I do not trust politicians. I never really have. I am often tempted to single out Democrats for being more untrustworthy, but I call them like I see them.
Here is my view of Louisiana Republican politics and the Republicans. It sucks. They suck. Do not trust them.
US law (the National Security Act of 1947) requires that a military officer be seven years from active, uniformed service before he can be appointed to serve as Secretary of Defense. That law also provides that Congress can waive that requirement.
That waiver has been granted twice in US history.
1. George Marshall — former Architect of Allied Victory in World War II, five star General of the Armies, Chief of Staff of the US Army, Ambassador (Special Envoy) to China, Secretary of State, President of the American Red Cross — would receive that waiver and go on to save Europe through the efforts of what came to be named the Marshall Plan.
General of the Armies George Catlett Marshall, VMI 1901, the Allies Architect of Victory in World War II as noted by Winston Churchill
I am a huge fan of the writing of Jon Meacham (2009 Pulitzer Prize for biography of President Andrew Jackson).
I have read all of his books.
You will recognize Jon as a man who has taken a high profile on politics of late — he endorsed Joe Biden for President.
If you were unfortunate enough to have watched the Presidential Debate Road Show that blew into Cleveland last night, then you will not be surprised when I opine it was a bloody 3-ring circus.
The debate starring POTUS Trump (a man who must swear off caffeinated coffee at night) featured a spirited chat with Chris Wallace (the supposed ringmaster who never got the assignment clear in his head). From time-to-time, former Vice President Joe Biden participated.
Chris Wallace managed to undue two generations of his own family’s involvement with both journalism and debate moderation in less than a minute. Though the debate was a 9-round 90 minute format, Chris lost control within ten seconds.
Chris is likely lying stunned in a thumb-sucking, fetal position trying to sort out the question for the ages: WTF just happened?
Here is how the Russian Judge scored the fight cards. The opinion of the Russian Judge is very important because, of course, the Russians are scheduled to spend another $70,000 in social media ads amongst the malestrom of $6B in election spending to influence the 2020 election.
The Russian Judge watching and evaluating the Circus in Cleveland last night.
I was in the Cleveland Clinic (one of the sponsors of tonight’s Presidential Debate) getting a tuneup when who did I bump into other than Chris Wallace of Fox News. He needed a shave, wore sunglasses, a mask, a Beto For President 2020 tee shirt, khaki shorts, and flip flops.
Later I would find out that the Beto campaign had a closeout sale on its campaign materials and sold them for $1.29/each or ten for $10. Chris stocked up. Told me, “I wear them when I do yard work.”
We had a chat.
“Chris, what are you doing here?”
“Hello, Big Red Car, it’s been a few years, hasn’t it? You look great. Might need a little paint, but who doesn’t?”
So, here we stand on the edge of the precipice, at a pivotal moment in the history of our Republic with the entire fate of the Nation held hostage.
Bullshit. We aren’t even close to the precipice and this supposedly pivotal moment in the history of the Republic was all figured out by the Founding Fathers in the Constitution.
The only people alarmed are morons who have never read the Constitution.
Yesterday, I was struck in the face by an intellectual 2×4. Luckily, it was an abstraction because a genuine 2×4 to the face can really hurt.
So, this group of influential Senators held a hearing to explore the mischief of our United States Postal Service Postmaster General — a man whose detractors widely described as a “Trump stooge.”
The usual suspects came loaded for bear, but I think the Postmaster General (only two months into his job, showing a bit of the learning curve) disappointed them as he was an unlikely target as he brought no real fight to the fight and seemed to have a good answer to all of their inquiries.
Some of his answers were comical in that he said, “Well, no that never happened and never will happen.”
Many of the inquiries arrived dripping in venom. This is not a unique phenomenon for these type of hearings.
In any event, many of the inquisitors left slightly mollified, but many did not.
In the House of Representatives — the hot coffee cup spilling over into the Senate’s cooling saucer by Constitutional design — they voted to give the US Postal Service $25,000,000,000.
Came back into town on a Saturday for an emergency session because it was apparently essential — an emergency — to give the Postmaster General $25,000,000,000
They did NOT take up any COVID Relief Package, but they gave the Postmaster General $25,000,000,000 for an unknown reason that is not even remotely related to COVID, the elephant in the room.
Thereafter the House returned home saying, “See, y’all, in a month. Sorry we didn’t get to that COVID Relief Package, but we did give the Postmaster General $25,000,000,000.”
He had not asked for any funds and had no real plans as to how to spend such a great sufficiency, a largess of gargantuan proportions.
[Note: By law the USPS is NOT funded by taxpayers, so this is a monumental deviation from the prior practice. The USPS relies upon their income — stamp sales, package delivery fees — to fund their operations.]
The logical dilemma looks like this:
1. One group of influential politicians is certain the Postmaster General is a “Trump stooge” and believe he is trying to wreck the Postal Service in order to impact the election and nudge it in the direction of the odious Orange Man.
It would be fair to say they are apoplectic. They intend to exert discipline upon this dangerous Postmaster General. Jerk a knot in his ass, so to speak. Rein him in. Tell him how the cow will eat the cabbage.
2. A similar group of like minded influential politicians (holding the same opinion of the Postmaster General) voted to give this Postmaster General — refreshing your memory, the “Trump stooge” Postmaster General — $25,000,000,000 with no real plan as to how he might spend it.
A big gob of money seems to ensure mischief and rather than jerking a knot in anybody’s ass, it conveys incredible flexibility and potential for questionable decision making.
Does this strike you as slightly illogical?
It did me, but then what the Hell do I really know anyway? I’m just a Big Red Car.
Outcomes in life are determined by the tactics you employ with which to grapple with it.
If you were spit out by a military school, as was I, you will learn basic infantry tactics like attacking a hill with a platoon of 50 men employing something called “fire and maneuver.”
Part of the platoon fires whilst the balance maneuvers, you reverse rolls until you are within hand grenade range whereat you fling a few grenades before closing with and killing the enemy.
It is delightfully simple when confronting the idea with pen and ink, but more troubling when done for real.
You will quickly learn that attacking a hill with a bunch of cadets who will have their turn soon enough is vastly different than doing the same thing when someone is shooting at you and your ranks are peopled with men who are having second thoughts about their career choice.
What you quickly learn is that tactics, successful tactics, require action. You will also want to know that the other guy has likely had a bit of instruction on defending a hill.
This will quickly devolve into a classic clash of wills as does much of life.
The one with the better tactics will win the encounter. Winning in the military racket is highly prized and there is actually no substitute for success.
So, now we turn to the issue of the COVID Relief Package and a lesson on tactics.
Thank you for subscribing.
Something went wrong.