E-Mail Editorials 2025
These short, weekly editorials have been going out to my private list of 300 +/- readers for over 15 years. If you would like to be included please email: cklein@chuckkleinauthor.com
Subject: FAR-SIGHTED OR DELUSIONAL
Date Sent: 1 April 2025
In the play/movie, The Man Of La Mancha, is the song, The Impossible Dream (1965, Joe Darion). The lyrics:
To fight the unbeatable foe,
To run where the brave dare not go,
To right the unrightable wrong;
And I know, if I remain true
To this glorious quest,
That my heart will lie peaceful and calm
When I’m laid to my rest.
The story is of Don Quixote, a delusional character, who thought of himself as a knight in shining armor. There were no giants, only windmills and the rival knights were herds of goats. DJT is a far-sighted man inasmuch as he is a fighter of an – up until now – unbeatable foe; he bravely runs to where sniper-fire may happen, and to him and his American supporters his quest is to correct the heretofore unrightable wrongs forced on us all. If Trump, the enforcer of laws, just like all police officers, stay true to the quest, they will lie peaceful and calm when laid to their rest.
The evidence of Trump’s principles is found in his book, THE ART OF THE DEAL: “I fight when I feel I’m getting screwed, even if it’s costly and difficult and highly risky.”
Chuck Klein, Columnist: American Free News Network
https://chuckklein.com
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Subject: Disturbing Trends
Date Sent: 24 Mar 2025
In a recent Wall Street Journal letter to the editor a writer claimed his son’s college Mechanical Engineering class required “students to re-write engineering problems in a context of social justice.” In other words, grades will be based on a student’s social justice views rather than the ability to understand engineering concepts. And we wonder why American education is falling behind.
A civil jury awarded Transfer Energy Co. $660M in damages after finding Greenpeace activists blocked the company’s construction of their pipeline. Greenpeace’s interim executive director, Sushma Raman, said: “This case should alarm everyone…. It’s part of a renewed push by corporations to weaponize our courts to silence dissent.” “Weaponize our courts”? Really? This once respected organization is claiming trespassing, destruction of property and/or disrupting legal activity is “dissent”. Shame. Should corporate victims of this “dissent” forsake the courts and retaliate violently, a la., strike breaking thugs? Is this the justification for firebombing Teslas?
We’ve witnessed the weaponization of the law by the persecution of Trump and with the refusal to prosecute rioters in cities (post George Floyd). Recently, Biden “weaponized” pardons followed by Trump’s retaliatory pardons. Currently, judges have “weaponized” themselves to run the country. Where are we headed?
Chuck Klein, Columnist: American Free News Network
https://chuckklein.com
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Subject: Functions of the Second Amendment
Date Sent: 18 Mar 2025
The 2nd Amendment to the U.S. Constitution serves six functions:
1. It acknowledges the Right to Keep and Bear Arms as a preexisting right, i.e., existing prior to the ratification of the Constitution.
2. The Amendment operates to forbid the government from “infringing” (tampering, usurping, violating) this intrinsic and inherent right.
3 It acts as a requirement — an obligation — that having just won a war for independence, a militia must be available and ready to defend against another invasion.
4. It acts as an implied warning to the people to rely upon themselves, rather than the government, for self-protection and personal security.
5. This amendment confirms the ability of each citizen to enforce their other rights, such as the rights to: life, liberty, the pursuit of happiness, be presumed innocent, be left alone, own property….
6) The Second Amendment functions to reinforce that the Right to Keep and Bear Arms is an individual right, e.g., it doesn’t say the right of the state or federal government… it specifically says “…the right of the people….” Had it been contained in Articles I or IV, it would mean the government’s RKBA could not be infringed upon.
Chuck Klein, Columnist: American Free News Network
https://chuckklein.com
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Subject: The Reasonableness Factor
Date Sent: 11 Mar 2025
Discretionary wording is found throughout the Constitution and its Amendments.
Article I: "Each house MAY determine the rules...."
Article IV: “New states MAY be admitted by the Congress….”
Amendment IV: "...against UNREASONABLE searches...”
Amendment VIII: "EXCESSIVE bail...nor UNUSUAL punishments…."
Amendment XX: “The Congress MAY by law provide…the House of Representatives MAY choose….”
These terms are not interchangeable with mandatory dictates.
Article I: “The House of Representatives SHALL be composed of….”
Article IV: “Full faith and credit SHALL be given in each state….”
Amendment V: “…nor SHALL be compelled…to be a witness against himself….”
Amendment VI: “…SHALL enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial….”
Amendment XV: “The right of citizens…to vote SHALL not be denied…”
If transposing discretionary words over mandatory Constitutional provisions is allowed, the First Amendment could be read: “Congress MAY make no UNREASONABLE law respecting the establishment of religion....” Thus, it would not be UNREASONABLE to legislate a national church. Some American citizens have never accepted the 2nd Amendment’s “SHALL not be infringed” mandate. Now these same Constitution deniers are claiming: “The executive power SHALL be vested in the President” is definable by Congress and/or the courts. Not in America, not yet anyway!
Chuck Klein, Columnist: American Free News Network
https://chuckklein.com
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Subject: Ukraine Reality
Date Sent: 4 Mar 2025
It’s not only about peace, saving lives or mineral rights; it’s more about the quid pro quo conceived by Trump’s Art of the Deal – winning by advantageously creating confusion and turmoil for the opposition.
1) Russia claimed the invasion because they feared NATO membership for Ukraine.
2) Russia chose to invade (and now occupies) the most mineral rich portion of Ukraine.
3) Biden - purposely or not - set up Ukraine as our proxy thus draining Russia of its resources (the free munitions we supplied benefited our economy).
4) Trump’s America-First plan is to secure mineral rights to Ukraine. This will make him a de facto agent for Ukraine to barter with a militarily weakened Russia. The Deal:
a) Russia keeps part of and can exploit the mineral-rich occupied territory.
b) We send our civilians, with military escorts, to occupy (and exploit) the other part of this mineral-rich territory.
c) Ukraine secures de facto security inasmuch as an invading nation will be jeopardizing American lives.
5) This is a win-win-win. Russia gets part of what it wants - minerals and no NATO - Ukraine gets on with its life and we get mineral rights sans losing any troops.
Chuck Klein, Columnist: American Free News Network
https://chuckklein.com
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Subject: Gaza Options
Date Sent 25 Feb 2025
Recent talk of re-locating the Palestinians include calling it ethnic cleansing or a crime against humanity. Others liken such “migration” as forced evacuation, displacement and/or expulsion from a now uninhabitable strip of land. Uninhabitable because these warmongers brought these living conditions upon themselves.
Call it what you want, but nobody wants them, and they don’t seem capable of rebuilding much less governing themselves. Plan A is to push ‘em out while Israel and the western entrepreneurs make Gaza an open-to-all vacation destination. Plan B is to convince them their best option is to move to the Sinai Peninsula where the world will help make it an oasis. Plan C is to let them fester in the bed they made. Are they smart enough to make a choice?
What did the WW II victors call it when they forced concentration camp Jews into tramp steamers and deposited them in an uninhabitable and non-autonomous desert? Oh wait, the victors didn’t force them, they gave them Plan A: diaspora or Plan B: the British occupied, desolate Palestine. These homeless, penniless Jewish refugees chose Plan B and then turned that desert wasteland into a sovereign oasis even inviting the Palestinians to join them.
Chuck Klein, Columnist: American Free News Network
https://chuckklein.com
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Subject: Truths & Questions
Date Sent: 18 Feb 2025
1) Though truth is absolute, absolute is never absolutely absolute.
2) DEI has been replaced by MMM: Merit, Money, McTrump.
3) The only thing that lasts forever is nothing.
4) Is the soul part of the brain or is the brain part of the soul? Can one have an evil brain and a good soul or vice versa?
5) Lowering standards is directly proportional to failure and inversely proportional to success.
6) The ability to communicate via written words is what distinguishes humans from all other animals. Civil discourse is what differentiates humans.
7) As we murderously progress toward our destiny of destruction, is it the warriors or politicians who stave off annihilation?
8) Is Trump a tyrant, dictator, king, emperor, monarch or just a de jure President … or does it just depend on whether you’re a Republican or Democrat?
9) If an unelected, life-tenured judge has the power/right to pause, halt, over-rule a Presidential order, would he/she also have the power/right to do same to a military general? How ‘bout a CO engaged in combat? Is this symptomatic of what’s right… or wrong with our republic?
10) The secret to life is the ability to adapt to change.
Chuck Klein, Columnist: American Free News Network
https://chuckklein.com
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Subject: Country Folk
Date Sent: 11 Feb 2025
The January snow/ice storm kept us snowbound for seven days. My farm tractor couldn’t move the 4” of snow on top of the 2” of ice that was over the 6” of the first snow on our ¾ mile driveway. We had plenty of food and no need to leave until a scheduled doctor’s appointment in a week.
A neighboring farmer came on his mega tractor, but could only remove the top layer of snow. He refused payment. Then two more inches fell. It’s now Sunday and the MD appointment is Monday. I called a local contractor who said his plowing equipment was down for repair, but he would contact a competitor. An hour later, I got a call and a promise to plow me out even if it was late.
Nine p.m. and my gravel roadways are clear. He could have gouged me, but he asked – not demanded - a reasonable amount. I’ve lived in the “country” most of my 82 years and I’ve never been surprised at the honesty, helpfulness and high ethics of rural folks. The next morning the doctor’s office cancelled. We went out anyway to treat ourselves to lunch and a food shopping spree.
Chuck Klein, Columnist: American Free News Network
https://chuckklein.com
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Subject: AI Questioned
Date Sent: 4 Feb 2025
Questions and answers I asked the artificial intelligence program, MS CoPilot:
1) What is AI? “Machine-driven decision-making and learning.”
2) Who is Chuck Klein author? The response was rapid, correct, well-written and referenced 3-sources – Amazon, Wikipedia and my website. However, there are other sources that have information about me that were not referenced.
3) What are your research limits? “I don’t have access to public records or certain types of sensitive information, and I can’t browse non-Microsoft websites.” At least Google offers links to gather such info.
4) Was Adolf Hitler good or bad? The reply gave historical evidence of his unsavory deeds concluding with an opinion: “So, in short, he was very bad.” I questioned CoPilot about whose perspective this opinion was based. A day later, I re-submitted the question and received a different answer: “…His impact was overwhelmingly negative.” Did CoPilot learn … or just twist the biased wording.
Of course, there are other AI programs that might have greater information access … and generate a different bias.
Politicians, pundits, generals, techno-wizards have been preaching international co-operation for restraint, control, caution and gravity. Yeah right, like Russia and China could be trusted not to weaponize AI.
Chuck Klein, Columnist: American Free News Network
https://chuckklein.com
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Subject: See Change?
Date Sent: 28 Jan 2025
Some recent Sea changes – alterations in direction that impact the way things are heading: The Internet, cell phones, Trump’s second term. After 75 years of America progressively moving left, the pendulum has swung decidedly to the right with the beginning of the Trump era sea-change. The Democrats “pushed” themselves out of the picture. There’s an old Jewish saying: “You get too pushy, nobody likes you”. Pushing wokeism, DEI, transgenderism, military appeasement made the Democrats too pushy.
About 25-30 years ago, artists and photographers who did not embrace digital technology were soon unemployed. Today, AI is displacing creative artists, writers, research and visual entertainment. The Trump era sea change is evidenced by Republican solidarity; the softening of the liberal media; international anti-liberalism; and some Democrats moving right.
However, the greatest sea change occurred from 1944 and 1964 – the birth years of the baby-boomers. Their sheer liberal numbers generated economic surges, a less-confrontational military philosophy and a more permissive sexual and recreational drug society. Their impactful transformation also spawned high levels of air/water pollution, climate-change, incivility and crime. It’s an enigmatic irony to juxtapose Joe Biden, born in 1942, to Donald Trump who was born in 1946 and whose nominees/appointees are post-boomers.
Chuck Klein, Columnist: American Free News Network
https://chuckklein.com
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Subject: Whewwww
Date Sent: 21 Jan 2025
I was inside my farmhouse - miles from anywhere - yet at the moment of Donald Trump’s swearing in, I heard an unmistakable WHEWWW as in America was finally over the 75-year woke/DEI/liberal strangling of our heritage. Amid assassination attempts and politically inspired sabotaging bureaucrats, the uplifting focal point of the past four years finally arrived. It was a “I’m mad as hell and I’m not going to take it anymore” coming to fruition moment.
Today, it is most comforting and reassuring to feel secure and internationally respected again and not thought of as terrorist targets or potential hostages. Tomorrow we can expect:
* Our prisons to begin filling up;
* Police and military restricted to qualified admission and merit promotion;
* Entry into the U.S. will return to being a privilege and honor instead of a free-ride goal.
After surviving Trump’s first administration of almost daily deep-state leaks (did you notice none during Biden) we’re ready for a complete house-cleaning. To non-believers, stick around you might come to like lower taxes, relaxed regulations and a less intrusive big brother. When Mr. Trump said the words: “So help me G-d” … we knew MAGA was now home.
Chuck Klein, Columnist: American Free News Network
https://chuckklein.com
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Subject: Who Gets It?
Date Sent: 15 Jan 2025
Republicans might be deplorable or trash, but they’re smart enough to understand Trump’s MAGA approaches - his methods of conducting political, domestic and military matters by utilizing intimidation, outlandish claims and threats. Targets of these real or pseudo bluffs will not be in an advantageous bargaining position. Those who chastise this unorthodox, bullying, goal-oriented practice … just don’t get it.
By touting, for example, the takeover/purchase/annexation of Panama, Greenland, Canada, and/or changing the name of the Gulf of Mexico, DJT is taking the heat off his real agendas. Call it bait and switch, or just aggressive negotiation by a businessman – not a politician. As Trump publicly tenders these unorthodox plans the opposition, political or military, must divert resources that weakens them while exposing their possible response. Get it?
The masterful bluff is where the bluffee believes the charade is a bluff and relaxes his defense – just prior to the bluffer becoming the attacker. Some bluffs can be decided in seconds (is he going to hit me?) or decades – “We will bury you”. Bluffing is never a guarantee of winning and savvy competition can always counterbluff … but appeasers never win. Get it?
Chuck Klein, Columnist: American Free News Network
https://chuckklein.com
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Subject: Our Postal System
Date Sent: 7 Jan 2025
2014: I exercised the right to have my mailbox relocated (.4-mile) to the junction of my property line and the public road. The box would then be within ½ mile of my house requiring the carrier to deliver packages (too big for the box) to the door.
2017: My neighbor (since moved) had a confrontation with the carrier by blocking his vehicle - violations of federal and state laws. The carrier did not report this to law enforcement – only to his superior - who then punished me by stopping all mail deliveries until I moved my box back to its previous location. He claimed the .4-mile portion of the road was unsafe, although UPS, FedEx, other delivery vehicles have never stopped making deliveries to the door.
2024: I was permitted to return the box to the property line, only to be forced again to return it to the distant location. I filed suit in Federal District Court charging the USPS treatment of me was arbitrary and capricious and in violation of my constitutional rights. The Cincinnati Enquirer covered my 10-year battle in a front-page story feature article 18 Dec 2024 .
Postal employee problems? I’d like to hear from you.
Chuck Klein, Columnist: American Free News Network
https://chuckklein.com
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