OUR GOVERNMENT, A PRIMER

Our government is represented by three divisions. You remember this from basis civics class in high school. The three are Executive, Legislative, and Judicial. The Executive is of course, the President and the Vice President. The Legislative is the Congress. The Judicial then is the Supreme Court and the judicial system. Each division of government has their own duties. The executive, the President, cannot make law. He can issue executive orders that are only good for his term in office and even at that can be overturned by the Supreme Court. Laws are made by the legislative branch and signed by the President. If he doesn't like a law, he can veto it. The Legislature can then override his veto with a two-thirds vote. The Judicial also cannot make laws. They, acting as referees, decide on the constitutionality of a law to decide if it truly becomes the law of the land. So, there are the three branches of government. 

 

I point out this little lesson to inform you that the Supreme Court has just invalidated a very questionable law enacted fifty years ago. That, of course, Roe V. Wade. That law basically allowed abortions on demand up to the actual birth of the baby. That law is now overturned. It doesn't mean that you can't get an abortion, it just means that the individual states must make their own laws regarding abortion. Several states have already responded with their plans. Several will continue to offer abortion on demand and many will outlaw the practice. 

 

Biden has expressed his unhappiness with the ruling and has challenged the Congress to pass clear laws governing abortion. If he likes the law, he will sign it. Now, even if he signs it and somebody challenges the new law, the Supreme Court may well have to revisit the issue. It's important to understand that the actual issue of abortion is not necessarily what they will be ruling on but rather the constitutionality of the law before them. Abortion is now a state issue and not a federal.

 

The Roe decision was six to three with what many consider the more conservative judges voting to overturn while the liberal judges voted against it. You have to make your own decision. I personally believe that the conservative members are actually more attuned to the Constitution and rule accordingly. Not so for the liberals. To me and other naive individuals, Supreme Court Justices should rule only on the constitutional basis of a law with no politics involved. Silly me. 

 

Biden has said he wants the Congress to pass new laws codifying legalized abortion. I doubt that he can pull that off. Too many Members have to run for re-election and they don't want that hanging on their heads. Speaking of Biden, I have seen recent news reports of people demanding the resignation of Joe Biden. That, dear readers, ain't gonna happen. He will hang on until we kick him out. After the November election a Republican Congress will neuter him until we do get rid of him. Even big named Democrats are getting on board. They absolutely do not want him on the ballot in 2024. Their problem is simple. They don't have any alternative. Can you come up with a candidate for them? Me neither.

 

Inflation is going to be with us for a while yet. It will be painful, but we will deal with it. It will truly end when politicians come to understand what inflation does to their futures as politicians. To quote a former Democrat official, "It's the economy, stupid." Yes it is.

 

Ron Scarbro June 29, 2022

 

HOLDING OUT HOPE

It was just announced that inflation continues at 8.6%. It is all too obvious to thinking people what that means. The price of everything will continue to be out of sight. Gasoline and diesel lead the way for most all of the increases, but nothing is exempt. Basic needs are becoming unaffordable for many people, especially those on the lower end of the economic scale.

 

Some of you may remember a column I wrote just after Biden canceled the Keystone Pipeline and halted drilling on public lands. I said then and I repeat today, that was the beginning of the destruction of the economy of this country. In less than two years in office he has succeeded in bringing America to her knees. I have heard it reported that the increase in the cost of fossil fuels is a part of their plan. It seems they want everybody in an electric vehicle. First of all, electric cars are very expensive. Secondly, there are very few places where you can recharge your car. Last week I was at Sam's getting a gasoline fill up for my car. There were about 25 fuel pumping stations and they were all being used. Average time for a fill up is about 10 minutes. I don't think they have an electric recharging station. Walmart does have 2 such stations and it takes an average of about 30 minutes to recharge one car. In that same time maybe 50 cars can refill with gasoline and be on their way. The biggest problem with liberals is they can't connect the dots.  Unless the fuel sellers make some major changes, no one will buy an electric car.  

 

Speaking of inflation, here's another thought. Like many of you I receive Social Security benefits. This year we were granted a very nice increase in our checks. I think the increase was 8.3%. Sadly, at the same time Medicare costs increased. Then, within the first two months of the year, my new benefit was gone due to price increases. Now, a few months later, my cost of living has gotten out of control. My cost of fuel has doubled. My grocery bill has increased, not by 8% but closer to 25%. In fact, virtually everything we buy has increased. And, we are told, there is no end in sight.

 

I have been listening to Biden blaming everything under the sun for inflation except for the real reasons. Maybe he truly doesn't know. Maybe he's just another politician in office because of a liberal media and under continued protection by that same media. Or maybe he's just stupid. His poll numbers are in the toilet to be sure, but the question I have is who are the 25% who think he's doing a good job? Are they happy to pay $5.00 for a gallon of gasoline? And many are paying much more. Are they glad to pay 25% more for groceries? We are told that these prices will get much worse before they get any lower. Is this what they want?

 

I am holding out hope for November. We will have another election and I truly believe Republicans will make huge gains probably taking over the Senate and the House. If that happens, America has a chance of surviving. If the Democrats hold on to their majorities, I predict doom for this country. In the meantime, watch your pennies. Be careful with your spending. I'm watching the Stock Market sink like a lead balloon. It will soon be lower than when Biden took office. Now that takes talent. Hang in there. It is going to get better, I promise.

 

Ron Scarbro June 14, 2022

 

 

TOO MANY GUNS???

Another school shooting. This one was especially terrible. These victims were fourth graders. Equally tragic was the fact that the shooter was an eighteen-year-old kid. It has been reported that his father is non-existent and his mother is in jail on drug charges. This punk started his day by shooting his grandmother in the face. Then he was off to the elementary school to kill as many kids as he could. I do not think his choice of victims was an accident. I believe he was looking for a place where he could do his evil act with little to no resistance.  

 

The talking heads on TV are attempting to come up with reasons for why this happened. I'll answer that for them. A wing nut who was obviously crazy decided to become famous. Well, he succeeded. He is both famous and dead. We are told he bought two rifles and a lot of ammunition as soon as he turned eighteen. This was completely legal with the laws already in place. It has been reported that this killer had an extensive juvenile record of interaction with police. Of course those records are sealed which kinda negates the value of a background check.  

 

That, of course, isn't good enough for some of the more liberal among us. I am sure they believe that if the law was a little bit more restrictive, we could have saved those kids and their teachers. Sorry liberals, but all the laws in the world will not stop a killer intent upon killing. Just look at Chicago and New York City. Their gun laws are some of the strictest in the country and yet gun crimes happen every day. As long as we keep worrying more about the tools a killer uses instead of the killer himself, we will never come close to the solutions we all seek.

 

So now here comes the politicians ready to solve the problem of too many guns. Joe Biden said this week-end that the second amendment was not what it appears. I am sure he and his ilk intend to try to either change the amendment or get rid of it all together. Well guess what Joe, that ain't gonna happen. That amendment is there to protect us from you Joe and all those who think like you. 

 

After the Florida school shooting I wrote in my column that our problem was not too many guns but actually too few guns. In that column I offered as a possible solution that we select a teacher or two, preferably veterans, in all schools, and teach them gun security and safety, then provide them with a high quality firearm. In addition, we would require them to stay qualified. At that point we would advertise that the school was under the protection of armed guards. The only way to stop a gun is with another gun. I believe if either the Florida school or the Texas school had such a program in place, the real probability would be far fewer deaths with the possible exception of the perpetrator. Do you think these nutcases would even try to take on a facility where they knew there were armed guards and they would shoot back?

 

It seems every major shooting event that happens in this country is just another invitation for liberal politicians to slide out from under their rocks and look for ways to take our freedom away. For their information my freedoms are sacred to me. Neither my freedoms nor my guns are available to be confiscated. Find another way to deal with this. 

 

Ron Scarbro June 1, 2022