Two Anniversaries for Freedom

09 Sunday Jun 2019

Posted by in Freedom

≈ Leave a comment

The first week in June was one of two critical anniversaries in world history. One was D-Day, seventy-five years ago over 20,000 men died attacking and defending the beaches and the inland. The allied side was mainly from the United States, United Kingdom, and Canada. Refugees from occupied Europe and the French and United Kingdom colonies participated. On the other side were German, Ukrainian, and other occupied countries’ soldiers.

Alternative historians are people who look at what would have happened if something hadn’t happened the way it did. They make a strong argument that the allies’ greatest contribution was causing Hitler to keep a few hundred thousand troops on the West Wall area in case we landed. Their point is the Russians would have defeated the Germans in another year. I believe had we not, the iron curtain would have been the English Channel and the U.S.S.R. would still exist.

June 4 was the thirtieth anniversary of the end of the Tienanmen Square Demonstrations for more freedoms in China. For weeks average citizens camped out on the park gaining in numbers and support around the country. The moderate Chinese Communist leaders were allowing the demonstrations to slowly open up the society. The old conservatives couldn’t tolerate the openness and finally persuaded the moderates to end the demonstrations. The resulting use of the military by conservative generals caused the death of thousands of demonstrators to the horror of the moderates.

Both events are in the history books. One is recorded as a great victory and the other as a failed attempt in true democracy. I hope both will be remembered by future people as to their importance. Today thousands are on the D-Day beaches and the Chinese army is keeping everyone away from Tienanmen Square.

It’s Not All Theories

03 Monday Jun 2019

Posted by in Climate Change, Global Warming, Religion

≈ Leave a comment

Roger Kempa writes Global Warming, The Big Bang, and Socialism are all just theories. Global Warming is not a theory; it is a concrete fact. The world’s temperature is rising and all the predicted effects are happening. To argue against it is to throw out all the science for the last 200 years. It’s simple science that you can test with your own home supplies and equipment. The oceans are at rising! Ask Miami and the millions moving to higher ground!

Mr. Kempa says the Big Bang creation of the Universe is a theory but observation of the Universe supports the theory. Something is a theory until it can be replicated and that can’t happen with the Big Bang. The Biblical creation isn’t a theory because there is nothing to support it so it doesn’t rate a hypothesis level. The Biblical creation is faith and faith is to believe in something that has no reasonable explanation.

Many Socialist societies have existed and succeeded in the past. Most ultimately failed because of forces outside the community. One of the best examples was the Shakers. They died out because they didn’t believe in sex and wouldn’t take in new members. Go to New Harmony, Indiana for the buildings and the history.

There are no pure economies existing today unless it is some unknown tribe somewhere. We pollute Edens when we find them. Roger’s examples were blends of socialism and or communism. Our society is a blend and I am sure 99% of us would not want to live in a purely capitalist country. Global Warming is reducing the number of icebergs to put people on and that’s more than a metaphor for today’s societies.

To Impeach or Not to Impeach

03 Monday Jun 2019

Posted by in Impeachment

≈ Leave a comment

That is the question. Whether it is wiser to wait until more people have decided to support the process and its result immediately or to wait for the support to grow?

As of the end of May, one-third of Americans are for impeachment, one-third are against, and one third want more information before deciding. House Speaker Pelosi has been resisting those of her party to start the inquiry while trying to gain additional support from the waiting third and reducing the against group. She has seven committees gathering evidence on the President’s activities and behavior.

The day after Mueller’s television appearance, the President repeated that the report said he and his people were not involved in collusion. He carefully avoided questions on Mueller’s statements concerning obstruction of justice. Mueller said the rules he was given did not allow him to go farther in his report and it is up to Congress to do their constitutional duty. After talking with his close advisors Trump started denying obstruction. Could it be his ego was momentarily shattered and the invincibility facade destroyed?

Pelosi must wait until she can be fairly certain at least fifteen Republicans will vote with her forty-nine Democrats and independents to cast guilty votes. Until then the question should be NO! Of course, Trump might just pardon himself and everyone involved of Federal charges. The states will be waiting for his last day in office.

Exchange of Views Needed

03 Monday Jun 2019

Posted by in First Admendment

≈ Leave a comment

George Will, a conservative journalist in the Federalist camp, writes a 750-word weekly column. He said on a CBS News Sunday Morning segment that if you don’t like to argue, you are un-American. This opinion section of the paper encourages the arguing of an idea. To do so is to utilize the absolute and most important rights in the First Amendment — Freedom of Speech and Press.

Recently I had the opportunity to ask people at the Goose Lake Prairie’s Cabin Festival how they heard of it. Most said local papers and many said the Joliet Herald. Being a frequent writer, I pointed to my name tag and asked if they read my submittals. All but one did but unfortunately they all said they almost always agreed. I couldn’t get a response on what they disagreed with — darn it! One lady has become a recent submitter – I recognized her name when she signed the register – because she had become frustrated with some letters another regular had written. I was glad she had exercised her constitutional right. I wish we had had more time to exercise our Freedom of Assembly.

Thank you to the Herald on printing even the wackiest, wrongheaded opinions. They may try to keep the more vicious personal abuses out and hope others will present accurate and factual rebuttals. Fake facts need to be rebutted because some readers may believe even the most outrageous ones as the lady rebutted.

Quiet Diplomacy is Best

03 Monday Jun 2019

Posted by in Diplomacy

≈ Leave a comment

Should I decide to go forward with my candidacy for President of the United States under the banner of the “Chance for Sanity” Party my platform’s plank on International Relations will be one of Diplomacy.

The United States is the leader of the “so called” free world. We have that title because of our huge economy and history after World War II. Those two reasons plus our subsidies will cause us to keep that title for the foreseeable future. During the Cold War with the Soviet Union, a third group immersed, who were “independent” of both sides and wisely played both sides against each other to great success.

Today’s international situation is composed of three militarily powerful countries of which two have the world’s largest economies. Russia has a third rate economy based on their sale of their natural resources mostly to Europe. Russia is an irritant and not an equal in real power. China is now an equal in most ways. Russia seeks to divide the “Free World” through propaganda and cyber warfare. We are more susceptible as we are more dependent on computers to run our infrastructure and our belief in information on social media.

China with its massive and growing wealth and population is our only real adversary. Their economic power has allowed them to quietly expand their influence into most countries by buying up land and business infiltration. Their bold military moves have put them in control of the South China Sea, put a military base in Aden almost abutting ours, and port privileges in the Caribbean Sea. Their infiltration through use of “private” Chinese companies has put them in control of much of the world’s ports -not here- and communication networks has given them great intelligence capability.

China and Russia use quiet diplomacy to extend their power while we are currently failing with our bellicose policies of agitating friends and mutual fawning with enemies. My ego does not need to be publicly stroked. My administration will conduct diplomacy quietly through established channels. Backing leaders into a corner publicly makes diplomacy difficult since one side or the other will have to lose face for an agreement. Quiet diplomacy may not be the ego booster that Trump requires but it works.

Alienating allies will mean going it alone when we need their support as in Desert Storm and after Nine-Eleven. We will not show political favorites in other countries especially when it undercuts the leadership that supports us. We will not look to upset the status quo just to be in front of the world cameras. Quiet diplomacy is the way China and Russia are succeeding in their agendas.

The Truth is Leaving Us Forever

25 Saturday May 2019

Posted by in Social Media

≈ Leave a comment

A long, long time ago I was a participant in a gossip experiment. The grade school teacher gave a short message to the first student in the first row to her right who told the one sitting behind him. Twenty-five students later, the last student gave the teacher the evolved message. It was nothing like the original. I still remember that lesson.

The same lesson could be applied to the social media of today. Not only does the social medium skew the real facts, I believe most of the information going into it is crap to start. A great example is the video of Pelosi that was slowed down to make her appear senile so Trump could imply she had changed. I watched one person morph into another so the second person’s words came out of the first’s mouth. The voice was enhanced to sound the same. Today the only way to know for sure is to watch an interview with at least one other person on real media.

Is social media the way most people will be getting their news? We have entered a time when those with money and power can control their people so easily. Of course there will always be some fruit-loop that spouts crap and gathers millions of followers. I fear common sense and factual information has gone forever.

The Library Will Set You Straight.

25 Saturday May 2019

Posted by in Education

≈ Leave a comment

If Minooka District III Board Member, Lori Lakota, wants to see a science book that agrees with her views on the heating of our planet then she should go see retiring librarian Carolyn Kinsella. She will be happy to show her the science fiction section of the school’s library.

I wonder what today’s graduates are going to say at their twenty year reunion about someone who tried to have them taught that global warming was fake news. By then the world’s carbon footprint will have been greatly reduced. Let’s hope their children and grandchildren will have more responsible people directing their education. Minooka isn’t some backwoods town in Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas, or Tennessee. What’s next–Evolution in a science class instead of Sunday school?

Talk Softly or Shut-Up

20 Monday May 2019

Posted by in President Trump, Uncategorized

≈ Leave a comment

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!

Tolls Will Fix the Roads

17 Friday May 2019

Posted by in Infrastructure, Taxes

≈ Leave a comment

A few weeks ago I wrote “I-80 from Iowa to Indiana should be a Toll Road.” Since then I have found out how Governor Gina Marie Raimondo of Rhode Island solved her state’s funding for roads and bridges. She put a toll on her roads affecting only trucks. This gets around the family cars getting on and off. I think of Rhode Island as Will County. I have talked with others from Grundy and LaSalle and their plan is to stay on local and two-lanes to avoid the toll.

I would not only put a truck toll on I-80, I would add, I-55, I-57, I-64, I-72, I-39, I-70, and I-94. This would bring in tens of millions each year without affecting the residents in the area. The short haul trucks that don’t leave the state would have to be billed another way. Those that skirt the tollways would be ticketed heavily.

A thousand dollar registration for electrics is stupid! It should be the same as gasoline vehicles plus the average gasoline tax. In a decade a huge percentage of vehicles sold will be electric. This includes six, ten and eighteen wheel trucks.

We should add at least a quarter per gallon to the state tax so the rest of us will contribute. This toll and tax proposal has the vehicles doing the most damage to our highways paying the most. How tolls would be structured and where toll exits would be located is beyond information available to me. Tell your legislator this plan has your approval.

Gun Violence and the Constitution

15 Wednesday May 2019

Posted by in Assault Weapons, Gun Control

≈ Leave a comment

The “Chance for Sanity” Party will wade into the second amendment morass by pushing the legal limits farther than previously. Just within our country over 15,600 non-suicidal deaths occurred in 2017 out of over 61,800 non-suicide incidents. During 2017, 346 mass-shootings occurred. A mass shooting means four or more were shot in a single event. The vast majority of Americans want something done and the “Chance for Sanity” Party will push for a sane second amendment.

Thanks to the leadership at the National Rifle Association, America is awash with guns. Initially the organization involved hunter gun safety which everyone supported. It did not bring huge monetary wealth into their cheap suit pockets. By spending tens of millions of gun manufacturers’ and members’ money to create fear and a patriotic fervor, the NRA has persuaded Americans they need to have many guns. They have convinced people their safety is carrying a gun everywhere. Over 2,000 people found having a gun around was dangerous in 2017. That’s over 10,000 since January 2014. During the same period over 3,500 children and 15,000 teenagers were shot. Many of the teenagers were shot due to their gang and drug activity. This was a result of the ease of getting guns. Gun running has become a major source of revenue for gangs.

The Party’s platform will be to combat the gun lobby propaganda by constantly telling the truth about gun violence. People need to be de-programmed from the gun culture manufactured by the gun lobby and their sponsors. Standing up to the gullible and weak minded is critical to restore real safety.

We will also define the parameters of the second amendment as to what weapons and accessories are legal and which are not. Assault type weapons, large capacity magazines, and non-personal defense or abnormal hunting accessories will become illegal to make, sell, or own. Less of these things make us safer and saner.

The gun lobby and manufacturers have kept a gun safety system from being marketed. It works off a finger print identification system. The only person who can fire it is the one finger printed. All handguns will be required to have it.

Just as in most states the Federal Government will issue gun owners permits to lawful gun owners. Those with mental problems and drug dependency and certain ex-cons will be denied the cards. We must reduce unlicensed sale or exchange of guns by and to those people without a federal card. This will end most gun shows where guns are bought in a lax state and smuggled into a stricter state and to most mass shooters.

The vast majority of Americans want these controls. It is a tough but winnable battle.