Wednesday, January 24, 2018:   What Is The Only Common Denominator in Gun Violence?
Guns.

This past Tuesday, two 15 year old students were shot to death at a high school in Benton, Kentucky and 18 more people were wounded. Since 2013, shootings in Americans schools average about one a week.

What is the response of our gutless legislators in Washington to the slaughter of our children in a place where they should feel and be safe? They pass "Concealed Carry Reciprocity" legislation -- a reckless policy that would gut state gun laws and allow many people with dangerous histories and no training to carry hidden, loaded handguns across the country.


Sunday, January 14, 2018:   Are We Becoming A Democracy In Name Only?
I think that a majority of our citizens can agree on one thing, American politics must change. Unfortunately, we disagree on what those changes should be. I believe that we can also agree that if we were a true democracy, the changes would be decided at the ballot box. The will of the people would be reflected in fair and open elections.

Unfortunately, money, misinformation, voter suppression, and gerrymandering have corrupted our political system and the will of the people has been undermined. The fascists who are behind the dismantling of our democracy continue to chip away at all three branches of government at both the federal and state levels. If this is not reversed in the next few years, it will reach a point where violent revolution will be the only solution.

This is war, but it cannot be fought on the fascist's terms. It cannot be won with only a checkbook. The pockets of the rich and powerful are too deep. We need to find and elect courageous men and women who are will run for public office, stand behind their beliefs, and execute the will of the people. We need to win the votes of each community and each voter who truly wants this country to be a world leading democracy and not some third world dictatorship. We need to educate those who have developed a disdain for the intricacies of government and help them understand the need to elect representatives who will truly act in their best interest.


Monday, January 8, 2018:   Happy New Year Everyone – Wow, Don't We Wish!
How did we arrive at such a desolate place politically? We have a president who by all accounts is a pathological narcissist and consummate idiot. He has appointed individuals to key positions in his administration who are hell bent on destroying our country. We have a congress that plans to gut key programs like Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid so they can fund their tax cuts to the rich and corporations. No sane voter would put these people in office. So why did perfectly sane people vote for this insanity? Did the democratic process fail?

Well the mechanics of the process worked. It facilitated the election of a president and a congress. The question is why and at what cost.

All the analysis done since the election points to the lower middle class white voter, who is angry and feels disenfranchised. They bought the Trump campaign bullshit lock, stock, and barrel. Why? Because the Republican campaign promises were simple, albeit a pack of lies. The problem is that we live in a very complex world.

Democracy is messy. It becomes exponentially messier when the issues facing a nation are complex and do not have nice, simple answers. It would be great if solving the problems facing the white middle America voter were as simple as adopting the Trump playbook. Unfortunately the plight of these voters and of our nation requires well thought out, well crafted solutions. Not ones that destroy our environment, our economy, our justice system, our society, and our democracy with a vague promise of more jobs.

As a country, we can no longer act unilaterally and independently. Even within the U.S., the economic ills facing the white middle class voter are as much the result of technological advances as they are foreign trade. These Republican voters may be angry but are they willing to give up the 60" flat screen TV they afford because it is made outside the U.S.