This is Viewpoints for Monday, August 28, 2017

Bannon’s legacy

I put in my search engine, “Steve Bannon biography.” What came up on Wikipedia frightens me very much and I would never want him close to a U.S. president or anyone. I believe every American who can read should read this biography. The sooner Donald Trump resigns or is impeached, the better.

Head to the library

The people who feel that their history is being “erased” by the removal of some Confederate statue should realize there are still books available.

Geopolitics

The ignorance and megalomaniac bombast of Donald Trump has weakened the American position regarding North Korea and played into the hands of our foes. It takes only common sense to identify his foolishness.

First, the threat of nuclear weapons is ridiculous. Trump has, however, strongly implied them and many of the Merry Trumpsters have been explicitly pushing for their use. Apparently the refurbishing of the White House has resulted in the trashing of all maps. Nuclear weapons used in North Korea would certainly cause radiation, and possibly physical damage, to spread into South Korea, a staunch American ally and trade partner, and to China, a major rival and larger trade partner of the U.S.

Whatever one thinks of North Korean military power, China has enormous and credible force and is unlikely to sit quietly by while its citizens suffer due to an American military action. Both of these countries will also face hordes of refugees, many suffering radiation sickness. Further, unless they are lucky about wind direction, both Russia, another powerful rival, and Japan, another good friend will also be at risk. Every American ally will begin to wonder if the next reckless action by Washington will result in it facing collateral damage. At the least, enormous compensation will be required.

Unfortunately Trump doesn’t seem to be learning, so we have three and a half more years to lose international standing and respect, if not to face the horrors of nuclear war.

Repent

I have been closely following with amusement and sadness what has been happening in this country. My amusement is caused by the ridiculous rhetoric of many people, groups, the media and leaders of this country. My sadness is caused by the divisiveness of all parties concerned and what the final result will be. Disaster can be the only outcome, but needn’t be.

I have written several letters in the past suggesting that our immoral lifestyles and federal laws will be our downfall if, as a country and people, we do not return to the truth and renounce our secular, God hating ways. I don’t wish to be a prude or doomsayer, but I see, as well as do many others, the path we are on is not good. It is a path to perdition.

God created us all. He loves us and desires all men to be saved, even Hitler loving types. As Christians must lead, we must pray for ourselves, because we are not faultless. We sin and do not take action for good.

We must pray especially for those who do not recognize God’s love nor follow his ways. The only way to avoid the coming disaster is for all to be converted. I know this will not happen because free will supersedes. But, we must try. We must set the example through our actions for others to see and let God’s graces prevail. This is the only solution, all others are but straw.

Busy schedule

Now that the GOP in Congress has wasted all its time trying to repeal Obamacare they will come back and have only 12 legislative days to raise our debt ceiling by Sept. 29 and pass a budget a day later. They are not going to be able to do both without Democratic support. Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer will finally see bipartisan support and actual compromises with the GOP in Congress.

So we shall see bipartisan support at last for both measures in order to be able to continue paying our military members and Social Security recipients and allowing our Treasury to continue borrowing. To not do so would cause another government shutdown and economies all over the world will go crazy.

Tax reform and infrastructure bills will not likely see passage for a long time. And our president is still obsessed with the abolition of Obamacare and extolling lies about his non-existent accomplishments to make us great again which are farces. His massive ego has led to chaos in our White House.

Trump’s disdain for President Obama has caused chaos in his administration and anarchy in Congress and very few legislative achievements. Yet his maniacal ego is destructive to our great nation and produced scorn in our foreign leaders who don’t trust him.

Close the spigot

The PLO became the first terrorist organization to have a seat at the United Nation and diplomatic representation in a Western country. Why not ask every European leader “How they can finance in the Middle East what they claim to reject with horror in Europe?”

On July 21, a Palestinian stabbed to death a Jewish grandfather, two of his children, and seriously injured the grandmother. Thousands of Palestinian Arabs joyfully celebrated the event. Some handed out candy. The murderer was praised by both the Palestinian Authority and Hamas. If he had been shot dead, he would have become an instant martyr of Islam and a street in Ramallah would have a new name. His picture would have been posted in the territories occupied by the Palestinian Authority and Hamas, and his family would be rewarded with a high “salary” for life.

We know where the money is coming from. Why hasn’t Congress closed the spigot?

Free speech

The “politically correct” are back at it. They want freedom of speech but only for them, if you agree with what they say. You have freedom to march, only if you are marching for their causes. They don’t believe in hate speech unless they are shouting at people who don’t agree with them. Now they want to take down all the Confederate statutes. The Yankees are once again trying to invade the South. They are rewriting the cause of the Civil War.

It is time for all to agree, the statues of the Confederacy are for the memory of men who died fighting for their homes. Yes they did have slavery in the South. Let’s worry about hunger, poverty, lack of jobs, poor health care instead, enemies with nuclear bombs. Why stir up more hate by getting rid of statues of the great-great grandparents of the people of the South.

This story was originally published August 27, 2017 at 9:00 PM with the headline "This is Viewpoints for Monday, August 28, 2017."