Well, not literally this:

The old expression usually refers to borrowing from your own budgeted funds — say, next month’s rent money — to cover a more immediate need, such as this week’s groceries. But always, of course, with the expectation of being able to replace the borrowed money in time to pay the landlord.

Never — not in a quadrillion years — would I have expected to hear anyone seriously propose dismantling an entire government, putting thousands of people out of work, and creating total operational chaos, in order to have enough money in the treasury to cover the cost of taking over part of a whole different nation, in a distant (and none too friendly) part of the world . . . in order to turn it into a new playground for the rich and famous.

But guess who has done just that.

No, no, no! Not that guy . . . though I can certainly understand how he might have been your first thought. But no. It’s actually . . .

This one:

Yup . . . that’s him, all right. Time’s “Person of the Year” wants to take possession of Gaza — a hell-hole region devastated by the war between Hamas and Israel — and spend whatever it takes to “own it and be responsible for dismantling all of the dangerous unexploded bombs and other weapons on the site.” And, in order to accomplish that, to first relocate the area’s residents to other countries and rebuild it into a new “Riviera.” [Jennifer A. Dlouhy, Jordan Fabian and Iain Marlow, Bloomberg, February 4, 2025.]

He also suggested that he would “do what is necessary,” possibly even deploying U.S. troops to secure the region in order to achieve a “long-term [U.S.] ownership position.” [Id.]

No, wait . . . it’s not a joke. He’s dead serious! And I can hear even this guy saying:

Needless to say, this all went over like the proverbial lead balloon with other Middle Eastern leaders. And at least one U.S. Senator — Chris Van Hollen, a member of the Foreign Relations Committee — had the guts to call it what it is: “ethnic cleansing by another name.” [Id.] Thank you, Senator.

But here’s what makes the whole scenario doubly frightening. As Trump presented his lunatic vision at a White House press conference, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who had been paying a state visit to Washington this week, sat quietly by. He even praised Trump for thinking on a “much higher level,” and added:

“We’re talking about it, he’s exploring it with his people, with his staff. I think it’s something that could change history. And it’s worthwhile really pursuing this avenue.” [Id.]

I don’t even know what to say to that, or what the people of Israel must be thinking right now. But I do know where my mind has been going for the last two weeks: to the 25th Amendment of the Constitution of the United States. Because this is total insanity.

I know that’s not a pretty picture . . . but neither is what’s happening to our country, or the domino effect it is already having, and will continue to have, on the rest of the world.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
2/5/25