Tuesday, November 20, 2018

Let's Talk Turkey

Image result for F-14 Tomcat Turkey
The National Interest


No, not that kind of Turkey

Full disclosure here, this is not really a Thanksgiving post.  Sure, I'll sprinkle in a little bit of holiday seasoning, but this is brass tacks time again for me.  

Related image
DailySabah.com

So it's not about this Turkey either.

The Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions defines the "Talk Turkey" phrase like this:  To talk serious business; to talk frankly. We've got to sit down and talk turkey—get this thing wrapped up. It's time to talk turkey and quit messing around.

Ok, that works.  So let's talk.




Just after the mid-term elections, Sarge titled a post “Life, It's Too Short to Worry About Politics.”  While I am in violent agreement with that statement, that doesn’t actually help me not worry about it.  I’ve just been too attentive to current events throughout my life to not be interested and invested in politics.  I’m fascinated by the role of government and the workings of the economy, but I’ve recently realized that I’m thoroughly disgusted by actual politics.  I once thought I’d find my way into the political game as a career, but haven’t felt that way for 25 years.  There’s too much selling of your soul and putting your principles aside for me to want to even consider it.

Sure, I would like to be very happy with blissful ignorance- watching no news, working only for a paycheck, plus vacations and time with family, but I care too much to avoid the news.  I have a few friends that are almost completely unplugged- no TV, no newspaper, just the internet for whatever they do on there, which doesn’t include much email, since I rarely get a timely response.  I don’t know how they do it.  I’m too invested in the state of the union to not worry about the state of our economy, our political discourse, the path our country is on, how one side treats the other, etc.  The reason for this is two-fold.  The first and most obvious reason is my past military service, during which I put my life on the line for our country.  When you sacrifice your time with family, not being there for countless birthdays and anniversaries, as well as possibly sacrificing your actual life, one tends to believe strongly in what you’re standing up for.  Another reason for investing heavily into the health and welfare of our country is because I’m not going to leave this earth with nothing to my name or with my name.  I have sired two children who deserve the same opportunities, freedoms, and joys that I have had.  So I continue to fight, one pithy political post at a time, in an attempt to perpetuate those freedoms.  Unfortunately, I don’t believe my kids will live in a world that was the same one I grew up in. 


The kids are why I tend to pay close attention to current events, despite it being a challenge. The news can make you angry, frustrated, and upset if you let it.  I often do.  Anger might be too strong of a word, but frustrated, perturbed, and a little scared are good alternative adjectives.  Although, after the Kavanaugh hearings, and those amazing gains by certain Dems after the elections were over, ones that didn’t track at all like all the previous results, anger isn’t far behind.

What I’m afraid of, is that those horrible political tactics, the constant bashing in the never unbiased media, the media and politicians perpetuating lies and accusations, even when they are known to be false, the claims of racism everywhere, people playing the victim, identity politics, and a political platform that is based solely on those tenets, all of this rings true and loudly with so much of our population these days.  Our youth are indoctrinated and brainwashed early, and college kids get absolutely no critical debate or thought, nor a healthy exposure to different opinions  They are slammed with the idea that the right is evil and racist, that the rich must pay, and absolutely nothing about how conservative policies are good.  They only ask if something makes them feel good, not whether or not it does good.  They believe in instant gratification, but not that hard work is something good, moral and effective, resulting in making themselves and society better.  They only see the far left side of the political spectrum, where social issues are paramount, and the right isn’t permitted.  That’s where anyone that doesn’t view things in the same narrowly defined way, is wrong, heartless, and evil.  They are not taught that personal responsibility is a moral and upstanding concept, blaming only others for the negative consequences that they see.  They are told they can be whatever they want to be, despite the fact that there are no jobs at the end of that dream, or that the cost to get there, via out-of-control tuition, is not worth the return on that investment. 

Yeah, I'm totally killing the pre-Thanksgiving buzz here, but waxing political here is my shtick.  This is Sarge's blog, not mine, and I don't write here daily, so I can't very well show pictures of my yard (it's a steep overgrown canyon) or discuss my trip up to Oregon to visit relatives, like Sarge does with Old Vermonter posts.  You and I just don't have that kind of relationship.  Besides, visiting Vermont is like a 30 minute drive for him.  For me, visiting my Oregon family involves four solid days of driving, or two grand in plane tickets, so it doesn't happen often.  So bear with me a little while longer.  I'll get to my point eventually and it'll all make sense.  Or not.

Thanksgiving Buzz

By the way, I'm pretty excited about Thanksgiving this year, and not just for the food.  My niece and the Grants Pass High School Marching Band, winners of the Oregon State Band Competition, were invited to participate in the Macy's Turkey Day Parade.  I'll have to ensure I'm up early enough to see it.  She's short and plays the Trumpet Trombone French Horn Baritone if you can pick her out.  She actually plays all of them, but she traveled with the Baritone.

Back to the point of our youth indoctrination.  Because of this, they are easily susceptible to far left ideologies that support their views.  They listen to politicians that repeat the same empty promises over and over that make them feel good, but do nothing for the real problems of the world.  While they truly want to help solve those problems, making the lives of people better, they have no understanding of fundamentals, of what it really takes to develop and effect solutions to our toughest challenges.  They only believe that big government and taxing the rich is a panacea.

The result is that we now have a populace that sees themselves as having absolutely nothing in common with anyone on the right.  To be honest, because of their views, I see myself as having nothing in common with them either, but I’ve been ranting for two pages now and I need to get on with it.  When there’s no common ground, it’s us versus them, right vs. wrong, black against white.  So we're left with a political system that does nothing to help keep the other side truly in check.  It’s now brute force politics, demanding absolute consensus of one party just to get a single simple thing done, since the opposing party is absolutely opposed to anything the other side says or does.  There’s no room for bipartisanship when the left is so full of hatred for our President, that they can’t even see how people are actually doing better than they were even two years ago.  I’m not enamored by our President, but I can’t deny the results.  Does he need to STFU sometimes?  Sure, but the conservative policies and their outcomes speak for themselves, and pretty loudly at that.   

Feds Collect Record Taxes in October; Still Run $100B Deficit

Did you see that headline?  Probably not, but anyhoo, let's think this one through for a minute. The Federal Government collected more in taxes last month than it ever has, a new record. So what does that mean? It means that the tax cuts put in place have spurred the economy and now businesses are keeping more of their money to reinvest in themselves, therefore making more money and thus the Government is taking in more in taxes. Even though it's a smaller portion of the pie, the pie is now bigger. Art Laffer is now taking a bow.

Ooh, I talked about pie!  It's my second-most favorite part of Thanksgiving, my most favorite holiday.  What's my topper?  Stuffing.  Not the dry stuff, just the cooked-in-the-bird moist stuff, which my mom prepped in what was probably a pound of butter.   




Sorry, I got hungry and had to get a snack.  The second part of this story is that the Government is still running a $100B deficit. So, despite the fact that they've never had so much money coming in, they still have too much going out. I'm no economic genius, but I did sleep at a Holiday Inn Express last night, and it sounds to me like a spending problem, not an income problem. Stop spending so much money! There, I just fixed our country.


However, but, alas... the other shoe is about to drop, the reason I think my kids will grow old in a world vastly different than the one I grew up in is that I believe we're heading for an inevitable collapse of our economic system.   Why?  Because we cannot stop spending!  We're addicted to deficit spending and all that comes with it- the big defense budgets, the entitlement programs, ever growing government salaries, Obamacare, etc.  Everybody wants their free stuff and "How dare you cut my program?"  Meanwhile, both Russia and China are gobbling up gold and the dollar to attempt take over as the world's top currency. We've relied on the strength of the almighty Dollar forever,  and the rest of the world wanted it, so we could float those bonds at leisure.  At some point though, we will not be able to continue selling (at bond auctions) the current account deficit in bonds (currently over a trillion), which includes new debt, and the expiring bonds. And politicians are finding that they can't get elected by promising to make those tough decisions on our finances.  Especially when the other side just says "I have a better plan, and we don't have to buckle down!"  Nor do we hold them accountable- either party.  The personal responsibility, the adult decisions, the paying now for what you buy now, etc. are not politically expedient and won't happen until we collapse.  

Welcome to to Greece, it's gonna be a bumpy ride.

28 comments:

  1. One side hasn't accepted the results of two Presidential elections this century which meets my definition of a civil war and the ideological sides have hardened since 2000. A leftist shooting up a Republican baseball practice comes to mind. This country is over twenty one trillion dollars in debt and the left wants to add free college and Medicare for everyone to that debt load. Ya, you wrote a hecka of a good post Tuna, agree with the points you made one hundred percent. The next collapse will make the Great Depression look like a picnic.

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  2. Nylon12- Not only did you beat me to first comment, yours is one with which I totally agree. Tuna and you have hit back to back home runs.

    Tuna:
    Thanks for the post.
    Paul L. Quandt

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    1. Thanks Paul, appreciate the thought. Tuna, forgot to add now I have a reason to watch the Macy's parade, your niece's HS Marching Band, congrats on winning that competition! Going to be a wee bit chilly in the Big Apple.

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    2. If I don't do anything else today, I'm tweeting this!

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  3. Interesting post Tuna. Things must be pretty bleak in California.

    Been reading Bayou Renaissance Man haven't you?

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    1. Have not discovered Bayou Renaissance yet, but we must think alike. Bleak in CA? Always, but this is about bleakness in the entire US. Soon the largest single budget item will be Debt Service, unfunded mandates are over 200 trillion dollars. There is no amount of taxation that will close the - people will just stop working. With the economic collapse in the US comes the collapse on the globe and nobody cares about stopping it. Democrats think the collapsible Empower them, Republicans are afraid of trying.

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    2. Ok, just got caught up on the last week of BR Man. Smart dude. I see the comparison.

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  4. Tuna, I hate this post.

    Because it's true. And with all the alleged fraud (I keep trying to stop my parents and grandparents from voting in all 57 states, but they won't listen to this 66 year old young whippersnapper), I foresee a "Battle of Athens" writ National, not just McMinn County, Tennessee. Especially if Mr. Swalwell tries to make good on his promise for "common-sense gun control". (BTW, I suspect the vast, vast majority of his "nukes" would turn on him, not on us.)

    So yeah, I don't like your post. Because it's true.

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    1. I don't like it either, because there's nothing we can do about it. It's already happening.

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  5. It's already happened, the Tree of Liberty is dead, we're just waiting for it to fall.

    California, Indiana and a few other states are running proportionally a larger deficit than the US government. And they did this with the full expectation that Uncle Sugar would bail their sorry asses out when the notes come due and the debt collector is at their throats.

    We have less firearms freedom everywhere, not just in California, Massachusetts and their ilk, than what the Brits wanted to take away from the Colonists that started this whole ball of wax.

    The schools were leftist indoctrination centers when I was growing up. And it only has gotten worse. And do you know why? There's a certain dead senator with the first name of 'Joseph' who was right, completely and totally. After the fall of the USSR, records showed that the KGB infiltrated and controlled both media colleges and liberal arts colleges, especially education. The USSR has won the cold war, 30 years after it's death. The spirit of the USSR lives on in Russia today, while it is growing leaps and bounds in the formerly great USA.

    As to the election? Everyone in Florida is real happy that Gollum and Nelson finally went down in flames. But no-one remembers that a friggin pot-headed socialist won Commissioner of Agriculture. So what, you say? That's Commissioner of Agriculture AND Consumer Services. The department that is in charge of growing food, maintaining the forests, making sure the scales in the stores are correct, running the concealed weapons permits, Wait! WHAT! CONCEALED WEAPONS PERMITS? Yep, they will be soon under control of a socialist director, who's goal is to destroy the right to keep and bear arms except for politically correct jack-booted thugs and criminals.

    Also in Florida, no-one is making a big deal over the vote that approved immediate restoration of voting rights (but not gun rights, wonder why?) to most felons upon the completion of their whole sentence, including probation and parole. Nothing was wrong with the previous system, except that it was done on a case-by-case basis, the way it should have happened. But, no. Arselickers from up north (thanks, you damned yankees for sending us your losers!!!!) pushed this particular crap piece of legislation. So in 4 years Florida will be California Light. And Texas? They're coming for you next, buddy.

    I don't have any guns, right, all lost in the move. I have so much to live for, not. You all (the faceless mass of complete stupidity that has killed this country) have pushed me too far. Bring it on, beyotch.

    And this carp is why I haven't been in a mood to write any posting lately. Too many dark thoughts, not wanting to get you all down. But Tuna opened up, so, hey, here's me. Did I ever tell you that the color of my world is mostly dark?

    Good post, Sir Tuna. Sounds like you and others out there have joined the Loyal Order of Cassandra, shouting in the wind with no-one listening.

    But there is some good news. Governor Moonbeam of California finally realized that logging is good for the environment. Finally, after how many deaths over the years? Gee, how many water bombers and desalination plants could have been bought and built for the amount wasted on the fairy-tale dream of high-speed rail (love to do a forensic accounting to find out where all the money has really gone, eh? Anyone want to join me?)

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    1. Re: wasted money and warped priorities. Have you seen this?

      https://www.realclearinvestigations.com/articles/2018/11/17/palm_beach_went_for_coloring_books_ipads_over_vote-machine_upgrades.html

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    2. If we could somehow fence off Palm Beach and Broward counties, the rest of Florida would be okay, for a while.

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    3. +1. Just checked the score. Lions 5, Christians 0.

      And then there is this--

      https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2018/11/all-of-orange-county-turns-blue-after-democrats-find-thousands-of-votes-post-election-day/

      I think this election was just a tune-up for 2020.

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  6. I fear I must join Tina in the Slough of Dispair. The Left is out to destroy Everything, so they can gain power. I, for one, will go down fighting, and we may get prevail. When California collapses, that may open a lot of eyes.

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  7. For Tina, please read Tuna. Stupid autocorrect. I wish there was an exit feature.

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  8. No worries. I complexly understaid where you mean.

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  9. I can’t bring myself to post about anything political, particularly where California is concerned.
    All I can say is it is no longer in which I was born.
    Sadly, I am not all that much impressed with anywhere else.
    I agree with the sentiment expressed in the post and second the motion that the President STFU.

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    1. I'd rather listen to the current President blather on, because he's mostly right. Sure he doesn't talk like a slick politician, but, darned it, he's mostly right.

      Unlike the stumble-mouthed jerkoff of the preceding 8 years, or the "My heart's too big for me" guy of the preceding 8 years, or that slick-tongued sexual predator and his evil flying monkey of the previous 8 year stretch.

      Of all the Presidents since Ronald Reagan, President Trump is the one I like the best. I liked what Bush II said, just didn't like the way he caved so easily, and mishandled some things. Bush I let the UN spoil his presidency.

      So, yeah, sometimes Trump says things, but he seems to be getting results, and for every what-seems-to-be-stupid statement he makes, the left trips over themselves to publish Encyclopedia Britannica levels of what-really-is-stupid stupidity.

      From what I hear, Old Hickory wasn't so much a slick-tongued devil either.

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    2. Don't get me wrong, we need a tough-talking president who doesn't mince words, but sometimes he really pushes buttons when he could take the high road and speak coherently about how poor of a position the left is standing behind.

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  10. Hey Tuna;

    Unfortunately I agree with your post and I really don't know how to fix it, we as a society will need something catastrophic to happen to it to shake us out of the malaise, we had the generation finish WWII but they had to survive the great depression and the weak died. We have a several generations of kids that were steeped in leftist ideology and they believe that they are on the right side of history and believe all that don't believe as they do as" Evil" or Nazi's". The normal people are started to get tired of being pushed around and will start pushing back.

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  11. We need leaders from both sides to start thinking about this country and not their real election or their precious poor constituents. We need them all to start talking about how dangerous of a situation we are in, with our debt and our spending.

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  12. Tuna -- I feel your despair. A very good post. As to bipartisanship, the current leadership of the Left will never, ever move back towards the center. They are so invested in the correctness of their cause and the need to force the majority that don't agree with it bow down to it that they will probably move farther to the Left. I truly believe that their goal is to bring this country to an ash heap and they be the Phoenix that rises out of the destruction to restore "order".

    Beans -- It seems to be very dark where you "live". I have a little more optimism. As an aviator, I see us in a very steep dive that we are about to reach the point where we can't pull out of it but we are not there yet. We have been given a chance to pull out however if we don't we will either auger in as a nose dart or do an accelerated stall, the second being only a little slower to occur than the previous.

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  13. Coming late to this comment thread...

    But read the latest issue of Hillsdale College's Imprimus last night and thought it particularly apropos of this discussion.

    Really good analysis of the divide among us and the five possible outcomes he sees.

    "America's Cold Civil War", Charles R. Kesler.

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    1. Sorry be603, you went into moderation as this is an older post. Fixed it for you.

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  14. https://imprimis.hillsdale.edu/americas-cold-civil-war/

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Just be polite... that's all I ask. (For Buck)
Can't be nice, go somewhere else...

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