I’ve been noticing a sort of drumbeat lately. It’s still somewhat in the background, but articles keep popping up around the theme: Conservatives need to cool it on “cultural” issues and run the 2024 campaign on issues that will win the election—the economy and the border. The sell is, We need to save the country first so we still
The ballot measure also included issues unrelated to abortion, such as the legalization of marijuana and a ban on arrests for theft less than $750 and vandalism with damages of less than $2,500.
I don't think it failed because of marijuana but i do think limits for theft and vandalism could. Would have been a better barometer of abortion without these.
Re Mark's comment below about Vivek Ramaswamy, I didn't see the Taiwan thing but my amateur assessment is the guy is a fraud whose prime function is to siphon people away from DeSantis and reap the grift both during and after the process. I'm wide open to being proven wrong but will be very surprised if that happens. And fwiw, some very high percentage of the anti-DeSantis / pro-Trump crowd would be anywhere from accepting of DeSantis as the least bad option to straight up gaga for the guy if Trump weren't running, and the farcical attacks on Florida as some sort of horrific hellscape show how truly dull the attackers themselves judge the arrows in their anti-DeSantis quiver to be. If they thought any were sharper, they’d have slung those instead.
If people prefer Trump and really think DeSantis sucks, fine - they should make the argument why, free of ad-hom. Instead, from all too many, it’s a bunch of two-minute hates and “MAGA has always been at war with Steve Cortes” and so on and so forth. Why do so many who in their heart of hearts are strongly anti-left need to be told that 1984 was a warning not a how-to?
And PS: I always have and always will support whoever can keep the commies down and the CCP out. That included Donald Trump before and it will include Donald Trump again if that’s what it comes to. I’m in complete solidarity with anyone who feels the same, and in any case I will not be expending energy denigrating Trump on this site or any other. I’ll save that energy for the real threats to us all I mentioned three short sentences ago.
Many manifestos here today. All I know is if these GOP Prez candidates don’t start attacking Dem liberals with solid talking points (instead of each other) we’re screwed.
It was supposed to be about us, not Trump, when we elected him in 2016. It was going to be our only chance to have a wall, to have normalized relations w. Russia, and greatly reduced US militarism and foreign aggression. In 2023 I'm still waiting for those 3 things. The Pentagon completely ignored him for 4 yrs. In July 2017, effectively nullifying his 63 million 2016 voters, he went on tv & said he changed his mind about endless Mideast wars, now thinks they're necessary. In Aug. 2017 in a move led by his 'pal' Lindsey Graham, House & Senate removed all Russia decisions from Trump. If it was the case that Trump wanted to do what he promised but was unable to for whatever reason, and if he cared about this country as he claims to, he should've resigned and explained that US presidents are powerless. Instead he made Jared de facto pres. and sat there for 4 yrs. I saw the sickening Bannon quote re "peace & prosperity." "Peace?" Trump bombed Syria 10 wks after his inaug. based on nothing but a few complaints from jihadists in Idlib. (Idlib is 100% controlled by jihadists.) It wd've required months of investigation on the ground to prove jihadist complaints, but WaPo patted Trump on the head for quickly bombing. Then there's the fact that, totally illegally, Trump annexed one third of Syria, the northeast portion which has the oil and the most arable land, which thanks to US military installed there, starving Syrians aren't allowed to even grow crops on their own land. He also threatened to punish any nation or entity that dared help Syria recover from yrs of US attacks. As to your claim that Trump's "great service" was showing us that things were even worse than we thought, I totally disagree. We all knew how bad things were decades ago. That's why in Nov. 2010 we gave the GOP House a landslide victory which enraged them and caused them to co-opt everyone we gave them. Then came 2011 and Trump spoke before some Tea Party groups, during one of which he was asked, "what about Soros?" To which Trump replied, "leave him alone, he's had tough times lately." As to the GOP, it has no fear of losing elections, would be very happy as permanent minority. Until 1994, House had been controlled by democrats for 40 straight yrs and no one complained. As to Deep State, there's no "vacuum." Trump himself in 8/2022 said it takes 15 yrs to fire one bureaucrat, to change that congress would need to pass new law to make it possible for a pres. to fire a bureaucrat.
If Trump had the support a normal President usually gets, especially from his own party (Paul Ryan and Mitch McConnell - ugh) those things would have happened. The way Flynn got removed, and hounded was shocking.
Instead Trump got impeached twice and now has had two special prosecutors go after him. One even after leaving office. And the NY rape trial? A Democratic commented Trump must be destroyed, to prevent any like him following him.
Trump was naive, and got played in many ways. His great service was ripping the mask off the uniparty / deep state’s / media’s corruption and election fraud. I see Trump as a martyr, and he’s still being hounded.
I can agree with much of that. In the big scheme, however, it's obvious that the good things that Trump got away with were enough to scare the bejabbers out of the Ruling Class. Presidential elections aren't about sainthood. They're normally about the lesser evil. Plus, in actual fact the MIC acted in contravention of direct orders of both Obama and Trump in Syria. It took Putin to put the screws to the MIC.
If we can't agree on what a family is and what it does, and what to tell children about the little household they were born into, how on God's green earth are we going to agree as a big household to its ordering? i.e. how much to spend on what? Is everyone just a unit consumer at birth?
There was an interesting article in the WSJ this morning: "A Crisis Over Child Care Is Holding Back Companies and Blue-Collar Workers; daycare at work, long a white-collar benefit, is proving tough to pull off with other employees."
So. Workers in America are single parents who need workers to take care of their children while they are at work, at times earning little more than the child-care workers themselves. This is a little "family problem" we are having as a country. Drag queen story hour is nowhere mentioned in the article, nor are the millions crossing our border looking for welfare and for work. No talk about the debt ceiling rise, or the latest whistleblower or bank failure.
But pair that article with another article this morning: "China Finally Has a Rival as the World’s Factory Floor; companies look to find a backup for manufacturing and India is making its case."
So. Have India (and China et al) "cracked the code" in providing childcare equitably to all workers, in order to keep their factories up and running? Can we have factories, or not? Who works on the factory floor, and what does their family look like?
The establishment GOP is very uncomfortable with being anti woke. An example is the grassroots is boycotting bud light, and the Gop? Another example is Disney. The entire trans debate the eGOP is mia. And no talk of the huge increase in pushing the racism schlicht. Kanoaka touched on it. Or the increase in unsolved black murders.
What the eGop is comfortable speaking of is tax cuts, pro military, and helping small businesses, and a bit on crime. Unfortunately the only thing they actually do is help big business.
Lots of firings / board room coups recently of anti big pharma figure. O’Keefe at Veritas, Tucker, and Gold at FLCC.
Interesting coincidences. 3 times is enemy action?
And Ireland going full censorship. Guilty until proven innocent and backed by all parties, yet hated by majority of voters. Who has enough mojo making that happen?
Since Prez 45 is part of this post, I might as well throw in this Newsweek article from War Room regular and Trump supporter extraordinaire Steve Cortes titled "Ron DeSantis for President." newsweek.com/ron-desantis-president-opinion-1798976
Very much worth the read regardless of one's position. Strikes me as significant not just in its own right but also in that it could portend more such switches to come. And if I may editorialize just a bit, this idea that Trump will just steamroll DeSantis in the primaries is wishful thinking of an unsupported and unserious kind. Let's see all comers be free to do their worst in a wide open primary season, and may the best of them win. The American way.
“Do not let these transparently corrupt political grifters like Republican strategist Steve Cortes raise your blood pressure; instead, mock them mercilessly wherever and whenever you see them.”
I was very interested in Vivek until I saw a video of him presenting his solution for Taiwan: put a gun in every Taiwan home. Huh? I'm as pro-2A as anyone, but I want serious talk from a Prez candidate. I'd like to see Trump have some competition--it might be good for him. But stuff like that will take Vivek right out of it.
I think Taiwan should go the prior 2007 Swiss model, but they are like Japan on gun control / social control and the chance of it happening is zero.
Taiwan has become very liberal in many areas, and their military is a joke, especially their reserve system. And their Government is still pushing the jab really hard. And it’s a very conformist society that trusts the Gov medical advice/ requirements. One of my wife’s Taiwan friends is on her 5th shot…
Does anyone remember Clinton's "It's the economy, stupid."? Fast forward and in one year things will be much worse. Our guv'mint doesn't have a clue. As for the culture, sorry if I don't take it too seriously. Granted I'm a dinosaur, but I see 'woke' as representing a minority of a minority, and I even wonder why the guv'mint and the media are pushin' it. How about going back to selling things and ideas with attractive young ladies, in the time-honored old way. I find it hard to believe that adolescent boys are no longer attracted to girls, by and large, and now have other ideas. Maybe I'm the stupid one, and the powers that be know exactly how to remain in power, but so much of what they are doing is having the effect of alienating large segments of the population, and with the tough times coming this is something the guv'mint can ill afford.
Trump’s going to jail. It would be useful if you and others who write to inform and educate would begin discussing and speculating on what that is going to mean. None of us want it to happen or think it should. It will be a disgrace and a scandal beyond words. But they are going to do it.
I hope they aren't that clueless. What would it mean? It would mean the end of this country as a political entity. A great many, if not most, of the citizens would cease to regard our government as legitimate, or even worth saving in the future. Trumped-up charges for Trump while there is real concern that our government has been sold to the highest bidder by the crooks in Washington.
Speaking freely can't be too important to Trump since he's already said he shouldn't be required to appear in GOP debates "because he's already been president." His most consequential year, 2020, has escaped public scrutiny almost entirely-and it desperately needs it.
The two I can think of is how he got Sandbagged on the Jab / Covid, and how the election fraud was not fought harder. Those areas are still unclear to me.
Note - In Dec 2019 he got impeached again, and had to deal with that in early 2020.
The censorship stuff Trump was not even aware of. This is still coming out, I can’t believe how bad it was/is, and I’m very tech savvy.
He trusted Barr, and should have declassified stuff. The Durham investigation has been an amazing cover up job. Trump again got sandbagged.
I’m amazed he got anything done with Covid going on.
It's the exact opposite of what you say, absolutely no one in power fears Trump, the proof is in Trump's 4 years in office. He was powerless over anything that mattered. Jared Kushner had last word on anything important & favored exact opposite of 2016 Trump voters. Yet Trump made him de facto pres., put him in charge of Covid meetings where he protected Davos narrative & silenced anyone who disagreed w Dr. Birx, claiming she was "100% MAGA." The Pentagon ignored Trump for 4 yrs. In July 2017 he went on tv & said he changed his mind about Mideast wars, now thinks they're necessary. In August 2017, in move led by his "pal" Lindsey Graham, House & Senate voted to remove all Russia decisions from him. Trump himself in Aug. 2022 said it's impossible to fire anyone in Deep St, takes 15 yrs., that congress should pass new laws allowing pres. to fire them. If Trump cared about the US as he claims to, when he found he was unable to deliver what he promised 2016 voters, he should've resigned and explained that US presidents have no real power.
My sincere appreciation for you sharing here Mark. The paragraph of your thoughts (after JD Davidson's "Culture War..." referenced quote) that included "the welfare fueled breakdown of the family that leads to struggling households that no longer constitute true families, to the false narratives of “sexual freedom” that lie behind that, and to the denial of the dignity of human nature as God made it" pulls together a description of today's United States demise causes. Very, very well stated Mr. Wauck. (WrH)
RNo, G'day sir! I'd simply suggest are forced/pushed to "back off". Power is rarely voluntarily conceded-whether R or D the US Political power has corrupted absolutely... best at you! (WrH)
If we try to run on "the economy", we can't beat Santa Claus. He doesn't care whether you have been naughty or nice; he has friends to reward and enemies to punish, and if you vote for him you are his friend.
G'afternoon Pete, Perhaps; but do consider Culture is abused/manipulated and influenced, most effectively by the political powerful. Changed behaviors become part of a culture. A question could be, how can behaviors be altered? I suggest that old 'Accountability/Responsibility' thing be brought back as a value and guideline. A bit simplistic, I realize, but a guiding axiom in my version of my citizenship behaviors. Thanks for your comments - always valuable for me to read! (WrH)
Right on Pete. The 'successful' undermining of our "original" Constitution by the Left (and Reps, taking a liking to the power doing so affords) continues. Last week Mark posted something that stung me - that being "Originalist" thinking of today's conservative leadership - including judicial - is mis-guided. Hurt my heart as I had always thought that was 'the path' back. Hoping somehow we return to said Foundational Constitution. Without bloodshed may be less and less likely, sadly. Ugh! Hope your week is a good one! (WrH)
From the article about abortion legalization:
The ballot measure also included issues unrelated to abortion, such as the legalization of marijuana and a ban on arrests for theft less than $750 and vandalism with damages of less than $2,500.
I don't think it failed because of marijuana but i do think limits for theft and vandalism could. Would have been a better barometer of abortion without these.
Re Mark's comment below about Vivek Ramaswamy, I didn't see the Taiwan thing but my amateur assessment is the guy is a fraud whose prime function is to siphon people away from DeSantis and reap the grift both during and after the process. I'm wide open to being proven wrong but will be very surprised if that happens. And fwiw, some very high percentage of the anti-DeSantis / pro-Trump crowd would be anywhere from accepting of DeSantis as the least bad option to straight up gaga for the guy if Trump weren't running, and the farcical attacks on Florida as some sort of horrific hellscape show how truly dull the attackers themselves judge the arrows in their anti-DeSantis quiver to be. If they thought any were sharper, they’d have slung those instead.
If people prefer Trump and really think DeSantis sucks, fine - they should make the argument why, free of ad-hom. Instead, from all too many, it’s a bunch of two-minute hates and “MAGA has always been at war with Steve Cortes” and so on and so forth. Why do so many who in their heart of hearts are strongly anti-left need to be told that 1984 was a warning not a how-to?
And PS: I always have and always will support whoever can keep the commies down and the CCP out. That included Donald Trump before and it will include Donald Trump again if that’s what it comes to. I’m in complete solidarity with anyone who feels the same, and in any case I will not be expending energy denigrating Trump on this site or any other. I’ll save that energy for the real threats to us all I mentioned three short sentences ago.
Many manifestos here today. All I know is if these GOP Prez candidates don’t start attacking Dem liberals with solid talking points (instead of each other) we’re screwed.
It was supposed to be about us, not Trump, when we elected him in 2016. It was going to be our only chance to have a wall, to have normalized relations w. Russia, and greatly reduced US militarism and foreign aggression. In 2023 I'm still waiting for those 3 things. The Pentagon completely ignored him for 4 yrs. In July 2017, effectively nullifying his 63 million 2016 voters, he went on tv & said he changed his mind about endless Mideast wars, now thinks they're necessary. In Aug. 2017 in a move led by his 'pal' Lindsey Graham, House & Senate removed all Russia decisions from Trump. If it was the case that Trump wanted to do what he promised but was unable to for whatever reason, and if he cared about this country as he claims to, he should've resigned and explained that US presidents are powerless. Instead he made Jared de facto pres. and sat there for 4 yrs. I saw the sickening Bannon quote re "peace & prosperity." "Peace?" Trump bombed Syria 10 wks after his inaug. based on nothing but a few complaints from jihadists in Idlib. (Idlib is 100% controlled by jihadists.) It wd've required months of investigation on the ground to prove jihadist complaints, but WaPo patted Trump on the head for quickly bombing. Then there's the fact that, totally illegally, Trump annexed one third of Syria, the northeast portion which has the oil and the most arable land, which thanks to US military installed there, starving Syrians aren't allowed to even grow crops on their own land. He also threatened to punish any nation or entity that dared help Syria recover from yrs of US attacks. As to your claim that Trump's "great service" was showing us that things were even worse than we thought, I totally disagree. We all knew how bad things were decades ago. That's why in Nov. 2010 we gave the GOP House a landslide victory which enraged them and caused them to co-opt everyone we gave them. Then came 2011 and Trump spoke before some Tea Party groups, during one of which he was asked, "what about Soros?" To which Trump replied, "leave him alone, he's had tough times lately." As to the GOP, it has no fear of losing elections, would be very happy as permanent minority. Until 1994, House had been controlled by democrats for 40 straight yrs and no one complained. As to Deep State, there's no "vacuum." Trump himself in 8/2022 said it takes 15 yrs to fire one bureaucrat, to change that congress would need to pass new law to make it possible for a pres. to fire a bureaucrat.
If Trump had the support a normal President usually gets, especially from his own party (Paul Ryan and Mitch McConnell - ugh) those things would have happened. The way Flynn got removed, and hounded was shocking.
Instead Trump got impeached twice and now has had two special prosecutors go after him. One even after leaving office. And the NY rape trial? A Democratic commented Trump must be destroyed, to prevent any like him following him.
Trump was naive, and got played in many ways. His great service was ripping the mask off the uniparty / deep state’s / media’s corruption and election fraud. I see Trump as a martyr, and he’s still being hounded.
I can agree with much of that. In the big scheme, however, it's obvious that the good things that Trump got away with were enough to scare the bejabbers out of the Ruling Class. Presidential elections aren't about sainthood. They're normally about the lesser evil. Plus, in actual fact the MIC acted in contravention of direct orders of both Obama and Trump in Syria. It took Putin to put the screws to the MIC.
"Economics is not something that runs itself apart from human nature."
oiko + nomos = household + ordering (managing, budgeting)
If we can't agree on what a family is and what it does, and what to tell children about the little household they were born into, how on God's green earth are we going to agree as a big household to its ordering? i.e. how much to spend on what? Is everyone just a unit consumer at birth?
There was an interesting article in the WSJ this morning: "A Crisis Over Child Care Is Holding Back Companies and Blue-Collar Workers; daycare at work, long a white-collar benefit, is proving tough to pull off with other employees."
So. Workers in America are single parents who need workers to take care of their children while they are at work, at times earning little more than the child-care workers themselves. This is a little "family problem" we are having as a country. Drag queen story hour is nowhere mentioned in the article, nor are the millions crossing our border looking for welfare and for work. No talk about the debt ceiling rise, or the latest whistleblower or bank failure.
But pair that article with another article this morning: "China Finally Has a Rival as the World’s Factory Floor; companies look to find a backup for manufacturing and India is making its case."
So. Have India (and China et al) "cracked the code" in providing childcare equitably to all workers, in order to keep their factories up and running? Can we have factories, or not? Who works on the factory floor, and what does their family look like?
The establishment GOP is very uncomfortable with being anti woke. An example is the grassroots is boycotting bud light, and the Gop? Another example is Disney. The entire trans debate the eGOP is mia. And no talk of the huge increase in pushing the racism schlicht. Kanoaka touched on it. Or the increase in unsolved black murders.
What the eGop is comfortable speaking of is tax cuts, pro military, and helping small businesses, and a bit on crime. Unfortunately the only thing they actually do is help big business.
Wow - Tucker is starting a show on Twitter!
https://twitter.com/KanekoaTheGreat
Add James O’Keefe too.
Lots of firings / board room coups recently of anti big pharma figure. O’Keefe at Veritas, Tucker, and Gold at FLCC.
Interesting coincidences. 3 times is enemy action?
And Ireland going full censorship. Guilty until proven innocent and backed by all parties, yet hated by majority of voters. Who has enough mojo making that happen?
Tucker is hinting at more, too. I was pretty sure that Fox couldn't get away stopping him from expressing his opinions.
BTW, Don Jr. saying he's "liberal" re trans was a big turnoff for me.
My guess is Don Jr. and the Anheuser Busch Ceo (registered Republican) run in the same social circles in NYC.
InBev when they bought Anheuser Busch seemed to have moved some stuff to NYC. The marketing vp is based in NYC / Manhattan.
Since Prez 45 is part of this post, I might as well throw in this Newsweek article from War Room regular and Trump supporter extraordinaire Steve Cortes titled "Ron DeSantis for President." newsweek.com/ron-desantis-president-opinion-1798976
Very much worth the read regardless of one's position. Strikes me as significant not just in its own right but also in that it could portend more such switches to come. And if I may editorialize just a bit, this idea that Trump will just steamroll DeSantis in the primaries is wishful thinking of an unsupported and unserious kind. Let's see all comers be free to do their worst in a wide open primary season, and may the best of them win. The American way.
Hmmm…
Open paragraph:
“Do not let these transparently corrupt political grifters like Republican strategist Steve Cortes raise your blood pressure; instead, mock them mercilessly wherever and whenever you see them.”
https://theconservativetreehouse.com/blog/2023/05/09/steve-cortes-announces-he-took-job-money-from-desantis-pac-now-supports-ron-desantis/
I was very interested in Vivek until I saw a video of him presenting his solution for Taiwan: put a gun in every Taiwan home. Huh? I'm as pro-2A as anyone, but I want serious talk from a Prez candidate. I'd like to see Trump have some competition--it might be good for him. But stuff like that will take Vivek right out of it.
I think Taiwan should go the prior 2007 Swiss model, but they are like Japan on gun control / social control and the chance of it happening is zero.
Taiwan has become very liberal in many areas, and their military is a joke, especially their reserve system. And their Government is still pushing the jab really hard. And it’s a very conformist society that trusts the Gov medical advice/ requirements. One of my wife’s Taiwan friends is on her 5th shot…
Does anyone remember Clinton's "It's the economy, stupid."? Fast forward and in one year things will be much worse. Our guv'mint doesn't have a clue. As for the culture, sorry if I don't take it too seriously. Granted I'm a dinosaur, but I see 'woke' as representing a minority of a minority, and I even wonder why the guv'mint and the media are pushin' it. How about going back to selling things and ideas with attractive young ladies, in the time-honored old way. I find it hard to believe that adolescent boys are no longer attracted to girls, by and large, and now have other ideas. Maybe I'm the stupid one, and the powers that be know exactly how to remain in power, but so much of what they are doing is having the effect of alienating large segments of the population, and with the tough times coming this is something the guv'mint can ill afford.
Excellent.
Trump’s going to jail. It would be useful if you and others who write to inform and educate would begin discussing and speculating on what that is going to mean. None of us want it to happen or think it should. It will be a disgrace and a scandal beyond words. But they are going to do it.
I hope they aren't that clueless. What would it mean? It would mean the end of this country as a political entity. A great many, if not most, of the citizens would cease to regard our government as legitimate, or even worth saving in the future. Trumped-up charges for Trump while there is real concern that our government has been sold to the highest bidder by the crooks in Washington.
The power of “and”
Speaking freely can't be too important to Trump since he's already said he shouldn't be required to appear in GOP debates "because he's already been president." His most consequential year, 2020, has escaped public scrutiny almost entirely-and it desperately needs it.
Which areas have escaped public scrutiny?
The two I can think of is how he got Sandbagged on the Jab / Covid, and how the election fraud was not fought harder. Those areas are still unclear to me.
Note - In Dec 2019 he got impeached again, and had to deal with that in early 2020.
The censorship stuff Trump was not even aware of. This is still coming out, I can’t believe how bad it was/is, and I’m very tech savvy.
He trusted Barr, and should have declassified stuff. The Durham investigation has been an amazing cover up job. Trump again got sandbagged.
I’m amazed he got anything done with Covid going on.
RFK is doing a lot of truth telling, which is refreshing.
Trump trusted the FDA/ CDC and got rolled. One of Trumps cabinet alleged he was told (lied to) it was a regular vaccine by Fauci.
This is in area there is a lot that has not been revealed. Lots of betrayal of Trump.
And with the panic at the time, could Trump have been impeached if he did different?
It's the exact opposite of what you say, absolutely no one in power fears Trump, the proof is in Trump's 4 years in office. He was powerless over anything that mattered. Jared Kushner had last word on anything important & favored exact opposite of 2016 Trump voters. Yet Trump made him de facto pres., put him in charge of Covid meetings where he protected Davos narrative & silenced anyone who disagreed w Dr. Birx, claiming she was "100% MAGA." The Pentagon ignored Trump for 4 yrs. In July 2017 he went on tv & said he changed his mind about Mideast wars, now thinks they're necessary. In August 2017, in move led by his "pal" Lindsey Graham, House & Senate voted to remove all Russia decisions from him. Trump himself in Aug. 2022 said it's impossible to fire anyone in Deep St, takes 15 yrs., that congress should pass new laws allowing pres. to fire them. If Trump cared about the US as he claims to, when he found he was unable to deliver what he promised 2016 voters, he should've resigned and explained that US presidents have no real power.
I can’t believe the vicious and vindictive way they have gone after Trump and his supporters, crossing so many norms.
My sincere appreciation for you sharing here Mark. The paragraph of your thoughts (after JD Davidson's "Culture War..." referenced quote) that included "the welfare fueled breakdown of the family that leads to struggling households that no longer constitute true families, to the false narratives of “sexual freedom” that lie behind that, and to the denial of the dignity of human nature as God made it" pulls together a description of today's United States demise causes. Very, very well stated Mr. Wauck. (WrH)
RNo, G'day sir! I'd simply suggest are forced/pushed to "back off". Power is rarely voluntarily conceded-whether R or D the US Political power has corrupted absolutely... best at you! (WrH)
If we try to run on "the economy", we can't beat Santa Claus. He doesn't care whether you have been naughty or nice; he has friends to reward and enemies to punish, and if you vote for him you are his friend.
G'afternoon Pete, Perhaps; but do consider Culture is abused/manipulated and influenced, most effectively by the political powerful. Changed behaviors become part of a culture. A question could be, how can behaviors be altered? I suggest that old 'Accountability/Responsibility' thing be brought back as a value and guideline. A bit simplistic, I realize, but a guiding axiom in my version of my citizenship behaviors. Thanks for your comments - always valuable for me to read! (WrH)
Right on Pete. The 'successful' undermining of our "original" Constitution by the Left (and Reps, taking a liking to the power doing so affords) continues. Last week Mark posted something that stung me - that being "Originalist" thinking of today's conservative leadership - including judicial - is mis-guided. Hurt my heart as I had always thought that was 'the path' back. Hoping somehow we return to said Foundational Constitution. Without bloodshed may be less and less likely, sadly. Ugh! Hope your week is a good one! (WrH)