Tag Archives: America

American Politics, Current events, Epstein files, Trump

The New McCarthyism

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In 1905 George Santayana wrote “Those who cannot remember history are condemned to repeat it.” Today western society is on the verge of imploding because we cannot remember the past. Politicians and news outlets, on both sides of the aisle, have reverted to using supposition and innuendo to libel anyone who does not agree with their political ideology.

While there are many examples in history that should tell us of the danger the most effective is to go back to the McCarthy era. While McCarthy used the red scare tactic, calling out people as Communist the new McCarthy’s are calling out those who disagree with them Nazis or Homophobes or Islamophobes etc. The reason is the same and the results are the same. Paint your opposition as dangerous and then ruin them personally. 

In the past, the House Committee on Un-American Activities was responsible for promoting witch hunts, but now similar behaviors are seen in various Congressional hearings and through political influence over government departments such as the Justice Department and the FBI.   The press has also joined in with inuendo and sometimes outright lies.

We can go back and look at the January 6 committee that had already concluded its findings before even the first hearings. Some will say there is no proof of this and that it was a fair hearing that collected strong evidence. However, the committee destroyed the evidence.   The constant calling Trump a liar and a pedophile with noting to back it up. Although efforts are being made to release the Epstein files—whatever they may contain—Trump faces allegations of being associated with Epstein, despite substantial evidence suggesting otherwise.    A recent photo dump from Democrat lawmakers from the House Oversight Committee show one of Trump surrounded by women with there faces redacted implying, as the photo was from the Epstein estate, that Trump was in fact part of the trafficking. Although the photo was revealed to be an old image of adult models at Mar-a-Lago, it continued to circulate online as supposed evidence.  Even though similar photos have been exposed as photoshopped, they continue to surface as alleged evidence.   

Representative Jasmine Crockett did a deep dive on contribution by Jeffery Eptsein to prove he was still part of the Trump team. She showed money coming from Epstein to republican candidate such as Lee Zelden, only it was the wrong Epstein.  When confronted she said that her staff did quick research, and they never said it was that Epstein but an Epstein.

This all tracks with the concept of “McCarthyism”, the truth does not matter just the accusation.

McCarthyism and the Red Scare put the country in a dark place and runed lives. We appear to be returning to this time with the left using anything to attack the right. This has once again put the country in a dark place. There is no true governance that does not include an attack on the other side. Effecting politicians ignore any positive coming from the right and in fact will automatically reject any proposals that do not meet their agenda. This needs to stop quickly or we will lose our society.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   

Russia, Trump, Ukraine, Uncategorized

What the Hell is Going on with Ukraine

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Last month the Trump administration put forth a 28-point plan to end the war in Ukraine. The plan at first glance looked like a complete capitulation to Russia. A second and third glance does not make the plan look any better. It calls for a reduction of the Ukraine military, a promise to not attack Russia or try to reclaim lost territory and blocking Ukraine from ever becoming a NATO member. The rest of the plan is much the same, Ukraine gives and Russia takes. While Ukraine was not a party to this they have agreed to the concept. Trump being more of a businessman then a politician sees this plan as an opening of a negotiation and has said it is not his final offer. What does that mean?

While any analysis must begin with the assumption that it means exactly what it says and that it must be taken as a final offer. As a former intelligence analyst I must assume at some point the position of a red team or devil’s advocate. In this position I will look at as many alternative reasons as possible.

From the beginning it had to have been known that this proposal was totally unacceptable to Ukraine. It gives Russia everything it wanted with nothing in return for Ukraine. But what about the other parties that must be considered, especially Europe.

Trump for years has chastised Europe for its lack of decisive action on anything. The EU and its member nations have supported Ukraine by backing the U.S. and suppling arms. With this proposal European security is threatened as this gives yet another win to Russia along with its victory over Georgia and the recognition of independent Abkhazia and South Ossetia, which are in fact vassal states to Russia. Then there was the Russia annexation of Crimea, support to Syria and interference in Africa, among others.

The first alternative analysis therefore is that the proposal was designed to force Europe to step up and be more committed to the defense of Ukraine and to take responsibility for its neighborhood.

While it was assumed that Ukraine would outright reject the proposal there appears to be some backdoor negotiations that have allowed them to accept with the provision it was not final as Trump had said. While Russia should have accepted without hesitation there appear to be some aspects that have made them hesitate to accept. It maybe that while it calls for provisions in Ukrainian law that they will never join NATO there is an opening for them to become full members of the European Union which does carry some mutual defense provisions. The true aim of the Russian invasion was to take full control of Ukraine membership in the EU would be a strong block.

The second alternative analysis is that it would be rejected by Russia and therefore open the door for a stronger U.S. and European presence in Ukraine and block Russia both militarily and economically. It would also allow Europe to release frozen Russian assets to Ukraine.

To make it clear I have no direct knowledge of these negotiations and the observations are made based on years of analysis and a study of history. I also read art of the deal and the follow on books that give me some insight into Trumps thinking.

Afghanistan, Current events, Uncategorized

Why Did He Do It?

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After Rahmanullah Lakanwal shot two National Guard troops, killing one the press and others are on the usual trail of looking for a motive. Many are asking why he was allowed into the country without being vetted, others say he was vetted and worked for the CIA. How could a person who was supposedly an ally and who worked closely with Americans in Afghanistan have suddenly become a cold-blooded killer?

There has been much speculation on this with law enforcement saying they are still looking into a motive. So let me throw in my two cents worth.

America is a very open and welcoming country, but it does have its own culture similar to many western countries but distinct. While it is similar enough to many other cultures it is also different from others. The difference is enough to cause culture shock to those who have not been prepared.

We should concentrate on preparing new immigrants beforehand. Smauel Huntington in The Clash of Civilizations spoke of this with the story of the country boy who went to the city and found the only thing familiar was the Mosque. Without any contact with his old life, he was easily radicalized. This or something similar is likely what happened to Lakanwal.

 There is nothing racist or nationalistic about observing the difference in culture, but it is necessary to ensure safety for all concerned. There was an article out today about an honor killing in the Netherlands in 2022, were a father and brothers killed an 18 year old for becoming too western. A final sentence will be issued in January 2026.

It was not until 2021 that female genital mutilation was made a federal crime and to date only 41 states have outlawed the practice. Supporters of the practice claimed it to be a religious/cultural practice.

There is nothing wrong with protecting you culture and insisting that new comers assimilate into your society. In the past refugees coming into the U.S. were given support and there was a process that allowed them ease of entry into our society.

We need to ensure that those who have been allowed entry are assimilated. You do not have to give up ethnic or cultural identity but we must return to the days when immigrants became American.

American Politics, American Politics, Current events, Military

To Six Members of Congress (you know who you are) Whiskey Tango Foxtrot, Over

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                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          

“Are you Really going to do That? Why is it wrong? Just asking a question.”

every Solder, Sailor, Marine, and Airman knows they do not have to follow an illegal order. The statement that you were just reminding the troops of their legal obligations is just so much hot air. Everyone with a brain knows what you were doing and the intended message of your double speak. By attempting to sow doubt into the minds of those who are defending your right to say such nonsense is despicable. Your lawyers of course were smart enough to have you to include the term “Illegal” order, but the intent is not lost.

The rest of their backers then come out with reminders of the Nurenberg trials and the establishment of the fact that just following orders is not a legal defense. This again warps intent. The bulk of the defendants at Nurenberg were senior political and military leaders. Should POTUS or any senior military leader give an American service member an illegal order then they should face the consequence.

 Your video, however, seemed aimed at private Joe Snuffy who would never be able to understand the nuances of an order being legal or not. If you are on duty guarding a federal building in some city when you see a large crowd screaming and running at you waving foreign flags, what do you do? You have been told that the use of deadly force in authorized and your officers order you to open fire as this crowd is a group of terrorist intent on killing the people inside, yet someone says don’t shoot as this is a peaceful group of innocent protestors, now what.   

On the one hand you are obligated to obey the orders of the officers in charge and yet some politicians reminded you that you are obligated to disobey an illegal order. Do you all get together and discuss it? This is the problem with the kind of dangerous rhetoric that comes from that video. Your video has all the earmarks of an old Soviet stile disinformation campaign. The first and foremost aspect is that it contains a kernel of truth, that you do not have to obey an illegal order.

This video was not directed at the troops as a reminder but rather to the public to say the President and the rest of the senior chain of command are breaking the law because they do not agree with his politics. If you want to say that you disagree with the policies and direction of the President, fine. Just do not hide behind a false moral stand.

American Politics, International Politics, Russia, Ukraine

In Defense of Ukraine 

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The Trump administration is moving to end a war that should never have started. The weakness of the last administration and a generation’s long loss of military credibility are a main source of the problem. Working to restore the deterrence that was a hallmark of American strength will be required to achieve peace; the actions being taken now are heading in the wrong direction and they may end in ways we do not wish to imagine.

We must first get past the hyperbole and Trumpisms that are going to be misrepresented by both sides. To arrive were we want to we must first acknowledge facts, Russia is the bad guy in this scenario and there is no way around that. To say the war was started by Ukraine and that they could have ended it is a total mischaracterization of historic facts.  All of this is a repeat of history. When the secret pacts of Europe led to the First World War. When the League if Nations failed to contain the imperial ambitions of Japan and Italy. The failure of the Munich Agreement that was to guarantee peace in our time but led to the Second World War. The attempt by the west to appease Stalin that brought enforced dictatorship to half of Europe for half a century.  

Recent events have shown the true nature and intent of Putin to reestablish the Soviet Union. While Trump and the rest in the administration believe they can negotiate with Putin his response to the ceasefire agreement recently presented shows he has no intention of negotiating.   

The 20th century should be a map of what not to do in regard to world politics. World War One started because of power grabs by major European powers. At the end those European powers were drained of capitol and will. This allowed the rise of extremism, communism, fascism and imperialism.  Attempts to appease dictators brought war. Following war we got more war. This brought attempts to contain war to small regions. Now we have come full circle back to attempts to appease dictators. These attempts will fail as have those in the past. The truth is Putin started the war after the west did nothing to curb his past aggressions. Saying NATO is the root cause rejects his invasions of Georgia, South Ossetia and Abkhazia to start, then the annexation of Crimea and then Donetsk and Luhansk.  Failure to show strength against Italy and Japan gave Hitler the courage to attack Poland. Will failure to show strength against Russia give China the courage to attack Taiwan?  

While Biden did all he could to blame Trump for all the ills in the world, conservatives point to the Biden’s involvement with criminal activities in Ukraine. This last overshadows all discussions about Ukraine. Biden and the Dems poured billions into Ukraine therefore any attempt to help Ukraine must be wrong. Since we have sent 300 billion plus dollars into the war with no end in sight there must be a problem with Ukraine. Given the fact that Ukraine with a much smaller army has been able to fight Russia to a stalemate is evidence that the money is not wasted. The fact that the U.S. along with the west has openly said it will not introduce ground forces into the war allows the much larger Russia to continue with a war of attrition that they will likely win if nothing changes. Trump is attempting to move negotiations forward when in fact Russia is not negotiating. Their main demands remain unchanged, they pick the government and leaders of Ukraine and Ukraine can never become part of NATO. We are then only negotiating the timeline of when Russia wins. 

Putin has made no attempt to hide his ambition and desire to reestablish the Soviet Union. And history has shown us that the only way to stop him is through force or a credible threat of force. This is not Europe’s problem this is the world’s problem. 

Domestic policy and foreign policy may follow different roads but need to lead to the same destination. America First does not exclude what happens in the rest of the world. To ensure the future of the American dream America First must include America Leads. And America leads best when sticking to the principles of our founding. We must protect the innocents from the bullie

American Politics, Current events

The Ministry of Truth

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Orwell lives. Recently a CBS News journalist, Margaret Brennen, made the claim on air that weaponization of freedom of speech in NAZI Germany was the cause of the holocaust. The push back was immediate, and the statement was slammed for its absurdity. The push back came mostly from the right with little response from mainstream media. This was followed by a CBS “60 Minutes” segment that praised German law and police actions that suppress freedom of speech both in person and on the internet.

The German laws come as a surprise even too many Germans. When their homes are raided and their electronics sized, they argue it is their right under the freedom of speech laws. They are informed that while they have freedom of speech there are limits. If there are limits to freedom of speech, is there in fact no freedom of speech. 

Many will cite 1984 and Orwellian concepts as a warning to the future and that we need to be careful in the present. While knowing the book 1984 and its concepts few understand what has in fact crept into today’s thinking. A philosophy known as post-modernism or Woke as most people understand it today. The fictional Ministry of Truth in Orwell book declared “WAR IS PEACE’, “FREEDOM IS SLAVERY”, and “IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH.” People today look at this and understand that this is propaganda and was fictional. Yet, these people are willing to accept concepts such as “Math is Racist” or “Gender is a Social Construct.”  The founding fathers knew the importance of freedom of speech. Madison, Jefferson and others maintained that freedom of speech is necessary for the establishment of self-government and to encourage the exchange of ideas.

Today those who benefit most from these freedoms are the ones who most often oppose them. Knowingly or not the first reaction to reports that may bring an opposing point of view is denied or belittled. The Russia Hoax, Hunters laptop, etc. are reported only to expand or deny their existence.

We are seeing now how what our founders knew to be true, the harder you push the harder the harder the push back is. The more the people are denied the ability to speak and present their side the more they gather together. When one side tries so hard to repress facts the more people will band together, even those who would not normally. The enemy of my enemy is my friend. People like Robert Kennedy and Tulsi Gabbard are now working with Trump and the Republicans, not because they have become conservative but because they were denied a seat at the table of those, they once called friend.

Vice-Presidents Vance’s recent speech to the Munich Security Conference must be a call to all about the evils of censorship and denial of Freedoms. While directed at Europe the United States is not far behind. We do not yet have the draconian laws that many European countries do, we have been on the brink. Pleasethink about were we came from and were we may be headed.  

American Politics, Current events

Our Election and Democracy

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It has now been three days since the democrat party initiated a #coup and removed the president. While technically still in office. it is apparent that he is not in charge. He has not been in charge for some time, but now it’s out in the open. The Democrats like to say they are saving democracy, yet #Biden won his primaries because the party would not allow anyone to run against him and now Harris has been anointed without a primary.

The left is now touting Biden as the best president that has ever been while building up #Harris as the second coming of #Obama. This last comes from the Wisconsin rally that the organizers said had the energy level they have not seen since Obama. We all remember when Biden in the last election said if you don’t vote for him you ain’t black. Now MSNBCs Joy Reid posted “”Given just the stratospheric entrance of Vice President Kamala Harris into the presidential campaign, and she has now secured enough delegates to become the nominee, you’re going to look real crazy being on the other side of that line, particularly as a person of color, but really as anyone who claims to have any connection to the culture, You’re going to look real weird and real lonely on that side,” she added. “You’re really going to look crazy being on that side given the cultural phenomenon of Vice President Kamala Devi Harris. She’s about to make history. She’s about to become the first woman president.” 

We now know that she will run on the platform that Trump is a convicted felon and a sex offender, both of which were shown not to be true, and the felony conviction will likely be overturned. To this point she says she knows his type and she is likely right as she is the same type of prosecutor that has gone after #Trump. Does not care about the facts, the law, and will intimidate witnesses.  

I hope this time around the Republicans can run a campaign that just deals with the issues and ignores the lefts taunts. While the left has lived off ideological statements and feel-good legislation, the people have had to face reduced standards of living. We need to demand a government that will be responsive to the people and not the party.  We will hear about the threats MAGA and Project 2025 pose to democracy without hearing about how and why. MAGA has become a pejorative and Project 2025 a term that no one on the left or right understands or has read. At the end of the day Project 2025 has been rejected by Trump yet the left started a misinformation campaign including setting up a Trump Project 2025 web site. I will not tell anyone how to vote only to PLEASETHINK and research issues and candidates

American Politics, American Politics, Current events

Project 2025

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Recently there has been a lot of talk from the left regarding a think piece from the Heritage Foundaton known to the left as Project 2025, the title is actually “Mandate for Leadership 2025: The Conservative Promise.”  According to the left this is a handbook that will allow Donald Trump to become a dictator and destroy democracy.  I will admit to not having read the full 920 pages I did skim most of it and drilled into the parts the left continues to point out as draconian.

What I discovered is that it is a think piece from a conservative think tank that pushes conservative values. While the left claims it will make the President all powerful, it calls for a reduction of the bureaucracy and for the President to be more directly accountable to the people. In other words it calls for a smaller government. It also calls for more power to be returned to the people.

None of this is new or revolutionary. It is a basic conservative manifesto that pushes conservative ideology. This is no different from the left using post-modern/woke/CRT ideals to run the government. The difference is it is upfront and in writing rather than hidden behind a bunch of buzz words.

If you don’t believe me I suggest you read it for yourself instead of having it spoon feed to you with all the bias.

American Politics, Current events

If No One is Above the Law…

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Once again, the left is truing to extract a pound of flesh from Donald Trump. The special prosecutor for DoJ has indicted Trump on seven counts of something, we do not know what yet. The powers that be do not yet understand that every time they do this they boost Trumps numbers and drive more independent voters towards him. The problem many have is trying to figure out why there is a double standard for left and right. The incident that drove this indictment began in August of 2022 with a raid on Trumps Mar-a-Lago compound by the FBI. In that raid it is alluded that a number of classified documents were discovered that should have been given to the national archives for storage. Trump has argued that the documents were declassified when he was POTUS and therefore did not need to be transferred out. This is an important point to keep in mind.

Without deciding on Trumps guilt, we have to ask a few questions. Why was Hillary Clinton not indicted for keeping classified documents on her private laptop and further had transferred documents to her aid which she kept on a laptop she shared with her husband who was a convicted felon? What is the status of any investigation into Joe Biden keeping classified documents in his garage and other locations FOR YEARS.            Why did the FBI have evidence that Joe Biden may have been involved in criminal activity as VP up to and including taking bribes and did nothing until a whistleblower told congress and then tried to stone wall any investigation? Why did the FBI hold onto a laptop that may have incriminating evidence on Hunter Biden and refused to even acknowledge its existence until forced to. Why did high ranking members of the intelligence community declare that the laptop was fake and/or a disinformation campaign from the Russians when they knew the opposite was true?  These and many other examples are indicative of selective prosecution and investigations, which have caused the people to lose faith in the government.

Now back to the part that Trump felt he had declassified the documents which is way when asked if he had any he said no. Hillary was excused for her mishandling classified documents through a legal concept of “Mens Rea.’ This is a principle used when a person breaks the law but did not understand that they broke the law.

The selective prosecution of Trump is making the U.S. look like a third world nation. As some may argue that no one is above the law, that means .no one. DoJ must answer way the above and other cases are being ignored.

American Politics, Current events

Public Accommodation

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There has been much discussion recently over Public Accommodation. The news has been filled with the story of a website designer who refused to accept a job from LGBTQ+ customers, citing religious objections. This is the most recent cause célèbre that found its way onto the supreme court docket and was argued yesterday. Dec 5th. At the center of the debate is whether a business can refuse service or is bound to provide service based on the public accommodation law.

This case follows a similar one in 2018, which also argued against the Colorado public accommodation law,that found for a baker who refused to use his talents to bake a cake for a same sex couple based on religious belief. The opinion of this last case was a narrow one based on the hostility shown during legal proceedings to the baker’s religious views.

The question to answer is. What is Public Accommodation. Under federal law it is:

 42 U.S.C. §2000a (a)All persons shall be entitled to the full and equal enjoyment of the goods, services, facilities, privileges, advantages, and accommodations of any place of public accommodation, as defined in this section, without discrimination on the ground of race, color, religion, or national origin. 42 U.S.C.

The Colorado law does go deeper into the class of persons, to include:

CO Rev Stat § 24-34-601 (2016) “An individual or a group, because of disability, race, creed, color, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, national origin, or ancestry.”

I do believe in enforcing public accommodation laws. The concept of public accommodation lives deep in the heart of America. But there are limits when it comes to individual talent. I was against the Colorado baker feeling it was a violation of public accommodation until I found out the couple was asking for him to design a unique cake using his individual talents. This changed the tenor of the argument to forcing someone to sell not just a product but part of themselves. Had the couple asked for the Number “9” cake that would have fallen under public accommodation but when it went to asking the individual to provide his expertise which violated his individual belief, that went too far.

The same argument applies to the web designer. If she had standard templates and just added names, then she could not refuse service. To design an individual and unique web page requires her to apply her own talents and imagination. This should not be under public accommodation.

So, since I said I agree with the concept of public accommodation then let’s discuss how it should be applied.

In June of 2018, President Trumps Press Secretary, Sara Huckabee Sanders was refused service and asked to leave the Red Hen restaurant in Lexington, Va. because she worked for Trump. This week a restaurant in Richmond Va. canceled a reserved party less then two hours before the start because the group, the Family Foundation, was perceived as anti-LGBTQ and staff said they felt uncomfortable and unsafe serving them. Neither Sanders nor the Family Foundation asked for any special accommodation and ordered off the menu. The refusal to serve these groups is in direct confrontation to the sprit of public accommodation. In theory this does not violate the Virginia law – § 2.2-3904. Nondiscrimination in places of public accommodation – since there is nothing in the law that mentions political affiliation – other then sexual orientation and gender identity.

These last two however do violate the sprit of the law and flies in the face of American culture. There has been a long hard fight over the last 50 years to ensure anyone, who is not breaking the law, can go to any business and get what the business offers. The history of America also fights for the individual. You cannot discriminate just because you do not like someone, but the government cannot force you to perform a unique function against your wishes.