Encore of Revival: America, July 20, 2020

America is facing a crisis. Powerful forces with big money pull the strings. Had they pulled the strings differently, the world might not be in the situation it is in. Look at the Gates Foundation funding of the World Health Organization. What kind of sway was squandered in that influence?

While an epidemic that seemed to be passing resurges, Democratic voters turn to government guidelines while Republican voters turn to the Republican party. People are distracted with solving the current crisis, in a strong struggle over how.

Meanwhile in Washington, Senator Biden toys with the idea of removing the Senate rule allowing the filibuster—that would require only 51 Senate votes for most laws to pass instead of 60. With Americans—from both sides of the political schism—turning to government to solve today’s problems, a powerful Senate could become the most dangerous tool in the world.

As for Trump’s re-election, we see a massive push from Left-leaning media to paint the election as a Republican failure. Their arguments are based on what is right and reasonable from a Left wing view. But, whether correct or a matter of opinion, elections aren’t determined by what is right or wrong or reasonable; elections are determined by the popular vote. Right now, right or wrong, reported or ignored, Trump supporters are the majority.

We can’t trust surveys to say otherwise because those surveys always forecast Republican failure around this time in every election year. No Republican victory was ever reported as anything other than a surprise by the media, not even Fox News in 2016. So, if a Republican victory looks like it would be a surprise, historically speaking, that only makes it all the more likely.

Biden’s campaign is based on encouragement through difficult times and incompetence of the current president. His ads are long. Without difficult times or incompetence of the incumbent, Biden has no message. His appeals are akin to Jimmy Carter’s in the election he lost.

Trump’s campaign is built on his own competence, campaign promises he kept through laws, orders, and appointments, and resolve to continue pushing. His ads are short and sometimes censored on the internet.

The difference in the two campaigns, by itself, is enough to determine the outcome. As for the Democratic view that Trump was incompetent with the pneumoniavirus outbreak, Trump supporters blame Democratic politicians, Bill Gates, and China. They fear as much as Democratic voters, and they have their reason to keep their Republican vote unchanged. The epidemic doesn’t change votes, it only increases how adamant voters are on not changing their votes.

Unlike Republican voters, Democrat voters know the issues to address, but they don’t know how things happen in the world. So, the inevitable Trump victory in November will surprise them. Then, they will go into rage and possible riots. The Senate could grab for power as could China.

In tough times, people awaken. These are tough times. We will get through them. But, it won’t be smooth sailing.

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Cadence of Conflict: Asia, July 13, 2020

China and the US have shown their intentions to the world. The new “National Security Law”, passed and interpreted solely by the Chinese Communist Party, applies to the entire world. China made it illegal for Americans to support calls for change in Hong Kong. Germans wearing a Winnie-the-Pooh shirt could be guilty of a Chinese crime against China’s national security. This is no joke.

The US went hard line after China over Uyghurs in Xinjiang this week. 78 members of Congress petitioned President Trump from both parties to declare China’s work with the Uyghurs “genocide”. That is not merely rhetoric nor an attempt to insult, but a step to unlock later military permissions. The US is preparing for invasion, either to land US troops or to support some other military that does, such as India. This is no joke.

China clarified its understanding on two fronts.

Firstly, about Uyghurs in Xinjiang, China responded to America’s visa sanction and frozen asset action against Chinese officials with a tit-for-tat policy. By not responding with military preparation, or at least genocide declaration, China misinterpreted what the US is ultimately preparing.

Secondly, Chinese state media have commented how the new “National Security Law” for Hong Kong would apply if China could assert jurisdiction elsewhere. This means that, just as the US is laying in the groundwork for an invasion of China, China is laying in the groundwork for what would follow an invasion anywhere else. In all likelihood, the US’ response concerning Uyghurs in Xinjiang—paving a way for invasion—showed understanding of China’s plans for invasion, less likely not, but surely the sabers have been unsheathed and are no longer just rattling.

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Encore of Revival: America, July 13, 2020

In the Supreme Court ruling on Congress’ subpoena of the president, everyone claims the ruling was in their favor. Democratic members of Congress point out the court’s statement that one branch is not above the law. Trump points out the court’s decision to return the pro-subpoena decision of a lower court decision as unfinished homework. The subpoena will not go into effect before the end of the session of Congress that ordered it. Trump is accused by the media of a meltdown for saying so and Democrats call their defunct subpoena a victory.

What in the Hill is going on? In the court’s decision to return the incomplete ruling, Chief Justice Roberts briefly quoted Hamilton from Federalist No. 71. Consider a fuller quote:

The representatives of the people, in a popular assembly, seem sometimes to fancy that they are the people themselves, and betray strong symptoms of impatience and disgust at the least sign of opposition from any other quarter; as if the exercise of its rights, by either the executive or judiciary, were a breach of their privilege and an outrage to their dignity. They often appear disposed to exert an imperious control over the other departments; and as they commonly have the people on their side, they always act with such momentum as to make it very difficult for the other members of the government to maintain the balance of the Constitution.

This is a problem as ancient as legislatures themselves. Congress can’t skip process when giving a subpoena, even to a president, anymore than one can be immune from a subpoena, even the president. Both tried, both failed, but only Congress lost something of substance. This Congress will end before a decision is reached and there will be no tax records shown before the election. Still, Congressional Democrats delusionally declared victory. What Hamilton described in Congress may be called “narcissistic rage” by psychologists today.

As seen in response to the pneumoniavirus, Democrats think that crippling the economy and forcing dependace on the State will boost their popularity. But, such measures wouldn’t be needed if Democrats were as popular—and Trump were as unpopular—as the media touts them to be. Given their apparent view of the world, this makes perfect sense.

Neither party in Congress speaks for the worldview of any large portion of the people. Republicans in Congress are largely elitist; the vast majority of their voters are not. Democrats in Congress speak for a small segment of their own votership as well—those few who are anti-life, who fear everything, whose action unchecked would kill everything, who nonetheless fear that anything could kill them, and who believe that everyone else thinks the same.

This is interesting because the psychological behavior of “projecting” one’s own view onto others is a trait of Narcissistic Disorder. Thankfully, they are not the majority they think themselves to be, not even within their own party. It is ironic timing that psychology journals are reporting a condition being called “PTBO”, where people who are easily offended are clinically proven less effective in the workplace. We don’t need to say which political ideology the affected group of that study would likely fall into. Week by week, an ever greater majority of America wakes up to the insanity of Capitol Hill.

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Cadence of Conflict: Asia, July 6, 2020

It’s official. China has broken the treaty that allows Hong Kong to be Chinese. The last time Britain accused China of breaking treaty, the Royal Navy opened fire on the Taiwan city of Tainan in 1858. The time before that was just a few decades earlier, when Britain obtained Hong Kong Island in a surrender from the Chinese after the Opium Wars.

Those wars began because China believed it was fair for silver to flow out of Britain, but only tea leaves to flow out of China. China would not accept British inventions and technology in trade, only silver for leaves. Opium was another leaf, one some in China were willing to return silver to Britain in exchange for.

For China, friendship has always been a one-way street. The Opium Wars did not begin with British military intervention. They started with an unbalanced sense of justice from China and subversion in response from Britain. While the British military did not start the wars, it ended them.

Now, China has passed a law in Beijing that affects the streets of Hong Kong. That violates the 1984 Sino-British Joint Declaration, the basis for Hong Kong’s return to China. It seems 150 years have not changed anyone’s disposition. China wants laws written in one city, then obeyed in another. China wants to make promises, then ignore them. Britain will not respond with military, but with subversion. In the end, America’s military may play a role, but Hong Kong will likely return to the British for one, single reason. History repeats for those who refuse to learn from it.

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Encore of Revival: America, July 6, 2020

Happy Independence! Americans celebrated their declaration almost 250 years ago on Saturday. The country has coexisted with unseen freedoms in many ways and unheard deafness to its own oppression in others. It serves as a reminder that we live in a Republic only as long as we keep it. It’s not the job of presidents nor judges nor legislators to preserve our freedoms for us.

Chief Justice Roberts made a decision that baffled some, but not those who remember his deciding vote on Obamacare. Arguably, having voted to keep Obamacare on the books was the bail of hay that broke the camel’s back and elected Trump. Now, this election mover has stirred the electorate once again toward a choice that will move us closer to the inevitable reversal of Roe v. Wade.

As we approach “election solstice”, the Left puts out every argument it can drum up to oppose Trump. It seems overdone for a group that claims to believe they will win November. And, they ignore deeper matters that move Trump votes.

Much more is at stake other than abortion. China is taking over with a force to eclipse Japan’s expansion in the 1940s. No one was willing to not capitulate to China except Trump. If he were not re-elected, we might have no discussion on civil rights because the Chinese would be killing everyone in America who is not Han.

But then, America’s military is spread too thin and neither Republican nor Democratic president has worked to reduce our expanding global presence, none except Trump. There’s also the matter of manufacturing and closing the border to China over a virus when Democrats wanted to keep it open.

While our nation is in no position to decide an election on the social issues when basic needs are at stake, we are thankfully forced to address our neglected past. Intolerance over the atrocities of racism won’t shift the election because those lines have already been drawn. By not being distracted with yet another failed political solution to racial healing, we the People will actually have to deal with the wounds of racism ourselves. Maybe something will finally get done.

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Cadence of Conflict: Asia, June 29, 2020

At what point is it okay to bully the bad guy? At what point does bullying the bad guy make the bully the bigger bad guy? This is a line China is fast approaching and the US is fast leaving.

The thinking goes, “If you just did the good things I demand, then the great harm I did you in response wouldn’t have happened.” Of this, both China and America are guilty. That’s why they are headed toward a conflict.

China pushes more and more toward this in the Far East while America brings home troops from previous venture wars in the Middle East. China is stepping-up bully responses while America backs off from them. But, both harbor that same “I’m allowed to do anything because I’m right” attitude. Both China and America need to repent. Perhaps God allowing this war will get some people there, or perhaps not. That choice is up to the individual.

Regardless of choice and attitude, we know things are only escalating. China passes a law grossly violating the 1984 treaty with Great Britain. That, technically, un-returns Hong Kong to China, though the wise, shrewd Crown hasn’t said so yet. America has recognized this first, giving third-party credibility. If China’s plan were to endear the world and win hearts with a show of its kindness, it’s failed. It’s hard to show a kindness one does have because it’s hard to have kindness one resents in favor of winning at any cost.

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