Of all the things that tick me off about the current era, agreeing with Tucker Carlson two or three times a year is pretty far up the list.

Carlson has apparently come around to the fact that DJT requires removal via the 25th amendment, on account of plainly obvious deterioration. (Related: The Runaway GOP.) Not that we’re not all allowed to deteriorate, but when one’s decline has direct implications for the survival of millions of people and whatnot … as the kids say, it hits different.

Carlson cites Trump’s ongoing nutball rhetoric regarding Iran and options on the table as Iran somehow fails to realize that we have won the “war” many times now, and why won’t they just cut a deal even though we invaded for no good reason.

It’s almost like …

Personally, I’d add the way Trump has dug in when it comes to AI. Just when we thought there was no worse time for a reality-resistant asshat who fawns over dictators and the uber-wealthy to be in the White House, along comes a major technological next-gen moment with potentially existential repercussions.

It’s not going to happen, of course. The Trump cabinet doesn’t have the balls. Like Trump and AI, they’d rather enable disaster than flash a bit of spine.

But if it did, one bonus would be forcing J.D. Vance to get on the record as POTUS for a while.

BAD THINGS COME IN THREES
It took me until this week to realize that Trump, Putin, and Netanyahu have all instigated military aggression that ranges somewhere on the spectrum from seriously dubious to morally indefensible to flat-out war crime.

You don’t me to rehash it all. I just want to know, did they all listen to the same episode of some “Tips For People Clinging To Office To Stay Out Of Prison” podcast?

Speaking of Netanyahu and his excuse for razing Gaza, wouldn’t you think ignoring a legitimate internal warning about an imminent attack would have some political ramifications? Weird.

Now it’s a case of he says / he says. Bibi says the report is bogus. Haaretz defends its reporting. What’s a guy to think? Well, Bibi also channeled money directly to Hamas. That’s enough of a tiebreaker for me. The GOP would’ve impeached Obama’s ass for a Ramadan press release if they could’ve; imagine him sending cash to Al Qaeda.

SILENCIO
I can’t sign off without acknowledging a new U2 single today. Is it the nephew of “Vertigo”? Maybe.

But I respect the vibe and the intent, which the video makes all the clearer. Even in a music video format, there’s something ghoulish about an ICE crew.

OTOH, great to see Larry Mullen, Jr. back behind the drum kit after a rough patch of back issues.

Good on the lads for being on the right side of history, extending their encouragement to speak up beyond their surprising EP and on into the proper album that will get much more attention.

Uneasy feeling, I just heard a gunshot 
There are things you can get used to (or not)
A thief at large in a carnival of souls
In the silence, the devil rock and rolls …