Fear Itself

…

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/23/nyregion/mark-pomerantz-resignation-letter.html

…

And so there you have it. Everything Donald J. Trump did was alright by the Southern District of New York. No harm. No foul.

…

https://twitter.com/mrjlcharbonneau/status/1054762282553610241?s=21&t=23ZHBTVZr7eQAZK2Z3-lgA

…

Tax fraud is now legal in the Great State of New York.

And why wouldn’t it be? You heard him on the campaign trail… ‘They do it all the time’… ‘That’s just how it works in the World of Real Estate’… and in New York City, Real Estate RULES THE WORLD.

…

https://news.ambest.com/newscontent.aspx?refnum=52954&altsrc=13

…

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Larry_Silverstein#Insurance_dispute

…

If they held Trump accountable, who would be NEXT… what other shady deals have gone down in Gotham?

…

https://www.justsecurity.org/69094/timeline-on-jared-kushner-qatar-666-fifth-avenue-and-white-house-policy/

…

How much property value do these two gentlemen alone hold in NYC? How many more individuals would potential prosecutions rattle if they were to be pursued? Well… now we’re talking some serious CASH.

Tighter rules. Enforcement of current laws… that might piss-off some very wealthy people. Some of whom might decide to take their POLITICAL CONTRIBUTIONS somewhere else. They might have to find another PARTY. One that more closely aligns with their BOTTOM LINE.

That sounds pretty catastrophic for the incumbent party… definitely something they should keep in mind.

…

In this light, it’s not about the VOTERS. Hell… it’s not even about the LAW. It’s about MONEY and the pursuit thereof. For the Real Estate developers, for the Political Campaigns, and for the Political Party Machines.

Trickledown Economics… all boats are LIFTED with the rising tide.

Wait a second… you wouldn’t wanna go and rock the boat now, would ya’? It certainly would be a SHAME if they had to take their MONEY somewhere else.

…

https://www.commondreams.org/news/2021/08/03/democrats-took-millions-real-estate-interests-allowing-eviction-moratorium-end

…

Because they are BEHOLDEN.

Not to disparage or attack their character, it’s just a STONE COLD FACT. Laid bare when it’s boiled down to its essence. They can’t WIN if the donors don’t DONATE… and they won’t DONATE if they’re not happy with the ROI.

…

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2022/03/24/virginia-thomas-mark-meadows-texts/

…

It pains me to say it… but Donald Trump was right. The system is rigged.

In favor of people like him… and against everyone else.

The influence of money in our election system, turns our legislative processes into an unnecessary balancing act… balancing between doing what’s right and doing what’s necessary to get re-elected.

Making microscopic legislative gains for The People… session after session, decade after decade. All while those who FUND their election campaigns increase their market share… session after session, decade after decade.

…

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/23/nyregion/mark-pomerantz-resignation-letter.html

…

https://newrepublic.com/article/163846/means-testing-manchin-reconciliation-bill

…

Who do our elected officials work FOR… who SHOULD they be working for?

…

It underlies every decision they make. It colors their perception of what’s RIGHT and what’s WRONG. It limits the number of TOOLS in their legislative toolbox… preemptively. BEFORE they’ve even considered a single piece of legislation.

Legislators legislate based on MONEY and the pursuit thereof. Therefore, legislation favors those with money over those without.

…

https://www.axios.com/pelosi-stock-trading-ban-congress-069dc627-71fd-490f-a005-510bbd18cce2.html

…

And I can hear it now. Yes, this is a ‘free-market economy’, but I question the validity of the assumption that someone who has accumulated vast amounts of WEALTH, would naturally act in the best interest of everyone ELSE.

There’s simply no financial benefit for them to do so.

…

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deepwater_Horizon_oil_spill

…

https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/politics/pentagon-kbr-wont-face-charges-in-shower-electrocution/

…

It clears the mind when we view our government in this light. Why do they NOT act when it’s CLEAR that they should… even when that action is supported by a bipartisan MAJORITY of this Nation?

The answer to the problem would cost their donors MORE MONEY, risking their own political future.

Again, this is not a character assassination… it’s just simply the WAY IT IS.

… and I believe it must change.

…

Because it’s at the HEART of the problem… which problem? ALL OF THEM. Immigration reform. Voting Rights. The Right to CHOOSE. The education of our children. Our National Debt. Our National Security…

It’s at the heart of the problems that we can SEE… and the problems we cannot.

…

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-flynn-nuclear-exclusive/exclusive-mideast-nuclear-plan-backers-bragged-of-support-of-top-trump-aide-flynn-idUSKBN1DV5Z6

…

https://thebulletin.org/2019/06/why-nuclear-power-plants-cost-so-much-and-what-can-be-done-about-it/

…

Rot. Greed. Corruption. Self-interest.

Would the MAJORITY of this nation have supported such a plan? Would this plan embody our opinions on the subject of PEACEFUL nuclear proliferation? Would this endeavor help to secure our Nation’s Strategic Nuclear Defense posture?

What about the nuclear waste these facilities would create? What about the long-term maintenance and inspection of those facilities? What about geopolitical instability… civil unrest… and what about regime change?

…

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economics_of_nuclear_power_plants

…

We set BILLIONS of dollars on fire studying the potential cost vs. benefit of nuclear energy at HOME and ABROAD. If the United States Government hasn’t already done an in-depth study on the potential long-term consequences of widespread adoption of Nuclear Energy in the Middle East… then they’d better set another BILLION on fire and hop to it.

Because apparently, that idea has been pursued in the recent PAST, and I have no doubt… someone will attempt to pursue it again in the FUTURE. Who do we allow to write our policies on Nuclear Energy… who shouldn’t be allowed to do so.

…

https://www.axios.com/trump-nuclear-bombs-hurricanes-97231f38-2394-4120-a3fa-8c9cf0e3f51c.html

…

https://www.politico.com/story/2017/08/08/trump-north-korea-warning-241409

…

https://www.vox.com/energy-and-environment/2016/12/13/13936210/rick-perry-energy-department-trump

…

Fire is a TOOL. Gunpowder is a TOOL. Nuclear weapons are a TOOL…

So too, is KNOWLEDGE.

When we seek knowledge, we reach for the LIGHT.

When our fear consumes us, we seek out the DARK.

…

We will not find the answers we seek cowering alone with our FEARS.

We must face them. We must shine a LIGHT on them and work to fully understand them.

No one should fear a Nuclear War… but everyone should fear the ROT and CORRUPTION that would inevitably lead us to one.

…

“The only thing we have to fear is… fear itself.”

-Franklin Delano Roosevelt

…

… you damn straight.

-JC

Don’t Feed the TROLLS.

…

An ode to the Bean Counters, the Pencil Pushers, the I.T. and Resources personnel… the ones who are really in control.

The Deep State, if you like.

The people who actually have to FILE that request and make sure it’s DELIVERED where it’s supposed to go.

LOGISTICS. Shipping Clerks. Essential Workers, hailed as HEROES just six months ago. The people who never get the CREDIT when it happens like clockwork, BUT… they do get the HAMMER when something shady goes down.

They make sure things go off without a hitch… 30 minuets or LESS. Every time. Guaranteed…

**… until it doesn’t.**

…

https://www.cnbc.com/2022/02/09/spacex-losing-starlink-satellites-due-to-geomagnetic-space-storm.html

…

https://www.vice.com/en/article/qkvzb5/the-time-nasa-lost-a-mars-orbiter-because-of-a-metric-system-mixup

…

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/us-air-force-airment-lsd-cocaine-warren-air-force-base-wyoming-nuclear-missile-sites-records-show/

…

https://www.airforcetimes.com/news/your-air-force/2019/06/25/you-can-call-2007-nuke-mishandling-an-embarrassment-but-dont-call-it-the-minot-incident/

…

Every great organization embraces great leadership, and every great leader knows WHY they are able to succeed…

‘Our General Manager is our Doorman, and our Doorman is our General Manager’

There is no piece or part of a well-functioning TEAM that can be ignored, and everyone understands the importance of everyone else’s job. Without their team, no leader would ever be able to succeed. Like a high-performance machine, each part is vital in its function… and they must all be maintained with dedication.

…

Screenshot from “there may Never Ever be another man as powerful as Stanislav Petrov” by EmpLemon

https://youtu.be/eRhHokffvBU?si=ZBcCEILnEZT-wI-c

…

When a machine isn’t properly maintained, it will be prone to failure. If there’s not enough grease added to the proper part, or even too much grease in the wrong spot… the entire assembly could suddenly fly apart. Or, it could just simply grind to a HALT.

Basic maintenance. Current updates. Modernized SOP. Every one of them, marked off on a checklist… right down to the designated location, assigned to that part as it was placed on the warehouse shelf, just after it was unloaded off the DELIVERY TRUCK.

When you push that BUTTON… when you make that CALL… how do you know it will WORK? It doesn’t just happen… it takes WORK.

…

It can take YEARS to build a successful team, and it can all fall apart in a second… if we lose TRUST. Because that’s what we’re talking about here. A Sacred Honor… a Fundamental Trust. Born alongside Pandora’s Box was an implicit and explicit obligation, the failure of which could lead to the downfall of our civilization.

…

What do we have once that trust has been LOST? Where do we stand if we no longer stand UNITED in furtherance of that CORE PLEDGE… to protect Humanity from the destruction, born of our scientific achievements?

Friends. Family. Fraternity… these values know NO BORDER. They know NO FLAG. And they are still alive in the heart of everyone who has a HEART that’s still beating.

ONE faulty connection, ONE loose screw… ONE broken wingnut shouldn’t be allowed to bring about our ultimate demise.

Not now. Not ever.

The values for which we stand are only as REAL as we make them…

and tomorrow is a NEW DAY.

-JC

Let There Be No Doubt

I keep thinking about WATERBOARDING, and how that War Crime… that Crime Against Humanity… was found to be justified by a lawyer. Did he ever go to prison? Were charges even brought against him?

…

https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/electors-giuliani-trump-electoral-college/2022/01/20/687e3698-7587-11ec-8b0a-bcfab800c430_story.html

…

…

Of course not. It was a legal OPINION, presented after thorough research and collaborative efforts within the entire White House Office of Legal Counsel…

As directed by the Chief Executive.

There are no “Rogue Actors” in a White House Administration. There are only those who GIVE the orders and those who FOLLOW them… and if they don’t follow those orders, they are asked to LEAVE.

…

https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/alexander-vindman-escorted-out-of-the-white-house-949729/

…

The Commander-in-Chief gets what he wants. If they can’t deliver, then he finds someone who CAN.

…

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/apr/05/michael-cohen-trump-code-language-lie-to-congress

…

https://www.cnn.com/2019/10/17/politics/sondland-deposition-impeachment-inquiry/index.html

…

“But he did know about the general arrangement, that Michael would take care of things like this, like I take care of things like this for my clients.”

—Rudy Giuliani

…

The President sets the tone. The President calls the shots.

The Office is designed to ensure that, no matter who we elect as Our President, they can successfully enact whatever agenda they embrace…

…

https://www.npr.org/2020/02/13/805796618/trump-administration-diverts-3-8-billion-in-pentagon-funding-to-border-wall

…

https://www.harpersbazaar.com/culture/politics/a26985261/trump-administration-abortion-period-tracking-migrant-women/

…

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/immigration/appeals-court-weighs-whether-immigrant-teen-can-be-denied-abortion-while-in-us-custody/2017/10/20/ab414d2a-b50c-11e7-9e58-e6288544af98_story.html

…

Whatever agenda they embrace.

…

https://www.politico.com/news/2022/01/21/read-the-never-issued-trump-order-that-would-have-seized-voting-machines-527572

…

Our election laws have become so cumbersome, they can now be used to justify overturning an election. And it’s not the lawyer’s fault, he was just doing what he was TOLD to do…

By the President of the United States.

He may not have signed the Executive Order, but we can SEE the results. He got what he wanted- a legal plan to keep him in the Office.

You know… ‘Nudge nudge, wink wink. Say no more!’

…

https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/azeenghorayshi/here-are-the-trump-moscow-plans

…

https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/how-much-were-trump-organization-property-values-overstated-by-a-lot-ny-ag-says/3502263/

…

… give or take $200 million.

…

Now, imagine if we elected a President who worked this hard for THE PEOPLE… instead of focusing it all on THEMSELVES.

…

Equality. As promised. Emblazoned upon the wall of our Highest Court. The People have spoken. It’s time to RATIFY EQUALITY.

Let there be NO DOUBT!

To be SILENT is to be COMPLICIT… where do YOU stand?

-JC

Focus On The Problem

…

After we left our tour of the White House, I ducked down the stairs to catch the train at McPherson Square. At the top of the stairwell was a musician, playing his heart out on an old beat-up six string… his case was propped open, and a stack of cash had started to pile up.

I stopped and smoked the rest of my cigarette, absorbed in the moment. Blocks away, the HEART of our Democracy… what better STAGE? What better venue than THIS… quite literally, at the Crossroads of our Nation.

I tossed some cash on the stack, gave him a smile and went on my way.

I don’t remember if it was an original tune or if it was a cover, but whatever it was he was playing… it was HIS. In that moment. On that stage. He was playing what he decided. He staked out his place and did what he does best.

To uplift. To inspire. For the sheer joy of doing it. To share something that… no matter how insignificant it may be, might make the difference in someone else’s day. To frame the moment in a different LIGHT… to bring comfort to others as they go on about their day.

The stage may be small, but the connection is REAL none the less. There, on FULL DISPLAY. Sharing a little piece of your SOUL… one person at a time.

He didn’t have to choose that stairwell. He could have played in the park or on the street corner. He could have played by the Smithsonian or the Capitol where more tourists would have had more disposable income.

But he set up shop RIGHT THERE, with less than $100 to show for his efforts… I wish I would have had more to give.

…

What are my intentions? What do I want to accomplish? The same thing that young man was doing on that STAGE… everything I possibly can, to inspire CHANGE in the hearts and minds of everyone I can reach.

Be it on a SOAPBOX in a subway stairwell. Be it on a street corner with a sandwich-board sign… whatever it takes. Whatever the cost, for such a Righteous cause as OURS demands no less.

We are the United States. WE decide our fate… until it is no more. Until I have nothing left to give… because we would have nothing without Her. So I continue to STAND.

Until it is done.

IF the Political Divide will not UNITE to reform our laws so that they reflect The Will of The People directly, then The People must assert their place in our Constitutional Democracy and demand the TWO PARTIES be tamed.

For the sake of our Country. For the sake of our National Security.

For the sake of our children, who will inherit whatever it is we leave behind for them… who will have the CLARITY of time to decide who was to blame and who was correct.

Our actions will be judged by the passage of TIME… memorialized appropriately.

…

The American People are willing to fight and die for the LIES of elected officials… just so long as they wrap it up in something SHINY and top it off with a red, white, and blue BOW. And we know to a certain extent, that they’re ALL full of shit… they’re OUR politicians. We voted them into office. We bought their lies.

The Gulf of Tonkin. The sinking of the Maine.

Had Roosevelt listened to different advisors, he might have avoided the bombing of Pearl Harbor. Had George W. Bush listened to his IC, he might have read a BOOK on some guy named Usama while he was vacationing on his RANCH that August.

Even with PERFECT hindsight, as we can see the full TRUTH of their lies, we either ignore uncomfortable facts or we selectively forget pivotal news conferences… where a journalist threw a SHOE at the Leader of the Free World.

…

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muntadhar_al-Zaidi

…

Makes ‘Let’s go Brandon’ seem kinda quaint, don’t you think.

…

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2022/01/03/liz-cheney-says-trump-unfit-office-jan-6-probe/9080887002/

…

What will we leave behind, when we’re gone. When TIME has done away with us. We did not choose it, but we live in interesting times. I believe Rachel Maddow was right… that old timey “blessing” is actually a curse.

But we cannot ignore it… because we cannot escape it. There is no safe harbor on this PLANET once Democracy dies. Look no farther than our HISTORY for guidance. Be it the 20th Century, A.D. Be it the 5th Century, B.C.

Let the call go forth across this Land that this is Our Time. We, The People. No ONE MAN shall rule over a FREE PEOPLE. They are but representatives of ourselves, given ascent and allowed to govern because of OUR CONSENT. Let us ensure we bestow that HONOR upon those worthy of such a title. Let us raise the bar, before we lose the ability to do so…

Because it has not yet been done.

…

https://jackcharbonneau.com/2021/01/11/act-as-if-it-would-happen-again/

…

Because it will not BE done, if we allow things to go on without change.

…

Shattering the darkness like a bolt out of the sky, in an instant we are shown what was hidden… a snapshot of our place in TIME. Burned like an image onto a silver plate. That clarity will eventually fade… until the next flash of LIGHT comes.

…

…

Should we wait for more information… or should we ACT.

It is with humility that I ask, because I want to know. That is precisely why I ask. To better understand where I am coming from, to help inform my point of view. It’s not born of arrogance or brashness… it is with confidence that I write these words.

I have called upon this Nation to address a simple question. I believe we must find the answer, as the future of our Democracy depends on it.

‘Should the American People be allowed to elect their President by Direct Vote?’

Let us address this problem HEAD ON and solve it once and for all. Because we know we should. Because we know we can… as they could not.

MILLIONS of points of data, spread across 13 COLONIES… transmitted on HORSEBACK. To do this accurately on a Continental Scale consistently, every election, is an almost unthinkable task… in 1776.

Is our 18th Century electoral system secure enough to withstand an assault by a 21st Century Tyrannical Leader, hell-bent on taking over our Constitutional Democracy?

Our National Security is ensured when the Will of The People reigns SUPREME.

And how do we know this? What evidence do we have that can confirm this? Over 200 years of SHARED INTEREST, of UNITED PURPOSE… two centuries of COMMON GROUND.

…

Anyone who stands opposed to the ideal of Equal Justice Under Law, stands opposed to the Will of the MAJORITY. “… with Liberty and Justice for ALL.” Not just for SOME or a select FEW… but for everyone. It’s what we’ve all pledged to protect and defend.

Let us waste no more TIME debating the validity of the Experiment. Let us affirm it. Let us celebrate it. Let us cling to it, as if it were our LIFEBOAT… and may the Rule of Law stand as our COMPASS, guiding us all safely back HOME.

May the Will of the MAJORITY of this Blessed Land, always prevail.

-JC

Everything in its Right Place

I lean to the LEFT on just about all of my positions… but because I lean so far left, I sometimes come out on the far side of the RIGHT. When our political divisions are charted out, there seems to be a segment of the far right that finds common ground in the messaging of Bernie Sanders; and there’s a segment of the far left that supports a “Law and Order” message, like that of Donald Trump.

Instead of a line graph, where the x and y coordinates neatly sort out our political differences… we find overlap. We are not as divided as they make us out to be.

…

https://buckinghamhsiao.wordpress.com/2017/03/25/the-tai-chi-diagram-yin-yang-symbol/fig-3-river-diagram-of-the-spontaneous-process-of-heaven-and-earth-from-zhao-huiqian-liu-shu-ben-yi-1751-wenyange-edition-louis-fig-12/

…

When I analyze my positions, I can see common ground with those who would carry the Gadsden Flag. Liberty proves Justice… while Justice merely wishes it were Liberty.

…

These are observations, drawn from what’s PUBLICLY AVAILABLE. I make my conclusions based upon what I know to be TRUE and then evaluate what will come NEXT… and I do this in the SUNLIGHT.

Available for everyone to see. Be they citizens of this Nation or citizens of another. Be they elected officials of this land or somewhere else… be they FRIEND or FOE.

If I’ve drawn these conclusions… what conclusions have they made? What’s their evaluation of the current state of Our Union.

…

https://www.cnn.com/2021/12/19/politics/joe-manchin-joe-biden-build-back-better-talks-break-down/index.html

…

Joe Manchin is a SMART GUY; he knows there is no I in TEAM. But I’d say, it’s clear to all of us… he can definitely see the word ME in it.

This isn’t about supporting or ending the filibuster. This isn’t about a Senator taking a principled stand against the leadership of his own party.

This is about MONEY.

Joe Manchin is doing what his DONORS want him to do… and they support the ENTIRE PARTY. And LO and BEHOLD! Wouldn’t you know it… that happens to be the position of the OTHER PARTY, too.

I wonder who foots their bills?

…

https://www.opensecrets.org/industries/indus.php?ind=E01

…

https://thehill.com/opinion/white-house/586034-will-or-should-kamala-harris-become-the-spiro-agnew-of-2022

…

Now, to be clear, I don’t believe this B.S. for one second… until I stop and think about it. What if that were me? What would I do if I had to be productive in such a toxic work environment, constantly looked down upon as inadequate or somehow lacking…

I would resign. I would want what’s best for my PARTY, my PRESIDENT, and my COUNTRY. Joe Manchin should consider doing the SAME concerning his status as a Democrat, and the leadership of the Democratic National Committee should demand it from him.

But I’m sure that won’t happen, just as it is within the REPUBLICAN PARTY.

Ted Cruz said he wouldn’t be a servile puppy for Donald Trump. Mitch McConnell believes Donald Trump should be held criminally responsible for his role in the events of January 6th. Lindsay Graham said he was done with Donald Trump… yet they ALL fall in line.

What does this say about the LEADERSHIP of the TWO PARTIES? One side is UNITED in their aggressive agenda of total INACTION, while the OTHER is unable to unite behind the agenda of the LEADER of their Party- THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

Joe Manchin can find ANOTHER JOB. Joe Manchin can hop on his BOAT and sail off to CANADA while our Democracy dies… and he’ll have plenty of cash-on-hand to do all that, thanks to his DONORS.

…

https://www.opensecrets.org/industries/indus.php?ind=E01

…

HE can’t explain it to the folks back home. HE has done everything HE can do. HE can’t see himself voting for it. HE has a problem…

Over 80 million Americans voted for this agenda in 2020.

Q: If this is HIS opinion, why does the Democratic Party remain SILENT? Why is he allowed to do this with no consequences from Party Leadership?

A: Because they can’t continue to “do the right thing” if they can’t get RE-ELECTED… and they need more MONEY in order to do that.

Their SILENCE, bought and paid for by organizations and individuals who stand to lose money if these bills pass… BILLIONS of dollars! They save BILLIONS every year by investing just TENS of MILLIONS of dollars in EVERY political campaign. Thereby assuring their influence in the legislative process… no matter who is elected.

And now, as the storm clouds darken our skies. My Fellow Americans, I ask you… what are their intentions? What should be OURS.

…

We may not be able to change the DESTINATION… we may have no control over what SHAPE it will create; but we have the ability to CHOOSE what part we will play, what position we will ultimately take. Though we have not yet made that decision… and in some cases the choices haven’t even been presented… one day, that choice must be made.

It may be heavy. It may be unpleasant and even downright disturbing… but we will not be the FIRST, and we will certainly not be the LAST.

And it doesn’t even need to be that difficult, it’s being made out to be harder than it actually is. It will only require that every one of us participates… more HANDS will lighten the LOAD.

We’ve now seen with our own eyes what the problem is and where the problem lies. If we take this moment and UNITE in common cause, we can begin a Restoration of Our Democracy. To remove what is clearly rotten and make things as they should be. To ensure INTEGRITY is found behind those walls… no matter who is chosen by THE PEOPLE to reside there.

…

https://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/10/upshot/harry-trumans-home-improvement.html

…

Within a defined physical framework, with an impartial, finite application of the rules… the outcome of the experiment should be the SAME. Predictable. A FACT. Demonstrated consistently, time and again.

That is, unless there is an OUTSIDE INFLUENCE on the system. A tilt. A jolt. A finger on the scale, and the result appears skewed as nothing falls into place.

Because of the reliability of the experiment itself, we can SEE what has occurred. A shift to the LEFT or a shift to the RIGHT and we can see exactly what the problem is… and we know exactly how to SOLVE IT.

**It’s written at the TOP of this page.**

…

The chaos. The division. The inaction. All of it disappears when we FOCUS on the problem. We just need to STOP, catch our breath, and start it again at the upper left-hand corner… as my high school band director would say.

All together now… as ONE.

-JC