Friday, December 1, 2023
Random Thoughts of the Day December 1, 2023
Thursday, November 30, 2023
Finally. Someone Else is Bashing the Electoral College - Gail Collins
"Nothing is going to happen to fix the Electoral College. Can you imagine trying to get a change in the Constitution that enormous? It was a long haul just to pass an amendment to prohibit members of Congress from raising their own pay between elections."
It would take a vote of 2/3 in the House and Senate followed by approval by 3/4 of the state legislators to pass a constitutional amendment abolishing the Electoral College.
Tuesday, November 28, 2023
Book Review: Jack Ruby: The Many Faces of Oswald's Assassin by Danny Fingeroth
Over the past 60 years there have been countless
books, articles, and conspiracy theories about the Kennedy assassination. Interest in this tragic event has likely
piqued on its 60th anniversary although most people today were not
yet born in 1963. Danny Fingeroth, known
as a cultural critic, comics writer, editor, educator and commentator, just
wrote a detailed biography of Jack Ruby, the killer of Kennedy assassin Lee
Harvey Oswald. He is noted as the
biographer of Stan Lee best known for his work with Marvel Comics. Danny was ten years old at the time of the
murder of Oswald and, like millions of others, viewed it on live TV.
He interviewed some of Ruby’s nieces and nephews and
Rabbi Hillel Silverman who knew him quite well. Many of the books written about
the assassination and its aftermath were consulted. It took Danny about ten years to research and
write the book. He describes Ruby’s
early years in Chicago, his relationship with his family and Rabbi Silverman,
and his business ventures before the historic events in Dallas. Danny details
the actions of Ruby in the two days after the assassination, his murder of
Oswald, his trial, and the events after the trial. He succeeded in refreshing my memory of those
events. Ruby’s lawyers tried to use the
insanity defense to acquit Ruby, but he was convicted and sentenced to
death. There was a successful appeal
with a new trial at a location outside of Dallas. Ruby died in January 1967 before a second
trial could be held.
There are still many unanswered questions about the
Kennedy assassination, but nobody has definitively proven a conspiracy. The uniqueness of this book is the comprehensive
study of Ruby’s life. Danny is to be
commended for a fine book. Younger
people should read the book to learn about the tragic events that changed
history.
I became acquainted with Danny Fingeroth through a Bob
Dylan video chat group that meets monthly.
There are a few Dylan references in the book including his recent song
Murder Most Foul.
Monday, November 27, 2023
How I Would Change the Government
- Abolish the electoral college and the presidential election be decided by popular vote
- The term for the House of Representatives be expanded to four years with the election held in even-numbered years when there is no presidential election.
- Limit Senators to two six-year terms and Representatives to three four-year terms.
- All Supreme Court justices can be appointed to one ten-year term that may not be renewed.
- There should be term limits for the Governor, State Senate, State Assembly, Attorney General, and Comptroller.
- Abolish the office of Public Advocate. I need to see what the person in this position accomplishes. Most previous incumbents have used this as a stepping stone to a higher office.
Sunday, November 26, 2023
Sunday Afternoon at the Museum of Modern Art (MOMA)