then knock on their door the next to be informed by there neighbors they had passed away. :( We had 2 last week on the same floor! Makes it VERY REAL a-hole TRUMPERS. I suggest you alll do it. Understably some people dont even want to open there doors and accept free food even if they are going hungry. Horrible..just horrible. And most of them are all alone. Thats the worst part of this whole damn pandemic. The cruelty in the way it forces a lonely existence and then a lonely death. I have tested positive for antibodies- it wasn't easy to get it done but I was committed. Never felt a thing so for what its worth I am thankful. We need a organized plan NOW to get all people tested easily to get some asemblance normalcy back. I already can't tell who were usual homeless guys I always saw in the hood and who are the many new additions.. all I know is its gonna be all of us soon if we don't get new leadership and all participate in a recovery and takes care of ALL OF US this time. NO GOING BACK TO BIZ AS USUAL. God forbid. PS Micheal- as a chef I LOVE your simple-loving recipes and segments you do especially around the holidays. Onion pie and the discussion about the flop you had from your italian friends recipe share. Love it..lol. Reminds us we are all a family baby. You are a sweet heart and your hubby is lucky to have you and so are we all week long :)
Our Democratic Governor, Beshear has been very cautious- and although we have a schedule to open up, he cautions we won’t follow through if the numbers rise. Republican lawmakers here sued Beshear to force churches to re-open. A judge ruled they have to re-open. A church service is what brought COVID to KY with a TX preacher infecting 28 people.
Daily listener from Los Angeles since 2003 but I've never called in to the show. We're slowly reopening here in LA, we have a 5 stage plan for getting California back on track and the state moved into Stage 2 as of Friday, as others have noted it's mainly curbside deliveries and additionally, many county parks, golf courses and mountain hiking trails have reopened with mask and distancing protocols. I was reading our health statistics this morning, and there are now at least 30,296 coronavirus cases and 1,468 deaths in L.A. County, with the hospitalization rate "relatively stable" for the past week. 92% of those who have died had underlying conditions, and nursing home deaths represent 49% of all deaths countywide.
My husband is over 60 and has been working his law office job from home for two months. They are planning to reopen their Beverly Hills office in mid June, with distancing, masks, reduced in-office staff and protocols such as queuing for elevators one at a time and foot-pulls for doors. I am in my mid-fifties and have underlying health conditions, so I have not left the house in 9 weeks. All groceries and prescriptions are delivered. We've started a vegetable garden in pots in our backyard, with mail-order seeds for patio-sized bushes of tomatoes, eggplant, squash, peppers and beets - they've all germinated and we've got dozens of seedlings! It really feels hopeful to see new life spring up and gives a real sense of hope for the future.
Just want to let you know how comforting it is to hear your calm voice and honest delivery of real information during this unprecedented worldwide crisis. You are appreciated more than you'll ever know, Mike. We love you!
Well for starters the scumbags Republicans in the Alabama legislature are planning to use some $200 million in COVID-19 aid on a new building for the state house of representatives.
I'm in central Virginia and the governor has done a pretty good job, especially with the good old boys wanting to open up. About half of the people are wearing masks - mostly older women, some older men, hardly any younger men at all. We are starting a slow open, which I'm not happy about because our cases are still going up statewide. My area is pretty rural, but we still have about 38 cases and one death. We continue to have curbside pickup for food and goods, and will have outdoor dining and haircuts soon. The governor is doing the best he can and is getting such verbal abuse.
Fortunately, as you know, we have a blue everything here, so we can now vote absentee ballot. The Republicans are mad, but I'm thrilled. My husband (65) and I (62) will continue to social distance. I don't know if your listeners know, but you can search for your local grocery store in maps.google.com, and there's a graph at the bottom that lets you know how crowded it generally is depending upon the time. I've been shopping about once every two weeks, either first thing in the morning, later at night, or on Sunday morning, when no one's there. It's a big difference in the way I usually shop, as I'd prefer to do a small trip every other day for fresh food.
I'm waiting to be able to travel up to Westchester, NY when I can - my father was very ill January 28, in the hospital on Long Island for one week, then in rehab in Westchester for about a month. We were lucky to get him out by March 10. We wonder if he had an early case of covid-19 - his symptoms were eerily similar. He's doing well, living with my brother and sister-in-law. Our adult children are lucky enough to all be working, and we're retired.
Been putting my "croffice" together now that I'm working from home even more than before. Spent the morning watching AM Joy and sewing masks for my niece and my sister.
Continuing to ignore the machinations of my governor (Holcomb) and focusing solely on doing what's right to protect myself and the people and communities I care about, and for me that means limiting my trips out and wearing a mask every single time I do go out, staying at a physical distance from people, and avoiding stores and businesses that do not have or aren't enforcing COVID-related policies. Yesterday, I received a shipment of hand sanitizer I had ordered. Never in my life have I been so happy to see hand sanitizer lol!
What a cockup we're in y'all. Not that we could ever fully trust our elected leaders, no matter the circumstances, but COVID is really driving that point home. Truly feels like "every man for himself."
There’s going to be a “gridlock” at the government center on Victoria Avenue in Ventura at noon today. I’m avoiding it but am looking forward to seeing the fools who showed up. There will be news on LA stations later, I hope. It’s being called Ventura Live Free Protest.
Donna, Your brave to still be on Facist Book. I can't deal w the over load of garbage beyond family and baby pics that still passes for news so I deleted my account a couple of years ago. And Zuckerberg actions as of late have proven it was the right decision for me. My BF is still on even day. The response to the "retired FBI" is very questionable. I could have stopped reading his long winded diatribe when he used the term "Flaming Liberal" NO ONE says that w out a strong agenda. And if he was FBI then glad his partisan hack ass is out. Glad Mueller cleaned house. AND IF Meuller was a quote "flaming liberal" He would have NEVER ALLOWED Bill Barr to twist his words and he would have insisted on testifying until just ice was served. How do I know? I AM A FLAMING LIBERAL..emphasis on Flaming :)
This is a response I received when I commented on a post on FB. Read on, and comment if you like.
“Donna, I have not had the honor to meet you, but respectfully you’re assessment is almost entirely backwards.
Both my wife and I are retired FBI agents. Collectively we have investigated and arrested chiefs of police, sheriffs, governors, doctors, legislators, rapists, murderers, and fraudsters who ruined good American’s lives. It was an honor to serve and give to my nation. I still serve as a local law enforcement executive.
The problem with the FBI is and was Robert Mueller. He is and was a square jawed ex-Marine who sounded like the perfect person to lead the FBI some years back. But what most of America didn’t realize was he was a flaming liberal who had been appointed as US Attorney in two of the most liberal districts in the nation: San Francisco and Boston. He came to the FBI an outsider and was committed to “reinvent it” before even knowing about it. He surely did reinvent it! He assumed that since 9/11 happened because of some failure by the agency, it was the FBI’s fault, and he determined to make the agency like other agencies; specifically, the CIA and DOD components.
Problem was the FBI’s mission is NOTHING like CIA and DOD. Additionally, and forgive me if this sounds like boasting, but the FBI pre-Mueller was indeed the leading law enforcement agency in the world. We made fantastic and incredible cases - precisely because we thought outside of the box, and didn’t do it like everyone else.
Additionally, intelligence missions have wholly different legal standards and mandates. Mueller tried to merge the two. For example, all the intrusions of citizens’ rights complained of by government overstepping are because foreign nations and nationals don’t have those rights. Mueller tried to apply those same liberal standards to US Citizens. Many criminal investigator experts objected, and they were demoted and transferred.
So over 12 years, Mueller shifted emphasis and priorities to counter terrorism, mitigated the Criminal Division, and literally rewrote the FBI’s operating manual (from MIOG to DIOG). He systematically began removing executives of proven capabilities and replaced them with his own, zero-experience cronies. It became common knowledge that if you dared question the Director, you would find yourself replaced and demoted to some Indian reservation- or fired.
Of course it wasn’t bad enough that we had to endure him for 10 years; no. President Obama decided to give him two additional years to “finish the job” converting the Bureau. It is especially ironic that the Democrats who feared the Hoover days of power, and were the driving force to limit a director’s term to 10 years, were now the ones pushing for two more years! But I digress...
Mueller also changed the FBI from being an “investigative agency” into that of an intelligence agency. We were mandated to avoid criminal cases often and mandated to pursue terrorists- even if there was absolutely no signs anywhere of them in our region.
Whole divisions largely untouched by terror suspects and even the hint of terror activity were told to have agents literally driving the streets, opening trumped up cases (no pun intended), and burning tens of thousands of hours chasing ghosts; all the while retirees were being fleeced in their pensions, the mortgage collapse of 2007, corruption running off the charts...
Mueller decided to change our mission to be like the movie, Minority Report, where we would identify and catch terror “before it happened.” Problem was he set the agency up for failure because none of us have a crystal ball, and ANY terror incident afterward that the FBI didn’t catch, would be seen as a failure; and it was!
Think the Boston Bomber. That case was exceptionally worked AND SOLVED, all levels of law enforcement working together, and catching and killing the assailants within three days- yet the FBI was criticized for not stopping it beforehand. That never was our mission, and never should have been.
You can no more eliminate terrorism than you can crime- unless you lock up every human in boxes.
Mueller also made social change in our agency- not for the better. He began hand picking executives who would never have passed a background investigation for a regular employee, pushing social programs and “celebrating” sexual behavior (he spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on supporting gay pride and LGBQ-et al parties, signage to every office in the agency, mandated we attend these parties, and listen to stories of detailed homosexual and bisexual practices by employees).
To be candid, I’m a Christian, and this behavior is offensive to me. I don’t advocate using the government to stop people from their freedoms, but I also don’t want to be forced as part of my job as a criminal investigator paid by your tax dollars to attend parties to discuss what people do in the privacy of their bedroom- any more than employees want to hear about a single 25 year old heterosexual agent’s graphic detail of what he had been doing on the weekend with a gal he met at a bar.
So all the things you’re hearing in the media today is a direct result of Mueller’s actions, and what Comey later ascended to continue. Like never before, executives in the FBI had “a political agenda.”
I’m a Conservative, and like most of whom I worked, we investigated and arrested suspects of all demographics, colors, creeds, and parties. Our “agenda” was justice, and countless missed holidays, birthdays, kid’s events, hours of sleep, four shooting incidents, witnessing horrific crime scenes, and just not being on call was the cost. I did it because of mine, and most other agents’ desire to serve and see justice done.
Little did we know liberal agendas were seeping in at the highest levels of the agency we loved, and the result was the nightmares we are seeing now.
President Trump was right to fire Comey, Mueller should have never inspected the agency (it’s like a student grading his own final exam), and the agency is now in desperate need of reform at the top.
Finally, I should say, I don’t like Trump as a person. I don’t think I would want to hang out or be neighbors with him, but he still revers the military and law enforcement unlike his predecessor. The first day in office, he published on the White House website that he stood behind law enforcement and the rule of law. The protests against police stopped almost overnight. My local agency had a significant hiring deficit due to the negative perception of the calling, and after President Trump got in office, we now have to turn people away.
What I do know is that Hillary was a narcissist and a liar, she did whatever she could to undermine the social and economic fabric of this nation (like Obama), and she was totally incapable of running foreign policy as evidenced by the debacles of the past. What I also know is that Trump has returned the Market to historic gains, minorities employment is also at a historic high, and while he is caustic and offensive often, he gets results. He respects this nation, and stands up for it. He was right to fire Comey and the rest of the men and women in cabinet-like positions, it’s his prerogative, and it is precisely what he did as a businessman (see The Apprentice).
I feel sad for the Democrats. They don’t know who they are anymore. The very best they can come up with is Biden, who by all rights is senile. The other alternatives are socialists. They have tried in earnest to find themselves by prostituting their platform. It’s sad to see.
So that’s it. The facts speak for themselves, and I lived it for half of my quarter century career with the Bureau- enduring the nightmare. The first half of my career was the best job in the world; the later half was miserable and considerably less productive.
I doubt you’ll change your mind, but those are the facts.
I just spent about 30 minutes writing a post, and when I pressed the post button I received a message I had to log in using a link in a new email. Since I got here using the link in the initial email I had to leave this page so lost my post. Not happy! Stay safe everyone!
Weekend open thread: What is happening where you are?
So this morning I got up early, walked the dog. It was cold in New York City for May -- in the 30s.
But maybe better as it kept people in. I went to the West Side Market. I've been getting groceries delivered, haven't gone out to the store in a while. I buy fruits and vegetables from the stand on the corner -- that man is a hero to the neighborhood, out there every day. But I figured it was early, the market would be slow. And it was, which was good, very few people and everyone practicing social distancing. The staff were terrific too. Everyone was in masks and respecting one another.
Came home, baked a carrot bread loaf with raisins. It was amazing. I got the recipe online (below), but switched out the walnuts for raisins. David doesn't like walnuts.
https://dinnerthendessert.com/carrot-bread/
Then I exercised a bit and re-organized my work/broadcast space. I should take a photo of it. Amazing we can do the show from home, and I'm so glad.
Then I began writing a piece which I'll probably post tomorrow. Tonight we'll watch TV. We've been watching The Politician -- I know, we're late to it.
I’m in Tucson and it’s been business as usual here except you have to do delivery or curbside pickup for restaurants! People still not social distancing and not wearing masks but we’re a state run by repugnant govenor Doug “Douchey” Ducey and he’s towing the dear leaders party line. McSally who will not be elected in November (I say that because she didn’t win her seat so no re-election for her) was at the hospital my husband works at yesterday and she was “touring” the covid floors. He had to leave before he got fired by yelling obscenities her way! This whole state is bat crap crazy and thankfully tucson is a little more progressive than the rest of the state. Thanks for your voice during this time! Love listening everyday!
Thanks for the recipes! (But where is Onion Pie?). Things here in California are slowly reopening. But in a very restricted way, e.g. clothing stores, book stores and the like can do curbside pickup only. By far the BEST news all week is California is going to do all mail in voting (with some open polling places under restrictions) for the November election. Where are the other states on this?? The last thing we need is another Wisconsin.
Keep up the good work, love your show! Long time listener
I'm in W Chelsea NYC. After dealing w the reality of total job loss, acquaintances and co workers passed away, I've run the gamut from *shocked * denial * depressed* over sleeping * angry * really really angry over the past 2 plus months. I've finally landed in a routine of acceptance-balance-activism & thankfulness. I naturally wake early again 5 am snuggling w my pooch (thank god for her!) I scroll thru the latest travesty in the NYT's & Huff Post. making sure to read the non covid19 stories as well if you can find them. The pooch and I then take an early am stroll around the hood and I observe the louder than ever birdies as well as the sullen sadness in the air. Also its impossible to miss stunning beauty of the undistracted spring before me. I see others just like me out of work, wandering, life on hold and most looking like they want human connection but many refusing to make eye contact like the old days in NYC lol. strange since thats all you can see now are eyes bearing over a mask. Then there are the asshole wannabe olympic runner millennial trainees-sweating & headed right towards you on the damn side walk w NO MASK no less! UGH! don't get started. SO selfish. We NYC dog people tend to talk thru our dogs & not so much the actual person..its a thing here. So that I find interesting in the time of Corona. When I return home I actively try to keep my pro life alive (chef) being creative and staying in contact w clients and trying to be of limited help where I can. The last few weeks I have started volunteering as I am able w my local state Senators volunteer office as well as a local food delivery service to the elderly at the Hudson Guild on west side. It was heartbreaking delivering meals to these folks one week and then knock on their door the next to be informed by there neighbors they had passed away. :( We had 2 last week on the same floor! Makes it VERY REAL a-hole TRUMPERS. I suggest you alll do it. Understably some people dont even want to open there doors and accept free food even if they are going hungry. Horrible..just horrible. And most of them are all alone. Thats the worst part of this whole damn pandemic. The cruelty in the way it forces a lonely existence and then a lonely death. I have tested positive for antibodies- it wasn't easy to get it done but I was committed. Never felt a thing so for what its worth I am thankful. We need a organized plan NOW to get all people tested easily to get some asemblance normalcy back. I already can't tell who were usual homeless guys I always saw in the hood and who are the many new additions.. all I know is its gonna be all of us soon if we don't get new leadership and all participate in a recovery and takes care of ALL OF US this time. NO GOING BACK TO BIZ AS USUAL. God forbid. PS Micheal- as a chef I LOVE your simple-loving recipes and segments you do especially around the holidays. Onion pie and the discussion about the flop you had from your italian friends recipe share. Love it..lol. Reminds us we are all a family baby. You are a sweet heart and your hubby is lucky to have you and so are we all week long :)
Our Democratic Governor, Beshear has been very cautious- and although we have a schedule to open up, he cautions we won’t follow through if the numbers rise. Republican lawmakers here sued Beshear to force churches to re-open. A judge ruled they have to re-open. A church service is what brought COVID to KY with a TX preacher infecting 28 people.
Daily listener from Los Angeles since 2003 but I've never called in to the show. We're slowly reopening here in LA, we have a 5 stage plan for getting California back on track and the state moved into Stage 2 as of Friday, as others have noted it's mainly curbside deliveries and additionally, many county parks, golf courses and mountain hiking trails have reopened with mask and distancing protocols. I was reading our health statistics this morning, and there are now at least 30,296 coronavirus cases and 1,468 deaths in L.A. County, with the hospitalization rate "relatively stable" for the past week. 92% of those who have died had underlying conditions, and nursing home deaths represent 49% of all deaths countywide.
My husband is over 60 and has been working his law office job from home for two months. They are planning to reopen their Beverly Hills office in mid June, with distancing, masks, reduced in-office staff and protocols such as queuing for elevators one at a time and foot-pulls for doors. I am in my mid-fifties and have underlying health conditions, so I have not left the house in 9 weeks. All groceries and prescriptions are delivered. We've started a vegetable garden in pots in our backyard, with mail-order seeds for patio-sized bushes of tomatoes, eggplant, squash, peppers and beets - they've all germinated and we've got dozens of seedlings! It really feels hopeful to see new life spring up and gives a real sense of hope for the future.
Just want to let you know how comforting it is to hear your calm voice and honest delivery of real information during this unprecedented worldwide crisis. You are appreciated more than you'll ever know, Mike. We love you!
Well for starters the scumbags Republicans in the Alabama legislature are planning to use some $200 million in COVID-19 aid on a new building for the state house of representatives.
I'm in central Virginia and the governor has done a pretty good job, especially with the good old boys wanting to open up. About half of the people are wearing masks - mostly older women, some older men, hardly any younger men at all. We are starting a slow open, which I'm not happy about because our cases are still going up statewide. My area is pretty rural, but we still have about 38 cases and one death. We continue to have curbside pickup for food and goods, and will have outdoor dining and haircuts soon. The governor is doing the best he can and is getting such verbal abuse.
Fortunately, as you know, we have a blue everything here, so we can now vote absentee ballot. The Republicans are mad, but I'm thrilled. My husband (65) and I (62) will continue to social distance. I don't know if your listeners know, but you can search for your local grocery store in maps.google.com, and there's a graph at the bottom that lets you know how crowded it generally is depending upon the time. I've been shopping about once every two weeks, either first thing in the morning, later at night, or on Sunday morning, when no one's there. It's a big difference in the way I usually shop, as I'd prefer to do a small trip every other day for fresh food.
I'm waiting to be able to travel up to Westchester, NY when I can - my father was very ill January 28, in the hospital on Long Island for one week, then in rehab in Westchester for about a month. We were lucky to get him out by March 10. We wonder if he had an early case of covid-19 - his symptoms were eerily similar. He's doing well, living with my brother and sister-in-law. Our adult children are lucky enough to all be working, and we're retired.
Always enjoy listening!
Been putting my "croffice" together now that I'm working from home even more than before. Spent the morning watching AM Joy and sewing masks for my niece and my sister.
Continuing to ignore the machinations of my governor (Holcomb) and focusing solely on doing what's right to protect myself and the people and communities I care about, and for me that means limiting my trips out and wearing a mask every single time I do go out, staying at a physical distance from people, and avoiding stores and businesses that do not have or aren't enforcing COVID-related policies. Yesterday, I received a shipment of hand sanitizer I had ordered. Never in my life have I been so happy to see hand sanitizer lol!
What a cockup we're in y'all. Not that we could ever fully trust our elected leaders, no matter the circumstances, but COVID is really driving that point home. Truly feels like "every man for himself."
There’s going to be a “gridlock” at the government center on Victoria Avenue in Ventura at noon today. I’m avoiding it but am looking forward to seeing the fools who showed up. There will be news on LA stations later, I hope. It’s being called Ventura Live Free Protest.
Donna, Your brave to still be on Facist Book. I can't deal w the over load of garbage beyond family and baby pics that still passes for news so I deleted my account a couple of years ago. And Zuckerberg actions as of late have proven it was the right decision for me. My BF is still on even day. The response to the "retired FBI" is very questionable. I could have stopped reading his long winded diatribe when he used the term "Flaming Liberal" NO ONE says that w out a strong agenda. And if he was FBI then glad his partisan hack ass is out. Glad Mueller cleaned house. AND IF Meuller was a quote "flaming liberal" He would have NEVER ALLOWED Bill Barr to twist his words and he would have insisted on testifying until just ice was served. How do I know? I AM A FLAMING LIBERAL..emphasis on Flaming :)
This is a response I received when I commented on a post on FB. Read on, and comment if you like.
“Donna, I have not had the honor to meet you, but respectfully you’re assessment is almost entirely backwards.
Both my wife and I are retired FBI agents. Collectively we have investigated and arrested chiefs of police, sheriffs, governors, doctors, legislators, rapists, murderers, and fraudsters who ruined good American’s lives. It was an honor to serve and give to my nation. I still serve as a local law enforcement executive.
The problem with the FBI is and was Robert Mueller. He is and was a square jawed ex-Marine who sounded like the perfect person to lead the FBI some years back. But what most of America didn’t realize was he was a flaming liberal who had been appointed as US Attorney in two of the most liberal districts in the nation: San Francisco and Boston. He came to the FBI an outsider and was committed to “reinvent it” before even knowing about it. He surely did reinvent it! He assumed that since 9/11 happened because of some failure by the agency, it was the FBI’s fault, and he determined to make the agency like other agencies; specifically, the CIA and DOD components.
Problem was the FBI’s mission is NOTHING like CIA and DOD. Additionally, and forgive me if this sounds like boasting, but the FBI pre-Mueller was indeed the leading law enforcement agency in the world. We made fantastic and incredible cases - precisely because we thought outside of the box, and didn’t do it like everyone else.
Additionally, intelligence missions have wholly different legal standards and mandates. Mueller tried to merge the two. For example, all the intrusions of citizens’ rights complained of by government overstepping are because foreign nations and nationals don’t have those rights. Mueller tried to apply those same liberal standards to US Citizens. Many criminal investigator experts objected, and they were demoted and transferred.
So over 12 years, Mueller shifted emphasis and priorities to counter terrorism, mitigated the Criminal Division, and literally rewrote the FBI’s operating manual (from MIOG to DIOG). He systematically began removing executives of proven capabilities and replaced them with his own, zero-experience cronies. It became common knowledge that if you dared question the Director, you would find yourself replaced and demoted to some Indian reservation- or fired.
Of course it wasn’t bad enough that we had to endure him for 10 years; no. President Obama decided to give him two additional years to “finish the job” converting the Bureau. It is especially ironic that the Democrats who feared the Hoover days of power, and were the driving force to limit a director’s term to 10 years, were now the ones pushing for two more years! But I digress...
Mueller also changed the FBI from being an “investigative agency” into that of an intelligence agency. We were mandated to avoid criminal cases often and mandated to pursue terrorists- even if there was absolutely no signs anywhere of them in our region.
Whole divisions largely untouched by terror suspects and even the hint of terror activity were told to have agents literally driving the streets, opening trumped up cases (no pun intended), and burning tens of thousands of hours chasing ghosts; all the while retirees were being fleeced in their pensions, the mortgage collapse of 2007, corruption running off the charts...
Mueller decided to change our mission to be like the movie, Minority Report, where we would identify and catch terror “before it happened.” Problem was he set the agency up for failure because none of us have a crystal ball, and ANY terror incident afterward that the FBI didn’t catch, would be seen as a failure; and it was!
Think the Boston Bomber. That case was exceptionally worked AND SOLVED, all levels of law enforcement working together, and catching and killing the assailants within three days- yet the FBI was criticized for not stopping it beforehand. That never was our mission, and never should have been.
You can no more eliminate terrorism than you can crime- unless you lock up every human in boxes.
Mueller also made social change in our agency- not for the better. He began hand picking executives who would never have passed a background investigation for a regular employee, pushing social programs and “celebrating” sexual behavior (he spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on supporting gay pride and LGBQ-et al parties, signage to every office in the agency, mandated we attend these parties, and listen to stories of detailed homosexual and bisexual practices by employees).
To be candid, I’m a Christian, and this behavior is offensive to me. I don’t advocate using the government to stop people from their freedoms, but I also don’t want to be forced as part of my job as a criminal investigator paid by your tax dollars to attend parties to discuss what people do in the privacy of their bedroom- any more than employees want to hear about a single 25 year old heterosexual agent’s graphic detail of what he had been doing on the weekend with a gal he met at a bar.
So all the things you’re hearing in the media today is a direct result of Mueller’s actions, and what Comey later ascended to continue. Like never before, executives in the FBI had “a political agenda.”
I’m a Conservative, and like most of whom I worked, we investigated and arrested suspects of all demographics, colors, creeds, and parties. Our “agenda” was justice, and countless missed holidays, birthdays, kid’s events, hours of sleep, four shooting incidents, witnessing horrific crime scenes, and just not being on call was the cost. I did it because of mine, and most other agents’ desire to serve and see justice done.
Little did we know liberal agendas were seeping in at the highest levels of the agency we loved, and the result was the nightmares we are seeing now.
President Trump was right to fire Comey, Mueller should have never inspected the agency (it’s like a student grading his own final exam), and the agency is now in desperate need of reform at the top.
Finally, I should say, I don’t like Trump as a person. I don’t think I would want to hang out or be neighbors with him, but he still revers the military and law enforcement unlike his predecessor. The first day in office, he published on the White House website that he stood behind law enforcement and the rule of law. The protests against police stopped almost overnight. My local agency had a significant hiring deficit due to the negative perception of the calling, and after President Trump got in office, we now have to turn people away.
What I do know is that Hillary was a narcissist and a liar, she did whatever she could to undermine the social and economic fabric of this nation (like Obama), and she was totally incapable of running foreign policy as evidenced by the debacles of the past. What I also know is that Trump has returned the Market to historic gains, minorities employment is also at a historic high, and while he is caustic and offensive often, he gets results. He respects this nation, and stands up for it. He was right to fire Comey and the rest of the men and women in cabinet-like positions, it’s his prerogative, and it is precisely what he did as a businessman (see The Apprentice).
I feel sad for the Democrats. They don’t know who they are anymore. The very best they can come up with is Biden, who by all rights is senile. The other alternatives are socialists. They have tried in earnest to find themselves by prostituting their platform. It’s sad to see.
So that’s it. The facts speak for themselves, and I lived it for half of my quarter century career with the Bureau- enduring the nightmare. The first half of my career was the best job in the world; the later half was miserable and considerably less productive.
I doubt you’ll change your mind, but those are the facts.
I just spent about 30 minutes writing a post, and when I pressed the post button I received a message I had to log in using a link in a new email. Since I got here using the link in the initial email I had to leave this page so lost my post. Not happy! Stay safe everyone!
SOSDD in Ohio