TEA PARTY REDUX ?

The Feds are doing a helluva' lot of spending lately and we must consider the long term consequences.

In 2008-09 the Tea Party blossomed as the Obama Administration spent billions to fund stimulus bills and save the economy from ruin. In 2021 the same damn wasteful spending trends are emerging again. The Tea Party represented citizens concerned with run away federal spending. The leaderless movement didn't become a full fledged political party, but inspired some politicians and millions of voters. Legitimate questions about excessive federal spending of tax payer money and a growing federal budget deficit were real concerns in 2008-09 and remain so now with the latest explosion of DC Swamp spending. As a political force the Tea Party never died and it come roaring back from it's dormancy. 

I marched in 2009 and felt the vibration of tens of thousands in the DC March. We were frustrated and angry about wasteful government spending and our limited control on how citizen tax dollars were spent by the feds.

While the current trillion dollar plus bills proposed by Congress may be advertised to save jobs, small businesses, corporations, and Wall Street from disaster, most are full of waste and fraud. Too many projects represent payoffs to unions, thinly disguised vote grabbing and appeasements to temporarily glorify politicians up for re election. Discovery and the actual reading of the bills would reveal truth, but as Speaker Pelosi famously stated, "lets pass the bill so we can see what's in it". In the next few voting cycles the Tea Party will arise again. 

A flood of voter discontent may bubble up in 2021 and 2022 after the virus is gone because Biden & Company think they can spend themselves out of crisis after crisis and most Americans dare to differ. Many will ask and demand an accounting and payback plan to restore our national treasure used and in many cases wasted. 

Taxpayer discontent over our national budget deficit and waste of resources is rising.  I expect a major resurrection of the Tea Party if serious plans to account for federal spending and balance the budget aren't enacted by Congress and the President before 2024. If republican party support of Tea Party goals is non existent or tepid a new Tea Party movement may split the Republican Party and birth a third major political party. 

THOSE GOVERNMENT CHECKS

Since Congress passed the big bill helping folks and companies get by until this virus thing is kicked, I've gotten a few interesting e-mails.

First, everyone who sent a note is doing well and trying to follow the government rules to keep us, our families and neighbors safe. Second, with dwindling funds and not much to do, many are planning on healthier days and daydreaming about how to spend their check from Uncle Sam.  Naturally, everyone wants to get caught up on overdue bills and make up for lost wages. However   some, especially my retired friends, feel they may have a few extra bucks when all is said and done.

My buddy Willy in Carolina writes that he hopes to get some new truck tires and maybe take in a few NASCAR races in the Fall. Mary Lynn in Florida is sure cruise prices will bottom out by December and is dreaming of getting to Jamaica if the hurricanes stay away. My cousin Floyd in New Jersey wants to hold onto a few hundred bucks for when the casinos re-open. Jerome and Mary down in Texas simply want to get their kids a nice Thanksgiving and Christmas with a toy or two under the tree. Old Aunt Gretchen in Iowa is looking to get an electric scooter which she's been saving for even before all the "virus mess" started.

All in all, these people and others realize the need to get caught up financially, but then to do something nice for themselves or their family. Despite the daily sad news of illnesses and death, it's reassuring that so many see brighter days ahead. While opinions may differ, it's good to know our government is doing it's best to keep us healthy while also doing things to keep us out of the "poorhouse". The crisis of health, unemployment, and poor business will pass sooner rather than later and whatever normal is, or was, will return in our lives.

Maybe Americans are deep down feeling some good vibrations amid the gloom and doom. Maybe in our darkest national moments like 9/11 or Pearl Harbor we saw hope and sunshine just beyond the smoke and dark clouds. Maybe we'll get the same outcome beyond our current emergency.

  

SEE THE USA IN YOUR CHEVROLET

A long time ago there was a catchy and popular ad on television featuring a beautiful lady signing about touring the countryside in a new car. I think her name was Dinah Shore and the car was a 50's  something Chevrolet sedan or station wagon. If you're a boomer you remember the ad and it's exhilarating call to enjoy the freedom of the highway in a new car smelling automobile.

Perhaps, its time we again celebrate that "made in America" spirit and turn to touring our beautiful country. Gas prices have cratered and fresh air seems a great antidote to all the real and imagined bad news swirling around. Of course stay out of the cities and restricted places while grooving to the wanderlust of the open road.

Because of the Chinese flu, cruise ships are shut down, plane schedules disrupted and borders with our northern and southern neighbors restricted so why not enjoy the vastness and variety of our beautiful homeland. Go discover or re discover those amber waves of grain, sea to shining sea vistas, magnificent mountains, grand canyons and the thousands upon thousands of other natural treasures within our borders.

The wonders of geography and historic places within our nation are world class and can be seen and experienced at a better cost than overseas travel. Whether you choose a day trip or a few days wandering the backroads or racing along the interstates, wouldn't it be nice to get out of the house and escape isolation and television news for a few hours or days ?

This pandemic mess will pass. Most of us will survive, the jobs and economy will return, and our 401's and investments will get healthy again, so why not use this holding time to enjoy the fresh air and see the USA in a Chevrolet, Ford, Toyota, RV, Packard, Honda or whatever ?  In my opinion, this suggestion beats the hell out of watching the news or daily mobbing stores to get food and bathroom supplies.

NEW WARFARE ?

For hundreds of years agents of warfare and mayhem have developed and used poisons, gasses, and germs to disable and destroy their enemies. Most nations including the United States have researchers quietly experimenting with all manner of substances to physically or mentally disarm adversaries without ever firing a shot or launching a bomb. This manner of battle has been called chemical, gas and germ warfare in the past. Have recent innovations created pandemics and diseases which are easily and silently transmitted across geographical borders ?

In response to Trump's rebuke of China's crooked trade dealings did the Chinese Communists launch an invisible killer virus in retribution ? If so was it also a diversionary tactic to deflect attention from their Hong Kong and other human rights troubles ?

In December 2019 Kim of North Korea announced a "gift" for the United States. Many speculated the "gift" was a new long range missile or aggressive military move but was it a sinister virus attack ? Developed jointly by North Korean and China has a deadly flu been deployed by highly skilled agents to selected foreign leaders and diplomats at world conferences ? To hide this action, was the novel virus also introduced to the world unwittingly by travelers from China to other nations ?

There are many good reasons why North Korea and China could use a world panic to their advantage given their present economic and domestic problems. Both countries care less about the welfare of their citizens than the survival of their political regimes. Both lie about their motives and positions on human rights issues which effect their populations, religious and ethnic minorities, and neighbors.

Is the coronavirus the first use of a new form of warfare and the first pandemic developed to be a manmade weapon ? In decades to follow will enough evidence be uncovered to move this possibility beyond the level of just another "conspiracy theory" ? Stay tuned for the true story in a few decades.

     

ALL THE TIME - ALL ABOUT POLITICS

Every word or action a citizen takes is controlled by politics in my opinion.

It is impossible to remove politics from humanity. Politics is not just a government thing, but an important trait of our personalities buried deep in our DNA. It is not necessarily a good or bad thing, but it is a real part of how we think and act.

Politics the noun is described in the dictionary as " a particular set of ideas, principles or commitments..", "art and science of government", and "activities concerned with seeking power, status, etc." As an adjective it is described as, "concerned with seeking status, authority, etc." and " taking or belonging to a side in politics."

Politics is involved in all human transactions because we all seek status and power to some degree. We want our ideas and opinions to be recognized, accepted and perhaps dominant among our colleagues, peers, intellectual opponents, and friends. This is normal behavior meant to explain and justify our personal value and belief system. Everybody from Popes to wretched criminals exercise some level of politics in their daily actions and pronouncements. Extremes of political philosophies can be seen as the positive and negative poles of a common battery. However, our differing opinions are usually not so far apart despite the shrill voices from government and media provocateurs.

It's hard to conjure any activity or established rule of society devoid of politics. Those who sincerely proclaim no political intent or considerations are simply avoiding reality and trying to disguise their arguments.

Our foods, medicines, laws, community practices, business affairs, cultural mores, consumer goods, educational standards, religions, sports, hobbies, entertainment, modes of transport, and every other aspect of our lives are drenched and influenced by some flavor of politics. Whether we acknowledge the omnipresence of politics in our lives, we are all right or left of an unseen political center.

To disclaim any political belief or motive is, in my opinion, a denial of our complexity as thinking organisms.

   

CORONA VIRUS WEAPONIZED

Yes, this dreadful virus has and will be weaponized by certain parties for political or economic advantage.

First, in the wake of stumbling economic developments, did the Chinese government purposefully launch this virus to disrupt world markets ? Specifically, do major downturns in American economic sectors detract attention from Chinese economic problems by temporarily damaging other markets ? Will this tactic ultimately help the Chinese regain market strength ?  Will this crisis cause a pause in worldwide criticism of human rights and Hong Kong management by the Chinese Communist ?

Two, will political opponents of Trump use the virus as a political sledge hammer to weaken his presidency and lessen his re-election chances in 2020 ? Some democrats have personally blamed the president for the virus and every statement or action by the president has been roundly condemned by most politicians with a big "D" behind their name.

Third, will the major media lapdogs of democrats and socialists use the corona virus to continue their 24/7, 4 year assault on all things Trump ? While every media invented or perceived Trump crisis or scandal has failed to oust POTUS, will they launch corona virus as a means to fire the president ?

Finally, have the establishment power brokers of Wall Street added to the economic concerns by stoking panic in the market place and among other international trading markets and huge corporations ?  Is this action a sideways attempt to discredit Trump and leverage control of the 2020 presidential election ?

While some may feel my weaponized theories are silly or far fetched, I intone the great thinker who confidently stated, "does a wood chuck, chuck wood ?"

THE REAL CORONAVIRUS MESSAGE ....

Aside from the human misery and terrible death toll from this awful virus, there is a secondary lesson we must learn.

After spending decades depending upon energy resources from nations which controlled world markets/prices we lately became somewhat energy dependent. While we still import some energy resources, our heavy reliance upon nation states with unfriendly governments has ended.

Without becoming isolationist or unwilling to participate in world markets, we must reclaim more of a "made in America" policy. For too long we have exported too much of our industrial and manufacturing needs to foreign countries. While this practice cannot be totally abandoned, for our own security and health safety, we must reduce our reliance upon nations such as China.

If US government subsidies or incentives for American businesses are necessary, the time has come to explore these possibilities. If higher wages for US workers or higher prices in the marketplace are the costs of lowering our dependence, then these areas must be studied. The side effects of massive trade with China has proven to be deadly to world health and secondarily to US and other stock exchanges around the world.

In my opinion, future massive trade deals with other nations can no longer focus totally on cheaper prices and cheaper goods. We must examine the government policies and openness of nations like China to insure dangerous side effects don't accompany the container ships of imported goods.