Stop Pulling the Wagon

I am often asked where I get ideas for the articles I write. If there is a problem, it is that too many ideas come my way. The media and daily news are an “Opportunity Rich Environment” for writers like myself.

Especially now, with next year being a Presidential Election Year, we have every “wannabe” trying to outdo every other “wannabe” by going farther and farther into the fringes to try to gain attention.

Just a few examples:

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At last weekends Democratic Socialists of America Convention attendees were instructed to wave “Jazz Hands” because the sound of clapping could be offensive to some. Likewise, attendees were instructed to address others only in “Gender Neutral” terms. They were also told to not use “Aggressive Scents” and not to talk to “Outsiders” or “Cops”. There was more.

Reminds me of the College Students in the news a year or so ago. The ones needing “safe” places on campus because they were “fragile”. I think many referred to them as “snowflakes”.

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In the last Democratic Presidential Debate, Presidential Candidate Andrew Yang stated that it is already too late to reverse Global Climate Change and we should be moving the population to “Higher Ground”. This in addition to his plan to provide a universal income of $1000 per month for everyone. He says his plan will be paid for by a new “Value Added Tax” which will return the money to Government.

Want some cheap beach front property anyone?

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Following the mass shootings at El Paso, Texas and Dayton, Ohio our Nations Flags were ordered flown at half mast in the Nations Capitol. In an interview following the announcement, a former “FBI Assistant Director”, Frank Figliuzzi told “Tabloid News Media” MSNBC Anchor Brian Williams, “The numbers 88 are very significant in the Neo-Nazi and the White Supremacy movement. Why? Because the letter ‘H’ is the eighth letter of the alphabet, and to them the numbers 88 together stand for ‘Heil Hitler.’ So we’re going to be raising the flag back up at dusk on 8/8,” (August 8th – the 8th day of the 8th month).

National Enquirer, eat your heart out.

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If I tried, I could not create better material, you just can’t make stuff like this up. The inmates are taking charge of the asylum.

Bob Bandy – August 2019

Originally posted in October 2018, This piece was one of the most liked, most commented on and most shared over the last year. After numerous requests I am re-posting it below.

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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 ideological 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 unelected 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”.

Bob Bandy – August 2019

The Congressional Robert Mueller Hearings – Takeaway

After watching and hearing most of the Congressional testimony with Robert Mueller and spending some time in review I come away with some thoughts.

1. Robert Mueller was recruited to “head up” the Russian Collusion investigation. With his history of Service in the Marine Corps (1968-1971) including duty in Vietnam, Service as United States Attorney, Homicide Prosecutor, acting United States Deputy Attorney General and former Director of the FBI, Robert Mueller had the deserved reputation of both service and integrity to make him the head of the Special Counsel Investigation.
2. Robert Mueller did not want to go to these hearings and tried very hard not to go. He only attended after he “retired” and as a now private citizen could not evade the Subpoena requiring him to appear in front of the Congressional Committees. I am thinking that Committee Chairman Jerold Nadler and Committee Chairman Adam Schiff might not want to expect Christmas Cards from the Mueller family this year.
3. Robert Mueller was not familiar with details of the report that bore his name. Stumbled over much information, replied he was not familiar with Fusion GPS and its founder Glenn Simpson – The firm hired by the Clinton Campaign – (a key component in the investigation) and was unable or unwilling to answer more than 100 other questions about his own investigation.
4. Robert Mueller, by his own testimony appeared to have little to do with the day to day process of the investigation; i.e. when asked how many of the interviews had he participated in, his answer was “Very Few”.

If I were a suspicious or conspiracy inclined person (which I have been accused of), I could easily believe that it was never the intent that Robert Mueller should be an active player in the investigation, just a very credible cover name/figurehead and face of legitimacy for it. A kind of “Stalking Horse” for the group of politically motivated Lawyers and Investigators who ran the day to day operation. Or, as one commentator put it less kindly, he was the lipstick on the pig.

The real players behind the investigation were a group of “pit-bull” lawyers, led by Andrew Weissmann who has a record of being overturned by Appeals Courts, including one case where the Supreme Court voted 9-0 against him. Andrew Weissmann was an attendee at Hillary Clinton’s ill fated “Victory Party” the night of the 2016 election.

Most of the other members of the investigative legal team were Democratic Party supporters and contributors. Hmmmm.

Their methods were often unscrupulous and included intimidation with tactics such as orchestrated, often untrue leaks to the media and bankrupting those being investigated through spiraling legal costs plus threats to go after and bankrupt family members of those being investigated. Couple that with actions like early morning “Swat Team” led home invasion searches coordinated with CNN, etc. etc..

The Special Counsels Group legal fees (salaries) were paid by our Government, translation we taxpayers, while those accused had to rely on their own financial resources (until they were bankrupt).

Again, if I were a suspicious person or a conspiracy inclined individual I just might be persuaded to believe this whole thing was put together as a “fishing trip” in hopes of finding something for Impeachment Proceedings. If so, at a cost in excess of 25 Million Taxpayer Dollars it was a pretty expensive fishing trip.

But, it is all probably just co-incidence. Right?

I honestly wish I could feel sorry for Robert Mueller. He seemed a former American Hero type and now an almost pathetic figure adrift at the end of years of service. Wish I could but I can’t. A number of totally innocent people had their lives and finances ruined in his name.

Bob Bandy – July 2019

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY) Rep. Ayanna Pressley (MA)

Rep. Ilhan Omar (Mn) and Rep. Rashida Tlaib (MI)

Designated by the Media as “The Squad” and in my opinion more appropriately referred to by Senator John Kennedy of Louisiana as “The Four Horse-women of the Apocalypse”.

If their agenda and rhetoric was not so hate filled, angry and anti-American, this group of four could almost be pitied and looked upon as some kind of failed third rate comedy routine from a skid row night club.

Fact is, they are also dangerous with a radical agenda that condones violence and racial division on the path to open borders and unfettered Socialism. Perhaps they would feel more at home in Cuba or Venezuela.

If anyone calls them to task for their obvious lies and hate speech they immediately fall back on the tired cry of “Racism” when racism has nothing to do with the subject under consideration.

Congresswomen, the subject at hand is Sovereignty and whether a nation has the right to control its own borders. You can agree or disagree with the concept of Sovereignty but it has nothing to do with racism.

Perhaps the word Sovereignty has too many syllables in it for you to understand or you just don’t have a valid argument against it, so you choose to just cry “Racism” as a fall back position for any subject you lack the intellectual capacity to discuss rationally.

Republicans can perhaps take some small solace that these Congresswomen are in the process of destroying the more traditional Democratic Party but it is small comfort indeed when one considers the damage they are attempting to do to the America most of us love and treasure.

It is a question to me why the media gives so much airtime to these practitioners of hate and division. They have no credible history of real public service to others.

I look forward to the day when they are yesterdays forgotten news and retire to the dustbin of failed politicians. They deserve no better.

Bob Bandy – July 2019

I see in the news that the City of San Francisco is going to spend Six Hundred Thousand Dollars to eradicate murals of George Washington’s life including scenes from Mount Vernon.

Rather than uniting us, sadly, such decisions and events serve more to divide us further as a people. I believe they mimic the actions of both the Taliban and ISIS in destroying treasured Historical Icons that are a reminder of where we have come from.

I am remembering an article I posted less than two years ago about what I can only describe as a “Pogram” at the time to remove all statues and other landmarks and public reminders of anything connected to the Civil War and slavery, to include destroying all historical tributes to Christopher Columbus and others.

Back then, in September of 2017, I began the article condemning the institution of Slavery in the strongest terms and believe that it was, is and will always be wrong. I don’t believe God intended for humans to live in slavery or to own slaves.

Having said the above I also wrote the following which is excerpted from that article and I believe we should all be mindful of:

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I am witnessing in our media and on our streets a form of mass hysteria and hate.  It scares me in the sense that I can see it ripping our society apart. I hear and read about “non-negotiable” demands to erase and tear down any relics of real or imagined links to slavery in our nation.  

It seems that anyone with any cultural, racial, or historical ties to slavery by any association or relationship in any way, is marked for removal from the annals of  our nations heritage.

The other day it was announced that ESPN removed a Sportscaster from the commentary at a Sporting event because the man, who had an Asian background, shared the same name as a Confederate General.

Let me share something with you.  I have a 60+ year fascination with history.

Don’t take my word for it, study for yourself.  When you study you will find that slavery in various forms was practiced by: The Carthaginians, the Romans, The Greeks, The Persians (Iranians), The Babylonians, The Chinese, The Mongols, The Huns (Europeans), England, The Vikings, The Russians, Southern Asian Peoples (including India), Egyptians, Middle Eastern and North African Islamic States, Native Americans (North, Central and South America), The People, Tribes and Nations of Central and South Africa.  Also, many Island Nations including Japan. And, I have probably missed naming a few.

Also keep in mind that the horror of slavery is still practiced in parts of the world.

I could be wrong but the only Continent that I am aware of that has no history of slavery in some part or way is Antarctica.  So, if you can firmly establish that all of your ancestors were Native Antarcticans you are stain free. Otherwise, join the rest of us in the cesspool.  

Virtually all of us have a skeleton or two in our closet if we want to dig a little and drag them out.

If it is decided to eradicate all statues, memorials, hospitals, schools, parks, highways, malls, airports, landmarks etc. etc. etc. with the names of anybody who has any ties in history to slavery, racism, a now despised group or family heirloom associated with such, you are going to be very busy.

Just one example:  Democratic Senator Robert Byrd of West Virginia. Besides being a Senator, was a former Grand Wizard in the Ku Klux Klan.  I have heard an estimate, probably exaggerated, that perhaps half the airports, schools, hospitals, parks, highways etc. in the State of West Virginia are named after him.  You are going to need a lot of shovels, backhoes, “whitewash” and other equipment to eradicate his name and memory from the state.

But, not to pick on just the Senator.  Many, most or all of our great leaders, as well as us common folk, have historical skeletons we would probably just as soon not know about.  If we decide to eliminate everything and everyone who has ever had some trace of Slavery in their family history at any time ever, there won’t be very many of us left.

Slavery was abolished in the United States more than 150 years ago.  

The stain of racism is still with us and is practiced by people of all colors.  It will be with us until we all learn to love one another, forgive one another and be enriched by one another.  You cannot erase it by painting over historic works of art, law, edict, marching in the streets or hating one another.  Unfortunately, the latter is what I see being practiced in the media and on the streets.  Pity.

Bob Bandy – July 2019

photo – Yahoo News

The Democratic Presidential Debates

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All participants agreed in principal to the following:

First, Donald Trump is the Firstborn Son of Satan and has destroyed the United States.  He must be put in jail either before his term ends through impeachment or after leaving office following conviction by a mob…. er …. Kangaroo Court with a jury comprised of Hollywood Celebrities.  Aw shucks, who needs a jury, somebody get a rope!

All immigrants from anywhere in the world are welcome here without the need of paperwork,  identification, background checks, health checks, or any other documentation.  All borders should be open without restrictions and the current policing force will be replaced with a kind of “Welcome Wagon” for all comers including instructions on how to acquire free housing, free food, free healthcare, etc.  Authors Note:  Maybe this information could be shared with the homeless living on the streets of Los Angeles, San Francisco, Sacramento, Portland, Seattle, etc. ??

Everybody, whether citizen or not, is entitled to “free” lifetime healthcare.  Authors Note:  Many candidates called for “Medicare For All” without noting that Medicare is not “free”, at least to current participants.

Free College for everyone (citizens and non-citizens) with the added bonus of debt forgiveness for some 1.5 Trillion Dollars in outstanding Student Loans.

Unrestricted “Free” abortion for all with one candidate calling for free abortion for Transgender males who become pregnant.  It was left unclear how long after natural birth the mother could still elect to abort the child, a few hours, a few days, third grade? 

The planet only has 12 years left unless all Americans immediately discontinue all use of fossil fuels and convert to only electric powered vehicles.  No mention was made that to re-charge an all electric vehicle you must “plug in” to the power grid which is incapable of completing this task if  said power grid is totally sourced by solar and wind power, at least within the next 30-50 years.  

I look forward to the day when all working Americans get home from work on a July day when it is 105 degrees, plug their electric vehicles in for a re-charge and then walk into their air conditioned home during the hottest part of the day.

It was also not mentioned that the World’s major polluters (beginning with China & India) have “deferred” there own participation in the Paris Climate Accords till “at least” 2030 or beyond.   Further, there is no mechanism in place requiring penalties or enforceable legal consequences on any participating country who ignores these “feel good” “Global Accords”.

One participant unveiled his plan to give every resident in America (legal citizens and non-citizens) $1000 per month.  When asked how this would be paid for he said with a “value added” tax paid for by everyone which would return the money to government – at least that is what I heard.

Lots of other “free” stuff all to be paid for by taxing the greedy rich and corporations.  Authors note:  You could not pay for all of these “freebies” if you taxed all of the rich at 100% and it is also a fact that corporations don’t really pay taxes, their customers do.  Corporations pass along tax increases to their customers in the form of higher prices….  they have to, or go out of business.

Santa Claus may as well close up shop and lay off his Reindeer – He can’t compete with this bunch!

Did I miss something?

Bob Bandy – July 2019