Tuesday, May 31, 2016

RACE TO THE BOTTOM OF SANITY: TRUTHS ABOUT RACE AND GOLD ON CAMPUSES.


In “Hard Truths About Race On Campus” (Wall Street Journal, Review, May 7 – 8, 2016) Professors Haidt and Jussim seem to miss some observations that might be additive to their arguments. When I was starting out in business in San Francisco, activism began on college campuses with the seed being the Vietnam War. That new Left wanted to bring down those in power (conservative Republicans). It started out as irresponsible fun (sex, drugs and rock ‘n roll) but they were taken seriously. Many college administrators gave in to their demands, and human nature being what it is, if your demands are fulfilled, you demand more. And more. The greater Progressive Left figured out that giving the kids what they demanded would buy allegiance and votes. And it has worked: today, a large majority of university administrators, instructors and students are Democrats. A vast voting bloc of something around 21 million college attendees in the 4725-some institutions of higher education. One strategy of the Left to gain and retain power has always been the  collectivization of individuals (making them easier to herd) through a divide and conquer strategy. It segments groups by, say, skin color -- "race" -- sexual choices, gender, net worth, and so on. It figures out how to get their votes, executes and puts each group in the shopping bag labeled, Progressive Democrat voter. Race is one of the groups. At the same time, the Left wants more and more students (voters), and the way is to make it easier to get in to college. But to get them in, standards need to be lowered (“affirmative action”) and classes and grading need to be easier to keep the students happy. That means continuing to give in to student demands. But as always the strident activist students seem to speak for all the students (the collective). And also as usual, the media loves the activists for the readers and viewers they attract. Summing up, the policies of the left include affirmative action, easy majors (yes, diversity, gender, ethnic and cultural studies, that which we used to call "underwater basket weaving.)  And easy grading.



Now consider that today the federal government, through a variety of schemes (including President Obama's takeover of the student loan industry) is the prime financing entity for higher education. Remember that the Golden Rule No. 1 is, "Who has the gold makes the rules."  So the federal government, makes the rules and the college presidents obey, knowing that without the gold they would have no institution. What is the goal of the Obama Democrats running the educational show? Power, gaining and retaining power through votes. Whatever student activists want, the financier, the federal government, and the administrators give in. It all comes together for the benefit of the Democratic Party at the expense of the nation.



The Left does not want any assessment of its goals.  For example, the oppression against climate change "deniers" is not about global warming, but about the danger of the scientific method itself, measuring and assessing the Left's various narratives. The authors write: "such reforms [of affirmative action and diversity training] will fail to…reduce discrimination and inequality." And "make life more uncomfortable for everyone, particularly black students." That seems to be a goal of the Left; if it was all comfortable and everyone got along, the power of the Left would be marginalized.



Finally, please consider the actual words and phrases the professors used: marginalized, racial gaps, welcoming, inclusive culture, sense of ethnic victimization, feel denigrated or insulted, microaggression, and so on. Each word or concept is absolutely subjective, undefinable. They are not only impossible to measure, but each is an individual emotion particular to each student. They cannot be collectivized. One kid's "microaggression" is different from another's and, in fact, generally not anything the the microaggressor wanted to express.  But the loudest squeak gets oiled. So colleges must  cater to the most effective advocate or most highly-publicized activist.



The authors finish with: “The time may be right for a bold college president to propose a different approach, one based on the available evidence about what works and what doesn’t. That would be the best way to create a university community in which everyone feels welcome.” But that could easily risk financial support from the federal government as well as the student hordes calling for the resignation of the “bold college president.” There does not seem to be any solution.

And speaking of Golden Rule No. 1, President Obama threatened to withhold ALL of the over-$110,000,000,000 from all schools from kindergarten through high school UNLESS each obeyed his Education Department's dictate to force all kids to toilet, change, shower and join athletic teams of the "opposite" sex IF the student "identifies" as being a member of that opposite sex, with no backing proof or, in fact, anything at all in writing.  Only "I feel like a girl today" as entry into the most private of personal activity of the opposite sex. Consider that the "little girls room" is the only true safe space for a girl in school away from the opposite sex. Obama eliminated that!

My view is that his action was a hissy fit to get back at a challenge to his supreme authority by the governor of North Carolina (since joined by 11 other states) on Obama's "transgender bathroom" rules. But, of course being a "transgender" as defined necessitates an operation to change physical attributes of one's original gender into the opposite. That is not even necessary in Obama's proclamation. Only that one "feels" like "self-identifying" as the opposite gender.

Yes, "truth" is gone from the Progressive Democrat life and "emotion" is the new arrival. Even Obama's science has ceased investigating things and "science" has become a implied majority vote of political advocates about whatever the subject is...Global Climate Change for example. The threat of losing one's tenure, job and government funding assists in that vote being on Obama's side.








Friday, May 27, 2016

Certain: A broke U. S. Uncertain: Destruction of the world by weather.

Certain: A broke U. S.    

Uncertain: Destruction of the world by weather.


The nation’s current total private wealth is $63.5 trillion. Looking 75 years out, the U.S. government expenses exceed future government revenues by $117.9 trillion. That’s trillions, in case you misread: $117,900,000,000,000! This gap is not a fantasy, it is based on entitlement laws already on the books, projections of the future number of pensioners relative to workers and estimates of economic growth.

The federal deficit ballooned to more than $1 trillion for four straight OBAMA fiscal years, 2009 through 2012.

But the President of the political party that is breaking the American "bank," Barack Obama hides this real threat to the solvency and survival of the U. S. A. by stating with a straight face, "The growing threat of climate change could define the contours of this century (whatever THAT means) more dramatically than any other" from the ravages of a warming planet. At the Parisian luxury banquet for climate change action, he urged action even if the benefits (or proof of no threat) were not evident for generations. At that time, though, the USA would be bankrupt. Obama doesn't give a shit what happens later this century because he will have spent that time galavanting around the world giving million dollar speeches and living like a king (and queen).

For sure the USA will be broke. For sure the weather will change. How? No computer program has been accurate so far this century nor last. So there is certainty of belly-up and fantasy of some danger in the weather. Who is the insane fantastist? Get real, vote TRUMP!

http://www.wsj.com/articles/inattention-to-the-deficit-disorder-1464300465

Wednesday, May 25, 2016

BUT SERIOUSLY. The Democrats/Progressives/Left parade and lustily objectify near-naked butts, tits, other female parts to titilate and attract viewers, readers and listeners so they can greedily cob big money, big bucks from capitalism.   

And they vilify a man who attracts attractive women, hires thousands of women, and promotes them to high levels of managerial employment. He seems to hire (and marry) for intelligence, capability, and supports them.  Trump has hired and promoted more females into private-sector, not government-ideological and make-up jobs, than all of the Democrats put together: Obama, Hillary, Biden, Bern Baby Bern, and the rest.

But the Democrat entertainment industry portrays themselves as "progressives" in everything. But showing tits is not progressive in my view. And let's not discuss the insane misogyny of hip-hip: Ho's, cash, guns and killing, stealing, hurting, diminishing, enslaving kid-whores in film and music. These Democrats are trash yet give millions to Obama, Hillary to extend their filthy, lucrative lives.

AND then they praise a female-user-abuser, Bill Clinton and his enabler, Hillary. AND WHY THE F* WOULD ANY "FEMINIST" VOTE FOR HER???? Or if you are an honest female or feminist why would you vote for ANY DEMOCRAT.  Answer anyone??????

Please share this with an answer.

My thought:
Power is #1 for Democrats, Money is #2. IN order to maintain this, they need an uneducated citizenry.  Voila, the Teachers Union Bosses deliver. As low as only 25% (some say 34%) of high school seniors are capable of performing at college levels. And for African Americans -- the core support for Democrat -- the numbers are worse. Success for Democrats is measured by failure of kids in education. Then raise the minimum wage to price kids out of starting wages. Then "give" them stuff from food stamps to cash for having illegitimate children and absent fathering.

But you don't know this because the Megaphone of the Left -- the New York Times -- and the Alphabet of Propaganda -- NBC CBS ABC CNN AP NPR PBS and if it's still alive msnbc -- WILL NOT TELL YOU ANY OF THIS. Thus, you remain uneducated about the truths of the Obama USA.

As Michelle Obama meant: Ignorance is Bliss. Let me take care of you. With Rich Republicans' tax money.



Friday, May 13, 2016

From Sunday, November 16, 2008 Musings of an average Republican

Sunday, November 16, 2008


Musings of an average Republican

Musings of an average Republican

Republicans need to concentrate on the next presidential election and the Congressional races in four years. (But they must careful not to give up any seats in the Senate in two years. Republicans must always keep the number 60 in view.) I think Republicans have that time. I believe Obama will be forced by his desire for re-election in 2012 to govern more in the center, or center-left, not the far left. Though this depends on his strength in standing up to the wildly left Congress and labor union leaders. If he wins in 2012 his deep-seated socialist, anti-business philosophies may well burst forth for him to establish his legacy. Until then, Republicans should be able to block through filibuster much of the overreaching demands on the new President, but need to do so with clear, simple messages. The brilliant political strategy of Franklin Delano Roosevelt sliced and diced the electorate into purchasable minority blocks has been the core of Democratic success over the past nearly 75 years: unions, farmers, elders, blacks, artists and writers (in the media as well as artistic), “intellectuals”, the poor and downtrodden. As FDR created his Democratic Party, it continued to oil new squeaky wheels. Anti-war, Abortion-advocates, homosexuals and other affinity groups were given what they demanded by the Democrats. And Democrats virtually created the trial lawyer industry. Obama used all of them brilliantly.

Democrats are at war with Republicans. Make no mistake. Democrats want power. They are using the lie of “Socialism” – equality for all – versus Capitalism – equal opportunity to all -- to gain and retain power. Democrats want to command how companies are run. Democrats want to control how we live our lives. If Democrats don’t get their way (California Proposition 8, or Seattle’s third runway are only two of thousands of examples) they throw tantrums and either demonstrate or sue, never accepting defeat. Republicans seem to accept defeat and go on. Of course many conservatives are building or managing companies, their first responsibility. Republicans are in a fight as critical to the survival of America as was the Civil War. Voters do not seem to understand this. The Republican Party has failed. Republican leaders do not seem to understand this. The Democratic Party has been engaged in a massive 75-year propaganda effort to discredit capitalism. Many Democrats work for government, quasi-government, or non-profit entities and can devote more time to politics.

I believe Obama won the presidency in 2008 with his charisma and The Big Lie (or, if he actually can perform, The Big Buy) that he’ll cut taxes for 95% of the country and years of press-brutalizing of President Bush. (Interestingly, some recent poll indicated only 17% of voters indentified Republicans with cutting taxes.) Of course Obama was aided by the October Surprise which turned out to be the melt down/bail out (“MDBO”) which shifted emphasis to the “economy” which for some reason Democrats were thought to be able to better manage than the Republicans. But the election – the Presidential Competition 2008 -- is over and Republicans lost. While the actual reasons may be elusive and debated for years, the Republicans lost. Going forward, Republicans need to, if not coordinate, at least unify on a message of pithy simplicity using powerful words that but based on clear ideas. Republicans must not blame. Yes, perhaps Obama was shilled by the media (incorrectly labeled the “popular” or “mainstream” media; Republicans should stop using these terms and substitute the more accurate Left-leaning or Far-left Media or even the Obama Info-media); yes, perhaps he had unsavory friends and promoters; yes, perhaps he voted as the Senate’s #1 liberal; but he won. Republicans must not blame, but must take a positive attitude, cheerily accepting that Obama won.

Our country is something like 35% “liberal”, 40% “conservative” and 25% “independent”. Depending on which polls one reads (some indicate liberals only 22%, conservatives 34% and 44% moderates, which is defferent than independent; varying definitions abound but all map out similarly) but a majority of Americans are center-right and believe that bigger government is not better government and cannot solve all our problems. Republicans must be honest and up front with what government can do and cannot do.

Republicans must get back to the basics. Wealth and jobs are created only by businesses. Successful businesses create products and services that consumers want to buy. Business thrives under markets allowing their founders and managers the freedom to create things and get rich doing so. Businesses succeed or fail for a number of reasons, not the least of which is that consumers don’t want their products or services. Some go out of business, creating disruptions for workers and customers. But typically the disruption is short, workers go to other companies which produce things someone wants to buy. This is the up and down of the business cycle. While “Wall Street” is being blamed for the meltdown (and deregulation) by the Left-leaning Media and Democrats, part of the problem that even Republicans (including Senator McCain) express their belief that Wall Street is like a gambling casino. There is no understanding of its core utility in capital raising. “Wall Street” has financed America since 1792 with the founding of a predecessor of the New York Stock Exchange.

Market- and business-cycles can never be prevented because they emanate from innovation, coupled with opportunity, then success and sometimes greed follows success ending in short-term collapse; all of these are the heart of America having become the greatest economic force in history and the freest nation ever invented. The natural human emotions of greed and fear cannot be squelched, only understood, usually after the fact. Governments cannot prohibit these human emotions, only restrain them by blocking opportunity for people to better themselves. It was against these continuing static classed societies (and religious persecution) that America was founded. It was founded on freedom; to take freedom from loss away is to take freedom of action away. At the very core of this freedom, and America’s success, is the entrepreneur. While today some entrepreneurs are celebrated -- Bill Gates comes to mind -- it is not about the businesses he created, but what “good” is done with the personal wealth created. What needs to be understood and admired in this country is the business – businesses – created. Microsoft changed the world of computing and humanity itself by standardizing software. It created thousands of support and peripheral companies, hundreds of thousands of jobs and countless millionaires and otherwise “rich” people from all walks of life. It also encouraged efficiency, communication and knowledge. Republicans need to personalize the “rich” who have created these jobs, wealth and improved lives. Liberals personalize victims. Republicans need to counter by unabashedly personalizing and praising accomplishment. It should outline and describe the number of people positively impacted by such accomplishment. Today, the face of business is primarily the over-sized compensation of some top executives. [An aside: much of this money was gained from incentive stock options. The widespread use of such options came from a law signed by President Clinton which disallowed companies from expensing executive compensation for earners of over $1 million, so directors substituted incentive stock options and the rising stock market caused options to become absurdly valuable. It is an unintended consequence of a Democratic Party-passed law. Sort of like the Alternative Minimum Tax to hit something like 50 taxpayers which has impacted millions. And to put executive and employee comp in perspective, General Electric has over 300,000 employees. If $100,000,000 were taken out of executive compensation it would only give a $28 monthly raise to each employee.] There is no mention of jobs, wealth created, product innovation, price decreases, increases in standards of living, or extensions of life itself. There seems to be no desire to understand or communicate how truly difficult it is to manage a large company. And, of course, the Left-leaning Media promotes the unfairness of the “stagnation” of middle-class compensation (as if ever-increasing pay is guaranteed in America.) It is against their message to explain the vastly more important concept of “standard of living” which includes what people can actually buy with their dollars earned. The standard of living in the United States has continued upward for decades, but is difficult to measure. Consider the continuing price decreases and increasing utility of computers, cellular phones, the Internet and flat-screen televisions, Blackberrys, global positioning systems, for a few examples. But there is rarely any counterbalancing argument about “income equality” from Republicans.

Republicans must begin to offset the Left’s negative attitude toward “business” which has become pretty mainstream. Where is the proud announcement that union-leader-hated Wal-Mart added over 30,000 employees to nearly 1.5 million, during 2008? The citizenry must be informed. 3.+


Americans in their core do not like to lose. The next step after improving the image of “business”, Republicans must unleash – then own -- the competitive spirit of Americans. We are in direct business competition with foreign countries not just among ourselves. China and India for example, but also England, France, Germany, Japan, Vietnam, South Korea and on and on. Global competition is here to stay – nothing can wind it back. The world’s financial meltdown will accentuate globalism as countries get together to collectively solve economic issues. We as Team/USA must decide to win or lose. Of course,”to win” means continuing to create wealth and better standards of living to struggling peoples all over the world. It is what competition in the free enterprise system has done for the world for over a century. Americans want not to just compete, but to win. To do so means supporting business in America. We need to think how to surge forward, not cut back into ourselves. Republicans need to shout out how “business” not government has created our wealth. Government’s role should be to support business. While the “trickle-down” theory has been discredited by liberals, another snappy term needs to be coined and repeated, over and over. Obama’s Big Lie of cutting taxes for 95% of America was repeated thousands of times and helped win the day for him. Republicans need to repetitively repeat how wealth is only created by business which creates the lasting, productive jobs government cannot create.

What then are the biggest impediments to the support of business and to the success of business itself in the United States? Unions. To gain and retain their selfish pursuit of power, union leaders cast business as negative and unions as positive. Yet, nowhere in the recent Presidential Competition was there anything about unions. Are Republicans afraid of union leaders’ power? What is there to be afraid of? They overwhelmingly support and finance Democrats. And although not necessarily following their leaders’ political leanings, private sector workers who belong to unions are only a small minority of the private work force anyway. Seven-and-a-half percent. The number is twelve percent of government workers. What’s to fear? Yet the leaders of this minority of population pretty much control the Democratic Party. Republicans need to publicize this disparity of power in the hands of a small number of power-hungry union officials. Republicans need to hammer on the fact that unions are not even needed for the workers anymore. The liberal media will holler. But look at what union leaders’ demands have done for what’s left of the airline, steel, and automobile industries. “Follow the money” (as Deep Throat famously said in “All the President’s Men”) and the money flows from union members’ dues to the Democratic Party with union leaders as paymasters. Republicans need to paint union leaders as the self-serving power brokers they are. Young voters under 30 voted two-thirds for Obama, putting him over the top, yet they are the generation wanting freedom of choice. Union leaders try to curtail workers’ freedom and this must be communicated. [And speaking of the young: the Democratic Congress is engaged in internecine warfare among their geriatrics. Henry Waxman, age 69, is challenging 82-year-old John Dingell for chairmanship of the House Energy and Commerce Committee. Recently Dingell called Waxman "an anti-manufacturing, left-wing Democrat" on a Detroit radio station. Is this the “politics as usual” that Obama is against? No doubt it's politics as usual, not change, but I don’t see much written about it in the Left Info-media, or by Republicans for that matter.] But back to the unions. Republicans, business and perhaps the Chamber of Commerce need to develop a future strategy which embraces workers explicitly. Give workers – “labor” – a voice the union leaders don’t really give them. Team/USA is competing with the world and to win it must be a team that includes management and labor working together to support business. “Business” must be more all-encompassing and include “labor” as a partner. It can be done. In order for America to win, Republicans must win.

Impediments to business (Part 2): class action trial lawyers (“CATL”). Their typically-unpublicized riches come directly from the consumer through price increases with business as collector and paymaster. It is not widely known that only a tiny amount of each settlement ends up in the hands of a single “victim” (as defined by trial lawyers and their paid, so-called experts) while the winning lawyers buy yachts and jets. I didn’t hear McCain or Palin discussing this “tax” on consumers which, certainly in the case of the tobacco settlement, is highly regressive and damaging to consumers and business.

Businesses, and for that matter individuals too, need stability to operate. Stability in the dollar, which the Bush Administration opposed, needs to become a beacon of the Republican Party. In an increasingly international world currencies need predictability.

I have noticed that Congress seems to be changing the rules continually. It is impossible to plan for the future if one doesn’t understand what the law will be. Part of the “rule of law” must be to have laws that aren’t changed on a whim or headline.

To succeed takes leaders. What about Republican leaders? Here is a most critical single factor to success in anything. Think about the “Front Man (or woman)” of a rock band. (S)he delivers the message and the band together creates the music behind it with producers, writers, and other support people. It wasn’t so much the Democratic Platform which won the 2008 Presidential Competition, but Obama as a young, charismatic Front Man with a disc jockey voice, tall, lean and handsome. He won votes with his charisma coupled with the “tax cut for 95% of Americans” (“The Big Lie”) labeled “change”. Compare Obama’s charisma to President Bush’s or Senator McCain’s. Or don’t. Republicans need to vet – now – its future potential leaders for the “coolness factor” if they want to win. Its next candidates need to stand tall, be proud, positive, and Paul Newman-like (in Cool Hand Luke.) (S)he needs to command respect and be statesmanlike. Gov. Palin was unable to gain that respect. Whether from the incessant and unfair bashing by the Obama Info-media or her own presentation, it doesn’t really matter, she lost. If she’s to remain on the national scene she needs coaching. The Republicans Party must forget democracy when selecting potential leaders. It must select a handful now and watch, guide and support them, like the up-and-comers in a corporation. Republican, Inc. If Republicans are the “party of business” why doesn’t it act like it? Whenever President Bush spoke, I cringed. I found him an uninspiring, mumbling speaker who wasn’t always able to stay on message. Obama however is the opposite. We live in a world of image. Many Obama voters did not know, did not care, about his programs or stands, they simply wanted the man. On television the other night there were a smattering of “comedians” shown whom to a person said they were unable to impersonate or make fun of Obama because he was “cool”. The complete opposite of McCain. Truth certainly can be trumped by image. Obama won in Florida, Arizona and California yet in each state voters supported, for example, eliminating gay marriage, to which he was opposed. The image and issue diverged.

But along with image must come preparedness. Democrats are a formidable enemy who want at any cost to anyone to win. They have formidable allies: paymasters, brainwashers, and foot soldiers. Clearly, Obama led a well-prepared, highly-effective campaign. Obama recruited four million donors and two or three times that to doorknock, phonebank, rally and, of course, vote. His ground game was based on a sophisticated data gathering capability and state of the art computing and Internet use which apparently contains upwards of ten million names with demographic information. His effective grass-roots game may have gotten its foundation from Obama’s early community experience with ACORN. It increased Democratic turnout 2.6% over 2004 (Republicans lost 1.3%). But while Obama’s machine was well-oiled, it was his image that simply swept away the emotions of many.

Republicans need to get off defense, define the playing field and plot offense; it needs leaders like Vince Lombardi with a ”fire in the belly” to win; winning must be life for future Republican candidates. But Republicans must strive for quality on the high road, because the road of the Republicans is the high road. It wants better standards of living for humanity, freedom of thought and action, the pursuit of happiness and equal opportunity, not outcome. These core beliefs must be clearly communicated and the banner carried by a winner. The Republicans’ main “special interest group” is “business”: the creator of jobs, wealth, a higher standard of living, and the entity from which all government funds come. Why doesn’t the public understand this?

Republicans faced hugely-negative headwinds from President Bush and his Congress and McCain did OK, but lost with an undisciplined campaign and little charisma. He could have successfully run against the corrupt Congress (approval rating – zilch), I think that bodes well for the core of Republican beliefs, but not for what it presented.

If a corporation is the metaphor, Republican, Inc.’s potential voters are its customers. And like all customers, they want to gain satisfaction from their “purchase” – their vote. They want to be both excited and comforted. I believe Americans inherently are positive not negative. The continuing message from the Left is negative. “The Bush tax cuts for the richest Americans”; “The rich get richer”. “The middle class is stagnating”. “Executives are corrupt, paid too much and do little”. “Deregulation caused the MDBO”. “The free enterprise system doesn’t work, vote for government”. Voters – the customers – don’t want these messages of denigration and negativity. Yet, Republicans only respond to the Democratic messages, they don’t create their own positive statements. Reagan won by communicating positives. Voters want to feel good about programs and trust their leaders to execute as they promised. Voters feel good – even giddy -- about Obama. And here Republicans need to go on the offensive. Voters as a whole expect much from Obama, not necessarily concrete specifics, and his implicit promises. Each voter will define Obama’s “change” as (s)he sees it. Such fuzzy expectations are impossible to fulfill. (Seventy per cent of voters believe race relations will automatically improve.) “Obama”, the image in which they believe, not the person, may backfire with disappointment and Republicans need to be there to commiserate with the voters, expressing disappointment, and feel sad not glad. Republicans need to be bipartisan and voice support, encouragement and hope for Obama, the image. Sex sells and Obama sold it. Republicans need to verify that it was a good choice voters made and that when he fails to deliver on his promises, it is Obama’s failure, not the voters’. Disappointment will run deep. Republicans can help boost expectations by promoting Obama’s promises, celebrating them and hoping he will make them come true. Democrats will attempt to blame Republicans for the abandonment of “Pay Go’, a higher deficit, the recession and Obama’s inability to deliver. Republicans must be ready and prepared with effective responses or begin an offense to undercut the Democrats’ excuses.

After 9-11, President Bush held the esteem of the country. After the war wasn’t immediately “won”, his approval began a downward run. How did that happen? Was it pushed by the Far-left Media, the New York Times, NBC, CBS, ABC, CNN? Exactly how was that successful debasement of Bush accomplished? Republicans need to study the power, reach and messaging of the media and develop strategies and objectives for its messaging. Apparently Fox News and the Wall Street Journal aren’t sufficiently partisan; they seem to think people need fair, balanced and accurate “news”. Perhaps Republicans should study whether the Obama Info-media orchestrated the Clinton failure and McCain candidacy. More people read the Wall Street Journal than the New York Times; more people watch Fox News, but it seems the Left-leaning media establishes the playing field. A number of issues – real or propaganda – led to the Republican demise in Congress in 2004, 2006 and again in 2008. To simplify: the war, the deficit and "corruption". Each issue seemed framed and presented by the Far-left Media and hammered into the consciousness of the American people. Republicans did not fight back. Yes, the initial execution of the war was not effective; no, the deficit was not Republican-abirthed; no, Republicans do not have a monopoly of corruption or “morals” issues. But Bush was bashed badly and continually for 6 years. Why? The “why” should be understood, but not copied. And at least one writer suggested that the New York Times positioned McCain to be the Republican nominee and then pulled the rug from under him. While Republicans believe that foreign dictators should not be trusted and believed, they seem to trust and believe in the Democratic Party that wants to take down Republican America. Bush and his Republican Congress expanded government and entitlement programs and other than cutting taxes for the rich, did little one could define as “conservative”, and for what reason, I cannot fathom.

Some other truths. Republicans must ask African Americans, "Just what have the Democrats really done for you?" The answer, in my opinion, is to keep you down for three generations. Union-staffed inner city schools, the vast majority of the student body of which are minorities. Graduation rates hover around 50% against upwards of 75% for whites and more for Asians. What have the Democratic-backed unions done for African Americans? Crime? Something like half the prison population is African American and young. What have liberal judges done for African Americans? "Illegitimate" (unmarried) pregnancies? Abortion? Fatherless families? All are far higher for African Americans than other populations. The Democrats have been in charge of Congress for most of the last 50 years. They have taxed Americans to feed a Democrat-voting civil rights bureaucracy ("CRB" or "CRIB") in the government that has been less than useless to African Americans. In fact, I argue that the CRB has and has had huge incentives to keep the African American population down. That way they can have funded all flavors of liberal activities which need management and workers. More power for CRIB's management and leaders. Much of these liberal activities consist of pounding the message in to African American psyches that they cannot get ahead because of slavery a century ago and discrimination by whites. Think what would happen if African Americans told the Jesse Jacksons/Al Sharptons of the CRB, "Get lost, we can start companies, create wealth and jobs all by ourselves, we are as smart and enterpreneural as anyone"? All of a sudden, the CRIBs wouldn't have anything to do and as it folded, so would fold a strong and loyal Democratic bloc. Democrats can't allow that to occur. But are Republicans afraid of the Left Info-media's response? Would Republicans rather be liked by liberals than control the politics of our country and steer it where it ought to go? Seems so. Does anyone in rationally thinking about the issue, really think the Democratic Party has helped the African Americans gain independence and self-respect? If not tell the voters!

Republican incompetence gave away the Hispanic vote. “Immigration” hammered Republicans this year. Hispanics voted 44% for Bush but left the Republican Party, voting only 33% for McCain. Some argue it was the Republican stand, others poor communication. No doubt immigration will continue as people want to come to America, but it can certainly better managed. The successful disposition of “illegal” immigrants is a core issue in America. Republicans have done a poor job of dealing with it and communicating. Hispanics are a growing percentage of the population with many values in synch with Republicans. They need to be given a voice in the Republican Party.

While expressing freedom in markets, Republicans seem to want to also control personal social issues. I will discuss below. But Republicans should concentrate on business, jobs and a free economy. The umbrella of successful free-enterprise can allow special interests to pursue their goals under it. Choice and right-to-life; gay marriage; campaign financing; [drugs; crime; welfare; ?] Will it lose some Republicans? Yes. But notice Democrat African Americans, Hispanics, coupled with the Mormons and the “religious right’ to vote down the right for gays to marry in California, Arizona and Florida. Republicans need to concentrate and focus on creating a free, wealthy, inclusive and opportunistic economy under which these special and affinity groups can operate.

Republicans should be silent on abortion. It does not belong in today’s world as a campaign issue. Most of the country believes in a woman’s right to choose to have or not an abortion. This belief can’t be rolled back. Republicans should leave personal social issues alone not for political purposes but to support individual freedom.. Certainly Republicans can promote education for women so they don’t have to make a choice. It can promote easy, safe adoption. But leave personal social issues alone. Gay marriage is another personal social issue. It, as abortion, is in the province of religion and one’s beliefs. Government should not interfere. Individuals are becoming independent of party.

Republicans should promote real campaign finance reform but opening it up to individuals but making it transparent where an Obama cannot hide from where his millions came. Prohibit coercion by monopolies such as labor unions. Let the leaders spend their own money not union dues, the same for corporate leaders, but not corporations, and lobbyist organizations. There should be “whistle-blower” laws about campaign contributions.

The Democratic Party has split the citizenry into affinity groups – which can be obnoxiously loud and throw tantrums when their way is thwarted by such things as a majority of the voters -- financed by the rich to gain its power. Republicans must get to the rest, the quiet center offering: economic freedom, with true “safety nets” such as the FDIC for those who really can’t make it., not vote-getting welfare. Republicans must make being responsible cool, fight earmarks and corruption in Congress and Washington DC, and let those in the silent majority that they have been taken for saps. It can win by offering opportunity not guarantees; freedom not control; low, not burdensome taxes; effective, honest government; It can stress honesty and fair play.

Monday, May 9, 2016

The Left Will Reject Any Discussion of the Hard Truths About Race on Campus


In “Hard Truths About Race On Campus” (Wall Street Journal, Review, May 7 – 8, 2016, pages C1 & 2 [http://www.wsj.com/articles/hard-truths-about-race-on-campus-1462544543]) Professors Haidt and Jussim seem to miss some observations that might be additive to their arguments. When I was starting out in business in San Francisco, activism began on college campuses with the seed being the Vietnam War. That new Left wanted to bring down those in power (conservative Republicans) or just have irresponsible fun (sex, drugs and rock ‘n roll) but sadly they were taken seriously. Many college administrators gave in to their demands, and human nature being what it is, if your demands are fulfilled, you demand more. And more. The greater Progressive Left figured out that giving the kids what they demanded would buy allegiance and votes. And it has worked: today, a large majority of university administrators, instructors and students are Democrats. A vast voting bloc of something around 21 million college attendees in the 4725-some institutions of higher education. One strategy of the Left to gain and retain power has always been the  collectivization of individuals (making them easier to herd) through a divide and conquer strategy. It segments groups by, say, skin color -- "race" -- sexual choices, gender, net worth, and so on. It figures out how to get their votes, executes and puts each group in the shopping bag labeled, Progressive Democrat Voter. Race is one of the groups. At the same time, the Left wants more and more students (voters), and the way is to make it easier to get in to college. But to get them in, standards need to be lowered (“affirmative action”) and classes and grading need to be easier to keep the students happy. That means continuing to give in to student demands. But as always the strident activist students seem to speak for all the students (the collective). And also as usual, the media loves the activists for the readers and viewers they attract. Summing up, the policies of the left include affirmative action, easy majors (yes, diversity, gender, ethnic and cultural studies, that which we used to call "underwater basket weaving.)  And easy grading.



Now consider that today the federal government, through a variety of schemes (including President Obama's takeover of the student loan industry) is the prime financing entity for higher education. Remember that the Golden Rule No. 1 is, "Who has the gold makes the rules."  So the federal government makes the rules and college presidents obey, knowing that without the gold they would have no institution. What is the goal of the Obama Democrats running the educational show? Power, gaining and retaining power through votes. Whatever the student activists want, the financier, the federal government, and the administrators give in. It all comes together for the benefit of the Democratic Party at the expense of the nation.



The Left does not want any assessment or even knowledge of these true goals.  For example, the oppression against climate change "deniers" is not about global warming, but about the danger of the scientific method itself, measuring and assessing the Left's various narratives. The authors write: "such reforms [of affirmative action and diversity training] will fail to…reduce discrimination and inequality." And "make life more uncomfortable for everyone, particularly black students." That seems to be a goal of the Left; if it was all comfortable and everyone got along, the power of the Left would be marginalized.



Finally, please consider the actual words and phrases the professors used: marginalized, racial gaps, welcoming, inclusive culture, sense of ethnic victimization, feel denigrated or insulted, microaggression, and so on. Each word or concept is absolutely subjective, undefinable. They are not only impossible to measure, but each are individualized emotions particular to each student. They cannot be collectivized. One kid's "microaggression" is different than another's and, in fact, generally not anything the the microaggressor wanted. There is nothing rational about any of it that can be measured.  The loudest squeak gets oiled. So colleges must  cater to the most effective advocate or publicized activist with more and more demands. The promised ground of the Left. 



The authors finish with: “The time may be right for a bold college president to propose a different approach, one based on the available evidence about what works and what doesn’t. That would be the best way to create a university community in which everyone feels welcome.” But that could easily risk financial support from the federal government as well as the student hordes calling for the resignation of the “bold college president.” There does not seem to be any solution.

Wednesday, May 4, 2016

Trump and the United States, Part 2 from Monday

Trump won the primary in Indiana last night. The state to which a great grandfather of mine settled (in Lafayette) after emigrating from Dublin, Ireland in the mid-1800s. Cruz and Kasich gave up their Don Quixote lunges, leaving Donald Trump the Republican candidate presumably. Unless the Republican powers-to-be elect Hillary Clinton.  No matter what the left-wing pollsters and media (The Megaphone of the Left, The New York Times, the Washington Post and the Alphabet of Propaganda, NBC CBS ABC CNN AP, NPR, PBS, and useless msnbc, et.al.) proclaim, Trump has the momentum and Hillary the boredom. "They" still announce that Hillary will trounce Trump and take back Congress. I believe that most -- way-most non-Democrat Lemming-  -- Americans are sick and tired of...a lousy economy, being told what to do and say by Washington, D. C. self-proclaimed elites, rabid anti-Christian, pro-Islam advocacy, ISIS, government inefficiency, and, for business owners and managers, a target on their backs, and their companies' backs, drawn arbitrarily by self-enriching politicians, billionaire investors and Obama. Finally their Christian beliefs are racist and bigoted and that they -- the religious -- must bend to whatever the Left tells them to do. Serve gay weddings, or eliminate in any toilet depending on how they "self-identify" or actually the entire concept of "self-identification" or feelings trumping the science of genders or reality.

The Left is telling them that free enterprise and capitalism are "rigged" against them while politicians -- especially the prexy and wife -- taxpayer-paid, fly around the world on vacation or dictating to former allies (England, Germany, Israel) and most every other country to love love love homosexuality, diversity, government and whatever else President Obama thinks of that day.  They do not like their protectors in police officers and the military being degraded by the afore-mentioned "leader of the free world."

They do not appreciate a man telling them and the world how evil their great and beloved country is, has been and always will be unless he -- President Obama alone -- can save it. They are uncomfortable that minority and minority minorities get all the publicity, energy and taxpayer money and they -- the majority "white" and Jewish people who have assimilated from their origins in Germany, England, Japan, China, Viet Nam, Mexico, South America and every other country -- are labeled racist, bigoted, automatically successful and undeserving. As if none had ever labored, worked, contributed, made their ways in the face of push-back and discrimination as well as intense competition for jobs and opportunities.

Trump is no litmus tester, Progressive only -- blue -- or with conservative principles -- red, the very thought and action that has separated the country more than ever except for the Civil War; in fact, this thinking is causing the Second Civil War in America for its heart and soul. Hopefully Trump will read up, listen to a broad array of competing experts (he knows them all) and make decisions not as blue (100% of Obama's decision-making) or red (conservative principles), but red, white and blue to actually benefit "We the People."

He has a long road in front of him. But it is up to him to detour off "The Road to Serfdom" that the Progressive tyranny has paved. Candidate Obama destroyed Candidate Hillary 8 years ago. He won with little history divulged (it still is tightly controlled by his campaign and the media) and no telegraphed clue that he would ignore the Constitution and Rule of Law and his oath or affirmation of office to defend it. Obama did not enforce Defense of Marriage Act, Immigration laws and drug enforcement among many other laws as he had sworn to do. Hillary's policies will be anything that assists and strengthens her self and party, including most all the Socialist Bernie wants. Against free enterprise business, for gigantic government and breaking up one of the most innovative, important and profitable industries: banking. Trump has hired thousands, perhaps tens of thousands of people, he has fired, he has trained, he has succeeded. Trump has failed in some individual companies: Trump University, some casinos, and, I am certain, others. But he did not stop and cry, he learned, persevered and went on to take risks again. He embodies the American Spirit, the American Dream more than any other president EVER!

VOTE TRUMP.


Monday, May 2, 2016

Trump, China and the United States. Part one. (Part two tomorrow.)

Happy Death to you, Happy Death to you, Happy Death Dear Osama Bin Laden, Happy Death to you. It was 5 years ago today that Navy Seals executed a plan to execute a founding terrorist of today's Islamic Terrorist Jihad beheading philosophy. Apparently it took President Obama six months to make up his mind and apparently John Podesta's relentless persuasion to do it.

But today I want to discuss the Peoples Republic of China and the United States of America and Donald Trump.

The United States of America is responsible for the emergence and success of modern-day China. It buys the products that China manufactures. China has been able to produce for a materially lower cost than the U. S. There are several reasons. 1) There are millions of unemployed Chinese workers; 2) Their wages are significantly lower than the wages in the U. S., but China's costs are rising; 3) The U. S. has militant anti-business union bosses who need increasing wages to keep their jobs by keeping their dues-payers happy. No matter that unionized companies cannot compete successfully with China. 4) The U. S. has a massive regulatory regime that all by itself increases costs greatly. It is political and used to garner votes for Democrats. Included are class-action lawsuits (which courtesy of Democrat legislation is one of the large American industries, which donates solely and solely to...Democrats) , environmental rules from unelected far-left zealots, the micromanagement of executive actions, including posting government employees in the offices and boardrooms of companies. Hiring, training and retention programs of businesses are second-guessed and mistrusted as "discriminatory" -- business people are biased and need to be told how and who to hire. The Democrats as a collective do not trust business people. As well, they do not trust individual consumers to be able to make "sound" decisions in the face of misleading company advertising. 5) Too, Chinese leaders over the past decades have made a concerted effort to modernize its commercial activities, freeing entrepreneurship, opening its markets as well, and adopting many tenets of the United States' free enterprise. (While the U. S. goes back to where China was with wrongheaded central control of its economy by Democrat professorial "elites." It is diminishing the competitiveness of the U. S.)

China produces things cheaper than the U. S. Companies are able and one especially, Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., spotted this opportunity decades ago and has built gigantic retail outlets featuring broad, broad selections at lower prices. Originally store were located in rural areas where there was no competition. From one store in 1962 Bentonville, Arkansas, Walmart has grown to be  the world's largest retailer by revenues. It is attacked relentlessly by union bosses and Democrats but beloved by consumers and workers who flock to new stores ten to twenty applicants for each job.

Though Donald Trump rails against China for "currency manipulation" -- it is a misplaced attack. The almighty Federal Reserve-controlled dollar is just as manipulated as the renminbi but for different reasons. While China desires growth, the Democrats in charge of the U. S. economy -- currency valuations -- want to be reelected first and foremost. The disaster which was the Great Recession or sub-prime meltdown was caused by Democrats in government. The Clinton Department of Housing and Urban Development dictated "affordable housing" (as it alone defines it) of 30% which in essence needed people to buy houses who couldn't afford them. An arbitrary goal around which regulations were built. Quasi-governmental entities, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mae, leadership of which was populated by Democrats and which donated millions to Members of Congress, especially Chris Dodd, Senator from Hedge Fund Connecticut and Barney Frank, New York's Wall Street Congressman. They supported the Democrat managements of Fan and Fred and pushed the arbitrary affordable housing quota percentage --  continuing to slide regulations as Democrats do, to worse consequences -- to an insane and, of course arbitrary, 56%. More poor people couldn't pay. But triggering the "meltdown" was the inability of some financial organizations to refinance short-term obligations because their assets were invested long-term...in those mortgages. People heading governmental agencies, including up to the Secretary of the Treasury and the President himself panicked and made decisions that made the economy worse. I believe that if it would have been left alone by politicians there would never have been the Great Recession, bad mortgages, homeowner defaults and the rest. But after all, governments are made up of emotional human beings.

True, the monumental rush of mortgage originations and refinancings created inefficiencies in the back offices. Some workers missed some steps and documentation necessary by government regulation, and, as they say: "Mistakes were made." No borrowers were affected by all this confusion.

As a result of these politicians came the big recession and a pathetic "recovery" of only a couple percent a year throughout Obama's term, the worst since the Great Depression (which from time to time had been even better!) Up to the last quarter's 0.5% growth (Q1, 2016) and an expected 2% for this entire year. Horrible. (Without all these political mortgage manipulations and dictates, Canada has had higher homeownership than America! Go figure.)

Without Democrats and their incessant push for tighter micromanagement and regulatory overreach, lawsuits from Democrat trial lawyers, and Democrat union bosses, would the cost of things in the United States be the same as China, enriching the U. S. and beggaring China? NO! But the imbalance would not be so great. Trump would not be able to use "currency manipulation" as a platform plank in his election repertory. True joblessness in the U. S. would be lower and possibly far more African Americans would have jobs.

Part two, about education, tomorrow.