The President, the Economy, and Other Important Stuff

Let me begin by saying something that’s been apparent since President Biden took office on January 20, 2021. Everything our President knows about economics could be etched on the head of a pin with a jackhammer. Okay, that was a bit hyperbolic, but based on his political record during all those years as a senator from Delaware and as Barack Obama’s Vice President, Joe Biden really hasn’t learned very much. One suspects he’s been well-controlled by a team of handlers since he first ran for the U.S. Senate back in the early 1970s.

I’m not the only one who thinks ill of our President’s capabilities. Back in 2016, when Vice President Biden was competing for the Democrat nomination for President, his boss wasn’t too flattering about Joe’s abilities. An aide quoted Obama saying, “Don’t underestimate Joe’s ability to f**k things up.” Crude but revealing. Obama isn’t alone among those who know Joe well. As Robert Gates, President Obama’s defense secretary, once put it, Biden has “been wrong on nearly every major foreign policy and national security issue over the past four decades.” Judging by his actions during that past 20 months, Joe hasn’t changed. But yesterday, campaigning for a truly incompetent senatorial candidate in Pennsylvania, Obama and Biden stood on a stage hugging each other as Joe called those who disagreed with their far-left policies “idiots.”

But let me focus on the economy President Biden has given us. I’m not an economist. Although I took lots of economics courses in graduate school, they had little positive effect. I sat through courses in macroeconomics, microeconomics, and international economics. I even studied econometrics one quarter. I managed to get an A in that course, but I remember absolutely nothing, except that the professor was a bit creepy…but I won’t go into that. Heck, it was the early 70s, a time of ubiquitous creepiness. And yet, through it all, and with the help of a few books by Milton Friedman, Jude Wanniski, and Arthur Laffer, I actually learned a few things that have inexplicably remained in my aging brain. For example:

• The Law of supply and demand actually works. Ignore it at your peril.

• Inflation is caused by government and by no one else, because only government creates money. Inflation results from government printing too much money so it can spend lots of money. This leads to all that money chasing too few goods, so prices rise. But in a real sense inflation’s root cause is the demand by citizens for government largess. That’s right, folks, you and I are the real cause because too many of us love to receive “free money” from the government. The solution? Stop asking the government for expensive goodies, and instead tell the folks you elected to slow the increase in the quantity of money; that is, tell them to stop spending so much. After all, it’s not their money; it’s ours. And because the folks that create all that money always want more of it, they increase taxes, something that only makes things worse because it drives up the prices of goods and services. If you and I hope to see inflation drop, then, we must vote for politicians that intend to reduce spending and cut taxes. Nothing else will work.

• Speaking of taxes, here’s another truth: If you tax something, you will ultimately get less of it. Taxation is a cost to both producer and consumer. Taxation, then, has a significant effect on the basic law of supply and demand. If the government taxes something, its cost is reflected in the prices paid at every level. Demand then decreases, affecting supply.

• I’ve never been a believer in taxing businesses, for the simple reason that businesses really don’t pay taxes, at least, not as you and I do. I don’t mean they’re tax cheats, not at all. Like you and I, they write their checks to the U.S. Treasury. But if we take a close look at taxation, we’ll note the differences between businesses and individuals. When the government increases personal taxes, you and I can try to increase our income, but that’s not easy, at least not in the short term. Most often our only real alternative is to spend less by cutting back on our expenses, which has a negative effect on the economy. Businesses are different. If government increases their taxes, businesses look for ways to reduce production, equipment, and other variable costs, and seek means to increase sales. But they also take a hard look at their workforce. Cutting their workforce and expanding technology can be an effective means to lower costs. Increasing taxes on business, then, often leads to increased unemployment. But cost-cutting steps take time to implement, so businesses have only one other option: they raise prices, thereby passing on the increased cost of taxation to their customers. The result? Increased taxes on businesses are ultimately paid for by you and me because the stuff we buy costs more. Over-taxation of businesses and individuals, then, has both short- and long-term negative consequences.

• Energy is a key driver of modern economies. Drastic changes in energy production or energy sources will cause major disruptions to the nation’s economy. This is especially true when we try to replace highly reliable energy sources with far less reliable alternative sources. Clueless politicians simply do not understand or ignore the hidden costs, the national security implications, and the additional infrastructure demands that arise when they make major policy changes on such critical issues as energy.

Now these truths are neither accepted nor understood by our President. In fact, President Biden seems to believe that prosperity comes not from the free-market economy but from the government. This, to use one of the President’s favorite terms, is pure idiocy. A government-run economy is simply socialism; and socialism, whenever and wherever it has been tried, has failed miserably. To believe in socialism, then, is to be historically ignorant. In truth, to be a socialist is to be remarkably stupid. Okay, that’s a bit harsh. Only the useful idiots recruited by the hard-core socialists are the stupid ones. The hard core, the true believers, are well aware that socialism in all its forms does not bring about the paradise they promise. Unlike the useful idiots, they know the truth; and the truth is that socialism will give those in charge near unlimited power. And power is what they seek. Back in 1962 one of my professors at Georgetown, referring to the problems that plagued Ancient Greek democracy, said something I’ve never forgotten: “Power is sweetest when it is wielded secretly.” Perhaps behind the scenes at the White House there are a few folks savoring the sweetness of the power they have managed to acquire.

Watching and listening to our President, one senses there is a cadre of true believers who secretly run the show and set policy. Ideologically they obviously reside among the far left and have had no difficulty moving “moderate Joe” in their direction. They seem to have been less successful controlling our Commander-in-Chief during his public outings, hence the repeated gaffes and embarrassing senior moments. Even discounting his age, I think I can confidently predict that Joe Biden will be a one-term President.

Presidential Firearms

I’ll begin by admitting that like many Americans I own a few firearms. I’m not a hunter, but I enjoy target shooting thanks to a summer spent at Camp Adahi in Union, ME, back in 1954. It was there, as a 10-year-old, I first fired a gun. Several times a week we’d go to the outdoor firing range and shoot at targets with .22 rifles. I really enjoyed it, and also learned how to use firearms safely and responsibly. 

The lessons learned at Camp Adahi have served me well over the years. I realize, too, the vast majority of those who own firearms have learned these same lessons. They are law-abiding citizens who simply exercise their rights as guaranteed by the 2nd Amendment of the Bill of Rights. It’s also important to realize the 2nd Amendment wasn’t written to serve hunters and target shooters. The Founders had just fought and won a war of independence against the most powerful nation on earth. And they won because the people were armed and could fight against the army of a despotic ruler who chose tyranny over freedom. If we can learn one thing from history, it’s that tyrants always try first to disarm the people…something to remember.

Anyway, our current President speaks often of firearms, but sadly too much of what he says about them is not true. Some of these statements might result from simple ignorance since he seems to know little about guns. But other comments address information readily available, often from his own administration, and leads us to question his motives. Here are a few examples:

• In a recent speech in Wilkes-Barre, PA, the president claimed, “Back in 1994, I took on the NRA and passed the ‘assault weapons’ ban. For ten years, mass shootings we’re down.” He then added, “Republicans let that ban expire, and what happened? Mass shootings tripled.” But both statements are incorrect. In 2004 the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) of the Department of Justice concluded that no reduction in crime could be attributed to the assault weapons ban. Indeed, the NIJ report stated, “The ban’s effects on gun violence are likely to be small at best and perhaps too small for reliable measurement.” As for the tripling of mass shootings, here's the data. There were 31 mass shootings during the decade before the ban and 31 during the decade the ban was active. During the 10 years after it expired there were 47. Yes, there was in increase, but nowhere near a tripling. The increase has been attributed not only to population growth but, sadly, also to a growing lack of respect for both the law and traditional moral standards. 
• In the same speech President Biden also stated that “There is a mass shooting every single day in this country.” Given that the definition of a mass shooting comes from his own Department of Justice, this claim was very strange and very wrong. In truth, we experienced a total of 129 mass shootings during the 40 years between 1982 and 2022. So far this year we've had 7, and there certainly haven't been 365 during the past 12 months.  
• Speaking in Wilkes-Barre must have an odd effect on our president. He also claimed that “The bullet out of an AR-15 travels five times as rapidly as a bullet out of any other gun.” Oh, boy, I simply can’t imagine where he got this little gem that is so wrong it’s laughable. Depending on the ammunition and the particular A-15, the muzzle velocity might be as high as 3,000 feet per second, about the same as a rifle firing .30-06 ammunition. But, believe me, there are commercial rifles with muzzle velocities well above this, even above 4,000 fps. To claim an AR-15's muzzle velocity is five times that of any other gun is just absurd.
• The president also said, “The AR-15 just rips the body apart.” This, too, is absurd. The ammo used determines its effects and most AR ammo penetrates rather than expands, and even expandable hollow points don't “rip the body apart.”
• He said something similar when discussing 9mm ammunition, stating that a 9mm bullet will “blow the lung out of a body” — another absurdity. No 9mm bullet will blow the lung or any other major organ out of a body. But perhaps his confusion stems from another comment he made when he labeled 9mm firearms among “high-caliber weapons.” This also is hard to understand. A 9mm round is generally a pistol round and is certainly not among the largest pistol calibers. Yes, it's larger than a .22 but smaller than a .38, or a 10mm, or a .45. And virtually every rifle round would be considered more powerful than a 9mm.

I think that’s enough, but I find myself wondering why he would say these things. The only answer I can come up with is that he’s likely speaking to true believers, those on his side anyway. And like most of those who actively support “gun control” rather than “crime control,” they know very little about firearms. The president, then, can say whatever he likes and still be believed. The mainstream media, also avid gun-control supporters, could fact-check the president, but exposing his errors would work against their narrative, so why bother? 

What's Happened?

For Dear Diane and me April and May have been strange months. 

The first thing that happened was a car accident. I was sitting at a red light when pickup truck smashed into the back of my wonderful Kia Sorento. As it turned out, the other driver was uninsured and because of the extent of damage and the age of my car (2011), the insurance company had to total the Sorento...so sad. I really liked that car and took excellent care of it, hoping I could drive it for a few more years. Anyway, we had to get another car, so on Tuesday we went to a local Subaru dealer and leased a new Outback. It cost me far too much, both the up-front and monthly payments, but we took the plunge. The car is very nice, really too nice and too luxurious for us, and with far too many bells and whistles that will no doubt take me weeks to figure out. We had thought about getting either a Forrester or an Outback, but this was the only car of either model in their current inventory. Supply chain problems have also affected the automobile industry.

Then, last weekend, right after we left home for a weekend trip to Pensacola (Diane's hometown), we got a call from a neighbor telling us a large branch (actually, a very large branch) had broken off the huge live oak tree in our backyard and fallen on top of our roof. I don't believe there's any severe damage, but I won't know for sure until someone gets up there and checks it out. (I'm too old and too smart to do it myself.) Right now, I'm trying to get someone to look at everything and give me an estimate on branch and possibly tree removal. It's all very tiresome and I expect it will be expensive. 

Oh, yeah, I also broke a tooth and have to find a dentist that takes our insurance. As I said, strange times.

But then I realize how well we have it compared to so many others and all these personal worries and concerns just fade into the background. It's probably a lot easier for a retired couple like us to cope with all the problems the world has tossed our way. Today's younger generations must not only deal with a challenging economic situation, but also navigate society's moral decay and its effects on families. 

When we look at our economy, we find increasingly high inflation exacerbated by growing shortages of needed products including basic food items, baby formula, diesel fuel, equipment parts, almost everything. The supply chain problems likely resulted from the draconian COVID shutdowns of our economy, combined with the so-called Green New Deal and incentives that have kept people out of work. These policies -- along with continued massive spending by the Biden administration, the total lack of an energy policy that reflects reality, and a Fed that for too long has provided cheap money -- resulted in the gift of high inflation and a depressed stock market.

Society's moral decay is a whole other matter that must be fought through courageous action and prayer. I'm nearing the end of my life -- not real soon, I hope -- but young families today must be very worried about the future. My only advice is to hold tight and vote for those who are willing to fight legislatively for the soul of our nation. Vote, too, for those who actually understand the roots of inflation and its solution: tax cuts, less intrusive regulations, true energy independence, and most important, decreased government spending. We have survived similar periods -- just ask Jimmy Carter -- and we will survive this too, provided American voters don't go stupid on us and the current Congress practices a little restraint during the final months of 2022.

Pray for our nation.

The Most Violant

We hear a lot about violence today. The Left screams about the so-called violence of January 6 "insurrection" at the Capitol; although from what I've read, nobody who took part was armed, so I'm not sure how they intended to overthrow the government. Of course, the Right tries to shout just as loud about the far worse summer of violence by the thugs who carried out the violent and often deadly dirty work of BLM and Antifa in the streets of our cities. But the most violent Americans of all are those who support abortion. They encourage or actively take part in the slaughter of the most innocent human beings among us, and they do so with almost indescribable violence. If anyone actually saw what is done to an unborn child during an abortion, I don't know how they could possibly support this unspeakable act of violence.

Today on the news I saw several videos of large groups of pro-choice protesters attacking police officers. To put this into perspective, over the years I made probably ten trips to Washington, DC to take part in the annual March for Life in January. And I also attended several similar marches in Boston and here in Florida. During all these marches -- or "protests" as the media labels them -- I never saw any violence from the pro-life participants. In fact, the only violence I ever saw or experienced came from pro-abortion protestors who tried to interfere with the marches. They often threw objects, including bottles, at the marchers and always accompanied these acts with screams of profanity-laced insults. Even more amazing, I never saw a pro-lifer try to respond in kind. Yes, indeed, to be pro-abortion -- and, folks, if you call yourself "pro-choice," you know full well that you're really pro-abortion -- is also to be pro-violence.

When our ostensibly Catholic President blathers about the wonders of abortion and how the Supreme Court is trying to take away this "sacred right," all I can do (after I try to avoid getting sick to my stomach) is pray for his immortal soul. That he would utter such drivel, really a stream of blasphemies, and then receive Our Lord Jesus in the Eucharist...well, that is the ultimate blasphemy. Speaker Pelosi is no different, except she seems to be able to read her teleprompter a bit better than President Biden. In the end, though, she mouths the same talking points that try to change evil to good. And through their verbal attacks they encourage physical attacks. Just listen to their words.

Thank God for those five Supreme Court Justices who seem poised to overturn the unconstitutional and murderous Roe v. Wade decision of January 22, 1973. I believe the Left made a huge mistake by leaking that draft of the court's likely decision. Too many Americans are ignorant of what abortion really involves and what the Left hopes to achieve. This controversy will not only force the truth out into the open, but also show the nation the kind of violent people who support this evil. Of course, the decision would simply return to power to the states where it would be decided by legislators and executives who are elected by the people. 

The pro-life view is simple to state and easy to understand: 

1. Life is sacred. 

2. An unborn child is a human life, the most innocent of all human lives. 

3. Abortion, then, is nothing less than the intentional slaughter of an innocent human life. 

Pass it on.

Stupidity Running Wild

Boy, when the world goes crazy it tends to take a lot of folks along with it. 

For example, did you hear what John Kerry — former U.S. Senator from the Peoples Republic of Massachusetts and former Secretary of State under the incompetent Barack Obama — said today in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine? His words have to be the dumbest thing said by anyone today, and believe me, stupidity has been rampant. 

Anyway, Kerry, the cowardly medal hunter of the Mekong Delta, stated that “I hope that President Putin will help us stay on track with respect to what we need to do for the climate.” Can you believe it? He hopes not that Putin will reverse his horrendous aggression against Ukraine and its people, but that the ex-KGB Russian dictator will concern himself with imaginary global warming and the supposed effects of what is now euphemistically called “climate change.” 

The problem, of course, is that Mr. Kerry works for our president as his “special presidential envoy for climate.” The fact that he could make such idiotic comments and still keep his job, probably indicates the president agrees with him. Although given the president’s limited awareness of his surroundings, his special envoy’s comments might have escaped his attention. And I suspect none of his aides and advisors will fill him in.

President Putin has not only taken command of the invasion, but has also effectively taken command of NATO. If his words are taken literally, he seemingly threatened NATO with potential nuclear war if they do anything to oppose him. Other than issuing a bunch of weak sanctions, NATO and President Biden seem to have caved and realized they really don’t want to do anything that might lead to an escalation. After all, for decades the European members of NATO have relied on the deterrence provided largely by U.S. military power, while cutting their own defense budgets to the bone. Perhaps it’s time, as former President Trump made clear, for the Europeans to actually spend some Euros to defend themselves. 

It’s all about will, folks. Putin has shown he has the will to act, and I expect the Ukrainians to demonstrate their own will to defend themselves. Sadly, it is the United States and it’s traditional allies who seem to lack the will to resist in any meaningful way. The next few days and weeks should be interesting.

I also noticed that the Biden sanctions did not directly affect President Putin and his personal fortune of hundreds of millions of dollars scattered throughout many global financial institutions. Why not? Nor did Biden sanction the Russian central bank or use the Swiss bank sanction, the financial nuclear option. And remarkably, we are still buying oil and gas from Russia, and the administration plans no change to this. Could our president actually fear this tinpot dictator? Who knows? Maybe we should ask Hunter, who according to the president is the smartest man he knows.

Putin, Biden and their “Plans”

I see the Ukraine-Russian “crisis” as the catalyst for some really cool conspiracy theories. And I’ll admit, I’ve probably considered most of them, at least for a time. But given what’s been going on in Moscow and Washington — sadly, the EU nations are really irrelevant when it comes to serious matters — it’s apparent our president is totally clueless. 

Vladimir Putin is obviously in control of the entire event and all its weirdness, something that has led our president to talk a lot but do absolutely nothing. Yes, President Biden has moved a few additional troops into NATO nations, something that generated a laugh or two over vodka at the Putin dacha in Sochi on the Black Sea. And President Biden has threatened all kinds of things, seemingly horrendous sanctions, but none will be implemented unless and until Putin acts…maybe. And yet, at the same time, our president is not actively considering the implementation of the most effective sanctions, things like cutting off Russian banks from access to the West’s banking system or the closure of the Nord Stream 2 natural gas pipeline. In truth, the best sanctions would be for Europeans to cut themselves off from Russian oil and gas, but that’s highly unlikely. 

The very idea of preventative sanctions — i.e., sanctions to punish in advance of hostile actions, and the only kind that actually prevent — against someone who is threatening another country seems to be far beyond our president’s strategic thinking. Had I been in charge — something for which the American people have been happily spared — I would have left our advisors and trainers in western Ukraine, and wouldn’t have evacuated our embassy in Kiev. Their very presence would have given Putin pause. Of course, after the Afghanistan debacle, who knows? The administration apparently doesn’t care if Americans are slaughtered and is too cowardly to respond to attacks on American troops and civilians. I would also never reveal what we we intend to do or what we would never do. 

So, what’s the latest conspiracy theory? It’s that Biden and Putin are in cahoots. You see, according to this theory, Putin has all kinds of garbage on Joe Biden, some from his own security services and some from his new friends in China. It’s the kind of garbage that, at the very least, would evict Biden from the White House and, at worst, would send him and his not so very smart son to prison. What’s the scheme? Briefly, to do what they’ve already done. To make a very big deal out of this supposed invasion of Ukraine, but then…nothing. This way, Putin is able to get some desirable concessions from the feckless Europeans while President Biden promotes himself as the hero who single-handedly stopped the invasion of Ukraine. Interestingly, should Putin decide to invade anyway, he will likely avoid debilitating sanctions and make our president look rather foolish. For Putin, whatever he does is a win-win.

What a world! And just imagine what the Chinese are thinking, and planning, and will actually do.

Christmas Grinches: Secular and Ecclesial

I can't speak for anyone but myself, and the older I get the more apparent this becomes. I can't believe, however, that most people, certainly most Christians, would not agree with me as I challenge several rather important people who appear to delight in trying to make this season of joy almost joyless. To me such people epitomize the infamous Grinch of cartoon fame.

My first target happens to be the President of these United States, Joe Biden. That's right, the President, speaking to the American people the other day, threatened some of them with a "severe winter of illness and death" from the Omicron strain of the COVID virus. I find this particularly interesting since so far, worldwide, only one person with Omicron has died, and that person was in the UK. In fact, to our knowledge they didn't die from the virus but from other causes and happened to test positive with Omicron. Most people infected with Omicron have very mild cases that resemble a bad cold. And yet, the power-hungry just continue to create fear and panic among the population, forcing businesses, schools, and government offices to close. Yes, it will indeed be a severe winter and those we have elected, aided by the bureaucrats, will ensure it's as severe as they can make it.

Here's a video of President Biden's little pep talk from the other day:  

https://youtu.be/A4IPfBWN-rQ

As I heard Joe Biden lecture us on the dangers of Omicron, and the bleak winter we will face, I couldn't help but recall a wonderful scene from one of my favorite movies, "Groundhog Day." If you saw the movie, I'm sure you remember how Phil, the weathermen, offered his equally glum prediction of winter. Here's a link to a brief video:

https://youtu.be/vBeGQAvabOE

Sadly, the other Grinch is a Catholic bishop in Sicily, Bishop Antonio Stagliano of the diocese of Noto, who told a group of children that Santa Claus does not exist. His intent, apparently, was to reinforce the religious meaning of Christmas and lessen its commercial aspects. 

Unfortunately, I think the good bishop went about it in a way that only damaged the innocence of children and infuriated their parents. He could have (should have) focused on Santa's origins, the kindly and charitable Saint Nicholas, Bishop of Myra in 4th-century Asia Minor, who is still with us in the Mystical Body of Christ, encouraging us to follow his example of care for those in need. 

As a result of the bishop's comments, the diocese was forced to apologize and "spin" what the bishop actually said. Maybe on Christmas Eve he should put on a Santa suit (which, by the way, he said was a product of Christmas commercialization by the Coca Cola Company) and visit the poor children of his diocese armed with gifts.

Here's a link to the video explaining all this:

https://youtu.be/dsRyPzf9Hkc

In the meantime, with only six shopping or, rather, six joyful praying and giving days until Christmas, have a blessed, peaceful, Grinch-less Holy Day.

Politicians, Truth, and Hypocrisy

Politicians are a unique breed, especially those who turn politics into a lifelong career. And don’t you just love those pols who speak of their dedicated career of “public service” when we all know their true goal is their re-election? I’ll admit, we all sometimes place our own needs over the needs of those we serve, but politicians seem to have turned this into a true science. They assume — too often, correctly — that we voters will forget their past indiscretions and self-indulgence and instead focus only on the government funds tossed our way. But their most serious sin, at least from my perspective, is their blatant hypocrisy. 

Things might be changing, though. We the People are starting to awaken to the fact that politicians are supposed to represent us, our beliefs, our values, and our need to live free.  Just look at President Biden's current support. Citizens have begun to recognize and resent all the hypocrisy and all the lies. Here’s a very recent example that has generated a lot of comment:

___________________

The other day President Biden, in response to the identification of a new COVID variant, which arose in and is now spreading throughout much of southern Africa, issued a travel ban. Here is his tweet informing us of his decision:

“The WHO has identified a new COVID variant which is spreading through Southern Africa. As a precautionary measure until we have more information, I am ordering air travel restrictions from South Africa and seven other countries.”  [2:38 PM.  Nov 26, 2021]

This seems a reasonable decision, as the president said, “until we have more information.” But how many Americans recall candidate Biden’s reaction when President Trump issued similar bans back in early 2020? On January 31, 2020, President Trump declared a public health emergency because of the COVID-19 pandemic and temporarily restricted travel from China, where the virus originated. The very next day Joe Biden attacked President Trump by tweeting the following:

“We are in the midst of a crisis with the coronavirus. We need to lead the way with science — not Donald trump’s record of hysteria, xenophobia, and fear-mongering. He is the worst possible person to lead our country through a global health emergency. [5:01 PM.  Feb 1, 2020]

In that same month, when President Trump added travel restrictions from several African and Asian nations — Nigeria, Myanmar, Kyrgyzstan, Eritrea, Sudan, and Tanzania — the Democrats declared the president’s decision was “driven by hate.” Candidate Biden’s tweet was particularly interesting in light of his current actions:

“Trump further diminished the U.S. in the eyes of the world by expanding his travel ban. This new ‘African Ban’ is designed to make it harder for black and brown people to immigrate to the United States. It’s a disgrace, and cannot let him succeed.” [10:16 PM   Feb 1, 2020]

The same day Kamala Harris hopped on the “Trump’s a racist” bandwagon by tweeting: 

“Trump’s extended Un-American travel ban undermines our nation’s core values. It is clearly driven by hate, not security.” [5:16 PM   Feb 1, 2020]

About a month later, on March 11, 2020, President Trump suspended travel from Europe, hoping to slow the spread of the virus. Once again, on the very next day, candidate Biden responded with:

“A wall will not stop the coronavirus. Banning all travel from Europe — or any other part of the world — will not stop it. This disease could impact every nation and any person on the planet — and we need a plan to combat it.” [8:05 PM   Mar 12, 2020]

“...impact every nation and any person…” Did I detect a little fear-mongering in there? 

Of course, Speaker Nancy Pelosi had to join the fray and label President Trump a cruel, bigoted, biased, callous person whose actions must be unconstitutional. Her actual statement is worth repeating:

“The Trump Administration's expansion of its outrageous, un-American travel ban threatens our security, our values and the rule of law. The sweeping rule, barring more than 350 million individuals from predominantly African nations from traveling to the United States, is discrimination disguised as policy.

“America's strength has always been as a beacon of hope and opportunity for people around the world, whose dreams and aspirations have enriched our nation and made America more American. With this latest callous decision, the President has doubled down on his cruelty and further undermined our global leadership, our Constitution and our proud heritage as a nation of immigrants.

“In the Congress and in the Courts, House Democrats will continue to oppose the Administration's dangerous anti-immigrant agenda. In the coming weeks, the House Judiciary Committee will mark-up and bring to the Floor the NO BAN Act to prohibit religious discrimination in our immigration system and limit the President's ability to impose such biased and bigoted restrictions. We will never allow hatred or bigotry to define our nation or destroy our values.”

Okay, what are the odds any Democrat, or any member of the mainstream media, will even hint that Joe Biden’s travel ban, aimed exclusively at Africans south of the Sahara, might be slightly hypocritical or worse, a racist policy designed to restrict immigration of black people? 

CDC Advice on Hurricanes.

Understand up front that I am all for getting vaccinated against COVID. Diane and I received our two Moderna shots back in February and March, and survived the process. Unless people have serious health issues that argue against receiving the vaccine, I’m sure their doctors would encourage them to go ahead and get the shots. For most adults getting vaccinated is far safer than getting COVID. I do not, however, agree with vaccine mandates or any similar coercive measures by government agencies, whether local, state, or federal. Such health decisions should not be made by politicians and government bureaucrats, but rather by individuals in consultation with their doctors. 

The bureaucrats at the CDC would, of course, like the federal government to require all to be vaccinated. Presumably those who refuse should be punished in some significant way. Driven by this mindset, and lacking a universal mandate, they apparently grasp at the irrational, anything they believe will motivate the unvaccinated. Their latest pronouncement is timed to the current hurricane season and includes the CDC’s advice on preparing for a hurricane. The first and presumably most important item on their list:

• Get a COVID-19 vaccine as soon as you can. COVID-19 vaccines help protect you from getting sick or severely ill with COVID-19 and may also help protect people around you.

The pronouncement continues by listing the standard advice on hurricane preparation of the sort published by emergency agencies and widely available elsewhere. (You can read the entire CDC announcement here.) I suppose the CDC really isn’t telling us the COVID vaccine will protect us from hurricanes. They probably just hoped to find another way to demand the unvaccinated comply. Of course, the other question: How many people would actually turn to the Center for Disease Control for advice on hurricane preparations? One person who apparently did check with the CDC in advance of the current storm is the President. On Sunday evening he issued a warning to those in Henri’s path. Rather than telling them to make the usual storm preparations, he focused on COVID: 

“To those in Henri’s path: Don’t forget that you may need to seek shelter while we’re still battling COVID-19 and the Delta variant…So wear a mask and try to observe social distancing…And to everyone across the country, don’t get caught by the next storm. Get vaccinated now.”

So comforting to find the President and the CDC of one mind. At least someone in his administration agrees with him.

Joe Biden, the Neighbor

It’s hard to believe a president could do so much in so short a time to set our nation on a course to disaster. If you think I’m just expressing a little hyperbole, believe me I’m not. Things have become so critical I have concluded we might well have passed the point of no return, and that, dear friends, is the intention of the president and the puppeteers who control him. 

My understanding of Joe Biden began to take form years ago. Let me pass along the catalyst for this emerging opinion. Over 35 years ago, during my consulting days, I was conducting some management training for a group of sales and marketing managers, among them a executive for a major chemical company. During one of our evening “happy hours,” as our conversation turned to politics, this executive laughed and said, “My immediate neighbor is Senator Joe Biden, and I’ve gotten to know him just because he’s my neighbor. He’s also one of the stupidest men I know.” He went on to describe several casual interactions with his neighbor, the senator. The stories were not about Joe Biden’s politics — that wasn’t the man’s concern — but rather the things he said and did in those normal interpersonal activities in which people engage. I’ve never forgotten his final comment: “The man just lacks basic common sense. I expect he has some very good handlers.” 

At the time, I’ll admit, I’d barely heard of Joe Biden, but over time I paid more attention to the man and came to understand and accept what his neighbor had told me so long ago. It was reinforced during Joe Biden’s years as Obama’s Vice President and confirmed during the 2020 campaign. Those same handlers made good use of COVID and locked Joe away in his basement so he could say or do nothing too damaging. His campaign then focused not on the Joe Biden of 2020, but on his past “stability” and how only this man could cure the divisiveness in Washington and the nation, a divisiveness, we were told, caused by the Trump presidency. Since his inauguration…we’ll, I’ll you decide how effective our president has been. 

Will President Biden still be president in 2024, when the American people get to vote once again for a president. Eight months ago, back in December 2020, I made a prediction that the president would not last two years in office. (Here’s the link: Strange Times, Stranger Thoughts) Such predictions are probably foolish and to repeat them even more so, but what the heck! I don’t know how the Vegas odds-makers view Joe Biden’s longevity as president, but it would be interesting to see if they agree with me.

Beyond Incompetence

There is so much wrong with the implementation of President Biden’s "plan" for the exit of our military forces from Afghanistan that one suspects it was a plan devoid of any planning. His so-called plan ignored or contradicted the very basics of conducting military operations and diplomacy. Indeed it is hard to believe the leadership of our defense and state departments could sign on to such an utterly incompetent plan.The only other possibility is one no American wants to believe: that the results we have all witnessed were actually desired. In other words, all was done with intent not through incompetence. Sadly I’ve come to believe this might well be true.

It’s highly unlikely the president actually crafted this plan. First of all he’s not smart enough to put together even such a disastrous strategy. Perhaps his remarkably artistic son, Hunter, devised the plan. After all, Hunter and the Biden family have reaped the benefits of his extensive global connections. And did his dad not call him “the smartest man I know?” The truth is, a growing number of Americans are asking whether Joe Biden, unlike his son, is simply stupid or well on his way to complete senility. Then again maybe he actually is the supreme planner, and his handlers have been unable to take control. But when we see the fruits of the president’s actions, from a geopolitical perspective it would seem he’s focused on aiding our enemies, specifically Communist China with whom, coincidentally, many of his most senior advisors also have long-standing personal and financial relationships. It’s all a mess.

To make matters worse, the rest of the president’s team are mostly hacks, a collection of fawning toadies who don’t have the courage to tell him his ideas are sheer idiocy. If the Secretary of Defense and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs actually advised the president to maintain a significant troop presence or disaster would follow, and if he rejected their counsel, they should have resigned immediately. But like far too many senior officers today, they are mere politicians who care far more for their own careers than they do for their country. I know, harsh words. But in all those years I spent as an officer in the U. S. Navy, I got to know many flag officers. Most were true warriors, men of honor, unlike today’s batch of woke “leaders” who deserve no respect.

There are just so many things wrong with all that’s happened…

Was our intelligence so bad that we not only underestimated the strength and tactical capabilities of the Taliban but also overestimated that of the Afghan government forces? Did it completely overlook the effect of our military’s precipitous departure on the morale of Afghan troops? Was the anticipated timeline of the subsequent chaos completely wrong? Or was our intelligence solid but simply ignored by the Commander in Chief? I suspect a sad combination of all.

Why on earth did we not prioritize the extraction of American citizens, Afghan special visa people, and their families? There appears to have been no plan to handle this rather large task prior to pulling our troops out of the country. And now the entire process is bogged down by the red tape of State Department bureaucracy and the scarcity of competent personnel to process the folks trying to leave. Yesterday both the Department of Defense and the State Department admitted they “had no idea” how many American citizens are in Afghanistan trying to get out. In other words, they did absolutely no planning once the decision was made to leave the country. 

The British and French are sending their special ops folks into Kabul to extract their citizens, but yesterday our Secretary of Defense stated we are not able to do this same. Are we unable, or have our forces been prohibited by their incompetent, cowardly senior commanders and commander in chief from doing so?  I can guarantee that our special ops troops would be happy to accept this mission. It’s what they do. They simply need the complete support of a Commander in Chief who would be willing to explain the consequences of interference to the Taliban.  

We’ve also been told that F18s from the USS Ronald Reagan have been overflying Kabul. I suppose the big question is, why? General Taylor of the JCS stated they are there to provide air support for the ground commander. How can they do so in an urban environment in which the Taliban are completely enmeshed in the civilian population? Do we think the Taliban fighters are afraid of these aircraft? It would seem the F-18s are flying simply because we have them and we might as well show everyone we can get them to Kabul. ”…a prudent and responsible thing to do,” according to Admiral Kirby. They might have been useful if we had not abandoned the airbase at Bagram; but since our only presence now is within the small perimeter at Kabul’s Hamid Karzai Airport, it would seem their purpose is largely psychological.

And then there’s the billions of dollars worth of U.S. military equipment now in the blood-soaked hands of terrorists. Recent reports indicate they now possess over 40 aircraft, including Black Hawk attack helicopters, upwards of 2,000 armored vehicles, high-tech drones, night-vision equipment, over a half-million infantry weapons, and so much more. Tomorrow’s Al Qaeda will be one of the best equipped and armed pack of terrorists we’ve ever had to face, thanks to President Biden’s feckless plan.

I could go on…the shameful way the President treats American citizens, as well as our allied partners; the constant lies about Taliban brutality toward those trying to leave; the President’s avoidance of the media and the American people as he hides out at Camp David and in Delaware…and so much more, but It just makes me ill to relate it. 

Of course, if the pressure within his own party forces him to leave office we’ll be left with Kamala who rushed off to Saigon, probably watching videos of our shameful departure in 1975. So many ironies, but so very, very sad.

The United Nations Human Rights Council

Did you catch the latest? I expect you did. Anthony Blinken, the Secretary of State — yes, that’s our Secretary of State — has asked the United Nations Human Rights Council to visit the good ol’ systemic racist USA and investigate how badly we treat minorities, in particular our black Americans.

Yes, indeed, the nation that twice elected a black American as president, that currently has a black American vice president, that offers black Americans the highest standard of living in the world for people of their race, is considered by some the most racist nation on the planet. And, of course, we would hope the United Nations, the most corrupt global organization that has ever existed, will pass a fair and public judgment on us. I’m sure the Secretary of State is especially pleased that the membership of the UN Human Rights Council includes such human rights stalwarts as Communist China, Russia, Cuba, Venezuela, Pakistan, and so many other nations that imprison and slaughter the less desirable elements of their populations; i.e., those who disagree with their governments.

Encouraging our Secretary of State is the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet (of Chile), who has called on the United States to reform our nation’s criminal justice system and give reparations for the descendants of enslaved Africans. In her words, "I am calling on all States to stop denying, and start dismantling, racism; to end impunity and build trust; to listen to the voices of people of African descent; and to confront past legacies and deliver redress," Gee, I thought we kinda did that in the Civil War in which over 600,000 Americans died in the midst of this effort to end the evil of slavery. 

Bachelet wasn’t finished, though, and added the following: "Systemic racism  needs a systemic response. There needs to be a comprehensive rather than a piecemeal approach to dismantling systems entrenched in centuries of discrimination and violence. We need a transformative approach that tackles the interconnected areas that drive racism, and lead to repeated, wholly avoidable tragedies like the death of George Floyd."

And then, in support of Black Lives Matter, the black supremacist, Marxist, terrorist organization, she added: "The Black Live Matter movement and other civil society groups led by people of African descent have provided grassroots leadership through listening communities. They are also providing people with the necessary agency and empowerment that enables them to claim their human rights. Such efforts should receive funding, public recognition and support."

BLM a "listening community?" I have to hand it to them because it must be hard to listen when you're burning down a city and looting a Walmart. And don’t you just love to hear corrupt U.N. bureaucrats tell us how evil we are? Oh, then she has the chutzpah to order us to support these domestic terrorist organizations with taxpayer funds! Not surprisingly, our Secretary of State, and presumably his boss, President Biden, agree with her. As Blinken tweeted: “Responsible nations must not shrink from scrutiny of their human rights record. Rather, they should be transparent with the intent to grow and do better. That is why I'm announcing a formal invitation for @UN Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism to visit the U.S.”

I don’t know about you, but I can hardly wait to hear what the communist and Islamist murderers and slavers have to say about the flaws inherent in our constitutional, representative republic. In the meantime the communist government of China is committing genocide against the Uyghar Muslims and the communist government of Cuba is arresting, beating, and killing Cubans who dare to protest the slavery under which they must live. Maybe their members on the Human Rights Council will be too busy handling matters at home.

One can only believe that Mr. Blinken and his boss are either fools or traitors. We'll give them the benefit of the doubt and assume they're just being a bit foolish. This, sadly, is the kindest thing we can say about them.

Marxists, Socialists, Communists, Liars, Haters, Disrupters, Purveyors of Chaos, Totalitarians

The title of this post consists of a series of words, synonyms really. Each describes the left of our country, which sadly, has commandeered the very core of the Democrat Party. Their ultimate goal is power and the primary means to achieve this is the destruction of our constitutional, representative republic. If you don't believe this, you are grossly misinformed, simply foolish, or invincibly ignorant.

I've probably already upset a few people, but I really don’t care. I’m sick of listening to the lies emanating from a corrupt media and from even more corrupt politicians, especially from the so-called “squad” and from our puppet-like president. Does anyone really believe these people are smart enough to understand the ultimate ends of the policies they espouse? They are perfect examples of Lenin’s “useful idiots” who do exactly as they are told, and later become expendable. Yes, the great unifying candidate has become the great dividing president who does the bidding, as best he can, of the committed leftists that surround and handle him and of the foreign powers that have bought their way into the Biden family’s graces. 

Marxism, in all its manifestations, never changes. The socialist, the so-called democratic socialist, the communist — they all believe the same monstrous ideology, all seek the same outcome, all accept the same tactics, and all desire one thing: power. Only the names they hide behind change, all in an effort to appeal to those who must be convinced, either to vote for them or to accept without resistance their revolutionary grab for power. Just look at the record. The Soviet Union, Communist China, Cuba, Vietnam, North Korea, and all the rest followed the same path to power, a path littered with the bodies of those who dared to resist. These were not revolutions by the people. Each was a coup carried out by a relatively small group of committed, violent ideologues. For the Marxist, hatred between races and classes, disruption of the normalcy of civil society, undermining a nation's religious and historic foundation, chaos in the streets are all desirable. They create the crises needed to consolidate power. Should a people be foolish enough to vote a socialist government into power, as for example in Venezuela, they will never be permitted to vote them out of office. Once it seizes power, the Marxist state always fails its people and turns their nation into a poverty-stricken slave state. Marxists must become totalitarians because that is the only way they can maintain their power.

It’s happening here…right now. Note how the Biden administration welcomes all who cross our southern border and then resettles them throughout the country. That these immigrants enter the country in violation of federal law means nothing to an administration that simply ignores the law. Any attempt to change the law would hurt them politically, so they act as if the law doesn’t exist. These immigrants, of course, are rewarded with cash, housing, and a plethora of government assistance, including promises of quick citizenship so they will vote for those who let them in. 

Contrast DHS policy regarding our southern border with yesterday’s statement by the DHS Secretary. He warned the Cuban people not to try to make their way to the United States or they will be sent back to Cuba. Our borders are indeed open, but only for the right kind of people. Cubans, who for 62 years have suffered under a murderous, totalitarian, communist regime, are not welcome here because we all know they vote for the “wrong” kind of politicians. They will vote for freedom not more enslavement. Instead of welcoming these people, instead of supporting those who courageously resist communist tyranny, our government turns its back on them. According to the Biden administration, the Cuban people are upset not because of communist tyranny but because of COVID and our policy of sanctions against Cuba. The lies continue.

Note, too, how the protests in Cuba have resulted only in deafening silence from the far left of the Democrat Party. For years they have praised Cuba as a showcase of progressive ideology. Cuba has such wonderful healthcare, they tell us. But when we ask Cubans we hear something very different. Even with support from Russia, China, and many other nations, healthcare for the Cuban people hasn’t changed much since Fidel came to power in 1959. And, of course, Cuba’s famous literacy program, so highly touted by people like President Obama, ensured the people could read Fidel’s speeches and those of his successors, but little else. Trust me, and if you don’t trust me, trust those who left Cuba and escaped to this country, Cuba is no workers’ paradise. It’s been a slave state for decades and remains so today.

The Marxist left has captured most of the media, almost all of academia, certainly the entertainment industry, and far too many politicians. They hope to federalize the entire election system, create division in schools and families by means of Critical Race Theory, weaken our national defense, create a population dependent on federal largess, and so much more. 

Like the people of Hungary in 1956, the people of Czechoslovakia in 1968, the people of Poland in 1980, the people of Hong Kong and Cuba today, we should be willing to follow the lead of these courageous people and be prepared to resist those trying to take control of our nation and destroy our God-given freedoms.  

I, for one, intend to resist if necessary. I am not a martyr and have no intention of becoming one. God, of course, might have different intentions but I’ll leave that to Him. I am not of the school, one popular among many Catholics, that teaches active resistance to evil is not a valid option for the faithful. The Church, of course, teaches exactly the opposite. If my family and its freedom are threatened by those committed to the destruction of our nation, I not only have the right, but also the obligation, the responsibility, to resist using appropriate means. The Catechism of the Catholic Church states this clearly: “Legitimate defense can be not only a right but a grave duty for one who is responsible for the lives of others” [CCC, 2265]. If you don’t believe you are at least partially responsible for defending those who depend on you, you might want to reconsider that belief.

Here We Go...

Our new president has been in office for 120 or so days, so maybe it’s time to take a look at the nation and see what’s happened on Joe Biden’s watch. 

Let's look first at the job situation and the statistics for April. According to the Department of Labor, there were 8.1 million job openings which, by the way, is an all-time record. The companion statistic relates to the number of jobs filled, and was a paltry 266,000, far short of the one million expected by the “experts.” 

I actually expected something like this simply because I have never seen so many small and mid-sized businesses with “Help Wanted” signs taped to their windows and doors. I’ve noticed this here in Florida and we saw the same thing on a recent trip to rural Georgia. Stores, restaurants, bars, contractors, gas stations, supply companies...the signs are everywhere. 

Business owners and managers all attribute the labor shortage to the extraordinary unemployment benefits now being paid to those who are out of work. As one owner told me, “People who make less than 40 or 50 grand would be fools to take a job. They get as much or more with unemployment, and get to stay home.” Thanks to President Biden, those benefits will continue into September, despite a booming economy. Interestingly, the Secretary of Commerce said, “The reason people aren’t getting back to work is fear.” She apparently presumes that Americans are afraid to return to the workplace because of COVID, even though anyone can now get vaccinated easily. 

And then there’s the rest of the economy. If you lived through the Carter years, you’ll remember inflation and how thrilled you were to get a 16% mortgage. Well, today the Consumer Price Index popped up at an equivalent annual rate of about 7%. And the Dow? It  dropped over 1,000 points in two days. If you live in the southeast, you might have noticed the long lines at gas stations because of the hacking of the Colonial Pipeline by a group of Russian criminals. They are indeed criminals but our smart spooks know they’re also supported by the GRU, Russian military intelligence. The President, of course, is taking a hands-off approach since he really doesn’t care much for pipelines. 

Under President Trump we achieved American energy independence, but during this pipeline crisis, we’ve had to buy gasoline from Canada. Guess who the Canadians buy much of their oil from? You got it...Russia. Gas prices today are at the highest level since 2014. 

Almost 50 years ago, when I was in graduate school I took a few courses in macroeconomics and microeconomics and learned all kinds of wonderful things about supply, demand, inflation, and other boring stuff. But based on the little I still remember, I expect inflation to continue and stick around for a while. 

The problem is, when the government gives lots of money to people and then tells them not to work, we end up with a bunch of folks who produce nothing but have real purchasing power. And then, when that same government hammers those who actually produce goods and services by subjecting them to higher taxes, you get even far fewer goods. The result? Lots of money chasing fewer goods, so prices rise and we get inflation.

Interest rates anticipate all this and will likely last for quite some time. The value of assets will drop. Major tax increases will probably, but not surprisingly, lead to less tax revenue. And while all this is going on, the Fed will continue increasing the money supply and buying bonds. Combine all of this with the administration’s wild spending and destructive energy decisions, and the long-term effects can be disastrous. 

Keep your eye on interest rates and the price of gold, then watch out for the crash of the dollar. We just might see a return to the ugly economy of 1979. Fortunately, I'm pretty poor and have nothing to invest, so I really don’t have to worry too much about all this. 

Of course, all of this ignores the chaos on our southern border as well as the administration’s weak foreign policy and the apparent abandonment of our only real ally in the Middle East, Israel. This week Hamas launched over 1,000 rockets from Gaza into Israel. And who supplied them with these weapons? Iran, the same terrorist nation to whom we gave a billion or more in cash thanks to the firm of Obama, Biden, and Kerry.

Iran is testing President Biden in Israel and doing the same with its Revolutionary Guard gunboats. This week 12 Iranian gunboats swarmed 6 U.S. ships and a submarine in the Strait of Hormuz. Our response? Warning shots. So long as we respond in weakness, they will act with increasing aggression.

None of this even considers our two greatest enemies whom Joe Biden considers mere competitors: Russia and Communist China, who by the way are both supplying weapons to Iran. 

How did the old curse go? May you live in interesting times.

President Biden: Devout Catholic?

Let’s get one thing straight right from the start: President Joe Biden is NOT a devout Catholic, even though he obviously wants White House press secretary Jen Psaki to describe him as one whenever his faith is questioned. Yes, the man who likes to show us the Rosary beads in his pocket quite obviously wants us to believe this lie. Wouldn’t you love to hear a reporter ask the president to name the five sorrowful (or glorious, or joyful, or luminous) mysteries of the Rosary? Are we really supposed to believe he prays the Rosary daily? I think it especially telling that back in 2005, when he was testing the waters for a 2008 presidential run, Joe Biden stated, “If I’m the nominee, Republicans will be sorry. The next Republican that tells me I’m not religious I’m going to shove my rosary beads down their throat.” 

How does the Church put it? “Lex orandi, lex credendi.” To paraphrase: the law of prayer determines the law of belief. Joe Biden’s prayer life should, then, lead him to an acceptance of the deposit of faith. One need only observe his actions and listen to his words and it becomes obvious he considers the magisterial teaching of the Catholic Church, the manifestation in today’s world of the deposit of faith, as meaningless. He rejects Church teaching on abortion, on homosexuality, on sexual identity, on marriage, on First Amendment rights, and a slew of other issues. And what is most concerning, at least to some of our bishops, is his willingness to exclaim that his positions are perfectly OK for a practicing, “devout” Catholic.  

The U.S. bishops, who join together as the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB.org), intend to examine the president’s anti-Catholic stance on these and so many other issues during their June meeting. Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone of San Francisco is particularly concerned. In his words, “There’s a growing sense of urgency. Abortion is not just one among many important issues...It is a direct attack on human life.” Indeed it is. The Archbishop wants Catholics like President Biden to “understand the scandal that is caused when they say they are faithfully Catholic and yet oppose the Church on such a basic concept.” Three cheers for the Archbishop. In the same way, Archbishop Joseph Naumann of Kansas City said that “we bishops have the responsibility to correct him” for calling himself a “devout Catholic” while he opposes the Church on virtually all life and marriage issues. He added that Biden, because of his prominent prominent position, “is usurping the role of the bishops and confusing people.”

Let us pray that the all the bishops have the courage to do what is right and take the president to task, along with all those other nominally Catholic politicians who arrogantly flaunt the Church’s and the Holy Spirit’s teaching. They need to be reminded that they not only endanger their own salvation, but also that of those whom they influence. Unfortunately, the two bishops who have jurisdiction in Wilmington, Delaware and Washington, D.C., the dioceses where the president usually worships, have both indicated they have no problem with the president receiving the Eucharist in their churches. Perhaps it would be helpful for the faithful in those dioceses to send a respectful letter to Bishop W. Francis Malooly of Wilmington and Cardinal Wilton Gregory of Washington and urge them to follow the lead of Pope Benedict XVI who, when he was prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith wrote:

“Regarding the grave sin of abortion or euthanasia, when a person’s formal cooperation becomes manifest (understood, in the case of a Catholic politician, as his consistently campaigning and voting for permissive abortion and euthanasia laws), his Pastor should meet with him, instructing him about the Church’s teaching, informing him that he is not to present himself for Holy Communion until he brings to an end the objective situation of sin, and warning him that he will otherwise be denied the Eucharist. When these precautionary measures have not had their effect or in which they were not possible, and the person in question, with obstinate persistence, still presents himself to receive the Holy Eucharist, the minister of Holy Communion must refuse to distribute it. This decision, properly speaking, is not a sanction or a penalty. Nor is the minister of Holy Communion passing judgment on the person’s subjective guilt, but rather is reacting to the person’s public unworthiness to receive Holy Communion due to an objective situation of sin.”

 That says it all...

Coronavirus and other stuff

Do you realize the chance of spreading or contracting COVID-19 while outdoors enjoying God’s gift of fresh air and sunshine is, according to the CDC, just about zero (less than one-hundredth of one percent). And interestingly, the self-described smart people who enjoy telling us how to live the details of our lives have known this for many, many months, probably since April 2020. This is why I have never worn a face mask when outdoors, and why I never will. Since I have been vaccinated, and received my second Moderna shot over a month ago, I don a mask indoors only when a business or organization demands I do so. After all, it’s their property and if it makes them happy, okay, I’ll comply, even though it’s idiocy. As a form of mild protest, I have started to seek out businesses that actually follow the science and realize vaccinated people are not a threat to others. As our enlightened Governor Ron DeSantis stated: “If you been vaccinated, act like it!”  I am so happy I live in Florida. Our president, though, lives in the nation’s most corrupt city, Washington, D.C. Because he is old, almost two years older than me, he too has been vaccinated. And yet he apparently wears his mask wherever and whenever there’s a camera to capture his image, even when he’s on a video call with other world leaders. “It sets an example,” someone in the administration remarked. But what kind of example? Does he hope to convince the leaders of other nations that Americans are fools, or at best led by one? It would seem so. 

Hot news flash! Actually two flashes! The first, President Biden told us today that if you’re vaccinated, being outside without a mask is okay with him...unless you’re in a group, then you’d better ignore your common sense and wear a mask. Too late and too little, Mr. President. You and the CDC are still waaay behind the science. Oh, how the power hungry just love to keep control of people. It’s time to revert to normality and live our lives as we’d like. Interestingly, as the President walked across the lawn to the podium to deliver his message that masks were no longer needed outdoors, he was wearing a mask. Ah, well, maybe he should join the rest of us here in The Villages. He’s certainly old enough. The other flash: I just read that our esteemed Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, will permit President Biden to speak to a semi-virtual joint meeting of Congress this week without wearing his mask. The fact that our congressional leaders still require their members to wear masks, despite the fact they’ve all been vaccinated, is more than ludicrous. But I suppose it helps advance the “we’re got the power, peasants, and don’t ever forget it” syndrome. Whatever happened to the founders’ belief that the people are sovereign, not the government formed to do the people’s will?

By the way, speaking of Nancy Pelosi — the “I’m a devout Catholic” politician who rejects Church teaching — did you happen to catch a rather interesting statistic? In San Francisco, the city she represents in the U.S. Congress, a total of 257 San Franciscans died as a result of coronavirus. But during the same period 713 of the city’s citizens died of drug overdoses. And also during this same period we have spent trillions on coronavirus and relatively little on fighting these killing drugs. As I write these words, these same drugs are pouring over our borders thanks to the incompetence of the Biden administration. As border patrol and ICE agents are distracted and overwhelmed by thousands of unaccompanied children, invited to come here by the president, other illegals are crossing the border carrying drugs like the deadly fentanyl and spreading them throughout our country. The cartels are running the show, running drugs and trafficking children, while our federal government supports them in this evil.

Did you watch the Oscars? Didn’t think so. Judging by the ratings it seems the only folks who actually wasted a Sunday evening watching these woke, out-of-touch, narcissistic imbeciles were other Hollywood types and their immediate relatives. Don’t you just love people who condemn the country that made them rich and famous? They also condemn its citizens as a collection of ignorant racists.  These citizens are the same people that actually pay for the mediocre films Hollywood’s produces. The entertainment industry, of course, has no monopoly on imbeciles. They also fill the ranks of NFL, NBA, and MLB teams, along with the boardrooms of many Fortune 500 companies. Based on the organizations these luminaries support with gobs of money, one can only conclude that they’re hoping for the ultimate triumph of socialism. Another irony, since they’d be the first to lose their incomes, and perhaps their heads, when the proletariat revolution hits the streets. 

Speaking of revolutions, the left would love one, but they hesitate because of one overriding truth: the citizenry of the United States is better armed than the leftist rabble. (Yes, even some deacons have a few firearms tucked away.) One can understand, then, why the left spends so much effort on “gun control.” Of course, it has nothing to do with controlling guns, but everything to do with confiscating guns, for the latter is their goal. This, sadly for them, will be an impossible task because every gun owner I know has no intention of turning over his or her rifles, handguns, or shotguns. And the people of the USA own over 400 million firearms. The leftist revolutionary wannabes face other obstacles, Perhaps the most obvious is the Supreme Court and its recent support for Second Amendment rights; hence the attempt to redefine the court’s makeup. The goal: a friendly, rubber-stamp court that ignores the Constitution. Finally, they hope to restructure the leadership of our military by packing the upper ranks with careerist officers who will go along and get along with the politicians. Once they have the military leadership in their pockets, they can bring in the big guns to control the country as needed. If they succeed in all these efforts the banana republics of Central America will look to us with envy.

Oh, there is so much more...particularly our new, defeatist policy relating to Iran and the resurrecting of Obama’s anti-Israel approach to the Middle East, but I’ll save it for another day.

Pray for our nation, brothers and sisters.

Inauguration Confusion Among U. S. Bishops

Apparently the U.S. Bishops are not of one mind when it comes to our new president, Joseph Biden. It also seems the Vatican stepped in as well and created even more confusion. I became aware of all this when I read the statement released yesterday by USCCB President, Archbishop Jose Gomez of Los Angeles, addressing the new president and his administration. I first read the statement not on the USCCB website, but on a diocesan site. It seems, however, the statement was released prematurely because the site later deleted it. I then read reports that the Vatican had requested the USCCB delay its publication, presumably because its language would place limitations on the pope’s future dealings with the new president. As it turned out, the statement was eventually released, apparently in its original form, although a little late.

In his statement the Archbishop waxed eloquently about President Biden’s Catholic faith, adding that "it will be refreshing to engage with a President who clearly understands, in a deep and personal way, the importance of religious faith and institutions." Presumably, the archbishop found President Trump's consistent focus on religious freedom, the right to practice one's faith without government interference, and respect for the lives of unborn children to be less than refreshing. 

 

To his credit, though, Archbishop Gomez went on to criticize strongly the new president's proposed “policies that would advance moral evils and threaten human life and dignity, most seriously in the areas of abortion, contraception, marriage and gender,” as well as concerns for the “liberty of the Church and the freedom of believers.”

I also read reports that some bishops, specifically Cardinal Joseph Tobin of Newark and Cardinal Blasé Cupich of Chicago, among others, were particularly upset by this criticism of the new president. Both cardinals are among Pope Francis closest allies among the U.S. Bishops. After the USCCB statement was finally released, Cardinal Cupich went public with his criticism of Archbishop Gomez:

“Today, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops issued an ill-advised statement on the day of President Biden’s inauguration...Aside from the fact that there is seemingly no precedent for doing so, the statement, critical of President Biden came as a surprise to many bishops, who received it just hours before it was released.”

I expect, though, had there been a referendum among U.S. Bishops on the release of the USCCB statement, Archbishop Gomez would have won hands down.

 

Here’s a link to the complete statement by Archbishop Gomez on the occasion of President Biden’s Inauguration: USCCB Statement