We Are Where We Want To Be

This is worth a read... MinnPost Ex-GOP chair Michael Steele on the politics and power of Trump by Eric Black

This is worth a read and I agree with Michael Steele... “We are where we are because this is where we want to be.”  I mean Tribe Liberal and Tribe Conservative both went so far out that a void was created...  And nature hates a void...

Policy and Intentions

Jerry, Moose and I are arguing about Policies and Intentions back here. It all started with me stating one of my core beliefs after Moose accused Jerry of prioritizing corporate "profits over pretty much anything else"...

"Then maybe you should assume good intent more often...Usually I have found that folks want to do the right thing for our country and citizens..."

I am never sure why Tribe Liberal and Tribe Conservative folks feel the need to accuse the other side of intentionally trying harm their fellow citizens?  I just have not found that to be the case very often.  I mean sometimes people want to implement policies to:

• help themselves (ie tax cuts, program increases, etc)
• help others (ie abortion laws, affirmative action, etc)
• help the USA (ie border security, higher min wages, etc

However I can not think of many times when people said "let's pass this policy to punish that group of citizens"...  But maybe that is just my naïve friendly helpful optimistic nature showing. Thoughts?

Halloween Costume Etiquette

Sean and I are arguing about Black Face and Megyn Kelly elsewhere, so I thought this may be useful...


CNN Should I wear that costume for Halloween? Consult this flowchart

MN Political Ads

Only 8 more days until the political advertisements stop.  Thank God !!!


Her is an interesting MinnPost piece.

Fact Checks

AP FACT CHECK
NYT Debunking Viral Caravan Images
Politico Caravan
CNN Trump Misinformation


They have some interesting topics in those. Thoughts?

Facebook and Tribes

One of my Conservative Tribe FB Friends started to post things that made fun of the people in the immigrant caravan. Of course, me being me I have to question people who post very "Tribal" beliefs on FaceBook.  I do this to both Tribe Liberal and Tribe Conservative members.  Some of the past occurrences:

• Liberal who I know had some highly questionable events occurring in High School questioning regarding Kavanaugh. She took it with a grain of salt and asked that we "not go there"... :-)
• Conservative who I know posted regarding gun control, liberal conspiracies, etc. He and his friends have been patient with my questions and disagreements.
• Liberal who was a big supporter of Black Lives Matter and angry at police in general. She did not accept my questions and comments very well...  She then unfriended me.
• Conservative person I barely knew that posted so many pointless and somewhat hateful things that I finally unfriended him.
• Liberals who post regarding climate change, school systems, welfare, taxes, LGBT rights, religious rights, etc. They sometimes get frustrated with me, but usually they are good sports.

With this in mind, I was a little surprised recently to be unfriended by the older guy over the immigration topic. Here is some background:

• He posted this image of the caravan that says they should be marching on their government, not marching to the USA for free stuff.
• I commented that they would likely be killed or imprisoned, and that we in the USA are very lucky to be able to march our government.
• He and another of course got defensive, asked me why I was commenting there and changed the subject to how their ancestors had done it very differently.  Somehow "more legally" apparently.
• They shared stories of poor people risking their lives and sometimes dying on the ship to get here.  And how there was no welfare and freebies back then.
• At which time I felt compelled to remind them that many folks got really really cheap land when they came here... Many of our families still own that 160 acres and it is worth ~$600,000 now...
• Things went okay up to that point and we let the topic drop. Then the original poster who is usually a very nice guy took a parting shot at me. He posted a meme about people who support immigration should provide their names and addresses so they will have a place to live, and tagged it to me...
• Well my competitive nature took issue with that, so I asked how are these poor families who are different from our ancestors? Why should they not be allowed to come to the border and have their claims heard? If we should open fire on them or something? Should Americans ~150 years ago have shot at the ships carrying our great grand parents?
• Finally I did the judgmental moralistic thing... :-( I wrote that I was did not understand how good Christian country folk could dehumanize these potential refugees that they see them as a "problem / threat" instead of as people.
• And please remember that I am against sanctuary cities, harboring illegal workers, etc.  However I do believe these are people that deserve a chance to be heard. Not "problems". 

I'll finish this later... Now I am going to the Anoka Halloween parade. :-)  Well, that was fun.  :-)

To end the story... Of course he gave no answer as to why these folks should be treat less humanely than his grand parents...  He just unfriended me instead.  The good news is I will not be exposed to his tribal memes anymore. The bad news is that he will not have any feedback loop questioning the tribe's hateful dehumanizing rhetoric. :-(

MN Buffer Strips

Here is an interesting MinnPost piece regarding the future of Buffer Strips. Thoughts?

Is Trump's Behavior Driving Violence?

NPR: After Suspicious Packages, Trump Tones Down Partisan Rhetoric, Attacks Media


Personally I believe that Trump owns the responsibility for this incitement and escalation.  A leader can not go around praising violence and calling people enemies of the USA without expecting consequences.  He did it, he should own it...  Unfortunately this guy never takes responsibility when his actions or words lead to failures...  Only when he thinks he can spin something to the positive.

Yes281 Reminder

Folks in the Robbinsdale School District 281 who support funding our schools well to help our kids grow into the best citizens they can be.  Remember to vote YES !!!

Folks in the Robbinsdale School District 281 who are cheap and willing put our community and kids at higher risk.  Just stay home and forget to vote!!! 😁

 YES 281 Facebook Page
Sample Ballot
District 281 Robbinsdale Referendum Page

And even though my youngest graduates this Spring, I will be voting YES!!!  As I often rant...  If we the members of our communities are not willing to fight for, fund and sacrifice to keep our community strong vibrant and healthy, then we deserve for it to slip into decay with other not to be named communities.

So pry open that wallet and Vote YES !!!


And you stingy self centered folks, please feel free to stay home...😁

Scientists Apparently Know All

Houston Chronicle We're scientists. We know the climate's changing. And we know why.

One of my FB Friends who truly believes in man made climate change posted that link. And Jerry and I were still belaboring the balancing babies...  So I figured it was time for another endless comment string...


Here is their graph...  I just added the 2 lines to show at rate change...

Politics and Psychology

VOX 9 essential lessons from psychology to understand the Trump era Motivated reasoning, bias, fake news, conspiracy theories, and more, explained.


A very interesting piece that I will need to get back to when I get a chance.

The Hidden Tribes of America

 This is interesting.   Hidden Tribes Site

Hidden Tribes Report

 

"The segments have distinctive sets of characteristics; here listed in order from left to right on the ideological spectrum:

• Progressive Activists: younger, highly engaged, secular, cosmopolitan, angry.
• Traditional Liberals: older, retired, open to compromise, rational, cautious.
• Passive Liberals: unhappy, insecure, distrustful, disillusioned.
• Politically Disengaged: young, low income, distrustful, detached, patriotic, conspiratorial.
• Moderates: engaged, civic-minded, middle-of-the-road, pessimistic, Protestant.
• Traditional Conservatives: religious, middle class, patriotic, moralistic.
• Devoted Conservatives: white, retired, highly engaged, uncompromising, patriotic."

 

  

What to Do about Saudi Arabia?

Sean and I have been disagreeing here about what actions the USA should take with regard to Saudi Arabia and their actions / potential actions.  He wants immediate actions (freeze military contracts, other?) where as I am much more...  Whatever...

I have been pondering why I am so indifferent to this terrible execution...  Here are some of the things I have come up with:

• Too many spy movies where someone is brutalized and killed...  I mean 7 minutes from start to death...  He either talked too fast or they did not really want any answers.  I am still waiting for the Turks to release the tape if they really have one.
• This nothing compared to what women had to put up with in Afghanistan and many of the Liberals would not have lifted a finger to help them.
• This nothing compared to what 10's of thousands of Iraqi citizens had to put up with in Iraq and many of the Liberals would not have lifted a finger to help them.
• China controls and "re-educates" far more citizens and the American consumers (including peace loving Liberals) do not blink an eye at supporting them to save a few bucks.
• We know Saudi Arabia is a harsh controlling force in the Middle East, and after decades of Arab Spring chaos, torture and death... Maybe that is the kind of government they need to stay safe.
• Saudi Arabia is opposing force to Iran in the region...  And compared to Iran they are stable lovable rational teddy bears...
• Saudi Arabia will buy their weapons from somewhere, why should high paid American workers suffer to assuage our collective conscience. 

Now Sean called me on my G2A Principles...  The challenge is that those are MY guiding principles on how I should live my life. And since I am a tolerant accepting person who usual respects the beliefs and behaviors of others, I am not sure judging people from another country with problems I can only imagine fits into this.

Now what do I think does warrant a response by the USA:

• If our "partners" lie to us...
• So hopefully they finish their investigation, come clean about what happened and execute some people.

Thoughts?

What is McConnel Thinking?

Newsweek Mitch McConnell Calls to Cut Social Security, Medicare

"After instituting a $1.5 trillion tax cut and signing off on a $675 billion budget for the Department of Defense, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said Tuesday that the only way to lower the record-high federal deficit would be to cut entitlement programs like Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security.

"It’s disappointing but it’s not a Republican problem," McConnell said of the deficit, which grew 17 percent to $779 billion in fiscal year 2018. McConnell explained to Bloomberg that "it’s a bipartisan problem: Unwillingness to address the real drivers of the debt by doing anything to adjust those programs to the demographics of America in the future." The deficit has increased 77 percent since McConnell became majority leader in 2015.

New Treasury Department analysis on Monday revealed that corporate tax cuts had a significant impact on the deficit this year. Federal revenue rose by 0.04 percent in 2018, a nearly 100 percent decrease last year’s 1.5 percent. In fiscal year 2018, tax receipts on corporate income fell to $205 billion from $297 billion in 2017."

Maybe he has decided to start supporting the DEMs in this years election? I can already hear the attack ads...

"Don't vote for Senator ??? because he will support the Republican agenda of cutting your benefits and kicking you out of your home!!!"

Thoughts?

Trump On 60 Minutes

WAPO How Trump bobs and weaves to avoid the truth


I missed this weeks 60 Minutes, however it does not look like I missed much other than listening to Trump make stuff up.  Thoughts?