An Open Letter to my fellow Dems…

that’s all 75,017,613 of you. Sure, that’s a BIGLY amount of Dems, but not as many as 77,302,580 who drank the orange Kool-Aid of the POT. (Party of Trump). 

The Electoral count was even more dismal, similar to a lopsided football score 31 Red States vs. 19 true Blue. 

Face it Dems, we’re a minority party as I stated in this post.

http://jeffsambur.blogspot.com/2024/11/i-attended-la-plata-county.html

Quite honesty, we’re shtupped (f—ked). While we were drinking our DIPAs (me) and you drinking Chardonnay’s, Cab Sav’s or masticating gummies the future MAGAs were patiently waiting and yearning for the West Wing. 

Who were these insidious instigators? Here’s a short list:

The illiberal authors of Project 20??, the “Libertarian” Tech Twerps, Fox Fear “News” Network and White Hypo-Christian Nationalists were all on the lookout for their future

The requirements for this vile POS were simple. Someone devoid of any benevolent human traits, a serial incurious liar, a sleazy sexual predator and shameless, poop for brains shyster with the flair of a drama king. Wallah! Out of “The Apprentice” and multiple Chapter 11 bankruptcies descended Donald J for Jackoff Trump. 

The Fringe had found their Malevolent Messiah. Now, unfortunately the Fringe isn’t, It’s mainstream POT. 

Which now led Merica to ROT. Republic of Trump. 

How did this happen? Here’s a good start:

The United States is facing a literacy crisis. 

1. Reading scores have steadily declined since 2017, and this decline in reading is outpacing similar trends in math scores.
2. Public schools are losing libraries and librarians, and nearly 50% of American children do not have access to books at home.
3. The problem is not limited to kids—according to a YouGov poll, nearly 50% of Americans did not read a single book in 2023. 

Add to this the proliferation of shit-stirring alt-right social media influencers, each vying to outdo each other in outrageous falsehoods in their racist rants. Which leads me to Charle Kirk. No one should be murdered for voicing their opinions. But deifying Charlie is ludicrous. Here’s some of Chuck’s quotes:

“If I see a Black pilot, I’m going to be like, boy, I hope he’s qualified.

– The Charlie Kirk Show, 23 January 2024

Source The Guardian

Obviously Charlie wasn’t aware of the Tuskegee Airmen.

https://airandspace.si.edu/explore/stories/tuskegee-airmen

“If we would have said that Joy Reid and Michelle Obama and Sheila Jackson Lee and Ketanji Brown Jackson were affirmative action picks, we would have been called racists. Now they’re coming out and they’re saying it for us … You do not have the brain processing power to otherwise be taken really seriously. You had to go steal a white person’s slot to go be taken somewhat seriously.

– The Charlie Kirk Show, 13 July 2023

Source the Guardian

All the women mentioned above attended Ivy League Colleges. CK was a one semester drop out at Harper Community College in Palatine, IL. Not that’s there’s anything wrong with that!

“Joe Biden is a bumbling, dementia-filled Alzheimer's, corrupt, tyrant who should honestly be put in prison and/or given the death penalty for his crimes against America.”

Source Yahoo News/Snopes

Lastly, this Second Amendment gem. Probably worthy of a do-over.

“I think it’s worth it to have a cost of, unfortunately, some gun deaths every single year so that we can have the second amendment to protect our other God-given rights. That is a prudent deal. It is rational.”

– Event organized by TPUSA Faith, the religious arm of Kirk’s conservative group Turning Point USA, on 5 April 2023

I’m not religious nor do I pretend to be on Facebook, but claiming gun ownership is a “God-given right” is a mockery of basic theology. 

All this leads me back to my supposition. Many of our fellow Mericans are willing to follow less than credible, knowledgeable or admirable people. Sorry Charlie you were no Mother Teresa, Gandhi or MLK. You were just another Shock Jock. 

The erosion of smarts has been on the wane for quite sometime. Carl Sagan called it in 1995. 

“The dumbing down of American is most evident in the slow decay of substantive content in the enormously influential media, the 30 second sound bites (now down to 10 seconds or less), lowest common denominator programming, credulous presentations on pseudoscience and superstition, but especially a kind of celebration of ignorance.”

If you don’t believe Carl, think of all the 77,302,580 folks who willfully voted to re-elect a thrice married, 34 count convicted felon, self proclaimed “ p—-y grabber” and architect of Merica’s one and only attempted coup. 

MAGA folks screamed “Shit! That ain’t nothing! No problem! Trump will bring down the price of eggs!”

 Which proves Carl’s point.(although he states this more tactfully than I would)

My fellow Democrats, it’s time to forego the notion of POT coming around to see our point of view. It ain’t gonna happen. Not only are we up against voters who “do not have the brain processing power” (Mr. Kirk quote) to read, fact check and analyze the tsunami of information and misinformation spewed out at a “Breaking News” pace. Many simply don’t care. 

Sadly, that’s not the only problem..The ROT displays a mean spirited, cruel, feral “Fight, fight, fight” demeanor. It’s performance Gobment. A 24/7 loop of Jerry Springer shows to keep the heat on HIGH. Gone are the days of Trump version 45 with its veneer of normalcy by the placement of a few grownups in the room. IE: Generals John Kelly, Jim Mattis, Mark Miley and former National Security Advisor John Bolton.

Trump version 47 replaced them all with inexperienced, incompetent know-nothings loyalists. A pack of Cabinet Clowns play acting in their rolls while limelighting their failures. IE: Defense Secretary Hegseth’s March 2025 war plans announcement on a Signal group chat. Hey Pete! Why didn’t you post those classified military secrets on Facebook for more “likes”?

Better yet! THIS!

Presently there are no Constitutional checks and balances. The POT Congress? More than willing to cede power to the Executive branch. SCOTUS? I believe a renaming of the SCOROT might be appropriate. In this abomination of an Administration the only checks are made out to Trump Inc which increases the Trump Inc balance sheet. Our Gobment is now a kleptocracy/autocracy of one revenge seeking Commander in Thief. 

To sum it up, we’re in a fine mess. Here’s my black and white prediction. If you were paying attention on July 24th, 2024, the Dictator wannabe told a West Palm Beach gaggle of Christian Conservatives the following. To vote “just this time.” He went on to ramble “You won’t have to do it anymore. Four more years, you know what? It’ll be fixed, it’ll be fine. You won’t have to vote anymore.” 

Well, for once Trump wasn’t lying. He meant each and every diabolical line about the destruction of Merica’s democracy Come 2028, there won’t be an election. 

Dems, don’t be fooled! The almost three fold increase in the ICE budget, isn’t about arresting mostly harmless immigrants who wash our dishes, clean out hotel rooms, mow our lawns, pick our fruits and vegetables or build our homes. 

From the Brennen Center for Justice:

https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/analysis-opinion/big-budget-act-creates-deportation-industrial-complex

”The so-called One Big Beautiful Act allocates more than $170 billion over four years for border and interior enforcement, with a stated goal of deporting 1 million immigrants each year. That is more than the yearly budget for all local and state law enforcement agencies combined across the entire United States. The bill adds billions of dollars to border enforcement, but the largest percentage increase goes to finding, arresting, detaining, and deporting immigrants already living in the U.S., most of whom have not committed a crime and many of whom have had lawful status.”

What we’re seeing now is a trial run. The masked body snatchers are training. Trump has a paramilitary force who are on “Stand By.” notice. ICE will prove itself to be Hitler’s SS. When Trump pulls the trigger in 28 or before. It’ll be everyday Blue citizens who will be “detained.” If things escalate to full on violence think:

The French Reign of Terror: 

https://www.worldhistory.org/Reign_of_Terror/

And Kristallknacht:

https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/kristallnacht

Add in a dollop of the Night of the Long Knives.

https://www.britannica.com/event/Night-of-the-Long-Knives

These horrible events will attract Kyle Rittenhouse citizen type vigilantes joining in the festivities. Yes, Dems not only have we been outnumbered and outmaneuvered, we’re outgunned as well.

Oh yeah, the National Guard is ROT compliant as well. BINGO!

There’s only one exit ramp for this approaching history in a bad way moment. That’s for a Demon of Death intervention. (by natural causes.) Even the best of lawyers or the SCOROT can’t delay the “Great Inevitable.”

Final thought. I won’t be posting this blog on Facebook. I’m afraid of possible retribution. This is a sad statement on our times. That being said, feel free to forward this to like minded Liberals. The few who are left.

Sending Thoughts and Prayers,

Jeff

On a good note!

Motorcycles on Snow Mesa!?!?

i rarely name locations in my blogs. If asked, I’ll give a vague reply or say, “Western Kansas.” I won’t share my special places on social media. My thoughts are, I found them, so can you.

With Snow Mesa I’m making an exception. It’s come to my attention, dirt bikes (varoom, varoom) have been green lighted, for quite sometime, to occupy the same space as Colorado Trail and Continental Divide Trail backpackers, day hikers and equestrians users too. This is a skewered corrupt notion of the USFS policy of “Multiple Use.” 

Why the “tude” about Snow Mesa Jeffie? Well, readers I’ll tell ya.

SM is an above tree line plateau (12,250-12,420 feet) surrounded by 360 degrees of stark beauty. It’s serene and mostly silent (except for the murmur of the wind). It’s a rare and unique chunk of Colorado geography. National Geographic views without the usual ups and downs of Rocky Mountain hiking. I find it to be as close to a religious experience as a non-practicing Jew can obtain. On a sunny summer’s day, it’s the BIGLY O of hiking. 

BUT! That’s all without the noise, noxious fumes and testosterone intrusion of mostly young, male and dare I say White dirt bike riders, who gaze upon the Mesa as something to be conquered instead of appreciating. 

The trail up from Spring Creek Pass (Continental Divide) bisects an active Pika colony. If you’ve been following along on my posts, you’re well aware of Jeffy’s Pika love.. My little buddies are indicator species of Climate Change. They are probably stressed. Pikas don’t need the added tsuris (aggravation in Yiddish) from the internal combustion engine crowd. Those protective gear wearing adrenaline junkies (similar to the Imperial Army of Star Wars fame) can interrupt the pikas short harvesting season. All this because the dirt bikers are too lazy to hike the same trails a 70 year old Alta Caca (old poop in Yiddish) does on a daily basis. 

Now my Pika take. (After my rant). 

https://jeffsambur.blogspot.com/2025/07/hi-im-jeff-i-like-hanging-out.html

It’s on Snow Mesa where I saw the light and became an ordained Trail Angel. Read all about my transformation:

https://jeffsambur.blogspot.com/2021/08/its-830-in-morning-and-youve.html

If that’s not enough personal attachment. Snow Mesa is where I got hopelessly farblundjet (Yiddish for lost). This post should have been in Outside Magazine.

https://jeffsambur.blogspot.com/2019/08/at-least-i-didnt-have-to-cut-off.html

Back to the present! I’ve been ascending Snow Mesa since 2019. Honestly, this wasn’t an issue for me up to now. 

So what changed? There’s now more dirt bikes, lots more. From the Beta Motorcycles website. 

“Beta Motorcycles Announces Record Numbers: Sales Increased 180 Percent Between 2018 and 2024”

If you’re into graphs:

Plus! Many dirt bike riders don GoPro cameras on their Darth Vader helmets. Surely many clips find themselves on Facebook, Instagram and countless other social media venues. The bikers are clueless to the notion of the more the merrier doesn’t pertain to the Great Outdoors. (At least not on my turf!). 

All this has translated to an increase of varoom varoom use on one of my favorite Colorado hikes. As Isaiah 7:7 proclaims. “This shall not stand!” 

Snow Mesa nuzzles up against the La Garita Wilderness (established 1964). With a little bit of Googling, I discovered snowmobilers were instrumental in keeping this gem out of wilderness protection status. 

HOWEVER! There’s power in numbers! Hiking is the Numero Uno outdoor activity in Merica! 

According to research published this week by Statista Research Department, 61.44 million Americans went hiking in 2023. That's a massive leap of nearly twice the number who went hiking just 10 years earlier in 2013, and represents about one-fifth of the US population.

So, here’s where my readers (all 26 of you) can help. 

You can email the new Forest Supervisor of the Rio Grande National Forest. You can forward this blog to folks you know who have hiked the Colorado Trail or the Continental Divide Trail. You can forward this blog to lovers of silent sports and the Great Outdoors including those equine lovers. You can send a snail mail to the District Ranger of the Divide RD.

Let your voices and words be heard. Keep Snow Mesa silent!

Here’s the Rio Grande National Forest snail mail

Attention: Forest Supervisor Dennis Kuhnel

1055 9th St. Del Norte, CO 81132

Divide Ranger District

13308 West US Hwy 160 Del Norte, CO 81132

contact me and I’ll PayPal you the cost of the stamps!

Lastly, when I completed my recent Snow Mesa hike (after handing out four PB&BOYSENBERRY sandwiches to CT backpackers) I was passed by four dirt bikers heading up to the Mesa. On a steep section near the highway I watched as a Colorado Trail hiker jumped off the trail to let them pass. She wasn’t happy about this. 

Motorcycles and hiker/horses are a bad combo. It’s multiple abuse. The noisy guys have to go.

Help me, the pikas, the CT and CDT backpackers and the horse folks out

Thank you in advance,

Jeff

“Hi! I’m Jeff. I like hanging out…

with pikas. Frankly in times like these, I prefer pika company over most people.”

No. I wasn’t introducing myself at a Pika Lovers Anonymous meeting. I was attending a Mountain Studies Institute “PikaNet Project” monitoring class. 

Our instructors Jewell and Elin had asked all the wannabe “citizen scientists” to gather in a circle and state our names and the “why?” we were there. Our monikers and reasons varied, but our pika love/obsession was real. 

Once the intros were done. Jewell and Elin launched into in-depth pika lecture. For a guy who craves pika info almost as much as Happy Hour IPAs, this was a compelling class. 

Here’s some of the fine points:

A) Pikas are in the rabbit family. Just don’t expect them to squeak, “What’s up Doc?”

B) Female pikas have two litters/season. Number of tykes varies from 1-6. 

C) Pikas are territorial. (Somehow it’s hard for me to imagine a turf war breaking out between two tiny vegetarian fir balls.)

D) Pikas eat their own poop. OK, not a menu item for humans, but it works for them. Spoiler Alert! They only eat their soft nutrient rich poop. 

E) Pikas are cool to Marmots sharing their high country real estate.  There’s safety in numbers. Both species call out alarms upon approaching threats. IE: coyotes, weasels, bobcats, eagles and unleashed dogs. 

F) BUT! Here’s the best new factoid I learned. Pikas stay active all year, unlike their slacker neighbor Marmots who hibernate. So while the marmots are in a deep REM pattern during the winter, pikas will crawl into their burrows and spoon them to stay warm! (There was no mention if the pikas take the liberty of dry humping the marmots legs.)

After our pika lecture, we set out for the survey site. The area was, of course  spectacular, after all Pikas are connoisseurs of natural beauty. (Like me). 

We were then told to pair off to conduct a “practice” survey. I joined Jordan (a young MSI intern) and Dan, another senior whose  quiet demeanor hid a vast knowledge of the western landscape. He also carried a mortgage payment’s worth of cameras around his neck. 

We chose a ubiquitous chunk of talus slope to examine. Jordan began peering under rocks looking for sign of old or new hay piles. (Yes, pikas are furry farmers). Dan shot photos and I gazed around looking for actual pikas. We filled in the blanks of the survey forms. Coordinates. Check. Relative size of talus slope. (No “bigger than a bread box” option). Temperature in the shade. Check. Length of longest rock. (In meters). Average size of tenth largest rock? Presence of meadows, willows or water. Check. Any marmot neighbors? ETC.

Our objectives were met, so I continued waddling gingerly up the loose rocks. There! In the distance. Score! I saw and photographed the groups one and only pika sighting. 

Mission accomplished. We regrouped and headed back to our meet up place. Jewell made a few closing comments, as the rest of us went through the usual platitudes of “So long, so good to know you” 

Afterwards I was determined not to let this new found pika knowledge go to waste. I wanted to supply sound science to Pikanet and the Pika Patrol app. So I loaded up Sanctuary One for an arduous journey to the rarified air of extreme western Kansas. Yes I’m talking about the Mighty Mount Sunflower Massif. A tried and true venue for sightings of these elusive fluffy mammals.

Whew! Once I made it up a gnarly 4x4 road, I set up my observation post. Since it was Happy Hour, I grabbed a DIPA and my camp chair to search for my beloved little buddies. Lucky for me, I’m  a pika whisperer. I’m also fluent in Piddish. (A blend of pika speak and Yiddish). 

It didn’t take long for Pinchas the pika to drop by for a schmooze.

“OY! Jeffie! My heart soars like an eagle (even though they try to eat us) to see you again! How goes it?”

“Shalom Pinchas! You’re looking well. I’ve been spending lots of time visiting old pika shtetls. I’m verklempt to say this, but I’m seeing less of you folks. In some places the pikas have all gone missing!” I then wiped away a few tears. 

“Jeffie! Me and my mishpocheh (family) are struggling too. We aren’t a thriving shtel either.”

Pichas took a deep breath and began a full-on rant. Justifiably so.

“We pikas cannot believe your fellow Mericans went meshuga (crazy) and elected the same schmuck (idiot) again. This time the Commander of Shnorrers (takers and grifters) created a Cabinet of Putzes. All bowing to his insane wishes. Anti-vaccine, anti-science, anti-immigration, anti-Gobment, anti-democracy, anti-environmental regulations, anti-education, screw the poor to benefit the rich and worst of all, for us, deny climate change even exists! We’re plotzing from the heat! When did “greed is good” and “selfish capitalism” become so ingrained in Merican culture?

We hear there’s farshtuken (nasty) Republicans who want to sell public lands. Great! Our burrows will get bulldozed and replaced by “Pika Peak Estates.”

Plus! If that’s not enough the kinder (children) are having nightmares about Kristi Noem. They heard she shot her own dog and now they’re afraid, she’ll use them for target practice. The cost of therapy ain’t bupkis either. A hay pile per session! OY! It’s not easy being a pika these days!”

As Pinchas wrath was petering out, I broke the tension as best I could.

“Pinchas! I brought along a 6-pack of IPA (Idaho Pika Ale) for you and all the other landsman nearby. Gather them around, without turf wars! And I’ll pour out shots for all of you.” 

“Jeffie! That’s great! You’re a true mensch. Let’s Feyerlekht! (Party!)”

Needless to say, it doesn’t take long for pikas to get a bisl fershnickered. (A little drunk). They began singing Hava Nagila, followed by bawdy pika drinking songs. Then in a rare moment of quiet, Pinchas tapped his shot glass with a pebble to get everyone’s attention.

“Mazel Tov and L’Chiam to Jeffie! A mitzvah on him for being the voice of pikas. He’s governed by gonifs (thieves) who have no empathy towards other humans. Why would they care about us? But merts eshem (God willing) he keeps trying to get the good word out. A sincere sheynem dank" (Thank you very much).

OK. By now I had a few high attitude real IPAs and once again I got a bit verklempt.

So now I’ll beg, cajole and plead to please vote responsibly. It’s not only humankind’s future at risk, it’s little mammals who are so endearing to people like me.

May the force of the pikas be with you. 

Jeffie 

Last photo: BIGLY pika.