True History of Freedom

21 Monday Jun 2021

Posted by in History

≈ Leave a comment

            I realize the media often has to be brief in their talk about a news item but in the case of the Emancipation Proclamation they should get it right.

            When President Lincoln signed the document, he had to bribe the legislators with jobs, infrastructure, and that it did not include the Border States that were not part of the Confederacy. As the Union forces moved into the Confederate states, slaves left their homes and tried to follow the Union troops who didn’t always have supplies for them. An unknown number were killed when they couldn’t keep up or were caught stealing food from white landowners.

            The document took effect January 1, 1863. The last large body of Rebel troops surrendered on May 26, 1865. After the war was over the Union troops were moved around the former Confederate states to impose martial law. Shortly after the troops moved into Southern Texas, Maj. Gen. Gordon Granger signed an order to free the slaves.

            However, the slaves in all of the United States weren’t freed until the XIII amendment was signed on December 12, 1865 by President Andrew Johnson.

            Wouldn’t it be nice if people got their facts straight? Slaves were not legally freed until the XIII amendment freed them.

I’m a Deficit Hawk

18 Friday Jun 2021

Posted by in Deficits, Economy

≈ Leave a comment

            I remember Bill Clinton and Newt Gingrich worked together to put the economy on track, raise taxes, and reduce the National Debt to the point of disrupting the world’s banking system. They paid of all the 30 year bonds, most of the 20 year, and were making a dent in the 10 year. National banks around the world pleaded to go no further because they use the bonds as a reserve.

            Some years ago I read a study about individual and corporate income tax rates. The study shows a rate up to 60% had little to do with a person’s spending and life style. Lower taxes increases management income through salary, stock options, and golden parachutes. It had little effect on operations at a rate below 40%. Those are effective rates and not one with thousands of deductions and loopholes. Bezos paid no Federal Tax and Buffet pays less than my wife and I.

            Before the Trump tax cuts, multi-billionaire Warren Buffet said his effective tax rate was less than his secretary’s. He and many other billionaire’s have said tax rates are unfair.

            President Biden has proposed a budget fixing the country’s problems but with a half-way increase in taxes. We need those fixes to help us catch up with the rest of he other advanced countries. We need the international 15% minimum corporate tax passed.

            As a deficit hawk I had much rather see taxes on the super rich and wealthy corporation go up than increasing deficit and debt. We need the fix more than we need the rich to keep benefiting from lower effective rates than 99% of us. It’s wrong when they pay several percent less than me.

Gun Control Solution

18 Friday Jun 2021

Posted by in Gun Control

≈ Leave a comment

            We have several times more guns than we have citizens. We have states that have strict laws next to states with lax laws. Illinois has strict laws but Indiana’s is a reservoir of guns that are sold there and brought across the border for sale at a profit to people who can’t legally buy one.

            The Federal Government needs to make laws which will create a uniform set of laws for all states. First should be to eliminate all assault weapons and any devices which would make them into rapid fire or fully automatic ones. Second, eliminate all gun sales not made through a licensed gun dealer or a single sale through the local police department. Third, no sale until buyer is approved by a computer check. Fourth, ownership of a gun implies the owner has responsibility for its use. Guns must be stored in gun safes with trigger locks to make accidental shootings far less likely.

            Fifth, all guns shall be fired at the factory so the ballistic markings can be catalogued for comparison. Sixth, and one which will be the most protested is all guns must be registered along with a bullet fired from it by police. Liability for the gun is only transferred to new owner when done through proscribed legal means. Seventh, a mandatory minimum for any violation of above to be one year in prison with costs paid by violator. Eighth, committing a crime with a gun is a mandatory additional five years over the sentence for the crime.

            Most of these points are supported by a vast majority of the American gun owners and the rest by over 80%. So why is Congress scared of the NRA and why is the NRA fighting ideas their membership wants?

Three Cents More

17 Thursday Jun 2021

Posted by in Post Office

≈ Leave a comment

            I remember when the three cent stamps were used to mail letters. Now the post office wants to raise the stamp price by three cents. We use ten to fifteen stamps each month to pay bills, so it is less than a half dollar more a month. It’s far safer than companies and organizations being able to take money out of my checking account, or some hacker getting my account numbers.

          Why does those three cents come to mind? My mailing address is probably sold by all the organizations we support; the utility companies, credit card companies, plus Jewel’s and Ace’s loyalty cards. So we get lots of mail and at least 90% is tossed without being opened. Most of the envelopes don’t have the cost of mailing to my trash can or recycle bin but in the last mail, two were for 3 cents!

            Those two organizations and thousands, maybe tens of thousands of others, could pay twice as much and the cost of a stamp could be reduced. If they stopped sending out over and over and over, think how many trees would be saved and smaller garbage dumps containing plastic over my address!

            If the post office wants to get out of the red, start by charging bulk mail a higher price. If they stopped sending so much then maybe my bills and magazines might come on time instead of a week late.

The Gray Line

13 Sunday Jun 2021

Posted by in Bribery

≈ Leave a comment

            I would love to know what constitutes bribery for our elected officials. If a private citizen told a Senator that a substantial contribution would go to their campaign chest if they voted a certain way, is that bribery? If a company or group paid a Senator to talk on a particular topic knowing how the sponsors wanted the Senator to vote, is that bribery? What if a Senator or even a President reached into their campaign chests for a contribution to another Senator’s chest for a vote or toeing the line, is that bribery? Is it bribery when an elected official changes historic position and votes differently in lame duck sessions before getting a paid position in a company or organization benefiting from the vote?

            What constitutes bribery? An Illinois Representative that I had been supporting decided to run for a congressional seat and wanted my continued support. When I asked for the truth as to why, the answer was more money. The answer was very prophetic.

            A recent example was widely known. If a foreign person or group or even American Company wanted a meeting in the White House with the President, they were more likely to get one if the return call was Trump’s Hotel. The cost of those suites skyrocketed after he was elected and have gone back to normal in January. Is paying for that meeting bribery?

            Is the line so gray that there is no line? It used to be a narrow line. At what point or dollar figure has a person sold their votes and themselves?

GOPs New Values

13 Sunday Jun 2021

Posted by in Conspiracies, Republican Party

≈ Leave a comment

            Donald Trump says he wants the GOP to follow his values. Let’s do an honest assessment of his values. He has married three women solely because of their being eye candy for his image. He commits adultery and brags about unwanted fondling of women. Many of his close friends have been or are being investigated for despicable acts with teenagers.

            The GOP used to have law and order as one of their party’s pillars. To follow Trump’s values they must change to say tax evasion, perjury, fraud, cyber bullying, vote fraud, and other crimes are acceptable.

            Politicians change their values as often as they change their underwear. Trump wanted to be involved with the Democratic Party but they found him to be “too greasy” for NYC politics! To get in good with them, he donated $100,000 to Planned Parenthood. When he wanted to try to be in the GOP, he became an opponent of Planned Parenthood. Swindling investors and contractors is one of his core values. According to some people connected to “The Apprentice”, he is racist and only allowed non-white people to compete because of network insistence.

            Does the GOP adopt his only true value that has never changed? His only value is to do whatever he has to do to build his massive ego even larger. He doesn’t care about anyone else. He said he has trained his kids to carry out his legacy. Does the GOP want to make his values theirs?

Secret Meeting

13 Sunday Jun 2021

Posted by in Conspiracies

≈ Leave a comment

            Two nights after Donald Trump moved into the White House a flat circular shaped thing landed on the darkened back yard of the White House. Five individuals went into the White House and three came out. What happened to the other two? Why did the White House kill any investigation on UFOs? Biden just started a new group with orders to investigate and make public their findings.

            The Biden part is true but the rest is totally ridiculous. I say that because Americans have come to believe even more crazy conspiracies. The Russians are doing a great job of dividing us with conspiracies and lies. Microsoft recently said about half of the conspiracy sites are run by or based in Russia. Last year the NSA and Homeland Security said many of those sites were in support of President Trump.

            Who do you think keeps the lies about voter fraud, Trump winning, military going to overthrow Biden and put Trump back in power, military to confiscate all guns, Covid 19 is a hoax, medicine has micro-chips to track us, and even more hare-brained conspiracies going? Many paranoid Americans believe these stories. Remember pizza-gate and other mass shootings done by people who thought they were doing God’s work. People are allowing themselves to be brainwashed and deceived. Imagine those Russians in their office cubicles trying to outdo each other’s conspiracies. Is that why those telephone scammers are so successful? Are Americans that gullible?

Improper Storage

13 Sunday Jun 2021

Posted by in Gun Violence

≈ Leave a comment

            The headline for today’s newspaper was another child shot be accident. Supposedly the two year old got the loaded pistol from a television stand (no trigger lock) and shot himself in the head. This was supposed to have occurred with the father in the same room. A couple of days ago a cop had to shoot a 14 year old girl carrying an AK47. The 12 year old boy dopper a loaded shotgun. The kids had gotten them and lots of ammunition from a house.

            The commonality of these two incidents is improperly stored weapons. The pistol was loaded and supposedly stored in a television stand. The AK47 must have been loaded since I doubt a 14 year old girl would know how to load and chamber the first round. None of the guns had trigger locks or were in gun safes. A Morris cop told me that is a law for Illinois.

            My questioning of the Morris cop went into penalties for those who improperly stored their guns. Apparently it is no more than a misdemeanor with a slight slap on the wrist unless someone is killed. I didn’t ask what responsibility an owner has if their guns were stolen and used in a crime.

            I think the laws should be passed to make it a jail term for an improperly stored weapon. Seldom does a gun owner need a gun in their home. It is much more likely to go off accidently killing another household member. The member is more than likely a child. Any permit should include the facts and penalty for improper storage.

The News Isn’t As Fun Any More

01 Saturday May 2021

Posted by in News, President Trump

≈ Leave a comment

            When Trump was President the news was fun, maddening, but fun. Every day Trump would come up with some cock and bull story to tell his gullible followers. He destroyed our country’s relationships with every friendly country and organization we had worked to built over the decades. He made friends with our dictator enemies. He blackmailed countries with the Ukraine not being the only one. He even pushed leaders of other countries aside so he could be front and center for photo shots. Those were the days!

            Speaking of photo shots don’t forget using the National Guard to gas and rubber bullet peaceful protesters so he could get a photo in front of a church with a Bible. He demonized browns and blacks while supporting racists and white supremists. Every day was something even more outrageous. It was worth getting out of bed to watch him con his followers.

            Oh, for the days… Today the news is of President Biden caring for all races, ethnics, ages, genders and incomes. Every day is an uneventful day of repairing relationships, fighting climate change to save humanity, and fixing America, and Americans. President Joe Biden is a bland, grandfatherly figure who makes news when he stumbles on a stair. It is actually immoral to criticize him for caring for all of us isn’t it? Yes, news just isn’t fun any more.

Wake Up America

25 Sunday Apr 2021

Posted by in Respect

≈ Leave a comment

            How and why has the respect for American institutions fallen so far and so fast? Granted Congress has not been above 50% since the 1950s, but it isn’t above the quarter now. Why? Respect has fallen dramatically during the last five years. I believe it is because a few of our elected officials have done so to enrich their campaign chests and themselves by denigrating others and the institution. Trump greatly increased disrespect by his constant attacks on it. Most of those negative comments were outrageous and completely unfounded.

            The military had the highest respect when Trump went into office before he hired several generals. When he fired them and started his diatribe against them, respect plummeted.

            The respect of the news media dropped when Fox News was conceived to divide us to increase the numbers and influence the far right. Their brainwashing was designed to destroy confidence in mainstream media while creating their own powerful political base. These divisive skills were designed to put divisive people in office and support them.

            We are told public schools are bad and private schools owned by some of the radial right are going to save our children by teaching them their philosophy. Remember a Representative’s comment about Hitler and training kids.

            Add to what a few Americans are doing to create division — the work of the Russians. We now know how they have used the right media and internet to put people in office and damage our institutions and companies.

            Fear is being created to divide us so a few Americans and Russia can benefit. Wake Up America while there is still time!