Un-ringing a bell

"Where do we go from here? Is there going to be healing of any sort, or is this hatred thing going to rule the day from here forward? Once the Democrats started putting their thumbs on the scale of justice, that is where America as we knew her - stopped. Even some of the staunchest patriots I know, are now saying we live in a banana republic."

In all my days on this wonderful planet, living in this most amazing country, I have never seen anything like this. What is that? Hate. Pure, unvarnished hatred. I have never seen an American hated so much by another political party. How deep is this hatred? So deep that many are willing to sacrifice the very essence of our country. Our sense of fairness. But now the deed has been done. The bell has been rung. And there is no un-ringing that bell. 

I fear what happened yesterday was a wake-up call for our friends and allies. America, the beacon of freedom and liberty to all to see, has devolved into a corrupt echo of what it once was. As our friends look away in shame, our enemies have become even more emboldened. The sharks have been smelling blood in the water since January of 2021, and now they are in a feeding frenzy. Besides smelling blood in the water, these sharks can also smell fear and weakness. Why are wars breaking out all over the world? That is why. Weakness and fear in American leadership.

How much do the Democrats and socialists hate Donald Trump? More than any foreign enemy. More than Hamas. More than the Nazis. More than anything seen or unseen on this planet. And why do they hate this man so much? Because of what he can do when elected president. He is a doer. A fixer. A peace dividend leader. And the Democrats cannot put a glove on him. Because of that, Democrats and socialists are bound and determined to ensure Donald Trump NEVER sees the inside of the White House again. Rather, they want to make Trump go to the "big house" instead. Prision. For the rest of his life. And they will scorch the Earth to make this happen. 

A former Democrat strategist was on this news this morning. He was asked what the fallout will be from yesterday's jury verdict. His answer was most interesting. The Republicans are even more energized than they were before the verdict. The Democrats stayed the same, as 40% hate his guts and that number has not changed. Independents? They are concerned who can fix vexing problems like inflation and immigration. So far, Biden and company have shown the independents they are only the cause of vexing problems, and not the solution.

Where do we go from here? Is there going to be healing of any sort, or is this hatred thing going to rule the day from here forward? Once the Democrats started putting their thumbs on the scale of justice, that is where America as we knew her - stopped. Even some of the staunchest patriots I know, are now saying we live in a banana republic.

Sad - very sad. "It is a republic, if you can keep it." I guess we couldn't. 

 

 

Variable strike zones

"What the Biden justice system (yes, even in New York, it is the Biden justice system), is doing to Donald Trump is wrong and shameful. If you want to know what tyranny looks like, all you need do is turn in the TV. What Biden is doing to Trump, is just about as bad as what Putin is doing to Evan Gershkovich. Both are wrong. Both are examples of tyranny."   

The Minnesota Twins traveled to New York to play a four-game series with the dreaded Yankees. Most people in the Big Apple HATE the Minnesota Twins. Always have. In the first game of the series, the Twins had their ace pitcher on the mound. As good as this pitcher was, he could not throw a called strike. Every pitch he threw (which was not swung on), was a called ball. However, when the Twins were up at bat, the strike zone seemed to get very large. Most balls not swung on were called strikes. After three innings of this nonsense, the Twins manager decided to confront the umpire. 

"You are calling balls and strikes differently depending on which team is up!", the Twins manager yelled at the umpire. With that, the umpire just smirked. "I call them as I see them. Now back to your dugout." The Twins manager was getting flustered and frustrated. "But this is not fair! It is as if you are favoring the Yankees to win this series!" The umpire smirked again. "I was born and raised in New York. I love this team. Sorry if you feel that way, but if you don't get back to your dugout, I will have you tossed."

The above scenario is fictional (maybe), but I think you get the analogy. Every legal expert (including Democrat Alan Dershowitz) who was observing the kangaroo court that Donald Trump is in, has said the strike zone for the Defense is very small, and the strike zone for the State's Attorney is very large. And who is calling the legal strike zone? The Democrat judge. The one whose wife is also a Democrat activist.

More than one person has made a very valid point about this show trial. This "witch hunt" as many have called it. What we have seen on display is the end of our judicial system. Our "blind" system of justice has now shown itself to not only having 20/20 vision, but also very biased. In fact, this trial has been so biased, a new word has been coined - "lawfare". When Donald Trump said that even Mother Thersa could not get a fair trial in this New York courtroom, he was not kidding. Trump is a victim of Biden "lawfare".

In 1956, when then Premier Nikita Khrushchev said at the UN "We will bury you", he meant that capitalism would die under its own weight, and communism would win. Was this what he was talking about? That a future administration in America would make our system so corrupt, the people would lose hope? We would become a DeFacto police state? A "lawfare" state?

What the Biden justice system (yes, even in New York, it is the Biden justice system), is doing to Donald Trump is wrong and shameful. If you want to know what tyranny looks like, all you need do is turn in the TV. What Biden is doing to Trump, is just about as bad as what Putin is doing to Evan Gershkovich. Both are wrong. Both are examples of tyranny.   

The 9% Gaslight

"And that ladies and gentleman, is why Biden's numbers are tanking. ALL people, regardless of race or creed, can feel this crushing inflation. Biden can gaslight all he wants, but we know the truth. And the truth has set us free."    

Yesterday, during the closing arguments in the Donald Trump trial, Todd Blanche (Trump's attorney) made a misstatement. He referred to Michael Cohen as the GLOAT (Greatest Liar of All Time). Cohen may be in the running, but I am afraid that title already belongs to Joe Biden. I will not go into Biden's litany of lies, as the list is endless. I will however, express amazement that he is still trying to sell the fact that inflation was 9% when he took over from Donald Trump. The FACTS show the inflation number was under 2% when Trump left office. Biden has been corrected on that number many times, but who cares? Biden is either trying to do the world's best gaslighting, or he knows he is telling a whopper, and his sheeple will eventually believe him.

When I was a "white hat" in the Navy, I had a chief who had a great expression. If he thought you were giving him a load of BS, he would tell you to stop "blowing sunshine up his ***". Somebody should tell that to Biden also. It is bad enough Biden, you keep telling people that Trump broke the border, and you fixed it, but this load of garbage about the inflation rate is way too much. Don't play us for fools Mr. Biden, because we are not.

Just think - Biden is the guy who Robert De Niro said is the best thing since chocolate ice cream. De Niro, who yesterday, exposed himself as only a tool, to be used by Biden and the Democrats, came off worse than poorly. This once great actor has devolved into a robot. An AI programed clone. Nothing he said yesterday made any sense (yes, I listened to all of it). The only respite was when some clear-thinking Trump supporter set off his car alarm while De Niro was speaking.

I wanted to yell at my TV, "Is this all you got? Is this the best you have? If so, you guys are sinking fast!" The candidate who is accusing the other candidate of "destroying democracy", is keeping his opponent in some kangaroo court, answering for some crime which never happened. Again, my advice I would give to Biden and company, is not to play us for fools. We can see what is happening. That is why Trump's popularity has gone up and not down since this entire court charade started. 

By the way, just as an aside, I have been impressed with this cadre of lawyers that team Trump has assembled. That being said, I think I like Todd Blanche the best. Not only is he sharp as a tack, he by far and away has the best game face of any lawyer I have seen or dealt with. Is a game face that important? Maybe not, but it sure can't hurt! I would hate to have Blanche looking at me with that game face while he questioned me.

 

Back to the 9% gaslighting. What people do need to understand is this - even though inflation is down in the middle three percent now, the damage has already been done. Most things are 1/5 higher in price than they were when Biden took office. Barring deflation, that is where they are going to stay. Even if inflation came down to zero next month, things would still be 1/5 higher than when Biden took office. 

And that ladies and gentleman, is why Biden's numbers are tanking. ALL people, regardless of race or creed, can feel this crushing inflation. Biden can gaslight all he wants, but we know the truth. And the truth has set us free.    

No way to treat a special weekend

"We always have to remember one thing. Some of the people killed by gunfire are innocent. They just happened to live in this shooting gallery called Chicago. We need compassion for these people."

Wow! What a weekend. First off, if you live in Minnesota, having a washout on at least one of the days in a Memorial Day weekend is common. Our real wet day was Monday. But that is not what I am addressing this weekend. This weekend, when we honor our fallen, the ones who paved the road for the life we now have, was not respected by many. How so? 

Many people in Chicago have a proclivity to shoot each other. Especially on weekends. Historically, on Memorial Day weekend. This weekend, the new "space cadet" who now is the Mayor of Chicago, decided to send a message. Not as much policing as last year. You know, pour more resources in youth programs instead. The result? Forty-one shot, nine fatally. How high is that? If we were involved in a war zone, that would be high. But this is a town where people live, in the middle of our country. 

St. Paul was not as bad. That being said, six people were shot. On Memorial Day. Our day of remembrance. It gives us pause to think - can't we all on this one day, think of peace? If someone offends you, can't we let it pass? Why is it when you are "dissed", the current remedy is to shoot someone. This is beyond sick.

Not to change topics, but back to the weather for a minute. Like, what is up with the weather in the Midwest? This has been a horrible year for storms. According to NOAA, almost 500 people in the United States have died so far this year from storms. This past weekend, a weekend to celebrate and remember, Mother Nature gave no pause. At least 21 people on Memorial Day weekend lost their lives in storms. Many strong tornados, straight line winds, inches of rain, power outages - everything but the kitchen sink.

Back to the violence. We can't do much about the weather (regardless of the fact that Biden always claims climate change is our fault), but we can do something about the violence in our big blue cities. More cops. "Broken window" policing. Stop and frisk. Tougher laws for crimes committed with a gun (like - no parole). 

We always have to remember one thing. Some of the people killed by gunfire are innocent. They just happened to live in this shooting gallery called Chicago. We need compassion for these people. But the ones, the gang members, who are doing the shooting? No quarter for them. Catch them, try them, and lock them up for good. Until we start taking crime more seriously, we will continue to make a mockery out of special weekends like Memorial Day.   

The danger of a wounded bear

"How will this end? I have much trepidation. One small misstep, and this could end poorly for everyone. All the good things the world is trying to accomplish this decade will end immediately. A nuclear exchange, even a small one, will change everything, for everyone, forever. It is a simple as that."   

One of my younger friends, who had never been in the military, recently asked me how much danger we are in right now. I had to give an answer that person for sure would not understand, as it goes back to the 1960's. I responded, "This is the closest I think we have been to war with Russia since the Cuban Missile Crisis." And that is the truth. Even though Putin has lots of bluster, and loves scaring the willies out of Biden and crew, the fact remains we are dealing with a wounded bear right now.

As much as Putin would like to give NATO a bloody nose right now, he does not have the chops to do so. That is, conventionally. His Navy (which is not much to write home about), has taken a beating from the Ukrainian drones and missiles, as they have sat off the coast of Crimea. Basically, Putin has subs, and not much else for a Navy. 

His Army has really taken a beating in the two plus years of being in a Ukrainian slugfest. For Putin to launch an offensive against Poland, Finland or Sweden would be a real stretch. Plus, it would bring to Europe into the beginnings of World War III. That leaves Putin with one tool in his toolbox which he thinks can give him leverage. His nukes.

Actually, the path to war with Russia is shorter than many might think. All Putin needs do is something foolish, like setting off a tactical nuke inside of Ukraine. The United States has told Putin if he should ever do that, the United States would attack Russian forces inside of Ukraine and neutralize them. When Medvedev (key player in Putin's inner circle) heard that response from the US, he was quick to sum things up. "If the United States joins Ukrainian forces in Ukraine, we will be at war with America." 

This is when Putin acts most like a wounded bear. If he can't beat Ukrainian forces, and the war becomes only about attrition, and if Putin can't beat NATO with his conventional forces, the wounded bear which lives inside of Putin has only one choice left. Activate his nuclear forces. 

Every month, the weapons that NATO is supplying to Ukraine become more precise and have a longer reach. Ukraine is now doing what they have yearned for since the start of this conflict - they can bring the war home to Russia. They can not only hit Russian targets in Ukraine, but they can also hit Russian targets in Russia. This is a very dangerous escalation. It makes Ukraine nothing more than a proxy war between NATO and Russia.

How will this end. I have much trepidation. One small misstep, and this could end poorly for everyone. All the good things the world is trying to accomplish this decade will end immediately. A nuclear exchange, even a small one, will change everything, for everyone, forever. It is a simple as that.   

The man behind the mask

 

"Welcome to Biden's America. Some think this term was only the overture in how Biden wants to build, back, better a lesser and poorer America. Others think that the two terms under Obama was the overture, and Biden's first term was really 'Act one' to this self-destruction. Others say if Biden gets a second term, that will be the final act. Mission complete."

Who is the man behind the mask? Or as some ask, who is the puppeteer who is pulling the strings of this president? Why do we need to know? Because the person who looks and acts like Joe Biden, is only an echo of who Joe Biden once was. How do I know? Look at the video tapes of Joe Biden from yesteryear, and then look at Joe Biden today. He is a mere echo of whom he was. The question again needs to be asked - who is the man (or woman) behind the mask, and why does (he/she/or they) hate America so much?

First off, can we talk energy, and how this administration has gutted our energy independence?

There was recently an article on the news about how dangerous our new energy policy is to most Americans. Dangerous? How so? Most clear-thinking Americans know this truth. No matter how much the lies from (he/she/or they) continue to come, EVs are not good for Americans right now. Americans don't want them. Americans don't want to build them. And here is the real kicker - our grid is nowhere near strong or robust enough to handle the charging of millions of EVs.

The dirty little secret of EVs is simply this - they are a bear to build. They are dirty, they are expensive. Someday the EVs might be cheap enough and clean enough to build and drive. But that day is not today. Or not tomorrow. Maybe in ten years or so, when we finally get smart enough to fortify and strengthen our grid. But to mandate EVs right now is madness. And anti-American. 

Another thing about our natural gas and oil industry in this country. It is the cleanest in the world. But - when we decided to take a back seat ("I will kill our fossil fuel industry" - Joe Biden) in drilling and fracking, we opened the door for Russia and other third world dictators to sell their dirty oil to India and China. The United States could have provided a logical bridge from cleaner burning oil and gas to renewables when they are mature enough to use. But no - the (he/she/or they) who are pulling Biden's strings wanted to do a full stop on growing this most important industry. And now gas is over $1.00 higher than it was when Biden took the oath. Inflation is unsustainable. And our strategic reserves are half what they should be.

Some think that the (he/she/or they) behind Biden are really Marxists. That they hate this country for what it is and seek to change it into something unrecognizable. Ruin the economy, divide us further, let crime run rampant, and own nothing. Our misery index will go off the charts.

Welcome to Biden's America. Some think this term was only the overture in how Biden wants to build, back, better a lesser and poorer America. Others think that the two terms under Obama was the overture, and Biden's first term was really "Act one" to this self-destruction. Others say if Biden gets a second term, that will be the final act. Mission complete. All done by the man who does not know if it is Tuesday or Thursday. But the ones (he/she/or they) behind the mask know. Trust me - they know. And they have a diabolical plan for America.   

   

  

The "cruiser in the cornfield"

"As a defense contractor, I ended up working on the AEGIS and VLS systems for almost 20 years. I saw it grow from a concept in a cornfield, to something which makes our Navy ships close to invincible."

Time to take another trip in the way back machine. In the very early 1980's, I was working for the Control Data Corporation. I had recently been given the opportunity to manage the RCA account. RCA was under contract to NAVSEA to build, test and deliver the new AEGIS weapon system. Back in the early 80's, the AEGIS weapon system was next to science fiction. It was the great leap forward in missile defense for the fleet.

RCA was headquartered in a sleepy little town called Moorestown, NJ. To get there, you flew into Philly, rented a car, and then headed across the river into NJ. As you were driving through farmland (back then) of NJ, a strange sight appeared. It was the superstructure of a Navy ship - right in the middle of some farmland. No water - just farmland. Once we arrived at RCA, I was told this was the now famous "cruiser in the cornfield".

The company I worked for built a (please don't laugh - this was a long time ago), 14" magnetic disk storage systems for the AEGIS program. The system we sold had a nomenclature of the AN/UYH-3 system, so we were a directed source to RCA. We did not have to go through the bidding system - we were already in.

On the second day at the RCA facility, the AEGIS program manager came up to my team and asked the question I hoped he would ask - "Would you like a tour of our cruiser in the cornfield?" I could not say "yes, please" fast enough. We received our visitor badges and went into this very strange looking building. 

Once inside, I first noticed how dark and cool it was. On the walls, were very large displays. There was a lot of action on the displays, as the radar (called the AN/SPY -1) was operational. As such, it was tracking flights taking off and landing at Philly. It did not look like any radar display I had seen. It was smooth and easy to read. I was like watching a giant TV. Everything involved with this AEGIS system looked like something right out of Star Wars. Little did I know I was looking at the future of a very important part of the United States Navy. 

Flash forward to today. The latest versions of the SPY radar is on many cruisers and destroyers in our Navy. The current version of the AEGIS system is hooked up to the Vertical Launching System (VLS) on dozens of ships. The AEGIS system truly is the guardian of the fleet. It can track many targets at the same time and direct the proper missile to be fired out of the VLS and destroy the incoming target. When is the last time the AEGIS system was used in anger? In the Red Sea, as part of Operation Prosperity Guardian. 

As a defense contractor, I ended up working on the AEGIS and VLS systems for almost 20 years. I saw it grow from a concept in a cornfield, to something which makes our Navy ships close to invincible.

Serving in the Navy and working for the Navy as a contractor was a wonderful experience. I was lucky, I was blessed, to have been a part of both the AEGIS as well as the VLS weapon systems.   

 

What does Putin really want?

"Keep in mind one thing. Ever since Putin put the world on the doorstep of something awful, we are only one misstep away from disaster. This summer could be the overture for that misstep. The stage is set, and everyone is armed to the teeth. Will cooler heads prevail? We can only hope and pray they will."    

Some historians think we have actually entered the first phases of World War III. How was that for some scary talk? And why would we risk the livability of this planet on a global war? For what purpose? Land. It seems that land is usually the culprit in starting wars, and no doubt, should this conflagration in Europe spread, it will still be about land.

Putin, the latest bad boy of Europe, has his sights set on taking some or all of Ukraine. In his mind, there are parts of Europe should belong to Russia. When the Cold War ended, and the Soviet Union split apart, that is when Russia could have shown the world that it was a changed country. It no longer wanted to be expansionist - it only wanted to join the league of civilized nations and build a better life for its citizens. Only one problem - Vladimir Putin. The old KGB guy, who wants to live in yesteryear. And he wants the land back which (in his twisted mind) should belong to Mother Russia.

Some think that Putin is just full of empty threats and bluster. That he should be ignored. That his troops in Ukraine should be driven out. However, there are others who think we might be at the tipping point with Russia. Given state of the art weaponry NATO has sent to Ukraine to kill Russian soldiers and sink Russian ships, has caused Putin to rethink tomorrow. Especially with the British. Especially with Ukrainian troops using the UK provided Storm Shadow missiles.

Recently, Putin has issued a not so veiled threat against the British. Keep supplying lethal armament to Ukraine, and any British target will be called fair game by the Russians. What does that mean? If means this stubborn war could spread way beyond the borders of Ukraine. All it would take is one Russian missile to sink one British ship, and it will be Katie bar the door. Europe, as well as NATO, will find itself once again, mired in the muck of a Euro war. A world war.

On the other side of the equation, rumors are flying that Putin is tired of his military machine getting chewed up in Ukraine. He does not want to be involved in a "forever war". He is ready to call it a day and withdraw his troops. All he wants is the territory he has illegally captured. He will take Crimea and the Donbas regions of Ukraine. The only problem with this solution is this - Ukraine wants no part of it. Ukraine's solution is Russia leaves without Crimea or Donbas, and then Putin gets tried for war crimes. If those two positions stay intransigent, the "forever war" that Putin fears might be in the offing.

Keep in mind one thing. Ever since Putin put the world on the doorstep of something awful, we are only one misstep away from disaster. This summer could be the overture for that misstep. The stage is set, and everyone is armed to the teeth. Will cooler heads prevail? We can only hope and pray they will.    

 

 

Operation: New York City

"It is now time to sit back and enjoy the show. Joe Biden continues to make gaffe after gaffe on the campaign trail. Many think that Biden will not even make it to the convention. And then what? Stay tuned. This summer could get very, very interesting." 

This is so Donald Trump. Tie him up in an ice-cold court room in Lower Manhattan, huh. Well guess what? Donald Trump is going to try and make lemonade out of these lemons. For the first time in just about forever, Donald Trump is going to campaign in the Bronx. He is going to have a monster size rally there tonight. Why? In his words (with some paraphrase), "I was born in New York. I have spent most of my life in in New York. It is time to turn this once fine city red again".

What makes Donald Trump think he has a snowball's chance of making a dent in this sky-blue Democrat monolith called New York? Joe Biden is the answer. Biden has this city so turned upside down with runaway crime, inflation, illegal immigration, and so forth - the good people of Gotham are sick to death of this garbage. They want their city back! They want their state back! They want their country back.

This morning on the news, they were talking to one native New Yorker about how he feels about Doanld Trump coming to his town and having a rally. He was pretty darn excited. Plus, he was also pretty darn upset. Why? This court case. This Democrat judge may not know it, but he and Alvin Bragg have really lionized Donald Trump. The ordinary people are looking at how he is being treated and it makes their blood boil. This is not right. This is America, and we are supposed to have a fair standard of justice. 

This will be interesting to see how this rally turns out tonight. If in fact they have thousands of fans as well as people just wanting to learn more about what and how Donald Trump can fix things. Even if Donald Trump is not successful in winning New York, he very well could make a huge dent in this monolith. So big that in 2028, the Republican candidate will turn New York red. But the longest journey always starts with the first step. And that is what Donald Trump will do tonight. Take that first step.

It is now time to sit back and enjoy the show. Joe Biden continues to make gaffe after gaffe on the campaign trail. Many think that Biden will not even make it to the convention. And then what? Stay tuned. This summer could get very, very interesting. 

     

Less strategic reserve; more student loan forgiveness

"A hundred years from now, ... historians will be reading about the period of 2020 to 2024 in total disbelief. How could America, a first world country, the best nation on Earth, elect two dolts like Joe and Kamala to run (ruin) this country? HOW? But we did, and now we need to hire our builder and fixer once again to Make America Great Again."  

The world's greatest panderer in chief is at it again. Nobody in the history of time, is better at the "art of the pander" than Joe Biden is. Donald Trump may have written the book, "The Art of the Deal", but Biden could also write a similar book on pandering. What brings this up this morning? Let's investigate...

Fresh off the campaign trail of groveling at the commencement address at Morehouse College (the one where he told black graduates they have "no chance in modern day America"), Uncle Joe is at it again. After being told by the Supreme Court in no uncertain terms that forgiving student loans is not within his purview or authority, Biden gave the court his middle finger and did it again. This time for just under ten billion dollars of loan forgiveness. Again, who pays?  We do - via our ever-increasing national debt.

Yesterday, before the big rains came, I was out doing errands. I was shocked to see the price at the pump go from $3.08 up to $3.44 in just a day or two. What is our panderer going to do to help bring these prices back down before the busy summer schedule starts? Drill more? NEVER! He will take another million or so barrels of oil out of our strategic reserves. You know, the reserve we keep only for national emergencies. I guess Biden thinks his re-election is one of those national emergencies.

The "adult in the room", as Joe Biden likes to refer to himself as, is acting like a spoiled rich kid. His demolition of this great country continues. Why? It is all for him (and Dr. Jill). But what about his Veep? She is busy being on talk shows telling the uninformed masses that people should "kick the f***ing door down if they need to". Atta girl Kamala! Do you eat with that potty mouth? Set the right example for today's youth! Just like you did with Willie Brown back in good old California.

A hundred years from now, if Vladimir Putin does not blow up the world first, historians will be reading about the period of 2020 to 2024 in total disbelief. How could America, a first world country, the best nation on Earth, elect two dolts like Joe and Kamala to run (ruin) this country? HOW? But we did, and now we need to hire our builder and fixer once again to Make America Great Again.  

 

Why does he say what he says?

"Sorry to say this Joe, but your schtick has about worn out. People are no longer buying what you are selling. Sure, you will have some Yellow Dogs still vote for you, but the Trump Blue Dog Democrats are growing in number. November cannot come soon enough. We need a change and need it now."  

If I live to be 1,000 years old, I will never be able to figure this guy out. After giving the commencement address at Morehouse College (all black college), the Wall Street Journal could only say one thing about Biden's speech in a headline - "Message to Morehouse College - America hates you". Of course that is false. But according to Joe Biden, if you are black and living in America, the deck is stacked against you. And Joe Biden, the white guy who is a lifelong member of the NAACP, is their only hope. What absolute hogwash! 

Here are the facts of life as I see them. Black folk, just like brown folk or white folk, have all been suffering under the weight of inflationary pricing for the past 3+ years. This is not a cabal against any race or creed of people - inflation hits everyone the same way. But here is a news flash for the president - many of the students at Morehouse know this fact. They can feel the inflationary pressures, every day. And they know whose policies are to blame for this inflation. Look in the mirror Joe, and you too, can see the culprit.

When Joe Biden ran for President back in 2020, he had a central theme. Donald Trump was ruining the country and was a huge divider. Joe Biden on the other hand, was the adult in the room. He had decades of Washington experience and knew how to "reach across the aisle" to get things done. Most importantly, Joe Biden sold himself as a uniter. One who could bridge the gap. So, millions of sheeple, as well as countless suburban housewives who were fed up with mean tweets, pulled the voting level for Biden. Even though the country was doing wonderful on many of the important economic metrics, and we were at peace - the country chose Biden over Trump. It turned out to be one of the biggest mistakes this country has ever made.

Since the civil rights movement, the black vote has been on the most monolithic voting blocks in American history. Over 90% of black folks always vote Democratic. But this year it is different. Yes, the majority of black folk will still vote for Biden. But Trump is getting over 20% of the black vote. And even a bigger percentage of the brown vote. Plus, thanks to the Democrats turning their backs on Israel, maybe more Jewish votes. 

With this erosion in his base, Joe Biden can see the writing on the wall. And that writing spells - loser. To try and turn this ship around, Joe is resorting to what he does best - lie to people. Tell the black folk that white supremacists are out to get them. That blacks have no chance in our society under a Republican president. Desperate times call for desperate measures. Lie like a rug, and yell while you are doing it.

Sorry to say this Joe, but your schtick has about worn out. People are no longer buying what you are selling. Sure, you will have some Yellow Dogs still vote for you, but the Trump Blue Dog Democrats are growing in number. November cannot come soon enough. We need a change and need it now.  

 

Death in Iran

"In any event, the beat goes on. The war in Gaza continues. The protests by the soon to be unemployed on many of our campuses continue. The Democrats stabbing Israel in the back continues. In other words, life in Mr. Rogers neighborhood is very messy indeed. Now with an unexpected leadership change in Iran, who knows what is next."

Just when you thought the Middle East could not get more convoluted, last night a helicopter carrying the head of Iran along with a dozen or so other high rollers, crashed into a mountain in dense fog. All were killed. What does that mean for the ongoing proxy war between Iran and Israel (and US)? Unknown at this time. Let's deal with the bad stuff first - Ebrahim Raisi was not a good man. He earned the nickname the "Butcher of Tehran" for the thousands of people he killed in 1988. He was the brains behind the drone attack on Israel. He also was in charge of Iran's nuclear program.

Now the world holds its collective breath. Israel immediately announced it had nothing to do with this crash. After seeing the crash site with the thick fog present, they should be easy to believe. What is hard to believe however is this - when the copter went missing, Iran had trouble locating it. In Iran! Turkey had to come in and assist. For a country who is trying to become a high-tech nuclear power, now being able to find a missing leader's copter is a head scratcher.

Meanwhile, as this turmoil was going on in Iran, Jake Sullivan was over visiting the Saudis. Purpose of the visit? The old "two state solution", which will never fly, and (ready for it?) - a nuclear program for the Saudis. The United States will help the Saudis build a reactor to be used only for electricity. Wait - I thought the Saudis had oodles of oil left. Is this not the same thing the Iranians said when they wanted to build a reactor? They too, had lots of oil. For electricity only? Now the Iranians are inches away from a bomb. 

I think I remember reading something a while ago, where the Saudis said if the Iranians ever got the bomb, the Saudis might need a nuclear program also. That caused a fuss, as who needs another nuclear neighborhood in the world right now? Reading that Sullivan is over in Saudi Arabia discussing getting a nuclear reactor for electricity only, gave me pause to wonder.

In any event, the beat goes on. The war in Gaza continues. The protests by the soon to be unemployed on many of our campuses continue. The Democrats stabbing Israel in the back continues. In other words, life in Mr. Rogers neighborhood is very messy indeed. Now with an unexpected leadership change in Iran, who knows what is next. All we can do is pray for peace, prepare for war.   

  

What about Armed Forces Day?

"To sum it up, on Armed Forces Day, we celebrate our military. On Veteran's Day, we honor our veterans. Finally, on Memorial Day, we remember our fallen. Three important days, two in May and one coming in November. All-important days, as together they define our freedom."     

Yesterday was the third Saturday in May. Did you know this was a special day in America? It was to celebrate our Armed Forces. Did you see all the hoop-la, the flags flying, the banners? Neither did I. But it yesterday had been Pride Day - oh, my goodness! It would have been covered on every news channel, parties and picnics in Loring Park, and so forth. But Armed Forces Day? Whatever... 

A bit of history. We did not always have an Armed Forces Day. It all started with the National Security Act of 1947. That act brought the armed services under one department in our government - the Defense Department. A couple of years later, the Secretary of Defense thought it would be a great idea for the nation to celebrate its military. So, instead of having a separate day during the year to recognize each service, one day was picked to celebrate all services. And that day is the third Saturday in May.

It is a different day than Veterans Day or Memorial Day. This is the day we recognize what our armed forces have done for this country. In 1949 when this day was hatched, World War II was still fresh in many minds. Korea was on the horizon. It was easy to be very patriotic back then. Today - not so much. 

I am proud to have served in the Navy. Fellow sailors I know, mostly feel the same way. Now that I am a veteran, I still follow what is going on in the Navy. I guess I am somewhat of a Navy aficionado. I have interest in all the services, but my real interest lies in what is going on with the Navy. 

Next weekend we will recognize Memorial Day. It is a day only for the fallen. I think back when fighting in some ugly and bloody pitched battles, many young men, barely old enough to shave, gave it all. It is different day than Armed Forces Day. Similar in some respects, yet very different.

Then in November we have Veteran's Day. It is the day to remember all who served. To sum it up, on Armed Forces Day, we celebrate our military. On Veteran's Day, we honor our veterans. Finally, on Memorial Day, we remember our fallen. Three important days, two in May and one coming in November. All-important days, as together they define our freedom.     

Washington - we have a big, big problem!

"Come on Navy! We can do better! We have known about this issue since the get-go. We need a solution to this problem and need it yesterday. Until then, we can only hope we don't get into a fight with Russia or China."

Point of personal history. In my career as a defense contractor, I was on a team which sold the Vertical Launching System (VLS) to the Navy. Of all the things I did as a defense contractor, this was my high point for sure. In the early days of the VLS, one of the slots in the VLS was reserved for a crane. Why? Because after the cannisters are expended (all shots fired), the crane could load new canisters from a supply ship onto the cruiser or destroyer. One minor problem however - the cranes did not work for underway replenishment. So, they were discontinued. 

The Navy has known for a while now, if we get into a fight, a real fight, not being able to reload the canisters at sea is a huge problem. Even in the Red Sea, once the canisters were exhausted, the ship needed to head to a friendly port to get replenished. In a fight with China in their back yard (East or South China Sea), getting back to a friendly port to get more missiles is really a non-starter. It could take weeks. Plus (my opinion only), a cruiser or destroyer headed back to port with empty canisters, would be a sitting duck.

The Navy would LOVE to have an at sea solution to fill these canisters. But truthfully, right now a ship-to-ship transfer of canisters would almost take a "sea state" of zero to make it work. What else could the Navy do? One idea which has tossed around for a while was a "missile barge". Have it bristling with missiles, tow it to the fight, and when it was finally expended, that would be it. That is no longer being considered. Now it is back to the Sea Lift Command to come up with an "at sea" solution.

The VLS, with the number of missile variants that is can fire with deadly accuracy, is one of the best weapons our military has. However, in a fight with a superpower, and not a bunch of sand farmers from Yemen, having this problem without a solution is tragic. Do we think the bad guys are aware of this problem? We would be fools to think otherwise. 

Here is the real problem. The cruisers and destroyers are the "shield" for the strike group. And the heart of course, of the strike group is the carrier. To have empty cannisters in any of these escort ships not only puts the cruisers and destroyers undefended, but also the other ships in the strike group - including the carrier.

Come on Navy! We can do better! We have known about this issue since the get-go. We need a solution to this problem and need it yesterday. Until then, we can only hope we don't get into a fight with Russia or China.

The bad news boys

"My bet is the freedom loving countries in the world would want to stay free. And please Biden and Blinken - no more lectures and finger wagging about climate and government to our new friends. With the new alliance between China and Russia, we have bigger fish to fry."  

Did you see that despicable example of a "bromance" between Russia and China? Just like in a tough neighborhood, the bullies have decided to band together. I have said this before - the bad guys are starting to align in a tighter circle. Kind of like a modern "Axis of Evil". But what about the good guys? Besides NATO, are we starting to align? That is where the good news starts.

NATO, Japan, Australia, South Korea, the Philippine Islands - are all on the same side. But - as strong as the free countries of the world are right now, we need to get stronger. What do I mean? We need to court India. India, is the most populus country in the world right now, barely edging out China. But India's military is the eye opener. 1.5M troops on active duty, and another 1.5M in reserve. Plus - India has some beefs and concerns about China. That being said, India is still somewhat siding with a non-western organization like BRICS. 

Our trade has gotten better with India, but for the past few years, India has become fed up with the finger wagging the Biden administration has done to them. "Be more democratic", or "be more climate conscious". I am surprised that Blinken has not schooled them on the proper pronouns to use.

But all this is for naught. What should we be doing with India? How about treating them with respect. Make them a most favored trading partner. Sell them our crude oil at a cheaper price than Russia is selling oil to them. China has treated India poorly, and India does not like it. But India won't criticize Russia on the Ukraine invasion. Why? Because India needs cheap energy. India is ripe for a better friendship with the west - especially us. If push comes to shove in the Indo-Pacific, we will need India to be not only our partner, but also our strategic military ally.

And one more thing - Viet Nam. Much has changed over the past 50 years. We have an excellent trading agreement with View Nam right now, and dare I call the two countries friends? I think so. They are also fearful of what China could do in the East and South China Seas. I say we help Viet Nam upgrade their military (especially their Navy) and draw up a defense agreement with them.

The United States has many friends during peacetime. Now it is time to get more partners should that peace become war. If China and Russia want to form a new day "Legion of Doom" - let them. My bet is the freedom loving countries in the world would want to stay free. And please Biden and Blinken - no more lectures and finger wagging about climate and government to our new friends. With the new alliance between China and Russia, we have bigger fish to fry.  

Canada and Sweden - NATO's bookends

"In any event, if Canada wants to become relevant again, the first thing they need to do is get rid of Trudeau. Get someone in charge who understands the current world view. Danger is lurking in Europe as well as the Pacific. Do we need Canada these days? Maybe - but they sure need us. Time to wake up and smell the coffee Canada. Your time may be short." 

New flash - NATO is on the grow. Many of us can thank Vladimir Putin for that fact. When he invaded Ukraine for no good reason whatsoever, it sent shivers up and down many unaligned countries in Europe. It brought Sweden into the mix. Many have looked upon Sweden as being the perfect type of country to join NATO. Great military, and already spending the required 2% of GDP on defense. Both Finland and Sweden were excellent additions to the already strong NATO. But are all countries in NATO strong?

As good as Sweden was to get into NATO, is as bad as Canada is right now. In canoe language, Canada is a "duffer" - a "free rider". How good is Canada's military right now? Horrible. Trudeau (sometimes referred to as Casto's kid), has been the consummate progressive in making Canada a defense patsy. Their plan should they be invaded? Yell help so loud, that we in the USA can hear them. 

Canada is one of the founding members of NATO. Hard to believe right now. The current military (if we can call it that) in Canada is in shambles. Much of the weaponry and equipment is way below standard. Much is unusable. And what if war breaks out in Europe, and the clarion call goes out for help? About half of the equipment set aside by Canada for the defense of Europe is unusable. And with only 1.38% of Canada's GDP set aside for defense spending, that will not make much of a splash in getting this fixed.

A bit of personal history. I worked with some of the Candian Forces when I was on active duty. Nice guys, and well trained. But they were different. After active duty, when I was still in the Naval Reserve and working for a defense contractor, I negotiated two different deals with the Canadians. Both were for some equipment on their Candian Patrol Frigate Program. Compared to what I was used to negotiating with the US Navy, these two deals were paltry. But to the Canadians, they were like the biggest deals in the world. The picture below is the US and Canadian teams after conclusion of the second negotiation. Two tough summers negotiating these deals - one in Toronto and the other in Quebec.

In any event, if Canada wants to become relevant again, the first thing they need to do is get rid of Trudeau. Get someone in charge who understands the current world view. Danger is lurking in Europe as well as the Pacific. Do we need Canada these days? Maybe - but they sure need us. Time to wake up and smell the coffee Canada. Your time may be short. 

 

Whither the student loan issue?

"Why can't our young folk move forward? 7% interest rates on buying a house. Four dollars to buy a carton of eggs. $3.25 for a gallon of gas. This is all on you Biden - 100% on you. All your student loan forgiveness did was pour gas on the fire."

Great news! This past month the inflation rate is coming down! How much down? It is down to about 3.4%. Putting that in relative terms, that is almost double what it was when President Trump walked out the door of the White House. And now I will talk like an economist - "The inflation rate is increasing at a decreasing rate." Note the operative word in this sentence - "increasing". Prices are still going up. And so long as they go up over the Fed's benchmark of 2.0%, forget any rate cuts by the Fed.

Here are some more interesting numbers. This country has a total debt from student loans of about $1.7T. Catch your breath for a second - that is a lot of money. A while ago, Joe "it ain't my money" Biden, tried to forgive $400B of that $1.7T. The Supreme Court blocked him. He did not have the authority. Biden gave the SOCUS his middle finger and still forgave $130B worth of student loans. Did I mention he did not have the authority to do so?

So long as Biden does irresponsible and illegal things such as student loan forgiveness, which only transfers those loans onto the backs of the taxpayers via the national debt, getting inflation back to 2.0% might be a bridge too far. This has caused me to mull over two things I have recently heard. Thing one - the University of Minnesota, which now has sky high tuition for a local state university, is going to raise their already high tuition by over 4% this upcoming year. When kids already can't afford college, the U of M has the guts to raise it some more.

Thing two - at what point in time did the House of Representatives abdicate the power of the purse as defined in Article One of our Constitution? Did not the highest court in the land tell Biden to pound sand? And he went ahead and did it anyway? Should he not be impeached for this infraction alone? If Donald Trump had done this, the tar would be boiling, and the feathers would be at the ready. But Biden? The Deep State has him fully protected, insulated, and coddled. Who then suffers? That would be us - all of us who are deeply burdened by this hidden tax called inflation.

Biden needs to be reversed on his unsanctioned and shameful student loan forgiveness. Just like Biden shoving EVs down our throat, we don't want student loan forgiveness either. We did not vote for this. You are the President Joe Biden - you are not our king.

Why can't our young folk move forward? 7% interest rates on buying a house. Four dollars to buy a carton of eggs. $3.25 for a gallon of gas. This is all on you Biden - 100% on you. All your student loan forgiveness did was pour gas on the fire.      

Putin's war on Europe

"I find it ironic that in the runup to the last election, Joe Biden was sold to the country as the adult in the room. The uniter, rather than the divider. His decades of dealing with other countries was going to give us almost a guaranteed peace dividend." 

Is it Putin's war IN Europe, or Putin's war ON Europe? I guess it does not really matter. As the world sloshes through the 2020's toward the magical year of 2030, some of the world is preparing for a be all, end all war. A war which will make WWII look pale in comparison. And who is at the center of this warring faction? If you guessed Putin, you win a prize. 

According to some recent intelligence picked up by the Germans, what Russia is doing right now in Ukraine is only the start of will be a much wider initiative by the Russians. NATO, and Russia's hatred of NATO, has always been at the core. The German intelligence stated that Russia would make a play for one of NATO's lesser defended countries. It would be Putin's dare for the rest of NATO to use Article 5 of NATO to come to a common defense of the NATO country in danger. Then Putin would be able to live out his long-standing dream - toe to toe battle between his forces and NATO.

Some speculate that when Putin makes his play for a NATO country, the United States will be all eyes on Europe. And that is when China would make its play for Taiwan. And then what? Maybe World War III. The "good guys" are in alignment, and so are the "bad guys". If both Russia and China start moving troops into contested lands, it will not only be the United States who is conflicted between which front to support. It will also be Japan. China and the east coast of Russia. South Korea trying to help contain China, and also keeping the Norks at bay. The entire northern hemisphere, from the Artic to the equator, could be a war zone.

I find it ironic that in the runup to the last election, Joe Biden was sold to the country as the adult in the room. The uniter, rather than the divider. His decades of dealing with other countries was going to give us almost a guaranteed peace dividend. But here is the reality. Under Trump, the world was a fairly calm place. No major wars, just some hot spots. But under Joe Biden, we are on the edge of something horrible. "Wars and rumors of wars", just like the Bible warns us of. 

Some have wondered if Putin is the Anti-Christ. Others think he will be the one sitting on top of the Red Horse, as prophesied in the book of Revelation. The one sitting on top of the Red Horse will "...take peace from Earth, and that man would slay one another..." Is that what Putin's legacy will be? A man of war? A man of global war? 

George Bush said once when he looked into Putin's eyes, he could see his soul. Not me. When I look at a picture of Putin's eyes, I see nothing. A vacant space, just waiting to be filled with pure evil.     

Joe's world (strange) view

"IF the Presidental debates take place, I can't wait until Joe tells his first whopper in front of Doanld Trump. Unlike the lap dog media, Trump will not let Joe's lies pass. No way, Jose! Trump will mop the floor with Joe Biden." 

Everyone is still talking about the Erin Burnett interview on CNN. She had Joe Biden all to herself. She did challenge Joe a couple of times, but she missed the "big show". And what was Biden's "big show"? Joe coming into office and with inflation raging at 9%. And how Joe tamed the inflation from 9% down to 3.5%. Even though the truth is simply this (and it has been fact checked many times) - inflation when Biden took office was a paltry 1.4%. The 9.1% happened a year and half into Joe's presidency.

What is it about the truth that escapes Joe Biden? Is it that he is a liar, or is it dementia? Or is it a world view that Joe Biden wishes was reality. Kind of like the often-told story of that old racist Corn Pop. Or when Joe stood at ground zero the day after the 9/11 attack. Or when his uncle crashed on some South Pacific Island in WWII and was eaten by cannibals.

What is Joe Biden good at? Mega-donors. He is meeting with some of his Hollywood elites this week. Keep that war chest growing. Meanwhile, Donald Trump who has been tied up day after day with the Deep State in kangaroo court, somehow managed to have a rally this weekend in the blue state of New Jersey. Estimates are that close to 100,000 people attended this rally! Trump's position? Every state is in play. New Jersey, New York, or Minnesota. He is not going to cede ANY state to the Biden train wreck.

Here is what I think about Biden's mega donor fund raising. What does he need that money for? More airtime to tell his lies? Trump's truth will not take that much airtime. Trump will have enough money to be very effective.  

IF the Presidental debates take place, I can't wait until Joe tells his first whopper in front of Doanld Trump. Unlike the lap dog media, Trump will not let Joe's lies pass. No way, Jose! Trump will mop the floor with Joe Biden. If Joe wants to start throwing stats around, Mr. Trump will be all the willing to entertain that conversation. Why? Donald Trump has the truth on his side. Joe only has his fantasy view. 

Joe Biden will always be remembered for many things. Truth is not one of them. His corruption? That is a story for another day.

 

 

Home World Security

"Back closer to home. Each day, every day, our spinning core in our planet keeps us safe. If for some reason our core would stop spinning, or if we would have an historic solar storm, things would get bad quickly." 

Quite a display! Northern lights at their finest. So, what is the big deal? The northern lights are really quite a disturbance within our sun. The Earth is being pelted with all kinds of deadly solar radiation. But - because of the unique nature of our planet, our spinning metal core sets up a magnetic "barrier" against these deadly solar rays. In other words, what we are seeing right now is in fact, our "home world security" in action!

This particular solar storm is freakishly strong. So strong it just about knocked one of our TV channels off the air. In fact, in 1859, we had a solar storm so strong, it caused as much havoc as a solar storm could cause in those days. The Carrington Event (as it is now called), if it occurred today, could really mess up our satellite communications. Would it have caused some awesome northern lights? Sure, but most folks would have been too worried about surviving the storm instead of enjoying the lights. 

But forget about the Carrington Event. Were the last couple nights the best thing possible, or what? Could there be anything more impressive? Actually, yes. Should Betelgeuse (from Orion's shoulder) explode and go super nova, it will really light up the night sky. Maybe the day sky also. Betelgeuse is 500 light years away. However, some of the effects of the explosion could still reach the Earth (and be taken care of by our "home world security). Not enough punch to cause major damage, but we could still feel it.

Back closer to home. Each day, every day, our spinning core in our planet keeps us safe. If for some reason our core would stop spinning, or if we would have an historic solar storm, things would get bad quickly. However, for moderate disturbances in the sun, we get to enjoy some beautiful dancing colors (and maybe a bad TV station).   

 

Way too many "Yellow Dogs"

"We have a new team heading up the RNC this year. Their highest objectives are getting out the vote and voter integrity. One of the pundits went on to say that nobody has felt the negative effects of Bidenomics more than black folk have. They feel the pain, they live the pain."

Heard an interesting analysis the other day on the news. It was about how many topics the Republicans have the edge over the Democrats on. On some topics (like border security), it is not even close. Not even in the same neighborhood. But after the pundit went through this litany of issues the Republicans are scoring high on, another pundit then took the wind out of his sails. "But the Democrats win, because they know how to get out the vote."

I was at first confused. So what, if the Democrats know how to get out the vote. Anybody in their right mind would vote on the issues, and the Republicans have an embarrassment of riches in owning the issues this year. Then it hit me. Like a cold snowball in the face on a frigid January day. Many Democrats don't give a tinker's dam about the issues. They only know one thing - pull the level for the blue team. Why? Generational voting. Yes, these people are often referred to as "Yellow Dog" Democrats.

"Yellow Dog" Democrats. I have heard about them for years. At first, I thought it was just a tall tale. But they really do exist. They will vote for Bozo the Clown or Joe Biden, rather than vote for someone on the red team who can fix things. Who can make everyone's life better. 

That gave me pause to think. If "Yellow Dog" Democrats are again going to be in play this year, what do the Republicans have? Besides the issues that is. Conservatives will stay home before they would vote for a candidate who they considered "flawed". I mean, look at what happened to Donald Trump last time around. If Republicans voted like Democrats, Trump would have easily won. But those nasty and mean tweets of Trump caused many to stay home. And then, Trump lost, and do did our country.

We have a new team heading up the RNC this year. Their highest objectives are getting out the vote and voter integrity. One of the pundits went on to say that nobody has felt the negative effects of Bidenomics more than black folk have. They feel the pain, they live the pain. But here is the fly in the ointment - due to generational voting, many blacks in the inner city are "Yellow Dog" Democrats. And they will be herded up and taken to polling places by Democrat activists. 

A ticket to success this time around? Turn many of the "Yellow Dog" Democrats into "Blue Dog" Democrats. "Blue Dog" Democrats are Democrats who vote Republican. With blue, we can win. But with yellow, we might end up with four more years of grandpa.

 

Super ships? Or floating coffins?

One article I read had a very disturbing premise in it. The Chinese believe it would only take the sinking of one of our aircraft carriers. The loss of a very expensive ship, but also 5,000 sailors and numerous aircraft - will make the US tuck its tail and run. Why? The American public would not stand for it. The invasion of Taiwan is not like an invasion of the US.

Back during WWII, if your side could sink an aircraft carrier belonging to the other side, it was a very good thing. Then World War II ended. And Korea happened. Then Viet Nam happened. Then of course, the Cold War. Our aircraft carriers started to bristle with different defensive armaments for protection. Of course, the "bird farm" always had its aircraft for an assist should trouble come calling. Plus - all the support ships which were part of the task force. Bottom line? With the AEGIS system in tow, any of our strike teams with a carrier at its heart, were considered "protected" (to a degree).

But let's look at today's carrier. The Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78) for example. It is a heck of a ship, with state of the art just about everything. And the John F. Kennedy (CVN-79) is coming out of the docks shortly (2025). The Kennedy will be just like the Ford. But are they invincible? Are they safe? Are they worth the $11B just to build them? And here is the biggest question of all - are they unsinkable? Losing one of our aircraft carriers is a doomsday thought which haunts our war planners. 

Communist China knows that if push comes to shove in Taiwan, the United States will have to use some of its carriers to join the fray. Just because of where we are located in the world, using our carriers would be a must. But China has not been standing still. They have hundreds of anti-ship missiles, many with ranges of 900 miles, ready to use against our carriers. The DF-21D, and the DF-26 class of missiles are their mainstay. They also have long range bombers to even make the range of the missiles even longer. 

One article I read had a very disturbing premise in it. The Chinese believe it would only take the sinking of one of our aircraft carriers. The loss of a very expensive ship, but also 5,000 sailors and numerous aircraft - will make the US tuck its tail and run. Why? The American public would not stand for it. The invasion of Taiwan is not like an invasion of the US. As the expression goes, "no skin in the game for us", so why sacrifice our blood and treasure to protect Taiwan?

During the 2020's the non-stop game of cat and mouse will continue. Offense, defense. More offense, better defense. Our war planners want us ready to fight a major war without losing a carrier. But the beat goes on. In 2022, the keel laying ceremony was held for the third Ford Class carrier. It will be called the USS Enterprise (CVN-80).

The building of these super carriers will continue for decades. The final ship of ten in the Ford Class should be delivered by 2058. Man - that is a long time away! I hope the Chinese can behave until then!