TY COBB…is widely credited with setting 90 Major League Baseball records during his career. His combined total of 4,065 runs scored and runs batted in is still the highest ever produced by any major league player. He still holds several records as of the end of the 2017 season, including the highest career batting average (366) and most batting titles with 12. There are numerable other records that he held for half a century or more. He still holds the career record for stealing home (54 times) and for stealing second base, third base and home in succession (5 times) and as the youngest player ever to compile 4,000 hits and scored 2,000 runs.
What makes Ty Cobb’s legacy even more interesting is that it includes a large college scholarship fund for Georgia residents financed by his early investment in Coca Cola and General Motors. Ty Cobb’s great accomplishments on the field have been somewhat tarnished by allegations of racism and violence during his lifetime. The general consensus is that every major league baseball team wanted Ty Cobb to play for them, but few players wanted to have a beer with Ty Cobb at the end of the day. Ty Cobb is the classic war between form and substance. So many great leaders in the history of mankind have been very difficult men who have accomplished great things…you know where I am going with this.
I am frankly sick and tired of “political correctness”. Political correctness, in many situations, is simply a matter of putting form over substance which, from a societal standpoint, is where the government, the politicians and the bureaucrats are today. I get the fact that when it comes to the “form” argument, a majority of Americans may criticize Donald Trump. We have had many Presidents in the past that get an “A” for form, but frankly would get an “F” for substance. I do not have the space to go over Obama’s failures as a President during the two terms that he was President, but he is the master of form, but lacked any substance or credibility in his governance.
Let’s briefly review Donald’s Trump’s accomplishments thus far. I don’t care whether or not you like him or the way that he governs, but the truth is, based simply on his accomplishments, he could go down in history as one of our greatest Presidents. Please note:
Since President Trump was elected, the economy has added three million (3,000,000) jobs. In fact, today there are more jobs available than there are unemployed. That’s resulted in the lowest unemployment rate in 17 years. The stock market has roared to new highs despite the Federal Reserve raising interest rates five (5) times since Trump’s election. By the way, do you know how many times the Fed raised rates between Obama’s election and Trump’s? Once. Obama managed to hamper the economy badly enough to preside over the slowest, most anemic recovery in modern history.
President Trump has implemented policies that make this country hospitable to business again. The tax cuts and jobs act, the largest tax cut and reforms in U.S. history, lowered rates for American families and businesses. The Tax Reform Bill wasn’t just good for business. It will save the typical American family of four more than $2,000 in taxes each year by doubling the standard deductions, creating child tax credits and lowering individual rates for average income earners.
To the surprise of many, I think President Trump has been exceptional with his foreign policy. Remember ISIS? We don’t hear much about them anymore. That’s because President Trump has accomplished in a matter of months what the Obama administration couldn’t do in years. By simply working with allies and lifting unnecessary restrictions on American military, ISIS has been effectively decimated. Nearly 100% of its territory has been liberated since President Trump took office. How about North Korea. The last four administrations have been absolutely worthless in moving forward with any political or military resolution to the potential catastrophe that could be caused by a nuclearized North Korea. North and South Korea are currently engaged in peace talks after North Korea’s dictator, Kim Jong Un, suspended a nuclear weapon testing that had threatened stability in Asia for most of this century. It will take a long time and a tremendous amount of patience before North Korea is totally without nuclear capabilities, but we no longer have the threats, we no longer have the missile testing, and most important we have dialogue. None of these things took place before Trump. In addition, three American hostages have been returned from North Korea to the United States.
President Trump’s insistence that we have a reasonable immigration policy which protects the citizens of this country socially and economically is an absolute must. It all comes down to the rule of law. You cannot have the rule of law without effective enforcement of immigration laws. Both Republican and Democratic Presidents have ignored the problem of illegal immigration for decades. The last President encouraged it, but thankfully there is a new sheriff in town. I am a great proponent of a physical barrier (wall) on the southern border. President Trump has secured $1.6 billion in funding for 110 miles of the wall and the Department of Homeland Security has contracted and is testing border walls prototypes. Meanwhile, during the first nine months of his administration, ICE made 110,568 arrests for illegal aliens, a 40% increase over the same period in 2016.
Trade has been an extremely important issue to the fiscal wellbeing of our country and to those seeking employment and prosperity within our economy. President Trump, as he has done with many other issues, has faced the inequities of the various trade agreements head on. The United States has been the piggy bank that every other country seems to rob. There has been a great deal in the news recently as it relates to the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) which principally involves Canada and Mexico. NAFTA should have been addressed and reformed years ago. It has been costly to our economy and to workers in many industries in this country. President Trump wants to level out the playing field so that we come as close as possible to open fair trade. The European Free Trade Association (EFTA) and worst of all China, which is not a member of any of the trade agreements, have prospered from the inequities of these agreements. President Trump is 100% correct, they need to be reformed in a way that levels out the playing field so that all parties have an equitable and fair stake in our international trade. The United States is the economic engine for the entire world, but that does not mean that it can or should be taken advantage of. It will not happen overnight, but President Trump will prevail in establishing suitable trade agreements with our trading partners and the various international trading consortiums. The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) thankfully was never put in place. The proposed terms and conditions of that agreement would have likely been another “China” to us as it relates to the negative trade balances that it would have created for the United States. Because of the tremendous increase in trade in the Asian-Pacific countries, I do think that an equitable APEC should be put into place and I am certain that Donald Trump will do so before his first term is over.
Thankfully, President Trump has been cognizant of the need to strengthen our military and to make certain that we have the strongest military in the world. The Trump administration, within the last month, proposed a defense budget of $716 billion for fiscal 2019, part of an ambitious effort to substantially boost Pentagon spending after years of tight budget limits and refocus the military on countering Russia and China. The budget blueprint, combined with a defense boost that Congress approved last month, would increase Pentagon accounts for weapons, troops, trading and for nuclear arms programs run by the energy department by more than $74 billion, a 10% increase over current spending levels.
The budget “is what we need to bring us back to the position of primacy,” Defense Secretary James N. Mattis told reporters recently. He cited plans to buy more F-18 fighters, train more Air Force Mechanics and create new cyberwarfare units as an example of how the money will be spent. I, for one, feel that we have a renewed respect around the world which was lost from President Obama’s “lead from behind”. By the way, this was just a catch phrase that Obama used to justify his lack of leadership. There is no such thing as leading from behind, in actuality it is impossible.
THE LIST GOES ON AND ON. President Donald Trump is the Ty Cobb of politics in this country. A great argument could be made for the fact that Ty Cobb was the greatest baseball player of all times despite the fact that he may have been a nasty human being. No President in the last hundred years has accomplished more in the first two (2) years of his administration than Donald Trump has. Given an opportunity to fulfill his agenda, he may end up being one of the greatest Presidents that this country has had, like him or not.
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WHAT ABOUT NOVEMBER… There are so many conflicting polls and so many individuals in both parties who have embraced form over substance that it is difficult to say. Traditionally we Americans have voted with our pocket book and if that continues, there will not only not be a blue wave, but the Republicans will keep both the House and the Senate. Very difficult to say at this juncture, but those freedom loving Americans who work to care for their families should appreciate what Donald Trump has accomplished and will make certain that he is not hampered by a party that becomes more socialistic each day.
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THE RECENT GENOA MOTORWAY BRIDGE COLLAPSE… in Italy is proof that failing infrastructure is a persistent worldwide problem. U.S. infrastructure, which is currently under-maintained and under-funded, is hardly immune from such risks. We have also had bridges that have collapsed without warning in this country. Some U.S. states have it worse than others when it comes to critical infrastructure problems. According to a new study by 24/7 Wall Street as reported by U.S.A. Today, the study looks at the conditions of roads, bridges and dams, all critical elements at risk from catastrophic failure.
IT FOUND THAT RHODE ISLAND HAS THE NATION’S WORST INFRASTRUCTURE FOLLOWED BY HAWAII, WEST VIRGINIA, PENNSYLVANIA AND CALIFORNIA.
THE REPORT STATES THAT THE NATION’S BEST STATE FOR INFRASTRUCTURE IS FLORIDA, WHERE ONLY 1.3% OF THE ROADS ARE IN POOR CONDITION, 2.1% OF THE BRIDGES ARE DEFICIENT AND 6.3% OF THE DAMS ARE HIGH HAZZARD. Trailing Florida for the best infrastructure in the country are Georgia, Minnesota, Nevada and Kansas.
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WHEN I GET FED UP WITH THE POLITICAL DIVIDE… in our country, I often think of our forefathers and realize that it has always been this way and will always be this way. Both Republicans and Democrats are fond of citing the lofty principles of America’s Founding Fathers. But the truth is that instead of offering a single cohesive and enduring vision for America, the founders were bitterly divided and the politics of the era even more rancorous and shrill than today’s. In the early days of the Republic, Thomas Jefferson’s Republicans favored a decentralized country with a weak federal government. Alexander Hamilton’s Federalists preferred a powerful centralized state that could develop the U.S. into a major economic and military power. The fundamental disagreement produced conflict so violent that they would shock us today. Partisans and Journalists shot one another in duels and over insults which is, of course, how Hamilton met his end. Political rivals had frequent fist fights or beat each other bloody in the street with canes. Political campaigns were rife with personal insults, sexual gossip and other dirty tricks. Today we put the Founders on an imaginary pedestal so that we can masochistically rebuke ourselves for having such petty politicians. Our first leaders were deeply flawed and had largely the same arguments. I personally hate the political rivalry and feel that we could accomplish so much if we could work together. On the other hand, I realize that it is the way it has been since the beginning of time and unfortunately will continue.
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THE YEAR IS 1915… 103 years ago. It is difficult to imagine what a difference a century makes. Here are some statistics from the year 1915:
The average life expectancy of men was 47 years.
Fuel for cars were sold in drug stores only.
Only 14% of the homes had a bathtub.
Only 8% of homes had a telephone.
The maximum speed limit in most cities was 10 mph.
The tallest structure in the world was the Eiffel Tower.
The average U.S. wage, based on the closest figures available (1910), was 22 cents per hour.
The average U.S. worker made between $200 and $400 per year.
A competent Accountant could expect to earn $2,000 per year, a Dentist $2,500 per year, a Veterinarian between $1,500 and $4,000 per year and a Mechanical Engineer about $5,000 a year.
More than 95% of all births took place at home.
90% of all doctors had no college education.
Sugar cost 4 cents a pound, eggs were 14 cents a dozen and coffee was 15 cents a pound.
Most women only washed their hair once a month and used borax or egg yolk for shampoo.
Canada passed a law that prohibited poor people from entering their country for any reason.
The six leading causes of death were pneumonia, influenza, tuberculosis, diarrhea, heart disease and stroke.
The American flag had 45 stars.
The population of Las Vegas, Nevada was 30.
Crossword puzzles, can beer and ice tea hadn’t been invented yet.
There was neither a Mother’s Day nor a Father’s Day.
Two out of every ten adults couldn’t read or write.
Only 6% of Americans had graduated from high school.
Marijuana, heroin and morphine were all available over the counter at the local corner drug store.
In 1915, Pharmacists would say “heroin clears the complexion, gives buoyancy to the mind, regulates the stomach, bowels and is, in fact, a perfect guardian of health.”
There were about 230 reported murders in the entire U.S.A.
It is impossible to imagine what it may be like in another 100 years.
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I AM A “CAR GUY”… I enjoy driving and love my cars. I know that some folks look forward to electric driverless cars. From a transportation perspective, I cannot think of anything more repugnant. For those car lovers still left, you might be interested in the following quiz:
Q: What was the first official White House car?
A: A 1909 White Steamer, ordered by President Taft.
Q: Who opened the first drive-in gas station?
A: Gulf opened up the first station in Pittsburgh in 1913.
Q: What city was the first to use parking meters?
A: Oklahoma City, on July 16, 1935.
Q: Where was the first drive-in restaurant?
A: Royce Hailey’s Pig Stand opened in Dallas in 1921.
Q: True or False? The 1953 Corvette came in white, red and black.
A: False. The 1953 ‘Vettes were available in one color, Polo White.
Q: What was the first car fitted with an alternator, rather than a direct current dynamo?
A: The 1960 Plymouth Valiant.
Q: What was the first car to be offered with a “perpetual guarantee”?
A: The 1904 Acme, from Reading, PA. Perpetuity was disturbing in this case, as Acme closed down in 1911.
Q: What car was the first to have its radio antenna embedded in the windshield?
A: The 1969 Pontiac Grand Prix.
Q: Where was the World’s first three-color traffic lights installed?
A: Detroit, Michigan in 1919. Two years later they experimented with synchronized lights.
Q: What type of car had the distinction of being GM’s 100 millionth car built in the U.S.?
A: March 16, 1966 saw an Olds Tornado roll out of Lansing, Michigan with that honor.
Q: Where was the first drive-in movie theater opened, and when?
A: Camden, NJ in 1933
Q: What autos were the first to use a standardized production key-start system?
A: The 1949 Chryslers
Q: What car was the first to place the horn button in the center of the steering wheel?
A: The 1915 Scripps-Booth Model C. The car also was the first with electric door latches.
Q: What U.S. production car has the quickest 0-60 MPH time?
A: The 1962 Chevrolet Impala SS 409. Did it in 4.0 seconds.
Q: What’s the only car to appear simultaneously on the covers of Time and Newsweek?
A: The Mustang
Q: What was the lowest priced mass production American car?
A: The 1925 Ford Model T Runabout. Cost $260, $5 less than 1924.
Q: What is the fastest internal-combustion American production car?
A: The 1998 Dodge Viper GETS-R, tested by Motor Trend magazine at 192.6 mph.
Q: What car was the first production V12, as well as the first production car with aluminum pistons?
A: The 1915 Packard Twin-Six. Used during WWI in Italy, these motors inspired Enzi Ferrari to adopt the V12 himself in 1948.
Q: What was the first car to use power operated seats?
A: They were first used on the 1947 Packard line.
Q: When were seat belts first fitted to a motor vehicle?
A: In 1902, in a Baker Electric streamliner racer which crashed at 100 mph on Staten Island!
Q: Where did the term “pickup truck” come from?
A: Ford, who made the first pick-up trucks, shipped them to dealers in crates that the new owners had to assemble using the crates as the beds of the trucks. The new owners had to go to the dealers to get them, thus they had to “pick-up” the trucks.
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A FEW THOUGHTS TO PONDER:
Every time you see stories about millions of Americans receiving raises and bonuses due to the Trump tax cut remember this: NOT A SINGLE DEMOCRAT VOTED FOR IT.
The people who claimed President Trump has mental issues also claim there are more than two (2) genders. Let that sink in!
When people say the wealthy receives the majority of the tax cut – here is why. The top half of the earners in this country pay 97.3% of all income tax. The bottom half pays 2.8%.
Imagine you are a sitting President (Obama). You pick your successor, weaponized the FBI, DOJ and the IRS against the opponent. You control 90% of the media and you have two times the ad budget. You collude with foreign powers against the challenger and then you lose to a reality TV star you claim is beneath you…got to hurt.
Did you know? 2,700,000 kids have a parent in prison. 400,000 kids are in foster care. 765,000 kids are separated from their military parents not knowing that they will ever see them again. But the media focuses on 2,000 kids who are temporarily separated from ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS.
HERE IS AN IDEA…a reality show where socialist college students are sent to a country that closely resembles their desired political system and left to survive for a few months.
As a public service to individuals so bored in life that they actually read the bond newsletter, I feel that I need to offer something constructive, so for couples struggling to conceive, there may be an easy way to improve their chances: Ditch the tidy whities. Scientists at Harvard collected semen samples from 636 men, ages 18-56 who had been attending a clinic. About half wore loose-fitting boxer shorts; the others favored briefs and other tighter fitting underwear. After analyzing the samples, the researchers found that the boxer-wearers had a 25% higher sperm concentration. Bottom-line: Ditch the spandex, go without, or if you feel compelled to wear underwear, it appears that boxers are the answer.
In 1992, there were 860 U.S. counties where manufactures employed at least a quarter of the workers. Democrat Bill Clinton won 49% of those counties. In 2016, there were only 323 manufacturing heavy counties, but Republican Donald Trump won 95% of them.
Supreme Court Justices confirmed before 1800 served to an average age of 67 years old, while those confirmed between 1950 and 1974 served to almost 82 years of age.
If U.S. farmers switched from livestock to plants, they could feed an additional 650 million people. By replacing resource-gobbling cattle, pig and chicken farms with legumes like soy, along with fruits and veggies, American farmers could sustain more than twice as many people as they currently do.
About 47% of millennials have at least one tattoo, compared with 13% of baby boomers.
A QUICK HISTORY LESSON – Which party voted for it?
13th Amendment Abolished Slavery 100% Republican 23% Democrat | 15th Amendment Right to vote for all 100% Republican 0% Democrat |
14th Amendment Gave slaves citizenship 94% Republican 0% Democrat | OBAMACARE 0% Republican 86% Democrat |
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PARTING SHOT… Our “main street press” absolutely sucks. Nothing new, as Thomas Jefferson once quoted, “The most truthful part of a newspaper is the advertisements”.
Charles J. Nielson
