Month: May 2024

An Unfinished Love Story: A Personal History of the 1960s by Doris Kearns Goodwin (Review)

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Memoir…history…love story… Prior to reading this book, I was vaguely aware of the name, Richard Goodwin, and his involvement in politics and in the Kennedy and Johnson administrations. I was not aware of his specific roles. as it turns out, he was a man of certain influence working for both John F, Kennedy and Lyndon Johnson. Turns out he was a great speechwriter, wordsmith and political strategist. He was described as a “generalist”, a man who could fill a lot of roles and responsibilities.

Growing up in the 60s, I, of course, was interested in the nostalgic trip during that decade. Goodwin was a huge fan of the Kennedys. This created significant issues when he worked for Lyndon Johnson. Goodwin was involved to a certain degree in the discussions around civil rights, Vietnam, the Great Society etc.

Based on the book, it seems that Goodwin did not receive the credit he should’ve gotten for his effective communication of both JFK’s and LBJ’s’s policies and goals. Goodwin seem to find himself in hot water, often inadvertently, with people he worked for. In 1968 Goodwin worked for Eugene McCarthy, prior to RFK’s entry into the presidential race. Goodwin had quite a balancing act and at the same time, he did not wish to undermine the policies of Lyndon Johnson.

Doris Kearns Goodwin is an excellent writer. I have seen her on new shows on television where she is a thoughtful and effective communicator. This is an excellent book. If a reader has an interest in 1960’s history, politics or wishes to know more about the Kennedy and Johnson administrations, this book is an excellent resource.

Dick Goodwin had an interesting career and he seems motivated to achieve as much good as he could in the various roles he had in government. This is definitely a five star book!

View all my reviews

Quick Thoughts on Trump Conviction

Half of me thought that the Trump trial would result in a hung jury. The other half of me thought that Trump might be filed guilty of 10 or less of the 34 charges he faced.

I’m very surprised that Trump was found guilty of all the charges against him. How good were Trump’s lawyers? They couldn’t get him clear of at least one charge! Based on some of the things that I read about the trial, Trump’s lawyers may have been lacking in, presenting the best case for him.

What angers me the most are the people who are still supporting Trump. Don’t you people have any shame? There is an argument that this verdict will only help Trump get reelected. It’s possible, but given the actions of Trump’s jury today, I feel a little bit more hopeful that Trump will not be successful.

Politics in this country is such a huge mess. I blame the political parties, the press (or at least most of them), and just too many disinterested and ignorant voters.

A Few Good Men and Women (for President)

RFK Jr.’s path to the June debate. RFK Jr is closing in on joining Joe Biden and Donald Trump in a debate scheduled late next month. None of these men should be running for President. Joe Biden is a good man but he is too old. Donald Trump is a bad man, too old and should be in jail. RFK Jr. has no credentials to run. According to a New York Times article, his running mate has drug and gold digging issues. RFK Jr., though a younger man, is more incoherent than both Trump and Biden.

Here is a small list of more qualified men and women who should be running for President:

  1. Mark Cuban
  2. Jamie Dimon
  3. Bob Iger
  4. Governor Phil Murphy of New Jersey
  5. Governor Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania
  6. Governor Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan
  7. Governor Gavin Newsom of California
  8. Governor Brian Kemp of New Jersey
  9. Mitt Romney
  10. Larry Hogan
  11. Lynn Chaney
  12. Chris Christie
  13. Amy Klobuchar
  14. Adam Kinzinger
  15. Chris Coons
  16. Nikki Haley
  17. Pete Buttigieg
  18. Michelle Obama
  19. Al Franken
  20. Beto O’ Rourke

News Ticker Shock

Nikki Haley supporting Trump…”I will be voting for Trump.”

Justice Alito caught flying another flag outside his home supporting insurrection

60% of Americans think that we are in a recession (poll)

“United Reich” wording posted to a video on Trump’s Truth Social media account

RFK Jr. VP pick Nicole Shanahan profiled as drug user and adulterer in NY Times article

Putin ‘launches space weapon’ while his forces carry out nuke drill near Ukraine

Daily marijuana use outpaces daily drinking in the U.S., a new study says

RIP Democracy?? 11/5/2024

  1. Democracy may be dead. 50/50 that this November’s elections results will not be accepted by the losing party.
  2. Donald Trump, MAGA, Fox News and the Republican Party are holding the bloody knives in democracy’s demise or in Kristi Noem’s case, the smoking gun. There is also huge crowds cheering this on.
  3. My sense is that our current political culture and craziness could not have taken place 50 or 60 years ago. Back then, anyone who had a whiff of scandal would not be electable and would not have a political future.
  4. To have a viable and working democracy, there needs to be a majority of smart people, large enough to suppress dumb people. That does not exist today. Not even a majority of reasonable, intelligent voters can offset the rising number of dumb ones.
  5. The end of democracy actually started after the election of Barack Obama when the Republican party decided to strictly become a party of obstruction. They were determined and largely successful in stonewalling Obama’s agenda for eighth years. Remember when the Republican party blocked the nomination of Merrick Garland as a Supreme Court Justice in 2016?
  6. The Democratic Party shows absolutely no spine. There are times you have to fight as dirty as your opponent and the Dems have failed to do that.
  7. Most of my intellectual life, I have been a student of Nazi Germany. I have been fascinated by the rise of Hitler and how the German people largely supported him. Maybe soon I will get to experience a similar government and dictatorship here in the U.S. that existed back in 1934 Germany.
  8. There is too much influence of religion in politics. Religious people tend to believe almost anything, especially those claims not grounded in fact, truth, or science. Easily manipulable, religious people are the least tolerant and the least likely to be persuaded by evidence or reason.

Great Advice for College Grads (and Everyone Else)

I am passing on excerpts from an article written by Bret Stephens who is an Opinion columnist for The New York Times. Stephens is writing about what he would say at a commencement speech.

“I’d urge them to do everything they can to cultivate an inner life, especially since social media is always trying to suck it out of them. Commit great poems to heart, starting with those by Gerard Manley Hopkins and Edna St. Vincent Millay. Recite them aloud on solitary walks. Compose dirty limericks in your head. Read more for pleasure, less for purpose. Read, immediately, Marguerite Yourcenar’s “Memoirs of Hadrian.” Imitate the writers or artists you most admire; you’ll find your own voice and style in all the ways your imitation falls short. Don’t post self-indulgent glam shots of yourself on Instagram, and please stop photographing your damn meals.

Also: Think of TikTok as your generation’s cocaine and get off it. Work hard on keeping a few good friendships, not gaining thousands of followers. Eschew envy, cynicism and virtue signaling. Ponder the meaning of the word “hineni.” Make only enough money so that you don’t have to think about it much. Preserve an independence of mind and spirit, and nurture a contrarian opinion or two, especially if it goes against your own political side.

Reserve the right to change your mind — and really do it from time to time. Never join a cause if you aren’t fully familiar with the argument against it. Heed the words of Rabbi Hillel: “Where there are no men, be thou a man.” Or woman. Don’t equate success with fame or fame with happiness. Find your core satisfaction in a soul mate, not a career. Laugh more, mostly at yourself.“

Review: The Fall of the Third Republic: An Inquiry Into the Fall of France in 1940 by William Shirer

Book Review:

This is a very long book, about 1100 pages. But the history and narratives are so compelling, the reader does not mind the mental lifting required. The author was an established and renowned foreign affairs reporter during the 1930s and 1940s. This book is obviously excellently researched and Shirer was reporting from France and Germany prior to the war. His books about Nazi Germany are also compelling history reads.

Shirer also provides an excellent insight into how the war started by examing the behavior of not only France, but also Britian, Germany and Russia.

Why France Fell?

  1. Arrogance: Misguided reliance that things would always stay the same. French politicians and military leaders believing that they had all the right answers and refused to adjust to changing times.
  2. Poor national leadership: Inability to address social inequities, economic problems and the threat of Nazi Germany.
  3. Poor military leadership: Soldiers were not properly trained. “Territory wars” among French generals. Strategy warfare mindset from the 19th century. Poor communication skills among themselves and with the political leadership.
  4. Lack of courage: While many French soldiers fought valiantly, there were many incidents of French soldiers running away from battle and throwing down their weapons and removing their uniforms. These soldiers wanted to go back to their regular lives and not fight in a war they believed was over. They were afraid of German tanks, planes and soldiers.
  5. Appeasement: Both France and Britain did not want war and agreed to whatever demands Hitler made, particularly those made at Munich. Both France and Britian had military opportunities to thwart the German army in 1939 and 1940 but did not have the necessary spine and will to stop Nazi aggression.
  6. French culture: Political extremism and corruption were accepted as norms by the French populace. A national will did not exist to make the necessary political, economic and cultural changes to become a national power. The French people were largely complacent with their history and perceived standing in the world.

“Have you no sense of decency…”

I was thinking about this complaint directed at senator Joseph McCarthy, about 70 years ago by Joseph Welch, who was an attorney for the Army during Senate hearings. I was reading and listening to some of the testimony by Stormy Daniels in today’s trial. I understand that the former president Trump was quite agitated while listening to the testimony of a porn star regarding his rendezvous and sexual affair with her.

I never understood why Trump, his lawyers, his family, and any supporters that he may have, did not try to work out a deal with the Attorney General. I don’t understand why the Republican party would not try to work out some type of exit plan as they did for Richard Nixon in 1974. It just seems to me that some type of deal could be worked out that Trump would plead guilty to certain charges, pay fines and apologize for his misbehaviors. In return for a pardon, Trump would no longer be involved in politics, specifically running for any political office. Trump would be “exiled” to Mar-a-Lago.

Instead, his wife, family, and the country are subjected to a circus, ill behavior, misdeeds, criminality, early dementia, and sexual misconduct. Why would any decent man put his family through this? Does he really want to be president that badly? I guess the answer is yes.

I understand that there were gallows humor among the press corp about what they made experience if Trump is elected president this November. I do not think it is so far-fetched that he will seek revenge on those who have mocked him and attempted to put him in jail.

There is so much talk about the potential ramifications and possible violence if Trump was ever put in jail. I wonder if people considered how things might go if he is not.

I am so tired of all this. We have so many challenges and we are wasting precious time dealing with the delusions Donald Trump.

For God sakes, please somebody make a deal and end this national nightmare…