Election Results - Workers Get the Shaft

Clinton 68 years old

Trump 70 years p;d

One of these people will become our next president. On inauguration day, she will be 69, and he will be 70. (Reagan was 69 when inaugurated the first time). Not that age matters. Many people grow and learn new ideas in their 70's, and there are not any diseases that affect the elderly.

Passions are running exceptionally high among many voters. The rest of us are damn near ready to flip a coin. Fanatics demand that others vote 'their' way, instead of being open to more than one point of view. The candidates?

Trump and the Clintons shared drinks, dinners, and views. Trump donated to her Senate campaign and the Clinton Foundation. Until his run for the presidency, he espoused so many liberal views that there was speculation that he was only running to help Hillary. Recently, Trump was asked if he won, would he simply resign. He said, "we will see."

Hillary and Trump are both so egocentric that they should understand each-other perfectly. Either will crush anyone that gets in their way. Hillary did not stand by her man as the constant parade of bimbos climbed into Bill’s bed. She stood by her ‘power’. She would step on Bill in a heartbeat if it gave her more power.

Either could win.

This election is not about the candidates (although many fear that Trump is insane and Hillary lies so much that she really believes some of her lies and is angered when we do not). This election is about beliefs, dreams, and desires. This election is about fear, distrust, and blame. This election is about emotions and not about candidates.

Will Trump push the button? Will Hillary allow us to be overrun with Muslims, terrorists, and Mexicans? Will American jobs return? Will we go to war?

What will happen in Congress? Will our nation be completely dead-locked with no changes? Most of what the candidates propose requires Congress to act and/or the Supreme Court to remain silent. Regardless of who moves into 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, Supreme Court Justices will continue to surprise us. Supposed liberals have voted for conservative views, and supposed conservatives have agreed with liberal judges. Maybe nothing changes.

Whatever happens and whoever wins, America will continue to be a divided nation. Neither side will be powerless. Meanwhile, the rich will get richer, and the worker will continue to pay the bills.

To Be(lieve) or not To Be(Lieve)

Believability is, like everything else in this election cycle; it is turned upside down. 

Clinton’s lack of trustworthiness throws everything she says and promises into question. She desperately wants us to believe.

Trumps problem, at least with Independents and the undecided, is that they don’t want to believe him, especially at his worst. Who wants to believe that Mexicans coming to America are rapists, drug-dealers, and killers?

Both candidates chose their running mates in the hope that their honesty and views are what we will trust. Both candidates would have us ‘believe’ that the presidency shares power with the vice-president. The VP only has one constitutional job and that is to continue to breathe. The VP awakes each morning and asks, “Is the president still alive?” and has no other constitutional duty. The president can choose to engage with the VP and can choose to totally ignore and not even speak with the VP.

So we are back to the candidates.

Trump is so bizarre that he claims not to know if he will simply resign after being elected! Is this part of the effort to have us ignore all of his other bizarre statements and hope that he does resign? Who knows?

Clinton is such a liar that we wonder if she even knows the truth. Does she believe that because she believes her lies that we also believe her?

Both candidates are working hard to convince us that the other choice is even worse than they are as they continue the race to the bottom. 

Believe it or not.

Black Lives Matter

It seems so obvious, yet it seldom seems to occur.

BEFORE commenting about Black Lives Matter (BLM), read their website and watch their television presentations.

Imagine commenting about changes that are needed in our immigration laws without every reading a summary of those laws. Oops, that happens every day, too.  O.K., imagine critiquing a movie without having seeing the movie. Maybe that is a safer comparison.

I was fortunate. While channel surfing (because men never want to know what is on TV. We only want to know WHAT ELSE is on TV) I caught an episode of Black Lives Matter that explained the history of racism in the USA that resulted in many people feeling that Black lives do not matter to most Americans. I said that I was fortunate because the episodes that focused on police shootings turned me off. Maybe I am too sensitive after a 35-year law enforcement carrier or perhaps I am too knowledgeable of police procedures regarding officer safety and why these procedures exist. In any event, I was blessed to watch an episode that did not focus solely on police shootings.

The episode I watched taught me some things that I did not know. Although I am always reading a new historical novel or study, there is a lot I did not know or consider. It is easy, maybe too easy, to simply blame Black people for their problems. Education is a good example. My knee-jerk response to the problems at schools serving the Black ghettos is that they are filled with violent Black children who lack manners, respect and have little desire to be educated because of their upbringing. However, BLM pointed out things that I knew, but unconsciously blocked out.

Most inner-city schools serving Black children are run down, poorly equipped and staffed by many teachers that would prefer teaching anywhere else. The most experienced teachers typically do not want to drive into a ghetto and teach at these schools. A small percentage of Blacks are violent drug dealers, however it only takes a small percentage to create a cauldron of violence and fear. Police are pressured by the community to do something, but when we stop and frisk people on known drug corners, we appear to be harassing people that are just standing on the corner. Most often, we find no drugs or guns. The look-outs alert the dealers before we jump out of our cars. It seems that every person that every got so much as a parking ticket gathers to watch and shout at us. Often this leads to arrests like public intoxication and disorderly conduct, fueling more anger. Remember, the people want the violent drug dealers, the robbers, the thieves arrested and we are arresting people for petty crimes because we are frustrated and angry.

A good parent living in the ghetto does not have much of a chance in raising their children to respect police, teachers or appreciate the opportunities in America. Entire generations only know welfare and what the government provides. They often see two choices. White people and any people whose parents are successful, have great opportunities to invest in the market, become educated, and to be employed in a good job, with opportunities to advance. Black people living in the ghetto can fight the odds and try to become educated and find a good job or they can accept the cards they are dealt and take what the government provides.

In White America we invest in the Stock Market.
In Black America we search for a grocery market, even one that over-charges.

Non of this is simple.

I have no problem with BLM.
If you have an opinion about BLM at least give voice to an informed opinion an explore the website and television series with an open mind. Put aside pre-conceived notions and do not search for things that validate your uninformed opinion. Instead, really understand.