By now you have heard that someone in the US government thought it would be a good idea to provide arms to the Iranian civilians. I suppose that the thought was if they had arms, they could rise up against their government and maybe even overthrow the government. The plan was as I heard it was to give arms to an intermediary group who would get the arms to the citizens, aka the protesters. It was reported that the intermediary group had indeed received the arms. After receipt of the arms a problem arose. The group kept them rather than getting them to the “protesters”. Back to this in a short.
I find what the US government did to be more than a little hypocritical. Hypocritical due to the fact that for many years the US government and indeed some State governments have been trying to disarm the US civilians and limiting what we have access to. It seems to me that here in the US the US government and some States seem to worry over the citizens rising up. They best to put that worry to bed is to not do things that would cause such to occur.
Now back to the arms intended for the Iranian citizens. The now lost arms. Who knows when or where they will turn up or on whom they will be used. One thing for sure, the US government did not send over a bunch of 22 caliber single shot squirrel guns. By the way, firearms would be of no use without ammunition.
Had to go into town today and regular unleaded gas was well above $4 per gallon. Diesel was well above $5 per gallon, Mind you that I live in North Central Florida. Just this past Sunday regular was just past $3.80, pretty steep rise for just three days. Regular will probably be near $5 if not above by this Sunday.
Neither the War in Iran nor the astronomical fuel prices will in any way prevent the November elections or the upcoming Primaries. Though they will have an effect on the results. I am a registered republican and many of my friends and associates will be sitting this one out. I am not going to sit it out, I will be casting my vote.
This is my plan and intention. We have a do-nothing member of Congress with ambitions to be the next Governor of Florida. He has some “endorsements” from other politicians and the party. This matters not to me. I will not be voting for him in the primaries as I think there are better alternatives. Should he win the primary I will not be voting for him, nor will I vote for a democrat and since the other parties cannot seem to find anyone with a lick of common sense that part of my ballot will go unmarked. My current Representative in the same do-nothing Congress is in the same boat. If he has a primary challenger, I will vote for him or her. Should he win the primary that section of my ballot will also remain blank for the same above reasons. The same goes for any in the do-nothing State Legislature up for re-election. I have a suspicion that most of the sections will be blank on my ballot.
I can hear some of you now, not voting for a republican is voting for a democrat. Well, I disagree. How many elections have we been forced to choose the lesser of the two evils. Less evil is not better than most evil. Evil is evil no matter the quantity. We only get to choose between republican evil and democrat evil.
So, basically, I am pretty much done with the republicans at the federal level and rapidly getting that way about the republicans at the state level and possibly at the county level.
We are told the short time pain we feel now is worth it because of the longtime gains that will be achieved. I will give you a moment or two to adjust your budget for that short time pain. As that knucklehead said, “You can just make one less tip to Starbucks”. More will soon learn that there is more month than paycheck.
But we are told that things will get back to normal when this war is concluded.
Now would be a good time to list another of the “Things that makes me weary”.
I grow weary of hearing thing will return to normal after this crisis. Normal will never come back. Did normal return after 9/11? Did normal return after Covid? When this “crisis” is over there will be another declared “crisis”. Wash rinse and repeat. But there is “Good News”.
Normal isn’t coming back but Jesus is. This is a great song. I recommend the version by the Bellamy Brothers featuring the Issacs on You Tube, but you choose the version you wish.
I grow “weary’ of hearing or reading about some in this country who think themselves to be of some importance saying that we need to bring the draft back. They say this while they are past the age of enlisting and way past the maximum age to be drafted if there was a draft. There was a time in their lives when they could have enlisted, America has had an all-volunteer military since 1973.
So, to these dim wits I have this to say. It bothers me not that I did and you did not. It bothers me that I did and you would not. So, shut your pie holes. You have no right to speak or offer your opinions on this matter.
I grow “weary” of reading and hearing about the 2020 election, I mean it is now 2026. Good grief. Even if it could be proven that the 2020 elections were illegitimate could or would it be possible to undo the damage that was done in those 4 years?
How many presidents have been labeled as “illegitimate”?
I grow “weary” of reading and hearing about “the Epstein files”. Not because we do not need to get to the bottom of that mess, but because they have no real intention of getting to the bottom of it. If they ever charge and indict one in those crimes, that one will sing like a “canary” and give up the rest. I think it was said it would bring down the whole system. Bird of a feather do flock together.
I grow “weary” of hearing that Iran is or was only “two weeks” from having a nuclear bomb or ten. That has been said and repeated for many years.
The above is by no means an all-inclusive list of things I grow weary of. If I put them all in one post it would be a long one, I mean really long. More later.
Haven’t posted anything in a good long while. It was not because nothing was going on, there certainly was. There is much going on now, so I might as well get busy.
Unless you have been hiding under a rock, Operation Epic Fury has been launched against Iran. There have been many statements and opinions (theories) made as to why.
One theory floated was it was done to get the Epstein files off of the front page and out of people’s minds. If this was the reason, it failed miserably. The Epstein files are still on the front page and mentioned as many times as before. This Epstein mess is not going away.
Another theory floated was that it was launched at the behest of Isreal. There are other theories and opinions as to why.
We could just accept what President Trump said in his statement or not.
One thing for sure is that it no longer matters as to the why, it is on and that cannot be changed, that toothpaste is not going back in the tube.
Politically speaking, in my opinion, this could not have started at a worse time, as the mid-term primaries will be soon getting underway. In November we will have the mid-term election. If Epic Fury turns out to be a protracted conflict or continues to escalate it will most probably have a negative effect on the November elections for the republicans.
Speaking of escalation, I have noticed a few things in my news feed of late. There have been reminders for the 18-year-olds and those soon turning 18 to register with the Selective Service aka the Draft. There have also been “pointers” on how to avoid the Draft. Not to mention maps showing the areas here in the US most likely to be a nuclear target.
We can all learn a very important lesson from this latest conflict. Some in Congress are mightily pissed that the President did this on his own and without the consent of Congress. There was a time long, long ago that Congress had the sole power to declare war. You lost that power long ago with something called the War Powers Act. You passed that act and it was signed into law. The only way to regain your power is to pass another act restoring that power to you. Here is a news flash “cupcake”, that will never be signed in to law. There is no way any President democrat or republican will give up that power. It was not taken from you; you gave it away. The same goes for tariffs and all the other things you were too busy to do. I mean after all if you took time to do your job, the job you were elected to do you would not have all the free time on your hands. Time for extended recesses, retreats and the many vacations you take.
To all of the knuckleheads out there that vote away rights, even the rights you have but choose not to exercise. If you choose not to exercise your rights that is your business. Leave the rest of us alone. You do not have the right to vote away the rights of others. Rights lost or stolen are near impossible to regain.
There is much happening in the Federal Courts. Both sides left and right have weighed in on the various issues and expressed their opinion of what the opinion of the Judges or Justices will be and why.
There is one thing at stake that few have even thought about. One as important as life and death.
The vaccine mandate issued by OSHA through the Department of Labor. For now, it is on hold thanks to the Fifth Circuit. As you know the Sixth Circuit won the lottery drawing. No matter the ruling one side or the other will appeal the decision (opinion) and from there to the Supreme Court.
The vaccines and their effectiveness or ineffectiveness will not be on trial. The vaccines safety or lack thereof will not be on trial. The claims of this mandate preventing serious illness or death will not be on trial.
What will be on trial is America. When all this is done, and the final ruling (opinion) is made we will know.
We will know if the President is the Commander in Chief of the Military or if he is now Commander in Chief of the Country and all that is in it.
If you know and study History, then you know about the Enabling Act and in what Country and Time this Act occurred. You also know what happened because of this Act. If you are reading this and do not know what the Enabling Act was and what came about because of it, I encourage you to research it.
The kicker in all of this is that it will be the Government deciding how much power the Government has.
God help us, if the final ruling (opinion) finds that the President is the Commander in Chief of the Country and all that is in it.
The democrats already have plans to reform the Courts. They even discussed the possibility of packing the Court. I guess that would be akin to ensuring you get the ruling (opinion) that best fits your agenda.
Just read an article in which over thirty democrats had signed onto a letter urging a covid vaccination mandate (proof of vaccination or negative covid test) prior to boarding domestic flights. Look up the article and read the letter.
This comes on top of the recent covid vaccination mandate issued by OSHA that is now been stayed by a Federal Appeals Court.
We are really coming to the time in American history where you will show your papers.
Just for the privilege of having a job you in some places must show your papers. In some places you must show your papers just for the privilege of dining indoors, going to a movie theatre, and various sorts of recreational activities.
Something else is revealed in the letter. They also ask that safety protocols for trains and other popular modes of public transportation be updated to reflect the current “science”. It will not stop with planes, buses, taxis, and trains.
One does have to wonder what is next. It would not be too much of a stretch to think that interstate travel would be next on their list. No vaccine or recent negative test no state-to-state travel. After that?
Now for a little trip back in time to answer the question will it ever end. Who said it and when?
…Will the oppressor let go the oppressed? Was there ever an instance? Can the annals of mankind exhibit one single example, where rulers overcharged with power, willingly let go the oppressed, though solicited and requested most earnestly? …
A bit more.
…A willing relinquishment of power is one of those things which human nature never was, nor ever will be capable of: …
Some are quite unhappy with the emergency stay issued by the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals temporarily halting the vaccine mandate.
Came across an article by the AP just a while ago. Read it and could not believe my eyes as to what one individual said. Found the article on different so-called news sites and found that part was not included in the article.
Anyway, here is what he said. “It was troubling that a federal appeals court would stop or delay safety rules in a health crisis, saying no one has a right to go into a workplace “unmasked, unvaxxed and untested.”
While I am here this fellow also said this. “Unelected judges that have no scientific experience shouldn’t be second-guessing health and safety professionals at OSHA.”
Now I did not link to this article. I did however tell you where to find it. Find and read the article for yourself. You will notice this fellow has a lengthy and unimpressive title. These liberal elitists are out there and to them government power should be unlimited during a crisis. If that were true, then government would declare everything a crisis and therefore their power would be limitless.
Anyway, as stated a the beginning this emergency stay issued by the 5th Circuit is only temporary. The final decision will be issued after both parties have responded.
Other States also have filed lawsuits in other District Courts of Appeal. We wait for a decision.
This will go to the Supreme Court no matter which way the ruling comes down. The same is true no matter the outcome of the other lawsuits.
One would hope that the government would back down and withdraw this mandate. But that is not going to happen. They are too deep into this to just quit.
When this gets before the Supreme Court Justices they will be deciding if we, this Republic has a Government with Limited and Enumerated powers or if the Government is Limitless in its Power.
I will close with a question. What else have some in the bureaucratic health departments tried to and have indeed labeled a “public health crisis”?
Oh, before I go if you have time go to You Tube and watch Atlas Shrugged. It is three parts.
Do you remember when we were told. Seriously, stop buying masks. Masks won’t help. You can do a search and find these statements you may even find the related videos. It turns out that this may be the only time the truth was told concerning this “pandemic”.
Do you remember when these statements were made no one in the health care community said they were wrong. But when the decision was made to unmask the entire health care community said they were wrong and were going in the wrong direction.
Now we as a nation find ourselves embroiled once again in the mask issue. My opinion on masks(cloth and paper)is this if you want to wear one wear it and leave others be. I reckon you now know my opinion on masks.
For those of you that wear a mask, cloth or paper, do this little thing for me. Don your mask and take a walk down a spice isle, if those aromas are getting through then your mask is not blocking anything. There is another little thing, test, you can do crawl around in a dirty dusty area then take off your mask and look in a mirror. If you notice little trails of dirt and dust going to your nose and around where your mask was sitting then your mask is not blocking anything. The reason your mask is not working is because there is no seal, with no seal things just get in. A little bonus, while wearing your mask and if you wear spectacles you notice your spectacles fogging up when you exhale and clearing when you inhale, well that happens because hot air is being expelled and cooler air is being inhaled, again your mask is not sealed. The majority of the air inhaled and exhaled goes right around the mask, taking the path of least resistance.
If the above paragraph sparked your interest and you want to know more. Go online and lookup Mission Oriented Protective Posture(MOPP).
Do you remember when we were told there would be no national(federal)mandates? They, the federal government, were going to leave that up to State and Local governments and businesses. Some did and some went in the opposite direction, while others have yet to go either way. The federal government did not count on some cooperation, they counted on full cooperation and are loosing patience. Well just today, it was decreed by the overlords that all nursing home staff would be vaccinated, or risk losing Medicare and Medicaid dollars.
Do you remember being told that with full approval you would see more mandates come into effect?
Do you remember being told that booster shots were not being considered? Well roll up your sleeves, they are planning on September for “boosters”. They already have a plan. I kind of think that was the plan all along.
My opinion on the vaccine is the same as masks, if you want the jab, get the jab and leave others be.
Someone long ago said, “The government you have is exactly the government you deserve”. Wow, pretty harsh words. So, I ask you, Is the government you have the government you deserve?
In the interest of “fairness” and “equality” in this post when a masculine term is used it applies equally to the feminine as well. That seems fair, does it not?
These few words of wisdom come from a speech by Patrick Henry 07June1788. What this speech was about is quite different from what we are living through at this time, but it fits.
And, Sir, would not all the world, from the Eastern to the Western hemisphere, blame our distracted folly in resting our rights upon the contingency of our rulers being good or bad. Shew me that age and country where the rights and liberties of the people were placed on the sole chance of their rulers being good men, without a consequent loss of liberty? I say that the loss of that dearest privilege has ever followed with absolute certainty, every such mad attempt.
We have come far since the days of Patrick Henry. Or have we? We no longer hope to elect good men. In our day we just elect the lesser of the two evils. The lesser evil is still evil. The democrats call the republicans evil because they are in the pockets of the NRA and so forth. The republicans call the democrats evil because they are in the pockets of the Labor Unions and so forth. Our focus has shifted to electability, we vote for who is electable and damn the consequences. And about being in the pockets, do politicians deny being in somebody’s pockets?
Which one is good and which one is bad? How can one tell? Unfortunately there is no way to tell before hand. You will only realize good or bad after the fact. There is a sure fire way to know if you made the right choice or not by answering a simple question. How are your “rights” and “liberties” fairing at this point? If the answer is not so well, you got a bad one.
Before continuing, I may as well get this out of the way. Elections have consequences. Not voting(staying home, skipping the election, sitting this one out or whatever the excuse)also has consequences. If you did not exercise your “right” to vote you have exactly the government you deserve. As far as I am concerned you have no “right” to bitch and moan(petition the government for a redress of grievances)period.
Some citizens of some of the several States are protesting the policies and executive orders of Governors. One of those Governors said something to the effect of the protestors were wearing Trump hats. It was also said that Confederate Flags and Nazi paraphernalia were showing up at the protests. And gasp, some protestors were armed. Even went so far as to say that the protestors would cause the “stay at home orders” to be extended. In other words, if you resist you will get more(sit down and shut up).
Some of you are feeling quite oppressed and growing impatient with your elected leaders perhaps even wondering when or if the “oppression” will end. Again we will check in on Patrick Henry, from a speech given 05June1788. And again this speech was addressing a subject different than our current situation, but again the words fit.
Will the oppressor let go the oppressed? Was there ever an instance? Can the annals of mankind exhibit one single example, where rulers overcharged with power, willingly let go the oppressed, though solicited and requested most earnestly?
But there is good news. States and Localities are beginning to reopen. The citizens in those areas are slowly getting their rights and liberty back. Are the rulers overcharged with power willing to let go the oppressed? Was Mr. Henry wrong?
And there is bad news. According to a news article I came across, States relax rules, but some could return to stay-at-home orders if coronavirus cases surge. No, it looks like Mr. Henry was spot on. What we are seeing could be described as the “old carrot and stick” routine. They dangle your liberty and your rights in front of you(the carrot)and then beat you with the stick, I know they pull the carrot back using the stick, I like my wording better.
Reversal of roles. Civil servants have become our lords and masters. Never let a crisis go to waste. This crisis, State of Emergency(Federal, State and Local), has certainly not been wasted by some tiny tyrants.
As bad as things have become they could certainly be a lot worse. Think about this for a minute. The democrats were wanting a national strategy for reopening. In other words they wanted the Federal government to be the one deciding when a State or the States could begin reopening instead of the Governors. The closest that came to fruition was the CDC guidelines for reopening. When they, the democrats, say they want a national strategy for reopening, they wanted a national strategy for both, the shutdown and the reopening. I would imagine there were more than a few republicans in favor of that as well. The Federal government would have been the sole decider. States Rights, what few the States still enjoy, would have become nonexistent. What Mr. Lincoln began they could have finished.
How different would things be now if the 2016 election had gone the other way?
I will end this for now and pick up on the next post.
The future what will it look like? Will we at some point return to what we considered normal or will we find ourselves adapting to the new normal?
I seriously doubt we will ever return to what we considered normal, that would be the time before the Wuhan novel corona virus. I think we will find ourselves adapting to a new normal, that would be the time post Wuhan novel corona virus. I say this because we still find ourselves living in a post 9/11 America. Almost 19 years have passed and we have yet to return to the “normal” before 9/11 and we probably never will. Does anyone even remember the times before 9/11?
So what will this new normal look like? Came across an article from Business Insider that may shed some light on this subject. This article was written about a report that played out in three different scenarios. There was more, much more, in the article, but for now I will focus on the three scenarios. If you have not read the entire article you should.
Scenario 1. There would be a first peak followed by similar size waves over the next one to two years. Mitigation measures would be required periodically like lockdowns and travel bans.
Scenario 2. A second larger wave than what we have now would come in the Fall or Winter, and smaller waves would arrive in 2021. Mitigation measures would be reinstated in the Fall.
Scenario 3. Ongoing transmission and case occurrence caused by the virus after the first wave without dramatic peaks. Referred to as a slow burn, making it’s way through the population. Governments would not likely have to reinstitute mitigation measures.
In my opinion the word “not” should have never been used in the third scenario, it should read Government would likely have to reinstitute mitigation measures. Actually it should read, Governments would reinstitute mitigation measures. Why? Because government at all levels have found new power and will never relinquish that power. The power to decide what is and is not essential.
Did you notice the change in the narrative as it pertains to the Wuhan novel corona virus? It was all about “flattening the curve”. It has become “stop the spread”.
If the times we are now living in are to be considered as the new normal it is time to have a serious discussion.
You have all by now seen the video of the man that took his paddle board out into the ocean, by himself no one else around. Then came law-enforcement in boats to arrest the man. What was his crime? Was he putting others in danger or was he placed in danger? People being cited and fined for being in their cars watching the sunset. The list goes on and on. A bit heavy handed I would say.
Americans as a whole are not designed(wired)to be placed under “house arrest” for extended/indefinite periods of time or repeatedly. People can and will stay confined to their homes for only so long no matter how much “bread and circus” in thrown their way. Some will not be confined to their homes at all. People did and will continue to protest against the apparent heavy handedness of government, push back I believe it is called.
I do have to wonder what the next step will be for government if and/or when another shutdown and lockdown is ordered. As parts of the country begin to reopen more and more requirements are being forced on the people. Masks are being required in more places. It was not all that long ago we were told, “Seriously stop buying masks”.
Speaking of masks, in some areas masks are required at restaurants, you must wear the mask unless you are eating or drinking. How much thought went into that bit of “wisdom”? Do they really believe you could eat or drink while wearing a mask(face covering)or even try? Maybe they just figured that you were not intelligent(smart)enough to know that you could not eat or drink while wearing a mask on your own. Perhaps they were showing how much they care by allowing you to remove your mask, but only when they allow and only under certain circumstances and only for the length of time they allow.
Will a part of this “new normal” be the requirement to wear masks if social distancing is not possible? Or will it be simply you are required to wear a mask at all times outside of your home? Speaking of social distancing, will the new normal mean social distancing for eternity? Keeping 6 feet distance between individuals. Who is to say that the social distance will not be increased? Will forced quarantines be a part of the new normal? Sporadic lockdowns and shutdowns?
Many people cooperated this time and all they got for their trouble was to see their rights curtailed or outright denied, loss of their livelihood(job), unable to feed their family and could no longer pay their bills. There may not be as much cooperation the next time, in fact there could be little cooperation. Vast numbers of people may not comply some by choice, others out of necessity(they have to eat, feed their families, pay their bills, and so forth).
If the people refuse to comply will compliance be forced? We saw this time what happened, those who would not or could not comply found themselves running afoul of law-enforcement. Fines and arrests were commonplace. Will there be an escalation in force when people refuse to comply the next lockdown? Some law-enforcement agencies around the country have taken to using drones to seek out and disperse people gathering in large groups. Parks that have reopened have had a large presence of law-enforcement to enforce social distancing orders.
Here is a little bit from a Patrick Henry speech 05June1788.
You read of a riot act in a country which is called one of the freest in the world, where a few neighbors cannot assemble without the risk of being shot by a hired soldiery, the engines of despotism. We may see such an act in America.
It was 50 years ago this Month, the 4th to be exact, that the Kent State Massacre occurred. University students were shot, 4 killed 9 wounded, by members of the Ohio National Guard. It later came to light that authorities were authorized to disperse the crowd. Were they authorized to open fire on the students? The objective to disperse the crowd was accomplished. The heavy handed response was brought about because of antiwar protests at the university. I am quite amazed at the numbers of people who do not know about or even remember this event in American history. Research it for your self.
Elected officials have stated that things will not return to “normal” until there is a cure, some have said not until there is a vaccine.
I think I will end this post here and pick it up on the next one. Here is a catchy tune by Johnny Rivers.
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