The Four Commandments

 

I first learned about the Four Commandments as a high school Freshman taking a Senior-level Cultural Anthropology class in 1970. Thanks to my Junior High school Science teacher and so-called 'high scholastic potential', I was able to take the class as part of the MGM (Mentally Gifted Minor) curriculum. 

You know... science geeks.

On the first day of high school, I entered that classroom and was confronted by a large pile of desks in the middle of the room, with other students standing along the walls or sitting on the floor. Eventually the room filled up and the bell rang, but no teacher was in sight.

After a few uneasy minutes looking at the desk pile, I decided (as a stupid Freshman and Boy Scout) to start pulling desks off the pile and setting them upright so the girls had a place to sit. Some of the other guys did the same thing, and in five minutes all the desks were righted and fashioned into a ragged semi-circle facing the chalkboard, with everyone seated. 

A few moments later, teacher Alan Eggleston walks in and mock-berated us for being soooo programmed and conditioned by society that we subconsciously set up the room in the culturally-acceptable schoolroom format. That first day of class set the tone for the next two semesters of a fantastic educational experience.

Mr. Eggleston's class was an eye-opener for me, but the Four Commandments I learned wasn't from the class per se. Rather, it was from a few issues of 'National Lampoon' Magazine that a classmate loaned me to read.

Typical Lampoon Cover

One of them had a satirical article about modern society under the Nixon Administration, how the Vietnam War would last forever, and that many young American males had decided to go full-nihilist and follow four simple lifestyle rules to protest their new role as draftable cannon fodder:

1. Eat it.  2. Smoke it.  3. Fuck it.  4. Break it.

This totally cracked me up, and National Lampoon became a reading staple for me through high school, college and beyond.

Fast-forward to the latter stages of 2024 and the alarming results of the recent Presidential election. 

There's lots of blame going around about how this happened, but it really doesn't matter. What DOES matter is that while over 150 million people cast ballots this year, almost 100 million eligible voters didn't even bother to vote. That fact seems to have slid by almost unnoticed, but I think it may be the most important.

Why don't all those people vote? After much consideration, I have a plausible answer: they simply don't care that much about voting, the single most-important role every American citizen must play in a functioning democracy. That leads to the next question: why don't they care about voting? IMHO, that's an easy one to answer.

They don't vote because they have little to no understanding about why it's such an important aspect of our civic duty as American citizens. Big 'D' Democracy has no discernible meaning or impact in their lives, so they blow off voting because they CAN... no biggie, right?

That's a direct link to the new Four Commandments.  The old Ten Commandments are officially null and void, especially considering the character of the person who'll be running the Gummint starting in January 2025.

A large swath of Americans aren't invested in voting because they know almost nothing about why they need to know. We've allowed an entire generation of students to graduate from high school without a basic knowledge of U.S. history, government, or civic responsibility. 

A high school Diploma is no longer a guarantee that Graduating Seniors have a clue about how and why their government works. It doesn't really matter to them one way or the other, because what they don't know is a lot.

 The Four Commandments:

1. Eat it: consume whatever you want, as much as you want, whenever you want, no matter what it is. Deny yourself nothing, make sure you get yours and to hell with everyone else. 

2. Smoke it: tune out and turn off reality in any and every way possible. Ignore anything that doesn't specifically impact your life. Become a slave to the digital algorithm overlords and dig your individual rabbit hole to live in. Nothing matters if you can't/don't/won't see it.

3. Fuck it: Screw anything that moves, physically or otherwise. Use it up, burn it out, wear it out, make it yours and no one else's because why not? If your individual wants and needs are fulfilled, WINNER!

4. Break it: If you don't like something, go ahead and destroy it as long as it doesn't directly impact your life. Zero-sum game, baby. If someone else gains, you lose... so make sure you break it and at least THEY won't get it.

These are self-inflicted conditions that have festered for decades. High schools have become teen babysitting factories that generally produces barely-educated, non-reading, clueless adults to be sucked into the labor pool that needs (for now, anyways) placid and compliant worker drones to create wealth for the monied oligarchs. Is that harsh? Boo hoo, too bad, so sad.

"If a Nation expects to be ignorant and free, it expects what never was and never will be." - Thomas Jefferson

The solution: begin at the beginning. Rethink the way we teach all students about their civic responsibility as citizens. Make it matter. Raise the level of American History and U.S. Government studies in every public Grade and High school in the country to the same level we now focus on digital skills and sports. With that fundamental knowledge in their brain's soft drive, at least they'll know why their vote is important when they reach voting age. 

Note: this is not indoctrination - it's education. This is what public schools are supposed to do.

Maintain a high level of Civics education all through high school. If a student can be a Letterman in Football or Wrestling, why not a similar achievement award for U.S. History or Citizenship? Aren't those areas at least as important to incentivize as sports?

Boy Scout Citizenship Merit Badges

Prior to graduating, every high school Senior must also pass the same random 10-question test that every immigrant must pass to gain U.S. Citizenship. As I mentioned before, a high school Diploma is no longer a guarantee that the Graduate has a clue about how and why their government works. I firmly believe this kind of foundational knowledge will resonate with students for the rest of their lives.

Question: do you think our newly-elected POTUS could pass the U.S. Citizenship test?  Could you? Just for giggles, here's a link to that test:

https://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/document/questions-and-answers/100q.pdf

As as nation, we're already past the tipping point when it comes to the lack of civic knowledge held by a large number of citizens. Starting that Civics education as early as possible will eventually reap benefits towards everyone's future as an engaged voter. Not doing so will only ensure that we continue to devolve into the turgid mass of compliant drones the oligarchs demand. 

"The philosophy of the school room in one generation will be the philosophy of government in the next." - Abraham Lincoln.

DEVO was right all along.

Yeah... I know. The chances of changing school curriculums to focus more broadly on U.S. Government and American History has about the same chance as the Bible being taught in public schools or a convicted felon being elected to be President hahahahaha. Oh... wait.

Thanks to the many excellent educators I've had in my life, I have a love for history, the machinations of government, the complexity of culture, the mysteries of the physical universe and an everlasting fascination with the vagaries of human behavior. I believe educators should be among the highest-paid people in the country. Perhaps someday they will be, and our citizens will once again honor the hard work and wisdom required to teach the Yoots.

Until then... well, those desks aren't gonna unstack themselves, right?

All images, Gracias de Google Images; Iggy Pop 'I'm Bored' and Sam Cooke "What A Wonderful World' videos, Muchisimas Gracias de YouTube; Teacher Teacher... teach me more!! Thanks to Alan Eggleston, Carlos Magallanes and Jim Ellis for changing my life.

No Country For Old Men

A day in in the life in early 2001.

It was a clear and sunny morning at Willow Springs International Raceway in Rosamond, California, an oasis (of sorts) located halfway between Mojave and Palmdale, in the dry upper desert West of Edwards Air Force Base.

As a Performance Marketing Specialist with Yokohama Tires, I'd been tapped to help shake down several new open-wheel race cars that would be used in the nascent Suzuki Formula Hayabusa Racing Series. Based around the Hayabusa motorcycle engine, a 1300cc monster that pumped out 174 horsepower, the lightweight 1,000 pound single-seaters promised to be a handful.

I'd spent the night before in a nondescript motel in Rosamond, my only real memory of it being the heavy footsteps of the giant Japanese guy from Suzuki's corporate office who was in the room above mine. He was easily 300 lbs., affable and funny when we met earlier that evening, and he seemed to stomp from one side of my ceiling to the other... all night long. 

Early the next morning, I showed up trackside with helmet in-hand to inspect the cars we'd be lapping on the Streets of Willow Springs, the so-called 'small track' at the facility. Our task: to ensure the cars were solid and ready to be leased out to prospective Andrettis with enough cash money to participate in the series.

The cars gleamed in the morning sun while being prepped by Suzuki technicians, eager to see how they'd perform in their first stateside track test.  My initial inspection of the cars revealed a surprise: the motorcycle-style manual sequential shift lever was on the LEFT side of the cockpit, Japanese-spec, so I'd need to get used to that for sure. Otherwise, a sweet little rocket that I was informed only really grabbed power above 8,000 RPM (!!!).

The plan was to do a few dozen hot rotations on the skid pad, in both directions, to heat up the Yokohama race slicks enough to head out onto the adjacent track. Then a lap or two of recon before serious hot-lapping. Simple enough, right?

I geared up and was strapped into a Red car like the one pictured above. While the techs started and warmed up the engine, I got acquainted with the cockpit. Test-shift the sequential gears up and down, test the clutch and brake pedals, snug up the 5-point belts and helmet strap, memorize the gauge placement and rev band, adjust the mirrors and wait for the wave-out onto the Skid Pad. Snick into 1st gear, revs up, slowly release the clutch and I'm rolling. The first dozen skid-pad clockwise circles go fine, so I reverse direction and do another dozen at higher speed, the Yokies squealing but sticking. Time to head onto the track.

I drove the first lap counter-clockwise at slow speed to familiarize myself with the track, an undulating asphalt surface that rises and falls, left and right, with a nice long straightaway. I kept my left hand on the shifter the entire lap to get used to it being on my left side, opposite most of the other manuals I'd driven before. At the end of that first lap, I decided to get my speed on.

OMG... it happened soooo fast.

No sooner had I accelerated into the second lap, I started the turn and reached down to grab for the downshift... with my right hand. In that split-second, I reached for the shifter that wasn't there, realized my mistake and attempted to switch hands, but it was too late. I missed the turn-in point, tried to brake but the semi-hot tires just didn't have enough traction and I left the asphalt, spinning out into the dry trackside runoff area, dust and gravel flying everywhere. An 'off' at the First Turn on the first hot lap.

A fair representation of the spin-out.

Once the car came to a rest, I sat there feeling humiliated and embarrassed, with the dust and dirt settling all over the car and inside the cockpit. How stupid was I, forgetting about the opposite-side shifter?! And on the first hot lap?! Surely, everyone on-hand watched me toss the car into the dirt, and I felt my face grow beet-red inside the helmet. I raised my right arm straight into the air to indicate I was dead-stick and needed a tow. Within a few minutes, I was at the end of the tow strap being hauled outta the dirt and back to the pits.

Before I'd even climbed outta the car, the techs were assessing the damage. Luckily, it was limited to a mildly pranged front wing, which they immediately took a rubber mallet to and banged back into shape. I felt awful, messing up their brand new race car, so when they finished up, I grabbed a detailer's towel and proceeded to wipe the car back to clean and shiny.

Suzuki Tech: "Hey man.. don't worry about that, we'll get it ready for you."

Me: "NO WAY... I tossed it off and bent it, so cleaning it up is the very least I can do."

That cracked up the tech, so I didn't feel so bad. For the rest of the day, I was the self-appointed Wipe-down Boy for all the cars, which I'm sure the techs appreciated. 

Humility is a good thing to have around race cars.

Within 15 minutes of my off-track excursion, I was back in the car and doing hot laps, mindful of the leftie shifter the entire time. After a while, it became muscle-memory and I didn't miss it again. When we switched to doing laps in the clockwise direction, the track felt more accessible and I started being able to really make speed, lapping faster and faster, finding apexes with ease. It took some realigning of my senses to keep the Hayabusa engine in the upper rev ranges, but that too became second nature.

The car was spectacular to drive fast, feeling like an extension of my body, going exactly where I wanted, giving me feedback when I pushed too hard. My head filled with the sounds of a high-revving engine, squealing tires and that sequential shifter snicking up and down, down and up. I was among a couple of other drivers that morning, and we jumped in and out of the four test cars for several hours, hot-lapping the whole time.

After a series of really fast laps in my original Red Beast, I pulled into the pit and climbed out of the car.  A tech called over to me saying "HEY, who do you think you are... Nelson Piquet?! Your lap times are great!" I had no idea they were timing us, but of course they were.

(Sound of my head swelling three times it's normal size)

Nelson Piquet, handsome Brazilian 3-Time Formula One World Champion

We broke for lunch, and thankfully it was on the light side because cornering G-forces and heavy braking can wreak havoc to a full stomach. Then it was back into the cars for more hot-lapping. So far, all the track time had been for serious testing and evaluation, with the results headed back to Suzuki Motorsports for analysis. At around 3pm, we pitted and the Formula Hayabusa's were rolled into the garage to be prepped for loading into the transporters.

Now it was time for some fun. Parked alongside the pit garage all day were several brand-new Suzuki Aerios, small 5-door hatchbacks in Easter egg colors, waiting patiently for us. These cars were bone-stock 5-speed manual sub-compact grocery-getters, not designed for being anywhere near a racetrack. Heh.

We jumped into the Easter eggs and proceeded to thrash them around the track in a buzzy gang, skinny tires squealing while cornering, inside rear tires lifting at the apexes, us drivers stirring the long shift handles, looking for gears. The speeds weren't that high, but it was absolutely hilarious trying to outdo each other around the track, sawing away at the steering wheel to stay on the asphalt. The term 'swatting at bees' is a good description of how much steering wheel input these cars required.

The crew watching us careen the Easter eggs around the track said afterwards that it was the funniest thing they'd ever seen. 

I thought it was AWESOME.

By the time we finished having our way with the Aerios, the sun was ready to drop below the horizon, so we parked the Easter eggs and marveled that none of them had a scratch. Many of the Suzuki staffers were spending another night in Rosamond, so I said my goodbyes and headed out for the three-hour drive back home.

As a teenager in the early 70's, all I could think about was cars and auto racing and girls. As an adult, I lucked into a thirty-year career working in the automotive performance and motorsports industries, which accorded me the chance to drive all kinds of cars on everything from autocross courses in parking lots to high-speed race tracks. I could never have imagined I'd be lucky enough to have a day like the one I just described, let alone many many more just like it. Although I'm now semi-retired, I still have my helmet and fire suit. 

Legacy mementos... and they both fit, too. 

Right now, I'm looking at the K1 Speed indoor karting gift card on my desk, taunting me. Yep... it's gonna get used very soon. I'm an Old Man now, but  I can't wait to strap a bucket to my head and get my speed on again. 

Going fast RULES.

All images, Gracias de Google Images; Commander Cody 'Hot Rod Lincoln' video, Muchisimas Gracias de YouTube. 

The 'L' Word

                 

Note: this essay has been updated from it's original posting in 2012, because reasons.

I AM A LIBERAL.

There… I said it, and I meant it. Don’t like it? Too bad for you, boo hoo.

It’s not easy being a LIBERAL these days because the meaning and inference of the word LIBERAL has been cast as a red flag, a scarlet letter, a degrading moniker to be assigned, ridiculed and dismissed with malice. With all due respect, I beg to differ (with thanks to www.dictionary.reference.com):

“lib•er•al (adjective) 1. favorable to progress or reform, as in political or religious affairs. 2. noting or pertaining to a political party advocating measures of progressive political reform. 3. of, pertaining to, based on, or advocating liberalism. 4. favorable to or in accord with concepts of maximum individual freedom possible, especially as guaranteed by law and secured by governmental protection of civil liberties. 5. favoring or permitting freedom of action, especially with respect to matters of personal belief or expression: a liberal policy toward dissident artists and writers. 6. of or pertaining to representational forms of government rather than aristocracies and monarchies. 7. free from prejudice or bigotry; tolerant: a liberal attitude toward foreigners. 8. open-minded or tolerant, especially free of or not bound by traditional or conventional ideas, values, etc. 9. characterized by generosity and willingness to give in large amounts: a liberal donor. 10. given freely or abundantly; generous: a liberal donation. 11. not strict or rigorous; free; not literal: a liberal interpretation of a rule. (noun) 14. a person of liberal principles or views, especially in politics or religion.”

For context, here is the same source’s definition of ‘conservative’:

“con•serv•a•tive (adjective) 1. disposed to preserve existing conditions, institutions, etc., or to restore traditional ones, and to limit change. 2. cautiously moderate or purposefully low: a conservative estimate. 3. traditional in style or manner; avoiding novelty or showiness: conservative suit. 4. of or pertaining to the Conservative party. 5. having the power or tendency to conserve; preservative. 6. a person who is conservative in principles, actions, habits, etc. 7. a supporter of conservative political policies. 8. a member of a conservative political party...”

Am I missing something here? After reading through both definitions, I can't think of a personal philosophy that would suit humanity better than being considered LIBERAL.  I know this much: nothing short of (another) lobotomy would convince me to schwing over to the Dark Side and embrace conservatism. Only removing the remaining portions of my frontal lobes and cerebral cortex would do it.

I choose to live by the precepts set forth in the popular definition of the word LIBERAL. I strive to integrate these concepts into every aspect of my life. To do any less seems mired in the smelly goo of Dark Age regressivism.

I AM A RADICAL PROGRESSIVE LIBERAL.

I want a political system that serves the interests of ALL the people. In our ADD-addled country, we need to make sure we govern with compassion and strength, with wisdom and empathy, with intelligence and humor and maturity. I dream of the day when our current brand of scorched-earth adversarial politics will be replaced by a lively consensus government made up of people from all walks of life, from every income level and every strata of our great country, but where money does NOT buy influence or votes and is no longer a viable political weapon.

I AM A MEXICAN-AMERICAN LIBERAL.

I want true equality among the many vibrant lines of ethnic heritage that make us the most diverse and unique country in the world. I hope to live long enough to see our country become a place where, as Bob Marley wrote, “the color of a man’s skin is of no more significance than the color of his eyes.” Before I take the dirt nap, I hope the last vestiges of racism and racial inequality will be tossed into the dumpster of history, replaced by the reality that we are indeed 'one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.'

I AM A PRO-CHOICE FEMINIST LIBERAL.

All women must have complete bodily autonomy, and be released from the primitive shackles of forced childbirth and unwanted children. I want every woman who CHOOSES to give birth to do so without having to worry about their health and well-being, and that they will never want for food or clothing or shelter or healthcare or education. Every young girl should have a path to create any future they choose, whether at a jobsite or in a racecar or as a homemaker or in the Oval Office or in orbit around Mars. Young girls need to learn in school that they will grow up to be a woman in control of her own destiny, equal to boys in every way (even though she knows she really is better than any smelly boy hee hee).

I AM A FREETHINKING SECULAR LIBERAL.

I want practitioners of every religion, spiritual philosophy and belief to know they have the freedom to hold that faith close to their heart, knowing they will never be branded as ‘the other’ simply because of the icon they wear around their neck, the piece of cloth on their head or the house in which they worship. At the same time, our government must also be strongly secular in thought, word and deed in order to ensure that no single faith holds sway over any other faith, nor against those who choose to hold no sectarian faith at all. 

You know, like ME.

I AM AN EQUALITY-LOVING LIBERAL.

I want every LGBTQ+ person to be considered as an equal to everyone with whom they share this country. Ask me if I chose to be heterosexual and my answer will be “I didn’t choose to be hetero... I just am.” It eludes me how anyone could convince themselves that our LGBTQ+ brothers and sisters chose their sexuality and the terrible stigma of hatred and vilification that comes with acknowledging and asserting their sexual identity. What are we… ignorant rabid wolverines? As my religious friends like to say, ‘God don’t make no junk.’

I AM A CAR-WASHING, LAWN-MOWING LIBERAL.

I support all people from other countries who come to our shores to seek freedom, earn a living, pay taxes, support their families and make a life for themselves here, regardless of their nationality. We should be grateful to anyone who chooses the United States as their homestead, and make it far easier for them to gain their legal status and citizenship, if that's their desire. No human being should ever be classified as ‘illegal’, and every immigrant who works hard at their job is as vital, as needed, as important as any American citizen. No matter what job a new émigré takes on, they are an important cog in the giant machine that drives our common fortunes forward, adding to the foundational strength of our nation.

I AM A BLOOD-DONATING LIBERAL.

Every single person living in this country should never be without affordable, accessible and competent healthcare, no matter how much or how little money they have stuffed in their mattress. We must strive to ensure that no one ever lies awake at night, worrying about how they'll pay for the hospital and doctors and nurses and specialists that are caring for them or their loved ones. When a college grad strikes out on her own, she should be able to do so knowing that her dreams won't be stymied by an unplanned illness or accident or pregnancy that could devastate her savings and livelihood. When we all share in the costs to support universal healthcare, we all reap the benefits of a healthy, happy and motivated society of non-rabid wolverines.

I've been called many degrading and insulting names in my lifetime. I suspect we all have at one point or another,  and recent events have me thinking about how casually we tend to label those with whom we have alternate points of view. Our current seething political brouhaha has created an environment that incites name-calling, whether justified or not. 

Think about it: if you're a conservative and want to offer a dismissive categorization of the opposite thinker you're jousting with, no word is better suited than calling them a LIBERAL and then crossing your arms and smiling... job done, NAILED IT. It doesn’t work the other way around. Trying to stuff someone by calling them a (gasp!) CONSERVATIVE gets nothing but blinking eyes and a sense of ‘Yeah… and?’ I’m often confused about how The ‘L’ Word came to wield such negative force.

I'm not ashamed to call myself a LIBERAL.  I'm not concerned when someone calls me a LIBERAL, whether their intention is upbeat or not, and I don't shrink away from it.  It is what I am, and since words matter, I'm more than pleased the active online dictionary defines the word LIBERAL in such a positive manner.

I'm proud to be a LIBERAL.

Conservatives will never stop trying to poison the waters with their vilification of all things LIBERAL, but that's just how they roll, innit?  They fear change, they fear the unknown results of doing things differently.  They like everything being the same as it always was, because it is a known known.  The problem with conservative philosophy is the stagnation that results from never changing, doing things the same way, day after day, year after year.

"Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future.” ~ John F. Kennedy

For myself, I'll keep on pushing for the egalitarian, diversity/equality/inclusion-infused society that I will likely not live long enough to experience.  I'll strive to support anyone who sees injustice, inequality and unfairness as the old way of doing things, the way that I do every day as a self-proclaimed LIBERAL.  I'll continue to educate myself with the facts of modernity, while never ignoring the past for fear of repeating it.  

I AM A 100% MOTHERF**KING LIBERAL.

Don’t like it? Too bad for you, boo hoo.



Lead image, gracias de Google Images; ZZ Top "I'm Bad, I'm Nationwide" and Johnny Cash "The One On The Right" videos, muchisimas gracias de youtube.com. Harris/Walz 2024!!

Bumper Sticker Politics

Note: This essay is political commentary by a Radical Progressive Liberal DemocRat. If you have delicate Conservative fee-fees, can't name the three branches of our Federal government, or don't understand that inflation is a natural by-product of free-market capitalism, please be advised - this ain't rocket science.

******************************************************

The 2016 Presidential election now seems like a lifetime ago. Before the dust had settled and while the nation was still in collective shock over the results, I asked my (then) graphics vendor to produce a white die-cut vinyl sticker with these words: 

POTUS 45: LIAR. PREDATOR. RACIST. TRAITOR.

I applied the sticker to the rear of my Dirty Hippie Van and rocked it there for over six months. I took some flack, but also got the thumbs-up from many other drivers. I finally removed it when The Artist expressed concerns that her customers at a venue in a very conservative area might get their noses out of joint. 

I always follow her advice because she's much smarter than me.

That sticker would come to describe 45 perfectly. I knew he'd be bad, but he exceeded my worst nightmares by a lightyear. It wasn't even cold comfort to say "I told you so" to his supporters, because they were blinded to his horrific behavior with a mixture of cognitive dissonance and willful ignorance. In his book titled 'The Demon-Haunted World', Carl Sagan described this phenomenon with a single word: they had been 'bamboozled'.

45 was so unrelentingly awful that 76-year-old Joseph R. Biden, then considering retirement from the political world, decided to oppose 45 for the 2020 Presidential election as a shield to protect our democracy. Against formidable odds, Handsome Joe won the election and, in spite of disloyal opposition from Congressional Republicans and 45's MAGA jihad on January 6, Joe took the oath of office and spent the following years steering our Ship of State into much calmer seas. 

Joe Biden and his team are responsible for the most progressive and positive national outlook since the Roosevelt Administration.

These are facts. If you don't believe me, look it up.

When the 2024 election cycle began, many leaders in the Democratic Party were worried that Handsome Joe was too old to run against 45, who had completely taken over the GOP and transformed it into a cult via lies, abuse and stochastic terrorism. The DNC were hoping that 'Johnny Unbeatable' would rise above the other Democratic contenders to take on Handsome Joe in the primaries, win the nomination and smile with benevolence when Joe handed off his Captain's spyglass.

It didn't work out that way.

The entire political world is reeling after a chain of events has seen 45 become the GOP cult's deified Chosen One, picked by the hand of God as the next POTUS, even though the election is still months away. At the same time, Handsome Joe was compelled (pushed?) to withdraw from the 2024 election to concentrate on completing his landmark term as POTUS and, in classic jiu-jitsu Biden style, supporting Kamala Harris as the logical choice to receive the nomination at the top of the Democratic ticket. 

Joe has done a stellar job as POTUS. He's created a thoughtful and progressive Administration that exceeded every real-world parameter for governing excellence. He's tapped his amazing second, Vice-President Kamala Harris, to take the helm and spyglass and move the Ship full-speed ahead if she succeeds, just like our free and fair election system is designed to do... a peaceful transfer of power.

Joe knows how this shit works, whether you agree with him or not.

I'm totally mystified why any sentient adult would vote for a convicted felon. I know many Americans typically pay little to no attention to facts and reason these days, relying on 'vibes' about which candidate makes them 'feel' better. I blame an uninformed electorate, untethered social media and a profit-driven and compliant mainstream media, so I'll use a bit of bumper sticker politics to help clarify things a just a wee bit.

LIAR. 45 lied about Obama's heritage, Hillary's health and her service to our country. He lied about his taxes and the crowd size at his inauguration. He lied about immigration and healthcare and 'Infrastructure Week'. He lied about his private business dealings with Russia while also enriching himself in office. He lied about blackmailing Ukraine during the 2020 election cycle. He lied about fucking a porn star and then tried to cover it up. He lied about Covid and hurricanes and climate change, and lied incessantly about the 2016 and 2020 elections being rigged. During his Presidency, he lied over 30,000 times about anything and everything because he's a pathological Liar.

PREDATOR. He barged into backstage dressing rooms at beauty contests he owned to ogle underage and undressed contestants. He speculated about why he'd date his own daughter. He publicly insulted the physical appearance of many women. He fucked a porn star right after his second wife had given birth, then bragged about it to others while golfing. He sexually assaulted a woman in a department store dressing room, with credible evidence he'd assaulted numerous other women as well. He bragged on a hot microphone that he was a celebrity and could grab women by the pussy and get away with it. He's the very definition of a sexual Predator.

RACIST. He demanded the execution of young Black men accused of raping a woman in New York's Central Park even before they were convicted. He and his Father were convicted of refusing to rent apartments to Black people. He falsely accused undocumented immigrants of being criminals, rapists, murderers and of poisoning the blood of our country. His first official act as POTUS was to institute an illegal and unconstitutional ban of Muslims traveling to our country. He separated immigrant children from their parents at the border without any mechanism for reuniting them. He targeted Black election workers in Georgia with lies about election fraud. He aligned himself with racist groups and Nazi-adjacent organizations. His life-long pattern of being a Racist is well-documented.

TRAITOR. He begged Putin to intervene in the 2016 election. He gave Top Secret military information to Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov during an Oval Office meeting. He held high-stakes intelligence meetings in public areas at Mar-A-Lago events. He insulted and demeaned the military, POW's and Gold Star families. He publicly sided with Putin instead of his own country's national intelligence services, and had private meetings with Putin without any official witnesses or documentation. He professed love and admiration for authoritarian leaders and regimes. He shared classified military information on social media platforms. He rejected defeat in the 2020 election, conspired to overturn the results and incited an insurrection on the Capitol to stay in office. Upon leaving the White House, he stole classified documents, lied about having them, fought against their return and tried to hide them from investigators. He is an obvious Traitor.

Ladies and Gentlemen, your GOP Nominee for POTUS!

My previous essay discussed why, in this most important upcoming election, citizens should vote the the person, not their politics. It's OK to disagree with an administration about many different issues and how they need to be addressed. However, the Leader of the next Administration needs to be, at the very least, a decent human being. When you know they are, you know they'll make decisions based in-part on the strength of their character, which really, REALLY matters.

Kamala Harris, the presumptive Democratic nominee, was a successful District Attorney, Attorney General, Senator and Vice-President. She is not a liar, a predator, a racist, or a traitor. She is a decent human being, and has a record of behavior to prove it.

Donald Trump was a failed businessman who was unfit to be President of the United States, and his behavior before, during and since then only confirms that he remains unfit to serve. He is not a decent human being, and has a record of behavior to prove it.

He is a Liar, a Predator, a Racist, a Traitor, an adjudicated sexual abuser, a business fraud and a convicted felon. 

These are facts. If you don't believe me, look it up.

In November, please cast your vote for the person, not the politics of that person, to ensure that a decent human being takes the oath of office as our next POTUS. American citizens have the Constitutional right to vote for whomever they choose, and I know millions of people will happily vote for 45 again. 

Their choice will say far more about themselves than it does about him.

This isn't rocket science.

"Rarely do we find men who willingly engage in hard, solid thinking. There is an almost universal quest for easy answers and half-baked solutions. Nothing pains some people more than having to think." - Martin Luther King, Jr.

Lead image, Gracias de Google Images; DEVO 'Freedom of Choice' and Beach Boys 'Sail On Sailor' videos, Muchisimas Gracias de You Tube; DEVO was right all along!!

Works Well With Others

 

Note: this essay was updated on 9/5/2024 to reflect the new reality of Kamala Harris taking the handoff from Joe Biden to be the 2024 Democratic nominee for President of the United States.

"The philosophy of the school room in one generation will be the philosophy of government in the next." - Abraham Lincoln

As we careen towards the upcoming Presidential election, I'm reminded that in a society as divided as ours, it's easy to let politics get in the way of who(m) we choose for that important office. You're probably saying to yourself, "Well... DUH!" 

Seems pretty obvious, right?

But if you think about it for a moment, choosing a President is just about the most important thing we get to do as American citizens. Participatory small 'd' democracy will always be an experiment in how we live our lives and create the world we live in We need to be serious about the choices we make for the common good.

Voting for the person who will be our next POTUS is a de facto requirement for adults who consider themselves citizens. Withholding your vote from the better Candidate because of a few philosophical or ideological conflicts is not adult reasoning. 

Does that statement upset you? Too bad, so sad.

An individual's politics is a major element in making that choice. The myriad shades of ideology and culture and personal beliefs involved can be a minefield when trying to decide who and why to put someone in charge of our Nation. With that in mind, I have a proposition to offer anyone who's planning to vote this coming November:

Focus on the person, leave out the politics.

That may sound counter-intuitive, but let me explain why it may be the only objective way to make the best choice for President in the 2024 election.

The image at the top is a 3rd Grade Progress Record for my younger brother Chuck (R.I.P.). I recently found it and several others, along with a short stack of his photos, stashed in a box in my garage. I flipped though the images, some familiar and some not... neat little time machines. The Progress Records caught my interest and shoved me into a direction of thought I hadn't thought of before.

As I read through Mrs. McEuen's report, I was fascinated by the areas of scholastic and individual growth Chuck was expected to achieve under her watchful eye. Language Arts, Arithmetic, Social Studies, Science, Health, and Citizenship. He was expected to show improvement in all these areas so Dad would know he wasn't a Big Dummy.

The Progress Record was a benchmark for the kind of person the school district hoped they could help create: a good student, a thinking adult, a well-rounded citizen. After reading all the ways in which Chuck was being evaluated, I realized they're excellent categories to apply when choosing a President, too.

Dig this: The categories were important guidelines used by educators to help kids grow and prosper in thoughtful, positive and meaningful ways. The student's measured progress was a hopeful promise for success in the future. Parents typically understood this without question and deferred to the education professionals. 

We should vote for a President with that same level of hopeful promise, and choose the Candidate using no less a measurement than was applied to a 3rd Grader.

Focus on the person, leave out the politics.

The Progress Record format used by Lassalette Elementary in 1967 is a summary of what they believed was a 3rd Grader's potential. For 2024, measure the Presidential candidates using these basic guidelines. Leave out the politics or your personal biases, whatever they may be. Most of all, be honest about your conclusions.

The category of Language Arts is a good place to start. Do the Candidates understand and comprehend what they read and say? Do they express themselves well, understand words, and can spell and use them correctly? Do they misuse or misunderstand words and their meanings?

Arithmetic is vital. Do the Candidates know the meaning of numbers and show reasoning ability in their use? Do they understand basic rules of mathematics and how they work? Do they 'show the work' to demonstrate how they reached the answers?

Social Studies is just as important. Can the Candidates learn and understand about different people living and working together? Do they strive to learn about their communities and develop positive ideas about the world they lives in? Do they understand the importance of the creative arts?

Science and Health couldn't be more important. Do the Candidates understand themselves? Do they have good health habits? Do they show growth in their observations of the world around them? Do they engage and take part with others in intelligent discussion? Are they open to new ideas and facts based on science?

Citizenship is key. Do the candidates work well with others, show respect for property, practice good self-control, and display good work habits? Are they courteous and treat others with respect? Do they understand and respect the Constitution and the Rule of Law?

Focus on the person, leave out the politics.

Given our divisive political climate, it's easy to focus on narrowly-specific issues relating to the Candidate we'll be voting for (or against) this coming November. I developed this mental exercise as a way to be as objective as possible, yet it also needs to be honest and relevant.

When we evaluate someone to be part of our business, civic, social or personal circles, we're drawn to those who demonstrate the traits most suitable for that role, will be able to function normally, and will demonstrate intelligence and positivity.

Some areas of concern may arise, but that doesn't mean a person isn't right for the role.  Rather, it's part of a spectrum we use to gauge the overall quality of that person, and it's up to us to use our best judgement. We're not evaluating their personal beliefs or if they agree with our political stance (unless that's your jam), but instead on their capability to perform the role or task at hand. 

Are they the best choice overall?

And so it goes with choosing a Candidate for the US Presidency.  It's easy to pick one or two areas of agreement or disagreement and forget the rest... maybe too easy.

Focus on the person, leave out the politics.

Chuck's 2nd Quarter Progress Record showed a marked improvement over the 1st Quarter by a country mile. He received  'High Quality Work' marks for many categories, and not a single 'Capable of Doing Better' mark. He did GOOD.

The Presidential Candidates for 2024 have demonstrable track records about how they operate as adults, citizens, and human beings. Their performance, based upon the categories of the Lassalette Elementary School Progress Record, is the best way to judge the person running for the office this year. 

The person most likely to do a good job.

Bonus: their politics will also reflect their humanity.

Sadly, many voters can't be bothered to utilize 3rd Grade measurements of progress when deciding who(m) to choose in November. It's their right as American citizens to ignore consideration, facts or reason. 

Plus, it also requires reading, spelling, understanding words and their meaning, taking part in thoughtful evaluation,  learning about people living and working together, and gaining a growing knowledge of their community and the world we all live in.

On the other hand, Recess is easy.

Chuck and Me, prox 1967-68

 

"The mind is not a vessel to be filled, but a fire to be kindled."

Plutarch - Greek biographer, philosopher (45-125 A.D.)

Progress Record images by the Author; Scouting image, muchisimas gracias de Manuel Macias Jr.; Rockpile video, gracias de Youtube.