Looking Behind Us, In Front of Us, and Looking Ahead

I continually marvel at the wealth of wisdom one can find on the Web…if one is willing to rummage through the trash.  Like most everyone else, I am largely a product of what I ingest.  And lest you wonder if I am truly as loopy as perhaps I sometimes appear, in this post I am going to give you a sense of some of the places and people I look to in an attempt to make sense of this crazy world we live in.  Enjoy.

First, let us glance backwards for a moment.  Although it has not played out completely and there seems to be pretty broad consensus that while the end is nigh, no one is quite sure what the end is…the Mueller Investigation continues.  When you have closets like Trump’s, anything they might drag out will be unsurprising.  But in hopes that the bulk of the circus is in the rear view mirror, and for purposes of this post, I will address it in the past tense.

I have stated many times on this site and remain convinced that the Trump/Russia Collusion hoax is the biggest political scandal in American history.  I do not grasp the full legal implications of treason charges; but common sense tells me that some of these Deep State crooks had to be dancing all around the edge with a foot (or two) across the line on many occasions.  What a disgrace.  And once again…how insane is it that the very thing these clowns accuse Trump of doing were being practiced by them?

https://amgreatness.com/2019/02/17/autopsy-of-a-dead-coup/

https://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2019/01/20/a_conspiracy_of_dunces.html

https://www.nationalreview.com/2019/02/fbi-trump-investigation-andrew-mccabe-interview/

https://www.nationalreview.com/podcasts/the-mccarthy-report/episode-35-plots-and-plans/

  

Our culture and society is in the midst of a critical national test; a test whose result will go a long ways towards either confirming our founding principles of accountability and fairness or abandoning those principles with a free pie for all philosophy that will erode personal incentive, ambition, and pride.  All across our nation and in every aspect of our lives, pension plans are on shaky financial grounds for one simple reason: Overly-generous promises were made, and are being perpetuated, that cannot be responsibly maintained on a fiscal basis.  In rare cases, the hard decisions have been made to adjust the plans in an effort to place them on a more secure future foundation.  The best example I can cite for this come to Jesus pension moment is the cessation of the old Civil Service Retirement Plan (CSRS) in the mid-80’s for the Federal Employee Retirement System (FERS) plan that is now in effect for federal employees.  I participated in both of these plans and actually retired under the auspices of the FERS.  In my opinion, Congress and the Executive Branch did a masterful job of transitioning from a retirement plan that was clearly unsustainable to one that while requiring more discipline and management by the employee, was imminently fair and responsible…to both the employees and the taxpayers who help fund the system.  I remain dumbfounded why more state and city governments have not used the FERS as a model for their future retirement systems. When it comes to fiscally irresponsible pension systems, the old adage is never truer…you can run, but you cannot hide.  To continue down the road with a retirement system that cannot independently fund itself is not only irresponsible to the people who finance it, but also to the future generations who will rely on the security of its benefits.  The wages of doing nothing will be a cents-on-the-dollar payday for the beneficiaries of tomorrow.

https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/film/the-pension-gamble/

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Looking at some of the fires burning in our faces today, one hot topic is the question of energy.  With the resurgence of America as the world’s premier energy producer and the climate concerns surrounding fossil fuels, there are many, many issues swirling about energy…how much we need, what is the best way to produce it, and what is a reasonable consumer price?  Quietly and behind the scenes, the nuclear sector of the energy industry has picked up some momentum.  We all remember Three Mile Island, Chernobyl, and Fukushima; but most of us are unaware of how truly abnormal these terrible events were.  As for me, until I see a reasonable and responsible long-term plan for dealing with nuclear waste (besides dumping it in the oceans or burying it inside our mountains), we still need to proceed very cautiously in this area.

https://www.city-journal.org/atomic-power

As much as they would like to refine or shift the political conversation from Socialism and all it stands for, the Democrats are establishing quite a track record with their progressive (read that “liberal”) governing ideals that are becoming quite the albatross around their necks.  I am waiting for some conservative group or innovative publishing company to come up with a coffee table book about the American socialist movement that chronicles many of the dismal failures we have seen in the last few decades.  Venezuela is not going away.  In fact, look no further than to the west in America to see where socialist and liberal principles will lead us when applied with any degree of enthusiasm.  Is this the future you want for your children and grandchildren?

http://endoftheamericandream.com/archives/rats-public-defecation-and-open-drug-use-our-major-western-cities-are-becoming-uninhabitable-hellholes

There will be hundreds of miles of wall built on our southern border.  America will pay for it.  It will help to control our border traffic in a more responsible and humane fashion.  It only makes sense.  It is a shame that the Resist Trump movement has relegated overall Immigration Policy to its current status as political football, but it is what it is.  It is also irresponsible for the Republican’s failing to pass comprehensive immigration reform when they controlled Congress and the White House.  And of course, the same can be said for the Democrats.  For anyone who tracks federal expenditures, you can readily realize how absolutely farcical it is for Democrats to protest the modest funds being requested by Trump for wall construction.  For example….

https://news.grabien.com/story-things-democrats-have-funded-cost-more-border-wall

Looking ahead, there are two issues to mention.  One is evolving behind the scenes while the other is literally sucking all of the oxygen out of the room.  History may well record that the illegitimate passage of Obamacare was a colossal blunder, the SCOTUS decision to uphold the law was a monumental error, and the Republican effort to repeal Obamacare was a near success/narrow failure that actually turned out just right.   These comedies of errors might very well lead us to a decent health care system in our country.  By dismantling many of the onerous regulations and administrative burdens of Obamacare, the Trump Administration is allowing the health care industry to reestablish a modicum of balance between a free market and innovative approach to health care while paying proper attention to those that are underserved by the system.  Left to its own devices and more times than not, the capitalist system in America will lead to the best solutions for our citizens. 

https://www.nationalreview.com/2019/02/report-obamacare-changes-benefiting-consumers/

Speaking of Socialists, the primary (pun intended) question facing 2020 Democrat Presidential Wannabes is… how far to left can you possibly shift?   Donald Trump presents a big fat political target and he is certainly not scaring away potential opponents.  But if the last election taught us anything at all, it is this…you can’t beat somebody with nobody.  Democratic Party…THIS is the best you can do?

https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/430461-the-10-dems-most-likely-to-win-the-2020-presidential-nomination

The Republican Weenie Act of 2019

For all of his faults, and there are many, President Donald Trump has brought a refreshing approach to the Executive Branch not seen in my lifetime since Ronald Reagan.  He honestly follows his convictions.  Most of the time, he says what he means and means what he says.

The Republican Party is made up of a varied collection of individuals.  Many are self-righteous hypocrites.  Many are radical right-wing extremists.  Many are corrupt and untrustworthy crooks.  Many are clueless sheep looking for a ram to follow around.  A few are good people trying to do a good job.  In fact, the composition of the Republican Party is remarkably similar to that of the Democratic Party.  They just come at us from a different direction.

Whatever they may be and their decent members notwithstanding, the Republican Party is not worthy of Donald Trump.  When it comes to Congressional negotiating, they are pathetically inadequate, unprincipled, and cowardly.  From a position of controlling 2/3 of the three legislative branches in this nation, they repeatedly yield to the boisterous threats and wailings of the Democrats.  Time after time after time, they bring knives to gunfights.  Somehow, they fail to understand that the art of compromise lies in the center or thereabouts; not at the extreme end of the opposing party’s position. 

If the Republican Congressional Leadership caves to the Democrats on this current spending impasse as is being reported, they should be embarrassed and ashamed of themselves.  You start out asking for $5.7 billion for southern border wall construction and you settle for $1.375 billion?  The President requests a 25 percent increase in detention beds for incoming illegal immigrants and you settle for a reduction?  Are the Republicans so shriveled with perceptive fear that they fail to grasp the groundswell of support across the nation for effective immigration control policies?  If this so-called settlement comes to fruition, it is a sad, sad commentary on the leadership of the Republican Party.

When Trump is an arse, he deserves all the criticism he receives.  But when Trump exhibits the moral and legislative courage to take a difficult position on the basis of principle, his Party should rally to support him.  Anything less is not deserving of our President.

The Profound Issue of Abortion

In a complete and total state of trepidation, I slowly and reluctantly stretch out my arm.  My brain keeps sending out alarm blasts telling me that I am approaching the danger zone…don’t go there…back up the truck.  My hand trembles as my fingers cautiously touch the iron that is clearly scorching hot… 

The issue of abortion is being increasingly forced upon us by such recent legislative decisions as seen in New York and Virginia.  These two states, led by their liberal Governors, have recently enacted two of the most tolerant abortion laws in the nation.  In fact, the law in Virginia, taken to its extreme, moves the needle from the area of abortion into the area of infanticide.  Like it or not, abortion is in our face.

The question of abortion brings up raw emotion like few others.  There are sincere and well-intentioned people residing at both ends of the spectrum who have firmly entrenched opinions.  Some on the extreme right of the issue submit that life begins at conception and abortion beyond that point is murder.  Some on the extreme left of the issue submit that a fetus is exclusively the product of the mother and she should have the sole determination of its future, right up until the point of dilation and delivery.  If you reside at either one of these locations, it is easy to see how your certitude might lead you to demand that your position applies to everyone else.  It is a matter of principle; not practice.  If you see abortion as murder or if you see unqualified fetal preservation as a violation of a woman’s basic rights, then the issue positions become quickly hardened and there is little, if any, room for negotiation.  For the majority of people, the certitude level is not that high.  I believe that most people prefer the right to arrive at their own decision regarding their position on abortion and would just as soon leave other people’s abortion decisions to those other people.  In other words, we each and all eventually stand accountable for our actions and decisions in this life.

To me, there are three fundamental questions that lie at the base of the abortion issue.  The first answer must come to the question of whether the issue of abortion should be regulated at the federal level or the state level.  Undoubtedly, this consideration is motivating states like New York and Virginia to move forward on their abortion initiatives, trying to get ahead of what many believe will be future SCOTUS decisions that will severely impact the ability of state governments to liberalize abortion practices.   I have always been, and remain, a strong advocate for state’s rights; but only a fool would ignore the perils posed by neighboring states having widely differing laws regulating abortions.  This may be one area where there needs to be a single principle ruling the regulation of abortion in all states, with some latitude given to each to incorporate concerns unique to their demographics.   Ultimately, the SCOTUS will grapple with this issue and render what will hopefully bring some uniformity for our citizenry. 

Secondly is the question of how do we balance the rights of a woman regarding her own physical body against those of a fetus that lies within her body?  Not to be taken lightly or ignored, it goes without saying that the father of the child certainly has some rights.  But those rights are clearly subservient to the rights of the mother, whose personal investment in the process is far greater.  Some will readily recognize a woman’s right to choose concerning the continuance of a pregnancy, but believe that right should have a time limit.  This question is complicated by the emotional, mental and physiological concerns that are interwoven with every pregnancy and which makes each one unique. 

Undoubtedly, unanticipated and significant developments in a pregnancy can occur after the first trimester and to ignore this possibility is naïve.  On the other hand, in lieu of developments that are truly unanticipated and significant, is it entirely unreasonable to demand that a decision to end a potential life be made within a specified time period that allows for careful thought and consideration?  It is difficult at best for anyone other than the injured party to understand the personal trauma resulting from a rape or incestuous relationship.  Is it fair to place a weeks-long time period on a person to make the life-altering decision arising from these heinous acts?  And what about late pregnancy developments that might bring into question threats to the mother’s life?  How in the world does one go about balancing the life of the child within them with their own?  And then there is perhaps the most difficult question of all…Should a mother have the option to abort a fetus that is deemed to be impaired or, taken to the extreme, something less than perfect or that which is desired?  Is this the kind of Pandora’s Box that we want to open in our society?

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Finally, there is the question of exactly when life begins.  Does life begin at conception or does life begin when the umbilical cord is severed and the infant is truly independent of its mother?  Or…is the beginning of life and all the rights a life entails at some point between these two moments?  Only the wisdom of God knows the future of a recently fertilized egg.  All we as humans can know with any certainty are the possibilities that arise from this moment.  One of those possibilities is undoubtedly a healthy human baby that comes into this world with limitless potential.  Is the loss any less if that potential is snuffed out in the first trimester as opposed to the third?  And how certain can we be of ourselves when we require a woman, or girl, to carry a pregnancy to full term understanding all of the potential hardships and trials that are part and parcel of that pregnancy?  In the full and natural process of childbirth, we begin with one life and end with two.  But at what point in between does that one life blend with the other and at what point do they become two distinct and different lives?

These are three questions that must be addressed in honest, compassionate, moral, ethical, and unfortunately, political terms in order to come to some agreement on the issue of abortion.    It appears that a clear majority of Americans are opposed to late, third-trimester abortions.  It also appears that that a clear majority of Americans believe that early, first-trimester abortions should be allowed.  If there can be a place for such a word in an emotionally-charged debate of this magnitude, the most practical solution to the abortion issue might be a federal law that applies universal policies across our country.  The most likely candidate for such a law would be what is commonly referred to as the “20-Week Abortion Ban” or “Pain Capable Ban”.  This law, in its various forms, is based on the idea that a fetus at 20 weeks is sufficiently developed to feel pain and should therefore, at that point in its development, be afforded the rights of an individual.  Here is a good source to research the current status of this law: https://rewire.news/legislative-tracker/law-topic/20-week-bans/

I also urge you to consider the source of this information for your own satisfaction at this site: https://rewire.news/about-us/

A day of reckoning will come to each of us.   Ultimately, we will each be judged on the content of our own lives.  The personal decisions and actions that we each make in those chapters will be a matter of record that will be indisputable.  What is not quite so clear is how much accountability we will each face in regards to how we interact with those decisions and actions that occur outside of our own control and influence.  To what extent, if any, are we required to be advocates for these moral and ethical causes and how far should that advocacy take us?  In this context, our nation must come to terms with the question of abortion.  May God be with us.

Obama’s Legacy: It’s OK to Float

Considering all of the damage that the two Obama Administrations wrought upon our nation, I submit that the most devastating of all was the legitimization that it is alright to float along in our society; living off the sweat and providence of others while being perfectly capable of providing for oneself.  Obama spent eight long and torturous years shilling this philosophy of socialism under the veil of identity politics and partisan dishonesty.  The unfortunate truth is that today’s Democratic Party and all of its anticipated 2020 Presidential Wannabes embrace this mantra.  They might present it in many different forms and they may cloak it in many other rhetorical riffs of camouflage; but the message is clear: It is perfectly acceptable to demand free stuff from the government while doing nothing to support those free gifts.

Republicans continue to insist that those that are capable should either be employed, actively seek employment, or pursue training that would make them employable in order to qualify for this subsistence.  It is a position that is pretty much diametrically opposed to that of the Democrats.  It is one point of strong agreement between me and the Republican Party.  George Bush took a poke at bridging the gap between the extremes of these two differing approaches under the guise of compassionate conservatism…with very limited success.  He did manage some bipartisan victories during his terms, particularly in the area of education.   The true value and quality of these legislative accomplishments are still being debated and may be a better example of bipartisan dumbing down of principles rather than the forging of effective law and policy.  Whichever the case may be, there is likely widespread support for the ideal that because our nation is greatly blessed, there is a moral obligation upon all to help provide for those among us who are truly in need.  The obvious rub comes when we seek to define what exactly constitutes a basic need; who exactly qualifies as truly in need; and who is capable of contributing to the burden of financing the provision.  As an Independent, I cling to the old premise of a citizen contributing commensurate with their means; give what you can afford.  I support a tax base that is short and broad.  I would love to see a nation where everyone that is capable of contributing has some skin in the game. 

I can also get on board with the broad and general concept that all U.S. citizens should have access to basic health care.  Take blame and politics off the table and let us all acknowledge that there are simply too many people in our country, especially children and elderly, living without basic health care.  However, I balk rather enthusiastically when we start talking about Uncle Sam taking over the health care industry (i.e. Obamacare).  How could that possibly go wrong?  After all, look what our good Uncle has done with the Post Office, Congress, the annual federal budget process, and…well, you get my point.  I want to see this government health care debate go in the direction of enacting laws that establish an environment which allows the private sector, through competition and innovation, to compete for citizen health care dollars.  And in that context, I see no problem with a vigorous debate that redefines fundamental health care, exactly who cannot afford this care, and how that care can be best provided.  Without crawling into the weeds, there can be little doubt that procedures like elective abortions, plastic surgeries, and elective gender-altering procedures have no place in the category of basic needs.  This is not the place for social engineering.   

I see no problem with a nation that has different levels of health care for different levels of income.  Part of being wealthy is being able to afford a better standard of living.  Let’s just be certain that we give the opportunity to attain wealth to all citizens and that we require all citizens to contribute to the expenses of running the nation…commensurate with their wealth.  And for those resource-challenged citizens that cannot afford basic health care…I see no problem with a thoughtful expansion of the Medicare and Medicaid Programs to include them; making certain that we are practical about what we provide and who we provide it to.

In today’s America, no child or elderly person should go hungry or go without basic health care.  And let it also be said that no able bodied or similarly capable person should go without some obligation to help finance the programs that care for our children and elderly.  Them that need help ought to be helped.  Them that’s able to work ought to work.  Everyone should pay at least something in the form of taxes.  All of this should go into the discussion about national health care legislation.  It is so simple, and yet so complex.  And then we wonder why WDC can’t come up with a bipartisan solution?

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And now we come to the Democratic successor to Obama’s floating for the free stuff policies.  No one knows who will come out of the pack to carry the Democratic Party banner into the 2020 Presidential Election; but early indications are that the most likely candidates are standing to the left of Obama.  Let me say that again…it is quite possible that the next Democratic candidate for President will be even more liberal than Obama.  The leadership of the Democratic Party has been seized by a contingent of outspoken Liberals who are pulling the Party far, far to the left of any historical stance previously occupied by the majority of Democrats.  Bernie is an avowed Socialist.  AOC is still evolving, but she certainly seems to embrace the Socialist tenets.  Given her naked ambition and opportunism, Ms. Harris is hard to peg regarding her political philosophy.  But her recent proposal to eliminate all private health insurance in America for a single-payer (Uncle Sam) system indicates that she will be occupying much the same ground as other liberal Dems. 

We must have a healthy and rational Democratic Party.  Absolute control for Republicans will inevitably lead to corruption.  My Republican friends say I am too easy on the lunatic Dems, but we truly need them to come to their senses. How bizarre is it to realize that the most pragmatic candidates on the Democratic short list of nominees would include Slow Joe Biden and Crooked Hillary?  THIS is the best Democrats can do with an opportunity to run against Donald Trump going to the winner? 

I am fascinated by the approach taken by the mainstream media towards covering the early stages of the Democratic Presidential Nominee race as compared to the last one conducted by the Republicans.  The exhibition of their political bias is shameless and it will be fascinating to see how it all plays out. Past experience shows how they treated the 2016 Republican Nominee lineup as a collection of stooges; whereas the 2020 lineup of Democratic Nominees is welcomed as a group of saviors.  Here is just a sneak preview of many features to come: https://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2019/01/is-bernie-sanders-the-dems-great-white-hope.php

Like many American voters, I find myself on board the good ship Trump Trawler…looking across the bay at the Democratic garbage scow named Mueller Mainliner.  It is difficult for me to see a decent candidate rise from the sewage being transported by the Mainliner.  However, I am moving as far as possible to the stern in order to get away from the Captain’s quarters on the Trawler.  The Republicans must find a solution to the irreverence, crude behavior, incivility, and arrogance of their boy Donald.  The Democrats must put the lazy and incompetent reign of Obama behind them and once again find their voice as a real alternative to conservative policies that occasionally stray too far to the right for comfort.  What are the chances we could have two opposing candidates in November of 2020 that are not even being mentioned now?  Yeah…I know…and the Saints are in the Super Bowl, right?