Question: When is a door not a door?
Answer: When it’s ajar.
Question: When is a national emergency not a national emergency?
Answer: When it’s a lie.
The first Q & A is what we call a riddle. It’s a form of humor, one that we often undervalue because the play on words can be so blatantly juvenile, a “groaner” if you will. But if I’m not mistaken, it’s probably the first form of word-based humor that children understand. It’s an introduction into the wonderful nuances of the English language. It includes “knock knock” jokes, that push the puns to the extreme, into the realms of popular culture, slang expressions, song and movie titles, and more.
The second Q & A is what we call sarcasm. It is a form of dark humor, meant to cast aspersions on something, to ridicule it, to suggest something is funny when it clearly is not. It is a form of humor, like parody and satire, that serves to highlight or expose the flaws and fallacies of the human condition, like politics or artistic expression.
Where the riddle has an answer that is based on having a developed vocabulary (knowing that “a jar” and “ajar” are two distinctly separate things) allowing the two words in juxtaposition to create humor, the second question and answer simply puts two statements together in the guise of a riddle, making it funny because it’s true in its contradictions.
Some of our greatest American satirists, like Mark Twain, Will Rogers, George Carlin, and Andy Borowitz, have used sarcasm with great success. Twain and Rogers were a bit gentler with their wit than George Carlin. Borowitz can be playful or biting. All stand as testimony that humor, even in its darkest forms, are legitimate ways to heap criticism upon the pompous, the lofty, the dishonest, and the incompetent among and above us.
Humor is not where I shine. Although I developed most of my sense of humor from Pop (Abbott and Costello, the Marx Brothers, Stan Freberg, Ernie Kovacs, Burns and Allen and the like), I do not have the ability to address ineptness and corruption with sophisticated parody and satire. Pop was, truth be told, the king of sarcasm, and that’s about all I can muster when I try to find humor in the Trump administration. My sense of humor fails me when I encounter ignorance and deceit. Only the hurtfulness of sarcasm will do, and I find that to be the dark side of my soul.
Thus, I resort to the riddle: When is a national emergency not a national emergency? When it is a lie.
My own character is flawed, so it is, actually, difficult for me to be critical of others (Biblical teaching about throwing the first stone, don’t you know). But sometimes the transgressions of others are so outrageous they must be held to account, even by the likes of me. And, to me, lying is the worst of all transgressions.
Donald Trump has made an enormous error in judgment in declaring a national emergency at our southern border just to satisfy his ego. Many Republicans, along with Democrats and Independents, have criticized the president for this lapse in reason. They know Trump is not well-versed in constitutional law, that he does not approach issues with an eye toward a bigger picture or the consequences that might ensue. By going his own way, again, he has sown further chaos in our nation.
I have long wondered if Donald Trump is just plain crazy, or crazy like a fox. I now believe it is a combination of the two.
He is not an intelligent man, not in the sense of high IQ or book learning. He is academically lazy and lacks any sense of curiosity. But he has an innate sense of wiliness, of how to work a situation or system to get what he wants. And he seems to have a sense of how to create chaos when he fears for his own survival. His is an existence without a moral standard. His is a world where only his own needs and desires matter. And it is a world where he can be manipulated by those who pose as wanting to provide those things to him. Because he is smart only at a gut level, he lacks the ability to see when he is being used by forces more wiley than he.
In my mind, and the minds of some prominent Republicans who have recently spoken out, our national emergency is not at the border with Mexico. Our national emergency is in the White House. It is in the man who duped enough Americans to elect him, who manipulated, with the help of foreign actors, nearly half the populace into supporting his lies and his false promises, into becoming members of what amounts to a cult of followers who cling to his questionable pronouncements with the zeal of true believers.
I try mightily, every day, not to fall into despair over the clown president. But there is no “duck and cover” for the threats he poses to us. Washington is bereft of true leadership. It is without guts and forthrightness. It has only the politically expedient, worried about the next election instead of the needs of the American people.
In the book of Genesis, God says to Lot that He will spare the sinful people of Sodom and Gomorrah if Lot can find fifty innocent people (Genesis 18:23-33). Lot questions God as to whether He will destroy the cities if only forty-five innocents can be found. Then forty, then thirty, then twenty, and finally ten. God consents to sparing the people if ten can be found. We know that ten were not found, and God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah. Using this story as a morality play to lead us to a better existence, are there ten “innocents” to be found in our government to make it worth sparing? A rhetorical question, maybe worth the pondering.
There is also an old story in history about the Greek philosopher Diogenes. Diogenes was known to walk around in broad daylight with a lighted lamp, and someone asked him why he did so. His response was, “I am looking for an honest man.”
Light your lamps, people, and carry them around with you at all times. Campaign season is upon us, and we need to find at least one honest man or woman to lead us out of our own “city of sin” and away from the Clown Prince.
Ms Mandeville,
Thank you for calling 50% of voting Americans “dupes”, we really appreciate your honesty so we can evaluate your motives and viewpoints.
Do you view the number of people who view your posts versus other contributors and wonder why yours is usually the least viewed?the
Us country folk just don’t understand a well read, learned, intellectual such as yourself. Keep up the great work.
I’m sure the rest of up bumpkins will keep the dictionary close-by so we can reference some of the words you use.
Cheap shot. If we judge columns or other goods and services only by how popular they are, or by sales or “likes,” then we must come to grips with the notion that McDonald’s makes the best hamburger.
Mr DTOM
As you know from reading these columns, Ms Mandaville and I do not always agree. You must admit all contributors (including we who comment) write to promote our views.
I may disagree with the word “dupe,” but it doesn’t mean the author cannot use it to express thoughts. Because, since
I may lean toward the President, I would have said he spoke what ours were afraid to say in public. Whether we were we duped (misled) depends whether you support the man or not.
Should we get upset when we may have to research a words meaning? I think not.
Have you really looked at the topics Ms Mandaville addresses? They can be very hard to debate… causing us to choose our words carefully.
Now if Ms Mandaville penned articles like those our newly elected women to Congress have been professing, it would be easy to point out the error of her ways.
Our President is not typical… being overly wealthy he did not need to rely on anyone’s money to get elected.
I would not call him lacking in intelligence, but there is no doubt he is bearish, not politically correct, not used to not getting what he wants, will replace people at the drop of a hat, etc.
So she described him quite accurately… but I personally will support him in many of his decisions, but not blindly.
The sad truth is much of what he says and does makes it hard to defend him among friends or family. Hence, when someone brings these areas to our attention, we are at a loss for the unoffending words to describe our stance.
Sometimes saying nothing is the correct response.
I suppose it’s not a lie if he actually believes it’s an emergency. It could be that knows better, but chooses to lie – he has a very distant relationship with the truth – or it may be that he is subject to recurrent self delusion.
And this excellent observation from a Liberal whose party had the likes of hillbilly Clinton , where truth was devoid in his thinking and responses. And Obama, who displayed a hatred for the country and people voting for him.
I’ll take Trump any day over the likes of them. He’s true to his campaign pledges so far. Build the damn wall now!
Sorry, Lynn, you got bashed like you did. Your basher forgets about his comments about dumbacrats and rinos, more than 50% of American voters as dupes. I read all your articles find them informative as far as views yours do very well. Some bumpkins can’t count or don’t have dictionaries. But keep your words to only three letters, like WALL or LIE
Our President keeps telling us more border barriers are required while not addressing the need for improved border security with additional personnel, more cell towers, better technology along our borders to stop illegal drugs. It’s like President Trump is more interested in fulfilling a campaign promise to his base than listening to people like San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg or Congressman Will Hurd (R-TX) whose Texas 23rd district includes 800 miles of border between the U.S. and Mexico.
Maybe the President is hoping his base will only listen to him and never hear, read or notice the largest shipments of drugs being stopped from getting into the U.S. are done at ports of entry. They are coming in and being interdicted at ports like Philadelphia, Miami and LA. Large quantities of Fentanyl, cocaine, heroin and marijuana are still being stopped at the traditional border crossing vehicles use daily.
Think about it. Is any drug cartel boss going to give some person from Mexico or Central America five pounds of drugs worth anywhere between $18,000 to $20,000 per pound to schelp across the harsh Mexican terrain where they could die, get robbed of their valuable cargo or decide to sell it for 50% of the value, take the cash and take their chances. The drug cartel leaders are business people. They trust cars, trucks, boats, planes and tunnels they build themselves. No way they are going to risk losing shipments by people traveling 10-20-50 miles on foot.
Trump’s Wall is a way to gin up his base of people living in fear in places like Southwest MI while he ramps up Trump 2020. If President Trump was truly concerned he would be urging Congress to pass a federal law requiring all states to require all employers use E-Verify to cut down on the number of workers using other peoples Social Security numbers when applying for jobs. However, that would stop a lot of hospitality businesses and farms from hiring undocumented workers at low wages.
And so it goes.
List of past 58 National Emergencies since 1976
for information only.
Declared National Emergencies Under the National Emergencies Act, 1978-2018
Emergencies that are still in effect today are shaded in the table below.
Declaration Date Title Citation/Status
1. E.O. 12170 11/14/79 Blocking Iranian Government Property
3 C.F.R., 1979 Comp., pp. 457-
458; most recently continued by
notice of 11/08/18, see 83 FR
56251.
2. E.O. 12211 04/17/80 Further Prohibitions on Transactions with Iran
3 C.F.R., 1980 Comp., pp. 253-
255; prohibitions revoked but national
emergency left in effect by
E.O. 12282 of 01/19/81. National
emergency does not appear to
have ever been terminated or
continued.
3. E.O. 12444 10/14/83 Continuation of Export Control Regulations
3 C.F.R., 1983 Comp.,
pp. 214-215; revoked by
E.O. 12451 of 12/20/83.
4. E.O. 12470 03/30/84 Continuation of Export Control Regulations
3 C.F.R., 1984 Comp.,
pp. 168-169; revoked by
E.O. 12525 of 07/12/85.
5. E.O. 12513 05/01/85
Prohibiting Trade and Certain Other Transactions
Involving Nicaragua
3 C.F.R., 1985 Comp.,
p. 342; revoked by E.O.
12707 of 03/13/90.
6. E.O. 12532 09/09/85
Prohibiting Trade and Certain Other Transactions
Involving South Africa
3 C.F.R., 1985 Comp.,
pp. 387-391; revoked by
E.O. 12769 of 07/10/91.
7. E.O. 12543 01/07/86
Prohibiting Trade and Certain Transactions
Involving Libya
3 C.F.R., 1986 Comp.,
pp. 181-182; revoked by
E.O. 13357 of 09/20/04.
8. E.O. 12635 04/08/88
Prohibiting Certain Transactions with Respect
to Panama
3 C.F.R., 1988 Comp.,
pp. 563-564; revoked by
E.O. 12710 of 04/05/90.
9. E.O. 12722 08/02/90
Blocking Iraqi Government Property and Prohibiting
Transactions with Iraq
3 C.F.R., 1990 Comp.,
pp. 294-295; revoked by
E.O. 13350 of 07/29/04.
10. E.O. 12730 09/30/90 Continuation of Export Control Regulations
3 C.F.R., 1990 Comp.,
pp. 305-306; revoked by
E.O. 12867 of 09/30/93.
11. E.O. 12735 11/16/90 Chemical and Biological Weapons Proliferation
3 C.F.R., 1990 Comp.,
pp. 313-316; revoked by
E.O. 12938 of 11/11/94.
12. E.O. 12775 10/04/91
Prohibiting Certain Transactions with Respect
to Haiti
3 C.F.R., 1991 Comp.,
pp. 349-350; revoked by
E.O. 12932 of 10/14/94.
13. E.O. 12808 05/30/92
Blocking “Yugoslav Government” Property and
Property of the Governments of Serbia and
Montenegro
3 C.F.R., 1992 Comp.,
pp. 305-306; revoked by
E.O. 13304 of 05/28/03.
14. E.O. 12865 09/26/93
Prohibiting Certain Transactions Involving
UNITA
3 C.F.R., 1993 Comp.,
pp. 636-638; revoked by
E.O. 13298 of 05/06/03.
15. E.O. 12868 09/30/93
Measures to Restrict the Participation by
United States Persons in Weapons Proliferation
Activities
3 C.F.R., 1993 Comp.,
pp. 650-651; revoked by
E.O. 12930 of 09/29/94.
16. E.O. 12923 06/30/94 Continuation of Export Control Regulations
3 C.F.R., 1994 Comp.,
pp. 916-917; revoked by E.O.
12924 of 08/19/94.
17. E.O. 12924 08/19/94 Continuation of Export Control Regulations
3 C.F.R., 1994 Comp.,
pp. 917-919; revoked by E.O.
13206 of 04/04/01.
18. E.O. 12930 09/29/94
Measures to Restrict the Participation by
United States Persons in Weapons Proliferation
Activities
3 C.F.R., 1994 Comp.,
pp. 924-925; revoked by E.O.
12938 of 11/14/94.
19. E.O. 12934 10/25/94
Blocking Property and Additional Measures
With Respect to the Bosnian Serb- Controlled
Areas of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina
3 C.F.R., 1994 Comp.,
pp. 930-932; revoked by
E.O. 13304 of 05/28/03.
20. E.O. 12938 11/14/94 Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction
3 C.F.R., 1994 Comp.,
pp. 950-954; amended by E.O.
13094 of 07/30/98; further
amended by E.O. 13382 of
07/01/05; most recently continued
by notice of 11/08/18, see
83 FR 56253.
21. E.O. 12947 01/23/95
Prohibiting Transactions with Terrorists Who
Threaten to Disrupt the Middle East Peace
Process
3 C.F.R., 1995 Comp.,
pp. 319-320; amended by E.O.
13099 of 08/20/98; further
amended by E.O. 13372 of
02/16/05; most recently continued
by notice of 01/17/18, see
83 FR 2731.
22. E.O. 12957 03/15/95
Prohibiting Certain Transactions with Respect
to the Development of Iranian Petroleum Resources
3 C.F.R., 1995 Comp.,
pp. 332-333; supplemented by
E.O. 12959 of 05/06/95; revoked
in part by E.O. 13059; expanded
by E.O. 13553 of 09/28/10 and
E.O. 13846 of 08/06/18; most
recently continued by notice
of 03/12/18, see 83 FR 11393
(it technically lapsed for two
months, because the prior oneyear
extension was issued on
01/13/17, see 82 FR 6187).
23. E.O. 12978 10/21/95
Blocking Assets and Prohibiting Transactions
with Significant Narcotics Traffickers
3 C.F.R., 1995 Comp.,
pp. 415-417; amended by
E.O. 13286 of 02/28/03; most
recently continued by notice of
10/17/18, see 83 FR 52941.
24. Proc. 6867 03/01/96
Regulation of the Anchorage and Movement of
Vessels with Respect to Cuba
3 C.F.R., 1996 Comp.,
pp. 8-9; expanded by Proc. 7757
of 02/26/04; modified by Proc.
9398 of 02/24/16; modified by
Proc. 9699 of 02/22/18.
25. E.O. 13047 05/22/97 Prohibiting New Investment in Burma
3 C.F.R., 1997 Comp.,
pp. 202-204; revoked in
part by E.O. 13310 of
07/28/03; expanded by E.O.
13448 of 10/18/07, E.O. 13464
of 04/30/08; E.O. 13619 of
07/11/12; terminated by E.O.
13742 of 10/07/16
26. E.O. 13067 11/03/97
Blocking Sudanese Government Property and
Prohibiting Transactions with Sudan
3 C.F.R., 1997 Comp.,
pp. 230-231; expanded
by E.O. 13400 of 05/01/06;
revoked in part by E.O. 13761 of
01/13/17; most recently continued
by notice of 10/31/18, see
83 FR 55239.
27. E.O. 13088 06/09/98
Blocking Property of the Governments of the
Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Serbia and
Montenegro), the Republic of Serbia, and the
Republic of Montenegro, and Prohibiting New
Investment in the Republic of Serbia in Response
to the Situation in Kosovo
3 C.F.R., 1998 Comp.,
pp. 191-193; revoked by E.O.
13304 of 05/28/03.
28. E.O. 13129 07/04/99
Blocking Property and Prohibiting Transactions
with the Taliban
3 C.F.R. 1999 Comp.,
pp. 200-203; revoked by E.O.
13268 of 07/02/02.
29. E.O. 13159 06/21/00
Blocking Property of the Government of the
Russian Federation Relating to the Disposition
of Highly Enriched Uranium Extracted from
Nuclear Weapons
3 C.F.R. 2000 Comp.,
pp. 277-278; expired as of
06/21/2012 pursuant to section
202(d) of the National Emergencies
Act; E.O. 13617, issued
06/25/2012, declared a new
national emergency that had
the practical effect of protecting
the same property and interests
blocked by E.O. 13159.
30. E.O. 13194 01/18/01
Prohibiting the Importation of Rough Diamonds
from Sierra Leone
3 C.F.R. 2001 Comp.,
pp. 741-743; revoked by
E.O. 13224 of 01/15/04.
31. E.O. 13219 06/26/01
Blocking Property of Persons Who Threaten International
Stabilization Efforts in the Western
Balkans
3 C.F.R. 2001 Comp.,
pp. 778-782; revised by
E.O. 13304 of 05/28/03; most
recently continued by notice of
06/22/2018, see 83 FR 29663.
32. E.O. 13222 08/17/01 Continuation of Export Control Regulations
3 C.F.R. 2001 Comp.,
pp. 783-784; most recently
continued by notice of 08/08/18,
see 83 FR 39871.
33. Proc. 7463 09/14/01
Declaration of National Emergency by Reason
of Certain Terrorist Attacks
3 C.F.R. 2001 Comp., p.
263; most recently continued by
notice of 09/10/18, see 83 FR
46067.
34. E.O. 13224 09/23/01
Blocking Property and Prohibiting Transactions
with Persons who Commit, Threaten to Commit,
or Support Terrorism
3 C.F.R. 2001 Comp.,
pp. 786-789; amended by E.O.
13268 of 07/02/02; further
amended by E.O. 13284 of
01/23/03; further amended by
E.O. 13372 of 02/16/05; most
recently continued by notice of
09/18/17, see 82 FR 43825.
35. E.O. 13288 03/06/03
Blocking Property of Persons Undermining
Democratic Processes or Institutions in Zimbabwe
3 C.F.R. 2003 Comp.,
pp. 186-191; amended and superseded
in part by E.O. 13391
of 11/22/05; most recently continued
by notice of 03/02/18.
36. E.O. 13303 5/22/03
Protecting the Development Fund for Iraq and
Certain Other Property in Which Iraq has an
Interest
3 C.F.R. 2003 Comp.,
pp. 227-229; scope expanded
by E.O. 13315 of 08/28/03; substantive
provisions terminated
but emergency left in place by
E.O. 13668 of 05/27/14; most
recently continued by notice of
05/18/18.
37. E.O. 13338 05/11/04
Blocking Property of Certain Persons and Prohibiting
the Export of Certain Goods to Syria
3 C.F.R. 2004 Comp.,
pp. 168-172; amended by E.O.
13460 of 02/13/08; scope
expanded by E.O. 13572 of
04/29/11; most recently continued
by notice of 05/09/18, see
83 FR 21839.
38. E.O. 13348 07/22/04
Blocking Property of Certain Persons and Prohibiting
the Importation of Certain Goods from
Liberia
3 C.F.R. 2004 Comp.,
pp. 189-195; revoked by E.O.
13710 of 11/12/15.
39. E.O. 13396 02/07/06
Blocking Property of Certain Persons Contributing
to the Conflict in Côte d’Ivoire
3 C.F.R., 2006 Comp.,
pp. 209-213; terminated by E.O.
13739 of 09/14/16.
40. E.O. 13405 06/16/06
Blocking Property of Certain Persons Undermining
Democratic Processes or Institutions in
Belarus
3 C.F.R., 2006 Comp.,
pp. 231-234; most recently
continued by notice of 06/12/18,
see 83 FR 27287.
41. E.O. 13413 10/27/06
Blocking Property of Certain Persons Contributing
to the Conflict in the Democratic Republic of
the Congo
3 C.F.R., 2006 Comp., pp. 247-
249; amended by E.O. 13671 of
07/08/14; most recently continued
by notice of 10/25/18, see
83 FR 54227.
42. E.O. 13441 08/01/07
Blocking Property of Persons Undermining
the Sovereignty of Lebanon or Its Democratic
Processes and Institutions
72 Fed. Reg. 43499-43501; most
recently continued by notice of
07/27/18, see 82 FR 37415.
43. E.O. 13466 06/26/08
Continuing Certain Restrictions With Respect to
North Korea and North Korean Nationals
73 Fed. Reg. 36787-36788;
expanded by E.O. 13551
of 08/30/10, E.O. 13722 of
03/15/16, E.O. 13810 of
09/20/17; most recently continued
by order of 06/25/18, see 83
FR 29661.
44. Proc. 8443 10/23/09
Declaration of a National Emergency With Respect
to the 2009 H1N1 Influenza Pandemic
74 Fed. Reg. 55439-55440; does
not appear to have ever been
terminated or continued.
45. E.O. 13536 04/12/10
Blocking Property of Certain Persons Contributing
to the Conflict in Somalia
75 Fed. Reg. 19869-19872;
amended by E.O. 13620 of
07/20/12; most recently continued
by notice of 04/04/18, see
83 FR 14731.
46. E.O. 13566 02/25/11
Blocking Property and Prohibiting Certain
Transactions Related to Libya
76 Fed. Reg. 11315-11318;
expanded by E.O. 13726 of
04/19/16; most recently continued
by notice of 02/09/18, see
83 FR 6105.
47. E.O. 13581 07/24/11
Blocking Property of Transnational Criminal
Organizations
76 Fed. Reg. 44757-44759;
most recently continued by
notice of 07/20/18, see 83 FR
34931.
48. E.O. 13611 05/16/12
Blocking Property of Persons Threatening the
Peace, Security, or Stability of Yemen
77 Fed. Reg. 29533-29535;
most recently continued by
notice of 05/14/18, see 83 FR
22585.
49. E.O. 13617 06/25/12
Blocking Property of the Government of the
Russian Federation Relating to the Disposition
of Highly Enriched Uranium Extracted from
Nuclear Weapons
77 Fed. Reg. 38457-38461; revoked
by E.O. 13695, 05/26/15.
50. E.O. 13660 03/06/14
Blocking Property of Certain Persons Contributing
to the Situation in Ukraine
79 Fed. Reg. 13491-13495;
expanded by E.O. 13661
of 03/16/14, E.O. 13662 of
03/20/14; E.O. 13685 of
12/19/2014; most recently
continued by notice of 03/02/18,
see 83 FR 9413.
51. E.O. 13664 04/03/14
Blocking Property of Certain Persons With
Respect to South Sudan
79 Fed. Reg. 19281-19285;
most recently continued by
notice of 03/27/18, see 83 FR
13373.
52. E.O. 13667 05/12/14
Blocking Property of Certain Persons Contributing
to the Conflict in the Central African
Republic
79 Fed. Reg. 28385-28391;
most recently continued by
notice of 05/10/18, see 83 FR
22175.
53. E.O. 13692 03/08/15
Blocking Property and Suspending Entry of
Certain Persons Contributing to the Situation in
Venezuela
80 Fed. Reg. 12747-12751;
expanded by E.O. 13835 of
05/21/2018; most recently
continued by notice of 03/02/18,
see 83 FR 9415.
54. E.O. 13694 04/01/15
Blocking the Property of Certain Persons Engaging
in Significant Malicious Cyber-Enabled
Activities
80 Fed. Reg. 18077-18079;
amended by E.O. 13757 of
12/28/16; most recently continued
by notice of 03/27/18, see
83 FR 13371.
55. E.O. 13712 11/22/15
Blocking Property of Certain Persons Contributing
to the Situation in Burundi
80 Fed. Reg. 73633-73636;
most recently continued by
notice of 11/16/2018, see 83 FR
58461.
56. E.O. 13818 12/20/17
Blocking the Property of Persons Involved in
Serious Human Rights Abuse or Corruption
82 Fed. Reg. 60839-60843.
57. E.O. 13848 09/12/18
Imposing Certain Sanctions in the Event of Foreign
Interference in a United States Election
83 Fed. Reg. 46843-46848.
58. E.O. 13851 11/27/18
Blocking Property of Certain Persons Contributing
to the Situation in Nicaragua
83 Fed. Reg. 61505-61507