More Wokeness - Diversity, Equity, Inclusion (DEI) - Caveat Emptor - Defend Our Freedom

 

More Wokeness - Diversity, Equity, Inclusion (DEI) - Caveat Emptor - Defend Our Freedom

If you were required as an educator to sign a pledge to apply in all your teaching and programs the liberal points of “diversity, equity, and inclusion” how would that make you feel. My reaction was, ‘Is this the USA?’ It is a stepping stone to liberal woke totalitarianism. Do you agree? Would you sign? Would you sign if it meant losing your job if you did not? Or might you consider this too kafkaesque? 

We are allowing our Nation to be compromised by the woke leftists. From global warming, to climate change, to fossil fuel frenzied fanatics, to stimulus & entitlements more socialistic and inflationary in nature, to a disdain for capitalism, pronoun insanity, a disturbing resistance to freedom, especially freedom of speech, a dislike of family, God and patriotism, and constant expressions of hatred for America’s history, progress, and greatness, we are allowing our Nation to become weak, soft, overly comfortable, too materialistic, and spiritually depleted. 

The majority are not woke, but the joke is on them, because the majority is allowing it to happen. The liberal leftest termites are eating away at the foundations of our Nation, from the basements of our education system, to our capital, our churches and our neighborhoods. To curb and eventually change this trend, even reverse it, the majority, the non-woke, need to become more aware, awake, alive and active in saying ‘no.’ It is the voting public that has enabled this to happen. If you do not love America, then leave it. But where would you go? If you love America then follow the facts, seek the truth, know the lies, the propaganda, recognize the deceit and defend our freedom. Vote into office experienced, strong, capable, intelligent, proven leaders. 

If we have to defend our freedom from an invading species, would you or your children enlist, fight, or sacrifice to protect our Constitution, our culture, our way of life? Or would the invaders be allowed to have their way with us to preserve the peace, and your security.  Many nations allowed the loudest voices, the dictators, the elite to take control of their countries just to live under a totalitarian regime. Others ignored what was taking place, as when Stalin was killing 40,000 each month to eliminate those that objected to his ideology and command. Even America ignored, or were ignorant of the truth. The propaganda from the Soviet politburo was accepted. America wanted to be left at peace while many nations after WWII fell to the dictates of socialist ideologies that always benefitted the elite, those closest and in line with the administrations, and never the citizens, the quiet and the suppressed and oppressed populations, the enablers. Once firm in our resolve to see a world, many nations, free of tyranny, we slowly lost our willingness to deal with it all. It was noticeable.

Even when residents of controlling regimes wanted to leave emigration was denied, with death as punishment for those that resisted or tried to leave. Why leave a superior Nation, unless it was not; which a socialist, communist nation, has never been. Oddly history proves that socialist nations rely only on natural resources that God blessed their lands. Never productive nations, as they relied on goods and services provided by the industrious, the prosperous, the capitalistic countries.  Russia entered space with equipment and technology sourced elsewhere.  And all too often the communist, socialist, totalitarian regimes, turned to the more successful freer nations when there was famine or a disaster. They did not even have the ability, the agricultural skills, to feed their own. America was always there to provide aide. Should we have? All too often there was no gratitude for the bailout, we were still the American Imperialists, the Nation to be hated, the failing capitalist entity, the example of a failure, so promoted, that suggested a socialistic way, ideology, was best. Best for whom, yes, the elite. 

America continues to lose its position in the world. We are too ready to supply our enemies with materials and technology.  That works to our detriment.  Why do it?  It’s the money. We seem prepared at any moment to provide aide to failing socialist regimes, for the good of their people, so it is said, while in reality enriching the elite few. The elite then lie to us, and their people, and we blindly believe we are doing a world of good. Are we? Why do we have such a great sense of guilt. 

We have nothing to be guilty about; in just a short period from our inception as a Nation, a capitalistic work ethic and model, God fearing too, not a monarchy nor socialist totalitarian regime, a republic, we became after WWII, in less than 200 years from inception, the clear leader of the world, the free world and otherwise. But the growing woke within our culture and our institutions have created a distorted view of reality impacting both external affairs and internal affairs. 

Externally, we need to curtail our dealings and dependency on totalitarian regimes, as China, also our trade with Russia and others.  We need to restore our prominence in the world and protect our technological advances. We need to manufacture more of our critical supply needs, to include pharmaceuticals in the US. We need to be careful about educating our enemies and providing inroads into our cherished science and industrial advances. We need to avoid catering to the woke leftists and their penchant to weaken America internally and promoting globalist ideals. Support for democracies and free nations is worthy. For communist, socialist, dictatorial regimes whose historical proven tendency is to degrade America and capitalism, and educate their populations that we are evil imperialists intent on taking them over, trade and aide with them only hurts us.

The American internal order of things now needs a correction. Not just DEI, we have CRT, 1619, even ESG, and more. Our media is incompetent. Journalists seek headlines for their bias, lies, deceptions and their own perceived outcomes, using word salads and erroneous descriptions, leftest models of propagandizing to allow for men to be pregnant, sexes to be other than God proclaimed, criminals to be victims, children to be sexually altered, and abundant clean fossil fuel to be replaced with EV models and alternative energy sources all of which rely on fossil fuel for their creation. AND when they fail, used for the sake of clean air, energy, and water, we allow EV, solar and wind detritus to come to our disposal sites, their lifespan over, and pollute all they are portrayed to keep sanitary. History is under attack. History is invaluable to our understanding of the good, the bad, the progress, the failures and successes of our Nation. We need to remember. We are not perfect, but compared to the rest, we are what God would prefer. We are just not what the woke leftest have been indoctrinated, trained and brainwashed to believe. 

The ‘woke’ are privileged and laden with a perceived guilt engendered by the errors of their fathers (or as they might prefer their ‘birthing parentage’), taught and tested to proclaim as truth for their class grade liberal doctrine, racial fissures, and a need to cleanse by distortion our heritage. 

Somehow Americans that do not accept the Big Lies, which I sense is the majority, need to act. But have we become comatose, drugged by the repetition of falsehoods perpetuated by the left. I believe most Americans do not read the news, follow the news or care about the news. But they do hear or are impacted by the noise. The left knows it can only succeed by being the loudest, noisiest, in the room, bullying, lying, deceiving, working in unison with their cadre of well trained seals from schools, universities, courtrooms, political party pundits, the media, Congress and today the White House.  They can be blatant in their denial as the Press Secretary recently was bold faced when saying the Wall in AZ was not being completed under the Biden Administration, when indeed it is. A political move in an attempt to salvage a Democrat held senate seat, coupled with an inability to admit the fact.  Or that we do not have an immigration problem. Or we are not in a recession. Or the problem is with guns and not the criminals.  There are a multitude of Pinocchios in Washington DC and in the Party machinery.  Those not compromised by the falsehoods need to speak out, like the parents in VA, be vigilant, resist the intolerance and the rebukes they receive and allow their freedom to prevail, the truth to be heard and known. 

There is a battleground from coast to coast in the USA and freedom must be defended. It is the woke against the God fearing, America loving, family oriented, working class, independent, voter. Who is winning, and who will be victorious?  The majorly can no longer be passive; we are not doomed. yet 

America needs to be firm, to find its strengths, not rely nor vote into office feeble leaders. We are currently experiencing what can result. These are perilous times. Let not our younger generation get carried away by vacuous, unworthy ideas. Do not defer to the opinions of children when you know better, by education and experience. We have access to every form of data, let’s not ignore it, or be too lazy to uncover the facts, or we deceive ourselves. Pick your leaders wisely. Government is big, some say too big (with which I agree), unwieldy and probably impossible for any person to properly govern. Thus we need to find the brightest, most moral, most experienced in the duties of the office, one who has successfully governed, employed others, been a decision maker of consequence, has spiritual fortitude, loves America and our freedom, our Constitution also, and has the character of a statesmen appealing to the majority. That is what is needed to confront the political as well as the spiritual and moral crisis we face today. 

God Bless America. Awake America. Fight for Family. Expose the Lies.  Live the Truth. Do not be Passive. 

by 

Thomas W. Balderston

Author and Blogger

(August 2022)

Asleep to Reality

 Asleep to Reality

Where is this world, our Nation, headed?  Many questions and concerns arise constantly about the path our Nation is taking?  Is our education system guiding our children in the right direction?  What is the correct direction?  Are parents, fathers and mothers, providing the oversight and guidance their children need?  Are the responsibilities of parents being shirked, or forgotten?  Who is in charge?

Our culture is under the influence of progressive political forces which have created chaos and confusion.  The effort has been to undermine essential foundations that are faith and family.  Preference is towards individual success and rights that remove the spiritual from the equation, yes God, and insert material objectives, or self, as the critical determinant. It has been referred to as “God in the mirror.” Progress has been wrapped in a mythical burrito containing elements that exclude God as an ingredient.  The end product lacks what is needed to make it a proper dish, as without God, making it tasteless and un-satisfying.  Purpose is questioned ad nauseam.  

Part of he battle field is between the role of man, and woman, not an amalgam of the two, with diffused characteristics that deny God’s creation.  There is no cloud nor need for deception, redefining the sexes, or forming new sexual classes, except by those that are themselves confused, improperly educated, ignorant or closeted from reality, lack logic, and deny truth.  Clearly a lie is not truth.  But in today’s world many lies are being gathered into a collection, the ‘Big Lie”, making an ideological palette that lacks essence.  A reference may be the ‘illusion of truth,’ as “repetition makes a fact seem more true, regardless of whether it is or not. Understanding this effect can help you avoid falling for propaganda,” says psychologist Tom Stafford.

Progressive beliefs, politically progressive formulated ideals, when studied, lack the most strident principles of validity.  An ideology of man’s creation is formed and used to indoctrinate youth to become adherents, lacking objective alternatives to consider, and as they mature to become advocates and spokespersons; the scales covering their eyes prevent a true picture of reality.  Most often removed from their learning curve is God, the Bible and family.  But also, what is denied or ignored, is the truth.  

For those that have read Solzhenitzen (Aleksadr Solzhenitzen 1918-2008) the question that arises, ‘would he be incarcerated in America today by the Progressive idealists, as he was in Communist Russia for his criticism of the Communist State?’  He wrote and spoke out against political repression and the anti-religious campaign by the Russian totalitarian regime for ignoring facts that are truth and propagating lies.  His inherent emphasis was ‘God is in charge’ not the idealists. 

In his book, Warning to the West, Mr. Solzhenitsyn alerts American and British audiences that “totalitarianism is coming.” As the author posits, the grand irony is that greater government control seduces the masses into thinking that “the State will save us” when in reality, it is the beast that will devour them. The hope is that the burden of slavish materialism can be shaken off by giving free reign to the spiritual life inherent to all human beings.  Solzhenitzen is described on one of his many book covers as “an intransigent opponent of ideological tyranny and moral relativism, and a thinker and moral witness who is acutely sensitive to the great drama of good and evil that takes place within every human soul.”

There may be far too many of us, not just Americans, but throughout the world, that have allowed these progressive idealists, a minority of the total populations, to become too loud and too much in charge.  Is it because we are lazy, or do not believe such views and lies can be adopted as the norm?  Or are we too busy with our own ‘self’? We need to look around us and become more pro-active in insuring the truth prevails and God’s basics be understood.  Parents are speaking out, yet the family structure continues to diminish.  However, know this, where there is family and a belief in our Creator, there will be success, a sense of belonging and purpose.  

Money is being used by wealthy progressive idealists to support media outlets, content providers, candidates and office holders to promote their lies.  Effective propagandizing, politicizing, false criticisims, overwhelming the airwaves, TV and movie screens, and curriculums (from grade school through university) to install their platform as the only program for people to follow, to adhere to, is rampant. It is difficult to fully comprehend their agenda. It seems clear totalitarian regimes blinded to the light of truth are sought. 

The root cause behind the rise of totalitarianism is godlessness

The fault lies with the silent majority.  We need to be heard, not just at the ballot box, but as encouragers, believers, and spokespersons for the truth.  It is not a theocracy we seek, but an informed citizenry aware of biblical values, values that with an open mind cannot be refuted, regardless of a Judeo-Christian belief system.  Thomas Jefferson was not a believer in the Christian triune God as much as he was the ethical and moral foundations inherent in the bible, undeniable truths. He believed in one God and was guided and enlightened by biblical principles.  His thoughts as to separation of church and state applied to government not becoming a theocracy.  Preventing voices speaking the truth, expressing their Godly opinions, praying and reading from the bible on public, government owned, property was never considered. 

We are in a deep sleep and need to become aware and awake. Civilization, a big concept indeed, is said to end when there is a universal moral decline. Is that what we are experiencing?  The alarm is ringing.  We need to hear it and get to work on restoring our Nation and the World to truth and the freedom to speak the truth. Yes, asleep to reality will lead to only more chaos and emptiness among all people.  We can no longer be passive.  The hand of truth must be seen and apply itself with firmness.  We all need to be saying, ‘Not one more step in the wrong direction!’ Pick your leaders and the examples you follow carefully, be informed, and properly vet them.  Examine their moral character and their ideological rhetoric. Are they rational, logical?  What you believe matters. Not what they tell you to believe.  And never discount the power of the Word. 

After all God is in charge. There is nothing wrong or to be embarrassed about going to church.  There you can be in the company of seekers and kingdom builders, and learn with an open mind. We are responsible for the truth; humans are graced by God to insure the freedom of everyone to comprehend the truth.  Let not your heart be deceived. 

by

Thomas W. Balderston

Author and Blogger. 

ESG - A ‘WokeJoke’ or What?

 

ESG - A ‘WokeJoke’ or What?

The stock market and the Bond Market, the world of money management and investing has been invaded by the Woke Folk.  Individuals invest, directly or indirectly, via pension funds or mutual funds, and seek companies or bond offerings of quality enterprises who can earn money and when it comes to bonds, those that have the expectation of paying off the debt.  Quality companies are growth or dividend paying and can be attractive.  The strength of their balance sheet is important.  Demand for products and services propels businesses to succeed.  And when they borrow, the ability to repay is important.  When we lend we want to be paid back.  Historically interest rates for borrowers reflected their ability to repay.  Rating agencies, such as Standard and Poors, rate bonds for quality, a scale that reflects highest to lower expectations of continuous repayment of obligations.  AAA is the highest.

"For years now, the cult of ESG economic activists has been working overtime to infuse unwanted, woke ideology into the American economic system because they know their social policies wouldn’t pass the sniff test from voters," Florida Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis said on July 27, 2022. "It’s anti-American, anti-freedom, a deliberate attempt to subvert our democracy and not in the best interest of Florida businesses (ant business), retirees, or investors."

The Woke crowd, a minority in my opinion, has been able to introduce, with adoption by the SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission) and Standard and Poors, an additional standard.  Thus ESG. This rating is based on qualitative factors, not quantitative. An issuer’s ESG rating is determined by researching and documenting answers to a number of qualitative questions (or inputs) for each of the three pillars (E, S and G). There are hundreds of potential inputs, some subjective, some objective and some simply estimated. 

What is ESG?  E is for Environmental issues. S is for Social issues.  And G is for Governance issues.  This is where the Woke Folk are let loose to not only introduce and suggest factors to be considered, but also to influence investment management groups. The focus appears to favor environmentalists, diverse staffing and hiring practices, to include race, sex and sexual orientation, pay structures and work environments.  The more diverse receive higher ratings.  Those who provide more benefits to their employees receive higher ratings. The lower the carbon footprint, the higher the rating.  High CEO pay may cause downgrades.  You can start to paint your own picture.  A company with high demand for its products with attractive profit margins is important, but now can, having a lower ESG rating, find fewer buyers, a lower price-earnings ratio, and higher rates on its debt securities. If deserving of a high standard on the ESG scale the capital markets are more attractive. 

The term ESG was popularly used first in a 2004 report titled “Who Cares Wins.”  There is an ESG Institute.  They define ESG - Environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) is an approach to evaluating the extent to which a corporation works on behalf of social goals that go beyond the role of a corporation to maximize profits on behalf of the corporation's shareholders. Typically, the social goals advocated within an ESG perspective include working to achieve a certain set of environmental goals, as well as a set of goals having to do with supporting certain social movements, and a third set of goals having to do with whether the corporation is governed in a way that is consistent with the goals of the diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) movement. (Yes, there is such a movement.)

Joel Makeower, Chariman and co-founder of the Greenbiz Group, said this, “ESG ratings are first and foremost an independent opinion about the environmental, social and governance risks facing a company and its shareholders, not the risks to people and the planet. And the ratings can also have value as an information resource for capital.”  

There is a S&P 500 ESG Index.   Tesla was recently removed from the index; its ESG rating considered too poor.  This arose from multiple deaths involving Tesla cars, racial discrimination concerns and questionable working conditions at manufacturing facilities.  Tesla makes an environmentally favorable electric vehicle, but arbitrary concerns bounced them from the S&P ESG deck. In reaction, Musk tweeted that the move came, “Despite Tesla doing more for the environment than any company ever!” He also called ESG investing a “scam.”  Oddly enough many energy, fossil fuel companies, are still rated favorably by ESG rating agencies. 

The intent of credit ratings are to value those who access the capital markets.  S&P explains that ratings are “an independent opinion of your organization's overall creditworthiness and financial strength.” So what value is added or subtracted when ESG is considered?  Is this an attempt at valuing a real world impact being made by businesses, even when it impacts their bottom line?  Are the financial rewards/costs to be ignored?  The bottom line - it is about what businesses are doing about the environment and their communities.  Are they good citizens, good managers, good employers, good to their people, et al and this now requires a rating.

Aniket Shah, managing director and global head of ESG at the investment banking firm Jefferies Group, said. "What ESG has done, and done it more well than poorly, is that it has socialized and educated the financial and business worlds on a bunch of topics that they weren't knowledgeable about before. And maybe it's because I am a part-time academic that I think that education is really powerful.”  ‘Socialized and educated,’ part one, and a ‘bunch of topics,’ part two. ESG is making companies aware and investors of their role as a responsible provider, not just to the markets they serve, but to our water, our air, our dignity and our world. Does that need to be rated?

You be the judge, is that enough to justify businesses having large ESG departments engaged year around to complete and comply with the paperwork needed to provide those that rate the data requested/needed to provide their ESG quotient?

Right now the balance is more to the ‘woke’ left than wholly practical.  Being a good citizen is just part of business and in my view does not need a cast of employees to find data, provide data, analyze data, more qualitative than quantitative, that can result in an evaluation by either a conservative or a liberal analytical team to yield a rating that can effect the cost of doing business and investors willingness to invest.  Beware protestors too can be alerted of those for whom ‘cancel culture’ applies if the ESG rating is low. 

After the Minnesota and Portland protests/riots many gave to BLM, including Bank of America, which did not make me happy, which many have called ‘white guilt.’  Did this help their ESG ratings? And now, looking at the real picture, are they more fools for being scammed?  Much of the justification for the evidence, the data, that comprises the ESG rating is to make companies, the executives, appear more accepting, more embracing of a racial mix, intersectional hiring, and provide evidence of a work environment, product standards, and how they handle their waste materials as being responsible and compliant.  A good company does all this without the need for ESG.  In hiring best practices suggest employing those that meet the needs for the job at hand, creating a meritocracy, and not hiring to comply with standards. Look what that has done for our Federal Government.

This is just another way businesses and agencies are burdened with superfluous staff and costs than only aide in further inflation and the cost of goods and services to consumers. It is a WokeJoke. 

Thoughts.

by

Thomas W. Balderston

Author and Blogger

 

Politics Out - Sensibility In

 Politics Out - Sensibility In

We are alive today and living in a Nation mired in the mud of politics.  To free us to enable everyone to move on, to be civil, and to think independently there must be a solution.  Americans are in the majority on so many issues, such as border control, common sense energy policies, abortion/pro-life, election integrity, free speech, respect for others opinions (especially in areas of religion, marriage and gender identity), love of Country, free enterprise, a government engaged in excess and inefficient spending, parental rights in establishing education standards and curricula for their children, and voter IDs. There is more to be sure, and concerns over inflation and the cause have become a focal point of many discussions.  The American majority is neither a Republican nor Democrat majority; it is a societal, cultural and environmental majority,

Energy is an essential in everything we enjoy.  It is what is needed to produce electricity needed to grow and process the food we eat, the items we buy and enjoy, from clothing to handbags to cell phones and the internet, in addition to fuel for cars and travel, heating and air conditioning. Environmentalists are hell bent to transition from fossil fuels to solar and wind and other alternatives, as well as to have electric vehicles become the dominant passenger form of transport. That is all well and good.  Consider the following.  To make wind turbines and solar panels requires fossil fuel. To make electric cars requires fossil fuel.  To produce the majority of electricity to power our nation requires fossil fuel.  When you limit its supply without a sufficient volume of the alternative inflation results. Environmentalists overlook the fact America’s fossil fuel extraction practices are the least polluting in the world, our refineries disburse very little carbon, to include industrial and utility plants using coal, and yet when these resources cannot meet the demand, instead of looking here, the Biden Administration looked elsewhere; Saudi Arabia and Venezuela for more fossil fuel.  Why?  Similarly with pipelines, for environmental reasons and to limit the use of oil and natural gas, pipeline construction was halted, yet the resources still arrive if not otherwise shutdown.  They arrive by rail, or truck, consuming fuel while their emissions are polluting at the same time.  This form of delivery also increases the cost of energy, along with more harm to the environment, demonstrating also the hypocrisy in the current thinking at the Federal level.   

We were energy independent, and politics entered the picture.  A collective body of practical minds could have worked together to transition to less fossil fuel and more electric vehicles, more solar and wind, in a way that did not have a critical impact on the economy, by insuring there was always enough of the clean fossil fuel to meet the demands as the alternatives  became more available.  

Free enterprise is to be contrasted with socialism.  There are many facets to be reviewed on each topic.  Free enterprise as defined is “an economic system in which private business operates in competition and largely free of state control.”  Defining Socialism we have, “a political and economic theory of social organization which advocates that the means of production, distribution, and exchange should be owned or regulated by the community as a whole.”  In America the free enterprise system has made our Nation what it is today, a leader in the free world. But when ‘state control’ or that of the Federal Government weighs in, and politics rises to the surface, the independent nature of the free enterprise system is often attacked.  

The alternative is not socialism per se, but a form of largesse by the Government that exceeds common sense, a burden on the tax-payor, to distribute wealth for political gains. Regulation to control and dictate to businesses, making it more difficult for new entities to form and compete, even to drill or lend money, burdens economic growth and opportunity to the determent of community.  Government wants to control, to regulate, to dictate practices, not always with best practices considered, but for political reasons.   A free enterprise system does not suggest a dependent society, dependent that is on government for their sinecure, but one incentivized to work, be productive and be more than competitive with other nations.  A socialized system wants citizens more reliant on the government, and the government bigger with more bureaucrats employed and engaged to oversee and judge their needs.  

Free enterprise seeks an efficient government, standing aside (less regulation) to allow business to succeed.  The role for government is to insure the playing field remains fair, more as an umpire.  But with politics government can dictate wages, or mandate union employees, or enforce hiring practices, and even limit production of goods, resources and agriculture products.  When done for political reasons, favoring one political party over another, and not for common sense, rational and reasonable reasons, the social contract becomes politicized.  Subsidies by the government of various businesses, farmers, even car manufacturers, et al ,is intended to aide what the government in power wants people to use or buy.  It is an attempt to alter human nature and habits in favor of what the government prefers its citizens accept.  

We are a Nation of immigrants and immigration has been important to us since our founding as a Nation.  Between the Federalists and the Republicans of the era’s of Adams and Jefferson, and after, immigrants were aliens and until residency was established they could not become citizens.  At one time the Naturalization Act required 14 years of residency and today it is 5, which occurred in 1798, and until 1952 remained.  There are requirements to immigrate, such as extraordinary abilities, critical skills, even informants from other Nations, financial status, and more, with annual limits (675,000 permanent Visas).  The limits exclude U.S. citizens' spouses (once immigrants), parents, and children under the age of 21.  Today politics has made our borders more porous as established laws are ignored. A common question is to members of the legislatures, ‘Why, when there are laws in place, written and passed by the legislature, can they be so easily ignored or dismissed when it suits the objective of a Party in power.”  And is this habit peculiar to one Party more than another?  

Details of other areas where politics has become a cry to ignore the Constitution or change established laws, regulations and practices, would make this article far too long. The fever pitch, heated rhetoric and emotional toll on citizens whose mindset has been trained to lean only one way, as defined by being ‘woke,’ is disturbing.  Research on the source of this lack of independent thinking, rational thought, respect, and common sense finds its roots in our education system today, in the media, many pundits being graduates of a liberal education having a political purpose, and progressives who champion extreme causes with little regard for opposing ideas or ideals. There is sufficient evidence to support this conclusion in not just Education, but in large Corporations (the Disney controversy over gender neutral verbiage requirements), in Entertainment (a disproportionate racial allocation of actors in advertisements and movies), and in race relations in general (the reality of the progress minorities have enjoyed in America since founding and continuing too often ignored).   This did to occur overnight, and has been slowly put into place in our schools, colleges and universities for decades.  But now parents are beginning to realize the impact.  They are seeing their rights trampled upon and their children subjected to views they do not regard as proper.  Changes to history by the 1619 Project effort and to attitudes regarding faith, family and persons under the guise of Critical Race Theory can be found in math texts, english reading, literature requirements and testing demanding politicized results.  Truth is being subjected to lies taught and recorded often enough to be considered a new truth.  Yet it is not the truth. The Millenials are awake and want to see changes.  America is being a-‘woke’-ened!

Growing up in a family environment with strong parents, believers and achievers, is a blessing for those so fortunate.  They learn from their parents, grandparents and siblings.  But for the working class, those not home everyday, for everyone, the school system is to teach them the basics, reading, writing and math, and not the political favorite topics.  Just the facts.  But the fact is that today it is not just the facts being delivered.  It is almost universal in America that our school children are subject to the views of their teachers and professors, their political preferences laid out and to be a component of indoctrination into a less free, more subjective, and a ‘woke’ nature.  The liberal wants have been infused in texts on almost all subjects. Teachers and professors are not the voice of the majority of Americans.  They are a minority, but their politics has become far too similar, and they teach the majority of children.  We have let the brainwashing begin, but now must cleanse the system of this bias in education, business, corporate cultures, the media and entertainment.  How?  By insisting these dominant platforms of learning and working become de-politicized, or politically free.  

Insist teachers, professors, teach and keep their opinions to themselves. Have curriculums without politics.  Where you work should focus on the job or duties to be performed, without any requirement to give a portion of your paycheck to a political Party or show Party loyalty to progress.  Freedom to work as you prefer, in a Union or not. It is a right to work, not a requirement to only work as a member of a union. That is political. We need less cancel culture and more open minds. We need the freedom to listen to opposing views and audience participation without fisticuffs or protests by the close minded. We need places for our children to be fun and happy, not efforts to subject their minds to controversial viewpoints or bias. Banks and large enterprises should avoid spending their money, our money, on political action entities, such as Black Lives Matter, or Planned Parenthood, even proclaiming a work place where travel to have an abortion will be paid, or taking sides in any political issue.  

Many businesses today want to seem ‘woke.’ or socially responsible, but doing so can be accomplished leaving politics to the Politicians. Focus on the task at hand, not a compliant human resources department burdened to meek socially minority ‘woke’ demands, as if that will make a business better.  That should be the goal anyway. Leave opinion, and personal politics to the individual, to the voter, to the politicians themselves.  Equip the individual with the facts, not corrupted by opinions, other than those of the politicians themselves.  

We need an environment that insures all of us are independent thinkers.  Most people know well politicians wear their prejudices on their banners, express them in their speeches, they attack their opponents, they alter the truth, they lie and they blame others. Leave those habits to the politicians, and let the truth be heard by our educators and business leaders. Teach every citizen to be honest, respectful and truthful. They will then be able to discern, understand and make sensible judgments, especially when they vote.  Today too many do not think for themselves, they react and often do so without knowing the full extent of an issue. We have been made aware of the many times politicians seek passage of new laws based on emotion, and not the content of the bills themselves.  It is the issue they want passed, not the law; that will be left to others to work out, staff members, interns, and recent college graduates with the prejudices the legislatures prefer already instilled in their nature.  An example is the SCOTUS expected decision on Roe v. Wade.  It does not eliminate abortions.  It takes such decision out of the Federal Government and leaves each State to decide. There was even an attempt, thankfully failed, that sought to Federalize abortions even before the actual decision of the Court was released. 

Is it the millennials that are making waves, working and paying taxes, having children, that see what is happening?  They want change and are wiling to speak up.  They may be the silent majority that now talks, along with the generation X’s as they evolve. Individuals are a powerful collective.  Keeping them at bay is the objective of the politician.  Freeing them should be the objective of our education system. But if the education system continues to be structured and taught by disciples of a progressive minority, and not the national majority, then we may be doomed.  The family, the parent, the achiever, the entrepreneur, and the religious will be reduced to units seditious to those in power.  We may see the rise of the Federalist wanting a modern Sedition Act, a Disinformation Bureau, that can judge truth and speech, and suppress that which they, those politicians, deem unworthy or personally offensive.  I made a note recently from an article, “truth hardly reigns supreme in our political discourse.  It’s full of half-truths, non sequiturs, spin, even outright lies. There is an entire industry within politics dedicated to propagating this - they’re called the communication teams, and they work for our elected lawmakers.”  Are members of these teams to be trusted in monitoring truth?  Can they be responsible content monitors, neutral in any way? I say no. What is a valid comment, or not,  in their view is culturally, economically and socially biased for sure. 

In the investment world there are rating agencies, such as Standard & Poors (S&P). Politics in ratings that influence buyers is wrong, but indeed there is a movement afoot. Adding ESG (environmental, social, and governance) to rating of State’s bonds, even businesses. This is a skewed number with no reflection on the ability of a borrower to repay debts. It relates to hiring practices (race and sex), air quality (carbon emission practices or laws), and liberal or conservative views in government. This is a clear example of the ‘woke’ going too far, influencing or distorting investors awareness of the true quality of their investment or borrower. Attempts to pressure pension funds, et al, to only invest where ESG is high.  But ESG has nada to do with a borrowers ability to pay.  That is the point.  Politics in this area is senseless.  What it is, a form of cancel culture that will raise the cost of borrowing, doing business, for those not sufficient ‘woke,’ that is with low ESG. 

Rid politics from our everyday life-learning venues.  Leave it to the town square, the soap box orator, the TV politicians to spew their diatribe, their distortions, their lies, and equip yourself, insure your children are equally equipped, to think for yourself, be objective, and respectful.  The world will be a better place, and we will all feel better about our Constitution, the First Amendment, the freedom of speech and the freedom of assembly it guarantees. Let not the lectern be a bully pulpit for harmful ideas.  Take the politics out of our institutions and return sensibilities and common sense. Turn the mud-pit of politics into a garden free of distortions effecting our growth and prosperity.

by

Thomas W. Balderston

Author and Blogger

The Best Program for Every Politician - CSP

The Best Program for Every Politician - CSP

Popularity, good decisions, great ideas can improve opportunities for politicians to be elected.  A platform that would please the vast majority of voters is a target of every campaign.  Find the target that matters most and victory will be practically guaranteed.  There will always be objectors, but if they are in the minority, then feel confident your government office will be made ready for you. 

What is it, you ask?  What will appeal to the greatest number of citizens.  It is a plan which I leave another to put a label on, but for simplicity sake I will refer to it as the CSP.  It is not novel but has been avoided as a first step on any agenda. 

The CSP offers citizens what they would never expect, but will find delightful.  Since FDR few have even mentioned this concept by itself. It has been suggested as a follow-on to another promise. Promise #1 has happened only to find promise #2 ignored, resisted and never implemented.  This has a negative impact on us all. 

Radically different, but not radical, this program will make every elected official more able to function efficiently. It requires dramatic policy changes and a team willing to collaborate in concert.  Divisiveness may require installing charismatic like minded energetic persons, yet humble, in joint sessions with a common goal. Knife throwing, throat cutting, will be reduced to darts aimed at the center of the CSP and an atmosphere of nation healing.  It will satisfy objectives of FDR, and Reagan and Trump.  It will fulfill the promise so many have made historically, but failed to deliver. 

A full boat of passengers with the same objective can pass legislation that will put more food on our tables, more money in our pockets, and more smiles on our faces.  

This is not a long verbiage proclamation that will result in you buying pills to make you smarter, thinner, or able to see better.  There is nothing for you to buy.  There is no cost to anyone. All you need do is find the politician having this platform, or encourage your local politician to embrace it, Primary those who do adopt it, support their campaign and elect them.  Citizens will benefit, in the short and long run.  What is it you ask?  What is the CSP?  The economy will boom and the rewards to citizens will become obvious. 

OK, I will tell you very soon.  CSP offers ‘more.’ The CSP simply put is a make America better, our Federal Government more functional, the job of the President more manageable, the government operations more efficient, and every State and citizen closer to decision making in our great Nation.  Opportunities will increase, independence will be embraced, the work ethic enhanced, and parents emboldened.  Americans can imagine this, but needed are elected officials with a shared imagination in concert with the voters. Once in office ignoring the wants of the people should put that officials future in jeopardy.  We will prosper with good government.  We will thrive with great leadership.  Great leaders make the hard choices, the right decisions, and do what is best and proper.  Only great leaders can implement the CSP.   What we are dealing with here is a vital national interest.    

Simplicity personified and a task historically harder for politicians than necessary, what can happen, can indeed happen with willing hearts, a love  and respect for We The People, and strength of character.  Needed are others that believe in America as they do. Responsibility can be delegated, volunteers encouraged, and businesses left to attract employees with programs they offer, not burdened with government requirements.  The work ethic will become a lighted candle to guide our Nation to greater productivity and prosperity. Families will be made essential, and faith based institutions revitalized.  It is as good as it sounds.

You need to climb aboard and write your local, state and national representatives to join the coalition all in for the CSP.  The alternative is they be replaced with others more attuned to the needs and wants of the voting majority. Everyone will know intuitively this is the best idea for our Nation. This is not a discussion about remaking the government, but refining and improving essential services that make life better, increase hope and make the machinery function as it should.  It is a hurdle that can be jumped, a traffic cone that can be avoided, an obstacle that can be pushed aside, and a hole that can be filled.  Your representative must do the work needed, and you must elect those than can and will make the promise and keep it.  

This CSP is what will make US all better in so many ways.  Beware of the resisters, the resistance, and the reticence. They are the selfish, social justice warriors that pave the way for the elitists more than the working family. The impediment to quality government comes from ideals contrary to those which make our government an aide to its citizens.  We need helping hands, not controlling fists in our faces.  Freedom is the bulwark of our democracy.  The CSP will shore up our foundation, repair our cracked walls, and make our house like new again. 

Are you ready for it. This will take dedicated servants and commitment.  But the benefits are real.  CSP.  The Cut Spending Plan.  Got it.  Cut government expenditures.  There are so many areas that can be made smaller.  Departments overburdened by bureaucracy and inefficiencies can be reduced or eliminated.  Let the states do more, be more involved, in charge.  Find those areas in Washington, the hidden offices, forgotten over the years that they even exist, the buggy whips as it were, and take them off the books. Those functionaries created to serve a purpose at a time before can now be eliminated as not needed, the emergency over.  Have more disciplined providers dispense funds as needed to avoid criminal activity that results in billions being lost, never received, or put in the hands of the wrong recipient.  More savings are available to the Federal government by avoiding mis-used, mis-handled, and mis-directed disbursements than any expenditure for additional IRS policing and watchdog powers.

Reduce congressional staffs by questioning how many people are needed to serve a given member of the legislature.  When there are too many it is a natural tendency to have them look for things to do, or legislation to write, ways to make the representative look better, or even working at all. Impose a percentage reduction program, reducing department staffs, all departments by some number, let’s start with 10%. Have those elected agree to a line item veto for the President.  Cut the pork.  Make members of Congress less piggish, less subject to bribes, and/or unnecessary funding for their districts to have them join poor legislation being offered up by their Party.  Good legislation should not need in-house contributions, specific spending offered for districts, to garner support. The prize should be to all Americans, not to politician’s constituencies just for their vote. 

The greatest gift America can give its citizens is a less costly government, a more efficient government, a helpful, caring government, serving the people, not dependent citizens, but independent, productive citizens than can and will make everything we mean to the world a sign of what all peoples can do when not on the dole, under socialism, and free to choose. 

Making America first can result in savings too.  When is enough enough in providing money to foreign nations, climate control programs in places like Paris, Iran, Russia or Asia, even military subsidies to nations that may not really love America?  What about America first when it comes to aide for illegals, or any aide for law breakers at all?  Are we to pay for family leave for the unemployed, or incentive programs for businesses that they can do themselves?  There are interventionist programs by the Federal Government that are not helpful, thus not necessary.  

We need programs that encourage hope, incentivize everyone, create competition to learn, and make starting businesses, keeping businesses, easier.  Less regulation makes America work better, perform better, compete better, produce more at home. Keep the elitists, the major contributors to politicians seeking preferences, under control.  To be for the people our government must not be against the people.  Overburdening us with taxes is not right.  But to avoid that, spending needs to be cut.  It only makes sense to do the right thing and reduce wherever possible.  We need representatives that think on our behalf, not their own.  We need politicians whose mantra is headlined with a CSP.   

Endorse the CSP.  Call for your congressperson to lead their campaign with a CSP promise.  Ask your senators to acknowledge the need and intent to exercise CSP programs.  Elect a President that proclaims CSP above all else.  Make known a desire for government support far exceeding government control.  What is made smaller in Washington DC can only make bigger what is in your wallet. 

With CSP first, above all else, what can follow naturally is RIT.  CSP then RIT.  Who is against that?  Historically it has been proven you cannot have one without the other.  When RIT preceded CSP, failure to implement CSP resulted in HND.  And it is the tax-payer that pays.  

Cut spending (CSP), then comes Reduced Income Taxes (RIT).  With steps taken in that order, it is possible to avoid Higher National Debt (HND).

We need passengers on board the train to prosperity, calling for all conductors to lead the way, and have as the commander in chief, the engineer in the engine’s cab, take us to the next stop of America as the beacon to the world of what is possible. Democracy good.  Socialism bad.  Restore America.  All aboard the CSP coast to coast Express.

A smaller puzzle, with less pieces, is easier to assemble. Less expensive too.   CSP for you and me. 

by

Thomas W. Balderston

Author and Blogger

Requirements/Considerations for GOP Victory in 2022 and 2024

Requirements/Considerations for GOP Victory in 2022 and 2024

To win back the Senate and the House in 2022, and the White House in 2024, Donald Trump is the least likely person to lead the turn around. The Republican Party needs more who can do what Glenn Younkin did in Virginia,  form a coalition of rural Counties, people who voted for Trump, people who didn’t vote for Trump but like to vote Republican, suburban moms, female, male, white, black, and Hispanic.  The focus needs to be on capable people, being color blind at the same time.  A focus on issues that matter.  Make it an Americans for America race.   The left’s penchant to call out racism and white supremacy constantly is wearing thin, and seriously questioned, and the Covid crisis is over.  We are recovering our freedom, our economy, in part thanks to the vaccines, but also because Americans are realizing Covid will be with us.  Yet, we can live with it, as we do the flu, and continue to be careful and free. We are capable, to use an ole adage, to walk and chew gun at the same time.  Trump need not be on the scene; he can be toxic.  His policies are welcomed, but his personality is not.  We are not in the habit of embracing those who constantly see themselves as the achiever, even with good ideas, but more the team effort, less “I” and more “We.”

Hidden in the rural enclaves, the valleys and the mountains, are many patriots, citizens, that are disgusted with events in our economy, to enumerate:

• rising gas prices, 
• ignoring our oil independence, while calling upon OPEC and Russia to produce more oil to import.
• false claims of a majority of racists, 
• education being corrupted by ideologues seeking to indoctrinate our children with:  
• Critical Race Theory (CRT), which engenders division and hatred. 
• re-constituted history (1619 Project), 
• allegations of white supremacy making guilt by caucasian children a requirement, 
• a disregard for parents views or preferences for their children’s education
• a lack of school choice
• the failed Afghanistan pull-out
• a callous disregard for Americans and loyalists left behind in Afghanistan
• illegal immigration run amok, 
• payments to illegals for health care, education, even family support, far in excess of what is available to citizens, and especially properly vetted immigrants seeking and attaining citizenship legally, 
• inflation, 
• an elderly compromised President with weak leadership qualities and communication skills, 
• a concern for who is really in control of our Federal Government,
• questionable choices by the Biden Administration for the head of various departments and Cabinet positions,
• a questionable choice of VP as back-up for the Oval Office, 
• officials in the Administration more focused on prioritizing sexual preferences, the climate and social justice, than issues that matter to the majority,  
• excess government spending with no apparent desire, all factions at fault, to reduce spending
• the push by progressive Democrats seeking a broad socialist agenda for the entire nation, to include items as reparations, medicare for all, payments for illegals,
• socialist spending plans without fiscal responsibility,
• burdening tax-payers for the pet projects of elected officials.
• a troubling increasing Federal debt,
• so much of the Main Stream Media voicing opinions that do not reflect the majority of our citizens
• the apparent collaboration between the majority of Main Stream Media and the Democratic Party,
• a push for unions and unionization, not for a better work environment, but for increased funding from unions to support liberal political candidates that cater to their demands.  
• unions being used as a force against business, education, and healthcare, more for themselves than those they serve.
• affirmative action gone to far, weakening education standards, impacting productivity, and effecting decision making.
• campaigns to defund the police, or limit police activities and the ability to remove criminals from our streets, while the elitists then use campaign funds or tax-payor dollars for private security.
• falsifying fears of impending climate changes and diverting funds from matters more essential, higher in priority, that impact all Americans and our economy,
• the hypocrisy of many politicians doing for themselves what they tell their constituents not to do,
• a criminal control system that is releasing dangerous perpetrators without bail and with little consequence,
• and more….

The list is in no particular order of priority, but each issue is important.

Inputting a personal concern, with an emphasis on the size of government and the habitual nature of elected officials to talk about spending cuts, but doing nothing once elected.  Our Federal Government is too big and more interventionist than helpful.  With no critical emergency to deal with more can be relegated to States, reducing departments, agencies and Czars that occupy Washington DC offices.  That is an opportunity to cut spending.  And with spending cut, first, taxes can then be reduced.  To reduce taxes, first, and not cut spending did not work for either Reagan or Trump.  Consider how much staff is needed by each Senator, each Congressman, how large need the EPA be, how long a motorcade to a climate control conference is justifiable, and on and on and on.  Then consider welfare or entitlement programs that put government before parents and faith as guides, confidants, and care givers.  Such programs also take away self-esteem, incentives to work and the need to better oneself.  They are costly and often a tool of politicians to incentivize dependent persons to vote for those promising to satisfy their wants and desires.  That make’s our Nation weaker and lazier. 

Power, to many politicians, becomes their drug and they seek to control, as made clear by McAuliffe in his race for VA governor, suggesting that parents should have no say in the curriculum the system generates and the teachers are ordered to teach. This is not how Americans want to be led. 

If Democrats want to mirror FDR then adopt his desire for small government, manageable, that helps our citizens, not a big government, unwieldy, that intervenes and creates impediments to progress. 

Trump can love America, as he does, but he should not be the face of the Republican Party going forward, ‘a’ face, yes, but not ‘the’ face.  

by

Thomas W. Balderston

Author and Blogger