America Faces An Epic Choice

    These are perilous times. Over the last three years, much of what the Guardian holds dear has been threatened – democracy, civility, truth. This US administration is establishing new norms of behaviour. Anger and cruelty disfigure public discourse and lying is commonplace. Truth is being chased away. But with rampant disinformation, partisan news sources and social media's tsunami of fake news is no basis on which to inform the American public in 2020. The need for a robust, independent press has never been greater, and with your support we can continue to provide fact-based reporting that offers public scrutiny and oversight. Our journalism is free and open for all, but it's made possible thanks to the support we receive from readers like you across America in all 50 states. With your help we can continue to put it center stage.

"America is at a tipping point, finely balanced between truth and lies, hope and hate, civility and nastiness. Many vital aspects of American public life are in play – the Supreme Court, abortion rights, climate policy, wealth inequality, Big Tech and much more. The stakes could hardly be higher. As that choice nears, the Guardian, as it has done for 200 years, and with your continued support, will continue to argue for the values we hold dear – facts, science, diversity, equality and fairness." – US Editor, John Mulholland

On the occasion of its 100th birthday in 1921 the editor of the Guardian said, "Perhaps the chief virtue of a newspaper is its independence. It should have a soul of its own." That is more true than ever. Freed from the influence of an owner or shareholders, the Guardian's editorial independence is our unique driving force and guiding principle.  - Helen P. 

A Poetic Janello

A Cavern Lit With Love,

While Outside Storms Are Raging;

 The Time Filled With Present,

While Other Concerns Are Raging.  - Janello

A Long, Dark Night

The day began sunny and calm, but as the sun rose in the sky so did the wind. The leaves shook on the trees and the branches bent. The waves swelled. I stopped at the salon to get my hair trimmed and returned to the Manse just as the electricity went out. I walked back to the salon and learned the electricity was out all the way to the Soo Locks. It was going to be a long, dark night. With candles for light, I peeled and cut the apples from the neglected apple trees. They would make wonderful additions to muffins, cakes and pies. The world lives in a state of darkness, maybe not the lack of artificial light, but the darkness of life without the light of God. When God chose to come near, to send his Son, in human image, to earth as Jesus, he chose to dwell among us; he moved into the neighborhood. Jesus became a brother, a son, a friend, a healer, and a teacher. Jesus came to help us know goodness and kindness - to know him - the Way, the Truth, and the Life (John 14:6). He taught us to live as sons and daughters of God, righteous in thoughts and deeds. He came to grace our lives with love. - Peggy B. "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, … " (John 1:14).

Debt Spiral

"It is impossible to know exactly when the next recession will hit. But when it does, two things will happen. One, people will lose their jobs, so tax revenue will fall. And two, more people will start claiming entitlements like welfare, which means the government will have to spend more money. Since these two trends are mathematically exclusionary, the government will likely resort to borrowing even more money, bloating the national debt even faster. This happened during the last recession, and America is in an even worse predicament this time. The federal government is over $22 trillion in debt. It has borrowed almost $6 trillion from its Social Security Trust Fund (intragovernmental debt) and over $16 trillion from outside investors (public debt). Last year, it paid an astounding $324.7 billion in interest payments on its debt - roughly half of what it spends on defense. Data from the U.S. Treasury Department's Office Of Debt Management shows that the government is only five years away from the point where every new dollar it borrows will have to be paid as interest on the debt. This is called a debt death spiral. The government will soon be borrowing money to pay the interest on money it has already borrowed." - A. Miller (October, 2019)

U.S. Economy

"Our economy is very strong, despite the horrendous lack of vision by Jay Powell and the Fed. but the Democrats are trying to will the economy to be bad for purposes of the 2020 election. Very selfish! Our dollar is so strong that it is sadly hurting other parts of the world … The Fed rate, over a fairly short period of time, should be reduced by at least 100 basis points, with perhaps some quantitative easing as well. If that happened, our economy would be better, and the world economy would be greatly and quickly enhanced - good for everyone." - President Trump Posted On Twitter; August 19, 2019

Highway Patrol

I made a traffic stop on an elderly lady the other day for speeding on U.S. 166 Eastbound at Mike Marker 73 just East of Sedan, KS. I asked for her driver's license, registration, and proof of insurance. The lady took out the required information and handed it to me. In with the cards I was somewhat surprised to see she had a conceal carry permit. I looked at her and asked if she had a weapon in her possession at this time. She responded that she indeed had a .45 automatic in her glove box. Something … body language, or the way she said it … made me want to ask if she had any other firearms. She did admit to also having a 9mm Glock in her center console. Now I had to ask one more time if that was all. She responded once again that she did have just one more, a .38 special in her purse. I then asked her what she was so afraid of. She looked me right in the eye and said, "Not a damn thing!"