Understanding The Mental State

A neighbor across the street, who was older than I was, left home, went to Houston, and joined the police department. Over the years he advanced with his duties, and eventually became part of the Secret Service guarding Walter Mondale, which was his task up to retiring. I had one conversation with him years later, when he was visiting his mother. 

The conversation we had was generally just catching up, nothing of real importance, but fascinating. He would look me in the eye, but only for a short period of time. It was as though he was analyzing my expression, categorizing what he saw, and his eyes would then return to the constant scanning of everything around.  I determined his training had changed him into a person that was supremely aware of their surroundings, analyzing the possibilities of threats, and constantly focused on everything. 

I feel too many of Trump's detail were not trained as they should be. They are supposed to protect the President by shielding him, but they are also supposed to be aware of any security gaps, possible threats, and prevent them from happening. If they weren't Secret Service, they were probably unqualified.

In My Opinion

 My years of experience tell me the assassination attempt was not the work of an organized group. My  experience tells me - and I've dealt with EEO/DEI policies for decades - the worst of civil servants end up at the top. Why do I think this? Because bureaucrats are so scared of losing their job, too many are woefully unqualified for their position, and expecting them to function at a high level of competence is unrealistic.  The worst are promoted, because they're too hard to fire. Incompetent officials hire friends, family, yes-men, and sycophants, instead of those qualified.

Those entrusted with protecting Trump were feckless as a group. Not only were there not enough agents for security, those in charge had no idea how they left too many gaps exposed for what was taken as an opportunity by a disturbed young man. With a better detail, the news reports would have only reported how a young man was caught attempting to sneak into the event with a rifle. 

If there is any single group to blame, then it is whoever promoted, and allowed, an unqualified individual the position of head of the Secret Service. That's a position that should be held by someone with years of law enforcement experience, some military experience, and a clear understanding politics are not acceptable to be practiced by those hired to protect important people. This administration failed, will fail again, and some people need to be fired.

A Plethora of Screw-Ups

The attempted Trump assassination exposed many things, but more than anything else it exposed how the U.S. government is filled with screw-ups. The Secret Service looks like a group of bumbling trainees, which if my current assessment of most government entities is correct, that's exactly what Trump's detail was. When you add the fact the person that is running that show is woefully unqualified for the position, except for their vagina, I'm thinking many mid-size communities have a better security detail than Trump's on that day. It's how it is today. Government employees can't be trusted to be competent. They don't have to be. All they need for their job is either the correct skin color, or have the correct hardware between their legs. It's EEO madness, but it's definitely diverse, if you take out exceptionalism as an important part of employment.

For those in civil service that aren't as I've described, I mean you no disrespect. You know how it is, and I hope you don't lose your mind before you retire.

Everything Ramped Up This Evening

An attempt was made to assassinate Trump. The assassin failed, but the Secret Service failed too. Why did the Secret Service fail? From reports coming out, the detail was denied manpower by those that could provide it, and if I had to guess, they did what they could, and were suddenly placed in the middle of an event training doesn't prepare for. That, or they failed in providing a large enough perimeter to protect Trump. Either way, the heads to roll are those that failed to understand the needs of a detail to protect a candidate when asked. That, and the security detail should have provided a physical barrier between Trump, and the audience, if they couldn't cover every angle possible. Suspicious minds would be wondering if it was all planned, but failed.

From the chatter over the internet, civility ended tonight. Those that support the Democrats will now walk on eggshells, and hope the majority that feel they've been abused by the government will not retaliate...which will happen in my mind. Regardless of opinion, the current administration has neglected the safety of the nation, injured the economic well-being of the nation, slandered those that only wished to stop the unregulated control by agencies, threw people in jail for angrily voicing their opposition to what they felt was an illegal election, destroyed foreign policy, slushed money from government contracts, allowed criminals to roam freely, and did so without any oversight by those paid to represent the United States. The last straw was trying to assassinate the candidate that opposed their efforts. 

We live in interesting times. Civil discourse is dead, the cuffs are off, and the fight for good over evil has begun. 

Early in the Morning

My dog had an urgent nature call, woke the appropriate people (wife and I) and was let out to take care of his business. It's a rare occurrence, and I really appreciate he's not lazy and just finds somewhere in the house. Unfortunately, the thought of immediately going back to sleep was fleeting. So, some coffee, and time on the porch was necessary. 

We had a heavy thunderstorm yesterday afternoon. It was one of those that has more lightning than necessary, heavy rain, and parked over our area. It left light fog, and a thin canopy of clouds that remained after sunset. I'll call it a harbinger of today, since the radar is already showing thunderstorms building toward the Gulf. From what the weather folks reported, it's the remainder of a front that stalled offshore, will migrate north, and eventually fade away over the next two days. 

It's humid outside. There isn't a breath of air stirring, and the heavy dew coating everything is dripping from the roof. The clouds are thin, with lightning dancing in the tops of the thunderstorms to the south. An occasional low rumble is heard, which interrupts a mockingbird singing in the oak tree in the front yard. It's a pleasant song filled with the calls of different birds I know, birds that may exist, but I've never heard, and strikingly accurate mimics of the frogs that sing after it rains. The bird is a virtuoso, full of energy, and the song will probably not end until morning light. From what I know, it's a young bird, and probably this year's hatchling. The parents were busy in the Spring gathering for their nest and I was glad they didn't choose a site for the nest where they could dive-bomb me when I was too close.

I had a few plans for today. I have my sister-in-law's generator to look at. It probably has a dirty carburetor, or worse. I won't know until I fiddle with it, but it's appearing that project, and my line trimming plan for what the lawnmower missed may be placed on the back-burner. I'll be awake for a few hours, and drowsiness will overcome me. That will require a nap, and if it isn't interrupted by a storm like yesterday, I might reconsider my projects afterward. Until then, fixing breakfast, at least one more cup of coffee, and some time on the porch mentally solving the problems of the world is necessary.