USA – 250 Years | Oak Bay Starfish

The USA has a big 250 year birthday coming up in 2026.

I remember being in school for the bicentennial in 1976.

It will be strange to watch the celebrations next year because we are experiencing an ongoing breakdown of society that has been going on for years now, no matter what political party or personality is in office. Today, both major parties serve up a version of politics that is more extreme than what we saw in 1976.

I would expect a modern society to gently improve over time. This is not the case here.

A 20 year old today has a much steeper hill to climb than I did when I was 20 in 1980.

Leaving a better world to the next two generations would have been my choice.

US Semiquincentennial – Expect More Lies About Freedom

It’s all about the freedom folks.

Biden honors Americans who ‘stood on the front lines of freedom’ in Veterans Day remarks

CNN Nov 11, 2023

Sorry, no newspeople available to ask:

Mr President,

How would American freedoms and the Constitution be any different today if US troops were never sent to Iraq way back in 1991?

Look for newspeople and school teachers to ask zero questions in this area.

Don’t lie to people and maybe they would be more patriotic.

Both major parties are OK with federal prohibition of alcohol and tobacco for adults age 18-20.

No such thing the day I graduated from high school.

That was before decades of military operations for your freedoms.

Both major political parties are now OK with treating 18-20 year old adults as second-class citizens.

Good luck with your US Armed Forces recruiting crisis.

May 28, 2020 WMAR

Salisbury Mayor deploying to Africa with Maryland National Guard

“I am honored to do my part to ensure that the citizens of this community and all Americans remain safe and free.”

Several news sources published this quote. View them here.

The idea that sending hometown troops to Africa would be linked in any way with keeping the people of Salisbury Maryland safe and free calls for more discussion.

Mayor Day,

While the troops were deployed, federal law was signed prohibiting the sale of tobacco products to adults age 18-20.

Can you help us to understand the militarized version of freedom here?

December 21st 2019 KOMO News

Legal age to buy cigarettes, vapes raised to 21 nationwide

“Signed into law by President Donald Trump Friday as part of the new $1.4 trillion spending bill, a new measure prohibits the sale of tobacco products to anyone under the age of 21.”

The US should maintain strong and ready military forces.

In some cases, the US Armed Forces provide for our security. That’s as good as it gets.

In terms of American rights and freedoms-The Dept. of Defense has no more say than the Dept. of Agriculture.

Armed Forces Recruiting – 1980s

Part of what made it work:

In past decades, people could do time in uniform, then return to the US with a feeling that they were living in the best country on the planet.

They believed it and their parents and grandparents believed it.

Those who did may have wished to hand down a better version of the modern American society to their kids and grandkids.

Today-

Standards have deteriorated. The troops return to an ongoing breakdown of society.

Both major parties have taken turns in power over the past 40 years or so. For sure, there is a chunk of public policy that has become worse, not better.

Emergency/crisis/chaos mode is what we get now.

Man On The Moon In ’69 – Now This: