Category Archives: Uncategorized

Need New Ideas to Defend America

24 Monday Jun 2019

Posted by in Military, Uncategorized

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Being Commander-In-Chief is perhaps the most important responsibility for an American President. Should I decide to run as the nominee of the “Chance For Sanity” Party, I may be the most qualified individual in the race. I have studied wars and their causes during the last three thousand years. The saying “History Repeats Itself” is very important in considering how to react to all the crisises we are faced with today and in the future.

Most wars start over a miscalculation and end poorly for both sides. The result of Iraq’s regime change was predictable and will not play out for a few more years until Iraq and Iran merge into some kind of coalition creating a Shia monster bordering Saudi Arabia and Kuwait.

In addition to GWB’s Iraq fiasco, LBJ’s Vietnam mismanagement, and FDR’s stopping the sale of strategic materials to Japan, there’s the short-sighted diplomatic efforts which have caused small wars already or will in the next few years. Too often we have looked for an immediate solution and not the future implications.

We have seen every problem as a spike and used a sledgehammer to solve it. Reagan’s invasion of Grenada is a great example of making a mountain out of an ant hill. Presidents often see themselves as the world arbiter and get involved by picking winners and losers in a country’s internal affairs.

We have the third largest military and the most expensive. We pay more than the other top fifteen combined. TR sent the Great White Fleet around the world in a show of power. Trump’s sending a carrier group into a possible conflict with a country using weaponry like Iran or North Korea would be a naval disaster. Iran would send 500 anti-ship missiles at the group which would be lucky to kill fifty.

My plan would be to learn from the past and plan for various future conflicts. We have over 1,300,000 active duty personnel with 858,000 in reserve overseen by over 3,500 flag officers. I would retire 2,000 of them saving a half billion dollars. We have 73 cruisers, 9 frigates, and 64 destroyers mostly escorting carriers. I would stop building target carrier groups for today’s and future conflicts. I would cut the number of f-35s to 200 and buy 600 updated F-18s which are at least equal in combat and far easier and cheaper to maintain. I would start buying artificial intelligence fighter aircraft.

I would at least triple our cyber warfare people and expand their military capabilities at the same time as training our troops to do without modern technology like GPS and internet. Today we do not have the technology lead we used to have so we need to learn to fight the old way as well as future ways.

Talk Softly or Shut-Up

20 Monday May 2019

Posted by in President Trump, Uncategorized

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I bet few readers ever considered I could ever agree with anything President Donald J. Trump did. Well, I do, just not the way or the constant chest thumping, narcissistic, and abusive communication he uses to destroy the good work. We differ the most on his going it alone. I am more of a Bush I in my philosophy. President Teddy Roosevelt said “Speak softly and carry a big stick.” when dealing with other countries.

We agree immigration is a problem but his politicizing and solutions are mostly wrong. We agree on the need to stop North Korea’s nuclear program. We disagree on making it so public. Quiet discussion with the same sanctions would not have backed both sides into corners. Both leaders can’t lose face and maintain their base and power.

China-America trade and espionage is a real problem and I am sure it would have quietly been handled without our public interference in their political system. Their economy is stronger, not bigger, than ours but another armed suppression is always possible if the Chinese people create problems.

I totally disagree with his mollycoddling of Putin. I would lead in sanctions and support of NATO in as loud a voice as possible and not be forced by Congress to levy sanctions. Trump has undercut NATO’s plans with Russia.

Staying in the White House, working more than a couple hours a day, eliminating the Fox Network influence, stopping constant camera appearances, and stopping his daily electronic communications would increase his effectiveness.

Teddy is on a mountain for good reason!

Real Cowboys Didn’t Wear Guns

05 Sunday May 2019

Posted by in Gun Control, Uncategorized

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When I was a pre-teen Mom and Dad got me the Paladin gun set. It had the belt, .45 with bullets I could put caps in, and a derringer. It was the envy of my fourth grade class. Most of the boys wore our “side arms” in class until the principal decided that was enough. During that time few adults had a handgun. Most had a long gun for sport. I had a 20 gauge shotgun. Most of us matured, but millions haven’t.

The movies and TV were filled with westerns showing every man either carrying a gun or having one under the counter. Every bartender had a double barrel shot gun he pulled out to intimidate trouble makers. The image of every “real man” carrying a gun has created the need for today’s rush to carry a gun. In reality very few “real men” carried a gun on their hip. My toy gun was light but heavy for my skinny body. A real .45 gun, belt, and holster weigh several unnecessary pounds. That extra weight is why the movies were theatrical and not realistic.

So why is it so important today for the average citizen to wear a concealed gun. Why are the gun lobbies (there is more than one) pushing for open carry like the Texan nutcases. Is it because the gun manufacturers pump millions into those lobbies to promote sales and fear? The underlying message is the more guns we own the safer we are. To get women to buy the manufacturers will sell them a pink gun. The NRA hired a media consulting company for millions of dollars each year to promote gun ownership. They hired Charlton Heston at a huge salary to be their front man. They have flooded the internet (Russian, too) with propaganda that is misleading and often completely false.

Why isn’t the escalating violence with guns being attributable to the greater number of guns being bought? Why is it the occasional “hero with a legal weapon” played up by the gun lobby and not the hundreds of others where the drunk went back into the bar and emptied the magazine? The lobbies are pushing a reciprocal allowance of concealed carry. This would allow those states where being a warm body is all that is needed to get a license. Some of them allow internet sign-ups from other states and countries. Everyone would be upset if somebody got a driver’s license by taking a test on an internet game.

Imagine what our country would look like if some limits are put on what weapon can be carried in the “right to bear arms” line in the second amendment. Could an arm be that weapon with a rotating drum of explosive charges or a real automatic rifle? Why is a 30 round magazine needed? Why is it the majority of the NRA members want sensible laws but the leadership promotes more extreme laws? Money, money, and more money to the organization. That’s why the NRA is pushing greater gun rights in over 50 other countries.

Let There Be Light in a Bang

27 Saturday Apr 2019

Posted by in Religion, Science, Uncategorized

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A few years ago, I had a telescope and enjoyed watching the lunarscape, Jupiter and its moons, Saturn’s Rings, and many galaxies. I took an interest in Astronomy when I was a kid in Southern Illinois when the Milky Way could be seen. I read books and subscribed to Astronomy for years. I have discussed it with astronomers and so I could be considered as much a cosmologist as some of those Mr. Lemke cited. In the past he has cited “scientists” who knew global warming is baseless. Most of them had no scientific knowledge and those who have cannot get their names off the site.

Mr. Lemke claims to believe in a God so why can’t he blend his supernatural belief with science. If he believes the Bible is based on fact and not a book of fables and folk stories as Christian and Jewish funded archeologists have proven, then the Big Bang and everything after could be construed to be in the Bible. The Bible is full of metaphors and should not be taken as factual history but if Bob wants to think it is factual then he should use science to back up his belief.

Bob the light started when the Jews were allowed to go back home after being held by the highly advanced Babylonians. The returnees were smart and cultured hence the light to their tribe.

Lost Toddlers

27 Saturday Apr 2019

Posted by in Immigration, Uncategorized

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When the administration’s separating kids from parents was exposed, I remembered the disaster of 1940s England sending little kids to Canada and elsewhere during the Blitz. They sent thousands but got back a lot less. Some parents died, a couple of ships were sunk, and records were lost. Little kids didn’t know who they were or the name of their parents. It was years before the scope was discovered but hundreds were never returned.

All that sounds like excuses for losing immigrant kids in 2017 and 2018. Data was lost or not entered. Parents were deported without kids and vice-versa. Kids were sent to foster care and distant relatives around the country, but who went where is often unknown. How many are in limbo is really unknown. The administration said today the number could be more than six thousand! A judge says to give him the complete information within six months but the administration said it may take over two years to figure it out. Incompetence rises to the highest level of the administration.

Medicare for all?

26 Tuesday Mar 2019

Posted by in Uncategorized

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I was astonished to read in the Herald’s Sunday, March 24th issue that Malcolm Berko wholeheartedly endorsed Medicare for all. I have read every one of his columns for almost two decades. His recommendations for stocks are worth reading. Some are pyrite and some are gold. He usually gets his advice from others, but when it is his it’s conservative. That’s why I was shocked that he wanted to destroy the healthcare companies he had pushed.

Berko proposes switching to a medical system Canada, France, and Denmark have had for decades. The majority of Americans have indicated in polls they think we need to switch from our current system to one which provides universal access to all. The motto which more people are thinking is “Healthcare is a right, not a privilege.”

Will it happen – no! Why, because the healthcare and insurance lobbies will spend millions on campaigns and “incentives” to people in Congress and Senate. Doing away with private healthcare insurance will have a huge impact on the economy and the world’s most expensive healthcare system.

The proposed system would do away with co-pays and deductibles. Patients would be able to go to any doctor in the public plan. A few doctors would set up a practice outside of the single payer and find a clinic that is not involved in it. In Canada, a few practices and clinics have gone that way on a concierge basis. The private plans might use an insurance plan to allay catastrophic costs.

To answer the question of why Canadians come to the United States for medical care is easy to answer. Notice they go to Florida in the winter or cross the border for childbirth getting dual citizenship. Our friends in Canada, Australia, Germany, and Norway say they might be in a queue for non-emergency and elective surgery and tests, but immediate help for emergencies.

Berko’s plan would eliminate $900,000,000 in premiums and put over 700,000 people out of work in the five companies he cited. In addition the many office buildings they use would become vacant. Some of the people and buildings might be picked up in the new plan.

Several years ago I saw a “60 Minutes” episode on the Canadian plan. A hospital administrator showed a huge room which had housed over two hundred employees coding and calling insurance companies. Now he had only two people doing the work. My doctor clients once said their billing and collecting costs ran about 30% of revenue.

It is possible healthcare costs may actually go down. Drug companies would have to cut costs so we pay the same as the other industrialized countries. Wouldn’t it be nice for everyone to have access to healthcare with a reasonable tax increase with no premiums, co-pays, or deductions?

Social Security Balanced Budget

05 Tuesday Mar 2019

Posted by in Budget, Deficits, Social Security, Uncategorized

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In Ken Yanko’s March 3rd Letter to the editor concerning Social Security, he left out one extremely important fact. During President Nixon’s time, he incorporated Social Security into the general revenue for the Federal Government. Because more money was coming in than going out, the excess funds could be used to balance the budget! It’s a lot like some of the schemes our current and past Illinois leaders have come up with to balance the Illinois budget!

As less money is coming in than going out, they now want to find some way of divesting themselves of the deficits from Social Security. Incidentally, it was never planned to cover all it does today.

Dark Future for Humanity

06 Wednesday Feb 2019

Posted by in Environment, Uncategorized

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As I write this the temperature is minus 23 degrees. It seems an odd time to bring up global warming but this vortex is the result of warmer arctic sea water not yet iced over. The warmer air rose and split the normal vortex into two parts. Sound familiar? Remember why the polar bears are dying? Their food source for winter hibernation has lots of open water to get a breath and not the air holes in the ice cap.

A complete collapse of the polar vortex was the scenario of the movie “Day After Tomorrow.” Since the President believes what he sees on late night movie channels, maybe he will learn about global warming’s possible effects. Watching “Sicario” is where he got his stories of abuse on the Southern border.

While we are freezing with near record lows, Australians are having record highs of over 120 degrees. The oceans of the world have been warming at a greater rate than predicted. Not only does this alter the global climate it causes the oceans to expand more than what was caused by glacial melting.

If the reader doesn’t see what the rising oceans have caused then you should go to Miami during a king tide or Norfolk during a high tide. Cities around the world are planning on how to exist for another couple of hundred years. New Orleans (mostly under sea level) will become the norm.

What else will happen with the rising seas? About 30% of the world’s population depends on rice as their main source of nourishment. Rising seas will flood those paddies and most cannot be replaced. For instance, Bangladesh’s 170 million people will need to move to higher ground and its domestic and export rice will be lost. Southeast Asia’s low lands are the world’s rice bowl. When it is lost the millions of displaced will need to move somewhere else.

By 2100 much of American coastal cities, towns, and foolish coastal developments will be flooded at times. More will be flooded during hurricanes. The population movements inside the United States will be disruptive. Croplands not lost to the seas will be changed by the effects of global warming. What will happen to those evicted? Remember we could have over six hundred million Americans.

As the world’s population increases to about twelve billion and cropland decreases, yields won’t be able to keep feeding us and our domestic food animals. Meat, an inefficient use of crops, will have to be replaced by faux meats made from vegetable proteins.

These are factual projections and are already occurring. Those who don’t find themselves seeing the obvious effects and cannot see the dark future should have it put on their tombstones.

Negotiating with North Korea

25 Friday Jan 2019

Posted by in Politics, President Trump, Uncategorized

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In late February, President Trump will get another lesson in negotiating by North Korea dictator-for-life Kim Jong Un. After his first meeting, President Trump and many of his administration have taunted the meeting was successful because some bones, possibly American soldiers, were returned. Also North Korea has not tested any missiles or nuclear bombs since.

Mr. Trump’s lack of political experience in negotiating international agreements, his narcissism, and inflated ego has not allowed him to see he has already gotten the short end of the stick. In return for a few bones and the cessation of testing, he stopped the twice-a-year joint training with South Korea. His military leadership tried to explain how important working with the Republic of Korea is in case the huge North Korean army crosses the 38th parallel. Score 1 for Un and zero for Trump.

Why has North Korea not conducted any testing of its missiles and nuclear bombs? After they proved their weapons worked as designed, further testing was not necessary. When they blew up the nuclear testing site it was a meaningless gesture. The site had already been used up and had leaked radioactivity from the last test. It needed to be sealed and the equipment was removed before the useless building was destroyed. In fact the missile fabrication building has doubled in size and the enrichment of uranium has increased in facilities we know about. We know there are others deep underground but not where. Trump believed he had stopped Un’s nuclear program – North Korea – 2, Trump – zero.

Why is our leader being taken in by North Korea’s “Dear Leader?” Un has been trained by experts in how to negotiate with their enemies. The North Korean playbook was written during the Korean War. During the war, Kim Il Sung took months negotiating a truce. The first items on the list are where to meet and then shape of the table. Un – 3, Trump – zero. During the war, Kim Il Sung sacrificed over a few thousand soldiers to see how determined we were by how many soldiers we were willing to lose. Pork Chop Hill was a prime example.

Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il caused over a million of their people to starve to death so they could build up their military power and start their nuclear and missile programs. All three have been willing to kill millions of their own people along with millions of others to keep themselves in power or to go down with the ship if needed.

Trump’s one-on-one negotiations with Xi and Nancy Pelosi have shown he is not the negotiator he pretends to be. He had yet to realize others pretend to be friends to get what they want and his wild words can start wars.

The Future Is Near

17 Monday Dec 2018

Posted by in Economy, Global Warming, Uncategorized

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Recently I was parked in Morris’ Jewel lot when the radio announcer discussed the closing of four American plants by General Motors. CEO Mary T. Barra said she was closing them because people weren’t buying cars made in those plants. I looked at the three rows of double lines of vehicles in the lot and noticed of the fifty plus vehicles, only three were cars. The others were SUVs and pick-ups. My primary vehicle is a Cherokee.

In our free market capitalism system, a responsible company should only manufacture what they can sell. Of the three cars, one was my 1999 Town car and I doubt the other two were built in this decade. The factories had not gone from full capacity to closing next year. They have already reduced production to meet falling demand.

Ford and Chrysler have already announced factory closings stretching out into 2022 for the same reason. We are not buying cars with good gasoline consumption but pick-ups and SUVs that often get half the car mileage. When the price of gasoline first went over $2.00 we demanded high efficiency (25 mpg) and bought them. Now we are used to $3.00 gasoline and buy vehicles with less than 25 mpg. If gasoline went to $5.00 we might buy high efficiency 40+ mpg cars or will the electrics be plentiful by then. That’s what Barra and other automotive CEOs are planning with their factory closings. They are moving us into the future now whether we want it or not!