Greetings! The country seems united in mourning the passing of Nashville legend Dolly Parton...Strangest movie premiere of the year.  The Gateway Pundit is producing and releasing what is apparently its first film.  The feature-length documentary “American Martyrs” will have its premiere September 26 at an undisclosed theater somewhere in West Palm Beach, Florida, probably not too far from Mar-a-Lago, the dark heart of the MAGA empire.  The movie examines the cases of five men involved in the J6 insurrection. Not surprisingly, they are portrayed favorably. There’s not a lot of specific information posted on the Pundit’s website although the four-minute trailer specifies that it features interviews with the likes of Rudy Giuliani, Sidney Powell and Lara Logan, names I hoped I would never hear again.  Tickets for the one-night-only event start at $75. If you fork over $199, you get the VIP premiere experience which includes the companion book. My biggest question: Will Trump attend the movie?... Sinking sales of Trump schlock: At least three Trump merchandise superstores have closed their doors.  Fast Company reports that outlets in Nashville, TN; Vernon, CT, and Bensalem, PA, have all folded or are going out of business.  “The story of the closures is the same,” writes journalist Hunter Schwartz. “The demand just isn’t there anymore.” Schwartz also points to the greatly reduced prices at the Trump-controlled online store as another sign of the president’s declining popularity. Worth nothing: Trump’s family business offers in excess of 1,500 Trump-branded products. Seems like POTUS has a huge inventory problem...Ain’t it the truth: Today’s on-the-nose headline courtesy of The American Conservative: “Friendships with America Can Be Fatal”...If you keep reading, I’ll keep Righting. Howard

Greetings! Dept. of Ridiculous: In a bizarre extension of his ill-considered trade war with Canada (see next item), Trump is threatening to rename Lake Ontario – one of the five Great Lakes that sits on the border with Canada – and call it Lake America. That’s according to an early morning Truth Social post today...The National Review has joined with the Wall Street Journal in denouncing the tariff feud with Canada.  Here’s their on-the-nose headline today: “The Pointless Trade War with Canada.” Yesterday, the Journal described the economic conflict as “the dumbest trade war.” So that makes two of the most respected news outlets on the right critical of Trump’s threats...Sec. of Transportation hits ethical potholes. Last week, Sec, of Transportation Sean Duffy quietly released his six-episode reality-TV series “Great American Road Trip” on YouTube.  It featured Duffy and his family (including his nine kids and wife Fox News host Rachel Campos-Duffy) traveling around the country in a car.  However, as the Wall Street Journal first reported, the trip was funded in part by corporate sponsors like Boeing and Toyota shelling out $1 million each. In episode four, Duffy’s family visited the Boeing factory in Charleston, SC.  No wonder why even the conservative Daily Caller expressed outrage. “Duffy’s department is responsible for regulating these deep-pocketed donors,” wrote editor at large John Loftus. “Rather than inspiring Americans to take a road trip and explore a truly beautiful and unique country, Duffy ended up drawing all attention to these conflicts of interest.” Worth noting: In an unfortunate bit of timing, the Transportation Secretary’s visit to the Boeing factory coincided with Netflix’s release of Rory Kennedy’s investigative documentary Freefall: A Reckoning for Boeing. The program explored alleged safety failures and lax inspections at Boeing plants including the one in South Carolina that the Duffy’s visited....If you keep reading, I’ll keep Righting. Howard