Opinion

Chaos in America

Despite chaos being pushed from the Oval Office the country continues to respect it’s citizens and their vote. Lies and liars do not dominate our country yet. We have to push on to Inauguration Day despite the pandemic, armed citizens harassing officials to get their way, and an array of threats to decency in our republic. The Republican Party is in trouble and if enough people vote for them without forcing a correction; the problem will metastasize to destroy the country as we know it. Joe Biden has been elected to fill the breach, but he will need all the help he can get. Every American must research, prepare, and act to protect the United States Constitution and our rights as citizens. “The vote is our most powerful non-violent tool” said John Lewis, and he was right. In my book “Centurion Crew (a great gift idea available at Amazon) a group of patriots battle to save the republic from evil, but this is reality and the heroes are the majority of us; if we are to be saved.

Books, Review

Book Review: Overground Railroad by Candacy Taylor

Overground Railroad by Candacy Taylor is a book well worth your time if you have interest in modern American history or Black history. The book tells the story of the Green Book guide which told African-Americans traveling from the 1930s to the 1960s where they could go with some level of safety. Targeting and degrading Black people was a legal and prominent feature of American society before the 1964 Civil Rights Act. The knowledge provided by the Green Book allowed Black travelers to maintain some dignity while protecting themselves and their families. The stories of Black entrepreneurs who started hotels, restaurants, and other businesses to serve their people are inspiring and tie directly into the Civil Rights movement and future progress. A lot of people helped to create the progress in civil rights and dignified treatment for all people that we strive for. Obviously there is a lot more to be done before we approach even reasonable equality of opportunity. Targeted aggression and degrading of Black people continues, but Ms. Taylor is a fighter who shares her plans and suggestions for achieving a better day in the book. The author brilliantly connects current events to history before concluding the book with a listing of historical Green Book sites.

Opinion

Leading in the wrong way

As our political system seems stuck in a spiral of self-destruction America leads the world in failed response to the COVID19 pandemic. We have allowed the most important job to be failed while focusing on selfishness and hatred of fellow Americans. The article titled “The Unraveling of America” is a lengthy but riveting expose on where the United States is historically and in the current day. America is in trouble and the sooner we realize our jeopardy the more likely we are to emerge stronger. I am hopeful that the Biden-Harris administration is aware of the danger, but they cannot solve the problem alone. Research and vote for candidates who are ready to deal with the issues that threaten the survival of America, and the world!

Opinion

Deserved Government

Recent and upcoming elections have underlined that we the people receive the government that we deserve. I don’t mean that every individual is receiving what they deserve, but as the American electorate we do. Georgia is voting on two senate seats with the two incumbents both being accused of insider trading of stocks based on information they received as representatives of the people. The people of Georgia will determine whether the incumbents return despite what would be criminal acts if they were not US Senators. Why would our representatives not be corrupt if the public will not hold them accountable? We are hopefully leaving the time of Trump where lies and absurdities were accepted and routine because the majority of voters said; enough! We are entering a new period where we will discover whether or not some people are above the law. We are becoming an unstable country because there are too many hidden agendas weakly concealed by lies. Republicans seem to believe they will be better off if their fellow citizens are controlled or diminished, and they are willing to accept disrespect for themselves to get it. The Republican Southern Strategy has delivered a toxicity of racism and hatred that is destroying our democracy. We have all been diminished by this belief-system and we must confront and outvote this poison in our country.

Opinion

Is it Pardon season?

Donald Trump has started a new round of dealing out pardons to co-conspirators, and criminals who are friends. Trump may even try to pardon himself before he is done with his term and try to make his run to 2024 and a second term. Trump will try to convince voters that he is being attacked if anyone tries to hold him accountable for his actions. Agent Orange will try to create fear in the new administration with threats of violence by his followers if anyone attempts to enforce the rule of law. 2021 must be a time of courage and fortitude by the Biden administration, Congress, and relevant state attorneys general if America is to have a future. Trump cannot be allowed to place himself above the law and return to the presidency as an autocratic agent of chaos, fascism, or a foreign power. Every American who stood up for the republic, and has not brought into the lies dispensed by pro-Trump media must push for equal enforcement of the rule of law. Think of what it will mean if future presidents are able to ignore Congress, the courts, and promise pardons to their co-conspirators if caught. The next months will determine the future and current strength of our republic. Research what you can do to hold your representatives and the powerful accountable; act to protect your civil rights!

Opinion

The Republicans begin to morph

Donald Trump today reportedly acknowledged that Joe Biden is the president-elect. It was the same day that wealthy donors said they would withhold funding for the Republican senators in the Georgia runoffs, and the House of Representatives asked to meet the Trump appointed head of the Government Services Administration (GSA) to find out why she did not recognize Biden as President-elect. Trump pushed his refusal to accept reality and hobble the Biden administration until adults threatened intervention about his distortion of reality. The question to be confronted now is how the Republicans will handle their responsibilities going forward. Will any effort to discover truth concerning the Trump administration be supported by Republicans? It is doubtful. They are complicit in every theft, undermining of America’s alliances, corrupt dealing, and idiotic policy committed during the Trump presidency. He could not have done so much damage to the United States without support from Mitch McConnell and his allies. Lying has worked to maintain Republican power because so many Americans refuse to hold them accountable (they are seen as the party of the current socio-economic hierarchy), but lying is the enemy of our republic. Anytime lies prop up a system there is something seriously wrong and bad for society going on. We need at least two political parties organized around facts and truth. Make sure that you push your representatives in Congress to investigate allegations of corruption during the Trump years, or expect more of the same to come.

Opinion

Will the Republic hold?

We are experiencing the unthinkable. A president is actively working to overthrow the will of the people as expressed in an election with several Republican officials supporting him. Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina called the Republican Georgia Secretary of State to push using his power to throw Democratic votes away. Trump is soliciting state legislators to overthrow their elections and appoint electors to pick him and not Biden who won. Trump has been referred to as the poster boy for White privilege because he has gotten away with so much criminality and corruption. The world is watching at a story that is not about one man, it is about a nation at war with itself. Is our republic important enough to the majority of Americans to be maintained in the face of Trump’s assault, or is white supremacy more valued? We have failed many tests in the last five years; allowing Trump to emerge as a politician based on the racist Birther lie, not scrutinizing his finances, electing him despite numerous red flags, etc. Americans rose up to stop the madness in the election of 2020; leading to another period of anxiety as we watch Republicans fail to care about decency or the republic. The outcome is not clear, but this cannot go on forever, so think of ways to empower people who represent your values and respect our votes.

Opinion

Toxic Trumpism

The Republican leadership have accepted the outcomes of their races, but are not openly asking the current president to accept his. In fact republicans encourage the undermining of our elections if you believe gather Georgia Secretary of State (a republican), who says Lindsey Graham asked if he could throw out some Biden votes. When it comes to Trump reality is warped and any failure, corruption, criminality, or bad news is unacceptable and not his fault. The giant Trump baby balloon should be flying non-stop near the Capitol until the election is conceded by the current occupant of the White House. No one knows whether the undermining of the elections is the end of our republic, or a crippling blow that could destabilize it. The longer the Republicans fight the presidential results; the more people will feel emboldened to defy laws passed by elected representatives leading to chaos. If Trump was robbed in a rigged election, who else was? We are already dealing with virus, climate change, and vaccine deniers creating societal jeopardy. Time is running out on many levels for our modern society. The divides in our country (and other developed nations) threaten the collapse of our republic. Every responsible thinking person needs to make sure that they are not on the sidelines during this time of crisis. Volunteer, communicate, donate, or march to protect our republic and the progress we deserve toward a brighter future.

Opinion

The search for Equality in America

Joe Biden’s election to the presidency and how people voted is telling. More than 72 million people voted for Trump despite 4 years of watching his corruption, incompetence, racism, and lying. People of color claim they want systemic inequality removed and a chance to develop wealth. I define equality as an equal chance to be successful with dignity and respect for everyone. No one discusses the other side’s view of our society; Republicans say they do not want universal healthcare or other equalizing policies, and do not recognize unequal treatment based on race or ethnicity. The question for America is; are we committed to liberty and justice for all, or will enough Americans buy into an authoritarian style government as long as it preserves white supremacy? 77 million plus citizens voted to continue the American experiment and strive toward a more perfect union. We have not resolved the question of our future course as a nation yet, but the Biden administration will be significant in predicting our future.

Opinion

The thin line between hope and disaster

To re-state the quote from Jesus in the Bible “You shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free”. America barely passed a test of our knowledge of the truth in the last election. A man who lies regularly and was identified by many generals, doctors, scientists, journalists, and politicians as a threat to democracy was asked to continue as the president by over 70 million Americans. Fortunately over 75 million Americans knew what the cost of freedom was; knowing the truth and voting based on that knowledge. Many who voted for more Trump had rationalizations; a good economy, democrats were socialists, Joe Biden voted for a Crime Bill. Many minds were blind or minimized the daily truth of lies and attempts to overthrow our constitutional republic. The nearness of disaster in 2020 demands the implementation of policy aimed at making truth more abundant in our country. The next authoritarian personality will likely be accompanied by a more skilled political mind, and be a larger threat. Trump is not gone yet and he is trying to overturn the elections, so we are not out of the woods yet. Stay vigilant and urge your representatives to pass legislation to strengthen our republic.