Monthly Archives: October 2021

#428 I’m Digusted and Pulling My Hair Out!

29 Friday Oct 2021

Posted by in Causes of the Revolution, Societal Issues, Stupid Is as Stupid Does, Uncategorized

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Welcome to a discussion about the upcoming 5th Revolution in the US, which I’ve titled the “Revenge Revolution.” For more about the Revenge Revolution and the author, Entry #1.  Periodically I write a “sense check” to assess whether a revolution in the US is possible or whether the entire exercise is based on a statistical aberration — i.e., a roughly 50-year cycle between major upheavals in the US.  Entry #400 was the most recent “sense check.” 

ENTRY #428 STARTS: I’m disgusted. Well, OK, maybe I’ve turned into a curmudgeon, and may be a naïve curmudgeon at that.  But, I look at the behavior of a number of members of Congress and want to scream. What’s wrong with these folks?

What’s wrong has nothing to do with whether I agree or disagree with what used to be policy differences between the political parties.  What’s wrong has to do with why aren’t these Representatives and Senators focusing on governing and on upholding the Constitution?

Yes, Mitch McConnell may qualify as one of the biggest scumbags ever elected to Congress. Yes, he’s crazed with power, gives the finger to the Constitution and is horribly corrupt. He’s also very likely to be in the pocket of the Chinese government. 

I’ll save the detail for another entry but ask yourself some very basic questions about McConnell’s behavior.  What does McConnell have to gain by holding up all but two of President Biden’s nominations for ambassadorships?  Ambassadors are not involved in domestic policy.  Who or what country would benefit if the US did not have ambassadors in many countries of the world?  What country might benefit from gaining influence at America’s expense?  What is the country of origin of McConnell’s wife?  Give that some thought.  More in future entries.

Back to Congress, what’s disgusting is why no Republican, save Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger, the guy from Michigan, will stand up for the Constitution.  Many Republicans members of the House, starting with Kevin McCarthy, are making every effort to thwart an objective investigation of the January 6 Trump–instigated insurrection. Gee guys, did you have a hand in planning the insurrection and that’s why you’re opposed to any investigation? 

If you were involved, then you can rightfully be charged with treason.  And being convicted of treason will land you in prison at a minimum.  In addition, since you were planning to take out VP Pence, maybe you should be tried for attempted murder.

Republicans do not have a lock hold on maddening behavior.  On second thought, maybe they do. Let’s start with Joe Manchin III, senator from West Virginia.  Manchin claims to be a moderate Democrat. But like his coal-at-any-cost buddy from Kentucky, McConnell, Manchin goes out of his way to keep the coal industry afloat.

From Manchin’s perspective, any effort to accelerate cleaner generation of electricity should be blocked. In Joe’s world, having the air filled with CO2 must better for you than having air with just plain old O2.  Joe must think that the carbon is some sort of vitamin and that’s why CO2 is better.  If trees like CO2, humans should, too.

From all indications, including little Joey’s own words, he’s more a Republican than a Democrat. I don’t care what party you belong to Joe, but why do you constantly block legislation that will benefit your constituents? Why do you block legislation that will help avert climate change disasters for your grandchildren?  Joe’s such an honorable guy. Just glad he’s not my grandfather.

Senator Sinema (AZ), the other alleged Democrat holding up Biden’s legislation, acts more like some character in a B-movie.  She must think cinema is spelled Sinema.  Apparently she used to claim to be an environmentalist.  I guess her idea of being green went from helping the environment to taking greenbacks from lobbyists and special interest groups. Where her head is, no one knows. But we know what she’s doing is not helping constituents and not helping the US address climate change.

What happened to “Duty, honor, country?“  Policy debates are fine. Blocking votes on legitimate legislation that addresses a basic tenet on which the US was founded – the right to vote, for example – is antithetical.  The right to vote and the proper counting of those votes is a key to a functioning democracy.  Why are Republicans blocking even a debate on the legislation?

Republicans have been so Trump-like transactional that they have become unable to see the implications of their behavior.  One day Republicans will wake up and ask, “Why didn’t anyone warn us that climate change would ruin my vacation home on the coast?”  Or, “Why didn’t anyone warn us that those ultra-rightwing folks would threaten to take us out if we didn’t vote exactly as they wanted?”  And, many other seemingly obvious incredibly risky behaviors the Republicans are engaged in. 

Republicans loyalty to party over doing what’s right for constituents and doing what’s right for the country has me convinced more than ever that the US is headed for a 5th revolution. And, what’s going to surprise the Republicans in Congress and state legislators, the January 6-insurrectionsists might begin attacking Republicans first.

Other Topics. Interested in more info about climate change, what’s required to electrify a fleet of cars/trucks, what it was like to work day-to-day with Lee Iacocca and an array of other topics? Visit another page of this website, https://usrevolution5.com/jrd-thought-comments/

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#427 Excuse Me Senator. Is Your Name Manchin or Manson?

20 Wednesday Oct 2021

Posted by in Back Asswards Thinking, Gov't Policy, Uncategorized

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Welcome to a discussion about the upcoming 5th Revolution in the US, which I’ve titled the “Revenge Revolution.” For more about the Revenge Revolution and the author, Entry #1.  Periodically I write a “sense check” to assess whether a revolution in the US is possible or whether the entire exercise is based on a statistical aberration — i.e., a roughly 50-year cycle between major upheavals in the US.  Entry #400 was the most recent “sense check.” 

ENTRY #427:Senator Manchin has been in the news a lot the past couple of weeks. Late the week of 10/11/2021 he publicly stated he would not support taxpayer funding for the development of zero-carbon electricity generation. OK, Joe, what about billions and billions of taxpayer subsidies for coal extraction and oil-and-gas drilling? Tell me what’s the difference?

Not all readers believe that if CO2 emissions continue unchecked, the earth could begin to begin to become uninhabitable by 2100. There’s lots of science and data to support such a statement but some don’t believe in science.

Clean electricity had been a key element in president Biden’s Build Back Better program and a major step toward the US dramatically slowing the growth of CO2 emissions. The Biden administration’s plan would have given the US a good chance of doing its part to limit global warming to 2oC by 2100. Given the unfathomable level of denial of science by Republicans, Joe Manchin might be able to take credit for singularly causing the world to speed up the path to catastrophe.

For you climate-change deniers, remember how Trump claimed COVID-19 was under control? “We’re very, very ready for this,” Trump said, adding that only 15 people had contracted the virus in the U.S. and that all were expected to recover. A mere 700,000 deaths later and COVID-19 is still not under control. Deniers – who ya gonna blame?

Given the severity of the potential consequences of doing nothing to address climate change, I thought an open letter to Senator Manchin might be appropriate. Yes, the letter is sarcastic and a bit edgy but I think Senator Manchin deserves this type letter.

The salutation evolved from a comment made during a recent call about climate change. One person on the call accidentially referred to Senator Manchin as “Manson.” That led to a few chuckles. However morbid the circumstances that made Charles Manson famous, Senator Manchin’s decision to refuse to recognize the need to address global warming will have far worse consequences.

Dear Senator Charles Manson:

Thank you for taking a strong stand against generating clean electricity, thereby intensifying the effects of global warming. All the children in the neighborhood and in the family appreciate your efforts to make the earth uninhabitable and shorten their lives.

The children asked if you could share some of the payoff money you received from the fossil-fuel industry. They want to buy some candy before it’s too late.

We also appreciate your efforts to make the US look like a third-world country that has a non-functioning government. President Biden especially appreciates your efforts to diminish his credibility with other countries at the upcoming conference to address global warming.

Rarely in US history has a single senator had such a widespread negative impact on mankind. You should be proud of your accomplishments. (End of letter)

Where the negotiations in Congress go to try and save the provision to fund generation of clean electricity, I don’t know, although I do understand some progress has been made. When thinking about how to solve the problem with the holdout Senators, I was reminded of a scene from the movie, “Patton.” In the scene Patton’s troops are marching through Sicily toward Palermo. The terrain is hilly, the road narrow and the troops are strung out for probably a mile.

The journey is high risk because enemy aircraft can easily strafe the column and there is little protection along the road. Then the column stops. Patton drives to the front and finds a cart with two donkeys blocking a critical bridge. The farmer tries to get the donkeys to move but no luck. The solution was a bit inelegant but effective.

Patton shoots the donkeys, dumps them off the bridge and the march proceeds. When trying to persuade Senators Manchin and Sinema, president Biden might do well to take a lesson from General Patton. Too much is at stake for the US and the world to let a couple of people get in the way.

Other Topics. Interested in more info about climate change, what’s required to electrify a fleet of cars/trucks, what it was like to work day-to-day with Lee Iacocca and an array of other topics? Visit another page of this website, https://usrevolution5.com/jrd-thought-comments/

#426 How Spineless Can Republican Senators Get?

13 Wednesday Oct 2021

Posted by in Causes of the Revolution, Post Trump Presidency, Stupid Is as Stupid Does, Uncategorized

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Welcome to a discussion about the upcoming 5th Revolution in the US, which I’ve titled the “Revenge Revolution.” For more about the Revenge Revolution and the author, Entry #1.  Periodically I write a “sense check” to assess whether a revolution in the US is possible or whether the entire exercise is based on a statistical aberration — i.e., a roughly 50-year cycle between major upheavals in the US.  Entry #400 was the most recent “sense check.” 

ENTRY #426: OK, I know there have been other entries in the blog about behavior of Republicans under Trump. I’ve tried to be polite and attribute the irrational behavior to brainwashing. But, these days the brainwashing label seems too polite, especially for those Republicans who supposedly had a brain before Trump.

Let’s start with Mitt Romney. Background includes a father who was head of American Motors, then governor of Michigan – and a good one – and finally Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) under Richard Nixon. Throughout his career George Romney was considered a moral, upright, straight shooter. You’d think some of those genes might have been passed on to the son.

Mitt Romney’s education was stellar – Cranbrook Schools in Detroit, Brigham Young undergrad and Harvard Business School (MBA) and Stanford Law. Like his father, Mitt Romney spent time in business (investment banker), then governor of Massachusetts. From all reports, he got good marks as governor, including creating what became the foundation for the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare).

Along the way he remained a high-profile member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Following a failed bid for presidency, Romney was elected senator from Utah which has a high population of Mormons.

So why would a governor with his pedigree sell out to a huckster, philanderer from Queens, who kowtowed openly to the Russians? Why would a guy with his pedigree buy in to the corrupt behavior of some immoral, unethical senator from Kentucky?

In a throwback to the McCarthy era, “Have you no decency, Senator Romney?“ You don’t need the money. Why would you be willing to spoil your reputation by aligning yourself with a couple of scumbags?

Of course, Romney is not the only allegedly principled Republican to follow instructions from Trump and McConnell. Where is the senior senator from say North Carolina, Richard Burr? Burr, who was chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, claims to be ethical and straightforward. He’s also retiring. Why does he continue to bow to Trump and McConnell?

And the list goes on and on. Republican senators seem to have turned into a bunch of whores. Calling them whores is an insult to those working in the sex trade. At least those in the trade know what they’re doing and are upfront about it. Stormy Daniels looks like Mother Theresa compared to Republican senators.

What’s the most galling, and what’s going to end up being the nail in the coffin for the 5th US Revolution, is a refusal by Republican senators to criticize anyone or group associated with the January 6 insurrection, including Trump and members of Congress. Let’s count the closed-mouthed Republican senators: 1,2,3,4,5,6…48,49,50.

By any standard those who participated and/or enabled the January 6 insurrection should be tried as traitors. The definition of a traitor is “a person who betrays a friend, country, principle, etc.” Now, tell me why those involved in the insurrection don’t fit that definition, starting with Trump. All involved tried to overthrow the government?

Lest anyone think the far-right insurrectionist-genie is going to go back in the bottle post Trump, I suggest you visit a proctologist and have your head relocated to the appropriate part of your anatomy. We are going to have the Revenge Revolution. And, based on behavior and actions by Republicans, the revolution could start in earnest with the 2022 election.

Other Topics. Interested in more info about climate change, what’s required to electrify a fleet of cars/trucks, what it was like to work day-to-day with Lee Iacocca and an array of other topics? Visit another page of this website, https://usrevolution5.com/jrd-thought-comments/

#425. Republicans: “I Get to Buy but You Have to Pay.”

02 Saturday Oct 2021

Posted by in Back Asswards Thinking, Societal Issues, Stupid Is as Stupid Does, Uncategorized

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Welcome to the some discussion about the upcoming 5th Revolution in the US, which I’ve titled the “Revenge Revolution.” For more about the Revenge Revolution and the author, Entry #1.  Periodically I write a “sense check” to assess whether a revolution in the US is possible or whether the entire exercise is based on a statistical aberration — i.e., a roughly 50-year cycle between major upheavals in the US.  Entry #400 was the most recent “sense check.” 

For many years, Republicans have promoted the idea that the government should be run like a personal household. Don’t spend more than you earn.  In that ideal Republican household, if you pay your debts on time everything will be OK.

Despite the assertions, even most Republicans don’t live in their ideal household.  For example, the vast majority of people buying a home don’t pay cash.  Rather they secure a mortgage for 3-4x their annual income and then repay the mortgage (loan) over 25-30 years.  If home buyers were required to pay the cost up front, very few people would own homes. 

“But home buying is different,” you say, “because buying a home is an investment. And you still have to pay back the loan, even if it takes 30 years.”

True. So why do Republicans insist that government expenditures for infrastructure — roads, bridges, transit, airports, etc. – have to be paid for out of this year‘s budget? Isn’t a road that will last at least 50, if not 100 years, with some maintenance, an investment, just like the house?

Now, let’s turn to paying for purchases. If a household buys groceries, some computer equipment, office supplies, maybe some clothing and puts the purchases on a credit card, the household still owes the money.  And the credit card company still has to be paid, right?

Apparently Republicans don’t think so.  During the Trump administration, Republicans deliberately decided to reduce household revenue – income to the government – by reducing taxes on the wealthy.  Then, rather than reducing expenditures because income was less, the Trump administration continued to buy lots of stuff and put those purchases on a credit card.

Now it’s time to pay off the credit card. And guess what? Republicans in the Senate and the House are saying, “Nope, the credit card debt is not our problem.  Even though we ran up the debt, we Republicans refuse to pay.“

What if everyone ran their household like Republicans?  Cut your income, continue to buy goods and services on a credit card, then refuse to pay the credit card company (lender)?  How much more credit do you think the lender would be willing to provide?

The approach taken by Republicans is pure Trump.  Anyone who has lived or worked in New York sometime in the last 40-50 years is likely familiar with how Trump operated his businesses.  Trump ran up debts, blamed the vendors and then refused to pay. 

After getting stiffed by Trump, lenders in the US refused to do business with him.  As incoming president, from all indications, his primary sources of capital were from Deutsche Bank and the Russians. 

Republicans, now the party of Trump, have adopted the same mantra – “Screw you. Not my fault.  I’m not paying. The debt is your problem.”  Mitch McConnell seems to be first in line kissing the Almighty Donald’s screw-the-creditors debt ring. 

The Republicans, who claim to be the party of savvy business people and fiscal responsibility, seem willing to allow the US to default on its debt for the first time in US history.  “Relax,” you say, “You’re blowing any debt default out of proportion.” 

If you are a Republican and support the actions of Trump and/or Mitch McConnell, why don’t you go ask someone how easy it is to get credit after they’ve defaulted on their debt? If someone who’s defaulted can get credit at all, the loan comes with lots of restrictions and a stiff interest rate.

So why are the Republicans behaving so irresponsibly? My only conclusion, as I’ve stated the number of times in various blog entries, is the Republicans have been brainwashed.

If they’re not brainwashed, why would Republicans pay debts they incurred while Trump was in office, then not pay debts incurred while Trump was in office after Biden became president? Trump’s debts are Trump’s debts.  You just can’t ignore then, unless, of course, you’re a Republican.    

Ok, let’s assume the Republicans are just playing politics by refusing to raise the debt ceiling. You’d think if someone was taking such a stand, they’d ask for something in return.  But like Trump, who has demonstrated repeatedly to be one of the world’s worst negotiators, Republicans are not asking for anything in return.  Rather Republicans are willing to put a gun to their heads of all Americans and fire away for no particular reason.

Republicans are so brainwashed, apparently they think only Democrats will suffer if the US defaults on its debt. Republicans are taking the same approach to addressing climate change. The rise in the earth’s temperature will only affect Democrats. 

From the beginning of the Obama administration, Republicans have categorically opposed whatever the Democrats proposed, no matter how many Republicans might benefit and no matter how much the proposal would protect US interests.  The answer to every idea from Democrats has been “No!”

Republicans ask yourself, “With a response of ‘no’ by Republican leadership regardless of the proposal, whose best interests are Trump and McConnell supporting? The best interests of US citizens?”  If you said “yes,” you’ll believe almost anything.

The behavior of Trump and McConnell is not benefiting the US but benefitting the Russians and the Chinese. “That can’t be,” you say.  Well, I say, take another hard look and then follow where Trump and McConnell are getting their money.

The Trump businesses (and thereby the family) have been funded by the Russians for some time. Mitch McConnell, through marriage to Elaine Chao – Secretary of Transportation in the Trump administration – is tied to Chinese money. You keep thinking about the connections and follow the money.

More later, especially how the behavior increases the likelihood of a 5th US Revolution, the Revenge Revolution.

Other Topics. Interested in more info about climate change, what’s required to electrify a fleet of cars/trucks, what it was like to work day-to-day with Lee Iacocca and an array of other topics? Visit another page of this website, https://usrevolution5.com/jrd-thought-comments/