The Border is Not Open?

Or so Biden claims?  And yet if one welcomes them in through the door, processes them and sends them into the USA until their court date.  That seems like a pretty open and inviting border...

And though Trump did stack potential immigrants and asylum seekers up at the border, Biden's actions are certainly providing people with false hope.  Remember that the majority of these folks will not qualify for asylum.

So it seems that Biden's plan is to feed the hope of these folks, encourage them to risk there lives to cross Mexico, let them enter for awhile before sending them home.

SW Border Crossing Numbers

I understand these are for the most part nice desperate people who are just seeking a better life for themselves and their children.  However opening the flood gates is not a sustainable answer, especially when we have plenty of poor under-educated under-skilled and/or lazy citizens of our own.

Maher: US Losing to China

 By Fighting Over Stupid Things.    Bill  Maher did a good job of what I have been saying for years.

"Nothing ever moves in this impacted colon of a country. We see a problem and we ignore it, lie about it, fight about it, endlessly litigate it, sunset clause it, kick it down the road, and then write a bill where a half-assed solution doesn't kick in for 10 years," Maher explained. "China sees a problem and they fix it. They build a dam. We debate what to rename it."

Here is the EXCELLENT VIDEO.  It is amazing how much energy the Far Left and Far Right spend fighting over things that will NOT help the USA succeed globally...

GOP Men are Chickens?

49% are scared of the "Trump" vaccines?   Now we know that Trump wanted(s) credit for the work of our Big Pharma scientists and businesses.  And we know he was vaccinated.

So why again would any red blooded Trump True Believer not roll up their arms and get vaccinated?  Hopefully that poll was wrong and the GOP men will get over their fear of little needles and take their medicine for the good of the country.

Of course, the crazy anti-vaxxers are out spreading more lies and feeding on the fears of the uneducated.  Oh well....  I mean why stop at only 530,000 dead Americans?

Fact Checking Biden's

 First Prime-Time Address  And here is another fact check.

It is kind of nice to be back to normal political mistruths.  No more "I won by landslide" or "wind turbines cause cancer"...  But it is frustrating that Biden still exaggerated.

But it is still a nice break from the crazy world where GOP men are scared of "Trump's vaccine"... And are obsessed with Dr Seuss...

Of course the DEMs did spend like drunken socialists...  Even bailing pension funds with COVID dollars?

Why Not Universal Background Checks?

The House just passed universal background checks for gun sales — again  The bill, like all gun control legislation over the past several years, will likely fail in the Senate.

Why would any rational citizen be against this?

The background checks bill would expand federal oversight of gun sales, requiring unlicensed and private sellers to conduct background checks.

While gun sales between licensed sellers and buyers are contingent on the buyer’s passage of a federal background check for red flags like a criminal record or a history of mental illness, unlicensed sellers, including online sales, gun shows, and sales between family members and friends, are currently under no obligation to request a background check.

Under the bill, sponsored by Rep. Mike Thompson (D-CA), gun loans for activities such as hunting or gifting among family members are still permissible.

I mean except for the people who do want to sell their guns to criminals and the insane...

The reality is that most gun sales start with a legal purchase, the question is how to keep them from moving on to the criminals and disturbed? 

Thoughts?

Sensitive Conservatives

 I think I lost another one of my sensitive conservative FB friends. Which is somewhat ironic since they are the one's claiming to support free speech on FB...

And it only gets better, he was posting memes about how people who were sensitive about Dr Seuss, Mr Potato Head, etc were already angry and intolerant people.

I just posted these comics and mentioned that if the GOP's strategy is to spend all their energy stoking anger and division, they would likely lose big time in 2022.  And that I thought the GOP should start focusing on policies and solutions instead.

Farmers at the Trough?

 Bill Gates and Warren Buffet should thank American taxpayers for their profitable farmland investments

US Farm Subsidy Problem

CRP payments 

History of Ag Subsidies

Farm Subsidies Ballooned Under Trump

Since I am against making most wealth transfer payments, I do find rural America's hypocrisy a bit amusing.  Stop welfare, but send me my checks !!!  (comic says it all)

I acknowledge that much of this free money does come with rules, reporting, expectations, etc. However if we really want to eliminate the budget deficit, cuts need to occur every where.  :-O

The CRP program is one of my biggest pet peeves. We the tax payers are paying rent on people's hunting land, moderate land that the farmer does not want to farm, etc.  It is odd.

Trump Hostile Takeover of GOP

Donald Trump is attempting a hostile takeover of the Republican Party  

Trump’s one-sided feud with the RNC, explained.

Trump doubles down on calls to donate directly to him

Trump makes cash grab in bid to dominate GOP

I do mourn for what the GOP party is going through.  :-(

Especially since it is allowing the DEMs to pass liberal expensive laws. :-(

And the GOP voters seem unable to free their minds.  :-(

Oh well, we voters get what we deserve. :-)

Judgement is Subjective

A Conservative Trump True Believer was telling me that he thought in essence that Gov Cuomo was an arrogant a**hole.  He said that he came across to prideful, arrogant, cocky, etc.

Of course, me being me... I asked how that was in any way different than Trump?

Now of course the Conservatives are happy to attack Cuomo for his flirting / sexual antics.

I mean FOX here seems to support that Cuomo should resign "for his sins".  Even though he is apparently not married...  Where was this moral outrage with regard to Trump's behaviors?  People are so strange. :-)

My Freedom for Your Life?

Below is a disturbing response that I received in response to my proving that more than 5,484 additional Minnesotans would have died if Gov Walz had handled our COVID response as terribly as Gov Noem did. He had proposed that the cost of saving their lives was $150 million.  Which I calculated to being $27,352 per person and he said.

"There's worse things than dying, Being controlled has a pretty high price tag also."

A little background to help you understand why this shocked me. This response came from one of nicest caring guys I know.  So I asked him some follow up questions

Yes it is a terrible burden to have to wear a mask when one can not social distance. 

It would be nice if American's were all more concerned about their friends and neighbors, stopping the transmission of a deadly virus and if mandates were not needed. Unfortunately the SD, ND and IA numbers prove that that is not reality.

So let's look at this a different way.

• What would you do or pay to save the life of an elderly or infirm person?
• What would you resist doing and for what reason?

Speaking of freedom I just remembered something else... What are your thoughts on:

• texting / emailing and driving
• drinking and driving at over .08 or .10%
• smoking in public spaces
• requiring a driver's license and insurance to drive
• etc

Are our society's laws that are aimed at saving lives excessively controlling or logical?

Unfortunately he has not helped me understand his position better yet.

Ironically, another friend on FB was preaching the NRA mantra that guns are just like knives and should have no controls that would help keep them out of the hands of the disturbed and/or criminals.  I replied with this...

I always like this video to explain how an AR15 is not a knife. And certainly not needed for deer hunting... 🙂  It looks like fun... But if he can get that gun easily... So can everyone else...

Now I am no DEM who wants to protect everyone from everything, or pay them for every past problem.  But I am pretty sure that saving lives is worth not texting while driving, wearing a mask when you can not social distance, ensuring people are responsible with their weapons, etc. Thoughts?

Noem Family Corruption?

I hate HYPOCRITES !!!  Of course there may be a very good reason that her family deserved many hundreds of thousands of socialistic handouts.  However I would think that true "Conservatives" would pass on begging from the state?

Surprise, Surprise...

 People favor expansive Covid-19 relief

COVID Plan Details

House Stimulus Details

As you know, I am not a big fan of these massive money handouts that are feeding the national debt.  Unfortunately I appear to be in the minority.  I mean last year even the Trump True Believers were cheering them on. Whereas now they scoff at Biden's similar proposal. 

Voting Rights ?

Supreme Court Cases  

H.R. 1, the For the People Act of 2021 

GOP lawmakers seek tougher voting rules after record turnout

Trump's 'big lie' has become the GOP's newest voter suppression weapon  The GOP’s war against voting rights continues.

Worst Gerrymandered States

The question I always wonder is which is more important to citizens...

• Winning by manipulating and suppressing the vote?  
• Or winning by offering up the best plan?

Personally I want as many legal voters to cast their votes as possible.  Which means making it secure, easy and safe.  Seems technology should be able to help with that. 

The GOP is in Trouble

 Donald Trump's CPAC speech: The 50 most ridiculous lines

Five takeaways from CPAC 2021

Trump will never stop lying about the 2020 election. His CPAC speech proved it.

AP FACT CHECK: Trump clings to his core election falsehoods

Trump wins CPAC straw poll on the 2024 presidential primary, with 55 percent support

A straight up lie': Keilar fires off on Trump's CPAC speech

To summarize: Trump is still lying, Many GOPers still believe him, Many GOPers still worship him,  and it is going to be hard for the party to gain any respect from informed voters like myself.

Maybe someone respectable realistic and honest could start moderate / conservative party...

Noem Avoids #1 Death Rate Questions

on Face the Nation 

MARGARET BRENNAN: So that's why I'm asking about your state. They have not said yes. So for your state, you have, if you look at starting in July, which was after that spring peak, you have the highest death rate in cumulative COVID deaths per million in the country. The CDC says you have the eighth highest death rate per capita now. I'm not talking about infection rates. I know you're conservative and you care about the sanctity of life. So how can you justify making decisions that put the health of your constituents at risk?

GOV. NOEM: And those are questions that you should be asking every other governor in this country as well. 

Oh well, it is only dead South Dakotans...  And she has a Presidential run to think about.