Tag: american elections

Mr Biden. Sell us the Story of Ukraine. Now

Photo by Kostiantyn Stupak on Pexels.com

Yes, sell it to the American public. Sell it now. In this century there is no story as compelling as theirs.
Take the bull by the horns. Do not underestimate the capacity of the American public.
Maybe diehard isolationists will blow you off, but the majority will not. When they go to the pump and see the high price tag, they just might think, ‘we’re doing it for Ukraine. A sister nation that is being massacred, not just pushed around, but massacred by Vladimir Putin, the man you rightly called ‘a killer, a war criminal’. No other leader had the guts to call Putin that. You did.
So, please, concentrate your efforts. We need you now more than ever.
Putin has been trying to scare us with the threat of a nuclear war. We cannot afford to be scared into inaction. Cannot afford to let his threat of firing his nuclear weapons keep us from arming Ukraine with the best weapons we have.
You have placed the restriction of not sending in American troops. I agree with that.
But Ukrainians urgently need to have war planes to stop the wholesale destruction Putin is inflicting on their people and push Russians back and out of their land.
A while ago Poland stepped up and offered to give Ukrainians Mig jets, aircraft Ukrainians are familiar with and so could put to use right away.
Poland was right. The Polish people have distinguished themselves for the enormous assistance they have provided in the war effort. Unlike Germany or Hungary.
The story of Ukraine is unique. Sell it to us, Mr Biden.
There are no assurances Ukraine, even with all the war planes we give them, will beat back Russia, but they will put up a fight unlike anything we’ve seen.
So let us help them now.
Giving Ukraine war planes will anger Putin. He will cry out loud that he has weapons he can fire at us. But so do we. He is not crazy. He and Russia has everything to lose in this confrontation but so far, he has got the upper hand because he has made us fearful.
There is no room for that.
Arm Ukraine fully, Mr Biden. Do it now. We will not regret it.
Ukraine is not a distant nation anymore. With the blood they have poured on the battlefield they have become one of us.
Mr Biden, go in front of the cameras and tell us their story. Again and again. If you are fearing that inflation is going to beat the democratic party in November, think of Ukraine’s story and their possible victory as providing the momentum to help democrats win instead.
Stand up for Ukraine fully and the American people can put the inflation woes in context.
You have the courage.
This is a unique opportunity to shine, Mr Biden. Do not let it pass. You will regret it dearly if you do.
By the way. I think it was Putin who came up with the idea that if we helped Ukraine, we would be seen as co combatants. So be it. We should not let that stop us.
As far as your upcoming visit to Saudi Arabia is concerned, I understand that you’re doing it in the interest of our nation benefitting from their oil producing capacities. But as our representative, please do not bow to them.
Not only do they not deserve it but bowing is a bad habit to get into. We should bow to no one. King, Queen, God, Pope, whatever.
We are a creative and industrious people who are not afraid of hard work.
Trust us. We are behind you. Lead us.

Good luck

Oscar Valdes oscarvaldes.net, medium.com, anchor.fm, buzzsprout, apple and google podcasts.

Let Us Not Have Beggars in Our Land. On Inequality.

What must we do to restore fairness in our nation?

All of us should try to do our best, always.

Some people try and fail. Some try and give up. Some don’t even try.

The obstacles can be great and sometimes they are too many.

Do those who fail or give up or simply don’t even try, deserve anything?

My opinion is that our nation can afford basic support for all our citizens, regardless.

If you were born in this land or have met the requirements to stay here legally, then you’re entitled.

Our nation can afford to give everyone a certain basic income to cover food and clothing and a place to live and essential health care and a basic cell phone and a certain amount for public transportation.

Our nation can afford that now. Today. Regardless of whether a person wants to work or not.

Does it not seem wiser to believe that most people want to do their best, considering their abilities?

If we think that some people want to get away with not making their best effort, then that’s on them. But, as a nation, we can afford to carry those folks.

We can, because there are enough productive people in our nation to make it possible, so no one has to be a beggar in our land.

We’re not rich as a nation because we have tight restrictions on those at the bottom.

We’re rich because there are many amongst us with great productive capacity.

We have not become the cradle for the many industries that have arisen in our nation because we were restricting the poor.

So why be punitive toward those who are non productive? Why deprive them of the most basic needs?

Some of them may one day want more and then they will try and make the effort. We hope so. We should help motivate them to do better, but if they don’t, so be it.

To make sure we have the funds to provide that basic sustenance for the less advantaged, we will need to tax the wealthy, the better off, the most productive, the most talented, the most enlightened, the most gifted.

And why not?

Think of it this way. Who gave you those gifts? Nature did. You worked hard to develop them, yes, and thus many riches and opportunities should go to you. But nature is not fair. It does not give everyone the talents needed to compete effectively.

Do the less advantaged in life want to be poor and miserable and beggars?

No.

Do the less advantaged in life want to live in dangerous neighborhoods?

No.

Do the less advantaged in life deserve their fate?

No.

Do some people avoid work, on purpose, to live off the fat of the land? Sure. But, so what?

Will they climb to the heights of accomplishment? No.

Will they live fruitful lives?

No.

Will they have developed their capacities and experienced the joy that comes with it?

No.

So, I say to you, let them be.

It is a mistake, and a most ungenerous one, for a developed society to add to people’s disadvantages by instituting punishing governmental restrictions.

The gifted should not be punishing the less gifted.

A Vote Against Trump is Not a Vote for Betrayal, but a Vote for Freedom.

It will be up to 20 brave Republican senators to help redirect the course of the nation.

This next week, the full House will vote on approving the articles of impeachment – abuse of power and obstruction of congress – which will then move to the Senate where the president will be tried.

Sixty seven yes votes are needed to convict the president. Being that there are only 47 democratic senators, a full 20 Republicans are needed to switch sides to convict the president.

Can it happen? Odds are that it will not.

But there is always the possibility of a surprise.

Why?

History will not be kind to those who have sided with Trump in spite of the overwhelming evidence of improprieties during his tenure. Not just the articles of impeachment. And the perception of how history will view us matters to decent men and women who have made a long term commitment to the health of the nation.

Only 20 Republican senators are needed to turn out a president who shows no signs of standing up to despots the world over, be them Putin in Russia, Erdogan in Turkey, El-Sisi in Egypt or the Saudi prince.

Only 20 Republican senators are needed to turn out a president who could not stand up against the Saudi royal family after they butchered the distinguished journalist Jamal Khashoggi in their embassy in Ankara, Turkey.

Only 20 Republican senators are needed to turn out a president who, after 3 years in office, has not mustered the mettle to tell Putin that interference in American elections is not allowed.

So here’s an opportunity for 20 courageous Republican senators to take a stand.

Dear senator, will you be putting your career in jeopardy if you do so?

It depends on how you view yourself. If you think of yourself as someone who understands the crisis of values that the president has thrown the country into, and realizes that Trump lacks the capacity to lead the nation in these convulsed times, then you will stand up to him and join those who vote to convict.

If you lack this awareness, then you will bow to the great showman and buy into the great deception that he orchestrates daily.

Do not forget, however, that history will not be kind to you when you side with Trump.

But then, history may not be important to you. Short term gains may be what matters to you most. If so, please consult your conscience and ask, was this nation built by shortsighted men?

When Trump goes on trial in the Senate, you will have the option of choosing how do you want history to judge you.

A vote to acquit is a vote to join Trump in his poor choices and impulsivity and self promotion.

A vote to acquit is a vote to imperil the freedoms that have made us a special place in the world.

Daily courage is needed to preserve it, for freedom does not come cheap.

Will 20 brave, visionary, responsible leaders please stand up to defend our freedoms, or will you choose to pass and have the nation wait for others to muster the courage?

Oscar Valdes

The Debate in Atlanta

It was a good one. The candidates showed voters that the nation has people of substance to choose from and I found it inspiring that they all spoke of the importance of unifying the nation. They were reaching out to all Americans.

No one in particular ran away with it but I think Warren and Biden are beginning to edge out the rest of the group.

Medicare for All will be the crucial issue throughout the race. It will probably sink Sanders since he’s taken the most extreme position, that of pushing the program from day one in office. The issue could end up damaging Warren also, but she’s starting to sound a more gradualist approach so she’ll fare better than the Vermont Senator.

Biden surprised me in that he appears to be growing stronger as the campaign moves on. He stumbled once but held up pretty well overall.

Booker was spirited, as were Klobuchar, Yang, Steyer, Buttigieg, Steyer, Harris and Gabbard.

One of them will end up being the Vice-presidential candidate.

If Warren wins the nomination, she’ll likely not choose Biden as VP but if Biden is the winner, he will pick a woman from the group of Warren, Klobuchar and Harris.

Who will Warren choose as running mate? I think she’ll go with Booker, with Yang and Buttigieg having a chance at it.

The new entries in the race, Michael Bloomberg and Deval Patrick, have little chance to catch up. They were too late to get going.

The next debate is in Los Angeles in early December.

Dear Elizabeth

The fight is heating up. As you go through it you will be tested again and again, and again and again you will overcome. It’s in you. And you will be the next president of our nation.

You are being entrusted not only with restoring sanity to our affairs foreign and national, but with the grander task, long overdue, of lifting American women to positions of leadership.

The nation will be richer, when we let women in as full partners, for she has been neglected and undervalued throughout the course of our history.

We have paid dearly for such sad neglect. Had there been the balance that women bring to policy making and executive decisions, there may not have been the debacle of Vietnam, the bloody mistake of Iraq. Had there been the balance that women bring to policy making and executive decisions, there may not have been the institutionalized racism that plagues us, or the economic inequality that haunts us.

We often hear the question, is America ready for a woman president? It has always been ready. What has blocked women’s ascent is masculine insecurity, the obsession that men have with domination, the obsession with control over others to be able to feel at peace with ourselves.

But the peace earned in such way is transitory. Personal peace that lasts comes from a sense that everyone has value, and from the knowledge that at any given time in a person’s development, each human being is endeavoring to express such value, thus the importance of education and of social supports, to facilitate such expression.

Elizabeth,

The field is crowded, but already we can see the differences. The lack of focus. The vain quest for attention.

Meanwhile, do stay centered. You have a clear advantage over everybody in the field. I see it. Others see it.

As to the debates with Mr Trump you will have nothing to fear. He does not have the depth that you do (he could reach for it but he chooses not to). He knows that, which is why he will do all he can to degrade the nature of an exchange with you for that is his only course. Let him do the jokes. Let him have the laughs. We have seen plenty of those under his tenure while the nation backslides.

What the county wants to see is the leader in you. But rest easy. In contrast to our president, you do not have to reach for it or invent it. You do not have to make it up. It is in you. It is you.

You do not have to have all the answers. Some of your approaches may not be accurate. But if you have the courage to listen to contrary views and weigh them, you will chart balanced courses of action. Your choices may have to change, for circumstances will shift, but if your rationale has been sound, the chances of success will be good.

Till next time.

Oscar valdes   oscarvaldes.net