OPINION: The Myth of Elon Musk

OPINION: The Myth of Elon Musk

OPINION: The Myth of Elon Musk

Editor: A version of this post came off the internet from “Lillian” who posted a version of this condemnation of Elon Musk on the social media platform X. Bravo, sister, let’s slap this SOB right in his criminal face. I personally support the  revocation of Musk’s U.S, citizenship and a fast flight back to South Africa for him. This guy is no American, in spirit or action. It is only because of the Supreme Court’s flawed and disastrous Citizens United decision that Musk was able to donate over $250,000,000 (!)  to re-elect Donald J. Trump. It is only now that we are getting a glimpse of what Musk’s money was buying. 

D.S. Mitchell

A Rich Cat

The myth of Elon Musk is fast collapsing. He is not a genius. He is not a visionary. He is not a creator, or a builder. He is just another rich cat playing us. His persona has been hyped for the last decade plus as the brilliant businessman, changing the world for the better with electric cars and cutting edge technology. Space exploration. The colonization of the moon and even Mars. As with many things that glitter, Musk is neither gold nor diamonds. Elon Musk is a fake and a phony. He has been given, or taken, credit for the work of others while burning through U.S. taxpayers money like a California wildfire.

Behind the Curtain

Musk didn’t create Tesla. He bought it. He didn’t invent SpaceX, engineers did. He didn’t create PayPal, in fact, the company fired his arrogant narcissist ass. Obviously, the reason he was fired was because he couldn’t work or play with the other billionaire narcissists at the company. He wasn’t out of work for long, however. Suddenly, he manifests as a contractor for the U.S. government, thank you SpaceX and Tesla. U.S. taxpayer’s have propped Musk up for at least the last decade and a half. OMG, our tax dollars are supporting his CHINESE car company.

South African Roots

Apartheid, was the name given to the social system of racial segregation created by the white-ruled country of South Africa. The system was harsh and deeply institutionalized and legally enforced. Musk grew up in apartheid South Africa. Musk, a rich, white kid, born into the era of apartheid, has a distorted view of human skin color. Clearly, Musk is unable to separate himself from his roots. Multiple lawsuits against his companies alleging discrimination and untenable working conditions by persons of color is concerning.  Is this really a man we want making decisions about Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security and who those biases might effect? This guy and his family benefitted off the near slave labor of black miners at the South African emerald mines they owned.

Marketing Slut

Musk is not a brilliant scientist/environmentalist, he is instead a marketing slut doing anything to keep his face in front of the public, a certifiable attention addict; anything to get us to look his way, a man desperate for adulation. Every day Musk is tweeting far right conspiracy theories, picking cyber fights, and embarrassing himself and his adopted country. While true leaders lift up those in need, Musk, like Trump, pushes them face down into the dirt. While leaders innovate, Musk destroys. His sociopathic quest for attention and front page media coverage, will I’m sure lead to his eventual collapse. In the entertainment industry it’s called overexposure. The continuous media spotlight  on Musk has resulted in more than eye rolls; it has resulted in growing disfavor and rejection of the man and what he represents. There comes a point when merely a picture of the celebrity causes us to turn away. I have turned my back on Elon Musk.

Backlash From  the Street

Musk thinks he is above the law and public reprisal.  It’s apparent he thinks there will be no backlash for his destruction of the agencies that serve millions of people in this country. I’m done with secret billionaire clicks and their Supreme Court flunkies. Speaking as an American I don’t like what I’m seeing coming from Musk/Trump. The American public wants solutions, not hucksters and tricksters. Unfortunately, what we have is an unelected “surrogate”- “a sometimes U.S. President” arm-in-arm with the fat, old, tired, and psychopathic Donald Trump who can’t find the toilet paper hanging on the wall next to him.

On the Street

Tesla owners are being confronted on the street and educated about Tesla and Musk, often in less than glorious language. Crowds carrying signs and shouting insults are showing up at Tesla dealerships around the world; not just in the United States.  I feel it-people are emerging from the mind numbing shock of Trump’s election, asking desperately, “what can I do?” to stop the billionaire assault on the very structure of our government.

A Growing Out Cry

A new Resistance is forming. The dazed and shell-shocked opponents of Trump and his gang of modern day robber barons are finding their voices and stepping up their defiance. The crowds are growing in size by the day; turning out to protest the unprecedented intrusion into the very heart of our government. DOGE (Department of Government Efficiency) led by Musk’s gang of youthful cyber hackers, all under 25, are looking at millions of sensitive records at the Social Security department, the VA, the Defense Department, the IRS,  Medicare, and Medicaid, with what intent?

No Good Intent

It’s clear that multiple agencies designed to help millions of disadvantaged American, going back to the Franklin Delano Roosevelt administration of the 1930’s-1940’s are under intense attack. Why have all the Inspector General’s been canned? These are the very folks that weed out fraud, corruption, and abuse. If this DOGE stunt was really about fraud, corruption and abuse, Musk should be working with the IG’s, not firing them. However, this should be no surprise, Musk was worried that several of the fired IG’s were investigating him and his companies. I don’t like seeing rich guys, like Musk, and our felonious co-president, Donald Trump, flaunt the law just because of they have fat  bank accounts.

Oligarchs and Kleptocrats

In a kleptocracy, corrupt politicians secretly, or not so secretly, enrich themselves outside the rule of law, through kickbacks, bribes, and special favors, or by simply redirecting government funds to themselves and their friends and associates via contracts and special concessions. This is the world of the Oligarch. We can’t  let their money and power intimidate us and those who will stand with us. What is emerging is a world wide struggle between the rich and the hordes of the poor. I can’t imagine anything that polls worse in America than the richest man in the world coming after Public education, your Social Security check, your VA healthcare, your Meals on Wheels, or your neighborhood Head Start.

What Can I Do?

I know you’re tired and I understand that you don’t think you can do another 4 years of protests. I want to assure you, we are all tired; exhausted in fact, but our democracy is quite literally in the crosshairs of the dictators. We can sleep later, what we need now is activism. Indivisible, MoveOn, 5Calls.org, democracydoccket.com, are all organizations that can help you direct your anger and focus on the goal to clean out the billionaires from our government and their Republican allies in the House and the Senate. I’m ready to start marching, hollering my head off, and raising my middle finger in response to Musk’s Nazi salute. Just remember that there are a hell of a lot more of us than them.

 

Why I Am With Her

Why I Am With Her

The United States is a bi-racial country. The diversity is what makes us strong.

Why I Am With Her

By Cate Rees-Hessel with Wes Hessel

 

The Democratic National Convention has been celebrating all week in Chicago at McCormick Place and United Center.  A sincere thank you to President Biden for all he has done to heal and restore our nation, as well as giving us our first female VP. I stand with Kamala Harris and can’t wait to call her Madame President, since we were robbed of the opportunity in 2016 when Hilary Clinton won the popular vote. We fondly remember the legacy laid by Shirley Chisholm and Geraldine Ferraro as we move forward with this year’s election.

I feel a great sense of pride that my city is hosting the Democratic Convention. Especially this week we ladies are featuring pearls and Converse shoes. Of course, we also have to watch where we walk – there’s glass everywhere on our streets from another proverbial ceiling being shattered… So for the 2024 election, here are 24 reasons that I am with her, our Vice-President, as our candidate for President of the United States:

  1. To save social security, I am with her…
  2. To protect children, I am with her…
  3. To protect women’s rights, I am with her…
  4. To protect reproductive freedom – not because I want to see woman have abortions but because I want to protect both woman and children, I am with her…
  5. To preserve the middle class, so everyone can live with dignity, I am with her…
  6. To protect health care, I am with her…
  7. To cut down on crime, I am with her, the successful prosecutor…
  8. To pass common sense gun laws and prevent violence, I am with her…
  9. To put food on the table and in the mouths of children, I am with her…
  10. To continue the work of President Biden, I am with her…
  11. To continue the work of President Obama, I am with her…
  12. To protect unions, I am with her…
  13. To protect basic human rights, I am with her…
  14. To bring forth affordable housing, imagine 3 new housing units in four years, I am with her…
  15. To govern as a democracy, not a dictatorship, I am with her…
  16. To protect education-not student loans, I am with her…
  17. To prevent predatory lending practices, I am with her…
  18. To eradicate racism, I am with her…
  19. To stop sexism, I am with her…
  20. To stop antisemitism, I am with her…
  21. To serve the American people, not big business, I am with her…
  22. To address climate change, not pretend it doesn’t exist, I am with her…
  23. To prevent a convicted felon from stepping back in the Oval Office that he never belonged in to begin with, I am with her…
  24. To stand up to the orange haired monster and make history once again, I am with the intelligent, beautiful, strong and compassionate lady, Kamala Harris, in 2024…

Once again, we are reminded of the words the late Helen Reddy sang best:

“I am woman, hear me roar

In numbers too big to ignore

And I know too much to go back an’ pretend

‘Cause I’ve heard it all before

And I’ve been down there on the floor

And no one’s ever gonna keep me down again

 

Yes, I am wise

But it’s wisdom born of pain

Yes, I’ve paid the price

But look how much I’ve gained

If I have to, I can do anything

I am strong (strong)

I am invincible (invincible)

I am woman

 

You can bend but never break me

‘Cause it only serves to make me

More determined to achieve my final goal

And I come back even stronger

Not a novice any longer

‘Cause you’ve deepened the conviction in my soul

 

Yes, I am wise

But it’s wisdom born of pain

Yes, I’ve paid the price

But look how much I’ve gained

If I have to, I can do anything

I am strong (strong)

I am invincible (invincible)

I am woman

 

I am woman, watch me grow

See me standing toe to toe

As I spread my lovin’ arms across the land

But I’m still a little embryo

With such a long, long way to go

Until I make my brother understand

 

Oh yes, I am wise

But it’s wisdom born of pain

Yes, I’ve paid the price

But look how much I’ve gained

If I have to, I can face anything

I am strong (strong)

I am invincible (invincible)

I am woman…”

So this November 5th, or sooner in many districts,  we need a blue wave across the nation, like we did in 2020. President Biden received then the highest number of popular votes in any presidential election in history, which removed Donald Trump from his desecration of the office. We must never let Trump set foot in the White House again; a convicted felon belongs behind bars.

Who Would You Rather Run the Nation?

Who Would You Rather Run the Nation?

I'd rather be Joe Biden than Donald Trump

Who Would You Rather Run the Nation?

Editor’s Note: Over the last couple days most of the political talk shows have been rehashing Joe’s poor debate performance. I think it involved terrible optics. Why did his people allow him to be facing away from the camera? Whoever it was on the presidents team that okay’d the studio lighting should be horsewhipped. And the total incompetent that was responsible for Joe’s make up should be fired.  So much of what happened was visual. In response to all the negative chatter Cate Rees-Hessel and hubby Wes Hessel wants to have a word with you. 

 

By Cate Rees-Hessel with Wes Hessel

 

Winner, and Still Champion…

After the first presidential debate, I must say that I honestly feel President Biden won. Why? Because he actually answered the questions, didn’t whine or insult like a spoiled brat, and he was honest. Would you rather have a slow talker that tells the truth, or a fast-talking felon as president? Yes, it comes down to this.

A Real Leader

Joe had a cold – his voice was a bit soft and raspy, but his answers were solid. He spoke slowly with his stutter, but that has never stopped him from being an effective leader. He has even helped empowered a little boy who has a stammer challenge, because Joe Biden is a good man. He cares about America. Even if you felt his lost his train of thought at times during the debate, many of us need to pause to think in order to give an intelligent answer. Taking a moment to compose yourself is not a sign of weakness, especially when you’re not feeling well from a bad cold – our President got the job done, because he is a professional. “The Donald” was arrogant, spewing the same old hate instead of giving legitimate answers.

Run, Joe, Run…

After the debate, our president said he walks a bit different, does not debate as well, but knows he can continue to run our nation because he is mentally and physically fit. He quipped that he is not a young man – that is stating the obvious – but I truly feel he does not look or act his age at all. When he accepted his victory in 2020, Joe jogged to the podium like a man half his age – that was only four years ago. I can recall President Obama stating that before his presidency he was a much younger man. The office can age a person, but President Biden is still as strong as ever.

Breakfast (Lunch, and Dinner) of Champions

He was on fire when he gave the State of the Union a few months back. One slow talking debate does not mean he is not able to continue being a strong leader. Donald Trump is only three years younger than President Biden. Just look at them – it’s clear Joe is in better shape than Trump, and that’s without the hair and makeup jobs that Trump has used for years. President Biden eats nutritious food, not a diet of junk food; he exercises and does not have the stress of a possible jail sentence like the Donald has.

Running Mate

Joe Biden also has a very capable vice president if Lord forbid something were to happen to him. Kamala Harris is a very capable woman that can run the country well. Trump has not even chosen a running mate – Lord only knows whom our president would be if Trump’s felony convictions or poor diet catch up with him. Rumor has it Marco Rubio may be his choice, and frankly Marco scares me with his extremist mind set and Tea Party-type association.

Just a Number

Age is just a number. Patrick Stewart at 84 is a fine actor, intelligent and powerful and still a little bit sexy. Engelbert Humperdinck is still entertaining audiences live at age 88 with a clear voice, moving about the stage with vigor and grace. Carol Burnett is still on the tube for MTV at 91, and Dick Van Dyke is going strong at 98 years old. And Clint Eastwood is still directing movies at 94. In fact, his recent thriller “Juror #2” should be released around Christmas. The number of capable senior citizens that continue to handle challenging careers is growing.

The Right Choice

I am voting for the silver fox, in the ever so cool Aviators. Joe Biden, is one of the best presidents to ever serve this country. Joe Biden is the first real working man’s president. Joe Biden knows what its like to worry if there will be enough money to make it through the month. He will stand up to terrorists, foreign and domestic. His administration has created a record number of jobs, cares about the environment and women’s rights, including reproductive freedom. Women with unsafe pregnancies that are approaching death’s door before they can get the medical treatment they need, can rely on Joe Biden to save their lives. He will protect the children already on this Earth with nutritious school lunches, quality child and health care.

Clean Up Man

Are prices higher than before Joe Biden took office? Yes, they are because during Trump’s reign of terror, the pandemic raged unchecked, leading to rampant deaths and economic collapse. Americans are back at work now, thanks to the hard work of Joe and Democratic lawmakers, and it’s only a matter of time before prices begin to decline, but only if President Biden remains in office. Trump gives tax breaks to big business and the ultra-wealthy, not caring if Americans can put food on the table.

…vs. Sell His Soul

Maybe you don’t like President Biden, perhaps he is not your first choice for whatever reason, but please recognize he is the only choice, because the alternative(s) is unthinkable: a convicted felon that holds the Bible upside down and then tries to sell them for sixty dollars apiece. A racist that tries to claim a connection to the African American community because he is now a convicted criminal, and wears gold sneakers that he is also peddling. That is the biggest insult to the Black community that I can even imagine. And his claim that immigrants are stealing “black jobs” should outrage us all. And then the rarely mentioned third candidate Robert Kennedy Jr, who is an extremist anti-vaxxer who claims a now dead worm ate a portion of his brain. Oh my. The choice is clear, Joe gets four more years.

What a Leader Looks Like

The real man of God is the one who prayed during his inaugural speech, attends church on a regular basis for worship of the Higher Power, not himself, and does not participate in “locker room talk”. A convicted felon cannot vote, so how can one run for political office? Donald Trump, the person that wants to be president, has lost his right to vote – think about that. He didn’t belong in the Oval Office before, and he certainly does not now.

R-E-S-P-E-C-T

President Biden respects women – he wrote the Violence Against Women Act; he respects our military – his son served. He’s created a record number of good jobs, brought unemployment down, is daily working to protect our labor force and our unions. Joe stands up to large corporations, getting them to pay their fair share of taxes. He got insulin capped at $35.00, finally affordable for those that need it to control diabetes. Allowing Medicare (the government) to negotiate drug prices is another big Biden win.

Oh, Sleaze…

Donald Trump brought us the first “lady” with a belly button staple, President Biden brought us a beautiful Doctor of Education, a true lady. There is no doubt about it the Biden’s have brought class and dignity back to the White House. The Trump era had a mice infestation and a chief rat in the Oval Office. Don’t let our nation go back to being the laughingstock we were during the orange monster’s “presidency”. Trump had the audacity during the debate to refer to the Biden era as an embarrassment – this is surely the pot calling the kettle gray. There’s a reason, well, dozens of them, why he wasn’t reelected. Donald Trump promised a bloodbath if he does not win; don’t let that bully scare you, vote blue and the authorities will stop the violence. He promise to be a dictator from day one should on itself be disqualifying.

Democracy in Action

America is a democracy. We have the best economy in the world after the pandemic because Joe Biden took office – he is the clear choice. President Biden promises to stay in the race after this debate, because one debate does not define a President. A record of making a needed infrastructure bill happen, decreasing student loan debt, limiting rent raises for tenants, saving social security for our seniors, these things define a good president. “When you get knocked down, you get back up” – President Biden got right back up; ninety minutes does not define a presidency.

Go, Go, Go, Joe…

I agree with my girl Jill, there is no one I would rather see in the Oval Office than her husband, a President for the people, not a criminal puppet of Vladimir Putin. Let’s go Joe, four more years; there is still more work to be done, and you are the man to do it.

“Go, go, go, Joseph, you know what they say

Hang on now, Joseph, you’ll make it some day

Don’t give up, Joseph, fight till you drop

We’ve read the book, and you come out on top…”

(Go-Go-Go Joseph, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Andrew Lloyd Webber)

 

 

No Other “President” In History

No Other “President” In History

Trump established many new firsts most of them bad, destructive and downright reprehensible

No Other “President” In History

 

By Cate Rees-Hessel & Wes Hessel

 

First Failure

I vowed when Trump took office to never call him “president”. For the sake of this article, I will loosely refer to him as such. “The Donald” is the first world leader to do many things but none of them are positive. Read on about Trump’s dubious “firsts”, and then vote blue:

No Other “President” In History

  1. First U.S. president to promise to be a dictator. America is a democracy, a republic technically, but still – our forefathers are spinning in their graves at this conduct.
  2. He is the first to want a military parade – not to honor our veterans but to seal the fact he wants to be a dictator.
  3. Refused to attend the inauguration of the newly elected President Biden – first president to not attend his successor’s inaugural ceremony in 152 years.
  4. Claimed the election was stolen from him because he lost, when in fact President Biden received 81,283,098,  a record number of popular votes.
  5. Trump was the first president to claim his predecessor (Obama) was not born in the United States and as such was disqualified from even running for the office.
  6. Has never released any tax returns – the first president in 45 years to have kept them secret.
  7. Lost party control of the House, Senate, and then his own office – first time in 89 years.
  8. Trump was the first president that failed to achieve at least a 50% approval rating at any time during his 4 years in office.
  9. Trump is the first president to openly support ”Christian Nationalism” – a.k.a. “white supremacy”.
  10. The first president ever indicted for crimes; paying off a porn star, mishandling classified documents, election law violations, etc., trying to hide behind an invented presidential immunity claim. At last count Trump had at least 88 felony charges against him, and in the words of Curly in “City Slickers”, “Day ain’t over yet…”
  11. First president to cause a foreign nation to issue a warrant for his arrest.
  12. Invited an insurrection – obviously first (and hopefully only) president to incite violent action against our government.
  13. Promises a national “bloodbath” if he loses the 2024 election.
  14. First former president to run for election after already losing his bid for a second term – first president in 28 years.
  15. Trump is the first former president to hawk bibles and gold painted high top sneakers to a weary late night television crowd.
  16. A Godless man using the faith of other to get votes, selling expensive Bibles to fleece far right wing supporters. Holding a Bible (upside down) he does not read, outside a church he does not attend, to get votes.
  17. Brought the first centerfold “first lady” into the White House.
  18. Insisted on visiting Pittsburgh after the synagogue shooting in the Squirrel Hill neighborhood. Trump disregarded the Jewish mourning process to sit shiva for the deceased, showing disrespect for the Jewish community.
  19. When Trump entered office he dissolved the Infectious Disease Task Force which was put in place by the Obama-Biden administration, to quickly address communicable disease issues. That action crippled the response to the COVID-19 pandemic leading to the death of 1,200,000 (or 120,000 depending again, on your source) in the U.S. He was the first president in a 120 years to preside over a crippling nationwide pandemic.
  20. Trump took credit for vaccines that President Biden was actually responsible for.
  21. Claimed in letters to Americans that he personally was responsible for the  first stimulus checks, when in fact it was the House of Representatives led by Nancy Pelosi that was responsible for the checks.
  22. First president to deliver fumbling, bumbling remarks about Easter, the Revolutionary War, and the Civil War with such iron pyrite nuggets such as, “Gettysburg, what an unbelievable battle that was. The Battle of Gettysburg, what an unbelievable-I mean, it was so much and so interesting, and so vicious and horrible, and so beautiful in so many different ways.”
  23. Another first when the former bragged about, “Grabbing  ’em by the p____” .
  24. A serial adulterer during each of his multiple marriages while claiming to be a Christian man.
  25. The first to  brag about overturning established legal precedent. Roe v. Wade was 50 years of established law when Donald’s Supreme Court overturned it. We now have chaos and confusion. leading to dangerous  pregnancy complications going untreated.
  26. Trump wants to see programs for children eliminated. He supports childhood poverty unless they’re white males.
  27. Encourages the repugnant practice of trophy hunting.
  28. Trump is Putin’s puppet – the first president believed to have won election  aided by a foreign power.
  29. Wants to destroy Social Security for seniors and disabled Americans.
  30. The first to mock and make fun of a disabled journalist
  31. Trump appointed Postal Service hater Louis DeJoy to head the USPS. With DeJoy in office, our mail arrives late in the day, if at all. The plan was to line his and wealthy supporter’s pockets with service outsource contracts by privatizing the Postal Service.
  32. The first candidate to advocate for the elimination of Obama Care, Medicare, and Medicaid, effectively making healthcare only for the rich, and the white.
  33. The first candidate who’s election speeches are more like a bad comedy act, threatening retribution and poking vicious “fun,” at the deep state, yet not once giving legitimate reasons to vote for him.
  34. Trump is supporting turning back time on women’s, LGBTQ, children’s, and minorities’ rights.
  35. The first to refuse to allow White House cleaning staff to clean specific areas of the WH, leading to a rodent infestation – of course, Trump is the biggest rat of all.
  36. Claimed victory for an election he didn’t win before all votes were counted – the first president to not concede their loss.
  37. Trump called soldiers “suckers” and “losers”, refusing to go to honor their ultimate sacrifice in WWII.
  38. His policies added nearly 8 trillion dollars to our national debt, the most by far of any president.
  39. Trump was impeached twice, the only president to be so distinguished.
  40. Also, the only president whose own party member voted for his impeachment conviction.
  41. Of all the presidents, he is the first to not sleep in the same bedroom as his wife.

(Thanks to Dan Kunz at the Coeur d’Alene/Post Falls Press for his article highlighting many of these inauspicious firsts.)

Be True Blue

It is imperative we vote blue – we need reelection for President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris; the alternative is unthinkable. Racism, sexism, and anti-Semitism are out of control in our nation. Once the orange haired monster got a taste of power, the floodgates of hate and insanity were opened wide, and it’s very difficult but not impossible to stop the storm. Should “The Donald” be elected for another term, things will be even worse than his first horrific term. Trump is out of control and we just need to send him a clear message that he will never enter the Oval Office (or any other part of the White House) again.

Hasn’t Got a Prayer

Franklin Graham (no stranger to scandal) is demanding we pray for Donald Trump, but he has no right demanding anything. This is the typical arrogant, lemming-like behavior of Trump’s supporters. I pray that the orange monster is convicted of the crimes that he committed and goes to prison. I pray our nation will be finally be rid of him, once and for all. Here are some ways to get involved and ride the blue wave:

  1. Offer to make election calls for Democrats.
  2. Donate what you can to the Democratic election efforts – if you can’t financially support campaigns, give of your time.
  3. Bumper stickers, yard signs, t-shirts, etc. – we can display these things for Democrats with far more dignity and class than MAGA’s in their red hats and gold metallic gym shoes.
  4. Offer your home for Democratic events such as meetings, watch parties, envelope stuffing, postcard writing, and so on.
  5. Don’t engage with MAGA’s – ignore the insanity they spew; it would be a battle of wits with an unarmed person. Let’s concentrate on a Democratic victory in November.
  6. Offer to transport people to the polls.
  7. Volunteer to register folks in your community to vote.
  8. Post on social media positive things that Democrats are doing, and the negative things Republicans are up to.
  9. VOTE!
  10. Do pray that President Biden and Vice President Harris are reelected, and the orange haired monster is convicted of his crimes.

We can do this, together and united we stand for democracy…

Resources: www.democrats.org, www.lincolnproject.us, www.facebook.com/p/Mary-L-Trump-100076207187060/, www.taylorswift.com.

 

Grandma, Unhoused in America

Grandma, Unhoused in America

Grandma, Unhoused in America



By D.S. Mitchell

Face of the New Homeless

The lack of housing for low-income people or those on fixed incomes is a big problem and experts are working on it but there is no one size fits all solution to alleviating homelessness; certainly, more affordable housing units and additional housing vouchers are needed, but many of the homeless need specialized housing. Housing that offers wheelchair ramps, roll in showers, grab bars, single level units and other accommodating features to assist the many older and disabled individuals now facing homelessness.

55 and Over

As baby boomers age into senior citizens, a series of recessions and the lack of a strong social safety net have pushed more and more elderly people into homelessness — a number that’s only expected to rise. Jeff Olivet, executive director of the U.S. Interagency Council of Homelessness tells us that “Seniors over the age of 55 are the fastest growing group of people experiencing homelessness and for many of them, it is first-time homelessness.”

Why is this Happening?

Like with most things there is no simple explanation; the reasons are complex. Most obviously, the U.S. has an aging population. With aging, people are more at risk of poverty, more subject to traumatic events, such as the death of a parent or a spouse, and more likely to suffer with chronic illness, such as diabetes and heart disease,  and at increased risk for falls and other physical injury.

Stagnant Income

While their income is limited, rent costs have skyrocketed across the country. Housing protection and assistance available during the COVID-19 pandemic have expired, leaving many people on the street. In addition, many of these folks with stagnant incomes are of retirement age, but are still working part-time, at low pay hourly jobs with no chance of a raise, just to supplement their Social Security check.

Federal Action

On December 19, 2023, President Biden, alarmed at the unprecedented number of people with no place to live, across all age groups, released an ambitious federal plan to strategically reduce homelessness by 25% by 2025. The plan will address the lack of affordable housing, aid people in crisis, and prevent people from losing their homes to foreclosure in the first place. Focus of the action are those most seriously effected: people of color, veterans, the disabled, and the elderly.

Statistics On the Growing Problem

From 2009 to 2017, HUD statistics indicate the number of unhoused individuals aged 51-61 grew from 14% of the total homeless population nationally to nearly 18%. The percentage of people 62 years or older living on the street has nearly doubled. Predictions indicate that by 2030 the number of unhoused individuals over the age of 65 will triple compared with 2017.

From the 1990s                                                

The younger half of the boomer generation have long been the dominant group among unhoused adults. In 1990, on average those folks were 30 years old; today their average age is 62. But it isn’t just the long time homeless, many are newly unhoused; people tossed out of houses and apartments for the first time. These people often experiencing a total shattering of their lives.

Nothing New

The shortage of affordable housing in the United States goes back at least 40 years; Ronald Reagan’s war on “welfare queens” did incredible damage to the social safety net and it has never been repaired. This long-time problem has been exacerbated by a number of factors. Large corporations are buying up apartments and single-family homes and charging whatever the market will bear. In fact, rent and home prices have skyrocketed, while the country has recently experienced exceptionally high inflation on basics like food and gasoline. However, economics are only part of the explanation for the dire straits many elders find themselves in.

Growing Numbers

In 2023, homelessness shot up by more than 12%, with an estimated 653,104 unhoused individuals living on American streets and in her parks. I personally have a hard time accepting these numbers, because of the large number of displaced persons I see everywhere in my small southern Oregon town. All that aside, these numbers represent the sharpest increase ever in homelessness, leading to the largest unhoused population ever recorded in the United States.

Graying of the Unhoused

Recent HUD data shows that nearly 1 in 5 people in the United States (that’s ‘effin 20% of the population) have no permanent place to live and a good share of those people are 55 years or older. Some are calling the spike in unhoused older citizens the “graying of America’s homeless.”

 Intervention and Prevention

Advocates for the homeless preach intervention and prevention. For example, it might be better to pay for a seniors medication or arrange for meals than allow them to become homeless because they have had to choose between the landlord and the pharmacy.

Bigger Than the Finances

As already suggested, the issues are often more than just financial. Recent studies indicate that older unhoused people have problems performing daily activities and have greater difficulty with walking, seeing, and hearing. Furthermore, they are subject to falling, and their overall health is significantly worse than those of the same age in the general population. Importantly many of the identified individuals also have significant cognitive impairment.

In San Francisco

The problem is so significant that in San Francisco they are planning for at least one shelter set up specifically for older adults and those with disabilities. Similar shelters are being planned for New York, Washington, D.C., Chicago, and Boston.

Self-Medicating                                           

Exposure to the elements, poor diet, lack of sleep or fitful sleep, failure to take prescribed medication, shunning of professional services with doctors or dentists are commonplace among the homeless. Their physical circumstances trigger anxiety and depression, leading some to self-medicate with drugs and or alcohol. Such problems create a need for low barrier shelters, and housing, which are few and far between.

New Approach                                                  

Many experts are suggesting several types of shared housing situations that might be good solutions for the graying homeless population.  A homeowner takes in a tenant, cohousing (where there is a cluster of private mini homes with communal spaces or a large central building with separate bedrooms and shared kitchen and living room) or the immensely popular backyard Accessory Dwelling Units. ADU’s are springing up in neighborhoods across the country where zoning laws allow them. ADU’s are usually built on the lot of a single-family residence.

Conclusion

I wish I could conclude with a happy ending, but I see no happy ending here. As baby boomers age into senior citizens, a series of recessions and the lack of a strong social safety net have pushed more and more elderly people into homelessness — a number that’s only expected to rise over the next few years before common sense tells us it will drop off, probably after 2030, as the boomers die.

Take a Fresh Look at Isometrics

Take a Fresh Look at Isometrics

Isometric exercises are easy and show quick results.

A Fresh Look at Isometrics

By D. S. Mitchell

Testing the 30-Minute Rule

Health experts agree that to stay healthy we need at least 30 minutes of daily exercise; but getting that 30 minutes of exercise everyday seems an impossible challenge. Somehow the minutes and hours slip away, and we never commit to adding that 30-minute “health” block to our schedule. However, recent studies are telling us that the ‘30-minute rule’ isn’t hard and fast. In fact, experts are now realizing it is okay to sprinkle activity regularly throughout the day, even in one-minute increments. You heard it here; it is possible for you to get the same blood pressure, cholesterol and waistline benefits as people who exercise more vigorously in longer more structured intervals. The secret behind this is isometric exercise.

All About Muscle Contraction

Isometric exercise is a type of strength training in which the joint angle and muscle length do not change during contraction. Isometrics are done in static positions. In the process, you tense your muscles but don’t actually move. In such positions the muscle fibers are activated, but since these are equal forces against each other, there is no movement. Imagine putting palm to palm and pressing against each other as hard as possible for 10 seconds and then release. Just remember to squeeze it–hard. Since you are not relying on movement to fatigue your muscles you need to squeeze hard, which just means you tighten your muscles as tight as you can and then hold. And don’t forget to breathe. Breathe from the lower belly.

Proven Benefits

Isometrics strengthen and condition muscles, improve control over our bodies (bowel, bladder, breathing), improves body posture and spine alignment, helps prevent injury, improves bone density and strength, increases resistance and endurance, can be done anywhere at any time, no equipment needed, keeps body posture straight and erect and can be done by young and old.

Try it Yourself With These Quick Exercises

1.) While sitting around watching TV or during a work break: Keep a tennis ball next to your favorite chair or in your desk. At least twice a day, grab a ball and squeeze tightly for at least five seconds then release slowly. Repeat 10 to 15 times with each hand.

2.) While standing in line at the bank or the grocery store: A full body exercise can take your mind off the wait. Begin by tensing your butt 10 times. Tighten your stomach muscles, hold for five seconds, then release slowly. Stretch your arms downward behind you and squeeze your triceps 10 times. Rise up on your toes and squeeze your calves 10 times.

3.) While you’re brushing your teeth in the morning and evening try this: As you age your balance deteriorates. To reverse that natural loss stand on one foot for 60 seconds and tense your butt and upper thighs, then switch legs. When that becomes easy, try balancing while lifting your leg to the side and hold for 60 seconds.

4.) If your job is tying you to a desk it is endangering your life: You have probably heard, “Sitting is the new smoking,” sitting is hazardous to your health. If your job has you doing a lot of desk time change your usual chair for a stability ball for 20-30 minute periods throughout the day. A stability ball builds core strength and is recommended for reducing back pain. Don’t forget to get up and walk around every half hour.

5.) While the spaghetti is cooking: Place hands on the wall, shoulders wide apart. Lean into the wall, supporting your body on your toes, and keep your palms on the wall. Push as hard as you can. Keep pushing with the same force for 15 seconds. Relax. Repeat at least 5 times.

6.) While the coffee perks: Try to do a light stretch each morning. Stand at arm’s length from the wall and place one foot behind the other, keeping heels down and knees straight. Lean toward the wall and place one foot behind the other, keeping heels down and knees straight. Lean toward the wall, bracing with your arms. Bend your forward leg to stretch the calf of your back leg. Hold for thirty seconds and then switch legs. *Plantar Fasciitis is a common complaint and it can be prevented by keeping your calves and Achilles tendons from getting tight.

7.) When standing up: Every time you stand up from or sit down in a chair use just your legs. Do this 10 times a day and you can congratulate yourself for doing 10 squats. If you need to use one hand at first to steady yourself you can do that initially.

8.) If you are sitting at a red light: Counter gravity’s effects on bowel and bladder by tightening your pelvic floor muscles. Just pretend you have to pee and are “holding it.” Hold for a count of 10, then release for a count of 10.

9.) While watching season six of Breaking Bad or your personal Netflix marathon lie on your side and do three sets of 15 leg lifts, then three sets of leg circles. Then switch sides.

10.) Wall sit: Stand with your back against the wall. Flex your knees and lower your body as you would while squatting. Hold position 5-7 seconds and then release. Repeat 10 times, increasing the hold time gradually. Make sure your back remains flush against the wall at all times.

Although the above 10 suggestions are quick and easy exercises be sure to strive for a combination of isotonic and isometric exercises. Isotonic exercises include squats and stair climbing. Exercise should be fun. Include a weekly bike ride, roller skate at your local rink, take a hike, play a round of golf, hit the pool, or just take a walk.

The choice is yours. Choose to be healthy.

 

 

Tips On Staying Young

Tips On Staying Young 

Living longer is about moving and socialization.

Tips On Staying Young

By D. S. Mitchell

I was standing in the grocery check out line when I noticed a special edition Prevention magazine titled “99 Ways To Live To 100” on the rack in front of me.  I bought the magazine and when I got home the first article I read was “Active At 80+”

The story featured 4 amazing women from 81-87 years of age. Each of the women offered 3 stay young secrets. I thought they were good enough to share with my friends.

Alice Rocky 81: Stay Fit Activity, Yoga. Her “Stay Young Secrets”:

1.) Spend time with people of various ages. Having a broad social network helps you to feel and act younger, it helps you keep in mind that age is just a number.

2.) Recognize that some aches and pains are normal and natural.  It is your body giving you feedback. Listen to it and change, but don’t stop moving.

3) Exercise your brain. Stay engaged intellectually. Volunteer. Do crossword puzzles.

Ruth Heidrich 82: Stay Fit Activity, Iron Woman. Her “Stay Young Secrets”:

1.) Appreciate what you can do, “whether walking a half mile or doing chair yoga, applaud yourself.”

2.) Go meatless. Ruth states it is the most important health change she has ever made.

3.) Focus on the rewards. Exercise improves sleep, lowers blood pressure, reverses Type 2 diabetes, prevents heart disease and osteoporosis.

Florence Meiler 83: Stay Fit Activity, Track & Field. Her “Stay Young Secrets”:

1.) Discover your “thing.” “It can be yoga, Tai Chi, swimming-the key is finding the activity you like enough to commit to it on a regular basis.”

2.) Team up. “Exercising with friends keeps you on track and motivated. The National Senior Games’ motto is ‘Fitness, Fun and Fellowship.’ That says it all.”

3.) Believe in yourself. “We are all capable of far more than we think we are, instead of saying ‘I can’t’ say ‘I’ll try.’ Those words can make all the difference.

Joan Campbell 87: Stay Fit Activity, Swimming. Her “Stay Young Secrets”:

1.) Always have a goal. “It can be anything that motivates you. Goals give you a push”

2.) Avoid scale creep. “If I feel my pants getting tight, I cut my portions. Fish and veggies are my go to dinner.”

3.) Just say yes. “I see daily exercise as an automatic. That way I don’t question it. If I don’t feel like getting out of bed, I motivate myself by thinking how good I will feel afterward, and that always helps me get moving.”

Wow. Some pretty insightful suggestions. I think the information is as good for a 25-year-old as an 80-year-old.

8 Reasons To Keep Working After Retirement

Working After Retirement

Research shows that working after retirement is good for the mind, the body, and the pocketbook.

Research shows that working during retirement is good for the mind, the body, and the pocketbook

Keep Working After Retirement

Here are 8 Reasons to get a job after retiring

D. S. Mitchell

Measurable Benefits

Working after retirement, seems like an oxymoron, but that isn’t necessarily true. Just because you are no longer practicing your primary career doesn’t mean you should walk away from all money making endeavors. Part-time, free lance or consulting work, volunteering- doing that something you always wanted to do. A friend of mine, who worked for UPS for years, does wedding and anniversary photos as his new side hustle. Another friend works for a home health care company and does light housekeeping chores for several elder clients. I write freelance articles. I always wanted to be a writer; well now I am. Working can add to your retirement satisfaction and give your  life structure. And there are of course, the financial benefits of a paycheck. After a bit of thought and research I’ve come up with eight specific reasons a retired person may want to consider re-entering the job market.

  1. Researchers have concluded that working helps maintain good mental health.  Do not presume this is just because those with better cognitive health are better able to work. There is a particular benefit noted by researchers when the retiree switches to a different type of job than the one held prior to retirement. That benefit comes from learning new things-known as “novelty processing.” Novelty processing appears to slow cognitive decline. Who doesn’t want to stay sharp?
  2. Having a regular paycheck is a powerful means to increase the money available in retirement, without drawing down your savings, and it gives you an extended opportunity to save. Remember, you are not out searching for some high power position, with a six figure salary and every benefit ever imagined. Earning just a small portion of your previous salary will make a significant difference and substantially improve retirement security.
  3. Transitioning to part-time or even volunteer work, doing work unrelated to your prior career appears to be associated with fewer physical disabilities and declines and overall better cognitive health. University of Maryland researchers linked a post career job with fewer major diseases and functional limitations.
  4. A recent Harvard study found that retirement well-being depends on having good quality relationships. Folks who seem to enjoy retirement the most are those who replaced old work relationships with new ones. Working, whether full-time, part-time, or as a volunteer creates an environment for new interactions that can potentially develop into those new quality relationships.
  5. Finding a sense of purpose for living after retirement is critically important. A ‘little job’ can be a motivator to get you out of bed everyday. A common theme researchers hear is the need to find meaning and purpose-continuing to work in some capacity is a great way to achieve that sense of purpose, which in turn makes the retiree feel younger and more connected.
  6. Retirement allows the retiree the time and opportunity to help others. Volunteerism is one great way to ward off depression and provide inner satisfaction. That sense of well-being disappears quickly once volunteering stopped, according to recent studies from the UK.
  7. Work at what you like. Often our careers don’t match our passions. So as you think about re-entering the labor force, focus on fun and challenge. If you love to garden, how about a part-time position at the local nursery? Make sure you are spending time with people you like; in an environment that matches your hobbies or interests. Getting involved in activities you enjoy and care about can bring you in contact with new people you have things in common with.
  8. Every store in my little town has a “HIRING” sign in the front window. According to the Labor Department, there are 9.6 million job openings today in the United States. With such a severe worker shortage finding a job to better your life should be relatively easy, plus you would be helping a local business (and thus your community) that is struggling with staffing issues.

You Might Just Be A Woman Of A Certain Age

You Might Just Be A Woman Of A Certain Age

If you can remember clip on ear rings and phone booths, you just may be a woman of a certain age.

You Might Just Be a Woman of a Certain Age

By Anna Hessel

 

If you have ever worn clip earrings, or even know what clip earrings are…you might be a woman of a certain age.

If your hairdo (or your boyfriend’s) was a party in the back and business in the front…

If you have ever done anything in a phone booth…

If you know what a phone booth is or what it has to do with Superman…

If you used Tickle deodorant…

If you have ever worn shoulder pads when not playing powder puff football…

If you have a landline, had a landline, or even know what a landline is…

If you had a Princess or Trimline phone…

If you ever used a phone book…

If you ever used a clothing iron or frozen orange juice cans to fix your hair…

If you ever drank Tab, or know what Tab is…

If you ever served a Swanson Pot Pie for dinner…

If you refer to Lean Cuisine or the like as a TV dinner…

If you ever wore sequin mesh boots from Desperately Seeking Susan…

If you saw Desperately Seeking Susan on opening weekend…

If you ever had a Bianca Blast or used a Maybelline Kissing Potion before a date…

If you even know what a Bianca Blast is…

If you got peanut butter in somebody’s chocolate, or vice versa…

if you remember Madge the manicurist…

If you know what a manicurist is…

If you ever had a glass or half-moon manicure…

If you used baby oil with iodine to get a tan…

If you ever smoked an Eve…

(please note, I am NOT advocating the iodine, baby oil, or the Eves!)

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3 Gremlins Facing Health Care In The U.S.

3 Gremlins Facing Health Care In The U.S.

Americans are taking too many prescription meds

3 Gremlins Facing Health Care In The U.S.

By D. S. Mitchell

On The Front Line

Writing for www.CalamityPolitics.com allows me a grass root platform to discuss health care, and every other area of our political spectrum, for that matter. It does not give me the right to say anything I want about the issues. With that said, I have ground level experience in health care. Because of that experience and exposure to trench warfare in hospital health care I have strong opinions. Client care and results need to be discussed and evaluated for effectiveness. I have a passionate interest in health care, and in this area, I believe my street level experience gives me the right to discuss the issues. Bringing common sense thinking to health care should always be welcomed. I am an RN, and have worked for 38 years in hospitals in Oregon, Washington, California and Nevada.

The Sickest

My two primary areas of specialty are Crisis Psychiatry and Cardiac Intensive Care. Whether the issues are mental, behavioral, or cardiac emergency, many of the issues facing the caregiver, and the client are the same. Despite the obvious differences in the front line needs of the clients, both of these populations are often the sickest in the hospital. One thing I know, is that the health of the American citizen should not be decided by a politician in Washington, D.C. Sadly, that’s where this battle always shows its ugly underbelly.

Gremlin 1: Big Pharma

Suitcases Of Medications

For the first twenty-five years of my career, when I admitted a patient that came to the unit with a suitcase of medications, I believed it was because they were incredibly ill. Like physicians I had been trained to believe in  pharmaceuticals.  Once I was an old nurse, my thinking transformed into, the patient is sick because they are taking so many prescribed medications. I can hear the protests from the audience now. Don’t believe me, just read the labels. These are chemicals and they are toxic and poisonous.

Side Effects

Truthfully, every pill has the potential to cause side effects, some known and some unknown.   When a person complains to his doctor that he is uncomfortable due to the side effects of the medication he is taking, his doctor writes him another prescription to help deal with the side effects.  The patient has pain so his doctor writes him a prescription for an analgesic. When he complains that the pain medication makes him constipated, he is given a prescription.  You can see where this is headed, right?

Advertising Medications

In America, television is the best friend of the pharmaceutical industry.  Constant television marketing has convinced viewers that there is a pill that will fix anything and everything. Unfortunately, many Americans now believe that there is a pill that will make everything in their life better.  Health care policy makers need to take this issue very seriously. I realize drug manufacturers want to make a profit, but I also believe constant repetition creates a need that previously did not exist.

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