Vote for Joe

*Veterans Day. Towns across America are adopting the “Military Banner Project.” And I am totally on board with this project. These men and women were/are willing to make the “ultimate sacrifice.” They should be ‘front and center’ in our communities. As we should be ‘front and center’ in helping them, not only in the service, but when they get out. There are, indeed, some good Veterans programs. But there, most assuredly, needs to be more. One newscaster today said that 17 Veterans take their lives every day now. And some 33,000 Veterans are currently homeless. Our position paper on the Military addresses this in Section 11. Note: We have traveled the country extensively interviewing Veterans in crafting part of the latter position paper.

Oregon City Schools Quiz Bowl graphic

I just wrote a two-part newspaper series on high school Quiz Bowl. One of the local faculty advisors here said, yes, part of it is about academic preparedness. But he also said the ‘genius’ of it is that football players, cheerleaders, and students who aren’t either, sit side by side on the team, and can’t help but develop some bonds. They are students, he said, “…who wouldn’t normally mix socially.” This is, systemically, a big part of changing the culture in high schools that will lead to, number one, more camaraderie between diverse students. And two, this will, inevitably, cut down on violence/shootings in the schools. And during our travels, I researched a program at Ohio’s Wilmington College where moderators facilitate weekend encounter groups at local high schools, mixing various clique groups. (Think the movie Breakfast Club, without the detention.) I have plugged in more information about this in our position paper proposing a “U.S. Department of Peace.” (See Section 15, Trust and Resolution)

I just interviewed a man who has had a solar energy company in the area for the past 13 years. During this time, he’s done some 60 solar installations. These have included: at residences, at businesses, at farms… He said this year, he’s seen a marked increase in demand for these. Why? Well, in part apparently, Putin and OPEC have their respective feet on the brake pedals in regard to oil and natural gas. So, in the face of rising prices, and possible shortages/rolling black outs/and such, people are turning to alternative energy sources — like solar. In doing research for the article, I learned the world has just passed the 10% threshold for solar for the first time. For a look at how our administration would approach energy in general, and alternative sources in specific, see…

In this last week, Russia illegally annexed more of Ukraine and Putin threatened to use limited nuclear weapons in these regions. This could, of course, escalate into full-blown, world-wide nuclear war. What’s more, North Korea just launched a missile over Japan, as, not only Japan, but South Korea, are now on “high-alert,” and the U.S. has moved an aircraft carrier into the region. And all sides are responding to this high-stakes, geo-political chess match in conventional ways. Akin to, in essence, “…re-arranging deck chairs on the Titanic.” In 1917, the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to some children at Fatima and told them that if mankind did not stop “offending God,” there would be a 2nd World War as a “punishment” for man’s sins. Why would that formula be any different today? What’s more, mankind’s sins are tremendously more egregious today (abortion, gender fluidity, media entertainment that’s off the charts sinful, trashing God’s environment… to name just a few). No, if we want the specter of war to stop, we have to stop doing the stuff that “offends God.” And it wouldn’t take a moral theology rocket scientist to figure out the things I’ve listed, and much more, is what is offending God. And as president, I’d say the exact same thing from the White House.

With all eyes on the nuclear power plant in the Ukraine, which is currently caught in the crossfire of war, I interviewed a professor at Ohio Northern University who teaches a “Nuclear Physics” class. He said what is going on in Ukraine is a highly dangerous geo-political chess match. That is, if a weapon(s) breaches the water-cooling system at the plant, there could be a meltdown similar to Chernobyl or Fukushima. What’s more, he said that since Fukushima in March of 2011 (an earthquake, followed by a tsunami, struck the plant causing huge radiation releases), countries have been, incrementally, starting to phase out their nuclear power plant programs. Our administration would concur in regard to phasing out America’s nuclear power plants. On a research stop in Luck, Wisconsin, I met with a representative of “Nuke Watch,” and environmental watchdog agency. She said nuclear technology is, indeed, way too dangerous. Example: The Chernobyl nuclear plant meltdown, also in Ukraine, released more radiation than all the atomic and nuclear bomb tests, ever, worldwide. For more on our policy around nuclear energy, see (item 9.)…