Friday, July 24, 2026

150 DAYS

After 150 days, Republicans still too terrified to employ the 'Goldwater Moment' to save world economy from Trump Iran madness

Republican Congresspersons and Cabinet members still prefer to bow down to the deranged president bent on global economic destruction than removing him from office. 

Trump has put the world economy at risk of collapse for 150 days now in his criminal Iran war he lost on Day 1. When Iran didn't collapse upon the assassination of their leader the Ayatollah Khomeini that day, Trump had now chance of prevailing. After 39 days of futile bombing he threw in the towel. His ceasefire signaled defeat. His June 17 signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) certified his defeat. 

But Trump knew both Iran's closure of the Strait of Hormuz proved his defeat to the entire world. So he simply ignored the MOU to reopen the Strait to achieve victory by stealth. Didn't work. So Trump reverted to blockade which didn't work and now bombing, which will never work. 

Trump will keep up this charade he can win for his remaining 907 days unless stopped. The Cabinet cannot invoke the 25th Amendment to remove him from office because he is neither physically nor mentally impaired to do so. 

But the Cabinet and Republican Congress can employ the Goldwater Moment to force him out. What, pray tell, is the Goldwater Moment? 
  
Some are calling for the Trump cabinet to invoke the 25th Amendment to remove Trump for office for committing war crimes in Iran and lurching the world economy to ruin. Alas, the section of the 25th allowing the Vice President and a majority of the Cabinet to declare the president incapacitated to involuntarily remove him under the Constitution, does not apply when that Cabinet and Republican Congress enabled his criminal war that now requires his removal.

What to do? Simple, channel Senator Barry Goldwater. On August 7, 1974 Sen. Goldwater, joined by Senate Minority Leader Hugh Scott and House Minority Leader John Rhodes, requested and got a meeting with Watergate beleaguered President Richard Nixon. They told him he was going to be impeached, only had support of 10 to 15 Republican senators and would surely be removed from office. To whit…fall on your sword and resign. Next day Nixon resigned. 

It took an esteemed conservative Republican and two GOP leaders to persuade Nixon to resign, something he publically said was against every fiber of his being.

Goldwater’s successful gambit removing Nixon from office had no importance beyond the simple political need of Republicans to end the Watergate scandal and continue in power under squeaky clean Gerald Ford. 

The stakes 52 years later are monumentally more critical. A clearly degraded President Trump unilaterally launched a criminal war of aggression on Iran. Within three days the war was lost for two reasons. First, Instead of heeding Trump’s edict for Iranians to depose their government on behalf of the US and Israel, the Iranian people rallied to their government’s existential defense. Second, knowing the US and Israel would attack, Iran prepared a missile defense that is destroying US military assets in the region and destroying Israel itself. 

Even worse for Trump and the world, Iran shut down the Strait of Hormuz, cutting off a fifth of the world’s oil supply. The unfolding economic decline worldwide will be enormous and unstoppable unless Trump ends his failed, criminal war and settles on Iran’s sensible terms. 

Since Trump will never admit defeat to save thousands of lives and a worldwide economic meltdown, a select group from his Cabinet and GOP Congress must remove him from office. Since the 25th Amendment is technically unavailable, hey must invoke the Goldwater option. Pay him a visit and request his voluntary resignation. When Trump as expected refuses, they tell him they will go public with their demand. If he refuses again, they must employ the nuclear option, shut down the Cabinet and shut down Congress till he resigns. 

Should Trump refuse a third time, the Cabinet will likely have enough deranged behavior to constitutionally invoke the 25 Amendment based on Trump’s mental incapacity representing a clear and present danger to America, indeed the world. 

The Cabinet and GOP Congress must not waste a single day invoking the Goldwater option to prevent further war crimes and worldwide economic calamity. 

And if Goldwater were around today to observe the proceedings, he’d smile and say ‘Nice work boys, glad I could show you the way.

Monday, July 20, 2026

The question mainstream media needs to ask President Trump on Iran war

'Mr. President, how many US service men and women must die before you determine your criminal war on Iran has failed and must be ended on Iran's sensible terms?'

Walt Zlotow West Suburban Peace Coalition Glen Ellyn IL

Saturday, July 18, 2026

Time for all US service personnel in Middle East to disobey illegal Trump orders to wage criminal war on Iran

Eight months ago, six US Congresspersons, all former military or intelligence community members, issued a video urging current service members to disobey illegal orders that might be issued by President Donald Trump’s administration.

They stated “threats to our Constitution are coming from right here at home,” and repeatedly urged the military to “refuse illegal orders.” “No one has to carry out orders that violate the law, or our Constitution. Know that we have your back… don’t give up the ship.” They did not specify the illegal orders referred to but it was assumed they were Trump’s illegal orders for service personnel to obliterate little unarmed boats in the Caribbean imagined to be bringing drugs into the Homeland.

But the six didn’t have current military personnel backs. The six shut up when none of the other 529 congresspersons joined them in doing the principled thing of demanding military not engage in Trump administration war crimes whether they be bombing little unarmed boats, bombing imagined bad guys in Somalia 75 times in 2026, killing over a hundred Venezuelans to snatch Venezuelan President Nicholas Maduro and his wife for a show trial in America.

Worst of all, the Silent Six remained mute when Trump ordered his war fighters to launch his criminal war on Iran that may plunge the world into recession if not depression. Every bomb, every missile they drop on Iran emanates from an illegal, indeed criminal order that kills mostly civilians in America’s lost cause to destroy Iran at the behest of Israel.

After 39 days of murderous bombing that killed thousands, Trump cried ‘uncle’ knowing he’d lost, forcing his negotiated a ceasefire. He thought he could salvage victory with a blockade of Iranian ports but that failed just as spectacularly. So he ordered his war fighters to attack again, except this time their targets were civilian infrastructure, obvious war crimes to any war fighter with a functioning moral compass.

The men and women carrying out these illegal orders from war criminal Trump and his unhinged defense Secretary Pete Hegseth dishonor their uniform. They are not serving their country. They are serving the war criminals that should be in the dock at The Hague, not in the White House and the Pentagon. And the phony Silent Six and their 529 fellow congresspersons doing nothing to end America’s criminal Iran war blowing up the Middle East, the world economy, possibly even unleashing nuclear weapons, are too busy scooping up Israel Lobby and US weapons makers’ money to advise military personnel to disobey illegal, criminal orders.

We need a massive military personnel sit down strike in the Middle East to end this madness and bring Trump and Hegseth to justice.

Walt Zlotow West Suburban Peace Coalition Glen Ellyn IL

Thursday, July 16, 2026

All hail Marco Rubio, Potentate of Venezuela

As Secretary of State, Marco Rubio is charged with using wise, disciplined diplomacy to promote peace thruout the world. As Senator for 14 years Rubio did the opposite, auditioning for Secretary of State by supporting every murderous US foreign policy misadventure that killed hundreds of thousands with bombs and economic sanctions. 

A child of Cuban immigrants, Rubio championed the cruel, inhumane Cuban embargo that had been degrading life for his fellow Cubans immediately upon his election to the Senate in 2010. Now as Secretary of State he relishes imposing the oil embargo increasing that destruction. All the Cuban people have to do to get gas to drive to the hospital for life saving medical care is overthrow their government Rubio wants overthrown. 

He supported the overthrow of Libyan strongman Muammar Gaddafi that turned Libya into a failed state and destabilized large parts of Africa for years, maybe decades to come.

Rubio was all in for the US proxy war against Russia using Ukraine as a Trojan horse to do all the dying while the US squandered $175 billion sending Ukraine to the scrapheap of nations in another lost US war.

Rubio’s received over a cool million from the Israel Lobby to support Israel’s genocide of Palestinians in Gaza and promote Trump’s deranged, lost war on Iran on behalf of Israel that may tank the world economy by its shutting down the Strait of Hormuz. 

Rubio’s official title Secretary of State does not do justice to all this murder and mayhem in which he engages. Rubio likely is more comfortable in is unofficial title of Potentate of Venezuela. He was the driving force behind the January 3 criminal US attack on Venezuela that killed over one hundred in snatching Venezuelan President Nicholas Maduro and his wife to face trial in America on trumped up drug charges. 

With Trump preoccupied seeking an exit from his failed Iran war, Rubio was tasked with running Venezuela from his Washington D.C. office. He gives marching orders to now US puppet Venezuelan ruler Delcy Rodriquez on Venezuelan finances, distribution of its natural resources; virtually all governmental matters. That’s a cool portfolio never approached by any of Rubio’s 72 Secretary of State predecessors. Why does Rodriguez put up with Potentate Rubio edicts? She doesn’t want to end up in a jail cell next to the ill-fated Maduros. 

As Secretary of State Rubio Acts…and people die. As Potentate of Venezuela Rubio barks orders…and Venezuelan puppet ruler Delcy Rodriquez responds…”Yes, your majesty.” 

Saturday, July 11, 2026

Mentally degraded, war criminal Trump must leave office to end Iran war, reopen Hormuz Stait, save world economy`

One hundred thirty five days ago mentally degraded war criminal President Trump committed the worst military blunder in America's 250 years. He launched a criminal war at the behest of tiny Israel against Iran posing no threat whatsoever to America. He killed thousands of innocent Iranians including 124 kids at a school on the war's fist day. Trump and his war criminal Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth blamed Iran claiming only Irawas incompetent enough to bomb their own people.

But Iran was smart and prepared for Trump's criminal war. They retaliated by largely destroying all US Gulf State bases and inflicting massive damage in Israel. Trump surrendered by begging for a ceasefire which he called victory even tho the ceasefire was entirely on Iran's terms. In the 96 days since surrendering, Trump has violated the ceasefire repeatedly, imposed a failed blockade, bombed Iran, received retaliatory Iranian bombings on US bases, and done nothing to reopen the Strait of Hormuz which continues to risk world wide recession, possibly depression.

Trump swings manically from praising Iranian leaders who he claims are ready to settle on his terms to condemning them as "scum" who he will destroy along with their 91 million subjects. All this was on display at the NATO summit in Ankara Turkey where, when not mistaking Iran for Japan or falling asleep, he fumed NATO refused to help him in his failed criminal war.

While the world economy careens toward collapse, Trump remains more focused on desecrating the White House with his despicable ballroom, despoiling the reflecting pool, and figuring how to rig the upcoming midterms that will cost him the Congress unless he can overturn the will of the people.

Unless the Republican Party, the Cabinet, indeed, Trump's family hold an intervention to remove him from office and get medical help for his obviously declining mental health, there will be no end to the Iran war. There will be no end to the death and destruction. Worst of all there will be no end to the impending trainwreck of the world economy including that of the largest right here in the Homeland.

Monday, July 06, 2026

dylan

Bob Dylan...then and today

Been a huge Bob Dylan fan since first heard his records on WFMT Midnight Special in '63. Bought his first album simply titled 'Bob Dylan'. Later found out it was only one of his 40 studio albums between '62 and '23 that wasn't successful...only 5,000 sold. I had one. Still regret it's long gone.

Thrilled to see him in concert in mid 60's at Aerie Crown Theater McCormick Place. Vivid memories of that wonderful nite still linger including date Cheryl, first song 'She Belongs To Me'. First half was acoustic, second was electric. When acoustic string broke, Dylan remarked "Never happened to my electric guitar" a sly reference to his recent electric critics. Curious, took me just a few minutes net search to locate the date and setlist...

Nov261965

Bob Dylan Setlistat Arie Crown Theater, Chicago, IL, USA

Tonight daughter Jennifer taking me to see Bob Dylan perform at Huntington Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island, Chicago, 60 years, 7 months, 12 days on. Pretty cool Dylan still alive and performing at 85. Cooler still I'm still alive and attending at 81.

Friday, July 03, 2026

Democrats war support may sink their second straight presidential candidate in '28

Democratic leaders war support may sink their second straight presidential candidate in '28

Astoundingly, Kamala Harris received 6,265,300 less votes for president in 2024 than Joe Biden received in 2020. Polling revealed the biggest reason was Biden's all out support of Israel's genocide of Palestinians in Gaza and Harris' refusal to break with Biden on that support.

The entire Democratic establishment other than Bernie Sanders joined Biden and Harris in ignoring the Democratic base to support the genocide which continues to this day. This was a big, if not the biggest factor in Democrats losing the White House in 2024, allowing Trump to regain the presidency to continue his destruction of American democracy.

With Trump now on the ropes over his senseless war on Iran that is wrecking the US economy, one would surmise Democratic leaders would welcome Trump's surrender to end the worst military defeat in US history to restore both peace and economic stability.

But no, Democratic leaders are aghast Trump has essentially surrendered in humiliation, giving Iran near complete victory over the world's only superpower. Without saying so explicitly, Democrats strongly imply Trump should have continued the war to victory as preposterous and impossible as that is. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer called the agreement "the art of surrender" when he should have lauded it as the path to peace and return to economic sanity. Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal upped Schmer calling it "unconditional surrender." Democratic Senator John Hickenlooper termed it "despicable" while former Clinton National Security Advisor Susun Rice blasted it as "jaw dropping horrific surrender."

From this rhetoric one can conclude thye'd be thrilled if Trump had continued the bombing till Iran was completely destroyed. Instead, Schumer, Blumenthal, Hickenlooper, Rice should have been praising Trump's surrender as the wisest, bravest act of his second term after his disastrous attack on Iran sent the world's economy into precipitous decline. By slamming it, they are making peace increasingly likely to fail, possibly resulting in renewed warfare as Trump seeks to avoid their charges of being the worst loser in US history.

Democratic leaders, like they did in in 2024, completely dismiss their voting base which oppose senseless war, whether it be enabling the Israeli genocide in Gaza or enabling Israel's lust to destroy Iran using US airpower. Polling shows merely 13% of Democratic voters favor war with Iran. Yet, Democratic leaders, obsessed with both demonizing anything Trump does while promoting US exceptionalism worldwide, strongly imply US should fight Iran to all out victory.

Democrats apparently learned nothing from their devastating 2024 presidential defeat by ignoring their support of genocide as the major reason Democratic voters defected from Harris. A year and a half on they are still promoting US exceptionalism worldwide, doing nothing to end Israeli genocide in Gaza, seek peace with peaceful, non-nuclear Iran, end the grotesque oil embargo of Cuba, stop obliterating of little boats in the Caribbean and cease senseless bombings in Somalia and Nigeria.

If Democratic leaders do not jump off the War Train and hop on the Peace Train, they put their 2028 presidential candidate in danger of losing another 6,265,300 votes from Democrats, independents, possibly even some Republicans horrified by Democratic pro war policies. Democratic Party leaders cannot be that self-destructive...or can they?

Walt Zlotow West Suburban Peace Coalition Glen Ellyn IL

Wednesday, July 01, 2026

America's 250th year makes claim for being most bloodthirsty ever

We in the peace community are not following the hoopla celebrating America's 250th birthday Saturday. The endless coverage on mainstream media glorifying America's birth promising democratic self rule by the people for the rest of the world to emulate rings hollow 250 years on.

Our 250th celebration Saturday will likely feature the most July 4th fireworks ever across the world's first great democracy. But year 250 has brought fireworks fired in senseless anger nearly worldwide, killing untold thousands. Along with cruel economic sanctions that kill silently in over 30 countries, America's Semiquincentennial is more deserving of morning than glorification.

America has nary a single enemy threatening the Homeland. Yet our trillion dollar war budget (no longer defense) is spent in destruction of nations and peoples in Europe, Middle East, Africa, eastern Pacific, South America, Central America, even just 90 miles off the US.

One place we're killing innocents without bombs is Cuba. Our cruel economic blockade is in its 65th year degrading life for the pitifully poor, helpless Cuban people. But its been ramped up on steroids this year with an oil blockade that makes getting to a hospital for life saving care nearly impossible. All the Cuban people need to do for relief is overthrow our government's hated Cuban government to add another notch on the US regime change belt.

In the Caribbean, America's criminal war fighters are blowing up little unarmed boats on the pretext that doing so saves American drug addicts from getting the cocaine America insists these little boats are bringing in to kill hundreds of thousands of Americans. Over 35 boats obliterated along with over 100 hapless crew members so far, some as far away from America as the eastern Pacific.

In South America the US has spent the entire 21st century trying to overthrow the hated Venezuelan socialist government with economic sanctions that have killed tens of thousands. But frustrated by failure in our Semiquincentennial year, America turned to bombs and troops, killing over a hundred Venezuelans in snatching Venezuelan President Maduro and his wife to face trial on trumped up charges. Instead of the Maduros languishing in federal jail for 6 months now, the criminals in Washington who attacked and killed to snatch him should be languishing in The Hague awaiting thier trial for war crimes.

Does even one in a thousand Americans tasked with self governance under the Declaration have a clue where African country Somalia is much less that America has bombed imagined bad guys there over 50 times in the past year killing hundreds of innocents? America's senseless killing spree in Africa includes Nigeria as well.

Then there are the Big 3 of America's senseless warfare: Russia, Gaza, Iran.

Between 2014 and 2022 the US worked relentlessly with NATO to provoke a Russian war with Ukraine. The goal was to weaken, isolate Russia from the European political economy, solidifying US dominance in Europe. In the four and a half years since, Ukraine became a failed state on the brink of collapse. Yet the US has spent the last year refusing to force a settlement to save the remainder of a now degraded Ukraine rump state. We're cheering on the NATO supported Ukraine missile attacks inside Russia and thrilled to sell Europe billions in US weapons to goose the US weapons industry. All this accomplishes is further destroy Ukraine and degrade the European economies.

In the Middle East the US supported and enabled Israeli genocide of Palestinians in Gaza continues albeit at a slower but inexorable pace. Just this week Israeli security cabinet member Eli Cohen, vowed that Israel will control 100% of Gaza as the IDF continues capturing more land in the Palestinian territory in violation of the US-backed ceasefire deal. Over one thousand Palestinians have been killed since the ceasefire became effective nearly 9 months ago. Yet the US weapons pipeline and moral support continues unimpeded in our Semiquincentennial year.

Nothing in America's 250 years matches the utter folly of the February 28 attack on Iran. The criminal war launched at the urging of Israel to rid them of a regional hegemonic rival was supposed to succeed within a couple of days. It failed spectacularly. Iran, having been suckered punched with an attack a year before by the US that also failed, was ready this time. After 39 days it was the US that essentially surrendered, entering into negotiations for a peace that will largely signal an Iranian victory. But the damage to US Gulf States bases is so massive that the Gulf States will likely never trust America again for their defense. US prestige and credibility may be irreparably damaged as an unintended consequence. And on America's 250 birthday, the Strait of Hormuz will be closed for the 127th day with no realistic end in sight. Possibly causing worldwide recession, if not depression, may be the most sorrowful legacy of America's 250th year.

Tuesday, June 30, 2026

Congressman Casten should support amendment to strip $3.3 billion in military aid to Israel

Congressman Casten should support amendment to strip $3.3 billion in military aid to Israel

The House Rules Committee has advanced Rep. Thomas Massie's amendment to strip $3.3 billion in funding for the Israeli Defense Forces from the federal budget. The vote could come as early as this Wednesday.

As leader of West Suburban Peace Coalition based Rep. Sean Casten's 6th Congressional District, I reached out to both his D.C. and local office to learn if Casten would support this critically needed amendment. Neither staff member responding had any idea of this amendment, much less whether Casten would support it.

Rep. Casten has largely ignored foreign affairs in his 4 terms as congressman in the IL 6th. Foreign Affairs ranks dead last of 7 major issues listed on his website casten.house.gov. Regarding Gaza, Casten refuses to do what Sen. Bernie Sanders and Rep. Thomas have courageously done; call out as genocide Israel's destruction of Gaza's 139 square miles, hundreds of thousands of dead and wounded, and inexorable seizure of Palestinian land. Casten merely offers, "It is evident that major changes are needed in order to bring security and peace to Israelis and Palestinians. The United States has a responsibility to do everything in its power to prevent future suffering and allow aid to flow into Gaza to address the humanitarian crisis."

That is just 'happy talk' that Casten has been offering his constituents for nearly 3 years regarding possibly the most murderous, heinous US foreign policy ever. Casten lists his letters and other pleas to government officials to do more to end the violence, but no concrete steps to achieve end to the genocide and creation of a Palestinian state.

By stark contrast, Rep. Massie's amendment is the first effort ever to drawback US aid which facilitates the genocide in Gaza and now the near genocidal ethnic cleansing of Shi'ites in Southern Lebanon. Sen. Bernie Sanders has been nearly alone among the other 533 congressperson in supporting of Massie's amendment to go along with his longtime call to end the genocide weapons pipeline to Israel.

IL 6th District residents should call has local or D.C. office to voice their support for Casten's vote to deliver on his promise that "The United States...do everything in its power to prevent future suffering and allow aid to flow into Gaza to address the humanitarian crisis "