Government Shutdown and Mattis Resignation

Well, it’s been a bad week for the country.  We have a government shutdown despite the Senate offering a bipartisan plan which included border security (just not a wall).  The stock market is doing really poorly, but that doesn’t really impact the many people who can’t even afford to invest in stocks.  And worst of all, in my view, James Mattis is stepping down from Secretary of Defense because his views aren’t in alignment with 45 who wants to pull troops out of Syria and Afghanistan.

For almost two years now, I’ve been praying for M&M - Mattis and Mueller.   Mueller so that he can indict/convict all the people involved in the Russian interference; Mattis so that he can try to reason with 45 over national/world security.  But 45 doesn’t listen to reason.  Apparently he listens to people like Rush Limbaugh and Ann Coulter, and does things that please Putin (like pulling out of Syria.  I admit that I thought it was a mistake for Obama to pull troops out of Iraq prematurely...  and now 45 who loves to criticize Obama is doing the same thing despite bipartisan advice NOT to.

How many Trump voters in the rust belt work for the government and really want this Wall?  He said during the week that he’d be proud to own the shutdown and that he wouldn’t blame the Democrats.  But as usual, he lied and is now blaming Democrats.  

Do his supporters realize that the actual cost of the whole thing is like $30 billion (not the $5 billion 45 is asking for)?  Do they realize that Democrats DO want border security, just not an ineffective expensive wall?  And that there was a bipartisan plan which included some money for border security?  The Great Wall of China didn’t do the trick because, in addition to having a wall, you’d have to have people monitoring it at ALL points.  People will just avoid the heavily guarded areas and get over or under the wall.  I think all Americans would like to get Veterans and the impoverished more aid, but how do we do that and pay for a useless wall?  Maybe we raise taxes and eliminate loopholes on those large corporations who, by the way, continue to send jobs overseas and layoff people?

One of my New Life Church friends was in the military and is now in seminary school, and I was telling him how bummed I was about Mattis stepping down.  He reminded me that our faith must be put in God and not to worry too much.  That God is still in control no matter what the situation.  I will remember this, but I will still also continue to resist the lunatic in the White House as “Bad things happen because good people remain silent.”

Guardians of the Truth

This article on journalists as Guardians of the Truth is really well done. Unfortunately a good number of our citizens are still supporting 45 and viewing the press as an "enemy of the people." That phrase was used by other dictators and authoritarians like Nero, Mao Zedongand Vladimir Lenin. It's no surprise that 45 enjoys using the phrase as well.  

http://time.com/person-of-the-year-2018-the-guardians/

So Much for Conservatives Being Fiscally Sound

 I’ve been seeing FB posts about how we need to help our Veterans, Homeless, people in Paradise, etc instead of helping “illegal immigrants.”  (BTW, it’s legal to seek political asylum.)  What it comes down to is this - our politicians (esp the GOP) decided to give a big ol’ tax cut to large corporations who in turn reward their shareholders and not their employees.  And they continue to send their work overseas.  Perhaps people should be more upset with the politicians who want to raid social security and Medicare to cover the deficit while giving more money to the already wealthy.