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.