The reason we will go to war against Iran

Maybe we won’t go to war against Iran, but if we do it won’t be for strategic reasons, or because of a well thought-out strategy, or some grand plan to bolster American power.  Notice that I’m writing about it.  I could have written about other things–the crappy military parade, the diplomatic disaster in Canada, the proposed sale of U.S. public land, the troops in CA, the tariff debacle–but I’m writing about the possible war.

And that is the point.  This would be the first American war in history that was launched by a president who wanted a distraction from his declining poll numbers.  He is determined to appear strong, decisive, in charge.  In wars Americans tend to rally around the flag, at least initially.  

Would Trump actually launch a war to build his ego and distract us?  You don’t need to ask that question.  You already know the answer, don’t you?  Even the MAGA dupes know the answer to that one.

BTW, the Constitution says Congress shall declare war.  Let’s get back to that, and soon. 

The Tuesday Science Section

Every Tuesday the New York Times has a science section.  The news in this section is always fascinating, at least to me.  Today, for example, I learned that there are huge portions of the ocean where the water is warming to the point where marine life is adversely affected.  I’m fairly sure it will also have an effect on the severity of hurricanes.  In the meantime, we have an administration that is doing its best to increase global warming by cutting back on green energy production, burning more coal and oil, and pushing bitcoin mining with its attendant energy suck.

Another article noted that North America had extensive farming in prehistoric times.  Aerial imaging has found all kinds of agricultural activity in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, the ancestral home of the Menominee tribe.  Unfortunately, archaeological research is one of the fields that has been deeply cut by the Trump administration.

Finally, data shows that old people not only believe in the efficacy of vaccines, but will wait in line for flu and Covid shots.  Some studies have shown that the vaccine for shingles also may lessen the onset of dementia.  Robert F. Kennedy can discourage vaccines, but old people didn’t get old by being stupid.  And yes, I’ve got my shingles shot and I’m up-to-date on my Covid and flu shots.  I want to make to 83 at least.  (It will be in November.)

Camping out at Manzanar

One of Trump’s endless and bizarre Executive Orders mandated that National Parks and National Monuments say only positive things about the American past.  Trump believes in sugarcoating (or should I say “whitewashing”) any bad things in our history.  Somehow I guess he thinks that will make us more “patriotic.”  It just makes us ridiculous.

Our daughter was speculating on how the Manzanar internment camp for Japanese-Americans would handle this requirement.  We have visited Manzanar, and it is a bleak place in a dry area of California, hot and miserable in the summer; cold and miserable in the winter.  It will be a challenge, but here what she suggested Trump might use for interpretive material.

“Camping out in the desert”

“Fun times in the Sierras”

“Stay rent free in cabins”

I don’t know how they will handle Little Bighorn, or the Trail of Tears, or the war against the Modocs.  Who voted for this idiot?  

Did we reach 3.5%?

According to a recent study by two political scientists who looked at opposition to autocrats in a large number of countries, when the protests reach 3.5% of the population, that is the tipping point to ending the autocracy.

I know we didn’t reach that in Carbon County, PA.  We had about 250, but 3.5% of the population would be about 2100.

One problem is that Jim Thorpe is a tourist town, and parking is very difficult.  We would not have had room for even 1% of the population around the Courthouse where the rally took place.  We need a bigger venue.  (And maybe a food truck and a porta potty.)

The good news is that even with a cold rain, we had more people at the “No Kings” rally than at the “Hands off” rally.  

I don’t know how many people we had nation-wide, but given the size of the crowds in some of the bigger cities and given the fact that we had well over 2000 protests, we had to be close to the 3.5%.  And we will only grow.

I know one thing for damn sure.  The turnout at the Washington parade was abysmal.  Trump had to be disappointed.  He looked disappointed.  And all those tanks.  What a loser.

"No Kings" demonstration in Jim Thorpe

It rained.  It was cold.  Didn’t matter.  Over 200 people came out to let the world know that U.S. is not the place for kings or for presidents who want to act like kings.  We had well over 200 people (we counted), most of them with posters they made.  We had people in chicken costumes with chicken tacos, people in Trump masks, people in clown suits, old and young, and (I loved this), tourists who were visiting Jim Thorpe joining in the protest.  

Approximately fifty percent of passing motorists approved of the protest, honking their horns or giving us a thumbs up.  Approximately 40 percent did nothing.  Maybe 10% yelled nasty words or gave us a thumbs down.  Not bad for a deep red county. 

Fired up, ready to go

Today my cardiologist installed a new battery in my pacemaker.  The old one was about to run out of power.  I thought it was like a flashlight; they’d open me up and put a small battery into the box.  I found out the “box” is the battery.  The wires stayed where they were.

I’m not allowed to drive for 24 hours, but I will have a ride to the “No Kings” rally in Jim Thorpe.  Our daughter and grandson will be in a rally in Chico.  

Our group has a large chicken head mask and chicken feet for one of the demonstrators to wear.  The poster will refer to the TACO, or “Trump Always Chickens Out.”  He says he hates that phrase.

In the meantime that rally he held at Fort Bragg (biggest loser in the Confederate Army, and they name a base after him) was held in front of soldiers who had been vetted.  Only soldiers who voted for Trump were allowed to sit behind him.  

Did you ever think you would see such a great example of the reverse Midas touch.  Everything he touches....

Life on two tracks

On the surface my life seems so normal.  Today I learned that Brian Wilson died.  I loved the Beach Boys; I still listen to my “Pet Sounds” and “Endless Summer” albums.  Today I planted some hot pepper plants.  I edited a paper for a former colleague.  I saw the first fireflies of the summer this evening.  

On the other side I am well aware that my country is now an autocracy.  A Senator taken away in handcuffs.  A military parade with goose stepping soldiers planned.  Making my poster for the “No Kings” Rally on Saturday.  Watching a video of the American Gestapo chasing a farmworker in a field and taking him away.  

I feel like I am living in a world that isn’t real.  That I will wake up and it will go away.  But it won’t, will it?