Friends, tomorrow we find out who Iowa Republicans wish to become the 2024 GOP presidential candidate. There aren't likely to be many surprises in store, but I won't prejudge the contest.
In the meantime, there's a curious anomaly appearing in presidential polls. As you know, some respected polling organizations say that DJT would do better against President Biden than Haley or DeSantis. Sometimes it's not even close. Other polls, though, show the opposite -- and usually indicate that Haley would easily outpace her Republican rivals and win the election in a landslide. Well, these are two completely opposite readings of the electoral landscape. They can't both be true! So, which is...truer? I honestly don't know, and neither do pollsters, apparently. There are strong arguments on both sides of the ledger, of course. In the end, there's only one way to be sure... That's to run the election all three ways and see how it comes out. Problematically, that would require a time machine. What say you, Elon? Got a time machine handy?
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/nikki-haley-fares-best-against-biden-2024-presidential-election-poll/
Finally, I offer you two very interesting articles about A.I. One discusses the likely effects of A.I. on income equality, or the lack thereof, as well as the extent to which developed countries and less developed countries are exposed to the relevant risks, and may reap the relevant rewards. Will A.I. be a blessing or a curse? The answer, naturally, is that it will be both, and will be a huge boon to some and a huge liability to others. The other article is a great analysis of the political bias that creeps into A.I., and will infect it even more profoundly as time goes on. The conclusion it reaches is undoubtedly the right one: we need pluralism in A.I., just as we do in the media and in political discourse. If A.I. becomes a leftist monologue, we're in big trouble!
https://www.bbc.com/news/business-67977967
Dr. Waddy from Jack: My strong gut feeling is that Haley would beat Biden. She is far more articulate and intelligent than him.She would perhaps rightly be perceived as a"moderate, sensible", non Maga person by many disaffected dems and independents. Being a woman would be an asset with some who think any woman (except Elise or Marjorie) is entitled. Biden is so off putting that these factors might cause some who would never otherwise dream of voting GOP to swallow their misgivings. She would probably get many votes too from people who will vote for any GOP Pres. candidate. All that said: I'll stand for DJT against the lawfare totalitarians as long as he has a chance, or my life is forfeit. If he runs independent I'll think hard . But he'll get the nomination, I'm confident and will have a solid chance to win. Haley would be a very good soldier to endorse him after the nomination is settled. Normally she'd be an good VP nominee (as Bush I was for President Reagan) but Maga would not like that and he needs all their votes. I think your perception of considerable opposition to her from Maga is correct, at least for the nomination but if she were to be nominated and DJT were to bid Maga do so (I mean, she'd be light years better than a neo marxist shill like Biden or any possible dem), then we'd best settle for her.
ReplyDeleteRAY TO JACK
DeleteYour assessment of the situation as it is now, is, in my opinion, accurate.
I'm sure you will agree that the current administration is continuing to cause even greater anxiety for millions of Americans. Seems like the CRT, DEI, Woke, and Cancel Culture society we live is almost unbearable at times, don't you think?
Even Christian churches/denominations don't provide much solace/comfort anymore, as many have been infiltrated by numerous kooks, many of whom are pastors.
Don't know if you are a church goer, but I attend Westview Community Church in Manhattan, Kansas, and I sure am tempted to escape from it. If you get a chance, watch the video of this last Sunday's service at their website as preached by Dylan Meyer who is the next generation pastor, and youth minister, plus young adults. After the usual so called "worship music" with people pounding on key boards, banging on drums and strumming guitars, "Pastor" Meyer unloads. Take a look for yourself, and let me know what you think. This type of service is very typical in many churches these days.
Dr. Waddy from Jack: Aaaah, we've been exposed to "artifice " eal intelligence since the advent of the new left in the '60s. But I must needs read the articles and your commentary to realize an untainted view.
ReplyDeleteJack, my gut feeling is that Haley would beat Biden too. Of course, my gut normally tells me what I want it to, so I don't trust it as far as I can throw it (which is also about as far as I can jump). If you can make any sense out of all that, God Bless You!!!
ReplyDeleteYes, the MAGA crowd will vote for pretty much whomever Trump tells them to -- including Trump-Haley, without a doubt.
Ray, sorry to hear you're an unhappy camper in your current congregation. If you were to jump ship, where would you go? I'm Episcopalian, and I frankly try not to think about what a woke travesty my church has become.
RAY TO DR. WADDY (Nick) Thanks for the kind response. I'll stick with it for a while. Lots of good people there, but over the years, management at Westview has gone off the tracks. When the terrorist attack on Israel happened on October 7 I asked the senior pastor what his views were, and he said Israel should forgive her enemies, because Jesus would favor that. His statement speaks for itself. Otherwise, he is a nice enough guy.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, if I left, I don't really know where my wife and I would go. I was raised a United Methodist, but now they have split over the LGBTQ issues, and the split off congregations became The Global Methodist Church. Maybe they are globalists in disguise while pretending to be against the LGBTQ agendas. Ha! Who knows.
Yep, the Episcopalians are gone to hell. The man I blame for that is the late John Shelby Spong.
As you know, lots and lots of churches out there, but many are really "infected". One website I like is "Way of Life Literature". The site belongs to David Could, and he is a Fundamentalist Baptist, but he does have a very good grasp of what is happening in churches, yesterday, today, and in the near future. I think he is a good writer. But of course he is not a church, although he has some recommendations. However, he tells you that many of those churches in his directory may not be ones you would necessarily want to go to.
I do like John MacArthur who is pastor at Grace Community Church in the L.A. area of California. Good solid man, which if course is my opinion. He is NOT afraid of lefties of any kind.
He does deliver his sermons and does not beat around the bush about anything.
In the end, people of many ages (not just youth) seem to favor these Rock and Roll churches (like mine, Ha!), because they get a lot of Contemporary Christian Music, with just Bible snacks. Certainly not a lot of Bible so they won't get upset.
Later. Ray
Dr. Waddy and Ray et al from Jack: Ever since I first became a conservative, I've hoped America would rise and reclaim itself against the antiamerican left . I see Maga and its intransigence as the most promising assertion of determination to break that left's onerous and counterintuitive hold on us. Trump and Maga for America needs to be our clarion call. I'm glad common sense traditionalists have retained at least part of the extensive United Methodist church. If these progressives would simply live in their enclaves, it would be bad for those Americans trapped in the enclaves but at least we would not face the catastrophic possibility of their comprehensive dictation. But no, they just HAVE TO take over everything don't they. Maga is the way to stop them and DJT is at the heart of Maga. Trump - DeSantis or Abbott or Ramaswamy is the ticket.
ReplyDeleteRay: There is a priest named Father Groppi who I saw speak. He was impressive. I like the Catholic Church's ritual and the magnificence of its cathedrals. They do suggest the transcendent beauty of the divine. I thought of becoming one but I knew I would not be motivated enough to undergo the understandably demanding initiation. That Saint John Paul, Mother Teresa and probably (?) Lech Walesa are Catholic graces that so consequential church in these parlous and tragically presumptuously amoral times. Fear of God's wrath is a positive thing I think.
ReplyDeleteRAY TO JACK
DeleteThanks for the response.
Ray from Jack: Yes, the depradations of the antiamerican left are very difficult to countenance; to live in NY we have to do it because NY is probably beyond redemption. But in America, DJT has demonstrated that that left need not be accomodated and that those who do are pathetic and despised by their thuggish far left "buddies". Street wise DJT has shown the way despite the personal onslaught on him by a vicious faction acting more and more like a cornered wolverine. Consequently Maga is here to stay, AFTER ALL.
ReplyDeleteRay: The type of church service you describe; I think there are people who are reflexively and comprehensively opposed to tradition. This frees their minds, I suppose, for any manner of probably well intended but nevertheless cutesy quirky adventure. As long as it is not forced on us, as the murderous French revolutionaries did with their short lived ersatz religion, but with today's antiamerican left who knows?
ReplyDeleteThanks for the thoughtful response, Ray. You're right: it's the "packaging" and accessorizing of religion that appeals to most people nowadays: the music, the socializing, the status, the frills. Maybe it was always so, but in the good old days people would have been shopping congregations and neighborhoods rather than denominations or religions themselves. Now nothing is sacred (pun intended)!
ReplyDeleteJack, I see little sign that conservatives want to coerce leftists into living conservatively. Indeed, even on abortion, many conservatives are (fairly) happy to let blue states murder all the fetuses they like. That's the definition of tolerance, I'd say! But leftists demand centralized control and ideological conformity at all levels. To them, "freedom" means something totally different than it does to us.
DJT has "shown the way"? He's shown the way to get under leftists' skin, yeah. He's also shown the way to electing a Democratic president, Senate, and House! That was, lest we forget, the outcome of four years of Trump. Count me among the skeptics.