There are so many things that need change in this country, whether by election, revolution, or the natural efforts of Mother Karma doing her spring cleaning a few months early. One is to recalculate the minimum wage so that a person can support his or her family (1.67 children) in a decent manner, live in fair housing and afford a pleasant week or two vacation every year.

Obviously the laws need updating so that medical care is available to all, either by supporting optional private insurance or a single government pays-all system, possibly some balance of both.

The office of Attorney General must be removed from the Executive Department’s control. Also, after a president’s or cabinet secretary’s term ends any asset, or funds, gained through violation of laws, including the written Constitution, must be recovered by seizure of those assets.

Candidates must release three or four years of tax returns plus the results of a independent physical examination conducted within the year preceding their nomination. It should include the standard tests that can disclose dementia.

The Second Amendment must be clarified and strengthened to protect every citizen’s right to own firearms, except rapid fire military weapons, subject to reasonable local safety and perhaps insurance strictures. Notice, local, not federal.

All government officials, including Congress, with executive powers must move their assets into real arm’s length blind trusts until their term ends, they resign, or are fired. Purchase of property, especially stocks or bonds, must be done by the trust company independently of the principle during the term, except the disposal of the family farmland or home. Of course dying in office would be considered to end one’s term.

Senator’s terms must be capped at two six year terms. Representatives at three four years terms in total. No public official may be allowed to lobby Congress for a term equal to the number of years they held office. The Citizen’s United decision must be replaced by an amendment declaring that Corporations of any kind are not people under the Free Speech Amendment, or any other construction.

Political campaigns must be publicly financed by the government and limited private (1040) donations, perhaps $3,000 or $5,000. Tax forms should have a section where the payer can designate which political group his donation or deduction should receive it.

Every effort must be made to insure that within some measurable number of months the entire nation is powered by dam fed water generators, solar panels or wind turbines. Other environmentally neutral processes, e.g. tide, can be added.

Every effort must be made to make the United States the world’s leader in environmental clean air, clean food, and clean water protection laws.

Public education K-12 must be afforded to all minors, college and trade school education should be provided via earned public or private scholarships and or grants in the national interest.

The situation with the Electoral College must be worked on and probably modified so that a minority president will never win the Executive Office.

People, we can now see the results of abuse of power. I am sure that some can offer added thoughts, pro or con, but I think the things that are the source of most problems that have nearly brought the nation to its knees are covered.

I do believe that some clever people can come up with appropriate language to achieve similar goals. A commission of fifty seven, one from each state, chaired by a former president, two Federal judges, one for the federal territories, and three drawn by random lot from social security numbers of actual taxpayers could be assembled to sit in a non-air conditioned room all summer at Constitution Hall in Philadelphia to work out details of amendments to put before the people and not be allowed to go home except on weekends until they have considered each and every issue on the public docket. Hell, the Declaration of Independence was signed by 57 (56) delegates, and the Constitution by thirty eight two hundred and thirty years ago.

Charlie Jensen

Copyright 2020, Foc’sle Chatter, All Rights Reserved

We have always supported a free press, regardless of whether it reported truth or fiction and in return most of that free pres has done a decent job of checking the facts. When an error has occurred, a correction is usually offered on page sixteen, bottom left corner. But lately a small portion of the free press has taken a page from the supermarket sensationalist press and gone beyond the bounds of credulity in reporting lies, distortions and rumors as facts.

Usually most sane people dismiss such trash reporting with a short “Where did you read that, in the World Nut Daily ?” and a mutual chuckle.

But lately sanity has taken a rain check from the minds of some 30% of our society and are not considering such news articles with a little reflection that would demonstrate that such report are and have to be political distortion. They seem to enjoy mass rallies where they can shout “Give us Barabbas” and jeer anyone who tries to inject the least bit of sanity.

The question on my mind is, assuming we are able to install a reasonably honest administration that is willing to deal with difficult problems and subjects fairly, what can we do to reverse this foolish acceptance of scrap paper news as valid reporting without removing or reducing the protective safety net we have given the free press for two about hundred years, and not be putting a tombstone up “RIP John Peter Zenger.” And dear friends, if you need to look up John Peter Zenger, you should.

Charlie Jensen

Copyright 2020, Foc’sle Chatter, All Rights Reserved

Many well-meaning citizens feel that Elizabeth Warren is the best qualified candidate. Qualified in what way, Professional knowledge of the workings of the financial details? Compassion for the helpless? Imaginative?

Qualified in some or even several ways, yes, absolutely yes, but there are alternatives who seem to be better, or, to be fair, at least as well qualified in similar or, other ways. So we have invented this “horse race” that judges candidates by added characteristics, one of which is electability. Those qualities are often offset by counter indicators so a balance is made by voters and supporters and Liz, while very high on the positive qualification scale carries a significant impediment, her nomination and election might just tear the country apart even further. And Sanders, with his unbudging stubbornness is thwarted in a similar way as well. His extreme views will prevent him from putting “United” ahead of “States.”

I remember a candidate, in fact, I cheerfully voted for the candidate who proudly said; “Extremism in the defense of Liberty is no vice. Moderation in the pursuit of justice is no virtue.”

Ringingly deathless words, but sadly not likely to mend the fracture that was then, as now, ripping the nation apart.

And he lost in a landslide. His opponent was a somewhat crooked candidate of one party who could and so often did work with members of the other party and for all his faults went from horse thief as a congressman to a rather successful president.

The thing that so many people fail to acknowledge is that an election, is a compromise in which the best winners are often the candidates who are acceptable to the most voters. Warren could serve the nation as a whole by working to elect one of those types less doctrinaire candidates who stands that best chance of hearing the country, and perhaps working from within effectively to bring about the goals she is known to have.

Think about Gerald Ford as an example of one such uniters in the days after Nixon was drummed out of office. “…. My friends, our long national nightmare is over etc. ……”

Charlie Jensen

Copyright 2020, Foc’sle Chatter, All Rights Reserved

As usual, people with partisan convictions, either way, can’t make the fine distinctions needed for a fair and balanced discussion.  Screaming Liberals will scream and compliant MAGA hats will cheer mindlessly.  For the rest of society, some judgement is required.

As to Trumps actions in unilaterally terminating a known killer and national enemy, there are risks taken and benefits gained, with several distinct considerations:

1. By failing to consult the eight members of Congress who are chosen to be told of the alleged emergency need for action before going off this way, or immediately thereafter, another impeachable offense has been committed.
2. As a professional liar, why anyone would put store in anything trump utters is a mystery, so whatever justifications are offered by him are, ipso facto, questionable.
3. This action has been committed without any consideration of the long-term consequences, including the well-being and safety of any, and perhaps all Americans traveling or working around the world.
4. It would have been stupid not to inform or consult with our allies if, in fact, trump had not pissed off just about all our usually loyal allies.
5. Anyone who does not see that trump’s whole purpose is to distract attention from the coming impeachment trial, and the continually unfolding evidence of even further ongoing criminal activities in and around his administration is fooling him, or herself.
6. And now, we have trump’s greatest achievement, fulfilling one of his campaign promises of bringing people together, unfortunately in one fell swoop it is what was the largely segmented and disjointed Muslim community, from Morocco to Malaysia, and points elsewhere into one mass of anti-American protesters at best, or terrorists at worst. (Congratulations for that clever singular achievement.)
7. He has also given many non-Muslim communities to join against trump’s unilateral action. Three cheers for the step toward becoming global pariahs.
8. And for those who a good dose of irony, we now have a minority president who has spent the last two years decrying the opinions and factual analyses of our eight or nine intelligence communities, trying to twist their findings to support his rash political malfeasance. Well I guess that works well if you suspend judgement.

Charlie Jensen

Copyright 2020, Foc’sle Chatter, All Rights Reserved