Scroll down to read this post.

 

Readers!

 

The time has come for my annual short pre-Thanksgiving/Christmas fund drive for Behind The Black. I must do this every year in order to make sure I have earned enough money to pay my bills.

 

For this two-week campaign, I am offering a special deal to encourage donations. Donations of $200 will get a free autographed copy of the new paperback edition of Genesis: The Story of Apollo 8, while donations of $250 will get a free autographed copy of the new hardback edition. If you desire a copy, make sure you provide me your address with your donation.

 

As I noted in July, the support of my readers through the years has given me the freedom and ability to analyze objectively the ongoing renaissance in space, as well as the cultural changes -- for good or ill -- that are happening across America. Fourteen years ago I wrote that SLS and Orion were a bad ideas, a waste of money, would be years behind schedule, and better replaced by commercial private enterprise. Only now does it appear that Washington might finally recognize this reality.

 

In 2020 when the world panicked over COVID I wrote that the panic was unnecessary, that the virus was apparently simply a variation of the flu, that masks were not simply pointless but if worn incorrectly were a health threat, that the lockdowns were a disaster and did nothing to stop the spread of COVID. Only in the past year have some of our so-called experts in the health field have begun to recognize these facts.

 

Your help allows me to do this kind of intelligent analysis. I take no advertising or sponsors, so my reporting isn't influenced by donations by established space or drug companies. Instead, I rely entirely on donations and subscriptions from my readers, which gives me the freedom to write what I think, unencumbered by outside influences.

 

Please consider supporting my work here at Behind the Black. You can support me either by giving a one-time contribution or a regular subscription. There are four ways of doing so:

 

1. Zelle: This is the only internet method that charges no fees. All you have to do is use the Zelle link at your internet bank and give my name and email address (zimmerman at nasw dot org). What you donate is what I get.

 

2. Patreon: Go to my website there and pick one of five monthly subscription amounts, or by making a one-time donation.
 

3. A Paypal Donation or subscription:

 

4. Donate by check, payable to Robert Zimmerman and mailed to
 
Behind The Black
c/o Robert Zimmerman
P.O.Box 1262
Cortaro, AZ 85652

 

You can also support me by buying one of my books, as noted in the boxes interspersed throughout the webpage or shown in the menu above.


“The Democrat Party is committed to the New Rules. And the New Rules are tyranny.”

Link here. Schlicter goes on to say,

It can’t be a surprise. After all, the Democrat Party has bulldozed every norm, custom, and tradition out there in its quest for undisputed power. It spews hatred at its opponents – hey, everyone reading this is racist, sexist, and a denier of #science and so forth. The Democrats will happily deny you your free exercise of religion – put on your aprons people, because you can bake a cake or be bankrupted. They seek to suppress speech by encouraging fascism both in academia and by online tech companies, and if you think they won’t pass laws to limit speech given the chance, you’re fooling yourself. Hell, they tried to amend the First Amendment to overturn Citizens United, a case where the government tried to ban a movie critical of Hillary Clinton.

Let’s say that again, because it’s madness. The position of the left-of-center party in the United States is that the government should be allowed to arrest and imprison people for making a film critical of a politician.

He is also mirroring what I wrote here and here From the second link:

[T]he left and Democrats are becoming very nonchalant about demanding the nullification of the Constitutional rights of anyone who disagrees with them. This is not to be taken lightly. They mean it. Give them a victory in an election and they will begin to do it.

I have seen nothing in recent events to change that conclusion. If anything, the rise of radical socialism in the Democratic Party only reinforces it.

Genesis cover

On Christmas Eve 1968 three Americans became the first humans to visit another world. What they did to celebrate was unexpected and profound, and will be remembered throughout all human history. Genesis: the Story of Apollo 8, Robert Zimmerman's classic history of humanity's first journey to another world, tells that story, and it is now available as both an ebook and an audiobook, both with a foreword by Valerie Anders and a new introduction by Robert Zimmerman.

 

The print edition can be purchased at Amazon. from any other book seller, or direct from my ebook publisher, ebookit. The ebook is available everywhere for $5.99 (before discount) at amazon, or direct from my ebook publisher, ebookit. If you buy it from ebookit you don't support the big tech companies and the author gets a bigger cut much sooner.


The audiobook is also available at all these vendors, and is also free with a 30-day trial membership to Audible.
 

"Not simply about one mission, [Genesis] is also the history of America's quest for the moon... Zimmerman has done a masterful job of tying disparate events together into a solid account of one of America's greatest human triumphs."--San Antonio Express-News

26 comments

  • Cotour

    The Democrat party is in a self created existential threat phase, and why is that? Because the everyday Liberal Democrat politicians of America who are now full blood Leftists / philosophical Marxists have exhausted their schemes to extort the peoples money through taxation and and are now bankrupt of ideas and so the next phase of their agenda must be even further Left.

    Barack Obama gave the true Leftists among them the inspiration to make their ultimate play for Socialism through the Globalist agenda, and Hillary was to be the coupe de grass for our Constitution. The Democrats will at some point have to abandon their offensive to Americans Marxist philosophy and rebuild in a more America centric manner or they will be no more.

    Sooo close.

  • wodun

    After all, the Democrat Party has bulldozed every norm, custom, and tradition out there in its quest for undisputed power.

    It is called deconstruction and has been taught for several decades now. It is very insidious, just like PC is, because parts of it sound very reasonable but when you look at it in totality and not just in small parts, it is just cultural marxism working over a long period of time to implement a Year Zero.

    Deconstruction atomizes norms, customs, and traditions. It was sold as gaining understanding about our culture and how it was developed. Also, that we shouldn’t ignore the bad things about the past but be reminded of them. However, the end state of this process is not understanding but delegitimizing the foundations of our culture, society, and country.

    Perhaps the most prominent application of this process is how the left treats the Founding Fathers. They were all flawed humans who made a great system. If you mention the great system, the left responds that you must like the flaws. We have all seen it a million times. You defend some attack against freedom of speech, the second amendment, or some other core American value by referencing the founding ideals of the country and the lefty responds that you like slavery and hate women.

    There was an article about this the other day when a school told its students to party like it was 1776 and the response from the marxist social media mob was that it wasn’t a party for black people cause they were all slaves. It was an incredibly ignorant response considering that black people fought in the revolution, not all states were slave states, black people owned slaves in the New World, black people in Africa were the ones capturing and selling slaves to the Europeans, and life was pretty hard back then even for the wealthy.

    It is troubling that black people are taught to identify as slaves rather than as heroes in the revolutionary war. Given the choice, which would they choose if they were alive at the time? Black people have a long history of military service going back to our founding. It is something to be proud of but I bet $5 that the cultural marxists are incapable of portraying it as something to be proud of rather than a case of victimization because of deconstruction.

  • Laurie

    I think it is more fundamental than political philosophy. These people are mired in iniquity:

    “Their throats are open graves; their tongues practice deceit. The poison of vipers is on their lips.”

    Note that I’m not promoting conflict, just discernment.

  • Cotour

    Why are they so deceitful and poisonous?

    Because they have to be, ultimately they can be nothing else, and long term the people of America are seeing them for what they are.

  • Cotour

    Indicator:

    http://dailycaller.com/2018/05/24/evergreen-state-cuts-staff/

    The wheels turn slowly, but we can detect that they are indeed turning as the American people communicate their displeasure with the Left. And then there will come a point in the not too distant future when all will properly see and the reconciliation will be unstoppable.

    WE SEE IT, AND IT IS GOOD.

  • Localfluff

    I’m surprised that the Democrats appear so united in their extremism. I would’ve expected a great deal of variation because in the US every politician is elected by a local majority. That should force them to profile themselves differently individually depending on local issues and the profile of rivals. Trump is changing America and the Democrats refuse to participate. That will hurt them very badly for a long time. Are the none-extremist Democrats waiting for the right timing to break out from the charade? Or are they all as extreme as they appear?

    In most European countries one does not vote for any individual, but for a political party whose unelected and anonymous party board members in secret meetings have listed loyal individuals who are weak and incapable enough to not pose any threat to the power of the party board members. Almost all of them are completely unknown to all voters, both before the election and after having served in parliament for 16 years. They have no reason to show themselves in public, they are only internal party placeholders without own will or any interest in politics. A typical European parliament in effect only has as many seats as there are parties. The actual people sitting there only represent how many votes their unelected party board got. It is as if you replaced congress with the electorate college.

  • vonmazur

    From a slightly esoteric angle; These psychopaths are creatures that have no conscience and are empty inside, everything is external to the persons. I think that is why they manifest the way they do, nothing inside, and that bothers them greatly, so they spend their existence bothering the normal people..I think C S Lewis covered this already…

  • Edward

    Localfluff wrote: “I’m surprised that the Democrats appear so united in their extremism. I would’ve expected a great deal of variation

    The problem is that the left requires that everyone march in goose step — I mean lock step — and any deviation from the accepted norm of the day (and it can change daily) is met by shunning the person who is out of step. This is why so many leftist celebrities keep getting into trouble with their tweets or other comments, because they say what was correct yesterday rather than what is correct today.

  • mpthompson

    Edward wrote: The problem is that the left requires that everyone march in goose step…

    The Democrats have succeeded in turning California into a single party state. Now they are fighting each other as to who can turn it into a communist state. I have to wonder who will play the role of Leon Trotsky.

  • Phill O

    vonmazur You wrote “These psychopaths”. I believe a more correct definition should be sociopaths. Yes, they have a seared conscience. I know two sociopaths of lesser stature. They will be doing time. One has won 2 years, the other to be sentenced July 10.

    Laurie has the same idea, put in a slightly different way; but says the same thing.

    Localfluff You write what I have noted for some time: Degradation of society has a natural flow from Europe first, then California, Vancouver Toronto and the rest of North America. I define this slipping into degradation as moving in the opposite direction of the “Ten Commandments”, the basis of Mosaic law, which, if fallowed, will make a country great.

  • pzatchok

    https://www.academia.edu/503195/_Princess_Alice_is_watching_you_Childrens_belief_in_an_invisible_person_inhibits_cheating

    When the Democrat party adopted An anti god stance years ago, no matter how small and narrow then, they began the destruction of the American Society that built this nation. This idea eventually became a policy and eventually authoritarian in its implementation.

    When a majority of the population has no belief in GOD or a supreme being that will eventually inflict punishment on you that society begins to lose all of its cultural standards that built that society.
    the people start to think that they can do anything they want, no matter who it hurts, up until they are caught and placed in custody. After release they can go back to doing what they want.

    The only thing that could possibly replace an all watchful god is an ever pervasive and all seeing government. A government that can watch you all the time and in all things. Eventually controlling everything about your life.

    Monotheistic religion stumbled across this thousands of years ago and its worked for this whole time.
    Religion built our conscience, that little voice inside our heads that helps us tp do good works even when no one is watching. Government can not and never will build such a thing.

    Monotheistic religions real ultimate purpose is to find and hold to good traditions and beliefs that promote a stable and safe society. Ultimately controlling and stabilizing the peoples governments by those same traditions and beliefs.

    No God, no religion, no traditions, no conscience.
    Democratic Republics eventually devolve into rule by majority. Thus oppression of the minority.

  • Cotour

    And I continue:

    WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THIS GROWING POTENTIAL?

    I say, Lets do it!

    https://nypost.com/2018/07/07/is-hillary-clinton-secretly-planning-to-run-in-2020/

    “Under the message line, “horrific,” she wrote June 18: “This is a moral and humanitarian crisis. Everyone of us who has ever held a child in their arms, and every human being with a sense of compassion and decency should be outraged.” ”

    (The Democrats are desperately looking for a negative meme to cast the Republicans, specifically Trump. This in the long term will be a failing effort. Why? Because ultimately its Un American. Presidents, Clinton, Bush AND Obama did the same exact things related to illegals and their children. Hillary / The Clinton’s never miss an opportunity to use children as a political weapon, its their go to meme.)

    My personal observation is that when ever a politician attempts to engage the public and uses the terms or related terms “Moral” or “Morality” or panders to the public’s “Decency” or their “Compassion” they have nothing other than their attempting to create fear and confusion, Hillary hits them all. She is truly an empty vessel who’s walls consist of pure ego and ambition, and believes in nothing other than acquiring power at any cost. And I mean any cost, bank on it.

    As we all watch the Democrat party self destruct, live and in real time, because they have become a political party that by their own words and deeds actually stands against the American people and is now an anti America political party lead by full blood Leftists and Socialists. Remember, what do the Democrats now stand for and what are the subjects of their excited political discussion? 1. They vociferously defend ILLEGAL immigration and call it immigration. 2. The culture of dependency, the welfare state. 3. “Sanctuary cities” where they by design bring the first two together to build the foundation of their party (With other peoples money, your money, your tax money that they absolutely with abandon and without conscience love confiscating and redistributing to “Others”).

    So I say sure Hillary, lets do it again. It would be the biggest, baddest and most ridiculous show on earth, something that Trump looks forward to eating for breakfast every morning, its what makes him grow stronger. (You know, after he pokes some caged illegal immigrant children with a stick)

    The Democrats like I have said previously are in the process of internally destroying themselves, lets sit back and enjoy that show.

    MAGA

  • Cotour

    This Thai soccer team trapped in the cave is going to make one hell of a movie, I am certain that Hollywood producers are clamoring to sign someone who can validate their version of the story. (How did they get there in the first place?)

    https://www.mediaite.com/tv/durbin-likens-thai-soccer-team-to-detained-migrants-in-u-s-theyre-trapped-in-a-bureaucratic-cave/

    But it makes a really crappy political analogy and meme, a true sign that the Democrats are desperate for some leverage against the Trump juggernaut that keeps on throwing up wins. The Democrats have nothing that says “This is what we are in America and this is what we stand for!”. Zip, nothing, nada.

    They got a whole lot of nothing, other than their Anti American platform and imagery that is the foundation of their party that is now situated firmly in the subconscious of much of the American public. If they are unable to make this one thing, “The caged illegal immigrant children, ripped from their caring parents arms”, they have got nothing. Trump is going to continue to steam roll them into the ground.

  • Cotour

    I just came upon this article about mayor debalsio (Lower case mayor) and I found it to be very concise and to the point an excellent short read on the danger of the political class and who the people choose to empower.

    https://www.nationalreview.com/2018/10/rent-control-bill-de-blasio-new-york-city-venezuela-disaster/

    Kevin D. Williamson, my new favorite writer.

  • wayne

    Cotour–
    I recall Williamson as being quite the raving never-trump-er, but I pretty much gave up on National Review, so I just don’t know anymore.

    Ref: Rent Control in New York City– The “war emergency tenant protection act” of 1943 got the ball rolling and then the Revised New York State Emergency Tenant Act of 1974 basically consolidated all the various rent control & ‘stabilization’ laws that derived from the original 1943 act.

    totally tangential but you might like it:

    “Bannonism: The Revolt of the Little Guy”
    Steve Bannon and Sargon (Carl) of Akkad
    October 10, 2018
    https://youtu.be/gwKLSA6lWdo
    50:52

  • wayne

    The Wave ?
    featuring; Jordan Peterson/Akira
    https://youtu.be/cmjAVZjLQr8
    4:10

  • wayne

    Trump/Pence 2016
    Final Rally: Grand Rapids, Michigan,
    1:15am election day
    https://youtu.be/b-cE8JXmGh8?t=1741

  • Cotour

    What is it all about?

    https://youtu.be/BLWeIa4Vw5I

    (Fusions, Glen Simpson pleads the 5th, his lawyer claims “Russian collusion!” No criminal activity by his client. Right, thats what everyone has come to the conclusion to about Mr. Simpson and what the DNC was paying for.)

    The coming mid term elections, thats what its all about.

    The FBI refuses to give up the evidence that the Congress reasonably demands (Which everyone understands reveals the FBI and DOJ and the CIA working with foreign actors to violate private citizens rights and to depose a duly elected president) the same for the DNC, Fusion, Perkins Coi and all of the associated players in this treachery and drama.

    The president has backed off on releasing the fraudulent FISA documents and has essentially handed it off to the Senate to do. Why? Because I think Trump does not want to step on the Mueller (Fraudulent) special investigation any more than he has to. Trump is playing in a very interesting and complex game where time and cautious moves are player elements of consequence for all involved.

    Why? Because this all lives or dies with how the mid term elections play out. Will the people of America empower the Democrats and most all of this goes away? From Hillary’s emails to the validity of the Mueller investigation itself to Uranium One or will the American people re empower the Republicans under the clear pro American leadership of president D.J.Trump?

    Ideally the American people have no real reason to empower the Democrats since they have no real leadership and are showing just how desperate, violent and bereft of any true American agenda they are. Everything they now stand for is Un or Anti American. No reason at all to empower the Democrats.

    I think either way that Trump and his reelection is assured, the Democrats have shot themselves in the foot many times and on so many levels to the point that the American people must be scratching their heads and are asking “What are these people really about?”.

    You may not personally like Trump but his results are what they are. Trump understands that its very hard to argue with actual results and promises kept. Especially when promises kept is an unheard of concept when we are discussing most all politicians.

    Blue wave? I think not.

    MAGA

  • Cotour

    THE UPCOMING WEALTHY POLITICALLY ACTIVE MILLENNIALS AND THE DEMOCRAT PARTY

    Remember my mentioning that the Chinese now have a digital “Social rating” system in place that limits a citizens access to everything if it is not approved of? (I am surprised that the Zman has not posted a story revealing it for consideration).

    Meet Andrew Yang, not yet a billionaire, maybe will never be a billionaire, but he has presidential aspirations. And what is his main argument that you should make him president? The implementation of a government “Digital Social Credit” system. Of course beginning with all of those good things like volunteering, coaching little league and tutoring students.

    https://www.yang2020.com/policies/digital-social-credits/

    And he appears to be Chinese to boot, only his system would make you “richer” the more social and community services that you throw up on your rating system. Is it a biological characteristic of the Chinese to think in these ways? Anyone who believes that a government run digital social rating system that would dole out a form of money as its reward has no idea what it is that he or she is actually creating. Pandora in her box smiles.

    Remember IRS employee Lois Learner? What might she do with such a system, now that is a chilling thought.

    This is the proposed real world digital tech application of the previously only dreamed about “Technocracy” of the early twentieth century.

    Yes, the upcoming university indoctrinated politically motivated millennial generation is going to pose some really challenging thinking related to the Constitution and how through technology they are going to rewrite the nature of man as it relates to power and governance.

    A challenge like no other generation has ever posed, and their intentions will be so pure. What is it that is paved with good intent and where does it lead?

    Some of the key concepts of the up coming and more Liberally oriented politically active millennial generation: Open borders for illegal immigrants to pour over to “free” social services, Sanctuary cities for compassion to be served to the illegals, Social rating systems that are tied to monetary rewards (You will be able to have your adherents do just about anything for you. Talk about Brown Shirts), Less and less military funding in a world where China plans on dominating the world, and mandated political correctness are but a few key of their issues.

    What were are witnessing is the transformation and rebirth and reformulation of the Democrat party.

  • Cotour

    The rewards for good behavior in the future:

    We’ve seen the power of these awards systems to drive behavior through online communities, “free sandwich” punch cards, and special status (e.g. Yelp Elite, Foursquare mayors, etc.).

    Each citizen would have a running tally, along with an “unspent” total. As noted above, you could offer DSCs to a neighbor for watering your plants or taking your mail in while you’re away. But there could also be specific promotions where you could trade in your DSCs for special experiences, such as tickets to a local ball game or meeting with a government or civic leader.

    You could get to meet with a government or civic leader! (If your score is high enough, and you deserve it)

    The up coming political players unashamedly propose that everyone be trained like puppies.

    This is not good.

  • Cotour

    I received an email from Lionel @ Lionel media who suggested that it might be a good idea for Hannity and Rush to start their own media company since Fox appears to be going the way of CNN. Who here would be willing to write a check for that investment opportunity? I for one would be on board.

    My response:

    A great idea who’s time has come, I think you would also have to include Mark Levin in that front man foundation corporate structure list.

    Lionel: “Hannity and Limbaugh should form their own platform and get down to business. Capeesh?”

    (Maybe it should be set up as a co operative to pander to the semi Leftist and permanently confused Independent unhappy Democrats?)

    Levin has actually begun his own media presence with CR TV, I could see that growing to include the other two. I think that the capital would flow very quickly to an investment like that. If not them then who? Especially with the very special pedigree of Leftists that are being minted like this on the horizon.

    https://www.yang2020.com/

  • wayne

    Cotour-
    Not to be a complete wet blanket…

    Rush makes it a point, not to compete against his own terrestrial affiliates. (That’s why he’s not on Sirius/XM.)
    Rush has more listener’s than CNN/MSLSD/Fox, combined.
    Levin is happy with his radio-contract, FOX contract, and his CRTV contract.
    (CRTV had to recently pay Mark Steyn $4 million for botching his CRTV show.)

    One can form a “media company” all they want, getting carriage on cable/satellite however, is a major structural barrier to entry.

  • Cotour

    I hear you, great analysis, and still there it is.

    The future will come whether things are done to properly shape it or not, and the future is populated with the likes of Liberal / leftist / Socialist (?) Andrew Yang.

    Trump threatened his empire by running for and becoming president, George Washington risked all also as did others, sometimes you have to do what has to be done. And if you refuse then you allow others to shape the future.

  • Cotour

    WHAT EXACTLY IS SHE TALKING ABOUT AND WHAT EXACTLY IS A DEMOCRAT SOCIALIST?

    What exactly is a “Democrat Socialist” and what exactly is Congress person, Ms. Cortez talking about here?

    https://www.nationalreview.com/news/alexandria-ocasio-cortez-green-new-deal-will-deliver-social-and-racial-justice/

    1. A Democrat Socialist is a synonym for a Communist. A real deal, full blood, confiscate everything for “equality” Communist under the more comforting nomenclature and less stressful terminology “Democrat Socialist”.

    2. And when she tells everyone, “There is injustice in America!”. Notice that she is not at all specific, and she intends to be not at all specific. Because in her and her fellow travelers opinion America is a horrible and terrible place. And she and her fellow travelers intend to “equalize” everyone to remedy it all. You think about that for just one second, especially if you happened to have voted for and empowered her. You better become concerned about that word “equal” when you empower someone who uses it so seriously.

    3. She promotes something that at this point in time, 100 percent renewable energy, does not exist and can not exist. It will I am certain approach existing at some point in the future, probably in about 25 to 30 years (?). But this Democrat Socialist equates energy and injustice and I do not quite get what her cogent political point is here.

    “This is the mechanism through which we can really deliver justice to communities that have been under served.”

    She intends to deliver justice to these places that are “under served” with justice with renewable energy (?). But does not name exactly what the injustices are or how renewable energy will deliver and remedy it all.

    This seems like a lot of distractionary talk to me, which is a hallmark of the Left. They excel at it because if they actually told the public what they meant, which is total control of everyone based on their supervision they would scare the hell out of them.

    What do you think? I know what I think.

    MAGA

  • Completing the circle from 2018.

    And where do we find ourselves and our country and the Democrat party 5 years later? They have made progress, and we are further down the road to authoritarian rule.

    You can no longer vote Democrat, not this time anyway.

    We are cherry picking a relevant article today:

    “By joining the Republican Party, I am not abandoning my values. Instead, I’m seeking a political home that aligns more closely with my vision for a free, united, and prosperous America.”.

    Read the rest and share with a Democrat that you know feels abandoned, on social media………….

    https://www.sigma3ioc.com/post/abandoned-you-can-no-longer-vote-democrat

Readers: the rules for commenting!

 

No registration is required. I welcome all opinions, even those that strongly criticize my commentary.

 

However, name-calling and obscenities will not be tolerated. First time offenders who are new to the site will be warned. Second time offenders or first time offenders who have been here awhile will be suspended for a week. After that, I will ban you. Period.

 

Note also that first time commenters as well as any comment with more than one link will be placed in moderation for my approval. Be patient, I will get to it.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *