January 2024
Stop Dithering With Iran
29/01/24 06:17
January 29, 2024 (Vol. 18 No. 6) - Iranian-backed terrorists killed three American servicemen and injured dozens more in a weekend drone attack in Jordan. President Biden says the United States will respond to this atrocity. I am certain it will. But will the response be strong enough? The time has come to stop dithering around with Iran, a nation with which we have been in various stages of conflict since the hostage crisis of 1979. I urge President Biden to strike Iran directly, especially its military and naval forces in and around the Red Sea. We've done it before. President Reagan ordered air strikes in 1988 that destroyed half of Iran's navy in one afternoon. That is the very least we should do at this time. I'm not a war monger. However, the time has come to remind the Iranians, the Russians and the Chinese that we have a military budget larger than the next 14 nations combined. Let's face reality: As long as we are the world's only significant superpower, there are a bunch of other nations that will always take potshots at us. However, in the case of Iran, we are faced with a criminal and morally corrupt nation that is trying to export its bastardized version of Islam. (Make no mistake: Iran is to Islam as much as Nazi Germany was to Christianity.). The only action that currently makes sense is for the United States to begin a significant and sustained bombing campaign against the Iranians. However, at the same time, we also need to begin a strategic disengagement from Israel. Benjamin Netanyahu has used the Gaza attacks of last October to wage much wider war designed to overshadow his political scandals at home. Israel has become an albatross around the neck of the United States. We can ensure the security of the Jewish State without becoming entangled in its domestic affairs. I know that whatever President Biden chooses to do, he will be roundly criticized on his right and his left. Guess what, Joe? That comes with the job. And as I see it, Job One right now is to give Iran a bloody nose and reminder her that we are willing to use EVERY weapon in our arsenal against her if these proxy attacks on American forces continue. Damn it, we are a superpower. It's time to remind the rest of the world of that. That''s it for now. Fear the Turtle.A Confederacy of Cowards
23/01/24 07:29
January 23, 2024 (Vol. 18 No.5) - A rose by any other name is a rose. And a coward by any other name is a coward. Nikki Haley is a coward. So is Ron DeSantis. In fact, you can name almost anyone who claims to be a leader of the party formerly known as "Republicans" - they are all cowards. And we all may pay a dear price in the loss of our basic freedoms and human rights because of their criminal spinelessness. Nikki Haley, a former governor of South Carolina who does not appear to understand the role her state had in leading the original insurrection against the United States in 1861, would have you believe that she is the only brave person standing up against the chaos that was - and still is - the mental midget of a moron America kicked out of the White House in November 2020. But as late as Monday, the day before the New Hampshire presidential primary, she could not give a straight answer to the question "Is Donald Trump mentally fit to serve as president?" Her answer - "He is, but he is in decline" (paraphrase) - was just as lilli-livered as her inane response to the question about the cause of the Civil War. (Apparently, slavery had nothing to do with it.) She is now the only "viable" challenger left between The Serial Sex Offender and the Republican nomination. That's because her last remaining rival for the exalted position of "last loser," mushy-mouthed Ron DeSantis, dropped out of the race over the weekend. He failed to stop The Man Who Would Be King - and Haley also will fail - for a fundamental reason: They are afraid to take him on. Unfortunately, they are not alone in their absence of a moral backbone. Practically every elected official in the Neo-con Republican Party (a/k/a "The New Nazis") has fallen in line with the Most Dangerous Man-Child in America out of the fear of offending his "base." (When used as an adjective, base means "of a person or a person's actions without moral principles.") Some of these erstwhile "leaders," such as New York congressman and political prostitute Elise Stephanik, are groveling at the Orangutan's feet in the hope of becoming his vice president or a member of his cabinet. No one in this Confederacy of Cowards is willing to call him out for what he really is: A convicted rapist, tax cheat, seditionist, mentally incompetent and morally bankrupt wannabe dictator. During The Defeated Former President's reign of terror, he undermined our allies, gave aid and comfort to our enemies, condoned racial and political violence and treated the death of more than a half-million Americans during COVID-19 as a political inconvenience. Don't get me wrong: These party leaders are not stupid people. They know what he is and many do not like him. But they are scared of him and his ability to summon his Proud Boy followers. Leaders lead. They don't cower in fear. As one who grew up as a Republican and worked in politics for a Republican governor whom I still admire, it pains me to say this: If you truly want to make America great, don't ever, ever vote Republican. In a world in need of vision, they have given blind loyalty to charlatan, a crook, and a Cowardly Liar. That's it for now. Fear the Turtle.Do Not Fear The Reaper
20/01/24 08:45
January 20, 2024 (Vol. 18 No. 4) - When we are younger, let's say in our teens, we are invincible. While still immature in many ways, our bodies and minds are at the best they will ever be. We have no concept of our own morality. For that reason, as well as lacking real-world experiences, we are willing to take risks we will not dream of in our later years. Fast forward - and that seems an appropriate term - 50 years to the present. When you are in your early 70s, one's world perspective changes. Sooner or later, there will come a time when you are reminded that you have a temporary lease on this planet and that, eventually, you will receive your eviction notice. Such a realization is a rude and, dare I say, frightening experience. My moment came his past week, when seemingly out of nowhere, I was presented with such severe back and hip pain that I could hardly walk. If I had been living alone, I would have been unable to take care of myself. Fortunately, my loving life-partner was present to help. But even she has her own aches and pains to address. The worse was not knowing what was wrong. Under those circumstance, the mind can take you in a number of dark places. Now I know: I have degenerative spondylosis with in the lumbar spine. (English translation: The Old Gray Mare She Ain't What She Use To Be.) That's a lot better diagnosis than I had feared. My medical team will now develop a plan to lessen my pain. But the reality is that I will likely have to live with this the rest of my life. My cane may now be a constant companion. The sad fact is that unless one dies of a virulent virus or in a sudden accident, we all face the ravages of old age. Anyone who believes he or she can escape the effects of Mother Nature or Father Time is delusional. This is not to say that I fear The Reaper. I just know that the bastard lurks in the shadows. The best that I can do is tackle each day's challenges the best I can with the tools I have available. That's all any of us can do. That's it for now. Fear the Turtle - not The Reaper.Iowa: Three Questions
16/01/24 03:43
January 16, 2024 (Vol. 18 No. 3) - The 2024 presidential electoral process began in earnest last night with the Iowa Caucuses. As expected, former President Man-child won an easy victory, winning half of that state's 40 delegates to the Republican National Convention. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and former South Carolina Governor Niki Haley ran a distant second and third, respectively. Now that this quadrennial ritual is behind us, I have three questions. Question 1: Why caucuses? This antiquated system is an anti-democratic vestige of English parliamentary elections that discourages voter participation. The 109,000-plus people who participated last night represented only 5.2 percent of Iowa's registered voters and only 15.2 percent of its registered Republicans. It's said Iowans cherish the caucus tradition. Apparently, most do not cherish it enough to brave sub-zero conditions on a winter's night. A traditional primary election would be more representative of the will of the people - and a heck of a lot more practical for the elderly, those who work at night and/or care for children. Question 2: Why Iowa? Starting the presidential nomination process in this lilly-white, ultra-conservative Midwestern enclave doesn't make any sense. Can you think of a state that is less representative of the diversity of America than Iowa? (OK, maybe New Hampshire. I'll save that for another day.) Regional multi-state primaries would force candidates to address a wider range of issues than farm subsidies, ethanol and the Butter Cow at the State Fair. Question 3: What the hell are these people thinking? Let's see if I got this straight: Iowa Republicans want a seditionist, rapist, tax-cheating, mentally ill, inarticulate, criminally stupid, Constitution-denying, wannabe dictator to be our next president. Really? That's the best we can do? In the movie Field of Dreams, Iowa is referred to as Heaven. But if this is the best Iowa Republicans can do when selecting a president, a more apt description of the place would be Hell. That's it for now. Fear the Turtle.Fragility
09/01/24 06:58
January 9, 2024 (Vol. 18 No. 2) - Practically every astronaut, cosmonaut and erstwhile space traveler says the same thing when he or she looks back down on the earth for the first time. They see that the dividing line between life and death is a relatively thin layer of atmosphere. No doubt, they're struck by the fragility of life on earth. Frankly, if more people had the opportunity to see the earth from this vantage point, there would be fewer global warming skeptics. Metaphorically, our tenuous hold on life on earth is similar to our equally tenuous hold on democracy in the United States. Just like the air around us at ground level, our democracy is omnipresent, seemingly limitless and secure. But when one steps back and takes in the context of our times - much like viewing the earth's atmosphere from space - there is a different picture. We see more and more of our citizens abandoning fundamental values in favor of vague and unrealistic short-term goals. In their caucuses next Monday, the Republican voters of Iowa are likely to give their support to an oligarch who wrecked the economy, stood by and did nothing while hundred of thousands of our citizens died in the pandemic, gave aid and comfort to the enemies of the United States, and, after losing the 2020 election, ruthlessly tried to overthrow the government. (It makes you wonder about the color of the sky that Iowa voters see.) The Defeated Former President has openly said he'd be a dictator "for a day." He calls the people jailed for attacking the Capitol on January 6, 2021, injuring dozens of police officers, "hostages." The Orange One speaks of vengeance and retribution should he return to the White House. Some may try to convince you that the whore-mongering man-child is only joking when he says these outrageous things. But considering his track record of lawlessness and self-indulgence, how can we afford to ignore what he says? Just like the oxygen we breathe, if you take away our democratic values, institutions and principles, America as we know it will die. Even with all of its flaws, the United States still represents humanity's best hope on earth. Should it fail, the world will plunge into a new Dark Age. For more than a century, America has stood in the breach, preventing global tyranny. But - completing the metaphor - there are those willing to poison the air we breathe in support of a False Messiah who stands for nothing more than himself. Our democracy has never been more fragile than it is now. We must resist these evil forces, defeat the Cowardly Liar, and protect our democracy - even to our dying breath. That's it for now. Fear the Turtle.Sunrise or Sunset?
01/01/24 05:23
January 1, 2024 (Vol. 18 No. 1) - Is this a photo of a sunrise or a sunset? Without context, you have no way of knowing. That's kind of the way I feel about the new year. There are lots of reasons to feel positive about the new year. Yet, there is cause for trepidation, as well. As I take time to look ahead to 2024, it may be useful to look back at this blog's 17 other New Year's Day attempts at prognostication. The track record has been good - for the most part. In 2008, I wrote that "the war in Iraq moves into its sixth calendar year with no end in sight." It wouldn't end until 2021. As we were still in the depths of the Great Recession at the start of 2009, I wrote "We are bordering on a national emergency and I have serious doubts that our elected representatives - Democrat and Republican - are up to the task." They weren't. On January 1, 2010, I expressed doubt that President Obama would be beaten in the 2012 presidential election. Correct again. However, I did not predict the strength of the Tea Party Movement - the forerunner to today's MAGA nonsense. Nor did I think in 2014 that Hillary Clinton would be the Democratic presidential nominee in 2016. However, I was spot-on at the start of 2016 when I wrote "The United States will elect a new president - and God help us if either of the frontrunners (Clinton and Donald Trump) actually win." When Trump "won" despite having 3.5 million fewer votes than Clinton, I wrote at the start of 2017 that "America today enters a new year with the highest level of anxiety that I can remember in my lifetime." That sentiment was certainly justified, as the next four years can be accurately characterized as (using CNN correspondent Dana Bash's famous description) "a shit show." This blog was dominated by expressions of disbelief and moral outrage during the four years of the Trump presidency. On this date in 2021, I said that the "real story" of previous year - the Year of COVID-19 - "was the callousness and incompetence of the Republican Party in the face of a disaster." My two New Year's Day posts during the Biden administration were more personally focused - a reflection that the return of an adult in the White House had brought a renewed sense of normalcy. But today, we enter another critical presidential election year. It appears that the greatest hope of saving American democracy rests on the shoulders of an octogenarian. The election of Donald Trump might be the last free election this country will ever have. On this date five years ago, I called 2019 "The Year of Living Dangerously." Unfortunately, that is even more true today than ever. We can only hope that the American people have the good common sense to embrace the light and reject the darkness when they go to the polls. That's it for now. Happy New Year and Fear the Turtle.