George Orwell was right.
January 30, 2022
If you want to keep a secret, you must also hide it from yourself.
The School Board in McMinn County, Tennessee recently announced a decision to ban author and creator Art Spiegelman’s Pulitzer Prize-winning graphic novel Maus from their eighth-grade curriculum.
McMinn County, TN may be a poster child for the current divisiveness in America.
This rural county is home to just 54,000 residents and until very recently, was over 90% white.
As a whole, the State of Tennessee has been, and remains, predominantly Christian. About 81% of the population identifies as Christian, and 52% of Tennessee residents identify as Evangelical Protestants.
Plagued by the legacy of a mediocre public education system, poverty is rampant in McMinn County: Over 17% of residents live below the poverty line, including 24% of children (under 18) and 12% of seniors (65 and over).
The McMinn County School Board recent action helps to reinforce the notion that adults who themselves are products of a mediocre public education system are often incapable of making sound and fully informed decisions based on solid facts. Or, we might say that these folks have been deprived of critical thinking skills due to the inadequacy of their public school system.
Over the past decade, we have witnessed an alarming increase in public displays of frustration, rebellion and even violence among adults who are constrained by the toxic combination of extreme religious ideologies and vulnerability to unreliable or false sources for (mis)information.
George Orwell was correct, and only WE can prevent the vociferous minority from subsuming the will of the majority.
Fundamental Christianity in 2022
January 29, 2022
The Dangerous Intersection of Evangelical Christianity with White Supremacy
White supremacy sometimes manifests as colorism, a persistent issue within India, Latin America, Africa and nearly every community of color. When a mother tells her children not to play out in the sun because their skin will get too dark, she is reinforcing the myth of white supremacy by encouraging proximity to whiteness via lighter skin.
The most dangerous combination seems to occur at the intersection of Fundamental (Evangelical) Christianity and White Supremacism – the belief that Caucasians are superior to all other races.
Fundamental/Evangelical Christianity states that ‘only those who trust in Jesus Christ alone as their Savior receive God’s free gift of eternal salvation’.
White Supremacists adhere to the aberrant beliefs that (a) Whites must have dominance over people of other backgrounds, especially where they may co-exist; and (b) White people are genetically superior to other people.
In a 2019 nationwide survey, 86% of white evangelical Protestants and 70% of both white mainline Protestants and white Catholics said that the “Confederate flag is more a symbol of Southern pride than of racism”; nearly two-thirds of white Christians overall said that killings of African-American men by the police are isolated incidents rather than part of a broader pattern of mistreatment; and more than 60% of white Christians disagreed with the statement that “generations of slavery and discrimination have created conditions that make it difficult for blacks to work their way out of the lower class.”
The Southern Baptist Convention itself was organized prior to the Civil War in Georgia by Southern Baptists who were strongly opposed to the abolition of slavery. It delivered the invocation when Jefferson Davis was inaugurated as President of the Confederacy.
Today, the Southern Baptist Convention has a membership of over 16 Million, and is thought to be the second-largest Christian denomination in the U.S.
When I came of age in the late 1960’s in Buffalo, NY – a true northeast rustbelt city – we really didn’t have time for any of this nonsense, and I naively believed that our nation had progressed beyond the foolish notions of the Confederacy.
Four decades later, Donald Trump and his loyal following of ultra-conservative Evangelical Christian voters truly surprised and shocked me, and many others.
Robert Jones, a graduate of the Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, may have said it best when he stated that Trump inspired White Christians, “not despite, but through appeals to white supremacy,” attracting them not because of economics or morality, “but rather that he evoked powerful fears about the loss of White Christian dominance.”
You can deny if you like, but denial doesn’t change reality.
This is the year 2022, and there is no turning back.
We are competing in a 21st Century World Economy, and it is high time for those of us who don’t have time for all of this foolish nonsense to call the bluff of the revisionist Confederate Civil War re-enactors.
Here in the U.S., we need to move on; come together; find common ground; join hands; and work side by side to strengthen our technology and innovation capabilities and return to a leadership role by influencing international economic, scientific, trade, and security institutions.
Alternatively, we could continue to allow petty and insignificant micro-inequities to distract and divide us domestically, which will encourage other nations to move aggressively to assert leadership and shape the direction of global rules and institutions.
Update on Florida HB-5: Restricting Women’s Rights
January 22, 2022
The Florida bill which would severely impact the ability of women to make personal choices about their own reproductive health (known as HB5) passed its first House committee hearing on January 19, 2022, and it is now heading to new committees for further discussion. (The companion bill in the Florida Senate is SB-146). Among other things, the bill will place severe restrictions on women’s access to abortions in Florida.
Florida Representative Fentrice Driskell (D-Tampa) perhaps said it best, “This bill is terrible for all Floridians, particularly for those who are low-income, live in rural areas, or are people of color who have historically faced inequitable access to quality healthcare, or low-income people who cannot afford to travel out of state for a safe abortion. It is not the government’s place to interfere with one of the toughest decisions a person will ever make. That private decision is one of faith, healthcare, personal freedom, and protecting the emotional and physical future of women and their families. Tallahassee politicians should not be involved.”
Kudos to Rep. Driskell for speaking out clearly and eloquently on basic human rights.
Satanic Rituals at Our Southern Border
July 12, 2019
Vice President Mike Pence toured a Border Patrol facility in McAllen, Texas on July 12, 2019 where he observed hundreds of men standing in crowded cages.
“The stench was horrendous,” White House pool reporter Josh Dawsey wrote of the brief visit to an outdoor portal at the McAllen Border Station.
Dawsey reported that nearly 400 men “..were housed in sweltering cages so crowded it would have been impossible for all of them to lie down. Some of the detainees shouted to reporters that they had been held 40 days or longer and complained that they were hungry.”
“This is tough stuff,” Pence said at a news conference later. “I was not surprised by what I saw,” he said. “I knew we’d see a system that was overwhelmed.”
This, on the eve of a planned siege in communities around Atlanta, Baltimore, Chicago, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York and San Francisco where representatives from the Trump Gestapo are poised to raid neighborhoods where suspected undocumented immigrants may be living. The raids are expected to start Sunday (July 14) and continue through July 18.
Instead of fixing the existing system that is already overwhelmed, Trump and his thugs have doubled down with Satan to intimidate and dehumanize our newest neighbors, and to create, nurture and perpetuate an atmosphere of fear among residents in these communities.
Separate parents from their children? Only Satan would approve of that.
Trump’s claim that the ICE raids are targeted to ‘look for bad players’? In a press conference on July 12, Trump said, “We’re really looking for criminals as much as we can. Trying to find the criminal population, which has been coming into this country the last 10 years.”
He touted his administration’s removal of members of the violent gang MS-13, claiming he’d deported them “by the thousands” and further stated that ‘we are also looking for people who came into our country not through a process, they just walked over a line. They have to leave.’
I’ve lived in the U.S. for many years, and I’ve experienced a great deal of good, bad and ugly.
This entire Trump administration charade centered on MS-13 as a justification for extreme immigration enforcement is the ugliest of ugly – it clearly is directly connected to Satan (a.k.a. Beelzebub; Mephistopheles; Lucifer; Prince of Darkness; Ash-Shaytan; Diablo; Devil), and it is clearly disconnected from facts or reality.
Trump – true to form – is scapegoating any and all people with connections to Central or South American as ‘Undesirables’ (or worse).
Pick your label: There is no place in American ideology which supports rounding up a class of residents and subjecting them to subhuman treatment with no process of law.
Mike Pence, who was raised in a religious household and educated in parochial schools, has described himself as “a Christian, a conservative and a Republican, in that order,” and as “a born-again, evangelical Catholic.”
If Pence is unwilling or unable to step forward to demand a stop to these Satanic atrocities and to organize a strategic fix to our existing immigration enforcement system which is already overwhelmed, then it is clear that he has sold his soul to Satan.
How very sad….
The Essence of True Leadership
July 11, 2019
After a remarkable 19 year career in leadership at the University of South Florida, President Judy Genshaft retired on July 1 in a planned and orderly transition, welcoming a new president, Dr. Steven Currall.
President Currall has spent his first few days talking with students, faculty, alumni and other stakeholders to ensure an open and honest transition.
In a recent radio interview, I was inspired to hear Currall tell us that his mission is to build on the accomplishments of the Genshaft administration.
Currall said, “My job is to help the USF community make the right decisions for the university in the long run. Sometimes those are group decisions: it might be my top leadership team, it might be decisions that the Board of Trustees has to make, sometimes the decisions that I have to make personally. But I don’t think it’s wise for a leader to try to do something simply symbolic as a way to establish authority.”
“I think the more mature approach is really just always to be thinking about what’s in the best long term interest of the university. I try to make decisions that will be received well and be seen as thoughtful and aligned with the strategic vision of the university.”
True Leadership: (1) A strategic vision toward the future. (2) Decisions aligned with the best long-term interests of the institution. (3) Building on an existing foundation of progress and excellence.
Wouldn’t this theory and practice help make our country a stronger and better place to live, work and relax?
An Economic Genius: Part One
July 9, 2019
Donald John Trump was one of 366 student members of the class of 1968 who was awarded a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics from the Wharton School of Finance and Commerce at Pennsylvania State University (Penn State).
Other than his bachelor’s degree and some experience working in the family real estate business, there is no evidence that Mr. Trump has pursued additional education, credentials or capabilities in the field of economics.
Trump’s paucity of bona fides in the world of economic theory and practice has not deterred him from taking an active role in testing new economic concepts.
From an economic perspective, the presidency of Donald Trump will likely be remembered primarily for his America First posture, which has influenced immigration, tariff and tax policies.
Immigration: Trump administration policy decisions focused on immigration have dramatically hurt domestic agriculture, food processing, hospitality, tourism and other low-wage, entry-level service occupations.
Tariffs: Tariffs imposed on imported goods and materials are nothing more than a tax paid by the end user, in many cases, the American consumer.
Tariffs can be effectively used as a component of a strategic long-term plan to reposition the competitive position of American manufacturers on the world stage.
There is no known evidence that tariffs have ever brought any long-term value-added when arbitrarily and capriciously applied.
Trump administration subjective tariffs on imported steel and aluminum (justified as a means to “protect our country and our workers”) have proven to be a financial burden on several high-wage value-added U.S. industries, including: Automotive; Aerospace; Construction; and Manufacturing.
Tax Cuts: The signing of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act in December 2017 was lauded as landmark legislation which would: (a) lower taxes on businesses and individuals; (b) stimulate higher wages and more jobs; and (c) result in a larger and more dynamic economy as a result of dramatically increased domestic business investment in plant and equipment.
Almost two years after the passage of TCJA, it seems clear that some near-term economic stimulation was achieved, but the long-term impact on gross domestic product (GDP) will be modest, if at all. The impact will be smaller on gross national product (GNP) than on GDP because the law generated net capital inflows from abroad that must be repaid in the future.
The expectation touted by elected officials in their frenzy to pass the TCJA envisioned some $4 Trillion being repatriated, generating new and potent investment and jobs in the U.S.
Most recent estimates reflect $3 Trillion (or more) in profits that U.S. companies have left parked overseas, with about $465 Billion in “repatriated” cash returning to the U.S. to enjoy a tax rate of 15.5% (vs. the 35% prior tax rate) on profits returned to the U.S. from overseas.
A good outcome? Sure, in the short term. Capital investments? Plant and equipment? Not so much. There is virtually no evidence that any of the repatriated cash was invested in job creation. It was invested in executive bonuses; stock buy-backs; debt repayments; and some dividend enhancements.
Please stay tuned, there is more to come…..
Dennis Rodman is Angry
June 30, 2019
And, Rodman has a right to be angry.
Rodman is a basketball legend, having earned a spot in 5 NBA championships over a 14 year NBA career.
Rodman began his professional career with the Detroit Pistons in 1986, spending 7 years with the franchise earning a reputation as a real team player and the team’s primary defender and rebounder, despite his propensity for off-court drama.
After Rodman joined the Chicago Bulls, he helped that team win the NBA title three years in a row: 1996, 1997, and 1998. He was inducted into the NBA Hall of Fame in 2011.
Since 2013, Rodman has served as the unofficial U.S. Ambassador to North Korea, doing his best to create an open line of communication with Kim Jong Un, a noted fan of basketball.
Generally, Rodman travels on his own dime, with some financial support from Vice Media, an online gambling outfit and a marijuana cryptocurrency company.
By all accounts, Rodman used his celebrity and his charm to engage Kim Jong Un in friendly banter and sports talk, ultimately helping to defuse some of the geo-political tensions created as a result of the unilateral withdrawal of the North Korean regime from established world political platforms.
Despite a rather clear separation between former President Obama, Dennis Rodman and the North Korea relationship, the Chicago connections can’t be ignored.
We’ve recently witnessed the intrusion of a political newcomer – a man with very tiny hands who is at least 5 inches shorter and 80 pounds heavier than Rodman – a man who has unapologetically usurped the role of Dennis Rodman as unofficial U.S. Ambassador to North Korea.
This political newcomer is Donald Trump, and he is using the full power of the U.S. Treasury to fund his assault on Dennis Rodman’s unofficial domain.
Is it possible that the Donald decided that Obama and Rodman, two black men with a solid Chicago connection, are his enemy?
Although Donald Trump himself has yet to demand the release of Dennis Rodman’s birth certificate, there are rumors that Trump son Eric has questioned Rodman’s history of achievements in the NBA, and has publicly wondered about Rodman’s place of birth.
How very sad that Donald Trump is unwilling or unable to work with an accomplished athlete to build on an established positive foundation toward a better world for everyone.
No one should be surprised when the Rodman-Trump dichotomy surfaces into a major political cleavage. How very sad, indeed.
The Grim Reaper?
June 18, 2019
The U.S. Senate consists of 100 members – 2 elected from each state — independent of population. Under the Constitution, our elected Vice President serves as the President of the Senate, and presides over the Senate’s daily proceedings, and only the Vice President has the authority to cast a tie-breaking vote.
Over the past 2 decades, I’ve become more and more befuddled, baffled and bewildered by the apparently bad behaviors of some of those elected to represent us in the U.S. Senate.
Currently, it seems that one of the 2 Senators elected from Kentucky – Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell – has acquired extraordinary power over the operation and functionality of this key part of the legislative branch of our federal government!
While it is perfectly clear that McConnell has usurped extraordinary power over the functionality of the Senate, he could have only acquired this power from the spineless reptiles who worship at his feet.
How can it be possible that one person – elected from the great state of Kentucky – has the arbitrary and singular power to schedule — or not schedule – votes on bills by the Senate?
How can it be possible that one person – in this case, the Senate Majority Leader – has obtained the power to fully obstruct a government of the people, by the people and for the people?
The arbitrary and unilateral power of the Senate Majority Leader is not derived from the Constitution, from any law, or from formal rules of the Senate.
Instead, it is entirely based on informal, colloquial and unwritten rules established over time by a collection of precedents, beginning with an informal ruling by then-Vice President John Garner in 1937 which created a “right of preferential recognition”.
Vice President Garner – serving in his Constitutional role as Senate President – may have been trying to create order within a body of highly assertive and opinionated elected officials from very diverse geographic and economic backgrounds.
Regardless of intent or motivation, the Garner precedent continues to serve as the foundation upon which Majority Leader power is based in the Senate today.
Today, there is one person — elected by some voters in Kentucky — who has the power to obstruct a government of the people, by the people and for the people.
Very recently, Mitch McConnell proclaimed that no issues which he objects to would be voted on in the Senate. He said, “So think of me as the Grim Reaper” — the guy who is going to make sure that we fully support the agenda of our current President.
Is this what the American people really want?
What the Mueller Report Actually Said
May 30, 2019
On Wednesday, May 29, 2019 Robert Mueller broke 2 years of silence to speak to the American public about the Special Counsel Report which bears his name.
Mueller advised Americans to read his report if we want to understand what really happened in 2016. “We chose those words carefully, and the work speaks for itself,” he said.
The pressure is on. We need to read the Mueller Report.
The Mueller Report is huge, and it is written in ‘legalese’ – well beyond the interests and/or abilities of most American adults. You want footnotes? Volume I of the Mueller Report includes about 199 pages of text, illuminated by 1,283 footnotes. Volume II adds another 182 pages of content with almost 1,100 footnotes. That is almost 2,400 footnotes! Yikes!
According to the national not-for-profit organization Reading is Fundamental, 93 Million American adults read at or below the basic level needed to contribute successfully to society.
I have to guess that the majority of these 93 Million American adults lack the motivation — and the skills — needed to read, comprehend and analyze the contents of the Mueller Report.
I’m retired and I have plenty of discretionary time. I have read significant portions of the Mueller Report. It is not an easy task.
Yet, I discovered that Volume I provides a powerful and comprehensive look at the events and evidence related to foreign election interference.
Volume II documents a number of actions directly or indirectly initiated by Donald Trump intended to impede or obstruct the FBI investigation into foreign election interference, and further actions intended to obstruct the Special Counsel investigation.
I predict that the Mueller Report will become a significant historical document for U.S. history scholars.
As it stands, it is just too academic and complex to become a widely-read, popularly acclaimed explanation of current events for most American adults.
Thankfully, all is not lost!
In its May 29, 2019 issue, The Atlantic published a synopsis penned by David Frum which helps bridge the gap between legalese and the typical American adult’s willingness and ability to read, comprehend and understand the conclusions reached by Mueller and his team.
I encourage you to make the time to read Frum’s article.
Mueller Report
May 29, 2019
Several of my friends have wondered: What part of “… this report does not conclude that the President committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him” supports the “No Collusion, No Obstruction” response from the Trump White House.
My theory is based on a variety of academic studies over the past 2 decades which have determined that an ‘average American adult’ reads at (or about) the eighth grade level.
The reading skills of American adults are significantly lower than those of adults in most other developed countries, according to a study by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development based on a sample of 160,000 people from two dozen developed nations.
The Mueller Report is an academic treatise written at a level which clearly exceeds the abilities of most American adults to engage; read; analyze; and conclude.
The ability to read fluently, critically and for understanding— to be able to learn from text— may be the most important foundational skill for U.S. adult citizens’ health, well-being, and social and economic advancement.
Critical reading skills are the gateway to lifelong learning, education, and training.
The internet and social networking currently operate through the written word, thus reading literacy provides access to an infinite and readily accessible library of the world’s knowledge, as well as the ability to communicate with friends, family, and employers.
The digital revolution provided access to information which is the foundation for an informed society — except for those adults who continue to struggle to read and/or comprehend.
We have a crisis in America. The Mueller Report is written at a level which exceeds the skills of the majority of Americans — including many of those currently serving in Congress — to understand, analyze and arrive at critically informed conclusions.
The Pew Research Center recently reported that adults with a high school degree (or less) represent the majority (37%) of U.S. adults who report not reading books in any format in the past year.
I have to wonder – and I hope you will join me — How many of these 37% of adults who don’t read books (and perhaps don’t read critically?) are members of the Trump Base?
walrus51 