Response To a Local Newspaper Pushing Disinformation.

 Letter to the Editor,
I was saddened by the Opinion column penned by you, Mike Wallace “Why Has Nothing Been Fixed?” in
the November 3 rd edition of the Glenwood Herald. I was struck by the lack of respect you have for the
current President of the United States. Despite our like or dislike of who is President, I was taught we
must show respect for the office. Terms like “Uncle Joe” and “his minions” are beyond opinionated and
downright disrespectful, which is sadly what most politics have become lately.
You then go on to repeat several conspiracy theories and downright lies. Your hyperbole is more fit for a
Facebook rant than a column in a respectable newspaper, which is bound to reporting facts and news.
Sadly, it seems you have become so swayed by whatever conspiracies to which you have been exposed,
you miss the obvious irony in the title of your opinion column. If President Biden inherited a stable
economy and the former President had “Made America Great Again” then there would be nothing
needing to be fixed. Unfortunately, he inherited a country in despair.
President Biden continued the work of President Trump in rolling out vaccines for free throughout the
country. Misinformation and conspiracy theories cost hundreds of thousands of peoples their very lives.
With over 1 million now dead from Covid-19 and over 2 million with long-term Covid, the shame lies in a
political party so intent on undermining the entire political system, they put the lives of the Americans
they represent at risk. And it paid off in extended lockdowns, hospitals understaffed, nurses and doctors
overworked, our children out of school far too long, and untold preventable deaths.
Moving past the glaring irony of the title of this opinion piece, one can see you have chosen to conflate
inflation with “printing money.” Inflation is rampant throughout the globe at this time; it is not a
uniquely American concern. Many parts of China are still in a Covid lockdown, adding stress to
manufacturing. President Biden signed the CHIPS Act into law. This is just one example of efforts by the
current administration to put their money where their mouth is by investing in domestic research and
manufacturing, bringing those jobs back to the United States. The $2 trillion tax cut for the wealthiest
Americans under Trump created an increased deficit and putting an average additional $1500/annual
tax burden on the middle class. A deficit reduction of $350 billion and $1.5 trillion dollars in 2021 and
2022, respectively, creates the opportunity for the federal government to channel money into programs
to help Americans. Additionally, the Inflation Reduction Act works in very real ways to lower costs for
the costliest items Americans spend money on: healthcare and prescription drugs. The average savings
is $800/year on health insurance premiums for 13 million Americans. It also caps the prices on many
prescriptions and caps out of pocket expenses at $2,000. For many people that is only one or two
months of prescriptions. Another high-cost item for families is childcare. Families making less than
$250,000 will see significant changes to their tax returns, with credits to offset the cost of childcare at
certain levels.
Mr. Wallace, you also chose to spend several paragraphs attempting to scare readers into believing
President Biden is going to take away your gas vehicle and force you to spend $60,000 on an electric
vehicle. This statement is obviously ludicrous. Like all industries, change happens. We no longer drive
Model T’s and the steam-powered engine doesn’t convey us down the highway. Automakers agree
electric vehicles are going to be part of our future. Since President Biden took office, companies have
invested nearly $85 billion in manufacturing of electric vehicles, batteries, and EV chargers in the United
States. That is a private investment by private companies. This is what happens under a free market.

This figure does not include the government’s investment in EV technology. This leads to more
manufacturing jobs for these vehicles here in the United States. EV charging stations are starting to pop
up everywhere.
As to the “batteries catch fire” scare tactic, a quick Google search will show electric automobiles catch
fire less frequently than gasoline-powered cars. The duration and intensity of the fires can make them
considerably more difficult to put out due to the use of lithium-ion battery packs. With less than 200
globally since 2010, EV battery fires don’t seem to be the “gotcha” in the rant against new technology.
Sadly, it also appears you do not understand the progress of solar and wind energy. As a former Texas
resident, I lived through the blackouts where people literally died from lack of electricity to heat their
homes. This was not a failure of solar or wind energy, but was the failure of coal and natural gas. In fact,
the wind turbines continued to run and provide reliable electricity once the grid was back online. It was
a predictable failure, given the failure of Republican leadership to have mechanisms in place to oversee
the weatherization of the Texas grid. After the deaths from lack of oversight, Republican Governor
Abbott gave the oil and gas industry permission to add up to $60 monthly to every electric bill to pay for
winter weatherization, weatherization which they were required to do but had not done, weatherization
which still hasn’t been done to standard.
Later in your opinion piece, you talk about “a particular group of people are not in power and be able to
tell us what to do” then Democracy is lost. A long list of things Republicans have banned or are
attempting to ban would be impossible to fit in this letter. I would remind you that freedom is not telling
others what they can or can’t do based on your personal beliefs, to wit: abortion, healthcare, which
books to read, etc. No matter your opinion on any of these matters, it is not any one individual’s
personally held beliefs which should dictate the actions of another. If you want freedom, you must give
freedom to others.
I won’t go into the entire immigration scare scenario. I will say this: It is NOT illegal to be a human.
Lastly, Mr. Wallace, you want to discuss gas prices. This mish-mash of factually incorrect statements is
just another misinformed talking point from politicians and political pundits who want to use escalatory
gas prices for political gain. America is part of a global economy. The entire world is dealing with higher
gas prices and yes, embargoes against Russian export of oil and gas have impacted those prices. In
addition, the oil and gas companies are posting astronomical record-breaking profits. In the first quarter
of 2022, Shell Oil's adjusted earnings rose to $9.1 billion from $3.2 billion in the same period last year.
The same types of profits are recorded by BP, Exxon, Chevron, and all the rest. The oil and gas
companies should make a profit, but not at the expense of the consumer. This has nothing to do with
politics and everything to do with capitalism and a free market. When consumers start pointing their ire
where it belongs, to the oil companies, instead of at politicians, who have nothing to do with setting oil
prices, then perhaps a change will come about. Oil and gas companies are lining the pockets of certain
politicians to turn them into a mouthpiece for political finger-pointing.
Back in April of 2020, President Trump joined Russia and Mexico in persuading OPEC to cut production
by a little over 13 percent. Part of that deal included a decrease of 300,000 barrels a day of United
States oil production. Overall, the U.S., Brazil, Canada, and other non-OPEC countries cut production by
four million to five million barrels a day. All of this happened during a global pandemic and was
necessary to keep oil companies in business. Once the shutdowns were loosened and people were

buying more oil, these companies saw an explosion in profit. OPEC, in fact, just cut production again.
United States oil and gas companies, since President Joe Biden took office, have seen oil production rise
both on federal lands and on U.S. lands overall. Overall domestic oil production in 2021 came close to a
record high. In addition, no President has the authority to block drilling on private lands. As to a shut
down on drilling and pumping on federal lands, President Biden did order a pause to review the leases
and climate impacts; however, a federal judge blocked the order and drilling continued. Oil and gas
companies currently hold over 9000 approved permits on federal lands which they are not using.
Federal permits have actually risen during the Biden administration to the highest levels yet.
Additionally, no President has the authority to restrict how much the refineries around America can
produce.
Mr. Wallace, your poorly informed opinion article, written under the guise of political blame-gaming,
falls short on facts. Every political party wants to see their preferred candidate win. I remember when
people could disagree on things without resorting to lies, innuendo, disrespect, and outright conspiracy
theories. Despite the outcome of the elections on November 8 th , Americans will still wake up and go to
work together and worship together. We will all go grocery shopping and be shocked at the price of a
dozen eggs. I remember my mother telling me how she went to the movies and got a Coke and candy
for a nickel. I’m sure you and I can both agree that a nickel for a day out sounds great. And I’m sure we
can both agree those days are long past. I just hope we can both agree to move past the finger-pointing
and us versus them to make our communities a warm, welcoming place for everyone, despite their
political affiliation.
Sincerely,
Karen Cline-Tardiff

Insurectionist Barred from Office. Yea New Mexico! Is It Time to End The Republican Party?

 Its about time the people behind the January Sixth Insurrection be stopped from running from office. The courts in New Mexico made it official today. I was born and grew up in New Mexico. Both My mom and dad were members of the republican party. The Republicans in New Mexico back then, were more like the Democrats were like in the Clinton era in My opinion. I had a lot of respect for the Republican leadership back then. I do not know what happened to there ideals or morals. Sure hope they can get it together or get of the public stage. They have sold the American people out to the giant corporation or just become fascists.

The New Mexico Democrats were very progressive even back then. More like the Bernie branch of the Democratic party are now. Its time for an all out landslide for the Dems in this Midterm Election. Give the Crazy supporters of the insurrection a few years to cool off and rethink what this country is really about. We might just have to get a new party to replace that crazy type of corruption if they refuse to change.

COUP PLOTTER STEVE BANNON GOING TO PRISON!

 

Its Time to face the facts that the January Sixth Insurrection attempt was a full on attempted COUP D'ETAT, at the end of a months of planning. Anyone that values a stable U.S. Government will understand that, and anyone who has not been paying attention to this shit show will do well to take the time to see this ongoing disaster in America. The Republican leadership from Team Crazy, as the Trump White House Council Pat Cipollone called them, must never ever ever be allowed to run for or hold office anywhere in America ever again. We are once again at the Most Important Election in the History of the Republic. Listen to this Podcast If you do not have time to Watch the Special. It is from Msnbc Pecock Here.

#CoupPlotter. #JanuarySixth. #Trump. #ElectionTheft. 

#TrumpConspiracy. #AriMelber

Treason, Dark Money & the Reversal of Roe. A Long season of Treason. Part One

 

Treason, Dark Money & the Reversal of Roe. A Long season of Treason.

I was Wondering how we got here?

   Everyone's rights are at risk. The overturning of Roe v Wade is just the start. Then several more decision from the SCOTUS that were all over the map, or were they? Is the beginning of or a continuing agenda by the new conservative majority. A religious autocracy with a majority of one religious view overriding the Constitution.

    Unless “We the People” stop it.

The First Amendment says;

AMENDMENT #1

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

    It now looks like some of the Justices do not get what “no law respecting an establishment of religion” or the next part; or prohibiting the free exercise thereof;

    There is a fine line, a gray area between the two ideas. That is where most of the courts have made decisions from historically. Most people with any reasonable critical thinking skills would probably understand this gray area. It looks like we have crossed into something like a Theocracy. Half a dozen black robed priests. They say they know what the founding fathers of our nation were thinking at the time of the founding of our republic. A new cult called Original-ism, of Textual-ism. That's all we need is some more weird ISMS. A cult that has taken over the courts, that were put into power by an oligarchy of unlimited bribery. With many of the people who are dead set on ending the great experiment that is our constitutional republic. Ending any form of meaningful democratic participation by we the people.

    Starting before the time of Richard Nixon there have been many instances of Leadership of the Republican party and the Corporations moving towards Fascism and now a form of corrupted corporatist fascism in America. Now it is looking as if the Republican party and much of the supreme court is owned Lock Stock and Barrel by the Corporatists. There was the attempted Coup d'etat by certain capitalists that tried to get the American General Smedley Butler, to over throw then President FDR during the great depression.

    Our current situation is a result of a long string on abuses and usurpation, interconnected by greed, and or a lust for power by many elected and appointed officials and corporate leadership. This increased since the institution of the now discredited Neoliberal Economic Models. Neoliberalism ideology put the control of legitimate functions of government in the hands of the monopolistic corporations, banks, The Military Industrial complex, Drug companies and big pharmaceuticals conglomerates, Agribusiness, Fossil fuel; etc. This made for a vast expansion of corruption inside government. This ideology allowed a massive concentration of wealth beyond even the fortunes of the Robber Barron era.

    The current Problem with an unbalanced Supreme Court really began with the Nixon Administration, and what President Johnson called Treason, that put Nixon in the White House.

    Nixon's people around the now infamous CREEP and others, interfered with the Peace Deal that was being negotiated by the President Johnson administration with the Vietnam Leadership, to delay the end of the war. Conspiring with a foreign power to help win the election. The beginning of a long pattern of conspiring with a foreign power to win the Presidency of the US government. Totally ignoring the US Constitution and the important and legitimate functions of the US government and its laws. By the way Nixon was not Prosecuted, but given a pardon by President Ford

    This gave us the seed change in the Supreme Court, that began with Justice Powell being appointed by Nixon, and an attack on unions and the working class. Author of the Powell Memorandum, and who was a corporate lawyer for the US. Chamber of Commerce. In brief, the Powell Memo called for the Corporations to start funding and influencing elections to benefit candidates that were favorable to corporate interests, and to counter the influence of the labor unions. This put on steroids the greed, and deregulation of corporations that are now considered persons by Supreme Court Decisions, contrary to any kind of common sense or historical understanding. Corporations are not persons and Money is not Speech. This became the foundation of the recent notion that corporations main duty is to their share holders and not the common good of the community or society as a whole.

    Near the end of the 1970s, the Islamic Revolution started in Iran. The Shah of Iran, who was widely perceived as a tyrant and American Puppet or western asset, was overthrown while out of the country. A number of Americans were taken hostage and held. The Carter Administration was negotiating for their release. There were allegations that the Reagan Champaign made a deal to delay the release of hostages until after the election, having the Iranian government keep the American hostages until the election was over. The hostages were released within minuets of the inauguration of Reagan. Then the October Surprise allegations went public.

Then there was the Ronald Reagan -Bush Administration and Iran-Contra.

Trading weapons, running drugs and guns to the Contras in Central America, and weapons to Iran.

Bush the elder was already party to the Treason with Iran that made him Vice President. After eight years of Reagan, George H. W. Bush became president. Then pardons were handed out by the Bush administration, while the investigations were still ongoing.

George H W Bush appointed two Supreme Court Justices. One of them, Clarence Thomas is still on the court writing decisions that look to be very bad for the future of constitutional, or other freedoms in America. This decision by SCOTUS must be at considered, at least in part a violation of the cruel and unusual clause of the #8^th Amendment. Thomas is still considered the most Conservative on the court.

When Thomas was Confirmed by the senate, he spoke of Natural Law. According to natural law theory, all people have inherent rights, conferred not by act of legislation, but by the laws of nature and natures god, or by reason and common sense. Where has this notion gone in the reasoning of Justice Thomas?

Can now the state control women, and strip them of control of their own bodies? Put them in prison for having a miscarriage. Have health care denied to them, and abortion, or birth control if they have been raped?

The beginning of blending church and state with evangelical support during the Reagan time moved the non-separation of church and state, into common acceptance by the right wing.

Coming next; The Supreme steals the Presidential election.

Bush V Gore.

George W Bush and the Supreme Court that helped steal an election

AMENDMENT VIII Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.

 

#UnPackSCOTUS,#ERA,#SCOTUS,#RoeVWade,#SCOTUSoutofMyUTURES,#AbortSCOTUS 

Here is some entertainment to relax https://itsalmostspring.blogspot.com/

Trumpery and Tyranny? Forced Births or Freedom?

  

The Super Bowl of Democracy

Trumpery,  noun, plural trump·er·ies. Definition; Old English. something without use or value; rubbish; trash; worthless stuff.

nonsense; twaddle: His usual conversation is pure trumpery.

Archaic. worthless finery.

adjective

of little or no value; trifling, worthless; rubbishy; trashy.

I had been lulled into the sense of complacency by the time of the attack on the US capital on January Sixth 2020. I was on edge through most of the elections, and pins and needles from the time the counting started until Pennsylvania was called for Joe Biden. Then the last of the crazy law suits brought by the Trumpsters crazy lawyers.

Many of the politicians and the TV talking heads were saying that “This is the most important election of our lifetime”, and it was. I can not even imagine how bad it could be now if the Trumpsters were still in the white house. And so is this election. Just like the Super Bowl every year is the most important game of the year. So is the election every year the most important, only it is not a game. This is a contest for the continuation of our country as a functional republic.

We (The USA) survived the attempted coup d'état of the last election of 2020 by the Republican leadership. The sixty three law suits filed to challenge the already certified counts in the several states, that all failed. Then attempts to appoint alternate slates of false electors in several states. The full out assault on the capital on the day to certify the results of all the states elections on January Sixth. The crazy “Forensic” re-recounts in Arizona and several other states. The refusal of the people around the Trump gang to come and testify for the insurrection investigations of the January Sixth Committee, while lying about it out in public media.

This is not over. The Republican Party criminals will not quit, they have to much to loose. Whether it is time in prison, or loss of the giant fat cat bribes. Bribes that are destroying the foundation of the republic and the Constitution, ever since the insane CitizensUnited decision of the Supreme Court in 2010. Vast amounts of untraceable dark money in every kind of local and national political campaign. As our former President Jimmy Carter framed it, “The country has become an oligarchy of unlimited bribery.

The Supreme Court is now way beyond any authority or powers ever granted in Article Three of the US Constitution. They were never granted the authority or ability in the Constitution to define words or redefine words. Plane and simple, Corporations are not People, and Money is not Speech.

Now after years of obstruction of appointments to the courts by Mitch McConnell during the Obama years. Then with the very fast appointment of several extremest Justices to the court in the trump years. Who all committed perjury in the appointment hearings with the Senate. All claiming that Roe v Wade was well settled in law before being confirmed to the court.

There were discussions during the Constitutional Convention and the adoption of the Amendments, to also include medical freedom that document. This did not happen. Even back then, the idea of how important medical freedom was, was very well recognized. Now the fundamental right to medical care by women is in danger of being regulated away or even criminalized by these Republican extremists.

 

Not just voluntary Abortion, but even to criminalize birth control and

 prevention. No exception for a spontaneous miscarriage of a fetus 

with genetic congenital or other problems. To say nothing of the 

states ready to institute trigger laws that have no exception for rape 

or incest. And then to criminalize women that have gone through 

that. That is beyond crazy, that is amoral, heartless and cruel.

The Republican leadership say they value freedom, say they want to

 protect babies, even before they come out of the uterus, but do not 

want to protect the women. They refuse to support common sense 

gun ownership restrictions, and let thousands of kids die of gun 

violence. Guns are now the number one cause of death in children in

 America, even more than car wrecks.

The words of these Republicans in leadership do not match their 

actions. What is it? What is more important? Money from the gun 

lobby, or to protect our children? Forcing women to carry a child to

 full term even if it kills her? Forced birth or freedom? Which is it?

We are again at the point of the most important election in our life 

time. The Super Bowl of Democracy. Every year is the most 

important election, even the off year elections for governors, mayors

 or school boards. The tyranny of the few crooked oligarchy in the 

Supreme Court and a few hundreds of Republicans in leadership in 

DC, and the several state capitals. We can never allow this to 

continue. End the Republican Party. Never support a republican or 

corporation that supports Republicans and this attack on our country, 

until the ship of state is set aright. They seem to forget the part that 

says “We The People”.

The tide has turned and spring is coming. End the Republican party.

     There are not many people in the republican party that I would ever consider supporting, but here is one. Richard Painter is the former White House ethics lawyer from the first Bush Daddy Administration. 

 

    This is the first thing I noticed at the top of his campaign web sight. Really common sense for someone running as a GOP candidate. Where all I hear is the #BIGLIE stuff from regular rethuglican leadership

Ethics.
Environment.
Healthcare.
Farmers and
Small Businesses

 Sounds like he is running for the green Party. Looks like the #Bernie campaign did have a good influence on people with morals and ethics.

I have not even thought about supporting a republican since the time back in the days when John McCain was running back in the nineties. 

Too bad there are not a lot more of these type of old school Republicans who have some real morals or ethics willing to run.   My moms family were almost all Democratic Party supporters. Both of my parents were old school republicans like this. My dad worked for the military industrial complex and my mom taught business and ran her own business. Their involvement in politics was almost all at the local level, back before the press was bought by hedge funds and giant corporation, and all the local papers and independent TV, and radio stations were swallowed up. So just a thought, either the GOP has to join the dust bin of history or there have to be more people like Richard Painter to run on the GOP tickets around the country. Well anyway that's just a thought for today.  BB

How to take back your Power. Listen to this and help out your local Democratic Party

 The Corporations in America and around the world, are working to put the Finishing touches on a complete takeovers of the Economy. Here is a good place to start. Most of the state legislatures are in session this time of year. A simple way to start taking back our government from the corrupting influence of big money in our capitals.

This is the Ralph Nader Radio Hour in Podcast. Check it Out and do something. Also many of the local and county Democratic Parties are looking for people to fill elected and volunteer positions for the election this fall 2022. Run for something.  ;-)

One year ago today. #January6th, #CoupDeTat, #StoptheSteal #TheBigLie #NPR

 

A year ago today, I was sitting here in front of the computer, a nice view of trees out of the window. I had the radio on to KUAR the Little Rock NPR affiliate to get some local weather and news when the radio interrupted the regular show. They cut to a clip from Washington about events at the Capital Rotunda. An attack on the Capital, that started with a “Stop the Steal Rally”. People were swarming the Capital from the rally. The President told his supporters to walk down the Capital. He said “I will be there with you”, but he wasn't.

NPR, January 6^th.

I had been lulled into a calm state of mind, I thought the lies and law suits that all failed, were over. Just the Certificating of the electoral college vote was left. Boy howdy was I wrong! By that night the attack was over at the Capitol. I breathed a sigh of relief. Little did I know that the slide to a corrupted one party system was already being planed by Republican leadership in many of the state capitals around the country. The Big Lie Continues, NPR.

It has become clear that Democracy is not a product, it is a process.

Like Ben Franklin said after the Constitutional Convention. “A Republic, if You can keep it.”

Run for a local office, Democracy is not a spectator sport. Run for Something. Support local Candidates that support Democracy. Organize locally. Democracy is not a spectator sport. Tag, You’re it.

#January6th, #CoupDeTat, #StoptheSteal #TheBigLie #NPR