Buck Banks, Author at Pensito

Trump Admin Spent $21 Million to Send Immigrants to Guantanamo

May 13, 2025 Buck Banks

$21 million

“The Trump administration spent at least $21 million transporting migrants to Guantanamo Bay on military aircraft between January 20 and April 8,” NBC News reports. “The naval base there currently holds 32 migrants, a tiny fraction of the 30,000 that President Donald Trump promised. Guantanamo has held a total of just under 500 migrants since Trump announced the effort in January, and it has never held more than 200 at any one time. Many of the migrants flown there are believed to have been flown back to the U.S.”

— Professor Larry Sabato, quoted by Blue Virginia.

Biden: The Old Brand that Won’t Go Away

May 12, 2025 Buck Banks

“It’s time for Joe Biden to go away with all due respect and let the next generation of Democrats take the mantle. Every time he appears on a show or says something, it’s just another week or a month that we have to defend him and remind everybody that we got beat by Donald Trump, again. For those of us trying to rebuild the brand, it does no good when you’re constantly reminded about the old brand that won’t go away.”

— Democratic strategist Chuck Rocha, quoted by Politico.

In the hallowed Halls of Racism, Trump takes top honors.
If you’re black, brown or yellow, to him you’re a goner.
But if you’re a honky from South Africa,
Come on in, we’ll look after ya,
‘Cause you’re white — you’re all right — you poor, persecuted Afrikaners!

‘Nero’ Cans Hero, Picks Pirro

May 10, 2025August 14, 2026 Buck Banks

When Ed Martin turned out to be the insurrectionists’ hero,
Trump turned his attention to FOX TV’s Jeanine Pirro.
So, do we think there’s a snowball’s chance
Of Trump naming someone competent who’s not on FOX?
Nope, in our playbook the odds of that are less than zero.

Your Kleptocracy at Work (for the Trumps)

May 10, 2025 Buck Banks

“I think we essentially have become a kleptocracy that would make Putin blush. I mean, keep in mind that in the first three months, the Trump family has become $3 billion wealthier, so that’s a billion dollars a month.”

— Business school professor Scott Galloway, quoted by the New Republic.

Starter Homes Top $1M in Over 200 U.S. Cities

May 9, 2025 Buck Banks

$1 million

A typical starter home now costs $1 million or more in more than 200 U.S. cities, according to a new report from Zillow. Five years ago, there were only 85 cities in 10 states where starter homes—defined as being in the lowest third in terms of home values—exceeded $1 million. Now the number is up to 233 cities in 25 states.

God Save the Conclave

May 7, 2025 Buck Banks

The Sistine Chapel’s been sealed for the conclave.
If it’s anything like the movie, it’ll be a rave.
Of course, I have no hope
Of influencing the choice for Pope —
I’d pick the African, the drunk or the hermaphrodite. Who’s your fave?

Everyday Is One of Those …

May 7, 2025 Buck Banks

“Every day is a kind of Watergate at this point.”

— The Atlantic editor Jeffrey Goldberg, speaking at a journalism summit.

Republican Big Tent Now Includes Flat-Earthers

May 7, 2025 Buck Banks

“People who question whether the Earth is round — a fact understood by the ancient Greeks and taught to American children in elementary school — might have been political pariahs a decade ago. Now, they’re running local Republican parties in Georgia and Minnesota and seeking public office in Alabama.”

Author: Buck Banks

Trump Admin Spent $21 Million to Send Immigrants to Guantanamo

$21 million

Signs of a Dying Republic

“The Trump Administration is drowning in corruption — and few Americans seem to care. It’s another sign of a dying Republic.”

— Professor Larry Sabato, quoted by Blue Virginia.

Biden: The Old Brand that Won’t Go Away

— Democratic strategist Chuck Rocha, quoted by Politico.

Help Them! They’re White!

‘Nero’ Cans Hero, Picks Pirro

Your Kleptocracy at Work (for the Trumps)

“I think we essentially have become a kleptocracy that would make Putin blush. I mean, keep in mind that in the first three months, the Trump family has become $3 billion wealthier, so that’s a billion dollars a month.”

— Business school professor Scott Galloway, quoted by the New Republic.

Starter Homes Top $1M in Over 200 U.S. Cities

$1 million

God Save the Conclave

Everyday Is One of Those …

“Every day is a kind of Watergate at this point.”

— The Atlantic editor Jeffrey Goldberg, speaking at a journalism summit.

Republican Big Tent Now Includes Flat-Earthers

— New York Times

Poetic Justice

Verbatim

“Every time J.D. Vance opens his mouth, the first two things I can think are, man, that guy is boring. And second, Peter Thiel had to spend a ton of money to get that man elected, barely in the state of Ohio.”

— Michigan U.S. Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed (D), on MS NOW.

“If any politician wants to get mothers on their side, they should adopt this issue. It’s such an obvious electoral winner. And what I’ve learned is there is no force in the universe stronger than mothers trying to protect their kids.”

— Social psychologist Jonathan Haidt, quoted by Politico, on the threats posed by social media and artificial intelligence.

“I’m very good at flagpoles!”

— President Trump bragged during an “impromptu tour of his various White House construction projects,” Mediaite reports.

Numerati

35%

+150

+750

“The number of U.S. service members wounded since the start of the Iran war has passed 750, according to the Defense Department’s war casualty database,” CNN reports.

+175,000

“The U.S. State Department announced on Monday that it has revoked more than 175,000 visas during President Donald Trump’s administration so far,” Fox News reports.

$4,600