Taxpayers on the hook Part Deaux

This time you get the WHOLE PR from the USDA. USDA and Ag Secretary Sonny "Elmer Fudd" Perdue are catching hell over this. Justified hell. Again my comments in green explain what is really being said. My comments are not my opinion, merely explaining.

Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page. You are subscribed to USDA Office of Communications. Release No. 0150.18 Contact: press@oc.usda.gov WHAT THEY ARE SAYING: SUPPORT FOR PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP’S PLAN TO PROTECT AMERICAN FARMERS FROM UNJUSTIFIED TRADE RETALIATION Federal and State Officials House Agriculture Committee Chairman Mike Conaway (R-TX): “Our president stood up to a bully and now he’s standing up for rural America. This is the right fight to have, but in the meantime, our producers have got to live, while this fight’s going on.” It is mandatory for the US to bully other countries, but just like a bully who gets punched in the nose, that's simply not fair. Rep. Robert Aderholt (R-AL): “The actions and funding announced demonstrate that the President has not forgotten the American farmer and that agricultural producers will not bear the brunt of unjustified retaliation by foreign governments … I applaud President Trump for standing-up to China and other foreign government’s unfair trade practices. If our markets here are open to their goods then their markets should be open for American agriculture and manufacturing.” HEY! China was supposed to lay down and enjoy the rape. This is not fair. Now to be fair, this is my opinion, China does have some unfair trade practices, but so does the US. Rep. Kevin Cramer (R-ND): “I am thankful our farmers and ranchers are now getting some specifics at my suggestion, but sad China continues to act in bad faith and thereby necessitates these extraordinary measures. At the end of the day we want trade not aid. I hope free fair and reciprocal trade is in our near future and look forward to more details as they roll out.” How dare China play tit for tat. What is good for the goose is absolutely not fair for the gander. Someone stop this nonsense. Rep. Chris Collins (R-NY): “By imposing tariffs on nations like China, President Trump is working to level the playing field between the United States and other countries that have taken advantage of us for far too long. From the start, we were assured that the administration would take appropriate action to protect industries, like our nation’s agriculture industry, that may be impacted by the tariffs. Today’s announcement is a win for the dairy industry as President Trump continues to put American interests first and fight for fair trade deals.” #45 brings his personal business policies to government by bullying, threatening and in general behaving like a dictator. He believes he can force anyone to do whatever he wants. His only regret is he can't take China to court in the US and sue 'em until they collapse. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue: “This is a short-term solution to allow President Trump time to work on long-term trade deals to benefit agriculture and the entire U.S. economy. The President promised to have the back of every American farmer and rancher, and he knows the importance of keeping our rural economy strong. Unfortunately, America’s hard-working agricultural producers have been treated unfairly by China’s illegal trading practices and have taken a disproportionate hit when it comes illegal retaliatory tariffs. USDA will not stand by while our hard-working agricultural producers bear the brunt of unfriendly tariffs enacted by foreign nations. The programs we are announcing today help ensure our nation’s agriculture continues to feed the world and innovate to meet the demand.” Wabbits. Shhh. Be vewwy vewey quiet. I'm hunting wab - Chinese. They are not allowed to shoot back because that is not fair. United States Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer: “President Trump is taking strong action, as he promised, to make sure America’s farmers and ranchers are not left to bear the brunt of illegal retaliation by China and other countries. The Trump Administration will continue to defend our economy from unfair trading practices and work to advance free, fair and reciprocal trade relationships.” We're gonna hit you over the head with a 2x4 and you BETTER LIKE IT! Alabama Commissioner of Agriculture and Industries John McMillan: “These three programs will allow the administration to continue to work on long-term trade deals. The end goal is to have an even playing field for our country’s producers.” The goal is to prove #45 is always right and if you don't believe that you are an idiot. Agriculture Associations American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall: “The $12 billion package of agricultural assistance announced today by the administration will provide a welcome measure of temporary relief to our farmers and ranchers who are experiencing the financial effects of the trade war … We are grateful for the administration’s recognition that farmers and ranchers needed positive news now and this will buy us some time.”  It's NOT SOCIALISM! Do you hear me? THIS IS NOT SOCIALISM! It's ... not socialism. Alabama Farmers Federation Director of National Legislative Programs and Catfish Division Mitt Walker: “We appreciate President Trump’s administration recognizing the impact intense trade negotiations are having on U.S. farmers and providing assistance to weather tough economic times.” Send more money. To us. Not anyway one. Damn freeloading welfare recipients. American Soybean Association President John Heisdorffer: “U.S. soybean producers want to see President Trump succeed in meeting his trade campaign goals of achieving better trade deals and greater market access. And, we appreciate that he has recognized our loss in exports and lower prices and provided some immediate relief.” He's doing something. It's not working, so we must have a bailout. National Cotton Council Chairman Ron Craft: “We support the Administration for taking this interim action to help at least partially offset impacts until better trade relationships can be restored and improved … Our industry thanks Agriculture Secretary Perdue for exercising his authority to provide this much needed relief.” This is NOT a bailout like the auto industry and the financial sectors got a while back. This is absolutely necessary. You can't eat a car or money. You can eat cotton. National Milk Producers Federation President and CEO Jim Mulhern: “We appreciate the president following through on his pledge that America’s farmers won’t bear the brunt of the economic losses generated by the current trade conflicts. Today’s announcement reflects requests that our organization has made of USDA to relieve some of the financial pain dairy farmers are feeling due to lost export opportunities. We thank the administration for incorporating our recommendations.” Never mind the fact that we have metric shit-tons of cheese in storage because we are already producing more milk than we can sell. We're special. We should not have to rely strictly on the market because GOT MILK? National Pork Producers Council President Jim Heimerl: “President Trump has said he has the back of U.S. farmers and today demonstrated this commitment with an aid package to sustain American agriculture cutoff from critical export markets as his administration works to realign U.S. global trade policy.” This. Is. Not. Pork. Barrel. Spending. National Sorghum Producers Legislative Committee Chairman and Board Director Dan Atkisson:“National Sorghum Producers appreciates the hard work USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue and U.S. officials have done to advocate on behalf of farmers through ongoing trade disputes. We respect the Administration for following through with their promise to stand by U.S. farmers, and we look forward to working with Secretary Perdue in providing much needed funds to sorghum farmers and other producers impacted by tariffs. NSP fully supports fairer and open trade and will continue to work with officials to achieve long-term trade solutions.” Do you know anyone who eats sorghum? Do you know what it is used for? Do you know how valuable this crop is for national security? Then shut up and let people who do know make the decisions. Renewable Fuels Association President and CEO Bob Dinneen: “We appreciate the administration’s actions to help farmers who are indeed suffering as a result of recent trade disputes. Farmers are the backbone of this country who provide feed, food and fuel to consumers across our nation.” Because f--k solar power. That's why. We need more ethanol. Southwest Council of Agribusiness President Matt Huie: “We commend President Trump and Secretary Perdue for their strong leadership and real demonstration that our nation will stand by her farm and ranch families through hard times as we seek a free, fair, transparent, and rules-based trade environment.” He's a Reboobican. That means this is all right. If he was a Damnocrat and giving these handouts to another industry, oh hell now. In the News All American farmers want is a level playing field: Agriculture Secretary (FOX Business)   Click HERE to watch Secretary Perdue’s interview with Maria Bartiromo. Perdue on protecting farmers from trade fight with China (FOX News) Excuse me. I did not mean to say wabbits earlier. I meant to say China is evil, food is good and #45 is great because he gave me this job. Click HERE to watch Secretary Perdue’s interview with Martha MacCallum. USDA Assists Farmers Impacted by Unjustified Retaliation (RFD-TV) In case you did not hear me the first time, I'm not going to be on any network except Fox because they support #45, who is my boss. And we are not hunting wabbits. Click HERE to watch Secretary Perdue’s interview with Sara Mock. Is this Fox News? Wait. What am I doing here then? ###  Contact Us STAY CONNECTED: SUBSCRIBER SERVICES: Manage Preferences  |  Delete profile  |  Help This email was sent to wiregrassfarmer@yahoo.com using GovDelivery Communications Cloud on behalf of: USDA Office of Communications · 1400 Independence Ave SW · Washington DC 20250 If you have questions about USDA activities, please visit our Ask the Expert page. This feature is designed to assist you in obtaining the information you are seeking. USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. To file a complaint of discrimination, write: USDA, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, Office of Adjudication, 1400 Independence Ave., SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call (866) 632-9992 (Toll-free Customer Service), (800) 877-8339 (Local or Federal relay), (866) 377-8642 (Relay voice users).

Taxpayers again on hook for #45's actions

If you are one who celebrated the tariffs Trump put on imports to the US, then know other countries have also slapped tariffs on our exports to them.

Unfair?

#45 says other governments are unjustly supporting the industries exporting stuff into the U.S.

Guess what. YOU ARE TOO! Yes, You. You Mr. Taxpayer are doing the same exact thing $35 is whining about.

Proof. I cut through the politicalese with comments in orange. Some of you will get that.

USDA Assists Farmers Impacted by Unjustified Retaliation

(Washington, D.C., July 24, 2018) – U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue today announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will take several actions to assist farmers in response to trade damage from unjustified retaliation. When we do it, that's perfectly fine. When other countries do it, it should be illegal because the US is the world superpower and we have the right to dictate how other countries act. President Trump directed Secretary Perdue to craft a short-term relief strategy to protect agricultural producers while the Administration works on free, fair, and reciprocal trade deals to open more markets in the long run to help American farmers compete globally. #45 still doesn't realize what he did, but others in the administration do so just like a cat that pooped on the linoleum, they are scrambling to cover this pile of _____ up.  Specifically, USDA will authorize up to $12 billion in programs, which is in line with the estimated $11 billion impact of the unjustified retaliatory tariffs on U.S. agricultural goods. Bend over. Here it comes. These programs will assist agricultural producers to meet the costs of disrupted markets. Annnnd BOOM! Tax dollars are going to fix this FUBAR. Subsidies should be illegal in other countries, but are vital here.

“This is a short-term solution to allow President Trump time to work on long-term trade deals to benefit agriculture and the entire U.S. economy,” Secretary Perdue said. Don't talk about farmers with your mouth full. Even if you are paying them to make stuff no one wants. “The President promised to have the back of every American farmer and rancher, and he knows the importance of keeping our rural economy strong. Lead from the rear! Unfortunately, America’s hard-working agricultural producers have been treated unfairly by China’s illegal trading practices and have taken a disproportionate hit when it comes illegal retaliatory tariffs. When they do it ILLEGAL! When we do it "The President promised to have the back of every American farmer and rancher, and he knows the importance of keeping our rural economy strong." USDA will not stand by while our hard-working agricultural producers bear the brunt of unfriendly tariffs enacted by foreign nations. DAMN RIGHT! Let's soak the taxpayers because #45 just buggered international markets with mass hypocrisy. The programs we are announcing today help ensure our nation’s agriculture continues to feed the world and innovate to meet the demand.” And if we're not feeding the world, will simply create strategic national reserves of food. Or something.

Background: Of the total unjustified retaliatory tariffs imposed on the United States, a disproportionate amount was targeted directly at American farmers. Done splained. Twice. Trade damage from such retaliation has impacted a host of U.S. commodities, including field crops like soybeans and sorghum, livestock products like milk and pork, and many fruits, nuts, and other specialty crops. When was the last time you ate garlic-flavored pecans? Chicken feet? Rooster testes? DAMMIT PEOPLE! Someone has to eat this stuff and it is them ferriner heathen trash that eat it and now they can't because of tariffs. High tariffs disrupt normal marketing patterns, affecting prices and raising costs by forcing commodities to find new markets. Um. Yeah. #45 TOTALLY didn't see that coming because when we do it, it's fair and with other countries do it, illegal trade protectionism, yanno. Additionally, there is evidence that American goods shipped overseas are being slowed from reaching market by unusually strict or cumbersome entry procedures, which can affect the quality and marketability of perishable crops. Kinda like what we're doing at our ports, except MURICA! This can boost marketing costs and discount our prices, and adversely affect our producers. Yeah, um, farmers, we hosed you. Sorry about that. Here's some taxpayer dollars. You get $10. You get $5. You get - oh, you are a major farming corporation and a big donor? $250K for you! USDA will use the following programs to assist farmers: Some farmers. The ones who really need it won't get jack.

• The Market Facilitation Program, authorized under The Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) Charter Act and administered by Farm Service Agency (FSA), will provide payments incrementally to producers of soybeans, sorghum, corn, wheat, cotton, dairy, and hogs. If yer lucky, the payment will let you buy a tractor-tank worth of diesel. This support will help farmers manage disrupted markets, deal with surplus commodities, and expand and develop new markets at home and abroad. We're gonna stockpile this stuff until we have to give it away to people who can't afford it. In other countries. Not here.

• Additionally, USDA will use CCC Charter Act and other authorities to implement a Food Purchase and Distribution Program through the Agricultural Marketing Service to purchase unexpected surplus of affected commodities such as fruits, nuts, rice, legumes, beef, pork and milk for distribution to food banks and other nutrition programs. Except the food banks actually work. They can't have any of this. It has to go to places where #45 can take credit for it. Taxpayers get to pay for the warehousing and distribution now.

• Finally, the CCC will use its Charter Act authority for a Trade Promotion Program administered by the Foreign Agriculture Service (FAS) in conjunction with the private sector to assist in developing new export markets for our farm products. Pray that people with sense step in and straighten this mess out.

Nothing more than human trash

You probably got the wrong idea when you read the headline above.

I do not mean that some people are trash (well, I don't mean that in this column ... yet). What I mean is some people are simply treated like they are nothing more than a bag of garbage.

This happens all over the place.

Back when Hurricane Katrina whomped the Southeast, Florida evacuees came north. Many stopped over the Turner County.

One family (OK, now is when I refer to people as trash) dropped an elderly lady at the nursing home in town and left. Just drove away.

When she died, all the contact information the "family" left was no good. This woman was treated like a sack of garbage (what I originally meant in the headline). Set it beside the road, it gets picked up and vanishes.

I just can't imagine that.

I should not be surprised. We live in a world where people are disposable commodities. This is nothing new. It is as old as humanity.

I am disappointed.

In this week's newspaper, you can read the story of a Hispanic man who drowned in a pond here. Who was he? No one here is entirely sure. Two names were found, each with a different date of birth.

Family? May have a father still alive. May have a sister alive in Florida.

Whoever this man was, he died with no identification in his pockets or in the vehicle he used to drive here.

If no one claims the body in a few days, he'll be buried in one of our cemeteries.

So sad.

About Jeff Sessions comment on Romans 13

Blog sort of by request. 

I was asked to offer the facts around a recent comment by US AG Jeff Sessions.

"I would cite you to the Apostle Paul and his clear and wise command in Romans 13 to obey the laws of the government because God has ordained the government for his purposes," Attorney General Jeff Sessions said.

He is right. To a point. He does not complete the thought.

"Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law." Romans 13:10

Likewise, when a foreigner, who is not of your people Israel, comes from a far country for your name's sake (for they shall hear of your great name and your mighty hand, and of your outstretched arm), when he comes and prays toward this house, hear in heaven your dwelling place and do according to all for which the foreigner calls to you, in order that all the peoples of the earth may know your name and fear you, as do your people Israel, and that they may know that this house that I have built is called by your name. 1 Kings

GUMMINT ORDERS

Christians are to obey the government unless there is a direct contradiction between God's Word and man's law. If there is a contradiction, Christians must refuse to obey, even if it means their death. Christians may not fight against government punishment unless specifically ordered by God. Meshach, Shadrach and Abednego. Despite being innocent, Jesus gave himself over the government authorities, as have so many martyrs, because:

• The government ordered it.

• They refused to break God's law and thus were subject to man's law for that refusal.

Sessions is correct in what he says. According to the Bible, all government is ordained by God. Some people argue against this. Witness the ancient Jewish people subjugated by the Egyptians and made slaves with no rights, not even a right to life. Later in the Old Testament, the Jewish people were conquered by other peoples because they turned away from God. Witness in the New Testament, the conquering of the Holy Land by Roman invaders.

So. When Sessions says the above, he is correct. God gave government the power to do this. We are to obey.

Is this right? I say no. Is it fair? Again, I say no. Under the Bible is he correct? Yes. Does anyone have to like this? No. Does government have to be fair or right by my definition under the Bible? No.

CARING FOR THOSE FOLKS

The passages people quote against Sessions - saying the Bible tells us we should care for the widows, the orphans and the poor is also correct. However, this is instructions for people, NOT the government. Nowhere in the New Testament is the government ordered to do anything. The OT does sometimes. Exodus 12:49 There shall be one law for the native and for the stranger who sojourns among you. This is also qualified in other places in the Bible, see below.

The passages about accepting the foreigners into your midst, which the objectors also quote is also accurate, but not complete. 

These sections of the Bible also say the foreigner who comes to you must be accepted AND must assimilate into your culture. Also, this is a directive to people, not to government in the New Testament. In the OT it can be either or both.

Ezekiel 44:7: In addition to all your other detestable practices, you brought foreigners uncircumcised in heart and flesh into my sanctuary, desecrating my temple while you offered me food, fat and blood, and you broke my covenant.

Deuteronomy 18:9-14: 9 “When you enter the land that the Lord your God is about to give you, don’t learn the detestable practices of those nations there.10 There must never be found among you anyone who sacrifices[a] his son or daughter in fire, practices divination, interprets omens, practices sorcery, 11 casts spells, or who is a medium, an occultist, or a necromancer. 12 Whoever practices these things is detestable to the Lord, and the Lord your God will expel them before you because of these things. 13 You must be completely faithful to the Lord your God, 14 because those nations that you are about to dispossess listen to those who practice witchcraft and divination. But the Lord does not allow you to act this way.”

If the foreigner does not assimilate, he must still be treated fairly, but that is all.

“A foreigner residing among you who wants to celebrate the Lord’s Passover must have all the males in his household circumcised; then he may take part like one born in the land. No uncircumcised male may eat it. The same law applies both to the native-born and to the foreigner residing among you.” Exodus 12.

ORDAINED AND IN PLACE

In the Old Testament, God warned the Israelites what would happen if they got a man-directed government. God said if the people truly wanted a man-made government, then He would ONLY step in to take action against the government in very exceptional circumstances. He said it would not be pleasant. See the books of Judges and Chronicles for examples.

1 Samuel 8: He (Samuel) said, “This is what the king who will reign over you will claim as his rights: He will take your sons and make them serve with his chariots and horses, and they will run in front of his chariots. 12 Some he will assign to be commanders of thousands and commanders of fifties, and others to plow his ground and reap his harvest, and still others to make weapons of war and equipment for his chariots. 13 He will take your daughters to be perfumers and cooks and bakers.14 He will take the best of your fields and vineyards and olive groves and give them to his attendants. 15 He will take a tenth of your grain and of your vintage and give it to his officials and attendants. 16 Your male and female servants and the best of your cattle[c] and donkeys he will take for his own use. 17 He will take a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves will become his slaves. 18 When that day comes, you will cry out for relief from the king you have chosen, but the Lord will not answer you in that day.” (empahsis mine)

Above, I tell you "Christians may not fight against government punishment unless specifically ordered by God." However, our form of government allows and encourages protests against government. There is no contradiction with God's word here.

We may protest. We may argue. This is legal under our secular laws. However, we must always respect that same government, including the current president, says God.

NO SEPARATION

Legislative bodies may be opened with prayer.

Nothing in the Constitution specifically calls for a separation of church and state. People misunderstand 1A. It only says Congress cannot establish a state religion. This is not separation. Religion, per Supreme Court decisions, may be a part of government. See decisions regarding prayer in schools, teaching the Bible as a religious matter in public schools 

And actually, a sizeable part of the law in the United States is based on Biblical principles, which are based on the Code of Hammurabi. Hammurabi is an excellent read.

As for Sessions quoting the Bible, anyone can quote the Bible. Doesn't make 'em right, wrong, informed or ignorant. Albeit any time a politician quotes the Bible I see that person as both ignorant and stupid.

1 John 3:17 ESV: "But if anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him?"

In short, Sessions is correctly quoting the direct word of the Bible as a member of the government. As an individual, he is contravening the spirit of the Word of God. In this case, he is anot NOT acting as a Christian either personally or as a government official.

One more thing -

Individuals are to take in the foreigners IF they assimilate. If government says this is wrong, individuals must continue to do this, under God's word. If we are caught, then we are subject to punishment under Man's law.

A refusal to understand

Understand this, no Christian walking this earth today is perfect. We want to be better than we are. We are trying to do better. We are going to fail. However, God will not hold our failures against us. What man may hold against us is another matter.

I am not an expert on religion. What follows is what I believe as well as some empirical facts. YMMV.

In the wake of the Masterpiece Cake decision, experts on "Christianity" are coming out of the ether telling the rest of the world that the Bible says "We should stone divorced people, we shouldn't get tattoos, don't eat owls, don't kill a burglar during the day, if your brother dies, marry his wife. But we don't do these things anymore. For. A. Reason!"

Yes, Christians have a reason too, one which statements like the above choose to ignore. Such statements as above are made through ignorance (curable) or a refusal to understand (incurable).

Our reason is:

GRACE

Yeah. Christians don't should not do that stuff anymore for a reason. S'called Grace.

Grace is God's unmerited favor upon His children. You did not do anything to earn it. You cannot pay it back. You cannot do anything to earn it. It's free. It is life changing.

CHANGES THEY ARE A'COMING

The proof of the life-changing effect of a religious faith is all around.

https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=rayqhfjmDIgC&oi=fnd&pg=PA2&dq=religious+faith+changes+the+brain&ots=MGJkD8Jb2W&sig=ZzBOWvAVs9hbJhwn6ZRVTbownvo#v=onepage&q=religious%20faith%20changes%20the%20brain&f=false

https://www.huffingtonpost.com/eileen-flanagan/changing-your-life-with-r_b_698170.html

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/13537903.2017.1298905

https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=MbURDAAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PR9&dq=religious+faith+changes+the+brain&ots=bPHLKZK_IB&sig=MThTFbXeJFyg7SceNZDTCdeYpgw#v=onepage&q=religious%20faith%20changes%20the%20brain&f=false

WHAT HAPPENED?

Before I tell you what happened, I can tell you one reason why. I cannot tell you the whole reasoning behind it. No human can. We're dealing with an entity whose ability to reason is above ours. As soon as someone explains calculus to a dog so that the dog understands and can do the equations, someone will be able to explain God to a human.

So what happened? Love. Grace. Grace in the form of a bi-natured human who died and rose again, delivering the world from the consequences of sin. That is the ultimate expression of love - that one man should be willing to die for another.

Why did it happen? That's easy. Love.

What did it do? Again, easy. Love.

NOT BOUND

Christians are not bound to the Laws of the Old Testament. Under the New Testament, which is ignored by people who refuse to try to understand when criticizing Christians, we can eat an owl. In case you wonder, yeah, I'd try it. http://biblehub.com/niv/1_corinthians/10.htm

We can do anything. CAN - this is the ability to do so. It does not mean we SHOULD do it.

In this respect, the Law of the Old Testament is almost identical to the law of man.

You can murder someone under the law of man. Yes, you can. People do it every day. If the law was an effective block against murder, it would not happen. Yet, murder happens. You should not murder anyone. If you do and get caught, you are subject to man's penalties. The Bible, in the red letters if you have that version, even says man may be prosecuted and punished under man's law. Yes. It. Does.

Under the Law of the Old Testament, a punishment was prescribed. Under Grace, the Law of the Old Testament still exists. It was never set aside. Rather, the Law of the Old Testament was fulfilled by giving mankind the last sacrifice ever needed for the expiation of sin.

In other words, the prison sentence under God's Law was already served. The prison sentence under man's law is a different matter. Man's law says criminals have a debt to society - that is prison time, fine, community service, etc. God's law says sin has a debt to a fellow human and God - that debt was also spelled out in the Old Testament. Again, that debt is now paid in full, forever.

This is not a license to go out and commit murder any more than serving time for a murder and being released is a license to out and commit another murder.

CONFUSING

Yeah. This is confusing. I don't understand it completely. I believe no one walking around today does.

Yassee, I don't have to understand. You don't have to understand. Just accept.

Someone is going to call this stupid and ridiculous. Most of these people, not all, also support a bigger government. Yet, they do not understand everything government does, how or why. No one person can possibly understand all of it. Yet, they accept it while demanding more. I certainly do not understand that.

No difference.

A few people who call for no government at all also don't understand and more importantly won't understand.

Not much difference.

A few people call for much less government, a government that can be understood.

A somewhat bigger difference.

ONE LAST THING

This "what Christians can't do" all comes down to one thing - love.

Period.

A deeper look at the SCOTUS cake decision

http://cdn.cnn.com/cnn/2018/images/06/04/16-111_j4el.pdf

In typical SCOTUS fashion, the justices waffled. The majority decision by Justice Kennedy states in part: "One of the difficulties in this case is that the parties disagree as to the extent of the baker’s refusal to provide service. If a baker refused to design a special cake with words or images celebrating the marriage—for instance, a cake showing words with religious meaning—that might be different from a refusal to sell any cake at all. In defining whether a baker’s creation can be protected, these details might make a difference."

The word "might" appears twice. As SCOTUS decisions are parsed down to the kerning, focusing on the word "might" as mentioned twice in the same paragraph is significant.

The next 'graph adds to the consternating confusion. 

In short, SCOTUS did not rule on the First Amendment Freedom of Speech issues in this case. All it did was say the Colorado Commission was hostile toward religion and so the decision was invalidated. Other Commission cases presented as evidence and actual commissioners' testimony during their hearing clearly back this up.

PRECEDENT

Justice Kennedy says the right to religion is not absolute. Duh. Human sacrifice is not allowed. More pertinently, "The Court’s precedents make clear that the baker, in his capacity as the owner of a business serving the public, might have his right to the free exercise of religion limited by generally applicable laws."

In other words, your freedom of and from religion can be stopped by government, according to the court. Some past examples:

A church rents out its social hall to the public. By setting precedent, the church has to rent it to anyone who meets the rental agreement. Renting property is subject to anti-discrimination laws.

MUST SERVE

The majority decision is packed with references and past SCOTUS cases that say a business must serve the public. "Nevertheless, while those religious and philosophical objections are protected, it is a general rule that such objections do not allow business owners and other actors in the economy and in society to deny protected persons equal access to goods and services under a neutral and generally applicable public accommodations law."

I have a fundamental objection here. Government should not have the ability to force a business to serve anyone. If a business refuses to serve any customer for whatever reason, that is the business owner's right. If people do not like it, they should take their money elsewhere. If the denial of service is egregious enough, then society forces should force a change, not government. In other words, boycott the business and encourage others to do so. Put enough economic and social pressure on the business to either force a change or drive it out of business.

SCOTUS admits that preachers cannot be forced to perform religious ceremonies that go against their beliefs. However, the religious belief exemption should have limits, the High Court said, "Yet if that exception were not confined, then a long list of persons who provide goods and services for marriages and weddings might refuse to do so for gay persons, thus resulting in a community-wide stigma inconsistent with the history and dynamics of civil rights laws that ensure equal access to goods, services, and public accommodations."

FREE SPEECH

Too many people believe 1A only covers what someone says. I have seen people who believe the written word is not subject to free speech nor copyright. In fact, freedom of and from speech applies to the written word, spoken word, sign language, images, dance, architectural renderings and so on. A good way to know if it is free speech is to look at copyright. Can you copyright it? If so, it is almost guaranteed to be free speech. May be an exception to this rule; I cannot find one. 

CONCURRING OPINION

"I join the Court’s opinion in full because I believe the Colorado Civil Rights Commission did not satisfy that obligation. I write separately to elaborate on one of the bases for the Court’s holding." "I accordingly concur."

Kagan's opinion, joined by Breyer, runs back to three other cake cases brought to the Colorado Commission. Bakers refused to make cakes demeaning of same gender marriage. She says that was appropriate because the bakeries would refuse to bake a cake demeaning anyone. She does not supply proof that the other bakeries would deny demeaning cakes. The dissent does provide that proof.

Suppose she is right. If so, that is equal treatment under the law. It is also discrimination, which is illegal under Colorado law. Or is it? An opinion may be changed. Colorado law and federal says everyone must be treated equally under the law irrespective of things they cannot change like sexual orientation, race, handicap and gender. Discrimination based on a customer's opinion or other matters which can be changed (pull your damn pants up) is allowed.

Some people believe a gender can be changed. Some see race as equally malleable. If so, discrimination based on gender and race must also be allowed.

Let's make this more clear. This is a legal matter. The High Court specifically did NOT use the word gender. It used the word sex. As this is a legal matter, we MUST stand on the words used. 

In the opinion, Kagan wrote: "As this Court has long held, and reaffirms today, a vendor cannot escape a public accommodations law because his religion disapproves selling a product to a group of customers, whether defined by sexual orientation, race, sex, or other protected trait."

That being said, and leaning on other court decisions, sex can be changed. If it can be changed, it may be discriminated against, or we have a contradiction in the law.

NO FREE SPEECH

Kagan also sees this as not a 1A speech issue. "It was simply a wedding cake—one that (like other standard wedding cakes) is suitable for use at same-sex and opposite-sex weddings alike." The cake baker said he was being called on to create a special, unique cake for the event that required him to use his developed decorating skills.

I wonder if the couple would have accepted a plain sheet cake with plain icing and no decoration.

Other judges also wrote separate opinions splitting legal hares and hairs. Not going into them.

Much was made of the 7-2 decision with some calling it narrow. The decision was narrow in scope, but not in the justice's view of what happened.

DISSENT

Ginsberg and Sotomayor were the standouts. Ginsberg's opinion leans heavily on the refusal to sell the cake. She pretty much dismisses the overt hostility as displayed by the Colorado Commissioners as irrelevant, even though one compared the baker's religious views to views on slavery and the Holocaust. She says "nor do the comments by one or two members of one of the four decision making entities considering this case justify reversing the judgment below."

The Colorado Commission is an appointed body of 7 people. It does not have the power to fine anyone it finds guilty of a violation.

Ginsberg: "Whatever one may think of the statements in historical context, I see no reason why the comments of one or two Commissioners should be taken to overcome Phillips’ refusal to sell a wedding cake to Craig and Mullins. The proceedings involved several layers of independent decision making, of which the Commission was but one."

Except the binding decision was made by the Commission. Courts were later asked to rule if the decision was legal or not.

Judge not lest ye be corrected

The Supreme Court decision on baking a cake is not the victory so many on the right thought at first glance.

Nor was it a "narrow" victory as so many on the left were screaming.

The 7-2 SCOTUS decision said the Colorado Civil Rights Commission was overtly "hostile" to religion in making its decision. Left unresolved are the issues of free speech, how far a government may go in ordering an individual to do something and, yet, how far freedom of and from religion must be considered.

SOWING CONFUSION

This is all too typical of SCOTUS decisions - sowing confusion by handing down a ruling that does not fully address the issue. At the same time, SCOTUS is vilified by the right AND the left for handing down these decisions. What direction the hate goes depends on the ruling. Both sides complain judges legislate from the bench and both sides complain judges do not go far enough in their rulings. But that's a rant for another day and one I've covered in the past.

WWKD

Anyway, the FB discussion took a religious bent as it is wont to do under the circumstances. Those with a religious faith and those with no religious faith weighed in. In other words, WWJD. I posted WWKD (What Would Kali Do) because I think it's funny and I hope Shanny will stumble across this and reconnect with me).

In this particular thread, the atheist side wins.

Me bud Phil — I (sarcastically) said Jesus would be proud, meaning of his followers, not of himself. Jesus seems a decent fellow with lots of love in his heart. It's his followers who clearly hate "sinners". Jesus said to love thy neighbor, and his followers gave him the finger. His dad said judge not, and those same followers flipped him off, too.

Please understand that I use quotation marks because I think it is preposterous that anyone is a sinner or an abomination because of the way the good Lord made them. —

YOUR RIGHT TO SHUT UP

A lot of the "christians" out there say God does not make mistakes. These same people of faith are quick to attack that which the Lord hath made for being different. Why? In case you don't wonder, the same First Amendment SCOTUS references also gives you the right to shut up. All of us need to apply this part of 1A more frequently.

PERFECTION

If God made it, then surely that is the way God wanted it. If God made it, is it perfect in His eyes? Christians will say so. If that is the case, who are you as a follower of the man we call the Christ to criticize the work of the Almighty?

The Jesus of the Bible criticized the religious leaders of the day for their choices. He told the people of a better way. He showed them a better way. He did not attack non-leaders. He never attacked anyone for the way God made them. What gives you, as a Christian, the right to do that? Show me where you have that right. Jump in any time with proof. Meantime, chew on this.

"Homosexuality was well known in the ancient world, well before Christ was born and Jesus never said a word about homosexuality. In all of his teachings about multiple things -– he never said that gay people should be condemned. I personally think it is very fine for gay people to be married in civil ceremonies."

 Former president Jimmy Carter.

Someone will say the Old Testament condemns homosexuality. Sure does. The New Testament also placed the laws of the Old Testament to the side, sometimes eliminating old laws completely.

Regardless, me bud Phil continues to be correct. Jesus never condemned anyone for the way God made 'em. Nor should Christians. 

If you are a Christian and you feel you have the right to condemn someone for the way God made 'em, please permanently excuse yourself from my life. I have no interest in ever having anything to do with you because of the choices you made. God made you. What you do with that is a decision you make and a decision that may, under the tenets of the Bible, be judged.

Hire me or else!

Color me amused.

First, a story about a young'un I do not know. Shag knows. Shag taught him. Said young'un was in high school with PCV couplings in his earlobes.

Shag asked this person what he intended to do about getting a job with holes in his ears big enough to hold military recoilless rounds.

"They will just have to hire me," the about to be new grad stated in the cocksure confidence of people his age.

They didn't.

Some time later, this unemployed and apt to stay that way unless he changed intrepid defier of convention (insert hyphens as you see fit, I ran out last week) tried to join the military. He had to have surgery to close the holes in his ears. He changed. The business community and the military did not.

Nonetheless, I salute his rebellious attitude. I might have done the same were I in high school today. As to what I did in high school, never you mind until my book comes out and even then I ain't telling everything.

Anyway.

Jump f'ard to Thursday this week and the job fair coordinated by the Chamber of Commerce. More'n 200 people showed up.

By my count, which may be low, two people showed up with resumes. One person stole my pen, just the same as you and I have stolen pens without thinking about it. Some showed up in work clothes, which is not a problem.

I did not bother to count the number of people who showed up to have a job interview with:

• Children in tow. I understand finding someone to ride herd on young'uns can be hard. But if you show up to the interview, then employers are gonna wonder if you can find someone to tend said child while you are supposed to be on the job. Still, this one is more understandable than what follows.

• Wearing house slippers. Eh, what? I'da took pictures, but I also knew I was going to write this blog and access to those pictures could get me in more trouble than I presently want to deal with.

• Wearing shorts and too-short shirts. Hah? I do not believe anyone in the interview room was looking to hire strippers of either gender. I could be wrong.

• A cell phone in hand, using said phone while other people tried to tell the person what forms to fill out and where to step next for more information. Yup.

• Wearing clothes that shouted "I do not want to be here, but this is a good place to have my 'looking for employment' box ticked on my unemployment form and my government aid forms." Not everyone has a suit, but you can have a tucked-in shirt and pull your pants up properly.

• Showing without a bra, a barely long enough shirt and sizeable mammary glands. One of the three can't be helped. You pick.

Me bud Greg regularly chastizes me for what he says is a cruel attitude toward people. Greg works in the nonprofit arena, helping people by giving them a hand up. I support that. What I do not support is a hand out just because the person feels entitled. I find it very hard to take people seriously when they refuse to take themselves seriously.

I'd say a good 30-40 percent of the people who turned up for the job fair fit into the above bullet point descriptions in some manner. I'd offer more exposition, but without video or plenty of still pictures to back it up, I'm gonna pass. Just not interested in the side fight which would erupt.

As always, yer mileage may vary.

Living the write life

Typos are the bane of my existence.  Even worse, getting the wrong ID under pictures. As happened in the grad magazine this week. (sigh).

Legendary outdoor writer Charlie Elliott said his last act on this world would be to crawl over to a typewriter to write something and hit the wrong key.

Seems like no matter how much, how hard and how often I edit something, STILL GONNA BE AN ERROR IN IT.

My latest book

Available May 25, 2018

has gone through multiple edits, multiple spelling and grammar checks and STILL I find typos.

Not that I am unique. Far from it. One of the most famous errors ever -

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/retropolis/wp/2017/11/17/the-new-bible-museums-wicked-bible-thou-shalt-commit-adultery/

Of the 12 or so books I have fully authored ... yeah, typos. Of the... probably more than 100 at this point... I have contributed to, OH YEAH typos galore.

Of the books I have produced for other people, one or two typos here & there. I suspect those books were edited even more than mine. Have to be, in fact. A book I'm currently assembling for another author has gone through multiple edits on the galleys (a galley is a pre-press copy). I still have to run a spell check on it.

Gah.

Bullet RPMs and barrel life

Stealeded this from a discussion on FB. Fascinated for those of us who shoot. If you do not shoot, this is incredibly boring.

The final statement by John is a mind-blower.

Expected barrel life, 3 shots.

BILL: Worthless Info # 3,225! 

Has anyone ever wondered what the RPM of your bullets are coming out of you 45/70’s for example???

405 gr slug for example:

Well, let’s figure a 1 in 20 twist rate. 

That means for every 12” of barrel your Bullet twists .6 revolutions. 

. 6 x 1,600 feet per second = 960revolutions per SECOND. 

960 x 60 seconds = 55,296 RPM!!!!

That, my friends, is SMOKIN for that size slug. 

Now imagine a 3k FPS round with a 1/10 twist rate????!! Wow

GARY: Of course the bullet is only in the bbl a very short time, not minutes and as soon as it leaves the bbl it slows down, all are aware of that.

SAM: The spinning won’t slow down as fast as the forward speed. When Hatcher did his experiments of shooting bullets straight up in the air they returned base first.

MICHAEL: Also, watch this video on shooting at ice to stop the forward movement of the bullet, but it does very little to slow the rotational velocity. It sits and spins like a top for over a minute. If it takes this long with direct contact with a solid to lose its rotational velocity, the short flight time of a bullet only contacting a gas has essentially no effect. https://youtu.be/UwIpv94GPt4

JOHN: Interesting, Next time someone asks you "What's the life of this barrel?" Instead of telling them something like 10,000 rounds tell them the life of the barrel is "about 7.5 seconds." After all, a round going 2,000 ft/sec only spends .00075 seconds traveling through the barrel so 10,000 rounds would only add up to 7.5 secs. Puts things into perspective doesn't it?

Purple fingers

For the past 2-3 years around this time of year, I've enjoyed a special treat every time I pull into the driveway.

A volunteer mulberry tree sprouted years ago just at the corner of the gate. It took a few years, but now it is full of fruit. Depending on the weather the fruit ranges from dry and tasteless to almost bursting with juice and tasteless.

Mulberry trees need just the right amount of water and some heat to produce sweet fruit.

This year is a good one after a watery start.

Each time I come into the drive, I stop under the tree and pluck fruit with my left hand. My thumb and first two fingers are well-stained purple. Mulberry juice doesn't wash off easily It's with me all day long. When I get home, pick more fruit and renew the stains.

The berries have a short stem, which I either bite off and spit out or happily chew with the rest of the fruit.

Every day I pull in and ripe berries wait. I pull and eat all I can reach from the seat of my truck. Next day, more berries!

This year Kittie comes out to where I stop and sits waiting for me to pull around and park so we can have a short conversation and she can have her head rubbed.

The irony is the yard also has an apple tree, a fig tree and a peach tree. Intentionally planted, all three.

We've got a few apples, small but good and a few small and fair peaches. No figs. These three trees are several years older than the mulberry, but the mulberry has eclipsed them all in growth and fruit production. It's also growing up through asphalt instead of the soil in the yard.

I'm reminded of several things as I munch mulberries.

An election in a Middle Eastern country some years ago saw people all around the world vote. After voting, the voters dipped a finger in a purple dye that lasted several days. I'm voting every day for my mulberry tree!

Jesus cursed the tree that would not produce fruit. I soon plan to have a couple of goats run in the yard to trim the various grasses, weeds and vines since I cannot find anyone to mow my yard. I expect the goats to do a number on the apple, fig and peach tree.

This in turn reminds me of a big pear tree where I grew up. It never did anything much except produce leaves. One day, Dad tore half of it down with a bulldozer. The next season, the tree limbs broke under the weight of fruit.

Yeah. I never know where my mind is headed next either.

Anyway, maybe these three trees need some encouragement. Maybe they need some strife. Maybe they need a little hardship so their true natures will really come out. The goats should accomplish that.

Meantime, the mulberry tree is too tall to be really harmed by the goats. They may snag a few low lying limbs and leaves with the berries, but most of the tree is now out of reach for anyone without a ladder.

And I will continue to enjoy my mulberries and purple fingers for a bit longer.

Unlike the grapes that used to be at the front of the house, no one wants the mulberries. Well, no one but me and a pair of doves.

No deeper meaning in this one, folks. Just a man enjoying the fruits of a tree he never planted and never expected.

Which may be a deeper meaning after all.