Independence Day

The week preceding my South Dakota vacation (likely Monday, October 28 or thereabouts) a couple of economic news feeds caught my attention with some pre-election chatter.   

Equity, fixed income and currency markets were beginning to signal a Trump win.  

With that I thought to myself:  Election too close to call.  Bad news for Team Harris.  All of which was confirmed Wednesday morning November 6.  Donald Trump had won both the Electoral College and the popular vote.

With this came a big mandate for change.  And a bit of relief for me about something long in the making and now confirmed.  The party of Ronald Reagan was dead.  I take no joy in its passing; only relief in that it is now over and done with.

As a general rule my opinions about Donald Trump have reflected that I do not think very much of him as a person.  Nothing in this recent election outcome has changed that view.  His exhortations invalidate everything I have been taught about how to live my life and everything I've imparted to my daughter about being kind, generous, loving your neighbor, being accepting, showing understanding, empathy, being truthful, ethical, sensible and levelheaded.  Not being a bully, selfish and an asshole.

There is a reasonably good possibility that about half the people reading this would tell me that they like Trump because he says what's on his mind, he tells it like he sees it and doesn't have a filter.  Well, sometimes it's OK to have a filter.  There was a time, not so long ago, when being an asshole wasn't cool.  If you were a shitty person and kept it to yourself, society was a better place because of it. 

I am the product of a lifetime of unintentional, prior influences and imprints.  Dig deep enough into my implicit biases and you'll likely catch a whiff of cold war.  So, get over it. 

In 2016 I considered Donald Trump to be a goof and a joke; not to be taken seriously.  While my life got along swimmingly with his policies during the first three years of his administration all of that changed with the COVID shit show of 2020.  In over his head, by the time the election rolled-around more than enough people had enough of the drama that I believe it cost him the election.

2024 was different.  In a disciplined fashion Donald Trump tapped-into working class anxieties and resentment over inflation and the general economy.  It doesn't matter a lick if I feel my world is doing better if a plurality of my countrymen do not. I've learned to be cognizant of this.  I can do better.  We can do better.

Donald Trump won the White House, the Senate and the House.  The Trifecta.  SCOTUS is icing on the cake.  Donald Trump is no goof or joke.  He brought home the first popular vote win for the GOP in two decades.  He is the real deal. He expanded the GOP base to broadly include a meaningful number of minority voters.  He deserves a great deal of credit for that.  Consequently, he has a ginormous mandate for change and an abundance of goodwill.

Speaking of which, political parties undergo generational change.  And my generation has been shuffled aside as there is no place or role for us any longer in what was previously known at the Party of Reagan.  Social media has been fertile ground for fourth grade caliber ridicule.  Being derisively called a NeoCon is apparently a new pejorative.  Who knew? 

None of the foregoing amounts to much.  Sticks and stones.  It is the loss of friends and acquaintances who have excommunicated one another over perceived grievances that is the real tragedy.  Perhaps this will heal with the passage of time.  We'll see.

In the fourth paragraph of this post I alluded to a feeling of relief.  A consequence of the election outcome is being relieved of the burden of party.  Doesn't matter which party either.  I'm done rolling that boulder up the hill.  I'm basking in the warming glow of something I find strangely liberating; and it is not my laptop.  My newfound independence is a second chance to look at the world with a clean slate.  Independence Day has come to November 6.

Meanwhile, I'm going to try to stand for something other than our base instincts. I'm capable of better.  Donald Trump won fair and square and there wasn't even a whiff of political violence as a consequence.  That speaks volumes.  So, I'm going to sit on my hands for a bit and wait for detailed policy proscriptions to materialize.  You know, stuff that will improve your and my prosperity and general lot in life.  Along with making the world a safer place.

Bring it on....

Independence Day

Today is Independence Day - a day to celebrate the birth of this great nation of ours.  Casting-aside the yoke of British oppression it is on this day that we recognize and celebrate the Declaration of Independence of the United States on July 4, 1776.

To be absolutely clear, the Congress had voted to declare independence two days earlier - on July 2 - but it was not formally declared until July 4.    

Take a few moments from your celebration today to go to this link and take a handful of short quizzes.  Test your knowledge of the Constitution by measuring your Constitution I.Q.  You can also find out which of the Founding Fathers you are most like and which one you would likely vote for. 

In case you are wondering I not only aced the ten question Constitution Quiz - I am also most like James Madison and would likely vote for Benjamin Franklin.  But I digress.

Ordinarily I would say something snarky about British royalty today but I am going to demure.  Recent SCOTUS action notwithstanding I'm tickled that we don't have a present or future president with the absolute powers of a monarch.  

Nevertheless, coming off of a charming family vacation in the United Kingdom I have a new found appreciation and fondness for the the people that live there.  And all of the pomp and circumstance that comes with British royalty is sorta quaint. 

So while this has nothing to do with our national birthday celebration today; here's a short video clip from Buckingham Palace of the procession leading-up to the changing of the guard.

Everybody likes the precision drill of a marching band.....  

The Founders And Religion

A few words about the belief systems of our founding fathers on Independence Day. 

 

Quite a few of them - George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Paine, James Madison, Ethan Allen and James Monroe - practiced a faith called Deism. 

 

Yup.  They were Deists. 

 

Deism is grounded in the philosophical belief that human reason is a reliable means of solving social and political problems. In lieu of relying-upon divine revelation Deists believed that religious truth should also be subject to the authority and influence of human reason.  And as a consequence they do not believe that the bible is the revealed word of God and they rejected scripture as a source of religious doctrine.  

 

Many of the founding fathers were also practicing Christians. They retained a supernaturalist world view, a belief in the divinity of Jesus Christ, and an adherence to the teachings of their denomination.  Among them are Patrick Henry, John Jay, and Samuel Adams. 

 

And like in all belief systems that are matters of degree; so there are Founders who fall into the category of Christian Deists. Washington is included in this group and his dedication to Christianity was clear in his own mind - Deist beliefs notwithstanding. These believers made use of Deistic terms for God but sometimes added a Christian dimension—such as Merciful Providence and Divine Goodness.  Yet these Founders did not move further into orthodoxy to solely employ the traditional language of Christian piety. 

 

Founders who remained unaffected by Deism or who like John Adams became conservative Unitarians and made use of terminology that clearly conveyed their orthodoxy - Savior, Redeemer, and Resurrected Christ.

Happy Independence Day.

And always remember we do not have a state religion.

The Founding Fathers had great foresight in that regard.....

Sunset

I haven't posted one of these in quite some time.  Rather nice close to a terrific Independence Day.

This is happening right now...

Independence Day

Today is Independence Day - a day to celebrate the birth of this great nation of ours.  Casting-aside the yoke of British oppression it is on this day that we recognize and celebrate the Declaration of Independence of the United States on July 4, 1776.

The Congress had voted to declare independence two days earlier - on July 2 - but it was not formally declared until July 4.    

Take a few moments from your celebration today to go to this link and take a short handful of quizzes.  Test your knowledge of the Constitution by measuring your Constitution I.Q.  You can also find out which of the Founding Fathers you are most like and which one you would likely vote for. 

In case you are wondering I not only aced the ten question Constitution Quiz - I am also most like Thomas Jefferson and would likely vote for James Madison.

 I'm positively tickled we don't have a king or queen running the show here.  So, Happy Birthday, America.  And never forget.....

 

Independence Day

Today is Independence Day - a day to celebrate the birth of this great nation of ours.  Casting-aside the yoke of British oppression it is on this day that we recognize and celebrate the Declaration of Independence of the United States on July 4, 1776.

The Congress had voted to declare independence two days earlier - on July 2 - but it was not formally declared until July 4.    

Take a few moments from your celebration today to go to this link and take a handful of short quizzes.  Test your knowledge of the Constitution by measuring your Constitution I.Q.  You can also find out which of the Founding Fathers you are most like and which one you would likely vote for. 

In case you are wondering I not only aced the ten question Constitution Quiz - I am also most like James Madison and would likely vote for Benjamin Franklin.  

I'm positively tickled we don't have a king or queen running the show.

Happy Birthday America!
     

Born of Rebellion

Ordinarily, today would be celebrated with a parade, crowds of people lining the roadside, family barbecues and packed masses of people in the parks for the fireworks after sundown.  Alas, this Covid crap has really thrown a pail of cold water upon our celebration of rebellion.       

Yup, rebellion.  We are a nation conceived and born of armed insurrection against imperial rule.          

The revolution against King George III broke out in April 1775 with a handful of colonists who were willing to fight for absolute independence from Great Britain and the imposition of colonial rule.  They were considered radicals.          

By the time 1776 rolled-around many more colonists had begun to chafe-against their subjugation under British rule and warmed to the idea of independence.  The writings of Thomas Paine early in the year fed the growing hostility against Britain and helped to spread revolutionary fervor.            

The colonies legally separated from Great Britain on July 2, 1776 when the Second Continental Congress voted to approve a resolution of independence that had been proposed earlier in June by Richard Henry Lee of Virginia.  Following the vote, Congress redirected its attentions to the drafting of an explanation of this decision.  Written by a committee of five - with Thomas Jefferson as the principal author - this Declaration of Independence was approved on July 4.              

Independence Day - also referred to as the 4th of July - is a federal holiday memorializing the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776.          

Raising a toast to rebellion against imperial rule and a Congress with cojones. 

 

Independence Day

Today is Independence Day - a day to celebrate the birth of this great nation of ours.  Casting-aside the yoke of British oppression it is on this day that we recognize and celebrate the Declaration of Independence of the United States on July 4, 1776.

The Congress had voted to declare independence two days earlier - on July 2 - but it was not formally declared until July 4.    

Take a few moments from your celebration today to go to this link and take a short handful of quizzes.  Test your knowledge of the Constitution by measuring your Constitution I.Q.  You can also find out which of the Founding Fathers you are most like and which one you would likely vote for. 

In case you are wondering I not only aced the ten question Constitution Quiz - I am also most like Thomas Jefferson and would likely vote for James Madison.

Happy Birthday America!  I'm positively tickled we don't have a king or queen running the show.
    

Day is Done

Ordinarily I'd post a sunset or some such view this time of evening but the skies are without any clouds at all to add interest to Mother Nature turning down the lights.

Instead I have a photo from today of Old Glory flying from the garage.

The staff here at The Platz would like to extend their best wishes to everyone for a terrific Independence Day celebration.  We owe a great deal to those that came before us who longed to throw-off the yoke of colonialism.  

The King is a Fink! 

Tuesday Music

California singer, songwriter, guitarist, music producer and poet – Dave Alvin – is one of my favorite rockabilly artists.  Along with his brother Phil – Dave is a former and founding member of the roots rock band The Blasters.   

Since today is Independence Day the Friday live music selection comes to you on Tuesday.  Turn-up the volume for this terrific tune...

Independence Day

Found an old photo last weekend that speaks volumes about summer times past.

All the cousins (from that year) sitting on the back stoop of the house I grew-up in.  Probably 1960 or thereabouts.  Those were the days of free-range children.  Most of us are brown as berries - evidence of long hours out of doors.  I'm the one with the shaved head in the middle.

 click on image to enlarge

Might have even been the Fourth of July.  Raise an ice cream cone to Independence Day today!