It's a poor sword that cuts but one way.

I have a feeling that the latest campaign news, Bernie Sanders plans short hiatus from New York campaign trail to speak at the Vatican, will make so people happy.

I am not one of them.

Whatever virtues the current Pope has, to my mind this is inappropriate.

The Pope is a foreign leader (Prince Bishop of the Vatican City State), so he (like Netanyahu) should have no role in American elections.*

The United States is supposed to be republic of laws accepted and applying to people of fundamentally differing views**, and issues are supposed to be decided in conversation over the merits of the creation and enforcement of those laws.

Even a domestic a religious leader should no more role than that of any citizen, and appeal to religious argument is in and of itself dangerous to a republic.

I may be motivated by my religious upbringing to form certain political and economic positions one thing.  I cannot, and will not expect anyone (even my own people) to accept that as a valid political argument.

That one might (as I do to some degree) agree with the Pope's conclusions, does not validate the appeal to religious authority in public discourse. 

If it did, what of the Pope's other pronouncements, or the positions of the President of the Church of Latter Days Saints, the President of the Southern Baptist Convention, or the Lubavicher Rebbe?

I will not lift this sword, as I do not want it lifted by my enemies.


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* I am no more willing to believe that this invitation was extended without consideration of American domestic politics that Netanyahu's speech to Congress.

** A paraphrase of Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr.: 'A Constitution is made for people of fundamentally differing views'.

Not an Arsenal for Democracy

Before it gets completely out of date, I thought I would let the world know what I had learned at my local Washington State caucus.

I could simply say how these caucuses aren't as good as the ones I participated in when younger, back home, which for me is in Minnesota.

This will make me sound like a cynical old man*.

But something about these proceedings struck me as fundamentally wrong.

From my perspective, a precint caucus is supposed to be a face to face a meeting of persons committed to a party and its idea.  That is a grass roots event.

It should occur more frequently than every four years, and be more than a tool of a presidential campaign.

I did not attend a precinct caucus, but attended a number of caucuses held in a moderately sized multi-purpose, Gymnasium basketball.

This denotes a certain lack of serious as a grass roots event.  We might have almost have been face to face but:

1. No one could hear.
2. The convenor didn't really know the rules 
3. Information wasn't shared (I didn't find out the date for the convention for which I was selected as a noncommitted delegate until I googled)   

Worst of all, the only thing accomplished was vote on a presidential candidate.

We have an open congressional seat and an open state legislature, but we didn't discuss those.

We didn't select precinct officers, discuss party organization, or (shudder) the platform. should've been discussing those issues we should've been electing our precinct officers.

We didn't discuss how to get together and divide work for the election.

We didn't function as a party meeting.

What did happend was to fall into the tramp of personality cultism, which seems to permeate the American left.  Neither Sanders nor Clinton will govern without an effective political infrastructure.  The other side has it.

I don't know how to fix this locally.  Even if I thought there were those about me who thought this congenial, I am not a person who could rally them**.  Mind, even if I tried, literally no one would have heard me in that room.

To change the political system, an organized party, with some discipline, is required.  Not a hero culture.


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*"The power of accurate observation is commonly called cynicism by those who have not got it." -- GBS

**Contrary to what many people think, I am not unself aware, and know the limitations of my personality.

Incredibly insulting piece: Bernie Sanders: a Jew With a Christian Politic

Here is a wonderful piece of work Bernie Sanders: a Jew With a Christian Politic

Please explain to me why describing a Jew as being Christian is supposed to be a positive?

Is it not arrogant to think that any people, but particularlly Jews, require Christian approval for our politics?

Or to tacitly limit progressive as "a Christian politic: one that cares for the poor and outcast."

One must ask, what is the author and those who proudly repost this, thinks is a Jewish politic?  

Would one see such comparison about another people, without charges of cultural theft, microagression, or priviledge.

Why does a discussion of politics in America require the injection of religion, and why one religion rather than another.

Never forget, there are those of us who love this country and work for its good despite any of its Christian heritage.

All Extremists are Cousins

I find this article in the Washington Post,
Ga. parents, offended by the ‘Far East religion’ of yoga, get ‘Namaste’ banned from school, amusing.

Given that we recent banning of a Yoga class banned over 'cultural appropriation' in Canada, more proof that all extremists are cousins.

We are becoming Pakistan, two.

I  often hate it when events prove me right.

However, an article by Sally Koln: Thank Government Appeasement of Wingnuts for the Oregon Standoff , echos the brilliant blog posting of April 2015 (We are becoming Pakistan).


Rather than wasting time with hollow gestures about gun control, President Buchanan Obama might actually spend time enforcing the law against those who seek to destroy our state.

Note the language in support of terror

Clever use of language by Fox, no: Armed protesters at national wildlife refuge say government force would risk lives.


By all means, it wants to portray its (Fox News') terrorists as protesters.  I might go so far as to say, its (Fox News') traitors.

My usage of the term traitor is not hyperbolic, because I believe in supporting the police and according to the Harney County Sheriff Dave Ward:

"These men came to Harney County claiming to be part of militia groups supporting local ranchers, when in reality these men had alternative motives to attempt to overthrow the county and federal government in hopes to spark a movement across the United States,"

I commend the reactionary movements and Republican Party's Völkischer Beobachter, on its skill.

Interesting technical point, Fox News' title for this article on its web site is "Armed protesters at national wildlife refuge say government force would risk lives", though the metadata means that a direct post to facebook would referred to "Armed Militia".

Let us Dance the Dark Morris

Solitice will occurs this year on December 22nd at 04:49 Hours GMT (Universal time) or December 21, 20:49 Hours PST.