Progressive Thinking

Welcome to America, where facts are optional, fear is currency, and everyone’s one meme away from a meltdown. I wrote this blog to drag the manipulation machine into the spotlight—where it belongs. If you’ve ever asked, how the hell did we get here?... pull up a chair. You’re not alone.

LAKE GENEVA, WI - I used to think I was pretty sharp. A thinker. A question-asker. A woman who couldn’t be duped by shiny objects or political tap dancing. And yet here I am, watching half the country fall face-first into the same manipulation trap over and over again like it’s a damn carnival game—except nobody’s winning a goldfish, just a warped sense of reality and maybe a tin foil hat.

Welcome to America, where the lies are slick, the truth is boring, and people treat Facebook memes like sacred scripture.

It starts with the news. Not the news as in “factual information,” but the multi-million-dollar circus of opinion, drama, and commercial breaks. Everyone’s got a narrative to sell. One channel tells you immigrants are crawling through your windows and stealing your lawn chairs, and the other acts like everything is fine except for the occasional democracy fire. You’re not being informed. You’re being marketed to. They’re not here to tell you what’s true—they’re here to sell you a story you’ll watch with your mouth open and remote in hand like it’s the last season of Succession.

Then comes repetition. Repeat a lie enough times and it gets shiny. Familiar. Comforting, even. Like that old pair of sweatpants you know you shouldn’t wear in public but somehow still do. Say something like “The election was stolen” or “Climate change is a hoax” enough times, and folks start defending it like it’s their firstborn. Doesn’t matter if it makes no sense. If it feels true, that’s close enough, right?

We’re also soaking in fear like it’s a bubble bath. And let me tell you, fear sells. It sells ads. It sells guns. It sells entire political careers. The more terrified you are, the easier you are to herd. And while we’re busy panicking about imaginary threats (like being forced to eat vegan meatloaf or share a bathroom with someone who doesn’t match our bathroom expectations), the real problems—corporate greed, dying ecosystems, a healthcare system held together with scotch tape and ductwork—go completely ignored.

Meanwhile, the social media overlords are sitting back with their feet up, watching us implode one “BREAKING NEWS” post at a time. Those algorithms know us better than we know ourselves. They feed us exactly what will keep us scrolling, arguing, and foaming at the mouth like caffeinated raccoons. If you believe Bigfoot is your spirit guide, congratulations—by dinner, your feed will be a conspiracy buffet with a side of QAnon fries.

And the tribalism? Oh boy. We’ve traded conversation for teams. Pick a side and stay loyal, no matter how dumb it gets. Your team can literally light their pants on fire, and you'll still find a way to blame the other guys for handing them the match.

Now let’s talk about the American obsession with “all opinions matter.” Look—I’m all for free speech, but just because you can say something doesn’t mean it deserves airtime. We’ve reached the point where “Well, that’s just my opinion” is used as a get-out-of-facts-free card. That guy on YouTube with the crazy eyes and unverified credentials? His “truth” apparently carries just as much weight as someone with three degrees and a lab coat. Brilliant.

And while we’re all screaming at each other over who can say what where and whether books should include gay penguins, guess who’s quietly robbing us blind? The rich. The powerful. The corporations with more tax breaks than employees. But sure, let’s blame the cashier at Walgreens or the guy who cleans hotel toilets for ruining America. Makes total sense.

Don’t overlook the rise of the Influencer Industrial Complex. Apparently, if you have a ring light, a half-smile, and a decent squat routine, people will trust you with everything from financial advice to holistic remedies made of fermented goat spit. Science? Who needs it? Credentials? So overrated. That girl with 200K followers who sells waist trainers and essential oils now has thoughts on international diplomacy and vaccines. And guess what? People are listening.

Then we’ve got the conspiracy crowd, where logic goes to die. These folks believe they’ve cracked the code while the rest of us are sleepwalking through life. They’ve connected the dots—from Hillary’s emails to lizard people running Target—and you can’t convince them otherwise. It’s like once you’ve bought the ticket to Crazytown, there are no refunds. Only more dots.

But the root of it all? We’ve never been taught to think. Really think. Question sources. Challenge assumptions. Ask, “Wait a minute, where the hell did that come from?” Instead, we were handed standardized tests and told to memorize stuff we forgot before the ink dried on our Scantron sheets. And so here we are. A nation with supercomputers in our pockets and brains full of bumper stickers.

So yeah—we’re being manipulated. Intentionally. Repeatedly. Expertly. But here’s the kicker: we’re active participants in our own bamboozling. We like being right more than we like being informed. We’d rather be outraged than curious. And as long as we keep taking the bait, the people reeling us in will never run out of line.

On June 14, Donald Trump will throw himself a $45-million military-themed birthday party, paid for by American taxpayers. If you’ve ever wondered what it looks like when a narcissist uses a government like a mirror, this parade is it.

LAKE GENEVA, WI - Well folks, get ready to wave your tiny plastic flags and clap like trained seals, because this Saturday, June 14, the former President — turned current self-appointed Emperor of All That is Golden and Grifty — is throwing himself a $45-million birthday bash.

No, not with his own money. Don’t be ridiculous. That cash is safely tucked away in off-shore accounts, crypto wallets, and the pockets of MAGA fanatics who bought his snake oil. This little shindig? You are paying for it. Every firework, every boot-polished soldier, every flyover that rattles the windows — that’s your tax dollars at work, baby.

The man who once called military service “a sucker’s game” now wants soldiers to march in formation to honor... his birth. I guess when you’ve turned the presidency into a reality show, the only logical next step is turning the national budget into your birthday fund.

This isn’t just a party. It’s a state-sponsored ego massage. A massive parade of pomp and delusion, where military might is misused not to defend our country, but to prop up a 78-year-old man who still throws tantrums when the spotlight shifts off him for five minutes.

And let’s talk about why this is so dangerous.

Authoritarians throughout history have used military parades to flex power and instill fear. Stalin did it. Kim Jong-un still does it. And now, Donald Trump — who once hugged the flag like it was a stripper on a pole — is staging his own star-spangled homage to himself. Not to America. Not to freedom. To himself.

All this while he continues to peddle lies, grift millions off his cult followers through shady crypto ventures, and publicly fantasize about imprisoning his political opponents like it’s a segment on Fox News’s “Wheel of Vengeance.”

And the cherry on top? He’ll call it patriotic.

He’ll wrap it in the flag, slap a bald eagle on it, and tell you it’s for the “real Americans.” You know, the ones who think democracy is a buffet and Trump gets to pick the menu.

Meanwhile, the national debt balloons. The VA is underfunded. Public schools are crumbling. Affordable housing? Healthcare? Clean water? Nah — let’s blow $45 million so a man with more indictments than accomplishments can feel like a king for a day.

It’s not just wasteful. It’s obscene. It’s not just un-American. It’s grotesquely, flamboyantly anti-American — a cult of personality funded by people who can’t afford groceries but still think this man gives a damn about them.

This isn’t a celebration of patriotism. It’s a funeral for common sense.

Governor Tony Evers did his job—and Trump’s goons threatened him with arrest. If that doesn’t chill you to the bone, you’re not paying attention.

LAKE GENEVA, WI - Let me say this as plainly as I can: What just happened to Governor Tony Evers is not only outrageous—it’s authoritarian rot, spreading from the Oval Office like mold in a condemned building.

Here we have a man—an elected governor, mind you—doing the bare minimum any responsible leader should do: advising his staff to seek legal counsel if federal agents show up with documents. You know, the same advice every lawyer in America would give. And for that? He gets threatened with arrest by a Trump administration official. Not for breaking the law. Not for obstructing justice. But for… telling people to call a lawyer.

Let that sink in.

What country are we living in? Because I don’t recognize this one anymore.

This isn’t just political bullying. It’s the kind of power grab you expect from dictators and strongmen, not from a so-called “president” of a democratic republic. Tom Homan—Trump’s latest lapdog—had the gall to say, “Wait ’til you see what’s coming,” like he’s the villain in some third-rate dystopian drama. And just like that, Republican lawmakers leapt to attention, parroting Trump’s tantrum-fueled threats like trained seals at a circus. Only this circus runs on fear, cruelty, and delusion.

This isn’t law and order. This is lawlessness disguised as authority.

Let’s be real—this is what Trump and his cult followers want: complete submission to their power, no matter how unlawful or unconstitutional their demands. Speak up? You’re a criminal. Defend your rights? You’re a traitor. Uphold the Constitution? You’re the enemy. That’s where we are now.

What Governor Evers did wasn’t radical. It was reasonable. It was responsible. It was legal. But that doesn’t matter in Trump’s America, where facts are inconvenient, lawyers are enemies, and loyalty to anything but Trump is punishable

This entire manufactured controversy is nothing but red-meat propaganda for the MAGA base—another chance to paint any opposition as lawless and dangerous while Trump’s goons play fast and loose with the truth. Elon Musk, who now spends more time stirring up political disinformation than launching rockets, threw gasoline on the fire like he always does—irresponsibly, recklessly, and with zero accountability.

And let’s not forget: Trump’s administration is doing this while screaming about freedom and tyranny. The irony could punch a hole through the Capitol dome.

Make no mistake—if they can threaten a governor for daring to suggest that staff know their rights, what’s to stop them from coming after you or me next? What’s to stop them from dragging someone out of their job or their home simply because they refuse to kneel before the orange king?

We are walking a dangerous line, and it’s not hyperbole to say this is how democracies die—not with a bang, but with a cowardly whisper of “Wait ’til you see what’s coming.”

Well, I see what’s coming, and it sure as hell isn’t freedom. It’s fascism, wrapped in a flag and carrying a Bible it never reads.

But here’s the good news: people like Governor Evers aren’t backing down. And neither am I. I will not be silent while Trump’s stormtroopers pretend the Constitution only applies to people who praise him.

This is not normal. This is not okay. And it’s on all of us to say so—loudly, clearly, and without apology.

Facebook Post:

They actually threatened to ARREST Governor Tony Evers for telling staff to call a lawyer. No crime, no wrongdoing—just a governor doing his job. Trump’s America is spiraling into something dark, and it’s time we all wake the hell up. Read my latest: Trump’s America: Where Loyalty to Law Is a Crime and Dissent Is Treason

https://laurakiefert.blog/2025/05/03/trumps-america-where-loyalty-to-law-is-a-crime-and-dissent-is-treason/my-politics/

Donald Trump is back in the White House, but he’s still blaming Joe Biden for everything — from gas prices to crime to immigration. The problem? Much of what Trump criticizes was shaped by global events or began under his own watch. At some point, he’ll have to take responsibility.

LAKE GENEVA, WI - Three months into his second term, President Donald Trump still talks about Joe Biden as though he’s the one in the Oval Office. Instead of offering forward-looking solutions, Trump and his Republican allies continue to rerun the same talking points from the campaign trail: blaming Biden for inflation, immigration, crime, energy prices, and foreign policy fallout. But now that Trump is back in charge, it’s worth asking a simple question: how much of that blame was ever justified?

Take inflation. Republicans insist Biden “caused” it with excessive spending. But inflation spiked across the globe in 2021 and 2022 due to COVID-19 disruptions and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Every major economy faced rising prices. By late 2023, U.S. inflation had declined significantly, driven by falling energy and goods prices. To continue blaming Biden months into a new administration—especially when inflation has stabilized—is disingenuous.

The gas price narrative is just as flawed. Trump frequently accuses Biden of “crippling” American energy, yet U.S. oil production hit an all-time high in 2023. Prices at the pump rose due to global oil shocks, not domestic policy. Biden released oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve to stabilize prices, a move praised by many economists. Blaming Biden for prices driven by international markets while ignoring record output is misleading at best.

On immigration, Trump paints Biden’s policies as dangerously permissive. But the record tells a different story. Biden maintained Title 42 expulsions until court-ordered changes in 2023 and increased border enforcement staffing and technology. By the end of his term, illegal crossings had already started to decline—in part due to new bilateral agreements and enforcement initiatives. Yet Republicans continue to describe the situation in apocalyptic terms without acknowledging the data.

Trump also continues to invoke the chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan, a moment of genuine tragedy and failure. But his own administration negotiated the withdrawal deal with the Taliban in 2020, setting the timeline Biden was largely forced to follow. Ignoring that context—and placing the entire outcome on Biden—misrepresents history.

Then there’s the crime narrative. Republicans routinely claim that violent crime soared under Biden, yet FBI data shows a clear decline in 2023, with homicides falling by over 13%. Crime had peaked in 2020—under Trump—amid a global pandemic. Those numbers don’t make it into the campaign speeches.

Blaming Biden for every problem is politically convenient. But Trump is president again. He now owns the economy, the border, public safety, and global diplomacy. If those issues continue—or worsen—it won’t be because of Joe Biden. It’ll be because those in power chose to keep pointing fingers instead of doing the work.

Trump 2025, Joe Biden, Republican politics, Biden legacy, fact check, U.S. economy, gas prices, inflation, immigration policy, crime rates, border crisis, Afghanistan withdrawal, political accountability, 2024 election, U.S. presidency, blame game politics, GOP messaging, political truth, presidential leadership.

FACEBOOK POST:

Trump is president again. So why is he still blaming Biden for everything?

Inflation? Global. Gas prices? Stabilized under Biden. Crime? Fell sharply in 2023. Immigration? Biden enforced record deportations and saw border crossings decline.

But Trump and the GOP won’t let go of their favorite scapegoat.

Here’s the truth they’re still trying to dodge: they’re in power now — and the blame game is running out of time.

Read here and please LIKE, COMMENT, AND SHARE

https://laurakiefert.blog/2025/04/30/still-blaming-biden-trumps-excuses-dont-match-reality/my-politics/

Trump’s latest tariff tantrum proves once again that he’s steering America’s economy like a blindfolded man on a unicycle—on a tightrope—during an earthquake. And yes, he still insists he’s got it all under control.

LAKE GENEVA, WI - Let’s talk about the man who just assured America, “I know what the hell I’m doing”... right before proving the exact opposite. Donald J. Trump, the self-proclaimed mastermind of global economics, just pulled off one of the most breathtaking U-turns in trade policy history—and managed to look completely unhinged while doing it.

Here’s the rundown: On April 2, Trump rolled out his “Liberation Day” tariff plan, because of course he did—it sounds like something out of a bad dystopian sci-fi movie. Sweeping tariffs slapped on nearly every foreign good imaginable. The stock market responded by doing what it does when chaos is injected into the economy—it tanked. World leaders raised their eyebrows, economists screamed into the void, and even members of Trump’s own party started inching away from the flaming dumpster fire.

Still, there was Trump at a Republican dinner just days later, pounding his chest like a cartoon gorilla. “I know what the hell I’m doing,” he bellowed, while painting a fantasy picture of chip factories popping up like mushrooms in the rain. Maybe in his head, sure.

And then? Reality bit back.

On April 9, Europe slapped a 25% tariff on U.S. goods—everything from steel to ice cream. China cranked its own tariffs to a jaw-dropping 84%. What did Trump do? He blinked. Hard. Like a deer in headlights. He threw the whole tariff plan into a 90-day pause—for everyone except China, who he then decided to punish with an even more absurd 125% tax. Because if you’re already playing economic Russian roulette, why not spin the barrel again?

But wait—there’s more. When Americans worried about their crashing 401(k)s, Trump told them to stop being “Panicans.” Yes, Panicans. Apparently, that’s his new insult for people with functioning neurons. Weak! Stupid! Panican! It’s not clear whether he was naming a new political party or just inventing a word to distract from his epic failure.

Meanwhile, his sidekick J.D. Vance thought it’d be a great idea to call the Chinese people “peasants.” Because if there’s one thing you want during an international economic meltdown, it’s racist condescension from your second-in-command.

Let’s be blunt: Trump has no idea what the hell he’s doing. He’s playing global economic Jenga with greasy hands, and every block he pulls makes the whole tower wobble. His policies are chaotic, reactionary, and driven more by ego than any semblance of strategy. He talks big, blunders bigger, and then blames everyone else when his ideas implode like a wet paper bag in a hurricane.

And yet, somehow, we’re still supposed to believe he’s got this under control?

Sure. And I’m the Queen of Denmark.