Tag Archives: Politics

Mr. Speaker??

Posted on February 25, 2023 | Leave a comment

As you probably know, Kevin McCarthy, Speaker of the House of Representatives, released 41,000 hours of video from the January 6 insurrection to Tucker Carlson at Fox Gnus. These videos not only show what was happening but will also disclose the location and capabilities of all the security systems in the Capitol Building. This permits Carlson to cherry pick sections of the videos to support any preconceived views of Rupert Murdoch and Fox News as well as being an homage to Vladimir Putin an RT (Russia Today) television. These tapes provide priceless information to anyone considering future assaults on the Capitol. It’s likely that Fox will make arrangements to provide coverage of future insurrections emphasizing tourists looking for the gift shop.

At birth, Kevin McCarthy was not named after former senator Joe McCarthy, responsible for the red scare and blackballing of innocent individuals accused of being communists. Being a member of the communist party was never illegal until 1954, after Joe McCarthy’s tirade. However, he apparently adulates his namesake.

Kevin McCarthy explained that the reason he disclosed this sensitive video information to Carlson was because he had promised to do so (although, he apparently never mentioned Fox News). McCarthy made numerous promises before and during the record setting 16 (!) ballots before he squeaked into the Speaker’s chair.

It is ABSOLUTELY NOT TRUE that George Santos, Ron Johnson, Anna Paulina Luna, Andy Ogles, and other GOP members of Congress disclosed additional private promises that Kevin McCarthy made in order to become Speaker. These DID NOT include:

  • Marjorie Taylor Green being named Vice Speaker and Master of the World, requiring McCarthy to genuflect in her presence.
  • Backdated “Real ID” cards indicating adulthood for any underage girls Matt Gaetz “dated.” He will also receive an entire deck of Get Out of Jail Free cards.
  • The Department of Energy will be instructed to begin construction on an extension cord for Ted Cruz so he can vacation in the Caribbean the next time the Texas power grid crashes.
  • Jim Jordan will be named Mr. Congeniality, and will be allowed to celebrate “Casual Friday” every day. He will never have to wear a coat and tie again.
  • Lauren Boebert will receive sessions with professional stylists to dye her hair, provide a makeover, and appropriate(??) clothing to allow her to more closely emulate MTG.
  • All GOP representatives will be authorized to carry weapons, up to and including a .50 caliber M2 machine gun, in committee rooms. Due to crowded conditions, they will be requested to limit themselves to AR-15s or smaller in the House Chambers to allow everyone room to pack heat.

Fortunately, no member of the Party of Lincoln would embrace racism, tell lies, or demand a quid-pro-quo for the honor of serving in the legislature. Oddly, a noticeable whirring sound has been emanating from Abraham Lincoln’s tomb; this began during the speaker selection process.

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The Demise of the Chinese Balloon

Posted on February 7, 2023 | Leave a comment
Courtesy Wikipedia

Republicans are critical of President Biden for waiting to destroy the Chinese spy balloon. The President directed the Pentagon to destroy it at the earliest opportunity. The Pentagon advised waiting until it was no longer over occupied areas to avoid killing or injuring Americans as well as causing destruction of American property.

It is likely that the Pentagon was carefully monitoring the balloon’s activities. While a balloon is more-or-less going to travel where the winds dictate, the payload is under fewer restrictions. Does it transmit? If it does, does the transmission type or rate change? Is it more active when over “sensitive” areas?

Of course, with the military’s weather prediction capabilities, the balloon’s path would be absolutely no mystery. When the balloon was over bases or other government installations, the DoD likely hid whichever of their toys they did not want seen and put out the ones that they did. (“Look! The American Navy is still using Stearman biplanes!”)

And as I write this, Navy divers are probably relaxing after recovering the payload while intelligence types are going over everything with a fine tooth comb . President Biden’s intelligence briefings for the past few days have probably been the NSA version of “show-and-tell.”

So what are the Republicans complaining about? Apparently, since shooting down the balloon might have resulted in damage, destruction, and even death, they weren’t suggesting it be shot down just anywhere. Preferably, they wanted it shot down over a blue state.

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DICTATORS

Posted on March 10, 2022 | Leave a comment

Some things you just have to ask, regardless of the consequences. This is one of those.

Former President Donald Trump on Tuesday said Russian President Vladimir Putin made a “genius” decision when he recognized two pro-Kremlin breakaway states in eastern Ukraine and ordered Russian troops across the border on a so-called “peacekeeping” mission, while slamming President Joe Biden’s response to the crisis. https://www.forbes.com/sites/nicholasreimann/2022/02/22/this-is-genius-trump-praises-putins-move-into-ukraineand-blasts-biden/?sh=47543ef57f5c

I was going to list his other comments regarding despotic dictators, but Chris Cillizza and Brenna Williams do a much better. job. Please note,that their list is all based on Trumps own words. (See below)

My question—Given that Trump loves these dictators, do all his followers (Three Percenters, Oath Keepers, Madison Cawthorne, Mo Brooks, Mitch McConnell, etc.) love them too? Or, are they only halfway committed to Trump?

15 times Donald Trump Praised Authoritarian Rulers

Analysis by Chris Cillizza and Brenna Williams, CNN

1:33 PM EDT, Tue July 2, 2019 01:44 – Source: CNN

Trump keeps praising authoritarian leadersCNN —  

During his recent trip to the G20 summit in Japan, President Donald Trump met with Russian President Vladimir Putin. In a photo op before the meeting, Trump said this to Putin in reference to the assembled press: “Get rid of them. Fake news is a great term, isn’t it? You don’t have this problem in Russia but we do.” Responded Putin: “We also have. It’s the same.”

Ah ha ha ha ha. Actually not. At all. Because Putin’s government has a long history of cracking down on journalists who aren’t willing to toe Putin’s preferred line on, well, everything. Investigative journalist Ivan Golunov was arrested last month on drug charges – which he insists were made up – after a series of reports detailing corruption within Russian government. (An ambulance doctor who examined Golunov said that the reporter had a concussion, bruising and possible broken ribs.) Last April, investigative reporter Maxim Borodin died after falling from his fifth story apartment. (Russian officials did not pursue a criminal inquiry of Borodin’s death.)

“Russia has a record of brushing aside suspicious deaths of members of the press,” said Nina Ognianova, a program coordinator with the Committee to Protect Journalists, at the time. “We urge authorities on both the regional and federal level to consider that Borodin may have been attacked and that his investigative journalism was the motive.”

Trump’s comments to Putin – “you don’t have this problem in Russia” – seem to overlook the violence with which Russia deals with reporters who don’t write what the government wants. And this is far from the only time that Trump has praised the power (and methods of retaining that power) of rogue dictators and authoritarian rulers. FAR from it.

Trump on North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un

* “Well, first of all, let me say that I think that Kim Jong Un, or Chairman Kim, as some people say, is looking to create a nation that has great strength economically. I think he’s very much – I talk to him a lot about it, and he’s very much into the fact that – he believes, like I do, that North Korea has tremendous economic potential like perhaps few other developing nations anywhere in the world.” (May 27, 2019)

* “Kim Jong Un has been, really, somebody that I’ve gotten to know very well and respect, and hopefully – and I really believe that, over a period of time, a lot of tremendous things will happen.” (April 11, 2019)

*[Kim] wrote me beautiful letters and they’re great letters. We fell in love.” (September 29, 2018)

* “Chairman Kim has been really very open and terrific, frankly. And I think he wants to see something happen. So we have done – I think, mutually, we’ve done very well with respect to North Korea.” (September 24, 2018)

Trump on Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan

* “President Erdogan. He’s tough, but I get along with him. And maybe that’s a bad thing, but I think it’s a really good thing.” (June 29, 2019)

* “Well, thank you very much. It’s my honor to be with a friend of mine, somebody I’ve become very close to, in many respects, and he’s doing a very good job: the President of Turkey.” (June 29, 2019)

* “Thank you very much. It’s a great honor and privilege – because he’s become a friend of mine – to introduce President Erdogan of Turkey. He’s running a very difficult part of the world. He’s involved very, very strongly and, frankly, he’s getting very high marks.” (September 21, 2017)

Trump on Chinese President Xi Jinping

* “And I like President Xi a lot. I consider him a friend, and – but I like him a lot. I’ve gotten to know him very well. He’s a strong gentleman, right? Anybody that – he’s a strong guy, tough guy.” (June 30, 2019)

* “President Xi, who is a strong man, I call him King, he said, ‘But I am not King, I am president.’ I said, ‘No, you’re president for life and therefore, you’re King.’ He said, ‘Huh. Huh.’ He liked that.” (April 2, 2019)

* “I had President Xi, who’s a friend of mine, who’s a very, very good man.” (April 12, 2018)

Trump on Russian President Vladimir Putin

* “Had a long and very good conversation with President Putin of Russia. As I have always said, long before the Witch Hunt started, getting along with Russia, China, and everyone is a good thing, not a bad thing….” (May 3, 2019)

* “So many people at the higher ends of intelligence loved my press conference performance in Helsinki. Putin and I discussed many important subjects at our earlier meeting. We got along well which truly bothered many haters who wanted to see a boxing match. Big results will come!” (July 18, 2018)

* “I called President Putin of Russia to congratulate him on his election victory (in past, Obama called him also). The Fake News Media is crazed because they wanted me to excoriate him. They are wrong! Getting along with Russia (and others) is a good thing, not a bad thing…” (March 21, 2018)

* “The man has very strong control over a country,” he said. “Now, it’s a very different system and I don’t happen to like the system, but certainly in that system, he’s been a leader. Far more than our president has been a leader.” (September 7, 2016)

* “Great move on delay (by V. Putin) – I always knew he was very smart!” (December 20, 2016)

That’s not a comprehensive list – by any means. But you get the idea. Trump’s admiration for and praise of authoritarian rulers – and the means by which they maintain their power – is a feature not a glitch of this President and his presidency. When you combine the fights he’s picked with traditional US allies (Australia, Germany etc.), you begin to grasp where Trump’s mind is when it comes to the preferred way to lead people. And that’s scary.

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Educational Cause and Effect

Posted on October 28, 2017 | 1 comment

I realize that people in general, and Americans in particular, have never been genteel when it comes to discourse. Throughout history we attributed it to our pride in rugged individualism and the Protestant work ethic. Anyone can be president; I can achieve anything I set my mind out to do; we celebrate Edison, Bell, Fulton, because those individuals invented things to change the world.

We claimed territory, as our right under “Manifest Destiny,” without regard to who or what stood in our way. Passenger pigeons? Bison? Native Americans? Forests? These speed bumps were quickly removed.

We settled our differences by swordfights or pistol duels. Our politicians—those we elected to represent us—settled arguments by shouting, spreading lies, and even bludgeoning one another with walking sticks in the very halls of Congress.

Not much has changed. Today, if you disrespect me, there’s today’s version of a duel—I drive 60 miles per hour through the neighborhood blasting away and hope that you are one of the people I hit. It doesn’t matter that: a) the bullet most likely will hit someone other than the intended target, and b) there’s a high likelihood that one (or more) of the gazillion security cameras will catch me and be used to send me away for twenty-five-to-life.

Today, there’s a lot of shouting, with nobody listening. It’s far more important that I get my position clearly stated—”I’m right and you’re not only wrong, but also an idiot—not to mention that your mother was ugly and you have terrible taste in clothes!”

Although I just clearly stated my position (the paragraph above, you buffoon!) you can’t tell me what it is. I can’t either, but that doesn’t matter, does it? The fact remains that I’m right and you’re wrong.

[Okay, let’s all take a deep breath, grab a cold one—if you like, and smoke ’em if you got ’em—assuming you can afford to pay eight dollars a pack.]

A theory—presented for you to think about and challenge in a professional, factual manner. Perhaps, when we began to focus on standardized testing, the school systems were forced to teach the correct answers, not how to arrive at a correct answer. What to think, not how to think. Ideas are no longer the raw material used for thinking; they are pre-packaged and ready to serve. No human interaction required.

There are parallels—in a world in which our youth do not know how to interact with others except via social media, we no longer teach etiquette or how to write a letter. They are not taught to introduce their friends to their parents or when a thank you note is appropriate. Civility is at the bottom of the required skills list.

Teachers didn’t make the rules and probably dislike them more than anyone although they have to abide by them.

But we all can teach. What if each of us added the following to our more contentious discussions:

  1. “Why?”
  2. “Tell me more.”
  3. “How would you solve it?”

Then listen—actively, intensively listen.

This just might prove interesting.

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Posted in Communications, Culture, Education, Family, Government, History, Leadership, People, Philosophy, Politics

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The Cost of Politics

Posted on December 1, 2015 | Leave a comment

The 2012 presidential and congressional elections are reported to have cost a total of 7 billion dollars.

While there are only about 12,000 registered lobbyists, about 100,000 people are believed to engage in lobbying activities. Annual expenditures are about $9 billion every year. That’s a lot of cocktail parties.

Now think of this; with all the money politicians, lobbyists, and special interest groups spend, how much is your vote worth? Think about that next time you walk into the voting booth.

As Winston Churchill said, “Democracy is the worst form of government, except for all the others.”

There are alternatives, of course; it’s possible to select leaders and maintain order without all the cost and effort we expend in a democracy. There’s North Korea with Kim Jung Un or Vladimir Putin running Russia, Georgia, Chechnya, Crimea, (Syria?) and whoever’s next.

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Posted in Government, History, People

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The Taylor Swift Effect and Democracy

Posted on September 7, 2015 | 1 comment

It’s over twelve months until the next presidential election, and we’re already growing weary of the process—and we can’t blame all of it on Donald Trump, no matter how much we may wish to. I’m tired of reruns, and don’t see the need for another Adams, Roosevelt, Clinton, or Bush in the White House.

However, does it really matter?

Taylor-Swift-Performing-in-Toronto--05 Courtesy FABZZ.com

Taylor-Swift-Performing-in-Toronto–05
Courtesy FABZZ.com

The president has the bully pulpit, from which to claim accomplishments not due solely to the president and make promises, which the president lacks authority to keep.

Congress—even with all its gridlock—passes far more laws than anyone needs or can follow. These laws are generally written by lobbyists, who pass them to carious politicians’ staffs. Staff members then brief their bosses; this is actually what the staffer believes the bill means, occasionally based on actually reading the bill, but often just a rehash of the lobbyists’ explanation. This saves our elected officials from actually having to read the bill.

The election arrives, and in America, only about 61 percent of those eligible vote exercise the right. The parties’ hardline supporters are about equal; the conservatives almost always vote Republican and the liberals almost always vote Democrat. There are also who vote for the most attractive looking candidate, a name they recognize, or some other silly reason.

So who determines the outcome of an election?*

Let’s ask it another way; who determines that Taylor Swift should be popular? Who determines that NCIS should stay on the air for at least another season? Who determines it’s time to open a convenience store and hire a handful of people? Who determines that we need a new gadget, gizmo, smartphone app?

These key decision makers are the ones who are open to ideas, evaluate their merits, and then act. Proponents provide them with data—everything from National Public Radio to Wired magazine to negative campaign ads. Some data these people reject, some they accept as valid, but it does not impact their decision, while some makes its way into their decision-making process. Taylor Swift and Barack Obama owe their position to this group of people.

And there’s nothing wrong with that.

*Check out “Who Votes, Who Doesn’t, and Why: Regular Voters, Intermittent Voters, and Those Who Don’t”

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Posted in Actor, Arts, Celebrity, Communications, Culture, Future, Government, History, Media, Music, People, Philosophy, Politics

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They’re Baaack!*

Posted on January 7, 2014 | 1 comment

hor.

A few thoughts now that Congress is back in session:

  1. The skills and capabilities needed to be an effective elected official have nothing in common with the skills needed to get elected.

    During the campaign, voters are attracted to a combination rock star and rich uncle,

    But a good public servant is closer to a Benedictine Monk (complete with vow of poverty) who is also a Certified Public Accountant.

  1. Our servicemen and women gain our respect because they are willing to die for our nation;

    Our politicians, on the other hand, earn our disdain because they are prepared to sell out the rest of the nation to benefit their own congressional district.

    *and you put them there.

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Posted in Celebrity, Communications, Culture, Government, History, Leadership, Management, Military, People, Philosophy, Politics

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Sex and Marriage in the Future

Posted on May 21, 2013 | 3 comments

It was a very nice meal at one of those restaurants that people save for special occasions. It had included Cloned Breast of Duck with a delightful artificial orange flavoring, genetically engineered hydroponic rice and even a very nice bottle of Ohio’s finest hybrid sugar beet wine. Afterwards the couple walked along one of the main thoroughfares, down the escalator and into the public transportation dematerialization chamber.

They rematerialized several hundred kilometers away and walked from the station to her home. He followed her inside and sat down as she removed her coat.

“What a nice night,” she offered. “I know lots of girls have sex with their dates just because it’s expected, but you really went out of your way to make me feel special, so I’m actually looking forward to it.

“Uhh, I’d rather not,” he replied.

“Are you breaking up with me?” she asked.

“No,” he replied. “But, we’ve known each other ever since we were kids, we’ve been spending a lot of time together and I think you’re special – really, really special.”

“You think I’m special so you don’t want to have sex with me?”

“Not exactly.” She looked at him puzzled as he continued.

“You know I’m working on my dissertation in anthropological history, and as I was doing research I came across some very old data files. I mean these date from before the twenty-first century. They were so old that they had originally been printed on paper in a form called a magazine.” He paused.

“You could at least come over and sit by me,” he offered. She hesitated and sat next to him making sure to leave space between the two of them.

“Anyway,” he continued, “They used to have a custom in which one man and one woman would make an agreement to spend their life together and share everything. They promised to stick together through the good and the bad. The only people they had sex with were each other.” She looked at him with interested amazement.

“Did that arrangement work?”

“Not always. Some couples parted when life got challenging. Some got bored with each other. Some had sex with other people – they called that ‘cheating’ and since it negated the exclusiveness it seriously endangered the marriage.”

“Why did they stop this marriage thing?”

“As near as I can tell, the celebrities were the trend setters and didn’t value marriage, so people lost interest. The definition of marriage changed and eventually marriage could include two or more people of whatever combination of sexes. Once it lost the sense of commitment, it eventually just faded away.”

“So how did this marriage thing originally work?” she asked.

“Well, a couple would date for a while – like we’ve been doing – and decide if they loved and liked each other enough to commit to each other exclusively. This led to something called an engagement, a period when they let others know that they were planning to be married. Finally, they would have a big ceremony with family and friends at which they would be declared married, followed by a huge party. Then they’d start their life as a couple.”

“That sounds wild and radical,” she began, then paused. “And very romantic.” She tried to move closer to him on the couch, but to her surprise he suddenly stood up, turned to face her and knelt on one knee.

“The engagement usually started with the man proposing and offering his intended partner a gift.” She watched as he opened a small box that contained a diamond ring. He asked her a question, but she didn’t really hear his words. All she knew was she answered with a yes.

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Posted in Celebrity, Communications, Culture, Family, Friends, History, Media, People, Philosophy, Science, Technology

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Part Time Americans

Posted on May 15, 2013 | 2 comments

flag

I got sucked in by one of those online “news stories” that actually was at least 6 months old. The article purported that wealthy Americans were giving up their citizenship to avoid paying taxes particularly on money earned, kept or hidden overseas.

I’ve read that with our progressive tax system about half don’t pay any income tax and/or may receive a credit from the government. Likewise, reports indicate that the top one percent pay 30% of the taxes to the federal government. (I’m not saying these are correct, as Mark Twain reportedly said, “There’s lies, damned lies and statistics.”)

At first I thought it might be worth our while to try to induce these folks to stay around in order to catch the tax revenue, but then I dug a little deeper.

It appears that most of them don’t actually live here. I’m guessing many have dual citizenship, so they’re more like part time Americans.

Since money is more important than their citizenship, I figure they’re at best fair-weather Americans; at worst, American in name only.

I prefer us normal, not wealthy, plain old every day Americans, anyway.

To the rich who are turning in their passports, “Don’t let the bank vault door hit you in ass on your way out!”

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Posted in Business, Culture, Government, History, Immigration, Media, People, Philosophy, Politics, Taxes, Wealthy

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