Category: Uncategorized

You all know Bob Woodward, the journalist who became famous for uncovering the “Watergate” scandal that led to the resignation of President Nixon.

Do you remember reading Woodward’s column in July 2023 in the Washington Post about the mental decline of President Biden? At a fundraising event Biden “never completed a sentence. He told the same story three times in exactly the same way and it meandered… He was just rambling and talking as to what came into his head.” Woodward included several other similar quotes by people close to Biden.

How did President Biden survive such an embarrassing column and go through the Democratic primaries with no prominent opponents? Why didn’t VP Harris jump into the race? And Governor Newsom, and even Gov. Walz?

Well, the reason is that Bob Woodward, the hotshot journalist, sat on this “Breaking News.” He never wrote about it in the newspaper. He kept it secret for 16 months so he could include it in a book he just released.

Thanks to Woodward’s lack of journalistic ethics, Joe Biden is still President. VP Harris is struggling in her three months as a candidate because she had no challenges to sharpen her politicking skills. It would be like an NFL team being selected to play in the Super Bowl after playing no games, NONE, during the season. In that scenario, even the Cleveland Browns could beat them 70-0.

Regardless, the Harris-Trump race is a dead heat, 50-50. Most political commentators think Pennsylvania is the key to victory. Candidate Harris discovered that natural gas is a major source of wealth to Pennsylvanians. (PA along with Ohio and West Virginia accounts for more than a third of this country’s natural gas supply.) So, she altered her total ban on hydraulic fracturing. She now says fracking is fine in Pennsylvania because a survey showed that more than 75% of voters there believe natural-gas drilling is important to the economy and do not want to pay an extra $100 a month for gas and electricity. For voters in the other 49 states, she wants you to know she is still against fracking.

Speaking of voters, the Biden Justice Department is forcing Virginia to allow non-citizens to vote. Is that in the Constitution? Is it a threat to democracy?

Trump and Harris are calling each other hateful names. You’ve heard them over and over so I don’t need to repeat them all. “Crazy” and “misguided” are two of the milder insults. One candidate was president for 4 years so we know his policies pretty well. The other candidate is President Biden’s VP and she says she agrees with him on all important decisions made since January 2021. The clear differences make you wonder how any legitimate voter could be undecided.

The World Series started and the LA Dodgers won the first two games over the NY Yankees. If it goes seven games, it will conflict with plenty of political speeches. As Will Rogers wrote in 1928, “My idea of the height of conceit would be a political speaker that would go on the air when that World Series is on.”

Historic quotes by Will Rogers:

     “There should be a moratorium called on candidates’ speeches. They have both called each other everything in the world they can think of. From now on they are just talking themselves out of votes. (They are) saying things that if they were in their right minds they wouldn’t think of saying.” DT #1948, Nov. 1, 1932

    “When you straddle a thing it takes a long time to explain it.” Convention Articles, June 29, 1924

Note: I’ll be in Claremore, Oklahoma next weekend for Will Rogers Days, celebrating his birthday, #145. Will was born on Nov. 4, 1879.

Candidate Kamala Harris was interviewed Wednesday by Bret Baier on Fox News. Here is a link to the interview: https://www.foxnews.com/video/6363303582112. I encourage you to watch it.

In the interview, she responded to questions about immigration, trans-gender surgery, the economy, and inflation.

Do you wish she had given short, clear, honest answers? Well, you’re in luck! Here are a few of the questions Mr. Baier asked (paraphrased and shortened), and answers VP Harris might have said.

Bret Baier: How many illegal immigrants have you allowed into the country since January 2021?

VP Kamala Harris: About 10 million.

BB: Do you regret canceling Trump’s executive orders that would have required most of these 10 million to stay in Mexico until approved for asylum?

KH: No, we wanted them all here. The more the merrier. And the very first bill we submitted to Congress would have given immediate citizenship to almost all of the aliens already here.

BB: Do you regret that Laken Reilly and others were killed by immigrants that your administration released, and do you owe their families an apology?

KH: Of course, I feel sad for those families. But when you allow millions of immigrants into the country without proper vetting, you’re bound to get a few murderers, gang members and thieves.

BB: Why do the Border Patrol Agents support Trump instead of you?

KH: Probably because I want them to happily welcome immigrants as they cross the border. I insist they take good care of them, give them water, food that matches their culture, and put them on a bus or airplane to get them to a city or town of their choice.

BB: Do you still support taxpayer funded trans-gender surgery for illegal immigrant men in prison who want to become women?

KH: Yes.

BB: Why do more people support Trump on the economy than you?

KH: Well, when you honestly look at the economy under Trump before Covid, and compare it to the economy after Joe and I took office, who can blame them? We added trillions in Federal debt and accumulated 20% inflation, mainly with two bills that passed thanks to my tie-breaking votes in the Senate.

BB: Your campaign theme is ‘Turn the page.’ You’ve been VP since January 2021. What are you ‘turning the page’ from?

KH: I’ve said repeatedly that there were no actions that Biden took that I would change. I’m not Joe Biden. I’m not a Washington politician. My presidency will be based on my values. And my values are rooted in San Francisco, California.

BB: Almost 80% of Americans say the country is ‘on the wrong track.’ You’ve been in office three and a half years.

KH: A long time ago I think Will Rogers said that even if you’re on the right track, if you’re just sitting still, you’ll get run over. Well, we are NOT sitting still.

BB: You spent 90 minutes with Trump on the debate stage. You concluded that Trump is mentally unstable. You have been with President Biden at least once a week. When did you first notice that President Biden’s mental faculties appeared diminished?

KH: About two years ago.

BB: (Note: he didn’t ask this but could have) We invited you on Fox News so you could elaborate on your policies, your plans, your goals for the country. Instead, you mentioned Donald Trump 21 times and said very little about yourself.

KH: Well, since your viewers know very little about Donald Trump, I felt compelled to inform them using the majority of the 20 minutes I could spare for this interview.  On my website, KamalaHarris.com, I have summarized my policies, plans and goals clearly and precisely in a document that is only 80 pages of fine print. I hope your 8 million viewers will devote at least 6 or 7 hours, uninterrupted, to read and understand what I was determined to avoid saying tonight.

Historic quote by Will Rogers:

“Every gag I tell must be based on truth. No matter how much I may exaggerate it, it must have a certain amount of truth.” WA #65, March 9, 1924

Columbus: Two hurricanes hit Florida in two weeks. Those of us with no direct experience with a hurricane usually think of it as extremely forceful winds. The worst effects of Hurricane Helene, in destruction and loss of over 200 lives, were the result of 20 to 30 inches of rain 500 miles from the coast. And Milton caused tornadoes that killed at least 17 in Florida.

Millions of victims in Florida and other Southeast states are suffering without electricity, clean water, infrastructure, and other basic necessities.

You can decide whether global warming has made hurricanes worse. A group of scientists concluded that both hurricanes in the Gulf of Mexico were 30% worse because the global temperature has risen 2.3 degrees Fahrenheit since the Year 1750. They seem to suggest we return to the Pre-Industrial Age, before we had any machinery or other technology powered by fossil fuels, including electricity. Back then the world population was less than 800 million, about one-tenth the population today.

Here are a couple of questions to ponder. Did increasing the population to 8 Billion cause global warming? Did industrialization, powered mainly by coal, oil and natural gas, result in rapid population growth? If the rest of the world followed our lead in reducing “global warming emissions” would that cool the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean, and reduce our destructive hurricanes?

I read another science article that says we should expect to cool off with another “Ice Age.” But we’ll have to hang around for 100,000 years to see it.

Tomorrow, we celebrate Columbus Day, which used to be on October 12. Based on the quote below, Will Rogers (one-quarter Cherokee) would applaud the decision to also make it Indigenous Peoples’ Day.

Historic quote by Will Rogers:

      “Christopher (Columbus) was just a victim of not knowing what was going to happen to him next. Somebody would have found America though, even if he hadn’t, for you couldn’t hardly get around without running into it. Why they didn’t find it sooner is more than I will ever know. Being an Indian, I don’t mind telling you personally I am sorry he ever found it. The discovery has been of no material benefit to us, outside of losing all the land. And I am proud to say that I have never yet seen a Statue in Oklahoma to him. He wasn’t so much of a discoverer as he was just restless and couldn’t stay in one place.” WA #190, Aug. 1, 1926

The loss of lives and property from Hurricane Helene keep adding up. This hurricane may end up more horrendous than Katrina in 2005.

An outstanding farmer I know in Hickory, North Carolina, immediately rounded up a few friends and began using their drones to airlift supplies, up to 5 miles, to families in the mountains who were cut off. All they needed was an address. Others are bringing them trailer loads of equipment, water, food, generators and other necessary items, often from hundreds of miles away. Of course, charities such as Red Cross, Samaritan’s Purse, UMCOR, and others quickly geared up to help in all the states hit by flooding. The Federal government is providing help through FEMA and our military.

The union representing Longshoremen along the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts agreed to a temporary 3-month delay in their strike. They will get a big raise in hourly wages to help offset the high inflation of recent years. But they are determined to stop automation from taking their jobs on the docks. Our ports are already far behind others around the world in efficiency, so automation and other technology advancements are inevitable.

Can you imagine if our farmers had resisted new technology and automation for the last 50 years? Yes, there would be 3 or 4 times as many people working on farms, earning a wage. But our food would more than double in cost. If fact, more of our food would be grown in other countries by farmers using the latest technology. Interestingly, that would provide more work for Longshoremen handling imports. However, our exports of corn, soybeans, wheat, cotton, almonds, meat and most other agriculture products would dwindle because other countries would out compete us.

A few readers have replied than I have included more negative comments about Kamala Harris than about Donald Trump. To balance the discussion, I am hereby including quotes by Democrats trashing Trump.

Just like you, I’ve seen plenty on social media and television. Here are a few: “Donny Boy has his own special language: demented word salad gibberish.”  “It’s almost impossible to believe he actually exists.” “Trump needs to be extinguished.” “Corrupt and corrupting orange clown.” “Trump is an existential threat to democracy.” “Trump peddles in anti-Semitic stereotypes and fuels Islamophobia.” “What a f**king a**hole the guy is.”

Historic quotes by Will Rogers:

       “Some people spend a lifetime juggling with words, with not an idea in a carload.” DT #2061, March 13, 1933

       “No man is great if he thinks he is.” DT #810, March 1, 1929

      “This country is a thousand times bigger than any two men in it, or any two parties in it. These big politicians are so serious about themselves and their parties. This country has gotten where it is in spite of politics, not by the aid of it. That we have carried as much political bunk as we have and still survived shows we are a super nation.”  DT #1948, Nov. 1, 1932

Note: I switched parties on this quote because Republicans were in charge in 1932, and Democrats are today. “[Republicans] are attacking and the [Democrats] are defending. All the [Republicans] have to do is promise ‘what they would do if they got in.’ But the [Democrats] have to promise ‘what they would do’ and then explain why they haven’t already done it.” DT #1917, Sept. 26, 1932

If I told you there are 28,000 convicted murderers and rapists roaming freely around the country, you would be alarmed and demand, “Who are the idiots who opened the prisons?”

Well, it’s not open prisons. It’s open borders. And we know who opened the borders. These 28,000 are among the 400,000 illegal immigrants who are convicted or charged with severe crimes according to a report from ICE (U.S Immigration and Customs Enforcement).

So, where are these criminal immigrants? Most are in sanctuary cities and states where local authorities are forbidden to arrest and turn them over to ICE. You will recall that VP Kamala Harris, the Border Czar, has been prominent in her support for illegal immigrants, including comparing ICE to the hated KKK. She has opposed detaining and deporting any illegal immigrants.

However, on Friday, Kamala Harris walked along the border wall in Cochise County, Arizona. (The same wall she opposed as a Senator; built during the Trump Administration). This was the first time she had been to the actual border. (Yes, she visited El Paso in June 2021, but stayed 8 miles away from the border.)

There are two questions candidate Harris needs to answer: “Have you completely changed your position on illegal immigration from 5 years ago?” “And, if so, why didn’t you insist that President Biden adopt your plan in January 2021?”

The only remaining debate will be Tuesday night (Oct. 1). This will be between the VP candidates, JD Vance and Tim Walz. Do you think we’ll learn anything new about their views or the policies of Trump and Harris?

I hope the Moderators ask a series of questions, such as, “If you are the ‘last person in the room’ with the President, what would be your advice on solving or minimizing international conflicts involving… Iran financing terror against Israel? Putin’s war against Ukraine? China’s threat to Taiwan and the Philippines? Mexican cartels controlling our southern border?

Hurricane Helene struck the Gulf Coast of Florida with a storm surge that flooded or destroyed structures up to 10 feet above sea level. The devastation continued across much of the Southeast with record rainfall. Ashville, North Carolina and other areas in the Smoky Mountains on both sides of the Tennessee border are especially hurting. Almost a hundred have lost their lives. The Red Cross and other supporting groups can use our help.

Last week I mentioned our farmers who are being hurt by drought. Now, the farmers in our Southeast states are losing crops to flooding and wind. For example, peanuts and cotton were ready for harvest. Peach and pecan trees were uprooted. The financial pain for the farmers and their communities will be much worse than us perhaps missing out on peanut butter fudge or peach cobbler.

Historic quotes by Will Rogers:

      “You know the more you read and observe about this Politics thing, you got to admit that each party is worse than the other.” WA #3, Dec. 31, 1922

     “People are marvelous in their generosity if they just know the cause is there.” DT #1523, June 10, 1931

Columbus: If you ever doubted the expertise and creativity of the engineers and scientists in Israel, they just removed all doubt.

The Hezbollah terrorists in Lebanon were warned by their funders (bosses) in Iran that cell phones could be used to track individuals. So, they decided to communicate by old-fashioned pagers and walkie-talkies instead. On Tuesday, thousands of the pagers blew up simultaneously as the terrorists “answered” their pagers. Wow!

The Hezbollah murderers who survived, switched to walkie-talkies. On Wednesday, on cue, the walkie-talkies blew up.

Now Israel has the attention of Iran and all of their puppets in Gaza, Yemen, and especially in Qatar. The top Hamas leaders are living in luxury in Qatar. Do you suppose they might be afraid to answer or even be within ten yards of their phones? Or open an email on their laptop computer?

Pretty soon, the Hezbollah in Lebanon, Houthi Islamists in Yemen, and Hamas in Gaza will be communicating with smoke signals.

Candidate Kamala Harris keeps letting us down. Ever since she became the choice of the Democrats to run for President, many folks (but definitely not all) have been asking her to clearly state her policies. For example, she has been asked, “What will you do to bring down prices which have gone up 20% since you and President Biden were elected?” Her answer, “So, I grew up in a middle-class home in a neighborhood where everyone was proud of their lawns.”

VP Harris refuses to explain why she changed her mind on “fracking.” Her response should be, “I’ve learned in the last few months that hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling are essential and safe technologies. Without them the price of natural gas and oil would likely triple. And oil and gas are essential fuel supplies for electricity and our trucks and automobiles, and manufacturing and farming. We like solar and wind, but it will be many decades before our country can thrive without depending on our abundant supply of natural gas and crude oil.”

Rather than speaking like a serious candidate for President, she sounds more like a failed motivational speaker. I won’t put quotes on this but you have heard her say things like: Americans are optimistic because our values are based on principles and the children of the community are the children of the community and will be future voters in the future.

Forget politics for a moment. Severe drought is hurting the southern half of Ohio and the whole state of West Virginia. We’re accustomed to hearing about drought in the Great Plains and Southwest. But for this area (and probably others I’m not familiar with) the lack of rainfall this summer is the worst in almost a hundred years. Corn and soybean crops are maturing early and yielding less. Farmers with cattle and sheep have hauled water and fed bales of hay since July because pastures, creeks, and ponds have dried up.

The Federal Reserve Board met and lowered interest rates by half a percent. This was the first reduction in four years. The reduction was somewhat of a surprise. The Board usually avoids changing interest rates a few weeks before an election. Wall Street liked the reduction. Mortgage rates may decrease.

Economists don’t agree on which candidate or political party will benefit. Some economists say the Federal Reserve Board should be dissolved. And Will Rogers agrees, “There is two things that can disrupt business in this country. One is war and the other is a meeting of the Federal Reserve (Board).” (DT #837, April 2, 1929)

Historic quote by Will Rogers:

     “Of all the dumb issues that candidates bring up to try and influence people how to vote, I think ‘prosperity’ takes the cake. How a speaker can convince a man that he is prosperous when he is broke or that he is not prosperous when he is doing well is beyond me.” DT #704, Oct. 29, 1928

Oh my. For the second time, a man has attempted to kill President Trump. The critical difference between the July 13 attempt and today is that today the Secret Service shot first! They didn’t wait until the shooter fired at Trump.

Thanks to a quick-thinking citizen taking a photo, the assassin and his vehicle were quickly located as he tried to escape on I-95. I won’t name him, but the would-be assassin is in custody.

Did you watch the debate Tuesday night? Supporters of Democrat Harris bragged that she won. Republican Trump announced that he won. The loser appears to be ABC. You may disagree, but most viewers noticed that David Muir and Lindsey Davis were quick to question statements by Trump, but not once did they attempt to correct Harris. They often let Harris ignore the question and respond with a well-rehearsed 2-minute “answer.”

The most glaring omission from the debate was clear statements by Harris about her policies related to illegal immigration, hydraulic fracturing of gas and oil wells, late term abortion, biological males in female sports, and crime in cities. She did not clearly say where she disagreed with policies and actions by the Biden-Harris administration or whether she regrets any tie-breaking votes as VP.

Trump rambled and was often distracted by baiting by Harris. Most people know where Trump stands because he was President and has been interviewed frequently during the campaign.

Harris asked for another debate, obviously forgetting that she earlier turned down a plan for three debates. If no more debates, she needs to accept more interviews with a variety of journalists. We know she has style; but to make an informed vote, we need more substance.

Unfortunately, as a result of a Trump comment, Springfield, Ohio has received a lot of negative publicity. This small city of about 50,000 in a rural county is only 40 miles west of me. Several years ago, Springfield welcomed a few hundred immigrants from Haiti, perhaps the poorest country in the world. They were treated so well, their Haitian friends and family decided to move to Springfield. Over a few years, that added up to several thousand.

You may say, Florida has welcomed over 500,000 Haitians (mostly in Miami), so why can’t Springfield, Ohio welcome 15,000 to 20,000? Good question. Miami-Dade County has over a million residents of Cuban heritage. Adding thousands of Spanish-speaking Haitians is not a problem for them.

So, the next time you see a meme or cartoon about dogs and cats being eaten in Springfield, just laugh. Most of us in Ohio, including Haitians, prefer beef, chicken and pork.

Have you seen the Reagan movie? You may be surprised it was filmed mostly in Oklahoma in 2020. I had not gone to a movie theater for several years. I learned you should not go in hungry; popcorn and a drink cost more than the ticket. Almost everyone (98%) who have watched the movie liked it.

Oddly, only 20% of movie critics like it. That reminded me of a comment by Will Rogers about critics in 1923, “Their contribution to the success of most theaters is in about the same ratio that a fire would be.” (WA #8, Feb. 4, 1923)

Historic quote by Will Rogers:

“Now the rules of the Debate are as follows: the first half of the debate is to settle on what the Issues are that we are to debate on, and the last half of the Debate is just to Debate on ‘em. In case there is No Issues, like it would be if you was debating with some Democrat, why then of course there would be no use holding the last half.” Life magazine, Aug. 9, 1928

Randall Reeder
614-477-0439

Columbus: The big political event this week is the second Presidential Debate. Yes, it’s the first for Kamala Harris, but the second for Donald Trump in 2024.

For Democrat Harris this is a “coming out party.” This debate will be her first opportunity to answer random questions without notes or a teleprompter on live TV. If you’re a member of a Toastmasters Club you know this is something we do every meeting, without the TV. And the more you do it, the better you get at impromptu speaking.

For Republican Trump, one challenge will be to rein in his tendency to ramble in answering questions. Unlike VP Harris, he has done several presidential debates. He has an opportunity, like a football player, to review the videotapes and see where he had a good response and where he failed.

You probably know that this election boils down to a half dozen states, led by Pennsylvania. Even in those states where the race is tight, about 90% of voters have already decided how they intend to vote. Oddly, while millions will tune in Tuesday night, the two candidates will aim their comments at a few thousand undecided voters in each of those states. For example, with Pennsylvania in mind, I hope the Moderators ask VP Harris, “What is fracking, and are you for it or against it?” A great follow-up question would be, “What is your policy on horizontal drilling?”

With North Carolina and Georgia in mind, the Moderators should ask Mr. Trump, “What is your policy on abortion? Please be specific.”

I hope both candidates are asked about the causes of inflation and what their economic policies would be to maintain it at about 2% per year.

On foreign policy, each candidate should explain their views on Ukraine, Hamas, Iran, and how to keep China from attacking Taiwan.

President Biden has kept pretty quiet lately. But his son Hunter finally decided that not paying over a million dollars in income taxes is a crime, so he pleaded guilty. I’ve heard that a friend recently paid the back taxes for Hunter. I wonder if President Biden feels that Hunter has paid his “fair share.”

On a different topic, as a retired faculty member of a prestigious university, it pains me to share the following information. The Brookings Institution surveyed “chief academic officers” and “business leaders,” asking a simple question: Are current college graduates ready for the workforce? In the opinion of the university administrators, 90% believe their graduates are ready to work.

Do business leaders agree? No way! Only 11% think new college grads are prepared to enter the workforce. (I’m guessing one of those “11%” is president of McDonald’s.)

That is a shocking discrepancy. Perhaps universities need to replace their current Deans with people with business experience. Hiring a CEO as a university president might help, too.

Enrollment at colleges and universities of all sizes is dropping. This survey helps explain why more high school graduates are bypassing college and going to a trade school.

Historic quotes by Will Rogers:

          “You can’t beat an Administration by attacking it. You have to show some plan of improving on it.” WA #101, Nov. 16, 1924

“The only salvation I can see for the young is to increase the college term to an additional four years…  You’ll say, ‘Well, what could they learn in another four years?’ Well, there must be some little something about making a living that they haven’t learned yet, and they could kind of work on that for the next four years.” Radio, June 2, 1935

As promised, I will summarize a wonderful month, including two conferences with professional speakers and three events for farmers.

A highlight was having Will Rogers honored as a Legend in Professional Speaking on Aug. 24. This was recognition for the real Will Rogers, although I had some fun pretending it was me. It was a “posthumous” award; I mis-read it as “post humorous.” The Will Rogers Memorial Museum, Claremore, Oklahoma, prepared a 6-minute video of Will for the occasion. His great-granddaughter, Jennifer Rogers Etcheverry, accepted the award, by video, on behalf of the family.

Will Rogers was honored as a Legend by the Veteran Speakers Network, along with four top professional speakers (who are very much alive) at their annual retreat at Herndon, Virginia. It’s a fun group who are mainly, shall we say, mature professional speakers. Eight former presidents of the National Speakers Association attended, plus several who have received the top honors from NSA.

The month began with the annual conference (called Influence) of the National Speakers Association, in Denver, Colorado. Plenty of educational sessions to help us become better presenters for the meetings business. Topics included storytelling to add impact, audience involvement, and of course, AI.

For me, a highlight was taking an official photograph of the “Tall Women Speakers.” I was asked to take their photo in 1996, and I’ve only missed 4 or 5 years since. The only requirement is to be at least 6-ft tall, but most have outstanding speaking careers. We have had as many as 20 in the photo, with “no back row.” (In school, these gals were usually taller than their classmates and were stuck in the back row of group photos. They didn’t like it. So now they line up in one wide row.)

Shifting to my other life, in agriculture, I helped with three educational events focused on how to build soil health for improved production of corn and soybeans. These were spaced across Ohio and included hands-on experiences out in the field. Farmers learn about the value of adding organic matter to the soil (carbon from the air) and how to do it by skipping tillage and adding cover crops in the down time between cash crops. In addition, I attended a big event at the Ohio State Fair that named four outstanding individuals to the Ohio Ag Hall of Fame. One honoree was a colleague for many years, a pioneering no-till farmer, David Brandt, who died last year. Yes, I knew it was a posthumous recognition. In addition, I wrote two monthly columns, one for National No-till Farmer magazine and the other for Ohio’s Country Journal.

While in Colorado, I got to drive the winding road up the side of Cheyenne Mountain in Colorado Springs to see the “Will Rogers Shrine of the Sun.” It was constructed by Spencer Penrose, who earlier built the famous Broadmoor Hotel. It is a granite tower, 114 feet tall, overlooking the city. I climbed to the top. Oh, and I ate lunch with my oldest granddaughter. (She works remotely as a nutrition specialist for a hospital. Her husband is in the new U.S. Space Force.)

I’m not telling you all of this to brag. Rather to point out that an old retired agricultural engineer and a slowed down “Will Rogers” impersonator can still find plenty of useful pursuits. And I have a few more of those in September.

Historic quote by Will Rogers:

       “Tomorrow is Labor Day. I suppose set by act of Congress. Everything we do nowadays is either by or against acts of Congress. How Congress knew anything about labor is beyond us, but any how tomorrow is Labor Day.” DT #967, Sept. 1, 1929

Randall Reeder
614-477-0439

A few folks have referred to Kamala Harris as the backup Quarterback who comes into the game after the starter suffers too many blows to the head, his brain is addled and he is removed from the game. (Some say the last of those blows was from his own teammates.)

Now, if you are not into football, you may want to stop reading. However, this analogy shows what can happen if football gets politicized.

A young Kamala Harris became a football Referee in Berkeley, California. No one was sure about her qualifications, but she came highly recommended by the respected Willie Brown. Her time as a Referee produced some odd results. Often a major penalty, such as crushing the quarterback, was reduced to a 5-yard penalty instead of 15. Several lower-level infractions were not called at all. If a defensive tackle jumped offsides only a half a second early, she ignored it even if the quarterback got smashed to the ground and broke three ribs.

After a few years, she was promoted to be the Referee for the state of California. She called a few major penalties on drug criminals, but overall, she closed her eyes to more crimes than she penalized.

This is where it gets weird. Based on her performance as a Referee, she was drafted as a football quarterback and sent to Washington. Before reporting, she somehow made them change their name from the Redskins to something less distinctive. In those early years with the team, she was mainly known as a passer. Not an outstanding passer, but that was her reputation despite having more interceptions than scores.

Then she decided to go for it all; she wanted to be the starting quarterback! During the early months of practice, she flopped so badly that she was the 12^th rated QB and dropped out of the competition. But soon a miracle saved her career; based on an odd set of qualifications and statistics, she was named the backup QB. In that role, she was determined to become a prolific passer. Twice, with time running out in a tie game, she made passes that won the game for her starting QB, earning her team a bonus of about Four Trillion Dollars to spend, much of it frivolously. No one connected with her team seems to know where the money came from. But millions of fans of other teams across the country are convinced it came out of their pockets.

Despite those critical passes, this backup QB fell into disfavor. Too many fumbles. Many connected with the team urged the top executives to demote her and bring in another backup QB for the tough, demanding games near the end of the season. As you get close to the playoffs, you need a competent backup QB.

Then another miracle; among the available high-ranking quarterbacks, none wanted to join as No. 2. They all decided that 3 or 4 more years of experience with their own team would give them a better crack at jumping directly to be the No. 1 QB in Washington.

In a sudden shock, the starting QB suffered brain damage and was forced to leave the game. The failure had been gradual over a couple of years, but his team supported him, propped him up, and almost made it to the championship.

Now they are desperate. The backup QB they all wanted to fire is standing there, jumping with excitement, shouting “Pick me! Me. Me. Me.”  In an unbelievable turnaround, this backup QB became the darling of the team. It was unanimous, one hundred percent, total support for QB Kamala Harris.

Remarkably, the new QB has rebranded herself. Instead of a passing QB, she is now a running quarterback. Naturally, everyone connected with the team is cheering for her success. With her unique charm, she has attracted fans from other teams. Imagine, abandoning your own team to cheer for a previously little-known opponent.

The coach, or whoever is calling the plays (and no one is sure who that is), installed a play just for her that is proving successful. Here it is: The other 10 players all form a tight wedge that is designed to overpower the 11 opponents, giving the running QB an open field to the goal line.

Stay with me; The 11players on defense are journalists. Their job is to tackle her and keep her pinned down long enough to make her answer important questions. But oddly, as she is running her favorite play, at least 8 of the 11 defenders back away, refusing to lay a hand on her. Three run off the field to get a drink. Five actually join the Offense, drowning out questions shouted desperately at the QB as she glides on by. As she crosses the goal line, she is filled with Joy, and laughs uncontrollably at her doubters.

Of course, the other team (Republicans) gets the ball and has their own chance to score. Their starting QB has been around for what seems like a long time. But only since 2016. He is reminiscent of George Blanda of the Chicago Bears. As Trump and his team take the field, suddenly the opposition (journalists) is alert and ready to pounce. No backing away now. The blocking and tackling is fierce. Tough questions get precise answers, such as, “On energy, we will become a supplier to the world. Drill, baby drill. On illegal immigration, when we say, ‘Don’t come,’ it will be backed up by a 30-foot wall. We will grow the economy, build more businesses right here in the USA, increase tax revenues without raising taxes, and bring down inflation.”

It’s not easy, but the Republicans score, tying the game.

Ok, this “game” will continue until November 5. Everyone expects it to be a tight score. As Will Rogers said on election day in 1932, “let everybody pray that it’s not a tie, for we couldn’t go through with this thing again.”

(Next week I’ll tell what I’ve been doing in August, including an Award that helps explain why this is a day late.)

Randall Reeder
WillRogersToday (dot) com