I have lived through a multitude of life experiences in my seven decades. Most of them have been happy and rewarding.

Of note, I have been blessed with wonderful children and a spectacular wife, a partner for many years. Additionally, I have had a few different careers that challenged me as a businessman and a person of letters.

During my life, there have also been some very sad moments when I lost confidence in my country and my fellow Americans. It seems as though the worst days have happened in recent years.

My early years in high school were very rewarding and fulfilling. My relationship with my parents, who are gone, was excellent throughout my time with them. Frankly, I never had a serious argument with my mom and dad. In fact, on Mother’s Day and I remembered my loving mom as most people on this occasion.

Career-wise, I was fortunate. My lifestyle for the last 50 years has been exciting as a businessman, author and blogger.

What has been disappointing are the challenges around the world that seriously damage my confidence in my fellow man, and women. Never-ending conflicts (ie.,Vietnam), continuing episodes of bigotry and genocide, insane moments of terrorism such as 9/11 and extreme polarization between America and other countries have been depressing and sometimes create existential threats to humanity. The latest conflict between Israel and Hamas has no logical end.

A lot has happened during my life, so I’ll focus on the last 10 to 15 years. I want to discuss my expectations for mankind and womankind.

Lifestyles around the world are not satisfactory in many places. Starvation, wars, genocide, bigotry, religious fanaticism and ignorance have played a major role in events during the last two decades. There are many who still fight with each other because they pray to a different god. And, there are many who carry thousand year grudges against other social groups.

Specifically, in America, college students are singing an old and disgraceful song; it’s entitled “Anti-Semitism.” On the heals of centuries of discrimination, including the Holocaust, some are once again attributing their hardships to Jews around the world.

Although Black Americans have made strides towards equality, the group still suffers from poverty, poor education and financial stress.

America sends aid to many countries that are supposed to 
ingratiate the US around the world. American arrogance taints our generosity, as the US stands alone on so many important issues affecting lives of so many. Read what diplomats say about America while speaking to the United Nations General Assembly.

Since foreign aid is a burden on our financial system, why wouldn’t we divert it to meet the needs of Americans who are homeless and hungry. We accommodate interlopers on our borders, caring for those who enter our country illegally, and there are thousands of people starving in America.

Our country has made little progress decreasing military expenditures. All the advanced weapons we build each year are not even being used to keep the peace, while many Americans don’t know where their next meal might come from.

One of the greatest disappointments has been our government. A lack of effective leadership has resulted in existential problems and unprecedented polarization. Republicans and Democrats must have productive debates about many issues. This polarization results in government paralysis. 

Urban schools are shameful. The government keeps throwing money at the system and every year students do not meet minimum standards and are far behind other developed countries. An over aggressive teachers’ union has been eroding our school for years.

My great expectations cover important issues in the world. Of particular importance is the need for more food, clean water, medicine and shelter for people everywhere.

We must stop wasting money on weapons that can end the world by conducting peaceful negotiations, in highly unstable areas around the globe. 

We must elect new leaders that can build an effective majority in Congress and in state and local  governments. Neither Trump nor Biden is competent in this regard.

We must learn to listen, teach, heal, and befriend others so that we can improve all the things that would make our world a better place to live.

The protests breaking out across the country are a serious threat to our country.

Throughout history, social and political discord have been accompanied by condemnation of Jews. In other words, when groups of people experienced troubled times, they accused Jews of causing problems.

The Middle East is an excellent example of this phenomenon. Arab countries have not been able to live in peace because Shia and Sunni religious sects cannot coexist. Shia Iran seeks to defeat Sunni regimes and become the dominant leader in the region. Arabs defuse this intra religious feuding by seeking out Jews to terrorize or murder. October 7 was such a moment.

The success of Israel infuriates Arabs because it has taken place with without the benefit of oil profits and orchestrated by Semites, and it involves the US. The advancements of Israel in technology, business, entrepreneurial endeavors and overall state of living is something that Arabs have resented and envied.

Arab nations would be impoverished if it were not for the oil under their countries. They continue to blame the competing religious sect and the State of Israel for all their problems.

It is inconceivable that young people around the world have adopted the Arab perspective and degraded the actions of Israel as they work to secure their status in the region. The most recent affair began with a vicious attack by Hamas on innocent Israelis in and around the Gaza Strip. Hamas terrorists kidnapped hundreds of people, raped women and murdered non-Arabs and Arab alike.

Like any country, Israel has decided to aggressively respond to the actions of Hamas and terrorists in general. Their objective is to defang the terrorists and shore up the security in the Palestinian territory. Hamas is deeply embedded in the area of contention and uses innocents to shield their fighters and killers. Unfortunately, this cowardly tactic puts civilians in jeopardy resulting in massive collateral damage.

The support Hamas is receiving from students around the world is illogical and troublesome. There is no reason for young people too stand behind terrorists who initiated the current violence in Israel. This does not mean that Palestinians are being treated fairly by Israel in the eyes of some people. But the protesters are taking the side of vicious killers.

The question is, should Israel continue to hunt down Hamas and terrorists located in Israel? If so the neighbors of Israel are concerned about a war spreading into their countries. Specifically, the countries involved are Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria and Iran.

Israel has the right to continue to protect itself and shore up its security against further terrorist attacks. However, many believe that Iran is the ultimate antagonist in this drama. It is supplying missiles and other kinds of armaments to terrorists located in Lebanon Syria Iraq. In the near future, Iran will develop a nuclear weapon which they will use to intimidate their neighbors, especially Sunni Arab countries.

The concern about the war spreading has blinded some people to the true danger of Iran wielding nuclear weapons. Iran will immediately threaten all Sunni countries, and it will result in an arms race where inexperienced and immoral groups will have an existential hold over the actions of others.

The United States and Israel should be working towards a program to eliminate Iran’s future nuclear program and clean up the proxy groups that are doing dirty work for Iran. A war with Iran that has no nuclear weapons will be a lot different than a war with them having a nuclear weapon.

As far as the protesting students are concerned, I believe that they should be treated harshly by the authorities when they are violent, Anti-Semitic and trespass on other people’s property. It’s outrageous that people are paying hefty college tuitions at all these schools and the students are being hampered by small groups that include non-students.

If the students do not disperse, they should be expelled from school, arrested, prosecuted and not be able to receive any school loan forgiveness from our misguided president.

I hasten to bring up the student strikes of 1970 when I was at Notre Dame. Student activism was inspired by an illegal war in Vietnam along with racial bigotry prevalent at the time. The objectives of the students who marched were well within their rights because of the illegal nature of what was going on in America and outside of the country.

The student strikes today are about events that are taking place in a far-off country, Israel. We have a right and a duty to protect our allies and assist them in guaranteeing security for their citizens. Israel is not committing any crimes. Just imagine if Canada invaded our country and kidnapped hundreds of people and murdered many of them.

The students have a right to protest peacefully. Antagonizing police, calling them names and fighting with them is far beyond the rights affiliated to free speech. I think this country needs to emphasize law and order in a number of different situations. One is ensuring that protests are peaceful and productive. Law and order must be paramount along with the rights of people to protect their property. Interlopers who come into our cities and antagonize the young people may not know the real facts and should be rooted out and incarcerated.

I’m afraid that the situation is out of hand and violence, death and loss of property will result as young people violently protest the situation in Israel.

The outrageous missile attack on Israel by Iranian forces did not surprise anyone who has paid attention to current events in the Middle East. Iran is perpetually looking for opportunities to escalate the conflict in the region.

The decision by Joe Biden to minimize hostilities going forward comes as somewhat of a surprise given the US’s pledge to protect Israel. The US’s decision to avoid a wider conflict is just another excuse to kick the can down the road. Until Israel and/or the United States launches an all-out strike against Iranian missile facilities, we will have no peace in the area. Giving Iran a pass on yet another atrocity will only serve to allow the rogue nation to rearm and possibly give them the time to finish developing a nuclear weapon.

Iran has proven time and again that they cannot be trusted, and it will continue to create problems for Israel and its neighbors. The ayatollahs have shown that they are untrustworthy and evil, and determined to destroy the State of Israel. The support the US has been given by a number of Arab states should lead Biden toward a much more aggressive attitude now.

I think it’s useful to remember that Iran has bigger fish to fry. It has to do with control of the Middle East and the prevalence of Sunni dominated countries. The 1,000-year war between Shia and Suni sects is a critical issue for Iran. Not until all Sunni countries bow down to Shia demands, will there be stability in the region.

It may be disquieting to people who think that a larger war in the Middle East is something to be avoided at all costs. This attitude is naïve and will continue to encourage more violence in the region, including a continuation of missiles launchings by Iran and its proxies.

Direct confrontation is the only way to make a point and to achieve peace.  Peace will not be attainable so long as Iran continues to conduct military actions against both Israel and Sunni nations.

Joe Biden is in an uncomfortable position. The world is waiting for the US to take a leadership role and stop the uncivilized and horrible attacks throughout the Middle East perpetrated by the Iranian government.

Direct confrontation now is the wisest path to follow. Iran is not interested in anything other than eliminating Israel, driving the US out of the Middle East and overthrowing Sunni governments.

America is rapidly approaching the election of either Joe Biden or Donald Trump. Given the negativity generated by both men, it might be worthwhile to consider what both men might do, or not, immediately after being elected president.

Biden. The immigration crisis is now the number one or number two problem facing the US according to recent polls. The Biden administration has proven it is totally incapable of leading America through this existential problem. More and more immigrants are coming across the border every day, and yet, Biden turns a blind eye to the issue that has now begun to affect cities and states across the country politically, economically and socially.

As predicted by experts, the flow of poor people, risky people and uneducated people is causing great concern throughout the 50 states. Yet the man who was responsible for guiding the country regarding immigration [Mayorkas- Secretary of Homeland Security] is still in office after having been impeached by the House of Representatives.

The influx of migrants brings with it more crime and refugee issues for all Americans. There are no criminal records available, so our law enforcement agencies have no idea what to expect from the interlopers. Nevertheless, liberals led by Biden are even suggesting giving money to illegal migrants, providing food, offering education, issuing drivers’ licenses and providing free hospital services to the millions that have already crossed our borders. Sanctuary cities are dreading the day that the concept was adopted by uniformed political hacks.

Biden will not effectively deal with these problems and illegals will continue to storm our borders and abuse American generosity.

The other major issue causing discontent is the corruption of the Biden family. Joe Biden has enabled relatives and friends to use the positions he has held historically to receive funds illegally from various parties worldwide, including countries unfriendly towards the US. It appears the Bidens have made millions off of the president’s reputation. It’s shameful that hard working Americans must sit and watch the Biden family rake in cash illegally from nations unfriendly to the US without reporting it for tax purposes.

There is no end to the corruption as Biden is protected by executive privilege. Why would Americans stand for this sort of abuse of power?

Trump. [Note: Nikki Haley is expected to drop out of the campaign for president opening a clear path for Trump.] I believe that Trump will do some things beneficial to America if he’s elected. For instance,  he will work to stop illegal immigration, and he will not allow rogue countries to continue to take advantage of America in the fight against terrorism and aggression. But that’s where it ends.

America should not elect a man or woman who is a liar, thinks he is above the law or is a convicted felon. Trump is a terrible person, a megalomaniac that has endeared himself to people who are sick and tired of politicians and business taking advantage of our government and economy. It is hard to believe so many voters are supportive given the former president’s outlandish leadership style. He will attempt to increase the power of the president if elected, in spite of constitutional constraints.

Trump will not abide by the laws of our country. He thinks he is above the law. We cannot elect a man who has encouraged sedition, who has cheated others during his whole career, and is just not capable of governing our country. It’s clear that Trump is all for himself and would care less for the well-being of our country.

I don’t know how the country can deal with the threat of these two men. We can only hope that Biden recognizes he is too feeble and too corrupt to be president for another term. Trump is a criminal fighting several indictments for misbehavior. Our democracy would be at risk as with Trump as president.

I want to offer specific reasons why Joe Biden and Donald Trump are not qualified to be the next president of the United States.

I will present two situations, one for each candidate, that will surely hamper their ability to make strategic decisions that would benefit the United States during the next several months of campaigning and thereafter.

Joe Biden is hardly a wartime president. He has not been sufficiently aggressive about the expanding role of Iran in any number of hotspots in the Middle East. And he certainly has not responded proportionately to Iran’s behavior recently in countries close to Israel.

Biden has unsuccessfully tried to make peace with the Iranians. This is impossible. He’s dealing with unprincipled thugs and murderers. And in the meantime, the Iranians are violating treaty agreements relating to its nuclear weapon aspirations, and they continue to call upon proxies to further de-stabilize the Middle East, including Lebanon, Yemen, and Iraq.

When Biden was negotiating the nuclear agreement, I thought it was a fool’s journey, and I stated so in no uncertain terms at the time on this blog. Once the Iranians inevitably develop a weapon, they will use it to intimidate, influence and threaten their neighbors, especially Sunnis in the region. Negotiations were dashed by Donald Trump, who wisely concluded that the imams were not trustworthy and would pursue their goal of Shia dominance.

Recently, Iranians through proxies have attacked American bases, and Israel by funding terrorists in the region. The recent deaths of three American soldiers in the region emphasizes the dire situation that exists because of minor skirmishes in the area. Even though members of both parties in the Congress have called for direct confrontation with Iran, Biden has walked away from nearly 200 incidents with Iranian proxies. 

This aversion to face down terrorist regimes, like Iran, is detrimental to American national interests. Middle East countries are recognizing that the US can no longer be relied upon to protect them. This will give larger military-oriented countries the impetus to defy the United States. Specifically, I’m referring to Russia and China.

Donald Trump will be spending an inordinate amount of time dealing with litigation on several fronts. This chore will take away from Trump‘s efforts to campaign for reelection and focus on presidential activities after the election. This week Nikki Haley pointed out that the United States will be ill-served by somebody who has these types of issues away from the White House. 

The country would be better served by a person who is focusing on those things that matter most to Americans, such as immigration reform, nuclear proliferation, terrorism, crime, education, and so on. 

It’s interesting, that both men have significant personal problems that will interfere with building a new presidential staff. Biden is attempting to get his rogue son under control, instead of doing the business of the American people.

I’m not sure what can happen to stop Biden and Trump from competing for the White House. Aside from a true catastrophe, it appears that our country will be stuck with two very unqualified, unprofessional megalomaniacs for candidates.

Don’t expect too much from either man. Biden will keep playing whack-a-mole with Americans if he wins. Trump will be busy with the nine lawsuits he is fighting.

In honor of my birthday of 75 years, I created a list of things a man 75 years old should consider doing and not doing. They are not in any special order.

• Buy season tickets to the Yankees
• Eat less meat
• Stop drinking alcohol
• Go on a romantic date with your significant other
• Call your kids weekly
• Take a computer class
• Go on an African safari
• Don’t buy a home with stairs
• Place a hand grip by your shower
• Hire an estate attorney
• Retain a urologist and take a PSA test annually
• Retain a cardiologist and have a stress test
• Get a colonoscopy
• Don’t smoke cigarettes
• Take all flu shots available
• Take a hearing test
• Stop driving at night
• Get your eyes checked
• Have dinner with friends every week
• Exercise, but don’t ride bicycles
• Don’t invest in the stock market
• Sell homes and replace them with condos to avoid cutting the lawn
• Contact your high school and college buddies
• Play golf twice a week
• Hire a manny to take care of you
• Visit your parents every week
• Focus on tax planning by gifting cash and family heirlooms early
• See The Rolling Stones
• Don’t argue politics at rubber chicken dinners
• Pay for your children’s weddings, education and medical care
• Do everything to keep your children living near you
• Kiss your kids every time you see them
• Don’t vote for Trump or Biden
• Write a book
• Write your biography
• Take yoga classes
• Meditate 10 minutes every day
• Take your whole family on a trip
• Buy a place in Miami
• Watch Godfather one and two again
• Buy a dog
• Buy a cat
• Learn how to cook
• Join a gym
• Lose weight
• Fall in love with your partner once again
• Don’t lose your balance and fall
• Play games
• Do puzzles
• Do the New York Times crossword puzzles
• Visit a church or a synagogue
• Shave every other day
• Change your clothes every day
• Kiss your partner when she doesn’t expect it
• Give money to your family members
• Don’t drink and drive
• Buy your partner a nice piece of clothing
• Don’t hate anyone
• Respect other people’s opinions
• Be active in your community
• Do something kind each day
• Don’t buy a gun
• Don’t gamble
• Don’t use drugs
• Pay your taxes
• Find charitable organizations to donate to  where you can make a difference
• Keep your money in the bank
• Never raise a hand to a woman
• Never raise a hand to a child
• Respect everybody’s right to free speech
• Don’t support violent protest
• Vote against lying and corrupt politicians
• Smile and laugh every day
• Enjoy every day of your life

As we start the New Year, the presidential election is looming over Americans. Voters should consider the expansive agenda of the new president and his or her ability and inclination to deal with a plethora of life and death issues.

At this moment the alternatives are either to reelect Joe Biden or bring back Donald Trump for another term. I consider both men to be dangerous and unacceptable choices. We can only hope that Biden drops out of the race because the polls indicate he will lose to anyone he runs against in the general election.

Regarding Trump, the man is not qualified to be president. He is an embarrassment to America. He clearly showed that he is a megalomaniac. How can voters live with themselves opting for a man who is clearly corrupt and who shuns the laws of the land?

Let’s review the various issues that the new president will need to deal with immediately upon being elected.

Immigration. The situation on our southern border is shocking. Record numbers of illegals are entering the country every day. We don’t know the backgrounds of any of these people. They could be criminals, terrorists and/or disease-ridden, and they are putting severe strains on the municipalities they end up settling in. Biden has repeatedly said there is no crisis, even as the number of migrants increases each week.

Biden has no idea how to deal with the crazy situation that exists along our borders. He seems to think that letting people into our country without restrictions is good for America and the Democratic Party. He is dead wrong. Trump would be a better person to deal with the immigration problems. Hopefully, he will deploy troops to the border to end the crisis and finish building the wall.

Healthcare. Along with many other entitlements Americans receive, healthcare benefits are going to bankrupt the country. Universal healthcare is not going to be enacted in the near future. The healthcare system is flawed with cheating by both healthcare practitioners and patients. Neither Biden nor Trump has the political capital to deal with the healthcare abomination.

Election reform. The electoral system is fraught with all sorts of problems that make Americans believe the results are not accurate. There is also a never-ending battle between the political parties to reconstruct voting districts.

I’m sure Joe Biden doesn’t have a clue about what needs to be done to make the system fair and dependable. His compatriots in the liberal wing of the party are constantly looking for ways to improve their status relating to voting. However, on the bright side, we have experienced more voter turnout with the dawn of early voting.

Income Inequality. The woke movement has been busy trying to come up with ways to abscond money from the most successful in America. For sure everyone should pay their fair share, but this is where the two sides move in different directions. Liberals would have us claw back hard-earned profits by the people who are responsible for the greatest innovations in every aspect of the economy and our daily lives. Decreasing the incentives of investors and great businesspeople is perhaps one of the most thoughtless things our lawmakers could do. Rather, cutting waste and antiquated social programs must be revisited and cancelled if they have served their purposes.

Biden in any case is unable to understand the potential harm he can do by supporting the woke interests in the country. Democrats led by Biden will increase taxes with abandon. Trump would likely attack woke forces and attempt to keep taxation under control by cutting waste and vetoing frivolous attempts to steal away hard-earned money from Americans.

The budget. It is incomprehensible that our nation is incapable of balancing the budget. Both Biden and Trump have a history of overspending. Congress needs guidance to bring our country’s financial position into balance. We cannot support other nations when our own financial position is underwater. We need to cut back foreign aid so that we can get every homeless and hungry American what they need to live a productive life. I’m skeptical that both presidential aspirants have the leadership qualities to deal with the budget.

Education. It’s become abundantly clear that urban children do not have the support of our educational system or their parents to receive an education that will enable them to live a normal life. The teachers’ unions have proven that they were not willing to make sacrifices to educate our children adequately during the Covid calamity. At home children must hear from their parents that education is the only path to escape poverty and peril in the ghettos. Neither Biden nor Trump has made a strong statement in this area.

Abortion. It is a shame that our country cannot put the abortion issue to rest, once and for all. Let’s keep the issue simple. Women should have a right to chose whether they want to take a fetus to birth. No government should rescind this right. We need to move on. Neither Biden nor Trump have the respect of Americans to effectively deal with this issue. By not settling this conundrum liberals will always have a political advantage.

Israel, Ukraine and the Middle East. We must continue to support Israel in its efforts to eliminate Hamas. The treachery of the original attack on Israel by the terrorists deserves a corresponding response. Wars always have collateral damage. However, Israel must continue to assure the US and all nations of the world that it will not intentionally kill innocent bystanders. Of course, there will be disagreements and propaganda affiliated with this process. I am not comfortable with either Biden or Trump dealing with this situation.

In Ukraine, there is a serious problem. How much support will be needed to fend off Russian aggression? At some point there must be a resolution. Once again Biden and Trump are not the statesmen qualified to negotiate a final peace.

The Middle East has a cancer growing at a rapid pace. Iran is responsible for virtually all of the unrest and terrorism in the region. It must end. The US will need to go to war on a limited basis before Iran develops a nuclear weapon. No longer should we ignore that Iran is using proxies to foment terror and insecurity. For this project I would never trust either Biden or Trump.

China. China is a present danger to Asia. It is working towards total dominance of the region. We must protect Taiwan and other nations against Chinese aggression. This will be a long-term project that will demand significant focus by the US president. I would not look towards Biden or Trump in this situation. Neither has the gravitas to make progress.

Crime. The sanctuary system in the country is a farce. Biden has affectively endorsed crime by not cracking down on illegal behavior in urban centers, or on college campuses. Freeing criminals without penalty is a recipe for anarchy. Biden has proven that he does not have the guts to face off against irresponsible district attorneys. Trump would be a better man to deal with this issue.

The challenges that face the next president will be gargantuan. The two current leading contenders are not up to the task. America beware.

The controversy surrounding protests at three Ivy League colleges relating to the conflict in Israel has been exacerbated by the true intent of freedom of speech.

In its simplest form, freedom of speech allows anyone to speak their mind without limitations. However, if the words of a person lead to violence or are part of an effort to incite violence, some say constitutional rights of speech offer no protection. Therefore, it is relatively clear that if words hurt the feelings of a person, or a group he or she is part of, technically, the words are acceptable. Note: Common decency should temper rhetoric that is offensive even if it is allowed by the Constitution.

The Ivy League presidents were evasive in their responses to questions by members of Congress last week. The questioning was hostile as was the discussion of campus freedom of speech. The academics would not forcefully condemn the hurtful and degrading speeches and threats of violence by supporters of Hamas on Israeli citizens and others.

The protesters are siding with the “oppressed people” of Gaza by encouraging comments relating to Israel’s alleged illegal control of the region and turning a blind eye to the underlying Anti-Semitism that young people are expressing in their rhetoric. The protesters have inspired bigotry and fear for Jewish students on campuses across the country. It is this last point that is most controversial. Protesters have the right to object to Israel’s alleged colonialism, but not with intent to kill or intimidate Jews as a race of people.

The university presidents made the mistake of emphasizing legal issues rather than speaking from the heart. They alluded to context and not the fact that that Hamas invaded Israel and killed over 1,000 people. The simple answer to the question of do you believe students have the right to intimidate other students or not, is students don’t have the right to intimidate other students verbally with violence or the threat of it.

Universities across the country have interfered with the free speech of many conservatives over the years. At Berkeley (where the fight for freedom of speech began), students committed acts of violence and property destruction to stop a right-leaning talking head from expressing his opinions. Universities have always sided with the left against right-wing supporters.

Are our children in college being subjected to some form of indoctrination of liberal and radical ideology? It seems that professors are teaching with a left-wing biased perspective and not allowing responses if they are to the contrary.

But back to the issue at hand. How far to the extreme should we allow students to express themselves? The simple answer is until it approaches violence and outright bigotry. Free speech protection should not inspire violence by any side. If this is not practical or doable under current laws, Congress should propose changes to the freedom of speech powers in the Constitution

The Israeli/Hamas conflict resumed after a respite that enabled the sides to trade prisoners and hostages. Basically, this entails a continuation of bombing by Israel that unfortunately puts innocent people living in in Gaza in harm’s way.

The actions of Hamas are being condemned by most reasonable people around the world, but there is a growing illogical sentiment that Israel is committing war crimes against civilians (even though Hamas initiated the hostilities by kidnapping, murdering and raping innocent Israelis). With this in mind, the actions of some young people in the US, and the world, in support of terrorists is astonishing and, well, disgraceful.

Where is the violence taking us? The people who live in the Middle East must be unnerved by the vitriol expressed by both sides of the current conflict. Hamas viciously attacked Israel from Gaza and committed unspeakable atrocities. Israel’s response was to openly declare its intent to kill all Hamas followers to avenge the crimes of the terrorists.

What’s making the situation that much more disquieting is that Hamas is defying and baiting Israel to kill more Palestinians to stimulate sympathetic responses from around the world. To a degree, the kidnappers and murderers have been very successful. Israel’s is relentless in its search for the criminals, but the cost in terms of collateral damage has been and will be significant. Many Arabs will never forgive Israel for its scorched earth policy.

Worldwide protest in favor of Palestinians was something to be expected, but the slaughter of Israelis cannot be ignored. Why are young people siding with the murders, kidnappers and rapists of Hamas?

There are about 17 million Jews in the world and one billion Muslims. In a world energized by social media and rampant disinformation, it’s not surprising that Israel is losing ground in the court of public opinion. Moreover, the future growth of the Muslim population will continue to be exponentially greater than the Jewish birth rate in Israel and elsewhere.

All this leads back to a conundrum for Israeli leaders. What is their end game? In an extended war of attrition, Israelis are at a distinct disadvantage.

What must Israel do to retain its hold on the State of  Israel long-term? Israel must make peace with the Arab world. It must solicit peacemakers among the Arab community and create a plan to end the violence. The current strategy of Israel trying to kill every member of Hamas may assuage pain in the short-term, but it will make finding peace difficult prospectively.

What is the US role in the long-term? America must live up to its promise to protect Israel and provide it with armaments. Israel must be strong militarily and needs the US to help defend itself. Israel is going to be at war with radical Arabs for the foreseeable future.

The US must encourage the most reasonable and influential countries in the Middle East to work with Israel to end the violence, or at a minimum to fight against terrorism. Also on the agenda is the need to neutralize Iran, the greatest threat to peace in the Arab world. The US must prevent Iran from bankrolling new terrorism and from developing a nuclear weapon.

The US must encourage Saudi Arabia to lead the peace effort and counter efforts by interlopers to play a role. There’s no other way to fight terrorism without  support of the larger Arab countries. Note: These countries are threatened by rogue terrorists as well. The war between Israel and Hamas, and its supporters, has the potential to destabilize the region. It is in Israel’s best interest to end the war soon and start working on a peace arrangement.

I’m totally disgusted and tired of seeing Donald Trump in the news, stirring up trouble. He should be debating with Republicans who aspire to be the next president. I’m sick of hearing about his persecution by various legal entities. I’m frustrated with the meaningful number of Americans that support this contemptible man as he continually disrupts our society.

There is a caveat to my frustration. It is that Trump had/has some good perspectives about issues that are important to our country and our freedom. See below. Just because I loathe the man and his inflammatory rhetoric doesn’t mean that he would be unable to offer some good choices to Americans. However, I’m not suggesting in any way that he be reelected.

His attitude towards the southern border crisis is right on. This country has illegally opened borders under Democrat rule. Emasculated immigration laws and feeble immigration policies are going to destroy our government.

Trump’s disdain for certain world leaders and his get-tough attitude is refreshing and badly needed. The US’s timid response to terrorism and the rogue leaders of Middle Eastern countries has led to more violence. The only thing these people understand is power and strength. The US is not taking this approach, and we are being taken advantage of far too often economically, militarily and politically.

Trying to make peace with Iran is a losing proposition. Trump led the US away from this country. To make a nuclear treaty with Iran was outrageously inane. The ayatollahs hate America and make fools of us by attacking US military installations using proxies in Iraq and Syria. We should attack forcefully all those who are destabilizing the areas surrounding Israel. Iran should be on the top of the list.

Negotiating with Russia will get us nowhere. We should continue to squeeze the country economically. Russia is running out of money to fight against Ukraine.

China will never be our partner. It is jealous of our status in the world. We need to be strong and react with sanctions every time the Chinese overstep their boundaries.

Having said all this, Trump acts like a dictator, which rightly turns off a large segment of the electorate. He really isn’t smart enough to run the federal government. He proved this during his first term. He governs with a chip on his shoulder and an iron hand. His sycophants, political enemies and supporters are frightened of him. The last thing we need is another Hitler or Mussolini. See Tuesday’s New York Times.

And most important, people who violate the law should be punished. Criminals shouldn’t be allowed to run for public office, especially the presidency. Trump has pushed the limits of the federal judicial system too far. He breaks the law at will and is unafraid to threaten those who recognize that he is a liar and a cheat.

I’m an American through and through. There is no way I want a man in the White House who is above the law. Americans need to smarten up and get rid of Trump before he is in a position to do something really stupid.

We managed to escape Trump’s last reign of terror. We may not be so lucky on a second time around.

Vote against Trump. Republicans, don’t be afraid to defeat this megalomaniac.