Nope, we cannot be friends.

If you voted for Trump in this last election, and somehow may still have me included on your “friends” list, please “unfriend” me.

If you “follow” me, you should unfollow me. If I unfollow you, it will be the result of you posting something that shows support for those that I cannot philosophically support.

I respect that you are entitled to have your own opinions and beliefs, but voting for him clearly shows that we do not share the same philosophies and moral values.

Friends care about each other.

Friends treat each other with compassion, trust, and respect.

It has been said that politics shouldn’t tear families or friendship apart, but it will because at some point a line has to be established. Consequences for actions must be felt, or what’s the point of having beliefs and values?

In this “free” society, everyone chooses and then, consequences occur based on the decisions they make.

I can no longer pretend that your ignoring his past behavior, his lies and antics – is somehow okay.

I can no longer pretend that your ignoring his basic beliefs about almost everything, is somehow okay.

You may not think that by voting for him, you support that which I wrote of, but in you do. You just don’t see that or acknowledge it.

With a clear conscience, I cannot recognize you as a friend if you voted for Trump.

Clearly our fundamental norms for acceptable behavior, cannot bridge the vastness of our differences.

This goes far beyond, agreeing to disagree.

If you cannot see that, it only supports how different we are.

For some, this request may shock you, for that I am sorry.

Maybe, one day you will understand, if you care to even try.

I am far too old to worry about ruining a “friendship” that was not based on a shared agreement of common decency.

With what little time I have left in this lifetime, I choose to spend it with those that I respect and love.

Meanwhile, I will pray for blessings upon you.

Goodbye

Open your eyes

Today, the founding idea of 3 separate arms of government is under attack by a want to be dictator.

Let there be no mistake, the actions this clown is trying to implement is purposefully attempting to dismantle the basic role of Congress.

Congress creates the laws, included in which it is their responsibility to enact spending bills.

If passed, those bills are sent to the President to either veto, or sign into law.

As the head of the executive branch, that is his choice and his choice alone.

Once signed into law, it is the Judicial branch that then decides if actions taken are legal or not.

The judicial branch interprets the laws that Congress made and a President has signed.

Laws that are interpreted as being Unconstitutional can be resended by the Supreme Court, but only after it has been hearing arguments from both sides of the dispute.

Currently, the President and his appointed Cabinet members have unilaterally decided to direct government officials with orders that interfere with appropriation laws passed and approved by a different administration.

Laws that do not allow such behavior.

The executive branch is hoping the judicial branch agrees with the ability to disavow laws that are interpreted as being in place, passed by the President at the time, and allow a different President a second swing at either veto or sign into law a bill that had previously been signed.

This is as unconstitutional of an act as ever been attempted.

If allowed by the SCOTUS, it would allow any President elected to change ALL past laws to their liking, without Congressional approval for doing so.

The basic tenants of separation of power will no longer exist.

We will become a dictatorship.

This is happening right before your eyes.

Open your eyes and wake up.

And, if this is allowed under this political leader, it will then have to be allowed under every other afterwards. You better think about how that will work when the party you are opposed to takes over.

This is a direct attack on the Constitution by people that should, and do, know better, so why are they doing this?

Simple

They don’t care.

A very sad state of affairs

He does not believe in proven Science, Economic data, the Free Press, Civil Rights, the Rule of Law, Mercy, Equal Rights for everyone, the Golden Rule, Fair Trade, the 14th Amendment, or the Oath to the Constitution.

He clearly does believe in retribution over love your enemies.

He clearly thought the pain, suffering and death caused by insurrectionists was worthy of pardon, over those simply doing their jobs protecting the lives of our Representatives and the Capitol on January 6th.

He clearly does believe he is above everyone else, and not that you are to love your neighbor as yourself.

He clearly believes that it is okay to harm the disenfranchised, downtrodden, and those in need, instead of having mercy on the weak.

He states that he will make America great again and talks as if our country has been destroyed by anyone that came before him with a different political or philosophical view for the future of America. Catch phrases and crazy threats or promises will never build a better union, or demonstrate to the rest of the world, the reality that true Democracy offers.

He thinks he knows best but has a terrible track record that simply doesn’t support that notion. Broken vows, Lies, Bankruptcies, and Shin splints.

He does not actually seem to know the very basics of how Government works, that was taught in High School Government and Civics class.

When you voted for him, you selected someone that reflects your beliefs too.

If you thought that his ideas will do more good than harm, you better hope you are not a woman, a person of color, a person hoping to seek asylum, a person born in America to a non-citizen, a school teacher or administrator, anyone working in the automobile industry, a union worker, a farmer, a person working in the hospitality industry, a police officer, a patient in need of an experimental cancer therapy or drug, or the purchaser of just about anything.

Good luck with that.

Character should matter more than the price of eggs.

Withering away, soon to be completely gone

It dawned on me that today is January 6th, forever more known as Insurrection Day.

Hard to believe just 4 years ago today, the previous and now re-elected President initiated the insurrection that occurred at the Capital in Washington D.C.

The evidence is clear, and yet, he got away with it.

There has been much talk of all of the political divisiveness and behaviors over the last decade, and what certainly appears to most likely continue into the future, has destroyed Democracy (as we know it).

It seems like half the public just doesn’t care, chooses to ignore, or don’t believe it even happened. The other half were hoping and praying for a sense of justice to be enforced, simply to reconstruct the notion that Democracy survived the attack. Perpetrators brought to justice and laws being upheld – as Democracy defines should be done.

As time has gone by, the argument has beliefs of the public have waned. They grew tired of the discussion. Half believed nothing would ever be done to the man that sat in his office and did nothing to quell the violence that day. Nothing would be done about the planting of insurrectionist plans including hanging Mike Pence because he didn’t do what the morally corrupt president wanted him to do.

Democracy is waning, it dies a little bit every time injustices are allowed to become the norm. Democracy dies a little bit, whenever oligarchs and billionaires, whom line politicians pockets, escape being held accountable like every other normal citizen that cannot use money to demand a favor.

Democracy dies a little bit every time, we the people are not treated fairly and equally, just because the color of their skin, what they believe in, or their gender.

Democracy doesn’t die all at once – like a person having a heart attack. It dies more like a person that is diagnosed with cancer. A cancer that destroys a person over time, from the inside out, eventually ending a person’s hopes and dreams.

Democracy is the little guys only hope for a better life. It should be cherished and nurtured, not ignored and pushed aside for selfish reasons.

Democracy and it’s basic principles are NOT guaranteed though. Democracy could easily all be lost, simply by indifference. If you choose to just not care, or not believe it could be taken away, you are mistaken.

We are watching the process unfold that allows Democracy to wither away to nothing.

I pray enough likeminded people find a way to get this message across to enough people, before it is too late (if it isn’t already too late).

That is a sad commentary for today, the anniversary of Insurrection Day.

Soon to become an island on the North American Continent

Isolationism is a very scary policy.

Thinking that you are going to “bully” your way into making our neighbors to the north and south, into bending a knee to his highness’s stupid tariffs and trade agreements is so dumb.

I’m a United States citizen that believes that what he is attempting to do, will ultimately make our country become an island nation isolated and surrounded by neighbors that simply do not, and won’t play, that game.

I love Canada and Mexico. Look nothing is perfect, but our relationship for hundreds of years has been free of miltary engagement. They leave us to govern the way we want to, and we have allowed them to do the same. We haven’t forced them to change their way of life, or their beliefs, and they have done the same with us.

Not many countries around the world can say that about their neighboring countries. Not in Europe, not in Asia, not in the Mid East, not in Africa.

We have had a unique situation based mostly on mutual respect for each other.

We certainly have had controversial trade agreements over the years. Some were harmful to the United States, and helpful to Mexico and Canada. The standard of living in Mexico increased because of it. Job security was achieved in some industries best suited to be done in Canada.

Politicians and Economists favored the agreements and rationalized the loss of manufacturing jobs away. Apparently, the higher paying jobs the displaced factory workers were left with were flipping burgers, running cash registers, and doing jobs that they had to be re-educated and trained to do. So, in the end we pissed off a whole bunch of people and he used the resulting job loss to fuel the fire of hate.

Trade deficits have blown way out of proportion. At one time, during the Industrial Revolution, the United States exported way more than they imported. Other than Europe, the rest of the world lagged far behind in having the machinery, equipment, and knowledge to compete.

But what they did have was an almost endless supply of manpower that would work for a lower wage than what the United States workforce would work for.

Our undying belief in a capitalistic society, and freedom to pursue massive amounts of money. Along with the belief that the Federal government should be limited in their powerful reach to control corporate decision making, led to “Industrialization” and imports from other countries around the world skyrocketed.

Not everyone was happy with this situation. Far too much dependency on other countries for critical items. Far too much migration caused by good paying jobs. The “capitalistic industrialists” had too much say and power.

To address this major concern, one President decided to enact very high tariffs on all imports. This was back when the Federal government was engaged with a nasty struggle for power against corporate America. The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor essentially ended the United States isolationist policy.

The result helped create the Great Depression. The 2 World Wars created a necessary economic unification between countries. Massive amounts of materials and jobs were needed to be done to support the War effort.

Now, times and economic policies have evolved into a World economy. Nations around the world trade with each other, even during times of conflict. Some legal and some illegal, but it still happens.

The entire world has developed financial relationships, free markets, and a somewhat standardized monetary system. Once upon a time, the value of money being used was based on the value of gold. The world used a gold standard to establish how much a yen, a ruble, a dollar, or a franc was worth.

Today, the gold standard no longer exists. The standard being used now by the majority of the world’s nations is the U.S. dollar.

There are many factors behind why this happened. The issue to remember is that the standard is not locked in and can be changed.

So, keep pushing for higher tariffs and isolationism and soon countries may grow tired of dealing with your economic temper tantrums.

Why would they continue to buy U.S Treasury Bonds or Treasury Bills, if you treat their economic situation as though it is meaningless. They could just as easily just buy Chinese Yen instead.

If they are getting a raw deal on trade with us, they will just shift their imports to other countries, reduce their exports to us, and increase their exports to countries that want to establish fair trade with them.

I have a really bad feeling about the future of the United States of America.

I pray that the harm that is going to occur with our neighbors to the north and south is not permanent or irreparable.

I wish I could them how sorry I am for what he is planning on doing. What little, if any good results come from his actions, they will be short lived and unnecessary.

The guy just isn’t as smart as he thinks he is.

I guess time will tell.

Women deserve better

With disgust and an unimaginable amount of disappointment, I only wish that the uniformed, uneducated, closet racists, and hate filled minions that voted for the convicted rapist, misogynist, racist, moronic, authoritarian feel the oncoming rath that they truly deserve, but are too stupid to realize will happen to them in the next 4 years.

But, let me be clear. Trump is not the only or biggest problem. I hold those that voted for him the most accountable. I blame the voters themselves. And, they will get their just rewards in the end.

My heart hurts for all the women that work so hard everyday to support their families, their communities, and their country.

They deserve far better than how they have been treated. They exceed the promise of equality, as they are the absolute backbone of this country. Their pursuit of happiness can never be provided until they have the same rights for bodily autonomy as their male counterparts enjoy.

Please realize that not all males denied you of the hopes and dreams that all of you should enjoy.

Continue to organize and work your butts off for what you every female deserves, now and in the future. I, for one, will be with you – and I pledge my support to your cause.

Democracy, what happened?

About 6 months ago I watched a video with a well known professional pollster that stated “Democracy is in deep trouble, in the eyes of our youth”.

The reasons given included, that of the current presidential candidates one is old (Biden) and the other crooked (Trump).

While polling younger people. a question was asked where 75% responded that they thought Democracy was dead (or dying).

The youth made it clear that there isn’t a single person that would be a good candidate that they look up to. Not a single person setting a good example for them to believe in.

Democracy is dead or dying because there isn’t anyone to hand the torch off to. No new bearers of Democracy exist that aren’t old, or crooked.

Where have all the leaders gone?

Where have all the believers in Democracy gone?

Has everyone simply just given up?

Are the barriers of entry too difficult to transition?

Are the youth of America correct?

Then, Biden backed out of running and Kamala Harris picked up the torch and became the Democratic Party candidate.

A women, past attorney general of California, the current Vice President.

She is neither old or crooked.

Yet, failed to win the election.

I think the pollster was correct – Democracy is dead, but not for the reasons the youth has stated.

Democracy is dead because too many people take it for granted.

God help us all.

Truth, Lies, and Deception

During this prolonged political election cycle, many people have argued using the word “truth”, as the core rational for their decision to support one candidate over the other.

They state things like your truth isn’t the same as my truth, when confronted with an accusation that someone is lying about something (or everything). They come back with, but so and so also lies about a lot too. Somehow rationalizing that 2 opposing lies, somehow cancel each other out.

In reality the argument seems to end up with – What is Truth anyways?

I recently watched a video of a man in search of the answer to that question. He spent a long time traveling around to speak with philosophers and scholars, hoping to find the answer. Each person he spoke with used many big words and phrases that most normal people could never understand. They each were passionate about their responses, and every single one of them stated that there isn’t one simple answer to the question. They referred to different philosophic rationale, methods of looking at things, along with many teaching points and examples to support their positions.

As it ends up, the key point made was that the question itself is flawed to start with!

Searching for the meaning of truth is not something that will make many people happy, because it isn’t just one ah ha thing. Definitions of many words are like that though.

What is it that causes your perception of something to be what you think it is?

Is it because someone once told you?

Is it because you read it in a book, or saw it with your own eyes, or heard it with your own ears?

Was it Something you learned?

Is it Something that you believe is true?

I believe in things that can be scientifically proven. I think that I am biased to think that way because of my education, and background.

I find that things that can be defined and supported with facts, usually help me determine if they are true or false.

1 + 2 = 3, is a true statement because that is what I was taught to believe.

Things that cannot be supported by facts, might be supported by theories which are based on math or science or things that have been written, taught, and believed over the years.

Things that cannot be supported by facts but might be supported by theories, not based on anything but unsubstantiated opinions, I have a tendency of not necessarily believing right away.

I am very hesitant, until I can research to try and determine if the opinion base theories are able to be rationalized as “true” or “not true”.

In statistics, there is a question that I recall which kind of sums this up.

Can the null be proven?

I find that opinion-based theories which some believe to be true , regardless if the null proves it to be untrue, are created with deception in mind.

The purpose of the deception is to inject just a possibility that the opinion is true (or that the opposing view could never be true), thus making the lie be considered true.

As the search for the meaning of Truth continued on, one philosopher used the idea that truth matches reality, but the problem being is that reality is really just a state of mind.

The mind can alter reality when under certain influences. Influences can be temporary, or forever. many things influence what you believe is real. If a person has taken drugs, they might really actually believe that they can do something that they cannot do.

Watch me, I can fly! Not true, no matter if they momentarily believe that that can.

And then there is the problem of not knowing in the first place.

How can anything be considered true – if you have never been exposed or thought about that particular thing?

Lack of knowledge, experience, or thought – leaves the question moot. How can a particular idea, thought, opinion, philosophy, or anything really – be true or false, when it has no meaning to you?

Did the people long ago, way before science and philosophy, even think about what was true or a lie?

Fire is very hot – don’t touch it. The darkness comes and goes.

It is more comfortable wearing something wrapped around your body, when it is cold out.

Why did making sure that Truth matters become something people even cared about?

Some people think that everyone should be able to believe anything that they want to, so long as it doesn’t impact anyone else.

The problem is, many times that philosophy ends up impacting others in not so good ways. When deception and lies are used to influence people into doing bad things to others, it is wrong!

Beware of the deceiver.

I have tried to share my thoughts on many things that I hear, read, and see – which are not true.

I have tried showing data and research to support my argument.

I’m the long run, people reading it can choose to believe me or not. Either way, it’s still going to be what I believe is true, because I will question things and do my due diligence.

I pray people will do the same, but I have my doubts.

One week away

We have finally arrived at the day which is 1 week away from election day.

Thank goodness for that. I will count down the days with great anticipation.

So much can be said about what has gone on in our political world for the past decade.

I look back and recall my distaste for filthy rich candidates, making horrible accusations about each other, and hardly discussing policy or their rationale behind what they propose as their platform.

I would often get mad and ask – but what do you stand for? and, how do you plan on doing that?

If I didn’t hear a reasonable explanation from one or both candidates, I would be forced to pick based on character and philosophic beliefs. I am not, by any sense, strictly aligned to any specific political party.

I have voted for candidates from many different parties in the past, often splitting the ticket among the people I felt would best fulfill their oath of office.

The politics of today are not anything like the politic of the past.

As much as I dislike politics in general, I will never NOT vote.

I love this country, and really believe we live in the greatest country in the entire world. Even with all its faults and problems, this experiment in governance has provided the citizens more “rights” then anywhere else, ever in history.

But it hasn’t always been that “great”, for everyone.

Thankfully, the forefathers were smart enough to include methods to amend the laws. Over many years, the “rights” originally provided to a few, have been expanded to include people of all genders, races, and religious beliefs (even non-believers).

This governance of this country has undergone many challenges.

Slavery divided it, and the Civil War left deep scars and wounds that may never be totally healed, for many reasons – but mostly because you cannot legislate hatred away.

World Wars forced camaraderie among the differing factions, as they fought as a united people against a perceived evil. And, thankfully won.

Other Wars, divided the people and questioned the governing leaders as to why we were involved in the first place? War often questions those sending our military in. Loved ones and those advocates of peace let their feelings be heard – as they have the right to do so.

This country grew by leaps and bounds, thanks to the industrial revolution and the support or belief in a capitalistic society. The government often set limits, but entrepreneurs were able to fulfill their dreams.

People from around the world immigrated to America. Where anyone could become rich and famous if they worked hard enough.

America became a great “melting pot”, but not without its own share of problems. Immigrants from many different countries were often singled out and treated terribly. Racism was the accepted norm, for many years, even after the end of the Civil War.

America wasn’t so “great” to so many different people, yet they still wanted to come here. I am a descendant from immigrants, as I am sure, most of you are too.

Over time, the words in the Constitution, particularly the Preamble and Bill of Rights were often being challenged.

Who exactly were the “We” in “We the people”? What exactly are those “inalienable rights”? Who was it that “qualified” for the privilege of having those rights assured to them?

All men are created equal. The right to assemble. The right to believe as you choose to, or not choose to. The right to bear arms. The right to a trial before your peers. The right to not self-incriminate. The right to free speech. And on, and on, and on.

Mostly garnered from previous documents, like the Magna Carte, and from earlier French and English influences created during the European struggle to rid themselves of Autocratic rulers, Kings, and Queens, with the intention of establishing a better means of self-rule.

It has been a struggle, yet the experiment lives on.

Changed? Yes, of course it has changed many times over the years. Mostly for the betterment of many.

Over 200 years later, we are now at a point where the citizens will once again gather, cast a ballot, and see who will be elected to lead our great nation.

The greatness of this land and the people that live here has not diminished, regardless of what one candidate claims. The current level of civility in politics may not be the best example of why America is great though. It used to be that you could have a different opinion about anything, and not be ridiculed for having a different opinion, and called childish names, or threatened in any manner.

There once was a time when politicians behaved in a civil manner towards each other.

I long for those days again.

Yet, people still come here from around the globe, in hopes of becoming one of us. In hopes of fulfilling their dreams. If we were such a terrible place, why would they continue to come here?

I love this country and am hopeful that the great divide between so many of us will eventually be healed. That will not, and cannot occur, unless a leader is selected that makes it a priority.

One candidate running has stated he will not do that.

He has decided that he will go after his opponents, and anyone that disagrees with his thinking or proposals. He has threatened to use the military against the citizens.

He has stated hateful messages and exhibited bad behavior to many that are different from him, in color or gender, in what they believe or their philosophical ideas.

He has proposed terrible economic policies that help the wealthiest and harm the least wealthy.

Experts agree that his proposed policies are terrible for the economy and will cause far more harm and good.

I will not be voting for him.

I encourage everyone to vote, even if you disagree with my perspective.

You have that right and regardless of what happens, I wish you all well.

Please Vote, just NOT for him

Trump is running on the economy.

Our economy is the best in the world & inflation is under 3%. Yes, I’m better off, by a long shot.

He doesn’t truly understand how tariffs are transfer taxes paid by the consumer, and not the country that he doesn’t like.

Unemployment is at its lowest level in 54 years.

Trump added 8.2 trillion dollars to our national debt.

That is more than any president ever, and he did that in one term.

What happened to all those Republicans that were so upset about running up the debt?

Trump is running on immigration. The crossing of illegal immigration is now lower than it was in 2019 (when Trump was President). Trump also killed the bipartisan border deal, for completely political election campaign reasons. He insisted that Mexico was going to pay for “the Wall” – they didn’t, but your tax dollars did.

Trump is running on crime. Crime is lower than it was under the Trump. He says that he doesn’t like crime, but he continues to be the criminal running to stay out of jail.

Trump is running on drilling oil. The US is drilling more oil than ever before.

Trump is running on job creation. There has been more job creation under the current administration.

Trump is suffering from dementia. He is too old and mentally unstable to handle the everyday stress of the job. He can’t answer simple questions, because he can’t focus long enough to pull together a cohesive thoughtful response.

He really thinks “he is the only one” that can do things that he promises, yet has no rational and realistic plans as to how to get anything done.

Trump changes positions on topics to best suit his needs at the moment. He is a flip -flopper on everything, especially when it means trying to convince people to vote for him. He loves women, when it suits his needs. He loves minorities, when it fits his agenda. He is not a trustworthy person.

Trumpp disrespects the military veterans, by staging “photo ops” at Arlington National Cemetery.

Trump disrespects Christianity, by selling his version of the Holy Bible, that includes government documents and other non-secular items in order to just make a buck.

One party complains about the problem at the border, but refuses to enact a Bill written primarily by a representative of their party (solely on the grounds that their leader told them not to, because it would make the other side look like they did something good about that situation).

One party likes to complain about the economy, yet the actual numbers don’t support their imaginary made up falsities.

One party insists that the Federal debt needs to be brought under control, yet a single act by the then president representing that party increased the Federal debt by 7 trillion dollars, when he gave his rich pals and corporations a massive Tax break.

The candidate for president of that party cannot tell the truth. His mantra is that if you say something enough times, and insist what you say is true – eventually others will believe it.

He doesn’t really care about anyone, other than himself and the wealthy that give him their money.

He uses people and insists on unlimited loyalty, even when loyalty given under oath is to the Constitution, not to the President.

No other candidate has ever had the vast number of past cabinet members not only NOT support him, but instead tell folks to NOT elect him.

On January 6th he green lighted a riot, then acted like he did nothing wrong. Words matter, people got hurt and died and to make it worse – He did nothing to try and stop them until it was far too late.

On January 7th, the line up of Republican leaders that are on tape blaming Trump, included both the Speaker of the House and the Senate Majority leader. Many of the White House staff and Cabinet members resigned.

Military leaders, and past cabinet members, have all come out saying – do NOT vote for him. All of them had worked for, or with, him previously – and do NOT believe he should be allowed to hold the office again. That should tell you something.

He is a convicted felon, a rapist, a habitual liar, a person that uses people, the system, and anything else to his sole advantage – regardless, of whom gets hurt by that action.

Character should matter.