The Monster From Moscow: Vladimir Putin's Gigantic Mistake

 March 9th, 2022

My Dear Friends in Russia

I don't know if it is possible that this Blog Post on "Letters To A Lost Nation" and Podcast Episode on "Podcast For A Lost Nation" will be read or listened to by anyone in Russia but I am going to proceed with the hope that it might be available to some Russian Citizens.

First of all I want to tell all of you that the leader of your country, Vladimir Putin, is a Liar and a Dangerous Killer, as well as being a total embarrassment to your Great Country. Those of us living in the world outside of Russia have known this Sad Truth for many years.  We feel that the time is right for all of you living in Russia to know the Sad Truth, as well.

Putin has been successful in your country at times by masquerading as a Human Being but the Sad Truth once again is that he is a Heartless Monster and seems to be more than willing to prove that fact again and again.  He has proved it in Russia, Chechnya and in Syria and he has chosen to show his heartless disregard for real human beings once again in your neighboring country of Ukraine.  

Several years ago the Citizens of Ukraine fought back against a Putin controlled government in Ukraine and kicked out Putin's Puppet and replaced him by electing a mild mannered Ukrainian Comedian and actor named Zelensky.  Certainly Putin recognized that in kicking out Putin's Puppet that the Ukrainians were in essence telling Putin something he didn't want to hear. Namely, that the Ukrainian people wanted nothing to do with Vladimir Putin and no longer wanted to be controlled by Russian Dictators.  

Certainly those of us outside of Russia recognize that Russia and the Soviet Union before it, has, since World War II, been a tightly controlled Dictatorship in which Vladimir Putin has been in charge of for decades.

I know that most of you who live under the control of the Putin Regime don't have a lot of power over your own lives, let alone the lives of Ukrainians, but I think that you all deserve to know what is happening in Ukraine and how it is affecting your lives and your country at the present time.

You may have noticed that thousands of your fellow citizens have been arrested for demonstrating against what Putin has only admitted is a "Special Military Operation" in Ukraine.  Certainly no one in your country is allowed to call what is going on in Ukraine "War."  It is not allowed by Putin's government to call it war. The Putin regime has warned that any news organization or person calling what is going on in Ukraine "War" is subject to prosecution and lengthy imprisonment.

Well, to tell the truth what is going on in Ukraine was not really a war, at first, although certainly many Ukrainians have died and are continuing to die in their country.  

What has happened in Ukraine is that after months of Putin lying and claiming that Russian Troops were only gathered on the border of Ukraine for "Military Exercises" the Russian Military two weeks ago Invaded the Independent Country of Ukraine with the express purpose of quickly seizing the country, eliminating Zelensky and establishing another Putin controlled puppet government.

But something weird happened in Ukraine after your Russian troops invaded.  

The Ukrainian Government did not immediately Collapse.  Instead Ukrainian President Zelensky remained in the Ukrainian Capitol of Kyiv and began communicating by Social Media not only with his Country Men and Women but also with the powers that be all over the world, especially with President Joe Biden.  

Zelensky's extreme bravery and that of nearly all Ukrainian men ages 18 to 60 who have taken up arms to defend their country from Russian troops have all been inspirational to the world and although Putin's point of this Russian takeover of Ukraine was to weaken NATO (The North Atlantic Treaty Organization) it has had the opposite effect.  It has strengthened NATO and has put Russia on Notice that the Ukrainian Invasion is opposed by nearly every country in the world.

Clearly Vladimir Putin never expected that Russian troops would be met with the Tremendous Resistance that the Ukrainian National Defenders have provided.

Even now, two weeks after the Invasion Russian Troops are failing to take over Kyiv and other major Cities in Ukraine.  The feeling of Brotherly Love that Russians and Ukrainians have felt for each other throughout their history is gone along with any positive feelings for Vladimir Putin by any NATO countries.

In desperation, Russian troops have devolved into reckless firefights and damage around Nuclear facilities and indiscriminate bombing and killing of innocent civilians including women and children.  

At the same time that this reckless and wanton destruction has been going on in Ukraine, Russia is beginning to feel the pinch of  Sanctions on Putin and the Russian people, as well.   

The Russian Monetary System is on the verge of collapse and the Ruble is valued at less than an American penny.  Banks and Russia's stock exchange are closed in fear of what might happen if they open again.

What is certainly clear to anyone who is not Vladimir Putin is that his attack on Ukraine was a stupid move that has only put his country in more isolation than they were already in.  Clearly, his attempt to takeover Ukraine was ill fated and what Ukrainian Freedom Fighters have shown is that they will never willingly surrender their country to the Russians or to anyone else ever again.

Something that has been shown by the many countries surrounding Ukraine is a tremendous respect for Ukraine and a willingness to accept and help over two million Ukrainian Refugees.  The kindness shown by these countries stands in contrast to the savagery shown by Vladimir Putin and his Russian soldiers.

As Vladimir Putin pushes on in desperation with his Ukrainian Bloodbath it is difficult to see how this terrible situation ends without a bloody end to the Putin Regime. Perhaps someone in Putin's orbit can get him to see the fact that he is only digging himself in deeper with every day that he continues to try to force Ukraine to rejoin what Putin obviously hopes will be a newly reconstituted Soviet Union.

What is clear to nearly everyone in the world except Vladimir Putin is:

How are You Gonna Keep Them Down on the Dictatorship after they've tasted Freedom and Democracy.

As McDonalds, Starbucks, Amazon, Facebook and so many other Western Companies close the door on Russia it is time for Sanity and Humanity to prevail in Russia and in Ukraine.

Sincerely Yours

Jerry Gallagher 

 

    

 

 

  

The Battle Between Good And Evil In Ukraine And Russia

 March 4th, 2022

My Dear America:

I have spent a lot of time during the past several days thinking seriously about what People have gone through and continue to go through in Ukraine and Russia following the Invasion of Ukraine by Russian Troops.  

I can hardly imagine what it must be like for Individual Ukrainians living mere days ago in an Independent Democratic Republic one day and the next day finding themselves faced with an invasion by Russian Troops, who they had felt prior to the attack as though were something akin to brothers, or at least relatives who they felt cared about them.

It is also hard to imagine what it feels like for Russian Troops who had been posted on the border with Ukraine prior to the Invasion.  They must also be feeling seriously conflicted by being charged with the Invasion of a country for which they also previously had true feelings of Brotherly Love.

To be honest, I was foolish enough to agree with Ukrainian President Zelensky in his initial assessment whereby he felt that the Biden Administration was possibly blowing the situation of Russian Troops on the Ukrainian Border out of proportion. I confess that I was foolish enough to believe that Vladimir Putin was telling the truth when he claimed that he was just having Russian Troops go through Exercises on the borders of Ukraine and also Belarus.  I feel very foolish at this point for believing that Putin was telling the truth.  It seemed to me that it made no sense at all that Putin would be invading Ukraine.  It still makes no sense to me.

Clearly the World Wide Condemnation of Vladimir Putin's Invasion of Ukraine indicates to me that Putin has made a serious mistake that he and Russia will regret for a very long time.  Even Switzerland has joined with NATO Allies in not only condemning Putin but in cutting off access to his money, as well.  A United Alliance of Freedom loving Countries and even some not very freedom loving countries seem to be unified by standing up to Putin in an effort to encourage Putin to get the hell out of Ukraine before the terrible situation that he has created becomes even worse.

While Putin has become a Deranged Pariah on the World Stage the President of Ukraine, President Zelensky, has become a world wide symbol of Democracy and Freedom.  His Extraordinary Courage has been a beacon of Light in his Country's Hellish Season of Dangerous Darkness.  Zelensky continues to inspire his Countrymen and Women to stand up, grab a weapon and defend their country.

After nearly a week of nightmarish goings on in Ukraine the brave people of Ukraine show no signs of giving in to Putin's troops.  In fact, it appears as though Russian troops may in fact be the ones who are possibly coming to their senses and recognizing that dying in Ukraine for their Lunatic Leader is not in anyone's best interests.  Certainly something strange is going on with Russian Troops.  When brave Ukrainian citizens are lying in front of Russian tanks it does not appear as though the Russian troops are anxious to run over their Ukrainian brethren.  There are in fact some reports of Russian troops shooting holes in their gas tanks to prevent the massive convoy heading from Belarus to Kyiv from moving on.  Nobody knows for sure what is going on with Russian troops but clearly Russian Troops cannot be feeling good about killing Ukrainians.

What is also the case with the Russian population is that in today's Internet age it is difficult for Vladimir Putin to keep the Russian people in the dark on what is happening in Ukraine although he is trying very hard to keep a lid on the truth about the war and the deaths not only of Ukrainians but of Russian troops, as well.  Throughout this past week the streets of many Russian cities have been filled with protestors willing to be arrested in order to state their obvious opposition to the senseless war in Ukraine.  

Putin seems to have been increasingly isolated from not only the Russian people but also from his closest "Advisors." American television has been broadcasting pictures of Putin sitting at the head of a monstrously long table with his "Advisors' sitting what seems like a mile away from him.  One American commentator stated that Putin reminded him of "Dr. Strangelove.'

Speaking of Dr. Strangelove, Putin has begun to increase his strange and terrible rhetoric about the possible use of Nuclear Weapons.  He has specifically talked about the need for Russia to ramp up their Nuclear security to the highest level.  

Although President Biden has not taken the bait on Putin's game of Nuclear Chicken and has downplayed Putin's Nuclear statements, this does not mean that Putin's threats are nothing to worry about.   Clearly Vladimir Putin is not in a good state of mind at the present time.  

Putin may very well feel that he is in a corner by himself, which he clearly is, as pretty much the entire world has designated him as a World Wide Outlaw.  

Is Putin a Dangerous Madman or just a Shifty Russian Despot.  At the present time nobody really knows what he is or what his next move will be.  

Although America and their European NATO Allies have chosen not to put NATO troops into Ukraine for fear of Nuclear Escalation with Russia the NATO Countries who are Next door neighbors to Ukraine all seem to have shown a heartfelt compassion, willingness and a capability of reaching out to the millions of mainly women and children who have fled to the safety of NATO countries including Poland, Hungary, Moldavia, Romania and Slovakia.  Other Non Border European Countries have also opened their own borders to their Ukrainian neighbors.  In Ukraine men between the ages of 18 to 60 have responded positively to the call of their President to vigorously defend their country from the Russian Invaders.

On the border countries of Ukraine much has been done to reach out to love and accept the Ukrainian Refugees.  CNN and MSNBC Reporters in and around Ukraine have pointed out all that everyday people in Poland and elsewhere have done to make the Ukrainian refugees welcome.  Food, clothing, car seats, all sorts of things that people might need and want in these types of situations are being provided free of charge in many cases.  

Speaking of CNN and MSNBC Reporters, the coverage of what is happening in Ukraine has been and continues to be extraordinary.  On air correspondents including people like Richard Engel and Clarissa Ward, as well as many others are risking their lives in very dangerous  situations in order to bring the horror and heartbreaking stories of what is happening in Ukraine to their viewers.  They certainly need to be commended for their personal bravery in providing astonishing wall to wall coverage during this dangerous crisis.  

Clearly a good bit of President Biden's State of the Union Speech dealt with what has been going on in Ukraine and what is expected to go on in Ukraine.  President Biden also needs to be commended for engineering the unified response to the Ukrainian situation by NATO Countries and leaders in the period before during and after the Invasion of Ukraine by Russian troops.  

I have thought a lot about what Biden has done correctly in this terrible worldwide crisis.  I have also thought seriously about how different and how terrible it would have been had Donald Trump actually won a second term.  We can look back to the Trump years in office when Trump deliberately stood in the way of providing arms to Zelensky and kissed up to Putin and other Russian leaders throughout his time in office.  

Thank God that Biden is the President and not Donald Trump in this terrible situation.  

Even now as the Ukrainian situation veered toward disaster Donald Trump had brazenly praised Putin as "Smart" and a "Genius" by Putin's declaring Ukraine to be an Independent country before he invaded it.  Certainly, by any normal standards what Putin has done by invading Ukraine appears to me as anything but smart.  There was no reason at all for Putin to invade Ukraine and by doing so to make his country and himself a virtual Pariah in the world.   

Yesterday an even more stupid decision by Putin had Russian Troops having tanks firing by and possibly at Ukraine's largest Nuclear Facility and starting a fire that had it not been quickly put out could have destroyed not only Ukraine but Russian Troops in Ukraine, as well as having Nuclear materials blowing Toxic Nuclear Poisons into Russia.  

Yeah, this guy Putin is a real Genius. 

Not only is Putin not smart but Donald Trump has also shown himself to be a dumbass of epic proportions.  I just hope that both Putin and Trump manage to destroy each others reputations sufficiently that they might end up where many other Power Mad Dictators have ended up before them.  May they end up together, in the graveyard of history along with Hitler, Mussolini, Saddam Hussein and Muammar Gaddafi, Dead as the result of their own vicious overextension of Stupid and Evil Acts.

Sincerely Yours

Jerry Gallagher

What The Hell Is Vladimir Putin Up To In Ukraine

 Saturday February 12th, 2022

My Dear America:

It wasn't that many years ago when the name of Russian President, Vladimir Putin, struck both Fear and Disgust in the hearts of nearly all members of the Republican Party in America.  Putin was a Russian Leader who spent much of his life in the shadowy darkness of the feared KGB Russian Intelligence agency.  Putin was clearly a man who was diametrically opposed to the Freedoms guaranteed by the United States Constitution and both Democrats and Republicans in Congress, in the White House, in the State Department, the Pentagon, the FBI and the CIA were sure of one thing. 

They were all sure that Vladimir Putin was bad news and could not be trusted.

But that was back before Donald Trump came on the scene in the Republican Party and captured the White House and along with it The Republican Party.  

Trump made it clear to everyone that he and Vladimir were best buds and were going to be cooperating on every level throughout the Trump Administration.

Putin's Invasion and Annexation of Crimea, which was part of Ukraine prior to the Invasion of Ukraine, was on Obama's watch and President Donald Trump made it clear to Putin in his contacts with the Russian leader that the Russian annexation of Crimea, and Georgia before it, was not going to affect the close friendship that Donald Trump wanted to have with Vladimir Putin.  

Clearly the politics related to Russia, Georgia, Crimea and the rest of Ukraine have been complex and difficult, if not impossible to understand, unless you are a historical scholar.  

What is relatively easy to understand, however, as Russian Troops are gathered on the border of Ukraine is that Ukraine has become an intense hotspot of Russian and United States concern.

Certainly I do not understand all of the complexities of the Russian-Ukrainian difficulties with each other.  But I do understand that when Donald Trump was in the White House Putin seemed to have free reign in Ukraine and in some respects he had Trump assisting Putin in his reckless Russian incursions into Ukraine.

For God's Sake, Trump was impeached and nearly driven from office for his  improper handling of the Ukrainian situation.  That certainly should have moved Republicans to recognize that not only was there something rotten in Ukraine but also there was also something rotten in the White House.  

But once again, as happened over and over in the Trump Administration, Trump was not driven from office and instead of his reckless deeds insuring his ouster, Trump was saved from consequences by Republicans in Congress who continued supporting his illegal and immoral deeds.

While Vladimir Putin continues to threaten the Ukrainian border it seems to me that whether or not he does or does not invade his neighboring country there may be other motives regarding what he is doing.

Fox News Commentator, Tucker Carlson, seems to have made it his purpose to Fool Fox News Watchers into seeing Vladimir Putin in a new and softer light.  Other Right Wing Commentators also seem to be following Carlson's lead and, in fact, the Republican Party which used to be a party of Hard Truths about Russia seem to have now become something of an "Uncle Vlad" fan club.  His smiling face even appears on right wing magazines and Tucker Carlson's face even appears on Russian Television News Programs.

"What in the hell is going on here," we should all be asking ourselves.

Republicans drum Truth Tellers out of their party and believe Donald Trump's Vicious "Big Lie" that he really and truly won the 2020 Presidential Election when there is not a snowballs chance in hell that this is true.

While Joe Biden has been stymied by the Republican Party and a couple of members of his own party in his efforts to legislate Voting Rights Protections he is constantly disrespected and denigrated by Republicans who have accomplished nothing in Congress in several years except for tax breaks for the wealthy and Right Wing Supreme Court and Lower Court Judges. Oh yes, Republicans in Congress have managed to keep Trump from Impeachment Justice and they have managed to put the screws to almost all legislation presented by the Democrats.

So What in the Hell is Vladimir Putin up to in Ukraine?  That is the question.  

Clearly Putin is highly focused on the fact that the end of the Soviet Union back in the 90's was initially a sad time for him, although he certainly made the best of the situation and put himself in power for probably the rest of his life and made himself rich in the process.

What is also clear is that Putin would love to put a new Soviet Union together in which he might once again call the shots for a group of countries which no longer look to him for Guidance and Power.  Putin has already taken back Georgia and the Crimean part of Ukraine.  If he invades Ukraine he stands to lose a lot from it but he is rich enough that whatever sanctions the Free World puts on him he will be OK.  His country may not be but he will still be rich enough to withstand the blows to his Empire.  

Putin also seems very concerned about the prospect of Ukraine joining NATO.  Since the Collapse of the Soviet Union many Ukrainians have pushed for Ukraine to join The North Atlantic Treaty Organization.  Ukraine currently has a leader in President Zelensky who seems to be genuinely interested in NATO membership.  Vladimir Putin is genuinely interested in NATO membership never happening for Ukraine.  

Indeed, the invasion of Georgia also seems to have been the result of Georgia leaders seriously exploring the prospect of NATO membership.  

Another reason that Putin is on Ukraine's border is that it is getting a lot of attention for him from everywhere in the world including a push by China to renew ties with Putin.  

Although Trump has cleverly not made his current feelings known about Putin's threatening behavior toward Ukraine it is not difficult to figure out where Trump stands on the situation.  While Trump was in the White House he seemed to go out of his way to make the situation difficult for Ukraine and Zelensky and easier for his buddy, Vladimir Putin.

Certainly Putin is well aware that his Threatening Behavior toward Ukraine is not something that is helpful to the Biden Administration.  Putin is well aware of Trump's efforts, with Republican assistance, to retake the White House in 2024 by any means necessary.  

When Trump has in the past been nothing short of an Ass Kissing Lackey to Putin why wouldn't Putin want Trump back in the White House.  

It is extremely difficult to genuinely figure out what Vladimir Putin is up to in Ukraine at the present time but one thing is for sure.

What Putin is up to is no good for Ukraine, for Joe Biden or for America. 

Sincerely Yours

Jerry Gallagher

 

 

The Unintended Consequences Of Neil Young's Battle With Joe Rogan And Spotify

January 31st, 2022 

My Dear America:

I've loved the Music of Neil Young for a long time, Many Decades, in fact.  

Although I had heard of the "Buffalo Springfield" Band I was never very familiar with their music at the time that they were playing together.  It was only more recently when I downloaded their music to Spotify that I was able to recognize what a dynamite musical group they were.

I think that the first time I ever heard of Neil Young was when he joined David Crosby, late of the Byrds, Graham Nash, late of the Hollies and Neil's Buffalo Springfield Bandmate, Stephen Stills who had started the group: Crosby, Stills and Nash.  Someone in the Crosby, Stills and Nash Orbit suggested adding Neil Young to the Musical Mix and Crosby, Stills Nash & Young burst onto the Musical Scene with a great studio album called "Deja Vu".  Deja Vu was followed up by the Crosby, Stills Nash and Young Live Album titled "4 Way Street".

During the late Sixties I discovered Neil Young's First few Recorded Solo Albums: "Neil Young" which was released on Neil's 23rd Birthday in November of 1968 and "Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere," and "After The Gold Rush" all of which featured some of Neil's really classic songs.  On both of these albums Neil Young featured only songs that he had written.  In fact, on most of his Solo albums he featured almost exclusively songs that he had written.  From the late Sixties on Neil Young has recorded an astonishing number of Albums, most of which are masterpieces but some, such as "Trans" an album of odd and almost annoying Electronic Music, caused Neil to have some very serious creative differences with his record companies.

Suffice it to say that Neil Young has recorded an incredible amount of Neil Young Music over his long career.  He has played with quite a few Musical Groups backing him up including "The Stray Gators", The Shocking Pinks, The International Harvesters, Promise of The Real and Pearl Jam.  The Group that seems to have been his Favorite Go To Back Up Band over the Years, however,  has been "Crazy Horse" who he has played with and recorded with the most over the years.  One of the First Concerts My wife and I went to together back in the Seventies when we started dating was the "Rust Never Sleeps" Concert with Crazy Horse.  I wrote a Review of it for "PA East", a short lived Counterculture Newspaper in Eastern Pennsylvania.  It was an Awesome Concert.  I saw Neil Young on other occasions also and was never disappointed with his performances.

Over the years Neil has never shied away from Controversy and in some cases seems to have deliberately courted them.  Neil's song "Southern Man" which commented on southern attitudes regarding race inspired the band, "Lynyrd Skynyrd" to write a song in answer to Neil's song using the following lines:

"I wish Neil Young Would Remember A Southern Man Don't Need Him Around"

Recently Neil Young wandered into controversy once again by very publicly challenging Spotify and telling those individuals who run the online Music and Podcast Platform that if Spotify did not cancel The Joe Rogan Podcast that Neil Young wanted all of his music taken off the Spotify Platform.

What has taken place after Neil's ultimatum to Spotify is that Spotify chose to take Neil's music off their platform and Keep Joe Rogan, who Spotify has paid millions of dollars to keep on the platform.

I have very mixed feelings about the entire controversy.  

I agree with Neil that it is very important that Spotify listeners get the correct information about Covid 19 but I listen to Neil Young's music and play along with it a lot, or at least I used to.  

I have never listened to Joe Rogan's Podcast and I never plan to.  I feel sorry for the fact that a lot of people get their medical information from someone who is obviously making millions while being on the wrong track when it comes to Covid.  

Neil is correct in trying to shine a spotlight on how wrong Rogan is.  I feel, however, that Neil should be thinking about his fans and the fact that his music will not be influencing anyone if it is not available to stream.  

No, Spotify is not a perfect platform and Rogan might very well be spreading lies but no online platform is without issues.  Sirius XM, Apple Music and Amazon are all platforms that have issues that could be protested just as readily as Spotify.  

Bill Maher had a guest on "Real Time With Bill Maher" on HBO this past week named Ira Glasser, who was the former head of the ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union).  Mr. Glasser when he was ACLU Director defended Nazi's marching in Skokie, Illnois, the home of many Jewish Refugees from the Holocaust.  Mr. Glasser, who is Jewish pointed out that he had relatives killed in the Holocaust but still felt as though everyone has a right to Freedom of Speech and Expression.

Clearly Joe Rogan is a person who who nobody should be listening to on major issues.  The problem, however, is that there are millions of people who are listening to him.  

I have to say this.  When I came across an ad on Michael Moore's Podcast advertising Anchor and Spotify and suggesting that I could start my own Podcast very easily and for Free I found it hard to believe.  It turned out to be true, however, and I have been Podcasting since July of 2020.  

No I am not making millions of dollars like Joe Rogan does and I don't have anywhere near as many listeners as Rogan has but I have been broadcasting my Left of Center views for nearly a year and a half and I have never had Spotify contacting me suggesting that my content should be altered in any way.  I think that to me that counts for something.  If Spotify is required to begin censoring content that to me will not be a good thing.  That will be a very bad thing.

I hope it isn't true but I saw today on Twitter that we Spotify users might, in addition to losing Neil Young, might also be losing the following Performers from the Spotify Platform: Willie Nelson, Bruce Springsteen, Barbra Streisand, Dolly Parton, Neil Diamond, Queen, Paul McCartney, The Rolling Stones, Dave Grohl, Joni MItchell Pearl Jam and Nils Lofgren and others. 

I hope that Neil Young and his supporters realize that in a world where books like "To Kill A Mockingbird" are being banned and the world is becoming more Authoritarian Every day that becoming more Authoritarian and Demanding of Others is not the way to go for Spotify.

Please Spotify bring back Neil and all of the others for the sake of Freedom and Responsibility in a world that has too little of it already. 

Please Neil and Your Musical Friends Don't abandon those of us who love to hear your music on Spotify.  Bring your music back to the Streaming Service As Soon As Possible.  

We miss you. We love your music and we want you Back.

Sincerely Yours

Jerry Gallagher

"What Are Republicans FOR?" The Answer is NOTHING

Sunday, January 23rd, 2021

My Dear America:

We witnessed a rather remarkable performance by President Joe Biden this past week during his Nearly Two Hour Televised News Conference.  The President had not given a Wide Ranging Lengthy Press Conference like this one in a Long Time and he was ready, willing and able to handle this roomful of Reporters with ease. 

President Biden was even able to handle the incredibly insulting question from James Rosen of Newsmax regarding Americans supposedly being Concerned about Biden's "Cognitive Difficulties" with Grace and Self Control.  I couldn't help but wonder how some Republicans and Right Wing Media Hosts felt after Joe Biden's Press Conference put to rest some of the Disingenuous Republican Bullshit Claims purporting to present President Biden as a Dottering Old Fool.

To use a certified Scranton, Pennsylvania Expression that I learned a long time ago from my Mother -

Joe Biden's Marathon Press Conference should have put the "Kibosh" on any Ridiculous Republican Claims that Joe Biden was ready for the Nursing Home. 

Being 79 Years Old, myself I find that what Joe Biden has been able to accomplish over the past First Year of his Presidency has been Incredible.  And to do what he has done in the face of continuing lack of respect and cooperation from Republicans in Congress makes his numerous accomplishments even more astounding.

Even Joe Biden's Long Standing Friendship with Mitch McConnell has not borne any cooperation from the Republican Leader in the Senate and President Biden did not hide his feelings about McConnell and House Republican Leader, Kevin McCarthy during his Press Conference.

"What are Republicans For," Joe Biden asked in his Press Conference.

"Nothing," was Biden's answer to his own question.

I think that Joe Biden's question may be the most important question of our time.  President Biden pointed out proudly that he has genuinely accomplished a lot of things during his year in office.   

Indeed he has.

Absent the support of Republicans in Congress Joe Biden has, with the cooperation of many Democratic House and Senate members, signed into law Two Major Pieces of Legislation that Democrats hoped would help to encourage Americans to appreciate the Staggering Epic Accomplishments of Joe Biden and Democrats in Congress during Biden's First Year as President.

How soon Americans seem to have forgotten that despite his promises to get Vaccine's out to Americans, Donald Trump did almost nothing to actually distribute the Covid Vaccines while in office.  

I suppose he was too busy trying to upend the Constitution and Illegally Steal the Election from Joe Biden, the Certified Winner of the 2020 Presidential Election.

Once Biden took office, however, he pushed for and through Reconciliation the Democrats in Congress were able to pass into Law "The American Rescue Plan"

The American Rescue Plan was a 1.9 Trillion Dollar Stimulus package designed to help Americans survive during the devastating Covid  19 Pandemic.

Among the benefits Americans received from the American Rescue Plan were the following:

The American Rescue Plan put into place a serious and effective program of Covid Testing and Vaccinations provided Free to those who needed them.  In addition money was provided for increasing the effectiveness of Contract Tracing for Covid.

The American Rescue Plan sent out checks for 1400 Dollars to Countless Eligible Americans.

The Plan increased the Child Tax Credit, while making it fully refundable.  It also increased the Earned Income Tax Credit and also increased the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit.

Unemployment Insurance was extended for those who qualified.

The Rescue Plan provided a number of provisions for support of Small Businesses including a Restaurant Revitalization Program which provided Grants to cover Payroll, Rent, Utilities and other Expenses.

The Plan assisted Americans with Lower Health Insurance Premiums & 100% Federal Cobra Subsidies for out of work Individuals.

The Plan provided Continuing Eviction and Foreclosure Moratoriums

The American Rescue Plan provided money for improvements to help Schools Open Safely.   

While the American Rescue Plan has truly done a great deal to improve life in the United States during the Covid Pandemic, it is not alone in providing real progress during the First Year of the Biden Administration.  Although Certain Democrats disagreed with some aspects of the the Biden "Build Back Better Program", the Biden Administration was able, with the cooperation and assistance of the Democrats in Congress along with some limited Republican cooperation, to pass "The Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal." 

The White House issued a Fact Sheet identifying the following as items which it is expected will show significant improvement as a result of the Infrastructure Bill:

"This Historic Legislation will:

Deliver Clean Water to All American Families and eliminate the nations lead service lines.

Ensure Every American has access to Reliable High Speed Internet.

Repair and Rebuild our Roads and Bridges with a focus on Climate Change Mitigation, Resilience, Equity, and Safety for all Users.

Improve Transportation Options for Millions of Americans and Reduce Greenhouse Emissions through the Largest Investment in Public Transit in U.S. History.

Upgrade Our Nations Airports and Ports to Strengthen Our Supply Chains and Prevent Disruptions that have Caused Inflation.  This will Improve U.S. Competitiveness, Create More and Better Jobs at these Hubs, and Reduce Emissions.

Make The Largest Investment in Passenger Rail since the Creation of Amtrak.

Build a National Network of Electric Vehicle (EV) Chargers.

Upgrade our Power Infrastructure to Deliver Clean, Reliable Energy Across the Country and Deploy Cutting Edge Energy Technology to Achieve a Zero-Emissions Future.

Make our Infrastructure Resilient against the Impacts of Climate Change, Cyber-Attacks and Extreme Weather Events

Deliver the Largest Investment in Tackling Legacy Pollution in American History by Cleaning Up Superfund and Brownfield Sites, Reclaiming Abandoned Mines, and Capping Orphaned Oil and Gas Wells.

Certainly a by product of all of these programs will be the creation of good paying jobs

Clearly President Biden is frustrated as his poll numbers have dipped to low levels in recent weeks. 

With all that he has accomplished in his First Year as President with the aid of many Democrats in Congress and a few Brave Republicans willing to face the Wrath of Former President, Donald Trump, he deserves to get more credit for what he has accomplished in his Freshman Year than he has received.

Clearly Biden would like to add the "Build Back Better" Legislation to his list of accomplishments but the Republican refusal to cooperate with him, along with the odd and truly disturbing behavior of Democrats Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema seem to make that prospect more and more unlikely.

Certainly Joe Biden does not seem to be giving up on his quest to improve the lives of Americans.  

Hopefully Americans will at some point wake up to the fact that Gentleman Joe has already done a lot for them and will, at some point, begin to give Joe Biden and his Democratic Partners in Congress the credit they deserve for accomplishing as much as they have in the short time that Biden has been in the Presidency.  

In the meantime it doesn't seem to me that Biden is all that concerned about getting credit for what he has done.  He simply wants to get more things accomplished and I would bet that he will begin to try to get "Build Back Better" done on a piece by piece basis instead of one fell swoop.  

In the meantime while Republicans continue to accomplish very little perhaps people will begin to recognize the astonishing achievements of the First Year of Joe Biden's Presidency and hopefully give the guy a break and perhaps some appreciation.

Certainly President Biden has it right when it comes to Republican achievements.  

Republicans have accomplished nothing over the past year.  

Anyone who is happy about that is not thinking clearly.

Hopefully when the time comes in November to vote for Senators and Representatives who are up for Elections in their districts people will think about the fact that during Joe Biden's First year in office Republicans accomplished NOTHING and will vote accordingly.

Sincerely Yours

Jerry Gallagher

 

 

On The First Anniversary of January 6th, 2021 The Truth Shall Make Us Free

 January 7th, 2022

My Dear America:

On the day after January 6th, 2022 I finally watched the incredibly moving speech that President Joe Biden gave yesterday morning while standing in the Capitol Rotunda one year to the day after the violent and disgusting attack on the heart of Democracy in America that was engineered by Donald Trump and his Goon Squad.  I had seen comments on Facebook and Twitter identifying the Biden Speech as either one of the best speeches that President Biden had ever given or simply the BEST SPEECH THAT JOE BIDEN HAD EVER GIVEN.  Either way Joe B. gave an outstanding speech that will go down in history as one of the best speeches ever given by a President in defense of Democracy in America.  

Although President Biden has made clear in other speeches who he has blamed for last year's violent assault on the Capitol he made it crystal clear in this speech without mentioning Donald Trump by name that his "Predecessor" was to blame for not only the Capitol Riot but also for other improper and possibly illegal attempts to thwart the peaceful transfer of power from the Trump Administration to the Biden Administration by weaponizing "THE BIG LIE" which falsely claimed that Trump had won the 2020 Presidential Election.  In his speech Biden addressed Trump's claims point by point and made it clear that Trump's claim to have won the 2020 Election was total Bullshit.

As is usually the case, some Right Wing Media Outlets found Mr. Biden's speech lacking but these same outlets seem to find everything about President Biden lacking, yet find everything about Donald Trump to be wonderful.  It is perplexing to me that it is the case that in today's America a CERTIFIED LOSER like Donald Trump can still exercise so much power and influence over so many Americans.  I don't understand it.  I will never understand it. Whatever happened to Common Sense in the Republican Party

I woke up too late yesterday to see the Biden Speech live but the online word was that it was terrific so I tried to find a rebroadcast of it on television.  I only found certain short clips of Biden's Speech yesterday but I did luck in on C-Span's coverage of an event that was taking place in the afternoon yesterday afternoon at the Capitol.  That event was an interesting and enlightening exchange of ideas between Historians John Meacham and Doris Kearns Goodwin hosted by the Chief Librarian of Congress.  These two interesting Writers had much to say about last January Sixth and other important events in the History of America.  I didn't realize it at the time but the spread out audience that was sitting there in the Capitol listening to Goodwin and Meacham were primarily Democratic members of Congress.  Along with the members of Congress in the audience, I found out later, were, along with Liz Cheney (The Only Republican Member of Congress willing to show up for this particular January 6th Commemoration),was her Dad, Dick Cheney and the parents of Brian Sicknick, the brave Capitol Policeman who was killed as the result of his injuries sustained on January 6th of last year while defending the Capitol from the Trump Mob.

Following the Meacham and Kearns Goodwin Exchange the same group of primarily Democratic members of Congress lined up to take turns relating their individual tales of terror that they experienced on January 6th, 2021.  It was highly disturbing to hear what these True Patriots endured last January.  It was particularly galling to recognize that those people who denigrated and disfigured the Capitol building the year before and claimed to be "patriots" and "Blue Lives Matter" supporters beat the living daylights out of the brave men and women in blue who were charged with defending the Capitol.  Certainly those people entering the Capitol were not Patriots but Criminals who were either too Dumb or too Twisted by Trump Logic to recognize how they  were being used as pawns by the Former President.

Last Year despite the substantial damage done to the Police defending the Capitol, the Capitol building itself and to American Democracy, the Genuinely Brave Patriotic Members of the Congress with the cooperation of the Vice President, who had been threatened with Hanging by the Trump Mob earlier in the day, returned on the evening of January 6th, 2021 and did their jobs.  Of Course the Republican Legislators tasked with preventing Joe Biden from being Certified by the Congress did their best to disrupt the Certification but in the end the real Patriots in Congress won out and Joe Biden was Certified as the incoming President of The United States.  Thank God.

A Prayer Vigil featuring mainly Democratic members of Congress and the Senate also took place on the Capitol Steps on the evening of January 6th, 2022.  CNN also featured a Moving Remembrance Special featuring members of Congress, their families and their staffs discussing their experiences on January 6th, 2021.  

One thing that was noticeably missing from all of these remembrances of January 6th, 2021 was the participation of Republican Members of Congress and Senators.  

It was almost as if the only members of Congress running for their lives on January 6th last year were Democrats.  Certainly that was not the case.  On January 6th, 2021 all members of Congress and their staffs were threatened.

Congressional Republicans may be faking Amnesia in 2022 but in January of last year they also were running for cover along with their Democratic Colleagues.

It seems to me as though the time has come for Republicans to recognize what damage they are doing to America by sticking with Donald Trump and his Big Lie any longer.  Donald Trump and his MAGA supporters are leading not only the Republican Party but the entire nation to the brink of destruction by not calling out the former President for being the Emperor who has no clothes and Certainly No Integrity.  

Republicans need to wake up and realize that following the insanity of Donald Trump will eventually destroy them and their party and possibly the entire country.  What good will it be for Republicans if they maintain their power only with the permanent loss of their integrity and their good name.  

The time has come for Republicans to recognize what most of us have known for a long time.  And That is:

                                THE TRUTH SHALL MAKE YOU FREE

Republicans can and do in many cases believe in many of the same things that are being advocated in the Build Back Better Program that will soon be voted on by the Congress.  

I have a dream today that on a day that will be coming soon not one but a bunch of Republican Legislators will realize that they have had it with Donald Trump and are no longer going to follow a Madman over a Political Cliff but are going to instead follow their consciences and vote "Yes" for "Build Back Better."

Yes, People I have a dream today that Truth will no longer be shunned in the Republican Party and that Integrity will make a Comeback.

Yes, I have a Dream today.

I certainly hope that my dream comes true and that it comes true in time to save Democracy in America from complete Destruction.

Sincerely Yours

Jerry Gallagher

Are We Living In The Final Days of American Democracy

 Saturday, January 1, 2022

My Dear America:

As we step over the fault line from 2021 to 2022 it feels to me as though we are walking through a Mine Field of Epic Proportions.  I have been alive for over 79 Years and I don't ever remember a period of time in my life like the last Five Years.  Before these last Five Years I worried about a lot of things happening in the world but I never really worried about America becoming something like a Third World Dictatorship.  

That could never happen I thought, before the last Five Years.  

That was before Donald Trump somehow stole an election in which he did not win the majority of votes over his opponent, Hillary Clinton.  The ridiculous and criminally outmoded Electoral College System gave Trump his 2016 victory.  And lest we forget, Donald Trump in the 2016 Election never agreed to accept the results of that Election, unless he won.  

In 2016 Trump was lucky enough to have Hillary Clinton as his opponent and Barack Obama as the President, both of whom played by the long established rules of American Democracy.  Hillary reluctantly conceded that Trump won the election even though she had won the most vote totals.  President Barack Obama like all of his Presidential Predecessors before him invited Donald Trump to the White House and did his best to provide Trump with a Cooperative and Peaceful Presidential Transition between the Obama and the Trump Presidential Administrations 

When Trump legitimately lost to Joe Biden in November of 2020 he followed through on the threat that he made in 2016 and had continued to make in 2020 and despite the overwhelming evidence proving that he lost the election, Donald Trump created THE BIG LIE that although those bad people in the Press and the Democratic Party claimed that Biden had actually won the election because he had won more votes than Trump, it wasn't true.  

I think that a lot of us thought that since Donald Trump thought that losing at anything was a fate worse than death that he needed a bit more time to listen to reason and his own family who, rumor has it, were trying to get him to see the darkness at the end of the tunnel.  

So it was clear that Trump needed time to get his head on straight and accept the inevitable reality that he had LOST, that he was a LOSER who needed time to accept the inevitable conclusion that any reasonable President in his position would come to.

But Hey, We were not just dealing with any old joker here.  We were dealing with someone whose four years in the White House were unlike those of any other President in the History of the United States.  We were dealing with Donald Freakin Trump, People and as we now know, despite the fact that nearly everyone in the world was convinced that Donald Trump had LOST the 2020 Election, Donald Trump would never admit that he lost the 2020 Election.  He would never accept that reality as fact.  

"Screw Biden," Donald Trump thought, "I'm not going anywhere willingly.  If they want me out of the White House They're going to have to drag me out."

Dragging the bastard out of the White House was certainly a pleasant thought to many Democrats but as luck would have it, it would not be necessary.

After Exhausting every legal avenue and a few Illegal avenues as well, Trump did finally get on a plane on Biden's Inauguration Day and Fly to Mara Lago with his Family.

That should have been the end of it but of course it wasn't.

We have just lived through a year in which we started out with Donald Trump and Company (Rudy Giuliani, Steve Bannon, Bernard Kerack, John Eastman, Mark Meadows, Jim Jordan, Peter Navarro and others) staging a certified Coup Attempt on January 6th with the expressed purpose of unlawfully keeping Joe Biden from having his Election Certified by the Congress and keeping Donald Trump illegally in the office of the Presidency for God Knows How Long.  

As the Congressional Committee formed by the United States House of Representatives to investigate the January 6th Insurrection continues to try to find out what really happened behind the scenes in the planning and executing that plan on January 6th, Former President Trump has chosen to do his best to obstruct the work of the January Sixth Committee.  Trump has gone to court in order to block the release of information regarding what he did leading up to January Sixth, and more importantly what he did and did not do on January Sixth.

It is common knowledge that Trump sat in the White House watching Television coverage of his fans Rioting outside and inside the Capitol Building on January Sixth following Incendiary Speeches by Trump and some of his Loyalists outside the White House.  Republicans like Kevin McCarthy had harsh words for Trump on January Sixth but these days only have harsh words for the January Sixth Committee and in particular the Republican members of that Committee who have chosen not to gloss over Donald Trump's Treasonous actions like so many of their Republican colleagues have done.  

There are plenty of questions that we hope to have answers to when the January Sixth Committee presents its findings in the New Year.  They have promised not only an extensive Report on what happened on January Sixth but they have also promised to present Televised Testimony that they feel Americans deserve to have regarding the questionable and possibly treasonous actions taken by not only Trump and his Cohorts but also extremely questionable actions taken by others including the Rioters themselves, as well as many Republican members of Congress who seem to have been active participants in the Trump Plan to end Democracy and install a Dictator in America following the events of January Sixth 2021.

Certainly as long as Joe Biden is in office America will continue to be a Democratic Republic.  

But 2024 is one more year closer and it seems as though many members of the press are already inexplicably predicting Republican victories in Congress in 2022.  Clearly Republicans in Congress feel that if they have the backing of the Trump Mob they will be successful in retaking Control of the House of Representatives and the Senate.  I hope that these strange and reckless predictions of Republican political victories in 2022 will not occur.  

Why in God's name would anyone vote Republican in 2022 when they have seen the Anti Democratic Rhetoric and Actions by most of these Republican Party Members.  

Why on Earth would people vote Republican when they know full well that instead of Republicans learning from their mistakes in 2020 when we narrowly avoided Donald Trump stealing another Election, Republicans are now taking measures in state legislatures all over the country to stack the deck so that they can turn back the tide of Democracy and disregard the choices of voters and when they need to change the rules so that Democrats may never be able to legitimately win another election again.

If that sounds scary, it is. It should scare the hell out of all of us.  

Donald Trump has completely corrupted the Republican Party with the help of Right Wing Media and what we are headed for in 2022 if we do not wake up to reality is the complete corruption of our Voting system.

It is time for Democrats to wake up and smell the Treason that is raging throughout the Republican Party and throughout the United States.  

We still have time to save Democracy in The United States of America.  We need to all wake up to reality and start taking control of our Democracy before we lose it forever.  We need to ask our Democratic Congressional Representatives and Senators to recognize the incredibly important role that they play in saving our Democracy.  In particular, we hope that Senators Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema recognize how important their role is in saving voting Rights and by so doing saving Democracy.

Not all of our Forefathers were perfect people but they fought hard for us so that we could live and prosper in a country where all men and women are truly created equal and can maintain control of their government.  

We can still control our government but if we don't pay attention and recognize that Republicans are no longer a Grand Old Party but a misguided group of people controlled by a Sociopath who cares nothing for anyone other than himself, our control may be lost forever.  

"Are we living in Nazi Germany," was a question that Donald Trump asked a long time ago.

No Donald, We are not living in Nazi Germany,

Not Yet, at least.  And if we are lucky enough to render you irrelevant in America I pray that my children and Grandchildren grow up in an America that continues to value Democracy.  

 Sincerely Yours

Jerry Gallagher