Day 15

15 days ago was the inauguration of the 47th President of the United States.  All I need to say about that is easily accessible in the archives of this blog, between January 18 and February 2, 2025.  I have recommended, there, resources about history, national and international affairs that I trust and follow most every day.  Many of the resources are on the platform Substack.  I have a Substack account but to date I have never used it.  Perhaps some day, but not now.

Which leaves today, and following days, which will be an experiment.  Thanks for visiting.  Stop back.  My history has come to be two or three postings in a typical week, on varying topics.  I try to at least make sense, whether the reader agrees with me or not makes no difference.

Yesterday’s mail:

MY RESPONSE ON A COMMENT FROM DAVID: Thanks for comment on the [Feb 2] blog 
The difference [Nov. 5] was, as you say, those who didn’t vote at all.  Last night I was watching Bill Maher and his guest was Peggy Noonan, one of Reagan’s primary speech writers.  She said she wouldn’t vote for Trump, but couldn’t vote (I think these are her words) “for the other one” (Harris). Actions have consequences.
I think a brother-in-law, who I think is a strong democrat, didn’t vote for Harris either, because he couldn’t/wouldn’t vote for a woman.
Another friend, a way-out-there progressive, voted for Stein….
Now, in my ’sample’ two thirds of the voters who beat Harris were “Democrats”.
There are, literally, millions of variations on the same story.  We are a nation of individualists, and only rarely will anybody truly reveal why they voted a certain way.  Of course, the evidence is right in front of all of us.
Thanks again.  

And another, about Jan. 29 blog “Eggs”.  Dick: Stored in the boatload of posts I sent along today was [Eggs] from Jan 29.  Look at my comment at the end of the post.  

The wealthy Republicans seem to have mastered the art of identifying the wants and resentments of the rabble in our class, and then exploiting it.  So, it’s easy to identify what people want, and who they don’t like: just ask them; then promise that you’ll fix it.  But the problem is, what if they succeed, and the poor dopes can’t afford to enhance the wealth of the already wealthy/. It’s a battle I don’t think they want to win.  But it’s better than the alternative, unfortunately.  I don’t know what the answer is.  There probably isn’t one.  Trump is a master at exploiting fears, in Republicans, of being primaried, and then screwing his Army after they follow his advice.  Do you have plans for the $1,000 bonus you’ll get from Donald J. Trump when the tax bill is passed which will make the rich even richer?


Response:  Thanks, I’d missed that post. You do wonder if folks like Musk, Zuckerberg, Trump, et. al. ever think about how truly fortunate they are to be where they are. One of the recent Democratic presidential nominees (Obama?) caught  flack for saying something to the effect that if you’re rich, it’s not just because of your own hard work. You got a lot of help along the way from the greater society. I don’t begrudge anyone who has a lot of money. I’d just like them to at least have the appearance of being grateful for what they have and maybe, just maybe, share a bit with those less fortunate. 

Your point on the price of eggs being pretty irrelevant to people like you and me is well taken. Rita and I frequently attend the Dakota and rarely is our total bill under $100. I’m sure most people who attend spend similar amounts. Almost every time we leave, there are one or two homeless folks looking for handouts. I usually—but not always—give them a couple of bucks. I certainly could (should?) give more but I don’t. Maybe when my $1,000 Trump check arrives I should give each of them $500. They certainly need it more than I do.

Thought for today: from The Weekly Sift, Campaign or Movement.  I have followed this weekly column for a long while.  Easy to subscribe.  Very worthwhile .

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