As the Delta variant surges here in the States and around the world, I am seriously rethinking my adventure to Portugal in October.  The CDC Level 4 travel advisory is still in place for Portugal due to the increasing case load there.  However, of greater concern to me is what is happening here in the States.  As I’ve stated previously, the worst-case scenario is to successfully get to Portugal and then get trapped over there due to a shutdown or restrictions for returning to the US.   I have already cancelled two trips.

I cancelled my trip to go hiking in Scotland, both due to the COVID situation and I came to my senses and realized that hiking across the Scottish Highlands by myself on the cusp of winter was probably not the most brilliant idea I’ve ever had.  They moved my deposit to another trip next year so it is still on the agenda but, hopefully, I can find some other fool to go with me and then we can do it in the spring or summer when the weather risk is not so great.  I was also scheduled to attend a class reunion back in Miles City in September and just pulled the plug on that as well.   The vaccination rate in Custer County is quite low and I’m sure there won’t be a mask in sight as the crowds gather for this event.  I decided it was just not worth the risk as the Delta variant will no doubt be having a field day in such a ‘target rich’ environment.

Unfortunately, this fall and winter is shaping up to be a replay of last year with surging cases, reimplementation of mask mandates (probably won’t happen here in Montana!!), and all of us, vaccinated or not, having to take precautions once again and alter our plans.   It is particularly frustrating since it didn’t have to be this way.  We, collectively, had the power to solve this problem but have chosen not to – at least the 90 million people in this country who have refused to get vaccinated.

The people who refuse to get vaccinated seem to fall into two categories.  There are those who listen to the misinformation and refuse to get the vaccine because “they don’t want to be guinea pigs,” thinking that the vaccine is unsafe.  That argument simply defies logic.   Hundreds of millions of doses of the vaccine have been administered and the number of adverse reactions is smaller than miniscule.  You are far more likely to get struck by lightning than to have a severe adverse reaction to the vaccine.   The “I don’t want to be a guinea pig” excuse makes absolutely no sense when you simply look at the numbers.

The other group talks about their rights regarding both wearing masks and getting vaccinated.  I’ve seen anti-mask and anti-vaccine protestors carrying signs along the lines of, “My body, my rights”.  I find it extremely ironic that many of these people are the same people who are adamantly against abortion.   If a woman has the ‘right’ to refuse to participate in basic public health measures that are clearly effective in stopping the spread of a virus that has killed over 600,000 Americans, why don’t they believe women have the right to take control over their own reproductive health and decisions?   A woman’s decision to have an abortion has absolutely no effect on the health of the rest of the population.  A person’s decision to refuse to wear masks or refuse to get vaccinated has consequences for the entire community in which they live.  How does that make any sense whatsoever?

It doesn’t and that’s the problem.  The decisions regarding public health have become so politicized that it is pointless to try to inject any logic whatsoever into the equation.  I saw an interview with a Republican politician recently where the reporter asked him if he was vaccinated and he refused to answer by saying, “I don’t want to take sides.”  “Take sides!”  How the hell is protecting yourself, your family and your community ‘taking sides’?  It just indicates the politicization regarding this issue.

I guess the bottom line is that I will go to Portugal for my reconnaissance trip but I may have to adjust the timing.  We’ll see.  I’ll wait a little while before I make a final decision given that things seem to change fairly rapidly.

In order to leave all of this nonsense behind, Jordan and I are going golfing today.  She wanted to learn to golf so I hooked her up with the pro at one of the local courses for a lesson.  I haven’t swung a golf club in years so I’ll spend a little time on the driving range.  After all of that, we’ll hit the short executive course which should be very amusing.  But I’m sure we’ll have lots of fun and that’s what it’s all about.

My daughter, Jordan, flew into Bozeman yesterday to visit for a few days before she starts grad school at Boston University in a couple of weeks.  It’s always a joy when she’s here because we always have wide ranging and interesting conversations.  Last evening was no exception.   We were talking about my upcoming (potential) trip to Portugal and as conversations often do, we meandered away from that and ended up talking about climate change. 

As you may or may not be aware, the United Nations just released an extensive report detailing the state of the world with respect to climate change and it painted a pretty grim picture.  There should be no doubt that climate change is real given the extreme weather that we have all witnessed and been subject to this summer.  And yet, there are still those who either don’t believe it is real or don’t believe it is as serious and as big an existential problem as it actually is.  We were discussing this when Jordan made an excellent point. 

She pointed out that most of the people in government (at least in the US) now are ‘older’ and the simple fact is, most of us in this generation will be dead and gone before the full effects of climate change are really felt.  For most people, it is difficult to be willing to make sacrifices and change the way that the do things today when the fact is, they themselves will never see the benefits of making these changes.  If you tell someone that something draconian will happen in 30 years and they don’t expect to be alive in 30 years, it can often turn into ‘so what’.

Unfortunately, there is no way that climate change can be tackled without significant government action and investment.  Yes, we can all switch to hybrid vehicles and use our own bags when we go to the grocery store, but that will only go so far.   That will not address situations like we have here in Montana such as the coal mining in Colstrip.  There you have an entire town whose population are primarily dependent upon coal mining either directly or indirectly.  You can’t just flip the switch and turn that off.   And you have issues like that scattered across the entire country, e.g., West Virginia.  In order to make the kinds of massive changes that are required to change the economies of these types of towns, will require huge amounts of government investment.    The typical Republican solution to all problems to slash taxes and reduce government just will not work. 

Until we get people in government who are willing to be looking ahead 20, 30 and 40 years and making the investments now for which, they themselves will likely never reap the benefits, future generations will pay a very heavy price.  As I was telling Jordan last night, although I firmly believe that climate change is real and will continue to worsen during my lifetime, the fact is, I will not be around long enough to feel the full brunt of the future effects if we continue to do little to tackle this problem.  She, however, and her children will feel the effects throughout their lives.  She told me that in conversations with some of her contemporaries, some of them have stated they don’t intend to have children because they don’t want to subject them to what they see as a looming catastrophe.   All of us should want a better world for our children and their children but it will require governments around the world, include the United States, to make massive investments to implement the types of changes that are required. 

Unfortunately, the short-term focus and outright greed of so many politicians and corporations today are standing in the way of solving these very real problems.  There were two articles in the Bozeman Chronicle this morning that serve as prime examples.  They prompted me to write the following letter for submission to the Chronicle.

“I am so happy to see that our attorney general, Austin Knudsen, is using his time and our taxpayer dollars to tackle problems that plague everyday Montanans.  The article, “State leading effort to overturn ban on bump stocks,” in the Chronicle, details his effort to file an amicus brief to the courts to have the ban on bump stocks overturned.  As you recall, bump stocks are those devices that allow one to turn a semi-automatic weapon into a weapon that fires more rapidly, i.e., essentially into a fully automatic weapon.   I’m still scratching my head to understand what particular problem this will solve for those of us who live here in Montana.  Montana has one of the highest drunk driving fatality rates in the country.  Montana has one of the highest suicide rates in the country (most by firearms I might add).  The state has been feeling the effects of climate change with the excessive heat and widespread drought this summer.  The pandemic is once again surging across the state.  Housing for employees and staff shortages are plaguing businesses across the state.  There is no shortage of challenges facing the people of this state and to have the attorney general spend even five minutes on bump stocks is an insult to us all.  Couple this with the essay by guest columnist, Rep. Marilyn Marler, “GOP turning Montana into a playground for the wealthy,” and its very clear that the Republicans now controlling this state are rapidly turning ‘The Last Best Place’ into the ‘The Least Best Place’. “

While COVID complications are still very much on my mind, I completed most of my flight arrangements to Portugal yesterday and have a rental car reserved.   Now I will start locking down accommodations.   I plan to spend the first few days in Lisbon, then grab my rental car and head up north to the Silver Coast and the area around Porto.  I will be there a little over a week.  I then plan to drive the length of Portugal down to the Algarve in the south where I will spend the next two weeks.  At least that’s the plan.  Everything these days is subject to change with short notice.

Right now, Portugal is open, although a negative COVID test is required prior to entry.  The worst-case scenario would be if I successfully get over there but have trouble getting home.  I guess we’ll see.  I’m hoping that if they determine that a third booster shot is required, they will make that decision before I leave.  I will certainly be one of the first in line.

Cases in Montana are now surging like across much of the nation.  We are also one of those Republican-controlled states where Governor Gianforte signed a bill prohibiting the enforcement of mask mandates.  I find it extremely ironic that all of these Republican-controlled states cry loudly about ‘States’ rights’ when the Federal government issues nationwide mandates but apparently think that once things get to the state level, they are entitled to act like dictators and strip the rights of every company, institution and person beneath them.   They don’t want the president to act in an authoritarian manner but are perfectly comfortable doing it themselves.  Go figure.

It is hard to understand the thinking (or lack thereof) of people like Governor DeSantis (Florida) or Governor Greg Abbott who are acting like tin horn dictators with respect to outlawing basic public health measures that have been proven effective.  Now, Governor DeSantis is threatening to withhold the salaries of school officials who defy his edict to ban masks in schools.  Really?   Using children as political pawns is outrageous.  There are international laws against using children as soldiers and this seems to be on the same level. 

Think about this for a second.  Ron DeSantis is one of the frontrunners in polls regarding who might be the Republican nominee for president in the 2024 elections if Trump doesn’t run.  (Hopefully he will have been indicted by then!).  DeSantis’ behavior to date seems to be Trump on steroids, if that’s even possible.   It’s not hard to see what direction this country would take if someone like DeSantis were to be elected.  That is truly frightening.  If you thought Trump did everything he could to undermine democracy in this country, DeSantis would likely join Hungarian Prime Minister, Viktor Orban, as someone who was responsible for the actual death of democracy. 

DeSantis’ continuing harangue against immigrants and blaming them for the surge in COVID cases in Florida is right out of the ‘authoritarian playbook.’  When you look at virtually every authoritarian leader who rose to power, they almost universally used inflammatory rhetoric against immigrants as one of their springboards to power.   Trump did it in 2016 and you can bet whoever the Republican nominee is for 2024 will do it again.  If the nominee is DeSantis, the existing polarization in this country will get even worse.  As I have said before, many people in this country don’t seem to have any idea of how close we are to succumbing to authoritarian forces that will change this country forever.  I’d like to be optimistic and think that this trend can be reversed but somedays, after reading the news, it’s very difficult.  Which is why I intend to carry on with my exploration of places to potentially move.

Author’s Note: I am having trouble with copying the font size and style correctly. Not sure what is going on. Forgive the mess. I’ll get it straightened out.

Tucker Carlson of Fox News fame recently spent a week in Hungary extoling the virtues of Viktor Orban, the Prime Minister of that country.  The article that I’ve included below should be required reading for anyone who believes that American democracy could never be compromised and replaced by an authoritarian regime.  One can only surmise that this is what Tucker Carlson, Fox News, Donald Trump and his acolytes want to see happen.  That certainly seems to be the case as more and more information emerges about Trump’s attempts to overturn the last election.  I have included the article, “It can’t happen here? Viktor Orban’s Hungary show how democracy dies,” in its entirety. 

One of the lines in this article that really struck a chord with me was the line, “The lessons learned were about power, not policy.”  If you choose not to read the entire article, the two paragraphs which I have extracted below should suffice to give you an idea of how close American is to the precipice of the authoritarian abyss.  The words “reworked the electoral system”, “creative gerrymandering” and overhauling the judicial system should all sound very familiar given what’s going on in Republican-controlled state legislatures. 

It Can’t Happen Here? Vitor Orban’s Hungary Shows How Democracy Dies

“After the Berlin Wall fell, General Electric ran a commercial with an elderly woman waltzing at a grand ball, proclaiming, “I feel young again.” The idea was that Hungary, a country that challenged its Soviet occupiers throughout the Cold War, was ready to embrace freedom and democracy. One could not run that ad today.

Today, the government of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban is accused of using spyware against Hungarian civil society. Orban’s government issued an official reply to the accusations, saying that Hungary is a democratic state that believes in the rule of law. That may be the problem. The rule of law is being used as an excuse to establish an autocratic regime in Hungary and elsewhere. Orban’s Hungary offers a cautionary tale of how this move toward autocracy can happen in the context of a parliamentary democracy. 

Viktor Orban did not start out as an autocrat. He stood up against the Soviet Union as a university student, calling for the withdrawal of Soviet troops from Hungary in 1989. His Fidesz Party, which now rules Hungary, was founded by a group of pro-democrats. When the Berlin Wall came down, Orban supported democratic elections and a market-based economy. He embraced Hungary’s engagement with Europe and was active in Hungarian liberal politics. 

Orban and Fidesz began a shift to the right in the mid-1990s when the largest center-right party fell apart and Fidesz claimed that political space, despite its liberal roots. It worked, and in 1998 Fidesz prevailed in the national elections and Orban became prime minister. Fidesz lost power in 2002 and Orban was out. He became prime minister again in 2010 when he and Fidesz regained power.  The interregnum between 2002 and 2010 apparently was a learning period for Orban and his party. The lessons learned were about power, not policy.

Hungary was hit hard by the 2008 economic crisis. Its economy shrank by 7 percent in 2008, and the solution was to turn to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), which required Hungary to implement an unpopular austerity program. Orban and Fidesz viewed this as an opportunity, and successfully ran in 2010 on a platform of taking on big business and the European Union, and telling voters he would help them take back their country. It was Orban’s first foray into what would become his brand of autocratic populism.

After winning the election in 2010, Orban began efforts to control the media. Specifically, he established a commission fining journalists for vague attacks on “human dignity.” He put Fidesz loyalists in charge of state-supported media outlets, and imposed regulations on media outlets critical of the government, while giving special rights to those that were supportive.  

Orban did not stop there. In 2012, he pushed a new constitution through parliament. He reworked the electoral system with creative gerrymandering. He also overhauled the judicial system, among other things, establishing a National Judicial Office so Orban could put in place judges loyal to him and Fidesz.  

Orban’s politics were in keeping with his more institutional moves to consolidate power. He began to embrace the issues being put forward by the far-right Hungarian Party, Jobbik, which has an anti-Semitic focus, because he viewed them as a political threat. In 2015, Orban declared that he would build a 100-mile fence on the Hungarian border to keep refugees out, referring to them as rapists, criminals and terrorists.  

Versions of the Orban playbook are appearing elsewhere in Europe, including Poland, Slovenia and the Czech Republic, with varying degrees of success. The biggest ally of Orban and Fidesz, however, has been the lack of an organized political opposition. The erosion of democracy in Hungary took time, and the political takeover came from within, in part, because the pushback by the political opposition was ineffective and at times apathetic. Recent protests in Hungary in support of LGBTQ+ rights are an indication that the Hungarian people are beginning to push back against Orban, but this effort must be expanded and sustained if it is to succeed. Much damage has been done already. 

In 1933, then-German President Paul von Hindenburg brought Nazi Party leader Adolf Hitler into government as chancellor, even after the Nazis lost seats in the 1932 election. While he was chancellor, the Reichstag (or Parliament) burned under suspicious circumstances and Hitler used it as a pretext to call for elections. The Nazis won a majority and later took complete control through a legal framework known as the Enabling Acts. As Hitler did, Orban and others in Europe and globally make use of existing government frameworks to build their power base.  They face down political opposition with audacity and determination.

Democracy works only if it is supported by the people. Its demise may not come with a violent insurrection or civil war. It can come by way of a gradual undermining of institutions through existing constitutional and legal means. Orban’s Hungary offers a cautionary tale for those who believe “it could never happen here.” It can happen anywhere if there is not a united front to protect and preserve democratic institutions. 

To paraphrase T. S. Eliot, that’s the way democracy could end, not with a bang but a whimper, unless the opposition is willing to fight for democracy every step of the way.” 

William Danvers is an adjunct professor at George Washington University’s Elliott School and worked on national security issues for the Clinton and Obama administrations.

1. It can’t happen here? Viktor Orban’s Hungary shows how democracy dies | TheHill

With the devastating wildfires ravaging the West amid record drought conditions, it is hard to imagine there are those who still believe the climate change is not real.  The evidence is overwhelming.  And, as frustrating as it is that there are those who refuse to take this seriously, it is refreshing and heartening to know that some companies are making real strides to reduce the production of greenhouse gases.  I came across one such story about the Glenfiddich distillery in Scotland.  I thought today was a good day to post a ‘happy’ story.   I thought this was pretty cool.

“Whiskey is a potent potable that’s fueled many things—rebellion, imagination, and even some pretty epic hangovers. But until recently, it’s never fueled (or “fuelled” in Brit-speak) a truck.

While drinking and driving definitely do not mix when the alcohol’s in the driver, thanks to a partnership between Scotland’s Glenfiddich Whisky distillery and IVECO, a sustainable natural powered transportation company, a fleet of low-carbon trucks powered by bio-methane derived from the dregs of whiskey production is about to hit the road.

The process seems deceptively simple: Distillery waste materials are run through an anaerobic digester.

As they break down, gases are emitted and harvested. After a final cleaning process, the resulting product is a low-carbon, low-particulate biofuel.

“It has taken more than a decade for Glenfiddich to become the first distillery to process 100% of its waste residues on its own site, then to be the first to process those residues into biogas fuels to power its trucks, and finally to be the first to install a biogas truck fuelling station supplied by our on-site renewable energy facility,” Kirsty Dagnan, site leader at the distillery’s Dufftown facility said in a statement.

It’s estimated that each green and white “Fuelled by Glenfiddich” truck will displace up to 250 tonnes of CO2e each year.

In addition to producing eco-friendly fuel, the distillery has gone one step further toward reducing its carbon footprint—by using leftover solids from biofuel production to fertilize the barley fields of its farming partners.

As an added bonus, not only do these twice-over leftovers enrich the soil, they actually draw CO2 away from the atmosphere.

According to figures forecast by Glenfiddich’s parent company, William Grant & Sons, when compared to diesel and other fossil fuel alternatives, their innovative “closed-loop system” is set to cut annual greenhouse gas emissions by up to 99%—an equivalent environmental impact of planting 4,000 trees every year.

And who wouldn’t drink to that? Cheers!”

1. Glenfiddich Distilleries Launch Fleet of Trucks That Runs on Whiskey Waste (goodnewsnetwork.org)

My Harley sits contentedly in the garage as I have no intention of attending the Sturgis motorcycle cycle rally which begins today.  Attending any event with 700,000 of my ‘closest’ friends is not really in my character let alone during an ongoing pandemic.   The rally last year drew an estimated 435,000 participants and subsequently a number of COVID cases across the entire United States were traced back to Sturgis.  With the even more contagious Delta variant now ravaging the country, one would expect an even worse outcome from the event this year.

I saw an interview with a number of rally-goers and one man stated that his wife didn’t make the trip because she was at home sick with COVID.  Of course, he was standing in close proximity to others, all of whom were unmasked.   I guess he believes that walking around spreading COVID among the crowd, given that he was almost certainly exposed, is within his rights.  One can only shake one’s head at the selfishness and stupidity.

This weekend here in Bozeman is the annual Sweet Pea Festival.  It was cancelled last year due to COVID but is on in full force this year.   In a few hours, hundreds and hundreds of people will be crowded into Lindley Park at the east end of Main Street roaming around looking at the goods being offered for sale and sampling the various goodies being offered to eat.   I did, in fact, buy a ticket, but I’m sitting here wondering if going is worth the risk.

There will certainly be no mask mandate in place as the Governor and the Republican-controlled legislature have outlawed any such action.  In spite of a dramatic increase in cases here in Gallatin County and across Montana and the entire country it is apparent that most people here seem to believe that we are out of the woods and everything is all rosy.  I’m beginning to see a few more masks but they are still few and far between.

Gallatin County has one of the highest vaccine rates in the state but still stands at only 55% of the total eligible population being fully vaccinated.  My guess is, that when you factor in the large number of tourists in town and the large number of people who will attend the Sweet Pea festival from areas outside of Gallatin County, the percentage of people who are fully vaccinated at the Sweet Pea Festival will be 50% or less.

The event will be outside.  That’s true.  However, it will be crowded and there will be a lot of people milling around in a relatively small space.  So, I’m wondering whether or not its worth the risk to me.  And this is where I really struggle with this whole concept of people claiming that they have a right not to where a mask, get a vaccination or be part of the solution.   I also have rights.  Why should I be put in the position of having to decide whether or not I want to attend something like the Sweet Pea Festival because I know that there will be a large number of people there whose behavior and decisions are simply increasing the risk to me?

It’s true that I could wear a mask and attend the festival.  That is certainly the option I have.  After all, I am vaccinated so some might wonder what’s the big deal?   According to the medical professionals, given that I am fully vaccinated, it is likely that even I contract the virus, I won’t end up with a severe case.  However, there are other considerations.  It goes beyond the immediate risk.

My daughter is flying out to visit me on Tuesday for a few days before she starts school just before Labor Day.  What happens if I get exposed or pick up the virus, in spite of taking precautions and then expose her?  She is also vaccinated but she doesn’t need any extra pressure just at the beginning of the school year.  I am planning to leave for Portugal in a few weeks.  I will have to produce a negative COVID test before I get on the plane.  Do I want to take the risk of getting exposed and failing the COVID test and putting the whole trip in jeopardy? 

For me, I’m thinking its perhaps just not worth the risk.  I doubt if there is anything at the festival that I can’t live without.  I think perhaps I’ll just go for a bicycle ride and then perhaps take the HOG out for a little joy ride this afternoon.   They always say you should only worry about those things that you can control.  Given that, I’m sure the viral load in and around the Sweet Pea festival will be far higher than anywhere else I will go today so I will probably exercise my right not to go.   The really sad thing is, it didn’t have to be this way.

The fact is, I didn’t do much about my upcoming Portugal trip yesterday.  I was busy tending to the more mundane aspects of my life – mowing the lawn, etc. – and didn’t get much done.  And, of course, there is the recurring thought in the back of my mind, “Should I really do this in a time when the Delta variant is wreaking havoc everywhere?”  Then I read something and it kind of jarred me back to reality and the little voice in my head came back with a resounding and emphatic “yes!”  I still understand that this whole COVID thing can cause things to change rapidly and I know that all of my planning is subject to change and/or cancellation at a moments notice but for now I will press ahead.

Two things happened yesterday that reinforced my belief that it is time to continue this exploration of becoming a full or parttime expat.  First of all, I finished the book, “I Alone Can Fix It: Donald J. Trump’s Catastrophic Final Year”, by Pulitzer Prize winning authors, Carol Leonnig and Philip Rucker.  As I stated in a previous post, anyone who believes that Trump is in any way, shape or form qualified to be president, should read this book.  It paints a devastating picture of this narcissistic, vengeful and frankly, not very intelligent man and the chaotic and reckless way he makes decisions.  It was truly frightening. 

In addition to the dangers that Trump himself poses, he has surrounded himself with a whole cadre of truly frightening people.  Don’t forget that around 20 of Trump’s associates have been indicted since he took office and now that the tax returns from the Trump organization are being scrutinized by prosecutors, I’d be willing to bet huge sums of money that there are more indictments to come.   The book truly reads like Tony Soprano took over as president.

I’m sure there are those who read some of my blog posts last year when I was railing against Trump and wondering why I’m continuing now even though he is out of office.  After all, Biden is president, Trump no longer has access to Twitter and Facebook, Democrats control the House and the Senate so what is there to worry about?  Which leads me to the second thing I read which helped calm my concerns about moving down this expatriation path now.

I saw an interview with Richard Hasen, a law professor at University of California Irvine, in which he said he was “scared shitless” thinking about the 2024 elections.  It went on to explain that given all of the voter laws being passed in Republican-controlled states it is entirely possible that the popular vote in a state could go one way and if the state legislature does not agree with the choice of the people, they will have the ability to override it.  This is exactly what Trump was asking states like Arizona and Georgia to do in this last election.   This is without precedent in this country, but could very well happen in the 2024 presidential election.  The very thought of that should scare the shit out of any citizen of this country who believes in the Constitution and the very foundations of democratic rule.  The fact is, I have voiced the very same concerns raised by Hasen and so his interview really hit home.

A large number of Republicans seem to have bought into ‘The Big Lie’ and believe that Joe Biden was not legitimately elected and the election was ‘stolen’ from Trump in spite of zero credible supporting evidence and losing multiple lawsuits across the country.  This has all of the makings for another, even more volatile election cycle next time around.   And while I fully support the prosecution of anyone who participated in the January 6^th attack on the Capitol, my guess is that even those convicted of felonies will emerge and be better armed, better organized and primed for even more violence in 2024.   All one has to do is review Hitler’s rise to power (Wikipedia summary included below) to understand that the undermining of democracy does not normally occur overnight.  It happens over a period of years.  Trump may or may not run in 2024 but the radicalization of the Republican Party will not stop and it is quite likely that whoever the Republicans field as their presidential candidate in 2024 will be more ‘Trump’ than Trump.  And unless the Federal government enacts legislation to counter all of the anti-democratic election laws being passed at the state level, the Republicans will reclaim the White House – fairly or unfairly.  As I have said previously, anyone who thinks, “this could never happen in America” is not paying attention.

“Adolf Hitler’s rise to power began in Germany in September 1919 when Hitler joined the political party then known as the Deutsche Arbeiterpartei – DAP (German Workers’ Party). The name was changed in 1920 to the Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei – NSDAP (National Socialist German Workers’ Party, commonly known as the Nazi Party). It was anti-Marxist and opposed to the democratic post-war government of the Weimar Republic and the Treaty of Versailles, advocating extreme nationalism and Pan-Germanism as well as virulent anti-Semitism. Hitler attained power in March 1933, after the Reichstag adopted the Enabling Act of 1933 in that month, giving expanded authority. President Paul von Hindenburg had already appointed Hitler as Chancellor on 30 January 1933 after a series of parliamentary elections and associated backroom intrigues. The Enabling Act – when used ruthlessly and with authority – virtually assured that Hitler could thereafter constitutionally exercise dictatorial power without legal objection.

Hitler rose to a place of prominence in the early years of the party. Being one of its best speakers, he was made leader after he threatened to leave otherwise. He was aided in part by his willingness to use violence in advancing his political objectives and to recruit party members who were willing to do the same. The Beer Hall Putsch in November 1923 and the later release of his book Mein Kampf (My Struggle) expanded Hitler’s audience. In the mid-1920s, the party engaged in electoral battles in which Hitler participated as a speaker and organizer,^[a] as well as in street battles and violence between the Communist’s Rotfrontkämpferbund and the Nazis’ Sturmabteilung (SA). Through the late 1920s and early 1930s, the Nazis gathered enough electoral support to become the largest political party in the Reichstag, and Hitler’s blend of political acuity, deceptiveness, and cunning converted the party’s non-majority but plurality status into effective governing power in the ailing Weimar Republic of 1933.

Once in power, the Nazis created a mythology surrounding their rise to power, and they described the period that roughly corresponds to the scope of this article as either the Kampfzeit (the time of struggle) or the Kampfjahre (years of struggle).”

1. Law professor: Yes, states can overrule your vote for President (cnn.com)

Although I used to travel overseas a lot, I have obviously gotten out of practice.  I went to add an international calling plan to my phone for the month I will be overseas and found out in the process that my phone (iPhone 11; carrier Verizon) was not necessarily compatible with the networks in Europe.  When I went to New Zealand and Australia, I know I added an international calling plan to my phone then and had no trouble.  I have since upgraded my phone and am now stuck with a phone designed to work primarily in the US, Canada and Mexico.  Live and learn.  I guess it’s time to upgrade to a ‘world phone’ as I suspect I will begin making more trips overseas.  More investigation required.  I won’t be making that mistake again.

I’m also looking into international healthcare insurance.  Medicare, in general, does not cover medical expenses overseas.  Although I do have a supplemental insurance plan, I don’t believe it covers international medical expenses either – more investigation required.  In these days of COVID, I will make sure that I have some type of medical travel insurance before I head off over the pond.   In addition to having insurance, I am continually monitoring the websites for the CDC and the Portuguese and UK (I’m flying through Heathrow) governments since quarantine and testing requirements can change very quickly.  Right now, about 8 weeks before I am supposed to leave, all of the quarantine requirements have been lifted for US travelers to the UK and Portugal.  However, there are still testing requirements in place so I will have to plan in the logistics of getting COVID tests before I leave and before I return.  The old days of just buying a ticket and getting on a plane are long gone.

And, speaking of healthcare, the Republican leadership in this country seems to be doing everything in their power to ensure this pandemic drags out longer and longer and kills more and more Americans.  Just this morning there is a picture of our own Governor Gianforte (Republican) and his wife that was taken yesterday at Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport going viral here in the state.  Why?  Because, in spite of a Federal mandate that everyone in airports is required to wear a mask and in the face of increasing case numbers here in Montana, the Governor and his wife were completely maskless. Everyone else milling around the airport appeared to be complying and wearing masks.   Gianforte and his wife obviously believe they are above the law.

The Governor’s office issued some BS statement that they could not find masks at the airport and were there only a short time while waiting for a family member.  Bullshit.  Unless you have been living under a rock you know that when you go to the airport, you need to be masked.  This is not a new requirement.  It has been in place for months and been widely discussed in the news.  A true leader leads by example.  It is clear that Gianforte has no interest in trying to do anything to try to forestall the rising spread of the COVID Delta variant in the state.  He is not worthy of the office.  I guess I’d better be careful.  If he were to read this, perhaps he’d track me down and body slam me like he did that reporter a few years ago.

And then, of course, we have the Republican governors of Florida and Texas, where cases are skyrocketing, passing laws and issuing edicts against anyone in their states mandating the use of masks.   These laws defy all common sense and are clearly politically motivated.  Make no mistake, these governors are playing with people’s lives and these idiotic and irresponsible acts will result in the needless deaths of scores of people.  As I was thinking about this, this morning I decided to look up the definition of ‘Crimes Against Humanity’.   The definition is:

“a deliberate act, typically as part of a systematic campaign, that causes human suffering or death on a large scale”

Given that definition, it certainly seems that the irresponsible acts of these Republicans who continue to defy public health recommendations and those who continue to propagate misinformation do, in fact, constitute crimes against humanity.  This continued campaign of misinformation and irresponsible, medical-defying laws will unquestionably lead to thousands of unnecessary deaths. 

All of these governors argue that their decisions are in support of ‘individual rights’ and a stand against ‘government overreach’.   What about my rights?  Don’t I have the right to ‘life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness’?  A society that allows everyone to do whatever the hell they want without any regard to the common good is anarchy.  There comes a point when all of us need to do the right thing to benefit the community.  You can either be part of the solution or you can be part of the problem. 

I am a great believer in taking personal responsibility for one’s own life and actions.  The fact is, if you make stupid decisions that are detrimental to your wellbeing and those close to you, that is unfortunate, but you made the choice.   It is a person’s right to make those decisions.  However, the right to make stupid decisions does not cancel my right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.  And right now, with the Delta variant of this COVID-19 pandemic accelerating, the segment of the population refusing to do their part and get a vaccination and abide by masking protocols, is affecting, and in some cases, jeopardizing the health of myself and my family.  

If a person chooses to go into the back country without bear spray, a firearm and proper equipment and they die, that is unfortunate.  However, if that same person is camping in a communal campground and chooses, because it is their ‘right’, to not properly secure their food, the entire community is at risk from bear attacks.  There is absolutely no difference between that scenario and what is happening now with the Delta variant.  The community is under attack and, as such, it is incumbent upon everyone in the community to do their part to stop these attacks.  This is a solvable problem.  It is within our control to solve.  All it takes is rolling up your damned sleeve and getting a little pin prick.  If you are unwilling to do your part to help solve this crisis, you have absolutely no credibility to be bitching about the consequences.  When there is an obvious solution to a problem and people refuse to exercise it, the only word that comes to mind is ‘stupidity’.  

In my search for a place to potentially move overseas, one of the things that is always on my criteria list is the need for accessible and affordable health care.  I mean, let’s be real, I am soon to be 70 and although I’m in pretty good shape I fully understand that none of us are invincible.  I have suffered a torn and partially detached retina in each eye, have one artificial knee and a small aortic aneurysm in my chest.  Access to health care is one of the things at the top of my list.  That said, it is not hard to find places in the world that have excellent, affordable and accessible health care.  Unfortunately, despite being one of the wealthiest nations, the United States continually lags most of the other ‘wealthy’ nations in access to affordable health care.¹ This is a tragedy and borders on being criminal. 

Even worse, there are continuing efforts by Republicans to make even further cuts to Medicare and Medicaid, not to mention the numerous (and unsuccessful) attempts to overturn the Affordable Care Act (ACA), i.e. ‘Obama care.    Amid one of the most devastating health care crises this country has faced in over a century, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates that in 2020, about 31 million Americans or roughly 10% of the population have no health insurance.² It just boggles one’s mind.  Much of the rest of the world has figured this out, why can’t we?  I would argue that simple greed that continues to feed the exacerbating wealth disparity in this country is a major factor. 

Virtually every country on my ‘target list’ has better access to and more affordable health care than the United States.  That is also true for prescription drugs.  There are a number of reasons people retire overseas, but I have read many, many accounts of people who moved overseas primarily because they had more affordable access to health care somewhere else.  That’s pretty sad.   America is probably one of the few industrialized nations where people can work hard their entire lives, put together a nice little retirement nest egg, and then be forced into bankruptcy because of an unexpected serious illness.

And now with the ongoing self-inflicted wound imposed upon the health care system by all of the people who refuse to get vaccinated and mask up to help stop the spread of the COVID Delta variant, the situation is getting even worse.  I cannot, for the life of me, understand the reluctance to get vaccinated or take easy healthcare measures, i.e. wearing a mask.   My frustration level got to the point that I submitted a letter to the Bozeman Chronicle a couple of days ago.  I doubt they will publish it but we’ll see.  I have included the text here just for fun.

“We are in the middle of a pandemic and now the Delta variant is causing a dramatic increase in cases, hospitalizations and deaths primarily among those who refuse to get vaccinated and wear masks if they are, in fact, unvaccinated.  This is certainly frustrating.  However, there is a kind of silver lining if you will.   I’m sure there is a very strong correlation between those who refuse to get vaccinated and those who do not believe in science and prefer to listen to TV talking heads rather than medical professionals.   This current situation then provides a real-life giant experiment that will once again prove Darwin to be correct.  Given that the surge in cases, hospitalizations and deaths are primarily amongst the unvaccinated, one would expect the unvaccinated population to thin itself out, so in the long run, the segment of the population who are not smart enough to take the simple steps required for self-preservation, i.e., vaccinations and wearing masks, will continue to get sick and die out.   Thus, in the long run, the population will be composed primarily of people who are smart enough to take steps to guarantee the survival of the themselves and the species.   There is no doubt that more ‘Darwin awards’ will be given out this year that in all previous years combined.  So, the way I see it, you can get in line for your Darwin award which may cost you or those around you their lives, or you can get in line for a vaccination.  But, you’re correct, it is your right to make whatever decision you want.  Just remember that when your Darwin award is sitting by your bedside in the hospital and you’re struggling to breathe!    You had a choice. “

I only went off on this tangent today because of an article I read.  I have some things I need to take care of so that’s it for today. 

1. US comes in last in health care rankings – CNN
2. Uninsured Americans Stats and Facts 2021 | Policy Advice

As I wrote yesterday, I have booked a ticket to Lisbon, Portugal and will spend part of today filling in more details for my adventure.  I must say that when I woke up this morning and thought about it for a second, I had a fleeting moment of panic.  What have I done?  It was kind of like the day after they delivered my Harley in April and I walked into the garage the next day and saw it standing there.  I had the same reaction.  What have I done?  I think they call that ‘buyer’s remorse.’  That said, I’ve grown quite fond of my Harley and have enjoyed riding it and am certainly glad I took my trip over to the coast.

Any momentary trepidations about taking this scouting trip to Portugal quickly faded after I read the latest blog from Heather Cox Richardson¹ about what is currently going on in Hungary and how it somewhat parallels what is going on here in the United States.  I also thought about the book that I am currently reading, “I Alone Can Fix It; Donald J. Trump’s Catastrophic Final Year,” by Pulitzer Prize winning authors Carol Leonnig and Philip Rucker.  I have read a lot of political books over the last 18 months but this is perhaps the scariest and most depressing.  Anyone who believes that Trump is fit to be president of this country (or any country) should read this book.  I don’t know how anyone could read this and conclude that this man is fit to be anywhere near the levers of power.

So, I will plow ahead with my plans to explore places where I might be comfortable being a full or part time ex-pat.  I would be lying (and there is enough of that going around) if I said I wasn’t concerned about how COVID might wreak havoc on my trip (or me!), but I just feel like it’s time to press ahead.   The 2022 elections are a little over a year away and I want to be well down the road of making this transition if I choose to do so.  If the Republicans retake the House and/or the Senate in 2022, things in Washington DC will come to a screeching halt, and more concerning is the fact that the outcome of the 2024 election will be almost a foregone conclusion given all of the gerrymandering and voter suppression activities currently underway. 

I was reviewing some of the postings I wrote last year and it was clear to me months before the election that Trump would not accept the results of the election and allow a peaceful transition of power.  I hate to say, “I told you so, “but I told you so.  Nothing that happened leading up to the election nor any of the events that happened after the election, including the insurrection attempt on January 6^th, should have been a surprise to anyone who was paying attention.  Unfortunately, there are two forces at work in this country that will continue to contribute to the rise of the type of authoritarianism that has taken hold in Hungary and Belarus – both ostensible democracies. 

The first is the large segment of the population that have fully bought into ‘the big lie’ and all of the attendant conspiracy theories, many of whom are ready and willing to resort to violence to “make America great.” (Translate that to read ‘white, Christian’ akin to what is going on in Hungary) The other thing at work is the ‘this could never happen in America’ mind set.  It is happening and just like it was blatantly obvious that Trump would never accept the results of the election, it is very obvious that there are forces at work in this country which intend to make America a democracy in name only when, in fact, they desire it to become an authoritarian, one-party oligarchy.   I would like to be wrong – but I’m pretty sure I’m not.

Enough of that.  Back to Portugal.  First of all, for anyone contemplating moving overseas full or part time, I recommend the publication, “International Living”.  It’s a small, monthly publication that has articles covering difference aspects of living in virtually any corner of the world.  Who ever thought about retiring in Uruguay, but it’s an interesting option. The bottom line is that there are tons of options out there that are worth exploring. 

As this upcoming adventure is shaping up, I have already learned a few interesting things.  Some car rental companies in Portugal may impose a surcharge for drivers less than 25 and over 70!!  Since I will turn 70 in September, it looks like I may be paying a little more for a rental car in Portugal.  Some countries, including Portugal, require an International Driver’s License.  In the pre-COVID days, you could just run down to your local AAA office and get an international driver’s license.  Surprise – not so true now.  Many AAA offices are no longer processing International Driver’s Licenses.  However, there is an alternative.

The American Automobile Touring Alliance (AATA)² will process an International Driver’s License.  It can be done online and only costs about $20.  I submitted my application by mail and my international license was returned to me in about two weeks.   I now have an International Driver’s License with a motorcycle endorsement – look out!!

In addition to continuing to flesh out my trip to Portugal today, I have to cancel a trip I planned in late September to go hike the West Highland Way in Scotland.  I would love to make the trek but the majority of people who make this trek do so in the summer when the weather is better. I finally came to my senses and decided that hiking by myself across the Scottish Highlands at a time when there was a significant increase in possible inclement weather was probably not a wise idea.  One of these days if I can find another fool to go with me, I may put that hike back on the agenda for next year.  We’ll see, but for now, on to Portugal.

1. Heather Cox Richardson – Letters from an American (substack.com)
2. AATA | American Automobile Touring Alliance (aataidp.com)