Gawd, i've had coffee and now i'm on a rant...

Ya know, no matter what great things you've done, how smart you are or how much money you have, at the end of the day you're only as good as your character.

Henry Ford made cars affordable and easy to manufacture. He paid a good wage to his workers...

..and he was such an anti-Semite that freakin' Hitler gave him a medal.

Charles Lindberg, aviation hero!...was an outspoken racist, anti-Semite, and white supremacist.

Guglielmo Marconi invented wireless radio...and he was an Italian Fascist.

Christopher Columbus discovered (for Europe) an entire new continent....but he was complicit in the murder of the indigenous people here.

Some of our most righteous church leaders, of all denominations, even Popes, were thieves, liars, pedophiles and caused the deaths (either by edict or complicity) of thousands...if not millions, of innocent people.

I could go on and on, but you get the point.

Today we know better than to believe our heroes were necessarily good people, so you'd think today's innovators and heroes would take a lesson from history and try to be on the right side of ethics and morality?

Apparently not. Heady with their success and wealth they (most of them it seems) look down at those less fortunate who have lifted them up.

Why have Republicans gone sour on Democracy ?

 In the last 20 years or so i've heard more and more Republicans making the statement that the US isn't a democracy, it's a republic. Well, this is only half false; The US is a Constitutional Democratic Republic. We are a republic with representative democracy and Constitutional protection to set limits on governmental power. 

But why are Republicans so insistent on getting rid of the term democracy? It's because their policies no longer represent the majority. That's why the last two Republican presidents only won by the Electoral College. They can no longer depend on the popular vote to get them into office. So what's been happening lately is that they're ditching democracy...and even the Constitution in order to get in
to...and hold onto, power. This is why Republicans once quoted the Constitution (however badly) and now we have Trump saying he will "suspend the Constitution" if he gets in. 
Their problem is that what Republicans stand for, most Americans don't want.

Let's check the list;
>Bigotry; Republicans and right-leaning independents represent nearly every racist, homophobe and anti-Semite in the country. Most Americans understand that this is wrong. So this won't win elections.

>Environment; Most Republicans don't want any regulations. They prize money over clean air and water for us and our children. The majority of Americans support a clean environment, green energy and regulations on pollution. So being anti-environment won't win elections.

>Women's choice; The majority of Americans support a woman's right to choose whether or not she will have a baby and easy access to birth control and family planning. Republicans don't want this. If you control a woman's body you control the woman...they want that. But most of America is opposed to that doctrine. So that won't win elections.

>Religion; The majority of Americans want to be free to practice the religion of their choice, or no religion at all. The GOP is opposed to this and wants to make Evangelical Christianity the official religion of the US. This conflicts with the Establishment Clause in the very First Amendment of our Constitution! There's a reason the Founders put that there. It's because state religions have always ended up ruining governments. Most people don't want that...so it won't win elections. 

>Guns; Republicans want assault weapons to be accessible to every white person...even paranoid schizophrenics and violent domestic terrorists. The reason for this is that these are the people most likely to take up arms against their government, or their neighbors, in case things don't go their way politically. Guns are also used to suppress and intimidate minorities. The gun lobby makes sure these people stay riled up and ready to commit crimes in the name of "freedom". Most people don't want this. Polls have shown over and over that the majority of Americans support gun control. So "assault rifles and extended magazines for everyone" won't win elections.

>Immigration; Most people agree that refugees fleeing for their lives do not amount to an "invasion". Trump said; "They're sending murderers, rapists and drug dealers, and a few, i assume, are good people." The actual truth is the exact opposite. Most refugees are just that; good people fleeing for their lives. A few are criminals, but criminals exist in any group of people. The thing is to weed out the bad and keep the good ones. There are solutions for the immigrant situation, but making them into "evil invaders" is not one of them, and most people know that...so it won't win elections. By the way, Congress attempted to pass a bill that would appropriate funding for border security. Republicans in the House killed it on orders from Trump. That effectively ends it as an election issue.

>War; The Republican party has been the party of war at least since Ronald Reagan. They have been either starting wars or supporting proxy wars around the world for decades. War is good for the arms industry and helps support the oil industry by gaining access to oil in foreign countries by installing and maintaining regimes friendly to the US. In the '60s we fought in Vietnam because of communist paranoia. We have had at least 2  more failed wars since then. People died for nothing. Most Americans don't like needless wars, so a party which constantly wants to go to war should be unpopular.

>Money; This is a big one. The majority of middle/upper income Americans love personal prosperity. They love the stock market and you see it on the news every day, "the market is up" or "the market is down". It affects everything from our kids' college funds (if we can afford one) to our retirement. Wealthy and well off Republicans LOVE the stock market because it's a way of getting lots of money without working. Someone else does the labour and stockholders get paid. This is why they hate public schools, the US Postal Service, Medicare, Medicaid, "Obamacare", Social Security and virtually any other government agency that provides a service that they would like to see privatized so it can be put on the stock market to generate dividends. Unfortunately, this has two side effects; First it cuts vital services which help people who are low wage earners or unemployed. Second it cuts the salaries of workers in favour of paying dividends to investors and wealthy CEOs. People are beginning to figure this out...and they are voting accordingly.

So what to do, Republicans ask themselves? Well, one thing to do is to cast doubt on the election process and then declare democracy to be ineffective. We saw that happen in 2020. Another is to declare the Constitution to be invalid whenever it conflicts with their goals (we've been hearing that from Trump). 
...and finally the last is to foment discontent and insurrection in their base in order to rule over the majority by force if necessary.
The way this works is for all those special interests above to pledge loyalty to one party, and its politicians, no matter what. It's called "unite the right". It brings together all the racists, bigots, fascists, mysoginists, gun nuts, religious fanatics, greedy and just plain haters under one tent. Although these groups separately can't win an election, collectively they can command enough voting power to swing the Electoral College. 

...and there you have it! They either win the EC or they declare the election to be a "fraud", without any proof, and mount an insurrection driven by bogus conspiracies and lies. 
The GOP has become anti-democracy and anti-America...and millions of Americans are ok with that as long as it gets them what they want.

Ok, Rant over.

What is Woke?

Webster's Dictionary defines woke as;

adjective; ˈwōk , chiefly US slang: aware of and actively attentive to important societal facts and issues (especially issues of racial and social justice).

This is the actual meaning of the word as it was first used some years ago. It does not mean making white people feel guilty about the past. It does not have anything to do with late term abortions or "killing babies" (neither of which are actually happening). It does not have to do with teaching Critical Race Theory in public schools (another thing which is not happening). It's not about trying to turn children gay or trans (yet another thing that's not happening). It is nothing that the political right says it is. Despite what Ron DeSantis, Trump and the right wing media would have you believe, being "woke" is benign and actually what every American should want to be: aware of what is going on around them.

It's a sad fact that as time goes on, people tend to forget the past. It only takes one generation before, unless they are reminded of it, young people lose touch with the mistakes and evils of even recently bygone times. Things like slavery, Nazism, the KKK, white supremacy, anti-Semitism, gay bashing and other social aberrations lose their perspective and some people fall back into the old dysfunctional behaviour that plagued this country for centuries. Sometimes they're even reinforced by parents and peers who haven't yet shed their animosity toward people who are different from them. Lately there has been a concerted effort by right wing politicians and media to use these differences to cause distrust and hatred  between different social groups in order to gain and keep power. It's the old  "divide and conquer" routine where they brand the opposition as "others" in order to make them look evil. 
....so lies are told, situations are exaggerated and conspiracy theories formulated for this purpose. People predisposed to these lies tend to cling to them and share them among their friends and family. Right wing media whips up a frenzy of hatred and distrust to be fed to their viewers on a daily basis and now social media helps to divide people as well....never understanding (or caring about?) the great damage they're doing to America. 

This is what wokeness tries to combat...and why the right hates it so much. Because informed and aware people are harder to control. Because forgetting the past makes people less likely to question the present so we don't repeat it. 

So yeah, i am "woke" in the classic sense...maybe more people ought to be.

Open Letter to Elon Musk #elonmusk

 

Dear Elon (Mr. Musk if you prefer),
    

I'll get right down to the nitty-gritty here and forgo the usual honourisms if you don't mind. 
    I understand that you've been harassed by many liberals recently, even after being a supporter of most liberal Democratic principals for years. I get it that you're annoyed (or supremely pissed off) by what seems to be a betrayal by the very people you thought were going to help you make the world a better place. I also accept that being an inventor and innovator brings with it the possibility of major compensation...so becoming a multi-billionaire, in itself, shouldn't be held against you.
But...

Going over to what amounts to the dark side of the force is, IMO, the last thing that you'd want to do. Republicans share none of your convictions and asperations. They don't "believe" in climate change. They have little use for space travel unless it can be weaponized and they, as a social entity, despise electric cars and green energy. Add to that the absolute dysfunction and criminality of the Trump regime and you have nothing less than neofascism. 
This is not the camp you want to be in, no matter how badly liberals appear to treat you. I realize knee-jerk liberalism has taken over a large proportion of the Democratic party, but in the end they're still headed in the same direction you are. 
An alternative might be (it was for me) to align yourself as an Independent. Support those who support you and your objectives and let the rest of the prattle roll off your back. I know it's hard to be on the right side of history while people are harassing you, but it seems to me to be the only logical option.

Think of all the great people who let themselves be seduced by anger, vengeance and dark politics; Marconi became a fascist, Von Braun a Nazi....even Henry Ford turned into an anti-Semite and paid lip service to Hitler! These actions tarnished forever all their great achievements and now history judges them accordingly. 

Be better than your detractors.
Dump the Sith party and return to who you are; a free-thinking independent and visionary....It'll benefit both you and the rest of the world in the end.
Ok, Rant over.

In the immortal words of Ringo,
"Peace and Love",
Phil Rounds

WOW!

I've been checking out my recent posts and it looks like i've really been living up to this blog's title! There's a lot of outrage and anger...and a more than fair amount of social commentary. Maybe it would be refreshing to add some more lighthearted content for a while...just to break things up a bit. On the other hand, would it still be a "rant" if i did?
Actually, looking back on the last time i posted, maybe i should at least post something! If i hadn't been reminded of this blog by a friend, i most likely wouldn't have paid any attention to it for yet another year.

So, i shall endeavor to post both more diversely and more often....

Let's see how that works out  :P 

The Age of Making America Great

Back in "The Age of Aquarius" i never really expected Americans would all learn to "love" each other. But i did have some expectation that they would learn to respect each other and care for each other, rich or poor.
Instead what i'm seeing these days is an attitude of "fuck you, i've got mine". 
Furthermore, racism is bullshit...people are people. Historically you can see that if you put any group of people in a certain circumstance, they will react the same way regardless of race or ethnicity.

The recent idea that America should enjoy a privileged place in the world while the rest goes to hell is immoral, unethical and counterproductive. The world is a smaller place now than it was 250 years ago. What happens on the other side of the planet affects us almost immediately. We don't need to just protect and improve the USA...we should help the whole world to survive and prosper. It seems we knew that back in the '60s...WTF happened? A starving person in Guatemala is still a starving person. An oppressed person in Afghanistan is still an oppressed person. How is it ok to sit here in the land of wealth and opportunity while the people who build our cell phones and grow our food live in poverty and squalor?

...and exactly when was America "great"? How are we making it great "again"? By returning to the days of antisemitism, racial segregation, homophobia and misogyny? Are we going to be greater by denying the fact of global warming and reverting back to a 200 year old energy producing technology? Are we greater if we substitute real science for greed, superstition, religious dogma and conspiracy theories? How are Republicans today making us "great again"? At what point in our past were we greater than we are now? During McCarthyism? During the cold war? During segregation? Seems to me they want to drag us back to the bad old days of the robber barons and child labour.

Greatness comes from acting great, not boasting and bullying; Being a good example for the world...helping those less fortunate and respecting human beings no matter who they are or where they live.

The Cult of Trump

So, why do people vote for someone who they know is a liar and a cheat and who has no talent for governing or intelligence?


Perceived self interest plays a big part. People think they're getting what they want. What they can't seem to grasp is that they've become suckers for the wealthy and irresponsible corporations. Their prejudices, fears and perceived self interest (the idea that something will benefit them, rather than the fact that it will), makes them easy marks for fascists and plutocrats.

Environmental laws are there to protect the air that they breathe, the water they drink, the forests they camp and hunt in and the streams they fish in. Environmentalism is not a liberal plot. The air and water are better now because something was done to curb pollution. Pollution wasn't going to go away all by itself. Addressing climate change isn't a liberal plot either. It's what we need to do to protect the planet we live on and the planet our children and grandchildren will inherit from us. The financial sector will adjust itself to the change. That's how capitalism works.

Higher wages (including the minimum wage) make the economy better. More income>more spending>more demand>more jobs. It's just that simple. The rich DO NOT "create" jobs because they have money...that's stupid. They add employees because there is a greater demand for products and services and they cut the workforce when demand is low.

Racism is bullshit. Poverty and crime are not about colour or ethnicity; they're due to lack of opportunity and disenfranchisement. We've had poverty and crime in inner cities and elsewhere for 150 years in the USA (longer in other parts of the world) involving one ethnic group or another. You'd think we'd understand the pattern by now. But it's easier for the racists and bigots to blame people who are not like them for their misfortune (real or perceived) and it's a convenient tool for governments that want to divide the population and scapegoat minorities. We've seen this before too....you think we'd learn.

Guns are guns. They were designed to kill. Look it up... they're tools for killing. A weapon that is called an "assault" rifle and carries an extended magazine isn't for hunting. It isn't for target practice and it isn't for "protection". It's a weapon of war wielded by people who are paranoid and/or haters.
No, you won't need it when the minorities "rise up" or to defend yourself against your own army. That's bullshit. You will never be Rambo. Movies aren't real and conspiracy theories are nonsense. People like Alex Jones are liars and rabble-rousers who spread hatred and distrust. Don't be a sucker! We need gun control laws...We control motor vehicles, we should control guns.

Wall Street is a nice source of income. I have some stocks. But i also understand that people need to work to make money.....and they need to support themselves and their families. When the priority is to raise stock values and increase dividends instead of paying a living wage we're putting the cart before the horse. It's the worker who enables businesses to thrive, not the stock market; Wages first, then dividends....that's what works.

Healthcare is absolutely essential for EVERYONE. No one should be left to suffer and/or die because the price of health insurance is beyond their reach. We need AT LEAST a public option for those who can't afford premium health insurance.

Donald Trump would tell you that this is all lies and fake news. But if you actually look into it a bit it's all very apparent and logical.....Unless you cave to perceived self interest.  In that case you've just joined the cult.