The Epstein Files??? What About Everything Else?? #363
By Hank Silverberg
Commentary
Tired of hearing about the Epstein files? I certainly am. First, let me say I have a great deal of empathy for the victims of Jeffrey Epstein and his cadres of sleezeballs. Like many people, I would like to see the victims get justice and closure for a terrible experience that in many cases, ruined their lives
I do have an issue though, with politicians and the media who seem obsessed with who was on Epstein's island, his plane, his guest list and the like, and ignore everything else.
We know Andrew Windsor, formally known as The Prince, was involved. And we know that Donald Trump, Bill Clinton and others knew Epstein and were seen at some of his parties.
But these events happened years ago, and somehow focusing on who is on the list and may have participated in the abuse of underage women has pulled the Congress and a good portion of the media away from other things that also matter.
Now that Congress has ended the ridiculous shutdown and come back into session, they need to be working on the nation's big problems.
(Blame House Speaker Mike Johnson for the whole thing for letting the Congress leave town.)
Here's my list of what needs to be done NOW:
1) Health care. The Affordable Care Act has had flaws for years, yet despite pointing those out over and over again for 15 years, the Republicans have never come up with any kind of a fix for the ACA, or a viable alternative. Millions of people's lives depend on it. I could write six more blogs on why the ACA is NOT socialism and why health care is a role government should deal with, but that can wait for now.
2) The war in Ukraine: Ukraine has been fighting OUR battle against Russian expansion in Eastern Europe. They have done a remarkable job with great sacrifice, and we need to acknowledge that and continue to help them. Expansionist Russia is not our friend and threatens another world war. But Congress seems frozen on the dollar signs and not on the threat. And that is a big mistake.
3) Hamas still controls Gaza. It's rubble, people are starving to death, but again many in Congress focus on a few protests here at home instead of the main issue: how to get rid of this terrorist entity that threatens not just Israel, but the peace of a whole volatile region of the world where battles over oil, water and land could also plunge us into a world war.
4) American influence abroad is waning because of President Trump's short sighted "America First" policy: the shutdown of USAID and Voice of America took away some of our most effective tools for making friends and allies around the world, and has allowed China, a direct threat to the USA both economically and politically, to fill in the gap. If it goes on much longer, Africa will soon be China's all-around playground and major supplier of rich resources that will enhance the Chinese threat to Japan, Australia and most of South Asia.
5) Loss of freedom at home. We have seen increased efforts here in the USA to suppress our rights as individuals to speak freely, vote undeterred, and live our lives our way. Attacks on the media continue to weaken the First Amendment and damage the ability to reign in the abuse of power by our leaders.
The crackdown on "illegal" immigrants is damaging the very soul of our country, pitting "us" against "them" with the "us" narrowing to white Christians, and the "them" slowly enlarging to minorities of all other shades, ethnicities and religions.
Each day I look for some evidence of an end to this madness. But instead, I see more abuse of our political system, more division, and less prosperity for us all.
Some have pointed to the 2026 mid-term elections with hope. Others are waiting for 2029, when Trump will be gone. If something doesn't change soon, both may come too late or not come at all.
I spent Saturday at the U.S. Marine Corps Museum with my wife and one of my grandchildren. We were there to see a brick honoring my father-in-law's service. I spent a few minutes inside the museum contemplating all this in front of the flag hoisted on Mount Sarabachi on Iwo Jima where my father had been wounded in 1945.
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| (The Iwo Jima Flag) |
Dad went to war to defeat fascism and save democracy. For the first time in my life I am wondering if we are going to have to do that again starting here at home.
News You May Have Missed
Are you ready for a crazy winter? Meteorologists are warning that a rare possible disruption in the polar vortex, which determines how cold it gets, or the strengthening of La Nina conditions which determines where the cold air travels, could significantly alter typical U.S. winter weather patterns over the next few months. That could lead to colder and snowier conditions than usual.
The disruption of the polar vortex could send cold arctic air to parts of the country with heavy snow starting earlier than usual in December, and lasting longer than normal into January.
The other scenario suggests that La Nina, which is already underway and marked by colder than average Pacific waters, will remain the primary driver of the winter weather. That usually brings warmer conditions to the southern and eastern U.S. and colder, wetter weather to the northern tier.
We should know which way it's blowing in a week or two. The last time the SSW effect occurred was in 2000, parts of the upper Midwest had three weeks of subzero temperatures and 13.4 inches of snow.
It's not just about our comfort. Which pattern occurs can translate into millions of dollars in losses in agriculture, energy, health and transportation, and the possible loss of life.
Shark!!!
They are gonna need a bigger boat! The world's largest known Great White shark has been spotted off the coast of Atlantic City, New Jersey this week. He's known as "Contender," and a non-profit group called OCREACH tagged him off the coast of Florida last January as part of their efforts to better understand ocean life.
Contender weights 1,653 pounds, is 13 feet long,
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| (Contender, courtesy of OCREACH) |
Contender was spotted off the coast of the Outer Banks in North Carolina in June, only about 22 miles off the coast of Cape Hatteras. In July, he was pinged off the coast of Massachusetts, and in late September off South Pointe-Parent in the province of Quebec.
In October he was pinged multiple times moving south from Canada for the fall migration season.
Scientists say he moves south to the warmer waters where there is more food sources. If you are interested in tracking Contender or other marine wildlife, here is a link you can use. https://www.ocearch.org/education/shark-tracker-free-app/
Dumbest Quote of The Week!
This week's dumb quote comes from Laura Loomer, who calls herself a journalist but who is really just a Republican propagandist.
She posted on X :
"It's not my job to care about what happens in Gaza . I'm America First"
The comment shows a total lack of understanding of the stakes in the mid-east to world peace and the role of the United States as the leader of the free world. If she really cares about America she should realize that Hamas, which still rules over the rubble of Gaza, remains a threat not just to Israel but to the entire world. The United States needs to be actively involved in bringing peace to that region for our own national security. We don't live in a political vacuum.
"America First" failed in the 1930's and may be even worse for our nation now than it was then.
(You suggestions and comments are welcome)
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https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B084Q7K6M5/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i0
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