Basic Definitions
There are constitutional governments which are limited by law.
There are authoritarian governments which empower a leader to exercise broad discretion.
There are socialist economies which have public ownership of property.
There are capitalist economies which have private ownership of property.
There are free markets which allow individuals to buy and sell without government interference.
There are command economies (markets) which force individuals to buy and sell under government direction.
The most successful states in history, measured by promoting the general welfare, have been Constitutional democracies that expand civil liberties and use a mixture of property and market policies to alleviate economic suffering and abuse.
Socialist Ghosts
Clever politicians have turned socialism into a frightening ghost. It has replaced terrorism as the catchall phrase. Should we get our pitch forks and kill this really scary monster? Maybe, but be careful what you kill. You might just kill a friend.
Socialism simply means public ownership of property. No more. No less. Governments turned to socialism when capitalism, privately owned businesses, couldn’t deliver a necessary product or service at an affordable cost.
For example, the Federal government used socialism to electrify the rural south. Projects like the Denison dam or the Tennessee Valley Authority absorbed the huge upfront costs of bringing affordable energy to sparsely populated regions of America. Capitalists preferred the customer rich cities. Socialism not only brought economic diversity to the South but also improved our quality of life.
Closer to home, we use socialism to deliver public education. Just a few years ago Sherman tried capitalism in one school. The Edison Project was all the rage at the time. After a couple of years, the project failed, and it cost the tax payers about $1 million to clean up the mess.
Socialism also provides a valuable safety net for our senior citizens. Social Security and Medicare are public institutions, not private, and most seniors are pleased with the services. Even though they are not perfect, Social Security and Medicare has provided peace of mind. In 1959 the poverty rate for Americans over 65 was approximately 35%. Today it has dropped to 10%. That is a success.
Capitalists have also benefited from socialism. Farmers, some of the most independent minded Americans, would struggle even more if all tax payers didn’t provide Farm to Market and county roads. Before governments took over road building, farmers had to make and maintain the roads themselves. We know that private road building stunts economic growth and publicly owned roads benefit us all.
Socialism appears in unexpected places. Every community bank and depositor relies on the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation to protect their investments. The FDIC sells affordable insurance as well as making sure bankers are conservative with our money. Where would we be today if AIG had provided this service?
We also rely on socialism for our Fire, Police and Defense Departments. The brave men and women who protect and serve us in times of crisis don’t work in a for-profit enterprise. They do, however, ensure that capitalists enjoy the freedom and security necessary for growth.
So, where is this scary ghost that politicians call “socialism”? Not in America. Not even in America’s past. You have to look across the oceans. The ghost’s name was Joseph Stalin, a communist dictator who terrorized and murdered millions. The Soviet Union lacked both a constitutional and democratic process to keep Stalin in check. Instead, he used torture, internal spies and lies as tools to increase his personal power. There is no “Stalin” in America’s future. With all our flaws, America is still strong.
Who are the scary American socialists then? Well, do you support public schools? Do you think we need to keep Social Security and Medicare? Do you believe we are safer with publicly operated Fire, Police and Defense Departments? Do you want to keep roads in the hands of state, county and federal government instead of private corporations? If you do, then you should look in the mirror. You might be a socialist. Are you scared yet?
***originally written in 2009***
Reckless Endangerment
Reckless behavior is shameful. Since February 7 Donald Trump knew that Covid 19 was a deadly airborne disease. He knew it was a killer. He played it down, and it has now killed more than 210,000 Americans.
For the last eight months Donald has relentlessly mocked America’s doctors, scientists and anyone concerned about Covid 19. While the vast majority of Americans have accepted safety protocols, Donald and his inner circle pretended as if they were immune to reality.
They didn’t wear masks. They didn’t practice physical distancing. They even gathered in large numbers for rallies and fundraisers. Donald Trump’s behavior made it clear that he does not respect the office he holds nor the people around him.
Donald’ reckless behavior has put him in the hospital as well as former Governor Chris Christie.
The long list of those around him infected includes his wife Melania Trump, Hope Hicks, Sen. Thom Tillis (R), Sen. Ron Johnson (R), Sen. Mike Lee (R), Kellyanne Conway (Counselor to the President), Ronna McDaniel (Chair of the RNC), Fr. John Jenkins (President of Notre Dame), Bill Stepien (Trump campaign manager), Kayleigh McEnany (White House Press Secretary) and four White House staffers.
Days before Donald Trump felt weak, he mocked Joe Biden for wearing a mask. Donald’s family even refused to wear them at the debate. They broke the rules knowing they would receive special treatment.
Even after Donald tested positive he held two fundraisers. Without a mask he greeted his big money donors and shook hands. What a magnificent deal! I gave money to Donald, won a free trip to quarantine. Maybe even the hospital!
Can you imagine your husband, your wife, your child, your boss or your coworker treating you this way? Would you see their behavior as a sign of respect or disdain?
Has Donald learned his lesson? Has he changed his behavior? Is he ready to respect the people around him? No.
On Sunday he demanded a joy ride around the hospital. Donald demanded Secret Service Agents drive him in circles so he could wave to a crowd. They had to breathe air with Covid 19 in a hermetically sealed SUV so he could stroke his ego.
Those agents can’t go home to their loved ones. They can’t hug their wives or husbands. They can’t put their kids to bed? Why? Because they work for a person so weak he needs adoration.
When Donald returned to the White House on Monday, the first thing he did was remove his mask and smirked. He put everyone around him at risk again. His disrespect for human life and our safety is huge. Does his disrespectful behavior keep America safe and secure?
Healthcare Peril
If we learned anything over the last 7 months, it is that Donald Trump would make a horrible healthcare provider. Imagine asking him if you had cancer. Donald would lie to keep you from panicking. Contrary to the fact that quick treatment could save your life.  Covid 19 has killed more than 200,000 Americans.
Who was Donald trying to save? You? Or himself?
To make matters worse, Donald has sued in federal courts to strip your healthcare protections. President Obama and Vice President Biden worked with a Democratic Congress to protect you from discrimination.
Prior to the Affordable Care Act, or ObamaCare, insurance companies made money by denying coverage based on a pre-existing condition. Being a woman was an automatic preexisting condition, and insurance companies charged them more. Diabetes? Preexisting. High blood pressure? Preexisting. Obesity? Preexisting.
ObamaCare protected you from corporate greed. Donald has sued to remove those protections. The Supreme Court is set to take up the case right after the election. Conservative justices have a habit of siding with corporate interests over the consumer.
Also on the chopping block are stronger Medicare fraud investigations. Since ObamaCare took effect, the anti-fraud program recovered billions of stolen tax dollars. Donald’s federal law suit defunds these law enforcement efforts.  The looting of Medicare will resume.
What are the chances of returning to the “Good ol’days� Well, that depends.
Donald has nominated a fierce champion of corporate rights to the Supreme Court. Amy Coney Barrett has protected cooperate rights to discriminate based on age, protected corporate rights to mislead consumers and protected corporate rights to practice predatory debt collection.  In August, Barrett sided with Uber against workers demanding overtime payments for work done.
As a member of the Supreme Court will she side with Donald and the insurance companies or the America people?
By nominating Barret, Donald also plots to strip women of their basic right to make healthcare decisions. States’ already have the authority to restrict abortions as long as they don’t endanger the life and health of the mother. Both Donald and Barret want to strip away a pregnant woman’s right to self-defense.
Pregnancy is one of the most dangerous times in a woman’s life. If Donald and Barret prevail, then politicians like Donald will make healthcare decisions for women. Based on his handling of Covid 19 will women die like before Roe v. Wade? Do you trust Donald with your life?
1933, 1954, 2020 SCOTUS
1954 was a pivotal year in the history of the United States. Since 1933, a coalition of representatives from Northern cities and rural Southern states had worked to improve the lives of average Americans. Franklin Delano Roosevelt built that coalition.
The fruits of the coalition were collectively known as the New Deal, or the welfare state. The success rested on the Constitutional power to provide for the “General Welfare.†The welfare state legislation started with employment benefits, moved to Social Security and culminated on Medicare and Medicaid.
Today, half of all federal spending flows to Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid. The Federal Courts have routinely upheld Congress’ constitutional power to spend to promote the “General Welfare.â€
Public support for the welfare state was overwhelming. FDR won four terms. Harry Truman then ran on the Fair Deal and served for eight more years. Business conservatives sued to defeat liberal policies and lost in the US Supreme Court. They had no way to stop this popular revolution.
In 1953 Truman turned the keys of the Whitehouse over to Dwight D. Eisenhower. Even though Eisenhower was a Republican, he took no action to cut down the tree of the welfare state. In fact he made sure that tree continued to bear fruit for America.
Ike expanded the federal government. He proposed, and built, an interstate highway system. Ike supported the National Defense Education Act of 1958. It promoted science education from elementary schools to universities.
In the following years Ike’s efforts bore fruit. Federal investments in computer technology produced breakthroughs in commercial mainframes, personal computers and eventually the internet.
At the same time, however, Southern conservatives grew more frustrated. African American activists at the NAACP were not satisfied with separate but equal. They used federal courts to demand their full constitutional rights. That meant dismantling Jim Crow and protecting Civil Rights.
In 1954 the United States Supreme Court handed a death sentence for Jim Crow. Brown vs the Board of Education required states to desegregate public education. Southern conservatives fumed.
One hundred and one Southern politicians signed a Manifesto denouncing judicial activism as an abuse of power. They claimed that the liberal US Supreme Court attacked the “habits, traditions, and way of life†of the Southern States. Business conservatives saw their opening drive a wedge between Southern workers and the Democratic Party.
Eventually, Southern and Business conservatives joined forced. They launched a culture war against “liberals, minorities and feminists.†Business conservatives would roll back the New Deal. Southern conservatives would roll back Civil Rights. The only thing that stood in their way was the US Supreme Court. Without a liberal Supreme Court, will we lose Social Security, Medicare and Civil Rights?
Donald's Deadly Lies
Donald’s chaos is producing predictable results. Every day he stirs the pot. His chaos makes it difficult to save American lives and jobs.
On February 7, 2020, Donald privately confessed the truth to Bob Woodward. His confession was recorded for the entire world to hear.
“It goes through air Bob. You know, the touch, you don’t have to touch things. Right? But the air, you just breathe the air and that’s how it’s passed. And so that’s a very tricky one. That’s a very delicate one. It’s also more deadly than even your strenuous flus… This is more deadly five per, this is five percent versus one percent and less than one percent. You know so, this is deadly stuff.”
Covid 19 is deadly stuff. On April 13 Donald said, “This thing is a killer if it gets you. If you’re the wrong person, you don’t have a chance.”
Donald knew. Donald chose to lie. Mike Pence choose to cover up the lie. Texan John Cornyn sits on the Senate Intelligence Committee. Cornyn failed to defend America.
Donald and Corny left America defenseless. Covid 19 is deadlier than September 11. Covid 19 has killed more Americans than the war in Vietnam. Covid 19 has killed 200,000 Americans on our own soil. 200,000 more Americans will die by the end of the year. It will be deadly than WWII.
Donald knew. Donald lied to the American public, and the Republican Party followed. At every level of our government Republicans shake in fear of a Trump Tweet. They are scared to tell the truth.
What happened when Democrats tried to raise the alarm? Like Paul Revere, they warned “Covid is coming.” Donald dismissed the alarm as the Democrat’s “new hoax.”
Parents and grandparents are dying. Doctors and nurses are dying. Teachers and custodians are dying. Covid 19 is the number one cause of death for police this year. The truth is not a hoax.
Donald lied. He said we could go to church by Easter. He and John Cornyn knew better. What if Americans had followed this lie? How many more would have died by listening to this false prophet?
What if they had simply told the truth? How much division, discord and chaos do lies create? Would we have the rapid testing to remove uncertainty? Would we have the deadly arguments about masks?
What if the President of the United States of America told us, the American people, the truth. Covid 19 is a deadly virus transmitted by air. Every time we breathe in and out we risk infecting others and ourselves. “If you’re the wrong person, you don’t have a chance.”
Donald knew. He chose to lie. Wear your mask. Love your neighbor as yourself. Are you the right person?
Faith, Reason, Justice
The Gospel that I learned as a child centered on the Gold Rule. Jesus said, “So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.†The principle is found in cultures around the world.
Immanuel Kant, coming at the end of the Eighteenth Century European Enlightenment, called it the categorical imperative. Human reason could teach us to “Act as if the maxims of your action were to become through your will a universal law of nature.â€
We all go to sleep every night. In America we expect to sleep securely. Most states have even passed “Castle†and “Stand your Ground†laws to prevent wrongful prosecution of Americans in their home.
Imagine one night, you go to sleep. In the middle of the night you hear a crash. It’s dark. Strangers are in your home. Your loved one reaches for a gun to defend your home. The strangers shoot. Moments later, you are dead.
How would the Golden Rule apply here? Should your family have submitted to the home invasion? Should your family have had more fire power to defend itself? Should the defenders be punished? These are not hypothetical questions. These are real questions in modern America.
On March 13, 2020 three plain clothed police knocked down the apartment door of Breonna Taylor. The officers did not present a warrant. They did not identify themselves. Breonna’s boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, defended her castle and stood his ground.
After a brief gunfight, Taylor lay dead and Walker was in police custody. The officers raided a home with no criminal activity. The police walked free. Was this justice? Was this right?
The Black Lives Matter movement does not think it was justice. Do you agree with them? Did you agree with them until you heard it was a Black Lives Matters spotlight event?
What if this were in Grayson County? Or your hometown? Would the behavior of the police be justified if it had happened in your home? Would the behavior of the police be justified if it had happened to your family? Would you have defended your home? Would you have died?
Both the Golden Rule and the Categorical imperative help us clarify right and wrong. Long before the night of March 13, elected lawmakers told us that we have a right to defend our castle from home invasions. The Founding Fathers enshrined into America’s Constitution the “right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures.â€
Was the killing of Breonna Taylor reasonable? What is more fundamental than the right to sleep peacefully in our home? If you dismiss Black Lives Matter, arguing this could happen to anyone, why would it be OK? Does the government have the authority to execute you while you sleep peacefully?
Donald's Deception
The Center for Disease Control reported this week a total of 183,000 deaths. Teresa Horn’s death will add to that number. Do you care? Or do you think Donald Trump is right to say “It is what it is�
On Monday, Donald continued his deception campaign. Instead of taking responsibility and protecting lives, he shared a false conspiracy theory about Covid deaths. Donald is down playing deaths like Teresa Horn’s.
Mrs. Horn had a heart problem. Millions of Americans have heart, lung or kidney problems. You might even have one. When the CDC reports deaths, it includes Covid as well as other health issues. This information helps healthcare professionals identify Americans at risk of dying from Covid 19.
Conservatives are exploiting this transparency for political gain and putting American lives at risks. They falsely assert that only 6% of the 183,000 deaths are due to Covid. They lie, claiming all the other deaths were other causes.
Teresa Horn died because of Covid 19. It stressed her heart, and she died quickly after contracting the disease. She did not die because of heart disease. She had heart disease and lived with it. Covid killed her.
Why is Donald Trump spreading these lies? He wants you to believe that Covid 19 is a Democratic hoax. At a campaign rally on Feb. 28, 2020, he said “this is their new hoax.” At every stage of this crisis Donald has put his own political career above American lives.
Donald’s recklessness was on full display during the Republican National convention. He demanded hundreds of people gather with him in person. They sat shoulder to shoulder without masks. What kind of leadership is this?
Teachers like Teresa Horn face hundreds of kids every day. The potential for spreading the virus are high. Do we really want our teachers, parents and children following the example of Donald Trump?
We all know his professional and private life is a train wreck. He bankrupted multiple casinos even though the odds were stacked in his favor. Donald Trump bragged that he raped married women.
When he ran for office Donald paid a porn-star, Stormy Daniels, to keep quiet. In August of this year a Federal Judge ordered him to pay her legal fees associated with an invalid Non-Disclosure agreement.
Our teachers and our children deserve better. Americans deserve a President that will take National Security and public health seriously. 183,000 Americans have died. Do their lives matter to you? Donald is just going to play through.
Calm, Compassionate and Thoughtful
As I grew up, I was taught the qualities of a President. Presidents were calm, compassionate and thoughtful. Presidents lead by example. Presidents put the interest of the country above themselves. Presidents sought a United States of America.
Above all, President offered a vision for a better America. They wanted to part of the solution.
I don’t ever remember a President speaking recklessly every day. I don’t remember Presidents bragging about their immoral conduct. I don’t remember Presidents using the office to enrich themselves and their family. I don’t remember waking up every day to words of division and rancor.
I don’t remember Presidents sucking the hope out of America every day.
I am ready for a return to a calm, compassionate and thoughtful President. I am ready for a President who will lead by example. I am ready for a President who can bring the country together to work on American goals, not personal goals.
I heard that man speak. His name is Joe Biden. Biden wants to draw on the best of America.
Biden looked to the great builder of the American middle class: Frank Delano Roosevelt. Roosevelt took office after the disastrous Presidency of Herbert Hoover.
Fear and chaos once again have paralyzed the White House. We are not advancing. There are no plans for a better American. There is no vision to overcome this discord.
In fact just the opposite is coming from the current occupant of the Oval Office. Every day begins with name calling.  Every day starts with disparaging remarks against American medical professionals. Every day starts with false accusations against Foreign Service Officers.
I am ready for a return to calm, compassionate and thoughtful President.
American can look to its past and make itself better. That is the America I know and love.
Post Office Trust
The Constitution (Article 1, Section 8) authorizes Congress to create and fund a Post Office. The Founding Fathers foresaw the usefulness of universal, publicly owned mail service. Letter carriers have become some of the most trusted members of our communities.
We all know the traditional pledge of the Post Office. “Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds.”
Donald Trump is threatening that tradition. Donald’s handpicked Post Master is ripping out the familiar blue post boxes as well as the behind the scenes mail sorting machines.
Reports are coming from all over the country. The mail is slowing down. Seniors and Veterans are missing their mail order prescriptions. Businesses can’t deliver products on time.
What’s next? Social Security Checks?
The big question is “why?† Donald has made it clear. He sees voting by mail as a threat to his reelection. Just like Donald did with Covid 19 testing, when he sees something directly threatening his reelection, Donald moves to shut it down. He doesn’t care who he hurts.
Donald has turned to conspiracy theories to justify his destruction of this cherished American tradition. He has fabricated a false story of voter fraud. No one has ever found evidence of wide spread voter fraud.
Who else is going to get hurt by this reckless selfishness? Two groups use mail in the ballots the most in Texas: Seniors and Active Duty Troops. Seniors don’t need to stand in long voting lines to have their say. Troops can’t leave their duty station to exercise their rights.
If you need to vote by mail, here is how you can protect yourself from Donald’s destruction.
1) Apply for your ballot now. The deadline is Friday, October 23, 2020. Don’t wait. You will need to submit a form to the Grayson County Elections administrator. 2) Vote and return your ballot as soon as possible. Don’t wait. Vote. Sign it. Check the proper postage.
If you still don’t trust Donald’s mail, you can deliver your “mail in†ballot to the Grayson Elections Administration. The Office is located at 115 West Houston Street in Sherman, right across the street from the Court House. The voter will need to show a photo ID and sign a log.
Donald swore an Oath to Defend and Protect the Constitution of the United States of America. He swore to faithfully execute the laws of the United States of America. Donald J. Trump is violating his oath by attacking the Post Office and our right to vote. Will you defend America?