Saturday, December 31, 2016

HAPPY NEW YEAR

I want to wish all of my readers a Happy New Year! Thank you for your loyalty! I haven't produced much new work lately and for that I apologize. A combination of pulled muscles and arthritis make typing exceedingly uncomfortable. I will get back into things as soon as I can.

Have a happy, peaceful, and prosperous 2017!!!!!

Monday, December 19, 2016

A Few Things

First of all, I want to wish everyone a merry Christmas. And also a peaceful, prosperous and happy New Year. If you are of a praying nature, please offer a prayer for our country. If you are not of a praying nature, you might give it a try. It can't hurt and you may be surprised at the comfort it can bring. We are at a great crossroads and have an opportunity for resurrection. A resurrection our country badly needs.

Secondly, I know that I haven't been writing much lately. A few small problems make it difficult for me to type. Hopefully I'm on the way back.

And finally, I have a Christmas present for you. I have written new lyrics to an old song. With apologies to Roger Whitaker, this is to the tune of "The Last Farewell".


There’s a truck that sits all loaded at the White House,
Tomorrow to old Georgetown it goes.
From his land full of sycophants and servants
To our land where one uses his own dough.
No magnificent free vacations.
No longer will the traffic clear the way.
For he has screwed us all and harmed our own great country,
More deeply than the spoken word can tell.
His silence would be great.
More welcome than the spoken word can tell.

There’s a wicked war ablazin’ in the Mideast.
But mind you all he is not to blame.
It might be Bush or Trump or Hillary.
But naught was ever done bad in his name.
He claims he knows more than the generals.
But real problems went unsolved.
For he has screwed us all and harmed our own great country,
More deeply than the spoken word can tell.
His silence would be great.
More welcome than the spoken word can tell.

Monday, December 12, 2016

The New America

I will start out by saying that I was not a supporter of Donald Trump. I did vote for him because I felt that Hillary Clinton would be a terrible President and would do serious harm to the Republic. As I have, far too many times, I voted for the person I believed was the lesser of two evils.

Since the election, I am much encouraged. Mr. Trump is doing a far more restrained and presidential job than I expected. While the Democrats have just tanked into rancorous ranting. The control of the Democrat party has been left in the hands of old, and I do mean old, guard, like Nancy Pelosi, Joe Biden, and Chuck Schumer. No progress there. While the front runner for the chair of the DNC, we have been told, is a Muslim with ties to CAIR and other jihadist organizations.

While the corrupt press is trying to present the Trump organization as being in turmoil and unable to reach decisions regarding staffing of the new administration, they actually appear to be prompt, open, and thorough in their deliberations.

There has been no covert operations, sneaking people in and out the back door. All have entered through the lobby of Trump Towers right in front of the press hungry to rip any and all candidates.

What they have not seen is a stream of barely known political hacks who would operate in the party's best interest. Not in the interest of the American people. What we are seeing are people who are mature, experienced, intelligent, and successful. Pretty much the opposite of the administration which is presently in power.

Mr. Trump made a lot of promises during the campaign. He seems to be making a good honest start at doing as he promised. Anyone with a lick of sense knows that all will not be perfect. But I am still much encouraged. Although some of his choices were not choices I would have made, they are still excellent choices.

It would be nice now, if all Americans rallied behind him and gave him an honest chance the way we all did for Barack Obama. Let him succeed or fail on his own merits. Some hopeful unity would be good for the American people right now. That way we may actually have the new America.

Saturday, December 3, 2016

Make Our Navy Great Again

I was just sitting and musing about President elect trump's first moves. So far, better than I had expected. I hope he gives the job of Secretary of the Navy to an old fashioned, hard ass, deep water Admiral. The Navy needs help. They have been degraded and embarrassed. 

The new Zumwalt class destroyers are a good example. There are serious questions about stability in a following sea. The first one to sea has broken down twice. Once in the Panama Canal. It is not as stealthy as it could have been because they cut the budget.

I got to thinking that those responsible should be "hung from the highest yard arm" as they did in the days of wooden boats and iron men. Then I got to thinking, they don't have yardarms any more.

Then I got to thinking, yes they do. There is one US Navy ship of the line that still has a yardarm or two. The frigate Constitution, Old Iron Sides, is still in service. OK so we are not actually going to hang anyone from the highest yardarm.

But, then I got to thinking, how about taking Old Iron Sides on a Navy Pride sail. I'm sure there are those in the Navy who know how to sail a square rigger. Not to long. Not around the world or anything. I was thinking two weeks to a month. It would be great exposure. TV news, local and national, would be all over it. Maybe even put a couple of videographers aboard for the duration.

I was thinking, out of Boston harbor, south around the Cape and Nantucket. Sail past Martha's Vineyard, and around Block Island. Head up the West Passage of Narragansett Bay, around Jamestown Island and out the East Passage. East to the Cape Cod Canal and get a tow through. Past Plymouth harbor and back to Charlestown where she's berthed.

That would certainly help to restore the shine on one part of America's great military. I hope someone in the new administration sees this and gives it consideration. 

Tuesday, November 29, 2016

My America

I miss my America. It has changed over the years, and not for the better. Love of country is now referred to as "nationalism" and is framed as a bad thing. Christianity is assailed and denigrated. The white population is called "supremacist". Police and military are spat on by those not qualified to shine their boots.

When I started school, WWII was in full swing. Food was rationed. Almost all production went into the war effort. Women who had never worked outside their home went to work in factories doing jobs that only men had done in the past.

In school, we said the Pledge of Allegiance, saluted the flag, and sang patriotic songs. We brought in nickles and dimes to by War Stamps. When we had enough, we traded them in for bonds. Everyone had skin in the game. My uncles served in the military and I was proud of them. Thank God, they all came home.

We learned civics and geography. We learned about the rest of the world in social studies. We learned to read, and most of us learned to love books and the knowledge they contained. We were taught real arithmetic and later, mathematics. Not all of us planned on college. But in those days there were good manufacturing jobs where skills could be learned and hard work and ambition became a ticket up the ladder. Loyalty counted.

Sometime in the sixties, the geniuses that ran our country decided that Americans shouldn't get their hands dirty anymore. Everyone should go to college and work in offices. We no longer needed manufacturing. We could be a service society. Many apprenticeship programs that provided great training for those who couldn't or did not want to go to college just faded away. Manual skills were looked down on.

In those days, our freedoms and our privacy were respected. The government was much smaller and didn't try to control everyone's life. If you did not live in the 30s, 40s, and 50s, I cannot explain to you the sense of freedom that the average American felt. I dearly wish that I could. I really miss my America.

Saturday, November 26, 2016

The Hollow People

Recently I used the term "hollow people" in a response to an on-line article. Circumstances cause me to expand on that little piece of snarky name calling.I was referring to highly opinionated, left wing, hot air bags from the entertainment industry.

There are some really smart and informed people in showbiz. They are the exceptions. Most are focused entirely on themselves. They speak other peoples words and sing other peoples songs. The successful ones have entourages where no one dares say "no".

From the time they first showed talent, they have been pampered and coddled. They have personal trainers. They are dressed by someone else. They are made up by someone else. They have managers to handle their business. Security is provided by others. All is artifice. There is no there there. They are hollow people. Their lines, thoughts, and ideas are supplied by others.

Because they are successful and earn huge amounts of money, because those around them tell them how smart they are, because they receive no evidence to the contrary, they wallow in their personal greatness.

In fairness, being a big name in show business is time consuming. You may never appear out of the current style. You must be seen in all the right clubs with the right escorts. You must make the rounds of the right TV shows. You must always be edgy. Sit down and read a whole newspaper, no time for that. Way to busy.

But they are constantly asked to opine about current events that they have only the most shallow knowledge of. Being "big names", they will always state their opinions as if they were chiseled in stone and brought down from the mountain.

Well that's all OK. They have the right to speak their mind. But the under-informed masses glom onto their word and believe. Why Michael Moore, Lena Dunham, and Susan Sarandon get so much influence in the media, I will never understand. After all they are just hollow people.

Wednesday, November 23, 2016

Happy Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving has always been my favorite holiday. I must put the rumor to rest, I did not celebrate my first thanksgiving the year George Washington made it a holiday.

What makes Thanksgiving great is that it is a pure family and/or friends day. No pressure. No presents. Just good food and football. What could be better.

The only pressure is on the person responsible for the meal. I was that one twenty-eight times in a row and I loved it. The secret was, if I cooked, others cleaned up. If you have ever seen a kitchen after I cook a major meal. It is not a pretty sight.

So, give thanks for all that we have that is good. Ignore, for the day, all that we face that is bad. Eat hearty! Enjoy the games and the L=Tryptophan induced nap. 

May you and yours have a wonderful and peaceful Thanksgiving.

From me and all the Cranky clan!

Saturday, November 19, 2016

First We Are Americans

One of the major mistakes, and there have been many, that Democrats have made in recent years is that they have put party before country. They have a liberal agenda of globalization. They have ignored their oath of office to preserve, protect and defend in favor of loyalty to George Soros and his billions.

For many years, Mr. Soros was the man behind the curtain. You had to read a lot of news and dig deep before you realized that he was the master puppeteer of left wing politics. To put it in perspective, he could have served as the model for Ernst Stavro Blofeld of the old James Bond movies. All he needed was a white cat.

In the opinion of many, including myself, this loyalty to an anti-American political philosophy has become an existential danger to the Republic. We are at, or very close to, a tipping point from which there will be no return.

But there are still those out there, including the majority of the media, that are clawing and scrambling to negate the results of the last election. A group of famous philosophers once proposed that "you can't always get what you want. But sometimes you get what you need".

Maybe we are getting what we need with Donald Trump. Maybe his "bull in the china shop" "take no prisoners" attitude is what will pull us back from the brink. Statesmanship had its chance. What we got was politically correct gobbledy-gook. 

While Mr. Trump is too brash to be a statesman, he does love his country and he is moving forward appointing smart, experienced, and skilled people who believe in "America first". It will be a battle. But it is a battle worth fighting and a battle we cannot afford for him to lose.

He must protect our borders, protect our people, and,above all, protect our Constitution. Achieve those three things and we and the country will win. Much to do in so little time.

Tuesday, November 15, 2016

Random Thoughts - Eighty-Nine

In his first four years, Donald Trump will actually serve our country about one year longer than Barack Obama. No twice a week golf. No extended vacations at taxpayer expense. Millions saved and more work done. Good deal.

I have voted in fourteen Presidential elections. I have never seen rioting and destruction due to a Constitutional change of state. Most of these rioters are bought and paid for, apparently by the Globalist cabal lead by George Soros. This is intolerable and un-American. Strong measures, including arrest, trial, and prison must be forthcoming. 

Liberal Democrats claim to fame is they are deeply concerned with the welfare of the "common" man. They are kind and loving, by their own admission. But for some reason, they feel that it is acceptable to do a complete and thorough character assassination on anyone who differs from their political opinion. They will destroy you, your family, your business, and anyone who supports you. They will even, lately, hire thugs to go out and assault anyone who takes your side. That is just evil. 

Speaking of evil, the spoutings from Harry Reid's mouth lately are sick and degenerate. Is he still representing Democrat thought, or has he just lost it?

People of the Jewish faith should be aware that there are many Democrats who are pushing for Representative Keith Ellison to be chairman of the Democrat National Committee. Mr. Ellison is an antisemitic Muslim. With the strife in the world today, especially in the Middle East, is this a wise choice?

My Patriots lost Sunday night. I watched most of the game. I admit to finding Pete Carroll very annoying, but the Seahawks played well and played hard. Both are great teams. I guess Seattle just wanted the win more than the Patriots.

Both Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton should be on TV demanding an end to the violence being carried out in their names. By not doing this they are supporting and encouraging it.

Wednesday, November 9, 2016

What Dems Must Do To Survive

While so many were predicting the death of the Republican party with a Hillary win, it seems more like the possible death of the Democrat party with a Trump win. The Democrats have done so many things wrong that I thought I would dip an oar in and try to help them out. 

I can remember when there was a conservative branch and a moderate branch in the Democrat party. But around the time of LBJ, they started to veer left. Eight years ago they made a hard left turn into liberal globalist social elitism. That might have played well in the salons of Washington and New York, but not so much in what the social globalist elites call "fly over country"

They must get rid of the disdain that they show for the majority of Americans, referring to them as non-college educated working class. I have known many well educated fools in my life. Most of them could not, in a life time, figure out how to build or repair anything. They create nothing but words and theories. Show respect for those that have capabilities that you, in your fondest dreams, will never have.

Lose the idea that "political correctness" does anything but get in the way of honest communication. Get a sense of humor and realize that not every caricature is an insult and not every taco is stealing someones culture. To paraphrase a famous psychiatrist, sometimes a good taco is just a lunch.

Stop denigrating those who are white and Christian. Truth be told, white folks with a Judeo-Christian ethic got this country free and moving forward and they welcomed others who came to enjoy the freedoms that they fought for. Their record may not be perfect but it is better than any other country on this planet.

Stop blaming any repudiation of your elitist ideas on racism, sexism, homophobia, Islamophobia, and any other of your phony excuses. Sometimes you are just out and out wrong.

Finally, get a little humility. It is sadly lacking in your words and deeds.

Tuesday, November 8, 2016

Prediction

It's four o'clock and I have not been watching the news, just Facebook. I'm saying Trump by four. Actually I said that to my wife yesterday, but I thought I'd go public just for fun.

Saturday, November 5, 2016

Cheating

I've never been a big fan of cheating or cheaters. From as far back as I can remember "don't cheat" has been drummed into me by parents, teachers, coaches and who ever. And that is right, cheating is just the same as stealing.

But, once again, if you are a liberal, rules do not apply to you because you are so much better and want to make the whole world better in your image. So, any means to your end, becomes the new rule. 

High Democrat mucky-muck and erstwhile CNN employee Donna Brazile passed debate questions along to the Hillary Clinton campaign, to give the woman who is so prepared to be President that she needs no extra advantage, an extra advantage. In doing this Ms Brazile reduced herself to nothing better than a sneak thief.

Ms. Brazile is now suffering the results of her foray into crime, having lost her employment. I don't know if charges can be brought, but she should also be drummed out of the Democrat corps. (For President Obama, that is pronounced core, like in an apple.) I doubt that this will happen. 

But more to the point, Hillary accepted getting a heads up on the debate questions and used them to prepare. That is just dishonorable. She wants to be President of the greatest country in the world, but has no sense of honor and the public knows this. 

So, her qualification are that she is dishonest, untrustworthy, and she is a woman. That is hardly the proper resume for a job like President of the United States. It seems we have a contest of "how low can you go?" Ms. Clinton has supplied the answer.

Tuesday, November 1, 2016

Character Counts

To be honest, in this election cycle, the character of both candidates is questionable. I would not want either at my home for a dinner party. They are both loud, boorish, and self-involved. Both are also old, white, and very rich, which makes me surprised that they had enough support to become the candidates. 

So, how did they get so rich? It seems to be true that Donald Trump was jump started by a substantial loan from his father. From that, his riches came from his own efforts in the business arena. Principally from buying, selling, and developing property. That is a tough cutthroat business. You have to be equally tough as well as smart to succeed. There are constant lawsuits, zoning problems, and clashes with contractors. Show weakness and they will run right over you.

Hillary, except for a brief stint at the Rose Law firm, has been involved in government. But through the years she and her husband have parlayed public office into a roughly twenty million dollar fortune. How, one might ask? Why, by accepting contributions from foreign governments and others that need influence in our government. In other words, they sold what was not theirs to sell.

Many voters today, were not politically aware, when Bill was roaming the hallways of the White House with his zipper down, trolling for female interns. The Clintons accepted a large donation from the Chinese government and allowed them to buy some of our latest military technology. Then there was the time that they sold a large chunk of our uranium reserves to Russia. Military fighters to Saudi Arabia? No Problem. The list is endless.

Then there are the non-cash donations to the Clinton Foundation that never got declared as income on tax forms. Need a plane ride to a vacation spot or an exotic location for a high priced speech to Wall Street moguls? Just call any one of a slew of shady business people or some Arabian prince. Done and done.

Then, have one set of positions for the little people and a contrary set of positions for those with the big bucks. Yessir, they have come a long way from their old scam of selling a night over in the Lincoln bedroom.

And just to touch on Benghazi for a minute. There were people ready to go in and save those four brave Americans. They weren't allowed to because Hillary was more concerned with offending the Libyan government. So they were sacrificed.

While Donald Trump may be rude, crude, and socially wayward, I can think of no one in American politics of lower character than Hillary Clinton.

Saturday, October 29, 2016

Random Thoughts - Eighty-Eight

I am really concerned about education in our country. I see young people interviewed on the news and they are sadly lacking. We are fortunate. we live in the suburbs where parents are concerned and take part. We have decent schools. Unfortunately, the cities, especially the inner cities seldom have that advantage. But there are still kids there who want to learn. Who know that a good education is their way out. The cure is available with magnet schools and school choice. The only reason that it is generally unavailable is liberal politician subservience to the teachers unions. We need to stop sacrificing the children.

I love the Sandals commercials. Beautiful island. Beautiful water. Beautiful people wearing beautiful clothes. Everyone dances like a dance instructor. Everyone plays tennis and golf like a pro. I ain't going there. I'm looking for a commercial with plain folks with beer bellies and muffin tops who trip on the dance floor and muff every other shot. I'd go there because I would be among my own.

Director Comey is trying to resurrect his reputation with the help of Anthony Wiener. He may be doing the right thing, but his reputation is gone, never to be recovered. My advice, clean up this mess and go.

I realize that I have been doing a lot of "Random Thoughts". My readers seem to enjoy them and I enjoy writing them. With the ugliness of the political scene, it allows me to make some serious points and still add some lightness. It's just fun for me.

I have to finish this today. Tomorrow is Patriots football. A second crack at the Bills but with Brady. This is going to be good.

As they say around here "not fur nuttin but", why, when they find vote tampering, is it always Republican votes that are switched to Democrat. I'm seeing a distinct pattern here.

We have got to put a time limit on electioneering. Politicians have just made things miserable with there little lusts for power. Four months. That should be more than enough!

Monday, October 24, 2016

Writer's Block

I know that I haven't written much lately. Sorry about that. I don't know if I have writer's block or if it is that I am just so disgusted by this election. Hillary is trying to tell us it is "for the children". It isn't. It is about her getting power. If she and her fellow leftist democrats do, they will shred the Constitution. They have the first, the second, and the fourth amendments in their sights. Personal freedom will be gone. 

Meanwhile Trump goes around shouting like a demented twelve year old who has not yet learned to filter his speech. If it pops into his head, it comes out his mouth.

But, at least I have my Patriots. 6 and 1. Next Sunday, retribution.

A note to my southern New England friends. Your going to need a new calendar soon. There is a Massachusetts organization called Vest-A-Dog. They purchase vests and safety equipment for police K-9s. This is a great cause. Go to mavestadog.org and buy their calendar or other products. Great dog pictures and you'll be doing good works. My favorite is March, he's family.

Monday, October 17, 2016

Leopardesses Don't Change Their Spots

HRH who would be queen of the known universe, hasn't changed a bit over the years. And that is not a good thing. The stories have been repeated from too many venues over too many years not to be believed.

Back when she and Bubba were the top dogs in the top kennel in Arkansas, tales started leaking out about her harsh treatment of her state police security team. Right from the git-go she apparently looked down upon them in utter disdain. She treated them like servants and cursed them out royally for any perceived slight.

As time marched on and she and Bubba got to be the top dogs in the big white kennel, her attitude, it has been repeatedly said, got no better. I'm not sure if worse is even possible. Multiple sources have told of the sad and rude treatment she rained down on the Secret Service agents sworn to protect her, even to interfering in their ability to do their job. But, it seems, that it wasn't just Secret Service, police and military were also subject to her scorn and derision.

More time passes and Her Royal Highness ends up as the Lord (OK, Lady) and Master of Foggy Bottom. The second most powerful position in our government. As Secretary of State, she had her own police force, Diplomatic Security. These fine, well trained agents, took the privilege of guarding the Secretary, as an honor. But not under Hillary. Senior agents who normally fought for the position, were now fighting to get out of the job. Ultimately, she ended up with a security team of junior agents.

As it is told, she not only looked down on the agents who would take a bullet for her, but she also derided and embarrassed our Ambassadors. It is protocol, when traveling in a foreign country, for the Secretary and the Ambassador ride together in their armored limousine. Hillary would oust the Ambassador and travel with Huma Abadin, her friend and Deputy Chief of Staff.

The point being that the woman handles power like her own personal club as a weapon of fear and subjugation. Should a person of this nature hold the reins of power of the most powerful nation on Earth.

Thursday, October 13, 2016

Random Thoughts - Eighty-Seven

I haven't written much lately because I've been tied up with personal stuff. 

I'm not happy that the Red Sox went down in three, but I'm happy Brady is back. Speaking of baseball and football, the last Sox game was the best called game that I can remember. The umpire was consistent and precise with the strike zone. It can be done but seldom is.

That having been said, I don't have anywhere near as good feelings about the officiating on Patriots games. Some calls against the Pats seem a little weird and some against opponents seem to be ignored. But, maybe, it's just me.

I hate this presidential campaign. I dislike both candidates, but I dislike Hillary a whole lot more.

Hillary said that a candidate must have a public and a private position on issues. What she is saying is that her actual position is the opposite of what she proclaims to us "little people".

Director Comey of the FBI should resign. And if he doesn't, those under him should resign in protest. Because of him, we are no longer a nation of laws.

Respect the flag and respect the National Anthem, or stay out of the public arena. People have died to protect your right to act the fool. That doesn't mean that you should.

Violent attacks on police officers are increasing. There seems to be a sense of entitlement, especially among young men of color, that they have the support of the President and that the police are legitimate targets. We are also seeing more "kill the crackers" and other threats on the white community. This must be stopped before it gets much further or we will be seeing open warfare.

The next ship or boat that fires on a US Naval vessel should be blown out of the water before they can get a second shot off. The same goes for shore installations. John and Barak, stop micro-managing military decisions. You are both incompetent at it.  

Friday, October 7, 2016

Future Food

I have always admired those people referred to as Futurists. Thinkers and philosophers who see what is now and compare that to future needs, and suggest what the future may be like. Although ill equipped, I am about to take a shot at being a Futurist.

The third world is pockmarked with small farms barely feeding families or villages. Some of the more prosperous countries grow large quantities of a single crop or two, like rice or wheat. The land area of Europe is insufficient to have farms that can feed the world.

Canada has a short growing season. Mexico contributes, but not enough. The United States has the land area, the technology, and the massive agri-business to handle the load today. But not into the future with today's efforts.

There are cities, like Detroit, where large areas have fallen into ruin. Right now they give no value back to their city. I can see these blighted areas being plowed under and huge, warehouse like, structures being built. Multi-story buildings where one acre of building would yield five or more acres of productive space.

I picture fish tanks on the top floor where talapia, salmon, trout, and other species of food fish could be grown and harvested. Underneath there could be floors of twelve foot tall tomato plants in a constant production cycle. Below that floors of various greens. The waste from the fish could fertilize the plants. One end of such a building could be dedicated to harvesting, processing, and shipping their product.

A program like this would clean up destroyed neighborhoods, provide jobs, and enhance tax revenue for the cities. I think that it would even be feasible to provide free public transportation to bring workers in without wasting space on parking lots.

I have seen fish raised indoors and plants raised indoors. It is just a matter of uniting the systems and increasing the scale. All we need is leadership.

Sunday, October 2, 2016

Random Thoughts - Eighty-Six

I wish that Barack Obama showed as much concern for our police and our veterans as he does for "Black Lives Matter" and the Muslims of the world.

In three hours, the Patriots will start their fourth game of the season. It will be the last without Brady. If they win this one, they will be 4 and 0. That will really stick it in Goodell's shorts. And we fans will smile and smile and smile and.............

It must be great to be twenty years old and know all that there is to know. But it is harsh to get to be forty years old and realize how little you actually do know.

Those that continue to deny that most of the violence in the world today is rooted in fundamental Islam will change their tune as it increases in number and scope and they are personally and deeply affected by it. Pick up a Quran and read the immutable words of Allah as told to Mohammad.

Liberals live in a world where ideas and intentions replace facts and reality. 

The United Nations is attempting to override the sovereignty of the United States.  It is trying to impose laws, taxes, and regulations. Our President seems amenable to this. It must never be allowed. He has already ceded control of the internet. He is a globalist and his dealings must never occur. Also, is this another Obama policy that Hillary would adopt?

My immediate plans are to have lunch and watch some Patriots football. But I, like MacArthur, will return. 

OK. My Patriots lost. I am not terribly surprised. A rookie Qb and they did not play well. The Bulls did. But, call me suspicious, not that I want to cast aspersions on NFL officialdom, but there were a number of weird penalties, or lack of same, that make me wonder. They would not have won anyway, but I dislike tampering in sports, and I am of a cranky and suspicious nature.

Saturday, October 1, 2016

Pander Bear

A good presidential campaign recognizes the issues confronting the country and delineates programs to deal with those issues. This year there is no good presidential campaign. There is not even an adequate presidential campaign.

This year we have the two worst examples of presidential politics that I can remember. On one hand we have an oversize man with an oversize ego shouting oversize ideas with no true plan to fix any of the multitude of problems we face.

Slightly, and only slightly, does he deserve credit for, at least, naming and sort of describing those problems. Recognizing the problem, being the first step in  solving it, gives hope that he may surround himself with smart and competent people and charge them with getting the difficult jobs done.

The other candidate can barely pander enough. There is no group, voting bloc, ethnicity, or social program that she will not pander to. She waxes poetic and gives big hugs to people that she would not live within miles of, as long as it is on camera. 

And when she has no immediate group to pander to, she reverts to that old Clintonian standby, originated in the Bubba campaigns, "it is for the children". When there was no logical reason to begin a program dear to their hard little hearts, it was always "for the children". It almost never was, but since the obedient press never questioned, all was good in Clinton's Washington.

This year we have the best of two sad choices to select. Since "none of the above" is not going to work for us, we have to choose the least bad for the country. With all of our difficulties, I cannot see the pander bear doing anything but digging the hole deeper.

So, once again, I will hold my nose as I vote, and go for Donald Trump. Please God let me be right.

Tuesday, September 27, 2016

The Debate, As I Saw It

It was quite a night at Hofstra. Little good. A lot of bad. A ton of ugly. It was less a debate than it was a cat and dog fight. With two cats and one dog. It was very hard to watch, knowing that one of these two people, the ones at the podiums, were going to be our next President.

Note to Donald Trump: Mitt Romney totally ripped Barack Obama in the first debate. There are two more debates. You still have a chance to get it right. Attitude adjustment required.

There are things that Mr. Trump needs to do to polish up his act. He needs to speak in complete logical English sentences and stop echoing himself. He has to stop acting as, because he in in the room, all other personalities dim in comparison. He has to keep his eyes open, his head up, stop looking bored, smile more, and look directly into the camera. He also has to trouble himself to get a grasp of facts, figures, and statistics.

As I said, there were two cats in that cat and dog fight. While Hillary was a bobcat, fighting even against Trumps pit bull demeanor, she had another cat with big claws joining her attack in the person of Lester Holt. The man who should have been a neutral moderator was anything but.

When Hillary was cornered, Mr. Holt was there to distract. When she needed to make points, Mr. Holt was ready with a softball gently thrown over the plate. If Donald seemed to be on a roll, Mr. Holt was there to interrupt and up the ante with a more intrusive question.

Hillary had no plans nor logical programs. Many points that she made were incorrect. Her grasp of economics and war fighting is sub-standard. Her premise for running for President seems to be, I am a woman, it is my turn, and I will be Obama squared.

While everyone will draw their own opinions of a mediocre debate, those are mine. My main conclusions still is that it is a sorry mess we have gotten ourselves into.

Saturday, September 24, 2016

Free Fire Zone

Once again, we have learned the true value of a "gun free zone". And we have learned it the hard way. As criminals and madmen don't give a rats rear end about our rules, "gun free zones" actually become free fire zones for them.

The perpetrator of that vicious attack at a mall in Washington state walked in with a rifle. He destroyed the lives of five people. Then he walked out disappearing into the countryside. He may, eventually, be caught and punished. That will not bring those five good citizens back. Also, if he is smart and careful, he may never be found. And that is so much worse.

The point is that those innocents in the mall had no means of defense and the shooter knew that he would be unchallenged. While this is a horrendous crime it is also a striking metaphor.

The liberal progressives of America want to discard the second amendment and disarm the honest and law abiding populous of this country. Their ideal is to make our country their own huge "gun free zone".

Of course, that does not mean that their would be no guns. The police, the military, criminals, and terrorists would still have firearms at their disposal. The criminals and terrorists would be the least of our worries.

Who controls the police and the military? Lifetime, power hungry, career politicians many of whom are globalists. We are not just talking a few guns here. We are talking about millions of large caliber weapons, many fully automatic along with a plethora of various armored vehicles. 

The American people would no longer be citizens, we would be subjects. As a large number of these politicians would do anything for money, those who control their money would control them and the fate of our nation.

Many reading this, I'm sure, are thinking, that could never happen. But then, on the other hand, maybe.........

Wednesday, September 21, 2016

A Helping Hand For Embarrassed Liberals

There has been a picture floating around the internet for a little while now showing the Trump sons standing over a very dead triceratops. It is a great little photo. This picture was taken out on the street and shown to liberals who were asked if it was right and proper for the Trumps to be killing such a rare animal.

They were all shocked and amazed that the Trumps would do such an "unconscionable thing. Rare animals like the triceratops should be preserved in their natural habitat. "

Since triceratops is a dinosaur and has been extinct for quite some time now, this is very embarrassing for people of the liberal persuasion. 

I got to thinking that there may be an explanation, and like those crypto-biologists on the History Channel, I was going to investigate. 

I started with a examination of the photo. As I have some Photoshop experience, I could be my own expert. Great, I didn't have to pay anyone. After a very careful perusal, I decided that it as least as real as those Bigfoot movies.

So then I started to ponder how they could get up close and personal with an extinct creature. I picture formed in my mind of a Delorean with a Flux Capacitor. Oh sure, the movie Back to the Future was supposed to be fiction.

But was it really? The Trumps have money. Money can buy access to technology unknown to the rest of us. So, suppose that rigged out Delorean was real. Suppose that one could reverse the polarity on that Flux Capacitor and go into the past.

Suddenly it all became very clear. Those liberals, in their own inimitable style, were on to something that the rest of us had missed.

So, I suggest that liberals carry a copy of that picture along with this highly scientific analysis around with them as proof that they are about a smart as we thought they were.

Monday, September 19, 2016

Are We Awake Yet?

Political correctness is wrecking our country and empowering those that hate us. The policy of ameliorating those who would kill us, to the point of never speaking their name, encourages them and puts Americans in danger.

The folks who would disarm us and give a pass to Islamists on jihad are well protected. They live in the White House, or governors mansions, or Gracie mansion in New York and are well protected by the Secret Service, or state police, or city police. 

Even those who speak with such great and grand knowledge from Hollywood, it's surrounding environs, and similar enclaves, live behind walls in gated communities with their own private security.

Notice that all of those who would disarm us, are surrounded by gun carrying security specialists. Whether they be private or governmental, they are trained and well armed.

So how do these bastions of political propriety protect us little folk. In airports they take away nail clippers and pat down Episcopal grandmothers and Baptist babies, just don't do anything to upset anyone carrying a prayer rug or praying to Allah in Arabic.

A White House spokesman says we are having a narrative battle with ISIS. What does that even mean? We're going to have a debate? Hillary says these latest bombing attacks are due to Donald Trump's harsh rhetoric. 

We know that 9/11 was financed by Saudi Arabians. We know that Iran is the worlds largest financier of terrorism. The same Iran that Barack Obama has just presented with billions of dollars on his own, without congressional approval. So our President is helping to fund the war against Western Civilization.

There is a choice of three reasons why liberals are so supportive of Muslims, even though it puts the rest of us in peril. They are fear, stupidity, or money. My bet is on money. To paraphrase a cartoon character, "we have met the enemy, and he is some of us".

God bless America. We need all of the help we can get.

Thursday, September 15, 2016

Random Thoughts - Eighty-Five

It is not usual for me to do two Random Thoughts this close together, but I had a lot of little points to make.

Has anyone considered that President Obama has done far more for the Iranian economy than he has done for the United States economy.

A note to young women, there is not much in this world sadder looking than an old woman with tats.

I don't care how much the price tag is, no woman wears a Hillary style pant suit because they want to.

Some say that old Bill has lost his edge. I say he has lost his edge, chipped the blade, and hasn't got a really firm grip on the handle, if you get my drift.

So Harry Reid wants to make it a presidential campaign issue that Donald Trump eats fast food. Really? This just gives me a chance to use the words senile, old, and fool in the same sentence. 

The President wants to disarm veterans and the elderly but the New Black Panthers can parade down city streets carrying assault rifles and machetes with impunity and, apparently, immunity. 

I am not deplorable because I am not supporting Trump. Or anyone else. But I feel compelled to repeat that I think that a Hillary Clinton Presidency would be a total disaster for the country.

If you think we have the full story on Hillary's health issues, you are fooling yourself. More here than meets the eye. I am starting to think that that body double rumor may be true. They are so secretive that we may never know.

I, as well as many others, will be overjoyed when this election is over. I only pray that the next President will speak only when there are important things to be said and will wait until all of the facts are known before speaking. Please, no more daily lectures from one who thinks they are the smartest person in the world.

Monday, September 12, 2016

Pitiful Times

I have not been too productive in my writing of late. There are a few reasons for this. Some personal. Most have to do with the news and the presidential campaign. Without a doubt, this is the worst political campaign for the major office of our land that I have ever experienced.

There are hugely important issues out there that are virtually ignored by the press and the candidates. One side tells us that, despite what we see and experience, all is great we just need to do more of the same things that haven't worked, backing that up with insults for those who see things differently.

The other side seems to recognize some issues but says nothing convincing as to solutions. And as they progress with their campaign lite they frequently shoot themselves in the foot supplying blood for the ever adverse press corps.

One of the most important issues is that some, who knows how many, of the Islamic faith are trying to import sharia law into this country and control our political future. They are at war with us, the kaffirs, and those that should protect us don't even acknowledge the enemy. In fact they go out of their way to coddle those who hate us.

Our economy is in the toilet and Wall Street is living in a financial bubble. The FED is in a quandary. They have a tiger of their own making by the tail and the don't know how to let go without bringing the whole economy down.

The country's financial growth is at a standstill. Good jobs are lacking. I see men, who in better times, would be earning good salaries, stocking shelves, delivering groceries, or waiting table in neighborhood restaurants. All honest work but not what people aspire to.

But our leaders create more regulations that drive people out of the work force. They attack the Bill of Rights as an impediment to their control. Issues need discussion by those who seem ill equipped to discuss anything of merit. Make no mistake, we are the fools that allowed this to happen. We are the ones tasked to straighten it out.

Tuesday, September 6, 2016

Random Thoughts - Eighty-Four

The political reporting, if you can call it that, is the worst I have seen in my lifetime. Both Kennedy and Bill Clinton had a big advantage in the press. But I have never seen the press be the campaign tools that they are now. It is beyond shameful.

Thank God we will have professional football to restore some sanity in the news and particularly on the TV.

I love politics. I have been a political junky from a very young age. This year isn't politics. This is just viciousness. Upright and honest is out. Greed, dishonesty, and character assassination is in. Our two major candidates both cannot be trusted. We know it, but the press is trying to make us believe we are wrong. The whole campaign smells.

The winds are just starting to pick up but the rain has not started yet. It looks like the leftovers of Hermine are on the way. Except for the damage that may be done, I secretly love watching big storms. Hurricanes, blizzards, big lightning storms are truly awesome. I have never seen a tornado, but I think I am willing to take a pass on that experience.

It appears to me that Hillary is wilting under the pressure. She is constantly surrounded by handlers. This torrent of, "I don't remember", answers to the FBI makes her either a liar or someone with a mental deficiency. If either case is true she should not be running for President. A Hillary presidency could turn out to be the Cheryl and Huma show.

Has Chelsea picked a campaign manager yet? I'll bet plans are being made.

So, China has insulted our President. North Korea has insulted our President. Russia has insulted our President. The Philippines has insulted our President. Turkey has insulted our President. Mexico has insulted our President. The Queen of England has insulted our President. Iran has insulted all of us. And all of our old allies are angry at us. I guess, in a very peculiar way, he is uniting the world.


Just to repeat, Hillary says that she thinks that Obama's policies are great. She wants to double down. God help us if she wins.

Thursday, September 1, 2016

The Power Of Speech

Let me start by saying that I am not a fan of either of our major candidates for President. I think my writings have made that clear. I am physically unable to sit and listen to a complete major speech by either of them. But I do try to listen to a part of each one to get a feel for the tenor and tone.

I listened to part of Hillary's latest speech yesterday and part of Donald's today. They were, as the saying goes, as different as night and day. 

Hillary's speech was obviously thrown together to offset Donald's sudden trip to Mexico. Though they were caught unaware, the speech was typical Hillary. It was harsh, shrill, loud, and grating. It was a patchwork of obfuscation, exaggeration, and innuendo. She, once again, tried to convince us that the past eight years have been glorious and she, doubling down on Obama's policies will make the next eight even gloriouser (comic relief intended). She truly believes we are blind and stupid.

The thing that was missing in Hillary's diatribe was a delineation of any programs, plans, or new ideas. Same old, same old, same old, but more of same old. Lets all get out there and dig this hole we're in a little deeper. That should solve our problems. 

Donald's speech, on the other hand, was well thought out, well written, and reasonably well delivered. If he had been speaking like this from the beginning of his campaign, I feel his "unfavorabilities" would be a whole lot lower. It was still Donald, but he talked of programs, showed an understanding of economics that you would expect from a successful businessman, and reasonable promises. 

Gone, at least in what I heard, were the over the top exaggerations and braggadocio. He sounded much more reasonable and even presidential.

In either case, one speech does not a campaign make. However, I will say that listening to some of these two speeches has raised my hope for the future, if only a little bit. 

Saturday, August 27, 2016

How the FED is Hurting The Middle Class, Making The Rich Richer, And Protecting The President

I wish people paid more attention to economics. I still think Economics 101 should be a high school course, not college. But, be that as it may. Economics is complicated. Cause and effect might not be perfectly obvious. If it seems obvious, it is probably wrong.

Here is an example. To some, it seems obvious that, if taxes are cut, the government gets less money. Actually, when taxes are cut, business increases, profits go up, and tax revenue increases. This actually works in spite of denials by those on the left.

Here is another example. Some (liberals) believe that if interest rates are low it will improve the business climate. This is mostly not so. If the tax level is reasonable and people have confidence in their government, a short term lowering of the interest rates can give a shot in the arm to a lagging economy, ala John Maynard Keynes. But as a long term strategy, it does not work.

There are , however, a number of effects from long term low interest rates. The worst is that it picks the pocket of the middle class and the elderly. I saw a big sign in a bank window yesterday, touting a great interest rate on eleven month CDs. That rate was 1.25%. In other words, give the bank $1000.00 of your money for 11 months and they will give you back 1012.50. What a great investment.

Interest rates on regular savings, which the elderly and middle class rely on, runs around a quarter of a percent. That is the FED putting their hand in our pocket for all the wrong reasons.

With low interest rates stocks go up. That is where the rich store their money. Business is slow. The economy is not growing. So businesses cut back. They lay off people. Close unprofitable facilities. Sell off marginal lines. So those businesses remain profitable and remain a good investment, so the rich get richer.

So why does the FED do this in the first place? They do it to protect the administration. Our government is spending cash that they don't have like it is free. But it is not free. They have to pay interest on the national debt. If rates were high the payments would bankrupt the country. So they either lower interest rates or decrease spending. 

Since they seem to have about as much fiscal responsibility as a five year old in a candy store, they get the fed to lower interest rates. Now they are trapped. They have a weak economy, and low interest. To get the economy going they must raise rates. But if they do that, the stock market may crash. They are in a trap inside an economic bubble. 

In the meantime the poor, the middle class, the elderly, and the economy as a whole, suffer just to benefit politicians and the rich.

Thursday, August 25, 2016

The Pitiful Press

Do you read or watch what is referred to as the "main stream media" by the low information crowd. They are easily identified. They are the line of drab pencil pushers and excessively sleek talking heads that are lined up, with lips at full pucker, behind Barack Obama and who are transferring en masse, to line up behind Hillary Clinton, just waiting for the chance to slobber upon the royal butt. (Try to unsee that picture.)

The older members of this legacy media should know better. They were brought up in the business in a time when reporters put aside their personal leanings because the story was the important thing. Many old-timers, especially in the print media, had no more than a high school education. 

They learned their trade on the job. They tended to start at small local papers writing obits and covering city council meetings. But, thanks to tough editors, they sank or swam. Those that swam best moved upward. But then the educational system reared its often ugly head.

Suddenly, the news had to be examined through a prism. That prism is most definitely liberal and idealistic in almost all cases. Research and confrontation have been replaced with the acceptance of press releases and softball questions.

At one time in my past, I was campaign manager for a few political campaigns. In that position, I wrote many press releases. These releases went to two newspapers. The very small local paper printed them pretty much unedited. As long as grammar and spelling were good, you got printed. 

The very much larger area newspaper was more discerning. Sometimes your releases got spiked. Sometimes they were heavily edited. Once in a while they published you whole. That was a long time ago when the news attempted to report fairly.

Those days are gone. I hope not forever. Surprisingly, the fairest take that I get on American political news comes from foreign sources, followed by those that lean conservative. The liberal press plays so far to the left that they can't even see the middle of the road. And that is just pitiful.

Tuesday, August 23, 2016

Existential?

Our President and, most recently, our Vice-President seem to feel that we need not have a "War on Terror" as terror is not an existential threat. I must assume, by that statement, that by "existential threat", they mean a threat that is capable of totally destroying the United States of America.

Such a definition leaves very few existential threats in the world. Two at the most. But such ideas are generated by very fuzzy thinking. Both our President and our Vice-President admit that terrorism can cause damage. Both agree that many American lives could be lost.

We all know that these things have already happened with tragic results. But, it seems, that we are to accept these losses as the normal course of history and not strike back. Using such logic, the police should ignore robbery, rape, and murder on the streets of our cities and concentrate on what? Drug cartels and organized crime. The FBI should ignore white collar crime and concentrate on counter-espionage?

We are all America. Every one of us and every one of our institutions. An attack on one is an attack on all. In today's world, we all face existential threats every day. Our administration, with it's globalist mind set, cannot recognize this. They see themselves as looking at the bigger picture. The problems of the "little people" are a mere bumps in the road to that great one world government that will exist only in their addled minds.

There is no bigger picture. Our existence is a patchwork of little pictures. The lives of us all intermixed and interactive. Someday there may be a world government. But not in this century or the next. The European Union was a start to make that happen. That is already falling apart.

The President swears to preserve, protect, and defend. This President has done a poor job of it because he has his mind set on grander issues. Grander issues are getting us, as a country, no place. In fact we are regressing.

If we want to keep our life style. If we want a great and successful America we must staunch the bleeding and turn things around. The sooner the better. Because we do face an existential threat, it just comes from within.

Sunday, August 21, 2016

I Remember

 I remember when I could go fishing and catch a couple of fish for dinner without some loud mouth activist screaming at me.

I remember when hunting was an honorable pastime as it allowed folks to feed their families with good food at low cost.

I remember when farmers could farm their land and improve their property without the government getting in their face telling them what they must and must not do.

I remember when you could start your own business with a few dollars and a lot of guts.

I remember when your healthcare was between you and your doctor.

I remember when the government supported the family unit rather than financing it's dissolution.

I remember when Christianity was respected.

I remember when the government didn't support one religion over another. 

I remember when the Constitution was the law of the land not a pen and a phone.

I remember when the best politicians strove to be statesmen because they actually loved their country more than their party.

I remember when America wasn't a pushover.

I remember the good old days. May they rest in peace.

Thursday, August 18, 2016

Loud, Shrill, Strident, and Angry

While I have been resting my back, although I am ashamed to admit it, I've watched some TV. News, of course. OK, also a show I've grown fond of called "How It's Made". But the news has been edifying.

All Hillary and Donald. All day. Every day. Week after week. I've discovered a few things that I didn't get by reading print news. 

If Donald has taken a "chill pill" before he speaks, he is at least tolerable. Being a rich grown up kid, born into a rich family, he never developed those mental filters that most have to control what comes out of their mouth. Most of us learn to keep things to themselves, lest they be seen as foolish and thoughtless. Not Mr. Trump, and that is his biggest weakness.

Hillary has one voice. It is loud, shrill, strident, and angry. It is also grating and annoying. She has no reason to be angry, she has risen to a level that she never earned by doing things that most of us would be jailed for.

Beyond all of that, she has her own version of the truth, which she proclaims loudly, shrilly, stridently, and angrily, in spite of overwhelming evidence against her self-serving version. Worse yet, the many members of her media support club go into a self brain washing mode to attest to her veracity.

For the past eight years we have received daily lectures on our country's failings and our failings as a people from a self aggrandized, self proclaimed genius who history will label a grand failure. I, for one, do not want to listen to even four years of shrill left wing diatribes from the woman who sold the Lincoln bedroom.