One of the most popular pastimes in the Washington White House these days — when they’re not trying to find a new hiding place for the Epstein files — is the Sanctions Game.

Using allegations — sometimes true, sometimes fabricated or grossly exaggerated — such as human rights violations and terrorism, the Trump administration currently has outstanding sanctions against dozens of countries, including Cuba, Iran, Iraq, North Korea, Russia, Russian-occupied areas of Ukraine, Belarus, Venezuela, Syria, Myanmar, Libya, Lebanon, Mali, Somalia, Sudan, South Sudan, Yemen, the Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Eritrea, Guinea-Bissau . . .

Whew!

Then there are the self-defeating tariffs, which are imposed, increased, decreased, or lifted in accordance with Donald Trump’s mood of the moment; the ever-changing visa restrictions; and the overriding threat of military action when another world leader really pisses him off, or he simply decides he wants to acquire another country.

Our own Republican-led Congress and scaredy-pants Supreme Court refuse to enforce the constitutional and legal limitations placed upon the office of the president. But I have to wonder how long it will take for another country (or countries) to decide to force-feed him some of his own medicine.

Because reason and diplomacy clearly are not working. They rarely do with bullies.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
1/16/26