It’s The Economy Stupid

Please see my new article in The Times of Israel called “It’s The Economy Stupid.”

It is incredible that our leaders, economic advisors, and near endless pundits didn’t see what was surely coming down the road in terms of an overheating economy, inflation, and a spiraling national debt now over $30 trillion and growing. Despite economic signals even visible to the layman, the Fed continued to promise to hold the interest rates near zero “for years” to come. The cheap money and free-wheeling government spending became an avalanche with almost no adult in the room willing to stand up and say, “Stop the money madness! Government handouts are not free!”

Aside from the recklessness with which our economy has been handled, let’s not forget that there is a proxy war going on between the superpowers in Ukraine for the last four months, including a frightening blockade on grain shipments (i.e. food terrorism) to tens of millions of people. Further toward the east, China is upping the ante vowing to “fight until the end” for sovereignty over Taiwan. And in the middle, Iran is dismantling the IAEA nuclear monitoring cameras, adding high-speed centrifuges, increasing uranium enrichment, and threatening Israel and the West. Let’s just say all is not copacetic in the world, while a congressional select committee continue to focus on what happened on January 6, 2021 with the U.S. Capitol riots.

People are not blind, deaf, and dumb to what’s going on with the childish gamesmanship, politics of hate, and plenty of recklessness that is driving much of the national debate and (in)action in the country. 

(Credit Photo: Blink O’fanaya; adapted from https://www.flickr.com/photos/blinkofanaye/14913895723/)

Putin Is A Mega Thief

Great explanation in the Wall Street Journal today for why Putin is focused in grabbing the east and south of Ukraine.

That’s where Ukraine’s energy reserves are!

To the tune of:

– $1 trillion of natural gas

– $400 billion of oil and condensate

– The worlds 6th-largest reserve of coal

And don’t forget the strategic ports of both the Black Sea and Sea of Azov.

Russia will control the energy supply chain for decades to come! 

The West’s nonsense sanctions against Putin don’t even make a dent compared to what Putin is getting out of this deal! 

Lesson from Putin is you can get away with massive theft and murder, and no one in this lawless world will stop you. 

What do you think China is going to do with Taiwan next?

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

World Is Worse Today

With Russia invading Ukraine.

With China up next to invade Taiwan.

With Iran and North Korea just waiting for their chances at evil. 

With provocations, escalations, and threats of nuclear weapons.

The world is much worse today. 

Peace is shattered.

There is no telling when or how this will all end. 

(Credit Photo; Andy Blumenthal)

Our Deterrence Is Lost

As Russia bombs and invades Ukraine.

The U.S. is sitting on its hands. 

NATO is in total disarray. 

The United Nations is a joke!

As Russia looks mighty, we look ever so weak!

Total body blow to world democracy and human rights.

Russia is free to murder, take what it desires, do whatever it wants.

And China is gearing up for Taiwan next.  😉

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

People of Ukraine

It hit me today—with all the news about Russia preparing to invade Ukraine and devastate its people, unprovoked, there is nobody talking about the people of Ukraine. 

Our leaders and news media are so misguided and focused on the geopolitics of the thing, all they talk about is what the U.S. and EU will do in terms of some measly sanctions.

But they have completely forgotten the innocent people there—44 million of them—who face death and occupation. 

Where is our leadership????

Where are the speeches about the innocent people?  About freedom?  About democracy?  About human rights?  

Where is the United Nations????

They are supposed to safeguard and maintain peace and security around the globe.

Where are the outspoken liberals who call out occupation, apartheid, and human rights abuses????

Not a word from anyone. 

It’s incredible how prejudiced, biased, discriminatory and corrupt all these people can be. They can be brainwashed, bribed, and bought to speak out for those when it will somehow fit their agenda or benefit them!

But when the Russian or Chinese powerful aggressors are at the doorstep of Ukraine or Hong Kong/Taiwan—where is anybody to speak out?

Last night, I imagined the people of Ukraine sitting in fear, in worry about what will happen to them, their families, their homes. 

Do the world leaders care anything about the lives of real people—men, women, and children—or only about how any conflict makes them look, and how they are polling, and the next election?

Morality and conscience–is it on life support or dead in this narcissist world of the powerful and elite. 😉

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

U.S. Misses The Boat on Hypersonic Missiles

It’s great to be able to fight the old conventional ways. 

But the U.S. spends more than the next top 11 countries combined on defense. 

Yet, we have failed miserably at the next BIG thing in defense: hypersonic weapons!

Both China and Russia have hypersonic weapons ready to use on us.

China even claims they can use they can use their hypersonic missiles with heat seeking technology to destroy our most advanced fighter aircraft the F-35 and F-22.    

Yet as recently as November, the 3rd of the U.S. Air Force’s hypersonic missile tests failed!  

Now at best, the U.S. Navy is hoping to be able to perhaps deploy hypersonic weapons by 2025-2028.

In the meantime, the U.S. is vulnerable to its adversaries at a time when Russia and China are rearing their militaries for confrontations in Ukraine and Taiwan, respectively.

And that could be only the beginning, if we don’t get our military R&D together and fast. 

How could this happen with all the money we spend on defense?

Eyes wide shut like Pearl Harbor and 9/11 all over again!  😉

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

A 2022 New Year of Eggs

New Years 2022. 

Congratulations!

But I wouldn’t call it “eggcellent,” because there is a lot of world instability and fear looming on the horizon.

Are we looking at competition, conflict, and even possible areas of collapse or a much rosier outcome in the order of things?

• From Russia to China and Iran to North Korea. 
• From Al-Qaeda to ISIS and Hamas to Hezbollah and Islamic Jihad
• From WMD to Cyber 9/11 and EMPs to Hypersonic ICBMs
• From Covid to the Economy and Inflation to National Insolvency

Like a bunch of eggs. 

Will it be a year of Broken, Scrambled and Mashed or Sunny Side Up and Eggs Over Easy? 

Either way, we had better hope and pray that we don’t get fried and burned.  😉

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

Dancing on the Head of a Pin

Please see my new article in The Times of Israel called “Dancing on the Head of a Pin.”

We’re all different, and we all have something to say and contribute to solve life’s challenges. While some of us may think that they are better than others, the reality is that we are all human, fallible, and subject to life’s circumstance and G-d’s mighty hand. However, too often, we let ego get in the way, and instead of taking on the huge, almost insurmountable challenges that we face, we end up fighting about who’s in charge and who gets the credit.

As we face the daunting challenges confronting America, Israel, and the world, we need effective “servant-leaders,” who are guided by a genuine moral compass and faith in G-d to take well-reasoned actions and not to punt the problems down the political road. Real leadership means leaving your ego at the door; it means self-sacrifice, compassion, creative thinking, and bold problem-solving. Big challenges can be dealt with, but we’ve got to have the right measure of ourselves, strength of character, and unity of purpose to finally overcome them.

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

Let Freedom Ring

I saw this van with all this messaging about “Communist China.” 

Guy from the truck asks me:

Do you know what CCP is?

Not having heard that acronym, I started to mumble something about communism, and before I could finish, he goes:

It stands for Chinese Communist Party. 

He continued:

That’s dictatorship. Do you know what that is?

I responded:

Of course, and the people want to be free.

He goes:

Yes, freedom! We want freedom. 

It’s hard to believe that a generation ago the Cold War ended, but here we are still with people battling Communism and repression of basic rights. 

How lucky we are in America, Israel, and other western countries to live in freedom and have basic human rights. 

People around the world fight and die trying to earn their freedom, and we wake up with it every day, and it’s just there for us. 

It’s an incredible blessing to be free to think, speak, worship, and live how we choose.

We have to safeguard freedom and even fight for it: to have it, to keep it; and we should use it wisely to do and grow good in the world.  😉

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

Walk Fort Lauderdale Beach

Eleven minute walk along Fort Lauderdale Beach.

Crazy during Spring Break!

This country in between crises letting off steam amidst:

– Multitude inner city shootings

– Racism and violent riots

– Anarchy at the Capitol

– Our sovereign borders being overrun

– Chaotic Covid pandemic

– Ridiculously out-of-control spiraling national debt

– Deteriorating relations with superpowers Russia and China

– Nuclear escalations with Iran and North Korea

– Another horrible election

Who will save this country from itself? 😉

(Credit Video: Andy Blumenthal)