A Rude Intrusion :: Day 38

This is my blog for day 38 of cancer treatment, Wednesday, 16 Aug 2017.

Today we take Sally back to the vet for a re-check (and determine if we're going to put her down). Plus, I have radiation at 2:15 PM.

First, Sally. The vet thinks that her tongue will heal, that there is no tumor, but that the tongue is scratching across a tooth, and that's causing her bleeding. The vet said that the sutures were holding, and that it will take a while to heal, as all mouth issues in animals do. We also got some antibiotics to give her. We'll see.

My radiation treatment went along without issue - only eight to go.

Here are are few topics I'm thinking about today.

Impeachment

Here's an quotation with from Robert G. Ingersoll in his 1883 pamphlet Unity, which has applicability to Donald Trump: "Most people can bear adversity; but if you wish to know what a man really is give him power. This is the supreme test." President Trump has the power, but does not have the character to wield it wisely. He is so bad, in fact, that I believe he should be impeached, found guilty and removed from office. There will be numerous reasons to impeach this man - high crimes and misdemeanors - it is just a matter of time.

The Party of the Center

Here's a second Abraham Lincoln quotation with regard to our union: "At what point then is the approach of danger to be expected? I answer, if it ever reach us, it must spring up amongst us. It cannot come from abroad. If destruction be our lot, we must ourselves be its author and finisher. As a nation of freemen, we must live through all time, or die by suicide." - January 27, 1838 Lyceum Address. We have got to get hold of our country again, disavowing both the far right and the far left, and follow a centrist path that will help 80-90% of the people in the country.

Planks of the Party of the Center

What, then, would be the political planks of a Party of the Center? Herein I propose a modest list:

• All people are welcome in this party - no matter what sex, color, race, creed, national origin or sexual orientation. "All men are created equal", says the Declaration of Independence. The Party of the Center believes this to be true. This is a must. The Party of the Center must have a "big tent". As Abraham Lincoln stated, "Our reliance is in the love of liberty which God has planted in our bosoms. Our defense is in the preservation of the spirit which prizes liberty as the heritage of all men, in all lands, everywhere." - September 11, 1858 Speech at Edwardsville, Illinois.
• Seeking a balanced budget. The Party of the Center will try to balance the federal budget, to keep deficits as low as possible, until such time that the country can begin to run a budget surplus once more. This year's deficit is estimated to be $443B. The total federal debt is now approaching $20T (trillion) dollars, or $61,000+ for each man, woman and child in the country.
• Moving people from welfare to work. The Party of the Center will do everything in its power to move people off of welfare and on to work. This will include a three-day work week for those on welfare, this work designed to educate and train, so that people can get back into productive society. The Party of the Center believes that all people want to work and be productive. Those that do not will be left behind as a time-limit on receiving welfare benefits will be imposed. Yet will we do everything to train people in any and all skills. 
• Maintaining a strong national defense, but doing so in the most cost-effective manner. We have all heard about the wastefulness in government programs, and how certain lawmakers push through programs the military doesn't want in order to bring dollars into their districts. The military will be singled-out as a place to start modifying and cutting wasteful programs, without hurting the effectiveness of the military. 
• Fix immigration. More specifically, fix illegal immigration. Deport criminals, not hard-working immigrants. The Party of the Center will make it a priority for hard-working immigrants to find a way to citizenship, while doing everything possible to suppress illegal immigration.
• Replace the Affordable Care Act, aka “Obamacare”. But don’t throw it out without a well-thought-out replacement plan, with input from healthcare providers, insurance companies, economists and others who have the skill and knowledge to come up with a workable plan. The Party of the Center does not want government to control healthcare, but will put together a framework in which insurance companies, healthcare providers of all kinds and consumers can all thrive. In Germany, for example, insurance companies vie for customers by offering additional benefits to their customers. Heath care cost containment will be a big part of this, as will prescription drug price reduction and containment. Tort reform will also play a part.
• Bring jobs back to the country with targeted tax laws that encourage hiring and discourage the movement of jobs overseas – even to the point of severely punishing companies who have moved jobs off-shore in the past twenty years. The Party of the Center believes that all Americans can be educated to do some kind of job (as is said, a man can't do everything, but he can do something), and targeting individuals at the bottom (see "Moving people from welfare to work", above) to fill positions that come open because of this plank will be a priority.
• Work with other countries on global climate change, but don’t destroy our economy in doing so. The Party of the Center believes that certain things can be done to work on Global Climate Change (water desalinization, carbon dioxide sequestration) without having an adverse impact on our economy.
• Clean air and water. The Party of the Center believes that it is the right of every American to have clean air and water in their communities, and will work to ensure this. 
• Freedom of religion. As the Bill of Rights states, "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof . . ." The Party of the Center realizes that some religions do not agree with others; some believe homosexuality is sinful; some believe what to other people are outlandish things. But no matter - as long as a religion does not espouse violence and killing it must be allowed to exist.
• Foreign Aid. The Party of the Center believes in US Foreign Aid. However, only within the context of purchases made from companies inside the US. In other words, rather than sending money to any country, say Ethiopia for purposes of this example, representatives would be given a checkbook and told to negotiate purchases of whatever they need with US companies. All purchases would be reviewed by the state department, and those not passing muster will not be allowed (e.g. "20 Cadillac sedans for leaders family"). In this program, also, no kickbacks would be allowed, and evidence that kickbacks occurred will disqualify a company from participation in the program for a number of years, with possible criminal trials for such company's executives.
• Wall Street and banking reform. The Party of the Center believes that hard-working Americans pay too much money to the big banks and Wall Street for their local checking and savings accounts, and for their investments. We would put into place laws that would require banks to provide checking accounts free with a direct deposit from an employer, social security or other disability, and limit fees to no more that $5. Period. Overdraft? $5. Over-limit on your charge card? $5. And for Wall Street, some of whose brokers made $3B in one year, fees and commissions would be limited dramatically, especially for the small investor. Breaking up the big banks is a possibility (e.g. Chase becomes Chase of Illinois, Chase of Indiana, Chase of Wisconsin, et al). Small banks are everywhere, and were the only player in the market years ago. This plan can obviously work to the advantage of average Americans. 

So let me know what you think. Does any of this make sense to you? Are you ready to get started?

Tonight's YouTube music is, what else, the US National Anthem, performed by the US Marine Band - Link.

For convenience sake, here a running list of all of the links I've posted to YouTube in the past few days:

According to Plan, Carolyn Arends - Link
And I Love Her - Link
Apollo 11 launch - Link
Back In You Own Back Yard, Al Jolson - Link

Because We've Ended As Lovers, Larry Carlton & Steve Lukather - Link
Blessings, Laura Story - Link
Brandy, Looking Glass - Link
Comfortably Numb, Pink Floyd - Link
Cross Road Blues, Robert Johnson Link
Crossroads, Eric Clapton and Cream Link
Cry Me A River, Joe Cocker - Link
Cry Me A River, Diana Krall - Link
Dancing in the Moonlight, King Harvest - Link
Gentle On My Mind, Glen Campbell - Link
Glen Campbell-hosted country music special - Link.
Groucho Movie Clips - Link
I'm Alright, Kenny Loggins - Link
I Love Being Here With You, Diana Krall - Link
In the Cool, Cool, Cool of the Evening, Bing Crosby and Jane Wyman - Link
In the Cool, Cool, Cool of the Evening, Bing Crosby and Jane Wyman, from the movie Here Comes the Groom  - Link
In Good Hands, Carolyn Arends - Link.
Karn Evil 9, 1st Impression, Part 1, An International Collaboration - Link
Limbo Jazz, Coleman Hawkins and Duke Ellington - Link
Living in the Past, Jethro Tull - Link
Lookin' At The World Through A Windshield, Bill Kirchen - Link
Montana/We Are Not Alone, Univ. of Montana Percussion Ensemble - Link
My Baby Loves Lovin', White Plains - Link

My Funny Valentine, Kristin Chenoweth - Link

My Funny Valentine, Miles Davis - Link
On The Street Where You Live, Dean Martin - Link
Powdermilk Biscuit Break, Garrison Keillor, et al - Link
Questions 67 and 68, Chicago - Link
Route 66, Asleep at The Wheel - Link
She Used To Be Mine, Sara Bareilles - Link
Shim, Sham, Shimmy (dance) to Tain't What You Do, Jimmy Lunceford - Link
Sisters, Bette Midler and Linda Ronstadt - Link
Sisters, from White Christmas - Link
Sixteen Tons, Tennessee Ernie Ford - Link
St Louis Blues, Stephanie Trick & Paolo Alderighi - Link
Standing at the Crossroads, Elmore James - Link
Stars and Stripes Forever, United States Marine Band - Link
Sweet Georgia Brown, Wynton Marsalis/Mark O'Connor - Link
That's Jazz, Bing Crosby, Louis Armstrong & The All Stars - Link
Time, Pink Floyd - Link
Time to Blow, From That Thing You Do - Link
Truck Drivin' Man, Buck Owens - Link
Truck Drivin' Man, the Don Kelley Band - Link
Truck Drivin' Man, Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen - Link
US National Anthem, US Marine Band - Link
War, Edwin Starr - Link
Your Love Is My Saving Grace, Kristin Chenoweth - Link
Zappa Medly, George Duke - Link