The deadline for the U. S. government to reunite children separated from their parents at the border. You knew about that, right? But did you know that over 700 children have not been reunited yet? Government lawyers said they are not eligible to be reunited with their families. Can you imagine? Ineligible! Not that they can't find the parents, but ineligible.
So what makes a child ineligible to be reunited with his or her parents? Oh, things like criminal records or communicable diseases, those sorts of things. Oh and 431 cases where the parents are no longer in the U.S. I wonder how come so many sets of parents aren't in this country anymore? You don't suppose they were kicked out, do you? Certainly our government wouldn't kick a family out without first reuniting them with their children. That wouldn't be the kind of thing our government would do, is it?
Just what kind of a government would pull a stunt like that? Certainly not a Christian way of doing things, so I assume they were not Christians, those folks who did it. But even so, didn't they give any thought to what was the right thing to do? I mean come on. who takes, no, who steals a kid from his parents and then kicks the parents out and takes the kid somewhere where the parents can't find them? I can only think it must have been cruel criminals.
Whether you like these Hispanics or not, whether or not you think they should not have entered America illegally, is that the kind of thing you'd want someone to do in your name? The next worst thing they could do is start selling these kids. Of course they would never call it selling. But there would be costs for someone to adopt one of these kids. I'm ashamed of my country, aren't you?
Friday, July 27, 2018
Thursday, July 26, 2018
1% or Scoialism?
Ya know, back about forty years or so a company's owner could expect to earn somewhere near thirty five times what his employees earned. They felt they deserved it and maybe they did. But now-a-days heads of corporations aren't satisfied unless they're making 300, 400, 500 times what their employees make and they're convinced they're entitled to make that much. And if it means those employees have to take a cut in pay or get bypassed on pay raises, then so be it.
These are the folks that are screaming about $15 an hour minimum wage being too high. Now why do you suppose they hate that idea? Could it be that they fear they may have to take a little less? But they're making way more than they can spend as it is.
It's not about socialism. They're not worried about socialism, they're worried they'll have to work for a little less than they've become accustomed to. Oh, they point to anyone who poses the idea that everyone should earn a living wage and claim that person is a socialist. But what's really got their goat is having to work for a little less. You know, like instead of the 10 million or 100 million they might have to work for 9,990,000 or, well you get the idea.
The thing is, most, if not all, 1%ers have more money than they'll ever need. So what's wrong with sharing a little bit of it with Americans who are struggling? I'm not suggesting that they have to give it all back to the people. Just not take quite so much from now on. I suppose that if I had more money than the All Mighty, maybe Id be a little reluctant to give some back, but I hope I wouldn't be like that.
So the next time you hear somebody say that $15 an hour is socialism, take a look at that person. He's either a member of the 1% club or he's been brainwashed by one. Because everybody deserves to earn enough to live on.
These are the folks that are screaming about $15 an hour minimum wage being too high. Now why do you suppose they hate that idea? Could it be that they fear they may have to take a little less? But they're making way more than they can spend as it is.
It's not about socialism. They're not worried about socialism, they're worried they'll have to work for a little less than they've become accustomed to. Oh, they point to anyone who poses the idea that everyone should earn a living wage and claim that person is a socialist. But what's really got their goat is having to work for a little less. You know, like instead of the 10 million or 100 million they might have to work for 9,990,000 or, well you get the idea.
The thing is, most, if not all, 1%ers have more money than they'll ever need. So what's wrong with sharing a little bit of it with Americans who are struggling? I'm not suggesting that they have to give it all back to the people. Just not take quite so much from now on. I suppose that if I had more money than the All Mighty, maybe Id be a little reluctant to give some back, but I hope I wouldn't be like that.
So the next time you hear somebody say that $15 an hour is socialism, take a look at that person. He's either a member of the 1% club or he's been brainwashed by one. Because everybody deserves to earn enough to live on.
Tuesday, July 24, 2018
Earth Shattering News.
The 2017 tax cuts and jobs act didn't help much for most people. Why is that? When does a tax cut fail to make a difference in your income? When you don't make much to start with. Its true that jobs have been created and anyone who wants to work can probably find a job. The problem is that you can't support a family on what you can make at one of these jobs unless you're a college graduate in one of the most important fields.
Here's the problem: some of the richest men in the world own or run some of the largest employers, but most of the employees have to depend on food stamps to get by. So where's all the profits going? Well of course much of it goes to the owners the rest goes to the stockholders. Only a tiny bit of it goes to employee wages.
So the question is: Why are the shareholders and owners more worthy of sharing in the profits than the workers. After all, the workers do the hard work. Because the people who control the funds decide who gets what and its the rich who say it should go to the rich and shareholders, Now some will say but the workers will benefit because their retirement funds are receiving part of the profits. To which the workers say "what retirement funds." and "how do I survive in the meantime?"
When you make little you can't afford the luxury of putting money into retirement savings. You have to pay for your daily needs and on low incomes that doesn't leave anything for savings. The rich will ask why you aren't saving, that's inexcusable. You can't get the rich to grasp what it's like to be poor, even working poor. You just can't get ahead no matter how hard you try. It would be like the rich finding out they can't join the country club. It would be downright earth shattering.
Here's the problem: some of the richest men in the world own or run some of the largest employers, but most of the employees have to depend on food stamps to get by. So where's all the profits going? Well of course much of it goes to the owners the rest goes to the stockholders. Only a tiny bit of it goes to employee wages.
So the question is: Why are the shareholders and owners more worthy of sharing in the profits than the workers. After all, the workers do the hard work. Because the people who control the funds decide who gets what and its the rich who say it should go to the rich and shareholders, Now some will say but the workers will benefit because their retirement funds are receiving part of the profits. To which the workers say "what retirement funds." and "how do I survive in the meantime?"
When you make little you can't afford the luxury of putting money into retirement savings. You have to pay for your daily needs and on low incomes that doesn't leave anything for savings. The rich will ask why you aren't saving, that's inexcusable. You can't get the rich to grasp what it's like to be poor, even working poor. You just can't get ahead no matter how hard you try. It would be like the rich finding out they can't join the country club. It would be downright earth shattering.
Thursday, July 19, 2018
Job Creators.
Just who is it that are job creators? I know you've heard its the rich that create jobs. I'll bet you've also heard its the corporations that create jobs. But I'll bet you've never heard that its the middle class and poor that create jobs, have you. But actually that's who create jobs. The rich don't, they just pocket added profits. The same with corporations. They turn it over to shareholders or just hold on to the profits.
Now why would I say that the middle class and poor are the job creators? It's because demand for products and services are the driver that forces corporations to modernize and ad jobs. So who creates demand? Well it's not the corporations and it's not the rich, except in small quantities and if the corporations had to depend entirely on the rich, they'd go broke. But the poor and middle class are the big buyers, the job creators.
So if the middle class and poor are the job creators, how come all the profits go to the rich? There's no good reason except that they've convinced too many people that they are indeed the job creators. No! No they aren't. You are. So it's time to increase the minimum wage so that a person can actually live on it without food stamps and the like. Raise the taxes on the corporations and the rich. If they don't want to pay those high taxes let them invest in higher wages for their employees and modernize. If wages went up for everyone, demand would increase by leaps and bounds and profits would soar. Everyone would make more including the rich.
Now why would I say that the middle class and poor are the job creators? It's because demand for products and services are the driver that forces corporations to modernize and ad jobs. So who creates demand? Well it's not the corporations and it's not the rich, except in small quantities and if the corporations had to depend entirely on the rich, they'd go broke. But the poor and middle class are the big buyers, the job creators.
So if the middle class and poor are the job creators, how come all the profits go to the rich? There's no good reason except that they've convinced too many people that they are indeed the job creators. No! No they aren't. You are. So it's time to increase the minimum wage so that a person can actually live on it without food stamps and the like. Raise the taxes on the corporations and the rich. If they don't want to pay those high taxes let them invest in higher wages for their employees and modernize. If wages went up for everyone, demand would increase by leaps and bounds and profits would soar. Everyone would make more including the rich.
Tuesday, July 17, 2018
Wages
I heard an encouraging and discouraging report this morning on TV. Since the 1970s employees income rose an astounding .02%. So, after forty odd years, workers are making two tenths of a percent more today than they did in 1978 after inflation. I guess you could say that workers income is up.
From 2016 to 2017 workers wages fell .02%.Well, there goes that two tenths of a percent increase in wages. Now I said encouraging but I meant it sarcastically. I said discouraging because it was all discouraging.
What I find unfair is that with the economy rising so fast and with the tax cuts in full swing where is all that extra profit going? Now some will say it goes to everyone with a retirement plan.
But some don't have a retirement plan because their pay check doesn't cover the cost of a retirement plan. What with food, and rent and car payment and health insurance, there just isn't anything left for retirement. And there were some one time bonuses too.
So who's getting all that extra profit? The top 1% of Americans. But wasn't that going to trickle down to the middle class and poor? Oh, wealth was always supposed to trickle down to the middle class and poor. But a funny thing happened on the way to the bank. It got deposited in the accounts of the one percent of Americans and they sort of kept it.
But that isn't fair. How come nobody ever complained? Well, some people do complain, but there aren't enough to make the politicians see the problem. After all the politicians are, in many cases, part of the 1%. So to get change you have to start shouting very loudly and get all your friends to do the same. It may not be fair, but that's what is needed.
From 2016 to 2017 workers wages fell .02%.Well, there goes that two tenths of a percent increase in wages. Now I said encouraging but I meant it sarcastically. I said discouraging because it was all discouraging.
What I find unfair is that with the economy rising so fast and with the tax cuts in full swing where is all that extra profit going? Now some will say it goes to everyone with a retirement plan.
But some don't have a retirement plan because their pay check doesn't cover the cost of a retirement plan. What with food, and rent and car payment and health insurance, there just isn't anything left for retirement. And there were some one time bonuses too.
So who's getting all that extra profit? The top 1% of Americans. But wasn't that going to trickle down to the middle class and poor? Oh, wealth was always supposed to trickle down to the middle class and poor. But a funny thing happened on the way to the bank. It got deposited in the accounts of the one percent of Americans and they sort of kept it.
But that isn't fair. How come nobody ever complained? Well, some people do complain, but there aren't enough to make the politicians see the problem. After all the politicians are, in many cases, part of the 1%. So to get change you have to start shouting very loudly and get all your friends to do the same. It may not be fair, but that's what is needed.
Sunday, July 15, 2018
Foot And Lie.
Have you noticed some TV stations, I mean local stations, around the country are becoming FOX type and even FOX related because of new ownership? Well, its supposedly true. The unfortunate part of that is that they're supporting Donald Trump. Now its one thing to support conservative thinking and quite another to support Trump thinking.
I think that conservatives are strange enough without going all Trump on themselves. They don't seem to realize The Donald is not the Messiah. In fact, he's not even the messy. Anyone who pats himself on the back as much as he does must have shoulder problems. Some people suffer from what's called 'trigger finger a case where a person loses control of that finger, The Donald seems to have trigger tongue.
Growing up, I was always taught that if you can't say something nice about someone, don't say anything at all. Well, let me say Mr. Trump has two nice feet. There, I've met my duty. Now where he puts those two feet is the real question. I've never known anyone who could walk on one foot and keep the other foot in his mouth.
Then we come to the question of ; is it (lay or lie) on the couch? I'm told that lie is the proper word. Well, The Donald can do that on the couch, in a chair or on his feet. Even with one foot in his mouth. And please children, don't try this at home. Or church, or school, or anyplace else
I think that conservatives are strange enough without going all Trump on themselves. They don't seem to realize The Donald is not the Messiah. In fact, he's not even the messy. Anyone who pats himself on the back as much as he does must have shoulder problems. Some people suffer from what's called 'trigger finger a case where a person loses control of that finger, The Donald seems to have trigger tongue.
Growing up, I was always taught that if you can't say something nice about someone, don't say anything at all. Well, let me say Mr. Trump has two nice feet. There, I've met my duty. Now where he puts those two feet is the real question. I've never known anyone who could walk on one foot and keep the other foot in his mouth.
Then we come to the question of ; is it (lay or lie) on the couch? I'm told that lie is the proper word. Well, The Donald can do that on the couch, in a chair or on his feet. Even with one foot in his mouth. And please children, don't try this at home. Or church, or school, or anyplace else
Friday, July 13, 2018
Stable Or Stumbling?
A Stable Genius indeed. His stability in Canada, Belgium and now in England is called into question. There are several reasons for his actions. First he is a man with the mind of a ten year old and not all that stable of a ten year old. Second, he is a fiercely loyal follower of Putinism. A damn the world, full speed ahead approach to running the world. Third, he is beyond the Peter Principal. He doesn't realize that his actions and words have real world consequences. He just doesn't understand how to show respect where it's due and meet threats where they exist.
Personally I go with the Peter Principal. Oh, he's done big deals and he understands the court system. He must, he's a top flight bankruptcy expert. But trying to run America and its relations with hundreds of other countries and their leaders is just over his head. I suppose if I wanted to get out of an agreement to buy tons of concrete, he could probably help me, but he just doesn't understand how international relationships work, and what's more, he's not at all interested in learning.
Yep, the Peter Principal, that's where my money is. He'd rather speak off the cuff than follow any advice from the people he hired to advise him. His greatest fear is that he would be seen as weak and indecisive which is exactly how he is viewed. When someone calls himself great and smarter than anyone else, better able to extract concessions and all those boasts, you can be fairly certain that person can't accomplish any of them.
Not knowing about a country isn't so bad so long as you're willing to learn about it and take the advice of those who do know that country. But not knowing and not caring enough to learn doesn't make you a Stable Genius it makes you a Stumbling Dufus.
Personally I go with the Peter Principal. Oh, he's done big deals and he understands the court system. He must, he's a top flight bankruptcy expert. But trying to run America and its relations with hundreds of other countries and their leaders is just over his head. I suppose if I wanted to get out of an agreement to buy tons of concrete, he could probably help me, but he just doesn't understand how international relationships work, and what's more, he's not at all interested in learning.
Yep, the Peter Principal, that's where my money is. He'd rather speak off the cuff than follow any advice from the people he hired to advise him. His greatest fear is that he would be seen as weak and indecisive which is exactly how he is viewed. When someone calls himself great and smarter than anyone else, better able to extract concessions and all those boasts, you can be fairly certain that person can't accomplish any of them.
Not knowing about a country isn't so bad so long as you're willing to learn about it and take the advice of those who do know that country. But not knowing and not caring enough to learn doesn't make you a Stable Genius it makes you a Stumbling Dufus.
Monday, July 9, 2018
What To Do.
What does it take to embarrass a judge? Recently a one year old child was brought before a judge without his parents. Now why would anyone force a one year old to appear in court? The judge was required to ask the infant if he understood the proceedings. That's what embarrassed the judge. The boy was one of the very lucky ones because he had a court appointed lawyer. I wonder if he approved of the lawyer appointed to his case. What crime did he commit?
There are about one hundred children under five who are being held and only a very few have a court appointed lawyer. Altogether there are about three thousand children being held. What are the chances of even a twelve year old understanding court proceedings in a language not his own?
The child's name is Johan. He was separated from his father at the border with Mexico. His father has already been sent back to Honduras. That's the crime the infant committed. What dastardly evil, career criminal this one year old is. Why, I'll bet he even dirties his diaper on occasion. Prison is too good for him.
The thing is, if we don't send this child to jail, what to do with him. What's that? Did someone say reunite him with his father? But that's all the way in Honduras. We can't just UPS him home, ya know. If we have to send him back, we might have to send an agent with him. They may not like our agents down there. Maybe one of the Trump family could go. After all, it was daddy's idea in the first place.
There are about one hundred children under five who are being held and only a very few have a court appointed lawyer. Altogether there are about three thousand children being held. What are the chances of even a twelve year old understanding court proceedings in a language not his own?
The child's name is Johan. He was separated from his father at the border with Mexico. His father has already been sent back to Honduras. That's the crime the infant committed. What dastardly evil, career criminal this one year old is. Why, I'll bet he even dirties his diaper on occasion. Prison is too good for him.
The thing is, if we don't send this child to jail, what to do with him. What's that? Did someone say reunite him with his father? But that's all the way in Honduras. We can't just UPS him home, ya know. If we have to send him back, we might have to send an agent with him. They may not like our agents down there. Maybe one of the Trump family could go. After all, it was daddy's idea in the first place.
Saturday, July 7, 2018
For Friendship's Sake.
What is it that makes president Trump disrespect some of our best friends in the world? Countries that fought by our side in two world wars and all the wars that can't be called wars. Countries who have stood by our side through thick and thin. How come all these countries are now being hammered by our president. Breaking treaties, backing out of agreements, making accusations, and threats
All the while making nice to some of our worst enemies. Russia's Putin, North Korea's Kim, these people are not our friends. Yet Trump continually favors them over our allies and friends. What can he possibly be thinking of? Make America Great Again! It seems like he's making America small again. When the time comes that we need others to join with us to right a great wrong, who will be at our side?
Our Enemies won't help us. They're out to destroy us. Our friends? If things continue the way they are, we won't have friends. Isolation won't make us Great, in fact if anything it will harm us. Our own history has proved that. We need to begin to put a bridal on him. Congress with its Republican majorities won't do it, but we've got a chance this November with the general elections. If you're a Democrat, get out and vote, if you're Republican or Independent give great thought to who you're voting for.
In the meantime we need to pressure our congressmen and Senators to finally stand up to Trump. Force him to cease these terrible wrongs he's inflicting on our friends, rejoin agreements that are in our best interest and the same with treaties. Override his vetoes if necessary. And its past time for the President to cease using his position to increase his personal fortune.
Thursday, July 5, 2018
What If?
What if you were on a ship that began to sink in the middle of the ocean because some fools set off explosions and what if there just happened to be another ship very close to the sinking ship you were on. Just one problem. The other ship said nobody could come on board. So, would you throw up your hands in resignation and drown or would you swim over and climb on board that other ship anyway?
Now what if the crew on the other ship started throwing you and your friends overboard, but not your children. Then a third ship agreed to take you on board, but it was a prison ship. Then they air-lifted your children to another ship yet so that you didn't know where they were. Might you be upset? Would you think that unfair? To what lengths would you go to be with your children? Might you ever see your children again? What would those children think?
Those are the problems facing illegal aliens. Their home countries are being destroyed by violent gangs and uncaring governments. They fear for their lives. They try to come to America because they can't swim to England. When our government throws them in jail and takes their children away to who knows where, its just as bad as being on board a sinking ship.
America has always been a caring, hospitable haven. Do we need to protect our borders? Of course. Do we need to keep criminals out? Of course. Can we do these things in a humane way? You can't convince me that we cannot. More investigators and personnel to process these illegals so as not to make their lives more intolerable than they already are.
Now what if the crew on the other ship started throwing you and your friends overboard, but not your children. Then a third ship agreed to take you on board, but it was a prison ship. Then they air-lifted your children to another ship yet so that you didn't know where they were. Might you be upset? Would you think that unfair? To what lengths would you go to be with your children? Might you ever see your children again? What would those children think?
Those are the problems facing illegal aliens. Their home countries are being destroyed by violent gangs and uncaring governments. They fear for their lives. They try to come to America because they can't swim to England. When our government throws them in jail and takes their children away to who knows where, its just as bad as being on board a sinking ship.
America has always been a caring, hospitable haven. Do we need to protect our borders? Of course. Do we need to keep criminals out? Of course. Can we do these things in a humane way? You can't convince me that we cannot. More investigators and personnel to process these illegals so as not to make their lives more intolerable than they already are.
The Wrong Approach.
Well, a few weeks ago, I wrote in a post about why the price of gasoline has gone up. But I just read where President Trump asked OPEC to lower the price of crude oil. Maybe he sort of told them to, but anyway the price of gasoline is up even higher. That's tough on me and everybody on a fixed income, but it's good for employment in the oil industry and for unemployment.
Now if the price of oil sinks to anywhere near, I think the figure is $65 a barrel, it'll hurt the oil industry and there would be lots of layoffs and increased unemployment. The point is there are always consequences to any actions.
Which brings me to tariffs. When you decide to charge a tax on products another country exports to you, don't you think they're going to do the same to you? Now I agree that China has been stealing our technology and forcing American companies to hand over their technologies in order to do business in China.
That's very unfair and we should have done something about it years ago. I'm just not sure that tariffs against Chinese and European products is necessarily the answer. They can just as easily tax American goods going to China and Europe. We need to demand China cease those practices or face a total cessation of trade between the two countries.
That would likely send us into a deep recession . It could end the Chinese leadership. The president at least tried something with tariffs. He just tried the wrong approach. My advise, although I can't imagine him taking it, would be to listen to his most knowledgeable advisors. But only those who know what they're talking about. This IS like rocket science and we need someone who will take it as seriously as that science.
Now if the price of oil sinks to anywhere near, I think the figure is $65 a barrel, it'll hurt the oil industry and there would be lots of layoffs and increased unemployment. The point is there are always consequences to any actions.
Which brings me to tariffs. When you decide to charge a tax on products another country exports to you, don't you think they're going to do the same to you? Now I agree that China has been stealing our technology and forcing American companies to hand over their technologies in order to do business in China.
That's very unfair and we should have done something about it years ago. I'm just not sure that tariffs against Chinese and European products is necessarily the answer. They can just as easily tax American goods going to China and Europe. We need to demand China cease those practices or face a total cessation of trade between the two countries.
That would likely send us into a deep recession . It could end the Chinese leadership. The president at least tried something with tariffs. He just tried the wrong approach. My advise, although I can't imagine him taking it, would be to listen to his most knowledgeable advisors. But only those who know what they're talking about. This IS like rocket science and we need someone who will take it as seriously as that science.
Sunday, July 1, 2018
Moderate - Extremist?
So, a newspaper in Maryland was shot up. Five people were killed. And guess what? The shooter wasn't even a Muslim. He just hated that newspaper. I wonder if he was influenced by Pres. Trump? After all, they were members of the hated, fake news, press. They were just lucky they weren't part of the MSNBC team, elsewise they'd have been maligned by our president as well.
Our free press is under attack by our president. News organizations that just happen to be more important to the American people than the president himself. Oh, don't get me wrong, he doesn't hate all news organizations. He really loves FOX News for some reason. Actually that reason is that they agree with him 100%, or maybe he just takes his lead from FOX News in which case they love him 100% of the time.
If our president were to get his way the rest of the news gathering organizations in the country would be forced out of business. Why, because they don't agree with his programs that have almost never passed the legal challenges brought against them. I suppose the next legal mind he appoints to the SCOTUS will be so conservative he'll squeak at the mention of Roe v Wade.
We can only hope that the Senate will force him to be more moderate in his choice. Someone who, at least, doesn't hate the media. It'll only take a couple Republicans to teach him a lesson in how to forge a SCOTUS that will be moderate in its decisions rather than extremist.
Our free press is under attack by our president. News organizations that just happen to be more important to the American people than the president himself. Oh, don't get me wrong, he doesn't hate all news organizations. He really loves FOX News for some reason. Actually that reason is that they agree with him 100%, or maybe he just takes his lead from FOX News in which case they love him 100% of the time.
If our president were to get his way the rest of the news gathering organizations in the country would be forced out of business. Why, because they don't agree with his programs that have almost never passed the legal challenges brought against them. I suppose the next legal mind he appoints to the SCOTUS will be so conservative he'll squeak at the mention of Roe v Wade.
We can only hope that the Senate will force him to be more moderate in his choice. Someone who, at least, doesn't hate the media. It'll only take a couple Republicans to teach him a lesson in how to forge a SCOTUS that will be moderate in its decisions rather than extremist.
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