Thank You, Joe
18/01/25 07:30
January 18, 2025 (Vol. 19 No. 5) - When Joe Biden took office as the 46th President of the United States, our country was in chaos. The incompetence of his predecessor had led to more than a half-million deaths in the COVID-19 pandemic, left the economy in a shambles, generated a insurrection that threatened to overturn a free and fair election, left our allies to wonder if they could trust us and gave aid and comfort to our enemies. Now, four years later, America is much better place than President Biden found it. The pandemic is behind us, the economy is the strongest in the world, democracy has - at least for now - survived, our allies trust us and our enemies fear us. That's because with Joe Biden in the White House, America finally had an adult in charge. Of course, as President Biden leaves office, we will hear a lot of Republican revisionism. They will say that inflation is out of control, ignoring the fact that the disruption of the supply chain created by the former (and soon-to-be current) President's incompetence is its root cause. They will say that Biden cut-and-ran from Afghanistan, weakening our position in the world. Again they will ignore that is was Biden's predecessor that set the sudden withdrawal of American troops into motion with an ill-conceived agreement with the Taliban. And while it was Biden's predecessor who pledged to put an end to a seemingly never-ending war, it was Biden who actually did it. Republicans will complain about Biden's spending for COVID relief and much-needed infrastructure improvements increasing the budget deficit. They will also point out that not a single Republican voted for these measures. But that will not stop them from sending out news releases - at taxpayer expense - claiming credit for projects they voted against. Also of note is that the deficit created under Biden is a mere fraction of that created by his predecessor - the worst in American history. Did President Biden make some mistakes? Sure he did. There are two that stand out. First is his appointment of Merrick Garland at U.S. Attorney General. His snail-like approach to addressing the crimes of the 45th President has ensured that the son-of-a-bitch will never be held accountable for his seditious actions. The second is Biden's failure to recognize his own limitations. He should have dropped out of the race in February, opening the door for a true selection process to determine his party's nominee. I'm not saying that Vice President Harris would not have won that campaign. However, whoever the Democratic nominee was would have been in a much stronger position to challenge the felon who will take the oath of office next Monday. However, that's all water under the bridge. At the stroke of noon on January 20, Joe Biden will conclude a half-century of service to this nation. He was the man we needed at the very time we needed him the most. He is a decent, God-fearing man - something no one will ever say about his successor. His public opinion polls may be under water as he leaves office. However, no President since the days of Lyndon Johnson got as many things done as Biden did. As Citizen Biden heads home to Wilmington, Delaware, I am compelled to say - from one Delmarvan to another - "Thank you, Joe." That's it for now. Fear the Turtle.You Get What You Pay For
11/01/25 11:17
January 11, 2025 (Vol. 19 No. 4) - I have been watching the unfolding horror in Southern California with more than passing interest. While many may know me as a fiction writer, I have a lifetime of considerable expertise in disaster responses - especially the public information aspects of it. As one can see by surfing the various cable TV channels or online news sites, the finger pointing has begun even while the fires are burning out of control. This is not surprising, as it happens in virtually every disaster. This one is a bit different, though, as certain MAGA media outlets are using this crisis to bludgeon Democratic office holders. Predictably, they say this wouldn't have happened in the Republicans were in charge. Let me make one thing clear: I favor holding public officials accountable. But I also believe that we need to gather all of the relevant facts before pronouncing judgment. My experience has also told me that the public has unrealistic expectations when it comes to disaster relief. A common complaint this week is that fire officials have done too little too late to stop these fires from destroying whole neighborhoods. During one media briefing, I saw the mayor of Los Angeles say they wouldn't have been able to halt the march of the massive wildfires even if they had an extra one thousand fire engines to dispatch. Let's suppose, for one instance, they had those additional one thousand fire engines. What would they do with them in normal times? Are the citizens of LA willing to pay the additional taxes necessary for the purchase and maintenance of a fleet of engines that will stand idle 99 percent of the time? I see where local officials are receiving intense criticism for cutting $17 million from the fire department's budget. (That, by the way, represents less than 5 percent of their $300 billion+ budget.) I suspect they are cutting costs to avoid raising taxes that their constituents hate to pay. Then there's the public's unrealistic expectation that the government should be any to "fix" any problem overnight. Even with unlimited resources - which governments do not have - that just isn't going to happen. There is a period in every disaster, depending on the size and scope, the individuals are on their own. I am looking at the massive amount of resources needed in Southern California and remember that FEMA and other agencies are still responding to disasters in a variety of other locales, including Florida and North Carolina. No government, whether under control of the Republicans or Democrats, is going to be able to give an anxious citizenry instant gratification. The world just does not work that way. The great irony is that many of our citizens who are crying about getting "the government off their backs" are the same ones who cry "bloody hell" when it is they are in need of government assistance. When one thinks about the proper role of government in our lives, you need to ask yourself just much much money (taxes) are you willing to spend? For in the final analysis, you get what you pay for. That's it for now. Fear the Turtle.Trump's "Manifest Dysentery"
08/01/25 14:19
January 8, 2025 (Vol. 19 No. 3) - On January 7, just one day after the Congress peacefully and without bloodshed certified Donald Trump's victory in the Electoral College, Felon 47-elect decided there are new worlds he would like to conquer. In a rambling, disjointed and unhinged news conference, the soon-to-be Commander in Chief said he would not rule out the use of military force to annex the Panama Canal from Panama and Greenland from Denmark. He also said he was willing to use economic and political pressure to force Canada to become our nation's 51st state. He also wants to place tariffs against all nations of the world. Oh, yes, I almost forgot: He says he will rename the Gulf of Mexico to become "The Gulf of America." (Perhaps he doesn't know that Mexico is one of 35 nations that comprise North and South America.) In any event, the Count of Mar-a-Lardo says it is in America's vital interests to control these territories. And, because he wants it, he seems to believe that he can have and make it so. Every President wants to have his own doctrine, like the Monroe Doctrine or the Truman Doctrine. If I may humbly suggest, this unique desire to expand American influence by threats and intimation should be called "Manifest Dysentery" if for no other reason that it is inherently messy. For a fellow who wants to correct America's trade imbalances, why is he messing with Canada and Mexico, America's two biggest trading partners? Denmark is a charter member of NATO. If we intervene militarily to take Greenland, does that mean NATO might have to take up arms against us? And they say Joe Biden isn't mentally fit to serve as President. This guy - who now holds the record for being the oldest man elected President - is demonstrating signs of dementia. And the bloated old man hasn't even taken the oath of office yet. Delusional Don may embrace Manifest Dysentery as an answer to our nation's needs. But the fact that he even uttered such verbal diarrhea out loud is already causing this nation embarrassment and costing us credibility. After his crazy talk this week, one thing is clear: Donald Trump needs an enema. That's it for now. Fear the Turtle.Radio Days: Snowmagedeon
06/01/25 07:56
January 6, 2025 (Vol. 19 No. 2) - The weekend blizzard in the Kansas City area evoked in me some vivid memories of my days in broadcast news. For local newsrooms, snow storms and other forms of bad weather are like covering the Super Bowl. Not everyone is interested in what the city council has done nor the what the local planning commission proposes. But everyone has a stake in the weather. I accumulated a lot of anecdotes about covering snowstorms during my days as a radio journalist. Do you remember that famous Volkswagen commercial which asked "Have you ever wondered how the man who drives the snow plow gets to the snow plow?" Of course, he drives a VW, a rear engine car that gives one great traction driving in the snow. I decided to borrow my wife's VW to drive on snowy Sunday afternoon my radio station in Rocky Mount, North Carolina, during a late winter 1980 snow storm. I got to the station with no trouble at all. Getting out was another issue altogether. I ended up spending the night at the station, a place where there was no food and hard floors nonconductive for restful sleep. Of course, that was better than the time I was a morning DJ at a radio station in Madison, Indiana. The station is located on top of Telegraph Hill. One icy morning, my VW was unable to navigate the hill. I'd go up 10 feet and then slide backwards. So, I parked it at the bottom and hiked up the winding driveway. I ended up signing on the station 45 minutes late. Then there was the time in North Carolina, when local meteorologists predicted a massive snow event for the Research Triangle Area. Our newsroom was ramped up for Snowmagedeon. Unfortunately for us, we ended up with egg on our faces when the predicted blizzard never materialized. Of course, my snow stories are not limited to my radio days. After I left broadcasting to take a position in public affairs in North Carolina state government, I thought "At last, I will no longer have to venture out into snow storms to tell people about something they already know." Silly me. As a member of the State Emergency Response Team, I was expected to go to the State Emergency Operations Center in Raleigh even when other state employees got to stay home. The first time I was called in due to bad weather, I almost successfully navigated the seven miles from my home to the EOC. However, I got within two blocks of the place when my car skidded on some ice, hit the curb hard, and bent the car's frame. On another occasion, one where there was no way I could get my car out of the driveway, damned if they didn't send someone with a four-wheel drive truck to get me. (My wife wasn't pleased to be left at home alone overnight during a blizzard.) Of course, during the nearly 30 years I was on the faculty of the University of Kansas, they rarely shut down the school because of snow. (Ironically, in the wake of this weekend's blizzard, they have today!) For those of you familiar with Lawrence, Kansas, will know that navigating the hills near the campus on icy roads can be a life-altering event. The good news regarding this weekend's blizzard is that I am retired and don't have to go anywhere - as long as there is plenty of food and Irish whiskey. That's it for now. Fear the Turtle.Stormy Weather Ahead
01/01/25 03:08
January 1, 2025 (Vol. 19 No. 1) - Never have I been as pessimistic about the dawn of a new year as I am today. In less than three weeks, a mentally deranged, vindictive and narcissistic oligarch will take the reins of power. I am not going to re-litigate last November's election. Even though Felon 47-elect's victory was built upon a mountain of lies, bigotry and ignorance, it was still the choice of the American people. And unlike his followers four years ago, no one is going to attack the Capitol next Monday to stop the official counting of the electoral votes. But that does not mean that the majority of American voters who cast their ballots for someone other than the King of Mar-a-Lardo should not resist. If the incoming President does half of what he says he's going to do, he will wreck the American economy. Between deportations, tariffs and reckless dismantling of regulatory guardrails designed to protect the American people, the Republican President, Congress and Supreme Court will plunge the country into new Depression. Before he even returns to power, President-elect Bone Spur is suggesting it will take longer "to fix" the economy than he promised during the campaign. Everything this man does weakens relationships with our allies while giving aid and comfort to our enemies. Despite the government takeover by Neocon Disruptionists such as Steve Bannon, there is some small room for hope. The genius of the American system is the decentralization of power. There are lots of things state and local governments can do to blunt the outrageousness spewing out of Washington. Even the corrupt and compliant U.S. Supreme Court has shown there are limits to how far they are willing to go to appease the madman soon to infest the White House. As history has shown us, these MAGA morons are their own worst enemies. In just the past week, we have seen infighting between Bannon and Elon Musk over who will get to sit at the right hand of their false God. (Musk thinks he is the real President.) Finally, there's the reality of American presidential politics. It won't be long before those wishing to become the 48th President of the United States, Republicans and Democrats alike, will start to differentiate themselves from the Lame Duck in the White House. All we have to do right now is say our prayers, hunker down and do our best to weather the storm ahead. May God protect us and our nation. That's it for now. Fear the Turtle.