Is South Korea now at risk?

LONG RANGE PLANS OF NORTH KOREA AND CHINA

CRITICAL DECISONS TO BE MADE

 

Watching the drama unfolding with the North Korea crisis, one must wonder what is the motive of North Korea.

 

During the 2016 presidential campaign, Donald Trump often mentioned that he was in favor of re-evaluating our foreign policy. He mentioned many times that we could not be the policeman of the world. Many agree that we have stretched our resources and that our allies have taken advantage of us whether intentionally or by our own enthusiasm to control world events. Has North Korea interpreted this discussion, which is long overdue, as a willingness of America to withdraw from world affairs?

 

Many wonder why the Madman of North Korea is taunting and testing the USA. Many believe he is an unstable leader. I believe he is a calculating Communist leader in the image of many before him. I believe he has the blessing of China. So, what is the goal? We are demanding that he give up his goal of nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles. He has been demanding for years that we remove our troops from South Korea and stop joint military exercises with the south. Trump has made this a goal to settle this dispute now, to demand that sanctions be impose to stop nuclear proliferation in Korea. The Chinese have so far cooperated, at least in language. So, is the game to give Trump a victory, which they see he sorely needs due to the domestic divisions in our country. They will agree to a freeze in Nuclear tests and Missile testing in exchange for assurances of non-aggression by the United States. This would be proved by our removing our troops from South Korea.

 

While such a deal would be seen by many as a diplomatic victory, it would without doubt, spell the end of South Korea as a democratic independent country. It would also in the long run destroy the Trump Administration. You can bet such a deal would be followed by the internal destabilization of the South Korean Government and the eventual unification of South Korea into the government of North Korea. We also see China making efforts to become the major influence in Asia. This has been the goal of the Asian Communists for over 70 years.

 

We will have to see if Trump will be sucked into such a deal. The other options are to end the government of North Korea by military means or the nuclearization of South Korea and Japan. If South Korea should fall to the North, Taiwan would be gone in short order. Then the long term enemy of Korea and China, Japan, would be in the crosshairs. While this sounds like the domino theory all over again, the difference is that it will depend on the wealthy counties of the region to provide for their own defense. While the United states may be able to buy these countries time, it is time that these allies realize the risk before them and that they must make the investment in their own defense.

 

 

 

 

 

Trump and the NFL Kneelers

TRUMP SAYS KNEELERS SHOULD BE FIRED

NFL AND OWNERS MUST LIKE KNEELERS

 

 

Donald Trump has done it again. Its just like wracking a hornets nest in the fall. Everybody now has an opinion about kneelers, first amendment rights and patriotism.

 

There is some early evidence that the presence of kneelers, who refuse to stand in respect for the National Anthem, has resulted in lower attendance and less enthusiasm for the NFL. While I watch it some, I can live without it.

 

Trump stated that the" Gxx damned kneelers should all be fired and removed from the field". He has exercised his 1st Amendment rights and stated his opinion. Now all hell has broken loose.

 

We all agree everyone has a right to free speech. Only one problem with the Kneelers is they are protesting on the NFL dime. What they do on their own time is one thing, but when you are working for your employer you are restricted to act within the confines of your job description. I don't know of anyone who is employed in America, that would be allowed to do political protests while on the job. Secondly they are protesting the National anthem which is a symbol of the United States. Many people, including many who would like to make changes in the country, feel respect for the flag and the country is very important.

 

We can only assume that the owners and the NFL endorse the behavior of the Kneelers. This means that they are as guilty of disrespecting the United States as the kneelers. The kneelers have no special rights to self expression while at work, which is only 4 hours a week. There are many fans who work 40 or 50 hours a week and love football and do not want to pay to be insulted and offended by the very people who are prospering greatly from the opportunity to play football in the NFL.  So the kneelers, the owners, and the NFL are all in the same boat.  Less attendance and less enthusiasm will result in less dollars for all. We still do have a free market.

 

The Kneelers should consider playing football in Cuba or Venezuela, they would probably feel right at home there. The pay may be less, but the ideology and the fans would be so supportive.

 

So, I suspect this issue will heat up mightily in the weeks to come. Some will blame all this on Trump. The reality is, as is often the case. Trump has just voiced what many have been thinking for months.

MWLehigh board meeting September 20

SUPERINTENDENT WRIGHT TO RETIRE

MOBILE HOME PARK PROPOSED IN LYNN TOWNSHIP

The retirement of Superintendent Mary Anne Wright was announced at the September School board meeting. Her retirement will begin after the 2017-1018 school year. She served in education for 32 years.

 

Enrollment at the beginning of this school year is 2122. This is compared to high of 2404 in 2006. This trend is happening across the state in most school districts.

 

It was brought out that a Mobile home park is being proposed in Lynn Township. There is a special meeting being held by the township on Tuesday September 26, at the New Tripoli fire co.. All interested residents are encouraged to attend.

Mueller puts the squeeze on Manafort

CHARGED WITH INVESTIGATING RUSSIAN INTERFERENCE, NOW LOOKING FOR ANYTHING

TRUMP WAS WIRETAPPED

 

It has now been revealed that Paul Manafort was under surveillance while he was chairman of the Trump campaign. This contradicts statements from the FBI just weeks ago, that there was not surveillance of  the Trump campaign. Evidence surfaced that there was a FISA warrant issued to conduct this surveillance.

 

So far, there has been no real evidence that the Trump campaign colluded with the Russians.

 

The investigation is now focused on financial and reporting discrepancies by Paul Manafort going back at least a decade. Much of this had to do with Manafort's campaign efforts on the part of Viktur Yanukuvych as elected president of the Ukraine. He was operating in conflict with the activities of Hillary Clinton and the Obama administration to overthrown Yanukuvych, which eventually were successful. Yanukuvych was the elected president of the Ukraine and was ousted by the Ukrainian Orange revolution 2014. This revolution was supported by the Obama administration and the U.S. state department.

So it seems while Mueller has found nothing so far linking Trump to the Russians, he is pressuring Manafort to give testimony against Trump by financially ruining him and possibly indicting him on unrelated charges.

While Manafort's situation may look dire, he is an experienced player in Washington. He was a former partner in Manafort, Black and Stone a premier lobbying group in Washington that represented many foreign countries and entities. He has been around at least as long as Mueller and will not likely be intimidated by Mueller. How far Mueller will be allowed to stray from his initial charge is hard to say. Independent investigators have been known to keep the meter running for years.

Manafort has of course one ace in his pocket. President Trump will most likely not hesitate to grant a pardon of his friend Manafort. He may have to wait till after charges are brought and trials held, but as long as Trump is president he has no risk of jail.

Lehigh county republican committee planning to rig election?

IS THERE A PLAN UNDERWAY TO SUBVERT THE PROCESS?

WHY NOT LET THE VOTERS DECIDE?

Justin Simmons, candidate for congress, has called for the resignation of Jessica Banotal from the chairwoman of the Lehigh county GOP. Simmons provided text messages between Banotal and Executive Director Trevor Waldon, hatching plans to use the Young Republicans web page to trash Simmons and also to purchase a billboard with Simmons in Nazi garb. This would be an inappropriate use of GOP resources.

 

The other issue that is being talked about is a plan by Charlie Dent to resign shortly and call for a special elections to fill his seat. The plan seems to be that the state committee will then hand pick the candidate for the special election . The rumor has it that the plan is to place Dents hand picked successor Ryan Mackenzie as his replacement. The Democratic State committee would also pick a candidate.

 

If  Dent still wants to be a congressman why did he drop out of running for another term. To play shenanigans with the process of picking a replacement will only tarnish his reputation for the future. Whether you agree with Dents positions or not, up to now he has had an unblemished career. It would be a shame to end it on a bad note.

 

The primary process is now underway, there have been several announcements so far and more to come. Let the voters decide who they want to represent them in the future. 

 

 

New 15th District Rep. for 2018

DENT DECIDES NOT TO RUN IN 2018

2018 PROMISES TO BE AS INTENSE AS 2016

 

Charlie Dent has announced he will not seek re-election in 2018. Dent had made a decision early in the 2016 race to be a Never-Trumper. While he was re-elected by a strong margin in 2016, his hostility to Trump, to the Tea party, and to the grass roots republicans was made clear. Many held their nose in 2016 to keep a Republican majority in the house and voted for Dent and also Toomey.

 

Dent still had a chance to make things better after the election, but chose to go on MSNBC many times and trash Trump. He did not have to like him, he did not have to praise him, but he did need to support the agenda that he and others ran on for years. He simply could not do it, and so his decision not to run was appropriate. Whether he thought it was the right thing to do for the party or feared he may loose in a primary, only he knows.

 

Justin Simmons a Lehigh county republican state representative had made it clear he was going to challenge Dent in the upcoming primary. This took courage to challenge a long term incumbent. He will not be running for his state seat. This along with Dent's low polling numbers among Republicans in the district may have been enough to force Dent's decision.

 

There will now possibly be a large groups of primary candidates, both in the republican and democratic primary. The democrats may believe they now have an opportunity to take this seat, but they will need a more conservative candidate than those who are talking about it so far. Many democrat's believe if they can persuade John Morganelli or Lisa Boscolla to run, that they may have a chance. Much will depend on their party's platform for the future. They will need something better than to just trash Trump. Both Morganelli and Boscolla may have some trepidation of being connected to a national party that is rudderless, divisive, and has no plan for the future. Maybe the local spokesman for democrats, Berni O'Hare,  should run for the seat. It would be a lot of fun.

 

Whatever, 2018 looks like it will be a continuation of 2016, maybe more intense and more local, but just as important. 

Trump dumps DACA on Fakers

IMMIGRATION LAW IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF CONGRESS

THEY WILL SQUIRM, BUT HAVE TO VOTE

 

President Trump made the only legal decision available by ending DACA as an executive order and giving Congress 6 months to draft a remedy. Many would have been happy for the President to make the decision for them. Now, they will have to make a decision and actually take votes. They will also have to draft something that the President will accept.

 

The executive order by Obama was due to be struck down by the courts. This would have created a drastic situation. At least now they 6 months to come up with a solution. It will probably end up a narrower remedy, that will not allow the legalization of unlimited relatives. It will also be permanent  and that should make those concerned happy.

 

Many are already saying, that they are just so busy, they will now have to make more hard decisions  in an already busy schedule. They should just stop the bull-shitting and get to work. If they can't get the job done, it may be time for many of them to retire. Maybe we need a new crop of legislators that have had a real job in their lives were they had to get the job done or they would be looking for another job.

 

It is going to be an interesting next few months, maybe they should just forget the Turkey dinner at home in November until they get it all done.

More awareness needed to the dangers of teen alcohol use.

HAS TEEN DRINKING BECOME AN ACCEPTED ACTIVITY? 

HAS THE MOVIE,"ANIMAL HOUSE" BECOME THE STANDARD FOR COLLEGE BEHAVIOUR?

 

The National institute of health reports the following Statistics for 18-24 year old college students.

 

1. 1825 die from alcohol-related injuries per year.

2. 696,000 are assaulted by another student who has been drinking.

3. 97,000 report experiencing alcohol-related sexual assault or date rape.

4. 20 % of college students meet the criteria for AUD,  Alcohol use disorder.

5. 1 in 4 students report academic consequences from drinking, falling behind in class, doing poorly on exams or papers, and receiving lower grades overall.

 

While alcohol use by youth has always occurred, the practice of binge drinking or drinking until unconscious has become a right of passage and encouraged by peers in college. This is a very dangerous practice that has resulted in death and put both male and female students in compromising situations.

 

Colleges have not addressed these problems in any meaningful ways. While they seem to be very aggressive in their approach to political correctness, they actually almost seem to encourage drinking and drug use as a right of passage.

 

Alcohol use has always been a social lubricant that has helped shy or not socially adept people adapt to interaction with others. The key is moderation, education and an awareness of the dangers of overuse. Laying unconscious on the floor is not very appealing to anyone.

 

Parents should have frank conversations with their children in their teen years. Explaining that they should never drink from punch bowls, open containers, or drinks that have not been in their constant control. Spiking of drinks by others is a serious risk.

 



Judging by body weight they should be informed how many drinks will result in being legally drunk, unconscious and ultimately dead.

 

Information is the best weapon, and also a good example at home and by society. We have little control over the influences of Hollywood, peer pressure and a permissive society, but good information may make the difference in keeping your children safe in the future.

 



Pro-Trump Agenda Rally in Jordon Park

GRASS ROOTS GROUPS KICK OFF 2018 ELECTION

MANY UNHAPPY WITH DENT

 

 

Friday September 1, was the kickoff of a nationwide campaign to support the agenda espoused by President Trump. Controlling illegal immigration, repeal Obama care and tax reform were the main topics. This rally was organized by Eagle Forum in conjunction with the Lehigh Valley tea party and other local activists. These rallies are going to be going on nationwide from now through the 2018 mid-term elections.

                                                                              

 

There was a collection of speakers, mostly from the area, with some nationwide leaders. Many focused on upcoming local races for the House and Senate. Charlie Dent was mentioned often. He was criticized for his position on  supporting Obama care and his non-support of the Presidents agenda. In a local interview, he went as far as to endorse the idea of using tax reform to increase taxes to pay for infrastructure renewal.

 

The gathering consisted of several hundred participants, who were happy and enthusiastic. I saw no counter protesters and there was a substantial police presence and a good job by the police of traffic management and security. There was much praise of the police from the speakers.

 

While everyone thought 2016 was a turbulent election cycle 2018 may be even more intense.