Tag Archives: White House

17

Mar. ’24

My Social Security

Over sixty years ago I started paying into Social Security. Being young and dumb, I knew nothing about social security or even there was such a thing. All I knew was one thing or another was taken out of my check each payday. I’ve been working since my teens, making very little money, and did whatever the government said I had to do. I didn’t know about all the laws the government had nor did I care, with the exception of one law, the draft, and they would be coming for me when I turned eighteen.

               I dodged the draft by joining the air force when I graduated high school and quit my job. I remember I was shocked to work 24/7 and, after everything was taken from my pay, got sixty dollars every two weeks (on day fifteen and thirty of the month). I made more as a civilian and only worked eight to ten hours a day five or six days a week. I figured it was only for four years and I wasn’t in the army. I actually stayed in the air force twenty years.

               Here I am receiving my social security and I read the who, what, and why about it. It’s a beautiful thing to know I will receive my money to help me in my old age which is also helping me pay my mortgage. Now I heard and have read that Trump want to take my earned money. The money I worked for, looked forward to, and now depend on is to be taken away if and when he becomes president again.

               A couple of people laughingly said he is only joking. I say, if a person has a gun to your head and says he will pull the trigger, believe him. I did not steal this monthly money. I did not beg for this money. I worked for over fifty years for this money. It is not a ‘give me’, it is an entitlement that the government owes me and promised I will get it until I die.

               Why does Trump want to mess with social security I do not know. When I am homeless, I guess I will pitch a puptent in the White House (it’s the people’s house). Getting a retirement check and social security is just enough to pay the bills I have to pay and have a little left for a little fun.

               I still don’t see why people are for Trump with all the entitlements under attack. There are many other things that he has said he will do that I think will change the way most of us live and it is not for the better for me and my entitlements. I say, leave my way of living alone and let me receive my entitlements. In other words, to keep my social security by keeping Trump out of the White House. It’s crazy that people still want him with all the federal and civil charges against him.

               Remember, he has padded the SCOTUS, civil and federal courts, and other agencies with people that are loyal to him and those that are not loyal to him will be fired, like the RNC. Almost a dictatorship. But that is for another blog.









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21

Aug. ’22

Classified Material

I have handled classified material all through my military and civil service career, but I have never imagined anything like what is in the news today. I had both respect and fear of the material I was handling. Respect because I knew what it was, what it could do if the wrong eyes saw it and honored to be able to handle such sensitive material. I feared it because I knew if I mishandled it, lost it, or allowed the wrong eyes to see it I was in very big trouble and the trouble would come very quickly. I used to say, ‘they would dump me in a very deep hole, fill it in, and build a prison over me’. Evidently not so today.

               When the boxes of material were taken from the White House, when the ex-President was reluctantly leaving, I asked then how he was allowed to take the material or is it the law had changed. Eighteen months ago, the removal of classified material was known. Yet, people are acting like it is new news. A year after the material was taken Trump was asked for the return of the material. See-sawing back and forth through delay after delay got the government nowhere with just asking for the return of the material. In June a subpoena was issued for its return. Again, delay after delay resulted in just some of the material being returned, although his lawyers said that was all of it. Now the raid produced boxes of highly classified material. Surprise-surprise-surprise!

               In my civil servant job, when I handled classified correspondence, I had to be very careful. I signed for the material, took it where it had to go, stood there while the individual read it, they signed for it, I took it to a secure storage place, signed in and stored it. When it was time to destroy it, there was a strict procedure that had to be followed to the letter. I could not just flush it down the toilet. If I did not follow the rules to the letter, there would not be a warning nor a chance to delay nor a subpoena nor more than a year going past before I was in handcuffs. Oh, I get it. I am not an ex-President.

               I have said from day one, if I did anything remotely close to what Trump have done, I would have been in prison years ago serving a very long sentence. My leading question is, what was he going to do with that trove of classified material? I know Putin blackmailed people with material like that (he is ex-KGB). Was he trying to do something like that? Was he going to sell it for the money he needs? I guess we will never know. We can only speculate.

               The handling of classified material takes obvious precautions with harsh penalties if you miss the mark, regardless of who you are. There are people for Trump calling for the disbandment of the law enforcement agencies involved or just leaving him alone. I guess they are saying you and me must follow the law and/or rules but Trump does not. He is above the law. He was given time to return the material where-by anyone else would immediately be in jail for the slightest misstep.  Who said this world is fair?

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10

Jul. ’22

The IRS

We are all afraid of the IRS and what they are perceived to be able to do to any of us at will. Whether they can harm us monetarily, jail time, or both is always in mind every April fifteenth. These things stay in our minds even if the tax filling is honest, without one iota of falsehood. Most of the time, I know I think this, we wonder if we made a minor mistake that would trigger an audit which will make the IRS tell us we owe more money plus interest and a fine.

               I watch the news or read articles that say how much rich and super rich people pay in taxes. There are some that can pay the tax bill of everyone you know and never feel the strain. These people make money from our labors and many other things I can not begin to explain. These people have so much money that they will never be able to spend all of it nor their children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, and more family members inherit. Yet not a penny or a very few dollars is paid in taxes.

               Our ex-President often said as soon as the audit on his taxes were completed, he would release his tax forms for all to see. I knew then as I know now that what he said was baloney. He is out of office now so what is the excuse for not showing the papers? Tax audits do not go on for years.

               Then there is the revelation that is happening now. The IRS is deep auditing the taxes of McCabe and Comey, both ex-White House employees and they spoke out against our ex-President. This is something that is so rare that only a few people know it can happen. But remember the head of the IRS is an appointee of our ex-President. He says it is a coincidence that it happens to both at the same time. I say that is BALONEY!  

               Just like the Congressman that said for him to testify before the January 6th Committee is purely political, I say the tax audit of the two men is political and revengeful in favor of the ex-President. Some of the ex-President’s people still hold the positions they were appointed and they, in turn, still love and will do anything for the ex-President. Why they are still in power I do not know. I do know they can and are doing damage and they should not be there. The IRS is a department that need a new head. We will then see the ex-President’s tax forms.

               I can not feel sorry for Comey and McCabe because they knew the man they worked for and what he was doing to the country but, on the other hand, I am not sorry. Maybe this will help shove the head of the IRS out and a fair person is seated. Then the backlog of unprocessed tax forms will be processed, and the people will get some relief from waiting. Maybe then we can breathe again and be not afraid of the IRS. We should not be afraid of any of our agencies.  

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20

Dec. ’20

Got To Find A Home

As of January twentieth, twenty twenty-one, where will ex-President Trump live? Is he welcomed in Florida at his club? The governor of New York and the mayor of New York City told him he is not welcomed there. Where will he live? Will there be a Trump Library like other ex-Presidents? As the old folks say, I guess I am a part of them now, ‘you made your bed so lie in it’. He has ostracized so many governors and mayors that they do not want him.

               The people that control the property at Mar-A-Lago have filed papers to not allow Trump to reside there. In 1998 Trump signed papers making staying at the club more than a week illegal because he wanted a tax write-off by making the residence a club. In the signed papers it is written that a person can not stay longer than a week and no more than three times a year. He has stayed there more than that.

               He told New York that he did not want to stay there because they were after him for his tax paperwork and more. This includes his kids and their families. There are still numerous lawsuits in play and is waiting for him to be out of office. Well, Florida and New York are out. California is out also because he told them they were not doing things right to control the fires. He wanted them to rake and sweep the forests to prevent the fires. California disagreed therefore he withheld funds to help them in their time of need (that was one reason but there is more).

               Maybe his supporters will let him live with one of them. They love him and will do anything he say, up to and including anything that is violent. Maybe by him living with them they will not worry about losing their job because of the pandemic and will be able to keep a roof over their heads. Maybe he can give them a little money to keep on keeping on. Nope, I must be delusional to think he would give someone money. He would want money from them.

               I guess going overseas is out also because he has alienated all our allies. I can not expect any country taking him in and that includes Russia. Why not Russia? He has outlived his usefulness to Putin and the Russian people. And, thinking about allies, Moscow Mitch, oops, Mitch McConnell may want to take Trump and his family in, but Mitch just accepted President-elect Biden. Personally, I would not trust nor believe McConnell for any reason. And, thinking about calling people names other than their own, it is ironic that Republicans are raising hell that a Democratic aide used a bad word toward them. That is something I have heard from the Republicans, especially the President, for over four years and the Republicans are silent about it.

               I know where Trump will get free living quarters…when the civil lawsuits are finalized and the courts have their say he will have his own private cell, members of his family as well as other people in his administration. Trump will make history again. He will be the first President that will be homeless and the first President that is taken from homelessness straight to jail. There are many crimes he has committed, and they are both federal and civil. He can, technically, escape the federal crimes but he can be and will be held accountable for the civil crimes.

               As the old song about the bole weevil stated ‘ got to find a home’. This President, soon to be ex-President, need a home before he is given a home behind bars that is paid for by the people he has scammed daily. It will be interesting to watch what happens as it occurs. It is reported he has said he will not vacate the White House. This way he will have a home sooner than he think. JAIL!

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06

Jun. ’20

Marching Again

A lot have been going on since the death of George Floyd and I want to insert my input. I have witnessed and felt racism all my life, including the present time. So, people have said on television that this have been going on for four hundred years. Yes, in the United States that is true, but this have been going on for thousands of years. Black people, all over the world, have been harassed and killed by White people as far back as written history will show.
Moving to more recent times, I find a correlation between Civil Rights marches and the most recent ones. However, the difference between the two is huge. Foremost are the marches/demonstrations being peaceful and well organized in the era of Civil Rights. I took part in the fight for our Civil Rights and can attest to that fact. In my area of marching we did not walk in a mass, unorganized group, we marched single file on the sidewalk and talking was not allowed. Yet, we were met by police with night sticks, snarling dogs, electric cow prodders and the fire department with fire hoses. We walked from point ‘A’ to point ‘B’, obeying all pedestrian laws and we were beaten, bitten, shocked, tear gassed and hosed down from high pressure hoses. I still have the memories and marks to prove it.
Another huge factor that is evident, is that most of the marchers, then and now, are young people that are leading the way. It is not that older/senior people are simply standing by, hoping this will go away, but most can not endure the walking and survive the outcome they may meet. The older generation can not withstand the gas or beatings.
There is a big difference between yesterday and today. Today, there are factions that want to conjure a sense of unrest. These groups want peaceful demonstrations to look bad for them to say Blacks are wrong and should be beaten and killed every chance that is afforded them. They have their own hateful agenda which is shouted from the White House and is echoed through whichever separatist group will listen and act. These groups jump in and out of the marching crowds causing damage and, at the same time, trying to stay hidden. Those Black people that are looting are taking advantage of this simply because they are at the bottom of the social ladder and is in want. Yes, they are wrong, however, they did not start it either.
There have always been Black and White and, as I have said in my blogs, history repeats itself and always will. It is better today than it was yesterday, it is just the circumstances that have changed. No matter how peaceful Black people are, there will always be White people that stir the pot and cause unrest. Black people try to work with White people although there is that under the table group that is resisting. In case you have forgotten, we had a Black President and an untold number of people vowed to resist everything he was trying to do, no matter if it was good or bad. Even today, the things he accomplished are being dismantled, including nationwide medical care. On many issues, he never had a chance. Oil trying to work with water. I pray for the USA.

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20

Jul. ’19

Rolling Dung Balls

What should I write about in this week’s blog? I look at a blank page and I have many thoughts going through my head. There is much in the news and you can read it for yourself. I do not need to rehash the thoughts and comments of those that are more qualified than me in doing so. I also have been away for a couple of weeks and there is a lot to comment about. But, do you want to read about that? I don’t think so. As I grow older, I let a lot of things go simply because either it doesn’t interest me, doesn’t concern me or both. I realize political things that seem as not concerning to me really does, eventually.

I’ll give an example. Here, in the Hampton Roads area of Virginia, medical personnel on the military bases are losing their jobs because of the cuts to military cutback issues. I am enrolled with the Veteran Healthcare System and I wonder. I wonder what effect will the cuts have on me and people like me? How many other areas are affected? If I must seek medical care, will there be an overload because of cutbacks elsewhere? This is the dung ball rolling downhill.

Every entitlement I have, as well as others, is slowly being eroded and, someday, will amount to nothing. That dung ball is rolled along by the dung beetle in the White House. I am one of the grains of sand that is rolled up in the dung ball. I didn’t start the ball rolling and I don’t know where the dung ball come from. I just got caught up in it, along with so many others. There are other grains of sand laughing, thinking they will not be caught up in a dung ball, not realizing there are other dung balls. Look out because the path of the next dung ball may come your way.

There is a lot of dung out there and there are many dung beetles to push the dung your way. To the beetle, you are just a grain of sand the will either be pushed aside or run over. The beetle does not care about you and only want you out of the way so it can continue doing its job. Rolling dung. The saying is, ‘you are what you eat’. In this metaphor, “roll’. The person in the White House, and the people that are for him and work with him are all dung beetles and ‘we the people’ are all grains of sand.

How can the grains of sand be a force that stop the beetle? Simple. Work as one, band together and be the wall of resistance that the beetle cannot roll the dung ball over. He will either go around, if the wall is not too wide, or give up. That mean, either we, as a united front, be that wall that want a just democracy or perish from this democracy by being rolled up in the dung ball that is pushed by the dung beetles. The choice is ours. Not me. Not you. All of us. I don’t know about you, but I don’t like the taste and smell of the dung ball. I don’t eat dung and I don’t like the beetles that roll it.

 

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20

Jan. ’19

Kiddie Korner

In this week’s blog there will be metaphors for a few things that is happening in politics. Some will agree with me and some will disagree, so be it. For a long time there have been a phrase uttered about the people in the White House (children’s zoo) that, if you metaphorically look at it, it is, some would say funny and, some would say true. Maybe it’s both, I have my own opinion about the entire thing. The way I will put this, it’ all like children playing or acting out.

The Speaker of The House told the President of The United States that he could not give the State of The Union address because of security concerns. Because of the government shut-down the usual security is too thin and what is left cannot protect all the important members of every branch of government that will all be in one place. The response is the Speaker of The House and her delegation cannot use a government plane for a trip. That is like two kids playing marbles and one kid gets mad and take the marbles and go home. Then, to get even, say ‘I’m gonna tell on you’. The President spilled the classified travel details before anyone could take another plane.

Then there is “whack-a-mole”. No one have contact with the special prosecutor. No one either speak with him, know where he is or where he is going or what he is going to do. The media and the administration are so used to knowing everything about everyone, to be able to whack them down if they seem to get to high, that the prosecutor perplexes them. They keep trying to out think him and his team just to find out they are wrong.

Then there is the game I played when I was in school. The teacher would whisper something in the first student’s ear. By the time it gets to the last student, what the teacher whispered is completely different. That is similar to what the President and his lawyer is doing, or it seems so. Something would be released to the media and almost immediately the President, his lawyer, and his administration will put their spin on it. How can such rubbish be believed when there is proof to the contrary?

Have you ever asked your child if they have completed a task and later see them hurrying to complete it before you find out they didn’t? The President just made an appearance at a combat zone base because there has been criticism for not doing it. Some military people have done three or more tours in combat zones with the Commander in Chief making one in two years (bone spurs?).

There is more, however, but I will leave it here, I don’t want to madden people more than they are already. I know I anger people because I speak badly about the President and the no experience administration, but I don’t care because everyone has their own opinion, and this is mine. And, I wrote no experience administration because most people hired by the President are hired because they agree with him not because they are experts, they are not.

Anyway, have fun in the ‘kiddie korner’ and keep your fingers crossed that things will eventually straighten itself out and get back to an even keel. Any writing suggestions, contact me. Don’t forget to read my other blog at www.faithingodministries.net and pass it and this on. I need many more viewers to continue writing the blogs, they cost too much for the number of readers that I have.

 

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24

May. ’15

Retirement And More

Nachi-No-Taki Falls, Japan

It’s been two weeks since my last “Retirement” blog and I have decided to write this every two weeks. During the off week I will do the “Faith In God Ministries” blog (faithingodministries.net or find it on my facebook page). I’ll do it this way because I am very short on time but I also want to keep doing the blogs. So far, I have found this to be the only solution and if anyone have a better solution, let me know.

Now that it is warm and getting warmer, Imperial Plaza is going to more interesting places. We have just come from Yorktown, Va. (history buffs can look the place up) and will be going to Virginia Beach, Va. for some salt water fishing off the coast. I have fished where they are going many times and nice sized Black Bass are really plentiful this time of year. If the boat captain goes to where the ship wrecks are, there should be a lot of other fish also. This coming Wednesday is a two day trip to the casino at Charlestown, WV. Of course us ROMEO (retired old men eating out) guys have found more interesting restaurants. We have been to the Marine Museum at Quantico, the White House and a few other places. It is restful and a lot of fun when someone else is driving and the cost is low. Retirement is wonderful.

When I was younger I never thought about when I would get older and retire nor what it would be like. It was as if I would never get older or retire. My mind was never thinking that far ahead. Sure, I heard all about saving for retirement and all the other commercials that came with that but it still was something far off into the future, not right around the corner. Well, it’s here and have been for a few years now (boy, time flies) and I want to enjoy every minute of it because tomorrow is not promised. I could run into a bad cop or just keel over, who knows? I made it this far and want to enjoy what is left before it is too late.

Richmond is getting ready for the bicycle races that will be here in September. There will be participants and observers from all over the world. It will also be televised and I plan on watching from the sidelines. I will probably get a better view on TV because it will be covering many miles, through many sections of the city. I want to be in that circle for the time trials and whatever else that happens there. This is a once in a lifetime event because it may not be here next year or again during my lifetime. I love riding my bike so I’ll ride my bike to the races to avoid traffic and parking but I am not the person for competition nor am I young enough. I leave that to the younger guys and gals.

Before I close I just want to say that I want you to enjoy life and, when you decide to retire, enjoy it even more. There are many things out there and all you have to do is get out and find it. There are so many things geared toward people that are retired, even the handicapped. There is no excuse not to enjoy the things that are there. Life is short, enjoy it now.

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18

Apr. ’15

Time For Everything

Finally started riding my bike and I found out, quickly, that I am a little out of shape. It won’t take long to get my body back into shape which will mean I can then explore further out and be out a much longer time, like I used to. It feels so good to be out early in the morning, before a lot of traffic and when it is cooler. I also love to ride until I sweat because I believe it releases a lot of toxins that is in the body. Sweat is good but I must have time to wash the funk away. LOL It also provides a peaceful solitude for thinking.

Now that I am a Deacon, I must have my mind in the right place and think about what is coming up. I must pray and prepare. I believe and have witnessed going from not having any idea about what direction I was going in or what to say to having a revelation that is clear as a bell. Sometimes it is well in advance and at times it is at the last minute. I just let God and God has never let me down yet and never will. That is where bike riding come into the picture. Solitude, peacefulness, exercise and release of toxins gives me insight into what I must do. It also gives me energy to do the multitude of things that is on my plate. I have to take things slower than when I was younger because at my age I must remember that my body tire easier.

Lately the weather have been mostly good and I even had the opportunity to have my car washed. I needed an interior cleaning more than anything else because I am lazy. The exterior is getting more pollen than dirt but the frequent showers we are getting help wash off the car occasionally. Now those little green worms are dangling from their web cords everywhere. It’s just starting and, in a few days, they will be everywhere. I will then have a use for them.

The other day I received in the mail order I made the other night. I now have a Venus Fly Trap. I sat it up and will have to wait a few days for the plants to take hold of it surroundings. When the rest of the pods (I think that is what the little mouths are called) open I will feed it a worm or two. The instructions say it only eats one bug once a week per plant. I have two therefore I won’t hurt the worm population at all. The instruction paper say the plant doesn’t have to eat, it will just be smaller. There are a lot of plants in the apartment and that takes a bit of caring also. Then I have my fish tank.

I must mention that my wife and I went on the Imperial Plaza bus trip to tour the White House and then ate at a fine restaurant across the street from the White House. The President’s motorcade turned the corner, heading back to the White House, while we were waiting for our bus. We didn’t see the helicopter but heard the one man helicopter that landed on the Capitol lawn. What a trip we had and a trip to the Pentagon is being planned. Imperial Plaza always have good trips like ROMEO (check previous blogs to see what that stand for) trips once a month.

Next week the blog will have more things that I hope is interesting for all to read. I should have some stuff concerning what is going on with Imperial Plaza (oh, I forget, Brookdale’s Imperial Plaza). So until the next time take care, be good, stay safe and God bless you all.

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