So divided, and so much at stake.

 Humans are very adaptive. When we are fatigued, we get a second wind. When fear overcomes us, adrenaline rushes into our bloodstream and we are instantly capable of things we could never do otherwise. When something, anything, annoys, irritates, irks, peeves, riles, or galls us we have this ability to compartmentalize it, which I suppose is another way of saying ignore it. Whatever that 'something or anything' was, we don't agree with it, or don't like it so we simply ignore it. This strategy can be strangely effective at times, if one ignores something long enough it will just go away. At least from one's personal perspective anyway. 

To say that our country is 'divided' would hardly get an argument from anyone these days. Metaphorically, that divide may have once been a morass, but at some point it became a crevasse. A big, wide, deep chasm that appears to be a breech not only in political ideology but in civility as well. Now and then someone will attempt to bridge the fissure only to be criticized and lambasted for such an attempt (Chuck Schumer and the CR to keep the government running...). When it comes to politics, we can't even agree to disagree anymore. 

When the George Floyd incident occurred in 2020, the destruction from rioting destroyed multiple inner cities. The death of George Floyd began a period of unprecedented civil unrest. Racial undertones have been the theme of civil unrest since the days of the civil rights movement. They still are but we have gone far beyond mere racial divides. 

We certainly haven't moved past it, we have only added to it. It's no longer only racial issues, it's liberal versus conservative, it's lawfare, it's election interference, it's lying when the truth is obvious, it's ignoring the fact that the national debt is not sustainable, it's incessant attempts to stymie the president's agenda because of TDS. Trump derangement syndrome, I actually believe that's a real thing now, sad to say... And more, much more. 

'We' doesn't quite have the same meaning anymore. There was a time when an American said 'we', that meant Americans. All of us. Not so much anymore. Now when one says 'we', if it's a liberal talking, then it doesn't necessarily include conservatives. And vice versa. We are a democracy, a nation where majority rules. That is in fact true. In essence, it's not true. Last November Trump was elected president by a significant margin of American voters. His platforms, promises and ideals were what the majority of Americans wanted and stated as much at the ballot box. Now that he's in office, the 'resistance' doesn't miss an opportunity to thwart his actions and agenda given any opportunity. They're relentless in spite of being leaderless and unconscionable. There is no  agree to disagree. They want Trump and his agenda to simply 'go away'. That crevasse I mentioned earlier is wide and deep and apparently it isn't going away either. If anything, it's getting wider and deeper. 

I am not a fatalist, as I believe most people aren't. I don't believe we are headed for another civil war. We're better than that, now. This 'divide' might exist for a long time. It may span several generations. It can and will be managed. But, just as most of us wanted change and elected Trump because he best represented the change we wanted, we, and this time I mean ALL Americans will endure the next four years and emerge better off than we are today. Not only can we compartmentalize and ignore what we dont like, we can prioritize and push for what we do like. And the majority will always rule...

#realpolitics #trump #politico #r/politics #politicalideology #electioninterference #trumoderangementsyndrome

Tariffs will be the greatest thing ever?... No, they won't Mr. President.

 When President Trump began talking about tariffs as a means of balancing trade with other nations and eliminating our trade deficit, making such claims as "We're going to have so much money we won't know what to do with it...", a question mark popped into my head. Wait a minute, what am I missing? That's not how it works, I thought. One of the things I remember from my study of economics at Texas A&M some years ago was that tariffs are paid by the importer, which would be us. Consumers and firms in the US would be on the hook for tariffs on imported goods, not foreign exporters. Tariffs are an import tax added to the price of the goods. Trump insists that other nations or foreign companies will pay the full costs of the tariffs that the US collects on imports. "It's a tax on another country," he says. 

The way things have worked in the past, for a very long time, is tariffs are paid by the importer. There are actually three possibilities for who will ultimately pay, or share, the tariffs. The foreign exporter could reduce their cost to cover the tariff to maintain their previous volume of sales to the importer. If the exporter adds the tariff to his selling price, the importer could absorb the price. They could maintain their prices and accept a lower margin. If between them, if the exporter and importer absorb the tariff, the cost would not fall on the consumer. However, in practice, that's not how it works according to studies of real-world impact of past tariff increases. In a paper on the Trump tariff regime of 2018 published in the Quarterly Journal of Economics, economists analyzed the effect of the tariffs from Trumps' first term. The review found that for steel, exporters actually dropped their prices to US importers fully offsetting the tariffs. However, steel was an outlier. Overall, prices for targeted goods rose 22% on average. The study found that excluding steel, US consumers paid all of the costs of tariffs. For cars and food items consumers shouldered a 100% pass through of the tariff tax. 

A second analysis of the Trump first term tariffs from the National Bureau of Economic Research reached a similar conclusion. In most sectors of the economy, they found that tariffs has been completely passed on to US firms and consumers. 

Though Trump hasn't explicitly claimed that tariffs would accelerate economic growth, the laws of economics say they won't. From Trumps first term, tariffs did stimulate increases for domestic producers in sales. But they would have benefitted much more if not for lost sales due to retaliation from foreign producers. On the bottom line, tariffs decreased the annual GDP from 4.9% to 4.75%. The tariff increases from 2018 were a fraction of what Trump is proposing today, as would be the resulting effects.

As far as reducing the trade deficit, the Presidents' plan does not align with a basic law of economics. The annual trade deficit must match the difference between all US savings and all US investment. For years, American taxpayers and businesses haven't been saving nearly enough to support the demand for stocks and privately issued bonds, new factories, data centers, housing projects, and other profit-generating ventures. The reason they haven't, gigantic budget deficits. The government is 'taking' a huge share of America's savings that would otherwise flow into private investments to pay for the deficit. Last year, the shortage of savings to investment was equal to the trade deficit. The trade deficit, which is money in the hands of foreign nations, send that money back to the US to fund the investments we can't cover. The big influx of cash from abroad allows the US to spend a lot more than if we had to balance our own federal budget. We are in effect, financing our deficits with money from abroad. This allows us to consume more than we produce. So Trump's theory of foreigners causing our trade deficits by taking advantage of us, not true. Any country posting a savings-investment deficiency will post a trade deficit the exact same size. 

Tariffs will not shrink the federal budget deficit. Estimates say the Trump tariffs would raise around $300 billion in 2026 and shave about $2 trillion from what the annual GDP would be without them. That drag on economic growth would reduce tax receipts more than the tariffs would collect. Tariffs are known to not raise much revenue unless they are high. And high tariffs encourage smuggling. Yet another problem...

Trumps' view that we are being taken advantage of by trade partners profiting from Americas' markets doesn't align with the data. While it is true that foreign nations have high charges and technical barriers to protect certain products. But the US does the same. Prior to Trumps' second term, the EU charges an average of 1% on US imports, the exact same rate we charge. Last year the EU bloc collected $3 billion in tariffs from the US, less than half what we charged the EU. 

The facts dont support the Presidents' position on tariffs, assuming that he doesn't change the laws of economics. The long term costs of Trumps' tariffs will be immense, in terms of impact to the nations' GDP. GDP is the big cahuna. When it suffers, so does economic growth, employment, investment, tax revenue, and the federal deficit.  You might want to take another long, hard look at it, Mr. President...

#trumpstariffs #budgetdeficits #politico #tariffs #tradedeficit #GDP

Russian leadership leaves much to be desired...

Vladimir Putin is a stupid cretin. He's about as contemptible as a homo sapien can get. There's the old lawyer joke, 'how do you know when a lawyer is lying? When his lips are moving.' Some, maybe, but I know a bunch of good lawyers. There are no good Putins. And indeed, if his lips are moving you can bet he's lying. 

Today, Putin dismissed the Trump administrations' cease-fire proposal with Ukraine and demanded further concessions. Including of course, that the US and Europe cease all arms shipments to Ukraine before Moscow will agree to any ceasefire. "We agree to proposals to cease hostilities in Ukraine, but the cessation must lead to a long term peace and eliminate the root cause of the initial crisis," Putin said. He did not elaborate on exactly what the root causes were. So, Vlad, you really are interested in a long-term peace agreement? And the root cause of the conflict must be eliminated? Vladimir, do you really think the world is stupid and you're not? Or is it the other way around?... Listen closely, you vodka-slurping moron. The root cause of the conflict for which you are so eager to see long-term peace, is you. Let me repeat, it's you. For whatever your geopolitical aspirations were, whatever historical mishaps you are trying to correct, wherever your blind ambition may be leading you, you and your little band of green clad robotic minions invaded Ukraine. Remember? Or are you suffering the same malady as our former president? 

There's your root cause Vladdy. Ukraine, before you started acting like a fool, and still is, a sovereign country. Had it been any other self-respecting sovereign country on earth, we would probably be engaged in World War III now. But like every other mush-headed bully you thought you could pick on the little guy and get away with it. Only, it hasn't worked out quite the way you thought it would. You have lost almost half, yes half of the available troops and reservists in your defenses remaining. 850,000 troops. What in the sam hell was going through that little KGB-trained mind of yours? 

And now, you are demanding that Europe and the US stop providing arms to Ukraine so you can consider a long term peace deal? Why, so you can pounce on them as soon as that happens? That would be the only way you could win the war. Were the conflict to continue, as is, you run a significant risk of losing. Your troops are almost half depleted, your economy is in shambles, 20%+ inflation. Your 'country' could collapse, Vladdy. Your namesake, 'Vladimir' Lenin would be so ashamed of you. Our president is being very nice to you. Trying to compromise, and achieve peace. Most Americans, were they in Trumps' shoes would tell you to pound sand. Actually, I believe that's what the citizens of most countries in the free world would tell you. We know that you don't care. You're a KGB-trained, hardened iconoclast. Apparently, you're also a solipsistic asshole. In spite of being in the position of being a statesman, you're not one to take advice from anyone. So, here's a directive, go pound sand...

#Ukrainewar #putin #politico # r/politics #putin # politicalscience #ukraine #zelensky

The Biggest Threat to Democracy that No One Ever Suspected...

 The US is categorized as a "Constitutional Democracy". To be more accurate, it is a 'constitutional federal republic'. However, one may choose to describe it, the word constitutional will undoubtedly appear. Without exception the constitution is considered the 'supreme law of the land'. All laws passed by Congress since the inception of the country are based on the essence and parameters of the constitution. In the course of human events and the development of the nation, inevitably situations have arisen that require 'interpretation' of the constitution. The clear intent of the constitution as it would apply to these unique events isn't always crystal clear. The profession whose ordained purpose is to interpret the law on the basis of the constitution is, of course, attorneys. I think most Americans take for granted that lawyers are trained to interpret the law based on the constitution. To an extent, that is true. Or at least, it is supposed to be true. Let me explain.

Lawyers, like other professionals matriculate through university programs then obtain advanced degrees in law. If you have been following the political winds in the US for the past fifty years or so, you are no doubt aware that university staffs, and students for that matter, have become increasingly quite partisan. And for the most part, which I can't explain, they are quite liberal. Academics tend to lean to the far left. This idealistic orientation isn't confined to the liberal arts and philosophy by any means. If anything, idealism is ingrained in law schools more than any other discipline. 

Once out of law school, lawyers' careers are supremely affected by the American Bar Association. Lawyers must be licensed by the ABA in order to practice their profession. The control and influence the ABA has on lawyers' careers doesn't start upon graduation from law school. The ABA is the de facto governing body that accredits law schools, rating judges, and weaponizing lawyer discipline. Academicians, especially legal academicians have long been known to be far left in political ideology. So too, are the elders of the ABA. Recently, a Senate and White House legal liaison to the ABA advocated for the Trump administration to stop using the ABA to prescreen judicial nominees. "The activist organization has taken a partisan role in America's legal system since it began evaluating judicial nominees in 1953", he said. Multiple studies of ABA ratings have documented systematic bias against Republican nominees. For example, the ABA rated as 'qualified' Charnelle Bjelkengen who, at her confirmation hearing was unable to tell Senator John Kennedy the purpose of Article V of the Constitution. Bjelkengren was nominated to be a federal judge in the eastern district of Washington. 

The ABA's public actions grew increasingly partisan throughout the Biden admin and into the early days of Trump's second term. The ABA claimed that bar associations had a First Amendment right to engage in racial discrimination. Seriously?... During previous democratic administrations the ABA adamantly installed DEI training in all university law programs. For many years the ABA has had a virtual monopoly on entry into the legal profession. Through the organizations' dominance of the legal profession far left extremism has become the theme of legal practice in the US. More importantly, Americans have been deprived of lawyers and justices dedicated to the US Constitution. The Trump admin has halted DEI mandated university programs, which the ABA has temporarily suspended. 

For a long time, leftists have controlled the American legal system. Publicly available data shows that lawyers are huge Democratic Party financiers, at both the state and federal levels. Since Trump took office, countless executive actions have been halted through orders from liberal leftist federal judges (like Bjelkengren...), who are issuing rulings on executive matters over which they have no constitutional jurisdiction whatsoever; such as foreign affairs. The legal profession is a critical part of American politics, and even American life. We depend on it to deliver fair and impartial justice. Unbeknownst to most Americans, that has not been happening... The ABA needs to be dissolved and discarded and added to the scrap pile of American hubris. The US Supreme Court has some housekeeping it needs to do. 

#jurispridence #federaljudges #americanbarassociation #legalsystem #americanjurisprudence

Are you protesting, being indignant, or being stupid?...

 Last night President Trump addressed the nation in a speech. Several minutes into it, his speech was interrupted by a congressman from Texas, Al Green. Trump, stated owing to a significant margin of voters said he had a mandate to deliver promises made to the voters. Al Green stood and boisterously shouted, "You don't have a mandate!" He was warned by the Speaker of the House to cease the interruption, nevertheless he continued the babble and was ordered to be removed from the chamber by the Sargent-at-Arms. And he was. Today, he was duly censured by the House of Representatives. As he should have been. 

Throughout Trumps' speech the Democrats' side of the chamber remained seated, stoically ignoring any enthusiasm. Even when items were mentioned that were positive steps for everyone, economically, politically, what have you, they remained seated and motionless. On one occasion, Trump recognized a 13 year old boy suffering from life-threatening cancer his entire life, who aspired to a career in law enforcement. The director of the Secret Service presented the young man with honorary credentials as an agent of the Secret Service.  Myself, as I would think to most Americans, this was a heart-wrenching moment, devoid of political bent. To die-hard democrats it was a politicization of something. I'm not sure of what, nor do I think democrats know of what, either. For this, they did not stand or applaud. Disgusting, despicable, and appalling. 

To Al Green, and the rest of the democrats, trying to shame you is pointless. You dont care and everyone knows you dont care. Trump could cure every cancer patient on the planet and you'd still hate him. He could snap his fingers and inflation would be 1%, you'd still hate him. He could make a dozen eggs cost 98 cents, and you'd still hate  him. We have a framework of government that encourages debate and consensus. But we seem to have reached a point that one side wants to talk yet refuses to listen. One side hates the other no matter what they say or do. One side is on a sinking boat and seems intent on blaming the other side for the boat sinking instead of saving themselves. 

To say it's an historic low point is an understatement. To say it's sad and pathetic is accurate. As I have said in previous posts leadership is critical. It's necessary. Even when one party has effective leadership and is making progress, if the other party is going down with the Titanic, we're all getting wet. We're all on the same boat. Some have the sense to get in the life boats instead of running around the decks of a sinking boat panicking... Come on, democrats, get it together...

#alGreen #trumpspeech  #pasrtisanpolitics  #trumpspeech

Trumps' Tariffs.Let's have a look...

Tonight is Trumps’ first speech in his second term. It’s not a State of the Union speech as he has only been in office two months. He has a couple of topics on which discussion is  widely anticipated, such as tariffs and immigration. But, Trump being Trump will bang his gong on just about everything he has touched. 

I have mixed feelings about his tariff philosophy, in general I dont expect it to be the miracle cure he touts it to be. Sometimes, actually often times I’m not sure Trump understands a lot of things. Through all the bluff and blunder he convinces a lot of people that he knows a lot more than he really does. Even though he concedes that there will be ‘a little pain’ initially with the tariffs, I think he is greatly underestimating the pain. He won’t feel it, but an awful lot of Americans will. On the other hand there is much potential and rationale for tariffs. America has long been taken advantage of by our trading partners. There is little doubt about that. For instance, China dumping cheap goods here for decades, including infrastructure critical goods such as steel. Forcing American suppliers to lower prices to the point of being nonprofitable. Which of course eliminates American jobs. So there are some very deserving targets for tariffs that should have been placed long ago. As for for tariffs across the board, I dont think so. Consider housing costs in the US right now. Slapping tariffs on Canadian lumber imports will only add to the costs of housing pushing them even further into the unaffordable range. Inflation is bad, unaffordable housing is terrible. During your campaign you touted ‘common sense’ Donald. Use it. 

I also agree that Trump is pushing the envelope on invoking legislative authority in the executive branch. There is a fine line here that is being stomped on. Our constitution is clear on maintaining separation of power. The power to enact laws rests purely with the legislative branch. Though allowances have been made which enable the president to enact laws on an emergency basis. These executive orders enacting the tariffs are possible through a law passed by Congress called the IEEPA (International Emergency Economic Powers Act). If not for IEEPA, tariffs could only be imposed by Congress. Are these tariffs necessary as an emergency action? That would be a difficult position to defend. Congress could override these executive orders, but at the risk of defying the president... At present it would be hard to find volunteers for that.

We are putting both executive and legislative power in one persons’ hands by allowing this. In the long run it could be beneficial for the country. Or, it may not. If the latter turns out to be the case, is Congress willing to take the bull by the horns, and take this specified legislative power away from the president? This is precisely what our framers feared, too much power in one persons’ hands. Checks and balances and separation of power...

#tariffs  #trumptariffs #executiveoverreach #constitutionalcrisis

The Oval Office Fiasco, Who's Fault was it?...

 Last Friday in the Oval Office, there was a televised meeting with Trump, Vance and Zelenskyy with the obvious presumption that there was going to be a 'deal' made. Trump prides himself on making deals. Thinks he's the best dealmaker in the history of the world. If you don't believe him, just ask him. This was purported to be a deal that would end the Ukraine-Russia war. In exchange for rights to rare-earth minerals in Ukraine, the US would get an agreement from Russia to end the war of aggression. The Ukrainian borders would not revert to pre-2022. The white elephant in the room, though it wasn't white at all from Zelenskyy's perspective, was security guarantees from the US. On this, Zelenskyy was insistent, his rationale being that Putin cant be trusted to honor a truce. The whole world knows this, why dont you Mr. President? JD Vance kept harping on how ungrateful Zelenskyy was, "You should be thanking the president." He actually has, JD. Many times. Sit down and shutup. 

The president then admonishes Zelenskyy by stating "You're messing with World War III." If what he was suggesting was that by obtaining security guarantees from the US and were Russia to renege on any truce and continue the invasion forcing the US to engage, then yes, World War III would be a definite possibility. Two nuclear superpowers, face to face. Do we really have that much skin in the game at this point? No. Should we? No. Who should? Europe. Continued aggression would bring Russia to another countrys' doorstep. Should the world assume that once Ukraine was part of Russia's domain they would be content to call it a day? Sure. And if you believe that I've got some oceanfront property in Arizona for you. 

So, who was out of line in the Oval Office on Friday? Trump was. By having some conversations with Putin and believing that they had some sort of 'bond' and believing that Putin would honor his word, Trump is entering the same Lala-land that Biden is hosting. Trump has a bevy of really smart people advising him, has the cat got their tongues? Shooting the shit with Putin and actually believing he will honor critically important obligations is akin to believing Kamala Harris would have been a great president. What evidence is there to support this? None. Not one iota, shred, speck, nothing. Go back as far as you wish, there is nothing. Russia is aligned with such rogues as Cuba, Venezuela, Iran, China, North Korea, Hamas, the world's premier bad actors. I really want to believe that Trump knows this and is simply 'playing along'. You know, keeping his cards close to his chest. If that's not the case, we're in big trouble. 

#trump. #jdvance  #putin  #ovalofficefiasco  #worldwarIII  #diplomacy

The Original Americans

I recently had an occasion to go with my wife to a tribal meeting of the Choctaw Indians in Houston. My wife is a 'card-carrying' tribal member. The tribal chief and his entourage tour every couple of years to major cities and areas where there are a large number of tribal members outside of the reservation. The main speaker was none other than the chief himself, Chief Gary Batton. The story of the Choctaws is especially interesting, as was their presentation last night. The role that American Indians play in modern society isn't well-known by most people. I have been researching the tribe for several years as I am currently writing a novel and many of the characters in the book are based on real-life people who were indeed real Choctaw Indians. The tribal meeting I attended gave me a little more first-hand insight into the people and their culture. 

First, a little history of the Choctaws. The Choctaw Nation is the third-largest Indian Nation in the United States. There are over 225,000 tribal members. They were the first tribe over the Trail of Tears from their original homeland in what is now Mississippi and Alabama to Indian Territory in southeast Oklahoma. Today, Choctaw people are enrolled in four federally recognized tribes; The Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians, Jena Band of Choctaw Indians in Louisiana, and the Yowani Choctaws enrolled under the Confederacy of the Caddo Nation. Choctaw descendants are also members of state-recognized tribes. One Choctaw origin story relates to pre-historic times when the Choctaw people lived in areas near or around what is now the Yucatan Peninsula. Technological advances (DNA)  have provided insights into the origins of indigenous peoples of North and South America that were completely unknown until the past couple of decades. 

The Choctaw Reservation refers to the land designated as the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma which is a federally recognized Native American reservation primarily located in southeastern Oklahoma, where the Choctaw tribe resides. The Choctaw Nation functions as a sovereign entity within the United States. The reservation is in fact a self-governing sovereign nation. Tribal sovereignty is the right and ability to govern themselves as a people. The Choctaws have been exercising sovereignty since the 1830's. Choctaw Nation has a tribal government including executive, legislative and judicial branches.  Through treaties established with the US as early as 1786, they are guaranteed certain rights and responsibilities to their land and their people.  Tribal members living within the boundaries of the reservation are subject to the laws and constitution of the Choctaw Nation. Yes, they actually have their own constitution. Any ruling of the judicial courts of the Choctaw Nation cannot be overruled by any court, including federal courts, in the United States with but one exception, The United States Supreme Court. They are not even subject to being overruled by federal district courts that have been interfering with the executive agenda of the President of the United States that we have been seeing recently. 

Choctaw culture has historical roots going back to the 16th century. The very rich culture of the Choctaws is expressed through rich traditions of song, dance, dress, beading, pottery, basketry, and stickball. It is so wonderful to experience how the Choctaw people maintain their ancient traditions in their personal and daily lives. The Choctaws sense of community and enterprise is a paradigm rarely seen in modern society. One of the greatest acts of caring, compassion and empathy occurred in 1847 when the Choctaws, who had only recently suffered the travesty of the Trail of Tears to what is now Oklahoma, took up donations of about $5,000 (in todays' dollars) to support the Irish during the Potato Famine. The Choctaws' donation was sent to the town of Midleton in County Cork, south of Dublin. Many years later, the people of Midleton learned the aid had come from a people who were themselves re-establishing their society and government after a long an painful migration. In 2018 Ireland's prime minister visited Choctaw Nation's headquarters to thank the Choctaws and establish continuing scholarships for Choctaw students to study in Ireland. It is a deeply meaningful relationship that still exists today and likely will forever. 

More than 90 years ago, 19 young Choctaw soldiers, who were not yet even American citizens, made a significant difference in the outcome of World War I. Through using their native language for communications on the battlefronts to confuse the enemy, the Germans were left clueless to Allied forces' messages. After World War I, in 1924, Congress granted citizenship to all Native Americans in part because of native enlistment during World War I and the efforts of those brave 19 young Choctaws. 

I am currently wrapping up work on my second novel which is set in Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma. Though it is fiction, it is set in a real location and based on real people, the Choctaws. From my research and experience, America and the world could learn a lot by looking to this nation within a nation. 

#choctawindians. #chatha  #originalamericans   #trailoftears   #nativeamericans  #historicalthriller   #novelintheworks

May God Bless Paul Simon.

 Paul Simon's self-titled solo album was released in January 1972, the same year I graduated from high school. During my college years, with fond memories I recall listening to Paul Simon's music. During the preceding ten years, Simon and Garfunkel was a staple, not only for high schoolers but for people of all ages. "Sounds of Silence", "Mrs. Robinson", "The Boxer", songs that are instantly recognizable, even some fifty odd years later. Their final album, as a duo, "Bridge over Troubled Water" in 1970 is among the best selling albums of all time. Paul Simon has been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice, and is the recipient of 16 Grammy Awards, three for album of the year. Two of his works, "Sounds of Silence" and "Graceland" were inducted into the National Recording Registry for their cultural significance and in 2007 the Library of Congress voted him the inaugural winner of the Gershwin Prize for Popular Song. 

There are many great musical artists that have produced iconic works appreciated and enjoyed the world over. But few have produced works that became a part of the culture of their time. Paul Simon is undoubtedly one of those artists. In 2018, Simon announced that he was retiring from touring. In a social media post, he wrote, "I feel the travel and time away from my wife and family takes a toll that detracts from the joy of playing, adding "it feels a little unsettling, a touch exhilarating, and something of a relief." In May 2023, Simon revealed that most of the hearing in his left ear was gone. Now 83 years old, he is returning to the stage for a special tour, called "A Quiet Celebration Tour." He will be performing in intimate venues where the acoustics are optimal in consideration of the hearing loss he has incurred over the last few years. "A Quiet Celebration Tour" will kickoff in New Orleans on April 4 and travel throughout North America, in addition to performances in Canada. The tour will conclude in Seattle in August. 

"Quite suddenly I lost most of the hearing in my left ear, and nobody has an explanation for it. So everything became more difficult. My reaction was frustration and annoyance; not quite anger yet, because I thought it would pass, it would repair itself." It hasn't repaired itself, nor will it. I, personally have lost most of the hearing in both my ears. Yes, it is definitely annoying. Along with a lot more emotions. It hurts, because you know your life will never be the same. You can no longer engage with others the way you once did. At the time Simon was experiencing hearing loss he was also recovering from a bout of Covid. "Boy, have I been beaten up these last couple of years," he says.

I hear you, Paul, no pun intended. I started losing my hearing about fifteen years ago. As it started to become obvious, my first feeling was denial. This can't be happening, it can't be real. It happens gradually, in the beginning it seems innocuous. At some point, reality becomes very difficult to deny. It was real. It was very hard. All the beautiful things you were used to hearing in life suddenly were difficult to hear or they simply weren't there anymore. It becomes a constant struggle. Simple conversations, the nuances of music... I also succumbed to the ravage of Covid. I spent two weeks in an emergency room, surviving by the skin of my teeth. To say it gives a new perspective on appreciating life is an understatement. 

Not in quite the same way, but music was a huge part of my life as well. I was in the high school band, I was a drummer, and music became an underpinning of my life. It provided the distraction, the support, the inspiration to be happy. And it worked for me. Probably, just like it did for you. 

Losing your hearing doesn't get any better. If anything it only gets worse. If anything, you're lucky this travesty waited until the age of  80 to strike. For me it began much earlier.  Life forces us to make allowances, to compensate, though living without hearing, or limited hearing is especially difficult. Hearing aids help for many, but it's not the same as having your hearing, It'll never be the same again. We just have to do the best we can with what we have. Deciding to do your "A Quiet Celebration Tour" is a testament to your resilience. You were given a wonderful gift that we are so very grateful that you have shared with us. And despite the circumstances that life has thrown your way, you're still sharing. Thanks Paul... All the best to you, and Godspeed.

#PaulSimon. #AQuietCelebrationTour. #AmericanMusic. #RockandRoll. #Losingyourhearing

The Green Light Law.

 During the Biden administration New York enacted a law called "The Green Light Law" which allows undocumented aliens to apply for driver's licenses without providing a Social Security number. The US Attorney General has recently announced that the DOJ is suing New York over immigration enforcement. The Green Light law bars state authorities from sharing Department of Motor Vehicles information like addresses, vehicle registrations, and ID photos with federal authorities. The Green Light Law also requires New York's DMV Commissioner to tip off any illegal alien when a federal immigration agency had requested his or her information. Kind of smells like the same stench coming from the leaks concerning upcoming ICE raids... The only difference being this is a New York law. Sounds like something from a cheap novel, but it's not. It's real. 

This violates, according to the DOJ suit, the constitution's Supremacy clause. The supremacy clause says "The constitution and the laws of the United States which shall be made in pursuance thereof; and all treaties made, or which shall be made, under the authority of the United States, shall be the supreme law of the land; and the judges in every state shall be bound thereby, anything in the Constitution or laws of any state notwithstanding. The core message of the Supremacy Clause is the Constitution and federal laws take priority over any conflicting rules of state law. 

If the issue of federal judges issuing rulings and injections overruling  executive orders, of which there have many of late, continues, which it will, the matter will surely go to the Supreme Court. The Supremacy Clause appears to be the kryptonite that will shut this ridiculous white noise down. As it should be. There are other states with similar measures which interfere with and obstruct the work of cleaning up the illegal immigration issues and deporting illegal immigrants with criminal records. With a ruling for the Supreme Court that communities to these recalcitrant rogue states that your state laws are all fine and good, but the Supremacy Clause renders them irrelevant. So stand down, or face the consequences...

#supremacyclause. #greenlightlaw.  #trump. #supremecourt. #politico

A Constitutional Crisis?...

 Are we having a constitutional crisis in the US? Yes, as a matter of fact we are. It's in the incipient stages and there's more to come. Much more. The experts are weighing in and the opinions as usual, are divided. I love experts, except when they're wrong, and they often are. 

Since Trump took office about three weeks ago, democrats have been running around like chickens in a barnyard clucking "constitutional crisis, constitutional crisis...". I'm not exactly sure what they think Trump is doing that is a constitutional crisis (I don't think they're sure either...) but I'm willing to bet that as usual, it's whatever he's doing is somehow a constitutional crisis. Cutting off funding to advance DEI in Serbia's workplaces and business communities, a DEI musical in Ireland?... A transgender opera in Columbia, a transgender comic book in Peru, LGBT activism in Guatemala?... A $6 million agreement to fund tourism in Egypt? And as you might expect, this is but the tip of the old iceberg. How about let's just call a spade a spade, the American taxpayer has been embezzled and played for a fool by the liberals for far too long. It seems now, cutting off funding for this bullshit is a constitutional crisis. 

What I've described above is not a constitutional crisis by any stretch. All that is simply the democrats disabusing themselves of common sense. If we expect that to stop then we are guilty of the same. But we do have one (a real honest-to-goodness constitutional crisis) popping its head above the horizon like the morning sun. It consists of filing lawsuits for injunctions to halt executive orders in federal district courts (invariably in solidly liberal districts). For whatever reason it has come to bear, legally or not, that federal district judges have the authority to tell the President what he can and cant do and whom he can appoint to do certain tasks. The President was elected by the people, federal district court judges weren't elected by anyone. Yet presumably they can impose, even force their opinion and will on an elected US president? Why don't we simply move all these little Napoleon-complex addled bastards into the White House and not bother with electing a president? Does anyone else smell the stench of the continuation of lawfare? 

This particular 'constitutional crisis' was kicked off by Letitia James (remember her?...) and 16 other attorney generals of blue states in an attempt to stop Elon Musk's DOGE from reviewing whom the government pays. The injunction put in place by Judge Paul Engelmayer of the Southern District of New York issued the order without even letting the defendants respond. So much for the liberals cackling the virtue of being held to the rule of law. The true purpose of the lawsuit is to prevent DOGE from informing the president, the Treasury Secretary, and the voters about who receives the public's money as a result of executive agency decisions. There are indeed resounding constitutional issues with hiding from the president and the voters where government agencies are spending taxpayer money. 

All this begs the question, how and if the executive branch is bound to submit to the decisions of these lower courts. This is not the first time this issue has arisen in history. However, no president has ever directly challenged the obedience of the executive branch to the courts. The notion that courts can order literally anything on whatever basis they might fabricate and the two elected branches have no recourse is a monumental problem. Something equal to the severity of the issue when Commander Jack Swigert on Apollo 13 said to ground control in 1970, "Houston, we have a problem here...".  Arguably, the executive branch would be derelict of duty in allowing executive powers to be simply taken over by a rogue and biased district judge. Attempting to usurp the president's power by merely inquiring what the executive departments are doing is preposterous and absurd. Indeed, to order the president to cease and desist executive action and even to immediately destroy evidence as Judge Engelmayer did... sounds tantamount to subversion to me... Yes, this is a constitutional crisis and the court needs to step in. But so far, it has been the wrong court. 

#constitutionalcrisis. #DOGE. #JudgeEngelmayer. #districtcourtjudges