JUSTICE AND THE LAW - LAW AND ORDER

   We are on the cusp of a new year. We are on the cusp of major changes in our country, in our society  and we must make decisions, choosing wisely and understanding what we are doing. To me, this means that we must make choices that demand understanding, make choices that will lead down roads where it will be difficult, but if we wish to retain what we have and make sure it remains so, well, nothing in life is supposed to be easy. So as my little ones used to say, put on your thinking caps and your listening ears as well.
    We need to listen to heart and mind. Look at the first pairing in the title. Contrary to popular thinking, these are not synonymous nor do they necessarily mean the same thing or come together as a paired team. What is legal, what is the law, is not necessarily justice. Justice is doing right to and for others. It demands great internal searching at times and sometimes dangerous decisions.
     What was legal in WWII Germany , what was the law, was not justice. What was legal in Communist Russia was not justice And lest you think that we here in the USA are exempt, well, the Jim Crow laws were not justice, nor were the laws that banned immigrants from Eastern Europe or Asia. Laws are fallible, justice not.
     We are, unfortunately and frighteningly, in another period of time where law and justice are dividing, separating and the situation will only get worse unless we stand up for justice, unless we show those in power that we will not stand by and allow our rights, our system of justice, what is right under the heavens to be taken away. It is a scary thought, for most people wish to be obedient to the law, liking the idea of order, but today, I think we must be as brave as those souls who operated the Underground Railroad, against the law, but certainly for justice.
     And what about law and order. Are they the same? Well, here we are on truly dangerous ground, swampy and shaky under our feet. We need law in society, anarchy is not a good idea. But, a great big but, this law must be tempered by that justice principle and we must remember that order does not mean violence and suppression against the members of the population in the name of order. 
     All these principles are necessary for a society to be safe, orderly, and above all, just, or seeking to be, seeking to improve itself. Yet when people are frightened, unsure, when the world seems to be dissolving in front of us, beneath us, when dictators seem to be multiplying on a daily basis, including right here in our own country, well, then we got troubles. That is where we are right now, today, this year, in the  USA and we need to make choices.
    Are we going to allow a demented dude take away what we have built? Are we going to allow his extreme supporters to use the keys to the kingdom? Are we going to forsake justice in the name of the law, for the sake of order? This kind of law and order leads to chaos in the long run for suppression builds up pressure and when it explodes- not pleasant nor quick.
     Be the investigation lead to collusion or conspiracy - we must do something. Will these rollbacks of safety regulations on products, on chemicals, in every area of life do us irreparable harm? Yes, I believe so; we are teetering on dangerous and wobbly lines and when something tips, it will be on a permanent basis.
     The interns in the White House were instructed to use thumbs up in their picture, imitating the deranged office occupier. Well, we got even more than that. We had a white power hand sign held up by a cruel looking intern and that, my friends scares me, even more than a Bannon does. This is a young person, with years ahead to do us harm to destroy our society and what are we going to do about it? Once again, it is we the people who must shout and scream and protest and defy and demand if we are going to save ourselves and our democracy and indeed, the democracies of the world. To do nothing is to allow it to happen.
    Feel it is not your responsibility and all you want is to put your head down and slog on. Nope, doesn't work that way for one day you will raise your head and find out that what you thought you had is no more ad your head is so bent down that it is now locked into that position permanently and as for the kids - well, think on it.
     WE the people need to decide on this cusp of a new year. WE the people need to think really hard.

       WE THE PEOPLE!

 A   HAPPY, THOUGHTFUL AND PROGRESSIVE NEW YEAR FOR ALL OF US.

ONE OF THOSE DAYS

     Did you ever have one of those days where things just began going downhill and snowballed from there? Well, I had one yesterday and I hope today gets better. I most certainly do!
    It started out okay and then the second appointment of the day went sideways and soured the rest of the day, especially when someone cancelled out on me - but no blame attached, things happen, but there I was without an outlet exactly when I needed one. Oops!
     Now I had time to think about something I did not want to, so needing a distraction, I turned to the new game someone put on my phone, the first ever and it is addictive as hell! It is a word game which makes one think but once you start.....
     So off I went in search of another distraction and of course, what do you think I found. Not what I needed as it just raised my blood's boiling point, but there he was in all his glory, tweeting once again, showing his ignorance, his uncaring attitude, his thickness of mind and his damned overall incompetence. Yeah, got it in one -Trump!! At least he is always there for one to use as a distraction, right? Ha! One 'good' thing about him. Finally!!
     So what now? Okay. People are freezing in this truly delayed first true blast of winter. Snow piled on top of snow. Temperatures truly wacky and cold. People in the streets who cannot find shelter and city people going looking for them to get them inside. And him, the idiot, what does he do? He tweets. Not enough that he had gone ballistic in a tweet against a magazine and an editor not even from it, the idiot, but now this. Uncaring, selfish and mean. As usual.
     "In the East, it could be the COLDEST New Year’s Eve on record. Perhaps we could use a little bit of that good old Global Warming that our Country, but not other countries, was going to pay TRILLIONS OF DOLLARS to protect against. Bundle up!"
What an ass! But at least he got a good response from a Democratic lawmaker who had just about enough..
Instead of tweeting like a child who hates science class, if you're so worried about the cold you could always send your 45M+ followers info about how to find shelter, prevent hypothermia & frost bite, prevent pipes from freezing, protect their pets, etc. https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/946531657229701120 …
Well, on with the show, I guess. And back to my word game!! But he persists, does he not and once he gets in my head , he stays there, as he vacations once again, again! playing golf, enjoying our beautiful weather down here. He insists he can do whatever he wants with the Justice Department, never mind that he cannot, but babies will have their tantrums and insist on what is not true.
Roy Moore continues to insist there was voter fraud, a sore loser if ever there were one, and invoked the name of G-d to back him up. Shudder on that one folks, for people who are always citing G-d as backing up their twisted minds and statements scare me a whole bunch. History has had too many of these religious frauds and monsters. But at least in one case the court ruled against a pair of bigoted bakers and said they were wrong not to have made the cake. Yay!!! Maybe a ray of light.
Anyway, hope this day is better than yesterday! Uh oh, feeling that twinge, that urge, that need to go find my phone and play that game again. Hey, what has Trump done already? Gotta go look.....
     
   

HOW DID THIS HAPPEN?

     The situation is dire but the bigger question is how did we get here and how the hell do we get away from this? It seems the days are measured by the next stupidity or the next vicious act that Trump and the Republicans pull. In fact, when I hear certain people groan while at the computer or listening to the news, my question is, "What did the idiot do now?"
    But it is more than that. We have forgotten who we are. We have forgotten that we are supposed to be living in a democracy, a true and functioning one rather than a feeble imitation of one. We are supposed to be able to trust our representatives in Congress to look out for us, for the most part, but there is none of that trust there anymore.
     The courts are being used and abused as is our trust in them. Trump is appointing or naming new, young, highly right wing people to be federal judges - for life - and they are ignorant of basic law, basic rules, basic anything. Such contempt from the President for the judiciary, trying to control it a la Hungary, is both dangerous and sad. If we cannot have an impartial judiciary then we have lost our checks and balances for good.
     A Republican lawyer files for the ability to donate whatever one wants to a campaign, no limits, takes it thru the Supreme Court and with what we had on the bench wins the case and there went any idea of purity in campaigning. Now the very same lawyer is taking the DNC and Clinton to the woodshed, claiming a violation of the limitations but what limitations? He got them cancelled!!! The irony, the sheer gall of the situation is amazing. Truly, 2+2=5 today!!
     Roy Moore, the pedophile, goes to court to fight his loss, never looking in the mirror and seeing the reason he lost. Hateful people are coming out of the woodwork and planning on running for office, especially under the Republican banner, touting anti Semitism, white supremacy, hatred of black and brown and worst of all - teaching it to their kids and to the damaged people, dregs of society, whether they have money or not and they do this now in the open. Why not? The President said there are some fine people among these haters. Bannon spouts garbage all day long and where do we go from here?
     So, do we impeach or not? Did Trump et al know of the Russian guy who said he hacked the DNC on command and left proof within the system? Did they suborn it? Is Trump and in fact, are all of these minions guilty of enriching themselves at the cost to the public, being dismissive of the needs, of the health of the people of America. Are these people suborning terrible characters who actually enjoy grabbing people, handcuffing people and ripping families apart all with the excuse that they are just doing their jobs? Now where have we heard that before!!!
     People are frightened for the results of this tax boondoggle for the wealthy, the uber wealthy. They are running to pay real estate taxes before the year is out and meanwhile, the Republicans plan to throw a sop to the people with another couple of bucks in their take home pay for a year or so and then watch the disappearing act of this "boon" as the years go on even as the corporations are written into forever!!!
     Perhaps the Chinese tell it all with their statue of a dog that looks just like Trump, ostensibly for the year of the Dog, this year, and the year in which he was born 71 years ago. We have certainly lost the respect of the world as we allowed this travesty of a man to win office. We, the people, allowed this by doubt, by anger, by stupidity, by inertia, by false calculations of what would work and of how bad this man and many of his supporters truly are.
     So it behooves us, we, the people, to correct this. Is it impeachment? Well, then what about Pence, he of the pasted head of hair and even worse views than Trump? Should we plan on taking back the House and then tieing the hands of Trump and company? Should we continue to protest in larger and larger crowds, making sure our political hacks remember where and how they got there. WE the people carry the responsibility and the possibility.
  WE the people. WE THE PEOPLE

CHURCHILL? TRUMP? SPARE ME!!

    Okay. When does this stop. Trump as Churchill? Oy!! Trump is neither hero nor soldier. He is neither statesman nor diplomat. He is neither kind nor thoughtful. He is not steady in his ways nor mentally balanced. He has neither intellectual powers nor selflessness. But I guess other than that he is just sooooooo Churchill.
     When does this stop, this self blinding attitude of some that insist they toady up to the future Donald I? Why does the sense and shadow of a developing oligarchy grow, in  frightening leaps and bounds? When do these people realize that while Churchill dressed well, Trump is running around in the altogether, with his new clothes simply not there. It is all the old clothes with their reek of hatred, of prejudice, of the arrogance of the ultimate monied class.
     Read yesterday's essay by Paul Krugman, a partial response to the one by Roger Cohen who so rightfully questions whether this is still America. Krugman agrees with the worry, concerned over a slide into oligarchy, the loss, the bleeding away of our country as it was, as it should be and as it should strive to be. And yet, he feels that there are good signs, people rising up, voices, new voices, being heard, women insisting that they too can run for office and fighting just as hard when they must. But he warns us that it will take effort, an effort that must be sustained.
     Churchill served selflessly and if he had an ego, well he deserved to have it for all that he did, for the country whose life he saved, for his ability to unite the country and give it strength in a time of mortal peril. Trump has divided us, given us a new sense of mortal peril rather than hope, displayed misogyny, bias, xenophobia, every disgusting trait one can think of.
     Trump is at odds with almost every community of the country. For the first time in two decades no president was at the Kennedy Honors, an important one this year. He and the arts community are at great odds. Business people have disbanded advisory councils with him. He is in danger of being found in collusion with Russia and the mere fact that there is this suspicion is disgusting and shocking. He enriches himself and his estate at the cost to the country. He is rude, overbearing, arrogant, nasty, unbalanced but other than that - well, there ya go!! And oh yes, do not forget his reintroduction of nepotism into the highest ranks and offices of government, never mind ineptitude.
     So Paul Krugman and Roger Cohen and so many others, including me, warn us of impending dangers. We are warned of the actual chance of developing into an oligarchy, of being a "democracy" such as Hungary is turning into or like Poland where the judiciary is now under legislative control. We, the people, need to watch, to act, to demand, to yes, even threaten. WE need to be strong. We need to remember what it truly means to be an American. Our allies have openly turned away from us. We have turned away from the world and other countries, including our enemies are slipping into that vacuum. We have given no hope to developing countries. We have allowed dirty companies free rein to resume polluting our air, our water, our land. Where have we gone wrong?
     Well, comparing Churchill and Trump is a good place to start. Please, people, remember the phrase of we the people. Remember Lincoln's government of the people, by the people, for the people. Remember -
  WE the People. WE THE PEOPLE.

SO IT IS A NEW YEAR. SO WHAT?

     We think of a new year as a new beginning or a refutation of an older negative item, be it thought or action. So here we are on the cusp of a new year, 2018, and now what? We have had numerous dissections of what happened in the election of 2016 and we still have not reached a definite conclusion about it. Mueller is still working, Trump et al are still dreaming of a clean slate, and a quick end to this whole issue, America is turning in on itself, hatred abounds, anger abounds, but what? Will we all toot the horns and wear funny hats as we ring in the new year and what? Dispatch the old with all it entailed?
     That ass, Trump, is still tweeting about his great achievements of his first year and perhaps he is correct. He has singlehandedly, albeit with the wimpy spineless Republican Party, tried to destroy our future in so many ways. Environment. Trade. Peace. Alliances. New terrifying terminology. Attacks on the fourth estate - the press. Destruction of a pristine area of Alaska. Ditto for Utah. Tax welfare for the rich. Finally, an open acknowledgement of that. Disbanding of protective legislation. Attempt to repeal the healthcare for so many and now they own this disaster they have created. Creation of a decisively partisan Congress with little hope or chance of bipartisanship. Acceptance of sexual predators as the predator in chief sits in the Oval Office. Introducing a manikin as the new First Lady. The gall to piggyback his so called economic achievements on the back of the results of the improvements of the Obama years.
     It just goes on and on so.... is there hope for the New Year? Well, the Utah's Salt Lake Tribune has basically outed Senator Hatch for the creep and disaster he is and called on him to retire. The Democratic party is beginning to wake up. The resistance to Trumpism and its perverted and twisted ways is rising. And people are beginning to scream about the greediness of the uber wealthy and their corporations. We need to roll back the inflated drug prices, reassure our citizens that we will not allow Ryan to cut entitlement programs such as Medicare, food stamps, Social Security. Yes, of course there are abuses within these programs, but one does not discard it all for a few creeps. Do we discard capitalism, democracy, because there are creeps and sinners within it who twist it and take advantage of others? No!! We attempt to fix it and battle against those who would reverse all that we have gained.
     There is so much to be done, from fixing the messes he and his buddies have created, to winning back our allies, to tempering the mouth of the president or better yet, removing him from office and giving him time in a mental institution where perhaps he can regain his sanity and mental balance, restoring the regulations to protect our environment and our citizens, and if we run out of ideas, Sanders had a good idea. Now while I do not always agree with some of his suggestions, he had a great list of what we could do with $1.5 trillion dollars that we are now handing over to the Fat Cats. Make college free. Grow universal kindergarten. Fund CHIP program for 107 years. Repair our crumbling infrastructure. Rebuild Puerto Rico. And I could add in a few like properly fund entitlement programs. Work on clean water for our citizens. Educate people on our unity rather than on our differences. And we could go on and on BUT....
     This all takes work and interest and devotion and sincerity. It means taking abuse from those presently in power. But....we the people can do this if we are serious about it. We the people are the heart and soul of this country. We are the raison d'etre of its existence. Let us once again reach out and up and inspire admiration from the world, give hope to the world and show them the power of the people.
WE the People. WE THE PEOPLE!!

DO THEY KNOW ITS CHRISTMAS TIME THIS YEAR?

     So what is the answer to the question of the title? Well, the head of the newspaper combine of the Tribune and the LA Times thought it was so he gave himself $15 million dollars extra. Nice, if you can get it, right? Then again, we have those sharing in the Christmas spirit. You know, like that orange haired weirdo in the White House.
    Yes, this ignoramus, this uncaring selfish bastard decided that it is not enough that there is so much  blood shed around the world and right here in our country. Nope, apparently not enough, for he makes a whole crude scene of crossing his legs and showing the sole of his shoe with apparent blood on it and claims it to be the blood of CNN. It was not enough for him  to show violent cartoons or other pictures of him beating up CNN people, or kicking them when they are down. Nope, he needed to show blood. This man is disgusting to the nth degree.
     So no, I do not celebrate Christmas, being Jewish, but there is supposed to be a holiday and joyous spirit, a measure of generosity that comes with the holiday times and yes, Donald, there is nothing wrong with saying Merry Christmas, Happy Chanukah, Happy Holidays or whatever. It is all meant to share in the joy, in the possibility of what mankind could be, should be, should strive for, but considering that the juices of humanity seem to have dried up in you, I wish you no joy, no holiday happiness, only perhaps somehow to feel even a tenth of the agony you have caused here within the country and around the world.
    Do they know its Christmas? I doubt it for many, other than for the glee they have when their president, you know,  the guy who is supposed to serve ALL Americans, tells them in their little private club that he owns, that oh now they are even richer due to his tax cut for them. Well, there it is in the open and all those damned Senators and Representatives who voted for it, that Republican party that has turned on its roots - well may that money turn sour for you and may you know no joy from it as the rest of us suffer under this madman. There you have it, a Christmas wish for those who deserve it.
     So a box of horse manure was left for Mnuchin!! Love it!!! So much for fooling all of the people. Lincoln said it and we believe it. There will be people who know the truth and who will speak out and up. Right now there is already a huge list of over 140,000 people signed up to immediately take to the streets should Trump fire Mueller. Remember my wonderings and musings about civil war? Well...... What do you think when more than 600 cities will erupt.
     Do they know its Christmas. I doubt it. In fact I doubt whether there is a majority of the holiday spirit anywhere. There is so much hate. It suffuses the air. If one recalls, most of the origin stories of the figures that are now known as Santa Claus all came from some mean dude who would take away bad little kiddies. Somehow it morphed into the kindly fat old dude of today. Much better. Kids can be frightened enough, particularly in these times when things are not so secure, when children are facing horrors that should never be, when they are killed as enemies, used as soldiers, see their mother and sisters raped, their fathers beheaded, and see violence in their own households with the huge incidents of domestic violence.
      Christmas time or not, we have much to do to correct this world. Tikkun Olam, the Jewish imperative to fix the world, to take something of it and make it better. Think how we could combine the true Christmas spirit with Tikkun Olam and what a great world we can make it. First to go......
     We the people can make a difference, must make a difference. So enjoy the holiday spirit, whatever holiday one celebrates and remember the power of
     WE the People. WE THE PEOPLE!!

DRAWING LINES

     Once upon a time we had a country called the United States of America, filled with Americans who might differ in original background or in religious beliefs and even political beliefs, but still and  all, there was a concept of the American. Sometimes it was regarded as arrogant or spoiled, but mostly it was a  character that was unique to the world, a character whose origin was clearly recognized as an American strode thru another country. The passport was valued, treasured. To be an American, to live in America, was a dream of many, of millions, and the Americans already in the country, welcomed or at least accepted the new arrivals and allowed them to integrate within the country and so the generations melded and we all became Americans.
     But today it is no longer so. We have ruined ourselves, allowed others to ruin us, and have drawn lines, lines of separation, lines that arose from hatred and prejudice, bias and fear. These lines were encouraged by people with nefarious plans and these lines grew ever thicker and darker. We even had chief line makers talking of running for President in 2020 such as Bannon and that, my friends, my fellow Americans, is one of the most frightening things I have ever contemplated. Trump is bad enough what with his many faults, his lack of competence or power of thinking, his infantile tantrums, his biases, his greed, and the list goes on, but Bannon - dear Lord in Heaven, he is pure evil with not a single redeeming feature.
    I thought at times that I was an outlier, perhaps becoming too worried about our future, but of late, I am in good company, unfortunately. More and more people are thinking aloud, worrying and wondering over our future, not in existence - but as America, the America of old, the proud, the striving, the progressive, the welcoming. More and more there are books and essays, tweets and podcasts all concerned with the very strange and dangerous times we live in, how we have strayed from our foundations, wandered onto foreign territory and forsaken our principles.
     Just yesterday there was an essay by Roger Cohen, a columnist of the Times. While I do not always agree with him and his views, particularly as regards Israel, he has become over the months ever more outspoken in his worry and concern over where we as a country and as a nation are going. This essay was one of the most heartfelt and frightening pieces I have ever read and cemented my fears, validated my fears and worries and I wonder, people, where the hell have we gone? Where are our values hiding? Why have we accepted so many wrong and erroneous behaviorisms? Why have we allowed hatred to guide our way rather than acceptance, aid, friendship and adjustment.
     He wondered if this is America and has come to the same conclusion as I have long ago. This is NOT America as we knew it, as we would love to know it once more. And it is sad, so sad, and frightening, so frightening and must be fixed, remedied before it is too late. 
     Is this America, he asks and I ask, and so many others ask, where we antagonize our allies.
Where we tweet words of hatred from other haters.
Where we make up fake stories of an attack in Sweden that never happened.
Where words of comfort are not given to those who suffered a bias attack of great violence. Where haters are deemed fine people.
Where the president is approached more and more as a Great Leader - shudder - and do I hear Donald I?
Where the supposed leader shows definite signs of mental illness.
Where there are obvious degenerative changes of his brain.
Where nepotism, greed, dishonor are once more in vogue.
Where the undercurrent of filth among many is revealed even as the molester in chief remains in office and one remains on the Supreme Court Bench.
Where we engage in Newspeak rivaling the level of 1984 and Brave New World.
Where the pigs of Animal Farm have come to life. Where our soldiers are now told to prepare for a coming war.
Where the leader engages in adolescent taunting with another demented leader.
Where we engage with other countries as traitors, selling our country and its people down the river, colluding with enemies, accepting a presidency that is not valid.
Where seemingly we have forgotten our past, our heritage and our hopes and strivings for the future.
     Cohen states that "This is not America. It must be fought for and won back."
     WE have to fight for it in every which manner and form. We need to stand firm against hatred, against indecency, for the rights of all, minorities of skin color or religion, or gender or orientation or whatever perverted hatred is ginned up. We the people need to draw new lines, erasing old ones of hatred and fear. We the people, we the Americans, need to be American!
     WE the People. WE THE PEOPLE!!

WILL IT, CAN IT?

     It is hard to hold on. It is easy to give in to despair and think the situation will never improve or even if it can, have we reached the tipping point? All one has to do is look around and see all the deficiencies of society, large and small, and wonder if there is a way, a vaccine, to combat this corruption, this uncaring, this nastiness.
     Roy Moore refuses to concede and in adding to his creepiness, has gone after the gay son of his victorious opponent. What has one thing to do with the other? And what is it with people who cannot accept another who thinks or feels or acts differently than they do? Why does Roy Moore think it okay to molest and establish sexual relations with young girls while being gay is wrong? And then again, we have Steve Bannon, the ultimate creep, hate monger, mulling over a decision to perhaps run for president in the next election!!!!! President of what? The hateful people of America? The crude knights of society? If the consequences were not so frightening, it would be ludicrous, but then again, so was the image of Trump as a victor in his race!!
     Honor and courage and virtue, public service have gone down the drain and people openly indulge their own biases and benefit their own wallets. So with this new tax format Trump will save $15 million while his family will also save millions as will members of his administration such as DeVos, Mnuchin, Tillerson and others. And along comes Ivanka with her "postcard" return, an impossibility so far from the reality of this complicated and corrupt tax situation that one wonders what the hell she is still doing there in the administration.
     The hatred in the air seems to grow stronger every day. Evidently some creeps cannot deal with the fact that some of the leaders of the Rebels in Star Wars are women, or  are black or Asian or anything other than white male. So they troll the Internet, mouthing off, writing screeds of hate, of prejudice. What has gone wrong with our society and can it, will it, ever return to a more progressive, searching one? 
     In Congress we have the same disregard of people and their needs. In the haste to avert a shutdown, at least temporarily, Congress passed a wholly inadequate bill. Yes, they included temporary funds for CHIPS, thank G-d, but where are the disaster monies for Puerto Rico? Have not enough people died there? Has it not been three months and still people are living in the dark in various areas of the island? Is it that they are brown people and hence not as valuable as others? And what about DACA? That seems to have been left and these poor kids, fellow Americans for all intents and purposes, are left precariously hanging over an abyss.
     What is worse, is that when we look around at the rest of society, at other levels of government, we see the same corruption, the same selfishness and what is more frightening than all of that is the fact that there is a growing ennui, a growing, shall we say, hopelessness, at the thought of the possibility of ever fixing the mess. Take the whole #MeToo. Some people are actually angrier at the women who complained, who finally had the courage to speak up, rather than at the guys who violated the women!!!! If they wished to enter the entertainment world, well, that was the price they had to pay!!! Really, what is wrong with people? What is wrong with society.
     Here in Century Village we also have an administration that is not good for us, not serving the people of the Village, but rather is serving the petty needs of David Israel and his crew of sycophants. I have ignored him for quite some time, but must speak out at this point. The new election grows closer. More and more we are seeing roads and pavements that must be fixed and piecemeal we are spending money that should not have been expended if, a big if, we had done the job right in the first place. Now we have the possibility of the man who championed moving monies against our bylaws actually running for Treasurer, all the better to get hold of more monies? We have the wasteful spending of funds on things we do not need, spend monies that would and should be placed in reserve for other expenses. We have an administration that cannot seem to get together to update by laws and are desperately trying to place new ones that would guarantee Israel and others of his ilk almost a permanent berth nigh unto death. Theirs or the Village? Who knows?
     We need to do a clean sweep of most of the administration. There are some good people there, but for the most part we have retreads who are circulated amongst various committees and hence we have people who vote several times over on one issue, relegating the whole process to a joke. We have half dead people as delegates, a whole bunch from associations that do not have functioning boards so who appointed these delegates? Good question and have never been able to get the answer as the papers and info are hidden behind a seemingly iron curtain.
     The worst thing now is the fact that people are tired. David Israel and crew sit there in glee as they see opponents drop out, tired of his garbage, and intent on living now without him in their lives, concentrating on that which will make them happy, rather than taking on the abusiveness that comes on board as soon as one speaks out opposing him and his proposals. He rules like a tinpot dictator at Assembly meetings, speaking out against all rules instead of behaving in an impartial manner as Chairs are supposed to do, makes nasty and crude comments from the podium and is altogether just a nasty piece of business.
     So are there people out there, residents who have the energy and the optimism to oppose him, to take on his abuse, his nastiness? Are there new residents who have not yet lost their energy and strength? I, for one, will support them, but personally, I am tired, Trump is the larger danger, and I have other things in my life that are far more important than this petty man and his petty machinations of life here in the Village. So I will step over the cracks, look at the garish lighting of the trees, wonder how net neutrality will affect us with this Atlantic Broadband as Comcast promised to keep things as they are but this one? Who the hell knows! I will look past the business of the buildings and refurbishment and the smoke around the deal, try not to worry about what else we will be giving up and away in the new agreement for David seems not to worry or has his plans as the end of the Millennium Agreement draws nigh and we sit on or hands doing nothing.
     We the people have lots to do and must pick and choose our battles. We cannot and must not neglect any area but some demand more attention than others. I will periodically return to the Village business, especially as the elections get closer, but my main focus is on the danger of Trump, his followers and his philosophy of greed, me tooism, and hatred. If we do not battle this and never give up, then Century Village and David Israel will not matter. Not if we the people give up and allow the crude and the rude, the selfish and the greedy, the haters and the polluters to take over. We the people have a huge responsibility to all segments of time - to honor the past, watch over the present and keep faith with the future we want for the next generations.
     We the people. WE THE PEOPLE

     

CARPE DIEM

     Seize the day. Gather ye rosebuds while ye may. A bird in the hand. And the lists could go on for some time, with all the messages being this: take what you can get in the immediacy of the moment and worry about the future later. And that, ladies and gentlemen, is what we have in the passing of the tax changes.
     This is not a reform by any means other than reformatting advantages and disadvantages, cutting out any idea of fairness and allowing this to be a massive tax cut, though not the biggest one ever - sorry, Trump - but still and all, a massive one for uber wealthy and our own dear molester in chief stands to reap millions upon millions, just for him and his whole miserable family. Nor does it provide any real impetus to kickstart an economy which was already kickstarted by the Obama administration and has maintained its momentum right thru this year - a fact that Trump attributes to himself. Sorry, Donny, no way.
     What just took place was a travesty of democracy, of morality, of altruism, of anything good and what it was, was a huge grab for greed what with certain senators gaining financially, others not getting their desired additions or changes and truly, what fools they were. Why did they ever expect the Trump administration in all its facets, to tell the truth, to promise and keep it. For the "little guy" - no way, no how.
     We had a group of mostly men who were frantic to show the world they could do something and the end of the year was fast approaching. So they did something - and screwed the country. After one year of Donald I we now have a country that will be raped financially, morally, physically and any other way one could think of. 
     To add to the mix we have the increased hatred, the open nastiness of prejudice. Thousands of DACA kids are waiting. Our economy has suffered from their uncertainty and coming loss and will continue to suffer as Trump closes off our borders and prevents fresh minds, new thinking. America simply does not have all that she needs to keep this economy chugging along and it will slow down and go into panic mode, just as Britain is now, as workers are getting harder to find, crops are going unpicked, slots in businesses and technology are going begging and people simply do not want to come or are leaving and we will have that problem here - already do - but hey, no worry, for Trump gets all the visas he needs time after time for all his immigrant overseas workers for his temples to the wealthy.
     We are in a bad position and just wait till the truth about this tax bill is obvious even to the most benighted. Just wait till the budget deficit causes a huge shortfall in monies available for social safety net programs. Wait till Medicare recipients are denied meds and procedures and start dying. And wait till children start dying because there is no more CHIPS. Wait till people go hungry right here in America, but not to worry, for Ivanka will have her child care money and Mar a Lago will still serve exotic foods all to please the palates of the Trump class people. And remember, first comes the Wall, ICE, police enforcement, and military funding. First we will send our forces overseas to even more countries and then perhaps worry about our own. In cutting us off from the world we are actually harming our people, his own 'base'.
   Trump is a prime example of the evil thinking that can result from carpe diem thinking. We need to plan for the future and that future means a world that is intertwined, where nativism and populism disappear, where prejudice is recognized as ridiculous and dies away, where children do not go hungry and the elderly are not neglected or written off. It means a world where ethnic cleansing is a thing of the past.It means a world where we the people have retained our country's soul, that we have restored our true values to where they belong and turned away the negative aspects of the past, learned our lessons well. One can  hope, yes? One does not have to lose all hope and optimism as one ages. We the people can do this. If we wish to do so. If we work hard to take our country back.
     We the people    WE THE PEOPLE

CHOICES GOOD AND EVIL

     The world and its history, both in the mass and in the individual, are made of choices. The air is permeated with could have beens, should have beens, as the choices we made and make determine our timeline. When a bad choice is made one often says that we need to make it right, but that is not always possible.
     However, what we have come to think, in absolutes, is that one is either good or evil. No gray. No iffy issues, just either that or the other. And yet that is really not so. The slaveholder who did not beat his slaves - good or bad? The slaveholder who did beat his slaves but freed them upon his death. Good or bad? The vigilante who takes justice into his or her own hands,thus saving future victims, but defying the laws of society. Good or bad? The Mafia don who orders the deaths of traitors but gives a huge gift for the poor at his parish church. Good or bad?
     Literature, movies, poetry, essays and philosophy - all are concerned with these distinctions and choices. All wonder where the line is drawn, if it is drawn at all. The latest movie in the Star Wars series, The Last Jedi, is a great picture, exciting, challenging, and thoughtful as well. It poses the question of choices, of good and evil. It causes the viewer to wonder, during and well after the movie is over, about the answer to the question - is one either all good or all evil? Does the choice at one instant determine the definition of a person, cause that person to fall on either side of the line? Is an evil person without any redeeming benefits? Is a good person impervious to temptations of evil in thought and deed and does even the thought of doing evil, of giving in to evil, cause that person to lose the designation of the good?
    Why wonder about all these questions and determinations now? Simple. Because the USA is now caught in such a time. Never before, other than the Civil War, has there been such a dichotomy among its citizens. Never before have the lines been so clearly delineated. In my opinion, there is little among the Republican votes, other than the Republican Representatives that voted against the tax bill, that could mark any of them as good in this instance. I cannot believe, I do not see, any benefit in this tax bill for the average citizen. Yes, perhaps under its convoluted regulations there might be a slight decrease in taxes for 2018, but when one looks into the future, all benefits to the people are temporary, iffy, while those for the corporations and uber wealthy are permanent, engraved in stone!!
     Rubio can pat himself on the back for getting another $200 for child care for the needy, but big deal as along with that went the massive gift it is in its wording to the wealthy who do not need nor deserve it as well as his vote for this bill that will entangle future generations in a true evil mess.
    Our massive debt will increase by $1.5 trillion dollars. One might ask where are the Republicans who shouted so loudly about the debt before? Gone, blowin' in the wind, I guess, that evil wind that has settled down to a seemingly permanent place in the Congress. No promised post card tax filing as promised, but a new horror that will demand huge amounts of paper, huge confusion among amateurs and professionals and the IRS will never be able to function properly. Refunds will be delayed wholesale.
     Several Republicans in the House voted against opening reserve lands in Alaska for drilling and exploitation but then turned around and voted for this tax bill, this abomination, this evil thing, and in that tax bill was the permission to exploit the land, the pristine land.
     The evil that permeates the land, that results in people being dragged off the street minor or adult, citizen or not - lest you be brown! The evil that will result when we run out of money, when social programs, when safety nets are cut to the bone and people die and starve and freeze and ail and are denied an education and a chance to succeed in this world, when the world and our allies turn a cold shoulder to us for what we have done - this, my friends, this, is evil and there are no redeeming features or sparks of good.
    Those who voted for this are ecstatic, they won, they think, they roar, they pound the table. But what have they wrought???? The very vote, the reasons and the greed behind it, permeate the air of Congress. But we do have a chance to possibly, eventually, fix some of this evil. By one vote in Virginia a House overturned the Republican majority. With anger and upset, parents in Connecticut protested that their children were subjected to a surprise unannounced visit by Ivanka to their high school, not what they want their kids to hear. By the hundreds of thousands Americans have protested this tax bill and other infamies of this administration and one hopes that payback will be seen in 2018.
     Choices have been made. Some are irredeemable while others might be ameliorated, with difficulty and with time. But in the meanwhile the results of those choices will resound and people will be hurt, our nation will be hurt and so will the world. Good and evil are not archaic no longer relevant terms. In fact, they are among the most important topics of the day even as they permeate the very air we breathe.
     This is the time to choose. Are we going along with the corrupt, the expedient, the evil, or will we remember that we the people have the ultimate power and must guard it assiduously or we will lose it. That must not be. Choices. Make them the right ones. Choose to leave the evil out, behind us and make sure there are consequences for those who choose the evil. We the people must make the right choices.
We the people. WE THE PEOPLE.

STICK IT TO THE MAN

     The other day we saw a wonderful production of School of Rock. Simple, noisy, fun, a wonderful group of talented children, an audience filled with kids, a responsive audience and yet, a clear and simple message came through. I think  a whole bunch of us older citizens remembered the sentiment of a chief song and theme of the play - stick it to the man. We certainly did so in the 60's and we sure as hell need to do it now.
     I spent most of my working life enforcing rules, teaching kids why they were important, and yet also teaching and demonstrating why rules sometimes need to be broken if progress is to be made. The one rule to remember is that all rules are not necessarily the be all and end all of life and  behavior.
     There are times when the rules of society work against it. When the judiciary of Nazi Germany excused themselves by saying they were only obeying the law of the land, well, that was a non starter. Legal as contrasted to moral and so which is one supposed to choose. Are not rules that which make life certain, that ensures that we do not live in chaos? And yet, rules need to be changed and updated and it needs to be understood that rules often are made to benefit the upper classes, the super wealthy and stick it to the little guy. That is when the rules must be changed.
     In recent years we were lucky to have a Congress that passed regulatory rules and laws that protected the little guy. But this past year, when the molester in chief came into office, the rule is that there are no rules other than those that satisfy his every whim, that put the earth in danger, that aim to isolate our country from the world and then just watch the tanking of our economy as we become a Third World nation with little to attract fresh minds and ideas, blocking those who would come to enrich our society, stifle innovation and watch as the cogs of industry and society begin to creak to a slower speed and watch as the "man', that group of uber wealthy and those who suck up to them - watch as they prosper and the rest of us - just wait.
     So let us return to the stick it to the man theme. We need to empty that swamp of which molester in chief spoke. We need to ask ourselves why we allow some creeps to remain in office, the molester being one and why is Clarence Thomas still on the bench!!! We owe a national apology to Anita Hill do we not?
     It is time that we the people rise up and stick it to the man. Insist that our representatives do their jobs and if not - recall them, vote them out, barrage them with calls, clog their email, but make sure the sentiment gets through. Evidently the twinges of morality are fully overwhelmed by their greed and selfishness. Stick it to them by any means possible so that the "man" does not return to office.
     Right now we have a Congress of wimpy and self interested Republicans, selling their soul for a clause that will benefit them personally as well as the molester, selling their constituents down the river, sticking it to us by removing all protective regulations and safeguards and the molester, why he sits there like a Jabba the Hutt, watching his nefarious plans take root and grow, even as he lies thru his teeth.
     We the people must stop being the stuckees!! We need to be the stickers, stick it to the man, that inevitable part of any society which has grown stagnant in many ways, that has allowed the wrong people to rise to the top and rule. Their rules are corrupt in many cases so.....stick it to the man!!! Let them know we will no longer take it. We demand better. We demand more. And if nothing motivates you then what about this. Two prominent Republicans who warned about the damage that Trump would cause warned us that if not for our society here and the rules, the good rules that remain even as they are under attack, if not for that, Trump would be the dictator of the country and then, what? Starvation, stagnation, violence and death. Just look to the countries of the world where there are dictators. Then look at your children. And then ask yourself why we are not sticking it to the man.
    WE the people. WE THE PEOPLE.

THE TRUTH OF THE MATTER, LITTLE GUY...

     Where has truth gone? Where are the facts buried? Why do people believe in the lies they are told? Why has life been imitating the apocalyptic scenarios of literature where democracy, brotherhood, hope, optimism and all things positive are destroyed, trampled upon and all things negative are raised to the heights?
     I cannot answer these questions for I simply do not understand why people have allowed themselves to be fooled, to be cheated, as they still cheer for a lying molester with evil plans for the "little guy" he is supposedly championing and big plans to increase his bottom line as well as those of his fellow robber barons. We thought the era of robber barons long gone, did we not, reading of it in history class, but here it is again, bigger and worse than ever. And why have people been so eager to hand over the promise of America to people who simply hold it in contempt and destroy it.
     Yes, there are people who have been resisting, but does it not shock you when the term resistance is used here in our country. The resistance was a  term used in foreign countries who were under the thrall of an enemy nation, conquered, in a subordinate condition. But here there is no foreign nation, there is no conquering, only that which we have allowed within ourselves.
     The little guy? Well, let's see. The thousands of jobs in coal? 1,500 and the rest? Nowhere to be found in this "beautiful clean" fuel!
     A massive tax cut? Yup, if you are among the high wealthy people such as Trump whose children and grandchildren now stand to inherit $22 million tax free!!! Wow, the little guy indeed. And the tax cut that is supposedly on track for next year? Well, hold on to it tightly - if you even see it - for the following years take it away and nicely add to your tax burden. Yup, the little guy indeed.
    Okay, so let's turn to an important component of our lives - the internet, for good or bad. It has become integral to every aspect of life and yet, there is no more net neutrality, meaning the big companies are going to rake it in in fees, in 'blackmail' demands and as for us, why we will just be paying higher fees or having to do without. The wealthy - why never you mind, for with all their tax cuts and money this will be nothing to them. After all, they are the upper class and let us not forget that and our place in the new scheme of things. 
    Our very lives will be in danger in a real sense of the word as we lose all the protections and regulations that would have helped us clean the air, keep the environment clean and healthy, help us keep our country's history and natural beauty, keep watchdogs over the selfish huge industries, keep our food clean of chemicals, make sure our water was clean and on and on. But now? Now they are gone, lost in the mists of the selfishness, incompetency and cold hearted economic plans of Trump and his minions, the lack of morality in the politicians of Washington. Clean the swamp? This man has increased its size and murkiness and what is worse - is planning more and does it right in the open. And us - well, screw us is the term of the day.
     I could go on  what with the collusion with Russia and now secret planning with Communist China re Korea and war plans or the backstabbing of his trade plans and the future peril involved with these trade plans. The rise of open prejudice and hatred and the black future that portends. 
     I wrote yesterday of the responsibility of we, the people. That responsibility grows ever heavier upon the shoulders of those who know we must, we have, to resist or we are lost and the country is lost to our kids, lost to the control of the cruel, the uber wealthy, the uncaring, the selfish immoral ones. As for us, we will be choking away, scrambling for a piece of bread, a crust to feed our starving kids and if you think I am stretching the truth - just look at the once wealthy and functioning countries of South America and look at their starving people today - literally starving, at the hopelessness and at the growing violence. We are and should be better than that.
     WE THE PEOPLE.

AND IT GETS WORSE!

     Every time one thinks that it cannot get any worse, just continue on the same abominable level, well, one is proven wrong. The chutzpah (gall) of politicians is astounding. Their lack of moral structures, their lack of soul and care for others and their overwhelming greed is just overpowering. They cannot seem to hold on to a positive moral venture or action if their life depended on it.
     And why not!! The molester in chief in the White House certainly does not exactly set a good moral example, does he? His willingness and that of his campaign and political aides to sell the country down the river with collusion with Russia is yet another example of what one should not do, certainly if one is leader of a country.
     And then of course, we have that wonderful tax bill. First they had the nerve to call it reform!! That word usually has a good connotation, but this "reform" was an outright gift to the wealthy, to the Trumps themselves, the Kushners, and other real estate moguls, to the liquor companies and industry, to individual senators who sold their soul for provisions within the bill, as did Corker for the real estate provision or Portman for the liquor industry. The losers - the lower and middle classes, the elderly, those needing health coverage, children for their health and for the certainty of simply getting food, individual taxpayers in the near future - but who cares, right, for the Senators are approving a bill they have not read, do not care to, just as long as their little peccadillos are catered to and the hell with everyone else. Despite all predictions and warnings from governmental and private economists that this tax bill is bad, bad, bad, off they go to the races, Trump and the Republicans, filling and lining their pockets and to hell with the electorate, with the people.
     And as for the Dreamers? What should we now expect - wholesale roundups, screaming pictures of families torn apart, the horrible echoes of other ethnic cleansings around the world, for make no mistake about it - stripping the country of young and vibrant people of black and brown skins and Asian backgrounds is naught but ethnic cleansing under another name. But a name is a name is a name - and we all know that!
     But folks, there is much worse to come for our very freedom to think, to talk, to write, to use the words we choose is being taken away. Government documents are going to be whitewashed and I swear, this is like 1984 come to life. Look at these 'horrific' words and terms -The banned words and phrases included "vulnerable," "entitlement," "diversity," "transgender" "fetus," "science-based" and "evidence-based." -  and ask yourself, why can these words not be used? What is Trump and his minions trying to do? I will answer that - trying to start the beginnings or capitalize on what they have already done to set up a perpetual life presidency for the Trump family and to destroy democracy within our country. In fact, it will no longer be our country. And whose fault is that? OURS!! for we have let it go this far and it will go further unless we stand up to it and against it.
     There are none so blind as will not see. Selfishness and power hunger, thoughtlessness, crudeness, hatred of women, of all who are "others" - where does it end? The answer - it does not, for hatred always needs to be fed and will consume any and all who near it.
     And it gets worse - yes, it does and it will continue to do so unless we send strong messages that we, the people, will not stand for this, that we, the people, remember our Declaration of Independence and our Constitution and we, the people know right from wrong.
     We, the people. WE, THE PEOPLE.

WHAT HAS HAPPENED?

     In 1994 there was a firebombing of two train cars with horrific consequences. Several days ago there was an attempted suicide bombing in the subway. In 2001 there were three planes who flew into buildings and one into the ground. Now the downtown memorial is seen by an entire new generation as a nice place to eat lunch. Does anybody remember Sandy Hook or even Vegas? And will anybody remember the future ones to come, for come they will, or have we grown a protective coat of terror fatigue, of sympathy fatigue - that is, until and unless we are personally involved, G-d forbid.
    Those were local or national ones to name a few and let us remember that there were and are massacres taking place on a daily basis, sometimes hourly, overseas. Massacres in France. The "old" genocide against the Tutsi by the Hutu. The ongoing horror against the Rohingya, the denial of their existence!! The fatigue when another horrific event happens in Israel, another family slaughtered, another policeman slain, another kidnap attempt, another bomb on a bus or in a restaurant. We have all grown blasé, negligent and the world has suffered for it.
     Terrorists try to top their last attack and we, the rest of the world either pay it no attention or watch it on the news until we have terror fatigue and turn to YouTube or Netflix. So why is this happening and why is it important? Simple. It is our humanity that is at stake and almost to a one Americans now believe that our country is riven with distress and schisms, with opposition that is emanating from deep within the American psyche and some even wonder if there is an American psyche any more. That is how far apart we have become, how little we care about each other.
     What has happened? We have lost our way. A huge complex of people, organizations, businesses, educational institutions all cry out against the terrible tax plan which is almost upon us. Our hopes are pinned on counting the absences of individuals or on the very slim hope that several Republican senators will remember that they are there to serve the people of the country and not Trump, not themselves and their wallets, not their big donors, but the people!!!
     We have grown a layer of movers and shakers who only move as dictated by their baser instincts and are then shocked when it all comes out. We play innocent, unknowing, yet it comes out that so many knew and stood by and did nothing. Sound familiar? Standing by and doing nothing leads to the ignoring of an individual's responsibility towards society, fellow citizens of the country and the world, and an indifference to the horrors of people going way beyond the pale, way beyond the acceptable and excusable.
     We have deemed acceptable those who have hidden inside the woodwork and allow them now to expose their putrid and poisonous views to the world, march for them, allow them to run for office, to support slavery, for G-d's sake!!! We have a true creep as President, a man without morals, a man who makes sure he will benefit greatly from new regulations or lack thereof, a man who believes that the wealthy, the 1% deserve special treatment and the rest of society - tough! Take what you can get. And be grateful for it.
      Our officials have become corrupted. Right now there are investigations growing on a Federal level of local law enforcement and when one reads the stories, when one reads of the misdeeds of local sheriffs throughout the country, we wonder what has happened? Are we returned to the world of the frontier when one never knew if the one who wore the badge was truly a lawman or truly an outlaw?
     We care nothing for the health care of those who need help to afford it and that incudes most of society as the care is expensive. Should one have a chronic illness or two or three - well, forget it!! Buy the cemetery plot, for this administration has no care nor concern for you. Have children who need to be watched while the parents work? Well, the rich will get child care funds but as for those who need it - forget about it. Your babysitter or day care service simply does not rate against the nanny.
     We have a morally offensive molester at the helm, a man who cannot keep his own administration in working order, changes aides and Secretaries in a manic manner, is rude to former workers, practically tossed a woman out of the White House and yet there he remains, he of the admitted molestation, of misogyny, of fake pictures, of lies, lies and more lies, of incompetence and collusion with Russia - and even that was done clumsily!! 
     What has happened? You tell me and then tell me how we get out of this morass, how do we save ourselves? What has happened? We have gotten lost, have become Hansel and Gretel in the woods as the birds ate up the bread crumbs, erasing the past path as we have done, forgetting our heritage, forgetting that our heritage includes the new blood we have welcomed into our country, the sharing of cultures, the blending of cultures.
    What has happened? What has happened? Write while I might, I, too, am lost and unable to truly define what has happened, why it has happened and for how long, what is next. It is just that overpowering and moving now on and of its own volition. Either we stop that rolling snowball, filthy with the much and mire that now permeates American political and civil life or we write off America. What do you want? I know what I want.

BOOOOORING!!!!

     There used to be a news cycle of legislation, events around the world, current local and  national events, even sports and arts events. However, today there is generally only one major news cycle and that is of the latest insanities committed by that predator in the Oval Office. His constant misbehavior, totally opposed to the proper and expected behavior of his position rules the day - and night - and months - and year.
     The mystery at the center is just exactly how this man came to be in office. He represented the worst in us as a people and as a nation. He represented the dismissed, the unhappy, those searching for an answer, a cure to their problems that was certainly not to be found within Trump's mind, but his mouth appeared to be enough to cover over all the truth of the situation.
     His mouth. That big, constantly flapping mouth, replete with foul language, disgusting statements and a false appearance of sticking up for the little guy The truth of the matter is that he stuck it to the little guy and has only his own money and those of others like him in mind. And now we stand on the verge of a huge upheaval within American society. We stand on the edge of creating a true and almost unbreakable schism between the uber upper economic class and the rest of us, a schism so deep, so impenetrable that I worry for America itself.
     The stories that emanate from the White House, every damn day, the crudity of language and mouth, the nastiness, the absolute impossibility of this man to actually face and acknowledge the truth, and the dragging along of other like minded or deluded people - all are both frightening and boring at the same time. And that is the problem.
     People are getting used to this "new normal" , getting tired of the dastardly shenanigans this man and his minions pull, and are excusing his behavior. Sorry, a 71 year old person should know better and if he does not, then his aides should educate him and control him, but then again, why are we talking of controlling the President!!
     He cannot and/or will not accept any responsibility or causality when his wishes are thwarted. He blames others and sends off ridiculous and nasty tweets, the worst adolescent ever. He encourages hate mongers such as Roy Moore who went totally off the track yesterday in his statement and displayed all his hatred of others. He has started this 'fake news' idiocy that dictators all over the world have glommed onto and has thus endangered an honored profession, that of journalism, endangered those who practice it, endangered the presentation of all sides of an issue and the truth of many matters.
     And yes, this is majorly boring in the long run, but also extremely dangerous in both the long and the short run. This man and his followers need to be gone. They need to be reminded of public service, of the true principles of America, need to be deprived of their opportunities to spout hatred and encourage it all over the country. Perhaps the victory yesterday in Alabama is the beginning of a long trek back, but I am not celebrating yet , nor should any one. Only hard work and effort and time will tell if we can come back from the brink, but I must say that if this tax bill is passed, even as most of the country is opposed, then only the good Lord can predict the future. All I know is that it will be problematic, to say the least.

AND THE HOPE STILL REMAINS

   Going to sleep last nite brought back memories of the night of the presidential election. The shock that we all felt and the loss of hope - and its regeneration soon after with rising resistance to a man and his minions who wished only for a turn back of the clock to a time in history when the United States needed serious work.
     And the despair continued as the situation grew worse. We realized that we had a dangerous infant in the White House, one who could not control neither his appetite for fast food nor his appetite for grandiose statements, accusations, and public spats re twitter. It was a sick man installed there and yet we were stuck with him as he took apart a system of regulations and attitudes which protected us and our country, which looked toward the future rather than the past. We looked now into a future where the uber wealthy were given and granted privileges that would only increase their power and suddenly all the apocalyptic movies of schismed societies seemed frightfully almost soon to be upon us.
     In ugly situations we had the President and his minions accused of collusion with Russia and that investigation is still ongoing. We have, finally, a possibility of the truth of Trump's financial dealings, one way to get him gone. And we have the brave women who spoke up against him and his disgusting behavior with them, behavior that he himself admits to on a tape of Hollywood Access. Though he lies and twists and turns, denies all, the proof is there and there is NO reason for this man to be allowed to stay in office. He needs to be removed, either by resignation or impeachment and conviction, or by charges of criminal offense.
     And then yesterday we had a validation of sorts; Americans are not totally lost, There is a dim light glowing off in the distance. Though Moore refuses to concede, Jones had won the election. Enough people understood that to elect that pervert Moore, that pedophile, would be a sin against the ages. Yet there were so many who remained in his camp and how any person can look at a young girl, a niece, a sister, a daughter, a stranger and vote for a man who would molest them - it boggles the mind.
     We have made  a start. The margin for Republicans has shrunk. We must hope that more Republicans will remember their souls, will find a moral backbone, will put decency and honor over blind loyalty to a Party. Will Collins realize her error in voting for that tax debacle. Will McCain? Will Flake? Will any of the others who realize the danger inherent in the reigning Party?
     Yes, there is some hope. There is a glimmer of that hope, but it must be nurtured. It must be coaxed and guarded. It must be nourished. We have shown, via yesterday's vote, that good people remain, that voters can be stimulated to come out and vote, though still not enough. But the efforts will go on. They must, if we are to retain anything of our proud founding principles, our progress over the years, and our proud and rightful place among the nations of the world.

HELLO AMERICA, YOUR SOUL CALLING

      Today we are at a crossroads and the direction we choose will say much about where we are and where we are going in the future. True, it is only an election in one state, a benighted one at that, but it does represent America today. There is enough national attention and stress upon this election, enough knowledge out there to know that no matter how "Christian" one claims to be, no matter how old school one is said to be, no matter how much men are supposedly under attack- does not feel so good, does it - no matter what, people will have to choose - perversion or not, truth or not, true family values or twisted ones, disloyalty to one's oath and public service or  recognition and acceptance of duties and responsibilities.
     One man stands outside a rally for Moore, which should have been a non event, and plaintively asks whether he should call his daughter a pervert for being lesbian, even as he regretted his attitude towards her before she killed herself. Another man lies and has his minions swear to those very same lies as he denies his own words and deeds, as he remains the highest sexual pervert and predator who remains in office. Once again he lies that now he has "eyewitnesses" who will negate the testimony of those he molested but again, where are they, where is the investigation and research? Non existent, truly, as this man once again swears to lies and proofs which are never provided.
     Both parties will now have a crisis of faith from many of its adherents, but it seems that according to Moore, all Republicans want or need do is oppose any Democrat and vote for any Republican, no matter the morals or lack thereof, no matter the nastiness and the extremism, to support the prejudice and hatred, to vote for a man who supports slavery and thinks it was a wonderful family values time. Note that the Democrats are acknowledging openly the predators ad pressuring them into resignation and the Republicans? Protecting the predators!!!
     And the denigration and deterioration of America's soul continues with the dangerous actions re the tax proposal. Last minute handwritten additions, massive attacks on the deductions, on the financial stability of the lower and middle classes, massive benefits for the wealthy and especially the ultra wealthy and the real estate developers! Oh, no conflict of interest there, right??!!
     America has taken a badly misjudged wrong turn down the wrong road. It has lost its morals, lost its way, lost the true definition of G-d fearing, of family values, of independence and freedom, of common civility. We have allowed people such as Moore to run, along with his divisive philosophy, to say the least, as he rails against the "mixing" of cultures. He and his supporters make me sick to my stomach. They make me afraid.
     A court orders the acceptance of transgender to the armed forces, where they have long been active, serving, good soldiers, but now along come sexual pervert Trump and nope, no good any more. Along come other courts which refuse to support the rights of all people, no matter the sexual orientation they have. Why is this supposed to be right, to be proper, to be just? The answer is - it is manifestly not, but such is the perversion of America's soul that it actually is supported by some Americans who besmirch and belittle the name and soul of America.
     Americans have now lost much of the protection put in place for its health, for net neutrality and equality, for its benefit, for its environment, for its future as climate change is increasingly upon us and no matter how long one protest it or wears blinders, it is here! Make no mistake about it. Lies do not undo the truth. Conjuring up one's own alternate reality where truth is lies and honesty is dishonesty, where dishonor is honor, does not make it so.
  So today, Alabamians in particular and Americans in general - look to your, to our, soul. We need to make the right, the righteous choice. G-d forbid this man get elected, this man twice removed from office, this man who hates all that do not look like him, think like him, this man who wishes to turn our country into a land of King Donald and courtier of the court Moore.
     America, Americans - the choice is ours.
     This is your soul calling.....

AND BACK AGAIN

     Last nite was great. A mixed crowd, Jewish, non Jewish, Christians, observant and not so much, Hispanic, people of color and guess what? Not a fight in the nite and guess what again. We even had Democrats and Republicans and no one was accused of anything, no one mentioned Trump and all was laughter, love, music and food. Much food!!
     Is there a secret to harmonious social interaction? Not really, for it used to be like this all the time. America was a country which allowed for differences in political and went crazy every once in a while as in the Red Scare, but mostly it was okay to differ.  Now we have an animosity among and between people and do not tolerate the thoughts of others. It grows and comes to a head when the threat to our country, to our lives, the safety of the air and the water come to a fore and all sanity and civility fly out the window.
        Why is that, one might ask. The plain and simple answer is that some of the action is so egregiously wrong that one must speak up and then one is infuriated with the dense fog surrounding the minds of some people, good people. How could they deny the fact that Trump engaged in seriously wrong behavior, that his attitude towards women sucks to say the least, that he supports a bigoted and benighted candidate for Senator and how can one help the anger and frustration one  feels. 
     And yet the country continues, albeit in a crippled manner. What is encouraging is the fact that even in places where Trump won, the people are beginning to question the consequences. People are beginning to speak out and tell about the wrong and the neglect and we do have hope for the future.
      In any case, the afterglow of the celebration of the 50th anniversary has drained much of the negativity and the necessity to trash Trump today. So today I will bask in the reflected light of a beautiful nite and leave the horror till tomorrow.

WALTZING

     You might be wondering why this title? Is it somehow connected to the dance steps of Trump et al? Nope, for today I will ignore that man and his minions and write of beauty and joy and love - all that makes the world go round and defeat the hate and despair that otherwise might reign.
     Today, or more accurately, later on today, early evening, we and close to 100 others, friends and family who can be here in Florida with us, will be celebrating a moment in time - a 50th wedding anniversary. Standing together all those years ago I never imagined this day for 50 years!!!
     And yet, with thanks to G-d, we have reached this day, this time in our lives, not always on  a smooth road, but always we managed to get back on the proper path and raised a wonderful family, enjoy watching their own families grow up, and together we share Act III.
     So why waltzing? Well, the waltz is dignified, graceful, speaks of and to another time in life. It reminds me of my parents who waltzed beautifully, on the dance floor and off as they waltzed in love thru life, overcoming all that would upset their rhythm.
    Late to the thought, I tried to get us ready to waltz for the party. Ahem!! Best laid plans! But we will try and if we give a few people some laughs, well, laughter is the best medicine and we hope they will join us on the floor. And as we circle around with some lively Jewish music, may laughter and smiles be present for all.
     I will probably be a tad late in tomorrow's posting so please forgive me in advance if I am, but the feelings of happiness, of joy, of love that will run thru the day's events can never be replaced. The friends there to share with us, the glee as I look around at everybody all dressed up here in casual country  and think how wonderful we all look when we "clean up".
     I wish that we could all waltz thru life, step over the uneven sidewalks, waltz across and down the roads finding only smooth pavement ahead, no potholes, no sinkhole, no broken cement. It is joyful at times to waltz down side roads, small paths down which lay hidden and unexpected treasures and then back again to life and all that it hands us.
     So Happy Anniversary to all, be it the first or the 75th. Raise a glass to your loved one, your partner in and thru life, be it with soda, juice, champagne or water, for the sentiment is what counts. May you be as happy as we are, as glad to share our anniversary with friends and may all of us waltz as best we can, have the courage to laugh at ourselves, and always remain or get back in step. Maybe even discover new steps.

GOOSE AND GANDER

    It is a given, at least in theory, that in a democracy there is equality before the law, equal civil rights, equal consequences and equal no nos. In practice this has not always worked out that way, but always there has been a striving towards that goal. Lately, however, we have been inundated with and by examples of how this is to be thwarted and ignored. Goose and gander seem to be living in different lanes and that is manifestly not good for the country or the world in general.
     Of late there has been a massive uncovering of what was apparently an open secret in the world of politics, of business, of entertainment and even in religion. Power was the name of the game and sex, forced sex in all its forms, was the coin of the realm of the secret worlds.
     When uncovered, spoken about by brave women who had just about enough, the men were shamed and resigned. Secret payoffs including those with taxpayer money were disclosed. Men had to resign positions of power and the old adage of  "how the mighty have fallen" came into life.
     And yet the equality seemed to wane at a certain point. The Democratic Party took off after the offenders within their ranks. They demanded resignations, even from those in positions of power and influence. What was wrong was wrong and political consequences were not taken into account and trust me, the Democrats could not spare a single vote. But among the members of the Republican Party it was different. One was asked to resign yet another who had already paid off someone was allowed to stay and the waffling over Moore, a pedophile from  Alabama, is sinful and shameful. It is even more shameful when Moore states that America was great during the time of legal slavery!!!!!!!! The fact that the chief molester, the chief predator in the country, Trump, endorsed this guy was quite telling. 
     In truth, the very fact that Trump has remained in office is a huge stain on the soul of the Republicans. This man was caught on tape boasting of his adventures, his philosophy, his actions. Yet this man remains in office, a huge embarrassment to our country. Where is the equality before the law here? Where are the equal consequences? Missing in action evidently. Goose and gander seem to diverge here.
     Melania Trump wants to run away to a deserted tropical isle for Christmas but ahem, can you just see that narcissist doing that? Where will he get the fawning that he does get in Mar a Lago and in his other golf clubs? 
     In the meanwhile, the lies about the tax policy keep a comin' but at least Collins is waking up to the fact that the promises made to her may be gone with the wind. Why do people wake up so late, so very late, even as Trump now scrambles to provide welfare for his rich buddies in NY. And even here, I guess they have a right to protest a tax policy that seems designed to punish NY for its anti Trump stance. But surely they should have seen this coming. It was as clear as day.
     Just as clear is the fact that he is now down to 32% approval and even among the Republicans and his supposed base, the numbers have dropped. There is something very wrong with this man in every which way. His wife says she prefers love and kindness - hmmm. Not there, is it?
     And his late stuttering and slurring in his talk is quite a sign of something truly wrong in the brain. This is a man who poked fun at all his opponents, claiming they were physically weak and yet this man, 71 years of age, who out eats any and all in fast food restaurants, probably has the consequences inside his brain and mind. Yet, he does not get examined, nor does he open up his health and his tax records lest the truth come out. What is that  truth? Apparently we will never know about the taxes but he is supposedly getting an exam, overly late already, at Walter Reed sometime next year and the results will be opened to the public. And if you believe that, I have a bridge and a tunnel to sell you.
     The path to the future is clear. This man, this wrong man, is leading us down a dangerous path, replete with damage to the environment, contempt for the people of America, opposition to being part of any world coalition, and rife with selfishness, greed and plain evil doing. A new study says that more people have Alzheimer's or are at risk for it than ever thought before. It behooves us to check our leader for that. We already have had one who served with Alzheimer's and we do not need another. Let us find out the truth, demand the truth and NOW, not at a vague future time and act accordingly. No one is above the law and officeholders should be held to a moral standard and a mental standard. Certainly sanity and a functioning mind at the least. I fear that is not the truth now.
     Goose and gander. Equality. They need to go together or else we are turning our backs on our moral and legal values. Perhaps we can understand the taking of the knee in this situation. And as long as this man is president we will be opening the doors even wider to hatred and prejudice, to inequality and what? To the deportation of 800,000 Dreamers? Is that truly the America we want? I don't.