Month: December 2018

On December 15, 1958, a marriage was performed at the Dolley Madison House in Washington, D. C.  American industry and American science became wedded, and  American space exploration, with a manned moon mission as its goal, would be the fruit of their union.  The United States government performed the service.  21 years later, Neil Armstrong was on the moon.

Inspired by seeing an absolutely marvelous movie, “First Man”, I’ve been reading up on space exploration.  Andrew Chaikin’s “A Man on the Moon”  is the definitive work.  I’m also reading William E. Burrows’ “This New Ocean”, which goes back to Goddard and the other early pioneers.

Werner von Braun was 19 when her started working seriously as a rocket scientist in Germany.  That was in 1931.  In 1945 he was one of the great prizes of war.  Like any sane person, he much preferred America to the Soviet Union, so we got him.

He was a genius, and by 1958 he and his comrades had figured out how to build a rocket to get us to the moon.  It would be called a Saturn, and it was the rocket that took Armstrong.

The meeting, or wedding,  where American industry and science agreed to go to the moon was attended by representatives of eleven major corporations, and by the Space Task Group, from Langley Research Center.

At this meeting von Braun, along with colleagues Ernst Stuhlinger and Heinz Koelle, described how we would get to the moon. Step by step.  And he had the rocket to do it.

Too bad a tape of that presentation wasn’t made.  They could call it the Werner, Ernst und Heinz Show.

Only in America.

 

As sundry Democrats maneuver to prepare a run for the Presidency, there is one issue not being discussed:  globalism.  Maybe that’s because it was a part of the Obama agenda that failed, miserably.

In fact, foreign policy in general just doesn’t seem to concern people.  Yeah, we’re supposed to get all fired up because the Saudis kill people.  The Israelis have been doing it for generations, back to the founding of the Jewish state.  Former Prime Minister Menachem Begin once led a terrorist group called Irgun.  We’re not going to hold the Saudis to a higher standard than Israel.

Putin’s a bad actor, but do the Democrats propose to be tougher on him than Trump?  That doesn’t win any votes.  And as far as China goes, the Democrats have got nothing to say.  Trump is doing what his predecessors wouldn’t, and it’s something most Americans know has to be done.  And is any Democrat going to bring up Obama’s stupid Iran deal?  I don’t think so.

Looking to 2020, I see nothing but roses for Trump in foreign policy.  Normally, in times of peace, foreign affairs don’t matter in Presidential elections.  But if he gets more trade victories, especially one with China, he will motivate and expand his base.  And possibly give him the margin of victory he needs in PA, MI and WI.

It’s starting to dawn on people that Trump is favored for reelection.  At this stage of the game polls don’t mean a lot.  But peace, prosperity and controlling the borders should get Trump another term.

Lord, how Trump is blessed by his opponents.  Without a presidential candidate, Nancy “Moonbeam” Pelosi will be the leader of the Democratic party for the next eighteen months.  That’s why he wanted her in the Speakership  —  she’s the perfect foil.

Don’t pay any attention to the news.   Trump’s winning.

Since 2014 there have been enough state legislatures under Republican control that getting the 34 needed for Article V was possible.  That ended in November, and that unusual alignment of forces may not come back.  Until it does, Article V is a dead Roman numeral.

Today’s Democratic party doesn’t believe in federalism, which is what Article V is all about.  They don’t really like local control.  Hell, they don’t like the Constitution.  Until that changes, Democrats will never support Article V.

The period between 2014 and 2018, with such Republican dominance, was very odd, and I doubt we’ll see it again.  So I’ve wasted the last five years of my life.  My colleague, Bill Fruth, is angry that we never got any help.  We were never able to convince people it was possible.  It sure wasn’t possible without money, as we learned.  Maybe it wasn’t possible at all.

I spent 27 years in Alaska, trying to get a shot at a U. S. Senate seat that never came.  Now the last five years on Article V.  From now on I’ll just be a scribbler.

Since they’re too lazy to do any actual reporting, the entire media is agog with investigations and prosecutions.  None of it means anything.  The House voting to impeach Trump would mean nothing.  It’s all a big Kabuki, designed for viewers and clicks.

The forces arrayed against President Trump would overwhelm a lesser man.  But Trump is made of sterner stuff, and nothing will break him.  He knows if he succeeds, he’ll be one of the great Presidents in American history.  So he won’t quit.

Because they can’t kill him, they’ll only make him stronger.

 

At this point, the fact that Trump once consorted with some whores is a ho-hummer.  It doesn’t register.  As President, he’s being judged amorally.  We don’t want our sons to grow up to be like Trump.  We just like the job he’s doing,

Trump’s first two years have been absolutely brilliant.  He’s doing things no one else could have done.  America is coming back, and it’s largely due to him.

These investigations are going to back fire as they proliferate.  People are tuning it out.  It’s all just noise.  Meanwhile, Trump is the hardest working man in Washington.

A Convention of States was held in Phoenix in 2017.  It was the first such gathering since the Nashville Convention of 1850.  Eighteen states sent fully accredited commissioners, appointed jointly by their legislative leadership, and three additional states were represented.

82 delegates from the eighteen states met, in full session and in committees, over three hot September days.  Rep. Kelly Townsend of Arizona was elected chair.  A set of rules was adopted, and recommended to any future Convention.  A committee for communication was established, and the Convention adjourned.

I was there, representing the Alaska State Senate.  While the accomplishment of the Phoenix Convention was only procedural, it was counted a great success by all who attended.  While the scope of the Convention was limited to procedure, there is no reason a second such Convention cannot deal with substance.

The question at hand is what, if anything, do the state legislators of this country want to do with their Article V power?

Whatever they propose, it must be bipartisan.  Article V isn’t designed to work except as a bipartisan mechanism.

There are five blue states, including California, that have recently passed Article V Resolutions.  It’s possible some of these states would be interested in meeting their Republican counterparts to discuss Article V.  There may be common ground, such as term limits on Supreme Court Justices.

The Phoenix delegates, if I read them correctly, would be glad to go to another, more substantive, Convention.  I hope they get the chance.