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PatrickforB

PatrickforB's Journal
PatrickforB's Journal
July 28, 2018

I have a garden gnome. His name is Chomsky.

Every day, we wake to some new outrage as decency is attacked on a thousand fronts. I replied to someone else here, a retired man in TX who deplores the hatred that dwells now in that state. He says there is real hatred now in this nation, and I'm made mindful of McCain's comment during his campaign when a woman said Obama is a Muslim who wants to destroy our way of life or some such. McCain said, "No, he's a decent man who has different opinions than me."

I guess that was how civility died, a casualty of the constant Koch-funded propaganda organs which spew out dehumanizing hatred towards us Democrats. So here's what I said to the gentleman, and NOW I SAY IT TO YOU BECAUSE THE ELECTION THIS NOVEMBER MAY WELL BE THE LAST CHANCE WE HAVE TO PEACEFULLY END THE RIGHT-WING COUP AND SAVE OUR REPUBLIC.

So here goes: if you disagree with me, fine. No problem. I'm not asking you to feel like I do, but I am pointing out some stuff and saying that all of us need to do everything we can to turn our government blue in November!

*******************************

There is real hatred. The Koch brothers and the other billionaire freaks who own the Republican party and its propaganda organ love to spew out vitriol that dehumanizes Democrats.

Why? Well, this is a slow coup. The billionaire freaks and multinational corporations are trying to make America an oligarchy where we are merely wage slaves with no rights as workers. They want to exploit us for starvation wages, work us long hours in unsafe working conditions and not provide any healthcare or old age pensions. Ideally for them, we should live in constant fear because they believe such fear motivates us to work harder longer - even if we are sick or become disabled. You want to know their vision? Read Jack London's 'People of the Abyss.' Dickens' 'Christmas Carol' alludes to it as well. Unrestrained capitalism is heaven for a few, and a life of unremitting, grinding poverty, fear, hunger, illness and wage slavery for the rest of us.

So these jokers know that if they dehumanize us, it will be easy for them, should the need arise, to send the neonazis, nazis and kluxers out into the streets with truncheons and guns to bloody us and make us run.

At least that's how I see the current situation. Fortunately we still have enough real Americans, people who put nation over party, in powerful enough positions to try and save the republic. They are disparagingly called 'deep state,' again a term the billionaire freaks have ejaculated into common lexicon through their throbbing propaganda organs of Info Wars and hate-talk radio.

And, we have the press, which Trump, of course, for his own reasons is disparaging and calling an 'enemy of the people.' Because Trump is basically a shill. Like the Kruppers and IG Farbens thought Hitler would be. He wants to impose a white nationalist government, which taken in combination with the oligarchy the billionaire freaks want is a FASCIST government that will lead us to a world war as surely as the sun will rise tomorrow.

That, my friend, is why we must get the vote out in a big way in November. It may really be our last chance to avoid a long, dark, hungry, terrible and bloody ride.

July 16, 2018

Some cheerful news today, which we can use after Trump's disgrace on the international stage with

Putin.

Here's the story of how a man who has been a Republican all his life and has always voted a straight Republican ticket, including in 2016, has gotten to the point that he's going to vote blue in November!

*****************

Was on the phone today with my wife's brother, who owns a wholesale operation in KY serving a national chain of stores. We'll call him R.

R called my wife today to get a phone number, and he and I chatted a bit. He and his wife are going to Ireland on vacation soon, and he expressed some concern about how they might be treated because of Trump. I said that I'm sure the Irish understand and differentiate between the American people and Trump.

And HERE'S the cheerful part. He said, "You know, Pat, I've been a Republican all my life, but in November I'm voting straight Democratic because I'm so disgusted with Trump and with how things are going."

Oh, man, my wife and I looked at each other, eye wide, jaws on the floor. We talked a bit more after this, about how Trump has lurched from one disastrous policy to another and the disgust R expressed was very heartening.

So...shall we be like the Salvation Army and save 'em one at a time?



July 7, 2018

GOP candidate in Kansas: 'Outside of Western civilization, there is only barbarism'

Source: CNN

The comments from State Sen. Steve Fitzgerald, a candidate seeking the Republican nomination in the race to replace retiring Rep. Lynn Jenkins, came at a July 2 meeting of the Leavenworth County Republican Party. During his more-than-30-minute speech, Fitzgerald lamented the fact that people believe "Western civilization is the problem," argued that Christendom is "under attack" and doubled down on his previous statement that Planned Parenthood is worse than a Nazi concentration camp.

"We are being told that Western civilization is the problem in the world," Fitzgerald said, according to video provided by a Democratic operative. "Outside of Western civilization there is only barbarism."

He added: "Our Judeo-Christian ethic is what is civilization. And that is what is under attack here and abroad. It also goes by a different name. Christendom. It's under attack. And even speaking about it can bring you under attack. It has brought me under attack."

Read more: https://www.cnn.com/2018/07/07/politics/steve-fitzgerald-kansas-candidate-barbarism-comments/index.html



This is how white nationalist racism looks on the ground, people. Let's make sure we watch this race and help whoever the Democrat is that is running against this cretin.
July 3, 2018

Scott Pruitt is the face of America's big problem

Great opinion piece from CNN. Here is the link: https://www.cnn.com/2018/04/09/opinions/pruitt-sums-up-americas-biggest-challenge-sachs/index.html

Well worth reading. Here are some selected excerpts.

The current state of our politics would be risible if the stakes were not so terrifyingly high. Pruitt has made a career of trying to gut any and all environmental protection. Trump is an unprincipled hothead real estate developer and reality TV persona who lost all access to serious capital long ago and so has largely relied on foreign money to keep afloat, as even his sons have reportedly affirmed. Yet Pruitt is now in charge of dismantling every barrier between us and environmental ruin, and Trump has the nuclear codes that could end life on the planet.

They both work for larger financial interests. Our country today, and indeed much of the world, is run by and for billionaires actively manipulating the political process. They have the means, power, influence and muscle to get their way. Trump was elected with the backing of several, including Sheldon Adelson, Carl Icahn, Robert Mercer, John Paulson, T. Boone Pickens and Peter Thiel. And Trump has delivered for them, most importantly by signing into law last December a budget-busting $1.5 trillion tax cut that largely benefits the rich.

Even now, all is not lost. The rich may have the money but the people still have the votes. Yet time is short. November is our best hope to reclaim our democracy from the likes of Pruitt and Trump.


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About PatrickforB

Counselor, economist and public servant.
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