2020 THANKSGIVING

 BRYCE ON LIFE

- What should we be thankful for?

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2020 will doubtlessly go down in the history books as one of the most turbulent in our history. Prior to this, 1968 was considered the most tumultuous. 2020 has it beat hands-down in terms of "The Summer of Hate," the failed impeachment of Donald Trump, the COVID-19 epidemic, and a highly contested presidential election which has yet to be concluded. This has split the country, perhaps irreparably, it has disabled our spirit of cooperation, and created an angst among our citizens thereby altering the national psyche. So you might ask, "What can we be thankful for in 2020?"

We can be thankful for living in the greatest country in the world, but greatness is measured in terms of our ability to achieve lofty goals, fulfilling our commitments, adhering to the rule of law, and remaining a beacon of peace and freedom for the world. To this end, we have stabilized our economy, even in spite of a devastating disease, found vaccines for this disease which will be distributed shortly. We have also fostered significant peace initiatives in the Middle East with more in the offing. However, we have resisted the rule of law in immigration, demonstrations, and voting. All of this threatens the security of the Republic. There are forces from within who are working feverishly to undermine this country. I pray they fail. We have already experienced considerable civil unrest in 2020, and there is yet before us a fine line to civil war we must never cross.

As in prayer, I give thanks to the President, Congress, Courts, and the other leaders of our land for their service, and wish them God speed in administrating our country, and defending the Constitution of the United States and subordinate laws. May they lead justly, honestly, and transparently.

I give thanks to those who defend this great land, be it on the battlefield or in the streets, all who defend freedom, as well as first-responders who risk life and limb to save others. Their fidelity to life and liberty is inspiring, causing us to always remember them in our prayers.

I give thanks to those who support moral values, such as our clergy and citizens who lead by example; people who do unto others as they would have others do unto them. Unfortunately, studies show our morality continues to erode, I therefore pray for simple tenets such as honesty, truth, responsibility, charity, perseverance, patience, and tolerance.

I give thanks to our family and friends, those present as well as those who have gone before us. I pray we relish every second with each other, to learn to live, laugh, and work together amicably. No we will not always see eye-to-eye on everything, but we must be allowed a dialog to discuss things respectfully. Let us always seek the truth.

I pray, nay I beg, for common sense, respect for the human spirit, for teamwork, for love of country, for love of our endeavors, and for the love of each other.

Happy Thanksgiving.

Keep the Faith!

Note: All trademarks both marked and unmarked belong to their respective companies.

Tim Bryce is an author, freelance writer and the Managing Director of M&JB Investment Company (M&JB) of Palm Harbor, Florida and has over 40 years of experience in the management consulting field. He can be reached at timb1557@gmail.com

For Tim's columns, see:   timbryce.com

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Copyright © 2020 by Tim Bryce. All rights reserved.

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YOU KNOW YOU ARE GETTING OLDER WHEN...

 BRYCE ON LIFE

- The subtle and not so subtle signs of aging.

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NOTE: The following is an excerpt from my book, "Tim's Senior Moments," a great gift idea for parents this holiday season.

As we grow older, we begin to observe signs of aging. Such signs are usually small and subtle, so we only become cognizant of such changes slowly, usually just before it is too late to do anything about it. Perhaps the most noticeable involves how our bodies are physically changing. This goes well beyond losing strength and speed, which we expect, nor is it the obvious signs of a receding hairline, or how our hair grays. Even our weight is anticipated, such as too much or too little. These are all to be expected. What I'm talking about are the little things we tend to overlook, such as hair growing where it should not, such as in our ears, nose, or out of a forehead or shoulder. Maybe worse is the realization your body hair has disappeared and your skin is now as soft as a newborn babe.

Such changes also include our mental acuity, our power of observation, and even our sense of humor. To illustrate....

Our taste of food changes with time. Whereas we used to consume considerable portions, that might be highly seasoned, we find ourselves reducing our intake, either because a doctor has ordered us to do so to minimize sodium, sugar and fat levels, or our priorities change and we no longer enjoy gorging ourselves. In other words, the portions become smaller and more bland. In turn, this affects our gastro-digestive system thereby reducing our "health habits" to something looking like dog kibble. Further, any change in the quantity of food, or type, turns our bowels into a musical theater, sounding like the wood wind section at a greasy spoon.

In terms of libations, instead of milk and colas, we now consume diet soft drinks, coffee and iced tea, something we abhorred in our youth. For alcohol, we have either given it up completely or only allow ourselves an occasional drink at the end of the day to help us relax, usually a strong belt of whiskey as beer and wine now gives us a touch of the wind.

Food and drink affects our ability to sleep through the night. Eventually, there comes a time when we no longer can sleep through the evening and typically wake-up at least three times to pee. We try sleeping aids, such as Ambien or an aspirin "PM" drug, to help us sleep, but this only makes you pee even more.

Arthritis starts to slip into your body, and you begin to regularly feel pain in your skeleton or muscles, particularly in your lower back. This is the result of a lifetime of sprains, strains, broken bones and bone spurs which come back to haunt you with a vengeance. At first, you try to take the pain in stride, but you inevitably succumb to Advil or Aleve and devour them like after-dinner mints. Backs, necks, shoulders, legs, fingers, feet and hips continue to ache, so you begin wearing back braces, and Ace bandages for knees and elbows, not to mention athletic tape to hold you together, and special shoes to walk. Now, with all of the paraphernalia you wear, you start to look something like Robocop.

You are not as nimble as you remember in your youth. The fluidity of motion is simply gone. Whereas you marveled at your prowess on the playing fields years ago, now you walk more carefully, preferably with a shopping cart in front of you to maintain your balance. Bending over is avoided at all costs and squatting is simply out of the question.

Then there is the matter of snot. You never had allergies in your youth, but your head is now swimming in nasal mucus, making you very attractive to the opposite sex. There is so much of it, you wonder why you never invested heavily in Kimberly-Clark or Kleenex years ago. Colds lasted but a day or two when we were in grade school, sometimes allowing us to stay home and be pampered by Mom. Now colds last weeks, if not months, and the only thing to truly comfort us is Jack Daniels.

When you now get together with friends, you notice the conversation has turned from such things as family, work, jokes, religion, news and politics, to sciatica, shingles, strokes, goiters, COPD, cancer and heart disease. You complain about your sagging skin and debate what dermatologist offers the best procedure to correct the problem. After a night of talking about such ailments, you become a Hypochondriac and try to self-diagnose your problems, which the pharmaceutical companies count on. The best word of advice here is to turn the conversation back to family, work, jokes, religion, news and politics.

For some strange reason, the packaging of products is strengthened as you get older. Whereas tearing open a plastic bag, opening a tin can or plastic prescription bottle was once considered child's play, the wrapping mysteriously gets harder to open. It is also at this time you discover your repertoire of vulgar expletives has expanded. Coincidence?

Because you fear the possibility of suffering a stroke, you take aspirin regularly or some kind of blood thinner. The only problem is, you now bruise more easily, and your skin color changes from a healthy glow to a pasty white with purple blotches. Not surprising, you begin to wear long sleeve shirts even on the hottest days.

Sex becomes less frequent than when you were younger. Instead of three or four times a week, you are lucky to get it every three or four years. It's kind of like dancing; you remember how much you enjoyed it, but are no longer sure you remember all the proper moves. Television ads now have men convinced they cannot perform without a pill to act as a sexual picker-up. I still don't quite understand why the ads show couples in separate bath tubs and not in the bedroom where they belong.

You find you are no longer taking a couple of vitamins a day, but a couple of handfuls of pills instead. In addition to vitamins and pain relievers, you are now taking pills to clear your head, dry out your sinuses, make you sleep, and get you horny. The doctor prescribes dozens more, all with Latin names impossible to pronounce, for a variety of medical woes, and you take supplements for calcium, fish oil, glucosimine, condroitum, diet pills, testosterone, stool softeners, antacids, anti-gas, etc. To manage all of this, you buy plastic boxes with dividers listed by day to sort the number of pills you have to consume, which is now in the hundreds. The boxes remind you of your fishing tackle box, and if you are not careful, you might find yourself fishing with a hook baited with Viagra rather than a worm.

Your eyesight weakens, but you realize this was slowly developing over the years. What you didn't expect was to hear terms such as "macular degeneration," "cataracts," and "glaucoma." You then start to ask yourself why you ate all of those rotten carrots over the years. More troublesome though is the loss of hearing which you didn't anticipate. Now you start to wonder if the heavy-metal rock songs you listened to over your headphones in college had anything to do with it. You become perturbed with people who suggest you get a hearing-aid as you feel it is an affront to your age. The truth is y__ better g__ off y___ a__ and g__ o__ ASAP.

So far, I have concentrated on the physical aspects of aging, but there are other nuances we begin to notice as well:

In your youth, you may have been the spelling bee champion of your school, but now you can no longer remember the names of friends, places, or your school. Your math still works fine, but names elude you. Thank God for crossword puzzles to jog your memory.

Your memory also starts to elude you. Whereas you can vividly recount the day when Kennedy was shot years ago, you cannot seem to remember what you had for lunch today, or the beginning of this article.

You have difficulty adapting to the latest technology, be it a smart phone, tablets, streaming media players, or something on the Internet. This hinders our ability to drive a car as it is now dependent on the latest technology. Between XM radio, GPS maps, voice activation, and music players, we start to forget how to put the car in Drive or Park. We also develop a dependency on our grandchildren who are now charged with the responsibility of programming all of the electronics in the house. Without them, we are lost.

At family get-togethers, you are expected to pick up the check. This denotes seniority in the family tree.

You find yourself arguing with inanimate objects - and losing. Your temper flares when you stumble at what seems to be the simplest of tasks. In reality, it is not the fault of a tool or piece of equipment, it is you. Because you have performed a task a million times before, you become easily irritated when something goes awry on the millionth and first try.

You find yourself attending more funerals than weddings, baby showers or graduations. Whereas you danced and drank at many such parties years ago, now you find yourself living a more sedate existence, and miss the fun and friendships of the early days, particularly the revelry.

You discover the morals of the newest generation no longer match your own. This is projected in the fashions, food, and entertainment of the day, which you simply do not comprehend, nor the news. In response, you find yourself spending more time with your pets as opposed to people who do not understand you. In fact, you actually like your dogs and cats better than people as they do not argue with you. As such, you treat them better than a grandchild who lacks manners. At least, with a pet you can train them, but not somebody else's child.

The biggest change of all is the fact you have gotten smarter over the years, not just because of experience, but because you recognize your limitations, and conduct yourself accordingly. Instead of impulsively jumping up to perform a difficult task, you stop and say, "Wait a minute. Let me think about that first."

Interestingly, women generally believe men age better and more gracefully, and men feel likewise about women. The truth is none of us really like it and we're all embarrassed by our looks, no matter the superficiality of our perceived imperfections. We need to get over this. Just pour yourself a drink with a friend and enjoy the moment. We are simply not kids anymore.

Keep the Faith!

Note: All trademarks both marked and unmarked belong to their respective companies.

Tim Bryce is an author, freelance writer and the Managing Director of M&JB Investment Company (M&JB) of Palm Harbor, Florida and has over 40 years of experience in the management consulting field. He can be reached at timb1557@gmail.com

For Tim's columns, see:   timbryce.com

Like the article? TELL A FRIEND.

Copyright © 2020 by Tim Bryce. All rights reserved.

Listen to Tim on WZIG-FM (104.1) in Palm Harbor,FL; Or tune-in to Tim's channel on YouTube. Click for TIM'S LIBRARY OF AUDIO CLIPS.

 

THE AFTEREFFECTS OF THE 2020 ELECTION

 BRYCE ON POLITICS

- And the path the President may take to victory.

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The gymnastics involving the recent counting of the election ballots have been disconcerting to say the least. It has caused high anxiety among Republicans, to the point of making many physically sick. Ordinarily, an American presidential election should be simple, transparent and easy to implement. Despite our technology though it has only become more complicated and prone to error and corruption. This is particularly disturbing in the age of the Internet and pocket computing. I have personally been voting since 1972 and in that short period of time, I have seen it only get worse, not better. As an old systems man, this is another area where I fail to see how computers have improved productivity.

Nonetheless, America has become the laughing stock of the free world simply by its inability to conduct a fair and transparent election. We are now faced with a scandal the likes of which we have never seen. It is bigger than the 1960 election, and bigger than the Kennedy assassination as it represents the attempted murder of a country, not just an individual, which will haunt us for years to come. Now we are embroiled in a justified legal battle which should not be taken lightly and may very well lead to a surprise ending, something we haven't experienced in a very long time. More on this shortly.

Interestingly, I believe there are three areas affected by this nightmare of ballot counting:

1. REPUBLICANS - the outrage over the counting has united the party like I have never seen before. True, millions love their President, but the chaos ensuing from the balloting has incensed Republican voters by insulting their sense of fair play. Republicans always suspected Democrats of voting improprieties, but this latest round will not be left unchecked. This has opened the eyes of Republicans to the next two items...

2. DEMOCRATS - in the eyes of the GOP, the Democrats have gone way beyond the label of the "loyal opposition," to the party of immoral/illegal behavior. Republicans now understand the Democrats mantra that "all is fair in love and politics," that they will do anything, be it lie, cheat or defraud in order to win at all costs. They have seen it in the Congress, mayhem in the streets, and on the campaign trail. In the minds of Republicans, the Democrats can no longer be trusted to do anything honorable; that they represent nothing less than evil.

Even former VP Joe Biden who claims he wants to be a "unifier," is already drawing up plans should he become president to rescind President Trump's executive orders, such as overturning the removal of business regulations, halting the construction of the southern wall and opening the borders, rejoining the Paris Climate Treaty and World Health Organization, killing the Trump tax cuts, re-establishing Iran recognition, and appointing a commission to expand the Supreme Court. So much for "unification."

The only agenda the former VP is interested in is the Democrats', not America's.

3. NEWS MEDIA - Only now are Republicans starting to understand the real power of the press. Prior to this, they thought it was only conservative extremists claiming "the sky is falling, the sky is falling." Now they know the truth of how untrustworthy the media is, that it is all about money and serving the Democrats.

The news media calls President Trump's charges of fraud "baseless," even in spite of the many sworn affidavits the president's team has produced. These media people are the same ones who fought for Al Gore's voting rights in the 2000 election, yet balk at supporting the president's rights. Remarkably, they see no inconsistencies in this and continue to push for Biden's election and attack the president's attempts to seek the truth, claiming it is nothing more than "sour grapes."

Even Fox News has fallen from grace with Republicans who feel betrayed when the network referred to Mr. Biden as "President-Elect." It is not up to the media to "call" the election, that is what the Electoral College is designed to do. In other words, they exceeded their authority. There is now a massive migration underway to Newsmax and OAN (One American News Network). This is significant and will hurt Fox, who is now viewed in the same vein as CNN and MSNBC. Don't be surprised when you hear Republicans chant, "Fox sucks, Fox sucks, ..." The decision by Fox to rush to "call" the election for Biden, is one of the biggest bonehead moves made by someone in the media and will cost them dearly.

Republicans are also outraged by the behavior of social-media giants Facebook and Twitter who have regularly censored Republican postings, claiming it violates fact-checkers. This is also causing an exodus from these services with people gravitating to MeWe, Parler, LinkedIn, and CODIAS (specifically intended for conservatives).

The stumbling by Fox, Facebook, and Twitter represents a golden opportunity for others who must be careful not to replicate the mistakes of their predecessors. For example, Fox let liberal commentators slip in the back door, and Facebook and Twitter censored postings. These big guns may laugh at the new guys as inconsequential, but over 70 million people voted for President Trump, are mad as hell, and are ready to move elsewhere. Such an exodus could possibly have a crippling effect on these media giants. Should the new kids on the block not learn from these mistakes, they will likely suffer the same consequences.

So, where is all this heading?

Professor Shane Vaughn, a teacher at the First Harvest Church & Biblical Foundations Institute of Waveland, Mississippi, produced a video recently which asks, "What Happens If President Trump Does NOT Concede?" In it, he reminds us of an important civics lesson involving some history and Amendment 12 of the Constitution detailing what would happen if none of the candidates garner enough votes to win the Electoral College. I have researched this and could find no flaw in his argument.

Until such time as the states can certify their voting, the Electoral College cannot declare a victor. This is why the president's team is pushing for recounts, particularly from the swing states. The lawsuits may very well reveal voter fraud which could change the outcome in the states. Nonetheless, the investigations can take considerable time, going beyond the date Congress assigns to collect votes from the Electoral College (normally the Monday after the second Wednesday in December - December 14th). If neither candidate has sufficient electoral votes, the vote is turned over to the House of Representatives to decide.

True, the House is currently in the hands of the Democrats, but this is a STATE vote only (50 plus DC). The President would likely win under such a scenario.

This is not without precedence as it happened in 1800 (John Adams vs. Thomas Jefferson), 1824 (John Q. Adams vs. Andrew Jackson), and 1876 (Rutherford B. Hayes vs. Samuel Tilden).

Conceding defeat represents a surrender in the eyes of the Electoral College and any hopes of a recount or checking voter fraud is negated. This explains why Hillary Clinton adamantly warned former VP Biden NOT to concede defeat under any circumstance, as she was well aware of this scenario. It also explains why President Trump will not concede defeat, in spite of the urging of the news media (who is also well aware of it, and not the general public).

This election is far from over, but to make it to a House vote, the President's team has to effectively demonstrate voter fraud occurred and articulate why recounts are necessary. Trump supporters can help in this regard by organizing demonstrations demanding a clean and transparent election.

This election is also a recognition of the ruthlessness of a determined enemy, the Swamp (Democrats, the News Media, Lobbyists, Bureaucrats, and RINOs). As an outsider, President Trump has disrupted their plans and fortunes. Bottom-line, this is the reason they want to eliminate him.

All of this means the Democrats are trapped. They can either acknowledge voter fraud, and suffer electoral losses, or take their chances in the House which they will likely lose. Either way, President Trump wins. When this happens, the Democrats will unleash hell in protest, claiming this is an unfair process (even though it is in the constitution and has been tested).

Fortunately, President Trump has no intention of going gently into that good night. He will certainly not concede the election and see it to the legal end. Thank God for having a president who is not intimidated by the Swamp.

Keep the Faith!

Note: All trademarks both marked and unmarked belong to their respective companies.

Tim Bryce is an author, freelance writer and the Managing Director of M&JB Investment Company (M&JB) of Palm Harbor, Florida and has over 40 years of experience in the management consulting field. He can be reached at timb1557@gmail.com

For Tim's columns, see:   timbryce.com

Like the article? TELL A FRIEND.

Copyright © 2020 by Tim Bryce. All rights reserved.

Listen to Tim on WZIG-FM (104.1) in Palm Harbor,FL; Or tune-in to Tim's channel on YouTube. Click for TIM'S LIBRARY OF AUDIO CLIPS.

 

WHERE DOES THE GOP GO FROM HERE?

 BRYCE ON POLITICS

- The next presidential election is just four short years away.

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For Republicans, it's time to get to work. The next presidential election is just four short years away and there is already plenty of things to be done before then. As Republicans, we were very lucky to have had President Trump as our candidate. His fire and energy on the campaign trail was like nothing we had ever seen. However, by 2024 we will have to find a new candidate and whoever becomes the front runner will likely not have the same energy. In other words, it will require more work by the candidate's supporters than this year.

The far-left's agenda will undoubtedly raise its ugly head again in another attempt to turn the country to socialism and immoral behavior. The next question obviously becomes, "What can we do about it?"

To win the next round, it will take more than just waving some flags, displaying signs, and calling people on the phone. Instead of a reactive mode of operation, which is typical of Republicans, how about a pro-active approach instead?

As I see it, we have four objectives to succeed:

1. Promote morality and education, thereby pushing back the lunatic left.
2. Implement legislation to prevent tampering with our electoral process.
3. Select a suitable candidate.
4. Reorganize Republican groups to make us more effective.

More specifically, consider the following ideas:

ACADEMIA - push local school boards for more education in terms of Civics, American History and socio-economics, e.g., teaching the differences between capitalism and socialism. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has started a program to teach the U.S. Constitution to high school students, but more is needed. It has become painfully obvious high school students do not understand the basics of our government or our duties as citizens, such as serving on a jury, understanding state sovereignty, and the need for the electoral college. If we want them to become responsible citizens, it is time to teach these basics again. We certainly do not need any more sheep.

NEWS MEDIA - it was bad enough President Trump had to compete against the Democrats, but he also had to take on the news media which has proven to be unreliable in terms of telling the truth to the American public. It is time to take them down and establish new venues with a journalistic code of conduct that promotes morality. The press has been at war with Republicans for far too long; it is now time to take the fight to them, such as picketing offices and demanding the resignation of people engaged in irresponsible reporting. This also includes "Fake Polling."

MORALITY - politics is very much concerned with moral values. It ultimately represents our sense of right and wrong. I have been discussing morality for several years now and followed studies revealing its steady decline in our country. It is time to express our commitment to morality and applaud those who exhibit exemplary behavior. We should also support religious institutions any way we can, perhaps forming a group to visit local places of worship as guests.

LAW ENFORCEMENT - morality also includes respect for the rule of law. Following the "Summer of Hate," where cities were burned, stores looted, people harmed, and police departments de-funded, it is time to fight back. There is a lot that can be done in this area, such as arranging tours for youths to law enforcement facilities, honoring local deputies and officials, a visit to the courts and prosecutor's office, etc. All of this is educational for youth as well as adults.

MILITARY - as with law enforcement, respect begins with education, such as visiting a military base or pertinent museum.

GOP CLUBS - organize more committees and staff them with qualified people. Something to stress: it is no longer sufficient to just be a member of a group; now is the time to stress the concept of "membership requires participation." It could be a large or small task, but the days of apathy are over, people must become pro-active. We are dealing with a determined opponent who doesn't play fair and will change our world for the worse. If you want to sit on the sidelines, that is fine, but we need people who believe in the cause and will assume responsibility.

LEGISLATION - obviously, it is time to push for a new approach to voting which prohibits fraud, as well as enacting stiffer penalties for fraud, otherwise it will continue unabated thereby setting a bad example for future generations. We can no longer afford to waste time and money on fallacious voting results. Other legislation worth pursuing includes: shortening the campaign cycle and limiting campaign financing (thereby stunting the growth of the corrupt media), and enacting Congressional term limits.

CANDIDATES - Select and support the best candidates for office. We need moral people who support the Constitution, and offer skills conducive for leadership and proper American values. A litmus test of some kind would be useful to determine qualifications for a position. We certainly do not need more career politicians.

As mentioned, politics is morality in action. Over the years, we have dropped our guard and allowed our opponents to walk all over us and, as a result, we are paying a high price for it today. Now is the time for pro-active leadership, participation, and determination. As my old football coach was fond of saying, it's time for a little "STUG" (that's "Guts" spelled backwards).

The next presidential election may be four years away but we also must be cognizant of the midterm elections in 2022, that's just two years from now. Let's get started.

Keep the Faith!

Note: All trademarks both marked and unmarked belong to their respective companies.

Tim Bryce is an author, freelance writer and the Managing Director of M&JB Investment Company (M&JB) of Palm Harbor, Florida and has over 40 years of experience in the management consulting field. He can be reached at timb1557@gmail.com

For Tim's columns, see:   timbryce.com

 

Like the article? TELL A FRIEND.

Copyright © 2020 by Tim Bryce. All rights reserved.

Listen to Tim on WZIG-FM (104.1) in Palm Harbor,FL; Or tune-in to Tim's channel on YouTube. Click for TIM'S LIBRARY OF AUDIO CLIPS.

THANKS FOR MAKING A DIFFERENCE

 BRYCE ON POLITICS

- A tip of the hat to those Republicans who made a difference in Florida's election.

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A lot of people make up a political campaign; candidates, party officials, the media, etc. These are all important but it is at the grassroots level where people shine and make a difference. Tampa Bay is no exception, and during the recent presidential campaign many people stepped up to the plate and made a difference. Too often these people are overlooked, but as for me, I just want to take a moment and thank the following people for making the Florida election a success for Republicans. These are people from my neck of the woods who took on a responsibility and ran with it. I am going to mention them in alphabetical order as they all did a remarkable job.

Sandy Bryant - attended numerous Republican meetings and Trump Rallies. If I wanted to know when or where a political event was being held, I just contacted Sandy as I knew she would be there as well. A very generous, hard-working and kind-hearted lady who was always ready to pitch in and help. She appeared at so many events I began to believe she had a twin sister.

Brian Burns - Publisher of the Tampa Free Press, a new daily digital newspaper. He runs the most fair and balanced newspaper in the Tampa Bay area. I encourage more people to subscribe to it.

Matt English - from Palm Harbor, this conservative could be counted on to stoke the conservative fires on social media, and attend Trump flag rallies.

Chris Ingram - an old media friend and confidant from Tampa who kept a fire under the politicians of Hillsborough County, quite often with a sense of levity. Great guy to boot.

Leo Karruli - owner of Leo's Italian Grill on US19 in Palm Harbor. He generously assisted many Republican candidates and groups at his facility. It was also one of the best places to post a GOP sign in the area. Great family and great food as well.

John Keller - a retired postman who worked tirelessly to help GOP candidates with petitions, campaigning for Republicans, and actively worked the North Pinellas Republican Campaign Office. He is a man who quietly went about his business and simply did it well.

Willie Lawson - a podcaster from Tampa who runs "The Morning Report" featuring political news and analysis. You could always count on Willie for straight, no-nonsense insight of the latest events. I was glad he was on our side.

Kevin Leonard - Publisher of Senior Voice America, a monthly newspaper for seniors in the Tampa Bay area. Kevin was a staunch supporter who you could depend on to get the word out to senior citizens.

Pam McAloon - I have had the pleasure of knowing Pam and her husband for several years now. Great people. I like to describe Pam as the "Energizer Bunny" of our area. Not only was she the Vice President of the Pinellas Republican Executive Committee, but also helped start the Pinellas Federated Republican Women's Club. She knows all of the key political people in the area and has a knack for making things happen. A very determined and resourceful lady.

Helena Nunn - another trusted friend from Palm Harbor. Helena's forte was to locate and publish real news, and weed out the "fake," thereby providing a reliable source of information. She did this on Facebook with "Ask Helena" and was the News Editor for "TBCtampa.com," a local web page for Tampa Bay Conservatives. If Helena brought a story to your attention, you could take it to the bank.

Ron Ogden - founded the North Pinellas Republican Campaign Office. Whereas most GOP activity was in south county, Ron opened an office for those of us in the north. As such, it was a clearinghouse for much needed political signs and for calling local voters. His ideas for running it were very ambitious and creative.

Mark Phillips - also from Palm Harbor, Mark worked quietly behind the scenes supporting campaigns and candidates through careful investigation of key issues. His enthusiasm and curiosity seemed to have no bounds. He's just a great guy to have on your team to help get things done.

Dr. Richard Swier - publisher and editor of what I consider the best political e-zine, not just in Tampa Bay, but in Florida, and maybe all of America. His publication enjoys a huge following. More importantly, he offers great political insight. If you haven't been to his web site, you are missing out on some great content.

J.W. Stratton - founder and president of the Tampa Bay Trump Club, perhaps the largest Trump group in the state. Not only does he organize speakers for the event, but collects donations for local charities. His enthusiasm and energy is inspirational.

Penny Lee Todd - last, but certainly not least, Penny was the go-to gal for Trump flag rallies in north county. She tirelessly organized them, ran them, and promoted them afterwards, thereby recruiting more people for the cause. Waving flags may not sound exciting, but it does express the peoples' support for the candidates. Doing a first class job, as Penny did, helped immeasurably.
 

These are extraordinary people. As you can see, they served in a variety of capacities. If you were to ask them, "Was it a lot of work or difficult to perform?," they would probably say it was a labor of love. They genuinely seemed to enjoy what they were doing and did it well. They were not looking for personal accolades, they just wanted to help the cause. To me, they are the true unsung heroes of the campaign.

Some time ago, I wrote a column titled, "Do Just One Thing." Basically, this is derived from Billy Crystal’s movie, "City Slickers," whereby Curley (Jack Palance) tells Billy’s character the meaning of life involves "Just One Thing" which we must all figure out for ourselves. In terms of nonprofit organizations, I think I have an answer:

If all members did "Just One Thing" for their club, it would be a better place. I am not suggesting we do anything extremely labor intensive; perhaps it is something as simple as being a greeter at the door, preparing name tags, attending a meeting or social function, helping to write letters, or just helping out in some simple way. If we all did "Just One Thing," the institution overall would flourish. Imagine what would happen if we had an army of people like the fifteen mentioned above.

Such people represent the backbone of any nonprofit group. They assumed responsibility, gave generously of themselves, and saw things through to completion. Too often we take such people for granted. I for one, do not. I relish them.

I therefore want to salute them for their efforts and offer a sincere and most appreciated, "Thank you."

Obviously, there were many others who participated, and I'm sure I am overlooking some important people. To all of you who participated, thanks. You are appreciated and deserve accolades. We couldn't have done it without you.

Keep the Faith!

Note: All trademarks both marked and unmarked belong to their respective companies.

Tim Bryce is an author, freelance writer and the Managing Director of M&JB Investment Company (M&JB) of Palm Harbor, Florida and has over 40 years of experience in the management consulting field. He can be reached at timb1557@gmail.com

For Tim's columns, see:   timbryce.com

 

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Copyright © 2020 by Tim Bryce. All rights reserved.

Listen to Tim on WZIG-FM (104.1) in Palm Harbor,FL; Or tune-in to Tim's channel on YouTube. Click for TIM'S LIBRARY OF AUDIO CLIPS.

 

WHEN NOBODY CARES

 BRYCE ON LIFE

- What causes some people to withdraw into oblivion?

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I was recently scanning the obituaries of the local newspaper and came upon a listing of someone I knew but hadn't seen in awhile; it read:

(DOE, JOHN)
83, of Safety Harbor, died September 12, 2020. No family has come forward at this time. Call 727-XXX-XXXX

(Out of respect for the deceased, I'll call him "John Doe.")

The obit was brief and, frankly, I thought rather sad. I had known this gentleman for about ten years as a friend of a friend. I called the funeral home to ask if they could tell me what happened. Frankly, they didn't know much about the cause of death and declined to comment on it. They said if nobody from the family came forward, they would cremate the body and spread his ashes out at sea with the county picking up the tab.

It is sad nobody came forward but I really wasn't surprised. This was a man who had been married and divorced three times, and had daughters and grandchildren living out West who frankly never wanted anything to do with him. I do not know what happened, but the fact he couldn't make a single marriage work and his family avoided contact with him, speaks volumes about his character.

My personal observation of him was that he was self-centered. Whenever there was a social function, such as a dinner or party, he would come, eat and drink, and pretty much kept to himself. I cannot remember him ever having a kind word or compliment to someone else. If anything, he was jealous of the success of others and felt that life had dealt him a bad hand. I also cannot remember him telling any form of joke, clever anecdote, or witticism, just doom and gloom.

I also could not remember a time when he put himself out for others such as performing some volunteer work, unless there was something in it for him personally. He also didn't belong to any clubs or group activities requiring socialization skills. The one exception was he performed some Bible readings at his church, but this came to an abrupt halt a couple of years ago. All I could make out was that he felt God and his church had deserted him.

His only passion towards the end was Scotch whiskey and cigarettes.

I have not known too many people like this over the years, except for one other I knew in Buffalo, New York who basically had the same mode of operation. He had a dark and cloudy outlook on life, hated to assume any responsibility, jealous of others, and his relation with his family had deteriorated to the point they didn't want anything to do with him.

Perhaps you have run into such a person yourself. As for me, I do not understand why this occurs. I suspect they consider themselves failures and possess little self-respect. It may be their socialization skills prevented them from having any meaningful relationship with others, and as they grew older they withdrew into a world of self-pity where the only comfort they could find was in a bottle of alcohol. Their unhappiness only got worse with age. This brings up a point, it seems alcohol stokes the fire of their rage making them lash out at others as opposed to becoming happily tipsy.

I don't see this as narcissism, just a very dark outlook on life. Whatever the reason, it is sad to watch someone go down this road into oblivion without anyone shedding a tear for them. It seems like such a waste of life. What a pity. Nonetheless, they've made their bed over a number of years and now must sleep in it. I do not believe it would come to this if they were just a little more positive and possessed some social skills. And now, with his demise, people treat him like a man who never was. Sad.

Keep the Faith!

Note: All trademarks both marked and unmarked belong to their respective companies.

Tim Bryce is an author, freelance writer and the Managing Director of M&JB Investment Company (M&JB) of Palm Harbor, Florida and has over 40 years of experience in the management consulting field. He can be reached at timb1557@gmail.com

For Tim's columns, see:   timbryce.com

Like the article? TELL A FRIEND.

Copyright © 2020 by Tim Bryce. All rights reserved.

Listen to Tim on WZIG-FM (104.1) in Palm Harbor,FL; Or tune-in to Tim's channel on YouTube. Click for TIM'S LIBRARY OF AUDIO CLIPS.

 

IT'S SHOW TIME 2020!

 BRYCE ON POLITICS

- Finally, it's election day.

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Put the signs, the flags, and the hate away, it is finally time to make a decision; it is election day. Many of you have already voted by absentee ballot and early-voting, which is to be commended, but understand this, the lion's share of votes will come today. Out of a population of 331 million citizens, less than half will vote in the 2020 election. Estimates show a record high 150 million citizens will vote. As I recently reported, the candidates will end up spending another record of $11 Billion in campaigning, thereby assuring the media continues to grow unabated. At this rate, the candidates are spending approximately $73 on each voter.

If you do not know who or what you are voting for, please do us all a favor and stay home. It means you have buried your head in the sand and do not know what is truly going on. Actually, there is no real excuse for not voting as it is your civic duty to do so. It is the least we can do to help this country work properly. Recently, I have heard Millennials complain their vote doesn't matter and, as such, they will not vote. Interestingly, I hear members of Generation Z (the group following the Millennials) say just the opposite; this is the group who will be voting for the first time today.

One thing I find abhorrent is voter fraud. I have no patience for this. To those who claim, "All is fair in love and war," get out, there is no place for such shenanigans. Consequently, it is also our duty as law-abiding citizens to report anything suspicious to the board of elections. In other words, when you vote, be on your toes and make sure your vote is properly counted.

Let me be perfectly clear on something, it is not up to me or someone else to tell you how to vote. It is up to your individual conscious; your intelligence, your morality, your sense of right and wrong. In other words, voting is not a game, it ultimately is an expression of your values. I know how I would like you to vote, but you must come to this conclusion on your own, and as I said, if you do not know what you are doing or are uncomfortable in answering such important questions, don't vote. It is too important to take frivolously.

For those of you concerned about the Electoral College superseding the popular vote, understand this, the college was created to assure the interests of rural America are equally considered on the same level as urban America. If it wasn't for the Electoral College, candidates would only pander to the interests of major cities and ignore everyone else. That is not an opinion, it is a fact. The Electoral College is one of the most brilliant inventions by our founding fathers.

Finally, to the winners and losers, be magnanimous in victory and cordial in defeat. Let's compare this to another time. In the U.S. Senate race of 1855, Abraham Lincoln lost in Illinois to Lyman Trumbull. It was a tough race and even though Lincoln lost he was determined not to express any hard feelings over the matter. Instead, he surprised people by showing up at Trumbull's victory party and offered him a smile and a warm handshake. Such magnanimity did not go unnoticed, nor was it forgotten. Trumbull and his confidants helped Lincoln in his bid for the Senate in 1858 and later on in his run for the presidency in 1860. The point is, instead of losing friends over a defeat, Lincoln actually made friends of his opponents.

I doubt Lincoln’s act of magnanimity would play in Peoria today. Instead we are more inclined to be more visceral in acknowledging defeat. This could be due to the adverse effects of today’s technology and our lagging socialization skills, or because of our incompatible ideologies. Nonetheless, imagine the effect if the losers of the elections would do as Lincoln and offer a sincere handshake of congratulations, in person. A simple act like a handshake could go a long way to repairing the divide in our country.

Some might argue Lincoln lived in a simpler time which was much less contentious than today. Really? I wonder if anyone remembers the viciousness of the Missouri Compromise and the other acts leading to the American Civil War, perhaps the darkest chapter of our history.

In his famous speech of 1858, Lincoln warned, "A house divided against itself cannot stand. I believe this government cannot endure, permanently half slave and half free. I do not expect the Union to be dissolved – I do not expect the house to fall – but I do expect it will cease to be divided. It will become all one thing or all the other."

Lincoln’s speech is as prophetic today as it was then. Interestingly, he seemed to understand the issue of the day posed a significant threat to the Constitution, which is also on the minds of a lot of people today. Even though his talk was well remembered, it wasn’t considered politically correct and may have cost him the Senate race (losing to Stephen Douglas). So, are we really any different than yesteryear? Hardly. If anything, we are chillingly similar.

Best of luck on election day. Vote with a clear head and a warm heart.

Oh, by the way, tomorrow you can start picking up all of those ghastly political signs around your neighborhood.

Keep the Faith!

P.S. - Also, I have a NEW book, "Before You Vote: Know How Your Government Works", What American youth should know about government, available in Printed, PDF and eBook form. This is the perfect gift for youth!

Note: All trademarks both marked and unmarked belong to their respective companies.

Tim Bryce is an author, freelance writer and the Managing Director of M&JB Investment Company (M&JB) of Palm Harbor, Florida and has over 40 years of experience in the management consulting field. He can be reached at timb1557@gmail.com

For Tim's columns, see:   timbryce.com

 Like the article? TELL A FRIEND.

Copyright © 2020 by Tim Bryce. All rights reserved.

Listen to Tim on WZIG-FM (104.1) in Palm Harbor,FL; Or tune-in to Tim's channel on YouTube. Click for TIM'S LIBRARY OF AUDIO CLIPS.