It' getting darker

Originally, I planned to discuss the current debate between Eastern Standard Time (EST) and Daylight Savings Time (DST), hence the title of today's blog.

And I will in a minute.

But the deaths of two American military personnel Friday in Jordan by Iranian drones and missiles are not only saddening, but abhorrent and unnecessary. This country has now suffered 16 military deaths and a startling 430 wounded since adjudicated rapist and 34-time convicted felon president Donald Trump began his war of choice against Iran in February.

And he doesn't know how to end what he began. His response to the recent deaths is to launch more airstrikes against Iranian infrastructure and military capability in an effort to send Iran "back to the stone ages," whatever that means. It sounds a whole lot like the rhetoric of a war crime. Kind of like blowing up motorboats in the Caribbean with survivors clinging to debris. And without due process.

Furthermore, increased airstrikes increase the chances of losing more American personnel. 

Since Trump is a convicted felon, why is the military obeying his psychopathic orders anyway? Isn't this the time to invoke the Uniform Code of Military Justice? What am I missing here? The current assault on Iran – which has raised gas and food prices back home – has made the United States the aggressor nation. How do you feel about owning that title?

How is he still our president? 

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 The hostilities with Iran underline the administration's "manosphere" train of thought where men are in control. That misogynist muscle-flexing philosophy was illustrated earlier last week when clueless Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth announced that the U.S. military will test service members' testosterone levels. A service member will be advised to take hormone therapy, if needed.

But flu shots are optional. So are covid shots. So are most shots.

This kind of paints a picture of hyper-masculine men bearing arms who are coughing and wheezing their way to war. Only manly men need apply.

Government-sanctioned drugging also brings to mind the German armies of World War II, who were given generous amounts of Pervitin methamphetamine tablets to the point of addiction in order to help them stay awake and alert in wartime combat conditions. Many of those who became addicted to the stimulant also became over-aggressive, to the point of charging blindly into artillery and machine gun fire.

The manosphere. Pfft. Where do you park your paranoia?

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This should be simple enough, but if the Trump administration is involved, it's anything but.

The House of Representatives recently passed the oddly-named Sunshine Protection Act by an overwhelming vote of 308-117 to make daylight savings time permanent nationwide. The bill is now in the hands of the Senate, where it is finding difficulty moving forward.

Under DST, you get an hour more of daylight in the evening. That's good. More daylight for outdoor recreation, retail shopping and mood.

Under EST, you are more likely aligned with the sun as well as human circadian rhythms. That means there's a chance for better overall sleep, as well as lower rates of obesity and stroke. Yay. I raise my hand for EST.

Plus, about two-thirds of the planet's nations do not adjust for daylight savings. Neither does Hawaii or most of Arizona. We can't even get the whole country to agree on this.

And with our current Health and Human Services department bringing back measles, downplaying vaccinations and failing to clean our lettuce, why worry about strokes and obesity?

Dark times indeed. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Commie scum

Alright, children. Settle down.

Today's civic lesson lesson will be to tell the difference between communism and democratic socialism. 

According to Merriam-Webster, the definition of communism is: "a system where goods are owned collectively and are available to all members of society."

Democratic Socialism seeks to move away from capitalism through a multi-party democratic process.

The difference? Communism is based on the Marxist theory that seeks to establish a classless, stateless and moneyless society through the collective ownership of all economic production. 

Democratic socialism, on the other hand, embraces a highly regulated, capitalist free-market economy with high taxes to fuel a robust social safety net. It seeks universal healthcare in a single-payer system, living wages, free college education and wealth distribution

We need to discuss this because in the heat of the current political atmosphere, some ill-informed pundits and politicians are conflating communism with democratic socialism. For some reason, the convicted felon and adjudicated rapist President Trump thinks a resurrected 2026 version of McCarthy era Red Scare tactics will help the Republicans in the upcoming midterm elections.

That is sooo 1950s of him. But then, as he has shown us daily, he's a confused old man who is out of touch with the reality of the times. While he's calling Democrats communists, his closest international friends are Vladimir Putin, Xi Jinping and Kim Jong Un. Go figure.

While assailing the Democratic Party as dangerous communists, Trump has yet to identify a single communist.

Meanwhile, he is projecting again.

In the past year or so, the Trump administration has converted federal grants into direct equity stakes in private companies in such sectors as semiconductors, critical minerals and quantum technology. Wait, what? Government ownership of private businesses? Isn't that something like comm...???

Take a look. Some notable government equity holdings feature a 10 percent equity stake in semiconductor giant Intel, turning previously unspent  CHIPS Act subsidies into direct ownership. The government also holds an equity share in MP Materials, which deals in rare earth mining and processing. Then there is the U.S. Commerce Department making equity investments in several quantum technology companies.

Most telling of all, perhaps, is the government's "golden share" in U.S. Steel. Get this: the government now has veto power over specific corporate and supply-chain decisions made by the company.

In all, the government has spent $27 billion in equity stakes so far. 

What do you think farm subsidies are? Social Security actually has the word "social" in it. Where does Medicare come from?

Democratic socialism is in the fabric of American democracy. I once made an argument that Thomas Jefferson's Louisiana Purchase was a form of socialism whereby the government made a real estate purchase for the betterment of its people. It was so dicey even Jefferson had his doubts about the deal. But he made it anyway.

The Nordic states are the modern model for social democracy. They feature free trade, strong property rights, a business-friendly regulatory environment, labor protection with high unionization rates and collective bargaining and state-provided healthcare and childcare along with universal education.

It must be working pretty good. Nobody is calling each other "comrade." 

 

 

 

 

I declare...

Both Kim and I were having a little trouble getting cranked up for this year's Fourth of July celebration. It should have been easy. After all, this is the country's 250th birthday. That's pretty special.

But too much Donald Trump was getting in the way:

An unforced war with Iran. The detention and deportation of human beings – some, if not many of them legal citizens. But, hey, when you ignore due process, what does it matter? Inflation. Rogue police (ICE). The physical gutting of Washington DC landmarks, including the destruction of the East Wing of the White House for a grandiose ballroom that nobody asked for. A proposed arch that nobody asked for. An assault of voting rights with the incredibly stupid SAVE America Act.

It's all pretty embarrassing and it virtually sucks whatever pride you have in your country right out from the marrow of your bones.

So Kim and I wondered how we could celebrate with a joy we can't quite find.

Then Kim had a brainstorm.

Let's read the Declaration of Independence. Out loud. To each other. 

So we did. We got up Saturday morning, and a couple hours later, me made some time for ourselves. Kim lit a candle and placed it in the middle of our coffee table. Then I read the first of the document's 1,458 words: "In Congress, July 4, 1776. The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America.

"When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another..."

I kept reading to the part that famously said, "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness..."

I teared up at that point. My voice cracked. For a brief, sterling moment, I felt myself channeling Thomas Jefferson, hearing my own voice give provenance to his words.  "That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed..."

Wow. For the first time in world history, a true democracy (and a republic) was being formed. The declaration was personally directed at England's King George III – and not the British Parliament because the colonies didn't recognize Parliament's legal authority.

In other words, treason.

Kim continued our session. She was into the second half of the DOI (not DEI, although it is a document heavy with diversity, equity and inclusion. Consequently, it subsequently becomes one of the most un-American government policies ever for the Trump administration to disparage DEI. At least, that's what I think), which listed their grievances against the king and providing their reasons for declaring independence.

Here are some of those grievances. See if they don't apply in today's world. Maybe it'll help illustrate what today's protesters mean when they shout "No Kings!" in their righteous resistance:

• "He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good."

Trump refuses to sign into law the an affordable housing bill until his voter suppressive SAVE America act is passed. He's holding legislation hostage.

• "He has erected a multitude of New Offices and sent hither swarms of Officers to harass our people and eat out their substance."

DOGE? ICE?  Holy cow, the founders saw this 250 years ago?

• "He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the consent of our legislatures."

And...

• "He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil Power." 

Sounds like calling out the National Guard and the Marines to quell constitutionally permitted protests.

• "For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world."

What have Trump's tariffs done?

• "For depriving us in many cases, the benefits of Trial by Jury."

How many immigrants have been deported by ICE without due process?

• "He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us..."

Jan. 6.

• "He has endeavoured to prevent the population of these States, for the purpose of obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners, refusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither, and raising the conditions of new Appropriations of Lands."

The recent suspension of Temporary Protective Status comes to mind. So does the attack on the 14th Amendment and birthright citizenship.

Kim and I read on, both amazed at how current the 250 year old document had become. What goes around comes around? I don't know.

Kim finished with the inspiring "We, therefore, the Representatives of the United States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the Good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these United Colonies are, and of Right, ought to be FREE and INDEPENDENT STATES (the use of all caps emphasizes their voice and determination); that they are absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right to do. And for that support of this Declaration, with firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor."

That takes my breath away.

Kim and I then read, alternately, the names of each of the signers. There were 56 of them. One of them, Benjamin Franklin, was the only one who signed all four definitive documents that established the United States: The Declaration of Independence (1776); the Treaty of Alliance with France (1778); the Treaty of Paris (1783) and the United States Constitution (1787).

Kim and I looked at each other. In that singular moment, I don't think we ever had a better Fourth of July.