The high cost of affordability

"I will say what many politicians are not saying. I feel your pain. Yes, the cost of goods caused by inflation, transitional or not, is a killer. I get it. I see it. But if we don't vote in November, and let these socialists have new power, things will get a whole lot worse. We need to have faith that even with this speed bump, we are on the right course. The last thing I want to do is say, 'I told you so' should we lose in November."      

Yesterday, my wife and I had haircut appointments. We took her car as my truck still had "stuff" in it from closing down the camper for the season. When I started the car to leave, the battery sounded a bit sick. I told my wife I would need to have that checked this weekend. After the haircut appointment when we went to leave, her car was deader than a doornail. We had to call AAA, and they came out with the bad news. We needed a new battery - now. I had no idea car batteries had become so expensive. Over $300 for a simple little battery for her four-banger car. Then it dawned on me - everything has gotten so expensive as of late.

The 20% inflation we got under Biden is still there. Now added to that, is the inflation due to the War with Iran. Yes, some due to tariffs. But that whole shipping snafu is a killer. Is there a high cost with affordability? Sure is. Is there a political cost? There just might be. The recent polling is looking grim for holding both the House and Senate. If Trump loses one or both of them - the party is over. The Dems, once in control of the House or Senate, will fight Trump tooth and nail on EVEYTHING he wants to do for the next two years. 

Here is the irony of what might lie ahead. If every Republican voted this off year, if most every Christian voted, Trump would keep the House and Senate. The red team would win big. But now everybody, even some Republicans, are blaming Donald Trump for the price of milk and butter (so to speak). We could have Scott Bessent talk until he was blue in the face on why prices are still high and what it would take to bring them down. But I am afraid the damage has already been done. Trump will be wearing a scarlet "A" (for affordability) on his chest, just like Hester Prynne had to wear a scarlet letter on her chest in that famous book.

One of the things that Republicans have been counseled on recently, is not to minimize the effect of inflation. Everybody is feeling these higher costs. Stop blaming Biden - what is past is past. It is okay to blame the war, as the war IS the chief cause of much of these higher prices. This is not the time for Trump and his party to be tone deaf on the "affordability issue". Maybe we need to resurrect the old Clinton saying of, "I feel your pain". Could that help? It sure would not hurt.

Meanwhile, back as the grocery store, weekly shopping has become about as much fun as having a root canal. It is painful to check out price of a nice T-Bone steak and almost need to take out a loan to buy it. The same goes for our best morning staple - coffee. $20 for smaller cannister of coffee? Yikes!

I will say what many politicians are not saying. I feel your pain. Yes, the cost of goods caused by inflation, transitional or not, is a killer. I get it. I see it. But if we don't vote in November, and let these socialists have new power, things will get a whole lot worse. We need to have faith that even with this speed bump, we are on the right course. The last thing I want to do is say, "I told you so" should we lose in November.      

Can we please make it to 2027 without a Russian/NATO war?

 

"Can we make it to 2027 before this NATO/Russian war becomes hotter? Or are we already there and just don't know it as yet. Some think that Putin is using the 'boiling frog' theory of warfare on NATO. That could be. But whatever it is, I have a feeling that peace in Europe might be coming to an end. Is Putin the modern-day God of War? Is he the Red Horseman? It sure seems like it. Stay tuned on this one."

I recently read an article penned in the Defense Opinion that the NATO/Russian war has already started. They referred to it as a "slow motion" war, which looked nothing like the Euro wars of yesteryear. As such, the great and mighty Russian Army is not capable of engendering fear any longer in the good people of Europe. If anything, the "bring it on" attitude is spreading over previously easy targets for the Russians to conquer. Perhaps it is brazened to have this type of bold attitude - or maybe it is just plain foolish.

Yesterday at the ceremony to start the new agreement with Greenland, the Danish Prime Minister was there also to sign the documents. She thanked Donald Trump for his work on this agreement. She also thanked him for his courage to take NATO to task (my words) to get more NATO countries to "pony up" and pay their fair dues. She added that Denmark has. Why is this important? NATO countries in Europe are no longer pushovers. No longer patsies. Poland is armed to the teeth, and Germany is right behind them.

Is Estonia, the eastern border with Russia is a growing concern. So much so, that just recently the border was partially closed. Why? As part of this "slow motion" or "hybrid" war with NATO, simple things like having Russian border guards change uniforms from border security to full out military garb. And then to have them loiter on the border, just to give the local Estonians the jitters. Estonia knows full well, that if this "slow motion" war gets revved up to normal speed, Estonia could be one of the first nations to feel the wrath of Russia. As such, their eastern border is partially closed and can be totally closed in a New York minute if need be.

The question begs to be asked - why now? What is going on in Putin's mind to think this is a good time to take on a much stronger NATO. For starters, Putin hates NATO. Always has. To get some good licks in on NATO would scratch that itch he has. But some experts think the main reason to shift focus is the upstarts in Ukraine, raining hell down upon inner Russia. All of a sudden, this war in Ukraine has gone from slightly unpopular to very unpopular with the Russian civilians.

Can we make it to 2027 before this NATO/Russian war becomes hotter? Or are we already there and just don't know it as yet. Some think that Putin is using the "boiling frog" theory of warfare on NATO. That could be. But whatever it is, I have a feeling that peace in Europe might be coming to an end. Is Putin the modern-day God of War? Is he the Red Horseman? It sure seems like it. Stay tuned on this one.

  

 

If, and only if...

"Democrats want to impeach Trump again for the 28th time (minor exaggeration) and then turn the country socialist. That is the plan man - no more, no less. MAGA will become MASN (Make America Socialist Now). All of a sudden, this plane of progress will do a crash landing. America the extraordinary, will once again become America the less than ordinary. But if that is what the "people" want, that is what they will get. Sucks being us should that all happen."   

Love him or not, Donald Trump is going to go down in the history books as one of the most (maybe THE most) consequential presidents in our nation's history. What he has accomplished thus far - has been epic. I know, I know - the nay-sayers will disagree. That is fine. But if history records his accomplishments accurately, his pluses will far outweigh his minuses. This recent thing with Greenland, even though it is not a legal state nor territory of ours, gives us everything we need from Greenland, without any of the headaches of statehood or territory.

Trump has reshaped our economy. He has reshaped the Middle East using the Abraham Agreement. He has reshaped NATO in Europe to make it more self-sufficient. He has brought Venezuela back from the brink and made it into a lifelong energy partner with us. Cuba is close to being brought back from the brink. And now this deal with Greenland, which only portends many good things to come. And to think, that Trump did all this with a bifurcated presidency. One term, then Biden and his wrecking ball, and then this term.

This all gave me pause to think. What if? What if our Constitution allowed for three terms? What if Donald Trump was 10 to 15 years younger? Trump for sure would be running for re-election in 2028. What would his chances be? If people voted with their brains instead of venom in their hearts, Trump would win a third term in a landslide. But enough dreaming - our system states the POTUS terms will be two and done. And truthfully - after a third term, Trump would be closer to 90 than to 80. Not good.

But first we need to past the 2026 midterms. Oh, the other side is on a hunt for Donald Trump's head. If they can only win the House and/or the Senate, they can put an end to all this bad stuff that Trump has visited upon this country. Bad stuff? You know - the price of gas, diesel and food. Most, if not all of it, is related to Iran and not to any of Trump's policies. But who cares? The Democrats in the Senate, some of which have increased their net worth by 4,000% since coming into the Senate decades ago - are going to hold Trump liable for "enriching" himself. This man who has not taken a penny from the taxpayers, has "enriched" himself? 

Democrats want to impeach Trump again for the 28th time (minor exaggeration) and then turn the country socialist. That is the plan man - no more, no less. MAGA will become MASN (Make America Socialist Now). All of a sudden, this plane of progress will do a crash landing. America the extraordinary, will once again become America the less than ordinary. But if that is what the "people" want, that is what they will get. Sucks being us should that all happen.   
 

Shades of gray from yesterday...

 

"Are our political 'shades of gray' gone forever? Probably. Are they the 'good old days'? For some - not for all. Meanwhile, the Democrats are devolving into socialists. Some on the left think our side are also devolving - into something like John Birch types. People on the MAGA side of the fence, however, think we are exactly where were are supposed to be. Meanwhile - it almost time for the next election."     

Some today (mostly on the left) are remembering with great fondness the "good old days". The days when Democrats and Republicans were so similar, only a faint shade of gray could tell them apart. Many of today's older Democrats (and to be fair, many RINOs), would think back on those golden days when everybody would get along. Vote, play, believe the same things together. It was a wonderful time to be a centrist. As long as Republicans voted with the Democrats and did not raise too much of a fuss, life was good. Or was it?

When did the train start to leave the tracks? Many on the right side of the street said it stated with Barrack Obama, when he decided to make everything about race - 100% of the time. That in my opinion (as well as others), became the start of the bigger schism. Many on the right side of the street did not like that when all they heard from the WH was blaming everyone white and everything bad on the "white supremist" (whatever they are or were). Then after eight long years of America growing weaker, and much more divided - Obama was gone. But the damage was done. 

Then as they say, for every action there is a positive and equal reaction. The next president was Donald J. Trump. Not Biden, not Hillary (who was the heir apparent), but Trump. Trump, who was the anti-Obama, was going to right many of the wrongs which Obama visited upon us. Things were so bad, Trump coined the phrase, "Make America Great Again". And just like that, the RINOs of old, who the traditional Democrats loved so much - vanished from the scene. Sure, there were some left, but they were nothing more than noise level. The "shades of gray" in our politics, had been replaced with bright red and bright blue.

Then came the long contested 2020 election. Many think the full story of that election has not yet been told, but in any event, Trump lost and Obama # 2 (Biden) was elected. As bad as Obama was, Biden was 10 times worse. Things went from "shades of gray", to red and blue, to absolute black and white. Under Biden, the country almost vanished. Open borders, men becoming women, hyperinflation, the "Green New Deal" - we were a mess. And that is when the old congeniality of fellow Congressmen, devolved into trench warfare. E pluribus unum became nothing more than some old Latin saying. 

Are our political "shades of gray" gone forever? Probably. Are they the "good old days"? For some - not for all. Meanwhile, the Democrats are devolving into socialists. Some on the left think our side are also devolving - into something like John Birch types. People on the MAGA side of the fence, however, think we are exactly where were are supposed to be. Meanwhile - it almost time for the next election.     

What the heck is a hybrid war?

"Where would the world be right now without Putin in Russia, the IRGC in Iran, Xi in China, and Kim in North Korea? Pretty darn close to peace and tranquility in my book. But of all the baddies listed, Putin is the worst. He will drag this region (maybe even the world) into another conflagration if it suits his needs and desires."

It seems that some of the world leaders who just happen to reside in Europe, are sounding the alarm right now about the rapidly approaching hybrid war. A what kind of war? I am finally getting accustomed to the other new kind of war called asymmetrical. Some of the leaders in Europe think that Russia has already started a hybrid war against some of the Euro NATO countries. Not a declared war, not a kinetic war (so to speak), but a slow drip, "accidental" incursion on unsuspecting countries. But here is the problem for Mother Russia - very few countries are unsuspecting. Remember? Never trust a Russian.

What is a hybrid type of war? An accidental drone here, a wayward cruise missile there, a random cyber-attack anywhere - all that under the guise of a "Whoops - sorry about that". But why bother if you are Putin? Why not skip the subterfuge and just send in a volley of missiles and drones against a NATO country and get the ball rolling? We all know it is coming, so be on with it. Here is the "why" - putting Putin's nukes aside, NATO can beat Russia to a pulp each and every day of the week, and twice on Sunday.

Okay - I know many with a strong logic streak are bound to ask the same question - why? Here is the "why" according to some who pay attention to what is going on in Russia. Ukraine. The war which Putin promised his country would be over in a matter of days, has changed into a long and bloody struggle. And what used to be fun to watch for some in the Russian public, is no longer fun now that Ukraine has learned how to punch back. All of a sudden, there is damage and death inside of Russia, compliments of the innovative thinkers in the Ukrainian Army.

Putin needs a win. He is scared to death right now that the Ukraine debacle will bring about his own death. Or overthrow. What a better way to get redemption with the masses in Moscow, than to give NATO a black eye or two. And if kinetic war comes instead of this hybrid mess, Russia needs to vanquish his new foes. Take them down a notch. Reshape Europe (again). Only a megalomaniac would think this way, and when it comes to megalomania, Putin is one of the best - ever.

Where would the world be right now without Putin in Russia, the IRGC in Iran, Xi in China, and Kim in North Korea? Pretty darn close to peace and tranquility in my book. But of all the baddies listed, Putin is the worst. He will drag this region (maybe even the world) into another conflagration if it suits his needs and desires. But here is the thing about wars, even hybrid wars - the blade cuts both ways. Be careful of what you start Mr. Putin - NATO stands ready to finish it.  

 

"The wheels on the bus go round and round" (This is about Greenland)

"Welcome Greenland! Come in out of the cold. Under the watchful eye of the US, good things are in your future. We are not an occupying force; we are only a protector and developer. Everybody is going to come out better because of this agreement. Everybody that is, except Russia and China."

Because of "old Europe" being just plain old and cranky, it took forever and a day to get some kind of agreement for us to expand our presence in Greenland. But when POTUS took to Truth Social to give the good news, it became apparent that "old Europe" Denmark finally saw the big picture. And the big picture is simply this - the more of US that is seen in Greenland, means the less of interlopers like Russia and China. Is this the best deal possible? Maybe - but it is better than not good. It will allow our Golden Shield to have some better footing.

Why bring up that kid's song, "The wheels on the bus"? Because in the Trump administration, stuff is always going on behind the curtain. Stuff in going on in South America. An oil deal happened in Venezuela. Stuff is going on in Cuba. Meanwhile, we are still trying to fix the mess in Iran. Only a guy like Donald Trump, who was weaning on keeping things going on many different business ventures, can pull this off.

The other day I penned an article about the joint base in Poland which has been talked about in the past. That seems to be coming together also. We have an eye on what is happening in the Indo-Pacific to boot. But our good ally Japan is doing a great job helping us out over there. And South Korea keeps getting stronger as does the PI. No, Donald Trump is setting the stage for long term stability which will last long after he is out of office.

What is next of the list of "to-do" items? Hard to say but know this - it is something that has been mentioned in the past but is not yet done. Right now, there is so much more going on than our high oil and gas prices. Those really are transitory, and Iran is 100% to blame for that inconvenience. But Trump is looking at the bigger picture (as he always does).

Welcome Greenland! Come in out of the cold. Under the watchful eye of the US, good things are in your future. We are not an occupying force; we are only a protector and developer. Everybody is going to come out better because of this agreement. Everybody that is, except Russia and China.

The USA/Poland love fest moves closer to the alter

"How is Poland doing in defense spending? Poland is spending a whopping 4.5% of its GDP on defense. Now that is commitment! That even eclipses the 3.22% of GDP the US spends."

The worst kept secret in NATO is the bromance that Donald Trump and Polish President Doda had. But Doda is now gone, and his successor is in office. His name is Karol Nawrocki. The bromance that Trump had with Doda is continuing with the new bromance Trump has with Nawrocki. Why? Poland is the kind of country that NATO needs, and both Doda and Nawrocki are the kind of leaders that Poland needs. And neither one of those Polish gentlemen have one ounce of fear in their bodies towards Mother Russia. In fact, there is out and out antipathy for Russia by Poland. Much of that comes from a very bad history.

This has been teased for a while now, but due to current events in Eastern Europe, the timeline might have been moved up. The US and Poland have been planning a joint base (with some size to it) in the eastern part of Poland. Why? Seems that is where all the action is right now. If Putin thought he could walk right into Poland with not a wink or a not from the US, he was dead wrong. If Putin did make a run in Poland, he would not only find an A1 fighting force with Polish forces waiting for him, but Putin would also get the back of the hand from American forces.

If Putin ever did decide to take a run at NATO, either by going through Finland, or Poland, this would be a very bad and very sad wake up call for him. Now that the worldwide inventory of F-35 fighter jets is over 3,000, NATO has plenty of top-notch air power to take care of business. Our Army is rock solid, and they are ready to defend any piece of land that the President finds worthy. And we have recently seen in Iran the acumen of our total force package. Under Trump and Hegseth, we have a lean, mean, fighting machine to represent out interests.

But what about Canada? How do they fit into NATO right now? Canada, who has become more of a puppy than Bulldog, is only spending 2% of its GDP on NATO. That is sad and bad. And that came with much shaming and shunning by the US. All Canada wants to do right now is become a member of the EU. Why? To get away from that bully Donald Trump. 

How is Poland doing in defense spending? Poland is spending a whopping 4.5% of its GDP on defense. Now that is commitment! That even eclipses the 3.22% of GDP the US spends. Once again, Poland and Japan always show up to do the right thing. If push ever came to shove, we know for a fact that Poland and Japan would have our backs. But what about Canada? We all know the answer to that one.