Stop Pulling the Wagon

In the classic Western Movie – El Dorado – Cole Thornton (John Wayne) is talking with “Mississippi” (James Caan) who asks him if Nelse McLeod (Christopher George), a hired gun won’t be really mad when he finds out that “Cole” has taken the side of Sheriff J.P. Harrah (Robert Mitchum)?

Cole Thornton replies that “I hope he is mad”. “The madder he gets, the better I like it”.

The point being that when any of us give in to our anger, hate or rage we tend to make mistakes.

I know that at those times in my life when I have submitted myself to these emotions, I have invariably said and done things I later regret and unfortunately cannot undo.

One way to defeat your opponent is to damage their emotional stability to the point they can no longer think or act rationally regarding the consequences of their actions.

Our President seems to have succeeded in totally enraging the “Progressive” “Far Left” to the point they have become irrational and are flailing about with wild, unsupportable claims of wrongdoing.

In the process they are also engaging in outrageous, often hypocritical, charges that are so weak that even an eight year old could see they have no merit. Frequently some of them, like Representative Adam Schiff are being caught in rather pathetic lies.

Their only accomplishment, if you can call it that, seems to be that they are destroying the “mainstream”, more traditional Democratic Party.

The Republican Party may find joy in this but I am not sure it is in the best interests of our Country.

Maybe it is just me, but it seems it is also aging some of their supporters.

I make no claim of having been a fan of Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, but have grudgingly admired her politcal skill and tenacity and the way she has maintained her appearance and demeanor. In the last two and a half years I have noted a change. Maybe it is the AOC Syndrome, but it seems she has aged 10-15 years since regaining her Speaker-ship of the House of Representatives. She often looks so tired, worn and almost haunted.

I almost feel sorry for her. Sad.

Bob Bandy – Oct. 2019

El Dorado – 1966 – Paramount Pictures

Sacramento Bee Headline

American River Beach looks like ‘diluted sewage‘

The above photo is of visitors at Tiscornia Beach on the American River Parkway in Sacramento. The article with the photo and caption tells us:

“Tiscornia’s E. coli readings were three times higher than the safety threshold on August 27th and six times higher on August 13th. The American River Parkway attracts millions of visitors annually. Despite this widespread popularity, few public bathrooms are available 24 hours because officials have refused to provide them where homeless congregate, saying campers would just destroy them. Officials remain unwilling to point to the homeless, which number between 200-300 along the American River, as a source of the fecal bacteria.”

“Instead, they’ve embarked on a three to four year study that will test the DNA of the bacteria to determine its exact source. The cost to taxpayers: $600,000 to $800,000.”

“Local officials say that aside from the study, they’re taking other steps to address the homeless issue.”

The above quotes are from the front page article of the Sacramento Bee – Sunday September 15, 2019 issue. Available on line.

Forgive the sarcasm but I feel much better knowing that we are going to do a three to four year DNA study costing $600,000 to $800.000 to find out if the fecal matter (human waste) found floating in the water is from nameless, homeless people using the river as a toilet because the same city government cannot provide sanitary toilet facilities on a 24 hour a day basis.

The city is also working on more shelters that will “come on line” in “coming months”. I shudder to think what the ultimate cost of those will be with this same city government in charge of the project. Another “Shelter” that the city managed (and ultimately closed) ended up costing the city about the same amount per homeless person as it would have cost to put them up at a Motel 6.

It seems to me that government has a habit of trying to solve problems with long range, expensive studies and well meaning but generally ineffective plans instead of tackling the root cause of these problems, which are all too often caused by the same governments poor management, excessive taxation and taxpayer waste which, in turn, puts such a burden on citizens that they cannot afford housing and become homeless.

Bob Bandy – September 2019

Originally posted in October 2018, This piece was one of the most liked, most commented on and most shared over the last year. After numerous requests I am re-posting it below.

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Many years ago, twenty or more, I remember reading about a time in the future when the writer believed the United States might very well “Balkanize” itself.  That is turn into a fatally fractured land and people, where reconciliation into any kind of unity becomes impossible.  Or, in other words, goodbye “E Pluribus Unum”.

A people who become so divided along ideological as well as cultural, religious, political, and ethnic identities that a unified effort for the “greater good of all” becomes impossible.

 A time when our national diversity, instead of being our unifying strength, is instead used as a weapon of destruction.

Elements within our previously “United” government and society become fortresses of non-negotiable demands.  These elements threaten the total destruction of our way of life unless their specific demands are granted.  They will use any means to achieve their goals.  Violence, fear, intimidation, destruction of families, corruption on a national scale and any other means to get their way. 

Following the leadership of writers such as Saul Alinsky and funded by anti-American zealots such as George Soros, these elements seek to impose a society which is in direct conflict with the values and institutions envisioned by our Founders and treasured by most.  For their agenda, co-existence is not an option.

In the process they are planting a garden, the rows of this garden contain the seeds of Lies, Hate, Anger, Rage and Bitterness.  Tell me, what do you harvest if these are the seeds you plant and cultivate? 

They have also infiltrated and corrupted many previously thought incorruptible government agencies and departments like the FBI and Department of Justice, just to name two.

These, and other Agencies and Departments have become populated too often by self-serving unelected demigods wedded to the principle that they are entitled to lifetime pay and benefits and are not answerable to the taxpayers.  What is now being referred to by many as the “Deep State”. 

If the average citizen did the things these bureaucrats are allowed to do, the citizen would find him or herself in prison while the government employee or elected official seems to have an endless “Get Out of Jail Free” card.

Cross them in any way and they have the power and the taxpayer paid for resources to hound you, bankrupt you and ruin your life just for the fun of it.

I don’t think of Washington D.C. as a Swamp.  It is better defined as a “Cesspool”.

Bob Bandy – August 2019

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY) Rep. Ayanna Pressley (MA)

Rep. Ilhan Omar (Mn) and Rep. Rashida Tlaib (MI)

Designated by the Media as “The Squad” and in my opinion more appropriately referred to by Senator John Kennedy of Louisiana as “The Four Horse-women of the Apocalypse”.

If their agenda and rhetoric was not so hate filled, angry and anti-American, this group of four could almost be pitied and looked upon as some kind of failed third rate comedy routine from a skid row night club.

Fact is, they are also dangerous with a radical agenda that condones violence and racial division on the path to open borders and unfettered Socialism. Perhaps they would feel more at home in Cuba or Venezuela.

If anyone calls them to task for their obvious lies and hate speech they immediately fall back on the tired cry of “Racism” when racism has nothing to do with the subject under consideration.

Congresswomen, the subject at hand is Sovereignty and whether a nation has the right to control its own borders. You can agree or disagree with the concept of Sovereignty but it has nothing to do with racism.

Perhaps the word Sovereignty has too many syllables in it for you to understand or you just don’t have a valid argument against it, so you choose to just cry “Racism” as a fall back position for any subject you lack the intellectual capacity to discuss rationally.

Republicans can perhaps take some small solace that these Congresswomen are in the process of destroying the more traditional Democratic Party but it is small comfort indeed when one considers the damage they are attempting to do to the America most of us love and treasure.

It is a question to me why the media gives so much airtime to these practitioners of hate and division. They have no credible history of real public service to others.

I look forward to the day when they are yesterdays forgotten news and retire to the dustbin of failed politicians. They deserve no better.

Bob Bandy – July 2019

I see in the news that the City of San Francisco is going to spend Six Hundred Thousand Dollars to eradicate murals of George Washington’s life including scenes from Mount Vernon.

Rather than uniting us, sadly, such decisions and events serve more to divide us further as a people. I believe they mimic the actions of both the Taliban and ISIS in destroying treasured Historical Icons that are a reminder of where we have come from.

I am remembering an article I posted less than two years ago about what I can only describe as a “Pogram” at the time to remove all statues and other landmarks and public reminders of anything connected to the Civil War and slavery, to include destroying all historical tributes to Christopher Columbus and others.

Back then, in September of 2017, I began the article condemning the institution of Slavery in the strongest terms and believe that it was, is and will always be wrong. I don’t believe God intended for humans to live in slavery or to own slaves.

Having said the above I also wrote the following which is excerpted from that article and I believe we should all be mindful of:

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I am witnessing in our media and on our streets a form of mass hysteria and hate.  It scares me in the sense that I can see it ripping our society apart. I hear and read about “non-negotiable” demands to erase and tear down any relics of real or imagined links to slavery in our nation.  

It seems that anyone with any cultural, racial, or historical ties to slavery by any association or relationship in any way, is marked for removal from the annals of  our nations heritage.

The other day it was announced that ESPN removed a Sportscaster from the commentary at a Sporting event because the man, who had an Asian background, shared the same name as a Confederate General.

Let me share something with you.  I have a 60+ year fascination with history.

Don’t take my word for it, study for yourself.  When you study you will find that slavery in various forms was practiced by: The Carthaginians, the Romans, The Greeks, The Persians (Iranians), The Babylonians, The Chinese, The Mongols, The Huns (Europeans), England, The Vikings, The Russians, Southern Asian Peoples (including India), Egyptians, Middle Eastern and North African Islamic States, Native Americans (North, Central and South America), The People, Tribes and Nations of Central and South Africa.  Also, many Island Nations including Japan. And, I have probably missed naming a few.

Also keep in mind that the horror of slavery is still practiced in parts of the world.

I could be wrong but the only Continent that I am aware of that has no history of slavery in some part or way is Antarctica.  So, if you can firmly establish that all of your ancestors were Native Antarcticans you are stain free. Otherwise, join the rest of us in the cesspool.  

Virtually all of us have a skeleton or two in our closet if we want to dig a little and drag them out.

If it is decided to eradicate all statues, memorials, hospitals, schools, parks, highways, malls, airports, landmarks etc. etc. etc. with the names of anybody who has any ties in history to slavery, racism, a now despised group or family heirloom associated with such, you are going to be very busy.

Just one example:  Democratic Senator Robert Byrd of West Virginia. Besides being a Senator, was a former Grand Wizard in the Ku Klux Klan.  I have heard an estimate, probably exaggerated, that perhaps half the airports, schools, hospitals, parks, highways etc. in the State of West Virginia are named after him.  You are going to need a lot of shovels, backhoes, “whitewash” and other equipment to eradicate his name and memory from the state.

But, not to pick on just the Senator.  Many, most or all of our great leaders, as well as us common folk, have historical skeletons we would probably just as soon not know about.  If we decide to eliminate everything and everyone who has ever had some trace of Slavery in their family history at any time ever, there won’t be very many of us left.

Slavery was abolished in the United States more than 150 years ago.  

The stain of racism is still with us and is practiced by people of all colors.  It will be with us until we all learn to love one another, forgive one another and be enriched by one another.  You cannot erase it by painting over historic works of art, law, edict, marching in the streets or hating one another.  Unfortunately, the latter is what I see being practiced in the media and on the streets.  Pity.

Bob Bandy – July 2019

Our Federal Government has no choice but to keep interest rates low.  Not because of choice but because of the growing National Debt.  It’s simple math really.

The Nations debt now exceeds 22 Trillion Dollars and it continues to grow, but for sake of this exercise lets just assume it is stagnant at 22 Trillion Dollars. 

Your Federal Government, in conjunction with the Federal Reserve System and the Federal Reserve Board determine the rate of interest paid on the National Debt.  This rate fluctuates from time to time and there are different rates charged depending on the borrower and the related “risk” involved.  The U.S. Government, because it can print money, is considered the “safest” borrower.    

Using our 22 Trillion Dollar debt figure lets do some simple math:

• At 2 1/2% Interest the interest for one year on the debt is 550 Billion Dollars
• At 5% Interest the interest for one year on the debt is 1.1 Trillion Dollars
• At 10% Interest the interest for one year on the debt is 2.2 Trillion Dollars

At one point in time during the Carter Presidency interest rates briefly hit 20%.  If that rate were current today, interest on the debt would be 4.4 Trillion Dollars.

The Government is considering a year 2020 budget of 4.75 Trillion Dollars.

If the debt continues to grow, and I see no “stomach” for fiscal restraint in Congress or among voters, at some point it would take all, or nearly all of the Federal Governments Budget just to pay the interest on the debt but of course our Government does not do that.  They just continue to borrow more money and increase the debt limit so they can pay the interest.  And the debt grows and grows.  The only solution, short of greatly increasing taxation and cutting spending,  is to devalue the Dollar through higher inflation.  Inflation devalues the debt but it also decreases the value of savings and hurts those on fixed income, the elderly and the poor.

Worst of all, inflation discourages investors who purchase debt bonds.  Who wants to buy debt bonds paying very low interest rates while the purchasing value of the Bonds become worth less and less through inflation?

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“Interest costs are expected to continue climbing beyond the next 10 years and are projected to be the third largest category in the federal budget by 2026 (after just Social Security and Medicare), the second largest category in 2046, and the single largest category by 2048.” –  Source: Peter G. Peterson Foundation

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Our Federal Government may have painted themselves into a corner.  With a debt that continues to grow they face greater and greater pressure to keep interest rates artificially low while at the same time creating a situation where “investors” – buyers of debt bonds – become less and less inclined to invest in securities of a possible “sinking ship”.

What is the old saying about choosing your poison?

Bob Bandy

June 2019