Are you smart grandpa?

 Recently my grandson asked me how I got to be so smart. I told him that it was because I was old and had lived a life full of experiences just like the one we had just been through. Afterwards I began to think about how I viewed myself and others on this subject.

When I was a child growing up in grade school, I took tests which indicated that I had a high level of intelligence and was placed into a "gifted" program in our school system. I was moved from my neighborhood school and bused to another school and grouped into classes who had been identified the same way. This is where I had my first experiences with integration and discrimination. Among this group that I spent time with during the day I wasn't considered to be that intelligent or even smart compared to others. When I left that world and went back to my world I was still at the top of the class in the hood. I also had to develop what was called street smarts if I was to survive.

As I grew older, I was able to use both my intelligence and smarts to advance. A few years of college to acquire additional book learning then on to the military for some new-life experiences. Even in the military I was able to use my intelligence to get assigned as a Chinese voice specialist and was sent to school in Texas and California to learn the language and put it to use tracking Chinese flight activities while stationed in Japan.

After my time in the Air Force, it was back home to the real world. I secured a job with a tobacco company and spent over twenty years starting from an entry level retail salesman to becoming the first African American Area Vice President. During this career I met many intelligent people who had natural cognitive capacity, problem solving skills, and knowledge acquisition. I tried to learn from all of them. There were others who I saw like myself that were focused more on the practical, social, and the ability to work with others and adapt to various situations. While intelligence is something that may be innate and obtained through education, genetics, environment, and is applied in an academic or theoretical context. Being smart is often cultivated through practical experiences, social interactions, observations and decision making in changing situations.

After being given early retirement from B&W Tobacco I moved on to be VP of Sales for the Kentucky Lottery, where I was able to transfer the experiences and skills I had learned to a new career. In this job I again meet many intelligent people. I also came to realize that many of these people could come up with many ideas, but it was always left up to me to get them implemented. On many occasions there would be a clash between what could successfully be done in a smart way in the environment, and the ideas put forward. This happens over and over in the world we live in today. 

There may be intelligent people in our government. There are others that have experiences, but they are do not match those needed for the job and are not even intelligent. It is hard to watch intelligent and people with experience being fired or replaced by people who are just loyal to a party or person no matter what. Our President is an example of a person whom many people think is successful because he is intelligent. I don't think that is the case at all. He is smart, since he has been able to take the lessons he learned from his father, and people like Roy Cohen & Roger Stone to get things from others to his benefit, including the American people. As a street-smart businessman, he has been able to lie and con people all the way to the most prestigious position in the country. His knowledge of the constitution, government, and the lives of the majority of Americans is limited at best. He will do and say whatever he needs too, to enrich himself, with no real moral or ethical compass. 

At the end of the day, I believe I have some innate level of intelligence which fairly high, and over the years have become smart due having experienced a lot of situations over 75 years. My goal though is a "wise" man. To be able to use my knowledge and experience to make sound judgements and decisions, knowing that I cannot control the action of other, but only my own. To have understanding, insight and be able to see beneath the surface of things. To make decisions that are ethical and assess situations understanding the consequences. I want to be able to navigate life's complexities with understanding, empathy, in a way that reduces stress in my life and others.

That's Right

 I recently watched an episode of Family Feud. During the fast money round at the end of the show Steve Harvey asked the answer to the following question: We asked 100 married men what percentage of the time their wife was right? Both of the contestants answered 100%. However, when the results were revealed, this answer got very few responses. Everyone was shocked, including myself, and wondered who these men were. The #1 answer was 50%. Now my brain tells me that is probably the correct answer, as married man I would be intimidated to not give that answer. I wondered if these men had to give their answer out loud and within earshot of their spouses, or by secret ballot.

After 27 years of marriage I am still getting use to wife speak. I also have discovered when to back out of differences where either one of us could be right. If my wife is wrong, it is better to let her discover it on her own, versus me saying that I was right. I realize that when she says that I loaded the dishwasher wrong, she is basically saying I didn't load it the way she does. There is really no real right or wrong way to load the dishwasher if the dishes get cleaned. Most right or wrong issues in a marriage revolve around each person's perspective on an issue. Husbands of the world chose your battles wisely.

In Plain Sight

 Usually, political corruption and white-collar crime is done in the shadows. Bigotry and racism were once covert and masked in systems and policies, along with outright denials. However, right now in America I am watching all these things happening publicly and in plain sight by none other than our President. Over the past decade I have watched this conman take control of our nation and bullied his way, using the courts and his money, to the most powerful position in the world. Roy Cohn would be proud. 

Trump has used the office of President to enrich himself and his family in ways that no one would have imagined. How is it that he can justify receiving a $400 million dollar tricked out airplane from the Qatar government as a gift while in office. In his first middle eastern trip he didn't do anything to help American interest, but did make deals for his company worth billions of dollars. Investments into his crypto currency business, licensing deals for hotels, and investments in the Trump organization projects run by his sons. This is clearly him profiting from his position with foreign governments. He has even suggested that Isreal take The Gaza strip, killing thousands of Palestinas, and turn it into a joint Riveria with the US, with Trump hotels no less.

His war against immigration has been hyped to use an old white supremacy tactic of fear mongering. The American public has bought into it, but it is only a visible display of his disdain for people of color and anyone who is not white in America. He has used the power of the Presidency to develop what will soon become a Desopo state, with masked ICE agents arresting immigrants, even those here legally or seeking asylum, and placing them in detention center, or worst. I believe in cracking down of immigrant criminal gangs, but his operations are far from just that. 

Every American citizen should be concerned by the power to arrest without due process or recourse. They will come for those who disagree with their agenda next. The ability to protest will be lost. In plain sight Trump welcomed white South Afrikaan immigrants suggesting that they are being persecuted by the majority black South African government. It is no coincidence that three of the wealthiest men in the world are from South Africa and funded his rise to power.

His tariffs are a disaster for the economy and will cause hardship for years to both the poor and the middle class. His allies say he is using them as a negotiation tool, but it appears he is just using them as a means to fund his tax breaks for the wealthy, including himself, and his white supremacy agenda at the end of the day. 

I have watched other countries democracies fall, but usually through a coup or an uprising from protesters. But also, through the promise of making things great by autocratic figures. First by taking party control of the government, then the judges, while making it hard for others to vote or hold free elections. Then the media is silenced to presenting opposition points of view. Those who voice counter points of view are labeled traitors and/or prosecuted. The Supreme court which was stacked by Trump provided him with the power of not being faced with any criminal penalties and he has taken full advantage of it, using executive orders to get his agenda accomplished, whether they are constitutional or not.

WE are currently looking at the dismantling of our Constitution in plain sight, with no one having the power or internal fortitude to stem the tide. They have made it illegal to teach or promote diversity, inclusion, and equality in our current world. We have four years of a man who would be king leading us to who know what. Make America Great again only means take us back to the patriarchy society where white rich men ruled over the people of color and poor people. I'm a baby boomer, so I have seen post war growth, Vietnam war, assignations, the civil rights era, the technological revolution, 911 terrorist attack, decades of foreign wars, the first black President, the Covid pandemic, and now the rise of an autocrat in the "White" House. 

Scandal Episode 2025

 As I watch the Trump second term in office it reminds me of the TV school Scandal that ran between 2012 and 2018. For years Trump and his minions have been pushing the narrative on the American people that there is a deep state operation in Washington, with nefarious players in control of the government. This idea has grown and grown and eventually led up to the January 6th uprising by Trump supporters to overturn the 2020 election. The peaceful transfer of power was no more. While they were not successful the Trump marketing campaign of disinformation, judicial delays, and claims of his persecution by the deep state and the Democrats have led to him becoming President again. 

While I disagreed with some of the far-right policies of the left, I am a moderate Democrat who believes in fiscal conservatism by our government. I believe we can do better to reduce spending while still supporting and helping those in need. Trump has promised a smaller government, but his methods are suspect and are being implemented by an Olivia type fixer, Elon Musk.

In the tv series Pope runs a crisis management company in Washington, DC for high profile clients like politicians, celebrities and public figures, and as an aside she is sleeping with the President, who she helped get elected. Elon is not Olivia (while there is a bromance going on with Trump) he is playing the crisis management role for Trump after having helped get him elected using his millions of dollars. Musk is basically the head of B613 in this scenario.  In the tv show B613 was a secret CIA subdivision that's involved in fixing elections, terrorism and more. While Musk is not that deadly, his title of leading the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) is in plain sight and is setting up Trump for control of the executive branch and the other arms of government. 

While Trump labeled the Biden family a criminal organization, he is actually running the government more like that, with his placement of loyalist on the Supreme Court, House of Representatives, Justice Dept., Senators, FBI, and the Military Dept. of Defense. People like JD Vance, Mike Johnson and Kash Patel operate as consiglieres for B613 and the Republican party.

Immigration acts as a rival gang in the way of Trumps power. All the people from black and brown country coming to take his power as the leader of a supremely powerful white nation. They are taking over.... Yes, the Biden policies were too far right and liberal when it came to immigration, but it was based on compassion. The problem is not the people, but the policies we have to review the immigrants and allow those who are valuable contributors to work and become citizens within a reasonable period of time. A bipartisan proposal was put forward to help, but Trump had his minions vote it down, because it would have been a win for the government in place and hurt his election chances. Now he can move forward with just deporting all this people indiscriminately. 

The next four years or episodes of this will be very hard on the people outside the Presidents circle, and even some supporters who though they would be safe. I think the rural voters and the poor who supported Trump with thoughts of improved lives will bear the brunt of his policies. The upper class and oligarchs will do fine as they continue to reap the benefits of loyalty to their leader. Morals, and empathy for the concept of all men are created equal in this country, have been replaced by misinformation and open lying. Perhaps somewhere in the future someone will be able to step forward and return life where the truth matters, and the government did work for the good of the people.

Left,Right,Uppercut

 Well, the 2024 election is over, and the country has decided that they want to make America great again and that means bringing back Donald Trump as President. His agenda against the progressive left Democrats and drive forward with an army of followers who claim to be right wing ideologist has been successful. I still find it hard to believe that the average American who is suffering, through no fault of their own, can believe that Donald Trump represents the common man and their needs. As a Democrat I do not dislike Donald Trump because he is a Republican and we must defeat them politically. I dislike him because I believe he is a morally corrupt individual and a conman. I agree with fiscal conservatism and human liberalism. When he talks about making America great again, what he actually means is an America "ruled" by white males in control. There is no room for any African American, immigrants of color, LGBTQ individuals, or opposition ideas. 

He riled on illegal immigration, which I agree was out of control. However, both parties have been pushing this problem down the road for years. The system is broken and was never fixed to allow people to enter the country legally, obtain a work visa, and then become a citizen in a reasonable period of time. Instead, they cross illegally and are allowed to work and establish families under the threat of deportation daily. Who will take on the jobs that Americans don't or won't do in farming, construction, and service industries. The drug trade fueled by the insatiable demand from Americans has made criminal gangs and empires prosper here. Now we are looking at mass deportation, which only be a catastrophe of human suffering and a hugh expense for the public.

Trump has always wanted to be accepted into the "billionaires" club and now he has galvanized these people around him because of the power he has obtained. They laughed at him in his private life for his wanna be attitude and will use him now to their own ends. He immediately has gone about dismantling the checks and balances and controls put into place to protect our democracy. The Supreme Court has given him immunity for acts that he performs in office whether they are against the law or not. He is removing anyone or any policy that were against him during and after his first term in office. He is filling positions not based on qualifications, but on loyalty to him.

Our constitution was based at least on the promise that all men are created equal. This has never been the case in America and that's when Trump felt that America was great. The elimination of diversity, equality, and inclusion programs in the government and the corporate world sets back the achievement of this promise to pre 1960s. This decision will not only hurt minorities but also women, poor whites, and a whole generation of our children. This is one of the ways tyrants and dictators take over countries. Misinformation is rampant, dissenters are prosecuted, silence the media, and those with money control public policy to their advantage. 

It is hard not to be a person with pantophobia, but I still believe that God is on the throne and that some good will come from those that do things for evil. Perhaps the tariffs will work, and the economy will improve, and hopefully for everyone. Perhaps Trump's threatening manner will result in some ceasefires around the world and cause for pause by the dictators already in place. My job is to manage my life and my family during a period of unrest, both internally and externally. Hopefully climate change won"t take us out first.

 

Depressed and Blessed

 Recently while just sitting on my couch and thinking about what is going on in the world, I found myself overcome with depression. We have just gone through hurricane Helene. Seeing all the suffering of the people who lost everything in the storm from Florida to North Carolina was heartbreaking. It was even more painful was the fact that I live in the Tampa Bay area.

 I have visited the beaches, coastal cities, and even the inland areas where flooding took place. At the same time my home was spared from any damage, even though we live a mile away from the water in one of the southernmost points of Tampa, near MacDill Airforce Base. The thoughts of what these families will be facing from now well into the future is mindboggling and heart wrenching. 

The whole picture of the toll global warming has taken on our country and the world is horrific. There is really no place to escape. There are heat domes, fires, tornados, hurricanes, floods caused by rains in some areas and droughts in others. 

There are displaced children all over the world who are suffering from starvation and wars. I cannot count the number of requests I receive daily to Feed the Children, Feed the Poor, and others causes. Indians, Africans, Middle Eastern, European, and American. 

The daily news shows us the pictures of those killed in the senseless war in Gaza and Ukraine. These are not soldiers fighting soldiers, but innocent men, women, and children caught trying to live their daily lives. The cities and homes destroyed, and nothing left but crumbled rock. There is nothing left to even be inhabitable. This all based on one ideology that opposes another and has designs to eradicate the other.

Then there is the issue of mass shooting in America and the fact that innocent and not so innocent people are killed every day by guns in our country. I cannot for the life of me understand why it should be legal to have assault guns in this country except for the military and police. The fact that the name itself "assault" indicates that these are meant to assault and kill people should be enough to say they should be allowed for everyday use. The idea that "guns don't kill people, people kill people" is asinine. It is depressing to see another memorial for children or adults killed in mass shooting.

 As I tear up for the Hurricane victim in Florida, the flood victim in North Carolina, the fire victim in California, the starving child in Sudan, and the bloody child in Gaza, I am overwhelmed by the thought of how blessed I am. As a Christain, I believe that God is in control and all the good fortune that has been bestowed on me is from the grace of God. Every day I will thank him for my blessings and conduct myself with the thought of WWJD. I also pray that this country and the world will become a better place for those who will remain after I have passed from this place.

 

Justice-Maybe/Maybe Not

 Recently there has been so much activity with our justice system that it's hard not to discuss. Not only has an ex-president been indited for several criminal crimes, but I have watched tv programs about people incarcerated for crimes they didn't commit as well as those who may have been guilty but never faced punishment. My local newspaper ran a weekly series about a person who spent years in prison for a crime they didn't commit and now what happens next for them. The one thing that stands out for me is that while our system of justice is probably the best in the world it is complicated, and those with power or money can manipulate it, while common or poor people don't really stand much of a chance. Also, whether you believe it or not race has a play in decisions by a supposedly blind justice system. I know this for a fact, as I watched my daughter try to navigate through the legal system after a series of poor choices in her twenties. It is discouraging to see white people extended chances that she would never get.  Charges such as hitting a pedestrian while DWI, even though your driver's license had been suspended three times and two other DWI on your record.

While the things that Trump has done including inciting a riot at the Capital, retaining classified documents after leaving office, tax fraud, and probably many other things that were never pursued he uses his money and lawyers to delay trails, find loopholes, and will eventually not face what any reasonable individual would consider cut and dry crimes. His New York trial regarding misrepresentation of campaign finances was a weak case at best and 34 charges all about the same crime is overkill even for someone like me. At the same time the current President's son is on trial for buying a gun and checking a box that said he wasn't an addict at the time, when he was. It was a first offense, he didn't even load the gun, and had it for eleven days. Anyone else would have gone to court got a fine and a probated sentence, but not in this politically charged environment. 

It is painful to see these things happening and envisioning a future where the rich and powerful control the system in a way that maintains their power over minorities or people who disagreed with them.  People say that things swing like a pendulum, and that we must speak out to clean up the system and the partisanship politics that has helped to politicize democracy and its many great systems and institutions. Unfortunately, I feel like this is not a pendulum but a sludge hammer, that is on the downswing.