Why do they seem so stupid?

 I am guessing when you assume everyone in the world is dumber than you, then obvious stupidity isn't really going to be an issue. The whole gift plane, for instance, is not something that would have occurred under previous administrations because of the perception of the attached strings, whether they exist or not. Most normal people might expect to be given a can of soda with no strings attached, but something like an aircraft would not treated the same way. Considering there are already questions about the computer chips he wants to sell the middle east as part of a deal, it isn't hard to conceive that they are included in expectations for the aircraft. (I think there were some military deals as well, so think what you will.)

I do hope the congressional Republicans who want to push for a more balanced budget sooner actually get something right, but I honestly doubt it. The last thing we really need is to up spending on defense, and should really chop 5% from that budget before anything. While the Republicans traditionally love trying to chop up the social safety net, this is not the time for that. Just keeping Social Security payments adjusted to inflation increases will be a challenge, especially since too many Republicans forget the obvious thing, if you don't want to cut anything, then you need to increase revenue, which means raising taxes, and of course the rich people in charge of the current government aren't going to sign something like that into law.

Honestly, the one thing that is consistent is that the administration is shameless in its belief that selling government services to the highest bidder is perfectly acceptable, which is why no one he appointed was concerned about the children starving when USAid was terminated (it is obvious poor children can't donate much money to him). Rumors of Tesla's regulatory issues vanishing also support this theory.

Amazon and other stuff

It is always odd when you see things on Amazon that don't make sense, like an adult romance novel being listed as a children's book, but I couldn't understand what happened in the case above, as it looks like the UP Faith & Family trial version is priced like that to inspire you to subscribe, even though it is cheaper to rent than the other version.  I doubt there is anything different about the movie, it does make one wonder just how connected the various parts of Amazon are.  Regarding the movie, it is a guilty pleasure of mine, as it is a feel good movie, and while there are some religious overtones, it isn't quite as onerously preachy as others.

In other news, the impeachment is proceeding, though I have to honestly wish the republicans would actually take it seriously and present something concrete that mitigates or contradicts what looks like an abuse of power, but so far they have done nothing to argue a defense, preferring instead to attempt to turn the proceedings into a reality show circus that Trump will appreciate, though not too much if it gets good ratings.

What's with the sweet tea, Celestial Seasonings?

I am not quite sure when Celestial Seasonings started pre-sweetening their tea blends with stevia, but Cranberry Vanilla Wonderland is so sweetened. I drank what I made, but couldn't figure out the sweetness until looking at the ingredient list. For me, however much they used was too much, as it tasted a bit cloying to me, and that was with nothing additional added. I can't see any reason to try and finish this, as the Gingerbread flavor I bought doesn't have any stevia in it, so hopefully won't taste too sweet.  

Other than discovering my tea was pre-sweetened and doing laundry, there hasn't been that much going on today, though I have the original Casino Royale (with David Niven) playing.

Next week they are supposed to start open impeachment hearings. Is it too much to hope that the Republicans won't try to turn them into a circus? They have been like a child screaming "na, na, na, I can't hear you" as information has been made known. They complained about the private hearings, though there were Republicans there and by being private, there was no concern about state secrets, so those testifying could speak openly. Now with the public hearings it will likely be more grandstanding, and minimal useful new information. I am not looking forward to the farce Republicans will like make of it.

Inspector Clouseau vs. Donald Trump

With Trump visiting France for Bastille Day, I can't help be think for a better comparison of Trump's six months as President than Inspector Clouseau, since Trump seems to be just as accident prone, and just as determined to do it his way, oblivious of the consequences.  It is this apparent obliviousness that actually bothers me most.  I honestly do not believe that Trump has the best interests of the United States in his mind as he parades himself around the world, so he doesn't look beyond the pictures of him standing with other world leaders.  Seeing that he looks good in those pictures is all that really matters.  I have never received the visceral impression that the United States is so totally isolating itself as I am feeling now, and our world is too complex for that, though I don't think, aside from Twitter, Trump actually lives in today's world.

On a related note, I do hope the Republicans in Congress realize that dictatorships are made when you choose party over country, consistently overlooking glaringly questionable behavior, but making no effort to enforce accountability.