Stop Pulling the Wagon

BILBO WAGGINS – BORDER COLLIE  & PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP

Just for fun.  I mentioned to some friends the other day that in some ways our President, Donald Trump, reminds me of my daughters Border Collie.

To explain.  Owners of Border Collies will tell you they are intelligent and very high energy dogs.  They seem to never get tired.  When I spend the day with Bilbo, my daughters Border Collie, I find myself at the end of the day often exhausted trying to keep up with his activity level.  He wants to play tug, ball or anything else that requires activity.  We keep his “toys” in a basket.  He will bring you a toy from the basket and if you do not want to play with him, he will go get another toy and keep doing this till you give up and play.  Did I mention that today Bilbo is a seven year old hyper active “puppy”?

A bit of history.  When Bilbo was just under a year old, one day we, and our daughter, wanted to go on an outing.  We left Bilbo at a Dog Day Care Center.  It was essentially a very large warehouse with handlers that “entertained” dogs in large monitored play groups (no aggressive dogs allowed).  Video cameras were in place so that you could watch your dog at play on your cell phone if you so desired.  When we were some miles down the road, the “Doggie” place called my daughter on her cell phone and said “Look at what your dog Bilbo is doing”!  When my daughter looked on her cell phone she saw that Bilbo had “herded” all the other dogs into a group in the center of the room.  We found this almost unbelievable as she had given him no training in this and he was not yet quite a year old. Breeding? Instinct?

If  you would like to see a Border Collie at work go on YouTube  and search under “Border Collies Herding Sheep”.  They are amazing dogs with boundless energy.

I find our President, Donald Trump seems to have the same kind of energy as Border Collies display.  Like him or hate him, He has an amazing work ethic.  Especially for  a man of his age.  He seems to never get tired.  I find much of his agenda I am in agreement with.  For example, his administration is working hard to stop child mutilation in the cause of gender identity at the hands of “Gender Groupie Predators”.  Many other things he works on I also agree with (I am not a Republican or Democrat but I am conservative).  Some issues I disagree with him on but….. I am amazed at his energy level.  I have gotten to the point that I find myself avoiding “News” Broadcasts, not because I dislike what is being reported, but because it exhausts me to try to keep up with his endeavors here at home and around the world.  At the end of  the “News” I feel like I have spent an entire day trying to keep up with Bilbo! 

For a sort of related fun time – Read : The Ransom of Red Chief – a short story by O. Henry

Bob Bandy – January 2026

SOMETIMES THE FOLKS IN CHARGE MAKE  IT TOO EASY FOR ME

THEY ARE AT IT AGAIN – ANOTHER GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN

FROM DECEMBER OF 2018

ESSENTIALLY ESSENTIAL NON ESSENTIALS?

(A title that could have been written by KAMALA HARRIS)

December 2018

As of this writing our Government is in “Partial Shutdown”.  We are told that this is only about a 25% shutdown as only “Non-Essential” Services will be put on hold.

All other Government spending is on “Auto-Pilot” and no budget is needed to continue spending.  How comforting.  Excuse the sarcasm.

Lets see.  As a nation we are now some 21 Trillion (with a ‘T’) Dollars in debt.  Well, Excuse me……..  I have a question, if we are only shutting down “Non-Essential” Services, which by my country-boy  thinking means “we can live without them”, then why don’t we shut them down permanently, save the money and maybe, just maybe, start digging our way out of debt?

 (Note: the 21 Trillion Dollar debt total from 2018 is now 36 Trillion Dollars in 2025)

But, we are told that is not the way Government works.  When the clowns, criminals and lunatics in Washington get done arguing and come to some kind of agreement, they will “Restore” all those “Non-Essential Services” and retro-actively again fund all those “Non-Essential Services” because, as you see, our Government considers them “Essential”.

In our family, and with most businesses,  budgeting does not work this way.  But of course we don’t have the ability to print fiat money.

Following this tirade I am again printing below an article that was sent to me back in August of 2012 and I reprinted at that time on this site because it is such a classic example of “Government Think”. I can think of no way of saying it better.  It is not original with me – I merely share it.

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THE NIGHT WATCHMAN

Once upon a time the government had a vast scrap yard in the middle of a desert.  Congress said, “Someone may steal from it at night”.  So they created a night watchman position and hired a person for the job.  Then Congress said, “how does the watchman do his job without instruction?”

So they created a planning department and hired two people.  One person to write the instructions, and one person to do time studies.  Then Congress said, “How will we know the night watchman is doing the tasks correctly?”  So they created a Quality Control department and hired two people.  One was to do the studies and one was to write the reports.

Then Congress said, “how are these people going to get paid?”  So they created two positions: a time keeper and a payroll officer, then hired two people.  Then Congress said, “Who will be accountable for all of these people?”  So they created an administrative section and hired three people, an Administrative Officer, Assistant Administrative Officer, and a Legal Secretary.

Then Congress said, “We have had this command in operation for one year and we are $918,000 over budget, we must cut back.”

So they laid off the night watchman.

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Now slowly let it sink in.  We go like sheep to the slaughter.  The lunatics are in charge of the asylum.

Bob Bandy – Again October 2025

GIVEN THE AUTHORITY I COULD REDUCE THE COST OF NEW HOUSING

BEING BUILT IN CALIFORNIA BY $60,000 OR MORE IN LESS THAN A MONTH

By way of historical context I spent several years “back in” the 1970’s as a carpenter and builder of housing, mostly in El Dorado County, California but also in Sacramento County.  I was also one of the project Foremen on the Grizzly Flats Mountain Retreat Project from start to finish in El Dorado County.  I loved my work.  In those days when we went in to get a building permit for a new home the cost of the permit was a couple to a few hundred dollars.  My memory is not perfect but I remember one permit on a custom home we were building was $292 (don’t know why that number has stuck in my head all these years).  Times have changed. 

FIRST – THE GOOD NEWS

Give me the authority to control the cost of a building permit for new homes within the State of California and I will mandate that Cities, Counties and all other agencies that issue building permits may not charge more than $1,000 for giving builders permission to build a new home.  At the time of this writing many/most government agencies in California are charging $60,000 or more to give you a paper to let you build a house on property that you already own.  And I have heard unverified horror stories of permits running  as high as $150,000 in some locales before you can drive the first nail in that new home.  

A bit of history.  Some number of years back California voters passed Proposition 13 which says Taxing authorities within California cannot raise taxable property values by more than 1% a year unless the property is “improved” (such as adding a pool or an additional room etc. that lets them re-evaluate the property to “current market value” for taxing.

Since government at all levels has an unquenchable thirst for more tax dollars the above “Prop 13” rule frustrates their desire to find ways to tax you more and more. 

But then…  almost by accident government discovered a way to raise property taxes exponentially.  They discovered that if they raised the cost of a building permit, which you must my law have to build a home, the cost of the building permit would be added to the cost of the home being built and of course to the price of the home.  The added benefit to the Taxasauras’ is that the Building Pcrmit fee increases the price of the home and its tax base and Harry Homeowner will now pay taxes on the cost of the home AND also pay taxes on the added permit cost, indefinitely.  What started out as a $340,000 new home has been converted into a $400,000 (or more) Tax Cow that your Neighborhood Tax Authority can “Milk” forever.  A 20% increase in property tax  revenue for issuing a piece of paper allowing you to build a house.  Talk about creative accounting.

Give me the authority to remove their ability to “fleece” you with this clever little “Permit Scam” and the cost of a new home can be reduced by $60,000 (or more).  As an added bonus the Property taxes would be based on $340,000, the actual cost of building the home, not on $400,000, which is the inflated value from the greatly inflated Permit cost, a savings of 20% in taxes to the homeowner.

NOW – THE BAD NEWS

Since the above little government scheme has inflated the market cost (and tax base) of housing in California by $60,000 (or more), if we remove their ability to charge those fees, the cost of a new home can be reduced by the amount of those fees, in this example $60,000,  which is good news to those looking to buy a new home.  But there is a downside.  This reduction would put downward price pressure on existing homes….  Good news for those looking to buy and, in many cases, bad news for those who would now find themselves “upside down” in homes purchased under the existing Government “Flim-Flam” Tax Scheme where they are forever stuck with paying “Property Taxes” on governments little Permit Fee to “work around” the “Prop 13” “hurdle”. 

Editors Note:  If property values decline you can have your Property Tax Authority revalue your property for Property Tax purposes and a reduction in Property Taxes on your home.  Don’t expect speedy smiling service. Tax Authorities do not like losing Property Tax revenue because of declining property values.

In the “Good News” case citizens would likely make me out a hero because new housing would be more affordable.  

In the “Bad News” case citizens stuck with the phony, paper value inflated tax scheme and facing market value devaluation of their homes would most likely not form a “Fan Club” for me.

What would you say the odds are of government letting this little “Tax Bonanza” “ripoff” slip out of their control? 

Don’t you just love the way government can find new ways to tax you?

Bob Bandy – September 2025

IN THE NEWS

In the News today Congress is wrestling with the fact that in the United Kingdom, Canada and some other countries, what you say can put you in Prison.  Case in point is a British comedian who made a joke about a “Transgender” and has been arrested and is now facing serious Jail time.  Seems some folks, somewhere, have made the decision that what he said was “hate speech” and that is forbidden and gets you a lengthy stay in the “Crossbar Hotel“.  Which gets me to thinking…..  Who gets to decide what is allowed and what is not allowed?  My general observation is that it is, for example, okay to mock a Christian but if you protest late term abortions in front of a Planned Parenthood Clinic, you can end up in jail.  Who made that rule?

Looking back on my writings over the years it is clear to me that I better not visit the United Kingdom or Canada or ?? because my writings, many of which have been posted on Facebook, X and many other public websites available worldwide, many of these “thought & word” Police would consider grounds to lock me up and throw away the key!  An example follows of an article I posted some nearly four years ago.  I published this article under the category of “Humor” but everything in it from a scientific, DNA, biological and medical basis is absolute fact and yet not acceptable to the WOKE,  LBGTQ++ and “Trans-gender” crowd.  I am reprinting it below and hopefully no one will come to my front door with an arrest warrant!  For it and related articles just type Gender Studies in the search for articles box in the left column of the home page.  Enjoy!

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GENDER STUDIES

WE HUMANS CAN’T SEEM TO LEAVE ANYTHING ALONE

This is written under the category of “Humor” for a reason.

We all need to lighten up a little and learn to laugh at ourselves.

The Federal Government and various Colleges and Universities have spent Hundreds of Millions of taxpayer and student loan dollars on “Gender Studies” and research over a period of years.

It is rumored that the “final” conclusions from all this fact finding and money spent were  so  surprising and perhaps controversial, and may I say for those doing the studies a shock  that they decided to bury the report in a previously abandoned Nuclear Missle Silo in the mid-west guarded round the clock by heavily armed troops.

Never the less, and despite all the care given, a single copy of this report fell into the hands of a “whistle blower” who has leaked it to our undercover agent.

To the great consternation of all the researchers it was finally concluded and scientifically established  that, contrary to all publicly pronounced protocol and human wishes, there are two and only two genders.  Male and Female.

Despite the efforts of some states and localities to encourage parents of newborns to leave blank the gender line on newborn birth certificates so that said newborn can come back at a later date, after they have decided what gender they want to be (from a creative list of 20+ options) and fill it in with the self chosen gender of their choice.  However, that newborns true gender will remain the same as it was at birth at a biological, chromosome,  genetic and DNA level throughout his or her life.

It was also established that the term “Trans-Gender” is not a gender.  It would be more appropriate to title it the “Wannabe Gender”.  An example would be large, strong athletic males who “wannabe” dominate in women’s sports.   It simply describes those of one gender who desire to be a member of the other gender for any of a number of reasons.  Despite wardrobe changes, good intentions, bad intentions, “plumbing” changes, hormonal treatment and all manner of “smoke and mirrors, if a self styled “Trans-Gender” has the cruel misfortune to die in such a way as the only option to identify them lies with a medical examiner and DNA analysis, the final report will show they were either male or female.  There is no such thing as Trans-Gender DNA.  Sorry.

Dogs, cats, horses, cows, chickens or people.  There are two genders. 

You can have all the fun you want, even invent new social constructs and groups but…

THERE ARE TWO AND ONLY TWO GENDERS AMONG WE HUMANS

Too bad about all those hundreds of millions of dollars spent on research.

……. God created mankind…… male and female He created them.     Genesis 1:27

Bob Bandy – December 2021

TANGLED WEB

I am an independent sort of guy in so many ways.   Registered to Vote as “not affiliated” with any party.  Have issues with both the major political parties.  

At this writing it is widely accepted that the Democratic Party is in “disarray” with no clear leader and they seem to be taking “shots” at one another much as in a “Circular Firing Squad”.  

The one thing I am observing is that they hate Donald Trump and want to block anything he has on his agenda list. Outside of their commitment to stop Donald Trumps plans I am unable to get a clear picture of just what their agenda would be if they were in control.  Like, I know what you are opposed to but what would you be “for” if you were in charge?  I would like to hear specific plans with defined and measurable goals.  In many areas of interest to me as a voter I am not hearing the kind specific goals and plans that I, and most other “voters” have serious questions about if a candidate in any party wants my vote. 

Following is a list of priority questions and specific standards I have if you want my vote.  And, I don’t care what party you identify with.  

1. Since we do not allow children to get Drivers Licenses, buy alcohol, buy guns, vote, join the military or any number of other things they are not mature enough to make decisions on life altering long term “stuff” like gender status.  Do you Mr. or Ms. Candidate support their being groomed or recruited into “gender identity”  pharmaceutical or surgical procedures?  Note: I have no issue with adult Gays, Lesbians or those who identify as “whatever”.  Adults can make adult decisions.  I have major issues with those who groom or try to recruit children.  What is your position on this.  No weasel words.  Your clear unambiguous position is required.

2. This next question can be a tricky one if you claim you believe in scientific, biological and DNA facts.  How many genders are there?  If your answer is more than two you do not get my vote.  So called “Trans-Gender” is not a gender….  it is scientifically and medically “Gender Dysphoria” which is a psychological condition and not a physical gender.  This is not to say that people who find themselves with this condition do not deserve understanding and help but…. it is not a gender.  You can mutilate your “plumbing”, change your wardrobe and makeup but…. you cannot change your gender at a DNA level.

LET ME BE CLEAR – IF YOU HAVE MAN “PLUMBING” BUT WANT TO CLAIM YOU IDENTIFIY AS A WOMAN SO YOU CAN COMPETE IN WOMENS SPORTS – YOU ARE NOT TRANSGENDER, YOU ARE A FRAUD AND NO BETTER THAN A PEDOPHILE AND SEXUAL PREDATOR…   ANY CANDIDATE FOR ANY OFFICE WHO SUPPORTS THESE SCAMMERS WILL NEVER GET MY VOTE!

3. Want my vote?  Do you believe children should be exposed  to  “Drag Queen” performances that are sexually “suggestive” or sometimes even more explicit?  Children are our most vulnerable treasure.  If you want my vote you will not endorse  impressionable children’s minds be implanted with what most believe is perverted sexuality.

4. Do you think that “Diversity, Equity and Inclusion”, no matter how noble it sounds, really brings about the best and highest results?  Or is it just a “race to the bottom” and the lowest common denominator in the performance of any organization?  Try applying DEI to forming a sports team.  Do Championship teams use “DEI” in recruiting  a team or do they they seek the best, brightest and hardest working players to put on the field of competition?  Wherever “DEI” has been implemented there is a record of mediocrity at best and most often, ultimate failure.  Tell me, Mr. or Ms. (or whatever pro-noun you use) what is your “vote” on so-called “Diversity, Equity and Inclusion”.

5. Do you believe it is possible to have a true “Country” without secure borders?  Do you believe people who come into our country illegally should be given “Free” Medical Care, “Free” Legal Services, “Free” Education, “Free” Financial Aid, Drivers Licenses, etc.? Name for me three countries (okay – name two) in the world that will allow you access without documentation. The European Union tried this for a time and it was, and is, an unmitigated disaster with burgeoning sub-cultures demanding European style “Free” Social Services but unwilling to merge into the native cultures they have “invaded”.  If you do not believe in secure borders you will not get my vote, no matter what party you belong to.  I welcome new immigrants from many cultures but in an orderly, disciplined way with background checks and a plan to immerse them into our American values and way of life.

6. Instead of just being against the current Administration, tell me what you are for.  Do you believe that government at all levels should live within a budget, just as my family must live within a budget?  Do you believe that graft and corruption should be rooted out and those who have stolen from the taxpayers be imprisoned?  Do you believe that repeat criminal offenders should be separated from law abiding citizens?  Do you believe that those who enter our country illegally should be required/forced to leave?  Do you believe that able bodied citizens should be required to work?  These are just examples. 

If you want the vote of thinking voters you need to tell them your ideas, what do you stand for and believe in?  You are not going to win votes or a united opposition “Party” by just telling us how much you “Hate” the “other” side. 

In closing, I consider myself a conservative “Apolitcal” observer with friends and family in both major Political Parties.  At this point in time there seems to be emerging a “Democratic” party that is a: Hate Trump – Pro Open Borders – Pro Criminal Illegal Immigrants – Pro Woke – Pro – LGBTQ/MS13 /Tren de Argua/ANTIFA & Hate Israel/Love Hamas “rabble” that is committed to deficit spending and continued government corruption “Status Quo” until our country is Bankrupt.  This may not be accurate but it is the image being given by the “Dis-Loyal Opposition”. I hope I am wrong in my observation and see changes as time passes.

Bob Bandy  May 2025

Do you want to get rich like your Congress person or Senator is.  It is really not that difficult. First, put all your morals, scruples and integrity in a bag and lock it away somewhere it can’t annoy you.  Next pick an elected official to pattern your life after. Maybe someone like current California Senator and former Congressman Adam Schiff.

Senator Schiff has a lengthy resume of lies and perjury.  He is not a man hindered by the truth and has amassed himself a treasury of some 17 Million (known) Dollars and who knows what other plunder he has tucked away.  

Or, consider Hakeem Jeffries, Minority Leader of the House of Representatives who entered Congress with some $40,000 in debt and after six years in office has a stock portfolio worth 36 Million dollars.  Talk about good luck!

What you want to do is get yourself elected to public office like the above mentioned examples or any one of a number of other public servants who have acquired great wealth with a somewhat perhaps little known but very lucrative “second career”, perhaps as a Member of a Governing Board, or better still the Director of a Foundation or Corporation who does business with the Government.  

Here is a simple example of putting yourself on the path to prosperity: (1) Get elected to public office, say the U.S. House of Representatives.  (2) Set up a Charitable Foundation.  I could call mine:  Mom, The Flag and Apple Pie Foundation but other more creative players have come up with more “catchy” names such as the “Clinton Global Initiative” whose stated primary goal was to fight diarrhea in Africa and other worthy causes.

But, let us stick with my Mom, The Flag and Apple Pie Foundation.  I will of course be the Director of the foundation and my wife and other “friends” will all serve on the Governing Board. 

(3) Next, as a member of the the House of Representatives  “assist” in creating legislation to “Flush” ( and I use the term on purpose) several Billion Tax Payer Dollars through a created department like U S  AID (United States Aid Department) and then pilot a request that they “grant” 50 Million Dollars to the Mom, The Flag and Apple Pie Foundation to be used to encourage the “public” to be “Patriotic”.   (4) Once the money is received, as Director and with the support of the Foundations Board Members we will buy one Flag, one Apple Pie and send a card to our mothers on Mothers Day wishing her the best.  The rest of the money is paid out to our salaries and expenses such as creative “Retreats” at high end resorts and for “travel”, “Consultants”, “Personal Staff”,  “Security”, “Luxury offices”, “vehicles” etc. etc. 

To see the above as a true art form of “get rich schemes” we must look back at our friends the Clinton’s.  Example:

When Port-Au-Prince in Haiti was devastated by a massive 7.0 Earthquake in 1993 over 13 Billion Tax Payer Dollars were pledged to help rebuild the City and surrounding area.  Several Billion of these dollars were “flushed” through the Clinton Foundation to rebuild housing and infrastructure in Port-Au-Prince.  Very little housing was rebuilt and the infrastructure remains a shambles to this day but the money disappeared – “Poof” and the Clinton’s who according to Hilary left the White House some millions of Dollars in debt (her words) find themselves today worth, according to published figures, more than 900 Million Dollars.  True “giants” in the art of turning “Public Service” into a profitable career.  Editors note:  There is very little evidence that the “books” of the Clinton Foundation have ever been subjected to outside scrutiny but what little information that has been gleaned indicates that less than 10% of funds donated have ever been spent on stated causes.

Don’t want to stoop to the likes of “How Low Can You Go” Adam Schiff or the Clinton Crime Family?  Without going to the trouble of becoming a Politician you can set up your own “Foundation” and contribute generously to a “Pliable” Man or Woman already in office for their “Political Campaign”, get to “know them” and then offer them well paid seats on your “Governing Board” and let them “Shepard” the Legislation to get Tax Payer Funds to come your way. 

On a more local level you can find yourself a Conrad Blowhard Mayor who will push through a 60 Million Dollar renovation on a shoddy old hotel to accommodate 120 homeless people at a cost of $500,000 per vagrant (and co-incidentally leave his city with a 60 Million Dollar budget deficit the following year) to enrich you and his other supporters with fat contracts to enrich  your and their bank accounts at the expense of the City Taxpayers.  So, get creative at the “Public Trough” of Tax Dollars.

So, if you want to get into a profitable career and personal integrity is not a stumbling block for you, consider a life as an elected “Public Representative” or “working partner” of one.  

It is not my intent to malign the integrity and honor of all elected officials but current disclosures indicate that a high percentage of  “Politicians” are in it for the money.

Bob Bandy – April 2025