The Weather

            “The weather” was once The originating topic of conversation when two strangers or mildly acquainted individuals would meet. Family get-togethers were often marked by talking about “the weather” amongst siblings, perhaps estranged. Analysis finds it was not as much about being the safe cliché that it is, but rather, of a starting point held in common (much as the starting mark of a race is held in common by all the contestants. After the race begins, there is no commonality). The news of the past week has been of extraordinary extreme heat, both here in the US as well as abroad.  And yet, though “the heat” may be a topic of conversation held in common, the weather is not. Joe Manchin, for example, believes the weather in West Virginia differs substantially from that in New England, Texas or the state of Washington. Americans there have nothing in common, except suffering the extreme heat. The weather, taken as a unified system, much as Google, Meta or the market on Wall Street can be considered as a system, is not possible for Mr. Manchin, along with many other political leaders (primarily GOP). “We can’t do anything about the weather” creeps in the age old saw. Analysis finds this to be based on a reliance of the deus ex machina excuse, essentially a belief in the hand of providence at work behind the scenes of a system. Analysis finds it uncanny how this dovetails with many other politically legislated and executive actions conceived and acted upon as articles of fundamental faith. Originally, the GOP adamantly denying global warming was about some mumbled reasoning that the scientific evidence was not completely there. With the extreme heat, the horrendous and prevalent wildfires, the catastrophic flooding in places that haven’t ever experienced such (and hurricane season has just begun!), the GOP position on climate change has evolved, much as the science of global warming has evolved. For the GOP today, God, guns and babies shows up with even something as common as “the weather.”

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Dark Matter

“Running for the Ohio House on the Republican side are Thad Claggett and Mark Fraizer, the incumbent in old District 71. Unless an Independent files for the November election, this primary will decide who represents House District 68 because no Democrat is running in the primary.” (Kipp: Navigating Licking County’s August primary, Rita Kipp, guest columnist The Advocate, 7-9-22) Analysis finds the choice for the new 68^th district Ohio House seat (old 71^st) to be between MAGA and MAGA Lite. Nationally, pundits and columnists, like the LC League of Women Voters’ president, would have us believe that voting and the two party system makes all the difference in the world. The prescription for political discontent is often “Vote in Dems.” What’s going on in Licking County (as well as Ohio) must be either an anomaly or prescient (or both). After the summer’s blockbuster January 6 commission hearings, it is a bit uncomfortable to converse about life under a one party state as it is apparently crystal clear that this is a distinct possibility. Yet that is exactly what Analysis finds in Newark and Licking County. After all, the Newark mayor, entire city council, prosecutor, etc. are of a single party allegiance. Ditto for the County government, and state reps, etc. The choices are not between mindful, regulated sustainable development and carte blanche business growth but rather, as with MAGA or MAGA Lite, more and bigger business dominance versus not in my back yard but in your back yard. Whose back yard? No discussion exists regarding thoughtful housing development (premium tracts and affordable living units, as well as shelter for those without a house) but only choices between unbridled expansion at the rate of what the market supports versus NIMBY and IYBY. Quality of life issues are not afforded equal gravity or access of opportunity, such as health care, education, public transit, disability, and retirement, but choices are only in terms of personal affordability (follow the dollar). “Show me the money” is the final arbiter of difference. Analysis finds life in a single party state saps the imagination. Soon entire ideas, concepts and imagery like “affordable housing,” “shelter,” “environment,” “equal access,” etc. will disappear, not to be found anywhere, not even in historical accounts! Analysis finds indicators of this nationally with the don’t say gay laws, the single party rewrite of history and civics education legislation, and the recent women’s rights SCOTUS ruling. Locally, it is the de facto preeminence of “show me the money” criteria in determination of local affairs. Intel (and others) says “show me the money” and government marches to that tune. Any imagination otherwise as to alternatives inhabits the nether world of Rumsfeld’s known unknowns. Like dark matter, it’s out there, exerts an influence but is undetectable with no proof of existence to be found (like voting for a Democrat to be representative of the Ohio House 68^th district).