Freakonomics podcast with Andrew Yang

The only thing I know for sure is that this country will not remain this country if we have 4 more years of Gospodin Trump.  I would vote for a decaying slug over him.

As an aside — I abandoned my faith long ago for many good reasons.  If you are interested in why and how here is a link to another blog article: Rev. Joe stumbles.  The Christian right’s support of this abomination of a POTUS has nailed that coffin permanently shut. Trump is without a doubt the most unethical, least Christian President in the history of the nation.  IMHO, he is a criminal on multiple fronts and should be behind bars.  If the Christian rights argument is the ends justify the means, then add yet another nail to the coffin.  If you are using unethical means to achieve what you consider justifiable ends, then perhaps the ends are not so ethical also.

Having said all that I am having trouble getting excited about any of the Democratic candidates left in the field.  Biden who seems to be nice guy, also seems to tied to all the old bullshit. Last election cycle I was a Bernie supporter, but I really feel his age is a strike against him.  I like Elizabeth Warren, but I do not believe she is electable.  She is female, and she is being painted as a socialist along with Bernie.  An atheist probably has a better chance of being elected in this country than a “socialist”.

Billionaires such as Steyer and Bloomberg running for President just leave me cold. My wife likes Amy Klobuchar, so maybe I should look at her more. Pete Buttigieg is the opposite of Bernie, way too young and inexperienced.  How does running a small city like South Bend translate into running the United States of America?  It does not IMHO.

I know there are more running, but these are the key names that pop to mind…AND one more Andrew Yang, who again probably does not have proverbial snowball’s chance.  However, he is well spoken and has some good ideas.  It strikes me that he would approach governing with an analytic/scientific sensibility that is so missing in politics.

If you have time this podcast is very interesting to listen to.  It is Andrew Yang being interviewed by Freakonomics host Stephen Dubner (who spells Stephen the right way).

Below is the link:

Why Is This Man Running for President? (Ep. 362 Update)

One Small Rebellion Against Trump

This is just one example of many possible examples of how petty and low we have sank as a nation under the disaster masquerading as a human being, Gospodin Trump.

I needed some new light bulbs, but I required ones with a candelabra base for a ceiling fan light.  This POS, this so called POTUS, for some unknown reason has rolled back the regulations mandating the use of energy saving light bulbs.  When asked why, he had no explanation, but said a report was forthcoming.  I am assuming some crony of his will benefit from the sale of old style light bulbs.

The only other reason that makes sense is that he is doing all he can to destroy the planet.  I am clueless as to why anyone in this day and age will deny the reality of climate change.  I believe the scientist on this one, but even if they are wrong, we still need to be hedging our bets just in case they are right.

I made damn sure I found the energy saving style of light bulb, and as I picked them up I thought, “Fuck you, Donald Trump!”

Rolling Stone Article: U.S. Fossil Fuel Subsidies Exceed Pentagon Spending

From the article:

“The United States has spent more subsidizing fossil fuels in recent years than it has on defense spending, according to a new report from the International Monetary Fund.

The IMF found that direct and indirect subsidies for coal, oil and gas in the U.S. reached $649 billion in 2015. Pentagon spending that same year was $599 billion.”

We do so many things wrong headed.  And why are the Republicans NOT willing to trust market forces on this one?

Click link below for full Rolling Stone article.

Study: U.S. Fossil Fuel Subsidies Exceed Pentagon Spending

Greta Thunberg full speech at UN Climate Change COP24 Conference

If only they would listen…

OpEd piece NYT – Why Trump Reigns as King Cyrus

This is one of the scariest things I have read in a while.

I’ve long wondered about Gospodin Trump’s attraction to “Christians”.  To me he is the antithesis of all things Christian, he is the antithesis of all things democratic, he is the antithesis of all things moral…

Yet I know many folks who identify as Evangelical Christians and they will be quick to tell you the Gospodin Trump is a vehicle of change sent by God.  That is typically the point where I excuse myself to go puke in the bathroom.  While not a believer myself I do try to be sensitive to the religiosity of others, but their fanaticism about Gospodin Trump really makes wonder if this is deserved.

A quote from the article :

“This isn’t the religious right we thought we knew. The Christian nationalist movement today is authoritarian, paranoid and patriarchal at its core. They aren’t fighting a culture war. They’re making a direct attack on democracy itself.

The article entire can be found here:  Why Trump Reigns as King Cyrus

Donald eres un pendejo

So I have been taking Spanish lessons via Italki using Skye for a while now. The other evening I was working with a young man from Guatemala.  The subject of the dysfunctional man now pretending to be POTUS came up.  He was telling me there is a very popular t-shirt in his country (and as it turns out through out the Latino world) that reads “Donald eres un pendejo“.

Just in case you are not up on your Mexican obscenities, pendejo is asshole.

Plus I would assume it is disrespectful to use the personal you when addressing a man of the supposed stature of Gospodin Trump.

Apparently the whole world, except redneck America, hates Donald Trump…go figure.

How do you know political season is upon us?

  1. The mute button becomes the most important button on your remote
  2. For this 5 or 6 week period every 2 years, it is the only time either party even acts like they care about social issues that most Americans worry about every day.