Esoteric Meandering Shouting Into the Void

Lyle Northey (Silent/Boomer)

It is time to hold both parties accountable for the failure to do the work of the nation instead of exercising their ego’s.

  Neither party has any room to push crap at anyone as both are rife with self preservation at the expense of the citizens of the collective United States. Fill the media with all the little tripe about how this one or that one is going to expose someone for yet another crime like spitting on the sidewalk.  The constant requests for money to block this effort or that intended bill when asked where all the money goes no one provides answers because it is lining the pockets of people that are making fools of us all for the sole purpose of getting richer.

   The time has come for all members of both houses and all persons occupying the halls of power at every level in the nation to pull their collective heads out of their third points of contact and realize no one put them in the positions they currently occupy to watch them act like kindergarten students on a sugar fix. They were put there to represent the people of this nation and do the work necessary to keep us safe, sound and moving forward. There are plenty of people and nations waiting to watch us descend into a cesspool of our own building and there is no reason for that to happen. Cooperation and seeking common ground are what has made us great, not bickering and divisiveness. 

   The most belligerent of the members of Congress should be censored and excused from all committees without exception. Additionally they should be put on notice that attempting to create problems will get them expelled and removed from their positions without compensation and without being allowed to hold office or lobby ever again.

Dwain Northey (Gen X)

In the U.S. and numerous countries today is Valentines Day, a much touted Hallmark Holiday. A day of dating extortion that is satisfied with chocolate and flowers and, for most adults that participate, the hope of a mutual sexual coupling. There is a exorbitant amount of money spent to celebrate a Saint that I am willing to bet many have no idea the multiple origin of.

Here is an anthology from the History Channel.

The Catholic Church recognizes at least three different saints named Valentine or Valentinus, all of whom were martyred. One legend contends that Valentine was a priest who served during the third century in Rome. When Emperor Claudius II decided that single men made better soldiers than those with wives and families, he outlawed marriage for young men. Valentine, realizing the injustice of the decree, defied Claudius and continued to perform marriages for young lovers in secret. When Valentine’s actions were discovered, Claudius ordered that he be put to death. Still others insist that it was Saint Valentine of Terni, a bishop, who was the true namesake of the holiday. He, too, was beheaded by Claudius II outside Rome.

Other stories suggest that Valentine may have been killed for attempting to help Christians escape harsh Roman prisons, where they were often beaten and tortured. According to one legend, an imprisoned Valentine actually sent the first “valentine” greeting himself after he fell in love with a young girl—possibly his jailor’s daughter—who visited him during his confinement. Before his death, it is alleged that he wrote her a letter signed “From your Valentine,” an expression that is still in use today. Although the truth behind the Valentine legends is murky, the stories all emphasize his appeal as a sympathetic, heroic and—most importantly—romantic figure. By the Middle Ages, perhaps thanks to this reputation, Valentine would become one of the most popular saints in England and France.

Hallmark and the Flower industries have highjacked the day, but I thought a brief history lesson couldn’t hurt.

Happy Valentine’s Day

Dwain Northey (Gen X)

I am thoroughly entertained by this current Republican party continuing to walk into their own propellers while convincing themselves that they are the adults in the room. Case in point during the State of the Union President Biden, playing the role of Bugs Bunny in a old Looney Toons cartoon, totally Rabbit Season-Duck Seasoned the Republicans into on network television agree to take Social Security and Medicare off the books when it come to their hostage taking of the debt ceiling.

They are now holding absurd hearings that equate to nothing, their addled attempts to try and paint a negative picture of their perceived targets backfire leaving egg on their faces. Their flag bearers, Green, Bobert, Gates, and the rest of the clown car yell and witnesses like petulant children which even for the Trump faithful make them look foolish.

I have a question for the Republican’s, What is your agenda for your constituents? Do you have one? There has been no published Republican Party platform, at least not one I have seen since Twitler sat his ass on your golden throne.

As much as the Republicans, who by the way cannot call themselves conservative in the purest sense of the word, want to scream that the world is crumbling the numbers do not support their outrage.

Unemployment at 3.4% (numbers no seen since 1969)

Debt reduction under Biden $1.4 trillion

Gas prices are down after inflated increase due to Putin’s war in Ukraine.

The infrastructure bill passed and this year we will see that money going to work all of the country. Didn’t Trump promise infrastructure would be his top priority and even when he had both chambers nothing was done.

So now the Repiblican’ts have a slim majority in the House and what are they going to do, hold the country hostage over a debt ceiling that they gleefully increase any time there is a Republican in the White House. They said during the State of the Union that Social Security and Medicare where off the books, time to ask them what they are willing to sacrifice. I would list infrastructure projects in their states or the bloated military budget or ever their salaries as possible cuts if that’s they game they want to play. By all means continue to piss on the electric fence.

Lyle Northey (Silent/Boomer)

  The determination of some in Congress to phase out and destroy Medicare and Medicaid need to be on the receiving end of the kick when that day comes. Let the voting populous have the opportunity to determine whether members of Congress are allowed health care because of their positions as elected officials. At this moment I think they should have all benefits removed, health care, retirements, protection, postage, flights, office staff of more than one and no such thing as leave or sick leave while a session is in.

  For every item on their agenda that removes public assistance two should be removed from their portfolio. We need to take back control of the Congress and how they do business and stop this ongoing posturing. If any of us, the public citizen, ran a business with all the internal strife that is common in the Congress we would have lost our businesses by now. If they can not get back to doing the job they were elected to do we should have the right to fire them, as would happen to us if we did not do our jobs.

  Our right to control was removed 60 years ago and the members of Congress have become more and more interested in what the party bosses and major contributors are versus working to serve the people that put them in office. They have also become wealthy with all of the favored information and contracts they have acquired over time. It is time to figure a way to reinstate the will of the people back into the operation of the Congress.

  The party that wants to rid our nation of these programs also wants to close the Post Office, close libraries, privatize education by putting it in the hands of religious institutions just to name a few of the changes they wish to make. Nothing seems too far for them to go in a quest to make sure we become a nation that provides abundant resources for the very wealthy and minimal resources for the common person. 

   At every turn there is another “reason” to take away a support system, a right or a vote and all in the name of what. Some things we do not need on our streets are assault weapons and people brandishing guns in general. If you want a gun and you are a sane stable person then you should be able to have it, carrying it with you wherever you go might be another issue. Guns do not make us safer as the use of said gun comes down to how well wrapped the loose wire that the gun is and if that person’s solution is to shoot and then check or the other way around. It does confuse me as to why I must register and renew my dogs license and yet that is not necessary on an annual basis with a gun.

   Is this country the most desirable on earth? Good question what with live shotter exercise in schools, police beatings and shootings everywhere and a congress that seems to agree on one thing and that is to disagree.

Lyle Northey (Silent/Boomer)
Actions and acts speak volumes to everyone that sees or relates to each of us whether you are the baby that cries or the one that lasts. Everyone knows you by that action that carries through your school years, Class Clown, teacher’s pet or kid that no one wants to be around. It is all the image that we present to others as we mature through some Z society and what is normal and accepted behavior and complies with that image. Others rebel against everything, even things that are presented to protect or make you secure and the broader scope organizations do the same thing. They try be the VFW, American Legion, and even the k k k, each one of them has an image that they portray and they are either praised or vilified by that image. That concept carries over to Nations and countries and a few of each entity is presented to all and perceived as good or bad by all that are observing. We all are ambassador’s of our families, our communities or countries. We are further investors in the problems that we are having. These problems are made worse as no one is taking the time to understand that actions convey identity for all that can be identified as our clan, group, or organization. As ambassadors we need to be aware of and respectful to those we come in contact with professionally or casually for both sides of that issue or meeting. Skip all the other things that have been or could be said and go to the Golden Rule. We have suffered through the most Politically Incorrect person to ever fill office and many feel they are still justified in continuing to imitate him with hate language violent responses to situations and generally bad behavior at all times, perhaps we need to change what we should wear when we leave home that used to be clean underwear now it should be best behavior or body armor depending on which persona you wish to present.

Dwain Northey (Gen X)

Let’s go ahead and pick a fight with the monotheistic philosophy, I will leave Hinduism and Buddhism out of this particular rant because historically they do kill each other of questions of faith and believe that every living thing should be revered. Let’s stick to the monotheist factions.

If anyone has ever taken the time to delve into the Big 3, Judaism, Christianity, and Muslim otherwise known as the Islamic faith. All 3 have very similar tenants and all seem to recognize the same prophets, all recognize Noah, Moses, and Solomon as well as Jesus. The latest of the Big 3 the Islamic faiths with their prophetic leader Muhammad was an Arab religious, social, and political leader and the founder of Islam. According to Islamic doctrine, he was a prophet divinely inspired to preach and confirm the monotheistic teachings of Adam, Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and other prophets. He is believed to be the Seal of the Prophets within Islam.

This is where my confusion starts 3 monotheistic faiths very similar doctrines same faith leaders but for centuries have been killing each other. Is this hostility over who is the “leader” or differing idea’s of heaven or paradise? Do thousands of people hate each other based on who the other professes to be their prophet or in the case of Christianity their savior? To me these seem like ridiculous reasons to war with anyone, but then again I feel that war in itself is a losing enterprise. War’s used to be about land and resources but since the introduction of the modern area the conflict reason has been anchored in faith.

Who has it right? To me that is a stupid question. All the afore mentioned teach that one should not steal, lie, cheat, murder… those are all good things, don’t see where the distrust comes from.

Live and let live if your prophet is Moses, Jesus, Muhammad, Bill the Cat, or no one that’s fine with me as long as you live by the rules of civil society.

I have been told that I won’t go to “Heaven” of I don’t believe because I am more agnostic than anything else… I don’t say that having some faith is bad I just don’t think in the broadest sense that we have a any idea what happens when we shake off this mortal coil.

My smart ass retort is usually that I am an Optimist: At the end either I am Right or I am Surprised and I am good with either option.   

Dwain Northey (Gen X)

Saw a bumper sticker this morning and it is one have seen many times but I am not sure if the person sporting it on their vehicle actually knows what their STICKER means.

The sticker (I HATE SOLICIALISM)

Here is a simple definition:

Socialism is a populist economic and political system based on collective, common, or public ownership of the means of production. Those means of production include the machinery, tools, and factories used to produce goods that aim to directly satisfy human needs.

Many see socialism and think communism and I can verify that because that is what a cashier at the grocery store said to me earlier today.

The main difference is that under communism, most property and economic resources are owned and controlled by the state (rather than individual citizens); under socialism, all citizens share equally in economic resources as allocated by a democratically-elected government.

We do not have either of these systems in the United States and no one not every Bernie Sanders is calling for a Socialist state. We do have social programs and our Constitution is in fact a social contract. If you read it the first three words are “We the People”. Hence, we are all in this together. Over the first nearly 250 years since the Declaration of Independence was signed, we haven’t always lived up to the WE part, as a collective there has always been an us and them but that’s not where I am going with this.

Our government has historically tired to unite, Lincoln with the Civil War, Theodore Roosevelt did his best to bring the dream of prosperity to the masses and even the playing field form the robber barrens of the late 19^th and early 20^th centuries, FDR brought the nation out of the depression and created a social safety net so seniors didn’t live in squaller in their golden years. These were all huge investments paid for by all to provide for all, although the ones that need it most also pay the lions share.

Social Security and Medicare are deduction that come out of every working persons pay and are in turn distributed to recipients who also paid into the system. It is not a discretionary line item in the budget or an entitlement, it is a paid benefit.

Let’s put this into a scenario everyone can understand. Let’s say you worked for the same company your entire working life . For your years of service  you had a contract with said company that they took a small part of your check every pay period that when you retire would provide for you for the rest of your life. That would be a pretty good deal, right? Well, that is what Social Security is. Now let’s imagine that said company decides that they want to dissolve that contract but they still want to hold onto your money but they will invest it in the market so that their friends can make more money (hopefully) and they “promise” that you will still get your money back (Hopefully).

Sounds like a great plan a guarantee to hopefully. That is the plan this current republican party is selling.

They brought a measure to the floor denouncing Socialism… what do they historically define a Socialism.

• Social Security
• Medicare
• Public School
• The Post Office
• National Parks

I could continue the list, but you see my point.

In their system the rich get to exploit and get richer and the rest are left with HOPEFULLY.

Dwain Northey (Gen X)

Prior to 1967 in the state of California carrying a gun was nearly a main stay just like modern day Texas until the Black Panthers showed up on the steps of the State House armed when they heard about the proposed Mumford Act and would ban the carrying of a firearm in public. They took this as the Conservative Government trying to disarm their primarily black organization and being a good Republican the Governor Ronald Reagan of course squelched that gun control act. Oh no he didn’t … a gang of angry (not white) men had come to the State House armed the law banning and making carrying a firearm in public without a license a federal offence.

That’s right the Republican Savior banned guns in California. The statement at the time said it had nothing to do with a group of armed black men showing up at the Capitol but anyone with eyes knew different.

Today the Republicans with the NRA want everyone to have a gun no matter how young… really I seriously doubt that if a large group of any minority group showed up on the steps of congress you can bet there would be some gun control measures enacted. If the January 6 had actually been BLM there would be gun control laws not to mention many protesters having been shot and killed by the authorities.

This is the hypocrisy of the current GOP. The house last week passed a resolution to remove all the metal detectors and allow members to carry a firearm into the house chamber and meeting rooms. Understandably some democratic members feel endangered by this action having been threatened by other house members in the recent past.

I say call them out… Minority Leader Jeffries have your entire caucus show up in full tactical gear and armed. Anyone else think the rule would be change because the big tough GOP would feel threatened, I can guarantee that.  

Dwain Northey (Gen X)

I am disheartened by the news and our apparent inability to control some in our societies basest instinct. Mass shooting have become a daily occurrence to date in 2023 our nation has had more mass shooting that days on the current calendar, according to the Washington Post as of January 24 there were 39 mass shooting in the United States. (Mass shooting is defined as 4 or more injured and/or killed.) What happened to arguments that resulted with a fist fight at worst or just walking away, now a disagreement has to be solved with gun fire. We have more gun deaths per capita than some war zones and we still proport the U.S. to be a “safe” society.

In 1983 the movie a Christmas Story came out that depicted a family from the 40’s, the son, Ralphie wanted a Red Rider Air Rifle. What did every character in the movie say to him? “You’ll put your eye out with that kid!!” That was talking about an air rifle, I read that there is a company called Wee Tactical that is going to produce a .22 caliber rifle called a Jr15 that is exactly the same style as an AR15 only 20% smaller to fit more comfortably in a child’s hands.

This makes me absolutely sick to my stomach… Even the designer of the AR assault style rifle has said that it has no practical purpose outside of a war zone, and now there is a company that is specifically designing a war machine for kids.

The 2^nd Amendment that all gun lovers spout gives them a right to have any gun they want obviously have never read the entire amendment. Here it is for those who haven’t read the whole thing.

Second Amendment

A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.

It is painfully obvious that the first 4 words of the amendment are completely ignored by those who only repeat the last 14 words in this very short amendment.

I read this as every person has the right to join the National Guard, a well-regulated militia, to ensure the security of their Free State. Not that every jack-ass with an apposable thumb has the right to own any projectile throwing machine they want. If you want to play BANG-BANG join the military where you can be trained or go to a firing range where it is safe with trained individuals.

I have the Right to Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness and so do my children and friends. Do you really believe that my right to life is an affront to your right to have a firearm? Because I know that your “right” to have a firearm can be a detriment to my Right to Life.  

Lyle Northey (Silent/Boomer)

  Read an article in the paper about the “innocent patriots’ ‘ that tried to overthrow a legal election and are now being held in jail that is so terrible they would like to be sent to the one in Cuba because the conditions are better there. 

   The inmates in that prison have a great deal in common with these “patriots”, they hate America as it stands and what it stands for, but somehow I do not believe that they would welcome these “patriots”. The similarities are great, they preach and practice hatred, and wish death to all that do not believe. They are fanatical about their devotion to a leader that uses every method he can think of to have them do the dirty work without getting shit all over his shoes. Thinking is not allowed; it would interfere with the leader’s vision of a world devoted to him, run by him, and destroyed to make him wealthier.

    Many great things once came from the place that the men held in Cuba come from, and that all went away because of one man’s obsession with how he thought the world should work and it was based on religion. Many great things have come from the US but we too are falling from a leader position to one dominated by someone that believes he is greater than all before him and that he should be followed without question. Education and intelligent thought are enemies to such people that follow these kinds of leaders. 

   The practices of school yard bullies should be left behind with the adolescent age, growth should happen in the mind as well as the body. Differences are the interesting stimuli of life; they should not be the basis for hate and embitterment. 

    It may be that we are where we are as a nation because we have allowed the fringe of society to make enough noise that we have lost sight of what we are or should be. We have had multiple disagreements over the course of your history and we have managed to get past those issues without resorting to internal warfare except for the Civil War. One of those has been called to satisfy one’s man’s ego and our current issue with a stolen election is not a reason for war. At most it may be a valid discussion point but that is doubtful.

    Giving the people that caused 5 deaths in their peaceful quest to overthrow an election a pass on any type of punishment will not be productive. Should it be jail time, or taking away their citizenship, or their property, forcing them to leave the country, making them wear a badge to mark them as was done in the book “The Scarlet Letter” or as Hitler did to the Jews? 

    Perhaps we should take lessons from the part of the world that believes in eyes being removed, or tongues cut out, or other parts being cut off, stoned to death or thrown out of aircraft, what should it be? The idea that life would be better elsewhere is short sighted on the part of the people complaining about their current, self inflicted predicament and rather than point at the guards, the system, or the local courts they should be directing their anger at the image in the mirror and the man on the podium.