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| Silverfiddle Rant! |
I surveyed the bare shelves, and my mind kept turning to the working poor with children who perhaps only have a narrow opportunity to shop once a week, elderly and disabled people for whom a trip to the grocery store is a herculean effort of pain and worry...
And they find the store stripped by panicked hordes of healthy, able-bodied people, most of whom could miss a few meals and it would do them some good.
"We have 30,000 traffic deaths every year! We're ordering all vehicles off the roads to save those lives!"Heather MacDonald asks if governments' abundance of caution is worth the cost in her article, Compared to What?
Even if my odds of dying from coronavirus should suddenly jump ten-thousand-fold, from the current rate of .000012 percent across the U.S. population all the way up to .12 percent, I’d happily take those odds over the destruction being wrought on the U.S. and global economy from this unbridled panic.Stimulate What?
Federal, state and local government have crashed the economy by ordering businesses to close and throwing tens of millions out of work. Now, they are borrowing trillions to bail out the economy they wrecked.
How in the hell are people supposed to stimulate the economy with fistfulls of government cash when government has shuttered all the businesses?
I don't need a thousand dollar check. I am still working, thank God.
Could government actions have been a little more targeted? Lasers instead of meat axes and sledge hammers?
Now that the economic wreckage from government panic is in the trillions, here are two actions governments should immediately take:
1. Unemployment checks to those millions of workers the federal, state and local governments threw out of work
2. Financial assistance to small business owners the federal, state and local governments ordered shut down
These payments are not socialism. This is government providing a small remuneration for the harm they caused, and states should foot their part of financial responsibility. It is easy to decree broad, sweeping mandates when you don't have to pay for the disastrous consequences.
Related:
States Can't Shut Down Non-Essential Businesses Without Harming Essential Ones
I share your sentiments, Silverfiddle. I have a similar article post today on American Thinker. Glad to see I'm not alone.
ReplyDeleteJason! Glad to see you, my friend! How are you doing during this crazy time?
DeleteI'm doing fine as is everyone else as far as I can tell. And I live 2 miles from the synagogue in New Rochelle where the 1st NYS outbreak occurred. People are not that worried except for the poor store owners. Glad I moved out of Manhattan a decade ago.
DeleteHow is everything with you?
Jason,
DeleteMr. AOW and are doing fine. We've had plenty of practice as shut-ins.
I remember.
DeleteI know we lost Dymphna over at Gates of Vienna. I see Mustang is here and making good common sense as always. Is Warren OK?
Jason,
DeleteDid Dymphna die of the Corona Virus?
Warren is doing well. Thanks for asking.
Oh, no, she died a year ago. I don't remember the conditions. I only stopped by on occasion in recent years. I tend to think of us as the class of 2005, as we all started blogging about the same time, give or take a year. It is always heartening to see many carrying on the tradition.
DeleteJason,
DeleteI thought that she'd died a while back.
Glad that Baron is still continuing the blogging. Gates of Vienna makes an important contribution.
Yes, we were the class of 2005. I started blogging in April of that year. So glad that I did! I've learned important web skills to use right now as I conduct online classes and tutoring.
Jason,
DeleteJune 17, 2019. HERE is a beautiful tribute to her -- and with a photo taken in years gone by.
Baron has macular degeneration (wet type, one eye).
We are all getting older.
BTW, do you still have that beautiful kitty?
Thanks for the link to that wonderful and touching tribute to Dymphna. It still feels like she is here today. I have old emails from her and I remember her gentle spirit yet firm resolve in our struggle.
DeleteOur Lara died two years ago at age 16. I thought we might take a break from having cats but I caved-in to my wife. We have our first boy, an alpha male who thinks he's our boss.
Jason,
DeleteSorry to read about your beautiful Lara, but I thought that she must be in her senior years.
Is your alpha male another Siamese kitty?
Hello, Jason.
DeleteI'm glad to see you're still plugging away.
I seldom post anymore and comment only in fits and starts. Mostly, I relegate myself to a janitors role of taking out the trash. --i.e. Deleting nitwits and trolls.--
Jason,
DeleteCongrats on making the bigtime. I was very close to publishing on AT, but ended up punching out of blogging before making my big splash.
They still have an empty directory there with my name on it.
https://www.americanthinker.com/author/kurt_silverfiddle/
"Is your alpha male another Siamese kitty?"
DeleteYes, my wife found another one!
"I relegate myself to a janitors role of taking out the trash. --i.e. Deleting nitwits and trolls"
LOL. It's good to see that you're here and still in the fighting spirit. We're older but undiminished!
"Congrats ... They still have an empty directory there with my name on it."
You're a good writer. And have some good points. AOW attracts a good crowd.
Jason,
DeleteHow old is this new kitty?
He's 20 months. He runs in the hall and "hangs" with the neighbor's dogs.
DeleteJason,
DeleteFeel free to email me a photo. My email address is in the right sidebar.
Two idioms come to mind: (1) You can pleases some of the people all of the time, you can please all of the people some of the time, but you can’t please all of the people all of the time (John Lydgate), and (2) If one makes an error of judgment, always err on the side of caution.
ReplyDeleteMax Weber would be proud of what we’ve done to the concept of government bureaucracy. It is now a self-sustaining gaggle of paper-pushers and bean counters who created a demand for more filing cabinets and whose demand for modern air-conditioned offices put construction workers on the public payroll. Heck, the entire bureaucracy now feeds on itself. No one has to start that engine in the morning; it is omnipresent, and the best part is that no one is ever held accountable for its decisions —many of which never quite find their way to the department head.
When DJT assumed the presidency, with all his talk about draining the swamp, I thought he was speaking about the bureaucracy. I was being silly. The only source powerful enough to destroy American bureaucracy is mother nature. It would take an epic disaster to fix the bureaucracy problem —something exponentially more powerful than any president. But I am only one person and, I think, of the minority opinion. Most Americans love the bureaucracy. It gives them free stuff. What’s not to love about it? And it is almost like living in Shangri La because no matter what goes wrong, the blame for it is easily shifted over to the sitting president, no matter who that happens to be.
It really is hard to argue with the notion of erring on the side of caution. We would rather not end up losing tens of thousands of people for failing to take precautions, would we? In our world of instant gratification, we somehow expect immediate solutions to complex problems such as “unknown viruses.” That isn’t how science is supposed to work, though, and for good reason.
What is worrisome is what “government” is able to do in its quest for “caution.” Close schools, shut down church services, private businesses, banks, filling stations, order everyone to remain in quarters, close beaches, suspend public transportation, garbage collection, and shut down those convenient neighborhood treatment centers. I even heard talk about some states closing their borders ... and all because there are 63 or so confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Washington State. And we really should ponder what might happen if the medical emergency was more virulent than the coronavirus.
The world is watching. Our enemies are watching and taking notes. One obvious conclusion would be that it doesn’t take much to shut down the most powerful nation on earth.
What seems to be missing, as Silver suggests, is common sense, which in these days doesn’t appear to be all that common. One doctor said that the only way this particular virus can spread is through human hosts ... hence, the need to isolate. Isolation, therefore, is a quicker solution than waiting for the CDC to find a treatment protocol. In places like Italy, where the population is packed in together, quarantine may make sense, but is this the case in other countries? Does public handwringing by high-ranking government leaders help the situation, or make it worse? Ducky was right ... we are a sorry people.
Mustang,
DeleteThe world is watching. Our enemies are watching and taking notes. One obvious conclusion would be that it doesn’t take much to shut down the most powerful nation on earth.
True. And very disheartening, in my view.
Our enemies have the same issues we do. How's Iran doing>
DeleteBritain tried herd immunity through mass infection and pulled back early.
South Korea has handled their epidemic well.
DeleteThey tested a lot earlier than our fearless leader, TRUMP.
We are allowing politicians, the majority Dems, to trample the Constitutional right to Freedom of Assembly.
DeleteCDC botched the initial rollout of the test kits.
DeleteAccording to, Alec Stapp:
Delete"The FDA was the problem.
The first coronavirus case in the US and South Korea was detected on January 21.
South Korea quickly ramped up widespread testing.
Why did the US fail to do the same?
In short: the FDA dropped the ball.
There have been 3 major regulatory barriers to scaling up testing.
1. Obtaining an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA)
2. Being certified for high-complexity testing under CLIA.
3. Complying with HIPAA Privacy Rule and the Common Rule related to protection of human research subjects. -Red Tape-
HHS Secretary Alex Azar declared a public health emergency on Jan 31.That action initiated a new requirement — labs that wanted to conduct their own coronavirus tests must first obtain an emergency use authorization (EUA) from the FDA......
Read at the the complete explination at the TWITTER LINK HERE
Warren, Thank you for the information.
DeleteToo many generations raised by helicopter parents, by parents who would not allow them to walk home from school unattended.
ReplyDeleteToo many presidents who said, "My first responsibility is to keep you safe," and were believed. (That responsibility is nowhere stated in the constitution.)
Too many generations who turned outside for validation of self perception. "I need for you to address me by the pronoun of my choice in order for me to be okay."
Too many generations who looked to government to solve problems for them that they were unwilling to solve for themselves. "I couldn't afford insurance, so I need the government to rebuild my house." And replace my flat screen tv, and replace my two cars, and replace my houseboat that were also destroyed by the tornado.
We have become a nation peopled by by those who have been raised unable to care for themselves.
Jayhawk,
DeleteWe have become a nation peopled by by those who have been raised unable to care for themselves.
Tragic for our republic!
Something to remember on Election Day.......
ReplyDeleteSenate Democrats block economic rescue bill after Pelosi pulls powerplay in House.
“Senate spends all weekend negotiating a bipartisan deal. Agreement reached. Pelosi flies in from California, whips out her unrelated ‘wishlist,’ and says no. Senate Democrats then vote against proceeding on a bill they negotiated. Jaw dropping.”
Read the rest HERE.
Related:
DeleteNYT Changes Headline Blaming Democrats for Failed Coronavirus Deal. Screen shots provided.
Something else to remember on election day. Every one of the 6 states currently under draconian restrictions has a Democrat governor. Here in PA the order closing all but "life sustaining" businesses is currently being contested in court as a 2A violation. I can't think of anything more "life sustaining" than the ability to defend hearth and home when all this overreach and overreactioninevitably hits the fan.
DeleteI would think you'd support the Dems for blocking a bill which contains a huge slush fund for corporate America and little for working America.
DeleteI’m not sure any sane person would support the Democrats blocking an aid package because they want to include a bailout package for the postal service, demands that corporations publish pay statistics by race for board members, forcing all states to incorporate early voting and same day voter registration/voting, full offset or airline emissions, demand for publication of greenhouse gas statistics for each flight in the US, a $15.00 federal minimum wage, permanent paid leave, commissioning a study on climate change mitigation efforts ... all of which will apply to companies and small businesses rescued by the bill. Those Democrats exude compassion, don’t they?
DeleteYou always ignore the fact that "corporate America" pays the salaries of "working America." Is there ever a "middle ground" with you?
Viburnum,
DeleteExcellent points! As usual.
I'm with Viburnum, 1A rights especially.
DeleteThis is a war on us.
Socialism by Mandate.
if the commercial mortgage market collapses, Ed, your pop guns aew going to be of limited value.
DeleteMustang. how does it work:
1.Corporation sees low labor demand
2. Corporation receives share holder's slush payment
3. Corporation hires uneeded worker and raie wages?
Ducky, Ed references the 1st Amendment......but based on your flippant comment, do you really think that firearms will be of “limited value” during a complete example economic and social collapse??
DeleteHeh, got any stuff I’d like?
Got any TP to trade?
DeleteWhile the Dems "wishlist" is questionable, that isn't the holdup. The hold up is, as referred to by Democrats, the "slush fund". The "slush fund" would give Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin (a former CEO bank investor) the sole discretion to hand out around half a trillion $ to corporations without a commitment to preserve jobs and wages. It also allows him to do so in secret, not even a commitment to tell us sap tax payers who he gave it to.
DeleteI'm no fan of this $1K in every pot socialism to begin with. I'm even less of a fan to corporate welfare.
Hint: CI, if you come to riflr my place during the meltdown - take the Tàpies.
DeleteA Ted Williams auto for 4 rolls.
I'll trade you two copies of the NYT and a roll of 80 grit sandpaper if you pay the freight on the .22 .
DeleteSilver posted... "I don't need a thousand dollar check. I am still working, thank God. Could government actions have been a little more targeted? Lasers instead of meat axes and sledge hammers?
ReplyDeleteThe time for sledge hammers is still yet to come when we will have to rebuild from the ground up. As for the $1000.00 check, it's hush money. Sent to us so that the bigger fish can get another bailout and us regular folks can't say Main Street was ignored.
On a related tangent let me ask as it regards the hotel and airline industry. They will need some sort of bailout. Perhaps we can exist without hotels, although not my town, Las Vegas, but airlines?
How will America travel? Day long journey's to get between points A & B will not work in today's world. That being said, why weren't the airlines and other businesses stockpiling profits as the economy roared? Why do they have no reserves? Are they just operating on the churn?
As baggage fees, change fees and lower fuel prices have given these guys record profits, where did the money go?
If we must bailout industry, and I suspect we will, we need some concessions. Cash reserve minimums, better customer service, more leg room, etc.
And then business can make a choice. Take the help with concessions, or say no thank you, and go it alone.
BTW Silver... I'll probably just give the check to my kid when his newly applied for unemployment runs out. He works in an airline related field.
Dave,
DeleteHow will America travel? Day long journey's to get between points A & B will not work in today's world.
It might have to!
I'd say the differenc3e with this is that for the avg 5.1 days the virus incubates without symptoms people are contagious. That makes it like a nuclear chain reaction and even worse because mostly older people are affected to the point of death. So young people don't care, and some of those will intentionally be out there are carriers because there are some who see the problem in the US as us boomers who vote anti-socialist.
ReplyDeleteKid,
DeleteYes, it is this silent spreading because of the incubating period that makes this virus so problematic!
Yet is it as dangerous as portrayed?
DeleteThere is reason to believe not.
What happened in italy, then?
DeleteSuccinct as always Mustang but I must take exception to your assertion that all blame will fall on the sitting president no matter who he is. If my memory serves me correctly Obama wasn't even blamed for fathering his two daughters.
ReplyDeletePeter, Peter, Peter ... have you forgotten that there are different rules for those who suffered at the hands of white oppression ... which is how he got to be president in the first place, right?
DeleteEven here, a place which tends to favor the voice of reason, we see echos of the refrain of, "We must take care of the people but not under any circumstances give money to those nasty, evil businesses." So once there is no longer the deadly virus commanding the government to give money directly to all those nice people, where will they get their money after the businesses that used to employ them have been destroyed?
ReplyDeleteBingo!
DeleteUp votes for you, Jayhawk!
DeleteToday the governor of Virginia closed all public schools for the rest of this school term.
ReplyDeleteBut liquor stores will remain open.
DeleteAs well they should.....think of all the parents that NEVER considered homeschooling before. They’re going to need something to get through this.
DeleteThe ABC stores west of Haymarket at least, still have a pretty good stock.
Soon the parents will realize that it WASN'T the teachers.....
DeleteGreat, now I just read the same thing at Z's.
DeleteColorado's dictator--er, governor--has exempted liquor stores and pot shops from mandatory shutdown. He doesn't want a riot on his hands.
DeleteSilverfiddle, you hit the nail on the head. Liquor is deemed essential by some as is the herb. No riots please. However owning or working in one of those places may become hazardous. When people start jonesing for the good stuff, crime is near by. Me? I got a basketball jones. I saw Cheech and Chong live a few times. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DlhWPVJNAOo
DeleteI am disappointed with both parties. Democrats are trying to smuggle in student loan cancellation, and the GOP refuses to extract a high price from big corps for the government largess they are slavering to lap up.
ReplyDeleteI'm with the "lefties" on some of this: No stock buybacks, no executive bonuses, and ironclad guarantees no layoffs.
Congress should have immediately expedited the two items I listed in my post, and then argued over the rest:
ReplyDelete1. Unemployment checks to those millions of workers the federal, state and local governments threw out of work
2. Financial assistance to small business owners the federal, state and local governments ordered shut down
So, the airlines, and the hundreds of thousands of the people they used to employ, can just go on the slagheap of history?
DeleteAnd the cruise ship industry? Too big to need help, right? They only employed a few dozens of thousands. Let their ships rot at the piers, and their former employees live on unemployment insurance.
And the auto industry. We don't need all those stinking cars. And hundreds of thousands of auto workers don't need the jobs they used to have.
That's just a few. But don't worry, all of the manufacturers of the instruments of war will do fine.
Jayhawk,
DeleteRead my whole comment. It's about priorities, and imo, those are the top two.
@Silverfiddle
DeleteOkay, if we aren't being anti-corporation, let me reword #2 for you in a non-biased manner. "Financial assistance to all businesses the federal, state and local governments ordered shut down."
Jayhawk,
DeleteOK, but I put small businesses first because most are shoestring operations, with the owner earning his or her living working it, and they are not eligible for unemployment.
Corporations have more options.
People are panicking, and frenzied bulk-buying is not an appropriate response. However...
ReplyDeletethe comparison to traffic accidents is not valid. Counting the deaths is one reason to take a threat seriously (and, by all means wear a seat belt and be hyper-vigilent while crossing roads). But we're worried about CV-19 because of projected deaths / intenstive care cases.
If we expected road traffic accidents to grow exponentially, we would be banning cars. (I write this in the expectation that some smart-arse will pipe up and demonstrate that traffic accidents are already growing exponentialy. To that smart-arse, I salute you. Now compare the time constants in these two exponential relationships.)
Neither is any one person's odds of dying from CV-19 relevent. I'm far more interested in my odds of dying from some other cause because I couldn't access routine health care, which was all taken up by CV-19 patients. A heart attack or broken hip which wouldn't ordinarily kill me, might do if I can't get medical attention in time.
I'm not in a position to defend or attack America's fiscal stimulus (it's enough of a task keeping up with my own government's response!), but there is one advantage to the sledge-hammer: it's quick. People who need the money, need it now. This is not the time to roll out some massive IT project deciding who does and doesn't get the money they could have used to escape eviction 6 weeks ago. I appreciate that it's counter-intuitive, but it might even be cheaper to just give something to everyone: the admin has a non-zero cost.
That said, there's people on my side of the pond agitating for a universal basic income, and I don't think now's the right time for that either. I'd rather try something like that out in less extraordinary circumstances: any results we get now are liable to be generally unapplicable.
It really is most unusual. We don't usually spend this kind of money (or impose such drastic social conditions) on anything but war.
Jez,
DeleteIn my view, the Corona Virus damage to the lungs is a significant concern. "Recovered" can mean alive but incredibly disabled.
Definitely, especially in your demographic -- but we youngsters aren't immune from that by any means.
DeleteJez,
DeleteNot only in my demographic. Young people are also sustaining significant lung damage on the level of cystic fibrosis. See pulmonary fibrosis.
But, yes, outcomes in my age group (68) are not always good. It's much worse for those over 80.
Jez,
DeleteNo analogy is perfect, and your point is well taken.
Part of my grip is with how this is all being communicated.
Some perspective, please?
This isn't ebola or the plague. (in fact, we've experienced the plague here in modern times, and the results were not catastrophic as in the middle ages because of modern medicine and modern sanitation and hygiene practices).
This is one more note on my continuous, monotonous song demanding a higher level of thinking from our "leaders."
The communication thing is massive. Our government had an initial fumble with the science which may turn out to be tragic; but even since then it's been sending out mixed messages and communicating its plan through daily updates, one drip at a time. People are up in arms all the time about all the people they're overlooking, but they might get round to everybody in the end. I'm trying to give them the benefit of the doubt.
DeleteAs I say, I don't have much bandwidth spare to follow the American response, but I can fear the communication issues over there are even worse. I hope some pockets of your news media are resisting the urge to sensationalize.
Let nothing disturb thee,
ReplyDeleteNothing affright thee
All things are passing
God never changeth
Patient endurance
attainteth to all things
Whom God possesseth
in nothing is wanting
Alone God sufficeth.
~ St. Teresa of Avila, lines written in her breviary
As translated by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
The Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want.
ReplyDeleteHe maketh me to lie down in green pastures.
He leadeth me beside the still waters.
He restoreth my soul.
He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness
For His name's sake.
Yea, though I walk through the Valley of the Shadow of Death
i shall fear no evil, for Thou art with me.
Thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
Thou preparest a table for me in the presence of mine enemies.
Thou anointest my head with oil.
My cup runneth over.
Surely Goodness and Mercy shall follow me all the days of my life,
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
~ Psalm 23 - KJV
O rest in the Lord, wait patiently for Him, and He shall give thee thy heart's desires.
ReplyDeleteCommit thy ways unto Him, and trust in Him.
And fret not thyself, because of evildoers.
~ Contralto aria from Mendelssohn's St. Paul
PRAYER FOR SERENITY (COMPLETE)
ReplyDeleteGod, grant me the serenity
___ to accept the things I cannot change,
______ the courage to change the things I can,
_________ and the wisdom to know the difference.
Living one day at a time,
___ enjoying one moment at a time;
______ accepting hardship as a pathway to peace;
Taking, as Jesus did,
___ this sinful world as it is,
______ not as I would have it;
_________ trusting that You will make all things right
____________ if I surrender to Your will;
So that I may be reasonably happy in this life
___ and supremely happy with You forever in the next.
AMEN!
~ Reinhold Niebuhr (1892–1971)
Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God by which Ye are sealed unto the Day of Redemption.
ReplyDeleteLet all Bitterness and Wrath and Anger,and Clamor and Evil Speaking be put away from you with all Malice.
And be ye Kind one to another, Tender-Hearted and Forgiving one another, even as God, who for Christ's Sake, hath forgiven you.
~ Biblical text as interpreted in an anthem by T. Tertius Noble (1867-1953)
". . . Be STILL, and KNOW that I am GOD. . . ."
ReplyDelete~ from Psalm 46, KJV (mphasis added)
"In God We Trust" - Up for Renewal
ReplyDeleteAmerican Thinker
by Eric Georgatos
It’s America’s motto, and it’s time to dust it off and put it back to use. ...Americans as a whole will pray and trust God that this, too, shall pass, and freedom shall endure to enable Americans to adapt and learn from it, but with a sense that the paralysis and panic associated with this episode will be overcome, not that it will become the new normal. . . .
Obviously we don't trust God at all, since we have dived into a state of blind panic and shut down our entire social order in a frenzy of unabated terror.
DeleteMany of our fellow American now worship at the altar of The State.
Delete
ReplyDeleteReflections on a Century of Junk Science
American Thinker
by Jack Cashill
On Saturday evening I drove to a local pizza joint to pick up a pizza. (snip) A TV at the pizza place, however, was tuned to CNN. It showed the Coronavirus death toll: 12,000-plus worldwide and 285 in the United States. The numbers stunned me. Not following the news closely, I presumed, based on the hysteria in the air, that the numbers had to be at least ten times that high both nationally and internationally. 285? According to the Center for Disease Control 185 Americans died of drug overdoses every day in 2018. . . .
330 Americans died every day of common flu in the 2017-2018 flu season.
DeleteDems support a stronger presence/response when dealing with China.
ReplyDeleteReally? They've embarked upon a new track then? Oh wait ... by stronger presence, did you mean an increase in the amount of graft finding it's way from the PRC to the DNC?
Mustang/AOW/Silver and other... the comment above is one I wrote, elsewhere, in response to a specific question. Why someone felt a need to copy and paste it here is anyone's guess. Feel free to dump it.
ReplyDeleteDave,
DeleteDone.
I hope you've noticed, though I doubt it, that I am advocating a strong revival of FAITH in ALMIGHTY GOD as the best possible ANTIDOTE to the predicament we find ourselves in right now.
ReplyDeleteMuch is being made of Nancy Pelousy and the Defecrats' amittedly despicable, self-serving response to the Repubican initiaitve to 'put money in the pocket of every American earning less than 75K a year, and to Employers and Business Owners as well to enable them to keep their doors open and the mill wheels turning.
I read Siverfiddle's article, and found his observations perfectly sensible, as usual, but I've come to believe we need a more RADICAL approach to relieving the PARALYSIS in which our FEAR has placed us.
The Republican Proposal is NOT a SOLUTION to our problem. It's tantamlunt to putting bandaids on bullet wounds.
The proposed HANDOUT only serves to EXPAND GOVERNMENT POWER further, –– and even WORSE –– it encourage us, as a people, to invest MORE belief that GOVERNMENT has what it takes to SOLVE our problems.
I see that as falling right into the TRAP the proponents of Marxian Dialectics set more than a century ago.
Anyway, the goverment is BROKE. It has been for a long time, and it only has the power to print de facto COUNTERFEIT money. What possible good could come from continuing to promote belief in an ILLUSION based on materlialistic thinking?
Our "help" must come from God's Holy Word and from each of us –– as individuals –– to use whatever talents, strengths and intelligence we have to be as kind, helpful, encouraging and constructive as we can to our families, friends and neighbors.
The COLLECTIVIST ROUTE could in the long run only lead to further dissolution, depression, degeneracy and decay.
Be humane, be kind, be as generous as possible, and ACCEPT whatever comes with GRATITUDE for all the good you've experienced as a Child of God –– whether you choose to recognize it or not.
And Yes, i am PERFECTLY serious. };^)>
And as Tiny Tim would say, "God Bless Us, Every One."
Franco,
DeleteI've noticed.
But -- and don't take this the wrong way -- I'm not big on public displays of my own faith. My Mennonite-related upbringing, I suppose. And do not take this comment as a criticism of your own faith. We each follow the path with which each of us is comfortable.
46 AM
ReplyDeleteWritten by Steven Ertelt
Published in The Hill
For the second time in as many weeks, Speaker Nancy Pelosi is attempting to exploit the coronavirus crisis to push her abortion agenda on the American people.
During the development of the first stimulus bill to tackle the coronavirus situation, White House officials caught Pelosi trying to force Americans to fund abortions because she put funding in the bill under a section of HHS where the provisions of the Hyde Amendment would not apply.
Now, Pelosi is trying to include funding for the Planned Parenthood abortion company in the bill to provide economic relief for small businesses, even though Planned Parenthood is a profitable abortion corporation that technically is a nonprofit.
Click here to subscribe to The Hill
As The Hill reports, Pelosi wanted to include Planned Parenthood in the mix with small businesses so it could get taxpayer dollars over the objections of pro-life Americans:
ReplyDeleteIt seems as if this Clown Andrew Cuomo has nothing else to do but go on TV every day doing nothing but causing panic to the public. And tell us that we are all doomed.
First Cuomo blames Trump for being to slow in his stopping the flights from China. Then a day later he praises Trump for his excellent and speedy work that probably save thousands of lives by acting so quickly.
Look for this schumck to be the Democrat’s newest rising star: New York Governor. Andrew Cuomo is looking and talking more Presidential than any other Democrat and perhaps being the replacement for Joe Biden. Joe will have some kind of "accident”. . Look for Bernie to concede, Biden to withdraw and Cuomo to ride in on his White Horse to the rescue. He can take credit for successes in fighting the Corona virus and blame Donald Trump for any failures. Who knows, he could be a winning combination if he doesn't pick a lunatic for his Vice President.
After all the Democrats must know that Joe Biden ain’t gonna win, and Andrew Cuomo just might fit the mold, my friends!
I say.... I still think the election is Donald Trump's to lose, but Fredo’s brother would be a MUCH more formidable opponent than Old Quid Pro Joe. I think that whatever happens, Joe Biden won't be the Democratic nominee. And whatever happens, HILARY STILL WON’T BE YOUR PRESIDENT!
I highly recommend the PBS News Hour. They are the only non-hysterical US news outlet and the provide a spectrum of opinion and reasoned expertise.
ReplyDeleteCool, looks like I can get that from over here.
DeleteJez,
DeletePBS is kinda like our one state-run media. They are famous for having a soft left bias, but their news content is really good, and imo they must have made a decision in the Age of Trump to not fall into the TDS anti-Orange Bad Man rage.
I like it. At last, sommething I can recognise as news ;)
DeleteCast thy burden upon the Lord,
ReplyDelete___ and He shall sustain thee.
He never will suffer the righteous to fall.
___ He is at thy right hand.
Thy mercy, Lord, is great,
___ and far above he heavens.
Let none be made ashamed,
__ that wait upon Thee.
~ excerpt from Elijah by Felix Mendelssohn
QUESTION:
ReplyDeleteHow many of us here are unaffected by Corona Virus in the sense that we are still getting our paychecks?
I'll go first.
I am still getting paid, both my monthly SSRI (less Medicare and Medigap) and some checks from online tutoring (6 hours/week). My investment income, which is in a real estate LLC, is drastically affected, but I don't get all much a month anyway.
Finally! A recovered number (United States): 354 out of 61,167. Less than 1% -- and we still don't have a definition of recovered.
ReplyDeleteI'd also like to see the recovery rate for influenza -- and the definition of post-influenza recovery, too.
It doesn't affect me very much. I draw my SS and work full time for an essential business. They did close my cardio rehab for a while though, so I need to dust off the home gym for my upper body stuff and probably walk a couple of miles a day.
ReplyDeleteI get a lot of exercise at work.