Update no.973

 Update from the Sunland

No.973

31.8.20 – 6.9.20

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

 

            To all,

 

            A friend, former colleague, and infrequent contributor to this humble forum sent along this simple message and URL to a video, titled: “Holy Post - Race in America” by Phil Vischer.

“This is quite a piece.”

https://youtu.be/AGUwcs9qJXY

 . . . to which I responded:

            Yes, the video is quite a piece.  There are far too many statistics to independently validate, however, to the best of my knowledge, it is an accurate reflection of systemic racism in the United States.  There are many more laws that institutionalized systemic racism, yet, the laws cited were spot on accurate.  Most folks are neglectfully or willfully ignorant of the realities depicted in the video.

            My only quibble is his implicit criticism of the laws he cited.  The most notable is the GI Bill—Servicemen's Readjustment Act of 1944 {AKA GI Bill} [PL 78-346; 58 Stat. 284].  As with religion, the law, and other dicta, the problem is rarely the words of the law, but rather, the interpretation and application of the law by flawed men.  That application issue is reflected in other observations he offers.  Racism is born in the teachings of parents in childhood; it is a learned phenomenon passed down by parents.

            He did a magnificent job of simplifying a very complex problem, and I have seen none better.  I could add more evidence to support his dissertation, but it would only be detail.

            After writing the above response, I should have added that I validated the citations of law as well as many of the historical facts. Vischer did not offer an exhaustive list; there are many more such laws, but his illumination of the law, or rather the interpretation of those laws is accurate to the best of my knowledge.  I cannot validate his opinions.  The consequences of discriminatory interpretation by biased bureaucrats can be far more injurious as reflected in Vischer’s video.  However, I must say you cannot watch this video and continue to claim their was not or is not systemic racism in this once grand republic.  We must learn and improve.  Equality for all citizens regardless of any one or combination of the social factors—age, gender, race, skin pigmentation, religion, ethnicity, national origin, sexual orientation, economic status, education, political affiliation, marital status (provided that the applicant has the capacity to enter into a binding contract), or disability.

            As I was writing the above, I realized a few things about my list.  First, the first half of the items are genetic.  We are born with them.  The second half are acquired, learned, or taught.  Second, ‘economic status’ does not properly reflect the breadth of reality.  The more expansive term, it seems to me, would be money.  In a deeply flawed decision, the Supremes declared money to be free speech— Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission [558 U.S. 310 (2010)] [424].  What the Court did not acknowledge is money is an amplifier.  The money held by the wealthy enables them to get better justice, better access, better influence for personal gain, and to louder, more expansive speech.  Money enables speech for the wealthy that does not exist for the poor or even the un-wealthy.  In essence, money enables discrimination; it makes the wealthy better than the rest of us—just another form of royalty.  That is not what was meant by “all men are created equal.”

 

            I know I am a bit slow, and I am embarrassed that it took me so long to recognize reality; but hey, better late than never.  I have realized for a long time that the Bully-in-Chief (BIC) is the consummate snake-oil salesman—the best the world has ever seen or recorded perhaps.  He sold nearly half of the voting citizens of this once grand republic [62M people] on the miracle benefits of his magic snake-oil elixir.  He deserves credit for such a huge accomplishment.  I have seen anecdotal evidence that the BIC’s magic snake-oil elixir has cured some folks of all their aches, pains and ills; they believe and that is all that counts.  I have confessed to my intellectual struggle to understand the vast curative properties of the BIC’s magic snake-oil elixir.  I continue to search for a scientific basis since I have been resoundingly unsuccessful to date.  My current epiphany comes in the form of acknowledgment that one of the incredible features of the BIC’s magic snake-oil elixir is it deceptively makes the consumers selectively unable to see facts around them, or perhaps makes them simply not care about those facts.  They are ostensibly rendered incapable of sensing reality.  The phenomenon is not their fault; it is a consequence of the worthless toxic junk the BIC consistently peddles, and innocent citizens swallow the elixir in the hope that it will do what he says it will do.  Again, they believe and that is all that counts.  I can only hope the effects are temporary, and my afflicted friends recover once the BIC is no longer peddling or able to peddle his magic snake-oil elixir.  I pray for them . . . even though some of them accuse me of not believing in God.

 

            The audacity of the BIC is nothing short of overwhelming, quite like a massive, explosive, volcanic eruption.  On Wednesday, 2.September.2020, at a blitz campaign stop at the airport in Wilmington, North Carolina, with the B-747 Air Force One and Air Force personnel as a backdrop, the BIC publicly and voluntarily stated: 

They had some interesting calls.  I don’t know, do I like it or not like it; I guess I probably do.  But they say no matter what it is, it would be more votes for Trump, because a lot of people say just leave me alone.  I’m going to vote the way I want to vote, and then they go in a vote for Trump.  On your ballot, if you get the unsolicited ballot, send it in and then go make sure it’s counted, and if it doesn’t tabulate, you vote.  You just vote.  And then, if they tabulate it very late, which they shouldn’t be doing, they’ll see you voted, and so it won’t count.  So, send it in early, and then go and vote, and if it’s not tabulated, you vote, and the vote is going to count.  You can’t let them take your vote away.  These people are playing dirty politics—dirty politics.  So, if you have an absentee ballot, or as I call it a solicited ballot, you send it in, but I would check it in any event.  I would go follow it and go vote, and everybody here wants to vote.  We vote, the old-fashioned way.  You know we voted in World War One.  We voted in World War Two.  We’re going to see some great World War Two heroes right now, but we voted in World War Two.  And today, they want to give everybody ballots, and every place they’ve done it, it’s been a mess.  It’s been a mess.  They don’t know where they are.  They don’t know who they’re sending ‘em to, which is a terrible thing.  Follow your ballots and vote.  It’s very important.  I think everybody understands.

The BIC went to answer a journalist’s clarification query to say:

Well, they'll go out and they'll go vote, and they're going to have to go and check their vote by going to the poll and voting that way, because if it tabulates, then they won't be able to do that. So, let them send it in, and let them go vote, and if the system is as good as they say it is, then obviously they won't be able to vote.  If it isn't tabulated, they won't be able to vote. So that's the way it is. And that's what they should do.  Send them in strong, whether it's solicited or unsolicited.  The absentees are fine.  You have to work to get them, you know.  And you send them in, but you go to vote. And if they haven't counted it, you can vote. So that's the way I feel.

Those are the words of the BIC faithfully transcribed—no one else (his words alone).  This is yet one more crystal-clear example among a plethora of such evidence of the outright immorality of that damned orange fellow We, the People, allowed to occupy the Oval Office and the highest public servant position in this once grand republic.  We continue our degeneration to banana republic status, and Vladimir Putin is dancing his jig of jubilant excitement that he has this buffoon doing his heavy lifting for him without lifting a finger.

            Later that day, U.S. Attorney General William Barr, in an interview on CNN with Wolf Blitzer, attempted to defend the BIC’s statement by claiming the BIC “was trying to make the point that the ability to monitor this system is not good.”  When told that voting twice is illegal, he said, “I don’t know what the law in the particular state says.”  Rather unusual statements coming from an attorney general but seems quite apropos for the BIC’s attorney general.  I thought reputation and integrity were important to Barr; now, we know neither is important.

            Voting twice is illegal in every state and in these United States of America.  The BIC is literally and precisely saying, go ahead, rob a bank to test their security, or shoot someone you don’t like or even just shoot a random person of your choice just to see if anyone is paying attention.  If you get caught, oh well; claim you were only testing the system. If not, then hey, the law does not apply to you.  Now all his sycophant justifiers will scream FOUL; that is not what he meant; he just wanted good citizens to test the voting systems.  No matter what, we must admire the incredible curative powers of the BIC’s magic snake-oil elixir.

            I will note that some years ago, I applied for and received an absentee ballot in Kansas.  When election day came, I did not need it and chose to go to my local polling station to cast my vote in person.  The clerk checked the registration list and told me I could not vote using the machine because I had an absentee ballot issued.  I gave her my blank absentee ballot to show I had not used it.  She said, “Sorry.  You will have to use the absentee ballot as your means of voting.”  They even had a partitioned table just for citizens like me, and I was not alone at the table.  I completed my voting at that table, sealed the envelope, and deposited it in a box of other ballots.

            My message to all citizens.  Voting or attempting to vote twice (or more) is illegal regardless of the BIC’s idiocy that you may believe in for whatever reasons.  His foolishness does NOT absolve you of criminality.

 

            Once again, the BIC’s words sparked a firestorm.  Before we jump into the latest episode, I am compelled to illuminate the fact that this dust-up comes from an article published this week but referring to events on Memorial Day 2017 and Veterans Day 2018.  I do not know why there was such a delay; it could be political, i.e., intended to do the most damage to a political opponent, or the sources chose to wait until there was less exposure.  Regardless, I do not like the delay, especially with such sensitive topics.  Nonetheless, the firestorm deserves comment.  The article that served as the spark:

“Trump: Americans Who Died in War Are ‘Losers’ and ‘Suckers’ – The president has repeatedly disparaged the intelligence of service members, and asked that wounded veterans be kept out of military parades, multiple sources tell The Atlantic.”

by Jeffrey Goldberg

The Atlantic

Published: September 3, 2020

https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2020/09/trump-americans-who-died-at-war-are-losers-and-suckers/615997/

As a consequence, virtually every form of contemporary communications have exploded with statements, articles, messages, tweets, and memes confirming the information in The Atlantic article, refuting the content, and vilifying or praising the BIC.  I add one ancillary article as an indicator for our perusal before I offer my opinion.

“Trump calls for Fox News journalist to be fired for report on war dead scandal”

by Lauren Aratani

The Guardian (UK)

Published: Sat 5 Sep 2020; 09.00 EDT / First published on Sat 5 Sep 2020; 08.50 EDT

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/sep/05/trump-fox-news-journalist-jennifer-griffin-soldiers-losers

I added The Guardian article because it involves the so-called state-run news agency.

            The Goldberg exposé utilizes anonymous sources that leave us with a he-said-she-said judgment.  Who is telling the truth?  Who do you believe?

            The problem the BIC has is his penchant for the untruth and his use of what he calls “truthful hyperbole,” which is in fact neither truthful nor hyperbole.  Jeffrey Goldberg has no such reputation, but rather he is known as a successful and respected journalist.  Further, Mister Bone Spurs chose the rich man’s draft dodge while the rest of us stood up, took the oath of office, and served our country.  What did he do?  He served himself.  So, when those questions are asked, I answer: I have absolutely no reason to believe the BIC.  In fact, I would bet a dollar to donuts the Goldberg article is precisely correct.  Given that assessment, what the BIC said is despicable, disgusting, and reprehensible, and at the ultimate level, un-American.  Further, adding the vehemence of the BIC’s reaction to the article as well as his mobilization of his sycophants to his lame defense, the Goldberg article is probably spot-on correct.  We now add this latest disgrace to his disparagement of Senator John McCain [USNA 1958] on Saturday, 18.July.2015, just after the BIC declared his candidacy.  For all the good things his believers point to that he has supposedly done for the military and national security, they do not and cannot absolve the BIC of his disgusting conduct and words.  Then, in his angry lashing out, he is attacking Marine generals who served this country with noble distinction.  I stand with my fellow Marines.  I trust their integrity, their honor, their patriotism; the BIC has none of those traits.

 

            Comments and contributions from Update no.972:

Comment to the Blog:

“Historically, elections that focus on one candidate go to that candidate.

“The Republican convention was geared primarily to rousing their base, something the Democrats failed at with their base.

“The GOP base is so much older than the general population that the Chump’s resistance to mail-in voting may cost him the votes of his older, sicker voters.

“The notion that all men (people) are created equal is an ideal the USA has yet to embrace fully, much less live out.

“I spent a week once on a job in Cameron, Louisiana, building a board road.  They lack ordinary roads.  Let’s hope the rebuilding happens before any more major storms hit the area.  That region is home to many decent people and also hazardous and/or polluting chemical operations.

“The ‘counter-infection’ measures currently in place ignore human behavior.  Social isolation may cause more deaths than it prevents when people obey it fully, and it doesn’t take the place of (real) personal protective equipment.  The massive test-and-trace program that has worked elsewhere can’t be implemented here now and wouldn’t work due to mistrust of the government.  It’s also shameful that we never clearly focused on infection hotspots.

“I keep seeing maps of the wildfire smoke on WeatherNation.  I hope you and yours aren’t affected too much by that.”

My response to the Blog:

            You may well be correct.  I hope not, but I must accept the potential.

            Yes, indeedie!  Exactly!

            Perhaps.  Nonetheless, mail-in-ballots can be cast without the USPS in most locales.  I plan to cast my ballot as soon as I am able.  I do not need further contemplation.  In Arizona, we have to wait another month before the window opens.

            I agree without qualification or debate.  When Jefferson wrote those immortal words, his definition of “men” was different from today’s commonly accepted description.  Even if we confined this discussion to Jefferson’s definition alone, your statement is still correct, e.g., the unilateral balance weight of money that tips (biases) the scale of justice. Taken in the light of contemporary thought, we still fail, as we see the evidence of systemic racism across society . . . even in states that were historically abolitionist in the pre-Civil War years.  Yet, it remains a noble objective that we must continuously strive to achieve.  I hold onto the perhaps naïve belief that one day we will achieve the objective.  Racism, like sexism, homophobia, and all other forms of discrimination, is taught in childhood by parents, by religion, and even by schools.  Overcoming that undertow takes a considerably long time.  We shall overcome.

            The list of failures of the current administration with respect to the federal response to the pandemic is too long to regurgitate here or every week, and unfortunately, the list continues to grow almost daily.  You touched on some of the failures; there are many more.  The virus is not a thinking organism.  The virus is quite simple; it needs a beneficial host to survive and replicate.  As long as a portion of our society freely (if not enthusiastically) offers up themselves as such a host, we will not and cannot stop its spread.  Given that our duly elected pseudo-leader has actively, aggressively, and publicly opposed the science-based precautions to break the chain of infection, we have a substantial portion of our society who now see preventative measures as some political statement.  Yes, I think the fellow who is currently in the Oval Office is literally and singularly responsible for the majority of COVID19 fatalities in this once grand republic.  So much so that if anyone else other than POTUS had done what he has done, I would say he is criminally negligent, if not guilty of manslaughter or even murder.  These are the times in which we live.

            Thank you for your well wishes.  We had several weeks of very hazy, low visibility conditions due to smoke from the California fires, but today, we are back to our typical crystal clear, CAVU atmosphere.  We are not out of the fire season yet.

 . . . follow-up comment:

“The point about the Chump’s attacks on mail-in voting being a drawback to his own election is that his base is distinctly older than the general population. The older the person, the higher the likelihood of their being disabled and/or afraid of the virus for in-person voting. Hence, the harder the Chump makes it to vote, the more of his own base may not vote.

“Meanwhile, I received an application for an absentee ballot in this morning’s mail. These are sent to every registered Ohioan, but I already applied for my ballot.  I guess someone failed to screen the mailing list.

“The Chump has been guilty of criminal negligence and various acts of corruption from before his election.

“I’m watching the WeatherNation smoke maps with a kind of morbid fascination. Most of the places I’d considered moving have experienced smoke serious enough to trigger my asthma. The only real exception is Long Beach, California. I’m guessing they’re upwind of it.”

 . . . my follow-up response:

            Yeah, I got that.  I cannot validate your hypothesis.  However, the reasoning is sound, it seems to me.  Nonetheless, his attacks on the USPS, trying to choke it into incapacity, is wrong no matter who it hurts.  It is a chief executive gone mad with desperation.

            My request for a mail-in ballot has been in for almost two months.  I suspect the point of cross-check occurs at the voting stage—valid or invalid.

            Oh my, you got that right in spades . . . and far more serious crimes.  It is yet to be seen whether he will face justice and pay the price for his crimes.

            Yes, Long Beach is generally upwind, except during the Santa Ana season, which is approaching.

            Thx mate.  Another perfect Arizona day . . . just got out of the pool.

 

Another contribution:

“Thanks Cap-read every word. 

“We read that Trump is starting to shine in the polls- surely not, surely not.  He has very few fans this side of the pond.”

My reply:

            Polls fluctuate all the time.  We cannot ignore them as indicators, but they only show snapshots.  It is quite understandable that few off our shores like the fellow.  As I have written, he is the posterchild for the Ugly American syndrome.  He is NOT representative of the United States, but he is reflective of a segment of our society, and that reality is made worse by the consummate snake-oil salesman who is our duly elected pseudo-leader.  We simply must correct the grave mistake we made four years ago.  Time shall soon tell the tale.

 

A different contribution:

“My immensely respected fellow veteran and friend and that of my revered brother, I only have a couple of questions, since we will only have two choices in November:

“1:  Do you have thoughtful confidence that Joe or his more impressive presumptive replacement will veto any of the socialistic, confiscatory, and appeasementary bills likely to be passed by a Democrat congress in the next eight to sixteen years?

“2.  Do you have the same confidence that these Democrat presidents will nominate and a heavily Democrat Senate will confirm judges dedicated to the Constitution for the next sixteen years?

“I do not have any such confidence.  I shall hold my nose and vote for the current president and vice president unless qualified independents or Libertarians arise in a hurry.

“Don’t worry though; my girlfriend will cancel out my vote.”

My response:

            Interesting queries . . . I shall endeavor to provide my responses for your edification.  Before we begin, I must say we have usually had more than two choices for POTUS; I cannot recall a presidential election where we did not have more than two choices.

1.  Short answer: yes.  Our system of governance in use for 233 years has provided for checks & balances such that no president is a dictator or king.  I should also remind you that many conservatives accused Franklin Roosevelt of such things as he approved New Deal laws passed by Congress 87 years ago, and the country did not crumble away.  Those “socialist” laws aided recovery from the Great Depression and set the stage for the industrial expansion of WW2.  Even if Bernie Sanders or Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez became president, they do not decide such things.  Biden is and has always been a moderate seeking compromise to achieve solutions.  He is far from perfect; he is a flawed man like all the rest of us.  He will make mistakes, but he is man enough to acknowledge that reality and correct accordingly.  As I have written, I am far more focused on the character of our candidates than I am their policy opinions; our system of governance tends to avoid extremes and flatten changes.  In that light, there is zero doubt in my little pea-brain who is the person of better character.  We see ample evidence every single day.

2.  I am not an expert of the law.  The best I can claim is I am a curious and interested citizen who has read more than a few court decisions from district courts to the Supreme Court.  [Thank you so much for the Internet & the WWW.]  I am not and never have been a strict constructionist in the model of Robert Bork or Antonin Scalia, and yet I have always admired Scalia’s writing.  There is no evidence—ZERO—that the Founders/Framers intended or expected the words of the Constitution to be viewed and interpreted by the definitions of their day.  They constructed a document and system of governance that would evolve as society evolved.  Conversely, I am not an advocate of legislation from the bench.  The Supreme Court makes mistakes, Dred Scott being one of the most obvious, but they generally strike a balance between opposing elements or forces in the Construction.  The most recent failure to me is Citizens United—a tragically flawed ruling IMHO.  Lastly, the judges-argument ended five years ago when McConnell violated the Constitution unilaterally to get his way.

            I am confident that you will vote for who you believe is the best candidate.  I am far more interested in every citizen fulfilling their obligation as a citizen by voting, rather than who they vote for.  I have offered my views of current and political events, not to influence anyone’s vote, but to stimulate public debate and induce applicable thinking.  If the BIC is re-elected, so be it.  We deserve what comes.  While my faith in our endurance has been sorely shaken by the current fellow we hired to lead us, I am still guardedly optimistic we shall overcome.  The politics and legal interpretative philosophy of judges cannot be the only criterion for casting our votes.

 

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

Cheers,

Cap                  :-)