(Wag the Dog ) Divertimento, a musical form from Mozart’s time, usually meant as a time killer. Take away a source of angst, maybe. Consider the current political situation: The Donald’s approval rating is in the tank. A majority of the nation’s voters view (to put it mildly) his presidency as a failure. What can be …
Tag Archives: politics
My Military obligation
What they used to call it back-in-the-day. Every American male (without disqulifiers like fallen arches) had one. I think it meant six years or so we owed to Uncle Sam. The fact that it no longer exists results from technology and demographics. In the Census taken just after I was born the population of the …
To the Dogs
Back in the day (early 1960’s), I was a recent college graduate. I had started my first professional job, as a chemist with the Food and Drug Administration. I was about to file my first income tax return. Although much of my income was subject to withholding, I was appalled to learn that I still …
American Gestapo
Are we living a domestic version of Nazi Germany? The current version – ICE? Naw, it can’t happen here. But consider: Several high ranking officers have issued a warning that service members are not obligated to follow illegal orders. The ringleader, a retired Navy captain currently serving as a U.S Senator from Arizona, is being …
The Unfinished
I was into a screed about the recent election, near the end, when a hit on the wrong set of keys caused it to disappear. Happens. For what it’s worth, I’ll try to reconstruct. To call this a Democrat sweep is both obvious, and largely besides the point. As I’ve said, it doesn’t really matter …
Buyer’s Remorse
Donald Trump was recently elected to a second term, narrowly defeating Kamilla Harris. For the first time, The Donald actually won more votes than his democratic rival. In the first year of his second term, however, there.have been three “No Kings Day” demonstrations, the last one involving in excess of seven million people. And we’re …
The First Hundred Days
This became a milestone during FDR’s time in office. Rating presidents is sort of a hobby with historians. I am nothing of the kind, but for what it’s worth, I rank George Washington the best of the 18th Century, Abraham Lincoln of the 19th, and Franklin Roosevelt of the 20th. It is Roosevelt who popularized …
Cruelty
Elon Musk, often described as the world’s richest man, has been leading a campaign to all but destroy the federal government, as we know it. He has been given free reign to accomplish this by POTUS 47. I’ve often wondered whether this represents a quid pro quo for his rescue of Trump’s personal finances. While …
Then and Now
My only grandchild, Davis McNulty, is about to turn 17 next month. No rational person would deny that the world/nation/state has changed significantly in the 70 or so years of difference in our ages. Davis is entering his senior year in one of our nation’s premier private schools. He is doing course work in high …
Chaos
Donald Trump loves chaos. Several weeks into (hopefully) his final term, he has solved numerous personal issues: no prison term for inciting an insurrection; having what should have been crushing debt apparently taken care of. It’s pretty plain to me that Elon Musk has quietly done this for a price: having numerous outfits of his …
Rogernarc 