"Just the Fact's, Ma'am"

 There are facts, and there are opinions. Just because you don’t like the facts, does not make them any less of reality; it just means you are uncomfortable with the facts. Conversely, just because you, or a group you align with, has an opinion that runs counter to facts, it is still only that: an opinion. The late Daniel Patrick Moynihan, U.S. Senator, is given credit for this well-written statement “ Everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but not to his own facts.”

Here’s a fact for you: An unruly mob attempted to overthrow the legally elected government of the United States of America on January 6th, 2021. By definition, this was an act of insurrection. In fact, it fit’s Merriam-Webster’s definition to the letter: an act or instance of revolting against civil authority or an established government. No matter who says it, no matter how high an authority figure they may be, it is not a love-fest when rioters are shouting “Hang Mike Pence” and other such hate. Pardoning those people who committed insurrection against our legally elected government is, in my opinion, unjustified. It makes a lie out of our system of all equal under the law. But this act of pardon is a subject for another article.

Another fact: In the general election held in 2024, convicted felon and former President Donald J. Trump won a second term as President with 49.8% of the popular vote, with the balance being divided up among the other candidates for President. That percentage-49.8%-is not a mandate, not a landslide, it is a plurality. Merriam-Webster again: (3) the greatest number of votes when not a majority.

Got time for one more fact? Russia invaded Ukraine.

Last one for today: Appeasement does not work. See the Munich Agreement, September 1938-when Great Britain, France, Italy and Germany agreed to let A. Hitler “annex” the Sudetenland, a part of Czechoslovakia.

The facts I mentioned above are FACTS, not alternative facts (?) but reality, writ large. I find it amazing, and quite frustrating, when people insist on proving to me the money spent on them for education failed to produce a quality product.

The next three years and 11 months will test the limits of the great experiment known as American Democracy. Our resolve, our determination to live in a free country, where there are checks and balances between the three branches of Government-as outlined in our Constitution-will be put out there for all the world to see. In a time when ultra-nationalist groups are pushing to punish “others”, when Fascists see a glimpse of potential power, when conflicts between democratic and dictatorial types of governments are approaching boiling points, will America stand as a supporter of Democracy?

Will you?

Thank you for reading, as always, your comments are welcome.

R.M. “Bob” Hartman

Real Americans

 I have been absent for several weeks, some of you know why; for those who don't, here it is. My wife of 46 years had a lung transplant on July 24, 2023. The month leading up to the transplant was filled day in and day out, with doctor appointment, lab runs, etc.,etc., ad nauseum. We received the call on July 22nd that they had a "clean" donor (matched all the criteria and had no issues of concern), so we rushed to University of Utah hospital and 2 days later, bingo! a new lung is in and working. Kathleen has been in the hospital since then, and in ICU for now 30 days. There are some issues with chyle leakage (from the lymphatic system) that have created a stumbling block, but the doctors are throwing all modern medicine has to offer and then some more, to solve the problem. It is my belief they are doing everything and then some more to get Kathleen well enough to come home, without the need of O2 tanks, concentrators, and compressors for her to live. If you want to know more, go here: https://helphopelive.org/campaign/22301/ for almost daily updates, you can subscribe to the page and you will get an email when I post an update. Oh, yes, you can also post the page to your social media and make donations to help with the bills and medicines not covered by the insurance company. 

But back to the reason for today's post. Given that I have had many hours in hospital rooms while she slept, or in waiting rooms while she underwent surgery or follow up "procedures", I spent time looking at the American political issues facing us today. I have some observations, which I am glad to share with you. 

The 2020 election  is over, The President of the United States of America is Joe Biden,  the election was not stolen. Get over it. 

The Biden administration is not going to issue sudden, mandatory emergency masking requirements this fall. And the so-called Senator from Utah, you know, the low life impersonating a human being, Mike "short sale, short thought process" Lee should be ashamed of himself for promoting this garbage on his X account. In fact, he should just be ashamed of himself period.  

Now to the one statement I heard over and over in my research: Real Americans. Wow, who are they, what do they think, and who gets to decide who is a Real American and who isn't (you know, the bad guys). 

I know about 500 people in my short list, so I thought hard about each and every one of them. To a person, they are all American citizens, by birth or naturalization. 

Some of them drive great big oversized diesel guzzling pickup trucks (oh, wait, that's me!), one drives a Chevrolet Bolt (total electric) and there are some Tesla's in there. And Toyota's, Fords, Hondas, Hyundai's, you get the picture. 

My list includes a school bus driver, a retired teacher, an Army vet that survived Chosin Reservoir in Korea, and countless Viet-war vets. It includes cashiers at the grocery store, unions workers at UPS, freight truck drivers, fast-food employees, even an insurance agent (family joke there), bankers, farmers, cattlemen, and salespeople of one type or another. 

Given that America has, thankfully, welcomed peoples from many other countries over the years, I cannot begin to count the number of different nationalities (backgrounds) that I know. 

Some fly American flags on their pickups, wear MAGA hats, and vote Republican. Some are liberal Obama/Biden loving tree-hugging environmentalists concerned about global warming. 

I have, as you probably do, friends that are straight, gay, bi, questioning, on and on. 

In other words, my short list is a lot like yours. All of us know someone that thinks different than we do, that has a diverse world-view and a disparate political opinion. 

Yet, here's my bottom line. We are all "Real Americans." Each and every one of us has a claim to that title, and it cannot be taken away from us. 

So let's stop dividing America and Unite her. We are, after all,

The United States Of America.

The United States Of America

Thank you for reading, as always, pass this page on to your friends and anyone who likes an individual thought. 

R. M. "Bob" Hartman

Comments are always welcome, see the white box below. 

 

Woke

 It does not require a Master's degree in American History, nor demand an extraordinary amount of time, to learn about slavery in the United States of America from 1619 until 1863; that is to say, there were slaveowners in America during those years, and the treatment of the slaves was certainly less than honorable. It is a period of time that does not shine brightly upon the American consciousness; the redeeming value of this painful episode of American history is our national repudiation of slavery, albeit at an horrific cost.

The imagined superiority of one race of human beings over another has proven time and again to be costly in lives, productivity and morality. Countless numbers of wars have been fought and lost, legislation born of ignorance has been enacted and eventually overturned, all to "prove" racial superiority; these efforts and countless others have failed because there is no superior race. In this bigotry and discrimination, America is not a virgin, and while she is trying to become better, she still has much work to do. Discrimination, subtle and overt, has been and still is a part and parcel of American life. Great strides have been made in reducing discrimination, but there is still much work to be done, both by individuals and governments. I say individuals as each person must come to grips with his/her own position on discrimination, and work to positively change themselves and society from the inside; I say government as we require just laws to correct unjust behavior and immoral circumstances.

Whitewashing history, as former President Donald Trump and Gov Ron DeSantis of Florida, both Republicans, (and other loud, obnoxious, ignorant politicians) seems want to do, does not erase history, nor does it change reality or facts. Declaring your love of freedom, democracy, the Constitution, and the American way of life while demonizing a subset of the population because you won't learn about them does not make you a better person, it shows you to be a bigot and a hypocrite. Calling someone "woke" simply means they are aware of and actively attentive to important societal facts and issue; and by lowering yourself to kindergarten name-calling behavior, you are admitting you are not as aware as you should be and have no desire to change.

When citizens of The United States of America support, defend, and embolden politicians of this ilk, they are denying the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag they memorized in school, and in my opinion should be ashamed of themselves.

Thank you for reading, your thoughts and opinions are always welcome; just click the word "Comments" in the white box below.

R. M. "Bob" Hartman

The Dialogue, Part 3

 I live in a reality based world.

In this reality, September 2, 1945 marked the official end of WWII, Harry Truman was President. Neil Armstrong walked onto the moon on July 21, 1969 when Richard Nixon was President.

Mabel McFiggin of Rochester New York received the first food stamps in 1939, which she redeemed at Joseph Mutolo's grocery store; Franklin Roosevelt was the President.

The Holocaust happened, as did Little Boy and Fat Man, all three in WWII. The United States Presidents were Franklin Roosevelt and Harry Truman, respectively.

What do all of these statements have in common? They are FACTS. One of Webster's definitions of fact is: the quality of being actual. That's right, they all happened, regardless of the naysayers of any or all of the above. It doesn't matter who said it, or why it happened, or even if it should have happened, the fact is, all of the above happened. All the denial in the world cannot change reality.

Which brings us to the present day. More people were present at Barack Obama's inauguration than at Donald Trump's. Hillary Clinton won the popular vote in 2016, and Donald Trump won the Electoral College vote, which made him President. Donald Trump lost both the popular and Electoral College votes in 2020, which made Joe Biden President. Despite the counterclaims, lawsuits and recounts, the results still stand. There have been less the 50 proven cases of voter fraud relative to the 2020 election, and they are split about evenly.

I weigh more now than I did when I was 20. My car consumes gasoline; my truck loves diesel, and you cannot cross-fuel them.

Currently, it's raining right at my house, the leaves are green and the grass is growing.

All are FACTS: the quality of being actual.

It's reality.

Thank you for reading; as always, your thoughts, comments, and opinions are welcome. Please click on the pencil below and let me know what you think!

R.M. "Bob" Hartman

A Response to Anonymous

My last post, Your Child's Life, elicitated this response: 

"They (Trump) rushed to produce it. They (Trump) circumvented safety procedures. They (CDC) have not done long term human trials. They (Trump) gave the producers immunity from liability. They (Media) politicized any possible therapeutics. Prior to the 2020 election many Democrats had doubt about the safety of the vaccine too. You buy into the propaganda like sheep. Enjoy being a test subject." 

Dear Mr/Ms Anonymous, thank you for your comment. It allowed me a chance to explore answers for the statements you made. 

Yes, there was a rush to produce the vaccine. Americans were (and still are) dying in record numbers. So "They" (our government) agreed to purchase 100 million doses each of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines at a total cost of $2.45 Million, with the option of 500 million more doses of each. This pre-development agreement gave Moderna and Pfizer the ability to invest in the development and production of the vaccine without having to worry about "how marketable will it be?" (Pfizer and Moderna were not paid until the vaccine was delivered.) 

They (the drug companies) were able to build this vaccine on models that had been successfully used for other coronaviruses, such as SARS and MERS. The technology is not new, what the manufacturers had to figure out was the right mix of mRNA instructions for our immune systems to defeat the virus. In essence, the manufacturers had a 10-year head start on developing this vaccine.  Regarding long-term trials: the vaccine is new, but the delivery system is not. Other vaccines using the same model have not had any severe long-term reactions. 

I've not been able to see where any safety procedures were circumvented, perhaps you can share that information with me? 

The PREP Act you refer to regarding immunity from liability was signed into law in 2005, by President George W. Bush. It is a limited-term immunity; for the Moderna, Pfizer, and J&J vaccines, that immunity expires in 2024.

 The only politicizing about the various therapeutics I have seen or read came from politicians. To the best of my knowledge, the Big 4 Media (ABC, CBS, CNN, MBC) reported on what the politicians or scientists said, but did not take sides on the issue. (I don't watch Fox, so I cannot say what they have or have not done.) 

Anonymous, I think everyone had some concerns about the safety of the vaccine at some point; as more scientific information becomes available, doubts disappear. At least, mine did. 

I don't buy into propaganda; I research, read, challenge, and think. I believe these vaccines are safe, effective, and necessary now. 

Thanks for reading! As always, your thoughts and comments are welcome and appreciated. 

R.M. "Bob" Hartman  

Litmus Test

 I remember, as I am sure you do, the litmus test for Supreme Court Justices, how they would vote on abortion; the test then turned to gun control, then gay rights. The republicans decried these tests, at least when democrats would bring them up.

Now the dour faced Republican party has a litmus test of it's own, one that could destroy the party; indeed, it's even now fracturing and splintering as the more vocal members of the party apply it to legally elected members of Congress.

I'm referring, of course, to the Big Lie. It now is apparent to any thinking person that you must swear allegiance to former President Trump's continued falsehood of election fraud, and agree with him that the election was stolen, and that President Joe Biden is not,in fact, the legally elected President of The United States of America, if you want to remain in Congress, or as governor of your state.

How the leaders of a party traditionally based on conservative values-the rule of law, strong military capabilities, unbreakable ties with our allies-can, in a space of 4 years, redefine the party into a cult based upon one man staggers the imagination.

America had never been, even in it's infancy, a cult worshiping one leader. We are a country founded upon the rule of law, and a strong believe the the core value of democracy; that right of the people to decide their leader in free, honest, and open elections.

The great challenges that faced our country during the pandemic forced our state and local officials to explore and expand opportunities for voters to cast their legal ballot, and I truly believe those leaders performed a Herculean task successfully; more Americans cast their ballot than in any preceding election.

Those American voters, and you are most likely one of them, elected Congressmen, Senators, and Governors of both parties to office; indeed, both houses of Congress are more equally balanced than at any time in recent history. And yes, those American voters elected Joe Biden President of The United States of America at the same time.

For the first time in decades, both parties have an equal opportunity to present their policies and values to the public. Both parties have the ability now to entice voters to support them, based upon what their parties can do for America.

Instead of giving Americans ideas and policies that could benefit all of us, the Republicans have chosen to present a party of cult worship.

I don't think this can end well for the party of Lincoln.

Thank you for reading, your thoughts and comments are always welcome!

R.M. "Bob" Hartman

They Are Coming For Your Guns

 Given I live in Utah, which is a pretty Red state and now has concealed carry without a permit, conversations often drift to: "The Democrats are coming for your guns." It used to be "Obama is coming for your guns." The drumbeat was increasingly loud during the last two years of the Trump administration; so loud it created a shortage of guns and ammunition.

Being of a curious nature, I wanted to know how and when. The consensus appeared to revolve around a national gun registry then a strike force to simultaneously appear at each residence to forcibly remove all weapons.

At this point, I struggled to maintain a neutral face.

Well, for starters, there is (sadly) no national gun registry. But the next part is really where I get the giggles. How in the name of all that is holy are you going to have a strike force the size required assemble with no outside notice, and who would it consist of? The U.S. Armed forces certainly would not be involved; they are forbidden action against American citizens. Even if you managed to assemble such a force in total secrecy, the first busting down of a door would have the internet ablaze and your removal plan just fell apart.

Conspiracy: Noun, a collection of ravens.

Thanks for reading! Your comments are always welcome and appreciated.

R.M. "Bob" Hartman

Alternative Facts

 It is hard for me to understand what KellyAnne Conway best described at "alternative facts." It would appear some Americans believe in a parallel universe, one created by a mythical QAnon that presides over certain ragtag elements of society bound together by adherence to a cult of misguided hero/savior worship of former President Trump. 

Seeking confirmation of their beliefs, as all people naturally do, they find via the internet like-minded delusional anonymous individuals and groups that share a conviction of disenfranchised voters and a stolen election. 

I came face-to-face with this yesterday during a chance conversation with a casual acquaintance; the gentleman inquired if I had a good supply of fuel stored up, as the gas companies had ceased production of motor fuels ahead of the military coup scheduled for March 6th.

I remember listening to the Junior Senator from Missouri, Josh Hawley, claim on January 6th that certifying the Electoral Collage voted making Joe Biden (81,268,924 votes) President meant 74 million Trump voters would be disenfranchised. 

Wow! I mean, really? 

First and foremost, our military swears allegiance to our Constitution, and our country, not the person elected President. The probability that a coup against our elected government would come from, or be supported by, the military is somewhat south of Zero. None of the fuel producers have halted production, by the way. 

Second, no one who voted, including the 74,216,154 Trump voters, is disenfranchised. The fact that their votes were cast and counted makes this claim not only untrue, but delusional.

I do not know the educational background of my acquaintance, and therefore will not comment on such. 

Josh Hawley, however, is a public record. He is a graduate of Stanford, and of Yale Law. I cannot therefore dismiss his lie as a lack of knowledge of American Democracy. 

When a person of Senator Hawley's background, education, and position of influence in the community tells or repeats outright lies and half-truths, he gives false support to the insurrectionists who would destroy America. 

In a larger view, the comments made by anyone in position of importance do have effects. Words matter, and those who speak them from glorified perches should consider carefully the words they use. Politician, pundit, preacher, reporter or columnist, all can calm or incite the public by the words they speak or write.  

It is certainly incumbent upon us, the American public, to vet the source of our information. Definitely, all media have some inherent bias, and sorting the real news from the trash is left to us. 

Finally, let me say this. Joe Biden was elected President of the United States of America by a wide margin of votes cast. This election can boast the largest voter turnout ever in a presidential election. No one stole the election; and all the legal challenges to the result of the people's choice have been reviewed and denied by the courts. 

Really, people, the election is over. The impeachment is over. Now, let's work on living our best possible lives in the Greatest County on Earth. 

Thank you for reading. Your comments and opinions are always welcome. 

R.M. "Bob" Hartman

A Rant

 

Ok, I need to rant. And no, it is not about politics. My rant is about everyday people who seem to forget history, or perhaps never studied it to begin with.

Beginning in the mid-1800’s, Polio was responsible for sickness and death in the world population. Here in America, as many as 15,000 people were infected each year; although most did not die, the lingering effects of paralysis permanently damaged lives and affected common well-being. It was not uncommon for families to be quarantined as a whole because of a case of polio; nor was it uncommon in the 1940’s for entire U. S. towns to be quarantined to prevent the spread of the virus. Travel was restricted between “infected” communities and the rest of the nation. Children were frequently kept from playing outdoors because they might encounter someone carrying the virus. (Does any of this sound familiar?)

Two vaccines were found to be effective, one in 1955 and one in 1963; the United States (and a large portion of the rest of the world) began a vaccination program targeting school age children, and later included pre-school children. Some of you may remember the sugar cubes, often administered in schools.

Net effect: in the 1970’s, less than 10 cases of polio were reported in the United States. Polio is now considered eradicated world-wide, except for Afghanistan and Pakistan, which are still at epidemic levels.

So, what is my rant?

People who refuse to take this current pandemic serious. People who refuse to follow the best science and medical advice. People who still insist that this pandemic is not real, or that people are not dying of Covid-19. People who refuse to wear masks, who refuse to observe social distance, and who insist on gathering in large groups, particularly unmasked. Leaders who refuse to acknowledge just how serious this is.

In the space of one year, we have lost more Americans to Covid-19 than were killed in combat in the 4 years of WWII.

Is that serious enough for you?

Do not tell me that this was all dreamed up so President Trump would not be re-elected. And please do not tell me again that wearing a mask or washing your hands interferes with your “God-Given Rights as An American Citizen.”  To be totally honest, I do not think for one minute that the release of the vaccines was held up to embarrass then-President Trump.

Frankly, I do not wear a mask to show support for one political party or another. I wear a mask to protect myself, my family, and yes, you.

I get it.

We are all tired of this COVID-19 stuff. We are all tired of wearing masks, etc., of our favorite restaurants not being open. Tired of not being able to spend time with friends and family like we want. Tired of our children and grandchildren being schooled online, of not having play time with their friends. Tired of being unable to have our social interactions, our clubs and groups, our churches.

But think about this for a minute. We are almost to a point of getting this virus under control. The vaccines for Polio took decades to develop, and 30 years to reach herd immunity; but the Covid-19 vaccines have been developed in the space of a year. Current predictions have the United States at herd immunity in a year.

Let us buck up, America. Stand up and do the right thing. Wear the mask, wash your hands, and do not get too close. Get the shots when they are available.  

If you believe your ancestors are watching you from afar, make them proud. Let us show them that America can do this, together. As Americans, we have stood together in times of national crises before and come out the better for it. It is time to come together and do it again.

Thank you for reading, and as always, your comments are welcome.

R. M. “Bob” Hartman

Of Flags and Patriots

I have noticed, over the past several years, an increase in the number of people displaying an American Flag, be it on their vehicle, house, or even clothing. Certainly, this is not a bad thing at all; we do live in the greatest country on earth, and there is nothing wrong with being proud of one’s country.

When I watched the insurrection on January 6^th, I noted several American Flags. This caused me to thing about the flag, and its meaning and position in events such as this.

The act of waving a flag does not make you a patriot, nor does it make your cause just. When you commit a crime, waving a flag does not make it any less of a crime, nor does it protect you from responsibility for your actions. When you physically assault someone with a pole, having a flag attached to it does not make it legal.

If you are displaying the flag as a symbol of your loyalty “. . . to the Republic for which it stands . . .”, then you should also be mindful of the duty of America’s citizens to be obedient to her Laws and Regulations.

We, as citizens of the United States of America, enjoy certain freedoms which are the envy of the world. We have freedom of the press, and we have the right of peaceful assembly. The right of peaceful assembly does not, by any stretch of the imagination, include the right to violently storm the Capitol whilst shouting “Hang Mike Pence,” regardless of the oration you just heard.

It is exceedingly difficult, nay, impossible for me to understand the word “patriot” being commandeered by people who want to invalidate the very action which defines our democracy-voting.

Using force to attempt to alter the outcome of a free and fair election is not patriotism. Rather, I see it as a sign of cowardice, a desperate act undertaken by individuals who will not accept this single, basic concept-the majority of Americans who voted did not want President Trump to have a second term.    

Calling yourself a patriot and carrying an American Flag while participating in armed insurrection does not change the facts: you are not a patriot saving America, you are a criminal and should be treated as such.

 

Thank you for reading; your comments are appreciated.

 

R. M. “Bob” Hartman

A Very Strange New Year

The events of the first 13 days of 2021 have been, to say the least, difficult. It is incredible to me that one man, however talented, could rile so many people to a state of open rebellion against the United States of America, and then deny he was responsible for the outrageous attacks on the very bastion of our democratic republic. Where was Donald Trump when his various schools taught civics, the rule of law, and personal responsibility? 

I believe this quote is credited to Tip O’Neill, Speaker of the House from 1977 to 1987. “Everyone is entitled to his own opinions, but not to his own facts.” Even if I am incorrect, and it was not Speaker O’Neill, it is a quote well suited to this time in history. President Trump lost his bid for re-election. A more elegant and graceful gentleman, and there have been many presidents who were, would have simply and graciously accepted the vote of the American People, and prepared for his successor to take on the mantle of President of The United States of America.

 President Trump, however, has taken on the role of a spoiled, querulous child and maintained that he won the election, going to far as to file sixty-odd lawsuits challenging the validity of the election. None of those suits stood the test of court scrutiny. He has stirred rumors, cast dispersions on the character of other elected officials, and called upon his supporters to attempt an overthrow of our legal election of a new president. In doing so, he was aided and abetted by members of both the House and Senate, who insisted on challenging the results in states other than their own, even after they had been forced to shelter during an attack upon, incursion into, and riot in our nation’s Capital building.

It is troublesome to see and hear so many people fall under the spell of a megalomaniac; who take as gospel his words, even when the words are devoid of facts; to see our country reach such depths of distrust and division that it will take years to recover our sense of balance and our position in the world.    

As I watched the events unfold on January 6^th, I remarked to my wife, “My God, we have become a banana republic.”  The irony of American politicians, who in the past have called out elections and transfers of power in other countries was not lost on me.

Democracy is not self-sustaining; it requires hard work and constant attention. Our founding fathers recognized this fact; it is the preamble to the Constitution of the United States. I leave you with this quote:

“We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty, to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.”

 

Thanks for reading; your comments, as always, are welcome.

R. M. “Bob” Hartman

Thoughts from the Desert

It's early Saturday, and I'm waiting for my morning coffee to perk. I can hear some birds, singing out to each other as the sun rises over Utah's western desert.

The covid pandemic has brought major changes in lives throughout the world, and Kathleen and I are no different. She now works from home, and has been doing so for several weeks. My employer offered a furlough to those who are in high risk categories, of which I am considered one, so I have been at home as well. I can say I have achieved a lot these past six weeks, including a complete remodel of our home office, however, it is still a work in progress.

This furlough has also given me the opportunity to study the behaviour of people under stress. I still find the hoarding of toilet paper and gas cans sadly irresponsible, and tragically funny. As I posted before, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, to which a majority of Utah citizens belong, was quick to respond to the social distancing protocol, and I credit that response for keeping the spread of the virus slow in Utah. When I take rare trips to stores, etc., I find most people wearing masks and gloves, including me. Utah's public officials, including our governor, have responded quickly, and well. There are daily press briefings from the governor and the state epidemiologist, which are well used to inform the public and keep panic to minimum.

It is disappointing to see people,like Alex Jones, and some websites like Infowars, feed into the reopen now movement. Even in Utah,some folks are holding reopen rallies and protests. My opinion is that these events are going to result in an uptick of cases of coronavirus, and should not be held; it is my firm belief that flattening the curve is more important than being able to eat at my favorite establishments.

The President is doing a disservice to the public when he tweets "liberate Illinois" or other states where the rallies are held. It's discouraging to note that he is only sending those tweets in states with Democrat governors, or those cities where he and the mayor have differing opinions. It is interesting, to say the least, to compare the strong leadership of most governors and mayors, who are using facts and hard data to determine the course of action, with the self-centered, constantly changing actions proposed by President Trump. To say America deserves better from him is a gross understatement.

At this time, our President should be encouraging the citizens to follow the protocols established by the CDC and the elected officials in each state and locality. He failed to follow the previous administration's lead and advice, that a pandemic of this sort would reach America and affect Americans citizens. When he talks about his great response to this massive threat to American lives, the voters should remember that this President has tried, and in many ways succeeded, to reduce the funding for the CDC during his administration. He has also been slow and weak in his response to the financial damage to everyday citizens, focusing instead on helping large corporations survive the financial storm. This is a time when the President of the United States needs to support the working class, or we shall see economic disaster of a scale not seen since the 1930's.

Just my thoughts, please let me know what you think. Click on the pencil inn the white box below to post your comments.

As always, thanks for reading!

R. M. "Bob" Hartman

Mass Hysteria, Fueled By Mass Ignorance

Really, people? Hoarding toilet paper? I was at my local Sam’s club this morning, there was a waiting line to get in-limiting the number of people in the store. Ok, that I can understand-distance is a way to contain the spread of viruses. Toilet paper in 36 roll packages was limited to 2 per person.  I saw families lined up, mom, dad, 5 kids; each person had a basket to put their 2 packages of toilet paper in. How much toilet paper do they normally buy in a shopping trip?

No diapers or feminine protection products available. No baby 

formula, no milk. No coffee, no bottled water; plenty of soda pop and snack crackers.

Where I work, a store that sells sporting goods, hardware, clothes, 

toys-we are out of 55-gallon water barrels, toilet paper-including RV toilet paper, any type of face mask, Kleenex, gas cans, any form of sanitizing cleaner, even bleach.

It’s a virus that affects the respiratory system, not your intestinal 

tract. It’s an air-borne virus, not a water-spread virus. It can’t live in our treated tap water.

It does spread though social contact, I understand that. I applaud 

the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints for cancelling the General Conference and suspending all local worship services for the time being. They probably did the best thing possible to avert the spread of the virus!

Our State government has closed all K-12 schools for two weeks, 

again a very positive move in my opinion. Classes have been moved to on-line wherever possible. There will be sack breakfasts and lunches available for children who need them. Again, a good response.  

Gun and ammunition sales at our store are up, way up over a year 

ago. Some types of ammunition are out of stock. I spoke to one of my regular customers, he told me he was stocking up on ammo because of the riots. I changed the subject.  

Hysteria runs rampant in our population. In many ways, it is 

probably worse than the virus.

Why? One can only surmise. Our government has been kind of 

slow on the response; in my opinion, they should have let the CDC handle the information, get the facts out rather than the speculation. 

At this time, during this crisis, we need a leader who will calm the 

people, who will work to make sure the proper tests and treatments are available to all who need them. We need a leader that will help people understand what they need to do, and what they don’t need to do. We need a leader who will unite us and bring Americas great resources to bear on the problem at hand. We need a leader that doesn’t cut funding to the CDC and other health organizations, a leader who supports community hospitals, doctors and nurses. We need a President of the People, for the People, and by the People.

We need a Washington, Lincoln, Roosevelt, Kennedy. Our reality 

TV star is not getting the job done.

Thanks for reading. Of course, these are only my opinions. I’d like

to hear yours, agree or disagree with me.

R.M. “Bob” Hartman

To leave a comment, click on the pencil in the white box below.

The President of the Untied States of America

Has many solemn duties to perform, among them is to “preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States.”

The Constitution of the United States was born by a people who   

had seen, firsthand, what a monarchy can do to it’s citizens; they 

were determined to create a system of government that was of the people, by the people, and for the people. Keeping this end in sight, they established three equal but separate divisions of government: the Judicial, Legislative, and Executive branches. The goal was to establish a system of checks and balances that would keep the government on an equal basis, avoiding excesses and malfeasance by the equal branches of government. (Most of us know this from our civics and history classes in public schools.)

The Founding Fathers did not expect this triangular based

government to always, or even regularly, go smoothly, they envisioned there would be disagreements between the branches, and within the branches; they had faith, however, that even these disagreements would be settled out in a manner that respected the views of all parties, even those in disagreement with the final outcome. Over time, this excellent system has been improved, codified, and strengthened, to the betterment of all Americans. The Founding Fathers showed a group wisdom and intelligence far beyond what could have reasonably been expected of them as individuals.

Our Founding Fathers were well aware of the results of a monarchy

or dictatorship; that is, everyone who served in a government could be removed from his or her position simply for disagreeing with the head of government, regardless of the validity of the disagreement.

That same Constitution therefore provides that the President shall

nominate, and with the advice and consent of the Senate, shall appoint Officers of the United States, such as the Director of National Intelligence.

As of today, no less than 13 government departments are headed by

“acting” leaders, as opposed to those who have been approved by the Senate, as provided for in our constitution. These include: The Departments of Labor and Homeland Security; The White House Chief of Staff, Director of the Office of Management and Budget, the Director of National Intelligence, and the Director of the Small Business Administration.

Still reading? Good. Other offices under “acting” leadership

include OSHA, FDA, USCIS, CBP, FEMA, and ICE.

That’s right, my fellow citizens. Your on-the-job-safety, drug safety and pureness, and the federal government’s emergency management agency, are run by acting directors. Feeling a little worried? Don’t let me stop you; the Directors of National Intelligence, Homeland Security, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement are also “acting.” That’s right-our homeland security, immigration, and national intelligence departments are run by acting directors, who owe their office solely to President Trump, and have not been vetted by the Senate.

And what qualifies the acting directors for their particular

positions? To a person, they have demonstrated undying loyalty to President Trump. Many had made financial contributions to the President’s initial election campaign. They have, in the main, no knowledge of the departments they head, nor do they share a past experience of managing large groups of employees.

Why have these positions been filled by acting directors? The

President said, in an interview with the press, that he liked acting directors. It allows him to move quickly.

I guess we found out yesterday what he meant by move quickly.

When a DNI briefing to the House intelligence Committee reported that Russia was again interfering in our electoral process, and that Russia preferred Trump as the next President, the President angrily discarded his acting DNI,( Joseph Maguire) and replaced him with another acting director, Richard Grenell, who is currently the U.S. Ambassador to Germany. Mr. Grenell has no intelligence background, nor any experience leading a large government agency. His sole attribute, if you will, is his unquestioning loyalty to President Trump.

This behavior-using unqualified acting heads of government

bodies- must come to a stop. It is up to the Senate, our elected officials, to call a halt to the President’s flagrant disregard of Article II, Section 2, Clause 2 of the United States Constitution, and demand the President submit qualified individuals for “the advice and consent” of the Senate.   

Thank you for reading; as always, your thoughts and comments are 

appreciated. Just click on the pencil in the white box below.

R.M. “Bob” Hartman

What Did I Expect?

Somedays, you just shake your head, you cannot believe it. No, I’m not talking about anything in Washington, at least, I don’t think the problem is there. I’m curious if you noticed the same sad occurrence where you live, perhaps you can let me know if your experience was different.

Authors, columnists, politicians and pundits; from all shades of the political spectrum, we hear about patriotism, our shared American values, and our great country’s history. America First, take our country back, Make America Great Again-the list of patriotic statements is long.

My employer does not sell food, tobacco, or alcohol; this means we are one of the companies that can hire high school students for part-time positions. For many, this is a first job, a first entry into the real world. While I am sure it is an eye-opening experience for them, it also allows me a small window into the current condition of education standards in Utah.

I hear some of these young people talk about our country; some is just a parroting of the social media they follow; some is actually about real events taking place. So, I decided to take a sampling of these high school students when the opportunity presented itself.

Saturday, December 7th, provided an excellent testing date. I asked 4 students what day it was, what date it was, and what significance the day had to America.

Not one of them could tell me. To make matters worse, two of them are 4.0 GPA seniors.

“Yesterday, December 7, 1941—a date which will live in infamy—the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan.” FDR

Have we, the American People, so quickly forgotten the sacrifice of so many Americans on that fateful day in Hawaii? Is this perhaps just the tip of an iceberg, so to speak, a micro-view of a paradigm shift in American values?

It’s been said by many, and I am afraid it is still true today: Those who fail to learn from the mistakes of history, are bound to make them again. Did we not learn from Neville Chamberlain, the British Prime Minister, what happens when you attempt to appease a dictator? And yet, our seemingly historically ignorant President coddles up to dictators, and trash-talks our allies. He ridicules the United Nations, and brow-beats our fellow member countries. And for what? “Likes” and re-tweets?

The Office of the President of The United States of America is the biggest bully pulpit available in the world today. When the person that holds the esteemed office of President denigrates our elected representatives, the rule of law, our democracy, our fellow-citizens, and our own history, it should come as no surprise when the next generation of American voters and taxpayers fail to see any value in the sacrifices and lessons of history.

The President of the United States of America should be, and in the main has been, a person that exemplifies the best that America has to offer. He, or she, should be someone that we can tell our children to look up to as an example of leadership and statesmanship.

Historically, our presidents have lead America through natural disasters, financial collapse, wars both hot and cold, internal strife, and international affairs. This president appears to be leading us down the unhappy path of impeachment and his personal dishonor.

I had expected this president would want to have his term in office held up in history as a significant time; a time in which the interests of America and her citizens would improve. I had expected this to be a time to be noted in the history books as a good point in American history, perhaps with the improved education of our children, progress on eliminating income inequality and racial discord.

I believe this presidency will not meet my expectations.

R.M. "Bob" Hartman

As always, your comments and viewpoints are welcome.

Thanks for reading.  

It's Been A While

Since I felt like writing about our county’s condition; and I can’t say that I am happy about where we are today or that I am comfortable about where we appear to be headed. It seems America is riding in a small lifeboat, lurching badly on an angry ocean of upheaval, lies, distrust, discord, and angst.

Candidate Trump promised to shake up Washington, and to drain the swamp. I’m sorry to say, but he has succeeded beyond even his wildest dreams of shaking things up in Washington; and as for draining the swamp, he appears instead to have aroused every alligator within several thousand miles. I believe there is a lack of common courtesy or even decency in Washington, including in the White House; and I fail to comprehend how our country has managed to become so childish. On both national and international levels, our country’s reputation and honor are being trashed daily, even hourly; and there seems no clear reason for this outlandish style of governing. Although President Trump likes to blame any bad news on the “Fake News,” I don’t think that is accurate; honest reporters tell the news as it is happening, that is, they report the facts and the words said; that honest reporting may not be what the president wants to see or hear, but facts are not to be trifled with, downplayed or excused away. Facts are exactly that, facts; they cannot be changed to fit the President’s wishes.

We are approaching the end of year three of the Trump presidency, and I don’t see America as being better off than we were before Mr. Trump was elected President. The current occupant of the White House has caused great harm to our standing in the world, both by his actions and his words. He has succeeded in distressing our Allies, and in bringing out the worst in the behavior of common Americans.

America has been a world leader for democracy since the end of the Second World War. Our State Department has worked to build and strengthen our relationships with our allies, not only for support in case of war, but also in matters of trade, in dealing with humanitarian crises, and in actions relating to rogue states or stateless terrorist organizations. The Trump administration has been in isolationist overdrive, pulling out of treaties on pressing environmental issues, Iranian nuclearization, and trade with our Pacific Rim allies and our North American neighbors. Most recently, and perhaps most damaging to our standing in the world, President Trump reneged on the working agreement with the Kurdish forces that helped the United States in the war with ISIS.

Here in the United States, decades of hard work, and the sacrifice of many lives, have gone into the process of improving the relations of Americans of different races. It is work that is not complete now, not by a long shot, but progress has been made in the acceptance of our neighbors, regardless of the color of their skin. That is, until the Trump presidency. Even during his campaign for President, and since his election, Mr. Trump consistently fans the flames of racial and ethnical division. He has used the bully pulpit to deride and disparage any peoples he can; people of color, women, academics, political opponents, and immigrants of any nationality; but most consistently, the people of Mexico and South America.  This race-baiting and xenophobic behavior has empowered those who, like the KKK, are afraid of “others,” and who see a conspiracy behind every tree or news report. President Trump apparently does not understand that he is the President of all American citizens, not just the ones he likes.

One thing our current President does understand well is the power of the spoken word. Don Miguel Ruiz, who writes about the philosophy of the ancient Toltec Indians, describes The First Agreement thusly:

“Be impeccable with your word. Speak with integrity. Say only what you mean. Avoid using the word to speak against yourself or to gossip about others. Use the power of your word in the direction of truth and love.”

Mr. President, please speak with integrity. Be impeccable with your word.  

Thank you for reading; as always, your comments are welcome.

R. M. “Bob” Hartman

Ten Hot Summer Days

Ten hot summer days. In that space of time, 34 people were killed in mass shootings, and another 63 were injured. The alleged (?) shooters were white males, between the ages of 19 and 24. Two of the shooters are dead, the third is in jail. Although different guns were used, they all were high-capacity "assault rifles," and all were purchased "legally;" however, there is some evidence they may have been illegally transported across state lines. We may never know if the three gunmen knew each other, though some evidence suggests the killer in the El Paso murders may have been influenced by the Dayton shooting. Certainly, we will never positively know what factors drove the Dayton and Gilroy shooters to commit their crimes, as they are dead; but we may gain some insight into the thought patterns of the El Paso killer; he is still alive.

None of the above facts will bring back the 34 victims of these killers, nor will they erase the images captured in the minds of those wounded or who witnessed the shootings. And none of the above facts will do anything to stop the carnage that seems to be overwhelming our country.

There are things that can be done to reduce the risk of these types of mass murders re-occurring, and while they are small steps, they may be a beginning to some solutions. I'd like to express my thoughts on some of those ideas. You may say, after reading this, these ideas won't work, and I agree they will not solve all the problem. But, what we have been doing so far certainly hasn't worked very well, has it? It's time for some critical thinking.

The first, and perhaps the easiest one to implement, is to require national registration at the time of purchase or transfer of any and all firearms. This includes sales at gun shows, pawn shops, and sales by private individuals, including collectors. Believe it or not, only six states and the District of Columbia currently require firearm registration; and not all firearm types need to be registered, even in those states. Currently, seven states completely prohibit the registration of firearms. The other 37 states neither require or prohibit registration. This legislation should also include an insurance clause; that is, you must be able to prove liability insurance for the firearm. The legal age to purchase any firearm should be the same in all 50 states, and the District of Columbia. This does not mean that young Sally and Johnny cannot learn how to handle a firearm, or hunt; it just means they cannot purchase or own a gun.

I said this idea would be easy to implement, but the "Firearms Owners' Protection Act" of 1986 prohibits a national registry. So, this portion of the Reagan-era law would have to be overturned.

Some say this is the first step toward confiscation of privately owned firearms. Get real, people. You are required to register and insure your vehicles, which are also capable of killing and wounding people. It's not that different after all.

The three shootings under discussion meet the federal description of domestic terrorism, to wit: they are a)"dangerous to human life"; b) intended to "intimidate or coerce a civilian population;" or c) influence government by "intimidation or coercion" or "mass destruction, assassination or kidnapping." While federal law defines domestic terrorism, it does not make it a federal crime to commit acts of domestic terrorism. Wait a minute, we have a law defining acts of domestic terrorism, but no federal penalty for committing such acts? Yep, you got it. The FBI can become involved to assist state agencies, but the individuals responsible for these acts can only be prosecuted under state laws. Why does this matter? First, the FBI does not have to get involved in cases of this type, although I understand they are involved in these three. Second, the FBI can look beyond state borders at the relationship these types of criminals may have with other like-minded individuals, and bring charges where appropriate. Third, if domestic terrorism is a crime under federal law, stiffer penalties are a distinct possibility.

The second thought I propose then, is to pass a law making domestic terrorism a federal crime. Congress, can you stop pointing fingers at each other long enough to get this done?

Third, and this thought strikes very close to home for all of us: every person in America should demand of our elected officials that they do not denigrate populations of social backgrounds, wealth, country of origin, race, or sex as a whole. That is to say: Our President, and other elected officials, should never say or imply that all people from Pluto are murderers, rapists, or thieves; or that those with green skin are low-lifes, losers, or pathetic. This type of speech is antithetical to American ideals.

Besides, speech of this nature makes simple-minded people self-righteous, and then they do bad things. Very bad things, which can affect all of us in ways we cannot fathom.

Thank you for reading; as always, your comments are welcome.

R.M. "Bob" Hartman

Data on firearm registration taken from https://ballotpedia.org/Firearm_registration_requirements_by_state

Retrieved August 6, 2019; it is "as of Jan 1, 2019"

USA PATRIOT ACT, 2001

A Wish List

The Democrats had a two-evening debate last week. I didn't watch it (work conflicts), but I did read reports from and about it. Frankly, I didn't learn much.

What I want,and what I believe most Americans want from the Democratic Party, is a clear platform of goals for the next administration, and a clear pathway to achieving those goals.

Here's some ideas for your consideration.

Stop wasting time bashing President Trump. It fires up his base, and makes it appear that you have nothing to offer, except to bash him. You need to be better than that, and I think you are.

Our economy, both on Wall Street and main street, is suffering from bad decisions on trade and tariffs; let's go back to the trade table and re-think our economic priorities. Develop programs that reward small businesses and incentivize American manufacturing.

America put a man on the moon in a decade, and we have, in our colleges and Universities, great and wonderful talents and abilities. Create a program putting those talents and abilities to work on providing America with sources of clean, safe, affordable energy to power our country forward.

Stop punishing people who want to escape wars and famine in their home countries, and welcome them to our shores. Clean up the immigration "problem" by putting into action policies that assist immigrants in become productive American citizens. Punish those companies and individuals that exploit undocumented workers.

Education, or the lack of it, creates poverty; and the United States is suffering from a lack of trained, educated tradespeople; and has a surplus of unemployed, or under-employed citizens. Bring back, in volume, trade schools that teach welding, plumbing, carpentry, electrical, and other skills. Make them affordable, and show how a tradesman, well skilled, can again become a part of the middle class. These are jobs that cannot be exported to India, China, or elsewhere.

Our public schools are lacking qualified teachers. How about a program that eliminates student debt for teachers that stay in the profession for four years, at the K-12 levels; and continues on by providing a tax break each year they remain teachers?

Eliminate the revolving door on our prisons, in part by closing the for-profit prison system. It has put a burden on law enforcement by demanding a certain percentage of the for-profit cells will be filled, and this in turn contributes to an unjust proportion of non-whites being incarcerated for the crime of being poor.

Renew our standing in the world by working with our allies and reducing the threat of global terrorism, while holding sacred and inviolable our beliefs in human rights, dignity, and the rule of law.

Well, there's a few ideas for you to think about as you campaign this year.

Thank you for reading, and, as always, your comments are welcome.

R.M. "Bob" Hartman

The Weather

The view from my window this morning, looking over the Wasatch Mountains, was of broken light clouds on high, with some dark, snow-bearing clouds over the Wasatch peaks. Utah, like much of the country, had a wet winter, with snow totals at one of the ski resorts exceeding 700 inches, a new record. The sun was shining through, and I thought perhaps today would be a break from 14 days of rain; however, that was not to be the case, and my grass will have to wait for another day to be mowed.   

It seems that our Capitol is mired in pettiness; with both sides blaming the other for refusing to act like adults. While the country waits for aid to assist with natural disasters, our roads and bridges continue to crumble beneath us, and our allies wonder if we are still their friends; our government battles, not along lines of ideology, but instead on personal picks and grievances. It appears to me, and I think to many Americans, that “our” elected officials and governing body have traded what is good for America for what is good for them, personally. Even today, an infrastructure bill that was bipartisan in design and approval was halted, because one representative, Texas Republican Chip Roy, got upset about what wasn’t in the bill. (Money for the border wall.)

This has become all too typical of Washington today. Bills that should pass, like this one that would help not only our infrastructure, but our job market and the economy in general, are held hostage for the President’s pet project. The value, or not, of the wall was not in question in the legislation, in fact, it was not mentioned in the legislation. So why hold up money for needed work? Would it be so hard for Congress to pass needed legislation and then, in an appropriate manner, discuss the funding of the now-infamous wall? Will this Congress, and this Administration, go down in history as the Congress that couldn’t get anything done for the citizens of this great country?

I had hoped this bill would pass, all seemed in order, and then perhaps Congress could take up other meaningful legislation and begin to move our country forward; but that was not to be the case.

Instead, like my lawn waiting for sunshine, America will have to wait even longer for Washington to clean up it’s act.   

As always, your comments are appreciated!

R.M. "Bob" Hartman

And we have a Winner!

It’s great, folks, really great! The House Republicans have passed, and sent to the Senate, the American Health Care Act. This bill will reduce health-care related costs and taxes by $5640 annually for those Americans who make $200,000 or more each year. Companies that employ 50 or more full time workers will no longer be forced to offer health insurance to the employees. This will definitely help make America great again.

Now, if you have winners this big, you naturally are going to have some losers. But who are they? The losers are you and I, the American people. Here are a few facts for your consideration.

If you make $10,000 annually, your health costs will rise by $1400 yearly. Those fine Americans that make $50,000-$72,000 will only see health costs increase by $60 annually, unless you get pregnant or have a pre-existing condition.

We are going to get rid of some of those pesky regulations that Obama put in the ACA. We are going to start by allowing insurance companies to charge you more, or deny you coverage entirely if you have any pre-existing conditions, such as being a victim of rape or domestic violence, pregnancy, cancer, or heart conditions, to name a few.

Insurance companies are corporations, and corporations are people, too. They don’t want to be forced to cover pregnancy, mental health care, or cancer screenings as essential services. The American NoHealth Care Act gives them the choice of covering them or not. I’m no expert, but I really don’t expect the insurance companies to willingly cover them any more as essential services.

If your insurance lapses for 63 days or more, say when you are unemployed, insurance companies can charge you higher premiums for pre-existing conditions than before.

Medicaid, including CHIP, is a health program that provides basic services for low income Americans. This program will be capped under the American NoHealth Care Act, which will force people close to the poverty line out of the program. They will then have the option of paying more than they can afford for health insurance, or just get sick and go to the emergency room. Now, that is what is known as freedom of choice? NOT!

These are just a few of the facts relating to the American NoHealth Care Act. Here’s a couple more, and they might hit home with you. This bill was passed without any Democratic votes, and in fact 20 Republicans voted against the bill. Are you represented in the House by a Republican? (Sadly, I am, and I am not happy about her vote. I voted for her opponent in the election.)

Did you vote for that Republican?

Think about it.

As always, thanks for reading. Please feel free to post comments or thoughts.

R.M. "Bob" Hartman