IR’s Movie Review of “Vengeance”

Movie Poster for Vengeance 

In what we hope to have become a new semi regular feature of this blog, we are posting IR’s very first movie review. On a whim we all decided to go see the just released crime comedy thriller, Vengeance. The movie marks the directorial debut of B.J. Novack who is probably best know for his role as Ryan Howard on the tv series “The Office”. Novack is also the star of Vengeance. Novack gives an impressive performance as an ambitious journalist and podcaster, who goes to a small town in Texas to investigate the death of a woman with whom he had a brief affair.

During his adventure in Texas, Novack’s character meets up with an interesting and at times quirky assortment of characters that make up small town Texas. The film does a good job at portraying Novack’s east coast journalist, and the inhabitants of the small Texas town as real people and doesn’t resort to very much stereotyping of the players. We loved how the film avoids excessive stereotypes. 

Four stars for the well written and acted Vengeance.

Mike Pence’s Pathetic Quest for Power

Former Vice President Mike Pence 

Recently former Vice President Mike Pence has been making the news, by endorsing candidates in republican primaries, other than the candidates endorsed and backed by his former lord and master President Donald Trump. Notable examples include Pence’s support of former Wisconsin Lt. Governor Rebecca Kleefisch, and his endorsement of Katrina Taylor Robson in Arizona. Kleefisch is running for Governor in Wisconsin and Robson is running in the Arizona GOP primary for the honor to lose to the Democratic candidate in the fall. These endorsements combined with Pence’s traveling back and forth to several early primary states, indicate that Pence is still delusional enough to think that he is of presidential timber.

This delusion of grandeur from which Pence suffers is no doubt encouraged by the fact that some view Pence as being heroic for refusing to help President Trump steal the 2020 presidential election. The incomparable Mona Charen over at the Bulwark has written a brilliant piece today “Mike Pence Sold his Soul for Nothing”. Mrs. Charen whom the Indy Republican team has had the pleasure of meeting, lays out the case that while Vice President Pence deserves credit for standing up to Trump on January 6th, 2022 that is all he deserves credit for.

We have on many occasions written about Pence’s character flaws, our friend the late great Gary Welsh compared Pence to Rod Blagojevich. Paul Ogden has also written about Pence’s shortcomings. But Mona Charen’s article really nails down the weaknesses of a man whom many of us here think of as the “Judas Of Politics”.

Below are some choice extracts from Mona Charen’s article, with our commentary in bold afterwards. We do highly recommend you all read her entire article here. 

Charen writes:

“You remember Mike Pence—he’s the guy who defeated a roomful of lickspittles to claim the obsequiousness grand prize at a 2017 cabinet meeting, praising the dear leader once every 12.5 seconds.”

“Pray for our opponents,” he told a (small) audience at a South Carolina church, “that their hearts would soften and their minds would open to the unimaginable beauty that is life.”

She goes onto outline Pence’s campaign for the presidency, but as she points out:

“There are a few flies in the ointment.” Referring to flaws in Pence’s plan to sit in the White House chair.

“ First problem. Now? Now is the moment that Pence rolls out the prayer? As Pence is well-situated to know, big chunks of the GOP base have become hungry for a very different tone. Christian charity is out. Vulgar insults, shameless lies, and secessionist hatred are in. It sure is ugly, but Pence is in no position to complain. It’s a revolution that Mike Pence did so much to encourage, and it’s bizarre that he seems to think he can carry on as if nothing has changed.”

“ Pence prostituted his reputation for Christian piety to the most vile figure in the history of American presidential politics, a man who modeled the opposite of every virtue taught in Sunday school. Pence lent his credibility as a religious man to a villain, and gave permission to millions of self-styled Christians to vote for him. Pence’s pious conscience was remarkably quiescent when Trump encouraged his followers to rough up hecklers”

We have pointed out Pence’s play acting as a Christian before also.

“ Second problem: Worse than simply remaining silent, he played the toady with seemingly endless reserves of self-mortification, uttering cringeworthy encomia to Trump’s “broad-shouldered leadership” (a phrase he repeated at least 17 times), and audacious lies about matters big and small.”

Pence’s silence and refusal to stand up to Trump has been a sticking point with us for years. Pence being Vice President couldn’t be fired by Trump but he still enabled everything he did.

“Third problem: It’s impossible to say how large a contingent of Republican primary voters are in the “Pence is a Traitor” camp, but consider that a recent New York Times/Sienna poll found that only 6 percent of Republicans would vote for Pence in a 2024 primary. At their dueling campaign appearances in Arizona, Trump assembled a rally attended by thousands while Pence spoke to a crowd estimated at 300.”

Charen does point out and we agree with her that there is a demand among some republicans for someone other than Trump. But Pence is not that candidate. Trumpets don’t want him because he is considered at best a wimp, and at worst a traitor. Never Trumper’s don’t support him because he has no principles and like Judas sold out for his 30 pieces of silver.

Like Mona Charen we do give Pence credit for his actions on January 6th, but his refusal to outright condemn Trump, his continuing defense of Trump’s conduct as president, and his unwillingness to call Trump out even now. Has forfeited any claim to hold an office of trust of any kind in America. We cannot recommend Charen’s article highly enough, nor can we oppose Pence enough for his humoring of the blasphemous Trump. 

UPDATE: A reader just alerted us to an excellent observation made by Miles Taylor a former Trump administration official made about Mike Pence recently. Another reader alerted us to the fact we accidentally said Robson was running for the Senate in Arizona, she is actually running for Governor. Please watch and listen to Miles Taylor’s take on Pence’s time as Vice President:

“If you want to know what the Mike Pence vice presidency was like, Mike Pence is a guy with an erect posture and flaccid conscience. He stood up tall and he did not stand up to Donald Trump” pic.twitter.com/koEnK0YzFY

— Acyn (@Acyn) July 27, 2022

Former Scientology Top Executive Mike Rinder’s Memoir “A Billion Years” Slated for September Release

Mike Rinder, Cult Whistleblower, Author, Activist and Destroyer of Cults

Earlier this week we were extraordinarily pleased to find out that former Church of Scientology spokesman, podcaster and writer Mike Rinder’s book “A Billion Years” will be coming out in September. It will be available for Kindle, in Hardcover and in audiobook format, narrated by Mike himself. As survivors of dealing with the cultic world that is Hoosier politics we find a lot of creepy similarities to Scientology and the culture of the political elites in both parties here in Indiana. By that we are not saying that our experiences are anywhere as horrific as Mike’s, but the suppression of independent thought, the bureaucracy from hell mentality, and a belief that the group leaders are above the law, is much the same in both Scientology and the political class here in Indiana. 

For anyone wishing to understand the dynamics of high control groups please checkout Mike Rinder’s blog here, also checkout his and Leah Remini’s podcast “Scientology Fair Game Podcast”. Looking forward to the book Mike! And thanks again to you and Leah for picking one of our questions to answer on the podcast! Your reactions to it were priceless!

Checkout Indiana Capital Chronicle

Happy Friday my children! We just wanted to let you all know about a great new news website that has emerged recently. It’s called Indiana Capital Chronicle, edited by the great Niki Kelly. Indiana Capital Chronicle was founded earlier this year. The purpose of the Chronicle as stated on their website is:

“The Indiana Capital Chronicle is an independent, nonprofit news organization dedicated to giving Hoosiers a comprehensive look inside state government, policy and elections. More importantly, we will show how actions at the state level impact your everyday lives.

Over the years the number of journalists covering state news has dwindled and The Capital Chronicle will bring more eyes to the process. In addition to daily coverage, we will keep digging for more in-depth scrutiny on important topics.

Our staff of four – an editor and three reporters – has decades of experience covering the Indiana Statehouse and we are not afraid to take decision-makers to task. While the state capitol is in Indianapolis, we will also include perspective from outside central Indiana.“

We applaud Niki Kelly and her colleagues at the Chronicle and we believe that the late great Gary Welsh is pleased with this effort. We hope that it will continue to shine a light on the goings on of government at the state and local levels. The Indiana Capital Chronicle can be reached by clicking here, or by going to their website at: https://indianacapitalchronicle.com/

Have a great friday and talk to you all soon!

Happy Birthday to Indiana Jones and Captain Picard

Before we get back to our semi regular scheduled programming, we all thought we would say a Happy Birthday to two of the IR Gang’s favorite actors. Today Harrison Ford most famous as Han Solo and Indiana Jones turns 80 today, and his fellow science fiction icon Sir Patrick Stewart turns 82, Sir Patrick is most famous as Captain Jean-Luc Picard from Star Trek The Next Generation, he also appeared in Dune, Jeffrey and as a guest host of Saturday Night Live.

Happy Birthday Gentlemen! Live long and prosper and May the Force Be With You both!

A Tale of Two Congressman: Trump Doormat Mo Brooks VS Patriot Tom Rice

Congressman Mo Brooks AL-R

In Alabama there is an upcoming runoff primary to determine who will be the upcoming republican senate nominee. One of the two contenders vying for the seat is Congressman Mo Brooks. Earlier this year as reported by Paul Ogden and others, after originally endorsing Brooks for the primary former President Trump decided to rescind his endorsement due to Brooks falling stand in the polls. Since then Brooks has resurged enough to finish second in the primary and move to a runoff. 

Brooks has now engaged in what can only be described as a pathetic attempt to win back Trump’s endorsement. The attempt to pander to Trump is so childish and stupid we find it analogous to a dumped high school student who cannot get over his girlfriend dumping him and proceeds to make an ass out of himself, in front of the whole school. Brooks plea for reconciliation with Trump was released yesterday and we are posting it below for you all to read over and laugh at:

We especially are laughing over Brooks attempt to spin Trump’s pulling of his endorsement in order to give the campaign a chance to straighten up! All we can say is that Brooks should just accept that Trump broke up with him, and move on.

In contrast to the ridiculous and sycophantic ass kissing of Trump done by Mo Brooks, their is the approach being taken by South Carolina Republican Congressman Tom Rice.

Congressman Tom Rice SC-R

Congressman Rice is one of 10 House Republicans who voted to impeach President Donald Trump after his attempts to overturn his election loss in 2020. David Cohen writing in an article for Politico reports on Congressman Rice and his upcoming primary:

Voting to impeach former President Donald Trump was the “conservative” thing to do, Rep. Tom Rice said Sunday, even though it might cost him dearly in South Carolina’s 2022 Republican primary.

“Defending the Constitution is a bedrock of the Republican platform, defend the Constitution, and that’s what I did. That was the conservative vote,” Rice (R-S.C.) said in an interview on ABC’s “This Week,” adding: “There’s no question in my mind.”

Rice said he was appalled to see Trump not lift a finger in response to the attacks on the Capitol and its police officers, as well as the threats to Vice President Mike Pence.

“It was clear to me what I had to. I was livid. I am livid today about it. I took an oath to protect the Constitution,” said Rice, who was one of 10 Republicans who voted to impeach Trump. “I did it then, and I would do it again tomorrow.”

Congressman Rice unlike his Alabama colleague Mo Brooks has a spine, class and strength of character to make the right choice and stand by it. Rice might lose his primary but he has kept his self respect. Brooks on the other hand we have to ask this: “If it profit a man nothing to trade his soul for the whole world, then how little does it profit you to sell it for a Senate seat?”

We will let you know when and if we get a reply back from Mo Brooks or his campaign. In the meantime if you would like to help out a genuine patriot, throw some support to Tom Rice and his campaign. You can donate on his website https://www.tomrice.com/

Thank You and God Bless you all! Be well my friends!

President Biden Strengthening Freedom & Safety By Requiring Federal Law Enforcement Officers to Wear Body Cameras

President Joe Biden 

Although we wrote in a vote for president in 2020, and we have criticized President Biden on occasion, he has done something’s well. Examples include passing infrastructure, standing up to Russian Dictator Vladimir Putin, and helping to rebuild and expand NATO. Today Biden adds another positive accomplishment to his list. 

Government Executive’s Eric Katz has the story:

All federal law enforcement will soon have to wear body cameras under an executive order President Biden is set to sign on Wednesday, which has won the support of the group representing those personnel. 

The order will also require the creation of a database of officer misconduct to which every federal law enforcement agency will contribute and that agencies must then use as part of their screening process for vetting personnel. State and local entities will also be able to use and contribute to the database, which will also include federal officers’ commendations and awards. The Justice Department will maintain the database and make aggregate data available to the public. 

We think that having a database to log federal law enforcement misconduct, and to strengthen screening of officers is a good idea and is long overdue. We are in desperate need of tamping down on police misconduct. We do favor strengthening background checks for gun purchases, as well as laws barring violent offenders from being able to legally purchase firearms. Hopefully those issues will be addressed soon. Take care of yourselves, and do what you can to defuse rather than escalate tension.

Devil Trump Went Down to Georgia and Lost Bigly

Georgia Governor Brian Kemp & Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger-Real Republicans 

As we predicted here on this blog back in February, Brian Kemp easily turned back Donald Trump’s sacrificial lamb, David Perdue in yesterday’s Georgia Republican Gubernatorial Primary. Kemp won renomination with a commanding 73% of the vote to Perdue’s 21%. We were all pleased but not to surprised that Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, was able to win his primary outright and defeat Trumpist Congressman Jody Hice, and also avoiding a runoff election.

Raffensperger is best known for a now infamous phone call in which former President Trump tried to get him to find “11,780 votes”, so that Trump could win Georgia a state he narrowly lost to President Joe Biden. Raffensperger not only refused to knuckle under to Trump, after Trump accused him falsely of helping Biden steal the state, Raffensperger released a recording of the phone call showing how Trump tried to intimidate him into violating his oath of office. We are beyond pleased that both Governor Kemp, Secretary Raffensperger, won last night in their respective primaries.

We also recommend Raffensperger’s book: “Integrity Counts”, alongside Georgia Lieutenant Governor Geoff Duncan’s “GOP 2.0”.

As our dear friend and fellow blogger Paul Ogden wrote on his blog today, these were not Trump’s only defeat in Georgia last night:

Trump also recruited attorney John Gordon in an effort to oust Georgia Attorney General Christopher Carr.  Despite Trump's endorsement of Gordon, Carr won with 73.7% of the vote.

As to the two Georgia open congressional seats, the 6th and the 10th, Trump endorsed attorney Jake Evans and former Democratic state representative Vernon Jones respectively.  Evans lost 43.2% to 23.2% and Jones was edged out 25.6% to 21.6%.  Both did qualify for next month's runoff primary.

We are disappointed that Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene and Herschel Walker both won there primaries, but overall chalk last night up as a win for democracy and a YUGE defeat for Donald Trump! 

We still have a long way to go both fighting the influence of Donald Trump. And we have an even longer way to go in the battle against Trumpism, but we have achieved some long overdue wins, and now Trump rather than looking like a kingmaker is looking more like Superman not being able to fly!

Bacon Reigns Supreme! Anti-Insurrectionist GOP Congressman Don Bacon smashes Trumpist Challenger

Congressman Don Bacon R-NE AKA Bodacious Dude

Good evening friends. We are happy to report that tonight this the second round of primaries of 2022, that former President Donald Trump’s powers are starting to weaken. Republican Congressman Don Bacon of Nebraska was targeted by Trump for defeat, has massacred his Trumpist challenger Steve Kuehl.

With 52.7% of the primary vote in Bacon is leading Kuehl 81-18. This margin of victory is so YUGE that even Vladimir Putin is envious! Granted it is but one race, and we are a long way away from slaughtered the orange man baby’s political machine, but to so thoroughly bitch slap a Trumpist is music to our ears! Also although we cannot tell yet, but it appears that Trump’s favorite Nebraskan and fellow pervert Charles Herbster is on track to lose Bigly in his Gubernatorial primary. We have finally found the secret sauce for Never Trump, we will name all of our candidates after popular foods! We could have Senator Hamburger and Governor Pizza!

Here’s a little information from the Republican Accountability Project giving the lowdown about Bacon:

For further information on Bacon click here.

With 42% of the primary vote in Charles Herbster is coming 3rd in a four way primary. And this is after Trump campaigned for him in Nebraska! Herbster is accused of sexual misconduct by several women. We try not to judge a book by it’s cover, but if this picture of Herbster doesn’t say “major psycho”, we don’t know what does: