Month: January 2026

COLUMBUS, Ohio: Snow, sleet, ice and football are dominating the News today. (Except in Minnesota.)  We got about a foot of snow here, the most at any time in a few years. And temperatures are dropping to zero.

Meanwhile in Utah and other Rocky Mountain states where they need snow, it’s been sunny and dry. That’s bad enough for anyone who likes to ski. But the bigger problem will be this summer when rivers run dry.

The U.S. murder rate dropped dramatically in 2025. Meanwhile 250,000 criminal illegal aliens were deported and 2,000,000 other illegal aliens self-deported. And instead of 3,000,000 more entering, without vetting, the border is pretty much shut down. Fewer illegal drugs are getting across our borders. Drug boats are being blown out of the water in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific. Is it possible there’s a connection between fewer murders and more deportations?

Congress might shut down the government next weekend. We didn’t like it when they shut down for 40 days in October-November. Will a shutdown be more popular in February-March? Last fall, the argument was over health insurance subsidies. Now, it seems to be over protection of wanted criminals.

Can you imagine, in 1930, leaders in Congress demanding that Al Capone not be hunted down and arrested? Would a Congressman from Chicago demand, “Mr. Capone has meant so much to the reputation of our bustling city. It’s not fair to want to capture and hang him for murder. Leave him alone!”

Do you recognize this name: Jose Huerta-Chuma? How about Alex Pretti? You probably know about Alex. He was shot yesterday by a federal law officer. Alex was trying to prevent federal officers from arresting Jose. Were Alex and Jose related? Or work together at the VA? No, they never even met. Alex put his life on the line for a man who is wanted for beating up his wife. Jose is also an illegal alien. And thanks to Alex and a thousand other protesters, Jose is still roaming free on the streets of Minneapolis.

Now, I realize half of my readers may be violently upset at my description of Jose and Alex. The shooting of Alex Pretti will be thoroughly investigated. Alex had a legal right to own and carry a gun. Why did he choose to take his gun and extra ammunition to a protest against well-armed officers? But he forgot to take his billfold with driver’s license, credit cards and cash? He had no identification on him at the protest. The saga of Alex Pretti reminds me of the Johnny Cash song, “Don’t take your guns to town, son. Leave your guns at home.”

A bigger question is, why were there no city or state police officers onsite to keep protesters a safe distance from federal officers trying to do their job? That question is for Gov. Walz and Mayor Frey. Their priority seems to be providing safe sanctuary for any and all illegal immigrants, including criminals, who can get to Minneapolis. Maybe they should have been focused on stopping the fraudsters who managed to steal $9,000,000,000 tax dollars and sent a lot of it to Somalia Islamic radicals. A few million may have ended up in the bank account of Congresswoman Ilhan Omar.

The Super Bowl is set for the NFL championship. The Seattle Seahawks will play the New England Patriots on Feb. 8. A hundred million of us will watch the game. A different hundred million will watch commercials and the half-time show.

Historic quote by Will Rogers:

         “You can’t legislate intelligence and common sense into people. (DT #2377, March 17, 1934)

        “Corruption has supplanted Tariff as a National issue. But it’s awful hard to get people interested in corruption unless they can get some of it… The Republicans have always been the party of big business, and the Democrats of small business, so you just take your pick. The Democrats had their eye on a dime, and the Republicans on a dollar.” (WA #278, Apr. 22, 1928)

President Trump is in a heap of trouble in Greenland. Denmark and most of Europe don’t like that he is bribing all 58,000 citizens by offering ‘em $500,000 if they secede. And Greenlanders are holding out for more, at least $750,000 each. Knowing negotiations will take at least a year, the birth rate is expected to accelerate.

Meanwhile, thousands of Americans have rushed to the Greenland embassy in DC, not to protest, but to apply for citizenship.

A hundred years ago Will Rogers was proud to say, “I’m not a member of any organized political party… I’m a Democrat.” In my programs as “Will Rogers” that line always gets a laugh.

Will Rogers was a Democrat, no kidding. He was kind and respectful of all presidents, including Calvin Coolidge and Herbert Hoover. In 1932, he was totally for Franklin D. Roosevelt, including introducing him at a massive campaign rally in Los Angeles, “This introduction tonight is not flowery or ostentatious, because I am wasting no oratory on just a prospect. Now after you’re elected, I’ll do right by you.”

Today, I’m got my doubts. In 2028, I can’t see Will proudly standing in front of a huge rally for one of the apparent Democrat candidates and heaping praise on him or her. If Will was invited to speak at the Democratic Convention, like in 1932 in Chicago, I’m pretty sure he would not repeat his comments when he implored the delegates, no matter which candidate they favored, to go home and support the nominee, “Don’t say he’s the weakest man… don’t say he can’t win… I don’t see how he could ever be weak enough not to win. If he lives until November, he’s in!” (Convention Articles, June 27, 1932)

Last week, I asked a lot of questions. Today, I have a couple of observations. Congress voted on keeping Title IX support for women’s sports. The vast majority of Democrats voted against continuing to keep these sports teams, and their locker rooms, only for girls and women. An expert gynecologist testifying in the Senate was asked, “Can a man get pregnant?” Even after years of helping with hundreds of births, not one from a man, she refused to answer that simple question. When given a choice, Democrats usually ignore victims and favor the illegal immigrants who committed the crime.

        “Us Democrats just seem to have an uncanny premonition of sizing up a question and guessing wrong on it. It almost makes you think sometimes it is done purposely.” (Saturday Evening Post, Jan. 19, 1929)

Gov. Tim Walz, supported by mayor Jacob Frey, is reading up on Jefferson Davis as he maps out a plan for Minnesota to secede from the Union. Listening to Congresswoman Omar’s list of atrocities, who can blame him, “ICE is a paramilitary force, terrorizing families, escalating enforcement, killing a U.S. citizen, detaining individuals because of their color without warrants, without access to counsel, including my own son. They force car accidents where they smash windows, cut seat belts, and carry people away.”

To help tamp down animosity on the streets, Gov. Walz decided to call up the National Guard. The big decision for the Guard is, are we fighting against the criminals and protesters, or against ICE?

With Walz’s application to secede from the United States, the former Democrat V-P candidate is demanding the return of the 300 hardened criminal immigrants recently hauled away by ICE. “These are our neighbors. The women protesting, including mothers and grandmothers, are missing their affordable supply of cocaine and fentanyl.” There is some question whether those gang members, rapists and murderers will want to return to Minnesota. Without easy access to billions in free money from the U.S. taxpayers, why go back to frigid Minneapolis?

On a serious note, Martin Luther King is honored tomorrow. Will Rogers did as much as he could to end discrimination against Blacks and Indians. For example, after Will became a movie star, he had the freedom to change scripts. He used that freedom to promote the growth of fellow actors, including Lincoln Perry, known as Stepin’ Fetchit, Bill Robinson, known as Bojangles, and Hattie McDaniels. Will Rogers created situations where these three actors could grow beyond what was expected of them. Also, a Cherokee woman was a candidate for President of the Women’s Federation of Clubs in 1935. Will supported her, “I hate to see her kicked out because she’s an Indian. She’s a wonderful woman. So, any of you women who are going to (the convention), don’t you vote my Indian out, or I’ll be on you from now on.” (Radio, June 2, 1935) (Yes, she won.)

Instead of giving you my comments on current issues, I’m going to ask questions and let you answer. It’s not a quiz. No grades will be published.

If a Deputy Sheriff stops a person for going 80 mph in a 55-mph zone, should the driver obey her request to check license and registration?

If that speeder ignores the request and roars off, should the Deputy quickly follow, or let her go?

If an illegal immigrant sexual predator has been living in your state for 5 years, should he be arrested by I.C.E. and deported?

If an illegal immigrant sexual predator moves in next door, should he be arrested by I.C.E. and deported?

If a sanctuary state orders federal law enforcement to leave, should the President agree? And also stop all federal funding?

What percent of total federal income taxes should the top 10 percent of wage earners pay: 50%; 75%; 85%; or 95%?

What percent of total federal income taxes should the bottom half of wage earners pay? 1%; 3%; 10%; or 25%?

Who deserves the most support, the victim of a crime or the perpetrator?

If the victim of a major crime is a person you don’t like, do you favor a light sentence for the perpetrator?

Which organization is known to arrest citizens of its own country, send them to concentration camps and kill thousands: I.C.E.; FBI; or Gestapo?

Which type of government is most likely to provide plenty of good food at a reasonable price to poor people: Socialist or Capitalist?

Which type of government is most likely to provide opportunities for an average person to increase income and prosper: Socialist or Capitalist?

Of the two main groups of protesters, those for freedom in Iran, or those against I.C.E, which has had the most shot and killed by officials?

If a paid protester throws a brick through the windshield of an I.C.E. vehicle, is that considered freedom of speech?

If protesters commit a crime, should the persons who paid and trained the protesters be charged also?

If legal immigrants are defrauding the state or federal government, should they be deported?

If elected officials (Governor, Attorney General, Legislators, etc.) know about and ignore major fraud, should they be tried and sent to prison?

Historic quote by Will Rogers:

“An Indian (says) the reason a white man always got lost and an Indian didn’t was because an Indian always looked back after he passed anything so he got a view of it from both sides. You see the white man just figures that all sides of a thing are the same. That’s like a dumb guy with an argument, he don’t think there can be any other side only his. That’s what you call politicians.

You can learn a lot from what that Indian (said) besides just how not to get lost. You must never disagree with a man while you are facing him. Go around behind him and look the same way they do when you are facing him. Look over his shoulder and get his viewpoint, then go back and face him and you will have a different idea.” WA#514, October30, 1932

What a way to start the celebration of our 250^th year!

Nicolas Maduro, a narcotics kingpin with a $25 Million bounty on his head, was arrested in Venezuela on Saturday. Venezuelans around the world are celebrating. Wow!

If that was all you knew about this big News, probably everyone in the U.S. would be celebrating with the Venezuelans (except the Venezuelan drug gangs).

But because President Trump ordered our Armed Forces to make the arrest, and without alerting 535 members of Congress a week ahead about the top-secret mission, plenty of people are criticizing and protesting Maduro’s removal.

New York City has a new mayor, Zohran Mamdani. At his inauguration he declared an end to individualism, to be replaced by collectivism. Collectivism sounds familiar to anyone who knows the history of the old USSR. It is still practiced in Cuba and North Korea.

Mayor Mamdani was cheered wildly by his supporters as he was sworn in by a U.S. Senator. It wasn’t a Senator from New York, but Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont, a fellow Democrat-Socialist who splits his time among three houses. Since none are in New York City, Senator Sanders is in no danger of losing two of them in the name of collectivism.

It’s no surprise that the protest in New York City about Maduro’s arrest was led by the young folks who swept Mamdani into office. They hate to see a fellow Democrat-Socialist lose power. They are too young and uninformed to know that in the 1990s Venezuela was the third strongest economy in the Western Hemisphere. That all began a slow decline 25 years ago when a new president was elected on the promise to “eliminate income inequality.”

Minnesota Governor Walz is thrilled to be off the front page for a few days. But the fraud by the Somalis that he ignored cost us Billions. I read that in Somalia bribery and fraud is ordinary practice. It’s a way of life. So, it should be no surprise that several would continue the same lifestyle in Minneapolis.

By the way, the bounty on Maduro’s head was increased to $25 million by President Biden. Also, in the last 8 years, about 8 million Venezuelans left the country. If Mamdani is in office for 8 years, do you think an equivalent number may leave New York City?

I’m optimistic about 2026. Regardless of politics, we are optimistic folks. The sun will come up in the morning. The economy will keep growing. For those who, unfortunately, may not benefit, the second Will Rogers quote below gives hope. We are generous to those in “actual need throughout the country.”

Historic quotes by Will Rogers:

“A conservative [Republican] is a man who has plenty of money and doesn’t see any reason why he shouldn’t always have plenty of money. A Democrat is a fellow who never had any, but doesn’t see any reason why he shouldn’t have some.” WA #535, March 26, 1935

“Well, Christmas has passed. I was just thinking if there was some way to make the Christmas spirit continue during the other days of the year, why we would be the most happy and wonderful Nation on Earth. Gosh, if all of us that was able would just feed and do things for folks without waiting till Christmas. I think we mean well, but we just sorter got in our heads that about one day a year pays our obligations off, then we swell up and hide our Conscience till the next gift day comes along. With all of our fact-finding departments in our Government, and all our statistics gatherers, I believe you could increase generosity 100 to 1000-fold if there was some way of finding out just exactly the people that were in actual need throughout the country.”  WA #628, Jan. 6, 1935