WWJP

Quite a few Christians wear a wrist band with the initials WWJD, which stands for “What would Jesus do?  It is to remind the wearer that in difficult situations, he or she should act according to the teachings of Jesus.

Now Christians have another wristband to wear.  Liz Cheney, Republican Senator from Wyoming, said the right to carry a concealed weapon is “God given.”  

The new wrist band is WWJP.  That stands for “What would Jesus pack?”

Republicans respond to mass shootings

Finally, Republican congressional members are responding to the mass murders in Las Vegas and at the Texas church.  A House committee recently approved a bill to expand gun owners’ rights.  Gun owners with a state-issued concealed carry permit (say Missouri) would be allowed to carry an handgun in any state (say New York).  This is called reciprocity.

The bill does not say that a resident of a state that allows marijuana use would be granted reciprocity to use marijuana in any other state.

The concealed carry permit bill is backed by the N.R.A.

Jerusalem

Israelis and Palestinians argue about which imaginary friend is the true God.  I get that.  I also get that both sides in this dispute have done stupid things, are locked in a struggle, and can’t seem to find a way out.  

Nonetheless, the U.S. has, until this point, tried to be a somewhat honest broker, tilting toward Israel, but within limits.

Tomorrow, if what we are hearing is correct, that will change when Trump recognizes Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.  It will upset the Middle East and is one of the worst foreign policy moves this administration will have made in a year of stupid and harmful foreign policy moves.  

Some commentators say this is Trump trying to please his base.  I don’t think that the hoofties at the Palmerton Rod and Gun Club who voted for Trump last year really care about Jerusalem.  This is just a stupid move.  When you think it can’t get much worse, it gets worse.

111 out of 228

What would you call a political system that had a legislature with 228 seats up for election, but in 111 of those races, there was only one candidate on the ballot?  That is just short of half of the legislative seats in which voters had no choice.  You certainly wouldn’t call it a democracy.

You could, however, call it Pennsylvania.  Those were the statistics from the last election in 2016.  I learned that at a Fair Districts Pennsylvania presentation tonight at the Palmerton Library.  

Everybody knows how government no longer works, largely because of the results of a gerrymandered legislature.  Unfortunately, the bipartisan bill to set up an independent commission to draw fair districts can’t even get out of committee.  It’s Pennsylvania.

Sen. Toomey and Hillsdale College

I am sorry to say that Sen. Toomey (R-PA) is one of my U.S. Senators.  The man has no integrity.

In the tax giveaway to the rich that just passed the Senate, Toomey put in a special provision that would have exempted Hillsdale College in Michigan from a tax levy on large endowments.  

Toomey’s amendment would have only applied to this one college, a “college” that brainwashes students instead of teaching them.  If you are wondering how I know this, I subscribe to their newsletter. 

Evidently, Toomey spoke at the college and received a warm reception.  He would.

Unfortunately for Toomey even this amendment was too much for the Senate.  Toomey’s amendment failed, but at least we have learned just how low he will stoop to aid his ideological allies.

When the police lie

The Times News this morning published an article about two state troopers in the Lehighton barracks who flat-out lied about an arrest for drunken driving.  They claimed they had performed sobriety tests and wrote a detailed report on the results.  Fortunately for the man arrested, the dashboard camera showed no such tests had been given, and the officers debating who would get the credit for their quota.

Those officers should be terminated immediately and charged with falsifying evidence.  The problem with that kind of behavior is obviously greater than the one incident.  All the other arrests those officers made are now called into question.  Other honest police officers are tainted as well, and any citizen pulled over will wonder if he or she will be falsely charged. 

Schadenfreude

It’s a German word; it means that you take joy at another’s misfortune.  Remember in the summer of 2016 when General Flynn led people at Trump rallies in the chant “Lock Her Up.”

Remember all those posters with Clinton behind bars.  Remember “Hillary for Prison.”

And now guess who’s going to jail?  I am feeling schadenfreude, and it feels really good.