U.S. Presidential Election Could Signal the End of Hope for the Environment
One of the presidential candidates has proposed to halt all federal government investment in clean energy, clean cars, and climate science.
The fact that he’s in striking distance of the White House is testimony to….what exactly? How is it possible that close to half of American voters are OK on ruining what’s left of our environment? I really don’t have a clue.
Some of us would rather risk the flames of Hell or global warming rather than see Hillary and her cartel of thieves run the country into the ground. It is not an easy choice with these two options. The Donald may also lead us over the precipice but I think he is less of a liar and less connected to the establishment politicians who have been lining their pockets with our tax dollars. The country is in deep do-do.
Regardless of the outcome Trump will certainly go down 2ed on the list of most unfavorably viewed candidates. He is only exceeded by the front runner.
I am waiting hopefully for some bit of good news in this campaign. Please tell us that the CGI with only 15% of its proceeds going to any charity is not a money laundering and pay to play front that has taken money from foreign governments in exchange for political favors. Please tell us that her (former) second in command is not intimately associated with questionable organizations. Please tell us that there is no truth in the allegations of a pedophilia ring or that wikileaks information is from the FBI.
I was recently admonished for suggesting that Jill Stein may be an alternative. She is “against Israel” they said. (A charge that was also leveled at Sanders.) But it seems a bit narrow to say that one issue is going to determine who to vote for when there seem to be so many reasons to vote against one of the candidates.
Regardless of how this resolves, I expect to be a mess. So hold on, I don’t think this is a novel or unique perspective.
Larry,
Considering that the fake university, i.e., Trump “University”, was used to bilk money from people, many of whom were poor, it is difficult to see how Mrs. Clinton can be put into the same category. Although I am not a fan of Mrs. Clinton, I think that calling her a criminal is a gross exaggeration.
People speaking their Minds quiet openly.
Craig’s question or point as to HOW DID We Get to This LOW Point or Y in the road. That would e a interesting discussion topic. Perhaps we are at a RUBICON Moment for the Nation. Seriously
Larry I relate to your alienation from HRC I lost faith in her and billy boy back in 1996. Many Flaws and it is reasonable for you and many others to think strong negatives about her.
But as Frank points out equating her as a criminal etc may be too hard and un substantiated and unfair False Narrative. She definitely is sloppy with her affairs and has a Arrogance level of making her own rules.
While Trumper is a Truthful Liar on a very few points just enough to make him attractive to a certain segment of the population but his Aggregated Flaws out weigh HRC and he most likely w lose. How he loses All Bets are Off.
Back to HRC
when she moves to NY and puts a NY Yankee Cap on so she can claim NY and be a Senator I just had some serious Crown Royal shots ! at that phony act!
so I have deep disdain for her but she is much more competent than the Trumpster and looking objectively she has done some positive things during her time on the stage but she is Tainted indeed!
HRC and the CGI according to the three charity rating groups gets Gold Star Marks and they claim 90 % of the money goes to the end user. This I have heard on the radio several times but I am suspect of the mutual admiration Clubs that Rubber Stamp fellow members of the Inner Elite Circle in which the Clintons have inserted themselves into that circle. The Washington Establishment circles the Wagons to protect their own etc.
Breathe On the Wind says 15 % , where did you get that as You consistently submit many a factual point. I lean toward what you said but have heard these other claims!
The CGI seems like a good concept but I am sure it is Pay to Play and has some dark seamy sides to it.
That is why she used the private server with non governmental people running it so they could hide all the Pay for Play transactions. Bill came up with the whole idea while he was President and he leveraged into a Global Enterprise and ticket into the Millionaire s club. Limousine Liberals all the Way.
Though HRC is NOW singing a new song of Progressive positions the lack of credibility she has leads to LOW expectations ……
As a Environmental / Sustainable Energy practitioner for 4 decades I cant Lower my Flags or Colors for a climate denier and fossil fuel constipated carbon cheerleader like the trumspter.
May have to vote for the Green Party Vanity Fair Candidate – wish we had better choices and wish that big money got taken out of the system so we can get off this Road to Rubicon and the darkness that it may entrap us in.
Its up to all the community Minded Common good folks on both sides to Rise Up and come together for the Greater Good if that is still possible. Our Republic and people deserve Better for Damn sure!
Silent,
You wrote, “when she moves to NY and puts a NY Yankee Cap on so she can claim NY and be a Senator I just had some serious Crown Royal shots ! at that phony act!”
That did concern me, i.e., the idea that if someone wants to become a senator, he or she can just look around, determine in which state it would most likely be possible to be elected senator, and move there. However, the fault is equally with states which have such loose residency requirements and the people who elect them. I was at least slightly appalled when it happened. It seems to me that states should have residency requirements of at least one year.
There are stranger things. A citizen of Japan became the president of a South American country; I can’t remember which one. When things became too hot for him, he repaired back to Japan for a while but then decided to go back to the country to see what he could do. He ended up being arrested. The people hadn’t even known that he was a citizen of Japan! Probably someone here can recall the country.
At city levels, aldermen have represented wards in which their actual residency was at best questionable.
I see Mrs. Clinton as by far the more reasonable choice under the circumstances. Although I see here as significantly flawed, I think that the media have exaggerated the flaws, and certainly Trump has.
Let us hope that in the future this fiasco will improve the care with which candidates are selected.
Silent you seem to have taken some time to look into the CGI. There are diverging opinions. As with many of the things the Clintons have done it is non-standard at the least, leading to questions. Here is an article that follows that reasoning: http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2016/09/behind_that_four_stars_rating_for_the_clinton_foundation_from_charity_navigator.html There are more dismissive articles and some that are more damming.
But how much of what we read is true and how much are just stories planted to cast doubts. If you were to believe everything that is written Trump is an inept loser who, can’t concentrate enough to practice for a debate and is likened to Hitler for his hate rhetoric and ability to sway crowds. (However Hitler was known later for meticulous practice before public performances perhaps leading us to believe T doesn’t have the same intelligence or attention to detail.)
HC is accused of selling state secrets to foreign governments, partaking in sexual oriented flights to Caribbean islands. Arranging various murders and associating with Satanic rituals. She is also reported as saying if T is elected she will get the noose. For treason we would assume. She is also said to be severely ill, becoming briefly catatonic at times, has a severe temper and very poor judgement. It is all so over the top that it is easy to dismiss it all as fabrication…and yet there are points of departure in known facts.
This is where 2 years of effort by what we hoped would be reasonably intelligent political parties has lead us. At the very least we can assume that the process of electing a president is deeply flawed. It also gives further fodder to the idea that government is corrupted, perhaps beyond recovery. In the kitchen if you find some of the food is slightly spoiled you might try to cut off the bad parts and reprocess what is good. You wouldn’t eat the rotten bananas because you couldn’t stomach the rotten meat.
But people seem to be making voting decisions along the same lines trying to guess which meal will kill them and which one will only make them sick. Sometimes they will even pretend it will be the most delicious food. Neither is likely to give you any beneficial nutrition. And both are likely to leave you with a wrenching taste in your mouth.
I wonder then if the only reasonable present choice is a third party vote. Even with some attention such a candidate is unlikely to succeed. Like finding a few good crumbs to eat. But with enough votes such a party could have sufficient standing in 4 years to host a viable candidate. It is at least a hope rather than a defeat.
Yes Frank thanks for expressing your Sensibilities on the phony move to NY cap thing.
It was a minor thing but just part of her calculated pattern in her 40 yr Quest to become first lady President at any and all costs.
She is not as bad as the Zealots claim and I actually at times have moments of mercy towards her as she has been Vilified for 30 years or so by the Right Wing side.
She is less evil than Trumpster for sure but I dont feel good about voting for her.
Maybe she will surprise us and actually reach out to the Middle Class and address our many ills in the economy and structure of lack of mobility perhaps? Maybe she will be practical and get some GOP cooperation on Infrastructure to get better paying jobs going and address some of our Nation wide needs etc. She has better relations with Senior GOP Senate types than Obama ever was able to create.
Not his fault that is a different subject.
To get better candidates we need a better more honest process and the corrupting factor of huge money and Dark Money must be curtailed.
Good people it seems are more and more reluctant to serve in public office these days.
Maybe we need to change the way we do the First Primary states so that they have a better cross section of America as the Demographics of America have changed significantly since they selected Iowa and N Hampshire. Maybe they should add a couple of states to those two that have a more diverse population .
This would make the candidates be marketable to the changes in America and reduce the racism and bigotry in some of the GOP candidates. Extremists like Trumpster might not be able to sneak in . and gain traction like he did.
We need to Reform the process.
Craig I wonder, if someone were sure that Trump could and would stop all renewable energy efforts how would that compare to a similar certainty that Clinton would pursue multiple wars. If I am not mistaken wars are relatively bad for the environment.
I think you have a point, and I grant that Clinton is, on balance, hawkish on war. I wish this weren’t the case. But there is no reason to believe that she would “pursue multiple wars” more aggressively than Donald Trump, given his famously thin skin and love of retribution against all perceived enemies. This reckless hostility is one of the few things we actually know for a fact about Trump.
Craig, the uncertainty is why I attempted to take the question away from a debate about candidates, assume a certainty and then pose a question about renewable energy policy vs war.
We once viewed Russia as a terrible menace. There were studies and estimates of Russian influence. It was used as a method to fund the US military…out of fear. And then Russia collapsed and we saw it was pretty much a hollow shell. … And then the powers started searching for another enemy of the state. We pursued a “War on drugs” and now a “war on terror” Certainly all these “bad guys” have their aspects but they were also used to promote something domestically out of fear.
I don’t like Trump, he is clearly a disaster. I also have been critical of Republican policies. But are we yet again risking the infection of a face transplant because of a pimple?
When I look at the two candidates I see one with a decades old powerful machine and another with a little rhetoric and spoiled manner shoehorned into a mismatched bickering party of equally dysfunctional deniers. There is really no contest in the power levels though we are made to think they are the same.
Trump looks for approval like a child, Clinton thinks she is above opinion. It is a difficult choice if you limit yourself and don’t choose to judge the system.
Breath on Wind – thank you for two well written posts.
You summarize the election process quite well.
Yes there is too much information floating around and the message seems to diverge in both directions or extremes re HRC. and Billy Boy’s CGI.
I don’t think the murder or Satanic cult stuff is real. Its Right Wing nut Case hate talk , etc.
However the sex flights with Bill and other men is more Believable as he and Trump both possess a low Moral decadent strain in their deeply flawed Personna’s.
When I see so many liberal oriented women swoon over Billy Boy it deepens my disappointment in the double standards such women seem to incorporate into their politics.
The things Trumper does w women are dark and bad but they make allowances for Billy Boy.
I have not done enough research on the Clintons G I and only have the information that I heard on Thom Hartman and Mark Thompson Radio shows along with POTUS channel at nite Micheal Smernokish or something. All 3 rise above partisan level and all three exonerated the CGI in respect to saying 90 5 of the money goes to doing good works.
However I have always seen the CGI as a Play to Play scheme and a slush fund for the wealth building of the Clintons etc.
Before my work ended in Wyoming in late 2008 I was told over dinner by a Senior Executive of the third largest Uranium Mining Co in the world that Billy boy had orchestrated the theft of their long developed Uranium Mining Concession in Kazakhstan .
Billy Boy conspired with other Canadians to get the Dictator of Kazakhstan to pull back their mining concession. The other company got it and the deal ended up with Russia getting access to the ORES etc.
This deal made Billy some money and was covered up with a series of speech fees he gave in Russia. So I believe all this to be true. The NY times rn a article on this in the midst of the Economic Collapse in Fall of 2008. The article got lost in the Wall st meltdown etc. Maybe they were paid to let it sleep as it was not repeated.
This info has surfaced briefly in snippets throughout the campaign but our Lame Press Media that is complicit in much of America’s problems never fully explores or explains.
So I firmly believe the CGI is a big Pay to Play Scheme with soem Dark Edges to it for sure.
Of course Trumpsters foundation which has been shut down is a total face and tax avoidance scheme. Its a fraud like his Veteran fundraising ploy to confuse and deceive simple minded right learning Morons.
So corruption is rife among st all these people. The media briefly says Obama gave Clintons orders to keep the Foundation work separate from Sec of State work. Clinton agreed . But obviously they did their own thing and for some reason Obama did not stop it so now I am dragging him into it. I don’t mean to as I like and respect him.
If she wins I say shut the CGI down or have separate people run it and NO Clinton involvement period. But that will only be window dressing for the Pay to Play scheme they ran.
State Dept employees emails show a trail of pay to play and other interactions with Foreign countries.
They did a dis service to many and now she runs for President her 40 year goal to be the first woman President and her arrogance tells her that nothing matters as she is Clinton and nothing sticks.
With her resume she should have a 25 point lead over the incompetent Trumper. But the Trust issue and character issue has resonated across all party lines and that is the reason the race is closer than it should be.
We have sunk to record lows and our election process and selection process is deeply flawed and we have only our selves to blame .
Lots of ideas and concepts but they lack the political consensus to gain the needed Traction to make the needed reforms.
Killer she is not I definitely dont think but Morally challenged is HRC. She should win but as Marco Polo said she will drink from Toxic Chalices. How she handles that will make or break her!
Our for profit ad revenue driven media is the primary catalyst for the dysfunctions we are now victims and beholden. !
The bomb throwers from all sides have had their time its time for the consensus builders to take the Stage Where are they ?
Silent, all good points. Re the murder allegations, the pattern is looking like what followed the Kennedy assassination. People in key positions dying from unsolved murders or under suspicious circumstances does not grant any confidence in the election process.
Clearly corruption of the DNC and rigging the primary was not a problem – no accountability – no problem. Other comments suggest rigging other elections would not be any dilemma (Palestinian election.) Emails outside of the state system – no accountability – no problem. Pay to play – no accountability – no problem. Lolita express – no problem. If there is a constant pattern of being outside of accountability and it being no problem where does it stop? Is there any end at which someone says, “well, we can’t do that…” We are shocked because of our own sense of limitation. We can’t imagine someone who acts without social limitations. Even the term “sociopath” is defined by imagining what is normal and then subtracting. I don’t see either Trump or Clinton as demonstrating any sense of limitation, they feel they can do what they want. The rules don’t apply to them. There does not seem to be any sense of decency. No humanity. These are not leaders, these are potential despots. What would be possible for such a thing? person? If you define the character by an absence of inner personal limitation then the only limitation is getting caught and stopped from without. So you have to ask where has this character demonstrated some personal limitation?
There will never be a consensus as long as the two primary players are so deeply flawed. The election should be conducted on the merits of the party platforms and the character of the candidates should not (but it does) raise red flags. It does no good saying our guy is less putrid than your guy. They are both rotting from within.
Larry I never appreciated the “party platforms” as they seem to be no more than so much rhetoric that might be pursued or ignored without substantial ramifications. In a more perfect world the party might be voted in or out depending upon the success or failure to accomplish these stated goals. However, it seems as if we are so used to being lied to, that now we are not paying attention to the words and there is little accountability.
Craig your audience that is attracted to the causes and goals of Energy and Resource Sustainability and leaving something of lasting value to those that follow us after our time on the stage is over –
well I think it is wonderful that we can apply the same Passion to this political aspect of our lifes. Good discussions and exchanges. Breath and Larry you tell it like it is. Frank does too and Marco’s Toxic Chalices Loom large over the Day events today.
We need better candidates but until we improve the quality process of organizing, clarifying, selecting and supporting better qualified candidates that actually have serious well thought policy positions.
America economy and society is under going drastic and structural changes and I have little Faith in the competency or commitment of the two candidates to address the challneges in the most efficient manner.
Their baggage and entanglements with the political machine burdens them from being Truthful or Fair and Balanced.
We shall see as it looks like Hilly Billy is going to win. Maybe she has a Epiphany and sheds her dirty skin. etc. and does the Democratic Platform provided the GOP survivors decide to play ball ???? not good betting odds on that !!
I really appreciate Breath in the Wind dismal analysis and skepticism on the hillybilly candidate. Points well taken and shared by many I know. 60 % of my Democratic friends all have serious reservations on her.
So when your own party loyalist voters have these doubts and misgivings then it is easy to understand why people were supporting trumpster despite his Vast Shortcomings and unfitness for the Job. Call it a back lash vote but alot of it is happening.
The fall out comes after the election and the level of discontent will be become more apparent and then perhaps we will have a better clue on which way this country is headed. But its long past time for people on either side to make a stand for better government and better participation and reduce that DARK MONEY.
That Dark Money has much to do with Pay to Play and horrific Policy
Although I have strong reservations about Mrs. Clinton, I think that her defects have been significantly exaggerated.
The way she handled emails was not good. However, many people are incredibly naïve regarding computers and security. A late cousin of mine, who was a medical doctor, was tricked by a scammer into providing his bank account number and other information that should have been kept private; it caused some problems. So I can see how even intelligent people can be naïve about such things. I assign only 50% of the email handling problem to Mrs. Clinton; the remainder of the blame should be assigned to the federal agency in charge of computer security because it should have done a better job of monitoring computer usage. It is also disturbing that the Clintons failed to maintain adequate separation between their foundation and their personal finances. Whether that affected political decisions I don’t know, but appearance counts and they should have maintained better separation.
We really need a better way to select politicians, but I don’t know what that way would be. One of the problems is that people are influenced by constant repetition; that is why spending more on political campaigns changes the outcome. If people were influenced only by objective criteria, then spending more on political campaigns would make absolutely no difference and there would less opportunity for large corporations to buy political influence.
The “Christian” fundamentalists are also a problem. They wanted to impeach president Clinton for his sleazy sexual behavior, but yet they support Trump whose sexual behavior is even worse. They assert that everyone has sinned, which is true, but there are varying degrees of destructiveness associated with it which the “Christian” fundamentalists somehow fail to acknowledge. It seems that the “Christian” fundamentalists fail to see the immorality of Trump “University” which Trump used to bilk naïve people, some of whom were poor, out of their money. By declaring bankruptcy several times, Trump caused damage to companies and their employees by not paying his bills. One or two bankruptcies I could perhaps understand, but six?!?
As I have written in previous posts, things were even worse during the Gilded Age, also known as the Robber Baron era. Exceedingly wealthy people and companies wielded even more influence. They performed some of the functions which the Federal Reserve bank now performs, but with fewer controls and with a profit motive. Against the wishes of the Robber Barons, anti-trust legislation was enacted to limit their monopolistic power. So, from history, it should be clear that effective action can be taken to limit the influence of wealthy people and companies when people become sufficiently concerned.
Theodore Roosevelt was the vice president and became president when McKinley was assassinated. Although Roosevelt was from an exceedingly wealthy and influential family, he was greatly concerned with social justice and acted accordingly. The wealthy were taken aback and considered him to be a traitor and a turncoat. His performance in office was mixed. He did well for the U.S., but his foreign policy was too aggressive. Among other things, although he freed the Philippines from Spanish colonization, he colonized them against their will and even sent in troops to do so. The Panama Canal project was poorly run to the detriment of taxpayers and to the workers. The death rate was so high that it was necessary to build railroad tracks to the cemetery to bury canal workers killed in accidents.
It might help if all public schools had good history and citizenship programs. Moreover, citizenship programs should not consist of only one class; it must be an on-going effort. Students should also be taught how propaganda works and how to see through it.
But regardless of what we do, we will always have flawed presidents. There are no perfect people to elect. There will always be policy errors, partly because decisions must often be made with imperfect information. Sometimes what appears to be a policy error is not an error because any other decision would have resulted in a worse outcome. Moreover, public opinion if fickle. Take, for example, the Vietnam War. We got into Vietnam during the Eisenhower administration, and our involvement increased during the Kennedy, Johnson, and Nixon administrations. But somehow, Kennedy is practically worshiped by some as a saint. Until late in the Johnson administration, the majority of Americans favored our involvement, but now those who favored involvement pretend that they were always opposed to it.
Breath On the Wind
Your breakdown of the Big Bad Fear Tool used by government – the cold War, then War on Drugs, now War on Terror etc.
All these signals were over Amplified and it led to lots of non productive group think.
HRC flaws aside etc,
Parting Shots of Truth on the Trumpster and his trumpeter followers.
His stated energy policy is a return to the DARK Ages and will unravel much of the progress that has been made if the market place allows him to roll us backwards.
While his policy is idiocy on steroids – I doubt he can kill soalr or wind because too too many GOp business people and voters are now making money on solar and wind.
What the green hippies started 30 years ago is now a mainstream business and it will be most difficult to roll back. Too much money invested now and more in the pipeline. GOP likes money if if is from Green energy. They like Green $$$$
Enlightened States like NY and California and many others would Ignore a Trump call to push more Carbon so he would FAIL in trying to roll things back. It would be his Rubicon to Failure !
That is how I see it.
Trumps failure to disclose tax returns is the ultimate Inside elite tactic . David K Johnston the dignified and expert tax author and lecturer has audited trumper tax from inside info he has. Trump will not pay a dime in taxes until 2042 last analysis.,
so those of you worker class voters for this elitist factor that mid deed in your minds if you can process such concepts.
His failure to honor so many business suppliers , be truthful about how his wife got here and the mis use of donations to his foundation and the money came from other people. Then he uses the money for himself.
There is no charity in any of this. Just Exploitation of the hatred and mistrust of the hilly billy candidate and support for a different type of elitist who is not as rich nor smart or competent as he trys to project onto the public.
Over extension of America over seas and over spending on the wrong things from my Perch. We have gotten poor returns as a Nation on these mis directed efforts.
We have mis spent Trillions and alienated Millions Globally and our poor execution has Bred more Terrorists like pouring gasoline on the fire …so its burns brighter.
In contrast select pay to play contractor’s and inside the Beltway Bandit Co’s all have Profited off these tactics of Fear.
Will we come to reason and clear our minds of these Fears and chart new Courses that are more Productive? Are we capable of doing such independent thinking.
@ Frank extremely well said summary of the politics and the Ironies and Paradoxes that make up our flawed system.
You point out some of the flawed voting patterns of certain groups that profess to love a higher being and have high morals and then these christian types go out and vote for a pagan and Secular supremo egoist in trumper.
I have listened to the twisted explanations and rationalizations on the radio of some of these mis guided souls. They have all sorts of twisted spiritual explanations and biblical references as to why god or Jesus wants them to use a fallen dude in trump and convert him to a higher state of love for God and the 10 commandments. They say if they can convert trumper then the devil will be defeated!
Such is the mis guided logic of many a red state moronic voter ….amazing.
And we want to let these type of people plan a future energy system that is Cleaner and Safer for God s children!
Frank I listen to the radio the horrific tales of voter suppression in several GOP Gomer States are coming in. In certain voting areas of Cincinnati Ohio many polling places have reduced machines and the lines are real Long all designed by a party that proclaims a special insight to Freedom and Love of Constitution and this other american hype to reduce voting.
The Author Greg Palast has a serious Expose book out on this dark side to one of our parties.
The radio announcer is saying that there are lines with over 4,000 people in these lines. The goal of this voter suppression are all too apparent it is a form of a Poll Tax on the poor hourly worker who cant afford to miss 6 hours of pay to vote. That is an example of the excesses in our system.
People are calling in all over the country to complain about their voting experience. BTW many of these people are White and work and they wonder why they are targeted for voter suppression as well!
Frank as you say th epublic is too fickled to focus on the real issues.
And I keep harping on our Profits over Real News and Truth Sold out Media – they don’t really inform the public on real issues and they dont dare Point out the bad actors ! Who is doing what to who They keep it all buttoned up and the fickled public remains confused and conflicted.
Watching and Listening to all this unfold is Disillusionanry . Our system is broken but we will get across the Finish Line ….with what ??
Silent,
I recently read an article on what has happened to the media. In 1949, the fairness doctrine was implemented by the FCC. Links about it can be found with a google search on “FCC fairness doctrine”. According to articles, it was very effective and was approved by the Supreme Court.
The fairness doctrine required media to cover multiple viewpoints. It’s scrapping has resulted in uneven coverage of issues and political campaigns thereby contributing to bad governance.
PBS does endeavor to present multiple sides of issues. They interview, on TV, people with opposing viewpoints. That is considerably better than commercial TV although it still isn’t perfect. For example, PBS seems to be biased against nuclear power. They stated, without airing an opposing viewpoint, that there is no solution for nuclear waste.
Here in New Mexico, one candidate for Secretary of State is castigating the other candidate for her position against requiring official IDs of voters, asserting that official ID is required to prevent election fraud. However, the evidence suggests that election fraud resulting from not requiring official ID from voters is very rare and that the difficulty that many legitimate voters would experience in getting official ID would be a far greater problem.
I would have no objection to requiring official ID from voters IF there were personnel assigned to help voters get official ID. Getting official ID is more difficult than many people realize. The first time I got a passport I had some difficulty because my Wisconsin birth certificate was not considered sufficient. I had to contact officials in Wisconsin to get documentation which would be accepted. It is easy to see how some people living in remote areas would have extreme difficulty doing that unless personnel were assigned to assist them.
Considering my experience with getting official ID, it seems that official ID requirements are actually a method to deny certain groups of people the right to vote.
I wouldn’t be so narrow as to complain about only fundamentalist Christians, (some of whom I might call “friends.”) While religion often has as a tenet some form of compassion, as a group each religion tends to be a rather unforgiving bunch of people. And those with the strictest view of their beliefs the most unforgiving.
I woke this morning with a prayer that the universe is proceeding as it should – a sort of ecumenical way of repeating “Let God’s will be done.” And hopefully a way to turn a page into a new season.
Breath,
I agree that it is not only “Christian” fundamentalists who are a problem. However, Silent has covered that matter so there is no reason for me to write anymore about it.
Breath don’t mean to just single out fundamentalist Christians as many other groups are also conflicted or seem to at inconsistent with the Higher Teachings of Spirituality.
It is not all and there were many students at Liberty College who signed a anti trumper letter to their leaders rejecting the endorsement of him by their Liberty College leader. they were voting against him.
Sure there are many divergent views.
The concept of accepting what ill be sounds Healthy mentally and Spiritually.
The sparks dont start flying till late tonight when retrrunrs reveal the patterns , the hours of day cant go by fast enough.
I keep switching two different satellite channels and listening to the horror stories of voting suppression and long lines and polling stations reduced in various neighborhoods. Many frustrated voters more white areas also targeted by restrictive voting depts in certain states. Ballots missing too and not just in poor black neighborhoods where it is common knowledge racism still is pervasive.
Is this how America gets Great Again is my burning Question ???
Wisconsin , Ohio and NC seem to be where the most complaints are coming in from. Is it any wonder ?
No wonder other Nations laugh at us – we are the Pretenders to have the Locks on Truth and Democracy etc etc American Exceptionalism Hype!
Good info Frank and your research on the Fairness Doctrine which worked well for our media and th einterests of the general public for decades.
The Fairness Doctrine was the victim of R Reagan’s doing the bidding of the corporations and he terminated it in 1980’s and that began the degeneration process of our main media which continues to this day.
Our media relies on False Equivalence red herrings to hide from shedding light on the truth. both sides do it so they can duck from addressing hard issues that might expose sources of ad revenues.
As for PBS – yes they are better and still try and deliver some informative deeper information. During my exxtensive business travel I had the pleasure of watching PBS while on the road. Learned alot of interesting and stimulating information ,
However like so many things since the 1980’s the looting of the Commons Process began and conservative governments reduced funding and they have had to reach out to Corporate sponsors and even the KOCH brothers and the like now have financial influence over programming. So they are getting liter .
They have retired and run off some of their longest veteran news people like bill Moyers . Kochs wanted him gone.
So sadly that is how I see it . Fairness Doctrine was a good tool in the tool box for balance and also for seriousness and truthful journalism fact based.
One of my fellow solar policy team members gave me a wonderful book written in the 1980’s. It is a great expose on what happened to our media. It is called ” Amusing Ourselves to Death” by th elate Neiol Postman .from NYU He wrote 15 books and they were of the social critic and educator stripe.
It lays the ground work for where our media was headed in the 1980’s and the decline has been a continued downward slope up to our current time.
This same money driven media created the trumper candidacy and gave it over a 1 Billion in free time on the tv and it gave him an edge against his opponents. Now they lament his success. Wash their hands.,
Think we w need more Prayers collectively going forward.