President Biden Stands Before the American People

 Quick Link —

President Biden stands up for the American people:

https://www.c-span.org/video/?517282-1/president-biden-holds-news-conference

Comments by TMP coming later

Thinking the Unthinkable About Our Beloved Nation

 What the authors are speaking of is the possibility of the break-up of the United States as we know it.  Sadly, this can be called a supportable conjecture.  

In any event, this is an extremely important article and one which deserves the most serious consideration.

(Article may be behind a paywall.)

 Rapid Resource --

 Time to Think the Unthinkable?

 https://www.nytimes.com/2022/01/13/opinion/january-6-civil-war.html

 

 (via Patriot in Exigency)

 

Authority Warns of Insurrection on the Local Front

Rush Link —  

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/next-insurrection-warning-jan-6_n_61d7f6f7e4b04b42ab7e1736

A New Role for Our Civic Organizations

 Republished from Democratic Campaign Watch --

 

Knowledgeable news makers are now advising us to use our civic organizations to preserve democracy against the rising fascist threat.  This threat, as we understand it, is arising from aggrieved persons who are being stoked by various prominent individuals into a high state of anger and agitation. As such, this stoking is the most dangerous thing I have seen in my lifetime.  

It seems, though, that there is hope.  For instance recent polling indicates the American public now favors Democrats over Republicans in Congressional races this fall.*  This is a big change from polling on the subject last fall.   

But in order to avoid a similar situation as in Weimar Germany, we must do much, much more to stem the rising tide of mindless anarchy which so saliently threatens our way of life.  This we can do.  But more importantly in the short term, the media must stop framing the crisis as politics-as-usual.  That is not reality.  The real story is that one Party has been taken over by radicals.  Increasingly, it is also becoming clear that these radicals are supported by a well-funded and organized effort aimed at subverting the will of a people who are no longer willing to accept rule-by-the-rich in America.  

 

The Amazing Infrastructure Law

 Quick Link -- 

The Infrastructure Law recently passed by Congress would not seem so amazing had it not taken years and years to get passed.  This is to the credit of President Biden and the Democratic leadership in Congress.  There is much to peruse here.  All of it is hopeful, even inspiring. 

 

The Infrastructure Law-- Summarized by Category

Post-Christmas: A Resumption

 Dear Reader:

With Christmas past, it seems a good time to resume posting here. I will attempt to post about twice a week, at least during this after-Christmas season.  

Politics has become a contest of democratic v. anti-Democratic forces.  Unfortunately, the Democratic Party doesn't seem able to frame the fight in these terms.  Thus, we need everyone --including you, my reader -- to help in the fight for democracy, itself.  Our task is no less. 

Retired U.S. Generals Say Military Must Prepare Now for Possible Coup Attempt in 2024

 Quickly --

Three retired United States generals have warned in not-to-be-mistaken strong terms, that the threat of a coup attempt in 2024 is real.  We ignore these generals at our peril.  A must-read Washington Post  column.  See link below.

Three Generals Warn of Coup Attempt in 2024

Saturday Poetry

Here we have a poem chosen not for its great art -- though it is more than acceptable -- but for its historical meaning.  For here is a poem by a plumbing contractor named Reuben Anderson who gave it to Glen Edgerton, the supervisor of the White House restoration during the Truman Administration.  Harry Truman liked it so much he read it aloud:

 

Every man's a would-be sportsman, in the dreams of his intent,

A potential ou-of-doors man when his thoughts are pleasure-bent.

But he mostly puts the idea off, for the things that must be done,

And doesn't get his outing till his outing days are gone.

So in hurry, scurry, worry, work, his living days are spent,

And he does his final camping in a low green tent.   

 

-- As quoted by David McCullough in Truman, p. 859.

Time Becomes Chimerical

 The poets have said time is like a shadow, or a swiftly flowing stream.  In my case, time seems chimerical, almost disingenuous.  Thus, as the nation has struggled with new variants of COVID-19, new fears in the stock market, and new anxiieties in the workplace, I have found myself caught up in the whirlwind which seems to engulf the country these days.

So, I regret the delay in posting here.  In lieu of a specific topic tonight, I refer you back to the post here on the Robert Kagan article entitled "Our Constitutional Crisis Is Already Here," from several weeks ago.  I will have even more to say about this matter soon.

 

 

Best wishes of the season,

 

The Musical Patriot   

Presidential Nicknames: Critical Musings

 "Georgie" Washington? 

 

 The U.S. press is increasingly referring to President Biden as "President Joe Biden (Italics mine).  While this nicknaming of the President has precedent, and Mr. Biden has referred to himself as "Joe," there is something slightly seedy, and  rather more than undignified about this shortening of President Joseph Biden's name.      

    However this argument turns out, it set me to wondering what nicknames might be given to Presidents of the past, and how that could change the way we look at them. Here are some examples:

 

• Presidents Georgie Washington, Bush, and Bush
• Presidents Jack Adams, Jack Q. Adams, and Jack Tyler 
• Jim Madison, and Jim Monroe, Jim Buchanan
  
• Andy Jackson and Andy Johnson
• Bill Hank Harrison
• Milly Fillmore
• Jimmy Polk
• Uly Grant
• Ruth Hayes
• Jim Garfield
• Chet Arthur
• Ben Harrison
• Grove Cleveland
• Woody Wilson
• Warren Gamey Harding
• Herbie Hoover
• Frank Roosevelt
• Lyn Johnson
• Rich Nixon
• Barry Obama
• Donny Trump

    If this list is long, it is because we have had many Presidents (whew). 

 

Press -- With No Other Major Races Going On -- Opines Wildly About Virginia Governor's Race

                                            Terry McAuliffe, former Governor of Virginia

Quickly --

 

  ... polls have shown McAuliffe, who previously served as governor from 2014 to 2018, tied with Republican former business executive Glenn Youngkin with the election a week away — and the president's own popularity is on the decline.

     --St Louis Post-Dispatch

 

Here we have a typical article from the press these last days on the race for Virginia governor.  I have been following the various polls on Nate Silver's Five Thirty-eight. I have paid special attention to the aggregate of all polls, which I find to be about the best way to account for the variations in poll results.  

 What the Post-Dispatch (otherwise a pretty good newspaper) does not say is that Youngkin's numbers have also gone down in recent days, and that McAuliffe still leads.  In fact, McAuliffe has led the entire way, although by a smaller margin recently.  

But this can partly be explained by Youngkin becoming more known. It is telling, moreover, that his numbers are deflating slightly.  It seems to me that is not what a candidate wants to see one week before the election.  No wonder Youngkin's approach is increasing in intensity and, dishonesty* -- and ugliness.   

*For example, his latest ad inaccurately accuses Mr. McAuliffe of wanting the government to come betwee parents and their children.  This is simly preposterous.  (I plan to have a source for this soon.) 

 

 

Frankly, he's a menace.

 The vast majority of voters all hoped he would disappear from the limelight.  Sadly, this was not to be.  And it appears it will not be until stronger political force is brought to bear. 

No one wishes him any physical harm.  But the general populace must take him much more seriously.  First, the media must take his threat much more seriously.  

More later

 **********************

Meanwhile, please see post here about Robert Kagan article.  

Tony Bennett Does It One More Time

 Here is Tony Bennett, master songster on his 95th birthday not only singing through difficulties, but reaching the top of the mountain.  Mr. Bennett here shows that not only could he still perform marvelously, but that even at an advanced age, one can still grow and develop beautifully.

Listen to the shine, the confidence.  That is experience building on experience,  and showing forth on a new day in a new way.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=yNrvXw9juNs&feature=share

Courtesy CBS

Americans’ Trust in Media Drops to New Low

While the media obsesses over President Biden’s approval ratings, trust in the media has fallen to the second lowest level since 1997.

Let us not forget the media’s awarding Donald Trump with over a billion dollars in free publicity in the 2016 campaign.  

In contrast, there is little mention now of Mr. Biden’s accomplishments, to wit, success in seeing that vast numbers of Americans have received the COVID vaccine resulting in millions getting back to work; the shipment of free vaccine to countries all around the globe; a scandal-free administration; a constitutional government; a crack-down on violations of anti-trust law;  a comprehensive infrastructure plan;  economic aid to the newly unemployed, plus cities and states; and the list goes on.

One wishes gratitude was as prized a value as the glorification of opinion numbers.

Trust in Media Sinks 

 https://news.gallup.com/poll/355526/americans-trust-media-dips-second-lowest-record.aspx

President Biden’s Approval Numbers Improve

 With the Afghanistan withdrawal fading into the background, Americans seem more likely to support the President in a new NPR/Marist poll.

Americans do want their President to succeed, and President Biden’s strengths appear to be winning over more people at this time.

President Biden’s Approval Numbers Recover Somewhat