Key West Lou / MACHIAVELLI KNEW THEN WHAT WE ARE LEARNING NOW

Machiavelli: “The rich are as much a threat to a republic as a standing military.” The Discourse on Livy, First Book, Chapter III.

The terms elites and rich are used interchangeably.

Elites have the habit of making an “issue” a “selective issue.” Roe v. Wade a perfect example.

Roe was decided in 1973. It received the usual post decision fanfare as any other significant decision. The issue then died.

It was resurrected 6 years later in 1979.

A group of evangelical leaders were searching for an issue to make a mountain out of a mole hill, so to speak. In order to defeat Jimmy Carter’s reelection bid. They seized on abortion not for moral reasons. Rather as the rallying cry to defeat Carter.

The evangelicals actually wanted the issue to be segregated schools. Keep suburban areas white. Keep blacks separated from white children.

Segregated schools as a moral issue seemed too far out. Something more palatable for the religious right to rely on was required. Abortion became the choice.

Wealthy persons with far right thinking were becoming more involved in politics. They liked the idea of abortion as the issue.

The beginning of the elites pouring money into the Republican far right began in the 1970’s and 1980’s. The billionaires tossed big dollars into the effort. Richard Mellon Scaife of the Mellon banking family and Joseph Coors the beer baron two individuals who gave the most.

Coors far right thinking was described by many as “a little bit right of Attila the Hun.”

Coors financed the Heritage Foundation which stands strong today in promoting issues that help the rich to quietly control American society.

The rich could not understand why peons should control the U.S. Their procedure became a simple one. While remaining in the background, they threw billions of dollars into Republican far right conservative causes.

Elected officials became subservient to those who provided funds for the party. Elites contributed to far right groups to protest and push causes they believed beneficial to their aims.

The peons loved it! Thought they were running the U.S. Blind fools! The rich took over. From behind the scenes, they now call the shots.

Interestingly, abortion one of the issues still working for them.

Trump’s recent 5 o’clock TV shows I have labeled Trump’s follies. I have compared Trump to Howdy Doody’s Buffalo Bob and Clarabell.

One thing that irritates me is that Trump is never on time for the show. A half hour to an hour late generally.

Such reflects a definite disregard and lack of respect for the American public who wait to hear his words.

The substance of these shows based on inaccuracies.

Last night, Trump said coronavirus was “under control.” How? The U.S. has 4.85 million confirmed cases. Deaths 159,000. Deaths occurring one every minute.

He said U.S. testing the best in the world. Results available in 5 to 15 minutes. Where does he get his facts? Testing still sucks. Testing not yet readily available. Results not generally available for 3 to 5 to 7 days. Sometimes, 10-12.

Trump proudly claims all kinds of supplies readily available. Like masks, testing equipment, gowns, gloves, inhalators, etc. Ask hospital personnel. They will tell you the truth.

He shocked me when he said Florida, Texas and California were in good shape, the numbers coming down. The three states still disasters.

I was of the opinion that Trump lied most of the time. Now, I think not. He is ignorant. Such is the problem.

Trump’s demand that the U.S. get a cut of any TikiTok sale ridiculous. Something new. From the genius of Trump’s mind.

Not just a cut, Trump believes the dollars should be “substantial” and “very big dollars.”

Wrong to do. Not the usual way of doing business. The government getting a piece of the action where a private business transaction is involved.

Trump is doing this to further aggravate China. China owns the company that owns TikiTok. Trump continues defecating on China. He is pushing China as FDR did Japan re oil. The result was Pearl Harbor.

Alan Dershowitz is one of America’s outstanding criminal defense attorneys. Spent his lifetime teaching at Harvard Law and handling these cases on the side.

It is claimed Dershowitz was a guest at Jeffrey Epstein’s pedophile island. One of the young girls, I cannot recall whether 12 or 16, he allegedly had sex with.

Dershowitz denied it. The girl now a young lady. She has sued Dershowitz.

He denies frequently. Like every other week. He comes up with another reason why her claims are not true.

Me thinks Dershowitz complains too much. I give him the advise he would give a client in a similar situation: “Shut up!”

Banks are whores. They got away with murder as the saying goes in 2008. Coronavirus another story. Appears to be doing many banks in.

HSBC is headquartered in London. It is Europe’s largest bank.

Its net profit for the second quarter dropped 96 percent! Plummeted!

HSBC blames coronavirus and lower interest rates.

Numbers best describe HSBC’s problem. The bank’s second quarter net profit for this year $192 million. Sounds like a lot of money. Not when compared to HSBC’s net profit for the second quarter last year.

The bank’s net profit second quarter last year was $4.37 billion.

Something definitely wrong at HSBC.

Trump rarely consistent. The past couple of weeks, he has been decrying the use of mail in ballots. Specifically mentioning many of the states who use them or intend to use them for this year’s Presidential election. Florida one of the states mentioned.

Yesterday, Trump urged Florida to use mail in ballots. He claimed Florida’s “election system is safe and secure, tried and true…..Florida’s election system has been cleaned up.”

No further elaboration. No reason why he changed his mind.

Wisteria Island back in the news.

When I first came to Key West 30 years ago, two small islands sat west of Key West. One whose name I cannot recall. The other Wisteria Island. Both islands a five minute boat ride from Key West.

Both islands used by the homeless, not taken care of, etc. The State would visit each island once year to remove all those inhabiting them for 24 hours so such persons would not be able to later claim title under adverse possession.

Then came Sunset Key. The island whose previous name I could not recall. Today a place of beauty and elegance. The finest homes and a superior restaurant. Everything on Sunset Key expensive.

Wisteria Island continues to sit next to Sunset Key. Looks like a garbage dump. Overgrown, people leave the island unclean, etc.

The Bernstein family (F.E.B. Corp.) has owned Wisteria for years. The intent to develop Wisteria similar to Sunset Key.

Ownership has always been an issue.

The most recent lawsuit began several years ago. I forget who was contesting the Bernstein title. May have been the State.

At the last minute, the U.S. government got involved in the lawsuit. They had not been heard from the decades before.

The U.S. claimed it owned the island.

A federal court recently decided the U.S. does: “It was built up by Navy contractors, who used the land for teh government’s purposes and benefit of storing fil;l accumulated from nearby dredging operastions.”

A lousy decisions. The government has never made beneficial use of Wisteria and never will. Its last minute entrance in the lawsuit was to exercise its right of claim. Utilizing mentally a never give up title to anything thought.

Sad because Wisteria is going to sit idle forever. A tiny black eye sitting off Key West’s waterfront.

Enjoy your day!

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