The Whistle Blower

Remember that scene in the film “Spartacus” where one slave after another exclaims “I am Spartacus.”  What we need is one federal employee after another to step forward and say “I am the Whistle Blower.”  

Corruption at the EPA and the Interior Department

A few weeks ago the Trump administration took legal action against California for setting mileage standards on cars that were higher than the federal level.  This past Thursday the EPA accused California of creating significant health concerns.  EPA head Andrew Wheeler, former lobbyist for coal, said  that EPA is going to insist that California meets its environmental obligations.  This is the same EPA that has weakened the Clean Water standards.

Meanwhile at the Interior Department... 

The Interior Department for years had said Shasta Dam should not be raised.  The Westlands Water District, comprised of Big Ag, wants more water, and it wants the public to pay for it.  The head of the Interior Department is David Bernhardt, former lobbyist for CA growers.  This week he approved raising the level of Shasta Dam.

The damage that can be done by a few people in high places is staggering.  All of them, of course, are Trump appointees.  

Go back to where you came from

A BBC television anchor criticized President Trump for saying that four female Representatives should go back to the “broken and crime-infested places from which they came.”

Naga Munchetty, who works on an early morning BBC show, said this:  “Every time I have been told, as a woman of color, to go back to where I came from, that was embedded in racism.”  She also said it had made her “absolutely furious that a man in that position thinks it’s O.K. to skirt the lines by using language like that.”

The BBC said that Ms. Munchetty had broken the rules of impartiality.  BBC staffers, thousands of viewers, the Labour Party leader, and a conservative commentator on rival ITV defended Ms. Munchetty.  After all, Trump’s remarks were racist.  

Let’s start calling this hatred and bigotry for what it is.  Ms. Munchetty was absolutely correct.  Being “impartial” does not mean you need to ignore what is staring you in the face.

Information for this post is from Ceylan Yeginsu, “BBC Staff Backs Anchor For Comment On Trump, New York Times, (Sept. 27,. 2019), p. A10.

Inappropriate

Pennsylvania’s Senator Toomey said Trump’s phone call to the Ukrainian president was “inappropriate.”

No, Sen. Toomey.  “Inappropriate” is wearing shorts to a funeral.  It is double-dipping your tortilla chip.  It is rooting for the Patriots.

Cutting off military aid to an endangered ally unless that ally interferes in an American election is not “inappropriate.”  It is an impeachable offense. 

What a long strange trip it's been

That’s a line from the song “Truckin,” written by Robert Hunter and made famous by the Grateful Dead.  Mr. Hunter, who lived in San Rafael in Marin County, died on Monday.  That line has been used more than once as an epitaph.  I love that song.

But you think I should say something about the impeachment process.  The day after Trump won the election I ordered ten bumper stickers that said “Impeach Trump.”  I put one on my pickup the day he was inaugurated   I was just ahead of my time.  (I still have eight; let me know if you want one.)

Will he be impeached?  I think so.  He certainly should be.  Will he be convicted in the Senate?  I think not.  Not with those spineless Republican Senators.  Will he win re-election if he isn’t impeached?  Probably.  This country is packed full of people who don’t understand the Constitution, don’t understand democracy, and don’t believe that we are in an environmental crisis.  

Sometimes the light’s all shinin’ on me;  other times I can barely see.  Lately it occurs to me what a long strange trip it’s been.

Green New Deal

This evening I heard Tara Zrinski, a member of the Northampton County Council, discuss the Green New Deal.  She pointed out that we have very little time, and that some of the global warming that has already taken place won’t be reversed.  Zrinski noted that Pennsylvania is one of the least active states in trying to combat climate change.

Monday’s Morning Call front page article certainly backed up Zrinski’s talk.  Pennsylvania’s carbon emissions make up about about one-half of one percent of the global carbon emissions.  That means that Pennsylvania, one state of fifty in one country in over two hundred is by itself one of the world’s leading producers of carbon emissions.

Do you think our Republican legislators are concerned?  Do they care about their grandchildren?  Do they understand the nature of the crisis?  I think you know the answers to those questions.  They seem to care about the “unborn.”  The already born, not at all.

Rich and poor leagues

In the Des Moines area the city schools that have a lower tax base are having difficulty fielding football teams that can compete with the rich suburban schools.  The schools in the suburbs have video monitors to analyze games.  They have good equipment.  They have excellent coaching staffs.  And they win games.  The five public high schools in Des Moines have a 0-104 record against rivals in the more affluent school districts.

Here is the solution being proposed.  The poor schools would play in a different league than the rich schools.  The athletes from the poor districts would be told that they can’t compete with the rich districts, so they would be lumped with other poor schools.  In the meantime, the rich districts would have their own league.

This is how we do things in America today.  We don’t fix the problem of poor and rich districts.  We create leagues to separate athletics by class.  

On his own time

Some years ago the campaign manager for a candidate for the California legislature was accused of murder.  When a reporter questioned the candidate about his manager’s activities, the candidate said, “What he does on his own time is his own business.”

Pressuring the Ukraine

When Trump delayed on sending the military material authorized by Congress for the Ukraine, I just assumed he was doing his usual suckup to Putin.  Now I understand why.  He was using that as leverage for his call for the Ukrainians to find dirt on the Biden family.  

Fifty-two Republican Senators will decide that this is no big deal.  Foreign interference in American politics is fine as long as it benefits Trump’s re-election.

The end of Governing magazine

Governing magazine was published for the past three decades; I’ve been a subscriber for at least 20 years.  It ran articles about local and state governments, an invaluable source if you taught or were interested in either of those subjects.  Since many newspapers lack the resources to staff state capitols, and since most local papers don’t cover local activities outside their subscriber base, a magazine devoted to state and local government filled a huge hole in news reporting.

It is still needed, but today I received an email explaining that Governing will no longer be published in a paper format.  Here is the key sentence:  “Governing has unfortunately proven unsustainable in the current media environment....” 

The email said I could get a daily newsletter.  Really.  Another thing to read on my screen.  Sorry, no thanks.

Sewing machines for Africa and more

I’ve been somewhat critical of religion.  I’ve written before about not understanding how a committed “Christian” can be a Trump supporter. 

Today I saw an example of how religious people should act.  We took our unused sewing machine down to the small town of Perkasie.  A church there collects them and ships them overseas to villages in Africa where recipients can use them to start small-scale businesses.

While we were there, a guy was unloading plastic buckets from his car.  He said that each bucket contained “sanitary packets” of soap, a tooth brush and toothpaste, and other materials that can be used after a disaster.  The empty buckets, of course, also have many uses.  The church in Perkasie acts as the depot for about ten churches in the area.  When they accumulate a load of supplies, a truck is called and the material is taken to a disaster site.  

Sex on a business trip

American politics is just too depressing.  Trump’s attempt to stop California from mandating higher gas milage cars, a policy that four companies have already agreed to, is one of the stupidest, most counter-productive actions in an administration noted for stupid actions.  This policy, unfortunately, will have long-range and global consequences.  

But enough of that.  Did you hear about the French guy on a business trip who died from a heart attack after having sex.  The Court ruled that this was a work-related accident, and that his employer was liable.

This is amazing news.  The court in Paris ruled that the law protected everyday activities of employees, and that sex was part of everyday life, “like having a shower or a meal.”

I don’t think the American courts would take the same view, although I am familiar with the “three state rule” that applies to American business trips.  That’s the rule that says if you are three states away from your home and you have sex with another conventioneer, it doesn’t count as being unfaithful.  Really.  You can look it up.

Ben Sasse

When I read Nebraska Senator Ben Sasse’s book Them, I was impressed.  Sasse wrote about how we are divided into tribal groups, and he had some suggestions on how to overcome this.  He wrote about the importance of community-building, and even discussed how high school sports helped to do that.

I was so impressed I sent him a reprint of my study of community-owned movie theaters in Kansas along with a letter praising the book, although I did criticize him for home schooling his children, which I thought was the antithesis of community building.

I never heard back, but that was ok, since I figured he was a busy U.S. Senator who kept his integrity in the face of Trumpian dysfunction.

I was wrong.  Trump endorsed him for re-election, and he has muted–ok, abandoned–his criticism of Trump.  He has turned out to be the usual Republican gutless toady who will do what it takes to win re-election.  

I must hand it to Justin Amash, the Tea Party guy who is running against Trump.  He’s a guy who seems to be unwilling to abandon his principles.  Sasse, the coward who only talks a good game, could take a lesson.

Response to Saudi Arabia getting bombed

So what.  Wasn’t that the home of all but one of the 9/11 bombers?  Isn’t that the country that dismembers critical journalists?  Are they are our allies?  Why are they involved in Yemen’s civil war?  Why do they treat women so badly?  Why do we even care if Iran blows up their oil refineries?  

Is Trump making money there?   That must be it.

Note to readers:  I didn’t post last night because our modem wasn’t working.  Today I learned what a “modem” is.  I also learned what a “router” is, which is what I use for my internet connection.  I already knew what a “keyboard” was–that wasn’t too hard to figure out.  I don’t know what the screen thingy is called; is that the monitor, or was that the ironclad ship that the U.S. launched when it was fighting the traitors in the Confederacy?

Tomorrow:  Ben Sasse, coward or toady?

Pit Bulls

Whenever I write about religion (Lancaster Farming is still getting replies to my critical letter about the religious column they print, and that was over a month ago) or cats (it is amazing how many people still maintain the Egyptian religious views on the sacredness of cats), the number of enemies I have grows exponentially.  Thank goodness I’m not on Facebook.  I wouldn’t have any “friends” at all.

I’ve  decided to increase the number of people who don’t like me.  I’m posting about pit bulls.

Today the New York Times ran an article about a man who has been charged with cruelty to animals because he strangled a pit bull that was attacking another dog.  Thousands of people have signed a petition demanding that he be severely punished.  

Earlier this week the Lehighton Times News ran a front page article about a man whose pet pit bull severely bit a family member.  

When is the last time you saw an article about a dachshund attacking someone?  About a border collie mauling a kid?  A chihuahua killing a baby?  If you saw a guy on the street with a beagle on a leash and another with a pit bull, which dog would you pet?

At this point pit bull owners will jump up and down and shout how their dogs are gentle, loving, wonderful, and how the mean ones are the fault of their owners.  How do I tell the difference?  I am perfectly willing to believe there are nice pit bulls.  I also believe that if you own one, that says a lot more about you and the image you are trying to project than it does about the poor dog.

Military spending and the Taliban

One would think that a country that spends more on defense than the next eight largest spenders combined–China, Saudi Arabia, India, France, Russia, Britain, Germany, and Japan–could whip the Taliban in Afghanistan.

Our strategy must be bad, or our objectives, or our leadership, or maybe we are spending on the wrong stuff.  

Since we can’t seem to defeat the Taliban, the new strategy seemed to be to invite them to negotiate, in the meantime selling out the Afghans who are trying to govern their country in a more reasonable manner. 

When Trump was planning his photo-op meeting with the Taliban at Camp David, the Afghan government was not even invited.  That is an eerie echo of the 1938 Munich conference that divided Czechoslovakia and didn’t consult the Czechs.  

Now that the negotiations have been put on hold (Trump must be so disappointed to lose the opportunity to sign the agreement with his Sharpie in front of the cameras), there is nothing to replace that failed policy except talk about decreasing American forces in Afghanistan.  That should work.

If this Administration can do something–anything–right, I’d sure like to know what it is.

Banning flavored vaping

Last year the U.S. saw 11,484 gun-related deaths.

In recent months there have been six deaths linked to vaping.

Guess on which one the Trump administration took action.

Wedge issue?

Today Linda and I were interviewed by a reporter from a Washington D.C. newspaper (no, not the Post).  He was in Pennsylvania researching a story about a possible “wedge issue” to be used if Biden is the nominee. 

If Biden opposes pipelines, he will irritate the labor unions which support pipeline building.  If he favors pipelines, he will irritate environmentalists who oppose them.  The Trump campaign would use this issue to divide people.

The reporter had learned that Linda was head of the anti-pipeline group “Save Carbon County,” and he wanted to have her take on the issue.  He quickly learned that Linda was one of the founders of the Carbon County Labor Chapter and worked for a union.  Most union members are environmentalists; most environmentalists support a unionized workforce.

It is typical of Trump to run a campaign based on fear and hatred.  It is like him and his campaign managers to think that they can divide labor and environmentalists.  It won’t work.  Neither of those two groups is about to support him.  We aren’t that dumb.

Open carry in Walmart

Before you go all warm and fuzzy on Walmart, remember that the Corporation “requested” that people not carry guns in its stores.  Fanatics are still carrying them around, and Walmart personnel are asked not to confront them.

Walmart stores are private property.  The management can ban open carry any time it desires.

The best way for you as an individual to solve this problem is ridicule.  When people who bring guns into stores and restaurants are laughed at, they will quit.

Here are three things you can say.  Chose one.

1.  Hey!  Squirrels running around in Aisle Seven.  If you get over there, you can probably bag a few.

2.  I love the NRA’s new slogan.  (The guy will ask you, “What new slogan?”)  You know, the one that says  The only way you’ll take my gun is over your cold dead kids.

3.  I’ve always been curious.  Does your gun really make you feel better about your small pee-pee?

U.S. Senators vs. British M.P.s

Boris Johnson warned his Conservative members of Parliament that if they ignored his wishes and voted against his program to leave the European Union with no deal, their political careers would be dead.

Twenty-one Conservatives put their country ahead of their political interests and voted against him.

Just think of that.  Putting your country ahead of your party.  What a concept.

Let's start the week on a positive note

Derek Black’s father is Don Black, the organizer of “Stormfront,” a white nationalist collection of blogs, chat rooms, and streaming radio that is considered a leading hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center, which tracks these things.  Stormfront rants against Muslims, globalists, Jews, blacks, and immigrants–all the usual suspects.

Derek himself appeared with his father on the Don and Derek Black Show.  He was a smart kid who changed the emphasis of Stormfront.  He said the members were not against anyone, but were just trying to protect the interests of white heritage and culture.

Derek attended a local community college where he got straight A’s.  In 2020 he transferred to New College of Florida, the honors college of the state university system.  He was a guy who easily made friends, including an immigrant from Peru, and...a Jewish girlfriend.  Conflicted, as you can imagine, he told his dad his studies made it difficult for him to appear on the radio show.  

At his girlfriend Allison’s urging, he eventually decided to write a statement about his evolution.  “I am sorry for the damage done by my actions.  I realize not all will instantly believe me, or may perceive this as a seemingly abrupt change when it has been instead a gradual awakening process.  I understand that my words won’t suddenly heal all wounds.”

He then sent it to the Southern Poverty Law Center.  

Info for this post is from Adam Hochschild’s review of Rising Out of Hatred:  The Awakening of a Former White Nationalist by Eli Saslow (Doubleday).  The review can be found in The New York Review of Books, Sept. 26, 2019, pp. 72-73.

Red hot salsa

I just canned ten half pints of salsa that will make your eyes water.  Tomorrow I plan to process another ten jars of salsa that after you eat it will make you cry like a little girl.  

No, I am not turning this into one of those Facebook-type things where I report on what I had for breakfast (Grapenuts and bananas) or what my cat did.  (I don’t have a cat, but I did rescue a toad tonight that was hopping around in our cellar.)  I just felt the need to ignore Trump, Boris Johnson, and all the rest of the clowns running various governments around the world.

Now I will go and drink a toast to the death of Robert Mugabe.  In about 30 years, maybe less, almost every one of those clowns will be following him.  

Can he do that?

I taught American Government for over 40 years, but I never realized that a president could move funds around on his own.  Tax bills must originate in the House.  Congress controls the “purse strings.”  The Executive branch does not have the power to allocate funds.  At least that is what I taught.

Now Trump has ordered the Pentagon to divert funds from military construction projects in almost half of the states, three territories, and 19 countries to build a wall on the border with Mexico.  I assume these projects were part of the effort to defend the U.S.  I also assume The Wall is a vanity scheme to satisfy all those people who chanted “Build the Wall” at Trump rallies, although they also chanted “Mexico” when Trump asked who would pay for it.

I don’t understand how these things can happen.  I don’t understand how Congress doesn’t rise up and impeach this clown.  I don’t understand how we can be called a democracy when things like this can happen.

Lightbulbs

Trumps’s hatred of Obama is bizarre, pathetic, and dangerous.  He realizes that he will never have the respect, and yes, the love, that people have for his predecessor.

This hatred leads him to the worst kind of irrationality.  Now the U.S. government is rolling back the rules that required Americans to use more energy efficient light bulbs.  This was not a hardship.  This did not cost jobs.  This was an easy transition.

Ending this rule will increase the need for more energy and increase global warming.

What Trump doesn’t realize is the rule dates back to the Bush administration.  

Alabama prepares

We called Cousin Terry in Tuscaloosa this evening.  We were worried about him and his family in the path of Dorian.  He’s ok, but he did say that all the stores have run out of bread and milk.  We told him our thoughts and prayers were with him during this difficult time.

Relaxing the methane rules

When the Trump administration announced that it was loosening regulations on the release of methane, one of the worst of the greenhouse gases, I expected the frackers and the pipeline people to be joyful.  After all, PennEast’s proposed compressor station in Kidder Township in Carbon County will release over a hundred tons of methane annually.

The American Petroleum Institute did celebrate.  It announced that companies were controlling leaks without government intervention.  (That statement, by the way, is a flat-out lie.)

On the other hand, BP, Exxon Mobil, and Shell were not happy.  They are members of the international group called the Oil and Gas Climate Initiative, pledged to reduce emissions.  They are also under pressure from stockholders, activists, and their own employees.  They know that if they don’t clean up their act, public pressure will mount against their industries no matter what the Trump Administration announces.

Trump as role model

The 1920s and 1930s were bad years for democracy.  Mussolini in Italy was a role model for Hitler.  Stalin killed millions in Russia and the Ukraine.  Franco took over Spain, Salazar came to power in Portugal.  Hungary went under.  Japan was ruled by a militaristic cabal, and Chaing Kai-shek in China was little better.  A good number of Latin American countries were ruled by caudillos.

It was a spreading sickness.  Nationalist doctrines infected one country after another. The future was bleak.  Then everything got better.  By 1990, democratic government was the norm.  With the breakup of the Soviet Union, the end of colonial rule in Africa and Asia, and increasing international cooperation, a new world order seemed about to be born.

In the last few years it has all fallen apart.  Putin put an end to democracy in Russia.  He is envied and copied by Trump.  Trump became a role model for rulers in the Philippines, Brazil, Israel, Italy, Hungary, Poland, India, and now Britain.  Nationalist and racist parties proliferate and grow stronger.

Americans must share in the blame.  Trump rallies are an exercise in crowd manipulation, and the crowd revels in its manipulation.  Republican senators and the Supreme Court bend to Trump’s will.  In the meantime, the opposition Democrats fracture and snipe at each other, seemingly unaware of the need for  a united front.  

My students often told me I was too pessimistic.  I’m not.  I am a realist.

Denying citizenship

Children born abroad to certain U.S. service members and other federal employees had been granted automatic citizenship, even if the parents were not citizens.

New Trump administration policy:  parents of those children, even those born on military bases, will now have to apply for citizenship on their children’s behalf before the kids turn 18. 

So here we have Trump, who got out of serving in Vietnam with fake bone spurs, now denying citizenship to the children of men and women who are serving our country in a way that he refused to.

I will never understand why so many vets think Trump is wonderful.  I don’t get that. 

See Zolan Kanno-Youngs, “Citizenship No Longer Automatic for Some Born Abroad,”  New York Times, (Aug. 29, 2019), p. A17.