You Could Be A Politician

With apologies to Jeff Foxworthy, here is how you can tell if you've
got what it takes to be a politician.

If you believe the best way to protect freedom of speech is to shut up
all those who disagree with you, you could be a politician.

If you believe that the best government comes from the top down, you
could be a politician.

If you believe it helps the working American to take up to over half of
their earnings in Federal income taxes, State income taxes, FICA taxes,
medicare taxes, property taxes, sales taxes, car registration fees, etc., etc.,
etc., away from their families, so that you can decide who needs that money
more than their families do, you could be a politician.

If you believe the ends justify the means, you could be a politician.

If you believe words are best used to hide your intentions, you could be
a politician.

If you believe that voters think that being for a "comprehensive solution"
to a problem is anything more than telling them that, (1) not only are you not
going to do anything about the problem, but (2) you're giving them the
finger as well, then you've got what it takes to be a politician.

If you believe in "social justice" more than in individual rights under the
law, you could be a politician.

If you believe in "Rules for Radicals" over the Golden Rule, you're well
on your way to becoming a politician.

If you believe that winning elections is more important than personal
integrity, you could be a politician.

If you think that its a good idea to overtax at the federal level in order to
get money you can use to "give" back to the states, in order to gain control
over the states, you're well on your way to becoming a politician.

If you don't believe in Religion, but you believe government should enforce
morality, you could be a politician.

If you believe in your heart of hearts that an elite, much more intelligent,
educated population has the right to decide how the rest of the population
should live, even while publicly proclaiming your love for "working-class
Americans" and individual freedoms, you've shown enough capacity for
hypocrisy to qualify as a politician any time now.

If your mouth says you represent the everyday people of America, but your
hands spend all their time in the pockets of lobbyists and on the asses of
your constituents, you already are a politician.

If you have more in common with the political rivals across the aisle that
you "fight" with, than you have in common with the voters you are supposed
to represent, you qualify for the proud title of capital "P" Politician.  

The Power of Forgiveness

History can be viewed as one long, bitter battle.  Thousands of
years of personal battles, ethnic wars, religious wars, political
wars.  Thousands of years of atrocities, genocides, and ethnic
cleansings.

And pretty much no country, no religion, or no ethnicity has
been exempt from inflicting these horrors on others, and from
being on the receiving end of such atrocities.

Whatever your race, religion, or nationality, rest assured your
ancestors suffered greatly themselves and inflicted great suffering
on others.  That's the way the world was, and that's the way the
world still is.

While you may not be proud of some things your ancestors did in
the past, you must also look at why they did what they did, and how
the actions turned out over a longer period of time. . .and judge
the actions that oppressed your ancestors by how they turned out
over time as well.

None of us are our ancestors.  We are individuals, free to learn from
the past, and free to change ourselves and the world.

But we can't change if we can't forgive that which happened in the past.

If we can't release our guilt over what our ancestors did, even though we
played no part in it, we can never understand and be happy in the present.

If we can't release our hate over what happened to our ancestors in the
past, even though we can never get even with the ones who caused the
pain, we're bound to live in bitterness in the present.

We cannot change what happened in the past.  We can only try to
understand it, learn from it, forgive it, and try to improve the future
from our knowledge of the past.

Today, in our world, there are still religious fundamentalists determined
to kill or conquer other sects or religions based on centuries old slights,
grudges, defeats, and atrocities, and in the single-minded quest to install
their religion as the one, true Religion.  There are still political despots
whose goal is still to control and take over other people and other countries.

If we can't forgive the past and learn from its lessons how to recognize
the true dangers of our time, we are going to face some very dark times
again in the future.

We must recognize that we are not our ancestors.  We are more than our
ethnicity or our nationality or our religion.  We are individuals.  We are
individuals lucky enough to be born in a country that values our
individuality and our individual rights.

For all its faults, our country is still the beacon of freedom to a world
that is suffocating in despotism.  Learn to forgive a history that is less
than perfection, and continue to evolve toward a more perfect union.

Learn to appreciate what you've got before you lose it.

The Problem With History

History is a bitch.  It would seem to be an easy matter to go back in
time, study what happened and why it happened, and learn lessons
to help us with future decisions.  "Those who don't learn the lessons
of the past are bound to repeat the mistakes in the future".  If only it
were that easy.

The problem is that history is pretty tricky.  For everyone who gains
from an event, there is someone who loses from that same event.  For
every intended action there are unintended consequences.  There can
never be a change in society without someone winning and someone
losing.

If you teach history from the perspective of those who lost something
and do not compare those results to the perspective of what was gained,
you are not teaching history...you are advocating your personal opinion.

For example, it is true Christopher Columbus unintentionally brought
diseases that decimated the Indian population when he arrived here.  That
was bad for the Indians.  He also unwittingly opened up a pathway that
eventually brought outcasts from England here, and caused a lot of suffering
for those early immigrants.

But in the end, all that suffering finally led to the birth of the Constitution
of the United States, and the institution of the freedoms that we all enjoy
today...freedoms that did not exist in the times of Columbus, and freedoms
that would arguably never have existed without the discovery of America.

If a college professor is going to damn him for decimating the Indian
population, shouldn't he also be given credit for opening the door to
modern day America?  True, he didn't know what America was going
to turn out to be, but he didn't know about the diseases either.

Or, if a college professor is going to denigrate America for the practice
of slavery, and for endemic racism and white supremacy up to current
times, shouldn't they also compare that against all the changes that have
been instituted since the times of slavery.

According to the Civil War Trust, the number of "killed, wounded, captured,
or missing" was 490,309 soldiers from the South and 596,670 from the
North.  I'm assuming that all of the 490,000 soldiers from the South were
white, and predominately all of the 596,000 soldiers from the North were
white.

Have 596,000 white soldiers fought and died to free slaves anywhere in
the world before?  Or after?  How about the millions of blacks who have
persisted over the years, carrying on despite facing real, overt, institutionalized
racism?  Blacks and whites together fought to make today a better day.

Would anyone argue that today black lives are not better off than during the
periods of slavery and institutionalized racism?  How many black students
in college now really feel their lives are not infinitely better than in the
old days?  Or are they being taught that there is still no hope for them
because things are still not much different from the old days.

Yes, there are still white racists, but they are in a small minority of white
people.  Yes, there is still discrimination, but more and more fields
are open to black Americans than ever before.  The history of America
is that of evolution, and today is much different from yesterday.

My point regarding these examples is that if history is not told in perspective,
it tends to foster resentment and hate over the injustices that happened in the
past, and does not encourage the students to appreciate the opportunities in
life before them.  Without perspective, one will never realize how bad things
were, how much suffering was borne by those who changed things, and how
grateful they should be that others carried that load for them.

The purpose of studying history should be to learn from the past and continue
to improve on it;  not to breed and instill racial, ethnic, or gender resentments
in order to stoke and inflame identity politics.

Whatever Happened to John Wayne?

I've always believed it's better to be a good listener than a fast talker, and
it's always better to speak up when you can add something important to
the conversation, not just to take over the conversation.

My idea of a perfect day is to sit in a boat with a friend listening to the wind,
the birds, the sound of the water lapping against the side of the boat, talking
a little bit, catching a few fish, and watching the clouds go by.  Actually,
I don't even need to catch any fish.

Whenever possible, I like to "live and let live", and it seems to me that motto
always summed up the point of our Country and our Constitution.

So how did we get where we are today?  From the time we get up until the
time we go to bed, we're told what to think, what to eat, how to dress,
what's important and what isn't, who to vote for, what's in and what's out,
what to do to save the environment, what to say and how to behave...in other
words, what to do if we know what's good for us.

Have we reached that tipping point where we need experts to tell us all how
to live our lives?  Are there that many people that feel they need gurus to
run their lives?  Or are there just too many gurus who want to run people's
lives?

When did education morph from teaching students how to think, to teaching
students what to think and what to do?

What cataclysmic event fused the educational establishment, most of our
politicians, special interest groups, big business, and the media into a mighty
conglomeration of holy rollers...dedicated to preaching to the heathens until
we all see the light?  Why should we begrudge them if they get richer as we
get poorer, as long as they get us to Heaven?  Sing Hallelujah!

When did the government make that ever-so-subtle shift from giving its
citizens the best information available to make correct decisions
for themselves, to forcing decisions upon them.  I've been around long
enough to have seen that the "best information available" doesn't always
stay the correct information, and that good intentions of governments
don't always provide good results.

Over the years, our government has moved further and further away from
the Anarchist end of the pendulum to the "Nanny State" end.  It's time to
swing back and find that sweet spot more in the middle, before individual
freedom drowns under a sea of good intentions and an army of elitist,
hypocritical, politicians.

Trump Got It Right

I don't like Nazis much, nor do I like the KKK or any other bigoted and
racist groups.  I don't like Communists or Socialists much either (actually
the original Nazis were Socialists).

To be truthful, I really hate these kind of groups because they are
responsible for so much suffering to so many millions of people over the
last few decades.

But, what sets a free country apart from a government run by these types
of despots is the freedom of all of our citizens to speak and demonstrate
peacefully, regardless of how offensive our speech may be.  Whatever
happened to "I may disagree with what you have to say, but I'll defend
with my life your right to say it"?

To the best of my knowledge, the white supremacists had a permit to
march and speak in Charlottesville.  I believe they were marching, but
were not rioting, looting, or burning stores.  I think they were probably
within their rights, before the fighting started.

I don't know if the counter demonstrators had a permit to be there, but,
even if they didn't, in a case where there are pro and con demonstrators,
the police usually keep them apart to avoid confrontations.  I don't know
why that didn't happen in Charlottesville.

I do know the counter demonstrators came loaded for bear, with baseball
bats and other weapons...not exactly the normal debate preparations.

What normally would have been a small demonstration by a bunch of
losers, ignored by the national media and discounted by the public at
large, was turned from a nothing burger into a major confrontation.

The whole situation seems to be a setup to create a flashpoint incident
for a television ratings windfall and a political shit storm.  I don't know if
the white supremacists were willing participants in the charade, or if they
were just too dumb to realize they were being played.

But what really bothers me is the political aftermath following this
ridiculous and brutal incident.  Politicians far and wide placed the blame
on the original marchers for claiming their rights to free speech and
peacefully marching.

Republicans and Democrats were all "against racism".  Business
leaders wanted out of the White House.  What a brave stand these political
icons and business titans took...we're ALL against racism...99.9% of America
is against racism.  Most of the ones for racism were marching in the demonstration.

Our leaders missed the point.  Almost none of them took a stand protecting the
right of freedom of speech in our country.  The danger of KKK racists taking over
the country is zilch.  The danger of political zealots shutting down free speech
is getting greater and greater.

When opposition political zealots (or paid thugs) can shut down a political
opponent, even an unpopular one, we all lose a little freedom.  When political
operators can gain political advantage by rioting in the streets (and not be arrested
and jailed), we all lose political freedom.  Our freedoms are fragile.  Our rights are
not guaranteed, if our leaders don't secure them.

Until I listened to and saw the reaction of so many of our political and
business leaders to Charlottesville, I never realized how many of them
just don't get it...and I never before felt so worried that our leaders could
be so blind, so crass, so weak, and so wrong.

President Trump, even if no other politician sees it, you, and the American
Civil Liberties Union, were almost the only adults in the room on this.  Stand
tall, apply the same standards to both sides, and all freedom-loving
Americans will have your back.  History will treat you well.

Charles Krauthammer, Ye've Been in Washington Too Long

I've always enjoyed reading Charles Krauthammer's opinions.  Most
of the time, I agree with him...and even if I don't agree with him, I can
appreciate his reasoning and logic.  He's a good man.

But his recent column regarding Donald Trump's "taunting" and
"vindictiveness" attacking Jeff Sessions got way off the point.

Yes, maybe Donald Trump meets your professional definition of
a man with "a psychological need to display dominance".  Then again,
a layman might look at such behavior as "getting after a bunch of swollen
egos to keep them in line".

But your opinion of Trump is not what bothers me...what bothers me is
your opinion of America.

You seem to feel that it is un-American to expect our politicians to live
up to a code of ethics that the rest of us are expected to maintain.  Somehow,
it's improper or unseemly to expect them to live up to the rules the rest of
us live by.

Instead, would you prefer Alinski's "Rules For Radicals" apply for politicians?
Lie if you can get away with it.  The ends justify the means.  Deny!  Deny!  Deny!

Your argument that "we don't lock up political adversaries in America.
They do that in Turkey.  They do it (and worse) in Russia" conflates political
opinions with criminal actions.  We actually do prosecute criminals in the
United States, not political adversaries.

Your example of Ford pardoning Nixon is not exactly correct.  Nixon did not
serve jail time, but he was forced to resign the Presidency and was embarrassed
and reviled throughout the country and the world.  That's pretty rough
punishment.  I think maybe he learned his lesson, but other politicians have not.

In banana republics, they do lock up political adversaries.  In banana republics,
political leaders can be corrupt, steal, take kick-backs, throw opponents in jail,
and pretty much do whatever they want.

In a banana republic, a politician could authorize sending uranium to a rival country
and receive $140,000,000.00 in kick-backs to their foundation, plus hundreds of
thousands of dollars in speaking fees and get away with it.  In a banana republic
a politician could flout security regulations, delete e-mails, destroy computers, smart
phones, and evidence and get away with it.  UNTIL the new leader comes in
and puts them in jail or worse.

In the United States, the new leader comes in and the old leaders CAN'T be held
accountable for violating the law, because it's too traumatic for the political elite
in Washington.  It's better to be a corrupt politician in Washington than in a banana
republic.  It's the topsy-turvy world of the Washington elites.

With the Washington logic, it's better to pretend we didn't have a problem and
let them get away with it than it is to show the world we have sleazy politicians,
just like the rest of the world does.  When we should be making examples out
of them, we make icons out of them.  It's the worst of both worlds.

In the heartland, Americans still believe we're the home of the free and the land
of the brave.  In the heartland, we still believe we should all be equal under the
law.  It may be schmaltzy, but it's still true.

And nothing, NOTHING, shows the fault line between Washington and mainstream
Americans as starkly as the reverence with which Washington elites defer on
big-time politicians.  Come on, Charles, if we don't hold our leaders accountable
for their bad behavior, we're only encouraging more sleazy behavior.  We've
already got more than enough greedy, self-serving politicians.  Perhaps a little
fear would improve their conduct.

Our children were taught in school (is it still taught in school?) that in America
there is a rule of law and nobody is above the law...and that concept is one of the
things that makes America exceptional.  That concept is one that binds us all
together as citizens of a united country.

I don't think anyone teaches that our country is exceptional because we make
better use of situational ethics...or that we make better use of "get out of jail free"
cards for politicians who game the system to get rich.

So why shouldn't our country live up to the values we teach our children and
espouse to the rest of the world?  Why shouldn't we investigate and prosecute,
if enough evidence is available, at least the most outrageous and obvious examples
of illegal behavior?  Why should politicians never fear paying a price for their bad
conduct?

Our country's honor should never be held hostage to a politician who is "too big to fail".

True Bigots, Fascists, and Extremists

You don't know what nationality I am, but let's assume I'm Norwegian.
Let's also assume that there's a derogatory term "Nork" that bigots
use to refer to Norwegians.

You do know, from my writings, that I'm a Christian, but you don't
know what denomination (if any) that I belong to.

And, because we live in a Democratic Republic that enshrines Freedom
of Speech, you are entitled to call me a "Nork" and disparage my
Religion if you wish.  Yes, it is true that free speech applies to bigots,
even though you might never know that on a college campus today.

Of course, using that free speech might result in an altercation (or a
punch in the nose), but those are some of the consequences of using
free speech carelessly.  Also, it's true that your ignorance and
close-mindedness can be exposed by your words.  Others can see
into your heart through your words. 

In the old days, some of the bad consequences of free speech were
mitigated by learning to "live and let live", and that "sticks and
stones may break my bones, but names will never harm me".
True, these have become banalities, but they are still pretty good
words to live by.

What you are NOT entitled to do in a Democratic Republic is
interfere with my right to speak, or to practice my Religion, or go
about my daily business because you feel your rights are greater
than my rights, or your cause is greater than my rights.

Peaceful demonstrations and protests are protected forms of free
speech.  Riots, disruptions of public streets and airports,
property damage and burning, and public intimidation, are not.

One of the great ironies of life is watching mindless violent protests
in the streets of Berkeley and other cities being described as being
birthed by the "Free Speech Movement at Berkeley".

Such anarchy and violent movements have much more in common with
with the bigoted lynchings by racists in the Old South, and by the Brown
Shirts of the National Socialist Party in Germany than they do with free speech.

How can you watch people shout others down in the name of "free
speech"?  How can you listen to the hate and venom sprout from the
mouths of those preaching "peace, love, and tolerance" without noticing
the stunning hypocrisy?

The contradiction is stark.  Closed minds and hearts are revealed by words
and deeds.  

If they are right...if President Trump is indeed the fascist and racist they
portray, time will reveal him and they will be proven right.  Ideas win
fights...posturing and tantrums never will. 

Shaming and bullying those who voted for a candidate you didn't
care for will never earn you votes.  It will only shame you and your
cause. 

The Constitution and the country will survive.