Dividing The Nation

During the last presidential election, President Biden discussed uniting what he said was a divided nation. He claimed that President Trump was only thinking of his own power and wealth and appealed to a small segment of the population. He stated he would work for all Americans and unite Democrats and Republicans making our nation stronger in the process.

So after a year and a half, how is he doing? He has failed to get any traction to pass any of his major bills. He blames the Republicans for his problems so he is fighting this difficulty, where possible, by issuing Executive Orders. He manages to manipulate facts to get people upset and to get them to side with his ideas. For instance, when the Supreme Court ruled against Roe v Wade the president condemned the court for the action. The Supreme Court did not say that women could not have abortions but simply that the states should decide the law regarding this issue. The president wants Congress to pass a law to establish abortion nationwide but so far the votes in Congress are not there. So out comes an executive order to make sure that women can’t be stopped from seeking an abortion and crossing state lines. During the first hundred years of this nation, an executive order was something rarely used and then used for a procedural problem. In the last 100 years, executive orders are used frequently and often in place of a law. It is almost like presidents of both parties are using these as a procedure of authoritarian rule.

So is President Biden using these executive orders to unite the country? The president wanted to jump on the climate change problem. So he issued an executive order ending the Keystone Pipeline and reducing the number of sites that oil companies can drill on. At the time we were energy independent and gas prices were in the $2.00 range. This order had quick results. Once the pipeline was stopped that meant that tanker trucks using diesel fuel and trains had to be used to transport oil from the oil fields in the north to the refineries in the south. Not only did that reduce the availability of oil but increased the costs of production and caused more pollution to result during the transport. The result is a significant increase in fuel prices and an increase in oil imports. All of this was brought on by the belief that the earth’s temperature is quickly rising, but, In St. Louis, the ten warmest temperatures of record include 2 in 2012, and 8 in the 1930s, 40s, and 50s. The highest temperature recorded in St. Louis was 115 degrees recorded in 1934.

In order to bring illegal immigration under control or at least slow it, President Trump began the construction of a wall at the border and more strict regulations. In the spirit of bringing unity between the two major parties, President Biden issued an executive order putting an end to both these programs. The result is that illegal immigration has increased in leaps and the illegal importation of dangerous drugs has also skyrocketed. It would seem to me that if a person was trying to unify two adverse groups, they would be more likely to use the good ideas from the opposing group and talk to that group rather than issue orders and dictate to the group.

Trust

One of the most important factors of any free nation is trust. The citizens must be able to trust their leaders in the government. The leaders must be able to trust those that they ask to carry out the tasks necessary to maintain order. In addition, citizens must also trust their neighbors and others who operate businesses or services in the community. When this element of trust breaks down it often leads to a breakdown in the society and ultimately a reduction in freedom.

During the past year, especially during the past couple of months, we have witnessed numerous examples of a breakdown in trust. One of the most devastating trust issues involved Ukraine. When the Soviet Union broke up, Ukraine became a nuclear power as a result. The United States, the United Kingdom, and Russia promised to protect Ukraine if the country would surrender their nuclear weapons to Russia. After a couple of decades of skirmishes with Russia, the promise is forgotten as Russia invades Ukraine most likely to occupy the nation and eventually annex the country. The United States and the United Kingdom have not rushed to protect Ukraine as they don’t want to anger a nuclear power in Russia. They have provided weapons and supplies but have not gone to bat regarding the protection of the country.

You don’t have to look across the Atlantic to find a breakdown in trust regarding our country. We have had a number of trust issues right here. President Biden has told us often that he has never had any dealings with his son, Hunter’s, business associates yet there is considerable evidence of these associates meeting with the President frequently. There is also apparent evidence on the suspicious laptop that is currently been investigated. So if the President lies about this computer what else is he misleading us about every day in his government service.

Over the years we have grown to limit the trust we put in many politicians as they often let us down in some way in the short period that we allow them to hold office. The government employees, however, we often place more trust in because they often take oaths to uphold the law and serve the citizens. If someone violates that trust we put in a complaint, that is easily filed and their action can be corrected. We see that happen often when it comes to police officers who violate the public’s trust.

One thing we have not seen before though, is an employee of the Supreme Court violate the trust that has been placed in them by the court. An employee for an unknown reason released a copy of a majority decision before it was official to the news media. The decision may or may not be the final but it was conveniently released just before a primary election. The decision regarding the laws concerning abortion and their future application caused a great uproar among those in favor of abortion rights. Celebrities and politicians across the country commented on the decisions and often displayed a complete lack of trustworthiness in their comments. Some said that this would lead to ending same-sex marriage as well as abortion. In reality, if the decision is in fact the final decision, all it does is return the decision regarding the legality of abortion to the states and does not end abortion.

Trust is quickly disappearing in our nation and it will eventually lead to the downfall of our society if we cannot turn this trend around. Freedom will not exist without trust. It seems that every week more and more trust slips away. It will not take long for this lack of trust to grow to a point where anarchy will become the norm and freedom will be in jeopardy.

Fear

In the last two entries, I have talked about courage and hope, both being inspired by the people of Ukraine fighting against Russian troops. Today I have decided to write about fear, not because of Ukraine but because so many of us are touched by fear every day. There are so many bullies in the world and many people choose to roll over and allow them to win rather than stand up to them and put a stop to their intimidation.

When I was growing up, a long time ago, kids were taught that you should stand up to a bully and not let them win all the time. Yes, sometimes that costs a kid a black eye or a bloody nose. When it was over you earned a little respect and most of the time the intimidation was ended. Today it seems that kids have been taught to find someone else to fight their battles for them.

A prime example of what can happen if this attitude persists is the recent Oscar Award Presentation. Will Smith uses his wealth and political power in the organization to obtain a prime table near the stage. Chris Rock is one of the presenters and during his time on stage he makes a joke about Jada Smiths’ short hair. Rock like many comics is known for making jokes about people and of course there are some that think these jokes are insensitive and should not be a standard part of anyone’s routine. Most people laugh and let these jokes roll off their back but sometimes a person will make a public comment about the insensitive nature of the joke. It is rare indeed, when someone walks up on stage and assaults the performer and then shouts vulgar threats as he returns to his table. The staff then asked Smith to leave the floor and he refused. Police officers in the facility were going to take Smith into custody but Mr. Rock said he would not prosecute. Some comment on Mr. Rock’s refusal to prosecute as the mature thing to do but I wonder if he wasn’t really thinking of the power that Smith wields in Hollywood and Rock’s future that were responsible for his decision. In other words, fear.

Our legal system is based on no one being above the law yet is that really true? Many of our senior legislators and other political big shots seem to be overlooked when criminal prosecution is being decided. Sometimes their children and other relatives are overlooked as well. So our once strong nation is quickly becoming a nation full of fear and intimidation. We fear people with wealth, gang members, drug lords, politicians, and other bullies that enter our lives. It is time for us to show our backbones and stand up against all forms of intimidation. When we treat people with respect and fairness without being overbearing and threatening we will become a much better society. Then and only then will the murders in our cities start to come under control and criminals will begin to understand that their future will be prison not wealth and freedom.

Courage

Farmers, craftsmen, clerks, and other everyday citizens fighting for their independence against one of the strongest military organizations in the world. Today you might associate that sentence with the invasion of Ukraine by Russia. Let us consider an earlier time when citizens of the British Colonies were trying to end the overbearing tyranny of Great Britain. The British Army and Navy were considered the strongest in the world at the time. This had been proven time and again as their empire grew.

Many people in the American Colonies were tired of the increased taxation and the abuse of the British representatives so war to gain independence began. While those fighting on the side of the Americans were limited in military experience and had limited weapons, those fighting with the British were professional and disciplined soldiers with the best weapons available. The British also used Prussian soldiers as mercenaries. So the Americans fought well but were unable to defeat the British until a deal was struck with France in 1777.

The French sent weapons and soldiers to train the American forces. Eventually, the French sent in military units to fight with the Americans and Navy to eliminate the British Navy’s dominance along the coastal areas. Without the French assistance, the defeat of the British would have taken much longer if it would have happened at all. Many more American citizens would have died as a consequence.

Today Ukraine is in a situation that has many similarities. Russia has invaded Ukraine to steal their independence and bring them into the Russian Empire. The Ukraine Army and Air Force are fighting as well as they can, but many of those fighting are farmers, clerks, and craftsmen. Ukraine citizens, including children, are being killed daily by the invading forces. They have repeatedly asked for a no-fly zone and for material assistance. At this time a number of nations have sent weapons and supplies to Ukraine and have helped with refugees fleeing the country. No one has assisted with a no-fly zone, however.

Leaders from the United States have repeatedly stated that they would not be placed in a situation where U S and Russian forces would be in combat operations against each other. They complain that they believe that would begin World War III, and could result in a nuclear weapon being unleashed. So they send weapons and supplies but no troops for training or fighting and no planes to enforce a no-fly zone. So it appears that our leaders today do not have the same courage that the French showed in the 18th century. It seems that the definition of courage has changed over the last 230 years or maybe it hasn’t changed as much as we have changed.

Hope

I was about to let this blog fade into history. I have not kept it up very well and when I started I just wanted to use it to promote the books I wrote and published. Then I began thinking about how frustrated I have been this year regarding politics and the world. I also have been worried about my financial situation and my medical situation as well as my wife’s. So many things to worry about; some I have some control over and some I do not. So how does someone cope with these problems?

The problems I have control of I take control of and correct. It does take time and sacrifice sometimes but it is up to me to fix the problem. So many problems that worry me are out of my control, however. For these problems, I turn to God. When I ask God to help me with these problems I establish hope for my future. Don’t get me wrong, there are many times when my prayers are not answered in the way I wished. Hope is all that allows me to face problems and continue forward but that hope is solely possible through the intervention of God.

So now I think about how minor my personal problems are when compared to those being faced by the people of Ukraine. Can you even begin to imagine what it would be like to have to leave your house with the clothes on your back and a couple of bags of personal belongings? Consider driving a couple hundred miles and then catching a train back while your family continues to a shelter in a neighboring country. How much worse would the situation be if when you returned you found your home destroyed by Russian artillery.

Not that many years ago Ukraine was a nuclear power. When the Soviet Union broke apart Ukraine had a large number of nuclear weapons. The United States, the United Kingdom, and Russia all promised to protect Ukraine if anyone ever attempted to invade and control Ukraine, as long as they gave up the nuclear weapons to Russia. So 100 years from the anniversary of the creation of the Soviet Union, Putin has decided to put the geographical Soviet Union back together. Russia breaks its promise by invading Ukraine and targeting civilians as well as military targets. The United States and the United Kingdom however have also broken their promises to protect claiming that intervention would cause World War III. The leaders of the nations send supplies and weapons to Ukraine but they have failed to go any further because of the intimidation of Mr. Putin. So what will happen when Ukraine falls, what country will be next? What will China do now if they believe that threats will keep the United States from intervening when they decide to move on Taiwan?

We need a mountain of hope so it is time to get on our needs and send a mountain of prayers to God.

America Love It of Leave It

Several decades ago when my hair was dark and my waistline normal, it was not uncommon to hear the phrase “America, Love It or Leave It”, from many people and few, if any, were upset about the comment. Today, however, President Trump has made the comment that if people hate our country they have the option to leave it. Now he is labeled a racist and threatened with impeachment.

Many of us need to spend some time studying our nation’s history. Our country was founded as a Judeo-Christian nation. The rights established upon the founding of our country were based on basic rights granted to us by God, not Congress. Freedom of religion and separation of church and state were written to prevent the federal government from establishing a state religion that would force people to participate not to prevent local governments from displaying the ten commandments in front of a court. Today the news reported that a city in South Carolina painted over the word “Lord” on a memorial to fallen police officers. They did this because of a complaint. No one forced atheist or Muslims or Hindus or anyone else to read that prayer on the monument so what pain did it cause. On the other hand people of the Christian or Jewish faith may very well be offended by the painting over of the Lord. Of course, it is okay to offend a Christian or a Jew. Why is that?

We have elected people to Congress and other political offices and appointed judges that lack a fundamental understanding of our history. They replace this lack of knowledge with political promises to do what the powers that be in the appropriate political parties want them to do. The same people that months ago claimed the president was making up the crisis at the border and voted to deny extra funding or extra beds for detention centers now claim that it is the president and Homeland Security that are the problem. Claiming they are holding people in concentration camps and forcing them to drink from toilets. If they knew their history they would realize that those in concentration camps were pulled from their residences in the middle of the night and tortured and often killed. People being held in detention centers are there because they have voluntarily entered our country illegally and are being treated as well as possible with the limited funding they have received from Congress.

The time has come for our nation to put an end to this disgraceful behavior. If someone wants to immigrate to our nation there are several principles they need to accept. The language in our nation is English, learn it and use it for business. Speak any language you wish in your home. Learn our customs and assimilate into our culture, again at home you can practice any traditions or culture you wish. You can practice any faith you wish or no faith at all but don’t you dare attempt to prevent or prohibit me from pacticing my faith. Don’t protest or deface statues and memorials in our communities. Not all of these people are heros to us but they all serve to remind us that our country is not perfect and mistakes have been made, but we have overcome these mistakes and become better as a result. Learn our history and how our government works then follow our laws. If you don’t think a law is fair then follow the procedure for changing the laws. Show respect for the freedoms you receive here by respecting our flag, respecting our military and respecting our law enforcement officers and teaching your children to do the same. If you can’t abide by these principles then you don’t belong in the United States and I wish you well in whatever country you wish but stay away from the USA.

Divided We Fall

In 1998, a Russian professor and political scientist , Igor Paparin, made a bold prediction that the United States would collapse in 2010. His prediction indicated that Hawaii would be controlled by either Japan or China, that Alaska would be reannexed by Russia, and that the continental United States would split into four smaller and weaker countries. His prediction was obviously off as far as its timing but could it still occur?

Our country has become divided like few times in our history. Not only are both political parties battling each other but they are now battling themselves from within. The republicans are broken into two camps: pro-Trump and anti-Trump. The democrats are also broken into two camps: radical left and moderate left. So as our political establishment fights with each other how soon will it be before our government begins to crumble as well?

Our country has often been divided, it is the nature of freedom. During the Revolutionary War all American’s were not patriots as many supported King George and belonged to a group known as loyalist or tories. Many people don’t realize that even one of the great leaders of the revolution, Benjamin Franklin, had a son, William, who was a leader of the loyalists. He was a British governor and organized troops to fight against the patriots. Many other families in that day also found themselves divided. During the Civil War families again fought each other over the principles of freedom.

Today we are again rushing toward a crisis of freedom. Will the government control everything from health care to our wages? We are electing people who hate what our country stands for and want to tear it down. We applaud those who denounce our nation, its allies, and our principles. We are so afraid of offending someone we allow them to control the way we live our lifes. If our nation is to survive we must decide if we will allow radicals to control us or if we will put our trust in God.

Negotiation Requires Compromise

One of the central factors in all three of my novels, The Cost of Freedom, The Cost of Liberty, and The Cost of Justice, is that the political parties cannot seem to work together on important issues. A large number of our members of the House and Senate are much more concerned over their ability to maintain their position and power than they are in what is truly good for the country. Take for example the current government shutdown over the border wall.

When President Obama was in office democratic members of both the House and Senate spoke in favor of a border wall or fence. Like so many issues in our government talks and promises didn’t really amount to any substantial action. Issues like these get lots of votes come election time and members of both parties seem to feel that many voters either don’t pay enough attention to realize that the politicians don’t follow through or repeatedly believe that their politician tried but was stopped by the other party.

The government is shutdown because the president won’t sign a funding bill that does not include money for the border wall. The president stated he wants 5.8 billion but would negotiate the amount as long as there was enough to begin the project and enable certain areas to be completed. Some republicans have indicated that they think the president should temporarily open the government for a few weeks to show he is willing to work with the democrats. The democrats have indicated that they would not consider funding the wall at all and the new speaker vacationed in Hawaii and just this week 30 democrats took a “working vacation” in Puerto Rico. All this time they have been complaining that government workers should be working with pay and the government should be reopened. It would seem that if they were truly worried about reopening the government they would have stayed in Washington and been meeting with the president or members of republican party to negotiate a compromise.

In my novels you can see what could happen when our government won’t work together for the common good of our nation. As our country becomes more divided it becomes easier for traitors to make a difference in all of our lives. There are many enemies of our country and many more nations that really don’t care what happens to the United States. In our government you often don’t get exactly what you want but our leaders are suppose to compromise and come up with a solution which is best for our country as a whole. Not what makes their party look best or what satisfies their most important financial supporters. It is time for our elected representatives and senators to put aside their ambition and do what is best for the safety and security of our nation; build the border barricade and improve border security.

Immigration Justice

I recently read a facebook post from a person that I love and respect but a person who is wrong when it comes to this issue. He quoted a couple of lines of scripture to apparently criticize the president’s stance on immigration. Leviticus 19: 33 – 34. “When a stranger sojourns with you in your land, you shall not do him wrong. You shall treat the stranger who sojourns with you as the native among you, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.”

Seems like a very Christian point of view but a sojourner is someone who comes into a land for a temporary visit, not asylum or a permanent stay in order to take advantage of the benefits of the land or culture. A person who is a sojourner does not come to change the culture of the land they are visiting to one similar to the land from where they originated. They would not come waving the Honduran flag or the Guatemalan flag or Mexican flag.

As this person was reading Leviticus they did not believe that many of the passages in that same chapter 19 seemed to relate to the immigration issue. If he would have checked the chapter more closely he would have noticed that verse 11 contained: “You shall not steal; You shall not deal falsely: You shall not lie to one another.” In 2017, ICE statistics show that 4,438 illegal immigrants were deported after being convicted of stealing and 2,574 after being convicted of burglary. Then there is verse 13; “You shall not oppress your neighbor or rob him.” In 2017, ICE statistics show 19,065 illegal immigrants were deported after being convicted of drug violations and 1,025 after being convicted of robbery. Then there is the 1,413 illegal immigrants convicted of sexual assault or the 16,535 convicted of assault.

Now to be fair many more natural born citizens commit these same crimes every year in the United States. It is unfortunate that so many in Congress and so many citizens feel it is necessary to criticize and harass the president rather than come up with productive ideas to correct the problem of allowing gang members and criminals from illegally entering our country. Now if there is a solution that will work better than a wall and increased security on the border then someone should put it forward but I know it is not sanctuary cities and states and simply looking the other way.

So as politicians continue to use immigration policy as a way to secure their positions and line their pockets we as a nation should consider what is really the most just policy. Is it just to allow anyone that wants to enter our country to do so and use our tax dollars to support them, educate them, care for them and if they break our laws to allow them to stay and escape our justice system? Perhaps the just policy would be one that restricts those that enter and does not allow gang members, criminals and those that have questionable skills or no skills from becoming a burden on our society. In this way, we can limit the number of our citizens, both natural born and naturalized, from being killed, robbed, or assaulted by those that simply entered to take advantage of our nation.

To see an extreme example of the dangers of illegal immigration be sure to read my last novel, The Cost of Liberty, and coming soon see the latest novel, The Cost of Justice, which will be available soon.

The American Victim Party

It seems to me that many people in our country seem to be going out of their way to become a victim. In 1963, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., dreamed of a time when people would not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character but he would have been disappointed indeed by the character of many of those crying about racism and equality today.

Take the recent case of Michael Bennett, the Seattle football star that makes 6.5 million dollars (more than most of us will make in a lifetime) who recently visited a Las Vegas casino to watch a prize-fight. After the fight there was a noise in the casino that sounded very much like shots being fired. The police were notified that there was a possible active shooter in the casino. As the first officers arrived they entered in a tactical manner and one of the officers turned on his bodycam. As they entered they asked a number of people to get down and did a cursory inspection and then told them to leave. The people they inspected and allowed to leave were black, white, and Hispanic. This variety of people cooperated with the police officers. Then there was Michael Bennett who hid behind a gaming machine. Okay, so the big strong defensive end is not as brave as some of the others in the casino. As the officers pass Bennett he suddenly jumps up and begins to run for the door. Police officers fearing he may be the shooter, order him to stop but he refuses adding to the suspicion. As he exits the building he jumps over a short wall and is tackled by a Hispanic officer. To control the powerful football player the officer placed his knee in the man’s back and then handcuffs him while they complete their investigation.

Mr. Bennett was detained for only a few minutes and released with an explanation of why he was detained. He didn’t complain or ask to talk to a supervisor and indicated to the officers that he understood. So a couple of days later he complains to the press, not the police, that he was a victim or racial profiling and physical abuse by the police.

Then there are the politicians and their constant reasons to explain why they can’t do their jobs. Mrs. Clinton comes up with new reasons nearly every week for her loss to President Trump. It is either the fault of the FBI Director, or unfair reporting by the media, or Russian operatives, or computer hacking. Any number of reasons other than she was a poor candidate with no real plan for the future of the country.

Many educators, political leaders, social leaders and others with a sounding board continue to teach that all whites are racist and that statues of our founding fathers and leaders during the Civil War represent racist values. These people who would honor Dr. King’s life do so in a strange manner by judging people by the color of their skin and not their character. If you are white you are a racist and if you are black you are a victim.

If professional football players would spend some of their millions on improving areas of the inner city instead of taking a knee during the national anthem they would do much more to improve life in the city. If community activist would convince people to work together to improve the community instead of to protest in the streets and vandalize property, life would improve. If politicians would work with the communities they represent instead of special interest to pad their pockets we would be far better off.

We have to stop thinking like victims and start thinking as Americans. Not black Americans, white Americans, or Hispanic Americans but simply Americans. There will always be a few who are racists, white, black, or Hispanic but they are the few not the majority. We need to positively connect with one another and work together to improve this nation before this victim mentality causes us to destroy one another.