Stabilization is badly needed in legal and scientific matters

September 8, 2026

I have for many years appreciated Clarence Thomas as an Associate Justice on the United States Supreme Court. That appreciation stems mostly from his originalist and textualist view of laws and the United States Constitution. Thomas may become the longest serving Justice ever.

Originalism is the idea that the Constitution is not a living document, the meaning of which changes with the evolution and changes of our society. Originalism is based upon the sensible idea that the Constitution means what it meant when it was created, as do all of our laws.

Thomas and other originalists are referred to as “conservative” justices. That term has nothing to do with political philosophy, it only has to do with adhering to the original meaning of laws and the Constitution.

This is a concept that eludes the understanding of many present and past justices, as well as many people who prefer a living Constitution and laws that can mean whatever somebody wants them to mean at any given moment in time, and under any circumstances.

Another originalist was former Associate Justice Antonin Scalia, who served on the Supreme Court from 1986 until his untimely death in 2016. Scalia was referred to as the intellectual anchor for the originalists and textualists on the Court.

Regarding the idea of originalism and the tendency among some Justices to apply a liberal interpretation to the Constitution, Scalia said, “The Constitution means what it says. You figure out what it was understood to mean when it was adopted and that’s the end of it. If you want more rights, create them by statute, if you want more constitutional rights, create them by amending the Constitution.”

He also maintained that this approach is the only way to safeguard the purpose of the Constitution. The Founders worked hard and over a significant period of time to develop a unique and improved system of government. 

It is a constitutional federal republic with a national government divided into three distinct branches — the legislative, the executive, and the judicial. This arrangement balances power between the federal government and individual states through a system of checks and balances designed to prevent tyranny.

The Constitution is the guide of that system, and it must be correctly interpreted, based upon what the Founders had in mind when they wrote it.

The appropriateness of this concept is so obvious that it is truly troubling that so many people trained in the law do not follow it when it does not suit their preferences.

Another area where what is supposed to be right is often not right is in the area of scientific work. In science, the problem is that there are sometimes so many different scientists working on the same question, and they often all come up with different results in their exploration of the question at hand.

This situation was addressed in the Hillsdale College publication “Imprimis” by Jay Bhattacharya, who became the Director of the National Institutes of Health in 2025. He is a physician and former professor of medicine at Stanford University.

In the Imprimis article, he notes when the findings of a study are made available on TV, in newspapers, on podcasts, etc., people accept those findings. Other scientists often perform the same experiments and come up with different results. But, which results are the correct ones?

“How do we address this,” Bhattacharya asks. “We begin by recognizing the fact that most ideas hatched by scientists do not work or are not true. That is completely normal in science and always has been.” He then cited a paper written in 2005 titled, “Why Most Published Research Findings Are False.”

The idea of replication is a good one, as it has many scientists seeking the truth, and checking one another by replicating their research and checking their results against the others, or using different methods to find the same results. Eventually, the correct answers come forth.

However, recently a problem has reemerged, one that had been eliminated by the scientific revolution years ago. That problem is the idea that there is a “scientific authority” that determines what is and what isn’t true. 

“Unfortunately, we find ourselves back in a situation today,” Bhattacharya wrote, “as demonstrated a few years ago by the Covid lockdowns, mask mandates, and vaccination requirements, where a relatively small number of people — directors of government agencies like the National Institutes of Health (prior to Bhattacharya taking the leadership), heads of international agencies like the World Health Organization, and editors of prestigious journals — have the power to say what is true or false in science.

Like political and social ideas, scientific theories must not be censored. And adjustments to constitutional ideals and laws cannot be done because someone dislikes them, or they don’t fit preferences, 

If science has produced conflicting results, none of those results can be determined to be “the one” arbitrarily by some person or group. If a law or constitutional tenet is found to be unsatisfactory, it must be changed through established procedures.

Honesty and professional integrity are demanded of persons in these positions. 

America did not become the great country it is by substituting under-the-table tactics for appropriate legal processes. 

The climate change debate still thrives after seventy years

September 1, 2026

Of the many popular topics of discussion these days — like can men have babies; the many crimes Donald Trump has committed; we really need to do away with police and prisons — there is the on-going talk about our environment.

And, of course, we need to be aware of harmful things that may be going on that could have a serious negative effect of our environment, and the people.

Many warnings over the last few decades have been, “If we don’t stop using fossil fuels to produce electricity and for other things, the United States and likely the rest of the world will suffer and die.”

But not all of these warnings and predictions of doom and gloom are valid, or have come true. And 33 of them will be mentioned.

As always with serious topics, there are at least two sides of the argument. Lately, there has been an effort to silence, or at least reduce the argument that says that our environment is not in any serious trouble.

Let’s go back several years to the mid-to-late 1900s and look at some of these predictions: The Arctic Ocean Will Be Navigable by Mid-Century (1958); Global Famine by 1975 (1967); New Ice Age by 21st Century (1970); Ice Age in 50–60 Years (1971); Catastrophic Cooling in a Century (1972); Space Satellites Confirm Ice Age (1974); Time Magazine: Another Ice Age? (1974); No End to Cooling in Sight (1978).

The reference to Time Magazine mentioned a question about another Ice Age being on its way. Time noted that there was growing Arctic ice, cold winters, and animals migrating as a result, showing that indeed Earth was entering a long period of cold temperatures.

Only a few years later, in 1979, this prediction appeared: “Arctic Ice Will Vanish.” And that warming theme became the dominant one, to wit: Environmental Catastrophe by 2000 (1982); Maldives Underwater in 30 Years (1988); Entire Nations Could Disappear by 2000 (1989); UK Snowfalls Will Vanish (2000); Maple Syrup Industry Dead in 20 Years (2001).

The nations disappearing warning came from a United Nations official, warning that global warming must be reversed to prevent this from occurring.

So, as of 1979, global warming was the problem. Or was it? Three years after the prediction of the maple syrup industry being killed a new warning mentioned the possibility of Britain freezing: “Britain Becomes Siberia by 2020 (2004).”

But then three years after that, warming was again the dangerous threat to life on Earth: “Point of No Return by 2016 (2006); Arctic Ice Gone by 2013 (2007); Climate Deadline is 2012 (2007); Ice-Free Arctic by 2013 (2007); North Pole Ice Cap Melts Away in 2008 (2008); North Pole Could Melt by 2008 (2008); North Pole to Be Ice-Free for First Time in History (2008); Arctic Will Melt in Five to Ten Years (2008); Arctic Ocean Ice-Free by 2014 (2009).”

The “point of no return” came from an Associated Press article that paraphrased Al Gore saying that greenhouse gas emission must be drastically reduced within 10 years.

This trend of warming predictions continued into the next two decades: “Arctic Ice-Free in Two Years (2013); Australia’s Snowfall on the Decline (2017); No More Arctic Ice After 2022 (2018); Humanity Will Go Extinct by 2023 (2018); Glacier National Park Sign Predicted No Glaciers by 2020 (2020); No Snow California by 2021 (2021); End of Snow to Affect 76 Million Americans (2022).” 

The young Swedish climate activist, Greta Thunberg, tweeted that humanity would go extinct by 2023 unless fossil fuel use was immediately ended. At the time, in 2018, she was only 15-years-old, but somehow managed to gain much attention.

And now comes the reality that not one of these 33 predictions of a serious climate crisis has been correct.

Some scientists maintain that the warming that has occurred did so because there is too much carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, resulting from burning fossil fuels, such as coal and oil. 

However, others say that it is actually part of a natural process, and not due to man-made problems. They say that we are still in an Ice Age that began more than 100,000 years ago.

The Earth has alternating periods of cooling (glacials) and warming (interglacials) that last for about a hundred thousand years. As an Ice Age progresses, cooling ends and warming begins. That is where they say we are now.

Although the many predictions of disaster have proven false, there are still many scientists and lay people who either believe that global warming is a man-made problem that needs to be corrected, or are determined to preach that line for some non-scientific purpose.

And, history shows us that there have been periods where our atmosphere has been much, much warmer than it is today.

Here, from climate.gov, is one example: “The fact that these thick, calcium-rich rock layers sit directly on top of rock piles left behind by retreating glaciers indicates that temperatures rose significantly near the end of the Neoproterozoic, perhaps reaching a global average higher than 90° Fahrenheit. (Today's global average is lower than 60°F.)”

Today, we are not really hot. So, relax, and stop freaking out.

So, murder is now a way to fix the things you don’t like?

 

August 18, 2026

Luigi Mangione, the suspected murderer of United Health Care CEO Brian Thompson in 2024, pled guilty in court last week to the killing. “I shot Mr. Thompson in Manhattan,” Mangione said in his plea. “I understood that my actions would place him in fear of death or bodily injury. I knew what I was doing was illegal.”

Mangione, reading his statement to the court. said that “after years of enduring severe pain from an injured back and navigating the insurance system, he learned that UnitedHealthcare would be holding its annual investor conference in New York City on Dec. 4, 2024,” as reported by the New York Times.

He then went to NYC in possession of a gun he made with a 3-D printer with a silencer affixed to it, and committed cold-blooded murder against someone who did not cause his pain, but worked in the health insurance industry which Mangione blamed for his discomfort.

Federal prosecutors said they will seek life in prison, the maximum sentence possible, when Mangione is sentenced in December.

So, just who is Luigi Mangione? According to the Times report, he “was born into a prosperous Maryland family that owned country clubs, nursing homes and a conservative talk radio station. He attended a private, all-boys high school in Baltimore.” That isn’t the sort of life that should build hatred.

Question: How can someone who had such a good life, with a successful and prosperous family, not have learned one of the most basic lessons of life: that murder is wrong?

As nauseating and irrational as Mangione’s action was, nearly as bad is the high level of support this murderous rich kid has received from others.

“The murder of Brian Thompson, the UnitedHealthcare executive, in late 2024 unearthed a torrent of public outrage against the health insurance industry,” the Times reported. “And since then, Americans’ anger has solidified into deep mistrust of the companies.

“Much of the current dissatisfaction stems from rising economic concerns: More and more people cannot afford the increasing costs of insurance premiums and medical bills.”

This situation is now the justification for the murder of an insurance executive, causing unimaginable pain and suffering among his family, friends and co-workers, and not solving the problem.

The Times report continued, “Outside the courthouse, Abril Rios, one of the self-described “Mangionistas” who received a city-issued press badge, said she felt ‘relieved’ to hear Mangione’s testimony detailing the crime. ‘I see the move today as still fighting it,’ she said. ‘I don’t think this is a concession or an admission of guilt.’”

This madness was also covered by CNN, which reported that someone called “Katie” appeared at a Manhattan protest “wearing a black shirt with a large photo of the 26-year-old suspected shooter. ‘But Daddy I Love Him,’ the shirt read in pink.

“’I just thought it was fun and cute and something to show his face and show support,’ she said.

“Did she actually, as the shirt said, love Mangione?

“’I don’t know if you can love someone you’ve never met,’ she responded. ‘I love whoever made that action to stand for health care … They really took a stand. I’m actually surprised something like this hasn’t happened before.’

“’Whoever did commit that act, I really do see him as a hero and a martyr.’

Katie was one of a few dozen people who came to a protest outside federal court in New York City to express support for Mangione.” 

Strangely, support for cold-blooded murder has been seen at other protests, where signs with “Free Luigi” were seen, and protesters wore green, referencing Nintendo’s “Luigi” character.

After his arrest and being charged, this murderer received hundreds of supporting letters from not only the US, but also Brazil, Japan and Australia.

And some 27,000 sympathizers had contributed more than $950,000 to a legal defense fund. And the legal defense fund’s website listed 13 “Frequently Asked Questions,” with many of them suggesting contributing or sending him letters.

CNN also said it had contacted some of his supporters to learn how they felt, and why, and their responses focused on our health care system and the insurance companies. 

“There’s a lot of sympathy for Luigi,” an unidentified supporter said. “Seems to be like he was mad at the health care system, like we all are. I obviously don’t think anyone should be murdered, and I don’t think that’s a way to solve the problem, but I sympathize with the idea that we can actually make that happen and just to use this moment to make that happen.”

Turning Point USA co-founder Charlie Kirk met a similar fate on a college campus in 2025. His crime against humanity: calmly and politely providing members of his audience a different side to their argument. But that was too much for his executioner to handle.

The Thompson and Kirk murders, and the ludicrously large amount of support for this sort of irrational violence should worry each of us. What has happened in our once logical and balanced culture to allow so many to believe the way to solve their problems is to murder people who do not agree with them?

We must protect America’s devotion to freedom of ideas

August 11, 2026

One of the big negatives in the country today is that many members of some important professions have put their integrity in a drawer in their basement or attic, and replaced it with political motivation. This is especially harmful when those professionals are lawyers and judges, education administrators and teachers, and people working in news media and social media.

Where news is concerned, the heaviest distribution of these folks is on the left side of the political aisle. Liberal/socialist-leaning media are busy controlling what they air, print and post, happily and energetically pouring forth their preferred perspectives, and just as happily and energetically blocking opposing material.

Trying to find a balanced news outlet is not as easy as it used to be. And that can, and does, have an effect on how people think about things. When you only get one set of ideas of the many actually available, you are not able to make independent judgements, you are being controlled.

One small effort to impose some limit on how much control any entity or group of entities could gain over the populace occurred two decades ago.

Congress passed the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2004, placing a 39 percent cap on how much broadcast television ownership a company may have. That’s a pretty large number, allowing one owner to have more than one-third of all of the broadcast television stations. A tiny limit, but it is a limit.

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) recently voted to eliminate that cap, undoubtedly thrilling the broadcast industry, as it swung open the door to more consolidation of TV station ownership. 

Large television station companies have been urging this change since day one, and new FCC Chairman, Brendan Carr, has argued for the change, saying traditional broadcasting entities are unfairly regulated, while tech companies and streaming companies are not.

The TV people also say that restricting these purchases puts TV stations at risk of closure, due to the evolving technology of communications, which favors new media over traditional media.

Critics, however, counter that point, saying that television remains a unique market. With the decline in newspapers that has occurred, local TV stations are depended upon more and more for local news. Therefore, they should continue to be independent, and not become controlled by a few large companies.

The 2-to-1 FCC vote featured the Republican Carr, and Commissioner Olivia Trusty voting for the change, and Democrat Commissioner Anna Gomez opposing it.

The FCC position is that decisions by a company to purchase additional broadcast stations will be judged on a case-by-case basis, rather than through a blanket ceiling on total ownership. This is a much less likely way to restrict too much ownership.

Opponents of the FCC decision immediately responded, asking if an independent federal agency has the authority to eliminate a limit imposed by a federal law. They maintain that Congress must decide any changes to a federal law. This issue will undoubtedly go before a federal court.

But the government and the people must keep their eyes on situations where some individual or company, or group of individuals or companies quietly gain a high degree of control over an important aspect of our lives.

Here is another similar example: Three investment companies — BlackRock, Vanguard, and State Street Global Advisors — control about 74 percent of the ETF (exchange traded funds) equity market, and that equates to being the largest shareholder in roughly 88 percent of S&P 500 companies.

Those three firms have enough voting power to influence how those companies operate. Is it a good situation when three firms have this much control over that many companies in America?

The term “diversity” has become a frequently used term recently. However, the United States has always had a fairly diverse atmosphere. Many options exist in nearly any subject you can name. Food, entertainment, jobs, clothing, vehicles, political ideas, areas of study, etc. 

You won’t find that diversity in authoritarian nations, which are often communist or socialist. In those nations, you get what the government says you can have, and nothing more.

We should fight movements that limit our choices, whether that involves three companies that might one day pretty much decide what products we can buy, due to their high level of control over those large and important companies. Or having only a few media organizations that decide which of the many important ideas we will be able to access, and how much news we will accurately hear about.

In addition to the insane changes to the government they think are smart, the heavily anti-American agenda of the left — particularly the even-more-radical Democratic Socialists of America, which wants no police, no prisons, no U.S. Senate, no Supreme Court, no Electoral College, no ICE, to give amnesty to all illegals, to take over important industries, and more — lean heavily towards a government with little diversity, and an environment where nearly everything allowed in the land will be what is approved by, and imposed by government.

Our constitutional republic is under attack by enemies from both inside and outside the country. We must defeat them decisively and quickly. 

Is our 250-year-old constitutional republic going to survive?

August 4, 2026

Remember when Democrats and Republicans were much closer in their ideas about how to move the country forward than they are today? If so, you are probably a seasoned citizen. If not that seasoned, and you happen to remember this, you are not from Gen Z, but you may be an early Gen X.

That more productive atmosphere is not what we have today.

Many on the left — mostly the younger ones, but also some of the older ones — do not understand the nation’s system that they so eagerly aim to sabotage, turning the country into one more famously inept socialist/communist mess.

Those in the Gen Z crowd were born from 1997 to 2012. By then, we already had high-speed internet, social media, smartphones, and a society that had existed and prospered for more than 200 years. And, while the older generations — like the Silent Generation, the Boomers, etc. — had many things that even older ones didn’t have, they were able to see how things came to be, appreciate their arrival, and enjoy these steps of progress.

Watching media evolve from just radio to the black and white television, and then to color television. Impressed with the development of stereo sound. Cars with automatic transmission, and then air conditioning. Jet aircraft. The space programs. The list goes on and on.

They also learned a lot from their parents about how to behave, and in school they learned real history, and civics, teaching them how the country was developed and supposed to work.

That experience helped them appreciate the great country into which they were so fortunate to have been born.

That element is missing from the environment of these younger folks. They entered a world that was so much better than it was when the older folks were born. Having such a full and special atmosphere from birth, taking it for granted, rather than watching how those great things developed and improved along the way may be why they do not adequately appreciate their wonderful country.

Whatever the reasons for these leftists to fail to understand present-day America and properly appreciate it, they also have no idea how foolish it is to think that socialism/communism will be better, or even tolerable, once it gets fully established.

Businessman David Rubenstein offered this perspective on America: “I would say that the United States is one of roughly 220 countries in the world. And of all these countries, we’re the one where the most people want to immigrate to. We’re the one who’s built the biggest economy in the world, the greatest technology base in the world,” and “we have the greatest entrepreneurial instincts of any country in the world. And that combination of things enables this country to achieve what we’ve achieved.”

Continuing with his praise for our country, he said, “To go through your life, you have used a lot of American technology. You probably can’t get through your day without using a Google, Facebook, or Meta product, or Netflix or one of our American-made automobiles. What European company do you need to use their products to get through the day? Virtually none. And except for TikTok, Americans can get through the day without using anything invented really outside the United States. The world is very dependent on the products we’ve created.”

A major problem today is that so many of the young were denied the fundamental education of what America is, and how it was formed. Our strong, sensible values have deteriorated dramatically over recent decades, because they ceased being taught and encouraged.

How can we strengthen those values? On that topic, another prominent American, radio talk show host, attorney, and author, Hugh Hewitt, suggests that we start teaching civics again to middle school students. He thinks using a book by Wilford McClay, titled “Land of Hope” will help. Hewitt believes it “is the best single book on American history,” and thinks it should be the core curriculum.

Describing McClay’s book: “It’s warts and all, as he says. He’s objective. He’s not neutral, but he’s objective about what we’ve gotten wrong and what we’ve gotten right in the country. Let’s pour ourselves into civics as opposed to ideology. I’d like to get back to some basics about how much we have in common, not what we have to fight over.”

Our constitutional republic has survived and thrived for 250 years. The country is not perfect. No country is. But this one has set records that none other has in those 250 years. And yet, thousands, perhaps millions, of our fellow Americans are dead-set on imposing socialism/communism on us, unable to recognize our great worth, or understand the disasters that their preferred system has brought to Cuba, Venezuela and other countries.

A noteworthy incident occurred during the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia in 1787. Outside Independence Hall, Elizabeth Willing Powel asked Benjamin Franklin a question about the Convention’s conclusion: "Well, Doctor, what have we got, a Republic or a Monarchy?" Franklin replied, "A Republic, if you can keep it."

Our republic has survived a civil war, two world wars, and many other challenges. Will it be able to survive this one? 

Traffic cameras are an enigma: public safety versus privacy

July 28, 2026

As if the current serious political divide in our country and the attempts of the radical left to turn America into Cuba or Venezuela aren’t enough for the country to deal with, we now are becoming aware of a movement among governments and law enforcement agencies to post surveillance and ALPR cameras around their areas.

And we know that there are some present in our area.

The public is told that these devices help protect citizens and help to identify law breakers. There are reportedly tens-of-thousands of AI (Artificial Intelligence) cameras mounted on utility poles and other support elements across the country. 

Perhaps the most abundant type of these cameras is the ALPR (automated license plate reader). These enable law enforcement to identify vehicles whose drivers have broken laws or perhaps caused accidents.

That sounds like a good idea, and it can certainly help to identify people involved in law-breaking and other negative behavior. But there is a good bit more to the story.

As this relatively new activity spreads across the country, it is raising major privacy concerns, as these cameras operate in AI-powered networks that track and record public movement.

These cameras capture vehicle license plates and vehicle details like the make, model, and color. They also record timestamps, exact locations, and unique vehicle elements like bumper stickers or dents, all of which can aid law enforcement to identify those who have broken laws. 

This data is saved in searchable cloud databases and retained for 30 days or longer. These databases provide authorities with a great deal of information for every vehicle and its owner/driver, and that includes both those who are involved in wrongdoing and everyone else, as well.

As you might imagine, this has sparked intense debate between public safety advocates and civil liberties groups who are concerned with citizen’s privacy rights. And, there is the concern regarding local surveillance data potentially feeding into wider federal immigration or law enforcement tracking networks.

And, it must be said that the problems with having all this information stored are two-fold: First, while those who have access to the information could misuse it, most will not. But that possibility exists, and it appears there is not adequate protection against that at this time.

Second: As Americans, we have a healthy list of inalienable rights that are guaranteed to be protected by our government. One of those is our privacy, although it is not phrased that way in the Bill of Rights.

Among the guarantees is in the Fourth Amendment to the United States Constitution. The Amendment does not use the word "privacy," but protects against unreasonable government searches and seizures. And privacy can be invaded by unreasonable searches. Legitimate searches require a warrant to be issued for probable cause.

Critics warn that the ease of cross-referencing and sharing data with other agencies across the country negates traditional Fourth Amendment privacy safeguards, putting our privacy at risk.

Civil rights groups, such as the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), argue that logging the movements of everyday citizens who are not suspected of any crime is nothing more than un-American mass surveillance.

On its website (aclu.org), the ACLU, in its usual mode, said the following: “Automatic license plate reader (ALPR) companies like Flock Safety are quietly trying to build a nationwide mass surveillance system. If there are Flock cameras in your city, they are tracking, logging, and sharing your movements without a warrant. But we're not powerless. More and more communities are rejecting these creepy cameras — and yours can be one of them!”

At this point, that perspective is more a gross exaggeration than a true picture of what is happening. In other comments, the organization implies that this is an effort by the Trump administration to identify and locate its enemies, rather than the result of technological evolution. 

However, the ACLU comment did note the displeasure among the people. The ALPR cameras, crowdsourced tracking maps, such as DeFlock, have led to the cancellation or suspension of camera contracts in at least 30 local municipalities. And the number of others who are concerned is growing.

The other side of this issue is that police departments tell us that this technology is an effective background tool necessary for tracking stolen vehicles, amber alerts, and solving violent crimes. These are certainly valuable and legitimate uses of this technology, and we should welcome these efforts to track and arrest criminals, and have evidence that can be presented against their crimes.

However, just like data centers, and AI -- both of which offer great advantages to the country, but which also contain highly problematic features -- we must find a way for these assets to be used to their highest level of efficiency, but at the same time making sure that the availability of so much personal/private information is only accessed for legitimate and legal purposes.

This will not be an easy task. And the emotional reaction by many, such as the ACLU’s political-infected perspective, will hinder that effort. 

The radical leftists are adamant about changing our country

July 21, 2026

As time marches on, the socialist/Marxist/communist tendencies of the radical left continue to increase. Fairly recently, an organization called the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) has come to the fore. Since its formation in 1982 when the Democratic Socialist Organizing Committee and the New American Movement merged, the DSA grew to become a fairly small organization of around 6,000 members as of 2015. 

But after Sen. Bernie Sanders ran for office in 2016, identifying himself as a democratic socialist, a growth spurt began. As of this month, the DSA’s membership is said to be more than 120,000. It is now reputed to be the largest such organization in the nation’s history.

Goals for the left have in the recent past included things like open borders, protecting illegal aliens, DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion), men in women’s sports, college debt forgiveness, opposing mandatory voter IDs, etc.

Following are some of the DSA’s agenda items, as published on its website, dsausa.org.

“Demilitarize police departments, disempower police unions, and redirect funding to public services as steps towards fully abolishing the police and prison system which protects the rich and jails the poor.”

“End ICE detention and deportations and punish federal agents' brutality. Legalize migration, grant amnesty for all immigrants regardless of status, provide a path to citizenship for all permanent residents, and end visa caps and quotas.”

“Defund the Department of War. End all foreign wars and close overseas military bases. Support and fully employ veterans. End immunity for U.S. war criminals and support the International Criminal Court's mandate to prosecute war crimes.”

“Replace the two-party system with a multi-party democracy. Expand the House of Representatives, implement proportional representation and ranked choice voting in all elections, and abolish the Senate.”

“Establish public ownership of the largest corporations and essential industries to ensure democratic control and accountability to the people. Enact aggressive wealth taxes on the richest individuals and corporations to spend on public goods and infrastructure.”

“Guarantee universal healthcare at no cost to individuals, including complete access to reproductive and gender-affirming care. Expand healthcare access and quality by investing in new public hospitals and clinics. Make all medical education and training public and free.”

“Housing is a human right. Build new, publicly-owned social housing, strictly regulate investment properties, establish universal rent control.”

“Workers must lead our democratic transition to a green future. Pass a federal jobs guarantee. Implement massive investment in sustainable, publicly owned energy and transit infrastructure. Phase out the use of fossil fuels.”

“Empower workers to come together and fight the boss. Protect, expand, and enforce the rights of all workers to form, join, and strike with their unions, regardless of industry.”

The ideas of the rad left are always things which sound good to a lot of people. However, the reality is very different. The history of this mindset is one of dramatic failure and suffering.

One shining example is Venezuela. Near the end of the 20th Century, Venezuela’s oil industry gave it a very strong economy. And then Hugo Chávez and Nicolás Maduro, brought socialism, causing severe economic collapse, a humanitarian crisis, and political turmoil.

Will these radical ideas work? 

No police to deter crimes, investigate and arrest suspects of murder, rape, robbery, etc.? The guilty parties will just roam free and commit more crimes. And, no prisons in which convicted or confessed criminals will spend their punishment time? Maybe they will make them go to counselors to straighten them out.

Closing the Department of War, but have only military stationed in the US. Who will run the military? What about deterring military action against our allies? What happens if we are attacked by a foreign nation?

End ICE and legalize migration. Open borders again, and more criminals coming in.

How will healthcare be paid for if no one pays the bills? Building more hospitals and clinics also has costs of construction, and then operation.

The same problem exists on building public-owned housing, and rent control that will be set to make it very affordable.

And then the government will somehow take over the largest corporations and essential industries. Will the government run them as well as the private sector? 

They want government to control everything.

These folks do not understand just how well off they are, here in America. Here are a couple of things these anti-American rad leftists should think about to help them understand their country:

One is the reaction from the thousands of visitors from around the world who came here for the FIFA World Cup tournament. They loved America, and one of the most recognizable responses was the comment about how great America is.

The other one is a story from Ken Langone, a founding investor of The Home Depot. Talking about his grandfather who had come here from Italy sometime during World War II, Langone asked his grandfather, who did not speak English, if he had ever gone back to Italy. His mother translated for him. The grandfather answered, “No.” He asked why? Grandfather responded, “There was nothing there for me. That’s why I left. This is where the dreams were. This is what the dreams are. There’s no place on Earth like this.”

Violence with political roots is tearing our country apart

July 14, 2026

The physical interference with government agents who are arresting people who have broken our immigration laws by coming into the country the wrong way is an example of political violence. And the violent attacks on these agents is an even worse example.

The week-long preliminary hearing for Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk’s alleged killer highlights a far more serious one, along with the murder of United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson on a New York street in 2024, the murder of a Minnesota state lawmaker in 2025, two assassination attempts on President Donald Trump in 2024, and attacks on the CDC headquarters, and other targets.

Charged with Kirk’s murder is 22-year-old Tyler Robinson. After the murder and before he was arrested Robinson was talking with his parents. They reportedly asked him why he committed this crime, to which he said, "there is too much evil and the guy spreads too much hate."

Robinson’s roommate and lover, Lance Twiggs, testified in the hearing that Robinson confessed to killing Kirk for the same reason he had given his parents: he was angry at Kirk and disagreed with the things he said at his public appearances.

Since the murder of Brian Thompson, allegedly because of features of healthcare insurance to which many people object, a shockingly large number of people have celebrated the murder as a good and proper way to complain about the way the industry is operating.

So, in the minds of some people, anger at differing ideas, and disgust with insurance issues somehow justify murdering someone.

All of this political violence ought to concern everyone. And, in fact, according to a Pew Research Center survey of 3,445 U.S. adults conducted last September, people do recognize this trend.

The poll shows that 85 percent of those polled believe politically motivated violence is increasing. And Democrats and Republicans are almost evenly supportive of that opinion. The poll shows that 86 percent of Republicans and those who lean Republican, and 85 percent of Democrats and those who lean Democrat recognize that political violence is increasing. 

Both left-wing and right-wing politics are blamed for this increase, at nearly the same levels, both over 50 percent among those polled. And, those polled say that nearly half of the extremism is from those who do not have clear political views.

Among Democrats, 76 percent say it is right-wing extremism that is the major problem, and 32 percent say it is left-wing extremism.

Among Republicans, 77 percent say the left-wing is the major problem, and 27 percent say the right-wing is the problem.

Just how big of a problem is political violence? A poll by YouGov shows that 59 percent of all adults think it is a big problem. In the party breakdown of whether it is a big problem, 58 percent of Democrats think it is, 54 percent of Independents think it is, and 67 percent of Republicans think it is.

Perhaps more troubling is the result of whether political violence is ever justified. Here is the percentage of those polled by YouGov who think it is sometimes justified, in the following categories: Very Conservative - 3; Conservative - 6; Moderate - 8; Liberal - 17; Very Liberal - 25.

GovFacts online offers this explanation of the cause of this violence: “At the heart is affective polarization — not mere policy disagreement, but visceral dislike and distrust of opposing parties. Since the 1990s, Americans’ feelings of anger, contempt, and hatred for political opponents have intensified more sharply than in most other Western democracies.

“This is driven less by economic debates about ‘who gets what’ and more by cultural debates over identity, immigration, and religion — arguments about ‘who we are’ that are harder to compromise on.”

This development is so at odds with the American culture. It is a danger to our nation’s well-being, and it puts the country’s future at serious risk.

One of the hallmarks of our constitutional republic is the idea that political differences can, should, and will be resolved through peaceful discussion and compromise, not by violence.

If the people fear violence in response to an idea, they may be deterred from taking part in political activities or exercising their right to free speech. And during a heated or even violent election period, people may even fear going to the polls to vote. This is wrong. It is not the America.

We cannot allow this political violence to continue, let alone to increase. People on all sides need to settle down, cool the hot rhetoric, realize that their differences are merely based on differing ideas that have equal status under the First Amendment, and return to sensible, peaceful means of resolving them.

That requires maturity of thoughts and actions, and staying true to the ideals of America’s founding.

We have got to get back to how things were done a few decades ago. Back then, Democrats and Republicans, who most often held different views on issues, made the effort to talk to each other sensibly and peacefully, working to find a mutually suitable solution to the problems. It isn’t that hard, if you put your mind to it.

Our tax system is a necessary mechanism, but is being misused

July 7, 2026

Taxes are one thing that many of us think about, and worry about. We understand that taxation is the primary way of financing government functions at all levels. And that by taxing citizens and businesses governments fund public services, infrastructure, and operations. The primary kinds of taxation are income taxes, sales taxes, and property taxes. 

Under the best of circumstances, governments will work to keep their financial needs as low as possible, while providing essential services, and little else. It’s no secret that such a scenario is not common in our country, although some states are moving in that direction.

Taxation is a broad topic with an array of features that generate interest. One of those is the sorts of tax systems we have here in the United States. 

One system for taxing earnings is progressive taxation, which is quite common. The term “progressive” means to move forward toward some target or goal — except in the case of political “progressives,” which is a faction with the goal of moving the country backward.

In taxation, a progressive tax is one that has higher rates as you go up the ladder of earnings. The more you make, the higher the rate of tax you are charged.

For example, in the U.S. the lowest 50 percent of taxpayers paid a rate of 4 percent. Moving up the earnings ladder, those in the 50 - 25 percent range paid 8 percent. Those in the 25 - 10 percent range paid 10 percent; the 10 - 5 percent range paid 14 percent; the 5 - 1 percent range paid 18 percent, and the top 1 percent of earners paid 26 percent.

The theory behind this is that the more money you make, the better able you are to pay more, while those at the lower levels cannot afford high taxes, and in the case of the lowest earners, any taxes. And while those with more money will pay more taxes under a progressive system, they would also pay more under a flat tax, where everyone pays the same rate. 

The tax system in the U.S. has been rated number 1: the most progressive tax system among the 33 developed countries. This, incidentally, is not a feather in our cap.

The political Left keeps shouting “tax the rich.” Well, just how much tax revenue does each group pay? In 2023, the top 1 percent of earners paid 38.4 percent of total tax revenue; the top 5 percent paid 59.3 percent of revenue; the top 10 percent paid 70.5 percent of revenue; and the bottom 50 percent paid only 3.3 percent of tax revenue.

And, half of all taxpayers actually paid 97 percent of all federal income taxes.

Will it matter at all to the progressive Left that the highest earning 1 percent paid well more than a third of all tax revenue? Or, that the top 5 percent paid well more than half of it? Do those figures justify the idea of the rich paying their fair share? Not to the progressive Left.

There are proposals in some states — including Washington, Minnesota, Massachusetts, New York and California — to impose a wealth tax on the rich folks in addition to their regular tax rate. And there is the possibility of an increase in the amount the wealthy will have to pay for their Medicare and Social Security.

Massachusetts has imposed a 4 percent surtax on income over $1 million, and Washington is considering a 10 percent surtax on the same amount. California is considering a one-time tax of 5 percent on wealth above $1billion. Then there is the question of whether California will stick with just one time.

What these states may not realize is that it is not difficult for wealthy residents and businesses to pack up and move to a red state, if existing taxes, increases in taxes, or a bad business climate make life difficult for them. And some businesses have done this.

California, New York, Illinois, Massachusetts and New Jersey lead the nation in how many businesses have moved out. And Texas, Florida, North Carolina, Tennessee and Arizona are very happy to have accepted these companies and the jobs they brought to their states.

Governments ought to be thinking about how to keep taxes down for everyone. But they are more concerned with expanding their operations, often for things they should not do, and of course, taxes are how to finance those things.

They also apparently do not understand the benefits of what the wealthy would do with the money they could keep if tax rates were lower. They support local and other businesses when they buy houses, cars, clothes, furniture and other things. They invest in businesses. They support charitable organizations at levels that exceed the amount they can claim as deductions on their tax return. 

In its 250-year history, the U.S. government has moved well beyond the limits our brilliant Founders set for it. Those limits include what the government ought to do, and how much control it exerts over the people.

We should all hope that the efforts to eliminate some of the excesses is successful, and that we do move back to that original format.

250 years, and counting. How much further will we be able to go?

June 30, 2026

As everyone knows, this Saturday is a special day. It not only is America’s birthday, it is its 250th birthday. Most countries don’t make it that long.

Under the modern definitions of sovereignty and governance, there are currently 195 recognized countries: 193 United Nations member states and Vatican City and Palestine, which are regarded as “observer states.”

According to Britannica online, the number of those who do make it to 250 or beyond is well below 100. Countries are divided into two categories: Strict Continuity and Broad Continuity.

Approximately 20-30 have made it under Strict Continuity, which means they possess an unbroken state identity, government structure, and geographic boundary dating back to at least 1776.

Under Broad Continuity, approximately 40-60 countries qualify. These nations have experienced major shifts in government type or borders but have maintained a continuous, recognizable cultural and national identity.

And, we are told that throughout history there have been thousands to tens of thousands of nations that were established, and few have made it to 250.

The United States of America owes its lasting this long to its Founding Fathers and their vision to create a nation unlike any other, so far. Focusing on individual freedom and rights given to each of us at birth, they designed a country with a “government of the people, by the people and for the people.”

That was a truly unique design, one that was the result of having lived in and witnessed other types of government systems that failed “the people” because that was not their focus.

For the better part of its 250 years, America’s design was taught, appreciated and highly regarded by the people. They appreciated their many freedoms which are guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights.

And that is what made America the highly appreciated and envied nation that it became and has been for a long time.

If you want to become a business person, a doctor, a lawyer, a teacher, a CPA, a scientist, a construction worker, a driver, a politician, or whatever, you have the freedom to pursue that goal. You can buy whatever house, car, home appliances, hobby items, and other things you can afford. You can think as you please, although certain dangerous thoughts you might have should not be expressed, and not every action you might dream about is legal.

Through its life, our nation has moved beyond its original limits, with a federal government that has grown in size, cost and power over the people. But even so, our unique system still exists and thrives, and there are efforts to restore its original scope.

Other changes have also occurred that are as dangerous as the growth of the federal government, and perhaps more dangerous.

While differences of opinion have always been present, protected and tolerated, what we are seeing today from the political Left is extreme and dangerous to the future of our republic.

Which leads to a famous quote from Benjamin Franklin in 1787, as he was leaving Independence Hall during the Constitutional Convention. Asked what kind of government they had created, he replied, warning, “A republic, if you can keep it.” 

Franklin and his colleagues understood that the republic requires an informed citizenry that will be vigilant and strong supporters of the integrity of the system. The people elect the leaders, so they must be alert to challenges to the system.

Today, we have a large and growing segment of the citizenry that is not well informed about their country and its unique and wonderful benefits. Because they grew up with all of this already provided for them, and did not have to work for it, they have little understanding of how great this country already is.

The ideas the political Left wants to replace the original design with are socialistic, communistic ideas that sound good, but do not work and have always failed to produce anything nearly as good as what we have.

Their poisoned dreams include: Implementing government-run, zero-premium Medicare for All; tuition-free higher education and student debt cancellation; free universal childcare; implementing universal rent control; transitioning to a 100 percent renewable energy economy; defunding police, ending cash bail and mandatory minimums, and ultimately freeing incarcerated people; abolishing the Electoral College, and reducing the power of the Supreme Court.

In sharp contrast to the creators of these senseless ideas are the ultra-positive responses to this country from the European visitors who have come here for FIFA World Cup 2026, which ought to be an eye-opener for the Lefties.

Fox News reported that “the visiting fans from those nations really seemed to have enjoyed their time here, and who could blame them?” “[I]t's been fun to follow the exploits of fans from all corners of the world during this year's tournament.”

Liberal talk show host and comedian Bill Maher offered this enlightened comment: “The World Cup is at our shores, and all these people are doing us a great service. They are reminding Americans that this place is kind of awesome.”

Awesome, indeed! But socialists will work to make their changes, and only after will they realize what a horrible mistake it was.

Satisfactorily utilizing new things is always difficult

June 23, 2026

Why is it that every time some new thing comes along, there are always some negative aspects with it? Maybe some bad things are just part of the thing. Or, maybe those negatives really just result from how some people implement or put the thing to work.

One recent example is the data center craze. Data centers provide us with information and ways of using and accessing it. But they also take up a lot of space, use huge amounts of electricity and water, and those negative aspects affect the same people that the centers are designed to help.

The result has been significant opposition to data centers, as the people are noticing the negatives.

Another one is Artificial Intelligence, or AI. AI gives us smart devices and software that can do lots of things, including things that human beings are now doing. AI can accelerate processes, automate repetitive tasks, analyze huge datasets with high accuracy, reduce human error, and drive innovation.

So, what is wrong with that? Well, AI is accompanied by several issues, such as practical usability hurdles and profound societal and ethical dilemmas. Large Language Models sometimes produce factually incorrect or fabricated information, including false citations, and this can be a real problem in law, medicine, and education. Their huge data sets often contain historical prejudices, stereotypes, and cultural biases which raise concerns in areas like hiring, healthcare, and policing.

AI can be used to deceive people, like teachers, people who use applications for potential workers or scholarship applicants, etc. When a teacher, for example, assigns an essay to his or her students, will they be able to tell if the essay was written by the student, or AI? When you see a video of a well-known person giving you an “important” message, can you be sure it is not AI?

And, there are other issues, as well. One of the ones that will affect millions of Americans is that AI can and will replace lots of human workers. Yes, some AI will be used for work that doesn’t replace existing workers, by creating new areas of work. But, as time goes on, employers will see advantages to using AI instead of people for some tasks, as it can reduce operational costs, and provide other useful advantages. 

We already see some of that in stores where checkout is now available by computerized devices. This particular area has generated a good bit of criticism from shoppers, who say they prefer to be checked out by a person. That may be desirable to many, but others appreciate not having to stand in line waiting on the cashier to get to them.

To what extent should we expect AI to replace workers? The June edition of Newsmax magazine addresses this question. One chart shows potential full-time jobs currently being handled by people that may or will be handled by AI. This year, it could replace 25 million workers. By 2027, 45 million; by 2028, 55 million, 65 million by 2029, and by 2030, 99 million.

And the functions that AI will overtake include: 63 percent of Cashiers; 51 percent of Drivers; 42 percent of Translators; 26 percent of Stocking Associates; 24 percent of Customer Service Representatives; 23 percent of Bookkeepers; 21 percent of Cleaners; 19 percent of Bartenders; and 17 percent of Waiters.

Newsmax then tells us that of the 74.08 million women workers, AI may impact nearly 59 million of them. And, of the 84.21 million men workers, AI may impact 48.6 million of them.

The Big Question: What will these millions of replaced workers do to earn a living? Some may be ready to retire, and will choose to do that. Others may be able to perform other types of work that AI hasn’t yet been able to take over, or doesn’t replace as many as some other job types. But this may well be a very serious problem.

On the bright side, the Newsmax report has the results of a poll that shows that employees who have AI skills have more job security than those who do not. The categories: Definitely - 45 percent; Probably - 38 percent; Probably Not - 9 percent; Definitely Not - 3 percent; and Not Sure - 8 percent. So, learning about AI is thus encouraged.

Another poll shows that it is expected to benefit political candidates: Very Beneficial - 65 percent; Somewhat Beneficial - 31 percent; Not Very Beneficial - 3 percent; Not Beneficial At All - 0 percent; and Not Sure - 1 percent.

Returning to the data center subject, the idea of putting the centers in space has drawn some support. This will eliminate the use of millions of gallons water for cooling, as the temperature in space is cold. And being in space will provide massive amounts of solar energy, saving energy produced on Earth.

So, while there are good things about AI and data centers, we must be aware, and prepared to address the problems so that the American people get as much benefit from these new things as the faction that worships them and profits from them.

Europe’s immigration problems should be a warning to us!

June 16, 2026

Illegal immigration is still a hot topic today. There are many people who still think open borders and millions of illegal aliens roaming the country, getting financial support and other unearned benefits, committing murders and other crimes, is okay.

Others understand that there are so many reasons why we should not allow this anymore, including because it is illegal and against our established system of admitting legal immigrants. But, it still goes on, with heavy support.

A very informative post on Facebook, of all places, addresses this problem, and how it is affecting European nations. This post was written by former Mississippi State Senator Chris McDaniel.

“Europe is warning us again. We’d better listen,” McDaniel begins.

“For years, Western leaders told their citizens that open borders were compassionate. Enlightened. Inevitable. They told them national identity was outdated, that borders were relics, that assimilation wasn’t necessary, and that anyone who objected was simply afraid of the future.

“Well, the future has arrived,” he wrote.

“Across Europe, ordinary citizens are asking a question their leaders spent decades refusing to answer: what happens to a nation when it loses control of who enters, who stays, and what values govern public life?

“The answer is no longer merely theoretical.”

In Britain, France, Germany, Sweden, Ireland, for example, they are learning the hard way why this is foolish. And dangerous. Schools and public services are overwhelmed. There is disorder in the streets, social tensions rise and native communities are now in competition with immigrant communities. And worse, native citizens see special consideration for the immigrant communities, as they are now not as important as the immigrants in their own country.

“Of course, that doesn’t mean every migrant is dangerous. It doesn’t mean every asylum claim is false. It doesn’t mean charity has no place in public policy,” McDaniel notes.

“Of course, mercy matters. A civilized nation should show mercy. But a civilized nation must also show prudence. Charity without order isn’t compassion. It’s surrender.”

McDaniel said that where these European nations went wrong was in not considering the real essence of what a nation is. It isn’t just an economy, or a labor market, or a tax base. It is much deeper than that.

“A nation is a people joined by memory, law, language, custom, sacrifice, and a common understanding of right and wrong. When that common understanding is weakened, everything else begins to shake,” he warned.

“A country can’t import the world’s conflicts, customs, grievances, and tribal divisions at unlimited scale and expect social peace to survive untouched. A country can’t tell its own citizens that their history is shameful, their traditions are disposable, their borders are illegitimate, and their concerns are hateful, then act surprised when trust in government collapses.”

And in the European countries, McDaniel noted that the governments are not taking lightly the complaints of their constituents. They have often responded with condescension and lecturing and scolding the citizens. 

However, here in the United States, where that same attitude was present under the Biden/Harris administration, it is not the case under President Donald Trump.

A large faction of the populace — primarily Democrats, socialists, liberals — still clings to the previously dominant idea that open borders are not only good, but essential. 

An example of just how wild and crazy these concepts of the left are, here is how Michell Wu, Boston’s Mayor, thinks things should be: “Every human being on the planet has the legal right to be in the United States. Regardless of their criminal record or even if they’ve outwardly stated their hate for this country. They have the right to be here, and voice their opinion.” 

One wonders if Wu would have the same sympathy for people illegally taking up residence in her house as she does for them illegally taking up residence in her country?

The Trump administration recognizes and follows the constitutional and legal mandates about immigration.

Despite the administration’s efforts to arrest and deport the illegals, especially those who have committed crimes, many leftist sympathizers still condemn actions to enforce our laws. This includes holding protests complaining about enforcing the laws that actually break laws. ICE and others agents are attacked and threatened.

Mayors and governors of blue cities and states provide sanctuary for illegals, as well as interfering with legal actions taken by the federal government.

A country belongs first to its own citizens. Its leaders aren’t elected to manage decline, dilute identity, or apologize for firm borders. They’re elected to preserve the nation entrusted to them.

The very first duty of our leaders — federal, state and municipal — is to their citizens, to preserve the nation, state or town/city they were elected to manage, and to do that legally and responsibly.

“So, the lesson for America is very clear,” McDaniel said. “We must not follow Europe’s lead.”

We can and must secure the border. And we must deport any and all who have broken our laws regulating immigration, and any and all other laws. We can re-establish a firm ideal of what citizenship is. We can require immigrants to adopt our values, speak our language, and become honorable productive Americans. And we must.

The USGS report has some good news for the mining industry

June 9, 2026

The folks in our region who have been around for a good while — the seasoned citizens — remember the days when the mining industry provided so much benefit to the area. Younger folks, however, are likely not aware of the benefits provided by the mining industry.

The Bluefield railyard was filled with Norfolk and Western Railway coal cars. The full ones were bound for Norfolk and other places where that coal was wanted and needed, and the many empty cars were waiting to be moved to the coal mines to be refilled. Area towns and cities were booming, with Bluefield’s population totaling somewhere between 23,000 and 29,000, and visitors from all over the coal fields were coming there to spend some time.

There were many stores, restaurants and movie theaters. And they were crowded, especially on the weekends. Just after 5:00 p.m. on weekdays there were two lanes of bumper-to-bumper traffic on Bland Street and Federal Street crawling out of downtown trying to get home.

It was a great time for the region, and the coal mining industry provided a necessary fuel as well as a great economic benefit, not only to this region, but to the entire country.

And then the change started. Some new fuels were beginning to be used, and some existing ones were being used more than before, making coal mining less important. And later, the global warming/climate change mania came along, and the idea of using coal became a no-no, as it was supposed to be increasing the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere, which the “experts” said was dangerous. 

While there is still a market for coal, and new uses of it are developing, the industry is a mere shadow of its former self. And it likely will increase some now that these new uses are being found and the fallacy of the idea that fossil fuels producing too much CO2 is being openly talked about and scientifically countered.

We also have seen recently efforts on the Trump administration’s part to benefit the coal industry, including a new coal-burning electric plant in West Virginia.

So, this and a recent news release provide a bright spot for the mining industry.

Other substances — minerals — have been in use for a long time, but are now playing a more significant role in our lives. They are used as fuel, in construction, and for other valuable purposes. We use them to build urban infrastructure and in household objects, such as for plumbing and electricity.

Much of the mineral supply we use here comes from other countries, and the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management is determined and working to increase our domestic supply of these critical materials.

One of those valuable minerals is lithium, and the most dominant suppliers of it currently are Australia and China. But there is a piece of good news for the Appalachian region regarding lithium. 

The United States Geological Survey (USGS) announced in April the following; “The Appalachian region of the eastern United States contains an estimated 2.3 million metric tons of undiscovered, economically recoverable lithium, enough to replace 328 years of U.S. imports at last year’s level.”

Wow! The USGS report continues: “So how much lithium have they found in them thar hills?? The estimated 2.3 million metric tons of lithium oxide in the Appalachian region would be enough lithium for batteries in: 1.6 million grid-scale batteries large enough to stabilize an electric grid; 130 million electric vehicles; 180 billion laptops, or a 1,000-year supply of laptops for the world (at 2025 levels); 500 billion cellphones, or 60 cellphones for each person on earth.”

“In other words, enough to make the U.S. energy independent for centuries, or at least until a new technology replaces lithium batteries.” And the USGS offers that 2.3 million metric tons may be a conservative estimate, and could possibly be as much as 7.4 million metric tons.

Not so long ago, the U.S. was the dominant lithium producer in the world. Now, three decades later, we may begin to reclaim that distinction.

The USGS report did not say exactly where these deposits are, although they are known to exist in North Carolina, South Carolina, Maine, and New Hampshire. So how much of an effect lithium mining might have on our immediate area is now currently not known. But USGS said that information covering the Appalachians from Maryland to Alabama will be published later. 

This discovery, along with the “go get it” attitude of the federal government to extract and use our own mineral supplies, hold great promise, both economically, and from a practical perspective for the country.

It is one element in the effort to bring back to America as much as possible of those products and the jobs that produce them that we willingly allowed to be moved to other countries for the last 30 or so years. In doing this we can create many jobs and reduce or eliminate high prices for products we purchase from other countries.

The idea of producing as many of the things Americans want and need as possible is a sound economic and patriotic idea.