A Grab-bag Full of Goodies

                                                                         What we need….

·       Promotion without Spite

·       Advocacy without Attack

·       Debate without Venom

           What we’ve got….

·       Climb up anyone’s back to get to the top of the ladder you might be climbing.

·       The best way to promote your position is to destroy the person who holds a differing opinion.

·       When discussing policy, take full and irresponsible liberties with the presentation of half-truths and outright lies in the most snarky and devious manner possible.

Come on Congress; Come on Prez; come on People….we can do better than this.

.           .           .

This date, Monday, May 13, 2019, the Dow slides down about 600 points in response to China threatening tariffs on American goods…in response to America threatening tariffs on Chinese goods.  Now really…is this a response to the direct and real impact these actions might have on the economy…or is it simply an excuse for the power brokers to run the market down, buy a bunch of stock at a lower price, and then…miraculously see the market rebound on…what?...perhaps an American/Chinese trade deal?  The rich and powerful…this is their world and we just live in it.

.           .           .

Are you not sick and tired of the media…ALL OF THE MEDIA…CNN, FOX, CNBC, ETC… breathlessly leading their broadcasts with the cataclysmic story of the moment without any sense of context?  The talking heads hyperventilate about the most recent school shooting, possible terrorist attack, Presidential tweet, House investigation, wild stock market gyration, mysterious rise in gas prices, a train wreck in the Ukraine, the price of milk in Venezuela, or any other episode that might serve as a podium upon which to climb and scream “Bloody Murder!”.  Is there not one person, on one channel, somewhere and somehow, that can approach the news with a sober and thoughtful, fully unemotional, presentation of the facts and circumstances surrounding the event?  Is the media in the business of news or the business of drama?  It is very hard to tell.

.           .           .

Don’t miss the next post!

 Follow on Twitter @centerlineright.

.           .           .

Sunday night’s NBA Eastern Conference Playoff game between Toronto and Philadelphia offered up one of the greatest moments in sports I have ever witnessed.  Check this out https://www.thescore.com/nba/news/1771975/star-among-stars-kawhi-gives-raptors-something-theyve-never-had.  Call it what you will; but with Embiid in your face and the deciding game 7 on the line, this shot had some kinda pressure on it.  Talk about a shooter’s touch…..

.           .           .

When the media assesses the state of the national economy, they always like to look at GDP, trade deficits, inflation rates, unemployment, and business inventories.  In rural America, every spring brings a new opportunity for economic success.  Without that natural optimism, there is no rural America; and without rural America…no one eats.  Spring time in the country brings the replenishing spectacle of new calves on the ground by their mamas.  It is the planters in the fields putting seed into the ground; relying on the eternal promise of good weather and decent markets.  The spring hay crop is constantly being evaluated…early or late...tall and thin...heavy or light?  One of the most beautiful sights you will ever see is a large country yard freshly mowed, framed by red buds and dogwood blooms, with the scattered flower beds showing signs of the glorious colors to come.  It is the annual rite of renewal that is unique to the country and for all of the unique qualities that American cities can be proud of, springtime in the country is the exclusive territory of country folks.  As a nation, we should never forget that the ability of this nation to feed itself, and much of the free world, is among the greatest strengths we can possess.  Agriculture has evolved and like all other industries, it is very dissimilar in many respects to what it was 30 years ago.  But some things remain constant.  Our country’s reliance on farmers to put food in our bellies and the faith that those farmers have to place seed in the ground in spite of all the inherent perils are critical elements to our nation’s very existence.  There are two precious components to our glorious land that we sometimes ignore at our own peril; those being fresh water and the bounty of food.  Our society and culture forces us to join up in the money chase and all it entails…the markets, the interest rates, taxes, etc.  But at the end of the day, it will all come down to the basic elements of food and water.  Agriculture is everyone’s business.

.           .           .

One thing that Donald Trump has done for presidential politics…he has opened up the possibility that anyone, anywhere, with whatever experience can run for, and possibly win, their party’s presidential nomination.  I just read this morning that the Governor of Montana has thrown his hat into the crowded ring of those seeking the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination.  Time will tell if this is a good thing or not.  While bringing a fresh perspective to the Oval Office can be of redeeming value; it goes without saying that being President is a big job and a bit of prior experience in government and management can help the person assuming the position.  I suppose it is fair to say that while Trump opened the door for all of the outsiders; the jury is still out on how great an idea it is in reality.

.           .           .

Stare decisis is the SCOTUS principle that precedent should rule in similar cases.  The monumental political battles that we have witnessed over the last several SCOTUS nominations have been precursors to the drama that is now unfolding in the high court.  While many observers are still trying to figure out the conservative bona fides of Kavanaugh, most people will agree that the SCOTUS has now reached a watershed moment with a decided conservative bent to its majority.  This recent action https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/supreme-courts-conservatives-overturn-precedent-as-liberals-ask-which-cases-the-court-will-overrule-next/ar-AABiO6X?li=BBnb7Kz&ocid=mailsignout#page=2 could well be the opening volley in upcoming battles to re-examine prior decisions; many of which were determined by a SCOTUS with a decided liberal bent.  The premise of stare decisis is clearly in the crosshairs and the debate about how prior SCOTUS decisions bind, or do not bind, the current Court is going to be robust and enlightening.  Factor in the upcoming presidential election combined with the status of the more elderly SCOTUS members and you have a legal drama that might even rise to Law and Order heights.