Channel surfing, musings and opinions

Scanning news channels again today while riding my exercycle. There are many new ones, or less well known, out there. I stopped to look at BNC, Black News Channel. Like many news channels, it's rip and read for AP or an MSM channel, but with more sports and entertainment. Today the big story was Trump supporters making threats against poll workers and politicians--although that was the interpretation. I looked carefully at the footage, and saw no one running, looting or burning as we witnessed in the summer. I saw no one shouting down speakers or blocking their access like we see on college campuses when ANTIFA or the local Democrats trying to shut down conservative voices.

Since I wasn't aware of this channel until last week, I don't know how they covered the abuse of ordinary citizens in restaurants or events, or if they reported on people losing their jobs for supporting Trump. Most stories have more than two sides, or they need some nuance or actual investigative reporting. What we've come to expect from our media is polarization, no in depth reporting, and the CEOs (like CNN’s Zucker) setting the standard "dump on Trump" or lose your job. But like the Hispanic channels Telemundo and Univision, there is no racial or ethnic diversity for their on-camera reporting at BNC.

Ah, I can almost hear the "yes, but. . ."

Who benefits from the lockdowns, musings and opinions

The lockdowns have benefitted the unions and Big Tech, two entities massively intertwined with politicians. The lockdowns have hurt the church, small businesses, and anyone seeking an education, particularly children. This won't end well. The lockdowns have increased suspicion and animosity between the haves and have nots (of freedom) Even an ordinary person sees that the ruling class tells us to mask up and shut up, while they continue life as usual--parties, restaurants, travel, investments, and private in-school education for their kids. So when Biden says, wear a mask for 100 days, who will believe him that it is about health? If the power brokers and pushers aren't worried, why should we be?

Share the wealth, musings and opinions

As Biden puts together his "redistribution" team of former Obama and Clinton failures, I was reading today the wisdom of a man who was writing during the Great Depression, Erling C. Olsen. He was not a political commentator, or pastor, just a layman who had a radio show about the Psalms which was later reissued as a book that went through a number of editions. His message on Psalm 62 included these remarks about pastors and politicians who were trying to make sense of those trying times (during which my parents went to college, got married, had 4 children and bought a home):

"Just now it seems to be a pastime of some to heap all manner of invectives upon those who are of high degree or great position. One voice cries out ". . . Salvation can only be had in the sharing of wealth." Another insists that it is not a matter of sharing wealth, but of sharing income. Still another, a clergyman, used to shout, "In silver lies our redemption." The fact of the matter is that salvation is in none of these, neither the salvation of the individual, nor of society. While we may see some distinction in men, and assume that by the simple process of equalizing wealth we can bring man into a paradise; in God's sight sin is the cause of inequalities. So long as sin reigns, just so long will these situations exist. It is sheer nonsense to talk about sharing wealth WITH THE SHARING IN THE HAND OF A POLITICIAN. It is the same as expecting a Millennium without the Messiah. Sin will reign, until our Lord Jesus Christ Himself rules over this world as King of kings, and Lord of lords.." (Meditations in the Book of Psalms, p. 468, 1952 edition)

The future of our country, musings and opinions

Evi Kokalari, an Albanian immigrant, writes: "When I immigrated to America, I had faith for the first time that my vote would actually count; that when I cast my ballot, I was taking part in a sacred and meaningful process. In light of what has transpired over the past few weeks, however, that faith has waned. What is unfurling in America today has been going on in Albania for decades, and I fear for the future of our democracy."

Evi, I feel much the same. In 2016 with Democrats and crazy pink hat ladies ranting about a "stolen election" I knew they just didn't understand the electoral college and what our founders intended. In 2020, I know it was stolen in the middle of the night with massive fraud, and we're no better than any of those other banana republics we've sneered at.

Combine the election fraud with the failure of our churches to stand up to the government, and I really feel we’re living in a remote jungle in a foreign land.

Don’t look for good information from educators, musings and opinions

"Education Week--Teacher" on-line features a story on "disinformation" and how teachers can combat it, but the company expert put a photo of President Trump, not an MSNBC or CNN anchor with the lead. Really? I read through it, and it equated some ridiculous minor conspiracy stories or right wing blogs (some of which I think are actually middle road) as evidence, and didn't mention that for four years, the main stream media which is how most Americans get their information has been non-stop, anti-Trump. Worthless piece of junk, yet this is what teachers in public schools are reading. And no, I won't give you the link. If you want disinformation, you don't need to go far. Look for the union label. But the author promotes "anti-racism" curricula, so there's a clue (things never get better they only get worse theme). That's like asking for a reading list on Jews from Hitler's Department of Education in the 1940s.

Joe Biden’s firsts, Musings and Opinions

I'm looking forward to the time when panting news mavens don't announce "first woman" to do something for Joe Biden. First woman to be appointed secretary of. . . First woman of color to be advisor of . . . First woman of color who is trans who is appointed judge of . . . First woman who has had 5 abortions appointed ambassador to . . . First woman veteran who is native American and lesbian who heads the VA . . . This will go on the entire Biden administration while his own party says there is no difference between men and women and it's sexist and transphobic to even suggest God had a plan. Meanwhile, the media ignored all the women in the Trump administration in important roles.

Trump's staff was almost half female--greater than the figure for employed women in America.

Forty-eight percent of the overall White House staff are women: 216 to 234 men.

Three hundred fifteen are political appointees: 169 men, 146 women.

The staff of the president and first lady is 48% women: 181 women, 194 men.

The vice president has 26 female staffers and 40 men.

The vice president’s wife, Karen Pence, employs nine women, no men.

Half of the national security council staff are women.

But the media slobber over Joe Biden, who has been known to slobber over women.

Michelle Obama’s legacy, musings and opinions

Despite her belief that America is a racist country, Michelle Obama has been voted the most admired woman. That's gratitude for you. I remember that Lady Bird had her beautification project of public spaces, and Nancy Reagan was fighting drugs, and Laura Bush was pushing libraries and museums, and Hillary Clinton tried to take over health care (Hillary Care), and Rosalyn Carter worked on behalf of mental health and poor children, but I'm trying to remember what Mrs. Obama was known for that put her on the cover of so many fashion magazines. Was it obesity in children? Is her legacy all those school lunches that were thrown in the trash?

Biden’s moves, musings and opinions

If Biden is president, his first gift to China will be some version of AOC's Green New Deal, which will lock down and hold back our economy and depress wages. This will give China a huge boost, since the rules don't apply to them. His second gift to China will be to weaken our military. His third gift to China will be to play blind to the religious persecution of Christians and Muslims, especially in Hong Kong. What's your vote for #4?

Catholic student jailed in Hong Kong for pro-democracy protest (catholicnewsagency.com)

Trump signed a law to punish China for its oppression of the Uighur Muslims. Uighurs say much more needs to be done. (msn.com)

China’s Military Provokes Its Neighbors, but the Message Is for the United States - The New York Times (nytimes.com)

Save us from the experts, musings and opinions

Nicholas Christakis is making the rounds of talk shows, twitter, Facebook, academic papers, etc. and says our leaders (aka Trump) weren't taking the right actions to fight Covid19. Of course, he would have no book if everything had been done right. Yet, he admits, he knew nothing till the end of January (it's his field) then became alarmed when China confined/locked down Wuhan. Now he's saying the president didn't do enough. (Perhaps he has his time taken up by the Democrats three year campaign to undo the 2016 election?)  He acted on January 30 to close air traffic and began working with private industry to get supplies out. But being an academic, Christakis is a progressive--they are always smarter than the people who get elected, right? I guess he was listening to the main stream media that nothing was done. But these same critics, poo-poo Trump's accomplishments in getting a 16 year process reduce to 9 months for a vaccine and some governors have instilled fear about them.

Musings and opinions

A former in-law writes: “The Hunt Club tavern is still packing them in at its small location. I get pissed every time we go by it.”

Yes, it’s too bad when people can still go to bars, but not to church. However, this whole lockdown would have made more sense if it involved keeping people our age at home—we are the people with age, heart conditions, lung problems, obesity, diabetes, etc. If you were out and about, I hope there was a good reason, and that no one could have done that errand for you.

The good news is that although cases are on the increase, the fatalities are below 1%, which means that those getting Covid now are much better off with the newer treatments and more knowledge that those who got it in March and April. Our president has been successful and cut about 15 years off the approval schedule for a new drug that should be delivered to health care workers in early December. We will still have people who fear vaccines, but hopefully we’ll have more herd immunity besides that which we’ve developed through the spread of the disease. 95-99% success for a vaccine is unheard of. Let’s see if it works that well on the general public. Every media outlet will announce every side effect, or death with anxious faces and whispers, when they never paid attention to flu deaths, or shingles side effects, or falls among the elderly. They may even demand on Twitterverse that immunizations stop until NO ONE has any side effects, although if Biden takes office in January, those alarm bells will stop so the end of the pandemic can be attributed to him.

How to pray for unity

I've heard Christians saying, "We need to pray God brings unity and restores our divided country." Should we be asking God to bring our Christian friends and neighbors to an understanding of the grisly truth about abortion and repent? It certainly causes division. Should we pray that Israel can continue on the peace path President Trump assisted with (Netanyahu met in Saudi Arabia with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Pompeo according to news reports)? I've heard Christians discounting this historic event for peace. Can we continue to pray for the protection of our border agents as they guard our borders and follow our laws? Will God provide answers? Should we continue to support our First Amendment Rights when Democrats attack them? And how about the illegal votes revealed in the last election? Do we just stop discussing it in the name of unity? Is it OK to ask God that Hunter Biden be brought to justice for what was revealed on his laptop? We'd do that for other criminals. And what about prison reform. Haven't Christians been asking and preparing for that, and then it's rejected because Trump made headway? And what about poverty? God has so much to say about that in the Bible, but how do we reconcile the differences between a good job and a government program? Should we give an elbow bump (no handshakes) to those who have been calling us racists for 4 years instead of asking for some facts or policies to back up the charges? Do we pray for survival of our jobs and economy if those we are praying with want a long, destructive lockdown?

Praying for the president and the election

Today I was thinking about the millions and millions of people praying for President Trump and the nation. It's really amazing. Maybe 70 million. Maybe not since FDR and D-Day has a president brought so many to this awareness that our country can be destroyed, but this time, from within. Franklin Delano Roosevelt's D-Day Prayer - Word Foundations  Check out this website for more articles and prayer concerns about what happened on November 3-4.

Another prayer group is Intercessors for America, TRUMP TEAM HAS A LEGAL STRATEGY, WE HAVE A PRAYER STRATEGY | Intercessors for America (ifapray.org)

Many Democrats are Christians. I wonder how they are praying? "Dear Lord, please let this election be legal so we can kill more babies in the name of women's health." or "Heavenly Father, Guide our chosen one who is under a black cloud for his activities with his family in China with the CCP."

Which party has wanted freedom for all Americans since before the Civil War?

Nearly 60 years ago, we had real bi-partisanship. 40% of the House Democrats VOTED AGAINST the Civil Rights Act of 1964, while 80% of Republicans SUPPORTED it. Republican support in the Senate was even higher. Similar trends occurred with the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which was supported by 82% of House Republicans and 94% of Senate Republicans. (From my blog, Feb. 15, 2012)

It was Everett Dirksen, Senate Minority leader from Illinois who lead the way and knew the history of freedom and equality for blacks, not Lyndon Baines Johnson who had a career of holding them back. Read his eloquent speech from 1964 which provides the history of the Act and the history of the acts. https://www.senate.gov/artandhistory/history/resources/pdf/DirksenCivilRights.pdf

How many people who have graduated from high school since the mid-1960s know that it has always been the Republicans who fought for equal rights? That Democrats are the party of the KKK and Jim Crow, voter suppression, lynching, enticing the black father from his home with government programs, and aborting generations of black babies? Even today, the lies about President Trump being a racist are a cover for Democrats trying to regain power over black Americans.