Four ways to fix the government

 First eliminate the Electoral College.

Conservatives whine that they do not want to get rid of it because they don't want to be ruled by decisions of people in New York and California. Which seems bigoted. Those are both large and diverse states. It is code for “liberal” but truthfully, they are more mixed politicly than most states in the conservative South. Proof it is bigoted: They don’t mention Texas which has 10 million more people than New York, but it is conservative, so it works against their argument.

The problem with the EC is just that it flips their concern around giving more power to 1-3 swing states. In 2000 a mere 537 votes in Florida counted more than the 543,816 nationwide votes.

In 2016 they credit the upsets in Wisconsin (122,748 vote difference), Pennsylvania (44,292) and Michigan (10,704) as why Clinton lost. Meaning 177,744 votes spread across three states counted more than the almost 3 million nationwide votes.

There is something intrinsically broken here in terms of representation when one party has gotten the most votes in 4 of the last 5 elections but "lost" 3 out of those same 5.

 

Second Make the Senate Representational.

If the country had a senate based on population it would better represent the country. California’s senators represent almost 20 million people each, while Wyoming’s senators represent 286,191 each. That’s slightly less than a 1:80 ratio. The lack of representation extends out like ripples in a pond. Even though they have a majority, Republicans they represent 15 million less Americans than their Democratic colleagues and using this majority they denied Obama (who actually got the most votes) a SCOTUS selection giving Trump the opportunity to select his third. That means a 6th GOP justice (making the court 6-3) will be nominated by president who lost the popular vote by almost 3 million votes and will be confirmed by senators representing 15 million less Americans.

This is not representational government.  It’s tyranny of the minority.

  

Third Eliminate Gerrymandering.

Gerrymandering is redrawing political districts in states to favor one party over the other. Both parties do it (although republicans do it more), and they do it to keep “safe” seats. But the problem with “safe” seats is both complacency and intractability. Eliminating gerrymandering means elected officials must change with the times as issues evolve and make compromises to appeal to voters across the political spectrum. They must address issues at a local level instead of nationalizing local elections. This will reduce extremes in both parties, which reduces rhetoric and fosters cooperation since they have to win the votes of a cross section of society and not just a sampling of their own party.

 

Fourth Reinstate the Fairness Doctrine (and make sure it extends to internet outlets).

Instated in 1949 by the FCC to ensure honest, equitable and balanced presentation of controversial issues, the fairness doctrine was eliminated by Reagan in 1987. This gave rise to infotainment of Fox News and Conservative Talk Radio. This has led to people getting information not based on truth or accuracy but rather what they are comfortable with based on their implicit biases. Sadly, when given an option many people will not base their opinions of facts (as it should be) but rather seeking out information that reinforces their existing beliefs even if it is not true. Over the decades it has been weaponized. Legitimate media has been vilified by propaganda. Science and provable facts have been repeatedly ignored. Foreign adversaries have used social media to take advantage of it putting out misinformation. Websites like The Blaze and Breitbart put out information to create division and resentment sometimes using false information and other times using true information but taking it out so of context that it can be interpreted as meaning the opposite of what it actually says.  This type of Infotainment has resulted conservatives demonizing the left so completely that people believe we are pedophiles that are trafficking children in pizza parlor basements and drinking their blood to stay young. That is an actual conspiracy theory on the right. It has gone mainstream with actual representatives saying they believe it and actual office holders refusing to denounce it. Nonsense this extreme would not have reached a national level if the Fairness Doctrine were still in effect.

Being on the right side of history

 As I said before, I would much rather be posting about sci-fi, writing, tv, comics, movies, and books but because Trump is such an existential danger to our country and the Constitution, I have to speak out. I used to *only* post about those things. But now...

A little while ago local photographer mocked me sarcastically saying he could see I was changing so many minds. Make no mistake my feelings were not hurt, because his barely literate posts revealed that he was not burdened with an over abundance of education or understanding. But he made a point (probably by accident).

I'm not changing minds.

If you care more about party than country you will still vote for Trump no matter the number of laws violated. No matter how much of the Constitution is violated. No matter how much our credibility abroad is diminished. No matter how many lies are told. No matter how many lives are lost. You will gobble up the untrue smears against BLM, Antifa, scientists and journalists. No matter how many people are murdered, no matter how emboldened the white supremacists become, no matter what facts are provided, no matter the sources sighted or recordings exist.

I really do believe that Dr. King was right and that the arc of our history of our country, while long, will bend toward justice. Depending on how this election and the next few years unfold, it may be decade, or a generation, or a century, but eventually, people will look back at this Administration and see what we see when we look back at Nixon, or McCarthy, or with the current revelation of forced sterilization in ICE detentions centers, possibly even Hitler (without it being hyperbole).

However, the question persists: Why continue when it falls on deaf ears (or due to unfollowing or unfriending is simply "preaching to the choir")?

A.J. Muste nailed it with this quote when he was asked a similar question by a reporter.

Twenty years of propaganda has led to hate... and Trump.

 I miss posting about comics, sci-fi, writing and other nerdy things. I really do. I used to avoid posting about politics, but now my entire social media feed is virtually political. The reason is simple.

This is not any other election. This is not any other President.

With each day our commander in chief becomes more unstable, craven and venal. With over 20 years of Fox News and the advent of right wing propaganda sites like the Blaze, Breitbart, InfoWars, etc. The right has demonized the left to the degree that they hate us more than the Russians. They don't see us as Americans, hell, they barely see us has human. Their hate is so all consuming they will follow anyone who opposes us. They will ignore facts, science and truth if they don't fit their political view and will accept fake news and lies because they are more comfortable with what they are hearing.

Enter Donald Trump, who is at worst a traitor to America and at best a useful idiot to Putin. A man who who is sexist, racist, and cowardly. But he is still followed by a staunch 40-something percent of the electorate. They share posts that are factually incorrect or just plain hateful. They don't even care because the ends appear to justify the means. They will over look the hundreds of thousands that have died due to his mishandling of COVID (in fact many prolong it by refusing to wear a mask). They will overlook the graft of overcharging the secret service at Tump resorts and hotels. They will overlook the violations of the Constitution like asking the foreign countries for help during an election or holding people without benefit of counsel. They will overlook violations Hatch act during the RNC. They will overlook the appointments of cronies that have conflicts of interest like the Post Master General, who owns stock in the private industry competition. They will overlook mocking a disabled reporter. They will overlook eliminating oversight on COVID relief for small business that resulted in millions going to large companies before small companies could get aid. They will repeat and accept talking points that are divisive. Like trying to turn people who are working against those who lost their jobs because they are collecting unemployment. Or blame immigrants for the shrinking job market. They will accuse those who want everyone to have health care of being a communist. They will accuse those who are dedicated to fighting fascism of being fascists. Or the false notion that all protesters are looting and rioting when 93% of BLM protests are peaceful (and how many of the remaining 7% were actually started by BLM and not outside agitators trying to make BLM look bad?). They will overlook ordering violence toward peaceful protesters for a photo op in front of a church. They will repeat scare tactic lies that the left are going to take your guns or outlaw Christianity even though they made that claim in 2008 and 2012 and it didn't happen then either. Let us not forget the lies. Lie after lie after lie. Even thought there is video to prove the lies. He lies like others breath. And yet he is supported by people who claim to be Christian. In fact, his followers will launch smear campaigns against good people if they disagree with the president (like they have Fauci). They spread ridiculous conspiracy theories (QAnon, PizzaGate). Their hypocrisy is mindboggling. They will defend him no matter how great the evidence and attack the other side no matter how slim the evidence or small the issue. No moral act is too repugnant (like mocking Biden for visiting his son's grave, or ignoring Trump bragging about sexual assault, attacking and insulting Gold Star families and service men and women, or stealing from a children's cancer charity). They will give him credit for the economy that he inherited from Obama and ruined by going a trillion dollars into deeper into debt to give the rich tax cuts, resulting in the US going into a recession literally the month before COVID hit. They defend his change in immigration policy that resulted in the inhumane caging of children, separating them from their parents. They ignore the 14 year old warning from the FBI that white supremacist are infiltrating police at local levels across the country and find excuses to look the other way when countless people color are killed. "He had a record, he committed a crime, it was self defense." Even when the victims were unarmed, cuffed, outnumbered 4 to 1, shot in the back, or asleep. They pretend to support "law and order" but cheer the murder and assault of legal protesters who are doing nothing wrong or simply defending themselves. And yet, at the end, we are treated like the traitors and animals. We are beaten and maced and shot at like it's a liberal safari.

We are compared to demons and falsely accused of wanting to teach pedophilia as a normal sexuality in schools because we support LGBTQ issues. They falsely accuse us of being baby killers because we support a woman's right to chose, even going so far as falsely claiming liberals are taking newborns slitting their throats thin putting them back in the mothers and claiming it's an abortion. A horrifying notion. One only a sick mind could come up with, and yet it's a false claim they make about us. (They truth about abortion is the conservatives don't want to end it because they want to use it has a wedge issue for elections. If you don't believe me consider this: Since Roe v. Wade in 1973 we have had a conservative majority on the Supreme Court for 45 of those 47 years. Enough to over turn it. We have had six Republican presidents - 28 years). These repeated lies and conspiracy theories that make them hate us, and make them want to harm us. They also make them turn there backs on all the moral and decent things they have spent years claiming to support: truth, family values, honesty, integrity, dealing fairly with others or even treating others as they wish to be treated.

These repeated lies and conspiracy theories have caused unreasonable resentment and hate in the hearts of our friends and neighbors. At least I hope that's what caused it. I pray that's what cause it. Because the alternative is that they were always bloodthirsty, dishonest people who hid their hatred behind false piety.

Insurance and Lawyer Woes. An Open Question.

This is one for legal and insurance people.

About two months after Mom died (October ‘17), Dad and I went to a lawyer's office to work up a Power of Attorney and Will. While we were there the lawyer offered to file the two life insurance policies for Dad. Time went by, one paid out the other did not. The lawyer sent a follow up letter and the company replied that they had no record of her policy. This was around the time Dad passed (February ’18). So, some time went by before I contacted the lawyer again, just because of, well, dealing with everything. When I did, they said they would again contact the insurance company saying they no insurance company would risk a judgement against them because it would hurt their standing. In the meantime, Dad’s insurance went through, save one policy that was either canceled or was a term polity that ended in 2011. It was all timely and explained by July ’18. No real problem. However, no response from the nonpayer on Mom’s insurance. Periodically, I would send an email to the lawyer’s assistant/paralegal. I requested the lawyer move on to the next step. Mom had been dead for 11 months. The last few months dad was alive he would ask *every* single day if I had heard from the lawyer about the life insurance. He was retired and alone and in that situation the days seem long. I spent too much time dwelling on it. We even had arguments over it. These things take time, I would say. He was hyper focused. But I digress…

I emailed again in August 2018, no response.

September. No response.

October. I questioned if they were even getting my e-mails.

They responded by setting up a phone conference in November. We spoke and the lawyer said that it would not be cost effective to go to court over the policy. That didn’t make sense to me. First it seemed like a huge loophole that unscrupulous businesses would take advantage of. “We don’t pay out on policies that small because they can’t afford to sue to get the funds.” Heck, there is even small claims court exist for small amounts of money. Is there a legal donut hole? One would think if the paperwork is in order, it would be a slam dunk and wouldn’t the loser have to pay the court costs or they be included in the suit? I asked the questions, but I received no answers. He made a hasty excuse to get off the phone and promised to call back. He didn’t. I made another appointment for another phone conference. They called and claimed he was in court on the scheduled day of the call. They could not make a new appointment because of the uncertainty of the holidays.

I’m suspicious as the calendar flipped to 2019.

Months went by with failed attempts to make contact, finally the paralegal called and said some life insurance policies only pay out for a certain time then stop paying out. This sounded to me like a term policy. But again, I had questions. Wouldn’t the policy say that? Wouldn’t the insurance company send a letter that said, “We are sorry that policy was a term policy and stopped paying out on X date” as opposed to “We have no record of that policy.” Again, she never said it WAS a term policy but they “thought” it “might” be. The language perplexed me. It seemed noncommittal.

I was finally told by the paralegal. “There is nothing else we can do.”

Fair enough. I can live with that, if you explain *why* there is nothing else you can do?

Again, I would receive no answer.

I ran into the lawyer downtown by chance and tried to ask some of these questions. “I don’t have it in front of me, call me at the office.” No response. Texted. No response. Email. No response. Facebook messenger. No response. Twitter. No response. It was now May. Then June. Then July.

Finally, I contacted them saying “if you can’t or won’t answer my questions can you give me copies of the correspondence between you and the insurance company and a copy of the policy itself so I can take it to another attorney who can answer the questions for me.”

I was handing him an out. No more calls, texts, emails from me. All he had to do was give me the paperwork. I offered to go his office to pick it up to save postage. Nothing. Nada.

Finally, in September 18th, 2019, two years, one month, two weeks and one day after mom died. I texted if there was some other issue with the policy that I was unaware of because it makes no sense that he can neither answer my questions nor provide the paperwork for me to take elsewhere. There was a claim it was mailed in December. At this point found it dubious. He said, “Send me the questions, I’ll look at them during a break this afternoon and get back to you.”

I sent him the following:
“<Your paralegal> said you thought the life insurance was only for a certain period of time and then would not pay out. This sounded to me like a term life insurance policy to me but that begs the question 1): If it were a term life insurance policy would it not say so in the paperwork and instead of claiming they had no record of it would they not simply say, it was a term policy and has expired? That leads to question 2) If it was not term life and they are telling the truth about not having a record of the paperwork then why is our paperwork not good enough as proof? Which leads to the last question 3) Why is there nothing we can do if the policy was paid up, there were no loans against it and the paperwork is in order?
At one point you mentioned cost effectiveness of legal action, but would we be able to sue for the owed about plus the court cost, filing and other expenses? It seems like a big loophole if not. Literally setting the limit of ripping people off at the price of court costs.”

By chance, I saw him downtown that afternoon. Clearly not working (on break?). I still have not received the paperwork nor have I gotten those answers. Tried contacting him in October and December, Again, just asking for the paperwork. It's now 2020.

This is dogging me. It’s like an open wound. I can’t move on. I really, really *need* is answers on this. If the policy was a term policy, it would only take 5 minutes to pull it and read it to find out. If it’s not a term policy, and it was paid up and the paperwork in order why is there no recourse? So why all the foot dragging? Why put me through this? The evasiveness of the lawyer makes me wonder if he made some kind of error and is afraid of getting sued himself. The irony is I have no idea how much the policy is for. I never saw it; it went straight from Dad’s hand to the lawyer.

It makes no sense.

KaPow! Print Edition of The Outer World Blasts Off This Weekend!

The limited edition print copy of The Outer Worlds #0 (written by me and illustrated by the great Ivan Castillo) came in today and will make it's debut at KapowCon! this Saturday October 6 at the Conquest Art Designs table! 

The Outer Worlds is a black and white sci-fi comic that follows a team of bounty hunters who have to travel out of our solar system to catch criminals escaping the long arm of the law. This prelude issue sets up a seven issue series (eight if you count the #0), It's the very first book by Conquest Art Designs new digital comic book imprint Conquest Comics and will soon be available for digital download at ComiXology. 

KapowCon is a FREE admission convention being put on to raise money for STEM education. It will be at Virginia High School, 1200 Long Crescent Drive, Bristol, VA on Saturday, October 6th. Doors open at 9:30 and it closes at 6:00.

While I will not be there, but artist Ivan Castillo will be signing copies at the Conquest Art Designs table. If you live locally and pick-up a copy I will be glad to meet up with you at Mountain Empire Comics and sign a copy for you and if you are out of town please feel free to contact me or Conquest Art Designs to obtain a copy via mail order.

UPDATE: I pre-signed copies of The Outer Worlds for Conquest Comics so anyone attending KapowCon! who stops by the Conquest Art Design Table and picks up a copy will have it signed by both the writer and artist!

Trek to the We Talk Comics Podcast Site for a Trio of New WeView Reviews that will Leave You Breathless

After my last appearance on the We Talk Comics Podcast, one of the regulars, Mo Kristiansen, asked if I would be interested in doing some "WeViews" for their site. It was a relatively new feature giving text reviews (hence the great WeViews name) provided by the great guys at We Talk Comics. I looked over their list and was going to contribute a WeView of the finale of Dynamite's comic The Librarians (based on the TNT television show). Sadly, the day I was going to read this issue and write up the review was the day my father passed away. After a few months, one of us reached out (I don't remember if it was me or Mo) and I finally got to do a review for the site.  The Librarians had been out so long (so long the show had been canceled) that I decided to do a review of IDW's Bubba Ho-Tep and the Cosmic Blood Suckers #1. I don't know if it was me or Bubba but it was well received and Mo gave me the great news that it was the most viewed of the WeViews. So a month later I dove in and tackled another review.  This time I discussed the merits of the Archie Comics Archie's Super Teens Versus Crusaders #1. (I mentioned both of those reviews in previous blog entries). 

Several weeks later I did three more: Aftershock's historical fantasy ClanKillers #1, Black Mask's brilliant monster series Breathless #1 and #2 and IDW's latest Star Trek tie-in, Star Trek: The Next Generation - Terra Incognita #1. Those last three have gone up over the course of the last two weeks. I'm really enjoying the new gig and hope I get the chance to do more.  If you are a comic fan who has to be selective about what they pick up, I hope I can earn your trust.

You can see my review of ClanKillers #1 here.
You can see my review of Breathless #1 and #2 here.
You can see my review of Star Trek: The Next Generation - Terra Incognita #1 here.

I highly encourage checking out the podcast. The guys are great and put on really fun shows. I can't say it enough about them. It really is like hanging out with your friends at the comic shop, it doesn't matter if they are simply debating issues or doing professional interviews writers and artists in the industry. Please go here to check out their most recent shows.

Oh, and yes, I do realize I misspelled Barclay's name as Barkley. I actually do know better. So please don't revoke my nerd card...

Rob-Con Anouncement and another WeView

It looks like I will be attending RobCon this year. I've been waffling back and forth for a while. Initially I was hoping to come and RobCon would be the debut of the prelude issue of The Outer Worlds a sci-fi miniseries I am doing with Ivan Castillo of Conquest Art Designs. But sadly, Ivan is still working on the cover and I still have several pages left to letter. 

So I was going to pass but several things happened. Matt Shafer invited me to join his annual movie panel, and being the self promoting ham/whore than I am, how could I say no? More over, why would I say no? Matt ran the Mountain Empire Comics Movie Club for several years and his enthusiasm for genre films is positively infectious. The panel will be Sunday at 12:30. I was going to do a hit and run. Go in for the panel, hang with Ivan at the Conquest Art Designs table for a bit, then scamper off into the night.

Matthew Preiss and his niece.

Then something tragic happened, one of Robert Pilk's employees, Matthew Preiss, was hospitalized.  Matthew is a great guy (as anyone who has had the pleasure to talk to him at Mountain Empire Comics will tell you). He has a long road to recovery ahead of him and if you are a praying person, please include him in your thoughts the next time you offer up to the Almighty.  

What's this have to do with me? 

Glad you asked. This left Rob a man down so I have been helping him out by filling in for Matthew. Now, don't let the way I phrased it make you think I was somehow coming to Rob's aid. (Although when I write my memoirs or biography that's exactly how I will present it). Oh, no, Rob and the rest of the RobCon/Mountain Empire Comics family have been doing this for years and have it down cold. They would be able to handle it no problem, but Rob knows things have been a little slow for me writing wise. I'm about to get the release of my three television pilots from Gloverzone Productions since they have not moved forward on production. My last three submissions have been rejected and it will probably be another month before Ivan and I have The Outer Worlds completed. Beyond the writing, Rob also knew I was laid off from my day job of 18 years back in November and my benefits ran out about a month ago. So I will be working Matthew's four hour shift at the Mountain Empire Comics table Saturday and helping out with a few shifts here and there at the shop in Bristol. Truth be told, Rob rode in to *my* rescue.

Matt Shafer then reached out again. He will also be having a comic book television panel Saturday at 1 and wanted me to join as well. I really do have a problem saying no, so I was all in before he finished the sentence.

Then one of Rob's organizers texted asking if I wanted a whole table or a half table for signings. In short, they already had me down as a guest and I didn't realize it. Did I mention I have problems saying no? So I will be at RobCon both Saturday and Sunday (not Friday). I will have a few of the very last print copies of the award winning Adventures in Pulp series from 2015 as well as copies of the Women of Darby Pop ready to purchase and sign. So, barring scheduling issues, if I'm not at my table you will be able to find me at the Mountain Empire Comics table or at the Matt Shafer's Comic Book Movie and Television panels. I highly recommend stopping in. Rob has really been stepping it up the last couple of years. It's a fantastic show, with panels, costume contests, writers, artists, and lots of vendors. The last couple of years have been an absolute blast and it looks like this year will be even better in its new venue of MeadowView Convention Center in Kingsport, TN.


Until then, I did do another WeView Review for the great folks at We Talk Comic Podcasts. This time I reviewed Archie Superteens Versus Crusaders #1. It has been up for a couple of weeks but you can find it here. I have a couple of more in the works that should be up soon. If you can't make it to RobCon and still want to check out my work you can get digital downloads of all four Adventures in Pulp short stories (with all profits still going to the artist) and the Women of Darby Pop anthology at Comixology here.