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.” 

I keep asking myself what I think is a straightforward question. “How can anyone who is a principled Republican remain with the current Party? “

Look, whatever your political leanings, no party will match up perfectly with your beliefs. Most of the time the difference is one of a few degrees. The proposed legislation seems OK in general but a bit too liberal or a bit too conservative for your personal beliefs.

What keeps baffling me is not a few degrees difference but a Republican Party that is 180° from a Republican Party that was based on long-held principles. A Republican Party that now supports actions that are 180° from the foundation of the US democracy.

Republicans, please help me understand why invading the US Capitol with the expressed intent of overthrowing a certified election, killing a sitting vice president of your own party, and wanting to assassinate members of the opposing party should be viewed as “patriotic.“

Tell me why the invasion of the Capitol is not an insurrection. Tell me why the insurgents should be praised rather than sent to prison? Tell me why you support members of Congress who claim to be patriots, but support insurgents?

Tell me why you call yourself “fiscally conservative” when your party voted a tax cut under Trump that ballooned the Federal deficit and transferred huge amounts of money from the middle class to those who were already wealthy?

Tell me why are you call yourself “conservative” when your Party supports increased oil and gas drilling, a known source of major pollution and the primary contributor to global warming. Recall the EPA was established by a Republican president.

Tell me why do you think the US was founded as a Christian country, when settlers left England to seek religious freedom? And, oh yes, there is that silly old Constitution. You know, where Amendment I reads, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof…” I guess you want to ignore parts of Amendment I and reinterpret Amendment II.

Please tell me why more Republican governors do not support vaccines, or wearing a mask to protect the citizens against a COVID infection? Mmm, seems the highest rates of infection, hospitalizations and deaths are in states where Republican governors would rather endanger the citizenry instead of protecting it.

Well, principled Republican, if you don’t have solid answers to these questions, or the answers seem contrary to your personal beliefs, then why are you still a Republican?

If your response is, “I’ve always been a Republican,“ then take a long, hard look in the mirror and ask yourself, “Do I really want to be affiliated with this type political party?“ If the answer is “yes,” could you explain to me your rationale?

And you’re explanation can’t be, “You’re a hard-core liberal, you won’t understand.” I grew up in a Republican household, and until Trump, had voted for at least one Republican candidate for a major office in every single election since I was 18. When you have an answer about staying with the Republican Party, please let me know. Thanks.

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/

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.” 

Since this week is the 20th anniversary of 9/11, I thought it might be interesting to look at some notes that I made about the event. The notes I found were dated June 2006, roughly 5 years after 09/11/01. 

The hand-written notes were titled “Coincidences about 09/11” and consisted mostly of questions.  By early September 2021, most of the questions have yet to be answered.  With any kind of luck, some of the soon-to-be-released classified material around 09/11 will provide some insight. 

Following is a list of bullet points that I had jotted down. Some minor edits have been made for clarification.  Any explanatory comments re the intent of the question is noted in brackets.

June 30, 2006  Notes titled “Coincidences about 09/11”

• 17 of 19 hijackers were citizens of Saudi Arabia
• Iraq has the second largest oil reserves in the Middle East [Technically Iran is #2 but Iraq is a close 3^rd.]   
• President Bush had a ”deer-in-the-headlights” look when told the news about the first plane crashing into the Trade Towers. No one reacts that way if they are truly surprised.   [He was at a grammar school reading a book to maybe 2^nd graders, in Texas I think.]
• Immediately after planes hit the Pentagon and crashed in Pennsylvania, all air traffic in/out of the US was grounded.  Yet, the Saudi‘s were given an exemption.  Why?
• The Saudi‘s left the US on 09/12-13. Seems like a pretty quick exit, especially when everybody else was grounded.
• All other Muslims with even the most remote connection to the hijackers were being held in the US while the Saudi‘s, who had obvious connections, were allowed to leave.
• The Bush family has been long-time friends with Saudi royal family.
• [Post 09/11]  US invades Afghanistan [Why Afghanistan if the hijackers were Saudis?]
• [Post 09/11]  US invades Iraq. [Why invade Iraq when none of the hijackers was from Iraq or was there any connection to Iraq?]
• Iraq, with Saddam still in power, could reduce the oil price by increasing production. The lower price would reduce Saudi wealth accumulation.
• Bush’s personal wealth increased from ~$4.0 to ~$10.0 while still in office.  [Estimated wealth as of maybe 2004 or 2005.  Likely some disclosure form but no reference in the notes.]  Since his salary is $400k per year, where did the money come from? 
• The invasion of Iraq smells.  The invasion seems to have been planned before 09/11.  Iraq, without Saddam and under US control, could provide Saudi Arabia a great geographic buffer from Iran.  Plus if the US controls Iraq, then the US controls the oil reserves and production.  

Seems like a lot of coincidences.  However, even with certain material about the Saudi’s and 09/11 being declassified, the questions about 09/11 likely will not be answered.

Comments and/or your questions welcome.

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/

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.” 

ENTRY #420: “Don’t tell me to get vaccinated you communist. It’s my right to get Covid. And it’s my right to make you pay for all of my medical bills.

Besides, getting Covid would be fun. Just think about what’ll happen?  I hope I’m one of the lucky ones with Covid who gets to go to the hospital. And if I’m real lucky, I’ll get a spot in ICU.

Think of all the staff that’ll be at my service in ICU.  The attention I’ll get from the staff puts to shame anything the Ritz-Carlton has to offer.  

Plus, in ICU I’ll get to take a bed that could have been occupied by someone who claimed to have an emergency. You know, someone pretending to have had a heart attack, or a stroke, or claiming to have been in a severe auto accident. I’m important so I deserve the bed more than any one of ‘those people.’

When I get out, what I’ll do is declare bankruptcy and stiff the hospital and all future patients for the bill.  If I stay in ICU long enough the hospital bill could be $1 million.  How many people do you know who have stiffed the hospital for a million bucks or more? 

After I’m out, then maybe I’ll be lucky and turn into one of those, uh, I think they’re called ‘long-haulers.’  Someone who has symptoms for a long time. The exciting part of being a long-hauler is no one knows what symptoms will occur, when they’ll occur, and for how long.  Tell me that isn’t exciting.

If I don’t get out, then I’ll be part of the group that seems to get all the media attention.  You know, the people who supposedly died from Covid. But unlike many of the people on the list, my death will be real. No fake news about me.

See why I’m excited? See why I refuse to wear a mask and why I refuse to get vaccinated? If I did either one, I might miss out on an exciting adventure.  People who get vaccinated are such dullards.”

——————–

OK, why the satire?  A few days ago, an anti-vaxer had the audacity to claim that the person asking someone to do something for the common good – i.e., getting vaccinated – was being selfish.  Excuse me anti-vaxer, but asking someone to doing something for the common good is not being selfish. 

Refusing to do something for the common good – maybe not littering, supporting people who are in true need, not being rude and a list of other reasonable behaviors – is being selfish.  But selfish people think the world revolves around them.    

So grow up anti-vaxer.  Put on your big-boy pants and quit acting like some whiny 2-year-old.

Welcome to the some discussion about the upcoming 5th Revolution in the US, which I’ve titled the “Revenge Revolution.” For more about the Rnd the author? . More about the Revenge Revolution, a list of earlier revolutions 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.” 

This past week or so, I’ve been struck by a seemingly endless stream of the illogical comments. Maybe Covid has caused society to regress mentally.

My observations and questions may offend some readers. If you are one of those readers, no offense intended.  I think we, that is societal we, need to be asking some difficult questions if we want to make meaningful progress toward practical solutions.  If we don’t address the elephant in the room, of which there are several, proposed solutions will be more like a Band-aides when major surgery is needed. 

I flipped a coin to decide which set of illogical statements/actions should be addressed first.  Republicans won the toss.

Illogical comments from Republicans seemed to center on:

1. “Election was stolen from Trump!”
2. “Events at the Capitol January 6 were like an ordinary group of visitors.”
3. “Covid-19 vaccines are bad for you.”

If you actually believe any of these claims, then you are living in a dream world.  Ask yourself, “Where am I getting information?”  “Is the information credible?”  “Why do I believe it?”   “Would I or do I use these same sources of information for other parts of my life?”

Part of the illogic from Republicans is the claim there are two sets of facts.  No, folks, there’s one set of facts.  People might interpret the facts a bit differently but interpretation is different than claiming there are two sets of facts.

Ask yourself, if Trump and Tucker Carlson on Fox claimed the moon was made of green cheese, would you believe them?  If you believe what comes out of Trump’s or Carlson’s mouth, then you might as well believe the moon is made of green cheese. Much of what either of them says has no basis in fact and completely fabricated.

The idea there was widespread voter fraud is beyond ridiculous.  Even Republican officials in Republican-dominated states said there was no voter fraud.  So why all the effort to suppress voting?  Obviously Republicans are afraid of losing the majority to “those people.”  Well, my friends, big lies and suppression don’t last forever.  And when the 5^th US Revolution happens, the Revenge Revolution, those continuing to support Trump will lose more than you would have without all supporting all the lies.

As far as not getting a vaccine, did you get vaccinated against polio?  Against the mumps?  Against measles?  If you don’t believe in vaccines, go talk to someone who’s had Covid and see what the experience was like.  Then ask yourself, “What’s the risk to my long-term health of getting Covid vs the essentially infinitesimal risk with getting vaccinated?”  BTW, the risk of a serious side effect from birth-control pills is higher than the Covid vaccine. 

OK, enough questions for Republicans.  If past is a prologue, no amount of logic will stimulate thinking among Trump supporters.   

Let’s move the other side of the aisle.  Questions, comments observed during last week or so include:

1. “We need more affordable housing.”
2. “Housing values in minority neighborhoods are lower than comparable houses in white neighborhoods.”
3. “Tax rates are higher in certain cities with a higher percentage of blacks and browns.”
4. “We need better schools in minority neighborhoods.”

Each statement, when taken individually, seems logical.  The problem occurs when one tries to develop a solution that addresses even two of the statements. 

Just take statements #1 & #2.  Few doubt that more affordable housing is needed.  Where should that housing be?  If you want as many people as possible to benefit, then start putting housing in areas where existing home prices are more affordable.  But that option becomes less attractive if somehow values of houses in minority neighborhoods need to increase to match white neighborhoods.  If homeowners in minority neighborhoods want comparable values to predominantly white neighborhoods, then there will be less affordable housing and the problem of available affordable housing will get worse not better.  

So, take your pick.  Want more affordable housing, or do you want values to be the same as in white neighborhoods?  BTW, for anyone who has studied home prices, there are huge disparities between comparable houses in white neighborhoods.  The value of a house is more than the physical structure. 

Take statements #2 & #3 &#4.   Tax rates are based cost of services divided by the value of the tax base.   Most of the cost of city services is fixed – police, fire, refuse, administration, schools, etc.  In most states, a large portion of a city’s revenue is generated by property taxes. 

If the cost for most city services and for schools is fixed, and the value of the house is less, then the property tax rate – amount per $1,000 assessed valuation — must increase. If you want a lower tax rate, then what services are you willing to give up?  If you want better schools, then the tax rate is going to be higher.  Ever wonder why taxes are so, so high in areas with top-notch public schools?  Schools are expensive.  The solution is to have more tax-paying businesses and higher-value homes in the city as a whole.  Don’t get hung up on values neighborhood to neighborhood.   

Another set of comments heard this past week or so focused on how slavery in the US continues to affect blacks. Is slavery the reason or the excuse?  Let’s think about this.  Slavery was abolished 150+ years ago.  That’s equal to 6-7 generations.

A question.  “Why is it that every other immigrant or ethnic group in the US, many of whom arrived 50+ years after slavery was abolished, has managed to pull themselves up economically? And it’s not that many of these immigrant groups we’re not shunned or discriminated against.

Look at a sign typical of the early 20th Century.Some groups also suffered from neighborhoods being redlined.  For decades Jews were often excluded from neighborhoods by redlining, excluded from country clubs, etc.  Oh, BTW, there’s never been a Jewish president, even though there’s been a black president.

So why have blacks stayed at the bottom of the economic ladder? Is slavery the reason or the excuse?  Blacks need to look in the mirror and ask themselves that question.  And take some time before answering.  More next entry.

Readers: The entries in this blog are built around the assumption there will be a 5th revolution in the US — the Revenge Revolution. More about the Revenge Revolution, a list of earlier revolutions 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.”

On June 17^th, 2021 President Biden signed legislation declaring June 19th a Federal holiday. The holiday recognizes the Emancipation Proclamation. The date coincides not with the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation but with the day in 1865 when the last area of the US – West Texas – was informed of the Emancipation Proclamation.

The legislation passed the House of Representatives with 14 dissenting votes. The Senate vote was 100 to zero, with the bill structured as a proclamation that did not require individual Senators to vote.

The apparent widespread support for Juneteenth in an otherwise fractured Congress would seem to bode well for future legislation aimed at addressing inequities in society – voting rights and education, for example.

My view is just the opposite. While many on the right likely would characterize me as “one of those liberals,” and by their definition the characterization would be correct, I think Republicans allowing the legislation to pass with virtually no opposition will end up showing their underlying beliefs by slowing passage or refusing to pass most, if not all, future rights-type legislation.

In a way, the Democrats and especially the black community, have been snookered by the Juneteenth holiday. By allowing a Federal holiday to honor the Emancipation Proclamation, Republicans now have a retort to any future rights legislation. “You got a Federal holiday for Juneteenth. That’s enough.”

Worse for blacks in particular is the holiday could evolve into a backlash among many non-black voters. With Juneteenth, there are now 11 federal holidays: New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King’s birthday, Presidents Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, 4th of July, Labor Day, Columbus Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.

One holiday is associated with a particular religion, Christmas. Two holidays are associated with honoring those who defended the country – Memorial Day and Veterans Day.  Four holidays are somewhat related to the founding of the country – 4^th of July, Columbus Day, Presidents Day and Thanksgiving. One holiday for workers, Labor Day.

None of the holidays listed so far is directed at any particular ethnic group. However, 2 of the 11 holidays are – King’s birthday and Juneteenth. Whether categorizing the holidays as “ethnic”-type holidays is fair or appropriate, some people will do so. In addition to two holidays associated with blacks, there is an entire month devoted to black history. At some point voters may say, “No more.  I had nothing to do with slavery or Jim Crow laws.  Time for blacks to quit whining and start committing to fixing their problems.” 

A spreading backlash may already be starting.  Although a single data point, what’s happening in Charlotte, NC may help portend the future.  Background – although Charlotte lies south of the Mason-Dixon Line, by most standards Charlotte would be considered a moderately liberal city.  In the last few months there has been an increasing push by a number of blacks to force the school board to balance the ethnicity of: (i) teachers with the student population; (ii) student population among the schools.

The county encompassing Charlotte, Mecklenburg, threatened to withhold 10% of its school funding until the school board presented a plan that ensured students were learning.  Duh, folks, let’s start with who’s responsible for the student wanting to learn.  What’s that old saying, “You can lead a horse to water but you can’t make it drink.”  

Trying to force balanced ethnicity in classrooms and ethnicity of teachers and then force accountability on teachers might look good on paper and gain political points, but the actions do not addresses the underlying cause of the poor student performance.  Without a commitment to education by the black community, balancing students and teachers by ethnicity will have little effect.

Measuring teachers for performance against a teaching metric is valid.  Trying to measure a teacher’s performance by the performance of students is a no-win for teachers, and a good approach to making sure the most qualified teachers go elsewhere. 

Ensuring students learn is an excellent societal goal.  But let’s be honest about who’s responsible for the behavior and commitment of the students.  The responsibility starts at home, and if the home is not being responsible, then those in the family and support community must take up the slack.

On a somewhat cynical level, implementation of some demands by the black community and actions by Mecklenburg County seems to imply a desire to return to Plessy v. Ferguson, which approved “separate but equal” education.  No, I haven’t joined the far right. But what we, societal we, need to discuss honestly is what will solve the problem at hand.

Most of the discussions about inequality in schools, jobs and even sometimes voting rights seem to focus on optics and not substance.  Juneteenth is a perfect example of what I label as “optics.”

What problem was solved by declaring Juneteenth a Federal holiday? Nothing.  While blacks might feel better there has been some overdue recognition of the Emancipation Proclamation, nothing fundamental has changed. If you think the holiday is the beginning of a sea change, ask yourself, “What fundamentally has changed for blacks since Martin Luther King’s birthday became a Federal holiday?”

Let’s see what has changed: key portions of the Voting Rights Act were not renewed; innumerable bills have been introduced in state legislatures that are intended to suppress voting rights; the US now has a Supreme Court that has shifted far right.  Keep thinking about all the gains made been made since King’s birthday became a Federal holiday. Then compare the list to a list of inequities still exist or have reemerged.  Creating holidays maybe a step backwards, not forward.