Bits & Pieces

Epstein Files: this issue will not go away. Ever. Not only the sitting president is likely involved and guilty of wrongdoing (yet to be adjudicated so let’s suspend judgment for now), but other leaders and possibly presidents as well. This is an ugly issue for any culture. It is a crime that needs full hearing and decisions with the authority of courts. The files need to be released and adjudicated. As necessary, appoint a separate prosecutor and working team that has no connection with the White House officials, elected or not. This is a case that demands rigorous process. Let it be done. Soon.

Re-opening the Government: open for business. Pay the people who worked without pay during the shutdown. Rehire those released during the shutdown. Fund the programs the poor, disabled and elderly rely on. Get the job done fast. Examine all the other damage done to our nation by the shutdown and expeditiously repair that damage.

Lay blame for this shameless attack on democracy on the Republicans. They planned it, designed it and implemented it. They did so intentionally to cast blame for it on Democrats. And, impossibly but true, they made it look like the Democrats blame when the government re-opened. Actually, those seven Democrat Senators and one Independent were heroes to make the decision they did. It ended the shutdown and allowed a return to the release of the Epstein Files. Dick Durbin is my hero for making this tough decision. He knew there were larger issues needing attention and action. He did the necessary and dumped the whole mess right back in the lap of Trump and MAGA controlled Congress.

Fix the health insurance problems soonest. Obamacare is still necessary. It should be replaced with a better system but only a united Congress can accomplish that task. The American people demand it. Just do it.

Thanksgiving: this is a family time, and our family is reeling with two recent deaths. This will be a challenging day for us, but we are healing. Not forgetting, but healing. Finding the good in the lives now lost, not perpetually mourning the loss of the person. Oh, that will continue forever, but we find better things to think about the person. The reasons we are thankful for having had them in our life.

Then again, we are thankful for the re-opening of the federal government. So many people hurt by this action of neglect and personal pettiness. So much political sneakery. Shameful actions by people without heart or soul. Yes, democracy can be cruel. At least we get the opportunity to fix what was broken.

November 21, 2025

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Intimacy

As we mature, we become deeply involved in relationships. Some of this is basic family relations – siblings, parental – and the like. Next is friends who enter our homes and we theirs. Neighbors, classmates, mutual hobbyists and so forth. Then we develop friendships that go much deeper. We comfort one another when we are hurting physically or emotionally. We discuss the matters of life and learn much more about ourselves and each other. We can even anticipate how others will react to various situations and stimuli. Good friendships do not spread to everyone we know. No, good friendships are special, close and deeply personal. We focus attention and brainpower on these few friends. Some special relationships focus on specific topics of interest and importance. Yes, we have specialized friendships. Most common. But one day, we get to know one person very well. An emotional connection forms with deep roots. A need to know the person more fully expands in personal ways. We sense this b...
Read more

Bits & Pieces

Pie: Apple pie more specifically. With Thanksgiving just passed, many of us enjoyed a good apple pie. Sure, there was pumpkin to accompany the turkey, but in our family multiple pies are offered in the holidays. Apple is surely one. Pecan, pumpkin and others, too. But I almost always choose apple. When I was in college, I was asked what kind of pie did I eat most often. In front of my mom, I answered apple, because I was always looking for a pie as good as mom’s own. Of course my mother was pleased, but it was a true statement just the same. When I was married, Ann’s pie was darned good. Her mother’s recipe. But we fiddled with the recipe until it took on its own generational name, and boy, was it good! Today I still order apple pie for dessert because I am always looking for a great pie to challenge our family recipes. I rarely do find such a prize. Do others do the same? Do you search for a great pie of choice, continually? If you do, what’s your story? Why do you do this? ...
Read more

Remembering Tom Sherlock

Tom Sherlock died on Wednesday, April 3rd. He was 65 years old and did not survive a heart surgery. That was his unexpected end and sad enough. But there is more to his story. Tom joined Dan Schuyler and George Safford to create what became the Village Chronicles, a weekly newspaper serving Warrenville, Illinois. That paper expanded to serve Winfield and then West Chicago. The paper published for eight years and built a good reputation for itself. Tom served the paper in several ways. He was our information technology guru, provided hardware and software to support the paper's operations. He was our sole bookkeeper, accountant and financial manager. He designed our distribution process and provided office space for meetings and layout and typesetting. His efforts supported the work of 32 volunteers who wrote and reported on the communities we served.  The newspaper broke even financially most of the time, but it was a struggle. Tom managed to find money to keep the newspaper afloat...
Read more