Blackout

After a particularly long heat wave our power went out.  Not the entire city, nor the entire neighborhood, just our little street, with two others.  A total of 38 homes were affected by this black out.  It wasn’t that serious. I don’t think it will be serious, but as I write this article my laptop is down to 30% power.  As far as I know this could be it! This could be the end of all things! The beginning of the fall of all that is, was and ever will be, but it’s probably nothing, just a temporary interruption of power.

I’ve spent some time in Mexico so power outages are nothing new to me, but having a power outage in a major metropolitan area is, and especially in one of the most industrialized countries in the world, it makes one wonder why?  I think I paid my bill.  Perhaps all of the 38 houses forgot to pay their bills at the same time creating a mass cut off of services, doubtful.  The real reason for the outage is, the equipment got too hot. 

When thinking about this excuse, I think it’s only an excuse; I have to consider the realities of where I live.  I live in the desert, every year it gets over 100 degrees and stays that way for a few weeks, forcing all of us to utilize the wonderful technology of air conditioning and in our case sitting in the cool, wet, pool so we can save on energy we won’t have to pay for later.  But then if I know this why doesn’t the power company know this and prepare for those “overheating” issues? 

I think this falls into the category of ignorantly not caring, at least as long as they get paid.  Like in Long Beach, California, not a desert, a city by the ocean, where the power has gone out a lot lately due to exploding power boxes.  I’m not sure what a power box is or why they would explode but four have exploded over the last month and a half, putting hundreds and thousands of customers out of power, often for days at a time.

It can’t be simply due to ignorantly not caring, there must be some other grand issue at play, some complex, unexplained set of circumstances that have caused these issues to occur.  It can’t be just for the profit takers and their lack of desire to upgrade their service areas.  Is it really just like our roadways and the inability of our state to use the billions of dollars received in gas taxes and car registrations, that are supposed to go to fixing our roads, but never seem to find their way to even fixing the pot holes down the street? 

Maybe there is a better, more honest explanation.  Let’s see, a car hit the transformers and blew them up, no?  Umm, perhaps it was rats that chewed on the wires and then they exploded, not that either?  Ok, Ok, it was the dog; the dog did it, or the alien cats that have taken over planet earth?  Sounds ridiculous, and it is.  Any excuse given is simply their way of not doing their job. 

Whether it’s the state, the federal government or the power company, they all seem to have the same lines to feed the people, except their lines always end with “we need you to pay more, get less and stop complaining or we'll cut you off.”  To be completely honest, I don’t have a brilliant answer to this cancerous problem infecting this nation.  I readily admit that I, yes me, don’t have a clue how to instill honesty back into a corrupt system that has trickled down from the top into the very companies that provide our basic services, or is it the other way around?

I know what you’re thinking.  Your power will come back on so just sit tight and live with it, don’t open the fridge, don’t bring home ice-cream from the store, like my daughter just did and don’t call the power company to tell them your power is out, they already know, there the ones that shut it off. 

So why am I so hot and bothered?  Because it’s hot, the AC doesn’t work when I need it the most and there telling me it’s my fault for not setting my thermostat to 80.  Why do I even have AC if I can’t use it?  I guess it’s my fault the roads are bad because I drive to work everyday. And it’s my fault that the radical Muslims don’t like me because I’m a Christian or the gays are gay because I’m straight or best of all I am to blame for global warming, oh sorry, climate change, I am the one person who is to blame for all of the worlds issues, just because.  Just because they, someone called they, said so. Ok, I’ll admit it, I’ll come clean, it’s all my fault. Can I have my power back now?

America the not so great

With all the news about illegal aliens in the US you may be surprises that we’re not the only ones with the problem.  Picturesque Austria with its Sound of Music like mountains and quaint little villages was the site of a macabre mass killing. Officials found an abandoned truck filled with dead bodies, adults and children. 

The reason for the deaths is still a little vague but the reality is fairly simple.  The coyotes got scared of getting caught and dumped the truck and ran, leaving any surviving and hopeful strangers to die a horrible, heat induced suffocation.  There is no official count at this time but you can imagine a truck slammed full of hopeful humans, locked behind the doors of the truck with only inches between them and the freedom they so desired. 

Society looks upon these acts and judges the morality of the country based on the severity of the extreme, leaving little room for logical response and salient discussion on prevention.  In other words, we are to only look at the tragedy, feeling for those poor lost souls, as we all do unequivocally, but feelings alone will not solve this global issue of illegal migration.

In Europe there are hundreds of thousand of desperate individuals and families risking it all for a chance at a better life.  The millions that cross the US border are in some measure doing exactly the same with both areas being controlled by the greedy, self serving traffickers that pedal in human flesh, drugs and the associated misery. 

Some say its incumbent upon those richer nations to provide for those with less.  Some say build a wall or fence to force them to obey the laws of immigration and some seem to not care ether way, but something has to be done to normalize this massive flow of the retched poor, teeming at our borders, dreaming like many of our forefathers did, grasping for life like a dying man, willing to try almost anything to stay the hand of demise. 

Fences and patrols are only band aids of a greater problem, a problem that is almost always political.  When the politics of one country become oppressive and dangerous the people of that country can fight, stay and endure or run away.   The question of fault has to be determined in order to ascertain responsibility and hopefully create a scenario of hope and promise within the country prior to the demoralizing act of desperate immigration. 

Without the strength of a world wide power the governments of that world (Earth, for those who got confused) become emboldened and begin to flex their muscles.  Small countries want to become powerful, and powerful countries want more control.  Without a policing entity the entire world is thrown into chaos and the despots of the world grow like weeds, killing, taxing, manipulating and destroying the resources, humans included for their own twisted enjoyment. Need I remind you of Feudal Europe or Japan or even Africa’s that are still at war?

The size of the country is of little matter but the size of the greed and corruption within those evil men who force their leadership upon their nations.  America as well has succumbed to the secret combinations that rape the literate, destroy the hopeful and eviscerate all who oppose their powerful cliques of malevolence.  We still have hope however, and that hope is in the few, honest, capable and those willing to sacrifice their lives for the country that must remain in power over all the others who spread evil and discord.

America used to be that leveling power, not controlling but a power that demanded that certain moralities be followed.  Not perfectly, but to such a degree that the incidents of  global genocide were curtailed, not eliminated, there will always be the Hitler’s, the Edi Amin’s and the Pol Pots to contend with, but when a government of any size knows that they cannot bully they instinctively act more civil, less threatening and are consequently less dangerous.  America is not perfect and has made serious mistakes but under all those missteps was the honest and divinely inspired constitution, a guide toward that needed morality that history never had and the future may loose if we are not vigilant now.

In the last 6 +years are reputation has been sullied with weakness and incompetence leaving the door wide open to any tin horn dictator who wishes to squeeze our neither regions and get us to squeal and pay them to stop.  North Korea, Russia, Iran, and a score of small African nations have had  carte blance to do and act as they will with no serious repercussions by the once powerful, world police. 

At the height of America’s power the world was a safer place to live, travel and explore.  Now we are weakened and the entire planet suffers.  There has to be an authority, someone in charge, and someone to make those moral determinations on what is right and wrong, if it’s not the US than whom?  Russia, North Korea, Japan, Great Britain or perhaps Germany or Egypt, name a country that is more able to play that role? 

Under President Obama and to some degree all presidents since Ronald Reagan have weakened our land and destroyed the global balance of power, allowing those who seek power to raise their grubby little heads, allowing them the opportunity to run rampant, like a disease in a ravaged body.  That disease is infecting us with weakness of will, immorality, corruption and a relative moralistic attitude that is destroying our once held belief that America should be strong, able and moralistically superior to every other nation on earth.  It has broken our resolve to be great, to be strong and to take seriously the role that is God given to America, a role that is essential to world peace and prosperity. 

Some say that power should be spread about a little, letting all countries take a part in the decisions of who does what and why and what consequences should be meted out and when.  It’s called the United Nations and when is the last time they ever did anything right?

America, Stand up!  America, be the country you’re supposed to be!  Be strong.  Be decisive and be right.  America Vote for the strong and the capable and put your country before your personal Obama bucks, or your free cell phone or whatever the mealy mouthed politicians are selling today.  For once in this generation, let’s show the world that we are UNITED like the Greatest Generation before us….in our resolve to wake the sleeping giant in order to regain our supremacy.  It is our Right, it is our Duty and it is our Time.   Please share this article if you like or agree...we need to work together.

Pandering Pundents

The Hellacious Hillary Hits a new low.  Hillary Clinton is still the front runner of the Democratic Party but those numbers are falling fast.  Her opponents (how dare they oppose the great and awesome Hillary) are Bernie Sanders, a few unknowns and the soon to be Vice President, Joe Bidden, you remember plagiarist Joe? There is also a lot of talk about Elizabeth Warren possibly running, even though she has said no repeatedly. 

With Hillary almost gone the only viable ticket would be a Biden/ Warren match up.  Hillary for all intense and purposes is a lame duck before she is even elected.  She might pull off some political miracle but I don’t think so, not this time around, she’s not on Santa Clauses’ “good list.”  She has way too many issues at this point to be in contention. I give her six months.

But with Bumbling Biden Bidding for a bite of power, he may have what it takes to unite the Dems, especially if he has the super liberal Warren at his side.  I personally can’t imagine a more terrible combination but if you’re a liberal, there is no better ticket.  Even if this is all they have to offer, I think it would be a fairly formidable force of fiery furry, that will also be very fun to watch.  Keep in mind my recent prognostication regarding Trump as the spoiler.  If he does convert from republican to third party, as I predicted, and this has become a serious point of water cooler discussions across this great land, the Democrats will have an easy road to the white house, regardless of who runs.

When Obama ran, it was the perfect storm of opportunity.  The republicans had done whatever they did to alienate the public and the country was mostly in favor of making a change.  It didn’t matter that no one knew who Obama was or what he stood for or what he actually said during the election, all they wanted was something different.  The fact that he was half black (meaning all black to some) was an additional incentive, with millions being able to say, proudly, that they had voted for the first Black President.

I must admit that when Obama came on the scene I was excited and proud of this country.  We had put behind us the years of hate and distrust and had the opportunity to elect the first African American to the Presidency.  I was excited, for about two weeks, that’s when I started to read about him, learn about what he believed and generally started to understand what he wanted to do and what the statement “fundamental change,” actually meant.  It was then that I decided there was no way I was going to vote for Barrack Obama, black, green, white or any other reason; he was not the right man for the job.  We all know how that turned out.  I didn’t want John McCain either…but in the end I voted down party lines, because there was no real alternative, thinking that the lesser of the two evils was the progressive John McCain.

What I don’t understand is the way that literally 2/3rds of our country is blind to the realities of what progressivism is and does.  I’ve talked about this before, but I am still amazed at how those who claim to be liberal or conservative both fall prey to the progressive agenda with most Americans acting conservative with their own money and resources.

Try this next time you interact with a liberal/progressive/Rino who is in favor of higher taxes or an open border or saving the delta smelt when the rest of California dries up like the Dust Bowl of the 1920’s; tell them you want their house.  Tell them that you’re crossing onto their property without their permission and will be living in their living room.  Then tell them that they have to pay for your food, your medical expenses and education as well; and for good measure you may want to secure ownership of that house by dropping a kid or two.

Progressivism is the process of incremental change.  For politicians it is the gateway toward control, toward power and socialistic like oversight that allows them to mandate what we are, who we are and how many of us can exist.  Euthanasia is often espoused behind closed doors (remember the death panels under ObamaCare?) but was an open policy of the minds of George Bernard Shaw and Margaret Sanger, with supporters to some degree in every state of the country.

In its inception Progressives wanted positive change but quickly learned that the masses were slow to change and therefore had to enact governmental changes that forced the common people to adhere to those changes.  The problem was once they got a taste of that power it blossomed into the pathway toward communism and complete human control.

A few days ago in Los Angeles the City Council and Mayor Garcetti outlined a plan that would significantly reduce traffic in the Los Angeles basin.  It sounds great, except their not building any new freeways, their not even going to fix the roads, even though the State wants billions of new taxes for that purpose.  How are they going to reduce traffic?  1. Raise gas taxes, some say as high as $10 a gallon. 

2. Increase vehicle registration fees. 

3. Penalize drivers for driving too far, too often or for driving at all. 

4. Increase bus lanes and bike lanes.  So in other words make the public’s life unbearable and virtually impossible to use their cars, forcing them back to buses, public transit, or bikes.  Have you ever been to Southern California?   

Biden is a progressive, Hillary is a progressive, Obama is a progressive and so is McCain, he’s just slower at it, so are all the Bushes and so are most of the Candidates running for office.  But let’s go back to my example.  Who is willing to give up their house and let a stranger live in their living room?  Who among you is willing to use your saving, or retirement to pay for the needs of others? (Keep in mind the US is the most giving of all countries in the history of the world, not mandated giving but personally giving of their time, resources and money)

Trump, I don’t know what he is, other than an opportunistic capitalist, sitting on the fence of all parties in order to balance his needs for the sake of his own wealth.  That may not be a bad thing.  A true conservative is a rare find indeed.  We have not seen one in many years, I suspect they are well hidden and may be extinct, at least as politicians go.  Ted Cruz may be one.  Marco Rubio is more socially liberal than Cruz.  Walker, he acted conservative in his own state, so there is hope there.  Dr. Carson, he talks a good talk but when he’s put under pressure, (like a ten hour brain surgery) his true colors (that is not a reference to his race) will show.  We need to choose carefully this time around.  Our country has less wiggle room that it did 8 years ago and consequently we are in a much more precarious position, not only domestically but internationally as well.

I want honest, capable, and strong, willed to tackle the world’s issues and our problems for the sole purpose of letting the world know that the US is back, on Top and in Control. Who ever can do that has my vote.

It's Your Fault!

I’ve recently decided to take a different direction in my life.  Life has a tendency to change and with that change comes the inevitable and unavoidable options that present themselves at these auspicious crossroads. 

Every day we are presented with decisions and choices that commit our lives in a specific direction.  Many of those future paths are unknown with only the decision at the forefront to guide our potential hopes and dreams and failures.  This election cycle falls within that area and may have a particularly dramatic impact on the future if we fail to choose correctly.  Unlike other elections, our country is at a pivotal crossroad of opportunity or abysmal failure. 

The country has moved in a decidedly socialist direction with neither the Democrats nor Republicans taking any noticeable actions that would stem the almost dictatorial efforts of President Obama.  This non action is paramount to acceptance.

We all make decisions, some bad some good and in most cases the decisions we make have little long term impact on our future.  But when we do come to a pivotal point, making the right decision is based on our moral attitudes and our willingness to follow those principles. 

Going back to school (to teach) at my age, will have a negative impact on my health, if I’m not careful.  It will also have a positive impact on my finances, also if careful, but there will be an impact.  A great example of negative influences based on short sighted decisions is when California politicians raised our taxes a few years ago and promised to fix our roads.  Californians have one of the highest gas taxes in the nation, with gas prices 75% higher than most other states. 

The decision to accept the politician’s promises to fix our roads was ill advised.  They are again asking for more money to do exactly the same thing that wasn’t done before.  They want to raise gas taxes, charge by the mile usage fee’s and even increase our automobile registration fees in order to collect 50 billion annually.  They say it’s for the roads and even have the gall to tell us we will save money because our cars will suffer less damage when the roads are fixed; as if it’s our fault the roads are bad in the first place.

Another good example is the water shortage issue in Southern California.  With expansive growth to the state continuing and obvious throughout the 60s and today the issue of water distribution should have been a fairly easy long term issue to extrapolate from data in order to plan for the future.  But because of short sighted or even blind politicians the issues of water was completely ignored, leaving Californians with an abysmal lack of water options that have exacerbated the worst drought in our generation.  Not one new water source was considered or implemented during the 40 years of population growth.  Taxes have continued to rise and services to roads, water supplies, forest services etc…have gone unfunded, while wasteful and illegal programs to the millions of illegal aliens have been funded, with increases every year for the past 40 years.

These constitute a serous breach in the fiduciary responsibility between the politician and the public.  But even worse is the attitude of the public, who continually re-elect and support the very leaders who have failed us in the past, falling prey to their flowery promises of a Utopian future.

Elections should be about the needed fundamental changes that occur to keep society healthy and thriving, but have become nothing more than a rubber stamp of approval for graft, corruption and political greed.  Controversially, the Black and Latino populations continue to support the same snake oil salesman who have promised the heavens but delivered only hellish conditions to a once proud and worthy people.  I make no apologies for the above….it is a travesty of misplaced trust and hope in policies that have destroyed the Black family and is destroying the Latino families as well.  

Why do they not see, and why do they not act?  Why do they continue to vote for those who voice only what they want to hear but act in ways that depress the individuals, demean the family, and destroy the culture, all the while blaming the Republicans for their hatred toward the black and Latino?

I understand I’m white, I’m older, I have a loving family, so many will say how could I possibly understand?  Let me make this clear.  I know what a family is, better than most.  I know what responsibility is, better than most and I know what happens when the family and responsibility is taken away.  It destroys the lives of those that fail to have it. 

I could go on and on about the border issues, about how “black lives matter” or about our evil and selfish politicians, but the bottom line is:  It’s our fault; it’s all our fault for re-electing those self serving bastards time and time again.  NO, It’s YOUR FAULT…I blame YOU, I voted, I considered the implications of who and why and then I VOTED.  What did you do?  Wait for your Obama Bucks, enter the country illegally, or simply voted for the name you liked the most....It is your FAULT.

Political Drone's

Politics is not always about the politician.  I think in many ways we wish it were.  Putting a face to our own distrust or fear makes dealing with those unknowns more palatable and real.  Faces are our way of distinguishing each other.  Take away the faces of politics and all you have left are the issues.  Maybe we should put bags over the faces of all the politicians?

When are faces are subjected to increased surveillance with cameras at every traffic light, walk way and public area, the idea of a private citizenry becomes almost laughable.  London England is perhaps the most un-private place on earth, with exception of those who willingly place themselves in a closed room, or house and feed their lives to any one who wishes to watch. 

Our freedoms are connected to our ability to maintain a certain level of privacy.  Politicians and actors give that right away; reluctantly perhaps, but willingly understand the consequences of being a public figure.  With the common use of surveillance technology most Americans have had to live with the shadow of publicity lurking in the background. 

I had a friend who received a ticket for going too fast on a turnpike in New Jersey but he was never stopped by the Police, nor was he captured by a traffic cam or any other ground based methodology.  The ticket was issued by the State when his rental car exceeded the speed limit.  The rental car company was monitoring his whereabouts and his speed remotely, by satellite, and had informed (told on him, snitched) the highway patrol who sent him the citation. 

Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton, Brad Pitt, Tom Cruise, and all the other want-to-be politicians and actors have the resources to shelter themselves from the ever present prying eyes of paparazzi, fans and the not so fans.  It is perhaps one of the curses of fame but when you have the money to spend for a week on a secluded Island, perhaps it’s worth the fame.

What about our privacy?  What about our piece of the pie, our homes, our back yards, our bedrooms?  The other day a man took out his shotgun and blasted his neighbors drone while it hovered over his back yard, blasting it to pieces.  The use of drones is becoming more commonplace and the fear of discovery, even when we’ve doing nothing wrong has increased exponentially.     

The man who shot the drone was arrested for Criminal Mischief and had this to say, "He didn't just fly over. If he had been moving and just kept moving, that would have been one thing -- but when he come directly over our heads, and just hovered there, I felt like I had the right. You know, when you're in your own property, within a six-foot privacy fence, you have the expectation of privacy. We don't know if he was looking at the girls. We don't know if he was looking for something to steal. To me, it was the same as trespassing."

When we elect a leader, whoever that may be, we all, or should have an expectation that they are working for us and will do what they can to protect us and create a balanced system of laws that prevent others from spying, or hacking or any other privacy related mishap.  We all have to do our due diligence of course, but a drone over our backyard, cameras on every street corner, tickets given by satellite?  Where do we draw the line?

Will Trump level the playing field?  Will Hillary be the woman of the day?  She has taken steps, unbeknownst to her, when she took her National Secrets home with her and formed her own server.  It would be nice, in a manner of speaking if “whatever you do in Vegas, stays in Vegas,” implying that our lives are ours alone and should not be broadcast for all to see.  The politicians seem to be gambling with our freedoms, at least in Vegas we have a chance to win.

Evan if we had such assurances the current culture based on social media norms is to share everything, no matter how private.  We suffer from a disabling disease while trying to get our 5 seconds of fame, not fully understanding the ramifications of globally sharing our dirty laundry or even our clean laundry.

When the IRS can be hacked, and through the proverbial front door I might add, we have to start thinking seriously about the direction of our most basic freedoms.  Most of us don’t have the resources to fly off to some deserted island or hire security.  We can scramble our passwords, change our locks or even disconnect entirely, but the ever present wandering eyes of government will for ever be overhead.  That is unless we decide to stand up and take the shot (not literally).  But we must start thinking about these new global paradigms that pit us against those who supposedly try to protect that privacy, all the while installing more cameras, more oversight, more impediments to progress and ultimately creating a realistic 1984 scenario. 

George Orwell may have gotten the date wrong but he was spot on in predicating Big Brother.  Ask yourself, who of all the candidates will be the best at protecting us from prying eyes? 

  

Political Conclave

The correlation between electing a Pope and the current Republican field for President may give us some insight into how the Republicans should work together in order to ensure a more unified front for the American Electorate.

In the last Papal Conclave there were 117 Cardinals or Cardinal Electors that qualified to enter the Conclave.  Each one present had the ability to step into the Holy (designer) shoes as the next voice of God for the Catholic Church and the nearly 1 billion followers.  Of the 117 only one would be chosen.   I am in no measure an authority on Catholicism, but the process of Papal election is steeped in tradition and ensures a unanimous vote of confidence in the individual eventually chosen, that’s what’s supposed to happen.

With a wide open field of Republicans vying for supreme leader (with Trump at the top followed by Dr. Carson, at the time of writing) and in some regards the leader of the Free World, it seems a waste of resources, time and energy to go through the election process twice; once for the primary phase and the second for the final phase.  It seems much more logical to follow the precepts laid down, almost two centuries ago that forces the capable and willing into one room to “hash it out.” 

 I’m not advocating a full scale rumble behind closed doors, but if they televised that reality show I think everyone would watch (my idea) but it would be nice for the party that professes to represent our interests to demonstrate enough organizational skills to come together and at least get the field down to a few only.  Those that failed to make the cut could help marshal their resources and followers behind the 2 or 3 that were left, saving millions and millions of dollars and salvaging the integrity of the impending slug fest in front of the public, with the winner a battered and beaten representative, fair game to the rested and money sloshed opponent.

In the old days of American politics the looser of the Presidential race was appointed to the Vice Presidency.  Even with differing political ideas, they had to get along for the good of the country, theoretically that is.  That may not work in today’s political reality, due to the animosity and enmity between the two, but it shows how far down the political hole we’ve fallen.

Neither the Catholics or the Mormons have a problem choosing a new leader, they do so unanimously.  The Pope or the Prophet takes his place at the head of the church and for all intense and purposes he is the voice of God, and all those that elected him follow his direction.  Can you imagine 117 men agreeing on anything?  For the Mormons it’s only 12 or 14 depending on who is alive at the time.

Unlike our political system that really doesn’t care about who’s president, unless it’s their guy.  The other side creates an almost inescapable gauntlet of vitriol that starts before the election and often times proceeds to well after that president left office.  Case in point:  look at the way the republicans have lambasted Jimmy Carter, or the Democrats have demeaned George W. Bush, or any of the past presidents for that matter.  Only the dead ones get any respect and not even that saves many of them.

I know some Cardinals are more outspoken than others but they can only go so far.  Most Churches have the power of excommunication, and if you keep rocking the spiritual boat that’s where you’ll end up, outside of the boat, thrown overboard.

That spiritual separation would never work in politics, but I think the idea of a more logistical approach to the selection process might be in order.  We are a Representative Republic after all.  For those who do not fully understand that concept, it simply means that the brightest, most honest and most capable should be available to lead us and guide us, letting us develop a level of faith in their abilities to manage the monstrosity that is government.  Remember, “We are a government of the people, by the people” meaning that there should never be an elected elite, nor a career politician.  I think we missed that boat a long time ago and I doubt it will ever be found afloat again. 

Maybe, just maybe, if we had those who were willing to sacrifice their time and talents in the same room, they, in concert, might be able to distinguish from the many, the few that really have our best interests at heart.  They cannot vote for themselves, and I would even go so far as to mandate no contact with the others to avoid creating coalitions and partnerships.  So in the end we have a unanimous vote for the person best suited to lead based on party.  Then the main event could commence.  Gloves off, purses open and all hell breaks loose as one party fights the other for control.

The savings in dollars would be staggering; the savings of reputations would also be a bonus. No more mud slinging, at least in the primaries.  That would be downright boring, what would I ever have to right about?  

Maybe the idea is just too good to be true and we’ll just have to deal with the antics, the audacious  publicity, the lies, the braggadociosness and extreme hyperbole….It could be worse.  We could all be forced to stand around the white house waiting for the blue smoke …(I know it’s supposed to be white)… to clear just to be told to go home because our votes didn’t count this time around.   

A Trump in Sheep's Clothing

As you’ve noticed, I’ve put some time into writing about Donald Trump and his candidacy.  I have tried to consider the facts in evidence, his demeanor and the motivations for why he is running for president.  I have come up with a theory to explain his presence and his motivations.

For months now he has been wooing the conservative bloc and the republican constituency and to be honest, he’s done a very good job with both.  In order to understand his almost meteoric rise I think it prudent to look at the real man, Trump.  The man we see in front of us is not necessarily the man running and that troubled me and I think it should trouble all of us.

One of the attributes about Donald Trump that most seem to like is his openness and willingness to take on all comers.  He acts like a bull in a china shop with no regard to what he breaks or who he hurts, as long as he obtains the objective of his pursuit.  By all measures he is a success.  Even with multiple and public bankruptcies his current net worth is $4,000,000,000 that’s four billion dollars.  He is not the richest but he could easily pay for every facet of his  campaign and still be a billionaire.  

My first concern is about the money.  As a businessman his first thought in the morning and last thought at night is about money;  he breathes, eats and ….digests...money and how to make more.  It probably goes much deeper than the simple pursuit of dollars and cents but with his psyche so entrenched with acquisitions and control the motivation for money is supplanted by what that money buys, POWER.

With power money really is irrelevant and the biggest prize of power just happens to be the in the Oval Office.  But, then I started thinking, that power, true power is often times disguised, cloaked and hidden, so why would he want to be so exposed when he could easily have it all without the risk?

He doesn’t want to be President, he wants to buy or manipulate the election.  Remember this when I’m right and just in case you don’t think this is my idea, I actually called the Michael Medved Radio Show and stated my theory to Michael and his guest Fred Barnes.   Neither disagreed and in fact both moved into that direction, speaking about his future Third Party chances.

He will not be the Republican nominee.  His motivation is to control the outcome by placing himself as a spoiler within the conservative ranks, peeling off 10-30% of the vote, leaving Hillary with a victory, a win she could not accomplish on her own.  Remember, Donald Trump is very good friends with Bill and Hillary Clinton.  He’s made many references to that friendship in the past. But even if Hillary doesn’t get the nod, Trump could easily parlay his following into one of the most influential voting blocks this country has ever had.  You think that Bernie Sanders would turn him away or even Bidden?  Not a chance.

The real benefit to Trump is not in the office but in the ability to sway that office.  He is a businessman and his business comes first.  When asked if he would support the party's nominee, he said no, leaving the door wide open for a third party run.  Keep in mind that, according to my theory, that it’s not about winning the office, it’s about controlling that office.  The president to him is only a puppet to be maneuvered.

I am swayed by his rhetoric and like his defiance and bully like tactics, we are in need of good leadership but when we superimpose his past upon his present, the businessman always shines through, the schemer, the planner, the eviscerating profit monger takes center stage, leaving the conservative well back in the shadows of who he really is.

Some say he’s the new Ronald Reagan and some say he’s a breath of fresh air but I say, “beware of wolves in sheep's clothing,” Trump is ravenous for control, hungry for the limelight and ready for a hostile takeover of the greatest prize in his Trumpdom.  

Can you see it?  Can you see the White House occupied once again by Bill and Hillary, brought to you ever so kindly by a well meaning and benevolent (and yes I understand the difference between the B and the M) Trump?  I wouldn't be surprised to see the countries house sold and parted out with a new high rise in its place, the gaudy bronzed windows glistening and shiny, more like a high priced bordello, with payment plans available for any country that wishes to invest.  We the People bent over, a forced smile on our faces as we are stamped with the Trump logo on our behinds.

Last point.  Trump is a master manipulator and advertising genius.  No one can amass that kind of money and power without the ability to “pull the wool over our eyes.” For all that is said about an outsider running for President, I think perhaps I would like someone not quit so outside.  

There is one caveat I should mention what if I’m wrong and Trump does get the nomination.  If that happens, forget all you’ve read above, Trumps my man….You heard it hear first...

Trump vs Kelly

When Donald Trump called out Meagan Kelly, of Fox News, he used some offensive innuendos that were uncalled for.  But when you think about it what political season hasn’t had its share of political gaffs and out right lies?  The Mississippi Mud has only just begun to fly.

Just in the last ten years the statements made by our politicians have been outrageously, outrageous, bringing to mind the level of ignorance in all of them and making the statements of Trump seem tame in comparison.  Here are a few:

 "You know education, if you make the most of it and you study hard and you do your homework, and you make an effort to be smart, you can do well. If you don't, you get stuck in Iraq." -- Sen. John Kerry, Oct. 2006.  Basically, telling the entire military that they were stupid.

 "They misunderestimated me." President George W. Bush, Nov. 2000.   I think he only told the truth about himself.

"I actually did vote for the $87 billion before I voted against it." -- Sen. John Kerry, March 2004.  Letting us all know about his hypocrisy.

“The mind is a terrible thing to loose” Dan Quail.  He insulted the entire African American culture. He should have stopped after P-o-t-a-to-e

Trump was at least singular in his insult, more like Bush than the blanket statements of Kerry and Quail.I’m sure you can contribute to this list…that actually might be fun, so share away.  

Almost every politician makes stupid remarks, it’s almost impossible not too.  Most politicians’ brush them aside knowing that it really won’t have any lasting affect on his or her campaign.  But then there was Howard Dean with his famous "Yeeeah!" – Vermont in Jan. 2004, it virtually ruined his chances of winning.  No one can really tell you why his energized rant destroyed his chances, but everyone agrees the media played a substantial role in his decline.  It’s still being played and replayed.

Mud slinging has a special place in politics and has been around since the first elections of this country.  We are not the only country that revels in “negative advertising.” It is the mainstay of politics around the world.  The problem is that it works and often works well.

There is a difference, however in the mudslinging and the political gaffs that occur.  Some Gaffs are voiced out loud, while some are caught off the mike without the candidate’s knowledge, until the comments are fodder for news outlets that often put those statements on an endless loop for all to see, over and over and over again.  

President Obama speaking to the Russian President Medvedev saying, “I’ll have more flexibility after the election,”  not knowing the mic was on, obviously a comment he would have never made to the general public.

Then there was George bush saying "There's Adam Clymer, major-league asshole from The New York Times." Cheney, also unaware the microphones were turned on, agreed, saying, "Oh yeah, he is, big time."  Both forgetting the important axiom: always assume all microphones are live…

There are hundreds of these little gems that show the double faced and twisted tongues of those that lead.  They say one thing to our faces and another in private, giving us a clear indication of their inner beliefs and personalities.

In regards to Trump, he has always said what was on his mind, often saying too much; I perceive that he is the same way in private as he is in public.  What I’m not saying is that he’s perfect or the best candidate but I think his openness and lack of political speak works in his favor. 

Having a leader who is honest is a very difficult person to find.  Trump may not be everyone’s choice, he’s still not mine but I do thoroughly enjoy hearing him banter with the press.  I like the fact that he spells out his feelings, his rage, his dislikes and his passions freely.  To be honest I wish there were more like him, at least in that regard.

How can we trust a leader who says one thing in public but clearly means something different in private?  Like Larry Craig of Idaho who had a platform of morality but was caught soliciting for sex in a men’s bathroom on June 11, 2007.  For better or worse our government has become ultra secretive (in some respects I understand that need) and that secrecy has been promoted by the ruling elect and the political hierarchy, putting the public in a position of distrust and disdain. 

In my opinion, and I think I right most of the time, even with my belief that “most people are wrong about most things most of the time.”  I think Trump should continue to speak away, keep talking and keep exposing himself (verbally of course) , letting us all know what he thinks, believes and plans on doing and I hope the other candidates learn from him and do the same.

The worst that can happen is a much more colorful campaign season, with unabashed mudslinging and open insults for all to hear and most likely a more careful attempt at cloistering their private thoughts…. I used to like playing in the mud; it might be fun to do so again.

I missed the debate.

I have to admit, I missed the first Republican debate, both of them.  I missed the mealy mouthed pundit’s bloviating and pontificating over the what, and the why, of whom and when, hoping to see the blood spilt like spectators over a gladiatorial arena.  To be truthful, I’m not sorry I missed it.

Does it really matter (not in the Hillary sense) who won the debate?  Has our political system soured so much that we are blinded and star struck by those on a stage and can only make a determination based upon a candidate’s media aptitude?  

I guess you could ask Richard Nixon.  He lost based on looks alone and some honest political corruption.

You may be asking, how else do we know, how else can we choose if we cannot hear or see the candidate’s debate?  When a debate is so generalized and media focused, the issues only get muddled in the stereotypical attempts to outshine the others, creating a void for them all.

I’m not sure I have an answer to the above but what I do know is, I’m tired of “politics as usual” and want something more substantive, more real and down to earth.  I want a system that ensures honesty and integrity, so regardless of who wins, we at least know he or she is honest and is working for us.  I guess, in my feeble mind, I want someone like me.

The problem with today’s politics is the money.  It literally takes billions to be elected president.  There are a variety of views about the actual cost of the 2012 elections, with estimates as low as 2 billion (yes with a B), to as high as 8.5 billion dollars.  However you wish to look at it, I think we can all agree that running for any national office cost’s way too much money.

It just seems excessive when we have water pipes bursting, electrical transfer boxes blowing up, roads and bridges in disrepair, border problems, educational issues,  wars and rumors of wars, etc….etc…etc…

If we take the median of 8.5 billion and 2 billion, we get 5.25 billion dollars.  Don’t write me back and tell me my math is wrong or that the numbers are incorrect, I’m making a point here.  There are close to 322 million people in the country that depend on good roads to get to work, school and other important activities.  We all depend on how the systems work, how water flows and how our power is supplied.  We all depend on government to do what it’s supposed to do.  I’m tired of the debate that only let’s me see the chrome covered perfection of a candidate.  I don’t care about the imperfections and the mistakes as long as I can also see a pattern of learning and growing, just like me.

The Pre-Amble of the Constitution reads: We the People⁽¹⁾ of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare⁽²⁾, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

The whole idea of the constitution was to form a more Perfect Union, insure domestic tranquility, (when I hit a pot hole in a major road going to work, I’m not tranquil), and to promote the general welfare, which to me means having the basics that every society needs in order to flourish and grow, like good roads, consistent power and dependable and reliable leadership.  Not a government that makes my life worse or more difficult. 

Case in point:  I had to switch insurance.  The new insurance does not cover a specific medication I’ve been taking for over ten years.  Just out of the blue some bureaucrat decides that I don’t need it.  My doctor thinks I do, I think I do but because of the profit only motive of insurance, (and every other major industry and corporation) I have been told I don’t matter.

So when I miss a debate with scores of candidates vying for my favor I think that perhaps I’ll wait, just a bit, to see if any of them are really concerned about me.  Which of the candidates is willing to serve? Which will at least try to act like the Statesmen their supposed to be; instead of the poster child for the profit only companies and governments?

Don’t misunderstand, I am a capitalist and I like the profit motive but I prefer an honest profit for a good product.  Take away the integrity of business and all you have left is money.  

So in the next debate why not expect real answers to real questions that affect us all.  Like New York City was under Mayor Giuliani, he fixed and concentrated on the little things and the big things took care of themselves.  Fix the little things.  Fix my roads; make sure the water pipes are not 100 years old. Most importantly just stay out of my way so I can get to where I’m going. I know where I want to go.  I’m important and so are all of you and it’s time that our leaders understood that.

The more you do the less you get.

When I was in high school I competed in track and field as a high jumper.  I was very good, later reaching the exalted height of 7 feet.  That’s without a pole, just me and my skinny legs.  But at the Upland Invitational track meet I only made two jumps to win, or so I thought.  When they called out the winner, it was my opponent.  

I looked around to see if it was a joke, stared at the judges to see if they were rechecking the stats, but their decision had been made.  I had two choices, accept my loss or fight for my victory.  I tentatively approached the judges table; they had just awarded the gold medal to my opponent and I quietly said “I think you made a mistake.”

After a few anxious moments of just standing there the judge on the end looked up and said “what?”

“You made a mistake. I won the high jump.”  He looked at me with a sorry face and with a tone of conciliation, “Young man, we’re sorry but you did not win and the award has been presented.”

“But I had fewer jumps then he did.” I blurted.

It took a few more exchanges and silent consultations but they all agreed I had won, I did indeed have fewer jumps and we both cleared the same height of 6’8” to be exact. But they were reluctant to reverse the decision. 

I tried one more time.  “Excuse me!” Speaking to the entire panel, “Did I win or not?”  They all agreed that I had, “Then I want my medal,” I demanded in a raised voice.  I got my medal but no one on that panel was happy about my insistence; they complained to my coach who complained back to me and told me that I was acting like a child and was being a poor sport.

The learning that took place on that day has served me well but we’re in the same place as a country as I was as a high jumper, so many years ago.  We’re being told that what we do has no meaning, it has no value and there is no reward for our efforts.  In fact we are being punished for doing what we are asked to do, even when we excel in regards to those requests.

California has been in a severe drought for over 5 years and we have been asked to conserve and reduce our water consumption by 20-30%.  Most of California has accomplished that goal and now they (the water districts and the State) want to raise our rates to compensate for the loss of revenue due to the lowered usage.

A few years ago the electric providers did the same thing, telling us all to conserve, raise our thermostats to 80 degrees, only use major appliances during non peak hours and take shorter showers.  We complied but they raised our rates with the blessing of the state regulators to compensate there losses due to lower usage.

So my question is why should we bother conserving or even serving when in the end we get kicked in the teeth for our efforts?  Why should we go out of are way to use less water, suffer the heat, pay our school taxes or any other sacrifice when we know in the end we will end up paying more and getting less? 

I’m sure you have your own stories of a government gone wild.  Please share them.  This is not about a cheap little medal from some obscure sporting event; this about our lives, our rights and our freedoms.  This is about the few (the privileged and powerful few) telling the masses to sacrifice so they don’t have too. 

Saying what is right is one thing but changing what is wrong is another.  All I can do is write and hope others read (and comment), but there is so much more at stake, so much more to loose if we do nothing.  Our efforts can only succeed if we work together.  We need to stand up to the judges and demand our rewards for our labors just as I did in demanding my gold medal. We need to insist that they listen and be resolute in our resolve for justice, or at least hold them accountable for the stewardship's they covet.   

   

Are you Liberal or a Socialist?

A few days ago on MSNBC Debbie Wasserman Schultz was being interviewed, by Chris Matthews, and was asking about the campaign of Bernie Sanders.  I should mention at this point that Ms. Shultz is an ardent supporter of Hillary Clinton and she was being asked about Mr. Sanders (not the chicken guy). Bernie Sanders is an open and proud socialist, but still very proud of his Democratic roots.  Ms. Schults was Asked,

“What’s the difference between a liberal and a socialist?” she was asked by Mr. Matthews.

She never did answer the question but deflected the issue toward the differences between Republicans and Democrats.  It may surprise you, not what she said but about the true differences between the Democrats, the Socialists and the Republicans.

So what is the difference?  If you’re a socialist you should believe in the following:

1.  Any of various economic and political theories advocating collective or governmental ownership and administration of the means of production and distribution of goods

2

a :  a system of society or group living in which there is no private property

b :  a system or condition of society in which the means of production are owned and controlled by the state

3

:  a stage of society in Marxist theory transitional between capitalism and communism and distinguished by unequal distribution of goods and pay according to work done.

So let’s recap:  government or collective owns everything and no one owns anything….

Liberalism:

1  The quality or state of being liberal

2  A movement in modern Protestantism emphasizing intellectual liberty and the spiritual and ethical content of Christianity

b :  A theory in economics emphasizing individual freedom from restraint and usually based on free competition, the self-regulating market, and the gold standard

c :  A political philosophy based on belief in progress, the essential goodness of the human race, and the autonomy of the individual and standing for the protection of political and civil liberties; specifically :  such a philosophy that considers government as a crucial instrument for amelioration of social inequities (as those involving race, gender, or class)

I’m not making this up, honest, these definitions come directly from old man Webster himself.  What got me thinking was how Ms. Shultz was unable to answer regarding the basic tenants of her espoused belief, a belief that seems to have strayed from the defined concept of liberty, freedom and self regulation into a literal free-for-all anarchanistic, moral quagmire where anything goes as long as you have the ability to justify or rationalize, like the current selling of baby body parts, just as an example.

Bernie Sanders is fairly open about his position of socialism and the need for greater oversight and larger governmental controls, and for me it is at least comforting that he is what he says he is.  Lliberals of this day have forsaken the ideals of liberalism and have moved headlong into the socialist camp but are too afraid of voicing those changes for fear perhaps of the backlash of a predominantly Conservative/ Liberal country.

True liberals want more government but only in regard to the amelioration  (the act of making something better; improvement.: "progress brings with it the amelioration of the human condition".) of social inequalities.  When taken as a whole the liberal has to accept not only governmental oversight for egregious inequalities but must also accept a self regulated marketplace and individual autonomy, or change their name to socialist.   But then I forgot that definitions mean very little to the liberal, they can pretty much say or do whatever they want despite the vernacular or historical meaning of the word.  Remember the word Marriage?   

I am most surprised by the lack of basic understanding of a philosophy that proclaims, through definition, a belief not unlike that of conservatism, which by the way is:

capitalized

1  The principles and policies of a Conservative party

2  The Conservative party

a :  disposition in politics to preserve what is established

b :  a political philosophy based on tradition and social stability, stressing established institutions, and preferring gradual development to abrupt change; specifically :  such a philosophy calling for lower taxes, limited government regulation of business and investing, a strong national defense, and individual financial responsibility for personal needs (as retirement income or health-care coverage)

3  The tendency to prefer an existing or traditional situation to change.

Recap:  preserving what is and basically less government.

So the pressing question is really not whether you’re a conservative or liberal, because even though there are stark divisive differences between the two, if either philosophy was followed, the outcome would be positive and societally beneficial.   The question then becomes, “Are you a liberal or a socialist?”  If I had to choose I would chose liberalism as defined above.  

Like most of us,  I like my house; I like my freedom to choose and I think it’s actually a pretty good idea for government to step in once in a while to balance, the out of balance….but only once in a while.  But I think I like being conservative even more.