Update no.920

Update from the Sunland

No.920

26.8.19 – 1.9.19

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

            To all,

            The follow-up news items:

-- The BIC expanded his tête-à-tête economic war with the PRC [802], and the thought came to me—his job is to provide stability and security for We, the People.  In this and so many other areas, the BIC creates chaos by his choice of methods to address a serious issue of PRC abusive and unfair trade practices. On top of that, the BIC grotesquely inflates the few facts he chooses to use, and then he embellishes his exaggerations with outright falsehood.  His methods make it impossible to believe a single word he speaks or writes.  The combination of his disruptive methods and penchant for fallacious embellishment produce extraordinary instability most of us would call chaos, which is why I proclaim the BIC’s failure to do his job.

-- Holy moly, Batman! Prime Minister Johnson publicly stated he intends to ask The Queen to suspend Parliament to allow him to proceed with Brexit [758] without all the rancor of that pesky democratic legislative and political body.  He wants to negate any interference by the House of Commons.  Before I could finish writing, The Queen granted Johnson’s request and the UK stepped backward in time many generations.  Worse, I would bet good money the BIC has been furiously trying to figure out how to do the same thing in this Grand Republic.  These are not good times for the democratic process

-- Department of Justice Inspector General Michael E. Horowitz has been in his position since April 2012.  The Office of the Inspector General (OIG) investigation of the former director’s disclosures [804] that led to the Special Counsel’s investigation into the president’s personal and campaign collusion with Russia during the 2016 election campaign, and the BIC’s alleged obstruction of justice [898].  The IG issued his report titled: Report of Investigation of Former Federal Bureau of Investigation Director James Comey's Disclosure of Sensitive Investigative Information and Handling of Certain Memoranda, dated: August 2019, and release to the public on 29.August.2019.  The IG concluded, “Former Director Comey failed to live up to this responsibility.”  The issue at hand was Comey’s handling of classified and sensitive investigatory information.  The report did not address the conflict Comey faced at the time.

            Comey was confronted by an all too familiar conundrum—conflicting laws, policies, and guidance.  He faced the direct conflict between his obligations under DoJ & FBI policies regarding the handling of sensitive information. On one hand, the DoJ & FBI guidance is clear and expansive.  On the other hand, he recognized that he was in a he-said-he-said situation, mano a mano with the BIC; and worse, and rarely, if ever, discussed in associated reportage by the Press and media, the BIC readily uses his bully pulpit and penchant for tweets to express himself and influence us—We, the People.  Comey chose national security over compliance with departmental policy.  The OIG report ignores the conflict Comey faced at the time.  After reading the OIG report and the Special Counsel’s report, I can only hope that I would have the courage to make the choice Comey made.

-- The Iranian oil tanker seized by Royal Marines off Gibraltar [913], and then released over U.S. objections [918] is offloading its cargo to smaller vessels. The USG alleges that those smaller vessels are intending to take the crude to Syria, in violation of the terms of its release.  How will the USG enforce the agreement and sanctions?

-- The violence of the Hong Kong protests [918] continues to escalate, as the PRC shows uncharacteristic restraint in their urge to suppress dissent.  The PLA will move when commanded to do so.  If this becomes today’s Tiananmen Square [15.4.1989], the bloodshed may easily exceed the slaughter of 30 years ago.  There is a huge difference between Hong Kong and Tiananmen Square—residents of the former crown colony have tasted and enjoyed freedom.

            After the BIC’s performance at the recent G7 Summit in Biarritz, Nouvelle-Aquitaine, France, I want to specifically send along my heartfelt and enthusiastic kudos to President Obama for being man enough to resist the incessant, nonsense, FALSE vitriol of the BIC.  President Obama is an easy target for the BIC, since the former president has taken the high road to avoid a tête-à-tête with the BIC.  Congratulations, Mister President!  Well done!  I personally thank you so very much for maintaining the nobility of the presidency.  Your actions speak volumes in stark, brilliant contrast to the baseness of the BIC’s behavior.

            There were a series of judicial and prosecutorial decision this week related to the opioid crisis.  The first was a court ruling fining Johnson & Johnson to pay US$572M for its part in the problem.  The second was negotiations between Purdue Pharma with a fraction of state and local governments over a potentially US$10-12B to settle claims against the company.  I am sorry to all those who have been affected by opioid addiction in one form or another.  To me, these producer level actions are a cop-out.  The distributors are the real culprits (pushers) with the doctors a close second in terms of culpability.  Further, where does the addict fit in this discussion?  I have used these medications after a broken back and surgery; they work and are very effective . . . as long as they are used properly, and not abused.  Americans seem to have been taught over generations that it is always someone else’s fault; the devil made me do it.  Once again, we blame the supplier rather than the demand.

           Yet another of these obscene, random, mass, gun violence crimes, this time in Midland-Odessa, Texas.  I will state publicly and for proper public debate that I favor and will support changes to the law to allow for designation of high risk individuals nationwide, including the allowance of warrants to enter the properties associated with designated individuals to remove all firearms of any kind or type, and to provide the nationwide prohibition of designated individuals from owning, holding, using or even touching a firearm regardless of ownership.  The identity of designated individuals should appear on the national background check database to prevent sale or transfer of any firearm of any type or kind to designated individuals.  Violators of the new law would be subject to swift removal from society until they are deemed no longer a public threat, if they violate the prohibition. However, to gain my support for such laws, we must have the means for notification, and swift and fair appeal of designation to protect innocent people, falsely accused as well as reformed individuals. While we strive to prohibit the less than 1% to acquire and use firearms, let us remember to protect the constitutional rights of the remaining 99% of us.

            Comments and contributions from Update no.919:

Comment to the Blog:

“The fact that the Chump still has tens of millions of supporters pretty much disposes of the Economics 101 notion of the ‘rational actor.’  Neither he nor his supporters come close to that concept.

“Geopolitical reality didn’t let it happen, but Hong Kong ought to be independent, as are all the rest of the former British colonies.

“I cannot imagine any nation sharing openly about accidents with nuclear weapons.

“I’ll note that neither the Chump nor most of the commentators distinguish between ‘Jews’ and the government of the State of Israel.  That’s unfair to the Jews I know.

“The Republicans care about the budget, deficit, etc., only for their use as weapons against the Democrats.

“The Chump fails to recognize (a) the importance of China to the USA (and world) economy, (b) China’s role in USA debt, and (c) that corporate decision-makers own Congress.  Chumps can’t just give orders like that.  Needless to say, stopping the flow of fentanyl won’t be that easy either.

“I am also hard of hearing.  That’s okay; I function.  The Chump’s bigger issue is that he doesn’t listen.

“I doubt the Chump has reached the rarefied heights (or depths) of Stalin or Mao.  He’s essentially a garden variety psychopath who has ‘succeeded’ due to an accident of birth.

“I’ve read the 25^th Amendment more than once since the last Presidential election.  I agree, it’s not geared for this.  It would have provided a way to address the Woodrow Wilson situation, but this is very different.

“We knew the dimwit was destroying international relations.  Nobody that would be unpopular in a bar can do well in that field.

“You seem to seek a logical reason why a person (Jeffrey Epstein) would commit suicide. That is folly.  Think of thousands of people who have foreseen and endured horrific pain and suffering stoically and lived to heal.  Thousands of others had no known reason to commit suicide but did.  It’s more functional to study personal history and psychology.  Odds are Epstein died of homicide.”

My response to the Blog:

            The oddity in the legion of BIC supporters are the several factions who actually despise the man, his behavior and his immorality, but have found the rationale that suits them to ignore the BIC’s myriad flaws.  There are intelligent, well-informed citizens who have found that path.   There are others who simply support the man solely because he is the Republican standard bearer—tribalism at its worst.

            Yes, it should have been an independent country, just as Taiwan should be; but, that is not reality.  Plus, even if it had happened, the PRC would be intimidating them to submit, just as Russia is doing to its independent, sovereign neighbors.

            It was reported to be a nuclear propulsion device (engine) powering a nuclear capable cruise missile, not a nuclear warhead.  Of course, we do not know for certain and probably never will.

            Quite so.  There are many facets of Israel that are unfair, just as there are facets of this Grand Republic that are unfair.

            Again, quite so.  You give the Republicans a lot more credit than I do. Today, I see no difference between Republicans and Democrats, other than what they choose to spend money on that they do not have.  They all spend money like drunken sailors.

            We can debate many elements that the BIC fails to recognize.  He is neither informed, curious, knowledgeable, nor caring about anything or anyone other than himself.  I do not so much fault corporations; I fault money.  As Representative Omar so succinctly stated, “It’s all about the Benjamins.”  For the BIC to “hereby ordered” any corporation by any means, and especially a social media app like Twitter, is outright ignorant and contemptible.

            My years of being around turbine engines have diminished my hearing as well.  I was trying to be cute; my bad.  The BIC’s hearing is selective however it suits him; he uses that excuse when he has to backtrack on his foolish misspeaks.

            That was my point: he’s a wannabe dictator, but he is a long way from the mass murderers that Hitler, Stalin and Mao are in history.

            Indeed; that was my point . . . very different.

            Yes, I am quite afraid the BIC has unilaterally and singularly destroyed decades of allied relations that have quite likely been irrevocably altered, if not broken entirely.  If relations with our allies have any hope of recovery, it will take years and extraordinary diplomacy by the future president(s); this president is incapable.  To me, the even worse aspect of the BIC’s unilateral isolation of this Grand Republic is he is helping Russia for whatever reason is inside him, and to a certain extent he is helping the PRC and DPRK.

            I am not looking for a reason.  I think he had plenty of reasons. But, I do not care.  I do not dispute your observations about suicide.  I have not reached the homicide level, just yet.

. . . Round two:

“The supporters, regardless of their personal feelings, are supporting his every action, including racism and all the rest, even if they personally disclaim such things.

“I don’t see how I gave the Republicans any more credit than the Democrats.  None of the corporate tools is anything but a corporate tool.

“Please clarify the sentence, ‘I do not so much fault corporations; I fault money.’  Money is a tool, not an actor.  Responses to the dimwit order to corporations will come from the corporations’ officers, not from their bank accounts.”

. . . my response to round two:

            Yes, I agree.  Silence is consent.  Despite vigorous protestations to the contrary, looking the other way with respect to the BIC’s bad conduct is tacit concurrence at the least.  As Edmund Burke so eloquently, accurately and succinctly stated, “"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing."  We bear witness to the proof of Burke’s statement.

            Well, you wrote: “Republicans care about the budget, deficit, etc.”  Even with the added qualifier phrase, your statement gives them more credit than they deserve.  Republicans have repeatedly demonstrated they could not careless about the budget or deficits, or even bludgeoning Democrats.  They care about nothing but imposing their will on every citizen, undoubtedly because they believe they are omniscient and omnipotent; they are the only ones to see the proper path.  And, as I have stated before, the only apparent difference between Republicans and Democrats is what they choose to spend money on that they do not have.  I am not aware of one (just one) member of congress who has argued for giving up something to get something new.  It is only about spend, spend, spend . . . on my things, not yours.  This is NOT how things are supposed to work. His supporters elected the BIC to change things; he has ONLY made them worse; he has fixed nothing, NOTHING I say.

            Yes, those are some of the myriad countless things the BIC fails to recognize.  In my opinion, the BIC has no interest or inclination to even learn about set aside recognize anything other than himself and his sense of being the all-powerful dictator of his personal dominion (what remains of what I refer to as this Grand Republic).  I do agree.  The Constitution gives him no power to do such things, but he does not care a hoot about the Constitution.

            The point of my statement is, money has led good people, or rather people who would otherwise be good people, to corrupt their morality in myriad ways, e.g., to treat other human beings like consumables, to pollute the environment to save a dime, to place their corporate objectives over the welfare of the planet, et cetera ad infinitum, ad nauseum.  This is why we need regulation, to impose restrictions for the common good, to place the whole above the few.  Money corrupts absolutely.  Now, that said and to thwart the inevitable accusations of communist thinking, I believe in the profit motive; however, I add the qualifier within the common good.  The BIC has singularly worked to remove all of those regulations.  If people lived within the law, there would be no need for police; the same applies to regulations.  We cannot trust money . . . thus my wholesale condemnation of Citizens United.

 . . . Round three:

“Money is a tool.  Greed is the motivation, used by capitalists to support their own greed. Your paragraph gives a clear, succinct description of the progressive economic position.  Let's remember, though, that the Chump is one more tool of the people wielding the money.”

. . . my response to round three:

            Agreed, and I will not forget.

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

Cheers,

Cap                        :-)