The death of governance

 

"We have exhausted the yelling, the screaming, the swearing, the accusations, the blah, blah, blah. If those don't work to get your opponent to surrender to your views, I shudder to think what is next."

I have discussed this issue many times before. Our great country, born and reared on being a constitutional republic (NOT a democracy), ready to celebrate a 250-year birthday, is starting to come apart at the seams. Come on Bird! Enough of this drama queen stuff! A bit of discussion and debate is good for any society! Those are true words. But we have passed that intersection of calm and civil debate. Now we are in a total rumble, with anything goes. So much so, almost half on the left have decreed that violence against the other side is "acceptable".

At some point in time, our government has gone from a debate society into a blood match. The vitriol, the invective, the out and out rudeness, should make the FCC rate CSPAN either an "R" or "NC-17" to warn young viewers away. Who are the biggest offenders? I would love to say only one or two. But the number has grown from a few into legions. My most unfavorite right now is Cory Booker. When he spews hate, his eyes start to grow and glow, and his countenance becomes almost malevolent.

And the language used today, by both sides, is beyond the pale. However, when it comes to "F Bombs" or taking the Lord's name in vain, the Dems are way ahead in that footrace. Again, for this stuff to be shown on network news, un-censored, is a blot on all of us. The networks who do "bleep" out the bad words, so much is redacted that one can hardly follow the train of thought (if there ever was one).

When I look back at recent history (I will use my adulthood as measure), the coarseness of our discussions in ANY form of government has gone from okay too bad too very bad too intolerable. And not on any one subject - ALL subjects get the same vitriol. The two political sides cannot even discuss the weather outside without getting in some kind of peeing contest. How is that even possible? Somebody, please tell me.

What is the next natural step? Going back to having duels like Aaron Burr and Alexander Hamilton? How about an MMA type of cage match? (I would bet on us, as we have Markwayne Mullin, a former MMA stud, on our side.) We have exhausted the yelling, the screaming, the swearing, the accusations, the blah, blah, blah. If those don't work to get your opponent to surrender to your views, I shudder to think what is next.

One final word. A major medical institution in Minneapolis is about to close its doors due to years and years of mismanagement (it is run by city Democrats). The MN House and Senate cannot even agree on the correct way to rescue this needed hospital. Why not? Too obsessed with taking the mask off of ICE agents. Putting a leash on ICE so they can't do their jobs. The rest of the state's business including the rescue of this hospital? As they say on the blue team - "F**K It!"   

    

 

A day made just for mothers

 

"Serving and honoring mothers on this day is special and important. It was not until I was stationed overseas that I realized how much I missed my mom. How much she did for me. How much she supported and elevated me."

My mother had a love/hate relationship with Mother's Day. She would hate it when her birthday (early in May), would land on the same day as Mother's Day. Two of her favorite days becoming one. For mom, it was like having a birthday on December 25th. What she hated almost as much, was fishing opener. When it happened on Mother's Day. When I would sneak away on this hallowed day for fisherman and try to make it back before the sun set on Sunday, so I could wish my mom a happy Mother's Day. Let's just say she was not a fan of opener.

But most of the time, I was able to take my wife, our kids, my dad, and most importantly - my mom out for a Mother's Day brunch. That she dearly loved. My dad - always would put up kind of a tepid argument with me. "You really should not have to take out son. I can pay for my own. This is Mother's Day, and not my day." We had that same discussion every year - and every year he lost the argument. I would conclude it by saying, "This is your freebee dad, it is my pleasure to treat the family today. We will do something just for you next month on Father's Day".

When my mother was alive, Mother's Day gave me the chance to honor her and my wife on the same day. I never got tired of it. When my dad passed, it became even more important to me to honor my mom and to dote over her on that day. After my mother passed a few years later, my kids were old enough (and established enough) to take their mother out for that special day. I became what I always teased my own dad about - a freeloader on Mother's Day. The joy of being with my family on special days such as this, helped to mollify the hole in my heart from missing my folks.

Today my eldest daughter has made reservations late morning at a local venue which serves a Mother's Day brunch. I will be with my bride, my two kids and two grandies. I will be a wonderful day. Serving and honoring mothers on this day is special and important. It was not until I was stationed overseas that I realized how much I missed my mom. How much she did for me. How much she supported and elevated me. 

I was blessed my mom made it to almost 97. My wife and I were with her most every week in her final years. My mom was content and happy where she lived in her final days. She passed one evening, with an aide holding her hand.

I got the call that mom was leaving, but I got to the residence too late - too late for that final good-bye and I love you. They gave me some time with mom alone in her room. I held her hand and told her she had finished the race strong and done it well. And now - now she lives with Jesus, and I will see her again. Happy Mother's Day mom. I miss you, and I love you. 

From bulletproof to bullet ridden...

"Some of my friends have died much too young. That is when it hit me. The season of being bulletproof is ending for most of us, and the season of becoming 'bullet ridden' with different aliments has started. In other words, the 'menu' of things that go wrong with you expands each and every year."

Every generation goes through it. Now it is our turn. The "Boomers". Those of us who grew up in the sixties. Did crazy stuff. Had fun. Drove fast muscle cars. But - in spite of all that, we always had our eyes on the prize. After high school, learn a good trade. Or went to college to get four (or even more) years of advanced schooling. And to think the entire time we were doing all of that, most of us felt as if we were bulletproof. Invincible. Could do it all, and our good health was something we always took for granted.

Many of us went through life after our schooling or trade learning was complete. Many got married; most bought a house; some had kids. Just like that, we became what our parents were when we were younger. In our 30's and 40's, still bulletproof, although many of us were developing some "kinks in the armor".

Then came the 50's. I was in my late 50's when I discovered I had my first real problem. While putting my shoes on before work one morning, it felt like somebody had stuffed tissues in the toe of one of my shoes. But there was no tissue. That was the start of my first real life disease. I had peripheral neuropathy. It was a disease with no cure. As my doctor said, it would not kill me but slowly disable me. With that, my "bulletproof" demeanor went out the window.

Into my 60's, I retired. I had a good career, so I had no complaints. Since I was still in my bulletproof stage for most of my career, I had many opportunities to do exciting things. But now that I was retired, I started to notice some of my contemporaries were also getting some kind of sickness, injury or disease. Some even died - much too young. That is when it hit me. The season of being bulletproof is ending for most of us, and the season of becoming "bullet ridden" with different aliments has started. In other words, the "menu" of things that go wrong with you expands each and every year.

I remember as a youth seeing a cartoon in the paper called Family Circus. In one episode, a grandmother was giving her young grandchild some sage wisdom. "When I was young and had a pain, it was like a shooting star. It would shine for a short time and then go away. Now I have an entire galaxy of stars which always stay lit." Meaning what? As this grandmother had aged, her number of aches and pains went from one or two into many. As I start to approach 80, I fully understand what she meant.

This morning we are going to the funeral of a good friend who died at 90. From the stories he told, he too, had a youth of doing some wild and crazy things. He also went through a bulletproof season in his life. But towards the end, life became hard for him. But no longer. A man of deep, deep faith, he now lives with Jesus. And his body? He now has his new, heavenly body. One which will never wear out. How do I know? It is God's promise to us who believe.  

Negotiation woes...

"Donald Trump said what we did yesterday was just a love tap to these guys, a small retaliation for firing on our ships. It might be time to change that love tap into a swift kick in the pants to really get their attention. The clock is ticking and it is time for us to control the clock." 

Back in the day, when I worked (and yes, in the very early days, I even wore a suit), I did quite of bit of negotiating. I negotiated when I was with Sperry Univac, Control Date Aerospace Division, FMC (which became BAE), and IBM. Mostly the government, but also foreign governments and other companies. One thing I was taught early in my career, was when negotiating with a new customer, make sure the person you are negotiating with has the authority. In other words, check his (or her) warrant.

Why is that important? See what is going on with Iran right now? It is a real game of "who's on first". As we continue to negotiate with whom we thought were the legal and authorized members of this "shape shifter" government, three of our destroyers came under fire yesterday by (you guessed it) members of this "shape shifter" government who may or may not be in control. 

Truthfully, even if our team asked to see a warrant from the ones who are sitting at the table negotiating right now, it probably would not be worth the paper it was printed on. Since we have heard the "new" leader took quite a beating from one of our bombing strikes and is in need of a new leg and some skin grafts - we have no clue who is calling the shots (so to speak). I am starting to think General Keane might be right. Don't trust these guys, they might be playing us, so finish the job.

Where do we go from here? Continue this charade? Let the Strait be closed down most of the summer? We must have half our fleet on site right now, and Iran basically has nothing except some "fast boats" its remaining drones and missiles. The IDF is locked and loaded, the Arabs want this thing over with, so let's get on with it. 

Donald Trump said what we did yesterday was just a love tap to these guys, a retaliation for firing on our ships. It might be time to change that love tap into a swift kick in the pants to really get their attention. The clock is ticking and it is time for us to control the clock. 

Why our love affair with Europe is waning...

 

"For America to be great, to stay great, we need to keep the MAGA movement going. The death of MAGA will be the death of liberty in this great country of ours. Newsome and company will bring about irreversible changes in our government that not even a future 'Trump like' president would be able to fix."      

Make America Great Again. MAGA. Oh my gosh! Does that ever drive the globalists crazy! Both in this country as well as Europe. Why? Globalism was working just fine for them, thank you. It ended up with us having record trade deficits and getting the short end of the stick with tariffs paid.

But then along comes this businessman from New York, who had a better idea. And it was (is) still a better idea. Make more stuff here. What has been offshored, reshore. And one of his best ideas was reciprocal tariffs. The tariff thing did not work out as it need congressional approval. And the Trump haters in Congress took it to SCOTUS, so they killed it. They killed it, even though it was good for America.

My biggest fear going forward is twofold. First, the Republicans lose the midterms. Should that happen, the socialists in both the House and Senate are going to unravel as much of Trump's gains as they can. Trump will be impeached (again), and America will start to slide back into the Biden slumber. Even though Trump will still have his veto power, the MAGA era will not be the same during the second half of the president's term.

Second - and this is really horrifying - I saw a straw poll with Newsome beating Vance in 2028. Should Newsome win, this slicked down and paler version of Obama will take this country into a place it has never been before. With a friendly Congress, Newsome will turn American into a large California. $8/gal gasoline for the nation - not just California. We will have autocratic regulations coming out the wazoo, and globalism will return with bells and whistles. Just like in Russia when past leaders were "liquidated", every mention, every trace of Donald Trump as POTUS 45 or POTUS 47 will be erased. 

And Europe. How can we forget Europe. Soon after Newsome is crowned, he and his "first partner" will visit Starmer in the UK and have a love fest. Finally, Starmer will have a buddy again in America that will match weaknesses with him! And then up to Canada, where Carney will be so happy, he might just kiss Newsome on the lips. Back to sky high tariffs on dairy products. Back to the days of "Uncle Sugar". It will be a wonderful day in Ottawa when the new POTUS comes back into the fold.

The problem is with Trump being "liquidated" by the Socialist Democrats, is this - all the good things (and there have been many good things) that Trump did will be buried in gallons of white out and erasers. It will be like Trump never existed. That the nation went from Obama to Biden and then to Newsome, with no Trump. MAGA will go back to just being some jumbled-up letters. Our borders will be wide open again, to illegals, gangs, drugs, traffickers, and terrorists. 

For America to be great, to stay great, we need to keep the MAGA movement going. The death of MAGA will be the death of liberty in this great country of ours. Newsome and company will bring about irreversible changes in our government that not even a future "Trump like" president would be able to fix. Then it will be over.     

Will HCMC go under?

"When I look at the governor of this state, the mayors of the Twin Cities, and the city council thereof, it is not wonder why we have allowed this huge metro area to crash and burn. Maybe next time around, elect some Republicans with business experience. That is, if there are any left in the Twin Cities." 

When I think of all the crapola which is wrong with Minneapolis right now, one the flagship issues is how in the world, the general hospital of the city, a main trauma center, HCMC - could be taking on water and getting ready to sink. One might ask, how in the world could this happen? For a hospital this size to be carrying the size of debt that it is (~$36M). Sure, part of HCMC's woes are due to non-payments by UCare (another mess in MN), but still, what a fix HCMC is in right now. 

Some are saying the real reason for the mismanagement of this huge hospital are the DNC picks to run the place. Okay, no more slamming Democrats. Just because many have never worked for a place which must balance its books is hitting below the belt. Then again, maybe where it is situated in the city. Right next to Cedar Riverside, the epicenter of fraud in MN. Maybe too many services given out for zero dollars is also the problem. 

Here is the long and the short of it. Should the MN House and Senate fail to come up with some kind of common-sense bailout (and the clock is ticking), and the HCMC ship slips under the waves, the repercussions will be huge. Minneapolis will have lost its one and only general hospital for the first time in forever. But - the idea of raising the Hennepin County sales tax by 1/2 of one percent is facing some headwinds. Why? No budget associated with this gift. No budget = limited success. 

All I have to say (from an outstate perspective) is WELL DONE again, Minneapolis. This once fine city has been hollowed out to be nothing more than a national laughingstock. But the people who live in Minneapolis might not be laughing soon. Besides the massive fraud, the crime, the lack of governance, losing HCMC might just be the frosting on the cake for this "City of Leaks".

When I look at the governor of this state, the mayors of the Twin Cities, and the city council thereof, it is not wonder why we have allowed this huge metro area to crash and burn. Maybe next time around, elect some Republicans with business experience. That is, if there are any left in the Twin Cities. 

 

Sick of Iran yet???

"During his first term, Trump reduced General Soleimani to rubble. What was left of the General could have fit into an ash tray. Time to revisit that playbook. Our teammates, the IDF are gassed up, ready and waiting for our 'go sign'. They know the job is not yet done. They are right. Time to put our battle boots on and end this thing. Why? We are all of us, so sick of Iran. They can cooperate with us, or have their major cities start looking like Gaza."  

Am I sick of Iran yet? Gosh, that is a question that could have been asked of me anytime during the last 47 years. I am sick of the Mullahs, the IRGC, the Quds Force, Kharg Island, the Strait of Hormuz and on and on and on. Ever since the "revolution" in the late 1970's, I have had zero time for this country. Then over the years, Iran has operated with impunity throughout the Middle East, causing all kinds of death and destruction. I am tired of our good friend and ally (Israel) being called Little Satan. I am even more tired of my country being called the Big Satan. I am so done with this.

One more thing I am sick to death of. The lying, the cheating, the delaying. We have tried throughout previous administrations to deal with these guys in a fair and honest way. All they have done is take advantage of our good and trusting nature. Then when we had Kerry, Obama and Biden dealing with Iran, they took advantage of their naivete and robbed us blind. They even snookered Biden into given them pallets full of cash. Why? As a reward for negotiating in good faith. Meanwhile, behind the curtains, Iran continued to enrich uranium to weapons grade. 

I appreciate that Donald Trump has given these guys every chance in the books to comply with our demands. I also appreciate the stellar job our Armed Forces has done in dismantling Iran's military. But here is the problem - all the patience in the world, offered towards the IRGC, has only allowed Iran to play us further. Instead of looking like a Crusader, Donald Trump is starting to look like Joe Biden. But Trump can turn that around. Go into the Strait and kick butt and take names. Give the IRGC the back of our hand (so to speak). We have tried the carrot and the stick approach. Time to take the gloves off, put the carrot away, and end this thing. Now.

During his first term, Trump reduced General Soleimani to rubble. What was left of the General could have fit into an ash tray. Time to revisit that playbook. Our teammates, the IDF are gassed up, ready and waiting for our "go sign". They know the job is not yet done. They are right. Time to put our battle boots on and end this thing. Why? We are all of us, so sick of Iran. They can cooperate with us, or have their major cities start looking like Gaza.  

What is this "wealth tax", and why it is so un-American

"I think we are going to make our 250th birthday as it is only two months away. However, anything beyond that might be iffy. Why? With the socialists gaining power, our "first world" status has a shaky future. If everybody was poor, like in Cuba, the 'eat the rich' crowd would be much happier. As for the people of wealth who are wealthy no longer - not so much."   

At what point in time, did making money become evil? So much so, that today, many young folks, which a head full of mush, hate the rich. Asked if most of them could define rich, they would respond with something like, "You know - having a lot of money." News flash to our undereducated young ones - on a world scale, just about every citizen of this great country is "rich".

One might wonder then, how do some people acquire wealth? Some inherit it. Some work very hard and watch their pennies. And some invent a "better mousetrap". That's it. It is the last group, the ones who "build a better mousetrap" which makes America as great as it is. So, to punish this group, by demonizing them, and taking their wealth which was their reward for taking a risk, is really like punishing America. 

What is all this "Eat the rich" crap? Instead of looking up to people who have either worked hard for their money or took a gamble by inventing a thing or process, the chattering class would rather hate them. When I was dating my wife many, many years ago, a relative of hers, who had socialist tendencies, came to my attention. When I asked him why he felt he didn't need to work, and the government should pay him for writing poetry under a tree, he did not have a cogent response for me. Whereas at one time he was a "one off" type of person, today there are legions just like him. Get paid for doing nothing. Take the money from the rich to pay for it.

Bernie Sanders, Liz Warren, Zohran Mamdani and Katie Wilson are all socialists who have been ELECTED to public office by clueless minions. They not only want to tax the income of the wealthy (using confiscatory rates), but they also want to tax their acquired wealth. Why? It is not fair that one should have more than another. Hello? Can you spell Communism? 

Somehow, somewhere, the train has left the tracks in how we educate our kids. We have allowed ideologues and weirdos to put all kinds of crap into our kid's noggins. If you own a house and have a cabin up north - get ready. The "fairness brigade" will be coming after you for more money. If you have more than one car, you are a target. And - if you have money in the bank, 401K, IRA, or just plain savings which is six figures or more, you are a prime target for the new undereducated Robin Hoods.

I think we are going to make our 250th birthday as it is only two months away. However, anything beyond that might be iffy. Why? With the socialists gaining power, our "first world" status has a shaky future. If everybody was poor, like in Cuba, the "eat the rich" crowd would be much happier. As for the people of wealth who are wealthy no longer - not so much.   

 

Another green boondoggle goes bust

 

"An energy expert on the news this morning said it is indeed possible that gasoline could top $4.75 or even $5.00 a gallon by midsummer if this nonsense continues. That is not good. Gas right now should be in the $2.50 range. Gasoline will be so high in cost that the clueless 'greenies' will be clamoring for more wind and solar. Tell you what - they can have Ivanpah. All they need do is find a way to dispose of it once they are done playing with it." 

In 2008, then President Obama thought it would be wise to help out our "energy crisis" by building (with taxpayer dollars) a huge solar plant (Ivanpah) in the middle of the Mohave Desert. I mean, why not? Plenty of sunshine, very little rain, this thing could produce enough free energy from the sun to make southern California glow. Except for one thing. It was not free - it cost the taxpayers $2.2 Billion. And it was not efficient - it never lived up to its promises. And now it is shut down, and California is left with another big scar on its land.

This thing has been a real bust. If not for the legacy of Obamacare, the "Unaffordable Care Act", the Ivanpah solar plant could have been his legacy instead. Besides killing an estimated 6,000 birds a year, it also was a power drain instead of a power source. And now, to make matters worse, much of the material used is not recyclable. The excuse, "it all sounded like a good idea at the time" - just does not cut it.

I still believe that at some time in the future, solar will have a part in our energy picture. Wind - probably not. The real bonanza that many scientists are now talking about is all the power in tidal. That is where part of our future might be found. But to sink billions into this science project in California with an immature technology, was another one of the Obama era fool's errands.

Anybody who thinks that our world long longer is dependent on oil, need only look to the Strait of Hormuz right now. With a good portion of the world's oil bottled up by Iran, much of the world is short on oil and fertilizer. Soon, this too shall pass, and oil will flow freely in the oceans again. But for right now, the one reliable energy source we have, is becoming very expensive (if you can get it). 

And energy expert on the news this morning said it is indeed possible that gasoline could top $4.75 or even $5.00 a gallon by midsummer if this nonsense continues. That is not good. Gas right now should be in the $2.50 range. It will be so high in cost that the clueless "greenies" will be clamoring for more wind and solar. Tell you what - they can have Ivanpah. All they need do is find a way to dispose of it once they are done playing with it. 

What in the world is happening to America??

 

"Back in the old Star Trek days, when Captain Kirk was confronted with things which were too bizarre to contend with, he would yell into his communicator, "Scotty, beam me up!" I too, am about at that point. What is keeping me from doing what Captain Kirk would do? I don't have a communicator, so I am stuck down here."

What is the world is happening here? What is going on with the formerly Democrat Party? Yesterday, I penned an article about John Fetterman. About how disgusted and confused he is with his party. Yes, he is still a Democrat. But he is a Democrat from yesteryear. In no way does he fit in with the fruits and nuts from the "new" Socialist Democrats. Yikes!

Yesterday, during the new May Day event, the union folks from yesteryear seemed to be missing. Who was there? If you opened the nut ball cabinet, every flavor from "a" to "zed" was on display. All protesting. Protesting what? Money. We should not have too much money. Power. They don't like the fact that Orange Man is in power. War. We should have just allowed Iran to build nukes and continue to terrorize the Middle East. Anything else? Oh yes - an entire smorgasbord of gripes and bitches.

The new Democrat candidate who will be facing off against Susan Collins up in Maine, comes to us straight out of a novel. He is version of the new Socialist Democrats with a Nazi tattoo on his chest. Wait - what? I thought Nazis were bad. It was not that long ago Elon Musk was called a Nazi for building Tesla cars. What up with that?

First a point of clarification. I lived in Maine for almost two years while in the service. Got to know the people quite well. The Maine of 1971 and 1972 are NOTHING like this Democrat candidate for Senate. He is Zolan and AOC all rolled into one person. What has happened to America? What has happened to Maine. While I am at it, what in the Sam Hill has happened to Minnesota? Again, yikes!

Yesterday, dark money, much of which was supplied by billionaires (who for some reason, hate this country which made them rich), put on quite a show. Young skulls full of mush, where allowed to skip school, grab a protest sign (some of which had some very bad words on them), and march (as Abby Hoffman would say), "just for the hell of it". What was accomplished yesterday? Exactly the same thing which was accomplished during the "No Kings" events. No school, and a chance to act like a complete butt head, along with other butt heads.

Back in the old Star Trek days, when Captain Kirk was confronted with things which were too bizarre to contend with, he would yell into his communicator, "Scotty, beam me up!" I too, am about at that point. What is keeping me from doing what Captain Kirk would do? I don't have a communicator, so I am stuck down here.

  

The metamorphosis of Senator Fetterman

 

How about the rest of Washington's Democrats? No chance for anything with them. They have all been wired for madness and anarchy. Fetterman has not. He is our one great hope going forward. Are we thankful for John Fetterman? Each and every day. 

Having a stroke is deadly serious business. My wife just lost a cousin at age 77 to a stroke. When somebody has a stroke, they can come out disabled and different. Some, like my wife's cousin, don't come out at all. They die. Once in a great, great while, somebody has a stroke and comes out better. That is what happened to Senator John Fetterman. Instead of a stroke being either fatal or career ending, Fetterman's stoke was a catharsis and a metamorphosis. In other words, when he came back to us, he turned out to be the most cogent, the most logical, the most reasonable senator in Washington. 

For example, the Democrats just passed a bill which funds the entire DHS - except for ICE and parts of CBP. Trump signed it into law, so that most of Homeland Security can get paid. That being said, the president was still upset that entire DHS was not fully funded. And according to the new DHS Secretary, it will still take months to get his department back to normal. According to Fetterman, this partial shutdown of our government accomplished NOTHING. He is the only Democrat who voted for this bill, even though it was only partial. (My words) - this shut down was much sound and fury, signifying NOTHING.

Many look at John Fetterman these days with simple amazement. How in the world, could this guy who came out of nowhere, flipped a seat in the Senate, have a near death stroke, and now end up being the most common sensical person in blue Washington. Some of remember the days when some bully would threaten somebody with clenched fist and say, "Maybe I will knock some sense into you." In reality, taking a beating never ended up being positive for the victim. But for Fetterman, to have a serious stroke which "knocked some sense into him" - is one for the medical books.

Fetterman has been asked many times, why not just become a Republican? His answer is always the same - "I can't because I am still a Democrat." And he is - just not a Democrat from the current makeup. He is a living anachronism. His version of being a Democrat died out decades ago. Long before they became progressives, socialists, or worse. In other words, Fetterman fits into today's Democrat Party like a round peg in a square hole. He is a thorn in the side for Washington's Democrats, and I love it!

How about the rest of Washington's Democrats? No chance for anything with them. They have all been wired for madness and anarchy. Fetterman has not. He is our one great hope going forward. Are we thankful for John Fetterman? Each and every day. 

 

  

Hats off to the NEA! Job well done!

 

"Ever wonder why private schools and home schooling have taken off like rocket ships? All you need do is watch the news tonight, to see all our kids, freshly indoctrinated, out in the streets learning nothing. Heck, at this rate they might as well go to the "Learing Center" instead."

I often wonder, where in the world would we be without our teacher unions? Always looking out for the kiddos, to make sure they are growing up to be good little social activists. But wait - what about the test scores? I thought the test scores in many government schools were declining. Ya - so what? The important part of going to school is to learn that 1) Orange Man bad, 2) ICE agents are Nazis, and 3) working and making money is a curse.

Once upon a time, teachers were allowed to teach. Then somebody got the bright idea they should unionize. Bad idea. As soon as the NEA got established and the Commie ideas started to flow, our government schools went from excellent to average. Then as time went on, the average went to below average. And now they are on the precipice of going down to very poor.

But who cares? Take today for example. A day off for the kiddos in many school districts. Why? To take it to the streets. Carry protest signs the teachers helped them make. But what about the parents? If the kiddos are off, I suppose many parents need to be off also. So what? The movement does not anybody working, shopping, or going to school. We do after all, need to send a message to the Orange Man. He bad. 

I can almost see the writing on the wall. This May Day celebration (kids marching with and next to the Commies), we should do it again next year! Call it the Resist Day! Now we are talking. Forget about learning reading, writing and arithmetic. If we can teach our kiddos how to protest, hate Republicans, and disrespect the Bible and Constitution, that is good enough. What we are seeing right now, live and in color, is our tax dollars at work.

Ever wonder why private schools and home schooling have taken off like rocket ships? All you need do is watch the news tonight, to see all our kids, freshly indoctrinated, out in the streets learning nothing. Heck, at this rate they might as well go to the "Learing Center" instead. BTW - did I forget to mention that the teacher unions and the Democrats are two peas in a pod? Well, they are.    

Our national sacrifice of paying for high gas prices

Here is the bottom line. We need to finish the job. Rather than blow the rest of Iran into kingdom come, Trump decided to allow simple economics to run its course. Even if Iran capitulates, it will take a long, long time for things to return to normal in Iran. For us? Normal will come in a few weeks or a couple of months.

Ever play a game of chicken when you were younger? The who is going to blink first game. Yes, I know. Many times, it was a foolish game in which somebody could have gotten hurt - maybe hurt bad. But that was then and this is now. We don't play chicken anymore - or do we?

Don't look now, but our war with Iran has turned into a global war of chicken. In other words, who is going to squeal first. Iran, who is about to lose their entire oil industry, or the western world (including us) who are getting smacked with Biden style high gas prices. All because Iran has closed the Strait of Hormuz and the US has led a blockade of Iranian ports. But here is the rub - Iran's wells are still pumping and the ability to store that oil is running short. When everything in Iran is filled up, the Iranian wells will stop pumping. And that could ruin them for future production.

BTW - Iran knows that. They know they are gambling with their future. Their hope is that the price of oil will blow past $120/barrel, and race towards $200/barrel. Then the west (particularly the Americans) will squeal like stuck pigs and demand that we stop this war and accept Iran's terms for peace. That would mean allowing Iran to continue on with their nuclear research. That would mean, maybe Iran gets a nuclear bomb sooner rather than later. That would mean, another North Korea type of nuclear power in the world. Not good.

Also, it goes without too much saying, that Iran's entire economy is on the robes. Not just in one metric, but in all of them. On the other hand, in America, the land of "first world" problems, many are starting to squeal like pigs over gas prices being in the $4/gal and up region. Even knowing that in a couple of weeks Iran might bend to the pressure of losing their oil production and give up their enriched uranium. But we are pansies. We are not like the sacrificial Americans from World War II. We want our low gas prices back to we can play with our jet skis and pull our RVs.

Here is the bottom line. We need to finish the job. Rather than blow the rest of Iran into kingdom come, Trump decided to allow simple economics to run its course. Even if Iran capitulates, it will take a long, long time for things to return to normal in Iran. For us? Normal will come in a few weeks or a couple of months. Then our gas prices will be back where we want them, and Iran will have ridded themselves of the menace of the IRGC. If we can just tough it out for a bit longer, it will be a happy ending for all.   

  

The Minneapolis flag

 

"It is amazing on how much Minneapolis has changed in the past two decades. It really went into hyper-change during the Floyd debacle. That is when lawlessness replaced the lawful as the new group norm. Their battle flag? The new blue goo flag, of course."

One of the Minneapolis minions wrote an editorial in the local fish wrap paper this morning. About the "clueless" rural types who are dragging this state into a "two flag" environment. This liberal was very huffy about this issue. (In his words) - "This is settled law, so get used to it!" Actually, it is not settled law, as I did not vote for it. My vote was nullified. Since I have been told at least 100,000 times that we now live in a democracy, I get to vote on every issue, every time. That is after all, what a democracy is.

Anyhow, enough about this squabbling about why we now have this Somali flag. I have a better idea. Since the out-state folks hate it, and the minions in Minneapolis love it, just make it the Minneapolis flag. The folks who live in Minneapolis have no time for the liberty loving patriots who live out-state, so they can just ignore us. Let us keep the former "racist" flag. I always have been fine with our former real flag, and the new one (called the blue goo flag) is good for only fish wrap (or worse).

I have said this before, flags are symbols. When I see our former flag, it reminds me of how Minnesota used to be before the minions in the Twin Cities drank the progressive and socialist Kool aide. When I look at the new blue goo flag, all I can see is the theft and graft the "newcomers" have visited upon our land - as well as Tim Walz and Jacob Frey who let them. Truthfully, this new flag makes me feel like I am going to wretch. As much as I love our national flag, is exactly how much I detest this blue goo flag which now flies over the city of Minneapolis.

It is amazing on how much Minneapolis has changed in the past two decades. It really went into hyper-change during the Floyd debacle. That is when lawlessness replaced the lawful as the new group norm. Their battle flag? The new blue goo flag, of course. Every time there is a riot in the streets of Minneapolis over the federal government trying (without a speck of help from the local LEOs), to get rid of lawbreakers, out come the rioters, hoisting their new blue goo battle flags. Makes me sick.

Some in Minneapolis are not satisfied with having a bifurcated state. Nope - not good enough. They want their own country. Wait - what? Yep - the country of Minneapolis. There Walz can rule as a dictator for years on end. And the rule of law in this new country? Nada. There will be none. Soon, no more businesses either. Just a bunch of lawless progressives. Ta-ta kiddos. Have fun in your new country!

   

Eye (on the) Robot

 

"Starting in July, it will either be I Robot (like the movie), or eye (on the) robot, as Optimus comes off the assembly line one after another. Wondering about the future? It is now here. Get ready to start seeing robots all over the place. As soon as I find out they can either make an omelette or clean toilets, I am buying one for the house!"  

Earlier this year, Tesla finished stripping down and repurposing two Tesla automobile assembly lines. In other words, the models of Tesla cars made on these lines will no longer be made. Instead, starting in July of this year, full production will start of the Optimus, Generation III robot. No more talking about it - no more second guessing - it will happen. This will be the "launch" year, and in 2027, it will be full out production, all year long.

Tesla and Elon have been betting the farm on many things as of late, and Optimus is only one of them. His goal always has been to make a humanoid robot with state-of-the-art mobility and dexterity, yet affordable. He wants them ready to go for companies who want cheap and reliable labor, as well as households who would like somebody (or something) who could help with inside and outside chores.

How much does Elon think robots will find a niche in America as well as other places in the world? Enough so that this year, he is planning on building 10,000 of them by the end of the year. But next year - hold on to your hats. Elon is planning on making 10,000,000 Optimus Gen III robots! And by the way, Telsa will not be the only company joining the fray next year. Boston Dynamics as well as some other American companies will be in the chase. Oh - and don't forget China. They are also in the hunt.

My question when I heard the 10,000,000 number for Optimus units in 2027, was simply this - is there enough demand? Or will there soon be a fire sale on robots as so many are stacked up in inventory. Actually, knowing how much technology has been incorporated into these robots, I am amazed you can buy one for under $50,000. They have batteries which will go for 12 hours, tons of AI, and hands which almost mimic the dexterity of human hands.

I think I might have told this story before. While at FMC, I worked in the technology group for a while. One project I was on was to build a robotic hand which imitated human dexterity. FMC was teamed up with General Atomics, a company in Utah and Stanford. The complexity of this hand which was under development was awe inspiring. That was back in the early 1990's. The fact we are now building the entire robot, is not surprising at all to me. 

Starting in July, it will either be I Robot (like the movie), or "eye (on the) robot", as Optimus comes off the assembly line one after another. Wondering about the future? It is now here. Get ready to start seeing robots all over the place. As soon as I find out they can either make an omelette or clean toilets, I am buying one for the house!  

Water from nowhere, needs to go everywhere

 

"It seems a shame that living on a water planet such as ours, we should still suffer droughts. We have the expertise, we have the resources, we have the will to fix this. But we are still living in yesterday." 

Don't look now, but slightly over half of the country is in some kind of water shortage. How could that happen? Welcome to the age where potable water is becoming more valuable than oil or gold. Wait - we have plenty of water here. Just look at the Great Lakes. Yes, we can look at the Great Lakes, who have enormous amounts of water remaining. But that water is finite. Just like the water in our great aquifers. Finite and going down. Between industry and personal use, we use a whole lot of water. Too much, actually.

But hold on - are we not considered to be the water planet? Sure, we are. But most of the water on this big, blue marble is non-potable. There are major metro cities in the desert southwest who are living in the brink. The Colorado River, which has been our lifeline to the desert southwest for just about forever - is dying. And as it dies, do does Lake Powell. So does Lake Meade. And there is no "plan B" - when the water runs out from Lake Meade, right now there is no other place for Las Vegas, Pheonix and Tucson to get water. And Lake Meade is just feet away from "dead pool".

But there is hope. Not right now, but in the near future if we chase it. For example, Israel who has arid and desert land has decided to try and do something good with their Negev Desert. In the desert, they drilled deep, very deep, until they hit some prehistoric water. Because it was so deep, the water was warm to hot due to its geothermal nature. It also was salty. Too warm and salty to be potable - too warm and salty to use on vegetation. But they did find out it was perfect for raising certain types of tropical fish. Thus, Israel is now raising and harvesting tropical fish to eat and to sell to Europe.

But we need water for our crops. We need water to drink. Our ground water is shrinking, and our rivers and streams are iffy at best these days. Currently, scientists at MIT have come up with screens and filters which even in very dry climates, can harvest some water just by using air. Not much - maybe a gallon a day for a small set up. But it is a start.

We also need to capture more rain runoff, rather than just let it go. We have the technology to capture it, and we should. It is fresh water, so it would not need to be desalinated like ocean water. And speaking of which, we are way behind the curve in getting more desalination plants built. We have thousands of miles of coastline in which to build them.

It seems a shame that living on a water planet such as ours, we should still suffer droughts. We have the expertise, we have the resources, we have the will to fix this. Rainfall is only one way to get needed moisture. But we need to stop living in yesterday. Rather than farmers using drip irrigation, we are still using massive sprinkling systems in the heat of the day. Not smart. We can do better. We need to do better. We are running out of time.  

And they teach our children...

 

"Remember this when you vote for your local school board. This is the genesis. It is where it all starts. We need to be careful of not only what is taught, but also who is being hired to teach it." 

As most all of us know by now, assassination attempt number three happened last night. And of all places, the WH correspondent dinner. And who was the perp this time? A 31-year-old teacher from California, who still lives at home. Was he a registered Democrat? That is what is being reported. And to make matters ever worse about this guy, he recently won a "teacher of the year" award in California.

Over the recent years, we have seen some simply awful examples of government schoolteachers teaching the wrong things. Setting the wrong example. In fact, what I have heard over and over again, is critical thinking is out the window. Education has been replaced with indoctrination. Many things which are aberrant or un-American are taught as fact. Kids graduate dazed and confused, as some have been taught it is right to hate on America. Then if or when they get to college, the indoctrination goes into hyper speed.

It is only by the grace of God and the acumen of law enforcement and Trump's security detail that this awful plan was thwarted. What could have been a bad, bad night, turned into just another close call. But already, some of the sharper minds are asking, "why". Like what would inspire a young man with a profession to hop on a plan, fly across country, check into the hotel where the WHCD was being held, and then attempt to kill. How about the rhetoric coming from elected representatives on Capitol Hill? Trump bad, Trump nazi, Trump this or that. After a while, some of the softer minds and gullible minions take that as truth. Kind of like brainwashing.

Have we set the bar at a new low with this president? Will the next president, regardless of party, be nothing but a sitting duck for some deranged person? Are we becoming like a Banana Republic, where if we don't like the outcome of an election, we just shoot the joint up? And why is it mostly Democrats who are the perps? I thought they were the anti-gun crowd.

Remember this when you vote for your local school board. This is the genesis. It is where it all starts. We need to be careful of not only what is taught, but also who is being hired to teach it. Many of our schools today are nothing more than cesspools. Kids get a social graduation, instead of an earned one. Bottom line? At many schools, the kids who graduate don't know a Dit from a DUH.

And most importantly, keep an eye on activist teachers. They may look harmless to many, but they are far from that. In fact, many are toxic to our youth. And that is our tax dollars at work.

  

What side of the storm are we on?

"Those in the faith, those who pray, continue to pray for peace. Regardless of what happens this year and beyond, we must first seek peace yet prepare for the coming wars and rumors of wars. The trumpets might be sounding soon. We must be ready. Spiritually ready."   

What side of the storm are we on? First off, let me define this storm to be world peace or world war. Currently, are we peace makers or war mongers? Basically, it depends on whom you ask. But we need to look much deeper for the answer to that question. Jesus is quoted as saying the following in Matthew 24:6 when asked when the end of the age will be - "You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come."

My gosh, does that not ring true for today? As much as Donald Trump has tried to broker peace throughout the world, even if it means having armed conflict in Iran, wars and rumors of wars still prevail. Many still wonder why we must we kill our fellow man over land or ideas. Why is that? Because we are carnal. We have all been born that way. Why are so many people shot to death in Chicago each weekend? Carnality. War, murder, torture, trafficking - these are all products of living in a broken world. And if Jesus said that the end of the age will be recognized by wars and rumors of wars - count on that to happen.

Which side of the storm will we be on? Is it worth chasing peace when in the final days wars and rumors of wars might just be a certainty? When I look to the west to see how close China and Taiwan are to engaging in a huge war, I cringe. If war does break out in the Indo-Pacific, it will be much, much bigger than what recently happened in Venezuela or currently in Iran. A war by (or over) Taiwan could involve, China, Japan, the PI, Australia, India and maybe the US and Russia. That could easily hit the trip wire into WW III. 

But if that did happen, and many analysts who study China think it could happen in 2027, what should our posture be? Peacemakers? Or are we going to be one of the superpowers who fight it out? This storm will be massive, and it could herald the beginning of the end of this age.

Those in the faith, those who pray, continue to pray for peace. Regardless of what happens this year and beyond, we must first seek peace, yet prepare for any coming wars and rumors of wars. The trumpets might be sounding soon. We must be ready. Spiritually ready.   

 

Bad Math

"Hopefully Pete Hegseth and his new Navy Secretary can get this thing going. We need ships and need them now. History is not going to wait for us. We need to restock our ammo supply and build more ships. And no more fuzzy math please! From now on, we need math which makes sense."   

Okay - it is time this morning to do some math. The United States, with the best Navy in the world, is slipping. Why? It needs ships and needs them fast. China is galloping way ahead of us right now in navy shipbuilding. Okay - many of their ships are crap, but numbers do count. What are we doing to catch up? Peddling as fast as we can. Currently, this once great shipbuilding country, can only produce five to ten ships a year - and that is both military and commercial. Sad!

Here is where the fuzzy math comes in. As I said, we can produce less than a dozen ships per year. Why? Two reasons really - first, we seem to have lost the recipe on how to build good ships fast. Second, due to outsourcing and globalization, we have given up much of our skills and facilities to build ships. But South Korea? Different story. That country is the king of shipbuilding these days. How so? They build 155 ships per year (military and commercial). Little South Korea, a country which is much smaller than the US, a country which is still technically at war with North Korea, leaves us in the dust when it comes to building good quality ships - and lots of them.

Why not have South Korea build ships for us? We have a fly in the ointment with that solution. For reasons which totally escape me, Congress has passed a law (10 USA 8679) which prohibits a foreign country from manufacturing Navy ships outside of CONUS. Huh? What sense does that make, when we can only manufacture five to ten a year? No sense whatsoever. Currently, we are working to have that law nullified or amended so South Korea can set up shop in this country, or have ships built in South Korea.

Meanwhile, the shipbuilding blitz continues on in China. Now here is the good news. There is actually a world power who is in deeper weeds than we are for building new ships. Russia. In fact, their Black Sea fleet has taken quite a beating from Ukraine during this needless Russian war. So much so, that ships which have been damaged or sunk are now almost irreplaceable. Why? Many were built during the Soviet era, when shipbuilding in Russia flourished. Now - not so much.

Hopefully Pete Hegseth and his new Navy Secretary can get this thing going. We need ships and need them now. History is not going to wait for us. We need to restock our ammo supply and build more ships. And no more fuzzy math please! From now on, we need math which makes sense.   

    

The stench of hate

 

"Welcome to our new world. The Untied States of America. The United has become the untied thanks to the enemies within. Those who like socialism, will love what is on our horizon. Those who hate socialism and communism better buckle up. The smooth part of the ride is about over."    

Have you heard about Senator Chris Murphy? He hates Donald Trump. How much? So much, he is cheering for Iran in the current war. By his speech, he is against the country he represents and is for the country of blood thirsty terrorists. Wait - Murphy took an oath, right? Sure did. But he does not care. His visceral and unfettered hatred towards Donald Trump and all Republicans is so deep and wide, he will throw his own country under the bus just to score political points. He is a piece of work.

How is it possible to have this much hate in your heart? Some of the things Democrats say are jaw dropping awful. I remember when Rush Limbaugh died years ago, he was so despised by the left, that many posted on Twitter, "Rest in piss Rush". Do any of these Democrats go to church? Have they ever learned about forgiveness? About compassion? Where at one time there was just a stench of hate in the air, now everything is vile and odoriferous. But that is what hatred does. It takes what was pure and good and turns it into decaying garbage.

Some on the left will say there is hatred on our side also. True, there is. But here is the difference - we hate what Democrats do to the country, and Democrats hate Republicans for who they are. For example, Alan Dershowitz just announced he was changing parties to become a Republican. This lifelong Democrat was for years, a darling of the left. But he could not take the anti-Israel posture the left has adopted. Now that he has switched parties, the hate will come pouring in. Rather than trying to fix what might have caused Dershowitz to switch parties, they will show hate to Dershowitz instead. 

This country will never heal until the secularists on the left learn how to soften their hearts. As the decay of hate continues to rot our country, all the good things will be eclipsed by the stench and specter of hatred. What does that mean for going forward? After the redistricting vote of Virginia which happened yesterday, it is almost looking like a slam dunk that the Democrats will retake the House. What does that mean for the country? Impeachment votes, log jams, nothing getting done. You know - we have all seen this movie before. 

Welcome to our new world. The Untied States of America. The United has become the untied thanks to the enemies within. Those who like socialism, will love what is on our horizon. Those who hate socialism and communism better buckle up. The smooth part of the ride is about over.    

The saga/mystery of our missing or dead scientists

"In any event, this issue seems to have legs right now, and the news cycle is not even close to giving up on it. It might be like the Nancy Guthrie case where it seems like it would never be solved. Or it could be a blockbuster. Whatever, this is a good one to stay tuned in on."

We have a real "who done it" on our hands. Some of our best and brightest scientists, many of whom have NASA or (dare I say it) UAP connections have gone missing or are dead. And because of those UAP connections, when this issue first came up, there was a lack of seriousness about it. Almost frivolity. But as time went on, the seriousness came back into the picture. Why? Because many of the eleven who are dead or missing were working on some real cutting-edge stuff. And now it has the attention of the FBI and President Trump himself.

This got my attention when I heard what one of the scientists was working on when she died or went missing. It was straight out of science fiction. She was working on something to manipulate gravity. I will bet that had Issac Newton turning over in his grave! I mean, how in the world can you manipulate gravity? That is one of those absolute laws of physics (so I was taught). Is this something other scientists are working on? If it is, that is a big WOW!

In all seriousness, if you want to dissuade some young folks from going into advanced research on the sciences, knowing that you could die or be disappeared would lead you to do something else with your life. However, to stay competitive and cutting edge, we need to have as many of our sharp young folks as possible be in the game. Doing research. Leading the pack. 

Some have speculated that since we started to bomb Iran and killed many of their nuclear scientists, this might be retribution by the same. If that is the case, I am sure Kash Patel and his FBI agents will get to the bottom of this. Knowing that under Joe Biden we had four years of unfettered entry by anyone and everyone from wherever, we could have some very bad apples in our mix. Like, sleeper cells from Iran. 

In any event, this issue seems to have legs right now, and the news cycle is not even close to giving up on it. It might be like the Nancy Guthrie case where it seems like it would never be solved. Or it could be a blockbuster. Whatever, this is a good one to stay tuned in on.

 

Buy American, be American, love America

"I thought one of Donald Trump's better ideas was to practice reciprocal tariffs. That would make so, so very much sense. Nobody gets ripped off. Fair and square. The way we have done trading in the past has not worked out well for us. Globalism. We save money but end up losing jobs and national security." 

So many things which plague our society today are really not that hard to fix. Many people have accused Donald Trump of searching for simple solutions to complex problems, but in reality, President Trump might practice Occam's Razor type of thinking. I get it. Years ago, this type of thinking used to be called the KISS method - Keep It Simple Stupid (or Silly).

Long before Donald Trump came on the scene, I thought MAGA type thoughts. I have bought American whenever I could. I support Americans making stuff for Americans - even though the differential in wages might make the product(s) cost more. I have loved this country ever since I can remember. Served it in the United States Navy for 21 years. I was proud to do it. 

Regardless of what SCOTUS has ruled, I am with the president on his tariff policy to balance out our imbalanced trade issue. Trump was right - we have been getting ripped off for years. It is sad to note that some of the countries which have ripped us off the most have been fellow NATO countries. Canada has been particularly bad at it. But neither Trudeau nor Carney have been fair traders with us. And Starmer from the UK? Please - don't get me started.

I thought one of Donald Trump's better ideas was to practice reciprocal tariffs. That would make so, so very much sense. Nobody gets ripped off. Fair and square. The way we have done trading in the past has not worked out well for us. Globalism. We save money but end up losing jobs and national security. No, Americans making stuff for America. Reciprocal tariffs. If a foreign country wants to make product in America - no tariffs of that product. Every American who loves this country should support these commonsense ideas. But many have not.

One other idea which (as an American) I really like. Denaturization. For people who come here from different places, get naturalized, and then do bad things. They should lose their citizenship and be deported. Be gone. Out of here. Living in this country is a privilege, not a right. It really is as simple as that.

  

How to skin a snake

 

"Here is the bottom line - Iran is a defeated country. They have no military, and no money. The play they are making right now is doing nothing but angering the US. As bad as we have whipped these guys already, we have more bullets left in our guns."

Those who have been around government for a while, and have not been drinking their bathwater, know all about Iran. They are snakes - not the people, but the IRGC goons who are running the joint. Not to be trusted needs to be repeated a hundred times or so in this post. Why do I say that? They lie like rugs - Persian rugs. This is why Donald Trump has chosen to keep the blockade of Iran going until they PTSOP (put this s**t on paper). It is fine and all that, that some of the "dealmakers" having their heads going north and south in agreement talks. But until those agreements are memorialized in legal documents, it is just all talk.

One of the things that Iran agreed to do was to keep the Strait of Hormuz open, NEVER to close it again. That empty promise lasted a day or two. Now it is closed again, and Europe is in a panic as they are running out of jet fuel. Why did Iran close the Strait? Because we still have the ports in Iran closed down. We could open them tomorrow, if Iran would sign an agreement listing all of our demands. Short of that, instead of taking two steps forward. we have taken one step backwards instead.

These guys in Iran really are snakes. Almost impossible to get nailed down. They talk out of both sides of their mouths and lie constantly. Here is a piece of unsolicited advice I would like to offer up to them. Donald Trump is not one to screw with. Nor is Rubo, Hegseth, or "Raising" Cain. If Iran keeps up with the FAFO, we will take out Kharg Island and do it before dinner. No regrets, no hesitation. Right now, the future of Iran going forward is in the hands of these snakes. The smart money would be to pay attention, and get the work done. Failure to do so will usher in some very, very bad days.

This entire episode has been interesting to watch. I am always fascinated to see where the chips are on the table in any confrontation. Here is the bottom line - Iran is a defeated country. They have no military, and no money. The play they are making right now is doing nothing but angering the US. As bad as we have whipped these guys already, we have more bullets left in our guns. Keep screwing around and they will see more shock and awe.

One of my political fantasies...

"Liberals will continue to trip through life, unhappy, uneducated, and sometimes, uncivilized. I remember years ago, somebody I worked with giving me this nugget - 'Conservatives are mostly happy, joyful and usually content, whereas liberals are most always unhappy and never content.'"

Sometimes I might have too much time on my hands. I have fantasies - political fantasies. One of my favorites goes as follows: Democrats have taken over the Congress and White House in 2028 (okay, now it is a nightmare). A very unpopular (with normal people) bill was passed and signed into law. Some liberal Karen came up to me and said, "See! It is our turn now! What do you think about that?" My response was simple - "I don't understand. I did not vote for that bill." The Karen then about blows a gasket, "You (blank), (blank) idiot! You could not vote for it as you are not in Congress!" My response was calm and measured. "Sure, I could vote for it. You have told me many times we live in a democracy. And in a democracy, everybody votes for everything." With that, the Karen screamed at me, pulled out some of her pink hair, and called me a flurry of unmentionable names. 

Why is that a fantasy? Why not money, trips, or anything else? Because this is Exhibit "A" on why this country is so divided. Even though most were educated in the same manner, using the same textbooks, for some reason, progressives think we live in a democracy. Not just a few of them - most all of them. When I remind folks on the left, we do not live in a democracy, but rather a federal constitutional republic, their eyes glaze over, and they either walk away or change the subject.

Once in a while, somebody will ask me to prove it. That in itself, is a weird question. We are federal, as we have a separation of powers between the federal government and the states. We are constitutional as we have a constitution which defines who has what powers and the limitations thereof. And we are a republic, as we elect people to vote on issues as they represent the folks who voted them into office. In other words, our form of government looks NOTHING like a democracy. 

Then I had this odd and disturbing thought - do we even teach civics in schools anymore? And if it is taught, is it taught by a Karen with pink hair who has his or her own opinion on how things should be instead of how they are? Every time I hear a younger person talk about our democracy, it is like nails on the chalkboard. I gave up trying to correct them years ago, as it was like pouring water into a pail full of holes. I think of that old saying - "Stupid is as stupid does." Or that old Ron White adage - "You can't cure stupid."

Liberals will continue to trip through life, unhappy, uneducated, and sometimes, uncivilized. I remember years ago, somebody I worked with giving me this nugget - "Conservatives are mostly happy, joyful and usually content, whereas liberals are most always unhappy and never content." My impression over the years, is that statement is more truth than fiction. If some unhappy liberal would like to take umbrage with what I just penned, the floor is yours.