Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is getting a huge amount of press. I went back the records for her district of 711,000 people. In that district there are 214,000 registered democrat voters in that district, 33,000 republican.
The primary election had 28,000 Democrat voters come out, she won 17,000 to 11,000. In the general election she won 110,000 to 20,000. The long term democrat man she beat in the primary got 9,000 votes, I guess a write in.
Why are we so intent on listening to a person who got so few votes, and was voted for in the general just because she was a democrat?
I think we should pass an amendment that says, if 50% of the eligible voters do not turn out for a primary or general election, it must be held again.
The “Sacred”
From “First Things”, “A religion of Activism”, April 2019
Sociologists find that all functional societies have a sacred tradition that is required in order to promote its’ goals. When those tradition’s are trashed, what then takes their place so that the society can continue to function for the benefit of its’ members?
The law of unintended consequences is powerful. Change is always needed to adjust practices when power is abused, as it always will be no matter who is in power, but, trashing everything has been proven to create turbulence and suffering.
Think ahead before ripping something up. What will you put in its’ place?
THe Southern Law Poverty Center
The SPLC has done incredible work in the past bringing light to inequities in our “Justice” processes. They have now become a hate organization, like those on their list published annually.
You Tube now uses them to filter posts. Yet, many of the “Hate Organizations” just have a different opinion than they about how to solve a problem. So, suppressing speech you don’t like is, fascist.
Mussolini sort of invented fascism in the 30’s and was quoted and feted by American progressives until he threw in with Hitler. “Liberal Fascism” is an interesting book about this actual history. But, he was as suppressing of speech he didn’t like as Hitler.
Anyway. National Review’s Kyle Smith did an interesting article, https://www.nationalreview.com/2018/03/southern-poverty-law-center-bias-hate-group-labels-scam/.
We need to talk, not judge. Henri Nouwen has a great quote, “It is impossible to be compassionate when you judge.”, that is a paraphrase. http://henrinouwen.org/meditation/a-nonjudgmental-presence/.
Paying Bad Teachers NOT TO WORK
The title is from the WSJ, it talks about teachers in NYC who have been rejected by all the schools they applied to after being moved out of their job, for whatever reasons. They are in the Absent Teacher Reserve, what a euphemism! NYC spends $150 million, $150,000,000, a year for those 850 teachers to not work because no one will hire them (2016-17 school year data).
The two school unions spent tens of millions dollars in the last presidential election, over 90% to democrats. Let me think about this. Politicians set salaries and other funding, the teachers then spend money on those politicians’ elections. Sounds just great. I think that all politicians should solicit funds from those companies they regulate. NO WAIT! That is a conflict of interests, the democrats say. No kidding!
A solution. Teacher unions are forbidden by law to contribute to political campaigns. Public corporations are now allowed to contribute to political campaigns and the left has gone nuts saying how this will destroy democracy. They have just been allowed to do what unions, both public and private, have always been allowed to do. The difference in my mind is our tax dollars fund the teacher unions through tax funded wages. USSteel, among others, just got Trump to impose duties on metals. Lobbying is part of our system, but that money didn’t come from my tax dollars.
This same logic applies the the unions for government employees. No political campaign funding. Or, it must be fifty-fifty.
Alabama has failing schools, just like all states, especially blue states. Yet, the union has spend tens of millions of dollars resisting charter schools. NUTS! STUPID! If a public school is failing, close it, put it our for bid to an accredited charter organization and then reopen in the same building next school year. Then when a teacher is lousy, fire them! Look what it took to fire VA officials who have been caught in negligence, yet the union forced the VA to rehire.
Our kids are the future. Yet, we have been falling down the scale of competency when compared to our economic competitors for three decades. Our current system has to change. The power lies with those refusing to admit failure in results, at the expense of our kids.
Donald Peterson, Lindsey Sheppard
These two people are in the news from Canada, resisting the PC culture in Universities and beyond. Canada has made it illegal to not obey the rules about how folks speak. Both of the these folks are very reasonable yet the whole power of the government and university are aligned against them. When a person who presents two sides of an issue regarding race, etc., is called a racist anonymously then we are approaching fascist behavior. When such a person suffers consequences without due process we are destroying a foundational pillar of a society that through fits and starts has helped people realize their dreams.
These two you tube sessions are most interesting. A bit long, worth the time.
https://video.search.yahoo.com/search/video?fr=mcafee&p=don+peterson+and+joe+rogan+1070#id=1&vid=16c0225ae81bdca12afe36a54c65a033&action=click
http://www.endofyourarm.com/2017/12/lindsay-shepherd-on-rubin-report.html
LNG
Finally, we are now shipping LNG to Europe, announced this week. Poland has signed a contract to dump Russia for us!
Divided we Fall
I was reading Mark 3 and came across 24-25.
24 If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. 25 If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand.
These verses were used to discredit the Pharisees who were telling Jesus healing on the Sabbath was sin and that He had to getting his power from Satan.
But, they have been purloined by many, ole’ Abe Lincoln among them.
Today our politics are divided, wrapped with vile accusations on both sides, inflamed with “Op Research” or fake news, on and on. Both sides have moved away from the center, in equal measures, see study by Pew a couple of years ago. http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2014/06/12/7-things-to-know-about-polarization-in-america/.
We need a leader, or leaders from both sides to hit Washington upside the head with a wet cod. We have always disagreed about what to do about a problem, always will. My goodness, can’t we move towards one another a bit.
Go to Problem Solver Caucus, https://www.nolabels.org/blog/problem-solvers-caucus-calls-legislation-tackles-tax-reform-infrastructure-together/.
God Bless to all, and to our experiment in government, may it not fall, per the admonition from Ben Franklin.
| QUOTATION: | “Well, Doctor, what have we got—a Republic or a Monarchy?”
“A Republic, if you can keep it.” |
| ATTRIBUTION: | The response is attributed to BENJAMIN FRANKLIN—at the close of the Constitutional Convention of 1787, when queried as he left Independence Hall on the final day of deliberation—in the notes of Dr. James McHenry, one of Maryland’s delegates to the Convention.
McHenry’s notes were first published in The American Historical Review, vol. 11, 1906, and the anecdote on p. 618 reads: “A lady asked Dr. Franklin Well Doctor what have we got a republic or a monarchy. A republic replied the Doctor if you can keep it.” When McHenry’s notes were included in The Records of the Federal Convention of 1787, ed. Max Farrand, vol. 3, appendix A, p. 85 (1911, reprinted 1934), a footnote stated that the date this anecdote was written is uncertain. |
Six Seconds to Live
The WSJ had an OPED of the above title recently. Part of a speech given by now WH Chief of Staff, Kelly.
Last week there was lots of turmoil about the words used by President Trump to console the wife of a Soldier killed in the middle east. Trump asked Kelly what to say and tried his best to put those words into his own. Well, the words were heard by a Congresswoman who was riding with the wife and she then criticized Trump for his tone and words.
Take a moment to read the WSJ piece. Kelly Six Seconds to Live. General Kelly knows of what he speaks, yes, he spent most his adult life in the Marine Corps and thus dealt with death on a regular basis. Consoling loved ones and being consoled when his son was killed.
Did Trump do right by calling, absolutely. Were his words perfect? The conversation was not recorded so we live with what the congresswoman and the bereaved wife reported. Who knows how to console perfectly? I am not sure anyone does, but does the effort count? Absolutely.
Instead of criticizing how the message was delivered in such times of sorrow, how about having some decency and not comment. The congresswoman should be ashamed of herself, if the wife wanted to come out with a comment, that’s her right. The congresswoman is using another’s grief to attack another politician; it is just gross, smarmy, low down, worthless, unseemly and many more “Roget’s” synonyms.
Respect seems to have left the public domain. Make your point with facts then enter into a conversation about differences. This applies to both sides.
NHS Refuses Care
The health care mess continues. The Bernie followers want single payer. Talk to the those using the VA, see how they like it. “But ours will be better they say.”
Britain has had single payer since they threw out Winston CHurchill immediately after he won WWII. An OP-ED in the WSJ on October 24th is attached, NHS Refuses Treatment. Although I actually agree that if a person has health damaging life style choices, over eating and smoking in the article, there ought to be consequences. My view is much higher health insurance premiums.
But, the government saying we will with hold treatment until you change is a typical over reach of bureaucracy, “I am in charge and I will actually endanger your health because I can.”
How about other lifestyle choices. I refuse to exercise! Well if your doctor decides you need to exercise then you will have to utilize the tools available today to monitor your exercise. Today those tools are used by companies to encourage healthy exercise so to lower premiums, or receive a bonus, whatever. I want to race cars, or pilot an aerobatic plane, or climb Mt. Everest-you pay a higher premium. You increase your risk of needing medical care, you suffer a consequence. All of the above will raise life insurance premiums, why not health?
My view of the issue is we want freedom without consequences. How about not requiring all people to purchase health insurance? Sheer idiocy. “You can’t force me to buy anything!” Well actually we can, do you want a car, you must buy a minimum insurance policy to cover liability. When some idiot decides not to buy health insurance and gets cancer, who pays, WE ALL DO!
“Citizens United Disaster That Wasn’t”
The WSJ, October 17, 2017, headlined an editorial with the above title. Since SCOTUS decided 5-4 that corporations can spend money on elections (not directly to candidates) the Democrat Party and others have been dodging the pieces of sky falling on them.
The issue was large in the 2016 cycle, HRC and BS (I love his initials) were all over it. “Special interests are going to buy elections….”
Well, the results are in. And as usual in politics, the facts trash all the hype. The top twenty donors in the 2015-16 cycle donated $607 million dollars, $398 million went to Democrat focused super PAC’s, $208 million went to Republican focused super PACS’s. The top donor was Thomas Steyer-$89 million (D); the second was Sheldon Adelson, $77 million (R).
Of the $1.8 BILLION that was sent to super PAC’s, only $85 million, 4.7% came from corporations. WILL SOMEONE WHO CATERWAULED SO MUCH ISSUE A RETRACTION, BERNIE, HILLARY, SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE, WASHINGTON POST, NYT, ANYONE!!!!!! Of course they won’t;
“A lie can travel half way around the world while the truth is putting on its shoes.” M Twain
Maybe John Paul Stevens’ 90 page dissent against the ruling can be used in law schools as a caution about blathering on without understanding the facts.