Month: December 2020

Truth matters

by Dave

Each year, Politifact singles out a lie or false narrative as its lie of the year. The “award” goes to a statement, or a collection of claims, that prove to be of substantive consequence in undermining reality. Truth does matter.

“The death of democracy is not likely to be an assassinations from ambush. It will be a slow extinction from apathy, indifference, and undernourishment.” Robert Maynard

I think this country, the undernourishment is closer to ignorance. Real news and facts are out there in abundance. Nobody has to look far to get the facts. Democracy depends on an informed population.

Donald Trump record of lies far exceeds any past president. In the last 4 years, our president has averaged approximately 50 lies per day. By July 2020, the Washington Post had counted over 20,000 lies from Trump. It was like he was incapable of stating known facts. I am very glad our Liar in Chief will be gone on January 20, 2021.

The 2020 Lie of the Year, as awarded by Politifact, is really a long series of false narratives which Trump has promoted from the January 2020 until today. Trump has downplayed, denied and deceive the public on basic facts of Covid-19. The world has suffered 1.6 million deaths and the US has the highest death toll of 330,000.

Fox News commentary and Facebook posting are part of the problem. Facebook bloggers can target their audience. Trump tried to politicize the epidemic as much as possible, calling it the “China virus” and pulling out of the World Health Organization because he considered this organization to be pro-China.

Hopefully we have elected a new president which will see the real issue is world health. I am so hoping that 2021 is the year the world gets vaccinated.

Truth matters. There is outstanding solid reporting of real problems from the New York Times, Washington Post and others. Politifact and other fact checking websites provide a very valuable service in validating statements of officials.

See links below.

Stay tuned,

Dave

Links:

Lie of the Year 2020: Coronavirus downplay and denial

People can suggest their favorite lie of 2020 to Politifact

Lie of the Year 2019: Donald Trump’s claim whistleblower got Ukraine call ‘almost completely wrong’

Readers’ poll #1 in 2019: There has never been, ever before, an administration that’s been so open and transparent.” Donald Trump

Texas Election Lawsuit Filing

by Dave

As I was preparing this blog, the Supreme Court denied the case based on standing. It simply says that Texas can not sue other states for the way they conduct their elections. So, it is much to do about nothing, as have all the other cases on election fraud, filed and dismissed in the past four weeks. Before a claim can be made in the Supreme Court, it must be established that the court is the right place to resolve a dispute.

The only question, I have, is whether Ken Paxton will win a pardon from Donald Trump. Paxton has not been convicted of any crimes, but is currently under federal investigation for allegedly using his office to illegally benefit a wealthy donor. Members of Paxton’s staff made the allegations and called for a probe of their now-former boss. He is been under indictment for felony securities fraud. A pardon will not apply to state charges. Is a lawsuit that lasts 5 days, and is thrown out, with 5 sentences, be enough?

The US Supreme Court is composed of nine justices who have lifelong appointments. This is such a blessing, passed down from our founders, and rooted in our constitution, designed specifically to keep the justices independent from the politics of the time and solely focused on the application of law.

Stay tuned,

Dave

Links:

As FBI moves closer, Texas’ Paxton Denies He is Fishing for a Pardon

The responses are blistering (CNN words) from the reply briefs:

Pennsylvania:

“Let us be clear. Texas invites this court to overthrow the votes of the American people and choose the next President”

Wisconsin:

“Texas proposes an extraordinary intrusion into Wisconsin’s and the other defendant states’ elections, a task that the Constitution leaves to each state, … Wisconsin has conducted its election and its voters have chosen a winning candidate for their state. Texas’s bid to nullify that choice is devoid of a legal foundation or a factual basis.”

Georgia:

“’None are more conscious of the vital limits on judicial authority than are the members of this Court,
and none stand more in admiration of the Constitution’s design to leave the selection of the
President to the people, through their legislatures, and to the political sphere.’ quoting from Bush vs Gore.”

Getting poked

by Dave

I may post this a few times. Count your blessings – a Covid-19 vaccine is coming. Just stay safe until then.

It’s day 1 in the UK. Pfizer vaccine is approved on an emergency basis in the UK. Don’t expect anything drastic to happen in the next couple of months. A few million UK citizens vaccinated out of 67 million isn’t going to change much. People can get poked and still get the virus. It was never considered to be 100% effective. Some vaccines are only 50% effective. This one appears to be in the range of 90 to 95% effective, which as vaccines go, is excellent.

I’ll be first in line when the Covid-19 vaccine is available. I love to travel. I love to get a bit of my routine back, going to the gym, eating out, and getting together with friends and family. I am doing all of the above in 2021, as soon as I get poked. First trip I take will be to visit close relatives.

When available, don’t delay! The scientists have pulled off a freaking miracle in getting this vaccine this quickly. I congratulate every single organization involved, including Trump’s Operation Warp Speed headed by General Perna, with Scientific Advisor Moncel Slaoui. I’ve been extremely impressed on how they are getting down to the details of a massive vaccine program. In today’s news, ex-Presidents Bush, Clinton and Obama have volunteered to encourage Americans to get poked. Many more on all levels will be rolling up their sleeves.

Personally, when it’s my turn, I planning to post my injection on my Facebook page and of course, on this website.

If you don’t care about getting Covid-19, then just look around you. Do you want to pass it on to your friends and family? Just as I wear a mask to protect others, I’m getting poked so I’m not the one spreading Covid. So it’s that simple: Protect yourself and at the same time, protect others who haven’t been vaccinated.

To those who love conspiracies as they connect the dots that don’t exist, I’ve seen it all before. As Archie Bunker used to say to Edith, “Just stow it!” because the vaccine is the real thing, and we as Americans ought to taking full advantage of a way out of the Covid-19 pandemic. Too many people have passed before their time, and I want this nightmare to end.

There’s light at the end of the tunnel. We have to all go in the right direction for this to work. At least for the very short time it takes to get poked. Or it more likely poked twice, if a booster is needed.

And as we get vaccinated, so will the rest of the world. I am so hoping that 2021 will be the year the world defeats Covid-19 with billions of people getting vaccinated.

Stay safe and take preventative measures until then. Please.

Stay tuned,

Dave

Links:

Operation Warp Speed

Former Presidents Obama, Bush and Clinton volunteer to get coronavirus vaccine publicly to prove it’s safe

Why was the UK first to authorize a coronavirus vaccine?