It’s not what they say, it’s what they DO!

My Mother was a staunch Democrat. We said that she would vote for the devil himself if he had a “D” after his name. In many places, the election officials helped you out with this by having a “D” or and “R” lever. If you pulled that, you voted for all the “Ds” or “Rs”. Made it easy.

Mom lived through the great depression. She was convinced that “D” FDR saved the country and it became ingrained in her DNA that “D” equaled good and “R” equaled bad. It was what she believed, and nothing was going to change it.

The problem is that all politicians lie. I know it is heresy to say so, but even FDR, HST, JFK, LBJ, Nixon, Reagan, Obama, the Bushes, Trump, and yes, even Biden, they all, in one way or another lied. They twisted the truth to fit their goals.

It’s not only politicians and their supporters that lie, but leaders of movements lie, through their teeth. The Greens, the Progressives, the Liberals, the Conservatives, Black Lives Matter, The Teacher’s union, they all lie. And frankly, they may not even know it. If the narrative fits, use it.

Politicians of all types seem to forget the first rule of holes. If you find yourself in one, stop digging. The government approach to the pandemic was a great example of this. Very early on, politicians started making statements, virtually all based on absolutely no facts (we really didn’t have any) and once the statement was made, they twisted themselves into pretzels to not admit they didn’t know what they were talking about. They kept digging. They never consider that greatest of all laws, the law of unintended consequences.

So how do we, kind reader, fix this problem. We are being led down a primrose path by politicians, the world is upside down, inflation is rampant, the Russians are acting like Russians, gasoline prices are through the roof, so what to do. If we acknowledge that all politicians lie, how do we make a decision when we go in to ‘pull that lever.’

A very wise pundant, who has a radio talk show nationwide, made a statement once that hit home with me. It was meant to fit all situations, and I think it goes hand and glove with this one. “Don’t worry about what people say, it’s what they DO that counts.”

Patton may not have been the nicest guy on the planet and he was certainly not the most politic. However he could win wars. Hitler was to many, a nice guy. He signed treaties, he liked dogs. We all saw how that worked out. Jimmy Carter was a really nice guy. His presidency, by any measure, was a disaster. You get the point.

I guess first you have to look into your soul and determine what outcome you are seeking. For foreign policy, read history. Does evil attack weakness or strength. The goal needs to be our own safety. Do we want to be liked, or safe? Is our goal to make the world in our image, or to protect the image we have? You need to make that decision. Is fighting foreign wars to our best interest. Are those battles making us safer? Seems like a quick check of history could answer that question.

If possible, get some facts. Not what people say, but what is real. A fake picture of a polar bear on an ice flow may attack you heart, but what about the facts that polar bears are thriving in the polar regions, to the point that they are becoming pests. We are concerned, and rightly so, about global warming, but what are the facts. Since 1979, the planet has increased in temperature .13 degrees C per decade. At that rate it will take 80 years for it to increase one degree. Much less than projected on climate models. Facts folks, are pesky things.

When we vote, is it possible to consider what a politician has actually DONE, not what he or she has said. What laws did they support? Do we agree with those laws? What did they DO as president? What actions did they take and what was the result of those actions?

Don’t listen to me, look out your window. Is the world a safer place today? Are prices skyrocketing? Is crime on the upswing? Is that homeless camp still under the 405? Rather than look for someone to blame, why not give someone else a chance at it. Its easy to make excuses, harder to fix problems.

All change is good.

JVH