The Green New Deal or Bust: Saturday Political Soap Box 207

What is the Green New Deal?

It is a resolution to come together to formulate a plan to bring about zero emissions by 2050.  That would be the long term goal.

Why do we have to do that?

Because scientific consensus is, that if unchecked, we will have a rise in global temperatures of between 2.5 and 3 degrees, within the next few decades.  Some studies indicate we have less than twelve years before the effects become irreversible.

We don't have to wait twelve years to see the effects of global warming.  You can see it now.  The global temperatures are already rising.  Extreme weather events are occurring now.  Agriculture is already affected.

The Green New Deal proposes to stop or slow this by moving to cleaner energy sources, and by doing so in a way that it improves the economy, and broadens opportunities for EVERYONE, not just a handful of energy gatekeepers.  We need affordable housing and sustainable food for all, not just mansions and caviar for a few.

This is what the Green New Deal will not do -

Ban air travel.

Ban cars.

Ban cows.

Make it so if the wind doesn't blow you can't watch TV.

I could go on and on.  Virtually every negative myth you've heard about the Green New Deal is wrong.  There is one that has an element of truth to it -

It will cost a lot.

But I'm going to tell you a dirty little secret -

It's going to cost a lot more if we do nothing.  Both in terms of money and in human lives.

The cost to clean up after climate change induced extreme weather is rising.  Trillions will have to be spent just to restore the damage that is left in their wake.  And to watch Trump promote tax dollars to repair red state Alabama while denying Puerto Rico what they need, by foully begrudgingly giving them anything - well, that alone is a reason no caring person should ever support or vote for him again.

You're upset by the level of immigration and refugees you see now?  That is a tiny trickle compared to the level of global warming refugees you'll see if we do nothing.  Millions upon millions will have to move away from areas of the planet that will be rendered uninhabitable.

This is a bipartisan issue that all will have to participate in order to secure a livable planet.  Everything is at stake.  Everything.

And yet -

When I looked for pictures to go with this, searching for Facebook for photos of The Green New Deal, 95% or more of what I found was negative memes promoting ugly and horrible lies about the Green New Deal.  The Republicans are working double overtime to create a negative impression about this effort, and in particular, to vilify Congressperson Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

I have never seen such firepower and venom directed at a freshman Congressperson.  Why?

Because they see the future if she is unchallenged.  They fear her.  They know she is speaking directly to the American people, and with such power and force and common sense, that she could rise up the opposition that finally makes the Republicans and their wealthy sponsors irrelevant.  So they have refocused their laser hatred, the same kind used to demean Hillary Clinton and Nancy Pelosi, on trying to break the career trajectory of AOC. 

They want to change the future, even if that costs us the entire planet.  Political demonization is more important to them than the future of Earth.

As brilliant as AOC is, she is nothing without the rest of us.  We have to speak up about wanting the Green New Deal, whatever our political stripe.

This isn't about the career of any politician.  Yes, I am incredibly grateful for AOC leading the way. But in the end, this about the future livability of our planet.

The Green New Deal represents our last, best hope. 

Won't you please set partisanship aside and help us deal with this crisis?

Don't do it for Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.  Don't do it for any politician.  Don't do it for me.

Do it for your children.  For your grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

They deserve a livable planet.

Back in the Old Sub

Every time I try to get out, they pull me back in .... and under.

Semi-retired or not, this is the time of year I put in the most hours at work.  And I find even with the time I am putting in, I'm still fogging over and finding it difficult to concentrate.  I operate in a fog most of the time.  Fiction writing has disappeared, and I can only pray that it comes back after April 15th.

There has been a lot of talk about what effect the tax changes passed in December 2017 had on taxpayers.

My sample is not huge.  Still, I've seen more than most of you.  And I'll tell you this -

It's a mixed bag.

Some stayed about the same.  Some were worse off.  A few did better.

The biggest things I've seen?

1)  Many people who use to itemize, don't pass the new threshold now.  People are still submitting their itemized deductions, but a good number no longer cross the threshold where it makes sense to use them.  For me personally, until the tax law changes again, it makes no sense to even keep track of things like mortgage deduction, charitable contributions, property taxes and such.  I'm not sure how many understand that those things may not be useful anymore.

2) The loss of personal exemptions mute some of the benefit of the increase in the standard deduction.  Many don't understand that the parade of dependents does not help to the degree that it used to, especially if those dependents are over the age of 16.  There is a $500 credit for dependents over 16.  On the other hand, the child dependent credit for 16 and under is now up to $2,000 so those with children may have seen a drop in the bottom line owed.

3) The Trump administration wanted to upfront the potential tax reduction impact of their plan, so they adjusted the tax withholding tables for wage-based employees in a way that most increased their paychecks.  Even so, the adjustment was too small for most taxpayers to notice, but they did notice it's other effect - some found that although their total tax responsibility might be slightly lower, their refund was reduced from what they were used to, or they actually had to pay in.  Those who claimed a plethora of dependents on their W-4 were in the worse shape.

4)  For those who usually do qualify for itemized deductions, even with the higher threshold, some may have found some of their deduction categories capped.  The amount you can take for different taxes - property, state, local, etc., - is capped at $10,000.  That's high by middle-class standards, but I have seen some returns limited by it.  One person had an unusually high tax year in 2017, and with their income more routine in 2018, are unable to take the full deduction on the large amount of state taxes they had to pay the prior year.

5)  If you are a wage slave and paid for some of your work expenses yourself  - too bad, so sad.  That deduction is gone.  On the other hand....

6)  If you are self-employed or get your income primarily through a partnership or 1120S corporation -  woohoo!  There is a new deduction that takes off 20% of your NET income!  I had one taxpayer whose income was mainly through self-employment (Schedule C) and 1120S (a type of corporation where the income flows through to individual returns), and with similar income compared to the prior year, saw their total tax bill go down by about ... 20%!

All of this relates to the age-old question - WHAT ABOUT ME?

Sorry to interrupt that thought, but I have to ask - WHAT ABOUT THE COUNTRY?

The tax code changes reduce the amount of incoming tax revenues by an ungodly huge number, thereby massively increasing the nation's deficit spending.  The benefits are focused almost exclusively on the wealthiest of our taxpayers (not something I see much of in the returns I do - we have some well-off people, but I don't prepare anyone's return that is in this category), further super-charging the income gap. 

The economy is good (albeit beginning to slow), but the long term prognosis of this kind of concentration of wealth is not promising.  There is already pressure to make up the difference by further cutting programs that help the working poor and the middle class. 

There is a lot more I could say in this regard (and those who faithfully follow my blog probably have already read it), but the old clock on the wall is telling me it is time to hoof it to work once again.

File away, America!  We CPAs will do the best we can to help you through it!

And after that, I can return to the wonderful world of fiction!

One Grammar to Muzzle Them All

If I let it, grammar can terrify me, freeze me in fear, and dissuade me from writing.

Recently, Benjamin had a paper due for his college-level English class.  It wasn't terribly long, and it was on a topic that I was surprised that Benjamin had an opinion on, or could talk about with any coherence. It was a reaction to a short story by William Faulkner. It demonstrated deep thinking on Benjamin's part, and intricate, colorful use of language.  I was very proud of how he used language to convey his ideas and paint an interesting picture.

Benjamin uses Google Docs, and he used whatever grammar program it had to support him.  Then he transferred it into Word using my purchased Grammarly program.  He ran it through basic Grammarly and made corrections.  He then ran it through Grammarly Premium and made yet more corrections.  I reviewed for him and made suggestions. So did his mother.

We did all this, for a paper that had beautiful language, great logic, and convincing analysis.  So, high grade, eh?

Well, not horrible, but not the usual A.  His language and ideas were praised, but the teacher also found TWELVE grammar mistakes, inhibiting his ability to come out with a shining grade.

This after three grammar software programs, and inspection by the whole family.

My conclusion?

Grammar can be so bossy and restrictive as to paralyze one's ability and desire to write.

If you can't get it right no matter what you do, why even try?

The one negative comment I've gotten about History of the Trap was from an English teacher who questioned my grammar.  I admit that I put together the book before I purchased Grammarly, but I did edit extensively, got Beta reader's input, and had the book professionally edited by a family member who had been Editor of the local newspaper.  Crowley Stories: Swamp's Edge went through the same process PLUS Grammarly.  I have not received negative feedback about the book, mostly because I haven't received ANY feedback about the book (except Beta-readers, and one other person).

So what to do?

1) Since I can't get it right, I need to stop writing.  Grammar perfection will always elude me, so why try?  Then I think - is this what I want to tell my son as well?


2) Write very slowly and obsessively, spending more time thinking about the grammar than what I write.  Spend as much or more time relearning grammar rules.  Take an online class.  Go back to diagramming sentences.  Be frightened of adverbs.  Worry constantly about tense, or whether you show rather than tell.  I won't get much writing done, but what I do will be purty as all get out.  At least from a grammar point of view.

3)  Don't worry about grammar at all.  Just let the writing freak flag fly, and whatever pours forth, let it be.  Gibberish much?  Oh, yez, I kin gibber the jabber with the best of them.

4)  I can write my best, check Grammarly, reread, and just see if it makes sense.  The rule should be - can the reader understand what I am writing?  Is my message getting conveyed?

I'll go with option 4, if that's okay with y'all.

Grammar is not like math.  It is not hard and fast.  It is a system designed to interpret and codify how people are using language RIGHT NOW.  It can change and adapt in the future.

So, yes.  I will not let grammar rule me.  I will not let it muzzle me.  I will use it as a guide, and where I feel it improves my message. I will use it. 

But sometimes, I will overrule it.  That's just how my writing rolls.

Mystery Weekend Monday Musings

Cst and Dog...sleeping together.  Why did I start out my blog story with this picture? Well...it's a mystery.

It was just that kind of a weekend.

We started the weekend with the mystery of who would qualify for the Sweet Sixteen in the NCAA Men's Basketball contest.  In our office pool at work, I got skunked, but I don't care, because Michigan and MSU are in the Sweet Sixteen!  Woohoo!

I am a Wolverines fan because that is my alma mater.  I'm a fan of the Spartans because my Dad was...it was the team he followed most closely on television, and the last places my parents lived were only a few miles from the MSU campus.  I saw several of the MSU basketball team at a Quiznos several years back.  Well, mostly I saw their chests because to see their faces I would have to tilt my head back and stare into the clouds.

Then on Saturday, I watched a mystery play called Once Upon A Crime, a trial centered on the home invasion perpetrated by Goldilocks.  This was put on by my friend, Kimberly Beck, at the school she works at.  There was no mystery as to what great fun it was, and the great, young talent of our area continues to amaze me.

We watched the movie Captain Marvel, continuing the mystery as to how the Marvel Universe might repair itself after the destruction wrought by Thanos in the last Avengers movie.  Captain Marvel was a good movie, and I saw Annette Bening in a superhero movie, something I thought I would never see - somehow I thought she was above all that.  Who's next?  Meryl Streep?  Julia Roberts?  Bill Maher is losing his snobby squad of resistance.  Oh, wait.  Bill Maher was in Iron Man 3.  Never mind.

We wrapped up the mystery of the first season of The Umbrella Academy.  I won't spoil it for you, other than it is first-rate television, and I really love the talented Ellen Page.  Even though I have read tens of thousands of comic book, I think the only thing I had read of The Umbrella Academy was a free introductory sample.  I wasn't impressed at the time, but the TV show is making me wonder if my judgment was too hasty.

And, of course, the biggest mystery of the weekend was...what the hell is in the Mueller Report?  At this point, we just don't know.  All we have is the Whitewash Summary prepared by the Attorney General who was put in place by Trump specifically to neutralize, obfuscate, and whitewash the Mueller Report.  I refuse to evaluate it until the full report is released.  And if the full report is never released?  Well, that tells us something, don't it?

Until next time,

T. M. Strait

Hiding From Mueller: Saturday Political Soap Box 206

It's out.

And I admit.  I'm scared, and I'm anxious.

The first and most important thing to note is that this report was not to GET TRUMP, but to investigate Russian involvement in the 2016 election.  It was not Mueller's job to GET TRUMP.  He may have agreed with DOJ policy about not indicting a sitting President and leave that to others.

So, most likely, this report is a series of bread crumbs that lead to Trump but does not indict him.

That should be enough to devastate any administration.  But I'm afraid it won't be.

My Trumpeteer friends will interpret no indictment as a vindication of Trump, and to extend the illogic even further, will think ANY Democratic congressional investigation about ANYTHING is OVER THE TOP and UNWARRANTED.

Bull hockey!

Nevertheless, that's what will happen.

What we already know, even without the Mueller report, is devastating.  Trump called the Russians to reveal hacked emails.  There was a the meeting with the Russians in Trump tower in June 2016 to collude to dig up Hillary dirt.  There are decades of Russian mobsters using the Trump tower to launder money.  There are Russian loans to the Trump businesses. There was the Trump Tower Moscow deal being negotiated at the same time Trump was claiming he had no business, pending or otherwise, in Russia (he lied to you, Trumpeteers - HE LIED TO YOU).  His campaign manager handed the Russians tons of internal campaign data. There was obstruction of justice IN PLAIN SIGHT.  I could go on and on, but those who agree need no additional convincing, and those who don't can ignore a TOWER of evidence.

And that's just the Russian connection.  That does not get into his myriad of other crimes, with this most criminal of administrations.  Which is why the Democratic House has no choice but to continue to investigate, whether you like it or not, Trumpeteers.

Meanwhile, I am scared and afraid. Afraid that a shrouded and redacted Mueller Report will leave them arrogantly emboldened.  Once they think they have survived this, they will ramp up their authoritarianism and who knows who they'll come after next.  What is America like when fascism thrives, and democracy dies?  Maybe I should start to watch what I say and do.

So I have not watched the news since the Report was released.  I am in hiding, only peeking my head up slightly to smell the air.  I slept little last night.  Alison thinks I am crazy to be so worried.  It's one of those I cannot control.  Sorry, that's one of my many flaws.  I tend to worry more about stuff I can't control than stuff I can.

So, I hide.  Eventually, I'll have to come out and face it.  But not today.  Today is a day for family, Captain Marvel, dinner out, and watching a dear friend's plays.

I may not be the only one hiding, though.  There may be somebody in the White House who is hiding from the results of the Mueller Report and other investigations.  But whether he likes it or not, I hope someday that he does have to come out and face it, and all the flurry of lies and propaganda will not save him.

Today, though, I hide.  Maybe by Monday, I can face it.

Let me know how it goes.

The Age of Getting It

We just had to get it.

There was nothing yet to prevent us from going through it.  So we just had to buck up and take it.  Every kid was going to get them.  Every kid would have to go through the gauntlet of childhood diseases.

We had the mumps.  We got the measles (sometimes both hard and soft).  Chickenpox was common.

Yes, it's true.  We live in an age of overprotection.  It's sometimes better just to go through things and build up your immune system. 

But it also was a scary time.  I weathered the mumps and chickenpox like a trooper.  The measles, however, were not as easy.  I was sick with them for a very long time, missing a large chunk of my Kindergarten year, to the point that some in the school system felt I should be held back to repeat Kindergarten.  My parents and the doctor were very concerned, enough that they were not sure I was going to survive it.

The measles, as intense as they were for me,  was not my only childhood health scares.  I also got pneumonia twice, and mononucleosis (known as the kissing disease, which I got in fifth grade from kissing drinking fountains).

My immunity as an adult has been strong.  I rarely get the flu, and only started taking flu shots in the last two years.  I am not now nor have I ever been a germaphobe (obviously, if I was willing to "kiss" public drinking fountains).

But I also understand the value of vaccinations. They also help build up immunity, but in a different way.  Some of the diseases may seem more nuisances rather than grave dangers.  But I know personally, that is not true.   I survived measles, but it was touch and go.  I could easily not have.

We now live in an age where these diseases should be eradicated, and for a while, it looked they would be.  That has changed with the anti-vaxxer movement.  Now we have outbreaks of dangerous diseases like measles because some choose not to vaccinate their children. 

They are not all people on the fringes.  The Governor of Kentucky decided to expose his kids to chickenpox rather than get them vaccinated.  Some have claimed a connection between vaccines and the rise in autism, but no real linkage has been established. 

Everything has a risk, including vaccinations.  You can not watch TV without drug commercials that spend over half their time listing potential side effects of the prescription medicine they are trying to get you to tell a doctor that you need.  The overuse of antibiotics, both in our foods and reaching out to get over any mild condition, is causing the growth of super-resistant strains and an increasing lack of effectiveness.  Nevertheless, the benefits from childhood vaccinations far outweigh their minuscule risk.

One disease that I did not have to suffer through because a vaccine was already available, was Polio.  This was a terrible disease that took lives and left many crippled, including a President of the United States, Franklin Delano Roosevelt.  Perhaps our history books do not do a good enough job of conveying to our present generation the horror of its effects.  Unfortunately, they may have to find out anew, as Polio related cases are now once again on the rise.

Vaccinations help protect us all and prevent these diseases from spreading again. This shouldn't be the age of getting the diseases, but getting the vaccines to prevent the diseases.

The Temple of Chick-fil-A

I like Chick-fil-A.

Their chicken sandwich is the best chicken sandwich in the fast food world - by far. None can compare.  None others do I crave.

The first time I had a Chick-fil-A chicken sandwich was when I worked in downtown Atlanta in the late eighties.  They had a location in the Omni.  My first impression was not positive.  I prefer dark meat to white, and it looked terribly dry.  Like it or not, I'm a condiment guy, and I did not like how you had to beg for two little packs of ketchup (to be shared for sandwich and fries alike).  Not my favorite - a dried up gag-in-your throat piece of white meat.  Nevertheless, it was better than I anticipated.

Over the years, with better access to ketchup, the flavor grew on me, to the point that I now crave it.

Their service is above par for a fast food restaurant.  The staff is friendly and accommodating.  They are paid and treated better, at least within the standards of the industry.  Some of their employees can earn towards scholarships.

I like Chick-fil-A.

But I don't worship Chick-fil-A.

It's a good restaurant.  It has some tasty items.  But I don't talk about it in the reverent tones that some around me do.

I think you can be a "Christian restaurant"  without being a restaurant designed to primarily to appeal to the Christian right.  So, some of the stuff seems a little forced and over the top to me.

They have every right to close on any day that they want.  Hopefully, they recognize that not everyone's Holy Day is Sunday.  Not even for every Christian (Seventh Day Adventists, for example).  I do confess, the psychological effect for me is that much of my craving for a Chick-fil-A sandwich occurs on Sunday.  And they are a primary vendor at Mercedes Benz Stadium in Atlanta, where most of the games occur on...Sunday.

Yes, they still discriminate in their charity spending, favoring Christian right groups, including those that promote discrimination of the LGBTQ community.

The franchising of their restaurants is done with a system designed to favor Christian right applicants, and weed out those that may not be sufficiently inclined that way.

I can't speak to their employee hiring practices, although it can't be pleasant for those who stand outside the Christian right norm.

Most often, their friendliness seems sincere, but occasionally it comes across as Stepford Wife-ish.  Or Handmaid's Tale-ish.  "Blessed be the fruit!"

Their pay is on the upside of the industry, but they are not industry leaders.  Other chains like In-N-Out Burger or Shake Shack do better (Chick-fil-A is usually not number one on most lists, but it almost always appears in the top ten).  No chain pays a living wage, and that is a huge problem in this country.

So, to me, Chick-fil-A is a good restaurant.  Not perfect, but what is in this world?

It is certainly not a temple of worship.  God is present there only in the sense that God is present everywhere,

I go there to get a great chicken sandwich, not to be enveloped into a Christian restaurant, along with Christian radio stations, Christain movies, Christian craft stores - just to name a few.

God is everywhere and in everything.  God does not need an exclusivity zone.

They do need to make sure they have plenty of ketchup, though.

Our Prom King

Prom has come and gone!  Unbelievable!

As you can see, Benjamin's wonderful tux had an almost St. Patrick's Day theme, with its touches of light green.

Mom and Dad were slightly stressed because we were not there to send him off.  We had arranged to see the musical Waitress in Jacksonville.  His Papa and Nana helped prepare him and took this picture.

We did get back in time for them to stop by after their delicious meal in Alma at the Blueberry Plantation Inn.  So here's a picture of Benjamin with his beautiful Prom date, Autumn Howard.

They streamed the event at the Prom known as the Senior Walk, and we got to see him in that.  The stream was a little blurry, but thanks to his bright tuxedo, we were able to tell who he was.

In the Some Things Never Change Department, Alison believed that the Prom King at her Pierce County Prom was...Archie Clough, football start and all-around nice guy.  At Benjamin's Prom, the Prom King was.........Jackson Clough, Archie's son!

This last picture is a more normal pose for Benjamin.  For he is my son after all, and all Strait Boys are flavored with...HAM!

Prom Quest 2019: Where is Our Skyroom?

Welcome to the Skyroom!

It's Prom time this weekend!  Yes, I know.  It feels incredibly early to have a Prom (or, what was known in my school as THE SENIOR PROM).  It should be an event that triggers a Senior that there are only a few days left to their high school experience.  Alison has tried to explain to me many times why the Proms around here are so early now, and I buy it for a few seconds, and then I say, "Nah!  Ii should be in May, a week before school ends."

But, it be what it be.

Benjamin needs to find a restaurant, his Skyroom.  The Skyroom was where I went with my Prom date, a restaurant at the top of a small tower overlooking the Saginaw Airport (now MBS International).  It had a spectacular view of...the airport.  It was fancier than most, and not a place that I would otherwise go to.

The Skyroom still exists (as far as I could research), but it promotes itself as being a combination restaurant/bridal shop/bakery).  I think it's mostly an event place for weddings and such.


The Skyroom was not in the area where I grew up (Bridgeport).  You had to do some traveling to get there.  It's been a while so I could only guess - at least a half hour, possibly as much as an hour.  The Prom itself wasn't at the school - it was at a hotel lounge or something like that.  Our area was filled with lounges and bars and bowling alleys and halls and such.  I forget the particular name of where it was.  Benjamin's will be at his school.

So there is no Skyroom here.  Many go to Brunswick or St. Simons, which are an hour or more away.  With the Prom starting at 7:30, that makes time pretty tight.  They have an event early on called the Senior Walk that parents can visit, and Alison and I don't want to miss that.

Alison went to St. Simons to eat.  They got lousy service, and it took forever to get their food.  Consequently, they missed most of the Prom.  So, Benjamin wants to stay in the area.  We're comfortable with that too.

So, the question is - where to go?  I won't be specific about places.  In general, many seem like poor fits for a Prom Date.  One of the nicer places is part of a commercial chain and seems slightly cheesy.  Another is fancy but has a reputation for treating locals better than infrequent guests.  Some restaurants are closed on Saturday nights - a remarkably strange quirk that still exists in rural Georgia.  I can't explain that.  Another is smaller, less formal than some others, but with an owner that is friendly and open and will make you feel like a King and Queen.

The decision is not final, but I know which way I lean.  And I think Benjamin does too.

Where is our Skyroom?

It lies in the heart of those who care.  Sometimes you don't have to be overlooking the airport for your hearts to soar.

Rectifying Mistakes

Benjamin has finally been bitten by the bug!

The alternative history bug, that is! He has stumbled across my favorite genre, not by all the stuff he sees his Daddy watching and reading, but from a YouTube channel called Alternate History Hub.

He came to me, excited, saying "Do you know how much better history would be if Theodore Roosevelt had been elected President instead of Woodrow Wilson?"

Well, I don't know that for sure, but it certainly would be a logical analysis.  Woodrow Wilson was a racist who thought the movie that celebrated the birth of the KKK (Birth of a Nation) was the greatest thing since being brought mint juleps by house slaves.  Theodore Roosevelt was a progressive (for his times), and moving more that way by 1912 and his running as a third-party candidate (the Bull Moose Party).  On the other hand, Teddy was kind of a jingoistic cheerleader and probably would have entered America into World War 1 sooner.  The early entry into the war may have shifted the balance sooner, and caused an earlier, less costly resolution.  At the same time, unlike our current President, Teddy had superior diplomatic skills, having won a Nobel Peace Prize in the early part of the century, for negotiating a resolution to a conflict between Russia and Japan.  Decisive use of the military combined with a keen diplomatic ability could have resolved the situation in a way that did not later lead to communism and fascism.

Anyway, I am excited that my son is at least thinking about those possibilities.

I love TV shows like Sliders, Timeless, The Man in the High Castle, and Fringe that play with the concepts of alternate histories and parallel worlds.  I also read many books and comics in the genre.  My writings are tinged by my interest in them. 

I came to believe that the most critical turning point in my lifetime happened with the assassination of Robert Kennedy.  I really feel, with all my heart and soul, that RFK would have transformed this nation.  He had an appeal to both the white working class and minorities, a combination that our divided politics have currently made almost impossible.  We were on the verge of many things that seem farther out of reach now.

Other moments have occurred that split history in a negative direction.  Like whatever the hell happened in Florida in 2000.  You don't think that's important?  You will when you realize what two decades of not dealing with global warming has done to the planet's future.  The laxity that allowed 9/11 to occur.  The decision to invade a country not responsible, Iraq. 

And, of course, the terrible chain of events that led to the electoral college victory of the most unsuitable, narcissistic, cruel and nasty conman in American History, Donald J Trump.

Another turning point that is coming is to whether or not the House will impeach the son of a bitch.  Nancy Pelosi is making sounds that impeachment will not be worth it, that it will divide the nation.

The fear is, no matter how clear the case, the Senate will not convict.  And even if the Senate convicts, it will start a martyred movement that is armed, dangerous, and ready to start a civil war.

Leaving him in place is a risk.  Removing him is a risk.

If nothing is done to check and identify his crimes, then it will degrade the Presidency for generations.  We will, in essence, be telling future Presidents they can do anything they want, and they will no longer be checked.

I don't want to impeach the President.  I would rather him go down in flames at the polls in such a humiliating way that it permanently kills fascism in the United States.  But I don't know if we have that luxury.

I believe in the rule of law.  I believe that our constitution and democracy has to mean something, that it cannot be corrupted and transformed at the hands of an authoritarian bigot, one who has committed more impeachable offenses than all other Presidents combined.

Which path will we take?  What will be our reality, and what alternative route will we wistfully long for?

I don't know.  The original sin was those who voted for him in the first place, particularly in those close midwestern states.  It's a difficult mistake to rectify, but rectify we must.

Too much is at stake otherwise.  The fate of the not just this country, but the fate of the world, the resumption of the ascendancy of democracy, the very physical health of our planet - all of it is at stake.

World War One was a horrible tragedy that those of us who can't think past a generation or two have allowed to recede from our minds.  But it not only killed millions, it destabilized the world and led to the rise of communism and fascism, leading to World War Two and then the Cold War.

I fear the consequences of our most recent mistake will be as devasting as World War One.  We are headed down a nightmarish path.  Impeachment may not solve it, it might make it worse.  But I don't see where we have a choice.

Our only hope may be that the Trumpeteers wake up on their own.

But what chance is there of that, Trumpeteers?  What will it take to wake you up?

Which alternate history will you drag us into?

A Visit to the Future

This weekend, we went to Springfest at Georgia College & State University in Milledgeville, Georgia.

Benjamin has chosen Georgia College, which he had received early admittance to last November.  He accepted admittance in February and has already received his schedule for classes in the Fall(part of an early registration process they call Pounce).

The whole experience was positive and joyous.  There were some twinges of sadness that our boy would soon be moving away and be on his own.  Given the three hour distance of the school, there will probably be some long stretches where we don't see him. 

The opening session had rally aspects to it, with a pep band and sing-a-longs.  That is when I got choked up.  I was just overwhelmed at the friendliness of the college, and the opportunities that Benjamin was going to have.  There was a part of a song where the parents were encouraged to sing loud, and I couldn't because my emotions were too close to the surface.

Of the three schools that Benjamin was considering, Georgia College was the Goldilocks - not too big, not too small, everything was just right.  I went to a large institution, the University of Michigan, and although not entirely negative, it was a bit overwhelming, especially for an introvert.  I think I might have been better off at a smaller school, where I might have seen some of the same people more often, and not have to start from scratch with every class I took.

There was a student organization fair, and Benjamin gave his email to get information on a lot of them.  No, he won't be able to participate in all of them, but I am so grateful that he has so many choices.

We are winding down on his high school experience, with just a little over two months to go.  His Prom is this Saturday!  Yes, I know, that seems awfully early, but that's a topic for another blog story.  There is still homework and assignments to finish up, and significant tests yet to be taken, but one thing our weekend trip showed Alison and me -

Ready or not...

The future is coming, and it's coming fast!

The Trap's First Fall

The start of the very first draft of History of the Trap, written in early high school.

Part 1:

Alpha

September 8, 1 D. T. (1970 A.D.)

to

Oct 8, 1 D.T. (1970 A.D.)

Chapter 1

The Beginning

      I really don't know where to begin.  It is already the second day of the trap.  How shall I start?  Shall I write facts or dates, or shall I write how I feel?  Please give me a few moments to think.

     I think I shall start at the first day of school.  It was a fair, slightly warm day in early September.  It was warm enough whee I decided not to wear my vest.  I usually wore a vest to school and felt extremely uncomfortable if I didn't.  But since it was warm and I had not worn one all summer, I thought maybe I could get by without it for one day.  It has been three. 

     I was ready to leave home before my father.  It was the first day, and like most schoolchildren, I was anxious to meet my friends whom I had not seen all summer.  Unlike most students, I did not ride the bus.  Since my father works at the high school, I'm usually able to snatch a ride from him.  I'm very careful to get up early so I can get a ride with him.  The one thing I cannot stand about school is riding that damn bus. The crowding and pushing.  The three-to-a-seat and ten-to-an-aisle.  The childish pranks and dirty words.  And above all, yes, so far above all, is the realization of how cruel people can be.

     I wonder now if maybe that is what it will come to in this cage.  The conditions are so similar to the bus.

     By the war, my father's job at the high school is Principal.  The students do not tease or mistreat me because of this.  They are a very understanding bunch in that respect.

     The last thing I did before going to school that morning, was to decide whether or not to take a pill to settle my stomach down.  My stomach upsets easily, and it makes me go to the bathroom.  The doctor and my parents say it is because I worry too much.  But today I didn't take one.  Pressure would mount later when I knew what to expect.

     We rode in my father's over-the-hill at age 2 Buick Opal Kadett, a German car of the time period.  The clanky motor led us slowly out of the subdivision.

     The only living things that were awake were the hundreds of birds upon the people's yards.  They flew up in stupendous grace when our little car approached the piece of road next to them.

     To give you an idea of how the sub (short for subdivision) was shaped, the roads were formed like a circle split in two.  At the top of the circle was a short piece of road which led to the road which went to the main highway.

     We came to the road which was Williamson.  I looked at the familiar landscape.  I saw a dozen cows silently grazing in a small, well-trampled pasture.  Next to the pasture stood a tired, but proud, farmhouse.  In it was an old man who would shoot the young boys full of buckshot when they journeyed through his cornfield across the street.

    Next to the old farmhouse, a little one-story house was placed.  A large family of three or more occupied its tiny space.  I have no idea how to tell how small the house was.  The best I can tell you is that it's about the size of our family's living room.  Our living room is of fair size, about the size of the living rooms of most middle-class people on TV shows.

     In the house lives a girl of fairly huge size, whom the kids tease without mercy.

     We continue to pass houses.  Finally, we pass a subdivision of great proportion on the right.  The title upon the entrance is "Southfield Village". Upon a huge flagpole is an American flag.  Most of Bridgeport's extremely well off people live there.  Some of the people living there figured high in shaping my destiny.

     On the left is a good sized one-story school building.  I went to that school in 6th grade.  The tension-free atmosphere beckoned me back.  But no one could go back in time.  That would be the only way back.

     I leaned back in the bucket seat of the car.  I looked up at the telephone wires and watched them as they dizzily went by.  The treetops intermingled with the wires as drooped slowly down and then up and hooked upon a pole, only to go down again.

     We passed a Catholic church.  A modern one.  I had only been in there several times when I was 11 or 12 for bot scout meetings.  I only stayed in Boy Scouts for about one year because I couldn't get passed Tenderfoot when all my buddies were in 2nd Class.  You see, one of the basic requirements is that you knew how to tie knots. I couldn't, so I quit. 

    The houses and trees became thicker, and it was beginning to look more like you were going to enter a small community.  Finally, the road curves way over and you burst upon a railroad crossing.  With a slow bump-bump, the small car leaps over the crossing.

    On the next page is a small map of downtown Bridgeport.  I am not a good artist, but neither do I believe I can describe it without a picture,

I'm sure there's more, but that's all I  had in the folder I stumbled across.

The first paragraph accidentally brings into play one of the significant writing discussion points raging right now - are you a storyteller or a story-show-er?  Do you describe what's happening, or how somebody feels about what's happening?  I still don't know the answer.  I lean more towards tell, but I'm willing to play the field.

Ostriches on Parade!

It's ostriches on parade!

They're loud!

They're proud!

And if you try to talk to them about global warming...

They'll bury their head deep in the sand!

Yeah.  Like that.

If you look at the Climate Panel Trump is assembling, which is a who's who of climate deniers and industry hacks, and think that's swell, you have no idea as to the magnitude of what's going on.  It's one thing to not believe climate change is as real as it is, it's another to go galloping off in a direction that accelerates and makes it worse.

If you look at the Green New Deal (which is just a group designed to seriously look at the issue and figure out ways to do it that leave us ALL economically stronger) and instead of endorsing, you gleefully spread falsehoods about how it will get rid of cars, planes, buildings, and cows, you are not only not understanding the gravity of what we're facing, but you are also, please forgive me, bone stupid and ignorant.  Or willfully misleading, as it is more important for you to make your point, truth be dammed.

If you look at advocates of doing something about global warming, and you think you're clever by condemning them for driving cars or flying in planes, or whatever, YOU'RE NOT.  It's no longer about individual choices, although it's good to be as responsible as you can be, it's now about decisions whole societies and nations make.  We live in a world designed one way, and hermit-like withdrawal from the world solves nothing.  As long as the Conman-in-chief is clutching coal, oil, and gas, nothing an individual does is going to stop the worst from happening.

If your first reaction to doing something is to say - other countries aren't doing enough, why should we? - that tells me you don't really believe the issue is important to begin with.   If you felt it was real, you would not be forming excuses, but you would want to be all hands on deck.  You would encourage America to lead the way in the greening of the planet.  And if you were serious about world cooperation, you would have never cheered on Captain Bone Spurs when he pulled us out of the Paris Accords.

This is not a post to convince you that global warming is real.  I wish I had the time and writing skills to do that.  But here's the truth if I were to try  - YOU WOULD TUNE IT OUT.  Your head would not leave the sand until I was done, and then you would emerge, cracking jokes and ill-witticisms, demonstrating that you had not listened at all.

The evidence is all around you.  The scientific articles are there, and more dire every day.

Stop the parade of ignorance and derision.  This is no longer a right or left issue.  It is an issue of human survival.  We need your help and support NOW.

And the Race Begins! Saturday Political Soap Box 205

Off to the races!

Yes, it's very early.  But this is an important race, that will have significant implications as to the future of both the nation and the Democratic Party.

This is a very preliminary list and ranking of my own preferences.  It is subject to much volatility and change, as more candidates enter and more information is gathered.  I concede that I need to do more research on some of these candidates.  I am reasonably solid on my number one choice, but the rest could change dramatically.

I will keep negative commentary to a minimum, and concentrate on positives.  I invite commentary, but I hope we can center more on why you like a candidate than the negatives of other candidates.

My basic criteria?

1) explicit support for Medicare For All (single payer) 2) understand that climate change is the greatest threat to the planet, and support the Green New Deal 3) fund through small donations rather than corporate PACs 4) generally progressive positions on economic issues and 5) everything else being equal, I would prefer female candidates to men.  It is way past time for a woman to be President of the United States.

#1 - Elizabeth Warren, Senator from Massachusetts.  American workers have not a better defender and supporter for the last decade than this energetic and knowledgable person.  I first saw her on CSPAN as a professor explaining the decline and struggles of the middle class, in an as concise and clear way as I had ever seen.  She inspired and created the Consumer Protection Bureau.  She has led the way on a host of issues that would improve the lives of working families.  On my list of considerations above, she checks the boxes more clearly than anyone else.  The objections I have heard about her are nonsensical and stupid. But I'm not getting into that here.

#2 - Bernie Sanders, Senator from Vermont  - I did not expect him to rank this high.  I thought it was time to move past the Sanders/Clinton rancor (that's not a reflection on either candidate - that's on the extremists in both camps).  He was our Moses leading us out of the wilderness.  But, dammit, he still checks all the boxes, except for preferring a female candidate.  He continues to show that he is the all-time champion at grassroots fundraising and campaigning.

#3 -  Kamala Harris, Senator from California.  I know a little bit less about her, so I'm still in discovery mode.  What I know is mostly positive.  She has been dynamite in Senate hearings, her background as a prosecutor serves her and the nation well.  Like many, her alliance with a great midwestern candidate, like Sherrod Brown or Amy Klobuchar, would make a formidable team.

#4- Tulsi Gabbard, Congressperson from Hawaii.  I really like her,  She checks a lot of boxes.  The press, including the liberal media, have a great hostility towards her.  Her consistent position on opposing regime change throws off some, as it's not influenced by traditional political lines.  She is one I'm going to listen to carefully, and research, and accordingly, could move dramatically on this list, either up or down.  Many of you will not know about her, as the press will either exclude her or if they do mention her, it will be negatively.

#5 - Kirsten Gillibrand, Senator from New York.  She started as a conservative Democrat in Congress about a decade ago.  She has been moving to the progressive side ever since.  She has the Senate's best record of opposing Trump.  She checks a lot of the boxes I have listed, but with a shorter duration of support than some.  She is another whose list position could change, as I get more information and do further research.

#6 - Cory Booker, Senator from New York.  He is a great guy, who has been heroic in the past   He is a great leader and speaker, and has had positive relations in the Senate, which has helped in moving forward on legislative agendas.  He has received a good bit of Wall street money in the past, but I think has decided to raise more small donor money this time. He is generally good on the issues, albeit a little more centrist than some.

#7 - Jay Inslee, Governor of the State of Washington.  A recently announced candidate whose focus will be climate change.  Can't argue with that!  I'll just have to find out more as time goes on.

#8 - Amy Klobuchar, Senator from Minnesota.  A little too moderate to be a top contender for me personally, it is not without value that she is well respected by her colleagues in the Senate, Republican, and Democrat alike.  Although her leadership might not be bold, there is at least a possibility that it could be incrementally positive, or at least in the right general direction,  Because of her popularity in the Midwest, she might also make an excellent Vice-Presidential candidate.

#9 - Julain Castro,  former Mayor of San Antonio and former Cabinet official.   Good progressive political positions.  Young - 44!  Need to find out more.

#10 - Peter Buttigieg,  mayor of South Bend, Indiana.  All I know at this point is that he's prominent in Democratic National Committee circles, has some fresh ideas, and is even younger than Julian Castro - 37!    Sorry, that's about all I got, other than he would be our first openly gay President.  I will continue to research.

There are other announced candidates that either has no political background and/or yet to be determined credibility.  The most interesting may be Andrew Yang, a businessman who is advocating a basic income for all Americans of $1,000 a month.

And there are a number of prominent potential candidates who have not yet announced.  Joe Biden and Sherrod Brown have the potential to rank high my list, Beto O'Rouke less so.


Expect future updates!

Expect to disagree with me!

Except I hope we have agreement on one central point - Trump AND the Republican agenda must be defeated in 2020!

The future of the world depends upon it!