Category: Government

Joe Biden: Who We Need

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JOE BIDEN: We Need You Now

By Trevor K. McNeil

The Evil of Two Lessers

There is a long-standing joke that in the democratic system one is voting for the lesser of two evils. The basic idea being that no politician is really good and will almost always serve their own interests. Documentary filmmaker Michael Moore coined the phrase the “evil of two lessers” referring to George W. Bush’s  second election in 2004. A term that could well apply to Donald Trump in 2016. Sorry Hillary boosters, but I was never a fan. There is something about hawkish economic pragmatists that just leaves me cold. Though compared to Donald Trump she looks like a master of state-craft, if a bit Machiavellian.

Beyond Party Lines

Another statement that has made it’s way into the political parlance is “anyone would be better.” A notion that was particularly popular in terms of Richard M. Nixon and George H.W. Bush. Though rarely has this been so literally the case in terms of the American presidency as it is this election cycle. Despite the continued protection of Donald Trump by the Republican party, a level of loyalty that looks like royal fealty, the current president has pushed politics past party lines. It is no longer about Republican or Democrat, not that it ever was, Trump changing parties more times than wives. It is about what is best for the country, which is getting anyone, but Trump into the Oval Office.

A Sense Of Security

For the most part Democrats vote for Democrats and Republicans vote for Republicans. This only stands to reason. It is also extremely limited and only takes into account card-carrying party members. According to the “30-30-40 Rule” each of the major parties has an intractable base of roughly 30% of voters. It is the other 40%, the swing voters and moderates that decide who wins elections. A fact which serves as a large part of the logic behind #VoteBlueNoMatterWho with regard to the 2020 presidential election. It is beginning to look increasingly like the “who” is going to be Joe Biden. Not because he has the best policies or voting history, but because in terms of sheer electability he has the best chance.

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Bernie And His Political Agenda

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Bernie And His Political Agenda

By Jones William

**This article was written and published on March 14, 2020. A lot has happened since then. Senator Sanders has since endorsed Joe Biden.

Doing The Math

Bernie Sanders has committed to remaining in the presidential race, despite big losses to Joe Biden. I have not heard him say that staying in the race means going all the way to the convention. I strongly believe that he will stay in the race long enough to carry out two goals. First, he will want to reach the point at which there is no obvious way forward in the eyes of 80–90% of his supporters. Once they can see for themselves that the math does not support staying in the race, I believe they will be more amenable to Sanders’ endorsing Biden.

Unity Building

Secondly, any endorsement will be contingent upon Joe Biden publicly committing to incorporate Bernie’s pet progressive planks into the Democratic party platform. To me, that seems reasonable, for a man with millions of supporters.  By cutting it short somewhere in the near future, and not dragging the fight all the way to the convention, Joe Biden can then focus on building party unity. By embracing the Sander’s progressive faction in some measurable way, before the primary contests are over both Bernie  and Biden get something they want.

Goal Directed

With these goals in mind, Sanders will take part in Sunday’s one-on-one debate with Biden in Washington, DC. I think he’ll ask for everyone who supports any part of his movement’s agenda in Florida, Ohio, Illinois, and Arizona to turn out in a big way. A showing so large that the movement’s goals cannot be ignored. If polling in these states is as close to true as it turned out to be in Michigan, Biden will improve on his current delegate lead. This will allow Sanders to turn his supporters to Biden and party unity, even as he leverages the incorporation of the movement’s goals into Biden’s platform.

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Mother Earth Is Begging For Help

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Mother Earth, Protect Her

By D. S. Mitchell

No Planet B, For Me

Calamity Politics is pro-environment. I hope all our readers are pro-environment. Earth is the only planet I’m ever going to set foot on.  I see her as a nurturing, caring, loving place that needs reciprocal love and care. We need to get this right; for the grandchildren, and the great-grandchildren. I want to make climate change and environmental protection a priority. We  are in the middle of the Democratic 2020 primaries. Biden and Sanders are still battling it out. Recent primaries do appear to have Biden overwhelming the Vermont senator. Whoever wins the nomination must make Climate Change and environmental protection a top national issue.

Four More Years Could Seal Mom’s Fate

The Trump environmental wrecking crew is at the gates. As each day passes, I become more agitated. I am afraid that we will not be able to mount a sufficient defense against their heavy-handed onslaught against the environment. The agency that is most responsible for that protection, the U.S Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), has been decimated by Trump and his Fossil Fuel allies.

In the Courts

The Sierra Club’s donations are up. The World Wildlife Fund donations are also reportedly, up. I think we will need every environmental organization on the planet to stop the assault on the planet.  Hopefully their resistance will be both through lawsuits in the courts and active street protests against Trump’s dangerous agenda.  It is important to recognize that U.S. politics effect policy worldwide, not just nationwide. We are an example to the world. What we do, other countries do.

Embrace the Future

Clean energy is better for the economy and it is better for Mother Earth. Time to wrestle control of environmental policy and legislation from the fossil fuel industry and their army of lobbyists. The  remnants of the dirty Industrial Revolution must come to an end. Let’s look forward,  and embrace the future.  We are moving into the Technological Era.  Parts of the transition will be painful, acceptance is the first step.  If you are affected by a changing industry, change yourself, change your skills. Become part of the future, not a useless relic of the past.

From Australia to the Amazon

Whether it is the wild fires in California, or the Amazon; millions of animals are being killed or displaced  by wildfires. Many of the fires are set by humans as a quick means to clear land for cattle grazing or palm oil production. In Australia recent fires were also caused intentionally by man. The Australian fires have caused the death of an estimated one million animals. At the other extreme, the polar ice caps are melting at an incredible rate. This loss of ice is creating big trouble for animals who depend on the ice for hunting and nesting. These emergencies must be addressed quickly, we don’t have much time.

The Orange Whore

President Trump and environmental corruption are center stage in the 2020 election. Whoring with fossil fuel barons, erasing climate change regulations, abandoning the Paris Climate Agreement, increasing offshore oil leases, supporting coal mining has made it clear, Donald Trump is no friend of Mother Earth. He has revealed his true heart, and it is nothing more than a dollar sign.  Trump and the greedy fossil fuel abusers would kill Mom and dance at her funeral. It is up to us, to stop the war on our planet. Time to elect Democrats, from the state houses to the White House. Mom’s life is at stake.

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A Taxing Season Til April 15th

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A Taxing Season Til April 15th

April 15th is fast approaching

April 15th is only a month away. I find myself  wondering if I should attempt to do it myself or just call a CPA.

April 15th, Looming Large

In case anyone has forgotten, income tax returns are due in just over a month. April 15th is looming large, as they say. It is not that www.calamitypolitics has that many deductible expenses, but that is only because I haven’t figured out how to deduct my daily double Caramel Mocha or my mani-pedis. Maybe I should consult Ivanka on that.

To Deduct, Or Just File Away

Sorting, ironing and filing

I have been busy, sorting, ironing and filing receipts, getting ready for tax deadline

Over the last week, I have been sorting, ironing and filing receipts. Typically I toss most of my Calamity Politics tax receipts into my car’s glove box. I find if I crumple up every receipt really small I can fit a lot of them in the glove box. Any overflow goes in to the bottom file drawer in my home office. The only problem comes at the end of the tax year when I have to get out the ironing board and iron those crumpled receipts flat.

Tax Year and a Standard Year

My son keeps telling me there is no difference between a ‘standard year’ and a ‘tax year’, both are 365 days long. Well, I don’t believe it; I see it as just more government distortion. It feels as if the tax year is actually 9 months long, or 270 days. It is like a time morph for the muddled, and the disorganized.  I’m sure this phenomenon is a real knee-slapper for those at the IRS. The government’s artificially shortened year, combined with the recent tax changes has admittedly added to my tax preparation anxiety.

Call a Friend

I figured I am not the only one with tax deduction stress so I called on my friend and fellow writer Wes Hessel to come up with some help for me and other befuddled American tax payers. Check out what he learned and is now sharing with us.

D. S. Mitchell

A Taxing Season Til April 15th

By Wes Hessel

Facing The Inevitable

They say that only two things are certain: death and taxes; while some may prefer death over doing their taxes, there are gratis resources that can avoid your considering 1040 to be a four-number word.

Land Of The Free

A Google search for “free tax help” (YSRMV – Your Search Results May Vary) yields multiple options for Federal tax return tools that are credible:

https://turbotax.intuit.com/

https://www.taxact.com/

https://www.taxslayer.com/

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Lies About Medicare For All

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Lies About Medicare For All

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.

Scuttle Safety Net

Despite its enormous popularity and unparalleled record of success Republicans are neck-deep in their war against the nation’s health care safety net, whether it is Medicare, Medicaid or the ACA.  New Republican proposals have emerged since the 2016 election that would slash benefits for the elderly and leave older Americans at the mercy of the “for profit” insurance industry.

Voucher Plans

When Paul Ryan was Speaker of the House he was extremely vocal in his attacks against both Medicaid and Medicare. He supported a voucher program that would transfer more costs on to seniors and leave them at the mercy of the private insurance industry.  Just because Ryan is gone, doesn’t mean that the Republicans have jettisoned that philosophy. The actions to undermine Medicare and Medicaid are ongoing and must be stopped.  It is not just about protecting our existing Medicare system, it is about ensuring that every citizen has access to excellent health care as a right. In such a system it definitely works best when “everybody is in, and nobody is out.”

An American Tragedy

It is believed one hundred Americans die everyday from the lack of health insurance. That is over 30,000 unnecessary deaths each year and that number is expected to grow steadily over the next decade. This is an American tragedy.

Republican Tax Scam

The Republican tax scam was hard on American health care. Millions remain uncovered and millions more are losing coverage due to increased cost for insurance brought on by the elimination of the ACA insurance “mandate”. The insurance mandate was a device used by the ACA plan to expand the pool of healthy people in the system to keep prices down.

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The Electoral College Problem

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The Electoral College Problem

By D. S. Mitchell

Losing While Winning

I believe whoever wins the most popular votes should become president of the United States. Unfortunately, with the Electoral College system that is not what happens. Twice in the last five elections the candidate that became president of the United States lost the popular vote. Donald Trump, won by less than 80,000 votes in four key electoral college states. He simultaneously lost the national popular vote by nearly 3 million votes.

The GOP Solution

The Electoral College system has become a tool for the Republicans in their effort to lock in one party control of government. Elie Mystal in a recent editorial in The Nation magazine wrote the GOP solution to changing demographics is to “forge a new theory of government where the rule by a white minority can withstand the popular will”. The nature of that effort was clear during Trump’s recent impeachment trial. Republicans desperate to acquit Trump wrapped their arms around a group of discredited legal theories. The Senators embraced a view of executive power and privilege, that ultimately denies our democracy and anoints a king.

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Our Primary Responsibility

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Our Primary Responsibility

By Wes Hessel

We Have A Choice To Make

The run up to the presidential election, this year on November 3rd is two tiered. The last pair of events in the process are the conventions of the two main political parties, where they nominate their candidates for president. Interestingly, the delegates to those conventions are chosen by a system of state primaries and caucuses.

Primarily Choosing Or, Caucus Talk-ups

To clarify the nominating process; most states hold primary elections,  a few others hold caucuses. Presidential primary elections are held by the states that have them, with primary elections for state, county or municipal offices. Caucuses however, are “private” events, run by the party whose delegates are being chosen.

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Trump Impeachment: Agony & Ecstasy

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The Senate of the United States is about to acquit president Trump of charges brought against him by the House of Representatives

The Republican Senate is about to acquit Trump of 1) abuse of power and 2) obstruction of Congress.

Trump Impeachment:

Agony & Ecstasy

The Agony

It seems the Trump impeachment has been going on forever.  The never ending developments, obstruction, ignored reality, AAAAGGGGHHHHH!!!! That’s me screaming. And we unfortunately know, that no matter the evidence the Senate will ignore it. Some days I can’t stand reading all this garbage and have to stop scanning the internet.  Apparently, if you’re Republican no matter Trump’s guilt, the offense isn’t bad enough.  Voter tampering isn’t serious enough.  AAAAGGGGHHHH!!!! That’s me screaming, again.

Phone Call Perfection

The absurdity of the Trump defense that his July 25th, 2019 call to Ukrainian President Zelensky was “perfect,” makes me want to kick a stump but I don’t want to break my foot.  Trump’s plot to withhold needed financial aid from a desperate Ukraine had two goals. First, he wanted the Ukrainians to announce an investigation into his political rival, Joe Biden and his son Hunter. Secondly, Trump wanted to implicate the Ukraine in the 2016 election tampering instead of the Russians. Both goals are outrageous and corrupt. Nothing serious enough to have an impeach hearing over.  WTF?  Sorry, I can’t think of anything more serious than election fraud.  Back in a minute, I have to hurl.

Overturn Valid Election

Seriously!  Back to AAAAGGGGHHHH!!!!  I’m on the back porch, screaming. The Republican idea that the entire Trump impeachment process is to overturn an election is a fairy tale.  Why on earth would anyone with a brain think Pence is a prize?  We all want to get rid of Trump so we can have someone even worse?  I hear this stupid argument day in and day out. I guess I’m wondering why America would want to overturn an election.  The Dems could have just ignored all the crimes and waited until the election if that was the goal.  Let’s get it straight, Trump was impeached because he’s a cheat, a criminal, and a dumb ass clown.

Loyalty to Trump Not U.S.

What the F!  One of the criticisms I have of the House Manager’s prosecution is that no one mentioned that the witnesses against Trump are Republicans.  Most of them Trump appointees.  Trump is so ‘effn dumb.  All of the audio, video and eyewitness testimony has been filed by Republicans.  Trump is the kind of boss that would make me spend all my time devoted to malicious compliance.  All while looking for a better job.  The idea that even being a lifelong Republican isn’t important because your loyalty now has to be to Trump.  Trump only.  If you haven’t kissed the royal ring, and the royal ass you aren’t Trumpian enough. Seriously, we are looking at cult behavior.

The Ecstasy

Whatever the outcome of the Trump impeachment hearing, this has been an extremely damaging scenario for the president. Day after day new information is leaked to the media pointing to Trump’s guilt and I presume this will continue ad nauseam until he is out of office. I call it the scandal a day presidency. So there is definitely some good with the bad in this whole drama.  Sometimes I just think if we just sit back and wait Trump will accidentally confess to something even Republicans believe is impeachable.  “Hey, Donald!  I found some more rope, you want some?”

Twitter

The Trump impeachment has sent the president’s Twitter account into overdrive.  He has been spouting idiocies on his Twitter feed for years but the recent ones are a joy to behold.  I enjoy watching him embarrass himself day after day with poor grammar, lousy spelling and idiotic ramblings,  When I’m tired and can’t sleep, I read Trump tweets instead of counting sheep.  Then when I do fall asleep it’s with a smile on my face.  What a moron!  By the way, he has tweeted Schiff, Pelosi and Bolton are all “going to pay for their part in the Trump impeachment”.  His Twitter feed is full of threats, hate and lies.

Obstruction Shenanigans

His recent admission that “we have all the material.  They don’t have the material,” is scary. He is talking here, about evidence. This is an admission of obstruction of Congress. Trump has made obstructing the impeachment process into an art form.  It really scares me that the Republicans are willing to aid the president in suppressing the voices of fact witnesses.  Especially since they have to throw so many loyal Republicans (Vindman, Sondland, Bolton, Mattis, Kelly) under the bus to protect the President.

Comedy Gold

The Trump impeachment is comedy gold for the late night comedians  As you can see, I’m trying to keep a good sense of humor until the next election.  Trump isn’t going to be removed from office until then.  Hopefully, this is Trump and his Republican followers last hurrah. We will have to wait for the last laugh until Trump is out of office and the Congress has been cleansed of the Trump cultists, but I believe it is coming.  I know most Americans can’t keep focused on anything for more than a week, but I am hopeful that, on this issue, the issue of Trump’s character will be the major topic in the 2020 election.  There is a price for ignoring the 63% of Americans who wanted witnesses called and documents presented.  The majority of Americans wanted to see an actual trial. Vote and make sure we, the People, have the last laugh.

The Trump Impeachment Trial

Now we come to the impeachment trial phase and Republican obfuscation.  Republicans say they have no need for documents or witnesses.  They heard the House testimony and it’s not enough.  They’re going to acquit Trump.  With that in mind, new evidence, such as the phone records by Lev and Igor and Bolton’s book revelations are being blatantly ignored.  So annoying.  Join me in my prayer that Mitch McConnell, Rand Paul and Lindsey Graham develop anal warts.

The Fallout

Republicans are playing with impeachment fire.  The arrogance of the Republican lawmakers is alarming.  They are literally willing to ignore, and in some cases bury the evidence, but the public is not.  Since 51-56% of Americans believe Trump should be impeached and removed from office the Republicans risk losing their Senate majority in the upcoming election.  All in all this could be a very good year for Democrats and November may give them the House, Senate and the Presidency.  If we don’t F it up!

David L. Shadrick is a regular contributor to Calamity Politics. 

 

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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NO GOOD CHOICE

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NO GOOD CHOICE

By Trevor McNeil

Lest We Forget

The idea of Veteran’s day is to remember. This only stands to reason. Though it can also, ironically, be a way to forget. To paraphrase Alan Bennett in his play, History Boys, there is no better way to forget something than commemorating it. It is not that people forget the event happened, but it can lead to a disconnect with younger generations, not sure what it has to do with them. Particularly, if enough time has passed for society to change significantly. A prime example of this is the repealing of the general military draft after the Vietnam era.

In The Shadows

Nine eleven

Remembering 9/11 terrorism attack on the World Trade Center, New York City eighteen years ago.

Despite the general sense of nothing being the same, things have changed surprisingly little since the Vietnam era and in some ways have gotten a good deal worse. Conflict remains a major factor of American life with soldiers still being deployed to Afghanistan to continue a war that started before some of them were even born. The fight against terrorism groups like ISIS, al Ouida and the Taliban goes on. There is no official draft into military service in the U.S., but there is still the Selective Service which every American-born male must register for when he turns eighteen.

War Propaganda

While not strictly the same as the draft, the Selective Service creates a list of potential draftees. Anyone on this list can technically be called up for military service at any time. A situation not a million miles away from what it was like during the two world wars and Vietnam. The only major difference is the absence of effective or at least overt war propaganda. There are no government sponsored ads, at least that I have seen, encouraging fighting age men to go kick ISIS like there was with Hitler in the 1940’s and the Kaiser two decades before that. Enlistment propaganda is always preferred over conscription.

The Thorn In Everybody’s Side

Vietnam is also a major factor in the current situation few want to acknowledge. One of the fall outs from the Vietnam fiasco was a hard drop-off in enlistment numbers after the repeal of the draft. As author Robert O’Connor wrote in his novel, Buffalo Soldiers, “Vietnam was the thorn in everyone’s side.”

Low Enlistment Levels

By the beginning of the Reagan era military enlistment had dropped to an all time low. Low enlistment shouldn’t have been a problem considering it was officially peace time, the last remnants of the Cold War the worst thing most people had to worry about. But, the military meant both money and power, particularly for a Republican administration. In lieu of the draft, several programs emerged to “encourage” enlistment. These tactics in fact, compelled people to sign up for military service.

You Call This Choice?

Among the worst of these was an initiative by which those convicted of minor non-violent criminal offenses were literally offered a choice between prison or military service. There are also some pretty questionable scholarship opportunities available only to those who join the military. It is also one of the few jobs, one can get without a high school diploma. A not unintentional play to attract people from economically depressed backgrounds, particularly African-Americans, Latinos and immigrants.

Then and Now

Don’t get me wrong, things have changed since Vietnam, but not as much as many assume. Remembrance of the past, need not be an empty exercise; alienating us from history, but instead a serious examination of what went before, to give valuable context to the present.