Gary Indiana Becomes Trump's Katrina

By Mildred Robertson

Gary Indiana, a predominantly Black community where roughly a third of residents live below the poverty line, is struggling back from an unprecedented storm on August 11 that left many without power or resources. The storm is reminiscent of Katrina in New Orleans in 2005 where a lackluster federal response left thousands of New Orleanians struggling to survive. While Gary residents don't have to contend with the prolonged flooding experienced by New Orleans residents, the lack of access to life's necessities post-disaster are similar. 

Unfortunately, the vivid pictures of flooding that dominated the airwaves during the Katrina disaster have not occurred during the Gary, Indiana storm. Apparently, downed trees and damaged power lines are not as gripping or captivating for the media, as the heart-wrenching photos that came out of New Orleans. But the pain of the Indiana residents is just as real. 

The August 11 storms brought winds up to 99 mph to Northwest Indiana, downing trees and power lines and initially leaving more than half of Gary without electricity. Some residents entered a third week without power, creating the urgent need for food, laundry, showers, phone charging, and other basic services.

NIPSCO, one of Indiana's largest natural gas and electric companies, says it has experienced about 374,500 customer outages since Aug. 11.  The prolonged power outage affected more than 38,300 homes and businesses in Gary and government response has been slow.  Power restoration for remaining customers was expected by midnight on August 25, 2026.

The lengthy restoration has fueled questions about NIPSCO's response and the resilience of Gary's power grid, especially as neighboring communities recovered. While Gary struggled, residents in nearby Indiana received a better response rate to the disaster. ComEd restored nearly all customers across the state line within days.

 As of Monday morning, about 3,878 customers remained without power because of the storms. While Gary has received federal help through FEMA's emergency declaration, direct assistance to residents; food, supplies, cooling and other necessities is largely coming from charities and local and state efforts.  The August 15 emergency declaration allows FEMA to support state and local emergency protective measures, but it does not automatically provide individual assistance directly to households.

Gary Mayor Eddie Melton met with U.S. Senator Jim Banks to discuss federal disaster assistance and recovery needs. Melton also spoke with President Trump and urged swift federal action for Gary residents and neighborhoods.

While the disparity in restoration of services is troublesome, Gary apparently experienced more severe weather than Indiana. The National Weather Service says the storm intensified as it moved into Northwest Indiana, with a 99-mph gust recorded at Gary/Chicago International Airport, a speed that falls within the range of Category 2 hurricane winds.

Gary residents have called out state leaders, including Gov. Mike Braun, who said over the weekend that it was unacceptable that NIPSCO was taking so long to restore power while Illinois communities across the border had already been restored.

This is bigger than a power outage in Gary, Indiana," Bernice King, civil rights organizer and daughter of Martin Luther King Jr, said on social media. "It is part of a pattern. Black communities have too often been expected to endure conditions that would be treated as intolerable somewhere else."

Nonprofits, businesses, volunteers, and public figures have stepped up to fill the void, providing meals, supplies, funding, and other aid to affected residents. Raydia Martin, assistant director of the Flourish Community Hub at Flourish Church in Gary, said volunteers and community groups have been an important part of the response. The Chicago Bears announced a $200,000 storm relief donation, split evenly between Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Chicago and Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Gary. World Central Kitchen distributed about 4,000 meals in Gary and nearby Lake Ridge with help from local volunteers.

As the city struggles to get back on its feet, the nation should examine partisan politics in federal services. On August 20, Indiana submitted a major disaster request seeking additional individual and public assistance, including possible FEMA support for households affected by this disaster. Gov. Mike Braun petitioned the federal government for assistance in 54 counties after the severe storm decimated the state's power system. President Trump approved the request for 21 counties,  less than half that number.  

Eligible residents in the designated counties can apply for grants of up to $5,000 to help cover immediate needs such as clothing and uninsured medical devices. Those affected should document damages and expenses and follow updates from the Indiana Department of Residents to find more information through the Indiana Department of Homeland Security.

Recovery and Cleanup

·   The American Red Cross offers disaster recovery resources on shelter, cleanup, and flood recovery. Call 1-800-733-2767 for assistance.  Keep photos and videos of storm damage and save receipts for repairs, temporary housing, replacement items, and other disaster-related expenses. Residents who were affected should continue saving documentation, monitoring official updates, and using available state and nonprofit recovery resources as they await further federal assistance. 

 

Low Global Approval of Trump, and Yet...

Public opinion on Donald Trump's standing on the world stage is dismissal. A multinational Pew Research Center report indicates that only 23% of adults across 36 countries worldwide express confidence in Trump to make good policy decisions on world affairs. His "America First" policies have strained relations with established Western allies, resulting in what appears to be an "America Alone" reality. 

While diplomatic tensions are high and traditional partnerships are strained, there seems to be inadequate pushback both domestically and internationally to curb this out-of-control despot as he wrecks havoc on the social and political stage both here and around the world.

Some of his most unconventional and disruptive policies include threatening sweeping tariffs on our closest allies like Canada and Mexico, threatening to annex Greenland and Canada, declaring international waterways as under U.S. control, undermining NATO and pulling the U.S. from multilateral pacts such as the Paris Climate Agreement. He also has suggested that the U.S. should control the Strait of Hormuz and charge for use of the vital shipping lane. He radically cut or froze international development funding, including global health initiatives. 

He has used the influence and might of the most powerful nation on this planet to play petty games, and one-up world leaders. His policies have denied food to starving people in Ethiopia while food rots in African harbours. He has disrupted the flow of lifesaving malaria prevention efforts and HIV/AIDS drug programs. He has rolled back the clock on climate change, erasing the positive strides of the Biden administration in the Paris Agreement on climate change. 

His positions on Ukraine, Gaza and Panama are haphazard. They are based on whim, rather than actual facts, planning and expertise. All of these policies have negatively impacted the world economy and threatened social stability worldwide. 

Nevertheless, world leaders still bow at his feet, strategizing about how to interact without triggering him. It is unbelievable to me that the entire WORLD seems to allow this toddler to throw tantrums as the world order devolves into a quagmire of his creation. 

Who will stop him? Clearly the American voter has not, up to this point, been able to do so. Perhaps November will show us a different America. Perhaps, in November, voters will stop looking for the PERFECT solution and pursue an ACHIEVABLE solution. Perhaps in November America will give the world something new to work with...a way to repair the damage inflicted by this toddler-king who still has not made it out of his diaper. 

Trump Accounts Closed Due To Money-Laundering Probe

 By Mildred Robertson

Capital One Bank closed roughly 385 accounts linked to President Donald Trump and the Trump Organization in 2021 after identifying characteristics associated with potential money-laundering risk under its Anti-Money Laundering (AML) policies.

Trump went to court, alleging that Capital One unlawfully denied the organization financial services for political reasons following the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol. The Trump Organization accused the bank of political discrimination, arguing that the decision reflected the shifting political climate after the attack.

A motion filed by Capital One in a Florida federal court refutes that claim, stating that the decision followed several months of internal review by its Financial Crimes Compliance Team. The court filing over this past weekend requested that the lawsuit be dismissed, stating that “The closures were the result of months of analysis and careful review by Capital One’s AML team in accordance with bank policies and regulatory guidance.” 

According to Capital One, AML is an internal financial crimes and risk-compliance unit that investigates suspicious transactions, screens customer accounts against global watchlists, and ensures adherence to federal bank regulations. AML cited patterns in the flagged Trump accounts that were consistent with those identified through federal banking guidance as suspect.  

It is reported that Capital One had been fined $390 million by federal regulators just months before closing Trump’s accounts, due to lax anti-money laundering practices, which caused a heightened internal scrutiny of compliance issues. While Capital One did not actually accuse the Trump organization of illegal money laundering, it states that the accounts were closed based upon standard regulatory practices. The bank says that it never publicly disclosed why the accounts were closed and that the organization was given several months to move funds elsewhere.

It will be left up to the court to decided whether the "debanking" of Trumps accounts is anti-money laundering enforcement as stated by the bank, or is political discrimination. This litigation does, however, open the possibility that sensitive financial information related to the Trump accounts may become a matter of public record; an occurrence likely not considered by the Trump organization when bringing this suit.

Supreme Court Campaign Finance Decision: Selling Democracy

 By Mildred Robertson

In a 6-3 decision issued on June 30, 2026, the Supreme Court struck down limits on how much political parties may spend in coordination with candidates. The ruling allows wealthy donors to channel far larger sums through political parties, giving them greater power to shape campaign messaging and election outcomes.

The Court held that post-Watergate limits on coordinated spending between political parties and candidates violate the First Amendment. With those limits removed, parties and outside political groups can play a larger role in financing campaign advertisements and related expenses.

• Individual contributions directly to candidates may still be limited, such as $7,000 per election.
• Wealthy donors can give much larger amounts to national political parties, which can then direct spending to support particular candidates.
• Super PACs may spend unlimited amounts on political messaging, including television ads, so long as they do not coordinate directly with a candidate’s official campaign.

Supporters argue that campaign spending is a form of political speech protected by the First Amendment. Critics counter that the ruling increases the risk of corruption by giving wealthy donors and special interest groups outsized influence over elections. In effect, they argue, the decision makes political power more available to those who can afford to spend the most.

Grassroots candidates can still build support through many small-dollar donations, but that model may struggle to compete with unlimited spending from corporations and wealthy donors. As more money flows into television, print, and social media advertising, small-dollar donors and ordinary voters may find their voices increasingly drowned out.

Put simply, these rulings give the wealthiest participants the loudest megaphone. Those with the most money will have the greatest ability to shape public messaging, influence opinion, and impact voting outcomes.

Many elected officials already respond to high-dollar donors by supporting legislation that aligns with donor priorities. As Super PACs, political parties, and wealthy contributors spend more aggressively, this influence is likely to grow. In practical terms, the decision moves American democratic rule further toward a system where political power is increasingly shaped by those able to spend the most, and that is not democracy.

Sources:

PBS: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/supreme-court-transforms-campaign-finance-rules-lifting-limits-on-party-spending

Politico: https://www.politico.com/news/2026/06/30/campaign-spending-supreme-court-ruling-00980450

I will not celebrate America's 250th Anniversary

U.S. 250th Marred by Hatred, Racism and Murder

By Mildred Robertson

I will not celebrate America's 250th Anniversary on July 4th 2026. It should be a joyous occasion where we all look back on how far we have come, and all the many wonderful accomplishments that made this country a leader among nations. Those accomplishments are real...documented...impressive. Generally, in a blog such as this, I would list them...laud them. But not today. Today I flipped through my facebook pages and found evil, despicable stories and comments that overshadow all the good that this country has brought forth, because it has been equally efficient in birthing violence, hate, injustice and racism. 

On Sunday night, the president of these United States hosted a taxpayer funded UFC fight...that's right, a cage fight, supposedly to honor our 250th anniversary and his 80th birthday. This uncouth display had all the trappings of a trailer park brawl with no dignity and no mention of this country's storied history which it supposedly was celebrating. Instead UFC fighter Josh Hokit took the opportunity to slander former first lady Michelle Obama during a post-fight speech. 

I won't repeat the offense, but you all know it. According to CNN journalist Alejandra Jaramillo, Trump, who was seated on the front row, "appeared to show a half-smile seconds after the false remark." Apparently there was a mixture of cheers and boos from the crowd. The fact that there were enough attendants who audibly cheered such mean-spirited behavior made me ashamed of the Republican crowd who supported this event. But what triggered me today is the number of Americans from across the country who support and display that same behavior and are willing to put it in writing on Facebook.

While Michelle Obama did not go low...apparently, she plans to go to court. It is my hope that she is successful in stripping Hokit of his earnings from his despicable performance in that cage that you and I payed for. 

Photo courtesy Kohen Wiley family

But that wasn't all. On that same day, a Mississippi police officer took the life of a 1-year-old over the alleged theft of a box of pampers. Yes, you read that right. Little Kohen Wiley was shot and killed by Senatobia Mississippi police officers called to the local Walmart for his parent allegedly stealing a box of pampers. The police claimed they shot into the vehicle in a public parking lot because the driver tried to run over them. (That is a story we've heard before...I will wait for the video.)

Now, it is bad enough that this incident occurred, but the numerous Facebook posts that try to justify the taking of this child's life is heart-wrenching. They do not ascribe any fault to the police officers..."the driver should not have headed toward the officers, nearly hitting them." But the tragedy of the snuffing out of this baby's life causes them no grief. It elicits no sympathy. They acknowledge neither his humanity nor his innocence. 

That is the America I cannot celebrate. All of America's storied history is muddied, defiled by its inability to acknowledge the cruelty, hatred and bigotry that is buried beneath its gloried accomplishments; attributes that allowed it to build its success on the backs of blacks and other minorities who to this day have not been acknowledged as fully American, or even fully human. 

So there will be no fireworks for me. There will be no celebration. Instead, I will celebrate Juneteenth, which commemorates when many of my people learned of the Emancipation Proclamation, a proclamation that to this day has not been fully realized.  Because of that, I see no reason to celebrate this historic anniversary. 

Don't Be Distracted During America's Fight For Justice

Just because Renee Good, Alex Pretti, and Keith Porter are no longer in the news does not mean they are not still dead.

It does not mean that they were not killed at the hand of the state. It does not mean that their deaths were not homicides. It does not mean that a myriad of other American citizens have not been targeted, attacked, raped and imprisoned by the Trump administration.

The atrocities continue though media attention does not.

The Kennedy Center is still under attack. The White House sits in the ruins of the West Wing. People are still being disappeared. Detention centers are still being built and women and children are still being raped in them.

Gas prices are still too high. Citizens are being oppressed by rising costs for food, housing and other necessities. The South is still trying to suppress your vote and Trump and his family are still on the grift, using taxpayer money as a personal piggy bank.

Congress is still ineffective, and the Supreme Court is still propping up a convicted felon. Insurrectionists have been pardoned and promised a payout for their January 6th acts of treason. And they are not the only criminals pardoned by this administration.

Iran still has control of the Strait of Hormuz, and there is no discernible end to the conflict that has cost American lives and treasure. America has become a joke on the world stage, and America's 80-year-old president appears to have signs of dementia, and various other physical ailments. He thinks he is a superhero, or perhaps, God. He messes his pants and falls asleep during important meetings. He still has control of the army and its nuclear weapons. The media runs breathlessly back and forth from one firestorm to another. We have gone from weekly breaking news to daily and sometimes even hourly. It is dizzying...sometimes incomprehensible. 

But we must not let the dash from one existential crisis to another overshadow the horrors that we know now exist in our society, our politics and our social interactions. Do not be distracted by the firehose of B.S. coming out of the White House and Congress meant to confuse and obfuscate.

America is in trouble. Only the American people stand between freedom and this nation's ultimate downfall. So we must focus.

The Trump administration has systematically decimated much of the infrastructure that made our nation the beacon for freedom throughout the world. While we have many times fallen short, our history demonstrates that we sought to be a society that provides equality for all it citizens. Our nation has struggled to build that "more perfect union" that the Founders sought.

But the struggle is not near to its completion. The periods in our nation's history where we lost ground are more numerous than most of us would like. This, unfortunately is such a time.

We must continue to pursue liberty. We must continue to fight for justice. We must seek to live up to our heritage where we offer refuge to the poor, the downtrodden, and those who hope for a better life.

Do not be distracted. We must continue to seek ways to rebuild the foundation that has kept us safe for 250 years. (Unfortunately, we have not all enjoyed America's promise for much of that time...nevertheless, it is our goal.)

As the scripture said in Nehemiah..."Stay on the wall,"(Nehemiah 6:3) until our fortress is rebuilt. It will take all of us working together...those always afforded the riches this land has offered, and those who still strive for total inclusion.

Don't be distracted. Stay focused. Rebuild the walls.

Donald Trump Tells His Followers Who He Is

By Mildred Robertson

Below are the lyrics of a song written in 1963 by the African American jazz musician, singer and civil rights activist Oscar Brown Jr. 

Trump likes to quote the lyrics to his followers. There is no need for further comment. He is telling his followers who he is and the fate that awaits them. 

I caution all Americans to heed the words of the song and act accordingly, because America has a snake at its bosom and has suffered several potentially fatal bites. Our only hope is that we take the antidote. VOTE to counteract the venom he has injected into our system. 

 

"The Snake" 

On her way to work one morning
Down the path ‘longside the lake
A tender-hearted woman saw a poor half-frozen snake
His pretty colored skin had been all frosted with the dew
“Oh well,” she cried, “I’ll take you in and I’ll take care of you”
“Take me in, tender woman
Take me in, for heaven’s sake
Take me in, tender woman,” sighed the snake

She wrapped him up all cozy in a comforter of silk
And laid him by thе fireside with some honеy and some milk
She hurried home from work that night, and soon as she arrived
She found that pretty snake she’d taken in had been revived
“Take me in, tender woman
Take me in, for heaven’s sake
Take me in, tender woman,” sighed the snake

She clutched him to her bosom, “You’re so beautiful,” she cried
“But if I hadn’t brought you in, by now you might have died”
She stroked his pretty skin again and kissed and held him tight
Instead of saying thanks, that snake gave her a vicious bite
“Take me in, tender woman
Take me in, for heaven’s sake
Take me in, tender woman,” sighed the snake

“I saved you,” cried the woman
“And you’ve bitten me, but why?
And you know your bite is poisonous and now I’m gonna die”
“Oh shut up, silly woman,” said the reptile with a grin
“You knew damn well I was a snake before you took me in”
“Take me in, tender woman
Take me in, for heaven’s sake
Take me in, tender woman,” sighed the snake
“Take me in, tender woman,” sighed the snake
“Take me in, tender woman,” sighed the snake

Written in 1963 by the African American jazz musician, singer, and civil rights activist Oscar Brown Jr.