Tag: Opinion

Opinion

Who fired Captain Crozier?

Who is responsible for firing Captain Crozier from his job as commander of the aircraft carrier USS Teddy Roosevelt? Was it the acting Secretary of the Navy? Was it the current President of the US because the situation made him look bad? Was this something that had to happen while the ship was in the middle of dealing with a health emergency? The United States federal government’s response to the COVID19 pandemic has been a failure of leadership on a massive scale. For the same shallow executive branch to attack a Navy officer for displaying leadership to save the lives of his sailors is a degenerative moment set on top of many other failures. Right now the United States appears to be anything but united in the response to the pandemic. Vote 2020!

Opinion, Self improvement, Words to ponder

Now and Later

The Trump administration has developed a record of ignoring science and medicine when they can. The story of the Covid19 virus in the United States is a story of a lack of knowledge leading to a lack of urgency and disaster. This week the Trump administration rolled back EPA fuel standards that were developed to fight the climate crisis which they also deny. When the lights come on and people begin to ask questions the administration has no problem lying or deflecting blame. I believe the virus we are currently battling is a chance to get better at dealing with coming challenges using science and truth. The election of 2020 may be an existential fork in the road for humanity. Please take the time to study and think before you vote in November. If we are not careful this administration will kill us now and later. Vote as if your life, or your families lives depended on it; they do.

Opinion, Self improvement, Words to ponder

Loving this life

I make time on a regular basis to count the blessings of my life. Not all of my blessings but those that come to mind. The habit comes in handy regularly and especially at stressful times like the Covid19 pandemic. I can feel the insidious growth of anxiety when I talk with others or listen to the news. We have a lot to think about for ourselves and those we care about. The good news is that because of this threat more Americans and people worldwide will consider science more seriously on climate crisis. Thinking about the joy of taking a breath of fresh air seems more meaningful when it is threatened by a virus. I feel lucky to live in a country that can produce cures for disease despite not providing access to healthcare for everyone. I feel fortunate that so many people know we can be better tomorrow and are acting to make it happen. They say the mind can make energy out of anything including tragedy. I am hopeful that our current problems can be a catalyst for a truly better country.

Opinion

Hope is the anchor of the soul

We all need hope to move forward. Dark days demand faith in our fellow human beings and that is the strength of our species. Human beings have been able to overcome formidable challenges in the past by banding together and multiplying our power. Covid19 is pushing all of humanity to think in ways that we have not thought before. Money cannot buy a person out of danger in a pandemic. A person is only as safe as their community is with an invisible and deadly virus. Other people are not the enemy in a viral pandemic; we are forced to lean on each other and what we have created for our protection. I am hopeful that testing, treatments, and a vaccine will be coming sooner rather than later. I am hopeful that good and smart people will emerge to help us to a better day and prepare to confront the challenges that are coming next. We need new leadership; vote in 2020!

Opinion, Words to ponder

The Power of Words

Words matter because they are the way we communicate our thoughts and ideas. It is true that a large percentage of communication is non-verbal, but the words we choose and our tone are what we cling to. Listening to a Jocko Podcast it was revealed that the most important c;characteristic of a Marine officer is tact. Knowing what to say, when to say it, and how to say it is a cornerstone of leadership. I recently listened to two politicians discuss America going back to work. One politician just threw out a date and said he would like to see everyone back to work by that date, the other said there will come a point where the threat of virus and the need to get back to work will cross, but he did not know when that would be. The two men likely had similar ideas about Americans returning to work, but one man had little tact and is not seen by many as much of a leader.

Opinion, Self improvement, Words to ponder

It is hard not being in control

Most all of us are dealing with the specter of disease having so much control over our lives. As a believer in God it is comforting to lean on Lord in a world of uncertainty. I know that many people do not believe in God, but for me belief makes more sense than not doing so. Life is amazing even with horrific events, pain, and injustice. I feel fortunate to be able to count my blessings and to know that I need to. Coronavirus is scary on a personal level. Fight back by thinking of all of the things you are grateful about that a virus cannot take away.

Opinion

Trump is not up to the job

A lot of leaders start from a place of humble service rooted in an honest desire to help improve people’s lives. Many autobiographies and histories tell the stories of people who rose to a new level to lead their nations to growth and success. Donald Trump continuously makes his followers and the country look like fools. People are dying today and when you look at the president you would think that much of what is taking place is about him. If reporters ask an honest question they are being nasty. No one is to ask questions about how we got here or what is actually taking place. We are all supposed to watch the American president make statements that are unquestioned and treat him as if his feelings mattered more than citizen’s lives. America deserves better than this.

Opinion

Good News is coming on Coronavirus

I believe that good news is coming from places where we do not expect it. Reports of a Japanese treatment that is effective against the coronavirus is making scientist take notice. It is notable that Singapore has an effective public health plan that allows its economy to continue working while it battles coronavirus. People around the world are fighting coronavirus and success is taking place now. I hope that we are not hit as hard as some medical professionals fear. I think that once we demonstrate the leadership to not just focus on the USA, but work with truth, science, and our fellow human beings from around the world; we will develop our potential. We can grow from trying to make America great again, to making it better than ever.

Opinion

Remaining hopeful and learning

The situation that we find ourselves in with coronavirus offers reasons to be hopeful and to learn from our mistakes. I believe the largest mistake for many Americans (but not the majority) was voting for a person who was clearly unfit and unsuited for the job of president. Leadership is not something to be taken lightly by citizens, or to be used as a way to attack fellow citizens. Our constitutional system has been challenged in ways that were not imaginable five years ago, but has been shown to be a strength with local leaders stepping up to fill the current void in the executive branch. The delay in testing is perhaps the largest failure of American presidential leadership since Reconstruction. Hopefully future presidents who are light on mental capacity will respect experts and science when the nation survives the current fiasco.

Opinion

Coronavirus requires truth

The United States is struggling with the new Coronavirus because our current president has a weak relationship with truth. We have to ask ourselves why so many people believe in a person who clearly is unfit for his office and is not a role model on anything. We need expertise to solve problems like those we face in climate and public health, but we have allowed politicians to attack science. What is it that those who support massive ignorance think they will get from this bargain with the devil? I am hopeful that 2020 will mark a turn away from evil and deception by voters as it becomes clear that there will only be losers if we don’t.