Time to Reset the DUMBCON

You may recall, Dear Readers, that in July of 2009 I established a system for assessing the level of national stupidity - I called it the National Stupidity Condition (DUMBCON), and based it on the five-level National Defense Condition (DEFCON) used by the Department of Defense. This was the original DUMBCON structure; you can read the full explanation in the original 2009 post here:

Over the years, I've revised, expanded, modified, and adjusted the DUMBCON structure and reset the DUMBCON level numerous times to keep up with current events. The current six-level DUMBCON structure, established in January, 2022, is this:

I last reset the DUMBCON level in February of this year in response to the surging level of social, political, and religious stupidity across the country, raising it from 2 ("Shake-Your-Head-Stupid") to 1 ("More Stupid Than You Can Imagine"). Unfortunately, many Americans took this as a challenge and rose to the occasion on an overwhelming surge of stupidity I probably should have foreseen. Consider the following: 

- After voting overwhelmingly on the basis of a mountain of evidence to impeach Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton for malfeasance in office, the same Texas legislature voted overwhelmingly to acquit him of all charges.

- Der Furor (AKA Inmate P01135809) continues to rage incoherently about his various indictments and upcoming trials, demanding his followers ignore the mountainous evidence of his wrongdoing and insisting that his angry and violent rhetoric - that would have had any other individual's bail immediately revoked - is protected by the First Amendment and by his "status" as the presumptive GOP presidential candidate.

- Florida Governor Ron DeSantis continues to take his angry populism on the road, seeking to ride his brand of bitter and spiteful Florida authoritarianism to the White House, saying that "We're going to start slitting throats [of Federal employees] on day one."

- The Supreme Court continues to insist that it need not hold to the ethical standards which bind all other federal judges ... or even those which apply to the lowest, most menial job-holder in the nation.

- Colorado Representative Lauren Boebert was ejected from a Denver theater during a showing of the musical "Beetlejuice" for vaping, disruptive behavior, and engaging in aggressive mutual sexual fondling with her date. 

I could go on, but it just gets more depressing.

And so, Ladies and Gentlemen, Dear Readers, after deep thought and sad, but careful consideration,  

Effective today, September 18, 2023,

I am raising the DUMBCON level from 1 to 0

And at the depressingly rapid rate we're going, I'll soon need to go back to the ten-level structure of 2021 to accommodate the stupidity.

Before you ask, I am not going to make any changes to the Gohmert-Greene Stupidity Scale at this time, as it seems adequate (for now) to address individual cases of dumbassery.

Have a good day. Demand more from your elected officials, but don't hold your breath about getting it ... especially if you live in Texas or Florida or voted for someone like Lauren Boebert or Empty G.

More thoughts coming.

Bilbo