Category: Government & Politics

Is Mask Shaming the New American Discrimination?

Would Lady Liberty approve? I think not. Image courtesy of timesfreepress.com

These are the facts; the CDC and the President’s medical “Top Dog”, Dr. Anthony Fauci, have clearly stated wearing a mask would not prevent an individual from contracting the Covid-19 virus.  Only those infected or under the suspicion of infection, are the ones who should be wearing the masks to avoid infecting those of us that are healthy.  These are the facts and they are indisputable.

On March 2, 2020, the Surgeon General told people not to buy masks to combat the virus.  He warned those buying the masks of the possibilities of accelerating the risk of infection by improperly wearing those masks.

He was absolutely correct.  An incorrectly fitted mask does more harm than good.  When I was a Lieutenant with the Federal Bureau of Prisons, part of my duties was the transportation of inmates between facilities.  In several occasions I transported inmates with respiratory illnesses such as tuberculosis. In order to be able to do my job, I had to be properly fitted for a respirator.  The fitting was documented by the Safety Manager as required by Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

If you think a bandana, a scarf, a piece of cloth, or Michael Myers rubber mask, is going to protect you, think again.  Even a N95 mask, as good as it is, it is only effective for 8 hours of constant use.  People wearing a N95 mask without proper fitting are wasting their time, money, and putting themselves and others at risk..

It seems the country has gone mad over wearing a mask and criminals are taking advantage of this to commit crimes.  To bring this craziness into perspective, the following is a case demonstrating my point:

On April 7, 2020, it was reported on the N.Y. Daily News, “Two crooks smashed into a Brooklyn grocery store, stole a cash register, with three dozens of Red Bull.  The crooks were wearing what appeared to be N95 masks”.

Then you have the public stigma of wearing a mask or not wearing a mask.

On February 5, 2020, the N.Y. Post reported a woman wearing a mask was attacked at the Chinatown subway station after allegedly been called a “diseased bitch”.

On March 11, 2020, an Asian woman was punched in the face in Midtown Manhattan, after a person asked her, “Where is your fucking mask?”  She was entering a building when she was grabbed by the hair and punched in the face.

This is unacceptable in a civilized society and any person who engages in this type of behavior, be physical or otherwise, should be ashamed and criminally held liable.  They should be prosecuted to the fullest.  In my opinion, this is discriminatory behavior and should not be tolerated.

Many Americans don’t know or understand that in China, wearing a mask is a way of life due to the high levels of pollution.  Several years ago I went to Beijing on business and as soon as I exited the airport, the smog hit me in the face.  This is the main reason most people wear mask in mainland China.

In Japan, seen people wearing a mask are a common scene.  They mostly wear them to help prevent the spread of the seasonal flu and against pollen in the spring.  They have been doing this for over a decade.

I knew this type of barbaric behavior was going to surface after the “We are in this together” started to wear out.  I’m not surprised; I saw this same thin after 9/11/2001.  Everybody was waving their little American flags and six months later they were back to their usual selfish and obnoxious ways.

Which brings me to the following question:  Who these people think they are to tell others what to do?  To assault people at will?

This is America and people are free to do as they please as long as it is lawful.  Choosing to wear or not to wear a mask is not unlawful!  Healthy people, like me, should not be made to wear or shame into wearing a mask.  Especially when we are within our rights, granted to us by God and the Constitution, to make those decisions as American citizens and human beings.  Also, choosing not to wear a mask is within the guidelines issued by our own government, therefore legal.

I have been fortunate that not one person has dare to approach me or lecture me.  Sure, they give me “the look”, but that’s as I far as they go. 

My suggestion is this, if you are so scared to go out and you feel the need to dress like a serial killer to feel safe, stay home.   When I see someone close to me wearing a mask, the first thing I think is “this person is infected”.

Most of the people are uninformed, or get their information from the main stream media, and think wearing a mask with their favorite NBA logo on it makes them better people or safer.  Hello!  That cheap mask is not going to do much when those droplets are landing in your eyes.  Those droplets can travel up to 27 feet into the air.  I guess the six feet of separation theory goes out of the window.

From a philosophical standpoint, to me the mask is a symbol of oppression and submission.  It represents the government’s attempt to shut us down as a country, society, and human beings.  It is one thing to wear the mask because I choose to do so; it is a different story when ordered by government.

This insanity is such, that many private businesses are refusing services to healthy individuals who have chosen not to wear a mask.  Some of these businesses have been encouraged by our own politicians to do so.  Shameful!

I, for one, will not patronize a business that requires me to wear a mask, period.   One of the purposes of going out to a restaurant or a bar is to have a good time and socialize, and wearing a mask defeats that purpose.  I would rather stay home, have a nice home cooked meal with my wife, than going to an establishment and feel like I am among a bunch of zombies.

I am going to suggest to my fellow Americans; mind your own business!  Worry about you and your loved ones.  If you want to wear a mask, wear it, but don’t go around lecturing other Americans on how to live their life’s as Americans.

Is wearing the mask or not the “new normal” discrimination?  I believe it is and innocent people are going to get hurt in the process, as it has already happened.

Federalism or Socialism? The Choice is Yours!

Governors, Federalism or Socialism? The Choice is Yours. Image courtesy of Bing

The beauty, or curse, of a recession is that it exposes the fiscal irresponsibility of those living on borrowed money.

I reviewed four states, with information courtesy of www.mercatus.org, and the fiscal irresponsibility is astonishing.  New York, New Jersey, California, and Illinois, none of the states ranked higher than 41 out of 50 states in fiscal health.  The study done by the Mercatus Center was for a period of 10 years, from 2006 to 2016, and they issued their rankings in 2018.

These same states are currently asking the Federal government for a financial bailout using the Coronavirus as an excuse.  Are they serious?  These are the same governors who told President Trump he didn’t have the authority to tell them when to open their state economies.   Under the Article X of the Constitution they are right, but the President could use the Commerce Clause to change that, but that’s a different discussion all together.

The bottom line is they can’t have it both ways, are they for Federalism all the way or none, it is that simple.

These governors are using the Coronavirus pandemic to ask the Federal government to “pay off” their state debts.  In my opinion, this is in clear conflict with the tenets of the 10th amendment.  Article X clearly defines Federalism which is the relationship between states and the Federal government.

The reality is these states were not ready for the Coronavirus pandemic or any other state emergency, despite the fact emergency preparedness it is the responsibility of each individual state or local jurisdiction.  To blame the Trump administration for their lackluster response is short sided and wrong.

The Federal government stepped in and provided states with ventilators, masks, and Personal Protective Equipment.  This equipment should have been already in the possesion of hospitals, but they were not ready and clinical directors care more about the bottom dollar than emergency readiness.

All of this at the expense of private companies like General Motors and 3M, who were told by the Federal government to drop their products in favor of producing medical equipment at a loss.

The federal government is not responsible for the emergency preparedness of states or local jurisdictions.  The only time the Federal government is required to assist is in the event of a national emergency declaration, and it has to be approved by the President.  Even then, states are to use the federal resources for the benefit of their citizens, not their state deficits and budgets.

Bailing out state governments is a bad idea.  It will set a bad fiscal precedent and will encourage poorly managed state governments to continue with reckless spending and sky rocketing deficits. 

From a constitutional stand point, it doesn’t make sense.  I believe it would be in complete contradiction with Article X and the concept of Federalism.

Would states asking for this federal bailout be willing to give up their own sovereignty and accept the Federal government as their ruler?  Only time will tell.

The following are the four states I reviewed and their fiscal health and rankings as of 2016.  I only concentrated on long term liabilities, unfunded guaranteed pensions, and other post employment benefits. 

41- New York

  • Long Term Liabilities:  58% of total assets which is lower than the national average. 
  • Unfunded Guaranteed Pension Liabilities:  $442.44 billion dollars or 35% of the state personal income.  The National Average is $14.51 billion dollars.
  • Other Post Employment Benefits:  $88.50 billion dollars of 7% of state personal income.

42- California

  • Long Term Liabilities:  92% of total assets which is higher than the national average.
  • Unfunded Guaranteed Pension Liabilities:  $1, 190.84 billion dollars or 54% of the state personal income.  The National Average is $14.51 billion dollars.
  • Other Post Employment Benefits:  $106.06 billion dollars of 5% of state personal income.

48- New Jersey

  • Long Term Liabilities:  388% of total assets which is higher than the national average.
  • Unfunded Guaranteed Pension Liabilities:  $272.54 billion dollars or 49% of state personal income.  The National Average is $14.51 billion dollars.
  • Other Post Employment Benefits:  $85.42 billion dollars of 15% of state personal income.

50-Illinois

  • Long Term Liabilities:  330% of total assets which is higher than the national average.
  • Unfunded Guaranteed Pension Liabilities:  $445.79 billion dollars or 67% of state personal income.  The National Average is $14.51 billion dollars.
  • Other Post Employment Benefits:  $51.90 billion dollars of 8% of state personal income.

This is just a small sample of how states are running their jurisdictions with reckless disregard for tax payers.  There are many other states that are in the same irresponsible boat, but these four are the major “town criers”.

At this very moment, Senate Leader McConnell and President Trump are considering giving states the bailout they are asking for, and I will tell them to stay resolute and say, no.  This will only encourage more bad behavior and it will take the country into a recession and more debt. 

As it is, I believe the country has already reached Stagflation as high inflation is almost unavoidable and high unemployment is already there.

The People of the United States v. Covid-19 and Our Constitutional Government

The Constitution is worth saving and the people should defend it at all cost!

I remember 2009 and the H1N1 (Swine Flu) epidemic. How can I forget? I was working missions as a Federal Air Marshal, inside a confined space and exposing myself to thousands of people.

I never got sick, the country was never placed on lockdown, businesses were not bankrupted by the government, and the country didn’t spend over 10 trillion dollars (by the time this is over) of money we don’t have. But most importantly, Americans were not forced to abdicate their Constitutional Rights.

On April 15, 2009, the first case of H1N1 was reported in the state of California.  By June 25, 2009, the Center for Disease Control announced an estimate of 1 million cases of H1N1had occurred in the United States.  It wasn’t until August 11, 2010, when the World Health Organization declared the H1N1 pandemic as over.

These are the numbers from the CDC when everything was said and done.

  • From April 12, 2009 to April 10, 2010, CDC estimated there were 60.8 million cases (range: 43.3-89.3 million), 274,304 hospitalizations (range: 195,086-402,719), and 12,469 deaths (range: 8868-18,306) in the United States due to the (H1N1) pdm09 virus.

When one puts everything into perspective, the H1N1 was a pretty serious pandemic.  President Barack Obama waited six months to declare it a National Emergency and by then over 1,000 Americans had already died of the virus.  Maybe not the best response expected from the government; nevertheless, the country continued to operate at a pretty normal pace.

Many people would think that President Obama and many Democratic Party governors would have taken this opportunity to assumed central control of American’s everyday life, but it didn’t happen.  Life went on!

Fast forward to 2020:

From the CDC:

“In December 2019, an outbreak of a novel Coronavirus infection (COVID-19) occurred in Wuhan, China (1). Although China launched an emergency response early in the outbreak, the infection rapidly spread to metropolitan areas in China and around the world. The growing number of cases suggests that the epidemic has continued to spread. Several research articles have reported the epidemiologic characteristics of the outbreak in Wuhan and Hubei Province (1–4); however, to our knowledge, an analysis of the epidemic in metropolis areas around Wuhan has not yet been reported. To predict the epidemic trend and guide control measures, especially in similar metropolitan areas, outbreak investigations are needed.

Shenzhen, a modern and international metropolitan city, is located in southern China (Appendix Figure 1) and has a population of 13 million persons, among which >1 million are from Hubei Province and >70,000 from Wuhan. After the first cluster of COVID-19 cases was confirmed in Shenzhen in early January 2020 (5), other cases spread within the city, involving all districts. To summarize the epidemiologic characteristics and provide updated information to aid in the development of control measures, we analyzed data for the first 365 laboratory-confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Shenzhen”.

By January of 2020, the CDC and the United States government were well aware of the outbreak in Wuhan, China.  On January 31, 2020, the Trump Administration immediately enacted major travel restrictions from China into the United Sates and issued a Quarantine order, the first one in over 50 years. 

Some will argue it wasn’t fast enough, but I do believe these early actions by the administration were spot on.  At the end they may prove to have saved lives.  But at what price?

Sometimes the cure can be more deadly than the disease, and in this case I believe our Constitutional Rights have been violated in the name of safety.  I am all for American’s well being, but giving the facts I have outline in the paragraphs above, this, in my opinion, has been a government manufactured crisis of unprecedented proportions.

This is my list of alleged Constitutional Rights violations and my reasoning behind them.  Let me be clear, my argument is based on the lack of “Due Process” and moral grounds.

Article [I] (Amendment 1 – Freedom of expression and religion)13

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

If I am ordered by the government not to attend religious services, that’s a clear violation of my freedom to freely exercise my speech, my right to peacefully assemble and my right to exercise my religion as I wish.

Article [IV] (Amendment 4 – Search and Seizure)

The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.

How can I feel safe and secured in my own house when government has by defacto placed me under house arrest by ordering me to stay at home?  This has been done without probable cause or a valid warrant.  A “Stay at Home” order without due process is nothing more than home confinement and an unlawful seizure.

Article [V] (Amendment 5 – Rights of Persons)

No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the Militia, when in actual service in time of War or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offence to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.

When I’m ordered to stay at home or otherwise I will face a fine or placed under arrest, that’s a clear deprivation of my right to life and liberty. 

When government orders a private business to close their doors without proper compensation is, in a sense, taking illegal ownership of such business.  By doing so, the government is depriving those owners of their private property.

Article [IX] (Amendment 9 – Unenumerated Rights)

The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.

“The enumerated powers in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people”.

“Our privacy must be respected, unless forbidden by state law.  Some rights are not in the Constitution, but are still protected.  Equally, certain rights are in the Constitution and they should be protected”.

This is simple; the rights of the American people should be protected at all cost.  When the government violates even one Article, the government, be Federal or State, are in violation of the principles enumerated in Article IX.

Article XIV (Amendment 14 – Rights Guaranteed: Privileges and      Immunities of Citizenship, Due Process, and Equal Protection)

1: All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.

The government can’t deprive American citizens of life, liberty, or property without due process, period.

Governments, be at the Federal or State level, imposing unconstitutional “lockdowns”  and involuntarily closing businesses without proper compensation, such acts seem, to me, a violation of the Constitution.  By not been afforded the right to due process and equal protection under the law, citizens rights are not been equally protected under Article XIV.

I understand during a national emergency the government has constitutional flexibility as indicated by the Supreme Court of the United States.   My argument in addition to be a constitutional argument; it is a moral argument.  Just because the government can do it, does it make it right?

In 2002, John W. Dean, former counsel to the President, wrote an interesting article titled; Presidential Powers in Times of Emergency:  Could Terrorism Result in a Constitutional Dictatorship. 

His position was based on the presidential actions after the terrorist attacks on 9/11 and the military, but I think it can be used to analyze the actions today related to the COVID-19 pandemic and the reaction by federal and state governments.

https://supreme.findlaw.com/legal-commentary/presidential-powers-in-times-of-emergency.html

Could the actions taken by many state governments across the country be construed as Constitutional Dictatorship?  You can arrive at your own conclusions.

Throughout history, it has been a historical fact when government’s takes away citizen’s rights, even for a moment, they rarely give them back to the people.

What’s going to happen once the pandemic is over? 

Are we going to back to “normal”?  What’s normal?  What normal will look like? 

Is the government going to allow private businesses to go back to business as usual?   Are they going to demand a piece of the private pie?

Is the government going to nationalize the airlines and the auto industries?

Will Americans be, once again, allowed to associate freely; will they be free to exercise their religious beliefs?

Are we going to have free elections come November 3, 2020, or are we going to be sent on a constitutional crisis rollercoaster?

Only time will tell.

Corona-ruptcy: Part Deux

Only the Private Sector can save this economy! Picture courtesy of enca.com

Here we are again, the third “Stimulus” package to combat the Coronavirus pandemic at a cost of $2,000,000,000,000.00 dollars, in addition to the prior $9,384,000,000.00  signed into law in the prior two pieces of legislation.

In President Trump’s own words during the signing ceremony, “this 2 trillion can easily become 6 trillion dollars before the fiscal year is over”.  Even with many of these appropriations falling under Sunset Provisions, that’s a lot of money to be spent by September 30, 2020.

Unlike members of Congress, yours truly actually read the 1400+ pages of this stimulus bill, H.R. 748, The CARES Act.   The legislation has lots of good things to help combat the virus and assist the medical community, but the amount of Pork Barrel spending on it would make a grown fiscal conservative cry.

I am going to summarize for you most of the pet projects and draconian regulations the Congress was able to insert in this bill.  None of it has anything to do with the Coronavirus response, testing, or cure.

  • The Smithsonian Institution (Salaries and Expenses)- $7,500,000.00
  • John F. Kennedy Center (Operations Maintenance)-  $35,000,000.00
  • National Foundation of the Arts and The Humanities/National Endowment of the Arts (Grants and Administration)-  $300,000,000.00
  • National Endowment for the Humanities (Grants and Administration)- $300,000,000.00
  • Corporation for the Public Broadcasting- $300,000,000.00.  The same entity who is refusing to broadcast the Presidential Briefings on the Corona virus, go figure.
  • Institute of Museum and Library Services- $500,000,000.00

The following are some of the salaries and expenses of some of the Federal agencies you never knew we had.  Basically, pay raises.

  • Employee Benefits Security Administration-  $3,000,000.00
  • Wage & Hour Division-  $6,500,000.00
  • Occupational Safety & Health Administration-  $30,000,000.00
  • Departmental Management Office, Office of the OIG-  $1,500,000.00
  • Government Accountability Office (Salaries and Expenses)-  $50,000,000.00
  • Department of Transportation and Housing and Urban Development (Salaries and Expenses)-  $1,753,000.00
  • Social Security Administration-  $510,000,000.00

Probably the most egregious of all these pay raises in a time of crisis, the Legislative Branch.

  • Senate- $1,000,000.00.  Under the title, Senate Sergeant at Arms Expenses.
  • Senate- $9,000,000.00.  Senate salary increases for members of the Senate.  For a nice total of $10,000,000, 00.
  • House of Representatives (Salaries and Expenses)-  $25,000,000.00
  • Architect of the Capitol (Construction and Operations)-  $25,000,000.00

Let’s continue with the Department of Education.  I tried to make sense as to why The Department of Education was getting any “Stimulus” money, other than to help states with child programs, but some of the things in there are beyond helping children.

  • Department of Education, State Fiscal Stabilization Fund- $50,000,000,000.00.  That’s right folks, billions with capital B.
  • Gallaudet University-  $7,000,000.00
  • Student Aid Administration-  $75,000,000.00
  • Higher Education (Whatever that is)-  $9,500,000.00
  • Howard University-  $13,000,000.00
  • Office of the Inspector General-  $11,000,000.00
  • Corporation for National and Community Service-  $250,000,000.00

Now we are going to take a look at some of the “Bailouts”, and goodies, the legislation is going to address, via either grants or loans, or simple appropriations.  This includes air carriers, railroads, airports, and the United States Postal Service.

This is just a sample, but it should be enough to paint a picture for you.  Some of these options available to the airline industry are not coming without some Democratic Party intervention and strings attached to them.

  • Payments to Air Carriers-  $100,000,000.00
  • Airline Industry Financial Oversight-  $3,000.000.00
  • Airline Assistance to Recycle and Save Program-  $1,000,000.00
  • Federal Aviation Administration, Airport and Airway Trust Fund-  $25,000,000.00
  • Grant-In-Aid for Airports-  $10,000,000.00
  • Airport Relief (From the Department of the Treasury administered funds) -$10,000,000,000.00.  This is supposed to be used to ensure airlines don’t engage in price gouging during times of national emergencies.

In addition, the airlines will have access to $58,000,000,000.00 in loan and grants, but this assistance has several caveats to it.  Twenty One billion dollars will be use to issue unsecured loans and loan guarantees.  When I read “unsecured loans”, I saw the big word, “Bailout” written on the wall.

Let’s start with Environmental Protections Grants.  These grants will be given to those air carriers who participate in the Sustainable Aviation Fuel Development Program.  This is part of the Democrats Green New Deal initiative.

This is where the Green New Deal earns its wings.  The following are three sections that will be costly to the airline industry and the consumer will see the result with higher ticket prices and fees.

  • Section 706- Improving consumer information regarding the release of greenhouse gases from flights.  The program requires air carrier’s assistance in providing passengers with information regarding greenhouse gases emissions resulting from each individual flight. 

Section 707- Study on Certain Climate Change Mitigation Efforts.  The Secretary of transportation will get $1,500,000.00 for its implementation and compliance.

Section 199998- Aircraft Greenhouse Gas Emission Standards.  The EPA Administrator shall promulgate final regulations establishing emission standards for emission of greenhouse gases from both, new and in-service aircrafts, pursuant to section 231 of the Clean Air Act. 

Of the three, this is, in my opinion, the most expensive and the crown jewel of the Green New Dealers.  Guess who is going to pay for it folks, you!

The following are a few goodies for the Federal Railroad Administration.

  • Safety Operations- $250,000.00.  That’s it?  We have had many accident involving railways and the only get the price of a house on a so-so neighborhood for safety operations?  Safety First!  Right!
  • Northeast Corridor Grants to the National Railroad Passenger Corporation or as you know it, the failing AMTRAK-  $492,000,000.00
  • Federal Transit Administration, Transit Infrastructure Grants-  $25,000,000,000.00

Last but not least, the United States Postal Service.  All the debt will be forgiven and they will have access to loans in the amount of $15,000,000,000.00.

I know this one is not going to sit well with a lot of people, after all many people see the Postal Service as an arcane and expensive institution.  In addition, they are not really considered a part of the Federal government, so folks are going to ask why.

Understand this; the USPS retirement fund was destroyed by the Congress.  The USPS has been used by Congress, both Democrats and Republicans, as a slush fund, with an unbearable amount of liabilities.  The USPS has been paying retirement funds for people who haven’t been born yet.   That’s crazy in my opinion.

The way I see it, the Congress is taking an opportunity to right a wrong, and if the Smithsonian can get some Pork Barrel money, I’ll be dammed if the USPS can’t enjoy the same benefit.  I need the post office, we all do.

Among some the things that got my attention were the fact this legislation erases all the Executive Orders signed by President Trump regarding Federal employee’s collective bargaining and official time.  Section 16003, nullifies all E.O.’s related to employee collective bargaining.  A big win for the federal unions and the Democratic Party.

The worst thing about all this Pork Barrel spending is that it has been enacted and signed into law by using the Coronavirus as a sort of Trojan horse. Trust me, there are more hidden pork rinds on this bill, I am only showing you a handful. This is 1,400 plus pages and most of it filled with government waste.

Watching the President on television touting this $2,000,000,000,000.00 as a great victory for the American people was very confusing to me.  I don’t know how adding more money, we don’t have, to the debt is a victory of any sort. 

I understand the American people are hurting, but they are hurting because the same government scared the population, lockdown states and cities, and put people out of work in the process.  The statistics of the Coronavirus haven’t even reached the mortality rates of the Common Flu, and most experts now agree it won’t.

In my opinion, this has been an overreaction by government, one they were not ready for.  It is time for the Federal, State and Local governments to reopen businesses.  The government is not going to rebound this economy, and that’s a fact, only the people will. 

Extending unemployment benefits is not the answer; it only encourages able body people to stay home.  Would someone want to go back to work when they are making more money sitting at home?

The United States government is going to spend $250,000,000,000.00 by sending checks to families, but this money is no good if the same government is going to keep people lockdown and without the ability to work and provide for their families.  This is a onetime deal and it is unsustainable as it stands.

One piece of advice to the President, stop praising China and President Xi on national television.  People are out of work and in home confinement because of China, it doesn’t sit well.

Ordering American companies, like General Motors, to produce items for the well being of the American people is fine.  President Trump, you went on television and stated you were ready to help other countries with ventilators and Personal Protection Equipment.  Say what?  We can’t even supply our own people and hospitals!  “America First”, remember!!

Also, stop calling this a “War”.  It is not a war; it is a virus that we were unprepared for.  I am a combat veteran, I seen war and this is not it.  You are not a “War Time” president, which is fine, you are a president during a humanitarian crisis and the people need more leadership and less bravado.

Folks, I hope this is the end of the reckless spending coming out of Washington, but I have heard rumors that a 4th Stimulus package is in the works.  Who’s going to finance this spending China or Russia? God help us!

Corona-ruptcy?

This is not Venezuela, this is America folks!

One thing is for sure, if the Wuhan Chinese virus doesn’t bankrupt the country, the government will.

I understand Americans are worried, or should I say, scared to death by the Wuhan Chinese virus, but I believe this has been caused by bad federal government management, the media, and government overreach at the state and local levels.

State governors in California, New York, and now Illinois, have enacted “Shelter in Place” policies.  These de facto “lockdowns” are going to destroy private businesses in those states and force thousands of hard working Americans out of the workforce with no real relieve in sight. 

This policy is not only detrimental to the moral and financial well being of the citizens, but it clearly violates the United States Constitution.  Reading the Constitution I can come up with several amendments that have been disregarded by these governors. 

We can start with the 1st Amendment and our right to freedom of assembly.  They have been ordered not to gather in public places.  Their actions could also apply to the 4th Amendment and our rights against unreasonable searches and seizures.  These citizens have been seized and ordered to stay in their homes without a proper warrant or probable cause.  They have been told to stay home regardless if they have contracted the virus or not.

I also believe the 5th, 9th, and the 14th Amendment have also been violated by these actions.  The 14th Amendment is an important one because it guarantees the citizens due process and equal protection under the law.  How are these citizens been afforded due process when they have been ordered to stay home without a trial?  How are these citizens been afforded equal protection under the law when other states have not adopted same restrictive measures under the same set of circumstances?

What these governors have done is clearly and action of government overreach and should be challenged in Federal Court on constitutional grounds.

Recently the President signed into law H.R. 6074, Corona virus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act 2020 and H.R. 6201, Families First Corona Virus Response Act.

I am going to give you the rundown on how much this is going to cost the country and how much it will be adding to the federal deficit.  The language on these legislations is tedious and boring, so I’m going to make it easy for you by giving you figures and not mumbo-jumbo.  

H.R. 6074- Corona virus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act 2020

Federal Drug and Food Administration- $61,000,000.  This amount is for salary and expenses of employees.

Small Business Administration- $20,000,000.  This is to be use for the Disaster Loan Program account.

Department of Health and Human Services- $2,200,000,000.  Yes, Billions, with a capital B.

National Institute of Health- $836,000,000

Public Health Services or PHS- $3,100,000,000.  These are the folks in the Blue Battle Dress Uniforms you see behind the President during his press conferences.

The State Department

Administration of Foreign Affairs, Diplomatic Programs- $264,000,000 to cover COVID-19 expenses.

U.S. Agency for International Development, Office of the Inspector General. $1,000,000. This one smells like someone slipped some Pork Barrel spending and got away with it.

The White House

Bilateral Economic Assistance.  These are funds appropriated for the President of the United States.

Global health programs- $435,000,000

International Disaster Assistance to combat COVID-19- $300,000,000

Economic Support Fund- $250,000,000.  This is to cover additional expenses for COVID-19.

Now it is time for the math folks.  H.R. 6074, Corona virus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act 2020 is going to cost the American tax payer a grand total of:

$7, 467,000,000.00 billion dollars.  Are you feeling sick yet?

H.R. 6201- Families First Corona Virus Response Act

Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Services (WIC and SNAP Programs) – $500,000,000

Department of Defense- $82,000,000.  For SARS-CoV-2 or COVID-19 related items.  What happened to the 700 plus billion dollars in defense appropriations?

Department of the Treasury.  Internal Revenue Service- $15,000,000

Department of Health and Human Services.  Indian Health Services.  $64,000,000

Administration for Community Services.  Aging and Disabilities Services program- $250,000,000

Office of the Secretary.  Public Health Services or P.H.S. – $1,000,000,000

Department of Veterans Affairs- $30,000,000

Medical Community Care- $30,000,000

H.R. 6201, Families First Corona Virus Response Act is going to cost American tax payers:

$1,917,000,000.00 billion dollars.

Currently the Senate is working on a third piece of Stimulus legislation that nobody knows exactly what entails.  They are talking about forgivable loans, bailing out the airlines and cruise industries, and I am sure a bunch of other fiscal nonsense. 

One of the interesting things floating around is the suggestion of government taking a piece of those businesses.  That would be the equivalent of nationalizing private businesses; the same thing socialist governments have done in places like Venezuela.

So far, we have added $9,384,000,000.00 billion dollars to the national debt that’s already at over 23 trillion dollars with a federal spending of 4 trillion and a budget deficit of over 1 trillion dollars.  In the 1980’s the Federal debt to GDP ratio was a little over 34% in 2020 is over 108%.

This is unsustainable my friends.  The government response to the Wuhan Chinese virus has been like a monkey throwing feces at a wall and hoping a piece will stick. 

It will take decades for the United States to come out of this upcoming recession.  I admire President Trump’s enthusiasm, but one doesn’t have to be an economist to know that a Stock Market who doesn’t trust the government will have a hard time convincing its investors to invest.  We continue to throw money at problems without resolving the problems.

What happened here?  How we arrived at this point?  I wonder. 

In 2009, we faced the H1N1 virus, and it took the Obama administration 6 months and over 1000 dead Americans to declare a National Emergency.  We didn’t shutdown our society over it.  I remember flying all over the world as a Federal Air Marshal, and I survived. 

Not even after 9/11 we had this type of chaos in our country.  I ask again, what happened?

The government has never been an answer, but mostly a problem.  Only the private sector and the American people will be able to free this country from the dungeon the government has locked us in.