What NATO sould stand for

 What NATO sould stand for

No Action, Talk Only

Biden to America: “Give me $100 billion for perpetual wars in Ukraine and Gaza”

 Biden to America: “Give me $100 billion for perpetual wars in Ukraine and Gaza”

Last night President Biden doubled, tripled, quadrupled down on squandering US treasure on US provoked, enabled and perpetuated warfare. A piece of that cool hundred billion goes to Taiwan in furtherance of America’s potential nuclear confrontation with China in an area having not the slightest connection to American security interests. Combined with potential nuclear war with Russia that could erupt any day, Biden reminds me of a Samsonite strongman struggling to pull down the pillars of human existence.

But that hundred billion is D.O.A. as long as House Republicans continue their circular firing squad preventing any significant action in Congress on funding those perpetual wars Biden relishes with every second of his dwindling time in power. Keep fighting amongst yourselves Republicans, you’re gumming up the perpetual war works.

In his 51^st year promoting US exceptionalism worldwide which is collapsing before our eyes, Biden remains blind to the horrific death toll his policies have promoted and enabled. Apparently, there will be no Biden epiphany inspiring him to pivot toward peace. Instead of going out in a blaze of glory, Biden risks us all going out in a blaze of mushroom clouds.

Only thing more frightening? There is no one remotely in contention for president likely to change Biden’s self-destructive war policies.

US to beleaguered Gazans:

 US to beleaguered Gazans:

'Besides no food, water, medicine, electricity, no way out....no ceasefire for you.'

America, along with cruel allies Britain, France and Japan, voted down a UN Security Council resolution calling for a humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza.

Why? It was proposed by imaginary US enemy Russia, supported by our other imaginary enemy China and didn't condemn Hamas. But neither did it condemn Israel. That is the whole point of proposing and achieving a ceasefire....to stop the dying so mediation and diplomacy can begin in a toned down atmosphere.

Catastrophically for Gazans, that is the last thing America apparently wants. There are $10 billion in proposed new weapons for Israel that must be spent to keep the war profits flowing.

Is US beginning to recognize Israeli Apartheid destruction of Gaza’s 2.3 million people?

 Is US beginning to recognize Israeli Apartheid destruction of Gaza’s 2.3 million people?

President Biden visits Israel tomorrow to offer robust support for the upcoming Israeli offensive into Gaza. He’s not calling for a ceasefire. He’s even instructed his diplomats not to call for a ceasefire in Gaza. He’s also pledging billions in military aid to fuel the war and has sent 2 aircraft carriers into the region to show support.

But he will also discuss the growing worldwide revulsion of the disproportionate Israeli response which includes cutting off all food, water, electricity, medicine into Gaza with no way for Gazans to leave. Nearly 3,000 have died from bombs. Many more have likely died from lack of those necessities. All 2.3 million are suffering debilitated mental and physical health which will greatly shorten their lives if they survive the current war.

Biden may express concern for the grotesque treatment of Gazans. But he appears more concerned that Israel is losing worldwide support from its disproportionate response to the Hamas attacks. He’s also worried about the potential for a wider war involving Hezbollah in the north from Lebanon; possibly even Iran. None of this is good for continued US influence in the region upon which we still rely for much of our energy needs.

But for the first time in America’s tortured support for Israel’s Apartheid rule of Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank, Biden is beginning to voice concern for a people the US has erased from the Middle East narrative for 76 years.

The chances are zero, but it would help Biden’s understanding of the Palestinians’ plight if he could stop off in Gaza for a few hours after leaving the safety of Israel. It might provoke the epiphany he needs to tell the world that America stands with both the Israelis and the Palestinians in support of a 2 state solution which America has helped Israel prevent now for 76 years.

Mental Health for Chicagoans? Faggedaboudit

 

Mental Health for Chicagoans? Faggedaboudit

 

On reviewing Mayor Brandon Johnson’s first proposed budget, one item shocked me. Johnson was planning to reopen 2 of the 6 city mental health centers that former Mayor Emanuel closed in 2012. Those 6 represented half of Chicago’s 12 mental health facilities. Why? Rahm chose to close the budget deficit on the backs of the mentally ill, the consequences to them and Chicago at large be damned.

Mental health facilities should have been among the last city services cut back or closed. For the past 11 years those facilities remained closed under both Emanuel and successor Lorie Lightfoot. Result? Cook County Sherriff Tom Dart has called his jail “One of the largest mental health facilities in the country.” He estimates that at least a third of his 7,000 inmates suffers mental illness.

That begs the question. How many of the mentally inflicted committed suicide, died by other mental illness causes, lost their job, became wards of the state, committed crimes simply from the lack of available mental health help?

 

A truly humane society would benefit immensely by making mental health easy and affordable to all. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if all 50 Chicago wards had a mental health facility?

 

Kudos to Johnson for his small step expanding mental health services to challenged Chicagoans and pledging to reopen the remaining 4 closed facilities. Let’s hope the Mayor keeps his campaign promise…even expanding beyond the former dozen.