Update no.816

Update from the Heartland

No.816

14.8.17 – 20.8.17

Blog version:  http://heartlandupdate.blogspot.com/

            To all,

            Our great American eclipse adventure begins this Sunday and culminates on Monday of next week.  Stay tuned!

            The follow-up news items:

-- After a rather dismal, first attempt condemnation of the Charlottesville violence [815], President Trump publicly stated, “Those who cause violence in its name are criminals and thugs, including the KKK, neo-Nazis, white supremacists and other hate groups that are repugnant to everything we hold dear as Americans.  We are a nation founded on the truth that all of us are created equal.”  I heard his statement live in its entirety and I must say, he deserves credit and praise for his Monday statement.  His redo statement was an order of magnitude better than his first attempt.  Thank you, Mister President.  Better late than never!

NOTE:

            No sooner had I written the above recognition of President Trump’s denunciation of white supremacist groups on Monday, he turned around and went all-in for his support of those very same groups by using crooked logic – both sides did bad things.  His justification of both sides were wrong is quite akin to “I was only following orders,” or “the devil made me do it,” or “the masked grandma stole my homework.”  Was Heather Heyer carrying a pipe, a club or any other weapon?  Had she acted in a violent or provocative manner before she was killed?  Did she deserve to die?

            When Trump uses his campaign slogan “Make America Great Again,” how far back in time does he expect or want to go.  The phrase implies what America was once great, and he alone can return us to that time.  What is that time, in his mind?  What is his objective?

            After giving the President appropriate credit for his Monday public statement, what he did on Tuesday was reprehensible and must be condemned.  Full stop!  His deplorable conduct at his impromptu news conference does not rise to “high crimes and misdemeanors,” but it has most assuredly jumped far closer to that threshold.

-- President Donald Trump accepted the resignation of Chief Strategist Stephen Kevin ‘Steve’ Bannon [766, 779], effective Friday.  We do not know exactly what precipitated his resignation; however, it seems safe to assume Bannon’s departure is part of the continuing housecleaning by Chief of Staff John Kelly, in his Herculean effort to bring order to a dysfunctional White House staff.

            I see this move as positive, at least for the order and discipline of the White House staff.  Whether this helps the operations of the White House staff is yet to be seen.  There is still no sign of a positive effect on the President’s public conduct and pronouncements, but there is always hope.  Bannon immediately returned to his roll at Breitbart, vowing to wage war on behalf of his former boss.

            President Trump tweeted that he was ending two top business-advisory councils, a move that came amid CEO defections following his comments about violence in Charlottesville, Virginia.  Shortly before his tweet, the chief executives of 3M and Campbell Soup became the latest corporate leaders to join the rapidly growing number of CEOs leaving one of the councils.

            The truly sad reality in this debacle, Trump’s personality flaws will not allow him to see reality.  Instead of looking at himself and his words, he will blame the Press for inflating the episode and weak CEO’s caving to public pressure.  As a person, he is incapable of seeing his mistakes.  And worse, his loyalists like David Duke and Richard Spencer among others, will support him even if he shoots someone on 5^th Avenue in New York City.  Blind loyalty is a beautiful thing, isn’t it?

            A worthy contribution from a different forum:

https://www.facebook.com/LCCurtiss/posts/10155667622536926

I am not sure if this link will work, but it is worth a go.  Nonetheless, it was the illumination of Curtis Castro’s opinion on Facebook that instigated the thread below between a frequent contributor to this humble forum and me.

My response to the Castro opinion:

            Yes, Castro offered a well-written, thoughtful opinion.  I agree with his recitation of some of the facts, but I cannot support his concluding opinion.  When we start to deny history by rewriting history to be more to our liking, we are invoking ignorance in some lame Pollyannaish notion of goodness.  Slavery was part of our past, part of our history.  I am not defending slavery, secession or any other aspect of that era in our history.

            Historically, there are monumental differences between Robert E. Lee and 'Stonewall' Jackson, and Nathan Bedford Forrest.  They were all successful CSA generals, but they were not the same in character.  We have much to learn from Lee and Jackson.  We should never forget.

            A related side commentary on my part: yes, it was about property rights.  It was also about state versus federal supremacy.  What I have always seen in the single-mindedness of many property owners who had become de-facto royalty in their domain; they exercised their particular "divine right of kings" on their property and beyond their property when their property ran beyond their boundaries.  I can and have argued that the Civil War was an inevitable and necessary tragedy.  Article IV, Section 2, Clause 3 was part of the Constitution until ratification of the 13^th Amendment (1865).  I cannot imagine how long it would have taken to pass the 13^th Amendment without the Civil War.

Our contributor’s subsequent reply:

“Cap, let's be realistic.  Germany has museums dealing with World Wars I & II, but do they have monuments in public places for Hitler, Goering, and all the rest?  Do they allow swastika flags?”

My response to the reply:

            First, Hitler, Göring, (Goebbels) and NSDAP leaders were political, not military, leaders.  Even the military leaders under the Nazi regime, e.g., Keitel, Jodl, Dönitz, et al, were culpable in their support of and contributions to the atrocities perpetrated by the political leaders.  I have cited Nathan Bedford Forrest as a Confederate Army leader who fits into the German model.  Lee, Jackson, Longstreet and even Stuart were not of the German model.  Forrest was not the only culpable Confederate general; I would put Quantrill (not a general but a leader) in the German model category, others as well.

            To my understanding of history, there are monumental differences between the flag of the Third Reich and the flag of the Confederate States of America; they are not equate-able.  The Nazi flag was a political symbol before it became a state symbol.  The Stars & Bars was a state symbol before it became a political symbol.  White supremacist groups have absconded the flag as their symbol of hatred, division, and white superiority and exclusivity.  At one day long gone, I supported the display of the Stars & Bars as a historic symbol.  I can no longer do so, as that flag is far more identifiable today as a racist, anti-Semitic, white supremacist symbol – it is unsupportable.  Full stop!

            The magnificent beauty of the English language rests largely on its diversity and range.  A single word or phrase can have dramatically different meanings based on its usage and context.  It is that very diversity that authors exploit to create an image in the reader’s mind and imagination.  In the hands of a skilled artisan, that spectrum of language can be used for good or bad.  We hear the words “on many sides” [815] and some of us hear frank language, calling a spade a spade.  I hear those words and I hear moral equivalence or at least comparability.  Another example perhaps, some folks hear the words “I alone can fix it” [762] and they think now there is some honest, forthright talk.  I hear those words and I hear an arrogant, ignorant, simple man who is very dangerous.

            It should not be surprising that each of us can watch a news conference and hear vastly different meanings.  That is the beauty and the curse of the English language.  It is also the debate over meaning in which we are currently immersed.

            FAKE NEWS!  Pardon my use of all capital letters; I am not shouting; I only replicate President Trump’s use of the term (& caps) for accuracy.  When President Trump uses the term FAKE NEWS, he is emphatically stating that only he can decide what is proper or worthwhile news.  Trump’s disgusting dismissal of journalists who are questioning his words, his positions, his advocacy, as labeled FAKE NEWS, is only a few short steps from royal prerogative or a dictator’s control of the Press.  I do not want him or anyone deciding what is accurate or acceptable news for me or anyone else.  That is NOT his place or job.  Every time he uses that term, I ask myself, why on God’s little green earth does he keep digging the hole he is in deeper?

            The following exchange was extracted from a discussion in another forum in which I participated.  I felt it might be useful and informative for this humble forum.

“I would like to take this opportunity, in all due respect, to paste-in a social media post I made this evening that helps to summarize how I feel about the climate we are in today.  Remember, I publicly withdrew my support for Trump weeks after the inauguration, and have many concerns about him, his character, his style and leadership, but I think he deserves a fair hand, as does our nation.  So here was my post:

“I find it incredibly nonfactual, hypocritical, divisive and dangerous, that last night CNN was making accusations that President Trump is a neo-fascist. Where did they get such 'facts'? That's right, they have no facts. Trump was ambushed by left-leaning progressives during a news conference on infrastructure building.  Trump responded ab-lib unlike Obama who needed a teleprompter/script for everything.  I watched Trump, what he said was his opinion and much more truth than CNN and other alphabet news agencies report daily.  Then I watched CNN twist and turn the words of Trump, in one more attempt to conduct a news media coup, using their clever method of PsyOps, to turn mass national opinion against Trump. We need a new NEWS network called FNN, for Factual News Network. Because the last thing CNN cares about is the TRUTH, but they do want to re-engineer America while destroying Western values.” ~Darren

“Where does this non-sense stop?  Will someone publish my home address due to the above post, if I had my former business would I be shut down?  There is no free expression/opinion now (as Trump painfully discovered yesterday where the press-titutes distorted and twisted his words).

“The cultural change agents are deploying mass WHITE GUILT, and I ask why?  I do stand by my opinion I believe race relations deteriorated under Obama, like no time before in my life (go figure, under a half-black/half-white POTUS).

“I am now hearing African-American spokes-people on national TV, say this is not really about race as it is economic class, that too many blacks are under-performing in an economy benefiting mostly whites.  I sure wish I was one of those white guys performing greatly, with an asset portfolio and cash-flow system affording me luxury vacations and jets.  Nope, and I know many other whites doing far more poorly than myself, as are blacks (Hispanics, blues, reds, yellows and grays).  So perhaps besides tearing symbols down and erasing our history, we need to have equal distribution of money to the non-working, working and distribute free Tesla vehicles to all citizens in America.

“What makes me think George Soros (Sores) is behind the scenes funding multiple theaters of dissent and radicalism, to change America for the good (if not destroy us from another Civil War?).

“In our quest to offend no one, please watch where the Constitution is stripped of the First Amendment, 4^th, and more as we must all conform to the group-think as to never offend the highly offended.”

My response:

            I realize the vast majority of American citizens never worked in the Intelligence Community, and thus never had to deal with information objectives, collecting various sources and evaluating the disparate representations of facts reflecting upon the desired information objectives.  Nonetheless, every citizen should, and I will say must, be his/her own analyst.  When anyone resorts to one news source, they are by definition being biased and seduced.

            Second, just because some talking head is on one news network or another does NOT mean that network endorsed their perspective or opinion.  Each one of us must evaluate the accuracy and reliability of information presented.  I look, read, listen to a wide range of new sources.  I try to watch important events live or at least in entirety to understand context.

            You like to attack CNN.  I will defend CNN.  Of all the cable news networks (24/7), they do the best at trying to present all sides of a particular issue.  They were one of the few networks to give prime time access to the Libertarian and Green Party candidates during the last election.  There is all kinds of trash broadcast on every news network including Fox News and CNN.  It is our job, our duty, to absorb as much as we are able from a wide range of sources to develop our perspective of events and our position on issues.

            History is one of the essential elements and tools of understanding contemporary events, which is precisely why I try to cite historic events that reflect upon current events.  I am discouraged and gravely disappointed every time an American citizen espouses one position or another without understanding the history.  To pretend racial discrimination is an artifact of the past denies the reality of history.  History is NOT lost on me when those groups protesting in Charlottesville organized a nighttime, torch light “parade” (see 30.January.1933).

            Lastly, in a form, you are railing against the sometime application of political correctness in public intercourse.  I share your rejection of political correctness (or at least my perception of your rejection) for a host of reasons . . . probably not the same reasons as you see, but still rejection.  I want the voices of hatred, racism, xenophobia, homophobia, and all the other social fears people possess, heard in the public domain.  I want to see the bigots.  I do not want them hiding in the shadows like ISIL does and spout their vile nonsense.  However, words and actions intended to incite violence are NOT conducive to proper, constructive, public debate.

            Bottom line: stop blaming the Press like Trump has consistently and persistently done.  Analyzing facts is our job, not theirs.

Follow-up contribution:

“I agree that we cannot rely on any one source for information, intelligence or news.

“My choice is usually C-SPAN to get the 'raw data' if you will, of a news conference or that.  The news networks tend to editorialize, if not distort what someone just said.

“I am attaching the latest cover art on The Economist magazine out of the U.K., which has become a real progressives liberal rag from decades ago.  Tell me that is not inciting the world equating Trump to a KKK grand wizard, or sorts (symbolism is strong in that).

“I believe, my opinion, that CNN is conducting a coup of Trump, and I am sure the other alphabet news agencies are programming the same, though I do not watch much other than CNN, Fox News (including their business network), C-SPAN, and PBS News Hour.  I witnessed how CNN has distorted the truth of what Donald Trump was really saying the other day from Trump Tower.  They distort the factual record, by adding in or subtracting, what they want the public to really believe.  That is my take.

“On the tiki torches display, why you and I both strongly disagree that group or their cause and beliefs, I will say at least they did not burn buildings down with those torches like #BLM did when they would protest on-cue after Obama would go on national TV, after a police shooting.

“One thing I keep forgetting to say which might be important as part of this discussion, is the actor who ran down ‘anti-protesters’ (funny, who gave that group that now widely used label?) who is said to be a Neo-Nazi (but do we really know for sure?) was charged, convicted and sentenced in the court of CNN or Fox or MSNBC public opinion, prior to any due justice.  What is up with that in this day and age?  Yes, the video seems to suggest he ran over a group, then backed up and maybe struck more people.  Do we know if he was reacting to a mob scene closing in and he was only trying to escape (I am not supporting him, I am saying WHAT IF?).  Do we know whether his accelerator got stuck?  I doubt that, but funny he got no due justice and within 30 minutes was called a murdering terrorist by national news media, without even a first day in court for a rundown of charges with enough evidence to go to trial.  If this is not 1984 or Brave New World, I am not sure what AGE I am living in.

“When our news media, Hollywood, politicos, public FOOL system, so-called universities of higher learning, have been indoctrinating the millions of masses for decades that they are all victims, and that in a PC nation, no dissent shall be heard, and that you being white and straight, have somehow victimized blacks (and perhaps homosexuals), that is a very dangerous climate if you will.  We have been creating those types that go around thinking they have been victimized by whites, and are entitled to a $20/hour minimum wage, or welfare and free phones and healthcare, well, it is a set-up.

“On equality: We are not all equal, all of us have our strengths and weaknesses, some are never gonna work for Boeing designing airfoils, and others cannot be teachers or play piano.  Our unique gifts give us some individuality, though that does not make any one of us superior, but to tell everyone they first were victims then tell them they are equal and privileged, then give them entitlements with no incentive for getting out and being truly productive, is not a very good trend for America.

“My take, we will disintegrate or implode from within, the outside enemies will then feast on the remains.  We are doing this to ourselves and it is becoming evident the cancer is from within, and much has to do with exactly how CNN and other news outlets are propagating very big lies.

“That is my opinion too, like yours, and I appreciate the discourse.”

My follow-up response:

            I like C-SPAN as well and use them regularly for congressional testimony and other federal events they cover.  Unfortunately, they do not range much beyond DC.  Also, I like to hear other opinions and perspectives not like mine to test my thinking.

            I saw the 19.August.2017 Economist cover . . . seems quite appropriate from my perspective.  He likes to shout and he is feeding raw meat to the white supremacists in this Grand Republic, giving them exactly what they need – credibility.  Also interesting, the caricature of the Donald with light skin and blond hair . . . where have I seen that before?  Symbolism is indeed very strong in that image.  Worse, he has done this entirely by himself . . . his words, his actions . . . no one else’s.

            Re: “CNN is conducting a coup of Trump.”  Holy shit, Darren, did you swallow that damn red pill?  “CNN has distorted the truth” . . . seriously?  I heard his Trump Tower tirade live in its entirety.  What is there to distort?  Are you suggesting that Trump is the ventriloquist’s dummy and it is CNN actually speaking to give them a clear target?  I heard the whole debacle live as it happened.  CNN did not say a bloody word . . . not one.  “That is my take.”  Well, I regret to say I think you are wrong.  I strongly suggest you find a video of the entire “news conference” and listen carefully to the whole episode including the questions that triggered him.

            Re: “at least they did not burn buildings down”  Really?  Is that our standard of conduct now?  First, BLM is not and has never been about hatred, not even against “honkie” whites.  Is there any question whatsoever about what the KKK is about?  Yes, absolutely, there have been bad elements using BLM protest rallies for their nefarious, anarchist activities, just as they did at Ferguson and myriad other incidents.  I ask you seriously, are there any good elements of the KKK, or Aryan Nation, neo-Nazis, any of those groups?  If so, please educate me; I am all ears.  Further, because a few bad elements used the BLM, does that mean what the white supremacists are doing is OK, acceptable, tolerable?

            Re: “the actor who ran down ‘anti-protesters.’”  I’m not sure what you intended with your choice of the word “actor.”  Nonetheless, there are video clips of him standing with the white supremacists, shouting the same drivel as the others.  His schoolteachers (going back a few years) are on record about his affinity for Nazi thought.  What are we to take from all that?  Do the collection of dots not look like a swastika?  “sentenced in the court of CNN”  They were reporting on the facts as they found them.  The fact that some commentators go overboard with their “lynching” of the guy does not condemn the whole network.  He was not reacting to threat; he acted with intention, bent upon injury or killing.  Regardless, he will only be charged, tried, convicted, sentenced and punished in a court of law . . . not CNN or any other news agency.   “Do we know if he was reacting to a mob scene closing in and he was only trying to escape?”  I can only say, go back and watch the whole video . . . especially look at which way are the protesters facing when he first strikes?  “within 30 minutes was called a murdering terrorist by national news media”  Wow!!!  What on earth do I say to that?  When a radical Islamo-fascist terrorist does something like that we condemn him immediately; yet, when a white supremacist does exactly the same thing, he’s just a good guy with a stuck accelerator?  I really suggest you go back and look carefully at the video, again, please.

            Darren, Darren, Darren, I’m sorry I just cannot continue this.  I’ve wasted too much of my precious writing time already.  I have to get back to more productive pursuits.

   Have a great day.  Take care and enjoy.  Oh yeah, and, “That’s just my opinion, but I could be wrong” and I am wrong often.

Cheers,

Cap

As I prepare this week’s edition of the Update several days later, I will add this postscript:

            Re: “We are not all equal.”  I choose to think the original author meant we are all not the same, not identical.  Each of us is an individual with unique strengths, weaknesses, flaws and attributes.  Yet, the essential element of the Founding principles of this Grand Republic is equality under the law.  Now, that said, I am not so naïve to suggest we all receive equal justice in a court of law.  There are far too many examples over far too many years where money buys injustice.  Yet, that said, I hold to the ideal expressed in the Declaration.  “All men (meaning mankind) are created equal.”  There are no kings, no dictators, no oppressive autocrats.  That’s my opinion and I’m stickin’ to it.

            I do not share the original author’s pessimistic view of the future for this Grand Republic.  We have been through hard times before . . . more than a few times . . . and we shall survive the current trauma and become stronger.

            “That’s just my opinion, but I could be wrong.”

A follow-up to my follow-up response:

“Thanks Cap, you have the microphone now, and I will not re-respond point-by-point since then you might feel inclined to do the same back, and I know you come up against your Update deadline soon.

“It is just amazing how We the People can see things so differently, and how much more divided the citizens seem to become, whether you think it is Trump, or I think it is largely news media forces (who are controlled by others with agendas we may not be aware of).”

My follow-up response:

            Thank you for your consideration; but please, never pull any punches with me.  I will do my best to contribute to the public debate as long as I am able.  I simply reached that limit on the last exchange.

            Yes, it is amazing, always has been, but should be no surprise.  We had one Constitution in 1860, yet the differences in interpretation led to the Civil War and a lot of spilt blood.  We hear and see what we wish to see and hear.  That is precisely the beauty of free, open, vigorous, public debate – ideas, opinions, interpretations and such are challenged.  Let the public debate roar on.

            Since the late 1970’s, I have cited Jimmy Carter as the worst President in my lifetime [Truman and subsequent] for a host of reasons.  Presently, President Trump is striving mightily to exceed that threshold of failure as quickly as he possibly can.  In fact, if his presidency ended today, henceforth I would argue that Donald J. Trump has not only failed as our President, but he has denigrated the Office of the President like no other president in the history of this Grand Republic.  Even Richard Nixon with his clinical paranoia and felonious conduct in office respected the Office of the President far more than Trump.

            I have never felt this before.  For the first time in my lifetime and my study of the history of this Grand Republic, I feel embarrassed to be an American citizen.  We elected this man to be our President to represent us in the world community, to present the ideals of this Grand Republic to the world.  So, how is that going?  Even during the thick of the Carter administration, I was still proud to be an American citizen.  Trump is working very hard to erase my pride.  I do not like it!  What was all that drivel about “Making America Great Again”?  It sure does NOT feel like he is doing one tick toward that objective.  And worse, he has only ONE person to blame – the man in the mirror.

            Comments and contributions from Update no.815:

Comment to the Blog:

“I believe the filibuster should be changed to require a stand-up action similar to the one Wendy Davis carried out in Texas.  I’m very aware that the Senate consists mostly of old people who might have an issue with that, but the current situation is worse.  At present, one Senator can file a paper stating they will filibuster and thereby kill a bill.  That’s too easy.  It supports both polarization and ego.

“I don’t support Trump’s behavior.  However, it’s time to point out a few things.  Trump has indeed failed to call out white supremacists on the Charlottesville attack.  That is shameful, but it builds on a history of Presidents soft-pedaling or ignoring such offenses when speaking out might influence voting blocs.  Here’s a good (and accurate) read on that: 

https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/trump-charlottesville-racial-violence/.

“The other major item being ignored is the mineral wealth in Venezuela and North Korea. I assume Venezuela’s oil riches are widely known, but that is not getting much attention right now. North Korea, unbeknownst to the general U.S. public, has great mineral wealth going partly untapped. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mining_in_North_Korea?oldformat=true or http://nyp.st/2tCehd3
My personal guide to political and corporate action is ‘follow the money.’  If we discount the usual insanity and double talk, the central issue in both Venezuela and North Korea is control of the wealth the minerals can bring.

“The notion of military people paying their own insurance is an outstanding example of a trend that goes back to Reagan.  Following tax cuts that mostly benefit higher income Americans and corporations, government entities run out of money to provide their services.  They necessarily choose between either raising charges to their customers or cutting back services.  Ever-increasing fees for driver licenses and other permits or registrations are one example.  Roads, bridges, and water systems deteriorating due to lack of maintenance are another.

“As far as health insurance, I still think we should follow the example of nations with better healthcare outcomes and lower cost.  Those are all single-payer systems.

“The discussion of transgender people in the military is being used as a distraction.  The military medical system spends five to ten times as much money on Viagra as would be required to perform gender surgery on current transgender service members. It’s not a financial issue.”

“PS: the discussion of Confederate symbols is not about Robert E. Lee's character or any individual.  It's about carrying on the resentment of people who fought the United States and lost.”

My response to the Blog:

            Re: filibuster.  First, I remember her filibuster against the dreadful anti-abortion legislation before the Texas State Senate.  I am not sure what you saw in her action?  Was it actually her performance within the Texas State Senate rules, i.e., no leaning on desk, no changing topics, et cetera?  If so, I could agree to that rather than the U.S. Senate’s tolerance of any speaking.  The filibuster can be overcome, but again it takes cooperation and compromise.  I simply do not want to lose those inducements we have left to compromise.  Our form of governance seeks moderation and dampening of all political extremes.

            Re: Trump failure to call out extremists.  I voiced my rejection and disappointment of Trump’s “on many sides” qualifying phrase [815].  It was shameful indeed.  As I write this, I heard the President’s redux statement today [Monday] a lot better and more appropriate.  If he had only given that speech last Friday or Saturday, we would have had all this garbage to deal with.  I keep expecting to see some grand plan to persistent penchant for foolish drivel and almost tone-deaf pronouncements (at least to anyone beyond his diehard supporters).

            Re: Venezuela and North Korea.  Your “follow the money” hypothesis is interesting.  Are you suggesting that the wealthy western capitalists are somehow causing the grotesque poverty in those countries to gain access to the minerals?

            Re: military self-insurance.  Interesting perspective.  Seems like a fairly common consequence of socialism or at least misapplied socialism.

            Re: health care insurance.  I am older than 65 years of age.  By law, I am required to be on Medicare.  I’ve used Medicare as my primary health insurance for several years now, and so far I have no complaints.  Medicare is a single-payer system.  We are nearly to that point already.

            Re: transgender citizens in the military.  Perhaps it is not a financial issue, but I still cannot support the military carrying that burden.  He has created this distraction.  Now we must deal with the distraction he created.  He is wrong and his abuse must stop.  We must resist in every manner we are able.

            Re: Robert E. Lee.  I respectfully disagree.  He was against secession and against slavery.  He struggled with the moral dilemma of his day.  Lee was a gentleman soldier who made the best choices he could.

 . . . follow-up comment:

“Check the way the filibuster currently works in the U.S. Senate.  No filibuster need be carried out. The mere threat stops progress.

“The capitalists and their governments may not directly cause the terrible conditions in their target countries, but the money will lead to their taking advantage of those conditions.  This has nothing to do with the well-being of Venezuelans or North Koreans.  Whatever story is told, the actual on-the-ground objective is to exploit the resources.

“How you get socialism as a cause or effect of government cutbacks (i.e., military self-insurance) mystifies me.  It results from tax cuts that support capitalists under the ‘trickle down’ notion of economics.

“I have been forced onto Medicare, but I could not use it without Medicaid and also a way to pay for prescriptions.  I will stipulate that it is better than trying to pay for commercial health insurance.

“I'll say it again, the discussion of Confederate symbols is not about Lee's (or any individual's) character.  The flags, statues, etc., support a force that attacked the United States and lost over 150 years ago, but carries its resentments to this day.”

 . . . my follow-up response:

            The Senate majority leader chooses to use and/or enforce the rules.  Every action can be overcome with sufficient support.  Often the majority leader chooses not to overcome a filibuster because he does not have the votes and does not want a failure.  Stonewalling is a choice by the Majority Leader.

            Re: exploitation.  There is a fine balance between taking advantage of a bad situation and exploiting natural resources.  Resource companies need raw materials.

            Re: socialism.  This is too intertwined to unravel in this humble forum.  One administration begins a program and the next administration chooses to not fund it.  I am in favor of neither tax cuts nor funding cuts without the two being linked.  I am not and did not intend to suggest socialism as the cause, only that it is the ideological battleground for conflicting forces between taxation and entitlements.

            I have been on Medicare since I turned 65yo.  I did not have a choice by federal law.

            Re: Confederate symbols.  We shall respectfully disagree.  The character of the soldiers does matter.  Those statues honor the man, not the Confederacy.

            My very best wishes to all.  Take care of yourselves and each other.

Cheers,

Cap                        :-)