The intent of this blog is to promote human equality, human progress, human peace and justice, and optimism. To accomplish this, to encourage the discussion of ideas after identifying and discovering problems, and then creating positive solutions for "we the people," in order to provide for the "general welfare" and "domestic tranquility" of America now and its "posterity" into the future. To encourage an emphasis on separation of religion and state for all, no matter if this is for those "of faith" in a Maker / Creator (Deists, God-loving people, Christians, various people of spirituality) and atheists or agnostics.

Posts tagged ‘democracy’

Republi-DUMBS, the Repugnant Party

During my years working for democracy and to make democracy work in Florida, New York, and the land I love called the United States of America / WE THE PEOPLE, I have often had, out of right field Republicans make some kind of derogatory remarks about Democrats, black folk, immigrants, LGBT+, Jews, and various ethnic groups. I have commonly just sat by and smiled and laughed without being contentious in return. MOST of the time I have done that.

Sometimes I have stood up for the groups of people being denounced. But nobody likes to get into a contentious argument, do they? And I believe the American Fascist Party (aka Republicans) just loves to be hostile and openly hostile with no provocation. They are bullies who wish to see how far then can go as bullies. I have also experienced that with bullies who love to bully the gay or “sissies” or “nancies” of the world like me. I have had to take it on the chin.

After all, I witnessed such taunting of black folk in upstate New York after the death of Martin Luther King, Jr. Out of the blue, white bastards would taunt black folk. I found it disgusting as a kid. I find it disgusting today.

In Florida, I worked with Democrats who did not give handouts to me with welfare or what not, but respected me enough to recognize my skills and talents enough to lead me on a path towards opportunities for employment. They did not just hand me a job. I earned the respect for jobs.

Originally (1983), when I moved from Upstate New York to Florida, I was living in the only Republican county in Florida: Pinellas County. I was registered as a Republican in New York. I was living during the time when Ronald Wilson Reagan (666) split the Republican Party from one of moderation with Gerald Ford to one of far right ideas and fascist attitudes of “my way or the highway.” Reagan began to weave a fascist dictatorship into the mixture while being a hypocrite in his opposition to the Soviet Union. He was not willing to work with others who disagreed with him and would denounce such people here in OUR nation made up of a community where consensus and compromise were necessary to solver America’s problems together and do so by recognizing how we all fit together. One example, for sure, was his opposition to R&D to solve this new thing (at the time) called AIDS. There were other examples in which he favored Jerry Fallwell and the disgusting group I shall title the “Christian Nationalists” at Liberty Road Baptist Church so as to begin to curtail freedom of religion in favor of a “nationalist” religion made up of hypocrites who were not familiar with the true Jesus Christ. The Republicans in Pinellas County at that time were still connected to the more moderate wing of the Republican Party and disliked Ronald Reagan for splitting up the party during the decade preceding the period I moved to Pinellas County.

I worked for Republicans in Pinellas County to help unseat a person who was a Democrat and sitting in the Florida House of Representatives. When we did door-to-door canvassing, we NEVER EVER had any Democrats in a gang of people who stalked us down the street and told us, “you are not allowed to go door-to-door, even if you are speaking with fellow Republicans.” Never did that EVER happen with Democrats. In the Democratic Party county of Palm Beach, in 2018 when DeSatan was running for governor against a black man, we had Republican gangs on the streets of Palm Beach County tell us, “you are not allowed to go door-to-door to speak with people.” We replied that we were only going to speak to Democrats, so yes, we are allowed to do that. But at that point, it made me feel very bad for going door-to-door in Pinellas County and work to unseat a Democrat in the Florida House. I felt ashamed of doing that after experiencing the BS of Republican gangs in Palm Beach County. That was one big example of what I have come to call the American Fascist Party (aka Republicans). There are other examples on my trip through life up to this moment in time.

I have had Republicans, out of right field (and I use “right” to make a point), call Democrats names. Names such as Dumocrats. I just had it happen TODAY while I was speaking with a Democrat. Typically, I have said nothing but to smile and laugh it off. The Democrat who accompanied me while being stalked in Florida, also a former Republican who HAPPENED to have lived and worked with me in Pinellas County, smiled and said, “yes we do have a right to speak with people and we shall continue.”

Today, my reply was to say, “the word Republican is found in the dictionary between the words, reptile and repugnant.” I have had it with the emotions of illiterate people who call themselves Republicans and get a kick out of taunting others. But unlike the black folk of the 1960s who were taunted by lousy low-life white folk, I try to follow more closely the pacifist remarks and examples of Martin Luther King, Jr. Words like “we shall overcome” and other pacifist remarks are in my vocabulary. The words about reptile and repugnant are somewhat passive remarks, but they only come AFTER someone says something like “DUMOCRATS.” I have NEVER pushed any words at Republicans which come out of “left” field (I might as well use the word left, although I am one of moderation). Never. I have written words about how the Republican Party is actually the American Fascist Party because I have evidence of things being this way with that one-time YANKEE political party which once worked more for moderation in life.

As Democrats in Florida, we never pointed our remarks of “reptile and repugnant” at Republicans. We simply would joke about it among ourselves. “Republican is in the dictionary between reptile and repugnant.” This was sort of like some of my gay friends who thought it to be funny, among ourselves in the gay community,” to speak in a facetious manner about homophobic bullies as being “fags.” Or the manner for black folk to lash out by use of the word “nigger” or “honkey” when speaking about those who disliked black folk.

And what about the Democrats? As a kid, there were the Yankee Democrats and the Dixiecrats. They all attempted to unite into one party called the Democratic Party. Unity was done by means of compromise and finding common ground.

However, the Dixiecrats were a bunch of turds in Dixie with white skin who promoted Jim Crow and lynching of black folk. They were fascists, too. Reagan pulled the Dixiecrats into the Republican (word between reptile and repugnant) Party, thus building a path for the American Fascist Party (aka Republicans). The Dixiecrats are white turds “still fighting the civil war,” as my dad would say in disgust. And Reagan was pulling them into formation as the American Fascist Party while using the name “Republican.” I would more likely call it the Repugnant Party.

It is interesting, too, that there is evidence that Man-baby Trumpty Dumpty has deliberately been appealing to the illiterate emotional ones of America. He does so because he knows they can be enticed by stupidity and lies and not know the difference. MAGA fits this bill very well. I have a shirt which says “the Bill of Rights is not about emotions.” MAGA Maggots and the Man-baby are about emotions and the feelings they have for people who do not fit their framework. Hitler was like that. Mussolini was like that. Hirohito was like that. Stalin was like that. Castro was like that. Mao Tse-Tung was like that. Daniel Ortega was like that. Putin and the leader of Hungary ARE like that today. Leaders in Brazil and Venezuela have been like that. The Taliban is like that. Shall I continue with the list which emanates primarily from HISTORICAL examples from which we as Americans should be LEARNING and not returning to re-live such crap in life, due to emotions.

Hitler’s propaganda minister, Goebbels, said, “if a lie is told over and over again it eventually becomes the truth.” Emotional illiterates don’t know the difference between the truth and lies, so they are easy to impress with lies being told over and over again when it appeals to their emotions. Intelligent people are suppressed by any leadership which resembles Hitler and Goebbels because they are intelligent enough to know the differences and do not become emotional experts or “drips under pressure,” as the illiterate ones are. The Man-baby and MAGA maggots are fearful of such intelligence because they know they can be challenged. So how do these idiots respond? By calling Democrats “Dumbocrats” and doing so with no provocation. Just as the dumb white kids of the 1960s in New York tried to taunt the black kids, these unintelligent illiterate dolts today attempt to taunt those who are intelligent because the dolts are in fear of such intelligence.

In days gone by, we often described those attempting to be “leaders” but lacked intelligence as experts or “drips under pressure.” The Man-baby and MAGA maggots, in attempting to consolidate their power, are nothing but “drips under pressure,” thinking they are experts. They are “experts” only in the narrow-minded knowledge they have and the inability to take a broader overview of situations and how they impact WE THE PEOPLE and not to be narrow and impact ONLY the racist, bigoted, prejudiced billionaire oligarchy.

In my life and career, I have had many Democrats, and not JUST leaders, have had a positive and productive impact on me by providing guidance for the path of life. I have not expected handouts, but certainly I believe and have experienced many people who need that safety net which is provided by SNAP or welfare or other means. On the other hand, I have had leaders of the American Fascist Party (aka Republicans) who have taken away from me. Shall I name people? In Florida, Jeb Bush, Rick Scott, Ron DeSatan, Marco Rubio, Pam Bondi. Just a few names but there are more. I can go into detail for all of them. I can also mention Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, George W. Bush, and the Man-baby Trumpty Dumpty. I have watched as Fascist Republicans have pulled the rug out from beneath other Republicans. For instance, the “victims” of such actions have been Charlie Crist and Mark Foley of Florida. In some instances, I could say I am also a “victim” of such actions. The Man-baby has even attempted to do the same with John McCain. There are others. In a communist dictatorship such actions would be called “purged from the party.”

Then there are those in the American Fascist Party (aka Republicans) who, they believe they can rant and rave against Democrats and no one should challenge them on their ranting and raving. Truly, this is an example of fascism and the idea of “my way or the highway” dictatorial procedures. No communication because it’s “my way of the highway.” Attempt to calmly ask the question, “please explain your dislike.” Reply. “I don’t know but I hate them.” But gee. If I had someone I did not like or did not respect, I could explain the reason why. Reply. “Don’t talk to me about this.” But gee. YOU were the one who brought it up and now you just expect of me to accept what you say and with no evidence or facts at all? I call such people “sick puppies.” Whether they are relatives or not, they are “sick puppies.”

As for the American Fascist Party (aka Republicans) stealing from me, it began with the employee stock I owned. It was necessary to steal it from me so as to make sure the largest stockholder pockets were bulging with money. There are more examples I have to offer, too. But let me just limit to this one.

At the same time I lose money, I have to listen to Jerry Fallwell or other hypocrites in the “Christians Nationalists” push this idea that the “Ten Commandments should be posted on government buildings.” “Thou shalt not steal” is the Eighth Commandment in the Bible, out of the Ten Commandments. Yet, it is these religious groups who endorse the actions of the American Fascist Party (aka Republicans) where stealing by the leaders and the billionaire oligarchy is done all the time. The mere words of “trickle down” by Ronald Reagan indicates a “reverse Robin Hood” trend in which “free markets” opened up the thievery by such folk to do as they want in killing capitalist competition, limiting what people over a certain 6-digit income should contribute into the FICA (Social Security), lay off people and take their stock holdings (as with me), purchase favors of our government (buy elections with PACs and Citizens United) so as to obtain tax credits that hard working Americans who seek opportunities for success, don’t get, and layoff employees so the CEOs get a better salary (it’s not about profit) and we can watch as such CEO salaries have increased by about 1000% over the time that living wages for all have decreased.

Overall, I am fed up with people who make claims that Democrats are “dumb” and do the same thing those in control of the American Fascist Party (aka Republicans) do. You are wrong about this and I can prove it. But again, the reply is that “I am not going to listen to you because you might win over my argument.” Really? The only ones who win or lose are those in our society overall. Not me. Not the person who might have a warped outlook of Democrats, so warped they would call us “Dumbocrats” or other names and NOT be willing to humble themselves to learn the facts of the situation. I just outlined the facts over my lifetime. And the only Democrats I MIGHT not care for as much are those who are too wimpy to take a strong stand against the American Fascist Party. Sure. It is nice to be diplomatic and a statesperson.

When the competition is the American Fascist Party (aka Republicans) and not a political party which believes in democracy, the very form of government which, for nearly 250 years has made this nation great, in spite of some imperfections along that timeframe, one can no longer be so diplomatic. And that is a tough statement to accept, especially as a TRUE Christian who rejects the heresy of the “Christian Nationalists.” If you are younger ones who have NOT been taught the Preamble to the U.S. Constitution or the words of the Gettysburg Address, you are wishing for something easier in life so you fall prey to the lies of the Man-baby and the American Fascist Party (aka Republicans PLUS the MAGA maggots). Be careful what you wish for, though. Because while consolidating power for a fascist government, in the end, you could end up as Niemoller said of Hitler (and there are different versions of this):

First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out—
     Because I was not a socialist.

Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out—
     Because I was not a trade unionist.

Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—
     Because I was not a Jew.

Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.

This is not about a “persecution complex.” It is not about paranoia. It is about considering that we are all human beings who seek opportunities in life. We are all human beings and thus do not live by a barbaric Machiavellian message of “the end justifies the means.” We are all human beings who can be moral and ethical enough so as to obey the 8th commandment about thievery against others, as the billionaires today have done and are attempting to consolidate their power with one political party: the American Fascist Party (aka Republicans) or the Repub-DUMBS or the Repugnant Party.

The leadership for the Repugnant Party comes from the money-loving suckers at the top who are evil. The leaderships for the Democratic Party does NOT base its power on the billionaire group. It may HAVE some billionaire supporting it and for reasons of supporting the grassroots, not just themselves (in many cases). The Democrats work to obtain grassroots money. Sadly, Man-baby Trumpty Dumpty wants to eliminate such grassroots financial support becasue he and MAGA maggots are cowards and afraid of competition just as much as the “free market” supply-side Reaganomics folk are afraid of capitalist competition so they use “free market” as a free ride to form monopolies. The description given here is fascism.

The GOP with their fascist MAGA maggots are “too dumb” and the dummies “will fail.” These dummies are a bunch of people with foul mouths who taunt others and such perverts will fail. They are the dumb ones, not the Democrats. Republi-DUMB.

That makes the person today who called Democrats “dumbocrats” to be a repugnant Republi-DUMB just for making such a remark which is not based on facts, only emotions. I have outlined the facts here. And I say to repugnant Republi-DUMBs (of course, your lack of intelligence and you are unable to, as with an alcoholic, acknowledge being such), if you should experience any Democrat who is NOT like I describe here from my many years of experience, then let us know. Seriously. I wish to know who they are who are so troublesome to your dimwitted illiterate emotional ways to such a degree you feel you must make a derogatory remark to a person like me who was simply being positive about life and working towards what is best for all humanity, human equality, and human justice. In other words. Principles for humanity. A DEMOCRAT for a democracy and a DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC, as our Founding Fathers defined for us and has worked for so many years, in spite of any failures along the road of the timeline of the existence of this nation.

f you think we are “dumb” because we refuse to go along with the billionaires who run our government, then you are wrong because we stand for America “… with liberty and justice for all.” And be careful for what you and other young asswipes wish for (who lack appreciation for what we have in this nation) because if you were to live in a fascist nation with a fascist government and you were to call the leaders of that government, “dumb,” you might be executed or lined up with others and shot down in genocide. THINK.

Media Should Concentrate on the Fascist Movement by Trump and MAGA Where the Billionaires Don’t Pay Enough Taxes

Axios is one dumb turd of a media. It wants to report on a Democrat who is black from Florida and hide what Trump and billionaires have done which is far worse in avoiding taxes. Get a life and concentrate on stopping the American Fascist Party (aka Republicans) from destroying our government and our democracy. Insolvency is not the fault of that person from Florida. It is the fault of a strategy by billionaires whose puppets are in the American Fascist Party (aka Republicans and their leaders).

What is Fascism and How to Identify Fascists/

First of all, let me explain my background knowledge. I was trained to lead democratic groups based on Roberts’ Rules of Order for Parliamentary Procedure. Compromise and consensus were two very important words I learned. A leader does not control by trying to control others with his/her opinions and force those opinions upon others. Democracy is about discussion and coming to consensus by means of compromise, if necessary. If you don’t like this description of democracy, then leave this nation and find one that does and see that you do not befall execution or genocide. My heart would bleed for such lainbrains, then. But then, I am NOT a bleeding heart. I rely on learning from history, not re-living history or repeating history. My heart aligns with other human beings of all kinds so we can ALL achieve success and satisfaction in life, even if it means we do NOT always have our way in a minor way, but are not forced to do what we don’t like.

Fascists are those who wish to control what other human, beings eat, drink, have sex, so as NOT to be merry.

  • Prohibition of alcohol is fascism; regulation, teaching safety, teaching moderation in all things and teaching self-control is democracy
  • Prohibition of drugs is fascism; regulation, teaching safety, teaching moderation in all things and teaching self-control is democracy
  • Prohibition of porn is fascism; regulation, teaching safety, teaching moderation in all things and teaching self-control is democracy
  • Prohibition of abortions is fascism; regulation, teaching safety, teaching moderation in all things and teaching self-control is democracy
  • Prohibition of nudity is fascism; regulation, teaching safety, teaching moderation in all things and teaching self-control is democracy
  • Prohibition of guns is fascism; regulation, teaching safety, teaching moderation in all things and teaching self-control is democracy
  • Prohibition of prostitution is fascism (even Christ, who said, “judge not lest you be judged,” told a crowd who wanted to judge a prostitute that “the one who has no sin should throw the first stone”); regulation, teaching safety, teaching moderation in all things and teaching self-control is democracy
  • Censorship of information is fascism; regulation, teaching safety, teaching moderation in all things and teaching self-control is democracy
  • Lying and slandering is fascism; regulation, teaching safety, teaching moderation in all things and teaching self-control is democracy
  • Government run by authoritarianism is fascism; teaching how to run meetings with Roberts’ Rules of Order for Parliamentary Procedures is democracy; regulation, teaching safety, teaching moderation in all things and teaching self-control is democracy
  • Shutting down communication because it goes against someone’s opinion is fascism; regulation, teaching safety, teaching moderation in all things and teaching self-control is democracy
  • Attitudes of “I must win with my opinion only” is fascism; regulation, teaching safety, teaching moderation in all things and teaching self-control is democracy
  • Telling someone “don’t speak to me about politics” is fascism; regulation, teaching safety, teaching moderation in all things and teaching self-control is democracy
  • Forcing economics based on love of money with criminals who gain most of the money due to the evil love of money is fascism; regulation, teaching safety, teaching moderation in all things and teaching self-control is democracy
  • Free markets left unregulated and without the balance defined by capitalism is fascism; regulation, teaching safety, teaching moderation in all things and teaching self-control is democracy
  • Business monopolies which destroy competition is fascism; regulation, teaching safety, teaching moderation in all things and teaching self-control is democracy
  • Supply-side Reaganomics, a one-sided economic system, is fascism; regulation, teaching safety, teaching moderation in all things and teaching self-control is democracy
  • Jim Crow was/is fascism; regulation, teaching safety, teaching moderation in all things and teaching self-control is democracy
  • Anti-Semitism is fascism; regulation, teaching safety, teaching moderation in all things and teaching self-control is democracy
  • Anti-civil rights and anti-voting rights is fascism; regulation, teaching safety, teaching moderation in all things and teaching self-control is democracy
  • One group controlling other groups in society is fascism; regulation, teaching safety, teaching moderation in all things and teaching self-control is democracy
  • Foreclosures and taking real estate and property from people is fascism (and this includes the white man taking from the indigenous, Castro taking from Cubans, and the Bolsheviks taking from Russians); regulation, teaching safety, teaching moderation in all things and teaching self-control is democracy
  • Thievery, murder, genocide, executions, corporal and capital punishments are fascism; regulation, teaching safety, teaching moderation in all things and teaching self-control is democracy
  • Anarchy produces fascism; regulation, teaching safety, teaching moderation in all things and teaching self-control is democracy
  • Apathy produces fascism; regulation, teaching safety, teaching moderation in all things and teaching self-control is democracy
  • Not voting produces fascism; regulation, teaching safety, teaching moderation in all things and teaching self-control is democracy

Have I said enough to make my point? I could go on and provide a never-ending list. Have I made my point? Or are you too stupid to humble yourself and learn? Shame on you. Everybody is ignorant, but no one has to remain ignorant and if they do, they become stupid.

“Now why’d you choose such a backward time … And such a strange land?”

In the 1970s, the rock musical, Jesus Christ Superstar was introduced. I purchased the original vinyl album. I have seen the on-stage productions of this rock musical.

At the time JCS was released, we had two students from Cortland State College, student teachers at our high school, boarding with us. I had purchased the album. I found these two guys interesting to speak with about the music of JCS. Many discussions ensued, in addition to discussions about history because the two of them were history history education majors.

Lyrics in JCS were a good description. But I recall the few which asked questions. For example, “Now why’d you choose such a backward time … And such a strange land?” As a junior in high school, it was difficult to answer those questions.

As my life has progressed and I have maintained my faith in God, I believe I have, with wisdom, developed a HYPOTHETICAL answer to those questions. Hypothetical means there is no certainty, but there is plenty of evidence to determine a hypothesis. So we seek wisdom about it.

My wisdom of age, created by humble learning over time, has provided me with a possible answer. Today, we have people who lie, slander, and libel other good people, based on a love of money and materialism. Love of money is evil. Money is NOT evil. Profits are NOT evil, except when done solely for the love of money. I have read about this and learned about this over time.

Guidelines for a civilized society work in creating a civilized society. It is not a perfect solution, but it helps overcome the evils of the selfishness and greed of egomaniacs with a love and worship of money.

The Roman Empire is known as being one of the most brutal and vicious group of people to control a portion of the world which has ever existed. Am I certain about this? No. But I have humbly learned, over time, about this and gained wisdom. There is plenty of evidence and facts to support what I say. Some folks may feel biased against what I say, so go ahead and shoot me down. What will you accomplish in an attempt to find the truth?

The Roman Empire was in control of Israel during the 1st Century. As a Christian all my life, I am aware of most of the teachings of Jesus Christ and consider Him to be the “word” of God made flesh. I consider that Christ came here to be the “light of the world.” Those are MY beliefs and I am not FORCING you, as vicious people do, to believe what I believe.

I feel I have to say all of this because the egomaniacs of the world just work to shoot holes, as if I want control. It’s those people who shoot holes in hypothetical theories, based on their own egotistical bias, who are likely the perverts who wish to control others.

But this brings me to answering that question in the JCS rock musical: “Now why’d you choose such a backward time
And such a strange land?” It was due to the opposition our Deity had to how a group of people are treated badly by those who seek power over others in corrupt and evil ways with a love AND WORSHIP of money.

In my belief, based on what I have learned over time, including Thomas Jefferson’s (remember him? one of the USA’s FOUNDING FATHERS?) documentation about the Gospels. This is a Deity who imparts the message that power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely (not words from God, but words from human beings who recognize a Deity more powerful than humans; a Deity which imparts a love for His/Her children. (Strange words to say, right? His/Her? God has not always been proven to be a “Father,” but a “Parent”).

Again. I do not expect one to feel controlled by my beliefs. But I also do not have an inkling of desire to follow the beliefs of bashers of other human beings as they resist coexistence.

The word of God became flesh. That is my belief system. The reason was to choose a place and time when one group of people were being controlled by perverted lovers of self and money, while the crowd went along and had the word of God executed. Perverted ones to convince the crowds were lawyers and religious leaders, all with a love of money. Money first. A Deity would choose that time and place to impart the message, as people suffered and were convinced by lovers of money to find a scapegoat.

But is it not possible that scapegoat was determined in order for a Deity to impart the message about loving one another (coexistence)? Is it not possible the message was also about human beings learning to reject those who are hypocrites and lovers of money?

Jesus Christ himself is quoted as hurling accusations at hypocrites of those days; Jesus Christ himself, with actions, not words, overturned tables of the money changers, lovers and worshipers of money. Yet, why is it we relinquish control to give it back to power mongers with a love of money and then blame our government? Even Jesus said, “render unto Caesar his due.” In other words, pay your taxes and look at something else besides scapegoats and a government as the reasons for our problems, out of fear of a “mafioso” in centralized businesses created by supply-side Reaganomics, destroying small business competition in the process.

Adam Smith wrote books about the creation of capitalism. Wealth of Nations and Theories of Moral Sentiments. Adam Smith also intently studied the words of Christ. Yet, the “sheep” in this world go along with the lovers of money who attain the power which corrupts and absolute power which corrupts absolutely. They do not even have knowledge of what Adam Smith wrote which was presented as an economic system with balance and a “moral sentiment” for a process in which humans predominate over money, as presented by Jesus Christ, and not the other way around (money over humans).

Today, we have in place, the SEC which allows the biggest stockholders to have more votes in a corporate stockholder meeting than the common folk who own the stock. It is like these people are money changers during the 1st Century when Jesus Christ walked the earth. They don’t give one damn about the common folk and cheat and lie to get their way. Same thing with those money changers of the 1st Century by not only selling in the temple, but also selling SHODDY and LOUSY animals for sacrifice on the altar.

For many of us, we have experienced the lousy way that those with the most stock have treated us. It was one of the many wars that the shoddy and corrupt people with the most stock, Republicans, pulled the rug out from beneath me and many others. They skimmed money off a cash cow of a company, so as to allow vicious other Republicans (primarily) to come in and buy out the company. The only ones to benefit were the shoddy fat pigs at the top, skimming the money off the corporation. Meanwhile, the rest of us stockholders were not even allowed in secret stockholder meetings held in Houston, Texas (for a Florida corporation) and many of us common folk then lost our stock holdings in the process.

How many times do I have to explain this to common folk, hoping to get support, rather than stupidity hurled at me, as well as hatred from common folk? How many times? And do we really need the return of Jesus Christ when we have the knowledge right here in front of us, given to us in the 1st Century? How many times do we have to pray for “Christ’s return.” A loving Deity may treat us kindly, but that Deity must wonder, “Gosh, I gave them the information when the word became flesh. Why do they not see it?” But I can’t speak for God, as so many TV evangelists and perverted proselytizers try to do – constantly.

My mother even had a problem with proselytizers in her life. But at least there were more people like my mother who understood. My generation and younger generations are apparently full of a bunch of stupid jerks who are not humble enough to learn by seeking knowledge and wisdom, but rely on the hearsay of Fox and other groups who push an end all for everything – a certainty that they have all the answers.

This is a lengthy message. I really don’t care if you don’t like it because it is. Those in the World War II generation and before would read essays of great length. They were able to demonstrate humility and learning for the sake of human beings over money.

JC, JC: “Now why’d you choose such a backward time … And such a strange land?” Because it took that type of environment to get many people to learn. W hat is the problem with those who don’t wish to learn today? Instead, they wish for an Armageddon to start all things over, when the proof is in a Deity who DID teach human beings and there is no excuse for not understanding it. Stop pushing us towards chaos with power and control from lovers and worshipers of money in the form of greedy, self-centered, egomaniac centrally-controlled dictatorial corporations run by an oligarchy. Because you are pushing us towards disaster by supporting such egomaniacs with power. Power corrupts. Absolute power corrupts absolutely. The foundations for these problems are not the government created by my ancestors and Founding Fathers. The problem is the oligarchy which attempts to take control of our government and take it out of the hands of the people. WE THE PEOPLE. And there are many of us who have wisdom and knowledge based on the TRUE DEITY and the TRUE Jesus Christ. Supply-side Reaganomics ultimately tosses away those of us who are followers of the true word of God made flesh because the ones who worship money are fearful of the loss of their power – a corrupt one which leads to absolute power which corrupts absolutely. And they become like the vicious Roman Empire of the past. Like the vicious rulers who come out of the hills of Russia.

“Now why’d you choose such a backward time… And such a strange land?” Is it for me to know and you to find out? Because the answer is there before us, just by studying and learning about the word of God made flesh. To learn that this happened and for a purpose.

I pity those who do not understand what I am saying. But that is okay. Because I won’t control you with my belief. I just try to teach. I am not a perfect teacher, but I sure to work towards wisdom, not certainty or purity.

I do this because my grandmother was always saying, “judge not lest you be judged.” But she always encouraged me to be a teacher. Praise the LORD for my grandmother and many others who have encouraged me in my life and offered me opportunities, not always handouts. The ones who provided a temporary safety net which may have been in the form of some handouts, but the word “temporary” is important to note here. Then I would encounter the “jubilee year.” Don’t know what “jubilee year” is? Then humble thyself and learn what it is. Would be good for those money lovers to consider when discussing student loan debt.

On and on I go. But I now understand what was meant in the questions found in lyrics of JC Superstar. “Now why’d you choose such a backward time … And such a strange land?” 🙏 🖖

Knowledge Conquers Fear

Dear Editors:

The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.

People are being persuaded to vote for Republicans due to lies which create fear. If they don’t vote for Republicans, the grip of fear makes them uncomfortable to vote at all, so the Republicans win. The Republicans. The ones who gave us a SCOTUS which did not do justice, but dictated Citizens United upon us so Republicans can line their pockets with corporate PAC money. Democrats who don’t take such money are defeated by the fear factor of lies and slander of those opposed to Republicans. Republicans who lead the charge as “sheep in wolves clothing” and making everyone believe the government is at fault. The government is NOT at fault because, today, it is controlled by corporate PAC money emanating from lovers of money, the leaders of the “wolves in sheep’s clothing.” The Republicans calling themselves conservative do not agree with what this 18th-Century conservative said. They are not conservatives because true conservatives don’t want to invoke what existed in the past with regard to bigotry against race, religion, sexual identity. A true conservative looks at history and wants to LEARN from history because knowledge is more power than money because it also helps to eliminate the fear factor caused by liars and slanderers.

A bumper sticker incorrectly identifies with what Reagan said in 1981.  That government is the problem.  Wrong.  And I have evidence, proof and facts which demonstrate it is wrong.  Today, government is not the problem. For us “sheep-like” ones, too many are being mesmerized as it is. The corporate oligarchy created by supply-side Reaganomics and Alito and Scalia on the SCOTUS are the real problems.  They have destroyed capitalist competition, especially that from small businesses which built this nation. They line the pockets of Republicans with corporate PAC money, while Democrats attempt to win without such money.  The problem is NOT a government full of wolves, but a government controlled by corporate PAC money and people who are wolves in sheep’s clothing who put like type people – wolves in sheep’s clothing – into Congress.  Lovers of money, an evil aspect, have too much control. 

A bumper sticker identifying “wolves” with government is wrong.  With all due respect to those who are mesmerized by such a thing.  The bumper sticker should read, “the sheep are being controlled with false information by the corporate/business oligarchy consisting of sheep in wolves clothing.” 

Such wolves are handing out corporate PAC money to support their pitiful personal interests only.  They do this while taking money from the “sheep-like” who have invested for long-term capitalist investments in the form of pooled resources such as pensions, Social Security and Medicare. 

The bumper sticker about wolves and government is created by the lovers of money who mesmerize sheep-like ones into thinking the wrong people are eating their lunch and perhaps eating the sheep, too. 

Note the quote from Edmund Burke, a conservative from about two centuries ago. Here is a quote from an 18th-Century CONSERVATIVE.

Knowledge conquers fear.

Professor Douglas Willet Cornwell (Retired)

Newark Valley, NY

bibsinger@gmail.com

———————————“Love your neighbor as yourself.” “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” “The problems of the world are not that some people love in a different way. The problems are that so many people don’t know how to love at all (CGA, 1970).” A Puritan is someone in fear that someone, somewhere, is having a good time. “Liberty and justice for all [not priorities on individual and selfish rights].” “Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”  “We the people, in order to form a more perfect union [and overall wealth of American society]…” 
​Benjamin Franklin: “​Justice will not be served until those who are unaffected are as outraged as those who are ​affected.” Stacey Abrams: “Compromise about actions, but not about values.”  Oscar Wilde: “​​​I have the simplest tastes. I am always satisfied with the best.”  Oscar Wilde: “Be yourself; everyone else is already taken.” Benjamin Franklin: “Early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise.”  Whoopi Goldberg: “To handle this COVID-19 pandemic effectively, we all need to get on the same page.”  Note: To be clear, I do not like being patronized. I do not express my disdain over what happens to my fellow humans just for my own sake and to pursue favors and handouts. I do it in order to gain R – E – S – P – E – C – T for me and for millions of other Americans of any race, ethnicity, religious belief, or sex and sexual identity who try to walk in integrity as they attempt to achieve, life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.  PERIOD.  One nation under God [our Creator] with liberty and justice for all.

Hidden Agendas and Who From the Puritanical Fascist Crowd Has and Maintains Them like Watergate Burglars?

I think people should be concerned enough to do something. It comes from hidden snipers online who are smart enough to re-set settings and change programming codes in my Microsoft 365 software.

The latest in Microsoft? One time rows of a worksheet can be sorted. Another time, the SAME PROCESS cannot be done and the “sort” capability grayed out. Why?

Apparently, Americans do not give a damn about their fellow human beings. After spreading the word about how there were other “networks” on my line and I could see them, rather than help me solve the problem, the number of outside and “hidden” networks increased. So, to be like Watergate burglars and push further, hoping I would not stand up for my humanistic convictions as to how we respect one another, walk in integrity, and have dignity for one another, it is humorous to just push more. Same with Democratic Party campaign signs being stolen by Repugnicans. Complain and they turn it up a notch, while everyone sits by, saying, “too bad, too bad” and SHUT UP.

Frederick Douglass did not shut up. Harriet Tubman did not shut up. Abraham Lincoln did not shut up. My 5tth cousin five times removed, Ezra Cornell, did not shut up. Teddy Roosevelt did not shut up, even to condemn his father TR, Sr., for not serving in the civil war. FDR did not shut up. MLK, Jr., did not shut up. JFK and RFK did not shut up. John Lewis did not shut up. Alcee Hastings did not shut up. Thurgood Marshall did not shut up. Nancy Pelosi did not shut up. Etc., etc., etc.

All of these examples are of people who stuck to their their humanistic convictions about human justice, human equality, and respect for fellow human beings. Many such people stuck to their convictions against supply-side economics, whether white supremacist fat pig slave owners in Dixie or fat pig sweat shop owners in the North or fat pig robber barons such as those which exist today who refuse to pay their fair share of taxes and work to destroy things which are good for the common folk.

The ones today consist of the fat pigs in big pharma, fat pigs of big oil, fat pigs of big health insurance companies, the fat pigs of lawyers who block the establishment of healthcare for all while they line their pockets by proclaiming their opposition to big fat pig insurance, the fat pigs of local news and information newspapers who deliberately line their pockets by reducing local content and laying off good librarians and investigative reporters, fat pigs of technology, energy, hospitals and clinics with their organizations formed from M&A into centralized organizations which destroy small business and public entities which created a greater sense of taking America for the greatness it had, not the greatness of vicious and bullying white supremacists and bigoted pigs… More….

This all produces centralized supply-side economics on the model of communist Cuba and communist China and communist North Korea. It’s also on the model of the former Soviet Union which still exists today, with Putin.

In this process of elimination of the market demand-side consumers, these fat pigs DEMAND of the consumers and tell consumers what makes them happy. While stupid consumers on the market DEMAND-side swallow this drivel and vote for fascist vicious Repugnicans who don’t know how to address the issues and smear their opponents with slander and lies, so they can get to Congress and be on the take of the big fat pigs of big pharma, big oil, big health conglomerates, etc.

Rupert Murdoch’s newspaper is still printed and available in stores, while the good newspapers like local ones and the New York Times (etc.) are NOT available to inform the common folk who take an interest in life. Meanwhile, Murdoch has been quoted as having a desire to “destroy local news and information” by destroying local ownership of local media.

This all has to stop by people not just talking about “moral convictions.” That is too ambiguous. Talk about standing firm for convictions tailored to human equality, human justice, human dignity, human respect, and human integrity for walking with one another in the human race. Talk about providing opportunities for fellow human beings, not just handouts. We the people, not we the big fat pigs of big corporations as represented by Alito and the bastards of the SCOTUS who FORCED Citizens United down our throats like big fat dictators telling us what it takes to be happy.

To challenge me in what I am saying here, i get crap of “get a life” or “get a grip” upon me, as if I am not happy with the blessings I have. People put these wonderful quotes on Facebook. The quotes are beautiful. But do they get to those who need an attitude adjustment among the common folk? If they did, we would have seen different results in this past election with people intelligent enough to differentiate right from wrong when Repugnicans smear the images of good people and are not able to address the issues because they fear being revealed for their hidden agenda from pocketing money from the big fat pigs of supply-side economics and their monopolizing corporations which destroy local business, healthcare for all, public education for all. We the people. How many times do I have to say this? Not for the least common denominator of “we the people.” We the people means to address ALL people the best that can be done. Small businesses, not monopolized big centrally controlled corporations, as has been proven, has been the best way for America to achieve this.

Even former General and President Ike Eisenhower warned us not to let the military-industrial complex develop. We did anyway as we allowed centralized big corporations of all kinds to develop. Likely, this was more than Ike could probably have imagined.

Hillary says “it takes a village.” That is correct. This notion challenges the notions that about how it only takes white supremacists, big fat pigs and others to make a nation great. And the big fat pigs don’t like Hillary for saying that. Well may they be damned and go to h-e-double-hockey-sticks with their stupidity backed up by those with puritanical mindsets based on traditionalism only.

Or, perhaps we need to take baseball bats to the knees of such lousy people (he says in a facetious manner).

You know the ones who get all wrapped up in proclaiming that rules necessary to wipe out prurient interests while we have big fat pigs, lords over media, handing weapons, violence, blood, guts, and gore into our eyes within the media, more frequently than nudity, sex, or other “prurient” interests. And when nudity is portrayed, we see fig leaves in the form of blurred images, in programs like Naked and Afraid, while we are SUBJECTED TO and have it THRUST IN OUR FACES very violent scenes with people getting knifed or gunned down, whether real or fictional programs.

With all of this, let me return to my original comments about what is on my mind. Changes to settings and programmed apps by vicious, terrible people hidden by wired and wireless communications. That is what this message is about. So go get a grip and make things worse, rather than work to improve all of what I outline here. I get a grip. My grip is on sticking to my humanist convictions of “we the people” as being more important than what is imposed on us by big fat pigs who have slaves of punishment serving them, whether hidden online or removing political signs out of fear that Democrats might be elected, not to address issues which are of concern to we the people and human beings overall. And such dolts who do what I describe here and never being able to take notice of how to differentiate between right and wrong when it comes to a civilized human society with an inclination towards survival of the fittest of the entire human race in our dominion over non-humans such as animals, insects, etc. We are all human beings, so let’s work to help one another and not take an interest in crap like rules of puritanical and prudish ways. Rules about how humans can get along with one another and coexist – these are the reasons for what I describe.

Sadness Rates in the World (and America)

Inbox

Dear Editors:

I have read David Brooks columns for many years.  I have listened to David Brooks commentary Friday evenings on PBS.  Many times I see eye to eye with Brooks’s somewhat more conservative ideas.  Many times I don’t see eye to eye with Brooks.  That is what America is about.  Considering commentary (sometimes opinion, too), learning and gaining wisdom, and synthesizing into our own thoughts. 

There is no way we can always see eye to eye with a person 100% of the time.  Whether that person is our spouse or just a friend or acquaintance, we can never be in agreement 100% of the time.  That is the way things should be, but they are not, as fascist Republicans use scare tactics to mesmerize the minds with opioid treatment. 

With this being said (and extending my message with more words), I now must comment about the commentary, with facts, presented by Mr. Brooks on 2 Nov. 2022.  His facts are about a “grim tide of sadness” in the world.  He uses facts to demonstrate that the lower portion of society are in the lower sector of society who have seen an increase in sadness. At the same time, those in the upper classes (I shall call the oligarchy) have seen an increase in happiness.  In other words, at the expense of the lower classes of people, the upper classes are happier.  The lower classes are not as happy.  Facts presented as part of his opinion-editorial (op-ed), but I see it more as a commentary with facts, not an opinion.  (The media has caused the problems we have by calling these op-eds). 

Mr. Brooks discusses such facts from various Asian nations.  Communist China is one such nation.  The oligarchy in a presumed communist nation (which should NOT have an oligarchy) have experienced this ordeal and an increased wealth among those at the top has been revealed. 

This sounds like what has been happening in a presumed capitalist nation like the USA.  Reaganomics and supply-side economics, in my humble opinion (I can provide facts, too), are at fault for this happening in the USA.  A twisted idea of what capitalism truly is, as we think of capitalism as “supply-side economics,” while Adam Smith (18th Century contemporary to our Founding Fathers) defined capitalism as something to challenge the oligarchy of supposed divine-rights kings and feudal landlord nobles and barons with the idea of SUPPLY AND DEMAND.  Balance and not individualism at the top.  In this practice, only government can regulate the balance between supply and demand.  Reagan claimed “government” is a problem, due to such regulation.

Another side to what Mr. Brooks says harks back to my days of learning from a Christian pastor who embraced the ideas of Deist Thomas Jefferson, that ideas from the Hebrew scriptures regarding creationism do not have to be examples of rejection of evolution and survival of the fittest (Darwinism and atheism).  This pastor pointed out that the men who wrote those Hebrew scriptures were merely attempting to come to grips with what God was about in the universe.  That seven days in the lives of men could be millions of years in the eyes of God. We cannot be certain about God because human beings did not have the knowledge of God. 

Another aspect I learned from this Christian pastor had to do with Darwinism and atheism.  This pastor represented survival of the fittest as meaning our human species having dominion over animals, but that Jesus Christ came as the WORD OF GOD (John 1:1) to help dispel such ideas by centering on a love of one another, all human beings. 

This means that survival of the fittest is not between “chosen people,” as Israelis contend, or between white and black people, or between Latinx and others, or between straight or gay, or between men and women.  It is not a matter of surviving by having control of one human species over another.  Rather it is about all human beings having love for one another and working in community, not as selfish and greedy individuals who berate their fellow human beings. 

Examples.  White supremacists think they are better than black folk. I have heard this crap expressed against former President Obama. On the other hand, black folk who proclaim the election of Obama as being a “first.”  White supremacists who have invoked lynch mobs during the era of Jim Crow.  They only accept black folks unless they follow the marching orders of white folk (i.e., Thomas or Walker).  The males reject females when someone like my mother runs in a Republican primary for a political office and many males say, “they don’t want her to be town supervisor because she is a woman.”  The black man who thinks we need to get rid of abortions, for the sake of black folk and no consideration of the entire human race and particular situations where the mother might lose her life (the fetus is more important than the mother, so both must die?) or there is rape or incest involved.    In all of these examples, people have thick skulls and don’t allow the elevator to go all the way to the top.

Thus, we get supply-side economics and the development of only the “me, me, me” individualist greedy attitudes which Mr. Brooks addresses in his own way.  We are living with the lack of love for one another and no care or consideration for one another, due to individualist “survival of the fittest” attitudes.  We don’t think about providing opportunities for all people and many times it’s more about providing handouts instead, although that, too, is objectionable to white supremacists and others. 

America HAS been the shining light, compared to Communist China and other sections in the world.  For the sake of “survival of the fittest” of the Chinese people, CBS Sixty Minutes report this past Sunday pointed out that the Communist Chinese version of Tik Tok is very controlled so as to EDUCATE their own people.  But for the rest of the world, they put it out there in an “anything goes” fashion.  It helps the Chinese survive while helping to destroy the education and learning capacities of our Western civilization. The Chinese embrace what Western classical music can do for the brains of people, while our Western people, stupidly, reject it and demonstrate their stupidity and lack of a brain, in the process. 

The net result since the Reagan and the birth of supply-side economics, has been  several developments in America.  (1) we want opinions, not facts; (2) we have big fat pig newspaper publishers who reject good journalism, local investigative reporting, local information and commentary, and do everything by sensationalism; we then wonder why “nobody reads newspapers;” (3) Ronald Reagan, Jr., who identifies himself as being an atheist and one has to wonder whether he supports “survival of the fittest” as being between those in the human species, not between humans and animal species – anything goes, but stop two consenting adults from doing what they wish to do; (4) defense of greed, narcissism, love of money, and lack of caring for one another, due to “survival of the fittest;” (5) love of gladiator-type games and being mesmerized by blood and guts and guns splashed on television screens. 

In the 1950s, the character, Perry Mason said just the opposite of what publishers say about newspaper journalism and the facts.  Perry Mason:  “I don’t want opinions, I want the evidence.” 

In the 1980s, the character, J.B. Fletcher said, “I have a theory [not a conspiracy theory] but I need the evidence and facts.  All opposite of what is being said today throughout our society when invoking greed and narcissism and validating it with “survival of the fittest.”  Then the far left liberals wish to spend all our time protecting the animals with which humans have dominion.  That is fine to have such opposition when humans massacre animals for the sake of greed and selfishness.  But to protect us from losing our own food stocks, such actions by the far left push the envelope too far.  Example. 

Killing predators of deer and domestic livestock, we kill off the coyote.  Then the deer populate to such a point that they become a nuisance for drivers and for those who maintain gardens for the sake of human needs for consumption.  When, in actuality, When in actuality, the “survival” factor could be to have donkeys protect the livestock because they are able to stomp on any coyote which come close to the livestock.  Nature working together for the sake of “survival of the fittest” among animal species, but to consider that God does not intend “an eye for an eye” among the human species because Jesus Christ said something contrary to “an eye for an eye….”

Sad to hear the sadness rate increases for “lower class” humans.  This should be stopped. An attitude adjustment contrary to survival of the fittest among the human species needs to occur.  Balance can be accomplished by regulation of business so as to eliminate the creation of monopolies with the use of supply-side economics.   Mr. Brooks only presented the facts, but really did not identify solutions.  Thus, I refer to Mr. Brooks and his facts, but also present ideas for solutions, too.  

My writing is not a letter to the editor because it is too lengthy.  My writing is not an op-ed because it is a commentary with solutions. Really.  It is not too lengthy to be an op-ed or a commentary.  Thank you, Mr. Brooks, for the facts included in your commentary. 

Town of Newark Valley proposition for appointments rather than election

Dear Editor:
The election is over. Based on preliminary results, I understand that the Newark Valley town proposition to change elections such as the Newark Valley Town Highway Superintendent to an appointed position by the town council was defeated. Prior to the election, I remained silent. Perhaps I should have spoken out because, once again, I observed that emotions from the loudest mouths who were opposed to such a change swayed the herd mentality so as to convince people to vote on the measure based on what angry people say with a loud mouth than to consider logic and reasoning of the situation. “Logic clearly dictates that the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few.”(A statement in a Star Trek movie by Mr. Spock character played by Leonard Nimoy, at the point Mr. Spock was about to die). How sad for Newark Valley. How sad for New York. How sad for the USA. Logic thrown out the window.
It is a shame that the ballots could not have contained information as to the REASONS behind the thought about changing it. As a result, only the loud mouths who blistered this notion were heard.

For instance,some of what I heard in the repetitive forces were as follows.

(1) “Political appointments remove the opportunity for the people to speak.”
(2) “Political appointments mean that those unqualified would be appointed, due to patronage.” (3) “Political appointments give opportunities for the ‘good old boy’ network to operate.”
Logic is thrown out the window in favor of false ideas about our life and politics. Let us take a closer look at this tripe.

Number 1. Political appointments remove the opportunity for the people to speak.

Really? In the election which just passed, I had no opportunity to speak through the ballot box. While I am not in disagreement with the person chosen, why was I not able to have a choice? Because I am a registered Democrat and the choices were made in a Republican primary. There are independent voters who don’t want to be affiliated with either political party. At times, I wish I were independent and it is frustrating that there are no Democratic Party primaries. Yet, a stupid Republican once called those of us here who are Democrats as “Dumicrats.” To that person, I could say Republidumbheads.” I can also think of a very nasty word for Republicans, but I won’t offer it. There are Green Party and Libertarians, etc., etc., etc.No such people are able to vote in a Republican primary.  Where is the “voice of the people?” At least when someone is considered for appointment to an office, people may be given a chance to attend a town council meeting and voice approval. Otherwise, there is a segment of the population which is screwed.

In this case, perhaps Republicans would say the simple solution for me would have been to register as a Republican, right? So, let’s create a one-party state. Oh, that’s right. A one-party state in Newark Valley is not a new thing at all. In fact, I knew people who moved here as Democrats and, in order to become involved in the politics here, dumped their Democratic Party affiliation and became Republicans. Excuse me. But one-party states existed in Hitler’s Germany and the Bolsheviks and Marxist/communists of Russia and the Soviet Union.
One possible solution would be for New York State, rather than putting a stupid thing on the ballot about New York City judicial funding, put a proposition on the ballot to allow people to go to the polls on election day and simply declare one party as the designated party to vote in a primary. That would give more voices. I have heard of states which do this and have other similar processes as solutions to such a problem.  I might add that in the state where I spent nearly 40 years, they do not have such a solution, but some people spoke up in favor of such solutions for primaries. But alas, Republicans of Florida don’t want people to vote and are putting forth adverse laws to restrict voting. Why would such a state even consider such when it works to discourage voters since the Republicans created a one-party state, beginning with Jeb Bush.
Logic clearly dictates that the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few.”
​Number 2. ​​ Political appointments mean that those unqualified would be appointed, due to patronage. ​
​What about the unqualified who can run for a job and are not qualified to be highway superintendent, clerk, or what ever? What about the example of a relative of mine who was very qualified for an office, due to bookkeeping skills possessed by this person and appointed by both Republicans AND Democrats to a job? No patronage there. So it is possible, with the right people elected to leadership roles in the government councils and executive offices. Perhaps the “voice” of the people should spend more time investigating those who are elected into the town, village, city, or county councils of government. I don’t argue that it is not possible for the existence of patronage. I am sure it does happen all the time. But to cast a pessimistic aspersion on something which might be a good solution is absurd. With herd mentality spreading potentially false information is a stereotypical tarnishing of ideas.
Number 3.​ Political appointments give opportunities for the “good old boy network” to operate.

False. This statement is like taking offense of anything we do as humans with human institutions always results in a “godd old boy network.” Such networks exist, but there is proof that sometimes they do not exist. The man appointed to supervise operations of a village lawn, street, sidewalk maintenance and garbage collection service, with only an 8th grade education and not wealthy by any stretch of the imagination, might NOT be acceptable to accountants, lawyers, business people and others who are in positions of responsibility, but just might do a good job. One such example did exist one time. I do know a thing or two from history.

My mantra has become this. Human beings and human institutions cannot possibly be perfect. If people knew Christian values, they should realize this. Yet, how many people continue to consider humans or human institutions in whom they have a “beef” as not living up to expectations in terms of perfection. With the president prior to our current one, I spent time TRYING to find things which demonstrated a leader. In contrast to his paranoid views that “everyone was out to get him” in terms of a “witchhunt,” I knew a number of people who tried to turn around some of his bad. Each time I became disappointed. However, I did not hold an expectation of perfection when going into consideration of the man. On the same token, I can say the same about a former governor. There were some things I may have disagreed, but there also may have been some things I disagreed. I did not wish to tarnish his image ONLY on the things in which I disagreed. And this governor had some factors which were the same as the former president for whom the religious right swept under the rug.

Main point. Making appointments by the Newark Valley Town Council is not a bad idea when the village of Newark Valley haas been doing it for many years and has been successful in its endeavors. It was the people’s voice in the village which voted against a sewage system and natural gas lines within the village limits. It was the village which first introduced cable television to the area and regulated the cable television. It was the FCC, including many Republicans at a higher level, and other agencies which removed local control of cable television and endorsed the huge corporate conglomerates, through deregulation, which destroyed local business. It would behoove local people to take on these issues at the local level than to be concerned about whether or not we cannot possibly handle the appointment of positions within the town government. Ignorance, as opposed to stupidity, of the issue, without thinking and looking into details, which means such ignorance, with humility an open mind, would enable learning and wisdom. Critical thinking skills are very handy in such situations.

A Little History About the Truth Regarding Capitalist Economics Might Help

When working to complete a minor in History at the undergraduate level, I took classes from a professor who was a professor with a PhD from Binghamton University. This professor had us reading several books in her classes and included these additional books as textbooks for the class. I ate it all up. Likely it is those texts which I still own today, outside of what I kept from my major.

One book we read was The Americans: The Democratic Experience. It was authored by a University of Chicago History professor named Dr. Daniel J. Boorstin.  I have retained a copy of that book and added several other Boorstin books in his “Americans” series. The Americans: The National Experience.The Americans: The Colonial Experience. Several others in that series.

When I completed my Masters of Library Science degree at Syracuse University, I worked in database management and library research instruction. It was a wonderful career. In the early years of my career, President Ronald Reagan had appointed Dr. Boorstin as Librarian of Congress. Having read Dr. Boorstin’s books, I was thrilled. I was more thrilled at Boorstin than I was about Reagan with his adversity to unions which shut down the Air Traffic Controllers organization and his favoring IBM and opposition to unions when he destroyed AT&T, the Unix operating system, and the CWA, in the name of “deregulation” and supply-side economics.”  Same thing in the electric utility industry with its IBEW. Deregulation in the name of “supply-side economics” and “trickle-down theories of economics.” I was thrilled by Boorstin and still am with the knowledge I learned from him that supersedes the limited historical stuff we have all been taught in schools.

According to Boorstin, one of the first “regulated” examples of the “democratic experience,” was the establishment of insurance commissioners in America.  The example given by Boorstin was that of a 19th-century Massachusetts insurance commissioner named Erastus Wright. At the point in time that Wright was regulating insurance, there were no actuarial tables for determining premiums, the long-term investments made, and the results of the benefits regarding life insurance.  People were putting their money into life insurance, but the management of the companies were chaotic about it and figured the money was there for them to spend. Then, when someone with a policy died, they were told there was no money. Like imposing something for the collective freedom of all (masks and vaccines, not personal injury lawsuits), Wright came up with the table which was expected to be used when figuring premiums and benefits. It worked. All that regulation of insurance has been curtailed and, instead, we have lawyers pursuing personal injury lawsuits against big insurance, spending tax dollars beyond belief, and there is no safety net for the consumer on the demand side of the capitalist market. Sad.
Thus, we see the same thing happening to Social Security and Medicare. We put the money in and then, as exited with Erasmus Wright’s time, when the benefit is to be drawn, based on dividends earned over time, we are listening to lousy folks saying, ‘there won’t be any money in such a such a year.”  As with the life insurance of the the 19th-century “democratic experience” of Erasmus Wright regarding the insurance in which people had dumped their money, we are observing our money, over time, being squandered in other ways.

This example dealt with private enterprise, but it took a government to regulate private enterprise, not the other way around when we have private enterprise controlling the government. Unless we do something, there may be no hope for the future, as our hopes and desires for future generations lies in the hands of greedy, selfish aristocratic brats who really don’t understand the ideas of capitalism and the “democratic experience.” So what do they do? They throw out BS about it all being socialism or communism. The actual communists are the fat pigs who control a government and destroy ideas for regulation by vandalizing and sabotaging regulation, whether in a PSC or elsewhere, with bribes by means of martini lunches with the “lunch crowd.” Corruption, just as with the situation Erasmus Wright identified.
Furthermore, we accept this corruption so much that we look the other way when it occurs. We look the other way when there is a corrupt government in Afghanistan and people don’t want to affiliate with such corruption, so they lay down their arms, for the sake of the Taliban. Rather than look at the details of what is happening, the ones who did nothing to work for justice and peace, push to wrongly blame President Joe Biden for a pullout which was created by those who support the money (Saudi Arabia and other sources) behind the Taliban (and the Saudi royal family member, Osama Bin Laden).  They work for peace and then set a timetable for withdrawal, but never work for peace AND justice. What a shame.  Just like the money from the oil contingent of the world, we sadly got involved in Vietnam, too, and then had to pull out and betray the South Vietnamese with their corrupt government, too. The difference? It was LBJ who started it all in Vietnam and there is proof that John F. Kennedy was NOT gung ho about doing it. Today, we don’t blame the Texan who got us involved in Afghanistan, but look to blame a person who took office in Jan. 2021 and had been left with a timetable for withdrawal created by Donald Trump.

Inconsistency in America. How sad.

Even worse is that Americans have short memories and don’t learn from history. If there was learning from history, more folks would be more brilliant and not listen to the BS of moneyed people who want to attack the Democrats.   That, too, is sad, for sure. But it keeps me involved in writing. This gives me a sense of success, knowing I lay out principals and ideas for consideration and hope that America can coexist by learning regarding the true history of capitalism, democracy, and seeking peace and justice. We don’t want to be wimps who look the other way at corruption, whether in America or Afghanistan, and make for justice which does not simply give in for the sake of peace. Justice. Consistency. Destroy corruption. Lift up ideas for good and true regulated capitalism and democracy. And then we can achieve peace. 

Professor Douglas Willet Cornwell (Retired)

Newark Valley, NY

bibsinger@gmail.com

———————————“Love your neighbor as yourself.” “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” “The problems of the world are not that some people love in a different way. The problems are that so many people don’t know how to love at all (CGA, 1970).” A Puritan is someone in fear that someone, somewhere, is having a good time. “Liberty and justice for all [not priorities on individual and selfish rights].” “Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”  “We the people, in order to form a more perfect union [and overall wealth of American society]…” 
​Benjamin Franklin: “​Justice will not be served until those who are unaffected are as outraged as those who are ​affected.” Stacey Abrams: “Compromise about actions, but not about values.”  Oscar Wilde: “​​​I have the simplest tastes. I am always satisfied with the best.”  Oscar Wilde: “Be yourself; everyone else is already taken.” Benjamin Franklin: “Early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise.”  Whoopi Goldberg: “To handle this COVID-19 pandemic effectively, we all need to get on the same page.”  Note: To be clear, I do not like being patronized. I do not express my disdain over what happens to my fellow humans just for my own sake and to pursue favors and handouts. I do it in order to gain R – E – S – P – E – C – T for me and for millions of other Americans of any race, ethnicity, religious belief, or sex and sexual identity who try to walk in integrity as they attempt to achieve, life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.  PERIOD.  One nation under God [our Creator] with liberty and justice for all.

Three-penny Op-ed: Democracy and Economics (17 Apr. 2021, The Economist)

Recently, I wrote about Queen Victoria, based on dramatization of her life. At one point in her early years of ruling during the 19th Century, Queen Victoria addressed protestors who were part of mobs attacking the palace where she lived. The scene depicted incendiary weapon of the time which was hurled through the windows of the palace. Those devices made one think of the “Molotov cocktails,” used in the 20th Century and derived the name from Vyacheslav Molotov. The name comes from a time period in which comes after the reign of Queen Victoria. When used in London during the queen’s reign, it approximates to the time of the residency of Karl Marx in London. Due to the time period, I come under criticism for using the words, Molotov Cocktail when they did not exist. People dwell too much on use of words and not on the fact that the name used in my writing referenced a weapon which was generic and could help understand what was actually used by the protestors.

Wording is so important when it comes to the false ideas passed down to our day from the likes of Karl Marx and Adam Smith of Scotland. Marx falsely claimed capitalism was “the problem” in the same way Reagan claimed “government is the problem.” People, particularly the lovers of Fox News, just grab at what was said and don’t give a damn about those of us who speak out about the false ideas which permeate the “herd” mentality from a Nazi propaganda machine like Fox News and other extreme right-wing news outlets.

Marx was wrong in blaming capitalism as a problem because capitalism was like a “new kid on the block” and barely understandable to others. The aristocracy grabbed at the ideas of Adam Smith with gratitude and simply twisted the ideas of capitalism to suit their ideas of aristocratic supply-side economics which disdains the demand side of the market. What would have happened if Marx had actually identified what the true problem was? What would have happened if the media of the day had revealed Adam Smith’s turnaround AGAINST the ideas of “free markets” because he felt humans did not have a natural human ethics and morality (The Theory of Moral Sentiments), so therefore there needs to be a “referee” with a third-party group regulating supply AND demand for the purposes of checks and balances in economics. (Also see Economics professor, Dr. Jonathan Wight’s book, Saving Adam Smith). After all, Adam Smith was a contemporary of the American Deists and Forefathers who saw a lack of chaos in the universe due to a Creator who worked with checks and balances, so they devised a political system and U.S. Constitution with checks and balances. Interesting to note that too many Americans grasp at Marx’s theory that “religion is the opioid of the masses” rather than what Jesus Christ said which applies to Adam Smith’s ideas about “moral sentiment.” Why? I ask. What if we changed this false notion? Shameful that human beings claim to follow Jesus Christ (as Smith was a Christian theologian, too), but really don’t grasp his notions.

Smith promoted the idea that ultimately, “free markets” end up giving us monopolies, regulation of an economy by autocratic big corporations (“deregulation,” as Reagan proclaimed) to their self-serving interests which destroy competition and small business. This is similar to what happened in Ancient China when the small business Mandarin class was destroyed and China imploded on itself (see Zakaria).

In stating, “business and politics are growing closer in America, with worrying consequences,” there is agreement with what is proposed in the text above. The fact that American business in the late 19th Century created a rich commerce for America makes quite a bit of sense. However, with J.P. Morgan and others in the 20th Century, America began to steer away from such a pathway. Teddy Roosevelt, the “trust buster,” worked to regulate the huge corporations. This continued after World War II, even as corporations became larger. International Business Machines (IBM) was created by Thomas J. Watson. However, he and the other executives at NCR where he originally was employed, worked to destroy competition and the government came down hard on them. In the process, Watson became a benevolent autocratic CEO at IBM and the company flourished. But once benevolent ones depart this life, they are often replaced with barbaric, ruthless, and vicious dictators. It is seen that IBM was later headed by such vicious men and this became the norm in America, as we watched as CEOs increased their salaries and bonuses so astronomically that it has been a 1000% rise since the 1970s. Ayn Rand and others promoted, with Reagan, supply-side economics and deregulation. Teams of lawyers in big corporations and the proliferation of so many lawyers in the American economy (creating jobs for themselves as ambulance-chasing vicious ones who attack one against the other in a destructive and greedy manner) meant corporations could better protect themselves than the small little business person. As with what happened to the Ancient Chinese Mandarin small business class, these people were put out of business. Fast food magnate like ruthless and vicious Ray Kroc hired people to scout areas with small mom and pop diners and place McDonald’s near those areas, for the purpose of destroying the competition, with the same regard as Republicans under Trump destroy and destroy and destroy, beginning with the ACA which has a goal of extending competition in health insurance in order to help lower the prices which are ripoffs and nickel and diming the demand-side of the capitalist market.

Rick Scott in the U.S. Senate is responsible for the Hospital Corporation of America which is a huge corporate conglomerate begun during the Reagan years with the purpose to destroy the “competition” of public health facilities. The loss of such public facilities really hurt the American people during this pandemic. People like Rick Scott, Jeb Bush, Ron DeSantis and Trump Secretary of Education, Betsy DeVos, had designs on creating big corporation in America which could be called “Education Corporation of America.”

Jeb Bush and other Republicans like him also privatized the prison system of Florida. The net result has been, to make a profit, by putting more people in jails (concentration camps?). Most of those people are black people who then are removed from the voting rolls. In a recent referendum in Florida, the voters of Florida voted to stop that type of treatment of those who served their time in jails by getting them back on the voting rolls. This applied to non-felony criminals or minor criminal activities, particularly possession of marijuana or cocaine, etc. This push to get black people in jails from these minor offenses is reminiscent of what was portrayed which happened to Billie Holiday when latent homosexual, J. Edgar Hoover, headed the FBI. (See the movie, The United States v. Billie Holiday).

It was very eloquently stated in The April 17 Economist article: “we also believe that concentrations of power are dangerous. Business people will always lobby for their own advantage, but the closer they get to the government, the more harm they threaten to both the economy and politics.” However, to frame this issue as “classic liberals” really puts this too much on the political spectrum, when I know many conservatives who support this ideal, too. As Dr. Howard Dean, one-time candidate for president of the USA, said, “we need to frame the issues to make them more acceptable to more people.” Putting in the word, liberal, sad to say in today’s world, gives ammunition to the fat cats of America who follow fascist Trump and push their own agenda with lies and the re-telling of lies. It is bad enough that they have ammunition with guns and the NRA, let alone words used as ammunition.

Speaking of Dr. Dean. He comes from a state which puts restrictions on big box corporate retailers, not allowing them to build in low density areas where they can become more monopolized by destroying the small business competition. Current U.S. Senator, Bernie Sanders, is from the same state and should nix what Rick Scott of Florida says in his fascist white racist business-loving, greedy, selfish way.

George W. Bush may have had SOME good ideas (i.e., use of switch grass as a renewable energy source). But the worst thing he said, as applied to this article in the Economist about the “political CEO,” “what’s good for business is good for America.” I am glad to read this article which does a good job at shooting holes in this asinine statement made by a former president.

The examples of successful challenges to the pandemic were in nations which were democracies which worked together in good alliances with business and health systems to defeat the “war” of the pandemic.

In the late 19th Century, one could have said, “what’s good for government is good for business.” Ronald Reagan, in his stupidity, destroyed that notion and we are being forced to live by such destruction. It needs to change and we need to rid our economic system of the words of individualist, selfish, greedy, lovers of money and materialism. We need to work on the same principles of checks and balances which our Forefathers used in setting up our political system.

There is evidence that Adam Smith recognized the same thing for our economic system, but the autocratic aristocrats in the monarchies of his day proclaimed they had a “divine right to rule” and grabbed and used Smith’s ideas to their own advantage. They twisted Smith’s ideas in order to keep the status quo of the system they controlled, while playing lip service to the Smith ideas about “capitalism.”

The result was that Karl Marx gave capitalism a bum rap rather than acknowledging how the system of supply-side economics was the problem. In essence, Lenin and Stalin set up the same type of centrally planned supply-side economic system in Russia. The Ancient Chinese did the same thing many years ago. These systems of supply-side economics failed. When will people recognize this?

Even General Douglas MacArthur, as Supreme Commander of Japan, following World War II, worked to destroy two things in Japan: (1) the communist party and (2) the aristocratic autocratic supply-side economic system which had existed for many years. This system made the Japanese so ruthless that they refused to abide by the international humane rules for POWs, often murdering American POWs and stuffing the genitalia down the throats of dead men (see Ken Burns documentary about World War II, The War).

If America does not wake up, learn and gain wisdom about these circumstances today, then the negative components is described in this article about the “political CEO” might happen.