By 1945, the Communist had developed the restructuring of a nation to a fine art. Why not? They had broken the peoples of the Ukraine, the Baltic nations, the Poles, and others who lived as far away as the Pacific Ocean. The formula is easy; denounce and arrest the leaders of any society. Priests and nuns? Of course, as they preach adherence to a power other than the State. Teachers? Definitely as who knows what anti-Communist thoughts they would offer to students. Former politicians, civic leaders, police officials and university professors? Why not as who will stop the new government?

But what to do with them? After nearly thirty years of practical experience, plus having watched the policies of the Nazis for a decade and a half, the answer was simple; degrade them, push them down, down, down and break their spirits. They could never be resurrected as a new, Soviet man, but they could be a living example of what happens to those who oppose the power of the new Communist regime.

During a recent trip which included Budapest, Hungary, I visited the House of Terror which was originally called the House of Loyalty by the fascist Arrow Cross party until the end of the Second World War, and then the House of Terror when it was taken over by the newly installed Communist regime. This was not the first visit to the building, but it is so stark that it merits multiple visits to begin to understand the horrors that Communism has foisted on individuals around the world.
Many years ago, my first Political Science professor was a Hungarian immigrant. He had a “life”; he was in the Hungarian army during World War II, was critical of the Germans, was arrested and thrown into a camp. When the Soviets “liberated” Hungary, they put him into the new communist government since the Nazis had arrested him. He survived the purge of Laszlo Rajk and was designated to be the Minister of the Interior by during the Hungarian revolution in 1956. When the revolution failed, he fled Hungary and ended up in Detroit in the Hungarian neighborhood. Given his background, he had an honored place in the community, but as he said, “I would be a big fish in a little pond”. He learned English, went to university in the U.S. and moved into the big pond (all of the U.S.) where he became a professor and real estate developer: a real capitalist!
He brought his real-world experiences to the class and was instrumental in making his students realize that those who believe in Socialism or Communism are not open to rational thought. Because of their religious like belief in their dogmas, compromise is not an option,
At various points in the House of Terror are excellent handouts explaining various sections and actions of the prison. I shall forward one each week so that you may better understand what the reality of life under a Communist system offers.

Living in a year-round vacation land (Southern California), my wife and I enjoy going to colder areas for December as a real change of pace. Eastern Europe (or as the Europeans prefer to say, Central Europe) offers advantages, such as fewer tourists, lower prices, a lower crime rate and world-famous Christmas fairs. Although it takes a bit longer to get there, the effort is well worth the time.

HUNGARY: Unfortunately, our connecting flight out of London was missed (for details, read the section on travel considerations) so we arrived in Budapest late in the evening, thus losing about half a day of our stay. Yet we made the best of it and walked through some of the Christmas fairs that are centered around the high-end shopping district. The weather was just above freezing but dry with no wind, so it was great to purchase a hot drink at any of the stalls which offer all sorts of traditional Hungarian foods and sweets as well as handy crafts, Christmas ornaments, etc. Take your drink, grab a sausage or a Hungarian pizza called a “Langosh,” sit at one of the tables and enjoy the sights and sounds of the holiday. You will not mind the temperature as everyone is smiling and having a wonderful time. The evening was a success, and we looked forward to the next couple of days in a beautiful city along the Danube.

The next day, to help you counter your jet lag, you might want to visit one of the thermal baths that are around Budapest. I suggest you try the Szechenyi bath which was built around 1910. All you need is a swimsuit, a towel and flip-flops and you are set to go. For a small fee you get a cubby hole locking changing room in which you can leave your valuables and you are set to go. As the temperature was about 37 degrees, we covered the distance from the changing room to the water quickly and then immersed ourselves in the wonderfully warm water. The steam coming off the water, the darkness of the day all served to welcome us to a wonderful experience. There were others already in the water including couples, two men seriously discussing either politics or business, families (children must be at least fourteen). Of course, there were those who were taking selfies and others who were just floating, enjoying the warmth as it soaked into every bit of your body. There is also a sauna and indoor pools, plus a pool just for swimming. I suggest you make a reservation as the baths are extremely popular and check to see what services are available (some have single sex days, wave machines, etc.). Do not worry about being gawked at, you will see all kinds of body shapes, but each one is concentrating on enjoying the thermal waters.

The city has a large number of museums, but we had been to Budapest before and there are sights which are not on most tourists’ radar. One is the House of Terror. No, it is not a Disney sight gone bad, but rather the old center of the Hungarian Soviet secret police. It was originally known as the House of Loyalty when it was the headquarters of the fascist Arrow-Cross party during World War II. After the war, the Soviet imposed government took over the building, execution, and torture cells and all. On display are the actual execution chambers, interrogation rooms and devices, plus the thousands of photos and stories of individuals who ran afoul of the Communist regime through thought, word, or deed. It is good to see young adults in the museum so that the reality of that brave new world can be remembered.
There are two items which are so important to understand the Hungarian psyche; the revolution of 1848 when Hungary tried to gain total independence from the Hapsburgs and the decades of Communist rule when at least 20% of the population was either arrested, tortured, investigated, spied upon or sent to Hungarian political prisons. The Hungarians have lived under Communism, so they are hardly likely to put up with any form of authoritarian rule; they want order but not order at any price, so Budapest is blessed with wonderful statues of Hungarian hero is going back hundreds of years. In fact, one of the first things the Hungarians did after the overthrow of Communism was to remove the imposing and brutal Soviet statues, busts, and plaques and deposit them in the “Memento Park” which is open 365 days a year. It is filled with Communist statues of the “heroic realism” school and well worth a visit to see the mindset of the totalitarians.

Handy Tips
• American Express is not used in Hungary: Master Card and Visa, no problem.
• Hungarians also accept cash (with a relish)! It is common if you hail a cab for the driver to ask you, “Cash or card.” You will find life easier if you say, “Cash.” And forget about getting a receipt for your taxi; writing War and Peace is easier than going through the procedure to secure a receipt.
• Tipping is fine, normally 10% will bring you a smile and a warm “Koszonom” (thank you).
• In the past several years, cigarette smoking has been largely replaced by vaping which can be done only out of doors, just as with tobacco smoking.
• The streets are clean, the people obey the walk/do not walk signs at intersections so pretend you are a native and everything will be great.
• As with most of Europe, making reservations for dinner is strongly encouraged. You do not want to scuttle restaurant to restaurant, hat in hand, trying to find a table.
• Hungarian is not an easy language, especially if you have no ear for languages like mol,
but it is always nice to try to have a couple of phrases while visiting a foreign land. Take the time to look up simple terms or words, (Koszi for “Thanks” or Koszonom for “thank you) even names of foods; English is widely understood and spoke in Budapest but even if you slaughter a word in Hungarian, a local will appreciate your bold attempt. Be the “good American” ambassador.
• If you have a connecting flight through Heathrow, make sure you allow more than 1/1/2 hour to catch your connector. Weather days and a very inefficient security system can make a simple procedure into a major British project.

Budapest has no shortage of good restaurants, from “new age organic” like Tati (From Farm to Table), to Italian, Mercatino (try their black pasta with shrimp). The real fun is the traditional Hungarian restaurants such as Punakorzo or Rez Kaakas. Hungarian food tends to be hardy so order accordingly.

VIENNA: Travel to Vienna from Budapest is easy, with a flight, train, or private car. A private car, while more expensive, is door to door, eliminates security checks and is much easier on the psyche.
What to say about Vienna that is not already known? A wonderful city full of history, excellent restaurants, and very good and proper Viennese service. Here are a couple of highlights which you might consider if you are looking for something different:
• Austrian military museum: Housed in a former military garrison, you are introduced to hundreds of years of military commanders as you enter the building. Their life size marble statues reflect the time when war still had a mystique of honor, rules, and glory. The building itself is one room after another of statues, paintings and exhibits tracing from the time of the Ottoman invasions to the end of World War I (although this was our second visit, the period from 1933-1945 does not seem to be covered for some strange reason). There is also a panzer and naval section which is worth a visit. The price is right (no charge), and you will understand a bit better the beautiful palaces and government buildings that you will see in the city center.
• Museums: There are museums enough and it is wise to plan your visit as not all museums are open on all the same days. The typical guide, available for no charge at your hotel, will not only give you an excellent overview of each museum and how long to budget for each (five hours is not unusual). Do not overextend yourself!
• Public Transportation: Inexpensive and on time (especially the trams and subway). And, easy to use even if you do not know German.
• Tipping: Most restaurants include a 14% service charge (often marked on the menu or on the listed on the bill) but do not be afraid to ask your server if it is included. Cabs appreciate a 10% tip and do not forget a little something for your concierge if they help you with bookings, etc.
• Central Cemetery: Although Vienna has over fifty cemeteries, this is the largest with over 300,000 monuments and over three million burials. Beethoven and Salari are both buried here as well as from all occupations and religion. The Jewish section is interesting for it is well preserved but I was not able to find out if it was destroyed during the war, rebuilt or what as most of the monuments are beautiful and look new. It was a cold, overcast day and the stillness of the grounds with the black crows perched on some monuments introduced many interesting thoughts.

No visit to Vienna is complete without a visit to Schonbrun which was the residence of the Hapsburg Emperor’s. Unlike Versailles, which was built by the French King’s to overawe the French nobles, Schonbrun was an actual residence for the emperors. Yes, there were balls and meetings at the palace, but they were based on invitations from the emperors themselves.
A treat is a dinner at Schonbrun followed by a Mozart concert in one of the beautiful rooms. They have a number of options (based on where you will be seated) from about 107-170 Euros per person, dinner included. I would recommend only signing up for the concert (about 1/1/2 hours long with a break) as only one entrée is provided and you might want to have a wider selection for your meal. The selection of pieces, both musical and vocal, are excellent and you are sitting close enough to really enjoy watching and matching the sounds to the various instruments. Enjoy!
Another meal treat is lunch or dinner at Figlmuller, for the best wiener schnitzel in Vienna. I have been there several times over a period of thirty years and the quality of service and food is always top notch! It is a real treasure to the locals, and they have two locations, yet I strongly recommend reservations. Do not make them at your own peril!
Finally, if you are looking for a good steak at a reasonable price, try Steak Point. We met a couple from Riverside during the Schonbrun concert, and they wanted to tell us about this place, but we already knew about it. Nice steaks, good sides and very reasonable.

Warsaw: A flight of just over one hour brings you to one of the fastest growing economies in Europe. A people who has long viewed themselves as the Christian bulwark against the Mongols, Turks, and Communists, they like other Eastern European nations (such as the Baltic nations, Hungary, etc.) can be a stubborn in the EU, but they know too well the price of collectivism.
We managed a one-bedroom suite at the beautiful Hotel Bristol, the hotel where Madam Curie accepted her Nobel Prize. It is next to the Presidential palace and a few steps from the Old Town city center. It is in that center where one of my grandfathers drove a taxi (horse and buggy in those days). If he were late coming home, his wife would worry that that he was caught up in one of the usual Cossack raids where people could be cut down in the streets (Warsaw at that time was under Imperial Russian control). It was because of that fear and the danger of being drafted into the Russian army that they left for the new world. A very personal thank you from me to them!

Although 90% of Warsaw was totally destroyed in WWII, especially after the Warsaw uprising, rather than leaving the ruins as an example of what war can do, the stubborn Poles dug out the old drawings, maps, etc. of the old town area and rebuilt it as it was in 1939. The Christmas market there is very special with stalls, lights and the wonderful warm windows of the restaurants which surround the central plaza. Then they did the same for much of the rest of Warsaw so the wonderful baroque buildings you see were all built after the war. I have not been in Warsaw for about ten years so to see so many beautiful high-rises around the “gift from Stalin” is really amazing. It is an example of the strength of the nation.
We had dinner at Fukier, a classical Polish restaurant which certainly has not changed since I was first there about twenty years ago. It looks out onto the square and is just as you would expect an old-world” restaurant to be decorated. In fact, the interior looks like an old country inn (only cleaner, with better art, etc.). Another excellent but newer restaurant is Elixer where each course offers one or two suggested vodkas to soothe your palate! I suggest asking for the cold vodka for as the Poles say, “it only hurts once.” Not all meals need to be grand events and there are plenty of pierogi shops throughout the city. Pierogis are like ravioli’s, filled with meat and onions, cheese, fruit, etc. The fun part is to order nine or so and sample different fillings. You will be set for the day and be able to brave the colder weather! The Poles love their pierogi’s; they are Poland’s hamburgers or hot dogs.
Food as in Hungary is relatively inexpensive. A dinner with two glasses of wine, three shots of vodka, a service of pierogi and two main courses, including service is about $100.00. You better be prepared to walk off those hearty meals! Around the Belvedere palace is a huge, beautiful park (Lazienki Park) which also contains several palaces. Although it is winter, the park is still beautiful and the rich furnishings and paintings of the palaces along with the flock of peacocks create a nice contrast to the bare trees.

The winter fair in Warsaw is quite special. Darkness arrives about 3:30 PM and on this Saturday there were already thousands of people in the old city square, and. along the wide walkway in front of the Royal Palace. The children look in awe at the display of lights, the tall Christmas trees and it is a treat to see how they light up and laugh at the festive mood. Unlike Vienna where there are a number of festivals, the one around the old town in Warsaw is the one that you will want to see. And, during this season, the churches (all of them rebuilt) join in the festive feel and are beautifully lit. It is an amazing sight to see thousands of people, most of which are families with young children, walking in the cold, laughing, enjoying food from vendors, hot toddy drinks, shopping for those special “somethings” and enjoying the Christmas spirit. I tried to think of where we could experience that joy and experience in the U.S. but just came up short.
Although cabs are plentiful and inexpensive, we did a lot of walking (almost ten miles one day). It really is the best way to see the city and experience its special feel. There are wide boulevards lined with trees, shopping areas which are clean and devoid of graffiti, even during the winter when the temperature hovers about 32 degrees, it is a pleasure to bundle up and breathe in the fresh air.

Like all great cities, Warsaw has its share of museums. Yes, Warsaw, like Budapest and Vienna has its classical museums, but it also has unique attractions (like Budapest’s House of Terror). For example, the Katyn Museum features the murder of 20,000 Polish officers by the Soviet Union during World War II. The murder, denied for decades by the Soviet Union, was finally admitted during the reign of Gorbachev. Yet the sad episode did not end there are a special Polish delegation on its way to a special service hosted by the Russians was killed when their aircraft crashed outside of Smolensk, including the President of the Polish republic. Permanent plaques outside of the Presidential Palace commemorate the tragedy. Those plaques are part of the Polish conscious as there are plaques can be found around the city commemorating the hanging or execution of Poles during the German occupation. It helps the Poles to remember what they have suffered and why they will not go backwards.
Other excellent museums include the Polish military museum, the award-winning museum on the Warsaw uprising and the Polish museum of the history of Polish Jews.

There were numerous memorable times and sights during the trip, including the outdoor thermal bath in Hungary experienced before dawn, the concern at the Kaiser’s house, the Christmas fair in the old town of Warsaw. While we allowed four or five days in each city, it showed that one really needs more time to explore those cities as there is so much to experience. Considering we have been to each city one or more times in the past, you must simply admit that you will not “see it all” and that you will only be getting a sample of the treasures in each location. Just relax and enjoy it all!

The Origins of the Democrats DefeatFirst published in 1942 in Italy, Luigi Albertini’s The Origins of the War of 1914 traced the political, diplomatic, and military causes of the war, going back to the consequences of the compromise between Austria and Hungary in 1867. He took the reader step by step along a path that ended in that war. The way he laid out the events in Europe, one can see with the advantage of hindsight how so many European decisions naturally led to war. When one finishes the book, one is forced to look at one’s own life while analyzing one’s successes and failings.
Today in the United States, there is much discussion over the causes of the victory by Trump and the defeat not only of Harris, but the major shift within the Democratic bloc. In looking for the causes of Harris’ defeat, numerous reasons are offered but seldom condensed into a simple, logical path to defeat. Using the system laid out by Albertini, let us consider if you will, the following steps which if viewed objectively, should have told the Democrats that they were setting up their own defeat even as they made their decisions.
1) The election victory of the Democrats of 2020: In that election, the victor was a weak, seventy-eight-year-old Joe Biden, a man who was already suffering from mental and physical weakness. He promised, recognizing his weakness, that he would be a one term President. Like Hillary Clinton before him, he was not so much nominated as chosen by the Democratic powers that be as it was “his time.” He was, according to the party, the best they had to offer.
2) Pick of a Vice President: Being a good Democrat, the President Elect chose as his Vice President, a Black female who represented the far left of the party. This painted the Democratic party into a cornet, for if Biden were to honor his pledge, his Vice President would have to be the acknowledge front runner in four years. If she were not, for any reason, the Black wing of the party would be outraged and endanger the 2024 election. Worse still, if she did not perform, she could not be jettisoned without alienating the party’s Black people. It was contingent on her to perform and do her job in a way that would allow the party to go into the 2024 election with confidence.
3) Lying to the public: As President Biden’s mental wellbeing went downhill, the truth could not be allowed to be known. Fortunately, the legacy media and much of the cable media was willingly co-opted to go along with keeping the secret. The President’s weekly visits to Delaware were represented as “working” weekends and the public was told that the President was strong, sure and at his peak. In reality, the Democratic party hoisted upon the citizens a weak man whose record as Robert Gates once said, “He has been wrong on nearly every major foreign policy and national security issue over the past four decades,” This put the American people in danger as Iran, China, Russia and others saw a leader who was weak and who believed that appeasement was a positive strategy.
4) A broken promise: Despite his weakness, President Biden decided to seek a second term. The party was in a dilemma: how long could Biden’s mental and physical weakness be concealed from the public? He could not repeat his campaign of 2020 which was often referred to as the “basement” strategy. Somehow Biden had to be protected.
5) The debate: The house of cards collapsed with the Presidential debate with Trump. In a few minutes, the truth of Biden’s weakness could not be concealed any longer and overnight the polls pointed to a disastrous 2024 election.
6) The Putsch: The powers that be in the Democratic party decided that they had to find a way to save the 2024 election. Their answer was the first Putsch in American history: get Biden to reverse his decision and place his Vice President, Kamala Harris in his stead. Yet only a few short weeks before there were discussions of how to replace Harris with someone who could be shown as a staunch support of a weak Biden. It had been recognized that nationally, Harris was viewed even more negatively than Biden and she brought little of positive worth to the ticket. Yet to try to replace her as the Democratic candidate would all but destroy the Black vote in the party’s coalition. The cost of DEI was coming home to roost and the party had extraordinarily little time to market Harris.
7) The Election: Despite over a billion dollars of campaign spending, Harris was not able to “close the deal.” Her total misreading of the public mood and experience of the Biden administration was shown when she said that she could not think of a single thing she would do differently. Yet at the same time she was marketing herself as the agent of change, the one who wanted to start a new page. A new page of what? If she would not do anything different than Biden, what was she changing? The campaign was a dead-end of contradictions and hype. At that point, the Democrats could have saved a lot of money if they had just admitted defeat.
My intention is not to go over all of the policy decisions made during the Biden administration that led to the highest inflation in forty years, the weakening of the U.S. militarily and diplomatically, the relentless push for an energy policy that is inefficient and too expensive, the perceived use of lawfare against an opponent, the inability to track 300,000 immigrant children who were entrusted to “authorized personnel”, etc. Rather, we are, like Albertini to view, in hindsight what political decisions turned a victory into a defeat in an amazingly brief period of time.
It is now up to the Democratic party to realize that it was their decision in 2019-2020 that all but assured their defeat in 2024. When an administration starts with a lie, such as the excellent health of the candidate, it is acting like a child or teenager who lies, hoping that tomorrow and the truth will never come. The central lie that was sold, held within itself the very seeds of its own destruction, and should be a lesson for all of us to learn.

The day after this election, I made it a point to listen to the BBC news service to hear the reaction from the U.K. I was amazed and disappointed by the comments from the British pundits and reporters to the election results. They echo the comments from American reporters and pundits such as Charles Blow, Ruth Marcus, Joe Scarborough, Nikole-Hannah Jones, and others. As Americans they openly admit that somehow, they have misunderstood the average American. I do not believe that was ever in doubt. Those reactions brought home to me what I have believed for so long, that there is a deep misunderstanding of the U.S. by those living outside of the U.S. I have also seen this in Canada. Those who are closest to understanding the U.S. reside in the former Soviet bloc countries, such as Poland, Hungary, etc. Why is that? Perhaps it is because those countries lost decades of freedom and progress, and they see the U.S. and not western Europe as the model for what they want to achieve.

In order to help the good people of western Europe to better understand we Americans, the link below might be of service. Konstantin Kisin is a conservative satirist based in the U.K., but he shows that he has an understanding of most Americans.

One of the primary results of the election, will be, as most Americans hope, the death of the racist and unproductive DEI experiment. Kisin points out the ideal of American virtues, not always attained but rooted deep in the American psyche. I know that millions across the world love these virtues as they attempt to come in their millions to our beautiful land.

https://www.konstantinkisin.com/p/10-reasons-you-didnt-see-this-coming?publication_id=746128&post_id=151272099&triggerShare=true&isFreemail=true&r=71qjf&triedRedirect=true

“The worse the society, the more law there will be. In Hell there will be nothing but law”
Grant Gilmore

Recently the governor of California signed nine hundred new laws into being. Each law will carry various civil and/or criminal penalties and will be further clarified by various rules as determined by the various agencies which will enforce the new laws and rules. Do you know how these new laws will impact you, your life, your family, or business? How many of them will make your life better or easier? Yet, you will be expected to abide by these laws; ignorance of the law is no longer a defense.
In this excellent book, Justice Gorsuch gives numerous examples of how federal laws and rules can be abused by the authorities and how naked we stand before the power of the State. An example is the fisherman who was charged with violating the Sarbanes-Osley Act (instituted after the housing crash of 2007 and aimed at financial institutions) when two federal officials miscounted how many fish he had caught with the result that he lost his business, home, and retirement savings. In the end, the Supreme Court found that he was innocent, but he lived a twenty-year nightmare and received no restitution.
That ex-fisherman was fortunate for he had the nerve and outside help to fight the system, while others often charged with multiple “crimes” from multiple agencies simply plead down their “crimes” in order to try to get on with their lives. And what chance does the average person have when you take the example of new laws in California, multiply it by fifty states and then add on and average of fifty-six new federal crimes every year. In reality, no one knows exactly how many federal laws and regulations carry a criminal punishment, but it is at least three-hundred thousand and growing.

How did this type of system develop? The Founding Fathers were very fearful of a powerful centralized state for they knew from their life experiences the helplessness of the individual. Thus, they created a system of checks and balances in order to limit the power of the central government. They believed that if laws were made, it would be better to have them created at the state level where there was a better opportunity for the average citizen to see, understand and give voice to their concerns.
The system began to change under the administration of President Woodrow Wilson who believed that what was needed was a “science of administration” where “experts” could “straighten the paths of government.” What this meant was that far too much time was spent thinking about the relationship between government and the constitution, and not enough time spent looking for government “efficiency.” And what better model than the Prussian bureaucracy? The Constitution stood in the way of “efficient” government with all of those annoying checks and balances. Better to let expert bureaucrats take the reins of government so that a living, breathing constitution could be created. Despite the failure of “expert” government from the times of Plato and Aristotle, Wilson believed that this time it would be different.

The result is a system where Americans spend 9.78 billion hours to complete federal (not counting state and local) paperwork. To put it another way, “Suppose that we assembled every resident of Chicago and insisted that for the entirety of 2019, each one must work forty house a week engaged in just one task; fill out federal forms. By the end of 2019, the 2.7 million citizens of Chicago will not have come within four billion houses of the annual paperwork burden placed on Americans.”
How do we change a system where the average citizen is lost in a maze of laws and rules drawn up by bureaucrats who are not judged on their service, but rather who have a vested interest in creating new rules in order to expand the bureaucracy? The answer is not simple and must come in large measure from the average American. Justice Gorsuch points out the woefully inadequate amount of time and money spent in educating children on civics. In fact, while the federal government spends about $.54/student on education for STEM, it only spends about $0.05 on civics. The result is that only about thirty-two percent of millennials believe that it is “absolutely essential” that “civil rights protect people’s liberty.”

A more encouraging step is Proposition 315 in Arizona. Under that law, any new rule from the bureaucracy which would cost $500,000 over a five-year period would have to be examined and agreed to by the state assembly. In other words, the law makers would have to realize the impact of their laws (which unfortunately Congress gave up years ago). This proposition is strongly opposed by the League of Women Voters as it would give lawmakers a tool to block rules with which they do not agree!

In the end, we face a lopsided battle; the bureaucracy which cannot be fired nor held to account vs. the average citizen who has no idea what laws and rules they face every day. We can only thank those few strong individuals and those who support them for showing us with their struggles the leviathan we face every day.

The front page of today’s Wall Street Journal contains an article named, “Western Spy Agencies Sound Alarms on Chinese Espionage,” as if the lights suddenly went on in spy agencies around the world. The spying has been at all levels of our business and governments; remember the Chinese spy who was Senator Diane Feinstein’s driver (and office manager) for twenty years? Or how about Mayor Adams of New York City whose “Asian Affairs Advisor” is being investigated for close ties to the CCP? Or how about that illegal biolab in California or the illegal CCP “police offices” in NYC and in at least fifty countries around the world.

But there is more than spying that is a danger to the rest of the world. The deeper danger is when our politicians and business leaders fall into a corrupt and traitorous relationship with the CCP. Peter Schweizer’s excellent book Blood Money tells of several U.S. “leaders” who have worked hand in hand with the CCP at the expense of the United States. The final threat to our freedom and political system is the dark money from the CCP which has been flowing into our political system for decades. Just as the Soviets poured money into the student movement during the seventies and later, the CCP has been working on numerous fronts such as the Rainbow Coalition.

The link below will take you to a long interview with Trevor Loudon, a New Zealand author, speaker, blogger, and researcher. Although it starts out focusing on the Communist ties to Kamala Harris’ parents, at about the sixteen minute mark we begin to find those on the monied Left who have aided, funded and supported various groups whose goal is to corrupt the U.S. political system and turn us away from a free Republic toward a weaken Socialist state where our rights are limited and destroyed.

Paranoia? It is all a coincidence? It is up to you to decide, but we live in a time when a former First Lady says that the Federal government should jail those who spread “propaganda” without defining just what qualifies as “propaganda.”  We have a Vice-Presidential candidate who says there is no guarantee of First Amendment rights for those who say hate speech, again without defining who determines what is and what is not “hate speech” and who makes that determination. Remember the short lived “Disinformation Governance Board” set up in 2022?

Isn’t you and your children’s freedom worth an hour or so of information?

https://www.bing.com/search?q=trevor+loudon+kamala+harris&form=ANNTH1&refig=067982e5cda64458a93df928b33dbd0a&pc=HCTS&pq=trevor+louden+kamela+&pqlth=21&assgl=27&sgcn=trevor+loudon+kamala+harris&qs=SC&smvpcn=0&swbcn=2&sc=2-21&sp=1&ghc=0&cvid=067982e5cda64458a93df928b33dbd0a&clckatsg=1&hsmssg=0

Does it ever appear to you that most governments and especially the Federal government live in some sort of alternative universe? Recently a local government decided to shut down local oil rigs in the name of saving the planet. The problem was that those oil rigs contributed about eighty-three million dollars to the government in the form of taxes. As the day of the shut down approached, (the decision had been made two years ago), someone in government asked how were those funds going to be replaced? Perhaps a reduction in the number of city workers? No, not that. Eliminating non-essential government programs? No, not that. Then someone had a brilliant idea: increase the sales tax even though the current city sales tax is among the highest in the nation. Yes! Great idea!

On the national level, the lack of being in touch with reality is even greater. For example, the EPA last Good Friday decided to roll out it is Biden inspired electric truck mandate. From 2027-2032, heavy-duty trucks will be responsible for an ever-increasing percentage of trucks on the road. By 2032 the percentage is targeted to be 25%.

There are a number of questions and concerns that came to light immediately, but which somehow were not anticipated or answered by either the EPA of the White House, for example:

• The batteries of semis are larger and heavier than those in fossil fuel vehicles, so their pay loads will be smaller.
  • This means that there will be more semis on the road which will lead to more traffic congestion which will lead to:
    • More pollution as their tires creates more soot than conventional tires.
    • Higher delivery costs
    • Greater damage to the highways as these semis are heavier which may be beyond the original engineering specifications.
• The cost.
  • While there will be more semis on the road, where will the capital come from in order to pay for the new semis:
    • Electric semis cost on average, about twice as much as traditional semis.
      • This will lead to higher costs of transportation which will lead to higher costs for the consumer and greater inflation.
      • At the current time, there are no U.S. electric semis in production so will the new semis be manufactured by our national competitors such as China?
        • Is this mandate in reality a job core program for China?
      • What will be done with the hundreds of thousands of suddenly outlawed semis?
• Where will the energy come from?
  • By 2030, electric trucks are anticipated to use about 11% of California’s electricity. As the trucks have to run mostly during daylight hours in order to cover more ground, they will have to recharge at night when rates are higher, which will lead to greater shipping costs.
  • Between now and 2032, about 15,000 chargers will have to be built and installed each and every month. The government has installed less than a dozen chargers in the past two years.
  • Infrastructure will have to be upgraded, including transformers, wiring, etc. The estimated cost is $370 billion with another $620 billion being spent by the truckers themselves at their facilities. Another increase in pricing.

The list could easily go on and on and I sincerely doubt that anyone at the EPA, the White House or Congress is looking at how to solve those issues above in a time of major economic and international pressures. Perhaps the powers that have a few ounces of magic dust they intend to use to help implement their silly, unrealistic, childish mandate. And this is just one of many brilliant ideas we will continue to see coming out of D.C. in the future, no matter which party is in power. After all, the government must appear to be doing something or else we would just end up asking why we need so many bureaucrats in our lives.

It is no secret that governments around the world are facing serious problems with their health care costs; the cost of modern technology, payroll pressures, an aging population and decreasing birth rates all point to further problems down the road. Canada, however, has found a solution to the problem; kill the patients, eliminate further costs.

As the article linked below points out, Canada has made government assisted suicide easier than ever; not mentally competent? Not a problem! Under the age of eighteen? Are you diabetic? Not a problem! Feeling down in the dumps? Nor a problem! In fact, medical staff will actively suggest the idea of euthanasia. Ah, the government is here to help.

The number of medically assisted suicides in Canada is so successful that Canada can proudly boast that it has the “fastest-growing assisted-dying program” in the world. Well, every country should be number one in something.

President Reagan was so correct when he said that the nice terrifying words you can hear are: “I’m from the government, and I’m here to help.”

https://www.wsj.com/opinion/welcome-to-canada-the-doctor-will-kill-you-now-maid-euthanasia-foley-29ce77e0?page=1

We live in what we should view as dangerous times. Why? Because it is easy to name several national leaders who are able and willing to go to war regardless of the cost to them or those they attack. Iran, China, Russia, and North Korea are all ruled by individuals that most people would not want to have over for dinner, or who you would not trust with your children. They are, to put it in the common tongue, nuts, crazy, scary, not in touch with reality, etc.

What really makes the above even scarier is the current leadership of the United States, or should I say the lack of leadership of our nation. We have a President who is mentally challenged, who suffered a putsch from his own party and has no real control over the powerful office he occupies (when he is not at the beach).

The attached article points out that no one outside of the Office of the President, really seems to know who the acting captain of the ship of state is. We face the next few months in a rudderless state; one which is of great danger to us and the world. It is hard to believe, but it would have been better had the Democratic leaders who manufactured and conducted the putsch used the 25^th Amendment to remove President Biden and at least installed a figure head president of Kamala Harris. At least world leaders would have seen a warm body in the Oval Office instead of watching the existing President spend so much time at the beach.

Who exactly do world leaders call to discuss strategies, challenges, etc.? Unelected bureaucrats, a Secretary of State whose role is to conduct the policies of the President, the heads of the various Cabinets? If they do reach the current President, who is whispering in his ear? His wife? Former Presidents?

Kamala Harris recently said the democracy can be fragile. Our democracy should not be fragile as we are the world’s oldest republic; we have survived for two-hundred and fifty years, and we have a constitution that has been amended to answer the challenges we face. But democracy can be fragile if we allow a void in the highest office in the land to be filled by faceless entities who inhabit the deep state. The Democrats created a putsch to maintain the chance of power going forward, but they have exposed us and much of the world to the twisted logic of foreign leaders who know no boundaries.

The link below helps to explain the dangers and challenges we as a nation face.

Biden’s Disappearing Act Reveals the Real Power in Washington (dailysignal.com)