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Tuesday, January 21, 2025
On Removing Fluoride from Drinking Water.
by Rod Williams, Jan. 21, 2025 -
“On January 20, the Trump White House will advise all U.S. water systems to remove fluoride from public water,” posted Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on X in November—and Tennessee is already getting the ball rolling. Last week, state Senator Joey Hensley (R-Hohenwald) filed a bill that “prohibits public water system operators from adding fluoride to their water systems.”
Over the last few years, the fluoridation of water has become a topic of contention among experts and lawmakers. News Channel 5 reported that several communities in Middle Tennessee have cut the chemical from their drinking water. In December, Montgomery County became the latest area to consider making the change. “Fluoride is an industrial waste associated with arthritis, bone fractures, bone cancer, IQ loss, neurodevelopmental disorders, and thyroid disease,” RFK Jr. explained in his announcement. (As reported in The Pamphleteer)
Along with "Impeach Earl Warren" and pictures of Martin Luther King at a Communist training camp, stopping fluoridation of water were messages on billboards and otherwise disseminated. Much of these messages, along with some others, were promulgated mostly by the John Birch Society.
The JBS was powerful in the early 60's and had captured control of many Republican Party chapters across the country. The JBS was not all nutty. Many of their positions were mainstream Republican, like support for law and order, low taxes, and smaller government. Their biggest appeal was anti-communism. They spread legitimate education on the nature and threat of Communism. The truth is that there was a lot of acceptance of Communism in many circles in America in the post-World War II era. There were spies and Communist had infiltrated government and had worked themselves into positions of influence, and in certain circles it was cool to be a Commie.
The JBS however saw Communism behind every bush and under every bed. Almost every American problem and almost anyone with a point of view that differed from there's was assumed to a Communist or influenced by Communist. Hollywood, unions, churches, universities, the media, and fraternal and civic organization were all seen as controlled or influenced by Communism.
The JBS claimed that fluoridation was a communist plot to undermine American public health. Not only was fluoride a poison, but they argued that if we accepted the idea that it was okay to medicate citizens by putting meds in public water, then that would be followed by other meds in water to control behavior.
While the JBS saw a Communist conspiracy everywhere, if one dug deeper however, there was a bigger conspiracy than the Communist conspiracy according to JBS. Ever since about the time of the enlightenment, Birchers claimed, the world had been controlled by a group of insiders who controlled everything. These "insiders" were the real ones in charge, and they allowed Communism and Nazism to flourish. Weird, but that was the grand conspiracy. If one just casually became acquainted with JBS they may never even discover the grand conspiracy, one had to dig to find it but that is what they believed is a fact. I suspect many members never even knew.
By about 1963 the influence of the JBC wanned. A move by William F. Buckley Jr, Barry Goldwater and a few others exposed JBS and the Republican Party began purging JBS and it dwindled to almost nothing for decades. Perhaps it is because I recall that the original opposition to fluoride was tied to the nutty JBS, that I find the current move to ban fluoride so disturbing.
One thing that I have observed overtime is that the extremes of left and right share a lot of the same conspiratorial mindset and at times they see the same enemies and believe that powerful people are pulling the strings, and we are all just puppets. Belief that 9-11 was an inside job, as an example, has adherents on each end of the far extremes.
Sometimes things that start out as a concern of leftist becomes also a concern of right-wing fringe types. We have seen that with opposition to vaccines. Before it was a right-wing thing it was a thing of the back-to-nature granola type lefties. Opposition to fluoride in drinking water started out as a right-wing thing, then migrated to mostly a concern of anti-vaxxer lefty types and now has returned to being a right-wing thing.
Even when a fringe position is not based on a belief in a conspiracy, it seems that the people on the political fringe share a distrust of change and innovation and are by nature suspicious. You can see this in opposition to nuclear energy, or GMO food products, or vaccines.
There is no denying that fluoride improved the dental health of Americans. I do wonder however, if it has outlived its usefulness. When fluoride was first introduced into the public water supply, no one was drinking bottled water. Most public buildings had functioning water fountains. Since those days, more and more people drink only bottled water. I am one of the few people I know who still drinks tap water. From my observation from spending years as a social worker working with poor people, I believe that even poor people drink mostly bottled water. I doubt many people any longer get a significant amount of fluoride from drinking water. I doubt much harm will be done by removing it. I would like to see a study that shows if fluoride in drinking water is still beneficial giving the changed way in which people consume water.
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Harwood Salon (formerly Bastiat Society) Meets Tuesday Jan. 23, 2025
by Rod Williams, Jan. 21, 2025- The Bastiat Society has changed its name to Harwood Salon. I have been attending Bastiat for several years and highly recommend it. The speakers are always stimulating. At these events one hears from intelligent, educated, thought-provoking speakers addressing serous topics. Often the speakers are authors and scholars.
In addition to serious topics and stimulating speakers, these events are fun. They take place at the Richland Country Club with an open bar and great food. There is a time for socializing before and after the formal meeting. For more information, follow this link.
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Monday, January 20, 2025
Democrats: The Constitution Is Whatever We Say It Is
... But we shouldn’t be surprised that the Democrats are trying to pull this stuff, should we?
The Democrats — also known as the “rule of law party,” according to no one but them — are the party of Barack Obama’s pen and phone.
... Joe Biden’s Democrats insist that the 14th Amendment — or maybe it’s the Fourth Amendment? Wait, actually, is it the Ninth Amendment? — unambiguously grants the people a constitutional right to an abortion.
The Democrats, as a party, believe when the First Amendment says that “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press” that applies completely . . . unless someone has used “hate speech” on the Internet, or prayed the Lord’s Prayer at the 50-yard line before kickoff, or decided to voice the scientific fact that young men can’t turn themselves into young women or vice versa no matter how hard they may try. (read it all)
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Joe Biden attempts to amend the Constitution by executive fiat.
Ok, maybe they do care more, but it is not by much. On his way out the door, Joe Biden tried to amend the Constitution by executive fiat. That sounds like something Donald Trump would do.
Of course that can't be done. That did not keep Joe Biden from attempting it. The following from Jonah Goldberg writing in The Dispatch explains the nuances of the issue, the logic of the Biden attempt, and the absurdity.
Jan. 17, 2025 - I saw the news that Joe Biden “believes” that the Equal Rights Amendment is the law of the land.
Say what you will about Biden, the man can keep a secret. In his statement, Biden says that it became the 28th Amendment almost exactly five years ago when the Commonwealth of Virginia ratified it on January 27, 2020.
From that time until now, Biden has said pretty much nothing about this belief. That’s kind of a weird conviction to keep under your hat all this time.
That is, unless, like almost everybody else, he didn’t think Virginia’s ratification of the ERA was anything other than symbolic until recently. Heck, the New York Times story on Virginia’s symbolic ratification of the ERA uses the word symbolic in the subhead and the first sentence. If the Times thought there was a shot at the ratification being something other than symbolic at the time, it would have flooded the zone with “let’s make this happen” coverage. Again, if they thought this was possible, the newspaper might even have asked Joe Biden what he thought about it, given that he was running for president at the time.
Among the reasons nobody but a handful of activists even bothered claiming that Virginia’s ratification of the amendment was anything other than symbolic is that the deadline for the amendment’s ratification expired nearly two decades earlier. Again, don’t take my word for it. Here’s the NPR headline at the time, “Virginia Ratifies The Equal Rights Amendment, Decades After The Deadline.”
Now, it’s true there are lawyers, including at the American Bar Association, who argue that there was no deadline for the amendment approved by Congress in 1972 because the seven-year time-limit for ratification was only in the amendment’s preamble not the actual text. But it was put there expressly to keep the text clean if ratified. The Justice Department, including under Joe Biden, has long held that the deadline is binding.
You know who else thought that the window closed on the Equal Rights Amendment? Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Of course she wasn’t a Supreme Court Justice then, she was just one of the country’s most famous feminist lawyers and law professors. But then in 2020, as a Supreme Court justice, she explained—again—that the deadline had passed for the ERA. Sorry, she said that the allegedly extended deadline had passed, in 1982. Among the reasons she thought it was a dead letter: Several states had withdrawn their ratification. As she put it at an event co-sponsored by the American Bar Association:
I would like to start over. There is too much controversy about latecomers [like] Virginia long after the deadline passed. Plus, a number of states have withdrawn their ratification. So if you count a latecomer on the plus side, how can you disregard states that said, ‘We have changed our minds’?
Pretty good point there, I think.
... Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand has been pushing a dippy theory that all Biden needs to do is order the archivist of the United States to declare the ERA ratified. Here’s how Gillibrand began her December 15 New York Times op-ed:With Republicans set to take unified control of government, Americans are facing the further degradation of reproductive freedom.Now, I don’t think this is correct. But, again, who cares about my legal opinion? Fortunately someone else agrees with me: The archivist of the United States. Two days after Gillibrand’s op-ed, Colleen Shogan and Deputy Archivist William J. Bosanko released a joint statement declaring:
Fortunately, Mr. Biden has the power to enshrine reproductive rights in the Constitution right now. He can direct the national archivist to certify and publish the Equal Rights Amendment. This would mean that the amendment has been officially ratified and that the archivist has declared it part of the Constitution.As Archivist and Deputy Archivist of the United States, it is our responsibility to uphold the integrity of the constitutional amendment process and ensure that changes to the Constitution are carried out in accordance with the law. At this time, the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) cannot be certified as part of the Constitution due to established legal, judicial, and procedural decisions.This was Shogan’s position during her confirmation hearings, by the way. Every voting Democrat chose to confirm her.
In 2020 and again in 2022, the Office of Legal Counsel of the U.S. Department of Justice affirmed that the ratification deadline established by Congress for the ERA is valid and enforceable. The OLC concluded that extending or removing the deadline requires new action by Congress or the courts.….As the leaders of the National Archives, we will abide by these legal precedents and support the constitutional framework in which we operate.
... I know what happens next as much as Biden does: needless legal, political, and constitutional drama. Activists will take what is in effect a presidential fatwah as gospel and start filing lawsuits based upon the 28th Amendment being a thing. Opponents will say it’s not a thing.
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Wednesday, January 15, 2025
Rep. Andy Ogles introduces "Make Greenland Great Again Act" supporting territory acquisition
The bill authorizes President Trump to begin negotiations with Denmark following his inauguration on January 20, 2025. Once, and if an agreement takes place, Congress would then have 60 days for review. If there is no disapproval by Congress within the 60 day period, the agreement would go into effect and "take the full force of the law," per the bill language.
The bill also is supported by 12 other House lawmakers, including fellow Tennessee Representative Diana Harshbarger [TN-01], Reps. ... (Read More)
Rod's Comment: Disgusting!
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'Speed bumps need to go': Hundreds sign petition to remove Nashville speed bumps
installing speed bumps across Nashville.
(wsmv.com) — A petition in Nashville is gaining traction as nearly 500 residents call for the removal of speed bumps, citing vehicle damage. While the Nashville Department of Transportation defends the installations, petitioners seek more effective traffic calming measures. (link)
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Continuing Choas at the Metro Arts Commission
The Nashville Scene, Jan. 15, 2025- Interim Metro Arts executive director Paulette Coleman tendered her resignation on Saturday after less than a year leading the department.
Coleman was named interim director in April following a botched fiscal year 2024 grants cycle that left artists and arts organizations with little faith in the department’s ability to distribute funds in a timely manner. The situation resulted in a conciliation agreement between the Metro Arts Commission, Nashville artists and other Metro departments to improve the grants process for future years. Coleman was tasked with overseeing the department through that rebuilding phase.
However, according to emails and letters obtained by the Nashville Banner, Coleman was failing to hold up Metro Arts’ end of the agreement, leading artists to question if Metro Arts was about to have a repeat of the FY24 grant cycle. ... second time in less than a year that the department responsible for distributing grants to artists and arts organizations is left without leadership at an essential time.
Former Metro Arts Director Daniel Singh resigned in May with a $200,000 settlement agreement. Before that, he had been on FMLA leave followed by administrative leave since February, leaving the department rudderless. (read more)
For more on the years of chaos at the dysfunctional Metro Arts Commission see the following.
- Audit finds array of problems at Metro Arts: improperly used temporary employees; did not correctly document their scope of work; paid them exorbitant salaries.
- Metro Arts director Daniel Singh agrees to Resign. Gets Paid $200,000.
- Metro Arts Commission Drama Update: Metro HR Concludes Councilmember, Commission Director Intimidated City Employees
- Walk-our Denies Quorum for Dysfunctional Arts Commission Meeting
- How Did Metro Arts Get Here?
- Things are still, still a mess at the Metro Arts Commission. Mismanagement could Imperil Metro Arts Budget. Race-based funding could be Unconstitutional.
- Metro Arts Commission, sicker by the day. Will Cheek to Resign amid Death Threats.
- Metro Arts Commision still Crazy after all These Years. Racism causes Director to take Sick Leave.
- Things are still a mess at the Metro Arts Commission. Metro Arts launches initiative to 'return land, money, and resources' to 'Indigenous, African, and Asian peoples'
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Tuesday, January 14, 2025
Thoughts on the House Banning Boys from Competing with Girls in School Sports.
Since the House does not have the filibuster, all it took was a majority of votes cast to pass the bill. It will be interesting to see if the Senate Dems filibuster the bill or allow it to pass. In the Senate, seven Dems would have to join Republicans for the bill to pass.
I am pleased to see this bill pass. I find it ridiculous that men, even men on hormone replacement drugs with fake tits, can compete with girls on the sports field of play. That said however, I have reservations about the Federal government dictating such policy to the states. If California wants to allow boys who think they are girls to play against girls, let them; if Tennessee want to ban it, that should be up to Tennessee. One size does not have to fit all.
The House was able to pass this bill, which would dictate policy for the whole nation, because the Federal government provides funding for education. While it provides funding, it does not provide much. Only about 8% of public education funding comes from the Federal government and for that small amount of money, the Federal government dictates education policy and social engineering for the whole nation. According to some reports, nationwide at the N.C.A.A. level there are only ten boys competing against women. In most places in this nation, local schools will never even encounter this issue.
President Trump's DOGE is looking for cost savings and ways to cut the size of government. One place to start is to abolish the Department of Education and leave education up to the states.
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Saturday, January 11, 2025
I'm Calling BS on the Homeless Vet Argument
Being a veteran is not a ticket to a free ride forever or an excuse for evading the consequences of your actions.
I suspect that some of the homeless holding up "homeless vet" signs are scamming you. Also, for those who are actual veterans, I suspect their being a vet had nothing to do with their homelessness. Bad things happen to veterans and non-veterans and both veterans and non-veterans make poor choices.
I am a veteran myself and served in Vietnam. Most vets, however, did not see combat. For many people serving ln the military, after basic training military service was not that much different than a civilian job. It didn't ruin you for life. For those who did see combat, for most it didn't warp them for life either. For those whom it did, the VA seeks to serve them, and they are likely receiving disability.
The argument that we must spend nothing on other services until certain other problems are solved, is nonsensical. This is the same argument that people make who say we should spend nothing on foreign aid as long as we have any poor people in America, or we should spend nothing on Parks as long as we have crime. Some problems will never be solved. The problem of spending money on immigrants and refugees is complex and I am opposed to the policy of putting people up in expensive hotels, however one can think this is a problem that needs to be addressed without to resorting to the homeless vet argument.
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