Once again, from one of the wisest people I know...

 About today's news, my wise wife, Martha, writes as follows:

"I am deeply saddened by President Biden's decision to not seek re-election. He has had my utmost respect and support. The process by which it was done also disturbs me because it was disrespectful toward the president, created uncertainty among Democratic voters, played into Trump's hand, and was a public bullying. If the elitist players are truly concerned about Biden's health & mental capacity, they should have acted in private rather than via social media. Further, I'm afraid, because I have little confidence in the Democratic Party to move forward in a unified and responsible way to select another candidate and VP candidate and to conduct the massive organization that will be required before the convention occurs. I still feel that the emphasis should be on how to defeat Trump and ramping up the extreme danger he presents to us all. Emphasizing the various parties that will be in danger, itemizing the rights that will be lost, rather than just saying that democracy will be jeopardized, should be a large focus of the remaining time. Also, a focus on Trump's mental incompetence, is inability to build and describe policy, and his choice of a VP candidate who is himself very dangerous to our rights and well-being is desperately needed."

I see no way I could improve on her text. She says what we all should be thinking. 

About Clooney

I don’t have any particular ill-will toward George Clooney. He has the right to his opinion. He can say what he wants about Biden and the election.

And yet...

As I look at his mansions and his private planes, I wonder.

What has this man to say to me?

A Media Mystery

I’m writing this on July 12, 2024. Yesterday, Joe Biden gave what was, according to all reports, a killer press conference in which he was calm, cool, knowledgeable, and in-charge. He certainly looked that way when I watched clips of the event. 

Yet, when I glanced at the news this morning, I found that almost every mainstream media outlet reported the press conference as a tragic failure. It was as though we had seen completely different incidents. 

Bluntly, what the hell is going on? What accounts for the negativity, and the unanimity, of these reports? Why has the mainstream decided to provide only this (false) narrative? A story of Biden’s incapacity even when the evidence so obviously demonstrates that he is vital and strong.

I can only assume that powerful forces are at work here. Somewhere, somehow, important people have decided that this story that shall be told, regardless of the truth or the consequences--consequences that might include putting Trump back into the White House, and the end of American democracy.

And I’m guessing the motive is economic. Biden’s policies have not favored the favored the rich powerful, and have been to the advantage of everyone else. I’m guessing that doesn’t sit well with certain member of our elite...who also own the news media.

Which means...which means...

If we get out of this...somehow...with something like our freedom intact...then we are going to have to take a very close look at who was behind all of this. Why they acted as they did.

And what we shall do about them...

Before they can strike again.

The Chicken and The Times

So I saw the other day that the New York Times had shut down its account on Threads, the Twitter-alternative owned by Meta. The account’s been turned back on, and Times’ people are implying that it was removed “by accident.” But, the general betting is that was a little white lie and that the account was shut down because they did not like the way they were being treated by the other Threads-users, many of whom objected fiercely to the editorial board’s fantastically stupid and irresponsible idea of dumping Joe Biden a mere few months ahead of the election--a move which would almost certainly put Trump back in the White House.

But, rather than read the comments on Threads, and perhaps learn from them, or at the very least, crafting counter-arguments, the Times just left the platform.

This is either cowardice of the highest order, or pure arrogance. The Times Editorial Board does not, you see, deign to debate with little people.

Either way, I wonder what happened to “without fear or favor.” Or, in other words, the Times seems to have lost the courage and the humility required for true journalism.

That is terrifically sad, both for the Times, which was once a great newspaper, and for our nation, which desperately needs a bit more hard-hitting journalism, instead of pomposity, spinelessness, and inanity. 

Irresponsible Adults

 Here’s the situation. If Trump gets back into the White House, we’re in deep trouble. That’s inescapable. We either vote blue or endure fascism. 

We also only have a short time between now and November. The only candidate who already has the necessary organization in place, who has the volunteers, who has the funding, and most of all, who has the name recognition to win against Trump is Joe Biden. That is a simple fact.

Yet, some powerful people in the Democratic Party, and in the media, called for Biden to step down. Given the reality of the situation, this is a perfect blue print for defeat.

When I was a boy, I remember my father talking about “irresponsibility” and the Vietnam war. He was no fan of the war, but he became incensed when critics would suggest that the war was being mis-managed (which it was, admittedly) and then demanded that the military do everything differently. They had, of course, some elaborate plan that was to be put in place.

But the reality was that such vast changes in strategy and tactics could only be managed with enormous effort. While the changes were underway, the other side would have simply won without breaking a sweat.

Thus the critics’ were irresponsible. 

And I fear that’s exactly what Biden’s critics are at the moment--irresponsible. They are calling for changes which cannot be made without losing the war entirely.

That’s something to be thought about after the election if Biden wins.

If he doesn’t win, it will be because of these same Elites and Pundits, and our only consolation is that under a Fascist dictatorship,  they will be the first into the camps, and in front of the firing squads.

It awaits them.

From The People Who Brought You Pearl Harbor

 I really admire Hillary Clinton, and I voted for her in 2016. But I also knew that she was greatly disliked by many Americans, and I feared for the worst when she was made the nominee. 

And, of course, the worst happened. It happened because the leadership decided she should be president, regardless of her actual electability, and they imposed her on the ticket in spite of, not because of what the voters wanted (which seems to have been Bernie Sanders). And, so, what we also got was Donald Trump, four years of chaos, Covid, and a very near economic disaster. 

But I think we now have a very similar situation on our hands. When Democratic elites, media members, and various pundits demanded Biden step down, they were effectively stating that their opinion about who should be president was more important than what voters believed -- and voters repeatedly said that they were sticking with Biden, regardless.

I think, then, that we need to look very hard at this situation. And we need to ask, in future, if the Party’s leadership needs to be shaken up a bit.

And maybe reconstructed entirely.

A pompous ass...