I exxagerated about BLM

     The Black Lives Matter Movement has fascinated me this year.  If you read their principles, you will find much to admire.  The principles sound idealistic.  I really wish you would look them up on the BLM website.  This advocacy group has grabbed public attention like no civil rights organization has done in many years.  The group was founded by three women.  BLM shows up every time police have shot a black person this year.  But that isn't all they do.  BLM wants to be a forum for all of the many sub-groups in the African American community.  I read that they want to reach out to people of color around the world.
     This week I reported that BLM is receiving huge donations.  I repeated a story that BLM had received $350 million from Hillary Clinton's friend George Soros.  Well, I was wrong.  The correct figure is $33 million in the last few months from Soros and another $67 million from other liberals.          My contention was that Black Lives Matter is growing rapidly in influence.  They are talking about organizing at the local level, all over the United States.  So my original comments, about the growing BLM media sensation, were correct.  We are going to hear a lot more about Black Lives Matter in the next few years.  And whatever happened to traditional black organizations like the NAACP?
    The year 2016 has not been kind to liberals.  The British voted to leave the European Union.  The Democrats suffered a big defeat.  White people who backed Barak Obama four years ago have turned to Donald Trump.  Right wing politicians are on the ascendency in Europe.  The Philipines have elected a nationalist.  Yet, Black Lives Matter is thriving.
     There is something I want you to do for homework.  Go to the BLM website.  It is inspiring.  Then go and visit Breitbart.  There are definite similarities.  Both groups are enlisting common people.  Both are enthusiastic about their causes.  BLM and Breitbart aim to rally common people.  I may be uninformed but I think I can support both organizations at the same time.
     Black Lives Matter seems idealistic and very sincere.  They seem a lot nicer than they are portrayed in the media.  Breitbart has a bit nastier tone.  They love to poke fun at liberals.  Some of the jokes and insults are a little harsh.  Still,  Breitbart is trying to connect with common people in a vast grassroots forum.  I think the difference comes from the differing speaking styles of Democrats and Republicans.  Bernie Sanders and Al Gore come across as painfully sincere and idealistic.  Glenn Beck and Rush Limbaugh come across as sarcastic and very funny.
     In conclusion, I am sorry that I misstated the amount of contributions that Black Lives Matters has received in the last few months.  They are thriving while the Democrats are in a tailspin.  I urge you to read everything you can find on BLM.  We may be seeing the beginning of the next Martin Luther King.

Who benefits from hate speech?

At least six mosques have received vile and threatening letters.  I would be very worried if my family attended any of these mosques.  The writer claims to support Donald Trump, but does he (or she?)
Who benefits by this letter?  If a person wanted to bomb a mosque they would have already done so.  So the purpose of the letter is to frighten people.  Donald Trump is trying to court gays, blacks, and other minorities.  His coalition of moderates and independents have been fickle in the past.  These people supported President Obama in the past.  Anything that increases racial fear weakens Trump's coalition a little.  This is why Hillary Clinton kept warning about a white backlash. It never happened because oppressing minorities is short-sighted and immoral.  According to the Southern Poverty Law Center, the number of racist whites in America has dwindled to no more than 6000.  It is possible that a racist white person wrote the threatening letters.  It is also possible that one of Hillary Clinton's bitter, die hard supporters wrote the six letters.  When something like this happens again, ask yourself who benefits the most?  i learned that from watching Agatha Christie movies.

Why do you like what you like?

     Some things are easy to understand.  I often feel too tall so I autoselect short women.  Almost everyone in my family has red or auburn hair and very fair skin.  I was the only one with brown hair until it turned gray.  I am attracted to girls with fair skin and red hair.  My weight has often been a problem so I gravitate toward super slim girls.  I am a clumsy dancer at best.  No, I am an awful dancer.  So I like women who move with the grace of a ballerina.  You could describe all of these preferences as compensating for what I was not.
     Some of my preferences make less sense.  Why do I seek out black girls to talk to at parties?  I have no special history with black girls.  I just head for black girls without thinking.  There is no special pattern to my dating history.  Why do I love the outdoors when my family doesn't even like going out in the backyard?  Why do I love certain movie stars and barely tolerate other equally good performers?  I love taking tests and surveys.  I don't know why.  I usually chose trying new restaurants over going to places I know for certain that I will enjoy.  Why do I love politics when my whole family is apathetic on the subject?
     All I am asking is that you ask yourself why you strongly prefer one thing over another.  Think about it.

The Democrats have chosen Nancy Pelosi again

Today's headline is good news for Republican. Nancy Pelosi has led the Democrats in the US House of Representatives for the last 14 years.  This coincides with the near collapse of the Democratic party as a national organization.  You have to go back to 1929 to find fewer Democrats in Congress.
Until a few months ago, I wasn't aware that Nancy Pelosi was still alive.  She has been nearly nonexistent in public for the last few years.  I am told that she is a good fundraiser.  Well, the vast amounts of money that the Democrats raised in 2016 didn't help at all.  I read that Hillary Clinton spent ten times more money than Donald Trump's campaign.  So the Democrats ignored Pelosi's losing record and picked her again.  As a Republican, I am glad.  It started me thinking about other dubious party nominations over the years.  I remember the bland Hubert Humphrey who was chosen by the Democrats in 1968.  He was, unfortunately, the vice president for the deeply unpopular Lyndon Johnson.  Four years later the Democrats picked McGovern in 1972.  This extreme liberal suffered the biggest loss to Richard Nixon.  In 1976 the Republicans thought it was a good idea to chose Gerald Ford over the extremely popular Ronald Reagan.  The US voters never forgave Gerald Ford for pardoning Richard Nixon.  He had no chance of defeating Jimmy Carter.  Carter proved to be a good man but an inept politician.  He suffered a huge defeat to Ronald Reagan.  During the 1990's Bill Clinton was a two term and very popular president.  Yet Al Gore chose to speak out against Clinton's policies when he ran in 2000.  Al Gore was very liberal and he had zero public speaking skills.  People made jokes about Gore's wooden and stiff mannerisms.  That was a curious choice on the part of the Democrats.  John Kerry was a better choice in 1984.  He was tall, handsome, and a good speaker.  The Republicans attacked him for ties to Cuba and for his doubtful military record.  Do you remember the swift boat scandals?  In the end, Kerry was easily defeated by the extremely unpopular George Bush in 2004.  That was the year a young senator made a name for himself when he spoke at the 2004 Democratic convention.  Barak Obama is arguably the best speaker in almost 100 years.  The unusual thing about Obama is that the Democrats actually chose a gifted leader for a change in 2008.  The Republicans countered with John McCain.  Even though McCain is a war hero, he was distrusted within the GOP because he often compromised with Democrats.  McCain was a flip-flopper who couldn't be trusted.  After Obama's success, the Democrats turned to the most hated woman in America to lead them in 2016.  I am not saying that Hillary Clinton is a bad person.  The Democrats did know in advance how Republicans feel about her.  2016 will be remembered as a curious choice or Democrats.  I don't really blame Republicans for Donald Trump.  He outsmarted the party, outmaneuvered his opponents, and made fools out of the media pundits.  Trump took the Republican party in a blitzkrieg campaign.  It will be interesting to see how the GOP modifies party rules in the future.  So back to the start of this blog entry.  The Democrats have reelected "Loser" Pelosi over her young, photogenic, Rust Belt challenger named Tim Ryan.  Remember that name.  I predict that he will be famous some day.  Meanwhile, does anybody want to take a bet on the Democrats chances in 2018?  I am going to take the safe bet and bet against "Loser" Pelosi and the Democrats.

How to criticize people

I am a big Harry Potter fan.  I have read all of the books several times, including the minor books like Fantastic Beasts.  I cried at times when I read "The Cursed Child."  I purchased and viewed all of the HP movies many times.  I use Pottermore and other websites.  I went to the theater on the day that the movie "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them" opened in my area.  I bought a ticket for the very first screening.  Well, I hated the movie for a whole bunch of reasons.  The first thing I did was to send a tweet to J.K.Rowling herself. She will probably never it read it but maybe one of her assistants will give her a tally of the positive and negative comments.  The next thing I did was to go to the Harry Potter websites.  I argued that the movie was historically inaccurate.  I mentioned that shooting a movie in sepia colors doesn't make it historic.  I had about ten other reasons why I thought this movie was awful.  The response was dramatic.  How dare I criticize J.K.Rowling?  Didn't I realize how eagerly her fans had waited for the movie to come out?  Didn't I realize that JKR wrote the book and the movie script?  Well, that was what I was trying to say.  The movie was what you would expect as an amateurish first attempt. Perhaps JKR will write a better script next time.  I can tell you that I am extremely unpopular among JKR fans.  So I went silent for two weeks.  The initial reviews of the movie were glowing.  They always seemed to mention that the movie was making a lot of money.  By the second week, the reviews were less enthusiastic.  The last time I checked, a few vloggers and bloggers have been critical of "Fantastic Beasts."  I think that most fans will finally decide that this movie is a stinker.  Everything I have been saying is leading up to one key point.  Sometimes timing is important when you want to say something unpopular.  I think that tweeting JKR directly was the right thing to do before criticizing her movie.  If I had to do it over again I wouldn't have been so quick to criticize something that people had waited for.  Next time I will wait until  the time is right before verbalizing my opinions.  Maybe I will try to be less harsh at first.  Sooner or later most Potter fans will reach a common conclusion about this movie.

Am I racist?

The answer is I think so.  I grew up in the state of Maryland in the United States.  I witnessed frequent racism.  The situation in Maryland is much better four decades later but I probably soaked some up.  I was asked several times if I thought that white people are better than black people.  I always said that I considered whites and black as equals.  Good answer?  Not so fast!  I considered all people equal because I was born Jewish.  I used to think that Jews were better than all of the other peoples in the world.  That is racist!  Now let's move on.  I would never say the n____ word but I root for the Washington Redskins.  Is one racist word better than another?  The r_____ word is hurtful to Native Americans.  They usually don't like the word "Indian" any better.  Have I ever repeated a racist joke?  The answer is yes.  I feel bad about that now.  Eventually, I found a book of racist jokes.  Every chapter was devoted to a different ethnic group.  There were chapters on Irish, Pollocks, blonde women, Mexicans, African Americans, Hispanics, and  Jews.  Hey, what a minute!  I fall into the last two categories.  Racist jokes didn't seem funny anymore.  So evolved and learned but I wasn't completely free of racism.  Most of my work has been in hospitals where most of the patients and staff are African American.  I have dated several black women over the years.  One of my friends back in the 1990's commented on the fact that I only went out with light skinned African American girls.  Well, it was true.  I hadn't noticed that.  After that comment, I started paying attention to very attractive dark girls as well.  For a while, I only went out with girls with the darkest skin.  Oops! I was being racist again.  Now that I am in my 50's I go out with any woman from any race who shows an interest in me.  Am I less racist or just desperate?  I read an old book by the humorist Larry King.  I am not talking about the talk show guy who got married eight times.  I am referring to Larry King the humorist.  That Larry King wrote a raunchy and witty autobiography which he titled "The Accidental Racist."  He wasn't trying to be racist.  He actually liked black women.  Every so often the Larry King would say or do something which caused embarrassment and regret.  I identify with him.  I think it is important that I don't want to be racist or sexist or biased against anybody.  I believe that God created and loves everyone.  Fortunately, my friends seem eager to point out my flaws.  

Try witnessing

Seventh-Day Adventists, Mormons, and Jehovah's Witnesses understand that the way to increase membership is to talk to as many people as possible.  The first two organizations are the fastest growing faiths in the world.  I am using a similar approach on behalf of the Republican party.  I try to get to know as many Democrats as possible.  Losing is no fun.  I talk with Muslims, foreigners, and anybody standing next to me in the check-out line.  I talk.  I make friends.  I learn things.  I spoke to a fascinating man who fled from Libya. He was no fan of Hillary's regime change in his country.  I talk to people about my fruit and flower gardens. We argue about sports.  I share jokes--even Trump jokes.  I am making connections with Democrats.  I even talk about the feuds and loud arguments within the Republican party.
I just don't know why I haven't tried to talk about God as well.

Preaching republicanism to the world

Most Americans ignore the foreign press.  I love Aljazeera which is funded by a friendly government.  I love the Mint Press.  I love the scope of the BBC.  BBC covers the world.  In fact the Brits have been obsessed with American politics.  They love to discuss every aspect of the Trump phenomena.  I compulsively write comments to stories I read on foreign websites,
I try reassure foreigners that Hillary was the demagogue and she is gone from the American scene.  I hope you don't mind that this is a short entry.  Go to Aljazeera.com.   I shouldn't be the only spokesman for the United States.

Balancing the American budget

Funding is the weakest link in Trump's plan.  I loved that TV show with the rude foreign lady.  How will he fund tax cuts, infrastructure spending, and modernizing the military?  The fourth section in trump's plan is the least useful.  He wants NASA to go to Mars and the other planetary bodies.  I have no idea how he will pay for it.  The money Trump spends on NASA provides very few jobs.  I haven't heard of any valuable resources on Mars that can enrich our country.  Sending a rocket to the middle of Death Valley would be cheaper and just as useless.
I think President Trump should defer expanding NASA for now. Privatizing the space program would save loads of money.  Let Jeff Bezos compete with other billionaires for the bragging rights on who will set up a Mars colony first.   I want Trump to focus on rebuilding the rust belt states.

Cheering for our side

The number of Democratic House of Representatives members hasn't been this low since 1929.  Good job, Nancy Pelosi!  One third of Democrats in Congress come from just three states--California, New York, and Massachusetts.  Two thirds of the Democrats in Congress come from the east and west coasts.  I all ready told you that Congressman Ryan has been called a sexist because he is daring to challenge Ms. Pelosi's leadership.  And I have mentioned in the past that President Trump won five times as many counties as Mrs. Clinton.  The media loves to remind us that Mrs. Clinton won the majority in the country.  They usually fail to mention that Trump won a convincing majority in the swing states.  That is where the election was decided.  I hope the Green Party and the Democratic Party spend all of their surplus funds on recounts.  Well, enough gloating.  It is time to win hearts and minds for the next contest.  Here are your marching orders,  Tell someone you have never spoken to about how their lives will get better under Trump.  We need to continue to try and convince Trump that environmental tech can be a source for job growth.  After all, a Republican adminstration created the Environmental Protection Administration.  We need to hammer home the notion that Republicans are the party of Lincoln.  We freed the slaves.  Nixon actively desegregated the schools in the 1970's.  We need to tell workers that Republicans created OSHA.  Republicans care about jobs.  The next election starts now.

Civil rights for Republicans

Have you ever read the BlackLivesMatter twitter site?  I got banned when they found I was white.  I didn't get to finish reading about the three founders.  I wasn't trying to disrupt their dialogue.  I have an insatiable urge for knowledge.  I want to see the world from their point of view.  Okay.  They want to keep the dialogue private.  I will respect their privacy.  Other black organizations are much more willing to let white people in. Another good source of information in my area is the Radio One network.  I used to love to listen to Joe Madison and the founder Kathy.  I can't remember her last name.  She was fascinating and I rarely disagreed with her point of view.  I wish the media would do profiles on the people behind the protests.
If we want to increase the GOP we need to understand the people who oppose us.

A quote from my favorite blogger

We can complain that rose bushes have thorns or rejoice that thorn bushes have roses--Abraham Lincoln.  I love the thoughts for the day on @AllisonMack.

Native American Tragedy

An important part of being a political nerd is to guess what will be the next big issue.  I know that the Standing Rock Sioux tribe opposes the Dakota pipeline but construction is almost complete.  Right or wrong, the story is almost over.  So what will be the next big Native American issue?  I wish I could tell you that the Washington football team was changing their name.  We haven't sold Trump on the importance of getting rid of the racist name.  So what will the next headline be?  President Trump wants to bring back jobs to America.  Native Americans suffer horrendous poverty and super high unemployment.  Why not move some American factories from Mexico to Native American reservations.  Indian casinos and tobacco have been big successes.  Why not lend them money to set up factories?  Reservations will probably be more business-friendly than other parts of the US.  If the tribes become super rich they can buy the Washingon R____.

Not losing Focus on the World

I believe most nations in the world will be happy with Donald Trump's isolationism.  Americans still need to watch the world's hotspots.  Pick a continent and send me an email if you discover a major story that affects the US.  We don't want to interfere in other countries but we have to be ready.  That is why our isolationist president plans to modernize the armed forces.  Sooner or later some country will hijack a Navy ship or attack an embassy.
Trump may be isolationist but he will make an example of any nation that is foolish enough to attack the US.

Winning hearts for moderates

I have always been a political nerd.  I love discussing and debating different viewpoints on politics.  Ever since the election, I have been super polite to Hillary supporters.  I talk to people everywhere I go.  Okay, I am usually talking about shared beliefs with pretty women.  I not only talk; I listen.  Then I send tweets and emails to my favorite Republicans and tell them what I learned.  Being a moderate means I enjoy talking to everyone.  We love poking fun at the media puppets on CNN and Fox News.  I encourage Democrats to read Breitbart.com at least once.  I am sure that my beliefs will change over time.  I want to create as many friendships as possible with other moderates.  I want to be part of a long-lasting coalition of moderates.

Thinking Like a Moderate

I had a clever and convincing blog composed in my head about charter schools.  Before I could type it up I went to church.  Two church elders were discussing charter schools.  They totally destroyed my arguments.  So I won't be writing about charter schools for a while.  Being a moderate means being pragmatic.  I can accept that I didn't understand all the aspects of the issue. I can change my mind.  My beloved President Trump is pragmatic too.  He will change his views without blushing.  He might find out that Obama's trade deals are not as dumb as he thought.  Trump promised to try.  Clinton promised status quo.

keeping the peace on Thanksgiving.

All that togetherness on Thanksgiving can be very stressful.   People who grew up together have wildly different views on religion, politics, and just about everything.  Thanksgiving is the only time the whole family gets together.  We have had legendary arguments in the past.  here is a strategy which might work.  Before any family reunion or major holiday I start talking to my family.  About four weeks before any event I start phoning or emailing just to say hello.  Getting reacquainted helps to reduce the stress.  A relative asked me once what boring thing I was about to add to the conversation.  I think he was trying to be rude.  He didn't realize that I was trying to be bland, boring, and very safe.  All you have to do on Thanksgiving is show up and smile.  Don't tell a joke.  Don't mention politics.  Don't ever bring a brand new girlfriend.  If anyone mentions religion I head for the bathroom. I hope that all of you have a slightly boring but peaceful Thanksgiving day.

Lets remember the Native Americans on Thanksgiving

If you believe the pilgrim myths, then you learned that friendly natives taught the pilgrims how to farm and hunt.  The myths tell us  that the Native American went hunting on the feast day and brought back game to feed the pilgrims.  In Virginia ,they tell a different Thanksgiving story.  Captain John Smith wrote that he enjoyed a feast in one of Powhatan's villages.  The feast lasted at least two weeks.  The Indian town would eventually become the city of Hampton, Virginia.  Historians never know when to believe Captain John Smith.  His autobiography was colorful and improbable.  The take away from both of these stories is that Americans owe a debt to the native tribes.  In the 21st century, Native Americans are mostly forgotten.  Federal bureaucrats infringe on tribal rights and privileges.  Native people have the most poverty and are often victims of crime.  They never died off like we learned in schools.  There are over 900,000 official members of the approved Cherokee tribes.  A lot more Cherokee are of mixed race or can't prove their lineage.  They don't receive the benefits the government hands out to official tribe members.  What can we do to honor the Native Americans?  I won't attend any football games until the Washington team changes its name.
I try not to say the racial slur R_____.  In central Maryland, there is at least one Native American caterer.   Would you consider hiring a Native American caterer for your next office party?  I think that there at least four tribes in Maryland with events listed on the internet.
No one can get a trademark on a name that contains a racial slur.  I am asking the new GOP administration to revoke the exemption on the name Washington R_____.  I am surprised that the current president allowed this ethnic slur to continue through both of his presidential terms.
That is my thought for the day. We have to start healing our racial divide somewhere and some how.

How To Understand the 14 Groups of the Right Wing

     Gavin McInnes posted a u-tube video about the 14 groups in the Republican  party.  It helps to sort out the many different faces of the Republican party.  I want to know about all of the many factions in the United States.

Saving the party

     Fifty three years ago John F. Kennedy had a problem.  I am not talking about Lee Harvey Oswald.  Kennedy didn't know what was waiting for him at book depository.  Kennedy flew to Dallas to try and stop a revolt in the Democratic party.  Dallas was the most rebellious city.  Kennedy had been warned to stay away from Dallas.  The party faithful were furious at Kennedy.  Perhaps if John F. Kennedy had survived all of the southern conservatives would still be in the Democratic Party.  We will never know what might have been.
     Kennedy had refused to use the US military during the invasion of Cuba.  People were worried because Kennedy was having second thoughts about the Vietnam War.  Kennedy had met with leaders from the civil rights movement.  He had secretly compromised with the Russians to end the Cuban Missile Crisis.  Kennedy was turning out to be less conservative than many Democrats thought he was.
     Today the Democratic party is extremely liberal.  The Republican party has gotten so conservative that Ronald Reagan wouldn't recognize them.  Hillary Clinton tried her best to unite all segments of society.  Hillary Clinton tried to talk tough in foreign affairs, appeal to Wall Street, and reach out to Bernie Sander's liberals.  Hillary's coalition never coalesced.  The military interventionists never united with the peace activists.  The protectionists never combined with the free traders.  When she courted big business she alienated the tree hugger crowd.  When she spoke to minorities, white voters didn't pay attention.  They were to busy talking about the latest Trump headline.
     The Donald tired a much simpler strategy.  He stuck to the conservative Republican agenda almost until election day.  Then the message started to soften a bit.  A few stories started popping up.  Trump wants to keep the best parts of Obamacare.  We might not need a wall along the entire border with Mexico.  Perhaps we don't need to put Hillary in jail after all.  Ever since the election Trump has sounded reasonable and much more moderate.  He is turning out to be everything that Ted Cruz predicted.  Trump is sounding almost liberal.
     I hope this kinder, gentler Trump is not just a performance.  I do believe this country would be stronger if we were all united.  Don't be surprised if Trump doesn't appropriate Clinton's slogan.

A victory for moderation

     Today I heard the news that President Trump won't prosecute Mrs. Clinton for any crimes.  He still might put her henchmen in jail.   My friends and I have been writing influential people for weeks.  Prosecuting Hillary would ratchet up political tensions.  A prosecution would be lengthy, costly, and distract Congress from much needed reforms.  And I am not sure that the Republicans could ever convict Mrs. Clinton of a crime.  She is very clever.  I still don't like her.  I am open to suggestions for the next grassroots campaign.  Here are some ideas that moderates from both parties can espouse.
1)  I think that helping Native Americans would be a good start.  Big government has a long history of mismanaging tribal funds.  American laws have steadily encroached on native American independence.  Any criminal who lives near a reservation knows that crimes against the Indians rarely get punished.  The tribes often lacks funds or authority to seek out criminals.  I have three suggestions that will cost President Trump nothing.  Start a tradition of always choosing a Native American to head the Bureau of Indian Affairs.  He should dismantle government oversight of the tribes.  Republicans believe in restoring authority to the states.  Let's do the same for the Native Americans.  My final suggestion is to revoke the trademark on the name "Redskins."  The Washington football could keep their name but anybody could produce Redskins merchandise.  Market forces would compel Dan Snyder to get rid of the racist moniker for his team.  Trump could achieve all three actions without consent of Congress.
 2) This country practically gives away leases for gold, silver, and precious metals.  Other countries charge much higher royalties.  I think mining and drilling royalties should be increased now and then indexed to the rate of inflation.  President Trump needs to raise money for his ambitious spending programs.
3) Mining companies often rack up huge fines for safety and environmental violations.  Then the companies go through bankruptcy and never pay the fines.  These fines should never be discharged by a bankruptcy court.  Owners should be banned from ever forming a new mining company until all fines are paid in full.
4)  Many companies seriously under fund pension plans and then the government has to bail them out.  Requiring that companies fully fund pension funds might cut into corporate salaries but will save the US money in the long run.  President Trump, don't let companies treat you like a sucker.
5)  Republicans have often been the champions of states' rights.  I think think that Donald Trump should tolerate the four cities who have announced that they want to be sanctuary sites for illegal aliens.  Let the cities become sanctuaries but cut any federal funding to those cities.  That would be a money saving solution.
6)  I have started sending out Tweets and emails about the environment.  I don't care if Trump doesn't believe in global warming.  I don't want to drive near smelly trucks.  I want cleaner drinking water.  I want a more efficient car.  Gasoline is one of the costliest items in my work.  I read some where that fireworks are a major source of air pollution.  I think the article said that fireworks cause 25% of air pollution each summer.  That figure seems high but I would like less polluting fireworks.
7) Many liberals oppose capital punishment on moral grounds.  Far too many innocent people end up on death row.  I oppose capital punishment because the lengthy legal appeals cost the taxpayers ten times more than incarcerating a person for life.

The perfect candidate for Trump's administration

     If you look at the election results by county you will  notice that the Republicans won almost all rural and suburban counties.  The Democrat victories are concentrated in the cities.  If the total votes in the cities exceed the votes in the rest of the state we label that a blue state.
If the suburbs and countryside have more voters than the cities, then we call it a red state.
     The country has been nearly split down the middle for years.   President Trump generated a little more enthusiasm than the Democratic party.  Some day one party will figure out how to attract voters from the other side.  Or a new party will arise.
     So what kind of people would help Trump build a lasting coalition?  I think a moderate like me could really make a difference.  I don't really want a job in the Trump White House but let's look at my qualifications.
1) I am a Democrat who voted for Trump.
2) Two of my Hispanic grandparents were legal immigrants.  I would like better border security on all borders.  I used to live in El Paso.  I used to go back and forth across the border for shopping and fun.  I never applied for a passport.  My mother's family lived near the Canadian border.  That border is porous too.
3) I am pro-choice on abortion for libertarian reasons.  I don't think big government should be telling women what to do.
4) I am a proud owner of a very efficient Honda Civic.  I care about the environment.  If our country stops making efficient vehicles then we will have a lot of difficulties exporting our cars and trucks.  I installed an ultra-efficient furnace in my house.  I put in extra insulation.  I am still trying to reduce my heating bills.  I want our country to be less dependent on foreign oil imports.  I wish the Department of Energy developed renewable technologies like Jimmy Carter originally intended.
5) I supported President Obama's Affordable Care Act.  The system isn't perfect.  I will listen to any ideas to give the US a better.
6) I was born in New York City.  Most of my work has been in Washington, DC. I understand urban concerns better than most Republicans.
7) I support civil rights.  Living on the border between Maryland and the District of Columbia I witnessed racism and discrimination.  I helped with NAACP activities when I was in college.
I debate race topics with my Republican friends.  I am in favor of advancing all peoples.
8) My second wife was a beautiful Delaware Indian.  She never liked to be called a Native American.  For ten years I heard about the problems and hardships of her people.  I am in favor of helping all minorities.  I think that the Bureau of Indian Affairs is too intrusive and too inefficient.
     Once again let me say I don't really want a job in the White House.  The Republican party needs people like me.  The GOP needs to gain a foothold in cities.

Pro-choice vs. pro-life

     When I was a young Republican I used to oppose Planned Parenthood.  One day a woman took me aside and asked if I really knew what Planned Parent does.  She was calm and sounded reasonable.  So I listened.  Planned Parenthood does abortions.  The Planned Parenthood in my area did counseling for and provided low-cost health care.  Oh!  They also provided free vasectomies for men.  That was a service that I was interested in.  Imagine never having to use a condom again.  Well that is what I thought when I was in my 20's.
     I never protested at Planned Parenthood again.  I was very lucky that a calm person took the time to educate me.
     Now let's look at the political parties in America.  The Republicans are against government interference in their lives.  Yet they favor telling women that they can't abort babies.  The Republicans try to make it inconvenient or embarrassing for the women seeking abortions.  A lot of Republican-inspired laws get struck down by the court system.
     Libertarians are against restrictions on abortions.  They are against most laws and most government agencies.  They don't want the government to pay for any health services.  Poor women would be out of luck if the Libertarians ever became more than a fringe party.
     Democrats are in favor of abortions.  Democrats are in favor of all sorts of social services.  You would think that Democrats would be extremely popular.  Who wouldn't like free  government programs?  Yet, Democrats are quick call anybody sexist or misogynist or racist if they express any qualms about abortions.  I am probably in trouble for even raising this topic.
     Bringing religion  into the discussion on abortion is a red herring.  Our country is a democracy, not a theocracy.  I want this country to be run by the US constitution, not by the Bible or the Koran.
     Our country is split 50/50 on most issues.  I favor the individual liberties espoused by the Republican party.  I admire the Democrats desire to help people.  I believe women should decide what they want to do with their own bodies.  I don't mind Republicans passing out anti-abortion literature.  I am in favor of peaceful protest.  Anybody who blocks or restricts access to abortion clinics is acting un-American.

Some more thoughts on pornography.

   

Cracking Down on Pornography

     During the presidential campaign, President Trump signed a pledge from an organization called Enough is Enough.  Trump was promising to crack down on the pornography.  Do you think the president-elect will keep his promise?  Do you think he was just pandering to religious conservatives?
     Did you know that Donald Trump opened a strip club in one of his casinos? Trump has appeared on the cover of Playboy magazine.  I am told that he had cameos in two soft porn movies.  I haven't heard about those movies.
     So what laws will Trump be enforcing?  Well, during the Obama years the nation of Japan agreed to delete all movies that include women under the age of 18.  There are still quite a few nations who allow much younger actresses.  There are industry standards and laws promoting the use of condoms.
     I wonder about all of the soft porn showing up in mainstream movies and cable TV shows.  Porn actresses get hired as extras on movies.  On HBO, the Game of Thrones show features a lot of nudity and sex.  I can't remember which season featured the rape of a character named Sansa. Is that something we want to see on a hit TV show?  That isn't the first time that Hollywood portrayed rape.  Porn actresses are sometimes hired as extras on these movies. The number of porn films made each year in this country far outnumber the mainstream movies created by Hollywood.
     I would like to read your opinions o this topic.

president's war on pornography

Why anti-Trump protests will fail.

     Any successful movement involves several phases.  First of all, you have to get attention.  The people who oppose President Trump are trying to get attention.  The second phase involves organization.   One or more leaders need to emerge and organize people at the grassroots level.  Hve you identified any leaders of the protests.  I am disappointed that Hillary Clinton hasn't tried to tap into her support.  What are her followers doing to organize against Trump.  It might be happening but I don't see it yet.  The third phase of a protest movement is to reach out to your opponents and form winning a coalition.  Perhaps Hillary Clinton will never be the leader to appeal to "deplorable' Republicans.  labeling all Republicans as racist or sexist won't winning any GOP voters to the anti-Trump cause.  What can Trump opponents offer me?  The fourth phase of a movement is to plan future actions. How will Democrats get out the vote next time?  How will Democrats broaden their base?  How do you develop brand new leaders?  Which issues will be important during the next election?

Disagree with Trump

    One-half of the country supports the Republicans and one-half supports the Democrats.  President Trump lacks a 2/3 majority in the US Senate.  I predict that there will be intense lobbying during the next four years.  That is how the American democracy is supposed to work.  Hundreds of single issue groups flock to Washington, DC to advocate for all sorts of causes.  We know that government salaries are low for our top leaders and their staff.  I have no objection to former White House staffers using their contacts to make money.  That is one of the incentives of working for such low wages in government.
    Former lobbyists often have lots of political contacts.  They are precisely the type of people an outsider like President Trump needs get things done.  Ethics rules are important but I think that any new president should be able to assemble whatever staff he or she chooses.
     I don't believe that banning former White House staffers from becoming lobbyists is a good idea.  Most people are not independently wealthy.
   

The Republican advantage.

     CNN and major news networks spout Democratic viewpoints every day.  Any Republican who turns on their TV is going to hear from Democrats.  NPR is the closest thing to unbiased in this country.  I also listen to Chris Plante, Rush Limbaugh, and several other Republican pundits.  Republican talk shows are highly entertaining.  It is dramatic and often funny.  I think that Glenn Beck was the best humorist in the Republican party.  I love to listen to Newt Gingrich analyze issues.
    Democrats have a distinct disadvantage.  The liberal agenda is unflinchingly repeated on several different news channels.  The Daily Show used to replay media people using the exact same words to report the same story.  Look at how liberal pundits alternately  praised and vilified the FBI director.  He was either a hero or a villain.  I believe the FBI director was trying very hard to be honorable.  I felt sorry for Director Comey.  The media told us that the FBI director was a Republican.  They usually failed to mention that he had been appointed by President Obama.  Have you noticed that the media calls every Republican a racist?  Have you noticed how the minimize any story that might hurt Democrats?
Somehow they thought it was Donald Trump's fault when Hillary Clinton supporters disrupted his rallies.   I  think the unflinching media bias actually hurt Mrs. Clinton.  Did you see how shocked Democrats were when Clinton lost?  They never imagined that they could lose.
     Republicans get at least two viewpoints on every news item.  Some times all of the media in America gets it wrong. I often rely on foreign press like the BBC for less biased coverage.
     I am trying to say that the best way to reach a good decision is to listen to all sides of a topic.

Bridging the great divide.

    If you look at the latest election map you will notice that Democrats won New England, big cities, and the Pacific coast.  Republicans won everything else.  The country is almost evenly split between the parties.  Ther are media who will always spin stories to benefit the Democrats and media that always favor the Republicans.
     I miss liberal Republicans like Nelson Rockefeller.  Ronald Reagan was victorious because he attracted million of conservative Democrats.  Even Bill Clinton was known for his pro-business policies.  Bill Clinton never hesitated to steal each of the Republicans good ideas.  The era of moderation and compromise is in the past.  Many voters have abandoned both major parties.
     Donald Trump won his election but not by much.  The next election will be won by whichever side attracts moderates from the other party.  I voted for Obama twice and I voted for Trump this time.  My vote in 2018 will go to whichever party helps my Maryland suburbs.

Banning toy guns.

     The Christmas toys are filling up the stores.  My favorite discount chain of stores sells toy guns that beep, bang, and flash pretty lights.  My nephew some times points one of his toy weapons at me.The city of Chicago banned toy guns.  I applaud their ban.  Our love affair with guns begins in childhood.  If you have never experienced it let me say that gunpowder smells very good.  I enjoyed going to the gun range when I was in the Army.  I am happy that Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders discussed the different types of guns.  The rifles used in hunting are rarely used in crimes.  We ban the sale of machine guns and automatic weapons.  How can we modify existing laws to decrease gun violence?  It's time for a national discussion.
  I lettered in archery when I was in college.  I won't use a compound bow.  I like hitting a target using muscle power.  Very few crimes get committed with a bow and arrow.  I prefer bows over guns.

The benefits of being white.

    My nephew was playing with toy police cars today.  To white children,  police are our friends.  White people feel safe around cops.Once when I was on a date with a black woman I asked a policeman for a favor.  He was just standing there at the entrance to a store.  I asked and the cop helped me.  I never thought about it until my black girlfriend asked if I made a habit out of asking cops for help. 

   I sometimes go to a store in scruffy worn out clothes.  A black comedian said in a monolog that he always has to wear a tie and sports jacket.  If he doesn't then store security and police will follow him all over the store.

  People with dark skin get pulled over far more than white motorists.  You know that is true. One of my coworkers says she often gets strip searched when she travels back and forth to Jamaica.

     This year I read a study about pedestrians.  Motorists are three times less likely to stop and let a dark skinned person cross a road.  have I done this?   I hope not.

     Some of my older patients request a white nurse or a white doctor.  I work in several different urban hospitals in Washington, DC.

     Racism isn't just police brutality.  It is a lot of insults big and small.  If we want to make
America great again than we have to use the GOP mandate to combat racism.  I don't like a lot of things about Hillary Clinton.  I did like her slogan.  We are stronger together.  Clinton would have won if she hadn't alienated so many people. 

Why concede social issues?

     The Republican party is in favor of the freedom to own guns.  Why don't we advocate for freedom from racism?  Republicans need to speak out forcefully any time the Klu Klux Klan.
That means paying to attention to who is leading the KKK and knowing what they are saying.  Any hint of police abuse needs to be investigated.  We can help all police by rooting out the few bad ones.  Give voice to any civil rights protest.  Don't ignore the issues.  Praise the civil rights leaders that we agree with.  Dialogue with the leaders we disagree with.
     The Republicans allowed Democrats and the liberal media to control the dialogue on the Dakota pipeline.  The pipeline will take thousands of gas-guzzling tanker trucks off of the highways.  There is a risk when you ship millions of barrels of oil on the railroads.
  You may disagree about global warming.  Republicans should be in favor of reducing oil imports to zero.  Think of self-sufficiency as a national security issue.  I want more efficient cars.  I want gas guzzling trucks to be modernized.  I want to convert my house to solar power.
     Our country has vast coal deposits.  Finding a benign use for coal would create a lot of jobs.
Clean coal is a concept that isn't quite ready.  I would rather the government develop this technology than sending a spaceship to Mars.
     President Trump reached out to gay voters at the Republican convention and ever since. Protecting gay rights and everyone's rights should be a Republican core value.
    I can sympathize with women for wanting a female to win the presidency.  I was happy when Trump hired Kellyanne Conway to run his campaign.  She did a phenomenal job.  Trump should hire lots of women and help them become party leaders.  There is entirely too many sexual assaults in the military.  Trump should speak out on that issue.  Protecting and empowering women should be a Republican core value.  Don't concede the female vote to the Democrats.
     Illegal immigrants are often exploited and always underpaid.  Would a moral person encourage illegal immigration?  Illegal immigrants are the underclass of the 21st century.  In my area there are hundreds of thousands of people from El Salvador.  They fled a bloody civil war which the US encouraged.  We owe these refugees a moral debt.  I treat El Salvadoreans the way we treat Cuban refugees.  If they make it to US soil they should receive automatic citizenship.
     Let's have an honest discussion about gun ownership.  Certain guns like machine guns and automatic weapons are just too dangerous.  Hunting weapons are rarely used in crime.  Let's discuss which guns have value and which guns are dangerous.  Let's close every loophole so that only sane law-abiding people own guns.  Bernie Sanders had a lot to say this year about which guns Americans should own.  Hunting is a big sport in Sander's home state.  I would encourage giving more nonlethal weapons to cops.
    This list of social issues is far from complete.  I want Trump's GOP party to seek out the cares and concerns of all Americans.  It will take a long time to win over some minority groups but the GOP needs to try.  Let's make the Grand Old Party great again.

Why are liberals so sure Trump will fail?

     After a long time, I decided to cross party lines and voted for Donald Trump.  Most of his businesses were successful.  he beat sixteen other Republicans.  Trump overcame scandal any beat Hillary Clinton.  Trump wins almost all of the time.
     I was worried about Clinton's aggressive rhetoric against Russia.  I don't want her to enforce a no-fly zone and shoot down Russians over Syria.  (That is what you mean when you advocate or a no-fly zone.)  President Trump didn't call himself an isolationist but he is less likely to topple foreign governments like Clinton and Obama did.Trump promises jobs, cheaper health insurance, infrastructure spending, and stopping the flight of jobs overseas.  He promises to give a voice to rural and suburban Americans.  He promises to modernize the military.  He promised he promises better trade deals with other countries.
     I will Trump credit if he achieves any of his goals.  If the liberals want to win back the White House they should figure out how to make my life better.
 

Politics For Dummies

1) You have to actually vote if you want your favorite candidate to win.  Voting for a fringe candidate doesn't count.  I like Jill Stein and Gary Johnson but I didn't want to waste my vote.  Republicans did a better job getting people to vote this year.
2) Protests, marches, and rallies would be much more effective before election day.  But go ahead and have a protest.  I hope it makes you feel better.
3)  I wish I had a dollar for every woman who told me that Hillary Clinton deserves to become president because she is a woman.  A lot of nations have had very good female leaders.  No one convinced me that Mrs. Clinton would make a better president than any other woman.
4) My state has an overwhelming Democrat majority.  Yet two of my candidates won the election for county school board.  We have a Republican chief executive for Howard County.  My Maryland governor is a Republican too.  This is all important because local officials are the minor leagues for national politics.  Republicans have more governors and state legislators.
5)  Democrats usually claim that Republican nominees support the Klu Klux Klan.  You can repeat that over and over but that doesn't make it true.  When asked about David Duke, Trump said he didn't know who he was.  Within hours Trump said he was against David Duke and the KKK.  I don't think most Republicans believed that Trump was racist.
6) This was the first election cycle that Republicans didn't accuse the Democrat nominee of being a liberal.  Liberals are cool this year.  Bernie Sanders is a liberal Democrat.  Donald Trump is a New York liberal Republican.  Trump used to support the Clintons.
7) Having the media on your side isn't always a good idea.  Trump gave reporters access several times a day.  He actively sought headlines.  But every once in a while he would bully or insult the media.  Trump didn't want to seem to cozy with reporters.  He insulted Fox News at least once a month.  If Trump said something embarrassing it didn't matter.  He could generate a dozen more headlines each week.  The media never understood that Trump was smarter than all of them.
8) Ever since the election, disappointed Hillary supporters have been marching, sobbing, and blocking traffic.  They can't accept the election results.  Have you noticed that no Republicans are trying to stop them?  Every night I see Democrats burning something or acting crazy.  Mean while the Republicans are well behaved and law abiding.  Trump is acting calm and very presidential.  I hope the Democrats keep up their protests for the next few weeks.  Every portest adds to Trump's mandate.
9)  I have heard commentators saying that President Trump can't keep all of his promises.  That is probably true.  I expect Trump will convince me that he is doing me a favor every time he has to break a promise.  Trump is clever enough to convince people to believe anything.
10) Trump ran a successful campaign with a tiny staff and one tenth of Hillary's budget.  He is a genius at getting free media attention.  For an old man, Trump is very skilled at using social media.  Anybody as clever as Trump has a good chance of becoming the next president.
11) Trump is a deal maker.  He won by a narrow margin.  He actually lost the popular vote.  He needs to close the deal.  He is about to go on a charm offensive.  Trump won the election but he still needs popularity.  I expect him to offer something nice to every type of Hillary supporters.  I wouldn't be surprised if he offers reparations to the descendants of former slaves.
12) Trump will be a master of foreign affairs. The Russians were waving American flags in Moscow after the election.  They now have a friend in the White House.  The Chinese will offer Trump some small concessions.  The Chinese will be happy with any deal that Trump offers them.  The rest of the world will be happy with Trump's focus on domestic issues.  He is less likely to interfere around the world.  Countries are more likely to obey their trade deals with the US.  The world is a much safer place than it was a week ago.  Trump hasn't even taken office yet.

Global warming for dummies

    Are humans 100% responsible for global warming?  I doubt it.  Let's talk about the issue.  Most people around the world do believe that human beings are causing or worsening global warming.  By the time we know for sure it may be too late to stop global warming.
     What nations in the world will want to buy US cars and trucks if we go back to making gas guzzler?  You know that car exhaust isn't good for your lungs.  Gasoline costs almost as much as my car insurance.  I drive an efficient Honda.  I know that Hondas last almost forever.  (not paid for product placement)  My next car will get two to three times better efficiency.
     Natural gas is a lot cleaner than coal but lot of it leaks out at the drill site.  Speaking of coal the USA has massive amounts of coal.  We have enough coal to last hundreds of years.  President Trump would you fund energy friendly uses for coal.  A process to steam the coal rather than burning the coal shows a lot of promise.  I have heard of other studies to create a liquid fuel out of coal.  Mr. President, you will save a lot of jobs if you find new uses for our vast coal deposits.
  The Japanese have a unique way to make cars more efficient.  Cars are taxed based on the weight of the vehicle.  Japanese have a financial incentive to buy the lightest and smallest vehicles.  Meanwhile, have you noticed that American pickup trucks and SUVs get bigger each year?  In America, trucks are rated by the MPG per square feet.  Making a truck a little bigger makes it seem more efficient by American rules.  That is just crazy!
     President Trump, if my utility and gas bills go down then I will have increased spending power.  Help me make my house and car more efficient.
     I don't mind if you go on disbelieving global warming.  I want you to think of efficiency as a pocketbook issue.
     I have something for leftists to think about.  If I always buy the latest computer and smart phone am I a polluter?  I heard a comedian comment on all of the lovely tiny jars and packages at the organic store.  Are all of those tiny packages bad for the environment?  I wish organic stores would promise to reduce packaging.

Hope for America

Not everything is doom and gloom this year.
1) More people are voting or getting excited about politics.  Unfortunately, a lot of people got excited but never actually voted.
2) Hillary Clinton was the first woman to win a major party nomination for president.  No one can take that away from her.
3) We talked a lot about foreign trade, racism, jobs, environmental issues (pipelines), and whether or not we are in a new cold war.  I hope something comes of all that heated rhetoric.  3) 4) We heard a tiny bit more about Native American issues.
5) Our country imports a lot less oil than we used to.  Donald Trump said that transgender people should be able to use any bathroom they want to.
6) Trump appealed to LBGT people and African Americans.  You don't have to believe him but that is a historic stance for a Republican.
7) Even the civil war in Syria seems to be winding down.  We may not like the winners but Russian troops are going home.
8) I believe "Black Lives Matter" and other civil rights organizations are a good sign.  Racism is bad.  Racism is a cancer that needs to be removed from the body politic.  I believe we are stronger together.

I have a thought exercise only for Republicans.  I know you don't like the Clintons but you have to admit she is very, very smart.  Do you really believe that any Congress or special prosecutor could convict her?  I doubt it.  Do you really want to waste months or years investigating Mrs. Clinton?  How can the GOP make American great again if they waste all their time thinking about Hillary?  Let's pardon the Clintons and move on to what really matters.  You can go on hating Hillary as long as you are quiet about it.  Presidents Obama and Trump, would one of you please pardon Mrs. Clinton?

I have a thought exercise for Democrats.  Read some of the Dilbert blog.  The author explains why Donald Trump says the things he does. Mr. Adams predicted Trump's victory at least a year ago.  Adams wrote several fascinating books on all sorts of topics.  He said that Trump is a master persuader.  If you want to beat Trump next time it would be useful to understand him.  I didn't say you have to like President Trump.

Stop denying racism

     Hello again from a conservative Democrat.  I grew up in Maryland with blatant racism.  I worked in ERs and saw prisoners coming in with bruises.  I saw lots and lots of black drivers pulled over by the police.  I got pulled over once by a cop at Ocean City beach.  What did I do?  The cop said I had black men in my car.  That was true.  I told the cop we all attended the same Christian college.  There were no charges but one of the black students didn't get his wallet back from the police.  I remember asking a very distracted coworker if he was feeling okay.  He says he was late because the cops stopped him again right near the hospital.  Recently I saw some police harassing two black teens who were standing outside a public library which had just closed.  The kids kept on saying they were waiting for a ride home.  The cops accused the kids of loitering. I didn't know what to do.  I got out of my car and just stood very still.  I quietly stared at the cops until they got flustered and left.  The kids' ride showed up just as I was leaving.
     I have a homework assignment for you.  I want you to google "Black Lives Matter."  I also want you to count how many white people you see pulled over by traffic cops.  I promise you that it will be a very small number.

About me.

    I am middle-aged, white, male nurse who lives in suburbia.  Why should you care about me?  I grew up a Republican and evangelical.  In my work I see poverty, tragedy, and lots and lots of minorities.  Like many healthcare workers, my political views became more liberal over time.  My epiphany came when Bill Clinton was president.  Those were the good times.  He combined care for minorities with pro-business policies. He stole a few good ideas from Republican.  He inspired me to switch parties and become a Democrat--a middle of the road Democrat.
    This nasty election cycle included exaggerations and down right untruths.  We desperately need a voice of moderation.  I am a big fan of Democracy Now and NPR.  I love Rachel Maddow and I think Rush Limbaugh repeats himself too much.  Dr. Michael Savage likes to say extreme thinks.  I think he enjoys shocking people.  In short, I love pundits on the right and the left.  My new favorite Republican is Chris Plante.  His radio show is going national on January 1.
     I don't have all of the answers.  Let's take the Dakota pipeline controversy for example.  The pipeline would take hundreds of smelly trucks off of the highways.  Shipping oil by rail car carries risks too.  On the other hand, there have been lots of oil spilled from pipelines.  I read somewhere that a million gallons of oil has spilled from American pipelines over the last few years.  I certainly wouldn't want a pipeline near my neighborhood or water source.
    Perhaps my followers can help decide the pipeline controversy.  By the way, I want everyone to watch a Democracy Now podcast.  They are leftist and liberal but they care about the environment.  You will find a lot of stories that never show up on CNN or Fox.  Calling all Republican.  I dare all of you to try Democracy Now once.  They would just die if they knew conservatives were watching.