When
he was President, Richard Nixon said, "...when
the president does it, that means that it is not illegal.”
Yet, when Nixon resigned from the office, the newly sworn in
President, Gerald Ford, pardoned Mr. Nixon... Pardons are not
needed for those who are innocent; whose acts were, “not illegal.”
In the
same vein, the 45th President said, ““I
could stand in the middle of 5th Avenue and shoot somebody and I
wouldn't lose voters,” and has also claimed, similar to Nixon,
that it isn't criminal if a President does it; claimed Presidential
immunity from prosecution.
Therefore,
the current President, Joe Biden, could shoot the orange menace,
former President, and it would not be illegal; Biden would also have
Presidential immunity.
Israel's
Prime Minister Netanyahu presented his idea of a, “new,” Middle
East that is just an extension of the old Middle East.
The
Middle East is at the junction of Africa, Asia and Europe and has
been a deadly mess since long before those names applied. Before the
Suez Canal a person could almost walk from Africa, through Asia and
into Europe offering the prospect of great potential wealth from
trade and transit through the region. O'er the course of a very long
time many a leader has tried to control the region to profit greatly
from that very commerce. None has ever succeeded for very long; not
for a lack of effort.
In the
exchange of control many wars were fought, the blood of a great many
people was spilled and more treasure was spent than ever was gained.
Most of the blood has been from the folks simply trying to live their
lives in an area where the potential for constructive lives seemed,
naively, possible.
The
region still has extraordinary extremes between the wealthy and the
poverty stricken, with none of the wealthy ever expressing much, if
any, concern for the poor people that they use for their own,
megalomaniacal pursuit of even more riches.
Procuring
product, from the incredible amounts of oil and gas trapped beneath
the Middle East, has created far greater wealth, well above and
beyond the consistent revenue from trade and travel, such that there has
never been a need for there to be any desperately poor folks making
said effort at a modest life for themselves. Yet greed, avarice and
megalomaniacal regimes have done not but abuse the people who, to a
large degree, actually provide the labor that creates the wealth;
gives the megalomaniacal, iterations of leaders the bodies from which
most of the blood is spilled.
Mayhaps
the Worldwide, Climate Crisis could impose a period of sanity on the
region, and the rest of the planet, to save the Earth's ability to
support human life...
There
were warnings, going back at least a year, from various military and intelligence sources, in
and outside of Israel, that violent activity was in process and
preparation in the region. All the warnings were, apparently,
brushed off by the Israeli government of Benjamin Netanyahu.
The Israeli government of Benjamin Netanyahu appears to be hostile to a, "two state solution," and are part of the hostile over reaction to the atrocities of Hamas on October 7th, 2023. Netanyahu is also using the hostilities to avoid the allegations of crimes, in Israel, as well as alleged war crimes, before the International Criminal Court.
The current Israeli government also has actively disregarded the words of Moshe Dayan (also, attributed to Bishop Desmond Tutu), "If you want to make peace, you don't talk to your friends. You talk to your enemies."
There are other ways to resolve this chapter of the long running tendency to violent conflict in the Middle East.
What
little I do know is of active and passive geophysical data
acquisition methods. It is extremely probable that there are experts
within Israeli, American (and other nation's) applicable government
agencies that know far more...
The
response to the terrorist atrocities of Hamas must use this, and many
other means and methods, to respond surgically, because there are,
“bad actors,” that will portray, out of context (as needed), any and every
thing that Israel does in reaction to the horror of the Hamas attack
on Israeli citizens. It helps not at all that the current government of Israel has chosen to be one of the, "bad actors."
There
are people and organizations that thrive on chaos and destruction;
have no desire to seek or promote peaceful means of progress in the
Middle East. Therefore, the response to the terrorist provocation of
Hamas must be carried out with pinpoint accuracy, lest the day be
carried by those with naught but the worst intentions.
Wall Street, and the, “business,”
media that cover it, try, with great success, to misrepresent the US
government's debt wherever possible.
For instance:
Republicans have historically
used the debt/deficit as a cudgel and do not allow a fix to happen;
The debt increased intentionally
during the 45 administration from the large tax breaks given to
wealthy folks and profitable corporations;
The debt is often reduced only
during a Democratic administration (see also: Bulls, Bears and the
Ballot Box, and: A Brief History of Doom (Two Hundred Years of Financial Crisis)... Two books clearly missing from the libraries, if there are
any, on Wall Street.);
Keynesian investment during the
first two years of the Biden administration caused the US economy to
recover from Covid related problems faster than any other OECD
nation;
The Democrats aren't perfect, but
they are the only political party in the USA attempting to control
the US debt (refer to the previously mentioned book);
The US government oft gets
continuing resolutions instead of responsibly updated budgets because
Republicans have patrons to please, and chaos to maintain; blame on
Democrats;
If the government doesn't shut
down, and the tax breaks of the 45 administration are allowed to
expire, the debt gets significant, immediate reduction.
The, "both sides do it,"
nonsense has always been fecal matter, and Wall Street too oft
spreads it thick... Check for a build up of rich, organic soil
on, “the Street.”
Housing
inventory has been moved off the market, and tax rolls, since the
last of Glass-Steagall was repealed. Having property tax authorities
check their records will reveal that the cost of living indoors has
increased, at rates well above the average rate of inflation for
other goods and services, artificially... largely by supply
manipulation.
In the
80s and early 90s I rented >500 square foot apartments for around
$350 per month... Bought and sold a house in the northern suburbs
(nice neighborhood) of Dallas for $135,000... Couldn't do that for
twice the price now.
The
house where I live now has a, "market value," of well more
than twice what it cost to build.
Can't,
"cash in," because I'd still need to pay for a new place to
live at today's much higher prices; no bargains anywhere.
The
rate of inflation for most other things is well under the 100, plus,
percent gains in housing costs in the last 25 years.
The fix won't be in the mix till Democrats occupy the vast majority of all elected offices. Wishing it weren't so, as I used to do, is working against one's own best interests.
As a long time, founding, participant in MoveOn's mission it
frustrates me to see e-mail after e-mail requesting this, that or
another thing, yet there is no qualifier stating, (first and foremost)
in no uncertain terms, that without every election, everywhere, on the
entire ballot getting Democrats (the only political party attempting to
function in the public's interest, public meaning the set that includes
everyone) into every elected office, there is little, to no, chance that
we can do what needs to get done done.
Every election
counts because, voting rights, civil rights, healthcare (especially
women's reproductive healthcare) has been undone by right, wing-nuts
playing a long game against everyone, oft including themselves.
We
need leadership attempting to bring all of the rest of us together, for
the benefit of all (even the right, wing-nuts) of us.
When
the words, “bullets not ballots,” are spoken it is the
desperation of the wealthy, white, aristocrat wannabes calling their
gullible, insecure, white sycophants to arms.
We've
been here before and the rest of us (defending our Democratic
Republic) won.
That
victory cost far too vast amounts of blood and treasure. When the
call to arms is heard the war is already lost.
We,
the people, always win... Bring everybody with us!
Progress
on climate change has stalled on multiple fronts, for example:
The
Carter administration put solar panels on the White House roof,
then the following, Reagan, administration removed them.
In
the late 1970s Mobil Oil bought Tyco Laboratories, a company that
produced solar panels, and did little, to nothing, with the
company... Shut Mobil Tyco down 19 years later.
In
order to bring all the truck and train transportation capacity o'er
to renewable energy operations one needs to use intermediate steps,
because there is not, nor will there soon be, sufficient renewably
generated electricity; nor will there soon be infrastructure to get
that electricity from where it is generated to where it will be put
to use.
The
first, already available, solution is FSHEV technology. Everywhere
there are FSHEVs (Full Series Hybrid Electric Vehicles) there is V2G
(Vehicle to Grid) electricity generation capacity available! This
would come in handy not just in a war zone, like Ukraine, it would
help in areas where natural disaster, or terrorist(s), have recently
disabled electricity provision.
FSHEV technology has
been around for decades... A list of companies, and their vehicles,
that have already demonstrated the feasibility of FSHEVs are in the
next paragraph. The company efforts referred to are the work of
industry insiders who've already invested billions in developing and
building military, civilian and commercial vehicles.
What's
already been done, by and for: Nissan's Note E-Power; DARPA/ONR:
General Dynamics Land Systems' RST-V (a.k.a., Shadow) and Georgia
Tech Research Institute's Ultra AP; Lotus' Evora 414E; BAE's proposed
upgrade to the Bradley Fighting Vehicle; etc...
This could
have created progress towards significantly increased fuel economy;
less associated Green House Gas (GHG) emissions; obviate diesel fuel;
less Lithium, because onboard electricity generation means smaller
battery capacity is needed; fewer, to no, Rare Earth metals required
by electromagnetic systems; etc...
The
application of this technology is being stopped by hugely wealthy and
powerful oil and gas industry players who care much more about
increased profits than responsible behavior requisite to limiting
global climate change.
Even
more modest intermediate steps use older technology like: replacing
the accessories belt with an electric motor/generator (EM/G), and
batteries, to power electric accessories; moderated supercharging to
allow the use of smaller displacement internal combustion engines
(ICE); combining the aforementioned to require an even smaller ICE...
In
short, holding oil, gas and coal industries, plus current vehicle
manufacturer's, feet to the fire... Using charges of criminal
negligence, for playing a huge part in creating, and denying (for
decades), that their efforts were, in fact, a major reason for the
severity of global climate change; the cause and effect of burning
fossil fuels. RICO charges might also be considered. This could be
the most important way to bring the world closer to taming the
effects of transportation on Climate Change...
Also,
reducing the need for oil and gas to be extracted to produce products
for which demand would be significantly reduced.
A
total of more than 50 years have passed and this inactivity from the
Oil and Gas industry cartel, combined with the activity, lack
thereof, from vehicle manufacturers and Republican lackeys, has
assured that we have made incredibly minimal progress in the battle
against Global Climate Change.
Now is
the time to accelerate efforts, because we've lost too much time to
the Hydrocarbon industries, and their cohorts, that have (continue
to) put profit, kick backs, far above responsible behavior.
Unfortunately,
one must imagine how much better we would be doing against Climate
Change without the aforementioned, probably criminal, irresponsible
activity.
P.S.,
Bracket research 'twixt and 'tween:
The
History of the Standard Oil Company, by Ida M. Tarbell, originally
published in 1904.
It is difficult not to see tax problems in Texas as local problems, because it was intentionally set-up to appear as such. The County Tax Assessor/Collector’s office has the primary responsibility for determining, collecting and distributing property taxes. Sales taxes are collected at the time of purchase, by the vendor selling a taxable item.
The vast majority of that tax money is bound for state coffers. The state of TX does not have its own revenue stream, and is hiding behind local collection agents when the state’s revenue problems are discussed.
This is a shameful fact that will be largely avoided by the state’s incumbent elected officials attempting to get re-elected this year. Why? It’s because, taxes (talk or action) are not the stuff of successful political campaigns.
Unfortunately, the recent economic turmoil, combined with the structural budget deficit (created intentionally by a special session of the legislature in 2006), will cause state coffers to come up well shy of the funds needed to continue to pay for even the reduced, in the 2003 legislative session, activities of the state’s agencies.
I have made suggestions to rectify the state’s problems with its indirect, and intentionally insufficient, funding in my blog (http://blueboomerhd.blogspot.com/2009/01/taxation-suggestions-for-texas.html ).
There are some who would try, once again (there’s always someone not happy with how history has been documented), to rewrite the story of the United States of America.This is just a short refresher on what I feel are salient points from the past; precedent for the future.
In 1775 the second Continental Congress convened in colonial Philadelphia and produced both of the following documents:
The Declaration of Independence (announcing the creation of these United States of America);
The Articles of Confederation (creating a weak central government that was to coordinate the activities of the 13 new States).
Those who propose a smaller, less intrusive, federal government have somehow forgotten that that has been tried and declared a failure here already.
1787 was the year that saw another convention in Philadelphia, PA.This one came to be known as our Constitutional Convention, after a document (similarly named) emerged.The U.S. Constitution replaced the Articles of Confederation creating a stronger, more workable, central government for the USA.
1836 was the year that Texas declared its independence from Mexico.Ten years later the Republic of Texas had serious debt and was facing a difficult dispute with Mexico about the southern border; Mexico claimed the NuecesRiver as the border while Texas claimed territory further south, to the Rio Grande.Upon acceptance of the U.S. offer of statehood, the border war shifted from Texas vs. Mexico to the U.S. vs. Mexico: the Rio Grande became the border.
The noise one sometimes hears about Texas seceding from the United States should be balanced with the notion that, as an independent nation, border defense (amongst a multitude of other things) becomes our solitary responsibility once again.Such lonely and expensive pursuits have been tried and found wanting.
Some elements of the U.S. Constitution have been bandied about of late, so some details need to be clarified.
The Bill of Rights, Amendment Two, reads:
A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.
The aforementioned Amendment relates back to The Constitution, Article 2, Section 2/1:
The President shall be Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy of the United States, and of the Militia of the several States, when called into the actual Service of the United States…
It is a mystery to me how one comes to believe that somewhere in those words a singular noun or pronoun exists, let alone the idea of defining an individual’s right to, “keep and bear arms.”
This is where Texans find the individual’s right to, “keep and bear arms.”
The TX Constitution, Bill of Rights, Article 1, Section 23:
RIGHT TO KEEP AND BEAR ARMS. Every citizen shall have the right to keep and bear arms in the lawful defense of himself or the State; but the Legislature shall have power, by law, to regulate the wearing of arms, with a view to prevent crime.
The US and TX Constitutions are amendable documents, because none of the originators thought they were able to foretell the needs and circumstances the future might create.
We have, in these United States of America, created a formidable union that attempts to allow for all the potential fallibility and foibles of humanity while assembling a whole that accrues the strength that is the sum of all its parts.We can’t, don’t and won’t always agree on all the details associated with the continuity of such an immense conglomeration, such as are these United States, but we must try to come together and make our best effort.
We must work together to invest in, maintain and improve that which we’ve inherited, so that future generations can have the power of opportunity that we were given by our ancestors.
The
2nd amendment was written in the 18th century and taken out of
context in this the 21st century, as it was in the late 20th century.
To,
"bear arms," in the 18th century included muzzle loading:
pistols, muskets and rifles; swords; bow and arrow; spear; lance and
pike... As it was when serving in the British military.
The,
“well regulated militia,” part referred to the Militia Act of
1792.
The
founding fathers were trying to avoid forming a standing army as we'd
just been liberated from the only colonial power, England, to have
said full-time military; cudgel of the monarchy against citizens and
colonials.
Article
1, Section 8 (clause 12 – 16) of the Constitution defines the
establishment of an army, militia and navy. The Revolutionary War had
made clear the limits of a land based fighting force dependent solely
on a militia.
The,
“second amendment rights,” declared by any who want to carry a
gun, any and everywhere, don't exist. Carrying a gun, a tool designed
to kill, should require training, licensing and limits.
In
1999 the last of Glass-Steagall was effectively erased from the law
of these United States; President Clinton's big, bi-partisan mistake.
The
casino that is Wall Street was unable to access the biggest financial
transaction that the vast majority of Americans would ever make, home
mortgages, and that aggravated said casino beyond what little sanity
was ever involved with the business on the, “Street.”
Since
then the cost of living indoors has more than quadrupled while wages
stagnated by comparison, making housing difficult to afford for a
great many Americans; enter late fees and penalties (junk fees, to
line the pockets of the casino's robber barons).
Also,
the Great Recession of December 2007 was made possible... Inventory
of homes, apartments and condominiums shrank, artificially, while
demand remained reasonably steady... Justifying the pseudo-marketing
rise in prices.
Those
who support smaller government, when government doesn't benefit
partisan Qpublicans and/or their benefactors, have quashed one
element of life (living indoors) oft expected by citizens living in
the nation with the largest economy in the world, these United
States of America.
Democrats
need be (re)elected to the Presidency and the US Congress in
majorities large enough to re-instate the regulatory environment that
makes home ownership more attainable, by restraining/regulating the
unfettered pursuit of profit on Wall Street.
Keynesian,
government spending increases economic growth (see also: New Deal,
Great Society, Green New Deal, etc...)! Since the Ray-gun's
administration Qpublicans have tried, with too much success, to
insist that, "government is the problem." It is not.
Economic
growth is also encouraged by well compensated citizens (employees) that can
afford to spend money into the economy. Inflation driven by
higher wages (plus benefits) is still, as it always has been,
Qpublican/right wing-nut, economists' fecal matter.
The
uproar from Qpublicans is that Dark Brandon is an octogenarian...
Nonsense. There are multiple Qpublican octogenarians in the US
Congress (e.g., Mitch McConnell, Chuck Grassley, John Carter, etc...)
and in state legislatures 'round the nation.
So,
what really scares Qpublicans?
The
terror of the Biden administration, for Qpublicans, is the
octogenarian's Vice President: Afro-Asian, American, Woman, Kamala
Harris!
After
over a century of insecure, white people building monuments to
Confederate traitors, all of the right, wing nuts came out from under
their rocks en masse when Americans elected an African American Man to
be the President of the United States; for two terms.
To
have another person of color in the White House would represent the
minority-majority that the USA is becoming; much to the horror of the
insecure, white people who are the most right, wing nut majority of
the Qpublican party.
Minority-majority,
that will happen in the USA by the middle of this century, is when
white people become the largest minority of the US population, and
all other, non white, Americans congregate to become the majority of
the people in these United States.
Why do
you think Qpublican lawmakers, all across the nation, want, white,
Women to carry all pregnancies, including those resulting from rape
and incest, to term?
The
preventative measure, for the good people of the USA, is to register
and vote for Democrats up and down every ballot; in every election.
Democrats
are not the perfect party, but, in the predicament we now finds
ourselves, they are the only solution.
Progress
on climate change has stalled on multiple fronts, for example:
The
Carter administration put solar panels on the White House, then
the following, Reagan, administration removed them.
In
the late 1970s Mobil Oil bought Tyco Laboratories, a company that
produced solar panels, and did little, to nothing, with the
company... shut it down 19 years later.
A
total of 50 years have passed and this activity from the Oil and Gas
industry cartel, combined with the activity of it's Republican
lackeys, have assured that we have made incredibly minimal progress
in the battle against Global Climate Change.
Now is
the time to accelerate efforts, because we've lost too much time to
the Hydrocarbon industries, and their lackeys, that have (continue
to) put profit, kick backs, far above responsible behavior.
Unfortunately,
one must imagine how much better we would be doing against Climate
Change without the aforementioned, probably criminal, irresponsible
activity.
There
are multiple steps, that may be phased in, or adopted simultaneously,
to attain zero or, more likely, near-zero emissions at any, or all,
ports:
Adoption
of battery electric vehicles (BEV), class 6 & 7 trucks, that are
powered via battery packs behind the cab, and/or under the cargo
box, create zero emission vehicles (ZEV). An electric motor mounted
in close proximity to the drive axle makes the space, normally used
to accommodate a drive shaft, available for batteries. Some, to all,
of the cargo boxes can have solar panels on the roof to provide some
battery charging capacity.
Adoption
of Full Series Hybrid Electric Vehicle (FSHEV) technology can be
used for class 8 trucks that are available for use 24/7. This type
of vehicle will include an internal combustion engine (ICE) to
generate electricity; charge the battery. The vehicle need not have
external connection to recharge batteries, but can have attachment
to provide vehicle to grid (V2G) electricity.
Internal
combustion engines, used in FSHEV or larger, centralized electricity
generation capacity, not powered by sun or wind, can be powered by:
gasoline, propane or natural gas; diesel is obviated.
Cargo
containers can also have solar panels on, or as, their roofs.
Train
cars can use regenerative braking to assist in generating
electricity for moving containers around the port. Containers can
have electric motors connected to each axle, for said regenerative
braking, and for assisting in the movement of the cars around the
port facilities. Batteries can be mounted under the cargo container,
and electrical connections can be made available to import or export
electricity.
Everything
needed to build the aforementioned vehicles, except batteries and
solar panels, are currently produced in the USA. The ports will
operate most efficiently if they are equipped with their own ability
to generate electricity for it's own operation; not reliant on the
local/regional electric grid.
Production
of the equipment referred to above is capable of being done via
modest modification of existing manufacturing infrastructure... The
main problem that will be encountered is the lack of desire of
existing companies to swim against the tides and currents originating
in the efforts of players within the oil and gas cartel of companies.
Performance
and efficiency of electric vehicles is being demonstrated by existing
battery electric vehicles (BEV) now in service. Operating efficiency
is largely generated by the reduction in moving parts in an electric
drive train, and the reduction of energy lost to wasted heat.
All
the pieces are current technology that's readily available, and only
the aforementioned will within industry participants is lacking...
The EPA's ability to motivate the movement to efficiency will
determine the success, or lack thereof, in creating far cleaner,
greener, port operations.
In
order to bring all the truck and train transportation capacity o'er
to renewable energy operations one needs to use intermediate steps,
because there is not, nor will there soon be, sufficient renewably
generated electricity; nor will there soon be infrastructure to get
that electricity from where it is generated to where it will be put
to use.
The
first, already available, solution is FSHEV technology. Everywhere
there are FSHEVs (Full Series Hybrid Electric Vehicles) there is V2G
(Vehicle to Grid) electricity generation capacity available! This
would come in handy not just in a war zone, like Ukraine, it would
help in areas where natural disaster, or terrorist(s), have recently
disabled electricity provision.
FSHEV technology has
been around for decades... A list of companies, and their vehicles,
that have already demonstrated the feasibility of FSHEVs are in the
next paragraph. The company efforts referred to are the work of
industry insiders who've already invested billions in developing and
building military, civilian and commercial vehicles.
What's
already been done, by and for: Nissan's Note E-Power; DARPA/ONR:
General Dynamics Land Systems' RST-V (a.k.a., Shadow) and Georgia
Tech Research Institute's Ultra AP; Lotus' Evora 414E; BAE's proposed
upgrade to the Bradley Fighting Vehicle; etc...
This has
created progress towards significantly increased fuel economy; less
associated Green House Gas (GHG) emissions; obviate diesel fuel; less
Lithium, because onboard electricity generation means smaller battery
capacity is needed; fewer, to no, Rare Earth metals required by
electromagnetic systems; etc... The application of this
technology is being stopped by hugely wealthy and powerful oil and
gas industry players who care much more about increased profits than
responsible behavior requisite to limiting global climate change.
Even
more modest intermediate steps use older technology like: replacing
the accessories belt with an electric motor/generator (EM/G), and
batteries, to power electric accessories; moderated supercharging to
allow the use of smaller displacement internal combustion engines
(ICE); combining the aforementioned to require an even smaller ICE...
In
short, holding current vehicle manufacturers and oil industry
insiders' feet to the fire (by using existing, readily available,
solutions) is the most important way to bring the world closer to
taming the effects of transportation on Climate Change...
Also,
reducing the need for oil and gas to be extracted to produce products
for which demand has been significantly reduced.
I'd write this letter to my state and
federal legislators, but they are all Republicans and not at all
prone to agreeing with me; on anything. I'd write to the local paper,
but this needs the kind of national attention that my blog might be
able to help bring to fruition.
First, is the first four words of
the 2nd Amendment, “A well regulated militia,”
referring to the Militia Act of 1792. Nothing therein refers to
everybody's ability to own guns. The weapons known to the 18th
century militia bore no resemblance whatsoever to the center fire,
semi-automatic, .223 long rifles (a.k.a., AR-15) of today.
Second, The news, and in general,
media don't show the results of the gun violence, in the USA, done
when shooters use the aforementioned long rifle. In my youth I saw a
picture book of what the Allies found when liberating the death camps
of WWII... Articles, and the accompanying photos, about events from
the Vietnam War... Articles, also with explicit photographs, of the
violence against African Americans in the USA in the 19th
and 20th centuries...
The line diagrams of the
consequences of a .223, high energy, round in a human body, published
in the Washington Post, didn't motivate folks to useful, preventative
action against the recurring acts of violence here in the United
States.
Therefore, with all the
appropriate permissions, start publishing stories (with explicit,
brutal photographs) about the results of gun violence in these United
States. Pictures and stories of the carnage, from elementary schools
to any and all of the other community venues, where said crimes are
committed need be published.
Could anybody continue to do
nothing in the face of such, well documented, horror?
A
couple of things to remember about authoritarian regimes like China
and Russia:
A
strong, capable military isn't possible because a coup d'etat oft
originates in country.
An
economy ruled strictly from the top of the regime is the most
demoralizing thing possible (all decisions are made at the highest
levels of the regime, credit is taken by said regime, blame is
delegated to any and everybody else). The wheels fall off because
the economy is subjugated to the incompetence of the regime.
Authoritarian
regimes are still dangerous because they will risk anything, that
isn't theirs or themselves, in the process of failing.
While I was in school, starting in the mid-sixties, factories were
moving north to south trying to flee from unions... When unions
followed, the factories moved to Mexico (can you say,
"maquiladora?")... Then mainland, communist, China opened up to greedy
capitalists and factories went there in droves.
All this to avoid the cost of employee wages and benefits, and to avoid
the cost, taxes, to pay for the government to pick up the
responsibility, and the tab.
It's called, "supply side economics," it means unregulated, highest
profit margins, capitalism. This proof that unregulated capitalism is
feudalism was pushed by Reagan republicans and neo-liberal (who are
neither new or liberal) democrats.
Economies flourish when there are customers, reasonably compensated
employees, who can afford to buy what businesses sell; 70% of the money
spent into our economy. The other 30% is spent into the economy by the
government, often by issuing debt, when those who can afford to pay
taxes lobby elected officials not to tax them.
United for ALICE is a place that studies working class folks who can't
work enough hours, at multiple jobs, to afford to live indoors and eat
(to say naught of the other of life's expenses).
It won't take till 2035 to fix this problem if we listen to, and allow
them to do their jobs, professors (Senator) Warren and (Rep.) Porter.
"Those who would give up an essential liberty for temporary security deserve neither liberty nor security." (Ben Franklin)
"It would be a dangerous delusion were a confidence in the men of our choice to silence our fears for the safety of our rights... Confidence is everywhere the parent of despotism. Free government is founded in jealousy, and not in confidence. It is jealousy and not confidence which prescribes limited constitutions, to bind down those whom we are obliged to trust with power... Our Constitution has accordingly fixed the limits to which, and no further, our confidence may go... In questions of power, then, let no more be heard of confidence in man, but bind him down from mischief by the chains of the Constitution." (Thomas Jefferson from the Draft Kentucky Resolutions, 1798)
