Friends, His Majesty President Trump of the Republican Kingdom of America has made his wishes known: he commands these United States to join the British Commonwealth of Nations! As a loyal subject, I hear and obey. I've thought for years that the U.S., a former British colony and a country in a long-term "special relationship" with the U.K., ought to be in the Commonwealth. Make it so, I say. God Save the King, and God Bless President Trump!
P.S. I hope joining the Commonwealth doesn't bar us from conquering and annexing other Commonwealth members, because that could be fun.
In other news, Elon Musk's Neuralink is improving the lives of paralytics, and it might someday soon be revolutionizing the human condition in a much wider sense. You can see the subtext in this BBC article -- why would anyone (gasp!) want a little piece of Muskery inside their head??? -- but much of what Musk has done and is doing is all about helping his fellow man and saving civilization from itself. Boy, what a jerk! Where's a Molotov cocktail when I need one?
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cewk49j7j1po
Finally, there's a big State Supreme Court election coming up in Wisconsin that will give us a sense of how Republicans and conservatives are doing in the wake of DJT's big win in November. Methinks that reports of the death of the Democratic Party are greatly exaggerated, but nonetheless I'm hopeful that us right-wing nutjobs can pull off another glorious triumph in the Badger State.
Dr. Waddy from Jack: During the 2000 election controversy a good friend forwarded me a hilarious Email : "To Relevant Authority at the United States of America: Your independence is hereby revoked. You have demonstrated a complete lack of ability to govern yourselves.
ReplyDeleteA Governor General responsible directly to US will arrive within the fortnight to guide you in your reintroduction to our Parliamentary system. WE require of you your full cooperation with him. Your Congress is hereby dissolved and your laws are subject to comprehensive reconsideration.
After an extended tutelege in workable democracy your suitability for a measure of home rule will be contemplated.
Done by my hand this day: Elizabeth R. "
Dr. Waddy from Jack: Well, Wisconsin did elect and, I think, reelect Scott Walker Governor and Ron Johnson has been one of their Senators for 14 years now. They were and are both solid. I drove through that farm country and those big woods in Wisconsin last year; there is a lot of Packers' and God's country there. Milwaukee does have a socialist element to it though,I think.
ReplyDeleteI'm assuming that Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice is an office for which the entire state votes. Since the conservative has DJT's outspoken endorsement and his opponent is an obviously virulent far leftist who is attracting support of the usual philanthropic leftist virtue signalers , the conflict is clear. I get a kick out of wealthy supporters of the radical left; don't they know they would be relegated to "one room to a family" communalkas should their totalitarian clients ever take over?That is, if they are able to escape the scaffold.
Dr. Waddy from Jack: Concerning Musk's involvement with the development of technology to improve the lives of those cursed by paralysis; I do not doubt for a minute his beneficial intent and the perhaps immeasurable good his expertise may generate in his contribution to this effort. Musk may be a person as significant as to be eventually recognized as historically great in the course of redeeming human progress.
ReplyDeleteThe article cited an expert who expressed a sincere concern about potential harm to personal privacy in such technology. But paralysis already forces upon the victim wearisome and extremely embarrassing daily physical ordeals. I'm only guessing but I'd venture they would initially trade some mental privacy for increased physical ability. And I don't doubt that a computer industry for which privacy and security is an issue already long addressed, will engineer safeguards for the recipients of those for whom such blessed relief is thankfully available.
Dr. Waddy from Jack: Yes, again, Musk is a zillionaire who could be living a life of luxury and security. That he has chosen to risk maybe everything to serve the country he purposefully joined is a testament to formidable character, very much of a kind with our great President.
ReplyDeleteHis reflexive far left detractors disgrace themselves beyond measure with their paucity of good character and the vicious extremists among them give ominous account of how terrible their rule would be should we ever suffer it.
RAY TO JACK
DeleteI have absolutely nothing against Elon Musk. The man is helping his country, greatly. However, he lives a life of luxury and security ALL of the time, no matter what. The only sacrifice he is making is his time, and certainly not his material goods or his security. In any, event he is NOT risking his fame or his fortune. If anything he is enhancing his reputation and becoming a national hero. Obviously not to the leftist pukes, although I doubt he cares what they think one way or another. The man is a sort of actor who relishes the attention he is getting. GO ELON!
Dr. Waddy from Jack: I think any prospect of American membership in the Commonwealth is DOA.
ReplyDeleteWe affirmed a special relationship with the UK which already had much cultural reality (eg. language, legal system ) when we committed hundreds of thousands of American troops to our shared cause against totalitarianism in the 20th century.
Just imagine all the hyphenated (- - - - - - Americans) who would get up on their hind legs and howl at any closer association with "Perfidious Albion". Ehh, we don't need that just now.
President Trump sometimes thinks out loud. Often, as part of his canny competitive nature, it is purposeful. It would be good if he could tone it down a bit( eg. all the Canada speculation) but its only realistic to take the less fortunate along with the very fortunate features of a great national leader.
Dr. Waddy from Jack: I'm an Anglophile but I'm content with personally enjoying the glories of the "Sceptered Isle" now and again.
ReplyDeleteRAY TO DR. WADDY AND JACK
ReplyDeleteMy understanding is that the U.S. joining the Commonwealth is still in the proposal stage.
In any event, President Trump is an admirer of those Royal parasites and their never ending imperial bullshit banquet.
So let'd say the U.S. joins the silly ass Commonwealth, then what? Are there special benefits accrued even as an associate member?
Perhaps this is all political theater.
Dr. Waddy from Jack: Today on Fox an earnest young man opined that his "Gen Z"might be even more progressive than the boomers and that they may be the antidote to MAGA.
ReplyDeleteNah, them whippersnappers can't hold a candle to us boomers when it comes to what the far left sees as "progress". A way too large portion of we WWII products almost did this country in! Oh, it wasn't all of us to be sure but any appreciable portion of a generation our enormous size is a BIG bunch. Our parents sought big families.
That arrogantly counterintuitive bunch, of which I was briefly a part, redefined the word progress way beyond what LaFollette and his "Progressives"did some 100 years ago. It saw and did progress as an unimaginably ungracious dismissal of the most prosperous childhood any youngsters anywhere had had.
Growing up for us featured schools where decency held that adult subjects should be reserved for adults and the Pledge of Allegiance was said and meant daily and was graced during our studenthood with the addition of "under God". Prayer was freely practiced and the idea of outlawing it was and still is grimly laughable. It was mostly free of illegal drugs. Out in God's country the proper use of firearms was introduced and enjoyed without government castigation. And college was available to almost anyone , unlike generations past when "Joe College" was a wealthy"swell".
For too much of our generation "progress' meant organized aid and comfort to a vicious communist horde in time of war. It meant casual contempt for the very concept of morality, holding it to be a personally conceived choice of "like, you know, right or wrong or whatever". It meant patronizing disdain for our parents' world and determination to reject it, punish it and destroy it. It meant shameful embrace of the worst doctrine ever to plague humanity : Marxism and its many equally inhuman sprigs. It meant turning theretofore revered "universities" into totalitarian "reeducation " camps and classes into "struggle sessions".
Our parents' generation was shocked beyond measure, beyond belief, beyond answer by our anarchic transformation.The thought that their ordeal in the Depression and WWII had amounted to this was almost unbearable. But Gen Z, should it choose to emulate the destructive faction of the boomers, faces a nation schooled by the experience of the '60s and its "progressive " aftermath.This time America is motivated and ready to defend America!
Ray and Dr. Waddy from Jack: Can a country be "naturalized" into the Commonwealth? I've never heard of it. I don't think I've heard of a former Brit colony suing for readmission to its nominal family.
ReplyDeleteAhh, best we stay apart in mutual proven friendship. There is the memory of patriots bayoneted at Lexington and beyond to consider and honor. I'm glad DJT restored the bust of Churchill to the Oval Office. And I gladly join in the glorious refraine of "God Save the King". Let us be ever close to our mother country. "Rule Britannia" where it may; despite its offenses it bettered the world with its high civilization.
RAY TO JACK
DeleteNothing personal Jack, but I don't agree with your opinion of the late, and largely unlamented British Empire (BE). I'm hardly a Marxist historian, but the BE was, generally speaking a nasty piece of work. Not as nasty as the Russian Empire maybe, but nasty enough. Not to mention greedy people like Rhodes in Africa, and Clive in India. It was certainly developed by force of arms, and was racist to boot. As an up class India Indian, how would you like to be called a WOG. Sorry, Jack, but f*k the BE, the thin red line, and Queen Victoria. I sure as hell would not define the BE as "high civilization".
RAY TO JACK
DeleteHow about the U.S. deciding to have an empire? So in 1898 we beat Spain up (hardly a great task at the time), free The Philippines from 400 years of Spanish bullshit, and then instead of freeing the Filipinos we take them over and subdue them after three (3) years of brutal warfare with them. For what? For coconut oil? DelMonte Plantations?
Dr. Waddy from Jack: A left inclining commentator today noted that Congressional redistricting is in the near future and that several blue states will lose Reps and several red states will gain them and he lamented that that is very bad news for the Dems (and as we know, the far left which owns the Dems). The radically seduced dems in several states have driven probably millions beyond their borders seeking a free America which is anathema to such as Newsom, Pritzker, Hochul and kindred far left oppressors. That is very good news for America. Let it be a major factor in the marginalization of the America hating far left to the dismissable gutter where it belongs.
ReplyDeleteIt has scourged our country with vicious ingrate denunciation and sedition for far too long. The final defeat of its 60 year + presumptuous jihad against America is a distinct possibility now if we will but stand firm. And this prospective transformation in our Congressional representation must give us heart! Hold on; the far left is in for another body blow in the near future. They are not superhuman. How much more can they take?Their terrible onslaught on all we cherish and revere can be defeated!
Jack, reverting to the bosom of British liberty wouldn't be the worst thing that could befall the people of the United States, but then again British liberty is looking a bit threadbare -- especially the right to free speech.
ReplyDeleteWisconsin is, alas, among our purplest of states. Thus, the contest there in April will be a superb test of the relative strength of the two parties, in the here and now.
Ray, I take your point that Musk lives a life of privilege, will never be poor, and is more than adequately protected from harm, BUT many of his businesses do face substantial headwinds for the SOLE reason that he has dared to defy leftist orthodoxy and to embrace the Evil One. I expect Musk's businesses will be eviscerated overseas, and their fate here will probably hinge on whether a Democrat ever again occupies the Oval Office. Musk himself will be fine, but his employees may not be.
You surprise me in your attitude to the Commonwealth, Jack! There's precisely zero downside to any form of membership, so why not? Could the Dems really argue, with a straight face, that Trump was TOO cozy with our allies? That would be rich!
Ray, the Commonwealth is ONLY political theater. That's what makes it so harmless.
Jack, even countries that were never part of the British Empire have joined the Commonwealth.
So you're interested in joining? Here's how it works:
https://thecommonwealth.org/about/joining
My suspicion would be that at least one of the present members would blackball us because...Trump. That would be petty, but petty is par for the course.
Ray is right: we set a high standard when we kicked the King of Spain in the groin and stole his empire. Long Live the Pax Americana!!!
Jack, I wouldn't put much stock in reapportionment to secure GOP control of the House. Ingenious and ruthless gerrymandering can overcome that dynamic, which is why I suggest we get a lot more ingenious and ruthless!
Ray from Jack: I once expressed my opinion that civilization benefitted from the British Empire to a person who said " I'm Irish; don't tell me that. I replied: "I cannot gainsay that; who can blame an Irish person for disagreeing with my opinion on that? England oppressed Ireland grievously.But, I do maintain that , on balance only, the world did benefit from the British Empire". Similarly, the reasons you give for disagreeing are very plausible and one certainly can make a creditable argument that the world did not benefit from it and that Great Britain does not deserve to be revered or respected. But I do respectfully disagree; "on balance" , I suggest, is the only practical standard for judging a nation in this hard world and I think Great Britain comes out ahead in such an evaluation. And I do love England and Scotland and I think the royalty a redeeming institution.
ReplyDeleteRay from Jack: I've been to the Philippines many times and I think the U.S. and Americans are generally well liked there. I don't know enough about our war with the Philippine "insurrectionists" after we acquired the Philippines. I believe many of them were Moros from the Southern Islands and may have had a Muslim conviction not seen in the rest of the country. We did protect the P.I. from Japanese oppression until '41 and then we rescued them from it and helped them to independence. American occupation of the P.I. or no, Nippon would certainly have enslaved the P.I. , at its convenience, for its strategic importance.
ReplyDeleteThe "Civilize them with a Krag (rifle)" war was a sad chapter but probably did benefit the P.I. in the long run. We were better rulers than the Spanish and infinitely better than the gratuitously cruel and intolerant Imperial Japanese were.
No, I don't want to see us forcefully build an empire. Manifest Destiny worked enough tragedy. But we must defend the Canal and if we can acquire Greenland, with intent to make it a state, with its consent and with Denmark's, that would be good for us and could very well benefit Greenland and Denmark.
Should a hostile power seek to flank us in Greenland we are more than capable already of dealing with that but Greenland has abundance of natural resources. Now the environmental crowd should be all for it! After all, "global warming" might make Greenland really green. Why even think of "terraforming "Mars?
Dr. Waddy from Jack: Good point about gerrymandering. Still, such schemes can be challenged in court and I am all for us being as ruthless as necessary in defeating the far left. They have more than proven their devotion to "by any means necessary" . Just like the criminals they so revere and emulate, you have to prevent them from reducing us to servitude; they will never relent, they are of thoroughly bad will.
ReplyDeleteDr. Waddy from Jack: Sure, if I had to leave the U.S. , after Canada, Britain would be my hope. Their salubrious temperate climates and their high civilizations would be very attractive to me. After that, Scandinavia.
ReplyDeleteBut the Brits do have regrettable and maybe ominous political correctness problems ,as you noted. And it may be getting worse. Too bad that progenitor of our free civilization should be thus degraded. Most American states would not prosecute a lone farmer for physically resisting repeated violent home incursions by thugs , let alone give the violators funds to sue the farmer for denying them their due, as the Brits did. Oh, criminal loving NY gov't would embrace that egregious example but vast majority (not a "vocal minahritty" Andrew Cuomo)common sense America would bristle at such counterintuitive nonsense.
Its sometimes said "good fences make good neighbors". Let the turbulent North Atlantic be our fence symbolizing a very confirmed affectionate distance from the Sceptered Isle. Let us , we hope, always be kindred with them and always maintain an exceptional relationship with them!
There's no doubt in my mind that the British have had a positive impact on the world as a whole. It was basically the British who brought us the Industrial Revolution, the Agricultural Revolution, the abolition of slavery, liberty, individual rights, modern capitalism, and croquet, to top it all off! Show me a civilization half as accomplished and I'll eat my bowler hat.
ReplyDeleteNot much danger that Greenland or Denmark will ever consent to us acquiring Greenland. If Trump wasn't in the picture, there might be a slight chance, but with Orange Man Bad on the rampage you can safely assume that they will deny us whatever we desire purely out of spite. No, if Trump wants Greenland, he'll have to take it.