We have to Protect Democracy?

Breaking of social norms...

The firing of Ronna McDaniel, the niece of Senator Mitt Romney:

"Our initial decision was because of our deep commitment to presenting our audience with a widely diverse set of viewpoints and experiences, particularly during these consequential times," Mr Conde's statement to the employees of NBC

So that's the official statement after hiring and then immediately firing someone who the "Right" barely claims as one of their own. Yet another example of the break down of social norms.

There are so many examples:

Trump is the death of Democracy. He must not be allowed on the ballot!

RFK Jr. will be the death of democracy! Hundreds of Biden paid lawyers will work diligently to keep him off the ballot.

Sasha Stone Explains 

10 million illegal boarder crossings in one Presidential term can't be justified or ignored.

Draining the strategic oil reserve to reduce gas prices before the midterm elections is not why we maintain the strategic oil reserve.

Leaving Afghanistan without a plan or coordinating with our allies was disastrous. 

Paying people not to work and expecting them to go back to work was dumb. 

Dumping money into the economy and not thinking it would be inflationary has to be one of the worst economic blunders in modern economic history.

The Biden Administration will be responsible for adding 8.5 trillion to the national debt by the end of his 1st term. The National debt is projected to reach 35.5 trillion. The battle cry for degrees... as long as the debt doesn't exceeding Gross Domestic Product we will be fine. That bull shit died quietly a few years ago.

Peter Navarro - Democrats Continue Destroying Norms!

The other day Peter Navarro reported to prison to begin his four month sentence for refusing to comply with the January 6th Committee's Congressional subpoena. This being the first time in history that anyone has been jailed for refusing a Congressional subpoena seems lost on the main stream media (MSM). The fact that Peter Navarro was a senior presidential advisor, who will likely win on appeal, was imprisoned by the Justice Department is mind-numbing. The Democrats talk the talk but are openly shredding the norms of society like Executive privilege. Executive privilege literally dates back to George Washington and was officially outlined almost 50 years ago by the Justice Department that just jailed Peter Navarro.

The President of the United States and his advisors have historically been protected by Executive Privilege. This "norm" was outlined in 1977 by Assistant Attorney General, Office of Legal Counsel, John M. Harmon when he signed off on a seven page memorandum that explained the doctrine of Executive privileges as it relates to requests from Congressional committees for Executive branch information and documents. Basically, the President needs to be able to discuss almost anything, with those he surrounds himself, knowing that these conversations and any documents will not be made public.

"Simply stated, Executive privilege is the term applied to the invocations by the Executive branch of a legal right, derived from the need for confidentiality of it's internal communications and the constitutional doctrine of separation of powers, to withhold official documents or information from compulsory process of the legislative branch. The privilege has a long history, having been first asserted by President Washington against a Congressional request and thereafter by almost every Administration."

Democrats breaking norms seems to be the norm. For example The January 6th Committee was the first Congressional committee that didn't allow the minority to place members on the Committee which shattered one of the longest standing traditions of Congress.

The Democrats impeached a President over a phone call in which he supposedly was shaking down a world leader who didn't know he was being shaken down. We have the Democrat Speaker of the House tearing up the President's State of the Union speech as the nation watched. The Democrats conducted a historical 2nd impeachment of a President and the first impeachment of a former President which was so absolutely absurd the Chief Justice refused preside over the hearing.

While saying they are protecting our societal norms the Democrats are destroying them one by one and there is no end insight. Just a few years ago the Supreme Court ruled that same sex marriage was the law of the land. Overnight 99.9% of state and local governments complied with the ruling and the handful of clerks who had a difference in opinion were quickly dealt with. Fast forward a few years and the President is openly flaunting a Supreme Court ruling that the President can't forgive student loans. Under President Biden the Constitutional norm that Congress controls the purse is being blown off with little if any repercussions.

On day one of the Biden Administration an Executive Order overturned a decade of Democrat and Republican wotk killing the Key Stone Pipeline. An Executive Order ended the development of ANWR which was law including the the 2017 tax bill. Over and over the norms that kept our nation strong have been attacked by Democrats while they profess they are protecting Democracy. The left professes to be the the Guardians of political norms however, nothing could be more untrue. 

If you add up those overstaying their visas, those presenting themselves at points of entry, those crossing the boarder illegally and being detained, those crossing the boarder illegally and getting away and those crossing the boarder illegally that we never see it's likely we will reach 10 million illegal alien entries in President Biden's first four years. How can one argue that this invasion aligns with our political norms?

Peter Navarro, I'm sorry that you have to serve four months in prison. I'm sorry that our counties leadership seems hell bent on destroying our political norms as they profess they and only they are the ones trying to maintain them. Bottom line? Those of the Left please stop pissing on my leg while telling me it's raining.

PS Donald Trump was fined $464,000,000 after being found guilty of loan fraud which is another example of norms being destroyed by the Left. President Trump's legal team failed to convince the judge that a fine almost five times higher than the highest individual civil fine in history was excessive. As far as I know no one is saying Trump defaulted on any loan. The banks who were "defrauded" didn't join the law suit because they couldn't show damages. The best example of fraud listed in the complaint was Trump's personal New York condo being listed at 30,000 square feet when it was actually just 10,000 square feet. That sure seems like fraud to me but again we are talking about the most sophisticated bankers in the world and I don't think Donald has prepared any paperwork for anything in decades.

I'm Just a Bill on Capital Hill...

I'm Just a Bill on Capital Hill...

Who is responsible for creating new laws? Congress, or government agencies with acronyms? That was supposed to be rhetorical question but unfortunately it's not. For decades Congress has been passing rough frameworks as law and leaving the details to government agencies. For example the EPA was forced to expanded their mandate to classify C02 as a pollutant. Yep, a gas that is essential for all life on the dry surface of planet Earth is now a pollutant. MASSACHUSETTS v. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY.

During my lifetime I've seen random episodic erosion of our Democracy/Republic. I'm not talking about Trump, Jan 6th or the 2020 Summer of Love. I'm not talking about governor's and mayor's employing unconstitutional "emergency" powers to keep citizens from traveling, golfing or going to the beach for 15 days that became 24 months during the Covid "pandemic." I'm mostly talking about the Executive Branch of our government and a few cases of the Judicial Branch taking upon themselves powers they are not entitled to. In some cases they are knowingly flaunting established norms and law to obtain their desired outcome. 

For example, it would seem even the Supreme Court doesn't have have the power to stop President Biden from spending billions forgiving student loans and essentially buying votes. America's form of government wasn't created from scratch. It's an amalgamation of the political theory of the time combined with government elements throughout history. At it's core all branches need to stay in their lanes for our country to work. Congress controls the purse and makes law. The Executive faithfully interprets and executes these laws and if Congress and the Executive disagree then the Judicial branch mediates.

The erosion of our form of government occurs when government agencies stop creating regulations but actually create law. Judges bend the law to meet political policies. Lately the office of the President of both parties are guilty of using Executive Orders to obtain desired outcomes regardless of the law, Congress or the Judiciary. The end doesn't justify the means and no nation can survive such fundamental attacks to it's basic structure. In our system power must be shared. The assumption that our nation can indefinitely continue down this path of self destruction isn't sustainable. "Perhaps you and I have lived too long with this miracle to properly be appreciative. Freedom is a fragile thing and it's never more than one generation away from extinction. It is not ours by way of inheritance; it must be fought for and defended constantly by each generation, for it comes only once to a people.  And those in world history who have known freedom and then lost it have never known it again." Ronald Reagan, Jan 5th, 1967

RV-14A Fuselage Build and Working Around Laser Cut Parts

Like many Van's Aircraft experimental builders I'm on hold waiting for Van's to wrap up their chapter 11 bankruptcy and start shipping the Laser Cut (LC) part replacements in bulk. I feel so lucky that I had only 72 parts that need to be replaced and none of them were already installed. Just under half of my laser cut parts (33) are on Van's Red, Yellow or PURPLE lists and will be replaced at no charge. My remaining 39 laser cut parts fall into two categories. Either they are dimpled and attached to a skin or they are just crappy parts and I'm replacing them.

I had a total of 111 LC parts and many of them are absolutely fine. If they are NOT on Van's suggested replacement list or dimpled and attached to a skin I'm not replacing them unless they need lots of work to clean up and make serviceable.

While waiting for Van's to figure everything out I ordered 29 parts in three batches so I could keep building and I was so happy getting back to building it's not even funny. Yes, there are all kinds of small projects you can work on while waiting for your Van's bulk LC shipment but those small projects are not very rewarding.

One of my biggest decisions regarding the bankruptcy was canceling my Quick Build (QB) wings and likely forfeiting $1,650 of my $5,000 deposit. There is a $13,300 price difference between the new QB wings and slow build but this will allow me to complete a few mods and I really enjoy building. You know you are a sick puppy when you like working with tank sealant. As of now I have 43 laser cut parts outstanding and like most Van's builders I'm patiently waiting for Van's to acknowledge and complete my order. 

PS Turns out my 1st order consisted of 11 RED parts. My 2nd order was 8 YELLOW and my recent order was 10 BLUE. I spent $421.51 on RED and YELLOW parts that I could have gotten for free if I was willing to stop building months ago. Furthermore, who knows when the rest of the LC parts will be sent by Van's. With a typical build time of 3-5 years, at 59 waiting wasn't wasn't an option.

Note: March 8th, 2024 Van sends the email I've been waiting to get for over a year. Van's has asked me to submit my Laser Cut replacement order!

My last order was 10 seat ribs $477.79

2nd set of 8 parts arrive - PERFECT

Tail cone up out of the way

The horizontal stabilizers new home

Making tools... 

1st batch of 11 replacement parts!

Forward main spar looking good

Example of a bad Laser Cut Hole... 

Iowa Caucuses and the Bitter Cold of Climate Change

The temperature in Des Moines Iowa this Monday morning January 15th, 2024 is -9 degrees Fahrenheit which is a bit colder than normal. It's crazy that your average generation Z and X mind full of mush believes that the artic air mass dubbed the "polar vortex" is a product of global warming aka climate change. Nothing to see here move on...

Iowa has been colder lately than "normal" but the national narrative ignores data that doesn't fit the narrative. Iowa's 2014 average temperature being the 6th coldest year on record is ignored. Which I continue to find puzzling. How many times do I have to say CO2 is not the climatic thermostat we are being told it is. That I too would be part of the 97% of scientists who believe man has had some impact on warming but that impact is so small as to yet be measured.

Today is the Iowa caucuses. The media says we have just three viable candidates running: Trump, Haley and DeSantis. Brown Trump has been completely dropped from the narrative. No one is mentioning his name. If Vivek Ramaswamy comes in third or better we will know the Media and the powers at be are yet again meddling in our "free" elections.

Vivek has said some crazy things over the last six plus months. Things like the President has the power to eliminate 75% of the federal government. That the climate change agenda is a hoax. There are only two sexes. Biological men should not shower with women or compete against them in women sports. The majority of transgenders are actually suffering from mental illness. To Vivek and many others these are obvious truths. However, to Leftist these thoughts are dangerous and an existential threat to Democracy and they must be silenced.

By tomorrow we will know if the media is once again lying to manipulate the outcome that they want. Vivek is saying the deep state, big media and the ruling class have decided Haley will be the next President and Ron DeSantis likely doesn't know he's going to be her Vice President. I think this is crazy but I've  been wrong before so who knows. Right now I think it's more likely Brown Trump will be President Trump's VP. 

I don't know what's going to happen in Iowa. I'll be watching closely while the humor of climate activists not being able to protest outside for fear of frostbite is not lost on me.

Update: The results are in and Vivek Ramaswamy got 7.7% of the vote earning 3 delegates. Contrary to what he promised his followers he has pulled out of the race and endorsed Trump. He said no matter what he would go the distance. To me that meant March 5th aka Super Tuesday or at least freaking New Hampshire. I'm deeply disappointed with Brown Trump and I'm just thinking BOHICA?

Dropbox Joe

President Biden cannot win at the ballot box but he can and I believe will win (if he is really running) at the dropbox! 

Simply put the machine supporting the Democrat party, to include the mega rich, the mainstream media, the schools, the unelected bureaucrats - virtually all have conspired to create a system to increase their vote. One could argue the open boarder mass illegal immigration likely to exceed 10 million in this administrations first term is the cherry on the top of their steroid pumped long term get out the vote effort.

From private grants enabling certain voter registrars to register, mail, collect, cure and record votes to installing unmonitored drop boxes throughout critical cities to government coordination with social media to crush the First Amendment the Dems are on a roll. The once sacrosanct practice of voter roles, election day and the secret ballot inherited from our British ancestors has been utterly destroyed.

It's nearly impossible to argue that universal mail-in/dropbox box voting is not being manipulated if not outright rigged. Almost two decades ago both President Jimmy Carter and Secretary of State James Baker declared that:

 “Absentee ballots remain the largest source of potential voter fraud.”

Universal mail-in balloting for weeks if not months replacing election day seems like a great idea until you dig deeper and realize the voter registration roles are as accurate as the weight on your driver's license. If just a fraction of the fraud outlined in the movie 2000 Mules is accurate we are selecting, not electing our representation. How do we get back to fair elections?

Presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswammy suggests making election day a national holiday, paper ballots and restrict absentee voting to those who can't vote on election day. I mostly agree.

First, states whom are not compliant with the 1993 "Motor Voter Law" need to have highway funding withheld immediately. It's insane that this law has been on the books for a generation and is still not being complied with throughout the country.

Next, the voter rolls should be open to the public. The idea that you have to pay thousands of dollars to get a list of those who voted during the last election effectively prevents citizen oversight. I want to be able to log in and see that I voted and that my neighbor voted. I also want to see if anyone in the abandoned house down the street voted. Some would argue this is a violation of privacy but in reality it's already available to wealthy organizations and those running for office.

Lastly I wouldn't make election day a holiday which adversely impacts the private sector. I would make it a half holiday. Those of us with social security numbers ending in even numbers would vote in the AM while odd numbers would vote in the afternoon. An election day, paper ballots, results by the next day and secure absentee ballots that are readily available for those who need them would bring us back in line to what worked for over 200 years.

The Democrats broke something that wasn't broken and it's time the Republicans fixed it. Also the fix doesn't have anything to do with voter ID if you vote in person. Voter ID has always was a diversion tactic of the Left and the Republicans have focused on the shining object while getting out harvested.

Vivek Ramaswammy for President!

Vituperation & Claudine Gay

I seriously was hoping Claudine Gay wouldn't resign as the President of Harvard. I guess I will have to be satisfied she's once again a professor. 

On a serious note, how many of her articles and papers need to show clear evidence of plagiarism for the Media to declare her unfit? How many specific examples of plagiarism do you need incorporated in your doctorate dissertation to be embarrassed enough to stop pretending what you did was accidental? Crazy as it sounds it seems that losing support of the Harvard Crimson was the stray that broke Gay's back.

I have more important questions about Harvard than Ms Gay's noble fight against sexism and racism. Why are SAT or ACT no longer required for admittance? 

"For the College Classes of 2027-2030, students may apply for admission without standardized test scores."

The fact that Ms Gay doesn't understand a mob of students chanting "From the river to the sea Palestine will be free..." violates Harvard's Student Code of Conduct is shocking. There are other examples of violent student "protestors" threatening Jews. Support for genocide is something that the president of Harvard should acknowledge violates their Code of Conduct but then again maybe not.

Free speech is not lost when you attend university but students must abide by their institutions guidelines and published Code of Conduct. Calling for the genocide of Jews or being openly antisemitic is something that the President of Harvard shouldn't condon under any circumstances. The equal enforcement of norms and standards is something we should expect from any institutions receiving government funding.

"According to the Department of Education, violations of the act and refusal to address problems identified by the Office for Civil Rights can result in a school's loss of federal funding or a referral to the Department of Justice (Harvard received $625 million in federal funding in 2021)."

$625 million in federal funding is something that I haven't heard anyone discuss. Why are taxpayers giving millions to a school with a $50.9 billion dollar endowment?

Harvard Alumni, I'm truly sorry that you have to witness the downfall of your alma mater. In your stead I will visit John Harvard's grave and personally apologize for what has become of the institution he helped found.