Surprise! It's October!

"Ever since we got the first whiff of this mega scandal earlier in the Trump Administration, I was reminded of the Sir Walter Scott famous quote - 'Oh what a tangled web we weave, when we first practice to deceive.'"

Oh boy! This could be the long awaited October surprise! At long last, the President has declassified ALL the correspondence and personal notes going back to the now infamous Russia-gate. And from first blush, John Brennen's fingerprints are all over this thing. Thing? What thing? The "thing" is the conspiracy by the Clinton Team to spy on, and discredit the Trump campaign. And John Brennen is already spitting mad that his name has come out. But this could only be the beginning.

To make matters even more interesting, there is a presser by the DOJ today at 10am. Rumor has it, that FBI Director Wray will announce he is leaving. PLUS - maybe some of the tantalizing details of Russia-gate will be disclosed. 

Ever since we got the first whiff of this mega scandal earlier in the Trump Administration, I was reminded of the Sir Walter Scott famous quote - "Oh what a tangled web we weave, when we first practice to deceive." As Obama's former pastor would say, "The chickens are coming home to roost". In other words, if Brennen knew, and Hillary knew, then Brennen's boss also knew. That would be Barrack Obama. And if Obama knew, his second in command probably also knew. That would be the man who wants to be king - Sleepy Joe Biden.

The Democrat Party, whose motto is, "you can win if you cheat", really stepped in it this time. They were too cute by half. Everything would have worked perfectly, if that darn old Donald Trump had not out worked Hillary during the last month of the campaign. Where she thought she could coast in to victory, Donald Trump took nothing for granted. He worked up until the clock struck midnight - and won! Suddenly, all the dirty tricks and underhanded crap the Clinton team did was in danger of being revealed. Now finally - it will be.

Okay America - this is what this all means to you. Russia-gate, which makes Watergate look like a Sunday School picnic, is populated by a long list of law breakers. People who should be doing the perp walk. And this long list of law breakers might just include Sleepy Joe Biden, and other people he would want in his administration. In other words, under Obama, we came very close to having a Banana Republic. With Biden as POTUS, we will.

This is going to be a very bumpy ride for the rest of October. It will be like going to the dentist for the first time in five years, and having your teeth cleaned. Names will be named. (Hopefully), some will be put in bracelets.

It is time for justice in America. It is time to clean house. It is time to drain the swamp. It is going to be messy, and the MSM will not stand for it. Don't believe a word the MSM says or prints. Listen for, and watch for the truth - it will be there. Just not in the MSM. 

A weaponized virus?

"How shallow is our thinking on this matter? Listen to the Presidential debates. Uncle Joe nitwit is trying to blame all 200,000 Covid deaths on President Trump - for not being prepared." 

Something has been bothering me as of late. As most know, no country has been hit worse by Covid - 19, than ours. For weeks upon weeks, NYC was the epicenter, the hot spot of the world. What I find interesting, is the first Covid - 19 case did not hit NYC until this past March. One would or could speculate, that since it started in Wuhan, China, months before NYC, and since Wuhan has a dense population like NYC has, the numbers in Wuhan should be worse than awful. But if China's numbers are true (and that is a big if), Wuhan just took a light dusting, while NYC has over a quarter million cases. 

And it is not just China. The same holds true for other densely populated areas in the western Pacific. And that has been bothering me for a while now. Why is it, in Asian countries where the virus has existed longer, are their numbers so much better than many Caucasian countries? Is it in the DNA of the Asian people to be more tolerant of this virus? Is it in their diet? Or is it something much more nefarious? Like, could the Chinese have somehow weaponized this virus to be more deadly to Caucasians than Asians?

I know. I know. This sure sounds like a whopper. Another conspiracy theory. But when you look at the stats of some of the most densely populated places in the world, and compare it to our country, the differences are jaw dropping. Like, the total number of cases in Tokyo, Soule, Hong Kong, and Singapore (with a combined population of 37,000,000) is about 80,000 less than NYC with a population of 8,300,000. I know there is a reason "why" somewhere in here, but there sure seems to be a lack of urgency to find out what it is.

How shallow is our thinking on this matter? Listen to the Presidential debates. Uncle Joe nitwit is trying to blame all 200,000 Covid deaths on President Trump - for not being prepared. Yes, this is the same nitwit who called the President a xenophobe for cutting off China from air travel to our nation back in January. But wait - what about the real reason for our abysmal numbers? Why is not the CDC looking into that? Like I said, there is an answer somewhere. The fact we have 200,000 deaths, and the four cities I mentioned in the western Pacific have a total of 2,000, does not mass muster. Not even close.

I know, some will say we are not using the same yardstick to measure fatalities other countries are using. Okay, I agree many of the 200,000 are conflated with other diseases. Many are really be comorbidity related. But if our numbers are that tainted, we should not be using them anymore. For the casual observer, using tainted numbers would make our country appear to be way out of control, while other countries seem to have this under control. 

In any event, that is my rant for the day. For this country, to have the best healthcare in the world, and still to have numbers like we have, needs to be looked at with a different lens. Why? The lens we are currently using might be way out of focus. We owe it to ourselves to come up with a better answer. Even if it points the finger of blame right back to the CCP.

 

 

A male chauvinist, am I?

"Chauvinism is a French word, and it goes back to the early 1800's. It had NOTHING to do with men feeling superior over women."

Back in the day, being called a male chauvinist was meant to be a pejorative. I mean, if the other side called you that name, they did you dirt. Threw some shade on you. But in reality, I am a male chauvinist. By the way, that does NOT mean you are a sexist. That is how misunderstood and misused that term has become over the ages. I know I am a male, and I checked that again the last time I went to the bathroom. On that, I am old school. Male plumbing = being a male. But a chauvinist. What the heck is that?

Basically, a patriot. If you love your country and love showing that love, you could quality for being a chauvinist. But somehow, somewhere along this path, chauvinism got conflated with sexism. In fact, a very popular term of disrespect from days gone by, was to call someone a "Male Chauvinist Pig". That meant, in that day's urban dictionary, a "Male Chauvinist Pig" was one who thought males were much superior to females, and therefore, males should control them. Huh?  

Anyhow, back to the real definition of being chauvinistic. Chauvinism is a French word, and it goes back to the early 1800's. It had NOTHING to do with men feeling superior over women. Nada. Nothing. It did have to do however, with the belief that the nation or group you belonged to, was superior over another opposing group. The term could be rational or irrational in its use. 

For example, the Vikings are a better football team than the Packers because the Viking players are stronger and more moral. That is a chauvinistic statement, which for this season, is irrational. South Dakota is a better state, as it has more freedoms than Minnesota. That could be a chauvinistic, yet a rational statement. But - neither statement had anything to do with sexism.

Many times chauvinism means to be "showing(ly) or excessively patriotic". If I had five Trump flags and 20 Trump lawn signs, that could be considered to be excessively patriotic by some. I on the other hand, would consider that just to be a good start. In any event, excessively patriotic should be tied closer to nationalism or even jingoism, than sexism. But it is not. In fact, for the evolving definition of chauvinism, it is the tail wagging the dog. So many people in the 1960's (and forward) have misused this word to mean sexism, Webster's changed their definition of chauvinism. Today, if you are a chauvinist, you are showing(ly) sexist, instead of excessively patriotic. 

Me? I reject the new definition of that fine, age old French term. If someone calls me a chauvinist, I will look at that as a compliment instead of an insult. Why do I say that? When it comes to being a true patriot, I don't see any ceiling to that term. It is all up side. Globalism on the other hand, is all down side. If someone wanted to insult me, calling me a globalist would do the trick.

The MAGA Mystery

"Then at the Trump Tower in NYC, came a man, a builder, a businessman, a visionary who like Ronald Reagan, could feel the pulse of this nation, and articulate its passion. Make America Great Again (MAGA) became the rallying cry for the citizens and the patriots."

I have told this story before. Bono (the musician) was asked what he thought about America. He replied (with some paraphrasing), "America is more than a country - it is an idea. And now, that idea has been shared with the world." In other words, what America stands for, this great and grand experiment, is not just a place to live. It is how we live. America has transitioned from a location to a dream. A dream of a better way to live. Bono - you could have not been more correct.

Back in 1980, a former actor, a former Democrat, a former Governor of California, ran for President. Ronald Wilson Reagan was a game changer. He was able to feel the pulse of this great nation, and articulate that national heartbeat into a wonderful message. "It is morning again in America". After going through the dark days of Jimmy Carter and "stagflation" (with some malaise added in), citizens and patriots were ready for a change. And with President Reagan, we got the change we needed.

In 2016, the nation was again coming out of a troubling period of time. We had no leadership, and the President we had for eight long years, had us disrespecting our military, our police forces, and even ourselves. It seems we were traveling all over the world to apologize for just being us. The "shining city on the hill" that President Reagan always talked about, was replaced with something dark and far less desirable.

Then at the Trump Tower in NYC, came a man, a builder, a businessman, a visionary who, like Ronald Reagan, could feel the pulse of this nation. And he could articulate it. Make America Great Again (MAGA) became the rallying cry for the citizens and the patriots from coast to coast. Donald Trump was a leader like this nation had not seen since Ronald Reagan. He was not the same as President Reagan - Donald Trump was different. But both were charismatic. Both were leaders. And both brought this nation to new heights.

Right now, President Trump is at Walter Reed recovering from Covid - 19. The good people of this land, are praying for a quick and complete recovery for our President. But here is the fact. MAGA, is like how Bono described America. MAGA is an idea. And idea which has now been shared with the world. President Trump has said many times (in explaining MAGA). He wants every citizen of every country to feel the same way. Make their country great again. Long after President Trump leaves office, MAGA will still be here. The people who believe in MAGA will still be here.

The part I find almost amusing is when I hear some on the left say, "If we could only get rid of Trump, things could go back to the way they were." No they won't. Just like how Ronald Reagan changed this country in the 1980's, Donald Trump has changed this country during these past four years. 

Every day, we are grateful to God for this great nation. We continue to ask for His blessings and favor. We are grateful for the Godly leaders this nation has had in the past. Today, we are very grateful for Donald John Trump.

Lord God - heal our land, heal our leader, and heal our people. Grant us the wisdom to turn towards You Lord, and not away from You. This we pray in Jesus most Holy Name. Amen.  

The Love Boat, no more...

"I am very hopeful that in the first quarter of next year, we will have turned the corner on this thing. One way or another, I am convinced of that. But the next three months might be brutal." 

The other day my wife and I were chatting about our former lives. Former lives? What the what? Let me explain. In our former lives, we liked to travel. Road trips. Go on cruises. We are in the loyalty program with Princess Cruises. We had fun being "cruisers" - we went to Alaska, South America, Panama Canal, Mexico, and the Caribbean. We almost did a WestPac cruise, but a super typhoon put an end to that journey, before it even started. We took our shipboard credits from that busted trip, and booked a cruise to Europe and Russia. Then Covid - 19 scrubbed that trip. Right now, wild horses could not get us on a cruise ship. No way, no how.

Right now, the travel industry is dying on the vine. Airlines, cruise lines, travel agencies - nobody wants to take the chance of being stranded on another Diamond Princess, where it became a floating petri dish for Covid. Passengers on board, instantly went from VIP status to untouchable. Nobody, no country wanted them. They were left there to be infected with this strange new disease, and yes, the most vulnerable - died. Then part of the ship became a morgue. 

One of our contractors mentioned to us that he would love to go somewhere on vacation this fall. But where? His dreams of a fall vacation were quickly dashed by the thought of getting on a plane, wearing a mask for 3 plus hours, and then getting off in a state or country which has unknown restrictions due to the virus. Then, being trapped in a hotel room with nowhere to go, and nothing to do.

One of the problems some of the cruise lines are experiencing (besides the fact nobody wants to cruise), is finding ports which will accept the risk of having strangers visit their country. And if they do, what kind of excursions will be offered? Certainly not a tour bus, where everyone needs to "social distance". And will you have to wear masks everywhere? What about dining on the ship? No more formal or even informal dining? More questions than answers.

What we saw happened with the President and First Lady, is a grim reminder of how contagious this disease is. It is nothing to mess with. As much as we WANT TO return to something even semi-normal, I am afraid we are going to have to give Covid - 19 a wide berth until it mutates into nothingness - or a viable vaccine is found. Until then, I am afraid the travel industry will suffer the same hurts as the restaurant industry has suffered. Just last month, Princess had to sell two of its cruise ships, just to get some instant cash.

No, for those who have heard the term but before this year never experienced it - welcome to "staycation". People are staying at home, trying hard not to suffer from cabin fever. The other day, my wife and I needed to venture over to (the once very busy) Arbor Lakes shopping area. It was close to being a ghost town. Normally, the biggest problem we would have at Arbor Lakes is finding a parking place, even remotely close to where we wanted to go. Now? Park wherever you want. No going out for lunch, no browsing, just mask up, do your business, and go home. Yuck!

I am very hopeful that in the first quarter of next year, we will have turned the corner on this thing. One way or another, I am convinced of that. But the next three months might be brutal. Halloween, Thanksgiving, even Christmas, all promise to be a bust this year. Schools, work, vacation - all are different now. What can we do? Practice caution, pray for our country, pray for the First Family, and pray for your family. Pray that a hedge of protection be around all you hold dear and near. 

 

  

The battle for MN CD 3

"Ambassador Nikki Haley recently endorsed Kendall Qualls for CD 3. Ambassador Haley is respected by many, and her endorsement means something big."

Of all the Congressional District races in Minnesota this time around, the one I find the most fascinating is CD 3. This district was in Republican hands for years, with Eric Paulsen as the representative. Towards the end of his tenure, his standing with many conservative Republicans started to weaken. To make matters worse, suburban woman with degrees, started to side against President Trump. They did not like the President's behavior, despite the fact he was getting  a TON of things done. Plus - the President kept his promises.

Up from the ashes on the Democrat side of CD 3, came another limousine liberal. A rich guy, heir to the Phillips liquor (a bottom shelf favorite), business. But - Dean Phillips had one very important thing going for him - he was not a member of Trump's party. Other than that, he was a political zero. But in 2018, zero was a high enough number to unseat Paulsen. And just like that, with the help of thousands of suburban women with degrees (according to the pundits), this long standing Republican district fell to the socialists.

Since it appeared to many on the right, that Eric Paulsen was done in CD 3, who in the world would or could pick up the torch and win? And who is it? Somebody whose qualifications beat Dean Phillip's qualifications, six ways to Sunday.

Enter Kendall Qualls. What a story this man has! Rather than being raised as a child of privilege and wealth (like his opponent was), Kendall Qualls grew up taking a much tougher path. First Harlem, and then a trailer court in Oklahoma, Kendall never lost focus on making his life count. He wanted to make a difference. And he has.

An Army officer, a business man, husband and father - and now maybe a Congressman. I have never met him face to face, but I am friends with him on social media. I know his life story. I understand his vision for CD 3 as well as the rest of Minnesota. I said this two years ago when Pete Stauber ran for CD 8. I had the chance to meet Pete Stauber at the state convention in 2018. I learned his back story. This was a highly qualified man. I feel the same way about Kendall Qualls. CD 3 has the chance to send Phillips back to his country club, and get a red blooded, hard working conservative, in that district. 

Ambassador Nikki Haley recently endorsed Kendall Qualls for CD 3. Ambassador Haley is respected by many, and her endorsement means something big. I am not in Kendall's district. I am in CD 6, where we have a wonderful Congressman, Tom Emmer. If Kendall can win back CD 3 for the Republicans, we would then have a strong cadre of Republicans in the House representing Minnesota. Haggedorn, Qualls, Emmer, and Stauber. As much as I would also like to see Lacy Johnson unseat Omar in CD 5, I think the ballot harvesting is too wide and too deep in that district. Omar could be convicted of numerous crimes, and Cedar Riverside would still vote her back in.

There it is. I very seldom endorse someone outside of my district or state. With Kendall Qualls, I will make an exception. I know quality - and Kendall Qualls is a quality man, who will make a high quality Congressman. Kendall Qualls is not beholden to any special interest - only to the voters and our Constitution. 

     

November 4, 2020

"In any event, I have not heard one pundit speak or write of a placid November. I have heard predictions of a November which at best, could be turbulent. At worse, could be blood in the streets bad."

Right now, many people are looking forward to November 3, 2020. That is the day when most people will visit their polling place and cast their votes. Not only for President, but also all the down ticket as well. Neither my wife nor I are voting by mail. We are voting in person (as we usually do) on November 3rd. I fully expect when the polls close, many of the races I am interested in will be decided. Except for one, that is. I will be amazed if the race for President is decided on November 3rd.

In fact, I am looking forward to November 4th, 2020 with great trepidation. I do know this - there are going to be millions of very unhappy people in this country, no matter who wins. Or if there is no winner declared by the 4th, most everyone will be unhappy. And when I say there will be millions of unhappy people, I am talking about normal citizens. That does not include Antifa, who will burn things down just for the hell of it. Do I think Antifa has plans in place for November 4th already? I would bet the house on it.

In fact, I will go as far to say that the mischief makers in this country will start their mayhem on November 3rd, right after the polls close. The only thing which might stop them from going full out anarchist, is if Joe Biden wins in a landslide. If Biden takes the national vote, as well as the electoral college. However, if Trump pulls a repeat from four years ago, and loses the national vote (easy to do with California and New York having so many socialists living there), and wins the electoral vote, things could get ugly real fast. 

Right now, one of the divides this country has is between the "makers" and the "takers". The "makers" love Trump, because the President "plows the road" for them, by eliminating as many harmful or cumbersome government regulations as possible. Even though Trump's policies have also helped the "takers", most "takers" hate the President. They would much prefer a Santa Clause President, like Biden. Biden will take capital and opportunity from the "makers", and then give candy to the "takers". Why? That is the Democrat way. 

October promises to be feisty month. One Veep debate, and two more Presidential debates. Plus a buttload of campaign stops. Biden gaffs, Trump boasts, and enough campaign commercials to choke a goat. But that is October. November could be the start of revolution for the hell of it. 

In any event, I have not heard one pundit speak of a placid November. I have heard predictions of a November which at best, could be turbulent. At worse, could be blood in the streets bad. I do know this - use October to get prepared. Have your cars gassed up, adequate food in the pantry, some cash on hand, and yes, a good supply of ammo in your house. 

My feeling? The way 2020 is going, I am not expecting anything calm and good coming out of November. But instead of dreading November, my eyes are set on January. Why? Next January will not be in 2020.