American Racism... a few thoughts.

The National Memorial for Peace & Justice

Now here's a topic to make people uncomfortable- racism! There are a myriad of different aspects to it, far more than I can cover in a single blog post. I'm only me with my own limited experience, education and work history. My views have evolved From feeling slightly uncomfortable watching Richard Pryor talk about racist white people to what I think is a much better understanding of racism I have today. I accept the fact that I still have far more to learn and I am open to it. How I think of racism may be different from how you think of it. Let's start off with a definition or two or three.

RACISM-  From Merriam Webster

1.              a belief that race is a fundamental determinant of human traits and capacities and that racial differences produce an inherent superiority of a particular race.

2.              behavior or attitudes that reflect and foster this belief : racial discrimination or prejudice.

3.               the systemic oppression of a racial group to the social, economic, and political advantage of another.

  As someone interested in conflict resolution, I'm most interested in the third definition given here. Racism here in the USA is a power structure the continues right to the present. We try to sweep it under the rug and think by using nicer words such as African American, having things like Black History Month and Juneteenth, racism is a thing of the past. I must say the three aforementioned words / ideas are a good step. America has a strong game of “pretend.” We pretend we have a strong democracy when in reality we have a two-party system in which both parties overwhelmingly support the oligarchic elites. On the international stage, we pretend our shit doesn't stink. Our politicians, regardless of party, can never admit we are a massive colonial empire. Why else would we have over 750 military bases overseas? Why else would we have perpetrated coupes around the world? And we also like to pretty much forget about our own genocidal history regarding Native Americans. It's a little wonder we like to ignore the ongoing problem of racism here in the USA.

Racism has always been a part of American culture whether we like it or admit it or not. Native Americans were systematically driven off their land, exterminated and lied to (Every treaty agreement was broken). Back then it was called manifest destiny. Today we would call it ethnic cleansing. There is also the history of Chinese labor brought in to help build the railroads who were also subject to abuse with little means of redress. There are many other groups that have been on the wrong end of white American racism. But for this post my focus is mostly on African Americans.

African Americans arrived as slaves, not hopeful immigrants seeking a new life. Whites used many dubious arguments to justify this abomination. Bible quotes, pseudoscience, and dodgy legal decisions all played a part in the justification of slavery. Lincoln may have freed the slaves but by no means did he end racism. The elites in the South found a quick workaround via the so-called justice system. Prisoners were exempt from anti-slavery laws. This practice did not end until the 1940s. "End" may be too strong a word- the Prison Industrial Complex is alive and well. I'd like to think things are better but I recognize we still have a very long way to go. You see, racism is still here.

 The election of Barack Obama did not mean racism was now a relic of the past. Obama's job was to continue the imperial project we know as the United States of America. His policies were also geared towards helping the elites stay elite. Instead of engaging in meaningful dialogue with the Ferguson protesters, he only offered platitudes about voting. His centerpiece legislation, the Affordable Care Act, was actually a republican plan to keep the health insurance industry alive. Hey, I don't think Obama was a bad guy, certainly not the antichrist. That said, I don't think he was a good friend for African Americans or the poor in general. After Obama, our racism was on full display with the election of Trump and the Republican party’s descent into right wing madness. Sometimes, it is subtle and sometimes not so subtle. I never thought I would see the day when a sitting American president would call fucking Nazis “very fine people.” But Trump and company get enough ink as it is, let's move on. I'd like to talk about a related misunderstood concept, white privilege.

Now if you want to trigger some working-class whites, simply mention white privilege. You could very well find yourself in a shitstorm of “I worked for all I have, “nobody gave me anything” “I never took anything from the government” and so on and on. I think it's the word “privilege” that messes them up. Here’s how Merriam Webster defines it:

White Privilege  the set of social and economic advantages that white people have by virtue of their race in a culture characterized by racial inequality.

Let me use my white self as an example here to explain how I understand this. If this concept is unclear for you, maybe this will help.

1.     I have a good relationship with the local police. If I'm being pulled over for a traffic violation, I don't feel interacting with the policeman is life threatening.

2.     If I'm tooling around in a store, the employees there are much less likely to think I'm a shoplifter. On more than one occasion, I've been told by African Americans about being followed around for simply shopping in a well to do store.

3.     I am free from derogatory stereotypes such as laziness, being violent, dishonest and so on and so on. Simply put, I get the benefit of the doubt.

4.     If I get a job no one is going to think I am just a quota hire because of some affirmative action program. (Well to be honest I did have one person think I was hired by the state because I'm disabled). My state, North Carolina, has no such quota to my knowledge. Needless to say, it was kind of insulting and I'm sure many of my African American coworkers over the years have heard such nonsense as well). 

5.     Whenever I turn on the TV or open a magazine, the people I see mostly look like myself. I can easily stay in my own little bubble of whiteness. 

            These are just a few of my thoughts on the American problem of racism. Sadly, I don't see this being resolved in my lifetime. It's going to take a while. 400 plus years of slavery, subjugation and economic deprivation is not going to be wiped out in one or two generations. I'd like to thank things are improving, even if slowly improving. But that's easy for me to say from my relatively privileged position as a fairly well educated white person. I’ve faced discrimination as a person with a disability. It sucks. But overall that has been a rare experience for me. Many African Americans face discrimination on scales hard for me to even imagine. Everything from being followed around while shopping to literally being murdered by the police. I don't know what the answers are. It's a complex problem that’s centuries old. What I can do is listen to my African American brothers and sisters recommendations for positive ways forward.

Donald Has Doomed Republicans

When will The Donald stop sucking up so much airtime? 

 

I usually try to avoid writing about Donald Trump. I think he gets entirely too much airtime as it is. He's the only ex-president who seems to get more media attention than the actual president. There was just no way he could have the common courtesy to fade into obscurity. He has to be in the media spotlight, even if it's for the wrong reasons. Trump 's ego cannot let him simply fade from TV, smartphone and computer screens everywhere. I never in my wildest dreams could have imagined a Republican front runner having two impeachments and now two indictments (with more to come) probably being the nominee for president. No one else can get the nomination without the MAGA mob. Now the problem for Republicans is they cannot win with only the MAGA mob. The good old boy, Lindsey Graham, is being proven right every day. He tried to warn the Republicans Trump would destroy their party. It looks like he is destined to sink any hopes of a Republican retaking the White House in 2024. I know a lot can happen between now and then but stick with me a minute.

 

The Republican Math Problem.

 

Trump 's MAGA base is not growing and I would argue after a million plus COVID deaths, it is even smaller than before. There are also those who have over time decided to move on from the Donald. So this leaves him with a hard-core group of followers that make up well under 30% of the electorate. Maybe somewhere there are some Democrats that have decided they hate Biden, but hate him bad enough to vote for Trump? I find that highly unlikely and surely not enough to make a difference. Trump has also lost the independent voters as well as a significant number of of Republican voters. If we have free and fair elections, the math is against Trump period. That's not even considering all the new voters who are going to come out of the woodwork in the wake of Row V Wade being overturned. Overall, the Republican Party seems to be doing all it can to alienate young voters. Everything from climate change denial, student loan forgiveness And the insane “culture wars” turn off young voters. Oh, and don't forget their latest crusade against free lunches for school kids! What happens if we fail to vote?  

 

What Would Trump 2.0 Look Like.

 

Let's say for arguments sake somehow, someway Trump finagles his way back into the White House in 2024. Yes it may be improbable but not impossible. What would Trump 2.0 look like? In one word- utter chaos! Okay it was two words. From what I can tell, he only wants the White House for two reasons. One, he thinks it will keep him out of jail. Two, it's a great way to rake in the cash. Well, maybe three reasons. The third reason is a White House win would boost his already overinflated ego. Trump has little to no respect for the rule of law, Nor does not care about institutional norms and has no understanding of the Constitution. So what we would get is a porn fest of revenge. He would “go after anyone that wronged him” from the 2020 election to the present day. Internationally, he would be an unmitigated disaster for Ukraine, NATO and international rule of law. Trump Would quickly find his knee pads for another trip to Moscow. There's nothing he loves more than fellow autocrats. I'm sure another North Korea visit would also be in order. As bad as these things are, they pale in comparison to the next global crisis with Trump in charge of the United States. The effects of climate change are only going to get worse. COVID-19 was not the last pandemic we will face. There is the ever-present danger of more and more states becoming nuclear armed states. Rather than lead to a crisis, Trump we'll talk about how smart he is and make the narrative all about himself while the crisis spins further and further out of control. And if he lives another four years? What would an election in 2028 look like? Would there even be an election in 2028? Fortunately, I think most of the rest of the country understands what an utter disaster a second Trump term would be. That's good news for the Democrats, right?

 

The Democrats Become Autocrats? 

 

I always felt Hillary's dreadful campaign of 2016 is what gave us Trump in the first place. Her only message seemed to be “I'm not Trump.” She took a win for granted and we all saw the result. Neither candidate from 2016 offered any kind of view of what they wanted to accomplish as president. Hillary Clinton thought she had a walkover and she should have. I think she just got too complacent. I don't think Biden will make the same mistake, nor will the American people. If this is true that's great for Democrats, right? No, having effectively one party rule is good for no one. Over the years we have seen the effects of so-called corporate Democrats, basically just Republicans, hold the culture war nonsense. I don't like the Republican Party, at least in their current form. To have a democracy, we need a minimum of two parties. I think the reality is we need far more than two parties, 3, 5 or even six parties.

 

More Than Two Parties Please!

 

If you take away the culture wars, there is too much agreement between Republicans and Democrats. They both are a little too quick to call for a “military solution” when diplomacy maybe a better option. They are both all in for big business and do their bidding at our expense. Sure, today the Republicans are objectively worse but a Democratic Party with no real opposition would soon also become autocratic and deeply corrupt. We need the Republican Party to find a modicum of sanity. More than that, I think we need multiple parties. There are over 330 million Americans with almost limitless different views on how the country should be governed. The two mainstream parties reflect just a tiny sliver of our views. A big problem is they don't want competition so it's very hard for smaller parties like the Greens or Libertarians to grow. And I have totally left out the biggest problem in our politics- a flood of anonymous cash! 

 

Trump Will not live forever. Will somebody be able to take over the MAGA mob after he is gone? I do think our authoritarian streak will outlive Trump. Over the next few election cycles, those of us who actually want a free and functioning democracy have to continue to play defense. This may lead to a string of mediocre Democrats finding their way into office. But demographics favors those who want to see real progress on things like climate change, social justice and creating a system that works for all of us, not just those at the top. Even a Trump second term cannot stop this but it can slow it down greatly.

 

Disclaimer

 

This is American politics. Nothing is certain. We have a long way to go until the 2024 election. Everything can change on a dime. What if something happens to Biden? Can the conflict in Ukraine grow? Will China invade Twain? We live in a world of endless “what-ifs.” I’ll try to remember to check back in on this topic around six months from now and after next year’s election cycle. All I can say at this point is I don’t see a Trump 2.0 happening in a White House near you (or me).    

AND...

The Federal Indictment of Donald Trump 

A Slow Saturday and UFOs Or UAPs

 

This may be a little off-topic for this blog. Maybe so but still an interesting concept. Give it a chance.   

 

Yes, it's a slow Saturday. So, I'm drifting around YouTube, which is now basically TV channel surfing for me, killing time. At this point I'm kind of car stuffed out and I'm looking for something different. Ah, here we go a nice UFO documentary! No, I'm not here to convince you UFOs are real or not real. I trust in your judgment on that. Now don't get me wrong I love the idea of UFOs! But I have to say I'm skeptical. This is coming from someone that's seen a UFO, an Unidentified Flying Object. At least it was unidentified to me. That's quite a bit different than claiming it was some dudes from outer space. I think it was back in the mid 90s, about this time of year spring or early summer. Me and this other cat, John, were hanging out at the bar for a little while. It was dollar draft night and we decided to head onto to the out-door deck located a few rooms away from the main bar area. It was just past dark, around 9:00 PM. This was a largish bar in the middle of the city so few stars were even visible and there were numerous trees and buildings around us. It could not have been more than the second or third sip into our beers when we both noticed a very bright light moving rapidly across the sky in a curve. Unlike an airplane with flashing lights, a green light on the right wing tip and a red light on the left wing tip, the thing we saw looked like a single extremely bright tan light. Yes, you read that right, it was a brownish, tanish, goldish color. Really strange! We could hear no sound from the object. It quickly disappeared from our point of view. 

 

“What the F*** was that?” John asked.

 

“That was wild! I don't know,” I answered. 

 

You’re right, I don't remember the exact dialog but it was something to that effect. We joked about the strong beer and the fact that no one would believe us. This was early evening, very early by bar standards and we were the only ones on the deck. Like I said it was unidentified to me and my buddy. I just don't know what it was. Personally, I don't know of any proof we are being visited by beings from other worlds or dimensions or what have you. Sorry but ancient aliens is easily debunked nonsense not to mention completely disrespectful to our ancestors who did build the pyramids, Stonehenge and countless other great works. But let's say for a moment there are real UFOs from other worlds. What would that look like?

 

If UFOs are indeed a thing, that would have to be the highest secret imaginable. For all of human history, written and unwritten, we have thought of ourselves as the most advanced life form there is. Suddenly, in the last century or so the UFO phenomenon has taken off (pardon the pun).  Well, what happened in the last 100 years? We get the start of areal warfare and war on an industrial, global scale. The atom bomb and nuclear weapons got their start in 1945. Did somebody in the great galactic council say “Go see what those fools are up to before they hurt themselves or someone else.” If you follow the UFO phenomenon at all you know of numerous visits (for lack of a better word) to military installations, some of which house nuclear weapons ie, both bombers and missiles. If some beings are smart enough to figure out how to travel the almost unfathomable distances involved, I'd like to think the ideas of war, conquest and resource theft are silly to them. Maybe they just like beer and music? Are they just being friendly, a little too friendly?

 

Some of the wildest UFO stories involve so-called abductions. The stories all sound similar, at least to me anyway. Somebody is taken aboard, experimented on and then put back wherever they were found. There is often some weird memory loss associated with this. Sounds crazy right? But this is really nothing new. Before the aliens, there were demon abductions where someone would be taken and given a personalized view of hell. This leads me to believe that these stories are absolutely true to the individual that experienced them. Our minds create reality. When something goes wrong, dreams become indistinguishable from reality. Before, religion was used to explain these happenings. I'm sure in some places it still is. Now these stories can be explained via the UFO phenomenon. Am I saying this is all in our heads? I think that's the most likely explanation. Which brings me to my final point.

 

I think it is more fascinating to contemplate what the UFO phenomenon says about us. It ties in with our dreams, hopes and deepest fears. Science fiction runs the gamut from the Star Trek universe to the dark horror of the Event Horizon. If you are unfamiliar with the Event Horizon movie It's about a spaceship that opens a portal to a very real Hell. If you like horror movies, give this one a try, it is quite a ride! Many of us love a great mystery. The UFO phenomenon is full of mysteries. One I find most interesting is the Nimitz encounters. Visual sightings by professional Navy fighter pilots are backed up by radar data, so the story goes. Then there are the famous Men in Black, who show up if you get a little too close to Uncle Sam's deepest darkest secrets. Remember friends, it is hard to prove a negative. So what would it take for UFOs to be proven beyond a shadow of a doubt? Well, when one lands on the White House lawn might be a start. But a lot of people would blow this off as a hoax. So perhaps UFO's landing simultaneously all over the country then? Would that be enough to tear apart our collective consciousness and understanding of ourselves? It sure as hell would not be just another Tuesday! I'm not going to hold my breath waiting for that event.

 

Few of us can even begin to comprehend the distances involved in interstellar travel, much less intergalactic travel. But the cool thing is there is so much more to learn about the universe so maybe there is a different more efficient way to get around than we currently know of. If we can avoid blowing ourselves up, we might figure it out. So the age-old question, “are we alone?” May indeed one day be answered. I think yes or no is equally terrifying!

** Also consider our behaviors when it comes to Bigfoot, ghosts, cryptids and paranormal stuff in general. Oh, and if you are looking for a location for all of this in one place, here ya go- Skinwalker Ranch!  

School shootings: A Uniquely American Problem

Sadly enough, school shootings have become so common they rarely make the national news anymore. A recent school shooting in Tennessee did make the national news. Two things made this shooting unique, 1 the shooter was a transgender person. 2 it was a private Christian School. Let's get past the transgender thing. Transgender people are not the ones shooting up schools, just look at the evidence. Yes, even private schools can end up on the Evening News for the wrong reasons. The response by law enforcement was as good as anyone could hope for. Still six people died. The idea of more cops can prevent school shootings is kind of simple minded in my opinion. This problem has become so common, we think it is normal. It is not. This is an American thing. For years and years we have done the same thing, nothing. We wring our hands, send thoughts and prayers, and argue over semantics like what is an “assault rifle.” So given the state of the courts, at least one political party bought and paid for by the gun lobby and our apathy brought on by our seeming powerlessness what can realistically be done? I, for one, think there are solutions. It's too easy just to scream into the void about how nothing can be done. We must do better than that.

 
 Let me run three ideas by you. 

1. Of course sensible gun safety legislation should be passed. That alone will do little in the short term. 

2. We need to rethink how these events are portrayed in the media. Instant fame?  

3. One more thing, people need something to do, something to be a part of and hope for the future. All right let's dig in. 

OK let me make everybody mad now. Guns, by themselves, are not the whole problem. Hear me out. We've had semi automatic handguns (1911 .45 caliber anyone?) for more than 100 years. We've had semi automatic (M-1 carbine, M-14, mini 14?) rifles widely available for decades. So what has changed? A clear path to instant fame is conducting a mass shooting. Still,  there are some measures that would be helpful. Things such as people with Domestic Violence histories should not be allowed anywhere near a gun- FULL STOP. No more guns for violent offenders. Maybe be able to sue the living shit out of gun manufacturers? If I buy beer for a minor, yup, I'm in trouble with the law. What about giving a mass shooter access arms and ammo?  Parental culpability in these crimes? There's more solutions beyond gun regulation.

The news no longer comes from the morning paper or even the 6:00 PM news at the end of the day now. The news comes directly to you via your phone or tablet or computer. Making mass shooters (school, movie theater or church) instantly famous or infamous, I believe is a serious mistake. We need to rethink how these horrific events are covered and portrayed in the media. We have to balance this against freedom of the press. I would withhold the shooter's name for three to five years and instead focus on the victims. It may sound grim but we should see the horrors of such an event for ourselves. If the American public saw what the aftermath of one of these events really looks like, I don't think we would stand for nothing being done. Change would be decisive and swift. There is little if any follow-up coverage of the people or community after a mass school shooting. If the shooter is killed, that's it. We may also hear about a trial years later. I guess the road to recovery is not sensational enough. There is one more important thing we must do, preemption via hope.

We must do a better job of addressing the causes of mass-shootings. After a mass school shooting there's always talk of “mental health.” That's a pretty generic term that gets thrown around a lot, “mental health.” Sure, we need more access to professional counseling, counselors in schools and affordable psychology. But why? Over the last generation or so, people (men in particular) have become more alienated from society. There is a growing sense of despair and hopelessness that's only reinforced by mass media and social networks like Facebook and Twitter. They make money off of people's outrage and despair. A way to counter despair is finding positive things for people to do, that's more constructive then doom scrolling on a phone, tablet or computer. We need things that bring people together, for now I'm thinking about young men. We need community centers with good things to do, everything from basketball to computer classes, car clubs, sports leagues, activist groups and yes I'll say it, even gun clubs. Humans have not evolved to simply stare at screens. We must have social interaction that is accessible to all. We need to address some of the larger ills of our society that lead to dark places. 

Perhaps instead of unemployment, we could have guaranteed employment. There are needs that our capitalist system does not address very well. Things like elder care, childcare, and preservation come to mind. Sure, you can get these things but they are often cost prohibitive. I'm not sure capitalism is the best replacement for government services, such as corrections. How do we realistically put a price tag on justice or criminal reform? Companies running prisons is just creepy in my opinion. What is getting paid by how many cells are full actually doing for justice, much less helping people reform? I think there are a lot of things that need doing that don't necessarily respond well to market forces.

 

There is one thing we can say with utmost certainty, doing what we have been doing about gun violence, nothing, can only get the same result. Yes, access to guns is a factor, but like many of our problems, there are no simple solutions. School shootings, workplace shootings and church shootings are symptoms of far deeper systemic problems that have built up over decades. That said, I think gun control measures can still be helpful in the long run. But until we actually address the causes of resentment, alienation and apathy the violence will continue and probably worsen. I see gun bans as a possible long-term solution. We cannot simply snap our fingers and make millions of guns disappear. 

Guns that have been around a long time...

1911 pistol semi-auto 8 rounds

M1 carbine semi-auto 15 rounds

M-14 semi-auto 20 rounds

Mini-14 semi-auto 20-30 rounds

Climate Change 2023

 

A River of Rain.

We want to have our cake and eat it too. That's the saying anyway. I see this whenever we talk about climate change. We seem to think that we can go on about our merry wasteful so-called middle-class lifestyle. We nip around the edges with companies pretending to go green, IE Greenwashing. We come up with schemes like carbon tax carbon offsets and green energy that's not really green. A huge solar farm covering hundreds of acres is less than ideal for the bugs, plants and animals that used to live there before we humans stole their sunshine so we could watch TV. We are reminded almost daily stopping climate change is up to us as individuals, while ignoring these huge corporations that are responsible for the lion share of greenhouse gases and other forms of pollution. And don't forget the clear cutting of forests to feed the cows! Other than making us feel good, current green measures do little to combat the problem. A much, much larger change in how we live, work and play is needed.

 

We need a cultural change that I think is all but impossible. One that gets away from cars, dirty power and most importantly, consumerism. Unfortunately, our current society is built on these. Both autocratic and democratic governments the world over have been captivated by massive conglomerations whose primary interest is money. Even worse, they want money as soon as possible. There is little if any long-term thinking. The purpose of a corporation is to make money for its shareholders Not only that, but also to make the money as fast as possible. There is little thought beyond this quarter's bottom line. If that means wrecking the Arctic, polluting the oceans or ruining what's left of our farmland, so be it. We are in the middle of an unprecedented mass extinction event. It is going to take more than switching to electric cars and throwing up some windmills to slow climate change. It's going to take a cultural shift far beyond anything I believe we are willingly capable of. (Biden Administration and Alaska anyone?) The current Democratic Party is too entrenched in the status quo to bring about radical change. The Republican Party is similar but with extra helpings of racism, homophobia, xenophobia and now authoritarianism. We can't simply surrender. 

It is never too late to start moving in a better direction and one way or another we will. The Earth, physics and ever worsening conditions will force a massive change sooner or later. We will have to learn to live within our means. I'm thinking local, local, local. We need to be close to the things essential for life, food, clothes and shelter. Sure, there will be room for electric vehicles but just not at the scale we are used to. In time we will no longer be able to afford the luxury of hiding in our houses watching TV and not even knowing our neighbors. We will become more and more dependent on those in our immediate vicinity. The days of fruit and other commodities from other Continents will pass. I can see the future as a strange cross between 18th century America, Blade Runner, with the grittiness of aliens thrown in for good measure. We cannot undo the damage that has been done in the last 50 or even 100 years. That is pretty much set in stone. It is never too late to start making better decisions. And while I'm not responsible personally for climate change, I still feel like I need to do my part. Essentially, for me, that means driving less, less air travel and paying close attention to whatever I buy.

Another Ride Around the Sun

Another year, a bit of a rambling rant...

Well, here I am a year later. Not everyone made it, just how it goes. Birthdays are no longer about parties, birthday cake (don't need the extra calories, fat grams or tooth decay) or even presents (do I need an iPad or a nicer TV? Nah.). Birthdays are good days to reflect on where we've been in the last year and where we want to go in the coming year. I feel neither guilt from the past or worry for the future. So what about the past? And what's next? 

I feel a little better both physically and mentally. Want to feel better and save money? Eat less. Eat out less often. Replace screen time with cooking. Pay attention to what you put in your body. Okay, enough preaching. I'll eat cake and drink beer again, just not too much, hopefully. Over-all the covid blues are fading in the mirror and history books. It was not the first pandemic, nor will it be the last. Next time, tell 'em Obama wants you to NOT get vaccinated! I doubt we'll have the good, common sense to not politicize something as simple and straight forward as a vaccine. The powers that be need to take politicization into account when creating a response to the next pandemic or disaster. So what else? 

Biden will probably never recover from the debacle of our Afghan pull-out. It does not matter that Trump made that deal or a 100,000 got out for a shot at a better life. Yes, too many were indeed left behind. Please tell me, oh great generals behind the screens and keyboards, what specifically what you would have done differently? Send in our great grandchildren and their kids? Simply steal the vast mineral wealth? I'm all ears. It was a shit-show from the get go with no good ending possible (except all the contractors, middle men and security goons who got rich).        

Now the freedom crowd is crying about high gas prices and inflation. Suddenly, they want government action! No, no, no- this is the Capitalism you love so much at it's finest. Let the market sort it out. The energy giants are laughing their collective asses off while banking your money. Spell it with me now--- R-E-C-O-R-D   P-R-O-F-I-T-S. That's not a bug, it's a feature. Production's down and demand is up, simple supply and demand. The lack of even basic understanding of economics is astounding! Look, it runs in cycles and this will pass. 

The world looks on as Russia slowly tries to grind Ukraine into dust. Russia has gone from respected power to a pariah state almost over night. A pariah state with the world's largest supply of strategic and tactical nukes must be dealt with carefully but dealt with none the less. Keyboard generals, tell me what else Biden can do? Just keep fighting Ukraine, you cannot lose. 

Our epidemic of mass shootings continues unabated. The knee jerk reaction is take away the guns. While that's a nice thought, it's not happening anytime soon. Can we return to a time when guns were just guns and not symbols of toxic masculinity, right-wing hate and pretend bad-ass Cosplay? Can we stop making mass murders instantly famous? Can we hold parents / guardians of minors who commit man murder criminally accountable? Can we reimagine schools as more than pre-jail for prisons and the corporate workplace? Can we rebuild our mental healthcare system (one that does not lead to bankruptcy)? And yes, bring back the assault weapons ban. Given long enough, it will have an impact. Vote out the lunatics that like guns (gun lobby money) more than safe theaters, schools, churches, bars and restaurants. 

Yes, we are going through a period of rapid change with no plan, no known destination totally in the dark. I'll share what my Dad told me decades ago, "Freedom means freedom to fail also. We're free to totally fuck up." We can also help bend the arc towards justice. It is never too late.              

  

July 4, 2022 thoughts...

 

And it is July 4th again! What's going on? 

There's high gas prices and inflation. The economy runs in cycles. This too shall pass. No, the president does not have a magic gas price controller in the upper right drawer of the desk in the Oval Office. Oil rises and falls no matter what flavor occupies the White House. Gas prices are the freedom of capitalism it's finest! Remember kids, corporations are BOUND BY LAW to maximize shareholder profits, FULL STOP. They don't give a shit about working people, the environment, national boarders or you! Here's a novel idea, look it up! Let me help you. These companies are raking in huge amounts of profit. Oil production is kept low to facilitate higher profits, simple supply and demand. Russia is out of business (for the most part), thus no more oil from them. That means even less oil. So isn't inflation Biden's fault? 

Over-all the economy does better under Democrats than Republicans. I think Biden inherited a shit-show from The Donald. The Donald's massive tax cuts for our richest, an unnecessary trade war with China and a totally inept and pathetic response to Covid-19 only accelerates the looming recession the entire world is facing. Still, it's not all the Donald's fault. Yes friends, there are others living outside the USA. In a global economy, dependent on trade, things going on past our borders affect us. Labor costs are rising, the pandemic caused disruptions are still going on and Russia decided this was the ideal time to start a massive war. All wars end and the age of fossil fuels is winding down. The end of fossil fuels will be messy. No one will give up the cash-cow until they have to. I'm agnostic on electric cars. They also depend on scarce resources. We're going to have to radically change how we live to keep the Earth livable but that's for another time... 

What else? 

We are reaping the rewards of McConnell's radical Supreme Court. Throw it all back to the states. Abortion rights, going. EPA's power to regulate, gone. Gay rights are next. Funny how 9 unelected, politically appointed for life, non-accountable people have so much say in our daily lives. Why do they have that much power? Who do they answer to? No one! That's really Democratic! I think Biden is too much a traditionalist to pack the court to regain balance or to consider alternative legal interpretations. Only 9 get to have the final say in a vast legal system for 320 million! Sounds batshit to me. But here we are. Still, as my grandmother used to say, "nothing lasts." How much damage will be done in the mean time?               

There's more; guns / mass shootings, racism, a collapsing, for profit, healthcare system, sentient AI and so on but that's for another time. 

Remember the arc towards a more just future happens only if we make it so.