tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7040811785077195312024-03-13T21:36:11.442-07:00WE THE PEEPS 1
Socio-Political commentary:
A little revolution is a good thing!
We The Peeps 1http://www.blogger.com/profile/03058442202268032528noreply@blogger.comBlogger383125truetag:blogger.com,1999:blog-704081178507719531.post-17865113371481576602021-07-29T10:32:00.007-07:002021-08-17T08:14:31.067-07:00ACADEMIC CULTURE IN AMERICA: CHAPTER I<p> <b><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Is Education a culture of its own?</span></b></p><div class="WordSection1">
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #2f3336; font-size: 14pt;"> Def: CULTURE </span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: red; font-size: 14pt; mso-text-raise: 5.5pt; position: relative; top: -5.5pt;">[1]</span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #2f3336; font-size: 14pt;"> : the beliefs, customs, arts, etc., of a
particular society, group, place, or time</span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #2f3336; font-size: 14pt;"> : a particular society that has its own
beliefs, ways of life, art, etc.</span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #2f3336; font-size: 14pt;"> : a way of thinking, behaving, or
working that exists in a place or organization (such as a business)</span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Let’s have a look…<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Could education be considered its own culture? I’m
inclined to answer “yes” to that question. The fact is our public education system
is available to all who qualify. That is a sizeable number of participants and
Public Education may indeed be the largest segment of this Country’s
culture/society.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">I, for one, lose sleep wondering and imagining where
our Public Education system is going. For some of us who remember the past six
decades, our public school system ran under Federal protocols that had no
problem producing doctors, lawyers, scientists, engineers, and the like. Were
there inequities from State to State? Yes, there were some “off the rails” interpretations
of Federal guidelines.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-In9xzMnCpXw/YQLfYKR829I/AAAAAAAAHC8/l3VJeD3RZWEnLwqSn_K_wcM7iR6hnYtGgCLcBGAsYHQ/s233/money.png" style="clear: right; float: right; font-weight: 700; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="228" data-original-width="233" height="106" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-In9xzMnCpXw/YQLfYKR829I/AAAAAAAAHC8/l3VJeD3RZWEnLwqSn_K_wcM7iR6hnYtGgCLcBGAsYHQ/w108-h106/money.png" width="108" /></a></b></p><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Starting in 2000, it didn’t take long, and by 2005 our
Federal Congress started seriously trying to fix something that wasn’t broken.
Mismanaged and frayed around the edges, yes, but not broken. In true fashion, Congress
did not make this fix a priority all on their own. As in life, so it is in
politics. Money rules the day. So, just follow the money to identify the
“players”. Keep in mind that this was about the time that “corporations”
started taking over control of our Federal Prison system, too. By 2005, they
had their greedy little eyes drawn on the education system. So, for the sake of
their corporations, privatizing every damn Federal Institution was on the table
to be taken over by the private sector (The Department of Veterans Affairs
being the most prominent on the list).<o:p></o:p></b><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">I usually don’t focus on empirical numbers; it makes
my head hurt. However, when I started perusing the numbers on our education
system, I had no option than to pay attention. Let’s look at a few of these
numbers as they are pertinent to a disappearing part of our overall culture.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u style="text-underline: double;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><i>How many public schools:</i><o:p></o:p></span></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="color: #1f1f1f; font-size: 14pt;">There are
130,930 K-12 schools in the U.S., according to </span></b><b><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><a href="https://nces.ed.gov/programs/digest/d19/tables/dt19_105.50.asp?current=yes"><span style="color: blue;">2017-18 data</span><span style="color: blue; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"> </span></a><span style="color: #1f1f1f;">from the
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). Here’s how they break down:</span><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #1f1f1f; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">All:<span style="letter-spacing: 0.05pt;"> </span>130,930</span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #1f1f1f; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Elementary
schools:<span style="letter-spacing: 0.1pt;"> </span>87,498</span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #1f1f1f; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Secondary
schools:<span style="letter-spacing: 0.05pt;"> </span>26,727</span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #1f1f1f; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Combined
schools:<span style="letter-spacing: 0.05pt;"> </span>15,804</span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"> <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #1f1f1f; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Other:<span style="letter-spacing: 0.05pt;"> </span>9</span></b></p></div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="color: #1f1f1f;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i><u>Traditional
public schools</u></i>:</span></span><span style="color: #1f1f1f; font-size: 14pt;"> 91,276 (2017-18, </span></b><b><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><a href="https://nces.ed.gov/programs/digest/d19/tables/dt19_105.50.asp"><span style="color: blue;">Source</span></a><span style="color: #1f1f1f;">)</span><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="color: #1f1f1f; font-size: 14pt;">Public
charter schools: 7,427 (2018-19, </span></b><b><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><a href="https://nces.ed.gov/programs/digest/d20/tables/dt20_216.90.asp"><span style="color: blue;">Source</span></a><span style="color: #1f1f1f;">)</span><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="color: #1f1f1f; font-size: 14pt;">Private
schools: 32,461 (2017-18, </span></b><b><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><a href="https://nces.ed.gov/programs/digest/d19/tables/dt19_105.50.asp"><span style="color: blue;">Source</span></a><span style="color: #1f1f1f;">)</span><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="color: #1f1f1f; font-size: 14pt;">There are
13,551 regular school districts in the U.S. (2017-18, </span></b><b><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><a href="https://nces.ed.gov/programs/digest/d19/tables/dt19_214.10.asp"><span style="color: blue;">Source</span></a><span style="color: #1f1f1f;">)</span><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u style="text-underline: double;"><span style="color: #1f1f1f; font-size: 18pt;"><i>How many students attend public schools?</i></span></u><u style="text-underline: double;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="color: #1f1f1f; font-size: 14pt;">In America’s
public schools, there are over 50.6 million students, based on </span></b><b><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><a href="https://nces.ed.gov/programs/digest/d20/tables/dt20_203.60.asp"><span style="color: blue;">federal projections</span><span style="color: blue; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"> </span></a><span style="color: #1f1f1f;">for
the fall of 2021.</span><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="color: #1f1f1f; font-size: 14pt;">How many
students attend charter schools?</span></b><b><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="color: #1f1f1f; font-size: 14pt;">According to
</span></b><b><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><a href="https://nces.ed.gov/programs/digest/d20/tables/dt20_216.90.asp"><span style="color: blue;">data from three years earlier</span></a><span style="color: #1f1f1f;">, almost 3.3 million public school students, or 6.5
percent of all public-school students, attend charter schools.</span><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="color: #1f1f1f; font-size: 14pt;">How many
students attend private schools? What are the religious affiliations of those
schools?</span></b><b><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="color: #1f1f1f; font-size: 14pt;">In total,
5,719,990 students attend private schools, according to </span></b><b><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><a href="https://nces.ed.gov/programs/digest/d19/tables/dt19_205.20.asp"><span style="color: blue;">NCES</span><span style="color: blue; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"> </span></a><span style="color: #1f1f1f;">2017 data.</span><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #1f1f1f; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">37.4% of those
in Catholic<span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;"> </span>schools</span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #1f1f1f; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">24.4% in
nonsectarian (non-religious)<span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;"> </span>schools</span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #1f1f1f; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">15.2% in
un-affiliated religious<span style="letter-spacing: -0.4pt;"> </span>schools</span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #1f1f1f; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">12.0% in
conservative Christian<span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;"> </span>schools</span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #1f1f1f; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">11.1% in other
religiously affiliated schools </span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #1f1f1f; font-size: 14.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #1f1f1f; font-size: 14.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Note:<span style="letter-spacing: -1.25pt;"> </span>numbers<span style="letter-spacing: -1.3pt;">
</span>may<span style="letter-spacing: -1.3pt;"> </span>not<span style="letter-spacing: -1.4pt;"> </span>add<span style="letter-spacing: -1.25pt;"> </span>to<span style="letter-spacing: -1.3pt;"> </span>100<span style="letter-spacing: -1.25pt;"> </span>due<span style="letter-spacing: -1.35pt;"> </span>to<span style="letter-spacing: -1.3pt;"> </span>rounding.
</span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #1f1f1f; font-size: 14.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u style="text-underline: double;"><span style="color: #1f1f1f; font-size: 18pt;"><i>How many students are home
schooled?</i><o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="color: #1f1f1f; font-size: 14pt;">There are an
estimated 1,755,233 homeschooled students. That’s 3.23 percent of all students,
</span></b><b><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><a href="https://nces.ed.gov/nhes/data/2019/pfi/cbook_pfi_pu.pdf"><span style="color: blue;">according to NCES</span><span style="color: blue; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"> </span></a><span style="color: #1f1f1f;">2019 data.
After doubling between 1999 and 2012, the number of homeschooled students in
the United States appears to have leveled off. So, who are the nation’s
homeschoolers? </span><a href="https://www.edweek.org/policy-politics/homeschooling-requirements-research-and-who-does-it/2018/01"><span style="color: blue;">This overview of homeschooling</span><span style="color: blue; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"> </span></a><span style="color: #1f1f1f;">includes more information on the topic. </span><span style="color: red; mso-text-raise: 5.0pt; position: relative; top: -5pt;">[2]</span><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u style="text-underline: double;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><i>Have we already gone.......</i></span></u></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b></b></div><b><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-92oV98PhYgc/YQLfT-xIrFI/AAAAAAAAHC0/DeKrFHhkbagKrC1xo9FUhE1_tRo2XRpYgCLcBGAsYHQ/s275/DUNCE%2BYOUNG.jpg" style="clear: left; display: inline; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="275" data-original-width="184" height="115" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-92oV98PhYgc/YQLfT-xIrFI/AAAAAAAAHC0/DeKrFHhkbagKrC1xo9FUhE1_tRo2XRpYgCLcBGAsYHQ/w77-h115/DUNCE%2BYOUNG.jpg" width="77" /><b><span style="font-size: 14pt;">From<span style="letter-spacing: 0.05pt;"> </span>This……............To This?</span></b></a><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-U5BSKZK1F8Y/YQLjsOAxxrI/AAAAAAAAHDk/Uuhvy2qQzqswjSjFib2Hv8I9wxncNw-PgCLcBGAsYHQ/s289/man%2Bdunce.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="289" data-original-width="206" height="114" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-U5BSKZK1F8Y/YQLjsOAxxrI/AAAAAAAAHDk/Uuhvy2qQzqswjSjFib2Hv8I9wxncNw-PgCLcBGAsYHQ/w81-h114/man%2Bdunce.jpg" width="81" /></a></b><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 14pt;">The “<a href="https://draft.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/704081178507719531/7122292942024813432"><span style="color: #000099;">Center for Media & Democracy</span></a>” (CMD) has
taken up the cause of exposing the wonderful folks who are bringing us to the
end of Public Education. I recall the days when “<a href="https://draft.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/704081178507719531/7122292942024813432"><span style="color: #000099;">Charter Schools</span></a>” were all the rage, and
listening to the call that this was going to be the saving grace for our
Nation’s education system. Well, looks like they are finally getting their cake
and eating it, too. The CMD has launched a project called “<a href="https://draft.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/704081178507719531/7122292942024813432"><span style="color: #000099;">OutsourcingAmericaExposed.org</span></a>”. They’ve come
up with an initial accounting of twelve corporations that have made serious
inroads on the take-over of our Public Schools. It is not lost that,
coincidently, our State and Federal prison system is being taken over in a
similar fashion.</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“No, a little “consulting” firm called <a href="https://draft.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/704081178507719531/7122292942024813432"><span style="color: #000099;">K12, Inc</span></a>. has nothing to do with mountains in
Nepal. They have everything to do with little Johnny’s kindergarten through
twelfth grade education. The <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">corporate
classroom </i>is where our children and grandchildren are headed to be educated
exactly how the owners of this Country see fit. Only one small glitch so far.
They haven’t been experiencing much success.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vCceGV8Aqk4/YQLfiRvdUrI/AAAAAAAAHDA/8Z2rzaTSdqkLn9R1F8qTC-r7puj2pydBQCLcBGAsYHQ/s268/koch%2Bbros.jpeg" style="font-weight: 700; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="188" data-original-width="268" height="99" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vCceGV8Aqk4/YQLfiRvdUrI/AAAAAAAAHDA/8Z2rzaTSdqkLn9R1F8qTC-r7puj2pydBQCLcBGAsYHQ/w142-h99/koch%2Bbros.jpeg" width="142" /></a>With only ¼ of their
schools making the grade, they are struggling to meet even the least strenuous
State and Federal criteria. What these grifters do extremely well is get paid.
One of these grifters took in a cool $19 million for 2013 (according to their
10-k report). The same report boasts of $848.2 million in gross income for 2013
with $730.8 million coming from their “<i><u>managed
public schools</u></i>”. You may ask, “Where the Hell do they get this kind of
money?” The answer isn’t going to surprise you, but it sure as Hell better
concern you. This money comes from diverted educational funds allocated by the
U.S. Congress. Yup! Your tax dollars are funding this supposedly capitalistic
venture in educating our youth.”</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 14pt;">According to a release by
the Center for Media and<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Democracy,
there are twelve major players, so far, making “phatt” money off the spoils of
Federal taxation. When was the last time you ran into a teacher who was making
$19 million, and whose company investors were the likes of Mike Milken and<span style="letter-spacing: -0.65pt;"> </span>Wall St. investment<span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;"> </span>firms?...........................<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I didn’t think so!<span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;"> </span><span style="color: red; mso-text-raise: 5.0pt; position: relative; top: -5pt;">[3]</span><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><b>By looking at the sheer
numbers involved and the definition of “culture”, our public education system
certainly can be considered a culture. The big difference here is that most
cultures this large take many hundreds of years to change their core principles
and </b></span><span style="font-size: 18.6667px;"><b>lifestyle</b></span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><b>. We seem to be doing it in mere decades. It’s simply wonderful
how quickly life moves along, when it’s packed with enough greenbacks!<o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OWJc73IeUWA/YQLgSdqbX_I/AAAAAAAAHDU/CufsNopeFg476bbO3b1bzzCfAcM9RcafgCLcBGAsYHQ/s275/ed%2Bbooks%2B01.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; font-weight: 700; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="183" data-original-width="275" height="89" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OWJc73IeUWA/YQLgSdqbX_I/AAAAAAAAHDU/CufsNopeFg476bbO3b1bzzCfAcM9RcafgCLcBGAsYHQ/w134-h89/ed%2Bbooks%2B01.jpeg" width="134" /></a><span face=""Copperplate Gothic Bold",sans-serif" style="font-size: 18pt;"><b>If
children can’t learn the way we teach,</b><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span face=""Copperplate Gothic Bold",sans-serif" style="font-size: 18pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-hansi-font-family: Bahnschrift;">maybe we should teach the way they learn.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Bahnschrift; mso-hansi-font-family: Bahnschrift;">References:<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: red;">[1] </span><a href="https://https/www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/culture"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">https://https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/culture</b></a><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0033cc;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: red;">[2]</span><span style="color: #0033cc;">
</span><a href="https://www.edweek.org/leadership/education-statistics-facts-about-american-"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">https://www.edweek.org/leadership/education-statistics-facts-about-<span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;">american-</span></b></a><a href="https://www.edweek.org/leadership/education-statistics-facts-about-%20%20%20%20american-schools/2019/01"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0033cc; letter-spacing: -0.15pt;"> </span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0033cc;">schools/2019/01</span></b></a><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0033cc;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: red;">[3]</span><span style="color: #0033cc;">
</span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Center_for_Media_and_Democracy"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Center_for_Media_and_Democracy</b></a><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0033cc;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 5.55pt; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 5.55pt 0in 0in;"><span style="font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>We The Peeps 1http://www.blogger.com/profile/03058442202268032528noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-704081178507719531.post-95763654219010732021-06-12T15:04:00.000-07:002021-06-12T15:04:35.261-07:00SECOND LARGEST BUDGET...WORST PERFORMANCE<p><i><b> <span style="font-family: "Copperplate Gothic Bold", sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;">NOT ALL THE BAD GUYS ARE IN JAIL</span></b></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><i><u><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style", serif;">STEEPED IN CORRUPTION
FROM THE START</span></u></i></b><b><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style", serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style", serif;">A Veterans
Administration Medical Center – Northport, NY<span style="color: #3820e8;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><u style="text-underline: wavy-double;"><span style="font-family: "Copperplate Gothic Bold",sans-serif; font-size: 20.0pt;">the land purchase & occupation:<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Q05YPbvchhU/YMUf_7zWC6I/AAAAAAAAHBk/IOL0qo8dbPs328_4kZgoULsP_RU3gAReACLcBGAsYHQ/s300/download%2B%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: white; clear: right; float: right; font-family: "Bookman Old Style", serif; font-size: 18.6667px; font-style: italic; font-weight: 700; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center; text-indent: 1px;"><img border="0" data-original-height="168" data-original-width="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Q05YPbvchhU/YMUf_7zWC6I/AAAAAAAAHBk/IOL0qo8dbPs328_4kZgoULsP_RU3gAReACLcBGAsYHQ/s0/download%2B%25282%2529.jpg" /></a></p><b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">1925<o:p></o:p></span></b><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 20.0pt;">Construction</span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">1926-1927</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 20.0pt;">First occupants<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">1928</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">@@@</span></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-outline-level: 3; text-indent: .75pt;"><b><i><span style="color: black; font-family: "Bookman Old Style",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI Light"; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The
Observer</span></i></b><b><span style="color: #d11938; font-family: "Open Sans",sans-serif; font-size: 24.0pt; letter-spacing: .75pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br />
</span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style", serif; font-size: 12pt; letter-spacing: 0.75pt;">The Northport VA Medical Center<span style="color: #d11938;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="color: #5e5e5e; font-family: "Open Sans",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">May 29, 2020<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="background: white; color: #1b1b1b; font-family: "Open Sans",sans-serif; font-size: 9.0pt; letter-spacing: .75pt; line-height: 115%;">Teresa Reid is curator for
the Northport Historical<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="background: white; color: #1b1b1b; font-family: "Open Sans",sans-serif; font-size: 9.0pt; letter-spacing: .75pt; line-height: 115%;">Society, author of the
book </span></b><em><span style="background: white; color: #1b1b1b; font-family: "Open Sans",sans-serif; font-size: 9.0pt; letter-spacing: .75pt; line-height: 115%;">Northport, </span></em><b><span style="background: white; color: #1b1b1b; font-family: "Open Sans",sans-serif; font-size: 9.0pt; letter-spacing: .75pt; line-height: 115%;">and</span></b><em><span style="background: white; color: #1b1b1b; font-family: "Open Sans",sans-serif; font-size: 9.0pt; letter-spacing: .75pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></em><b><span style="background: white; color: #1b1b1b; font-family: "Open Sans",sans-serif; font-size: 9.0pt; letter-spacing: .75pt; line-height: 115%;">a <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="background: white; color: #1b1b1b; font-family: "Open Sans",sans-serif; font-size: 9.0pt; letter-spacing: .75pt; line-height: 115%;">columnist for </span></b><em><span style="background: white; color: #1b1b1b; font-family: "Open Sans",sans-serif; font-size: 9.0pt; letter-spacing: .75pt; line-height: 115%;">The Observer.</span></em><b><span style="color: #5e5e5e; font-family: "Open Sans",sans-serif; font-size: 9.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><u style="text-underline: dash;"><span style="font-family: "Open Sans", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Northport VA Medical Center</span></u></b><b><span style="color: #3820e8; font-family: "Open Sans",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="color: #5e5e5e; font-family: "Open Sans",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Shortly after WWI, it
became apparent to Congress that the returning veterans were not able to obtain
the proper medical and psychological treatment they needed and deserved. To
rectify this situation, President Harding established the US Veterans Bureau in
1921, which assigned Public Health Service hospitals to the new agency’s
control. <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="color: #5e5e5e; font-family: "Open Sans",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Under the supervision
of Brigadier General Frank T. Hines, a committee was formed to choose a site in
the New York area for a new modern and specialized health care facility. In
1925, the committee, after scouting hundreds of locations in the tri-state area
chose the small, picturesque village of Northport. <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="color: #5e5e5e; font-family: "Open Sans",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Residents, having
learned plan to purchase 522 acres of farmland in the Middleville area, rallied
together in protest. Public hearings were held where citizens voiced their
concerns about another such hospital, like the one in King’s Park and Islip,
coming to Suffolk County. The people in attendance thought land values would
decrease, businesses would suffer, and traffic would stress the small unpaved
roads. A resolution was drawn up and sent to the NY Representatives. Two weeks
later, a delegation from Northport led by Mr. R. B. Jones, went to Washington
DC and appeared before the Federal Board of Hospitalization. Among the list of
disputes: the land was too expensive. Why had the Federal Government paid $350
an acre, double the going rate? <o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5NzH2YtxmJw/YMUgEEIecqI/AAAAAAAAHBw/I_m5vaCLrCsLeIpqImcNsB6dCaVyPu_HQCLcBGAsYHQ/s233/money.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; font-weight: 700; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="228" data-original-width="233" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5NzH2YtxmJw/YMUgEEIecqI/AAAAAAAAHBw/I_m5vaCLrCsLeIpqImcNsB6dCaVyPu_HQCLcBGAsYHQ/s0/money.png" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="color: #5e5e5e; font-family: "Open Sans",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The property once
owned by Rinaldo Sammis (hence Rinaldo Road), was then owned by Mrs. Inez Todd
Hodges. Just before the land purchase though, the land became the property of
rich and powerful copper industrialist Ryan </span></b><b><sup><span style="color: #2f5496; font-family: "Open Sans",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;">[1]</span></sup></b><b><span style="color: #5e5e5e; font-family: "Open Sans",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">, who had made a fortune during the war. It
seems that, for reasons unknown, Mrs. Hodges was in debt to Mr. Ryan for over
$100,000. They struck a deal. He would sell the land for her to pay off her
debt and anything over the debt amount, would be extended to her. Ryan sold the
property to the government at the inflated price, perhaps because of powerful
friends doing a favor, Mrs. Hodges never saw a dime, and Northport resident’s
concerns fell on deaf ears.</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="color: #5e5e5e; font-family: "Open Sans",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Construction began in August
of 1926. The plan of the Medical Center is based on the standard set plan
developed by the Veterans Bureau in Washington DC for all such facilities in
the U.S. Between 1920 and 1946, the Bureau built 50 Veterans’ hospitals across
the country, constituting the most ambitious and most advanced health care
delivery system in the world at the time.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="color: #5e5e5e; font-family: "Open Sans",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The original Medical
Center in Northport was built for $3,386,518. The 956-bed facility offered a
campus-like setting with beautiful landscaping, out-door recreational
facilities and paved roadways. The exterior design was approved at the highest
level of the VA in Washington but reflected the historical nature of Northport
Village. Thus, the style selected, Georgian Colonial home, is unique among the
VA system. <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Q05YPbvchhU/YMUf_7zWC6I/AAAAAAAAHBk/IOL0qo8dbPs328_4kZgoULsP_RU3gAReACLcBGAsYHQ/s300/download%2B%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; font-weight: 700; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="168" data-original-width="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Q05YPbvchhU/YMUf_7zWC6I/AAAAAAAAHBk/IOL0qo8dbPs328_4kZgoULsP_RU3gAReACLcBGAsYHQ/s0/download%2B%25282%2529.jpg" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="color: #5e5e5e; font-family: "Open Sans",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The first patients
were admitted on April 16, 1928 with Doctor George F. Brewster as the Medical
Officer in Charge and the Center soon became a source of pride for Northport.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="color: #5e5e5e; font-family: "Open Sans",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Patients received the
most current treatments and therapies of the time, there were no bars on the
windows, there was a swimming pool, large porches, and community dining rooms.
All the cooking was done with electricity in the large kitchen. A large
recreation room seated 1,000 patients, contained a stage, scenery, and dressing
rooms. The Center was equipped with x-ray machines, a research lab, and an
operating room. Dental care was also offered. It became its own little
community, with farms, a fire department, general store, mechanic shop and its
own baseball team, the “Wildcats.”<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="color: #5e5e5e; font-family: "Open Sans",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Patients were kept
busy with occupational and agricultural therapeutic programs, such as
carpentry, textile making, painting and farming. They ate the fresh vegetables
they grew, including potatoes. They also had “chores” taking care of gardens or
working in the stables. Chickens, pigs and sheep were raised for research
purposes. Many of these programs lasted until the 1960s.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="color: #5e5e5e; font-family: "Open Sans",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">During WWII, many
activities were curtailed due to fuel shortages, however the hospital
maintained a “Victory Garden.” Many employees joined the armed services and as
a result military personnel were assigned to fill the vacancies. One of the
enlisted men assigned to the hospital was actor Sidney Poitier. After the war
the hospital’s ecumenical chapel was built as a gift from the readers of the
New York Journal American.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-i1X2KJFj9ws/YMUgJuJ6wcI/AAAAAAAAHB4/rmT7QpjPVhcvqRjFr-iJoAA6QN3WUrmFACLcBGAsYHQ/s448/turd%2B002.gif" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: transparent; clear: right; float: right; font-weight: 700; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="283" data-original-width="448" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-i1X2KJFj9ws/YMUgJuJ6wcI/AAAAAAAAHB4/rmT7QpjPVhcvqRjFr-iJoAA6QN3WUrmFACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/turd%2B002.gif" width="320" /></a><b><span style="color: #5e5e5e; font-family: "Open Sans",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In the 1950s,
Northport’s hospital was one of the first psychiatric hospitals to treat
patients with newly discovered drugs and was pioneering programs like group
therapy and community out-placement, earning them an award for its
accomplishments. After the Korean and Vietnam Wars the increasing number of
veterans forced the Medical Center to expand, providing general medical and
surgical care. Many new buildings were constructed, and the farm-setting
community atmosphere changed dramatically, however, patient care was always
their number one goal. <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="color: #5e5e5e; font-family: "Open Sans",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In the decades that
followed, the Northport Veterans Medical Center has had to continually adapt to
change as it finds itself doing once again during the Covid-19 Pandemic. On
March 27th the VA released its Covid-19 response plan and announced its “Fourth
Mission”, a plan to help the U.S. combat the virus. <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Helvetica",sans-serif; font-size: 9.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Reference(s):<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><i><span style="font-family: "Helvetica",sans-serif; font-size: 8.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">[1]
- </span></i></b><b><i><span style="background: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 8.0pt; line-height: 115%;">John
Dennis Ryan (October 10, 1864 – February 11, 1933) was an<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><i><span style="background: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 8.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>American industrialist and copper mining magnate. He
served as <o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><i><span style="background: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 8.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>President of
the Anaconda Copper Mining Company and was a founder <o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><i><span style="background: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 8.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>of the Montana
Power Company.<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><i><span style="font-family: "Helvetica",sans-serif; font-size: 8.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">LINK:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></i></b><a href="https://teresareid.com/f/the-northport-va-medical-center"><b><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Helvetica",sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">https://teresareid.com/f/the-northport-va-medical-center</span></b></a><b><i><span style="font-family: "Helvetica",sans-serif; font-size: 8.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-outline-level: 3;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">United
States Third Generation Veterans Hospitals, 1946-1958</span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rZ80SZOLEjA/YMUf9Ag21uI/AAAAAAAAHBc/cNj4FF_EmPALCpz2BIGyUoanNYSwWvfuACLcBGAsYHQ/s296/images.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: transparent; clear: right; float: right; font-weight: 700; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="170" data-original-width="296" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rZ80SZOLEjA/YMUf9Ag21uI/AAAAAAAAHBc/cNj4FF_EmPALCpz2BIGyUoanNYSwWvfuACLcBGAsYHQ/s0/images.jpg" /></a><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">Investigation into Veterans
Administration Practices, 1945 The condition of these Veterans Administration
facilities led to a public demand that returning veterans deserved only the
best, modern facilities, and not the old-fashioned hospitals of the past. In
early 1945, Albert Deutsch, a journalist with a particular interest in the care
of the mentally ill, published a series of articles in the New York City
newspaper PM that criticized the medical care provided by the Veterans
Administration. Deutsch conducted a survey of multiple VA facilities and
interviewed VA staff including General Hines, lower-level employees, doctors,
and members of veterans’ groups. Deutsch identified multiple problems within
the Veterans Administration, including a “medieval attitude towards medicine”
that discouraged young doctors from joining the VA, limited medical research, a
massive bureaucratic system that restricted the time doctors spent with
patients, and “undue kowtowing” to political pressures. </span></b><b><sup><span style="color: #2f5496; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;">60</span></sup></b><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"> While Deutsch acknowledged that the
Veterans Administration likely did not suffer from the same corruption that had
triggered the scandal that led to the Hines appointment in 1923, he condemned
the administrator’s ability to provide the necessary medical care for the
veteran population. At one point, Deutsch suggested Hines must adhere to the
tenets of Christian Science, a faith reliant on prayer over medicine for
healing, as it could be the “only logical explanation for his otherwise
incomprehensible antagonism to medicine.” Hines responded he was Episcopalian.</span></b><b><sup><span style="color: #2f5496; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;">61</span></sup></b><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"> Deutsch identified multiple ways to fix
these problems. Suggestions included creating a VA medical corps independent
within the Veterans Administration, constructing new hospitals in urban areas
near medical schools, forging connections with medical schools to ensure the
Veterans Administration’s doctors were aware of the latest research and medical
innovations, allowing young doctors to intern at Veterans Administration
hospitals, convincing the American Medical Association to permit the VA’s
doctors to join, hiring African-American doctors and nurses, and “break[ing]
down the isolationist tradition in the VA system.”</span></b><b><sup><span style="color: #2f5496; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;">62 </span></sup></b><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">These charges and calls for an
investigation were echoed in other publications, including the Journal of the
American Medical Association, Cosmopolitan magazine, and the New York Times,
which claimed “more attention has been devoted to the construction of
monumental hospital buildings than to the standards of care within them.”</span></b><b><sup><span style="color: #2f5496; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;">63</span></sup></b><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"> The New York Times summarized the
complaints alleged “brutal treatment, unwarranted overcrowding, neglect,
improper care, poor food, bad sanitation, and inferior medical care.”</span></b><b><sup><span style="color: #2f5496; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;">64</span></sup></b><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"> The Veterans Administration responded
with denials, but acknowledged there may be isolated incidents that were the
result of issues with under staffing rather than a systemic problem.</span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">References:</span><o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><i><span style="color: black; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">60
Alfred Deutsch, “Vets’ Setup Needs Revamping Now to Avert Scandal,” PM, January
7, 1945, 6. </span></i></b><b><i><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><i><span style="color: black; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">61
Alfred Deutsch, “Program for Vets: Remove Hines,” PM, March 14, 1945, 8. </span></i></b><b><i><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><i><span style="color: black; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">62
Deutsch, “Vets Setup,” 6; Alfred Deutsch, “Hospitals Should be Freed from
Medical Isolationism,” PM, March 15, 1945, 5; Alfred Deutsch, “’Paper Work
Doctors’ in Vet Hospitals Should be Freed to Relieve Shortage,” PM, March 16,
1945, 9. </span></i></b><b><i><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><i><span style="color: black; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">63
Leo Egan, “Veteran Hospitals Widely Criticized,” New York Times, May 16, 1945. </span></i></b><b><i><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><i><span style="color: black; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">64
Leo Egan, “Veterans Critical of their Hospitals,” New York Times, May 17, 1945.
</span></i></b><b><i><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">reference:<i> </i></span></b><a href="https://gis.penndot.gov/CRGISAttachments/Survey/2018M001042A_01H.pdf"><b><span style="color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">United States Third Generation
Veterans Hospitals, 1946-1958 (penndot.gov)</span></b></a></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><i><span style="color: red; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></i></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><i><span style="color: red; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">AND, ON, AND ON, AND ON</span></i></b><b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">………...”AD INFINITUM”.<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HLqgPRLYDhs/YMUgOtchoRI/AAAAAAAAHB8/k_QQHbE6vx4Ly0ley5Re-bUzm5cGLIZHgCLcBGAsYHQ/s640/135224035_10208247361499072_4927629203445432720_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 26.6667px; font-weight: 700; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="640" height="152" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HLqgPRLYDhs/YMUgOtchoRI/AAAAAAAAHB8/k_QQHbE6vx4Ly0ley5Re-bUzm5cGLIZHgCLcBGAsYHQ/w152-h152/135224035_10208247361499072_4927629203445432720_n.jpg" width="152" /></a><b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Considering
what has happened over the past twenty years, It appears absolutely nothing has
changed: not the direction of the Hospital; not the upkeep of the buildings
& grounds; not the treatment of employees; not the management of outside
contractors; not the treatment of medical students and interns; and above all,
not the treatment of Veterans.</span></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="color: red; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">1] May, 2016<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4U1l53Y3yRU/YMUf-lutlKI/AAAAAAAAHBg/881C2aUswAIg8InSwEcp2hxIQttpkeOPwCLcBGAsYHQ/s246/download%2B%25283%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; font-weight: 700; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="246" data-original-width="205" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4U1l53Y3yRU/YMUf-lutlKI/AAAAAAAAHBg/881C2aUswAIg8InSwEcp2hxIQttpkeOPwCLcBGAsYHQ/s0/download%2B%25283%2529.jpg" /></a>Northport
VA Hospital Forced to Shut Down Operating Rooms</span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="byline-prefix"><b><span style="background: white; border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #333333; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">By </span></b></span><span class="css-1baulvz"><b><span style="background: white; border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #333333; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">Kristina Rebelo<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-outline-level: 1;"><b><i><span style="background: white; color: red; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">{!! Guess what?</span></i></b><b><i><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"> It did happen, again.
Luckily their portable A/C units, which had been rented (about $30,000 per
month). This was a much shorter outage due to their previous experiences.</span><span style="background: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: red;">}</span></span></i></b><b><i><span style="background: white; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="MsoHyperlink"><b><span style="color: red; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">2] September/2016<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="MsoHyperlink"><b><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Deaths, Fraud Allegations and an Inquiry into the Long
Island Veterans Hospital<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="color: red; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">3] April, 2018</span></b><b><span style="color: red; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-outline-level: 1;"><b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">Schumer: Northport VA needs $15M in
emergency repairs <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-outline-level: 1;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2Bd52LHSghY/YMUgBw0qYlI/AAAAAAAAHBs/iGBA3E-xksEjgiFQ6eInC8A1G1B3b46RQCLcBGAsYHQ/s275/download.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: transparent; clear: right; float: right; font-weight: 700; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="183" data-original-width="275" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2Bd52LHSghY/YMUgBw0qYlI/AAAAAAAAHBs/iGBA3E-xksEjgiFQ6eInC8A1G1B3b46RQCLcBGAsYHQ/s0/download.jpg" /></a><strong><span style="background: white; color: #262626; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">By Sara-Megan
Walsh</span></strong><b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-outline-level: 1;"><b><span style="background: white; color: #262626; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“Standing in
front of Northport Veterans Medical Center’s shuttered homeless shelter on
Monday morning, U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer (D-NY) said the center requires $15
million in emergency repairs to its heating and air-conditioning systems. Or,
it faces the possibility of closing more buildings and its operating rooms
again this summer.</span></b><span class="MsoHyperlink"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-color-alt: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b></span><b><span style="background: white; color: #262626; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-outline-level: 1;"><b><span style="color: red; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">4] June, 2019<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-outline-level: 1;"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">Head of Long
Island VA hospital quits after year on the job<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-outline-level: 1;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lXwuCw8selY/YMUgFOUwIWI/AAAAAAAAHB0/__T_uTxli68sxGiGyT-n2UWqDjLvOGHSACLcBGAsYHQ/s646/va%2Bmc%2Bnrtp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; font-weight: 700; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="527" data-original-width="646" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lXwuCw8selY/YMUgFOUwIWI/AAAAAAAAHB0/__T_uTxli68sxGiGyT-n2UWqDjLvOGHSACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/va%2Bmc%2Bnrtp.jpg" width="320" /></a></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="MsoHyperlink"><b><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">“</span></b></span><b><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">The VA </span></b><em><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">hospital</span></em><b><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"> has been without a
full </span></b><em><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">director since</span></em><b><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"> Scott Guermonprez left abruptly…” </span></b><b><span style="background: white; color: #4d5156; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><i><span style="background: white; color: red; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The list</span></i></b><b><i><span style="background: white; color: #4d5156; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> of all things anti-Veteran and anti-employee
is enormous. Even a long time researcher would be overwhelmed by uncovering the
scabs at the Northport VAMC over the 100 years of its existence.<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-outline-level: 1;"><b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>We The Peeps 1http://www.blogger.com/profile/03058442202268032528noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-704081178507719531.post-26189189843830714752021-05-04T19:52:00.000-07:002021-05-04T19:52:55.665-07:00DO THE RICH EVER GO TO JAIL<p style="text-align: center;"> <u><b><i><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style", serif; line-height: 150%;">NOTE:
I have embellished this article </span></i></b><b><i><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style", serif; line-height: 150%;">with a few pictures from my file.</span></i></b></u></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9ejtv-iuxmc/YJIB_KOZosI/AAAAAAAAG68/qDrOT9PqHKYqWCHu1ZhOitDMtd9RkYf0QCLcBGAsYHQ/s286/wall%2Bst.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="176" data-original-width="286" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9ejtv-iuxmc/YJIB_KOZosI/AAAAAAAAG68/qDrOT9PqHKYqWCHu1ZhOitDMtd9RkYf0QCLcBGAsYHQ/s0/wall%2Bst.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">That's what I'm talking about!<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-large; font-weight: bold;">DO THE RICH EVER GO TO JAIL</span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><i><span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 150%;">NOTE:
I have embellished this article with a few pictures from my files.<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><i><span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> </span></i></b><b><span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 150%;">It
has been thirteen years since our Nation’s financiers brought us to our knees
by concocting a plan to get rich with a “sub-prime” mortgage scheme.
Collectively, they stole Billions from us and our economy. They came very close
to tipping the entire world upside down financially to the tune of Trillions of
dollars. </span></b><span class="FontStyle14"><b><span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Companies
like AIG, Goldman Sachs, Lehman Brothers, JP Morgan Chase, Bank of America and
Morgan Stanley turned out to be the bad actors involved in the sub-prime mortgage-backed
securities.</span></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shape
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</v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><span class="FontStyle14"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zUZoHCi5Z0k/YJIBxyXnl-I/AAAAAAAAG6k/zGQkH75oUP4mngU4I8g92JEpxJDWrT4nACLcBGAsYHQ/s429/Madoff-Collage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="429" data-original-width="345" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zUZoHCi5Z0k/YJIBxyXnl-I/AAAAAAAAG6k/zGQkH75oUP4mngU4I8g92JEpxJDWrT4nACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Madoff-Collage.jpg" /></a></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="FontStyle14"><b><span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Only one of the top executives
in these, and other, companies that cooked up and cashed in on the phony
financial boom has ever been convicted…ever! And, he was simply the low-hanging
fruit.</span></b></span><b><span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> All these years, and no one except Bernie
Madoff, </span></b><b><span style="background: rgb(248, 249, 250); font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 150%;">17.179 billion,</span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> has been indicted, tried,
and marched off to the slammer. </span></b><b><span style="background: white; color: #202122; font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">$14.418 billion</span></b><span style="background: white; color: #202122; font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> </span><b><span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 150%;">was
recovered leaving almost 3 billion just floating around the universe. </span></b><b><span style="background: white; color: #202122; font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">On April 14, 2021</span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> Has
anyone ever questioned why this</span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> happened? <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“</span></b><a name="_Hlk70685528"><span class="FontStyle14"><b><u><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Why Isn't Wall
Street in Jail?</span></u></b></span></a><span class="FontStyle14"><b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“<sup><span style="color: #3333ff;">(1)</span></sup></span></b></span><span class="FontStyle14"><b><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p>
<p class="Style2" style="line-height: 150%; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; tab-stops: dotted 1.25in; text-align: justify;"><span class="FontStyle12"><b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 150%;">A good question............ <o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p>
<p class="Style2" style="line-height: 150%; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; tab-stops: dotted 1.25in; text-align: justify;"><span class="FontStyle12"><b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 150%;">Matt Taibbi, author of the book </span></b></span><span class="FontStyle13"><u><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 150%;">"Griftopia”</span></u></span><span class="FontStyle13"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 150%;"> </span></span><span class="FontStyle12"><b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 150%;">(which
I recommend) and Rolling Stone reporter writes:<span style="font-size: 8pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></span></p>
<p class="Style2" style="line-height: 150%; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; tab-stops: dotted 1.25in; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 8.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> </span></b><b style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Financial crooks brought down the world's economy — but the
feds are doing more to protect them than to prosecute them. Over drinks at a
bar on a dreary, snowy night in Washington this past month, a former Senate
investigator laughed as he polished off his beer. “Everything’s f@#ked up, and
nobody goes to jail," he said. "That's your whole story right there.
Hell, you don't even have to write the rest of it. Just write that. “I put down
my notebook. “Just that? “That’s right," he said, signaling to the waitress
for the check. "Everything's f@#ked up, and nobody goes to jail. You can
end the piece right there. “Nobody goes to jail”. <a name="_Hlk70866345">This
is the mantra of the financial-crisis era, one that saw virtually every major
bank and financial company on Wall Street embroiled in obscene criminal
scandals that impoverished millions and collectively destroyed hundreds of
billions, in fact, trillions of dollars of the world's wealth — and nobody went
to jail. </a>Nobody, that is, except Bernie Madoff, a flamboyant and pathological
celebrity con artist, whose victims happened to be other rich and famous
people. The rest of them, all of them, got off. <a name="_Hlk70868117"></a><a name="_Hlk70106584">Not a single
executive who ran the companies that cooked up and cashed in on the phony
financial boom — an industry-wide scam that involved the mass sale of
mismarked, fraudulent mortgage-backed securities — has ever been convicted</a>.</span></b></p>
<p class="Style2" style="line-height: 150%; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; tab-stops: dotted 1.25in; text-align: justify;"><span class="FontStyle14"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Their names by now are familiar to even the most casual
Middle American news consumer: <a name="_Hlk70106454">companies like AIG,
Goldman Sachs, Lehman Brothers, JP Morgan Chase, Bank of America and Morgan
Stanley. </a>Most of these firms were directly involved in elaborate fraud and
theft. Lehman Brothers hid billions in loans from its investors. Bank of
America lied about billions in bonuses. Goldman Sachs failed to tell clients
how it put together the born-to-lose toxic mortgage deals it was selling.
What's more, many of these companies had corporate chieftains whose actions
cost investors billions — from AIG derivatives chief Joe Cassano, who assured
investors they would not lose even "one dollar" just months before
his unit imploded, to the $263 million in compensation that former Lehman chief
Dick "The Gorilla" Fuld conveniently failed to disclose. Yet not one
of them has faced time behind bars. Instead, federal regulators and prosecutors
have let the banks and finance companies that tried to burn the world economy
to the ground get off with carefully orchestrated settlements — whitewash jobs
that involve the firms paying pathetically small fines without even being
required to admit wrongdoing. <o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p>
<p class="Style2" style="line-height: 150%; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; tab-stops: dotted 1.25in; text-align: justify;"><span class="FontStyle14"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2m4UbdrCIw4/YJIB6MuetGI/AAAAAAAAG6w/W_riUvtJmqAqTDzE4lzqcVvGY0ZSsuLfgCLcBGAsYHQ/s259/sparkle%2Bbenz.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="194" data-original-width="259" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2m4UbdrCIw4/YJIB6MuetGI/AAAAAAAAG6w/W_riUvtJmqAqTDzE4lzqcVvGY0ZSsuLfgCLcBGAsYHQ/s0/sparkle%2Bbenz.jpg" /></a>To add insult to injury, the people who actually committed
the crimes almost never pay the fines themselves; banks caught defrauding their
shareholders often use shareholder money to foot the tab of justice. "If
the allegations in these settlements are true," says Jed Rakoff, a federal
judge in the Southern District of New York, "its management buying its way
off cheap, from the pockets </span></b></span><span class="FontStyle14"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 150%;">of their victims. To understand the significance of this,
one has to think carefully about the efficacy of fines as a punishment for a
defendant pool that includes the richest people on earth — people who simply
get their companies to pay their fines for them. Conversely, one has to
consider the powerful deterrent to further wrongdoing that the state is missing
by not introducing this particular class of people to the experience of
incarceration. "You put Lloyd Blankfein in pound-me-in-the-ass prison for
one six-month term, and all this bullshit would stop, all over Wall
Street," says a former congressional aide. "That's all it would take.
Just once."</span></b></span><b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span class="FontStyle14"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 150%;">But that hasn't happened. Because the entire system set up
to monitor and regulate Wall Street is f@#ked up. Just ask the people who tried
to do the right thing. Taibbi concludes his article: All of this paints a
disturbing picture of a closed and corrupt system, a timeless circle of friends
that virtually guarantees a collegial approach to the policing of high finance.
Even before the corruption starts, the state is crippled by economic reality:
Since law enforcement on Wall Street requires serious intellectual firepower,
the banks seize a huge advantage from the start by hiring away the top talent.
Budde, the former Lehman lawyer, says it's well known that all the best legal
minds go to the big corporate law firms, while the "bottom 20 percent go
to the SEC." Which makes it tough for the agency to track devious legal
machinations, like the scheme to hide $263 million of Dick Fuld's compensation.
‘It’s such a mismatch, it's not even funny," Budde says. But even beyond
that, the system is skewed by the irrepressible pull of riches and power. If
talent rises in the SEC or the Justice Department, it sooner, or later, jumps
ship for those fat NBA contracts. Or, conversely, graduates of the big
corporate firms take sabbaticals from their rich lifestyles to slum it in
government service for a year or two.<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p>
<p class="Style1" style="line-height: 150%; mso-pagination: widow-orphan;"><span class="FontStyle14"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Many
of those appointments are inevitably handpicked by lifelong stooges for Wall
Street like Chuck Schumer, who has accepted $14.6 million in campaign
contributions from Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley and other major players in the
finance industry, along with their corporate lawyers.<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rGJEMFRb0pc/YJIEEaFpCRI/AAAAAAAAG7U/74-xIh8OVCki0mRg28MQw_jNlkBN7fzBgCLcBGAsYHQ/s600/china%2Bchao.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="412" data-original-width="600" height="155" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rGJEMFRb0pc/YJIEEaFpCRI/AAAAAAAAG7U/74-xIh8OVCki0mRg28MQw_jNlkBN7fzBgCLcBGAsYHQ/w226-h155/china%2Bchao.jpg" width="226" /></a></div><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-R9UUX5EbmUQ/YJIB8iaqoTI/AAAAAAAAG64/c6BnQeLZ9zYPZCBXaMEae5WLIj2QIx_2wCLcBGAsYHQ/s314/turtle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="209" data-original-width="314" height="146" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-R9UUX5EbmUQ/YJIB8iaqoTI/AAAAAAAAG64/c6BnQeLZ9zYPZCBXaMEae5WLIj2QIx_2wCLcBGAsYHQ/w220-h146/turtle.jpg" width="220" /></a><div><b style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 26px;"> </span></b></div><div><b style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 26px;"> MITCH AND </span></b><b style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 150%;">THE BITCH</span></b><p align="center" class="Style4" style="line-height: 150%; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; text-align: center;"><span class="FontStyle14"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p>
<p align="left" class="Style4" style="line-height: 150%;"><b><span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">As for President Obama, what is there to be said?
Goldman Sachs was his number-one private campaign contributor. He put a Citigroup
executive in charge of his economic transition team, and he just named an
executive of JP Morgan Chase, the proud owner of $7.7 million in Chase stock,
his new chief of staff. "The betrayal that this represents by Obama to
everybody is just — we're not ready to believe it," says Budde, a
classmate of the president from their Columbia days. "He's really fuc@#king
us over like that? Really? That's really a JP Morgan guy, really? Which is not
to say that the Obama era has meant an end to law enforcement.</span></b></p>
<p align="left" class="Style4" style="line-height: 150%;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--_AljbBWsgQ/YJIB0-6EOMI/AAAAAAAAG6s/9IT6CF2GnwkkvlpyubE1Pqb2gJhYxkbgQCLcBGAsYHQ/s258/money.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="252" data-original-width="258" height="192" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--_AljbBWsgQ/YJIB0-6EOMI/AAAAAAAAG6s/9IT6CF2GnwkkvlpyubE1Pqb2gJhYxkbgQCLcBGAsYHQ/w196-h192/money.png" width="196" /></a></p><p align="left" class="Style4" style="line-height: 150%;"><span class="FontStyle14"><b><span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">On the contrary: In the past few years, the
administration has allocated massive amounts of federal resources to catching wrongdoers
— of a certain type. Last year, the government deported 393,000 people, at a
cost of $5 billion. Since 2007, felony immigration prosecutions along the
Mexican border have surged 77 percent; non-felony prosecutions by 259 percent.
In Ohio last month, a single mother was caught lying about where she lived to
put her kids into a better school district; the judge in the case tried to
sentence her to 10 days in jail for fraud, declaring that letting her go free
would "demean the seriousness" of the offenses. <o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p>
<p align="left" class="Style4" style="line-height: 150%;"><span class="FontStyle14"><b><span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">So, there you have it. Illegal immigrants: 393,000.
Lying moms: one. Bankers: zero. The math makes sense only because the politics
are so obvious. You want to win elections; you bang on the jail-able class. You
build prisons and fill them with people for selling dime bags and stealing CD
players. But for stealing a billion dollars? For fraud that puts a million
people into foreclosure? Pass. It's not a crime. Prison is too harsh. Get them
to say they're sorry, and move on. Oh,
wait — let's not even make them say they're sorry. That's too mean; let's just
give them a piece of paper with a government stamp on it, officially clearing
them of the need to apologize, and make them pay a fine instead. But don't make
them pay it out of their own pockets, and don't ask them to give back the money
they stole. In fact, let them profit from their collective crimes, to the tune
of a record $135 billion in pay and benefits last year. What's next?
Taxpayer-funded massages for every Wall Street executive guilty of fraud? The
mental stumbling block, for most Americans, is that financial crimes don't feel
real; you don't see the culprits waving guns in Liquor stores or dragging coeds
into bushes. But these frauds are worse than common robberies. <a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zobICU5daJ0/YJIBud8IxfI/AAAAAAAAG6g/OyaI8LlhpMwrfT8nuD9HrodaaRxIeQPxgCLcBGAsYHQ/s268/koch%2Bbros.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="188" data-original-width="268" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zobICU5daJ0/YJIBud8IxfI/AAAAAAAAG6g/OyaI8LlhpMwrfT8nuD9HrodaaRxIeQPxgCLcBGAsYHQ/s0/koch%2Bbros.jpeg" /></a></span></b></span></p><p align="left" class="Style4" style="line-height: 150%;"><span class="FontStyle14"><b><span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">They're crimes
of </span></b></span><span class="FontStyle14"><b><span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">intellectual choice, made by
people who are already rich and who have every conceivable social advantage, </span></b></span><span class="FontStyle14"><b><span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">acting on a simple, cynical
calculation: Let's steal whatever we can, then dare the victims to find the
juice to reclaim their money through a captive bureaucracy.<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p>
<p class="Style1" style="line-height: 150%; mso-pagination: widow-orphan;"><span class="FontStyle14"><b><span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">They're attacking the very definition of properly —
which, after all, depends in part on a legal system that defends everyone's
claims of ownership equally. When that definition becomes tenuous or
conditional — when the state simply gives up on the notion of justice — this
whole American Dream thing recedes even further from reality. You can read the
rest of Taibbi's article in the latest Rolling Stone magazine.</span></b></span><b><span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="Style1" style="line-height: 150%; mso-pagination: widow-orphan;"><span class="FontStyle14"><b><span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-czpadAgH4Sw/YJIBsOgjTsI/AAAAAAAAG6c/lKy3gExJo_col2Rg65FDyQbX0R-Z1U6sgCLcBGAsYHQ/s228/grifters.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="221" data-original-width="228" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-czpadAgH4Sw/YJIBsOgjTsI/AAAAAAAAG6c/lKy3gExJo_col2Rg65FDyQbX0R-Z1U6sgCLcBGAsYHQ/s0/grifters.jpg" /></a>When I read articles and e-mails like the
following, I get truly worried about the direction this Nation is going in. Our
Economy refuses to cooperate with our hopes and dreams: food costs are on the
rise, fuel costs are set to go through the roof, "real" unemployment
still hovers around </span></b></span><span class="FontStyle11"><span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">18%, </span></span><span class="FontStyle14"><b><span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">State Governments are trying to tackle their fiscal
shortfalls, people we elect to represent us don't, and I get the distinct
feeling that apathy is giving way to rage all across this Country. Unlike the
Nations in Northern Africa and the Middle East, the United States has an
"armed" populace, and a Constitution that allows for that. With the
"Dog Days of Summer" fast approaching, I sincerely hope my prediction
of civil unrest does not come to fruition.<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p>
<p class="Style1" style="background: #0D0D0D; line-height: 150%; mso-background-themecolor: text1; mso-background-themetint: 242; mso-pagination: widow-orphan;"><span class="FontStyle14"><b><span style="color: white; font-family: Algerian; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">Blog Comment: And, none of these
robber barons get more than a slap on the wrist. I have to ask the same question Matt Taibi
does; “Why hasn’t anyone gone to jail?”</span></b></span><em><b><span style="font-family: Algerian; font-size: 16.0pt; font-style: normal; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></em></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><em><b><span style="background: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">This article appears in the March 3, 2011 issue
of Rolling Stone.<o:p></o:p></span></b></em></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><a href="https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/why-isnt-wall-street-in-jail-179414/"><b><span style="background: lime; color: #002060; font-family: Algerian; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-highlight: lime;">Why
Isn't Wall Street in Jail? - Rolling Stone</span></b></a><span class="MsoHyperlink"><b><span style="background: lime; color: #002060; font-family: Algerian; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-highlight: lime;"> – BY: </span></b></span><a href="https://www.rollingstone.com/author/matt-taibbi/"><b><span style="background: lime; color: #002060; font-family: Algerian; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-highlight: lime;">Matt Taibbi</span></b></a><b><i><span style="background: lime; color: #002060; font-family: Algerian; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-highlight: lime;">, </span></i></b><b><i><span style="background: lime; color: #002060; font-family: Algerian; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-highlight: lime;">Contributing Editor, Rolling Stone</span></i></b><b><i><span style="color: #002060; font-family: Algerian; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></div></div>We The Peeps 1http://www.blogger.com/profile/03058442202268032528noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-704081178507719531.post-83253565126722552672021-04-19T21:55:00.011-07:002021-04-26T11:11:56.513-07:00Commission Defends Integrating VA Care and Outside Doctors<p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: center;"><b><u style="text-underline: wavy-double;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">POSTED BY: TOM PHILPOTT, SEPTEMBER 8,
2016<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: center;"><b><i><u style="text-underline: dash-dot-dot-heavy;"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style",serif; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">PREDICTION:<o:p></o:p></span></u></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><b>By
the second quarter of 2017, The VA Health Administration (VHA) will be well on
its way toward “privatization". The Commission on Care was chartered by
Congress. Most of our elected Officials and many prominent private citizens are
fully behind this movement. They have very quietly made extraordinary progress
toward their goal of enriching the private health systems with the money they
will receive from the Federal Government for enrolling Veterans. I had to read
this twice to make sure I wasn't missing something extremely important to
Veterans; Mental Health Care. The 'Commission on </b></span><span style="font-size: 21.3333px;"><b>Care'</b></span></span><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><b><span style="color: red;"> report to Congress does not
address this at all. There is a way to remedy the problems inside the
Department of Veterans Affairs. It seems that no one involved in this has any
desire to do the right thing for Veterans. It's going to be a dark day for our
Nation's Veteran population when this report morphs into Law and practice.</span><o:p></o:p></b></span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="color: red;"><b><u style="text-underline: wavy-double;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 150%;">Military
Update:</span></u></b><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 150%;"> Commission on Care leaders defended their
tough diagnosis and 18-point treatment plan for what ails the VA Healthcare
system, including their controversial push to let veterans begin to choose
their own primary care doctors from new, integrated networks of VA and
private-sector physicians.</span></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 32px;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AFze49OKiNU/YH5YFkvZMnI/AAAAAAAAG2Y/phX78mhSYXAvFEervQojtKIfFmieOXUbQCLcBGAsYHQ/s300/schlitching.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="168" data-original-width="300" height="115" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AFze49OKiNU/YH5YFkvZMnI/AAAAAAAAG2Y/phX78mhSYXAvFEervQojtKIfFmieOXUbQCLcBGAsYHQ/w206-h115/schlitching.jpeg" width="206" /></a></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><b><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 150%;">Answering
critics who say they went too far or not far enough in proposing to transform
the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) over the next 20 years, Commission
Chair Nancy Schlichting, Chief</span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b> <a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5XTL-UMy1d8/YH5aX-m2OzI/AAAAAAAAG2o/mC4x8etiAX8uSCWVZMLVLkAjxNWLSOvfQCLcBGAsYHQ/s285/cosgrove.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="177" data-original-width="285" height="118" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5XTL-UMy1d8/YH5aX-m2OzI/AAAAAAAAG2o/mC4x8etiAX8uSCWVZMLVLkAjxNWLSOvfQCLcBGAsYHQ/w190-h118/cosgrove.jpeg" width="190" /></a></b></div><b></b><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: red;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 150%;">Executive Officer of the Henry Ford Health
System in Detroit, and Vice Chair Dr. Delos “Toby” Cosgrove, CEO of worldwide
Cleveland Clinic hospitals, warned the House Veterans Affairs Committee on
Wednesday that VHA is rife with </span></b><span style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 21.3333px;"><b>weaknesses. The</b></span><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><b>The many “glaring
problems,” said Schlichting, include under staffing,aging facilities, obsolete
information technology, flawed operating processes, supply chain weaknesses and
health outcomes that vary across VHA, all of which “threaten the long-term
viability of the system.” Yet VHA’s ability to transform is most hampered by
“lack of leadership continuity and strategic focus,” and “a culture of fear and </b></span></span></span><b style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 150%;">risk aversion,” she said.</span></b></span></h2><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="color: red;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 150%;">By having only two of 15 Commissioners
from the Congressionally chartered panel testify allowed committee members to
focus on what a majority of industry health experts recommend, rather than </span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 150%;">complaints
of Veterans’ service groups defending the status quo or the unpopular notion of
dismantling the VHA system as backed by the billionaire Koch brothers.</span></b></span><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 150%;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 150%;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WeULZtett-o/YH5aubDajSI/AAAAAAAAG2w/cQalRVqGrgkDLpz9G1brGJ4fwYecRKwlgCLcBGAsYHQ/s300/miller.jpeg" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 21.3333px; font-weight: 700; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="168" data-original-width="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WeULZtett-o/YH5aubDajSI/AAAAAAAAG2w/cQalRVqGrgkDLpz9G1brGJ4fwYecRKwlgCLcBGAsYHQ/s0/miller.jpeg" /></a><br /></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="color: red;">But
Rep. Jeff Miller (R-Fla.), the Committee Chair who will retire in January,
added his own list of VHA weaknesses that have been the focus of House Committee
hearings and press releases: “persistent access failures, noncompliance with
federal prompt pay laws, lack of accountability, a bloated and self-preserving
bureaucracy, and billions of taxpayer dollars lost to financial mismanagement
of construction projects, IT programs, bonuses for poor performing employees.”
The list, Miller said, is “legion and growing.”</span><o:p></o:p></span></b><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nwcDKDd_2_g/YH5X2gLuYdI/AAAAAAAAG2Q/hFctvcqSLpcAf-mXy5-TkesdpSSyLm87QCLcBGAsYHQ/s297/pee%2Bpee%2B%2Bsmell.jpeg" style="font-weight: 700; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="170" data-original-width="297" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nwcDKDd_2_g/YH5X2gLuYdI/AAAAAAAAG2Q/hFctvcqSLpcAf-mXy5-TkesdpSSyLm87QCLcBGAsYHQ/s0/pee%2Bpee%2B%2Bsmell.jpeg" /></a></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 150%;">But, Miller on one issue
joined with the Obama administration and most <span style="color: red;">Veteran service organizations. He
opposes the Commission’s call to establish a new layer of VHA oversight — a Board
of Directors comprised of health industry experts who would have authority to
direct VHA transformation, set long-term health care strategy and ensure both
are carried out by a VA Under Secretary of Health who would be appointed for
five-year fixed terms.<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="color: red;">“Outsourcing the crucial
role of a Cabinet Secretary to an independent board…neither elected nor
accountable to the American people would be irresponsible and inappropriate,
not to mention unconstitutional,” Miller said.</span><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OrHU5SXTcsg/YH5bMn8fJlI/AAAAAAAAG24/ucb3fDQm7xYbEOv447QiJLOimexnBDUYwCLcBGAsYHQ/s276/McDonald.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="182" data-original-width="276" height="147" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OrHU5SXTcsg/YH5bMn8fJlI/AAAAAAAAG24/ucb3fDQm7xYbEOv447QiJLOimexnBDUYwCLcBGAsYHQ/w223-h147/McDonald.jpeg" width="223" /></a></div><span style="mso-no-proof: yes;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><b><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 150%;">Miller
and Rep. Mark Takano (Calif.), the Committee’s ranking Democrat, agreed with
many Commission recommendations and noted that VA Secretary, Robert McDonald,
said many already were being implemented as part of his ambitious MyVA reforms
announced last year.<o:p></o:p></span></b><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><b><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 150%;">But, Takano, on behalf Veterans’
groups, criticized the Commission’s call to integrate VA medical staff with
networks of screened private care physicians, to allow enrolled Veterans to
choose their own primary care doctors, and to allow their providers in turn to
manage all care including referrals to specialists on VA staffs or approved
outside networks.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><b><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 150%;">The
worry, Takano said, is that too many Veterans will choose private sector care,
driving up VA costs and jeopardizing “the viability of unique VA health
services” to treat spinal cord injuries, polytrauma cases, amputee care,
blindness or traumatic brain injuries. Why didn’t the Commission recommend that
its expanded “choice” model be tested initially to determine the impact on VA
budgets and programs, he asked.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><b><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 150%;">Commissioners did discuss
a phased approach to include testing, Schlichting said, and that is reasonable
considering the complexity of implementing these reforms.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><b><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 150%;">“It’s important to
balance this question of choice — making sure access is really available within
every market across the country — with the issue of how we’re trying to also
control those networks to better serve Veterans,” the commission chair said.
“Finding that balance is really important.”<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="color: red;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 150%;">Schlichting
recalled heated commission debates over how and why to expand patient choice
using the private sector. In the end a consensus of commissioners believe they
have hit a “sweet spot” for expanding choice by preserving VA system strengths
while also allowing access to outside providers carefully screened to provide
quality and Veteran-centric care.</span></b> <b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 150%;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-left: 0.5in;"><b><u style="text-underline: wave;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 150%;">The commission would allow VA-enrolled Veterans
to pick a private care provider even when a doctor was available inside VA.
What data did the commission rely on to decide that would be okay, Takano
wanted to know.</span></u></b> <b><u style="text-underline: wave;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 150%;"><o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WL0rBnGuoHI/YH5WvN4MgxI/AAAAAAAAG1s/t72oYZ7ULu80SZINgeOKSpCzn9Nv_MlsACLcBGAsYHQ/s282/gang%2Bof%2B4.jpeg" style="font-weight: 700; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="178" data-original-width="282" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WL0rBnGuoHI/YH5WvN4MgxI/AAAAAAAAG1s/t72oYZ7ULu80SZINgeOKSpCzn9Nv_MlsACLcBGAsYHQ/s0/gang%2Bof%2B4.jpeg" /></a><span style="color: red;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 150%;">“If you begin to the
think of the VHA care system in the way we did,”</span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 150%;"> Schlichting said, then “it’s
not a question of VA versus provider-in-the-community. It’s one system that
should be operating in a much more integrated way. And every provider within
that VHA care system then would be able to provide access for Veterans. It’s a
different mindset than today.”</span></b></span></p><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_pKsvW_lW5o/YH5XzGGd2jI/AAAAAAAAG2M/PoqitGQJi2Qcl5OQv6Jvqn9-9vVcx-jIACLcBGAsYHQ/s275/VA%2Bgirlas.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="183" data-original-width="275" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_pKsvW_lW5o/YH5XzGGd2jI/AAAAAAAAG2M/PoqitGQJi2Qcl5OQv6Jvqn9-9vVcx-jIACLcBGAsYHQ/s0/VA%2Bgirlas.jpeg" /></a></div></b><b><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 150%;">She bristled at a charge
from Rep. Doug Lamborn (R-Colo.) that the commission missed a chance to truly
transform Veterans’ health care by rejecting the vision of two dissenting
commissioners who wanted VA care more fully privatized and the VHA bureaucracy
largely dismantled.<o:p></o:p></span></b><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><b><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 150%;">Neither of those
commissioners, Schlichting said, “has ever implemented a major change in a
health system as Dr. Cosgrove and I have. I think we recognize the
transformative aspects of what we’re proposing.”<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><b><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 150%;">If
Congress embraces recommendations from a majority of commissioners, she said,
it would begin a “process that will take many, many years to complete,
recognizing the complexities of both facilities and staffing issues and
leadership [and] IT interoperability…And to say that what we’re proposing is
not transformative I think is just untrue.”<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><b><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 150%;">Cosgrove,
a former Air Force surgeon, emphasized that a first step toward transforming VA
health care must be replacing a woefully outdated electronic health records
system with an off-the-shelf commercial system that allow providers and
patients to schedule their own appointments.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><b><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 150%;">He and Schlichting also
stressed that VHA can’t be transformed without an Undersecretary for Health who
sticks around, and the backing of some sort of oversight team of experts to
demand adherence to sustained progress. Congressional oversight, they argued,
just isn’t enough.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: center;"><b><u style="text-underline: double;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 150%;">THE MILITARY.COM GUIDE TO MILITARY AND
VETERANS’ BENEFITS<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 150%;">CTRL
& CLICK ON LINK:<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.military.com/benefits"><span face=""Arial Black",sans-serif" style="color: #2b00fe; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 150%;">https://www.military.com/benefits</span></a><u style="text-underline: wave;"><span face=""Arial Black",sans-serif" style="font-size: 18pt; line-height: 150%;"><o:p></o:p></span></u></p><br /><p></p>We The Peeps 1http://www.blogger.com/profile/03058442202268032528noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-704081178507719531.post-86513550847797260092021-04-19T08:26:00.028-07:002021-04-19T08:39:05.239-07:00JOE'S EXCELLENT DOCTOR'S VISIT<p></p><h1 style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b style="background-color: white; clear: left; display: inline; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><i><span style="background: yellow; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: red;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1cz46vScoFk/YH2hlWL3Q1I/AAAAAAAAG1U/UVaqf2zpxX0qE2UHQ9J1vJDf8Ug7Ky-WgCLcBGAsYHQ/s448/turd%2B002.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="283" data-original-width="448" height="85" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1cz46vScoFk/YH2hlWL3Q1I/AAAAAAAAG1U/UVaqf2zpxX0qE2UHQ9J1vJDf8Ug7Ky-WgCLcBGAsYHQ/w135-h85/turd%2B002.gif" width="135" /></a></div><br /> </span><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FuF93N35mzM/YH2adQicSbI/AAAAAAAAG1A/H3EGfnu8W2oAaCb5969XtBsZAzjrLNQNACLcBGAsYHQ/s143/images.jfif%2B04.jpg" style="background-color: white; clear: left; display: inline; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration-line: underline;"><span style="color: #ff00fe;">Subject:
"priceless</span></a></span></i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b style="background-color: white; color: red; text-align: left;"><img border="0" data-original-height="128" data-original-width="143" height="86" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FuF93N35mzM/YH2adQicSbI/AAAAAAAAG1A/H3EGfnu8W2oAaCb5969XtBsZAzjrLNQNACLcBGAsYHQ/w96-h86/images.jfif%2B04.jpg" width="96" /></b></div><div style="background: white; line-height: 115%; text-align: left;"><p class="MsoTitleCxSpMiddle"><b style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">The doctor said, 'Joe, the good news is I c</span>an cure your headaches. The bad news is that it will require castration. You have a very rare condition which causes your testicles to press on your spine, and the pressure creates one hell of a headache. </b><b style="color: red;">The only way to relieve the pressure is to remove the testicles.' Joe was shocked and depressed. He wondered if he had anything to live for. He had no choice but to go under the knife. </b></p><p class="MsoTitleCxSpMiddle"><span style="color: red; font-family: inherit; font-size: xx-large;">When he left the hospital</span><span face="Franklin Gothic Book, sans-serif" style="color: red; font-size: xx-large;">, he was without </span><b><span style="color: red;">a headache for the first
time </span></b><b style="color: red;">in 20 years, </b><b style="color: red;">but he felt like he was missing an important part of </b><b style="color: red;">himself. As he walked down the street, he realized that he felt like a </b><b style="color: red;">different person. He could make a new beginning and live a new life.</b></p><p class="MsoTitleCxSpMiddle"><span style="color: red;"><b>He saw a men's clothing store and thought, 'That's what I need... A
new </b><b>suit.' He entered the shop and told the salesman, 'I'd like a new
suit.' </b></span></p><p class="MsoTitleCxSpMiddle"><span style="color: red;"><br />
<b>The elderly tailor eyed him briefly and said, 'Let's see...size 44 long.' </b></span><b style="color: red;">Joe laughed, 'That's right, how did you know?' </b><b style="color: red;">'Been in the business 60 years!' the tailor said. </b></p><p class="MsoTitleCxSpMiddle"><span style="color: red;">
<b>Joe tried on the suit; it fit perfectly. </b></span></p><p class="MsoTitleCxSpMiddle"><span style="color: red;">
<b>As Joe admired himself in the mirror, the salesman asked, 'How about
a new shirt?' </b><br />
<b>Joe thought for a moment and then said, 'Sure.' </b><br />
<b>The salesman eyed Joe and said, 'Let's see, 34 sleeves and 16-1/2
neck.' </b><b>Joe was surprised, 'That's right, how did you know?' </b><b>' Been in the business 60 years.' </b><b><br /></b></span></p><p class="MsoTitleCxSpMiddle"><span style="color: red;"><b>Joe tried on the shirt, and it fit perfectly.</b><br />
<b>Joe walked comfortably around the shop, and the salesman asked,
'How about some new underwear?' Joe thought for a moment and said,
'Sure.' </b></span><b style="color: red;">The salesman said, 'Let's see...size 36.' </b></p><p class="MsoTitleCxSpMiddle"><span style="color: red;">
<b>Joe laughed, 'Ah ha! I got you, I've worn a size 34 since I was 18
years old.' </b><b>The salesman shook his head, 'You can't wear a size 34. A size 34
would press </b><b>your testicles up against the base of your spine and give you one hell
of a headache.'</b></span><b style="color: red;"> </b></p><p class="MsoTitleCxSpMiddle"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-j1TV_zAiYmY/YH2aiefE7nI/AAAAAAAAG1E/B9wdtj0nM1QJZ6yMGJk4_iaMYghTGjnGgCLcBGAsYHQ/s392/turd%2B001.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="392" data-original-width="344" height="162" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-j1TV_zAiYmY/YH2aiefE7nI/AAAAAAAAG1E/B9wdtj0nM1QJZ6yMGJk4_iaMYghTGjnGgCLcBGAsYHQ/w142-h162/turd%2B001.jpg" width="142" /></a><span style="color: red;"><br />
<b>* New suit - $400 </b></span></p><p class="MsoTitleCxSpMiddle"><span style="color: red;"><b>*
New shirt - $36 </b><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoTitleCxSpLast"><span style="color: red;"><b>* New underwear - $6 </b><br />
<span style="background: yellow; mso-highlight: yellow;">Second opinion -
PRICELESS!</span></span><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="color: red;"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p></div></h1><div><div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 150%; mso-collapsed-heading: yes; mso-outline-level: 3;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 40px 0px 0px; padding: 0px;"><div dir="rtl" style="text-align: left;"><p></p></div></blockquote></div></div></div>We The Peeps 1http://www.blogger.com/profile/03058442202268032528noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-704081178507719531.post-32800966311483234482021-04-14T20:31:00.011-07:002021-04-26T11:15:03.339-07:00As The World Turns<blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><p style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;"></span></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span><i style="text-align: left;"><span><b style="text-align: center;"><u style="text-underline: #0070C0 double;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: red; font-size: x-large; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">{The following are excepts from
various</span></u></b></span></i></span></i></div><p></p></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><p style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-large;"><i style="text-align: left;"><span><b style="text-align: center;"><u style="text-underline: #0070C0 double;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">articles from various news sources}</span></u></b></span></i><span style="text-align: left;"> </span></span></i></div><p></p></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><p style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;"></span></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span><i style="text-align: left;"><span><b style="text-align: center;"><u style="text-underline: #0070C0 double;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: red; font-size: x-large; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> They will be fotnoted.</span></u></b></span></i></span></i></div></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><p style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;"></span></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span><b style="text-align: left;"><u style="text-underline: #0070C0 double;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: red; font-size: x-large; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Other folks Are having troubles of their own.
Let me give you a list of a few things happening around the Globe.</span></u></b></span></i></div><p></p></blockquote>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 225.0pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 225pt;"><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: red; font-size: x-large; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">1]<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>European Central Bank<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 225.0pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 225pt;"><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: red; font-size: x-large; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">2]<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>World vaccine distribution<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 225.0pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 225pt;"><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: red; font-size: x-large; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">3]<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>New Zealand Schools<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 225.0pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 225pt;"><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: red; font-size: x-large; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">4]<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Afghanistan pullout<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 225.0pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 225pt;"><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: red; font-size: x-large; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">5]<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Environmental degradation<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 225.0pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 225pt;"><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: red; font-size: x-large; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">6]<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Bhutan coup plot<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 225.0pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 225pt;"><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: red; font-size: x-large; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">7]<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Myanmar coup<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 225.0pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 225pt;"><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: red; font-size: x-large; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">&
much, much more!<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 225.0pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 225pt;"><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: red; font-size: x-large; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Why
don’t we hear about any of this??<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 225.0pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 225pt;"><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: red; font-size: x-large; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;"><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">1] <u style="text-underline: red dash-dot-heavy;"><span style="mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">Christine Lagarde: Countries </span></u><span style="mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><u style="text-underline: red dash-dot-heavy;">must not 'brutally' pull stimulus.</u></span></span></b><b><u style="text-underline: red dash-dot-heavy;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></u></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="background: white; color: red; font-size: x-large; line-height: 115%; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">The European Central
Bank president told CNN Business' Richard Quest on Thursday that her biggest
fear isn't that the European Union will accumulate a mountain of debt, but that
governments could "brutally" withdraw job guarantees and income
support before the time is right.</span></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #04ff00;"><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="background: white; font-size: x-large; line-height: 115%; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dHjkh9fjOns/YHec2_ftOoI/AAAAAAAAG0M/vvqCsSbwT_wgE9C1m5unFJt5S2K3R0VNwCLcBGAsYHQ/s275/lagarde.jpg" style="font-style: italic; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="154" data-original-width="275" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dHjkh9fjOns/YHec2_ftOoI/AAAAAAAAG0M/vvqCsSbwT_wgE9C1m5unFJt5S2K3R0VNwCLcBGAsYHQ/s0/lagarde.jpg" /></a></span></b></span></p><span style="color: #04ff00;"><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="background: white; font-size: x-large; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><u style="text-underline: red dot-dot-dash;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: red; font-size: x-large; line-height: 115%; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">More than 130
countries haven't received</span></u></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;"><b><u style="text-underline: red dot-dot-dash;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">a single Covid-19
vaccine, while 10 countries </span></u></b><b><u style="text-underline: red dot-dot-dash;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></u></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;"><b><u style="text-underline: red dot-dot-dash;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">have administered
75% of all vaccines, </span></u></b><b><u style="text-underline: red dot-dot-dash;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></u></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;"><b><u style="text-underline: red dot-dot-dash;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">the UN says.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></u></b><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">by Scottie Andrew,
CNN</span></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: red; line-height: 115%; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: red;"><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">2]<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just 10 countries have administered 75% of
the </span><span style="mso-color-alt: windowtext;"><a href="https://www.cnn.com/world/live-news/coronavirus-pandemic-vaccine-updates-02-18-21/h_b5f8dfa6a264499d272e25326831b747" target="_blank"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">world's
available Covid-19 vaccine supply</span></a></span></b><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">,
while more than 130 countries haven't even received their first doses,
according to United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres.</span></b></span><b style="color: #04ff00;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EOjVIl1rW-Y/YHec13naxwI/AAAAAAAAG0E/yTF-jG02QTEwk8uEwCKu5HIvxFgIibnNgCLcBGAsYHQ/s378/antonio.jpg" style="font-style: italic; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #04ff00; font-size: x-large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="212" data-original-width="378" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EOjVIl1rW-Y/YHec13naxwI/AAAAAAAAG0E/yTF-jG02QTEwk8uEwCKu5HIvxFgIibnNgCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/antonio.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: red;"><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: x-large; line-height: 115%; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">©
UNT</span></b><b style="background-color: transparent;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: x-large; line-height: 36.8px; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">P In this image made from UNTV</span></b><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: x-large; line-height: 115%; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">V/A video, </span></b><b style="font-size: xx-large;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">United
Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres </span></b><b style="font-size: xx-large;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">speaks
during a U.N. Security Council high-level </span></b><b style="font-size: xx-large;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">meeting
on COVID-19 recovery focusing on </span></b><b style="font-size: xx-large;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">vaccinations,
chaired by British Foreign Secretary </span></b><b style="font-size: xx-large;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Dominc
Raab, Wednesday, Feb. 17, 2021, </span></b><b style="font-size: xx-large;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">in New York. (UNTV via AP)</span></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;"><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">It's
unfair, Guterres </span><span style="mso-color-alt: windowtext;"><a href="https://www.un.org/press/en/2021/sc14438.doc.htm" target="_blank"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">said</span></a></span></b><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">,
that so few countries should control the bulk of the world's vaccine supplies.
To address that inequity, the secretary-general proposed that members of G20
create an emergency task force to promote global vaccine access.</span></b><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;"><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">"At
this critical moment, vaccine equity is the biggest moral test before the
global community," he said in a virtual meeting on Wednesday with the UN
Security Council.</span></b><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;"><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Around
188 million vaccine doses have been administered worldwide, according to the
digital database </span><span style="mso-color-alt: windowtext;"><a href="https://ourworldindata.org/covid-vaccinations" target="_blank"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Our World in Data</span></a></span></b><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">.
Tens of millions of those doses have gone to the United States, China, the
United Kingdom and Israel.</span></b><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;"><b><u style="text-underline: red dot-dash;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">New Zealand schools will offer free </span></u></b><b><u style="text-underline: red dot-dash;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></u></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;"><b><u style="text-underline: red dot-dash;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">period products to students.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>by: </span></u></b><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Sophie
Lewis </span></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: red; line-height: 115%; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;"><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">3]<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Schools in New Zealand will soon offer free
menstrual products to all students. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said the lack
of access to such products, known as </span><span style="mso-color-alt: windowtext;"><a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/what-is-period-poverty/?ftag=MSF0951a18" target="_blank"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">period poverty</span></a></span></b><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">,
keeps thousands of young people out of school.</span></b><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vUBmA36xBkA/YHecz7_lVOI/AAAAAAAAG0A/YTJAqA_jxWQqpSLtCxPGHg5vRC9QG4vQQCLcBGAsYHQ/s211/hagen.jpg" style="font-style: italic; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="211" data-original-width="211" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vUBmA36xBkA/YHecz7_lVOI/AAAAAAAAG0A/YTJAqA_jxWQqpSLtCxPGHg5vRC9QG4vQQCLcBGAsYHQ/s0/hagen.jpg" /></span></a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: red; font-size: x-large; line-height: 115%; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">©
Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;"><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Prime
Minister Jacinda Ardern </span></b><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;"><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Gives
COVID-19 Update As </span></b><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;"><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Auckland
Enters Three-Day Lockdow</span></b><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;"><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The
program will begin in June following a six-month pilot program that
provided </span><span style="mso-color-alt: windowtext;"><a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/period-the-bloody-truth-about-poverty-inequality-cbsn-originals/?ftag=MSF0951a18" target="_blank"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">free period products</span></a></span></b><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> to
about 3,200 students in 15 schools. Ardern said that the "positive
response" from the trial encouraged her to expand the initiative
nationwide.</span></b><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;"><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">"Young
people should not miss out on their education because of something that is a
normal part of life for half the population," Ardern said in a </span><span style="mso-color-alt: windowtext;"><a href="https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/free-period-products-be-available-all-schools-and-kura?ftag=MSF0951a18" target="_blank"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">statement</span></a></span></b><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> Thursday.
"Removing barriers to healthy, active, educational outcomes for children
and young people is an important part of the Government's Youth and Wellbeing
Strategy."</span></b><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;"><b><u style="text-underline: red dot-dot-dash;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">No decision on Afghanistan pullout, says NATO chief.</span></u></b><b><u style="text-underline: red dot-dot-dash;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></u></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><u style="text-underline: red dot-dot-dash;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: red; line-height: 115%; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;"><br /></span></u></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;"><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">4]<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jens Stoltenberg, the military alliance's
secretary-general, says NATO countries are as yet undecided whether or when to
leave Afghanistan. The US and its allies invaded the southeast Asian nation
after the 9/11 attacks.</span></b><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gwakpTi_xIQ/YHecyHEOoNI/AAAAAAAAGz8/pyehLxThWl4gE2Gwm3tIX9fPNZVIzkmhQCLcBGAsYHQ/s259/jens.jpg" style="font-style: italic; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="145" data-original-width="259" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gwakpTi_xIQ/YHecyHEOoNI/AAAAAAAAGz8/pyehLxThWl4gE2Gwm3tIX9fPNZVIzkmhQCLcBGAsYHQ/s0/jens.jpg" /></span></a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: red; font-size: x-large; line-height: 115%; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">©
Olivier Hoslet/AP Photo/picture alliance</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;"><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">NATO
chief Jens Stoltenberg </span></b><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;"><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">says
no decision has been taken </span></b><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;"><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">on
a possible Afghanistan pullout</span></b><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;"><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">NATO
has made no decision on whether or when to </span><span style="mso-color-alt: windowtext;"><a href="https://www.dw.com/en/nato-meeting-germany-hopes-for-continued-us-support-in-afghanistan/a-55782263" target="_blank"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">pull out of
Afghanistan</span></a></span></b><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">, the military alliance’s top official
said on Thursday.</span></b><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;"><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">But
Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said May 1 was the final deadline for any
possible future withdrawal as part of a peace deal struck between the US and
the Taliban last year.</span></b><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;"><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">After
two decades of Western military intervention and hundreds of billions of
dollars in investment, NATO countries are worried about undermining progress
towards democracy.</span></b><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;"><b><u style="text-underline: red dot-dot-dash;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">Environmental degradation poses </span></u></b><b><u style="text-underline: red dot-dot-dash;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></u></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span><b><u style="text-underline: red dot-dot-dash;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: red; font-size: x-large; line-height: 115%; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">triple threat to humans: UN.</span></u></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><u style="text-underline: red dot-dot-dash;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: red; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></u></b></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;"><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">5]<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Climate change, biodiversity loss and
pollution pose a triple threat to human health and prosperity that may be
averted only by transforming how we power our economies and feed ourselves, the
United Nations said Thursday. </span></b><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WUiBd_a5RH8/YHecwvX4_ZI/AAAAAAAAGz4/WHQ679JPvwweRNXrJk7VhpyVDBWGyj2CACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/burn%2Bamazon.jpg" style="font-style: italic; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="210" data-original-width="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WUiBd_a5RH8/YHecwvX4_ZI/AAAAAAAAGz4/WHQ679JPvwweRNXrJk7VhpyVDBWGyj2CACLcBGAsYHQ/s0/burn%2Bamazon.jpg" /></span></a></p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: red; font-size: x-large; line-height: 115%; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">©
Raul ARBOLEDA A scientific assessment</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;"><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">by
the UN Environment Programme found </span></b><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;"><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">that
decades of economic growth has come </span></b><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;"><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">at
a devastating cost to the planet </span></b><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;"><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">A
scientific assessment by the UN Environment Programme found that galloping
economic growth has come at a devastating cost to the planet and urged
governments, businesses and people around the world to act to reverse the
damage before it is too late</span></b><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;"><b><u style="text-underline: red dot-dash;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">Top Bhutan general, judges detained in alleged
overthrow plot.</span></u></b><b><u style="text-underline: red dot-dash;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></u></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><u style="text-underline: red dot-dash;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: red; line-height: 115%; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;"><br /></span></u></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;"><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">6]<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A top general and two judges in Bhutan have
been detained by the police over an alleged plot to overthrow the country’s top
military officer and chief justice.</span></b><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fxBBEN79Tow/YHeh75UKipI/AAAAAAAAG0g/G4cncegsd_Uz-W761KWGBJodzQ6VOfPvQCLcBGAsYHQ/s247/myanmr.jpg" style="font-weight: 700; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="164" data-original-width="247" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fxBBEN79Tow/YHeh75UKipI/AAAAAAAAG0g/G4cncegsd_Uz-W761KWGBJodzQ6VOfPvQCLcBGAsYHQ/s0/myanmr.jpg" /></span></a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: red; font-size: x-large; line-height: 115%; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">©
Former Royal Bodyguard Commandant Brigadier</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;"><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Thinley
Tobgay, Supreme Court Justice Kuenley Tshering </span></b><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;"><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">a...
Former Royal Bodyguard Commandant Brigadier </span></b><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;"><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Thinley
Tobgay, Supreme Court Justice Kuenley Tshering </span></b><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;"><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">and
top district court judge Yeshey Dorji appeared in court </span></b><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;"><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">on
Wednesday after being detained at their homes </span></b><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;"><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">[File:
Lillian Suwanrumpha/AFP] </span></b><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;"><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The
three have been accused of plotting to overthrow the country’s top military
officer, Lieutenant General Batoo Tshering, by implicating him in a corruption
scandal.</span></b><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p>
<h1 style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;"><i><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">Military Imposes Full Grip on Myanmar in
Overnight Crackdown</span></i><i><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></span></h1>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;"><span class="byline-prefix"><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="border: 1pt none windowtext; line-height: 115%; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By </span></b></span><b><span color="windowtext" face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="border: 1pt none windowtext; line-height: 115%; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;"><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/by/hannah-beech">Hannah Beech</a></span></b><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span></p>
<p class="css-w6ymp8" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;"><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">7]<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Armored vehicles rolled in along with
soldiers in camouflage in cities across the country as generals moved to crush
the protest movement against the Feb. 1 military coup. With the night in </span><span style="mso-color-alt: windowtext;"><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/16/world/asia/myanmar-trial-aung-san-suu-kyi.html"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="border: 1pt none windowtext; line-height: 115%; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-color-alt: windowtext; padding: 0in;">Myanmar</span></a></span></b><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"> came the terror.</span></b><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p>
<p class="css-axufdj" style="line-height: 115%; margin: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: red; font-size: x-large; line-height: 115%;">In
cities across the country on Sunday evening, armored vehicles moved in, along
with trucks filled with soldiers in camouflage. Security forces fired rubber
bullets, water cannons and tear gas at a crowd. Troops surrounded the houses of
government workers who had dared to join a nationwide civil disobedience
campaign. Politicians, activists and journalists fled, turning off their phones
as they disappeared into the shadows, hoping to outpace the men coming after
them<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;"><b><u style="text-underline: dot-dot-dash;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: red; font-size: x-large; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Meanwhile, back at the ranch:<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;"><b><u style="text-underline: red dash-dot-dot-heavy;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">Hundreds of thousands still without power in Texas.</span></u></b><b><u style="text-underline: red dash-dot-dot-heavy;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></u></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-outline-level: 1;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0-_jSfUKOnY/YHecuvsXSRI/AAAAAAAAGz0/HadTMK9nZxQKI7EatHGlwx-BrST7_C7nwCLcBGAsYHQ/s163/no%2Bpower.jpg" style="font-style: italic; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="163" data-original-width="163" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0-_jSfUKOnY/YHecuvsXSRI/AAAAAAAAGz0/HadTMK9nZxQKI7EatHGlwx-BrST7_C7nwCLcBGAsYHQ/s0/no%2Bpower.jpg" /></span></a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-outline-level: 1;"><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: red; font-size: x-large; line-height: 115%; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"><br /></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-outline-level: 1;"><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: red; font-size: x-large; line-height: 115%; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">8] <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Families in Houston and all over Texas were
doing anything to stay warm, sometimes making deadly choices. 911 calls were
way up throughout the state. Hospitals treated hundreds for exposure to the
cold and for carbon monoxide poisoning as Texans fired up generators and stayed
in their cars to keep warm.</span></b></p>
<p style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in;"><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;"><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">Frozen pipes were bursting, flooding
homes and businesses. One Dallas apartment building had icicles inside. So many
pipes burst that Texas' governor asked for help from out-of-state plumbers. A
North Texas plumber </span><span style="mso-color-alt: windowtext;"><a href="https://dfw.cbslocal.com/2021/02/17/texas-plumber-calls-24-hours/?ftag=MSF0951a18" target="_blank"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">told CBS Dallas</span></a></span></b><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"> his company had gotten 2,200 calls
in 24 hours.</span></b><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;"><b><u style="text-underline: red dot-dash;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">Analysis: Exodus of Republican voters tired of Trump
could push party further right.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></u></b><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">by:
Jason Lange and Andy Sullivan </span></b><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-C5YF6OPXIsQ/YHecs3deC3I/AAAAAAAAGzw/fUpdwOGQWpYAGM0JgrxwO7XfWzfFAXiVACLcBGAsYHQ/s285/maga%2Bhats.jpg" style="font-style: italic; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="190" data-original-width="285" height="163" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-C5YF6OPXIsQ/YHecs3deC3I/AAAAAAAAGzw/fUpdwOGQWpYAGM0JgrxwO7XfWzfFAXiVACLcBGAsYHQ/w244-h163/maga%2Bhats.jpg" width="244" /></span></a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: red; font-size: x-large; line-height: 115%; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">©
Reuters/ANDREW KELLY FILE PHOTO:</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: red; line-height: 115%; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;"><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">9]<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>People watch live election results come in
at an election night watch party held on Election Day, at the Staten Island
Republican Party Headquarters on Staten Island in New York City</span></b><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;"><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">WASHINGTON
(Reuters) - A surge of Republicans quitting the party to renounce Donald Trump
after the deadly Capitol riot could hurt moderates in next year's primaries,
adding a capstone to Trump's legacy as president: A potentially lasting
rightward push on the party.</span></b><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: red; line-height: 115%; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">More
than 68,000 Republicans have left the party in recent weeks in Florida,
Pennsylvania and North Carolina, crucial states for Democrats' hopes of keeping
control of Congress in the mid-term elections in 2022, state voter data shows.</span></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;"><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">That's
about three times the roughly 23,000 Democrats who left their party in the same
states over the same time period.</span></b><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;"><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Compared
to the Republicans who stayed put, those who fled were more concentrated in the
left-leaning counties around big cities, which political analysts said suggested
moderate Republicans could be leading the defections.</span></b><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;"><b><u style="text-underline: red dot-dot-dash;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">Mitch McConnell's Condemnation of Donald Trump Firmly
at Odds with GOP Consensus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>by</span></u></b><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">:
Jacob Jarvis </span></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;"><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></b><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;"><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">10]<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Senate Minority Leader </span><span style="mso-color-alt: windowtext;"><a href="https://www.newsweek.com/topic/mitch-mcconnell" target="_blank"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Mitch McConnell</span></a></span></b><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">'s
suggestion former President </span><span style="mso-color-alt: windowtext;"><a href="https://www.newsweek.com/topic/donald-trump" target="_blank"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Donald Trump</span></a></span></b><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> is
"practically and morally responsible" for provoking the violence of
January 6 stands firmly at odds with the opinion of most </span><span style="mso-color-alt: windowtext;"><a href="https://www.newsweek.com/topic/republicans" target="_blank"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Republicans</span></a></span></b><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> asked
in recent polling.</span></b><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9DOC2wDrJbw/YHecrdqYVyI/AAAAAAAAGzs/CylLkEH-GrorlitYpOzEkbmm7WLsSNUKQCLcBGAsYHQ/s314/turtle.jpg" style="background-color: transparent; font-style: italic; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="209" data-original-width="314" height="106" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9DOC2wDrJbw/YHecrdqYVyI/AAAAAAAAGzs/CylLkEH-GrorlitYpOzEkbmm7WLsSNUKQCLcBGAsYHQ/w159-h106/turtle.jpg" width="159" /></span></a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: red; font-size: x-large; line-height: 115%; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">©
Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;"><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Senate </span></b><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) departs after the day's proceedings in
the impeachment trial of former President Donald Trump at the U.S. Capitol on
February 10, 2021 in Washington, D.C. He voted to acquit Trump but said the
former president held responsibility for the events of January 6. He has since
faced criticism from Trump.</span></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;"><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">While
the Kentucky Republican voted to acquit Trump, he said this was a decision
based on the constitutionality of the trial and still </span><span style="mso-color-alt: windowtext;"><a href="https://www.newsweek.com/mitch-mcconnell-warns-trump-didnt-get-away-anything-can-still-criminally-prosecuted-1569159" target="_blank"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">criticized
the former president</span></a></span></b><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">—even </span><span style="mso-color-alt: windowtext;"><a href="https://www.newsweek.com/mitch-mcconnell-warns-trump-didnt-get-away-anything-can-still-criminally-prosecuted-1569159" target="_blank"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">suggesting
he could face consequences through other legal means</span></a></span></b><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">.</span></b><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;"><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Following
this, Trump lashed out at McConnell </span><span style="mso-color-alt: windowtext;"><a href="https://www.newsweek.com/read-donald-trumps-full-statement-mitch-mcconnell-his-first-since-impeachment-1569753" target="_blank"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">in a
scathing statement</span></a></span></b><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> branding him a </span><span style="mso-color-alt: windowtext;"><a href="https://www.newsweek.com/trump-calls-mcconnell-political-hack-will-back-maga-supporting-challenger-his-seat-1569748" target="_blank"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">"dour,
sullen, and unsmiling political hack,"</span></a></span></b><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> and
suggesting he was at fault for the GOP losing its </span><span style="mso-color-alt: windowtext;"><a href="https://www.newsweek.com/topic/senate" target="_blank"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Senate</span></a></span></b><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> majority.</span></b><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;"><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">As
McConnell and Trump's feud plays out, in terms of public opinion most
Republican supports reject the suggestion of the former president being at
fault for the storming of the Capitol.</span></b><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: red; line-height: 115%; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: red; line-height: 115%; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">11]<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In YouGov/<i>The Economist</i> polling
carried out February 13 to 16, 1,500 U.S. adults were asked how much
responsibility they felt Trump had for "the takeover of the Capitol"
and also asked whether they thought Trump did "anything wrong during the
takeover of the Capitol."</span></b><b style="color: #04ff00;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;"><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: #04ff00; font-size: x-large; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>We The Peeps 1http://www.blogger.com/profile/03058442202268032528noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-704081178507719531.post-14864597270426935512021-04-12T16:45:00.001-07:002021-04-12T16:45:55.463-07:00MITCH AND THE BITCH<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><u><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: Algerian; font-size: 18pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Mitch & Elaine – a marriage made in Hel</span></u></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 13.5pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div><p></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; mso-line-height-alt: 13.8pt; text-align: center;"><b><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif" style="background: white; color: #2f5496; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;">Not
enough has been made of Elaine Cho, her family, Mitch McConnell and the</span></b><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif" style="color: #2f5496; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;"> <b><span style="background: white;">undeniable
ties to Communist China. </span></b><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><b><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif" style="background: white; color: #2f5496; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;">This
how Moscow Mitch got rich.</span></b></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 4.5pt; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 4.5pt 0in 0in; mso-line-height-alt: 13.8pt;"><b><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif" style="background: white; color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In the
heart of the Great Recession, Mitch McConnell suddenly got richer. According to
his 2009 financial disclosure, while other senators’ fortunes were falling,
McConnell’s jumped, thanks to a multimillion-dollar gift from his
father-in-law, James Chao, to him and his wife, Elaine Chao, who now serves as
President Trump’s Secretary of Transportation.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: .5in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0.5in; mso-line-height-alt: 13.8pt;"><b><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: .5in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0.5in 0in 0in; mso-line-height-alt: 13.8pt;"><b><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif" style="background: white; color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">When Ruth
Chao died, she was the matriarch of a family of eight. Four decades earlier she
and her three oldest daughters traveled by ship from Taiwan to the U.S. to join
her husband, James, in New York. By the end of her life, she personally had
nearly $59 million of assets to her name, according to an inventory filed with
her will. She owned a home 25 miles north of Manhattan in Harrison, New York,
worth $1.17 million; checking and money market accounts worth a combined
$50,900; a 2006 Lexus sedan worth $23,000; miscellaneous personal property
worth $25,000; and a “closely held business interest”—worth $57.5
million. <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: .5in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0.5in; mso-line-height-alt: 13.8pt;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.8pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: .5in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0.5in;"><a href="https://help.nytimes.com/hc/en-us/articles/115014792127-Copyright-notice"><b><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif" style="background: white; border: 1pt none windowtext; color: blue; font-size: 16pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; padding: 0in;">The New York Times Company</span></b></a><b><u><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif" style="background: white; border: 1pt none windowtext; color: blue; font-size: 16pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; padding: 0in;"><o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; mso-line-height-alt: 13.8pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><b><u><span style="background: white; color: #0c0cfc; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 16pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">For the Chao Family, Deep Ties to the World’s 2
Largest Economies</span></u></b><b><span style="color: #0c0cfc; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dUpLDE-SEUE/YHTQ0920NlI/AAAAAAAAGzU/RSkqltVereYDXZfQMh96O2eZ0GTKwLsaACLcBGAsYHQ/s164/CHAO%2B01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="102" data-original-width="164" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dUpLDE-SEUE/YHTQ0920NlI/AAAAAAAAGzU/RSkqltVereYDXZfQMh96O2eZ0GTKwLsaACLcBGAsYHQ/s0/CHAO%2B01.jpg" /></a><br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.8pt; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><b><span style="background: white; border: 1pt none windowtext; color: black; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; padding: 0in;">A</span><span style="background: white; border: 1pt none windowtext; color: black; font-family: "Georgia",serif; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; padding: 0in;">s transportation secretary, <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.8pt; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><b><span style="background: white; border: 1pt none windowtext; color: black; font-family: "Georgia",serif; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; padding: 0in;">Elaine Chao</span></b><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.8pt; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><b><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif" style="background: white; border: 1pt none windowtext; color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; padding: 0in;">is the top Trump official overseeing the</span></b><b><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif" style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.8pt; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><b><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif" style="background: white; border: 1pt none windowtext; color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; padding: 0in;">maritime industry. Her family owns</span></b><b><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif" style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.8pt; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><b><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif" style="background: white; border: 1pt none windowtext; color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; padding: 0in;">Foremost Group, a shipping company.</span></b><b><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif" style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.8pt; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><b><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif" style="background: white; border: 1pt none windowtext; color: black; letter-spacing: 0.1pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; padding: 0in;">Credit...Sarah Silbiger/The
New York Times</span></b><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wsvePjePhLs/YHTQ0C-vUrI/AAAAAAAAGzQ/gR_qPduStPoZX1EL-n_4XijHxuDHW6cygCLcBGAsYHQ/s69/FORSYTHE.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="69" data-original-width="69" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wsvePjePhLs/YHTQ0C-vUrI/AAAAAAAAGzQ/gR_qPduStPoZX1EL-n_4XijHxuDHW6cygCLcBGAsYHQ/s0/FORSYTHE.png" /></a> <a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sjonaPPrXKc/YHTQzJLSKhI/AAAAAAAAGzM/buhnc0aNqhg7Yr7mEHNCLv9ZnzxVPRHygCLcBGAsYHQ/s65/LIPTON.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="65" data-original-width="65" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sjonaPPrXKc/YHTQzJLSKhI/AAAAAAAAGzM/buhnc0aNqhg7Yr7mEHNCLv9ZnzxVPRHygCLcBGAsYHQ/s0/LIPTON.png" /></a></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.8pt; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><b><span face=""Helvetica",sans-serif" style="background: white; border: 1pt none windowtext; color: #1f3864; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 128; padding: 0in;">By </span></b><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/by/michael-forsythe"><b><span face=""Helvetica",sans-serif" style="background: white; border: 1pt none windowtext; color: #1f3864; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 128; padding: 0in;">Michael
Forsythe</span></b></a><b><span face=""Helvetica",sans-serif" style="background: white; color: #1f3864; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 128;"> and </span></b><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/by/eric-lipton"><b><span face=""Helvetica",sans-serif" style="background: white; border: 1pt none windowtext; color: #1f3864; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 128; padding: 0in;">Eric Lipton</span></b></a><b><span style="color: #1f3864; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 128;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.8pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><u><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Georgia",serif; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">h</span></u></b><b><span style="background: white; color: blue; font-family: "Georgia",serif; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2019/06/02/us/politics/transportation-secretary-elaine-chao.html">ttps://www.nytimes.com/2019/06/02/us/politics/transportation-secretary-elaine-chao.html</a></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; mso-line-height-alt: 13.8pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><b><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif" style="background: white; color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The family of Elaine Chao, the transportation
secretary and wife of Mitch McConnell, the Senate majority leader, has
high-level political connections not only in the United States but also in
China. That gives the family unusual status in the world’s two largest
economies.</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; mso-line-height-alt: 13.8pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><b><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif" style="background: white; color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Through interviews, industry filings and government
documents from both countries, <span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">The New York Times found</span> that
the Chaos, and by extension Mr. McConnell, prospered as the family’s shipping
company developed deeper business ties in China. Along the way, one of the
company’s boosters was Ms. Chao, who now oversees efforts to promote America’s
own maritime industry, which is in steep decline as China’s shipping sector
rises in global dominance. Here are five takeaways.</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; mso-line-height-alt: 13.8pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><b><u><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif" style="background: white; color: black; font-size: 18pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The Chao family’s connections to the Chinese
state go back decades.</span></u></b><b><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; mso-line-height-alt: 13.8pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><b><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif" style="background: white; color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">James S.C. Chao, 91, Ms. Chao’s father, studied
navigation at a university in Shanghai before fleeing the mainland ahead of the
Communist takeover in 1949. His schoolmate for a time was Jiang
Zemin, who would become China’s president.</span></b><b><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; mso-line-height-alt: 13.8pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><b><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif" style="background: white; color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">As China was emerging from decades of turmoil in
1984, the Chao family took a stake in a state-owned Chinese manufacturer of
marine electronic equipment, documents show. The company targeted sales to
China’s military, among other sectors, and was closely affiliated with a
ministry run by Mr. Jiang. After Mr. Jiang came to lead the Communist Party a
few years later, Mr. Chao met with him at least six times, including in August
1989 in Beijing — inside the party’s secretive leadership compound. Chao family
members said they could not recall this investment.</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; mso-line-height-alt: 13.8pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><b><u><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif" style="background: white; color: black; font-size: 18pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The family shipping company is centered on China.</span></u></b><b><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-32RlncIN4AI/YHTQx9WEOdI/AAAAAAAAGzI/Vc94X-FDNlUIASExdAcpm6DotQpih1g9wCLcBGAsYHQ/s177/ARCHES%2B01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="118" data-original-width="177" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-32RlncIN4AI/YHTQx9WEOdI/AAAAAAAAGzI/Vc94X-FDNlUIASExdAcpm6DotQpih1g9wCLcBGAsYHQ/s0/ARCHES%2B01.jpg" /></a><br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.8pt; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><b><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif" style="background: white; border: 1pt none windowtext; color: black; font-size: 8pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; padding: 0in;">The main gate of the Shanghai</span></b><b><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 8pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.8pt; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><b><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif" style="background: white; border: 1pt none windowtext; color: black; font-size: 8pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; padding: 0in;">Waigaoqiao shipyard, a building</span></b><b><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 8pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.8pt; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><b><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif" style="background: white; border: 1pt none windowtext; color: black; font-size: 8pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; padding: 0in;">site for Foremost ships.</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.8pt; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><b><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif" style="background: white; border: 1pt none windowtext; color: black; font-size: 8pt; letter-spacing: 0.1pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; padding: 0in;">Credit...Giulia Marchi for
The New York Times</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; mso-line-height-alt: 13.8pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><b><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif" style="background: white; color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Foremost Group, the New York-based shipping
company founded by Mr. Chao in 1964, landed its first big contract with the
United States government, shipping rice to Southeast Asia during the Vietnam
War.</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; mso-line-height-alt: 13.8pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><b><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif" style="background: white; color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Now, it builds most of its ships in state-owned
shipyards in China, with some financed by Chinese government loans. In at least
two instances, those Chinese-backed, Chinese-built ships entered long-term
contracts to deliver iron ore for a state-owned steel maker.</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; mso-line-height-alt: 13.8pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><b><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif" style="background: white; color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">More than 70 percent of Foremost’s freight goes
to China, and most of that is iron ore, according to recent shipping data. The
cargo helps feed China’s industrial machine, which manufactures steel products
that are a point of dispute in the deepening trade war between China and the
United States. The company describes itself as a small international business
and says it does not have a particular focus on China, beyond what most dry
bulk carriers have in a world dominated by Chinese manufacturing.</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; mso-line-height-alt: 13.8pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><b><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif" style="background: white; color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">As budget cuts have targeted America’s
shipping sector, the Trump administration’s commitment under Ms. Chao has been
questioned.</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; mso-line-height-alt: 13.8pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><b><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif" style="background: white; color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The Trump administration has left little doubt
that the federal government is willing to use its clout to boost certain
American industrial sectors, including coal and steel. Those efforts have not
extended to the maritime industry under Ms. Chao’s leadership.</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; mso-line-height-alt: 13.8pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><b><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif" style="background: white; color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The Transportation Department budget during her
tenure has repeatedly called for cuts for programs intended to support the
depressed system of American-flagged ships. The agency budget has also called
for scaling back plans to replace up to five academy ships to train a new
generation of American mariners.</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; mso-line-height-alt: 13.8pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><b><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif" style="background: white; color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Agency officials noted that many of the cuts were
forced on the department by the White House, and that some of the same programs
had been previously targeted, only to see the money restored by Congress, as
happened again with the Trump cuts.</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; mso-line-height-alt: 13.8pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><b><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif" style="background: white; color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">With the action by Congress, the plans to build
the new training ships are now back on track, and overall maritime spending is
up. But the proposed cuts have led to bipartisan questions about the Trump
administration’s commitment to shipping.</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; mso-line-height-alt: 13.8pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><b><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif" style="background: white; color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Transportation Department officials say that Ms.
Chao has been a champion for the United States maritime system, and that her
actions as the head of the agency have nothing to do with her family’s business
in China. In China, the Chao family has for decades offered scholarships
to students training to join the fast-growing shipping industry there.</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; mso-line-height-alt: 13.8pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><b><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif" style="background: white; color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“My family are patriotic Americans who have led
purpose-driven lives and contributed much to this country,” Ms. Chao said in a
statement.</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; mso-line-height-alt: 13.8pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><b><u><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif" style="background: white; color: black; font-size: 18pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Ms. Chao’s family ties to the shipping company
and her dealings in China raise ethical issues.</span></u></b><b><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-y_zTa6aV6lo/YHTQwwf7fLI/AAAAAAAAGzE/G4Nfy3PQuLsfCaSKZTDrCJRNlXe9zbYAQCLcBGAsYHQ/s165/CHINA%2BCHIOA.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="113" data-original-width="165" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-y_zTa6aV6lo/YHTQwwf7fLI/AAAAAAAAGzE/G4Nfy3PQuLsfCaSKZTDrCJRNlXe9zbYAQCLcBGAsYHQ/s0/CHINA%2BCHIOA.jpg" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif" style="background: white; border: 1pt none windowtext; color: black; font-size: 8pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; padding: 0in;">A certificate being presented to Ms. Chao</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.8pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif" style="background: white; border: 1pt none windowtext; color: black; font-size: 8pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; padding: 0in;">in her role as an international adviser to</span></b><b><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 8pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.8pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif" style="background: white; border: 1pt none windowtext; color: black; font-size: 8pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; padding: 0in;">the city of <u>Wuhan</u>.</span></b><b><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 8pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.8pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif" style="background: white; border: 1pt none windowtext; color: black; font-size: 8pt; letter-spacing: 0.1pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; padding: 0in;">Credit...Imaginechina, via Associated Press
Image</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; mso-line-height-alt: 13.8pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><b><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif" style="background: white; color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Ms. Chao hasn’t held a formal position at
Foremost since the late 1970s, but she has repeatedly used her connections and
status to boost the company’s reputation and visibility.</span></b><b><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; mso-line-height-alt: 13.8pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><b><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif" style="background: white; color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">As transportation secretary, she attended a
Foremost contract-signing ceremony in New York in 2017. The other party to the
contract, the Sumitomo Group of Japan, was subject to Transportation Department
oversight for transit projects. Two months later, she canceled a China trip
after officials at the American embassy in Beijing raised ethical concerns when
her office asked to have family members from the shipping company participate
in events.</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; mso-line-height-alt: 13.8pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><b><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif" style="background: white; color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The Transportation Department provided no reason
for the trip’s cancellation, though a spokesman later cited a cabinet meeting
President Trump had called at the time.</span></b><b><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; mso-line-height-alt: 13.8pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><b><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif" style="background: white; color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">At her confirmation hearing, Ms. Chao did not
mention her family’s extensive ties to the Chinese maritime industry. She also
did not disclose several accolades she had received in China — including a role
as an international adviser to the city of Wuhan — though the Senate
questionnaire requires nominees to list all honorary positions. An agency
official described that as an oversight.</span></b><b><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; mso-line-height-alt: 13.8pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><b><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif" style="background: white; color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Marilyn L. Glynn, a former general counsel at the
Office of Government Ethics, said Ms. Chao should recuse herself from decisions
that broadly impacted the shipping industry. “She might be tempted to make sure
her family company is not adversely affected in any policy choices, or it might
even just appear that way,” Ms. Glynn said.</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; mso-line-height-alt: 13.8pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><b><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif" style="background: white; color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The department spokesman denied the existence of
any conflict, saying that “the family business is not in U.S.-flag shipping.”
Angela Chao, Foremost’s chief executive, said her sister Elaine attended
Foremost events “as a family member.”</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; mso-line-height-alt: 13.8pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><b><u><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif" style="background: white; color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Mr. McConnell benefited from his marriage into
the Chao family.</span></u></b><b><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; mso-line-height-alt: 13.8pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><b><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif" style="background: white; color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Ms. Chao and Mr. McConnell married in 1993, but
her campaign donations, along with those of her parents, sisters
and brothers-in-law, began flowing years before the wedding. The first
$10,000 came in June 1989. In the 30 years since, 13 members of the extended
Chao family have given a total of more than $1 million to Mr. McConnell’s
campaigns and to political action committees tied to him. In 2008, James Chao
gave the couple a gift of as much as $25 million, vaulting Mr. McConnell into
the ranks of the richest senators.</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><b><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif" style="background: white; color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In a statement, Mr. McConnell said he was proud
to have his family’s support.</span></b><b><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.8pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><u><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif" style="background: white; color: black; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Also see:</span></u></b><b><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif" style="background: white; color: black; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">
</span></b><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elaine_Chao"><b><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif" style="background: white; color: blue; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elaine_</span></b></a><b><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>We The Peeps 1http://www.blogger.com/profile/03058442202268032528noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-704081178507719531.post-76292301435594989732021-04-11T18:37:00.002-07:002021-04-14T18:39:08.047-07:00“E PLURIBUS UNUM”<blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0 0 0 40px; padding: 0px;"><p style="text-align: left;"> <b style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: red; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">HOW CAN WE, AS A NATION,
BECOME ONE FOR EACH OTHER?</span></i></b><b style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: red; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p> </o:p></span></i></b></p></blockquote>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><a name="5468728118703852621"></a><b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">A while back, Americans fought
amongst themselves to determine the fate of indentured servitude. One Hundred
sixty-five years later that very same fight has resurfaced and permeated our
society. Since the end of our Civil War, a surprisingly large number of
citizens still feel that the United States of America is a “<i>white supremacy</i>”
Country.</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><b>The rise of Black success across the full spectrum of
politics, business, and Society has brought to the surface all the racism
and bigotry that was lying just below that surface for decades. A pathetic few
Whites were </b></span><span style="font-size: 18.6667px;"><b>heartbroken</b></span><b style="font-size: 14pt;"> and outraged by the catastrophe that followed Hurricane
Katrina. The aftermath of that storm made it clear that our lack of a political </b><span style="font-size: 18.6667px;"><b>backbone</b></span><b style="font-size: 14pt;"> has life-and-death consequences. <o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">With no one to speak for them, hundreds of thousands of
people - largely Black, poor, and elderly - were left behind to die. It wasn't
just Black folks and it wasn’t just Puerto Rico. Poor, sick, and elderly people
of every color were abandoned too. </span></b></p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0 0 0 40px; padding: 0px;"><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0 0 0 40px; padding: 0px;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">"Anyone care for a roll of paper towels?"</span></b></p></blockquote></blockquote><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">When
we work to make sure Black lives and interests are encouraged and promoted
fairly, we do the same for all who have been left behind in political silence.</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">How do you start this challenge? I give you one word: <u>EDUCATION</u>.
Ensure that every neighborhood in the Country delivers a quality, fair, and
just Public education. Get rid of this ridiculous “common core” curriculum. The
US Department of Education dismantled meaningful teaching and learning in our
public school system years ago and threw out traditional and important segments
of our National curriculum: reading, writing, arithmetic. For good measure,
throw in some math, geography, history, a second language, art, etc.</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I continue to be angry, frustrated, and disillusioned that
we are still having a debate about racism, bigotry, and segregation.</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">This time we had better get it right.</span></b></p>We The Peeps 1http://www.blogger.com/profile/03058442202268032528noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-704081178507719531.post-50936327734260466462021-04-11T17:40:00.003-07:002021-04-11T17:59:57.063-07:00A VA VIDEO CONNECT APPOINTMENT GONE UPSIDE DOWN: WTF, AGAIN!<b></b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><u><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">THIS IS THE “<span style="color: #fcff01;">QUALITY</span>”
OF CARE</span></u></b></div><div>
<p align="center" class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 5.7pt; margin: 5.7pt 0in 0in; text-align: center;"><b><u style="text-underline: dot-dot-dash;"><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">WE GET AT THE NORTHPORT, NY VAMC<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 5.7pt; margin: 5.7pt 0in 0in; text-align: center;"><b><u style="text-underline: dot-dot-dash;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">[ This
is the actual report in PT. file ]<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 5.7pt; margin: 5.7pt 0in 0in; text-align: center;"><br /></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 5.7pt; margin: 5.7pt 0in 0in;"><b><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">This is DUBOSQUE, HUTCHINSON JR, a 71
gentleman with a past medical history of former smoker quiet smoking in 2004
with PMH HTN, HLD, hypothyroidism, PTSD, depression, spinal stenosis s/p fusion
(9/15), essential tremor, PUD, COPD on home O2, OSA not complaint with nasal
CPAP and chronic respiratory failure who was called via VVC for discussion
regarding his lung transplant evaluation.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 115%; margin-left: 0in;"><b><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Participants of the VVC meeting
included myself and pulmonary attending, Dr. Chernyavskiy.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="TableParagraph" style="line-height: 115%; margin-top: 0in;"><a name="_Hlk68951235"><b><i><span style="color: red; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Pt comment:</span></i></b></a><b><i><span style="color: red; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"> I just love me some I---. These notes from our
little video chat point out that I--- just doesn’t give a flying fuck about
Veterans.</span></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 115%; margin-left: 0in;"><b><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Patient reports that he has undergone
extensive evaluation with John Hopkins' lung transplant team over the past year
and has recently been listed on the lung transplant list on January 7, 2021. We
explained to him that the VA would not pay for his lung transplant at Johns-Hopkins' as the VA lung transplant protocol is to go through VA eligible lung transplant
centers, i.e.,<span style="letter-spacing: -0.95pt;"> </span>at Wisconsin.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 115%; margin-left: 0in;"><b><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">We explained to patient repeatedly
that the lung transplant process at the VA hospital goes through either the
University of Wisconsin or Seattle VA. <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="TableParagraph" style="line-height: 115%; margin-top: 0.05pt;"><b><i><span style="color: red; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Pt comment: Right up front,
they state that they will deny me access to Johns-Hopkins for lung
transplantation through the Mission Act. Further down, they start back-peddling
like the little weasels they are. If I get just a whiff of COVID, I’m dead, and
I---knows that.</span></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 115%; margin-left: 0in;"><b><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Patient would forward all the
information and investigations performed at<span style="letter-spacing: -0.9pt;"> </span>Johns-Hopkins
to Northport VA and we will forward this information to the University of
Wisconsin. Patient and his wife agreed to the above and would be sending us a
package of his results and hospital records from Johns-Hopkins.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 115%; margin-left: 0in;"><b><i><span style="color: red; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Pt comment: No way in Hell
this is ever going to happen!<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .35pt; margin: 0.35pt 0in 0in;"><b><i><span style="color: red; line-height: 115%;"><o:p><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></o:p></span></i></b><b><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Nature of patient call is to request
VA to pay for pulmonary transplantation at Johns-Hopkins Medical Center, where
patient went more than 1 year ago and underwent extensive evaluation, testing,
and as I understood he is placed on the transplant waiting list over there. Pt
went to Johns-Hopkins on his own;<span style="letter-spacing: -1.05pt;"> </span>he
stated that he doesn't trust care at the VA and he didn't want to wait until<span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;"> </span>he dies at the VA.</span></b></p><p class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .35pt; margin: 0.35pt 0in 0in;"><b><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .05pt; margin: 0.05pt 0in 0in;"><i><span style="color: red; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><b>Pt comment: I had to do my
own research on this, as VA and I--- conveniently never mentioned </b></span><span style="font-size: 21.3333px;"><b>anything</b></span><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><b> about a lung transplant…ever! Not in these notes is I---’s statement that he
knows nothing about Johns- Hopkins. It </b></span></span></i><i><span style="color: red; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><b>is only #3 in the Country for transplants,
including lungs.</b></span></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .05pt; margin: 0.05pt 0in 0in;"><b><i><span style="color: red; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .25pt; margin: 0.25pt 0in 0in;"><b><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Patient has advanced COPD/emphysema
from smoking complicated with significant fibrotic changes. At some point I
spoke to the patient regarding his request to have in the bronchial lung volume
reduction procedure. I strongly advised him again this procedure as it appears
that he can be harmed rather than helped from this procedure; pt was advised
that VA will cover this expense if he finds someone to offer this procedure and
he would accept the risk. Patient on triple therapy and Daliresp and he is on
oxygen replacement therapy. <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .25pt; margin: 0.25pt 0in 0in;"><b><i><span style="color: red; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Pt comment: </span></i></b><b><i><span style="color: red; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I initiated the discussion on Bronchial Bypass, after doing my own
research. VA and I--- never </span></i></b><b><i><span style="color: red; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">mentioned any options at all…ever.</span></i></b></p><p class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .25pt; margin: 0.25pt 0in 0in;"><b><i><span style="color: red; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">But, stated right here, is an admission that VA will pay for a procedure that would kill you!</span></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .25pt; margin: 0.25pt 0in 0in;"><b><i><span style="color: red; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p> </o:p></span></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .25pt; margin: 0.25pt 0in 0in;"><b><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Patient can be considered potential
candidate for lung transplant given that his cardiac pathology and other
comorbidities will not interfere with success of intervention. Patient stated
that he wasn't at VA for more than 1 year because he is afraid of catching
COVID 19 infection.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .25pt; margin: 0.25pt 0in 0in;"><b><i><span style="color: red; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Pt comment: Based on
historical experience with this VAMC, there is no way I’m stepping foot in the
place.<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .25pt; margin: 0.25pt 0in 0in;"><b><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .25pt; margin: 0.25pt 0in 0in;"><b><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">I explained to the patient that
pulmonary transplantation can be offered at the VA medical system and for the
EAST Coast the hub is Univ of Wisconsin. Should the patient express interest,
we can initiate that process; in layman terms I explained that this is a
standard process applicable to all veterans who are receiving medical care at
Veteran’s Affairs Medical Center. <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .25pt; margin: 0.25pt 0in 0in;"><i><span style="color: red; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><b>Pt comment: No way in Hell
am I traveling to Wisconsin with my condition and COVID raging in the </b></span><span style="font-size: 21.3333px;"><b>midwest</b></span><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><b>.
No way in Hell am I moving to Wisconsin for three months to complete the
process. After that, there are periodic visits involved which VA would task
I--- with in Northport, NY.</b></span></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .25pt; margin: 0.25pt 0in 0in;"><b><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .25pt; margin: 0.25pt 0in 0in;"><b><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Patient became extremely angry and
started using nonstandard expressions in the conversation; I strongly advised
him to calm himself and use an appropriate language in order to continue our
dialog. I reiterated to the patient and his wife that no one can deny and
assessment/evaluation for pulmonary transplant for the patient of his type. <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .25pt; margin: 0.25pt 0in 0in;"><b><i><span style="color: red; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Pt comment: You bet I
became enraged and nasty. And, yes, he and VA are realistically denying my request to use the Mission Act before anyone has even looked at my files!<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .25pt; margin: 0.25pt 0in 0in;"><b><i><span style="color: red; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .25pt; margin: 0.25pt 0in 0in;"><b><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">I do not understand why they will
undergo impression that VA in pulmonary section deny this assessment. Patient
and his wife that told by Johns Hopkins Hospital that transferred is a local
geographically procedure, but it is their opinion and the it is not standard
practice for any kind of transplants which can perform at VA, kidney, lung,
liver, etc. even though patient was<span style="letter-spacing: -1pt;"> </span>adamantly
not interested to go to Wisconsin for the evaluation. <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .25pt; margin: 0.25pt 0in 0in;"><b><i><span style="color: red; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Pt comment: It was not
recorded that I--- did deny access to the Mission Act.</span></i></b><b><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .25pt; margin: 0.25pt 0in 0in;"><b><i><span style="color: red; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .25pt; margin: 0.25pt 0in 0in;"><b><i><span style="color: red; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">The following is never
going to happen: even though we agreed to do it.<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .25pt; margin: 0.25pt 0in 0in;"><b><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">He and his wife agree for us to start
formal process. They will send all available information<span style="letter-spacing: -0.8pt;"> </span>obtained from Johns-Hopkins Hospital, which will be included in
the package to be sent to Wisconsin. Patient medications were renewed. Patient
didn't have any other questions. 25-30 minutes total encounter.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .25pt; margin: 0.25pt 0in 0in;"><b><i><span style="color: red; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Contacted Senator Chuck Schumer’s office
re. denial for Mission Act.<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .4pt; margin: 0.4pt 0in 0in;"><b><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 115%; margin-left: 0in;"><b><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">/Es/ I-- -----------y Pulmonary<span style="letter-spacing: -1pt;"> </span>Attending--<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 115%; margin-left: 0in;"><b><span style="color: #00007f; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Date/Time:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b><b><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">14 Jan 2021 @ 1340<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 115%; margin-left: 0in;"><b><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Signed: 01/15/2021<span style="letter-spacing: -0.3pt;"> </span>16:15<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 115%; margin-left: 0in;"><b><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0mtuUjej3Ic/YHOQDRkIZEI/AAAAAAAAGys/8x4am6346Tgmejts6IqNmfGQ_ZSetLmAQCLcBGAsYHQ/s209/scars.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="209" data-original-width="157" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0mtuUjej3Ic/YHOQDRkIZEI/AAAAAAAAGys/8x4am6346Tgmejts6IqNmfGQ_ZSetLmAQCLcBGAsYHQ/w300-h400/scars.jpg" width="300" /></a></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 115%; margin-left: 0in;"><b><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Johns-Hopkins, 2/24/2021 – The
aftermath.</span></b><b><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"> A new, 20 y/o lung</span></b></p></div>We The Peeps 1http://www.blogger.com/profile/03058442202268032528noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-704081178507719531.post-67470252315294107602021-02-11T13:02:00.000-08:002021-02-11T13:02:02.376-08:00A sixty-five-year impression of what our National government looks like from the street.<p><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 5.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b><b><i><u><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“Money
for nothin’ and the chicks for free!”</span></u></i></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3qY8FyiMijQ/YCWZ2fUkIdI/AAAAAAAAGvk/wVEzr7Sigq84qQ5d-mAaY7mAk4lxJG_ZQCLcBGAsYHQ/s258/money.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="252" data-original-width="258" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3qY8FyiMijQ/YCWZ2fUkIdI/AAAAAAAAGvk/wVEzr7Sigq84qQ5d-mAaY7mAk4lxJG_ZQCLcBGAsYHQ/s0/money.png" /></a><b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">…..Way
too much money!</span></b></b></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">My
first memories of money in government started in the late 1950’s. I will never
forget Dwight Eisenhower’s speech warning the Nation of the power behind the
Military Industrial Complex. He saw that the number one threat to our democratic
way of governance may well come from within. This threat is addressed in the
oath to public and military service, in part:<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 8.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“…defend
this Country from all threats, both foreign and domestic.”</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 8.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">I
hope this sounds very familiar to every citizen of this Nation. </span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">We
constantly keep a vigilant eye toward threats from the outside. Now, it has
become painfully clear that we have to be vigilant to threats from within. </span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Unfortunately
for Dwight Eisenhower, the money from the did overwhelm the system and
inevitably brought us to “Citizens United”.</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 8.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">In
the 1960’s, dark money from the entire corporate world started strutting its
stuff in public. John Kennedy doesn’t get elected without huge donation influx
of corporate money. Historically corrupt politicians, like Lydon Johnson, had
so many money-related I.O.U.’s that he could get whatever he wanted for his
campaign war chest.; and did. Then came the major failure, Dick Nixon. He
almost made it for eight years, but all his big money guys went sour on him and
out the door he went.</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 8.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">All
the time Kennedy, Johnson, and Nixon held office the massive war machine
flourished and grew to staggering heights. A ton of “dark” money was turning
tides at the voter’s polls. Corporations of all types were more seriously
getting in the game of buying a government. The 1960’s fomented a movement of
great mistrust of our National government which, by the 1970’s, created drastic
reductions in the number of actual voters. Gerald Ford and Jimmy Carter bubbled
us into the 1980’s. We then got this actor person, Ron Reagan, to take us
through most of the 1980’s. There was some serious money involved in National
politics at this point. The money continued to flow as G. W. H. Bush lead us
out of the 1980’s into the roaring 1990’s. The 1980’s seemed to be a wake-up
call to the U.S. voters, as far as huge money donors went. Bill Clinton took
the helm and all hell broke lose with big, dark money in politics; lots of it,
on both sides of the aisle. Clinton’s only remarkable achievement was his
leaving office after two terms with a National Budget surplus. Those that came
after him blew the National budgets and deficits to hell in a hand basket.</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">That
took care of the roaring 90’s. Y-2K came and went; nothing to see here – keep moving.
G. W. Bush came down from on high aided and abetted by Daddy’s big money donors
and took a seat in the White House. That seat wasn’t even warm when the Towers
came down and the Pentagon was breached. And, just like that, we were involved
in an endless war; one which we are still embroiled 20+ years later. That old
Military/Industrial Complex once again reared its ugly head and the Federal
government fell into their trap and trance. This group of self-serving
corporations and individuals never went away they were simply laying low just
waiting to ponce on the U.S. Treasury. The Complex was such a dreadnaught that
it immediately plunged the Nation into financial crisis [along with sub-prime
mortgages].<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 8.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">We
have elected three presidents since “W”, and money in politics has grown to
epic levels with the help of “Citizens United”. Our Nation’s finances have been
destroyed almost to the point of no return. If this trend goes on any longer,
we will indeed be a third-world Nation. For all the men and women who have put
their lives on the line for this Country, this would be the ultimate insult to
our dedication to democracy.</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>We The Peeps 1http://www.blogger.com/profile/03058442202268032528noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-704081178507719531.post-44562998933242173882021-02-04T08:25:00.002-08:002021-02-18T08:41:21.027-08:00<p> </p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: white; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">Is
there any Statute of Limitations<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: white; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">on
indicting a past elected Official?<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="color: white; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">I couldn’t the exact information
I was looking for. I did find this article that may raise more questions than
answers. As this article dwells on Republicans, I feel strongly that it also
must include Democrats. This seems to be an accurate “definition” of where we
are at right now.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: white;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">If you got this far, please send me your
thoughts at: </span></b><a href="mailto:hutch.dubosque@live.com"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">hutch.dubosque@live.com</span></b></a><b><u><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> .</span></u></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-J4J23jtOHdk/YBweeV9K-kI/AAAAAAAAGvQ/7BdR0GU2mnIS8s1Dezwdygcz4IxnzBdsQCLcBGAsYHQ/s960/137221579_2925166847806351_6608613341220211839_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="674" height="99" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-J4J23jtOHdk/YBweeV9K-kI/AAAAAAAAGvQ/7BdR0GU2mnIS8s1Dezwdygcz4IxnzBdsQCLcBGAsYHQ/w69-h99/137221579_2925166847806351_6608613341220211839_n.jpg" width="69" /></a><b style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">This will guarantee your
anonymity.</span></b></span></div><b><span style="color: white; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></b><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: rgb(0, 176, 80); margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="color: white; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 8pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-XqSfSFpn8p8/YBwd9j3RKbI/AAAAAAAAGvI/p4_qrSqVaPsgselDGa-9hzQ9HDWQ2PkAgCLcBGAsYHQ/image.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img alt="" data-original-height="40" data-original-width="173" height="74" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-XqSfSFpn8p8/YBwd9j3RKbI/AAAAAAAAGvI/p4_qrSqVaPsgselDGa-9hzQ9HDWQ2PkAgCLcBGAsYHQ/image.png" width="320" /></span></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-outline-level: 1;"><b><span style="color: white; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">Opinion: Would
we really prosecute an ex-president?<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: white;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Opinion by </span><a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/people/jennifer-rubin/"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Jennifer
Rubin</span></a><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">, Columnist<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: white; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">June 12, 2019 at 12:49 p.m. EDT</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In an interview with NPR, </span><a href="https://www.npr.org/2019/06/08/730941386/harris-justice-dept-would-have-no-choice-but-to-prosecute-trump-after-presidency" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Sen. Kamala D. Harris (D-Calif.)</span></a><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> opined that if
the facts warrant it, President Trump should be indicted for crimes outlined in
Robert S. Mueller III’s report:<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: white; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">"There has to be
accountability," Harris added. "I mean look, people might, you know,
question why I became a prosecutor. Well, I'll tell you one of the reasons — I
believe there should be accountability. Everyone should be held accountable,
and the president is not above the law."<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: white; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The former San
Francisco district attorney and California attorney general said she wasn't
dissuaded by the prospect of a former American president facing trial and a potential
prison sentence. "The facts and the evidence will take the process where
it leads," she said.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 5pt;"><span style="color: white; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“I do believe that we
should believe Bob Mueller when he tells us essentially that the only reason an
indictment was not returned is because of a memo in the Department of Justice
that suggests you cannot indict a sitting president. But I’ve seen prosecution
of cases on much less evidence.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: white; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">On one hand, Harris
is right: If we won’t impeach or indict a president in office, the only real
reaffirmation of the primacy of the rule of law would come in a criminal trial
after he leaves office. And yet, the same considerations that motivated
President Gerald Ford to pardon Richard M. Nixon should give us pause. Do we
open ourselves to rounds of tit-for-tat prosecution of political enemies? Do we
create even more polarization and political ill will, perhaps crippling the
next president? And then there are the practical considerations, such as
finding an impartial jury.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: white; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">There are two
responses, neither of which is satisfactory.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: white; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">First, Trump could,
in the event he is defeated in 2020, leave before the next president is sworn
in, allowing Vice President Pence to assume the presidency and pardon him. That
would be a catastrophe for Pence, but the country got past the Nixon pardon
(although the GOP paid a price in the 1974 and 1976 elections). The problem
here is that it would most certainly smack of a quid pro quo, opening up Pence
to charges of bribery (“I’ll leave office if you pardon me”) if he acceded to
Trump’s game plan.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: white; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Second, we simply
leave prosecution to the discretion of the next attorney general as to what if
any charges are brought (only clear, unequivocal instances of obstruction
should be considered), what sentence should be handed out and what plea deal
might be arranged. We trust juries to do their job. And we recognize that
obtaining a conviction does not necessarily mean actual jail time for Trump.
(Moreover, there are other off-ramps that might open up depending on the
findings of the Southern District of New York prosecutors. If, for example, he
committed tax or other financial crimes before he was president, we should have
no qualms about proceeding with these cases.)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: white; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The better solution
to the issue of criminal accountability is to revoke the Office of Legal
Counsel memo that opines a president cannot be indicted in office. The OLC
arguments have continued to be a matter of strong debate among constitutional
scholars as to whether impeachment can be the only way to address a sitting
president’s crimes. Impeachment, of course, is not intended as punishment but
rather as a defense of our constitutional order. Moreover, the notion that the
president would be paralyzed by criminal proceedings has been undercut to a
large degree with the Paula Jones ruling that a president can be sued while in
office.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: white; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Most important, a key
reason for the “don’t indict even if you don’t try the president in office”
argument is that such action would cast a cloud over the president. But isn’t
the reverse the case — a president credibly accused of criminal conduct should
have the chance to clear his name and get on with his presidency? Trying a
president — which requires proof beyond a reasonable doubt — allows either
exoneration or conviction without putting a new president in the position of
prosecuting his predecessor.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Professor Jed
Shugerman recommends, </span><a href="https://ir.lawnet.fordham.edu/flr/vol87/iss5/8/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">among other reforms</span></a><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">, that we “strengthen
the special counsel through a statute, not just a DOJ regulation, and fixing
the flaws in the old independent counsel statute.” He also advises:<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 5pt;"><span style="color: white; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The OLC should revise
the memo to say that a president can be indicted, recognizing that there is no
precedent for courts equitably tolling the statutes of limitations for crimes
(no precedent for general “fairness” arguments for stopping the clock on
criminal statutes of limitations). But the memo should acknowledge legitimate
constitutional and practical problems with putting a sitting president on
trial.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: white; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">What I’d like to hear
Harris and other candidates propose is a plan for <i>avoiding </i>such
messes in the future. First, we need executive orders and/or legislation
barring the White House staff from weighing in on specific prosecutorial
decisions. Even in the case of the president, the contact(s) with regard to
those decisions should be documented and subject to congressional review. The
temptation to obstruct investigations should be curtailed. Second, the OLC memo
should be withdrawn and a new analysis undertaken that accounts for recent
experience, including the Paula Jones litigation and the Mueller report. A
thoughtful process should be set up to provide for indictment in cases of
criminal conduct (as opposed to conduct that might be impeachable but not
illegal). Third, the Justice Department should set exacting requirements for
prosecution of former presidents in cases in which trial is not undertaken
before the president leaves office.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: white; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Constitutional
scholar Laurence Tribe agrees that another look at the OLC memo is needed. “The
2000 OLC memo, which basically echoed the 1973 OLC memo and its reasoning,
should certainly be revisited by whatever presidential administration succeeds
the one now in power. To begin with, the OLC memo was analytically flawed from
the start and rested on a theory fundamentally incompatible with the core
constitutional premise that nobody, and certainly no president, is above the
law.” He continues:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 5pt;"><span style="color: white; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">My own view is that,
when a sitting president is found to have engaged in what appear to be serious
crimes that would lead to any other citizen’s indictment and prosecution — as
over 1,000 former federal prosecutors said the Mueller report showed to be the
case with respect to Trump — including when those crimes are ones that an
ordinary citizen couldn’t commit (like dangling presidential pardons in front
of potential witnesses against him) because they relate to the president’s
conduct of office and might be impeachable offenses as well as statutory
criminal violations — that president should be subject not only to indictment
under seal but to a publicly visible indictment and to a public prosecution,
preferably by a court-appointed special prosecutor with substantial
independence from the executive branch.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: white; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">If nothing else,
“criminally inclined presidents like the one now in office would necessarily
think twice before doing what any halfway decent lawyer would advise them
constitute federal felonies that could lead either to their prosecution and
imprisonment.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: white; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The real solution, of
course, is to avoid these quagmires in the first place: Pick presidents wisely
and to insist the House and Senate do their constitutional duty. We would not
be in this position if the Senate could be expected to fairly render a verdict
on impeachment/removal. That Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) has
already predetermined the outcome — declaring case closed — has landed us in a
legal, political and ethical quagmire. We need to rid the political system of
intellectually and ethically corrupted Republicans, enforcing the lesson that
the public expects lawmakers to put country and Constitution above
partisanship.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p> </o:p></span><b><u><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">😡</span></u></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: white;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">If you got this far, please send me your
thoughts at: </span></b><a href="mailto:hutch.dubosque@live.com"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">hutch.dubosque@live.com</span></b></a><b><u><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> .</span></u></b></span><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">This will guarantee your anonymity.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>We The Peeps 1http://www.blogger.com/profile/03058442202268032528noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-704081178507719531.post-74712089361665753042021-01-28T12:21:00.000-08:002021-01-28T12:21:20.721-08:00<p> <b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">Hutch Dubosque,
author 1/26/2021 </span></b></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><b><u style="text-underline: wavy-double;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">ELECTION
DAY-USA<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><b><u style="text-underline: wavy-double;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">WHAT’S
WRONG WITH THIS PICTURE?<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">In almost every civilized Country in the
World in-person voting is not relegated one single day, officially. They spread
their voting process over three, four, sometimes five days. They have a mail-in
voting system, however, when given the option of multiple days on which to vote,
they choose to go vote in person. This extended method seems to work fairly and
efficiently.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">That would be <u>almost</u> every Country.
Ah-ha, there is one notable exception; the United States of America. “Pourquoi
est-ce?” That’s what I said: “Why is this?” Are politicians afraid of what
might happen if we extended the number of voting days? Are they afraid that
almost every eligible voter may cast their vote, as per our Constitution?
Something smells rotten here, and, as it is said, <u style="text-underline: dot-dot-dash;">“the fish always rots from the head”</u>.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: #C00000; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6.0pt;"><b><u style="text-underline: #C00000 dot-dot-dash;"><sub><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 8.0pt;"><o:p><span style="text-decoration: none;"> </span></o:p></span></sub></u></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6.0pt;"><b><u style="text-underline: double;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">A
brief encapsulation on the history of Election Day follows.<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #202122; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">from: Wikipedia:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #202122; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">By 1792, federal law permitted each state to
choose </span><span style="color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Electoral_College" title="United States Electoral College"><span style="color: #0b0080; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Presidential electors</span></a></span><span style="color: #202122; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> any time within a 34-day period</span><span style="color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Election_Day_(United_States)#cite_note-3"><sup><span style="color: #0b0080; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">[3]</span></sup></a></span><span style="color: #202122; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> before the first Wednesday in December.</span><span style="color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Election_Day_(United_States)#cite_note-4"><sup><span style="color: #0b0080; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">[4]</span></sup></a></span><span style="color: #202122; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> A November election was convenient
because the </span><span style="color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agrarian_society" title="Agrarian society"><span style="color: #0b0080; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">harvest</span></a></span><span style="color: #202122; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> would have been completed but the most
severe winter weather, impeding transportation, would not yet have arrived,
while the new election results also would roughly conform to a new year.
Tuesday was chosen as Election Day so that voters could attend church on
Sunday, travel to the polling location (usually in the </span><span style="color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/County_seat" title="County seat"><span style="color: #0b0080; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">county seat</span></a></span><span style="color: #202122; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">) on Monday, and vote before Wednesday, which
was usually when farmers would sell their produce at the market.</span><span style="color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Election_Day_(United_States)#cite_note-5"><sup><span style="color: #0b0080; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">[5]</span></sup></a></span><span style="color: #202122; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> Originally, states varied considerably
in the </span><span style="color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Electoral_College#Alternative_methods_of_choosing_electors" title="United States Electoral College"><span style="color: #0b0080; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">method of choosing electors</span></a></span><span style="color: #202122; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">. Gradually, states converged on selection by
some form of popular vote. <sup>[1]</sup><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #202122; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Development of the Morse </span><span style="color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baltimore%E2%80%93Washington_telegraph_line" title="Baltimore–Washington telegraph line"><span style="color: #0b0080; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">electric telegraph</span></a></span><span style="color: #202122; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">, funded by Congress in 1843 and successfully tested in 1844,
was a technological change that clearly augured an imminent future of instant communication
nationwide.</span><span style="color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Election_Day_(United_States)#cite_note-6"><sup><span style="color: #0b0080; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">[6]</span></sup></a></span><span style="color: #202122; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> To prevent information from one state
from influencing Presidential electoral outcomes in another, Congress responded
in 1845 by mandating a uniform national date for choosing Presidential
electors.</span><span style="color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Election_Day_(United_States)#cite_note-ElecDay-1"><sup><span style="color: #0b0080; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">[1]</span></sup></a></span><span style="color: #202122; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> Congress chose the first Tuesday after
the first Monday in November to harmonize current electoral practice with the
existing 34-day window in federal law, as the span between Election Day and the
first Wednesday in December is always 29 days.</span><span style="color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Election_Day_(United_States)#cite_note-7"><sup><span style="color: #0b0080; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">[7]</span></sup></a></span><span style="color: #202122; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> The effect is to constrain Election Day
to the week between November 2 and 8 inclusive. Beginning with Presidential
elections, states gradually brought most elections into conformity with this
date. <sup>[1]</sup><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #202122; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The </span><span style="color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twentieth_Amendment_to_the_United_States_Constitution" title="Twentieth Amendment to the United States Constitution"><span style="color: #0b0080; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Twentieth Amendment</span></a></span><span style="color: #202122; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">, passed in 1933, changed the beginning and
end date for the terms of the President, Vice President, Congressmen, and
Senators. It did not affect the timing of Election Day. <sup>[1]</sup></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><u><span style="color: #202122; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">References:<o:p></o:p></span></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><sup><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">[1]</span></sup><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"> </span><u><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 9.0pt;">Wikipedia: </span></u><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Election_Day_(United_States)#:~:text=Congress%20chose%20the%20first%20Tuesday,December%20is%20always%2029%20days"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 9.0pt;">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Election_Day_(United_States)#:~:text=Congress%20chose%20the%20first%20Tuesday,December%20is%20always%2029%20days</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 9.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 9.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: #C00000; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 8.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">A National referendum could solve this
very expeditiously. Let’s make the referendum read something like this.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Modify the current system to allow for four days of
in-person voting.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Retain absentee voting.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Retain mail in voting.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Retract drop-off voting.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">5.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Place a minimum on the number of voting sites from
locality to locality. Outlaw gerrymandering of voting districts that only serve
to deny minorities in casting their Constitutional rights for having their vote
count and be counted.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">6.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Uniform voting machines Nationwide. <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">7.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Uniform system for each locality and State to report
their results and set a time limit for them to do so. Fine the tardy ones.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">8.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Of utmost priority, abolish the electoral voting
disaster.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">I realize this is a very cursory look at
this, but something has to be done to equalize and balance our way of voting.
We should see more National referendums on many issues and policies. I know
this a novel idea, but how about we let the people decide what goes on in This
Country.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>We The Peeps 1http://www.blogger.com/profile/03058442202268032528noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-704081178507719531.post-34754217188358331882021-01-28T12:18:00.003-08:002021-01-28T12:18:35.137-08:00<p><b><span style="font-size: medium;"> Hutch Dubosque, author</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><b><u><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">January 3<sup>rd</sup>,
2021<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><b><u><span style="color: red; font-family: "Bookman Old Style",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">WELL, HERE IT IS AND HERE WE
ARE:<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;"><b><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I am not given to New
Year’s resolutions. It became evident to me early on in life that hardly anyone
sticks to these statements. This is the first time I feel compelled to go out
on a limb and actually make a resolution for this new year.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">My
choice is simple and I am fairly certain it is one I can live up to and carry throughout
this year. I am resolved to:<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Forget
that the year 2020 ever happened…all of it!<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">A
recap of what we went through last year – January through December:</span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">January, 2020</span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">1.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Tensions Between US and Iran Increase<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">2.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>US Federal Site Hacked<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">3.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>US Military Base Targeted<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">4.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Shooting in Aurora<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">5.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Jet Fuel Dumped in LA<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">6.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Texas School Shooting<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">7.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Two Shootings Over the Weekend<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">8.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>US Announces First Case of Chinese Virus<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">9.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>US Military Base Attacked<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">10.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Helicopter Crash Kills 9<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">11.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Trump Releases Two Plans<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">February, 2020<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">1.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Two Shootings in One Day<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">2.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Delay in Iowa Caucus<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">3.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>President Trump Acquitted<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">4.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>First American Dies of Coronavirus<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">5.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Shooting Inside an Atlanta Restaurant<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">6.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Ruptured Gas Line in Texas<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">7.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Boy Scouts of America Bankruptcy<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">8<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Sewage Leak in Fort Lauderdale<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">9.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>A Swarm of Bees Attack First Responders<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">10.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Mass Shooting in Milwaukee<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">March,2020<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">1.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Air Attack in Turkey<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">2.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Coronavirus Updates Around the World<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">3.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Suicide Bomb in Tunisia<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">4.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Attack in Kabul<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">5.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Coronavirus Updates (2)<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">6.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Coronavirus Updates (3)<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">7.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Coronavirus Worsens in Italy<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">8.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Prison Riot in Colombia<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">9.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Coronavirus Updates (4)<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">10.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>2020 Olympics Could be Postponed<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">11.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>North Korea Launches 6th Projectile<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">April, 2020<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">1.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Coronavirus Updates<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">2.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Michael Atkinson Fired<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">3.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Coronavirus Updates (2)<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">4.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Fire at Florida Airport<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">5.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Body Discovered in Kennedy Disappearance<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">6.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Coronavirus Updates (3)<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">7.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Shooting in California<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">8.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>US Airlines to Receive Relief Package<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">9.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Tip Leads to Shocking Discovery at Nursing Home<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">10.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Coronavirus Updates (4)<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">11.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Coronavirus Updates (5)<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">May, 2020<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">1.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Multiple Car Dealerships are Burglarized<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">2.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Coronavirus Updates<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">3.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Murder Hornets Spotted in the US<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">4.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Coronavirus Updates (2)<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">5.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Coronavirus Updates (3)<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">6.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Shooting in Texas<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">7.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>State Department Inspector General Fired<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">8.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Shooting in Louisiana<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">9.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Coronavirus Updates (4)<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">10.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Coronavirus Updates (5)<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">11.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Black Lives Matter Protest<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">June, 2020</span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">1.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Black Lives Matter Protests Continue<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">2.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Joe Biden Officially Announced as DNC Candidate<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">3.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Protests Continue Across the US<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">4.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Coronavirus Updates<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">5.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Shooting in San Antonio<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">6.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Iowa to Reinstate Felon Voting Rights<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">7.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Capitol Hill Organized Protest (CHOP)<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">8.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>US Coronavirus Cases Continue to Rise<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">9.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Flynn Case Dismissed<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">10.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Black Lives Matter Leads to Reforms<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">11.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Coronavirus Worsens<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">July, 2020<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">1.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Ghislaine Maxwell Arrested<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">2.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Coronavirus Updates<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">3.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Protests and Reforms Continue<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">4.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Shootings Occur Across the Country<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">5.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Coronavirus Updates (2)<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">6.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Coronavirus Updates (3)<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">7.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Protests and Reforms Continue<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">8.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Coronavirus Updates (4)<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">9.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Gun Violence Surges in Chicago<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">10.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Houston’s Chinese Consulate to Close<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">11.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Coronavirus Updates (5)<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">12.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>BLM Protests Continue<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">13.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Warning Issued Over Seeds<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">August, 2020<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">1.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Coronavirus Updates<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">2<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Hot Air Balloon Crashes<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">3.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Coronavirus Updates (2)<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">4.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Multiple Shootings Over the Weekend<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">5.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Joe Biden Announces Running Mate<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">6.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Coronavirus Updates (3)<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">7.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>USPS Under Investigation<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">8.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Various Injuries at Protests and Rallies<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">9.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Coronavirus Updates (4)<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">10.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>More Protests Against Police Brutality <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">11.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Kellyanne Conway Resigns<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">September, 2020<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">1.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Coronavirus Updates (1)<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">2.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Protests Continue Across Cities<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">3.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Coronavirus Updates (2)<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">4.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>BLM Protests Enter 100th Night<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">5.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Trump Parade Boats Sink<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">6.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Coronavirus Updates (3)<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">7.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>USPS Faces More Issues<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">8.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Ruth Bader Ginsburg Dies<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">9.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Coronavirus Updates (4)<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">10.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Breonna Taylor Decision Made<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">11.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>President to Appoint Amy Coney Barrett<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">12.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Shooting at Amazon Facility<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">13.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Trump and Biden Have the First Debate<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">October, 2020<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">1. President Trump Tests Positive
and Other Coronavirus Updates<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">2. Coronavirus Updates (2)<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">3. Trump Administration Imposes Restrictions
on H-1B Visa<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">4. BLM Protests Continue<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">5. Coronavirus Updates (3)<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">6. Coronavirus Updates (4)<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">7. Record Breaking Votes<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">8. Coronavirus Updates (5)<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">9. Shooting in Philadelphia<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">November, 2020<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">1. Coronavirus Updates<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">2. 2020 Election and Results<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">3. Riot Declared in Portland<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">4. Coronavirus Updates (2)<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">5. Joe Biden Projected to Win<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">6. Shooting in North Carolina<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">7. Coronavirus Updates (3)<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">8. Election Disputes Continue<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">9. Boy Scouts Lawsuit Widens<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">10. Coronavirus Updates (4)<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">11. Weekend of Violence in Many
Cities<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">12. The Election Battle Continues<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">December, 2020<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">1. Coronavirus Updates<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">2. Judge Reimplements DACA<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">3. Drug Laws Passed<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">4. Coronavirus Updates (2)<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">5. Election Battle Continues<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">6. Coronavirus Updates (3)<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">7. William Barr Resigns<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">8. Electoral College Affirms Win<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">9. Coronavirus Updates (4)<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">10. President Trump Pardons 15<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">11. Intentional Explosion in Nas</span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style",serif;">hville</span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>We The Peeps 1http://www.blogger.com/profile/03058442202268032528noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-704081178507719531.post-40678931217748995042021-01-28T12:16:00.001-08:002021-01-28T12:16:18.880-08:00<p> <b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Hutch
Dubosque, author 1/23/2021</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><u><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">LISTEN TO WHAT THEY SAY.<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><u><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">THEN, WATCH WHAT THEY DO.</span></u></b><b><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I
became politically aware in the mid 1950’s. My Grandparents and parents were
politically involved; mostly to get people out to vote. They were all devote
Republicans in the days that Republican really meant something. And, wouldn’t
you know it, my parents four children grew up to become Independents and
Democrats. I feel justified in making the observations, below, about how
politics worked back then and how it seems to work now.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Prior
to the mid 1960’s our governments, on all levels, was a collaborative effort
between political parties. Policies got put in place. Laws were passed. Life
seemed pretty good. Then along comes, not a drawdown and withdrawal, but an
escalation in the Vietnam “Conflict”. Between 1965 and 1972, a distinct swing
to micro-management in government took place and Lydon Johnson (from Texas)
couldn’t, or wouldn’t, deal with it. <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Richard
Nixon started a fifty-year decline in the quality of governance in this Country;
then he unceremoniously bowed out in disgrace. The white bread of Gerald Ford
and Jimmy Carter didn’t take us South or North. Ronald Reagan (from Hollywood)
tried to make us all believe that trickle down economics was our savior. Then
he ran up the deficit and should have, at least, been impeached for his
Iran-Contra dealings. I remember loving to watch Oliver North try to squirm his
way around the truth. George H. W. Bush had high ambitions for the U.S. He just
constantly tripped over himself and didn’t get much done. Now, it gets worse!<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">All
the way from Arkansas came the wonderful, dynamic duo; Bill and Hilary Clinton.
Clinton lost a ton of Congressional seats (House and Senate) during his two
terms. He was, somehow, able to work with both parties, and leave the Nation
with a debt surplus. He was also in office when the 1993 World Trade Center was
bombed. Imagine that! Then we were treated to Poppy’s little boy, George W.
Bush (from Texas). Mid-eastern terrorists welcomed “W” by flying two commercial
airliners into the World Trade Center buildings and into the Pentagon with
another plane being brought down before it could reach its target. <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">2001
brought us into the “War on Terrorism”. So, off to Afghanistan and Iraq went
our fighting men and women. This war was supposed to be nothing like the
Vietnam War. Well, it was and has been for twenty years and counting. Still
there is no exit strategy. Yeah, kinda, sorta just like Vietnam! The very same
micro-management of our Military from fifty-five years ago has played us again.
Barrack Obama gave us the start of a National health plan. That was torn to
shreds over the course of his presidency and the presidency of Donald Trump
(impeached twice in four years). All the time, “main street” economies had gone
in the tank. The rich are making windfall profits and laughing all the way to
the bank.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I’m
certain everyone was up for a little Corona virus in 2020. It’s just like the
Flu! No, it isn’t the Flu. In one year, it has killed 400,000 people in this
Country and shows no immediate signs of receding. Now, there have been clarion
calls for a second Civil War and a gross act of treason and sedition. None of
those are going to happen. With that in mind, perhaps we could be “civil”
without the war. My fear is that, in my lifetime, a more civil Union will not
happen. I sincerely hope the next generations can work this all out. My
generation didn’t and we were supposed to. <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>We The Peeps 1http://www.blogger.com/profile/03058442202268032528noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-704081178507719531.post-41188436709594081802021-01-28T12:11:00.008-08:002021-01-28T12:13:18.784-08:00<p><b>Hutch Dubosque, author</b></p><p> <b><u><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">What to bring with you on New Year’s Day?</span></u></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"> <b>12/9/2020</b></span></p>
<div style="border: 1pt solid windowtext; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 283.5pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-element: para-border-div; padding: 1pt 21pt 1pt 4pt;">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-padding-alt: 1.0pt 21.0pt 1.0pt 4.0pt; padding: 0in;"><b><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">“Take what you can
– all you can carry, <o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-padding-alt: 1.0pt 21.0pt 1.0pt 4.0pt; padding: 0in;"><b><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Take what you can – leave the rest
behind”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-padding-alt: 1.0pt 21.0pt 1.0pt 4.0pt; padding: 0in;"><b><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tom Petty<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p>
</div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-no-proof: yes;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-no-proof: yes;">What
might be some of the things we can leave behind as we venture into another
year?</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-no-proof: yes;">The
small butt-biting things a lot us of deem as baggage can be easily collected and
left behind. They are in the past and do not need to rent space in your heart
or your brain. You might be able to find a little cubby-hole to stash them in
the deep recesses of your brain.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-no-proof: yes;">Restoring
full faith in our brand of democracy is the only item I’m carrying into the new
year. It feels as if our Nation’s form of governance has been seriously
degrading since the late 1960’s and the Vietnam War. I can recall outgoing
President Eisenhower, in 1956, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>telling
all of us to be very wary of the Military-Industrial Complex. We did not heed
his warning and, fifty years later, we find our Country in chaos, turmoil,
split in two and still fighting a war. And, we are still ruled by the “Titans
of Industry”.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-no-proof: yes;">The
ancient Romans had a military strategy of divide and conquer. Is that what is
happening today in the United States of America? Without an exact idea of the
force, or forces, behind the situation we find ourselves in, the citizens – </span></b><b><i><u style="mso-text-underline-themecolor: accent1; text-underline: #4472C4 double;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 150%; mso-no-proof: yes;">ALL THE CITIZENS</span></u></i></b><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-no-proof: yes;">
– of this Country will hopefully take our failing democracy seriously, and
pitch in to change the things we can. A strategy of this magnitude has many
moving parts. So, where to start?<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><b>How
about concentrating on your local politics to start. Your elected officials
work for you and are paid by you. Too many folks don’t </b></span><span style="font-size: 18.6667px;"><b>realize</b></span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><b> the power they
have, and it seems that politicians don’t want you to find out. I know we’ve
been told a thousand times that communication is absolutely what needs to
happen for all of us. We are at a point where we could seriously toss out our
differences; political, or anything that seems to divide us. We all want the same
thing: a Nation of fifty States that reflects our love of democracy and our
lasting Constitution. The alternative is not going to be a pretty picture for
us, our children, our grandchildren, and the generations after them.<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><b>Starting
at the Town, County, and State levels: phone calls, emails, and letters go
along way and are actually read by the Legislators and Senior Staff. The local
politicians are tuned into the communities they live in. One of them may even
be your neighbor. We can then go after bigger fish at the Federal level, after
the locals have heard our arguments and start truly representing us. We have our
elected U.S. Representatives and U.S. Senators living on our dime, also. They
are our employees and we are not </b></span><span style="font-size: 18.6667px;"><b>subservient</b></span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><b> to any of them. Letters, emails,
and phone calls matter at this level, also.</b></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: bold;">
</span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><b>Of course, the ballot box is an excellent way to display our power.
Please start using it, if you haven’t already. Don’t go telling me your vote
doesn’t count!<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-no-proof: yes;">In
Washington DC, legislation is made that effects everyone in the Country. If our
democratic republic is to survive another 243 years, every citizen, from 10 – 100
years old, should be paying attention and be a participant in body politic at
all levels.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-no-proof: yes;">This is not a heavy lift. It can be done. We owe it to
ourselves and to those to whom we will pass the torch. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>We The Peeps 1http://www.blogger.com/profile/03058442202268032528noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-704081178507719531.post-75466359504906307842021-01-28T12:07:00.002-08:002021-02-18T08:48:04.818-08:00<p><span style="color: white;"> 1/2/2021</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: white; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">Social Democracy Is 100% American<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: white; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">By Harvey J. Kaye<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: white;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Appearing
late last week on </span><a href="http://www.msnbc.com/morning-joe/watch/mccaskill--bernie-is-too-liberal-to-win-471130691652"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">MSNBC’s </span><i><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Morning Joe</span></i><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">,</span></a><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> Senator Claire McCaskill of Missouri </span><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">insisted</span></b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> that Democratic
presidential candidate Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont “is too liberal to
gather enough votes in this country to become president.” Indeed, responding to
the fact that candidate Sanders is not only drawing big, enthusiastic crowds to
campaign events in Iowa and New Hampshire, but also pulling within 10 points of
frontrunner and party favorite Hillary Clinton in certain state polls,
McCaskill said: “It’s not unusual for someone who has an extreme message to
have a following.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: white;"><i><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Extreme?</span></i><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> McCaskill’s remarks indicate that we may
be in more trouble than we thought. For some time, we have feared that
Republican politicians were losing their minds. Now it seems we must worry, as
well, that Democratic politicians are losing their memories.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: white; font-size: 13pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Clearly, McCaskill’s
attack — which, to me, smacked of red baiting — was intended as a dismissal of
Bernie Sanders’s candidacy based on the fact that Sanders, who has repeatedly
won elections in Vermont as an independent and then caucused with the Senate
Democrats, is a self-described “democratic socialist” or “social democrat.” And
of course, we all know that social democracy is not just unpopular in the
United States, it is <i>un-American</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: white;"><i><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Well, think again</span></i><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">. Social democracy is 100 percent American. We
may be latecomers to recognizing a universal right to health care (indeed, we
are not quite there yet). But we were first in creating a universal right to
public education, in endowing ourselves with ownership of national parks, and,
for that matter, in conferring voting rights on males without property and
abolishing religious tests for holding national office.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: white;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">But there’s even more
to the story. It was the American Revolution’s patriot and pamphleteer, </span><a href="http://billmoyers.com/content/richard-brookhiser-and-harvey-kaye/"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Thomas Paine</span></a><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> — a hero today to folks left and right, including tea partiers
— who launched the social-democratic tradition in the 1790s. In his
pamphlets, </span><a href="http://www.ushistory.org/paine/rights/"><i><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Rights of Man</span></i></a><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> and </span><a href="http://xroads.virginia.edu/~hyper/Paine/agrarian.html"><i><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Agrarian Justice</span></i></a><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">, Paine outlined plans for combating poverty
that would become what we today call </span><a href="http://www.ssa.gov/history/tpaine3.html"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Social Security</span></a><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: white; font-size: 13pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">As Paine put it in the
latter work, since God has provided the earth and the land upon it as a
collective endowment for humanity, those who have come to possess the land as
private property owe the<i> dispossessed</i> an annual rent for it.
Specifically, Paine delineated a limited redistribution of income by way of a
tax on landed wealth and property. The funds collected were to provide both
grants for young people to get started in life and pensions for the elderly.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: white;"><i><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Think again</span></i><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">. The social-democratic tradition was nurtured
by Americans both immigrant and native-born – by the so-called </span><a href="http://www.wisconsinhistory.org/turningpoints/tp-043/"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“sewer socialist” German Americans</span></a><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> who helped to build the Midwest and,
inspired by the likes of Eugene Debs and Victor Berger, radically improved
urban life by winning battles for municipal ownership of public utilities. By
the Jewish and Italian workers who toiled and suffered in the sweatshops of New
York and Chicago but then, led by David Dubinsky and Sidney Hillman, created
great labor unions such as the </span><a href="http://ilgwu.ilr.cornell.edu/"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">International
Ladies Garment Workers Union </span></a><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">and the </span><a href="http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G2-3401800134.html"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Amalgamated Clothing Workers of America</span></a><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">. By the farmers and laborers who rallied to
the grand encampments on the prairies organized by populists and socialists
across the southwest to hear how, working together in alliances, they could
break the grip of Wall Street and create a Cooperative Commonwealth. By
African-Americans who came north in the Great Migration to build new lives for
themselves and, led by figures such as the socialist, labor leader and civil
rights activist </span><a href="http://billmoyers.com/2014/04/15/a-philip-randolph-was-right-%E2%80%98we-will-need-to-continue-demonstrations%E2%80%99/"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">A. Philip Randolph</span></a><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">, energized the civil rights movement in the
1930s.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: white;"><i><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">And think again.</span></i><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> Think about the greatest president of
the 20th century, Franklin Roosevelt, whose grand, social-democratic New Deal
initiatives – from the CCC, WPA and Rural Electrification Administration, to
Social Security and the National Labor Relations Act — not only rescued the
nation from the Great Depression, but also reduced inequality and poverty and
helped ready the United States to win the second World War and become the
strongest and most prosperous nation on earth.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: white;"><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Fighting for the Four Freedoms</span></b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: white;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Moreover, those we
celebrate as the Greatest Generation, the men and women who confronted the
Great Depression and went on to defeat fascism, fought for the decidedly
social-democratic </span><a href="http://billmoyers.com/episode/fighting-for-the-four-freedoms/"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Four Freedoms – freedom of speech and
religion, freedom from want and fear</span></a><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> – and the chance of realizing them at war’s end.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: white;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Polls conducted in
1943 showed that 94 percent of Americans endorsed old-age pensions; 84 percent,
job insurance; 83 percent, universal national health insurance; and 79 percent,
aid for students — leading FDR in his 1944 State of the Union message to
propose a </span><a href="http://billmoyers.com/2014/03/07/remembering-franklin-delano-roosevelt-and-the-second-bill-of-rights/"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Second Bill of Rights</span></a><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> that would guarantee those very things
to all Americans. All of which would be blocked by a conservative coalition of
pro-corporate Republicans and white supremacist southern Democrats. And yet,
with the aid of the otherwise conservative American Legion, FDR did secure one
of the greatest social-democratic programs in American history: the G.I. Bill
that enabled 12,000,000 returning veterans to progressively transform
themselves and the nation for the better.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: white; font-size: 13pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Nor did that
generation of veterans give up their social-democratic aspirations. On reaching
middle age in the 1960s, they enacted civil rights, voting rights, Medicare and
Medicaid; established protections for the environment, workers and consumers; <i>and</i> dramatically
expanded educational opportunities, especially in public higher education.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: white;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">We ourselves honor
America’s social-democratic history with two great monuments on the National
Mall – not just the FDR Memorial, but also the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial.
Yes, </span><a href="http://billmoyers.com/episode/mlks-dream-of-economic-justice/"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">King was a democratic socialist</span></a><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">. Drawing on the New Deal experience,
embracing the American tradition of Christian socialism and peaceful activism,
and believing, like so many of his generation, that Americans could harness the
powers of democratic government to enhance freedom and equality, he campaigned
for both racial justice and the rights of working people and the poor.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: white;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Senator McCaskill’s
attack on Senator Sanders appears to have been launched on behalf of the
Clinton campaign. Its rationale rests on the belief that, in the light of the
past 40 years of conservative ascendancy and liberal retreat, her words were
simple common sense: <i>Aren’t we, as the talking heads tell us, a </i></span><a href="http://www.newsweek.com/meacham-were-conservative-country-92333"><i><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">center-right nation</span></i></a><i><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">?</span></i><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: white; font-size: 13pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Well, no, we are
emphatically not. And it is regrettable that by swallowing this myth, the
present leadership of the Democratic Party, embodied in the Democratic National
Committee has, in election after election, shrunk from some of the party’s best
traditions in order to keep up in the race for campaign cash, even to the
extent of marginalizing and openly scorning what is described as its “left
wing.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: white;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Indeed, when America’s
purpose and promise have been in jeopardy we acted radically, progressively,
and, yes, as social democrats. Hillary Clinton herself seemed to recognize the
power of that history and its legacy by </span><a href="http://billmoyers.com/2015/06/19/hillary-clintons-wall-street-address/"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">launching her new presidential campaign</span></a><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> at New York City’s </span><a href="http://www.fdrfourfreedomspark.org/"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Four Freedoms Park on Roosevelt Island</span></a><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">. Though she never did actually pronounce the
words of FDR’s Four Freedoms, her speech revealed some awareness of a reviving
— dare we say it? — social-democratic spirit? Whether simply tactical or
genuine on her part is an important question that remains to be answered.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: white; font-size: 13pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Bernie Sanders may never
appear at Four Freedoms Park. But he sounds like FDR, not simply because you
can practically hear him saying of the one percent what FDR did — “I welcome
their hatred” — but all the more because of what he wants to do: tax the rich,
create a single-payer national health care system, make public higher education
free to all qualified students, create jobs by refurbishing the nation’s public
infrastructure, and address the environment and climate change.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: white; font-size: 13pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">But even more
critically, like FDR he doesn’t say he wants to fight for us. He seeks to
encourage the fight in us: “It is up to us to launch the most heroic of all
struggles: a political revolution.” If that is “extreme,” then Democrats like
McCaskill are not just forgetting their history, but trying to suppress it.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="color: white;">That Sanders, given
his background, is garnering huge crowds who shout his name with an enthusiasm
reminiscent of the heyday of the People’s Party in the 1890s, radiates a
special glow. Americans may once again be remembering who they are and what
they need to do to recapture a government now in thrall to the Money Power. And
that ain’t extreme. It’s fundamentally American.</span><span style="color: #333333;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>We The Peeps 1http://www.blogger.com/profile/03058442202268032528noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-704081178507719531.post-70552849019706591072021-01-28T12:04:00.002-08:002021-01-28T12:04:53.749-08:00<p> Hutch Dubosque, author</p><p>1/21/2021</p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><b><u><span style="font-family: Broadway; font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 150%;">THE LAST RODEO: This may be it.<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: Arial Rounded MT Bold, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><b>When
it all started in the early 1970’s, the United States of America has insisted
on electing people to National office who have given every indication of severe
mental strain; affecting both their health and their judgment. This has
rendered our National politics inoperative, devoid of any </b></span><span style="font-size: 21.3333px;"><b>discernible</b></span><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><b> direction, and our Republic a failure. <o:p></o:p></b></span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial Rounded MT Bold",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Since
1974 and Richard Nixon, there have been many attempts to “steal” elections;
both National, State, and Local. Some of these <u style="text-underline: double;">ELECTED</u>
officials have been more outrageous than others; giving us a routine source of
graft.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial Rounded MT Bold",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 150%;">The
term, “American Carnage”, has been brought up lately as if it is something
entirely new. American carnage, in one form or another, has been with us for a
very long time (predating the 1970’s). I wonder why only now has this term
become mainstream. <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial Rounded MT Bold",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Never
has such a gaggle of complete and bloviating nitwits been recorded in the
annals of American history. These elected officials should be remembered, but
not commemorated. They have been the worst in the 232-year history of the
United States.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial Rounded MT Bold",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 150%;">And,
you stand aghast at how enraged the majority of this Country has become. <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial Rounded MT Bold",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Time
to wake up.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>We The Peeps 1http://www.blogger.com/profile/03058442202268032528noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-704081178507719531.post-58904183229116139342021-01-28T11:58:00.003-08:002021-01-28T11:58:57.491-08:00<p><b> <span style="color: #44546a; font-size: 10pt; text-align: right; text-transform: uppercase;">Hutch Dubosque, </span><span style="color: #44546a; font-size: 10pt; text-align: right; text-transform: uppercase;">11/30/20</span></b></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoHeader" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #44546a; font-size: 12pt; text-transform: uppercase;">THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA<span style="text-transform: none;"></span></span><span style="color: #44546a; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-themecolor: text2;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoHeader" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #44546a; font-size: 12pt; text-transform: uppercase;"><b>ANGER
MANAGEMEnt </b></span><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">What
jumps of the title is one word in our Nation’s name. “United” is the word and
it is in our Nation’s name for a reason. Those early icons who designed this
Country knew that, if we were not united, their attempt at creating a Nation
would become a colossal fail. <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">For 240
years, we have been able to closely live up to the ideal of us being united.
There have been many hurdles throughout those 240 years, and we have been able
to overcome some very large obstacles. As for the last twelve years, we have
met a hurdle that we may not overcome. I will not lay blame on anyone
individual or group. <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">What has
happened in this Nation, in my opinion, was inevitable. The overall anger has
proven very divisive. There have been numerous times a social split has
occurred and produced a high level of anger. The Civil War being the biggest
split. In more recent times, it has been anybody’s guess as to exactly when the
division of our society would occur and stick for good. The division that we’re
experiencing currently may lead to the collapse of everything we have come to
believe is the norm.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The
social division we are going through has been at a slow boil under the surface
for as many as thirty to forty years. During that time, we have seen a large
increase in “membership” to the local militias around the Country. We have also
seen a huge increase in the purchase of military grade weapons. I believe we
have made the gun manufacturers very, very happy. <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The
prospect of reaching a point that triggers another National civil war is not a
pretty picture; given the modern fire power on both sides. The practical
solutions that are needed to avoid such a catastrophe are waiting for all us to
grab on to.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The big question is which
solution do you start with? If we could set the table for success, two good
jumping off platforms might be: 1) The entire Country takes a deep breath
(maybe six or twenty-three). 2) Start both “sides” on the road to communicating
with each other (this is a daunting task and must be taken seriously). In
general, before we deal with 1) and 2) some myths need to be dispelled. <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The
Constitution allows for freedom of speech and expression; to a point. These
freedoms were not meant to morph into hate, bigotry, and division. This brilliant
document was meant to form a civilized Nation. <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The 2<sup>nd</sup>
Amendment has also been hijacked to the extreme; nobody is “coming” to take anyone’s
guns away. Would everyone please drop this mantra and take a “chill pill”?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You can actually read the 2<sup>nd</sup>
Amendment, a few times and, without prejudice, take it at its word. Please stop
embellishing someone else’s idea of what it means. Try to put your self in the
shoes of our Nation’s Founders. Try to understand why this amendment was placed
in our Bill of Rights. Think of the times in which it was crafted. There was no
standing Army and the States were tasked with creating what we now call the
National Guard, not packs of citizens parading their weaponry around in public.
Please cut out this macho-man stance. You don’t wear it well.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">If you only
read and focus on these two amendments alone, you will be in a better place to
form your own conclusions. Don’t be afraid of opening conversations with folks
who have a different perspective than you have; both parties can learn from
each other. You may find you have more in common with people than you thought;
this goes both ways. We all have our Nation’s best interests in mind so let’s
get to know each other.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>We The Peeps 1http://www.blogger.com/profile/03058442202268032528noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-704081178507719531.post-17133731893681796962021-01-28T11:56:00.000-08:002021-01-28T11:56:10.383-08:00<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Nj7ZL_oRyKY/YBMV40VA9TI/AAAAAAAAGug/CSQwBlJ1Ns85x2b_CEINNrfhAgCVmAiywCLcBGAsYHQ/image.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="260" data-original-width="500" height="166" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Nj7ZL_oRyKY/YBMV40VA9TI/AAAAAAAAGug/CSQwBlJ1Ns85x2b_CEINNrfhAgCVmAiywCLcBGAsYHQ/image.png" width="320" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 45.0pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 6.6pt; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="color: #292929; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 36.0pt; letter-spacing: -.15pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">Why Freedom Became <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 45.0pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 6.6pt; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="color: #292929; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 36.0pt; letter-spacing: -.15pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">“Free-Dumb” in America<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 21.0pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 11.05pt; mso-outline-level: 2;"><u><span style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica",sans-serif; font-size: 16.5pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">What Americans Don’t
Understand About Freedom — That Europeans and Canadians Do</span></u><u><span style="font-family: "Helvetica",sans-serif; font-size: 16.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 21.0pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 11.05pt; mso-outline-level: 2;"><u><span style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica",sans-serif; font-size: 16.5pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">WRITTEN BY: Umair Haque
- vampire.</span></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;"><b><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">By now, you might have
heard North Dakota is the world’s worst Covid hotspot. The world’s worst, with
South Dakota not far behind. Things aren’t just desperate there — they’re
bizarre, at least to the rest of the world. Nurses talk about patients in the
Covid ICU lashing out at them because…they don’t believe Covid exists…while
they’re dying of it. Meanwhile, the governor refuses to make mask-wearing
mandatory, because she thinks that masks and lockdowns don’t work. You might
think all that would infuriate Dakotans, but quite the opposite is true:
they’re firmly behind her, as they are Donald Trump, the President who let
Covid spin out of control, and make North Dakota the world’s worst Covid
hotspot.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;"><b><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">What the?<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;"><b><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The rest of the world
is staggered by all that, because it is staggering. How many twisted levels of
illogic are even in there? Too many to count. People in the world’s worst Covid
hotspot dying of Covid who don’t believe Covid exists so they won’t fight Covid
and back a President and Governor who’ve just let it explode. It’s so awesomely
weird that you can’t really find this level of backwardness and folly anywhere
else in the world, which is exactly why Dakota is the world’s worst Covid
hotspot. But it’s not just North Dakota. Nine of the ten world’s worst Covid
hotspots are American states.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;"><b><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">And that is because
something went badly, badly wrong in America.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;"><b><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">In these states, which
are mostly red states, Americans have become effectively martyrs for a certain
idea of freedom. They are willing to sacrifice anything — and I mean anything —
including themselves, their families, their health and wealth, their futures,
their towns and cities, and their democracy. But what good is freedom if it’s
just the right to…self-destruct?<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;"><b><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">America became obsessed
with free-dumb: the idea of freedom as the removal of all restraint, the right
to harm others, the ability to do anything you please, no matter how
destructive, toxic, foolish, or inane. Covid’s a jaw-dropping example of it.
Think about the example above: it involves at least three levels of free-dumb.
The right to “believe” Covid doesn’t exist, the right not to have to wear a
mask, the right not to have to lock down. All these effectively add up to the
idea that Americans should be free to infect anyone they please with a lethal
disease. What on earth?<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;"><b><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Where does this
amazingly, jaw-droopingly stupid idea of free-dumb come from? Covid’s hardly
some kind of anomaly. It’s part of a larger pattern. Americans — in the vast,
vast majority — think of freedom in a way that by now the rest of the rich
world and much of the poor one regards as dangerously backwards. Freedom is the
right not to ever have to cooperate, to invest, to act for the common wealth or
common good.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;"><b><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Why is America the only
rich society in the world that doesn’t have effectively any public goods? No
functioning healthcare, retirement, higher education, and so forth? Because of
free-dumb. “I won’t pay for their healthcare, education, retirement!!” Why not?
“They’re weak! They’re liabilities and burdens!! They cost me money!!” But
wait, don’t you understand that means you won’t have those very same things
yourself — because such social institutions are for everyone? “I don’t care! I
won’t reward weakness and laziness! Such people need to be punished! And I
should be free not to have support the weak!”<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;"><b><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">So goes the logic of
the average American. The idea of free-dumb is something like this. Freedom
means a gun, a beer, a Bible, and no rights for women and minorities. But
textbooks and medicine and good food and water — those take away your freedom.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;"><b><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">What the? <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;"><b><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">How did Americans end
up believing this incredible level of self-evident nonsense? How can a gun and
a Bible give you freedom, while a book and medicine take it away? What on earth
happened to this society to make it actually accept this insanely depressing
and foolish kind of backwardness?<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;"><b><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I’ll come to that in a
moment. First, you might think I overstate the case. Do I? After all, something
like 70% of Americans say they want all the things above. The problem is that
they never vote for them. Nope, not even this time around. Democratic voters
made Biden rise to power, not Liz Warren or Bernie Sanders, who were the ones
championing Americans having basic public goods. Yet again, Americans chose
free-dumb. And it’s crucial to note that choice cuts across the left-right
divide. Sure, the right only supports free-dumb. But on the center and the
left, free-dumb is dominant, too. Free-dumb so dominates American thinking,
society, ideas, culture, life, that Americans have never not chosen it.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;"><b><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">To make it clearer just
how bizarre and twisted this notion of freedom really is, think about what
happens when you cross a border — an imaginary line — into Canada, or take a
short flight to Europe. There, freedom has a completely different definition —
one that’s diametrically opposed to American free-dumb. Canada and Europe are
famous for the world’s most expansive, sophisticated social contracts. Citizens
enjoy everything from healthcare to education to retirement to childcare and
more.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;"><b><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Why? Americans don’t
understand — even the ones who consider themselves intelligent, even the
educated ones — just why social democracies like Canada and Europe cherish
these things so much that they provide them to everyone, no questions asked.
They don’t understand the logic at all, because nobody has ever explained it to
them, even attempted to usually, and so free-dumb goes right on having an iron
grip over American life, making it as stupid as humanly possible.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;"><b><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The logic of why Canada
and Europe provide basics to all goes like — it’s about freedom, but in a much,
much deeper, more elegant, thoughtful, sophisticated, and beautiful way than
Americans understand. If I am fighting for the basics — bitterly battling
everyone else for the food, water, money, medicine, to survive, what does that
make of me? I become embittered, hostile, angry, resentful. I grow callous and
cruel. I become suspicious and distrustful and isolated and alone. I don’t grow
as a person — I shrink and wither into my worst self. The Greeks would have
said: I grow weak, morally, intellectually, socially, culturally. And people
weak like that are not capable of sustaining a democracy.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;"><b><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">What happens, on the
other hand, if I do have the basics? Then I’m free. Not just free in the
superficial, narrow American way: free to have stuff. I’m free in an existential,
social, emotional, cultural, human way. I’m free to cultivate, develop, nurture
higher values and virtues. I can be trusting, kind, generous, empathic. I can
be thoughtful, critical, reflective. I can be humble and warm and appreciate
beauty and truth. I am free to be a genuinely good person. Human goodness has
been freed in me.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;"><b><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">You might think all
that sounds dramatic and overblown, but let me assure you, as someone who’s
lived in America, Canada, and Europe — it’s not. Think about how Canadians are
renowned for their gentleness and kindness. Or about how Europeans are known
for their thoughtfulness and expansiveness and decency and closeness as
societies. These things I’m speaking of aren’t abstractions, and they’re not my
opinion. They are lived human realities that happen in these societies every
single day.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;"><b><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Now think of how the
world regards Americans, by contrast. It thinks of them, mostly, as idiots. As
cruel, abusive, selfish, exploitative. As narcissists obsessed with the
superficial aspects themselves. As violent dummies — people more likely to have
a a gun than a book. As bigoted and superstitious — people who think they can
pray the gay and the Covid away. I know that sounds harsh, if you’re American.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;"><b><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">But is it untrue?<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;"><b><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Go ahead and take a
hard look at Americans’ behavior during Covid. It’s been, in a word, shocking
and abysmal. Sure, “not all Americans” as the saying goes. But America, as a
society, hasn’t exactly done itself proud. Quite the opposite. As a society,
Americans acted just the way the world imagined them to be: selfishly,
ignorantly, violently, cruelly. Like spoiled, overgrown children throwing the
world’s biggest tantrum. How else did America end up with the world’s worst
Covid numbers? Precisely because people wouldn’t cooperate with lockdowns and
masks, or demand them.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;"><b><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Covid showed that
social norms and values of basic decency, kindness, thoughtfulness, care,
concern, consideration don’t exist in America. You might think I’m just
name-calling — but I’m trying to actually point out a deeper truth.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;"><b><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Norms of basic decency
and humanity and gentleness and empathy and care and so on don’t exist in
America precisely because Americans aren’t free to be and do those things.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;"><b><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Do you see my point?
It’s not about insults — it’s an analysis of freedom. Americans have built a
society focused on a certain backwards notion of freedom, free-dumb, the
hyper-individualist belief in one’s own right to do anything one pleases, no
matter how foolish, destructive, or harmful. But that has cost Americans a
truly free society.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;"><b><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Why are Americans so
violent, cruel, ignorant, destructive, thoughtless, selfish, careless? Because
Americans are not free to be the kinds of people Europeans and Canadians are.
Europeans and Canadians are free to be thoughtful, kind, gentle, wise, loving,
concerned, considerate people because they enjoy the basics of life. Therefore,
they are not consumed with the desperate battle for survival.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;"><b><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">But American do not
enjoy the basics. For them, life is a constant, perpetual battle for
self-preservation and survival. Not just for the poor, but for more or less
everyone now, because America is effectively a poor society, made of one giant
underclass. Yes, really — 80% of Americans live hand-to-mouth, 75% struggle to
pay the bills, 70% can’t raise a few hundred dollars for an emergency, and
that’s because they don’t have it — the average American now dies in $62,000 of
debt, which means he’s been trying to survive, but hasn’t. He or she hasn’t
earned or saved or owned anything his or her his whole life long. Just having
the basics has proven impossible — it has left the average American in debt
that they die in.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;"><b><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">What do we expect to
happen to people that don’t have the basics? Exactly what happened to
Americans. They grow angry and afraid, unable to think critically or carefully.
They can’t care for anyone else, because life is a bitter battle just for
self-preservation. Enmity and suspicion and hostility become social norms, not
kindness and gentleness and empathy. Cruelty and aggression become a way of
life, not cooperation and warmth.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;"><b><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">In short, we’d expect
people to become violent, stupid, selfish, as they grow poor — not because they
are such things, but because that is what poverty does and is. Intellectual
poverty is ignorance and superstition. Social poverty is mistrust and
hostility. Cultural poverty is cruelty and aggression. Americans are poor in
all these ways now, and when the world shakes its head at them, and condemn
them, saying, “My God! Has the world ever seen such backwards, stupid people?”
what it, in turn, doesn’t understand is that this is what a society becoming
poor is. America becoming a place of stunning cruelty and stupidity and
callousness and selfishness, so much so that mass death swept it, and more or less,
it shrugged. That’s what poverty really is.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;"><b><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Let me put that another
way. Europeans and Canadians are wealthy in a profound, an existential and
human way — they are wealthy in happiness, trust, meaning, purpose, care,
kindness, consideration, decency. But Americans are poor in all those things.
That is why Americans cannot really express those values or virtues very much.
What made America poor in those things, though, those basic human values —
while Europe and Canada grew rich in them?<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;"><b><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Freedom — the real
thing — versus free-dumb. Now let’s connect the dots. The European and Canadian
idea was that giving everyone the basics would free them. Not just to have
medicine and money and so on — but to be intelligent, kind, loving, decent
human beings.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;"><b><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The American idea,
meanwhile — descended from slavery — was just the opposite: only the strong
should survive, and the weak should perish. Therefore, nobody deserved anything
at all — even the basics — because human life had no inherent or intrinsic
worth. Only the strong deserved such things — and they were the ones who could
dominate and exploit and control everyone else.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;"><b><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">This was a Nietzschean
view of power and society — the ones who rose to the top should be the
ubermensch: those only concerned with their own “will-to-power,” that is, with
making their own selfish desires manifest, who could subjugate as many others
as possible, and make servants or slaves of them. But what happens to a society
trying to be Nietzschean ubermen? Everyone soon enough begins trying to exploit
and abuse everyone else — while depriving them of the basics. You can see how
such a place ends up like America: renowned for cruelty, aggression, hostility,
thoughtlessness, violence, not the human values and virtues of kindness and
care and concern and so on.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;"><b><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Americans don’t
understand any of this, really. They get that Europeans and Canadians have
basics that they don’t, but mostly, they swallow the stupid, stupid American
logic that that comes at the price of freedom, and Europeans and Canadians have
less “choices” and so forth. Americans have no idea whatsoever that European.
and Canadian society is built on the existential-humanist understanding that
came from Camus and Sartre and de Beauvoir and many others that giving everyone
the basics frees them to be fully and wholly human.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;"><b><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Americans, probably,
have no idea what that phrase even means. So let me put it concisely. Anyone
can be foolish, destructive, selfish, greedy, hostile, cruel. To be fully
human, though, is to cultivate the higher values of empathy, grace, truth,
beauty love. When I have to struggle for food, money, medicine, what room do I
have to cultivate those things? I curdle inside, instead, and wither. It’s only
when I have the basics that I can really engage with the higher struggle of
being human. How do I love? Care? Know? Emote? Empathize? Understand? Share?
Grow?<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;"><b><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">These two notions of
freedom couldn’t be more different. Freedom in America, free-dumb, is about not
having to ever engage with the struggle of being human — just go out and be as
selfish as you please. Carry a gun to Starbucks. Don’t wear a mask. Don’t let
anyone have healthcare, including yourself. The vicious cycle goes on. Freedom
in Canada and Europe, though, is totally opposite to this: it’s about having
the basics, so you can engage with the higher struggles, the struggles for
love, self-definition, truth, beauty, purpose — and therefore reach a much,
much higher plateau as a human being.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;"><b><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Of happiness, of
meaning, of grace and fulfillment. That is why those societies are far, far
richer than America in all these things.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;"><b><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I don’t know if America
will ever really change. What I do know is this. I’ve never felt more alive
than when I was in Canada and Europe — precisely because I wasn’t surrounded by
idiots that thought guns, pecs, boobs, and religion mattered more than love,
truth, beauty, grace, death, time, dust, and goodness. I was freest there, to
grow, to develop, mature, to love, care, know, understand, think — because they
are the places that human beings built for being human.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;"><b><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Most Americans, sadly,
may never have that experience — and will be all the poorer for never knowing
what real freedom is.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;"><b><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">How did things get so
twisted?<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;"><b><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Umair<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;"><b><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">November 2020<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>We The Peeps 1http://www.blogger.com/profile/03058442202268032528noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-704081178507719531.post-73381552002253720522021-01-28T11:50:00.005-08:002021-02-18T08:53:49.547-08:00<p><span style="color: #2b00fe;"> <u>I POSTED THIS ARTICLE BACK IN 2016. FROM WHAT I CONTINUE TO EXPERIENCE AT THE NORTHPORT, NY VA MEDICAL CENTER, ABSOLUTELY NOTHING HAS CHANGED.</u></span></p><div class="fauxcolumn-outer fauxcolumn-left-outer" style="background-color: white; bottom: 0px; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 14px; font-weight: 700; left: 0px; overflow: hidden; position: absolute; top: 0px; width: 0px;"><div class="fauxborder-left" style="background-position: 0% 0%; background-repeat: repeat-y; height: 1653.62px; position: relative;"><div class="fauxborder-right" style="background-position: 100% 0%; background-repeat: repeat-y; height: 1653.62px; position: absolute; right: 0px;"></div><div class="fauxcolumn-inner" style="border-right: 1px solid rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); height: 1653.62px;"></div></div><div class="cap-bottom" style="background-position: 0% 100%; background-repeat: repeat-x; height: 0px; position: relative;"><div class="cap-left" style="background-position: 0% 100%; background-repeat: no-repeat; float: left; height: 0px;"></div><div class="cap-right" style="background-position: 100% 100%; background-repeat: no-repeat; float: right; height: 0px;"></div></div></div><div class="fauxcolumn-outer fauxcolumn-right-outer" style="background-color: white; bottom: 0px; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 14px; font-weight: 700; overflow: hidden; position: absolute; right: 0px; top: 0px; width: 0px;"><div class="cap-top" style="background-position: 0% 0%; background-repeat: repeat-x; height: 0px; position: relative;"><div class="cap-left" style="background-position: 0% 0%; background-repeat: no-repeat; float: left; height: 0px;"></div><div class="cap-right" style="background-position: 100% 0%; background-repeat: no-repeat; float: right; height: 0px;"></div></div><div class="fauxborder-left" style="background-position: 0% 0%; background-repeat: repeat-y; height: 1653.62px; position: relative;"><div class="fauxborder-right" style="background-position: 100% 0%; background-repeat: repeat-y; height: 1653.62px; position: absolute; right: 0px;"></div><div class="fauxcolumn-inner" style="border-left: 1px solid rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); height: 1653.62px;"></div></div><div class="cap-bottom" style="background-position: 0% 100%; background-repeat: repeat-x; height: 0px; position: relative;"><div class="cap-left" style="background-position: 0% 100%; background-repeat: no-repeat; float: left; height: 0px;"></div><div class="cap-right" style="background-position: 100% 100%; background-repeat: no-repeat; float: right; height: 0px;"></div></div></div><div class="columns-inner" style="min-height: 0px;"><div class="column-center-outer" style="float: left; position: relative; width: 1080px;"><div class="column-center-inner" style="padding: 0px;"><div class="main section" id="main" name="Main" style="margin: 0px 1em;"><div class="widget Blog" data-version="1" id="Blog1" style="line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px; min-height: 0px; position: relative;"><div class="blog-posts hfeed"><div class="date-outer"><h2 class="date-header" style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 0px; position: relative;"><span><span style="background-color: #a4a4a4; color: #2b00fe; letter-spacing: 3px;">Tuesday, September 27, 2016</span></span></h2><div class="date-posts" style="background-color: white;"><div class="post-outer"><div class="post hentry uncustomized-post-template" itemprop="blogPost" itemscope="itemscope" itemtype="http://schema.org/BlogPosting" style="margin: 0px 0px 45px; min-height: 0px; position: relative;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, Palatino Linotype, Palatino, serif;"><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-size: 14px;"><b><a name="8724807605673133937"></a></b></span></span><h3 class="post-title entry-title" itemprop="name" style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 22px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; line-height: normal; margin: 0.75em 0px 0px; position: relative;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Union Bosses, VA Bosses Rigging System for Failure</span></h3><div class="post-header" style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 12.6px; font-weight: 700; line-height: 1.6; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em;"><div class="post-header-line-1"></div></div><div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-8724807605673133937" itemprop="description articleBody" style="line-height: 1.4; position: relative; width: 1052px;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.4px; font-weight: 700;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><v:shapetype coordsize="21600,21600" filled="f" id="_x0000_t75" o:preferrelative="t" o:spt="75" path="m@4@5l@4@11@9@11@9@5xe" stroked="f"><v:stroke joinstyle="miter"><v:formulas><v:f eqn="if lineDrawn pixelLineWidth 0"><v:f eqn="sum @0 1 0"><v:f eqn="sum 0 0 @1"><v:f eqn="prod @2 1 2"><v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelWidth"><v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelHeight"><v:f eqn="sum @0 0 1"><v:f eqn="prod @6 1 2"><v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelWidth"><v:f eqn="sum @8 21600 0"><v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelHeight"><v:f eqn="sum @10 21600 0"></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:formulas><v:path gradientshapeok="t" o:connecttype="rect" o:extrusionok="f"><o:lock aspectratio="t" v:ext="edit"></o:lock></v:path></v:stroke></v:shapetype><v:shape id="Picture_x0020_1" o:spid="_x0000_i1025" style="height: 24.5pt; visibility: visible; width: 92pt;" type="#_x0000_t75"><v:imagedata o:title="mil-com site" src="file:///C:\Users\Hutch\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image001.png"></v:imagedata></v:shape><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.4px; font-weight: 700; margin-bottom: 11.25pt;"><b><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">Military.com | Sep 05, 2016 | by Rep. Jeff Miller</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.4px; font-weight: 700; margin-bottom: 11.25pt;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 1px solid rgb(224, 224, 224); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1) 1px 1px 5px; float: left; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-right: 1em; padding: 5px; position: relative; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7Cj8NGeTzOk/V-sj6LltmGI/AAAAAAAACKo/JxMS3VMIFLE-ypNVl8TVXkCbQMz3NK8IgCLcB/s1600/calvet.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7Cj8NGeTzOk/V-sj6LltmGI/AAAAAAAACKo/JxMS3VMIFLE-ypNVl8TVXkCbQMz3NK8IgCLcB/s200/calvet.jpg" style="background: transparent; border: none; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1) 0px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative;" width="200" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.32px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><b><i><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">U.S. Rep. Jeff Miller, a Republican from Chumuckla, Florida, </span></i></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.4px; font-weight: 700; margin-bottom: 11.25pt;"><b><i><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">is the chairman of the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs. </span></i></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.4px; font-weight: 700; margin-bottom: 11.25pt;"><b><i><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">The views expressed in this commentary are his own</span></i></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.4px; font-weight: 700; margin-bottom: 11.25pt;"><b style="font-style: italic;"><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">****************************************************</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.4px; font-weight: 700; margin-bottom: 11.25pt;"><b style="font-style: italic;"><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">A visitor leaves the Sacramento Veterans Affairs Medical Center </span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.4px; font-weight: 700; margin-bottom: 11.25pt;"><b style="font-style: italic;"><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">in Rancho Cordova, Calif., on April 2, 2015. Rich Pedroncelli/AP</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.4px; font-weight: 700; line-height: 17.71px;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.4px; font-weight: 700; line-height: 17.71px;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">In an expletive-laden rant delivered earlier this year, a belligerent American Federation of Government Employees President J. David Cox </span></b><a href="http://dailycaller.com/2016/02/11/govt-union-president-calls-house-veterans-affairs-chairman-a-fool-says-hell-whoop-va-secretarys-ass/" style="text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"><b><span color="windowtext" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">threatened</span></b></a><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;"> Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary Bob McDonald with physical violence.</span></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.4px; font-weight: 700; line-height: 17.71px;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">Cox was "</span></b><a href="http://dailycaller.com/2016/02/11/govt-union-president-calls-house-veterans-affairs-chairman-a-fool-says-hell-whoop-va-secretarys-ass/" style="text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"><b><span color="windowtext" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">prepared to whoop</span></b></a><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;"> Bob McDonald's a--," he said. "He's going to start treating us as the labor partner … or we will </span></b><a href="http://dailycaller.com/2016/02/11/govt-union-president-calls-house-veterans-affairs-chairman-a-fool-says-hell-whoop-va-secretarys-ass/" style="text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"><b><span color="windowtext" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">whoop his a--</span></b></a><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">, I promise you," Cox continued.<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.4px; font-weight: 700; line-height: 17.71px;"><b><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">McDonald's response? Absolutely nothing.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: 17.71px;"><span style="color: #2b00fe; line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif; font-size: 15.4px; font-weight: 700;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The exchange perfectly encapsulates the corrosive influence government union bosses are having on efforts to reform a broken VA. It's a never-ending cycle in which pliant politicians and federal agency leaders bow to the </span></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><b>boss's</b></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif; font-size: 15.4px; font-weight: 700;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">' demands to preserve the dysfunctional status quo of our federal personnel system, which almost guarantees employment for government bureaucrats no matter how egregious their behavior.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.4px; font-weight: 700; line-height: 17.71px;"><b><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">The problem with union bosses like Cox is that they are more interested in protecting misbehaving VA employees than the veterans the department was created to serve.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.4px; font-weight: 700; line-height: 17.71px;"><b><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">The problem with VA leaders like McDonald is that, in their perpetual quest to placate big labor's powers that be, the taxpayers and veterans they are charged with serving are paying the price.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.4px; font-weight: 700; line-height: 17.71px;"><b><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">It's no wonder McDonald was silent after Cox's violent threats. Cox's bellicose behavior is precisely the type of employee conduct VA leaders and union bosses routinely defend.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.4px; font-weight: 700; line-height: 17.71px;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">Take the case of a VA Caribbean Healthcare System employee who </span></b><a href="http://dailycaller.com/2016/03/22/va-worker-gets-job-back-despite-armed-robbery-charge/" style="text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"><b><span color="windowtext" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">AFGE helped</span></b></a><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;"> to keep her job after she participated in an armed robbery. Unwilling to admit the crucial role AFGE union bosses played in helping the criminal keep her job, VA has offered a series of outrageous excuses in order to explain her continued employment. "There was never any indication that the employee </span></b><a href="http://www.va.gov/opa/pressrel/includes/viewPDF.cfm?id=2781" style="text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"><b><span color="windowtext" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">posed a risk</span></b></a><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;"> to Veterans or VA property," VA Under Secretary for Health David Shulkin said, adding that the employee couldn't be terminated for her armed robbery participation because it occurred </span></b><a href="http://www.govexec.com/federal-news/fedblog/2016/04/employees-can-drive-getaway-cars-armed-robberies-long-its-their-personal-time-va-says/127771/" style="text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"><b><span color="windowtext" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">in her free time</span></b></a><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">. Really?<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.4px; font-weight: 700; line-height: 17.71px;"><b><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">The fact that AFGE routinely defends the indefensible among VA employees is not surprising. After all, the organization's first loyalty is to government workers above everyone else. What's disappointing, however, is VA leaders' refusal to challenge AFGE and its tactics. VA's silence is more proof that the bosses -- both VA and union -- are all part of the same system, which specializes in protecting its own.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.4px; font-weight: 700; line-height: 17.71px;"><b><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">Consider how VA safeguarded two senior bureaucrats when the department's inspector general caught them orchestrating a scheme to rake in thousands in taxpayer-funded relocation benefits.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.4px; font-weight: 700; line-height: 17.71px;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">According to the IG, VA regional office directors Diana Rubens and Kimberly Graves </span></b><a href="http://www.va.gov/oig/pubs/VAOIG-15-02997-526.pdf" style="text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"><b><span color="windowtext" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">inappropriately used their authority</span></b></a><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">, enabling them to benefit from a total of </span></b><a href="http://www.va.gov/oig/pubs/VAOIG-15-02997-526.pdf" style="text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"><b><span color="windowtext" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">more than $400,000</span></b></a><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;"> in taxpayer-funded relocation payments. </span></b><a href="http://www.va.gov/oig/pubs/VAOIG-15-02997-526.pdf" style="text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"><b><span color="windowtext" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">Rubens, alone, received</span></b></a><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;"> more than $274,000 in benefits to make the roughly three-hour move from Washington, D.C., to Philadelphia. That's almost $100,000 per hour of driving.<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.4px; font-weight: 700; line-height: 17.71px;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">When alerted to Rubens' and Graves' conduct, VA's inspector general </span></b><a href="http://www.va.gov/oig/pubs/VAOIG-15-02997-526.pdf" style="text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"><b><span color="windowtext" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">made criminal referrals</span></b></a><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;"> to the Department of Justice, while VA leaders went out of their way to allow them to keep their jobs, as well as the benefits they collected as part of the scheme. VA Deputy Secretary Sloan Gibson even </span></b><a href="http://www.govexec.com/management/2016/02/va-deputy-says-he-has-confidence-senior-executives-he-demoted/126117/" style="text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"><b><span color="windowtext" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">expressed confidence</span></b></a><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;"> in the pair's leadership abilities and said keeping them on the payroll as regional office directors was "the morally right thing to do."<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.4px; font-weight: 700; line-height: 17.71px;"><b><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">For VA and union bosses, however, it's about more than just protecting their own. They are also actively fighting to protect VA's broken status quo.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.4px; font-weight: 700; line-height: 17.71px;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">Case in point is the </span></b><a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/114th-congress/senate-bill/2921" style="text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"><b><span color="windowtext" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">Veterans First Act</span></b></a><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">, a Senate bill that was ostensibly designed to address the department's number one problem: its widespread and pervasive lack of accountability for misbehaving employees.<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.4px; font-weight: 700; line-height: 17.71px;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">AFGE union bosses got their hands on an early draft of the legislation and demanded that senators </span></b><a href="http://dailycaller.com/2016/05/03/senate-caves-to-all-of-unions-demands-on-veterans-affairs-firing-bill/" style="text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"><b><span color="windowtext" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">water down the bill</span></b></a><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;"> in four key areas. After senators </span></b><a href="http://dailycaller.com/2016/05/03/senate-caves-to-all-of-unions-demands-on-veterans-affairs-firing-bill/" style="text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"><b><span color="windowtext" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">made all of the changes</span></b></a><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;"> the union bosses had dictated, AFGE </span></b><a href="https://www.afge.org/take-action/Calls/put-veterans-first.-call-your-senator/" style="text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"><b><span color="windowtext" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">endorsed the bill</span></b></a><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">.<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.4px; font-weight: 700; line-height: 17.71px;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">Once the union bosses gave the revised Veterans First Act their stamp of approval, McDonald began </span></b><a href="http://www.va.gov/opa/speeches/2016/07_31_2_2016.asp" style="text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"><b><span color="windowtext" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">rallying support</span></b></a><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;"> for the </span></b><a href="https://fcw.com/articles/2016/06/21/va-mcdonald-budget.aspx" style="text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"><b><span color="windowtext" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">legislation</span></b></a><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">.<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.4px; font-weight: 700; line-height: 17.71px;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><a href="http://www.militarytimes.com/story/veterans/2016/06/20/va-defends-dumping-fasttrack-firing/86149950/" style="text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"><b><span color="windowtext" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">McDonald's sudden support</span></b></a><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;"> for the Veterans First Act marked a remarkable change of heart for him on the subject of VA accountability. Previously, McDonald's VA had </span></b><a href="https://veterans.house.gov/witness-testimony/mr-curtis-l-coy-9" style="text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"><b><span color="windowtext" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">opposed</span></b></a><a href="http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/veterans-affairs-against-new-whistle-blower-protections-from-retaliation/article/2561865" style="text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"><b><span color="windowtext" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;"> almost</span></b></a><a href="https://edit-republicans.veterans.house.gov/sites/republicans.veterans.house.gov/files/Testimony%20WorleyIIUSAFR.pdf" style="text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"><b><span color="windowtext" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;"> every</span></b></a><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;"> bill that would have attempted to meaningfully help VA solve its accountability problems. Perhaps McDonald only supports accountability reforms that union bosses have had the chance to </span></b><a href="http://dailycaller.com/2016/05/03/senate-caves-to-all-of-unions-demands-on-veterans-affairs-firing-bill/" style="text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"><b><span color="windowtext" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">render toothless</span></b></a><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">.<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.4px; font-weight: 700; line-height: 17.71px;"><b><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">And so it goes at VA, where union and VA bosses fight to maintain a system in which corrupt and incompetent employees have more rights than the veterans they are charged with serving.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.4px; font-weight: 700; line-height: 17.71px;"><b><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">Meanwhile veterans and taxpayers are paying the price.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><br /></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.4px; font-weight: 700; line-height: 17.71px;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;"><a href="http://www.military.com/daily-news/2016/09/05/opinion-union-bosses-va-bosses-rigging-system-for-failure.html" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">http://www.military.com/daily-news/2016/09/05/opinion-union-bosses-va-bosses-rigging-system</span><span style="color: #2b00fe;">-for-failure.html</span></a></span></b></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>We The Peeps 1http://www.blogger.com/profile/03058442202268032528noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-704081178507719531.post-70985484195892596492020-07-19T16:20:00.001-07:002020-07-19T16:20:21.641-07:00WOMEN IN POLITICS<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><u><span style="font-family: "wide latin" , "serif"; font-size: 20.0pt; line-height: 150%;">2020
& BEYOND<o:p></o:p></span></u></i></b></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QjldlibFxmo/XxTN_wgvVxI/AAAAAAAAGrM/5nsGzpa8WBgEia73ocPITK0MUBohPl1tgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/empower%2Bwomen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="344" data-original-width="344" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QjldlibFxmo/XxTN_wgvVxI/AAAAAAAAGrM/5nsGzpa8WBgEia73ocPITK0MUBohPl1tgCLcBGAsYHQ/s200/empower%2Bwomen.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "franklin gothic heavy" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Federal Congressional Branch<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Our
current viral and chaotic condition shows that mayors, governors, and those in
the halls of Congress are going to be our political and fiscal saving grace;
not the federal executive branch. <o:p></o:p></span></b><br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">At
this point, there are only a handful of men and women doing the right things
for us, “</span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><u><span style="font-family: "wide latin" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">We
The People</span></u></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">”.
Washington DC has hung “</span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><u><span style="font-family: "wide latin" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">We The People</span></u></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">” out to dry; sold us </span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><u><span style="font-family: "wide latin" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">ALL</span></u></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> down the river.<o:p></o:p></span></b><br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">This
is </span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><u style="text-underline: thick;"><span style="font-family: "wide latin" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">NOT</span></u></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> a partisan political essay. We are
looking strictly at the numbers as they pertain to the ideals of “taxation with
no representation”.<o:p></o:p></span></b><br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">How
about using the House of Representatives, State and Local platforms as launch
pads to give women a lot more access onto our political platforms? We have some
<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">women
in elected Local, State, & Federal positions. It is painfully obvious that
we need, yes, hundreds more. <o:p></o:p></span></b><br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Three
major questions:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: red; font-family: "wingdings"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">Ø<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">When was the last time a woman started
a war? <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: red; font-family: "wingdings"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">Ø<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">When was the last time you saw a woman
run a State into the ground? <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: red; font-family: "wingdings"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">Ø<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">When was the last time you saw a woman
bankrupt a city, town, or village?</span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><o:p></o:p></span></b><br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="text-underline: thick;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;"><span style="color: blue; font-size: large;"><i><u>Let’s
look at some numbers.</u></i></span><u style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></u></span></span></b><br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="text-underline: thick;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;"><span style="color: blue; font-size: large;"><i><u><br /></u></i></span></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 72.3pt; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo5; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Women, as a percentage of the
population:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-left: 1.5in; mso-list: l3 level1 lfo4; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #3e0617; font-family: "wingdings"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">§<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">157.0 million <span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">female,</span> (50.8 <span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">%</span>)
<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 1.5in; mso-list: l3 level1 lfo4; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #3e0617; font-family: "wingdings"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">§<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">151.8 million male, (49.2 <span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">%</span>)<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Yt87DQJWDzo/XxTIuEBLJxI/AAAAAAAAGq0/7clbtEi9WfUladBjOs60g8VV3uhyVZ30QCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/senate%2Bhouse.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center; text-indent: 0px;"><img border="0" data-original-height="84" data-original-width="243" height="216" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Yt87DQJWDzo/XxTIuEBLJxI/AAAAAAAAGq0/7clbtEi9WfUladBjOs60g8VV3uhyVZ30QCLcBGAsYHQ/s640/senate%2Bhouse.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><u><span style="color: red; font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: large; line-height: 45px;">Women in Congress:</span></u></b></div>
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<div style="text-align: left;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><u><span style="background-color: #cccccc; color: blue; font-family: "copperplate gothic bold" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">Why
start with the Congress <o:p></o:p></span></u></i></b></div>
</div>
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<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: #cccccc; color: blue;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><u><span style="font-family: "copperplate gothic bold" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">of
the United States? </span></u></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "copperplate gothic bold" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
</div>
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<div style="text-align: left;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="background-color: white; color: blue; font-family: "copperplate gothic bold" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;"> </span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "copperplate gothic bold" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;"><span style="background-color: white;"> </span><u style="background-color: #cccccc;">They
control most of the purse <o:p></o:p></u></span></i></b></div>
</div>
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<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: blue;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "copperplate gothic bold" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;"><span style="background-color: white;"> </span> <u style="background-color: #cccccc;">strings
when it comes </u></span></i></b><b style="background-color: #cccccc;"><span style="font-family: "copperplate gothic bold" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><u>to
<o:p></o:p></u></i></span></b></span></div>
</div>
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<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: white;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "copperplate gothic bold" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;"><span style="color: blue;"> </span></span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "copperplate gothic bold" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 30px;"><span style="color: blue;"> </span></span></i></b></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "copperplate gothic bold" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;"><span style="background-color: white; color: blue;"> </span><u><span style="background-color: #cccccc; color: blue;">allocating
money & passing Laws.</span></u></span></i></b></div>
</div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"></span></b><br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><b style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #222222; font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></b></span></b>
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0WMyXq5mxo8/XxTODbOKi4I/AAAAAAAAGrQ/1tf-IZsft_8ljuexqeoQ0s6KPYsKpoHCACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/women%2Bhouse.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="226" data-original-width="338" height="212" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0WMyXq5mxo8/XxTODbOKi4I/AAAAAAAAGrQ/1tf-IZsft_8ljuexqeoQ0s6KPYsKpoHCACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/women%2Bhouse.jpg" width="320" /></a><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><b style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #222222; font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></b></span></b><br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><b style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #222222; font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></b></span></b>
<br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><b style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #222222; font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></b></span></b>
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><b style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #222222; font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></b></span></b>
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><b style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #222222; font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></b></span></b>
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><b style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #222222; font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></b></span></b>
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><b style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #222222; font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></b></span></b>
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><b style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #222222; font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></b></span></b>
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><b style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #222222; font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">As of November 2019,
there were </span></b></span></b><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0WMyXq5mxo8/XxTODbOKi4I/AAAAAAAAGrQ/1tf-IZsft_8ljuexqeoQ0s6KPYsKpoHCACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/women%2Bhouse.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><u><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 150%;">101</span></u></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> <span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">women</span> in the<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>U.S. <span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">House of Representatives</span> (not
counting four <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>female territorial delegates),
making <span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">women</span> </span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><u><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 150%;">23.2%</span></u></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> of the total of U.S. <span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Representatives</span>. Women represent </span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><u><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 150%;">50.8 %</span></u></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> of the 2010 Census <span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">population in the U.S. So, we need to
increase the number here by almost:</span></span></b></a></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: .5in; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><u><span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">250%</span></u></i></b><b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">.</span></b></span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></b></span>
<b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></b>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: .5in;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JO3Y4i62hXs/XxTOFFJIqqI/AAAAAAAAGrU/slSF6SrCvGsBGk6ej2ZbKpfAOu6wX6mHwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/women%2Bsenate.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; font-weight: 400; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="253" data-original-width="336" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JO3Y4i62hXs/XxTOFFJIqqI/AAAAAAAAGrU/slSF6SrCvGsBGk6ej2ZbKpfAOu6wX6mHwCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/women%2Bsenate.jpg" width="320" /></a><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">As of January 2020,
there are </span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><u><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 150%;">26</span></u></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> <span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">women</span> serving in the United States <span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Senate</span>, 17 Democrats, and 9 Republicans,
the highest proportion of <span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">women</span> serving
as U.S. <span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">senators</span> in our
history. There are 50 Senators, so:</span></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: -4.5pt; tab-stops: .5in; text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><u><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 150%;">The Senate is
properly</span></u></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: .5in; text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><u><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 150%;">represented by women</span></u></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">.<o:p></o:p></span></b><br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u style="text-underline: double;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></u></b>
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u style="text-underline: double;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></u></b>
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u style="text-underline: double;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;"><span style="color: red; font-size: large;">Women
Governors:</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></u></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-djEBlEom7Z4/XxTMjdLaSgI/AAAAAAAAGrE/aTNPAhRMng8suHYz07Z8_uxgZMVbHIp5ACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/women%2Bgovs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; font-weight: 400; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="86" data-original-width="317" height="107" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-djEBlEom7Z4/XxTMjdLaSgI/AAAAAAAAGrE/aTNPAhRMng8suHYz07Z8_uxgZMVbHIp5ACLcBGAsYHQ/s400/women%2Bgovs.jpg" width="400" /></a><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u style="text-underline: double;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"></span></u></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u style="text-underline: double;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></u></b>
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u style="text-underline: double;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></u></b>
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u style="text-underline: double;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></u></b>
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u style="text-underline: double;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></u></b>
<b style="text-indent: 0in;"><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><b style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 28px;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><br /></span></span></b></span></b>
<a href="https://draft.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=704081178507719531" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><b style="text-indent: 0in;"><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><b style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 28px;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span></b><b style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #222222; font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 28px;">Currently</span></b><b style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #222222; font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 28px;">, </span></b><b style="background-color: transparent;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><u><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #222222; font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 36px;">9</span></u></i></b><b style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #222222; font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 28px;"> women are se</span></b>rving as <span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">governors</span> of U.S. <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>states,
along with the Mayor of the District of Columbia
Muriel Bowser, and territorial <span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">governors</span> Lou Leon Guerrero of Guam and Wanda
Vázquez Garced of Puerto Rico. That
comes to </span></b><b style="text-indent: 0in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><u><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 150%;">53</span></u></i></b><b style="text-indent: 0in;"><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> Governors, and gives women
only </span></b><b style="text-indent: 0in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><u><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 150%;">16%</span></u></i></b><b style="text-indent: 0in;"><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">. We need to increase that number <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>by just over:</span></b></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><u><span style="background: white; font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">300%</span></u></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">.</span></b></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><o:p></o:p></span></b><br />
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u style="text-underline: double;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;"><span style="color: red; font-size: large;">Women
Mayors:</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></u></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; mso-outline-level: 6;">
<b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><u><span style="color: black; font-family: "copperplate gothic bold" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">(cities over 30,000)<o:p></o:p></span></u></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-left: 0in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo3; tab-stops: .5in; text-indent: 0in;">
<a href="https://draft.blogger.com/null" name="Bypopulation"></a><!--[if !supportLists]--><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">As of September 2019, per the U.S. Conference
of <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Mayors, of the </span></b><b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><u><span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 150%;">1,366</span></u></i></b><b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> mayors, 300 (</span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><u><span style="color: black; font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 150%;">22.0%</span></u></i></b><b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">) were <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>women. <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>We need to
increase that number by:</span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; tab-stops: .5in; text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><u><span style="color: red; font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: large; line-height: 150%;">230%</span></u></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;"><span style="color: red; font-size: large;">.</span><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></b><br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: #00B050;">
<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Who started most wars?<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5oZ_coJmiDI/XxTJkuMLUvI/AAAAAAAAGq8/DsW5yCdSK_Q0-Uta7V6FYQ-Y-lLuaA_-ACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/harold.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="232" data-original-width="269" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5oZ_coJmiDI/XxTJkuMLUvI/AAAAAAAAGq8/DsW5yCdSK_Q0-Uta7V6FYQ-Y-lLuaA_-ACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/harold.png" /></a><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><b><span style="color: red; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">US Has Killed More Than 20 Million People in
37 “Victim Nations” Since World War II. Since the United
States was founded in 1776, she has been at war during
her 240 (till 2016) calendar years of existence. That means that for 222 out of
240 years – or 93% of the time – America has been at war.</span></b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: yellow; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">And, still no woman in the Oval Office! </span><br />
<span style="background-color: yellow; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Are we that
stupid?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p><b><i><u>helpful reference:</u></i></b></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg15120481-200-why-women-dont-start-wars/"><span style="color: blue; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg15120481-200-why-women-dont-start-wars/</span></a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; mso-outline-level: 1; vertical-align: baseline;">
<b><span style="color: black; font-family: "helvetica" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 24.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Why
women don't start wars</span></b></div>
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<span style="color: lime;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: lime;">%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 28px;">Next, we will have a look at our Judicial System & the Executive Branch as they pertain to women in positions of power.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
We The Peeps 1http://www.blogger.com/profile/03058442202268032528noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-704081178507719531.post-14066267424077606882020-07-02T10:11:00.000-07:002020-07-02T10:11:00.392-07:00WHEN WILL IT STOP?<br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 150%;">FROM
WHERE I SIT...</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u style="text-underline: double;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif"; font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Dwight
Eisenhower’s</span></u></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif"; font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 115%;">
statement <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif"; font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 115%;">warning of the <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif"; font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Military-Industrial Complex:</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 20px;"><i>This speech was made in January as </i></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 20px;"><i>Eisenhower handed the torch to Kennedy.</i></span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; color: #202122; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; color: #202122; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 150%;">As we peer into society's future, we – you and
I, and our government – must avoid the impulse to live only for today,
plundering for our own ease and convenience the precious resources of tomorrow.
We cannot mortgage the material assets of our grandchildren without risking the
loss also of their political and spiritual heritage. We want democracy to
survive for all generations to come, not to become the insolvent phantom of
tomorrow.</span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><sup><span style="background: white; color: #202122; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 150%;"> <o:p></o:p></span></sup></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #202122; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Until the latest of
our world conflicts, the United States had no armaments industry. American
makers of plowshares could, with time and as required, make swords as well. But
we can no longer risk emergency improvisation of national defense. We have been
compelled to create a permanent armaments industry of vast proportions. Added
to this, three and a half million men and women are directly engaged in the
defense establishment. We annually spend on military security alone more than
the net income of all United States corporations.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 6.0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #202122; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Now this conjunction
of an immense military establishment and a large arms industry is new in the
American experience. The total influence—economic, political, even spiritual—is
felt in every city, every Statehouse, every office of the Federal government.
We recognize the imperative need for this development. Yet, we must not fail to
comprehend its grave implications. Our toil, resources, and livelihood are all
involved. So is the very structure of our society.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: #202122; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="background-color: white;">I</span><span style="background-color: yellow;">n the councils of government,
we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought
or unsought, by the military-industrial complex. </span><span style="background-color: white;">The potential for the
disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist. We must never let
the weight of this combination endanger our liberties or democratic processes.
</span><span style="background-color: yellow;">We should take nothing for granted. Only an alert and knowledgeable citizenry
can compel the proper meshing of the huge industrial and military machinery of
defense with our peaceful methods and goals, so that security and liberty may
prosper together.</span><span style="background-color: white;"> Akin to, and largely responsible for the sweeping changes in
our industrial-military posture, has been the technological revolution during
recent decades.<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #202122; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 150%;">In this revolution,
research has become central, it also becomes more formalized, complex, and
costly. A steadily increasing share is conducted for, by, or at the direction
of, the Federal government.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin: 6pt 0in;">
<b><span style="color: #202122; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="background-color: yellow;">The prospect of
domination of the nation's scholars by Federal employment, project allocation,
and the power of money is ever present and is gravely to be regarded.</span><span style="background-color: white;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #202122; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Yet in holding
scientific discovery in respect, as we should, we must also be alert to the
equal and opposite danger that public policy could itself become the captive of
a scientific-technological elite. <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 6.0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="color: #202122; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt;">ALSO:<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-APoMg3-YuHU/Xv0PnJhkfqI/AAAAAAAAGpg/nFTUwOZeJGwMXJwor5ODYoyuJAbeuHrGQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/d%2Beisenhower.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="749" height="133" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-APoMg3-YuHU/Xv0PnJhkfqI/AAAAAAAAGpg/nFTUwOZeJGwMXJwor5ODYoyuJAbeuHrGQCLcBGAsYHQ/s200/d%2Beisenhower.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-42TKvOBD_Kc/Xv0Pqmpq00I/AAAAAAAAGpk/leGpGq_f5fsy2ZfusZeW1HuuJ-LgULvzACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/j%2Bkennedy.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="194" data-original-width="259" height="149" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-42TKvOBD_Kc/Xv0Pqmpq00I/AAAAAAAAGpk/leGpGq_f5fsy2ZfusZeW1HuuJ-LgULvzACLcBGAsYHQ/s200/j%2Bkennedy.jpeg" width="200" /></a><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ruwz9cc9rio/Xv0PvVVwDJI/AAAAAAAAGpo/yssJ8TxielYOvJdBoSF66gfiIbg-Pn03QCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/l%2Bjohnson.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: start;"><img border="0" data-original-height="183" data-original-width="275" height="133" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ruwz9cc9rio/Xv0PvVVwDJI/AAAAAAAAGpo/yssJ8TxielYOvJdBoSF66gfiIbg-Pn03QCLcBGAsYHQ/s200/l%2Bjohnson.jpeg" width="200" /></a></div>
<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 150%;">- <u>Eisenhower</u>
never thought, or meant, our </span></b><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>commitment
in Southeast Asia to be long term.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>- Then, behind closed doors, <u style="text-underline: double;">Kennedy</u>, under</span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>pressure from the <u style="text-underline: double;">Military/Industrial
Complex</u>, </span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>started increasing our
footprint there, while</span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>everyone swooned
over what a beautiful person he</span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>was.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>- <u style="text-underline: double;">Johnson</u>
owed many people political I.O.U.’s and the</span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> <u style="text-underline: double;">M/I Complex</u> held quite a few. He oversaw a
huge Military buildup; to over
600,000 Troops.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>- Then, 1968-1969-1970 happened in the
U.S. <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><u>Martin Luther King</u> - </span></b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">April 4, 1968, Memphis,
TN</span></i><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><u>Bobby Kennedy</u> - </span></b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">June 6, 1968, Los
Angeles, CA</span></i><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><u>Woodstock</u> - </span></b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">August
17, 1969, Woodstock, NY</span></i><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><u>Kent State</u> - </span></b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="background: white; color: #181818; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; letter-spacing: 0.6pt; line-height: 150%;">May 4, 1970, Kent, Ohio</span></i><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: right;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 9.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>*note: I was serving in the
Army over that period of time, <o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: right;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NWQSw9gC3x0/Xv0JR0ySqLI/AAAAAAAAGpY/t69FFBR7mQg8bHKFBBSS-hpgU7w5MJzlACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/fed%2Bup.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="315" data-original-width="328" height="305" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NWQSw9gC3x0/Xv0JR0ySqLI/AAAAAAAAGpY/t69FFBR7mQg8bHKFBBSS-hpgU7w5MJzlACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/fed%2Bup.png" width="320" /></a><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 9.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>so I wasn’t in the U.S. and that
made it hard to fully <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: right;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 9.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>appreciate what was going on
back home.<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Rich
people paying poor people<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">to
kill other poor people on the <o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">other
side of the world. War is <o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">a
rich man’s game. All wars are <o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">banker’s
wars.<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Then we
got the <u>Reagan - W. Bush</u> years, and we
still insisted on fighting wars in foreign lands. I must say that, since the
Vietnam Conflict, the U.S. hasn’t had a very good track record of actually winning
or ending our Military Expeditions and National objectives, or our wars. Nobody
knows how to formulate an “exit plan” from all our recent conflicts, large and
small.</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 150%;">No one
can lay blame on the Military’s doorstep. The Military did what they were sent
to do, and won the battles. There were, and are, forces at work that have a
burning desire to micro-manage every aspect of our war machine, so our men and
women in uniform can only do their masters’ bidding. <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Who are
their masters? That would be the <u style="text-underline: double;">Congress</u>
and the <u style="text-underline: double;">Military/Industrial Complex</u>. This
Complex is not what you see on the surface. It has many layers and runs deep
into our economic system. <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 150%;">The
major Manufacturers of our war machine<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Subcontractors in this Country & foreign
Countries<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>the weapons design community; including our Universities<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>etc...........<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 150%;">That is
just a brief overview of how this system works. It takes a lot of money to make
the production chain work; from raw material sourcing to finished product. All
the banks and almost all the producers have shareholders who expect to make
money. That is when the bankers arrive to start the ball rolling.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 150%;">The
larger players also have their lobbyists on <u style="text-underline: double;">K
Street</u> in Washington DC. During this cycle, there are trillions of dollars changing
hands. Where does that money eventually come from? If you guessed the American taxpayer,
you would be correct.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 150%;">I think
the hardest pill to swallow is that “</span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><u><span style="font-family: "franklin gothic heavy" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 150%;">We The
People</span></u></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 150%;">” are
purposely blocked from having any say in how our money is spent. There is also
no accounting or auditing on where and how all these trillions of dollars are
spent. Somehow, we have left <u style="text-underline: double;">Congress</u> in
charge of allocating these monies in their best interests: not ours. More often
than not, our <u style="text-underline: double;">Congress</u> bows to those who
donate large sums of money to their reelections. <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 150%;">I feel
what it comes down to is there has to be some structural changes in the way our
elected officials get elected and what they are restricted from doing once
elected.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 150%;">If you
can’t be elected to an office without accepting corporate donations from lobbyists, perhaps
you’re in the wrong business. If you come under the spell of the sinister,
greedy lobbyists on <u style="text-underline: double;">K Street</u> in DC, a
career change is a great option.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 150%;">The only
thing that “</span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><u><span style="font-family: "franklin gothic heavy" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 150%;">We The People</span></u></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 150%;">” have left to control is the ballot box. A
staggering number of <u style="text-underline: double;">Americans</u> opt out of
the ballot box; they just stay home and suck their thumbs. Meanwhile their
world is crumbling and they don’t have a clue. The best this Country can do is
send maybe 60% of eligible voters to the polls in a Presidential election year.
This percentages are even worse when it comes to State and local elections. <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 150%;">If
American democracy is <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 150%;">to
survive, these percentages <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 150%;">must
be brought up to <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 150%;">the
90-95% level.</span></b></div>
We The Peeps 1http://www.blogger.com/profile/03058442202268032528noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-704081178507719531.post-52306157360247361062020-06-28T12:27:00.001-07:002020-06-28T12:27:56.075-07:00Cut Ties With The FOP<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: #EFEFEF; line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 1;">
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b><i><u>FROM WHERE I SIT...</u></i></b></span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-w_NXTlv8lrQ/XvjtCAYakiI/AAAAAAAAGpA/U5yScBYdbT8IfAxB4zaK6JpogE258ZWWgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/fop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="419" data-original-width="786" height="212" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-w_NXTlv8lrQ/XvjtCAYakiI/AAAAAAAAGpA/U5yScBYdbT8IfAxB4zaK6JpogE258ZWWgCLcBGAsYHQ/s400/fop.jpg" width="400" /></a><span style="color: blue; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b><i><u><br /></u></i></b></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #3e3c3e;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 32px;"><br /></span></span></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: #3e3c3e;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 32px;"><br /></span></span></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: #3e3c3e;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 32px;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br />
</span></span></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: #3e3c3e;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></span></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: #3e3c3e;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></span></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: #3e3c3e;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></span></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: #3e3c3e;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></span></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: #3e3c3e;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The Fraternal Order of the Police </span></span></b><b><span style="color: #3e3c3e;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">is the deadliest frat in the world.</span></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: #3e3c3e;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: #EFEFEF; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 7.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><span style="color: #3e3c3e;">Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna
Taylor, and George Floyd’s</span></b><span style="color: #3e3c3e;"> murders
sparked righteous outrage across the United States and the world, with millions
of people taking the streets to protest the unjust treatment of Black people at
the hands of the police. While the majority of the country, including
non-governmental leaders and politicians of all party affiliations, have
denounced these murders, there’s one outlier: police unions.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: #EFEFEF; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 7.5pt;">
<span style="color: #3e3c3e;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">In the wake of George
Floyd’s murder, the <b>Minneapolis Police Chief Bob Kroll penned a letter
to his fellow officers calling George Floyd a “violent criminal”,</b> and
called the people protesting his unjust killing “<b>terrorists</b>.” While many
would find Kroll’s comments to be deplorable and inflammatory, he is not the
only police union head to spew such rhetoric following the murder of an
innocent Black person. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: #EFEFEF; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 7.5pt;">
<span style="color: #3e3c3e;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">When the officer who
killed Laquan McDonald was convicted of murder, Chicago’s police union slammed
the trial process as unfair. When Philando Castile was murdered by police in
Minneapolis, the union president jumped to the officer’s defense with attempts
to discredit accusations of racism. When 12-year-old Tamir Rice was shot dead
in Cleveland, cops appealed the removal of the officer responsible. And even
now, in this moment of national revolt against police brutality, we’re
seeing <b>these groups double down on their racist excuses for
unforgivable violence.</b> The Minneapolis police union has continued to
throw its support behind violent, troublesome officers in defending George
Floyd’s murderer. One of New York’s police-only unions recently doxed —
released identifying and personal information to the public — the mayor’s
daughter, who is Black, after she was arrested during a protest. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: yellow; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 7.5pt;">
<b><span style="color: #3e3c3e;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Police unions create one of the biggest barriers to our progress
towards officer accountability and policy change. These institutions keep the tradition of police brutality alive and
pledge blind loyalty to police officers -- even the most violent
among them -- and make powerful political allies of the elected prosecutors who
are intended to hold them to account. For decades, police union leaders have
used their power and influence over the law enforcement community to preserve a
rigged system rather than embrace fair, safe, common-sense solutions.<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: #EFEFEF; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 7.5pt;">
<span style="color: #3e3c3e;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">We know that the Black
community, when organized, is a powerful force for political and social change
-- and we’re paying attention. We are taking note of which elected officials
have chosen to accept contributions and make themselves beholden to these
unions, and against the interests of our community. The time has come for these
officials to make a choice: you are either with the people, or you are in
support of systemic police violence and mass incarceration.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: #EFEFEF; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 7.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><span style="color: #3e3c3e;">We call on elected
leaders across the nation to return and refuse political donations from police
unions and the Fraternal Order of Police that have excused, defended and
encouraged police violence for decades.</span></b><span style="color: #3e3c3e;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: #EFEFEF; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 7.5pt;">
<b><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: #EFEFEF; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 7.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><span style="color: #3e3c3e;"><u><i>Here is the petition:</i></u></span></b><span style="color: #3e3c3e;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: #EFEFEF; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #4b4b4b;">Dear (<u>Elected Official</u>),</span><span style="color: #4b4b4b;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: #EFEFEF; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #4b4b4b;"><br />
I am writing to you as a concerned constituent who stands against police
brutality and white supremacy. I am urging you to stand on the right side of
history: refuse to take any political donations from police unions or sheriff
associations and donate any contributions you have taken in the last year to
Black-led community-strengthening initiatives. </span><span style="color: #4b4b4b;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: #EFEFEF; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #4b4b4b;"><br />
The continued violence against Black, Brown, and Native communities at the
hands of ‘law enforcement’ is disgraceful. Police unions are in the business of
defending the most consistent murderers and abusers of the Black community,
creating obstructions to justice for the families and loved ones.</span><span style="color: #4b4b4b;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: #EFEFEF; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #4b4b4b;"><br />
Stand with your community today.</span><span style="color: #4b4b4b;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #4b4b4b;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br />
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We The Peeps 1http://www.blogger.com/profile/03058442202268032528noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-704081178507719531.post-47634796365388045572020-06-28T12:09:00.002-07:002020-06-28T12:09:56.728-07:00THE EVOLUTION OF PTSD<br />
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<b><u><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">From
Where I sit</span></u></b></div>
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<b><span style="background-color: cyan; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 24pt; letter-spacing: 0.25pt;">How
PTSD went from ‘shell-shock’ to a recognized medical diagnosis</span></b></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; letter-spacing: .4pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder
have been recorded for millennia, but it took more than a century for
physicians to classify it as a disorder with a specific treatment.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; letter-spacing: 2.25pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; text-transform: uppercase;">BY <b>ERIN
BLAKEMORE</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; letter-spacing: 2.25pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; text-transform: uppercase;">PUBLISHED JUNE
16, 2020<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 14.5pt; letter-spacing: .1pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The
battles were over, but the soldiers still fought. Flashbacks, nightmares, and
depression plagued them. Some slurred their speech. Others couldn’t
concentrate. Haunted and fearful, the soldiers struggled with the ghosts of
war.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 14.5pt; letter-spacing: .1pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Which
war? If you guessed Vietnam, the U.S. Civil War, or even World War I, you’d be
wrong. These soldiers’ symptoms were recorded not on paper charts, but on cuneiform
tablets inscribed in Mesopotamia more than 3,000 years ago.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 14.5pt; letter-spacing: .1pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Back
then, the ancient soldiers were assumed to have been hexed by ghosts. But if
they were treated today, they would likely receive a formal psychiatric
diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 14.5pt; letter-spacing: .1pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Although
the diagnosis has its roots in combat, the medical community now
recognizes that PTSD affects civilians and soldiers alike. Patients develop
PTSD after experiencing, learning about, or witnessing a traumatic
event—defined as “actual or threatened death, serious injury, or sexual
violence”—and their intrusive symptoms affect their ability to cope in the
present.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 14.5pt; letter-spacing: .1pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Nearly
seven percent of American adults will likely experience PTSD during their
lifetimes, but it took hundreds of years, and the dawn of industrial-scale
warfare, for society to recognize the deleterious physical and mental effects
of experiencing, witnessing, or becoming aware of traumatic events.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18.0pt; letter-spacing: .25pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">"Traumatic
hysteria"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 14.5pt; letter-spacing: .1pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Medical
historians have documented many early accounts of what would now be classified
as PTSD. There’s Herodotus’ description of an Athenian soldier who
became blind after witnessing the Battle of Marathon in 490 B.C., and a
Shakespearean monologue in <i>Henry IV, Part 1 </i>in which Lady
Percy describes her husband’s sleeplessness and inability to enjoy
life after fighting a battle. Then there are more modern descriptions, like accounts
of Civil War combatants who developed what their doctors called
“soldier’s heart.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 14.5pt; letter-spacing: .1pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">But
though early physicians looked for a physical cause, it wasn’t until the 1880s
that psychiatrists connected the symptoms to the brain. At the time, women who
expressed vehement emotions were labeled with “hysteria,” a condition that
supposedly arose from the uterus. When French neurologist Jean-Martin Charcot
saw similar symptoms in men, he chalked them up to traumatic events—rather than
biological destiny—and the term “traumatic hysteria” was born.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--7QSSe2cG40/XvjqV9bDzsI/AAAAAAAAGo4/1gzo46-RNdE9jum5Uxc9u7myRjivGepZACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/40474659_1862213097198352_890778145630715904_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 19.3333px; letter-spacing: 0.133333px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="409" data-original-width="564" height="145" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--7QSSe2cG40/XvjqV9bDzsI/AAAAAAAAGo4/1gzo46-RNdE9jum5Uxc9u7myRjivGepZACLcBGAsYHQ/s200/40474659_1862213097198352_890778145630715904_n.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="color: black; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 14.5pt; letter-spacing: .1pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“The
concept of trauma was entangled with feminine weakness from the beginning,”
says Mary Catherine McDonald, a historian of PTSD who works as an
assistant professor of philosophy and religious studies at Old Dominion University.
And when World War I blasted onto the scene, it challenged a common conviction
that psychological steadiness was a matter of personal character, masculinity,
and moral strength.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18.0pt; letter-spacing: .25pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Shell shock and combat
fatigue<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 14.5pt; letter-spacing: .1pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">From
aerial combat to poison gas, WWI introduced terrifying new combat technology on
a previously unimaginable scale, and soldiers left the front shattered.
Seemingly overnight, the field of war psychiatry emerged and a new term—shell
shock—appeared to describe a range of mental injuries, from facial tics to an
inability to speak. Hundreds of thousands of men on both sides left World War I
with what would now be called PTSD, and while some received a rudimentary form
of psychiatric treatment, they were vilified after the war. As historian Fiona
Reid notes, “shell-shock treatment was constantly entwined with
discipline” in militaries that had trouble aligning their beliefs in courage
and heroism with the reality of men who bore invisible wounds.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 14.5pt; letter-spacing: .1pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">By
World War II, psychiatrists increasingly recognized that combat would have
mental health ramifications—and concluded that too many men who were </span><a href="https://books.google.com/books?id=EMprAAAAMAAJ&lpg=PA157&ots=lY7MtmfodO&dq=world%20war%20ii%20breakdown%20prone%20men&pg=PA155#v=onepage&q=neuropathic%20traits&f=false"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 14.5pt; letter-spacing: .1pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">prone</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 14.5pt; letter-spacing: .1pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> to anxiety or “neurotic tendencies” had been selected to
serve in the previous war. But though six times as many American men were
screened and </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2089086/#__sec1title"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 14.5pt; letter-spacing: .1pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">rejected</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 14.5pt; letter-spacing: .1pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> for service in the lead-up to the World War II,
military service still took its toll. About twice as many American
soldiers </span><a href="https://www.defensemedianetwork.com/stories/world-war-ii-psychiatric-wounds-of-war/"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 14.5pt; letter-spacing: .1pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">showed</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 14.5pt; letter-spacing: .1pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> symptoms of PTSD during World War II than in World
War I. This time their condition was called “psychiatric collapse,” “combat
fatigue,” or “war neurosis.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 14.5pt; letter-spacing: .1pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Military
officials assumed that </span><a href="https://warfarehistorynetwork.com/2016/09/30/the-breaking-point-combat-stress-in-wwii/"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 14.5pt; letter-spacing: .1pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">removing</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 14.5pt; letter-spacing: .1pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> men from combat situations or treating them with
injections of drugs such as sodium amytal would relieve their psychiatric
distress. It didn’t work: Nearly 1.4 million of the 16.1 </span><a href="https://www.census.gov/history/pdf/ww2infographic.pdf"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 14.5pt; letter-spacing: .1pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">million</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 14.5pt; letter-spacing: .1pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> men who served in World War II were treated for
combat fatigue during the war, and the condition was responsible for 40 percent
of all discharges.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18.0pt; letter-spacing: .25pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Post-Vietnam syndrome</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18.0pt; letter-spacing: .25pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 14.5pt; letter-spacing: .1pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">A growing
recognition of the ubiquity of psychiatric injury during war prompted more
compassionate approaches to traumatized veterans. “The soldier suffers in the
modern war situation a privation hard to equal in any situation in civilian or
even primitive life,” </span><a href="https://books.google.com/books?id=PI8rAAAAYAAJ&lpg=PP1&pg=PA74#v=onepage&q=or%20even%20primitive%20life&f=false"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 14.5pt; letter-spacing: .1pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">wrote</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 14.5pt; letter-spacing: .1pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> psychiatrist Abram Kardiner, whose 1941 book <i>The
Traumatic Neuroses of War </i>helped change views of what is now known as
PTSD. But, despite a growing recognition of the unique stresses of combat, as
well as studies that showed the effects of war could last for decades, soldiers
continued to face out-of-date views on their ability to bounce back from
combat-related psychiatric distress.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 14.5pt; letter-spacing: .1pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In
1952, the American Psychological Association published the <i>Diagnostic
and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders</i> (DSM), the closest thing
psychiatry has to a bible. The handbook helps professionals diagnose mental
illnesses and strongly influences everything from research to public policy to
health insurance. But veterans’ symptoms were categorized under disorders like
depression or schizophrenia instead of being recognized as a distinct
diagnosis.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 14.5pt; letter-spacing: .1pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Enter
“Post-Vietnam syndrome,” a term coined in 1972 by psychiatrist Chaim Shatan. By
then, Vietnam veterans had been returning home for years, and many were beset
by emotional numbness, volatility, flashbacks, and rage. In part because many
experienced delayed symptoms, veterans had trouble accessing treatment and
benefits despite their invisible wounds.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 14.5pt; letter-spacing: .1pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Increasingly,
veterans turned to what psychiatrist Robert Lifton </span><a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/800744"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 14.5pt; letter-spacing: .1pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">called</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 14.5pt; letter-spacing: .1pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> “street corner psychiatry”—veteran self-help
communities who often combined their healing with anti-war protests. Along the
way, they met clinicians and researchers like Lifton and Shatan, who began to
advocate for the DSM to include some kind of post-combat stress diagnosis. In
1980, “post-traumatic stress disorder” became a formal diagnosis in the DSM’s
third edition. Twelve years later, it was also adopted in the World Health
Organization’s </span><a href="https://www.who.int/classifications/icd/en/"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 14.5pt; letter-spacing: .1pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">International
Classification of Diseases</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 14.5pt; letter-spacing: .1pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tvKOU7ZXHYo/XvjqC4lkqHI/AAAAAAAAGow/W-yFO7nOLcIrkLiPm2GGWKO4qSk0Ud3NwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/angst%2B01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="123" data-original-width="160" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tvKOU7ZXHYo/XvjqC4lkqHI/AAAAAAAAGow/W-yFO7nOLcIrkLiPm2GGWKO4qSk0Ud3NwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/angst%2B01.jpg" /></a><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18.0pt; letter-spacing: .25pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Invisible wounds<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 14.5pt; letter-spacing: .1pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Today’s
definition of PTSD is more inclusive than ever—and the condition is recognized
among survivors of sexual abuse or assault, health crises and surgeries,
natural disasters, bereavement, mass shootings, accidents, and more. PTSD is
associated with everything from flashbacks and nightmares to </span></div>
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hypervigilance,
problems concentrating, amnesia, dissociation, and negative beliefs about
themselves or others.<o:p></o:p><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 14.5pt; letter-spacing: .1pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">With
every passing year, researchers develop new treatments for PTSD and learn more
about how trauma affects the brain and body. They are also grappling with the
possibility that the effects of trauma and stress can be passed from one
generation to the next through chemical changes that effect how DNA is
expressed. A 2018 study, for example, found high </span><a href="https://www.pnas.org/content/115/44/11215"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 14.5pt; letter-spacing: .1pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">mortality</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 14.5pt; letter-spacing: .1pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> among the offspring of men who survived Civil War
prison camps in the 1860s. Scientists are still </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6051458/"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 14.5pt; letter-spacing: .1pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">sparring</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 14.5pt; letter-spacing: .1pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> over an earlier study that suggested the offspring
of Holocaust survivors inherited a different balance of stress hormones than
their peers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 14.5pt; letter-spacing: .1pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Other
researchers, like </span><a href="https://www.suffolk.edu/academics/faculty/l/o/jessica-lopresti"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 14.5pt; letter-spacing: .1pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Jessica
Graham-LoPresti</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 14.5pt; letter-spacing: .1pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">, push against the limitations of the official
PTSD diagnosis itself. A clinical psychologist and assistant professor at
Suffolk University, Graham-LoPresti studies the effects of systemic racism on
African-Americans. “People of color experience a lot of symptoms in response to
the frequency and pervasiveness of racism that mirror the symptoms of PTSD,”
she says, noting that watching footage of police brutality can exacerbate the
fears and stresses of lives already touched by pervasive racist experiences.
“This is not new, but [this imagery is] causing a lot of hypervigilance,
emotional responses of stress and anxiety, and feelings of helplessness and
hopelessness.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 14.5pt; letter-spacing: .1pt;">But though the
current definition of PTSD considers experiencing or witnessing a single
incident of racialized terror an inciting incident, it doesn’t allow for the macroaggressions
and intergenerational dynamics African-Americans experience every day. “It’s a
complicated conversation,” says Graham-LoPresti. “It is so new, and researchers
of color are starting to get a lot of pushback because the field is so
overwhelmingly white.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 14.5pt; letter-spacing: .1pt;">As Graham
Lo-Presti works to connect the dots between racism and PTSD, her colleagues are
considering the potential effects of another pandemic: COVID-19. Psychiatrists
are </span><a href="https://www.webmd.com/lung/news/20200507/ptsd-may-plague-many-covid-19-survivors#1"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 14.5pt; letter-spacing: .1pt; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">bracing</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 14.5pt; letter-spacing: .1pt;"> for a flood of patients traumatized both by surviving the illness
and losing their loved ones to it. In the wake of the SARS epidemic in Hong
Kong in 2003, some patients and healthcare workers developed PTSD—and in a
variety of </span><a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(20)30460-8/fulltext"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 14.5pt; letter-spacing: .1pt; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">studies</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 14.5pt; letter-spacing: .1pt;">, people who were quarantined exhibited more signs of post-traumatic
stress than people who were not.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 14.5pt; letter-spacing: .1pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 14.5pt; letter-spacing: .1pt;">But that doesn’t
mean that everyone who lives through a traumatic event will develop PTSD—or
that those with post-traumatic stress disorder can’t find healing and joy. As
with other chronic illnesses, PTSD can go into remission—and as the study of
PTSD matures, researchers have come to appreciate the brain’s heroic attempts
to heal itself after traumatic events.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 14.5pt; letter-spacing: .1pt;">“It’s such a
destructive idea to think that PSTD is dysfunction,” says McDonald. “We’re
getting it fundamentally wrong when we think it’s a sign of brokenness. It’s
the sign of the impulse to survive.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://api.nationalgeographic.com/distribution/public/amp/history/2020/06/ptsd-shell-shock-to-recognized-medical-diagnosis">https://api.nationalgeographic.com/distribution/public/amp/history/2020/06/ptsd-shell-shock-to-recognized-medical-diagnosis</a><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />We The Peeps 1http://www.blogger.com/profile/03058442202268032528noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-704081178507719531.post-87372368729711551032020-06-27T17:01:00.000-07:002020-06-27T17:01:57.786-07:00THE FOX IS GUARDING THE HEN HOUSE , AGAIN!<div class="separator"><p align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 15pt; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: right; vertical-align: baseline;"><o:p style="background-color: transparent; text-align: left;"> <span></span></o:p></p><a name='more'></a><span><!--more--></span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Wide Latin", serif; font-size: 14pt; text-align: center;"><b><i><u><font color="#3367d6">1
more shot for the boys</font></u></i></b></span><p></p></div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Wide Latin", serif; font-size: 14pt; text-align: center;"><b><i><font color="#3367d6"> <u>and
girls at VISN 2 and</u></font></i></b></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Wide Latin","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><b><i><u><font color="#3367d6">the
faux management at<o:p></o:p></font></u></i></b></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Wide Latin","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><b><i><font color="#3367d6"> <u>VAMC,
Northport NY</u></font></i></b></span></p><div style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 4.5pt; border: none; mso-element: para-border-div; padding: 0in 0in 7.0pt 0in;"><h1 style="border: none; line-height: 14.4pt; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext 4.5pt; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 7.0pt 0in; padding: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">I</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">mprovements
Needed to Reduce Aging Infrastructure Risks at Northport VA Medical </span><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Center in New York.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></h1><h1 style="border: none; line-height: 14.4pt; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext 4.5pt; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 7.0pt 0in; padding: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><img border="0" data-original-height="132" data-original-width="160" height="85" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CeRartiEtts/XvfZWRYflSI/AAAAAAAAGns/Ec-M1YQ2syA-Qygr2MgXrve_KpjIQEk7QCK4BGAsYHg/w102-h85/LAUGHING%2BMAN.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="102" /><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span><img border="0" data-original-height="132" data-original-width="160" height="85" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CeRartiEtts/XvfZWRYflSI/AAAAAAAAGns/Ec-M1YQ2syA-Qygr2MgXrve_KpjIQEk7QCK4BGAsYHg/w102-h85/LAUGHING%2BMAN.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="102" /><img border="0" data-original-height="132" data-original-width="160" height="85" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CeRartiEtts/XvfZWRYflSI/AAAAAAAAGns/Ec-M1YQ2syA-Qygr2MgXrve_KpjIQEk7QCK4BGAsYHg/w102-h85/LAUGHING%2BMAN.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="102" /><img border="0" data-original-height="132" data-original-width="160" height="85" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CeRartiEtts/XvfZWRYflSI/AAAAAAAAGns/Ec-M1YQ2syA-Qygr2MgXrve_KpjIQEk7QCK4BGAsYHg/w102-h85/LAUGHING%2BMAN.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="102" /><img border="0" data-original-height="132" data-original-width="160" height="85" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CeRartiEtts/XvfZWRYflSI/AAAAAAAAGns/Ec-M1YQ2syA-Qygr2MgXrve_KpjIQEk7QCK4BGAsYHg/w102-h85/LAUGHING%2BMAN.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="102" /><img border="0" data-original-height="132" data-original-width="160" height="85" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CeRartiEtts/XvfZWRYflSI/AAAAAAAAGns/Ec-M1YQ2syA-Qygr2MgXrve_KpjIQEk7QCK4BGAsYHg/w102-h85/LAUGHING%2BMAN.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="102" /></h1></div><p align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: 15pt; text-align: right; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: red; font-family: inherit; font-size: 18pt; padding: 0in; text-align: left;"><a href="https://eur04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.oversight.gov%2Freports%3Ffield_oigs_submited_particip%255B%255D%3D42&data=02%7C01%7C%7Cb583a1ea359f423984ff08d809c23678%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C637270077021105150&sdata=%2BYkGbeWTs6ovLJLzdLYoknmCs9W9MxNxAejBCldi8RI%3D&reserved=0" style="text-align: left;">Department of Veterans Affairs
OIG</a></span></p>
<p align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="background: #003A63; mso-line-height-alt: 15.0pt; text-align: right; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: 18.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Report
Description: <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-line-height-alt: 15.0pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit; font-size: 18.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The OIG assessed the merits of a hotline complaint received in
March 2019 regarding building conditions and patient safety at the Northport VA
Medical Center in Northport, New York. The complainant alleged that medical
center managers did not take adequate action to maintain the center’s
buildings. </span><span style="background: red; color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: 18.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: background1;">[This
is true]</span><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit; font-size: 18.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> According to the complaint, the delivery system
for steam heat failed and caused damage that contaminated employee and patient
areas with asbestos, lead paint, and other debris. </span><span style="background: red; color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: 18.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: background1;">[This is true]</span><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit; font-size: 18.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> The review team determined that damage occurred in building 65 of
the medical center and that four rooms were closed for repairs from February
through mid-October 2019. The room closures did not, however, affect patient
care because other space was available. </span><span style="background: red; color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: 18.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: background1;">[This is a bold face lie]</span><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit; font-size: 18.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The team also found that prior medical center leaders did not plan
effectively to address building 65’s deficiencies. The OIG made three
recommendations to the Veterans Integrated Service Network 2 director. These
included developing an oversight process to make certain that medical center
leaders effectively develop and execute the master plan to reduce the medical
center’s footprint in order to better manage aging infrastructure. The OIG also
recommended that the medical center’s director define a timeline for
implementing the master plan and communicate plan objectives to stakeholders. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-line-height-alt: 15.0pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background: red; color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: 18.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: background1;">[ There are no leaders or
master plan here. ]</span><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit; font-size: 18.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> The recommendations
call for (1) the medical center’s master plan and the strategic capital
investment plan to be consistent and (2) the master plan to be executed
following agreed upon milestones and available resources. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-line-height-alt: 15.0pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background: red; color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: 18.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: background1;">[ “available resources”
is the way Northport gets around implementing any OIG “suggestion”. ]</span><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit; font-size: 18.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> Finally, the OIG recommended that the medical center director
develop processes and procedures for submitting work orders—including for
notifications when work orders are assigned and reviewed for accuracy and
consistency—to help the center’s engineering service prioritize work and manage
resources. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: red; mso-line-height-alt: 15.0pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: 18.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: background1;">These specific
complaints and VA/OIG responses have been filed for decades. The powers that be
don’t even try to put a bandaid on it anymore.]<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="background: #003A63; mso-line-height-alt: 15.0pt; text-align: right; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: 18.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Date
Issued: <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-line-height-alt: 15.0pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="xgmail-date-display-single"><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: red; font-family: inherit; font-size: 18.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; padding: 0in;">Thursday, June 4, 2020</span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit; font-size: 18.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="background: #003A63; mso-line-height-alt: 15.0pt; text-align: right; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: 18.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Agency
Reviewed / Investigated: <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.0pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: red;"><a href="https://eur04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.oversight.gov%2Freports%3Ffield_component_agency_%255B%255D%3D324&data=02%7C01%7C%7Cb583a1ea359f423984ff08d809c23678%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C637270077021115145&sdata=Z0UQl2N%2FWDPQJcYhwwAvR3gbBl8EEHgcsWfa2LwZ6ZM%3D&reserved=0"><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: red; font-family: inherit; font-size: 18.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">Department of Veterans Affairs</span></a></span><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit; font-size: 18.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="background: #003A63; mso-line-height-alt: 15.0pt; text-align: right; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: 18.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Submitting
OIG-Specific Report Number: <o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.0pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: red;"><a href="https://eur04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.va.gov%2Foig%2Fpubs%2FVAOIG-19-07482-91.pdf&data=02%7C01%7C%7Cb583a1ea359f423984ff08d809c23678%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C637270077021125140&sdata=6GF1UccKq97eTYTkI83%2BPGW2BA5ibOVNniIzCDu7f3Q%3D&reserved=0" target="_blank" title="Additional Details"><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: red; font-family: inherit; font-size: 18.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">https://www.va.gov/oig/pubs/VAOIG-19-07482-91.pdf</span></a></span><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit; font-size: 18.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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if applicable: <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-line-height-alt: 15.0pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: red; font-family: inherit; font-size: 18.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Veterans Health Administration</span><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit; font-size: 18.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="background: #003A63; mso-line-height-alt: 15.0pt; text-align: right; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: 18.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Location(s): <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-line-height-alt: 15.0pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="xgmail-locality"><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: red; font-family: inherit; font-size: 18.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; padding: 0in;">Northport</span></span><span style="color: red; font-family: inherit; font-size: 18.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">, <span class="xgmail-state"><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">NY, </span></span></span><span class="xgmail-country"><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: red; font-family: inherit; font-size: 18.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; padding: 0in;">United States</span></span><span style="color: red; font-family: inherit; font-size: 18pt;">View </span><span style="color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: 18pt;">Document: </span> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Franklin Gothic Heavy","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">A helpful hint for VA after decades of
constipation!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">What foods to eat to make your poop?</span></b><b><span style="color: #525252; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: 16.5pt; margin-bottom: 6pt; vertical-align: top;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="background-color: #3367d6;"><font color="#ffffff">Eat fruits, nuts,
grains, and vegetables. In addition, it’s important to eat foods with plenty of
fiber. This adds bulk to your stool, which stimulates the bowels to move and
propel your stool forward. Foods that contain fiber include: fruits, such as
strawberries, raspberries, and apples.</font></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #525252;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><img border="0" data-original-height="117" data-original-width="118" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gpCkt2b2PiI/XvfZIqqxdSI/AAAAAAAAGnU/A-xvOsl1k9IAnitR7IO68FijrwKGDw6RwCK4BGAsYHg/poop2.jpg" /> <img border="0" data-original-height="160" data-original-width="151" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mIscdnA-jkQ/XvfZOrlDQoI/AAAAAAAAGng/YVUVf0SeZ8Ahl646rJC08VTG69e_7wQOQCK4BGAsYHg/poop%2B01.jpg" style="text-align: center;" /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div> <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-no-proof: yes;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><o:p></o:p><p></p><br />We The Peeps 1http://www.blogger.com/profile/03058442202268032528noreply@blogger.com0