Thursday, December 22, 2016

My Philosophy 101

Three years ago I embarked on a series of essays. I completed 13 and posted them. I still have #14 in the works, but it struck me that it might be useful to some people if I posted the links to the first 13. I will warn  you that you might need to keep your Funk and Wagnall's handy or at least a passable Webster’s.

Hence, here they are:

http://desertdragon90.blogspot.com/2013/11/philosophy-101essay-1.html

http://desertdragon90.blogspot.com/2013/11/philosophy-101essay-2.html

http://desertdragon90.blogspot.com/2013/11/philosophy-101essay-3.html

http://desertdragon90.blogspot.com/2013/11/philosophy-101essay-4.html

http://desertdragon90.blogspot.com/2013/11/philosophy-101essay-5.html

http://desertdragon90.blogspot.com/2013/11/philosophy-101essay-6.html

http://desertdragon90.blogspot.com/2013/11/philosophy-101essay-7.html

http://desertdragon90.blogspot.com/2013/11/philosophy-101-essay-8.html

http://desertdragon90.blogspot.com/2013/11/philosophy-101-essay-9.html

http://desertdragon90.blogspot.com/2013/12/philosophy-101-essay-10.html

http://desertdragon90.blogspot.com/2013/12/philosophy-101-essay-11.html

http://desertdragon90.blogspot.com/2013/12/philosophy-101-essay-12.html

http://desertdragon90.blogspot.com/2013/12/philosophy-101-essay-13.html

 

May you find them enlightening, informative and thought-provoking. I make no claims of omniscience or any special wisdom. These truly are the thoughts of an old warrior-journalist monk. They merely are worth what you can take away from them in your own thoughts.

President Trump

Here we are almost at Christmas … and various and sundry people are still throwing hissy fits over the outcome of this year’s presidential election. Da-yam, I don’t remember the hissy fits being this bad when President Obama was elected in 2008 and 2012.

Of course, I was in the hospital for the 2008 election, so I probably missed a bunch of stuff.

Still, while I have no problem with progressives, liberals and Democrats doing whatever they can do to impede  the new president’s agenda in the halls of Congress, because that is fair game and to be expected. I do have problem with all sorts of political leaders and celebrities promising to incite civil disobedience between now and the inauguration and at the inauguration. Civil disobedience invites less than civil violence and that is not fair game, nor should it be expected.

Folks, by following the rules of the federal republic, Donald J. Trump won and Hillary Rodham didn’t. Accept that as a given and move on. We are a federal republic and we do have the Electoral College for a reason … and that reason was readily apparent in this election. The system is designed a) to protect the country from electing a purely regional candidate, b) to protect the rights of minorities (in this case all those people who live in flyover country) and c) to protect state rights by ensuring that voters from one state cannot dominate the electoral process.

Clinton’s victory in the plebiscite literally came in merely two states: New York and California, where her victory margin was something on the order of 7 million votes. In the remaining 51 states, districts and territories, she lost by 3 million votes. Giving her roughly a 4 million vote lead in the popular vote. The founders, in their brilliance, foresaw this happening and, hence, invented the electoral college.

It is not racist or denying anyone their vote. It was in recognition of the fact that this nation was set up a FEDERAL REPUBLIC.

If you don’t like that: GET OVER IT. Go back to school and study your basic American history and civics (if you can find such courses that aren’t trashing both).

Another thing, we can only have one president at a time, and right now that person is Barrack Hussein Obama. He WILL be president until noon on Jan. 20, 2017, and you need to get with that fact.

People need to stop freaking out over every tweet, announcement or appointment coming out of the incoming administration as it takes form. None of it is formal policy, and it can’t be: Remember, 1 president at a time.

And Congress has a huge say in what President Trump will be able to do … so let’s all calm down …. then take a huge chill pill as I am wont to say … and let this brilliantly designed system put together in the summer of 1787 work out the kinks.

However, I realize I am preaching to audiences who are blinded by their own perceptions and unwilling to open their minds.

OH WELL …. sigh, I can only try.