2016 - A Review and Some Predictions

2016 has been one hell of a strange year. No one can dispute that.

Mother Nature has been in a bit of a snit. We have seen massive wildfires throughout the Southwest and the Southeast. Temperatures are going to be brutally cold this weekend. Louisiana and West Virginia suffered devastating floods. Here in Brunswick, Ga, which never has tropical storms, in a little over a month, we had two tropical storms and a hurricane. Earthquakes are showing up in odd places, like Oklahoma; seemingly, fracking is not such a good idea.

Flint, Michigan and Corpus Christie, Texas have had contaminated  drinking water issues that have proven costly and time consuming to solve.

Terrorism has hit here again and again, most notably, the dumpster bomber in NY and the shootings at the gay club in Tampa. Europe has been hit much harder. Yet still, both here and throughout Europe, immigrants, unscreened and unscreenable, continue pouring in.

Heroin use and over doses have become a National disgrace.

More and more, in large  American cities, homeless people are filling the streets, and many, many of them are kids. Again, a disgrace.

Those of you who signed up for Obamacare are about to get nailed with higher premiums and higher deductible. Cheer up, that will be going bye-bye soon, although, no one seems to have a clue what's going to replace it; maybe nothing.

The last election is now almost two months passed and still, the Democrats are whining like little brats and the Republicans, the old timers in Congress, don't have a clue about their future course. After the nastiest campaign I can remember, Trump is almost to his inauguration, and I'm still not quite sure what his plans are, but at least it will be something different.

Across college campuses, political correctness has hit the point of total absurdity, Any mention of Christmas seems to have become akin to felonious assault. Gender identity is a huge issue and colleges are issuing guides telling students how they should address, in as gender neutral a way as possible, their classmates.

Racial issues have reached a crescendo, with rioting erupting in several cities, the rise of the inane Black Lives Matter movement, and the growing hostility between Whites, Blacks, Native Americans, Hispanics, and Muslims.

Let me offer a few predictions for the New Year.

Trump will have a hard time, even with a Republican Congress, getting his Cabinet approved, his immigration issues dealt with, and getting trade laws passed. He will get Obamacare removed and taxes cut, many regulations removed, and very likely will get his way on rearming the military. He will not get any change in education issues, or environmental issues, and, no, he will not build a wall.

Racial trouble will grow worse. About the best we can hope is that the various divisions will simply ignore each other and live mostly separate lives. Not good, but better than riots.

Our interminable wars in the Mid East will drag on for a while, appear to end, and then explode. The trigger points will be (pick one) Libya, Yemen, Saudi Arabia, Jorden, Tunisia, Somalia, or Lebanon. A major confrontation will occur involving Russia, Turkey, and Iran, possibly relating to the continuing Kurdish problem. Israel will jump in, hoping to stick it to Iran and we will jump in hoping to stick it to Russia. This will be a major, tragic war. It may not break out in 2017, but this is the year the stage will be set.

Rampant deregulation will lead to an economic windfall, for a while. Then something will stick a pin in the bubble and it will all fall down. Again, maybe the bubble will not  burst in 2017, but the stage will be set, so live it up while you can.

Religion will become a major point of contention. Devout Christians and Jews will become almost outcasts in many circles.

And, last, the Climate will get weirder. Yes, the climate is changing and changing very quickly. No, humans are not the sole cause, but we better get a grip on what's going on and make necessary changes as soon as possible. Instead, we will spend useless hours haggling over issues that may not matter in just a very few years.

So, that out of the way, Happy New Year. Have some fun while you can, because the ride going to get a trifle bumpy.

Obama - the Media - and the Truth

Today, we have post-Christmas mall riots, cop shootings, the Syrian debacle, China threatening, Putin threatening, and the fat kid who runs Korea threatening. So what's the big news?

The death of George Michaels. Okay, it's sad when anyone dies of a heart attack at 53, but why is the death of a moderately talented pop star more tragic that the death of anyone else at a premature age. Countless mothers and fathers and children die every day, and we don't go into deep mourning. Because someone made some semi-decent records hardly justifies the intense coverage of his passing.

The other big story is Obama's blame of conservatives in general and Fox news specifically for the Democratic defeat in the recent election. He actually named Fox in his statement, thus setting a new low standard for tackiness.

Sorry, Obama, the fault lies in the Democratic Party itself and it is twofold. First, you and the Party have long overlooked the remaining power of those who love traditional America. That is ironic since, at one time, that's who the Democrats represented. Now, the Party has shifted so far to the left, that it represents only minorities. You cannot win an election when your base is almost strictly just Blacks, Hispanics, Muslims, gays and lesbians, over the top feminists, and students. Heck, you didn't even get all of their votes and many of them, seemingly just sat the election out.

And that brings us to the second problem your party had, Hillary Clinton. The woman was a terrible candidate. She didn't speak, she brayed (perhaps that was fitting give the Party symbol, the donkey) The alternately bellowed belligerently and whined childishly. She lied herself into a corner Houdini could not have escaped from and showed a complete lack of respect for traditional Americans, us deplorables. The only reason she has not been tried and convicted of several crimes is that, like her husband, good old Slick Willie, is that she knows many of the skeletons hanging in the closets of the powerful.

As far as Fox goes, they did successfully balance CNN and The New York Times, otherwise known as the media wing of the Democratic Party, but it might interest you, CNN and Fox to  know that no one trusts the big time Media outlets. Many, many people get their news from the internet, including something all politicians dread, the alternative media. The folks who run those sights definitely get some things wrong, but no more that the standard media and at least they get news out that the guys in your pocket, or for that matter, in Trumps pocket, ignore, calling it fake news.

We have no. big time media that really give us news. All network and cable news runs by a formula, give the headlines, then have a bunch of talking heads sit around and argue politics. Gone are the days when someone like Walter Cronkite would tour Vietnam to find the facts. Gone are the days when Edward R. Murrow would go to Oklahoma and spend days with the Okies to learn about their devastating circumstance. Instead the same old tired faces show up, day after day, to drag out numbers and pseudo-fact to spin the news in the way they see fit. Not a one of them should be allowed on Sesame Street, much less on the air explain important events to us.

So, President Barak Obama, suck it up and face the facts. The Democratic Party got its ass kicked because people are tired of the utter crap that people like you and Hillary and Wolf Blitzer and Bill O'Reilly and Karl Rove and Thomas Freidman and every other conventional politician and pundit have been feeding us. Trump is a wild card. Maybe, he will change things. Let me amend that. He will change things, the question is for good or ill. I think, maybe, for the most part, for the good, but at least it will change.

My Dad, when face with people who could not make a decision, use to say, "for Gods. sake, do something , even if it's wrong." Well, face it Barak, we, the traditional heart of America, did something.

America - Merry Christmas

We have truck terrorism in Germany, a plane hijacking in Malta. a shooting in Switzerland, an assassination in Turkey. Russia is modernizing its nukes and Trump is insisting we do the same. Clinton supporters are still whining and a few are trying to impeach Trump before he takes office.

China is kvetching about The Donald. Obama is blaming the news media for his woes. Syria has basically been demolished, and Iraq is still fighting. ISIS  is calling for the Holiday bombings of Churches. Indonesia, Germany and Australia have just arrested several suspected terrorists and the Tampa, Fl. police have busted a guy in the process of building a bunch of bombs.

Heroin is rampant and the NY cops just busted some folks with 250 pounds of psychedelic mushrooms.  No one has a clue what we are going to do economically and Congress is ready to go after most of the Cabinet appointees, when they're not busy investigating the ubiquitous Clinton emails.

My solution? For the next few days, forget the whole mess. There is not one thing you can do about any of it. Sit back and enjoy the Holidays.

Merry Christmas to one and all, and have a Happy, prosperous New Year.

America and the Obama Factor

Our current President has grown increasingly bizarre. I saw his press conference last Friday and have seldom seen a more disjointed and incoherent presentation. He rambled and mused and babbled, while seldom giving a real answer to the questions. Also, he seemed to carefully hand pick the reporters who got to ask questions. Thus he was assured soft ball questions and he had difficulty answering those.

Then, we have the horrific attack in Germany. That was Monday. As I write this, it is Wednesday morning and we still have no statement from the President. He could at least issue a statement of condolence, but, so far nothing. We do, however, have a lot of pictures of him playing golf in Hawaii. By the way, he has an awful golf swing.

He is still praising his administration's efforts in Syria. That is quite odd since Syria has almost been reduced to rubble and the death toll is at least in the hundreds of thousands. The rebel forces we are backing are being stomped. I am still not sure why we armed these rebels because, even though they oppose Assad, many are closely tied to ISIS. And we armed them. Contrary to the old saying, the enemy of my enemy is not always my friend. To conduct foreign policy based on such inane drivel is juvenile, yet for years it has seemed to be the basis for much of our foreign policy.

In addition, between rounds of golf and sipping  Mai Tai's on the beach, he is busily signing Executive orders banning oil drilling in the Atlantic. Forget the fact that we need to stop depending on Arab oil, forget the fact that we can create good jobs by drilling, why is he bothering. Trump has made it clear that all those Executive orders are going away very quickly.

He is also signing Presidential pardons at a furious clip. No one has had the time yet to review just who is being released and, no doubt, some of them deserve release, but I will bet huge sums that the release of some of the folks will turn out to be a bad idea. That's always the case and while Obama does have the right to pardon, a wee bit of restraint may have been a good idea.

Then, we have Gitmo. Today, he is ordering the release of 22 of its inmates and it seems likely that the facility will be emptied by the time he leaves office. These inmates are the worst of the worst, and, given the terrorist organizations they come from, that is saying something. This will not end well.

I seriously believe that Hillary's failure and the inevitable dismantling of his legacy, something he seems obsessed with, has so rattled him that he has become a bit unglued, Blessedly, we have only 30 more days before he has to hand over the reins to Trump.

America - The Donald Chronicles, Part 2

Well, today, the Electoral College votes and it is almost a sure thing that Trump will be named President. America had best hope and pray that this goes smoothly. If it does not, if enough Electors go rogue and this is not finalized today, all Hell will break loose. But, let's assume all goes as scheduled.

I have had, and continue to have, grave doubts about Trump. But, to be fair, he has surprised me a little. At first, it looked like he was creating his Cabinet out of an assortment of tired, old Washington insiders. That would have been disappointing, but not surprising.

Then, he began loading the Cabinet with military personnel. For a while, I thought I was witnessing a junta, a military takeover. Then, he surprised me. He name Tillerson as Secretary of State. This was a huge surprise. The man is a talented business man and will bring a new approach to that office.

Some, both Republicans and Democrats, are upset. While they will not admit it, I am sure that the naming of a business leader instead of the usual political hack, to that office is not what they were looking for, In addition they are all in a snit because he is friendly with Putin. They have done business together and the Established politicians seem to think Tillerson is going to hand Vlad the keys to the Nation.

Personally, I would rather see a guy who gets on with Russia in the State Department than someone who is hostile. Putin is by no means saintly, but then, neither is Trump, neither are any of you, and neither am I. We need to get a grip on something. The rest of the World is not the same as us. They have radically different traditions and their government cannot and will not be the same as ours. Putin could not be President here and Obama would not have worked there. In addition, where do we get off complaining about Russia when we support some absolutely wretched leaders in other nations. An example? Our good buddies the Saudis. Their monarchy is nightmarish and still brutally suppresses women. They make Putin look like an old hippy.

Looking over Trump's nearly completed Cabinet is interesting. He has mixed old time Washington insiders, the military, business people, and a few off the wall characters (like Steve Bannon). They all disagree on many issues, both with each other and Trump. I like it. Such tension, if handled correctly, can lead to new ideas, and God knows we need that. It might work. I still think it's a long shot, but it might work.

One thing for sure. The next four years will be interesting. Pay attention. It might be the best show around.  

America - Have We All Gone Mad?

Today was going to be Part 2 of The Donald Chronicles, but that will wait until next week because right now, I think we are losing our collective minds.

Where should I begin? Okay, let's start with the behavior of our current President. I have seen Presidents come and go, and while, at times, it was clear that they disliked each other, they put on a good face and tried to make the transition smooth. I have never seen a President try so blatantly and ruthlessly to undermine his successor. Obama is ranting about Russian influence on the election. In trying to cast doubt on the legitimately of Trump's victory, he is attempting to stop the Nation from coming together around the new guy.

You have Electors seriously talking about refusing to vote for the person their state's voters chose. You have politicians egging them on, encouraging this outrageous behavior. You have Electors, with no security clearance, demanding security briefings before they vote. At the same time, you have the security agencies refusing to brief Congress until the President gives his approval.

I just saw an ad, a long, expensive ad, put together by various celebrities urging Electors to refuse to vote for the choice of their state's people. Who in the Hell gives a rat's skinny, little ass what a bunch of spoiled, overpaid, half assed singers and actors have to say about the running of the country. Tell the all to go have another margarita, shut up, and go find a real job.

As far as Russia and hacking goes, let's grow up and face the real world. First, no matter who is ultimately behind the leaks, they still display a candidate and a party and a State department that danced dangerously close to felonious illegalities. At the very least, it shows how insanely incompetent they were. Second, we have no moral high ground to stand on. I have pointed out in previous posts that we, the USA, have intervened, often violently, in  the internal politics of many nations. Just recently, Obama threatened England with serious economic difficulties before the Brexit vote.

Dose Russia hack US communications? No doubt. And guess what? We hack theirs. This is the way of politics and things have been that way since long before the Nation was founded. It is idiotic, wasteful and dangerous and it is not going to stop any time soon. Does Putin know about this? He would be a damn poor leader if he didn't. Did Putin influence the election? He did not have to because the Democrats ran the worst, most incompetent candidate they could. Clinton beat Clinton.

Now, we have Obama issuing grave threats to Russia. Funny, he did the same thing to Assad in Syria and they just took Aleppo and are about to finish off the Syrian rebels. The destruction of a once great city and the horrific slaughter of its people is a nightmare. What happened to that stern Presidential warning? And why, in the name of anything sane, is he trying to pick a major fight with Russia?

What we are seeing, quite likely, is a showdown, a big time showdown, between two factions for the soul of America. The old time, left wing, Eastern Establishment, that has had its way for many years, has been almost swept aside by the anti-globalist, pro-America faction. Both groups are fantastically wealthy and frighteningly powerful and both are deeply, deeply flawed but, when it comes down to choosing sides, I'll stay with the pro-American traditionalists every time. This used to be a damn good Country and, maybe, just maybe, we can be that way again.

America - Politics and Theology

This is a sticky subject, worthy of a full length book treatment. But, relax, I have no intention of even attempting that. What brings the subject to mind, us my recent rereading of Frank Herbert's Dune and the subsequent Children of Dune. The main subject of his series is the interplay of religion, especially a populist, Messianic religion, and politics.

Religious fanaticism, when inflamed by a popular, charismatic leader, is overwhelmingly dangerous. In past civilizations, religion and governance were inseparable. The Pharaohs of Egypt were god/kings. In later times, Church and State were complimentary arms of Government, such as in the European royalty and their assumption of the Divine rights of kings.

Slowly, Church and State grew more and more separate, until, in the USA, they were Constitutionally declared to be totally separate. This has become more and more the case in modern Western culture. (I know that this is an amazingly simple minded way of stating things, but, as I said, I am not writing a book). 

But, however much we think we want to separate these areas, humans are religious animals. Even atheism is a religious stance, a negative one, but religious none the less. The recent Presidential regime, despite its protests to the contrary, has attempted to be almost purely secular. It has become almost funny in its politically correct attempts at ecumenical inclusion. Many in this Country are happy with this, and many are not. Seemingly, those who are not have spoken. Our current President elect has repeatedly said he will defend Christianity around the World and at home. His Vice President is devoutly Catholic and he is surrounding himself with folks in his Cabinet who are very traditional in their beliefs.

He is walking a tightrope, with only a very tiny safety net. Fortunately, he is a very middle of the road Christian. Were he a rabidly charismatic preacher, dogmatic in his beliefs, we might have a wee bit of a problem.

Much of the World is not Christian. A lot of Europe gives, at best, lip service to Christianity. China is still officially atheist, but seems to be allowing some leeway on the subject. Much of the Far East is still Buddhist or practices their local and ancient beliefs, although there are pockets of Christianity. India is Hindu dominated.

Africa is a very uneasy blend of old religions, Christianity and Islam. The Middle East is, of course, mostly, although by no means totally Islam. Mexico, Central and South America are still. largely Catholic, but inroads have been made by local beliefs and Protestantism, especially Pentecostal.

Why is this important? Simple. Someone (and I cannot remember who) said that all politics is theological and truer words were never spoken. How you view the World and its place in the Cosmos and how, or even if, you relate to the Creator, dominates all of your beliefs, all of them. Thus, religion determines, to a huge degree, how you think we should be governed.

We may have got it right in this Country by choosing Trump. It is a fine idea to bring back the Christian view that has worked so well in this Nation's past. At the same time, he is moderate enough to be sensible. I think.

I grew up in and loved the traditional America and that included its spiritual basis. At the same time, I and most folks I knew, were never over the top with our beliefs. We tried to be realistic and sensible within that framework. Maybe, that is where we are headed now. Maybe.

I still do not trust Trump, but, I could be wrong. It would not be the first time and it will not be the last. Maybe this will work. I'm not at all sure how, but, maybe.

America - The Donald Chronicles, Part 1

Here and there, I want to point out the strange activities of our President elect. I will call these posts the Donald Chronicles.

Right now, Trump seems intent on filling his Cabinet with as many Military officers as possible. These guys also, often, have deep ties to the Defense industry. I get a wee bit uncomfortable with such folks controlling how the Government spends its Defense dollars. Also, the Military seldom has a lot of interest in keeping us out of conflicts, since conflicts justify all that money they get.

Trump has, seemingly (it is really hard to keep track of what he's doing) gone from four candidates for Secretary of State to maybe as many as ten. This includes Gen. Petraeus. who admitted and resigned from the CIA because of giving classified information to his biographer and lover. This is the same crime Trump beleaguered Hillary about. She deserved it, but why is he excepting the General's behavior.

Then, we have his financial issues. He says he will give control of his business to his kids, but then wants his kids as advisors, setting up a very real conflict of interest problem. Then, today, he says he might keep some control of his business. Legally, he doesn't have to do anything. He can run his business while President if he wants to, but it does seem a might tacky. Any way you look at it, it would be nice if he could just make up his mind.

Then, we have Gen. Flynn, who has gravely and idiotically insulted the Chinese. He has written that they, the Russians, the Cubans, and the North Koreans are deeply tied to Al Qaida and ISIS. The Chinese point out that a) it's not true and b) they are having huge Islamic problems of their own with their Moslem Uighar  population, which makes their denial of ties to terrorist groups pretty plausible.

Trump named a virulent Global warming opponent to head the EPA, which is at least consistent with his stated position on the matter (he called it a hoax created by the Chinese, angering them even more). However, he then says maybe he's wrong and has started asking Climate Change aficionados to visits at Trump Tower.

He is claiming that he has negotiated with Carrier and convinced them to stay in the USA. Well, that is sort of truthy. Yes, a good number of jobs are staying, but a great many are still going away and it only cost us $7,000,000 in tax breaks. I didn't know we were going to bribe companies into staying.

As far as the Japanese banker investing $50 billion in the USA, I would love to know the details and as far as the 50,000 jobs that is supposed to bring, well, we are going to have to wait and see on that, but I would not hold my breath.

I will return to the Chronicles of The Donald in the near future. In the meantime, remember this. Everything that is being said by the media and the President-elect's transition team is just a shell game, three card Monte on a global scale. On the other hand, it is one of the most inane and silly shows on TV.  

America and the Shifting Balance of Power

Things have changed, shifted. The balance of power is not what it was.

For long years, and you can forget about political parties and who was in office, this Country has been run by the so-called left wing of the Establishment, the Rockefellers, Morgans, Mellons, Bushes, and their lackeys (Clintons, Obamas, Carters, Gores, Kerrys, etc). These are the globalists (remember GHW Bush and his 'new world order'). They weakened America, changed us into a Nation of grumpy, old folks sitting in diners and griping that the air is too warm, the soup too cold and the burger too rare. Here and there, we exercise a little and flexed our increasingly flabby muscles in little, unwinnable pseudo-wars.

These were the power brokers and this time around, they had decided that one of the dynasties would be continued. Either Jeb Bush or Hillary Clinton were to be chosen and it did not matter in the least who it was. However, The Donald, stepped in and kicked Jeb out. Still, he was thought a joke, a cartoon and HRC was set to beat him like a gong.

But, their old-boy establishment has always had an opposition. Military men, certain elements in the intelligence community, and fantastically wealthy individuals who made their money outside the establishment businesses. These folks saw an opening when Trump was nominated and they grabbed hold like a fox with a chicken. Using a deep understanding of how populations are manipulated and the WikiLeaks of Julian Assange (and I am very sure that the emails he leaked are legitimate), they pulled off a non-violent military coup and have wrestled power from the hands of those they have long loathed, the Eastern, liberal Establishment.

Okay, what does that mean? They promise to make America great again. First, forget the new jobs angle; most jobs have been lost to automation and these folks love machines and gadgets. That leaves the military. Trump is filling his Cabinet with some of most hard core military people around and is promising to recreate our military might (how, when he is cutting taxes, is beyond anyone who can do simple math, but, just for the fun of it, let's take him at his word).

Alright, yeah, we are no longer a bunch of kvetching old folks, we are once again a young, powerful giant. What next? Think back, guys, on your adolescent days when, testosterone raging, you were ready to attack anyone at the slightest hint of an insult. We already know, from past events and statements, that The Donald is touchy, belligerent, and vengeful. This cannot be a good thing.

It is one thing to be powerful, it is another thing entirely to be belligerent. In the real World, actions have consequences, sometimes horrific consequences. A World leader, if he acts like a petulant child, and we have all witnessed Trump doing just that, can, and likely will cause an eruption of havoc that will costs the lives of countless people.

Rest assured however, that the new Powers That Be, like the ones they are replacing, will not be among the casualties. That will be the privilege of  the common folk. Hillary might have called us deplorables, but, to the new  bosses, we are expendables. 

America.and the Shell Game

We were promised that the swamp would be drained. Instead, our new administration seems intent on importing quicksand, gators, snakes, possums, all the things that make swamps such fun places. One by one, we are being shown a parade of new cabinet officers who are just old time Washington and big business hacks.

Trump,  quite rightly, excoriated Clinton and Cruz for their associations with the wretched Goldman Sachs (remember the last recession and the bank bailouts? the housing crisis and all of that?) He then turns around and names two former Goldman Sachs big shots, Bannon and Mnuchin, to his team. Hypocrisy is the order of the day.

Actually, that is too kind of a word. What you are seeing is an old fashioned shell game, or maybe three card Monte. The con man shuffle the shells, or cards so fast and skillfully, you cannot keep your eye on the prize. The Administration, using the loathsome tool of Twitter, is shrieking about flag burning, and election fraud (probably non existent, or, if real, practiced by both sides) to take your attention away from the parade of insider, power hungry, money grubbing hacks that our Government will soon be filled with.

Secretary of State is still open, look for it to be filled with either Romney, a man once ridiculed by Trump, or Patraeus, a man who, by his own admission, leaked classified information to his biographer, a woman he was having an extra-marital fling with.  I would have sworn the Trump, quite rightly, attacked Hillary for the same thing, minus, minus the tawdry affair angle. Again, blatant, hypocrisy.

If you are journeying to DC anytime after the inauguration, take some anti-snake bite venom, bring along one of those gator hunters from Swamp People, and watch for quicksand, because the swamp is gong to be firmly entrenched there.

America - Strange Days Have Found Us

In the late 60s, the Doors did a song, Strange Days, that is fitting today. It portrayed a society that seemed to have started unravelling. Well, right now, the threads are flying apart at a frantic rate.

Donald Trump was elected on a series of promises, solemn oaths, made to the American people, specifically white, blue collar Americans. Right now, starting the day after the election, in fact, he started back pedaling from those promises at a furious rate. He is now hinting the Mexican wall is figurative, he won't go after Hillary, he may stick with the Climate accord agreement, and some of Obama care is alright. Oh, by the way, that ban on Muslim immigration? That is being changed to extreme vetting. Funny, I heard Obama use that same term and I heard Trump excoriate him for that

Let me tell you this. The one thing that you can bet your next paycheck on is that he will immediately oversee the lowering of tax rates for the rich.

He cannot bring jobs back to the US because he will not get support from establishment Republicans. In addition, many of the lost jobs were lost to automation and, trust me, factories are not going to put that genie back in the bottle.

He swore that we would not become involved in nation building. Well, Castro just died and already he is talking about putting pressure on Cuba to change its ways.

We are seeing a wave of military personnel being given control of  key parts of the Government. The thing is, the military thrives on war, and I believe we have seen enough of that. They also thrive on money, and Trump has sworn to rebuild our tattered military. Now, how he is going to do that while cutting taxes is beyond me, or any remotely sane person who can add and subtract.

On top of that, Jill Stein has conned people into giving her a whole bunch of money to have the votes recounted in at least one, and possibly three, states. This is a doomed and silly effort. You can be sure that the guy the Powers That Be Want in there, got elected and will stay elected. It does seem that said Powers have had a little internal spat, but the winning side is the side that picked Donald, and they will have their way.

Now, we have just had a lone gunman shooting up the Ohio State University campus. Conveniently, he is dead. Funny how we never can take one of those guys alive. Cops settle hostage crises frequently without the bad guy getting killed, but get one of these supposedly random shootings and they just cannot manage it. And, now there are reports of a second shooter. I, again will bet that the second shooter will soon be declared non-existent. The is another funny thing about these mass shooting scenarios,

Strange days, indeed. Hold on tight. Thins are going to get a wee bit bumpy.

America - Happy Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is here and it is one of the best ideas this country ever came up with. This will be a short post. I have to get to the store for some last minute shopping (I always forget something) and I want to beat the rush.

Just relax and enjoy your day. For one day, put aside differences, forget the recent election, trade agreements, Supreme Court appointments, Iranian nukes, Putin's arms build ups, and street demonstrations. All of those things will still be there on Friday and taking a day off from worry and stress is the healthiest thing any of us can do.
To sum up, Happy Thanksgiving

America - Watch those Chickens

I turned on the news when I got up this morning, (I have got to stop doing that) and discovered that more cops were executed. Trump is still considering his sworn enemy Mitt Romney for his Cabinet, is still considering the recently politically disgraced Chris Christy, and the rapidly aging Rudy Giuliani. Obama is apparently now on the verge of losing it as his beloved legacy is about to be wiped out and is vowing that he will speak out as he sees fit ( which means he will be picking at Trump).

The Clintons and their distraught supporters are still trying to blame everyone but themselves for their disastrously incompetent campaign. Bernie Sanders is promising that he will be a nightmare to Trump and Nancy Pelosi is holding on to her political life by the skin of her teeth.

Russia is almost desperately modernizing its weaponry, possibly a pretty good move since America has become bizarrely touchy about Putin's activities. The European Union is breaking down. French are ousting President Sarkozy. Illegal immigrants are flooding the United States to get a toehold before the border wars start and a bunch of Mayors are set to defy Federal Government orders and remain safe havens for illegal immigrants. Oh, I almost forgot. Those demonstrations over a pipe land going across Native American land are getting very tense and are now being called riots.

My point? Okay. Every bit of unpleasantness we, and the rest of the lunatic asylum we have made out of this lovely little planet, is a direct result of past activities. You cannot duck the past. The lessons of history must be learned and the mess cleaned up. Otherwise, it will keep haunting and will get worse, until things get disastrous. Sorry, that's just how things work and neither you nor I can change that.

Buddhists and Hindus call it karma. Jesus said that as you sow, so shall you reap. I prefer an old country saying. It's just the chickens coming home to roost. Well, I hear a few hens clucking and some roosters starting to crow. Those chickens are settling in, so for the next few weeks, or months, or years, watch the chickens. 

America - Something Stinks

I am noticing, in the aftermath of our election debacle, that there is something rotten, stinky, in the Land. I am having trouble putting my finger, or nose, on exactly what it is, but it is there.

The brash Trump came out of his security briefings looking like a scared rabbit. He immediately began backing away from several of his positions. Now, that may or may not be a good thing, but it is odd. He positioned himself as the 'Great Outsider.' I expected him to start bringing in experts, top notch people, new blood. Instead, we are seeing a parade of the same, tired old hacks, Gingrich, Sessions, Huckabee, Giuliani, and their ilk.

The media has been caught red handed, thanks to WikiLeaks, at their stacking of the deck in favor of Clinton. FBI Director , Comey, displayed all the deftness of an elephant trying to dance ballet in his handling of the Clinton affair.  Demonstrators are running amok, which is odd considering many of them did not vote; yet,  no one in the mainstream media seems willing to suggest that we are seeing a revival of past government programs such as COINTELPRO and Operation Chaos.

Then, there is the silence of the Clintons. As I have said,  I loathe them but, I find it very peculiar that they have gone so quietly. They, despite winning the popular vote, have not questioned the results, calling for no recounts. At the same time, Barak, despite his faint praise of Trump when they met, is flying around the World whining like a child at the thought that things are going to change. He talks about his legacy as if it were something precious. Truth is, he and his cohorts have damaged the once great Nation to the point that it may not recover.

In fact, now we are seeing a move to get the members of the Electoral College to refuse to vote for Trump. Can that be done? No one seems to know. If they succeed in getting it tried, this whole mess will end up in the Supreme Court, where, guess what? We have only 8 members so, there will be a tie vote and God only knows what will happen.

To make all of this a whole lot stranger, we have the Podesta emails and the so-called pizzagate scandal. I am not going into any of the sleazy details. It is sufficient to ask why some of this Land's most powerful people are seemingly hanging out with some very, unpleasantly bizarre people? A sensible person will question what the ordering of pizza for $40000 is short for; that it is code for something is beyond any doubt. It might seem a bit odd  that the media is just ignoring this disgusting mess, but, then, they know who butters their bread.

And, seemingly, so do all the politicians involved in our recent despicable sham of an election. Trump, the Clintons, Obama, Podesta, etc. all are sort of whining and carping, but they are marching in lockstep to wherever it is the folks who know where the deepest secrets lie  want them to go.

This whole disaster stinks and the worst part is that the good folks of the USA are going to get dumped on again. Just when and just how remain to be seen. I wish I had a crystal ball to help everyone out, but I seem to have lost mine. Just pay attention and be ready to duck when it all hits the fan.

America - Will You Please Stop Whining?

I seriously believe that we have become a Nation dominated by whiny, spoiled brats. In the wake of Trump's election, we have witnessed days of idiotic protest. Now, of course, we have a right to protest, guaranteed by the Constitution, but no one has the right to go out and throw a temper tantrum. Yet, we have people burning flags, burning trash cans, breaking store windows, blocking traffic and disrupting folks who are just trying to do their business and make some money.

Peaceful, orderly demonstrations can be powerful tools for change. Throwing tantrums like an infant in a playpen is sickening.

What is worse is that these protesters have no idea how the Nation works. I have heard many declaring that Trump should not be allowed to take office. He won the election and cannot be denied the post. Many are saying that Hillary won the popular vote. True. That, and a dollar, might buy you a cup of coffee. The popular vote does not count. It never has. We are not a democracy. We are a representative republic and people need to get that straight. The Presidential election is decided by the Electoral College. The popular vote determines which candidate gets that states allotted votes. The candidate who gets the majority of the Electoral votes wins. One candidate winning the Electoral vote and losing the popular vote is not that unusual. It has happened several times.

Now, if people want to change that, fine. And, good luck to you. It would mean changing the Constitution and it would be easier to change the path of the Sun. Be that as it may, any changes would not be retroactive so, if you dislike  Trump, get over it.

It is time to get everything and everybody in this Nation back to work. If you are participating in these demonstrations, you are not working. If you want change, you will get that by hard work and that does not include breaking windows and starting fires.

When children lose, they throw fits. Adults accept it gracefully. If you protesters go to Vegas and lose your money, are you going to break casino windows until they give your money back? If you lose a tennis match, are you going to whack the winner on the head with your racket? Your side lost. Get over it.

America -- Time to Move On

At long last, our nightmarish election is over. Yesterday, I admit that I spent a bit of time listening to our various pundits rattling off their opinions. Enough, it is done, and we have too much work to do to keep rehashing the whole mess.

I heard some trying to turn this whole mess into a racial issue. It is not. It is a cultural issue. The Nation is horribly divided. I lived through the violent demonstrations of the 60s, the Watergate troubles, the Iran-Contra scandal, the Clinton impeachments, and the several clashes between traditional values and several different 'new' movements such as feminism and gay rights.

Right now, this is about the worst I have seen. There is a violence simmering and about to boil over if we do not start respecting each other. To those who value the old traditions, I am with you, but, you have to respect those who are different. No one is saying you have to be best buddies, but there has to be some tolerance when you share common spaces. At the same time, I understand the frustration that comes when you realized that the Obamas and Clintons and their ilk view you as primitive, dangerous, simpleminded throwbacks to another era. We have got to just let that ride, ignore it, and get on with living our lives in what we believe is the correct manner.

Maybe, just maybe, we have elected a President and a Congress that will allow us to do just that. I still do not quite trust them, but I fervently hope that they prove me wrong.

To the more liberal members of our culture. You need to stop treating traditional Americans as if we were some sort of anthropological example of primitive culture. You are very sadly mistaken. Traditional values are traditional simply because they work. That does not mean that change is rejected, but it does mean that there need be a good reason for the change. You are free to live how you want but you really need to stop looking down your nose at people, good people, that you do not understand. Respect is a two way street. Do your thing, just don't rub people's noses in it.

The new Administration may work, it may not. We will just have to see, but I will almost assure everyone of one thing. Anything resembling a free ride, except for those with extreme physical and mental difficulties, is about over. We are all going to have a lot to do, so, if your side lost, get over it. Last night there were several large demonstrations around the country. Fine, that is a Constitutional right, but there is no right to set fires, smash store windows, and block both auto and train traffic. All violence needs to be stopped immediately, either by the protestors themselves, or the police. It is intolerable.

Other that that, give the new Administration a chance. And remember, we inhabit this Country and we will all be served by trying to get along with each other. That means respect and tolerance need to be practiced by all.

America and the Big Day

Well, here at last is Election Day 20016. Woo hoo. Don't get too comfortable, because things will not be settled tonight. If things are as close as the experts seem to think, it may take days to get all of the absentee ballots counted. Then, we likely will see challenges, which will go to courts, then higher courts, etc, on up to the Supreme Court, which is , now, split 4 to 4. God knows what will happen then. There is even a small, but intriguing, possibility that we could have a tied Electoral vote and the whole thing then winds up in the House of Representative. The House is not bound to just the 2 candidates or any of the fringe candidates. If that happens, all hell will break loose.

No matter what, there are going to be some very nervous folks in DC. The electorate is not happy and all sides are looking for someone to take their anger out on. The problem is twofold. First, demographic. The dominant folks in the US have always been white. Now, it may be that blacks and Hispanics are the dominant group. This causes a division that is not an issue of race in the physical sense; it is an issue of  cultural differences. Add to this the so-called Millennials, who are blatantly Socialist (remember Bernie Sanders), and you have three groups whose values and views are very close to incompatible.

Second, economics; this is even tougher. The economy, around the World is changed. All economic models have always included the idea of growth. Guess what? The population cannot keep growing, the Earth has finite resources, and how the hell may cars and TVs can people buy. The economy cannot keep growing, unless we expand into outer space (I'm all for it, but something funny is going on with that, It seems a logical step, but it is clear that no nation wants to take it. Either we have all grown spineless, or we are not being told something). In addition, America has long controlled most of the World's resources; other people will no longer tolerate that, without a fight. To sum up, a rethinking of economics has to happen, but, I see no chance that any of our leaders can think on that level.

That leads me to a confession. For months I have written about my loathing of Hillary Clinton and I stand by that  . I have said that I would vote for The Donald just to vote against her and urged everyone to do likewise. Well, I just cannot vote for that pompous, half bright megalomaniac. I can't do it. I have listened to his recent speeches and admit that he at least and at last has grown coherent, but, if he enacts everything he espouses, we will be ruined.

He wants tax cuts, and most of those will benefit the wealthy. This is nothing but Reagan's Trickle Down Economy. It didn't work for Ronnie and it will not work now. He wants to rebuild the infrastructure and the military, initiate urban renewal in the black neighborhoods, and overhaul the education system. Worthwhile projects one and all, but they will cost a lot of money, an unthinkable amount. You cannot do that while cutting taxes. It is impossible. If he tries it, and pushes it through what will likely be a divided and totally useless Congress, we will be crippled economically forever.

That brings me to my last point. I am not unable to vote for Trump because of the moral failings in his personal life. He has had problems with women but, if you excluded every male who has similarly misbehaved, we would have had damn few Presidents. I am refusing to vote fro him because of his failed business ethics. I am quite sure that he, to make himself feel kinglike, would run up a massive debt, far worse than the ridiculous one we have now. Why do I think this? Because he has  done it repeatedly in his private businesses. When you are as wealthy as he is, and can create multiple corporations, bankrupting a couple, can, in a twisted way, be extremely beneficial. He admits that he has used tactics like this to make much money, and it is legal. However, people never stop to think about the consequence of bankruptcies are to those who are left holding the debt. The Donald, left massive debts, walked away, and many businesses he had contracted with, were unpaid. That in turn leaves their employees either unpaid or laid off. In addition, Trump's own employees were left unpaid. In addition, investors inn his companies lost big money.

In short, the more I look at Trump, the more I see, not a skilled businessman, but a skilled conman, a cheat and a bully who uses his money, like a petulant child, to get his way.

So there's the choice. A loathsome toad of a woman who does not have an honest bone in her body or a degenerate conman. That is the choice. God help us. Be ready, because the crap is about to hit the fan.
  

America - Chill Out

Today, I saw a long article about something I have been predicting. It seems that in many parts of the Land, Militia groups are warming up for the aftermath of a Clinton victory. You have folks out there training for a possible armed resistance to what they see as the final nail in the coffin of America.

I understand their frustration, their anger. The folks who built this Nation into what it was in its recent greatness, feel that their Nation and the traditional values it was built on are being shoved aside. They are correct about that. Hillary's America, if she gets a cooperative Congress will, in a year or two, bear very little resemblance to the Land we grew up in, the one we love. This was a great Nation and she, and her ilk, will wear it down to the level of a cheap banana republic.

Having said that, chill out people. Do not go off in a rage and start doing things you will regret. Face the facts. In any armed confrontation, you will lose. That is a fact. Get over it.

Think. If you get yourself locked away, or, God forbid, killed, who will be around to teach your kids about the values that made this such a great Nation. Who will pass along your spiritual values and the lessons you have learned about hard work. Who will correct the half truths they will learn in schools and see to it that they learn things of value.

The quagmire we likely will find ourselves in, will not last forever, if folks engage in a sensible, low keyed resistance, based on learning, work, and spirituality. You will have a hard time resisting anything if you are in jail or dead. Chill out. Things are bad; they may get worse, but there is hope, as long as you are alive.

America and the October Surprise

Well, it happened. The FBI announced its reopening of the Clinton email scandal and, thanks to WikiLeaks, the Clinton Foundation is being exposed as a get rich scheme. Possibly. These things are very hard to prove and the Clintons are skilled at avoiding prosecution.

Will this change the outcome of this absurdity we call our Presidential Election? Who knows? Nothing about this seemingly never ending soap opera makes any sense. Even if Clinton wins, she may face Federal Charges and actually could take office while under indictment. Impeachment could follow. In a way, that would be a hoot. In our history, only 2 Presidents have been impeached, Andrew Johnson and Bill Clinton. It would be wonderfully ironic if the 3rd was also a Clinton.

Trump is gaining ground but his overall sleaziness and his many shaky financial dealings make it very difficult to get enthusiastically behind him. He is currently controlling his tongue and is making a show of being compassionate and 'Presidential,' but I have a hard time believing his show will last. On the other hand, if elected, I don't think he will be criminally indicted for anything. He does still have a few law suits hanging over his head, but that is small time compared to Hillary.

I still think that I will drag myself out to vote for Trump, but it will be with no enthusiasm. I simply do not like him and do not trust him. The one thing I know for sure is that I will be glad when this election is over. Maybe. The more I think about this, the more I believe that no matter who wins, there will be an unpleasant string of demonstrations and legal actions. This will not end well.

America and Mrs. Clinton

More and more comes out about Hillary. Leaked emails show that her own staff does not think that she is mentally balanced. Still, it looks likely that she will be elected. The Clinton Foundation is an obvious disgrace, and still she will likely be elected. I just do not understand.

Trump is a deeply flawed human male. Get over it. We are all flawed. He at least admits that he has made mistakes with women in the past and has apologized. I do not hear a lot of apologies from Bill Clinton. Hillary excoriates Trump, but we have a record, on tape and written, of Hillary brutally attacking the women who spoke up about Slick Willie's bad behavior.

Hillary is still all for continuing business as usual with nations like Saudi Arabia where the treatment of women is deplorable. She is pro gay rights, yet again, she favors  business as usual with nations like Saudi Arabia where gays are at risk of being killed at any moment.

She attends prayer breakfasts and frequently evokes the name of The Lord, while stating, quite bluntly that Catholics would just have to change what she says are their antiquated beliefs. How dare she? Yet, she will likely be elected.

She goes on and on about Russia, claiming that they are trying to influence our elections. Now, while I find her  loathsome, I do not think that she is unlearned when it comes to history. I am very sure that she knows that we have often intervened in the politics of other Nations. Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, the Philippines, Pakistan, Cuba, Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran, Libya, Egypt, the Congo, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, the Sudan, Somalia, Yugoslavia, Ecuador, Nicaragua, Panama, Grenada, Argentina, Chile, El Salvador, Mexico, Indonesia, in all of these Nations we have deeply intervened in their politics, often very violently. And these are just the ones from WW2 until the present. There are probably more; these are just the ones I remember off the top of my head. I could write pages and pages on this subject, but why bother? Because, still she will bray about how Russia is intervening and no one in the Press will call her out on this. I would call the Press spineless scum, but, again, why bother, because, she will still likely be elected.

She has been caught, going all the way going back to her days as a Watergate investigator, in lie after lie and scandal after scandal. And still she will almost surely be elected. I was hoping that maybe one more scandal, one more batch of problematic emails released by WikiLeaks will stop her march to power,  but, the more I think of it, the more convinced I am that it would make no difference.

She will be elected. Trump is certainly no prize, but he looks saintly in comparison. America will not accept him because the folks he appeals to are no longer the majority. The folks who are willing to work and strive for better, the folks I grew up with, have been replaced by a bunch of spineless wimps who just want the Federal Government to hold their hand, pat them on the head, and tell them not to worry. They want cradle to grave care without the responsibility and work.

Well, all you adult babies get ready, you are about to get what you wished for. It will be a nightmare, but, you know what? I think you are all so spineless and ignorant  that you won't even understand how bad things are.

America and Obamacare

The news is out. Obamacare premiums are about to go through the roof. Monthly payments are about to jump and, if you have coverage, well, you are going to lose a chunk of your pay.

The whole system was doomed from the start. No matter how the administration twisted the numbers, they just did not add up. Lately, several carriers have said they were  opting out of the whole mess because they were losing money.

Hillary's campaign has put out a statement saying most folks will still be able to get coverage for $75 per month when you consider the assistance from the state funds. Not so fast. There are states   that do not support the plans and even if yours does, you have issues with the deductibles. Some states help some with those, some do not, and in every case, the policy has large deductibles.

There are folks, many, many of them, who are living from check to check, Some are only managing by using credit and will likely never get out of debt. To ask them to pay more is an outrage. I remember, in the 1980s, not that long ago, I paid, through my job, $20 a month for a Blue Cross policy with $5 co-payment for office visits and a $100 deductible for hospitalization. Why have things gotten so out of hand? That can be answered in one word, government. Whenever the government sticks its nose into people's finances, the results are disastrous.

Many of the people who supported Obama are Hillary supporters and I ask them this; what in God's name is wrong with you? You are about to get clobbered with expense and the woman you are voting for is 100% behind this fiasco. She is telling you that she is all for the greater costs about to hit you and you still support her.

And to all those Bernie Sanders supporters who want bigger government, I ask this; are you insane? The disaster that is Obamacare should tell you that the last thing we need is more government. At the risk of sounding like a dinosaur, let me tell you a little story. When I was a kid, an office visit to the doctor costs $10. Now, since the government has become more and more involved in the whole business, that is just the co-payment. There is no rational reason why prices have gone up so much except, that this is always what happens when the government gets involved. Wake up and get over the idea that we need some sort of socialism.

The Obama/Clinton policies on health care are a failure that is about to become a disaster. I cannot believe that in the wake of this announcement there is anyone who is still planning to vote for Clinton. If she is elected, don't any of you dare complain. You can stop this madness.

America - Just 3 More Weeks, Then the Fun Really Starts

I have said it before and I will say it again, I have never seen a thing like this Presidential Election. I feel like all that acid I took in the 60s is causing flashbacks and that I have stumbled into some sort of alternate reality. That would be a comforting thought compared to the reality of what is happening.

We have story after story of Hillary and her crew acting in blatantly unethical, and frequently completely illegal fashion, and her lead in the polls keep growing. There is no need to enumerate her crimes. If you watch the news, you have heard the stories and if you have not, you have no business voting; just stay home and watch your favorite reality TV show.

On top of this, the woman had obvious medical issues and now, leaked emails from Leon Podesta, one of her chief campaign officers show him doubting her sanity. In one he said she sometimes does not seem to know what planet she is on.

And, you can top that with the stories coming out that several State Department officials did not want to work with her because of her temper problems. Yet, her lead grows.

We now have proof that her campaign sent bogus demonstrators to Trump's rallies to cause violent disruptions. And, still, her lead grows.

Donald Trump continues to be his own worst enemy. Time after time, he gets sidetracked by personal vendettas. All he had to do was stick to 2 issues, jobs and homeland security. That's all. Instead, he responds at great length to any and all attacks on his problems with women, his tax issues, his bankruptcies, and his problems with fellow Republicans. He could direct the conversation by simply not responding at length over these foibles, and shifting the conversation to issues.

I do not like Donald Trump. I find him only slightly less loathsome that Ms. Clinton.  But, I will vote for him, because I find his crimes somewhat less heinous. I will also vote for every Republican on the ballot, in hopes that they will stop her plans. Gridlock is much better that what she has in mind.

However, it is looking very possible that both the House and Senate will be Democratically controlled after this farce of an election. If so, God help us all. This used to be a great Nation.

In the Wake of the Flood

Well, it really wasn't a flood, but it was a mess. I just wanted to use that title because it is the name of one of my favorite Grateful Dead albums. In the wake of Hurricane Matthew, we were without power for a day and half, without cable TV for 8 days and without the internet for 10 days. It was an inconvenience, but, right where we live, in Brunswick, Ga. It was not anything more than that. Some, including some not far from here, got hit much worse.

I often criticize the news media and they deserve a lot of criticism, but, on the whole, they are to be congradulated for their storm coverage. A few got a bit over the top in their predictions of impending doom, but mostly, they just gave the facts and presented a whole range of possible conditions. They certainly told us worse case scenarios but always tempered those warnings by saying that just a small shift could lesson conditions.

These storms, and I have seen my share of them, are impossible to predict with a 100% accuracy and, when proper preparation is the key to survival, the beat tactic is to prepare for the worst and hope for the best.

Anyway, things are back to normal. We made it through just fine and it is good to be back. I am just catching up on the news (it is very strange to go for several days with no news, but, honestly, it was kind of nice) and I will get back to offering thoughts on our increasingly strange culture inn a day or two.

A Brief Time Out For A Hurricane

I am taking time out from politics and social issues today for a hurricane. I am in Brunswick, Ga. and, starting sometime tomorrow, we will be getting slammed by Hurricane Matthew.  High storm surge, intense rains, and heavy winds will be upon us. The winds, depending on the exact path, will range from 60 to 100 mph. It will be a mess.

We will likely loose power, so I may be unable to blog for a bit. But, these storms are weird. Having lived most of my life in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., I have seen several and the only thing you can count on is that you can count on nothing. They sometimes weaken unexpectedly and sometimes they strengthen without warning. They sometimes move quickly and sometimes slow to a crawl and wobble around for days. This one is traveling along the very warm Gulfstream so any sudden change is unlikely, but who knows.

For once, I want to congratulate the news media. They have done a darn good job in reporting the news without getting hysterical. Government officials are also doing fine work.
You have got to let folks know just how dangerous these things are and make sure they understand the necessary precautions. If people pay attention and do what is necessary, they should be alright.

Anyone reading this who may be affected by this storm should know that they are going to have a very rough day or so, Do not go outside. Even when the storm has passed, be very cautious when you go out. There will be standing water and sometimes it can be quite deep. Do not drive your car through deep water; it will kill that car. Sometimes power lines come down and they can be live so touch no downed wires.

If you lose power, be careful cooking over fires and do not light a grill anywhere near you house. Carbon monoxide poisoning is an issue with fires in closed in spots and it won't hurt you to live on cold canned food for a few days. Fill every available container in your home with water. Sometimes, with power outages, cities cannot pump water for a few days and you really do not want to be outside standing in line for bottled water. Fill your bathtub with water; you can use that to flush your toilet.

Just pay attention, stay calm and use your head and you will be fine. Stay safe and I'll write again when this mess is past.

America and the Politics of the Absurd

We are entering the home stretch of our interminable Presidential Campaign. God, help us all. It is finally sinking in; Trump or Clinton will soon be President. Libertarian candidate, Gary Johnson, seems to have trouble forming coherent thoughts and coherent sentences and Jill Stein has about as much chance of being elected as Brittany Spears.

A new survey tells us that over 40% of voters don't know who the Vice Presidential candidates are. Just think. These are people who are being allowed to vote.

Donald has learned to give decent, reasonable speeches. Then, in the wee small hours, he goes on Twitter rants picking on a former Miss Universe. A few of his tax returns have been leaked and it turns out that this billionaire pays no income tax. It is true that he has broken no laws and that shows how screwed up our tax laws are but it sure looks tacky. His solution to our befuddling tax woes: cut taxes mostly for high incomes. This is Reagan's 'trickle down' economics, recycled. It was disastrous the first time. Folks forget that when Ronnie left office, we were in a recession. David Stockman, his economic advisor, the guy who thought up the plan, said in later years, that the whole idea was ridiculous. He was right but, you can't tell Donald that.

He is proposing huge spending increases with lower taxes. If you think that is possible, you need to seek therapy immediately. He is a belligerent, misogynistic bully and he seemingly lacks any semblance of self control.

Hillary is worse. She promises free college and young Bernie Sanders supporters go wild. In private, we have tape of her saying that the idea is ridiculous. She lies almost every time she opens her mouth and has been at it for years. Now, we have old tapes surfacing that remind us of how foully she treated the women who came forward telling of their misuse by Bill.

She is military crazy and in favor of using military force wherever she thinks we need it. True, that is part of the role of Commander in Chief but most Presidents at least make a pretense of wanting peaceful resolutions of problems. I will guarantee you that this woman will have the World in an uproar in her first six months and, guess what? Our military, fine as they are, is burnt out. We have been fighting in Afghanistan and Iraq longer that we were in Vietnam and have about as much to show for it; a bunch of dead and maimed troops. We have gained nothing from these wars and we will gain nothing from fighting in Syria, Libya, or whatever other hellhole she sends troops to and the thought of her negotiating with Putin sends shivers up my spine.

She claims she is going to tax corporations and the wealthy. No. She is not. They are her financial backers and she will not be biting the hand that feeds her. What she will do, and I am quite sure of this, is raise taxes on the upper middle class. The folks running her have all but eliminated the middle class. Next, they will be going after those who are still doing well. The well off but not wealthy. Why? Power. That is about the last group that they believe can produce people who are healthy enough and educated enough to stand up to them. They are wrong, but that is another story.
In short, Hillary is a belligerent, misogynistic (just look at how she treated those women who told tales about Bill) bully with absolutely no self restraint.

Like it or not, out choice is between Tweedledee and Tweedledumb. Or, maybe just Tweedledumb and Tweedledumber. I will vote Republican, holding my nose and trying not to vomit, only because I think that Donald will bore quickly with the job and turn the running of the Country over to advisors.

Again, God help us all.

America - Relax

I normally use this blog to rant and rave about the serious issues plaguing America. Lord knows, there are plenty/ The economy is downright weird, a mix of record high stocks and tremendous underemployment. The education system is a mess, with kids graduating yet unable to find their own state on a map, read at anymore than a sixth grade level, or write a coherent sentence.

We have troops all over the World, fighting wars that seem like they are now permanent. We have been in Afghanistan longer than we were in Vietnam. Iraq is a disaster and, Syria is being reduced to rubble. The tensions between the US and Russia are at the highest level since the Cold War ended and that fat little lunatic in North Korea is merrily testing nukes and missiles.

The Presidential campaign is stumbling toward an end. It is clear that most Americans, no matter who they plan on voting, for are disgusted with both candidates. Trump is promising to cut taxes while spending incredible amounts to stimulate jobs. That is completely impossible. Hillary is promising free college to everyone, an equally ridiculous proposal. All either will do is run up the debt, which will lead to the Fed running more money, which will just send inflation through the roof.

The answer? Take the weekend off and relax. All of these problems will be there on Monday morning. Put your worries aside for the weekend. The Ryder Cup is being played, baseball is winding down its season and there is plenty of college and pro football to watch. If there is nice weather where you live, get out and do something. Remember, winter is coming, so enjoy the last of the warm skies.

Read a book, watch a movie, take a nap, go out with friends and family. Do something you enjoy. Have some fun. The troubles will still be there on Monday morning, so get some rest and have spme fun.

America and the Great Debate - Part Two

Well, the big event, the Great Debate is over and, not surprisingly, it accomplished nothing. Neither participant was engaging. Donald looked pompous and angry and Hillary looked pompous and angry. Neither one got into any sort of detail and nothing was learned. Lester Holt was a bit of a dud as moderator and the whole thing was a big yawn.

I really had intended to writ a whole lot about what was billed as a mega-event, but why bother? Those for Trump still will vote for him and Hillary still has her die-hard supporters. When can we get passed these debates about who can be more presidential and actually get to some substance.

We have some big problems in this Country and I am getting a bit annoyed that this whole silly election has degenerated into a personality contest between two very unappealing personalities.

Oh well, this nonsense will be over soon.

America and The Big Debate

Tonight we have the big debate. Clinton vs Trump; best two out of three falls in a steel cage. No, wait. That's pro wrestling. Well, honestly, what's the difference? This is a spectacle. Nothing more.

For 90 minutes, these two will be at each others' throats. Debates, by definition, are reasoned, respectful arguments about important matters. When done properly, they are serious, sober and usually dull as dishwater. We will not be seeing a debate this evening.

What we will see tonight is a blood sport. The moderator might as well throw chunks of raw meat at the two and let them scramble for the treats. The American people, no matter what they say, are turning in to see a fight, a spectacle with all the gravitas of a big time prize fight.

The media is worse. If these two came out and had a proper debate, they would be appalled. They know that if there are no fireworks in the first ten minutes, the public will be frantically reaching for the remotes and switching to Monday Night Football.

This whole thing is a farce. No wait, a farce is a high comedy. This will be about as sophisticated as the Three Stooges. The only question is how low will they go?

American Insanity

Hi there, friends and neighbors, and let me welcome you to the show that never ends, America in this weird year of madness. I have been around a long time and been through a lot of extreme weirdness, but nothing like this.

We recently had a guy in NY and NJ who seemed determined to show his anger at America by blowing up dumpsters. The man's own father had told the FBI that his son was a radicalized lunatic and they had decided that he wasn't. Turns out Papa was right which makes me ask, 'Why are we paying all those over trained and highly paid profilers?' The shootout scenario that led to his capture makes no sense, but we have seen that before. To this day, no one has explained the equally bizarre San Bernardino shootout, but, I guess we are supposed to just sit back and believe everything we're told, so. okay, let's move on.

We have a guy shot in Tulsa and are told that he had his hands up. If that were so, this would be a heinous police shooting. However, video shows that while he did have his hands up, he kept walking toward his car and started to reach into that car for something. By the time I was 10, I would have known better. But, still we have protests of racist police brutality. Let everyone investigate and find out just what happened before spouting off, like Hillary did.

Then we have a cop shooting someone in North Carolina and citizens are doing the usual thing, They are protesting something that they know no details about by throwing rocks at cops, setting fires in the street and looting Walmart. I am fairly sure the Walmart manager did not shoot the guy, so why loot Walmart. Again, let investigations proceed. I know that police sometimes act badly, but get the facts before you act like idiots.

In politics, The GOP elephant, as represented by The Donald, is trumpeting and the Democratic donkey, that would be Hillary, is braying and I am beginning to wax Shakespearean when thinking a pox on both their houses. It is really a question of who is less disgusting. I will vote Trump for 2 reasons. 1. I loathe the Clintons and 2. Trump seems to be surrounding himself with some bright, sane people and I am sure that they, not he, will really be running things. However, we must get through the debates. Debates should be reasonable, rational discourses by competent people representing opposing sides of an argument. A Fox News commentator slipped yesterday and said. 'this ought to be quite a spectacle.' That's all this will be a show, where everyone sits around and hopes the 2 start screaming insults at each other. The debate is on TV opposite Monday Night Football  and may well be a better show. It might even get better ratings. But it will not advance our political dialogue or help voters reach a better informed decision, which is supposedly its purpose. Maybe we are about to admit that we, as a Nation, just want a good show.

Ah well, I have to go and I leave you with the words of PT Barnum. "No one has ever gone broke by underestimating the intelligence of the American public." I'll even throw in these words from Bob Dylan's song, Idiot Wind. "We're all idiots. It's a wonder we can even feed ourselves." Bye for now. Have fun watching Trump and Clinton hurl abuse at each other.

America and the Latest Bombing - Enough is Enough

Well, it's happened again. Another terror attack in the USA. Blessedly, no one has been killed but, come on, enough already.

First, let's get politics out of the way. Ms. Clinton came on, after the first explosion and cautioned that we had to wait for confirmation that it was a bomb. Now, I have not heard and seen everything, but I don't think that I am the only one who has never heard of a dumpster flying through the air, spewing shrapnel, without the aid of a bomb. In addition, her demeanor was deplorable. She looked bored to tears and annoyed that she was being disturbed. She is not fit to be President.

Second, the events that have just unfolded leading to the capture of the suspect. We are told that he left finger prints, DNA and a traceable cell phone. Since he was not a suicide bomber, he must have been exceptionally incompetent, or, something funny is going on. Also, he was seen sleeping in the doorway of a bar, began shooting, then got in a car and drove off, only to stop a short while later and start another shootout. If he had a car, why was he sleeping in a doorway? Did someone pick hum up? Something very funny is happening and we likely will never get a straight answer.

It seems that authorities had knowledge of this man and had watched him a bit. That is what we heard about the Orlando shooter and the San Bernardino shooter. Again, something is wrong.

Do we not have enough cops to watch people? Do we need money to hire more? If so, then why the hell don't we stop spending countless billions to make Afghanistan, Iraq, and Syria safe? Why are we defending S. Korea? They are a prosperous nation, let them defend themselves. And, why are we keeping NATO forces? Do we really think Putin is going to invade Germany? Hell, he hasn't even invaded the Ukraine and seems rather timid about doing so. If we cannot make our own Nation at least relatively safe, why do we think we can safeguard Nations that don't even like us?

Or, is all of this just a game? A very deadly shadow play of smoke and mirrors designed to keep us all off balance and on edge, and, thus in line. Will all of this be a pretense for gun control and a tightening, if not outright censorship, severe censorship. of the internet? Or, are our current batch of leaders just a band of totally inept buffoons, a confederacy of nincompoops who cannot do a damn thing, unless you dangle a bundle of cash in front of them. Enough is enough.

My advice? Sit tight, hold what you have, roll with whatever punches get thrown at you and be ready for anything. For now, vaya con Dios, mi amigos.

America and the Rise of the Deplorables

By now, I am sure you have heard Ms. Clinton refer to Trump supporters as a 'basket of deplorables.' This is one of the most idiotic statements I have ever heard come out of the mouth of a politician and I have heard a whole lot of idiotic politicians. It was not only an amazingly stupid political move, it was deeply insulting and shows how she and her ilk (I like that word) really feel about average working Americans. She, and the elitist slime she shills for, think of the rest of us as backward, ignorant redneck slobs, illiterate, bigoted and dangerous. Well, I am not backward by any means. I come from a family that could be called redneck and I wear the tag proudly. I am not only not illiterate, I am far more widely read than her or her cronies ever will hope to be. I am not a bigot, although I have had to work hard to overcome the prejudices I learned in the culture I grew up in and, in that regard, I am like every other human that walks this Earth, including Hillary, Willie, Barak, and all the other pseudo-intellectual asses in their circle of supporters and sycophants.

As far as dangerous? Well, I am not a violent person simply because I do not fight battles I cannot win, so I am of no physical threat to anyone and anyone who thinks they can fight the government is going to have a hard awakening. There are folks who back the various militia groups, who threaten harsh reactions to the Federal Government's further encroachment on our rights. They will not win a direct confrontation and I urge everyone to use their heads. Those of us who use our heads are the most dangerous opposition that passel of fascists will ever face.

Do not break laws, at least not in any way that will get you caught. Work around the government as much as possible. Develop your communities and watch out for each other. Cooperate and do as much as you can within those local groups. Do not withdraw from the world, just be careful in your interactions with it. Learn as much as you can. That will become a chore.

Why? Simple. If those power grasping, money grubbing, idiots do win, they will, more and more, restrict education. The common folks  that they loathe will be taught in schools only enough to function at whatever little job they are assigned. All other knowledge will be restricted, including, maybe even especially, what you can find on the internet. Knowledge is power and they want all of that to themselves.

I am telling you that soon, books will be restricted. Libraries, if allowed to exist will be stocked with James Patterson novels and inane self help, New Age psychobabble. You will not be allowed access to real learning. The solution? If I were younger, and especially if I had kids coming up, I would buy and/or download as much decent literature and as many history and science texts as possible and, after packing them in water-proof containers, hide them away. In the future, they may be as rare as gold. Read Ray Bradbury's fantastic Fahrenheit 451 for a vision of a possible, perhaps likely, future.

The future, if Hillary is elected, will be nightmarish. In truth, it isn't her that I find frightening. Well, yes it is but, she is not nearly as scary as those backing her. But, as much as I do not trust or like Donald Trump, I implore everyone to vote for him, just to at least slow down the fascist, totalitarian train that's speeding our way. If he turns out to be a disaster that is better than the certainty that she would bring and, maybe in 4 years, a real candidate will come along. If she is elected, don't sweat the next election. It will be meaningless.

If I had the means, I would start printing T-shirts today. I would be proud to wear a shirt that reads "I Am Deplorable."

America and the Election, Backsliding into Politics Again.

I swore off politics a while back. I swore that I had written my last about this completely bizarre fiasco of an election, but, sometimes, something so out of line is said, that I cannot hold it in.

This morning, while waiting to see if there was any real news, I caught a minute of Hillary's latest speech, and I was appalled. That is saying something because I am not easily shocked by the statements of politicians. She called those planning on voting for Trump 'a basket of deplorables. ' She then specified, calling them, xenophobic, Islamaphobic, and homophobic. Now with Trump currently polling at about 47%, she has just insulted almost half of America's voters, not something a Presidential candidate usually doesn't want to do.

This is akin to 2 elections ago, when Barak said that many voters were just clinging to their guns and their Bibles. Only Hillary has gone way, way past that. She has just painted half of America's voters as ignorant bigots. So much for her talk of wanting to unite the Country.

Do Americans have prejudices? Sure, everyone does. I am sure that the Clintons have a few themselves, since no one has ever accused either of them of being saintly. Even the few saintly who have walked the Earth have had some prejudices. Jesus referred to Samaritans as dogs and the Buddha did not want women in the monastic order. (Jesus ultimately praised the Samaritan woman for her faith and the Buddha relented and admitted women and praised them for their devotion to his teachings and for their discipline and compassion)

Most Americans I have known have worked on ridding themselves of these flaws, and while few have been totally successful, most have come a long way. I remember, growing up in the South, when there were still 'colored' and 'white' drinking fountains, where there were still 'no Jews allowed' signs and gay people were called many foul names and had to remain hidden deep in closets out of fear, not only of job loss but of physical abuse. A sane person, running for President would go out of their way to congratulate the Nation for making so much progress in just 60 years/

Instead, she drives another wedge, insulting many and indicating. almost explicitly that, if elected, she will be looking down upon half the population while catering to those who are wise enough, enlightened enough, to follow her. Mark my words, all the people she just so thoroughly insulted will be shoved aside, when she gains power. If she gains power.

That is becoming a bit more iffy. I cannot, try as I might, understand how she is getting away with her countless misdeeds. She should have been indicted, tried and locked away by now, but there she is, still in the race. I could say several insulting things about her supporters but I refuse to lower myself to her level, yet. There does come a time when you just have to get in the mud if you want to catch a pig, but not quite yet. There is still time to stay on the high road. I just find it difficult to accept that we are possibly going to elect someone who, over the years has skated on every charge brought against her and her sleazy husband, the less than honorable former President Willie Clinton.

Still, I should not be surprised. P.T. Barnum said that a man would never go broke by underestimating the intelligence of the American people and right now, I can certainly say that he is right, at least when it comes to the half about to elect her.

As far as The Donald goes, well, I still do not trust the man, not as far as I can throw him, and. with my bad back, that's not too far. However, recently, he has managed to keep his feet out of his mouth and sound calm, rational ,surprisingly compassionate, and even a little Presidential. Folks, he is the only game in town, and he still has a chance, so vote for him. If you simply cannot bring yourself to vote for him, I full understand but, in that case, please do this. Just don't vote for President and. for the rest of the ballot. vote Republican, at least a Republican Congress when coupled with Republican State officials might balance the evil lunacy she will put this Nation through.

America and the Powers That Be, What's Going to Happen

Let me be clear about something. We have all of these groups milling around, working in similar areas but, I do not consider this any kind of conspiracy. I am fairly sure that there are no meetings where heads of the participating groups sit around and write out scripts that they want to see followed. What happens then? Easy, they know each others interests and ways of operating. When they share common interests, they contact each other and work together. However, these groups have divergent interests and goals. Every one of them seeks to dominate the World and that is the saving grace. Power does not share and, eventually, they will turn on each other.

Another reason their schemes will not work is simple human nature. Throughout history, individuals have dreamed of running the show. They recruit followers and build huge, dominating structures, churches, corporations, military, land holdings, whatever they are most attracted to. Then they spread out, gaining more and more power. Sons, and sometimes daughters (not too often, these folks tend to be patriarchal), take over. Maybe they hold Daddy's dream but, at some point grandkids or great grandkids come along and decide,, 'why bother? Let's just enjoy the old man's money.' Decadence sets in and Kingdoms, Churches, Corporations etc. fall apart. Or maybe they continue, but they lose the drive to dominate. It may take generations and, from time to time, new power seekers try to revive the movement and, they always fail. Example: The Vatican. The Church has fallen and risen repeatedly, each time its is a bit weaker, but there is still some life in it.

So, the actions of those seeking World domination is periodic. Coming out of WW2, they made a big push and such atrocities as Operation Gladio, Project Phoenix, and MKUltra were perpetrated along with the out and out thefts of the various huge banks and the environmental havoc various industries have caused. Things seemed well planned but now, well, the whole thing seems chaotic. It seems that no one is in control. That make sense. The old guys who made the plans have died and evidently, they took some of the secrets of those plans to their graves. This is creating an overly bizarre situation but, that has to be. Eventually, we will sort the whole mess out and things will run well, for awhile. Then, someone will get big ideas again, and start the whole mess once more. That's just human nature. We need to enjoy the good times because they won't last but, we will have good spells.

One more thing. As the sons and grandsons of the PTB grow more decadent, they will move more and more in the real world. The founders of these powerful groups pushed elitism and kept Junior in exclusive schools and made them join exclusive clubs. As that fades and the kids see more and more of the common folk, guess what? They often find us likable and even a spoiled brat from a family of power hungry monsters has trouble hurting those he likes.

In short, yes the PTB are real but, there is no Grand Conspiracy, just a lot of madmen jockeying for power. They work together at times. They stab each other in the back at times. And, ultimately, they will fail, then some other idiots will try the same thing. Maybe, someday, the Human Race will grow out of this, but not yet. My advice? Keep an eye on them, be ready to duck when they get too overbearing, try to find ways around them. Fighting should always be the absolute last option pursued because they are powerful and there is no point in fighting battles you are not likely to win. Hang in, enjoy your life as much as you can and realize, ultimately, the PTB will not win.

America and the Powers That Be, Our Version

How America and the PTB link is truly weird. A sociologist, Caroll Quigley, a mentor of Bill Clinton, wrote that America divides into the Yankees and the Cowboys. This is way too simple, but useful. The Yankees are what was once known as the Eastern Establishment, folks like the Rockefellers, John and Allen Douglas, Henry Kissinger, and a host of others. These folks have a deep fondness for, and deep links to Europe, especially England and the Vatican. Many were members of the Sovereign Knights of Malta, especially those with intelligence ties. They tend to be a bit on the liberal side and some are out and out Fabian Socialists.

Some also tie to non-British royalty. The Shikshinny Knights have some sort of strange tie to the Russian immigrant community, the White Russians, deposed royalty. They also have been, at times, big in the intelligence community.

Many of these folks are tied to the Ivy League Schools and a good many are members of the silly, yet overly powerful Skull and Bones society and many, are, yes Freemasons (although how that ties in, other than as a social club is a shadowy area I'm not even going to attempt to cover; you could waste a lifetime on that and never touch bottom). These folks are rich, powerful, and ruthless. They have surprisingly deep ties to Organized Crime, using them to do their dirty work (remember, the CIA has long partnered with the Mafia on shared interests).

The Yankees, however they first got rich, are basically financiers, bankers, money manipulators. They are 'Old Money.'

The cowboys are 'New Money,' having made their wealth from oil, mining, cattle, and land development, and defense industries.  They are definitely, in  no way shape or form, socialist or liberal. The Yankees want One World Government, with them at the top along with European and Asian rich folks, and to some degree the Church. The Cowboys want One World ruled by the USA, with themselves as leaders. The Yankees rather like small wars that keep things upset, thinking that this allows them to slowly gain control. The Cowboys would love to see WW3, with them winding up on top.

The Protestant members of the PTB have some religious ties. Consider a group which calls itself 'The Family.' They are a pseudo-Christian group, who readily admit that they will do most anything to bring about what they call a Christian world. What they believe is decidedly un-Christian. They believe that they are rich because God ordained that and that, as such, they are meant to rule the World. They loathe Democracy and are the deeply fascist (so are the Yankees, although they are a bit more subtle). Ms. Clinton is a frequenter of their meetings, so remember that when you vote. Also, next time you see news about the National Prayer Breakfast, remember that it is brought to you courtesy of The Family. How can Clinton tie to this group and be a Progressive (Fabian Socialist)? Remember, fascism is a kind of socialism.

What of the mega Corporations. They tie to everyone, at least for now, They have not quite reached the point where they can make a big power play and try to shut the others out. Almost, but not quite.

All of these folks, on all sides do have something in common. They can always use money, preferably money that cannot be traced and as such, they have no compunctions about working with very big time drug dealers and arms traders. And, another thing they have in common is an unnatural, pathological urge to control.

Confused? Good for you. If you understood all  of this, I would be concerned for your sanity. These people and organizations are deeply, deeply disturbed. Why? Who knows? Sometimes, something just goes wrong with human beings and, unfortunately, it does not make them any less clever. Actually, it seems to help them in their pursuit of riches and power.

As I said, the Yankee/Cowboy division is woefully simple minded and my post has not been an attempt to put all of the ducks in a row. These groups may, ultimately, despise each other, but, when their interest overlap, they can and do cooperate, very effectively. Sort of. There in lies our great hope. And, there is another ray of hope. People are people and a man's offspring may not give a damn about all of his grand plans. That is the subject of my next post, the last in this series.

America and The Powers That Be, Other Players

As you look about at information about those trying to rule the World, some bit players show up. These folks really play minor roles but, some would have you believe that they were stars of the show. Some are important. Some have their positions very distorted.

Organized crime, especially drug dealers are big time players, as are arms dealers. They show up everywhere, interacting with various organizations but, they are merely small time thugs being used by the truly powerful.

The various militaries get mentioned. Again, important, powerful, but the days of militaries taking over governments are over, except in some 3rd World Nations ( I hate that term, but it is handy). In any advanced country, if the military takes over, it will be at the behest of more powerful folks. The armies are just minions of the powerful elite.

That goes double for intelligence agencies. Here and there, I see the CIA painted as demons spawned in Hell. They are not. The CIA, like any other organization, is not monolithic. There are factions. Some have been almost leftist, some very much fascist, and most, in the middle just doing their jobs. There have been power struggles, back stabbing, and hostile takeovers. There certainly have been rogue elements who perpetrated atrocities, both in foreign lands and in our own, but they were just that, rogues, operating outside of the agencies main focus. True, some of these rogues were high ranking, powerful men, but they did not represent the whole agency. And guess what? In the long term scheme of things, they were simply lackeys, doing the bidding of their masters. By the way, all of these things can be said about our other agencies such as the FBI and the DEA and I bet they would also apply in any discussion of the KGB.

There is another group often singled out by those trying to figure out just who runs things, Jews. Let me say, loudly and clearly, there is no Worldwide Jewish Conspiracy to take over the World. None. This nonsense has gone on long enough. Are there wealthy, powerful Jews? Of course, just as there are wealthy and powerful Hindus and Mormons and Baptists. That means nothings. Are the Rothschild's powerful? Absolutely, but so are the Rockefellers and the Royal Family of England. And guess what, there are a whole lot of poor Jews. I know, because I have been friends with quite a few. Well, what of Zionism and Mossad? Mossad, like every other Intelligence Agency, like any other group of people, has good and bad and has done no more evil than any other group operating on the fringes of social structures. As far as Zionism is concerned, they wanted the creation of a Jewish state, Israel.  Since that's a long done deal, Zionism is kind of silly to bring up at this point, yet some continue that idiocy. Israel exists so, get over it.

Nope, the big players are the ones mentioned in the previous posts: the Vatican, fascists, mega Banks and mega Corporations, with a smattering of the old aristocracy and the remnants of Fabian Socialism (aka Progressives, just think Hillary and Barak). How these interact in America will be the next topic then I'll wrap things up with a few, surprisingly optimistic forecasts. Well, optimistic in an odd sort of way.

America and the Powers That Be, Corporations

Free enterprise, often cited as America's economic system, has been dead for many years. We have now moved into an era of Monopolistic Capitalism. To all you conservatives who bray and whine about our need to get back to unfettered free enterprise, get over it. That ship sailed along time ago.

I will not even attempt to make a list of giant corporations. For one thing, the names are ever shifting. In addition, the names don't matter. When you examine things you begin to find that what seem to be competing corporations are often owned by one, even bigger corporation. Not only that, what seem to be competing mega-corporations often have many of the same people as major share holders and members of the Boards of Directors often switch back and forth from one to another.

These mega, monopolistic corporations are not even fascist in orientation. In fascism, the State and Corporations run nations together, These Corporations barely give lip service to government. Why should they when they own them? In all countries where they get a toehold, which is just about all countries, they simply buy off the government. That is the case in this country.

Don't believe me? Look at what Big Pharmaceutical companies get a way  with. They put out a huge number of products that are anywhere from ineffective to near poisonous, at enormous costs, all with the consent of the FDA, which is supposed to watch and protect the American citizens. And the same thing goes on in every industry there is.

Mega Corporations do not see and do not recognize National borders and they own the governments. Of all the players in our little game of Risk, they are the most dangerous. Still, there are a few more bit players and, next post, I will mention them, briefly. then, over the next couple of posts after that, I'll tell you what I think is happening and how, maybe, this all might end (maybe not as bad as many think).