Where were you? along with a photo of a peaceful/standing twin towers.
My response:
With my GF in Kingston. Had already done some time in uniform. Took me several years to become skeptical and see that the federal government and the press had lost credibility.
Today:
My feeling is that a man on the moon in 1969 was a proud American moment. That was maybe the best of America in my lifetime.
“What I remember most about 9/11 is the way America was unified the day after. During uncontrollable times we controlled our response. Race, Gender and Political Party were equally irrelevant.”
“We focused on loving each other, how did we get so segregated? We never would have made it this far if we embraced division on September the 12th. We are where we are because we got here TOGETHER let’s embrace love yet again.”
“God Bless The USA.”
My response:
Good Stuff
Let’s keep that and add a free and independent press that will ask questions/rock the boat, no matter who is in office.
The mainstream press provides news coverage that favors government agencies, departments and policies.
Many interesting comments are posted with the video above.
The Oak Bay Starfish take:
Trump came on the scene because Americans grew tired of standard politicians. Biden is a standard politician.
Here at Oak Bay Starfish, we are not part of the majority that controls politics at any level of government. Decades of voting indicates that more voting will not change this.
Living in a free and honest society is a priority. I don’t think our major political parties are about this. During long election seasons, there is very little news reporting and discussion about what the major parties stand for or believe in.
The DNC has hated Trump before during and after. People used to make fun of his hair or make cracks about his wife. The DNC has been a huge and successful political party. Clinton’s, Obamas, etc. Disagree with their policies, but they have been effective speakers and successful politicians. This formerly successful organization delivers Biden and VP Kamala Harris as their answer to Trump?
I am OK with Trump as a protest towards standard politicians, the uniparty and the ongoing breakdown of American society. The uniparty sucks ass with their wasteful and ineffective Dept. of Defense and Homeland Security spending.
Homeland Security Is A Scam
Trump is better at the border. Cartels remain in business no mater who is in the White House. The US Dept. of Homeland Security was created in the aftermath of 911. Is there any President since that time who was able to keep cartel product from arriving all over the US?
Pre-Biden:
Cartel Moves 180 Kilograms Of Meth From Mexico To Canada by Rail
Not pointing this out because I am a Biden fan, just to document cartel activity prior to Biden entering office.
Lessons Learned?
Anytime there is a plane crash, a loss at sea, or an industrial accident, a thorough investigation takes place. Lessons learned are used to prevent future accidents. A major aircraft manufacturer grounds certain airplanes after mishaps. Time is required to investigate and find out what went wrong.
Any similar effort after a big cartel drug bust inside the US?
The folks who show up and investigate the plane crash don’t spend time congratulating each other. Their work is designed to try and prevent similar future incidents, not promote themselves.
Preventing drugs from entering local communities would kill the chance for various agencies to get publicity for the occasional big drug bust happening in those communities.
Wonder what was happening at border crossing/port of entry inspections during the 12 months Operation P-22 (to take down just one branch of the cartel activity) took place. Do the good guys who made the local bust notify the good guys at the border about the weak links in their process?
Were federal authorities at the border notified of this ongoing investigation?
Did the cartel traffickers get fast track screening at the border so as not to disrupt this ongoing investigation?
If the drug traffickers were given a pass at the border- would that have tipped them off as to the investigation- or would that have been seen as standard protocol?
Imagine that LE authorities observe a shoplifter or bank robber in action. Instead of going in to make an arrest they back off and conduct an investigation that goes on for months. What if they applied the same tactic Re: crimes involving arson, terrorism, child abuse, DUI, etc.
This time next year- will there be any shortage of cartel product in the Puget Sound area? Has any city, county or state jurisdiction been able to cleanup their drug problem using these methods?
Snohomish 2015
Local law enforcement agencies may benefit when the US Dept. of Homeland Security fails to keep heroin out of the US:
Newspeople are good about posting a drug bust press release. Newspeople remain silent when it comes to asking questions about Homeland Security funding and performance.
Why do we speak of the US Armed Forces as if they function as some sort of giant civil rights organization?
Both major parties are OK with treating 18-20 year old adults as second-class citizens.
Both major parties are good with a land of the free holding pattern where alcohol, marijuana, tobacco and firearms restrictions are in place for 18-20 year old adults. Is there any state where recreational marijuana laws remove prohibition for adults at age 18? Are The Joint Chiefs of Staff working to change any of this? Not no, but, Fuck No.
Doesn’t seem to fit with a society that can’t stop bragging about freedom, thanking the troops for freedoms, fighting wars for freedoms, staging military jet flyovers at sporting events for freedom, etc.
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?
Freedoms come and go. None of the above are linked in any way with The Joint Chiefs of Staff, The Troops, The Dept. of Defense or the outcome of military operations overseas.
School children are taught about a free enterprise system. They grow up to find out that the federal government will tell them what kind of shower head they must install in the bathroom, and what type of gas can they must buy for their lawn mower.
Did hostile forces in distant lands attempt to replace US consumer demand with government demand and end the free enterprise system?
Looks like the Big Uniparty Debate Night revealed some support for the US/Ukraine effort. Looks like Trump wants to shut down war over there.
Over the past year or so, the US Armed Forces recruiting crisis has been in the news and the occasional comment advising a return to the draft will appear.
Here at Oak Bay Starfish, we believe that a return to the draft is total political fantasy. Below, we will go into some of the reasons why, but not much is new if you’re one of the many readers who have been closely following the blog at any time since the catastrophic military failure of 911. Still wondering if anyone was fired over that.
The US should maintain strong and ready military forces
Decades after the lessons of Vietnam, it feels like the people who run the Pentagon specialize in undeclared/unwon wars.
It is understandable that young people and their parents and grandparents would take a dim view on all this.
The press supports the uniparty, so newspeople go easy on asking any questions here.
The US Army brought back WWII uniforms a few years back. Was this an effort to boost recruiting? Looks like it didn’t work. The WWII uniform reminds us of a time before decades of undeclared/unwon wars stacked up.
Has General Milley’s Operation Macho Swagger reduced access to cartel product anywhere in the US?
Has there been enough time for newspeople to ask questions?
Newspeople remain silent.
April 1, 2020 C-SPAN
WWII costume again- a look from a time before decades of undeclared/unwon wars stacked up.
The Department of Defense track record goes back to 1949.
Talk of the draft is a response to recruiting struggles and more wars on the table.
Never Forget-
The US Armed Forces were irrelevant in defending American rights and freedoms, our physical security, & The Constitution on 911.
Ditto for all other federal agencies and departments.
If DOD was an NFL team, sports talk radio would feature comments like: The Dept. of Defense was nowhere to be found on 911. We haven’t won a war since.
Any college or pro football coach would have been fired a dozen times over for what DOD has done with the US Armed Forces during the fake GWOT era.
This is what Americans will support with a draft?
Fake GWOT?
The US Dept. of Homeland Security was invented after the catastrophic military failure of 911. The idea was to keep bad people from coming to the US to do bad things/attempt another 911, etc.
Wouldn’t the giant War on Terror be a cartel drug trafficker’s worst nightmare?
If Americans lived in a free and honest society, newspeople would be asking public policy related questions all of the time. This is not the case.
Wonder what was happening at border crossing/port of entry inspections during the 12 months Operation P-22 (to take down just one branch of the cartel activity) took place. Do the good guys who made the local bust notify the good guys at the border about the weak links in their process?
Were federal authorities at the border notified of this ongoing investigation?
Did the cartel traffickers get fast track screening at the border so as not to disrupt this ongoing investigation?
If the drug traffickers were given a pass at the border- would that have tipped them off as to the investigation- or would that have been seen as standard protocol?
Imagine that LE authorities observe a shoplifter or bank robber in action. Instead of going in to make an arrest they back off and conduct an investigation that goes on for months. What if they applied the same tactic Re: crimes involving arson, terrorism, child abuse, DUI, etc.
This time next year- will there be any shortage of cartel product in the Puget Sound area? Has any city, county or state jurisdiction been able to cleanup their drug problem using these methods?
Thanks for doing time/risking your ass in Iraq and Afghanistan, working to keep a post 911 USA safe & secure.
Don’t worry-The Super Bowl and public affairs will be safe:
National Guard
The people of Minnesota need more applicants to maintain a place to live and a regular job in their hometown area when they are not doing time in foreign lands helping DOD with undeclared/unwon wars and missions completely unrelated to their home state.
A few decades back, people might think of the National Guard as one weekend a month and two weeks in the summer plus a way to support your home state by being ready to get called out for floods, fires, natural disasters, civil unrest, etc. Maybe a way to help the next state over if they needed it.
Any members of the press available to show up and ask why the people of Home State, USA needed services in distant lands, absent any military emergency, national emergency, draft, or declaration of war?
Recruiting crisis for Uncle Sam? Elected officials and top Pentagon Generals earned it.
Thousands of men and women who signed up for the National Guard in the past 25 years did tours in places like Syria, Africa, Iraq, Afghanistan, and Kosovo.
These families have stories to tell and they’re not all positive. Will their stories support a draft?
Random Questions For The Uniparty:
Currently serving four-star officers and high level DOD civilians have been associated with what wars won by the US?
Did the advantage of US air power allow the undeclared wars in Iraq or Afghanistan to be prevented, won or shut down?
US jet aircraft have been able to strike targets in what wars won by the US?
“A massive brawl broke out on a parade ground at Fort Gordon in Augusta one afternoon last fall, when about 70 teenage recruits of the Georgia National Guard’s Youth Challenge Academy slugged it out. Some used homemade weapons, including metal shanks, crudely sharpened toothbrushes and tube socks filled with metal padlocks.”
Political parties and personalities are not as interesting as what stays the same no matter who is elected to office.
2021
Politics seems to be very much about political personalities and group identities and very little on news reporting and discussion about what the major parties stand for or believe in.
Why do we speak of the US Armed Forces as if they function as some sort of giant civil rights organization?
Both major parties are OK with treating 18-20 year old adults as second-class citizens.
Both major parties are good with a land of the free holding pattern where alcohol, marijuana, tobacco and firearms restrictions are in place for 18-20 year old adults. Is there any state where recreational marijuana laws remove prohibition for adults at age 18? Are The Joint Chiefs of Staff working to change any of this? Not no, but, Fuck No.
Doesn’t seem to fit with a society that can’t stop bragging about freedom, thanking the troops for freedoms, fighting wars for freedoms, staging military jet flyovers at sporting events for freedom, etc.
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?
Freedoms come and go. None of the above are linked in any way with The Joint Chiefs of Staff, The Troops, The Dept. of Defense or the outcome of military operations overseas.
School children are taught about a free enterprise system. They grow up to find out that the federal government will tell them what kind of shower head they must install in the bathroom, and what type of gas can they must buy for their lawn mower.
Did hostile forces in distant lands attempt to replace US consumer demand with government demand and end the free enterprise system?
Has General Milley’s Operation Macho Swagger created any shortage of cartel product anywhere in the US?
Has there been enough time for newspeople to ask questions?
Newspeople remain silent.
April 1, 2020 C-SPAN
WWII costume reminds us of a time before decades of undeclared/unwon wars stacked up.
The Department of Defense track record goes back to 1949.
The uniparty and the press appear to be OK with undeclared/unwon wars.
Would the DEA be out of work if a $51.6 billion (every 12 months) US Dept. of Homeland Security was able to keep cartel product from showing up in all 50 states?
The US Dept. of Homeland Security was invented after the catastrophic military failure of 911. (Anybody fired over this?) The idea was to keep bad people from coming to the US to do bad things/attempt another 911, etc.
Wouldn’t the giant War on Terror be a cartel drug trafficker’s worst nightmare?
If Americans lived in a free and honest society, newspeople would be asking public policy related questions all of the time. This is not the case.
Why do we speak of the US Armed Forces as if they function as some sort of giant civil rights organization?
Both major parties are OK with treating 18-20 year old adults as second-class citizens.
Both major parties are good with a land of the free holding pattern where alcohol, marijuana, tobacco and firearms restrictions are in place for 18-20 year old adults. Is there any state where recreational marijuana laws remove prohibition for adults at age 18? Are The Joint Chiefs of Staff working to change any of this? Not no, but, Fuck No.
Doesn’t seem to fit with a society that can’t stop bragging about freedom, thanking the troops for freedoms, fighting wars for freedoms, staging military jet flyovers at sporting events for freedom, etc.
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?
Freedoms come and go. None of the above are linked in any way with The Joint Chiefs of Staff, The Troops, The Dept. of Defense or the outcome of military operations overseas.
School children are taught about a free enterprise system. They grow up to find out that the federal government will tell them what kind of shower head they must install in the bathroom, and what type of gas can they must buy for their lawn mower.
Did hostile forces in distant lands attempt to replace US consumer demand with government demand and end the free enterprise system?
When asked what he would do if he could negotiate a peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine, Kennedy said, “We have to, there is no choice. Russia can’t lose this war. It’s like us losing a war to Mexico.”
Many interesting comments are posted with the article above. View them here.
Alternative media continues to ask questions:
Information Suppression Is Called Out
Welcome Home Troops
Thanks for doing time in Iraq and Afghanistan, working to keep a post 911 USA safe & secure.
JFK speaks about the role of the press in a free society:
Today’s American culture is truly weak in terms of newspeople asking questions. Regular people who take no federal funds, go out to look at what is going on. This effort is seen as controversial:
Would President Biden be up for answering unscripted questions on TV in front of a live audience? Would President Biden be OK with a news media person who is critical of the federal government asking the questions?
To me, the most interesting people in politics are the people who are willing to question their chosen political party.
Four videos from Jimmy Dore, a progressive Democrat:
Forget about what POTUS does here. Watch the faces of the two uniformed military members immediately to his right. Look at the expression on the face of the man holding the football. This looks like something out of an SNL skit. The smiling woman in uniform awkwardly backs away and moves offstage. The people in the audience quickly get to their feet as if startled when POTUS walks down the aisle.
Is this the way the event was rehearsed?
White House event video shows same:
We are hearing that no primary debates will take place.
American freedoms come and go. For sure, we have less freedom today than we did when I graduated from public high school in the late 70s.
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.
Less freedom today.
Any examples, Mr. Blogger?
Both major political parties are now OK with treating 18-20 year old adults as second-class citizens.
Alcohol, marijuana, tobacco and firearms restrictions are in place for 18-20 year old adults. Is there any state where recreational marijuana laws remove prohibition for adults at age 18?
Doesn’t seem to fit with a society that can’t stop bragging about freedom, thanking the troops for freedoms, fighting wars for freedoms, staging military jet flyovers at sporting events for freedom, etc.
Certainly, Americans do not live in a free and honest society.
Hey school teachers, are the Joint Chiefs of Staff sending The Troops to fix any of this?
Love to see the press find out from elected officials how sending US Troops to Syria, Lebanon, Somalia, Vietnam, Afghanistan, Iraq, Bosnia, etc., is somehow defending the constitution or American freedoms.
Look for newspeople and school teachers to ask zero questions in these areas.
Changes based on consumer demand or government demand?
Governments at various levels are now in the habit of setting deadlines for new restrictions, bans and mandates.
If a right to vote has always been protected by the brave men and women who serve in our Armed Forces, how come women were not allowed full voting rights at the end of WWI?
Why the need for a 1965 Voting Rights Act if overseas military operations somehow secured voting rights?
If a right to vote is protected by the US Armed Forces, what becomes of that right when the US leaves Syria, Lebanon, Somalia, Vietnam, Afghanistan, etc., without a victory?
Thanks for sending The Troops to distant lands to keep bad people from coming here to do bad things. If not for decades of undeclared/unwon wars, (The Department of Defense track record goes back to 1949) hostile forces may have come to North America to do away with the free enterprise system and tell us what kind of shower head we must install in our home, what type of gas can we must buy for our generator, what type of gas we must place in the can, or that our push mower does not meet federal EPA regulations.
If not for decades of undeclared/unwon wars, drug trafficking cartels might be able to move product into all 50 states.
Has General Milley’s Operation Macho Swagger reduced access to cartel product anywhere in the US?
Has there been enough time for newspeople to ask questions?
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?
“I look forward to engaging him in debates and town hall meetings, in a primary election that is honest, civil, and transparent,” Kennedy said in a statement. “I invite him into a new era of respectful dialog in these times of division.”
Not asking about the oath of enlistment. Asking about what happens after the oath has been taken.
Photo-
A symbol of newspeople not asking questions, and a federal government that is OK with undeclared/unwon wars and telling lies about freedom, then blaming young people and their families when they lose interest in showing up.
Or, a symbol of federal government credibility and followers of both major parties, elected officials, newspeople and school teachers not asking questions.
No offense to President Biden, but there are probably many fast food places in the USA where employees would not react like 1970s winners/audience members on a TV game show if a call from The President came in. This would be true for any POTUS.
A certain amount of show business skill is needed in order for the surprise call to go well.
Jill Biden teamed up with The First Lady back in 2011 to deliver another surprise phone call.
Joining Forces Initiative – Thanksgiving, 2011:
Here is a hand selected lady who was surprised (1:12) to get a phone call of support from The First Lady-even though cameras were rolling in her home when the phone rang. At 2:33 Dr. Jill Biden is thanked.
What about school teachers? Do they have a part in teaching students about government structure and the honest role of the US Armed Forces?
Each November, school teachers across America host Veterans Day assemblies– and promote the idea to children that The Troops are in distant lands-fighting for American rights and freedoms-as if the US Armed Forces function as some sort of giant civil rights organization.
In Washington State, these assemblies are mandatory.
Elementary students grow up and enter the adult world to find out that both major political parties are now OK with treating 18-20 year old adults as second-class citizens.
Alcohol, marijuana, tobacco and firearms restrictions are in place for 18-20 year old adults. Is there any state where recreational marijuana laws remove prohibition for adults at age 18?
Doesn’t seem to fit with a society that can’t stop bragging about freedom, thanking the troops for freedoms, fighting wars for freedoms, staging military jet flyovers at sporting events for freedom, etc.
Certainly, Americans do not live in a free and honest society.
Growing up in the 60s & 70s- veterans were all around- church, school, Boy Scout leaders, family, the neighborhood, etc. It was all just an average thing. These folks weren’t seen as a separate part of American society.
People weren’t stepping over to say “Thanks for your service” to my Dad- who did time in the Navy in the 50s- but looked just like anyone else out in public.
In the 60s & 70s I never attended a Veterans Day assembly at school.
There were none.
Probably enough veterans around to remove most of the mystique, or maybe those veterans thought it was all just an average thing and did not want to be seen as a separate part of American society, or get priority parking spots over at the grocery store.
Love to see a student ask: If The Troops fight for your right to sit, stand, kneel, etc.-why were black people still riding at the back of the bus after the big WWII victory?
Love to see a student ask: If the wars aren’t won-how can they protect our freedom?
Love to see a student ask: Whatever happened to lessons about Armistice Day?
Whatever happened to the formal congressional declaration of war?
This would be the time to hear from elected leaders and top generals Re: lessons learned on all the issues that have doomed the Department of Defense track record for winning wars since DOD was established in 1949.
Not here to say that most of what the Dept. of Defense touches turns to crap, but, if DOD was an NFL team, sports talk radio would feature comments like:
The Dept. of Defense was nowhere to be found on 911. We haven’t won a war since.
It feels like the people who run the Pentagon specialize in undeclared/unwon wars.
Top generals and politicians have a recruiting crisis on their hands. They will blame young people who are overweight. They will not blame a DOD brand that is known for decades of undeclared/unwon wars.
When do we get to vote our way out of undeclared/unwon wars?
Marketing Partnership Update
We are the very best at militarized pageantry for pro sports events.
TV newspeople perform like paid actors reading a script.
Newspeople play the role of federal public affairs staff as authorities prepare for the Super Bowl.
Sorry, no time for newspeople to ask:
Did the advantage of US air power allow the undeclared wars in Iraq or Afghanistan to be prevented, won or shut down?
Freedoms come and go. None of the above are linked in any way with The Joint Chiefs of Staff, The Troops, The Dept. of Defense or the outcome of military operations overseas.
In addition to freedoms possibly enjoyed by all adults, those who are 18-20 years old are placed in a land of the free holding pattern.
Alcohol, marijuana, tobacco and firearms restrictions are in place for 18-20 year old adults. Is there any state where recreational marijuana laws remove prohibition for adults at age 18?
Doesn’t seem to fit with a society that can’t stop bragging about freedom, thanking the troops for freedoms, fighting wars for freedoms, staging military jet flyovers at sporting events for freedom, etc.
While the troops were deployed, federal law was signed prohibiting the sale of tobacco products to adults age 18-20.
Not asking about the oath of enlistment. Asking about what happens after the oath has been taken.
When the US Armed Forces are sent to Lebanon, Somalia, Haiti, Bosnia, Vietnam, etc.-how is that defending the US Constitution-or our rights and freedoms, or our physical security?
Look for newspeople and school teachers to ask zero questions in these areas.
The family friendly, hometown pride-oriented local small town papers and TV news folks not only shy away from asking questions, they promote urban legends about freedom.
To me, these are the very most interesting people in politics.
Some would say Liz Cheney is an example. Love to see GOP personalities question wasteful and ineffective US Dept of Homeland Security spending during all presidential administrations.
Love to see GOP personalities question wasteful and ineffective US Dept of Defense (nowhere to be found on 911) spending during all presidential administrations.
It feels like the people who run the Pentagon specialize in undeclared/unwon wars. It has been this way for decades.
Love to see GOP personalities question why both major political parties are now OK with treating 18-20 year old adults as second-class citizens.
Alcohol, marijuana, tobacco and firearms restrictions are in place for 18-20 year old adults. Is there any state where recreational marijuana laws remove prohibition for adults at age 18?
Certainly, Americans do not live in a free and honest society.
Jimmy Dore
I have no loyalty to one political party or another.
I am attracted to what seems to be the most honest:
I had not been to church in decades. Mom took us to a different brand of church regularly back in the 70s. In that time we clocked in and out at church, but did not really lead a Christian lifestyle during the week. I was in boy scout troops sponsored by churches and they were one of the best parts of my childhood.
I have not been a religious person during my lifetime.
The church I visited recently was well attended with people who were warm and friendly and looked to be happy people.
The sermon set up a choice between going to hell or confessing sins and committing to Jesus to spend forever in paradise.
The part of a Christian life that makes sense to me today is joining a group of a few people to go help a little old lady by mowing her lawn and making a dump run or two.
Playing any role in order to earn everlasting life in paradise seems like a selfish motivation to me.
Presupposing that an unknown person has committed sins to a point that they must confess them or go to hell is a concept I do not feel connected to at this time.
“But as other schools deliberate shutting their doors to slow the spread of the coronavirus, some parents may be left to wonder: If schools close, how will my child eat?”
I do not object to public assistance programs. The press should make an effort to keep the public informed on how these programs are working.
Again, I am not against public assistance programs, but did the WWII generation rely heavily on public school districts to feed their kids?
100 years ago, did families rely on school districts to feed their children to such an extent that, if school was shut down, school districts would scramble to fill busses with food and send it out into the neighborhoods?
If school shuts down, does the family still qualify for publicly funded food assistance? If food assistance programs remain in place outside of school-why would children be at risk of going hungry?
If the programs aren’t working-let’s hear all about it.
Both major parties have taken turns in power over a period of decades and have squandered credibility that would help in the current situation. A wide variety of political personalities have occupied the White House.
The whole system is run by people who are college educated. Advances in technology have not been able to solve problems in various areas. Wars are common. We were told we needed to send troops to Vietnam. Syria, Lebanon, Somalia, Iraq, Afghanistan, etc.
There are frequent articles in the news now that reveal concerns about voting rights being restricted. Is this really happening?
Personal history in Washington State:
I moved/returned to WA just over 20 years ago. At that time, voting was done in person at a polling place near the neighborhood where you were living.
A flag was posted outside the building. You checked in at a table, so a little old lady could find your name on her list. I would present my ID and my voter registration card. Cannot remember if this was a requirement.
My understanding was, that by presenting ID and allowing the volunteer to check your name, then hand you a ballot, you were accomplishing two important things:
Making sure that you would not vote twice.
Making sure that no other person would vote using your name.
I never saw this as a restriction of voting rights.
Later, WA went to an all mail in system, and in the several counties where I have lived, it all seemed to work very well.
Over the past 40 years or so, both major parties have taken turns in power and have squandered credibility that would help in the current situation. A wide variety of political personalities have occupied the White House.
“But as other schools deliberate shutting their doors to slow the spread of the coronavirus, some parents may be left to wonder: If schools close, how will my child eat?”
I do not object to public assistance programs. The press should make an effort to keep the public informed on how these programs are working.
Again, I am not against public assistance programs, but did the WWII generation rely heavily on public school districts to feed their kids?
100 years ago, did families rely on school districts to feed their children to such an extent that, if school was shut down, school districts would scramble to fill busses with food and send it out into the neighborhoods?
If school shuts down, does the family still qualify for publicly funded food assistance? If food assistance programs remain in place outside of school-why would children be at risk of going hungry?
If the programs aren’t working-let’s hear all about it.
I am interested in living in a free and honest society.
Political parties and personalities are not as interesting as what stays the same no matter who is elected to office.
Politics seems to be very much about political personalities and group identities and very little on news reporting and discussion about what the major parties stand for or believe in.
Both major parties seem to be OK with undeclared wars.
Love to see the press find out from elected officials how sending US Troops to Syria, Lebanon, Somalia, Vietnam, Afghanistan, Iraq, Bosnia, etc., is somehow defending the constitution.
The Dept. of Defense has a truly poor track record with undeclared wars. This record goes back to 1949, the year DOD was established.
Wasteful and ineffective Homeland Security spending
A $49.8 billion (every 12 months) US Dept. of Homeland Security that fails to keep cartel product from showing up in all 50 states.
This may trigger a Trump/Biden debate, but be honest, cartels remain in business no mater who is in the White House. The US Dept. of Homeland Security was created in the aftermath of 911. Is there any President since that time who was able to keep cartel product from arriving all over the US?
Pre-Biden:
Cartel Moves 180 Kilograms Of Meth From Mexico To Canada by Rail
The media seems to be run mostly by the D side of politics, certainly not by constitutional conservatives.
What are some constitutional conservative views on undeclared wars?
What are some constitutional conservative views on federal prohibition of marijuana?
What are some constitutional conservative views on treating 18-20 year old adults as second class citizens?
Alcohol, marijuana, tobacco and firearms restrictions are in place for 18-20 year old adults. Is there any state where recreational marijuana laws remove prohibition for adults at age 18?
Both major parties promote the idea that US troops are sent to distant lands to defend American rights and freedoms.
While the troops were deployed, federal law was signed prohibiting the sale of tobacco products to adults age 18-20.
Can elected officials of any party or any member of the press help us to understand the militarized version of freedom here?
Both parties seem to be OK with undeclared wars, wasteful Homeland Security spending, federal prohibition of marijuana, treating 18-20 year old adults as 2nd class citizens and newspeople who play along by not asking questions.
Both major parties are OK with a glorification of military service and this total nonsense:
If a right to vote has always been protected by the brave men and women who serve in our Armed Forces, how come women were not allowed full voting rights at the end of WWI?
Why the need for a 1965 Voting Rights Act if overseas military operations somehow secured voting rights?
If a right to vote is protected by the US Armed Forces, what becomes of that right when the US leaves Syria, Lebanon, Somalia, Vietnam, Afghanistan, etc., without a victory?
A big election season is very much about political personalities and group identities. Watch for political experts to reach out to latino, black, Asian American, and women voters. Surely, members of a specific group would think, act & vote as one?
The big election season is not very much about discussing and asking questions about things that do not change no matter what political party or personality is in power.
Look for newspeople to avoid asking candidates and elected officials of any party:
What do the major political parties belive in or stand for? Over the past 50 years or so, they have taken turns in power. Plenty of voting has taken place. Things are not better.
Long election seasons are not bringing out answers to these sorts of questions. Have newspeople had time to look into all this?
Newspeople have moved away from asking questions. Has anyone noticed?
Our questions appear in bold type.
Do Americans have an honest relationship with the US Armed Forces?
The Dept. of Defense was nowhere to be found on 911. We haven’t won a war since.
Did the advantage of US air power allow the undeclared wars in Iraq or Afghanistan to be prevented, won or shut down?
If The Troops defend American rights and freedoms, what becomes of those freedoms when the US leaves Syria, Lebanon, Somalia, Vietnam, Afghanistan, etc., without a victory?
If the CIA (est 1947) serves as an advantage to the US, why does the Department of Defense have such a poor record of winning undeclared wars going back to 1949, the year DOD was established?
Newspeople remain silent.
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.
None of these are linked in any way with The Joint Chiefs of Staff, The Troops, The Dept. of Defense or the outcome of military operations overseas.
As the decades of undeclared/unwon wars stack up (The Department of Defense track record goes back to 1949.) the greater the cultural urge to glorify people who do, or did time in uniform.
If there is an honest reason to send people away into decades of undeclared/unwon wars overseas let’s hear all about it.
TV Newspeople Are Lazy – Reporting The News By Press Release
The press release style of news reporting means that a statement is prepared by whatever agency was involved in the latest event. Newspeople post this statement as is.
Newspeople post whatever press release is handed off.
Was there any military emergency, national emergency, draft, or declaration of war, linked to this movement of Iowa National Guard troops?
Has there been time for newspeople to ask questions?
Newspeople remain silent.
The press is good for telling everybody to get out and vote.
People could do a better job of voting if they were better informed.
Newspapers are suppressing online comment sections, getting away from asking questions related to public policy and telling us they need more support from subscription and advertising sales.
Got it.
Life and Death Scenarios
COVID is a life and death situation for some people. Using or abusing cartel-sourced drugs is a life and death situation for some people.
When news/social media posts are created by federal employees, there’s no need to deal with any awkward/real questions from the press.
“The drugs — 1,950 pounds valued at $45 million — were sniffed out by a dog during a traffic stop involving a refrigerated tractor-trailer in Denton County on Oct. 8, the DEA said. They had been stashed inside a secret compartment of the truck.”
Anytime there is a plane crash, a loss at sea, or an industrial accident, a thorough investigation takes place. Lessons learned are used to save lives by preventing future incidents.
Any investigation to find out how US Troops at the border, the big El Chapo takedown, opioid lawsuits, REAL ID, Homeland Security grant money, CBP social media posts, strict post 911/GWOT security protocols, and a $49.8 billion US Dept. of Homeland Security failed to keep cartel product from showing up in Denton County Texas?
Newspeople remain silent.
Welcome Home Troops
Thanks for risking your ass in Iraq & Afghanistan-working to keep bad people from coming here to do bad things.
Don’t worry-
The Super Bowl and public affairs will be safe:
Has General Milley’s Operation Macho Swagger reduced access to cartel product anywhere in the US?
Has there been enough time for newspeople to ask questions?
Newspeople remain silent.
April 1, 2020 C-SPAN
WWII costume reminds us of a time before decades of undeclared/unwon wars stacked up.
The Department of Defense track record goes back to 1949.
Both major parties and the press are OK with undeclared/unwon wars that never end.
President Biden has had a long career in politics. Have previous efforts Re: gun control failed to reduce gun crimes?
Random thoughts:
Has any state, ever in history, required proof of membership in a militia to purchase, transport, or carry, guns and ammo/participate in shooting sports, etc.
If enhanced background checks reduce gun crimes, why does the press avoid reporting or providing updates on enhanced background checks years after they have been put in place?
Same country that can’t stop bragging about freedom, thanking the troops for freedoms, fighting wars for freedoms, staging military jet flyovers at sporting events for freedom, etc.
The primary focus of several federal holidays is freedom.
None of these are linked in any way with The Joint Chiefs of Staff, The Troops, The Dept. of Defense or the outcome of military operations overseas.
As the decades of undeclared/unwon wars stack up (The Department of Defense track record goes back to 1949.) the greater the cultural urge to glorify people who do, or did time in uniform.
If there is an honest reason to send people away into decades of undeclared/unwon wars overseas let’s hear all about it.
Yesterday, somebody posted:
