The Importance of Getting it Right: America's Domestic Dilemma

Right now there are some very powerful groups working non-stop around the clock to pit us against each other every way possible. They manipulate what we watch, listen to, or see as much as possible. After all, just 5 mega corporations own 96+% of all media. They've totally ignored the fact that nearly half the country is registered Independent---43%. Nearly half the country wants nothing from the corporate own uniparty.

Remember this too. The Nazis came to power under the banner of "law and order" and national security with just 43% of the total vote. Lacking a majority, the Nazi's were compelled into a coalition government with industrialist Alfred Hugenberg's conservative German National People's Party (DNVP) in order to take power.  But once the Enabling Act was in place by March 23,1933, the ill-conceived  response to the February 27th Reichstag fire allegedly started by "Communists agitators", the German Republic was all but over.  And it took Hitler just 52 days.

The Democrats and Republicans are both minority parties with roughly 25% of registered voters each. but you wouldn't know it from the media or how the country is run. They've created a two tier legal system and a political class system. They've quietly overthrown our Republic at the behest of a neo-fascist corporatocracy led a super rich oligarchy (or kleptocracy if you prefer, it really doesn't matter. The results for us are the same), and while we were busy playing on our "smart phones" or watching some reality show.

Freedoms are routinely and gradually  suppressed in the name of "national security" in order to protect the populace from scapegoat enemy.  Historically it's been the "Jews", Protestants or Catholics, blacks, Chinese, the Irish, and so on. But, it need not be a group, it can just as easily be a abstract idea; a "catch all" if you will. For instance, "socialism" and Communism" are typically bandied about as if they're one and the same, which they're obviously not. But none of that really matters as long as you're made afraid of it. Why?

The corporate state will always employ a "us versus them" mindset using every resource they have available in order to make and keep you afraid of something. They will use that fear to justify their existence. It will be the foundation of their control.

Let me ask you a question. What do the following laws all have in common? The Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 which, among other things, prohibited the use of child labor, created the 40 hours work week, and provided for a minimum wage, the National Labor Relations Act, of 1935 (aka "the "Wagner Act") or the Social Security Act of 1935. Any guesses?

What about Title VII  of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination based on age, race, gender, national origin, religion, or sexual orientation, or the 19th Amendment (passed in 1919) giving women the vote?  How about the Federal Unemployment Act of 1935 which provides unemployment benefits to out of work employees or the Indian Mineral Leasing Act of 1938 which gave Native American tribes more control of the extraction of natural resource on tribal land. Give up?

Every single one of them were labeled either "socialist" or Communist. Every. Single. One. Most of these were passed during Franklin D. Roosevelt's administration, which didn't go unnoticed by the powerful industrial elites of the time who ridiculed Roosevelt as a "traitor to his class" (he came from a wealthy upper New York family), as a closet socialist or Communist (take your pick). Wall Street did everything it could (legal or not) to defeat, or at least delay these laws, but ultimately failed. But, can you honestly say your life would be better off without most or all of these laws?

But it doesn't end there. Not by a long shot. The Civil Rights Act of 1964, and "War on Poverty" initiative  signed by the Democratic President, Lyndon B Johnson, was vilified as being a Communist plot to destabilize the country as was the creation of Medicare and Medicaid in 1965.  The Consumer Product Safety Act, Clean Air and Clean Water acts on 1972, all of which were signed by Republican arch conservative Richard Nixon, were also hailed as being "socialist". Of course, "Obamacare"  which help provide critical medical care for those without any (in many cases because their employer couldn't afford to offer any).  

 It's the same in every totalitarian government.  Different actors. Same script.  As Nazi propagandist genius, Joseph Goebbels, once advised "publicly accuse your enemy of doing what you're already secretly doing". Our "Enabling Act" arrived  in 2001 under the flag waving title of "The Patriot Act" and  we've never looked backed despite the slow transformation of the U.S. into a surveillance state. Fascism, in all its incarnations---populist, traditional, benevolent, or religious, all ends the same. It's about control.  

Fascism, which is really just another name for corporatism, can declare itself as  being "liberal" (China, North Korea, East Germany, North Vietnam, Somalia, Yemen, and others were labeled as "Democratic Republics"). The famous quote (erroneously attributed to author Sinclair Lewis) said that fascism, when---not if--- it comes to America, "will be wrapped in the flag  and waving a cross" as well as "American fascism, when it eventually arrives, will be government of, by, and for profits." Sounds a lot like today's Oligarchy doesn't it?

Echoing that statement, James Waterman Wise Jr , author of numerous books including "Our Bill of Rights: What it Means To Me" and "Thomas Jefferson: Then and Now" penned in the  Feb. 5, 1936 edition of Christian Century (considered the flagship magazine of mainstream Protestantism since 1900). He remarked, "If fascism comes, it will not be identified with any 'shirt' movement, nor with an insignia, but it will probably be 'wrapped in the American flag and heralded as a plea for liberty and preservation of the constitution".

These "friendly fascists" might claim to know the "Will of God" and promise to return us to time of more traditional family values. Such is "friendly fascism". It may claim to be socially conservative if that is what it takes to get your compliance just as easily as it claims to be "all inclusive". But regardless of its outward message, Fascism will always ultimately insist on your total and unwavering compliance.

The assault on our nation has been a gradual one. It creeps forward in one place and makes a strategic  but temporary retreat in others areas, but overall, their agenda always advances. It's a process known as "incrementalism" or "gradualism". Notice for instance how the educational system have been "dumb down". Did it happened over a month or even a year? Nope. It's been happening over decades.

Schools have gone from teaching critical thinking skills to teaching "Critical Race Theory". Some of these same schools are now encouraging "gender selection" by kids who barely know what "gender" means! Worse still is that the parents don't even have to be notified. Schools and libraries are trying to ban certain American classics such as "Huckleberry Finn", "Tom Sawyer" , "1984" and "Animal Farm", "Of Mice and Men", "To Kill a Mockingbird", and "A Farewell to Arms" . Even "Little Riding Hood" and Anne Frank's "Diary of a Young Girl" have fallen to censors!

Meanwhile, liberals claim that books about race (especially those placing certain racial minorities in a positive light), history books offering a different perspective of events, as well as books about sexual orientation and gender are being banned by schools and libraries at the same rate.

This, of course, raises the question as to where books should be banned at all? Perhaps we should go back to the age specific criteria for children is strictly enforced just as all decisions made about students should involve the parent.  After all, isn't the ultimate objective to encourage kids to read, develop their critical thinking skills, expand their intellectual horizons and help make them responsible citizens?

People are expected (and in some places, mandated by law) to play along with other people's fantasies by referring to a biological male  who "identifies" as a female as "she/her" or by female who believes they're a male as "he/him". Even more oddly, some don't even want to be referred by a gender specific pronoun since they're "gender fluid" and want to be known as "them/they", but it gets weirder.

There are those individuals who "self-identify" as animals---dogs, cats, whatever---and they want to be treated that way. Some even show up in school dressed as the animal of their delusion...err..choice... and wants act, be talked to, and even fed from a bowl at lunch  (I wonder if they go outside to the restroom, sniff other people's butts, or if they've figured out how to lick their privates yet?).  

Anyway,  I don't care who or what someone believes that are, although much of this I believe is a cry of attention or simply a mental illness. It's really none of my business, but why must I have to reinforce their self-delusion and play along? What about my moral compass?

In the long run, all the corporate state cares about are workers just smart enough to do their jobs, but not smart enough to challenge their authority, and certainly not individuals who think for themselves. Those people are dangerous.

If we're are pitted against each other, then we won't be paying attention to what they're doing. In a short order, the mask will slip and then drop completely and you can bet they won't bother even asking for our support or anything else.   They will demand and you will comply.

In that same instant, when they finally stop pretending to care about rising gas and food prices, the environment, unemployment, high taxes, or having an open border, you will have to decide for yourself, for your family, and for grandchildren yet unborn if it's better to stand on your feet and take a unmovable stand as a free man or women to fight for democracy and a return of our Republic, or to live forever on your knees having never knowing freedom ever again.  Remember, no decision is still a decision by default. But for those who come after you, it will be far too late. The decision will have already been made for them by your inaction.

As  Dr. Klaus Schwab of the globally powerful and influential World Economic Forum recently said, when speaking about the WEF's "Great Reset Initiative", that "you will own nothing and be happy". Another aspect of the "Great Reset" is to create a more "sustainable planet" by promoting greater economic deregulation of businesses, and in particular large transnational corporations (of the corporatocracy type) and  giving them a greater role in global governance "at the expense of government".  Does that sound like "socialism" or "Communism"? Not to me. In fact, it's almost the textbook definition of fascism.

There's no question that America has slipped into a corporatocracy under the leadership of a group of mega-rich oligarchs. They thrive on creating chaos and promising us order. Their sole goal is control, be it assets, resources, or us as their economic serfs, forever chained to debt. Our "worth" determined by our credit rating and to afraid to speak up for ourselves for fear of losing our jobs.  A roadmap is already being laid out for us and those who follow who will "own nothing and be happy". Will you willingly go down that road or will you fight to preserve our democracy and for a return of our Republic? We have to get this right the first time.  

 

If you enjoyed the article, please consider passing it along to others and don't forget to subscribe. It's free! Lastly please be sure to "like" us on whatever platform you use to read anotheropinionblog.com. It helps beat the algorithms and keeps our articles in circulation. Thank you!

 

Dept of Labor: Summary of Major Laws of the Department ofLabor

The Sinclair Lewis Society

World Economic Forum

openDemocracy: Conspiracy theories aside, there's something fishy about the Great Reset

Great Reset

25 of America's most unexpectedly banned books

Independent Party ID Tied for High; Democratic Party for NewLow

 

Making Sense Of My Own "Great Reset"

We're all familiar with the term "Great Reset"  of "Great Reset Initiative" and its implied meaning being distilled down to "owning nothing and being happy". The concept, first introduced in June 2020 by World Economic Forum chairperson, Klaus Schwab, is intended to be a "reboot" of society through euphemistic slogans as "responsible" or "measured" capitalism which sounds an awful lot to me as another version of a kinder and gentler form of fascism.

Taking the term at its generally accepted meaning, we can define "Great Reboot" as a momentary shutdown and startup of any system. Accordingly, I guess now if as good as time to discuss my  personal reboot", but first I'd like make mention of a caveat. I typically don't discuss personal matters outside a very small clique of family and very close friends. 

I know Millennials and Gen Z don't have any qualms with sharing damn near anything about themselves for the price of a10% discount on some fountain drink at the nearest gas station (and sometimes, not even that). I guess in this age of rapidly vanishing privacy, I don't want to contribute to the uploading of my data to some sort of "permanent file in the cloud".  So, with that said, let us begin.

On any given day I'm nose deep in researching one topic or another in order to ensure my articles are as timely, accurate, and balanced as possible. But, I do come for air from time to time. January 28, 2024 was one such night. After a day of watching political and historical videos, reading countless economic articles and so forth, I decided it was time for a break. So, roughly around 8:00 PM I decided to call it quits for the day.

So I meandered into the living room  to watch some mostly mind numbing chatter on the aptly named "idiot box" with my wife.  I don't really recall what we watched, but I suspect whatever it was, it was on history, science, or documentary channels. Since retiring in 2013, we don't have any set bedtime. It mostly depends on what's on TV and how tired we were. Nevertheless, I was about 1:00 when we decided to call it a night.

After going through all the usual nighttime rituals, I was back in the bedroom and preparing to put my pajama bottoms on when I heard what sounded for the world like a faint or distant ringing of church bells. I paused to listen, but assuming it was my imagination, decided to continued getting my jammies on. But as did, I heard another set of church bells ringing off in the distance.  I listened a little more intently, but again, was unable to find a source.

Finally, as I finished getting ready for bed, I heard a third set church bells! Just as distant and faint as the others. This time I went throughout the house looking for the origin of this mysterious ringing.  Nothing. Everything was off and ints place. As we are pretty rural, there's no churches closest enough to be responsible. Chalking up to just being tired , I hopped into bed for what I hoped would be some restful sleep. I couldn't have been more wrong.

I don't know what it was that so abruptly woke me up but there I was... unquestionably wide awake. As I lay there trying to come to terms with the situation, it dawned on me that I was on my back spread eagle. Since I normally sleep on my side or stomach, I found this rather disconcerting. What's more was the sensation that I was sinking through the bed as if my mattress had become quicksand.

Needless to say, I sat up in a instant wondering what was going. As I sat there in the dark, looking around.  I listened for any kind of sound that would clue me in on what had happened and what seems to still be happening. After about a minute or two, I headed off to the restroom (why waste the opportunity right?) and then into the kitchen for a sip of water.

As I walked down the hall and into the kitchen , I sensed something that felt like  a finger lightly pressing on an area about 3 inches in from my left shoulder. It wasn't painful. There was no discomfort. It was, as I said, "as if "someone was gently but firmly touching me with the finger.  I felt no pain in my arms, legs, or neck. No headache. No shortness of breath. Nothing which seemed to be an obvious clue. If what I thought was happening was actually happening, then it hadn't given me any clue. No warning shot over the bow.

While in the kitchen, I got my sip of water. I looked outside to make sure everything was okay. I wondered into the living room. Nothing seemed out of order. At that point, I decided I'd go back to bed. As I walked back down the hallway, that curious pressure point seemed to get slowly more intense, but at this point it was little more than a minor irritant. 

Once I made it back to the bed, I sat there on the edge trying to make some sense of what was going on. My brain was running over every possible scenario at lightning speed. So, I slowly got back into bed....for all of about two seconds! The situation suddenly took a turn for the worse. As soon as laid down there was an overwhelming need to set back up instantly. I can't quiet explain it, but it was more like being pulled or pushed up. At that point things started happening quickly in my mind.

In a fast walk I headed into the kitchen again, turning on the light and reaching up to where I keep my 81 mg aspirin.  I've been taking an 81 mg aspirin for decades on the advice of my primary care physician as form of preventative medicine. I've always preferred a preemptive approach now rather than chasing symptoms later.

As soon as I swallowed the aspirin, I headed back down the hall and urgently told my wife that she needed to get up and get dress. I added that I thought we were going to be taking a "road trip" real quick. I added that I'll call 911, but before I did that, I grabbed a bottle of Nitroglycerin tablets which one of my doctors had prescribed for me as a afterthought following a regular visit. I'm glad he did! 

As soon as the grayish-blue pill dissolved under my tongue, I called 911. As I started to speak I quickly noticed something utterly terrifying. I couldn't speak, at least properly. It was as if I had an intense stutter. I was having to focus on every word and then every syllable. I forced myself to speak slow and deliberate so the 911 operator could understand me. However, apparently the lack of understanding wasn't on my end.

Once the emergency operator answered, I slowly gave her my name, my address, my phone number and describe to her as best as I could, the essential details. Apparently that caused a problem. Eventually this operation used a script and absolutely wouldn't deviate from it, meaning I was having to repeat each increasingly difficult word over and over. 

I could feel my frustration mount. I kept thinking 
if she'd just shut up and listen to me"! After what felt like an eternity, I got her to confirm that EMS had been dispatched. Whatever else she had to say was of no importance to me at that point.

At about fifteen minutes after my 911 phone call, an ambulance and fire truck arrived. The crew was very responsive, however, from my perspective they didn't seem to be in as much as hurry as I was! It was during this medical version of "20 Questions" that I noticed that my speech wasn't getting better and to add to the chaos, my left arm was violently shaking, and nothing I did could stop it. I also had sweat pouring down from my forehead. Folks, although I remained quiet calm, I was feeling pretty rough. After taking a EKG, it was decided that a hospital trip was in order.

I asked my wife to make sure she had all the insurance information, which we tend to keep centrally located. I asked to her call my mum and let her know what was happening. She would have to come and get my wife before they could head on over to the hospital. 

Meanwhile, since EMS couldn't get their gurney past our entrance way, I had to walk down the steps and get on the gurney while wearing a pair of pajama bottoms and a sleeveless T-shirt. Oh did I mention it was 35 degrees? I ended up requesting a warm blanket several times. As it turned out they didn't have any warm blankets available so I had to make due with a couple of sheets! I remember feeling to desperately cold. 

Once loaded, I was hooked up to another EKG machine and a few other devises to monitor my pulse, blood pressure, and oxygen. After what felt like an eternity (which in truth was about 10 minutes), we were off for a very bumpy ride to Audubon Hospital. Meanwhile, my stuttering speech pattern and badly quivering left arm continued. Despite being in the back of an ambulance,  I wasn't feeling any easier about this.

Once arriving at the Emergency room, I found myself waiting another 15 minutes or so before I could be checked in and given a room. The reason for the delay, apparently, was due to nursing shortages. Not surprising since the American healthcare system is ranked last among industrialize nations.

From that point forward, it seems that I had been transformed a pin cushion with dozens of viales of blood having been taken every few hours along with repeated chest x-rays, EKGs, MRI, CT, and coronary calcium  scan.  By the time I was released about two weeks later, I had over 190 test performed. 

Everyone who attended me in ER was wonderful. They all exhibited a tremendous amour of compassion and professionalism (except the ER doctor. He never bothered to come in a see me. For updates I had to depended on one of the ER nurses).

Little by little a cardio team of specialists began to form around me. Each bringing their own unique expertise and carefully explaining what their role was going to be. Finally, I met the chief cardiovascular surgeon. He looked more like "Doogie Howser" rather than someone who had been doing this for decades already.  Quite intelligent, and unlike most doctors anymore, he had a great bedside manner and took his time making sure everyone understood what was going on.   

Five days after arriving in the emergency room, I underwent a triple heart bypass surgery (what they call a "three cabbage". The surgery last just over five hours, which must have nearly unbearable for my wife, sister, mum and her boyfriend. The doctors, nurses, and staff were absolutely wonderful in keeping everyone informed, and their follow up care.

The kicker, if there was one, was being informed that my prognosis going in wasn't good. I had what was known a "widow-maker" with three totally blocked arteries, which has only a 12% survivability rate if treated immediately. The good news was that the survivability of a triple bypass is 97% 20 years out from the procedure. Most people, as my cardio team said, would never have call 911 because the symptoms were so mild as to be easily ignored. Most too wouldn't have thought of taking a 81% aspirin and/or taking a Nitroglycerin  tablet. Those individuals sadly would have become statistics.

So, my "Great Reset" now begins. I will embark on a 36 cardio rehab session. There will be modifications of pretty much everything, from diet to stress to regular exercise and weight control. Fortunately, most of these aren't an issue for me. I've always tended to eat, exercise, maintain a good weight, and so on, but there's always something new you can learn.

I hope none of you will need to face your "Great Reset",  but statistically you will.  Each year, over 850,000 Americans have a heart attack, the highest of any industrialized nation. That's one every 40 seconds.  I strongly urge you not to ignore any signs your body gives you no matter how subtle. Get annual physicals, including a stress test.  Regularly check your blood pressure. Try to eat as healthy as possible. It's not always easy or convenient, but try to work something healthy into you daily diet. Keep your weight under control.  

Be sure to exercise, even if it's only going for a daily walk around the block. You can easily buy used gym equipment online cheap so you can work out whenever you're really. Lastly, consider getting healthcare DNA test done. I've done a couple and found them both very useful and entertaining. Family Tree DNA looks at 30 factors affecting your overall health. Armed with this data, it gives you a chance to anticipate  some future health issue and do something about it now.

Another terrific testing company is Ancestry which looks a various traits you've inherited. Both of these sites, FTDNA and Ancestry, give you a starting place to build your health line of defense. As an aside, there is another company, 23&Me, which offers a health and trait tests. While I did one of their tests, I was thoroughly disappointed. The information was inaccurate to the point of being unusable so I can't recommend them. 

To be forewarned is to be forearmed Take charge of your personal "Great Reset". Don't leave it to chance. 

 

 If you enjoyed the article, please consider passing it along to others and don't forget to subscribe. It's free! Lastly please be sure to "like" us on whatever platform you use to read anotheropinionblog.com. It helps beat the algorithms and keeps our articles in circulation. Thank you!

  

Widowmaker Heart Attack

 

The Widow Maker: Each Passing Moment Is Taking Away

Dangers of a Silent Heart Attack

Coronary bypass surgery

U.S. Ranks Last Among Seven Countries Healthcare SystemPerformance Measures

The "Great Reset" : Fascism with a Smile?

I'm sure you all have the heard the term, the "Great Reset". However, like most people, few have any real understanding of just what the term means and how it would play out. First, the term itself comes from World Economic Forum, which is a global conglomerate of very wealthy individuals working within global corporations (mostly banking and financial) and government.  

The proposal, first put forward by Klaus Schwab, a German economist, engineer, and founder of the WEF, describes the "Great Reset Initiative" (aka the "Davos Project") in three components aimed at creating a "stakeholder economy" comprised of resilience, equability of economic outcomes, and sustainability using environmental, social, and governance methods of measurement with the objective of creating a Fourth Industrial Revolution.   

Opponents call it a new version of fascism or socialism (two diametrically opposed systems) . These individuals allege that what the "Great Reset" proposes is nothing short of global ownership and control of everything by corporate/government "representatives". They will own literally everything, including property and claim that we will even be happy about it.

We will supposedly be assigned points to measure our cooperation with the system similar to a social credit score. The more points, the more we are allowed access to such as travel or greater internet use. The fewer the points, the less.  China already has a similar setup despite its claim to be a "socialist" country.

A number of world leaders, such as now King Charles of England, have already signed on to it, along with Kristalina Georgieva, a Bulgarian economist and a director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), U.S. President Joe Biden, Canada's Justin Trudeau, and the UK's former Prime Minister, Boris Johnson to name a few. This is the "New World Order" former President George H.W. Bush spoke about years ago.  

The attached video, produced by the Centre for Risk Analysis, a South African think tank, and host David Ansara, provides an excellent discussion with author, Douglas Kruger  about the ideological backdrop to this proposed economic system in light of the public's response to the Covid-19 pandemic, poverty, technology, and  wage inequality (hint: it doesn't get better).  

The video is fairly short, just under 12 minutes and worth your time to watch. I'm also including a video (11:31 minutes) made by the World Economic Forum about their proposed "Great Reset" project for comparison. There's no doubt that given some of the world's most powerful and wealthy players are involved that some portion of what they propose will be put into practice. America, as most everyone knows, has already moved into becoming a neo-fascist corporatocracy under the defacto control of an oligarchy. A "Great Reset" make be closer than you think.

 

Click Here:

CRA: "You will OWN NOTHING and be HAPPY"

Click Here:

WEF: What is theFourth Revolution?

If you enjoyed the article, please consider passing it along to others and don't forget to subscribe. It's free! Lastly please be sure to "like" us on whatever platform you use to read anotheropinionblog.com. It helps with the algorithms and keeps our articles in circulation. Thank you! 

 

WEF: The Great Reset

The Great Reset

OpenDemocracy: Conspiracy theories aside, there is somethingfishy about the Great Reset

 

Hillsdale College Imprimis: What is the Great Reset?

Red (White and Blue) Baiting

It appears the new tag word these days is "racist". If you don't agree with the official line, you're a racist. If you question what you're being told, then you're a racist.   If you're white (or Asian for that matter) and haven't publicly acknowledged and apologized your racial "privilege", then you're not just a racist, but one who supports a hidden racist system which has held others back while giving you all the breaks.

If you're white or Asian, did well in school, stayed out of trouble, and were generally successful in life, it was because of your racist privilege within a systematically racist system. Your success was the result of someone else being held down. It had nothing to do with your hard work in school or getting a job.

If you happen to be Hispanic or black, and you worked hard, overcame any of life's obstacles, got a good job (or even better, started your own business), then you betrayed your race. If you studied hard and did well in school, then you're guilty of "acting white". You did all this by adopting the mentality of the "oppressor class" (ie: whites or successful Asians). You were a "Uncle Tom" or whatever. 

 It had nothing to do with your desire to better your life, and by extension, your family's or even your community's. It had nothing to do with your determination, just as it had nothing to do with all those hours spent studying, working part time jobs, and effort to put yourself through college. Therefore, you have a obligation to renounce your success and use your influence and wealth to support those who wish to bring down the inherent racist system of the oppressors which made all your accomplishments possible.

Now, we have athletes refusing to stand for the national anthem. Instead, they turn their back or take a knee (long symbolic of submission). They make a fist and thrust it into the air as a sign of rebellion. We have Olympic hopefuls tell us they aren't interested in going to Tokyo to represent America, but, instead, to represent the all the "oppressed" of this nation because they "overcame" oppression. What has this nation done for them after all except send them to the Olympics?

 It seems to me that the very fact they were willing to put in the work that was required for their sport and now have the opportunity (and financial sponsorship) with the potential of making millions more through endorsements kinda defeats their argument don't you think?

No one is giving these athletes anything but the opportunity to prove themselves, and with effort and dedication, some made it. Yet, some of these sports entertainers (which, in truth, is what they are), who make millions, choose to kneel in disrespect during the playing of the National Anthem or turn their back on the flag and then complain when they are booed. Seems like they're talking out of both sides of their piggy bank. Poor me with all the endorsements, but it gets better.

Now we are starting to see individuals and a few groups like Black Lives Matter, calling for our flag to be changed. They claim that, somehow, the design and colors are "racist" (there's that button they keep pushing again). The flag, they maintain, represents white superiority.  According to the American Legion, the colors were chosen based on heraldic symbolism. The white stands for purity while the red represents hardiness and valor. The blue represents justice.

The 13 stripes stand for the original 13 colonies, while the stars represent each state. Officially, when the flag and its colors were adopted by the Marine Committee of the Second Continental Congress in Philadelphia back on July 4, 1776 and adopted in 1777, the colors had no specific meaning. I guess they just liked the way it looked. But, as I said earlier, that's not all.

In addition to changing the flag for (as Coke executives infamously said) being "too white", the same folks want to change the National Anthem for the same reasons. In fact, some sporting venues have started playing "Lift Every Voice", which is the so-called "Black National Anthem" in lieu of the National Anthem. So, we're now expected to stand for this new "anthem" while taking a knee or turning our backs for our official National Anthem?  Not gonna happen as far as I'm concerned.  

There's nothing "racist" about the "Star-Spangled Banner", which was written by Francis Scott Key during the siege of Fort McHenry and the Battle of Baltimore, which was part of the War of 1812. In fact, if you read the lyrics, there's about our willingness to stand and fight for freedom; to defend, what was then a new nation. While the National Anthem is admittedly a difficult song to sing, and that may be reason enough to change it, there isn't anything "racist" about it.

Finally, to make matters worse, we are starting to see attempts to introduce something called "Critical Race Theory" (aka "CRT") which is supposed to replace the current academic curriculum  (which should be changed thanks to years of "dumbing down") and replace it with lessons allegedly designed to allegedly promote diversity, be it racial, religious, or gender, but at the expense of others.

 In short, CRT, which began as a academic theory about 40 years ago, claims that race and racism is part of an implied social contract which is biased towards whites (and Christians), and thus shapes not just the academics (especially in grades K-12), but also shapes the public's perception and conversation. As a result, non-whites are left out of the discussion.

The problem with CRT is that its sole purpose appears to be creating a false or distorted image of whites, society and, ultimately, the nation. However, this nation was created with the help of people from nearly every race, creed, religion, and gender on this planet. The building of America was, in the truest sense, a collaborative undertaking, and it still is.  We are still growing and evolving as a nation and society. That's something CRT and those who promote it fail to take into account.

Balance in academia, as in everything, is important. CRT does not offer balance. It lays out the same type of foundation that the Nazis and other authoritarian systems created in order to persecute a segment of the population. It reinforces the same mentality which alleges  "white superiority" and demands the need for whites to publicly acknowledge their "white guilt". And while you're at it, go ahead and denounce everything America has ever done and stood for. Being anti-American seems to be popular these days. 

There is no "white guilt" to acknowledge, just as there is no "white superiority". Each individual needs to take advantage of the opportunities available to them.  Slavery ended close to 200 years ago. Although Jim Crow laws (where they existed) ended in 1964, people of color managed to succeed before then, and they more than succeed nowadays. Look at any industry as proof.

The only racism I've seen of late has come from those accusing others of being racist. We see it in their message and by their actions, including defacing and destroying historical statues. Unfortunately, this form of racism also happens in schools as mentioned above, in the workplace, and now in politics. The media promotes it, albeit subtlety, and so do some churches or other organizations in high minority neighborhoods.

But that doesn't excuse the Tamir Rice or Andre Hill's of America. Their deaths (and those like them) are totally inexcusable. However, it wasn't racism which was at fault. It was poor policing skills and perhaps even incompetence. The same could be said of George Floyd. He was no saint and certainly not someone deserving a statue or mural, but that doesn't excuse his death. Breaona Taylor is in a similar boat. She didn't deserve to die, but she wasn't an innocent bystander either.

Bad behavior has results. Ignoring or not following instructions by a police officer is never a good idea, neither is running from them or thinking you're big and bad enough to take them on. Claims that fearing or refusing to do what an authority figure tells you is not a part of someone's "racial culture". That's an excuse, and a bad one at that.  Teach your children to respect authority figures at least enough to do as they're told. They might have a better outcome and live longer.

When it comes to sexual orientation, I don't think anyone really cares, especially people who are straight. The only ones who seem to have a chip on their shoulder are in the LGBQT community. From those I've spoken with, the only issue straights have is someone trying to make their orientation a big deal and wave it in everyone's face. I doubt anyone really cares. Just do your own thing and leave everyone else alone. 

America doesn't need more division. It needs to acknowledge the worth of each individual based on their actions and contribution to society. By the same token, society doesn't owe you anything because of any other factor than your willingness to work for what you want. Everyone should have the same opportunity, but no one should be guaranteed of the same outcome. There are those who are trying to divide America in as many ways as possible. A divided nation is a nation which is easy to manipulate and control.

Of course, America isn't perfect. We've faced some very serious issues in the past, but for the most part we've overcome most of them by working together. We still have some very serious problems, but many of those problems stem from the very people trying to divide us.  We have more in common than not. Where there are differences, we need to find ways to bridge them. Lastly, we need to restore America's Republic, and that means ending the Corporatocracy created by the Oligarchs. 

 

What is critical race theory?

Now is the time to stop playing the national anthem atsporting events

Macy Gray defends call for new flag: 'I love my country'

 

2020's Defining Moments and the Stimulus Package

 

2020 has been described as being everything from "challenging" to "historic". However, it's one that won't soon be forgotten. If we were to pick a symbol for the year, surely a dead skunk in the road would be it. So, let's briefly take look at some highlights of the past "stinker" of a year before delving into the year's main story, COVID-19 and the stimulus package.

The year kicked off with the protests and riots unlike anything we've seen since the 1960's following the deaths of Breonna Taylor in Louisville Kentucky in March and George Floyd in Minneapolis Minnesota in May; both at the hands of the police. It should of been taken as warning of what was coming.

 

Protests, Riots, and Calls for Racial Justice

Whether their deaths were racially motivated or simply poor decision making by all concerned,  it sparked massive waves of protests and riots nationwide along with looting, arson, random attacks on individuals, and destruction of property which had nothing to do with racial justice.

It also saw the appearance of so-called "Right Wing" militias (often wrongly labeled as "neo-Nazi" or "racist" by the media), which tended to be rather well behaved, and Leftist groups like Antifa which, despite its name, was more akin to the Nazi Brownshirts or Communist Red Front than not.

Black Lives Matter showed its true colors as a race-centric neo-Marxist group, which, along with Antifa, turned out to be surprisingly organized and well funded. It's worth nothing that both groups were labeled by the media as "peaceful" despite the chaos they caused. Race baiting seems to be back in fashion.

 

We Can Still Be Friends

The media continued to pound President Donald Trump at every opportunity as they have since he was first elected. Never once did they let up or give him any serious credit, even when there were historic diplomatic breakthroughs like the four Arab nations agreeing to officially recognize  Israel---Sudan (which lost the moniker of a terrorist sponsoring state), the United Arab Emirates, Morocco, and Bahrain (which was promised high tech weapons  and diplomatic favors including financial aid).  

Relations between Kosovo and Serbia were normalized, while Muslim Kosovo also agreed to recognize Israel. Meanwhile, the UK  formally said "goodbye" to the European Union as Brexit took effect. The virus shut down the pro-democracy moment in Hong Kong to China's relief as it upped the ante in challenging America and her Asian allies for dominance.

 

Presidential Election:  The Ole Cup and Balls Trick

In 2016, we were told that Russian meddling in the election caused Hillary Clinton to lose his bid for president; not her inability to connect with voters, and surely not her questionable behavior (like Benghazi). We were told to ignore the rigging of the Democratic Primary against Bernie Sanders even though it was admitted and the head of the DNC was fired (as was her successor). This year, despite ample evidence of ballot corruption, we're told that our electoral system is safe and there is no way fraud could have taken place, so ignore the evidence and videos. Nothing to see. Move along.

Biden's Cabinet picks (as I've recently pointed out in my previous two articles) are primarily retreads from the Clinton and Obama administrations. Throughout Biden's 47 years in office, he has repeatedly shown himself not to be a friend of the working and middle classes or small business owners. He has perpetually pushed to cut taxes for the wealthy, favored deregulation and bailouts for big business, while supporting tax hikes on everyone else. Even seniors and veterans aren't safe.

Biden has repeatedly backed cuts in Social Security and support for veterans. But, not to worry! It seems that Biden isn't quite all there. Many expect a short tenure in office before being forced to stepped down and replaced by Kamala Harris as the first female president.

 

The COVID Virus: The New Normal

Not since the 1919 Influenza outbreak has a virus had such a far reaching affect on society. Businesses and restaurants have been shuttered, laying off millions of workers. Ordinary people have been forced to self-quarantine.  When we do go out, we're expected to wear mask and only go where we absolutely must and return home as quickly as possible, and don't forget to wash your hands thoroughly with the sanitizer you're now expected to keep in your car, your purse, or pocket.

Of course, we can't forget "social distancing"; maintaining that invisible six foot barrier between you and the next person. Government has stepped in to ensure that we can't gather in groups of more than  ten. They don't want us attend weddings, funerals, or religious services, movies, family gatherings (and especially if it involves singing), but apparently protests, political events and shopping at big box stores are okay. Just no small local stores. 

Americans are scared, which seems to be the way the Status Quo wants it. As a result, we've seen hoarding and artificial shortages. If there's any doubt that in a crisis, self-interest will always prevail, this should have removed all doubts. As a result, we've willingly accepted so-called "temporary emergency" restrictions to many of our freedoms. Many a despot has come to power using "temporary emergency" measures. Freedoms, once lost, are hard to reclaim just as power, once obtained, is hard to surrender.

Nevertheless, what we have entered is a "new normal" of masks, sanitizers, and self-imposed restrictions of movement. It's part of what the elites are calling "the Great Reset". It will be their attempts to reverse any changes President Trump made to the Status Quo, and to implement new ones under Biden/Harris. How far this "reset" will go depends on how much resistance they encounter. Based on the previous months, I expect very little.

The media will do its best to sell it. So will Hollywood, and naturally, so will Wall Street and  Madison Avenue since they all make up this Oligarchic Corporatocracy that is now America. Unions, once the voice of the working class, long ago sold out, leaving millions of blue collar workers high and dry, not to mention unemployed or underemployed.

But there is some good news I suppose. Earlier this year most Americans received a "stimulus" check of around $1200 (some countries gave citizens as much as $7000). It helped, but was nowhere near enough for the long term, especially as many were nearing the end of their unemployment benefits. Many more were looking at the possibility of facing repossession or foreclosure.

 More recently, Congress offered the American People $600. To call it insulting would be a gross understatement. The public was (rightfully) outraged. Social media was flooded with stories about illegal immigrants getting $1800 or Pakistan receiving billions to study "gender differences". But, how true were these stories?  What was in the 5600 page bill?

 

The Devil is in the Details

While Americans felt that the stimulus bill was supposed to be by and for us, it was, in fact, not. The bill did include billions in foreign aid, much of which was for education and infrastructure development in places like Tibet, Laos, Cambodia, and Egypt. There was $33 million set aside for "pro-democracy" programs in Venezuela (basically political bribery). $1.65 billion to Jordan which can use the money however it wants.

Four billion was authorized to help other countries purchase vaccines for the COVID virus. $130 million went for programs to empower women overseas and promote gender equality, while another $15 million went to help at-risk women and girls from religious extremists. $25 million went to World Bank to help with refugees. $40 million went to Syria for the purpose of providing medical assistance to those exposed to chemical weapons as well as first responders. So, what about us? Did we get anything besides the $600 lump of coal from Congress?

 

 Political Afterthought: The Voters and the Stimulus Package

The $900 billion dollar stimulus bill does include a few perks for Americans. Well, first some good news. At President Trump's insistence, we could get a check for $2000 rather than $600. However, the biggest roadblock is Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, who has indicated that he will oppose the increase in order to keep the bill's cost from skyrocketing (we could cut the foreign aid pork but that would be rejected by members of both parties anxious to score brownie points with their financial backers).

Nevertheless, the bill does include funding to help extend unemployment benefits up to $300 per week, which is half of the amount provided this past spring. Schools and universities will get $82 billion. $7 billion is for expanding broadband internet access. $285 billion goes to a program called Paycheck Protection Program. It's to help guarantee employers' ability to meet payroll. $12 billion of that has been earmarked for minority owned businesses. However, the program has come under criticism in that the majority of money goes to large corporations not adversely affected by the pandemic.  Many have used the money to cover top level executive bonuses.

$10 billion will go to the childcare industry, which has been hit hard by the mandatory shutdowns. The bill also includes a ban to prevent doctors, hospitals, and others in the medical industries to send so-called "surprise" bills to patients. They define this as bills for services not previously explained to and acknowledged by the patient or their family. That one, I suspect, will need a lot more clarification.

The bill also provides a provision to prevent evictions, foreclosures, and repossessions for the next 30 days (but not interest charges or late fees). $13 billion will go for food assistance such as SNAP, food banks, and food pantries. $175 million of that is earmarked for Meals on Wheels and similar programs.

Lastly, there is nothing in the bill that provides illegal immigrants with a stimulus check. Only those here legally and possess a green card will receive a payment, which will be for $600 like the rest of us.

While the stimulus bill is far from perfect (much of the funding of foreign countries is unnecessary, at least at this time), it does provide some badly needed relief, especially to those worried about losing their homes or cars, those on SNAP or depend on food programs.

Sadly, not included in the package is assistance for senior care, help with utilities like heat or shelters. As of now, it seems likely that most of us will receive $600, not the $2000 President Trump wanted. It also appears that this is just the beginning of our "new normal", at least for the foreseeable future.

 

A Look at What's in the Stimulus Package Trump Signed

Long-term care industry expresses disappointment as Congresspasses stimulus bill

Foreign Aid in Congress' December Stimulus Package

Biden failed veterans as VP, he'd fail them again as President

 

 

 

Filling in the Blanks: The Balance of Biden's Cabinet Picks

Every President wants to make their mark. They look to standout; to make a statement. One way is their choices for Cabinet. After all, they reflect on the President and his policies. Last week's article gave you a good picture of what you can expect from President-elect Biden. This week, we will fill in the details.

Biden's choice for Secretary of the Interior is Deb Haaland, the first Native American (her father is of Norwegian ancestry and her mother is of the Jemez Pueblo tribe) to head that department. She will be responsible for not just federally owned parks and natural resources, but for tribal lands as well.

She supports AOC's "Green New Deal", Medicare for All, and abolishing ICE.  She has a law degree from New Mexico's School of Law with an emphasis in Indian Law. Rep. Haaland is Catholic and a single mom. She currently represents New Mexico in Washington. 

Pete Butteigieg is slated to head up the Department of Transportation. Butteigieg is the former mayor of South Bend, Indiana and former U.S. Naval Intelligence officer.  He attended Harvard (majoring in history and literature) and Oxford University as a Rhodes Scholar. He will be the first gay Secretary of Transportation. His partner is Chasten Glezman, a teacher, writer, and LGBQT activist. He previously worked on John Kerry's presidential campaign and for several global management consulting firms.

Butteigieg identifies as a "democratic capitalist", which combines capitalism with a strong welfare state, emphasizing a reduction of "excessive" individualistic freedoms. It also supports expansion of collective bargaining and competition laws.

Jennifer Granholm has been picked to be the Secretary of Energy. Ms. Granholm is the former Attorney General and Governor of Michigan. She has been a political commentator for CNN. Born in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, her family moved to the United States when she was four years old. She graduated UC Berkeley with a degree in Political Science and French. She then went on to attended Harvard Law School.

She served on a number of boards of directors, mainly involved with the automotive, financial services, and defense industries. She worked on Hillary Clinton's 2016 Presidential Campaign.  Ms. Granholm is married to Dan Mulhern, a graduate of Yale University's School of Theology.

Neera Tanden is Biden's choice for Director of the Office of Budget and Management (OMB). Neera is a political consultant and president of the left-center Center for American Progress, a influential Democrat think tank designed to counter conservative think tanks like the Heritage Foundation and the libertarian oriented Cato Institute.

Neera, who describes herself as a "Clinton loyalist", has worked extensively for the Clintons and the Obama Administration, where she helped draft the Affordable Care Act ("Obamacare").  Previously she served in the Clinton Administration as a associate director of domestic policy and worked on energy and healthcare issues.  Ms. Tanden was the domestic policy advisor to First Lady Hillary Clinton.

Ms Tanden worked on Hillary Clinton's Senatorial campaign and stayed on as her legislative director. She worked on Hillary's 2016 primary and general campaigns.  A graduate of UC Los Angeles, she obtained her law degree from Yale University.  She is married Ben Edwards, who is an artist.

Next on the list is Brian Deese, nominee for White House Economic Advisor. Deese was the senior political and economic advisor to President Obama. He previously served as the deputy director of the OMB and National Economic Council. He is currently the Global Head of Sustainable Investing for BlackRock, a global investment management corporation. Deese also had worked on Hillary Clinton's 2008 presidential campaign, and then went to work for the Obama campaign.

Deese obtained a BA degree from Middlebury College in Vermont and then earned a law degree from Yale University.  After graduating, he went to work for the Center for American Progress as a senior economic policy analyst.  During his tenure with the Obama Administration, he was involved with the automotive industry bailout of General Motors and Chrysler. He is married.

The unenviable job of White House Press Secretary will fall to Jennifer Psaki. She was the White House Communications Director under President Obama and previously, a spokesperson for the Obama State Department.  She also served as the Deputy Press Secretary during the Obama Administration. Ms. Psaki appears as a political commentator on CNN.

Ms. Psaki graduated from William & Mary College with a degree in English. After graduating she worked as deputy press secretary for the John Kerry 2004 presidential campaign. She is married to Greg Mecher, the deputy finance director for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.

The White House Domestic Policy Director will be Susan Rice. That name should be a name familiar. She was ambassador to the United Nations and National Security Advisor under President Obama. Most notably, she was caught up in the fiasco of Benghazi, triggered by then Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's illegal weapons sales. She was also a strong advocate for the invasion of Libya and the subsequent assassination of Gaddafi. 

Dr. Rice supported reopening relations with Cuba, the Paris Accords on Climate Change, and the Iranian Nuclear Deal. She is an advocate for anti-poverty policies as well as strengthening rights for LGBQT and people with disabilities. 

Dr. Rice attended Stanford University and Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar where she obtained her PhD in International Relations. She worked for the Clinton Administration on the National Security Council and assistant secretary on African Affairs. She joined the Brookings Institute, a non-partisan think tank, before working as a foreign policy advisor to John Kerry, Michael Dukakis, and Barack Obama.  

In addition to her long political career, Dr. Rice has served on the board of directors of Netflix, several global management consulting firms and the Council of Foreign Affairs. Dr. Rice is married to Ian Cameron, an executive producer at ABC.

America has long been losing the battle when it comes to education. Although we currently rank second (just behind the UK) in educational systems, we rank in the second tier when it comes to the basics---math, reading, and science. Domestically, our schools struggled with attendance, absentee parents, top heavy (and often overpaid) administrators, underpaid teachers, and inadequately funded classrooms. The result is often throwing more money at the problems without any serious accountability and higher taxes (as in Kentucky).

The individual heading up the Department of Education has a lot of work ahead of them if our schools are brought up to par with the rest of the world and we are to remain competitive.  Biden's choice for Secretary of Education is Dr. Miguel Cardona.

Miguel Cardona is Puerto Rican. He grew up in a housing project in Connecticut where Spanish was his first language. He graduated from Central Connecticut State University with BS in Education. He obtained a MA degree in Bilingual Education from the University of Connecticut (UConn), followed by a Education Specialist Certificate, and a Doctorate in Education.

In 2019, he was appointed by Connecticut Governor Ned Lemont as Commissioner of Education. It's worth nothing that he was brought to President-elect Biden's attention by Linda Darling-Hamilton, who is handling the transition team for Biden, which she also did for incoming President Barack Obama.

With the ongoing pandemic, the Office of the Surgeon General will play a much more visible role than usual. Dr. Vivek Murthy has been selected for that position.  Dr. Murthy will be the first Surgeon General of Indian heritage (both of his parents immigrated from India).  Dr. Murthy will co-chair Biden's COVID-19 Advisory Board along with David Kessler, the former Food and Drug Commissioner, and Dr. Marcella Nunez-Smith, a Yale public health professor.

Dr. Murthy was born in Yorkshire, England. When he was three years old, his parents moved to Miami Florida, where his father, a medical doctor, opened his practice. Dr. Murthy earned his undergraduate degree from Harvard and then a MBA and MD from Yale University. He is founder and president of Doctors for America, which promotes universal healthcare.

He was appointed by President Obama to several committees pertaining to medical and health policies within the Health and Human Services Department. Dr. Murthy is also active on issues pertaining to climate change and its effects on overall health. Dr. Murthy is married to Alice Chen, also a medical professional and current president of Doctors for America.

Closely tied to the Office of Surgeon General is the Office of Disease Control and Prevention. Biden has chosen Dr. Rochelle Walensky to be its new director.  Dr. Walensky is the Chief of Infectious Diseases at Massachusetts General Hospital and professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School. A physician and medical scientist, she regarded as an expert in AIDS/HIV research. She is also considered a leading expert in COVID-19 research as well. Dr. Walensky is Jewish and married to Dr. Loren Walensky, a pediatric hematology and oncology specialist.   

The Chief Medical Advisor on COVID-19 will be Dr. Anthony Fauci. Dr. Fauci should be familiar to most Americans by now. He is often seen and heard on TV and radio, particularly political talk shows. He has also testified before several Congressional hearings on the virus. Dr. Fauci is immunologist and director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. 

Dr. Fauci is the rare exception in Biden's Cabinet picks in that he's the only holdover from the Trump Administration. Perhaps that's because he's regarded as one of the top world authorities on infectious diseases, and in particular, the COVID-19 virus. He is also an expert on AIDS/HIV research. In addition, Dr. Fauci has served in every administration going back to President Ronald Reagan.

As one would expect, Dr. Fauci is of Italian ancestry; his father was a pharmacist. He attended Holy Cross College and obtained a degree in the classics. He went on to attend Cornell University's Medical College, graduating first in his class.  He is a former Catholic and identifies as a Humanist.

In 1968 he joined the National Institutes of Health (NIH) as a clinical associate at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. His long career has focused on diseases such as Ebola, AIDS/HIV, SARS, MERS, and developing bio-defense drugs and vaccines. Dr. Fauci is married to Christine Grady, a nurse and Chief of Bioethics Department at the NIH Clinical Center. 

Taken with last week's article, this rounds out Biden's key Cabinet picks with the exception of Labor Secretary (I expect he will name Rep. Andy Levin (D-MI)). Many will require Senate approval before assuming their jobs. Typically, incoming presidents get great leeway, I expect most, if not all, to pass muster. All are pretty bright, but a few (like Susan Rice and Janet Yellen) aren't without controversy. Practically all attended Ivy league schools. A few are noteworthy for being the first this or that.

Nevertheless, Biden's choices are overwhelmingly retreads from Clinton and Obama administrations. But, if we look at them in the aggregate, what do they tell us? They seem to indicate that Biden sticks with the familiar. He wants a return to the status quo. He is cautious. He doesn't like taking chances or rocking the boat. This administration will seek to undo much that President Trump did and attempt to continue the Clinton/Obama legacy.  That is their "Great Reset" and it will affect all of us.

 

Here's who Joe Biden has selected for his Cabinet

Biden's Administration: Here's Who has Been Named So Far