Republican Senators are wrasslin’ with a new health insurance bill, desperate to get 50 of the 52 to agree on… something. Meanwhile 48 Democrat Senators are enjoying their ringside seats for this Comedy. Mind you, it’s a Drama for Republicans, but Democrats sit there laughing at ‘em.

According to a national poll, 27 percent of Americans like the Senate healthcare bill. And the other 73 percent have absolutely no idea what’s in it.

You’ve read about the financial crisis in Illinois. The state owes Billions in unpaid bills, plus million dollar pensions to a whole bunch of state retirees. The Legislature and Governor can’t agree on a solution. So, one proposal by the Chicago Tribune is to simply divide up the state, giving portions to each of the surrounding states. Seems logical; the rich farmland will be quickly grabbed by Iowa, Missouri, Kentucky, Indiana and Wisconsin. The big argument will be over Chicago. It was a good city until Al Capone took over and it’s gone downhill ever since.  Wisconsin and Indiana are trying to pawn it off on Michigan, but Michigan already has Detroit, and one financial “Black Hole” is all any state can manage. Canada might accept it, but they would have to throw in the whole of Lake Michigan.

Several months ago the New York Times reported that 17 intelligence agencies agreed that Russia interfered in our election. High level government officials repeated it over and over: 17, 17,   17…  Last week the paper finally acknowledged what the rest of us knew all along; we don’t have 17 government agencies intelligent enough to understand Russia. They admit that only 4, not 17, agencies claim they can read the mind of a Russian.

President Trump will meet with Putin next week. I hope Trump does not agree to any deal with him. Putin might agree to leave Crimea and Ukraine and even Syria if Trump would somehow shut down our big oil and gas wells immediately. I don’t think Trump would agree to that deal, but if he did he would lose most of the 30 percent who still like him.

On Saturday I’m headed to the annual convention of the National Speakers Association. After being bombarded by political speakers, I’m eager to listen to professional speakers who know how to keep their political opinions out of their presentations. Well, maybe not all opinions, but at least they are presented fairly and with humor.

Happy Birthday America. July 4 is a great day for a birthday celebration.

Historic quote by Will Rogers:

 “Did you [hear the Fourth of July speeches]?  Never was as much politics indulged in under the guise of ‘freedom and liberty.’ They was 5 percent what George Washington did, and 95 percent what the speaker intended to do.” July 5, 1935, DT #2782