The New York Times showed its true colors in an editorial that was supposed to be a balanced account of some of the most controversial politicians. It’s not balanced and is indicative of why left wing, radical, liberal journalists deserve the trouncing they will experience in 2022 and 2024.

The author is an individual named Michelle Cottle, a member of the Times’ editorial board. I never heard of her so I googled her. She’s a long-time political writer for some liberal publications. She might as well be a member of Biden’s public relations team. The way she coddles politicians of her ilk is shameful and misleading. In particular, her effort to make excuses for Kamala Harris’ pathetic performance was sad.

It wouldn’t bother me if the cutesy pot shots were directed at buffoons on both sides of the aisle. Cottle’s “The 2021 Yearbook of Politics” was just too one sided. She loses credibility by not including President Biden, Bill de Blasio and the “Squad “ in Congress.

It’s amusing how two people can examine the same set of facts and have totally different perspectives. The most outrageous comments were directed at Sen. Joe Manchin. She writes that he is the “Biggest Pain in the Butt.” I’ll bet Manchin is not returning her phone calls or emails.

She indicates that Manchin spent the year obstructing his party’s legislative goals. Thank goodness the senator saw the light. Democrat proposals included a several trillion dollar giveaway that would have exacerbated inflation and ballooned our national debt. The climate change features of the legislation would have made us dependent on coal and natural gas from other countries. There was no way that the country could pay for the Biden smorgasbord of entitlements in the package. I’m ecstatic that Democrats were unable to ram the bill down our throats.

Cottle wrote that Manchin was “scrounging for Republican buy-in on voting rights legislation. Why would Republicans accede to a massive reformation of voting rights when the majority has only a razor’s edge advantage? Massive new legislation should be a compromise between the two national parties. Cottle, like Biden, overestimates the mandate from the voters.

The author wrote that Manchin regards his constituents “a bunch of slacker welfare cheats.” Really? I’d like to read Manchin’s words in context.  She called him a pious, pompous pointlessly destructive prat. (this word means “idiot”) . .” In the meantime, the senator risked his future and his legacy trying to do the right thing for West Virginians.

I believe Manchin saved the country from a terrible economic disaster by standing up to his misguided colleagues. He is a hero. Cottle just doesn’t like anyone who doesn’t vote for open borders and entitlements with a quid pro quos.

It’s my blog and so I get to write about a person who should be in the yearbook.

Joe Biden, our president, is a modern day political Methuselah (he lived for 969 years). Biden rose to power because the country regretted the election of Trump, and the other Democrat choices were all sad alternatives. He has proven to be a pathetic leader and unable to manage Congress. The administration has managed the pandemic ineffectively and given Americans no confidence that the virus will be defeated.  And worse, the president is constantly lying and making misstatements.

With hit pieces like this emanating from newsrooms, it will be a long time before politicians from both sides of the aisle work together for our nation.

Many Americans have become disillusioned with the behavior of their neighbors and leaders pre-election, post election and during the very annoying and disconcerting pandemic. Given the severity of the overall situation, I had hoped everyone would join together to battle the horrible and deadly viruses that have plagued us for two years. It seems that just the opposite is happening.

For our governmental leaders, the pandemic is not war like WWII. Men and women enlisted in the armed forces to fight an enemy that threatened our freedom and our lives. Correspondingly, our leaders told the truth about impending danger as a courtesy to those at home. They did not withhold information from the minority leaders in government, as their support enabled our forces to be more prepared to fight. Both groups worked together to annihilate the enemy for the benefit of America. Politics was set aside for the duration of the war.

These days politicians are running for office 100% of the time.  All their communication is wordsmithed to help these individuals win future elections. The personal interests of our politicians are considered ahead of the security of our nation. It’s time this ended.

Today, in Congress, there are all types of special interest groups that are interfering with the smooth operation of the government. But, what about those who are not members of an interest group? Who’s looking out for their needs?

Then there are the pols that are driven by their feelings about social issues. How can a senator follow his conscience about a woman’s right to choose if 60% of his or her constituents are on the other side of the issue? I think pols should not vote their conscience on controversial issues unless his or her constituencies are in agreement.

Our country has wasted so much time, effort and money arguing about social issues, like the aforementioned women’s rights. The way to put controversy to rest is to compromise. We should not attempt to change the laws previously enacted every time the Supreme Court moves to the left or to the right. Women are legally able to obtain abortions. That is the law. Why can’t we just agree on a period of time that a woman must choose to move forward, whether it be based on the viability of the fetus or a time that is consistent with scientific facts?

Gun control is another issue that raises the temperature in Washington. Many believe owning firearms is mandated by the Constitution. Others disagree. The endgame in this battle on a national scale is common sense and negotiation that will make everyone safer. Keeping weapons out of the hands of criminals, mentally ill individuals and minors without parental supervision is good for everyone. When a crazed individual killed 20 babies in Connecticut it should have encouraged our leaders to find ways to secure the safetyof all individuals as it pertains to owning weapons.

There are all kinds of disagreements relating to income inequality. For some reason, people on the left believe that the most wealthy and successful among us are stealing from the poor. I can assure you that these people are unable to cheat and avoid prosecution. The tax laws and the perspectives of the authorities are so stringent and lopsided that it is impossible to get away with illegal activities, especially when the target is a wealthy person. Bernie Madoff had no chance to walk away from the people he swindled. And now he is suffering the consequences of his actions for the rest of his life in prison.

One of the most misunderstood perceptions relating to welfare, entitlements and other assistance is that it cannot be perpetual. Our country cannot afford to subsidize able-bodied people in perpetuity. Aid should be enacted to respond to a need, a moment in time.  Eighty percent of the country cannot live off the government unless we abandon our capitalist society. Assistance should come and go as needs materializes. A beneficiary should have the responsibility to find a job and escape welfare. Providing for your own family is the end game that will satisfy those Americans who are paying for entitlements.

Americans must take the lead in changing our world from a place where wars start on a daily basis and human rights violations are commonplace. As a separate point, all American should appreciate that the US is by far the most advanced place in terms of security and standard of living. To see people marching in the streets and protesting violently is a sad sight for those of us who appreciate the benefits of living in America. Where else could these people live more happily than in this country? But the problem is that the global community spends far too much on bombs and rifles. Perhaps, one day, this money will be used for social advancement.

Back to the pandemic. For starters, I believe everyone should have the option to be vaccinated. But there is a huge potential downside to not doing so. The doctors and scientists say the virus will be controlled sooner if everyone takes the shots. So why do some eschew the vaccinations? To some it is a violation of civil liberties. I think the antivirus people should open their minds, be considerate and join the team. By doing so we will be able to lead a normal life much sooner without fear.

If non-vaccinated people persist they will be ostracized more every day. Already one cannot eat at restaurants and attend parties without proof of vaccination. This phenomenon will continue as the pandemic proceeds.

In summary, Americans and their leaders need to be more tolerant and flexible and end negativity and confrontation.

One of my readers indicated that Softball Politics has become unduly negative during the past few months. After musing about this observation, I decided to write an upbeat post. Thank you Chris T.

In case you have not noticed, newspapers and news outlets are generally focused on tragedies and unhappy events. Scan the front page of the NY Times and see for yourself. Political intrigue, natural disasters, homicides, rioting, wars, human rights violations, sexual misbehavior, pandemics, illness and crime are all the rage. But today, in this essay, I’m going to say some positive things about our country and our world.

Note: Today’s headlines in the Times include the following: “Manchin Says No, Deserting Biden. .  .” “Potential Fatal Blow Hits a $2.2 Trillion Spending Plan,”  “Most Shots Used Abroad May Not Halt Omicron,” “Shelters Rely On Landlord Called Worst,” “How the I.O.C. Shields China,” etc.

To begin with, our nation is fighting valiantly against Covid and it’s mutant offspring. Sometimes the government seems befuddled, and a significant number of Americans have chosen not to be vaccinated. But our pharmaceutical companies have performed magnificently. They created vaccines in record time, thereby saving millions of lives. It’s unknown how long the pandemic will disrupt our lives, but America will not give in to this deadly disease.

Our children are back in school for the most part. Educators agree kids learn better when they do it face-to-face with their teachers. Some of our young ones are probably a little behind, but there is ample time to catch up. Thankfully, our teachers have cooperated in recent weeks with back to school mandates across the country.

The stock market has rewarded investors who have had the courage to stay invested during Covid. Liberals don’t accept trickle down economics, but the current rally in the markets will generate a lot of money for charities and social programs moving forward.

I hope cultural events continue to increase. There has been some hesitation recently. However, sports events, concerts, movie theaters are more prevalent these days. During the health crisis, so many activities were canceled leaving Americans with a death of entertainment options. Covid has benefited the likes of Netflix and HBO.

It’s hard to quantify, but I believe American families have grown closer during the pandemic. Parents spend more time with their children. This will pay dividends in the future. Unfortunately extended family activities have been deferred in many situations.

I think first responders including teachers have done a remarkable job. Many risk their lives every day. Many sick individuals were saved because of their bravery, empathy and the dedication of doctors, nurses and emergency medical teams.

The world has become healthier and more diligent on the heels of Covid. This may be a very important phenomenon for the future as Mother Nature challenges our determination to survive. Who knows what sinister health issues may arise in years to come?

On a related note, more money for more research needs to be spent to protect our world.  Perhaps the global community will be more conscientious and spend less on nuclear weapons, bombs and rifles. This savings could be used to anticipate the next pandemic.

As we look forward, what improvements can we expect? Domestically, we must improve the quality of our leaders. They need to be more concerned with the well-being and safety of their constituents and the country, rather than only trying to retain their seats in government. What ever happened to term limits?

Our leaders and lawmakers must be mindful that indiscriminate spending will result in more inflation. Carefully crafted entitlements are the key to helping the needy and ultimately balancing the budget.

Americans must practice their right to protest, peacefully. Our police departments should consider their protocols and find agreement with local leaders.

Our borders are vulnerable. The government needs to enforce new policies to protect our homeland.

The education of our children is critical to our future. Powerful unions have been an impediment to better conditions and performance. It’s time we all worked for the same goals.

Internationally, our focus should be on peace, human rights and disease control. We, and the rest of the world, have a long way to go, so the US must assert itself in the future to insure better conditions for everyone.