Ukraine is NOT Central America

No matter what Liberals say.  They claim double standards, racism and other silly concepts.

Let's try to remember that the US asylum system is there to help people when their country is invaded, their government wants them dead, a reward for people who helped the USA, etc.

Trying to compare prioritizing 100,000 Ukrainians or 10's of thousands from Afghanistan to literally Tens of MILLIONS from Central America is just silly false equivalency.

Thoughts?

Marriage Needs Before Kids Wants

 If you want healthy stable kids.  John Rosemund makes a clear case that kids suffer when the spousal relationship is not healthy.  And yet many parents in our modern world obsess over their children as if they are the center of the universe, and more important than the other even more critical base relationship.

If you doubt this, just look at how many kids are living in single parent homes, unstable homes or stressed homes.  Then we wonder why so many kids struggle to become capable independent educated healthy adults.

Now I am not saying that a couple should neglect or mistreat their kids.  However placing them on a pedestal and living your lives around them is not good for them either.

The Parenting Pyramid depicts and explains this wonderfully.  Now remember to schedule the babysitter and go out for that date...

GOPers Behaving Badly

At the Ketanji Brown Jackson Hearings.

Some more details regarding the inappropriate behavior.

Our Inflation Problem

Who or what caused it?  What can be done about it?

Here are some of my simplistic opinions.

• Trump etal cut taxes in 2017 while increasing spending.
• Then during COVID Trump Etal passed RECORD bailouts to put even more cash in the system while encouraging the FED to take historic measures.
• Both of these caused RECORD borrowing by the US government and the printing of a LOT of money.
• Therefore we citizens have tons of cash that should never have been borrowed against our children's future.
• The National Debt is at a RECORD high.
• Then Biden etal passed even more stimulus last year.
• The easiest way to fix this is to raise our taxes so that we do not need a TRILLION + dollar deficit every year.
• And if you don't like paying for your government, then let's cut the entitlements that make up most of the over spending.
• Then maybe with these borrowing and spending cuts, demand would reduce to what supply can support and prices would drop.

And this keeps me wondering why the GOP thinks they are the "fiscally responsible" party. :-O

Blame Me for High Gas Prices

since I am an Oil and Gas Investor...  At least that is what commodity report says, and this EIA report seems to back it up.  The demand tanked with COVID as did the price, so companies stopped spending money on new wells and many other projects.  The price finally went above $70 / barrel last Summer, so I suppose companies are willing to start spending again.  

However why pump more when you can make as much profit pumping the same? (ie keep prices high)

And right now it is still very hard and expensive to get equipment and personnel, and to ship anything...

Maybe by the end of 2022 they will get ramped up again.  Until then I will keep riding the Vanguard VDE Exchange Trade Fund. 

Smart or Stupid?

 Which are you? Your rationale?

One possibility

Why Trump and Carlson Support Putin

Because they ALL want the POWER to CONTROL Personal Morality and Limit Personal Freedoms of Citizens.  Even if it means undermining democracy.

I mean Putin did not like having a neighboring country where the citizens were free to choose to join the EU, join NATO, grant LGBT rights, help the needy, etc.  Therefore he invaded the country.

Trump, Carlson, etc did not like that American citizens were free to elect Biden, run their local elections, make personal decisions with their doctor, be openly LGBTQ, etc. Therefore they lie to undermine faith in our American democracy.

Trump, Carlson, etc would happily march this country into civil war and a dictatorship if it would help them to gain power, celebrity and wealth.  And they have found some perfect suckers to manipulate to this end.  

• The religious right folk who fear personal freedom, and want to legislate morality.
• The folk who fear and/or look down on black / brown citizens.
• The folk who fear immigrants who may have different ideas / beliefs.
• The folk who fear facing our country's very checkered past and the consequences of that with eyes wide open.
• The folks who fear free trade because they are scared that they are not capable enough.
• The folks who have gotten wealthy in large part because of luck and our country's laws, support systems, etc, are terrified that they may need to pay more back to keep this country solvent and stable.

No wonder Carlson and Trump support Putin.  They are SO JEALOUS !!!  I am mean Putin does not have to answer to his citizens or the law...  That was like Trump's dream when he was President...  Thankfully the USA is NOT the USSR!!!

Bill Barr Describes Trump

"as constantly distracted by his own self-interest." This trait was exploited by Mike Pompeo, the secretary of state at the time:

"We had this running joke that, whenever the president was chewing out Mike about something in a private Oval Office meeting, all Mike had to do was mention Russiagate or something like that," he said. "And the president would, you know, take it and run for quite a while, he'd rant and ... he wouldn't remember what he was angry at Pompeo about."

"At one point, I said to the president: 'You know, Mr. President, you're like a bull in a bull ring and your adversaries have your number. They know how to get under your skin, and all they have to do is wave a red flag over here and you go charging and attack it.' And I said, 'At the end of the day, you're going to be in the middle of the ring sweating and someone's going to come and put a sword through your head,' " said Barr. "He didn't think much of that metaphor.""

I like the comparison to a bull, but I imagine Trump more as a cat chasing a laser pointer.

Well here is Trump's response letter... I have to wonder if Trump even knows how to tell the truth.  Or if he is so delusional, that he thinks he is telling the truth?

Smoking vs Masks / Vaccines

 and government guidance.

"We have been informed by South Washington County that:  Face coverings are strongly recommended on school buses but are NOT required starting March 1st. "

A conservative friend of mine expressed his frustration on FB regarding the above position.

"I am not arguing about the mask. I just think that we should be able to tell our kids either wear the mask or don’t. We try to be so politically correct that nobody wants to make a decision and stand behind it."

To which I responded.

"Well the CDC has been very consistent regarding masks, vaccines, boosters, etc and yet a large portion of Americans demand the right to believe and do as they wish. They deny the reality and more people have died than should have.

I get it... People are tired of COVID and want to go back to normal... Being my pragmatic analytical boosted self, I am fine with people not getting vaccinated or wearing masks if it mostly increases "their" risks of sickness and death. Just as I am fine with people smoking cigarettes. To me it is just the Darwin Theory in action.

However, I do not support the government approving of those behaviors. Especially if it puts other citizens at risk. The mandates are dropping off, the anti-vaxxers and anti-maskers should be happy.🙂 Now the choices are down to the people... Isn't that what Conservatives wanted?

Just a reminder though. The daily COVID deaths is still near 2,000..."

What has me puzzled is... What do these folks want from the government and scientists?  We know that COVID is a virus...

• that kills some older, immuno-compromised and unlucky people.
• that can be spread by people who are exhibiting no symptoms themselves
• that needs people to spread, since it has NO LEGS :-)
• that kills vaccinated / boosted people at a MUCH LOWER rate
• that masks can block the transmission of.

It reminds me of people who smoke cigarettes.  I mean the government and scientists have made it clear for decades how people can avoid dying from smoking. "Don't Smoke or Spend Time in Smoke Filled Environments"

 Now the government and scientists have made it clear how to avoid dying from COVID. "Wear Masks in High Risk Environment and Stay Vaccinated"

I can only assume that my friend did not like that advice, so he wants guidance that says "Take Off Your Masks...  This is a Strange Virus That will Stop Spreading and Killing. You were right all along..."

Even though we know that ~950,000 friends and neighbors died of COVID.  And ~2,000 per day last week alone.  I also am tired of COVID, that does not mean I am ready to deny our current reality.