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. 

 

Who's Responsible? It's Not President Biden!

On January 20, 2021 (the date of Joe Biden's inauguration as President), the national average cost for a gallon of regular gasoline was $2.38; prices peaked in June 2022 at $4.92; the average price today (December 31, 2022) is $3.21 per gallon. 

Author's note: Gasoline prices in Utah are generally higher than the national average. I'm told it has something to do with how far they have to transport fuel from the refineries to Utah cities. Hint: the refineries are in North Salt Lake City, UT. Go figure. 

As the prices climbed in early 2022, I began seeing stickers on the pumps with a caricature of President Biden pointing to the price saying " I did that." A retailer I know pretty well complained the stickers would re-appear as fast as he cleaned them off. Which set me to wondering. . . 

Are people finally giving up Facebook and Instagram long enough to drive around and post false information on gas pumps? Are they part of the "Deep State" government we have been repeatedly warned about? Or could it be Antifa, trying to destabilize the government? Perhaps it is college students, upset about not having to pay student loans during the pandemic? Nah, it's probably those west coast elite socialist liberals upset that Bernie isn't President of the United States. 

Or maybe just maybe Saudi Aramco based in Texas; Marathon Petroleum in Texas, Louisiana, and California; Exxon Mobile in Texas and Louisiana; BP Products North America in Indiana; PDV America (Citgo) in Louisiana, and Chevron in Mississippi all decided to make record profits and gouge American consumers pent up from being in lockdown? Being really smart businessmen, and knowing how gullible the American public in general can be, they hired a bunch of grass smoking hippies to drive around in Volkswagon vans to put stickers on the gas pumps and deflect criticism from the Big Oil profits to President Joe Biden.

Of course, if it's not Big Oil, then those responsible good citizens who put stickers on the pumps blaming President Biden when the prices went up should now be putting stickers on the pumps thanking President Biden for the prices falling back down. 

Ain't gonna happen! 

Happy New Year, everybody!

Thanks for reading; as always, your comments are welcome and appreciated. Just click the pencil in the white box below. 

R.M. "Bob" Hartman

History Repeats Itself

 As a student of history, I have often wondered what would happen if an Adolph Hitler-type personality arose again on the world stage. Would the American public insist on waiting, as it foolishly did in the run-up to World War II, for an attack to occur on American soil? Would we join the Neville Chamberlain appeaseniks and accept a dictator's lie that he will steal no more territory? 

Is there is our political mass a leader who can say, as Roosevelt did, America will be the arsenal of Democracy? Are there leaders in Congress who can look past the last election, the next election, and make the hard decisions to do the right thing for the world?

I afforded myself the great pleasure of listening to Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the 6th President of Ukraine (at 44!) present to Congress one of the most incredible speeches I have heard in recent years. In his historic address, the President of Ukraine spelled out in very clear terms to anyone who wanted to listen, his appreciation for the financial and military aid the United States of America has provided to his country, and the need of more financial, military, medical and logistic aid to his war-ravaged country.  

It is a need we should not, and can not, deny. The world has, in the person of Russian President Putin, one who wants to be a combination of Adolph Hitler and Joseph Stalin. Mr. Putin illegally annexed Crimea in 2014 and the world did little of anything to punish him. In February of 2022, he began a military assault on the whole of Ukraine. But you know that story, I'm not going to go into it now. Historically, this looks a lot like Hitler's actions in the early phases of WWII. 

This time, let America stand for freedom, let us stand for democracy, let us stand against criminal international aggression. Don't wait for a large-scale (world) war to break out. 

It's December 23rd, and Congress has passed a spending bill that includes $45 Billion in aid to Ukraine and our NATO allies, money well spent, in my opinion. Utah Senator Mitt Romney supported the bill, Utah Senator Mike Lee opposed the bill. President Biden has stated he will sign the bill when it is on his desk. 

Sadly, however, there are those in both houses of Congress who say we have spent enough on Ukraine, and they are promising in the next year to "provide oversight" for all the money sent to Ukraine. In plain Olde English, they want to stop any more aid going to the war in Ukraine.  I am not sure what they expect to happen, should they succeed. Do they expect Ukraine to give up democracy and become a Russian puppet state, as so many did between the end of WWII and the fall of the Soviet Union? Is is in their minds that Russia will stop the war and the slaughter of civilians if we stop providing aid to Ukraine? What country, if not the United States, is anywhere close to a position to provide aid in the depth required to Ukraine? Do they really think Putin will stop at Ukraine? 

To those isolationists in Congress, including Mike Lee, I say: Put your sons and daughters, your grandchildren, in uniform and send them to Ukraine. Let them die for your foolishness.  

For the rest of Congress, including Mitt Romney, I thank you for supporting Ukraine and the war against criminal international aggression.

Thank you for reading my thoughts on this matter. I invite your comments, just click on the pencil 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

Musings from Camp, Part 2

Ok, enough on Covid. Let's talk politics. Yeah, I know, it's one of the three no-no's of polite conversation. But it is one of the areas now in the news on an elevated scale. I'm referring to the 2020 Presidential election. Yeah, that one, where Joe Biden was elected President in the most closed monitored election of our lifetimes. Judges, appointed by presidents of both parties, have dismissed more than sixty lawsuits claiming irregularities or fraud, for lack of evidence. No person or entity has provided proof of election fraud on any scale; and no amount of denial will change the facts. Federal, state and local governments are wasting millions of taxpayer dollars on recounts, recounts of recounts, and useless frivolous lawsuits. Taxpayer money-that's your tax dollars at work. So, once again, here are the facts. Not the MSM facts, or the RWM facts, just everybody's facts. Joe Biden was elected President of the United States of America on November 3, 2020. He did not steal the election, he won it. No amount of whining, crying, lying, or misstatement of facts will change the result of the election. Those who claim otherwise are doing significant damage to the integrity of our most sacred principle, the absolute power of free, honest, open elections. For those in elected positions, denying the integrity of the 2020 election is a very sharp double edged sword; if they deny the result of the Presidential election, what is to prevent their own election from being denied? A very slippery slope indeed.

So, again the facts: Joe Biden is president of The United States of America. What are you afraid of?

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

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

A Golden Opportunity

 The Republicans in Congress are really missing a golden opportunity, perhaps it is the glare reflecting off the golden palace of the Mar-i-largo resort and pay to play Trump casino.

Let's be honest. Joe Biden and the democrats have delivered the economic stimulus package, and are making great strides on the Coronavirus campaign. The economy is showing signs of recovery, and millions of Americans are being vaccinated daily. I admit, there is still a long way to go, but both these fronts are looking positive. Now, President Biden is talking infrastructure changes and benefits. What's a scared Republican left with?

Gun Control. It's the other hot button issue, and the Republicans could make it happen right now. They could reinstate the assault weapon ban, and go full steam ahead on closing the gun show loopholes. If the Republicans in Congress really want to steal President Biden's thunder, they could revoke the law banning a national gun registry. Yes, that would make the NRA angry, but the National Rifle Association is busy trying to keep itself relevant and out of court right now. They don't have money to pay off the lawyers, let alone make any significant campaign contributions.

Plus, gun control is what the voters want right now. They are tired of the constant stream of gun violence on the news, yes, it's even on Fox News these days.

If the Republicans did this, the Democrats would have to go along (it is one of their favorite subjects); that would make it bipartisan and then think of the talking points they would have for the midterm elections.

But don't worry about this happening. Mitch McConnell and company don't have enough testosterone combined to do it. 

Thanks for reading! 

As always, comments are appreciated. 

R.M. "Bob" Hartman

Problems and Solutions

 

So, there is a “Situation” or a “Problem” at the southern border,

which it is depends on who you are listening to.

Record high numbers of unaccompanied minors are crossing the 

border. Most of these children are not from Mexico; they are from 

Guatemala, Honduras, or other Central American countries. The 

distance from Mexico's southern border to the US border is 

approximately 1,125 miles. 

The Republicans are blaming the high number of unaccompanied 

minors now crossing the border on President Biden’s so-called 

rollback of the Trump administration’s immigration policies. They 

are calling on the President to send the children back to Mexico and 

let Mexico deal with them. 

President Biden has stated, and I concur, that it would be immoral 

and un-American to refuse the children, and send them back over to 

border into Mexico, where they could fall victim to human 

trafficking, or worse. So, they are being kept in Border Patrol 

facilities that were not designed for children, nor were they designed 

for such high levels of occupation. 

The Republican Party likes to portray itself as "Christian" and 

claims the high moral ground on such subjects as abortion. Frankly, I

find their stance on the unaccompanied minor issue on our southern 

border to be highly unChristian and totally lacking in morals of any 

recognizable form. 

If you are a parent or grandparent, can you imagine the stress and 

anguish of having to send your children, without adult supervision, 

to walk to another country because there is no way to support them 

at home, or because the fear of violence is so great you fear more for 

their lives if they stay with you? How desperate would you have to 

be to tell your child to walk 1,125 miles, unaccompanied, hoping 

they would make it to and be welcome in the United States? 

There is nothing moral, ethical, or Christian about turning these 

minors away. So instead of blaming President Biden for the 

"problem", why don't you moral Christian Republicans work on a 

solution? Maybe hire some construction companies to go down to 

the border, let's build some dormitories, schools and admin offices 

and work on getting these CHLDREN taken care of? (Construction 

work-good American jobs, I'm told.)

Jesus said, "Let us love one another," and "Do unto others as you 

would have them do unto you."

Think about it. Then tell your Congressman what you think.

Thank you for reading, as always, your comments are 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