Entry 92: Funny Coincidence in Much Ado About Nothing

So, first and foremost- there is a funny coincidence here using multiple media sources. I vowed to do a TikTok video every day from January 20th because I knew Trump’s regime would be one that would attempt to silence journalism, intelligence, dissent… essentially- Trump was always open about his desire to be a dictator that could silence dissent the way Mao or Kim had. It has been 67 days since January 20th (Yeah, folks. All this chaos and destabilization and he hasn’t even been in office for 100 days yet!!!) but I have done 92 videos. Which means, if I didn’t make any more videos at all, I’d be covered until past Easter as far as 1 video per day. But there’s the irony! I have made 92 videos in the past 67 days… I have written 92 entries here in the past 87 days. So, I have written 1.05 entries per day this year and filmed 1.37 videos per day since January 20th. Just fun information I like knowing and sharing. But holy hell- I haven’t and won’t but can you imagine if I did something similar for how many trials I’ve done this year!! I think the number would make me feel proud to have done that, exhausted to know how many exactly, and frustrated with how our system works. THAT said, our Special Victims Prosecutor is finishing up State’s Evidence in a serious Murder Trial today… and despite that, there are FIVE courtrooms where she is scheduled to be today!! That’s how fucked up this county actually is. That our Special Victims Prosecutor is needed in a total of 6 courtrooms in one day!!

Last night passed acceptably enough. I wasn’t productive basically at all but for creating a giant salad (green beans, loose shredded lettuce, and chicken bits) and playing with the dog. But that’s one of those things. I need to get past something that I’ve seen via Social Media is a hallmark of my generation. Apparently (and I have no reason to doubt this) my generation grew up under Prosperous Conditions and as we hit adulthood, we were just slammed with National Crises after National Crises; so we have this “I’m not being productive enough” mindset anytime we’re relaxing or resting. Which certainly tracks. But its nice to know this isn’t exactly an isolated mindset. So, I wasn’t very productive last night. I really didn’t need to be for survival or function right now. The house isn’t falling apart, by not being Max Productive every day, I’m not exactly letting anything slide into oblivion. It’s okay to not be Busy Doing Stuff all of the time. That said, I know I need to be at least somewhat productive this weekend but I haven’t really decided on what that looks like.

Another in the “intellectual abstraction” folder… one primary issue with trying to get things started with Laura from such a distance is that… the “doing stuff to see if it works” just isn’t as present as it should be. Last night, she suggested that we have to watch something together- which would be lovely… but it isn’t like I can just hop in the car, cruise over to her place and chill. Or like tonight. I have tickets to opening night of CFCT’s final show of their current season. But it isn’t like she can just swing by and see it with me. So, the 2 hours distance certainly makes “seeing if this works” more difficult. And as far as other options? I’ll admit, I’m still trying. Hinge, Facebook Dating, Tinder, Match.... but, of course, not even so much as a nibble. Certainly nothing “closer to home” which is a big reason why I left my last county. More Theater Opportunities and much more likely to find a partner in an area of population with 130,000 as opposed to an area of 16,000.
That said, though, there is a moment from Saturday and our meeting that lives absolutely rent free in my head. When I complimented her eyes, she did that shy squish body things. I can’t explain it well. It’s that thing where the smile is instant, the cheeks flush a little, and the body folds in on itself in a “who me?” kind of way. It was adorable absolutely!

But shifting gears here momentarily:
(1) I finally submitted the bullshit Miranda brief I was required to write. Here are some key elements to why I hated this and why I hate what I just professionally submitted. ACCORDING TO THE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES as taught in EVERY law school in the country, Miranda Warnings are only required for in custody interrogation. NOW, reasonable people can disagree what that specifically means. But it is exclusively to do with IN CUSTODY INTERROGATION. One of the key ways we distinguish between attorneys and non-attorneys is by who thinks they can get off with ANY crime if they aren’t Mirandized. It is. It is genuinely the way we determine “Okay, you didn’t go to law school and watching every season of Law and Order taught you some bad things.” EXCEPT this particular Magistrate… is the exception. A few months back, she was doing initial appearances. She was being supervised (Thank God) and a man who had shot someone in the heart, in front of witnesses, and on camera was in front of her. Now… in front of witnesses, and on camera means the police didn’t need and didn’t want to ask him shit. NO questions made of the man under arrest. NO in custody interrogation needed, NO in custody interrogation occurred. Initial Appearances are when bond is set. For a murderer, you usually expect a pretty high bond! But this guy said, “Yeah, but Judge- they didn’t read me no Miranda warnings, y’know?” And this judge… HONESTLY… looked to the judge supervising her and said, “That means he goes free, right?” THE ATTORNEYS IN THE ROOM AND THE SUPERVISING JUDGE NEARLY LOST THEIR FUCKING MINDS!! NO, it does NOT mean he goes free! How are you a Magistrate… how are you a lawyer… and thinking that?! Well, this same lawyer required me to write a brief about Miranda. Y’know the thing that covers IN CUSTODY INTERROGATION. My officers found a woman stealing, they accuse her of stealing, she hands them what she stole, they arrest her. Searching her purse subsequent to arrest, they find MORE stolen goods. AT WHAT POINT WAS ANY OF THAT IN CUSTODY INTERROGATION?!?! Yes. Before something like The Box Miranda Warnings are 100% required! Even with Miranda warnings, they might not be able to use the confession that ended that episode! BECAUSE that was an IN CUSTODY INTERROGATION. If I come up to you, say, “I watched you pocket that candy bar.” and you then hand me that candy bar? THAT is not in custody interrogation. Have I hammered that point enough yet? That IN CUSTODY INTERROGATION is Miranda required and accusing someone of a crime is not?? Because I had to write the Miranda Memo to explain why this shoplifter should be found guilty because the judge thought she should go free since she wasn’t read her Miranda Rights. Y’know… despite there not being an IN CUSTODY INTERROGATION at all.

UNFORTUNATELY FOR ALL OF YOU in the middle of me de-compressing about acquiescing to an idiot in power whose education clearly failed them? I got word of Ashley Hinson’s latest bullshit. So, here’s how it goes. I went to high school with Ashley Hinson. Yes, THAT Ashley Hinson. I’m still in close contact with her primary High School ex-Boyfriend, in fact! But whereas she went to California to go to Journalism school then came back to Iowa for local broadcast then politics… I actually have a law degree. Again, call me snobby but… Ashley learned how to Read The News, I learned how to WRITE, ARGUE, AND ADJUDICATE LAW but she’s the one in the Federal House of Representatives. Because she grew up RICH and the RICH in Iowa know that all you have to do is be wealthy, white, and SUPER Conservative, and you’re a lock. SO… she… has never been to law school. Doesn’t even have an advanced degree!!! She is just… wealthy as fuck. That’s it. I said jokingly that if she was still representing this district when I turn 40, I’d start actively trying to run against her. WELL… The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act was signed into law in 2021. Ashley vociferously voted against it calling it communism, socialism, and free handouts. IT passed despite her bullshit. AND YET when it came time to campaign, Ashley ran a whole mess of advertisements declaring how much money from the Infrastructure Bill was coming to Iowa and how that was proof of her great leadership! YOU VOTED AGAINST IT, YOU CAN’T USE IT PASSING DESPITE YOU AS A FEATHER IN YOUR CAP but of course… who needs honesty in politics when you worship DJT, right?! WELL… TODAY?
Remember… this woman doesn’t have an advanced degree of any kind… this woman never went to law school… this woman never spent A DAY in a Courtroom representing a client, organization, or government. EVERYTHING SHE knows about the Law, she’s learned from her GOP handlers and her TRUMP suck-fest cult following. So, I suppose, it shouldn’t surprise me that she’s hopped on Bandwagon “Dismantle the Judicial Branch” because “it’s interfering with Trump’s vision for America.” You cultist, twat!
When the Supreme Court overturned 80 years of campaign precedent in Citizens United, was that “the judicial branch interfering” with long standing United States Law?
When the Supreme Court overturned nearly 50 years of precedent regarding Women’s rights in Dobbs, was that the judicial branch interfering” with United States Law?
When the Supreme Court granted certiorari (do you even know that word?!) to 303 Creative despite a subsequent proof that they lacked standing, did that overturn over a hundred years of United States jurisprudence?
When the Supreme Court eviscerated Chevron Deference, a policy of the United States Government since REAGAN… was that the judicial branch interfering” with United States Law?
ALL of that was okay to you.... because for THOSE cases, it didn’t matter who was President, just so long as the law went YOUR WAY. BUT now that it isn’t going your way… now that the President, who already spent an entire term packing the Courts… now that he doesn’t even want to engage in the process he is legally required to engage in… now ANY judge ruling against Trump is somehow worth Federal Government action?! But what infuriates me? And this is my point in all of this..... what truly INFURIATES me?
I have gone to law school. I have an advanced degree. I have specifically been educated by Conservative Mormons on how to write a law. I have specifically been educated by Jesuit Catholics on how to read and argue a law. But because I’m not rich the best I can do to even try to combat this heinous bitch from my youth? Is show up at meetings being held at all times of the day and week. It still boils me that apparently my “I WANT TO HELP” was met by “Well, we’re all retirees and we meet when people are at work”. NOPE. NO. If you want the Democrats in this state to mean anything or do anything AT ALL- you need to learn how to entice and accommodate people under 60 for God’s sake!!
So… I sent Democrats of Iowa and County Democrats an e-mail essentially saying, “I am dedicated to public service. I want to help. I’ll even run if you’re looking for a candidate. But when I reach out and am told “We’re mostly retirees who meet while people are at work” that doesn’t fill me with confidence about a pro-union pro-worker party looking to survive into the future of this state! Tell me what I need to do to help you make Democrats viable in this state again!”

So… we’ll see what comes of THAT! Meanwhile, I’ve got the local schools on my ass because “You haven’t arrested the mom of the kid who ran away yet!” and… guh- are you FUCKING KIDDING ME?!?!?! An honest conversation I had:
ME: The kid is listed as a runaway. Meaning ran away from home. Meaning the Mom called the police to list the child as a runaway.
School: And he hasn’t been to school in over 50 days!
ME: Yeah. I didn’t anticipate that a child who ran away from home would still be going to school every day.
School: So you need to go arrest that mother right away!
ME: Because.... her child ran away from home?
School: Because he hasn’t been to school in more than 50 days and the law says you’re supposed to go arrest the mom if that happens!
ME: Because… she listed her child as a runaway and opened a police matter specifically requesting that the police help her find her child?
School: You know the laws, but our attorneys are saying the law is written as MUST and SHALL not MAY or CAN; so.... the kid hasn’t been to school in over 50 days. You MUST arrest that mother and SHALL prosecute her for her child’s truancy.
And you don’t understand how that literally does NOTHING?!?! How it won’t get the child to school, will be traumatic to the children she still has that ARE going to school, and will actually separate a mother from her kids which- hey- might actively make it harder for THEM to get to school?
Stupid people are fucking pissing me off… and for some reason, they have POWER AND INFLUENCE. Fuck this timeline!

My night tonight will be seeing the opening of CFCT’s last show of their season, then tomorrow = Auditioning for Shakespeare and grooming for Nala. Then Sunday- a Congressional District 2 meeting. I’ll respond to the County Democrats who, not surprisingly, e-mailed me right away… not with a “Here’s an action plan” or even with a “We have a meeting on Sunday” but with a “Please, let me call you. And then tell me who said we were retirees.” SO.... yeah. There’s that good ol’ disillusionment with the party. Not so much a CALL TO ACTION and SHARING INFORMATION so much as a “wait, who said something bad about us?!” Kind of pathetic, really. Especially because.... I’m not 100% sure that it wasn’t the person who e-mailed me who said that. Which is more funny and sad. Granted, their words were “Well, we’re all retired. We tend to meet during the weekdays around 10 a.m.” But to me that means: “We’re mostly retirees who meet while people are at work” am I incredibly off base there? Honestly- am I in the wrong for characterizing the one statement as the other? Because “We’re all retired.” and meeting times that meet relatively in the middle of the 8 to 5 period and yet still not during the noon possible lunch hour..... kind of says exactly to me: “We’re mostly retirees who meet while people are at work”… or am I the asshole?