short term blogging interruption

        As followers of this blog know, I try to post something reasonably intelligent Monday through Friday on most weeks.  Not always successful, but at least making the attempt.   However, due to impending knee surgery, I will be out of action for at least several days.   Total knee replacement surgery is not for the faint of heart.  The aftermath involves heavy doses of pain killers and several days of flat on your back bed rest.   I'm not looking forward to the surgery, but am anticipating recovery of my ability to run, ski, and do a reasonable impression of an active 70 year old within a few months.  Hopefully I will be back to annoy you by the beginning of 2022.   If not, I wish all my readers a healthy and happy New Year.

Have yourself a merry little whatever

       As followers of this humble blog probably know, I am not a religious person.   I do however love holidays and wish all the best to everyone at this season of celebrations.  Unfortunately, here at Casa Monzeglio it will be a quiet one.   One of our sons in law has tested positive for Covid, so we will not be meeting our daughters and their families on the 25th.  Instead,,we will be celebrating together with technology.   Hugs and kisses will have to wait.   I hope all of my readers are able to celebrate with someone they love.  Best wishes to all for the holidays and for a healthy and happy New Year.   

Merry Consumer Christmas

        As the Divine Mrs. M finishes wrapping the final Christmas presents for our children, grandchildren and friends, Casa Monzeglio has assumed the appearance of Santa's workshop on Christmas Eve.   It's a pleasing sight and I am happy we can afford the expense, but I also have the same feeling I get every year at this time.   Why do Americans cram so much giving onto a single holiday?  

Two Americas

        As the Omicron variant of Covid 19 rapidly overtakes the country, it seems like there are two countries reacting to the news.   Blue America with a few exceptions has embraced the vaccination and testing regimen recommended by federal, state and local officials.   Most of us have realized we are in this for the long haul and ranting about mandates, coercion, etc. will not make the situation any better.

      Meanwhile, in Red America, again with a few exceptions, it's not about Covid at all.   Instead it is about government overreach and tyranny.   The unvaccinated who are dying of the disease are footsoldiers in a glorious response to the dastardly Democrats.   They eagerly consume the disinformation from their favorite "news" source and help spread the lies on social media.

     That's my take on the current situation.  Your mileage may vary.

The Manchin conundrum

         I haven't got a new take on Joe Manchin's latest perfidy.   Appearing on Fox "news" after the Senate adjourned for the holidays, the Senator from West Virginia planted a dagger in the Democratic party's back.   Calls now and in retrospect for Democrats to play hardball with Manchin ring hollow.  With its majority depending on him and to a lesser extent on Sinema, Chuck Shumer is in no position to threaten either Senator unless the prospect of Mitch Mcconnell assuming the majority leader post appeals to him.

      Losing several very winnable Senate races over the past few years is what put Manchin in the driver's seat.   Perhaps the Democratic party is in such thrall to wealthy donors it will collectively shrug as the Build Back Better bill swirls down the legislative drain, feeling there is nothing to be done.   That way leads to a thorough beat down in the midterm elections.   According to the common wisdom, rank and file party adherents will take one Senator's intransigence as Democratic incompetence writ large and either stay away from the polls or vote for Republicans.   I think the average voter is smarter than that.   Manchin needs to be called out, but in the context of electing good Democrats who actually believe in the party's platform.   

Why progressives are demonized

          For the last 40 years, since the dawn of the Reagan era, progressives have been demonized by Republicans, Democrats and the media.  They have been blamed for every electoral setback and for the loss of a key constituency, the white working class.

         As usual with the party, there is a persistent refusal to admit that promises are made to the electorate by Democrats and are rarely if ever fulfilled.   The minimum wage is a case in point.   Although progressives started the fight for $15, most party leaders signed on and it sounded like the party was on board with the policy.   Somehow, Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema did not get the memo and so another promise goes unfulfilled.   

       Voting rights may be the hill the Democratic party will die on.  Unless the filibuster rule in the Senate is altered to allow a simple majority vote to pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Act, Republicans will implement rules at the state level which will enable minority rule for years if not decades.  If Senate Democrats fail to act, the blame game will start and progressives know who will be portrayed as saboteurs.

The Doomsayers and why we can't have nice things

         Just when it looked like the Biden administration's plans to rebuild and strengthen the social safety net were about to bear fruit with a robust Build Back Better bill, the doomsayers have come out in full force to deny or at least dilute the provisions of the bill which will have a direct impact on future generations.

         With all Republican senators on team Doom and able to control and kill Biden's signature legislation without elimination or emasculation of the filibuster rule, Democrats like Joe Manchin and Krysten Sinema have outsize power in the Democratic caucus.  Neither of these worthies are driven by a hint of a social conscience.  Manchin is in thrall to fossil fuel interests and no one seems to know what drives Sinema.   There are probably other Democrats who would step forward with spurious objections to this landmark legislation if the other two were to convert to social democracy.

       I would probably agree with my nephew that the whole system is rotten and must be torn down and rebuilt except if the present imperfect forms of democracy are destroyed, the result would most probably be an ethno-nationalist white supremacy state which would be the end of the American experiment for at least a generation.   So, reluctantly, I still embrace the incremental form of democracy we are still stuck with.

Justice denied?

          As more and more information and facts come out regarding the Trump administration's actions to overthrow the results of the 2020 election, the logical question to ask is where are the prosecutions?   From Atlanta, Ga. where the local D.A. is investigating tRump for the phone call he made to try and coerce the Secretary of State into manipulating the state's electoral system to declare victory to the NYS A.G. investigation of financial hanky panky by the disgraced former president, it looks like the Department of Justice is awol in the matter of investigating the peccadillos of the former guy's accomplices as well as the boss himself.

        The question becomes; are we a nation of laws or nation where flagrant violation of the law is overlooked if you are a powerful politician who might possibly advocate armed conflict if he is indicted.   All I know is is if Democrats and Republicans positions were reversed and Barack Obama had tried to steal an election I have no doubt he would already be tried and sentenced by a Republican led DOJ.

Tales of GOP angst

        Liz Cheney tapped into GOP angst last night.   The vice-chairman of the House Select Committee probing the attack on the Capitol on 1/6 read aloud some of the texts Mark Meadows received from various congress critters and Faux News personalities.   From self preservation to fears tRump was tarnishing his legacy (cue hearty laughter), most of the texts evince concern the "demonstrators" had gone too far.

     Meadows was in the process of being referred by the committee to the House for criminal contempt of Congress.  After Meadows book appeared and was denounced as fake news by his former employer, he decided to end his cooperation with the committee on the eve of his deposition.  Meanwhile, it appears stalwarts in the House Republican caucus and tRump supporters in conservative media were hyperventilating in real time as the president watched and cheered the insurrection.

    The Select Committee has interviewed over 300 witnesses, including Mike Pence's chief of staff, so they know a lot more than they are telling at this time.  The public hearings should be very entertaining.

Weather or Not

         As first responders continue to search for survivors of Friday night's tornado outbreak in the midwest , newscasters are pointedly not referring to climate change as the proximate cause of the disaster.   Part of their reticence can be attributed to them not letting the threat of global warming overwhelm the human interest story the many survivors present.   The fact is it is unheard of for a massive outbreak of such powerful storms to occur so late in the season.

       Meanwhile, the state of Vermont issued a warning there will be increasing numbers of massive precipitation events going forward.   Rainfall totals of 3-5 inches, especially when occurring on already saturated soils lead to massive flooding in river valleys where most of the population of the state is concentrated.   Most of the northern part of Eastern New York is also included in that warning, so my extended family is also at risk during these events.   Agriculture in particular will be affected.   The heavy rocky soils prevalent in the area are not good at absorbing water quickly and tend to be excessively soggy for weeks after such an event.   Combined with a short growing season, there will be little or no time to recover.   Farming and gardening will be more challenging than ever.

     Optimists think there is still something to be done to avert catastrophic climate change.  I have my doubts.   

Inflation perspectives

       Even as I finished reading Paul Krugman's column in today's NYT, which rated the economy as very good with a few problems, the talking heads on MSNBC were losing their minds over an inflation report showing inflation running at a 6% annualized rate in November.   The media has been waiting for nearly 40 years to obsess about inflation and it seems now is their chance.

      As Krugman and many other economists have pointed out, last year we were dealing with the height of the Covid pandemic and demand for almost everything had crashed.  People were not driving, eating out, or using a variety of services.  Instead they were buying things online and there was a surging demand for hardware items which corporations had not factored in to their forecasts.  Add to that the supply chain issues such as trucking and shipping.   

      Now, people are wanting to eat out, have their nails done and use a million other services which require low paid labor, at least traditionally.   These businesses have been forced to pay more for labor and charge more for their products.   

     What we have heretofore enjoyed is a myriad of services whose economic model is based on cheap labor.  Absent that, there will be inflation.   It sounds to me that the market's invisible hand has decided social justice is a thing.

Everyday Americans

      One of the talking heads on the TV this morning  in response to a question regarding messaging leaned in to the mythical "Everyday American".   Hakeem Jeffries seems to think if this everyman learns about all the things Democrats are doing for her and her family she will reward the party with a stronger majority in the next Congress.   Of course, this is a combination of whistling past the graveyard and outright delusion.

      Unfortunately, the "Everyday" American watches Fox News or even further right media outlets.   The message he receives from these places is all the benefits Democrats tout in their legislation is going to "those people".    Up to 70 million people listen to Fox News for at least an hour a week.   This is a powerful  megaphone and unless Democrats find a way to let the "everyday" citizen his life will be improved under the Democrats, the other party won't even need to cheat to win next year's midterm elections.

Birds of a feather

       According to a recent poll of college students, up to 70% of Democratic respondents said they would unfriend people who voted for Republican candidates.   Meanwhile, the same poll said Republicans in college were much less likely to perceive their Democratic fellow students with rancor.

     Personally, as long as Republicans avoid rubbing my face in their beliefs, specifically their slavish devotion to tRump, I am more than willing to debate the issues facing our country.   At least that is how i want to view myself.   Unfortunately, I probably don't live up to my ideals.  I have been unfriended by at least one person whose opinion i value because of strident views I expressed on facebook.  

    The Divine Mrs. M and I have crossed many destinations in our own country off of our bucket list of places to visit due to the political views expressed by politicians in those areas.  I prefer to think of this a s an ideological boycott of certain states.   Perhaps this is backward thinking, but unless and until voters in states such as Alabama elect less polarizing politicians as their leaders, they will have to do without our tourist dollars.

Obituaries and Entilement

        Two white men with considerable power to shape the thoughts of Americans in the past half century, Bob Dole and Fred Hiatt died over the past couple of days.  Dole, was one of the last WW2 vets in Congress and always had the benefit of participating in what many people agree was the last "good" war.  A cranky old bastard, his biggest accomplishment was his bipartisan support of the Americans with Disabilities Act.    In his case it was a no-brainer as his war wounds left him with serious physical issues.  

      Fred Hiatt, who died last night after a heart attack in November left him in a coma was the editorial page editor of the Washington Post.  The power to feature viewpoints inimical to progressives was used to maximum effectiveness in the run up to the Iraq War.  Hiatt became the go to guy for the pro-war faction in the Bush Administration and its apologists.   More than any other single institution, the WaPo beat the war drums and helped facilitate the horrors of the Shrub's war of choice in the middle east.   For this, if nothing else, Hiatt earned a place in the lower chambers of hell.

     Why must we waste time praising men (or women) who in life either espoused or facilitated unjust or racist viewpoints or at the very least were not particularly admirable people.   The local meals on wheels coordinator is probably more praiseworthy.

He's not in Kansas anymore

        Bob Dole died this past weekend.   He supported the Americans with Disabilities Act.   He was also a wounded vet of WW2.   There, I've exhausted all the "nice" things I can say about the man.   I can actually think of more nice things to say about my brother, Neil's dog, who crossed the Rainbow Bridge on Friday.  I certainly think the world is a poorer place without Schmoogie than it is without Bob Dole.

Women's right to choose

       As the proud father of three wonderful daughters and grandfather to four beautiful grandchildren, I approach the subject of abortion in a cautious way.   But, regardless of my feelings on the subject, the ability of women to make informed decisions regarding their reproductive health should be inviolate.   It should certainly not be abrogated by a bunch of old men in black robes.   Yet, here we are.

      A large majority of the American population feels as I do about reproductive rights, but a small and vocal minority has been working behind the scenes to gut the Roe vs. Wade decision for nearly 50 years.  It's not about the sanctity of life to these fanatics.   It is simply a way to punish women who may engage in sex for pleasure instead of procreation.  As has been said by many, if men could become pregnant, abortion would be universally available and free of stigma.

      I know it is unlikely, but those of us who support the rights of women need to make this issue the make or break in the mid-term elections.  Those who would deny reproductive rights must pay a price for their antediluvian views.

Passing the torch

      In my nearly 38 year career in the produce business, I have seen it all, so I doubt my last day as a produce broker will provide many surprises.   I am firmly resisting the opportunity to write some sentimental drivel about all the lives I have touched and have been touched in return.  To paraphrase Bob Seger, "They used me and I used them and neither one cared.  We were getting our share".  

     To be sure, I made some friends.     Chief among them was the eponymous inspiration for this blog.   Jerry Shulman took a chance on me and gave me the opportunity to make a decent living over the years.  His grit and determination were always an inspiration to me.   Likewise, I would like to thank my partner, Diane Shulman Rabin, for all her hard work and skill in navigating the changing nature of the produce business.   

     Special thanks go to my brother Neil.   Hiring him was probably the single smartest thing i have ever done.   He has always been there to remind me what is important in life and what is not, especially when the veins stood out in my forehead!

      Finally, I owe the biggest debt of gratitude to my favorite person in the whole world; my beautiful wife.   Through thick and thin, she has been my biggest fan and a constant source of inspiration.    The more I get to know her, the more I love her.  I can't wait to see what adventures we will experience together.

      Many people have asked me what I will do without the hustle and bustle of the phone ringing and endless nature of the business.  I have for the most part answered with platitudes.  Travelling with the  Divine Mrs. M, spending more time with the grandchildren and just plain relaxing after many grueling years.  In my experience, there are two types of retirees in the produce business;  those who can't let go and those who can.  I hope to count myself among the latter.