They will never learn

The FDA is proposing or at least considering a nationwide ban on menthol cigarettes. They might just want to consult history before making such a move and perhaps reconsider. They could be looking at some pretty severe unintended consequences, going in with eyes wide shut. Perhaps the consequences are intended, going in with eyes wide open.

When something is banned that the people want they will go to great lengths to get it. The flip side of this is that some will go to great lengths to provide what is in demand even if the government bans it,

You only have to go back in history 102 years for this little lesson. The 18th Amendment to the US Constitution, Prohibition. Would men like Al Capone have come to such “prominence” if Prohibition never happened? There are, in my opinion, many large cities that still have a “criminal gang” problem as a result of prohibition. Those Cities are still some of the most violent, Chicago comes to mind, but there are a few if not many others.

With the news of a possible “menthol cigarette prohibition” breaking there is probably some “enterprising individual or group” planning to provide the people with what they want. We may soon see an “Al Capone” of menthol cigarettes. Complete with the violence and murder during and since Prohibition. After all people still wanted an “adult beverage” during Prohibition and people that enjoy menthol cigarettes will still want them.

Here are some things to think over. Right now each pack or carton of menthol cigarettes is taxed, sales tax. Every smoker that purchases “legal” cigarettes pays sales tax. There will no longer be a sales tax gathered from the purchase of menthol smoking products, as sales tax is not collected on the black market. Sales tax revenue to the government would be lost. Make no mistake about it, people will still be buying menthol smoking products. How much income tax did Al Capone and the other “bootleggers” pay on the money they “earned”? The same will be true of those enterprising individuals or groups. They will be “earning” money(income)hand over fist and not paying the first dime in income taxes. Alcohol was taxed prior to Prohibition, with Prohibition the government lost a reliable revenue source. Did I mention that the people engaged in the manufacture of alcohol had jobs and paid taxes on that income. They found themselves unemployed, and with that the government lost even more revenue. The same will be true of those involved in the manufacture of menthol smoking products.

If this ban goes through it will not decrease or eliminate the desire, it will do the same as Prohibition did. It will simply drive it “underground”. “Speakeasies” will make a return. People will “stock up” now even if it means that something else needed will go unfulfilled. Eventually their stock pile will go up in “smoke” and they will rely on the “black market”, “the menthol underground”.

How would they do it? They can’t just ban the sale of menthol cigarettes. They would also have to ban the manufacture, storage, transportation and consumption of menthol products, along with import and export. It would do no good to ban the sale if the manufacturing still existed as this would create a real theft problem not to mention those involved in manufacturing would simply take some out everyday. It would do no good to warehouse them somewhere as that storage facility would become a “tasty” target. And holy cow, transporting a banned substance would just invite a little piracy(hijacking). If you are going to do all of that you have to make consumption, manufacturing, transporting and storage of menthol flavored smoking products a criminal offense. Better get busy building more prisons.

It looks like some in government are once again willing to deprive itself of a reliable revenue source, both the tax on the menthol cigarettes not to mention the income taxes paid by those that were, past tense, employed. And this at a time when they are looking to raise taxes to pay for all of their social programs.

If they do go through with this ban I just wonder if we will be treated to news articles of armed federal agents seizing and destroying large stockpiles of menthol flavored smoking products. If they do proceed with this you can rest assured this will be done for your own good, no matter what happens in the aftermath.

You will notice that this is the plan by the FDA, bureaucrats. If this is such a “crisis” why isn’t Congress attempting to get this done through the legislative process? Well, the answer to that is simple, it would cost them votes if it passed and became law. Bureaucrats are not elected, therefore unaccountable to the voters.

He is Risen

Wishing each and every one of you a very Happy Easter.

https://youtu.be/tSKsUTa525Y

It is more than just “Bad Optics”

Bad Optics, a phrase we were exposed to not all that long ago. A phrase employed or deployed by government, more precisely those in government, to give them “cover” when they do something stupid. Like a president going golfing when an American has just been beheaded. It is not bad optics their actions show just how little they care.

Let us look at just some of the “Bad Optics” on display courtesy of some if not many in our government.

We have the anti-gun left, which by the way includes some if not many in the republican party, declaring that we must get “weapons of war” off of our streets. They say this while at the same time placing actual weapons of war on our streets. The Military, National Guard stationed outside the perimeter surrounding the Capitol complex are not armed with typewriters, they are indeed armed with weapons of war.

Not only are the anti-gun left placing actual weapons of war on our streets, there is talk of those actual weapons of war remaining well into the future. There has been talk of a Quick Reaction Force comprised of National Guard members on a rotating basis being permanently stationed in DC to augment the Capitol Police.

More “bad optics”. The open borders left, which again includes some republicans, bitch and moan over the wall that was being constructed on the southern border have no problem with a fence erected around the Capitol complex. For people of an ideology of fences and walls do not work and are in fact inhumane seem to be loving the fence around them. They seem to be okay with leaving the border wide open to whoever wants to come in while they fence in their area to keep whoever out. Seems as though they have a greater concern for their safety and security than the safety and security of the nation and indeed the safety of those living along the southern border.

Another. What happened to the left and their “defund the police”? From what I read there are going to be hundreds of new hires by the Capitol Police to provide a greater level of security and safety for those in government. I have a hunch that the defund the police movement only applies to the ordinary citizens not those who rule over us.

And now this example. It appears, to me, that the chief role of the military is shifting. The military is shifting away from defending the nation towards defending the government and indeed the seat of government. We may indeed come to understand why the Founders were so against having a permanent standing army.

Now to tie all of this together.

We now have the democrats controlling the Legislative branch and the Executive branch and just as expected they are on their march to enact gun control legislation. Two bills have already cleared the House with republican support. The Senate is once again putting forth an “assault weapons” ban while we wait to see how many republicans join their ranks. They do this while surrounded by actual weapons of war and a pretty effective physical barrier.

As of this writing the democrat controlled Senate will come up short on enough votes to pass any of these or any other gun control bills, even with some arm twisting. However nothing can or should be ruled out. The gun control groups poured a lot of money into this past election and they are going to demand a return on their investment. The filibuster rule may just go away and bills in the Senate could pass on a simple majority vote.

Some will say that whatever the democrats do the republicans will undo if we, the voters, give them back the Legislative branch and the Executive branch. Any republican that makes that claim is a bald faced liar. They promised to repeal the ACA, they did not do that.

No, what will happen is that the politicians will sit behind their physical barrier surrounded by men and women of war armed with real weapons of war while they continue to forge the chains they intend to rivet upon us.

Surely they can

walk and chew bubble gum at the same time. Much time and effort is being spent on identifying the people who entered the Capitol building. There is another avenue that should have at least some effort, if not as much, on. And that is why. The why is much bigger than the who.

The who is not requiring all that much effort on the part of the government. Surveillance cameras are all over. Inside and outside the Capitol building. Damn near everywhere. Plus there is facial recognition software at their disposal and up to this moment I have heard no one complaining of its use. The government has the added benefit of “social media”. Those that entered the Capitol building were kind enough to stop and pose for pictures, some even took selfies, and all of it was posted on a social media account or in some cases several of them. Then there is another item that makes uncovering the who easy, people turning in family members and or friends. There does remain a few that must be identified the old fashioned way, through investigation, specifically chasing leads.

In the near future the who will be answered, but when will the why be answered?

The why, will never be answered by a commission. Why, you ask? The answer is right in front of them and they can not see it. Much like the person that can not see the Forest for the Trees.

As they say

Improvise Adapt Overcome. There is much talk these days of censorship on the “social media” platforms, across the internet and by the “so-called” news media.

In the grand scheme of things the internet has not been with us all that long. The “social media” platforms have been with us for an even shorter period of time. Believe it or not we have not always had cell phones. And let’s face it the news media, even though it has been with us for a long time, is not what it once was.

So, I guess this post is directed to those on what is called the political right. You say your twitter account has been suspended. I guess your account was suspended for violating what they call their “community standards”. Well I would have never known about your suspension had it not made the “news” whether by you or in the case it made national, even world, news. You see, I do not have a twitter account, nor do I intend to ever have one. So if you were trying to communicate your ideas to me via twitter I never heard a word you were typing. Had a facebook account for a while, lost interest closed it. Never had a snap chat, instagram or any of the rest. This is about as close as I have to a social media account. Oops, I do have some on Tumblr. You may find it hard to believe but I am not the only one that has little or nothing to do with social media, there are many, many who do not.

Look at it this way, this is a land with a population of some 237 million and you have, let’s say, 1 million followers or friends. That means 236 million people never hear a word you type. Sure some that got your tweet or whatever sent it to their followers or friends that are not a part of your million. But even with that did you ever consider the fact that many do not participate?

By the way, I have heard some of you closed your social media accounts in protest of another person being suspended or outright banned from a particular platform. Childish, don’t you think? You basically silenced yourself.

So, if you are a politician that has found yourself silenced and now you find yourself at the point of having to Improvise, Adapt and Overcome. If you have no experience with either of these three “You are going to have a tough row to hoe”. Quit whining and get busy.

Perhaps in the next few posts I can give you some tips.

Don’t fall for it

By now, I am sure everyone has seen the poster or flyer sent out encouraging armed protests. I am saying don’t fall for it, it is a trap.

I base what I say on the following. 1 The color scheme is all wrong, red and yellow are the colors of communism and the communist party. 2 The stars depicted on Lady Liberty are pentagrams. 3 The torch is in the wrong hand of Lady Liberty.

This my opinion and may be right or wrong. Check it out for yourself and reach your own conclusion. Don’t be lead around by the “nose” think for yourself.

Do not let yourself be goaded into doing what the left wants and needs you to do.

Finally a registry the Leftists are against

Came across this today. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/08/us/politics/cdc-vaccine-data-privacy.html

Mind you that I personally am against any registry of any type. Historically speaking registries have often been misused by governments. Still I found this interesting and is just another example of the hypocrisy of the left.

Read the whole thing, I will just highlight a few points. Italics will be used for parts of the article, my interpretation will be in standard block letters.

The following is from the first paragraph.

The Trump administration is requiring states to submit personal information of people vaccinated against Covid-19 — including names, birth dates, ethnicities and addresses, raising alarms among state officials who fear that a federal vaccine registry could be misused.

So, the federal government wants to create a registry, with certain identifying information, and the leftists worry that it could be misused.

These are the same leftists that are constantly seeking a national firearm registry. They never raise any concerns that the information in this registry could be misused. Even when history says otherwise. Hypocrites.

And another thing you leftists have tried to do is to publish the names and addresses of concealed carry permit holders. You seem to think that this information could never be misused either. Freaking hypocrites.

Now let’s move along.

So, just why does the federal government need to collect this data? This comes from the forth paragraph.

Administration officials say that the information will not be shared with other federal agencies and that it is “critically necessary” for several reasons: to ensure that people who move across state lines receive their follow-up doses; to track adverse reactions and address safety issues; and to assess the effectiveness of the vaccine among different demographic groups.

Same old drivel. Critically necessary. These are “needed” because the vaccine is to be administered under an Emergency Use Authorization(EUA). The following is a link about EUA’s, for your reading enjoyment. This is, in my opinion, a must read.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/medical/what-is-an-eua-pfizer-and-moderna-seek-emergency-use-authorization-for-covid-19-vaccines/ar-BB1bImEw

By reading what information the federal government wants to collect it would seem that the leftists would be pleased as punch, after all registries are their thing. It could be viewed as a leftist “wet dream” especially as it comes from a republican administration. But they have objections to this registry. What is it they, the leftists, fear about this registry?

The answer to that lies in the third paragraph. 

The collection of personal data could dissuade undocumented people from participating in the vaccination program. To get information that they can use at the Department of Homeland Security and ICE that they’ll use to deport people.

They worry that those here illegally would opt out of being vaccinated and if they chose to be vaccinated and provided the information requested the information could be used to deport them.

If only they would apply the same level of concern for the protection of the rights of the American citizens as they do to the rights of those that have no right to be in this country.

There is much more in that first linked article to pick apart, especially some of the wording used in the last 10 or so paragraphs. I will get to that in future posts while we wait for the results of the election.

Happy Thanksgiving

I wish to take this time to wish each and everyone a very Happy Thanksgiving.

Be ye thankful for what you have and you will have more to be thankful for, be ye not thankful for what you have and you will never have enough.

A very Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours.

Just wondering when

I am just wondering when the push back will start. I, for one, am getting more and more skeptical by the day. No, I am not talking about the election and the results. I am talking about this whole Wuhan novel corona virus ordeal and the petty tyrants it has spawned.

Everyday I read where Governors and other elected officials around the country are planning a new series of crackdowns because of the continual rise of infections, hospitalizations and deaths due to the virus.

Which brings me to these questions. If this virus is so deadly then why the hell are they planning more crackdowns in the future and not implementing those measures immediately? Why are gatherings being limited to a certain number and not just outright forbidden? Why is there such a variance in the ages of children when they must wear a mask? Some states decree age two while others decree age five. Instead of listing all of my questions as you read along you may come up with your own questions.

Thanksgiving is just two days away and some of you will be having your Thanksgiving alone as you are forbidden to gather in groups of varying size, some of you will be forced outdoors, and some of you will have only an allotted time to celebrate with family or friends and you will be mandated to wear a mask. Some of you have been threatened with rather hefty fines and even jail time if you fail to comply with these decrees.. All this brought about by petty tyrants, mad on power.

Took a little time this evening to check the Covid19 numbers and to check the several States decrees, in force and those planned. I checked the list of States with a mask mandate and also checked the number of infections and deaths. I also checked the States without a mask mandate number of infections and deaths. I then had to wonder why people in states with mask mandates were still experiencing high infection rates.

We will never be told the truth about how many became infected even though they wore the mask, practiced social distancing, and did frequent hand washing. After all they never told us the truth about mask wearing in the beginning. Or did they? They did say that wearing a mask was not necessary. I seem to remember someone saying, “Seriously stop buying masks”.

Then I remembered something from long ago. “If the disease doesn’t kill you the cure might”. Remember back to the grand and glorious plan to flatten the curve. Talk began about shutting down the economy. The choice of words was purely political, it was more than shutting down the economy it was shutting down the country. It was not a national shutdown, it came from the State and Local level. The result was the same. Someone mentioned that the cure could be worse than the disease.

Then something more recent came to me. There was a gentleman testifying before Congress about the effectiveness of masks. He said, something to the effect of, masks were the most important tool in stopping the spread of the virus, even more effective than a vaccine. In the video this gentleman could not even wear a mask properly and he is a doctor. Then I went back to the old, If the disease doesn’t kill you the cure might”.

This brought me to those damned masks. Could the masks be the reason people are still getting infected and hospitalized? The only way we would ever know that answer would be if somebody had the courage to step forward and tell us and not be censored.

Now comes this. The same organization the gentleman testifying before Congress that could not even wear the mask correctly has now changed their story on how long one should quarantine. They now say instead of 14 days one should quarantine for 7 to 10 days. Well which is it 7 or 10? Pick one, obviously 14 was wrong. Read the whole article. It also explains whose fault it is that the 14 day quarantine was ineffective.

Perhaps these so-called experts have been wrong about everything all along.

If the current legal challenges over the election fall short we will get a new president in January. Will the new administration decree a national mask mandate? Probably not. They will instead use the old tried and proven route. Coercion. The administration or some agency in the administration will make a strong suggestion to the Governors of the remaining States without a mask mandate to implement one. You know how this works. I ( the federal government) cant make you but I (the federal government) can make you wish you did. Federal funding.

Now I have to wonder which of the remaining States will be the last to be forced into issuing a mask mandate. I think it will be either Florida or South Dakota, my money is on my Home State of Florida. If you do not think the federal government would stoop so low then you do not know history. Historically speaking Rhode Island wanted no part of joining the Union. Find out why and how they were forced to join a “voluntary” union.

When they, the federal government, finally has everyone wearing a mask, what some have taken to calling a face diaper, people will find out that the incoming administration has no plan to deal with this virus.

What you will find is this. The rate of infections will suddenly drop. As will hospitalizations from the virus. As well as deaths from the virus. Citizens of this country will once again die from heart attacks, cancer, complications from diabetes, strokes and all the things they had died from before. It will be a miracle. They will claim it is because everybody is wearing a mask.

Is it really about a virus with a 94% chance of survival? Or is it about control of the population through behavior modification?

We really should question everything.

And yes, so you will not be surprised. You will still see elected officials and bureaucrats violating their own edicts. When caught they will still offer some excuse about what they should have done or blame someone for ambushing them. Bad optics, they call it. But then again their edicts are for you and me, not them as they are the privileged elite.

Who is John Galt?

DEO VINDICE

How will they pay for it?

A question often asked and seldom if ever answered when it comes to government spending.

They may however have revealed how they plan to finance this next shutdown, and yes another is coming. Hide and Watch.

Below are two links for your reading enjoyment and perhaps provide a little enlightenment. I encourage you to read these two articles.

What I write about them is my interpretation of the contents. You may come to a different conclusion than I do, and that is perfectly fine.

I will focus on just one paragraph in the first linked article, that will be the second paragraph. The paragraph will be broken into two parts. The “plan” will be in italics my interpretation will be in standard block letters.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/biden-covid-19-adviser-floats-plan-to-pay-for-national-lockdown-lasting-up-to-six-weeks/ar-BB1aWSHt?ocid=msedgntp

When you look at the personal savings rate in this country, it’s now gone from about 8 percent to over 22 percent. We have a big pool of money out there that we could borrow.

Good grief. If my interpretation is correct the “plan” is to make the citizens, you and me, pay for this shutdown. Not with the tax dollars taken from us but with the savings we have accumulated. You will notice the use of the words personal savings indicates that this is only about the citizens, you and me.

And oh, are they drooling. You can do a quick search and find the estimated amount in personal savings held in America. You can almost see the drool coming down his chin as he says “We have a big pool of money out there we could borrow”. The word borrow was used. One can only borrow something from another if they are willing to lend it. There is no intention to borrow the money, there is only the intention for them to take it.

The historic low interest rates by the federal government, we could pay for a package right now to cover all of the wages, lost wages for individual workers, for our losses to small companies to medium sized companies, for city, states, county governments. We could do all of that.

The above part of this article is absolutely fascinating and covers quite a lot. First. If they do only intend to borrow the money, they the borrower get to determine the interest rate they will pay. He says the interest rates are at a historic low. So I have to ask since when did the borrower set the interest rate and not the lender? Second, and I find this to be a hoot. Pay all of the wages, lost wages for individual workers. Under this plan, it seems to me that, you will get a paycheck just as you had been receiving but you will be being paid with money they had “borrowed” from you. What you get for a paycheck was already your money. Is your normal paycheck taxed? The money being paid to you by you will be taxed by the government just the same as it always was. Third, and you will have to stick with me on this one. I have to wonder just what is meant when he uses the word “our” when he says “our losses to small companies to medium sized companies”. Would “our” losses have anything to do with the government, the federal government, not getting their taxes. Oh, wait a minute that question is answered in the next sentence in the article. A prolonged shutdown would have an effect on cash flowing into the city, county and state governments. They too will get some of that “borrowed” money. You can sure bet that you and me are not part of that “our” in our losses.

Now to the second linked article. And again the “plan” will be in italics and my part will be block letters. I will focus on the last three sentences.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/markets/biden-covid-advisor-says-u-s-lockdown-of-4-to-6-weeks-could-control-pandemic-and-revive-economy/ar-BB1aVgKx?ocid=msedgntp

We need FDR moments right now. We need fireside chats. We need somebody to tell America, “this is what in the hell is going to happen.”

If you will do the research on FDR, the New Deal and what was done to those holding “significant” amounts of gold coinage you will find that the last thing the American citizens need is another FDR moment.

If your savings are indeed “borrowed” you will never be repaid. It will just be added to the national debt, and we will be told to the penny how much of that debt we the citizens are responsible for.

After the saving are borrowed and spent what will they come for next? You know, for the public good and just to get us through this crisis.

Those with nothing to lose will cheer for this plan. The “polling numbers” will show how popular this “plan” is, the numbers will show that. The rest of us will end up in the “poor house” right along with them. Misery does love company.

If I am wrong in my interpretation it will be like a friend says of me when he says, “You tend to overthink things.”

If I am right in my interpretation, God help us.

So, I will close with this. Who is John Galt?