Then vs. Now:

THEN:

It was time for the middle school kids to campaign for Class President, way back when.

Little Johnnie, a nice young man, good family, studied hard, nice to his mommy, promised his prospective voters that if they elected him, he'd get recess extended by another five minutes!

The class cheered in appreciation!

Little Anthony, a bit of a troublemaker, wrong side of the tracks, always goofing off, doncha' know, offered up that he'd do even better.  If they'd just vote for him, he said, he'd get the principal to shorten the school day!  

The class went wild!

But Little Julie was far craftier than her fellow candidates.  Julie, smart girl, Upper West Side, having I. Q. points to spare, offered the class free ice cream for their votes!  All they could eat!  Forever!

The result?  Julie won in a landslide.  For fairly obvious reasons.  People just luuuuv instant gratification.  People just luuuuv free stuff.  And people just luuuuv to be pandered to.  And Little Julie knew that.  She went on to become State Chairman of the Democrat Party, ran for Congress, was elected and then caught embezzling and sent to prison.

I think she was caught colluding with the Russians.

NOW:

Here's everything you need to know about the Democrat Party's platform for 2020.  

Everything is freeeeeeeeee!

Every single Democrat POTUS candidate is offering free stuff.  Lots of it.  We've seen that repeatedly during the debates. But dozens of folks yelling simultaneously about oodles of free stuff can get lost in a crowd, doncha' know?  Pandering wholesale can get boring, too.  And the people pandered to are always on the lookout for some even more interesting freebies.  

So, as befits the Eagle Scout in me, I feel compelled to offer my seasoned counsel to those candidates who just can't hit their stride; they need some professional help.  They need somebody to help them pander better.  And I'm the Pander Better Helper.  The "Pander Bear!  And I'm here to offer it...

We now know from having watched the past two evenings of Democrat POTUS 2020 debates that all candidates are for the following:

  -  FREE admittance to the U. S. of A. at all of our borders.  Illegal aliens will now be uber-welcome!  Come one, come all!  Especially to California, where we still don't have enough, they say! 

  -  DECRIMINALIZATION of illegal entry, making breaking in to America a "civil" infraction rather than a Federal crime.  Kind of like spitting on the sidewalk, doncha' know.  

  -  FREE health insurance for illegal aliens, including vision, dental, mental health, and sex change operations for those who just can't make up their minds.

  -  TAX the forlorn middle-class to pay for the above.  They won't mind, will they?

  -  CONFISCATE all guns, right now, today.  The little ones, the big ones, the long ones and the short ones.  (They call it a "buy back," but that won't work; the Government never owned them, so it can't buy them back, right?

  -  REPARATIONS for all Blacks, whether or not their ancestors endured slavery.  And maybe other put-upon groups (Liz Warren wants to give reparations to gays!), depending upon their clout at the voting booth.

  -  ABOLISH all private health insurance from the 180,000,000 people who demanded it, fought for it, negotiated to get it, and don't want to lose it.  The fact that they like their health insurance is of no consequence.  Too bad, so sad.  Got to break a few eggs if you want to make an omelette, right?

  -  ABORTIONS for everyone, anytime, up to the moment of delivery, or even after, maybe up until the third grade, and covered by the taxpayers, even though illegal for them to do so (Hyde Amendment).  

NOTE:  Abortions for men, too, demands Julian Castro.  Certainly don't want to leave them out.  Isn't this getting a bit weird?

But hey, there's still a lot of the campaign yet to unfold.  And these poor folks need some hoary advice from The Graybeard to help them withstand the rigors of campaigning.  So here's a few more "panders" they can use:

  -  FREE shoeshines for illegal aliens (got to clean off the Rio Grande mud, right?).

  -  FREE car washes.  No car, no problem!  We'll give you one!  And oil changes!

  -  Not only FREE college, but free books, and housing, and parking, and food and clothing.  In fact, how about paying them to go?

  -  Government-established taquierias where they'll serve FREE tacos and cerveza!

  -  FREE airfare and Welcome Wagon coupons for the rest of the family they left back home in Cuernavaca and Guadalajara and Hermosillo. 

  -  FREE Social Security cards for those who haven't bought one yet. 

  -  And last but far from least, how about a FREE get out of jail free card for everybody in jail?  Let 'em all out!  And restore their civil rights so they can vote!  For the Democrats! 

All of this should certainly tie up the Lateeeeeno vote for the Democrats.  Now, how about pandering a bit more to African-Americans?  And American-Indians?  And Siiks?  And the Gypsies?  And LGBTQMDZWKN folks.  And albinos and those with PTSD?  There's so many, many more little identity groups to pursue.  And pander to.  

Stay tuned.  They will...

Erase George Washington!

Well, Mr. and Mrs. (and others of questionable gender) America, it's finally come to this.

I didn't think we could ever devolve to such an extent, and certainly not here in the once-Golden State, but we have.  The Left-wing commie pinko indoctrination campaign to turn our young people into addle-pated automatons has finally succeeded.  They've become a generation of wimps.  Of whimpering, simpering, sniveling complainers, not worth the powder it would take to blow then all to Hell.  More or less.

What has spun me up to this extent, you might ask?  Get this:  The headline from yesterday's San Francisco Chronicle read:

"George Washington High School
to Erase 'Offensive'
George Washington Mural."

Confused?  Me too.  I had to read it twice.  But here's the gist...

George Washington High School in San Francisco (where else?) plans to erase a 13-panel mural from 1936 that depicts George Washington.  Many critics over the years have condemned its depiction of slaves and Native Americans.  Now, the S. F. Unified School District is meeting next week to decide which of three "cover up" options is best for the mural, "The Life of Washington," which graces the foyer of G. W. High School.

They'll decide whether to paint over the mural at a cost of more than $600,000, hide it behind new paneling at a cost of $875,000, or cover it up behind curtains, at the low, low price of only $300,000!  

 The painting, the snowflakes complain, "glorifies slavery, genocide, colonization, manifest destiny, white supremacy, oppression, and "doesn't represent SFUSD values of social justice, diversity, unity and "student-centered," whatever that means.  Or so said the student working group in a report issued earlier this year.  That's quite a broad condemnation of the painting, and more likely its subject, don't you think?

The painting depicts Washington sending men to conquer the west and plotting the future of the United States, at the expense of Native Americans, protesters complain.  And that appears to be the basis of this, the most recent effort by Progressive weenies to rewrite history.

Concern over the mural appears not to have originated with students who've been "traumatized" by it, but rather with former S. F. Unified School Board member Matt Haney, who's since gone on to an illustrious career with San Fran City government.  He's probably the guy who came up with the whole "Poop Patrol" idea.

Beyond just covering up or painting over the mural, Haney actually wanted to change the name of George Washington High School because our First President owned slaves (a fact depicted in the mural he wished covered up).

So, so emblematic of the current state of dysfunction in this, the once-Golden State, San Francisco will now spend $One Half Million Dollars or more to save students from a painting from which they needed no saving.  Annnnnnd, the reason why a job that a friend and me and a couple hundred dollars worth of paint from Home Depot could handle over the weekend should cost $600,000?  Glad you asked.  It's because San Francisco schools are required to undergo an "environmental impact survey" before they can commit to any major building projects...including a paint job.

I'd like to say that I think nothing dumber than this shall ever happen again.  I'd like to say that, but, knowing Taxifornia as I unfortunately do, I just can't...

"Casualties From the War on Drugs"

It must be kind of tough to look out through those cold, gray bars in your cell at the local hoosegow and see people buying pot legally across the street at a legal dispensary...

I don't know why that came up, but it did.  I do get a little empathetic from time to time.  Not sympathetic, just empathetic.

Anyway, as an economist, and a businessman, and a reasonably frugal American, and a patriotic veteran, I look at waste with disdain.  I don't like it, no matter what the form.  And one form is to lock up a whole sub-section of our society for choosing to do things to themselves that others find less than desirable. 

Remember my old admonition?  

"They just want to be left

     alone to live your life..." 

So, undesirable, in fact, that they - the Powers That Be, have conjured up zillions of laws against it.  And the enforcement of those laws have packed our jails and prisons full to overflowing.  And at an almost incalculable cost in terms of money and time and grief and peoples' lives.

Although I can only choose to vote for one of the two major parties (guess which?), my politics tends more toward Libertarian.  I want a Government that stays out of my wallet, out of my business, out of my residence and out of my bedroom.  Assuming nobody gets hurt, that is.  After that, pretty much anything goes.  So being offended by wasting $Trillions and decades trying to get people to stop smoking and snorting and shooting up, and watching an underbelly of our society become wealthy pandering to them, I come down on the side of legalizing and taxing the piss out of it.  

I was always told you tax stuff you don't want as much of, because folks will do less of it if it if they get taxed.  If our "betters" in D.C. and all the state capitols would embrace that concept I think we'd be a lot better off.  

Let's take a quick tour of what we as a society have done to ourselves during this "War on Drugs:"

  -  Amount annually spent in the U.S. on the "War on Drugs:"  $47 Billion.

  -  Number of arrests in 2017 (the latest stats) in the U.S. for drug law violations:   1,632,921.

  -  Number of drug arrests that were for possession only:  1,394,614 (85.4%).

  -  Number of people arrested for a marijuana law violations in 2017:   659,700.

  -  Number of people arrested for drug law violations who are Black or Latino:  46.9% (despite making up only 31.5% of the population).

  -  Number of people in the U.S. incarcerated in 2016:  2,205,300 (highest incarceration rate per capita in the world).

  -  Number of people in the U.S. incarcerated for a drug law violation in 2017:  456,000.

  -  Number of states allowing the medical use of marijuana:  33, plus the District of Columbia.

  -  Number of states that have legalized marijuana:  11.

  -  Number of states that have decriminalized or removed the threat of jail time for simple possession of small amounts of marijuana:  22.

This year's anticipated tax revenue from the sale of maryjowanna in the State of Colorado:  $1,000,000,000+.  That's with a "B."

And finally, just for kickers, the number of students who have lost Federal financial aid eligibility because of a drug conviction:  200,000+.

And, as an example of legislative excess in the extreme, there's a guy in Wisconsin who was caught selling 3 pounds of pot to a cop back in 1993.  He was sentenced to 40 years to life in 1994.  He's still in prison...

Perhaps we ought to rethink this whole process...........

Stuff I've Learned...

Even though I've been around for eons, which is quite a long time, doncha' know, I've learned quite a bit of late.  Yep, perhaps more than at any other time, I've really, really learned so much in the past couple of years I feel compelled to share this newfound knowledge with you!  So here goes...  

  -   I've learned, for instance, that if you're a guy, and you'd like to win some fame and some money, you can now "identify" as a woman, compete against them in sport, beat them, take home their prize, and their money, and their fame, and the Progressive Left will applaud you.  Loudly.  And if you complain, you'll be accused of being homophobic and biased and racist and God only knows what else.

  -   I've learned that if you're a fat, grungy old pedophile and you'd prefer not to get caught in the act, but peeping on little girls is your thing, you can put on a dress and go into the women's changing room at Target now and ogle all you want.  Legally.

  -   I've learned that, even though China and India are to blame for more than 40% of all the world's atmospheric pollution, and that percentage is increasing, vs. our smallish 14%, and diminishing, eco-extremist climate Social Justice Warriors somehow wish to bankrupt not these other, guilty nations, just our own.  Is this some kind of Millennial Death Wish?  Do they just love China and India?  Or, is it that they just hate America that much more?  And if so, one must then ask, "why?"   

  -   I've learned that here in California you can have a free driver's license, and free food stamps, and a free college education, and free school for your kids, which we'll pay to birth, doncha' know, and lots of free rent subsidies, and freedom from towing when you're snagged for driving with no insurance, and cash-less bail when you get caught, and now, even free health care, including vision and dental!  But only if you're an illegal alien.  No veterans or citizens need apply.  They're no longer needed.  Nor wanted.  Except to pay increased mandatory premiums for the health insurance the illegals will now receive, for free, of course. 

  -  I've learned that most all of our 2020 Dem POTUS candidates have endorsed reparations for Black People.  Yes, my friends, once again they've trotted out this tired old meme so that they can pander to those who feel the world has somehow passed them by.  And the fault for that lay, the Dems are telling us, with some White people somewhere.  I'm wondering just how much it would cost each of us to finally pay off the "debt" incurred hundreds of years ago by people we never met, to placate some people we've never abused?  As in, I've never owned any slaves and you've never picked any cotton.  And if we did decide to pay this ransom, would it come with a guarantee that we'd never, ever, ever hear the word "racist" again?   

Of course, another way to handle it is for only Democrats to pay reparations.  After all, they were the Party of the KKK and slavery, and every single one of them voted against the Civil Rights Act.  Remember, more than 600,000 White northern soldiers died trying to end slavery.  Did you know that?  If not, why not?

  -   I've learned that there are 58,396 homeless persons in Los Angeles, California.  Or, roughly the size of the average NFL stadium's seating capacity.  The Golden State is not quite so golden anymore, is it?  The Liberal Progressive commie pinko weenies have discovered that if you're an "attractive nuisance," you attract a nuisance...  

They've "discovered" it, they just haven't done anything about it.  So, the good legal citizens of Lost Angeles are screaming and shouting and wading through fetid piles of feces and trying to recall its dumbass Mayor, while he's placing blame on "Climate Change."  I wish I was kidding... 

  -   I've learned you can get a year in jail and a $1,000 fine as a waiter for offering a diner a straw in Santa Barbara without first being asked, but you can vote there, and enjoy a seat on their city council, and engage in petty theft without prosecution, and live and eat and poop in the streets with abandon, but only if you're there illegally.

How does one get to be illegal, again?

  -   I've learned that every time anyone anywhere shoots up a church or a mall or a school, then honest, honorable, law-abiding firearm-owners must be punished for the transgressions of the guilty by increasingly infringing upon their individual Constitutional Rights to keep and bear arms.  Funny how that keeps happening...

  -   I've learned that California considers itself a "sanctuary" for all illegal aliens, everywhere.  And even though that's illegal and unconstitutional in and of itself, the fact that law enforcement officials in this state may not now - by law - cooperate with Federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials, means in my opinion the State is complicit in manifold crimes by illegals the State thereby shields.  And those crimes would include kidnapping, burglary, rape, assault and murder.  

Come one, come all, says the state.  "Bring us your tired, your hungry, your illegals, our future voters..."  

  -   I've learned that we Californians now pay an average of $1.00+ more per gallon of gas than the national average.  That's even though we're a net-exporter of crude and refined petroleum products.  And we're facing another $0.06 increase in July, plus an additional $0.72 bump in December.  Ummm, yeah.  Can you say $5.00 gas?  I knew you could.  I guess that's the "weather premium" we pay for the "privilege" of living in the once-Golden State.  Wouldn't it be nice if the gargantuan highway taxes we pay, the highest in the Nation, BTW, got us drivable highways?  Do you know they haven't built a new freeway here in 25 years?  

  -   I've learned that there are now, ummm, like 52 genders.  Maybe a bit more, maybe less.  That's approximately 50 more than I was taught in school.  I'm not quite sure what happened between my formal education and now that tended to expand the definition of "gender" from male and female, to a whole series of looney, idiotic, asinine, ridiculous, foolish, stupid pronouns that no normal, intelligent, reasonable human being with any sort of formal education at all would ever choose to use.  Which tells us...

  -   I've learned that just about the time that we've expanded our oil and gas drilling and shale oil extraction technologies to the point we're now a net exporter, people start buying $Overpriced electric cars to Save the Planet.  Cars which are fueled, via the grid, by coal-fired electricity generating plants to the tune of about half!  Do these dweebs think electricity flows for free out of the ether?

Yes, I think they do.       

  -  I've learned that being able to receive an abortion at anytime during - and apparently immediately after - birth now seems to be the Number One right pro-choice women really want.  From "safe, legal and rare," as Billy Jeff "Blue Dress" Clinton once called it, abortions should now be "safe, required and ubiquitous."  And I've learned also that these women and their fearless leaders do not consider the "rhythmic undulations" of in-utero fetuses as heartbeats, per the NYTimes.  Yeah, they just made up that term.  Hmmmm.  

Have you ever wondered why Democrats are so damned anxious to kill their prospective future voters?   

  -   And finally, I've learned that the Progressive Leftoids have finally figured out that firearms, minus ammunition, are nothing more than expensive paperweights.  That's why they've now saddled us Californians with "Prop 63," which requires us, as of July 1st, to undergo an expensive Federal background check each and every time we purchase ammunition!  You want a box of .22s to go out plinking?  Ordinarily about $5.00, to this you'll now have to add $1.00 for each transaction, plus $19.00 for each background check.  Plus any Federal charges they choose to impose, which could total another $25.00!  Sooooo, that box of .22s will now cost you upwards of six times what it costs anywhere else!  Is this an effort to price low income patriots out of being able to exercise their 2nd Amendment Rights?  You decide...

Oh yeah, I'm wondering how long it will be before citizen "buying groups," such as gangs like MS-13, or secessionists, or armed militias are formed to head for Vegas (or anywhere else!) with an empty trunk and a fist full of cash in an effort to "sidestep" this little scam?  Oh yeah, and they charge No Sales Tax in Vegas.  Might as well save some money...while you're saving some money...

I wonder what I'll learn next?  Stay tuned...

He Should Just Apologize and Go On Home...

I'm sure he meant well.  He was just trying to help fix some of the stuff that's been wrong with America for decades.  That, and assuage his gargantuan ego with little anticipated cost.  You can understand that, can't you?  Especially considering he followed a guy whose ego knew no equal.  Big as the Great Outdoors, that guy's ego was.  And is.

Have you ever wondered where he would have wound up if he hadn't been half-Black?

But I'm talking about The Donald, doncha' know.  I'm talking about that fateful day back in 2015 when he sashayed down that Golden Elevator.  And all the days since.  

I'm guessing he just decided one day to run for POTUS because, hey, he could, and he thought it might be fun.  After all, he'd already accomplished pretty much all he could as your basic individual orange billionaire.  What's wrong with trying to become Prez?  Isn't that the American Dream?

Well, as it turns out, quite a lot, if you're a Republican.  You see, The Donald didn't know that the Election had already been promised to Hillary.  Promised!  She wanted it, she counted on it, it was her turn and it was downright rude of him to take it from her.  But he stole the Prize right from her clammy grasp.  Stole it, doncha' know!  Stole it right out from under her, he did!  It was her turn, she'd waited for a long time, and she should have been left alone to be anointed.  Feted!  Crowned!  

It's said he also had some help from the Russkies.  The Democrats will tell you so.  All day, every day.  They will, and so will their compatriots in the corrupt Media.  24/7, wall-to-wall.  Of course, the Russians also spent much of their $200,000 (only) investment in FaceBook ads promoting Hillary, and Bernie.  In fact, they were just trying to foment hate and discontent.  And they did.  They're troublemakers.  They were.  And are.

Isn't it interesting that the Democrats are doing their best to make sure Russia's decision to cause trouble in our 2016 Election pays off big?

I dunno' about you, but I'm thinking the Russians got waaaaay more than their money's worth.  I doubt they ever predicted that our biased Media would help them try to accomplish their nefarious goals.

But back to the point.  Hillary didn't know how to take the loss.  She threw stuff, screamed at people, got drunk and blamed everybody but herself.  Not a good time for her.  And, since the pollsters and the Media and the professional political class had given her a 98+% chance of winning, to then lose, makes one feel, well, just awful!  Think what that could do to your self-esteem?  Especially her, having been, ummm, well, serially mistreated by her (in)famous hubby.  And The Donald did that to her!  Yes, he did, that scoundrel!

We've been immersed in a maelstrom of equine effluent for the past two and one-half years.  Full-blown investigation, 500 FBI agents, hundreds of subpoenas, 2,000 interviews, $40,000,000 in taxpayer money invested.  And what did we get for our money?  Our highly-respected appointed counsel, Mr. Mueller, along with his 19 Democrat lawyer investigators, had one job; determine if there was enough evidence to support an indictment.  He did.  There wasn't.  And he didn't. 

Of course, he spent 240+ pages of his little report explaining to us in detail how he came thiiiiiis close!  "50 Shades of Orange," perhaps?

But that's not enough for the Democrat Party, the Media and Hillary.  The conspiracy theories must not be allowed to die.  And the Democrats and their water-carrying Media minions won't let it.  

And the net result from all this is complete stagnation.  No legislation, no conversation, no remediation, no "action" of any kind.  Just partisan bickering.  The Dems spend all their time trying to get ready to start to begin to prepare to impeach Trump, without actually doing so, and The Donald and his Party spend all their time trying to close the leaks in the Border, contain Iran, keep the NoKos from nuking their neighbors, stare down Russia, mollify Canada and Mexico, stand down China, and fight off partisan prosecutors who want to hook him up and frog march him off to the nearest Gray Bar Hotel.

You know what?  I think it just might be a good idea if he publicly apologized for taking Hillary's POTUS-hood, resigned the Office and went on back to New York City.  Maybe if he asked her really nice Hillary would agree to come down to D. C. and take over.  She'd get what she always wanted, he'd get out from under friendly fire he doesn't deserve, and we, the American People, would get another - and perhaps fatal - dose of Progressive, Left-wing, socialist, redistributionist "leadership."  

What could possibly go wrong?

Want to End Mass Shootings?

You do?  The answer is quite simple:  

First, never, ever publicize the name of any mass shooter(s) ever again.  EVER!  Not their name(s), their sex, their race, their religion, their sexual preference, nor their particular reason for committing violent, unwarranted, premeditated mass murder.  No "manifestos."  No "suicide notes."  No nothing...

With me so far?  To continue...

And second, please, PLEASE take down all those infuriating "Gun Free Zone" signs.  Right now!  Today!  This. Very. Minute!

Get it?  That's it.  If you're busy, go ahead and do something else.  You've learned all I have to teach you on this subject.  Unless you'd like a bit more proof...

Dum de dum de dum de dum...

Okay.  You're still here.  Good.  Now, allow me to further pontificate.

The scourge of so-called "mass shootings" has grabbed the Dinosaur Media and the Country by the throat.

Those unfamiliar with guns, or those perhaps directly and negatively affected by them, or are afraid they'll be, have coalesced into a raging mob of wannabe gun-grabbers, whipped into a frothing group of hysterics by the corrupt Media and the Progressive Left, who are seemingly ready to resort to the pitchforks and the torches to finally take down this last remaining bastion of American freedom.

The simple fact is, you either grew up with and are familiar with firearms, or you weren't, and aren't.  And you're either comfortable with your fellow Americans exercising their fundamental, 2nd Amendment Rights, or you're not.  And with the Democrat's and Media's help, there's more of the latter than the former.  Like, two to one.  Unfortunately.

Now, that didn't used to be a problem; back in the old days, like 20 years ago, and the Two Hundred years that preceded it, if you wanted a gun, you bought one.  If you didn't, you didn't.  No longer.  Now, for some unearthly reason, those ever-helpful Progressives have made it their business.  They want to insert themselves between you and the Bill of Rights.  Between you and your local gun store.  Between you and your prospective mugger.  They have a "Higher Calling," they believe, and they're dead-set on their mission to eliminate guns.  Yours.  Mine.  Ours.  Period.  

So, as befits their majority in the House of Representatives, and notwithstanding the crystal-clear admonitions conveyed by the Bill of Rights, and recent Supreme Court rulings, these anti-gun zealots have embarked on a mission to first regulate them, then outlaw them, and to finally to confiscate* them.

And deep into this process they've had their way swimmingly, even into proclaiming schools and bars and churches and Government buildings and airports and train stations and military bases and God-knows where else, "Gun Free Zones."  

Sort of like notifying the hungry lions where the nearest herd of unsuspecting zebras might be found.

NOTE:  Criminals by their very nature do not obey laws.  That's the definition of a criminal.  And anyone desirous of going out in a blaze of glory and taking a bunch of innocents with them would look upon such a location with gleeful anticipation.  And they did, and do.  When the results are tabulated, we find that every single mass shooting in the past 20 years, save one, occurred in a "Gun Free Zone."  

Hellooooooooooooo!

But such facts have failed to sway the single-minded  (and perhaps simple-minded?).  They'll have their "universal background checks" and their "common sense gun laws," and their "assault weapons ban," no matter what!  And that, and only that, they'll tell you, will stop the scourge of mass shootings!

Those poor deluded dolts.  I'm reminded of Ronnie Reagan's famous quote:  "It's not that Liberals don't know anything.  It's just that most of what they know...is wrong."

You want to stop mass shootings?  Here, one more time, is The Chuckmeister's prescription:

Let me repeat: never, ever mention the name of the shooter(s) publicly.  And that comes from a guy with training in abnormal psychology.  We all know, statistically and more innately, that those who are embarked on making lots of others dead, are doing so in an effort to gain attention.  To get some of the attention they're lacking in life, most likely.  They crave publicity.  Don't give it to them.  Once they learn they'll die not only hated, but anonymous, they'll choose another outlet for their frustrations.

Think back:  Can you remember the name of the individual who shot up the theater in Aurora, CO a few years back?  Sure you can.  You know his hair color (red).  You know his nickname ("Batman").  You likely know that he drove past two other movie theaters that fateful night, looking for one displaying a "Gun Free Zone" sign, which he found in Aurora.

Did you know that?  If not, thank the Progressive Media...  

How about the person who rampaged through the middle school in Sandy Hook?  You likely know all about him as well.  You know he stole his mother's guns, and then murdered her before killing more than 20 little kids.  He had committed 5 felonies before he shot his first defenseless child.  Would more laws have dissuaded this mental defective?  You decide...  

And the duo that murdered several at the developmental school in San Bernardino a couple of years back?  You know who they were, how they were armed, the jihadist religion they represented and why they wanted to massacre innocents.  My question is, WHY?  Why should we be subjected to "manifestos" from murderous zealots who've robbed us of our loved ones and our peace?  Why should we have our noses rubbed in our own fecklessness and impotency?  Is that not rubbing salt in our collective wound?

Let's rob them of that publicity and watch the shootings subside. 

And again, tear down those damn "Gun Free Zone" signs!  Why tell prospective mass killers where they'll find scads of unarmed sheep to slaughter?  It's better for a prospective killer not to know where to find the disarmed.  Allow those who wish to carry concealed - and can qualify to do so - to do so.  And publicize the fact that facilities may be protected by armed guards.  The likelihood of someone, anyone being armed in a school or a church will surely eliminate most of the threat of such tragedies.  

Remember, if even 5% of the ducks were armed, do you think anyone would go duck hunting? 

Let's finally get real here, folks!  The people who are killing little kids and church-goers are not the 100+ million honest, honorable, law-abiding gun owners among us.  They're the miscreants, the anti-socials,  the religious zealots and the quirky, mentally-defective weirdos who need to be sought out and found before they can cause mayhem.   

In short, let's all stop allowing politicians and the Media to blame the innocent just because they haven't figured out a way to fix blame on the guilty. 

Remember, if guns cause mass shootings, then pencils cause misspelled words...

*  Sheriff Lee of New Orleans Parrish confiscated all the guns immediately following Hurricane Katrina.  Just exactly when New Orlean's residents needed them most.  How did he know who had them?  "Universal background checks."  A word to the wise should be sufficient...

Don't Get Hoodwinked...

You can go to college, borrow a bunch of money to do so, major in just about anything, get your degree and then start looking for a job.  And God knows, there are now lots and lots and lots of jobs available.

But with that degree in "Black Studies," or "Existential Phenomenalism," or "Medieval Lesbian Poetry," the jobs you'll likely find will have you asking, "Would you like fries with that?" 

Kinda' hard to pay back $100,000 in student loans while picketing MickeyD's to bump the MinWage up to $15 an hour. 

Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, we've all been hoodwinked.  Bamboozled by the Government who'll loan any amount in student aid to anyone, anywhere, and for any course of study, whether good or not, and colleges and universities, which can enroll anyone in any major at any time, no matter the value thereof, and know they'll get their money back.....

Who devised this scheme?  What Machiavellian mastermind conjured up a plan that peels our youth like a grape while further enriching institutes of higher learning, nearly all of which have $Millions...or even $Billions...in the bank?  You can bet on one thing: lobbyists wrote the laws that are so successfully plaguing our graduates.  But the students themselves made the mistake of believing that the passport to prosperity lay with a degree in some worthless area of study.

Hey, America!  Listen up!  Right now there are 7.3 million jobs open here in our Great Country, and far less than that on the perennially unemployed roster.  And presumably almost none of them are qualified for the openings extant.  Can you weld?  Welders are knocking down more than $100,000 a year!  Plumbers?  The same.  Electricians?  Upwards of $150k per annum.  Pipefitters, ferriers, finish carpenters, HVAC technicians and auto and heavy machinery mechanics, all can expect to earn upwards of $100k.

And, they'll do so without a monthly student loan payment they have no choice but to make (your friendly Congress made it so that one may not bankrupt themselves out of repaying this obligation!)

How about cops?  On either coast a starting policeman or sheriff's deputy will take home at least $75k.  A bit less in the interior of the country, but so is the cost of living.  A cop with at least 5 years on the job will average at least $100k, and in many metropolitan locations you can expect $150k.  Registered Nurse?  $100k easy.  If you're good, $150k.  Computer programmer?  Techies can bring home $100k+.  A fireman?  Sure.  Members of the Orange County (CA) Firefighters Association are now knocking down more than $250,00 a year on average! 

And, once again, no student loan payment that will keep you from buying a house or starting a family.

When The Chuckmeister graduated, a double major in Econ and Psychology was a ticket to ride.  Not that anyone wanted to hire me for either my economics acumen or my phenomenal psychological mastery.  Rather, prospective employers knew via my sheepskin that I had publicly shown my willingness and ability to go to school for 4 years and emerge with a degree.  They presumed, rightly so, that having proved my diligence and dedication, I was therefore qualified to learn what they wanted done.  They were right.  

Now?  A MUCH better economy, FAR lower unemployment, MANY more jobs available.  Buuuuut, the good ones require the applicant to be qualified.  And having a degree in Transgender Studies is most likely not exactly "qualification" for anything except how to dress up as the opposite sex.  

A cruel trick has been played upon our kids.  There's more than $1.3 TRILLION in student loans outstanding.  And they're fundamentally transforming America.  Negatively, in my opinion.  

America, do yourself a favor; before you sign up for a 4-year visit to the hallowed halls of some Ivy League college, only to later emerge completely unqualified to do anything anyone's willing to pay for, and then face humongous student loan payments for years and years, take a trip to your local technical school.  Learn to shoe a horse, or fix a toilet, or wire a home, or build a house.  You'll not only hit the ground running, bringing home paychecks from Day One, but you won't have to send checks into the Black Hole of some university's fat bank account for the rest of your life...

Abortion Tourism...

With great fanfare, California's newest Governor, one Mr. Gavin Newsom, a man who's already accomplished much more than his rather pedestrian potential (having an uber-wealthy and politically-connected family can help a lot!), just announced his newest plan to further tarnish the once-Golden State.

He issued his "Proclamation on Reproductive Freedom."  In it, he "...reaffirms the State's commitment to protecting women's reproductive choices, educate(ing) Californians about their reproductive freedom, and welcomes women to the State to exercise that right."

He goes on to mention, "...it also references California's reproductive services already available to California women, including state-funded services for low-income women."

Hmmmm.  Now, I've heard of "eco-tourism," and "archeo-tourism," and "wildlife-tourism," and even "citizenship-tourism."  That last one appeals greatly to wealthy Chinese women who fly in just in time to drop their baby in the U. S. of A. and claim somebody else's piece of the American Dream.

Illegal, of course, but with 100,000+ illegals flowing across our southern border every month, why in this day and age should that stop them?

But back to Speaker of the House San Fran Nan Pelosi's favorite nephew (his Godfather was J. Paul Getty!), the new Guv.

First, I should say I'm not surprised.  Hardly anything this Leftist dweeb does surprises me.  He's already turned CA into a "sanctuary state."  That means he's seceded from our Union without actually taking the time to send Trump a love note announcing as much.  Must've forgot. 

Can you say, "Born on third base, thought he hit a triple?"  I knew you could... 

He just luuuuuuvs illegal aliens.  He wants many, many more of them.  And to provide them with an even greater inducement to break into America, he's now working on legislation to provide them with free health care, paid for by its legal citizens.  Like, ummm, me.  And maybe you...  

Not free health care for its senior citizens.  No siree Bob.  Not free health care for its veterans.  Nope, again.  Not free health care even for its legal foreign resident Green Card holders.  Just illegals!  And no waiting!  Break in today, go to the doctor on the State tomorrow!  And no co-pay!  

And if that's not "Progressive" enough for you, he's even offering free health care (i.e., abortions) for the residents of other States!  Hmmm, again.

Not satisfied with his promise to unilaterally end "global warming," perhaps by magic, or take away everybody's legal firearms, or punish success by imposing ever-higher taxes, or raise the price of gas so no one can afford to drive, he's now offering free abortions to the rest of America! 

Now I could be wrong, but I'm guessing there's still a few people here in The People's Republic of Taxifornia who don't agree with wholesale abortion on demand.  And especially when they're being ordered to pay for it.  For the very first time.  Ever.  

Excuse me, but isn't there a "Hyde Amendment?"  You know, the Federal Regulation that specifies no Federal taxpayer money may be used to pay for abortions?  Oh yeah, but maybe that's only for the states still IN the United States of America... 

Annnd, I might mention nearly all the Dem 2020 POTUS candidates have promised to do away with that pesky "Hyde Amendment," once and for all.  And Joe Biden, professional candidate for POTUS, and a guy who's been in D.C. since The Flood, just announced he's withdrawing his decades-long support for "Hyde," in an effort to placate Planned Parenthood, somebody named Alissa Milano and the marauding crowds of screaming Leftists who simply DEMAND it!  

The 10th Amendment to our Constitution tells us that if we don't like the politics or laws or taxes or rules or regulations in another state, or even its weather or terrain, we can pick up and move to another one.  In other words, we can simply vote with our feet.  

Along with ten of our Fortune 500 corporations, a million of California's forlorn Middle-Class have already done so.  Many more are to follow.  You can check the "U-Haul Factor" if you want to know how much more it costs to rent a truck to go from here to anywhere, vs. anywhere to here.  It's in multiples.  In some states U-Haul will pay you to drive their trucks back to CA.

But I'm guessing Newsom is banking on the hope that all those unwanted and underserved Middle-Classers bolting CA and taking their tax money with them will soon be replaced by pregnant women from other states.  And maybe they'll bring their families along with them.  And, while they're here, possibly take in Disneyland and Hollywood before signing up for State aid and food stamps.  I mean, Georgia just passed restrictive abortion laws that have Hollywood's panties in a major twist.  Perhaps Newsom thinks perturbed Georgians will now move to Taxifornia!  To replace all those whining folks who have bolted!  Just think of the boon to our tourism!

Yeah, that's it!  Newsom is doing this to improve our economy (cough, cough)!  Unless, of course, they come here to take advantage of "Abortion Tourism" and then go on home...  

"Okay, Let's Go!"

And with those words General Dwight D. Eisenhower unleashed the assault on Normandy 75 years ago today.

And so "D-Day" began...

In planning since late 1943 (so was I!), the invasion of Normandy was the largest amphibious invasion in human history.  More than 6,000 ships.  2,000 tanks.  12,000 airplanes.  Thousands and thousands of men from the U.K., Canada and the United States waited until the weather cleared enough to launch this fearsome armada.  

They had but a 5-day window in early June, 1944, where a full moon and a high tide would aid their efforts.  But the weather was violent; ferocious winds, high seas, rain and fog.  Yet, with only a one-day delay, at 0500 on June 6th "Ike" gave the order: "Okay, let's go." 

Hundreds of gliders containing more than 20,000 paratroopers, led by the infamous 101st Airborne "Screaming Eagles" descended on France.  A thousand LST's (landing craft), each with the requisite 32 soldiers, fought their way across the English Channel, dropped their gates and exposed their men to withering machine gun fire from the waiting Nazis.  132,000 men assaulted five beaches that day:  Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno and Sword.  2,000 heavy bombers dropped more than 10,000 tons of bombs on the beaches to "soften up" German resistance ahead of the assault.  The bombs were "pouring like rain," one witness later stated. 

And that resistance was fierce.  However, as a result of an elaborate ruse, the Germans were fooled into believing the assault would occur on Calais, miles to the North, but much closer to Britain.  This deception kept the bulk of Hitler's forces bottled up and provided all the head start the Allies would need to gain a valuable beachhead.

Almost 10,000 Allied soldiers died that day.  Many thousands more were wounded.  Within an hour of the assault commencing fully one-third of our forces were dead or wounded.  The assault on Normandy lasted 82 days and set the stage for the ultimate liberation of Europe.  That would not have happened without the unbelievable bravery of that, "The Greatest Generation."

I am in awe of their accomplishments.  As one who has worn the uniform of the United States, and been forced therefore to come to terms with what it means to write a blank check to the American People for an amount of up to and including your life, I have a particular appreciation and respect for what those men of steel did that day.  For without their bravery, their sacrifice, those casualties, there might well be no America today.

I salute them.  Please join me in doing so... 

"Climate Same"

What's the opposite of "Climate Change, I ask?"  "Climate Same," I say.  And that's what we've got a whole lot of these days; the same...

A little background.  I'm not sure about you, but I, The Chuckmeister, have grown weary about this whole "Climate Change" thing.

First it started as "Global Warming."  That followed the belief in the early '80's that we were facing a deadly "New Ice Age" (Time, Newsweek and Harper's Magazines named it so).  And then the Earth didn't cooperate by warming much.  It just more or less stayed the same.

Tick.  Tock.  Same as always.  For those born and raised since actual teaching occurred in our colleges and universities, which has been awhile now, the "climate" changes all the time.  Sometimes it gets a little cooler, sometimes it gets a little warmer.  It's been doing that for, oh, lemme' see here: About 4.5 Billion Years!

And so they, "the more equal than you," morphed it from "Global Warming" into "Climate Change," until the climate didn't change too much.  So they lit upon their current moniker:  "Climate Chaos."  Until folks looked around and didn't see anything chaotic going on.  So they just decided to "move on" to "Climate Emergency!," with the exclamation point, their latest little scheme, which covers just about anything the weather can possibly do.  

If it gets a bit warmer, it's a "Climate Emergency!"  If it gets a little colder, it's a "Climate Emergency!"  And if it does nothing, it's still a "Climate Emergency," even if there's no apparent emergency; stick around, an emergency is just around the corner.  Those who want a big chunk of your money guar-an-damn-tees it!

Yep, it's like some sort of new religion for our younger and dumber souls, and older and should-be-wiser eco-warriors.  Oh yeah, and climate scientists in fear of losing grant money and politicians who are looking to hipppmotizzze you out of your vote.  

They bleat about how we're doomed if we don't change our ways, and that we only have 12 years to take "decisive action," whatever that means.  Otherwise, they tell us, we'll be past the "tipping point."  We're all going to roast in a fiery Hell!

And their prescription to avoid this climate catsafterme?  Stop doing everything we're doing.  Stop driving, and flying, and eating, and reproducing, and, like, everything!  Yep, we're supposed to just return to the Stone Age while the "more equal than us" continue to ride around in their little limos and shiny jet planes.  

Oh yeah, and give the Government oodles of your tax money so they can "fix" the problem.  

Bu*lsh*t!

Lemme' ask something, kind of important:  Do these people know that China and India together represent about 40% of the Earth's population?  And they together represent more than half of all carbon-based atmospheric pollutants?  And that China and India have been given a pass by the U. N. Climate Conference (Paris Climate Accords) on doing anything at all to reduce or abate their pollution?  This means they don't have to even start to reduce their pollution levels until 2030?  Did you know that?

Bu*ls*it, I say!

And did you know that all the otherwise nice folks who've been hiiipppppmmotizzzzed into thinking the climate "sky is falling" are only calling upon the U. S. of A. to destroy its own economy, and not China's nor India's?

Bu*lsh*t, I say once again!

They tell us that 96% of all climate scientists buy into this "Climate Change" thing.  True.  But did you know that 96% of all climate scientists work for the Government, or a college, university or think tank it financially supports?  

If you were a climate scientist and the Government stopped by to see how the climate is doing, and you knew your future paychecks depended on how you answered the question, I'm guessing you'd be all in for "Climate Emergency!" as well.  

So, being ever helpful (I am an Eagle Scout, doncha' know), and recognizing that these climate loonies have pretty much shot their wad as regards giving whatever is happening a proper name, I've decided to step in with a few of my own.  So here goes...

  -   "Climate Awfulness!"  
  -   "Climate Craziness!"
  -   "Climate Notsagood!"
  -   "Climate Unfriendly!"
  -   "Climate Difficulty!"
  -   "Climate Crossroad!"
  -   "Climate Distress!"
  -   "Climate Exigency!"
  -   "Climate Meltdown!"
  -   "Climate Plight!"
  -   "Climate Predicament!"
  -   "Climate Quandary!"
  -   "Climate Urgency!"
  -   "Climate Disaster!"
  -   "Climate Calamity!"
  -   "Climate Danger!"
  -   "Climate Vicissitude!"
  -   "Climate Distress!"
  -   "Climate Crisis!"
  -   "Climate Stalemate!"
  -   "Climate Plight!"
  -   "Climate Dilemma!"
  -   "Climate Imperative!"

So, courtesy of The Chuckmeister, these otherwise nice folks now have a whole slew of new little descriptive words with which to label their new religion.  They don't have to thank me.  That's why God put me here...