What happened to us?

A billionaire, Timothy Mellon, recently gave $50 million to Trump and Robert Kennedy.  $50 million.  I gave $25 to Jon Tester, running for Senate from Montana.  Mellon just made my donation and our “democracy” a joke.  The Republican Supreme Court declared that money is “speech.”  No, it isn’t.  Other democracies regulate campaign donations.  Legislation could be passed.  But it isn’t.  It won’t be.

The Supreme Court itself is tainted.  It is not an impartial body of wise judges pronouncing on legislation.  It is an arm of conservative interests, using a weird theory that it is supposed to follow the wisdom of the Founding Fathers at the time they wrote the Constitution.  Tell me about the wisdom of the Founding Fathers as it relates to “bump stocks” or the Electoral College or abortion.

Some of our failures are ludicrous.  Louisiana posts the Ten Commandments in the schools but fails protect its students from getting shot.  Fertilized eggs have “personhood.”  Homeless people flood major American cities.  We don’t control nation’s borders.  Half the population thinks climate change is a hoax.  Ignorance stalks the land.

How did we reach this point?  This country launched the New Deal, provided the Arsenal of Democracy, sent astronauts to the moon, saved the endangered bald eagle, passed a Voting Rights Act, implemented Medicare, eliminated polio and smallpox.  That seems like such a long time ago.

The West Bank and Ukraine

What is the difference?  In each case you have a country that is grabbing land that doesn’t belong to it.  In the West Bank it is Orthodox settlers, aided by soldiers, who are creating conditions that will make it impossible for the Palestinians to have a separate and independent state.  In Ukraine it is the Russian government sending in troops to seize land that does not belong to Russia.

In each case it is a powerful country taking land that doesn’t belong to it and taking it by force in the face of international opposition.  Both deserve our condemnation.

Thoughts on the Ten Commandments

Louisiana now mandates that schools must post the Ten Commandments mentioned in Chapter 20 of Exodus, a “book” in the section of the Bible that Christians call “the Old Testament.”  The Catholic Church decided to include this section as part of the Bible in 382 C.E.

I have a number of questions.  Will the posters be in the language of the Revised Standard Version or in the language of the King James Version that Jesus used?  And won’t the Seventh Commandment be seen as an underhanded criticism of former President Trump?  And the Eighth another slap at some of the scams of the former President, such as Trump University and the more recent shoe and Bible sales?

Worst of all is the Tenth.  That’s the one about “coveting” your neighbor’s ass.  To quote Butthead, Heh heh.  Heh heh.

Willie Mays

I saw Willie Mays play.  He was with the New York Giants.  They were playing the Philadelphia Phillies in Connie Mack stadium.  It was in 1957.  When he came up to bat the Phillies fans booed.  I was amazed.  Why would they boo Willie Mays?  

It was before I realized what jerks Philadelphia fans could be.

Think about Phoenix

People are complaining about the heat.  This is nothing.  Last summer Phoenix experienced temperatures 110 degrees or higher on 55 separate days.  And Phoenix is running out of water.  And the electric bills for air-conditioning are huge.  And 644 people died of heat-related deaths.  And they are still building more homes and Phoenix continues to grow.

But it’s a dry heat out there.

Southern Baptists and I.V.F.

As a committed atheist I am always amazed at some of the things religious people believe.  Reincarnation, the angel Moroni and the angel Gabriel, virgin birth, Noah’s ark, the power of prayer, etc., etc., etc.  I am also amazed at how religious beliefs are interpreted in the modern world.  

The medical procedure of in vitro fertilization is usually used by couples who are having difficulty conceiving.  The convention of Southern Baptist “messengers” earlier this month rejected I.V.F.  Not only that, but the conventioneers declared that embryos have “personhood.”

Roger Williams, the founder of Rhode Island, wrote a letter to some followers in Rhode Island explaining his views on religion.  Suppose, he said, you have a number of passengers on a ship with different religious beliefs.  He mentioned Jews, Catholics, and Muslims, although he used different labels.  He said the Captain could not force those people to follow the Captain’s religion.  (That’s the first right in the First Amendment of the Constitution–no establishment.)  Nor could the captain stop people from praying and following their beliefs.  (That is the second right in the First Amendment–free exercise.)  He then said that if a religious practice interfered with the sailing of the ship, the Captain could put a stop to that practice.  

We have some stuff going on that is definitely interfering with the sailing of the American ship of state.   

Anne from Brussels

Anne, a long-time good friend who now lives in Brussels, visited us this weekend.  We have known Anne for at least 35 years; she noted that when she arrived here on Friday everything was familiar and felt like home.

Like many Europeans, she is worried that Trump will win in November.  What would a Trump victory mean for Ukraine, NATO, worldwide prosperity, the Middle East, nuclear war?  She reads the New York Times on-line every day and follows American politics closely.  Unfortunately we could not reassure her.  We have the same worries.

We did go on a hike on Sawmill Trail in Beltzville State Park on Saturday.  It is the best trail in the park, paralleling a swift-flowing trout stream with wild flowers blooming and perfect weather.  For a few hours at least, we were able to enjoy nature and forget the ugliness that is American politics.

Happy Birthday To You

I was born on Nov. 18, 1942, which makes me two days older than Joe Biden.  I am also older than Donald Trump, who turned 78 today.  Age is far less of a factor in running for President than running in a foot race.  Physical stamina is not as important for Presidents as it is for Philadelphia Eagles running backs.

Mental capabilities, on the other hand, are important.  Trump is three years younger than I, but I would never claim Covid could be cured by swallowing horse worming medicine or sticking a light up one’s butt.  I have never ruminated about jumping to a shark if my battery powered boat sank.  I wouldn’t suggest a tax cut of 20% because it is a “nice round number.”  I know that Putin is not America’s friend.  I understand that mail-in ballots take longer to count that those cast on election day.  I know windmills don’t cause cancer.  I’ve tested magnets under water and found they still work.

So, how would I be as President at age 81+?  I’m pretty sure the nation would be in far better hands than in those tiny hands of the birthday boy.

Are We Doomed?

That’s the title of a course at the University of Chicago taught by an astrophysicist and a sociologist.  Students meet for three hours every Thursday afternoon to hear guest speakers, watch movies, and discuss topics like climate change, artificial intelligence, and nuclear war.

I could teach this class.  At San José State I usually ended the last session of the semester with graphs of population growth, a description of a nuclear explosion a list of how many countries had nuclear weapons, and a timeline of how long dinosaurs lived compared to how long humans have been around.  The concluding question: “Given current trends do you think humans will last anywhere near as long as the dinosaurs?”  Students told me it was the most depressing lecture they had ever heard.

Let’s just look at nuclear weapons.  Nine countries–U.S., France, UK, India, Pakistan, Russia, China, North Korea, and Israel–have nuclear weapons.  The strategy of MAD (“mutually assured destruction”) has worked reasonably well to keep things under control, but accidents can occur (and almost have on at least two occasions).  Two of those countries are led by crazy people.  In the U.S. one person can decide to launch nuclear weapons.  One.

Now add to that climate change, religious fanatics (Muslim, Christian, Hindu, Jewish, even Buddhist), artificial intelligence, global climate change, willful ignorance, and growing irrationality.  Yes, we are doomed.

(Quick story:  in 1983 a Soviet early-warning satellite system reported five incoming American missiles.  Stanislav Petrov, who was on duty at the command center, managed to convince his superiors that any American attack would have started with more than five missiles.  No action was taken, and Petrov was proved correct.  Petrov has been labeled as the man who saved the world.)

Info for this post was taken in part from Rivka Galchen, Are We Doomed? The New Yorker, (June 10, 2024), pp. 22-27.

Climbing Mt. Everest

I was eleven years old when Tenzing Norgay and Sir Edmund Hillary reached the top of Mt. Everest.  It was one of those things that happen when you are a kid that for some reason you remember.  Maybe I remember because Tenzing Norgay is an odd name, but I was impressed.

Today’s New York Times has a picture of dozens of “mountain climbers” ascending to the top of Mt Everest.  It looks like one of those old photos of the Klondike gold rush.  The article details how these “climbers,” with their expensive equipment and “bucket lists,” are putting their Sherpa guides in danger, some of whom die while they cater to the rich jerks who hire them.  

Here’s what I propose.  If you are planning to climb Mt. Everest, you must use the same clothing, the same gear, and the same route that Tenzing Norgay and Sir Edmund Hillary used.  Then I’ll be impressed.  Otherwise, shut up. 

Drinking the Kool-Aid

The Carbon County Republican Party Headquarters on Route 209 in Franklin Township has what looks very much like an illustration of a Kool-Aid pitcher in the window.   I’ve heard they “drank the Kool-Aid.” but I didn’t realize they were advertising it. 

Lyme disease

I had planned to write about what a jerk Hunter Biden is.  How he could have avoided embarrassment by simply pleading guilty.  How he continues to hurt the people around him.  How this case was open and shut.  How I hope he goes to jail.

But I’m going to bed.  About 3 hours ago all of my joints began to hurt.  I was tired.  I had a slight fever.  So I look up Lyme disease, and those are all the symptoms.  I think I’ll call a doctor tomorrow.

Newsletters

Today I mailed approximately 100 four-page newsletters to a group of people who donate money to maintain a historic one-room school.  The newsletter detailed the summer programs and had newsy items about a number of the donors and former students.

I am currently working on a newsletter for a group of about 90 Carbon County Democratic Party activists.  It discusses some of the upcoming activities of the party and includes a number of volunteer opportunities.

Postage has gone up thanks to Trump-appointed Postmaster-General Louis DeJoy (who would like to privatize the USPS), and many people have asked me why I don’t simply email these newsletters.  After all doesn’t everyone have email?

I just finished “reading” my emails for the day.  Guess what I did with most of them.  In fact, all but a few of them.  (Bill and Midge, not yours.)  I deleted them without opening them.  That’s what we do.  On the other hand, I received a number of pieces of mail today.  Other than the campaign solicitations, I opened all of them.  When you get a hand-addressed envelope in the mail, you open it.  Right?

Members of Congress play the market; you can too

Richard Burr, chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, sold off $1.7 million in stocks two weeks before the pandemic and the subsequent market downturn.  Markwayne Mullen, a Republican Senator from Oklahoma, recently bought approximately $50,000 worth of Raytheon stock.  He sits on the Senate Armed Services Committee.  His portfolio soon thereafter went up 30%.

A group of friends have launched Autopilot, a program that tracks stock buys of various members of Congress.  Trades must be reported within 45 days, and you can then make the same buys.

For example, Autopilot tracks Rep. Dan Crenshaw of Texas (up 41%).  The founders of Autopilot say their goal is to stop members of Congress from stock trading.  It is now legal, although trading on inside information is illegal.  Hardly anyone is ever punished for that, however.

See Jack Truesdale, The New Yorker, (June 3, 2024), p. 13.

Literally crucified

I have always been annoyed b y people who use the word “literally” incorrectly.  When you say something literally happened, you mean it actually really truly occurred.  Someone who is hung on a cross, like Spartacus, was literally crucified. 

When Trump says he was literally crucified, which he literally has said, he is using the word incorrectly.  He is literally a jerk.

D-Day: Two reactions

President  Biden was in France honoring the Allied troops who landed in 1944.

Former President Trump was attacking the American judicial system.  

Nuclear War: A Scenario

I’ve been a big fan of “Mutually Assured Destruction” as a way to prevent nuclear war.  It is a strategy developed by game theorists, and while its acronym is MAD, it has worked for the last 70 plus years.  It is based on the idea that if a nation uses nuclear weapons against an opponent that can retaliate with nuclear weapons, it will not attack.  An attack would be suicidal.

Unfortunately, things can go wrong.  What happens if a nation uses nuclear weapons on an enemy that lacks a retaliatory capability.  (Think Russia vs. Ukraine.)  What happens if a country is governed by a madman who doesn’t care about suicide.  Perhaps he is someone who believes in the rapture or someone who thinks it is God’s will.  Or maybe it is a leader who is batshit crazy.  (Think North Korea.)  Suppose we have a President who thinks a nuclear “exchange” is winnable, and doesn’t understand nuclear winter and fallout and literally billions of casualties.  Accidents can happen; we have come close with misread signals in the past.

I just finished Nuclear War:  A Scenario by Annie Jacobsen.  Ms. Jacobsen has done her research, interviewed Defense Department experts, and presents a minute-by-minute account of how a nuclear holocaust could start.  It is not a book to read before bedtime, but I think it should be required reading for every leader in every one of the countries that possess nuclear weapons.  

Congrats to President Claudia Sheinbaum

The voters of Mexico elected their first female president.  They also elected their first Jewish president.

Actually, if our system of electing presidents were democratic, we would have elected our first female president in 2016.  Hillary Clinton had millions more votes than Trump, but because of our archaic electoral college system, the winner of the popular vote can lose.  It happened in 2000 and 2016 and came close to happening in 2020.  

Both the U.S. Senate and the presidential electoral systems give unwarranted power to small conservative states.  Gerrymandering has also helped Republican (and now white) candidates.  Amazingly, Trump continues to bleat about how his election was stolen.  He is worse than evil.  He’s tiresome.

In any case, I am happy for President Sheinbaum.  Nice work.

West Bank Palestinians and American Indians

Since Oct. 7 Israeli settlers seized 37,000 acres of West Bank territory from the Palestinian inhabitants.  The Mayor of one of the settlements said the Palestinians never had a legal claim to the land.  Many settlers claim that God gave them the land.  The Israeli military is protecting the settlements.

Anyone who studies the westward expansion on to Indian lands has heard these same arguments.  The “God gave us the land” claim was called Manifest Destiny.  It was in the natural order of things that the savages should give way to the civilizing influence of the white people.  As for ownership, the Indians didn’t really “own” the land; they just wandered around on it hunting and fishing.  There were no actual deeds or land titles.

It was wrong then, and it is wrong now.  A few Europeans treated Native Americans with respect, but not enough.  Some Israelis try to aid the West Bank Palestinians as well, but not enough.

Sometimes the ACLU is irritating

I am a ACLU member and have been for years.  Members are famous for disagreeing, getting angry, and quitting.  I’ve done all three, although, like most members, I eventually rejoin.  But here is the kind of thing that irritates me. 

Newark, N.J, has instituted a curfew for teenagers.  It is not particularly punitive; first time offenders are taken home, and, if no adult is there, they are taken to Newark’s “Re-engagement Center,” which was opened to help young people with educational or job opportunities.

Sarah Fajardo, the ACLU policy director of ACLU of New Jersey, is opposed to the curfew.  She said it “targets young people”...because of their status as young people, not because of any criminal behavior.”

Of course it targets young people.  It is not alone in that.  Young people can’t buy booze, can’t buy cigarettes, have driving restrictions, should not be able to buy guns.  They are treated differently because they are young.  Good grief.

Info for this post is in part from Tammy LaGorce, “Newark Turns to an Old Idea to Fight Youth Crime,” The New York Times, (June 2, 2024), pp. NJ 1, 4.

Which schools were better?

I participated in a debate today on the question of who received the better education:  kids in one-room schools (which I attended) or kids in today’s elementary schools.  My team consisted of another former one-room school student and me; our opponents were a retired school teacher and a current teacher at a local elementary school.

We debated eight topics such as physical plant, art and music instruction, curriculum, teacher education, and teaching self-reliance.  We had an audience of about 40 people.  On most issues I was willing to concede that the current elementary model came out on top, although our team did very well on the topic of learning self-reliance and personal responsibility.  One item that amazed me was learning that the playground now has cameras trained on the kids playing.  I found that scary.

Some of the audience was amazed that we had no school nurse, no hot meals, no snow days, no help for special needs kids, and no art instruction.    We also had outdoor toilets, no playground equipment, and corporal punishment.  As my teammate said, how did we survive?