[TTPers know that beloved TTPer Yasuhiko Kimura has Stage 3 Esophageal Cancer.  Many of you have already been kind enough to donate to the Help Yasuhiko Genku Kimura Heal from Cancer GoFundMe, for which he and his wife Mira Joy are deeply grateful.  A fight for life often brings out talents unknown before.  Thus Yasuhiko, a devotee of history’s great poets, has become a poet himself. 

He has gifted us with Two Odes to Trump, one in the style of England’s most famous poet, John Milton (1608-1674), the other in that of England’s most idiosyncratic, William Blake (1757-1827).  The common bond between them and Donald Trump is all three are champions of freedom.  Thank you, Yasuhiko!  Our prayers are with you.]

Miltonic Ode to Trump (Written in the political spirit and the poetical style of John Milton) Yasuhiko Genku Kimura

Of Man's first Freedom, and of Liberty, Through ages dim, where tyranny did dwell, I sing of Trump, whose valiant spirit free From despot's grasp, did lead with wisdom's spell

It’s been three months since Donald Trump and Republicans swept the 2024 elections — and Democrats haven’t learned a thing.

Here are three snapshots of a party wallowing in denial:

When the eight candidates running to head the Democratic National Committee were asked who among them believed that “racism and misogyny” were factors in Kamala Harris’ defeat, all eight raised their hands.

When congressional Dems gathered outside the headquarters of the rogue USAID agency that Trump plans to shrink or close, one of their lead speakers was the antisemitic terror defender and America-hater Rep. Ilhan Omar.

Then there’s New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy, who said Saturday (2/01) he was hiding an illegal immigrant in his house and challenged ICE, saying “good luck to the feds coming in to try to get her.”

I’ve long believed Trump has a gift for driving his opponents over the edge. Now we know that for sure.

An Oxford-educated British elitist picked an intellectual fight with an American “hillbilly” over the weekend, and guess who won? Yep, the “hillbilly”.

It was a showdown between JD Vance, the new American Vice President, and Rory Stewart, a podcaster.  It started when Vance gave an interview to Fox News in which he outlined his Christian belief in a hierarchy of love.

With superb haughtiness, Rory took to X to accuse Vance of misunderstanding the Gospel of John. Vance’s order of love is “more pagan tribal” than Christian, he pronounced, like some pope of correct-think.

Vance fired back, and it was glorious.

For how much longer will the world’s conscience now allow for two million people to be held hostage by Hamas, crammed into a 140 square mile Strip, stuck between the sea and two countries who will not let them enter: Egypt and Israel?

I was in Israel on October 7 and share the trauma of a nation under attack from Iran, Hezbollah, Hamas, Islamic Jihad, and others. Now,

Hamas has vowed more October 7 attacks.

No nation in the world would accept a permanent terror base on its border, with over 200 miles of tunnels hiding weapons and training for destruction.

In this context, it would be Einstein’s definition of madness to try all the old options all over again in Gaza. Now it is time to think differently, as Trump 47 certainly is. And in so doing, he is fully aware that we cannot be cruel to the Palestinians. That they are a people who deserve homes, dignity and peace.

Recent statements by U.S. President Donald Trump and Special Envoy for Latin America Mauricio Claver Carone, as well as the trip by Secretary of State Marco Rubio to Central America, have focused attention on the risks posed by the activities of China in Panama.

Aside from China’s low key military engagement with Panama, the real issue is the vast scope of its commercial presence there.

Beyond just the ports, China’s economic engagement and development of networks of personal influence and benefit in Panama have arguably facilitated its use of the country as Beijing’s global logistics and financial hub to promote its commercial advance in the region under conditions of limited transparency, with numerous shady dealings.

Further, beyond Panama’s government, virtually all of Panama’s most influential families have business dealings with PRC-based companies.   You may be amazed at how deep China’s connections within Panama are.

With Donald Trump back in the White House, leaders across the world are sitting up. They will have to get used to something very new: an America unembarrassed about putting its own national interests first, and specifically in making the security of its borders one of the central aims of its foreign policy.

The South American nation of Colombia received an early preview of how President Trump will project US power. After initially refusing to accept US military planes carrying Colombian illegal migrants, Trump threatened a wave of tariffs and visa restrictions on the country’s political leadership unless it agreed to accept back its own citizens.

Within hours, Colombia had complied with Washington’s demands. The actions he is taking now to protect America’s national sovereignty should serve as a role model for the UK and nations across Europe who are facing the same challenges posed by mass migration.

A strong and revitalized America is great not only for the American people, but for the entire free world.