A man with no plan...

"Here is the plain and simple truth folks. We are a country which is like a plane flying with no pilot. Or at best, a pilot who has had a few too many. As much as I would like to see Biden replaced with someone competent, we all know what the succession line looks like."

More and more people are looking at our President now, and scratching their collective heads. What in the world is he doing? Does he even know what he is doing? Is he aware of what he is doing. Or is he only an empty suit, who is being controlled by an unknown puppet master in the background? Many, if not most of us, have NEVER seen anything like it in our lives.

A while back, Slo Joe had announced that we were pulling out of Afghanistan by Sept 11th. What? On the 20th anniversary of the attack? Many of our former military leaders told him that was too soon. It was crazy. The Taliban would come in on September 12th and roll over the Afghan Army. What does Slo Joe do? Moves the exit date up to the end of August. With no plan for the day after. Even after he was told that the Chinese were chomping at the bit to move in, and grab the Rare Earths that Afghanistan holds. No matter, we are still leaving. BTW - why did not we mine those much needed Rare Earths? Oh, well.

Here is the bottom line. Biden has zero plan for anything. We are going to make the same mistake in Afghanistan that Obama made in pulling out of Iraq. When the Russians left Afghanistan, it did not take long for the radical Muslims to really muck the place up. Made it fertile ground for terrorists. The same will happen when Biden pulls our support troops out in August. It is estimated there are 60,000 friendlies (interpreters and families) who will be in mortal danger without our support. Will Biden get them to the US? Only if he thinks they will vote the right way.

And our plan for the southern border is ---- nada. Open it up, let in baddies, drugs, sex traffickers, and illegals with zero skills. What is his end game? Beats me. I understand the voting thing. If he can get all these illegals to vote for his party, great for him. But the drugs? The trafficking? The gangs? To a people with normal common sense, this makes no sense. In fact, it is nonsense. 

Meanwhile, we are printing money faster than our printing presses can keep up. Our national debt is going up faster than Elon Musk's newest rocket. What is the plan for paying for all this debt? The same plan we have for Afghanistan. Or our southern border. Which is no plan. 

Here is the plain and simple truth folks. We are a country which is like a plane flying with no pilot. Or at best, a pilot who has had a few too many. As much as I would like to see Biden replaced with someone competent, we all know what the succession line looks like. It would be jumping out of the frying pan, and into the fire. Good grief.     

Building a better tomorrow - NOT build, back, better

"Where these is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he."

Proverbs 29:18

It is 2021. The pandemic is waning, the summer is half over, and the economy is trying to come back to life. What more could we ask for? For starters, we need to figure out how to build a better tomorrow. Why? How so? Excuse my candor and lack of more eloquent vocabulary - because right now, way too many things suck on our country. Gasp! What? Examples please!

Crime - I could go on for pages right now, addressing just the rudiments of this pesky issue. In my humble opinion, this is the biggest thorn in our side right now. I think a good way to start this topic out, is to quote the police chief of one of the cops who was shot yesterday - "This is not a good time to be a cop." Let that sink in for just a minute. What the chief was trying to say, it is open season on cops. Not just in one city, but many big, blue, cities. It is open season for out and out rebellion against cops. Including - assaulting them, injuring them, and yes - even killing them. The police, our heroes, are now being villainized. Villainized mostly by the left. Cops have become villainized and hunted.

Besides this new aggressive war on cops, our cities are becoming borderline unlivable. That is plain and simple, a hashtag fact. Last weekend (what was to be the celebration of our Independence Day) 100 people were shot in Chicago. 100 people! That would be big news in a combat zone. 

One innocent bystander, was on the train coming home from working on an internship for college. He was shot by a stray bullet, which come through the side of the train, and hit him in the neck. He was paralyzed from the neck down and put on a respirator. He told his family he did not want to live like this, so his breathing machine was disconnected. He died at age 20, for the crime of going to college to help build a better tomorrow for the rest of us. 

We cannot forge ahead as a people, as a community, as a country, with lawlessness ruling the day. We just can't. Our President and others in his party, seem oblivious to the fact that our cities are burning, and our people are dying. We need to change this paradigm, and change it quickly.

I am not going to carp about the current regime, or the administration. I have done that enough in the past few months. Anyone who is honest, knows we are in deep trouble. I want us to look ahead, and see how we can (collectively), build a better tomorrow. And I will set the sights high. At risk of sounding utopian, we need to set out national bar much, much higher than it is now.

First off, we don't need slogans like "build, back, better". It is a meaningless phrase. We need concrete ideas which will improve every area of our lives. Education is a mess. We need to get back to basics, and teach true civics and history. Anyone caught teaching voodoo classes like CRT should be immediately fired. Education is fertile ground right now for marked improvement. With the right focus, we can reclaim our once high education position in the world. 

Energy is another area ripe for improvement. We have to quit treating part of our energy resources like the boogie man. By adopting an immature energy policy, we have opened our country up to brown outs, black outs, and higher costs. Come on folks! We can do so much better than what we have now! To build a better tomorrow, we need a sane and viable energy policy. Not hocus pocus crap like the "green new deal".

The world is our oyster folks. Plain and simple. We got this! We are a great country with great people and great ideas. Time to get to work. Time for real vision. Building a better tomorrow starts with today. 

  

Insurrection!! (or was it?)

                                 

"Will the guilty ever be brought to trial by this administration? Nope. Whomever did the burning looting and assaulting last summer, got a free pass." 

Since the now infamous January 6th "insurrection" was in the news (again) yesterday, my interest got peaked. According to the Democrats, the event at the Capitol on January 6th was the worst thing since Pearl Harbor. Maybe even worse than that. Certainly worse than 9/11. Again, that is according to the Democrats (most of which don't know a dit from a DUH). 

Since I had some extra time to burn this morning, I looked up the definition of "insurrection". Yes! Reading the definition, it did fit the event! Totally! Not the January 6th event, when a bunch of grandparents went into the House chambers to get some audience time with their Representatives (who were not listening to them). Mostly, January 6th was a stunt, born out of frustration of the Democrats in power. No, the real insurrection came immediately after the George Floyd incident. When the rule of law went flying out the window of most big, blue cities. Today, civil disobedience has a new nick name. It is call the "Minneapolis Effect".

Please don't get me wrong. What happened at the Capitol on January 6th was beyond the pale. Bigly. But mostly harmless. That being said, the Democrats are making that event out to be worse than being hit by an asteroid. There was however, someone who was shot and killed. A protester, shot by an unknown cop. A cop (unlike Chauvin), who got away with murder on January 6th. Imagine if that happened down in the hood. If some BIPOC resident, was shot in the face by an unknown cop. What little is left unburned in Minneapolis, would have gone up in flames over that one.

No, the real insurrection happened last summer, right after the Floyd incident. 1/2 billion dollars of damage. Looting. Assault on law enforcement. A few random murders. How about when the misfits were firing rounds into the Third Precinct building, before it was torched (arson, by the same misfits)? Is that not true insurrection? According to the definitions I read this morning, it was. Yet, the Democrats and their lap dog media, say nary a thing. Nada. But Ms. Nancy wants yet another commission to study what happened on January 6th. Do you really really want to know Ms. Nancy, what caused January 6th? Look in the mirror. That was the cause.

Obama started it, and now the socialists under the tutelage of Slo Joe are finishing it. Rule of law? Forget about it! The cities are now the wild, wild west. We are a racist country (according to Biden), and we deserve exactly what we are getting. Will the guilty ever be brought to trial by this administration? Nope. Whomever did the burning looting and assaulting last summer, got and still get, a free pass. 

Insurrection? No problem. Have at it. Just leave our precious government alone. Everything else is fair game. 

 

Soon! Coming to your neighborhood!

"The spoiled children have now vowed to go into the neighborhoods of Minnesota legislators who did not vote the way the socialists wanted."

Welcome to the "free" state of Minnesota. Well, not really free. In fact, because of the socialists running the joint, it is very expensive to live here now. But - that is not really the type of "free" I am talking about. I am talking about being held hostage to a bunch of anarchists, Marxists, and ideologues. These are people who believe it is their right, their duty, if they don't get exactly what they want from our government, they will pull a "mini January 6th" in their neighborhood of Minnesota Representatives.

Remember Hugo? Then candidate John "Potty Mouth" Thompson? When he and other thugs and Marxists were protesting MPD Union Chief Bob Kroll's house? When Thompson, who was running for the Minnesota House of Representative, said he was going to "burn the M------ F------ place down"? Not only did Thompson and the other perps get away with it, all the major Democrats in the state kept their endorsement of Thompson to run for office. Huh? After Thompson threatened to burn down the town of Hugo?

Socialists are like little children. Spare the rod, spoil the child. We let Thompson get away with what he did in Hugo. Now is a part of our government. We let the anarchists get away with what they did after the Floyd incident. When they burned, looted and destroyed part of Minneapolis. Like 1/2 billion dollars worth of damage. Plus Portland, Oregon has had over a year of insurrection in their streets. The punishment for the guilty? Not much, if anything.

But who cares? The spoiled children have now vowed to go into the neighborhoods of Minnesota legislators who did not vote the way the socialists wanted. They vowed to "take it to the streets". To make people's lives miserable. Really? Here is a news flash. The tolerance of many citizens and patriots has run very thin for this type of crap. 

I guess it is time for the silent majority to quit being so silent. By being too silent, we got Walz as a governor instead of Jeff Johnson. By being too silent, we got Keith Ellison as AG instead of Doug Wardlow. By being too silent, we got Slo Joe as our accidental President, instead of Donald Trump, term # 2. Not to mention, our silence lost us control of the United States Senate. That gave the Laughing Hyena incredible power as a tie breaker.

We have had it with the chattering class. With this very vocal, shrieking group of misfits. They have become more like shrieking monsters than people. It is time to spank them and put them to bed with no supper. The majority of us, the adults in the room, want our country back. Now. End of story.

 

And then there is - Chicago

"Remember this Chicago. When you vote for sketchy candidates, you get sketchy government. You got the government you deserved Chicago. If you want to change it, vote for better candidates."

I am sure that most reading this article, have been to Chicago at least once in their lives. The bustling city which at one time went by the name "Second City". I have been to Chicago - often. Can't say I like the traffic however - either driving on I-90, or landing at O'Hare. I have repressed memories of being in major backups on both I-90, and the tarmac at O'Hare. However - once you are (or were) in town, Chicago is (or was) a neat city. Great food, interesting places to go. But that was then, and this is now.

But hold the phone! Before I go into yet another rant on how lawless Chicago is now, did it used to be peaceful? Not so crime ridden? At any time? Let's look back on this history of Chicago as well as its home state of Illinois to see some notables:

• William Carothers - Chicago Alderman
• Isaac Carothers - Chicago Alderman (son of the above)
• Daniel Rostenkowski - Congressman from Illinois (Chicago area)
• Dan Walker - Illinois Governor
• Otto Kerner - Illinois Governor
• Fred Roti - Chicago Alderman
• George Ryan - Illinois Governor
• Rod Blagojevich - Illinois Governor
• Mel Reynolds - Congressman from Illinois

What do all of the above have in common? Crooked. Got caught with their "hand in the cookie jar" - so to speak. Some were fined, some did time, some did both. This is a "who is who" of corruption. So when did all of this start? Ever watch The Untouchables on TV?

During prohibition, Chicago was the place to be. Speakeasys were a great place to go to grab a drink. The Chicago Outfit, the gang which controlled most of Chicago, had a nationwide reputation. Al Capone, and Frank Nitti ran booze into Chicago and then served it though the network of the Speakeasys the Chicago Outfit operated. This particularly tough gang of thugs, became front and center, the most important thing that Elliot Ness and his group of Untouchables focused on. Yes, Chicago during prohibition was truly the wild, wild west (in the Midwest).

But how is Chicago today? Really, how is it? It is so crime ridden, that someone set up a web site called Hey Jackass! It has nothing but crime stats (up to the minute), of the shootings and murders in Chicago. Under the watchful eye of Mayor Lori Lightfoot, crime in Chicago now makes the Al Capone era look like a Sunday School picnic. What is Mayor Lightfoot doing to help stem this tide of senseless black on black killings in Chicago? She is going after the cops, to further neuter their powers to do law enforcement. Atta girl Lori! Well played!

The once great city of Chicago now has the same dire reputation as the once great city of Detroit. Two model cities, now cesspools of crime, poverty, and desperation. Why? I will give you a hint. Socialism. The Democrat Party, which at one time had a shred of respect for law enforcement, has been coopted by the socialists. 

Remember this Chicago. When you vote for sketchy candidates, you get sketchy government. You got the government you deserved Chicago. If you want to change it, vote for better candidates. In fact, maybe quit being so blue and try being purple or even red for a change. Just a thought... 

 

You're a grand old flag!

You're a grand old flag

You're a high flying flag

And forever in peace may you wave

You're the emblem of

The land I love

The home of the free and the brave

Ev'ry heart beats true

For the red, white and blue

Where there is never a boast nor brag

But should old acquaintance be forgot

Keep your eye on the grand old flag 

It is the Fourth of July! Our Independence Day! The day once a year, this nation dresses in its finest colors- that being red, white and blue. This is the day which spells Americana from dawn till dark. It is our collective birthday. A day of picnics, parties, beaches, yard games, family, friends, and fireworks. It is a day, what a day, to just relax, party and enjoy.

When I was stationed in Pensacola while attending "A" School, our class would gather one night every week at Shakey's Pizza. Why? For pizza, cheap 3.2 beer, and sing along time. Pensacola, being a Navy town, had a strong sense of patriotism. As such, the songs sung were mostly patriotic. By far and away, the crowd favorite (least wise it was with my class), was You're a Grand Old Flag". We requested it numerous times each visit. We could not get enough of that famous song, about our country, and our flag.

Class started the first week in August 1969 (hurricane season), so I missed the Fourth of July down there. I can only imagine how rocking that Shakey's would have been on Independence Day! I was just blessed to be down there during that point in time. It is something I will always remember.

What do I think about this day? Love. Remembrance. Loyalty. Patriotism. Pride. This country, this great American Experiment, is truly exceptional. Sure we have some warts and bruises we picked up along the way, but collectively, we are only human. All in all however, Americans are pretty good bunch of folks.

I will close with this article, again with some words from that favorite song - You're the emblem of the land I love, the home of the free and the brave - Ev'ry heart beats true under red, white, and blue... Amen to that!

The blending of the red, white, and blue

"Our Founders envisioned a country which was a true melting pot. A country made up of many, to become one."

We have gone crazy on colors these days. Colors meaning different things. Some colors are good for some people, and bad for others. Other colors are bad for some people, and good for others. It is enough to drive most of us crazy. HOWEVER - that being said, this weekend is (or at least should be), all about the red, white and blue. Old Glory and what it stands for. What it has stood for, what it stands for now, and hopefully, what it will stand for many years to come.

As of late, we have also had different colors stand for different movements or causes. Black Lives Matter, Blue Lives Matter, Brown Lives Matter - soon there might be a White Lives Matter. I have a great idea. And it is hatched on Independence Day weekend. How about, American Lives Matter. In other words, it does not matter what pigmentation your skin is, what should matter is the color of the blood flowing through your veins. That color should really be a tri-color. It should be red, white, and blue.

Until we quite fixating on the pigmentation of someone's skin, until we quite hyphenating our nationality, until we quite becoming over-concerned about the origin of someone's heritage, our melting pot will remain tribal. Our Founders envisioned a country which was a true melting pot. A country made up of many, to become one.

I have told this tale before. I did some business in the UK during my working days. Our UK partner was located in Nottingham (no kidding), England. Besides our partner's plant being located there, Nottingham had a huge lace industry. As such, there were many times the women who lived there than men. I had never seen so many women in one town.

One day, when coming out of a pub after lunch, one young lady came up to me. "You are an American, aren't you" she said. I had not been talking, so I asked her how she knew. "Oh, I can pick out an American a mile away. You all look so blended." 

I will always remember that exchange. Blended. What a superb term to define who we are. We could still use the Latin term E pluribus unum, but that was so yesterday. Accurate, but yesterday. Or we could use the American English translation of that Latin, "out of many, one". Or - we could use the term the English lady had for us - blended. We were all  just Americans - no more, no less. It really is that simple.

On this Independence Day, I will think about us, the blended Americans. How it all started with a bunch of very brave men, who pledged their lives, fortunes and sacred honor to each other. They made this pledge in a brazen attempt to free thirteen colonies from England's rule.

It easily could have gone wrong, for so many reasons. If it had, independence from England would have failed, and many or our finest patriots, would have hung. But it didn't go wrong. It was hard, almost impossibly hard, but the colonies beat the British, and then declared themselves to be the United States of America. 

May God bless this great country. And may this great country never forget that it is God who blesses us. Have a wonderful Independence Day folks. Our patriots from years gone by, would have wanted nothing better for us.