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SEEDS OF HOPE

September 16, 2021 By: bob Category: Culture, In the News, On Bob's Mind, Something To Think About

seedkin.com

I make no claim of being a prophet.  Three years ago – October 2018 – I posted the following article – “The Garden” – for the first time. That article was based on something I had read some 20+ years earlier from another author (name forgotten) who predicted what is happening today all around us.  It was one of the most shared, copied and requested articles I have ever written.  The original article is copied below the divider.

Unfortunately what was foreseen in the original article has come to pass.  We live in a badly fractured land filled with mistrust, corruption, anger, finger pointing, hate and lies. 

I have been tormented with the realization that there is little that I can do to “fix” what is wrong in Washington D.C. or Sacramento or so many of the broken cities around the country. My readers know that I have written about these issues for some 12 years.  While I receive much appreciated comment and agreement, little has changed in what has become  a downward spiral that I witness continuing.  I don’t have the power to correct what is happening.  

I vote for change and nothing changes.  I have no representation at either a State or Federal level to Champion my Values.

The one area where I can make a difference is in my own life.  I can practice what I believe and try to plant seeds of hope in my own sphere of life.  My family, friends, neighbors, where I worship and those strangers I come in contact with in the normal course of living.  I can demonstrate that I am not a racist, or a “whatever-phob”.  I can tell the truth, keep my word, help a neighbor or friend.  I can practice what I believe, not just in words but by what I do.  

If enough of us do this we can carve out a space or sanctuary around us that resembles, on perhaps a smaller scale, the world I grew up in and cherished.

I can’t fix the mess in Washington or Sacramento but I can work on fixing “me”.  I can plant seeds of hope in my own little garden.

So, in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the law and the prophets.  Matthew 7:12

 

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Here is the original article

THE GARDEN

Many years ago, twenty or more, I remember reading about a time in the future when the writer believed the United States might very well “Balkanize” itself.  That is turn into a fatally fractured land and people, where reconciliation into any kind of unity becomes impossible.  Or, in other words, goodbye “E Pluribus Unum”.

A people who become so divided along idealogical as well as cultural, religious, political, and ethnic identities that a unified effort for the “greater good of all” becomes impossible. 

A time when our national diversity, instead of being our unifying strength, is instead used as a weapon of destruction.

Elements within our previously “United” government and society become fortresses of non-negotiable demands.  These elements threaten the total destruction of our way of life unless their specific demands are granted.  They will use any means to achieve their goals.  Violence, fear, intimidation, destruction of families, corruption on a national scale and any other means to get their way.  

Following the leadership of writers such as Saul Alinsky and funded by anti-American zealots such as George Soros, these elements seek to impose a society which is in direct conflict with the values and institutions envisioned by our Founders and treasured by most.  For their agenda, co-existence is not an option.

In the process they are planting a garden, the rows of this garden contain the seeds of Lies, Hate, Anger, Rage and Bitterness.  Tell me, what do you harvest if these are the seeds you plant and cultivate?  

They have also infiltrated and corrupted many previously thought incorruptible government agencies and departments like the FBI and Department of Justice,  just to name two.

These,and other Agencies and Departments have become  populated too often by self serving un-elected demigods wedded to the principle that they are entitled to lifetime pay and benefits and are not answerable to the taxpayers.  What is now being referred to by many as the “Deep State”.  

If the average citizen did the things these bureaucrats are allowed to do, the citizen would find him or herself in prison while the government employee or elected official seems to have an endless “Get Out Of Jail Free” card. 

Cross them in any way and they have the power and the taxpayer paid for resources to hound you, bankrupt you and ruin your life just for the fun of it.

I don’t think of Washington D.C. as a Swamp.  It is better defined  as a “Cesspool”.

Original Article – October 2018

Bob Bandy – September 2021

An Avoidable Disaster

August 31, 2021 By: bob Category: In the News, On Bob's Mind, Something To Think About

90 Retired Generals Pen Scathing Letter Calling For Austin And Milley To Resign Immediately

Rarely do I reprint an article in its entirety with little comment.  But this piece says it all. The incompetence of these leaders leaves them with the blood of countless troops and civilians on their hands not to mention the waste of Billions of Dollars of high tech armaments which were virtually gifted to America’s most ardent enemies.  They should all resign in shame, including their leader, the Commander in Chief.

BY TYLER DURDEN – The Durden Dispatch
TUESDAY, AUG 31, 2021 – 11:00 AM
Nearly 100 retired generals and admirals are demanding that US Defense Secretary (and former Raytheon board member) Lloyd Austin and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley resign immediately over the botched Afghanistan withdrawal.

“The retired Flag Officers signing this letter are calling for the resignation and retirement of the Secretary of Defense (SECDEF) and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (CJCS) based on negligence in performing their duties primarily involving events surrounding the disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan,” reads a Monday letter signed by 90 retired top-ranking military officials.

“As principal military advisors to the CINC (Commander in Chief)/President, the SECDEF and CJCS should have recommended against this dangerous withdrawal in the strongest possible terms,” they wrote.

“If they did not do everything within their authority to stop the hasty withdrawal, they should resign.”

“The consequences of this disaster are enormous and will reverberate for decades beginning with the safety of Americans and Afghans who are unable to move safely to evacuation points; therefore, being de facto hostages of the Taliban at this time. The death and torture of Afghans has already begun and will result in a human tragedy of major proportions. The loss of billions of dollars in advanced military equipment and supplies falling into the hands of our enemies is catastrophic. The damage to the reputation of the United States is indescribable.  We are now seen, and will be seen for many years, as an unreliable partner in any multinational agreement or operation. Trust in the United States is irreparably damaged. 

Moreover, now our adversaries are emboldened to move against America due to the weakness displayed in Afghanistan. China benefits the most followed by Russia, Pakistan, Iran, North Korea and others. Terrorists around the world are emboldened and able to pass freely into our country through our open border with Mexico.”

13 troops were killed last Thursday in an ISIS-K suicide bombing, as the Daily Mail notes. While President Joe Biden took ‘ultimate’ responsibility for their deaths (checking his watch several times after their remains were flown into Dover Air Force Base), calls have already begun to circulate for Biden to resign or be impeached for his administration’s horrible handling of the withdrawal – which they had seven months to plan for.

On Tuesday afternoon, (8-31-21) Biden will read remarks patting his administration on the back for their handling of the withdrawal.

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Their total incompetence and ignorance has cost all of us as Americans potential decades of shame, humiliation and loss of credibility.

Pssst – President Biden has stated he still intends to come and take your AR-15 Rifle away from you.  May I suggest you simply tell the Jack Booted Thug he sends to your door to confiscate your rifle that “It’s okay – I got this one from the Taliban”.

Bob Bandy  August 31, 2021

The Mayors 100 Million Dollar Homeless Plan

August 13, 2021 By: bob Category: Culture, In the News, Something To Think About

Homeless camp downtown Sacramento next to Steinberg sign.

(Photo: Katy Grimes for California Globe)

Almost two years ago Sacramento, California Mayor Darrell Steinberg and the City Council approved a 22.5 Million Dollar one year plan for Sacramento’s homeless.  The plan was to provide housing and beds for some 750 homeless.  (Search “Tweedledum & Tweedledee” on this site) At the time I calculated that the cost per proposed homeless recipient to be $29,605 per person assisted and questioned if any of these decision makers owned a calculator.

“Mayor Steinberg also approved tiny apartments in a renovated old downtown hotel, which cost more than $445,000 per unit for about 250 square feet of living space, as the Globe reported. This project only benefitted the union contractors.” (see California Globe Aug. 6, 2021)

The homeless problem has continued to grow worse, not better.

Now Major Steinberg and the City Council has approved a 100 Million Dollar plan on a unanimous City Council vote.

This plan is targeting about 9,000 people living on the streets and byways of downtown Sacramento.

“The Council will authorize an inventory of sites with enough capacity to match the scope of the problem,” the mayor’s office said in a news release. “In addition to specific sites, the plan identifies strategies to tackle homelessness that include motel conversions, increased housing voucher usage and scattered site housing. The plan also includes the intent to create a larger “campus” model that could serve 350 people,” according to the news release.  (KCRA News)

“Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg, the Sacramento City Council and City Manager gave themselves big raises in May, as crime spiked in the city, as the drug-addicted homeless multiplied, while the city was still in the red tier of the Governor’s COVID lockdown, and as council members proposed cutting $30 million from the police department budget.”
“Now Steinberg wants to open homeless shelters, tiny homes and tent encampments in 20 residential neighborhoods and locations around the city, SacBee.com reported. Because eradicating the drug-addicted homeless from areas where families live, children play, youth athletes play, and neighbors walk, run, exercise and recreate is not on the table – and never has been.”
“This isn’t the Mayor’s and City Council’s first attempt to spread the homeless love around the city.” In December, the Globe reported, “Rather than finding ways to get Sacramento’s large homeless population the emergency medical and mental health services they need, Mayor Darrell Steinberg is threatening city residents with tent cities in their neighborhoods. Calling Sacramento residents ‘NIMBYs,’ Steinberg wants the city council to adopt a ‘master plan’ – essentially a map marking potential properties across the city.”(California Globe – Aug. 6, 2021)
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Excuse me, I seem to be missing the part of the plan that works on the root causes of homelessness.  The mayors plan sounds more like a 100 Million Dollar “rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic”.  You know, get them out of downtown and move them to the residential suburbs.
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Let’s see.  The city spent 22.5 Million Dollars on a one year plan to help 750 homeless people and the problem in two years has grown, by the mayor and city councils calculation to a 9,000 homeless people population which they will spend 100 Million Dollars on a one year plan to “solve”.
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Can’t help wondering how many politically connected contractors and friends of the Mayor and City Council members pockets will be padded with shares from this 100 Million Dollar “windfall”?  Or am I just a hopeless cynic?
What could possibly go wrong?
Bob Bandy – August 2021
“Momma Tried”

Cheer Up – Things Could Be Worse

August 04, 2021 By: bob Category: Culture, Humor, In the News

Some Times We Can’t Decide Whether To

Laugh or Cry or Scream in Frustration

Every time we think things could not get worse

in our nations Capitol, They get worse.

Poor Joe Biden.  Members of our Presidents own Political Party are beginning to view him as “well past his best if used by date”.  Sort of like that dish of tuna and noodle casserole you left in the back of the refrigerator……  two months ago.

President Biden began his career as a Political Prodigy at a prestigious college where, many believe, he earned a Masters Degree in Plagiarism  and a Doctors Degree in Prevarication  before launching his career as a Senator who became a Vice President and now President. 

Along the way he tamed the town bully with his steely eyed glare.  In fairness it must be remembered that Corn Pop had been warned that Young Joe was a Third Degree Black Belt Plagiarist.

Tough as nails Joe also was at Teddy Roosevelts side as they charged up San Juan Hill during the Spanish American War.

Working man Joe also managed to make time for careers in, among other things, Long Haul 18 Wheel Truck Driving and working deep beneath the earth as a “Hard Rock” Coal Miner.  Truly a man of many talents.

Building his reputation for inter-racial relations, Joe studied at the knee of his long time friend and idealogical soul mate, Democratic Senator Robert Byrd from West Virginia, a confidant and counselor with a long history in public and private service, including serving as a Grand Wizard of the Ku Klux Klan.  From his friend Senator Byrd, then Senator Biden seems to have gotten his foundational knowledge in Critical Race Theory.

Serving with our President is his Vice President Kamala Harris who has become nearly invisible and being kept out of the public eye.

Her “Goodwill” trip to Central America was a political and media disaster with large crowds telling her to “Go Home”.  Poor Joe, not much help here. The mainstream media has shown one photo of  Kamala & her husband kissing.  Both wearing a mask.  Take that where you will.  But as Joe would say “Come on man!”

Other players in the White House Team include Anthony J. Blinken playing the part of Secretary of State.  I was always of the belief that the Secretary of States job was to be a Cheerleader for the United States, making sure our interests were protected worldwide and spokesman for all that is good about the United States.  Secretary Blinken seems to be carrying on the Obama worldwide apology tour and going “hat in hand” to the United Nations begging for forgiveness for our (non-existent) Systemic Racism. 

Other members of the Biden “team” include Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Army General Mark A. Milley, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.  A sort of “Frick & Frack” twosome of  Critical Race Theory “Kool-Aid” drinkers.  Both bent on turning the best fighting force in the world into a band of “hand-wringing” apologists for America’s greatness.  If I were still in the military (see closing comments), I would be ashamed  to serve under either of them.   

Closing Comments

On a more serious note and in closing I will share my own experience while in the Military.  I spent ten years total in the Army National Guard.  Six of those years in a Combat Infantry Unit and four years in a Medical Brigade.  In all of those years I do not remember there ever being a single instance of anything resembling a “racial” issue.  I served with members of all colors and all races.  We were soldiers.  Not white soldiers or black soldiers or brown  soldiers or oriental soldiers.  Just soldiers.  We served together, slept together, ate together and had each others back.  When we were called into a riot situation we stood shoulder to shoulder, color did not matter, in our minds we were all “green”.   To this day if I visit a military hospital or other place of service, I feel a kinship, comradery and spirit of belonging. 

In my world if I have a problem with someone, it is personal, race is never an issue.

Bob Bandy – August 2021

 

America’s Social Implosion?

July 26, 2021 By: bob Category: In the News, Something To Think About

I am sharing the following article excerpts from The Durden Dispatch of July 24, 2021  It is fairly long but a very important read.  The complete article is online and available.

America Is Only One Step Away 

From A South African-Style Social Implosion

Authored by Brandon Smith via Alt-Market.us,

photo: Zerohedge – The Durden Dispatch

“On the global news front I have been watching one event with special attention, mainly because it seems like almost no one else is – I am speaking of course about the social and economic collapse in South Africa that has been escalating over the past couple weeks. What is strange to me is that certain parallels between South Africa and the US are being summarily ignored.”

“Basically, the South African situation is a more exaggerated version of what is happening in America, and we need to consider if it is merely a preview of future events as the extra financial protections in the US begin to fall away.”

“Cultural Marxism And Social Unrest (The Reparations Con)”

“South Africa’s government under the ANC (African National Congress) was already going full communist in 2018-2019 before the covid pandemic. Under proposed amendments to the constitution, they demanded that “reparations” be taken from white farmers in the form of land grabs, which would then be redistributed to black citizens.”

“This is the classic critical race theory argument – That because colonialism once existed, all beneficiaries and their supposed descendants owe dues to the descendants of indigenous people who lost their lands. The problem is, only the descendants of WHITE colonists are required to pay dues.”

“This is exactly the same path that socialists/Marxists in the Democratic Party are pursuing in the US, with some states and cities demanding reparations for blacks be written into law because of slavery nearly 200 years ago. The reparations movement is tiny, but like all other social justice initiatives it is gaining power because politicians and corporations are supporting it artificially. Why? That’s easy: It’s all about divide and conquer……..”

“Of course, today’s communists don’t really fight for anything, at least not directly. I might respect them a little if they did. Rather, they loudly whine that they are “victims” even though they are not, and then demand they be given free stuff for life even though they never earned it. And, since free stuff has to be taken from somewhere, the people that have things are attacked through color of law even when they did nothing wrong and earned every cent they own.”

“Communists steal from others through government proxy and by claiming victim group status. They work hand-in-hand with the very politicians and corporate oligarchs they say they despise. The governments and corporations do it because they can use the Marxist mob as a social weapon to strike fear in their ideological adversaries (conservatives), and the SJWs do it because they can feed on the scraps from the big boy’s table and use government to forcefully redistribute wealth into their own pockets. It’s kind of a win-win, at least for a while. Eventually the low level commies get nailed to a wall or sent to a gulag when they are no longer useful, but that’s a tale for another time……..”

“As we saw last summer with the $1 Billion in damages caused by the “mostly peaceful” BLM riots, racial conflict is an effective weapon for the elites to create chaos. After all, BLM received most of its initial funding through the Ford Foundation and George Soros’ Open Society Foundation. They are a fabricated movement built around false critical race theory claims, but they are enough of a movement to enact violence on a nationwide scale…….”

Covid Lockdowns And Vaccine Totalitarianism

“The South African government’s response to covid is brutal and ongoing. The lockdowns are some of the most strict in the world with curfews, zero gatherings indoors or outdoors, alcohol bans and restrictions on travel through certain areas. A large majority of the population has been blocked from participation in the normal economy. The public has been awaiting economic relief for over a year, but the hype and fear mongering around the “Delta variant” has dashed all hope. Lockdowns returned in full force in June.”

“There is NO EVIDENCE that the Delta Variant is as deadly or more deadly than the original iteration of covid, and covid’s overall IFR (Infection Fatality Rate) is a paltry 0.26% according to the CDC and other independent studies. Meaning, draconian lockdowns are still being implemented over a virus that 99.74% of people will easily survive…….”

“Economic Decline And The Dark Cloud Of Inflation

…..the US has the ability to hide real poverty through temporary stimulus measures, welfare programs and eviction moratoriums. When the covid checks run out and evictions return, we are going to see a massive spike in poverty levels in the US once again. Furthermore, core price inflation has hit 30 year highs due to trillions in money printing and dollar devaluation, along with struggling supply chains. For now, increased demand created by covid checks is giving the illusion that the economy is in recovery, but just as home sales are now plunging after a short term spike, so too will demand in most sectors of the economy……”

“It is also only a matter of time before a covid variant (like the Delta variant) is used as an excuse to bring back lockdowns across the country. And make no mistake, they will attempt harsher and harsher mandates similar to those in South Africa in order to intimidate people into submitting to the jab and the passports. At this stage, the US government will have not only mass riots on their hands, but also an armed rebellion. Undoubtedly, supply chains will crash if they have not already been disrupted by lockdowns or a related financial crisis.”

‘”The question at that point will be this: Who will rebuild? If it’s the elites and the covid cult, then freedom will disappear forever. If it’s liberty minded people, then there might be a chance to bring our civilization back from the brink. Everything depends on who is left standing after the chaos subsides……”  End of excerpts.

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I have no comment, this article speaks for itself.  If you would like to share this article with a friend,  you can do an EZ-share – just copy the following link to them:          bobbandy.com

Bob Bandy  –  July 2021

WAVES OF DESTRUCTION

July 17, 2021 By: bob Category: Culture, In the News, On Bob's Mind, Something To Think About

ASSAULT ON AMERICA

Astute observations or conspiracy theories?

I have come to the conclusion through observation  that the United States, in which I grew up, is midway through the third wave of its destruction.  That is the United States most of us have loved all of our lives.  That destruction seems to be coming at us in waves.  Three so far.

 

FIRST WAVE

Wuhan Lab – Wuhan Province – China

The First Wave came ashore from Wuhan, China.  Home of the Covid 19 Virus and Fentanyl:

Fentanyl, though manufactured in Wuhan,  is mainly imported/smuggled in through our porous southern border by Drug Cartels and makes its way into the illegal drugs sold on the streets of America by gangs.

The Covid 19 Virus was most deadly to our senior citizens and the drug Fentanyl has been deadly to younger, drug addicted Americans.

Covid 19, which we are told may have “accidentally” escaped from the Wuhan Viral Lab, arrived in the United States mainly from infected local Wuhan Chinese residents who, while infected, visited major United States population centers as “tourists”.

Keep in mind also that the Lab in Wuhan had been the recipient of hundreds of thousands of U.S. Taxpayer dollars though their connection with Dr. Anthony Fauci,  the director of the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID).

There are those who believe the Chinese Government, though they vehemently deny it, played a role in this because they were desperate to wreck the booming American economy and keep Donald Trump, whom they despised because he was such a tough negotiator, from getting re-elected.  They preferred a new president who would be more malleable,  perhaps someone related to Hunter Biden whom they had already enriched in a sweetheart deal.  Is this true?  We will likely never know the truth but it does have a certain “ring” to it.  But the fact is the U.S. economy did crash, partly due to the virus but mostly due to decisions by major Democratic Governors to put their states into “Lockdown”, forcing businesses to shut down and untold millions of otherwise productive citizens to stay home.  Un-numbered  hundreds of thousands of small businesses failed and small business people lost everything.  The economy “crashed” and has yet to show any significant recovery, despite government claims.

This first wave destroyed our health and our economy.

 

SECOND WAVE

photo: i.b.times

The 2020 Presidential Election:

Millions and millions of American’s, a significant percentage of voters, believe that this was not an election.  It was a very well planned, carefully orchestrated and expertly carried out Coup.  Though hotly denied by the left, it is a fact that if you can corrupt some, fewer than you might think, specific, key voting districts, you can control the results of an election.

Despite mainstream media and social media giants efforts to deny and cover up any malfeasance in the election process, enough facts have escaped to  cause more than just suspicion.

Voter precincts with more ballots cast for Biden that Registered Voters in the precinct.  Large pallets filled with supposedly mail in ballots all uniformly flat as if they came out of a copier with no evidence of ever having been folded into a mail ballot envelope. “Mysterious” truckloads of “harvested” ballots delivered to counting centers “after hours”.  Thousands and thousands of mail in ballots from folks who had moved out of their voting district long before the election.  And, it goes on and on.

Whether any of this is ever proved or disproved does not change the fact that the American voting public, in majority numbers, no longer trust the voting process and over 80% of all voters believe positive voter ID should be required to vote.  The left does not want this.

The result is that faith in our sacred voting rights system is laying in shambles.  Trust is gone.

The second wave destroyed our trust in our government.

 

THIRD WAVE

photo: Krakowpost

Critical Race Theory, Black Lives Matter, ANTIFA:

These, and similar organizations, all have their roots in Marxism and desire to tear down, burn everything and start over under their control.

Whatever is left over after the first two waves, is under dire threat of destruction from this third wave and from these organizations which are in full attack mode.  If you disagree with them, they charge you with racism to put you on the defensive.  That charge is used as a weapon to keep you quiet.

Their goal is to tear down statues (even Abraham Lincoln statues), rewrite history, tear up the Constitution and rewrite it to their specifications.  Their is no room in their world for America as it was founded and democracy as it has been practiced.

In addition they demand equity, not equality, in a purely Communist format.  Their form of equity invariably leads to the very rich having their own form of equity,  those in power have their own form of equity and everyone else has equity in poverty and misery as slaves to the state.  Think Cuba.

This third wave instead of uniting us, fractures our unity along racial lines,  non-negotiable demands and threatens our very Democracy.

I believe at every stage of this assault, our government has lied to and failed us.  Am I wrong?

If you can agree with what is written here, share it with a friend, a family member or a neighbor.  If we do nothing, we let those who hate America win by default. We need to push back and make our voices heard.

Bob Bandy – July 2021