Why?

The elephant in my room is large and gray. Why did we not crush/sweep/bury the Democrats in this election? With, ostensibly, 75% of the American public saying we’re going in the wrong direction, with inflation, an open border, unchecked crime, energy dependence, stunted education, outright lying, corruption and tyranny at every level of government, with candidates like Fetterman and Hobbs and Hochul even in contention, with so-called leadership in the hands of incompetents and fools like Biden, Pelosi, Schumer, etc., how could there have been any question but that the Republicans would sweep the Democrats from control of Congress?

Sorry to disappoint, but I’m not going to answer the question. There are analysts and pundits wracking their brains and working overtime trying to figure it out.

Frankly, I feared this might happen. Our elation and excitement, then our pre-election hubris was a warning sign.

As I’ve noted a hundred times, the Left was and remains bent on creating chaos, just as Alinsky prescribed. Deftly using the propaganda machine on a now-dumbed down populace, they have created perceptions that have shaped reality for at least half and maybe more of us. Chaos so obscures that weak minds can and were and remain susceptible to the lies and nonsense saturating the airwaves, on both sides.

America isn’t just polarized at this point. It’s balkanized! There is no clean dividing line…the ideological landscape is splotchy…pockets of red and blue intermingled but directly proportional to population concentration. By that I mean, where people are concentrated in the cities it’s blue. As the population thins, it goes from pink to red. Why? Because losers, the unproductive huddle where they can be fed and clothed and taken care of, and concentrations of power and money in the hands of a cabal of Leftist megalomaniacs that can be doled out and used to control the people are attractive to the indolent, the unmotivated, the uninformed. They just want their Obama phones!

The productive, the self-reliant, the industrious, lovers of freedom, truth and meritocracy, don’t tend to concentrate at all. The more elbow-room they have, the more free they feel and the more self-determining they can be. They just want to be left alone to care for themselves and their loved ones. They are red.

Step back for a moment and look at how far we as a nation have descended down the slippery slope. We are now questioning the very essence of humanity…what is a man, what is a woman? We legalize brain-altering substances; we force compliance with unproven and as it turns out, ineffective “cures”; a blind eye is turned towards not just petty but even heinous crime; corruption permeates and has destroyed virtually every institution. The media, writ large, dominates our discourse. Gone are dinner table discussions. Gone is civility. Gone is the unifying influence of faith and dedication to country that once guided us.

Ayn Rand is turning in her grave as person after person shoots themselves in the foot! Half of us won’t even be driven by logical self-interest! Rather, we have allowed ourselves to be subjugated to circumstances that HURT US! How stupid can so many of us be?

And it’s not just happening here in the U.S. It is happening all over the Western World. Any student of history will tell you that what we are witnessing is a repeat of the demise of all the great civilizations. We are past the apogee and in a flat spin plummeting towards a state where third world countries and ideologies are now rising while we fall.

This election was expected to be the turning point, a significant advance back up the slippery slope. Instead, we must now regroup back at the bottom, lick our wounds and coalesce so as to fight the cancer that prevents us from healing. However, we need to forget about trying to unify the whole country. We need to unify ourselves first! We need to identify and rally behind a leader or leaders who will inspire us to set aside our rugged individualism for the good of the whole. We need to organize and speak and act with one voice as the Left so successfully does. We need to use their Alinsky techniques on THEM! We must surround, isolate, belittle, neutralize and eradicate the cancer pocket by pocket.

Let’s study what happened and pray the path back up the slippery slope becomes clearer and better lit.

Trump Has Finally Pissed ME Off

Ron Desanctimonious???? There was no call for that obnoxious remark. Even if Ron decides to run against him, for the obvious frontrunner to denigrate a fellow Republican like that at this point in the cycle is not only uncalled for, but about as low-class and vicious as a New York real estate thug can get. Don Jr., Eric…you have simply got to get hold of your Dad. Putting down the rabid leftists like Hillary, Biden, etc. is one thing. Ripping on a friendly rival and potentially HUGE ally is simply dumb! Just look at the immediate reaction of people like me! I’m willing to accept idiosyncrasies, showmanship, grandstanding, narcissism and a lot of other human peccadillos, but bowing to the Left’s antics to split and turn the Republican Party into a circular firing squad is falling right into their trap. CHAOS is their recipe for preserving and increasing power, and Trump has played right into it. Give me the chance and I’d tell it to his face. He has simply got to put a skid-chain on his tongue and grow up from being a playground bully to an inspiring, statesmanlike leader. I hoped and prayed it was happening. With this comment he’s taken many steps back.

Ten Reasons To Vote Democrat On November 8th

I can’t claim to be the author of this list. Credit and attribution goes to Pete McArdle via American Thinker. I urge my readers to read the whole article here.

Pete begins with this: “Regular readers of American Thinker are well aware of all the reasons why anyone with a conscience and a modicum of intelligence should vote Republican on Election Day.  But at present, sadly, there appears to be a surfeit of potential U.S. voters lacking a moral center, a working cerebral cortex, or both.”

Here is his list:

“You like your leaders brain-dead and nearly as old as Methuselah.

You love paying taxes

You want to kill inconvenient babies

You’re a criminal

You’re a druggie

You think you may be a two-spirit, genderqueer femboi

You like siccing the FBI and IRS on your political opponents

You hate yourself for being white

You believe what the media tell you

You hate America”

And he ends,

“God forbid we make America great again.”

Amen.

On A Positive Note

With permission from a friend and reader, I reprint a heartwarming letter from him to his naval officer son as the latter leaves for deployment on one of our great Navy ships. It captures just about everything a God-fearing, patriotic American would and should hold true.

“Dear Son,

Today you start writing the story of the next chapter of your life. Time to flip the switch from student to professional. From this day forward you will be judged by what you say,  what you do, and how you present yourself. All future opportunities in the organization will depend on people’s perception of you and only you can manage that. Always be mindful of your leadership position and the responsibility that attaches.

Grow thick skin. Much stress, feedback and ball busting dead ahead. Your bosses will test you to see how you handle it. Manage response and body language. Never give the bastards the satisfaction.

Embrace the chain of command and resist the trap of micro management. Let your NCOs know what needs to be done and when and turn them loose. Let them deal with the enlisted bullshit, stay above the fray. Delegation is a key management skill. Give your team responsibility and authority to complete tasks and monitor and mentor for compliance. It instills trust both ways and inspires loyalty.

First 30 days: mouth shut, eyes and ears open. Old quote: “Better to be silent and thought a fool than to speak and remove all doubt”.  Identify the competent, smart team members and develop relationships but always maintain a degree of professional separation with subordinates.

Lead by example. Appearance, demeanor, language, knowledge etc. Be the “Boss” they will remember as a professional who was competent and had their backs.

Take care of your people. Be fair and just. Do what you know in your heart is right.

Giving people a voice is a great tool and has always worked for me. You may not be able to give them what they want or agree, but they will appreciate the opportunity to present their perspective and ultimately accept your decisions.

Learn from and respect seniors and always maintain an open mind. Listen to their endless war/sea stories with great interest and they will embrace you. Take pearls of wisdom from each and build into your management style/approach.

Finally, head on a swivel, when things start going sideways…slow it down. When the shit starts people will look to you for calm leadership. Inevitably mistakes and accidents will happen. Make reasonable decisions… but make a goddamn decision. Indecisiveness is a poison to the team and mission. Assess all available information, consider options and pick the best path forward.

Take ownership of the good and bad. No excuses only explanations of thought processes and lessons learned.

Finally, be safe and take great care. I love you with all my heart and am indescribably proud of you.

Life starts to speed up now…enjoy the ride.

Fair winds and following seas my boy!

Much love,

Dad”

To which I add, “God Speed”!

The Darkness Before The Dawn

If you don’t feel a dark cloud hovering over our nation, a sense of impending doom, a sick feeling in your stomach, then you haven’t shopped at a grocery store recently, heard what our kids are being taught, don’t believe the crime you see on tv is real, think mounted border patrol agents whip illegal aliens with their reins, think Biden and Fetterman are just fine mentally and ideologically. It is indeed dark out there. The election is only three weeks away. The air is saturated with, frankly, political BS.

But here’s a suggestion for those of us who actually use our brains to weigh evidence, rationally examine behavior and rhetoric, think vs. feel. What I’m about to suggest is radical…

The information coming at us CANNOT BE TRUSTED. Sure there’s truth in there somewhere, but there is so much BS in the information stream that truth is obscured or colored so as to be unrecognizable. What’s RIGHT is also confused by virtue of conservatives being pitted against conservatives: GOP Republicans against MAGA supporters, the Republican Swamp dwellers against America First Reformists, etc.

Set it ALL aside. I propose we ignore ALL of the BS and reach deep within ourselves to determine which way to vote for ourselves, our families and our Republic. Stop trying to weigh facts, pseudofacts, information and misinformation to arrive at rational decisions. Here’s my radical suggestion:

ABANDON REASON AND GO WITH YOUR GUT!

Bet you never thought I’d suggest something like that huh?

But my argument is simple…the Democrats/Leftists have achieved what they wanted to achieve: they have so infected our institutions with socialist/communist/leftist/totalitarian/self-destructive ideology, so indoctrinated our children and the weak-minded among adults, so co-opted the Media and obtained its support that they have attained their overriding goal: CHAOS. No amount of rational thinking and healthy skepticism can sort it all out. Attempting to brings one to exhaustion and potentially, despair.

So go with your gut. Deep within all of us, call it what you will: Conscience, Holy Spirit, Innate Goodness of Man, Divine Spark…we KNOW what is right, and IMHO (in my humble opinion) I will forever assert that

RIGHT is right!

Ignore the peccadillos, real or imagined, of the candidates. Ignore the tabloid headlines. Ignore whatever October Surprises materialize over the next few weeks. Go with your gut!

And don’t fight the brainwashed, some would say idiots, on the Left. Turn the other cheek and invite them into the tent of those who would preserve traditional norms of Good. While you may see that some members of the Republican party are hypocrites, two-faced, driven by power and money rather than altruism and devotion to our country, please, please, please don’t stay home in defiance and rejection. If you have to swallow hard and clench your teeth, vote Republican. An abstention is a vote for the other side, a vote for what is truly destructive and downright evil.

If we don’t take back power, even if it’s in the hands of leaders we may not like, i.e. McConnell and McCarthy, the only way we can turn this country around is to first STOP the insanity, and that can only be done by winning and holding the majority in both houses of Congress. Then, with WHOMEVER, we must win the White House in 2024, or, barring that, add to our majorities to achieve a veto-proof amalgamation of power, then push and pass, steamroll if we must, legislation to REVERSE the insanity and restore America to what it should be, what it needs to be to walk back the entire world from the precipice it is currently on.

Go with your gut.

On The Subject Of Election Integrity

As we approach November 8th, I continue to encounter friends and acquaintances on the Right who want to just “move on” from the 2020 Election. They argue that to echo Trump on the subject is counterproductive. They argue that not moving on constitutes relitigating the election and proves we’re sore losers. They argue that the ‘stolen’ argument is self-defeating as it plays into the left narrative. The suggestion is that it would be more productive to highlight what influences tipped the scales in Biden’s favor. I reproduce here below two of my responses to these arguments.

“The problem is the 2020 Election WAS NEVER LITIGATED! If we don’t expose what happened and refute the truly false narrative that it WAS legitimate we’ll never have another honest election in our country. To continue exposing the fraud and cheating that got Biden his 81 million votes isn’t being a sore loser, it’s being righteously indignant and protective of freedom, our constitutional republic and not allowing the leftist cancer to win. The tide is turning, the Silent Majority is starting to speak up, there is an opportunity to restore a modicum of honesty and integrity to our country and government, but not if we allow the BS in our elections to stand. We are fighting a foe that will stop at nothing for power and money and taking the high road and trying to be gentlemanly and “moving on” is precisely what they’re counting on. No, we must not let them get away with this again. The only way we could possibly lose this November in both the House and Senate is through more of the same kind of fraud and shenanigans as they foisted on everyone in 2020. If we don’t have drop box tail gate parties to prevent ballot stuffing, legions of lawyers standing over the vote counters, legislators willing to challenge the unconstitutional (both federal and state) violations of voting laws, and computer counting systems proven to be un-hackable, they will do it again, and God help us if the Dems remain in power through 2023 and beyond! We really can’t take much more of their brand of “progress” can we?”

And in response to the notion that to pursue 2020 is self-defeating and that we should focus on righting the tipped scales I responded:

“My big problem with “moving on” is that to do so is to allow the scales to remain tipped. I concede that Trump beating this theme continuously is not helpful for either him, the MAGA/America First Movement, the GOP or the country. He is not the right spokesperson to address this fundamental problem nor are Mike Lindell or any of the other champions of the ‘stolen election’ assertion.

 The reason I’m exercised about this topic this week is that Ginni Thomas, no publicity hound, had the courage to reiterate her contention that the election was stolen/rigged/whatever and that it needed to be thoroughly investigated and essentially, that we should NOT just “move on”. I agree. What I would like to see is some respected jurist like Clarence Thomas (or, preferably, John Roberts or several of the jurors) say, “We’ve got to get to the bottom of this” so the whole process gets cleaned up. Same day voting, paper ballots, proof of citizenship before registration, voter ID, legitimate monitoring of the vote count, consequences for violating state election laws, real penalties/perp walks for cheaters and the operatives behind them (those with “plausible deniability” for implementing the cheating schemes) and cleaned up voter rolls…Sounds like a tall order, but by already letting 2020 slide as much as we as a nation have, this November is going to be a s-show irrespective of the outcome. In my opinion, not resolving the problem of election integrity is the greatest threat to our republic, not all the crap the media and politicians grouse about. If our elections are honest and Millennials, Gen Y and Gen Z want to vote in all the leftist idiocy so be it…it’s their world and they can have it. But to stand by and allow a handful of evil, power-hungry and greedy politicians, oligarchs and technocrats permanently control our lives as they’re doing now on into the future without a fight is a bridge too far. I don’t have much time left on this planet but election integrity is, in my opinion, the hill to die on.”

So for those of you who have asked why I keep pounding on the 2020 Election thing, the above explains my position.

This Is So Good I Just Had To Share It

Peter Doocy asked Karine Jean-Pierre why if in 2016 questioning the election of Donald Trump was ok, why is it so horrible today? Matt Taibbi posted a compilation that is priceless and I link to it here so it can be shared with everyone who clicks on this Blog! Please click the Continue… button below to view it.

Trump Vs. DeSantis

The speculation, the anticipation, the prognostication, the betting is all well underway. What will the 2024 ticket look like? Here are my two cents.

In my opinion, Trump running and DeSantis staying as Governor of Florida then being “anointed” in 2028 is the best scenario. Here is my reasoning.

Trump has been so accosted, character-assassinated, put through the ringer and maligned, with the Dems throwing everything at him, with his Teflon holding fast, he can do a grand “I told you so” and pick up where he left off, except with a sharper saber applied to the Swamp. While he is nowhere near the leader/statesman who SHOULD be in the Oval Office, he is the proven street fighter who will not shrink from the fight, is beholden to no-one and will be able to do the most good for the country of any GOP candidate.

Were DeSantis to be the nominee, he would be crucified and doesn’t have the wealth and may not have sufficient armor to withstand the inevitable onslaught from the Left. The attacks will be even more relentless than they were against Trump, and the painful turning of hearts and minds away from the Leftist BS to get independents to support DeSantis will become difficult.

Trump would have no problem with his base, and RINO’s will swallow hard and pull the lever for him against a Biden (choke), Harris (barf) or straight from central casting Newsome. And just tolerate or hate Trump, the Right realizes if they stay home that’s tantamount to letting the country continue on its road to hell. Friends of mine who indeed, HATE Trump, understand this, and even if their choice is between two evils, there is no question in their minds that the greater evil is the Democrat Left.

With Trump in the White House and men like Abbott and DeSantis on his flanks, not to mention the stalwarts in the press/media and politicians who have stuck by him throughout the RINO transformation/distancing that has occurred since 2020, Trump would have an unparalleled opportunity to not just halt the demise of our nation, but start what will be the difficult, long term challenge of putting it back on its feet.

What do I think WILL happen? I don’t pay attention to ANY of the polls. I don’t care what the pundits say. I don’t have my finger on the pulse of every generation, just my own, but with enough idiocy manifested by the Democrats, in the absence of any cataclysmic event like the onset of WWIII, in which case all bets are off…I think America at its core knows BS when it sees it, and the Dems have not just overplayed their hand, but may have permanently shot their utopian fantasy/perpetual power dream in the private parts.

We can only hope and pray.

Dignity, Honor, Majesty

Spent all day watching the Queen’s funeral. We often note how “no one does pageantry like the Brits” but they outdid themselves today, establishing a standard of excellence that may never be equaled. I texted my English brother-in-law sharing a selfie of my wife and me watching the ceremonies with the words underneath, “Words Fail”. Indeed they did. Only later did Extraordinary Dignity, Honor and Majesty come to mind and no more needed to be said. Once again, tradition, culture, custom and decorum were on display, as were the poignant scenes of thousands upon thousands of people heartfeltly honoring Elizabeth II.

I was struck by the deeply religious and reverent tone of the proceedings. Never in our own country would such a profound respect be given to religious belief in general, and Christianity in particular. Kudos to the British monarchy. Despite welcoming so many people of other faiths into their country, their steadfast allegiance to Christ and Church remain. England makes no bones about being a “Christian Nation”. Can you imagine Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, Nancy Pelosi, Chuck Schumer or virtually any other politician other than perhaps Pastor Mike Huckabee openly proclaiming anything close to that?

The Godless Left in America have all but succeeded in banishing Christianity from government and virtually every state institution.

As I watched the profoundly touching and deeply emotional proceedings today I was once again reminded why it is that I am a Traditionalist. What we witnessed was grounded, solid. The order, precision, highest standards of excellence, TRADITION, exhibited by not just those who participated directly, but also by the British people, were exemplary and things of which they can and may always be immensely proud.

I am ashamed for those times I’ve not exhibited the grace and poise I should in the face of adversity, controversy, hardship, loss but I am grateful for the example once again upheld by the British Royal Family of how the privileged, blessed and called should comport themselves.

But it is Tradition like that adhered to today: heritage, culture, class, dignity, honor and majesty, that ALL human beings should aspire to.

Rest In Peace Queen Elizabeth

Writers far more articulate than I are crafting tributes and condolences which pour in from across the globe. Flower bouquets are piling up at the gates of Balmoral and at Buckingham Palace. Years from now the question will be asked, “Where were you when the Queen died?” Momentous events etch indelible images and circumstances in our minds. We can all recall where we were on 9-11. Those of us who were around will recall where we were when Neil Armstrong set foot on the Moon.

What can I add?

She was many things, but I would characterize the life of Queen Elizabeth as the embodiment of Traditionalism. She was its archetype. While talking heads will continue the debate as to whether a monarchy, even a constitutional one, is or is not an anachronism, the fact that in 2022 it exists and is still much revered is testament to what I believe is a human longing for the Traditional.

“Modern”, “Post-Modern”, “Contemporary” and the repulsive “Progressive” are all synonyms for what I might call “Anti-Traditionalism”. I spend most of my time and writing excoriating the values and behaviors of those to whom these labels can be applied so I won’t do so here.

I have long argued, on the other hand, that there are principles, values and human norms or standards that transcend all periods of time, all epochs, all generations. They are immutable and exist whether or not they are acknowledged by some or all of the world’s population. Some are couched in religious terms. Some in political. Some in sociological.

Among these are acknowledgment that irrespective of our circumstances every human being has worth, has inalienable rights, has a soul and free will. Honor and respect for the family, meritocracy, diligent work ethics, absolute values of right and wrong, honesty in business practices, wholesomeness in leadership, respect for authority, moderation rather than excess, self-responsibility, charity, trustworthiness, loyalty, helpfulness, friendliness, courteousness, kindness and above all, reverence.

Think of Queen Elizabeth II in these terms and you will realize she exuded ALL of them!

By way of contrast, try to apply these terms to the political class and wealthy elites, the so-called “leaders” of today.

Ok, you can stop now…you won’t find too many examples of them being exhibited, especially by Leftists and the majority of Democrats but also too many on the Right. You certainly won’t find the whole array in any one person.

Queen Elizabeth was the exception. She manifested them ALL, every day, in every place, in virtually every circumstance.

The so-called “leaders” of today all occupy space on the world stage due to their positions. Yes she was a Queen, but she took up the whole stage because of who she WAS, not because of her office. The only leader in my lifetime who exhibited anything close to her in terms of allegiance to Traditional values was Ronald Reagan.

Queen Elizabeth’s entire life was and will always be a monument to Tradition, to what in my judgment are the values and principles which when espoused and practiced by mankind have resulted in the greatest good for the greatest number of people. She lived it with dignity, with class, with noblesse oblige, with grace and with honor. Kudos is due her, as are praise, gratitude and the utmost respect for her contribution to the human story.

Rest in peace Elizabeth and may God bless your family at this painful time.