"Paper Straws Are Not Enough..." - Necessary Precursors to Solving Our Existential Threats

 https://www.democracynow.org/2022/7/21/heat_wave_europe_climate_crisis_extreme

George Monbiot is right on the mark.  "Only 'System Change' Can Halt Climate Crisis."

Paper straws, recycling aluminum, recycling cardboard, using cloth grocery bags, etc. are all well & good, but they are orders of magnitude short of what's needed to deal with Climate Disruption.  Furthermore, solar panels and electric vehicles are in the same boat.  A paradigm shift in economics, ethics, and worldview is needed if we are to survive and thrive in the coming years.

Keep in mind, too, the Climate Crisis is only one of the existential threats we're facing.  Worldwide toxic pollution of our environment, ecosystem damage/destruction by human activities, the threat of nuke weapons & nuke waste, overpopulation, ecological overshoot, and more all are part of our predicament.

Those who cling to neoliberalism are burying their heads in the sand relative to the existential threats upon us.  For at least 50 years, the deniers have ignored warnings from credible scientists as to the Crisis once looming, and now here.  Amazingly, even now they deny reality.  Unfortunately, many of them are in positions of power.  Thus no significant mitigation is taking place.  Lots of talk, but actions which amount to only tinkering around the edges of the problem.

It's time to face the music, as follows.  While micro scale mitigation efforts certainly are helpful, they will not suffice.  Technology alone also will not suffice.  The problems are systemic, and massive; thus, macro scale intervention is required.  It will take national governments and intergovernmental associations in cooperation with each other to tackle the crises in any significant way.  So, what can be done?  Following are a few suggestions for a start.

First, where (in the USA) is the written plan to transition away from fossil fuels?  I don't see one anywhere.  That transition won't happen by means of magic, and without a plan, most likely it won't happen at all.  Some Leader or group of Leaders needs to get the ball rolling, ASAP.  You may be thinking:  but not everyone agrees we need to make that transition.  True, but after about 50 years of warnings from credible researchers, if the deniers of the existential threats can't see the light by now, they probably never will.  We can't wait for them.

Secondly,  the cleanup at well over 1,300 Superfund toxic sites (scattered ALL across the country) needs to be put back into high gear.  High level toxic wastes are leaking into our water, and/or our air, and/or our soil.  Our previous disaster of a President essentially shut down most of that program.  What's happening under Biden?  Is the National Priorities List (NPL) of sites being addressed?  The former plutonium production facility at Hanford, WA still is the largest toxic site (586 square miles) in the country.  Cleanup there has been going on for about 30 years...and counting.  Dozens of other contaminated sites are waiting to be added to the NPL.

This next suggestion is similar to the first, but more expansive.  Where is the written plan to convert our Boom-Bust, highly polluting, unsustainable economic system to one of sustainability?  Along with that, are Fed Gov't contracts going "Green"?  Are there any requirements for sustainability?  Who, or which Executive Branch Dept., is coordinating this country's transition to a sustainable future?  Anyone?  If not, exactly what is the plan for that necessary transition?  Is there even a broad plan, or do our Powers-That-Be think the "Market" will accomplish the task?  [The Market didn't pull us out of the Great Depression of the 1930's, nor did it put men on the moon, nor did it heal the massive Dust Bowl of the 1930's.  Government management did those things.]

Finally, it would seem the Executive Branch is in need of some new appointees and/or advisors who are competent in the area of sustainability science.  The current crop of advisors apparently is perplexed by the existential threats we're facing.  They seem to believe that we'll muddle through without a plan, without consideration of biophysical constraints, and that the status quo somehow will save us from catastrophe.  [I'm sure at least a few departments have people who are educated in the natural sciences (beyond the high school level), but apparently they are being ignored, or they're at an administrative level with no access to the Executive, or both.]

...................

Not only my opinion.  Be Well

COVID-19 Has Dealt the Trumpian World a Mighty Blow

Preface
Like other posts here, this one is an essay.  It's not an academic thesis.  Essays usually contain both facts and speculation/opinion/analysis.  So, when you read below (for example) Trump & Crew are rolling back environmental-health-safety (EHS) regulations on a massive scale, don't look for footnotes verifying that.  I don't have the time or energy to do a bibliography on commonly known facts.  If you have doubts about the veracity of some statement, you'll have to do your own research.
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In regard to covid-19, Trump tried his usual (now boring) gaslighting--- lies, contradictory statements, outrageous claims, etc.  That didn't work, so here lately, he had to get off his butt and actually do something.  About 90% of his public statements now are totally scripted (to keep him from sounding like a gaslighting idiot)... and he sounds bored to death reading them.  Every so often, he briefly goes off script and returns to gaslighting; but anyone with any sense at all sees through it.  The Trumpian World is starting to collapse.  A tiny virus is bringing it down.

In the Trumpian World, phenomena such as Nature, ecosystems, conservation of natural resources, biodiversity, and the like count for little to nothing.  At the highest levels, the Trumpistas appear in general to care only about finance, economics, and corporatism.  [I imagine they care about their families, as well.]  I suspect that is why they know little to nothing about Natural Science.  Trump & Crew are rolling back environmental-health-safety (EHS) regulations on a massive scale.  As do many to most Corporatists, they believe forms of pollution are externalities... in other words, pollution need not be considered in the manufacturing, distribution, and pricing of consumer goods.  It's someone else's problem.

The elected and appointed Trumpistas say they represent the common people, but the EHS regulations and standards they're eliminating protect the health and safety of all of us.  In some cases, the health of the planet is being protected as well.  Unfortunately and necessarily, EHS regs usually increase the cost of doing business.  That's why they're being eliminated.  Never mind the health & safety of the common people.  According to the Powers-That-Be, the solution to pollution is to ignore it and/or let it dilute in Nature.  Wow, what genius thinking by ignoramuses in the Executive Branch (and a large portion of Corporate America).

Then along came covid-19.  At the highest levels, the main concern in the Trumpian World was not health, but rather the impact on Business... especially the Financial Sector.  So, the initial response was slow.  The next response was poo-pooing the disease.  The next response was a lack of test kits.  After all, we don't want people to know how widespread the bug is... that wouldn't be good for Wall Street.  [Incidentally, only about 14% (not counting 401k or Pension accounts) of Americans are invested in the Stock Market as individuals.]  All during this whole scenario, Trump is saying it's no big deal, "Relax, it will all pass.".  Off script, he's still saying that.  Meanwhile, in my opinion, the overdue Recession has begun.

Yes, Mr. Pres, just as with the Spanish Flu and the Swine Flu, this too shall pass.  But at what cost in human suffering?  Hopefully, Mr. Trump has learned the following lessons.
1.  Viruses aren't affected by childish gaslighting.
2.  Inept handling of a disease outbreak can have a severe economic impact.
3.  It's not really possible to ignore a pandemic.
4.  It's not really possible to ignore an economic and/or financial downturn.
5.  Business and Wall Street aren't the only things that matter.
6.  Lying about a situation is not usually the best way forward.
7.  Mother Nature is in charge of this planet, not Corporatists.  [By the way, Adam Smith denigrated Corporatists who thought they were "Masters of the Universe".  Some in the Trumpian World think he praised them.  He did not.]
8.  Don't try to ignore Mother Nature, or treat her badly.  You'll regret it.
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Not only my opinion.  Be Well

Here's Why COVID-19 is MORE DANGEROUS Than the Flu

Preface
Stats regarding the 2019-2020 flu season (not yet over) in the USA---
Infections:  over 20 million;
deaths:  over 20,000;
death rate:  .1%  [This is a best guess because not all infections are reported.]
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So, why is covid-19 more dangerous?  The Executive Branch in DC is trying hard to downplay the effects and risks of this new virus.  That's probably because before the virus was detected, Trump cut funding to the CDC and disbanded the global health/pandemic response unit in the Exec Branch.  Now we're in a pickle.  The following is what the Administration is not telling you.

1.  COVID-19 is a new virus... because of that, we have no natural immunity, never mind no vaccine.  World population has been building up natural immunity to the flu for hundreds & hundreds of years.  [Many people still get the flu because viruses mutate faster than bacteria.  Mutations decrease natural resistance to infection, and decrease the effectiveness of flu vaccines.]

2.  COVID-19 appears to spread faster than influenza.  That's based on early evidence, and may change.

3.  Already there are two different strains of covid-19, "L" and "S".  S appears to be the ancestral strain, and L, based on early evidence, seems to be more aggressive.

4.  Even if the death rate of covid-19 is only one percent, that's ten times more deadly than the flu.  The flu kills between 200,000 and 650,000 people per year globally.  Yeah, the flu.

5.  A vaccine for covid-19 is months away, perhaps as long as a year.  Even when it's available, how many new strains of the virus will there be?  In other words, the effectiveness of the vaccine may be questionable.

6.  The flu doesn't have the effect on the world economy (including in the USA) that covid-19 is having.  Brace for bad times.
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Current covid-19 stats---
Confirmed infections:  over 106,000 worldwide and 401 in the USA;
confirmed deaths:  over 3,600 worldwide and 19 in the USA.
Only a few days ago, these numbers were much lower.
When I started this covid-19 series, the virus was known to be in 7 States (USA); it's now known to be in 29 States.  An educated guess:  it's in all 50 States, some just aren't yet confirmed.
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Not only my opinion.  Be Well

An Important Redux re: The Don

At the beginning of Spring this year, I posted the essay below.  It's being posted again because:  it still applies; and recently, Trump has started (just barely) to pretend he is some sort of reasonable Moderate... rather than the unstable nutcake that he really is.

Points For and Against the Current Oval Office Occupier

For---
1.  He kept us out of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP).  I've covered the disastrous downside of that Trade Pact elsewhere on this venue, so won't go into it again in this piece.  Talks related to joining the TPP were started under Dubya Bush, and accelerated under Obama.  Trump killed it his first day in office.

If interested in why the TPP is the worst Trade Treaty in history, use this blog's Search function to locate my assessment of it.  Or even better, Google/Bing/etc. :  Lori Wallach and the TPP.

2.  There is no number 2.  I was tempted to list his meetings with North Korea, but decided against it because he's the one who provoked that country with virtually insane threats of nuclear annihilation.  The person really responsible for averting (for now, at least) catastrophe is the President of South Korea, Moon Jae-in.

Against---
1.  He's a serial liar; he, himself, has proven that over, and over, and over.  In terms of frequency of lying, Trump beats out both Dubya Bush and Obama... which I didn't think was possible by anyone.

2.  He's mentally unstable, and thus emotionally unfit to be in any political office, much less the Presidency.  He, himself, has proven that over, and over, and over.  Now admittedly, I've had only a couple university pysch courses; however, you don't have to be a master carpenter to recognize a shack.  😊  Plus, there's a long list of psychologists and psychiatrists who have stated that he needs to be professionally examined.

3.  Based on his words and actions, he doesn't have a broad understanding of anything that a President should know.  His understanding of key issues, world affairs, diplomacy, statesmanship, war, the economy, the environment, fiscal and monetary matters, cultural matters, science, genuine capitalism, the Law, health matters, etc. is so limited as to be nothing short of comical.

4.  He promotes divisiveness in our country and in the world.  Plus, such promotion is not inadvertent.  He does it on purpose.

5.  While in office (never mind previous to that), he has violated Laws of the Land.  Here's only one example---
https://individualsovereignty.blogspot.com/2017/07/trumps-violation-of-nepa-sepa-laws-rules.html
Read it carefully.  The acronyms and other abbreviations used are not as confusing as they first appear.

6.  He doesn't have even a rudimentary understanding of the United States Constitution.  Many times, he has violated his Oath of Office by failing to "preserve, protect, and defend" the Constitution.  For example, he (like many other Presidents) has violated the War Clause of Article I, Section 8.  Another example--- the Executive Branch (of which he's in charge) violates the Fourth Amendment on an almost daily basis.  Another example--- it's crystal clear that Trump is violating the Emoluments portion of Article I, Section 9 (the Nobility Clause).

7.  As President, his conflicts of interest truly are beyond the pale.

8.  Similar to numbers 1 & 2 above, Trump is the King of Public Gaslighters.  Nothing he says can be trusted.

9.  He cares not at all for the common people of this country.  He's merely manipulating & using some of us in order to further enrich himself.  This is so obvious that it's painful.  Some of his supporters finally have realized it.

10.  He is both an embarrassment and a danger to this country.  I've detailed all that in previous posts, so enough said.

Not only my opinion.  Be Well
p.s.  For any new readers, I'm not a Republican or a Democrat.  Ironically, neither is The Don.

Which Branch Appropriates Funds for Government Spending?

Even someone who flunked American Government in the ninth grade of school surely must know that only Congress is allowed to do that.  The U.S. Constitution is clear:  Congress is the ultimate authority on Government spending.  That's because it's Congress who represents the People, not the other two Branches.

The White House is being petulant in its attempts to blackmail Congress, and the result is:  hundreds of thousands of workers are suffering.  Never mind the rest of us who deserve and require certain Gov't services.  The Executive Branch is manufacturing "emergencies" out of thin air in order to force the Legislative Branch to kowtow.  It appears that the President still does not accept the fact that ours is a government of three co-equal Branches.

Like Dubya Bush before him, and to a lesser extent both Bill Clinton and Obama, our current Oval Office Occupier believes in the Unitary Executive Theory.  Essentially, that means the President can be an Autocrat.  Hidden away in one part of the theory is the idea that neither Congress or the Courts have any say at all in matters of "national security".  That's hogwash.  Not only is it hogwash, it's an extremely dangerous concept.  It lays the groundwork for a completely undemocratic, even totalitarian government.

As the White House lies continue to build, let's all hope that Congress and the Courts don't fold.  Over the last few decades, the Executive Branch has claimed (and garnered) more & more unwarranted power for itself.  That's a long way from what supposedly is a democratic government.

Not only my opinion.  Be Well

Relax - We Have a Stable Genius as President

If you don't believe it, just ask him...he'll tell you so.  Oh, I forgot, he's already done that.  What a sorry, sad individual we have in the top spot of the Executive Branch.  The more I learn of his whole history, the sorrier & sadder he gets.  We all should be thoroughly embarrassed that he's in office.

This would not happen in a country with honest politicians elected to the top slots, politicians who truly represented the People instead of Corporations.

Not only my opinion.  Be Well
p.s.  For any new readers of this blog:  no, I'm not a Democrat...neither am I a Republican.

Trump Admin Wants to Kill Net Neutrality Rules

Ajit Pai, who originally was brought into the FCC by Obama and more recently was appointed as FCC Head Honcho by Trump, is planning to eliminate Net Neutrality Rules (referred to as NNR in the rest of this piece).  Pai has a credible background, but it should be noted that he did a two-year stint as a Verizon attorney.  He claims that the NNR are hurting Business interests, stifling job development, and that the Mega Internet Providers should be allowed to "voluntarily" comply with the spirit of the Rules.  Please...who in their right mind thinks that will work out in favor of the rest of us?

I don't have the time to detail all the reasons why NNR need to be retained forever, so if you're not already familiar with those reasons, do a Search for:  what killing net neutrality means for the internet.  Suffice it here to say that those Rules prevent the Mega Players from screwing over 99.9% of us relative to internet usage.  Killing the NNR would hurt us and benefit the Big Boys in the Internet Game.

Although the Oligarchs lost the last battle over this issue, it's obvious they haven't quit the war.  They never will.  That's because the internet is the greatest democratizing tool ever to exist...and they know that.  The Gaslighting Trump knows that, and the last thing billionaires want in a society is full participatory democracy.  As in the last battle over NNR, it again will take millions of citizens speaking out to overcome the Oligarchs' efforts to eliminate these protections.  On Wednesday, July 12, you'll see all kinds of postings on the Web showing you how to have your voice heard.  Please participate.  If you don't, it's pretty much guaranteed that:  the cost of internet usage will increase; there will be "slow lanes"; some sites will be "throttled"; smaller ISPs will be hurt; and outfits such as Comcast and Verizon will be the BIG winners.  There will be censorship on items/ideas that never should be censored.

To those of you who still support the Corporatists in the Executive Branch (or anywhere else), this issue further demonstrates that their beliefs & policies definitely do not favor the everyday citizen.

Not only my opinion.  Be Well

A Review of Some of the Craziness in the Authoritarian, Nonconstitutional USA

The craziness referred to in the title above covers a very broad range.  The text below displays only a few examples of some of it.  I'm calling the USA Gov't "nonconstitutional" (as opposed to unconstitutional) because for many years our leaders have ignored large parts of the Constitution.  It's as though the document doesn't even exist.  Here's some of the craziness, as follows.

1.  Our politicians appear to believe that this also is in the Fourth Amendment:  "...none of the provisions of this Amendment apply if there's a national crisis or any threat to national security...or if Congress passes any Law that contradicts any part of this Amendment...".  Of course, none of that is in the Fourth Amendment, but that fact seems to matter not at all.  Certain parts of the PATRIOT Act and a few other Laws are in direct conflict with the Fourth Amendment.  Crazy.

2.  Once a week (or so), the President meets with others in the Executive Branch to decide which people in other countries are to be murdered with Hellfire missiles from weaponized drones.  Anyone so killed is automatically designated as an EKIA---enemy killed in action.  It doesn't matter if the person is Joe Suspect's grandmother ("collateral" damage) or Joe's ten-year-old son (more "collateral" damage).  They are all EKIA as far as our Gov't is concerned.  This all happens despite the fact that the Executive Branch has no Constitutional authority whatsoever to issue assassination orders.  That authority belongs only to Congress.  The only exception to that is during a war officially declared by Congress.  [We haven't had one of those since WW II.]  Crazy.

3.  According to a portion of the National Defense Authorization Act, our rights to "due process" and "innocent until proven guilty in a Court of Law" are negated if we are suspected of any kind of "terrorism".  [You would be surprised how little it takes to be a suspect in such a case.]  Crazy.

4.  Too many of our militarized Law Enforcement people now do not treat suspects properly.  Instead of innocent until proven guilty, suspects are demeaned, lied to, denied access to rest rooms, or much worse--- sexually abused, shot in the back, beaten or TASED after being handcuffed, or flat-out killed.  No, that isn't rampant in our society, but it's happening way too often.  Here's what's much more common:  nonviolent protesters are pepper-sprayed in the face with no warning, no "order to disperse"...or sometimes their eyelids are held open by one or two officers while another one sprays directly into their eyes... all of this while peacefully exercising their Right to Assembly.  Crazy.

5.  While it isn't yet widespread, small drones have been used by Law Enforcement in lieu of a proper Search Warrant...another violation of our rights supposedly protected by the Fourth Amendment.  Crazy.

6.  Our Executive Branch now bombs other countries, puts combat troops into action in other countries, and in Syria shoots down one of their aircraft...all with no approval of Congress, no involvement of Congress at all, and certainly no declaration of war.  Crazy.

7.  As reported on Democracy Now, since March of this year, U.S.-led airstrikes in Iraq have killed about 700 civilians.  All this in a completely unconstitutional war.  Crazy.

8.  Our Military gurus want to send another 5,000 or so ground troops to Afghanistan...to a war with no end in sight...in a land deservedly known as the Graveyard of Empires.  Trump essentially said to Mattis:  go for it.  All ISIS (or the Taliban) has to do is fade back into the woodwork until we leave.  Trump wants to fulfill a campaign promise that's impossible:  "We will exterminate ISIS.".  The Russians couldn't do something similar with 500,000 troops there.  Crazy.
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To any of you reading this who believe you are genuine "Conservatives" (not NeoCons), where is your outrage?  Our country is being destroyed by Militarists, Authoritarians, Corporatists, and Empire thugs...and you appear to be supporting the whole shebang.  Please stop drinking the Edward Bernays style Propaganda Kool Aid.  What will it take for you to wake up?  To those of you who believe you are genuine "Progressives", what are you doing in the Democratic Party?  Ever since 1992, that Party is firmly in the Land of Corporatism.  Please wake up.  We need organized, opposing political forces in this country so a Middle Way can be determined...instead of the Corporatist Dem v. Repub sham that we have now.

Not only my opinion.  Be Well

Afghanistan, Several Sane Politicians, & Perpetual War

Years ago, Elites (public and private) co-opted the Congressional powers to start a war, issue assassination orders, & make rules concerning captured enemies... and gave them to the Executive Branch.  The Powers-That-Be then announced that the entire world is a battlefield, and that the people we're fighting are neither soldiers or criminals.  Instead, they are "enemy combatants".  In this new Orwellian world, that means---according to most politicians---those enemies have no rights of any kind.  Furthermore, those people even suspected of being such an enemy also have no rights.  They can be kidnapped, rendered to allies with no ethics, tortured, held incommunicado, and even imprisoned indefinitely.  This is not only unethical, immoral, & unconstitutional, it's insane as well.

All of the above has resulted in Perpetual War...which is both Machiavellian and Orwellian.  It's also a very good thing for Mega Bankers and the War Industry...commonly referred to as the Defense Industry.

For ten years, I've been pointing out here on this blog that the Constitution is crystal clear on this whole issue.  Only Congress has the delegated power to start a war.  [Article I, Section 8]  The Executive Branch, with the President as Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces [Article II, Section 2],  manages the war after it has been started by Congress.  The Supreme Law of the Land is so clear on this matter that one doesn't even have to be an attorney, much less a Supreme Court Justice, to understand it.  The Constitution also assigns Congress the power and duty to "...make Rules concerning Captures on Land and Water".  [Article I, Section 8]  The CIA and the Military (i.e., Executive Branch) are not given that power.  Finally, only Congress has the power to issue "Letters of Marque and Reprisal" (assassination orders).  [Article I, Section 8]  The President does not have that power.

Imagine my joy when finally I heard on the News last night these words from Representative John Garamendi of California:  "Congress has the only power to declare war.  It's in the Constitution.  And yet, in all the seven and a half years I've been in Congress, we have never taken up the issue of war.".  He's one of ten Congress people who are co-sponsoring a legislative bill to de-fund the Afghan War... a war that's been ongoing for over sixteen years, and has no end in sight.  Three of the co-sponsors of the bill are Republicans and seven are Democrats.  At least it's a start.  From what I've heard so far, it doesn't return the powers (described above) stolen from Congress, but it's a start.

Those politicians in DC who believe that Laws passed by Congress and/or Executive Orders can over-ride the U.S. Constitution by transferring Congressional powers to the Executive Branch are violating their oath of office to "preserve, protect, and defend" that document.  The same is true of those who believe because the President is Commander-in-Chief, he/she has the power to decide when a war begins, who is to be assassinated, and which rules apply to captured enemies.  Being Commander-in-Chief does not mean one is allowed to ignore or bypass other parts of the Constitution.  Those powers have been seized by the Executive in an unconstitutional manner.  The President never had those powers, and still doesn't...at least, not legally.

Critics in office say the Supreme Law of the Land is out-of-date.  So...change it.  There are ways to do that...legally.  Critics then say, it's too difficult.  Yes, and purposely so, but it's not impossible.  It has been done over two dozen times.  Instead of violating your oath of office, get off your lazy butts and try to change it.  I suspect the reason none of you do is because then you also would have to deal with an Amendment for Term Limits...which would be the best change for this country in a good long while.

Not only my opinion.  Be Well

Trump---the Fake Rebel

Trump is (& has been) up to something; WHAT is not clear.  His actions can't just be chalked up to "he's a rebel politician".  Being petty, petulant, paranoid, ignorant, unprofessional, reckless, & immature (the way Trump is) never would serve a rebel well.  Something else is going on.

I certainly don't know, but maybe it's one or more of the following:

1.  he's using his office to further enrich himself; or,

2.  it's all a ploy to get Pence in as President; or,

3.  Trump is angling to repay the Bankers who bailed him out years ago; or,

4.  he really is an ignorant, petty, empty suit; or,

5.  he's mentally ill, or becoming senile; or,

6.  some combination of the above.

Most of the people of the world must be laughing themselves silly because of us having such a buffoon as our "leader".  Or, perhaps they're crying because he's so ignorant and dangerous.  Donald Trump has to be the most incompetent, ignorant, rude, and downright dangerous President this country ever has had.

The fact that he got elected really is a testament to how desperate Americans were for a change in the status quo.  His Fascist idiocy never would have been supported under normal circumstances.  The Corporatist Coup in this Land (ongoing with every Administration since 1981) is now complete.

Jefferson and Madison (both of whom were Elites) warned us way back at the beginning of our Gov't that this very thing was likely to happen...unless we remained vigilant.  We didn't remain so.  Our Founders are turning in their graves.  The Republic of the USA now exists totally in name only.

Not only my opinion.  Be Well

Question for His Lordship: On What Authority???

In terms of foreign policy, we've gone from Donald Trump (which was bad enough) to Hillary Trump...the Perpetual War Hawk.  Yes, the gassing of civilians was horrific, & allegedly done by Assad; that doesn't mean the US Gov't has any right to attack Syria.  The attack violated both the U.S. Constitution and International Law.  But then, our Gov't has been doing that for decades.

Before he was elected, Donald Trump tweeted (back when) that Obama had to have the approval of Congress before airstrikes in Syria could be launched.  [If I recall correctly, Obama never obtained that approval, & very few of us objected.]  Apparently the puppet Hillary Trump has changed his/her mind.  So far, the only Repub politician I've seen protest His Lordship's violation of the Constitution is Rand Paul.

The "Unitary Executive" concept reigns supreme.  That's Executive Absolutism.  Bye-bye, Congress...you're screwed.  The public and private Oligarchs in this Land are trying to provoke another major war.  That's what Oligarchies do when a country's economy is tanking and the Propaganda no longer is effective.

Not only my opinion.  Be Well

Lessons From the Tragic/Comic Ryan-Trump Reality Show

Lessons The Don should have learned---
1.  He's not the big, bad, tough deal maker he thinks he is.
2.  Talking about riding a bronc and doing it are two different things.
3.  Like everyone else, sometimes he's a failure at executing a task.
4.  Many people don't respond well to bullying and/or ultimatums.
5.  Politics can be complicated.
6.  He's not the Boss of the Congress.
7.  It takes time to craft a decent piece of legislation.
8.  Running the Executive Branch is not the same as running a corporation.
9.  He has no popular mandate.
10.  He doesn't know as much as he says he does.

Lessons We the People (especially Trump supporters) should have learned---
1.  All ten points above, plus...
2.  The Don is in over his head.
3.  For the most part, he's full of hot air.
4.  He's not an effective politician, not even an effective rebel politician.
5.  His style & manner do not command respect.
6.  He displays either ignorance or naivete regarding crucial subjects/topics.
7.  When he says things such as, "Nobody knew that healthcare is so complicated...", that suggests he's not fit to be President.
8.  He makes promises he can't keep...and he knows that.
9.  He'll be a disaster on the international stage.
10.  He's not a genuine Populist.
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With The Don & his Crew in office, we're all in deep trouble...nearly everyone in the entire world.  In fact, the most recent election cycle has demonstrated that the so-called Two-Party System in USA politics (which is NOT mandated in the U.S. Constitution or anywhere else) is working against common people and fostering Elitism.  In other words, this problem is way beyond just Trump.  Until that System is peacefully changed, our country will continue to experience SSDD... in politics, economics, finance, and almost all social matters.

Not only my opinion.  Be Well

Trump Orders Wiretaps on World Leaders :), AND a Correction

Relative to the first part of the title above, I'm just saying that.  I have absolutely no proof to present as to its authenticity.  None whatsoever.  I'm following the lead of our Tweety-Bird President, who claims that Obama wiretapped Trump Tower...but then the Don failed to offer even a shred of evidence.  IF Obama actually did do the deed, that's a major scandal and it should be exposed.  What's more likely, though, is that President Trump made up the story in order to distract from the many problems facing him & his staff... especially those involving Russia.  If that's the case, it's also a major scandal...and should be exposed.  I have no idea which scandal is true, but I hope we find out.

A third option is that Trump was misinformed about the Obama story.  If that's the case, it reinforces why it's crucially important for anyone to obtain hard, irrefutable evidence before babbling in public about some particular supposed action.  As far as I can see, Trump failed to do that.

Mr. President:  you FAILED to present any evidence (at least, as of this writing)... and perhaps you also failed to even obtain any evidence.  Your credibility just keeps getting worse.  Why should world leaders (or anyone) believe anything you say???
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Correction---
In the piece immediately previous to this one, posted a couple nights ago, I mistakenly stated that the National Debt was $19.981 trillion.  At that time, it was $19.961 trillion... As of tonight, it's $19.963 trillion.  The Debt Ceiling "Holiday" is almost over.
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Not only my opinion.  Be Well

Trump is a Mess, Dangerous, & in a Mess, AND More on the Deep State

The Deep State has hit Trump at least twice at this juncture.  The first time involved the Judicial Branch and his "travel ban" Executive Order.  The second time was regarding Flynn and the Russian Ambassador.  "Officials" in our Gov't brought the whistleblowing leaks (concerning Flynn) to the attention of the Acting Attorney General.  Weeks before, Trump apparently knew about Flynn's lies to the V.P. and the public.  So much for transparency in government.

King Donald is so thin-skinned and insecure that after about a hundred more hits by the Deep State, he'll probably have a nervous breakdown.  If and when that happens, let's hope his finger isn't on the nuclear button.  [This is the guy who asked, "If we have them (nukes), why can't we use them?".]  Good grief.

His press/news conference today was one for the books.  Whining, whining, and more whining.  He's an embarrassment to this country.  On top of that, he's still dwelling on the election...and still thinks he had some sort of massive landslide victory.  It's as though he's trying to convince himself, not us.  The man appears to be emotionally retarded.  The piece on Frontline a short while ago (sorry, I forget the title...maybe, The Choice) about his childhood and upbringing gives insight into that.  Trump always has to see himself as winning and as a success, even if he loses and/or fails.  When criticized, he either attacks with lies... or whines... or both.

I'm certainly not in favor of The Establishment in American politics, but Trump is not the solution to that.  This is the Buffoon Administration, and it's extremely dangerous.  It's filled with Corporatists, Elitists, Militarists, and worse.  The Don makes promises he cannot possibly keep, but he'll violate the Constitution, the Natural Rights of commoners, International Law, and any measure of common sense trying to fulfill those promises.  He thinks he's the greatest thing since sliced bread... and can't stop talking about how great he is.  When he comes up against the wall of Reality, he'll crack.  Before he cracks up, he'll probably double or triple the National Debt (which already is obscene), get us into another major, unconstitutional war, and destroy what's left of our economy.  On top of that, he'll generate more terrorism than did Bush & Obama combined and make enemies of allies around the world.  This President is an unmitigated disaster.  All he'll do is make the Super-Rich richer, poor people poorer, encourage the prejudiced, further hollow out the Middle Class, increase the pollution of the planet, continue Perpetual War, and in general, destroy America.  Of course, he says he'll do the opposite of all that... but then, the guy is a Con Man.  [And no, I'm not a Democrat...or a Republican.]

So, how many Americans really do support and/or approve of him?  The polls I've seen indicate that the number is 1/3rd of all adults in this Land.  One-third.  As paltry as it is, look for that number to shrink before long.  Why?  The guy doesn't have a clue about American Government.  I probably know more about the subject... and that's not saying much.  Plus, as written above, the man appears to be emotionally retarded.  That does not bode well for coping with the stresses and strains of the Presidency... or for making wise decisions.  Finally, he's choosing people to fill his Administration whose actions are going to piss off the vast majority of Americans, never mind the world.

Not only my opinion.  Be Well

Blanket Bans on People Are Asinine

Preface---
Never mind the fact that Article II, Section 2 enumerates ONLY TWO Executive Orders permitted under the United States Constitution.  The President may order Department Heads to submit reports on anything having to do with their respective departments, and may grant clemency/pardons to specified prisoners.  That's it.  No other Exec Orders are listed/described.  Put that aside...because We the People apparently have accepted the Fed Govt's analysis which states that other Orders are IMPLIED.  Some analysts have argued (to no avail) that the Constitution does not imply powers, but instead ENUMERATES them.  [We have, after all, a government of Enumerated Powers.]

So for decades & decades, we have allowed past & present Presidents essentially to issue decrees (like a King) that instead should be ideas for legislative bills submitted to Congress.  Never mind all that.  Trump isn't the only guilty party.
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The USA's Soft Fascism is hardening rapidly under this new King & his Administration.  The recent blanket ban is proof of that.  Here are a few of the results:
1.  at JFK Airport, some moron kicked & punched a Muslim woman who was dressed according to her faith, and then said, "Trump is here now; he's going to get rid of all of you!";
2.  a PhD candidate at Stanford, who had been visiting abroad, was detained upon return to the Land of the Free because the country visited was one of the "areas where we've had trouble" (the quote is from an Administration spokesman);
3.  other students with Green Cards attending other universities had similar experiences;
4.  Iraqis who helped save the lives of American soldiers, and thus were targeted in their own land, were denied entrance as refugees to the USA at the airport... because of Trump's "Executive Order".

So much for "extreme vetting".  With this Order, apparently there is no vetting.  There's only a blanket ban.

Pluralistic societies/countries, if they were to use Trump's reasoning, should ban all Americans from entrance to their lands... because some Americans are violent racists.  That's the same flawed logic.

Trump already has demonstrated that he should be impeached.  Keep in mind, the Impeachment process begins merely with an investigation by the House.  It may end there.  It's the Senate that has to vote for conviction (removal from office)...2/3rds of Senators must so vote...if the House votes to proceed.

Not only my opinion.  Be Well

The Deep State Will Marginalize Trump...Maybe Completely

A couple of years ago, Moyers & Company had as a guest Mike Lofgren, who had been a Congressional Staffer for 28 years.  During his long stint in Congress, he became aware of the Deep State (Shadow Gov't)...which is a conglomeration of like-minded public & private individuals.  If you're not familiar with that group, simply Google/Bing the term.

As Lofgren pointed out, the Deep State doesn't care whether Repubs or Dems are in power at the national level... those labels are meaningless to the true Powers-That-Be.  Genuine Repubs and genuine Dems don't exist anymore at the very top echelon of the Fed Gov't.  Mostly Neoliberals exist there.  That's Lofgren's conclusion after working 28 years in Congress.

Jump forward to today.

Trump will be squashed and/or completely marginalized by the Deep State, mostly because he has no ideology.  He's nothing but an opportunist, and they won't abide that.  Either that will happen, or he'll simply self-destruct.​

One would think that the Deep State might favor a guy like Corporatist Trump.  They favored Corporatist Clinton instead because she represented the status quo.  Although Trump adheres to Corporatism, he also appears to be:  against Globalization; too unreliable; too volatile; anti-status-quo; too thin-skinned; and too egotistical.  None of that (if true) would bode well for Neoliberalism and Corporatist Globalization... the darlings of the Deep State.

Don't get me wrong---Trump will not be good for Main Street or the USA in general.  He's not a Populist.  He's a dangerous opportunist who says anything he thinks his audience wants to hear.  He's a billionaire Corporatist, a Crony Capitalist, and an ego-maniacal flip-flopper.  [I just watched a clip of his speech at the CIA.  Despite all his previous denigrations (often vicious) of the intelligence community, he says he's their biggest fan.  Typical Trump--- he says whatever his current audience wants to hear.  In this case, I doubt that the audience believed him.]

Apparently, Trump has little to no idea what he's up against.  The main point here is this:  the Deep State runs this country.  Elected puppets have very little to do with it.  They primarily are figureheads.  They give the illusion of a democracy.  In addition, Trump now has an approval rating of 32%.  Not only that, but he lost the popular vote by about three million.  He has no "mandate".  Finally, never mind the entire Fed Gov't, even only the Executive Branch is so huge that it's essentially unmanageable.  It's nowhere near a monolithic institution overseen by one person.  Half the time (I'm guessing), the right hand doesn't know what the left hand is doing.  Getting around bombastic Trump won't be especially difficult.

I'll give Trump this much--- he did get us out of the TPP.  That's significant... and it's one of the reasons that the Deep State will utterly marginalize the guy.

Not only my opinion.  Be Well

p.s.  For those who may not know:  the Deep State is NOT a "conspiracy theory"; it's a well-accepted concept.  Plus, for the most part, it's in plain sight and operates right out in the open.  [Example:  shortly after Trump issued memos suggesting that the DAPL (pipeline) and the Keystone XL Pipeline both should be restarted, an Administrator at the Badlands National Park tweeted scientific facts supporting the concept of Climate Change.]

Why Most American Presidents Should be Considered Puppets

Below is my response to an email from a family member.  The bulk of his email was a reprint of an article about Obama in the final issue of Newsweek.  [Apparently the magazine is ceasing publication.]  The article lambasted Obama with a variety of assertions.
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I agree with most of this, but take issue with the following.

1.  Obama's first job after college was not as a "community organizer", but instead was with Business International, a mega business consulting firm and a known CIA front.

2.  His Marxism was "warmed over" because it was an act.  He's a Corporatist, not a Marxist.  He became a multi-millionaire while in office.  He failed to prosecute fraudulent Mega Bankers, even when the fraud was admitted... and the evidence supporting that admission was clear.  He received more campaign $ from Big Biz than did McCain.  In his first term, he kept all the Wall St. Bush economic people in his Admin.  Anyone who believes Obama was on the so-called "Left" is the victim of unmitigated Propaganda... & that Propaganda worked.

3.  He did have a record in the Senate:  he supported the Afghan & Iraq wars, the Death Penalty, voted for the PATRIOT Act, voted against Universal Health Care, and supported anything that favored the highest 1% on the economic ladder.  [None of that record is in the slightest a "Marxist" record.]

Obama certainly was/is unqualified, but he's definitely NOT any kind of Socialist.  The Newsweek author simply is reinforcing the Propaganda that most Americans bought into.

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Let's see if Trump, who is facing an imploding economy, blames Obama for economic woes the way O blamed Bush.  I'd say there's a very good chance that he will.  Funny thing is, they both have a good case... that's because the Cabinet members & other economic advisors aren't really "Conservative" OR "Liberal"... instead, they're Corporatists who promote Boom & Bust cycles that benefit the Super-Rich.  They bamboozle ANY President into thinking they're on the right track with that policy (of course, they don't use Boom-Bust terminology).  As I look at Trump's Cabinet & Advisors on economic policy, it's easy to predict that's exactly what will happen to the President-Elect.  Just watch.

Happy Trails

p.s.  Thanks for the piece.  It reinforces my belief that the Corporate Media (including Newsweek) are way beyond those old, worn-out labels of "Conservative" and "Liberal".  Every one of them is Corporatist... and their main objective is to benefit the 1%.

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On a similar note---

Don't know how I missed this piece, but just a bit ago I finished watching a documentary (on Netflix) narrated by Matt Damon, titled Inside Job.  It's from the year 2010, and is an analysis of the 2008 Crash.  Although I was familiar with most of the facts explained, the film blew me away.

Long story short, the piece showed how the Administrations of Reagan, Poppy Bush, Clinton, Dubya Bush, & Obama, plus Oligarchs in the Financial Sector, plus Presidential advisors from academic economics---all essentially more or less in collusion--- were responsible for the last Crash.  The devastating role of bizarre financial derivatives was laid bare, as well as the utter failure of governmental regulation, and how millionaire economic advisors shape Executive policy.

Bottom line--- American Presidents (with very few exceptions) have been molded economically by BIG Business reps and academic millionaire economists to the point where the Presidents are mere puppets...at least, when it comes to issues such as finance, the economy, jobs, & the like.  Those issues are the most important ones to almost all of us.  If you can't make a decent living, all the other issues don't matter.  The only possible exception to that statement is the issue of Freedom.

Finally, as pointed out in the film, those "academic" economic advisors became millionaires by giving speeches to mega corporations at $100,000 or more a pop.  After advising the President, many/most of these economists then move on to high corporate positions at an annual salary of $300,000 or so.  A question should arise as to conflict of interest, eh?

Don't miss Inside Job.

Not only my opinion.  Be Well

Message to President Obama

https://www.credomobilize.com/petitions/stop-the-nuclear-weapons-hypocrisy

[This campaign may not be approved by CREDO; they tend to think that Obama is a Populist, not what he really is, a Corporatist.]

Not only my opinion.  Be Well

At Last, Obama is Being Sued by an Army Officer

Captain Nathan Michael Smith, an Army Intelligence Officer stationed in Kuwait, is suing the President for violating the War Powers Act and the U.S. Constitution in relation to the Iraq-Syria ISIS War.  It's about time someone did...kudos to Captain Smith.

Months ago, the New York Times Editorial Board came to the same conclusion:  that war is illegal; Obama does not have Congressional Authorization to prosecute the war.  No one seemed to care.  It took Captain Smith, who believes the war needs to be fought, to bring the issue once again to the forefront.  He, like all significant public servants, took an oath to "preserve, protect, & defend" the Constitution.  He stated that his conscience bothered him when he realized that the ISIS War is not legal.  He's correct...it's not.  Any 12th-grader of average intelligence who has read the Constitution from stem to stern knows that.  Anyone with an ounce of common sense and a cursory knowledge of the 1973 War Powers Act knows, despite what Obama claims, that the Authorization from the Dubya Bush 2003 Iraq War cannot be used to fight the current ISIS War.  ISIS had nothing whatsoever to do with the 9-11 attacks and it didn't even exist in 2003.

I don't expect Captain Smith's lawsuit to gain any traction at all for the following reasons---

1.  War is BIG Business...and a great distraction from our crashing economy.
2.  The Powers-That-Be don't appear to give a damn about the Constitution; they seem to view it as an anachronism.
3.  Our Judicial System seems to be corrupt a good deal of the time.
4.  Oligarchs usually get what they want...and they usually want war.
5.  Very few in Gov't dare to challenge the ongoing expansion of Executive Branch Power.  The Executive already has Power today approaching that of a Monarch or dictator.
6.  Edward Bernays style Propaganda seems to have convinced most of our citizens that ISIS is a grave threat to the USA.  It isn't.  Very few people in-the-know, such as retired Colonel and Boston University Professor Emeritus Andrew Bacevich, have stated--- as has Colonel Bacevich ---that ISIS is not any significant threat to our country.  People believe the Propaganda to the contrary, and thus the legality of that war seems to be unimportant.

The Rule of Law in this country is on a downhill slide at the speed of light...and not just regarding the Constitution.

Not only my opinion.  Be Well

Are Most Adult Americans Totally Bamboozled by Propaganda?

Most of the time, it seems so to me.  For the life of me, I cannot figure out why most of my fellow citizens appear to either believe, or alternatively, to not object to the following falsehoods.

1.  Our Presidents can issue pretty much any Executive Orders that they so desire.  [Any 12th-grader reading Article II, Section 2 of the United States Constitution easily could determine that only two such Orders are permitted:  the Pres can order his/her Department Heads (or any one of them) to submit a Report on anything having to do with their individual Departments; and, the Pres can order a Pardon for a convicted criminal...except in the case of Impeachment.  That's it...those are the only two Exec Orders permitted by the Supreme Law of the Land.  Presidents usually justify others by citing some general duty of theirs to protect or defend the United States.  Any such duty cannot legally contravene other parts of the Constitution.  Well, maybe it can in Alice's Wonderland or some other la-la, loony tunes Land...but to allow such actions permits the Executive Branch to make Laws... and that's a function expressly reserved to the Congress.  With that power, a President essentially is a Feudal King.]

2.  Our Presidents legally can have our military cross an international border, bomb that country, and kill people without Congress declaring war.  [This has been going on since the end of WW II.  Politicians usually justify it in one of two ways:  by claiming the action is not war; or, by citing some LAW passed by Congress that allows the Pres to choose when & where to engage in war.  In the first case, I refer you to the Korean Conflict (the official name) in the 1950's, the Vietnam Conflict (the official name) in the 1960's and 1970's, and the Counter-Terrorism activities of Bush-Obama.  In the second case, I refer you to the War Powers Act.  Those justifications are blatantly wrong because in the first case, if you bomb a country & kill people, it's ridiculous to claim you're not at war; in the second case, no Law trumps the Constitution.  That's why it's called the SUPREME Law of the Land.]

3.  The gravest, most dangerous threat to the USA is that of Islam.  [You have a bigger chance of being killed by lightning than by the comparatively few criminals who are so-called jihadists.]  Because of that "threat", we must willingly sacrifice certain Rights in order to be "safe".  [These beliefs by seemingly many Americans are at once ridiculous, tragic, and comical.  Can't anyone reason anymore?  Can't anyone recognize manipulative Propaganda anymore?  Can't anyone see how the Powers-That-Be are eliminating our Right to be Free with this BS?]

4.  Our Economy is "recovering".  Unemployment is now at "4.9%"...[or some other equally & wildly inaccurate low number.]  The Stock Market is rebounding and soon will be in great shape again.  Manufacturing is on the mend.  [Those claims are beyond the pale...completely asinine.  The Powers-That-Be are so used to most Americans accepting their outright lies that such lies have become larger and more numerous in recent years.  See several of my past posts for an alternative view... or see almost any non-corporate media source for something much, much closer to the truth.]

5.  Donald Trump, or Ted Cruz, or Hillary Clinton, or Bernie Sanders, or any of the other current candidates will make good on their promises... and really make a difference in our lives.  [Please.  Not without Congress they won't... unless they do it illegally by Exec Order.  Furthermore, keep in mind that the President represents the State (as in Statism), not the People.  We the People supposedly are represented by the Congress, not the Executive Branch... although, with all the Crony Capitalism and corruption in the Gov't, even the concept of Congress representing us is highly questionable.  The only way out of this political mess is by means of peaceful outside pressure.  No one inside the Rotten System ever will be able to change much of anything...not anymore.  The fact is, we live in a criminal Fascist State... criminal at the highest levels.  The Supreme Law of the Land is violated by Gov't Elites on an almost daily basis.  Don't ever think that one has to be a Judge or Attorney-at-Law in order to comprehend the Constitution.  That document is long-winded in parts, but it's very plainly written and fairly easy to understand.  Most politicians ignore most of it.  Where's the outrage over that?]

Not only my opinion.  Be Well