SnakeRiverLib

Where there is a will there could be a wall, or fence, or barrier.  One of these terms has been used at one time or another as a necessity by nearly every one of the Democrats now preferring to shut down (or let shut down) the government rather than let President Trump have any sort of victory on the wall.  Or fence.   Or barrier.  It really is that simple.  Having said that... President Trump has put it all on the table, and what will happen over the next two years will be determined by what happens with the shutdown. Businesses, at least the larger ones don't plan a year ahead, they plan as far into the future as possible.  That is why with the new models in retail (think Amazon) have come roaring into the now, the old models have either adapted (Walmart, Target, others), or established a niche market that works under the Amazon cloud, or goes the way of the dinosaur, (K-Mart, and others hanging by a thread).  This is why big businesses love being cozy with the government, th

Mr. President, for two years, I have had to defend you from the constant barrage of criticism that comes from DC and most of the media.  You have forced people to either hate you, or defend you, even though they are not one of your people outright.  So, here is an open letter to you. Dear Mr. President. I am frankly disappointed.  You tend to overdo the playground bravado.  You pound your chest indicating how tough you are.  Mr. President, if you are tough, the last thing you need to do is pound your chest.  The media has prodded you into doing it, and we know that you really don't care whether it is good or bad reporting, only that there is reporting.  As President none of that is necessary. I was worried that you would take too much power breaking things in DC.  Of course, paying attention to the media would lead people to believe that you had done exactly that.  You haven't.  It was during the primary and general campaign that I came to realize that a real libertarian

Comey admitted to Congress that they had not verified the DNC opp-research prior to using it to get a FISA warrant to spy on the Trump campaign.  This is a violation of law, and those involved should be prosecuted for it.  Even more so, any information received as a result of that warrant should be inadmissible in a court of law.  Even more so, this whole circus of Mueller's should be disbanded, and an apology issued to the president, his people, and the American people for having attempted a coup by the DoJ. So now we know that General Flynn was allowed to feel comfortable in an interview, not knowing fully that lying to the FBI, even in an informal setting is a crime. So, Comey, bastion of integrity, knowing that the first days of an administration are chaotic,arranged a meeting between Flynn and the FBI, with no counsel. Comey admitted that they purposely chose this time so as to not get any crap from the White House Counsel. But ethics, right?  Trump is horrible, blah blah

This is my next to final blog post for my Democracy class.  It was published on the class blog November 29, today is December 3, in case anyone has thoughts of plagiarism from this blog to that one. There were a lot of good ideas presented, how to make government better, how to have a bigger role in our grand experiment.  I am antiquated, a dinosaur if you will when it comes to what works and what doesn’t.  These solutions are all great, and in my view, any time we increase interaction with the leviathan is a good thing.  You know what is coming now, don’t you?  But… The founders understood too well what unbridled democracy would lead to.  It was evidenced just a few years later in the chaos of the French Revolution.  Their goal was to create a government that would leave people alone.  They felt that they built in safeguards to protect the citizenry from their government.  But little by little, the government assumed power.  Even those who seemed to be true to the Const

Did you know the original intent of the Federal Minimum Wage?  Well, you can guess, as it was passed by Democrats, that it was structured in some way to hurt black workers.  You would be right. It was originally established to set a "standard wage" .  Of course what history books seem to have lost is that the reason it was 'necessary' is because white workers were having to compete with contractors who brought their own black crews with them, undercutting jobs.  Before the minimum wage, black teenage unemployment was actually lower than white teenage unemployment.  What happened after?  Yeah, you know, it was completely reversed.  So why is the minimum wage so harmful? Can we talk?  First, the real minimum wage is $0.  That is right, that is what an employee earns after they have been replaced, or their position eliminated.  Did you know that less than 1% of minimum wage workers are supporting themselves, or a family?   It is for entry level positions, not for p

No, this is not a rant, though it easily could be.  This is a minute section of the code that I am talking about, and I mean minute, but it demonstrates very clearly the problem with layering law upon law. In my Democracy class, one of the assignments that I am doing is choosing an article in the Federal Register, and commenting on it.  If you are not aware of the Federal Register, it is where proposed regulations, laws, and rule changes are posted for a period of time for comment, prior to implementation.  Did you know about the Federal Register?  Most don't, and of those that do, few take the time to read and comment on it. So what has got me going on this evening?  The IRS, of course.  Of course the proposed change is a good thing, but that it even needed to be done is ridiculous.  If you want to read it, here is the link.  Enjoy, I didn't.  https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2018/11/23/2018-25538/estate-and-gift-taxes-difference-in-the-basic-exclusion-amount#add

Happy Thanksgiving everyone. Of course I am inserting politics into this holiday.  Nothing like sitting down to dinner with someone who talks about the collective action of the pilgrims and the indians and how they worked together to have their bountiful harvest.  Well, that story line is crap.  Just like the idea that Robin Hood is the model for socialism by robbing the rich and giving to the poor.  That is so not how the legend went, but thanks to the retelling by progressives over the last century, that is what it has evolved into.  To clear that one up.  Robin Hood liberated money that the government had stolen from the people and gave it back to them.  Bernie tries to make himself as Robin Hood, but really he is the Sheriff of Nottingham. Back to our story. The pilgrims were looking for a land that they could worship as they will.  They tried Holland, but the different language and culture was something that they didn't want to deal with, so they got a charter from the c

When the Constitution was written and ratified, the Founders knew that it would only survive if those who served, and the populace in general were a righteous people.  There is no place in a republic, or a democracy, for those who are dishonest, are thieves, or worse.  Democracy is only as solid as its foundation on the rule of law.  As that erodes, it usually becomes ripe for a despot.  Donald Trump is no despot, contrary to what the media and the Democrats would tell you.  Does a despot tear down regulation?  Does a despot complain about inaction by the legislature, or Congress?  You may say, "well, Phil, not at first",  So far, Mr. Trump does not appear to me to be the one to take up the power wielded by his predecessors and expand it like each of them did.  Of course, it is only two years, so we will have to see. There are two groups that are despised by the people worse than Trump.  They are the Media, and Congress.  Can't do anything about the Media, though a lo

Pension funds are sinking cities and states all over the nation.  Why?  They were funded based on 8% returns, and so the moon was promised.  Now that they aren't delivering, those pensions are eating into general budgets.  Cities are going bankrupt because of these liabilities, which by the way number into the trillions of dollars, nationwide.  Not a local government or state employee?  Don't smirk,  you are sitting on a huge liability that dwarfs the pension issue.  Social Security.  The difference, of course, is that if things get too desperate, money wise, Congress can pass legislation changing how much you receive, or add an earnings test, to see if you qualify for Social Security.  Yup, the Supremes did that back in the 1960s, and we know how important precedent is.  Social Security is now a drain on the general fund.  And what is anyone doing about it? What about other entitlements?  The welfare reform of the mid 90s was very successful at helping people cut their pla

First, As much as I hate to say it, with the Democrats showing their hand, and making no pretense of "working across the aisle", I feel like as much as I want to not vote Republican, I am in a District where the luxury of voting how I need to, instead of how I want makes that pretty clear.  My district, which has been Republican with the exception of the Nancy Boyda years is a toss up.  No labels Lynn Jenkins is retiring, and the Republican has been a no-show for most of the campaign season.  We saw in the Kavanaugh rape that the Democrats see their work being flushed down the toilet, as it was not built on statute.  (Notable exception is the Affordable Care Act, which is still around, though it is the walking dead without the individual mandate.) Speaking of the ACA, as it does impact the Missouri Senate race.  When I did my paper on health care policy, I pointed out the difference for average people between having insurance and access to care.  I did the whole ACA thi

Why? As the debt and deficit explode, the real fear is that with interest rates on the rise the number one budget item will be servicing the debt.  More than defense, more than Social Security, more than Medicare. Of course, debt being number one does not detract from the desperate need for reforms of the two headed hydra, Social Security and Medicare.  Why? The obligation to those two programs isn't factored into the debt.  For years these programs took in more than they spent.  While that money was allegedly put into a "Lock Box" somewhere in a building in West Virginia (no doubt named for Robert Byrd, former Democrat Senator and Klansman), what was really put into that lock box were special government securities for that purpose.  The government then put the money into the general fund to offset the annual deficit (which was how they said they balanced the budget) or to make it not look as bad as it was.  All the while things were great, money was rolling in, and n

Tomorrow is Columbus Day proper, written about it, not much to add there. I am formulating some ideas that I am going to pursue with some serious research, and feeling like there could actually be something to it.  The concept of property rights and the erosion of them always seems to precede the failure of democracy.  So, people are like, "what's the big deal?  We already know that."  Do we?  If so, why has it gone on, taking more and more?  Yeah, that. I won't have you look to Venezuela for socialism, or rather, the nanny state.  There is a much closer example, and it is a tragedy.  Surprisingly enough, it also has to do with property rights. Know what I am talking about? There is very little poverty in the US that compares to the depths that one may find on Indian Reservations.  People stuck living off the federal government, which, due to neglect, and stealing property, has left many Indians destitute, and without hope.  As the government and tribe hold the

Okay, so it is the Spanish spelling. Today is the observance of Columbus Day, when federal employees are paid to not work, (or paid double) and protests blow up around the nation.  The actual date that Colon landed on Hispaniola was October 12.  I suspect more protests are in store. Columbus is one of those figures that was built up through history, and is now being torn down.  All Columbus wanted to do, besides find a shorter route to the Indies, was to bring Christianity to the native people.  Of course, one may think that was terribly privileged of him, but spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ is one of the signs of a Christian.  I would hope no one would fault him for that.  Many of course see a different Columbus, the one that intentionally brought smallpox infected blankets to slaughter the natives, and then to enslave the ones that lived.  Please. Columbus was no son of wealth.  He was a sailor that learned his craft from the Italians and the Portuguese.  The Portuguese at

I wanted to put this in to my assignment, but thought it too long,.  I also was not sure on how it would be received.  Too bad in a university setting that that is a concern.  No matter, you all get the benefit.  For the record, I want to be clear that I don't know that my professor would receive it badly, but it was awful long.  Any way,  here goes. All I can say is that hindsight is 20/20.  But in truth, I suspect the authors of How Democracies Die (Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt) laid a lot of the whole demagoguery thing at the feet of Trump.  Because of the aftermath of the election, I wonder if they could have imagined that everything that they pointed to about Trump, could easily be said about the Democrats..  In fact, let me take a moment and go point by point before I begin the response.  These are the Four Indicators of Authoritarian Behavior.   1. Rejection of, or weak commitment to, the rules of the game: Yes, Trump did not commit to accept the results of the e

Could I ever write a post without a history lesson.  Sorry, no. Judge Brett Kavanaugh was scheduled for a vote by the Judiciary Committee when Senator Diane Feinstein D-CA decided to drop a bomb.  Now mind you, the Democrats had nuked the filibuster back in 2013 for Cabinet Appointments and Judges other than the Supreme Court.  Why those were excepted, I don't know.  As a reminder, it was the Democrats that began using the filibuster for judicial appointments back in Bush 43's presidency.  The Republicans had threatened to do away with that to stop the logjam before, but ol McCain and his gang of 14 decided they weren't going to.  Somehow he was a GOP nominee for President, but I digress. That is why we are where we are.  The Democrats, not wanting W to have his appointments, decided to take this course.  When the GOP did the same under Obama, (after the first two years, when Obama had a filibuster proof majority) the Democrats decided to just get rid of that tactic. Re

The hearings today, both for the Judiciary Committee on Judge Kavanaugh, and the Intel Committee hearing on Social Media are why most people shrug and turn away when one discusses politics. The Intel Committee is treating the Social Media CEOs like they are Big Tobacco.  And the CEOs are doing their best, too late, to try to keep the government out of their business.  Their problem is that they live in a bubble where few conservatives exist, and as such had no issue with what they were doing, as to ads and blocking.  Of course, they know, and have learned that there are other opinions.  First let me make a statement. As private entities, they have the right to police their platforms as they see fit, or not at all.   This goes for Facebook, Twitter, and the others.  Google could be stacking their searches, but more likely, there is so much anti-Trump reporting and junk out there, that the numbers only, (some 96% negative in the MSM) would indicate that those items would top the sear

I know, a religious piece on the Lib?  Yup. Benjamin Franklin, after weeks of deliberation during the Constitutional Convention in 1787, seeing the lack of progress, stood, and gave a speech, pointing out that they had "not once applied to the Father of Light to illuminate our understanding?"   Yes, Benjamin Franklin believed in God.  Contrary to what you may have read about most of the Founders, they were nearly all deeply religious, in their own ways.  Mr. Franklin went on to state that during the Revolution, not one day went by without an appeal to God in that hall. Did you know that this year marks the 231st anniversary of the US Constitution?  And that that anniversary is September 17?  You didn't?  I am not surprised.  There are many misconceptions about the Constitution, and while most of us may know that July 4 is the anniversary date of the Declaration, few know the date in September.  Pity, as some have said that the Constitution is the fulfillment of the vi