Category: Uncategorized

Socialism is gaining popularity, at least among Democrats. A poll showed that 57% of Democrats are favorable to living under Socialism, and only 47% are favorable to Capitalism. For that Democrat majority, they likely point to a few successful “socialistic” programs we have in this country and figure it can work on everything else. But what they forget, or never learned in school, is that our socialistic programs depend on Capitalism to pay for ‘em.

Young folks think that because public schools are free, so should college. And everybody should get at least $15 an hour, even if they aren’t working. Ask ‘em who will pay for free college and free health care and they will tell you, “The rich. And big corporations.” Well, they’re in for a shock. On that $15 an hour minimum wage they would pay half in taxes. And if they somehow rose to a high salary, they might pay 80 or 90 percent.

I’m a few days late but I want to join with the 400 newspapers who wrote editorials on Thursday proclaiming their right to stand up to government officials and defend democracy, civilization and the First Amendment. I may be the only one who admits that much of what I write is fake news. And it’s “free speech,” even freer than theirs, because I don’t get a dime for it.

For most readers, these editorials were seen as a rebuttal to President Trump because he constantly criticizes them for only publishing “fake news” about his Administration. Well, even if 90% of the stories about the President are negative, they can’t all be fake. So here’s my suggestion to those 400 papers. Next Thursday, publish a list of their Top Ten national or international stories since Trump’s election Nov. 8, 2016. Do this independently, no colluding. Then let their readers decide if they agree with the list and the ranking.

Speaking of the First Amendment and Freedom of Speech, did you know that over a million former government officials have “Security Clearance?”  It surprised me to find out those folks continue to have access to the same Top Secret materials as when they were working for us. Here is a shocker: those same former employees claim that if we don’t give them access to top secrets, it eliminates their freedom of speech. Well, my speech has been free for years, and I never had even a hint of security clearance. So, here’s to free speech, but not with our top secrets.

Historic quotes by Will Rogers:

“We got a Socialist out here [in California] running, Upton Sinclair, darn nice fellow, and just plain smart, and if he could deliver some of the things he promises, should not only be  governor of one state , but president of all of  ‘em. Upton has got some sort of scheme where us old boys over 45 retire and get a couple of thousand a year.” WA #603, July 15, 1934

“If Socialists worked as much as they talked, they would have the most prosperous style of government in the world.” There’s Not a Bathing Suit in Russia, Chapter 5. 1927

 “The [American] Communist teaches his doctrines, but he wants to do it where he is enjoying the blessings of Capitalistic surroundings. He preaches against the pie, but he sure eats it.” WA #420, Jan. 11, 1931

“Every day just shows us what a lucky country we are… [Our newspaper press is free, so] you can write whatever you want to. The only trouble is getting somebody that will read it.” DT #2091, April 17, 1933

California is still on fire. The fires have burned more acres and destroyed more houses than in any previous year. Governor Brown and The Washington Post agree on the cause: global warming.

It is always easier to blame something out of your direct control instead of policy decisions that created the fire-prone situation. Droughts and fires were just as common a hundred years ago as today. But with a population one-tenth of todays, they were less likely to build rows of luxury houses on steep, brushy hillsides.

A lot of folks thought they were protecting the environment several years ago when they outlawed timber cutting and grazing by cattle or sheep on public land. Dead trees remain in the woods, and the underbrush grows unchecked. No wonder fires spread rapidly.

As long as we have arsonists and others who are careless or plain stupid, there will be fires. But with good policy and good management those fires are usually small and put out before they become gigantic and out of control. Environmentalists can be nutty; their heart may be in the right place, but protection for the Spotted Owl in Oregon and the snail darter in California created unintended consequences.

By the way, there’s no lack of water to fight fires. President Trump is wrong on that one. He is correct that California requires that 25 percent of river flow be allowed to run unimpeded to the ocean.  Regardless of drought and desperate needs for crops, industry and a morning shower, that 25 percent cannot be touched.

I have always claimed “I don’t belong to any organized political party… I’m a Democrat.” But it’s not just the Democrats that are unorganized; so are the Republicans. Instead of two parties we are looking at four. And that’s not even counting the Greens and folks registered Independent.

The young woman, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, got only 16,000 votes in her New York City Congressional District, yet she won the nomination. Not only won, but she’s the new face of the Socialist wing of the Democratic Party. (Bernie Sanders is the old face.) The other wing is Liberal or Progressive, and Nancy Pelosi says her face belongs up front on that one.

The split for the Republicans is harder to define. They have pro-Trump and not-so-hot on Trump.  Or maybe Conservative and moderately Conservative. And like the Democrats they find plenty to argue over.

Historic quotes by Will Rogers:

          “We need rain [in California]. I will make it a motion, that it be called a prayer… It hasn’t rained here since Noah took two of every kind of moving picture actor and actress into the Ark with him… This is mighty dry humor, but, friends we would welcome the Johnstown flood right now.”  DT #1074, Jan. 3, 1930

“California is happy today. It’s raining! It’s raining! When you haven’t seen a drop of water that hasn’t come through a faucet in ten months, why rain looks like a miracle from the Democrats.” DT #2013, Jan. 16, 1933

“It’s getting so if a man wants to stand well socially, he can’t afford to be seen with either the Democrats or Republicans.” How To Be Funny, Sept. 1929

COLUMBUS: California is on fire. At least parts of it, and other states, too. I’m wondering if the fires are partly to blame for the intense heat out west. Of course, others may feel the heat wave is contributing to the fires, and they’re probably right.

We feel sorry for the thousands who have lost homes. It makes you wonder why they build in the middle of dry woods where the government won’t allow old or dying trees to be cut and removed for timber.

Europe is dealing with record heat, and they can’t blame forest fires. The heat wave is blowing north off the Sahara Desert.

It’s hot in central Ohio and we know what to blame it on. There’s a special election for Congress on Tuesday (Aug. 7) and there’s more hot air spinning over Columbus than above those California fires. Millions of dollars are being spent on both sides and it is only for a short term Congressman. Television shows are interrupted by a commercial for one candidate, followed by one for the other guy, followed by one against the first guy, followed by another against the second candidate. The program no sooner starts up again than the telephone rings with a recorded message begging you to vote for one or the other. Text messages and ads on Facebook constantly annoy, and you almost hate to open the mail box. Did you ever complain that polls never contact you for your opinion? Well, everyone in this District has been polled at least sixteen times. The polls are so annoying I’m ready on the next call to hit ‘em with a 10-foot pole.

As I say, this is a short term Congressman because the same two square off November 6. If the man who wins Tuesday loses in November he may set a record as the only Congressman to be in Washington more days as a Lame Duck than before he was defeated. See, Congress is off the month of August, then back to work a couple of weeks in September, and off campaigning the entire month of October.  For the half-dozen nights he is there, the poor fellow should pitch a tent beside the Capitol. I mentioned Lame Duck, but honestly I don’t know whether the one elected in November takes over immediately or has to wait until January. The ways things are going, Congress may pass more laws in a Lame Duck session than in the previous 22 months.

Historic quotes by Will Rogers:

“So much money is being spent on the campaign that I doubt if either man, as good as they are, are worth what it will cost to elect them.” DT #687, Oct. 8, 1928

“(This lame-duck Congress) knows exactly how the people voted on every question that they will be asked to decide on. So when any question comes up all they have to do is read the election returns. Course if they want to still be on the minority side of all these things we will know exactly why they was defeated.”  DT #1976, Dec. 4, 1932

“(A lame-duck Congress) is like where some fellows worked for you and their work wasn’t satisfactory and you let ‘em out, but after you fired ‘em, you let ‘em stay long enough so they could burn your house down.” DT #1980, Dec. 8, 1932

With all the scandals Donald Trump is connected to, none affects us like the tariffs.

Not to get personal, but does it really affect your life to know who an elected official had sex with many years before holding public office? Or how much she charged? Is it important to know if a candidate for President paid someone to dig up dirt in Russia on their opponent?

Why President Trump jumped on the tariff bandwagon is a puzzle because every other president with “political knowledge” was against ‘em (see quote below). Trump has also said he wants zero tariffs worldwide. So are the tariffs on steel, aluminum and other imports a bargaining ploy? He even got the European Union to agree on the idea of no tariffs on automobiles, and to buy our soybeans.

Farmers hope Europe and other countries follow up and buy the excess of whatever they produce. That’s a whole lot easier than figuring a fair way to divide up $12 Billion as kind of a refund from the tariff (a sales tax) our federal government might collect on imports.

Of course that $12 Billion don’t seem so massive when you consider that Facebook dropped $120 Billion in one day. Our farmers have a whole lot less invested in Facebook (if anything) than they do in corn, soybeans and other crops and livestock. All that Facebook has available to sell is ad space on a screen. But with farm products, you get to eat it, wear it, or use it to help fuel your car.

It’s State Fair time in Ohio. A few thousand 4-H youth come to Columbus to compete in various events, including engineering related projects. A lot of photos are being posted on a Facebook page (Facebook.com/Ohio4HEngineering). And in an ironic twist, Facebook charges us nothing.

Now whether this State Fair, or any other State Fair, can match the “State Fair” movie in 1933, I got my doubts. Blue Boy (a 900 pound hog) was my co-star, the best ham actor in Hollywood.

Historic quotes by Will Rogers:

“We have made [China] keep what we call the ‘Open Door.’ That meant that they wasn’t allowed to charge too much tariff on our stuff coming in.” WA #346, Aug. 11, 1929

“The United States Senate passed the Tariff Bill… Of course Tariff has been to a Politician about what a bone is to a Dog, and a fixed jury is to a Los Angeles Culprit. It’s not only his bread and butter, but it’s his desert and toothpick. Any President with Political knowledge always fights (any) Tariff coming up during his Administration.” WA #380, Apr. 6, 1930

“I lost old Blue Boy… Going to miss him, for I got along with him better than any actor I ever played with. He was just 900 pounds of harmony. Me losing him would be just like Laurel and Hardy splitting.” WA #548, June 25, 1933

Trump got himself into a pickle last week with Putin. I missed all the commotion as it was happening because I was at a convention in Dallas with 1400 professional speakers. (To add diversity, we allowed in 47 professional listeners.)

Years ago, Jefferson bought all of Louisiana Territory from France, and Seward, with Lincoln’s blessing, bought Alaska from Russia. But according to recent reports it seems that 98% of the population thinks Putin tricked Trump into selling him the other 49 states. There’s nothing to be concerned about because Congress would never approve such a deal, no matter the price. But the Republican leaders might go along if Putin agrees to only take the new one-third-of-California state that includes San Francisco and Sacramento.

The joint press conference caused the most consternation. Apparently President Trump was bending over backwards to be nice to Putin in public. But like a boy on a first date with a pretty girl, he misspoke a few times and got slapped. Not by Putin; by the media and a whole slew of prominent folks. Trump should have known better; after all he’s had plenty of dates with pretty girls, and he’s lost a bundle on ‘em.

My advice to our President: never hold a joint press conference where most questions will be aimed at causing friction between you and the “bad guy” you are trying to convince to become a “good guy.” Older folks will remember that when Reagan said, ‘Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall,’ he was not in a press conference with the Russian leader.

I read in the newspaper that a college in Vermont is offering an alternative to student loans. Instead, Norwich University will take a percentage of the student’s income after they graduate and get a job.

I suggest that all universities do this. They would have to offer classes that lead to good careers and let go of the others. Professors will teach material to increase the students’ job prospects and income. Why? Because their future salaries depend on future collections from those students. The university V-P in charge of collecting the future payments will be in constant contact with the students, insisting they go to class, study late, and stay sober.

They will emphasize recruiting the best football and basketball players because those students could pay off their “loan” quickly from their multi-million dollar pro contracts.

The Admissions folks will be asking tough questions of prospective students, such as: “What are your goals for the first 5 years after graduating?”

High school senior: “Well, the first year I want to travel Europe, camping out, to find myself. Then work in the movie business.”

“What role in the movies?”

“An usher. I like to sleep till noon.”

Historic quotes by Will Rogers:

          “An awful lot of folks are predicting [the President’s] downfall, not only predicting but praying. We are a funny people. We elect our Presidents, be they Republican or Democrat, then go home and start daring ‘em to make good.” DT #2700, April 1, 1935

“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 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

While our politicians, and all of us interested in politics, are focused on the next pick for the Supreme Court, the world (including us) is praying for those soccer boys in a flooded cave in Thailand. If they all get out in the next few days [they did!!], the world can get back to focusing on the World Cup, especially Europe.

The United States does not care much about soccer, and it’s not because we aren’t any good at it. We don’t like to watch a 1 to 1 game, with both goals scored on fluke plays, then to break the tie (after kicking the ball back and forth for two or three hours) they shoot free throws. No, sorry, free kicks. (Can you imagine basketball ties being decided on free throws?) My solution, supported by two-thirds of Americans who rarely watch pro soccer, is to double the width of the goal. That may not eliminate all ties, but it’ll be a lot more fun to watch a game that ends 22 to 18.

The Supreme Court nominee may be known by the time you get around to reading this. The Democrats don’t care who President Trump picks, they’re agin’ him. Or her. You’ve got to give Democrats credit; they are unanimous, 100 percent against any Justice not selected personally by Hillary Clinton. Now, I hope both sides can settle down a bit, especially Democrats. They need to save back a few slings and arrows in case Justice Ginsburg decides to retire while Trump is President. Of course, she might serve another ten years, but in case she doesn’t, that new Justice might slant the Court even farther toward honoring the Constitution as written, not as he or she wants it to be.

Let’s get off this serious talk… I got a new truck, called a Lariat (seems appropriate, don’t it?). Actually a Ford F-150 Lariat. There was no special consideration for me; not like Will had when Henry Ford’s son, Edsel, personally delivered the first Model A Ford in California. No, I saved for seven years to replace my reliable Ranger.

This pickup is quite a step up. My Ranger had one interior light, and it didn’t work for the last year or so. Pull in the garage at night, turn off the engine and open the door to total darkness. This new truck, when you open the door at night, the truck is lit by 18 lights! Inside and out. Thomas Edison must be celebrating. It has more computers than a Gemini spacecraft. Each seat has its own air conditioner. Press a button and read the pressure in all four tires. No guessing how far you can drive when the gas gauge nears Empty; it tells you down to the last mile. The owner’s manual is 627 pages; may take me 7 years to get through it.

Oh, my talk to those Mensa folks Thursday was fun. You may think they are “eggheads”, but they are common sense folks just like the rest of us, only smarter. Young and old, they all dressed casual. They have a great “Annual Gathering”, about a hundred speakers, and probably two hundred volunteers helping. The conversations before and after my speech were enlightening. I probably learned more than they did.

Historic quote by Will Rogers:

          “Of course (Republicans) say, ‘We got where we are as a great nation by this set of laws that we’re living under, so why change them! Let the Constitution alone.’ And that’s mighty good logic. But here’s something they forgot. You or I can rightfully say we got where we are by these laws, but there’s a lot of folks that haven’t got anywhere under ‘em. So they might not be averse to some small change in the Constitution. They might say, ‘Yes, give us what you’ve got, and we’ll say it’s a perfect Constitution, too.’ So it all gets back to just how good has the Constitution been to you.” Radio, June 9, 1935

Last week, separating illegal immigrants from their children was a divisive, humane topic. So President Trump changed the policy; children will be kept with their parent(s). But that did not satisfy critics.

Even Republicans don’t agree on a plan. And Democrats have no plan at all. Interestingly, if you go back 10 or 12 years, prominent Democratic Senators came down firmly on the same side that Trump favors today. Democrats never say ‘open borders’, but they never vote for any plan that closes the border to illegal entry.

How’s this for a plan: eliminate the “incentives” for poor people in Honduras and Guatemala to pay a smuggler (coyote) $5000 to be brought across Mexico and dumped on our border. Instead set up a program where they can apply for asylum at a US facility in their home countries. If accepted, instead of paying $5000 per person, they will buy an airline ticket to a US city where the adults will be connected with an employer.

For that to work, anyone who tries to cross our border illegally, including kids who are not accompanied by a parent, will be immediately returned to their home country. (We already do that with Mexicans.) On that last point, any activist or lawyer who advises immigrants on how to circumvent that policy will be arrested. Treat them the same as a financial advisor who helps clients illegally avoid paying income taxes.

You probably know that Charles Krauthammer died last week. If you have read his syndicated columns or watched him on Fox News you know he was a brilliant writer and speaker who communicated common sense in precise language, often with a touch of humor. Even if you disagreed with his analysis you had a clearer understanding of the issue. Does he remind me of anyone? Well, yes. Except for the “precise language,” he shared many characteristics with Will Rogers. People would often say about Will, ‘He was funny, but he was telling us something important.’ For Charles, ‘He was telling us something important, and he was funny.’ I also compare him to Paul Harvey on radio who reported the news, provided analysis, and gave us ‘The Rest of the Story.’

Have you heard of Mensa? It is an international organization for really smart folks and I’m sure Mr. Krauthammer would have qualified. If your IQ is above 140 (top 2%), you’ve probably received an invitation to join. Well, I got an invitation, but not to join. Instead I am invited to speak at their annual convention, as ‘Will Rogers.’ Their convention is in Indianapolis the first week in July and I’m on the program the evening of July 5. You might be wondering whether Will Rogers was in Mensa. Will was a genius, but Mensa did not exist until the 1950s. ‘Will Rogers’ and I hope to see quite a few brilliant friends at Mensa in Indianapolis.

Historic quotes by Will Rogers:

“You must judge a man’s greatness by how much he will be missed.” WA #139, Aug. 9, 1925

“A (person) only learns by two things; one is reading, and the other is associating with smarter people.” WA #147, Oct. 4, 1925

Plenty of news topics recently: North Korea, tariffs, immigration, and the IG report on the FBI. And regardless of the facts, there always seems to be at least two sides to argue over. After President Trump met with the North Korean dictator for a day in Singapore, many of us wanted to reach an immediate conclusion. Was Trump successful, or did he give away the store? Here’s my view: be patient, pay attention to comments by Secretary of State Pompeo rather than Trump’s tweets, and realize it may take at least a couple of years before we know if North Korea has gotten rid of all nuclear weapons and missiles. And stop talking about a Nobel Peace Prize. The rest of the world seems upset with the threat of new tariffs on our imports, especially steel and aluminum. Our friends in Europe, plus Canada and Mexico are mad at President Trump for demanding “free and fair” trade. I heard that at the G7 meeting in Quebec that Trump suggested the elimination of ALL tariffs. Wasn’t that what those other leaders were demanding? Of course not. They want to keep their tariffs, but for us to eliminate ours. Now, tariffs are not good; they made the Great Depression far worse in the 1930s. Higher prices caused by tariffs are paid by consumers, not politicians. On immigration, seldom have we seen such a violent reaction to the separation of children from their parents who crossed our border illegally. The adults are put in jail until their application for asylum is decided, and the children are cared for in a separate facility. The parents knew this before crossing the border but they came anyway. Yes, it is a sad situation. But if you ask the critics for a solution, they have none that will work while controlling illegal immigration. The long-awaited report of the Justice Department’s Inspector General (IG) on the FBI came out last week. Democrats hailed it as proof that Hillary Clinton lost the election because of Director Comey’s actions in July and October 2016. Republicans loved it for identifying top FBI officials who were determined to keep Donald Trump from getting elected. At the center of the controversy are two FBI lovebird lawyers, Peter Strzok and Lisa Page, who spent most of their time each day exchanging hundreds of text messages. My question: would any business allow their employees to waste hours a day texting? Oh, and Happy Father’s Day! Historic quotes by Will Rogers: “I propose a Father’s Day. No flowers, no fuss – just let him use the car himself and go where he wants to.” DT #1183, May 11, 1930 [at the end of a wonderful message on Mother’s Day, Will added this…] “Father had a day, but you can’t find anybody who remembers when it was…  It’s been so confused with April the first.” Radio, May 12, 1935 [related to the IG lawyer report] “If it’s in a few words and is plain and understandable only one way, it was written by a non-lawyer.” WA #657, July 28, 1935

Attention coffee drinkers. If you depend on Starbucks for your afternoon coffee, be warned that tomorrow afternoon (May 29) all Starbucks will be closed. Better get there early. Perhaps even more important, advance planning will be critical if you depend solely on Starbucks bathrooms.

Congratulations to a fellow named Will for winning the Indy 500. And his last name is Power. Creative parents. Wonder if he has a brother named Hoss.

Here’s an update on the “Food Stamp/Farm” bill. Democrats don’t like it. Republicans don’t like it.

Democrats don’t like the idea that about 2 million of the current 40 million recipients of Food Stamps (aka SNAP) would be required to get a job or job training.  One prominent Senator said Democrats are “not going to live with this work requirement stuff.”  Former Speaker Nancy Pelosi stated firmly that the proposed bill would “take food out of the mouths of babies.” Now, Republicans may not be the most compassionate people, but they have never been accused of forcing 2-year olds to get a job.

Maybe the reason those 2 million able-bodied adults aren’t working is because they would have to pass a drug test.

Republicans are holding up the Farm Bill over “amnesty” legislation. They seem to want to give amnesty to millions of immigrants here illegally. The only connection between immigration and the Farm Bill should be a program that would allow about 500,000 farm workers to come here for the growing season then go back home. Most Americans support this idea, especially anyone who likes to eat fruit and vegetables and drink milk. But Republicans and Democrats who want amnesty for ten million don’t want this tiny, popular part of the immigration issue to be separated from a larger, unpopular bill.

Are Democrats shooting themselves in the foot? They seem to support MS-13 gang members (animals, according to President Trump) and feel strongly that able-bodied people (with no young kids to care for) can lay around the house and collect free food provided by taxpayers who ARE working. Do you remember the California “surfer dude” from a couple of years ago on TV, living on the beach, playing musical gigs, and eating lobster bought with his SNAP card? And he was probably a frequent visitor to Starbucks.

Historic quotes by Will Rogers:

          “Another Decoration Day passed and Mr. Abraham Lincoln’s 300-word Gettysburg Address was not dethroned. I would try to imitate its brevity if nothing else.” DT #268, May 31, 1927

       “It’s getting so if a man wants to stand well socially, he can’t afford to be seen with either the Democrats or the Republicans.” The Illiterate Digest, 1923

       “You know the more you read and observe about this Politics thing, you got to admit that each party is worse than the other. My only solution would be to keep ‘em both out one term and hire my good friend Henry Ford to run the whole thing, and give him a commission on what he saves us.” WA #3, December 31, 1922

Congress is debating a new 5-year Food Stamp Bill. The main argument between Republicans and Democrats is whether able-bodied men and women should be required to work (or get trained for work) if they want to keep receiving free food paid for by tax-paying Americans. Of course if they get a good job they probably won’t need food stamps.

The unemployment rate is below four percent, and businesses can’t find workers to fill open jobs. In many examples, half the people who apply for a job fail a drug test and won’t be hired. That makes sense; who wants to work next to a man or woman who is high on cocaine or meth?

But ironically, that same unemployable person (who somehow can afford to buy hard drugs) can get food stamps. No questions asked. Does anyone in Congress ask, “If you have to get off drugs to get a good job, why don’t you have to get off drugs to receive free food?” Wouldn’t you like to hear Nancy Pelosi and Mitch McConnell answer that question?

You may be wondering, “I never heard of a Food Stamp Bill. Is that a new idea?”  No, it’s always been called the “Farm Bill,” and still is. But in the last several years the portion of the bill for farmers has declined to the point where 80 percent is for Food Stamps. Yes, only 20 percent goes to support food producers. In twenty years the number of food stamp recipients has doubled.

Now don’t get me wrong. I’m all for helping out the 20 to 30 million who honestly need assistance, especially free lunches for hungry students.

But with all the money we’ve spent on education and training over the past fifty years, and with millions of jobs that go unfilled unless immigrants are allowed to fill them, why should taxpayers reward ones too lazy to work.

Historic quotes by Will Rogers:

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

“Just read the farm relief bill. It’s just a political version of Einstein’s last theory. If a farmer could understand it, he certainly would know more than to farm. He would be a professor (at) Harvard. The farmers will die in the poorhouse before the guy that wrote it can even get the Senate to understand it.” DT #848, April 15, 1929 [it did not pass]

“I was there on the historic day when Congress actually passed the inflation bill tacked on to the farm bill. Never in the history of the world was such a gigantic piece of legislation ever passed.” WA #542, May 14, 1933 [the first farm bill signed into law]