Long Arm, Short Sighted

       President Trump appointed a commission in March to look into the country's elections and try to improve it as well as to look for flaws. It's called Advisory Commission on Election Integrity. Now that was a good idea and worthy of our president. We need to know our electoral process is safe and cannot be abused.
       But now the Commission has sent a letter to all fifty states instructing them to send copies of all voter rolls to the commission within two weeks. The information should include all names, addresses and if available social security numbers. But worst of all the letter states that all information will be made public. So now people can look up your information and get everything they need to commit fraud against you, and they can get it from the U. S. Government, legally.
       What does that say for government overreach? Do you really want the federal government to have that information about you if they're willing to share it with the public in general? A national data base for elections has been talked about for some years, but not a public one that shares your very private information.
       Here's the problem. You have no say as to whether or not the state you live in will comply with the letter. You don't control that information, your state does. And two weeks isn't much time to organize against it.
       Why does the federal government need social security numbers for voter registrations? And even if they do have a need for that information why would they be willing to share it with the public? If you ask me, the letter was poorly thought out. Such information should be jealously guarded. Vice President Mike Pence chairs this commission. If he had anything to do with this letter, shame on him.

Insecurity 101

       Did you happen to see Morning Joe on MSNBC this morning? If you didn't, you missed the solid proof of our president's insecurity. President Trump has hanging in all his golf clubs around the country a picture of the front cover of Time magazine on which he is featured. It also prominently mentions his reality show, the Apprentice.
       So what's so insecure about showing off your being chosen to be on that cover? Well, perhaps it's that he was never chosen to be on the cover of Time. It's what you might call FAKE PHOTOGRAPHY. It never happened. And now, its unlikely he ever will be chosen for that honor.
       Between crowd sizes to magazine covers, and much, much more, like a record pace of lies, many of which contradict earlier lies. This man who sits in charge of the worlds mightiest military and seems to be looking to pick a fight with Iran and Syria, I suspect because he knows we could crush both. If he winds up provoking a war what will that be? Another country we'll have troops in for the next fifteen to twenty years?
       We're building up our forces in  Afghanistan by up to 5000 troops. But saying troops doesn't do them justice. They're people like you and I.  They live and breathe like us. They offered to go serve the country they love. They go to some far away place and some die there and some are so badly wounded they will never recover. Our government, our president needs to understand the importance of their gift to America and stop playing like he's the light of the world. His light is under a basket and can't be seen.

The Alternate Nation.

       Tom Friedman has an important editorial in the New York Times today. Here's a small excerpt "I fear we're seeing the end of truth- that we can't agree any more on basic facts. And we're becoming Sunnis and Shiites- we call them "Democrats" and Republicans," but the sectarianism that has destroyed nation-states in the Middle East is now infecting us."
       I hadn't heard it said quite like that before and I hadn't thought of our problems quite like that before, but I think Friedman is right. We're falling apart and it's because of lies, fake truths and alternative facts. There really is no such honest thing as alternative facts. A fact is a fact, or should be. A lie is not a replacement for a fact. It's an affront to a fact, an attack on that fact.
       And when you get a substantial number of the electorate believing in those lies and alternative facts, even a minority of the electorate, it throws the whole American experiment out the window. And the thing is, it's not going to get better until or unless we see an end to the lies. Lies that are officially spread from the top of the hierarchy of our political system.
       The longer it lasts, the more voters that believe in these alternative facts and lies, the more difficult it will be to set America back on an even keel. Once someone believes the lies, the harder it is to convince them they're wrong. Too many people are closed to the idea that the "other side' has anything worthwhile to say or hear.
       To bad because the truth is really the truth and real facts are real. And the alternative to truth and facts just might be the downfall of a great nation. I sure hope the alternative won't be too ugly. But it certainly looks like it will be.
      

Immigrants Or Not.

       There's no question we're between a rock and a hard place on immigration. If we're not very careful about who we allow to come to America, we run the risk of allowing a terrorist in. Of course there's lots of ways for them to sneak in anyway, but there is that risk. And you only have to look at Europe to see what happens when you overload the system of checks.
       On the other hand if America cuts back on immigration, it eliminates most of the innovation and job growth that only immigrants create. That's right, Americans who have lived here for more than one or two generations simply don't have the, well whatever it takes to start businesses. But new people to this country seem to have the fire in the belly to create jobs. And that is what saves our economy.
       So ya see, there's no easy answer. But I can tell ya that we tried isolationism once before and it was devastating. It cost us a second world war. If you don't pay attention to history, you are bound to repeat it. So let's be more careful about our immigration policy, let's let more immigrants in and let's welcome them with open arms. We need those jobs they create.
       Our president doesn't seem to share this philosophy but then he doesn't share much of what the majority of Americans think or want. Oh he talks about doing things we want, but then he fails to deliver or even try to deliver on them. He proposes phony legislation, has big signing photo opts with him signing a proposal and calls it his legislative achievement, but its just a proposal and ,most likely has no chance of becoming law. It's a little like slight of hand. It's there but it isn't there. 

One Plus One Equals Enough.

       Rep. Steve Scalise was severely wounded by a crazed man while practicing for a baseball game with Democrats. It makes the second time a United States Congressman was shot by a crazed man. Rep. Gabby Gifford was shot several years ago, you many remember. One Republican, one Democrat. Now is the time to stop and reflect on whether or not the rhetoric of the recent past is a wise course of action. The vitriol that emanates from politicians of all stripes is bad enough, but the stories coming from Cable News outlets is astounding in their dislike for the "OTHER" party.
       Lies abound, pure hatred is easily seen in the commentary. Do we really need this level of indecency? Is it really helpful to either party? No. What it is for the Cable News outlets is M.O.N.E.Y. When they speak those dangerous lies about their opponents it brings out the worst in the listeners, who are happy to carry on the hatred of the other side.
       It all causes our civil discourse to disappear. But it does make for a ton of profits for the likes of CNN, FOX and MSNBC. Freedom of speech is basic to our freedom. Cable news understands this and uses it to spread their venom. And far too many people only listen to that news report that agrees with their choice of party affiliation.
       And there's the real problem We the People allow ourselves to be lied to and think its the truth.
Well folks, it ain't the truth. If you don't watch and listen to both sides of every issue, you are not getting the truth. And therefore you're reacting with your own lies. Now we've had one Democrat Congressman and one Republican Congressman severely wounded by gunfire. It'd be nice if that was the last.

Two Isn't Enough.

       Ya know, I can't help thinking we're headed for a three party system in this country, and I think that might be a good thing. Let's face it the far right of the Republican party is already pretty well set as it's own party. They're so set in their demands for purity that nobody can even look across the isle at a democrat.
       Then there's the far left of the Democratic party. They seem to be headed for the same purity. They won't even look at the progressive wing of their our party. Then you have the middle of both parties. Moderate Republicans and progressive Democrats in the middle would need to come together in the spirit of cooperation. Now there's a novel idea.
       The problem is that this middle party, while having a majority over either end of the spectrum, wouldn't have a majority of Congress or the American voters. The only difference is that at least everyone would be honest in where they stand. The Tea Partiers would be holding their AK47s and the Sanders Soldiers would be standing there with their brooms to sweep away anything that didn't seem fair and honest.
       As for the Middle Men, they'd still be OWMIC (Old Whit Men In Charge) without the support to do anything. I suppose this three party system would solve nothing, but if everyone were required to change the names of the parties they're registered with and none of the three parties were allowed to use Republican or Democrat in their names it might require every citizen the give a a little thought to what party they'd like their name emblazoned with.

I Love A good Fairy Tale, Don't you?

       Well Toto, even Kansas isn't in Kansas any more. Gov. Sam Brownback, who practiced the Trickle Down principal in Kansas' stupendous downfall got his comeuppance. After multiple financial credit downgrades, huge shortfalls for everything from revenue to school funding, the state legislature handed him a stinging rebuke by overriding his veto of a $1.2 billion tax increase this week.
       He still believes in the voodoo of the trickle. He passed out large tax cuts to anyone who could prove they were wealthy, assuming they would spend those savings on jobs and increased business. And just as predictable as the turning of the earth, they disappointed him. But he's still a believer just like President Trump. All you have to do is give the wealthy more tax savings and, presto, they'll start shelling out wage increases and jobs to everyone who actually needs a helping hand. Now about that bridge I offered to sell you.
       Even speaker Paul Ryan, a former confidant of Brownback still believes in the Trickle. It tickles me to think that these yahoos actually think that any thinking person could actually buy into such drivel, well except the recipients of the tax breaks to start with. It's the worst sort of pyramid scheme because its a reverse Robin Hood rip off.
       Anyway Brownback is on his way to the scrapheap of history and a well deserved hearty Hi Ho Silver Away. Can you imagine thinking that greedy rich people would be willing to share in any tax relief they get with commoners? They'd sooner cut their big toe off. At the neck.

Your Tax Dollars At Work.

       Here's an email I just got today. Now I ask you, how hard can their job be? My youngest grandson could do it.

 

 

---

 

Subject: PICTURE WORTH A TRILLION DOLLARS House Minority Leader pictured standing, far right, speaks while        colleagues play solitaire Monday night as the House convened to vote        on a new budget. (AP) The guy sitting in the row in front of these two....he's on Facebook,        and the guy behind Hennessy is checking out the baseball scores.  These are the folks that couldn't get the budget out by Oct. 1,  and        are about to control your health care, cap and  trade, and the  list        goes on and on.           Should  we buy them larger screen computers - or  -         a ticket  home, permanently?  This  is one of their 3-DAY WORK WEEKS that we all pay for        (salary is about $179,000 per year).

 

Court Jesters And Such.

       Well, the real story is beginning to filter through on Trump's visit abroad. Turns out his shining moments were a bit covered in sand. Like the 100 billion dollar arms deal he magically brokered. All except more than half of it was brokered during the Obama presidency. And then there's the fact that they haven't paid for the stuff they've already bought from us.
       Not only that, but Trump has fallen into the same trap that most, if not all, other presidents have done. By that I mean that Saudi Arabia is the number one sponsor of terrorism in the Middle East and perhaps the world and he's picking their side in this diplomatic war with Qatar. Ya think he's negotiating the rights to a hotel somewhere among the dunes?
       But really, to claim you made a deal for a big sale that will bring millions of jobs to America when the deal (which isn't really a deal yet and won't be for some considerable time, if at all) was actually initiated by a previous administration is, well let's just say it's not true. And if something is not true, then it's very like a lie.
       Now, I know, I know, Donald Trump is our president. And as such he is to be given some considerable deference. Just remember there's a difference between deference and difference. I respect the office of the Presidency of the United States. I wonder if Mr. Trump does also? Because it certainly doesn't seem like he does. He lies more that a drunken "lady of the evening."
       Did I say lie. Maybe I'm wrong. Maybe his pronouncements on Twitter are not lies but subterfuge intended to confuse our enemies. Naw, they're just plain old, run of the mill, out and out lies. At least one a day. What kind of president is this? At the very least he should be stripped of the title. Call him Court Jester in Chief if ya need a title.

He Kept His Promise?

       Well, it's done. We've finally shown ourselves to be unfit to be considered leaders of the free world. Actually most of us didn't show any such thing. We just allowed our president to show he's no longer the leader of the free world. Yep, we've joined Nicaragua and Syria as one of the gang of three who seem to know better than the rest of the world and most Americans, not to mention the vast majority of scientists who believe global warming is a huge threat to our planet.
       But after all, Trump did promise to pull out of the Paris accord. So he kept his word. We may well fall behind in the energy industry. We may become a second rate country as a result, but hey, he kept his word. Grover Norquest is proud of his president. You remember Grover. He's the guy who won't allow any Republican Congressman to vote in favor of any kind of tax. Apparently even a carbon tax, even to save our environment.
       Now, after a few years, we'll al be able to cough louder then we can now. We'll have to in order to semi-clear our lungs. The funny thing is, even the two other biggest polluters in the world, China and India see and realize the need to stop polluting our only environment. When it's shot, we're shot. But Trump kept his promise and that's what really counts. His base loves him. I wonder if they understand the problems they're handing their grandchildren.
       They think they're saving coal mining jobs. What they're really doing is hurting far more clean energy jobs. Coal is a dying industry. It's never coming back and that's a good thing. The short sighted decision made by President Trump has taken away our leadership in the world and we may never be able to get it back. But he kept his promise.