A New Year, a few new random comments

And I internet searched these comments because they sounded familiar. I got some hits

My thought: Generalizations are dangerous. I know because I use them often, yet it is coming to the point where anything corporations lobby for must be fought against all odds. Just cannot trust them at all.

I searched for “generalizations are dangerous: and got a few hits. The most prominent was a full on discussion on a blog titled Philosiblog. I did not research the blog. My point is lobbyists are out of control.

My thought: Weak leaders make war.

and

Peace is hard to keep.  or  Peace is hard to maintain.

For my search the most prominent reference was: “ War is easy, Peace is hard” There were a couple of publications that used that article or referenced the same information.

My point is that autocrats, dictators, plutocrats etc use war as a way to maintain their power instead of being real leaders.

My snarky comment is” Where there’s a will, there’s an attorney.

Internet searches found many articles on the importance of probating will. My point was you cannot even die without an attorney screwing up your life.

And finally I think Congressman Nunes attempts to protect or ingratiate himself to Trump is he is hoping to end game Paul Ryan and become speaker of the House with Trump’s help. Real second grade Machiavellian stuff if you ask me. Also completely selfish and the process will do much damage to democracy…. Just a thought you know

Beyond belief

Well the government is shutting down, some members of the Republican party are working hard to shut down our Republic and hand it over to Putin for who knows what reason, the Democrats sit idly by holding onto to winning one issue to look like they did something, the vast majority of us are shocked and are sitting idly by I guess not realizing the complete disaster our government has become.

And people wonder why I harp incessantly that we need new leadership and new parties.

Have a wonderful weekend

Something different, well at least for me

As you know I am a conservative, independent one, yet a conservative. I do not handle social change well. Sometimes though, things have to change and this is long overdue.

Time we legalized marijuana completely. And we give amnesty to people still in jail or prison for possession of marijuana only charges. We need Congress to pass a complete federal law overhaul and then let the States decide on sales and the amnesty. Both must happen and soon.

There are so many advantages to admitting we made a mistake. First, any tax revenue gained from sales can be used to deal with real drug problems like methane, cocaine, heroin, and prescription drug problems such as the opioid crisis. This also takes a bit of the money away from the cartels and other organized crime. The only way to combat the drug problem is to decide which is the problem and really fight. Marijuana is no worse than alcohol, less addicting, and easier to manage. We already have no smoking bans in most public places so you can still keep those and keep most marijuana use to the home. Yes, there will be some who cannot get over how “evil” is marijuana. The big picture though demands change.

The other part of the bill legalizing is to support more public transportation. We also need to improve the drunk driving problem. People already drink and smoke, so the best thing to do is fund better public transportation or make laws decreasing costs for taxis and ride sharing companies at certain hours of the day such as 6-8 pm (happy hour) and after midnight to 6am for when bars close. You can create your own ideas of course, yet we definitely need better public transportation to lower the drinking and driving problem. It is rough, yet better I think if we open up better transportation. We can have stiffer punishments for drunk driving. We need to put the programs in place first though or it is unfair to the average person on the street to punish without options.

Generally the populace is ready for legalization. There is no need to keep putting people in jail just because they were caught at the wrong time. I always talk about we need new leadership in our country. This is one issue to help spring forth that new leadership.

Cheers

Trying to remember, trying to make it better

As usual the title means little except for I had some examples in my head that showed how a representative Republic is suppose to work. You remember that New Year’s resolution I made to jot down my ideas so I wouldn’t forget. Well I didn’t write them down or make note and now I forgot. So, the only example I have is the tax reform which is the example showing our representative republic isn’t working.

Generally, the majority is suppose to rule with the minority’s rights protected or their livelihoods protected. This is one of the major premises behind our working form of government that our founding fathers gave us. The moneyed have certainly screwed that up, now haven’t they. If the majority still ruled and the government represented us, then the tax reform would have looked much different. Instead the 1%ers drank an inordinate amount of champagne this past New Year’s Eve and not the kind you buy at the grocery store.

And now the uber rich are making plans to spend money on the 2018 mid terms to make sure their little pets stay in office. And the Democrats are woefully absent when it comes to new policy, people who can excite you into voting for them. And to continue the broken record; WE NEED NEW PARTIES; NEW LEADERSHIP; NEW!

I had tried to have examples of how our representative republic is suppose to work so I could be positive going into this year.  I shake my head at myself.

And the other day in church of all places I started wondering does the universe revolve around a center? Our moon revolves around our planet, our planet revolves around its axis and the sun. The sun revolves around the center of the galaxy. Whose to say the universe as a whole isn’t revolving around something. Could it be its own center? Or are there many universes revolving around a center? The way I saw it in my head it was one universe rotating around a center. Possibly the center is the beginning of time or what is commonly referred to as the big bang. It was a very dynamic picture in my head.

Over the last couple of weeks I had other ideas. And nothing to write. I need to have someone slap me upside my head so I remember to write quick notes when I think of something. Instead I wonder through the day, thinking I’ll remember it later. And I know how well that has worked. And still???? Every once in a blue moon I will text myself, yet this whole year……..nothing. I am still shocked I remembered the universe picture.

And finally tonight I am sharing some info on an organization dedicated to getting independents elected: “The Centrist Project” is changing it’s name to Unite America.  Here is a bit of their post announcing the change:

Our new brand strongly reflects our core belief that it’s our unity, and the values we share in common, that has always been the source of our nation’s strength.

E pluribus unum. Out of many, one.

Unite America is the “why” of our movement. It’s a call to action that can galvanize our supporters and candidates alike: Unite.

It’s an identity that anyone who shares our vision can adopt, without having to abandon any other affiliations; all of us can be Uniters. And it’s a brand that will serve to link a growing network of local and state organizations: e.g. Unite Colorado.

At least someone is productive this year. Cheers

Oh Yeah, it is a new year

Before I forget I want to wish everyone a joyful, prosperous, and healthy new year.

I guess it is time for that resolution thing. I want to remember to write stuff down before I forget it. Maybe even text myself or something, getting old I guess because it seems I forget more great things to say than write trivial remnants of what I remember I wanted to say. (find that editor) And maybe loss a few pounds.

I don’t know, but if I were young and couldn’t drink I would sue for age discrimination or something.

Somewhere down the road I will pick up on my usual rants, well… because…you know… the world isn’t perfect, however for today: Cheers

“Total recall”; cryptocurrencies; catching up

Total recall was a movie title and title to part of a song; however, it will be no recall for the 2018 elections and ten years from now.

The Republicans were smart. They front loaded what little bit they were giving to the middle class in the tax reform bill so by 2018 they are hoping what little bit the middle class might get will be hitting so the Republicans can claim a victory for the middle class and win. And this will probably work for two reasons. One people have short memories and if things feel better they will go with it and two the Democrats are clueless and won’t have an answer. They don’t have one now. And I doubt they will come up with one in less than a year. So instead of a total recall of our Congress right now so we can either repeal this disaster before the worst hits in a few years or just achieve better governance in general, we have a total recall of our sensibilities and our way of life. And so many things can go wrong in ten years, no one will remember why things are so bad. And the Republicans will destroy social security to salvage what they have left. Just one final thought, social security is your money. Will you recall in ten years?

And then you have AT&T trying to buy the President’s approval of their merger by going very public with one-time bonuses to the “workers” so he can brag on his plan working already when in reality the layoffs are also beginning. Yeah, the rich know how to play the game.  And don’t get me started on AT&T’s customer service.

Most people are confused by cryptocurrencies. And I think some of the confusion is because it is called a currency, but trades like a commodity. People understand trading pounds for dollars or yen for dollars or pesos for dollars, but buying or trading cryptocurrency like a commodity makes it hard to think of using it to buy goods. And add in the idea you can get rich off cryptocurrency, well the verbiage deflates the notion that it is a currency. I do not know if it will take hold as a real currency, but right now it does look like the Ponzi scheme some people call it.

Things have been crazy around here. First there was new carpet, so we had to move everything around, then we had to have the new carpet fixed, not once, but twice so I got tired of boxes everywhere and it is still not 100% perfect. We have been beat down.

And the better 9/10ths had surgery so I have the joy and privilege of trying to figure out how to take care of her for 6 weeks. We just finished week one. Poor lady.

And our future daughter in law was attacked by a dog right before Christmas. The better half with all her gear and I spent the day with them in the emergency room. Now my son and her are trying to work in her not working for awhile into their budget and school time.  The dog and/or owner are being elusive, so they need to get that resolved so they aren’t stuck with the medical bills. There is a police report and animal control are actively looking for the dog so hopefully this will get resolved. Too much for them and it doesn’t help they carry a bit of pride and don’t like asking for help. Poor child picks that up from me.

Things could be worse and overall I am well, just stressing whether or not I need to move so, haven’t had much time to write, yet the world keeps revolving and I keep being revolted.

I hope your Christmas or Hanukkah, or Holidays went well and if I don’t get a chance to sit down for a moment again wishing you a blessed and joyous New Year. Cheers!

Vote no for the new tax reform bill

I hope your holidays are going well.

I am lobbying for your support to contact your Representatives and Senators to vote no next week on the tax reform bill. Here is a link for you to get started:  www.usa.gov/elected-officials

Make it a simple statement, write in your reasoning; general or specific, heck even tell them it isn't their job to make Donald Trump happy, please contact them and let them know you want them to vote no.

We must not let corporations run our democracy into extinction. Our Constitution is still the best document man has written for the betterment of mankind.

On a side note to emphasize this point: I  had a co worker today that had a bad experience with corporations and possible identity theft. That person now has to spend their entire weekend combing over their credit report making sure nothing untowards has happened. And the immediate case where a fake account was created using their information, the company made it very difficult to erase the account. That is absurd. And this is just one example of probably many you already have experienced or seen yourself.

So start writing your Senator and Representative this weekend, lets give our Republic a flying chance to survive the onslaught of corporate and power hungry maniacs over our lives. The tax vote is just another nail in democracy's coffin unless we show we care.

Cheers