Author: webuiltitblog

This year, Veterans Day will be celebrated on Friday, November 11.  The holiday is always celebrated on the same date unless it falls on a Sunday, in which case it is celebrated on Monday, November 12.  This is a day on which we celebrate our living veterans as opposed to Memorial Day, which is reserved for those who gave their lives for our country.

Many cities will hold parades. Who doesn’t love a parade? The largest parade will be in NYC (where else?), which will be returning for its 103rd year. Some 200,000 participants are expected.

Federal offices will be closed, but state and local offices and other businesses may remain open.  There will be no mail; most banks and schools will be closed; but the financial markets will be open.  Many restaurants and golf courses offer special deals for veterans. 

Many of you have requested a quiz.  So, here it is, and in honor of Veterans Day it has a military theme. Good luck and no peeking at the internet. No consulting “Alexa” or “Siri.”

1. Who was the US president during the first war against the Barbary Pirates? (a) George Washington, (b) John Adams, (c) Thomas Jefferson, (d James Monroe

2. The WWI battle that inspired the poem “In Flanders Field” took place in (a) Ardennes, (b) Charleroi, (c) Gallipoli, (d) Ypres

3. Each of the following presidents had been renowned generals, EXCEPT: a) Teddy Roosevelt, (b) Andrew Jackson, (c) Zachary Taylor, (d) Franklyn Pierce

4. “Pickett’s Charge” was the turning point of what Civil War battle? (a) Bull Run, (b) Manassas, (c) Gettysburg, (d) Fredericksburg

5. The “Shot Heard ‘Round the World” refers to which Revolutionary War battle? (a) Boston, (b) Lexington, (c) Concord, (d) NY

6. Tripoli, the stronghold of the Barbary Pirates, was located in what present-day country? (a) Libya, (b) Algeria, (c) Tunisia, (d)Egypt

7. The Alamo is located in which city? (a) Houston, (b) San Antonio, (c) Austin, (d) Galveston

8. The US fought the Gulf War against (a) Iran, (b) Syria, (c) Kuwait, (d) Iraq

9. Who said “Damn the torpedoes; full speed ahead.” (a) David Farragut, (b) John Paul Jones, (c) Ethan Allen, (d) Jonathan Eli

10. Which war resulted in the highest number of casualties? (a) WWI, (b) WWII, (c) Korean War, (d) Civil War

11. Fort Sumter is located in which state? (a) North Carolina, (b) South Carolina, (c) Georgia, (d) Alabama

12. Custer’s Last Stand took place in which modern-day state? (a) North Dakota, (b) South Dakota, (c) Montana, (d) Idaho

13. Each of the following was a WWII battle in the Pacific theatre, EXCEPT (a) El Alamein, (b) Guadalcanal, (c) Okinawa, (d) Midway

14. Who was the US President during WWI? (a) Teddy Roosevelt, (b) Woodrow Wilson, (c) William Howard Taft, (d) Warren Harding

15. When General Douglas MacArthur said “I shall return,” to which country was he referring? (a) Australia, (b) New Guinea, (c) Guam, (d) Philippines

16. The Korean War began in (1) 1949, (b) 1950, (c) 1951, (d) 1952

17. Who was president during the Spanish-American War? (a) Grover Cleveland, (b) James Garfield, (c) Rutherford B. Hayes, (d) William McKinley

18. Where is Mt. Suribachi? (a) Iwo Jima, (b) Okinawa, (c) Tarawa, (d) Japan

19. Where is Vicksburg? (a) Alabama, (b) Louisiana, (c) Missouri, (d) Mississippi

20. When was the Veterans Administration founded? (a) 1870, (b) 1930, (c) 1950, (d) 1972

ANSWERS: 1. c; 2. d; 3. a; 4. c; 5. c; 6. a; 7. b; 8. d; 9. a; 10. d; (more than all the other wars combined. 11. b; 12. c; 13. a; 14. b; 15. d; 16. b; 17. d. 18. a; 19. d; 20. b.

Well, there you have it. Tell me how you did, well or (as my grandson used to say) “not so good.”

Finally, something both political parties are in agreement on. In my experience, they rarely, if ever, agree on anything, (It is said that if the sun were shining one party would insist that it is nighttime.), however, both agree that next week’s election will be critical for the future of America. Each has stated repeatedly that this election will decide what kind of America we will leave for our children and grandchildren. Each has maintained only they are equipped to lead us forward, and that a victory for the other side will result in the destruction of our way of life. (Politicians love hyperbole.)

On October 22 I published the blog “Red Wave,” which explained, in my view, the current status of our country and the reasons why, I believe, the GOP would crush the Dems in a “red wave” on ED. My opinion has not changed. If anything, it has been reinforced. All the momentum is with the GOP.

It seems very likely that the GOP will attain a majority in the House. The only question is how decisive will their victory be. (Bye-bye Nancy!) The Senate is more uncertain. We all know that, historically, polls have not always been reliable, but as I write this, the most current Trafalgar and Inside Advisor polls have identified several races that are either tied or within the margin of error. They include, for example, the Senate races in AZ, GA, NH, PA NV, NC, OH, and possibly CO and WA, and the governor’s races in AZ, MI, and NY. Most significantly, in all of the above cases the GOP has the momentum, which does not augur well for the Dems.

As we know, the GOP only needs a net gain of one seat to control the Senate. GOP supporters are very optimistic. For instance, former Speaker Newt Gingrich has predicted a net gain of 40 or more seats in the house and two or more in the Senate.

Dems are putting on a brave face, but the signs indicate they fear disaster is looming. Suddenly, we are seeing the “big guns,” notably former presidents Obama and Clinton, and “bad penny” Hillary crisscrossing the country in an 11th hour attempt to rally the base. Even President Biden has rousted himself from his bunker to lend a hand. Keep in mind, this is the same Biden who is so unpopular among the electorate that heretofore no candidate wanted him within a country mile of their campaign.

This strikes me as a sign of desperation. The Dems are especially panicking in NY. A few months ago the governor’s race seemed like a “lock.” Hochul was up over 20 points on Zeldin. But, Hochul, who has been running one of the worst campaigns in recent memory, has squandered that lead. The psychological impact of losing the governorship of solid blue NY, where registered Dems outnumber registered GOPers about 2:1, would be devastating to them, and they know it. Hence, we see the deployment of the “big dogs.”

CONCLUSION

As I have said, I believe that the so-called “red wave” is primarily attributable to the fact that the overwhelming majority of voters are worse off today than they were when Biden took office, and despite the Dems’ efforts to “spin” they know what they see and feel. They see it whenever they buy food or gas or clothes or pay for healthcare or pay the rent or mortgage. They see it when they get their financial statements with a diminished 401K or IRA balance. They feel unsafe due to rampant and random crime and an insecure border. They feel uneasy by the aggressiveness of our enemies, such as Russia, China and Iran, who are taking advantage of Biden’s weakness.

Worst of all, the Dems seem to be tone-deaf. They seem out of touch with the American public. They are focused on January 6, climate change, abortion and Donald Trump rather than the those issues that are most critical to most voters. They claim the border is “secure.” They claim inflation is “transitory” or non-existent. They blame high gas prices on Putin, or Trump, or the GOP. They deny the existence of soaring crime. They appear more sympathetic to the needs of illegal aliens rather than their own citizens. In summary, how can they solve the above problems when they won’t even acknowledge they exist?

In their desperation Dems and their supporters have resorted to insults, scare tactics and transparent lies. For example, the ladies on The View, always good for an inane quote or two, have characterized suburban women who vote for the GOP as “roaches.” (Let’s see, GOP supporters have been labeled as “undesirables,” “terrorists,” “racists,” “traitors,” “Nazis,” and now “roaches.” What’s next?) Longtime, Dem Representative Henry Cuellar predicted that if the GOP were to win America would devolve into “Nazi Germany” of the 1930s and 1940s. How insulting and inflammatory is that? Imagine if a GOP politician said that? Other Dems have stated that the GOP wants to end social security and Medicare. That is as transparent a lie as I have ever heard. No sane voter would believe that. No politician has ever or will ever advocate that. It would be political suicide. That just speaks to the level of Dem desperation.

To sum up, Americans are afraid. They don’t feel safe physically, economically, or socially. They perceive that the “American Dream” is slipping away, and their country is deteriorating before their very eyes. They worry what America their children and grandchildren will inherit. They want a change. They want to return to the America they knew. Luckily, in America we have the means to effect change. It’s called an election. On November 8 I expect voters will take the first step toward change. I expect a “red wave.”

My friend and loyal reader, Sonny, sent me most of the following sayings by famous people. I have supplemented it with the results of my own research. I found them amusing, but also containing an element of truth. I thought they would constitute a nice change of pace from the usual blogs I distribute. At the very least, at this time we could all use a little humor in our lives. 1. ” In my many years I have come to a conclusion that one useless man is a shame, two is a law firm, and three or more is a congress.” — John Adams 2. “If you don’t read the newspaper you are uninformed; if you do read the newspaper you are misinformed.” — Mark Twain 3. “Suppose you were an idiot, and suppose you were a member of Congress. But, then I repeat myself.” — Mark Twain 4. “I contend that for a nation to try to tax itself into prosperity is like a man standing in a bucket and trying to lift himself up by the handle.” — Winston Churchill 5. “A government which robs Peter to pay Paul can always depend on the support of Paul.” — George Bernard Shaw 6. “A liberal is someone who feels a great debt to his fellow man, which debt he proposes to pay off with your money. ” —  G Gordon Liddy 7. “Foreign aid might be defined as a transfer of money from poor people in rich countries to rich people in poor countries.” — Douglas Case, Classmate of Bill Clinton at Georgetown University. 8. “Government is the great fiction, through which everybody endeavors to live at the expense of everybody else.” — Frederic Bastiat, French economist (1801-1850). 9. “Government’s view of the economy could be summed up in a few short phrases: If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it.” (One of my favorites.) — Ronald Reagan (1986). 10. “I don’t make jokes. I just watch the government and report the facts.” — Will Rogers 11. “In general, the art of government consists of taking as much money as possible from one party of the citizens to give to the other.” — Voltaire (1764) 12. “Talk is cheap, except when Congress does it.” — Anonymous 13. “The government is like a baby’s alimentary canal, with a happy appetite at one end and no responsibility at the other.” — Ronald Reagan 14. “The only difference between a tax man and a taxidermist is that the taxidermist leaves the skin.” — Mark Twain 15. “A government big enough to give you everything you want, is strong enough to take everything you have.” — Thomas Jefferson 16. “The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.” — Nelson Mandela 17. “Life is what happens when you’re busy making other plans.” — John Lennon 18. “You cannot legislate the poor into prosperity, by legislating the wealthy out of prosperity.” — Anonymous 19. “What one person receives without working for, another person must work for without receiving.” — Anonymous 20. “The government cannot give to anybody anything that the government does not first take from somebody else.” — Anonymous 21. “You cannot multiply wealth by dividing it.” — Anonymous 22. “When half of the people get the idea that they do not have to work, because the other half is going to take care of them, and when the other half gets the idea that it does no good to work, because somebody else is going to get what they work for, that is the beginning of the end of any nation!” — Anonymous 23. “Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.” — Benjamin Franklin 24. “Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson 25. “You will face many defeats in life, but never let yourself be defeated.” –Maya Angelou 26. “The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.” –– Nelson Mandela 27. “In the end, it’s not the years in your life that count. It’s the life in your years.” –– Abraham Lincoln 28. “Never let the fear of striking out keep you from playing the game.” — Babe Ruth 29. “Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all.” — Helen Keller 30. “Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.” — Thomas A. Edison

CONCLUSION

I hope you enjoyed the foregoing. If so, there are plenty more.

On Monday, October 31, many of us will celebrate Halloween. We will dress up in costumes and attend parties. Children will go door-to-door “trick or treating.” Of course, some will use the holiday as an excuse to create mischief or even mayhem, but for most of us it will be a day of fun and games and an opportunity to gorge ourselves on candy. But, few, if any, of us will bother to stop and think about the origins of the holiday. When and where did it begin? How did it evolve? Why do we dress up in costumes? Why do we go “trick or treating?” Glad you asked. Read on.

The origin of Halloween is a Celtic holiday dedicated to the dead. Although the Celts were interspersed in many areas of Europe, they were concentrated in what is now, England, Ireland and Scotland. The Celts divided the year into four sections, each of which was marked by a major holiday. The beginning of the winter season was November 1, which was celebrated by a festival called “Samhein,” pronounced “Sah-ween,” which means “end of summer” in old Irish. The word “Halloween” can be traced back as far as 1745. It means “hallowed evening” or “holy evening.” It is derived from a Scottish term for “All Hallows Eve,” the evening before “All Hallows Day,” aka “All Saints Day.” Over time, the word “evening” was contracted to “e’en,” thus Halloween.

The Celts were a pagan people and very superstitious. They believed that the ghosts of those who had died during the year had not yet completed their journey to the “otherworld,” and at Samhein they were able to mingle with the living. Accordingly, to placate these ghosts and other spirits the Celts offered sacrifices and lit bonfires to aid them on their journey. It has been suggested that the origin of wearing costumes was to disguise oneself from any lost soul that might be seeking vengeance on the living before moving on the next world. Some, believing that the souls of those who had died recently were still wandering in a sort of purgatory, set a place for them at dinner. Many of these ancient traditions have persisted to this day in some locales.

In 601 Pope Gregory I issued an edict, the gist of which was that missionaries were to combine Christian holidays and festivals with existing pagan holidays and festivals and, hopefully, eventually supersede them. The ultimate objective was to foster the conversion of pagans to Christianity. As a result, All Saints Day, aka All Hallows Day, was moved to November 1 to coincide with Samhein.

By the end of the 12th century other Halloween traditions had developed. For example, the clergy would ring church bells for the souls stuck in purgatory; and “criers,” dressed in black, would parade through towns reminding the citizens to remember these poor souls. In about the 15th century people began to bake “soul cakes,” which are small round cakes, a practice called “souling,” which is believed to be a forerunner of “trick or treating.” Poor people would go door-to-door and collect these cakes in exchange for saying prayers for the dead. Interestingly, Shakespeare mentioned “souling” in “The Two Gentlemen of Varona” in 1593. Over time, celebrations of All Hallows Day began to include additional customs, such as “trick or treating,” lighting bonfires, attending costume parties, carving “jack-o’-lanterns, apple “bobbing,” and attending church services.

As mentioned above, it is believed that the practice of “trick-or-treating” was derived from “souling” or “mumming,” which is going house-to-house in disguise singing songs in exchange for food. This was believed to have originated in Scotland and Wales in the 16th century. Sometimes people would paint their faces and threaten mischief if they were not welcomed. This evolved into the customs of wearing costumes and playing pranks. Nocturnal pranksters needed illumination, hence the development of jack-o-lanterns. In England, people would fashion them out of turnips or mangel wurzels, which are large, thick roots suitable for carving. In America, pumpkins were used, because they were plentiful and better suited for carving anyway. Jack-o-lanterns are believed to frighten evil spirits. In France, people believed that the dead buried in cemeteries would rise up and participate in a wild carnival-like celebration known as the “Danse Macabre,” or “Dance of Death.”

“Trick or treating,” as such, is a relatively modern development. As I said, it is believed to have evolved from “souling” or “mumming.” The earliest mention of it in print was in 1927, and it did not become widespread until the 1930s in the US. Also, costuming has evolved. Popular fictional characters have been added to the traditional skeletons, ghosts and ghouls. Basically, now, anything goes. As I said celebrating the day is no longer exclusively limited to children. Many adults also wear costumes and attend Halloween parties.

CONCLUSION

At the present time, Halloween, like other holidays, has become highly commercialized. Selling costumes and other related paraphernalia has become big business. Several movie franchises, such as Halloween and Friday the 13th have become very popular, especially at this time of the year. The actress, Jamie Lee Curtis has made a career of starring in seven Halloween movies over the years beginning in 1978.

The original religious significance of the holiday has been eclipsed and forgotten by most people. Yes, some people still attend church, but many more attend parties. Many if not most people, especially children, know Halloween merely as a day to dress in costumes and go “trick or treating.” We do love our candy. Speaking of which, special kudos to my grandkids who, aware of my fondness for Snickers, remember to save a bar for me every year.

In the last few years, the “PC Police” have inserted themselves into the holiday. Some of them have maintained that certain costumes are “racist” and should be avoided. I think we can all agree that a Caucasian should not dress up in “blackface.” But, the PC Police go much further. They also disapprove of any costumes that could be perceived by anyone as mocking or derogatory. Some examples would likely include Disney’s Moana, Aztec Indians, Tom Thumb, or Pancho Villa, which, in their minds, could be objectionable to Polynesians, Indigenous People, short people (or should I say “vertically challenged?” I have trouble keeping up with all the PC buzzwords.), or Hispanics, respectively. I say, if your five year-old loves Moana and wants to dress up like her, go for it. Is that really being insensitive or racist? Really? Do the people who are marketing Moana costumes really expect to sell them only to Polynesians? I think not! To me, these objections are just another example of some people who want to dictate to others how to act and live.

Hopefully, after reading this blog you will have gained some knowledge of and perspective as to the origin and meaning of the holiday. Enjoy, and stay safe!

There is a “red wave” coming, and, in my mind, it is long overdue. To be clear, by “red wave” I’m not referring to a Russian invasion. I’m referring to the GOP winning on Election Day big-time.

Predicting election results has always been unreliable. In politics, it is axiomatic that the only “poll” that matters is on election day. Polls can be misleading for a variety of reasons even with modern models and polling techniques. (See Truman over Dewey in 1948 and Trump over Clinton in 2016.) I have discussed the reasons for this in previous blogs, and time and space preclude me from repeating them now.

That said, in handicapping off-year election results there are certain historical factors that have proven to be reliable indicators. According to John Woolley, professor of political science at UC Santa Barbara and Co-Director of The American Presidency Project website, one historical fact is that in the 22 most recent midterm elections from 1934-2018 the President’s party has lost, on average, 28 House seats and four Senate seats. In 2022 the Dems have a nine-seat majority in the House, and the Senate is dead even at 50-50. So, if the historical averages hold, the GOP is likely to gain majorities in both chambers.

More bad news for the Dems. Historically, the two most reliable correlations have been (1) the personal popularity of the president and (2) the number of incumbent seats the party in power has to defend. In essence, the midterms have normally amounted to a referendum on the president’s performance.

As we all know, all the polls have been reporting that Biden’s approval rating has been historically low (in the low 40s%). Furthermore, according to a conglomeration of the latest polls, including RCP, Reuters and Emerson, among others, some 2/3 of voters are of the opinion that under Biden’s leadership the country is “headed in the wrong direction.” In the last six occasions where the president’s approval ratings were as poor as Biden’s the average loss of seats was four in the Senate and 36 in the House. There were no instances in which the president’s party gained seats in the House. In addition, the latest generic ballot poll gives the GOP a 50-45% edge.

In 2022 the Dems are defending 222 seats in the House and 14 of the 34 being contested in the Senate. Although the GOP is defending more Senate seats, as you will see below, the Dems are defending more vulnerable seats.

According to most polls in 2022 the most significant issues are the economy, energy, inflation, the southern border and crime. To be sure, there are others, such as abortion and healthcare, but those are the most important to most people. Bad news for the Dems – their performance on all of those has been dismal. Inflation is at a 40 year high; gas at the pump is more than twice what it was when Biden took office; energy costs are historically high and we are relying on other countries that don’t like us to provide it; we are facing a home heating shortage this winter; the southern border is virtually non-existent; and crime is running rampant. Moreover, we are reminded of these issues every day in the news and on tv. The mainstream media has no longer been able to suppress these stories.

Back to the Senate. There are several seats that are up for grabs notably AZ, GA, NV, OH, PA, and WIS. Earlier in the year the Dems had the lead in virtually all of them. As I write this, the situation has flip-flopped. Now the GOP has closed the gap in all of these races and is leading in some of them. As I write this, RealClearPolitics’ latest survey predicts the GOP will “flip” seats in AZ, G, and NV. In AZ Dem Mark Kelley’s once comfortable lead over GOP Blake Masters has shrunken to a mere 2 1/2 points, a virtual toss-up. Moreover, Masters has the momentum. In GA, and PA Walker and OZ have closed the gaps on Warnock and Fetterman, respectively, and those races are each now in a virtual dead heat. In the GA contest there is a strong possibility that neither Walker nor Warnock will garner 50% of the vote. That would require a run-off, which would give a decisive edge to Walker. In NV GOP Adam Laxalt has a narrow lead over Catherine Masto. In WIS GOP incumbent Ron Johnson has opened up a sizeable six point lead over Dem Mandela Barnes. In OH Dem Tim Ryan holds a small lead over GOP J. D. Vance. It should be noted that in each of the above races the GOP candidate has the momentum, so on ED the GOP could win them all.

The GOP is even making inroads in solidly-blue NY where 46% of the registered voters are Dem compared to 24% GOP. Newsday predicts that the GOP will win “several” House, State Senate and State Assembly seats. According to House Republican chair, Elise Stefanik, the GOP “could have [as many as] 15 Republicans in Congress from NY.” Even better, in the governor’s race Kathy Hochul’s once-sizeable lead over GOP Lee Zeldin has disappeared. According to Newsday the race is now in a dead-heat with Zeldin having all the momentum. He is riding the anti-crime wave and has broad support among whites and Hispanics, GOP and independents, men and women, upstate and downstate. He even has 36% support in NYC where generally GOP candidates only need about 30% to win a statewide election. If Zeldin were to win he would be the first NY GOP governor since 2000.

CONCLUSION

I believe that the so-called “red wave” is primarily attributable to the fact that the overwhelming majority of voters are worse off today than they were when Biden took office, and despite the Dems’ efforts to “spin” they know what they see and feel. They see it whenever they buy food or gas or clothes or pay for healthcare or pay the rent or mortgage. They see it when they get their financial statements with a diminished 401K or IRA balance. They feel unsafe due to rampant and random crime and an insecure border. They feel uneasy by the aggressiveness of our enemies, such as Russia, China and Iran, who are taking advantage of Biden’s weakness.

Worst of all, the Dems seem to be tone-deaf. They seem out of touch with reality. They are focused on climate change, abortion and Donald Trump rather than the those issues that are most critical to most voters. They claim the border is “secure.” They claim inflation is “transitory” or non-existent. They blame high gas prices on Putin, or Trump, or the GOP. They deny the existence of soaring crime. They appear more sympathetic to the needs of illegal aliens rather than their own citizens. In summary, how can they solve the above problems when they won’t even acknowledge they exist?

To sum up, Americans are afraid. They don’t feel safe physically, economically, or socially. They perceive that the “American Dream” is slipping away, and their country is deteriorating before their very eyes. They worry what America their children and grandchildren will inherit. They want a change. They want to return to the America they knew. Luckily, in America we have the means to effect change. It’s called an election. On November 8 I expect voters will take the first step toward change. I expect a “red wave.”

Most politicians and political observers believe that the 2022 elections will be crucial in determining the direction of the country for the next several years – politically, economically and socially. In my opinion, it is likely that the GOP will gain control of the House, but control of the Senate is up for grabs. Currently, the count is 50-50 with VP Harris able to cast the deciding vote, if necessary. Control of the Senate is crucial for a number of reasons, such as determining the chairmanship of various committees that will shape legislation and deciding whether or not to hold hearings and conduct investigations with respect to certain matters.

As I write this, there are a small handful of Senate races that are too close to call. These races are critical to both parties for the above reasons. One such race is the contest in Georgia between Raphael Warnock, the Democrat incumbent, who won a special election in 2020, and Herschel Walker, the GOP challenger. There are several others, such as AZ, NV, WI, PA and O, among others, but this blog will focus on Georgia. As I write this, the latest polls show Warnock with a 3-4% lead, well within the margin of error. We can debate the validity of this poll and polls, in general, but that is not the focus of this blog. My point is why is Warnock leading at all? How anyone who is cognizant of his past comments and political positions could possibly vote for him is a big mystery to me. Perhaps, his supporters are unaware of how radical he is. Perhaps, the biased media has covered up or ignored his past. Therefore, as a public service I will provide the information. Then, voters can decide for themselves.

1. Warnock has been a virtual “rubber stamp” of President Biden’s policies. He has voted in support of Biden 96% of the time. Since Biden’s approval rating in GA is a mere 33% this, alone, should disqualify him. But, there more, much more.
2. Warnock is on the “wrong side” of all the issues that voters care most about in this election.
3. He opposes cash bail.
4. He is “soft” on crime, for instance, he favors defunding the police and has characterized them as “thugs.”
5. He favors open borders.
6. He opposes energy independence.
7. He favors no restrictions on abortion, even up to the moment of birth.
8. He wants to eliminate the filibuster.
9. He has made various anti-Israel and anti-Semitic comments. He has been a supporter of Louis Farrakhan , Reverend Wright and Fidel Castro.
10. He was actually arrested for obstructing an investigation of child abuse at a church summer camp he ran.
11. He has failed to keep up with child support payments.
12. He has a violent past. For instance, he once ran over his ex-wife’s foot with his car.

CONCLUSION

As I said, many, if not most Georgians are probably unaware of the foregoing. Instead, they have been bombarded with the story of Walker allegedly paying for his girlfriend’s abortion. Notice, I said “allegedly.” It has not been proven. It could very likely be more Dem disinformation to distract voters from the more serious issues. This is what Dems always do, and unfortunately it often works. However, I maintain that even if true it pales beside the foregoing.

Georgians should focus on what’s important and avoid being distracted. The key questions are (1) are you better off today than you were two years ago, (2) do you want six more years of the same, and (3) do you want to be represented by the man described above – a Biden “rubber stamp,” a bigot, and a person prone to violence? If you are thinking clearly and logically the answer should be a resounding NO!

Election Day is fast approaching. How do I know that? Not by looking at the calendar. Anyone can do that. No, I know ED is approaching because the Dems have been changing their positions on the issues in order to get elected or re-elected. They know they are on the wrong side of the key issues such as inflation, the economy, immigration, the border and crime They do this every election cycle, betting that the public has a “short” memory and will forget what they have done and said for the past 20 months or so. Unfortunately, this tactic seems to work to a large extent.

For example:

1. Recession? What recession? We must no longer define a recession by two consecutive quarters of negative growth as we all learned in school. Instead, the Dems are using some gobbledygook definition that no one understands to “prove” that the economy is doing just fine.

2. Inflation? They harp on the fact that the rate is coming down from 8.6% to 8.3% to “prove” that inflation is under control. (Remember how they all insisted inflation was “transient? That was a “good one.”) They maintain, we’ve turned the corner. Ignore the higher prices for everything from groceries to clothes to rent to gas at the pump. Don’t worry about being able to afford to heat your home this winter. Ignore the fact that the rate of inflation is the highest it’s been in over 40 years. Also, don’t be fooled by the recent decrease in the price of gas at the pump. That just pre-election misdirection. I predict that the price will go right back up after ED.

3. The financial markets cratering, setting new lows for 2022 and wreaking havoc with your retirement plans? Nah, don’t be concerned. It’s just a temporary setback. Biden and the Dems have it all figured out. It will all be okay. We all have to sacrifice for the general good. And, yes, we are all definitively sacrificing. On January 20, 2020 when Biden was inaugurated the Dow was 32,977. Wednesday, it closed at 29,226. That is a decrease of 11.4%. That means that if your 401k was worth $10,000 on 1/20/20 it is now worth only $8,860. Furthermore, thanks to inflation that $8,860 will buy you considerably less goods and services. More on this later.

4. Open borders? Nah. Pay no attention to what you see on tv or read in the news. The border is “secure.” VP Kamala Harris, the border czar, tells us so, and she “knows” even though she has never been to the “real” border, and probably can’t even find it on a map.

5. Crime? What crime? The riots in various cities last year? Just peaceful demonstrations. The real destruction took place on January 6 in DC. Ignore the crimes you see on tv news daily. Never mind the poor woman who was severely beaten on tv by a homeless man who should have been in jail for prior crimes. Everybody “knows” the cities are safe. Are you going to believe what the Dems tell you or what you see with your own eyes or, God forbid, what you may have experienced firsthand as a victim.

6. Defund the police? That was not me, they now say. That was the GOP.

7. Joe and Hunter Biden’s nefarious deals with China and Russia? Fake news. Nothing to see here.

8. Where is the “squad,” aka “The Four Horsewomen of the Apocalypse?” Keeping a very low profile, that’s where. I haven’t heard one of their inane comments in quite a while. But, don’t worry. They’re just “laying low” for now. Everyone knows their comments and opinions are ultra-radical and damaging to mainstream Dems. After the election they will be back.

There are several close, pivotal Senate races that will determine control of the Senate. At the moment it is split evenly – 50 GOP, 48 Dem and two independents who caucus with the Dems. With VP Harris casting any tiebreaking vote that means that the Dems have control. I will highlight three races where I believe a biased media has suppressed or downplayed certain facts to deceive the voting public. This is not unprecedented. Prior to the 2020 election the media successfully suppressed the stories regarding Hunter Biden’s laptop and the Biden family’s nefarious dealings with China. The facts only began leaking out after ED.

1. Georgia Senate Race – Ralph Warnock vs. Herschel Walker. The latest polls show Warnock ahead by four-six points. In my view, Warnock is quite possibly the most radical senator. According to the Washington Examiner, Fox News, and other media outlets he is an unabashed supporter of both radical anti-Semite, Louis Farrakhan and his “Nation of Islam” and Reverend Jeremiah Wright. Additionally, on several occasions he has expressed “warm feelings” for Fidel Castro . Moreover, he is anti-Israel, and he has repeatedly blamed the Jews for the “transatlantic slave trade, plantation slavery, and Jim Crow [laws],” among other things. I don’t know how he got elected in the first place, (actually, I do know. The media suppressed all of the above, and his opponent ran a poor race.) In any event, he is an embarrassment to the Senate and does not deserve the vote of any decent, fair-minded American. I think if voters were aware of all the foregoing Walker would win easily.

2. Pennsylvania Senate Race – Mehmet Oz vs. John Fetterman. The latest Fox poll shows Fetterman ahead by four points. You can vote for Fetterman if you want, but you should be aware that he has severe health issues (stroke) and is on the “wrong side” of the issues Americans care most about. For instance, according to The Hill he is “soft” on crime; he opposes capital punishment and life imprisonment for second degree murder; he has long opposed fracking, a key industry for PA [but now with the election looming, he claims he is for it, (just the kind of flip-flop I was talking about)]; he favors a “wealth tax;” and universal Medicare; and he is an avid supporter of BLM. The media has kept most of these unpopular positions quiet, and JF has resisted debating Oz. Once again, I think if the voting public were aware of the foregoing Oz would win a close race.

3. Arizona Senate Race – Mark Kelley vs. Blake Masters. The latest polls show Kelley ahead by double digits. At this point, Masters is a long shot. But, once again, many if not most voters are unaware of Kelley’s record. For example, he has consistently supported Joe Biden, whose current approval rating according to the latest Reuters/Ipsos Poll, is only 41%. This includes his destructive policies on immigration and open borders. This is in opposition to most Arizonans who, like all residents of border states, are bearing the brunt of Biden’s upside down immigration policy, strongly disapprove of it, and want it changed. If voters were aware of this I believe many of them would vote for Masters, and he might pull an upset.

CONCLUSION

Economists know that inflation is the most insidious and destructive economic and financial force there is. Once it grabs hold of a country’s economy it is very tenacious. Defeating it can be very painful. If left unchecked, money can literally become worthless. Runaway inflation can and has destroyed countries. Historians will recall post-WWI Germany where runaway inflation did just that. Most historians believe it led directly to the rise of Hitler and WWII. More recently, we have the dire economic situation in Venezuela. I believe Biden’s policies have directly caused the inflation we are now enduring. I’m afraid that our economy is presently at a tipping point, and the 2022 and 2024 elections will be critical to our economic and financial survival.

As I said, don’t be fooled by the Dems’ tactics. Look at what they have accomplished (or not accomplished) in the past two years. I can’t think of one positive accomplishment. Can you?

The Dems have nothing positive to run on. Consequently, Biden, Harris and many of their supporters have been labeling anyone who opposes their policies as “anti-American,” a “Nazi” or a “racist.” According to this rhetoric roughly half of Americans, including yours truly, (some 70 million people in all) are racists. Of course, that is absurd on its face. How many racists have you encountered in your life? Probably, none. One can argue that racism was not uncommon in the past, but in this day and age there are very, very few racists. I, for one, am not a racist and, furthermore, I have never even met any as far as I know.

By contrast President Biden has, by his own admission, not only met many but has counted them among his mentors and friends (e. g. late senators, Robert Byrd, James Eastland and John Stennis and late governors George Wallace and Lester Maddox, among many others). I am not saying Biden is a racist, at least not presently. You can draw your own conclusions. I’m just saying one should not cast aspersions recklessly that are not supported by the facts, especially if one is in a position of power and influence.

A final point. It’s really very simple. The Dems have been in control of the presidency and both houses of Congress for the past two years. When deciding for whom to vote ask yourself the following timeworn question: “Are you better off today than you were two years ago?” If the answer is “yes,” then vote for the Dems. (If the answer is “yes,” perhaps, you should reassess your situation.) However, if the answer is “no,” then vote for the GOP.

The hypocrisy of woke, ivory tower, liberal Dems (“WITLDs”) knows no bounds. I have discussed several examples of this hypocrisy in my blogs over the last few years, and I see no need to waste your time and mine by regurgitating the myriad examples at this time. However, the latest example involving illegal aliens, or if you prefer, undocumented migrants, ranks right up there with the best (or worst) of them.

In the last several days the WITLDs have shown their true colors regarding this issue. Their hypocrisy has been laid bare for all to see. Witness the excessive and extreme objections of the politicians and citizens of NYC, LA, Chicago, Washington, D. C. and the topper, the icing on the cake, Martha’s Vineyard as overwhelmed states such as FL, TX and AZ have begun to bus small numbers of migrants to the foregoing locales. More on this below.

The WITLDs of these liberal bastions have long been loud and unrelenting advocates for the migrants. In my view, they care about them than about everyday American citizens. They have been preaching to the rest of us that massive, unfettered immigration was a key element of social justice, and anyone who raised any objection was a “racist.” Many of the cities they control have declared themselves to be “sanctuary cities.” They have continually bragged about their largesse, their generosity, their willingness to welcome anyone who wants to emigrate to the US, and their moral superiority over the rest of us. But, now, they have been “hoisted on their own petard.” Now, when faced with the reality of migrants seeking to live in their city they have changed their tune. Their new mantra is “not in my neighborhood.” They still support unrestricted immigration, but “not in my neighborhood.” They lecture the rest of us that to deny acceptance of migrants is racist, but don’t put them in “my neighborhood.” They support free housing, medical care, and a host of other services, but “not in my neighborhood.” Their attitude is “okay for thee, but not for me.” I absolutely love the irony!

From the beginning the Biden Administration has maintained an open border policy. No one knows how many migrants have entered the country since Biden took office. We don’t know where they came from, where they settled, and what their motives are. Was it political asylum as many have claimed or some nefarious activity such as terrorism, drug smuggling, or human trafficking? In many cases, we don’t even know their identities. The NY Post has estimated the number to be upwards of four million, but that is only a guess. Furthermore, it only counts the ones we know about, not the ones who have snuck in. This open border policy has directly caused the deaths of many migrants through accidental drowning in the Rio Grande and violence by the “coyotes.” Even worse, according to the CDC, since 1999 drugs, a goodly amount of which have been smuggled over the non-existent southern border, have been directly responsible for the deaths of nearly one million Americans, many of them mere children. Biden’s immigration policy is literally killing us!

Not only has the Biden Administration encouraged and permitted everyone to emigrate, it has ignored the financial, economic, social and security crises that such a policy has caused and perpetuated. Indeed, to this very day, it has denied even the existence of a crisis much less implemented a policy to resolve it. Additionally, for months, it has authorized the surreptitious shipment of tens of thousands of migrants all over the country in the dead of night without notice. (At first, they denied this, but video evidence has surfaced.) There has been no notice to or coordination with local officials. The migrants have just shown up. Of course, most of these destinations are small cities, such as White Plains, NY, that lack the infrastructure to care for them. In my opinion, this policy constitutes “human trafficking.”

Various Dem politicians, mayors and city officials of NYC, LA, Chicago and Washington D.C., among others, and WITLDs in the media, who have long championed unfettered immigration as long as the migrants were settled somewhere else, are complaining strenuously about a few busloads of migrants. For example, as reported in the NY Post, Chicago mayor Lori Lightfoot promptly dispatched a busload from Chicago to the suburbs. DC mayor Muriel Bowser grossly overreacted. She complained that DC was not a “border town,” declared a state of emergency, and called out the National Guard. (If only she had acted this decisively on January 6.) Hillary Clinton, who can always be relied upon for a partisan and inane quote, characterized the bus shipments as “human trafficking” and accused Governor DeSantis of the same. Hillary, how about the aforementioned Biden Administration’s surreptitious night flights over the last several several months? They’re not human trafficking? Please!

Then, there’s the WITLD bastion of Martha’s Vineyard whose officials and residents went ballistic over a mere 50 migrants. Well boo-hoo! How about the tiny border town of Del Rio, TX, population of 36,000, which according to Google has been inundated by approximately 1,100 migrants every day, day after day, for several months?

CONCLUSION

Critics have derisively labeled these small shipments as a “stunt” and a “political ploy.” Of course, it was. It was the only way to get Dems engaged and to get the national media to cover the crisis after nearly two years, and it is working.

I say, kudos to Governors Abbott and DeSantis for bringing this issue out in the open. Biden may not want to take any action to reverse the disastrous open border policy, but at least it is now out of the shadows. Finally, predictably, some Dem politicians, mostly those who are running for re-election in 2022 spurred by their own self-interest, have begun to speak out. (Remember my mantra: politicians are only good at two things – getting elected and getting re-elected.)

I expect this will be a major issue in November. The Dems will absolutely “own” it. Perhaps, it will be instrumental in throwing out some of the “do-nothing Dems.”

As the midterm elections approach politicians have commenced to do what they do best. I often say that for all their faults, and there are many, politicians are very good at two things – getting elected and getting re-elected. In order to succeed at those two things all good politicians learn how to tell the voters what they want to hear, or at least what they think voters want to hear. At the very least, they shade the truth. Of course, we, the voters, are cognizant of this, yet since candidates of both political parties do it, we accept it and just vote for whom we like the best or dislike the least. Once elected, more often than not, candidates ignore or shade their campaign promises. Honestly, can you recall the last time a candidate fulfilled all his campaign promises? I think not.

In the current election cycle, however, the Dems have raised this to a new level, not all of them but certainly President Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris and a few others that are running for office. Their lies, exaggerations and obfuscations are so obvious that it is insulting to voters that they think we would “fall” for them. Do they really think that voters are that dumb, forgetful and oblivious? Apparently so.

Below please find a few of the most egregious examples.

1. The southern border is secure. This shameless and unabashed falsehood has been repeated continuously mostly by President Biden, VP Harris, and DHS chief Alejandro Mayorkis. Anyone who has a tv or can read is aware of the flood of illegals crossing our border on a daily basis. Plus, in addition to the ones we see how about the ones we don’t see, don’t catch? Anyone can ascertain that our country is being flooded, at will, with criminals, drugs and terrorists. Several Dems facing tough re-elections, such as Henry Cuellar (Tex) and Catherine Castro Mastro (Nev), have suddenly awakened to the crisis and have begun to speak out. Where have they been? Moreover, many who have supported open borders for three years have suddenly gone silent. Basically, we have no viable border. Many migrants, including young children, have drowned while trying to cross the Rio Grande. Yet, the Administration refuses to even acknowledge that we have a crisis. This reminds me of the famous quote by Chico Marx: “Who ya gonna believe, me or your own eyes?” When Marx said it, it was so ludicrous that it was funny. No one’s laughing now.
2. Declining gas prices is an accomplishment. This is a classic. Yes, gas prices have been declining recently. But, a gallon of gas at the pump averaged $2.39 when Biden took office. It rose to over $5.00 in some areas thanks, in large part, to his shutting down the Keystone Pipeline. Now it has fallen to around $3.40 in my area, but that is still a significant increase during Biden’s tenure. Furthermore, Biden has had to dip into our strategic reserves to get the prices that low. In addition, if we have a cold winter gas prices will increase considerably further causing more hardship.
3. The inflation rate is declining. This is a classic way one can finagle statistics. Yes, according to the CPI the inflation rate in August declined to 8.3% from a high of 8.5%, but it remains at an unacceptably high rate. Anyone who has filled their gas tank or gone to the market recently knows that. The economy simply cannot sustain an inflation rate this high.
4. Student loan forgiveness. There is no world in which this is equitable or beneficial. How is it fair to those who paid off their loans? How is it fair to those who attended a community college in lieu of an expensive four-year university? How is it fair to those who worked their way through college? How is it fair to those who skipped or cut short college for economic reasons? In essence, they will be paying the bill for the profligacy of others whose loans will be forgiven. After all, the money has to come from somewhere. Plus, it is a boondoggle for universities, who will continue to raise their tuition prices, and it is inflationary.

The foregoing are just a few examples. There are many more. Crime, defunding the police, leaving Afghanistan. The list goes on and on. Virtually every decision President Biden has made has hurt the very people Candidate Biden pledged to help – the middle class, working class and seniors. Rather than being the “great unifier,” he has become the “great divider.” In speech after speech he has denigrated “MAGA-Republicans” and any others who oppose his policies as “terrorists,” “anti-American” or “racists.” Basically, that is half the country.

CONCLUSION

In reality, the Dems do not have any legitimate issues to run on. They cannot point to any successes, and there are many failures as outlined above. They are trying to “trump up” the January 6 protest, abortion and Donald Trump, himself, as issues. I’m not sure if they will be successful. The “witch hunt” January 6 “investigation” did not disclose any “smoking gun.” Also, how can they explain the inconsistency of why they considered the January 6 protest to be such a critical issue, but not the dozens of riots and acts of lawlessness in many of our cities last year? Hopefully, the voting public will come to realize that the Supreme Court has NOT outlawed abortion as Dems have been claiming but rather left it to the individual states to decide. Those who oppose that decision should stop “wringing their hands” and lobby Congress to pass a national abortion law. Surely, Biden would sign it. That is how our constitution was meant to work. Furthermore, Donald Trump is not on any ballot in 2022, and it is not even certain he will run in 2024.

The Dems are hoping voters will forget their unpopular positions on issues during the last three years or vote for their candidates despite them. Also, they are banking on the support of a largely biased media. Unfortunately, sometimes, that strategy works. It looks like it might be working this year. Based upon performance, the GOP should have a decisive edge and should gain majorities in both Houses. However, currently, most polls are showing that despite the historically poor performance of the Biden Administration over the past three years the midterms elections will be extremely close.

That said, a lot can happen between now and November 8.

She wasn’t supposed to become queen. At birth, she was not the heir-apparent. There were others ahead of her in the line of succession. According to many historians, she was, at best, indifferent to the idea. She didn’t seek it; she didn’t especially want it; she didn’t have the personality for it. She was a private person. She didn’t want to be constantly in the spotlight as the position required; as she later confided to her riding instructor, she would have preferred to live the life of a “lady living in the country with lots of horses and dogs.”

Many believe her younger sister, Margaret, was better suited for it, at least personality-wise. Indeed Margaret relished the spotlight and probably wanted the position. But, as you will see, fate had its own plan. To paraphrase a famous expression, “man proposes and God disposes.” Thanks to a series of unforeseen events the position was thrust upon her. It is a supreme irony of history that one of the most popular, most effective and most beloved monarchs was, in reality, an “accidental” monarch, a “reluctant” monarch.

Elizabeth Alexandra Mary was born on April 21, 1926 in London. At the time, her parents were known as the Duke and Duchess of York. As a child her nickname within the family was “Lilibet.” As the daughter of King George V’s second son, she was third in the line of succession, and she was not expected to ever become queen. Accordingly, as a child, she led a relatively “normal” life. She was “trained” to live the life of a lady of the Royal Family, not that of a Queen.

However, as most of us know, fate intervened. First of all, Elizabeth’s uncle, who had succeeded George V, was forced to abdicate the throne in order to marry Wallis Simpson, an American divorcee. He was then succeeded by his brother, Prince Albert, who was Elizabeth’s father. Elizabeth was now the “heir presumptive,” next in line for the throne.

Secondly, on February 6, 1952 Albert died suddenly in his sleep, making Elizabeth the Queen at the young age of 25. As a side-note, Elizabeth was in Kenya in the midst of a tour of various Commonwealth countries, and in that time of less sophisticated communications (no cell phones, no internet, spotty telephone service in Kenya) it took a while before she could be located and returned to England. Her coronation occurred on June 2, 1953 at Westminster Abbey.

Queen Elizabeth reigned for 70 years, which was the longest tenure of any British Monarch and the second longest of any monarch in history. Can you name the longest? See answer below. As Queen, she dealt with 15 prime ministers from Winston Churchill to Liz Truss with whom she met just before her death, and in excess of one dozen US presidents.

Meanwhile, in 1947 Elizabeth had married a distant cousin, Philip Mountbatten. Philip was a member of both the Greek and Danish royal families (As we know, virtually all of the royal families in Europe were interrelated in some manner.) Immediately, the newlyweds embarked on an exhausting marathon world tour encompassing 13 countries and 40,000 miles over a seven-month period. I can’t imagine doing that, even with today’s modern conveniences, but Elizabeth felt it was important to “show the flag” to all the countries in the Commonwealth. Many of those countries were newly independent former colonies, and Elizabeth was determined that they retain ties to the mother country.

The two were very much in love, but their marriage was to be rife with controversies and embarrassments. Firstly, Philip was partly German, and some of his German relatives were Nazi sympathizers. WWII had ended only two years’ prior and animosities were still very fresh, so this became a major issue. Secondly, at times Philip chaffed at his status within the hierarchy of the royal family. For example, he was outranked by his own children, an oddity which could be awkward, at times. Elizabeth tried to placate him by delegating responsibility to him with mixed results. Thirdly, Philip had a “wandering eye,” which became a major source of embarrassment.

Also, the children were a further source of various scandals, which severely embarrassed the Queen who, as I said, greatly valued privacy, propriety and decorum. For example:

1. Prince Charles had a very active “social life” before he settled down and married Princess Diana. They were not a happy couple, and throughout the marriage both engaged in extramarital affairs. They divorced in 1996 after 15 rocky years of marriage. The public was in love with the beautiful and glamorous Diana and generally sided with her over Charles. Elizabeth was unhappy with Diana’s free-spirited lifestyle and all the attention of the media and paparazzi.
2. Sarah Ferguson, Prince Andrew’s wife caused embarrassment when she was photographed topless by a tabloid with her “financial advisor.”
3. Prince Andrew was ensnared in the Jeffrey Epstein sex scandal. Elizabeth was forced to strip him of his military and royal titles as well as his patronages.
4. And, best (or worst) of all, we have the current controversies with Prince Harry and the former American actress, Meghan Markle. That matter is ongoing, and I could write an entire blog on it, but I won’t. Suffice to say, I liked Markle as an actress but not as a royal.

The foregoing are merely the highlights or, rather, the lowlights. Royal family watchers (those who follow the royal family assiduously) will likely be cognizant of many more.

CONCLUSION

As I said, Elizabeth was generally one of the most popular and respected monarchs. At the beginning of her reign she was viewed by the public and portrayed in the media as a “glamorous, fairytale Queen.” Later, as the aforementioned problems mounted, the public’s perception of the monarchy waned somewhat. The nadir came in the 1990s. By 2006, however, the monarchy’s popularity had returned in full force. For instance, at Elizabeth’s Diamond Jubilee in 2012 polls reported her approval rating to be at 90%..

She adhered to the philosophy espoused by her mother:

1. “Never complain.”
2. “Never explain.”
3. “Avoid the spotlight,” if possible.

She ruled through tumultuous times – wars, natural disasters, the “Troubles,” terrorism, and personal tragedies – with great grace and dignity. Through it all, she remained a symbol of strength, dignity and inspiration. For example, at the height of the COVID Pandemic she inspired the nation by reassuring the people that “if we remain united and resolute we will overcome it.” When people all around her were panicking, she remained calm and reassuring.

One of her most ardent fans is the renowned journalist Piers Morgan. Writing in the NY Post he characterized her as the GOAT, i. e. “greatest of all time,” and “a monumental towering royal colossus, who is not only the most famous person on Planet Earth, but the most respected.” Wow! Talk about hyperbole! I wouldn’t go that far, but I believe history will regard her as one of Britain’s best monarchs.

Rest in peace “Lilibet.” Your passing has created a great spiritual, inspirational, and emotional void. The British people need the new monarch to be able to fill that void. Let’s hope that King Charles III will be up to the task. “The Queen is dead; long live the King.”

Quiz answer: King Louis XIV of France who reigned 73 years from 1642 to 1715.