The Right Stuff: America remains a work in progress

By Jim McCully: published December 26, 2022 The Daily Republic

Jim McCully: The Right Stuff Now, as I have said before, I am a Southerner born and raised in Washington, D.C., then a very Southern city. It was a city President John F. Kennedy jokingly referred to as a “city of Northern charm and Southern efficiency” surrounded by historical monuments praising our forefathers and other political, judicial and military heroes.

One thing I believed from boyhood was America as an idea, something unique. The idea was individual liberty but also responsibility encompassed within a defined constitutional republic where “We the People” were the masters and the government our servant, seemingly the opposite of today.

This was taught to me by my family and by the community at large. The belief was reinforced by my formal education through high school but started to change in my university education. I was always fascinated by history and its lessons. I read constantly, learning to compare contrasting points of view to discern facts. Over the years, I began to see and hear the disconnect between what was said versus what was done.

I grew up with Black people. We went to school, church, and played sports together without my clearly understanding the real problems. I learned the federal government’s workforce was integrated in 1877 by President Ulysses S. Grant. This action, over time, resulted in more than 10% of Black people employed by the government. This provided opportunities in life, despite private social segregation, with thriving educational and communal institutions flowered in D.C.[...read more]

The Right Stuff: Secret to Christmas joy a simple recipe away

By Dr. Kevin Ryan : published December 19, 2022 the Daily Republic

I want to be Santa for Christmas.

Plump my rump, whip me up a hoary head and white whiskers, bedeck my body in red and white and tickle my tummy for a hearty Ho Ho Ho! Give me the gift of gift giving. I know my first gift and I’d fly into it like down off a thistle.

A recipe; Santa’s Recipe – and I’d give it away.

Here is the skinny on portly St. Nicholas’ boundless joy. Over the past few millennia, Santa has honed his expertise as a culinary critic of how to prepare a bountiful buffet banquet of living. I have it direct from none other than Rudolph that the Merchant of Mirth knows the secret to put the sizzle in your stake in life. If you tune your hearts and minds just right, close you eyes and wish the most selfless ever Christmas wish, you’ll find yourself there. Of course, no iPod’s, cellphones, TVs, PCs, CDs or DVDs allowed. Their frequencies interfere with the recipe, as well as Rudolph’s nose. Mrs. Claus assures me Santa’s kitchen is not one of those wham bam, conspicuous consumption scams that simply pack on the empty calories of pounds of mere possessions.[...read more]

The Right Stuff: American voter confidence in need of restoration

By Earl Heal: published December 12., 2022 Daily Republic

As Americans impatiently have waited three weeks and more for the final report of election outcomes, it is time for citizens to contemplate why their confidence level in the election process has deteriorated.

The confidence level (very or somewhat confident) has varied for 20 years between 75% and 59%. Why? Is lack of confidence due to changes in election laws perceived as reducing election integrity? To protect voting integrity, the Constitution limits only state legislatures or Congress to control election procedures. Despite such laws, several state governors or other officials altered procedures approaching the 2020 elections, and none have been disciplined.

The Supreme Court of the United State is currently hearing a lawsuit (Moore v. Harper) related to the ultimate authority of state legislatures to control election procedures. Lack of law enforcement obviously affects citizen confidence. Lack of common-sense voter identification requirements is the most visible obscenity to detract from election security. Most, if not all, democratic nations, excepting the United States, require positive ID. The National Council of State Legislatures reports the current status of each state. Eight require photo ID, four require written ID, 10 request written ID and do not require photo ID, 13 request written ID but do not enforce it, and 15, including California, of course, plus the District of Columbia, require no documentation.[...read more]