Lyle Northey (Silent/Boomer)

Hopefully this will not come off as paranoia or cause problems, just generate some action on the part of concerned capable people.
Our government, for the most part, at both national and state level, is being run by people that have money. Some have earned it, others have inherited it, but they have it and believe it gives them an advantage. One thing is certain, having money does not make you smart or improve your IQ. If it has any effect it is to give a sense of superiority that does not really exist except in the mind.
So the point is to get some intelligent people into the arena to help govern the country. At present we have one party that except for the fact that they call themselves christian are trying to enact rules that you would expect to see coming from muslim countries. The restrictions on women being the hallmark item on their agenda. Control everything women do, keep them in their place and make sure they do not have a say in anything.
Just like it was back when women could not own property, vote, get a loan in their name, or travel without a male escort. Domination is the name of the game and religion is the greatest advocate of the practice, no matter what the faith might be.
The effort to take over the world has been played out many times in history. The Romans, Alexandra the Great, Atilla the Hun, Adolph Hitler, (strange they all start with A). The Catholic Church put a bid in to do the same things and the religion that is trying today is the Muslim faith.
They have migrated to most everywhere and they take their faith with them. They are very active in the local political realm and get elected to city councils and then move up. As they move they tend to bring about changes that make their faith more acceptable. That is fine as long as it does not become mandatory as it is in current places.
With that, we currently have a political party that is oppressive and very restrictive. Put both those into place at the same time and it is more than possible to end up with one order and the domination by one religion.
One thing that is very real, and history has proven it, religion is not a good way to run a country. Most are not inclusive, they are very unforgiving, and quite rigid in what is or is not acceptable. None of that attitude makes for a good place to live. It might be fine for the wingnuts in charge but for the rest it is smothering.
Everyone in a society has to be respected as individuals regardless of race, religion, sex, gender or any other things you can come up with to identify as. When that disappears so does freedom and identity. Decisions are made by a very narrow group that is usually made up of very narrow minds and as has happened in the past, mother nature may decide that a complete purge is the best she can hope for, and start over.
Mankind should not put the future into terms like “In God We Trust” or “If Allah Wills”. Sorry, these beliefs are one way tickets to nowhere. It will take intelligence, common sense and compassion to keep mankind from destroying ourselves. We best hope we find those attributes in the people we elect and find it soon as world wide mankind seems to be in a self destructive mode.

Dwain Northey (Gen X)

The typical I have the right to have a gun, clutch their pearls over books they disagree with, drag queens, even teachers that aren’t parents them selves but it’s never the gun in a school shooting that is the problem.

A 14-year-old boy with mental problems reported when he was 13 was given an assault style rifle by his parents for gift which he used to shoot up his own school and killed classmates. The second amendment people want you to tell you that it’s not the gun that’s the problem, its the person wielding the gun. These are the same people that voted down any mental health that could help these people that decide to go shoot up a school or kill innocent people. My question is, how is the gun not the problem other countries have mental health issues. They have violent video games. They have all the same problems we have except one they don’t have easy access to firearms so again, I’ll ask the question. How is the gun not the problem?

(Some parts of our Constitution need changed)

Lyle Northey (Silent/Boomer)

The absolute pathetic efforts that are put forth to protect school children from becoming victims of shootings was again demonstrated outside of Atlanta. There is all kinds of effort put forth to protect a former President while he stands and runs his mouth. Far more protection than needed. Ironic but true some of the children already have the scars from wounds from previous shootings.
There is so much being said about things being fair. College students don’t like a term or phrase and they make a big deal of how unfair it is that someone should use that word or phrase. The 2nd amendment jockeys think that restricting the types of gun they can have is unfair. Trump thinks it is unfair that he should be held accountable for crimes he has committed, or that he has competition running for office. The real unfair thing is our children and grandchildren having to go to school and endure live shooter exercises, or putting up with a live shooter in their school.
Now it is said that the electoral college is most likely going to side with Trump. Why are we holding elections? Why are we being asked to support causes or people when it seems we do not have a choice? A few very corrupt individuals hoping to be rewarded for being ass holes are going to decide what is going to happen on Nov 5. It is way past time to eliminate the electoral college. The college system might be fair if it were not for the Gerrymandering that goes on to give one party not just a chance to win but rather, a no way to lose position.
Should this election turn out with that sort of outcome and a huge loss in the popular vote. Then Biden should call for marshal law and remain in office until all the little corrupt bigots are ratted out and eliminated. Then have another election on a level field. Use the tactics of Trump against him and flush him down the toilet.
Another totally unjust thing that is being pulled is the removal of registered voters on bogus charges. I am not sure what the laws are in these various states that are doing this, but if a republican can remove a voting block with a single complaint, do the same and remove millions of the republican voters, especially MAGA republicans.
Normally it is better to remain in the boat and row than to try to sink it. This year, considering who is running again, we cannot remain on deck and play music, We need to take over the lifeboats and pull away from the sinking wreck.

Lyle Northey (Silent/Boomer)

There are so many reasons to be involved in the future of our nation and in order to be counted voting is a must. Then the question for each is who to vote for? Well think about what you want for yourself, in the context of personal freedom, self governance and general wellbeing.
Do you want your home or work place invaded to try and discover if you are loyal to the President, or are you monitoring your cycles to keep from having babies? Those are very different things to consider, but if we end up with a dictator we will have reason to be concerned with both.
The current stance of many in the republican party is that if you are not loyal to the leader then you are a threat to the nation. If you are not producing babies, as a woman, you are not fulfilling your duty to the nation. Women have a place to be of use, in the kitchen or the bedroom but not in the work force and not in government.
The manifesto that is called 2025 expresses some very radical ideas about keeping track of menstrual cycles, making sure that pregnancies are not terminated, even ones that occur because of incest or rape. The life of the baby is to be considered before the mother if problems arise. This topic has been addressed before and it is now a big point with the nominee for VP on the republican ticket.
The rhetoric on immigrants and how they are coming to steal jobs, and they are all criminals, etc is the kind of propaganda that was preached in Germany in the 1930’s. We know what that led to and the latest election there has put the extreme right back in power. Our political minefield hints at internal conflict where the effort to suppress everyone that is not of the chosen, i.e. white supermists.
We have managed to become the most powerful nation on earth in less than 300 years from founding till today. We have had some very rough patches in our development and everything is still not as rosy as it should be, however, we are making progress and we need to move forward not backward. The hate and division being preached by one party, which also seems to have a good deal of support from pulpits that should not be in politics, is defeating our independence and to the Constitution.
Our efforts need to be directed toward equality and inclusion not dominance and exclusion. For some reason it seems that even knowing life is short, the need to compete is stimulated more quickly than the need to relax and smell the roses. Mankind has developed a lot of games to compete, yet at the end of the day some can not accept that it is only a game. Winning is everything.
Question how do wars start, what is the catalyst for the conflict and who will gain the most for the conflict, and then find the leaders and let them fight it out. As it stands in the world today the effort to suppress others or take from others what is theirs, usually autonomy and freedom whether it is a battle between nations or between the sexes for respect and recognition.

Lyle Northey (Silent/Boomer)

Politics and religion are again meeting in a way that is detrimental to the Constitution and the nation. Churches are supposed to be nonprofit, but judging by the opulence of the buildings they build and the way most of the leaders of churches live, nonprofit is just a nonsense concept.
The idea of churches not paying taxes is not just one that the US honors, other nations do as well. That status was bestowed on them and along with that came a law in the 1950’s that said you will keep that status as long as you stay out of politics. That worked for several years but it is no longer true. The IRS is not going after churches that are involved in politics.
What does it mean for the average person that does not go to church? You are paying for public things like paved roads, and sales taxes and just about everything in between so that churches do not have to pay. If they were a true non-profit at the end of the year they would have distributed all of the money they have to the needy, we know that does not happen.
Let’s be honest in saying that influence is part and parcel to what churches are all about. They spout propaganda from the pulpit weekly and if you hear the call then you believe and follow. That message will of course, reflect the ideas and ideals of the minister and the congregation if not the greater community. If the message is negative towards any particular group or company or person, more than likely that message will make a difference.
The far right of this nation is very much, at present, on the record as white nationalists. The message they are preaching is most likely not one that is helpful to any candidate that is not white. This idea that ability, brains or worth is confined to one race or another is stupid but enough people are still of that mind to make a difference.
The idea, or belief that only one race has a lock on whatever is important makes as much sense as the idea that corporations are people and have a right to vote. Another lie that was said often enough that some started to believe it. We have problems in our country, the influence that is provided by those in leadership positions can not be understated. We get influence from our government, the media and which way the owners and directors of the media corporations what the wind blows, and from the pulpit if we are church attendees.
All the hype and far too much divisive nonsense is directed at us that our more easily influenced can become less than good neighbors. Radical ideas, racial bias and a host of other negativity encourages violence and hostility. How do we overcome these issues?
One possible idea is to make our police forces more accessible to everyone. Take some out of the cars and back to walking a beat and getting to know the neighborhoods. That seems radical to some but when you ride around in a car and the only interactions are because someone did something wrong, positive impressions of one another are hard to form. The idea might cost more to have the extra police but the positives of interaction should overcome the cost. Let respect become a common value of both the public and the police, we will all gain from the experience.

Lyle Northey (Silent/Boomer)

As we get closer to making the decision as to how our country will be run, not just for the next 4 years but very possibly forever, it becomes more important to register and vote. At present we have the right and duty to express our wishes at the ballot box. Trump is promising that if he is elected we will no longer be bothered by this rather trivial recurring event. Guess that means that there will be no need to express your wishes as you will have not rights or at least no right to express.
Some are holding on to the notion that he will somehow be better this time around than he was on the first trip. With the glorification of imaginary people like Hannable Lector and talking about producing so much electricity that you will beg to have it shut off, one has to wonder about mental stability. We saw his adoration for the autocrats of the world and his disdain of those that have served to defend this nation, and yet there are people that still think he will do a good job.
The other problem is, of course, that Harris is a woman and it is well known that women are inferior beings. That status was bestowed on them from ages ago and has only been enforced by a male dominated society. Men have maligned women and come up with all sorts of denigrating names to call them, and yet the male of the species never seems to stop pursuing them.
Some cultures have the idea that girls are worthless or can be sacrificed for the glory of the male. The truth is that without the female there would be no perpetuation of the species. Granted a male can father potentially thousands of children in the time it takes for one child to develop and be born, but without that birth there would be nothing.
As to a woman being President or the leader of a nation there have been many Queens that ruled over the centuries and still rule today. There have been elected leaders of nations that were women and they have done very well in those positions so the argument that they are unfit for such roles is totally unfounded.
Why are so many determined to make judgements about abilities based only on gender, or color of skin, or some other superficial nonsense? Every person that strives to be more that merely one of the crowd is tested by one means or another for suitability in the place and we see a goodly number fail. All one has to do today to see the failure rate of those being elected to office is look to Congress and observe the republican representatives therein. The House has done little else in the last 2 years except try to run interference for Trump in his legal battles.
This coming election will hopefully keep democracy alive. No doubt the loser of this battle will behave as he did before and claim that he was cheated out of the election. It would be nice if that doesn’t happen but the only way that is possible is if he chokes to death on a hamburger.

Most Countries Don’t Celebrate Workers in September

While reserving the first Monday in September for Labor Day hearkens back to the holiday’s New York origins, the decision was also designed to distract from a more unsavory moment in the history of U.S. labor relations. Most countries around the world actually celebrate unions and workers on May 1, otherwise known as International Workers’ Day. This international holiday actually has its origins in the U.S., when a clash between Chicago police and workers in 1886 left several dead and dozens injured. Known as the Haymarket Riot, the event went on to inspire International Workers’ Day in 1889. Uneasy honoring such a bloody moment in U.S. history — especially one that inspired widespread vitriol against labor unions — Congress and President Cleveland opted for a different date entirely.

Lyle Northey (Silent/Boomer)

The current political situation with the campaign is consuming and has a very ugly feeling about it. One party is very upbeat and focused on the future and bringing back common sense and dignity to our society. The other is advocating the destruction of everything we have ever established as good and necessary.
How is it possible to destroy our public schools and advance our society? Charter schools may have an advantage as they are less likely to have to put up with politicians telling them that they have to do certain things. Will closing the EPA improve our lot? It will make it easier to pollute our waterways and put chemicals into the air, oh yeah, and line the pockets of those in the mineral exploitation business. Take away the CDC and this will improve our health. Take away the FDA and that will make our food safer. Take away public health and we shall all live to be 100. If all that sounds like a lot of bull shit it is because that is all that it is.
Our future will have challenges that will need to be met with study and common sense solutions. Global warming is not just a theory, it is happening and if we can delay or mitigate it we are going to need the condition to be monitored, studied and worked on so that it does not make us distincant. By working on these problems here we are helping not only ourselves but the rest of the world. This world is the only home we have and it requires our care and attention.
The message that is being sent by Harris and Walz is refreshing and hopeful. The inclusiveness of taking care of all our neighbors, not just worrying about the ones that profess to be our brothers because of skin color and church attendance. Our Constitution does not address a concept of following a specific religion, nor speaking a particular language or exalting a certain skin color, so why would we listen to a party that wants to separate us based on any of those values.
Yes, ideally our government should have our back, but that does not mean they legislatively have the right to enter our homes or doctors offices to find out what illness we have or when and if we have sex or anything like that. The job of government is to help provide for all our needs and prevent the attitude of one group from overpowering another. This is not about whether a procedure is right for you or not it is about the right to be able to acquire that procedure if desired without interference.

Crossed the Rainbow Bridge Kitty Time

Oregon was the first state to make Labor Day a holiday.

U.S. HISTORY

L abor Day, celebrated on the first Monday in September in the United States, honors workers and their contributions to the nation. Congress passed a bill signed by President Grover Cleveland making it an official federal holiday in 1894, but state observations date back to 1887. Five different states observed Labor Day that year, but Oregon came first; the state’s bill to recognize the holiday became law on February 21, 1887. 

Strangely — and of little use to people with weekday work schedules — Oregon’s first Labor Day was celebrated not in September, but the first Saturday in June. After Colorado, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and New York each passed laws recognizing Labor Day on the now-traditional September date, Oregon moved its own observance to match. The September date comes from the first-ever Labor Day demonstration, which was organized by the Central Labor Union (a coalition of local labor unions) and held in New York City on September 5, 1882. It included a one-day strike, a parade, and, fitting with more modern Labor Day celebrations, a giant picnic. Unlike May Day, an international observance on May 1 that commemorates the 1886 Haymarket Riot in Chicago, there was no particular significance to the timing of the demonstration — it likely just fell roughly between the Fourth of July and Thanksgiving on the calendar. In the ensuing years, pro-worker demonstrations on the first Monday in September started cropping up throughout the country, eventually gaining enough steam to become a national holiday.