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]

The Right Stuff: Getting what we pay for or not?

By Jim McCully: published December 5, 2022 American citizens should get what we pay exorbitant taxes for. We do not. Taxes are intended to fund citizens’ constitutionally directed needs and nothing more. State and federal governments should be efficient, effective and as small as possible. They should exist solely for citizens’ benefit lest it become an out-of-control monster.

The monster revealed itself in California on May 12. Journalists Nichole Nixon reported the state had an over-collection of $97.5 billion. Will Gov. Gavin Newson and what I call the Democrat Socialist Progressive Peoples Party-controlled Legislature return this over charge to the people? Unlikely.

Our philosopher king, Gavin the first, and his merry band of followers, the Democratic Party, will object. Most likely there will be a piddling refund with the balance earmarked for spending on whatever will help keep them in power. A case in point, King Gavin is urging California’s Legislature to levy a windfall-tax capping oil company profits above his self-decreed ceiling.

In 1835, the French political philosopher Alexis de Tocqueville chronicled his views in his famous book “Democracy in America.” He listed five values, espoused by Americans, which defined our national character: Liberty, egalitarianism, individualism, populism, and laissez-faire capitalism making us different, unique and more successful than other nations.

His overarching fear for America was “The Tyranny of the Majority,” which could lead to America’s demise. The last sentence in his referenced book is: “It depends on themselves whether equality is to lead to freedom or servitude, knowledge or barbarism, prosperity or wretchedness.”[...read more]