The Retired Commodore

...and people will vote the way the always do, just out of habit.

oh...

...feels like this was such a long time ago...

😢😭
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1BGUaasfE9/

While the eyes of the nation are fixed on the daily churn of politics, a quiet maneuver is unfolding in the corrupted halls of Congress that could alter the heart of the American West.

​The "Trump Interstate" (I-47)

​Introduced in May 2026 by Senators John Cornyn (R-TX) and Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), the I-47 Future Interstate Act (S. 4484) proposes to designate U.S. Route 287, stretching from Texas to Montana, as "Interstate 47". While proponents argue this is merely a "naming" designation intended to improve regional connectivity and traffic efficiency, the reality of "interstate" status is far more industrial.

​Upgrading a corridor to interstate standards, which typically requires expanding two-lane roads into four-lane, high-speed freeways, is a death knell for the wild character of the regions it bisects. In the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, this isn't just about paving; it’s about slicing through critical migration corridors for elk and pronghorn, increasing fatal wildlife-vehicle collisions, and introducing industrial- noise, light pollution, and chemical runoff into the headwaters of our most iconic national parks.

​The Backdoor Path: The BUILD America 250 Act

​If the standalone S. 4484 bill currently sitting in the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works doesn't gain traction, there is a much more insidious threat: the BUILD America 250 Act (H.R. 8870).

​Recently approved by the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee with a 62-2 vote, this $580 billion surface transportation reauthorization package is being positioned as a "must-pass" piece of legislation before current authorities expire on September 30, 2026.

​The "freight-first" philosophy driving the BUILD America 250 Act is what should terrify every public lands advocate. The bill explicitly emphasizes expanding freight corridor designations and codifying freight data sharing, while accelerating project delivery by expanding "categorical exclusions," which essentially cut red tape and bypass the rigorous environmental reviews that currently protect our public lands from unchecked development.

​By embedding "future interstate" designations or similar infrastructure "modernizations" into the massive BUILD America 250 Act, lawmakers can bypass the public scrutiny that a standalone, controversial bill would attract. This is a classic legislative Trojan Horse.

​Turning a scenic route through the heart of Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks into a high-speed, four-lane interstate doesn't just "improve connectivity", it industrializes the last remaining wild sanctuaries we have left.

​If you believe our National Parks belong to the people, not to industrial freight interests, now is the time to raise the alarm. This isn't just a highway project, it’s a fundamental shift in how we treat the American landscape, prioritizing corporate speed over the ecological integrity of our most precious wild places.

What are your thoughts on building an industrial interstate through the heart of Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks? Drop them below

How did we come to this?

BREAKING: UN Demands Investigation Into Deaths in Trump's ICE Detention Camps

The United Nations is officially calling out the Trump administration, demanding immediate investigations into the deaths of immigrants held in ICE custody.

UN human rights chief Volker Türk said those responsible must be held accountable and that victims' families deserve truth and justice.

His statement comes as Trump's own Department of Homeland Security faces internal investigations into the deaths and reports of excessive force inside its detention facilities.

According to Human Rights Watch, 52 people have died in ICE custody during the first 500 days of Trump's second term, the highest mortality rate in over a decade.

Researchers at UCLA found the death toll has not been this high since 2004.

Despite the data, DHS has repeatedly denied there is any spike in deaths at all.

Türk also raised alarm over the administration's use of solitary confinement, a practice the UN has called torture when used for more than 15 days.

The world is watching what Trump's ICE is doing inside these facilities, and it is no longer staying quiet about it.