I'm Just Sayin'

          Everyone has a right to their opinion. No matter how outrageous, no matter how bizarre. Whether it's rooted in fact or in support of some conspiracy theory that only they believe. We all should have our chance to get on the soapbox and regale the crowd with our wisdom, insight and lunacy.

          Which makes the Internet a vital resource when it comes to putting that opinion out where people can read it. So they can judge for themselves whether the writer is smart as all get out or someone who needs serious medication.

           So, because I often have serious opinions about very serious topics such as whether UFO's are real, The Patriots are the greatest cheaters in sports history or if I really have been brainwashed by the immoral and deeply corrupted main stream media, I created this blog. It will allow me to rant, vent or expound on all sorts of things that have nothing to do with reality.

           Politics is a subject I often think about but rarely participate in. I have a genuine fear and loathing for all things religious and God related. I hate baseball with the sort of passion that could get me committed if the wrong people (Red Sux fans for instance) got wind of it.

           I love my country. At least the half that I still feel strongly about. However, about half the American populace doesn't feel quite the same way about America as I do. Expressing an unpopular, misinformed or outright wrong opinion about America and what it means to me can be dangerous in these divided times. While I support and respect all people who serve our nation... the police, the military, teachers, paperboys and even politicians... I don't think they are all heroes who deserve to be put on a pedestal and worshiped.

          So, when I post an article and express my opinion about a subject that is near and dear to your heart; an opinion that happens to be one that you think is unfathomable. One that is insane and demented enough to the point where you think I should be tarred and feathered, just try to remember, I'm probably wrong, but scary as it might be, I could be right. But, no matter what I think, really, in the end...

          ... I'm just sayin'.

Duck and Cover

In the 1950's, schoolchildren took part in drills that would help them survive a nuclear attack. They were known as "Duck and Cover" drills. Similar to fire drills except that the plan was to survive a bomb that would destroy the entire city by hiding under their desk. They were lessons that I took part in along with the rest of the kids because it got me out of class and was kind of fun. But, until recently, I never considered having to take part in a nuclear attack a serious possibility.

When Russia invaded Ukraine the free world came together to supply humanitarian and military aid to support the innocent people being slaughtered. After failing to achieve most of their objectives Putin has become even more desperate. Putin has threatened to use nuclear weapons if NATO, the U.S. or the E.U. attempt to actively assist Ukraine with troops or heavy weapons.

Not since the Cuban Missile Crisis has the world ever been faced with the very real possibility of a nuclear war. A war that could end life as we know it forever.

So, while Putin wreaks havoc on the country and slaughters the population to the point of genocide, the rest of the world stands back and wring their hands, understandably fearful of triggering a reaction that would lead to a nuclear conflict. The leaders of the free world are faced with letting thousands die to save millions.

Even more disturbing is the way that the people of the world have responded to these unprecedented and perilous events. 

The global media is covering the war like some Apocalyptic Sports event, portraying it as The Forces of Good vs. the Forces of Evil. Network Newscasts are saturated with all forms of analysis and opinions while talk show hosts compete with trying to make light of the tragedies. Daily and even hourly reports keep the world updated in real time on the number of defeats, victories, survivors and casualties.

Politicians across the world see this as a chance to appear to rally behind the oppressed and support huge financial relief. Meanwhile they point fingers at their opposition and heap blame on everyone except Putin. Photo-ops, speeches and opportunities to put themselves in front of a camera dictate their personal and party positions.

The talking heads that represent the military point of view debate the various scenarios that might happen if Russia does launch a nuclear weapon. They talk about the use of smaller "tactical" nuclear weapons as if there really is some level of nuclear war that can be limited. Hoping the attacks could be confined to some specific regions without spreading beyond the initial target. It's like they have all forgotten the concept of what is known as "M.A.D." It stands for "mutual assured destruction."

Meanwhile the people far, far away from the actual battlefields continue their daily routine. They watch the evening news, shake their heads and pronounce their support for the people of Ukraine. They donate money to a war that seems so very far away. Somehow it seems that people either a) don't understand how close nuclear war is or b) don't really understand that what they're seeing on TV is not a new reality show. People are at a point where they don't believe or trust main stream media. 

On sites like FaceBook and Twitter, where people will debate any arcane subject endlessly and with insane passion, people don't seem to be talking about Putin's threat. There are so many more important issues than the end of the world. 

They scream and protest the prices at the pump and focus on how they are impacted personally by inflation and the rising cost of living. At the same time they seem oblivious to the price the far away people under attack are paying. It has cost tens of thousands of innocent people their lives. Millions have had to flee their homes and families. There seems to be no end in sight of the horrors of war for the people of Ukraine. But if Russia launches a nuclear weapon it will signal the beginning of the end for all of us.

In the 1950’s school kids practiced drills to learn how to prepare for a nuclear attack; never being told that such a war would be the end of civilization. Whatever lessons learned by that generation has long since been lost. The fear that people felt back then has faded, 

There was a well known saying in my generation; a generation still old enough to remember Hiroshima. "One nuclear bomb can ruin your whole day.”

It's become pretty clear to me at least. All it's going to take is one mistake and everybody’s day is going to be ruined. 

Myself? I'm going to practice my "Duck and Cover" techniques just in case.

This Child, Earth

For most parents there comes a time when they realize that their children aren't children any more. For many of us that time is never more clear than the day we hand over the keys to the family car. We've watched them learn, maybe even took some time to teach them ourselves. We cheered when they passed their drivers test and finally received their very own driver's license.

Inevitably the day comes when we have to allow them to reap the rewards of all that effort. We have to let them take the car out for a spin ... without us. This is the time when, in no uncertain terms, we give them total and absolute responsibility for their life and the means to end it. We know better than they how serious this moment is. A lapse of concentration ... a poor decision at the wrong time ... and their life is over. For our kids it's a thrilling experience. For us parents it's a terrifying moment.

It's a necessary step. One all parents must let their children take. We do it so they might begin to assume responsibility for their destiny. But, nevertheless, even if most of us don't dwell on the possibilities, we know how tragic they can be. We also know that if and when the unthinkable happens and their life is put in danger by another motorist or their own inexperience, it will be at a time when we are unable to help or protect them.

We hope that the odds are the same as they were for us. We pray that they learn quickly and suffer no more than the routine fender-bender that almost all of us have at least once in our driving experience. We hope they live through it, learn from it, and become safe drivers who learn to use the power of the machine to benefit their lives instead of end them. And, for most of us, that's the way it goes.

But for some kids it doesn't. Maybe the car they have is too powerful for their level of experience. A dare or challenge, coupled with youthful swagger and the sense of invulnerability common in kids that age, come together and suddenly, the machine that they should control gets away from them and takes them in a direction they didn't intend to go; often with tragic and fatal consequences.

When I think about the future and what it might hold for us as a species, I step back and try to look at the world and all its societies and cultures, not as a collection of different peoples, but as a whole. When I do, this is how the world looks to me. It looks like that young kid, the teenager, holding the keys to the car.

This child, Earth, has come to the point where it has the keys to the car that will take it into its future. If it cannot get itself together and take responsibility for how it will use this power and learn how to control it, I fear that a crash, both severe and fatal to itself and its rightful destiny, is inevitable.

For the first time in the history of man we possess the power to literally destroy ourselves and the planet we live on. War is no longer just a fear or threat to the earth. The earth's peoples are what they will be. No one country has the capability to conquer the rest of the nations. The major powers are too strong and are beyond the fear of being conquered. The result of any such attempt would not be war, but the annihilation of the earth itself.

We need no longer fear the wrath of God for, like gods, we are capable of inflicting the type of destruction on ourselves that would make the flood of Noah look like a spring rain.

I don't believe in any formal or popular concept of God. I have no need for one. I don't believe that there is some creator who watches over us with some secret and ulterior motive for our being. The stories of God, no matter who's God, are too full of vengeance, retribution, judgment and destruction for me. All concepts of God show me that he is too much like men to be anything but a reflection of ourselves.

But for a lot of us, God is who we look to. We look to him protect us and take care of us. He fills our need, like the need of a child, to believe in a father figure; someone who, as we grew, was always ready to step in and help us understand that which was often beyond our understanding. We need to believe that God is watching over us. That he will keep us from our own folly and keep us from going astray.

So, while we wait for God to show us the way, we act as careless children do when dad is not around. We pollute our air and water with little thought of the consequences and how it will affect our children and our children's children. With no good reason or purpose and no real threat we continue to develop nuclear and biological weapons of mass destruction that will never be used for defense. They lay in wait for the hands of the madman who will use them in offense to begin an era of terror that will preclude the end of the world as we know it.

Like adolescents, who feel that death is something that happens only to the sick and old, like children who have yet to feel the pain of the unexpected and irretrievable loss of something or someone that they love, we continue to take foolish dares and questionable chances, oblivious to the possibilities of tragedy.

Our past wars have left scars. But they are wounds long healed, whose origins are blurred by time. Having forgotten what the fight was about and knowing only that we got over the hurt, we are always ready to make the same mistakes again. Thinking each time we will get it right this time. All the while we count on God to step in eventually to break up the fight or heal the hurt before any lasting or life threatening harm is done.

But when our children get behind the wheel of the car alone and drive out of the driveway and into their future, we as parents know only one thing, they are finally beyond our help. It's up to them to drive safely or suffer the consequences. Dad or mom can't come to their aid if they make a mistake. Their fate is in their own hands. They are truly on their own and responsible for themselves.

This child, Earth, is at that point in its growth. We, the people who call this planet home, have to make the decisions that will determine the future of ourselves and our generations to come. There is no God to save us from ourselves. We can't waste time and resources in the irresponsible manner that we have in the past and count on God to bail us out. We cannot continue to pervert the technological advances of science into means of mass destruction. Vladimir Putin has shown we can’t trust that they will always be under the control of responsible leaders who would never use them in any way other than to defend.

We have driven to the point where one man has brought the world to the precipice of true nuclear war. Humanity’s very existence is being threatened by Vladimir Putin’s insane lust for power. His threat to use nuclear weapons if the rest of the world comes to the defense of the Ukrainian people has brought the very real possibility of nuclear conflict onto the front pages.

We all share a common destiny. The future of each man is the future of all men and the future of humankind is finally our own responsibility. We are beyond the help of God. We can blame no one but ourselves if that future crashes into oblivion. We are no longer the children of the earth. We are its passengers and we are at the mercy of a driver on a suicide ride.

The car we are riding in is more powerful than anything humanity has ever known. We have the keys to the future. The hope is we can control the power well enough to get us there. We have left the safety of our home and driveway. We are leaving both God and our parents behind; rushing headlong into our future at speeds we never imagined; traveling on strange roads to a destination unknown to any of us; with the nervous hands of a madman with nuclear weapons on the wheel.

             We are traveling into a future where the lives and destiny of all people can be decided by one wrong turn of the wheel. 

  Excuse Me... but Recuse Me

        Trump is headed to the SCOTUS for a last ditch attempt to keep his records from being turned over to the Congressional Committee.

In a case where all the lower courts have soundly rejected Trump's Executive Privilege claims, the SCOTUS is being asked to rule on a case in which no other court has found any merit. However,despite all the lower courts rejecting him, Trump is right where he always wanted to be. He will finally be in a court were he is among friends. Friends he expects to be loyal and grateful

Amy Coney Barrett, Brett M. Kavanaugh, Neil M. Gorsuch were all nominated by the guy pleading his absurd case. The guy that gave them their job. 

In a rare case the plaintiff is Donald Trump himself. The judges are being asked to decide a paper thin case involving the very President that gave then their place in history.

If that isn't a conflict of interest then I have been misinformed as to what is. It's a scenario with very powerful and frightening potential.

A decision either way could trigger claims of bias, partisanship and personal favoritism being levied against the highest court in the country. Perhaps even result in violent protest, the likes of which we have never seen in our nation..

Clearly there is only one of two ways the court can address this case without opening itself up to accusations of failing in its responsibilities. It could forever sully its reputation among the people..

I'm just saying that the best way for the SCOTUS to deal with the case the way is it has already been decided by the courts already. They should refuse to even hear it and let the decisions of multiple courts stand. Wash their hands of the stain Trump has cast on the legal system across the country

The other option, and I think the most neutral politically, would be for the three judges nominated by Trump to recuse themselves from the case.

They should just say excuse me, recuse me. 

If the three judges vote for Trump after all the previous court rulings against him it would destroy any credibility the the court has left. After so many splits along the lines of ideology (read, political) Americans already suspect the court of being politically biased. If the Trump emplo... ah, appointees support Trump, both sides will forever see the court as a partisan political tool. People will believe the judges obviously "owed" Trump for their greatest honor. It will convince half the country that they weren't appointed, they were bought.

If they vote against him they know that Trump himself will never forgive them and he will seek both political and personal retribution. He will brand them as traitors, disloyal and legal hacks. His considerable power over the GOP and his rabid base will suddenly come together and publicly accuse the court of being suddenly dubious in their impartiality. Every decision going forward will be the object of dispute and derision from his followers, the party and Trump. They will accuse the court of clearly plotting against Trump. They will declare the decision a fraud or conspiracy plan.

Yet if only the six remaining justices hear the case and rule against Trump, as the liberal majority most likely would, the Trump appointees will be seen as individuals who know where their loyalty lies. With their country.

Whether knowingly or by regrettable chance, by entering the unreal reality of Trumpworld they have become guest stars on this week's episode of the MAGA Show. And 75 million voters are watching.

Control Owners Not Guns

        

I don’t own a gun, mostly because I have never felt the need to have one. And of course, my being someone who tends to do more damage to myself than anyone else ever has, I’m pretty sure that the greatest threat of my being shot would be me shooting myself.

However, I have no problem with any American’s right to own one. I am however a big supporter of gun controls. People who own guns always have a silly knee jerk reaction whenever the subject comes up. They start citing the 2^nd amendment and start acting like the feds are about to kick in their door and take their guns away. Something that any sane person knows will never happen in America..

It would require that Congress repeal the 2^nd amendment and that at least 75% of the states agree to ratify the measure. We can’t even get two people to agree it’s a sunny day anymore.

I think a person should be allowed to own as many guns as they please. No matter how many guns a person has they can only hold one in each hand. I don’t think people should have to explain or justify why they want a gun. Gun control begins with making a person prove they are competent enough to own one.

Before we allow all the urban cowboys to carry a gun on the bus, that person should be required to take a training and safety course, submit to a background check, and be required to carry a firearms ID and permit at all times. They should be required to register all their guns. In most places these rules and laws are already in place. Still, I would like to see some news rules.

Ban the private sales of firearms. Eliminate the gun shows. In order to sell a gun to a private individual a gun owner would have to turn over the gun to a licensed gun dealer or local police where the gun is registered who would then act as an agent. The agent would conduct proper checks and insure all legal requirements are satisfied before approving the sale.

Just as is required of car owners, gun owners should be required to purchase an insurance policy that would insure the owner against the theft, misuse and any sort of accidental shooting that involved their guns by someone other than the owner..

In my mind there are two types of guns that every person should be able to possess; Hand guns, for personal protection and long guns that serve as tools. Hunting rifles, shotguns, sports rifles used in competitions. Both types can be used in defense of person and property.

The downside is that both types can be used in offense as well. And no level of gun control will ever prevent someone from taking their legally owned and properly registered gun, driving down to the mall and just using it to kill random people. We’ve all seen it before. Yet, while we can’t prevent those types of gun owners, we can do something to limit the type of gun the shooter uses.

Society has to draw a line somewhere. We need to pass the sort of laws involving gun control that ensures the rights of people to possess guns and the rights of people to be protected from guns are balanced. "Red Flag" laws such as the one in Florida that has taken away or denied people the right to by one based on input from friends, family and others are a good start. I believe that almost all responsible gun owners support tougher laws when it come to gun ownership. Americans should strive to pass controls that can do as much as possible to prevent guns that a person should never be allowed to own from ending up in the hands of people that should never be allowed to own a gun.

Having the right to own all the guns you want doesn’t entitle you to own all the guns you want. Certain weapons, weapons of war, weapons designed kill as many people as possible as quickly as possible, modern weapons that help an individual to engage the type of attack that results in mass casualties of unarmed or under armed civilians should not be available at Walmart. There are some guns whose sole purpose is to slaughter as many people as the shooter can in the shortest time possible. The more bullets the magazine holds the more people he can kill before pausing to prepare to kill more.

While I am willing to defend the right of an individual to legally own guns, the problem I have is with the type of guns an individual can legally own. My problem is with allowing anyone outside of our military or law enforcement to own any sort of high capacity military style assault weapon.

Because someone wants any gun they can get, society isn’t obligated to allow them to get any gun they want. Civilians have no need to own weapons designed for war.

Unless a person believes they will have a foreseeable need to defend their home from an attack by a homicidal mob, I see no need for them to own an automatic assault weapon with a large capacity magazine. More than likely, a person that feels the need to own a dozen AR-15’s, thousands of rounds of ammunition and other assorted arms that only a soldier would need isn’t worried about war, they’re preparing for war.

And we the people are the enemy.

 Generalissimo Trump

It has been suggested that Trump won't give up the White House if the results are too close to call and states need time to tally the results. If need be, he will order the military to secure him in the oval office.

Trump seems to think that the military forces are his to command. So far, no one in his administration or in the Senate seems willing to dispute his delusional ideas of despotic rule. Despite the fact that Trump is the commander-in-chief, that doesn't mean the military forces have to to do whatever he orders them to do.

Therefore I was happy to read this quote from Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. It gave me hope that when the shit hits the fan there will be some adults in the room.

“I believe deeply in the principle of an apolitical U.S. military," Milley said in written responses to several questions posed by two Democratic members of the House Armed Services Committee. “In the event of a dispute over some aspect of the elections, by law U.S. courts and the U.S. Congress are required to resolve any disputes, not the U.S. military. I foresee no role for the U.S armed forces in this process.”

Milley, known to be a student of military and constitutional history, anchored many of his responses in the nation's founding document.

Asked if the military would refuse an order from the president if he was attempting to use military action for political gain rather than national security, Milley said, and this is important…

…“I will not follow an unlawful order.”

Sooooo…OK! I guess Trump will need to come to grips with that.

On a side note, just how long do you think it will be before the Trump administration starts going after Gen. Milley?

Trump's Crock of the Day - August 28

 Trump's Crock of the Day - Aug 28th

A lot of you may not  know it, but Kanye West is running for president. Reports have it that the mentally and talent challenged pseudo-star is being helped by members of the RNC and GOP candidates. The thinking is that if he can get on the ballot he will siphon off the votes of many black voters who see him as a major political force... when they can see at all once the meth kicks in. Let's face it... you have to be on some sort of drug to want to see Kanye West anywhere other than a rehab ward.

It's a pretty desperate strategy from a party that is pretty desperate. I have no problem with West's attempt to delude himself even further into thinking he is qualified to run for office. After all, a lunatic, failed reality TV star with a lot less talent managed to get elected. Of course Trump did have a lot more money and many more capable people helping him.

Reading a report of the laughable attempts to get West on the ballot I was amazed to see a Trump quote about West's campaign. Remember, West has met with Trump a few times in the oval office. He is BFF's with the Donald. But Trump's quote is by far ... 

....Trump's Crock of the Day

It's clear that Trump is a bit obsessive when it comes to keeping his eye on anyone who seeks to run for office. Especially HIS office. If anyone thinks there is an atom of truth in this quote from Trump they need their head examined.

"I like Kanye very much," Trump told reporters earlier this month, but added: "No, I have nothing to do with him getting on the ballot..."

Oh PLEASE!!   As if Trump doesn't have a few staffers following his every move and peeking in his windows at night. Not too mention the chance they can get a picture of Mrs West in the buff which would please Trump to no end!

Please America... it's about two months until election day. Do the right thing.

https://www.cnn.com/2020/08/28/politics/kanye-west-2020-campaign/index.html

Trump's Crock of the Day - August 21

Trump's Crock of the Day

 

As we approach the November election with Trump trailing badly in the polls you can be sure that Trump will slowly become unhinged in his attempts to persuade anyone and everyone that the world has it in for him.

From an obviously "rigged" election to the "Deep State" conspiracy, Trump will label everyone, except people who say nice things about him, as minions of the evil dead, set on stopping him from continuing his bizarre yet well-intentioned efforts to rid the earth of all those who don't say nice things about him.

With a pandemic that has killed well over 175,000 people burning it's way across our nation Trump awaits some sort of miracle; with millions of people out of work and desperate for help; with an economy that is working for large corporations yet tanking for the populace and having no real ideas or plan to help the American people, Trump will turn more towards the only way he knows how to  address the  multiple crises that face the nation...

... He is going to start pointing fingers and calling people names. After all, expecting him to take responsibility... or take charge... is something we all know is never going to happen. I think I'll just watch the news reports and choose the most egregious and insane comments Trump makes as he tries to spin the reality we all live with into the unreal reality TV show that is the world Trump lives in. At least until November when we the people finally get to tell Trump the words I've been waiting to say for 4 years...

...You're Fired!

Crock of the Day - August 22nd, 2020

Today's Crock of the Day concerns Trump's latest claim about the evil intention of the "Deep State" to attack him. In continuing to push his insane theory that there is a "Deep State" within the US government working against his reelection he tweeted...

"The deep state, or whoever, over at the FDA is making it very difficult for drug companies to get people in order to test the vaccines and therapeutics. 

"Obviously, they are hoping to delay the answer until after November 3rd. Must focus on speed, and saving lives!" 

Trump, in his confusion about just who is involved in this Deep State conspiracy targeted, Dr. Stephen Hahn, the head of the FDA. Obviously Trump forgot that is was he who nominated Dr Hahn last year to lead the FDA.

Hahahaha! You just can't make this stuff up... unless you're as insane as Trump. Then it's easy.

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/trump-s-qanon-embrace-draws-gop-backlash-n1237438

Throw the bums out...but leave my ass alone

Throw the bums out...but leave my ass alone!

When reading social media posts it seems a lot of people agree that the current people in congress need to be tossed out of office on their rears. As a whole, most Americans agree we need to replace them with new, younger politicians that are… well…just new.

And while the idea of electing new representatives is appealing it does have its downside. We seem to forget that “new” translates to “inexperienced” when it comes to holding national offices. When it comes to the people that represent our community most of us prefer someone that knows what they’re doing. And that’s the reason why “throwing the bums out” or “draining the swamp” will never happen.

While we all agree that members of Congress from almost any other part of the country need to go, we don’t think our local politicians need to suffer the same fate. The reason that we, those of us that share a community, have a problem voting out the people is obvious. The candidate that we elected and sent to congress to represent us, our local politicians, you know… the ones that are working for our communities and doing a good job… well we want to leave them in office.

Because, no matter how evil, corrupt, incompetent or just plain unqualified all the members in the House of Representatives, the Senate or the White House are collectively, we usually think that, individually, our local politicians are doing just fine. Local politicians are the ones we get to meet at the local supermarket or the town hall. They are the ones that return our calls and stand at the local train or bus station greeting us in the morning on the way to work.

They are the ones that fight for the funds our community businesses or local schools need to improve… or just keep functioning. All those other members in congress, those guys that we don’t know, who never do anything for us, they’re the ones that need to go.

Every election year we all cry out “Let’s throw the bums out!” We want to clean house and get rid of the politicians that populate the “swamp.” Yet, despite the national resolve to replace those politicians that have held office to the point where they are national celebrities; politicians that are hated by voters everywhere, the truth is, even though Americans across the nation hate them, the people that actually vote for them, the people whose votes put them in office are the ones that count on them.

Any politician with the experience, clout and ability to deliver the things that a community, city or state depends on is almost always going to be re-elected. When it comes to judging any politician we, as a people, are better suited to do that on a local level.

Mitch McConnell is one of the most reviled politicians In the Senate. If everyone in America could vote he wouldn’t just be kicked out of office he would be stripped of his citizenship and deported to a country as far from America as possible.

The problem is that the only people who get to vote when he’s running for office live in Kentucky. As long as he services the needs of the voters in Kentucky he’s not going anywhere. That scenario is played out all over the country in every election.

We all want to see fresh faces with new ideas but when it comes to the face that represents our community we feel comfortable with the face we know and are familiar with. We prefer a representative that already knows how to do the job rather than one who is learning as he goes.Once elected, a politician has to really screw-up before most people will vote them out of office.

Sure, Washington may be a swamp, but “we the people” are the ones that keep restocking it with the same political parasites and predators that feed off all Americans.

We will never be able to throw their bums out as long as we continue to leave our own ass alone.

Killing the Masses

Killing the Masses

My beautiful niece, NicHole, and a friend were debating the epidemic of mass shootings currently plaguing our country. Her friend insisted that other counties (Canada) had plenty of mass shootings; it wasn't just an American problem.

She disputed that claim and suggested he check out the facts. That seemed like a great idea. Taking it upon myself I decided do a little research and check them out myself. So I Googled "Mass shootings in Canada," our closest neighbor.

The commonly accepted definition of a Mass Shooting is defined as one where at least four people are shot or killed, not including the gunman. Some agencies that track this sort of tragedy have since reduced the number of victims required to qualify an event as a "Mass shooting" to three. I decided to go with four victims just to narrow the number. Seriously, almost any given weekend in America will result in three people being killed by gunfire routinely.

I came across this list on Wikipedia that listed around forty massacres that have occurred in Canada. Now 40+ mass killings is nothing to be proud of. But the fact is that the first incident listed happened in 1689 as part of King William's war and the next incident happened five decades later in the same war. The next incident happened 5 decades later in the same war suggests that these crimes don’t happen often. At least they didn’t.

Other incidents were spread out over years, decades and almost centuries apart. At one point, between 1885 and 1967 none were recorded. By comparison, the cover of this week’s Time magazine features a list of 253 mass shootings that have occurred in America in the first half of this year alone.

The interesting and sad thing about the statistics from Canada is that, of the 40+ incidents listed, 14 of them, almost a third of the total, have happened since 2014.

I took the difference in population into consideration so I also looked up comparable violence in countries as large or larger than American in population and/or power.

I looked at China and Russia for a start. Both are global powers with a major role in the way they contribute to our sense of security. They have far less incidents of mass killings instigated by individuals against people. Those incidents that they have experienced were actually acts of the governments against the people.

These links will give you a start if you want to examine such events for yourself. I could post more links but you are free to search for the stats for yourself and interpret them as you wish. There are other sites that break down the figures in ways that will argue that the U.S. is far from the leader in the deaths by such attacks. Just remember, there are lies, damn lies and statistics.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_massacres_in_Canada

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_massacres_in_China

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_massacres_in_Russia

These links serve as statistical evidence that the increase in the violence that humans wreak upon each other is a worldwide phenomenon; one that extends across all borders. Such tragedies are accelerating at a rate that suggests madness is taking hold.

While America is clearly leading the way when it comes to incidents of mass killings, people across the planet are more inclined to use violence to express their frustration and anger. They are losing control of their lives while living in a world that is beyond their control. People are feeling more helpless and hopeless. The world is leaving most of us without any promise of a future.

Take away hope and most people will fill that void with hate. People in such a state want to kill.

What can we do to stop the violence?

It has been suggested that to get a handle on controlling these events we need to pay attention to our kids; that we all need to think first before we act. We need to hold people accountable for the things they say and do. We need to bring back morals and values. Maybe so, but I think it goes beyond such simple solutions.

Personally, I don't believe in concepts such as "morals" or "values." when it comes to deciding whether a person holds or lacks them in a way that they can be identified as a good or bad person. When it comes to identifying someone as a possible threat, it's just too complicated.

Many people believe gambling or drinking are immoral. They believe in "family values," as long as it's the type of family they approve of. They are quick to judge other families, gay couples who adopt children, bi-racial couples or people who live together without the bonds of holy matrimony, as having lesser values; or none at all.

I will leave it to others to determine the state of morality of those different than them. I do, however, believe that accountability and responsibility are concepts that can be equally applied to everyone regardless of their personal values or morals.

We have become the sort of society where we need to blame others rather than accept blame; qwhere we seek vengeance rather than justice. We want everyone to win a trophy just for playing and deny the winner their right to declare victory over all. We need to remember that we are all different as individuals, but we are all the same as human beings.

When it comes to re-enforcing such things as morals, values, accountability and responsibility, we can't look to others... teachers, lawyers, judges or politicians to do what is necessary to impose them on us. It can only be done if each one of us begins by looking in the mirror and pointing the finger at the person looking back.

It's not a matter of bringing such attributes as accountability, responsibility, morality and unity back... it's a matter of learning to accept them as our duty as individuals and apply them as a people.

When we want to stop killing, the killings will stop.

Country, County and Choice

Country, County and Choice 

          I don’t “believe” in abortion. I don’t “approve” of abortion. I think it’s a sad and tragic decision whenever a woman is faced with an unfortunate and unplanned pregnancy that demands such a choice be made. Not all pregnancies are the result of irresponsible, reckless or wanton behavior. There times when forcing a woman to carry a fetus to term will only result in the destruction of both her life and the life the child. But what I think doesn’t matter.

          The only person who has the right to make that decision… whether to terminate a pregnancy or not… is the woman whose body and life will be affected by it. The Supreme Court ruling in Roe vs. Wade that recognized the right of a woman to undergo a safe and legal abortion has been the law of the land for almost half a century. It took a back alley practice out of the hands of butchers and gave it to the legitimate doctors that were willing to help women take control of their lives and bodies; often at the risk of their own lives and careers.

          For decades, opponents of abortion have fought tooth and nail to take away the rights of women when it comes to abortion. Using both legal and lethal means, Right wing conservatives, highly religious groups and extreme zealots have been trying to deny women anywhere in our country the fundamental right that Roe vs. Wade recognized. They want to prohibit women from accessing safe and legal abortions despite polls that say the majority of Americans believe in a woman’s right to choose.

          States are passing ever more restrictive laws that are designed to deny women access to abortion services regardless of the reasons. Even in cases where the pregnancy is the result of a rape or incest or where the health of the mother is threatened. Most of these laws have been struck down as unconstitutional by courts. Sadly, that doesn’t stop states, usually states that are controlled by the Republican Party, from trying.

          If the leak of the draft opinion is correct it seems that the SCOTUS is about to reverse Roe vs Wade and hand the anti-abortion movement their wish. But it just might be a case of being "careful what you wish for" for abortion opponents.

          It brings to mind another attempt to prohibit the American people from exercising a right that everyone was granted but did not necessarily indulge. A small but very motivated group of zealots managed to get the members of congress to pass a constitutional amendment banning the sale and consumption of alcohol across the nation. Despite the fact that about two thirds of Americans did not approve of prohibition, the proponents of the issue used tactics that targeted individual members of congress. They organized in local ways that threatened the jobs of national politicians.

          Their actions and threats to evict from office any member of congress that opposed them resulted in the capitulation of enough politicians that they voted for the 18^th amendment; not because they cared about the issue, but they cared about keeping their jobs.

          By the time the congress got around to repealing prohibition 15 years later, by a measure that matched the numbers of Americans that wanted it repealed, about 75%, the damage to our nation was done. Organized crime syndicates were born and the violence and carnage that became the trademark of such criminal enterprises became a part of our history that still exists today. Once alcohol became legal again, the syndicates simply moved on to such enterprises such as drugs, prostitution and gambling.

          Despite the repeal, the results of the vote to repeal prohibition did not mean that alcohol was available everywhere in the US. In many states and counties, the sale and, in some cases, the consumption of alcohol remained illegal. These places are often referred to as “Dry” states or counties. There are 33 states that allow cities, towns and counties to pass local laws and ordinances that control or outright ban alcohol. There are 17 states that deny cities and towns the right to prevent the sale and distribution of alcohol.

          The opponents of abortion rights are trying similar tactics in their fight to ban abortion nationwide. They are using the courts and flooding them with legal challenges. They are targeting politicians in districts where voters are largely Pro-life and using a single issue to force politicians to agree or lose their job. They want to force the entire nation to bend to their will.

          Prohibition was based on a small group’s moral standards. While it succeeded for a short time, the damage it did to our country far exceeded the benefits.  In the end it came down to where, instead of trying to impose the will of a minority upon the entire nation, it became the responsibility of individual cities towns and counties to decide for themselves whether they wanted to ban or allow alcohol in their lives.

          And therein lays the solution to a woman’s right to have an abortion.

Trying to deny the rights of a specific group of people, women, with laws that are based on moral or religious standards that have no legal basis goes against everything that this nation is based on. The will of the majority does not over-rule the rights of the individual.  The concept of individual rights and liberties are the bedrock that the Constitution was designed to protect.

           I have a huge problem with any religious or political group feeling they have some moral or divine imperative that compels them to make a decision that impacts an entire nation. Deciding to have an abortion is an immensely personal one. However, insisting that every community accommodates that choice is unreasonable.  If the majority of people don’t want to allow abortions in their city or town, then let the voters make the decision to ban it there.

           The right to have an abortion is one that every woman was promised by Roe vs. Wade. But that doesn’t mean that every municipality has to allow such clinics to function within the boundaries of their community. Like the sale of alcohol, communities should be allowed to deny the licensing and or establishment of a business that the citizens, the voters, don’t approve of. And no matter how you feel about abortion, a place that provides such a service is a business.

          People that comprise a community can’t deny women their right to have an abortion. Yet, the people in any city, town or county, by a formal vote, should have the right to permit or deny any business that does not comport with their community standards. No matter how much revenue such businesses bring in, these businesses will never be welcome.

          However, there will be those communities that recognize that such businesses mean money by way of taxes and fees that feed their coffers.

          The concept of what is moral does not relate to what is legal. There are a lot of people who think that gambling is immoral. There are a lot of places where it is both legal and encouraged. If you don’t want to gamble no one can force you to wager your money. But, frankly, if someone wants to gamble, it’s none of your business.

          The Roe vs. Wade ruling guarantees an individual woman the right to have an abortion, but it doesn’t force individual communities to accommodate her in accessing those services. It is a matter of country vs. county. While it is a right granted to every woman in our nation that does not mean that every town in our country has to provide access to such a business.

          What a woman does with her body, with her life, is no-one’s business. Yet, that doesn’t mean everyone has to do business with her. Many communities will not allow abortion services to do business in their jurisdiction. There are just as many places where the citizens will recognize the right and take advantage of the taxes and revenue that these businesses provide.

          You may think it is wrong, but that doesn’t make you right.

The Case for Kasich

The Case for Kasich

Michael Cannata

          The last presidential election was about as ugly a political spectacle as this country has ever experienced in my lifetime. Trump won by exploiting the sense of anger and disgust many people in America harbored for politicians in general. He also appealed to some deep seated hate felt by many white Americans towards minorities in general and immigrants in particular.

          He attacked not just immigrants, women, and the disabled with a constant barrage of insults and invective. He disparaged the personal character and political accomplishments of his opponents. His behavior and the response by his debate foes was tantamount to the over-the-top-displays of screaming and shouting by guests straight out of a Jerry Springer show; with his followers playing the part of the rabid audience with equal enthusiasm.

          It was as vicious a political bloodletting America has ever witnessed. Trump painted a picture of an America that was nearly apocalyptic. He wasn't a politician, but he was a skilled TV performer. Trump played to his audience with deft and dark skill. He played to the deepest fears and strongest hate of his base. He insulted the other candidates the way his supporters wished they could do. Like his supporters, Trump had no political experience to offer. Just a claim to his position as an outsider who was going to, "drain the swamp," if given the chance. He promised them a "great big beautiful wall" that would stem the flow of murderous, evil, drug dealing criminals into our country.

          However, out of the fray, there emerged one guy who seemed unruffled and unperturbed by Trump's attacks. John Kasich, the Governor of Ohio, impressed me with his ability to express his ideas and policies with carefully considered and thoughtful answers to the questions he faced during the debates. He showed me that he could look at an issue from both sides and was willing to support the best solution from a partisan rather than a party centered point of view.

          He was easily the only guy who acted the way one would expect of a legitimate candidate. He came across as Presidential.

          In my humble opinion, even though he lost in the last election, this is the guy who could be the only hope in 2020 for the GOP to hold on to the White House. Kasich has distanced himself from Trump and has established his role as a serious critic of Trump. He has proven that he isn't afraid to buck the party line. In other words, he isn't afraid to point out that the Emperor hasn't any clothes.

          I supported, Bernie Sanders, during the last presidential election. I had watched him over his entire career. I admired him as a man and as an independent politician of over 30 years. He had a reputation as someone who could work with both sides. I decided to vote for only the second time in my 65 years because I finally found a candidate that I could honestly support. But we all know how that turned out. The democratic party backed the candidate that the party wanted. They never seemed to consider what the people wanted. 

          John Kasich seems to possess the same skills that attracted me to Sanders. Kasich appears to be a man that can work with both parties when it comes to reaching solutions that are best for the country, not just the party. His experience as a governor gives him the sort of experience that best suits a potential president.

          By all accounts, John Kasich's terms as Governor of Ohio were a resounding success. Quoting from the official Ohio Governor's website, He closed "an $8 billion budget shortfall without a tax increase, reducing taxes by $5 billion" and "Ohio jobs have grown by over 557,600." "The Buckeye state is in a stronger position than it was when Kasich took office."

          John Kasich has all the political pedigree, resume, experience and support that we could ask of any viable presidential candidate. When it comes to my political leanings I have always considered myself an independent moderate. I believe that we should always vote for the best candidate regardless of their party affiliation.

          John Kasich is a guy I could get behind. Right now, the democratic field of candidates is so crowded that it's impossible to see who is worth supporting. Sadly, when it comes to the republicans, there is Trump, Pence and maybe the carpetbagger, Romney. Voting for any of them is unthinkable.

          I am hoping that John Kasich will once again challenge Trump for the nomination. I would give him serious consideration. I don't care if the next president is a republican or a democrat. I just want him or her to be competent and capable. Someone who believes in America. We don't need someone who can make America great again; America has always been great. We need someone who can keep us great. 

           John Kasich has the potential to be that man if we give him a chance. Who knows, maybe he'll be the guy who gets me to vote for the third time.

Take the Money and Run

Take the Money and Run

Michael Cannata

           I read an interesting article that made me wonder just how seriously Donalf Trump is thinking about running for reelection in 2020. Since his election, Trump has been running around the country holding rallies as though the 2020 campaign had already begun.

          He still loves to get his supporters fired up with chants of “Lock her up!” He still has them convinced that Mexico is going to pay for his wall. He's still making pie-in-the-sky promises and insulting anyone he chooses with vicious invective.

          During his run for president, Donald Trump made a lot of promises about how much he was going to cut taxes. And, true to his word, with the help of the greediest GOP Congress in history, he pushed a tax cut through. He pounded his chest and his supporters pointed to the accomplishment as proof positive that he was a man of his word.

          The only problem is, since getting his tax bill passed, a lot of people did get huge tax cuts... just not people like me or most all of his supporters. People like me, average working class Americans, they might get a tax cut that will give them an extra tank of gas or a trip to the movies every month.

          But billionaires, people like Trump, they are going to be showered with money, Money they don't need nearly as much as the average tax payer. And by all accounts, Trump is perfectly happy with the result. Despite a number of published reports from several agencies whose job it is to track the effects of such legislation. Reports that say that the national debt is going to to increase bigly, Trump doesn't seem to care.

         According to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office the deficit will reach a trillion dollars by 2020. You know... the year Trump is supposed to be running for reelection.. the year this enormous bill is going to be due. The year when, if the numbers are correct, America's economy will go in the tank. We are supposed to believe Trump will ask his supporters to vote for him again

          But I think Trump has unwittingly revealed his true plan. Trump is an ignorant, uncouth, small minded, spiteful, greedy, narcissistic egomaniac... but he isn't stupid. His goal was to reap the bounty of his position for as much personal gain and then cut his losses.

          When his aides tried to show him just how bad the national debt was going to be by 2020 using a graph that looked similar to a hockey stick, a long uphill slope that suddenly shoots upward, he waved them off. According to sources and acknowledging that it would happen he stated blithely,

          “Yeah, but I won't be here.”

          In 2020, Trump won't be running for office... he'll just be taking the money and running.

Do We Have Ten Good Men Left?

Do We Have Ten Good Men Left?

Michael Cannata

            This week has seen some historical events unfold that could bring about the downfall of Donald Trump's presidency. His long time lawyer and "fixer," Michael Cohen, has declared in court that Trump directed him to pay hush money to Stormy Daniels in an attempt to influence the 2016 election. He has been branded a criminal co-conspirator in campaign finance violations by a man who is in a position to know.

            His former campaign manager, Paul Manafort, was found guilty on 8 counts of tax evasion and bank fraud, barely escaping guilty verdicts on 10 other charges thanks to a lone holdout on the jury. Several members of his administration have been charged and have pleaded guilty to a variety of crimes in the course of their duties.

            However, the members of congress, the GOP in particular, still seem reluctant to pursue impeachment as a means to remove Trump from office and try to salvage what little respect people might hold for those in office and for our government in general.

            There's an old saying that "the fish rots from the head down." However, the fish that is the GOP has been rotting away long before Trump came on the scene. Trump has just accelerated that rotting the way the hot sun would while burning down on the carcass.

            Yet, even as our country is being torn apart by the hate, racism, bigotry and misogyny he spews on a daily basis, the GOP still turns a blind eye to his sick and twisted sense of governance. They are unable or, worse, afraid to oppose his attacks on almost every social and ethnic group; Unwilling to challenge him as he insults and denigrates the character of greater men for reasons that are petty, personal and vindictive. Men and women who have dedicated their lives to serving their country,

            While his party has control of both houses of congress and the White House, he has continued to blame the democrats for his failure to accomplish any meaningful changes that would benefit the American people. Instead he has attacked and attempted to take away many of their vital social services such as health care, education, food stamps and financial aid.

            He has raped the nation's coffers to enrich those who need it the least while denying aid to those that need it the most. He has spurned and insulted long time historical allies and has kowtowed to fanatical despots and dictators around the globe. He has accepted the denials of Vladimir Putin at face value while condemning our own national intelligence agencies for insisting that Russian meddling in our elections is real and dangerous.

            It's become clear that Donald Trump lives to serve only one man, himself. He demands loyalty from all but shows loyalty to none, no matter how long they work or sacrifice for him. He accepts, no, he usurps all credit for any success those around him achieve. Yet, he blames everyone around him for his personal failures as a businessman and politician.

            He lives in an alternate reality, filled with alternate facts where "truth isn't truth." He has boldly lied with impunity on a scale unparalleled in modern history.

            He has attacked our greatest institution, the free press, and declared them the "enemy of the people!" He mounted a full assault on our right to free speech. I have never heard more insane and dangerous invective spoken by a member of our government.

            The members of both parties are part of the problem. But the GOP has all the chips in this game. It's time they come together with the democrats and realize they have a common enemy in Trump.

            Surely there must be a lot... ok, many... well, some... a few?... members of the GOP party willing to put their names on the line and stand up to this lunatic posing as the American president; Leaders who are willing to join with their democrat counterparts and impeach this dangerous charlatan before our country is damaged beyond repair.

            The American people are in desperate need of GOP leaders who will challenge their base and show, not just Americans, but the global community, that America doesn't need to be made great again. It has been and always will be the greatest nation on Earth. And we are not going to let Donald Trump tear us down while he tries to prop himself up.

            When push comes to shove... and I believe we have reached that point, I can't believe that all the republicans will put their own country in peril and allow Trump to wreak havoc on all that America has stood for. I don't believe the members of the GOP will choose their party over their people. I don't believe they will sacrifice their personal integrity and honor as elected leaders, just to protect a corrupt, unprincipled, ego-maniacal man who would destroy this country and destroy them rather than resign.

            I fear for our country now more than ever. We The People are at the point where we just might collapse as a country. Trump seems determined to divide us against ourselves and bring our United States down in a show of fire and fury of our own making. We have become a nation where evil; corruption, criminal conduct, greed and avarice in our elected leaders are almost seen as positive characteristics. Like Rome we are a grand Empire just before its fall. Or maybe we are closer to one of those famous cities that were destroyed by an angry God.

            I don't often use biblical stories to get a point across but this seems to be the right time. I'm paraphrasing here:

            When God sent his angels to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah they were met by Abraham and they told him they were there to destroy the cities because they had become corrupt with evil. Abraham asked God if he would spare the cities if he could find at least 10 good men among those who lived there. God agreed.

            However, after saving Lot and his family, the angels scoured the city and couldn't even find 10 good men. We all know what happened after that.

            If his angels were to show up in Washington D.C. today looking for 10 good men, we would be in deep doo-doo.