Tag Archives: On The Fence Voters

The East Palestine Disconnect

Posted on by under Economic issues, Environmental Issues, History, Law and justice, Political commentary, Re-blogs, Social commentary

My granddaughter has, rightly, taken me to task for not giving more attention to the catastrophic train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, just a few hundred miles from our home. But, try as I might, I have been unable to stay focused on it long enough to write a post. The disaster has become both a political football and a racial one, thanks to certain politicos, and I find myself growling and cursing every time I try to put fingers to keyboard. Jeff, however, has no such problem and has written a well-researched, timely, and passionate post about the disaster and the situation to date. Thank you, Jeff! I owe you one!

On The Fence Voters

So Donald Trump visited East Palestine, Ohio, yesterday. Visiting the scene of the crime is what immediately came to mind when I saw him arrive in “Trump Force One.” But what I saw from many in that community was nothing of the sort. There were cheers, clapping, and fawning – something resembling a rock star coming back on stage for an encore.

What in the hell is wrong with these people?

I’m sorry. I do not mean to lump everyone in East Palestine into the same camp. Indeed there are folks there who despise the man. But let’s face it. Trump got over 70 percent of the vote in that area in 2020. Certainly, those are landslide numbers by any stretch of the imagination.

And what they do not know, at least most of them, is that when Trump came into office in 2017, he gutted scores of regulations spanning…

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So Many Questions

Posted on by under Bits 'n Pieces, education, Election 2020, Election 2022, History, Law and justice, Political commentary, Re-blogs, Social commentary

Our dear friend and my writing partner, Jeff, has questions. They are the same questions we all ask, even though we already know the answers. But, we cannot stop asking … we MUST NOT stop asking! We just need to keep asking, and asking the people who are to blame, not just the ones who are asking the same questions we are. Good post, Jeff, and I’m hoping for more soon? We’ve missed you!!!

On The Fence Voters

It’s been a while—more on that in the future. But today, I’ve got questions. So many questions.

The answers elude me, but these are the things that boggle my mind regularly.

Why is it that one state in our union elected a man, Greg Abbott, who thinks it’s cute to send busloads of asylum seekers to the doorstep of the Vice-President of the United States of America? On one of the coldest nights of the year and Christmas Eve to boot? Surely the people of Texas aren’t this cruel, bigoted, and inhumane. Are they?

Why is the wealthiest man in the world allowed to purchase a social media company, then use it as a gaslight factory that enables bigots, conspiracy theorists, and other crackpots to spew whatever kind of hate and disinformation they desire?

What’s happened to the once great state of Ohio that went for Barack Obama twice and…

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The Conservative Curse of Gullibility

Posted on by under Bits 'n Pieces, education, Election 2022, Free Press Issues, Law and justice, Political commentary, Racism & Bigotry, Re-blogs, Social commentary

Y’know, folks, I really think Republicans should have to wear tinfoil hats so we can identify them and keep our distance! Jeff shares a post by Jerry, aka Grumpy, that will either make you laugh, growl, or at the very least shake your head! Thanks, Jeff & Jerry!!!

On The Fence Voters

Our good friend Jerry over at Grumpy’s Grumblings has a post that I’d like to share with you. I’ve included a link at the end to continue reading on his site. Thanks Jerry!

Ronald Reagan said, “The trouble with our liberal friends is not that they’re ignorant; it’s just that they know so much that isn’t so.” When he said that I absolutely agreed with him. Liberals live in a fantasyland where beliefs supersede facts, I believed. What my bias prevented me from seeing at the time was that what might be true, to some degree, of liberals was to a much greater degree true of me and my conservative compatriots.

Sure, every human tends to succumb to confirmation bias, but I’ve come to see that it’s also true that we can overcome those biased beliefs through open-mindedness and objective, fact-based education. And, as I’ve increasingly observed, liberals—generally being better…

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Democracy Can’t Afford a Governor Kari Lake

Posted on by under Election 2020, Election 2022, Law and justice, Political commentary, Racism & Bigotry, Re-blogs, Social commentary

There are so many truly horrible candidates on the ballot this November that I’ve lost count. However, a few stand out in my mind … Oz, Vance, Walker, Mastriano, and Lake for starters. Kari Lake is the most unconscionable woman I can imagine … she has none. My writing partner Jeff over at On the Fence Voters has done a good job of showing us just what Ms. Lake is and I hope Arizona voters are wise enough to keep her OUT of the governor’s mansion! Thanks, Jeff!!!

On The Fence Voters

Kari Lake has a charismatic personality that reflects her years as an Arizona media personality. She talks rapidly, much like carnival barkers Jim Jordan and Matt Gaetz in the House of Representatives. And much like the Congressmen above, she lies with impunity. And she does it with self-confidence that ranks right up there with her hero, the disgraced 45th President of the United States.

And, if things do not change fast, Kari Lake will be the new governor of Arizona.

If you care about democracy, and I’m not sure how many Americans do at this point, Kari Lake must be defeated in the November election. If Arizona falls for this demagogue, the rest of us will have to pick up the pieces of what might be left of a democracy in tatters.

Kari Lake is an election denier and blind sycophant to Donald Trump. He’s proudly campaigned for…

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GOP Cruelty Pleases Their Constituents

Posted on by under education, Election 2020, Election 2022, Free Press Issues, History, Political commentary, Racism & Bigotry, Re-blogs, Social commentary, voting rights

“Divide et impera” … Julius Caesar, circa a long time ago. In English, it is “Divide and conquer”. Control. A disunited people are far less likely to rise up and oppose a dictator or other authoritarian. Keep them hatin’. Our friend Jeff is angry and so am I …

On The Fence Voters

I’ve said it before, and I’ll repeat it. As it is presently constituted, the GOP represents a small minority of people in this country who think being cruel to people is a virtue.

We all know about the disgraced former president. We’ve seen the hatred he spewed as president and now as a private citizen. He is the standard-bearer for this type of behavior. He’s got a group in Congress who continue to support him no matter what. And, if he’s indicted, we know that support would continue. Many of those same GOP politicians mirror the personality of their dear leader, who relishes every chance he gets to insult and lie with impunity.

And they wouldn’t do it were it not for millions of people in this country who love every minute of it. And they do not cross the former president because they know the death threats and intimidation…

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Biden and Dems are Getting Stuff Done

Posted on by under Bits 'n Pieces, Environmental Issues, Global Issues, History, Law and justice, Political commentary, Re-blogs, Social commentary

My blogging buddy Jeff over at On the Fence Voters has found some things to be optimistic about and I like the way he thinks. We all need to remember that amidst the dark terrain of today’s political landscape, things ARE getting done, there IS hope for our future. Thank you, Jeff … I think we all need to remember that we have a president who cares about ALL the people, not only those with money to burn!

On The Fence Voters

Contrary to my pessimism about the midterms post a while back, my attitude is beginning to change. Things are getting better in the United States of America, and we have President Joe Biden and the Democrats to thank for that.

Meanwhile, the corrupt former president awaits his fate from many investigations and probes, and his sycophantic friends in the GOP proudly stand by him. This fact reflects the stark contrast between our two political parties. One party is working for the American people—the other works for one man and a deranged group of his cult followers.

To be sure, you may not like everything Joe Biden and the Democrats are doing. Some might not think the recently passed legislation, The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), goes far enough. Perhaps you believe centrist Senators Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema played too significant a role and whittled down the bill to something far…

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A Dose of Needed Optimism

Posted on by under Bits 'n Pieces, education, Election 2022, guns, History, Law and justice, Political commentary, Racism & Bigotry, Re-blogs, Social commentary

Jeff and Greg … they started On the Fence Voters several years ago. Life has a way of changing the best laid plans, so we haven’t heard much from Greg in the last couple of years (I owe you an email, Greg … I haven’t forgotten … I’m just perpetually behind!), but Jeff has worked hard to get the message across. Today, we get to not only hear Greg’s voice once again, but see some great, inspirational photos! And, he’s nudging us all to get out there and do our part, telling us that our voices DO make a difference! Thank you both, Jeff & Greg! Loved the photos and loved the chat between you two!

On The Fence Voters

On the heels of my last post, which was on the dark and pessimistic side, I’d like to head in the opposite direction. And, by the way, I’d like to thank everyone who commented on that post. All of them were thoughtful and encouraging. Frankly, I need that!

Four years ago, my long-time good friend Greg called and asked me if I was interested in starting a blog. We were both angry and sick over the Parkland, Florida mass shooting and wanted to do something about it. Instead of complaining about how things were going in this country, it was time to put our anger into words and try to make a difference.

Since that day, it hasn’t quite worked out how Greg had intended. He could not contribute to the blog as he had planned. Life was dealing him lemon after lemon, and it wasn’t working out.

However…

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Americans Need to see Graphic Mass Shooting Images

Posted on by under education, Election 2022, Free Press Issues, guns, History, Law and justice, Political commentary, Re-blogs, Social commentary

My friend and sometimes writing partner (we’re working on it!) has written about what it just might take to wake up this nation to the horrific scenes we are enabling when we cast a vote for a politician who cares more about his own bank account than our children’s lives. And Jeff has a suggestion that I think is spot on! Thank you, Jeff!

On The Fence Voters

As the old saying goes, desperate times call for desperate measures. Two more mass shootings within days of each other present an opportunity to finally do something – anything, for crying out loud about the pathetic and useless gun laws that make the United States a laughingstock in the civilized world.

The anger we’re seeing right now, from politicians to sports celebrities and most of our fellow American citizens, is palpable. It’s not as if we haven’t seen this level of anger before. We certainly have. But this time feels different. I hope it’s different.

Time will tell, of course, because the attention span of folks in this country continues to get shorter and shorter. And that is why we must go where we have not gone before. It’s time for the American people to see the vile and horrific photos from mass shootings like the one experienced at Robb…

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What About the “Woke” Right?

Posted on by under Bits 'n Pieces, education, Election 2022, Environmental Issues, Law and justice, Political commentary, Racism & Bigotry, Re-blogs, Social commentary

Our friend Jeff over at On the Fence Voters has neatly summed up the “State of the Nation” these days. Let me just say that by the Republican’s faux definition of the word “woke”, I am PROUD to be WOKE … I have to live with my conscience 24/7 and my conscience likes me being Woke! Thanks Jeff … great summation!

On The Fence Voters

According to our conservative friends, being “woke” refers to those who are ridiculously politically correct and who speak out too much on social injustice. It’s commonly used as a pejorative term when referring to those on the left, increasingly paring it with phrases like “woke mob” or as a sledgehammer, using “anti-woke” to proclaim their vehement opposition.

The right-wing’s been successful at putting the term into the general public. And they do it by minimizing and mocking those standing up against generations of injustice suffered by marginalized folks such as the LGBTQ and people of color communities.

But the truth is, while they like to hang the term on liberals, we could and should hang it around the necks of today’s GOP and use it the same way on them. Because what we’re seeing right now play out across America is beyond radical. Perhaps we could call it “extreme wokeness.”…

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A Pessimistic View of the Mid-terms

Posted on by under education, Election 2020, Election 2022, Environmental Issues, Free Press Issues, Global Issues, History, Law and justice, Political commentary, Re-blogs, Social commentary, voting rights

Jeff hasn’t been posting much of late, but when he does, he DOES! This post says everything I’ve been feeling, and likely much of what you’ve all been feeling of late. Please take a few minutes to read and think about it … share his words if you feel so inclined, for we need everyone to understand where the current path leads. Thanks, Jeff!

On The Fence Voters

I try like hell to be an optimist. I keep thinking my fellow Americans will ultimately do the right thing when it matters most. When they see the clear difference between our two political parties, they will surely choose the one that gives us the best chance of continuing to live in a democratic society and address the vital issues confronting us in the 21st century.

Unfortunately, of late, I’ve failed to maintain that positivity. I find myself increasingly in the category of folks who say the November mid-term elections will be a catastrophe for Democrats. Our current president has done a lot to move the country forward. Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem to matter to folks.

The American people are pissed. About everything, it seems. And, if I’m to be completely honest with myself, why shouldn’t they be? Inflation is out of control; the pandemic is still lurking, although…

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