Current Day Publius

Republicans are crowing over the possibility of retaking control of Congress this November. As Popeye might say, “Me thinks they grow a little too comfortable!” The cabal now running the Democrat party have shown their willingness to resort to any and every trick to secure their hold on power including stealing elections.

Seeing the public tide turn toward requiring a photo id to vote, the Dems are preparing for that eventuality by giving illegals a state issued photo id. Sixteen states allow illegals to get driver’s licenses, all but one lead by a Democrat Governor. (Massachusetts is the 17^th state to pass a bill allowing illegals to get a driver’s license but the Republican Governor is likely to veto it.)  The effort to foster illegal voting is in addition to the attempts to federalize elections. That effort includes making permanent unsolicited mail in voting, expanded time in which to vote well beyond election day, suppression of monitoring of vote counting and other means by which a fair election can be subverted.

Republicans, being the genteel souls that they are, don’t seem to get that they are in a real fight for our democracy. This is a gun fight to which they continue to bring pea shooters. The Republican National Committee (RNC) would be wise to prepare poll watchers in every urban voting district. These people need to be versed in the laws governing those local elections. Lawyers need to be positioned to be immediately dispatched to confront any attempt to interfere with the legitimate efforts of Republicans to assure a fair and honest election.

The RNC and the current slate of Republican officeholders have done a terrible job of selling the changes to election laws meant to “make it easier to vote and harder to cheat”; a great slogan. So far, they can’t even counter calls of “Jim Crow 2.0”. Yes, the media is totally in bed with the Dems (literally in some cases!) but the last time I looked, MSNBC and CNN would love to have Republicans come on their shows. There are plenty of urban groups that would love to see a Republican speak to them. Is it a tough audience? You bet. But the tide is turning and with a deteriorating economy and a general societal malaise, now is the time to get in front of groups that have been misled for so long by Democrats.

Continuing to hope this administration keeps blowing it so Republicans can ride in to save the day is folly. The media will start gushing over any “improvement” and if none, will make them up in hopes of securing their part of the power/control. Conservatives have a story to tell and policies to make life better. Will Republicans answer the call?

If you ever wondered how well our Congress handles your money, this story tells all. An article in the WSJ (“House Democrats Introduce Resolution Allowing Staff to Unionize”, 2/10/22) cites efforts of Rep. Andy Levin of Michigan and 130 co-sponsors to expand the 1995 law which allowed legislative branch employees to unionize. He cites it’s a “human rights” issue. Our dear Congresswoman from Brooklyn, Ocasio-Cortez, is quoted in the piece saying its is long known that the pay and conditions are sub-par and that is why she set a rock bottom salary at $52,000 for her staff.

As is the case with all our tax dollars, these “elected” officials have no curbs on which to bounce their fiscal decisions. The spigot of our labor, in the form of tax dollars, just needs to be opened a bit wider every time they see a “need”.

Must be nice to be the “good guy” when you’re handing out OUR money. Of course, in return for providing this largesse for distribution, that we may or may not agree with, we taxpayers get vilified for not ponying up even more.

Why we have public employee unions is beyond me. That we allow politicians to negotiate the terms of these union contracts is on its face, a conflict of interest. It is a disservice to taxpayers and provides a petri dish for illegal activities. In the least, negotiations should take place between citizens and the unions and all political donations from public employee unions deemed illegal.

The Department of Energy was instituted in 1977 at the height of an energy crisis. Ostensibly, it’s purpose was to achieve energy independence after an oil embargo by OPEC. Today, its budget request is $46,200,000,000. (https://www.energy.gov/cfo/articles/fy-2022-budget-justification)

In 2019, at least for a brief time, the US was importing less oil than it was consuming and generating domestically. It is factually true that the increase in domestic production was making us less dependent on countries with whom we had intermittent if not constant poor relations. (I couch my statements to avoid the “factcheckers” who will cherry pick some data to refute these real facts. Do your own research.) This turn of events in energy production created a new sphere of influence in foreign relations including the rapprochement between Arab countries and Israel, and reset relations with Iran and Russia to our benefit. We and our allies were less dependent on nefarious countries for our energy.

On day one of President Biden’s term, he killed much of domestic oil and gas production. In a series of fiat pronouncements, he thrust the world into turmoil; not more oil. He killed domestic production including the Keystone pipeline, while approving Russia’s noose on Europe, the Nord Stream ll pipeline. In addition, he re-opened communications with Iran on the ill-fated nuclear deal. His actions made us more dependent on the same bad actors we sought to avoid over the 50 years of the Energy Department’s work.

So, today we have Russia on the doorstep of further incursions into eastern Europe and holding all of Europe hostage over its energy. Already, Russia is throttling back gas delivery. Should Nord Stream go into production, they would hold most of the keys to Germany’s energy needs. Iran still harasses shipping in the gulf and is one action away from collapsing the flow of oil from the Mideast on whom we are once more dependent.

As bad as some of the decisions that this administration has made, the ones ending our energy production (independence?) has to rank up there with the worst. Its driving our allies into the arms of our enemies, increasing the costs for everyday Americans at the same time killing “good high paying union jobs”. It turned back the progress that was being achieved in the middle east and all while we spend $46,200,000,000 on getting to “energy independence”. Yea, that makes sense.

The Democrat party, lead now by Marxists, continues using the same playbook and unfortunately, people go along. While they yank things to the left in hopes of getting everything, they know very well that the extreme lurch yields movement. Much like metal when bent, it loses some of that bend once the stress is relieved. The same goes for chaos. When there is no problem, enter the Democrats/Marxists in full Sal Alinsky mode to fashion one. This so they can ride in like the “black shining knight” to “fix” the problem thus achieving their original intention.

Mandate vaccinations for what were in the early days of the pandemic, “essential workers”, and fire them if they don’t comply.  Do this while we have a shortage of workers some of whom provide safety that is deteriorating. Require vaccination and masks for entering businesses who have struggled to keep their doors open. The result is fewer patrons and more businesses closing their doors. Mandate proof of no disease through a recent test. You can’t get inside certain places or travel without this proof. Do this right before one of the busiest travel periods and of course, not have enough testing capabilities. How’s these for a good strategic plan?

They will continue to lead us around by the nose because they can. Only our reticence and ultimately, non-compliance will save ourselves.

The National Hockey League announced that they and the players union have decided to not participate in the Beijing Olympics. YEA!!!!!!

With over 50 games already postponed and some teams fraught with positive Covid, sending your “product” into a cauldron of potential virus was ill fated from the start. These young, healthy athletes are unlikely to succumb to the disease if even symptomatic. Nearly 100% of the NHL players are vaccinated yet are testing positive proving that the vaccination is anything but that. (True vaccinations PREVENT disease.) Still, the threat of 3 weeks of quarantine for testing positive should have been enough to kill the trip.

Now the league must find its way to complete the entire season unlike last year. We do not need another asterisked season. Not buckling under far-left lock downs and mandates is one way to exert its independence. Get rid of the mask mandate for coaches. Allow players freedom to interact with fans and family using rapid testing. Think about letting asymptomatic but positive tested players participate. They already play with other injuries and viruses (colds).

Let’s get back on the ice and play some hockey!!!

Joe Manchin stuck to his original thoughts on the grotesque “Build Back Better” (BBB) plan to remake America into a socialist country and said “No”. All the gnashing of teeth and threats of Armageddon didn’t sway this adult from taking the necessary step to (hopefully) kill this bill.  A bill that is nothing less than the complete upheaval of our basic values of small government, local autonomy and personal responsibility. Listening to the rant of Representative Ocasio-Cortez you would wonder how we made it this far as a country.

I will give Representative Ocasio-Cortez this kudo; she can talk extemporaneously. Her interview on Morning Joe today was a lesson in stream of consciousness speaking. In her diatribe and among others, she called for the Senate to be remade starting with the filibuster, that any majority has the will of the people behind it and must “govern”, and allowing any person to thwart the will of the people is an affront to democracy. Her comments reminded me of my kids when we denied them something.

This bill, like most, contained hidden gems for every entity with an ear in Congress. (I was especially interested in the $2,000,000,000 for “tree equity”.) BBB is a naked attempt to install cradle to grave dependence that can never be sustained. As happens to every socialist country, this bill would have led to our demise. The Representative quivered about how she will still be here in 50 years and inherit the climate we are wrecking. She would be lucky if that was the only problem then if this bill gets passed.

And now the pivot! The most important thing to save our country is assuring every person can vote. With each passing, a new body is laid over the fallen one. HR1 was a bust so in its place is HR4, another attempt to codify the shenanigans that took place under the guise of pandemic voting. Once again, Joe Manchin stuck to his principles and said no to HR1. The pressure on him to say yes to something will be brought to bear on this “how to steal elections” bill. We can only hope he, and some of the other reluctant adults who stood in the shadows while he took the slings and arrows, will stand up to this next treachery.

Pew research just published its updated numbers on the state of religion in the US. It’s not a good story if you’re a believer. The secularization of our country continues. Fewer people associate themselves with a religion, go to any church or even pray daily. I would have thought with all that is going on in the world with the pandemic, lawlessness, economic hardships et al, that turning to God would be a natural pivot. One would think the adage of “everyone gets religion on their deathbed” should be taking hold in these times.

Materialism and succumbing to earthly things are human nature. Jesus exhorted us to eschew these temporary enjoyments for an eternity of bliss. Kind of like betting on the come and the opposite of immediate gratification. Denying oneself, even if its something of little value, is not in our DNA as humans. In this regard, we’re all children and left alone in a candy store, we’ll imbibe to our hearts content.

With this as a backdrop, one has to consider everything put in front of you. Do I really NEED this or is it a want? Is the prospect of an “easier” life because someone or thing is going to pave the way really in my best interest? Is sacrifice of a want really a sacrifice at all? I dare say the people along the path of the tornadoes this past weekend have a new appreciation for faith. To many of them, saying OMG is not considered praying. They now realize more clearly, the difference between need and want. The vast majority of us are sheltered from having a traumatic event thrust upon us. When is does happen, I pray you’ll get religion.

One of the strengths of the United States, most political persuasions seem to agree on, is we have the rule of law. We’re no third world banana republic where a former leader can be tried in absentia or where the highest court in the land is subject to the cries of the loudest screamers. No, we have true blind justice. Where judges interpret laws according to the words, meanings and intents of those who wrote them. We have reams of documents codifying not only the debates and alternate suggestions of major legislation but the actual words of those who wrote the laws in many cases. There should be no extraneous inputs for judges to consider and thus, a firm foundation is created on which a stable society can prosper. Sure we do.

So today we have a federal government choosing to ignore laws at our southern border. A bureaucracy that ignores courts rulings with impunity. (See the Federal Reserve sitting on applications for banks in defiance of the law.) District Attorneys making decisions by fiat abrogating criminal laws and now, Supreme Court Justices arguing that half the country won’t believe what they decide so they better not make this or that decision.

Listening to the oral arguments today on the Mississippi law regarding abortion, you would think that we don’t have a Constitution but rather a popularity scale on which to base decisions; a decision, in this case, about life and death. The Constitution either protects life or it doesn’t. Why is the integrity of the court a consideration if in fact, justice is blind and based on codified law? Justice Sotomayor actually said that overturning Roe (which is not the issue in this case) would undermine the credibility of the court. Is that what is important to her? Shouldn’t a correct interpretation of our Constitution be the guiding light?

So much for the bedrock “rule of law”. It seems it’s gone from being an axiom to a paradox.

Hillsdale College accepts no federal funding nor students who accept federal funding. This allows them a modicum of independence from the government that many of us envy. Unfortunately, the federal (and most governments) like to use our taxes and other revenue to “shape” (coerce?) policies and programs. Both sides of the political spectrum use these tactics. Recall the attempt to stop some federal funds to sanctuary cities during the Trump administration. The latest is the inclusion in the Build Back Better bill (HR 5376) of reduced payments to hospitals to cover uninsured patients.

Publicly supported hospitals are required by the “Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act” (EMTLA) to provide aid regardless of the patients’ ability to pay. (Private hospitals provide “emergency” care but only under the threat of malpractice, not law.) In a ham-handed attempt to force states that have not accepted the expansion of Medicaid, the bill reduces funding for public hospitals in those states. In effect, the federal government is saying that if you don’t expand the reach of the federal government, we’ll squeeze you until you do.

Like a petulant child, the state seeks to stop support or conversely, force compliance to get its way. Trying to stay out of the sphere of influence of the state is increasingly more difficult. Freedom to live our lives as we see fit is being marginalized with every new law or rule. Worse for me, is the people we choose are less in control as entrenched bureaucrats interpret poorly written laws to concoct rules that fit their particular outlook.

The land of the free is more and more the land of the corralled. Baa Baa Baa

Are you running out of things to protest? Is finding a business to picket, a politician or conservative citizen to dox, a courthouse to burn down harder? Try some of these.

Gasoline (the stuff you need for Molotov cocktails) has nearly doubled. Where did our energy independence and $2 dollar gas go? Why did we drop 2 million barrels of US oil production since this administration took office?

We have American citizens hiding in Afghanistan. Why isn’t the government forcing these people to leave? Just because they don’t want to leave (at least that what the state is telling us), they have the power to force them to come back home and need to use it.

The border is not open. Every effort to curtail immigration at our southern border is being thwarted by individual states. There needs to be federal government enforcement of ignoring our laws. The border needs to be opened as we need more poor people to take care of and vote.

Our justice system favors those who know how to use it. Facts and incontrovertible evidence presented on witness stands must not hold sway over decisions. The time for assessing guilt should continue to be at the time of the incident and we should acknowledge and accept the medias’ role in presenting the case to the court of public opinion. Let that decision prevail and dispense with lengthy and costly adjudication.

A financial whopper is right before us. Rather than nibbling around trillions of debt and the unsustainability of the current entitlement programs, why aren’t we just absconding funding from those with more money than they can use? Work is only good for those who want to work. For the rest of us, cradle to grave support systems are critical. Its obvious that some have amassed huge financial means, probably through nefarious means like investing in companies that indenture their employees. Even if current funding is only a down payment, I’m sure we can find a way to pay for the new programs after we figure out how to pay for the current ones. We’re that smart.

Hope this gives you something for that bullhorn. Now get your magic markers and posterboard out and hit the streets!