I live in close proximity to Mt. Rushmore and I am a third generation electrician whose family has been performing electrical at Mt. Rushmore and over the last 50 years I developed a rapport with George, Tom, Teddy, and Abe. Those men were chosen to represent the best of our nation, how they were chosen, what they stood for, and their faults. They were people like us with one major exception – they did what they had to to make this nation of people endowed with rights and privileges found nowhere else – a working “Government of the People, By the People, For the People”. I don’t spend a lot of time on the mountain now, but the true meanings of the that place are etched in my soul forever.
This particular Fourth, it being the 250th birthday party, access to the Mt. Rushmore was limited to 4000 people chosen by a “Lottery” on July 3, for a big show of music, military flyovers, a speech by Donald Trump, and of course, fireworks. Not being selected nor really wanting be selected – I used to spend July 3 as a special “guest” of the National Park Service simply because of my knowledge of their electrical and control systems was considered necessary in case there were problems. At those celebrations there were usually between 10,000 and 20,000 people attending and the total number of “Special Guests” was usually around 50. No restrictions- No lottery, just come and go as you desired, Fireworks for about 12 years until they were stopped for fire danger and environmental hazards.
Then there was this year, in a severe drought, high fuel prices, and other pressing policies, it was decided that this would be a good time For a Presidential appearance and fireworks! For only 4000 “Specially Selected” guests. The rest of us could watch it on Fox News. As usual The weather threw a bit of a wrench in the schedule but the storm passed and the President was able to give us a speech that did not even attempt to tie George, Tom, Teddy, and Abe to justify his administration’s actions, nothing to unify the nation, just a rant about Communists and how he is going to fight them off by using the “Save America” Act.
Now, for those you, who have not been watching the primary elections need to understand the Republican new moniker for the Democrats is – COMMUNISTS. Now the “Save America” should be named “The Restriction of Voting Rights of Anyone not a Trump Loyalist” Act. Which if passed means that in order to vote you will need proof of citizenship (naturalization documents will not be allowed and if you name does not match what is on your birth certificate good luck in getting in)passports are preferred) Mail-in voting will essentially eliminated and you will be subjected to having to prove you are a citizen at least four times while you are standing in line waiting to vote and subject to removal if the inspecting officers have found “problems” with your registration, such as the color of your skin, your Hajib, or your name does not match your address in their file. The Trump Regime is setting up the rigging so they can win this fall and for as long as they can hold on.
The final clincher is Trump wants his face carved on Mt. Rushmore. Although I have to chuckle about that- the rock left on the mountain, even behind George, Tom, Teddy, and Abe, is highly faulted, mixed with slate, andusite, and pegmatite veins and as such, not suitable for carving and would last maybe six weeks longer than the Reflecting Pool liner.
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