Category: Society

What Is It Like To Be An American Overseas Now?

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I’ll Let You Know Shortly

By the time you read this, we will be several days into a trip into 6 different countries. To say it is an interesting time to be a traveling American is likely an understatement for the ages.

We have friends who have been traveling since the election last November. Most tell us they get sympathetic exchanges more than anything else, but not always. After all, as a nation, we made this choice twice. You can get a pass on the first one – the second time is a responsibility one has to accept as a nation.

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Talk To The Animals

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 And Listen When They Talk To You

A Lifelong Fascination

I admit that the idea of communicating with animals, at the level we communicate with each other, has been a lifelong fascination for me. Who would not give a lot to be able to do this with all sorts of creatures? IMany of you feel the same, and perhaps feel you come closer to this than do most people. As for me, well, my favorite hat says “I like dogs, and maybe 3 people”

Part of this, I suppose, is the human desire to connect and our love of animals.

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Reflections on Post-Disaster Community

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Disasters Really Do Bring Out the Best and the Worst in Us

Sometimes We Manage To Leave Politics Behind

Last year the area around which I live was hit hard by Tropical Storm Helene – the recovery is still underway, with over 100 people killed and billions of dollars in damage. In the last few days, a region of Texas suffered similar catastrophic losses (with well over 100 people still missing days after the floods). Similar damages are hitting in New Mexico and in Piedmont North Carolina.

A common thread is evident in all of these widely separated disasters.  

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Well, At Least The Path Forward Is Clear

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The Speed In Which Trump’s Awful Legislation Passed Speaks Volumes

What the Public Thinks About All This

Some really interesting data points on all this. Reliable polls show that people who have any information at all on the legislation hate it, by 2 -1 margin. But it also shows that less than 10% of the population feel they know much about it and over one-third say they know nothing about it.

That is a stunning bit of information and a damning finding on the Democrats at all levels. It is a complete mystery to me why Democrats did not flood local media with very specific numbers as to what this bill meant to each local community and nationally.

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Six Short Topics For Today

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Elections Have Consequences

Medicare, Social Security, and Medicaid

The proposed Trump budget essentially guts Medicaid and dumps the resulting deficit of funding onto the states. If you think Social Security and Medicare are not next, I have a bridge I would like to sell you. This is simply the start of gutting our social care networks, which are already less than almost every other developed country model. People will be hurt, people will die, states will be saddled with impossible burdens. A lot of Trump voters are about to find a reconning coming their way, with much more to follow in other budget items.

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Immigration – Not Really All That Complex

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The Question is Who Wants to Not Solve It

Well, OK, There Is Some Complexity

I don’t want to be too flippant on this important topic. There are complications throughout this issue, and uncounted groups and organizations involved. Most of our laws and procedures are out of date by decades. But as will eventually (hopefully) establish here today, it is not complexity that keeps us from solving this. Its bad intent and bad communications that keep us in turmoil.

Three Groups Are Why We Have Not Solved This

We shall discuss momentarily why most people,

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Happy Birthday?

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A Soldier’s Perspective on Where We Are Now

June 14 Has Come and Gone

Well, a day I celebrate yearly has come and gone this year with not much of a celebration. Regular readers will have guessed by now that I am referring to the US Army’s birthday, which falls on June 14. This year is especially notable on the calendar, as it was the Army’s 250th birthday – the first American armed forces and older than the country itself by a year.

This year, of course, was different in that President Trump finally was able to force on the military his own birthday parade.

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The Republican Budget is Crystal Clear

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Image by Dee from Pixabay

This Has Nothing To Do With Traditional Conservative/Liberal Arguments

Remember the Old Days?

Once upon a time, our political debates pretty much revolved around two sets of priorities/belief systems, both seeking a better America for all, but choosing different paths.

Republicans were generally thought to be pro-business, but that included small business. They sought smaller government where feasible, sought to minimize taxes, and expected America to be a leader on the world stage. Republicans abhorred deficit spending at any level. They emphasized a moral code of traditional values.

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Observations At Large

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Let’s Wander Around A Bit Today

Stakeholder vs Shareholder Capitalism

I listened to a presentation recently about B Corporations, something I have long thought of as the best shot for the future of capitalism. For too many years we have been increasingly operating in a badly distorted version of capitalism. It is a version that focuses ONLY on profits and shareholders. It does not work, and it is convincing entire generations that capitalism is hopelessly evil.

Alternatives like socialism do not work. B Capitalism does work. Business is still business, companies make profits, but they also take measure and assign value to their effects broadly (environment,

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A Snapshot of the Current Presidency

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The Headlines Tell The Story

What Does America Want In A President?

Clearly, the answer to that question can vary a lot, as divided as the country is these days. Still, I think the majority of us could agree on a few traits and attributes we would like to see in whomever is occupying the White House at any given moment.

How about this as a short list of what most of us would like to see:

  • A bit of class
  • A sense of stable, calm leadership
  • Someone who seeks to unite us,

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