JUST SOME POSTS

I think there may be one other instance where in the over 10 years I have been doing this blog that I have used someone else's words instead of my own. I do not think I have ever just used someone else's words. This does not need anything I can give it other than an introduction. So here it is:  Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) delivered a strident address on the floor of the Senate on Tuesday afternoon in which he cited examples of Democrats encouraging violence and aggressive behavior against Trump supporters and Republicans. Paul highlighted the Democrats’ hypocrisy as he spoke against the impending impeachment trial of former President Donald Trump, which is scheduled to begin Tuesday afternoon, though substantive proceedings will be delayed until February 8. Paul’s remarks, in full, are as follows. *** "This impeachment is nothing more than a partisan exercise designed to further divide the country. Democrats claim to want to unify the country, but impeaching a former president,...

  A lot has been made in the last couple of weeks of the President's (now past President) pardons and commutations (although most don't know what a commutation is - they "know" they should be upset with them. For the record a commutation is the substitution of a lesser penalty than originally given - typically time served. The conviction and criminal record still exists. A pardon is the overturning of the actual conviction. It exonerates the person and expunges their record of the crime.) Presidential pardons and commutations are a power granted to all Presidents from the U.S. Constitution. In the section enumerating Presidential powers and authority, Article 2, Section 2, Clause 1 states which states: "...he shall have Power to grant Reprieves and Pardons for Offenses against the United States". Although there has been some arguments among Constitutional scholars, this power is considered to be only for convictions and/or violations of Federal laws, not Sta...

I have done a couple of fairly recent posts on perspective. I have been amazed at the fear shown over Covid-19 from young people. I am not making light of any deaths. However, statistically Covid-19 has not been a significant cause of death for those under 65 at all. If you look under 55, it is even less. There are many other things that are as if not more likely to kill you. Some US Covid-19 numbers The most deaths in number and as a percentage of that population is in those over 75. That demographic represents just under 7% of the total population (6.88% of the numbers I was using). However, they account for just under 60% (59.6%) of all the Covid-19 deaths. Read those numbers again - 6 out of every 10 Covid-19 deaths in the US are in people 75 and older!  If you include the next demographic - 65 years and older (so it would include the previous group as well as those from 65 to 74 years old) you are now at almost 81% (80.9%) of all deaths from Covid-19. This group represents jus...

Just a brief post with some reminders (or maybe some original thoughts for some of you!) 1)  Censorship, especially of speech, is a bad thing in almost every case . Freedom of Speech was made as part the First Amendment to the Constitution (in the Bill of Rights) because it was recognized that the most effective way to silence dissent was to limit its spread. To limit the spread of differing ideas is to limit the possibility of dialogue and growth and leads to tyranny.  2) Discrimination against a group of people will never counteract or neutralize discrimination that was fostered upon another group of people . (also can be read: two wrongs don't make a right - no more comment is needed) 3) Diversity for the sake of diversity is discrimination . See #2. If you select a person for a position solely based on the color of their skin, their gender, or any other attribute other than their ability, you are practicing discrimination. Selecting the best candidate, based upon their qua...