Month: August 2024

THE ENIGMA OF THE ELECTORATE

Try as I might, I cannot comprehend the mindset of the electorate. I just don’t get it. It does not make any sense to me. Maybe, you, the readers, can explain it to me.

For the past 3 1/2 years the country has been in a severe downward spiral, economically, politically, and socially. I have described this, in detail, in previous blogs, but it bears repeating briefly. Please see below for a few examples.

  1. Inflation – Let’s have some fun with statistics, which we all know can be twisted every which-way to prove whatever one wants to “prove.” For example, according to the CPI the rate of inflation in 2021 when Biden took office was 1.2%. It rose to a peak of 8% in in 2022, and in June 2024 it had decreased to 5%. Thus, while technically the Dems’ assertion that inflation is decreasing is correct it is still at an unacceptably and unsustainable rate. This all a direct result of Biden’s excessive spending programs. All of us can see many examples of this in our daily lives.
  2. Food – In March 2024 a basket of groceries that cost $100 in November 2020 cost a whopping $125.80. This statistic is no surprise to those of us that actually food-shop, as opposed to many of the so-called elites who don’t. During the same period restaurant meals have increased 24%, and fast-food prices 24.6%. These price increases are probably understated since they likely don’t take into account smaller portions, to which we can all attest.
  3. Gas at the pump – According to Newsweek and AAA the average price was $2.40/gallon in January 2021. It rose to a peak of $5.06 in June 2022, and in August 2024 it was $3.83. So, once again, Dems can twist these numbers to assert that gas prices are decreasing while ignoring the overall increase since January 2021.
  4. Housing – According to AI Overview the median sales price of a house increased 28% from June 2020 to June 2024. According to bankrate.com the 30-year fixed rate mortgage rate averaged 3.5% in 2021. In 2024 it was 6.5%. That would amount to a significant difference over a 30-year period. The obvious result is that many people cannot afford to buy a house.
  5. Illegal immigration – Never mind the flood of statistics that have been released by DHS and other sources. All one has to do is turn on the tv news. We can all see for ourselves the veritable flood of illegal aliens crossing our non-existent southern border daily. It is so bad we don’t even know how many there are (estimates run as high as 20 million), where they come from, and what their intentions are. Furthermore, it’s not just the people, it’s also the drugs, crime, terrorism risk, and drain on us financially, economically and socially.
  6. Crime – Again, one has to look past official statistics. Many crimes are not being reported because everyone knows that the police are severely hampered in dealing with criminals, and “woke” DAs won are reluctant to prosecute them. Just turn on the tv news. Almost every day there are reports of people being murdered, assaulted, robbed and raped. The worst thing is that much of the crime is indiscriminate and random. No one and nowhere is safe. Property is being wantonly destroyed. Again, store employees are powerless to stop the perpetrators. Many businesses are abandoning crime-ridden cities. Many people are fleeing Dem-controlled states such as CA and NY for “safer” states like FL and TX.
  7. Foreign Relations – When Trump left office we were not involved in any wars. Terrorism was under control. The ME was relatively quiet. Iran was subject to embargoes, feeling a severe economic pinch, and in no financial position to fund terrorism. The US was feared and respected. Now, there are serious wars ongoing in the ME and Ukraine; Iran is very close to possessing nuclear capabilities; our allies are distressed; and are enemies are emboldened.

The foregoing are just a few examples of the deterioration of life in the US since January 2021. I could have listed many more, but you get the point. Truly the Dems and their policies have been the root cause. They have been in control of the government. That is why I am truly flummoxed by the polls that show the election is a toss-up.

CONCLUSION

I understand that many people hate Trump and refuse to vote for him. In my view those people are not thinking logically. They are willing to vote against their own self-interest to punish Trump. I have to chuckle when I hear that. That doesn’t punish Trump or hurt him in any meaningful way. Of course, he wants to win the election, but if he were to lose, he would just return to his previous life of wealth and privilege. In my opinion, he is not running for self-aggrandizement. He doesn’t need all the abuse he’s been subjected to for the last nine years. He’s doing it for us, the average citizen. He truly wants to help the country. No, if he were to lose, he would be disappointed, but it would devastate him.

The real losers would be you, your family, your kids and grandkids, and the country. We simply cannot afford four more years of Biden-Harris. I love this country, but there are many who do not, and it appears that most of them are Dems and Dem supporters. All they do is criticize, riot and destroy. They don’t have America’s best interests in their heart. They are only interested in perpetuating their power, privilege and control. They mistakenly think socialism would be an improvement. They are sadly mistaken. Socialism has been tried many times, and it has never worked. Never. If you doubt me, as Casey Stengel used to say, “you can look it up.”

Be honest with yourself. Are you better off today than you were 3 1/2 years ago? A few of you might be. If so, great. I’m happy for you. But if you are not, why would you return the same people to power who have made your life worse? That makes absolutely no sense, which is why I say I don’t understand the electorate.

The only possible reason is “Trump Derangement Syndrome.” Apparently, it’s a real thing. I fear it will be our fatal flaw. Remember, you get the government you deserve. You will have no one to blame but yourself.

When deciding for whom to vote don’t listen to the bloviators and the spin doctors in the media or elsewhere. Use your eyes and ears and the common-sense God gave you.

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TIM WALZ

Who is Tim Walz? What is his background? What are his political beliefs? Few Americans know the answers to these questions. Walz is largely unknown outside of his home state of Minnesota. According to a just-released NPR/PBS/Marist poll, until Kackling Kamala (“KK”) picked him as her running mate on August 6, 2024, 71% of Americans had never heard of him. I suspect that as they do become familiar with him most of them will be horrified. Read on and I will edify you.

Timothy James Walz was born on April 6, 1964 in West Point, Nebraska. His father was a schoolteacher, school superintendent and an Army veteran who had served in the Korean War. He can trace his family roots in America back to 1867 when his great-great grandfather emigrated to the US from Germany.

He was raised in Nebraska. He graduated from Chadron State College in Chadron, NE and became a teacher and a coach in Alliance, NE where he met his wife, Gwen. They married in 1994, and two years later they moved to Mankato, MN where Welz continued to teach and coach. Where do you think they spent their honeymoon? If you guessed “China,” go to the head of the class. He has been a strong advocate of China throughout his political career.

Welz has been accused of mischaracterizing and embellishing his military service. He did serve in the National Guard for 24 years, but he did not serve in combat. In 2005 when his unit was about to be deployed to Iraq he retired abruptly to avoid going. This did not sit well with some of his fellow soldiers. In the words of two of his Command Sgt. Majors Thomas Behrends and Paul Herr he circumvented the standard retirement process and just “slithered out the door.” In addition, they have accused him of “embellishing and selectively omitting” facts with respect to his military career. This may or may not be exposed during the campaign.

Welz entered politics in 2006 winning election to the US House of Representatives. He served six terms in the House before being elected governor in 2018. He was re-elected in 2022. His record in politics has been extremely liberal, even socialist. He is an admitted admirer and disciple of Senator Bernie Sanders, an admitted Socialist. I didn’t think it was possible for KK to find a politician further left than she, but in Welz she has found her man. One might say they are “political soulmates.” The mainstream media will likely attempt to modify, downplay or even scrub Welz’s extreme positions, as it is doing with KK, but don’t be fooled. His record as governor is public information and available if one cares to look.

Below please find some of the highlights, or rather lowlights, of his tenure as governor. Most of these are extreme, socialist positions and far to the left of the beliefs of most Americans. I have gleaned these from a variety of media reports, and if you doubt my veracity feel free to fact-check:

  1. Welz’s first decision as governor was to initiate a statewide “woke” DEI commission.
  2. During the riots in the summer of 2020, he took no action against the perpetrators while Minneapolis and other cities were burned and destroyed. Moreover, he resisted calling the National Guard for five days denigrated them as a bunch of “19-year-old untrained cooks.” That delay cost an estimated $500 million in property damage.
  3. He supported KK’s ill-conceived and ill-advised decision to establish bail funds for those who were arrested.
  4. Furthermore, he defended the rioters’ violence as necessary for “equity” and “inclusion.”
  5. His wife, Gwen, was fully in lockstep with him on this issue. She opined that “criminals should get as many chances to commit crimes as they need.”
  6. He favors defunding the police. It is no coincidence that the crime rate in MN has continued to increase in contrast to the US as a whole where it has been decreasing.
  7. During COVID he enacted the most Draconian of guidelines, including strict lockdowns. He ignored a scheme that defrauded the federal government of some $250 million in stimulus money and exploited poor children. In addition, he encouraged people to “snitch” on friends, relatives, and neighbors who failed to adhere to them. He even went so far as to establish a “hotline” for this purpose. This is straight out of the communist playbook.
  8. Similarly, he believes that parental consent is not needed for irreversible gender-changing procedures on young children. This is an example of the state wresting control of children from their parents, which is another characteristic of communism.
  9. He placed tampons in boys’ locker-rooms. That far-out move earned him the sobriquet “Tampon-Tim.” As my friend and loyal reader, Richard, is fond of saying, that’s the kind of catchy nickname that will “stick like Gorilla Glue.”
  10. He advocates completely open borders with unrestricted immigration. No limits. No vetting. Come one, come all.
  11. He is an exponent of taxpayer-funded education, driver’s licenses, and healthcare for illegal aliens.
  12. He wants a single payer healthcare system administered by the government. That would spell the termination of private healthcare providers. Forget about Obama’s promise that “if you like your doctor/health plan you can keep him/it.” In other words, folks, socialized medicine. Ask people in Canada or Europe how that’s working out for them.
  13. He has made MN a sanctuary state and a “trans-refuge.”
  14. He has supported the defacing and destruction of national landmarks, monuments and statues.
  15. He advocates unfettered abortion on demand up to the moment of birth. This may sound appealing to some women who want to retain “control over their own bodies,” however, the current weight of medical evidence is that a fetus becomes viable sometime during the second trimester. Therefore, many, if not most, Americans are against abortion after that time. In my opinion, late-term abortions are tantamount to infanticide.
  16. He is a staunch supporter of the Green New Deal.
  17. He is against fracking and drilling for fossil fuels.
  18. He advocates raising taxes.
  19. He is a strong supporter of the “Squad,” and is in accord with its pro-Hamas/anti-Israel/antisemitic stance. In point of fact its members such as Omar, Bowman and AOC have applauded his selection. Also, his own state of MN is known as a hotbed of pro-Hamas/pro-Palestinian/anti-Israel/antisemitism. Therefore, it’s fair to presume that he shares those beliefs.

CONCLUSION

There is nothing inherently wrong with being a Socialist, or even a Communist for that matter. It just has no place on a national ticket.

Typically, presidential candidates select a running mate who will “balance” the ticket, ideologically, politically and/or geographically. The idea is to broaden the appeal of the ticket by tracking to the center where most of the voters are. KK went in another direction. She doubled down on her radical, socialist beliefs. Obviously, she felt she had to shore up the small but vocal radical, pro-Hamas, pro-Palestinian, anti-Israel, antisemitic left wing of the Dem party. That could be why she selected Welz over PA Governor Shapiro, who is Jewish.

Normally, what she did would doom her candidacy, but undoubtedly, she is counting on the media to gaslight the voters with respect to Welz’s record as they are doing with respect to hers. Somewhere, Karl Marx is smiling.

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BIDEN-HARRIS, WHERE ARE YOU?

Some of you of a certain age may remember that comedy police tv show Car 54 Where Are You featuring two stumble-bum NYC cops who were never where they should be and never got anything right. Well, the current situations in the US and the world in general remind me of that show’s theme song. I have paraphrased somewhat. If you remember it, sing along with me.

“The economy’s a mess. Our southern border’s in distress. Crime is rampant in our streets. The Middle East is such a beast. BIDEN-HARRIS, WHERE AAARE YOU?

Some of you may not like my little ditty, but in my opinion it fits. Currently, there are a plethora of serious problems facing the US, and neither Biden nor Harris is to be found. For the record, Harris, as vp, has supported Biden’s policies consistently. She is married to them. They are hers as well as his.

Rising prices and rising interest rates have destroyed the fiction that inflation is “transient.” Yesterday’s employment report demolished the administration’s fiction regarding that area. Also, yesterday, the stock market crashed, which is a harbinger of tougher times ahead.

Many people are having trouble putting food on the table, putting gas in their cars, or finding an affordable place to live. The ME is about to explode. Israel is already fighting Hamas and Hezbollah in a two-front war, and Iran is threatening to broaden that into a regional conflict. Russia’s war with Ukraine is threatening to escalate. China is ready to pounce on Taiwan. And North Korea is, well, North Korea.

And, Biden-Harris, or is it Harris-Biden (forgive me if I get confused, but then again so do they) has not said or done anything about any of them. Neither of them is to be found. Harris is on her “honeymoon,” and Biden is probably sleeping comfortably somewhere.

Biden-Harris’ economic policies will likely result in a recession, maybe a deep one. Their open border policies have allowed some 20 million illegal immigrants to enter our country, mostly unvetted. If even 1% of them are terrorists, criminals, or ne’er do wells we have 200,000 such people loose in the country. Biden-Harris’ weakness abroad has emboldened our enemies and distressed our allies.

Let’s not forget, Biden is still the president, albeit in name only. Basically, he has “checked out,” and Harris not taken charge yet. She’s busy campaigning. She has not even given an open press conference in which she will have to answer questions from the media. I’m not counting the softball, creampuff interviews with handpicked journalists. I mean a real press conference with media that will push her on the issues. Biden has not even issued his famous, ineffectual warning to our enemies – “don’t.” If that was meant to deter our enemies, it hasn’t and never will.

Who’s calling the shots? Who’s running the show. To paraphrase Abbott and Costello – “Who’s on first?”

CONCLUSION

The US is in a dire situation. Our enemies sense weakness and indecisiveness. They smell blood. We are vulnerable, and they know it. In fact, we are as weak and vulnerable as we have ever been in my lifetime, and Biden-Harris seem oblivious to all of it. They are focused on DEI and pronouns. They treat illegal aliens better than citizens. They have shown they will do anything to get elected, even pander to the far left and socialist elements that hate America and have seized control of the Dem Party.

And yet, despite the foregoing the 2024 presidential election is in a virtual dead heat. Millions of people are either uncaring, ignorant or oblivious. Others favor Trump’s policies over Biden-Harris’, but they have such irrational hatred for Trump that they will vote Dem anyway, even though it is against their and their children’s self-interest. Go figure.

I don’t get it. I just don’t get it.

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