Category: Domestic Policy

EDITORIAL: Glass Smashing Rage

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EDITORIAL: Glass Smashing Rage

EDITORIAL: Glass Smashing Rage

By Dani Davis

Not So Good, ‘Ol Days

I was born in 1946. That makes me 76 years old.  The Allied soldiers had just liberated Europe from Hitler’s fascist grip, AND saved the world from the jingoism of the Japanese Empire when I was delivered kicking and screaming into the world. The boys were back to the land of the not so free. A history lesson is appropriate at this time, for those have been separated from what it was really like in those days. Let me tell you; it ‘effin sucked for a hell of a lot of people, particularly people of color, women, and the queer.

Writing Law, Not interpreting Law

On June 24, 2022, I woke up to learn that the right wing-radical SCOTUS had overturned Roe v Wade. The first thing to suffer were two wine glasses sitting on the kitchen counter, which I sent flying across the room in an angry rage.  We all knew it was coming, since the ‘leak’ of Sam Alito’s draft opinion nearly two months ago.  I am furious. I am shocked. I am dismayed. But, more than that, I am deeply saddened for our country; and the meaning of law, and justice.

Pretzel Time

I am saddened and alarmed that the six ideologues chosen by the Federalist Society, who now sit on the highest court in the land, seem to have no brakes. It is clear they intend to smash through anything that gets in their political way. These isolated radicalized folks are willing to ignore 50 years of established precedent, twist themselves into pretzels looking to 15th century doctrine to support an outrageous 21st century decision. The justices, despite the wishes of 70% of the American people, overturned Roe. They could have chipped away at the law, which they have been doing since 1993, instead they are so brazen they did not hesitate in wiping Roe off the legal landscape.  Greatly emboldened they do not intend to let anything stop them. I am convinced nothing we call sacred in our society, is safe from this out of control court.

Mitch McConnell Is The Cause 

This “Catholic-Christian” majority Supreme Court just tossed out 50 years of progress and has sent this country into a very dark place. Lest not forget how we got to this imbalance on the court. Republican Mitch McConnell, when he was Majority Leader in the Senate, denied Barack Obama a chance to install his choice for Supreme Court Justice, Merrick Garland. In 2020, Mitch again, went against all Senate history and jammed through Amy Cony Barrett as Trump’s 3rd appointee, during the last days of the Trump administration.  Those two actions by McConnell have resulted in the current imbalance of conservative justices on the court.

More To Come

Abortion is not the only ‘right’ under attack. There is much more to come. All you need to do is read Clarence Thomas’s opinion. Frankly, with the court’s decision to overturn Rue, came with a threat to end many long established rights. Clarence Thomas, in his assenting opinion foreshadowed many rights he was willing to take the judicial hammer to. It looks to me like, we have an over-active, ‘law-creating’ court that will soon be targeting many cherished privacy rights. The right to contraceptives, same sex marriage, and the right to decide the race of your sexual partner may be in the cross-hairs of this politically active court.

Most Egregious

It seems a bit odd that ‘Uncle Tom’ Clarence Thomas has forgotten that his right to marry a white woman isn’t many steps away from the topics he suggests were decided egregiously.  I’d like to remind Clarence and Virginia (Ginni) Thomas, that it wasn’t until June of 1967, when I was a senior in college, the Earl Warren Supreme Court issued it’s landmark opinion in Loving v Virginia. Let me repeat that, it wasn’t until 1967, that Clarence and Ginni could have even traveled together, much less gotten married in nearly a third of the states in these good old United States. Looking backwards might not be the best choice for this duo.

The United States Is Not A Christian Country

The United States was founded as a secular republic, not a ‘Christian’ country. What unites us is a common Constitution, not a common religion, or a common culture. The U.S, Constitution is meant to protect the rights of us all; not just the rights of the “believers.” Nobody is supposed to be burned at the stake anymore; yet Sam Alito had to reach back to the time of the witch trials to find basis for his anti-abortion ruling. Please, it is 2022 and it is fucking time a woman should be allowed to make the decisions that effect her, and her family. Literally, a woman could be pregnant 3/4 of every year, for 35 plus years, producing potentially a child a year.  Without contraception, or abortion a single woman could if forced to produce 35 kids. Really? This is what the conservatives want for 21st century women? Total crap.

Lawless Abandon

The Catholic-Christian majority that has been jammed onto the Supreme Court have decided that they can wield their 6-3 voting power with near lawless abandon. Don’t just clutch your pearls ladies; these six SOB’s want to impose their religious beliefs onto the rest of us; it is time for action, not whining and moaning. We are a country of 330, 000,000 people, from different religions, different cultures and backgrounds, each of us with different dreams. The recent Supreme Court actions on voting rights, gun rights, the EPA, and Roe v Wade are total BS. The idea that the Founding Father’s believed that every citizen, no matter how crazy, should be able to openly carry a weapon of war is total absurdity. I think Ben and the boys would have put the kibosh to that idea quickly and decisively.  The eighteenth century philosphosper/revolutionary was part of his world, and for a court to suggest that the eighteen century and the twenty-first century are equivalent is patently ridiculous.

A Fraudulent Court

The fact that the last three of the nine justices, were appointed illegitimately, thanks to Mitch McConnell, by a twice impeached, one-term president, makes any of this court’s decisions suspect. Furthermore, from taped testimony, it looks like Barrett, Gorsuch, and Kavanaugh may have misled, or perhaps committed perjury during Senate questioning. I would go so far as to suggest this is a fraudulent court. There is no way we can wait forty years for this court to die of old age; while it destroys the fabric of our society.  These folks were not elected, yet they are sitting in lifetime positions, making decisions that effect the most basic of our rights; privacy. Outrageous.

My Final Days

I will not be silent. I may be 76 years old,  but I can still march, I can still vote,  I can still vocalize my anger. I’m not dead yet, and until that final day comes I will be working for a re-do of the ‘third’ branch of government. The idea that you can remove court decisions from the time and place of the decision is absurd.  The Founding Fathers were a part of their time.  When Ben, Tom, Jimmy and George were imagining a new country, they sure as hell had no idea that the country of 2.5 million would eventually spread from to sea to shining sea, with a  population  nearly 10 and a half times the size of the original country. There were no cars, no cell phones, no railroads, no astronauts, no AR-15’s, no female CEO’s, no black legislators. For the ‘purists’ on the court who want to take us back 245 years let’s remember that the Ninth Amendment offered flexibility and growth. The FF knew that the constitution could grow and stretch to the needs of the country, not contract and penalize the many.  We can grow past 1619. We can grow past 1776 It is 2022, time for a new perspective, not an old and outdated one.

Real, True Outrage

Should a woman be forced to carry her rapists baby until birth? I say, “hell no.” What if the impregnated person were a child, carrying her father’s baby, as a victim of incest. Or perhaps, an uncle or a  grandfather; or some other relative. My fucking god, this ordeal is guaranteed to fuck up just about anybody. Let’s start thinking with our hearts. Let’s begin with love for the hopeless, for the abandoned, let’s offer them a life line, not an anchor.

Conclusion

It is time for court reform. If there isn’t court reform I  predict that people will just stop listening to anything that comes out of their biased mouths. At least 90 attorney generals and state prosecutors have stated for the record they will not prosecute any abortion cases. The Robert’s Court has already damaged the public view of the court. I  think the last time I looked, the Supreme court approval rating was about 20%.   It is time to enlarge the court, institute term limits, and come up with a code of ethics, to reign in the likes of Clarence Thomas and his anti-democratic wife.

 

OPINION: Joe Manchin Shows His Political Ass

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OPINION: Joe Manchin Shows His Political Ass

OPINION: Joe Manchin Show His Political Ass

I think it is time to remove the obstructionists from the Democratic Party

D. S. Mitchell

Joe’s Talking on Fox

12/19/2021. Joe Manchin (D.W.V.) is on FoxNews (sic) telling Bret Baier he “cannot vote” for the Build Back Better bill. Finally after months of dancing about, throwing up one road block after another Manchin, playing with the press and his colleagues has finally come clean and said it out loud. He, the lone Democrat,  was now going to squash the bill, that would have given assistance to 70% of his constituents.

Out of Touch

I am dumbfounded. How could this rich, fat, white, yacht sunning, coal mine owning, entitled man be so cruel, and corrupt? How can he shut his eyes to the basic needs of the most vulnerable people in his state? West Virginia is one of the poorest states in this country, it seems Joe wants to keep it that way. By standing against the BBB act Manchin is not only denying West Virginians food on the table, affordable prescriptions for life saving medicines, and dentures in their mouths, but every other person in the country. Without remorse, apparently.  Enraged, I switched to CNN where Jake Tapper was interviewing Bernie Sanders (I.Vt).

Unrestrained Passion

Bernie Sanders went after the failed senator from West Virginia with unrestrained passion. Bernie called Manchin a “coward” for not standing up to the lobbyists and special interest groups (which Manchin is part of). Bernie, is also a wealthy man, just like Joe Manchin. But, Bernie seems to have a deep well of human empathy, decency, and compassion, which apparently, Manchin cannot understand or emulate. Is Manchin capable of embarrassment?  Being the only Democratic senator that is willing to let kids go hungry, not only in West Virginia, but across the nation, should make him red faced with shame and embarrassment.

Purge the Party 

It is time to purge the Democratic party of obstructionists, like Manchin, that are willing to stop a president and his policies by their single vote. Joe Manchin you were not elected president of the United States. Get in line and support President Biden and the Democratic platform. Support voting rights. If you are a Republican, Mr. Manchin, run as one, don’t pretend to be a Democrat. Be brave. Be courageous. As I see it Mr. Manchin, is intent on his legacy being nothing more than the dark smear left by a wet fart.

Quotes on Courage

Here’s a brief collection of some pretty smart comments by some pretty smart people on the topic of courage in life and politics.

1.) “Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak; courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen,” Winston Churchill

3.) “Courage conquers all things,”  Ovid

4.) “The strongest, most generous and proudest of all virtues is courage,” Michel De Montaigne

Conclusion

It is time to fight the obstructionists in the Democratic party. Joe Manchin cannot be allowed to stand in the way of progress much longer. He has ‘shown his ass.’ as they say in Texas, and a few other places; time for Mr. Manchin to vote with his party or leave the party.

Resolutions For The Next Decade

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Resolutions For The Next Decade

By Anna Hessel

Resolving for the New Decade

Happy 2020!  This start of a new decade makes me ponder the tradition of New Year’s resolutions.  Hopefully, we are all resolving to show peace to all, abolish intolerance, and offer acceptance to those who are different from us.  I realize many of us have personal resolutions to enrich and better our own lives, but I think there are times when we must be resolute in our compassion to pray and work to fulfill the needs of others.

Where We’ve Been

In the latter half of the past decade, we have regressed from working to provide health care for all Americans, to legislation designed to repeal the Affordable Care Act. We’ve gone from sanctuary cities to children in cages at our southern border. We’ve gone from the establishment of affordable housing to the greatest percentage of homelessness in American history.

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What You Don’t Know About U.S. Health Care

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“I think the health care market is functioning perfectly.  The problem is that the market is producing profits, not health.”  Unknown

Understanding U.S. Health Care                         

By D. S. Mitchell

Around The World

Things you don’t know about U.S. health care starts with understanding how other world governments look at health care. Government leaders in other developed countries have defined two basic tenets: 1.) health care is a right AND as such, is different than typical free market arenas.  2.) when the ‘invisible hand’ of Adam Smith’s free market philosophy controls a nation’s health care system the result is higher costs and sicker citizens.

In 2011, Jason Adkins commented in a Catholic Spirit article, “slavish adherence to ideology in politics can and does inflict harm to the very people public officials claim to serve.”

Failure Of Competition

One basic element rarely discussed is failure of competition.  The hospital industry is highly concentrated in areas with higher populations while under serving the rural populations of the U.S.; often leaving rural hospitals subject to failure.  As with hospitals, “health care services don’t really compete with one another as equal goods,” The Health Care Congressional Committee (2011).

Each Individual

My doctor’s care is different from the care provided by my neighbor’s physician.  The neighbor’s medications are different from mine.  My response to care is different from my cousin.  These variables make sure that no case can ever be the same.  Thus, in health care; there is no such thing as “equal goods”.

Don’t Expect Better Results

An unknown source made this insightful comment, “I think the health care market is functioning perfectly.  The problem is that the market is producing profits, NOT health.”  Hmmm.  Patients most likely would call this failure.  However, for all facets of the health care industry, profits are spectacularly high, so it can be claimed that the market is a success and doing what it is intended to do, make money. To expect better health care results would be unrealistic in this environment.

An Obvious Dilemma

A very obvious dilemma exposes itself.  Two separate and divergent end desires.  The free market wants profit.  The citizenry wants good, inexpensive health care.   The ideology of profit and successful health care delivery do not coincide.  Since the primary goal of the free market is profit, “Any diversion from this goal is inefficient and against the interests of the holders of capital,” Mark Sokr concluded in congressional testimony in 2011.

Selling Health, One Tablet At A Time

It is not just hospitals. The advertising gurus have taken Big Pharma to the masses. Through near constant media indoctrination the public has been brain washed into believing that there is a prescription (solution) for everything. Isn’t modern medicine wonderful? Unfortunately, the picture is false. Yes, modern medicine is great, and we can do truly amazing things. Unimagined a century ago. But the goals of Big Pharma are not the same as the consumer. Big Pharma wants to sell you a product, over and over, day after day, year after year. You want to heal. So you can stop taking medication. Those goals are not compatible.

Defining Factors

Non-Modifiable:  unchangeable circumstances, such as age, gender, race, genetics.

Modifiable:  changeable circumstances, such as life style choices. Things that can change.  Most particularly, cigarette smoking, poor diet, inactivity, alcohol abuse (or overuse), and chronic stress.  The link between lifestyle choices and chronic illness are undeniable.   Knowing that unhealthy behaviors leads to chronic disease, does not lead people to making better choices, but that needs to change.

You, Your Family, Your Community

“I’m going to die from something,” is the most common response people make when confronted with their poor life style behaviors.  That response is an easy, quick go to, not a thought out desired destination. That “I’m going to die from something” answer gives no regard to the overall effects of that attitude on yourself,  your family, your community or your country.

Predictors

Predictors of chronic illness: smoking, processed foods, fast foods, starchy carbs, bread & pasta, sugar drinks, excess alcohol, overeating, excessive salt use, sugar, high fat diets, and lack of exercise.  These behaviors will lead to obesity.  Obesity increases risks, particularly of diabetes, cardiovascular disease and certain forms of cancer. We, as thinking creatures, are capable of health promoting decisions.

Smoking Dangers

Smoking is the leading preventable cause of chronic illness and death in the U.S.  One in five deaths is directly related to smoking.  Statistics show that 10 times as many Americans have died prematurely from cigarette smoking than have died in all American wars.  Smoking hardens arteries and causes the heart to work harder and causes emphysema and COPD.  Smoking causes 80% of all COPD deaths and 90% of lung cancer deaths.  Additionally, smoking is a major cause of throat, bladder cancer, voice box, liver, pancreas, stomach, kidney and colorectal cancers.

5 Lifestyle Killers

Lifestyle diseases kill more people than communicable diseases.

The top five killers are:
1.) Diabetes
2.) Cardiovascular disease (High Blood Pressure, Heart Attack, High Cholesterol)
3.) Stroke
4.) Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
5.) and certain forms of cancer.

More than 70% of deaths in the United States are attributable to one of the 5 listed lifestyle diseases.  Even more alarming is that 75% of the U.S. Health Care dollar is spent on those same listed diseases.  Furthermore, the numbers do not reflect the personal and economic burden of chronic illness, lost work days, low productivity, disability, and poor quality of life.

Become Your Own Best Physician:

1.) Stop smoking 2.) Lose weight  3.) Switch to a plant-based diet 4.) Exercise at least 7 hours per week 5.) Reduce stress
6.) Practice good dental health 7.) Have fun, enjoy life

Conclusion

To slay the goblins in our health care closet it seems to me that we need to drop the ideology and look at the facts.

1.) Prevention must become the primary health care goal of this country.  Prevention is within our reach. Confronting life style disease can  cut the cost of health care by billions of dollars. 2.) Give up the idea that a pill will fix everything.  It is just well done marketing. This includes re-educating our Big Pharma brain-washed doctors.  Doctor’s need to direct their patients to a healthy lifestyle and stop handing out a pill for every complaint. Tough love, as the behavior mod guys say. 3.) Personal responsibility and self advocacy must become the center of each individual’s health care and ultimate well-being. I know we are all innately lazy and we all love our bad habits, but those bad habits are contributing to significantly shorter life spans and skyrocketing health care costs. 4.) Accept the proven fact that “free market” systems are by their very nature, inappropriate for health care and continuously fail both in delivery and results. 5.) A single payer system delivers the best and least expensive care.  As a massive consumer ‘the single payer system’ buying power can force down prices across the spectrum of health care.

About The Author

I am a retired RN. I worked nearly 40 years in hospitals in Oregon, Washington, California and Nevada as a travel nurse. Although I am retired, I am still passionate about health care. I am an advocate for universal health care. I never want to know of another patient denied health care services, because they lack insurance, or have poor coverage.  Because of my street level experience, I have strong opinions on the state of health care in America and how we can make it better. At the core of that vision is a society that encourages good health through good behaviors and a happier life style.

 

KOCH BROS: Corruption & Hypocrisy

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By Trevor McNeil & D.S. Mitchell

Kernel of Truth

The old adage that “only the good die young” was confirmed with the death of David Koch at the age of 79.  David Koch, and brother Charles, formed the two-headed demon that led one of the most unethical and unprincipled companies in modern memory.  Which is saying something with the likes of Enron as competition. Though, to be fair, like them or hate them, no one at Enron, as far as is known, used their vast fortune to fund and push for extreme hard right libertarian political ideology of small government and anti-regulation to transform U.S. government policy.

The Company We Keep

A group of hard Right, hyper-“patriotic”, pseudo-Christians emerged with the Obama election. These folks identified themselves as the “Tea Party”.  They were a cranky group of hustlers and howlers who seem to think the parable goes “turn the other cheek; and then pull a Glock”. A bit of a turn on the standard evangelical prayer group.

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6 Lies About Single-Payer Health Care

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SINGLE-PAYER HEALTH CARE LIES

By D. S. Mitchell

Drop The Labels

Honest health care policy experts know that the solution to fix the American health care system is staring us in the face, and it is single-payer. Whether dubbed “Medicare-for-All” or an “expansion of Medicaid” through ObamaCare. The solution is easy when labels like “socialism” “liberalism” “progressivism” are ignored. Trump and his DOJ is in court at this very moment trying to invalidate the ACA (ObamaCare). It seems that the more resistance Republicans arouse over destroying ObamaCare the voices for Medicare-for-All grows louder.

Health Care As A Right

The evidence is clear, Americans believe that every person has a right to health care, irrespective of their ability to pay. We as a people, believe that we have an obligation to take care of each other. In fact, there is more momentum for the adoption of a single-payer health care system than at any time in our history.

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OPINION: Land Seizure, Eminent Domain

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OPINION: Land Seizure

Right of Kings: Eminent Domain 

By Trevor K. McNeil

Hold Them Accountable

Sadly many of the men and women elected to represent the American people; whether at the state or national level, have consistently demonstrated an inclination to put their own interests ahead of all else. Which is partly why petitions, letter writing campaigns and voter registration drives are so effective. Threaten an elected official’s job and you will get their attention.

If The President Does It, It Is Not A Crime

Despite issues of trust and mistrust most people do not feel the government is working directly against them. This general level of trust in government is also part of how injustices and atrocities happen. The last lines of the pledge of allegiance “with liberty and justice for all,” are in some case notably missing. The Founding Fathers revered on a level that approaches the religious, despite some rather uncomfortable historical facts. Indeed, the Founding Fathers added to the Constitution a concept that perhaps would have best been left in old Europe and their autocratic rulers.

It Must Be Okay

Americans are able to overlook and forgive a lot when it comes to government policies and actions. The overall sense being that if the government does it, it must be okay. However, with the situation on the southern border the right of government to seize privately owned property by right of Eminent Domain is once again coming under scrutiny.  The issue has been brought to the forefront by Trump’s demand for a “wall” on the Mexican border. The private property owners across four states are potentially affected. Thousands of lawsuits are in the future as Trump pushes for a massive government land seizure.

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Growing Wealth Inequality: A Danger Sign for Democracy

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Growing Wealth Inequality:

A Danger Sign for Democracy

By D.S. Mitchell & Jones William

Uneven Distribution

Wealth inequality occurs when income and assets are unevenly distributed within a group of people, or society. There are at least three measures of that distribution of wealth. Economic inequality is generally grouped into three categories; pay, income and wealth.

1) Pay

Pay is the amount received from employment only. Pay can be based on an hourly, weekly, monthly or yearly basis. Pay may also include bonuses and benefits. Pay inequality: the difference between individuals’ pay across all 50 states (or within one company).

2) Income

Income includes all the money received through pay, investments, state benefits, rent, pensions (personal, company, state) and savings. Income is calculated on an individual or household basis. Income inequality, is the disparity of money streams between groups and individuals.

3) Wealth

Wealth is the total assets of an individual or household. It includes all assets of value: bonds, stocks,  pensions, art, jewelry, boats, planes, automobiles, savings, investments, and real estate. Wealth is a collection of assets minus liabilities. Wealth inequality, is the difference between the valuation of all assets owned by groups or individuals.

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GOP Writes A Tax Cut Bill That Hurts Millions

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GOP Writes A Tax Cut Bill That Hurts Millions

D. S. Mitchell

The GOP #TaxScam will add nearly $2 trillion to the federal debt in just 10 years. The proposed tax cuts will not pay for themselves as the GOP leadership argues that it will. Lies, just blatant lies. In fact, the debt created by the bill will be left for the next several generations to pay off.

Just like Paul Krugman concluded in his great New York Times article last week, this bill will transfer money from FUTURE middle class and poor Americans to giant international corporations and the wealthiest 1% of individuals. In addition, these bills (House/Senate) will create new incentives for businesses to move production offshore and increase the trade deficit. Why on earth, would we want to benefit foreign countries and harm the blue collar workers that President Trump says he is working for?

Trump is claiming there will be an incredible 10% growth over the next decade. This claim is countered by studies from Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center and Penn-Wharton Budget Model, both of which indicate that the Senate Bill’s impact would be from 0.3 to 0.8 per cent. Expert consensus have discredited House Speaker, Paul Ryan’s claim that the legislation would energize the economy and make it more competitive globally. In fact, some experts are claiming the tax bill will slow the economy.

At the core of these bills is a cut in the corporate tax rate to 20%, from 35% (before adjustments), that the administration and congressional leaders argue will encourage businesses to invest in expansion, hire more people, and give workers raises. These claims have been largely debunked.

Past cuts to the corporate tax rate in the U.S. & Britain did not ignite economic booms or produce higher incomes. In fact, many business leaders advise that a big tax cut would not propel them to re-invest or give employee’s raises. With the economy at near full employment and corporations swimming in money, it is hard to see a tax cut doing much to stimulate business development.

Experts are sounding warnings. The bills will lower tax rates for foreign earnings. The bills actually encourage businesses to move more of their operations overseas. Yes, that’s what the bills seem to do. The bills exempt some of those foreign profits from United States taxes entirely.  Companies would be able to claim taxes paid in high tax rate countries like Japan, as a credit against profits earned in countries like Bermuda that has no corporate tax. This isn’t keeping the assembly line in Sioux Falls moving. Such blatant and disgusting manipulation of the facts is outrageous.

An article in the New York Times put it this way, “Economists also expect the tax bills to lead to bigger trade deficits because the government would be forced to borrow more to pay its bills, driving up interest rates. Those higher rates would prompt foreigners to buy more United States bonds, driving up the value of the dollar. That would make American exports less attractive to other countries  and imports cheaper to American consumers. American factories and their workers would become less competitive in the the global market, adding new victims to the ‘rusted-out factories scattered like tombstones across the landscape of our nation.’ That last quote was taken directly from Donald trump’s Inaugural Address.

Republicans appear to be hoping that Americans will be so happy to get temporary tax cuts that will kick in next year that they will forget that the 0.2 % of individual Americans will be handed billions of dollars in tax cuts and protection from the dreaded estate tax, and that international corporations will be handed billions of dollars to take overseas.

It will take at least three Republican senators to vote no to stop this GOP created disaster. Many are asking, are there three such Republican lawmakers with the integrity and decency to stop this nightmare. Protestors have appeared on Capitol Hill and demonstrations are beginning to take place around the country in opposition to the GOP #TaxScam. Current public disapproval for the tax bill is running at between 75-83%. With numbers like that, hopefully we can #KillTheBill.

Calamity Politics is an on-line news magazine that confronts the issues of the day with wit and sarcasm. Join me in my Resistance to the Trump dictatorship. Join the Resistance.

Dar

We Can’t Forget Puerto Rico

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We Can’t Forget Puerto Rico

D. S. Mitchell

Two months ago Puerto Rico was hit by a Category Five hurricane. Maria devastated the island.  More than half of the island continues to be without power and hundreds of thousands of residents are fleeing to the American mainland, in what has been described as an “extraordinary exodus.” The early sense of desperation seems to have morphed into resignation.

On October 3, 2017 President Trump visited Puerto Rico and tossed paper towels to a crowd of needy fellow Americans and bragged about how well the administration’s response to the disaster was going. But now two months after the disaster there is little tangible evidence of real progress. Simple things like, running water, and traffic lights remain unavailable to most of Puerto Rico’s 3.4 million citizens. Early on, the Pentagon dispensed emergency troops to the island. Those emergency troops are now beginning to pull out, except for those working on the island’s demolished power grid.

Tens of thousands of jobs have been eliminated. Thousands of small businesses remain closed and may never reopen. Two months after Maria, a significant number of Puerto Rican hospitals are still running on emergency generators. FEMA officials report that the conditions on the island are so bad that they are being forced to continue to focus on Phase I, the emergency response phase-providing potable water, roofing tarps, in other words the bare necessities, 60 days after the event.

The storm’s official death toll is 55. Forensic researchers believe that number will increase dramatically, probably into the 100’s when all bodies are recovered. The morale of the islanders has remained low as services remain unavailable and scandal has developed around  the dysfunctional and debt-ridden power authority.

The chief executive of the power authority quit this month as details emerged of a $300 million contract with a small White Fish, Montana company. The contract was canceled when irate islanders learned the power authority had agreed to pay $319 per hour to visiting linemen while comparable contractor’s were being paid as little as $42 per hour.

White Fish Energy has reportedly agreed to resume work in Puerto Rico after the government of Puerto Rico made a partial payment on work done. There is an investigation now underway in the Congress into White Fish Energy and why such a small company was given such a huge contract without a bidding process. Secretary of the Interior, Ryan Zinke is from White Fish, Montana and the connection between the Secretary and the CEO of White Fish Energy has come under scrutiny.

It is estimated that 2,ooo Puerto Ricans have left the island each day, headed to the mainland where they will use their American citizenship to resettle with relatives in New York, New Jersey, California and Florida. By the end of 2017 it is expected that over 300,000 immigrants will have entered Florida. Rick Scott declared a state of emergency to handle the wave of immigrants.  The influx already rivals the Cuban immigration during the 1980 Muriel boat lift.

Governor Ricardo Rossello has asked Congress for $94.4 billion in aid to help the island. So far Congress has approved $5 billion. The underlying question is what leadership role the federal government will play in Puerto Rico’s reconstruction. What is obvious is that there needs to be a comprehensive recovery plan from the Trump administration, and so far it seems that the administration has moved on.

President Trump impressed Puerto Ricans with his rudeness and his scornful critique of the Mayor of San Juan, Carmen Yulin Cruz.  His tweets were considered insulting and divisive.  One tweet, “They want everything to be done for them when it should be a community effort” was particularly hurtful. It is agreed that Trump has a sworn duty to support  Puerto Rico. Puerto Ricans are American citizens trapped in an unprecedented emergency, but Trump does not seem to grasp the enormity of the situation or his responsibility to the people of Puerto Rico.

Calamity Politics is a progressive political on-line news magazine.  Join the Resistance.

Dar