Just Plain Dumb, Herschel Walker Talks About Climate Change, Makes Sarah Plain Look Like Rhodes Scholar

I have never been a fan of stupid jocks. I never found them of interest in high school, and even less so as an adult. I do not much care if they find their way to some sports channel to talk about this team or that play on the field. After all, capitalism allows for even the most base to make money, too.

But when the seriously inept and cerebrally challenged wish to trade their name and fame for a powerful political office we need to stop them.

Georgia Republican senate nominee Herschel Walker is such an example of being just plain stupid, and also wanting to secure a senate seat in this year’s midterm election. The troubling candidate who seems more suited for an election as a hall monitor in grade school wanted to talk about climate change on the hustings.

In Columbus: “China’s bad air floats over into our good air. And now we’re trying to clean their bad air and of course it just floats over here and now we gotta clean it, so all we’re doing is throwing money at it.”

In St. Simons: “The trillions of dollars that you’re paying for is cleaning up their bad air but now it’s gonna float back over to China because of the Earth’s rotation and until we can get China and all of these other places to invest in it, it isn’t gonna be any good.”

In south Georgia: “We’re gonna clean it up a little better than it’s already cleaned. But our good air, since we don’t control it, is gonna float over to China where they got bad air. Now China’s bad air floats over to us, where we have the good air.”

I have never been a fan of Sarah Palin, and this blog reflects that fact. But she does not fall as far down the hole of absurdity as Walker has willingly taken. I place her name in this post, however, as she was used by the Republicans for political purposes, even though she has a limited IQ. Just like Walker is now being used. Her acceptance by much of the party has allowed for more of her kind to be elevated and praised as candidates in the GOP.

I know from having done public speaking there were times when my thoughts and words took somewhat separate directions. But I can claim I never made the same mistake or blunder twice. A person who speaks publically learns the lesson.

Walker did not. Will not.

After clearly receiving brain damage from football allows some wiggle room for Walker’s bizarre ideas about how air pollution spreads. But the fact he is not now able to read and learn that reducing or increasing pollution in either China or the U.S. affects the entire globe, or that “our” air does not just say…’hey, some travel time would be fun’ and heads to China points to why this baffoon needs to be stopped by the voters.

If anyone thinks our atmosphere operates like geopolitical masses they need to be scorned, not elected.

Could Republicans Get Over Their Skis In November Mid-Terms?

Dealing with Michael Gableman in Wisconsin has been frustrating on the one hand, but one must admit, entertaining on the other. He can not do any damage in the near term as the 2020 elections were fairly conducted. But might his actions and provocative comments fester and cause problems for independent voters as they weigh Republican candidates in the fall midterms?

What the Badger State is watching play out is similar to a host of places around the nation where far-right voices are still waging their lost battle over the last election. Worse for the larger needs of the Republican Party are those candidates who have tethered themselves to this past election train, thinking it is a winning formula.

I was struck this weekend by the number of news stories that underscored the depth of miscalculation that conservative candidates are taking to play to the angriest and most misguided within the Republican Party.

Consider the Georgia primary for governor.

“The first 23 minutes of the debate revolved around Perdue’s efforts to blame Kemp for Donald Trump’s loss in 2020 and the senator’s defeat in 2021.”

As The Atlanta Journal-Constitution stated, “Many of Perdue’s allegations were flat-out false.”

Meanwhile in Michigan this weekend the state GOP Convention was held.

If this is the last time you ever hear the names Matt DePerno and Kristina Karamo, you’ll be lucky. They are the conspiracy-driven Trump-picked candidates for Michigan attorney general and secretary of state that the state GOP endorsed as candidates in its convention on Saturday.

Their outlandish insistence that the 2020 election was stolen from Trump has led to considerable fractures within the Michigan Republican Party. As such, they’re viewed as longshots who will be unable to unite the party, win over independents, and beat the incumbent Democrats, Attorney General Dana Nessel and Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson.

This weekend The Atlantic wrote at length about the highly-questionable nature of the Republicans this mid-term cycle, reminding readers of Todd Akin, Richard Mourdock, Sharron Angle, and Christine O’Donnell. Looking at what is unfolding in many places around the nation it might be summed up this way.

Yet the GOP may be stuck with candidates whose pockmarked, and in a few cases, scandal-filled, résumés could render them unelectable—or at least they would have in an earlier era.

Time will tell, for sure.

As we know, and as Senator Mitch McConnell conceded in a recent comment on this larger issue, “How could you screw this up? It’s actually possible. And we’ve had some experience with that in the past.”

The Republican Party thought the Tea Party movement a great idea, felt at one time Sarah Palin was a breath of fresh air and welcomed Donald Trump into their fold. But to do all that the party needed to trim back on logic, actual policy ideas, decorum, and self-respect.

The question that will be better answered in November is just how far the general voting public agrees, or not, with this rightward move by the GOP that often rejects proven facts. And certainly common sense.

And so it goes.

Wasilla Hillbilly Looks For Comeback, But Alaska Voters Deserve Competence, Must Reject Sarah Palin

There seems always to be a tug for nostalgia in the nation. Bringing back fond memories of the past makes it possible, for example, that Alex O’Loughlin reprises the role of Steve McGarrett in Hawaii Five-0. The role played by Jack Lord in the 1970s.

But not everything that has rusted, been used, and placed in the garbage should be taken out and offered a new shine. That is especially true when it comes to Sarah Palin, who is prowling for a new gig at the trough of public tax dollars.

Alaskan voters are being asked to weigh in on nearly 50 candidates for that state’s lone member of the House of Representatives. With raccoon-like glee, Palin has latched onto that shiny hope for a chance to get an annual income and at the same time ramp up her level of bombast with air-time in the crazy-land of conservative media.

The people of Alaska, however, deserve competent and intelligent leadership with their sole House representative. They require an elected person seeking to lift up the needs of the voters and not the hi-jinks and embarrassments that come with the Wasilla Hillbillies.

When Palin landed in the ‘lower 48’ in 2008 as part of Republican John McCain’s presidential ticket–a move that should have been viewed as an act of terrorism–the nation was treated to years of outrageous behavior from that entire family. It also allowed the GOP to sadly–both for the party and country–to hatch many of their own who thought saying ridiculous things and acting in horrid ways was now also their right.

Trying to make Palin acceptable then has left the Republican Party weaker today. Marjorie Taylor Greene and Madison Cawthorn are the ilks that have followed in the footsteps of Palin. Meanwhile, the modern-day Jack Kemps can not even consider a step into GOP politics as they do not wish to need to lower themselves into the slime that is required now to compete.

In Alaska, a state which is filled with beauty and grander and one I wish to return to for a much longer visit, well recalls the very public divorce of the one who now wants to be a member of congress.

Todd Palin cited when filing for divorce “incompatibility of temperament” and stated he found it “impossible to live together as husband and wife.” Well, duh!

What took Todd so long to discover that fact can long be pondered. I have often suggested that what keeps marriages healthy and thriving is a good dose of laughter. But that would not have been possible with Todd as one should not be always laughing at the other spouse. 

But when it comes to Sarah Palin what can one do other than just laugh at her?

The voters of Alaska need to have a member of congress who is respected. They need their own updated version of Jack Lord.

And so it goes.

A Dagger At The Heart Of Our Democracy

I recall as a late teenager, in a conversation with a relative, stating there were certain foundations of knowledge that all Americans needed to attain so to be solid citizens. I also recall the odd reply.

“We can’t all sit around reading.”

That memory came back to me this week as the debt ceiling mess grew larger and we heard still more outrage from some parents regarding safety measures at public schools so as to ward off the virus causing a pandemic. If we took the view at 30,000 feet over our nation there is only one thing that would be uttered.

‘What has happened to the people?’

Throughout life many of us have had political opinions, some of them strongly held. As history proves repeatedly such varying views and perspectives are what democracy requires to grow and strengthen. But what has been added in a larger dose to the mix is out-and-out liers and demagogues both in our elected offices and others adding such voices in our national dialogue through social media.

In the past on this blog, I weighed in on results, such as from the Annenberg Public Policy Center where it was found that only 26% of Americans could name all three branches of the federal government. Stunningly, 33% could not think of one! To add to the sad data 37% could not name a single right protected by the Bill of Rights.

That type of polling is telling regarding our educational failures as a nation. What has resulted from such a disregard for holding students accountable with a foundation of information before they graduate is now playing out. A wanton disregard for facts has been unleashed, as evidenced by the election-outcome deniers in 2020 and the anti-vaccinator crowd, underscoring the toxic nature of what is eating away at the very fabric of democracy.

Especially since 2008, we have witnessed the use of our poorly informed citizenry by partisan interests, who have the skills of messaging through social media, to place a dagger at the heart of our democracy. From Sarah Palin and the Tea Party to Donald Trump’s overt messaging of continued lies and twisted meanings, a direct line can be traced across the body politic. From disregarding the need for any wisdom to be elected, to the undermining of national institutions a theme emerged from conservatives.

That threat was presented in real-time to a nation on January 6th where it was clear the rule of law, our political institutions, and the election processes of our nation were no longer understood, or cared for.

I have never had a personal conversation with anyone who thought dinosaurs and people lived at the same time. But I have had online discussions with people who feel that the pandemic is a hoax with inflated case numbers and that five ultra-rich families control the world’s finances. I wish I was joking.

So how do we reverse course and head towards sanity and a stronger foundation as a nation? Well, let’s begin where this post started.

It is clear every person has a very busy life. We start out with different abilities and sets of interests. No one should be expected to master the Federalist Papers. But in allowing for that we can not, must not, accept the almost complete lack of knowledge that runs shamelessly through a wide swath of the electorate. The impact from that under-educated class is having a dreadful impact on both the political health of the nation and physical health of our populace.

Because of too few strict standards in our education system and the broad acceptance of ‘any view is valid’ even from the most outlandish right-winger, we now must ponder the survivability of our democracy.

It is simply imperative that the rest of us stand up and speak out for the needs of the nation.

And so it goes.

Wasilla Hillbillies Divorce

Just hours after posting about what it takes to make a marriage work I need to post about the divorce of the Wasilla Hillbillies.

Todd Palin has filed for divorce from Sarah Palin, the former governor of Alaska and GOP vice presidential candidate, citing “incompatibility of temperament” and that “they find it impossible to live together as husband and wife.”

I am stunned that Todd is only discovering that now.

I wrote in my earlier post that laugher is an essential part of a successful marriage.  But that would not be possible with Todd as one should not be always laughing at the other spouse.  But when it comes to Sarah Palin what can one do other than just laugh at her?

The entire family is just one large example of why Planned Parenthood is very much needed in our nation.  I do not wish to sound harsh, but come on.  We have been forced to watch this train wreck of a family since 2008.  I had joked John McCain should have been brought up on domestic terrorism charges for placing Palin on a national ticket.  Yes, it was that bad.

Track Palin, their eldest son, was sentenced to a year in custody last year after a female acquaintance said he told her that she could not leave his house in Wasilla, took away her phone and then hit her in the head.

In December 2017, Track Palin was accused of breaking into his parents’ home and leaving Todd bleeding from cuts on his head, authorities said. He pleaded guilty in June 2018 to a lesser charge in veterans court.

Bristol Palin was 17 when she found out she was pregnant with her son, Tripp, who she had with former fiancé, Levi Johnston. Levi posed naked in Playgirl.

She also has two daughters, Sailor Grace and Atlee Bay, with former husband, Dakota Meyer.

‘Family values’ run so deep in this group of misfits.  It pains me to think they will link up with others and spread more gloom.

Wow.

Catholic Herald: Hispanics Not ‘Invaders’ Or Taking ‘Our’ Jobs

While I do not read all the newspapers, as Sarah Palin once claimed, I do read a lot of varied publications.  I do that to come in contact with varying perspectives.  Such reading allows me to either slightly alter my views about an issue in the news, or further confirm the positions which I currently hold.

One of the publications I read is the Madison Catholic Herald.  Though not Catholic I am taken by the professional nature of the publication and the journalism behind it, even though it obviously skewers towards a certain direction.   I always respect a well written and argued publication, which is why I have read the Herald for over a year.

Over the weekend I was reading the Sept. 5th edition and came across a column by Moises Dandoval regarding the El Paso shooting and Hispanics in our nation.  It made points that too many Americans wish to ignore when it comes to Hispanics in our nation.  It was a powerful read.

Richard Parker, author of “Lone Star Nation: How Texas Will Transform America,” wrote in The New York Times: “My last name is Anglo, but I am the son of a Mexican immigrant.” He wrote that he spoke to a young soldier, Pfc. Richard Riley, whose eyes welled with tears as he viewed the white crosses of the victims and said: “I just can’t believe it. I’m Hispanic too. And I can’t believe that these people were killed because they were.”

The assailant allegedly complained about “the Hispanic invasion of Texas.” The word invasion connotes the intention to conquer, seize control, subjugate the current inhabitants. But we cannot call the immigrants who cross the border invaders.

They are more like the people described by Emma Lazarus on the Statue of Liberty: “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, the wretched refuse of your teeming shore.” They come, first, to survive; to find work to support their families, and in the process contribute to the nation.

Moreover, Hispanics take jobs no one wants — and there are millions of them. At the end of June 2019, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported 7.3 million job openings, a figure largely unchanged from month to month. You find them in poultry processing plants in Mississippi where immigration authorities recently arrested over 600 Hispanics suspected of being undocumented immigrants. Where both parents worked, both were arrested, the children coming home traumatized to find no one there. In one place, a Catholic parish was left with the daunting job of caring for the children.

My belief is the nation is better off when we have not only diversity but also people in our land who really wish to be here.  Too many of my fellow citizens take for granted the freedom and security we enjoy.  But those who flee dangerous places and severe economic hardships are the very ones who best know what our ideals are about.  They may not be able to articulate it like a wheat farmer in Kansas but they are very able to feel it. The least the rest of us can do is to better understand immigrants who seek our shores and recall our own family beginnings were not much different.

And so it goes.

Wasilla Hillbillies Make News As A Palin Is Arrested–But Not For Beating Up His Father (This Time)

Sarah Palin’s oldest son has been arrested on new domestic violence charges in Alaska.

How could that happen since he was raised in such a stable and family-oriented environment?

TMZ reports.

Track Palin was busted Friday night after Alaska State Troopers responded to a report of a disturbance at his home in Wasilla. Cops say their investigation revealed he assaulted a female acquaintance at the residence, then took her phone away when she tried to call authorities.

Track allegedly resisted the troopers while being placed under arrest as well.

The 29-year-old was arrested on charges of fourth-degree domestic violence assault, interfering with a report of domestic violence, resisting arrest and disorderly conduct.

This isn’t a first for Track either. He was arrested last December for allegedly breaking into his parent’s house and beating up his father — Sarah had to call the cops on him. 

He was also arrested in January 2016 after an altercation with his girlfriend at the time.

Wasilla Hillbillies Christmas Present To Nation: Sarah Palin’s Son Attacks Todd Palin, Domestic Violence With A Gun And Booze Chaser

It has been a while since Sarah Palin made copy for this blog.  But her family is punching their way back into the headlines.  When last we talked about this little nuclear family of dysfunction it seemed money grubbing was slowing down as Sarah had ended her political action committee.

We have not had her antics to laugh at this year, and we miss her family for the white trash humor they provided the nation.   She was not in the news gulping big soft drinks or doing her cat-walk and winking at old needy men at political events.  Who does not miss the type of things she might say as the old geezers drool at her.  “Is that a side-winder missile in your pants fella, or are you just happy to be this close to the Republican version of the Titanic?”

Yes, there was a missing link in the news without her performances.  So just in time for Christmas Palin and her family have a present for the nation!

Former vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin’s son, Track, was arrested Saturday night after he allegedly beat his father at his parents’ home, according to court documents obtained by the Los Angeles Times.

The confrontation started when Track Palin, 28, allegedly said he was coming over to the Palin residence in Wasilla, Alaska, to pick up a truck.

His father, Todd Palin, told him to stay away because Track Palin had been drinking and taking pain medication, the newspaper reported. However, Track Palin showed up anyway.

When he arrived, Todd Palin allegedly confronted Track Palin at the front door with a pistol. Track Palin then broke a window, entered the house and began beating his father, the newspaper reported.

Sarah Palin called police at about 8:30 p.m. local time. When authorities arrived, Todd Palin and Sarah Palin were driving away in separate cars, with Todd Palin bleeding from his face.