Current Day Publius

The slow strangulation of free speech took another step toward fascism when the Tribune moved John Kass’ column from the second page to the editorial page. For those of you who do not know John’s work, he is the ONLY counter voice to the entire family of media owned by Tribune Publishing, a public company (TPCO on NASDAQ). He has worked at the Tribune for over 35 years.

John’s lynching was because the union he refuses to join, threatened Tribune about John’s calling out of District Attorneys who have been heavily funded by George Soros. These DA’s have a proclivity for looking the other way when it comes to lawlessness. The example most know is Kim Foxx’s handling of the Jesse Smollet case. Of course, we now see this was no one off. John’s column was shining a light on how Soros’ long view of shaping our country is now being shown on the nightly news from Portland, Seattle, and other venues where he has placed his selected “law enforcement” minions.

The Tribune, being part of the leftist cabal, took the opportunity to begin the process of shutting John up. It won’t be easy as John Kass speaks truth to power and truth will always win out, if not in our lifetime. Anyone who still believes in the fundamental bedrock principle on which this great country was based, FREE speech, should be concerned on how John is being treated. No one is safe and eventually, they’ll come for all of us.

Nearly every “news” outlet drives home the following “stories”. Pandemic spreading because of Trump. Gun violence is surging in reaction to overly aggressive policing and (in the same breath) officers pulling back…and because of Trump. Looting, vandalism, and physical attacks on law enforcement officers are justified because law enforcement is present, high unemployment and perceived slights including but not limited to income inequality, sexism, and hate speech and well, look who’s the President! Those with contrary views to the mob/media/leftist politicians are not allowed to speak freely. Those who try are painted with the scarlet “R” (Republican). When confronted with a mob that vandalized their property, a couple who defended their property gets arrested while those who vandalized are not even identified.

Somewhere so many lost the basic tenet of right and wrong. You feel aggrieved for whatever and its ok to wreck someone’s business? Of course, mass media and even the leaders whose single most important job is the safety and security of their constituents, say its ok so therefore, burn baby burn. The cops are nowhere in sight so now is the time to settle scores and take someone else’s hard-earned property. Who’s going to stop them?

It’s the system boomer! I didn’t know that the system caused racism. I mean we carved out quotas, built whole systems of safety nets for a minority that cost trillions over 5 decades and have seen thousands, if not millions of examples of success stories, including electing a minority to the Presidency. What “system” are we talking about? The one that encourages single parent, maternal households? The one that aggrandizes gang affiliation versus academic prowess. The system that refuses to acknowledge black-on-black crime is the single worst contributor to crime statistics?

What about the system that has given the world the greatest leap forward in wealth and health in history? More people on earth than ever have clean water, clean air, shelter, and food! What about the “system” that saw over the last 3 years, the highest gains in minority employment and wages in history? When did we move from it’s a right to an opportunity to it’s a right to an outcome? That its ok to let someone else pay your way because, well, they can. So what that they may have worked very hard to attain that ability. I don’t have as much so therefore the scale must be balanced and taking from and giving to is the easiest way.

The more I hear from the prospective Democrat nominee for the Presidency, the more I see the universe swirling. I believe in their quest for power, some politicians are willing to throw away the successful ways that produced this marvelous country and raised the standard of living across the earth. The pandering to those who will never be satiated is a short run to ruin. God help us all. At least I can still say that…..for now.

Joe Biden gave his plan for the greening of America in a speech this week. In it he said he would deal with the demise of the world now scheduled for 9 years from now. To do so, he would eliminate fossil fuels by 2015, ban fossil fuel production on federal lands and offshore, drive zero emission cars and apply aggressive new appliance and building standards. This last item caught my eye so I thought I would offer my anecdotal appliance experience as a counter to this particular false greening item.

My parents bought a GE refrigerator. It was sometime before 1966 though I don’t have the exact date. We moved that refrigerator to 4 different residences. When I sold the last home in 1986, it was still working and stayed with the house. Fast forward to my purchases of refrigerators since then. I have had 3 since 1986 for an average lifespan of about 10 years, or less than half of the GE presumably still working in the basement of my old home.

I asked our appliance repairman, who’s services we have needed on several occasions, why is it that appliances seem to not last as long, he told me this. The “energy star” label means that the motors and other elements that make the machine work, have all been reduced in power and substance to reduce energy consumption. The end result is that they do not last as long and require more repairs to keep them running. Good for him but bad for consumers and the environment. Why? Consumers are paying for more repairs and replacing units more often. The increased number of broken units are going into our landfills. Once again, the best of intentions thwarted by a feelgood effort.

So here goes Joe doubling down on the same old, same old. Think anyone will examine just how well the last effort worked

I regularly look to government sites for data (data.gov, 1-844-USAGOV1, et al) and when unable to locate what I am looking for, ask my elected officials for help. Here are some of the questions that I have asked but have yet to get answers. Some are just of interest to me, and others are ones we should all know and readily available. Admittedly, some of these are beyond governmental overview but maybe they should be part of a dataset.

• What percentage of those filing federal taxes pay no net federal tax? (taxes withheld/paid minus transfer payments)
• What is the precise number of outstanding debt obligations of the federal government? (Treasury notes, Social Security, Medicare/Medicaid, other)
• How many people living in the United States and its territories are American citizens?
• Is there an accurate count of the number of people residing in the 50 United States and District of Columbia? What is the number and how calculated?
• How many non-citizens receive any federal assistance? How much federal money in total is spent on non-citizens?
• What is the total number of federal employees and by age cohort? (When will they retire?)
• How many federal employees are graduates of Harvard? Yale? Princeton?
• When elected officials conduct meetings where food and/or drinks are served, who pays for the food and drinks?
• What is the net worth of elected officials on their first day in office and then, on their last day? 5 years later?

So much for government transparency. Without facts on which to base positions, it is difficult to have reasoned discussions. You cannot deny someone’s feelings if that is the basis of their argument. Only real facts should hold sway. Getting to facts should be straightforward and simple. Try for yourself.

The monthly federal deficit for June was $886,000,000,000 which matches the annual deficit for 2019. Unlike state and local government, the federal government has printing presses and they were running overtime. The prospect of a Democratic tide rolling over the federal government in November should send shivers up any taxpayer’s spine. Biden has already pledged to roll back the latest round of tax adjustments but the woke left won’t be happy unless they dig much deeper into the pockets of those who actually pay the taxes.

Rather than address non-essential spending, the Democrats will instead focus their entire energy on spending more….and more….and more. It will be for education (the children), health care (the children) and infrastructure (ok, hard to make a children argument but they may try!). Not a peep will be heard about how SS and Medicare are crowding out spending on defense and safety of we citizens, the one thing specifically called for in our Constitution.

The weaker our financial position gets, the weaker our ability to thwart our enemies and deal with other safety issues. The weaker we appear, the more emboldened they become and the less prepared we are to deal with the likes of another pandemic or catastrophic natural disaster. The more we appease those who would do us harm, the more harm they will inflict. While it was a “nice” thing and perhaps even functional at one time, the Department of Energy has achieved its stated goal of energy independence. Now that we are, why is it still in existence? Nothing gets sunset and everything is additive. Meanwhile, the money keeps coming out of the pockets of workers.

While the Democrat mantra is, we can always get what we need from the top 1-2% of income earners, it’s a lie. Only 50% of the population pays net taxes and it is shrinking every year. A federal government run entirely by Democrats will result in what was a prescient observation by Benjamin Franklin. ““When the people find that they can vote themselves money, that will herald the end of the republic.”

Every voter needs to understand the implications of a monolithic government. One strong enough to give you everything is also strong enough to take it all away or worse, not be able to provide it once you’ve been addicted. Ask those who remain poor after generations of being solely dependent upon government. We are a debtor nation and soon, the bill will come due. When it does, all these adages will be fully recognized.

November is shaping up to be a choice between a man who is being controlled by a group that is hell bent on changing the structure, culture and government of our country and one who’s personality pisses so many off it overshadows and obscures his primarily, positive actions.

Joe Biden is being directed daily by his handlers on where and when to appear and what to say. He lost control of his VP selection when he went ”woke” saying he would name a woman. That was not enough for the cancel culture and now it must be a black woman. This is just the tip of the iceberg as policies and programs long on the radical left’s list will follow. Unable to resist the resistance, Joe will cave and let his handlers basically run the show. Of course, all his “followers” will be counting the days until his death for their chosen VP to be enshrined. That’s when it really gets dicey.

On the other side, we have a person who continues to improve the lots of life for so many but does it in a way only seems to get so many even madder. He bloviates at every turn and is childish in reacting to even the smallest of slights. He is incapable of rising above the swamp that he has disrupted to the delight of his hardcore followers. Too bad there are not enough of his ardent followers to hold sway in the election. Instead of capturing the moment and this stark choice, he falls back on “runnin’ what brung him”. It won’t work this time.

Add to this the very real possibility that the election will be disputed by either or both sides. The tumult that ensues will only add to the angst the country is going through. Tribalism will take a deeper hold egged on by a profit motivated media that sees dollars in continued controversy and strife. While this is a very pessimistic view of the future of the grandest experiment in human history, its not that others didn’t see it coming as early as the beginning of this experiment. Prescient was the words of Benjamin Franklin, “you have a republic, if you can keep it.”

I’ve ridden the escalator down and up with President Trump. From being an early, “you’re kidding” to “thank God he won” to, “for the good of the country, he should not run for re-election”, to where I am today.

Mr. President, it’s time to man up.

I know your ego is larger than life itself and that your natural tendencies on which you have relied your entire life, and have served you so well, are still sharp, but the time for a totally different tack is upon you. At your age, becoming a different person is not likely. Adapting your actions to the times is possible. Think of this being your biggest negotiation ever because it is. What’s in play is nothing short than the very existence of the US as it was conceived. A heavy weight that you are now carrying.

Things I see righting your sinking ship.

Stop press conferences and only do one-on-one interviews with legitimate journalists. Yes, there are still some out there and on both sides of the of the political spectrum.

Drop all personal references – no more “sleepy Joe” – I know, you love nicknames, but it feeds the narrative you’re just a spoiled brat. Stick to differences in policies. There’s more than enough meat there to go around.

Do keep talking about the policies that propelled our country to great heights – more money in the pockets of citizens, reduced regulations that unleashed innovation, taking on foreign adversaries that have been ignored for decades. Explain how those policies will be expanded and augmented with new ones to achieve measurable results in your next 4 years…without hyperbole.

Stop using superlative language when describing the results of your policies – I know this will be very hard for you but it is critical that fringe voters – those who might still cast their vote your way – be able to hear and absorb the truly magnificent results. (last use of a superlative!) Couple this with precise data and do not waver from that data. Have others from outside your administration brag on you and your work.

Put in place election controls that can be clearly explained if not widely accepted by the left. There will be bloodshed if the vast majority of the country does not accept the results, either way, of this election. Accept some provisions asked for by the left but as always, trust but verify.

The decision between the Democrats/leftists and you is the most critical in our nation’s history to date. It’s on you to find a way to keep our Republic and I am cautiously optimistic you can and will be up to the task.

Would you rather live next door to – George Floyd or Derek Chauvin?

Where would you rather live – South side of Chicago or Kenilworth?

Would you rather live in a town with no police or one with police?

Would you rather live in a place where you are free to say whatever is on your mind or one where you can’t say certain things?

Would you rather live in a place where the color of your skin or the content of your character determines your success?

We all have choices.

Our education system has been shown lacking. Instead of turning out “critical thinking minds”, our educators have instead indoctrinated students who cannot think for themselves. Parents have unwittingly (?) played into this by turning over the raising of their children to strangers. Beginning with infant day care all the way through after school care, they are ignorant of just what is filling their child’s head. Once in college, parents aren’t even able to get the grades of their children despite them being the payor. The result is whole generations of now, voters, who cannot discern fact from fiction.

Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram are now bonafide news sources to these generations. The reliance on social media for information gives rise to how some will vote, among other important issues. The echo chamber of these platforms drums mantras that eventually land in the ”fact” column for the consumer. Friends share the same missives. “I read it on FB” becomes the mark of credibility.

Even so-called fact checking sites and presentations on mass media are suspicious. News this day requires a high degree of skepticism. Indeed, in order to truly understand the facts around any particular issue, one must research multiple sources and use critical thinking to wade through the chaff to get to the facts; something most Americans eschew as too difficult and time consuming. Hence, they leave it to those who know they can feed the masses any blather and make it into a science project. Even science is now up for interpretation!

A NY Times article by-lined by Adam Goldman and Katie Brenner reprinted in the Hartford Courant (“DOJ drops criminal case vs. Flynn” 5/8/20) is the epitome of most journalism today. In it, the authors use the most tenuous strands to make their point. It goes like this.

Attempting to show that no one involved in the case against General Flynn, up to this point, was supporting the move to exonerate him, they said this. “Prosecutor’s in Shea’s office [prosecutors’ manager] were stunned by the decision to drop the case according to a person who spoke to several lawyers in the office.” So, readers are led to believe that “stunned” means they didn’t agree with the decision and this, based on a third hand statement from further unnamed sources.

Later they say if Trump was briefed by [Attorney General] Barr, he didn’t let anyone know, and again, according to those “familiar with the discussions”; no one named. Well, Trump said he had no early knowledge of the recommendation. Why not report the actual statement of Trump? Also, left out of the article that puts lead prosecutor Van Grack in the “higher moral authority” category for begging off the case, is he may himself be up criminal or at least, ethical violations of how he handled the prosecution.

Were Adam and Katie too busy to even talk to the lawyers in Shea’s office directly? Did the “the person” actually use the word “stunned” and if so, why didn’t they determine what they meant by it? What about using Trump’s actual statement instead of an, “if he said it”?

It’s a journalism echo chamber as we are now relegated to having the Associated Press, NY Times, and the Washington Post for nearly all our national news and they all follow the same shoddy practices. It’s “throw it up against the wall and see if it sticks” journalism and we are all suffering from it.