Yes, we'd all love to know why

A federal judge ordered the Kennedy Center to submit a status report next month updating the court about why tarps have stood in front of the building’s sign since President Donald Trump’s name was removed.

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— Forbes (@forbes.com) June 24, 2026 at 10:05 AM

Fuck Donald Trump

Peace,

emaycee

 

A thing of beauty

 Fuck Donald Trump

Peace,

emaycee

They cleaned the shit off the walls

Breaking news: President Trump’s name is off the Kennedy Center. The building’s exterior reads “The John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts” once more.

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— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost.com) June 13, 2026 at 12:24 PM

Fuck Donald Trump

Peace,

emaycee

 

Great question!

 Fuck Donald Trump

Peace,

emaycee

It's not Kennedy's fault that everyone hates Trump

Trump posted a clip to his Truth Social account Wednesday that suggested the Kennedy name be removed entirely from the Kennedy Center. The clip complained that Kennedy had been “elevated to obscene levels.”

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— MeidasTouch (@meidastouch.com) December 30, 2025 at 11:28 AM

Fuck Donald Trump

Peace,

emaycee

 

Once again, Trump shits on America

Kennedy family members today denounced a plan to rename the Kennedy Center so it includes President Trump's surname.

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— Axios (@axios.com) December 18, 2025 at 8:27 PM

Fuck Donald Trump

Peace,

emaycee

 

JFK still exhorting America

 Fuck Donald Trump

Peace,

emaycee

Friday Night Jukebox, Vol. DLXVIII--Nat King Cole: Unforgettable

 Like a fool I went and stayed too long, now I'm wondering if your love's still strong, ooh baby, I'm...(eight days) late again....

While I am certain I had heard this week's tune a time or two before, my real introduction to it was when this week's artist's daughter (Natalie Cole, who I wrote about in Vol. CLXX) released her loving cover of it in 1991.  Whilst I definitely enjoyed that latter version, like many things in life there is nothing quite like the original and in the years since my love of this week's song has done nothing but grow and grow....

Nat King Cole dropped out of school in 1934, and at the ripe old age of fifteen began his musical career.  He started out as a jazz pianist and formed a group with his brother.  In 1940, a patron demanded that Cole sing during a performance, and he sang "Sweet Lorraine" as it was a song he knew.  People quickly warmed to Cole's vocal talents, and he would spend the rest of his career making hit record after hit record.  Cole would eventually sell over fifty million records, win a Grammy Award, and get inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as well as the National Rhythm and Blues Hall of Fame.  Cole was in numerous movies and TV shows (usually as himself, but hey, a gig's a gig) and was the first African American to host a national TV show with his The Nate King Cole Show from 1955-57.  For his career, Cole released twenty-eight studio albums, one live album, too many compilations to count, and one hundred and twelve singles.  Sadly, Cole, a lifelong heavy smoker, was diagnosed with lung cancer in September of 1964, and by February of 1965 had succumbed to the disease at the very young age of forty-five.

Fun Fact:  Because at one time in his career Cole did not refuse to play for segregated audiences, future Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall said of him, "All Cole needs to complete his role as an Uncle Tom is a banjo."  Yikes!  Stung by this and other criticisms of his neglect of his race, Cole turned it around and took a very active part in the civil rights movement, played a role in planning the March on Washington, and would eventually consult with Presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson on civil rights.

"Unforgettable" was released in 1951, and appeared on his deviously entitled 1952 album, Unforgettable.  The single would peak at #14 (with a bullet!) on the Billboard Hot 100, as would his daughter's version forty years later in an incredible instance of kismet.  I could find no listing of what position the album reached on the albums chart, but its sales hit platinum, so my guess would be somewhere around "very high" on the charts....

Start with some sparse but lovingly played piano, add in a touch of xylophone (and how cool is that) and a lot of lush strings and let them all embrace the gift from the Gods vocal talent that Nat King Cole possessed, and you have three minutes and eleven seconds of an amazingly glorious love ballad.  And that, my loyal readers (all three of you), is all that needs be said of this week's tune.

Lyric Sheet:  "That why, darling, it's incredible/That someone so unforgettable/Thinks that I am unforgettable, too..."

Enjoy:

Fuck Donald Trump

Peace,

emaycee

He's old AND no one's going to attend

In '61, John F. Kennedy was Inaugurated on the Capitol steps, in windchills of 7 degrees. It was almost as cold for Obama in '09.
In fairness, Trump IS more than 3 decades older than JFK & Obama were.
Or did he just fear small crowds? pic.twitter.com/3TFJil3HqF

— David Axelrod (@davidaxelrod) January 17, 2025

Fuck Donald Trump

Peace,

emaycee

 

Inevitable

Anyways, the most succinct telling of this is JFK's quote, "those who make peaceful revolution impossible, make violent revolution inevitable."

— Alejandra Caraballo (@esqueer.net) January 7, 2025 at 5:53 PM

Fuck Donald Trump

Peace,

emaycee

 

Democrats accomplish; republicans give money to rich people

 

Republicans = Losers

Peace,

emaycee

The difference between greatness and a turd

Which of these great Presidential Quotes is not like the others?

“I’m not into golden showers.”- DJT pic.twitter.com/m2k7Lgx3hZ

— Mark Hamill (Mar🐫) (@HamillHimself) October 16, 2021

The Republican Party Is Now a Fascist Cult Just Like Nazi Germany

Peace,

emaycee

 

Delusional crank city

Three Liberal Heroes

Numbnut Dan Crenshaw, a republican representative from the not so great state of Texas, said this week  that the reelection of Massachusetts Democratic Senator Ed Markey was an insult to the legacy of JFK.

Leaving aside the obvious fact that one wonders why a no-name congressperson from Texas would have any concern about an election in Massachusetts, especially considering his republican run state leads the nation in coronavirus cases, what exactly does he think JFK's legacy is?

I've been following politics since 1976 and in all that time I have never once heard any Kennedy say they were a republican, run for office as a republican, or endorse a republican.  And judging from their record, I can unequivocally state that had any of the sons of Joseph and Rose Kennedy been alive over the course of the past four years they most assuredly would have called out Donald Trump and the republican party for being the racist cowards they are.  Republicans can spare us all their phony historical revision--to a person, they would have hated JFK.  His legacy shapes much of what the Democratic Party is today.

And just for future reference, can they also not invoke the name of Martin Luther King, Jr.?  I can guarantee you that had he lived he would have been marching in the streets protesting black Americans continued subjugation to white Americans' racism to this very day.  And King as well would have called out Donald Trump and republicans for their white nationalist rhetoric and support.

Our leaders are not your heroes--it's not our fault there hasn't been a heroic republican since Lincoln.

268,000+ Dead Americans Because of Donald Trump's Incompetence

Fuck Donald Trump,

emaycee

Sad AND stupid

Truer words, my friends, truer words...

Earlier this week, CNN conservative commentator Jeffrey Lord compared Donald Trump to Martin Luther King (cue much deserved outrage).  Now I used to think conservatives/republicans made these comparisons out of some sad need to have a modern American icon to compare themselves to, since unlike Liberals/Democrats who have Harry Truman or the Kennedy's or Martin Luther King or Franklin Roosevelt (you know, politicians who have actual accomplishments that help ordinary folks), conservatives have no one.  I mean, outside of republicans, most Americans think Reagan was little more than a doddering old fool, and republicans are so far removed from Abraham Lincoln's legacy that he might as well have been a (modern day) Democrat.

But the older I get, the more I believe it's just stupidity--conservatives/republicans have no fucking clue what MLK or JFK or Truman did, but they know that most folks have positive opinions of them and so they throw the names out there hoping it will stick.

And good fucking luck with that.

It also illustrates a major difference between the two parties--republicans talk the talk but they can't walk the walk .  Could you ever imagine a Liberal/Democrat commentator saying that Bill Clinton was the Virgin Mary of economic recoveries?  Fuck no, because we don't have to--we actually fix problems and make the world a better place, unlike conservatives/republicans who have nothing to offer other than bullshit.

Fuck Donald Trump,
emaycee

Friday Night Jukebox, Vol. CXIX--Dion: Abraham, Martin, and John

This week's tune is an abject lesson in the fact that nobody writes songs commemorating political assholes.  There are no celebratory songs about Reagan or Nixon or Bush the Elder or Bush the Lesser because in the end, people don't like and won't buy records about assholes who don't give a shit about people.

There endeth the lesson....

Dion DiMucci began recording in 1957 and by 1960 he had (along with neighborhood friends The Belmonts) eight singles that had reached the Billboard Hot 100.  He went solo in 1960 (after a stint in rehab for heroin addiction, a problem he'd had since his mid teens), and over the course of the next eight years had 19 more singles hit the Hot 100.  Dion is most noted for his singles "Runaround Sue" (his only #1) and "The Wanderer" (#2--and originally released as a B-Side).  He was among the first inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (in 1989) and is/was cited as an influence by Bruce Springsteen, Paul Simon, and Lou Reed (who gave the speech inducting Dion into the Hall).  For all intents and purposes, though he continues to tour and record, Dion's commercial success was over by 1968.  He did another stint in rehab, finally cleaned himself up, and now does outreach work with prison addicts.  In a nutshell, he had a hell of a career.

Fun Fact:  Dion was on the ill-fated "The Winter Dance Party" tour with Buddy Holly, Richie Valens, and the Big Bopper and was invited to take the plane that eventually crashed killing all three, but turned it down because it cost $36 which was what his parents had paid per month for the apartment Dion lived in as a child--and he thought, in comparison to a month's rent, it was just a bit too much money to pay for a plane ride.

"Abraham, Martin, and John" was released in August of 1968 in the aftermath of the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. and Robert Kennedy.  It would be the last hit single of Dion's career (but oh what a song to finish with), reaching #4 (most assuredly with a bullet!) on the Billboard Hot 100.  The most surprising aspect of the song, is considering when it was written, that the song easily could have been a soap opera-ish, sappy, overwrought work of drivel, but it isn't, and the reason for that is its simplicity.  The lyrics use just slightly north of 60 words to describe what these four men--the aforementioned King and Robert Kennedy, plus Abraham Lincoln and JFK--meant to their country and the tragedy for all of us at their loss.  The song at times has a gospelesque feel (it is often sang at churches--not any of the ones I ever went to, mind you, unforunately), with some pop and some easy listening mixed in.  Dion's vocals are a wonder--he's one of those lucky men who can actually sing blue-eyed soul and he absolutely nails this one.  It's hard to not be inspired by the song, by what it says about the best of America's politicians, and to me seems especially appropriate in this time when we're led by a pseudo-Nazi, if nothing else as a reminder that we are better than this moment, and eventually history will give a big fuck you to one Donald J. Trump.

There endeth lesson two....

Fun Fact #2:  The gentleman who wrote the song also co-wrote the novelty hit "Snoopy vs. the Red Baron"  which reached #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1966.  Fascinating, my God...

Lyric Sheet:  "Didn't you love the things that they stood for?/ Didn't they try to find some good for you and me?..."

Enjoy:

Fuck Donald Trump,
emaycee

Captain oblivious

Ted Cruz yesterday claimed that if JFK were alive today, he would be a republican.  Putting aside the fact that his claim is demonstrably false, you have to wonder exactly what the fuck Cruz is hoping to accomplish by making this claim.

Does he really believe Kennedy is the type of candidate the republican base is yearning for him to be?  Or does he believe Democratic voters upon hearing Cruz' claim are going to conclude that Cruz is right and give him their vote?

Either way, you really have to question the qualifications for President of a man who is so obviously oblivious to political reality.

Peace,
emaycee

POTUS on the 2011 State of the Union

Short version: Definitely folksy, channeling Ronald Reagan. Definitely forward looking, channeling JFK. Definitely people empowering, channeling RFK. Flashes of humor. Upbeat. Hopeful. Nothing to really piss off the base, but nothing to make us throw our hats in the air in celebration, either. Left Social Security alone. Seemed apologetic for freezing federal employees wages for the next two years (not good enough, Mr. President). Definitely a Democratic Party leaning speech, just not the Wellstone wing. A triple. Republican response, short version: Really bad haircut (remind self to never get a trim in Wisconsin). Nothing about creating jobs. Nothing about raising the standard of living for the middle class and poor. Deficit reduction, even though we don't want it. Stiffly presented. Lots of fear mongering. Healthcare reform sucks, but still no alternatives. Lots of claims about about job killing policies, no proof to back it up. Lots of claims about regulations hurting the economy, total tone deafness to how much ordinary Americans mistrust corporate America. We hate Obama. Struck out looking. Oh, and everybody is really sorry about Rep. Giffords, though no one seems to want to do a damn thing to make sure it doesn't happen again. And neither one comes close to hitting the nail on the head concerning the state of our union as this "untold" one does.

Peace, 

emaycee

Fishers of Men

Sargent Shriver passed away today--I'm sure there are many who have no idea who he is, or what he did other than be the father of Maria Shriver (Mrs. Arnold Schwarzenegger). He was the first director of the Peace Corps, led LBJ's War on Poverty, and was an integral part of the Special Olympics with his wife of 50+ years, Eunice Kennedy. He was also one of the few surviving links to the John F. Kennedy administration. There are few public servants today like Sargent Shriver.

This Thursday, January 20th, will mark the 50th anniversary of JFK's inauguration. JFK's presidency will never be fully judged due to its tragic brevity, but I think it would be fair to say that its mission was noble in intent, that the call to public service was for the greater good of America and everyday Americans (compare and contrast to public service today which seems to be how to line your own pockets while fellating corporate America and fucking over everyday Americans).

Brent Budowsky has written one of the best pieces I've read all year (all eighteen days of it!), calling on each of us to heed the call of Kennedy's inaugural address and not only speak of improving America, but also to follow through with our deeds. I'm not sure all of us (myself included) have greatness within, but we certainly have some good, and even the smallest contributions will help.

Here's to you, America--better bit by bit, by keeping up the good fight.

Peace,
emaycee