News and opinion shows spend far too much time on who is to blame and much less on the issue at hand. The issues are what matters, not who did or failed to do something. Just to throw a few things for your consumption.
In the US, both political parties have screwed up in Afghanistan dating back at least to the 1980s. By my count that includes four Republican presidents and three Democrat presidents. Because of our lack of homework and understanding, the US diminishing its involvement has led to the Taliban gaining a foothold in the 1990s and returning to power in 2021. The only time it was more stable was when we were there even in small numbers. I fully understand the desire to leave, but leaving totally will not help with stability in that country.
The issue with COVID and the Delta variant are hospitals are being overrun by patients. Too many are not vaccinated or taking sufficient precautions. For some governors and state legislatures to go out of their way to deny public health measures is beyond poor stewardship. These incumbents in leadership positions are trying to win political points by gambling with people’s lives. I find this abhorrent. And, it continues. If you know someone who is not vaccinated, the best advice you can give them is please speak with your doctor. Two outspoken COVID naysayers died in the last two weeks, one a legislator and one a conservative radio host. And, yesterday, a woman released from the hospital for COVID treatment went home to find her husband dead from COVID.
It was good to see nine attorneys representing the former president get sanctioned in a Michigan court for the frivolous lawsuit on election fraud in that state. The attorneys have been ordered to pay court costs for the two separate lawsuits and their actions have been referred to the state Bar Association. The law license of Rudy Giuliani has been suspended in New York state and Washington, DC as he faces two court cases, one for defamation against Dominion Voting Systems. And, we should not forget the US Attorney General for the past president was fired for telling his boss in front of others the election fraud claims were BS, using the actual word. Believing the former president is truly a fool’s errand.
In 2021, we have seen more of what climate change scientists have been warning us about. About ten years ago, I read a report conducted with Mercer Investment Consulting, the largest pension trust managers in the world, the World Economic Forum and various universities and think tanks. These trustees were worried about climate change costing multiple tens of trillions in US dollars due to larger and more wildfires, longer droughts, stalled weather systems on top of the rising sea levels causing coastal degradation and more intense hurricanes. Since then, our fresh water is also a worsening concern. This week, I saw piece on the risks due to climate change published in an insurance industry report regarding company and people’s assets in harm’s way. These are financial people who are concerned about financial risk. If that does not wake up well-funded naysayers, then maybe nothing will. By the way, I feel the numbers bandied around ten years ago are on the low side.
That is enough for today. Let me know your thoughts.
musingsofanoldfart 
So true! 🙂 ❤
Thanks Deborah.
Right on each and eveey point Keith.
Hugs
Thanks David.
All good points, my friend. The ‘blame game’ has one and only one purpose: the mid-term and 2024 elections. It is a sad state of affairs when election pandering becomes the focus, shoving real issues that affect people off to the side. Climate change … ahhhh, if we wait for people to finally wake up and accept that we are all responsible for it and we must all work together to try to salvage life on this planet, we’ll die waiting. It will require strict, tough legislation — no exceptions. Are the politicos willing to take that stand? Heck no. Are there solutions? Sure, but until we stop playing political games, they won’t be implemented. We have allowed politics to dominate and politicians to become all-powerful. We are all losers in this game. Sigh.
Jill, your closing statement speaks loudly. “We are all losers in this game.” Politicians move pieces around on the game board, but we end up losing and they keep their jobs. Keith
Note to Readers: Another topic that needs good debate is immigration. Both sides have failed to address this festering problem. The last best effort was a pretty good bipartisan bill that passed the Senate, but Speaker John Boehner refused to take it up in the House. This refusal over about a year, led to an executive order on DACA, which is not a good way to govern. What frustrated me is Boehner determined it was more politically viable not to solve a problem. The same thing happened when Tom Cotton and others talked the former president out of DACA for wall funding as it was more politically viable not to do this, even though wall funding was the former president’s campaign promise.
I was literally just saying this today to myself in frustration today. How everyone just wants to pass the blame instead of taking care of the issues! I feel like we are back in elementary school, ” He did it, No I didn’t, she did!” and it just keeps going as people keep suffering!
Joy, thanks for your comment. It does sound like grade school. And, we truly need to have the teacher send many of these so-called leaders to the principal’s office. Keith
I couldn’t agree more!
Sadly the blame game is where everyone looses and nothing gets done. Great truths here Keith. Great post.💖👏👏👏
Thanks Cindy. We do all lose.
You’re so welcome 🥲