Archive for the ‘Uncategorized’

Third Party Nonsense

March 18, 2024 By: Nick Carraway Category: Uncategorized

I start off hating this argument that I am about to make. You hear people say that this election is the most important in our nation’s history. Of course, that’s always true until the next one. Hyperbole doesn’t do anyone any good. It conjures up images of a Shepard boy clearing his throat about some wolf he may have seen.

However, it is impossible to ignore the rhetoric. The GOP nominee for president of the United States is predicting a bloodbath if he loses. We can try as hard as we can to normalize this. He is just a raving lunatic. He is just joking. He is speaking figuratively and nothing he says is to be taken seriously. He really didn’t say it and if he said he didn’t really mean it. Even if he did mean it who cares?

We’ve seen this all before and we saw January 6th. Whether or not he is really serious doesn’t even matter at this point. He’s activated hundreds if not thousands of people to not only believe the words he is saying, but also do something about it. This is nut crunching time folks. If we want to keep democracy around we have to defeat this man and defeat him soundly.

In the backdrop we have the burgeoning presidential runs or RFK Jr., Cornel West, and whatever No Labels wants to throw up there. We should talk for a minute about what third party candidates are there to do. Usually they are there because there is dissatisfaction with the two major parties. It can come down to the platforms or the candidates themselves.

In this case, you have two old men that weren’t particularly popular last time that are running again. Very few people wanted this matchup again. Yet, here we are. However, we need to be very clear about what third party candidates do. They don’t win. They’ve never won and they likely never will win. They do two things. They syphon votes from one or both of the major parties and they get at least one of the major parties to adopt some of their policy planks.

RFK is known for two things. He’s a Kennedy and he’s anti=vax. Maybe Trump adapts the second plank but RFK isn’t likely to siphon votes from Trump. Biden is not adopting an anti-vax stance anytime soon. West doesn’t have any major policy initiatives that we know of. His is more of a protest run based on dissatisfaction with the two major parties.

Under normal circumstances that would be fine. Yet, that is calling for us to normalize Trump. We can’t. We shouldn’t. The press has been carrying that water for over eight years probably because Trump is good for business. Outrage is good for business. It creates page views, likes, comments, and sells ad space. Yet, Trump has not been artful about where this is going. He is openly broadcasting it at this point.

Maybe he is playing ten dimensional chess. Maybe he has done a thorough analysis of the electorate and the press environment and determined that this is the best way to position himself to gain power. Maybe he is just a damn lucky fool that stumbled into this because no one wants to be the bad guy and tell him no. That dirty job goes to the American people.

We start with Kennedy, West, and No Labels. I don’t know what you think you are doing. Maybe you think you are representing a portion of the electorate that is dissatisfied with the choices they have. Maybe you think you are raising issues neither major party is raising. Maybe you are a bought and sold stooge for the Russians or Trump himself. Whether your motives be pure or sinister (or somewhere in between) it doesn’t matter. You need to bow out and you need to bow out now. Let that son of a bitch be dead and buried and then you can tilt at your windmills.

Separation of State and Church

March 17, 2024 By: Nick Carraway Category: Uncategorized

One of the common refrains from the left and from those not religious is the separation of church and state. The general idea is that politics gets perverted by religion. Centuries of history teach us this and in the grand tradition of our own country, the first immigrants were those escaping religious persecution.

It has been 50 years since Roe v. Wade and also nearly that amount of time since the Christian Coalition and Religious right got its start. Even without going into the origins of the movement and the potentially cynical motives behind it, we can look at what this movement has wrought.

So, I’m reversing it. We shouldn’t be worried about religion perverting our politics but about our politics perverting our religion. Let’s ignore the cynical adoption of abortion as the most important issue of the day. Let’s take most people at their word and assume they are deeply concerned about the issue and want to see it become truly rare.

History has clearly shown that deeply religious people can accomplish great things independent of the government. The Catholics have the Gabriel Project. Unfortunately, it is not as common as it used to be, but it essentially took scared mothers to be and offered counseling, financial assistance, and prayerful options that did not include abortion. Instead of making it illegal, condemning these young women, or preaching against it in the pulpit, they simply eliminated the need by helping them.

Our faith or lack of faith has a direct impact on our beliefs about how government should resolve or not resolve our problems. Jesus even said the poor would always be with us. The only possible way to remain sane is to separate those religious beliefs from our political ones. How can we best assist the poor? What standard of living should every human be guaranteed? How can we possibly mandate and make sure everyone is getting this standard of living?

These are all valuable and important political questions that should be independent of how we individually approach the problem. It is possible to be personally generous and politically selfish. It is possible to be personally pro life and politically pro choice. So, these opinions cannot be the full content of our character. We cannot allow it to define us. We must get back to a world where what we do and what we say matters much more than who we vote for in November.

It shouldn’t be boiled down to a singular issue. In the 1990s, the battle cry of the Republican party was that character matters. No matter what you think of Joe Biden politically, cognitively, or personally, there can be no doubt that he wins a character competition with Donald Trump. Even if Joe Biden isn’t a good man he still wins easily. It’s hard to imagine too many people on this planet that Trump would win a character battle with.

When you allow your fervor over one issue to blind you to the glaring gap in character you have allowed your politics to overwhelm your religion. When you allow one issue to overshadow all of the other ones your faith holds dear you have allowed politics to overwhelm your religion. When you allow your political beliefs to cause you to hate others that have opposing political beliefs then you have allowed politics to overwhelm your religion.

I will not presume to speak for God, but I am reasonably certain he will not ask me who I voted for. A wrong vote is not going to keep me out of heaven or anyone else for that matter. The bigger test is how I treated those around me. If our politics causes us to treat others worse it is time to separate ourselves from politics. So, others might say separate church and state. I say separate state and church.

What can we learn from all of this?

March 16, 2024 By: Nick Carraway Category: Uncategorized

The GOP is dead. If you think that’s hyperbole or you think I am making that up we should heed the words of Donald Trump Jr. Obviously the name still exists. People will carry the title in the halls of Congress, state legislatures, school boards, and city councils. Still, make no mistake. It is very much dead.

Listen long enough to the kid’s thoughts you get the idea that they think this is a good thing. In addition to the takeover of the RNC, there have been whispers that he wants to drive all non-MAGA Republicans out of the party. I’m not sure what that makes the Republican party because the platform has become the man. I’m not exactly certain what that means because he doesn’t know what it means.

This is not really new ground, but should be the backdrop of where we should go from here. Yes, he absolutely needs to be defeated and possibly thrown in jail. I say possibly because I just don’t see it happening. Some people have the knack for avoiding responsibility. Maybe everything catches up with him if he loses in November.

The question is what to do after that. What have we learned? Can the GOP be rebuilt or will a new center-right party emerge in its ashes? Either way, all of us should reckon with how an evil and unfit man could advance that far in American politics. Sure, Democrats can call this a Republican problem but it is really an American one. If a similar charismatic leader that promised victory and power emerged on the left could the Democrats resist them if he or she were unfit?

We must contend with a few inconvenient facts. The main one is that the last eight or nine years has made us collectively worse. There can be no denying this. We have become a more hateful people. Whether we hate him or the people that he hates, we are a more hateful people. A large part of this is owning our own role in this cycle of hate.

I see it on social media as I offer my opinion on my public wall and see it devolve into a pissing match between liberals and conservatives. I am either wittingly or unwittingly egging this on by commenting in the first place. Even though my words haven’t been hateful, a small part of me responds in glee when I see my friends roast someone I don’t agree with.

Are they really horrible people or do we just have a difference of opinion? The answer is not so simple. I think the words, deeds, and aura of this man has brought the worst out in people. Those feelings were always there. Those opinions were always there. He just made it okay. People that do and say horrible things are at least on the road to being horrible . There is always redemption and there is always forgiveness, but we also have to be very honest about what we are dealing with.

Yet, there are also folks that are good and decent people that simply hold conservative viewpoints. There are good and decent people that hold liberal or progressive viewpoints. The way through the fog is identifying the difference. Can we identify decency in those we disagree with? In some cases that decency simply is not there. We cannot allow indecent people anywhere near leadership. It is not fair to say that conservative people are all indecent, but it seems like a majority of indecent people are conservative. It will take all of us to get this ship back in order. We have to realize that decency is more important than party.

Alex Jones Update

March 13, 2024 By: Fenway Fran Category: Uncategorized

Juanita Jean Herownself promised all y’all an update on Alex Jones.  When she shared her treasure trove of Toons with me, she asked me to share this news. Also to let you know that she’s recovering well from her latest excursion to the medical establishment, but it’s hard for her to do a lot of computer work from the comfort of her new recliner. Plus, there’s spring season baseball to keep up with in preparation for the 2024 season. You know her and baseball, so we’ll all cut her some slack. I’m inserting some photos to enhance your experience and share her joy (and immense pride).

Here’s where it stands.  After a prolonged and fairly serious medical event, JJ luckily recovered enough to go see the premiere of Dan Reed’s HBO documentary about the Alex Jones trials at SXSW (South By Southwest).  Since bluebonnets are in bloom early this year, it was an enchanting drive to Austin and the weather was perfect. Special thanks to Thelma for hauling her and all her ‘stuff’ safely to Austin and back.

“We were given VIP tickets and that was so much fun.” 

 

 

As could be expected from Alex Jones fans, there was a bomb threat called in right before the event but that did not curb anyone’s enthusiasm. Mark and Judge Maya Guerra Gamble got a standing ovation!  

Here’s the documentary A team: Attorney Bill Ogden, Maggie (Director of photography for the film), Mark (aka Little Bubba), and Dan Reed, Director.

The documentary  is amazing.  You can read a review here.

Those in the know say it will be shown on HBO MAX before the end of the month.  You MUST watch the trailer!

After the event, Mark and his partner Bill Ogden enjoy a picnic lunch with close friends.

 

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JJ wants you all to know “I am feeling well, but I take life a little slower. More baseball and movies than CNN.  It’s good and Ben is one inch shorter than I am.  I told him he could quit eating because he’s plenty big.”

And finally : “The high-class chair was a gift from Mark because if I’m a VIP, I deserve to watch my baseball games in style.”   Indeed you do. Let’s fill the comments with good wishes! We all love you

Coming Soon (March 26) on HBO

March 12, 2024 By: Half Empty Category: Uncategorized

Yesterday at SXSW in Austin, the much-anticipated documentary film on Alex Jones’ infamous defamation of Sandy Hook victims premiered. Aptly named, “The Truth vs. Alex Jones“, by filmmaker Dan Reed, the film tells the story of Jones’ wanton portrayal of the victims of the Sandy Hook massacre, the slaughter of 20 6- and 7-year old children and 6 of their teachers, as “a false flag” attack and the victims as “child actors”. It tells the story of the subsequent defamation trials that, together, forced Jones into bankruptcy.

Here’s the trailer.  

I personally saw news snippets from the first trial, one of which included the gobsmacking revelation that Jones’ lawyer had inadvertently forwarded years of Jones’ texts and emails to the plaintiffs’ lawyers, which prefaced the question “Do you know what perjury is”?

Anyway, I can safely assume that patrons of The World’s Most Dangerous Beauty Salon, Inc. will mark their calendars (if they haven’t already) for March 26 when it premiers on HBO.

Belated Friday Funny

March 09, 2024 By: Fenway Fran Category: Uncategorized

I miss Friday Funnies but I’m not sure I can reliably accumulate enough every week to commit to the task. The best I can say is I’ll try. I’ll check in with the boss for some advice. I noticed my fellow denizens of the WMDBS posted a couple yesterday. Here’s mine, thanks to my sister for passing it on.