Blog

In recent interview President Trump was asked about the war in Iran and he dismissed it as “small potatoes.”  It seems that he places more importance on the Reflecting Pool, the White House ballroom, the D.C. golf course, the Kennedy Center and the White House helipad than the military service members who have died, been wounded or forced into long deployments without adequate food or rest.  It is well documented that Mr. Trump was a coward during the Vietnam War so he must be unable to comprehend the sacrifices made by our military members during the stresses of war.  Remember his remarks when you vote this November!

My great-grandfather fought for the Union during the Civil War and dedicated much of his life to veteran’s causes.  I was always troubled by the honor given to General Lee and the other military members who violated their oaths and fought for the Confederates yet had military installations named in their honor.  I was pleased to find a few years ago that a commission had been formed to correct this injustice by re-naming various forts, bases and camps. Unfortunately, this effort has been erased by the Trump administration. Together with pardoning the traitors from the January 6^th riots, we are seeing a pattern of rewarding traitors and ignoring patriots.  Now there is a rumor that the USS Doris Miller, a Navy carrier now under construction and named for a WWII Naval hero will be re-named for Donald Trump a documented coward. Our troops deserve to serve on installations and ships named for Americans who sacrificed for our freedoms not a demented narcissist whose only heroic deeds are in his imagination.

After a year and a half of Donald Trump 2.0 the “G’s” have it.  We have witnessed Greed, Grift, Gilding, Gentrification, Garishness, Grandiosity, Gracelessness, Goofiness and a lot of Golf.  Good Government is rarely seen. The actions of the President and his advisors can be best described as Gauche. I would be happy to witness Good riddance.

The President has announced that he has opened the U. S. market to duty-free beef imports in an effort to reduce consumers prices.  This action seems to be based on the same amount of thought he gave to the Iran War.  Have the consequences to beef producers and consumers been considered. I doubt that the cow/calf operator will gain anything from the action and quite possibly will lose.  The consumer will be exposed to poorly inspected, possibly tainted product because of lax inspections in the countries from which imports originate.  Is this preferrable to strengthening the domestic beef production?

Yesterday’s news reports included an item about Canyon County, Idaho, officials who are providing lists of foreign-born residents to ICE.  Placing someone’s name on a list based on their place of birth would seem to be either meaningless or intentionally discriminatory.  What legitimate purpose is served by such a list?  Of the three persons in my household, two are foreign-born. One is a naturalized citizen and the other born a citizen while I was working and living in Japan on a Department of Defense assignment.  Neither has a reason to be on a list provided to ICE unless it is for some illegal, bigoted reason. How many persons on the Canyon County lists are in the same situation?

At a recent Republican rally Mr. Trump accused those opposed to his MAGA agenda of being Communists and not supporting “law and order.”  This from a man who pardoned hundreds of rioters who stormed the Capitol, attacked police and destroyed our seat of Government.  He has sworn to uphold the Constitution (the supreme law of our country) and then tries of ignore provisions of that law governing birthright citizenship, state’s rights to conduct elections and the rights of persons arrested by the Department of Homeland Security.  He has turned the Justice Department into a bastion for retribution rather than institution for equal justice.  Mr. Trump supports “order” which satisfies his whims and the wishes of the wealthy donors who “pay to play.”  His support for equal and honest application of established law is sadly lacking.

I read this morning that the palace ballroom that Mr. Trump is trying to add to the White House will cost nearly a billion dollars.  A high price to pay for a few privileged to dine in luxury on Big Macs.  It is doubtful that the promise that no public funds will be used will be kept since the Trump track record is the opposite.  The Reflective Pool disaster and like projects have been on the taxpayer’s dime.  Predictably, the current administration has shown interest only in projects that enhance the Trump ego or his bank account.  A billion dollars could provide much help to citizens suffering from the effects of floods, tornadoes and fires.  Will we ever give priority to the governed?

As we view the mid-term election results and the comments from the leadership of the two major pollical parties, I note that Republicans call Democrats “communists” and Democrats call Republicans “fascists” with increasing frequency.  As a nonpartisan voter I have viewed the mainstream of each political party in a different light.  Republicans have emphasized free trade, fiscal conservancy and strong defense while Democrats concentrate more on social and kitchen table issues.  As a social liberal and fiscal conservative, I support fully the two-party solutions that we enjoyed for years.  In recent years the positions of the parties have often drifted further to the extremes and away from the center and the compromises that have kept our country great. We need a reset in Congress from extreme to moderation for the good of the country not some isolated pollical objectives.  Compromises are necessary at all levels of government. Think about it when you vote this fall.

I read recently that the Trump Education Department is reducing funds given to the states for programs such as Head Start.  The announcement indicated that student nutrition programs would probably suffer in some states because they are not a standard priority throughout the nation. This is a travesty. Hungry, malnourished students do not perform to their natural ability.  Schools should be providing free breakfast and lunch as a part of every curriculum. This policy would not only be positive for students but would help America’s agriculture industry specifically local farmers near rural schools who could provide many of the menu items

The cyclosporiasis outbreak and the massive recall could have been prevented if the United States producers would universally implement irradiation for all produce before it goes to market. Irradiation will kill nearly all pathogens without discernable change to taste, texture, appearance, or nutritional quality. With the current administration’s reduced monitoring, the public should demand this from producers.