07/16/21

United Nations to Investigate United States Racism

Our President and Secretary of State announced they have invited the United Nations Council of Human Rights to investigate the status of racism, the racial landscape of our country. [Imagine the drums, the ruffles and flourishes, the lightning in the background, and the sanctimonious smiles.]

Flags - Maps, Flags, Boundaries - Research Guides at United Nations Dag  Hammarskjöld Library

My first reaction was, “Hmmm, seems a little odd. Who are these folks? Who serves on the UN Human Rights Council? What can they contribute?”

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01/19/21

Civilian Control Of The Military — Good Idea?

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.

What is the waiver all about, Big Red Car?

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

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01/9/21

The Martyrdom of Donald J Trump

The United States survived a sacking of its Capitol for only the second time in its history, the last being 24 August 1814 orchestrated by Irish-born, British Major General Robert Ross who put a torch to the buildings of the US government and its military including the Capitol, the Presidential Mansion (we would call it the White House today), and a great number of other buildings.

His role in that victory was highly celebrated though he himself would be killed by American sharpshooters in the Battle of Baltimore. Karma is a bitch and should be.

The Burning of Washington painted by Paul de Thoyras

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12/16/20

The Ballad of Mayor Pete, Secretary of Transportation

Every President is entitled to assemble a Cabinet made of those who he/she wants to run the country even in these polarized times.

The Senate has a role in its advise/consent Constitutional duty to ensure the Devil Herself does not get seated, but, in general, a POTUS should be able to assemble his own Gang.

The Biden Gang, thus far, is more than 75% Obama retreads — whilst you may be tempted to cluck at that, who else does the guy know? Come on, man.

One new face in the crowd is this Mayor Pete chap for Secretary of Transportation. Seems an odd choice.

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12/14/20

The Nightmare Recedes

As I write, Americans are being vaccinated against the COVID19 virus within the same zip code in which I sit. It began four hours ago.

For some reason it reminds me of D-Day, the radio reports wherein our countrymen listened with anticipation:

“This morning, under the command of General Eisenhower, Allied naval forces supported by strong air forces began landing Allied armies on the northern coast of France.”

Within five days, more than 326,000 Allied troops would have landed with more than 100,000 tons of equipment and Paris would be liberated two and a half months later with the Germans destroyed within a year.

I wish the same fate to COVID.

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11/27/20

President-elect Joe Biden, Please Forgive My Student Loan?

One of the policy planks of the Biden campaign was the shiny penny (Bitcoin) lure of a Biden presidency forgiving student loans in their entirety or forgiving $10,000 of the outstanding student loan debt.

Since more than half of all student debt is to persons 24-34, this campaign promise was targeted on the young voter.

In other cultures, this might be called: “Buying Votes,” but not in America where we intend to “Build Back Better.”

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