The View From Rattlesnake Ridge

Friday, September 15, 2023

Hold onto your hats! Everything that you assume about the Upcoming Presidential Election May be Wrong

The DNC May Drive Bobby Kennedy Jr. or Marianne Williamson into an Independent Campaign for President.

With Biden and Trump deadlocked in polls, as the presumptive nominees of their parties, saving Democracy may demand that Kennedy swallow hard and take on the establishment of both parties.

The Highlander of Benton Heights
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I’ve been thinking a lot about Daniel Webster lately.

In the back of our minds, most Americans - and especially those of us from New Hampshire and Massachusetts know that Webster was an important force in the struggle to end slavery. In fact, in his time Webster was the most famous elected official in the struggle against slavery. Yet somehow - though Webster was renowned for his booming voice and condemnation of slavery - his voice has been stilled to a shallow echo of itself. In the years since then.

Depending on which historian you consider your “go to” authority you will hear various stories accounting for this. All of them, however, revolve around Daniel Webster’s “about face” on the Fugitive Slave Act.

Several months ago, I interviewed historian and author Joel Richard Paul, author of the recent biography of Webster “Indivisible: Daniel Webster and the Birth of American Nationalism” for The Radical Centrist Podcast” ( link below) Paul argues that, while Webster was strongly opposed to the provisions of the Fugitive Slave Act, he was also deeply concerned that the Union was not strong enough at the time of its passage to win the inevitable Civil War that Webster believed was coming. Webster felt it was imperative that he buy extra time for the Union before war ensued. He knew that agreeing to a compromise that allowed for the Fugitive Slave Act would be a stain on his legacy, even though Lincoln himself agreed to the compromise. It seems that in hindsight, even Webster underestimated how deeply it would cut into his reputation and legacy.

There is a stark, and troubling, parallel between this and the recent behavior of Bernie Sanders.

You perhaps will remember how the Democratic party used every possible means of underhanded and anti-democratic means to deny the nomination to Bernie back in 2016. Many have argued that it was this behavior that ultimately gave us Donald Trump as our President. Though we will never know because there was never a head-to-head election between Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump.

Now, we’ll get back to the Sanders/Webster comparison in just a moment; but first, let’s talk about how the Parties have run roughshod over the process, and more importantly over “we the people”.

Let’s first be clear about the legal authority of the two parties - THEY HAVE NONE.

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For all intents and purposes, they are two corporations, with NO constitutional franchise whatsoever.

Thats right. There is nothing in the constitution or in the main corpus of law, that gives either the Democratic Party or the Republican Party any legal authority. After all remember that George Washington warned us in his farewell address to beware of factions (That is what the parties are after all) as did Madison, Adams and Franklin among many others.

If the Federal or State Governments had not - long ago - surrendered the mechanisms for conducting elections - particularly primary elections - to the two major political parties, candidates vying to be the alternative to the chosen candidates of the power brokers in the Democratic and Republican parties would be able to challenge, in the courts, the banana republic tactics currently infecting our election process, and the Federal and State Governments would NEVER be able to get away with the perversion of the process that both the Republican and Democratic parties are engaged in.

Let’s look at the mess they have created. If the Democratic Party gets their way New Hampshire citizens, who have for 100 years honorably and diligently conducted the first-in-the-nation Presidential Primary, will not only be bypassed by the primary process, but delegates chosen by the people will not be seated at the Party’s Convention and their votes will not be counted.

During the election of 2020 Donald Trump accused Joe Biden of hiding in his basement as a means to avoid accountability. This time, both candidates are hiding and they are using the party’s apparatus to allow them to avoid the voters. All of this is happening at a time when the presumptive nominees of both political parties are individuals who the vast majority of voters do not want running for the office. Both Joe Biden and Donald Trump hover at about 70% of the electorate that wishes they were not the choice in the next election. This does not even begin to address doubts that the public has about Kamala Harris or Trump’s “player to be named later”. Neither political party can claim the high ground when it comes to election shenanigans but for the moment the Democratic Party is the winner in the anti-democratic stakes.

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This week, the Democratic National committee will meet to affirm a new set of “Rules”, nothing with the force of law of course because they have no legal authority. The rules create special categories of delegates that are intended to override and steal the votes from New Hampshire citizens. Joe Biden is expected to “skip” New Hampshire’s primary, but the special delegates to be adopted by the Democratic Party will be able to override any vote of NH citizens. It gives new meaning to the old phrase: “Heads I win. Tails you lose.” Any alternative candidate, no matter how well they do, will find their votes cast for Joe Biden. If you thought the Chicago Convention of 68 was bad, this one could be worse.

Now, back to Bernie. Last week he was asked how he could support this system of alternative delegates that was used against him in 2016. He said that we were in an existential fight for democracy. In other words, to prevent an authoritarian from becoming President, we have to use authoritarian tactics ourselves. Bernie would do well to remember what happened to Webster. By selling his soul, he tanks his legacy.

Notes & Links

Indivisible: Daniel Webster and the Birth of American Nationalism

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/indivisible-daniel-webster-and-the-birth/id1448723412?i=1000602184529

About Wayne D. King: Author, podcaster, artist, activist, social entrepreneur and recovering politician. A three-term State Senator, 1994 Democratic nominee for Governor. His art (WayneDKing.com) is exhibited nationally in galleries and he has published five books of his images, most recently, "New Hampshire - a Love Story”. His novel "Sacred Trust" a vicarious, high voltage adventure to stop a private powerline as well as the photographic books are available at most local bookstores or on Amazon. He lives on the “Narrows” in Bath, NH at the confluence of the Connecticut and Ammonoosuc Rivers and proudly flies the American, Iroquois and Abenaki Flags. His publishing website is: Anamaki.com.

Podcasts are produced at Anamaki Studios in Bath, NH.

This land lies in N’dakinna, the traditional ancestral homeland of the Abenaki, Sokoki, Koasek, Pemigewasset, Pennacook and Wabanaki Peoples past and present. We acknowledge and honor with gratitude those who have stewarded N’dakinna throughout the generations.

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Newfound Rendezvous Impressions
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Twice in a Blue Moon

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Staying Safe in the Waters of New Hampshire

Closely supervise everyone, especially children, and the joys of the outdoors will be your treasured memories for life.

Wayne D. King

As a guide in the White Mountains in my first life I spent a great deal of time worrying about the safety of my charges. Of course, there are plenty of dangers to be aware of when you are hiking, climbing or paddling in the outdoors but few present the immediate dangers to people more than those associated with water, specifically rivers but also lakes, ponds and oceans.

It may be because I read InDepthNH.org daily, but there seem to have been more than the usual number of accidental drownings this year.

Perhaps it’s because some of them occurred at places close to my heart, often places where I have been involved, or witnessed, a few close calls myself over the years that I feel compelled to offer some advice and observations to help you stay safe in the waters of New Hampshire.

Although summer is nearly over, it could be said that this shoulder season is the most dangerous of all. The waters are growing colder and cold water leads to exhaustion and panic of swimmers much more quickly than warmer waters. Sunny days may be deceiving as well because we tend to dress (or undress as the case may be) for the day’s temperature not the water temperature and an accidental fall into the water can cause a tragedy for an unexpecting victim.

The rainy nature of the weather this summer has also led to much higher water levels which is particularly dangerous in swiftwater areas, like Franconia Falls where one death recently occurred.

My first water rescue, according to my cousin Mark, was at the ripe old age of 7 when I was the first to notice that he was in distress at the Eddy on the Mad River. Mark still claims that I saved him that day, but my actions probably were more a matter of drawing the adults attention to the emergency than anything else.

Later on, those efforts were more serious. I did a quick count in my head as I was writing this piece and believe that I can safely say that I have been involved in at least ten incidents, at Franconia Falls alone, over the years, where a drowning - and in one case a multiple drowning - was averted because we were prepared for an emergency and were able to respond in a matter of moments to it.

Learn to Swim

So let’s start with some general advice from our friends at the American Red Cross. No need to reinvent the wheel when it comes to succinctly hitting the high points. The Red Cross has prevented hundreds of thousands of tragedies, perhaps more, over the years through their sound advice and rigorous swimming standards and training programs.

You may be one of those rare parents who really can teach their children to swim and swim safely but the likelihood that you are substituting ego for good judgment is, alas, quite high. Ahem, especially if you are male. It’s purely anecdotal but I find that the ego issue among the male population is especially high. Sorry, not sorry. I’ve been certified at every level with the American Red Cross and I still would not have tried to train my son, nieces or nephews to swim. Take a quick look at the requirements for the various levels of competency if you still think you can do this yourself.

I recently spoke with Frank Hubbard, who was my swimming instructor as a young boy, about the program he established at Mowglis, School of the Open, a summer camp for boys on Newfound Lake. According to him, Frank followed the ARC program to the letter in those first few years and has never seen reason to change that practice even though he taught swimming at every level, including college, over the years.

At the very least make sure that the instructor and program you choose to teach you or your children is certified by the Red Cross.

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Employ layers of protection.

This is more a theoretical construct than a fashion statement.

Begin by having the most advanced swimmer and responder do a preliminary scouting of the water. This scouting of a river or a beach presents a powerful teachable moment as well; allowing the leader to point out hazards and potential responses to them. This is especially important to those who are canoeing or kayaking on swiftwater or swimming in areas like Franconia Falls.

Employ barriers to prevent access to water where appropriate. Whether you are on the beach or rocks, place adults between children and water and always be clear about which adult is “on watch” at any particular moment. Of course, make it clear to children that approaching the water should only be done with an adult.

Use life jackets liberally. We all know that life jackets are required in a boat of any kind, even here in the “live free or die state” legislators have had the good sense to require this. But in the ocean and especially in swift water areas they should be a part of the swimming couture for non-swimmers or beginning swimmers. Call it the belt and suspenders approach, accidents are almost always a result of a careless moment gone awry. If a child, or a non-swimming adult has a life jacket on at the very least moments are added to the opportunity for response.

My good friend and Whitewater Hall of Famer, Charlie Walbridge, taught me that if you capsize a boat in whitewater you get behind the boat, feet first and never try to stand - but ride the rapid out. Abandon the boat if there's any question, your life is more important than your boat.

Employ the use of emergency equipment. I note that I often see the adult “lifeguards” for camps, schools or youth groups, these days, bearing brightly colored life belts that can be thrown to a struggling swimmer. I would invariably pack a lightweight safety rope in my backpack that can also be tossed to a struggling swimmer. In a pinch, I’ve even found a long branch that can extend the length of your reach. All of these things employ the old lifesaving mantra: “reach, throw, row, go” outlining the hierarchy of emergency response that maximizes safety and minimizes the personal risk of adding yourself to the mix of victims in crisis.

Autumn in a Blue Pool -
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Finally, know what to do in a water emergency – including how to help someone in trouble in the water safely, call for emergency help and CPR. CPR does not take long to learn and every adult should know it. I have used it 5 times in my life and it made the difference between life and death in every case.

Autumn in a Blue Pool -
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Every child should learn to swim and if you are swimming in an area where special conditions exist, like rip tides in the ocean, pay attention to signage and take it seriously.

There are few things in life more thrilling than swimming in rivers. Riding the water sluice of Franconia Falls over the falls and into the deep pool below is an unforgettable life experience. Taking a little time to make sure that you are safety conscious will make the difference between a lifelong memory and a tragedy.

Links:

Find Red Cross Swimming instruction near you.

https://www.redcross.org/get-help/how-to-prepare-for-emergencies/types-of-emergencies/water-safety/water-safety-training-provider.html

Podcasts are produced at Anamaki Studios in Bath, NH.

Wednesday, June 28, 2023

Courage to Face the Fire: Rachel Carson and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. in the Face of Public Backlash

“Who is more humble? The scientist who looks at the universe with an open mind and accepts whatever the universe has to teach us, or somebody who says everything in this book must be considered the literal truth and never mind the fallibility of all the human beings involved?”

― Carl Sagan

Lupine Wind in a Bird's Paradise
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Courage to Face the Fire

Rachel Carson and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. in the Face of Public Backlash

One of the consistent images invoked in this column is of our periodic encounters with American Bald Eagles that Kodi and I are privileged to experience on our regular meanderings here along the Connecticut River.

Although it’s quite likely that my Abenaki and Iroquois ancestors saw many more than we are fortunate to see these days, we see them today thanks, in large part, to a slight, bespectacled marine biologist named Rachel Carson who in 1962, while secretly in the final stages of cancer, wrote a love letter to the planet titled “Silent Spring”.

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Rachel Carson's groundbreaking book, brought attention to the harmful effects of pesticides and sparked the modern environmental movement. Carson faced significant challenges, including industry backlash and personal attacks, in response to her work. Similarly, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a prominent environmental activist and advocate for vaccine safety, has encountered similar difficulties as he raises concerns regarding vaccinations and COVID-19. This column explores the challenges they have both faced, highlighting the striking parallels between their experiences and emphasizing the importance of dissenting voices in shaping public opinion and discourse, consistent with free expression and what writer Jonathan Rauch has called the “Constitution of Knowledge” in his eponymously named best-selling book.

"Silent Spring" confronted the indiscriminate use of pesticides, particularly DDT, and its impact on the environment and human health and set off a firestorm of controversy and backlash from powerful pesticide industries and government officials with vested interests.

Immediately and vehemently, Carson's credibility was questioned by industry representatives who sought to discredit her findings. They accused her of being an alarmist, unqualified to speak on the subject, and undermining scientific progress. The chemical industry, including Monsanto, Dow Chemical, Dupont and others launched a well-funded campaign to disparage her work, attempting to suppress the information in order to maintain the status quo.

Carson also faced personal attacks that aimed to undermine her legitimacy as a scientist and her character. Critics attacked her as an emotional, sentimental woman, dismissing her scientific arguments. She was regularly labeled as a “spinster” - a thinly veiled reference to her sexuality. Rather than engaging with the substantive issues she raised, sexist remarks were made, and other attempts were made to tarnish her reputation, discrediting her as a hysterical woman.

Unfortunately, these attacks came not only from industry and its affiliated associations but Carson also faced challenges from government agencies, particularly the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which had close ties to the pesticide industry. These agencies sought to suppress her work and limit her impact, further hindering her ability to address the issues at hand.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr., an environmental activist and attorney, and now a candidate for President, has faced challenges reminiscent of those encountered by Carson. While he has advocated for vaccine safety and questioned the potential risks associated with COVID-19, he has encountered significant opposition from these same quarters.

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Kennedy's concerns regarding vaccines have drawn criticism from the medical and scientific communities. While his arguments often center on the need for further research and improved safety measures, his opponents have portrayed him as an anti-vaccine activist. This oversimplification of his position has served to discredit his broader message and hinder meaningful discussion.

Similar to Carson, Kennedy has also faced personal attacks aimed at undermining his credibility and character. Critics have resorted to ad hominem attacks, dismissing his concerns as conspiracy theories and questioning his motives. This tactic seeks to delegitimize his arguments without engaging with the substance of the issues he raises. Ironically, his campaign for President seems to have forced the debate back into the public arena.

Additionally, Kennedy has encountered resistance from powerful pharmaceutical companies and their allies. The vested interests of these industries create a significant barrier to engaging in an open and honest debate about the potential risks and benefits associated with vaccines and COVID-19 mitigation measures. Consequently, Kennedy's concerns struggle to gain traction and often face outright dismissal.

The challenges faced by both Carson and Kennedy highlight the power dynamics at play when established interests are threatened by dissenting voices. The efforts to suppress their messages and discredit their work underscore the potential repercussions of challenging “mainstream” narratives.

The parallels between Carson and Kennedy's experiences indicate that individuals who raise concerns about public health and environmental issues often face systematic attacks intended to silence them. These challenges hinder constructive dialogue and impede the progress of knowledge and societal change.

Moreover, the similarities between these two cases demonstrate the importance of engaging in substantive discussions on complex issues. Instead of resorting to character assassinations or dismissing dissenting voices outright, it is essential to foster an environment that encourages critical thinking, research, and open debate.

The striking parallels between the challenges that Carson encountered and Kennedy continues to encounter, highlight the recurring pattern of opposition faced by those who challenge established interests and narratives.

The attempts to suppress their work, undermine their credibility, and dismiss their concerns emphasize the need for open and respectful dialogue on complex issues.

Finding Our Way
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As society confronts new and emerging challenges, such as the environment and public health crises, it is crucial to learn from the experiences of both Carson and Kennedy. By fostering an environment that encourages diverse perspectives and values substantive discussions, we can create a path towards informed decision-making and progress for the benefit of all.

Podcasts are produced at Anamaki Studios in Bath, NH.

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Highland Storm #1 - Dreams of the Storm
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Wednesday, June 21, 2023

What About Democracy? Democrats and Republicans Both Signal their Intentions to Sidestep the Process

Secrets of the Patriot
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Democracy is a messy business. We already knew that.

Even before Newt Gingrich broke the modern-day political process with his 1994 “Contract with America” - waging a contract ON America that has led us in a straight line to the current state of affairs, we’ve had some rocky times.

During the early years of the Republic, despite the warnings about faction from George Washington and James Madison, the country was quickly drawn into factional conflict and only began to see some level of comity because Dolly Madison made a determined effort to get folks talking with one another again.

Then in the period leading up to the Civil War when slavery quite nearly broke us. Now today, we are divided between tribal animosities brought on by two political parties more interested in courting the donor class than helping middle-class and working-class Americans.

The principal culprits in this tribal warfare are obviously the Republicans who have gone over the edge and represent a clear and present danger to the Republic. Truth and civility are just not priorities for people like Congressman Jim Jordan, Marjorie Taylor Greene and Lauren Boebert. Unfortunately, the vast majority of elected officials in the Republican Party at the national and state level continue to follow the lead of those who pervert the Constitution and blow through the constitutional norms that are the hallmark of the Democratic system.

But the Democrats have staged their own assault on the constitutional norms that we rely on as well. The zeal with which they have canceled individuals - like college professors - have turned too many Universities and the public square into a forum for shaming and censoring anyone who disagrees with their perspective on the world. Trading free speech for a culture of trigger warnings, censorship masquerading as public safe space and tribal intolerance.

For half a century both parties have gradually abandoned the working class and the poor for the comfort and succor of the donor class while the savage disparity of wealth continues to grow. . . an issue that, by the way, none of them has offered a single idea for dealing with.

The Republicans have contributed to that growing disparity by vilifying the poor and cutting social safety nets while providing tax cuts for the wealthy. The Democrats have done their part by supporting a welfare bureaucracy that fosters a nanny culture of dependency for a large portion of the population as a means of securing their support as their base. All of this has only deepened the divisions between Americans over race, religion, gender, and culture rather than creating pathways to prosperity, independence, and security that enhance the personal freedom of choice for all of our people, especially marginalized communities.

Now, with the increasing likelihood that the presidential race will be a rerun of the 2020 election, both parties are raising the drawbridges and creating their individual “cones of silence” intended to short-circuit an open debate about our future.

The fact is that over 70% of the American public is unhappy with the possibility of a rerun of the 2020 election. Yet both political parties are falling all over themselves to prevent an open and frank debate about our future.

If the Democrats and the Republicans want to prove their devotion to the American political system and to democracy they can begin by openly debating their opponents. President Biden and Donald Trump should not hide from the people of New Hampshire and Iowa or any other state by skipping primaries, and refusing to debate, even if their advisors counsel them to do so.

If our leaders do not have the confidence to engage in open debate on their ideas and policies they do not deserve our votes in either the primary or the general election.

About Wayne D. King: Author, podcaster, artist, activist, social entrepreneur and recovering politician. A three-term State Senator, 1994 Democratic nominee for Governor. His art (WayneDKing.com) is exhibited nationally in galleries and he has published five books of his images, most recently, "New Hampshire - a Love Story”. His novel "Sacred Trust" a vicarious, high-voltage adventure to stop a private powerline as well as the photographic books are available at most local bookstores or on Amazon. He lives on the “Narrows” in Bath, NH at the confluence of the Connecticut and Ammonoosuc Rivers and proudly flies the American, Iroquois and Abenaki Flags. His publishing website is: Anamaki.com.

Podcasts are produced at Anamaki Studios in Bath, NH.