One of my daughters sent me a quote that read, “Happy people are those who continuously evaluate and improve themselves. Unhappy people are those who continuously evaluate others.” What this means is that happy people are focused on personal growth—trying and learning new things, going to new places and making new friends. For them, life is all about the journey and they take the necessary actions to make sure the scenery is constantly changing. As a result, life for them is fun and exciting. Unhappy people, on the other hand, avoid opportunities for personal growth—they are content to remain stuck where they are, and they attempt to make themselves feel good by finding fault with others. The problem is that without personal growth, life is neither fun nor exciting. Rather, it’s like being on a road trip where the scenery never changes.
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Failed ex-President Donald Trump has been indicted on felony charges for the third time this year. The latest indictment is the most significant with the most serious charges. It accuses Trump of conspiring with six other unnamed co-conspirators to illegally thwart the legitimate election of Joe Biden as President of the United States in 2020. Special prosecutor Jack Smith crafted the indictment to keep it focused on Trump and on provable allegations, with an eye toward a swift trial ahead of the 2024 election. Former deputy Solicitor General Neal Katyal called it the most significant criminal indictment ever handed up in the United States. Presidential historian Douglas Brinkley called it a significant historic event.
The novel “Far from the Madding Crowd” by Thomas Hardy has an interesting story about sheep in Chapter Five. Some of compared this story to the current Republican Party.
One of the younger dogs by the name of George (often compared to Trump) chased a large flocks of sheep through a broken fence over a cliff. The dog George simply stayed at the edge of the cliff until the owner of the flock discovered several hundred dead sheep killed when they fell over the cliff.
The dog, George, kind of reminds of Trump. His “flock” simply follows blindly leading them into their untimely death.
The owner of the flock finally destroys the dog. Is this the fate of the former president? Will he be destroyed along with the downfall of the Republican Party?
Who knows, but this is certainly an interesting comparison.
“Trump’s insistence that the election was stolen from him is the shadow that hangs over the party. And too many Republican officials to count have been echoing the refrain. What’s needed now is full-throated condemnation of the former president from members of his party.”1
Who actually is reading the documents stored in the bathroom?
“Last week, former president Donald Trump was indicted on charges that he mishandled classified documents, allegedly storing them in, among other places, a Mar-a-Lago bathroom. A photo of the scene included in the indictment depicted stacks of boxes under a large crystal chandelier that was somehow simultaneously decadent and drab, the light fixture equivalent of Miss Havisham.”2
“The 37-count federal indictment against former President Trump that was unsealed Friday included pictures of dozens of boxes stored throughout his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida.
Why it matters: The Department of Justice says the boxes, stored everywhere from a shower to a business center, held hundreds of classified documents that, if exposed, could threaten U.S. national security, foreign relations, and the safety of the military.
For about three months in 2021, some of Trump’s boxes were kept in the ballroom where “events and gatherings took place,” the indictment says. Mar-a-Lago, which the indictment said was not an authorized location to store the classified documents, hosted events for tens of thousands of its members and guests while the boxes were at the resort.”3
“Legal fees for defending yourself in one criminal case can be pricey — I can say that firsthand as a former trial lawyer. Now multiply that in former President Donald Trump’s case by two jurisdictions — New York state and federal court in Florida — totaling 74 felony charges against him.
And Trump may need representation in two other jurisdictions: in Washington, DC, where a federal grand jury deliberates on the special counsel’s investigation of efforts to overturn the 2020 election, and in Fulton County, Georgia, where prosecutors are probing alleged attempts to overturn the 2020 election results there after he lost.
Trump’s political action committee, Save America, has spent more than $40 million on legal fees since the start of 2023, a source familiar with the matter told CNN. The PAC also shelled out $16 million-plus on legal costs the previous year, Federal Election Commission records show. Trump’s team says the money is being used to defend the former president as well as some of his aides and allies.”4
“In addition to using campaign money to fund his legal defense costs, Trump’s team has also sold T-shirts with faux mug shots in the official online store. According to Variety, donors who contributed $47 or more to the campaign (a nod to Trump’s bid to become 47th President of the United States) would receive a free t-shirt with the image.”5
“Trump and his allies have consistently pushed supporters to donate to Save America, often using false claims about the 2020 election and soliciting donations to rebuke the multiple investigations into the former president, his business dealings and his actions on Jan. 6.
The Save America PAC has, in the past, reported taking in tens of millions of dollars and has helped cover legal bills for either Trump or his allies.”6
