Friends, this week's Newsmaker Show is, as always, worth a listen. Brian and I discuss the unfair attacks on and shunning of President Trump, who is being blamed for violence that he neither controlled nor condoned. We also talk about the purge of social media and the attempt to brand all Republicans as traitors and insurrectionists. In addition, Brian and I explore the question of Trump's future, and we even ponder the challenge that "President" Biden will have in bringing the country together. Good luck to him!
In our "This Day in History" segment, we cover the Iran Hostage Crisis and the important of the Iranian Revolution in upending U.S. policy in the Middle East; the decision of the Carter Administration to boycott the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow; the rise of China, in the historical context of the Opium Wars of the 19th century; the fall of the Ottoman Empire after WWI; and the fateful Wannsee Conference in 1942 that precipitated the Nazis' "Final Solution".
Check it out!
Just dropping in really quickly to say how I like your new blog header, grin. So, let the games begin (have you seen the meme online about the Hunger Games movies?). Will or can Biden bring the country together? I repeat, "Let the games begin." grin (that is so much better than Off with their heads, don't you think so?)
ReplyDeleteI actually watched the coronation (sorry, I meant inauguration), of our new President this morning. He is certainly not my choice. I think the party he is supposed to represent has moved way too far to the Left of the political spectrum. I also think he lives way too much in the shadow of his previous boss. However, he is the Chief Executive of The United States of America. Yesterday he was not, but today he is.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was serving in the military, the President of The United States was always my boss, and although I finished honorably with my military service long ago, I still have respect for whoever the boss is, although I might not like him (or her). I was always taught to be loyal to whoever my immediate boss was, even though I might not agree with him or her.
With that said, I will be loyal to my new boss and wish him well. I will wish him well, because if his policies fail I will have to live with the consequences of those failures just like any other American, whether they voted for him or not. Why wish the new boss ill when his failure will take me down too. It's like the captain of a ship in wartime. If the captain screws up he will probably go down with the ship and I and many others along with him, regardless of our love of him, or lack thereof.
I hope that makes sense?
Let me put it this way. I can't stand many Members of Congress, but I have to tolerate them because they are MC. I did not vote for people like AOC, and I don't respect her, but I have to tolerate her because she is MC. Neither did I pick the Justices of The Supreme Court, so whether I like them or not is irrelevant. They were picked by various presidents and there is nothing I can do about it, period.
ReplyDeleteHowever, Joe Biden was officially recognized and declared to be The President of The United States of America today, so he is the only president I have, as LBJ once said "back in the day" "I am the only president you have" or something to that effect.
So President Joe Biden is now automatically my boss, because he is The Chief Executive of the entire nation. I will respect him as such, and salute the rank if not the man himself. I will also wish him success, although I will probably be mighty disappointed by the outcome of many of his policies, which is why I did not vote for him. But then I did not vote for Trump because he was especially my kind of leader, but because of his America first oriented policies. President Biden is a globalist, as was President Obama, although I found out after I voted for Obama the first time that he was also a globalist.
So to sum it up, President Biden is now my President. Regardless of elections, I don't serve a President who no longer residing in The White House. To paraphrase LBJ, Joe Biden is the only president I have, like him or not.
Finally, if everything I said above doesn't make sense, look at it this way. Did you see all those honorable military people today swarming all over the place at the inauguration? Many of them probably voted for Trump, but they were ordered to serve the new President of The United States, and they did so with dignity and honor. He is their president for the next four years, like it or not, and therefore he is mine also, like it or not. If you don't get that point, then I don't know what to tell you.
ReplyDeleteLinda, glad you like the new header! I might tweak it from time to time. It would be nice to get Rand Paul in there, no? But we Republicans have so many excellent leaders to choose from. I must admit, it will be nice if next time around our candidate isn't quite so volcanic emotionally and thus unpredictable (and occasionally self-destructive). I guess what I'm saying is that in 2024 I hope we run a grown-up!
ReplyDeleteRay, you're a better man than I. I cannot bring myself to wish Biden well. I wish the country well, sure, but the country's fortunes and Biden's aren't the same. To be honest, though, I DO wish Biden good health. The last thing I want is President Kam-Kam.
Frankly, I don't expect Biden to fundamentally change the direction of the country. We were overspending before, and we'll keep on doing it (only more so). We were circling the bowl culturally and civilizationally before, and we will under Biden too. Faith in our institutions was wilting under Trump, and it won't revive under Biden. Basically, the U.S. faces a reckoning. It did before, and Biden's only contribution will be to hasten the day when that reckoning arrives.
Dr. Nick
DeleteNot a better man than you, but my only point (as I'm sure you know), was, and is, that our good people in our great armed forces have to "bite the bullet" no matter who is president. Our military people have to obey orders no matter how they feel about their civilian commander. They have to grit their teeth. Their current boss is President Biden, like it or not. I certainly hope President Biden does everything he can to advance their readiness and well being. Our armed forces are the only thing that stand between our being taken over by a foreign power.
I understand what you are saying Ray. My husband said, "I respect the office, not the person." I am not quite there yet (either thought).
ReplyDeleteRay, the chances of a "foreign power" conquering us are slim to none. The chances of our culture being devoured from within are very high. I support and honor the military as much as anyone, but no one has "ordered" ME to salute or humor old man Biden, and so I shan't. He is, as you say, the only president we've got now. That's a statement of fact. I still say he's a big dodo head!
ReplyDeleteDr.Waddy from Jack: Having lived through the period I offer my recollections: 1967-68 the touchy feely left, the love generation, enjoyed a brief
ReplyDeletepublic dominion. I mean,"Summer of Love", " Clean for Gene "and all that chaff. Then the leftist bad asses moved in and Haight-Asbury became a criminally drug infested hell hole and Woodstock became Altamont. Why of course it did!
Dr.Waddy from Jack: The deadly serious left saw an opening and exploited it and it's silly boomer supported campaign persists as do the flighty boomers! Today, the campfire Kumbayaaites have a brief ascendancy in Biden's silly politically correct administration. But like the late '60s, it will not be long before the leftist bad asses take control!
ReplyDeleteDr.Waddy from Jack: The Capitol riots? Uh gee, wot about Portland on Inauguration Day? The MSM doesn't have much to say does it? Ooops! !lb
ReplyDeleteDr.Waddy et al from Jack: Correction: I did not mean to say above that the leftist boomer supported continuing campaign to wreck America is "silly". The far too many boomers who blithely enable it are ungrateful, frivolous, Silly, yes, useful idiots who the deadly serious left would discard as so much offal, when their utility is exhausted!
ReplyDeleteDr.Waddy et al from Jack: The 1979 hostage crisis was a result of weak American leadership at the Federal executive level. President Carter's lack of resolve was smelled out even by the insular, internationally inexperienced 8th century fanatic caravan raiders who sacked the Embassy. Even they knew not to mess with a common sense hombre like Reagan who promised use of decisive and justified force should they make it necessary. This has been one of the glories of the post 1941 world: American might and it's use against monsters!
ReplyDeleteDr.Waddy from Jack: I second and support all your comments on the continuing strength of the conservative movement and, as I see it, the real America.That we will find a means to establish our views in the social media, as we did in the broadcast media in the 80's and 90's ( a development which, as one who was active before it, was astonishing to me ;before it we had NO representation in the airways!), is a very plausible prediction. We 74 +++ million real Americans ain't going away, AOC!
ReplyDeleteJack, the hard-left will want to capitalize on Biden's ascendancy, for sure, but the verdict is out on how much success they will have. I wouldn't say his cabinet appointments suggest much appetite for radicalism... If I were a raging Marxist (God forbid), I'd place my bets on the courts. If the Dems simply keep plugging away at judicial appointments, they'll inherit the earth soon enough. Of course, that would take patience -- not their hallmark.
ReplyDeleteJack, I won't gainsay your view of Carter, but I'm not so sure that the Mullahs' trepidation vis-a-vis Reagan explains the release of the hostages. A gigantic ransom would seem to have been paid...
Truth be told, conservatives are already flourishing in social media -- that's exactly why we're being expelled! No matter. We'll find new platforms.
Dr. Waddy from Jack:Point on the ransom well taken. I would guess it was not all the Iranians wanted and that it's presentation was accompanied by a very credible promise of force.This was very much justified by their assault on the Embassy.In considering Carter I forgot about his authorization of the nevertheless failed rescue attempt.
ReplyDeleteDr. Waddy from Jack: I expect the left will initially probe for inconsistency and apologetic conservatism in the Federal judiciary . They may be loathe to bring their issues before this Scotus These tests, on issues dear to Charles Schumer's disdainful heart( eg. disarming law abiding Americans), on which the left may think it's time has come, may help them form their attack strategy. So also may their success, or lack thereof, in preventing Mitch McConnell and maybe Joe Manchin from torpedoing their assured crusade to transform the Federal judiciary through appointment and perhaps with their now almost reflexive misuse of impeachment. Stand by, it's going to be a hell of a fight!
ReplyDeleteJack, you also have to remember that the Reagan administration a few years later sold arms to the Iranians! And to the Iraqis too, I'd wager. Oh well. We won the Cold War, and we got the hostages back. Hard to argue with results.
ReplyDeleteJack, the drama in the Senate will be something to behold! I'm encouraged by what I've seen so far. The Senate hasn't accomplished a thing. Long may it last! In fact, I encourage the Dems to impeach EVERYONE. Let's spend the next two to four years on acquittals, shall we?